#pictures taken outside because it was the first warm day of the year

[fatuismooches]

i'll brainrot with you about dottore and his sick! s/o:

clearly with s/o's conditions it's not optimal to go outside in the freezing cold, but one day the snowfall is so much more gentle outside and something like this is a rare occasion in snezhnaya. would dottore indulge them (of course with plenty of precautions taken) or would he rather not risk it at all?

your writing paints such vivid pictures in my head and i honestly love the comfort and warmth your work brings :]]

♡ 𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 ♡

synopsis: Your poor health and fragile condition have consistently gotten in the way of various activities for many years. But that was going to change today, as you were going to take your first step into the flaky goodness of pure, white snow.

includes: dottore w/ gn! reader

notes: Related to the posts under my fragile reader tag. Thank you very much, I'm very glad my writing makes you happy! This was so cute, I originally planned for it to be only a couple hundred words but I went overboard and decided to make it a full-blown piece.

You used to enjoy the concept of cold. Growing up in a hot country had you deeply curious about the kind of weather that would warrant people wearing dozens of layers, bundling up to the point where they were barely recognizable. You wanted to go somewhere that snowed one day, you once told your lover as he sat at his desk, tinkering with Archons knows what. Dottore only grunted in response, saying that if research led him there, you would accompany him. As a matter of fact, there were some Ruin Guards he wanted to take a look at in Dragonspine. You hummed, enjoying the moment as you continued to flip through the picture book.

But now, you couldn’t bring yourself to like the cold. You think that if you weren’t sick, you’d enjoy the weather in Snezhnaya much more, but the cold permeates your body even though you’re inside the lab. (Dottore had to force Pantalone to give him more funds to install more heaters.) You didn’t like to even walk through the halls of Dottore’s complicated maze-like lab because they were too big, making the cold air suffocate you all around. (Unless you’re accompanied by a clone. Somehow, Dottore had implemented a feature into his clones to heat up and become warm, so when you’d cling to them, you wouldn’t be cold anymore. You enjoyed it thoroughly because the reactions of the clones were cute.)

Many days, you spent the time looking out the tightly sealed window at the snow. Despite living in the snow-covered nation for so long, you had never sunken a foot into the powdery fluff. When Zandik was recruited into the Fatui, you were unconscious during the trip because your body surely would not be able to handle such an extraneous journey. How would it feel, you thought? You’ve frequently asked some of your favorite clones to tell you how the snow felt. (You felt slightly embarrassed asking your real lover.) Apparently, most of the time the snow was deep and crunchy from continuous snowfall. If you weren’t careful where you walked, half of your leg could get swallowed underneath! Many children liked to form things like balls out of the snow and play games with them. But sometimes, very rarely, the snow lightens and melts, depending on how the Tsaritsa feels. It’s a beautiful scene, apparently.

You had lost faith in the Gods long ago after your mysterious illness suddenly struck you (Zandik never cared about them in the first place), but you hoped and prayed to any force that was willing to listen to you - please let the snow ease up, just a bit. It was a bit hypocritical since you did not like the cold, but you still desired to experience it like a normal person. You could bear the pain if only to have fun for a couple of minutes. You did not tell your lover this; one, because you knew it was impossible with your condition, and two, you did not want to bother him with your frivolous wants. But it seemed like you were too obvious with your intentions, as one of the first things you’d do in the morning was drag yourself out of bed, despite the great amount of energy it took, to go to your favorite window and peer outside.

“You seem to be quite interested in watching the snow lately, aren’t you?” The deep voice behind you made you jump.

“Zandik! Oh, you scared for there,” you pressed a hand to your heart and quickly took a seat that was already permanently placed near the window, already tired from the past few minutes. Your lover walked toward you, hands carefully placed behind his back, each step calculated. You couldn’t help but find some happiness in that - the way he walked was always so commanding and enchanting somehow, hypnotizing too.

“The weather here is quite different from Sumeru,” you observed. “I can’t help but be intrigued by it.”

“Is that so? It is quite boring to me. The landscape is always the same and it is rather hard to conduct experiments outside because of it.” 

“Heh, it’s always the experiments and research with you. At least try to enjoy it,” you teased, rolling your eyes at him playfully. Dottore shook his head and gently flicked your forehead, causing you to pout.

“Furthermore, the cold isn’t good for you. I believed you didn’t like it, anyway,” Dottore scoffed.

“I know,” you said softly. “But I still want to experience it,” the last part was a mumble that was meant for yourself, but Dottore heard it anyway, making his eyes widen as a thought began to quickly form.

“Do you… want to go outside and see the snow?”

The fact that you were caught made you bolt up straight and quickly try to deny it. “No, no, I’m fine. It was just a fleeting thought,” you quickly reassured him.

Dottore doesn’t know why he didn’t realize it sooner. Of course you would be bored, waking up every day to the same redundant routine, watching everyone go about their daily lives while you sat there, helpless to do anything besides wait for him to cure you. Of course you would want to do something new, after hearing the same repetitious lines of how you’ll get better soon, how he’s working on a new medicine, how it’ll all be over soon, but when was “soon” coming? How long has the envy of others been eating you up? The thought of that made his smile slip.

A soft goodbye snapped him out of his thoughts. A clone had come to administer your daily medicine and get you ready for the day. Dottore quickly put his usual smirk back on and nodded at you. Your gentle smile and a wave bid him farewell, as the clone wrapped his arm around you to support you as you walked away. But Zandik was still thinking. When was the last time he had seen you with a big smile? A big, goofy one that stretched your lips beautifully and made your face hurt from smiling that hard. The answer was, he did not know. The most he could recall was from his Akademiya days, where you would greet him with one of those grins every morning, always a ball of energy.

The fact followed him throughout the day as he worked. The mere idea that it was bothering him so much was simply absurd. But he could not forget about the times his clones has reported to him about the times you cried. When you refused to leave your room some days or didn’t want to eat. He was not one for any type of comfort, not when his hands had committed some of the most wicked acts to man. How could he be, when the first thing on his mind was to hurt others, but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt you? 

He did not know what to do, where to place his hands or if saying something would make the situation worse. He did not know what to do other than let you rest your head on his shoulder, allowing you to take his hand and place it on your head, giving him the okay to stroke your hair. He let you babble to your heart’s content and awkwardly wiped your tears away, for when he looked into your painfully bleak eyes that were once filled with life, he did not think he could refuse you.

It was an odd feeling for him. He took pleasure in seeing the pain of others, delighting at the moment when they lost all hope. He found it amusing when others took a stand against him, only to see their expression fall when they realized it was fruitless. But you? The thought of that happening to you made him… He had to do something.

—

One day you woke up, ready to live out another normal and boring day. As you sleepily rubbed your eyes, you noticed something was a bit off. Usually, you could hear the wind howling and the snow slamming against the windows, even if it was just a little bit. But there was nothing. As you lay on the bed, collecting enough energy to get out of bed, a glimmer of hope grew within you. With a great push, you heaved yourself out of bed and made a beeline to the window. You sat down on the chair, and pulled the curtains to the side, prepared to be disappointed, but what you saw blew you away.

The snow had melted significantly, leaving a moderate and easily walkable layer on the ground. The snowfall had reduced greatly, and it no longer pounded on the window. Instead, it flew down calmly from the sky, which was still gray, but it was a beautiful, hazy kind of gray. Now that there weren’t mass amounts of snow blowing your view, you noticed there was some kind of river around the lab. It was still frozen over, but the ice sparkled beautifully and reflected the snow-covered trees. Speaking of trees, you didn’t know it was possible for such boring things to look so pretty. Copious amounts of snow rested on the limbs, occasionally slumping to the ground with a thud, and the process kept repeating as snowfall continued.

Your jaw was slack the whole time, as you continued to take in the breathtaking scenery. Snezhnaya just got ten times better, you thought.

“I see you’ve seen the change in weather, [Name]. It seems to be to your liking.”

“Eep!” you started at the assertive voice that was practically in your ear. Dottore had snuck up on you while you were too entranced by the view to notice him. “You need to stop doing that,” you scolded him. 

His deep chuckle tugged at your heartstrings. “To think that after this many times, my experiment’s results have not changed. Truly fascinating.”

You tried to ball your hands into fists to prevent yourself from blushing. “A-Anyway, you should have woken me up earlier! I didn’t think this was possible!” you fretted, still in utter shock at this. 

“That, I could not do. You know your body requires a great amount of rest.” You couldn’t argue with that. He was right.

“Now, is there something you want to do?” It was as if he had somehow planned for this to happen.

You fiddled with your sweater, trying to find the words for your outlandish request. “Sooo, um, I know this may not be possible, but can I go outside? I know with my health and stuff it may be hard but… just for a bit, please,” your voice got quieter and quieter towards the end of your sentence. You bit your lip in anticipation and nervously kept your eyes trained on the rug-covered floor. The few seconds of silence that passed felt endless.

“Yes, you may-”

“Really?!?!”

Your legs were swinging happily, and there it was. Pearly whites peeked out as you grinned cheerfully and you threw your hands up into the air. The smile he had not seen in far too long.

“But, I will accompany you, and you must stay by me at all times. You must follow all of my directions as well. Do you understand?”

A walk with your lover too? “Yes, yes I’ll do anything you ask!” you easily complied. You gathered all of your energy and squeezed your partner as hard as you could (which, wasn’t that hard, but to you it was) taking him off guard. You buried your face into his midsection and refused to let go, your words of thanks being muffled from being so close to him. Dottore was stiff at first but then eased into your embrace, fingering a cord of your hair.

You were feeling a burst of energy from this exciting news, so you had to do one more thing. You released him, and when you looked up, you could see that same self-assured, confident smile that you loved. Before he could speak again, you tugged on his blue ascot with as much force as you could summon, pulling him farther down to your level allowing you to smash your lips onto his. Catching him off guard allowed you to be in control for a couple of seconds, but it is quickly relinquished as your lover takes over quickly, effortlessly deepening the kiss. When the two of you parted, he had an almost smug grin on his face, displaying his pointy shark-like teeth.

“My my, quite eager, aren’t we? I have not seen these kinds of surprises since those old days.”

“Well,” you pecked both of his soft cheeks again, “you know I always make sure my doctor knows how I feel.” At that point, there was a knock on the door and one of Dottore’s clones came in to help you with your morning routine.

“Go about your day. I will come to get you when it’s time.” You smiled and squeezed his hand once more as you rose from the chair. Dottore’s hands returned behind his back as he watched the clone and you leave.

“Perhaps I should start to add new variables to my experiment… the results are quite interesting indeed.”

—

You could not focus on anything for the whole time. Your mind was all over the place thinking about how satisfying it would be to sink your foot into the fluffy goodness.

Apparently, Dottore had designed some kind of special jacket for you to wear, along with a scarf, gloves, earmuffs, boots, and more. It had some kind of built-in heater somehow, which made everything consistently warm including your body. Normally you’d listen to his rambles on how he created it and such, but you were too giddy at the thought of freaking snow. (And also how he took the time to make all this stuff for you. It probably only took him a short amount of time considering how intelligent he was, but the action warmed your heart.)

There were quite a few clones in the lab area watching you. You think that they seemed happy for you. One of them was helping you put the gear on while your lover set down some ground rules. Zandik also had on a big fluffy coat, which made him look rather cute. You kind of wanted to fit yourself inside of it with him.

“First, you must stay by my side at all times. You’ll probably have to hold onto my arm to steady yourself. We will be following a path. This means no straying in any other direction, at least without my permission. Of course, if you feel that you can’t handle the weather anymore, let me know immediately. Do you agree to abide by these rules?”

You held back a sigh and a laugh. You knew that all of these precautions were necessary but they were still a drag. Plus, the way your lover said it all seriously as if your very existence was on the line made you want to giggle.

“Yes, Zandik. I agree to all of your rules,” you huffed as the clone finished zipping up the jacket. “My common sense is still intact, you know.”

Even though he did not show it at all, Dottore was the slightest bit uneasy. There were many things he did not understand or know about your illness. Would the sudden change in the environment trigger you? He was not sure, but he already prepared for the worst. If anything, it would be a learning experience too - to see how much your body could handle. He was ready to take notes in his head.

“Come here.”

You slowly trekked your way toward him, getting used to the feel of the long boots. It was hard to imagine wearing these every day, but you soon fell into your lover’s chest as he began to stroke your hair.

“Well then, let us go,” he wrapped a steady arm around your waist to help you balance. “Watch the lab for me,” Dottore directed the other clones as they waved goodbye to you.

They were so cute, to be honest. Especially the ones from the Akademiya days.

—

You did not realize the extent of how big Dottore’s lab was until now. There were so many paths and rooms you walked by that you had no idea existed. What was beyond those doors? Some questions were better left unanswered. You were just letting your partner guide you as you clung to his side (the walking was a lot) until you reached a great, big door with a keypad.

“Are you ready?” 

You eagerly nodded. 

“And you do still remember the-” 

“Yes, Zandik, I remember everything you told me,” you groaned. “Please just open the door already.”

“Patience, [Name],” he chuckled. “I look forward to seeing your reaction.” He let go of you and typed a whole long password on the keypad. And in an instant, loud noises exuded from the door as it began to open from the sides.

The first thing you felt was the puff of cold air hitting your cheeks, instinctively making you raise your arms to cover it. In a couple of seconds, the door opened completely and you could feel the light shine down on you. You put your hands down, and the snowy, outside world was laid before you.

It was majestic. The snow has managed to be untainted by any other substances, allowing it to be a pristine white that covered the landscape. Slowly, you took a few steps forward as Dottore carefully watched you, until you were standing at the edge where the floor ended, and the snow began. You took a quick glance at your lover and he motioned for you to go on. And so you did. You stepped into the snow.

The first thing you noticed was the crunch of the snow under your boots. It was oddly satisfying. And the way your foot sunk so easily into, it kind of reminded you of quicksand. But you could kick it around so easily, yet you could see it was hard enough to be used to form something solid. The cold hit you like a ton of bricks, but you were doing everything in your power to withstand it. The enhanced gear from your partner helped a lot. But, all you could say was wow. You were starting to get a bit jealous of the people who could walk in such surroundings every day with ease.

Dottore on the other hand was quite satisfied. The scenery was not what he found appealing. Rather, it was you. He found no interest in such worldly things, but your reactions were ever-changing and amusing to him. A snowflake fell on your nose and melted. You wrinkled your nose at the unfamiliar feeling. And he couldn’t help but chuckle at that.

“Hold onto me. The road is quite icy and slippery. You need to be very careful.” Zandik linked his arms with you, and you gratefully reciprocated.

You could not keep your eyes off anything and everything you saw. You loved Sumeru, but Snezhnaya was starting to grow on you. It was beautiful. But what you loved, even more, was talking to Zandik. You two had not had this much time together in far too long. He enthusiastically prattled on about his experiments, his creations. He even told you about his clones’ journey to Sumeru, and how the almighty Traveler was powerless against them. You indulged him of course. You had always loved his voice, and you found it rather endearing when he’d go on his rambles.

Dottore intentionally made sure the pace was slow and steady, so as to not rush your body or make you too tired. But of course, even after only a bit of time passed, you needed to rest. Thankfully, the two of you reached some kind of gazebo with a couple of benches inside. You had no idea this existed, and it seemed Dottore didn’t either, which didn’t surprise you. That man probably only cared about the entrance and exit to his lab.

The bench was cold but you did not care. Having your lover with you for this long already made you feel warm and fuzzy. Furthermore, you’d be crazy not to take advantage of the situation. You called his name and before you could make a move, he spoke.

“How do you feel?”

“Huh?”

“Has your heart rate increased since the exposure to the snow and cold? Do you feel light-headed? How easily can you move your arms and legs?”

“O-oh, well… um, I feel cold. My heart is a bit fast from the walking, but nothing out of the ordinary. My legs hurt from the walk too… but I’m used to it.”

“Interesting…” Zandik put his hand to his chin as he seemed to think. You sighed, and shifted closer to him, beginning to run your hands up his coat, which clearly grabbed his attention but he watched you silently. Your hands reached his soft cheeks and brushed over the cold exterior of his mask.

“You know, you should take this off more often,” you suggested as your hands began to creep under the sides of the mask. “There’s no one around…” you hummed. Dottore made no move to stop you so you easily slipped the mask off, revealing his sharp crimson eyes boring into you, and scars from long ago. Of course, you couldn’t help but smile at the face of your lover. 

You moved in to press your lips against his, pleased at how you could now gently trace your fingers over his scars. No matter how long you knew him, he was sensitive to touch around that area, so you always made sure to be careful.

It was an odd, but strangely good feeling, Dottore thought. One he did not know he missed, as you began to pepper kisses along the top of his face. It had been a while since the two of you had kissed for so long, which was a result of your lack of liveliness due to your illness. It seems the new surroundings really did help you. He would have to keep that in mind.

“You’re so cute,” you giggled. He frowned at that and grabbed both your wrists, pushing your back onto the bench, and making you yelp.

“Enough of that. I believe that all of this has gone to your head,” Dottore’s domineering tone was back again.

“I was just- eep!” Your words were cut short as Zandik’s lips began to mark your neck.

“The human body’s temperature can go up a substantial amount just from kissing. Would you care to experiment the limits of that with me? You would be the perfect test subject,” you felt his unhinged grin spread against your neck.

“After all, I wouldn’t want you becoming too cold now, hmm?” His impossible strength easily overpowered you as he moved to hold both your wrists with one hand, while his free one rested on your thigh.

As you relinquished yourself to him, your lips were claimed an innumerable amount of times, a clear reminder of who you belonged to.

—

You had to turn in early for the night. The miniature adventure was so, so fun, and it felt like you kicked your illness in the ass for a bit, but now you really had to get some rest to recover what little strength you had. Surprisingly, Zandik was there with you this time, instead of one of his clones. 

“...I’m sleepy, Zandik.”

“Of course. Your body has experienced much more physical exertion than usual. It needs time to relax.” You sighed, letting the warmth of the blankets begin to take you to dreamland.

“Hey, Zandik?”

“Yes, [Name]?”

“Remember when we were in the Akademiya, and during the night, I’d go down into your bunk bed and sleep with you? Hehe…”

“Yes, I remember rather clearly, the intrusion of my privacy and theft of my pillows,” he sighed. The first time you did that, he did not expect to be entranced by the sunlight cascading onto your peaceful face, the fluttering of your eyelashes, and the occasional quirk of your lips as you clearly dreamt of something good. But he had no knowledge of how to handle these feelings, so he shoved you off the tiny bed, rudely waking you up. You ended up walking around the Akademiya with a bump on your head after that.

“I was trying to give you hints, Zandik. You were just dense,” you pouted. “Hey, you should come and lay with me for a bit. Like the old days.”

Dottore was hesitant. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, rather, he was so incredibly busy, especially after today. To be more precise, he felt that time not spent on finding a cure for you was time inefficiently used (most of the time.)

You tugged on his sleeve pleadingly. “Just for five minutes, until I nod off…”

He couldn’t bring himself to deny you, as he slipped under the covers with you. The softness of the mattress, plush blankets, and pillows that had your scent almost made him do a double take. It had been a long time since he was in a bed in general. Perhaps just a few hours of rest wouldn’t hurt. It would boost his effectiveness drastically…

You immediately scooted your body towards his and pressed it into his, nudging your face into his chest. He came to rest his hand on your head, while the other was loosely thrown over your waist.

“I miss you,” you softly uttered. He did not respond, nor did you expect an answer - what could he say anyway? The soft stroking on your head was more than enough for you at this moment, and it quickly lulled you to sleep.

“Thank… you.” You were out like a light, while your lover looked at you, absentmindedly fiddling with a strand of your hair.

It was no simple task to make this happen. But as a scholar, of course, he was able to negotiate. For once, it wasn’t for his own gain, but for you. The results? It was a complete and utter success. 

Dottore could not lie, he felt as though he was back at the Akademiya with you. He remembers the two of you walking down the hallways, your chatty and sweet self a stark contrast to his rather irritated and know-it-all aura. How you would hug him from behind late in the night as he worked at his desk, begging and whining for him to go to sleep as you both had long lectures in a few hours.

He admittedly wants to see you take the first step into a raging blizzard. He wants to see you brave the cold with ease. He wants to see you swing your sword without abandon again, not afraid to take on anyone in a verbal or physical fight. He wanted his assistant back: the one who would be ready to jump down the throat of someone who dared to question him, the one who organized his notes in the most efficient manner.

The God of Wisdom once told him that his research was insulting, contradictory to the rules and ways of life. Now that he looked back on it, he found it amusing - even a Godly being was held back by such drivel. But it did not matter to him. There was no rule or barrier he wasn’t willing to cross in order to cure you, as he had already done it multiple times with no remorse. He would oversee your absolute recovery personally.

After all, there were many more snowy days to come.

Bonus:

“You know, Arlecchino, I saw the most interesting thing the other day,” a soft voice echoed throughout the room.

“Hmm? What was it?”

“I happened across our lovely Doctor going into Her Majesty, The Tsaritsa’s chambers. For what, I wonder? Hehe…”

“...I guess that [Name] person truly does mean something to him, if he was willing to go that far.”

[writing-ca-ira]

HASARDER — PART 1

YJ/Teen Titans Dick Grayson x Reader

Prologue << MASTERLIST >> Part 2

Dick Grayson is no stranger to death, but that doesn’t make it any harder to deal with. As it turns out, however, the grieving process for you would prove to take an interesting twist when Tim calls him with some shocking news.

The reader is gender neutral.

Contains: civilian reader, mentions of death (your death), mentions of a dead body (your dead body), spoilers: you’re actually alive… kinda, I’m probably forgetting something.

“Does the hurt ever go away?”

“I wish I could say yes… but it will get better over time. For you. That, I can promise.”

Dick felt his grip on the picture frame get weaker and weaker. Had he not snapped out of his thoughts a moment sooner, it would’ve slipped out of his hands and clattered on the floor, shattering the glass in the process. The mere thought of that happening caused his stomach to churn, guilt eating away at his heart despite managing to avoid that outcome. To ensure the safety of the picture frame (well, more importantly, the photo within it), he gingerly placed it back in its rightful place on top of his nightstand, right next to his old digital alarm clock and bedside lamp.

You keep thinking..."If only I'd done something differently,” Bruce’s voice echoed in his head. “If only I could've...warned them." But there isn't anything you could've done. There isn't anything either of us could've done.

That conversation happened years ago; over a decade by now. Back when Dick was still processing the death of his parents, and when Bruce was there to help him through it. Despite the consolation those words provided in the moment, he never expected them to carry such weight throughout his life.

There isn’t anything you could’ve done.

His eyes drifted back to the picture frame. The photo within it was taken 4 years ago, during his sophomore year of high school at Gotham High. He still remembers the crisp autumn air against his skin, the red and orange leaves scattered on the ground, and the chocolate flavored milkshake he was halfway through. There was a giant smile on his face, his blue eyes sparkling with such joy and vibrancy.

It’s because you were right next to him.

The photo caught you mid-laugh, your eyes crinkling with happiness. You had haphazardly thrown up a peace sign with one hand while holding your own drink in the other. Though you were too busy laughing to notice, Dick had snaked his arm behind your head to give you bunny ears, which caused you to playfully throw leaves at him when you found out afterwards.

Thinking about that day still causes a fond smile to tug at his lips. Wally had to bail on their plans that day due to a date he forgot about with Artemis, so Dick found himself in the Cave to hand out with you instead. That’s how you two ended up walking around Happy Harbor — your idea, if he recalls correctly — exploring random shops and goofing around outside.

Had that really been 4 years ago?

Whatever warmness that flooded his chest while reminiscing on the past was immediately extinguished by the coldness of reality. It’s been 2 years without you now. The anniversary of your death was a week and a half ago, which was when he found himself so filled with grief that he could barely even get out of bed. It took all of the senior members of the team to rouse him out of his depressive episode; much like the year before.

You were gone. He still wasn’t used to saying that. Even with the time that’s passed since you died, he can feel his heart drop whenever he thinks about it, as though he’s learning about your death for the first time. The tears still wouldn’t stop, and neither would the nights filled with feverish dreams of your face.

If only I could’ve done something differently.

Of course, Bruce was right all those years ago; there wasn’t anything he could’ve done. Much like with his parents, Jason, and now the recently deceased Tula (all whom he still has nightmares of to this day), there was logically nothing he could’ve done to save you. He was all the way in Santa Prisca leading a covert mission when he received a distress call from your phone in Happy Harbor. All he could do was make sure someone was en route to your coordinates — which led to the Happy Harbor boardwalk — and pray you were safe.

But by the time Aquagirl and Tempest got there, it was too late.

Learning about what happened to you was hard for Dick. The ringing in his ears blocked out every sound except for his own shaky breaths, and he could barely even stand without feeling dizzy. But he managed to fight through his state of shock and despair to listen to the report. You were caught in a domestic dispute gone deadly at the Happy Harbor health clinic. A man stormed into the clinic to take back his kid from his ex-wife, who was there for a check-up. Things escalated, and the man shot and killed his wife, threatening the doctor in the room if she didn’t let his son go with him.

You happened to be in the next room over. Hearing the gunshot must’ve made you spring into action, making a 911 call along with the distress call to the team. The doctor that was with the son said that you snuck up behind the man and lunged at him, yelling at her and the kid to run. There was signs of a struggle in the room, but you unfortunately weren’t the one to walk out of there alive.

The man was neutralized by police around 3 to 4 minutes after your estimated time of death. If you hadn’t had your scuffle with him, it’s possible that he could’ve grabbed his son and escaped before the cops arrived. Your face was on the news after that, journalists proclaiming you to be a hero that sacrificed their life.

Except you should’ve never had to in the first place.

It’s not fair, Dick decided. Why did you, the one who wasn’t supposed to be risking their life, have to die because of some other people’s marital problems?! You weren’t even a hero; you were just a normal civilian going about your daily life. So why did you have to die like this?!

Even thinking about it caused his eyes to sting from frustrated tears, his jaw tightening as his fists clenched at his sides. If that guy wasn’t shot down by the cops, lord only knows what Dick would’ve done to him. The fact that he couldn’t even see justice for your death — your murder — get delivered also feeds into his anger. God, why couldn’t he just be there to at least get justice for you himself?!

Justice and revenge aren’t the same thing.

God, he hated it when Bruce was right.

There was nothing he could’ve done. There was nothing anyone could’ve done. Everything happened to fast; from the man barging into the clinic, to the shouting between him and his ex-wife, to the gunshot, to you calling 911 and sneaking up on the man, to the struggle that happened for a solid minute or so, to the gunshot that ultimately ended your life. All of that happened in under 10 minutes, according to the timeline, and that just wasn’t enough time for someone to come help you.

“There isn’t anything you could’ve done,” he had to solemnly tell Tula and Garth, who were both blaming themselves for not being there. Tula Zeta’d in from Atlantis, while Garth had to go on foot from Mount Justice. They were the only ones who weren’t on a mission at the time; the only ones who could respond to your distress call. But no matter how fast they moved, they just couldn’t be there in time.

A buzzing noise snapped him out of his thoughts. It caused enough surprise to him that his shoulders jolted upwards, his heart completely skipping a beat. He soon realized that it was his phone buzzing. Someone was calling him.

Shakily reaching for his phone (which was unceremoniously tossed onto his bed), he held it closer to his face to read the caller ID. Ah, Tim. It was a bit unusual for his successor to give him a call (he was a bit too socially awkward for that), but anytime he did, it would make Dick feel special. In fact, maybe a conversation with Tim would help clear his head a bit.

He cleared his throat as a small test for his voice, then hit accept and held the phone up to his ear. “Hey, Tim. What’s up?”

“Dick—! I… it’s—” Panic was evident in Tim’s voice. Hearing his shaky words on the other end caused Dick’s brows to furrow. At first, he thought that there was something going on with Batman and Robin, but he remembered that it was Tim who called Dick, and not Robin who called Nightwing. So, did that mean something happened at the Manor?

“Tim,” Dick softly began, though with slight urgency in his tone, “is everything okay?”

“They’re… I’m— I don’t…” an uneven puff of air could be heard before the teen tried again. “I’m really sorry, Dick, I didn’t mean to poke around!! It’s just that Ba— Br— B had been spending so much time away from the Manor and the Cave, and I wanted to know what he was doing, a-and I used the Bat Computer and found the file about everything, and— a-and…!!”

Dick had to raise his voice a bit to interject. “Tim!! Tim, calm down… what are you talking about? What’s wrong?”

For a moment, all Dick got was a shuddery breath as a reply. Before he could repeat his question, however, Tim finally responded. “Don’t… don’t get your hopes up, alright? Promise me you won’t get your hopes up.”

“… Okay,” Dick decided after a moment of hesitation. “I won’t.”

There was a long pause. Anticipation and apprehension was building up in Dick’s chest, his heart thumping against his rib cage. It seemed as though Tim was trying to carefully choose his words; trying to find the best way possible to break whatever news he had.

But nothing in the world could prepare Dick for the next few words that came out of Tim’s mouth. “There’s another (Y/N).”

Everything in Dick’s body stopped working.

From his heart to his mind, his hearing to his vision, Dick felt as though he was shutting down. He almost let the phone slip out of his hands entirely, the blood in his veins feeling cold as ice and causing his limbs to tremble. Even trying to get air in his lungs was a tough task, despite his mouth hanging open. The room was spinning for him, and the ringing in his ears almost blocked out Tim’s panicked ramblings entirely.

There’s another (Y/N).

What…

What did he mean by that?

“I-I know how close they are to you, Dick,” Tim practically wailed. “I know how close they are to the team… I didn’t know that Bruce was hiding this from you— I-I-I don’t even know if I should’ve told you… oh, god, Dick… is Bruce going to fire me—?”

Dick swallowed thickly, hoping to get rid of the lump in his throat. Despite his tongue feeling like sand, he spoke up anyway. “What do you mean by another (Y/N)?”

Tim sputtered out something completely incomprehensible to Dick. It was hard to tell if the poor kid was scared of what he knows, scared of Bruce finding out, or scared of both. Either way, Dick knew that he wasn’t going to learn anything from Tim in this state. He bit the inside of his cheek before dawning the most imperative voice he can muster in the moment.

“Tim,” he lowly chided. “Give me a report.”

That got Tim to his frantic rambling of nonsense. Getting him to think of this like a mission debriefing would calm him down, Dick figured. And, from the deep breaths the former Robin could hear on the other end, he knew he was right.

“Someone was taken in by the police a week ago,” Tim started, his cracking voice taking a factual tone. “Said their name was (Y/N) (L/N). Cops ran that name through their database and found (Y/N)’s death certificate. This (Y/N) was confused, ‘n started saying weird stuff about… something called the Titans.”

“Titans,” Dick echoed. It was meant to be a question, but came out more as a statement.

Tim hummed. “Titans. A… supposed team of young superheroes, o-or something. I don’t know, the report didn’t really…” he trailed off, possibly realizing he was rambling again. “Tests were ran. Their DNA is an exact match to the real (Y/N)— but when they… they checked (Y/N)’s grave a-a couple of days ago…”

The thought of someone digging up your grave made him clench his teeth together. They went through with something like that and he didn’t even know? Who gave them permission?!

Probably Batman, he bitterly thought.

“They’re still there, Dick,” said Tim. “(Y/N)’s body is still there. But this other (Y/N) is an exact copy..!!”

Dick’s freehand was digging into the flesh of his other arm. “Cadmus?”

“Isn’t involved.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“No biological trace of Cadmus’ synthetic enhancements in this (Y/N)’s bloodstream. No psychic trace of Genomorphs in their mind, either. This (Y/N)…” Tim struggled with his words for a moment, “is natural. Genuine.”

Genuine. Dick couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There was another version of you walking this earth, supposedly confused about your own death, and Batman was planning to hide this from him? No, even worse, Bruce was planning to his this from him?!

No biological trace… no psychic trace…

All of these people to run tests, and yet he still didn’t know?

“Send me the file,” he monotonously demanded.

There was a small pause on the other end before Tim’s fragile voice spoke up. “What… are you going to do?”

“… I don’t know,” Dick answered, a tired sigh escaping his lips. It was an honest answer; what was he supposed to do after learning this? There was a (Y/N) alive out there, but not his (Y/N)…

“Are…” Tim trailed off, then tried again, “are you mad at me?”

“No—!!” Dick’s answer was quick. When he heard the sharp intake of breath on the other line, he realized that he might’ve spooked the poor boy, so he took on a softer tone. “No, Tim. It was good that you… brought this to my attention. Why would I be mad at you?”

“Bruce is going to be mad,” Tim practically whispered. “I shouldn’t of gone through his stuff… and… he would’ve wanted me to keep this all from you…”

Dick took a few moments to think of his response. “Well, you made the right choice telling me. He shouldn’t be keeping secrets like this in the first place.” Definitely not secrets that revolve around you…

“… ‘M sending the file now.” Distant clicking noises could be heard through the call, and then Tim followed up with, “I’m… sorry that Bruce didn’t let you know.”

“It’s not your fault, Tim,” was Dick’s soft reply. “He’s always been like that. Thinking it would protect us, or something.”

Protect us. The words were like acid on Dick’s tongue. Using secrets as protection always made Dick feel sick to his stomach. Looking at the past couple of years, Bruce’s secrets have done anything but protect others. They drove Dick away from him, they put Jason six feet under, and now…

God, why wasn’t Dick the first person to know about this other (Y/N)?

Maybe it was selfish of him to think that. He wasn’t your only friend, so the rest of the Team had just as much as a right to know as he did. But he still should’ve known. He should’ve been involved with the investigation; he knows you better than anyone. And Bruce knows this.

“You… gonna be okay?”

Tim’s voice pulled him back to reality. With a weak cough, Dick wet his lips and said, “yeah. I’ll be alright. Just gonna read over the file for myself and… figure out what to do from there.” An awkward pause, then he continued. “Thank you for this, Tim. Call me if anything else comes up.”

“Yeah… yeah, of course. I-I will.”

And, with that, the call ended.

His hand dropped to his side, the phone in his hand almost slipping from his grip. This couldn’t be real. None of this could be real. You were dead, yet… you were back. Someone with your face was out there talking about some other team… the Titans, and he was just now finding out about this.

After a week, he bitterly recalled.

Taking a final glance at the picture frame, his eyes scanned over your face. This new supposed (Y/N) wasn’t you. It couldn’t be you. The memory of your dull, lifeless face at the morgue still haunts him to this day, causing a chill to run up his spine and his hair to stand on end. Dick knows what death looks like, and you were, without a doubt, dead.

So, who was masquerading as his dead friend?

The answer seemed to be simple; you were masquerading as his dead friend. But… not you. Even if your DNA was an exact match, and Cadmus didn’t have any involvement, whoever you were, you weren’t his (Y/N). He’d like to believe that his (Y/N) would demand to see him, to assure him that you were still alive. You wouldn’t have let him go an entire week without knowing, leaving him to mourn someone that was still alive. As far as he concerned, this new (Y/N) was a stranger.

But, that just led him back to square one; who was this stranger?

Guess I’m about to find out.

[bendysinitiation]

(A timeline of events from an outsider’s perspective, based on @bendyredrawn ‘s very own timeline! In this world, JDS’s growth is much like Fleischer Studios, with some things from Disney.)

1919 - Drew-Stein Studios is created by Joey Drew and Henry Stein. They also release their first short, “Little Devil Darlin'“. It stars a misunderstood little imp that tries to keep a job in turning people to sin. It becomes a hit with minority groups, such as immigrants, as escapism from the riots of the time, and conservative whites of New York find it blasphemous.

1920 - “Imp from the Inkwell“ Is released. In this story, the imp, now named Bendy, gets into antics with a live action Henry Stein. The production of short comics also start, introducing an unnamed hellhound into the picture.

1922 - More cartoons and comics are made. Notably, Boris makes his entrance in “Boorish Beasts”. He is Bendy’s acquaintance and foil, being quiet and calculative, but warm-hearted.

1925 - The Bendy film “Tombstone Picnic” makes a breakthrough by becoming the first ever animated “talkie” through vitaphone. The titular character is voiced by none other than Joey himself. Drew-Stein Studios hits the top of the charts for animation in America.

1926 - Another series, Telltale Trio, is introduced into the catalogue. It is not focused on the well-known imp from hell, but instead a trio of ghastly animals haunting a small town. Drew-Stein Studios changes its name to Joey Drew Studios.

1927-1930 - Countless other comics and talkies are released. The idea of angels are also introduced to the Bendy series. JDS grows exponentially in young employees during the start of the Great Depression.

1932-1933 - One year of mostly comics. Rumors go around that JDS is buying out a new studio in the Brooklyn area to house all its new departments. Joey Drew mentions big things are coming, but keeps it a surprise.

1933 - Construction finishes on the new studio and production moves in. Several female singers, musicians, and foley artists are also hired around this time. Alice Angel is introduced: a trigger-happy messenger that’s ended up in Hell. This also marks the year of JDS’s first color film.

1934 - With the addition of the Hays code, JDS holds back on all the violence, and produces less Bendy cartoons. Strangely enough, its reputation and income is barely effected. Alice Angel becomes the darling of the show around this time.

1936 - JDS releases a feature-length on the return of Bendy. It becomes extremely popular. But at the same time an endemic of sickness spreads throughout New York for a few days. There are also reports of some theatres receiving completely corrupted canisters that have whole minutes blacked out, melting, or incomprehensible.

1937- Henry Stein leaves the company because of “creative differences”. The studio’s growth comes to a halt.

1937-1940 - Production slows on more Bendy cartoons, instead focusing on other series again. Employees start protesting for better treatment outside the studio.

1940-1943 - Employees of the studio start to go missing, along with other employees leaving in droves. All report sickness.

1944-1945 - The studio, again, advertises a new breakthrough. A few more cartoons come out, all focusing on Bendy. People near the studio report cold chills and auditory hallucinations for months upon end.

1946 - After a mass plunge into hysteria from people in the near vicinity of JDS for 3 hours, The studio goes completely silent. All people employed go missing. Many investigations are taken out under these disappearances, but all become cold cases. People that go in don’t come out. Eventually, the studio is demolished.

1963 - New animation released. Henry is told by Joey to record the old studio. Game events.

[thornsnvultures]

memories (sweet like cocoa)

bucky barnes x fem!plus size!reader | 1.1k | cw: some non-specific body insecurities, slightly nsft but nothing too explicit (making out, clothes on grinding) | based loosely on this post (warning: link also slightly nsft) |

♡♡♡

Sitting snuggled up on the couch on a lazy Sunday afternoon with Bucky is your favorite thing to do this time of year. There's snow outside falling lightly and not quite sticking to the ground yet. Bucky's reading a book so well loved you can't tell what it says on the spine anymore, and you've got a movie playing on the TV, munching on popcorn and occasionally reaching over to pop a kernel between Bucky's lips. The two of you had tried tossing and catching with your mouths earlier but were laughably bad. The couch ate more popcorn than either of you.

Sometime after Bucky decides to take a break from his book and pull you into the crook of his arm, you get a notification from your photo app telling you it made another album of pictures from this day a few years back. Excited to take a walk down memory lane, back to the days when you and Bucky had first started dating, you tug on the sleeve of Bucky's sweater to get his attention.

"Aw Buck, look at how cute we are!"

Bucky smiles and presses a kiss to your temple as you scroll through the set of pictures from the date the two of you went on that day. There's a picture of Bucky with a whipped cream mustache from his mug of hot cocoa. A few wobbly ones of the two of you on skates at the ice rink. Your favorite is the one a lovely older couple took of you and Bucky stading in front of the massive tree in the middle of the rink. They were so sweet, talking about their own first dates at this same rink when they were young and new to love. You remember heat rushing to your cheeks, embarrassed because the two of you had only been dating for a few months and even though things were going great you were still afraid they wouldn't last. You look so nervous in that picture and you can't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Bucky's deep chuckle by your ear makes you shiver even when you're wrapped up in his warm embrace.

"Nothing, nothing," you laugh more as Bucky tickles your side under your sweater. His calloused hands stay pressed to your soft tummy even after you beg him to stop. "I was just thinking I look kinda constipated. I was focused so hard on not falling on my butt for the fifteenth time that day."

"You look beautiful. No matter how many times you flailed like a baby giraffe, you still looked beautiful."

"Hey!"

Bucky laughs, dodging more of your flailing.

"Wait, wait," Bucky nods his head at your phone still in the hand you weren't swinging at him with, "What are those pictures from?"

The slideshow must've kept playing while you were distracted. Now it was showing pictures you forgot you had taken. Pictures you had been too afraid to show Bucky at the time.

"Oh my god. Don't look- please- it's not-"

"Now hold on," Bucky grabs the phone from your hand before you can stop him, grinning like an idiot all while you frantically fight him for it. Bucky's basically got one hand holding you back as he casually flips through the slideshow of risqué pictures you had secretly taken for him years ago.

"Bucky," you whine, "is embarrassing."

"Why? Sweetheart, you look stunning."

Picture after awkward picture of you in a lingerie set you had bought just for him, trying to find the right angles, the right lighting. You had quickly gotten discouraged and lost confidence. But not before taking a few with your panties off, legs spread, a coy look on your face that screamed "take me now".

Bucky audibly swallows and clears his throat when he sees those. He locks your screen and puts your phone down on the coffee table. He's too quiet, you can take it anymore. With your head in your hands you slump back in the couch and away from Bucky.

"Oh, I can't believe you saw those. I can't believe I didn't delete them."

"Baby, c'mere."

You shake your head even as Bucky's strong hands pull you into his lap. With your thighs on either side of his, it's impossible not to know how he feels about those pictures. If you weren't so mortified you'd be getting more familiar with the hard, thick length of him pulsing beneath you.

"Look at me, baby." One of Bucky's big hands rubs your back while the other pries your hands from your face. "My beautiful, sweet, sexy girl. Hiding those from me for all these years. I should put you over my knee for keeping those pretty presents from me."

You can't help but let out a choked laugh at that and Bucky smiles as he tries to meet your gaze.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you," you shrug, playing with the hem of Bucky's sweater, the tips of your fingers teasing dangerously close to where Bucky's yearning to be touched. "You did so much for me, took such good care of me, Buck," he shudders when your perpetually cold hands slip under his sweater to caress the bumps and ridges of his toned stomach, "but I chickened out. Was afraid you wouldn't like what you saw. Which I know was silly now, but we were still so new."

"From the moment I saw you, I knew there was no one else," Bucky pulls you in close by the nape of your neck until your noses are practically touching. "You're it for me, and I'll always be here to take care of you."

You sigh into his kiss, rolling your hips over his, savoring the pressure and the taste of his lips. They taste like hot cocoa just like they did when he kissed you good night at your door that night. He had work in the morning and couldn't stay. That's when you had the idea to take the pictures, give him something to remember you by until you saw each other again.

"So you really liked them?"

Bucky's got that cheeky grin on his face, trying to catch his breath after nearly devouring you.

"Sweetheart, I love them. I want them framed. I want them in a book to put on this coffee table. Maybe not all of them, some of these are for my eyes only." He stops his excited rambling to kiss you hard, pulling back again to ask, "You still got that Polaroid camera, baby?"

"Yeah, why?"

You squeal and shout as your massive man stands up with you still wrapped around your waist and carries you off to the bedroom.

"I got some new pictures I wanna take."

[harlowsbby]

A fluff : Jack and the reader instantly hitting it off. When they meet in the airport waiting on their delayed flights.

Open Arms

Having your flight delayed a few hours before you were supposed leave wasn’t exactly ideal or how you wanted to spend New Year’s Eve.

You were meant to be back home in Louisville right about know you sighed and scrolled through your apps on your phone before opening up Instagram, you smiled sadly seeing all of your friends posting videos of them getting ready for the party that was tonight.

Every year on New Year’s Eve your friends and you always went up to the big four bridge and watched the fireworks go off.

You looked around the airport and huffed seeing all of the flight attendants just laughing and joking off it didn’t seem like they were in such a rush to get home nor did it seem like they were even doing anything.

“This is the last time I fly delta.” You mumbled under your breath.

“And why is that? Delta is the best airplane to fly for.” You jumped slightly hearing someone’s voice from behind you, looking up you noticed it was a man but you couldn’t exactly see his face he had his black hoodie up and tied around him pretty good and he had sunglasses to cover his face as if he was hiding from someone.

“Who are you?” You asked and watched how he sat down from across you. “Oh I’m Jack.”

“Oh well in that case Jack why are you sitting next to me when there is millions of other seats here.” He laughed, it was something about his laugh that had your stomach doing an entire 360 you didn’t even know this man but he was already having some type of affect on you.

“I mean it seems like we’re the only two in this airport so why not try and make a little friend, where are you headed?” You wanted to lie and make up where you were going but something about him just gave off this friendly and not creepy type of killer vibe.

“I’m going back home to Louisville I was supposed to be there later on today for New Year’s Eve but looks like I’ll be spending it in the airport.” You expressed sadly.

“You’re headed to Louisville as well? So am I.” “Really?” He smiled and nodded “Yeah usually for New Year’s Eve we always watch the fireworks on the bridge.”

Was this man actually some type of spy or something. “Really? So do my friends and I it’s like some little silly tradition we made back in high school.”

“What else do you like doing for fun?” Jack asked you, you had to think about it for a second you didn’t really go out as much you honestly enjoyed staying indoors.

“Actually I don’t really get out like that it’s rare that you see me outside.” Jack was a bit taken back mainly because every single girl he’s met loved being outside.

“So you’re a what they call it a extrovert.” You giggled and shook your head no. “Do you mean a introvert? An extrovert is someone who loves spending time outside which I do not I’d rather be inside away from all the drama.”

“That’s a first half the girls I’ve dated loved going out just to be seen.” You gave him a confused look. “Why is that? What are you famous or something.”

“I mean you can say something like that.” He laughed and pulled his sweater up that’s when you then noticed the private garden ring on his finger and that’s when everything suddenly started to click.

The prada sunglasses he had on, his nose that was covered in freckles and the new unlimited new balance shoes he worn that only one person in this whole entire earth had.

“You’re Jack- you’re Jack Harlow.” You said in disbelief you couldn’t believe you were actually talking to Jack Harlow one of the biggest names in Louisville.

“That’s me so I guess you want a picture or something so you can post it online?” He frowned and it honestly made you feel guilty at the end of the day you knew Jack was a human just like you and wanted his privacy.

You have him a warm smile “Actually no I don’t want a picture but I’d love to finish up this conversation on the plane with you though.” Jack smiled “I’d love that.”

The entire flight home Jack and You were laughing and joking around you showed him a few videos of your friends and you when you were drunk and he showed you videos of different places he’s been while on tour.

“Wait wait so you’re telling me Urban can actually eat an entire pack of ramen noodles within minutes.” Jack laughed and nodded his head yes. “I mean not even within minutes I’d say within seconds he loves them so much.”

“That’s honestly insane if you ask me.” “If you think that’s insane you should see the way he’s quick to lose a girl.”

When your flight landed in Louisville you were a bit bittersweet about leaving Jack.

“So do you think I’ll be seeing you around?” He asked. “Hmm you can if you give me your number.” He smirked and pulled out his phone before handing it you and you quickly typed your name and number before saving it.

“I’ll see you around cutie.” “Oh so you’re giving me a nickname now?” You teased him Jack licked his lips and rolled his eyes. “Whatever Y/N I’ll see you around hopefully at the bridge later.”

“I’ll see you there Jack.” You gave him a wink before getting your suitcases. Later on that night you both indeed saw each other at the bridge and the rest was history, who would’ve thought you’d ever find love in an airport.

tag

@heavyhitterheaux @nattinatalia

@awhore4moree @softtcurse @moody4world

@mortirolo @hoodharlow @jackharloww

@jackmans-poison

[i9messi]

Hey, can you do a Haaland one where you break up but with a happy ending pls

A second chance — Erling Haaland

a/n: I hope you like it!!

word count - 1,5k

erling's masterlist

"I didn't believe in soulmates until I met you." Ironic. You said that to Erling the night before you two broke up.

Things had been good, Erling was a caring man who made you feel happy at his side. Until one day, you knew you couldn’t go on with that relationship anymore. The media didn’t know that Erling Haaland had a girlfriend, only your closest friends and family knew you were his girlfriend. And in the case of Erling’s family, only his parents knew. At first you understood that he wanted to keep the relationship private, because people could be cruel. However, after a year and a half of dating, you no longer liked anonymity.

You wanted to be able to have what other couples had: walk in the streets holding hands, take romantic pictures and post them on social media, and, above all, be able to say that you loved him in front of everyone. But for Haaland, it wasn't an option.

After so many discussions, you had left the issue aside, but that morning you saw that on social media they were talking about Erling and his new partner. Long story short, they had taken a picture when you had gone to take out the garbage together and believed that nobody was looking. Your face wasn't in the picture but it was you. You were kind of excited, because you thought this was the initiative to expose your relationship. So, the first thing you did was text your boyfriend.

"Babe, we need to talk."

Erling arrived about forty minutes later. And yet, after asking him what he thought, the footballer told you he didn’t think it was a good idea to make things public. That he was at the most important point in his career and everyone would do everything to blur him and bring out his weaknesses. You were his weakness. And for that reason, he couldn’t let the others know who he was dating.

You were tired of it. You wanted everything or nothing, and you let him know.

"Choose, Erling. I can’t keep doing this any longer. I want a real relationship."

"What we have is real, is real love."

"Real? We can’t go outside, we constantly are keeping others from taking pictures of us. None of your teammates know you’re not single. This is not real, it’s just an illusion."

And just like that, you decided to finish what you once had. It was a lie if you said you hadn’t thought about Erling. Something always reminded you of him. The cold reminded you of the way you curled up in bed and hugged his big chest, the times he warmed you with his hands. Manchester was feeling empty and incredibly cold without him.

However, one of your friends had invited you to a party, because he said you needed to get out of your comfort zone. According to him, you had to get over the breakup. Sometimes, you thought it would have been so much easier if you had fought, but the way you broke up with Haaland was peaceful and sad. You didn't have anger or hatred in your chest.

There you were, standing in one of your best dresses and having a nice conversation with a woman you’d just met. There were a lot of people in that house and unlike what your friend had told you, it was not something so casual. There were even familiar faces, some football players. You thought you heard his laughter, but it wasn’t possible, fate couldn’t be so cruel. You’d avoided going to his favorite places. There was no way Erling was there, you couldn’t stand it.

When you least imagined it, a person came along accompanied by the blond who had once been your boyfriend. You could feel your hands shaking. It was the first time you’d seen him in months and he still had the same effect on you.

"This is Erling Haaland."

A man introduced him and you acted like you didn’t know him, after all, that’s what everyone else thought.

"Nice to meet you, Erling," you said with the most fake smile you could put on.

"Don't do this."

You raised your eyebrows. There were people watching.

"What are you talking about?"

He swallowed saliva and there was an uncomfortable silence among all present. Erling said nothing more, but you could feel his gaze on you all the time. Having the one who had once been your boyfriend in front of your eyes caused a pain in your chest. You kept loving him.

"Sorry, I’m leaving. I have to get up early tomorrow," you told your friend, faking your excuse.

Moments later, you went outside and waited for an Uber. You heard a few steps approaching you.

"I’ll take you."

"Erling..."

You turned to see him, with his height it was impossible not to notice. He had his hair tied and he was well dressed, with a white shirt and black pants.

"It’s on my way."

"You and I both know that’s not true."

"My proposal still stands."

You let out a sigh, "Okay."

It wasn’t even five minutes, when you fell asleep in his car. Erling was looking at you and seeing your face lit up by the city lights. You just woke up when you felt some little touches on your shoulder. You saw his face, his eyes and his red lips. You also saw his blonde hair, some strands falling on his face. So many mornings you had woken up with that beautiful vision and you always ended up entangled in the sheets for a while. You've missed him, his smell, the vision, him.

"You have fallen asleep."

"Oh, I’m sorry. Are we there yet?"

You saw your home through the car window and you unbuttoned your seat belt. You didn’t know what to say, so you started opening the vehicle door.

"Wait."

"What?"

Erling held your hand.

"I want everything with you. There is no day that I do not regret what happened. I know I should have listened to you, that I should have understood what you wanted and understood you. I thought we’d always be together, together for life and now that we’ve been apart for the last few months... I don’t want to go on like this. I want us to be back, but this time I want everyone to know we’re together. I don’t want to hide it anymore."

"Do you want this now that you lost me?"

"I want to this because I love you. I love you as I never loved anyone and as I will never love anyone else. You said, we are soulmates."

You swallowed saliva. Tears fell from your eyes.

"Erling, this is complicated."

"Come see me at the next game, please, that’s all I ask."

"Okay, I’ll see you at the next game."

You looked at him one last time.

Manchester City’s game was over, giving Erling a superior win. He had made a hat-trick. The fans chanted the name of your ex-partner and being there gave you a feeling of nostalgia. Many times you had been there, but in a very different position. In the past, you had worn his jersey and no one had known what your relationship with the Norwegian was. In the present time, you saw him celebrate with the other City players, all happy for the big win.

But something was different this time. Erling looked for something or someone in the sea of people. Your ex-boyfriend found you. Erling Haaland walked up to the location you were in and you thought for a moment that he was addressing the fans, that he was surely going to give his jersey to some fanatic. Yet he stood in front of you.

"Give me a chance. to prove that I really want this. Just give me one chance."

"Erling..."

"I love you, I don’t know what I can do to prove it. I love you and I need you."

"Just kiss me."

You smiled. Your heart was melting. He kissed you, in front of all. You kissed him back, all the memories came back to your mind. You loved him, you loved him so much you could give him a second chance to make things right. People screamed and asked questions that you didn’t know how to answer. You focused only on Erling.

"Remember when we first met?"

Haaland remembered perfectly that day, he had it tattooed on his brain, he answered without hesitation, “Yes, of course. That was the day I fell in love with you. That exact day."

"I fell in love too. And it's something I can't change, no matter how hard I try. I love you, Erling. I love you so so so much that it hurts to not have you around."

"Could you give me another chance? I promise in front of all, in front of you, that my purpose is to make you happy."

"I'll give you another chance, just… don't break my heart."

"I won't. I can't wait to show everyone you’re mine.”

He kissed you again.

[mxtantrights]

famous dc! au (dick's version)

TRACK FOURTEEN (DELUXE VERSION): I'M YOUR MAN / GIVE A LITTLE BIT

It's Winter holiday time in Hollywood and nothing feels like the holidays. Maybe its the building feeling of homesickness inside of you, or the feeling of change in the air. The sun is out and its way hotter than you're used to this time of year.

You really miss the snow. You miss the snow angles you would pass by on the street. And the snowmen that were falling apart but made with love with scarves and carrot noses.

You've been dating Dick Grayson for six months now, and he's taken you by surprise at each turn. When you needed to take new head shots for another project you wanted to apply to he helped you out-meaning he offered to take you to a professional studio and drop twelve hundred dollars on you. You of course made sure that didn't happen and made him take the pictures himself.

Another time, he offered to shut down the aquarium to take you just because you were having a bad day. It was a really kind and generous offer but you couldn't imagine inconveniencing anyone because your boyfriend is Hollywood's heartthrob.

Today just felt different. It felt like you really didn't want to be in the state of California at all. And if you saw another palm tree you might throw up. That's why you've stayed inside your apartment all week. Dick has been over all week too but you can't keep coming up with excuses about why your skin hasn't seen the sun.

A knock on your bedroom door raps and you know it's him. You tell him to come in. The door opens and in walks your boyfriend. But it's strange. He's dressed in a coat and a scarf.

He has Haley in his arms. You sit up in bed with a confused look on your face.

"Dickie?" you ask.

"Yes darling?" he asks, teasingly.

"It's eighty nine degrees outside." you say.

Dick hums, "no I don't think it is."

"You're gonna faint from the heat." you counter.

Dick shakes his head, "It's actually snowing outside, so I don't know what you're talking about."

You look at him then. Maybe he's trying method acting? You get up from the bed and pull back the curtains, back facing the window ready to prove him wrong.

"I need you to look outside Dickie." you say.

"Oh I am." he says with all the confidence in the world.

You turn around to point outside to the green gras but your eyes are met with nothing but white. White? You pull open your window and stick your head out. It's still hot. But there's snow on the ground.

There's snow on the ground?

"What going on? Why is there snow on the ground? It's hot." you speak.

"I know you were missing home so I thought I'd bring a piece of it here." he explains.

Your whirl around all at once. Then you're running over to Dick. You wrap your arms around his neck and embrace him fully. Your legs wrap around him barely and he holds onto you.

"Thank you so much, you are the best person I've ever met and I can't believe you did this for me. You're the best, Dick Grayson." you gleefully say.

He hugs you even tighter.

"I know, I know. But I also promised the kids that they could come out in about twenty minutes so if you wanna make the first snow angel we have to go right now." Dick says.

You let go of him and run to your closet. Your hands push and pull the hangers and the clothing inside. That's when you realize you don't have any coats. It's California!

"I don't have a coat!" you shout.

"Oh you don't need it. It's artificial anyways." Dick says.

Then he's grabbing your arm and pulling you out of your apartment, down the steps and out into the backyard. You happily fall into the snow on your back and swipe your arms and legs.

Dick watches from above as the smile that he had missed this past week finally forms on your lips.

-

Dick thinks it can't get any better than this. He's got the warm sun on his skin, the water at his feet and the love of his life right by his side. He looks over at you, only to find you not there. He looks around frantically thinking he lost you.

But his eyes catch you at the bar talking to an older woman. Of course. You are so charismatic and charming. She's laughing at something you said and you're smiling at her.

You look over at him and his heart melts. You tell him that you're coming, he tells you not to rush. You turn back to your new friend.

Dick lets out a sigh of relief. He doesn't care what position he's in on the charts right now. Or if enough of his merchandise is selling. Or if the latest roll out is going as projected.

All there is to think about is you and the island sun.

"I made a friend!" you shout as you run over to Dick.

He laughs, "I can see that."

"That was fun. She wanted to paint us." you explain to him.

Dick looks at you with a funny look, "Naked?"

"No! She just liked how we looked against the sunset. She wanted to know if you'd be okay with it, so I came over to ask you." you wrap your arm around his waist.

He places a few kisses on your hairline, "I'd like it. Tell her yes."

He watches as you turn around and give a thumbs up. He can't help but smile at you as you do. For the first time, being in love isn't something he wants to shy away from or feels the need to be embarrassed about.

Love.

Huh.

"She also said she knew your dad." you speak up.

Dick is pulled out of his trance right then and there. He looks down at you with his full attention now. You look mildly confused why he seems to attentive.

"The woman back there? The woman you were just talking to?" he asks.

You nod your head, "Yeah but I mean, don't people say that all the time? How can you believe it's true?"

Dick looks back to see the woman again, but she's gone. Bruce has never told him anything about his first love and yet Dick feels like the universe doesn't leave room for coincidences.

He turns back to you, "I could always ask him when we get back. He's due to tell me some stories from the past anyways."

"Aw, that's sweet. Maybe we can find your dad someone!" you smile.

"Maybe..."

-

Dick sets the tea down on the table in front of him. His father, Bruce, comes walking around the table and sits next to him on the couch. He sets down his own mug on the table-coaster provided via Alfred.

"So, I think I ran into your first love while I was on vacation."

Bruce almost chokes on his drink. He looks over at his son slowly. Dick notices that Bruce has gone somewhat still. And not his usual still where he's still processing details and making observations and what not.

This was new.

He was unfocused. Fazed.

"What do you mean by that?" Bruce asks.

"I mean when I was on the beach, there was a woman there. She said she knew you." Dick explains.

Bruce sits up, his back straight like a board. He tries to look unfazed, like he's just passing the time with this conversation but Dick can tell this is probably one of the most important conversations he's had in a while. Or at least one that he's firmly committed to.

"Describe her." Bruce commands.

Dick can't help to wonder what the hell happened between the two of them. He's never seen Bruce so on edge before. Dick goes on to describe the woman he saw. With each detail that flies out of his mouth Bruce shuts his eyes, turns away, and shifts his body.

"Bruce what's going on? I thought you said that you didn't fail." Dick asks.

Bruce scoffs, "I said that to give you confidence. I failed, miserably and hard."

Dick slinks back into the couch. He lets out a breath of air and crosses his arms across his chest.

"Well, what are we gonna do?" Dick asks.

Bruce looks over at him, "What do you mean?"

"How are you gonna get the love of your life back?"

[bloodanddiscoballs]

Alright I said I was gonna make a sappy post for my 30th birthday so here it goes!:

I never thought I would live to see 30. I know that many people say that, and I'm sure that sentiment isn't unique on here. Here's the thing; I'm disabled. I have almost died due to my health 3 times since 2011 and indeed did once before being brought back. My immune system is nonexistent, and my chronic pain has me at currently 6 reconstructive back surgeries and round the clock pain medication.

When I was 17 years old, I became a victim of medical malpractice and had my entire life changed in an instant. Didn't get to go off to college, didn't get to work normally, didn't get to move out - didn't, didn't, didn't. For years, I was told that I would heal. That I would be fine. I was young! Young people don't get sick. I'll bounce back. Just be patient. But I didn't get better, I got worse. And every year older was another year into my 20s where I wasn't able to do "the normal stuff." I never finished college, but I did get some classes done. I would work for a few months before needing to quit. I got married and then divorced. All "failures" due to my health.

At 27, I went to see my therapist and sat down and told her that I couldn't see into my future. I remember telling her, "Every day is hell. I can't do this for another 10 years. I've barely made it through this last 10. I don't even know if I can do it for another 3." I was at the end of my rope, convinced that I wouldn't make it. My back was crumbling underneath me again, and insurance was fighting me tooth and nail to be approved for another surgery. I was bedridden. I was on the highest medication load I've taken, and it wasn't even touching my pain. I wasn't connected to anything - not my art, not friends, not the world around me. I was looking very seriously at my options of what I thought was either suffering or dying.

So, she suggested a mindfulness program. It was a 6-week course at UCSD (University of California San Diego) that taught you how to. essentially, live in the moment. At first, I thought it was honestly the stupidest thing I'd ever heard. I'll admit that I was sour on it, but I said I would try it and I paid for the class so I did it. I sat through the meditations, wrote on the topics they gave, went through the exercises they instructed, and did the full day retreat. And at the end of those 6 weeks, I was alive again. I learned to savor every bite of my food. I learned how to pay attention to the sun on my skin. I learned to enjoy how it felt to have my air move in and out of my lungs. I learned how to look in the mirror and love what I saw and dress myself in what made me happy (this is when I started with the disco clothes). The warm feel of skin, the taste of my favorite soda, the beautiful way my cat purrs, the glorious smell of rain, the lovely way dust looks illuminated by the sun - I learned how to Live.

My life is still hard. My pain has not improved. I did get that surgery, so now my back is thankfully more stable than it's ever been. I know that I probably won't live a very long time compared to most, but none of that makes me sad anymore, not really. I have my bad days, and I have my good days, and no matter what, I live in the moment. I feel my emotions and let them have their space within me before letting them flow. And after over a decade of not touching my art because I felt like it was robbed from me, I paint now. I paint for myself, and I paint for others, and by God, I enjoy every second of it. I feed the little barn cats out in the back of where I live now, and I love them. I enjoy the sound of the wind through the oak trees, and I listen to my music, and I take pictures of the bugs. I watch the clouds race by when it's about to storm, and I talk to the flowers that grow outside my fence. I love my bed for holding me on my bad days and love that I have pretty artwork from friends hanging on my walls to comfort me when I can't leave my room. I dress up in my fun disco stuff whenever I can, and on the days I can't, I enjoy my soft, comfy pj's. I talk to my friends online every day and apologize for the days I can't when my pain makes it too hard to think. I play fun video games and watch good movies and enjoy fun podcasts. I Live.

Today, I am 30 years old. I have lived through what should have killed me many times over. And I am so, so happy I am here. And for however long I have, I will continue to live in the moment, enjoying the days and moments I can and allowing the bad to simply be bad. I plan for tomorrow because that is all I can plan for.

I live, and that is enough.

[theromaboo]

Inspired by @just-late-roman-republic-things's toga alignment chart, I will look at images of things that have been called togas and rate them.

Up first, this specimen down below.

0/10 That is not a Party Toga Costume for Adults, that is a red scarf you've tucked into your belt. If this was what a toga was, Cato the Younger would NOT have gotten away with not wearing a tunica underneath.

Now this one below.

2/10 eBay is clearly very confused over if it's Greek or Roman, but it's certainly a step up over the previous one. This time, the scarf is not tucked into the belt (there isn't one) and is just hanging freely and honestly could kind of be a little like a toga if it wasn't scarf-shaped.

Now, this one below—oh hey that's me!

13-year-old me strikes again. Believe it or not, my French teacher will call my paenula a toga shortly after that picture was taken. I wonder what her idea of a toga was if a paenula with a hood sewn on counted.

1/10 it's literally a paenula.

Fun fact, before I sewed the hood on, it actually was toga-shaped, albeit too thick and too small.

For a second I was spooked out because I thought 13-year-old me had momentarily gained an extra ghostly finger in this picture. But no, the mirror was just dirty as fuck. Whoops!

For that one, 6/10 because it's the first one that actually resembles a toga! But I 100% draped it wrong and it was too small anyway. And so hot. I'm sweating just remembering how hot I felt taking that photo. It's not feasible to wear it if the temperature where you are is above 10°C.

But what if the temperature is below that?

I changed into a thin T-shirt and a short skirt, took out that exact paenula and wrapped it around my body, and stepped outside in the cold, Canadian night.

(it's actually obscenely hot out right now. Right now it's -6°C, which is around 20°F for you Amerians. That is extraordinarily hot for January. It's because of El Niño. Normally, at night, this time of the year, it's around -30°C, which is cold. That's like -22°F. And them usually there are a few days of at least -40°C, which interestingly is also -40°F. So -6°C right now is nothing. But it's cold enough to prove a point)

Once I was outside, I set a timer for five minutes on my phone.

Observations:

I probably should've put on footwear. My bare toes in the snow are not having a fun time right now.

My god, this thing stops wind like a brick wall. I feel wind on the exposed parts of my body and nothing on the covered parts.

My right arm is starting to get a little chilly. It's completely exposed.

My toesies...

Hmmm I've reached the half-way point and I don't really feel cold. Of course, the exposed parts of my body are a bit cold and my feet are quite numb, but the covered parts of my body are starting to get really toasty. Like, my left shoulder is actually starting to get quite hot.

One minute remaining and I'm fine. The night is peaceful and still, and quiet. The stars are bright tonight. Life is quite beautiful.

Oh. The time has finished!

This paenula-turned-toga is so warm that it actually is pretty appropriate to wear in -6°C. If I was wearing pants and a long sleeved shirt and most importantly shoes, I would've been quite comfortable outside. If the toga were longer, I could've covered more parts of my body, and that would've made it warmer too.

I don't know what I was trying to prove in this experiment but 10/10 would try again. Too bad I can't give this to Octavian because he wouldn't have to wear four tunics if he had this. It's a bit small as a toga but it's warm nevertheless. I forgot which fabric it was but it was the cheapest thick one.

I want to judge more "togas" later but now I'm tired and my feet need a warm bath. I hope you guys enjoyed!

[evakuality]

4 years of Druck s3 - week 7

Things of note in this episode:

1.  This is probably my favourite episode and so this is likely to be lengthy!

2.  I really love how this conversation with Hans differs from the og.  In a lot of ways I prefer this one, unlike the one in episode 5.  In this, first, Matteo says ‘if it makes you happy’ he’ll call him his guru and I love that change in the dynamic.  Plus, I really do love that Hans is attuned enough to religion that he takes Matteo into church to have this conversation (and so Matteo’s mother does in a way see him in church that day).  I think it’s very important that a lot of Matteo’s issues about all this stem from religion and so taking him into a place of religion to demystify it is so important.  Also, Hans’s advice about David isn’t that he’s probably playing Matteo (as Eskild suggests to Isak), but that he’s probably not out and needs time and respect for that or to be left alone.  It resonates in a different way, and the fact that this religious breakthrough happens at Easter is a really lovely touch.  Plus we get the whole bit about Matteo’s mother, and he’s able to come to terms with her and her issues in a way that leaves him much calmer and more at peace.  Compare the above picture to this one from the start of the episode:

This earlier Matteo was so sad and he was at seas and all confused.  But at least he knew that going to Hans would help - and was able to do it even when Hans had been so upset with him before.  And kudos to Hans for seeing past all that and recognising that Matteo genuinely does need a gay guru and being that person for him.  This conversation has done exactly what Matteo needed it to and he’s so much happier and more at ease both with the David thing and with his mother.  

3.  Speaking of religion, this whole bit with Amira is a) so lovely and b) so important.  After their previous discussion, this has needed to be addressed and she does it in such a gracious way - which he returns.  I do think that without the chat with Hans he may have been less keen to hear what Islam thinks about homosexuality but together these two conversations have really helped him unpack some of his prejudices about religion, and he is far more willing and able to open up to hi9s mother with the hope that she won’t reject him.  I absolutely love that ‘for Easter’ Amira’s family has made some food to share, thus showing Matteo that religion can be open and accepting of other faiths, cultures and lifestyles.  Amira doesn’t just tell him she and her religion accept him, she shows him and it’s very powerful.  Even if her bringing outside food into a cafe worries me, since you’re absolutely not allowed to do it here.

4.  I really love the colours in this episode - they’re so much warmer and more cheerful than the previous ones.  Partly that’s because this was Easter and the colours work really well for that time of year.  But also because Matteo is starting to warm up and open up into his new self.  I am, once again, so impressed by the way light and colour is used in this show.  It’s just soooo goooooood.

I also love how much Carlos has grown - Kiki has such strong views and she wants everyone to agree with them.  In a lot of her life, people just don’t (I imagine Zoe must be such a stress for her, for example), but Carlos, who has been shown as a bit of a lad and quite ignorant and occasionally offensive, has taken it all on board and you can see it in the way he acts and the things he says now.  He enjoys his new knowledge and certainly has a lot of sensitivity to people and their relationships.  He’s the one who knew things were off with Matteo and Sara, and he’s the one who moves to listen actively to Matteo here and who says things he hopes are supportive and encouraging.

5.  Sara.  This poor kid.  We see here the culmination of everything that’s been going wrong in her life and it must have been so hard seeing Matteo in the midst of all this.  But I like to think that she feels lighter and happier after this is done.  We do know what she reaches out to Leonie after Matteo suggests that talking to people helps.  If we compare this picture of her to the way she was shown in s1 and even 2, she’s so diminished, shot from above and looks so weak and vulnerable.  Even compared to the social media post she made wearing this exact outfit, she looks different.  But it’s maybe like a wound being lanced - like Matteo she was trying to put up a facade, live a fake life in that earlier post.  But now she’s able to be real and yeah that hurts but it’s better and they will both be able to move on and be happier more authentic people in the aftermath.

6.  Speaking of hurting - Matteo makes so much great progress this episode and he’s able to become a happier and more settled person.  But at the core is this boy who misses the boy he thought he was creating something nice with.  He told Hans he ‘can’t believe’ that David doesn’t want him and I think that makes this even harder.  The pictures and videos David sends are sending him mixed messages.  On one hand, he’s keeping up the contact and trying to maintain something with Matteo - on the other, this stuff is all ‘it’s not you it’s me’ ‘in a different life we’d be in Detroit’ etc etc.  There’s no hint that things can be ‘real’ between them in this life and so Matteo keeps having these small moments of sadness throughout the episode.

7.  And so that’s why this whole part is tinged with a melancholy.  Unlike in other versions, there’s no passion here, no ‘throwing caution to the wind’ or anything.  Instead it’s so gentle and cautious, so fragile.  There’s a sigh of relief that David is here, but neither of them is at ease.  Of course, we start to understand David’s thing the next day.  But even here it’s so clear why Matteo feels the way he does - everything since David told him he’s not into him has been such a rollercoaster that it’s not possible for him to throw caution to the wind.  He’s felt so much sadness and heartbreak about David even this week that he can’t allow himself to fully dive into this moment.  And of course we’re left with this shot of David’s face and we get to see that he’s not happy either.  It’s a long long few hours til the next morning and David’s secret!

[naomitours]

Tromsø, Norway: The North Above the North

I am not a "cold-weather" person, both in personality and in personal inclination. So you might wonder why someone like me would go to Norway in December. And if you asked me this after I actually got there, it would've been a damn good question! But I had a single reason, and a good one:

That's right, I went to see the northern lights. The green lady. "A-AURORA BOREALIS??", in the words of Superintendent Chalmers. People much smarter than me say this is caused by the sun's upper atmosphere emanating a solar wind that reaches *our* upper atmosphere. While not the most consistent place in the world to see it, Tromsø is one of the easiest and largest to try your luck.

Disclaimers from the Top of the World

The first thing you should know about Tromsø is that the sun doesn't come up for most of winter. You'll have light for a few hours, sure, but it's not the same. The meaning of darkness is different when it's ever-present, and those brief few hours of light mean everything. I found myself wanting to shed my coat and soak the light in through every pore of my body.¹ Depression is a real problem here, so is alcoholism. (I was even told by a local that they track alcohol purchases via card, to make sure nobody is drinking too much in the dark months!)²

The "sunset" over the Tromsø harbor, 1:35 PM.

The second thing you should know is that you need traction on your footwear. Pack your snow boots, or buy some shoe spikes because otherwise you'll be spending a good chunk of your time here on the ground, cursing the ice. My dumb-ass had decided to come to Norway on a whim, without thinking or preparing, so I showed up in my Doc Martens slipping and sliding. I almost couldn't make it to my Airbnb, my host having to come down and help me up the hills!! Thankfully I was able to borrow boots from my, again, incredibly lovely host³, but my god you've never appreciated gravel so much!

The Tromsø Troll Museum

That's right, the main attraction in the city, the reason you flew hundreds, perhaps even thousands of miles! This tiny museum with a bunch of trolls scattered all around!

It's a cozy space, and if you're as fascinated as mythology as I am, it's really a must-see if you're in town. Also, there's a replica of a hulder. According to local lore, these were beautiful women who would often try to lure men away from their human homes, to live in otherworldly pleasure with them⁴, or they would marry human men and join our world, retaining their otherworldly strength⁵!

Aurora Borealis

The biggest disclaimer I'd offer for the northern lights is this, you are never guaranteed to see them, even if you do everything "right". This was such a huge source of anxiety for me until I finally had a good sighting, then I was able to relax. I recommend doing some guided tours, these are not necessary (I saw them once right outside my Airbnb!) but it's going to maximize your chances by getting you away from the city's light pollution. There's many different modes of transportation for this, I myself took a bus and a boat, but I saw advertisements for planes, helicopters and even dog sleds*. The first time I ever witnessed the northern lights was on a sleepy little boat tour, New Year's Eve 2023.⁶

The interior was very cozy, more importantly it was warm, essential on a night with subzero wind chill. I enjoyed cookies and coffee and hot chocolate with marshmallows!

The lights don't look like the pictures, that should be stressed. The vast majority of aurora borealis photos are taken via long-exposure, and our eyes just don't work the same way. But on a good night you can see a faint green distortion in the sky, as if a riff into another dimension. It's like you expect an alien spaceship, or the giant hand of a monster to come ripping out of it, changing our world forever.⁷ But for the natives of Tromsø, it's just a day like any other.

View of the Aurora Borealis, from my Airbnb the next day.

I also recommend booking a few different tours, if you're like me and only really need to see it once, many will let you cancel on 24hrs notice if you pay extra. I recommend this as a good way to save money, but I'm kinda a cheapskate, so what do I know?

Also, please don't be discouraged if you don't see the lights on any given tour, you still do get some really beautiful photographs. It's important to keep a sense of relativity about you, you are standing at the top of the world, in the freezing cold. And in this moment you are having a novel human experience, regardless of whether or not you see some pretty lights on top of it.

What I Ate

Now, you might think the food is very bare-necessities in this sleepy arctic city, but you'd be surprised! One of the first things I had was something I had actually failed to find in Oslo, a delicious Norwegian donut called a skolebolle:

With a custard center and coconut flakes trimming the top, it's a deliciously sweet treat that I found in a Eurospar for the equivalent of a dollar. I recommend enjoying it with black coffee! Not pictured are the other things I got from the store, including paprika-flavored potato chips (highly recommended) and a large bar of Freia milk chocolate, which you'll not be disappointed by.

There's also an abundance of little convenience stores that will get you hot meals for relatively cheap (Northern Europe is expensive!) On the right you'll see a pepperoni calzone that was pretty good, along with a Norwegian soda that was less so. But if you're looking for a finer taste of Tromsø, stay with me:

This is a sampling I did of Aquavit, the signature liquor of Scandinavia. All of it was made right here in Tromsø, and I had a lovely guide for this tasting. To name a few, lingonberries and reindeer meat, not to mention a small slice of grapefruit.⁸ It's a little skimpy, however the point isn't to eat, but to taste!⁹

Conclusion/Takeaways

It can be a very scary thing, to be so far away from home. In all my years of travel, though that uncertainty has diminished, it never truly goes away. Maybe travel is just like any other experience, your tolerance to it builds until you only feel the original high when you get even further out of the world as you've known it. In this way, travel is much like a drug. But what moves me most about travel is its capacity to help us understand not just the planet we live on, but our own place within it. And if you ever feel lost for purpose, I might recommend standing on top of the world, hunting for otherworldly apparitions in the sky //

Footnotes:

¹ Of course, if you actually try to walk around in Tromsø without a coat, you will a)freeze to death and b)look stupid

² LITERALLY 1984

³ Of course, I had to return the boots when I left for the airport, meaning I fell not once, not twice, but THREE times trying to get down the hills to the bus stop. Seriously, you can't wear your Docs, no matter how fashionable and punk rock they are!

⁴ But why would you want to do that, when society is sooooooo good?? Like, who wants to live in a fantasy world where there is no suffering or want when we have Pizza Hut here, right now?

⁵ A hulder also features prominently on the cover of that one metal album by the murderous Nazi that your friend still listens to, despite knowing he's, you know, a MURDEROUS NAZI.

⁶ I would later go on to watch a man in lederhosen play The Weeknd, Cher, and at midnight ABBA's "Happy New Year", all on a keyboard. Dude was a one-man entertainment MACHINE, the vibe was immaculate.

⁷ As seen in Avengers 17: We Saved the World Again, in theaters this summer! Go watch it. Right now. The corporations demand it. DO IT. CONSUME.

⁸ Make sure your meds don't interact with grapefruit. Grapefruit may cause side effects including sour taste. Ask your doctor if grapefruit is right for you.

⁹ You know, like, a tasting menu or something!!

[spider-jaysart]

Since today is the First Day of Spring;

Birthday Headcanons for Dick?

@paladin-of-nerd-fandom65

Soft mornings:

On his birthday mornings during his time as a baby, his Mother Mary and his Father John would used to sing Happy Birthday to him together in the most sweetest way when he was finally awake for the special day and they would always take a nice long walk with him outside in his stroller so that he can enjoy the beautiful day outside. They would also always dress him up in the cutest outfits too for his special day. And by the end of the day when they get back, they always have his favorite little cake ready for him to blow out the candles on and devour soon after, which was the flavor of red velvet

Golden days:

When he was a little boy, his parents would begin to always put a candy under his pillow as a sweet treat for him when he woke up on his birthday. He always excitedly ate it once he was finally up and would get dressed in his best clothes for his important day. When he got his best birthday gift, was when he was turning eight years old and his parents took him to one of their favorite sitting spots, which was in Gotham city on one of the far away hills there where they could see the beautiful sunset in the skies veiw. When they were all sitting down together, Mary, with a warm smile, handed her son a small gift box to open, with a note on it that says from "Mom and Dad <3"

He excitedly opens it and sees a shiny golden, heart shaped locket sitting in there. He curiously grabs the golden necklace out of the box and opens it to see whats inside, which was a very happy close up picture of him and his parents together after one of their famous trapeze acts at Haley's circus, along with a quote in the second photo saying "Even when apart we are always in your heart." A big smile soon grows onto Dick's face from the heartwarming gift that his parents had gotten him. His Mother happily puts it on for him, while John just joyfully ruffles his sons hair with a chuckle

After seeing how it looks, they then share a tight wholesome family hug together

The years with a Bat:

During his first year with Bruce, he wasn't really so close with him, especially since he had just recently lost his parents. Though after a while of becoming Robin fighting crime next to Batman's side, they were doing pretty good as a team, but that was until they began to start fighting with eachother on certain things, kind of going against eachother all the time because of their different ways and opinions on how certain things should be done

So because of this, they had a big fight on the night of Dick's birthday because of their differences during a mission that night. So Dick, in anger, just runs away to that one special spot in Gotham that his parents had taken him to the year before the incident had happened to them. He sat down there since it's the only thing that gave him comfort in some way, especially on this day, the day that he misses both of his parents the most for sure. He lets tears fall down his cheeks as he just just sits on the hill with his arms wrapped around his legs and whispers to himself, "If birthday wishes were something that could come true for sure, then I wish for you both to could come back to me, cause I miss you both."

Bruce, who was looking for Dick all over Gotham after he had ran away since he didn't want him to somehow get into danger, coincidently arrived at that moment when Dick had whispered that wish of his. When he hears it, he begins to feel even worse about everything that had happened earlier, especially because today was the Boy wonders birthday. He felt it was his fault that things had gone a little sour between them both during the mission from earlier and wanted to try to fix it

So he tries his best to walk up to where Dick was in a way that didn't seem like he was trying to bother him in his peaceful moment and takes a seat next to little boy, asking him about what he was doing there, giving him time to answer him if he felt like it as he stared out into the view with him

Dick tries to angrily ignore him at first, but once he begins to feel a little comfortable about it, Dick tells him about how his parents would used to bring him to the spot that he's sitting on and how that was the last year that they got to do anything special together before the horrible incident that had happened to them at the circus, telling him that he still misses them everyday and has trouble trying to forget about it all, saying that he doesn't think that he'll ever get over it

Bruce, who is able to relate, then begins to tell him that he understands what it's like to feel that way, when you've lost what you once loved, when you've lost your whole world and you just can't help but feel pain from it every single time, along with every single hurtful thought that comes into your mind from it all. He tells him that it's never an easy thing for anyone to just get over, especially right away after everything, we just try to move on so that we don't continue to drown in our suffering from it, but we never truly forget about it when we do. The most important to always remember though is that they will always be there in his heart, always watching over him every step of the way as he continues to grow up in life

He then pulls out an old familiar looking locket out of his utility belt, surprising Dick as he hands it to him, since he had lost it during a mission and thought that it was gone forever. He holds it in his hands as he takes a long look at it as Bruce explains how he had to get Alfred's help to make it look brand new again, since it was dirty and had many marks and scratches on it from the time that it had been lost

Dick smiles brightly at Bruce and gets up to give him a tight hug, with tears still falling down his face, thanking him for finding his precious locket

Bruce who was surprised by this reaction from the little Robin, hugs him back tightly as well, with a smile of his own, chuckling as he says "Happy birthday, Dick."

First year of Teen Titans:

After the Titans had heard about when it was Dick's birthday, they immediately went to go make fun plans for it together, cause Dick was always such a good friend to them who always had their back, so they wanted to make sure that he had the best time ever on his big day

Beast boy was in charge of distracting Dick from going into the room at all times until it was done, even if it had to be done in the most annoying way just so that he won't accidentally spoil the surprise for himself before it's even done

Starfire was in charge of getting the cake

Cyborg was in charge of the music and getting the radios set up together

Raven was in charge of decorating the ops room for the party

Once they were finally done, Beast boy ran into the room in cheetah form with Dick angrily chasing him from behind since he had stole the Boy wonders book, since he had said that he wanted to read it in the ops room earlier

Just as he's about to snatch the book out of Beast boy's mouth, he suddenly jumps after seeing the lights turn on with everyone yelling "Surprise!"

He was shocked to see that the group had actually put together a party for him and couldn't help but just smile at it all saying "Wow, is this all for me? You guys really didn't have to-", with Starfire flying over to him, wrapping her arm around his and cutting him off with "We indeed had to, Robin. It is your birthday, which is something that is believed to be a very special day on your planet from what I was told, since it is the important celebration of someone's birth. So of course we had to." She happily shines a smile to him as she reminds him, which just results in him growing a red blush on his cheeks as she does

He then happily joins his friends in the party that they had set up for him and they all have a lot of fun together, creating new great memories with eachother as they do

And every year after that, they still continued to throw him the best birthdays

Fast forward to a few years later:

He is now a grown man who's a father of two and is married to the Tamaranean princess of his dreams

Starfire playfully wakes him up as his two kids Mar'i and Jake bring in a tray of warm breakfast for him to enjoy on bed, freshly made waffles with syrup on top and a cold glass of juice to drink

He always gets really happy whenever they do this kind of stuff for him on his birthday, since it just always fills his heart with joy. He also likes to always invite them to sit down with him on the bed so that they can enjoy it together, which is what usually makes the breakfast even better for him

They then go out for a fun walk together in the Bludhaven park, Dick going out dressed in his best outfit and Starfire in her most prettiest dress, while the kiddos had on their best causal clothes. They all also get some slushies for themselves to enjoy from one of the nearby Batburger places there during their walk

During their walk, they later take him to the Titans tower to "just check up on things there" and surprise him with all of his friends and family members in the ops room with happy decorations and colorful balloons covering the whole room, along with the giant banner that says "Happy Birthday, Dick!"

Dick, who had expected this surprise, was excited anyways and was filled with pure joy for his family and friends going through such big effort to surprise him with meaningful things like this

Everyone had also bought him presents, some of them being expensive ones, most of them being gifts that he had mentioned wanting before and others being handmade ones with love

As the party begins, they all have fun dancing together, even having dancing competitions with eachother to see who can do the best dance moves (Beast boy started that one)

The snacks there are delicious and there's enough for everyone (Alfred made most of them). Starfire even brought her famous delicious zorkaberry tarts for everyone to enjoy while they're having fun. Mar'i, Jake, and the rest of the kiddos stole as many of the Zorkaberry tarts that they could fit into their pockets when no one was looking and went to go eat it some where in the room together where no one can actually see them

Cyborg was the DJ of the party and was playing the remixes of the best hit songs

Dick got to hit open the pinata in the room without thankfully hitting anyone else in the room with his stick and once all of the candy had finally fallen out, all of the kiddos and even Beast boy immediately ran to the floor to quickly grab as many candies as they could, each of them fighting eachother for whatever they could grab. (Damian almost kicked Beast boy in the face to get a Butterfinger bar from his hands, since it's his favorite chocolate bar)

Wally and Tim had a cupcake eating competition (Tim won)

The animals all had fun being there (Silkie, Haley, Titus, Ace, Krypto, Jerry the Turkey, Alfred the cat and Goliath) and hung out with eachother during their whole time there at the party

Damian, who had called Pin the tail on the donkey a "Stupid dumb, childish game.", was somehow convinced by Jon and Maya to play it and as he was trying to pin the tail onto the fictional animal in the image, he ended up accidentally pinning it in Jason's behind instead, getting a literal painful loud yell from his older brother in response as he immediately felt the little stab from the pin. Him, Jon, and Maya then quickly made a run for it, running to hide in another part of the room together before he could see that it was them that had pinned him

As its finally getting late, they all get together to happily sing him happy birthday after a long day of fun with eachother before it hits 12:00 pm

Once Dick blows out the candles on the red velvet flavored cake, everyone cheers for him as he is now officially a brand new age

Later as they all continued to party with eachother, Bruce finds Dick who is pouring himself some punch at the snack table and puts a hand over his son's shoulder, telling him he that is proud of the man he has grown to become throughout the years. Dick, chuckling with a cheerfull smile in response, replies with "Heheh! Thanks, Bruce. Time really goes by fast doesn't it, huh?" They then share a happy, loving father and son hug with eachother

A little while after that, he takes a good look at the whole room that is filled with all of his loved one's, and walks out into the hall, going upstairs to the roof of the tower. As he's up there all alone now, he digs into the collar of his shirt, pulling out the golden heart shaped locket that was gifted to him so many years ago as a child, still brand new looking and clean. He clicks it open, smiling softly at the photo inside of it as he gently holds onto it in his hands. He wipes off a pouring tear from his face, as he begins to say to the locket on his hands, "I always miss you guys a lot all the time but I know you both are here watching me from above, always making sure I'm doing okay, even if I can't see it." He then passes a gentle finger over the quote next to the photo of him and his parents "Even when apart we are always in your heart." He smiles once again as he reads those memorable words "I love you both."

Soon, his wife Starfire, who was looking for him, finally finds him standing on the roof, staring at the view of the sky and goes over to him with a smile as she calls him over

"Dick! You are missing the party inside. And you are standing out here without your jacket, which will certainly result in you catching a cold if you don't come back inside where it is a much warmer temperature."

Dick just chuckles in response as Starfire expresses her genuine worries for him

"You don't have to worry, Kory. It doesn't feel so chilly out here to me, i'm feeling good."

"That is good to hear, Dear, but if you continue to stay out here any longer, you are going to soon be late for the opening of the gifts that everyone had brought for you." She smiles as she wraps a loving arm around her husband "And the kids have a big gift that they have been waiting to show to you."

"Really?" Starfire nods her head to answer his question, with a sweet smile on her lips

"Well maybe we shouldn't keep them waiting then, should we?" He jokes with her as he grabs onto her hand as they both walk towards the direction of the door

"Hey, Kory?" "Yes, Dear?"

"Thanks for setting all of this up, I really appreciate it." Dick gives her a genuine warm smile as he looks into her bright green beautiful eye's

She places a loving kiss on his lips and lets out a small giggle right after

"Well, of course, Love. It is your big day, you deserve it."

They then both head back inside, as they hold onto eachothers hands, ready to open those gifts

Thanks for the ask buddy! :D

Hope you like it!

And Happy Birthday, Dick!

(Also, sorry that this came out a little late, cause it hit 12:00 over here during the time that I was finally finishing it. The hours went by so fast, so apologies for that)

[softspeirs]

I would love a Headcanon with domestic fluff with my man liebgott 🥺

Author's note: FIRST OF ALL wow you requested this so long ago. I'm so sorry it's taken me forever. Burnout is no fun! Second, this prompt got me in my feelings. I hope you like it.

When he opens his eyes in the morning, he almost doesn't remember where he is.

The sunlight is bright through the drapes, the window open and the gauzy material flowing in the breeze. It feels like a dream.

Propping himself up on one elbow, he assesses the situation.

A slow, lazy smile crosses his face when he sees her dress pooled on the floor near the door, a pair of heels lying where they were kicked off.

The remnants of his shirt and tie are there too, and a warm feeling bubbles up inside his gut. As if on cue, the door creaks open.

She's in a robe, her hair braided away from her face. She's got two steaming mugs in her hands, and a blinding smile on her face when she sees that he's awake.

"Morning." She greets, her voice raspy from lack of use. "Thought you could use this." She sets one of the mugs on the bedside table.

With the other in hand, she crosses the end of the bed and comes to the other side, perching on the edge on her knees, coffee balanced between her palms.

For some insane reason, the picture of her navigating his kitchen, his home... it makes him even more crazy for her than he already is.

He reaches for his own coffee, taking a sip, eyes closing in contentment. He has half a mind to suggest that she get back under the covers, that they just forget about the outside world.

It's been a year since he came home, since he stepped off a ship and had to face a world he didn't recognize anymore. It's been a year since he said goodbye to her in a crowded shipyard, trying to pretend he wasn't ripping his heart in half when he walked away from her.

He wasn't planning to go to the Easy reunion. He really wasn't. As much as he missed his friends, the idea of seeing them for a day and then leaving them again felt worse, so he planned on skipping it. But the idea that she might be there and he might miss her... he couldn't stand the thought. He really didn't have a good excuse either, because they were doing it close to home this year.

So he went, and she was there, real, right in front of him, and it was like no time had passed at all.

She had been sparkling eyes, sweet perfume, the brightest smile, and he was goner. He had been, years earlier, when he first laid eyes on her, but this... he was helpless to do anything but to take her hand, lead her around the dancefloor, and hold her so close he couldn't tell where he ended and she began.

One thing led to another, and then they were at his house, and it was all a blur of heated looks, soft touches, and complete bliss.

"Stop looking at me like that," he says finally, his own voice gravelly. Her eyes are a little hooded, but still sparkling, and he wants to stay here with her forever.

"Like what?" She tilts her head to one side, teasing.

"You're trouble."

"You knew that, though." She says, setting her own coffee down so she can slide into bed a little further, tucking herself against his side like she was made to fit there.

"Stay." He says. There's no hesitation, no second guessing, no brief panic that he's said or done the wrong thing. This is the one part of his future that he's sure of.

Her brow furrows, just for a minute. "Yeah?"

He nods. His hand finds hers. Intentionally, his thumb brushes over her ring finger. She inhales sharply, but doesn't say anything else. For a moment, every little interaction they've ever had plays on a loop in his mind.

He has been hers, right from the very start.

"I'll stay." She says softly, a minute later when they're both close to dozing. "All you had to do was ask."

[kursedmayo]

I like to think that Leo didn't lose his arm or a part of his arm because it got caught in something or was getting infected by the Kraang and had to be cut off.

I now offer an even worse reason: he used it to feed someone, maybe even several people.

(TW: Blood, death, starvation and implied cannibalism)

Okay.

Picture this.

It's the fucking apocalypse. Food sources are running out everywhere.

You are Leo. You're young, handsome and inexperienced, but you're one of the most powerful people still alive to date. Leagues of people have put your lives in your hand, and you are trying your best to keep everything running smoothly.

You are on a rescue mission.

You were prepared. You accounted for every possible event and prepared for it. You were going to get survivors out of a recently discovered hidden shelter without alerting the Kraang, but the one thing you counted on never happening happened, and now everything went to shit.

Kraang discovered your team, shut down your ninpo, and destroyed your communication device. You lost one of your swords, people died, you got separated from your team, and the adults guarding the kids are missing.

You're fucked.

Day 1.

Isn't it hilarious? You were on a rescue mission, and now you're the one that needs rescuing.

You are still stuck in the shelter, underneath layers of concrete with scared children, all exits blocked. After almost being infected by Kraang, one of your arms isn't responding well to your commands. You suspect the nerves in it have been damaged somehow.

You try your best to assure the kids. It worked, naturally. They seem a bit more cheerful despite the situation.

Lying has always been your forte after all.

Day 2.

It's been 2 days. You don't know when you're going to get rescued, and the children are starving.

They are starving and have been starving for weeks, and now you're stuck with them, hungry and anxious. You've been told that despite the shelter's size and amount of rooms it wasn't supposed to hold this many people in the first place. The supplies are for maybe 6 people at most, enough for a family.

A rich family at that, perhaps, but it doesn't matter now.

What matters is that the supplies have long been running out. Scavenging can only do so much, and the people were counting on being rescued before they all died.

The youngest is five years old and looks thinner than they should ever be. The shelter is now quiet, the kids being too tired to cry.

Bored out of their minds, they just begin to talk- well, whisper more like it, about their dreams.

You keep quiet for now and listen.

One says they want to eat cake. Another says they want to play on the swings again. Someone pipes up and says they want to sleep on their own bed. A fourth kid says they wanna go back to school already.

Their friend jokes that not having to go to school was one of the only perks of being in the midst of an alien invasion.

They fight, you chuckle. Distracted, the shelter becomes a little more lively with discussions and discourse.

...An older kid wants to find their parents' bodies so they could give them a proper funeral.

A silence, but then it goes on.

They miss their brothers. They miss their sisters. They miss their aunts, uncle's, cousins, grandma's, grandpas- they miss the sun, they miss warm food, they miss fresh water, they miss the outside itself. They want to drink fresh water. They want to hug their grandma again. They miss being able to be loud and not have to worry about being found by the Kraang.

It's all "want". It's all "miss". Never "has", and if you fail, it might never be "will".

And guess what? It's all your fault. You dropped the key. You underestimated the Kraang. More than half of NYC is taken over already because of your mistake. It's all your fault.

...It's day 3.

The kids are getting desperate. You had to stop 4 kids from trying to eat chips of concrete, and some kids are so thirsty that they're biting their fingers and sucking on their own blood.

You have nothing to feed them. You have nothing to give them to drink. They're children, if this continues they're going to die hungry.

You can only hope help will arrive soon.

Day 4 arrives.

You can't even move your arm anymore. It's dead weight. What can the Medics back at the base even do? You don't even know why it stopped working. You're no technician, but you know enough to know Ultrasounds need energy that could be used somewhere else, and you sure as hell aren't worth the waste.

…

…You know Donnie would disagree.

Your entire family would.

You couldn't bring yourself to care.

Day 6.

You're desperate.

The shelter is deathly quiet. No one want to talk

anymore- or well, they can't. They have no energy left at this point.

They are definitely going to die of starvation if this continues.

You stare at your arm.

You stare at it hard.

You're desperate. They need to eat. They need to eat, now.

You don't need it anyways.

…But you shouldn't.

It's your right arm, there's still a chance the doctors can figure out a way to fix it. It's going to be awkward relearning how to fight with one arm. In a life of death situation, it's hard to be missing parts and even harder to make aids for it. Not to mention prions, and the whole being a mutant business, you don't know what will happen if a human ingests mutant flesh.

But….

You stare at the kids in front of you, empty eyed, hopeless.

...You shouldn't.

But you do.

You pick up a sword, and slash through bone and flesh. Pain smothers your vision, blood drips down and pools on the cold ground.

There was a hoarse scream. You ignore it. You make a makeshift torniquete and pick it up.

Through the haze of blood loss, you try to remember where to go. You go to the shelter's kitchen and begin to cook.

You'll remember the smell of your own burning flesh for the rest of your life.

However.

As fucked as it is…

It smells like relief.

They're going to live, you assure yourself, and for a while, it soothes your worries. This is the least you can do after all. This is the least you can do to atone.

For what it's worth, at the very least...

They're going to live.

[eddiessidegirl]

——Scraps of Her——

Summary: Jennifer Bennett loses her scrapbook one day and the town Metalhead finds it

Pairing: Eddie x Thick!Fem Char

Warnings: Standard 18+ for my blog, this is a fluff piece but… angst (if you squint), mutual pining, mention of porn mags in passing, let me know if I missed anything?

Word count: 3.1K

[September 1985] Him:

It was unseasonably warm for it being the 30th of September, there had been an emergency mid-day Monday meeting of Hellfire Club, a crisis involving a broken game piece. Dustin was up in arms claiming it was irreparable but in the end they managed to make it a modified NPC. The disruption to his routine greatly bothered Eddie, this was his spare block and he had a deal to make, but had to cancel last minute because of the freshmen.

“Just relax, Henderson, we figured it out, now run along to your next class so I can go take care of some shit at my van before O’Donnells class. His long legs carried him to his GMC Gaucho. The parking lot was mostly empty, with a few people here and there. He noticed his shoe was untied, so he made his way over to the a bench to retire it, and something caught his eye. It was covered in stickers. Some kind of journal, maybe? Looking around carefully he pocketed it, his shoe remaining forgotten. He made his way to his van and stashed it in the glove compartment, for later.

Days had gone by and still the owner of the scrapbook (it took Eddie a whole five minutes to figure out it what it was there was only a little writing and none of it telling) was a mystery. There were photos of parties, tapes, stuffed animals magazine cut outs of celebrities and shit, but also half portraits of a girl. But they weren’t really labelled. The garish cover was misleading, brightly coloured stickers adorned the outside but the inside was far more intimate. He didn’t recognize a lot of the people in the pictures they didn’t look like anyone in Hawkins, so it had to be someone who was new or had friends outside of the small sleepy town.

Everyday he’d drive to school early, pull out the book and scan a couple pages of the bloated book and then watch as people walked by. Scrutinizing each one, hoping they might check the bench where the book was left. Eddie had taken to parking in the same spot everyday just in case. Begrudgingly he’d always leave the book in the compartment of his van and leave to go to class where instead of paying attention to the work he was focused on trying to determine which of his fellow classmates was missing something.

[October 1985] Her:

A full week had passed and Jennifer was almost convinced that her book was gone. She’d sat down at lunch to eat and look through her scrapbook. She’d lost track of time when the bell rang and left it there. It contained memories of friends who she’d had to leave behind when she moved to Hawkins a couple years ago. But also new memories of people she’d met since she moved. Steve, Nancy, some of the basketball team and the cheerleaders. That was one of the first parties she’d ever been to. Now she preferred to hang out with the quiet students and some of the stoners and a few other people she’d met post moving.

“Maybe it’s for the best, Jen.” Steve told her one day after school when she’d stopped by Family Video, “I mean, you can make a new one with all new memories and one day when you least expect it it’ll come back.” She scoffed, that was definitely not what she wanted to do. Jennifer had started that book when she was 15, and three years later it was this giant piece of who she was. Steve was sweet, but dumb. She didn’t know why Robin put up with him, the two of them weren’t friends of their own accord, they’d simply become friends by proxy thanks to the fact that Robin had become Jennifer’s friend at school.

She shook her head, her shoulder length brown hair moving with it, “you don’t get it, Steve, I don’t want to make a new one. It was a document of my high school life and now it’s gone.” She figured she’d check the lost and found again. While her and Steve were talking the door chimed open and a few people poured in, the rainy October weather not deterring people from picking a movie out. Among them were some of the freshmen who hung around way too much but it was endearing. Offering Dustin and Mike a wave they returned it and made their way down the fantasy aisle, Mike joking about getting The NeverEnding Story, some kind of inside joke Jennifer supposed. “I’m going to find a movie for us tonight, back in a few”

Making her way back up to the counter movie in hand she waved it at Steve so he could add it to his account later “…it’s driving him nuts trying to figure it out, at first we thought he was making a super involved campaign with how distracted he’s been but apparently we were wrong.” Jennifer’s ears perked up, had this mysterious person found her book? “probably trying to put together a present for whatever girl he’s seeing.” Apparently not. Dejected she told Steve she’d see him and Robin at his house when Keith came to take over for him.

[October 1985] Her:

It had been twenty one days since Jennifer’s book turned up missing, she’d wrapped her dads old denim jacket around her body, her curves hugged by the softened material. It was cold now. A lot colder than she had anticipated. Her leg shook anxiously, she’d sat on the bench she lost Her precious memories. Beyond sad now, she was simply apathetic, her eyes glazed over, staring into nothing. A roar of an engine broke her out of the reverie she was in, a dirty van blaring metal had pulled in. And a clearly sleep deprived Eddie Munson was inside, late night partying perhaps? Either way she felt for the guy, he was a three-peat senior and Jen knew how bad he wanted to escape the town.

The two of them never really hung out, seen each other at parties in the past but that was about it. Shivering she got up and made her way to the drivers side to at least say hi and be polite. Gravel crunched under her feet and without trying to startle the metalhead, she gently made her presence known with a cough and soft knock on the window, he’d been reading something, D&D related more than likely, he jumped and stuffed the thing away and looked back to where she stood. He rolled down the window “sorry Princess, not open for business this early, check back in the aft—“

Of course he thought she was here to buy drugs “no, I actually wanted to check on you, you look…stressed” concern laced through her face and voice. He softened and nodded his head side to side, “yea I guess you could say that. A lot on my mind right now.”

[Same day, October 1985] Him:

He’d made it halfway through the book and was nearing end, faces changed and now he recognized people from Hawkins High: Harrington, Tommy Hagan, Carol Perkins, Nancy Wheeler and Barb Holland were prominent, and then they stopped appearing; and the people became shy in front of the camera. He’d seen them around the school but their names didn’t. Clearly whoever made this changed friend groups not long after Barb died. But Harrington and Wheeler made appearances every so often, along with someone he recognized from band, but couldn’t name. Old habits died hard he guessed. “Who the fuck are you, my little enigma?” He was again engrossed in the book but the knock scared the shit out of him. Not wanting to seem like a weirdo with the book he hid it and turned, his eyes looking at one of the most gorgeous creatures he’d even seen in the flesh and not on the pages of his Heavy Metal magazine.

He was taken aback when she asked about his well-being, not even his sheep had noticed or if they did they were too scared to ask. The only one who had tried at first was Dustin and Eddie had blown him off. But this absolute goddess in front of him was not someone he’d turn away. After a few beats he realized how cold she looked, “shit, where are my manners, you look cold. I happen to have a passenger seat available. It’s not the cleanest but it’s warm and shit.” His hand motioned to the seat beside him, watching as she walked around the front of his van and slid into the seat he’d opened the door to.

“I’m Jennifer by the way, Jennifer Bennett.” She stuck her hand out to Eddie who shook it, his stomach doing slight flips when they touched. “Nice to meet you, Jennifer, I think we’re gonna be good friends.” He gave the girl his most charming smile.

[November 1985] Her:

Steve could never understand why Jennifer hung out with Eddie sometimes, “don’t you two run in different circles?” He asked her as she followed him around work shelving VHS tapes “I mean the guys trouble anyways, he’s a dealer and shit. Don’t you want better friends?”

They had this conversation often since she became kind of friends with Eddie Munson. He didn’t deal in front of her, or do anything aside from smoke a joint in her presence. She liked watching him work on music and campaigns, he came off as big, mean and scary but he was the total opposite when he wasn’t at school. He’d never tried anything either, she wasn’t sure if it was because he thought Jennifer and Steve were a thing or if he generally wasn’t interested but that was fine.

“Steve, you of all people should know better than to judge someone by their appearance. Remember when everyone thought you were just a vapid asshole jock?” that hit close to home for him. He did know better, but he still didn’t like them hanging out. Eddie was due to pick up Jennifer in a few minutes. “I’ll come with you, just to make sure you’re ok, I just don’t trust him.” Steve had the closing shift, and she’d picked out a movie for the hang out session ‘Children of the Corn’.

The van rumbled down the street, Jennifer ran out to tell Eddie that Steve had forced his way into the movie night, she apologized profusely, and while he looked slightly miffed he didn’t say anything. Steve was probably going to make his move this night and who was he to stop him? He and Jennifer weren’t dating.

With the rental store closed, Steve followed behind the van in his BMW, “I’m sorry, he just wants to make sure you’re not a bad person, apparently I have bad judgment according to him.” Jennifer played with her hair nervously, two of her world colliding in the weirdest way.

“It’s fine Princess, really, we’re just ordering pizza and watching a movie, we’re not sacrificing anything. Tonight anyways…” he grinned and laughed as the brunette smacked his shoulder. “Sorry! I had too, the look on your face was priceless!” Jennifer shook her head and then laughed, it had been funny, she just felt put out because of Steve.

Steve had situated himself between the two, pizza boxes were strewn about and the smell of weed hung in the air. The movie was, funnily enough, about child satanists and Eddie has a laugh about it. Steve was horrified and had to go to the bathroom midway through to splash his face with water. Jennifer took this opportunity to move spots now that it was free. She was scared but Steve wasn’t exactly the most comforting person when he too was scared. Eddie on the other hand was enjoying it and would make her feel safe.

Jennifer had settled in, movie paused while her friend composed himself Eddie and she split the last bit of the pizza, “who knew Harrington was so easily scared?” He said to her, mouth full of pizza. She made a face at him and settled back against the couch. Butterflies swarming inside her tummy, she was absolutely smitten with Eddie but he’d never made a move on her, too much of a gentleman.

[Same night, post movie November 1985] Her

Steve had left, he had an early shift, Eddie had offered to drive her home once she was ready, Harrington relented. But now it was a few hours later and she’d fallen asleep on the couch. He’d covered her with a blanket and quietly cleaned up before heading to his room. The book stashed in his underwear drawer came out and he flipped through some of the last pages.

In the last month he’d been to Jennifer’s room and recognized the walls from the more recent photographs. He’d seen photos of Robin and Steve, her stuffed bunny, and most of all there was a single photo in which he was in. It was innocuous enough, just a photo of Gareth’s garage, the band riffing back and forth, apparently Dustin had dragged Steve and her to watch them practice. He’d never noticed.

The struggle now was how was he supposed to come clean that he’d had Jennifer’s scrapbook thing for two months without making her hate him. He’d known now for two weeks, and he also knew he’d have to come clean soon. Eddie just didn’t want to ruin whatever it was they had. He fell asleep book in hand, only waking up in the early hours of the next morning when he heard his uncle coming in, he stashed the book back into his hiding spot and went out to greet his uncle and check on the sleeping beauty on the couch.

[December 24, 1985] Her:

It had snowed overnight in Hawkins, Jennifer had stayed over at the trailer due to how heavy the snow was coming down the prior night. She could feel the heat emanating from Eddie’s side. He’d slept over the blanket, effectively keeping the blankets tucked around her. But a cool chill leeched into the room and caused the brunette to shiver. “Eddie?” She nudged him with her foot and a low groan exited his mouth. Clearly he wasn’t waking up anytime soon.

She’d slept in her clothes and desperately needed to change. “Your sweatpants it is then…” she started pulling out drawers, taking out a pair of grey sweats and pulling open the drawer that she she knew he had tank top undershirts in, she yanked it open and pushed his boxers around. Realizing that she was touching clothing that had touched his sick and balls. Her face glowed and she grabbed in and pulled out the first tank top she found, but she’d used such force that something else came out too. Jennifer thought it was a porn magazine, but a familiar panda sticker caught her eye.

“Are…are you kidding me?!” She yelled, Eddie shot up, thinking someone had broken in but he turned his head just as Jennifer did a circle, and he saw what was in her hand. “You… Eddie, you had this this whole time?”

“I can explain!” He cried out scrabbling to get off the bed and took hold of her wrist, “I didn’t know it was yours until like last month. I spent weeks, looking at it trying to figure out who’s it was and it wasn’t until you’d let me see your room that it clicked” his hands flapping nervously, his hair cascading over his shoulders. “When I figured it out I was scared to tell you, that you’d think I was a freak, a weirdo, but I learned so much about who you were it felt like I knew you before I knew you.”

Jennifer hugged her scrapbook close, she’d lost a piece of herself and finally got it back. It had been with someone she trusted, someone she’d developed feelings for. But now it felt tainted, dirty. How could she trust him after this? “Eddie you lied to me, hid this from me. Let me grow to like you based on what? An obsession with learning about me?”

His face grew red with shame, “no! Honest, when we first met I had no idea it was yours, and I figured it out after…” Jennifer stepped closer, her rage still prevalent but now she was curious, what was he getting at, “After what, Eddie?” He bowed his head and gathered his thoughts, “after I’d fallen in love with you.”

The air that hung between them was thick. It was cold as hell outside but in Eddie’s room at this moment it was hot, and becoming unbearably so. The look on Jennifer’s face was that of a deer caught in headlights, her mouth slightly open in an O shape. Her breathing stopped and, without thinking, she closed the gap between the two of them. Eddie thought she was going to smack him but instead her hand wove through his hair and clasped the back of his neck bringing him down to just an inch to meet her level and kissed him.

After a couple seconds, Eddie slipped his arms around her and held her close. Returning every kiss, every touch she gave him.

“You too?” He asked her. “Me too” she replied.

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[josjournal]

Shut Up, Snowflake (Full Moon Ficlet #514)

Written for @fullmoonficlet

Derek gaped down at the front page of the school paper. He’d been unable to take his eyes off it since his sister had barged into his apartment with it. “Why is my picture on the front page? Why is it in the paper at all?” he asked through gritted teeth.

Laura shrugged as she crossed to the window, looking down into the courtyard in the middle of the apartment complex. “It’s a good photo. You deserved to win.”

Derek ran a hand over his face. If it had been any other photo that Laura had entered, Derek would be thrilled about the win; it would be a great addition to his portfolio. Any other picture, but this one was never meant to be seen by anyone else.

He’d taken the photo about a week earlier, during the first snowfall of the year. A young man stood outside Derek's second-floor apartment in the center of the courtyard. His head tilted back towards the sky with his tongue stuck out. Snowflakes coated his flushed face, the white interspersed among a scattering of moles. Derek had felt warm watching him, so he’d grabbed his camera and brand new zoom lens and snapped a photo.

He’d spent that night developing the photo in his darkroom. The following day, Laura had barged in and spotted the picture hanging from the cord where he’d put it to dry before heading to bed. 

“Ooooh! Who’s the cutie?” She’d squealed, taking it down.

Derek never imagined that she would’ve entered the photo into a contest or the paper would publish it on the front page. He could only hope that whoever the boy was, he didn’t go to the University or that he didn’t read the paper. 

Laura still stood next to the window, a smirk on her face. Derek’s stomach sank. “What?”

“I think Snowflake has seen the photo,” she teased. 

Snowflake was the name she’d given the guy when Derek admitted that he didn’t know him. He only knew he lived in the building and spent much time in the courtyard, on the phone, or bent over schoolbooks. Even with the colder weather, he was outside at all hours, and Derek found him watching him, wondering why.

Crossing to stand next to her, he looked out the window and froze when he saw Snowflake spinning in circles in the middle of the courtyard. He’d stop after a couple of spins, look down at the paper, and then up at the windows, frowning. Derek frowned at the look on his face, worry mixed with panic. He started to step back, wondering if he could post an apology in the newspaper.

Snowflake’s eyes locked with Derek’s, and they both froze. “You?” Snowflake’s mouth formed the words, and Derek wondered if he was shouting. He held his hands up to mimic taking a photo. Derek felt his ears burning and wanted to shake his head, but he found himself nodding.

“Stay!” Snowflake said, and Derek imagined he could hear a distant voice and found himself frozen to the spot.

Laura giggled. “I am so going to let him in,” she said, ducking out of Derek’s grab for her shirt and heading toward the hallway.

Derek’s head spun with so many thoughts that it felt like a snowstorm inside his brain. Tremors went through him as he waited to be assaulted by an angry, beautiful man. He heard Laura’s laughter and shouted, “Greetings, Snowflake! He’s over there,” before the door closed, and slow footsteps approached.

“So, you’re Derek?” a voice asked. “Derek Hale, who took a stalker photo of me and entered it into a contest so that my face is plastered all over the paper's front page, and now people are calling me Snowflake?”

Derek sighed, his shoulders drooping. “Yes. Yes. No. And I’m sorry?”

“What?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m Derek Hale,” he said, turning slowly. “Yes, I took a stalker photo of you. No, I didn’t enter it into the contest. My sister, who you just met, did that without my permission. And I’m sorry people are calling you Snowflake.”

Snowflake huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, his lips quirking into a smile. “Well, you should be,” he said. “I hate the name Snowflake. You should call me Stiles instead.”

“Because that’s better?” Derek asked, raising an eyebrow and feeling a smile pull at his lips.

“It’s definitely better than my real name,” Stiles countered. “Are you really stalking me? Should I call my dad and file for a restraining order? Might be tough since we live in the same building.” Stiles looked around and then down at the floor. “I don’t think the floor is five hundred feet thick.”

“You live below me?” The tips of his ears burned as he remembered the sounds that came through the floor some nights. It was part of the reason he spent so much time in the living room looking out the window and discovered Stiles in the first place. “You get sexiled a lot, don’t you?”

“Oh my gawd,” Stiles groaned. “You can hear them, can’t you?” He shook his head. “I thought maybe they’d occasionally got to Allison’s, but no, they always come to our place.” He rubs his hands against the sides of his head. “It wasn’t too bad when the weather was nicer, but it’s getting too cold to study out there now.”

Derek didn’t know where the idea came from, but the words spilled from his mouth before his brain even thought of them. “You could come study here,” he offered.

Stiles’ eyes widened. “Seriously? So you can stalk me close up?” 

“I wasn’t=”

“I’m teasing,” Stiles said. “My dad already ran a background check on you as soon as I gave him your name from the paper. You seem harmless.”

“Your dad sounds terrifying,” Derek said.

“Nah, he’s a big old softie,” Stiles said. “Mostly.” He laughed. “If you’re serious about the study space, that’d be awesome.”

Derek nodded. “Sure. I’m usually home, but I’ll give you my number so you can check.”

Stiles laughed. “Damn, I’m so smooth I’m getting your digits without even asking for them.” He stopped talking. “Not that I…I mean, you probably didn’t…I-”

Derek laughed. “Shut up, Snowflake,” he said, shoving Stiles in the shoulder as he made his way into the kitchen, asking if Stiles wanted some coffee.

Cross-posted to AO3