#phoenix being a protective dad

[runby2]

mr gavin, i love going on business meets with you. its just you, me, and this phoenix wright that's built between us""

[ddejavvu]

MEI i have severe top gun maverick brain rot and all i can think about is reader being the admirals daughter and everyone assumes rooster or hangman is gonna go after her but it turns out she’s been hooking up with bob for AGES and they’re all like ??? how did you do that???? bob gets kinda flustered but readers just like idk he was really nice and he’s really good in bed

"Check it out," Phoenix elbows Bob where the man is engrossed in reading the back of the bar napkins Penny had handed them so that they didn't stain her tables again, "There's Mav's daughter. 'Think she's got that Hawaiian shirt on to seduce Rooster?"

Bob's eyes dart to where you're chatting with Penny, his shoulders stiffening as his friends turn to watch you.

"Nah, Rooster doesn't like orange. But those cowboy boots she's got on are probably for Hangman- didn't he say he'd teach her how to square dance?"

Penny reaches over the bar to tug affectionately at one of your braids and Bob tries to no avail to break the conversation.

"Actually, she's-"

"I'd say she was here to meet Fanboy, but she doesn't date losers," Phoenix's eyes are narrowed dangerously, and she hides a smirk against the rim of her bottle.

"Hey! Hangman's a bigger loser than I am!" He protests, but before the taller man can trap him in a headlock, Penny points towards the dagger squad where they're lounged in a corner of the bar, and your eyes shine as you rush over.

"Bob!" You shriek, throwing your arms around his neck and letting your legs bend when he hoists you off of the ground for a hearty hug. His muscles are well hidden beneath his regulation khakis, but he's built for much heavier loads than you, and he lets you hover a few inches off of the ground while he hugs you.

Your face is buried in his neck but you press a kiss against his cheek, catching the bewildered blinking of the rest of his squadron over his shoulder.

"Oh. I forgot you didn't know." You supply, your feet back on the ground as Bob keeps one arm slung loosely around your waist, "Sorry, we- uh, we've been hooking up for a while, it's just... I haven't seen him since you guys got shipped out."

"You've been hooking up with her?" Coyote stares down his nose at Bob who shifts subtly closer to you, nodding once, stiffly in the face of his teammate's scrutiny.

"Damn. And he was good enough in bed to keep you waiting 'til he got back?"

Bob flushes - you feel his skin warm where it's pressed against your own, and you fill the awkward silence.

"Oh, please. I'm sure you've seen it in the locker room; I'd wait a lifetime."

Bob scoffs over your shoulder, now even more flustered, but Phoenix is happy to save the situation.

"Does your dad know?" She tilts her chin towards you, remembering how viscerally uncomfortable their Captain had been whenever someone had suggested you get together with one of his aviators.

"Of course he knows," You laugh, "He's the one that set us up! 'Said Bob had to get his hands on me before Texas over there tried to Hold 'Em."

Bob wraps an arm protectively over your chest, leaning over your shoulder from behind to return a kiss against your own cheek.

Hangman whistles lowly, shaking his head with a dazed look, "Well, shit. I didn't know the offer to hold 'em was on the table, but-shit!"

Bob's face darkens but Rooster levels the toe of his boot with Hangman's lower thigh, striking him at the back of the knee and subsequently spilling beer over his khakis. Hangman grunts as his knees knock against the beer-sticky floor, but he seems to know he deserved what he'd gotten because he doesn't retaliate.

"We'll wrangle him." Rooster promises, "You two go have fun, Bob you gotta quarter for the jukebox?"

"Yes'sir," Bob nods, tugging you towards a lesser populated area- perfect for slow dancing even if the bar isn't, "Let's make up for lost time, honey."

[doctorsiren]

So I said this in the tags of my last post, but then I went wacky and doodled up some pages of this other AU idea that stemmed from the idea of that comic I did

In this AU, Miles goes to Diego Armando’s office a few weeks after the Fawles trial. There is no cocky, arrogant, or smug air about him like there was during the trial and instead he seems really shaken and nervous. Diego’s like “hey what’s wrong?” And Miles is quiet but then says that he needs help. He tells Diego that he can’t get the image of Fawles’s suicide out of his head and that he has no one he can talk to about this. Diego asks about Miles’s mentor, but Miles says that there’s absolutely no way he could ever go to his mentor for help with emotional stuff because it would show “weakness” and he also isn’t comfortable with von Karma. To make a long story short (because I’ve thought so much about this), Miles ends up pleading with Diego to protect him from von Karma just in case he goes after him for switching sides to be a defense attorney. He knows that von Karma will see him as weak and a traitor for switching teams after a single case, but Miles can’t be someone he’s not. Diego points out that Miles seems to be trying to be who von Karma wanted him to be. So he asks Miles what he wants to be, and Miles responds by saying he wants to be his dad (just like in my 1985 animatic 😭).

So Miles decides to renounce prosecution. He rips off his cravat and throws it in the garbage in Diego’s office and declares that he’ll become a defense attorney. He also asks Diego is he could be his mentor to help him in both being better at defense law and also just being better with interacting with people.

He joins the Grossberg Law Offices and works alongside Mia and Diego to gather evidence on Dahlia Hawthorne, as he now too believes that she has done terrible things.

After Diego is poisoned, Miles freaks out because people just keep dying or getting hurt around him and it scares him. (Oh…baby boy just wait until Mia dies too-)

He takes the case to defend Phoenix, gets TERRIFIED when Phoenix eats the poison necklace, and then at the end, Phoenix was like “oh wow! You’re a defense attorney now?? Lmao when did that happen??” Bc he had been too busy simping over Dahlia. But Miles tells him that he should still pursue law so that they could work together and also so that Phoenix’s law classes and studying wouldn’t have gone to waste. So Phoenix becomes a lawyer and works with Miles and Mia at the Fey & Co Law Offices until she dies and then it becomes Edgeworth & Co Law Offices because he had been a lawyer for longer.

I like the idea that in this AU, Phoenix and Miles obviously have huge crushes on each other, but these idiots still refuse to acknowledge or admit it <3

Also :((( when Diego wakes up, he still goes on his whole antagonist arc as Godot, and Miles refuses to tell Phoenix the truth about who he is. See, I also like the idea that in this AU, Nick and Miles are still as cagey with their past and truths as they are in normal AA

As you can see, I am perfectly normal !! I think about ace attorney a very normal amount!! 🤭

[shadowsndaisies]

dogfighting 101: 03 - clear mind, clear skies

wc: 2.2k

synopsis: tempers are rising

main masterlist

athena-verse master post

By the time you made it back to the Aviator lounge, your arms were sore, and you knew your shoulders would soon become so as well. Harvard and Yale were on your tail as you walked in, and you were greeted by applause and a few whistles and cheers from your fellow aviators.

You roll your eyes as the boys slump onto the sofa. You drop your gear beside them and start stretching. You had time until the first rotations were done, and figured you might’ve gotten lucky with your dad this go around, but were sure it wouldn’t happen again in the next round.

You rolled your shoulders and stretched your arms and back, doing your best to loosen up the muscles and tendons that were sure to be screaming violently at you tomorrow.

When the first round concluded, Hondo radioed in the second-round match-ups.

You smiled at Phoenix and Bob as your names were called together, and she nodded at you, clearly happy with the outcome as well. Round two would consist of Omaha and Halo with Rooster, Hangman with Coyote, Harvard and Yale with Shadow and Lucky, and Fritz with Payback and Fanboy.

Round two did not bring the same success, for you, or for anyone but your dad.

You’d always known your father was an exceptional flier, he started teaching you as soon it was legal (a little before that if we’re honest), but you’d never seen him fly like this. You’d been through cat and mouse drills, even dogfighting drills, but nothing like the way your dad was on everyone’s tail. Not the way he continued to get tone on a almost perfect success rate. This was something else entirely, and if he was doing this to make a point, you weren’t sure you wanted to know why.

Round two was not a success, but flying with Nat was as good as ever. She had your back and you had hers, and when you got shot down, protecting her and Bob, she sat on the tarmac until your push ups were done. Grabbing your gear and hauling it back inside for you.

Round three brought problems, everyone was starting to get tired, arms were sore, and lots of glares were being thrown at Payback and Fanboy for their big mouths. And then the pairings came tumbling from Hondo’s lips; Phoenix and Bob with Coyote, Omaha and Halo with Harvard and Yale, Hangman with Payback and Fanboy, Shadow and Lucky with Fritz, and you… with Rooster.

You saw Harvard and Yale turn to you, and then glare at Rooster, caught the side glance Hangman sent your way, and the unabashed and completely curious look in Phoenix’s eye that was starting to annoy you.

You of course didn’t say anything, you didn’t even look at him. Instead, you pushed some flyaways out of your face, tightened your laces, and put your vest back on. Waiting to be summoned down to the Tarmac.

When you got down you did a quick pre-check, knowing your jet was already primed after the last two rounds.

“Athena!” It was Rooster, but the tarmac was loud, and if you were lucky, maybe he’d drop it.

When had you ever been that lucky?

“Athena, c’mon!” he shouts again, and your shoulders tense. “Lieutenant Mitchell!” he shouts and this time you stop. Hangman, Payback, and Fanboy were the next group, starting to get in their jets while you and Rooster were supposed to be doing pre-flight prep.

Bradley was loud enough on the last shout that he also caught their attention. Payback looked up and his eyes danced between you and Bradley before shaking his head and looking back at his plane, pushing at Fanboy to do the same. Jake, on the other hand, stood up from where he had been crouched, and was staring unabashed directly at you. You sigh, placing your stuff down, and then turn to look at Bradley.

He looked just as tense as you felt.

“We can’t-” he starts and sighs, pushing the aviators off his eyes to stare straight at you. “We can’t fly like this.”

“I don’t have a problem,” you say flippantly.

“Oh, thank god for that,” he scoffs sarcastically, and you roll your eyes. “Then say something, (Y/n), talk to me, do something! It’s not like you ever email me back!”

“Keep your god damn voice down, Bradley. We are not teenagers, you do not get to shout at me when you get mad, not anymore. And you do not get to air out our shit for everyone else to see. So you better get that temper in check, and then leave it on the ground, because if you fly with that shit, you’ll get us all killed.”

Rooster pauses, his face scrunches up and then he sighs.

“We don’t have a problem, because that implies there had to be something to fuck up, and by my count, there hasn’t been, not in over a decade,” you tack on, and his lips tug down. “It’s going to be a shit show when we get up there, so how about we do our best to lessen that, my arms are starting to get tired,” you say, bending to grab your stuff and then continue your pre-checks.

When you turn you see Jake looking like he’s about to march over, and you shake your head, and watch as he sighs but goes back to his jet.

…

Normally when you’re in the air, there’s a sense of comfort, but being up in the air with Bradley and your dad, sets your spidey-senses on edge. Jake, Payback, and Fanboy hadn’t been successful and now here you were.

“Well Aviators, it’s time for this fight to begin,” your dad announces, but his voice is tense and you all know why.

“Let’s turn and burn, Rooster,” you call out, trying to keep yourself in check.

“Breaking left,” he announces and you do the opposite.

“Eyes?” you ask.

“Negative.”

Suddenly there’s a jet wash, as Maverick shoots up on your right.

“Shit, fuck,” you cuss as your hurry to steady your jet. “Red card,” you hiss out.

“I thought we switched to penalty minutes?” Maverick asks and your breath hitches at your faux pas.

In the before, before Bradley stormed out, before bridges were burned, but after Carole’s death. After Bradley moved in, there was a time that you privately consider some of the best in your childhood. Your dad used to take you and Bradley up in planes with Ice. Legally, you have to be 14 to start flying planes but with a licensed adult, and 16 to fly solo. Bradley was 17 and you were just a few months short of turning 14. Ice and your dad decided it was close enough. They’d put you in jets, the beginner kind (as if that existed), deciding that you’d been in small planes enough, to know the basics. Bradley flying solo was getting a taste for it, Ice loved the cat and mouse or dogfighting drills you’d run. He’d barely break a sweat but they were fun. You had called out “Red card!” after Bradley fucked around a little too close to you during one of those flights. Ice and your dad had laughed, but you’d been adamant, still getting used to the feel of the jets. And slowly you all started using the language, Maverick and Ice often calling out “Yellow” when you and Brad got a little too competitive. In the end, it was Ice’s idea to switch to penalty minutes like in a Hockey game. Penalties like time outs to be served when you all had your feet back on the ground. Anything from a 2-minute minor, 5-minutes, 10-minute major, and even an ejection from the game (being grounded for an undefined set of time).

“That was a long time ago,” is all you manage to offer, but it pulls you back to the moment, and you work to shove it all down.

You had rules for a reason. Yale and Harvard, they seemed to understand better than anyone else, maybe because they’d seen you distracted and dissociative on the ground, and they could imagine just how detrimental it would be in the sky. You left this shit on the ground for a reason, a clear mind meant clear skies.

“He’s on your 2 o’clock high,” Bradley offers.

You turn, and then you see your dad, he sticks to you. He stays close, following each and every move you make like a shadow.

You turn quickly going up, “Where the hell are you, Rooster?” you ask, risking a glance out the canopy as you start pulling evasive maneuvers, looking at both your dad and then again for Rooster.

“I’m coming,” he huffs, but your dad seems to get closer

“Pick up the god damn pace, Bradshaw, he’s closing in!” you shout again.

“I said, I’m coming! Just take a fucking breath, Mitchell!” he shouts back, there’s the temper.

If your comms had been connected to the radio in the lounge you would be able to hear the “oh shits” let out by more than a few of the aviators waiting on deck. If you were there you would be able to see the looks Harvard and Yale shared, the furrowed brow on Phoenix, and the way Hangman’s fist clenched as his eyes flicked to the radar monitor showcasing the movements of each plane, he had just gotten back after completing his push-ups.

You want to bite back with something, anything, harsh words bubble in your mouth but you keep it shut and breath heavily instead. You dive into a barrel roll when your dad gets closer. You look out and you see Bradley coming up on his six.

“Take the shot, Rooster!” you shout, knowing you couldn't sustain this.

Unfortunately and predictably, Rooster hesitates.

Maverick seems like he was expecting that as well, because the second you’re forced to straighten out, your dad shoots forward and hits you with tone.

“Fuck!” you shout, hitting the side of your jet.

“Go see Hondo,” Maverick sighs, and you turn to the ground, silently fuming the entire time.

...

You were already doing your push-ups by the time Bradley gets out of his jet. Your flight-suit's pulled down, and your tank-top's on display as the asphalt dug angrily into your palms. Phoenix, Bob, and Coyote had just taken off for their turn and Harvard and Yale were walking up to start their pre-flight checks with Omaha and Halo. They pause by you, as if waiting, but Hondo waves them along. Then Bradley comes walking toward you and both Harvard and Yale shoulder past him, causing Rooster to pause and glare at their backs.

“Girl, you gotta get this shit in check,” Hondo’s voice is low. “you know the stakes,” he reminds you and you turn to glare at him.

“Keep counting, Hondo,” you say simply.

He shakes his head but continues to do as requested.

You know he's right, you don’t like it, but whatever’s coming, you know it’d be better if everyone was on a good note. Bradley could stew in this vindictive mess that he created for all you cared. What you didn't care for though was the connotation that it was your responsibility to fix it. After all, he was the one who broke it.

Bradley waits, though. He waits until your push-ups are done and when there's nowhere else for you to be distracted or to avoid, he stares hard at you. To your credit, you stare back.

You last all of a minute before you finally cave, "You need to get your shit together, Bradshaw!”

He stares at you for a minute longer, hesitating with what to say. You know he’s thinking too hard, you can see it in his expression, somehow still able to read him like you did when you were teenagers, despite the time and distance that has separated you since.

You hate him a little bit more in that moment, for being as readable as he used to be.

You hate him for all the things he said, the insecurities he took advantage of.

But you hate him the most because for a very long time, there was no one you trusted more than him.

And for a very long time after, he made it hard to trust others.

In the end, he waits too long hesitating too much with what he wanted to say, and you give up. The fire that was burning in you was like a star that died, burning too bright and then burning itself out.

"I can't do this with you, I can't go through it again with you. Our lives are on the line, and it’s not just about you and me, everyone’s lives are on the line and I can't, I won’t go through this again,” you finally manage to spit at him.

Your skin is blistering under his gaze, but he still doesn't say anything. You scoff, pushing your hair back, before you turn and start walking back into the hanger.

Hondo expected you to be the bigger person, and maybe if it had been anyone else you could be.

But not with Bradley.

Not after everything.

...

everything: @butterfly-skinnylegend

athena’s tags: @omgbrianab @smoothdogsgirl @bazellawriz @sbrewer21 @inky-sun @djs8891 @rory-cakes @geeksareunique @je6291 @fanreader75 @whoismurphyslaw @kee-0-kee

[propertyofrjl]

As someone who is currently rewatching all of Aphmau's series and has major brain rot over the Aphverse, i am desperate to find a fic where some of the mystreet people get somehow transported to the MCD universe. BECAUSE IMAGINE THE ANGST POTENTIAL IF MYSTREET!ZANE WAS IN THIS GROUP OMG.

MCD!Garroth having to see what he could have had with his own brother if things were different is breaking my heart.

OH OH OH BUT ALSO

Right imagine this little mystreet group is also when they're teenagers, smol little Zane being transported to a world where pretty much everyone despises him because MCD!Zane is the embodiment of evil.

Like, maybe little Aphmau and Zane get separated from the others and end up in Phoenix drop, they manage to make it to the town square where Molly is coming back from praying to Irene, and she sees Zane, the man who hurt her precious baby and used dark magic on their town. Molly then runs to alert whichever guard she can find (it just so happens that Laurence, Garroth and Dante are all leaving the guard tower for their respective patrols at that moment)

These men run to the town square, fearing the place they are sworn to protect is under attack by one of the most dangerous tyrants of their time, and they come to find not only Zane (who's looking around with a sour look on his face, and albeit a little smaller than Garroth remembers) but also the woman they spend their lives protecting (and two of said party are definitely, totally, not in love with her...)

And when i say they're teenagers, i mean the first season of PDH vibes, so Zane and Aphmau with these squeaky voices and no social skills, and Aphmau has spent most of her time looking around in awe up until that point because OH MY IRENE ZANE IT'S JUST LIKE MY GAME!!!

Laurence moves first, rushing over he knocks Zane to the ground harshly before yanking Aphmau away, to which she screams because this tall, scar covered, very scary looking version of her friend (or maybe crush depending on when in PHD this happens) has picked her up far too easily for her liking and she's worried about Zane.

Then Garroth and Dante move in, and suddenly Zane is being looked down upon by his big brother with such a look of disgust and hatred that has never happened before. Garroth loves Zane. Sure they disagree and fight every now and then, they're brothers, but Zane knows Garroth loves him and would keep him safe, and even though he wouldn't admit it, Zane loves his brother too. But the scary and hate filled man standing above him does not make Zane feel safe, and a flush of fear runs through him, followed by watery eyes and embarrassment because why is he feeling so weak and despised by one of the only men in his life who's provided a steady stream of love (unlike his dad)

And when Zane pulls his shaking hands up in surrender, with this wounded animal look upon his face, MCD!Garroth almost has to double take, because not even as children has he ever seen Zane look at him with such fear, the only man who'd ever brought fear upon Zane's face was their father, and maybe that gives Garroth his own little internal crisis because he's tried so hard to be nothing like dear old dad.

BUT ALSO, LETS PICTURE THIS

The rest of the group (let's say...Laurence, KC and Garroth) show up, and they try to find a way home without the help of the villagers of Phoenix drop, only to be attacked and have Zane kidnapped by people MCD!Zane has royally pissed off. The little group run back to Phoenix drop for help, and all the MCD lot just can't seem to understand why these little versions of themselves/their friends want to help Zane of all people so badly. It takes the Garroths having a full on row over it and Mystreet!Aph breaking down in tears to get people to help (because how can Laurence and Garroth watch a small version of the woman they love sob and not do something to try and help?) and obvi Lord Aphmau was on board the moment they asked and was going to do it alone before her Guards through out their protests and Little Garroth decided to cuss out MCD!Garroth for "abandoning his baby brother" (which is where the fight started)

...

Maybe I should write this myself...

Anyway, that's where my brain has gotten me today.

[lunarspiral1127]

X-Men 97 episode 8 *SPOILERS*

Bastion

Not gonna lie, I busted out laughing when I watched his origin story. This is the second time an antagonist had to wait for a couple to make a child and use said child for their plans. Nimrod was lucky that the guy he infected was in a relationship. Plus, I thought it was gonna make Bastion sympathetic due to his childhood flashbacks, but nope.

So, he made a Utopia for humans, but the mutants are enslaved. Saw old Polaris and the Phoenix. But, what bugs me is that he claims that many of the humans consented to be turned into Prime Sentinels without knowing all the details and won't have any memory of being turned. I find it hard to believe that every single one of them would've consented, especially his elderly mother. Dude omitted many details and I'm pretty sure he turned some of them without them knowing. Plus, I'm still mad at him for killing Gambit.

Cameos of Dr. Doom and Zemo (hydra n@zi Zemo, not the MCU version). Wasn't expecting to see them being members of OZT.

Mr. Sinister's just in it for the mutant experimentation.....y'know what? I shouldn't be surprised with that reason why he "teamed up" with Bastion. More test subjects.

Summers Family

Not gonna lie, I was really annoyed with the drama between Cable and Scott. If this was comics Scott, I can understand why Cable's giving him the cold shoulder. But, this Scott didn't wanna abandon Nathan like his dad did to him! It was Madelyn that gave him to Bishop. So, if Scott was there with her, things would've been cool?! God, I'm so sick of this drama. Thank goodness that it didn't last long and that Jean stopped them from escalating it further.

Summers family vs. Prime Sentinels was pretty cool. I like that father/son fistbump, which means things will get better between the two.

It's funny that Jean's being the mom at Cable who's like this big man in his 50s.

Also, Jean and Scott's relationship is getting better which is a relief.

Nightcrawler

Once again, precious boy and MVP. What he said to Jean was really nice. He's always been there as someone's shoulder to lean and cry on. When he talked about Mystique, I felt so bad for him. Honestly, I hated what she did to him just because he was born that way. In the 90s show, she did feel guilt for what she did when Nightcrawler talked to her. But, I still didn't like her for what she did to him. However, with all the words and hugs he's given to others, I hope he has someone who'd give him words and hugs too. He also needs a shoulder to lean and cry on too.

SWASHBUCKLING NIGHTCRAWLER HELL YEAH!!! I've been waiting to see him use swords and it was worth the wait. Him teaming up with Wolverine was really cool. Plus, seeing how his teleporting works was cool too. Love that he was protecting his sister, and I'm glad that we got something with him and Logan cause we haven't had anything like that since he first appeared.

Beast

Why the hell would he let the reporter stay in?! Even if she's not doing her job, she's shouldn't be involved! It has nothing to do with her, plus, I'm pretty sure he revealed a lot of classified information that only the X-Men should be allowed to hear and see. Dammit, Beast. And, dammit Morph for letting her in too.

*sigh* Anyone else think, he's been done dirty in this episode? Cause having her stay in there got his butt kicked. Sure, he didn't know that she was a Prime Sentinel, but they do know the possibility that any human could be one, right? Now, Beast is knocked out along with Rogue, who hasn't woken up still.

Jubilee and Roberto

Okay, so they are gonna be part of the main plot, good. I was worried that they were gonna be sidelined, especially Jubilee.

His mom is a beech. She sold her son out to the Prime Sentinels and didn't believe him and for what? Her reputation?! Man, f**k this beech, she sucks. Poor Roberto though.

Finally using his powers more than once! I counted four times in this whole series so far of when he used them. It's also something that annoys me about the character. He said that he was training in the Danger Room to surprise Jubilee, but why couldn't we have seen that?! Why couldn't we have Roberto training with one of the X-Men's help and see him develop his abilities?! Hell, have Jubilee be there to train him! That way we could've seen more of his abilities and see him grow more and have him interact with other characters, bonding with them. Not just Jubilee. Maybe have him open up to when he first awakened his powers and why he wants to hide them, instead of just telling us.

On the plus side, they should be okay thanks to Magneto's magnetic EMP ability. Speaking of which....

Magneto

I'm glad he didn't get turned into a Prime Sentinel, but I still don't understand how Bastion and Mr. Sinister got his hands on him from Genosha. That blast should've killed him along with the Morlocks. I don't even think it's gonna be explained how they captured him.

His prisoner numbers....yeesh. 😬

The one good thing that Cooper did. Letting him go and realizing that he was right. Aside from that, f**k her. Seriously, was the only good human (regular human, not enhanced) shown in this was Moira?! Cause that's what it feels like.

Now, I was confused at first with what Magneto did, but I think he went to the North or South Poles and used the Earth's magnetic field which is strongest there to cause a worldwide blackout, disabling all the Prime Sentinels. Not killing them, mind you. All while in his underwear, too.

Honestly, I wouldn't blame him if he wages war. He tried to be good. He tried to respect Xavier's dream. But, look what happened. So, I wouldn't blame him if he did this.

HOWEVER! I like that Magneto was good. Part of me doesn't want him to go back to his old ways cause that's gonna be more conflict between him and Xavier. Plus, only Logan claimed that Magneto waged war. If he did, he would've killed the Prime Sentinels, but he didn't. If anything, he'd be waging war on Bastion since he's the one responsible. But, yeah, I'm sorry Xavier. You're cool and all, but Magneto was right.

Cameos

I mentioned Zemo, Doctor Doom, Future Polaris and Future Phoenix. But there were much more.

Omega Red and the Silver Samurai, but one that made me so excited to see......SPIDER-MAN!!! I was so happy to see 90s Spider-Man. I know many would want a sequel to the animated series, but we'll have to wait and see.

The rest I wanna talk/rant about

Professor X shows up finally, but I got miffed when he said "I hope I'm not too late". CHARLES! YOU ARE VERY VERY LATE!!! I know space travel takes time, but COME ON! He better do something real quick to help stop all this crap that's been happening. Dunno how, but it better be something good.

By the way, I'm still annoyed with that black hole excuse. Why couldn't he just contact Scott and the others and stay in touch with them right when he was fully recovered or was well enough?

WHERE THE HELL IS STORM?!?!?! I know she's with Forge, but you'd think the moment she heard about Genosha, she'd head back home flying. She'll probably show up next week, but it's been like two episodes since she got her powers back. Is her not being there sooner a choice the writers made cause if she was there, the fight with the Prime Sentinels would've been over quicker? *sigh* I just wanna see one of my favorites come back and kick some butt like she used too.

I dunno if Forge is gonna come back with Storm, but I hope he does. I want him to help with this Bastion mess. Plus, he did take a photo with him, which has me worried that he was connected somehow but I hope not. It also would be cool, if he contacted the rest of X-Factor and meet up with the X-Men and team up. But, I don't think that's gonna happen.

So, Bishop is definitely out of the picture for the rest of this season, which is bullcrap. It would've been cool to have him and Cable work together again like before along with the X-Men. But, instead, the excuse was they got separated from the time stream. So, we don't even know if he's okay or if he's lost again, or if he actually made it back home. God, I feel like his character's purpose of the show was to help create another characters origin.

Okay, I think that's pretty much it. It was a good episode, even though I did rant on a lot of stuff. We'll see how parts 2 and 3 play out in the next two weeks and hope that the finale will stick the landing.

[literaryfandomangel]

The Lost Boys The Promise

Chapter One

Moving to Santa Carla, California, had been too stressful for Mom. Following the curtails of her divorce, where Dad took everything, Mom had to uproot us back to her old home. Dad didn't want us; he had shouted when the divorce papers had been served. He didn't want to have to deal with a crazy, ill daughter or a son who read comics all day long. I remember feeling as if my heart had just stopped beating after being stabbed with a knife. 

My dad had some choice words for my mother, too. By the time my father had read through the divorce paperwork, my Mom had dissolved into tears. Sam had crept into my room, trying to appear older and rougher than breaking into his own tears. I had welcomed my brother into bed, flipping down the light coverlet for him to crawl under. 

Sam had hugged my stuffed animal, face buried in the soft fur until the screaming stopped. Usually, I would have sung to my little brother to help him sleep, but with the divorce, the fighting, and my own personal issues, I'd start withdrawing. Which meant not even speaking. 

The school had ended by the time the paperwork had been signed and settled. Sam gave Mom grief about moving to her hometown, but I said nothing. There wasn't anything left for me in Phoenix - my toxic relationship had ended badly. I touched the lightening bruise on the side of my face in memory. I didn't have any friends, and now Mom had divorced Dad. 

I felt hopeful that Santa Carla would be a better place. Something deep inside me yearned for the sandy beach, the hot summer sun, and the scent of saltwater in the air. I could faintly remember the summers spent in the town; Dad always griped about coming to Mom's hometown. Our summers spent in Santa Carla were few. 

Sam grumbled for most of the ride. I was content to let my brother sit in the front seat while my Mom tried to ease the growing tension rising with every mile closer to Santa Carla. I didn't bother to protest - not wanting to spend one more minute in Phoenix. I didn't want to be any closer to my paternal figure than I had to be. Sam was popular. He wore designer clothing and had a lot of friends in Phoenix, even though he was a comic nerd. 

"Honey, you need to eat something," My Mom's eyes found mine in the rearview mirror. I sighed granola bar in hand. I had picked each piece of oats off the bar for two hours. "Please just eat the granola bar."

"I'll eat it!" Sam reached back and snatched the granola bar from my hand. Before Mom could protest or reprimand my brother for taking my food, he had it half-crammed into his mouth. My stomach turned with disgust at seeing his bulging cheeks and flecks of chewed food on his lips. "Mmm!" 

I just sighed and returned to gazing out onto the landscape. I could hear the seagulls becoming louder, indicating we were closer to Santa Carla and the sea. Mom wanted to say something else about my food situation but turned her attention to my brother as they messed with the radio. 

For the past three years, my parents have struggled with my eating disorder. I didn't want to eat anything at all. My dad tried to ship me off to an inpatient facility, but they released me after I didn't gain any of the much-needed weight back. 

Nanook, my brother's husky, set her head on my lap, offering warmth and protection. I reached down and pulled a copy of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina out of my bag. I knew it would be at least another hour before we reached Grandpa's place in Santa Carla. 

"We are stopping!" Mom announced loudly, startling me. I was engrossed in the pages of Russian literature, the illicit affair between Anna and Vronsky. I jumped, the sharp tone of my mother's voice cutting through the scenes playing out in my head as I read. 

I grabbed the discarded ribbon across my thin thigh and pressed it between the book's pages. I always needed to find my bookmarks; therefore, I would use any material to track my progress. Mom pulled into a gas station parking lot, needing to fill the car's tank. 

"I'm taking Nanook to potty!" Sam yelled, jumping out of the front seat. He grabbed his dog's leash and then took her across the lot. I watched as my brother had no qualms about walking past all the people. 

I blinked as I took in the people milling about us. My Mom was busy putting gas in the tank, so I just gazed at those passing by. All the individuals were bright - and colorful. It differed from what I was used to in Phoenix, but it made sense with my Mom's aesthetic. She loved colorful clothing and gauzy skirts. 

Looking around, I saw that everyone was different but fit together. There were women clad in bikinis, roller skating down the sidewalks, and goth kids covered from head to toe in black. Homeless kids in worn layers, alongside surfer guys in wetsuits, carting around surfboards. It was astonishing to see all these individuals walking beside one another. 

They wouldn't be in the same vicinity as their counterparts in any other town. People of the same cliques and gangs would stick together, not daring to break into another group. 

However, as I stood there, gazing around at the people, I felt a seed of jealousy take root deep within my soul. It might have been the heat of the sun, but the hot feeling radiated from within my body as I looked around. These people felt comfortable enough to express themselves through their outfits and appearance. They weren't afraid to show their originality - some had numerous piercings, colored hair, and weird hairstyles. Even their tattoos and clothing - or lack thereof - demonstrated that they weren't shying away from their individuality. 

"Honey," my Mom's soft voice brought me out of my musing as I leaned against the back of the Range Rover. "Can you go give those two this money?" I looked to where my Mom was indicating, pulling my cardigan closer. I saw two teenagers around a dumpster, looking for food scraps in the trash bags. I took the proffered money from my mother's hand and walked towards them. The two gave me a slight, grateful grin before snatching the money and disappearing. 

Sam had finished letting Nanook stretch her legs and came across the parking lot towards us. I slid into the backseat, not bothering to fight Sam about the passenger seat. There was no use - I wouldn't argue or talk with him. Sam let Nanook climb in with me, unclipping the leash before shutting the back door. 

"Mom!" Sam was excited about something he had seen on his travels. "Did you know there's an amusement park on the beach?"

"That's called the boardwalk, sweetheart," Mom educated the both of us. I just raised an eyebrow in question. My Mom seemed to be more excited about the boardwalk than Sam. "We will go to the boardwalk tonight. Unless, Aria, do you want to go look?"

"That's not fair!" Sam crowed, spinning around to glare at me. "Why does she get to go?"

"Because she's older, Sam," Mom tried to allay his upset. I just shook my head, knowing Mom saw it in the rearview mirror. "Okay. Then we'll all go tonight."

I thought that Grandpa's house would be closer to town, but it was a few miles outside of the main attraction in Santa Carla. I didn't bother to pull out Anna Karenina again; I just gazed out the window. Mom eventually pulled off the city streets onto an unmarked and unpaved road. A cloud of dust, comprised of the dirt making the lane, billowed behind the car. Mom pulled into the driveway, which was lined with wood chips. Sam was looking in horror at the house. 

The decor and house were attractive. It looked like an old log cabin converted into a modern-sized dwelling. Grandpa obviously had a knack and talent for wood carving, as many of his projects littered the yard. There were several small trailers, and wind chimes around the lawn. I actually liked the feel of the house. 

Exiting the car, I noticed the paddock with at least three horses. They were grazing on the lush, green grass growing, tails lazily swishing in the wind. I could smell the scent of sharp manure and the salty breeze from the sea. 

"Grandpa has horses?" I asked, breaking my silent streak. My voice was husky from misuse. My Mom and brother looked at me, amazed that I had spoken. 

"Yes," my Mom smiled, happy I had spoken for the first time in several days. I nodded, not saying another word. I looked towards the house entrance that we would call home, noticing the figure of a man lying on the porch. 

My face paled, immediately assuming the worst. Sam and my Mom went to investigate the situation, but I stayed by the car. I didn't want to walk onto the scene to find my grandfather dead of a heart attack. 

"Honey, he's just a deep sleeper!" My Mom tried to settle my nerves with a gentle smile. She waved her hand to make me come over and join the trio on the porch. I sucked in a deep lungful of the salty air before walking across the yard towards the porch. 

"If he's dead, can we move back to Phoenix?" Sam asked, causing my Mom and I to glare at him. He shrunk back as Grandpa opened his eyes and moved. 

"Playin' dead!" Grandpa's innate masculine voice filled the air. It was a relief to hear his voice, knowing that he wasn't dead. I turned to look down at the man with whom we would live for the unforeseeable future. "And from what I heard, doin' a damn good job of it."

My Mom chuckled as she leaned down to hug her father. I can imagine it would be a relief to be comforted by one's parents, especially as Grandma had died when Mom was just a preteen. Her dad was her rock, someone Mom could depend upon in life. 

Sam looked weirded out by the situation, but I wordlessly motioned we should return to the car. We had little to move since Dad got everything in the settlement. Mom had wanted the divorce over and done with, so she took the lowest agreement with Dad. Even though Mom could have won more in the divorce since she was taking care of Dad’s two kids, she just signed the paperwork.  Chapter Two

[sunnysidevans]

Nothing Else Matters - J. Seresin

Summary: Together since Top Gun, you and Jake are called back to California and thrown head first into the past, its put into perspective for the two of you that nothing else mattered but the family the two of you built together.

Pairings: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Pilot!Reader + Ex!Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Pilot!Reader. - Callsign: Joker

Warnings: 18+ , swearing, angst centeral, DAD JAKE DAD JAKE, some dad! rooster too, mean phoenix sry, soft jake & protective jakey, rooster is a lil bit of a jerk in a lil bit of this.

The California sun felt the same on your skin as your eyes closed, standing on the beach. The waves crashed as hard and as fast as your thoughts were moving. It had been almost four years since you stood on this beach.

This time it wasn’t just you.

“Momma?” you look down at the four year old beside you, who smiles up at you. “Can I go?” she points to the water with a smile. You nod with a smile matching hers, scooping her up and running towards the water. She laughs, holding onto you tightly as you set her feet in the water.

“It’s cold!” she giggles as you smile, watching her own smile grow as she continues into the water. “Stay where I can see you please” you say, hands on your hips, standing to your full height.

Being called to be a commander of a base was a big deal, something you were excited but scared of. You weren’t sure why they decided you were the right candidate to run Top Gun as well as the base but you were excited to see the pilots who came up in the same way you did.

“C’mon sweet girl” you smile, reaching a hand out to your daughter, who laughs and runs to meet your hand. Picking her up and placing her on your hip, grabbing both sets of your shoes as you walk towards the rental car. “Do you think I’ll see daddy?” she asks, her voice was soft. You frown, looking down at your daughter.

“I don’t know sweetheart, I will certainly keep an eye out for him” you squeeze sides as you set her in the car seat. She nods, falling back into the seat with a yawn. 

Within minutes she was asleep in the backseat, making you smile. You drove through Fightertown quietly. It was quiet for a Sunday night but you knew most pilots were on detachments or deployments.

The beach house you rented was down the road from the base for you to be close by. Smiling at the toddler in the back seat, who fell asleep instantly in the car ride. Parking outside of the home, you take in the saltiness that followed with the waves. You enjoyed the small breeze that came with the evening. Picking up the sleeping toddler slowly to not wake her, you walk inside the house, closing the door with your foot.

Gently laying her in bed, you tuck her in with her favorite stuffed animal and a kiss to her forehead. “Goodnight honey” she yawns, nuzzling into her sheets. You close the door quietly behind you, sighing.

“God make this easy for me” you whisper to yourself with a heavy sigh. Tomorrow was a big day for you and for Evelyn. Making your way to the bedroom, flopping down face first on the made bed, you sigh.

The phone on the bedside table buzzes, pulling you from your thoughts. Sitting up, you lean over to pick it up, smiling. "Hi" you whisper falling back into the pillows. "Did you make it okay?" his voice is soft as you smile. "We did, we miss you already Cowboy" he smiles on the other line.

"I miss you already too, kiss my girl for me. I love you" chuckling softly, a smile permanetly on your lips. "I love you too" after bidding goodbye, you toss the phone back onto your nightstand.

‘This was for the best’ your brain is telling you, as you continue to fight the thoughts as if you knew your subconscious was right. It was for the best. 

You never thought you’d be dropping your four year old at a bar. Let alone the Hard Deck bar. Standing in uniform, pulling Evelyn from her car seat, you motion for her to run inside. “Is that who i think it is?!” You can hear Penny's voice and her smile.

“It's me, Aunt Pen!” Evelyn yells from her spot at the doorway, with a laugh. Following her inside, you smile at Ameilia who sat on the edge of the bar. You hired Amelia to watch Evelyn in between school and life and Penny would be helping her.

You kept in contact with the bar owner  after your time at Top Gun, she was family to you. She was more than excited to find out you made it back to California. “There’s my girl” she picks her up, spinning the four year old around in her arms as the two laugh.

“There’s my favorite Commander," she smirks, looking at you with a laugh. You roll your eyes, hugging her tightly. “Thank you so much for doing this, it's just until school starts” you smile, kissing your daughter's head. She nods, “I don’t mind one bit, now shoo, you have a big day” she winks, kissing your cheek as you walk towards the door.

She sets Evelyn to the ground as she runs to Amelia’s awaiting arms. You smile, waving as the door shuts behind you.

The base was still as beautiful as it was four year ago. Knocking gently on the door, the two voices invite you in. Looking between the two men that sat infront of you, you stand straighter. “Admirals”  you smile at the two of them.

Beau “Cyclone” Simpson and Solomon “Warlock” Bates. “Welcome aboard, Joker” you grin, shaking both of their hands. “We are happy to have you here” Cyclone says with a smile. “I’m happy to be here, do we have recruits already?” you ask, looking through the notebook set in front of you. “We actually need your expertise on something” Warlock says, sitting beside you as he taps away on the tablet.

“We’ve called back twelve of Top Gun’s finest for a detachment that is quite dangerous” you nod, looking over the mission information. you look back at the two of them, "And you want my expertise?" Cyclone nods.

"We know your skill, which is why you are here". A knock at the door stops the conversation, the two of them looking at you then the door.

“Come in”. Beau sits at the head of the table, “Captain Mitchell '' you roll your eyes as internally as possible at the sound of Maverick’s name.

He makes his way into the office, smiling kindly at the three of you. “I will admit, I wasn't expecting to be called back here” he admits, looking between the three of you. “You have been called back at the reques to of Admiral Kazansky" Beau sits up in his seat. "You were not my first choice" he nods towards you, "she was".

Maverick looks at you then back at Cyclone. "But, I respect Iceman and he sees something in you" he looks at Warlock as Warlock nods, clearing his throat. "a uranium plant set to start operation in three weeks, we have been tasked to put together a strike team" Warlock says, pulling the diagram back on the board. You avoid eye contact with Maverick, looking through the notes given to you.

“I mean, I could definitely do it with a good team” Maverick says, looking back at the two admirals then back at the screen, “not in an f-18 though”. Beau chuckles, looking at him.

“You aren’t flying it, we want you to teach it, with Joker” he motions to you as you look up. Looking between the two men in front of you then back at Maverick and then back at the board.

Three faces screaming back at you. ”Let’s get started” Warlock stands, dismissing the two of you.

“Attention on Deck!” all the aviators stand as Warlock and Cyclone make their way into the building. “Be seated" he clears his throat "you are all top gun graduates, the elite" Warlock looks around the room, watching the faces of the aviators.

“A mission that some of you could not return from” he continues, looking back at Cyclone who nods.

“We have two very important people here to train you on this to bring you all home safely. Two of Top Gun’s greatest pilots" the group looks between the others, all with faced of confusion. "Well decorated with three confirmed air kills'' he moves aside as he grins. “I welcome your first instructor, Captain Pete Mitchell, call sign, Maverick” he moves from the podium as Maverick walks down the rows of seats.

“Good Morning” he nods at the group, eyes falling to Bradleys as he looks back over at Cyclone and Warlock. “Your other instructor, Commanding officer here at Top Gun and also well decorated" Jake sits in his seat, twirling the toothpick between his teeth.

"A Top Gun graduate also with two confirmed air to air kills" Jake pulls the toothpick from his teeth. He knew exactly who the other instructor was, a knowing smirk grows on his lips.

"I introduce you to Commander, (Y/N) (Y/L/N) callsign Joker” taking a deep breath, you follow the line of seats. You pull the aviators off your face and face the group of aviators.

Jake grins from his seat at the sight of you, Natasha does her best to hide her disgust, looking away. Bradley looks everywhere but you.

“I look forward to working with all of you” you nod, smiling at Maverick as you motion for him to begin. You move to stand beside Cyclone and Warlock. “The F-18 Natops” Maverick holds up the book with a nervous smile, "everything to know about your aircraft, i assume you all know it inside and out".

The group all pipe up, Jake still hasn't wiped the smirk off his lips, "damn straight". He looks straight at you. "So does the enemy" Maverick tosses the book into the trash beside him.

“The enemy knows your limits, I don't. Show me what you're made of, fifteen minutes and I want you all on the tarmac” he dismisses the group as the aviators file out slowly.

Walking to stand beside the two admirals, Warlock speaks first, “What do you think?”. Putting the aviators back over your eyes, you nod “I think we have quite the group, I'm familiar with a few of the pilots and their skill sets” Cyclone nods, looking at you. “Let’s see if Maverick can teach em” you smile walking out the door.

A hand grabs your wrist and pulls you aside, a squeal falling from your lips in surprise.

Looking up you are met with eyes as green as the forrest. “Hi cowboy” you smile at the man in front of you, who has his own smile. “Commanding officer?! Are you shitting me Jokes?” his smile was as bright as the sun, bring a smile to your own face. He pulls you into his arms, hugging you tighter.

Laughing, you wrap him in your arms. “Just took effect this morning cowboy, I wanted to suprise you” you mumble into his shoulder with a laugh. He pulls you to arms length with his own smile, hands moving to cup your cheeks. “I’m so proud of you, Commander” he grins with a laugh, it brings a blush to your cheeks.

“You brought Eve I assume?” nodding, you smile. “I need to see her,” you laugh, nodding. “Of course, I want you to see her" reaching over, squeezing his hand gently, you nod. “Go get ready, I want to see you fly cowboy” you grin, kissing his cheek as you walk down the hallway.

“Hey!” he yells after you with his own smirk. “I missed you” he winks as you laugh. “Missed you too Cowboy” walking to your office, you miss the looks of the other aviators.

Jake “Hangman” Seresin was the best person in your life. The one person who stood by you no matter what.

The cocky exterior left nothing to the soft man he was underneath for the people he loved. Jake was also the man who picked you back up when he found you in shambles.

“Joker?” Jake shuts the apartment door quietly, there was not a single light on, showing him it was likely one was home. You sigh from the bathroom floor, wiping your cheeks on the towel sat beside you. “Hey cowboy” your voice is hoarse from your hours of crying. He’s moving quickly at the sound of your voice, stopping in the doorway of your bathroom.

There you sat, a hoodie you borrowed from him with a pink stick in your hands. “Oh (Y/N)” he knew a pregnant woman when he saw one, living with his sisters and his mother from her pregnancies.

“It’s Roosters” you whimper, looking up at him, on the verge of more tears. “Please don’t be disappointed in me Jake” your voice shakes as he shakes his head quickly. He drops to his knees, scooping you into his arms as your body shakes with sobs. “I’m never gonna be disappointed in you” he whispers, kissing your hairline. “I’m gonna take care of you, both of you” he promises you, placing another kiss to your hairline.

Standing in the doorway of the squad room, you listen over the radio at the two teams in the sky. Payback,Fanboy and Rooster. “Working as a team, you have to shoot me down first, or else” Maverick says as Payback's voice is heard seconds later, “or else what?” he asks.

You roll your eyes slightly, listening as a fly on the wall. “I shoot back” you can hear the grin in Maverick’s voice. “I shoot either one of you down, you both lose” continuing to listen in, you don’t miss the sound of Jake’s voice.

“This guy needs a serious ego check” you scoff mostly to yourself, but he hears you, looking up at you with a smirk.

“How about we put some skin in the game?” Payback asks, “What did you have in mind?” payback chuckles, “whoever gets shot down first, has to do two hundred push-ups”.

The amount of testosterone in the room was suffocating as you listened. “That’s alot of push-ups” Rooster says, breaking his silence.

“You got yourself a deal gentleman, let's turn and burn”. The dog fight continues on silently. “That’s a kill” Maverick says, fanboy and Payback curses follow.

The fight is only on for about five more seconds before Maverick's voice cuts over the comms, “That’s a kill” Rooster is cursing on his own comms.

There’s a knock at the office door, furrowing your brows as you look at the time. Everyone should have gone home by now. “Come in” Maverick walks in, shutting the door behind him. You stand, “Maverick, this is a surprise” he nods, handing you a folder. “I want you to look this over, tell me your opinions” you take the folder, nodding slowly.

“Okay, I can do that," he nods, biting his lip before he turns to face you. “Sorry if this is over-stepping commander but is there going to be an issue with this?” he asks, looking at you. Looking up from the folder, you set it down on your desk with a shake of your head. “And why would it be?” you ask, hands on your hips. “I support these pilots, every last one of them” he nods slowly.

“I notice some tension in the room, I don't want this to jepordize this mission and these pilots due to personal reasons” he says, looking at you. You knew exactly which pilot he had in mind. “I do have a past with some of these pilots, but I am here to protect them and bring everyone home safely.” you say, watching his face.

"Sometimes water under the bridge should stay just that, under the bridge" he says, walking towards the door. "Thank you for the concern Captian. My personal relationships will not be a concern for this mission, go home and have a great evening" you dismiss him, watching as he crosses the room, shutting your door behind him.

The Hard Deck was still quiet for the early hours rush, skipping two steps at a time you push through the door. Evelyn being the only thing on your mind.

You don’t hear the whispers of the aviators sitting in the back of the bar as you walk in.  “So, who is Joker?” Fanboy asks, looking at the squad as everyone shrugs.

“She's a badass is who she is” Jake sits down beside him. “First woman with an air to air kill, let alone two” he smirks, sipping his beer. “Sounds like you're in love with her Hangman” Coyote smirks from his seat, knowing Hangman was indeed in love with you, the two of you in love with each other from the moment you met in Top Gun. 

The bar filled in with Top Gun candidates, the first night on base. Natasha Trace smiles at you from your left. “First drink is on me!” she grins, you were the only two women in this top gun class. “Well, what do we have here?” looking from Pheonix, you met the greenest eyes you think you’ve ever seen. “Hi Bagman” she mumbles, standing to her full height. “Phoenix” he nods, looking over his shoulder at you with his own smirk. “And this is?” he asks, he knew exactly who you were. You move in front of him, looking up at him. You smirk, holding out your hand.

“(Y/N) (Y/L/N)” you smirk as he shakes your outstretched hand. “Callsign Joker” he winks, kissing your knuckles. You furrow your brows, looking him over. “And how do you know that?” you ask as he grins, “first active duty woman with an air to air kill”.

You nod slowly, thinking back before it hits you. “Jake Seresin, Hangman, only active duty with an air to air kill” you smirk at the slow smirk that grows on his face. “My god” Phoenix rolls her eyes, walking away from the two of you. “I’d love to know how you got the call sign Joker” he sips his beer, eyes never leaving your face, “over dinner maybe?” you chuckle, taking your own beer from Penny.

“Earn it, Bagman” you wink, bumping his shoulder as you pass him. He watched the way your hips swayed even in the khaki’s that adorned your body.  

You smile as Ameila comes through the swinging doors, Evelyn in toe. “There’s my girl” you grin, crouching down to scoop the four year old in your arms. Jake’s ears perk up at the sound of her laughs. He knew that laugh. He looks over to watch the moment, setting his beer down and walking towards you.

Looking up you meet his eyes as he crosses the bar, you smile. “Eve, hey” you whisper to the girl who has her head buried in your shoulder. “Look who’s here” continuing to whisper, you smile as her head shoots up and eyes lighting up like stars.

Jake loved the girl on your hip as if she was his own, being her own father figure for the majority of her life.

“Jakey!” she squeals as she holds her arms out to him. His smile was brighter than the sun as he laughs, scooping her out of your arms and into his. “Hi babygirl” he laughs, kissing her face as she laughs, holding onto him tightly.

The squad watches on as Jake wraps an arm around your shoulder with a smile. “You two headin home?” he asks, looking between the two of you. Nodding, you smile up at him.

To anyone else it would look like a family reunion, and it was as Coyote knows that smile on your face. You were swooning for Jake Seresin. “We are” you smile “Let me grab my things, I will come with!” he grins, setting Evelyn to her feet. “Jakey!” she whines, taking his hand as he goes to walk away. “Alright, c’mon” he smiles, taking her hand as they walk back to the table.

“I’m heading out," he nods to the group, tossing money on the table to cover his tab. The table falls silent at the little girl hugging his leg. “Have a goodnight” he scoops her back up, putting her on his hip as she laughs.

The team watches as he wraps an arm around you, walking back out the doors. “Now, I know I'm just observing here," Bob speaks up from beside Fanboy, “That kid looked a lot like Rooster'' Payback finishes his scentence for him.

+

“So Rooster, mind if I ask you a personal question?” Hangman's voice over the comms was cool as always. You watch from the window as if you could see the three of them. “Would it matter if I did?” he asks, looking anywhere but Hangman. “What's the story with you and maverick?” you sigh, pinching your nose.

The tension in sessions was getting to the point everyone could see it. “Seems like he’s got you a bit rattled” he smirks behind his mask, checking his own surroundings. “That’s none of your business, now where is he?” Maverick’s voice kicks in seconds later as he moves from his position below Rooster to above him upside down,“been here the whole time”.

The dog fight then continues as you stand with hands on your hips, shaking your head. Grabbing your aviators, you push out of the room, making your way out to the tarmac. “Hondo!” you yell as he turns to face you with a grin. “Commander” he nods, looking at you with raised brows.

“Send Mitchell and Bradshaw to my office as soon as they land” he nods slowly, watching the way you showed almost no emotion. “You got it Joker” he says, walking towards the now landed jets.

“Are you two insane?!” you yell, looking between both men. “You both are so lucky it was me here and not Cyclone!” you point, looking at them. They stood like two wounded puppies. “You broke the hard deck and you both are letting this personal shit get in the way of why we are here!” you yell, hands on your hips. The conversation from days ago with Maverick nagging in the back of your head.

“I’m sorry ma'am," Maverick says, looking from Bradley to you. “I am grounding you for the next two days, I will be teaching” taking a deep breath, you look over at him. “I want your lesson plans in writing, the four of us will now be going over them every morning!” you seeth.

The two nod, “Dismissed!”. The office falls silent as you sigh, running your hands over your face.

The flight plans all began to run together as you shoved another folder aside. Maverick dropping off the last three days of lesson plans. You freeze at the sound of a knock on the door, looking up at the same time Bradley is opening the door.

“I was hoping you would still be here” he sighs, shutting the door behind him. You stand, “what is it?” you ask. “I don’t want this to be awkward,” he says, looking at you. “I’m talking to you as (Y/N) here, not Commander (Y/L/N)” he says.

“I know we haven’t really talked since that night and I’m sorry” crossing your arms, you nod. “It’s not awkward Bradley” you say, putting on a brave smile.

“Then why is everyone asking me if I have a kid?” he asks, looking at you.

“Something about a little girl who looks like me?” he asks. It felt like you just took the coldest shower your body could take, blood running cold. He looks down at the photo on your desk, picking it up. A framed photo of you and Evelyn.

 He notices the brown eyes first, it was his own eyes staring back at him. “Who is this?” he asks as you sigh. “That is my daughter Evelyn” you say, watching his face. “How old is she?” His voice is soft. “She is four” he looks up from the photo then, face hard with emotion.

“Joker, is this my daughter?” he’s got nothing but venom in his voice as you sigh, closing your eyes. “Answer me!” he yells, hands slamming on the desk. You jump slightly, looking at him.

Jake stops at the end of the hall, he can hear the rise of Rooster's voice. He also knew when he was leaving the locker room, Rooster was on his way to your office.

“Don’t raise your voice with me” Jake hears the unease in your voice as he approaches the office. “Is she?” he asks, ignoring the nag in the back of his head.

You notice Jake makes his way into the office, his shoulders back. “Rooster” his voice is stern. Bradley sighs, turning to face him, “this doesn’t concern you Hangman” Jake shakes his head, watching you.

“It does when it concerns my girls” he seeths, looking between you and Bradley.

“Oh for god sakes, Jake?!” Bradley looks at you, pointing to Hangman. “You don’t need to talk to me like that” you say, voice calm. “Jake and I have been together since Top Gun, he’s also been taking care of Evelyn” Jake moves to sit in your desk chair, sitting behind you like a guard dog. “Is she mine?” he asks again, hands on his hips, “yes”.

He sighs, eyes falling closed as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “You didn’t tell me” he whispers as you nod, hands on your hips. “I told everyone I didn’t know who her father was, only he knows” you motion to jake behind you, who sits up in the chair.

“She’s four (Y/N), you didn’t think to tell me?!” he yells, Jake tenses behind you. “No, I didn’t because she has a father!” you yell back, letting out a deep breath. “This is bullshit” he tosses the framed photo on the desk, shaking his head.

“When did you find out?” he asks, voicesoft. “Remember the day after I had a birdstrike? You saw me in the hospital?” he nods slowly, “that evening you took me home, told me how badly you were afraid to lose me” he nods in realization.

“I get it” sighing, he closes his eyes. “I found out the night of graduation, Jake found me on the bathroom floor'' you look back at your boyfriend with a smile. “He vow’d to take care of us and he has” you sigh.

Bradley stands, “I can’t believe he’s been raising her” he points to Hangman, who stands. “Do not talk to her like that Bradshaw” he stands behind you, watching the way your shoulders tense.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” Bradley asks, looking between you, “So you could have your perfect family with him? I knew you'd fall into his bed eventually” he looks back down at the photo in his hands. "Bradshaw, you choose your next words wisely" your voice was low, full of venom.

"I had sex with you if you hadn't noticed. I don't appreciate you calling me a whore while we discuss something like this" Jake's hand reaches out, resting on our hip as he gives it a reassuring squeeze.

“I had every intention on telling you, I pulled you aside at the Hard Deck after I found out” he looks up at you with tears in his eyes, “and I had my orders” he says. You nod slowly, watching his face. “You basically told me we had fun but your naval career was important, I was dating jake at that point. I was not there to reminise” you say.

"I came to tell you that you were going to be a father" Bradley looks away from the two of you.

Bradley stood in front of you, “What is it?” he asked, watching the look on your face. You knew the minute you asked him out here, there was more on his mind than what you had to say. The breeze from the ocean was cold. He paced, making both of your nerves on edge, “Just spit it out” you say, crossing your arms over your chest. He sighs, looking over at you, “I’m being sent out, they haven’t told me yet exactly but right now it’s looking like Italy '' you sigh.

“I’m not going to let a relationship hold me down half way across the world” looking up at him, your face went cold. “We both know that this would not last long” he says, cupping your cheeks. “I enjoyed every minute and maybe if fate would have it, I’ll be back” he smiles, kissing your forehead gently. 

His head spins, “I’d like to meet her,” he says. Jake rolls his eyes as he moves from behind you, “No”.

You both look back at him, his face was hard as stone. “You have no right” Bradley moves closer to him, chest to chest. “This is not about your ego’s” you sigh, moving between the two of them, “this is about Evelyn and what is best for her”. Bradley’s shoulders fall as he nods. “We can discuss that after the mission,I’m not getting her hopes up”.

He nods in understanding, watching you and Jake. “Now, if you are done insulting me, I would like to get home to my daughter” Jake grabs his bag from the door, pushing past Rooster with a bump of his shoulder.

“Go home, have a goodnight” you say, following Jake out the door with your things. He stands in the office, holding the framed photo in his hands.

He had a daughter who was the perfect mix of the two of you.

The car ride was silent. You couldn’t bring yourself to even turn on the radio. There were enough thoughts running through your brain. You managed to make it home before Jake, head falling to the steering wheel as you sit in the silence of your vehicle.

Closing your eyes, you don’t notice the headlights of his truck pulling into the driveway. Jumping, you look over at Jake’s face in your window with a small smile. You push the door open, grabbing your things and climb out, pushing the door closed.

“I’m sorry” he says, taking you by surprise. Turning to face him, you furrowyour brows. “Why are you sorry? you weren't the one to call me a whore when I fell into the bed of his nemesis" you ask as he sighs, walking to you.

He was still in his Khakis, his boots making him even taller than you. “I shouldn’t have butt in, I also don’t like the way Rooster spoke to you'' you nod slowly, taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“I think we are all gonna be in this planning, you are her favorite person and-” you stop, closing your eyes to compose yourself. “And I can’t let her lose you but gain him. I also can’t have her meet him and lose him” you whisper. He nods, using your hand to pull you into his chest, resting his head on top of yours.

“We are going to figure this out, for Evelyn" he whispers, kissing the top of your head. “I love you” he whispers, you sigh into his chest, arms falling around him, “I love you cowboy”.

+

The sky was clear, blue. “Alright, you know the rules,” Maverick says. After his stunt with Rooster and being benched, the two of you were working together well. You smirk from your own plane, looking over at the group on the ground, sending them a salute and in seconds, you were in the sky.

“Phoenix, where is your wingman?” Maverick asks as the woman rolls her eyes, “probably looking at himself in a mirror”. You roll your own eyes, flying low. “Uh Phoenix, we’ve got another boagie on radar” Bob says nervously. You smirk, pulling the mask over your face. “Hangman, a little help please” Phoenix seeths.

“Don’t worry Phoenix, Hangman’s coming” Jake smirks, veering himself to fly just below the pair's right wing. She groans, looking over to notice Maverick, “let’s get this over with”. She sighs, veering off to the left and away from Hangman as Maverick makes his way to her. Veering to your right, avoiding the moutianside.

Slowly flying up on both Maverick, Phoenix and Bob. “Where’s your wingman?” you ask as they all are silent. “Joker?” you smirk as you move to fly to his right, “Suprise” you wink.

“Show me what you guys got” you smirk. “That’s a kill” Maverick mumbles, getting the lock on Phoenix and Bob. “Phoenix, how close am I?” You can hear Jake’s voice, a bit strained as the sun shined brightly. You smirk, coming up from behind him. “That’s a kill,” he groans. “See you on the ground” he can hear your smirk as you wink at him.

The opening of the canopy was refreshing as you pulled the helmet off your head, jumping down from the jet. “That is 200 pushups!” you point to Jake as he stands from his jet, a confused look on his face. “That’s not fair” he yells as you shrug walking past Maverick.

The sun was setting and the temperature was getting cooler. A day of trial runs and simulations. You walked to the Tarmac, stopping beside Hondo.

“What's he at?” you ask, watching as Jake grit his teeth through his push ups. “He’s at 130” you nod, dismissing Hondo as you watch your boyfriend. “Rooster wants to meet tonight” he stops, looking up at you with sweat dripping down his face. “What?” he pushes himself down and back up, looking away from you. “I said that it was okay but I told him not without you” mumblng, you pick at the hangnail on your thumb.

He grunts, looking back up at you. “Okay, of course I’ll be there” you smile, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. “Okay, keep up the good work hotstuff” he chuckles, counting quietly to himself.

Standing under the stream of cold water, you miss the presence of someone behind you. “So, I hear you are still messing with peoples feelings” you jump, peeking out the curtain at Phoenix, who stood with her arms crossed. “Excuse me?” Pinching your eyes closed, you wipe the soap off your face quickly.

“Bradley told me, the two of you have a child and you are refusing to let him see her” you roll your eyes, closing the curtain. “I am not refusing to let him see her, I am letting him get through this mission first” rinsing the last of the shampoo out of your face, you turn the shower off. “I knew you strung him along in Top Gun” you sigh, grabbing the towel, wrapping it around your body, stepping out to face her.

“I didn’t string him along, far from actually” she raises a brow. “And then you crawled right into Hangman's bed, you are similar from what I remember” her voice dripped with venom. Your face remains like stone, watching over her face, “and similar how?”.

She laughs, shaking her head, moving to size you up. “In the fact you care about yourselves and that is it, you don’t care about how your actions affect others, seems like a perfect match” You chuckle darkly, moving closer. "Just the way I remember you Joker, you don't care about anyone" she watches over your face closely.

“Watch the way you talk to me Trace, I am your superior and I won’t hesitate to take you off this detachment” you whisper, watching her face shift with a slight nervousness. “You wouldn't," she bites back as you shrug, walking past her.

“I wouldn’t underestimate me Phoenix, you should remember, I am a woman of my word" you stop at the doorway, turning to face her. “I also wouldn’t listen to the rumors you hear, but to clear it up” you move back to her, watching as she steps back from you.

“Bradley and I did have a fling here the first time and it was just that, a fling, something that happened one time, which yes conceived our daughter, but she’s my daughter” you stood face to face her moving closer into her face as you whisper.

“Jake Seresin is a man who picked up the pieces and stepped up when I needed him" she rolls her eyes with a scoff. You sigh, looking over her face, "You can think what you want about me and Jake, but you leave our daughter out of it" you whisper, shoving her shoulder and walking back into the locker room.

The Hard Deck was quiet for the most part at least at the secluded booth you and Jake hid in towards the back of the bar.

“Baby” Jake reaches over, his hand resting on your knee. “Calm down” he whispers, looking over your face with a reassuring smile. He squeezes your knee as you sigh. “I’m nervous,” you whisper, looking over his face.

He was the calm one out of the two of you. “I know” he whispers, pulling you into his side, arms wrapped around your frame.

You sigh heavily into his shoulder, eyes falling clsoed. You weren’t going to tell him about what happened in the locker room, knowing it would upset him more than this meeting would. A throat clearing pulls you from your thoughts, Rooster stands at the end of the booth, three beers in his hands.

“Sorry to interrupt” he says as you shake your head, motioning him to sit across from the two of you. “Don’t be” he nods, handing the two beers to you and jake. “Thanks” you sip it quickly, almost chugging as you sigh. “So, what would you like to discuss?” you ask as he sets his own beer down.

“I want to know about my daughter, I just- I want to know everything” you nod, looking at Jake as he sits back in the booth.

“Her name is Evelyn Carol (Y/L/N)” he nods, smiling, “I wanted her to have your mothers name somehow” he smiles wider. “Evelyn?” he asks as you smile, shrugging. “A name I heard once and fell in love with” he nods. “Her favorite color is orange” Jake says from beside you, smiling.

Rooster chuckles with a smile, “Orange?” he asks as you both shrug.

“I think it’s because she’s been around him too long” you motion to Jake beside you who sighs with a chuckle. “She’s an honorary Texan okay” he pulls his phone from his back pocket, sliding it over to Rooster. A photo of the three of you in Texan’s jerseys. “Cute” he smiles as Jake brings the phone back to his pocket. “Her birthday is in April” you smile at the thought of your daughter. 

The conversation continued to flow naturally. Rooster asking the questions he wanted to know about Evelyn as well as taking what you and Hangman had to say. “I will let you meet her after the mission” you say after a couple minutes of silence.

Both men turned to face you, furrowed brows. “I want you to fly this mission first, I want to bring you home safely first" you emphasize. "I don’t want to get her hopes up” you whisper, looking at the two of them.

“She will love you though I am sure” Bradley nods, sending you a smile. “Now” you lean over, kissing Jake’s cheek. “I am going home to my girl, you are welcome to stay” you nod to him, standing and sliding out of the booth. “I’ll come too babe, I gotta tuck her in” Jake smiles, following you. “Bye Rooster, see you tomorrow” he nods, smiling at the two of you as he loses the two of you in the crowd of people.

“I think that went well," he says in the silence of the car, looking at you. He notices the shift in your body as you look over at him. “Huh?” he repeats himself as you nod in agreement, “yes I do too”.

He furrows his brows, stopping at the red light, turning to face you. “What is it?” he asks as you sigh.

“the mission has been moved up, we have less than a week”. 

+

The bitterness of the ocean couldn’t cover your nervousness. The breeze from the ship as you stood on the deck. You wanted to get them in and out so you could go home to your daughter. “Joker” you look back at the sound of Warlock's voice, he nods.

“It’s time” you sigh, nodding and following him inside.

The room was seated all twelve aviators, all on the edge of their seats to see who would be picked. “Maverick, pick your two dagger teams” Cyclone stands beside Maverick at the front of the room. He looks around the room, sighing heavily.

“Phoenix and Bob and Payback and Fanboy” the set of four aviators look between the others with a sense of nervousness.

“And you wingman” Jake stood taller to give himself more appeal. “Rooster” Maverick sighs, looking at the rest of the group. “The rest of you will be here on the carrier for additional air support, let’s do this and bring you all home safely” the teams are dismissed, Maverick walking past you.

You stop him, grabbing his elbow as you sigh, “bring him home for his daughter Mav” you whisper, looking over his face as he nods slowly. “Of course,” he promises, walking out of the room.

Standing at the front of the room, you stand beside Warlock as he continues to go over the mission plans. “Lastly” he faces the group, “we want you brought home safely” he nods towards you as you walk to the front of the room.

“You all are exceptional pilots, I saw it in the time we’ve spent here and I know you will give them all you got. Get in, get out” you say, looking around the room as they all nod. 

“Dismissed” they all walk out of the room and onto the carrier to prepare for take off. You sigh as they all leave, closing your eyes. “Joker?” Cyclone makes his way to you, hand on your shoulder in support.

“I’m okay” you smile up at him, nodding. He nods slowly, “if it’s best I will send you home” he says, no threat behind his voice. “I know” you whisper, pulling the aviators over your eyes as you make way outside to the jets. Stopping at the door as you watch the two men stand in front of the other.

Jake looks at Bradley as the two of them are silent. “You give 'em hell” Jake yells over the sound of jets, “and come home, for Evelyn”.

Bradley nods, smiling at him slightly as they shake hands, walking off to their respective jets. “Bradley!” you yell, running to catch up to him, he turns to face you. “Good luck” you smile, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. “I’m coming home for her," he says, smiling at you.

Nodding, you look up at him, “she will be excited to meet you” he nods, climbing into his own jet. 

Standing beside Warlock and Cyclone, you listen to the fight over the comms, watching the maps. “Dagger one is hit I repeat!” Phoenix’s voice fills the room, looking over at the two men beside you, “we have to go back” rooster says. “That’s a death wish Rooster, he’s gone” Phoenix says as he grunts over his own comms.

“Sir, we’ve lost Rooster”the woman says, eyes falling to the screen.

“We’ve lost eyes on Rooster” Payback says with a heavy sigh. “Return to the carrier, there’s nothing we can do,” Cyclone says, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Dagger spare requesting additional air support” Jake says over the comms as Warlock shakes his head, “negative dagger spare”. The room falls silent as they continue to help the two additional daggers to the carrier.

“Si-” she stops at the notice of you, “Ma’am, we’ve got a signal from Rooster and Maverick, in an f-14..” she trailes off. You sigh, closing your eyes as you nod. “Okay, let them know” you push out of the room, closing your eyes tightly. “Joker! I am sending you out on the soonest chopper” Warlock yells from the room, you sigh.

“Okay!” you yell back as he’s standing in front of you. “It’s not personal” you shake your head, “I understand completely” he nods, giving your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Boarding the chopper, you smile politely at the crew. You watch as the carrier gets smaller and smaller, your nerves even more on edge.

Jake was not on deck when you left.

+

The breeze flowed easily with the waves. Digging your feet in the sand, you watch as Evelyn runs towards the waves with cheers of glee. You smile to yourself, she was made for the ocean. California was doing her well. There was no news on the outcome of the Uranium mission, none you had the clearance to have. Jake or Bradley hadn’t  landed on your doorstep quite yet.

“I had a feeling you two would be here” you turn to look over your shoulder, Jake standing in a pair of jeans and a tshirt. “Oh my god” you run towards him, body colliding with him as he wraps you in his arms.

He pulls your body closer, burying his head into your neck, inhaling your scent. “Missed you," he mumbles, kissing just above your neckline. You smile, tangling your fingers in his hair, “missed you” you whisper against his hairline.

“Daddy!” Jake can feel your body tense, his own tensing as he looks up.

Evelyn is running full speed towards him. He moves to his knees, catching her as she collides with his chest. “Hi babygirl” he whispers, looking up at you.

“You okay?” the four year old asks, looking up at him. “Of course I’m okay, I’m okay now that I’m with you” he whispers to her, she smiles wider.

“Eve” she nods, looking between you and Jake. “Did you just call me daddy? You’ve never called me that” he notes as she shrugs. “You are my dad” she whispers, burying her head in his shoulder. You can see from your spot the tears in his eyes. “Of course I am sweetheart” he kisses the top of her head holding a hand out towards you.

Taking his outstretched hand he whispers, “I love you, both of you” he grins as she pulls away. He stands, watching as she takes off towards the water again with a laugh. “I-I can’t believe” you smile, cupping his cheek. He leans into your palm with a sad smile.

“I’m not her dad though, I just saved her dads ass" he whispers with a slight chuckle. You shake your head, gently caressing his skin with your thumb, “you are her dad Jake” he smiles sadly.

“You may not have conceived her but you are her dad, staying up with her when she got scared thinking something was in her closet to kissing her princess band aid when she fell off her bike and all she wanted in that moment was you, her dad.” reaching up, you cup both of his cheeks. he chuckles softly, kissing your palm.

“Bradley may be her father but it takes a man to step up and be a dad” he leans down, connecting your lips. His lips were softer than the bed sheets you slept on, his arms wrapping around your waist to pull your body closer. “I love you two so much” he mumbles against your lips, eyes falling closed.

“Nothing else matters, just us” he whispers in your hairline, watching as your daughter plays in the waves.

“Daddy c’mon!” Evelyn yells from the water, he laughs. “I’m comin babygirl” he kisses the top of your head, pulling the boots off his feet. Tossing his boots and socks aside, he runs towards the water towards the four year old as she continues to laugh loudly.

Standing in the sand, you close your eyes to take in the breeze from the ocean, memories flooding your brain.

“Are you insane?!” Jake yelled from his spot on the runway, watching as you walked away from him. “Joker!” he jogs to keep up with you, grabbing your arm. You rip your arm from his, looking up at him. “What?! Am I insane?!” you ask, looking over his face. “Yes! Obviously! I don't think, I just do and I couldn't let something happen to you!” he pants, looking over your face. “You can’t do that” he mumbles as you scoff.

“I’m so sorry that I was protecting my wingman” you throw it in his face, looking at him. “I can’t be responsible for your death, Joker!” he sighs as you begin to walk away from him. “I love you okay?” you stop in your spot.

You and Jake had started sleeping together on and off after your accident, hiding your true feelings behind lust.

“You are the most amazing pilot i’ve ever met and-and maybe I’m fucking shit up by telling you but I love you” he shrugs, panting. His chest felt like it was on fire. “You mean alot to me Jokes, alot, so you can’t pull shit like that” his voice is soft as he walks closer to you, cupping your cheek.

“Since I got here I've been protecting you,” you say, looking up at him. “I’m gonna keep protecting you, you are my wingman” he smiles, stroking your cheek. “I love you too” you mumble, looking up at him with a smile. 

 “C’mon momma” you smile, Jake's southern tongue slipping as he yells from the water. Opening your eyes, the sight meeting you melting your heart, Jake was knee deep in the water, your daughter on his hip. “Coming” you chuckle, jogging down to the water.

Nothing else mattered but your wingman and the little girl on his hip.

-

a/n: did anyone see this fic going where it did because i won't lie i didn't and I wrote it. LOL. I hope you all enjoyed this, if you would like to see more dad!jake/dad!bradley I would love to write more of these characters.

if you enjoyed this fic, you can find all my other fics in my library.

↓

here.

part two - part of me.

ps: let me know your thoughts, reblogs and comments are always welcome! <3.

[poorlittleyaoyao]

Didn't want to derail that last post since it's specifically about novel canon, but it got me thinking about the ramifications of the changes that the drama makes:

CQL Mianmian is a Jin disciple. I like this change overall because it facilitates her being a larger part of the narrative and implies that Jin Zixuan has a life outside of being That Rich Guy Wei Wuxian Hates. Still, as is also the case with Meng Yao and Lan Xichen due to them meeting earlier, it means that Jin Zixuan is defending someone already dear to him rather than protecting a stranger simply because it's the right thing to do. Don't shrug off his heroism yet, though, because...

A nameless Jin disciple is the one who tries to hand over Mianmian. Jin Zixuan (and only Jin Zixuan) strikes him down and says in disgust that he can't believe the Jin clan contains such cowards, or something like that. However, Mianmian herself reminds Jin Zixuan when they're giving up their swords that they're under orders from their sect leader to comply with whatever the Wen clan asks of them. Jin Zixuan's choice to defend Mianmian is potentially in defiance of his father's directive. (Why is Jin Zixuan willing to disobey his dad here but stays awkwardly silent during his family's BS at the Phoenix Mountain hunt and conference later on? Well, his dad's not in the room with him here.)

Su She is not involved here, as Lan Wangji is the sole representative from Gusu Lan. The selfishness/cowardice of trying to feed Mianmian to a monster is replaced with his (more socially unacceptable in-universe but IMO more sympathetic to the viewer) revealing the Cold Pond Cave secret. There aren't any Lans standing by as nobody but Lan Wangji does the right thing.

The hostages generally show a lot of solidarity! After Wen Chao punts Wei Wuxian deeper into the cave, everyone else climbs down after him. None of them responds to Wen Chao shouting questions from up above, forcing the Wen guards to climb down to their level to investigate. The Jin guy attacking Mianmian is an outlier, indicating a problem with Lanling Jin culture rather than the jianghu as a whole. They cooperate well when it's time to band together and escape!

So the takeaway in CQL canon isn't that everyone is a coward or overly concerned with politics except for the protagonist, his love interest, and Jin Zixuan for some reason, but more like... here are these young people and future leaders who are fully capable of acting together for the good of the group. They refuse to comply with their captors despite being unarmed, and they'll convince the older generation to take action against the Wen clan. (Nie Mingjue, the only sect leader who's part of the younger generation without an older relative's influence, has already been in open conflict with them.) And isn't it a shame, then, that Jin Guangshan--and his sect culture that would've excused feeding one of his own disciples to a demon turtle--is going to crush all of this.

*I initially assumed, when I started making this post, that Cloud Recesses in the novel gets burned after the indoctrination in retaliation for Lan Wangji's part in killing the Xuanwu of Slaughter. But the wiki timeline has the indoctrination still coming after Cloud Recesses is attacked? If that's the case, how do the Lan have that many disciples to send?

[serialadoptersbracket]

Round 3, Match 24: Giovanni Potage vs. Miles Edgeworth

Submitted kids:

Giovanni Potage: Molly Blyndeff, (potentially) Sylvie Ashling, Crusher, Dark Star, Ben, Car Crash/Fred Donaldson, Spike, Flamethrower

Miles Edgeworth: Kay Faraday, Trucy Wright, Pearl Fey, Sebastian Debeste

Propaganda under the cut!

Giovanni Potage:

1. “while it is debatable that he adopted sylvie, it's a 100% that he adopted molly. because. well. he kidnapped her because her dad sucks.”

2. “IT'S CANON! Or at least half Canon. Giovanni kidnaps Molly to get her away from her terrible family. Since Molly and Sylvie are a package deal, he's often added to the found family. Sometimes a family is a 15 year old college graduate, a depressed and anxious 12 year old, and a 19 year old with the power of soup.”

3. “this is an actual line from the book (Prison Of Plastic) that basically confirms it: *“Eww. Parents,” he spat, forgetting that he himself essentially had six kids of his own with another on the way. Possibly two.*

we love ourselves a soup himbo with like eight kids. okay most of them are his friends but you see that quote. he sees them as his own kids”

Miles Edgeworth:

1. “Kay canonically compares their relationship to the one she had with her dead father. Edgeworth helped get justice for said fathers murder. When kay was accused of murder, and got amnesia, he protected her. Sebastians father was a major villain of aai2 and he was kidnapped and shoved into a garage. Edgeworth found him and helped him. Sebastians father bribed his teachers so he would be valedictorian, causing his entire life to come crumbling down when he foumd out the one thing his father liked about him and he liked (outside of music) was a lie. Edgeworth said he would be a great prosecuter one day and took him under his wing. Sebastian has an adoptive mom too.”

2. “As Phoenix's husband, Miles counts as an adoptive parent for Wright's ever-expanding weirdo family, especially Trucy. BUT he ALSO has an adoptee who is specifically on him in Kay Faraday. The lengths he goes to for her in his spinoff games this man is her father. He would tease Phoenix about being a serial adopter except he can't cause his own spinoff adopted daughter is right there.”

[never-forget-viva-la-pluto]

You are Apollo Justice and your life has been this:

First your biological father dies in an intentionally set fire and your mom goes missing on the same night...

Then your adopted father gets framed for assassination of a royal, resulting in you living alone in another country, saying goodbye to your dad and brother...

Then your mentor, the man who taught you everything you know about being a lawyer, kills a man in cold blood and defamed your idol, Phoenix Wright, at the same time. This results in your mentor getting a life sentence, effectively getting you fired...

Then it gets worse. Your best friend since elementary school gets murdered and the court house you took the case to gets bombed and you are nearly killed by falling rubble...

THEN your dad finally comes to take you home but it turns out that your dad was fucking murdered days beforehand and he was being spirit channeled in the body of your boss's friend, whom he died protecting, and you spend days with him before your find his corpse and learn of his murder.

[lorkonsghost]

So I just woke up in a cold sweat remembering the single greatest fanfic ever written I try to look it up I learn the sight it was hosted on was taken down In I cry a little I go and look for the fic on other sites but don't remember it's full name go looking and find zilch look threw tumbler for two hours looking threw hashtags and things about only to find nothing and all I can think about is crying.

The fanfic in question was about dick Grayson if he never stopped being Robin like all his other siblings are still there but dick is still Robin. Ok basically goes like this Bruce adopts Jason, dick tells the story of flamebird and night wing to Jason so Jason becomes flame bird okay side tangent flame bird represent so much for Jason in this fic it's amazing like how he use flamebird and the Phoenix as symbolism to represent Jason destructive habits and rebirth. When Jason dies Tim becomes Nightwing In honor of Jason even though they never met is amazing.

Okay but the most important of this fic is when dick gives Damian Robin you see dick explain he wished Bruce made him give up Robin long ago because Robin was his security blanket like his mom, and dad where still with him. He explains how Robin is a crutch he needed as a kid something so his parents could still protect him even if they weren't their he give Damian Robin in hopes he feel the same safety. I think they touched on what happened after Bruce came back he goes to Jason who is red hood and ask to become flamebird and red Jason at the time said yes.

[ddejavvu]

Thick Thighs Save Lives - Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x Reader x Jake 'Hangman' Seresin

Summary: Being the only aviator with meat on your bones is tough. It's even more tough when you're stuck showering with two of your teammates.

Contents/Warnings: smut (minors dni), double penetration, fingering (vaginal and anal, f receiving), oral (m receiving), dirty talk, shower sex, protected sex, spit kink, body insecurities, mid/plus!sized reader, self-deprecation, arguing, angst with a fluffy/smutty ending

WC: 5.5K / navi

feedback is greatly appreciated! comment, reblog, talk in the tags, send me a message, tell me what you think!

If there’s anything you don’t want to hear during a not-so-friendly game of beach football, it’s ‘shit!’. The exclamation comes from Coyote who’s branched off to your towels on the sand, fingers curled around his watch, “We’re late.”

“How late?” Phoenix is already adjusting her ponytail, as it’s frazzled from the action. She’s squinting in the sun and remedies it by knocking her sunglasses down off of her head and onto her nose. It’s smooth, and she knows it by the soft smirk that curls at her lips.

“We have twenty minutes to get on the road.” 

“Shit,” Rooster parrots, dropping the ball where he stands, which is how you know he’s panicked too, “We all need showers. Penny’s gonna kill us if we stink up the restaurant.”

“We can go in teams,” Fanboy decides, already sprinting over to his towel, “We don’t have time for individual ones.”

Before you can get a word in edgewise Coyote and Phoenix are rushing to join him, Bob hot on their trail. The showers are spacious, sure, but you wouldn’t exactly volunteer to share them with anyone. 

With a terrible sinking feeling in your stomach you realize that the only three left are you, Rooster, and Hangman. That means the only way you’ll get to Penny and Maverick’s engagement party is if you shower together.

They’re already at their towels, scrubbing sand out of their hair and strapping their watches back on. Hangman’s is a thick, black leather band, and you can see flecks of sand marring the sleek strap from where it laid on the towel. Rooster’s is thinner, brown in color and gold around the rim. His is clean, but he puts it on his sweaty, sandy wrist. It won’t be for long.

Both men are shirtless, too-tight jean shorts squeezing their waists. You make a point not to stare as you trek back to your towel, already picking up on their competitive banter before you’ve even stood beside them.

“-probably use all my shampoo,” Hangman scoffs, clenching his towel tight in his fist, “You always steal my shit, Bradshaw.”

“I think it’s only fair seeing as you steal my gel!” Rooster quips back, gesturing to Hangman’s stiff, shiny hair, untouched even after your game, “Isn’t it fucking weird, Y/L/N? How much he uses?”

Rooster looks back at you for confirmation, someone on his side. But you’re too disheartened to respond, dreading your impending doom. All you offer is a meager, “Yeah.”, that curls a frown under Rooster’s mustache.

“You hurt yourself or something?” Hangman raises an eyebrow, stunned by your lack of teasing, “I think we need to call the doctor, you didn’t just insult me.”

“I’m fine.” You grumble, towel held around your waist despite the presence of your rash guard, “Just tired from football.”

“Well get ready,” Rooster warns you, “Mav’s gonna have to tell us all about how he and Penny met, and I’m really hoping he withholds the details on the little rendezvous that got him in trouble with her dad, but I know he won’t.”

You shudder for a moment, if only to please him, to throw him off your scent. You’re tired, there’s not any other reason you’re in a funk. You’re tired.

You are tired. You’re tired of caring, of constantly thinking about it. You’re tired of wearing a rash guard to the beach instead of a swimsuit, because everyone else is smaller than you. You’re tired of watching people’s eyes, tracking them to make sure that if they ever dip below your chest there’s something in front of your stomach to block it from their view. You’re tired of adjusting your uniform to make it looser, you’re tired of leaning against the bar instead of sitting at it, you’re just tired.

You are tired. You’re tired of caring, of constantly thinking about it. You’re tired of wearing a rash guard to the beach instead of a swimsuit, because everyone else is smaller than you. You’re tired of watching people’s eyes, tracking them to make sure that if they ever dip below your chest there’s something in front of your stomach to block it from their view. You’re tired of adjusting your uniform to make it looser, you’re tired of leaning against the bar instead of sitting at it, you’re just tired.

“Hey,” Hangman’s voice breaks you out of your thoughts, admittedly less grating and irritating than it normally is “You sure you’re okay?”

You blink and they’re staring at you, brows furrowed and limbs frozen in place. You wish that the waves lapping gently at the sand would crash onto shore and swallow you whole, sweep you up in a tidal wave of salt water and seaweed so that you wouldn’t have to answer.

“I’m fine,” You grit, slipping your feet into your shoes and rushing to stand outside the showers, “C’mon, we’ll be late.”

--

You had hoped that they’d get too busy bickering with each other to ever find you. But here they come, not five minutes later, just as Phoenix steps out of the steamy bathroom. A towel is wrapped around her torso and Hangman exaggerates his ogling of her, only turning your stomach further.

“Perfect timing,” He drawls, and she rolls her eyes. 

Bob steps out next, taking one look at her face and stepping in front of her, “Your turn, Bagman. Try not to use all the gel.”

“See?” Rooster nudges you, his elbow against your arm as Bob and Phoenix walk away, “I told you! It’s absurd, he slathers it on like cement.”

“He’s gotta,” Coyote drawls, reaching over to knock on Jake’s head, “Otherwise his head’d sound as empty as it is.”

The two engage in a good-natured shoving match, but it’s one that nearly sends Coyote’s towel cascading to the ground, and you keep your eyes firmly on the tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner that you’d brought. You read over the ingredients, as if sodium laureth sulfate and glycol distearate will keep your mind off of your humiliation.

“You said you’re fine,” Bradley murmurs from beside you, “But if it’s something you just don’t wanna say around Hangman, he’s not listening.”

Part of you is less embarrassed to be honest and exposed to Rooster than Hangman. But he’s still a man, an incredibly fit one at that, and you’re not sure you’d ever want to reveal it to either of them.

“I’m just nervous,” You tell him the only part of the truth you’re willing to admit. I’ve never... showered with a- a boy before. A man.”

You cringe at your misstep, but if Bradley’s amused by it, he doesn’t show it. Instead he hums, sympathetically so, “We’ll turn around, honey. Don’t worry about it, okay?”

“You’ll turn around,” You mutter, “I think it’ll just egg Jake on further.”

“What’s this I hear about eggin’ me on?” A familiar southern twang makes you tense as the man it’s coming from appears by your side, bumping his hip into yours, “You ready for our steam session, sweets?”

“Leave her alone, Hangman,” Rooster groans, feet slapping against the tiles as he goes to adjust the water. He shoves at Hangman’s back as he passes, and you stifle a giggle as the man nearly falls over.

“Hey, she’s the one that chose to shower with us,” Jake insists, and Bradley’s scoff is enough for you not to fight back, “And I would, too, if I were you, darlin’. Do you know how many ladies are lined up to see how hung Hangman is?”

You force a gag, “The only lady I see here is myself, and I’d rather smear wet sand in my eyes.”

“That’s what I’m gonna do to you if you don’t turn around and shut up,” Bradley speaks through the roar of the shower water, steam already rising from its fall, “Just drop your pants and wash your ass, so Y/L/N can shower to herself.”

“Well, well, well,” Jake smirks, towel cinched around his waist in only one hand as he stalks for the showers, “Looks like one of the ladies lined up is Bradshaw himself. Wanna see it, Rooster? Here it is.”

Jake drops his towel ceremoniously, and Bradley’s face morphs into a grimace as he turns away hastily.

“My fucking eyes,” He laments, and you pause in gathering your toilettries to laugh, while also trying very hard not to stare at Jake, “Oh my god, Y/N, you won’t have to worry about me seeing you. I’m going to pour shampoo into my eyes until I go blind.”

Jake realizes you’re taking a little too long getting ready, cocking a hip as he leans his head back to stare down his nose at you, “So what, you gonna ditch dinner, Y/L/N? Whatcha waitin’ for?”

“She’s waiting for you to stop being a perv and turn around,” Bradley comes to your rescue once again, and thankfully, Jake seems to realize it’s a real issue, pivoting until he’s facing the shower wall.

“I think she just wants a nice view of our asses,” Jake theorizes, standing with his clear on display, “Which is better, Y/N? Mine or Chicken’s?”

“Chicken,” Rooster grumbles under his breath, and if you were brave enough to actually declare a winner, you’d give it to him just for that. But, Hangman’s form is rather impressive, all tight curves and tan skin and-

And you shouldn’t be looking. You clear your throat awkwardly, peeling off your rash guard as Jake sponges his side down. There’s sand running thick down the drain and you hope it doesn’t back up, something you’d feel terrible for Penny to have to clean up.

“Uh,” Bradley stills in his place, “Shit, I think I left my shampoo over there. Y/N, could you…?”

“I got it,” You hum, reaching over for the blue bottle and tucking it in his carefully, blindly outstretched hand, “Thanks for, um- here.”

“Yep,” He nods, smearing a dot of the substance on his palm and lathering it through his hair.

“Oh no,” Jake mimics Bradley’s previous predicament, dropping the bottle in his hand so that it rests between his legs, “Y/N, could you-”

“Ass,” You drawl, reaching forwards to butt your palm against his back. He stumbles forward with a laugh, catching himself on the railing. He bends down to reach for it and you’re nervous he’ll peek at your body from between his legs, but he stays respectful, something you know he is at his core even if he pretends differently.

You find yourself relaxing against the tiled floor of the shower, feet firmly planted instead of poised to run. As much as you know neither of the men in front of you would make any rude comments about your body or your weight, there’s still the nauseating fear that they might think differently of you having seen you completely unobscured. So you’re thankful for the privacy, that lasts… well, until it doesn’t.

The snap of your conditioner cap catches the skin of your pointed finger in its jaws and a gasp clutches tight at your lungs.

“Son of a bitch!” You cry, waves of pain flowing through your finger and out towards the rest of them. On cue each man turns, eyes wide and fear-stricken, without thinking.

You know they didn’t do it on purpose. You know they instinctively thought you were hurt, and wanted to help. You know they didn’t mean to look at you. But the withering feeling in your guts knows no logic, only fear.

They’re looking, it hisses, They’re looking at everything. The way your stomach pudges into a roll at the base. The way your breasts sag. The way your thighs stretch, marks littering their stems, and present no gap.

“You’re bleeding.” Bradley observes, eyes trained faithfully on your finger, “I’ll get a bandaid.”

He rushes for the cabinets outside the shower, dripping water over the floor. Jake stands, staring, but you’re too humiliated to glance at his face and notice the soft pinky blush on his cheeks that’s spreading to his ears. 

“Here,” Bradley speaks from behind you, though he molds himself to your side when you’re still frozen in fear. He brushes a towel over your cut, the turquoise material staining red. He then undoes the waxy paper wrapping from the bandaid, sticking it tight to your skin.

“It’ll get wet,” He reminds you, “But it’ll stop soap from stinging it.”

You don’t even thank him. At your prolonged silence he glances up at Hangman, intent on giving him a concerned glance, but he sees the man’s eyes rove over your form and snaps.

“Dude,” Bradley utters gruffly, “Don’t be a perv. Come on, turn around.”

When Jake stays just as still as you, he reaches for him, shoving hard, “I said turn around!:

“Please, Jake,” You whimper, tears brimming in your eyes, “Turn around.”

“You’re crying.” Jake snaps out of his trance to frown up at you, and Bradley keeps pushing, an insistent thorn in his side, “Why are you crying?”

“Because you’re-!” You gush, lip wobbling, “You’re looking at me, and- and judging me, and-”

“Judging you,” He scoffs, eyes nearly bugging out of his head, “Best body I’ve ever seen. Case closed. Court dismissed.”

“Shut up,” You seethe, tears finally dripping down your cheeks, “Just shut up! You think this is fucking funny? You don’t think there’s a reason I didn’t want to shower with you?”

“You’re private, I get that.” He scoffs. “But if you think I’m judgin’ any part’a that, then you’re stupid, too.”

“Not the compliment you think it is,” Bradley mutters, hands still prying at Jake’s shoulder, “She told you to turn around, just do it.”

“No,” Jake doubles down, pushing Bradley away and stalking towards you, “I wanna know why you think so goddamn low of me. You really think I’d rope a woman into a shower and then pick apart what she looks like? You think that low of me?”

“It’s not about you,” You gush, hands at your sides in frustration, “It's about me! And my fucking body, okay? I’m not calling you a dick for judging me, I’m calling myself-”

“What?” Jake’s head tilts to the side, eyes glinting dangerously, “What are you calling yourself?”

“....Gross.” You finish lamely, the fire in your chest extinguishing with the poof of a sigh that escapes your lips.

He’s grabbing your hand without thinking about it, gentle but firm. You stare at him, anxiety-riddled.

“Listen here, girly. I’ve let you get away with sayin’ a lotta things about yourself. Dumbass I agree with, especially considering these circumstances. I’ve heard clumsy and stubborn, those I don’t have an issue with either. But don’t look me in my fuckin’ face and tell me you’re gross, ‘cause it’s an insult to me and my tastes.”

He squeezes your hand once before releasing it, and it feels more now like a heartfelt gesture than a threatening one. You’re breathing heavy, lungs cut short from the adrenaline of the moment, Even though Bradley isn’t pushing him anymore, standing on the sidelines waiting, watching, Hangman turns around without another word. He scrubs aggressively through his scalp and you’re almost surprised nothing bleeds, your mouth hung slightly open and your tongue leaden over your teeth.

“I’m not your type.” You finally manage to mutter, voice taut.

“Yes you are,” Jake scoffs, “How would you know?”

“I saw you eyeing up Phoenix earlier.” You roll your eyes, and if Bradley hadn’t turned around again you’d have flashed him an exasperated look.

“So? A man can like several shapes,” Jake boasts, voice losing venom, “Plus I ogle Phoenix just to piss her off.”

“It works.” Bradley cuts in, and you snort.

“Point is,” Jake drawls, and you’re sure if Bradley was in his line of sight he’d have been the victim of a very withering stare, “Don’t discredit yourself. You’ve got sexy ass thighs, woman.”

“Jesus, Jake,” Bradley sighs, “Can you just hurry up, already? I’m sure there’s nothing more Y/L/N wants than to get rid of you.”

“Oh, shut up, lapdog,” Jake deadpans, “You can’t tell me you don’t agree.”

Bradley’s silent for a moment, and your gut churns.

“Whether I do or don’t is irrelevant,” He chooses his words carefully, “Let’s just leave Y/N alone.”

“He totally does,” Jake snickers, “Hear that, Y/L/N? It’s his blush.”

“Like you weren’t blushing!” Bradley scoffs, “I looked up at you and thought you’d been temporarily replaced with a baboon’s ass.”

“Oh, that’s funny,” Jake drawls, “That’s what I think every time I see you, porn stache. Then I remember it’s just your natural charm.”

The crisis has been averted enough for you to let out a shaky laugh at their insults, and the sound catches both men’s attention.

“Listen, Y/L/N,” Jake starts, voice much kinder and softer now, “The point of this isn’t me telling Bradshaw he’s got the face of an ass. The point is to get it through your thick fuckin’ skull; you’re pretty damn sexy, y’hear?”

You snort at his callous nature, “No one’s ever told me anything like that before.”

“Yeah?’ He pauses,towel in hand that he nimbly swings over his shoulder, “Well, pardon me for lookin’, and even more for touchin’, but everyone else is fuckin’ insane.”

Before you can process his words he reaches down to palm at your thigh, a hefty squeeze that sends your flesh spilling against his palm. You stiffen, even though he stays politely away from your ass, encroaching only on territory he could also grab while you’re clothed. The feeling of his touch, no matter how chaste, elicits a noise from your throat that you wish you could pass off for a scream.

It’s not.

It’s a moan.

He stops where he’d begun pulling away, eyes sharpening slightly. You don’t dare look at Bradley, but if you did, you’d see his cock twitch.

“Did I hurt you?” Jake asks, voice low.

All you can do is shake your head, teeth digging into your lower lip helplessly.

“Did you like it?” He tries again, but this time he doesn’t accept body language as an answer/ Still hunched, he ignores your nodding and reaches up with his free hand to tug your bottom lip out from under your teeth.

“I asked you a question,” Jake croons, voice smooth and soft, “Did you like it?”

All you can whimper is a meager ‘Yes’.

Do you want me to do it again?”

“Yes.” Stronger, this time.

His hand plants itself firmly back over your thigh, thumb stretching towards the curve of your ass this time. It’s a little more suggestive, and a lot more alluring.

“Jesus,” Jake groans, kneading the soft flesh of your doughy thigh between his fingers, “Bradshaw, c’mere for a second.”

He hesitates, “Do you want me there, Y/N?”

“Yes,” You nod once more, legs stiffening and thigh tensing against Jake’s palm, “I- I do.”

“You take front,” Jake instructs, falling into place behind you with his hands now greedily prying at your ass, “And I’ll take back.”

The smile that Bradley offers you when he steps in front of you is nothing short of dreamy. It’s enough to make you blush, and he lets out a soft, breathy laugh at how forward Hangman is being while he stands giddily in front of you.

“If you say hi,” Jake drawls, hooking his chin over your shoulder and reaching around your front to grip at the seams of your inner thighs while glaring at Bradley suspiciously, “I’m going to slap you.”

“I wasn’t going to say hi,” Bradley scoffs, and you can tell by his blush that he totally was.

“Jesus, enough yammering,” Jake scoffs, turning his head to press his dewy lips into your neck, “We’re gonna be late for dinner.”

You worry, for a moment, that he’ll let go. That he’ll walk away, get dressed for the restaurant, and pretend nothing ever happened. But that’s not what he does, of course. Instead, you feel the hard press of his cock against your ass.

“I’ll be gentle,” Jake croons, feeling you tense as his hands smooth over the dip of your ass, “We’ll go slow, okay?”

“Real slow,” Bradley murmurs, and it catches your attention, reeling it back to him. You realize he’s standing much closer to you now than he had been before, lips nearly brushing yours.

The second your lips meet his in a kiss, Hangman smooths his hand between the globes of your ass. You squirm at the sensitive feeling, foreign as his fingertip brushes against your hole. But he doesn’t let up, and neither does Bradley.

Rooster’s tongue slides against your bottom lip, warm and wet. At the same time Hangman’s hands squeeze your ass, pulling apart each side and smoothing down the skin between. It sends a shiver up your spine that escapes in a puff of air between your lips, one that Bradley eagerly swallows.

Bradley’s hands grab your cheeks, thumbs brushing near your eyes and yanking you closer. You can feel Jake’s fingers carefully prodding and pressing at the tight ring of your asshole, a hitch in your breath causing you to bite down on Bradley’s lip.

“Fuck,” He hisses, coming away with a red lip and a guttural groan, “Jake, just- let up. Me first, she’s obviously sensitive.”

“She’s just tight,” Jake murmurs, lips pressing to the expanse of your shoulder, “Nothin’ I can’t fix.”

“You’ll have plenty of time to fix it,” Bradley grumbles, tearing a condom open with his teeth that he’d snagged from his wallet, “‘Cause I’m going in first, and you- shit!”

His fingers, slippery from the water and probably excess soap, drop the condom. The way that you’re arched into Hangman’s touch means that your thighs are squeezed together and bent slightly, and there’s no better way to catch a condom than between your thighs.

The foil wrapper sticks between your legs, making it easy for Bradley to pluck it out and toss the wrapper aside. Penny will find it tomorrow, because you’re sure as hell not gonna remember to get it.

“Well, whaddya know,” Jake drawls, grinning against the skin of your neck so hard you can feel it, “What they say is true. Thick thighs save lives.”

You face-plant into the water-dropped skin of Bradley’s neck, ignoring the way Hangman snickers.

“Actually, I think they just stopped a life from being conceived,” Bradley reasons, only a few sloppy strokes of his cock needed to easily slip the condom on, “But that probably saved my life, ‘cause if I got you pregnant in Penny’s bathroom, she’d slit my throat.”

The tip of Bradley’s hardened dick presses to your inner thigh, skin seldom touched and sensitive. You lean into it, but Hangman’s fingers follow, gently stroking over the rim of your ass. It’s starting to feel less foreign and more pleasurable, a twinge of something sweet licking at the underside of your belly like a rogue flame.

Bradley gently presses two fingers against your slit, ever-considerate in making sure you’re sufficiently prepped, but his eyes widen at how much slick he’s greeted with just past your folds.

“Holy shit,” He breathes, nose nudging yours as his lips brush with your own, “You’re wet.”

“Duh,” Hangman scoffs, and one of his hands abandons your ass to slip between your folds, collecting slick on their tips and dragging it back to your ass, “I’ve been touchin’ up on her for a while now.”

“Pardon me for thinking that’d work like an umbrella on a rainy day,” Bradley bitches, but you cut him off with a kiss before he can spout any other mildly insulting metaphors for how bad he thinks Hangman is in bed. You’ll vouch if you have to, he knows what he’s doing.

With each slow circle that his fingers trace around your rim, you bend back into him. Until you can feel his cock pressed stiff to your backside,just as Bradley presses his tip flush with your clit.

“Oh-,” You gasp, clit sending a shockwave of electric lust reverberating throughout your body, “Bradley, I- Inside, please, now!”

“I’m coming, sweetheart,” He croons, speaking in a velvety soft hum against your lips, “Don’t worry.”

He holds to his promise, sliding his dick down from where it’s pressed to your clit and easing it between your folds. You heave a blissful sigh at the feeling of being full, and it makes you rock backwards into Hangman’s fingers.

One breaches your hole, slipping inside with an agonizingly pleasurable burn. The stretch feels heavenly, especially because your cunt is already stretched to accommodate Bradley’s cock that slowly bottoms out inside of you.

“Good,” Jake praises, kissing beneath your ear, “I knew you could do it.”

Rooster lets out a groan at the feeling of your involuntary clench around him, eyes screwed shut. His forehead is braced against yours and you take the liberty of engaging him in another kiss, letting the pleasure of Jake’s fingers at your hole compel you to lick into Bradley’s mouth.

Being pleasured from both sides is too overwhelming. You feel yourself already rising to a climax, pressed on by both Bradley’s thick cock grating against your insides and Jake’s fingers.

You smooth your tongue over Bradley’s, gripping his shoulder when he increases his pace to be steadily fast. He’s not speeding through anything, but he’s not slow either, and it makes your insides burn.

The feeling of his cock ramming over and over and over against that spongy spot deep within you is too much, especially when Hangman slides a single, thick finger into your ass. You can’t help it, your orgasm hits you like a freight train (or perhaps a fighter jet), and you clench sporadically around Bradley’s thick, hard cock.

You whine relentlessly into his mouth, fingers clawing and prying at his damp skin as your knees go weak. You’re surprised you stay standing at all, but you funnel all of your orgasmic vigor into the kiss that Bradley eagerly licks out of you, and clutching his shoulders is enough.

Coming down from your high is jarring, especially when you realize that the steady pressure against your clit had been Bradley’s thumb the entire time. The pleasurable sensation is starting to sour with the unpleasant sting of overstimulation, and you tear his hand away eagerly, “Too much.”

“Sorry,” Bradley grunts into the kiss, the bristles of his mustache grating at your lip. 

Bradley pulls out of you, still hard and red-tipped. 

Jake takes one look down, his free hand sliding up your back while his other stays firm at your ass, “Those were pretty sounds. Look’t what they did to Bradshaw. See that, honey?”

You nod, breathless as you stare at Bradley’s impressive length.

“I think you should return the favor,” Jake muses, putting pressure against your back so that you bend in half, “Suck him off, darlin’.”

You land at eye-level with Bradley’s covered cock, and you can’t get the condom off fast enough. You drag your tongue along the underside of Bradley’s hard dick, taking the heated length into your hands and squeezing fondly at his balls. He swears low and gruff under his breath, watching your tongue snake against his slit.

Your lips curl around the head of Bradley’s cock, and the way that Jake adds a second finger to your ass makes you suck hard. You feel Bradley’s cock twitch on your tongue, and you scrape your teeth feather-light along him as you take more of him into your mouth.

He tries to keep himself still, tries not to face-fuck you, but he’s hopeless. His hips jolt forwards and you gag at the feeling of his dick hitting the back of your throat. It makes him groan, fists clenched at his side.

You bob and suckle along every inch of Bradley’s dick, licking up the vein that runs along the side and hollowing your cheeks while Jake fingers you open. When there are suddenly no fingers in your ass anymore at all, you whimper, taking Bradley’s cockhead into your fist while you try craning your neck to look back at Hangman.

“Keep going,” Jake directs you, nodding his head towards your fist, “He’s not done, and neither am I.”

You slip the hand that’s curled around Rooster’s dick and slide it up his length, rubbing gently at the base while you kitten lick the head. He pants and groans, bucking into your fist and subsequently your throat. The feeling of Jake’s dick pressed tight to your stretched hole makes you jolt forwards, and you face-fuck yourself on Bradley’s dick.

“Jesus,” He hisses, “You’re- you’re good at this, baby. C’mon, a- a little more, now.”

You let out a scream muffled by Bradley’s cock as Jake slides himself into your ass, dick grating delightfully tight against your rim. Once he bottoms out he sets a merciless pace, giving you no time to adjust before you’re being hammered into like he’s a feral animal.

“See that, Bradshaw?” Jake boasts, sending a hefty slap to your ass, “Told you she could do it. Perfect ass.”

“I see,” Bradley pants, hands tangled in your hair while you bob on his cock, “I- I’m gonna cum, honey.”

There’s barely any warning before the sight of Jake’s cock ramming into your ass gets to be too much for Bradley, but you don’t need it. You’re perfectly content to welcome his warm seed down your throat, letting it paint the inside of your mouth as you tongue him dry.

You don’t realize you’re using Bradley’s cock as a pacifier until he pushes at your forehead, hissing in oversensitivity, “Okay, okay! It’s too much,” He soothes you by sticking two of his slick-stained, thick fingers between your lips instead, “Here, honey. There y’go.”

Drool gathers at the seam of your lips and Bradley smears it away from your mouth, gathering it on his palm and licking it away. He groans at the taste, his own seed permeating your saliva, “Messy girl.”

Jake isn’t satisfied with his lack of action. Apparently, jackhammering into your ass isn’t quite enough for the guy, and he fists a hand in your hair to yank you upright with a grunt.

Bradley’s fingers slip from your lips with a pop and you cry out as Hangman manhandles you, pleasurable pain flooding your senses from the hair-pulling that start waves of a second orgasm swelling below your belly.

“Open,” Jake commands, keeping your neck bent backwards so that his face hovers over yours. You open your mouth without hesitation, and he spits inside.

Warm saliva, cooling quickly the more you stick your tongue out, pools by your throat. You eagerly swallow without being told,drool now seeping backwards down your face and towards your eyes. Jake licks it off with a broad, wet swipe of his tongue, and smears it against your lips.

The kiss is messy, upside-down and drooly, but it’s hot. Jake’s tongue licks against yours and his teeth nip at your bottom lip, a real spider-man style porno.

Your spine aches from being bent like a curly-q, but the ecstasy bleeding into your core is enough to push it to the back of your mind. You reach down to finger your clit, a whimper bleeding into Jake’s mouth at the action.

“Gonna cum, honey?” Jake drawls, “Sweet pussy’a yours gonna clench around nothin’?”

His southern drawl is stronger when he’s fucking, you note. It’s attractive.

“Not nothing,” Bradley volunteers, sticking his spit-soaked fingers up into your gaping cunt, “Cum, baby.”

You’re very good at following orders.

Your second orgasm hurts, in the best way. It tears you apart from the inside out, cunt clenching tight at Bradley’s fingers as he curls them inside of you. Jake bites hard at your lip as you ride out your second orgasm, and his dick twitches inside of you once, twice, three times before he’s letting himself go in tandem.

He fills you with warm cum, the substance gushing out of your gaped hole and oozing out around his own cock. 

“Jesus fuck,” He snaps, the words an unintelligible grunt against your lips, “So tight, and so sexy.”

Bradley’s free hand braces itself on your stomach, and the touch doesn’t make you recoil like it normally would. It’s lewd, but being splattered with their cum really makes you believe that they’re not going to judge your body.

Instead you lean into the touch, letting Bradley embrace you as you come down from your high a moaning pile of mush.

“Slow,” You warn Jake, who’s never heard the word a day in his life. He follows directions, though, easing his dick out of you and making sure it doesn’t burn.

“We need another shower,” Bradley pants after a moment of fucked-out silence. 

You nod, brain foggy, “Yeah. We- we can’t show up to the restaurant smelling like sex. They’ll know.”

--

As it turns out, you don’t need to smell like sex for everyone to know you’ve just had it. You show up forty-five minutes late, sweaty-faced and rosy-lipped, all slightly out of breath. Your dress is rumpled, and Bradley’s tie is haphazardly secured.

“Oh,” Phoenix grimaces, nose scrunching in disgust, “Gross, guys.”

“In my bathroom?” Penny looks aghast, “You better not have clogged the shower drain.”

“Easy,” Maverick throws a hand out over her own, “We’ve done it in there one too many times to judge.”

“Gross!” Payback rears away from the older pilot sitting next to him, “Everybody needs to stop getting laid, but if you do, don’t tell me about it!”

[hashtagdrivebywrites]

Y'all bear with me on my bad phone pictures and excessive notes lmao, but, uh, ask and you shall receive.

Here's my concept art for Jason in my fic Imprint, where he's a halfa and Danny's biological dad and the king father/king regent? of the infinite realms.

Here's the first ever sketch I did somewhere around chapter 2 or 3:

Featuring larval Ghost!Jason, Pit madness/Lazarus Water and little bitty Ghost!Danny.

I was already thinking about the possibility of a crown but didn't know what to do with it yet so I just left a halo as a placeholder DBZ-style, which you'll see in the next few concept stages until I finish the latest one.

Ah, the oldest concept I had for the Pit is that it laid dormant in Jason's mind and would physically pull itself out of his head, which is why it's kind of half melded with Jason's helmet in this one. And I'm still kind of considering that idea, but I'm leaning more towards it coming from the bulk of Jason's body instead, as we see it in chapter 8 of Imprint when readers get to see Jason's ghost nonsense from an outside perspective. They (the Pit) is definitely more tiger-like now, and you'll catch a glimpse of a sketch dump where I'm trying to get a handle on tiger shape language (?). They'll still be water based and colored like the pits/a lagoon. It may be hard to picture- just trust me.

Uhhh let's see....the "lantern ribcage" is a part of the design that's really important to me so you'll see me consistently playing with it as I go through these early concepts. That's his core nestled in the lower part of his ribs, visible but protected behind the iron cage of his bones.

I wanted to incorporate Jason's helmet and other parts of his vigilante/hero uniforms in his ghost form since that part of his life is deeply personal to him.

I also knew that I wanted him to have a very monstrous aspect to his design- and I can't resist slapping pointy teeth on any of my concepts that deviate from being strictly human. So those aren't going away. Nostrils to breathe smoke and fire so Jason can better emote with most of his face being metal.

Danny's default ghost form, opposed to Jason's will still kinda be the one he has in his original dimension- black and white suit and the classic DP symbol on the chest, but probably better armored and with a bat emblem thrown in somewhere. So thats what I drew him with here- though little kid sized, with an added black streak in his hair to complete the inverse of the Lazarus Pit streak he has in human form.

In ghost form, when Jason needs precision, his go-to weapon will be the All Blades, which I have kinda illustrated here.

I may kinda set the bones of this design aside to use as a more humanoid ghost form that's closer to his living form, but that's still up in the air.

Here's concept 2, which I did on chapter...5? I think? Which is when I decided I wanted to make Jason's most comfortable ghost form to be kinda big and outrageous:

This one's got some notes doodled around it- but I'll type them out in case you can't read my handwriting.

Jason was definitely leaning more toward dragon (and I'm still trying to find the balance between dragon and phoenix that works nicely for him, but we're getting there.)

I decided not to put heat pits on his face recently so that the parts of his head modeled after the helmet are smooth metal armor. I tried to elongate the head but still keep the lines of his helmet in the design.

This is also the first time I started messing with horns- which have been bent in just about every direction at this point trying to make them mesh well with the rest of his design. The uppermost notes in the image mention basing the shape of his horns off of one of his weapons. I thought that the flaming all blades would just be overkill at that point and decided to play with using the Kris knife he gets from the League. Which is....still overkill but it's less fire to draw, so we'll call it a even. There is also a note on my decision to make his horns into a pair only because of being Bruce's second son and the second Robin. (I have put way too much fucking thought into this if you haven't figured that out already).

Tried a different look for the teeth and ended up scrapping it.

I also started leaning more into making his back look as messed up as possible at this point and started thinking of the....mountain range in plated rows like a croc's back.

And here's concept 3, which also starts playing with colors and the all-tail, no-legs look that I decided to stick with:

This is definitely the biggest jump between concepts so far and was sketched up while writing chapter 7, which I think is the first time we get to experience his ghost forms (there's 2 that we saw in that chapter).

So I continued to smooth and lengthen the head and tried a different thing with the teeth- which I kept. I also felt a lot better about the lines from the helmet with this concept. I tried curling his kris knife horns forward, trying to play with their form. Those have changed since.

This is the first time I added hair, but it's hard to see. He, like Danny, has an inversed streak of black at the front of his 'do to reflect the Lazarus stripe.

Again with the halo placeholder because I was still on the fence about the crown. Started trying to make the mountains of his spine more volcanic looking. Don't know if I'm keeping that or not yet.

So the three major differences between this and it's predecessors is the 1) mantle of smoke that is constantly being expelled from his body that is supposed to imitate a kinds cloak/mantle; 2) the tail, which has since been changed into a fiery tail instead of a ghostly one; and 3) I slapped his Robin 'R' from the movie UTRH on him to make this form more...him, I guess, and also to make Bruce cry like a baby.

So the things that I have changed is the ribcage, the shape of the horns, the crown (which finally has a rough design and a name based on the fight he has to win to earn it- yes, I already have that arc scribbled out and will most likely be adding it into the story) and I added some extra stuff to the face to match the written descriptions in Imprint.

SO. -Claps hands together- I'd love to hear your thoughts on everything, and I am always interested in hearing how y'all have interpreted these characters for yourselves.

If this is something you want me to do again with other character designs, let me know and I will. I am working on Jason, of course, and the Pit, Frankie boy, Danny's big long boi form, Gotham and some other odds and ends.

(Whoops forgot tags again)

[honey-minded-hivemind]

I have two questions/requests!

1) Who do you think the worst (X-Men) would be? Who has the worst yandere tendencies and hovers?

2) Thinking about the Batfamily and how they’re one of the few families in DC who can fight really REALLY well without the use of a power. How would X-Men react to a daughter who was raised in the Batfamily and somehow got tossed into their universe? She can fight REALLY well (like Cassandra Cain level) but has NO mutations whatsoever. I feel like Magneto might be a little iffy around her because of her lack of mutation. They would all worry so much lol. Fighting well without a mutation is the equivalent of bringing a knife to a gunfight in their world

I can answer the first one, just not the second, because i don't do DC!

The worst platonic yandere X-Men is hard to pick, but in terms of overprotectiveness, harsh methods, deranged vibes, ability to keep and hunt Reader, and how far they'd go... I can narrow it down to a top five, I think-

Number 5: Jean and Scott. They go together, hand in hand, and both are leaders of the teen X-Men, Jean has the Phoenix Force, telekinetic abilities, mind reading and manipulation, is popular and friendly, and one wouldn't suspect her until it really is too late to go back. Scott can shoot lasers from his eyes, he's a good leader, he's welcoming and a little stern, but can be persuaded to have fun, and is like an older, protective brother, one you can't escape from and who you feel guilty leaving. They have the X-Men to back them up, they have Xavier as a father figure, they have Logan who is like their second proud dad, amd Storm and Hank as well who adore them, not to mention the other X-Teens who back them up and will help them as friends and as teammates. So, yeah, you migh be able to escape, but just barely, and probably have to turn to the dark side to do so...

Number Four: Professor Xavier. He can read minds, control them, use Cerebro to track you whenever you use your powers, and has an entire team and family of mutants who are good fighters, tacticians, and aren't afraid to back down and won't quit until they've got you with them. If he's platonic yandere, well, good luck, so are all of the X-Men, and possibly even Magneto (because if Charles likes someone, Erik will want to as well)! He's inviting, he's soothing, he calming, and he can help you; but he will also keep secrets from you, manipulate you if he thinks you aren't going to stay, and push you to rely on him and the others and see them as family. You will grow emotionally attached, amd it will hurt if you figure out what's happening and what they've tried to hide. But if you run, your only bet is either Magneto and his group, or going where no one can reach you...

Number Three: Wolverine. This guy is nigh unkillable, he has long, metal-coated claws, has heightened hearing, smell, amd sight, can withstand extreme cold, and is super protective, obsessive, and willing to die for you and kill for you. He will make you join his team, he will not let you around people he deems bad influences or dangerous, and he will not stand for you acting or being insubordanate. He won't hurt you, and if he does, it is the last, last resort. He prefers having Xavier and the teens help him, and pushes you and his other wards to be friends, to he family. And if he's interested, well, so is Sabretooth. So if you ran, you won't get far, with either Logan or the teens catching you, or Sabretooth finding you instead. You're very, very scr*wed unless you have a power that helps you in this situation...

Number Two: Sabretooth. He's like Wolverine, but worse. Doubly protective, doubly obsessive, has sharp claws, has fangs, can withstand what Wolverine can, is also near unkillable, and has a temper, too. Don't p*ss him off. There are rules, you better follow them, and you won't be drugged or possibly wounded so you remember why you're still there, and who is the one in charge. If you're hurt or almost killed, he becomes so much gentler, and is treating you almost like glass. If he likes you, Logan is definitely getting involved, and where Logan gets involved, so will Storm and the X-Teens. You will not escape unless it's with the X-Men, and if you go with them, good chance is Victor's watching you all...

Number One: Magneto. He's lost everything, multiple times. His family, his home, his friend, more than once. He's grown to be paranoid, obsessive, cunning, dangerous, and a powerful enemy of the X-Men... He can control metal and the magnetic field. Anything can be a weapon for him. He has a loyal son, a team of Acolytes, Mystique, and the Brotherhood teens, all of whom won't fight back against him and who who what he says. The moment he says you're joining, you're not getting out of it unless by some miracle Xavier hides you with him. But if that isn't the case, you're now stuck where Magneto puts you. If he likes you, that means Pietro and Wanda are trying to see what he finds so fascinating, and that leads them to liking you, albeit begrudingly at first. Then Mystique wonders why he's adding you to their group, spies on you, and is now getting the rest of the Brotherhood to keep an eye on you as well. Someone is always watching you. You feel stressed, unable to sleep, unable to eat. But if you run, if you can't make it to the X-Men, you won't be seen again until you're deemed loyal or unable to leave them... Unless you have Xavier's help, you are not escaping...

[xerith-42]

Glenda

Remember Glenda? No you don't, only I do because The Tragedy of Cadenza Zvahl haunts me in my every waking moment.

Here's an entire essay about a character who shows up in a grand total of... I think 5 episodes? And yet she has one of the greatest and most forgotten impacts on the narrative.

For those of you who need a quick refresher, Glenda is Hayden's head guard in Meteli, first introduced in episode 26 of the first season, along with all the other Meteli characters. She's initially shown as a pretty strict, no nonsense guard. But in episode 27 we get to see her open up. At the time Cadenza is missing, and Glenda expresses great worry for her safety and says the following line

(sorry for how dark this is I took the screenie on my phone at like midnight)

So uhm. That's a bit of a big deal right off the bat, right? Cadenza is an orphan. Just before this Hayden speaks about how he found Cadenza picking flowers next to a burning village, about how she lost everyone and he took her in. And while Hayden acted as her father, Glenda acted as her mother. Cadenza had a mother.

This is where things get a bit... Mirky. I think a lot of us forget this, but Cadenza and Laurance being siblings isn't something that's revealed until [checks my notes] Episode 54. Which might not seem like a big deal, but Laurance has multiple conversations between episodes 26-40 (he dies in ep 40) about Cadenza, about growing up in Meteli, conversations where he could have said something, anything to indicate that Cadenza is his sister. But he doesn't.

He doesn't refer to Hayden as "our dad", he never refers to Glenda as Mom (which I'll get into later), he doesn't even say the phrase "Cadenza is like a sister to me" until AFTER they've both undergone their transformations. Me personally if I was the head guard of the swamp village, my sister goes missing, and my dad and her not boyfriend start fighting about it, and then some random woman shows up to help, I'd mention to the woman that this missing girl is my sister and this is a family affair. But Laurance... Doesn't.

This makes me think that them being siblings is an idea that came to the writers at some point after Laurance was introduced, but before he came back from the Nether. But this idea was either never incorporated, or they decided to put off incorporating it until after Laurance made his redesigned return.

Who knows. All I know is that Laurance and Cadenza were not intended to be siblings at first, and later retconned into that. And that's fine! They're not related, they're both adopted orphans, it's totally fine to make this retroactive change. But this change is important to remember regarding Glenda.

Yeah that's still who this post is about but there's so little to say that I padded it out with my whole tangent about the Zvahl family retcon. Anyways, Glenda, like everyone in Cadenza's family, is incredibly protective of her daughter, and clearly worried for her safety. This worry doesn't extend to... Doing anything, but that's because Aphmau had to show up and main character her way through things.

But it does lead to criticizing Aphmau when she seemingly fails as a main character. Aphmau does know where Cadenza is and knows that she's safe, but she lies to Hayden and Kenmur about it so they don't hurt Castor, and Glenda is PISSED. Not only because Aphmau promised she'd find Cadenza and failed, but she took one of their swords the last time she was in Meteli too! The disrespect of this woman! And she's the Lord of Phoenix Drop?! How low has this world gotten...?

Anyways the next time we see Glenda she's debating if she'll sign her life away. Now... I could go on about The Oath for... [glances at Oathbreakers word count] a while. But I'll try to keep it brief and focused on Glenda, who it actually has the most direct impact on. In episode 42 Garroth makes all the guards signing an oath swearing that they will take their own lives before they become a Shadow Knight and kill their lord, or to prevent themselves from doing so as a result of Shadow influences.

And while everyone else at the guard meeting is largely down with this, Glenda isn't. She's hesitant. Unsure. We don't get an explanation as to why in the episode, at least not the true one. But there are two things we can get from her. One, her eye color has changed. Which Aphmau doesn't notice at all or even comment on.

Two, she jumps immediately to leaving Hayden's guard, but stops herself because Cadenza is missing. And that's all that she says on it. Because after that, Glenda quits her job. She abandons the guard and we don't even hear about that happening until EPISODE 86. WE GO A FULL 44 EPISODES WITHOUT HER HAVING ANY RELEVANCE TO THE PLOT OR MENTION BY ANY CHARACTERS WHO KNEW HER LIKE I DUNNO

HER DAUGHTER???

And when she comes back in episode 86 we get the big reveal that Glenda was actually a Shadow Knight! And she framed Castor for murder all so she could draw Cadenza out, get her alone, kidnap her, and then sacrifice her to open a Nether portal and presumably return home.

There's a lot of questions this whole series of events raises, but not a single one of them are answered. I'm not even being hyperbolic, once Cadenza wakes up she is (understandably) more focused on the fact that her dad is alive and getting him back to safety. But she doesn't say anything about Glenda, doesn't give any sign of grieving or insight on the matter to Aphmau, she doesn't seem to care because her dad is safe.

The only details we're given are from Laurance, but these also raise questions. He says that Glenda must have become a Shadow Knight "at some point", and quit Hayden's guard because she planned to kill him to gain immortality. But... If that was the case, why fake his death? Why not have him actually be fully murdered with all the other evidence still stacked against Castor? Why not kill him, get immortality, and then kidnap your daughter and try to sacrifice her. Is it because she still cares about Hayden? Is it because she doesn't want to hurt Cadenza? She's about to kill her so I doubt it's that.

So much just doesn't add up with Glenda, so much that I have a never ending series of questions. When did she become a Shadow Knight? Was it in the Nether when they left Sasha behind? Was it before that? Did she go on that mission to save Hayden as a Shadow Knight and somehow not blow her cover? Or was it after that, in the brief window of time between Sasha coming back and Cadenza going missing, that she somehow ended up dead, in the Nether, and then back in the over world without raising an eyebrow? Or was she a Shadow Knight the whole time? Did Cadenza spend her entire childhood being raised by one?? Will I ever get answers as to any details regarding Cadenza's childhood outside of Laurance?! (The answer to that one is no)

But then one question made me really stop and think. One that matters more than any questions if lore, or continuity, or a series of events to follow.

Did the writers remember that they made Glenda Cadenza's mom?

And let's be clear, it's not like, a sin if they forgot. I'm a writer and I forget my own plotlines all the time. I go back through my drafts and other chapters all the time to make sure I'm maintaining at least some semblance of continuity, and I know that in a world as big and full of characters as this one, some details are going to get left behind or forgotten.

But it is mad disappointing because if the writers did remember that Glenda was a maternal figure to Cadenza, then they would also then realize that every member of her family has been either killed by shadow knights, nearly killed by shadow knights, or become shadow knights. Every. Single. One.

If Glenda was able to properly be Cadenza's mother there's a wellspring of character work to go down. It's never directly stated where Cadenza learned to sew from, so what if she learned it from her mother? One of her greatest forms of self expression is seemingly forever tainted with the presence of the monster who took the place of the mother who taught her everything she knows.

And how does Laurance feel about all this? He never refers to Glenda as a mother, even after he starts tossing around the Dad word around Hayden. It gives a sign that maybe Glenda didn't have an interest in raising Laurance, perhaps that while Hayden and Joh may have had some kind of co-parenting or gay marriage set up, Glenda was exclusively focused on being the mother of Cadenza. Or maybe she tried but Laurance pushed her away and she never tried hard enough. Maybe Laurance rejects the idea that he can have a mother. A father can be replaced, but a mother? Nobody can replace the woman who nearly gave her life just to bring him into this world. No one.

As it is in canon, Glenda is a footnote in Cadenza's tragedy. Just another shadow creature that tried to hurt Cadenza, without a proper recognition of just how significant her betrayal is. If Glenda's status as Cadenza's Mother was used to its fullest effect, we could have a family tragedy to surpass the Ro'Meave's, one where a single girl can be at the center of so much shadow and still barely manage to be a beacon of light in the darkness, even if her own family tries to kill her.

I've just. I dunno I've been thinking about Glenda a lot recently