#seeing stephanie's strength and truly understanding her for the first time

[booasaur]

Gotham Knights - 1x11

[doc-pickles]

hello friends… I have written something.

now written is a strong word, I would more so say I have rambled something. this started out as a headcanon and slowly became a fic. I did not edit it but I assure you that you’ll be able to understand it.

and if you want to read something more solid (and edited and beta read) I posted a new chapter of one single thread of gold on ao3 today!

anyways enjoy this. or don’t. I do not care.

xoxo nina

Jo finds out she’s pregnant right after Alex leaves. She’s torn on telling him but ultimately decides that he deserves a chance to know about their kid and that she wasn’t going to take that from him like Izzie had. So she calls him but Izzie picks up and Jo is a little hesitant to tell her instead of Alex but Izzie is kind and sweet and lets Jo know she’ll tell Alex and to call back later. Jo doesn’t see anything wrong with this and is actually kind of relieved she didn’t have to tell Alex herself. So she calls back that night but her call won’t go through because she’s blocked.

This is the tipping point for Jo. She’s newly divorced from the love of her life, she's a doctor in the middle of a pandemic, and she’s pregnant with her ex-husband's baby who has made it clear he doesn’t want to be a part of their lives. So in true Jo fashion, she runs.

Jo ends up in Colorado with Stephanie who was the first person she thought to call. Stephanie is more than happy to see Jo and help her out. As her pregnancy progresses Jo thinks about Alex and how she should reach out to him and see if he’s changed his mind. Stephanie talks her out of it and reminds her that he had a chance to come and be with them.

Jo gives birth to a beautiful baby girl and while she loves her daughter so much she had a long and hard labor. Stephanie quietly broaches the subject a week later, how Jo had been sobbing and asking for Alex the whole time. Stephanie mentions that she did call him because Jo had begged her to, but that he’d changed his number. As she looks down at her daughter she realizes that she and Violet truly are all on their own.

After her long and horrifying birth experience, Jo decides she wants to go into OB to help expectant mothers not feel the way she did. She juggles being a single mom, doing her residency all over again, and not having a support system (besides Stephanie) with grace and strength. By the time she wraps up her residency, she has a four-year-old, owns a home, and is already on track to be the OB chief when the current one retires.

Violet grows up with her mom by her side and her Auntie Steph just down the street. By the time she turns four the bouncing, crazy, smiling little girl looks identical to Alex. The pain in Jo’s chest has faded now, or maybe it hasn’t and she’s learned to live with the pain. Either way, she’s hardened her heart and refused to let anyone besides Violet and Stephanie in.

Stephanie is the one who convinces Jo to go to the OB conference in Denver. It’s only 45 minutes away and something she knows that Jo has been thinking about doing. She offers to keep Violet for the weekend and Jo finally relents. She packs her bags and kisses her daughter goodbye for the first time in four years.

And then Alex shows up.

Jo doesn’t know why she isn’t shocked to see him when he’s clearly confused as to why she’s there. But she does her best to ignore him as she mingles with other doctors.

She almost tells him.

When she sees his eyebrows furrow the same way Vi’s do or when his crooked grin comes out that she’s so used to seeing on her daughter's tiny form it becomes hard not to say anything to him. She knows that she’s given him far too many chances already but Jo has to hold herself back from running across the crowded conference hall and waving a picture of her daughter in Alex’s face and telling him everything that’s happened in the past four years and how she’s missed him every single day.

“Jo.”

In the end, he overcomes his fears easier than her, his eyes glistening with that same sincerity that he’s always had. Jo meets Alex’s gaze and for a moment it feels like no time has passed and he’s walking into the loft after a long day at work. Her lips part and she stares at him with wide eyes before her brain picks back up.

“Alex. Hi.”

“What are you doing here?”

It’s then that Jo truly realizes how much Alex doesn’t know about her. Like how she’s an OB or that she lives less than an hour away or the fact that delivering babies and helping women is something she’s found her true passion in. She wants to tell him this, wants to share everything with him.

“I’m, uh, an OB.”

“Oh. Oh wow! That’s really-”

“I love it, there’s nothing I’ve loved more in my life.”

And Jo does tell him, she tells him everything about her life. Where she lives, what she’s doing, the joy she’s found in her work.

She might or might not continue telling him this well past when the conference resumes, the two of them somehow drifting to the hotel bar. By the time 3 PM rolls around she’s missed every speaker she had been excited to see and is laughing at a story Alex is telling her about the twins. She wants so badly to tell him about Violet but knows that three jack and cokes deep is not the time.

(It’s also not the time to be making impulsive decisions but she lets that slide.)

By 9 PM Jo is laying across Alex’s chest as they talk about everything and nothing. Still, despite their closeness, she doesn’t tell him everything, not really. She can’t say the same for him though.

“Izzie said you called after the letter came.”

Jo’s breath hitches in her throat. She nods, eyes focused on her hands.

“I did.”

“Whatever she said to you I’m sorry. When I came to Kansas she was in the middle of chemo and was delusional, she thought we were still married. I don’t… There’s a lot of shit that happened when I got there and that’s what I didn’t want to drag you into. So I’m sorry.”

Jo just nods again, eyes welling with tears as she realizes that maybe Alex didn’t know about Violet or that Izzie had manipulated the truth. Whatever the truth was she knew that she couldn’t deal with it today.

Twenty-four hours later Jo is walking through her front door with Alex’s number tucked safely away in her purse as Violet comes running out of the kitchen to greet her. She relishes her daughter's warm welcome and tries to put aside the thought of Alex in her arms again.

Alex and Jo stay in contact after the conference, texting almost every day. She wants to tell him, more than anything now she wants to tell Alex about Violet but she decides she can’t do that over the phone. So she waits, waits for the perfect time to tell him that they have a daughter together and that she really hasn’t been hiding it from him.

And then there’s a drunk driver.

The actual moment happens too quickly for her to realize what’s happened. She’s separated from Violet, the little girls cries breaking Jo’s heart as she’s taken away in an ambulance before Jo is even pulled out of the wreckage. When she’s finally free she surveys the damage to what once was her car and realizes that they’re both just lucky to be alive. The EMTs take her to her work and Stephanie is by her side as soon as her gurney is rolled through the door of the emergency room.

“Jo, what happened?”

“A drunk driver hit us in the middle of an intersection. Where’s Vi?”

“They’re taking her to Colorado Children’s in Aurora. Are you okay?”

“Steph, call Alex.”

“And tell him that-”

“No, call him and have him consult on Violet’s case. I don’t care how minor it is, I need… Please?”

Stephanie nods solemnly before Jo is carted off to an exam room. Now that she knows that Violet will be taken care of the searing pain in her head and the left side of her body are prominent as she closes her eyes and lets her mind rest.

When she wakes up again Jo is alone. Her whole body is in pain as she attempts to turn onto her side. A nurse comes bustling in and helps Jo sit up before she checks her vitals.

“You were out for almost two days but your body really needed it. I was worried we’d lose your little one for a while there but they’re sitting pretty. I can pull out the ultrasound if you’d like.”

Jo blinks up at the woman in confusion, eyes wide as she tries to make sure she’s heard correctly.

“I’m… Wait, sorry. What did you say? I’m not pregnant if that’s what you’re insinuating. I have a four year old and I’m an OB, I would know if I was pregnant.”

The older woman laughs as she grabs the doppler on the bedside, Jo wordlessly rolling her gown up.

“You’re only about eight weeks along, it’s still early on but you’ve got a resilient little one. Hear that?”

Jo’s eyes begin to well with tears as the familiar whooshing of a tiny heartbeat envelopes the room. She hadn’t had the slightest clue about the baby but now that she did Jo felt a wave of love wash over her.

“Oh god.”

The nurse continues to check her over as Jo sits with her thoughts. She worries about Violet who she hasn’t gotten an update on and she worries about this baby who’s just started growing and has already been through a lot and she worries about Alex and whether or not he’s seen Violet. Jo sits with her worry for so long that she barely notices the nurse leaving or the figure that appears in the doorway of her hospital room.

“You’re awake.”

His voice snaps her out of her daze, eyes flitting up to catch Alex’s gaze. His eyes are rimmed red as he leans against the doorway and quietly looks her over.

“Yeah, I just woke up. What are you doing here?”

“Edwards called me and asked me, well really it was begging and pleading, to come and consult on this case. At first, I said no but she finally got me to come out. I figured if she was asking, maybe I’d get to see you.”

Jo swallows as she keeps her gaze on Alex, her heart twisting in her chest.

“So I came out and she gave me the file and I told her what I thought they should do. It was a minor case, I didn’t understand why she wanted me to consult so badly so I asked her. She seemed antsy, like she was hiding something from me, so I asked her if I could go see the patient. She tried to hold me off, but I pushed and finally she relented. And then… And then she showed me this little girl and as soon as I saw her…”

Alex’s voice dies off there, his resolve crumbled as he leans against the door. If she had the strength, Jo would be up and next to him in a flash. Instead, she can only watch helplessly as Alex begins to cry.

“As soon as I saw her I knew. She looked just like Lex when she smiled up at me. And you, god she looks so much like you, Jo.”

“Alex, I’m so sorry.”

Alex shakes his head and wipes at his cheeks. He looks like he’s going to say something but decides against it, instead walking over and sinking into the chair at Jo’s bedside.

“Violet’s okay, by the way. She has a broken ankle and some face lacerations. They’re keeping an eye on her for possible abdominal injuries but so far she looks okay. What about you?”

Jo looks around the hospital room and realizes she has no clue what’s actually wrong with her or what kind of trauma she’s endured. Her leg is stinging and she has a brace on her hand but besides that she’s unsure.

“I don’t really know, I just woke up and they haven’t told me anything.”

Anything except for the fact that I’m pregnant.

Jo decides that this time she’s not going to hide from Alex, that she needs to be upfront with him about what’s happening. She wants things to be different this time.

“Alex I have to tell-“

“Why hello there, perfect timing! I just grabbed those ultrasound photos for you. The doctor said she’ll be down in just a minute to go over your injuries and everything else.”

The nurse places the strip of black and white images in Alex’s hands and walks back out. There’s a stunning silence as Jo stares at Alex who’s staring at the photos in his hold.

“I’m pregnant, I didn’t know until ten minutes ago otherwise I would’ve… I would’ve told you if I knew.”

Jo says the words as if they’ll make a difference as if they’ll change the situation she and Alex have found themselves in once again. She reminds herself that this will be different but she finds the words hard to believe still.

“With my…?”

Jo can only nod as Alex looks up at her. The smallest grin lights up his face as he turns back to the ultrasound in his hands.

“I left Kansas with two kids and now I’ve got four. Holy shit.”

Jo settles back into her bed, eyes drifting shut. After going through so much in the past few days she finds her body is exhausted even from the small interaction with Alex.

“Will you be here when I wake up?”

Alex blinks up at Jo as if surprised by her request. It only takes him half a second to move his chair closer and rest his hand on top of hers.

“I’ll be here, promise.”

When she wakes up again Jo is met with the sounds of quiet giggles that are all too familiar to her. She pries her eyes open and watches silently as Violet colors the paper in front of her, turning around in Alex’s lap every few seconds to laugh at whatever silly face he’s making.

“What are you two doing over there?”

At the sound of her mom’s voice, Violet instantly perks up. She attempts to jump off of Alex’s lap but he catches her right before her feet can hit the floor. It’s then that Jo notices the bright purple cast on Violet’s leg, stopping the little girl from walking over to her. Instead, Alex hoists her up and sets her on the hospital bed next to Jo.

“Mama I missed you! I got to play games with daddy and Auntie Steph!”

Jo meets Alex’s eyes over Violet’s head as she curls into her side. Alex shrugs, but the smirk painted on his face says that he’s proud of the name Violet has already given him.

“As soon as she saw me she called me daddy, I didn’t say anything to her.”

“There’s a picture of you in her baby book. And one on her nightstand too.”

Jo catches the shocked look on Alex’s face before she’s caught up in the million questions that Violet has for her.

The doctor comes in shortly after, letting Jo know that the only thing she’s concerned about is her sprained wrist. Everything else is superficial, cuts and bruises and burns that will heal in time. She stresses the fact that Jo is lucky to be alive and that she didn’t lose the baby.

“When they brought you in you were bleeding pretty badly. We ran your blood and realized your hCG was elevated and assumed you were losing the baby, but as soon as we pulled up the ultrasound we saw a strong and healthy heartbeat. You had a Subchorionic hematoma which might or might not have been caused by the accident but you should take it easy for a few weeks just to make sure you and baby are safe. You’ve already got quite the resilient little one there.”

Jo’s hand falls to her stomach, eyes welling with tears as she listens to the doctor. She knows it’s not a mistake, that this baby was conceived and that they’d survived something they shouldn’t have. Her eyes move to Alex who’s made no attempt to hide the tears streaking his cheeks.

“I’m writing up your discharge papers and you should be out of here soon.”

The doctor leaves and Jo realizes with a start that she has no idea what she’s going to do when she gets home. She barely has enough strength to support herself let alone a toddler who has a casted leg. She can call Stephanie but she can’t come and stay with them 24/7.

“I don’t want to overstep but I took some time off work, I figured you might need a hand with Violet. I hope that’s okay.”

As if reading her thoughts Alex gives her a solution to her problem and her heart skips a beat as she realizes how in sync they still are. Her relationship with Alex comes as easily as ever, as if no time has passed between them.

“Thank you, I really appreciate that.”

Jo is discharged an hour later and Violet laughs the whole way down to the parking lot as Alex carries her on his shoulders. It’s not until Violet is buckled into her carseat in the backseat of Alex’s rental car that the feeling of fear and anxiety grips Jo. She stops just short of the car as images she didn’t even know were still lingering in the back of her mind flash vividly before her.

“Hey, it’s okay.”

She doesn’t realize she’s crying and shaking until Alex’s hand is on her shoulder. Her shoulders shake as she takes a deep breath and curls into his chest. Alex stands there with Jo for a while, rubbing her back and letting her calm herself enough to finally climb into the passenger seat.

“I’ll drive slow I promise, you just focus on Violet.”

Jo doesn’t even question how Alex knows where they live, instead giving all her attention to the four-year-old who’s insisted on singing Let It Go as loud as she can. When they pull into her driveway fifteen minutes later it’s as if no time has passed. Jo breathes a sigh of relief as she sets her feet on the pavement.

“Your house is much cleaner than I would’ve expected from you.”

Jo rolls her eyes as she unlocks the front door. The townhouse she’d purchased shortly after Violet was born had been something she was very proud of. As a single mom who had just become an intern again, Jo tried her hardest to keep her house as tidy as possible, something that she wasn’t used to doing. But now cleaning while Violet napped or after she went to bed was second nature to her.

“Trust me, it was not an easy routine to get into. Especially with a colicky infant who didn’t want a bottle and starting over as an intern. But we made it work.”

Jo sets her things down in the kitchen, not noticing Alex has paused in the doorway until she looks back to find him sadly looking around the room. Violet is half-asleep in his arms so she quietly points out her bedroom down the hall. Alex disappears and for a moment Jo lets her mind take in everything that’s happened as of late.

Alex is here. He finally knows about Violet. Violet clearly is already smitten with her father. Jo is pregnant. Jo is pregnant by her ex-husband. Jo is pregnant by her ex-husband again. Alex is here.

It happens so quickly, the overwhelming feeling of nausea that has her bent over the sink before she can process what’s happening. She hasn’t been able to stomach much, water and bile reappearing in the sink before her. Her grip on the sink is iron clad but her knees don’t hold the same strength, faltering as she attempts to hold herself up.

A pair of arms is around her in a second and she can’t help the flood of relief through her body as Alex holds her. Because despite their past, their challenges, their differences aside he’s here.

Alex is here. With her and their daughter and their new little one. He’s here and she gets the feeling he’s not leaving anytime soon.

[bat-lings]

Thoughts on StephCass?

(((one of those asks that are sooo old I’m lowkey ashamed lol. Still don’t have quite as much free time as I had when I started this blog, so I just cleaned up this ancient draft and called it a day. It feels kind of incomplete still but it’s the best I can do for now, my bad! Hope the answer’s decent enough!)))

One of those awesome ships I have 0 reason for not shipping other than personal taste tbh? I prefer to read them as best friends/sisters. But everything I have to say about them can be read with romantic lenses too so there! Their dynamic is the most precious things that’s for sure.

Cass’ character arc was in great part about learning to have an identity  outside of Batgirl. To live a life that was more than training in a cave by day and beating baddies by night. But also to prove to herself that she could be more than what her background made of her.

Steph, ever insecure, ever dismissed by the batfam, had to learn to trust in her own abilities. She wanted to prove to others and herself that she was cut for vigilantism, and that she was more than the Cluemaster’s daughter.

With that start-configuration, Cass immediately becomes an object of admiration for Steph.

[Robin (1993) #88]

She’s introduced to Steph as that perfect fighter, that unattainable goal, with a bat on her chest and a solid place in the fam. She’s everything Steph wants to be.

[Batgirl (2000) #26]

It’s adorable and highly telling that Steph imagines Cass’ presence to cheer her up, but the part that caught my attention is this: “You’ve got these insane abilities and […] you barely even look at me, much less talk…”

Steph craved contact with Cass from the start. She’s the main initiator in their dynamic since at this point Cassandra hardly cares about making friends or getting to know people outside of their masks— she was 100% okay with Bruce being just Batman for a good while and didn’t care to wonder who he was beyond that.

Cass is still that admirable but mysterious and distant figure that Steph craves to approach.

Yet that distance falls away and Steph gets to see grasps of the girl behind the mask. In Batgirl #16, Cass seeks Stephanie’s help because one of her investigation requires to read a clue. Which Cass can’t, her amazing fighting skills were obtained through abuse and great gaps in what’s normal knowledge for most people. It’s a glance into the not-so-glam reality behind the badass figure. Step by step, Steph is getting closer to the human being behind the mask.

And then there’s this:

[Batgirl (2000) #21]

I think that’s the moment Steph truly saw Cassandra, saw her beyond the ultimate fighter and icon. The distance broke, the image of the perfect warrior lets something else peek through— Cass is that young girl that shatters at the idea that she could’ve taken a life; she’s vulnerable and in need of reassurance.

Quickly enough, Cass saw Stephanie in turn.

[Batgirl (2000) #28]

I love that page. I love it so much. In just a few panels, Cass understands what took years (and the Batgirl mantle) for other batfam members to understand about Steph. How her determination and force of will can never be tamed. How that’s to be respected and admired too. How much sincerity she puts in whatever she’s doing.

In a way, each girl envies the other for what she feels she’s lacking. Steph envies Cass for her skills and place in the batclan. Cass envies Steph for having the normal(ish) life she doesn’t dare dream of.

[Batgirl (2000) #38]

That scene holds a lot of weight considering Cass’ tenuous story with physical & romantic attraction. It can be othering to feel like the only one ill-at-ease with something that seems to come so naturally for other people.

Yet they have so much in common too. They get each other in a way few other people can.

[Batgirl (2000) #28, #38 & #53]

Highlights: “When’s it going to stop, Cass? What’s it gonna take to get people like the Penguin out of our lives? our of her life?” But also: “Not bad for the daughter of an old failed bank-robber, eh?” Man can Cass sympathize with that. More than both having grown with abusive fathers, the girls are both about building a better destiny for themselves than the one that’s expected for them. Beating their backgrounds to become heroes, giving others, especially other kids, what they didn’t get to have in their childhood. For all their differences, Steph’s and Cass’ cores align.

But it’s more than that. They complement and inspire each other. They have a lot to teach, and a lot to bring to each other.

[Batgirl (2000) #27]

Babs tried time and time again to get Cass to let go and live outside of vigilantism. But Steph is the first one who actually succeeded. Her emotional competency is to be saluted (it’s what allowed her to breach through Damian’s walls too).

Steph brought Cass something that she didn’t even know she desperately needed. In a typically Steph fashion she carved her place in Cass’ heart without even realizing. For all that Steph was the initial motor to her relationship with Cass, her absence inevitably creates a void.

[Batgirl (2000) #28]

[Batgirl (2000) #58 & #67]

Much like Cass’ image was the one Steph summoned to give herself courage, Steph is always at a corner of Cass’ mind.

Cass found a friend at the moment where she desperately needed it, and Steph found someone who gets what is her greatest strength and respects her for it. They share a common will to emancipate from their circumstances and to prove themselves. Both their differences and similarities bring them together, and they made the best of it. I think they bring the best out of each other, they put each other up. It’s hands down one of my favorite dynamic in the batfam.

[grizzlee30]

Hey y’all. The following is from a writing prompt I did a little while ago. Posting it here for posterity. If you’d like, let me know what you think!

TRANSMISSION: OPERATION ALEXANDIRA IS UNDERWAY.

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

Being a Cataloger is no easy task, though it is an honor. Many beings from across the galaxy wish they could have the honor of knowing everything there is to know about their homeworld. Being a Cataloger means that no secret is too great, no business that isn’t theirs. They have absolute freedom and authority to investigate and record all that happens on their planet, and no government or organization is allowed to keep anything from them. Their motto was: “Posterity is the most important tool of hindsight.”

Antherumberbane, a Froxin of a more variant lineage, found the task to be perpetually exciting. The Froxins had forgone government and borders some millennia ago. The fallout of a war that nearly glassed their planet brought about the kind of perspective about self-control that one might get when you feel your balance tip just a little too far off a steep cliff. The consequential guilt that had formed in their collective consciousness brought them to a silent and official result: Anything they did, they would do for the greater good of the planet and their species. The discovery of their planet by the Collective Alliance of Planetwide Sentiance (Or CAPS for those who needed to save a minute) also helped to shift that global perspective, as that day, the world grew to an unimaginable size. Keeping home tidy seemed like a logical priority. This led to a renaissance of sorts, as every Froxin dedicated their life to the pursuit of science and the arts. Weapons and the arms race became a fleeting memory and the planet of Flotilla became a beautiful eutopia.

Antherumberbane was no different from the other Froxins. They too believed in the pursuit of a better world, which is why he agreed to the lonely job of Cataloger for CAPS. Antherumberbane did not take the decision lightly, as being a Cataloger was a lifelong commitment, not one easily broken. They had a nice life on Flotilla, for a while. They had a lovely partner that they love more than anything. But even in a world as advanced and as generous as Flotilla, sickness still existed, and tragedy was not unheard of. After their death, Antherumberbane decided to leave his post as a scribe for the scientific community and took the offer to become isolated, for that‘s what Catalogers were.

The purpose of Catalogers was not to gain intelligence to spread to other worlds. In fact, Catalogers were to take a vow of silence with anyone except other Catalogers. This was to prevent any secrets from other planets from being divulged to their home planets. Instead, Catalogers were tasked with creating a sort of galactical time capsule. Should CAPS ever fall or its members go to war, an indestructible data hold on a remote comet flying unpredictably through the stars, known to the Catalogers as “The Remnant” would be the only remains of the alliance. The records inside of it would be sealed whilst the citadel of CAPS remained to function, unsealing only in the event that the alliance had truly fallen.

Antherumberbane had questioned the method of storage privately many times in-between their duties. They understood the sentiment behind it: Create a record of every success and failure of the most advanced systems in our time so future alliances could learn from them. They were comfortable enough with the functioning of the citadel being the key to the files being sealed. It was the most defended structure in the galaxy, and no one planet could take it without serious consequences. It was even unlikely that a group of planets would have the resources to take the vessel, as it acted as its own sovereign territory governed by multiple representatives of each planet. It had its own artillery, military, software, and hardware defenses. It even had its own armada, made up of 20% of each of its member’s fighting force. It was certainly possible for the citadel to fall, Antherumberbane did not kid themselves, but it was a slim chance that anyone would ever want to. Even the warrior race of the Chibathons, who valued strength above all else to rule, saw the importance of a strong alliance within the galaxy and were able to rationalize that true strength came from such agreements.

No, what Antherumberbane took most unnerving was the location of the data. A comet kept the vault moving, surely. But it was unpredictable in its movements. There was no way to be certain it would not crash into some random asteroid and break apart, or for it come into contact with other debris or even another comet! And the Remnant itself was supposedly indestructible, sure, but Antherumberbane was pretty certain no one ever tried throwing it into a sun. Tens of Thousands of years of data could be lost in an instant, all because someone trusted the path of a frozen chunk of rock hurtling through space. The idea made Antherumberbane feel queasy like he stood up too fast from meditation. Still, he had been assured by the powers that be that, while the schematics for the vessel were vague to prevent tampering, it was unlikely that anything short of complete atomization could all out destroy the Remnant.

An alarm beeped on a device strapped around their third appendage, and Antherumberbane gave it a tap with his fourth to answer it. A message played, at first quietly in a language they could not possibly understand, followed by an automated translation in the same tired inflection and tone as the one speaking it. The recorded message played directly into their auditory bone.

“This is Stephanie Martins of Earth. I am calling an emergency assembly of the Catalogers. Please be in attendance at Primary stardate 17-85-1800.”

Hi Reddit! Rest is here:

Antherumberbane listened to the message again. Human emotion had always eluded them. Humans had the benefit of experiencing emotion brought about by chemicals in the brain, thus allowing for the evolutionary advantage of their emotions affecting the state of their body, turning anger and desperation into uncharacteristically amazing feats of strength, speed, and creativity. Many theorized this was how they became the apex predator of their planet without showing any outward traits of a common one. They had not so much fought their way to the top, but survived and out-maneuvered it. Still, there was what Froxins would describe as… sadness? No, more like exhaustion. Stephaniemartins- No, Stephanie Martins, humans had separate names instead of combing them. They could never remember naming customs of all the different planets, a weakness on their part. They had always instead defaulted to stating each members’ full name and title to be safe. Stephanie Martins had always had an air of defeat each time she discussed her home planet. Antherumberbane could understand why. They were still a primitive species when CAPS found them. They reminded them of the Froxins before the Atom Wars, petty and prideful, yet capable of change and great things. There was much to be desired of Earth, though he doubted Stephanie Martins would see it in her time. Give it a century or two, Antherumberbane thought, surely they will come around once they are comfortable with their new galactic neighbors.

Antherumberbane boarded Their private starship and activated the slip drive. They set their destination for the citadel and watched as the stars and planets warped into unfamiliar shapes and sizes. As the slip drive bend the space around it to appear next to the citadel, Anterumberbane gave pause to the message they had received. An emergency assembly was not uncommon, at least they had experienced a few. While it is true that Catalogers mainly work for posterity and they were not allowed to share information with their home plants, it did not mean that the information collected was never used. Catalogers were sometimes tasked with solving galactic issues that no combination of planets could solve. By pooling knowledge, classified and not from each planet, they could privately come up with a solution without involving politics or risking cross-contamination of government secrets. They would present the solution but not how they got there, and it was a very efficient system. Plagues were stamped out in a matter of months, treaties were drafted, and even advances in technology were spawned from these meetings. What trouble Antherumberbane is what problem Earth could have that would warrant an emergency meeting. Earth was a part of CAPS, but they still very much kept to themselves, determined to solve their own problems with no outside help, much like the impulsive adolescents they had on Flotilla. Yes, young and unabashed pride seemed to be a universal trait in sentient beings.

On the other hand, the fact that Earth’s Cataloger had called for an emergency meeting could show a sign of good faith. The humans were finally making use of the shared resources that CAPS had to offer, the first step into trusting the other planets of the alliance. This excited Antherumberbane and they became suddenly determined to put forth their best efforts to prove to Earth that they were there to help.

Slipping out of the Stream, Antherumberbane docked at their private port for Catalogers. They gathered their materials from their office on the ship and made their way to the meeting area. Along the way he met with another Cataloger, Grzx, and they walked in tandem to the meeting room. More accurately, Anterhumberbane strode on his tentacles whilst Grzx propelled himself forward with his fins using a backpack-like device that his people created to simulate swimming on air. The Yoliths were strictly an aquatic species, sporting no legs and many fins on their torso area. Though they had developed a pair of small limbs for manipulation, Antehrumber could not help but think that Yoliths had done the most effort in acclimating to an alliance filled with mostly land-based beings. Though he did appreciate their naming customs. One name, pure and simple.

“Morning keep you,” Grzx said, a traditional Froxin greeting. Antherumberbane always appreciated the small efforts Grzx would make to appeal to other species. They returned the favor.

“Good currents to you as well my friend.” Antherumberbane tilted their long neck down in appreciation and respect. “Do you have any inkling as to what Earth may be calling on us for?”

“Only that it is about time that they ask for it.” Grzx’s translator made his speech sound garbled as if he was actually speaking from underwater. “My home planet was becoming anxious in the face of Earth’s reluctance for collaboration”

“Many Froxins agree with that sentiment, though personally, I feel their reluctance is not unwarranted. Not two human lifetimes has passed since they made first contact. They are allowed some caution.”

“Regardless, their isolation bodes dark tidings. I understand their reluctance to put forward their own cooperation, but refusing it from the rest of the galaxy? That doesn’t seem natural.”

Anterhumberbane gave a slight pause before saying, “Collaboration is not something that can be easily undone. Once you invite another’s culture into yours, it is very hard to separate the two.”

“They have already chosen to enter the alliance. We did not force their hand in this matter.”

“Perhaps not, but we forget what it was like being the only sentient beings known to our homes. The prospect of such a discovery could shake the foundation of any culture.”

“True, it still perplexes me though.”

“It has also been a long time since CAPS has discovered a new sentient species. Many thought we had dried out our galaxy of such phenomena. The remote Sol System had been out of the way for many travelers, and it was a miracle they were discovered before they made it out of their own solar system. But these things take time, my friend. How long till the Yoliths came out from their watery abode.”

Grzx gave thought to that, then added pensively, “We had three generations of rulers before we officially gave our efforts to the cause. It took two more to agree to one of our own being a Cataloger.”

Antherumberbane gave a please expression. “And the humans have offered their own Cataloger in just one generation. Give them time, Grzx.”

Grzx gave a small grunt, conceding the argument. “ I supposed it does not matter now. Earth has asked for our help. Perhaps the solution we can provide today will finally allow them to come out of hiding.”

Antherumberbane gave a small girdle of approval. They headed to a large room with a large black reflective floor. In the center was a gold round table, hollow in the center making it look like a large crescent moon. In the center of the table was a small circular podium, where holograms could be displayed showing diagrams, maps, and other visual aids to assist during such meetings. It also acted as a place for Catologars to make speeches or present arguments, allowing them to turn 360 degrees to address all of those present equally. A large dome topped the room fitted with one-way glass that allowed them to see the stars dotting the expansive space that lay beyond. Many were told this room was designed so that Catalogers could always look out and remind themselves why they do this. Antherumberbane loved that idea the most out of his fellow Catalogers. It made them feel a mixture of inspired and nostalgic.

The other members had already arrived, making a total of 28 representatives of different species, humans making the 29th. Stephanie Martins had not arrived yet, her chair noticeably empty. Not surprising, however, as humans still preferred to travel at light speeds rather than using the more expedient slip drives. After giving proper greetings and asking around, it was speculated that the human should arrive any minute, as light speed was still an impressive speed and would not cause much of a delay from Earth.

Antherumberbane was speaking with Asarith, part of the small psionic Britewave species, when the doors slid open and Asarith gestured with one of its many waving policies, saying, “She is here.”

Humans were not an unusual species if unusual still existed amongst the diverse species of CAPS. While their skins could be many different tones, Stephanie Myer’s was pale, dotted with some specks of darker tones known as “freckles.” Her hair was a bright red, and her optical nerves gave a soft hue of… what was that color again?.... Ah, “hazel.” Antehrumberbane wondered why humans had a color that was only used in reference to their optical nerves, but every culture has its quirks. Everyone politely sat down, unsure as to whether to give a cheerful greeting or a more concerned one, given their unfamiliarity with human culture and the reason for this meeting. Stephanie Martins gave restrained nods of greeting as she took her place at the podium.

Antehrumberbane took his seat next to the reptilian Hamargin name KethelIkori. Harargins and Froxins shared the similar feature of having their names combined instead of separate ones or titles. He leaned over to Antherumberbane and whispered “The human seems to be in unusually low spirits.”

Antehrumberbane worried about Kethelkori’s use of the term “human” instead of her given name. That attitude did not bode well for the positive and helpful attitude that both they and Grzx had discussed earlier, but he did not take offense to his analysis of Stephanie Martins. She looked drained of all emotion. She had a great deal of moisture on her brow and was seemingly shaking. Atherumberbane tried to remember what shaking meant in human body language. They knew that could easily mean she was cold, though the EVO suit that the human was wearing should provide their preferred environmental temperature. It also could mean anger, as they remembered some of the human literature they had tried to consume in order to understand them better. The phrase “shaking with anger” had been a common one throughout. Perhaps the emergency was cause for such outrage? Though her brow was not pointing down, as is a common trait of angry humans. No, this wasn’t anger. Perhaps…

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I have a message from my homeworld that I have been instructed to read to you now.” Stephanie Martins said.

The translator mimicked her tone and emotion. Antehrumberbane put it together now. It was not sadness they had heard on the recorded message and it was not anger or cold that caused Stephanie Martins to shake so. Her voice quavered in a way that was not unfamiliar to them. It was the same inflection they had when their partner was diagnosed and the severity of the disease was revealed to them.

It was fear. Fear that was about to give way to despair.

Patreons above, this must be worse than they thought. Antherumberbane showed their full attention, as did many other who came to the same conclusion. Each was prepared to listen intently, offering any information they could provide.

Stephanie Martins took a long pause, acknowledging the shift in the room. She breathed deeply before saying, “First I want to thank you all for your help and companionship. You have become some of my closest friends and I just wanted to say that-” she trailed off, and Antherumberbane heard something unusual. For a split second, he thought he heard a high pitch tone that faded just as Stephanie Martins finished talking. He looked around. Others who had similar auditory processing showed their concerns. Antherumberbane was about to speak, but Stephanie Martins began talking again, this time with more determination to prop up the fear.

“This meeting has been called for those present to witness this declaration. For too long, Earth has felt the cold oppressive heal of CAPS and the pressure to become one with its members. For too long, Earth has been expected to give up its valuable resources to an organization whose values are heavily skewed. You talk of peace and posterity, yet you neglect the now. You talk of those who come after us and pay no mind to those who are here now. Your alliance is built on the flimsy foundation that all species should agree with you and do whatever you say. No more.”

The room was stunned silent. Many species showed anger and confusion on their faces and scoffs. Others showed concern. Antherumberbane did not know what to think. What could be gained by such insults? The CAPS has not asked for nearly as much as this speech would suggest. And oppressive? This does not make.

“As for the Catalogers, you find yourselves in a position above us. You observe all the galaxy’s secrets yet do not share them. You only use that knowledge when one of your own deems it necessary. You stay in your Ivory towers, deeming where and when you can use this power. No more.”

This broke most of the Cataloger’s calm and composed demeanor. There was a terrible uproar from those who firmly believed in the Cataloger’s purpose. Grzx was one of the most vocal, stating his discontent loudly. Antherumberbane still didn’t understand. Was this some ill attempt at humor by the humans. Stephanie Martins had moisture in her eyes now, a biological response to stress known as “crying,” Antherumberbane recognized.

Stephanie Martins continued, trembling even more. “But now we know your secrets.”

The room fell silent.

“We now know where you hide that knowledge. We will find it and we will spread it. All will be revealed for the galaxy to see. No more secrets. No more false promises. No more.”

Before anyone had a chance to react. Stephanie Martins looked up and yelled as loud and as fast as she could “THEY ARE ATTACKING THE CITADEL THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND THE RE-”

Just as soon as she had yelled, Antherumberbane heard the high pitch tone again. And as it grew to its highest note, Stephanie Myer’s head exploded, showering the gallery in viscera and broken glass from her EVO suit. Many cried out in shock. Antherumberbane shot upwards, now full-on all of his tentacles. What could this mean? Did the humans really mean to…

There was a loud scream as one of the Catalogers, a Canine-like Urgunnian, yelled and pointed at the dome. Antherumberbane looked only for a moment and realizing what he had seen, he turned on his communicator, broadcasting to all channels. Before the dome was breached by incoming fire from the unmistakable human armada, and before everyone in the meeting room was sucked out into the terrible vacuum of space, Antherumberbane broke his vow of silence and spoke a final message.

“Earth has declared war. The Remnant is not safe.”

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

TRANSMISSION: OPERATION ALEXANDRIA. PHASE 1 IS A SUCCESS. PHASE 2 IS UNDERWAY.

[crowbarstodd]

I Wouldn’t Hate A Romance With You (oneshot)

Thank you to the 130+ people who’ve followed me these last three or so weeks. And for all the appreciation so many of you have shown my pieces, especially Course Of Nature. This isn’t the most fluffy of fluffs, but I enjoyed writing it and it’s in Damian’s POV mostly!

Work Summary: Sometimes all you need to do is turn into a baby for all the unshared feelings to come out Word Count: 3,808 Rating: G Pairing: DAMINETTE

She hadn’t let go of his shirt since he picked her up half an hour, and at this point, he’s convinced she’ll keep it in her clutches until it eventually melts into her flesh and becomes one with her. Still, he’d gladly let her keep it as long is it kept her from crying. Again.

It was his fault, and Damian knew it, but he certainly wasn’t looking forward to explaining it all to Grayson. He considered keeping it--her a secret, but when she started teething on his sleeves, drooling freely all over his designer jacket, he knew he needed help. If he were honest he was desperate enough to accept assistance from anyone. Except Drake. (Todd wasn’t exactly an exciting candidate either, but Damian knew well enough that he was lacking in options.

Damian was lucky (or unlucky?) enough that the first bat he encountered was not one of his brothers. 

Brown jumped back as soon as she saw the toddler in his arms, staring at him with wide eyes, mouth agape. “What is that?”

Damian cleared his throat. She was hardly the worst person to encounter, but asking for her help… Every moment he’d called her ‘Fatgirl’ in the past seemed to jeer at his current self. All the hot wind he’d blown so cooly about being superior to her (which, he really was), and all the criticisms he’d hashed out. His pride was about to suffer. “It’s Ladybug.”

Silence followed his admission, heavy and awkward and made him feel like he was breathing in hot fog. 

Her brows furrowed, and he could see the gears shifting in her head. “Ladybug, as in the teen hero Ladybug? The one who’s definitely not…” She paused to examine the child carefully, pinching its cheeks with a small coo. Marinette didn’t seem to like it, blubbering hotly in response. “The one who’s not two, or-- or three? The one who’s--”

“I don’t need you to tell me who Ladybug is, Brown (“no names on the field!), I know exactly who she is. She was hit by some sort of de-aging ray. We apprehended the villain, but I’ve yet to locate a cure.”

“How long have you been looking?”

“Approximately thirty minutes.”

Brown smirked, tugging on the ends of her purple Batgirl cape, clearly delighted by his misfortune. “Half an hour? And you haven’t phoned a friend for help? Daddy bats isn’t gonna be happy, huh?”

Damian wrinkled his nose, readjusting his grip on Marinette as she mumbled by his ear. “For your information, Father is in Brazil.”

“I was talking about Nightwing, Robin.”

Damian humphed. 

Marinette began to wriggle in his grasp, pushing against his arms in an attempt to be set down. His grip on her tightened. There was no way he’d be letting a toddler out on Gotham’s roofs, especially not Marinette.

His struggle seemed to elicit some pity from the blonde Batgirl, as she pat his arm warmly. “Take her to my apartment, Rob, I’ll get Cass (“no names on the field.”) and we’ll look for a cure or something. If you’re lucky Signal or Bluebird might swing over and you can beg them to give you a hand.”

“We were at an alley in Grand Avenue. Across Dell’s Diner,” he told her. She repeated it under her breath, eyes focused as she tried to remember the place. When her blue eyes lit up, he knew he could trust her. He’d have to anyway. There was no way he could keep following empty trails with Marinette squirming in his hold.

Damian nodded his head in thanks, but it didn’t seem to be enough for Stephanie who swiped at his nose with her pointer finger. “What’s the magic words, Robin?”

He looked away from her, eyes sweeping across the dark clouds that kissed the rooftops of Gotham. “Thank you.”

She pat his head, an action he normally would have thrown a fit over, and leaped off the building, grappling across the city. 

Damian turned down to look at Marinette who’s large, round eyes were focused on his face. “Tami!” She squealed.

 He rolled his eyes at her, though his look was considerably softened by the pure joy in her face. “Say it with a ‘D,’ Marinette. Dami-an.” He cursed himself internally at having almost forgotten the second half of his own name because of the baby in his arms. He wasn’t going to start giving himself nicknames just because she couldn’t speak well currently.

His mother raised him to improve himself, hardly ever making an easy route for him. He grew up strong. He would do the same with Marinette for however long she was young. (Not because he wanted her to grow up strong too, he insisted to the voice in his head that said so. It was because he couldn’t handle weakness. Nothing more to it.)

“Tami!”

He huffed out a breath and swung to Brown’s apartment.

It was cleaner than he expected, barer too, but Brown’s bed had enough pillows to make it a safe place for him to put down Marinette. His left arm was a little sore from having to bear her weight for such a long time, but he didn’t have the energy to massage it, slumping down beside the crawling toddler. 

Young Marinette seemed to love food as much as her older self, but wasn’t quite yet able to discern what was and wasn’t edible. As soon as he’d placed her down she’d grabbed a pillow and promptly shoved it in her mouth, chewing at it lightly. 

“Take that out of your mouth at once!” He ordered, glaring at the child who did nothing to heed his words, simply blinking her bluebell eyes at him innocently. “Take it out!”

When she failed to move, he yanked it from her, setting it back down at the edge of the bed. Satisfied, he moved to sit back down only to notice her watering eyes and trembling lips. She was about to cry again.

“Please stop.”

“Waaahhhh!”

Damian groaned, walking past the toddler and to the fridge. Surely Brown had something kid-safe enough to feed the little cretin. Maybe if she had something in her mouth she’d be quiet. 

Brown’s fridge was full of packaged easy-make food and a sad bunch of bananas that he suspected a friend (surely not Drake as he lived on coffee alone) bought for her.

He took the bananas out, silently wondering why she refrigerated them (had Brown never seen Bananas before? Didn’t she know they were fine in the pantry or on the table? Had Pennyworth not bothered to teach her?), borrowing a spoon from a kitchen drawer, mashing the fruit dutifully. 

Marinette stopped crying as soon as she saw the spoon and bowl, eyes stuck on it, as if hypnotised. She opened her mouth before he even asked, letting him feed her without complaint. “Sorry,” he said, wiping the sides of her mouth, “you must have been hungry. Still, that pillow is for resting, not food. Understand?”

Marinette nodded her head well and truly ashamed, and Damian returned to feeding her. Young Marinette was a lot more reserved than her older self. While Ladybug’s company was sometimes appreciated, more often than not their argumentative natures would spark feuds that lasted for weeks. This young Marinette, with chubby cheeks and a tiny mouth intent only on eating, would probably not be fighting with him every other day or so. 

“It’s not very heroic of me to ask this, but you wouldn’t mind staying this way for a while longer would you? Your older self gives me headaches.”

“Ouch. Heataches hurt.” 

“Are ‘D’s’ that hard to say?”

“T?”

Damian snorted, swirling the silver spoon around the bland, yellow mash. “Sure, T.”

She ate the rest of the meal in relative silence, and by the time she was finished, Damian was starting to feel a little too comfortable talking to a toddler.

“We were really good friends once, you know?”

Interested, young Marinette crawled forward, placing her hands on his folded knees. “Who?”

“Your older self,” he said, not clarifying when she looked at him with bewilderment. “We were pretty good friends. I thought telling her I was Robin would let us be closer, I’d know she was Ladybug for a while by then. I suppose saving lives is divisive work because it drove us apart in the end. Too many disagreements.” 

Young Marinette raised her brows, sucking on the banana remnants on the spoon. “You look sat?”

Damian breathed in heavily, forcing a small smile on his face, forgetting any ideas about harshness and strength. This child would grow to be someone important to him. His mother helped him to grow up strong, but for the time he had Marinette as a child, he would help her grow up loved. “I think I miss her.”

Young Marinette yawned, effectively shattering the strange melancholy mood that had settled. Children were lucky that they couldn’t read the room yet. Ignorance was bliss, he supposed. “I guess I must be boring enough to put you to sleep,” he commented, nudging her to the center of the bed as she surrendered to the comfort of a full stomach and a lulling voice. Her older self was certainly the type to hurt herself rolling out of bed, and he’d hate for young Marinette to fall off and hurt herself.

“Take all the sleep you need,” he told her, and she seemed keen on listening to him for once. “Your older self barely sleeps these days, I think she’s competing with Drake on who can stay awake the longest. Sometimes I wish I could force her to go to bed.”

“An unstructured sleep-schedule isn’t conducive to her night job,” he added as if he needed to convince himself that his concern wasn’t completely selfless. Because it wasn’t. Ladybug was known to work with Robin, and really it’d reflect badly on him if she were to fall asleep on duty or something equally ridiculous. 

He brushed the short strands of navy hair away from the toddler’s face, capturing the moment in his mind. He had no excuse for that one. 

He didn’t like her, truly. She was argumentative and reckless, almost irrational at times with the most bizarre leaps in logic that made the most convoluted of plans (how they worked, he had no clue. It must have been a miracle of sorts.) And she was always angry, and passionate, and kind. 

There was a part of him that disliked her. Resentment that grew from disbelief and fear at how easy she made it for him to trust her. To appreciate her judgment and her presence. To feel guilty each time they argued. 

Damian wasn’t exactly sure what kind of person he was, but he would never call himself kind. Not when a word like that far better described the likes of Grayson, or Cain, or Thomas. 

Without his notice, his legs had unfurled, and his position had switched from sitting to lying beside the sleeping child.  

He let his eyes flutter shut.

His first thought when he woke up the next morning was that someone had forgotten to close the blinds. Light streamed through the curtains, illuminating his closed lids a faint orange-toned gray as the early morning sun rose. His arm around Marinette hadn’t moved at all last night, so he was sure she hadn’t slipped off Brown’s bed, only he noticed that the expanse of his palm no longer covered most of her back.

His eyes snapped open the same time as hers, and the two jumped away from each other, alarmed and just a little confused. Marinette had reverted back sometime during the night, and without his notice either. She didn’t look too surprised to be in Brown’s apartment, so she must spend an awful lot of time there.

That, or she remembered her time as a child. Based on the way her eyes scanned the room, stopping at the banana bowl, he guessed the latter was correct. 

“Well this is awkward,” she said, scratching the back of her head. Her arms seemed to stumble for something to do, finally resting on the bed-sheets and blanket. She was folding it rather meticulously he noticed. She must be pretty stressed.

“Do you remember anything?” He asked, a mix of curious and concerned.

She let out a stilted laugh that was breathy in quality. “Uh yeah actually. I um. Iremembereverything!”

As if saying it quickly would stop him from understanding. Damian had long since grown fluent in Marinette speak, and any stuttering or mumbling or weirdly voiced exclamations she let out, he was sure he would understand. 

That didn’t bode so well for him. 

Nerves hit him fast and hard like a speeding train had rammed straight in his chest. “Oh?” His stomach numbed and hurt at once, and he wondered if it was an appropriate time to stop the conversation to vomit. 

“Yeah, um. I didn’t get what you were saying at the time, but I do remember it. I guess I get it now.”

As it always did for him, panic turned into shame that boiled into a hot fury, and he had to hold his breath to stop himself from erupting like a volcano. “Whatever you’re remembering is probably wrong. I hardly doubt your brain is capable of forming a coherent thought as an adolescent anyway, let alone an infant.”

“I miss you too Damian.”

The magma of his wounded pride dissipated into steam. He didn’t have the confidence to say anything in response, or look her in the eye, so he simply folded his arms and looked to the side with a huff. 

He had heard her walk closer, but he hadn’t expected her to place a hand on his chin, forcing him to look straight at her. “I said I miss you too Damian.”

Her thin arms wound their way around him, and he melted a little at her touch. “Are you going to hug me back?” Her voice was muffled by his crumpled, drool-stained jacket, but he understood her well enough. Gladly, he complied, holding her in a welcome embrace.

It didn’t last long, he wasn’t the most comfortable with touch and she knew it.

“You don’t really act like you miss me.” He was being childish and he knew it, but he wanted to know why. Why she acted like she was always mad at him, and why they never talked anymore unless they were fighting. 

She laughed, surprising him. “I miss you. I guess I just get frustrated with you because I have all these expectations. In a way I guess I was mad at myself.”

He turned his head slightly to look at her. Examining the twitches of her lips and the small dimple that formed on her left cheek each time she grinned. “Mad at you for being so bad at taking care of yourself (he grunted at that one, hardly believing that little miss never-sleeps was saying that to him), and mad at myself for not being able to squash my feelings for you. It’s easier to push you away than get too attached and hurt myself. I guess I get mad at you because you can be real annyoing, but you already know that.”

“Feelings?” Damian questioned. His heart picked up in pace, going from a canter to a gallop and he was sure that if she said something akin to loathing he wouldn’t be able to handle the second train that would undoubtedly plummet him after. 

Marinette let out a burst of full-bellied laughter. The tinkling bells tickled his ears, and though he usually liked making her laugh until she snorted, he didn’t exactly enjoy being laughed at. “Damian for someone so perceptive you’re so dense.” She held his face in her hands, letting go of the blanket completely so that she could have his full attention.

“I’m only going to say this once, okay?”

He did his best to nod without displacing her touch. Her soft fingers left tingling sensations on his skin that had his cheeks burning and his lungs constricting. 

“Damian, I like you.”

“I like you too.”

She shook her head, letting go of his cheeks to finish setting Brown’s bed. He couldn’t help the disappointment that shot through him when her warm touch left, leaving cool wind in its place. “I mean that I like you romantically.”

Oh. Romantically. It was a little gruesome, but recently any fantasies of his future involved his own dead body crushed at a tragically young age. With the kind of lifestyle he lead, it couldn’t be helped. He hadn’t even considered romance, so absorbed in being Robin and fighting for justice that it seemed like such an irrelevant concept.

Only now Marinette wanted romance, and he was sure he felt something for her, but he wasn’t the romantic type. He was the type to yell at people when they beat him at Cheese Viking, and to push Todd off a rood when he was being irritating. He couldn’t romance.

“Relax, Damian. I can see you panicking--”

“You’re not even looking at me--”

“I can feel you panicking. I didn’t tell you that because I expected a response. I just wanted to get it off my chest so that maybe we could be friends again. We really don’t need to be anything more.”

The words slipped from his mouth before he could overthink and regret them. “What if I want to be more?”

Marinette turned away from the bed, the pillow she was fluffing slipped from her fingers as she turned to stare at Damian, completely shocked. “Seriously?”

Damian had no answer to that, feeling just as shocked as Marinette looked. “Well, I wouldn’t hate a romance with you.” Which was true, he really wouldn’t. As uncomfortable as it might make him in the beginning, he was sure he would enjoy her company. 

Marinette’s face fell, and Damian had an inkling he said something completely wrong. 

“Thanks, Damian, but uh. I don’t really think that’s a qualifier for wanting something more. I mean I wouldn’t hate a romance with Tim, but--”

Damian’s back straightened stiff. “Drake? You have feelings for Drake?” Suddenly, the thought of offing his older brother looked far more appealing than it did on normal days.

“No!” Marinette protested face screwed to look aghast. “I don’t have feelings for Tim. Nothing other than general appreciation I guess.”

Damian fumed. He appreciated Marinette completely, how she smiled, and how she thought on her feet, and here she was saying she liked him romantically but admitting she appreciated Drake too?

“So you like me and Drake.”

“I just said I don’t like Tim, Damian.”

“Well clearly you do, you just said you appreciate him.”

“In a general sense!” Marinette pursed her lips, wiping the sides of her face with her hands until they cupped her cheeks. They looked so nice Damian almost wanted to place his hands atop hers. “Damian, what do you think I mean when I say I appreciate Tim?”

Damian considered the question but tapped his foot impatiently. Now she wanted to rub it in his face or something. Maybe he should have pursued the romance with her after all. “Well I appreciate you,” he said. “So I recognise your worth wholly. Your mind, body, personality, and wellbeing are all incredibly valuable to me. Surely you know the meaning of appreciate?”

Marinette was glowing in a way he hadn’t seen her do before. If he was from further away he would have confused her for a star. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“Damian you’re so stupid.”

“I resent that.”

“So you don’t hate the idea of a romance with me right?”

He nodded his head in confirmation, unsure of where she was leading their conversation.

“Would you say you like it?”

Would he? Well, they were probably going to have a tragic romance, one worse than Grayson and Gordon. Not like Grayson and Kory though, he’d never in his life be lured by infidelity, especially not when there wasn’t a person who could compete with Marinette. But besides the tragic ending, he might like spending the extra time with her. “I suppose,” he said. With more thought, he figured he might still enjoy it even with the tragic ending. Time with her was better than none at all.

“Well do you like the idea of me kissing you?”

Her lips were parted, inviting. Kissing was a romantic thing, and he’d learned enough from Grayson to know that it was really important to people. And if she wanted to do something like that with him then… “I wouldn’t mind.”

Her lips were as supple as they looked, pressing gently against his own. It was chaste and hardly heavy-handed enough to leave any taste of her on his lips, but the sensation lingered and filled him with a warmth he never knew. 

Oh. So this was what she meant when she called him stupid. There was no denying it now, that the pain in his stomach was undoubtedly those wretched butterflies Grayson had warned him about, and he really did like her. A lot. 

“What if I want more?” He repeated, this time quieter, gentler, and surer.

Marinette looked him in the eyes, searching for any uncertainty. “Are you sure?”

“Well, I suppose I’d need another kiss to make up my mind.”

Marinette shoved him back by the shoulders, passing by him to wash the banana bowl in the sink. “This is what I meant when I said you were annoying!” She sang. There was no sting to her words, and even from behind, Damian could spot her bright red ears. 

In his pocket, his phone buzzed.

6:29am Brown: Hope ur awake. LB reverted back in the middle of the night, no cure necessary. Slept at Cas’ cos u looked tired. 

6:30am Brown: Hey maybe u can confess or smth

6:30am Brown:  Confess u like her i mean

6:30am Brown: Wait cass said u didnt know how u felt yet so ignore the last text lol

6:31am Me: A bit late.  

“What do you want for breakfast?” Marinette asked, rifling through Brown’s drawers. 

Damian took her hand in his, entwining their fingers. A trill rushed through him at the action, and he did his best to keep his cool, barely noticing how flustered Marinette had gotten too.

“Brown doesn’t exactly have a choice selection. The pancake mix wouldn’t be awful, however.”

They spent the rest of the morning squabbling as they usually did, though the usual heat was absent, and Damian thought that if the rest of his life was spent this way, well, he didn’t hate the idea of it.

End Notes: The ending was sort of abrupt but honestly I would’ve just never stopped if I didn’t wrap it up. I’m not the best at fluff, but I wrote it for all you guys!

100 isn’t exactly a big milestone, and I’m not the most popular, and certainly not the best MLxDC writer, but I’m just really happy that that many people have found something to enjoy with my writing. <3 <3

[thenewyorkghost]

Batfam Sorting

(Ok this includes other gotham characters)

Batfam:

Dick Grayson: Pukwudgie  Pukwudgie is for healers. And I think that perfectly fits Dick. He knows what makes each one of his loved ones tick and that level of understanding can be healing. He is a wonderful leader, not because he has a plan for everything like Batman, but because every one of his team members can trust him. He has a way of bringing people together. He is a person who is very in touch with the emotions of those around him, maybe not with his own at certain points, but he has built himself a good community that can heal him as well whenever he is down. He is someone who gives so much to those around him and loves very deeply that those around him become better people by being near him. 

Jason Todd: Wampus Jason Todd is most definitely a warrior, a survivor. He is someone who sees things how they are. Batman refuses to kill people and he thinks: if getting rid of this person will end up saving lives I’ll do what I have to do. And it doesn’t tarnish character, because he is logical and set in his ways. I think it shows how caring he is to those around him. He values their life so much so that he doesn’t care about the guilt or the mental strain he might put himself by killing a person. Although, in a recent comic, it showed a young Jason killing his friend’s dad, because he was being abusive or something, and he didn’t feel bad till he saw how it hurt his friend. He is just doing what he thinks has to be done. He is a very pragmatic, yet impulsive person. I think he has difficulty addressing his own emotions. He often rejects love directed at him or is just shocked by it, but over time he slowly accepts it more. And he’s always caring towards his loved ones in his own distinct way. 

Tim Drake: Horned Serpent The Horned Serpent represents the mind. When Cassandra Cain was pointing out what Dick, Jason, and Tim all fight with when she came to Tim she pointed to his mind. Tim doesn’t have the agility like Dick or the brute strength like Jason, but what he does have is a brilliant mind. He is quick thinking and very analytical. He is always one step ahead of others, not because he is physically fast but because he analyzes people and prepares for whatever they have in store for him. He knows his own limits and strengths and of those around him and that is how he is able to win the upper hand. He is not impulsive, but strategic and tactful. That is why when Damian, who is a trained assassin, went up against him the second time he lost. But his mind can at times also cause him to overthink things making him fail. 

Cassandra Cain: Wampus Cassandra Cain is extremely analytical and unbiased. She just sees everything as it is. So much so that she is capable of predicting what move people are going to make. All of her movements are second nature to her. Most of her life she wasn’t allowed to speak, but she had her eyes and used them to see the unsaid. When you’re able to see everything about someone you also see a lot of pain, so I think she has shown to be a very caring and understanding person. She’s not someone who pushes you to talk about your feelings, she just understands. And sometimes people just need someone who will just sit there with you and listen. Cassandra Cain is a warrior, but a very different kind of warrior. And even after everything she has been through, she continues to choose using her abilities for good. 

Duke Thomas: Wampus People sometimes just portray Duke Thomas as the straight man of the group, but he is someone who has this determination to him where nothing can ever get in his way. He is a straightforward person, but he isn’t the one person in the Batfam who Batman thinks is reasonable. If Batman lets Duke do whatever it is because he knows there is nothing he can ever do to stop him, so he constantly has to compromise. Dude literally jumped out of a moving car and a bridge, there’s no stopping him. He refuses to back down and, yes, it’s admirable, but I wouldn’t say it’s always reasonable. He radiates “I can do this all day” energy. Other than being a very driven character, he is also very passionate and confident. He is someone who has heart. He is a relaxed person that doesn’t plan for things, yet he is great in a crisis with his level of intellect, flexibility and spontaneity. He can be a tame person that knows how to prioritize- saving his spontaneity for a rainy day, then releasing that built up energy. Wampus is the house for people that just: do; therefore, I think he’d be best in this one. 

Damian Wayne: Pukwudgie While I think it’d be easy to just sort Damian into Wampus, because he’s literally an assassin, I think he definitely fits into Pukwudgie a billion times better. He was trained to be a weapon from birth, that doesn’t take love and encouragement. Before he met his dad he was sent on a mission to kill many people, once he was finished he was on his knees when a little animal came up to his face, kinda smiled at him, and then licked his nose. When that happened he began sobbing. This is where his love for animals began and I think it is because an animal was the first one to show love to him. Once he moved in with his dad and siblings and finally started seeing other people as his equals, we begin to see how he craves acceptance from those he cares about. We see how when he finds out that Tim has a plan in his computer for stopping Damian if he turns on them, really hurts his feelings. Anywho, when he first moved into the manor the only emotions he felt deeply was anger, but as time went on we see the range of his emotions. When he became friends with Jon both Batman and Nightwing pointed out how much happier and talkative he was. After Dick Grayson faked his death then came back, he ran into his arms and told him that he missed him. He is a more reserved person, but he forms strong emotional attachments to those he values. I think the older he gets the more he will be able to show how he feels about those around him. Pukwudgie is represented by the heart and all of Damian’s actions stem right from there. 

Extended Batfam:

Stephanie Brown: Thunderbird Stephanie Brown refuses to let herself be brought down by her misery. She’s an energetic and sassy person who makes quick connections with many people.  Though it doesn’t mean that they are deep connections. She is not someone that opens up really opens up about her private life, because she doesn’t know who to trust. Plus, the beginning of her life was really lonely. She seems to crave deep connections, while also loving action and risk. Her enthusiasm gets people to open up more. And she most definitely loves messing with literally everyone. It may seem like she can’t have close relations at first, but those develop gradually for her. One day you look back and realize ‘huh this girl is literally here every. single. day.’ Later in life this queen knows her worth and refuses to let anyone bring her down. Once she gets past all the anger built up from the pain caused by her father she becomes sure of herself. She is someone constantly trying to figure herself out or truly get to know herself. While at first I thought she fit perfectly into Thunderbird, because of her energy and love of thrill, but I think below the surface she cares more to be loved and to have that family. So, I don’t know, maybe she can go either Thunderbird or Pukwudgie. 

Barbara Gordon: Thunderbird I know that Barbara Gordon is a brilliant, tech-savvy individual who has a photographic memory. Yes, but I think her more defining characteristics are those that line up with the Thunderbird house. She is someone who cannot be tied down. From the very start she is this driven force to be reckoned with. Her whole life her defined by defying the expectations. She enjoys questioning everyone about their beliefs and is outspoken of her own. Before she became Batgirl she’d constantly argue with her father about becoming a detective. She’s very set on creating positive change in the world. She believes change is necessary and important. While she has a set moral compass it isn’t black and white. She is able to listen and work with people she does not agree. And her defining trait is that she is constantly pushing herself and never gives up. She’s a very grounded person and though she a force of change, she herself doesn’t change much. She grows a lot, but she is set with her core values from the very start. I think that makes her a reliable leader. 

Anyways, this is so difficult. I like hogwarts houses way better, bc it’s literally about what is most important to you. 

[sofiessketches]

NASASocial experience at JPL

This is a LONG one, so I’m gonna put it under a readmore! 

This was my first ever NASA Social, so I didn’t really know what to expect when I applied, what the chances were or what other sorts of people would be there. I was surprised I even got in, because compared to some of the other people I have very few followers, but I think there’s more to it than that! As Stephanie, the head of social media at JPL, said, “You were chosen for your insatiable curiosity, and for the stories you tell”. I really appreciate that the selection process was more about being a creator of SOMETHING that you truly care about.

I’ve been to JPL several times for tours and lectures, but it’s always exciting to come up to the front..there was a really long line, I’m assuming because of the event and also traditional media that was there to interview people.

Got my badge and headed in, and said good morning to the Curiosity model! (which I wish was as detailed as the real thing..I still love her tho. I’ve just been spoiled having gone on tours and doing a lot of research on Curiosity that I was able to spot what’s missing..)

Admiring how the light hits her..er..Chemcam

I never get tired of looking at this piece, but this was the first time I actually checked out the plaque next to it, which had a helpful diagram!

An installation displaying the information from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and GRACE Follow-on missions, which in the words of my friend Sirina, shows us how screwed we are, in a beautiful way! I also realized the reason the screens are this shape is because the spacecraft are shaped like that...!

JPL’s inspiring slogan in a beautiful geometric typeface B)

We got to the meeting/conference room, with portraits of all JPL’s past and present directors around. The last seat at the front table appeared to be taken by the Mars 2020 wheel, so I asked if I could sit there with the wheel, and my day was made! I have to admit this may have been the highlight of my day. One of the first JPL-specific drawings I did was a study of an image Curiosity had taken of her own wheels on Mars, and after that I read a lot about how the wheels worked and how the design was less than ideal..it makes me happy to see the next iteration and how it’ll work out!

No pointy grousers for the sharp Mars rocks to snag on here!!! Just this...veeeeery shallow S-curve.

Everyone hanging out and social media-ing before the event began, waiting for more people to get there. I happened to sit next to a couple people I had pre-stalked on Twitter from the list they made of participants!

LOSING MY MIND EVEN MORE THAT WE COULD TOUCH AND PICK UP THE WHEEL???!?!!? It was pretty light, since it was a 3D model and not made of actual aluminum.

Lookin cute together. This is Kevin Baird, an awesome photographer! The only patches we had in common were the NASA meatball (not even the same one, though) and the SOFIA patch, which was strangely almost in the same spot on both of our jackets.. (on the back left side)

Then Stephanie, JPL’s social media head, came and proposed to us with space grade aerogel, and of course we all said yes. 

After an introduction, Linda, another social media expert at JPL, brought over a top secret looking box, which she explained will have some cool graphics relating to Mars 2020 on the front and inside soon (excited to see that!!)

Inside were material samples of several components of Mars 2020, including the many layered thermal blanket, the ropes that will lower the rover onto the surface of Mars (which can hold the weight of 1 car EACH, and the rover will be suspended by 80 of them) as well as the parachute material (orange), which was remade for better strength and lightness. 

We also got to hold a replica of the sample cache tubes that Mars 2020 will be filling!

At 10:00, the event we were there for, the State of NASA, came on (a budget rollout explaining briefly how much money the government will be giving to NASA in 2021 and what it’s for) so we watched Jim Bridenstein in front of some incredible engines...

And I just..get excited when I see the rover on the screen ok..

There was a super cool internal view of how the Mars 2020 will be depositing sample caches! The video is below:

Anyway, the budget rollout declared 22 billion to NASA and 3.3 billion of that to the development of the human landing system, which will go toward landing humans and science on the moon for the Artemis program. You can read more here about this.

After that, Director Watkins and Dr Zurbuchen came to answer questions, and we learned a bit about Mars Sample Return, and the mission that will come before that but after Mars 2020, which will map icy areas in Mars’ poles. (Really looking forward to learning more about that!!) I gave Dr Zurbuchen some stickers I made and he gave me his card......!

Soon after, we headed to the Science building, to learn about MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment) (I’ve noticed, the bigger the budget on these missions, the more effort they put into making the acronyms for everything sound cool) This technology demonstration is on Mars 2020 to prepare for larger scale carbon dioxide to oxygen conversion from Mars’ atmosphere for human use. This size of MOXIE creates only about enough oxygen to keep a small dog alive. Still impressive!!!

Wandered around the MOXIE lab a little and took a peek at the rest of what was on the walls and tables..

After that, we went to the Spacecraft Assembly Facility, where Mars 2020 was not, but that’s a good thing! I’m actually not sure which part is in the box there.. but soon after we left, it left too!

Teeny tiny Mars 2020 model hidden at the end of the viewing area...

Best.

At the indoor mars yard, a couple InSight engineers talked to us about how they use this area to test software before they send it to Mars. Here from left to right are the engineering models for Mars2020, InSight, and Curiosity.

Her name is Maggie!

One of my goals in life is to be able to stand in front of the arm and draw it until I understand what the hell is going on.

Also going to insert some pics I took last week because I was lucky enough to get a tour from my friend Sirina, where there were engineers inside working on the arm:

Next, we headed to the Mars Sample Return testbed!

It makes me excited to be in the rooms with dirt regolith inside.. also SmalBoSSE is the best acronym I’ve seen all day...

The “volleyball” that Mars 2020′s sample caches will eventually be stored in, to be fetched by another rover, launched into orbit around Mars and picked up to be sent back to Earth! 

More freaking out about rover wheels. This is a prototype of one that will be on the rover to pick up the samples; the wire is slightly deformable which is great for offroad Mars action.

The rover will be a joint effort between NASA and ESA.

I love seeing these posters with hints of other projects going on. So cool!!

Last stop (cry) was Mission Control, aka The Center of the Universe, where all the data the Deep Space Network gets from spacecraft comes in.

The view from inside from my previous tour!

*eyes emoji when I see Mars 2020*

The darkroom and Curiosity’s Ace’s desk, where they send commands to Curiosity at 10:30AM Mars time.

Spitzer’s end of mission from Monday (top) vs the day after it was decommissioned (bottom).

Center of the Universe!!!

Ouagh don’t step on it! Well you can..

It was sad to say goodbye to our excellent guides, but we’ll be keeping in touch!! ;)

I also got a bunch of awesome pictures taken of me, which I was surprised by, because usually I’m the last one people take pics of..! 

My jacket, which they posted on JPL’s instagram... gosh!!!!!!

And some stickers/new business card design (did I post this here yet??) I gave to everyone I met!

Displayed at Shannon Forrey’s desk!

This was a truly amazing experience, my first time attending one of these events, I learned so much and had such a great time surrounded by inspiring and talented people. Thank you again to everyone at JPL who made it possible and to all the scientists and engineers who took the time to share their work with us! I’ll never forget this day.

Also, I want to make some art based off what I learned, so keep an eye out for that in the upcoming weeks!

[floosies]

bury a friend: The Story of Noctua

pairing: steve rogers x possessed!oc x mcu!au

summary: there have been sightings of a dark creature who vanishes with night and in the mornings only remains of once living people are found scattered in open fields or forests nearby.

warnings: mentions of abuse, mentions of attempted suicide, violence, gore, cursing, mentions/scenes of sexual nature.

Please read with discretion. 18+ content.

A/N: This is my first attempt at something more dark. It’s been in my brain since hearing some of biilie’s works and quiet frankly I want to venture into new territory. However, I understand the severity of some topics that I will write about. If you or someone you know is in need please look at these resources.

tags: @indecisivedolly​

Part 4: The Seven Wonders (2 of 2)

She wanted to lash out, to drag him into the nearest body of water and drown him. Disrespect was something she had no experienced in so long, it made her burn brightly. Tenebrae wanted to intervene on the matter, but higher powers were unraveling truths to the old being.  There were rules that came along with the new found information, one of most importance, it could not kill the boy. There was a greater purpose for his soul. 

Dreams are often either ones forgotten by morning light or drag one’s soul through hell. This was the latter, she was witnessing a horrible moment of her childhood. Her rabbit was being killed by her cruel step father, who found the poor creature in her small room. Each time she tried to stop it, the scene would become farther from her grasp. She could hear the cries and screams of agony from her younger self. The dream shifted and distorted to a different scene, her first witnessing. The birth of a lamia, who had recently given up her virtue. An older warlock possessed by Tenebrae was the sacrifice. It was a beautiful scene, but the face of the warlock became the face of the boy who’d tried to take her virtue from her when she was a girl. He was burning in the fire pit as she and other lamia’s chanted old latin spells. They danced and laughed as he charred, a true haunting justice. 

Cold sweat covered her face as she awoke, it was still dark out. She couldn’t go back to bed however. The adrenaline from what she had to relive was terrifying her. Taking her robe, she went in search for a library or entertaining room hoping to distract herself from the resurgence of images from the harrowing dream. She was due to preform the seven wonders in a matter of hours. How could she preform if there was any sort of fear in her being, “daughter those were dreams. They cannot hurt you, unless you let them become real for a moment.” She found a room filled with spirits and fine wines from different years. Taking a red wine dated from 1893, she filled a glass to the mid part. There were comfortable seats with crushed velvet upholstery. 

Taking a shaky drink, she narrowed her eyes at the ceiling knowing it was present. “I have to present my gifts on command and you choose this time to remind me that I can make my horrors a reality? How unforgiving,” The being then took the form of an elderly man, “I apologize my daughter. I only remind you as you will need me there for certain things, or am I wrong?” Of course it was correct, to teleport through time required a certain stamina only Tenebrae possessed. “You’re right, but you don’t have to egotistical.” She laughed softly, the elderly man smiled. They were interrupted abruptly though, “this is Stark’s private bar.” It was James.

Bucky saw her sat next to some old man. The old man’s stare made him feel uneasy, “relax. It’s simply Tenebrae morphed into an elderly man for some reason.” He was still unsure of this girl demon or whatever she was. “You should go back to your room,” the elderly man sighed. “I will let you talk to this boy, I have other matters to see to. Call for me when I am need Noctua,” she nodded and it disappeared into a small gust of air. “James, I do hope I don’t frighten you.” She said almost mockingly. “Don’t ever call me that name again. Bucky will do, and i’m not scared of some little girl possessed by some demon.” She finished her wine and stood up, “little girl? I have lived life times in decades. I have seen far greater reaches of life and the afterlife. I am not possessed I was blessed with my gifts because I earned them. Tenebrae is not some demon, Tenebrae saw the creation of all you know that exists today. It even molded the ground you step on. You will respect me, or I will not hesitate to truly show you fear. Bucky.” She snarled his name, walking off to her quarters once more.

He wasn’t just angered, he felt embarrassed. Who did she think she was? She killed people for sport, she lived like a savage before they retrieved her. A little girl with an attitude and some words that rhymed, that was all she was to him. Fear her? He could destroy her if he wanted to. 

A shining sun filled the training room created for, it was quite large and empty. Steve had taken her to it, “do you think this will be good enough for you to display your powers?” She smiled, “of course it will be. Thank you,” he nodded and then those who wanted to view began entering. Tony of course had to see it, “hope I made it in time. Did we start yet?” She looked at Steve, “this is Tony Stark, he-” “I’m the billionaire who created the Avengers-” “He did not create the Avengers, he just complained his way in.” A third person said, “I’m Nick Fury, I formed this group, years ago.” She nodded, “is there anyone else who is coming today?” The men shrugged.

With that, they began. First was telekinesis which was easy to show. The video camera that was recording her suddenly was dragged to her grasp without anyone moving it. Concilium or mind control was also fairly easy, she made Steve do a fox trot with Tony. It was quite amusing. Vitalum Vitalis or the balancing scales of one life with another, was difficult to master, but she had and she proved it by bringing a dead hummingbird back to life. Divination was interesting, “in a room somewhere on the compound is Steve’s compass, in it a picture of his old love. Which room is it in?” A glance at her palm was all it took, “he usually keeps it in his office. You’ve chose to throw me off, it is in the bar room on the third floor.” Tony took his computer pad and showed the compass placed on the table of the bar room. It was impressive.

They had gone through almost all without realizing that Bucky was watching. Pyrokensis was interesting, he watched as she set half the room on fire in the shape of a swan. He listened as they reached the final wonder, “transmutation?” She nodded, “it’s teleportation really. Watch,” she suddenly disappeared. “Hi Bucky,” he screamed punching the wall behind him, but she was gone. Now she was in front of Steve laughing. Fury rolled his eyes, “okay you had your fun, but now show us the teleportation between realms, time, and alternate universes.” She became serious again.

The air grew cold for a moment, the entity was now in the room. “This is Tenebrae, it gave me the ability to travel through all those different dimensions. It must help me-” “you mean possess you?” Bucky scoffed, “yes actually. It is the only way I’ll remain conscious through the travel.” Fury nodded, “can you take someone with you?” She never had, “I- i’m not sure.” The being spoke then, “she can. My strength allows me to take many-” “just one, to assure this is true.” Reading Steve’s mind, she found him actually afraid to do it. “Stark?” He shook his head, “sorry it’s a risk I’m not willing to take. My will is still being rewritten.” Bucky rolled his eyes, “i’ll do it. To prove it’s a hoax.” A thunderous laugh echoed through the room. 

It was simple really, one artifact from the past, as well as alternate pasts/futures., and something to prove she went to a different realm. Tenebrae waited for it’s daughter to signal for it to begin the take over. She warned them first, “it isn’t pretty. You may want to look away.” Bucky thought she was lying, but then she began to contort. Her eyes were pitch black for a moment, he had never seen the human body twist and turn in such horrifying ways. He couldn’t look away, she was in mid-air, bones cracking, and eyes still filled with black. Then she wasn’t, her pupils went from gold to olive green. “Let’s go, you can all look now.” She grabbed his hand in hers, “we’ll be back!” That was the last thing she said before they traveled to a different time.

A home, a small house with vintage- these were not vintage. He looked down, the floor was checkerboard and he was wearing a suit. She had on a mini dress, this was the sixties, something felt off though. “Who’s home is this?” She didn’t answer, instead she led him to the front door where a newspaper was waiting to picked up. it read 1967 and John F. Kennedy was on his second term, civil rights movements were dying down as he’d made good work of ending the segregation era of the nation. Charles Manson had been arrested for his cult, this was the alternate future. The one where the good guys lived. Before he could get a second to enjoy it, they were gone. 

It all looked like the present except for the way some words were written. She lead him to a magazine, the date read 2058, they were two decades into the future. This future had no mention of the avengers or heroes. “What’s going on?” She looked at him, “in this universe heroes never existed. There was never a need for them. Everything was resolved without the creation or need for them. They hide their powers or are allowed to exist as is and use their powers as a way of earning wage.” Again as she said that, they were else where.

He was wearing a leather coat with fringe and denim jeans. She was dressed in a long white dress and sandals. “This is our 1970s, ya know with the super heroes and all that.” He followed her through someone’s garden, “Stephanie!” He heard her call out, and then a blonde woman appeared from the house, “little owl, you’ve come back.” The two met in a hug, “this is my friend Bucky, he’s a vet.” The blonde woman nodded leading them inside the home. They drank tea and she sang to them, her husband playing the guitar. He hadn’t even noticed that she’d disappeared for a moment. She apologized for them having to leave so soon, but thanked her friend for the kind welcome.

Their own future. He knew it was theirs because Tony was on a billboard and people recognized him. She bought coffee’s for them and kept the receipt knowing it had the date and with that they left. He couldn’t believe it was real, that he was experiencing this. The last stop was this odd planet with odd fruit, she grabbed one quickly and sent them to present.

Once in their present she dropped all the proof on the ground and ran to the back of the room. He went after her, “please stay back.” Her voice sounded pained. Soon the contortions and black pools of nothingness came back. It was leaving her, he felt awful for her pain. When it was gone, her eyes were gold again, her body fell to the floor. “Noctua!” Steve ran to her side, she looked feeble. 

Tenebrae felt awful for causing her pain. It never aimed to do so, but it was a long trip through space and time. She knew it would not be a fair toll on her body. It had to be done though, the boy was showing care for her. It’s work so far was going well. Quickly and smoothly it spoke to her, “rest my child. I must go, you will awaken in the morning.” As the medics came and took her to the hospital bay of the compound, Fury and Stark examined the artifacts.

Bucky was kept as he was the witness, Steve promised him with updates on her. The men listened as he explained everything, including the vinyl he didn’t know she stole off her friend, apparently it was a rough cut of some popular album. It was terrifying, that she could do such things. He was wrong, she was capable of more than he thought. 

[huilian]

what messes with Oracle and didn’t survive?

AO3 Characters: Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Damian Wayne

Summary: three little birds, one little bat, and a spoiler.

Dick grimaced. “Well, if the world’s going to end, I want us to be together. There’s at least a hope of safety there.”

It was a sweet thing to say, but it did not negate the fact that there were currently five vigilantes of Gotham trying to prank the two of them. Dick’s platitudes about facing them together is just that. Platitudes. Babs would abandon him in a heart beat if it meant getting out of their pranking ways.

A/N: who is the one that didn't know that this week is dickbabs week? this girl right here.so instead of seven fics, have this one that combines the prompt of day 6 (if the world's going to end, I want us to be together), and day 7 (we've come a long way).  Enjoy! 

***

“Dick!”

Babs has had it with cleaning up someone else’s messes. And she has most definitely had it with cleaning up Dick’s messes.

“What!”

He had the gal to act innocent. As if the evidence of the last mess was not still on Babs’ dining table.

“Control your little brothers!”

Dick came into the dining room with an innocent look in his face. Babs wanted to shout to him, but she also kinda wanted to kiss that stupid innocent face. She knew better than to think he’s truly innocent, though.

“What did they do, now?” Dick chuckled.

Babs did not stoop so low as to answer. She just gestured to her dining table. The sight of it should be answer enough.

“Come on, Babs. They’re just having fun.” Dick shrugged his shoulders. Easy for him to say, it’s not his dining table on the line.

“Glitters, Dick. Glitters,” Babs gritted out. “There’ll be glitters on my chair for months! Not to mention my dining table!”

“How do you know it’s one of my little brothers?” Dick asked.

“Don’t change the subject!”

“Worth a try.” Dick shrugged his shoulders. “But for real, how do you know it’s one of my little brothers? It could be Dinah.”

“Dinah will do a more subtle prank than this. Glitters, Dick. Glitters.”

Dick hummed. It’s infuriating. Why is he like this? Wait a moment…. Dick never acts innocent when he is truly innocent.

“Is this you? Are you pranking me right now?”

“What? No! I knew better than to prank you!”

“Good. Because if it’s you, you can kiss goodbye to the bed.” Dick had a sly look on his face that meant he’s going to say something about not needing the bed to have sex. “And to tech support. For a month.”

That shut him up pretty quickly. Dick could and would mess with Barbara Gordon, but Nightwing did not dare mess with Oracle. She is too valuable. Once upon a time it would have made Babs preen, but now it was just cold hard fact.

“It’s not me, Babs. From the look of the prank, it’s probably Jason.” Dick frowned. “Or Tim. Or maybe Damian.”

“I don’t care which one of your little brothers it is, it’s one of them. That makes this your mess. You clean it up.” Babs maneuvered her wheelchair out of the dining room. “There better be no glitters on my table after you’re done!”

“Babs, come on!”

“I’m going to order some food for breakfast. I expect the table to be clean when the food comes!”

“Oh, come on!” Dick shouted at Babs’ retreating chair. Babs didn’t care. She just kept rolling out.

Babs was going to kill Dick’s little brothers. It’s them. It had to be them. No one else has the guts to go against the all-mighty Oracle.

“Dick! I’m going to kill your brothers!” Babs would do it, too. She would. There was nothing Dick could say to keep her from killing his little brothers.

“You’ll get no objection from me, Babs! They put glue on the glitter! Glue! How the hell can I get it off the table?”

“It’s not just the table!” Babs shrieked. What did she do lately to deserve this? She had done nothing to deserve this. She was even playing nice with all the heroes and sometime-heroes who asked for her tech support.

“What? There’s another one of the glitter bombs?”

“Not one! Three!” Babs stopped, took another look, and said, “Scratch that. It’s four!”

“Four? I only have three little brothers, Babs.” Dick got out of the dining room to look at Babs. There was glitter on his hair, and on his clothes. There was glitter everywhere on him. “Do you think?”

“No,” Babs shook her head. “They wouldn’t dare.” They wouldn’t. Having one pranking them was bad enough, but to go against five of them? All five of them?

“There’s five glitter bombs, Babs. The numbers match.” Dick took a deep breath, and let it out. “It matches.”

“No.” Not Cass, surely not Cass. Steph, Babs could understand, but not Cass. Not to mention, could Damian even understand what a prank is?

“Unfortunately, yes.” Dick winced.

“They will level Gotham to the ground.” Visions of buildings in Gotham being levelled went through Babs’ head. “They’ll level the world to the ground.”

Dick grimaced. “Well, if the world’s going to end, I want us to be together. There’s at least a hope of safety there.”

It was a sweet thing to say, but it did not negate the fact that there were currently five vigilantes of Gotham trying to prank the two of them. Dick’s platitudes about facing them together is just that. Platitudes. Babs would abandon him in a heart beat if it meant getting out of their pranking ways.

“Bruce won’t let them!” It was one last futile hope that Babs had.

“Do you think they give a shit about what Bruce will let them do? Besides, Bruce is not here.”

“Alfred won’t let them!”

“Alfred is not here too, Babs. He’s with Bruce!” Dick said.

Babs let her head roll backwards and stared at the ceiling for a few moments. God, or someone up there, give her strength. “What did we do to deserve this?”

“Um… We proved them that we are capable of handling Gotham?”

“Ugh!” Babs raised her hands. “This is all your fault!”

“Hey! Some of it was your fault! You’ve been handling Gotham for longer than I have, Oracle.” Dick bent down so that he could look at Babs in the eye. It was not appreciated, and Babs made sure to tell him that by pushing him.  

“No, no that,” Babs said. “It’s your fault that there’s so many of them running around!”

“Me? I had nothing to do with that! It’s Bruce’s fault!”

“You’re the one who started it all!”

“Started what? Bruce adopting kids? Steph isn’t even his!”

“But the rest of them is!”

“You’re the one who ‘adopts’ Cass! And Steph! That’s two!”

“What about you? And don’t you dare say that you only have one! Tim won’t even care about Batman and Robin if he didn’t see you back then! Not to mention Duke is only here because of Robin, and who’s the first Robin, huh?”

“Hey, it’s Batman and Robin! It’s Bruce you should be blaming, not me!”

“Oh yeah? And who’s Batman now, Dick? Surprise, surprise, it’s you! You’ve been both Batman and Robin! It’s all your fault!”

“Wow.” A small voice made both Dick and Babs stop arguing and turn around. “I can’t believe you two haven’t even officially dated for a year, but you’re already arguing like an old married couple.”

It was Jason speaking. He seemed to be alone, but Babs would bet her computers that he was not alone. And he had another one of those damned glitter bombs in his hand. Where did they even get that many of them?

“Jay,” Dick began, “don’t.”

“Jason Peter Todd,” Babs said in the coldest voice she can muster, which is very cold indeed, “don’t you dare.”

“Sorry, Babs.” Jason shrugged. “Even if I don’t, there’s five more over there. I might as well draw first blood.”

“I will make your life hell, Jason. I will,” Babs warned.

“Eh, it’s already hell. This, however, is a taste of heaven.” And with that, Jason threw the first glitter bomb.

There was a war cry from the other side of the room, and five more glitter bombs joined Jason’s one. Giggles and laughter can be heard echoing throughout the room. Without even seeing them, Babs knew that it was Tim, Steph, Cass, and Damian. She couldn’t see them, anyway. There were so many glitters, that Babs couldn’t see anything.

Let them laugh, Babs thought, while holding her breath to keep from inhaling the avalanche of glitters. Babs was already devising vengeance.

Through all the giggles, Babs could hear Steph saying, “I cannot believe I just glitter bombed Oracle!”

After the glitters had dissipated somewhat, and Babs could see again, she saw Cass pulling in Steph close with a smile on her face, and it was so rare that she saw Cass smile so unguardedly that she almost wanted to smile too. Almost.

“You better believe it, Stephanie Brown, because you will be the one to clean this mess. And don’t you laugh, Cassandra, you’ll be cleaning them too,” Babs said in her Oracle voice, which has been said to be very different from her Barbara voice, or even, according to Dick, her Bargirl voice. Steph winced. Cass’ smile turned into a panicked expression. Babs liked her Oracle voice.

“I only joined because of peer pressure, Grayson. I do not wish to do this.”

Ah, Damian. It’s good that he can join in on pranks now-very different from the assassin child Babs had seen Dick took under his wings-but did it have to be glitters? And against them? Why can’t he play pranks against Colin? Or basically anybody but Babs.

“I thought I have talked to you about the dangers of peer pressure, Damian. Do we need to redo that conversation?” Dick’s tone suddenly turned mischievous, “And all the conversation after that?”

Damian’s eyes widen. “No, we do not need to redo that conversation, Grayson. We do not.”

Babs made eye contact with Dick, silently asking him what that hidden threat is. Dick did that head movement that always meant, ‘later’. Alright, then. Later. Now Babs can enjoy seeing Dick pester Damian.

“Then you can spend the time I had planned for the encore of that conversation helping to clean up Barbara’s apartment, can’t you?”

“Uhh.. I..”

“Go on, you can get a head start. Start with the dining table.” Dick inclined his head towards the dining room. Barbara can actually laugh seeing Damian’s shaken expression. It’s practically the same expression Dick used to have when Dad caught the two of them together. It had been hilarious then, and it was hilarious now. Especially on Damian’s face, which was normally so serious. He had come so far from that assassin child, hadn’t he?

Tim, never the one to turn away from a chance to insult Damian, laughed. It was not the right move to do. Dick zeroed in on him right away.

“What are you laughing at, Tim? You’ll be cleaning Babs’ apartment too. With Damian. And the girls.”

Damn. Babs knew that Dick can be scary when he wants to, but this was a whole new level. Tim gulped, and bravely tried, “You can’t tell me to do anything, Dick. I’m not Robin anymore.”

Ouch. That was a low blow. Striking there, of all places? Tim was always the one not to pull his punches. Babs flinched for Dick, because he didn’t. Flinched. Just said, “Oh really? Well, it’s up to you, of course, but if you don’t, then you’ll find Bart Allen being one photo richer. And to think of it, Conner Kent and Cassie Sandsmark too.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

The two of them glared at each other for a few moments, and apparently, Dick won, because Tim said, “Fine! Come on, Demon Brat! We better get started.”

Dick smirked. Babs smiled too, because Tim being taken cared of, Babs had only one target left to roast. Jason. Who was in the middle of trying to open the window.

It was nice that Babs had internalized Bruce’s lectures about always being prepared, because she could control everything in her apartment from her wheelchair. Babs pressed the button that shut down the window, and said, “Where do you think you’re going, Jason?”

Jason’s jacket was trapped when Babs shut down the windows. Good. Babs had no wish to chase him down, or more likely, have Dick chase him down. It would only create more chaos.

“Um, out?”

“You know perfectly well that you’re not going out before this apartment is sparkling clean, Jason. I thought Alfred raised you better than that.”

Jason froze where he was. It was a satisfying sight, the fearsome Red Hood frozen to the spot with his jacket trapped in the windows.

“Don’t tell Alfred,” Jason said. “He’ll come to hunt me down.”

“And we can’t have that, can we? It’ll ruin your drug lord reputation to have a British butler come to hunt you down.” Babs smiled. “So, you better go and help Tim and Damian, then.”

Jason glared at Babs. Babs just continue smiling serenely. Jason never won against her when he was Robin, why should he start now? It does not matter that it had been years since he was Robin and Babs was the semi-retired Batgirl. He didn’t win then, and he wouldn’t win now.

True to form, Jason huffed, then started to pry his jacket from the windows. Not to get out, but so that he could go and help the others. “Leave the jacket, Jason,” Babs said. “It’ll keep.”

“Okay, okay, Babs. Jeez.”

“Tim and Damian are already at work on the dining table,” here Babs raised her voice so that Tim and Damian in the dining room could hear, “or I hope so!” They could hear muffled arguments, and _something _falling down. Oh well. There’s nothing there that’s not filled with glitter anyway. “So you’ll start here.”

Jason grumbled, but he did leave his jacket at the windows and went to find the broom. It should bother Babs that Jason knew exactly where to find the broom in Babs’ apartment, but it didn’t. They were a family that showed affection by stalking, after all.

So, Babs turned to the girls, who were trying to make themselves as small as possible. Maybe they thought that Babs would forget them if they just stood still. Unluckily for them, Babs didn’t forget anything.

“Why are you two just standing around? Go on, chop, chop.”

Steph made the best betrayed expression she could make, and Cass… Well, in anybody else but Cass, Babs would have sworn that it was a pout. But it was Cass, and so it was just… a pout that didn’t fully form. Thankfully, Babs just had to glare at them a bit before they joined Jason in getting the brooms and the vacuum cleaner. She would hate to have to bring out the big guns.

Babs could feel arms going around her, and she let it. She even leaned back a bit so that the arms could fully enclose her. “Let’s go clean up, and lock ourselves in the bedroom, shall we? It’s maybe the only place not tainted by glitter, now.” Babs could feel Dick’s laughter in her ear as he said that.

Dick’s suggestion was actually a very good one. Even though they had just woken up, Babs felt like she could sleep again for several more hours. It must be all the exertion of herding the kids. Having Dick hold her while she slept did not hurt either.

“Don’t you go and have sex while we’re still here, you two!” Jason shouted.

There was a sound from the dining room that can only be Tim’s yelp, and then, “What? You two! Damian’s only eleven!”

“I am perfectly aware of the nuances of human reproduction, Drake!”

“No, you’re not! You’ve never seen Bruce had a go with Selina, have you? You know nothing about human reproduction!”

“Oh, are we talking about Bruce’s adventures with Catwoman? ‘Cause if we do, I need therapy from that time they did it like, a few feet next to me.”

“Oh, shut up, Steph! You’re only Robin for what? A few weeks? You can’t even begin to imagine all the therapy I would need! They did it in front of me, like, all the time!”

Dick gave Babs a look that conveyed all the annoyance and affection for the five little delinquents they had in her apartment, and then he lifted her up and carried her to the bathroom. He was laughing all the way there. Babs couldn’t help but to laugh along with him.

Later, in Babs’ bedroom, after all the glitters on their body were gone and the door to the bedroom firmly shut, Dick said, “Wow. Look how far we’ve come, Babs.”

“Huh?” Babs was lying down with her head on Dick’s chest, and it felt very nice. It felt so nice that Babs could barely think of anything else.

“We used to be the one doing the gagging! And now we’re the ones being gagged about!” Dick said, with a very large smile on his face.

“And you’re proud of that?” Babs asked.

“Well, I can list a few things we can be proud about instead, but then you’ll call me sappy.” Dick’s arms sneaked to her, and then he started playing with her hair.

“You are sappy, Dick Grayson,” Babs said, closing her eyes.

“No arguments there, Babs. No arguments there.”

ps. apparently I'm the kind of person who won't write when they have a lot of time to do so, but when they don't have the time, they write. hence, two fics in a short ammount of time i'm in an unpaid internship, but not a single fic during the weeks and weeks of holiday......

[redrobin-detective]

if I only had a moment, I’d speak only of you

His parents were right in front of him. Thomas and Martha Wayne, who have been dead going on 30 years, have appeared in the middle of the broken battlefield in the aftermath of a rather nasty League fight. They’re dressed as they were the day they died, with looks of shock on their face as they take in the sudden shift in surroundings. He vaguely hears Zatanna talking in the background about the emotional tether used to defeat Felix Faust brought them to the present, probably just moments before their deaths.

“Bruce, it’s not going to last long, a few minutes at the very most,” Zatanna says with sad, compassionate eyes. He nods, understanding that this little miracle won’t last forever but he’ll take advantage of it while he can. There’s so much he wants to tell them, about his life, about his accomplishments, how much he loves and misses them. But all those seem like such bland topics, not when there are better and brighter things to discuss.

“Bruce?,” his mother, ever perceptive says cautiously and he does not hesitate in removing his cowl. He trusts his teammates, his friends, to give him these precious few minutes of privacy in the deserted city. “My god look at you, you’re all grown up.” She takes a step forward and brings a hand up to his cheek. He leans into it for the briefest moment before gently taking her shoulders and turning her towards the others.

“See the man with the blue stripes on his costume,” he begins and he sees Dick look over curiously to be suddenly included. “That’s Richard though he goes by Dick, he’s your first grandson. He lost his parents at a young age so I gave him a home at the Manor. He’s a police officer during the day but he still makes time to go out with the family. He’s the most stubbornly optimistic person I’ve met and he saved me in every way possible, I can’t take credit for his accomplishments because he just naturally that kind and talented.”

His father steps forward as he gestures over to Jason who looks a bit like a deer in the headlights. “That’s Jason, I caught him stealing the tires off my car and adored him immediately. He’s a voracious reader with a powerful stage presence that makes Alfred proud. He gives me the strength to be more than a vigilante, to tackle crime where it lives in corrupt institutions. I… lost him for a time, but he’s come back to us and being able to have my son back has been the greatest joy in my life, second only to knowing him in the first place.”

“That’s Tim, in the red and gold,” he continues, the warm bodies at his side as they always should have been. “He came to me in my greatest hour of need and reminded me why I fight so hard for the city and Batman needs a Robin to keep him straight but also to give him purpose. He’s CEO of Wayne Enterprises now and doing far better than I ever did, he enjoys skateboarding and snack foods and computers. If I had a hundred years I could never explain the feeling I get being able to work alongside such a brilliant and loving soul.”

“Over there is Cassandra, she was meant to be a weapon by her father but she came to me and asked to learn how to use her skills for justice. The peacekeeper of her brothers when she’s not egging them on, she is also a stunning ballet dancer and I gave her a set of your pearls, Mother. She looks just as beautiful as you did in them.” Out of the corner of his eye, he sees that his parents are starting blur on the edges. His heart clenches and for the briefest moment is tongue is heavy with all the things he wants to share and all the emotions he’s not used to expressing in words. But then his eyes settle on Damian and the words come forward once more.

“Damian is my blood son from an amazing woman I met who I hope someday to bring home. He came into my life just a few years ago and, while I would give anything to have watched him grow, I am privileged enough to know him now. He has come so far in such a short period of time and I could not be more proud. He takes care of animals and is an impeccable artist, he takes after his mother but most days I can see you two within him.” His children stare openly at them and he looks at them all long and hard in the eye before turning back to the muddled visages of his mother and father, faded like an old photograph. He misses, misses them every day of his life with a low level aching grief that never went away but most days, the warmth of his new family reminds him that love doesn’t end, it just takes on new faces and comes around again.

“There’s others, Barbara and Stephanie are fellow heroes, cherished allies and friends I consider like nieces. Duke is making his own path, alongside but separate from me to create a safer Gotham. Cousin Kate does her own amazing work, doing what I often cannot. Selina has made mistakes but she’s moving forward to be a hero in her own right and a trusted confidant.” He adds in a rush as they grow more and more washed out. He reaches out and lays a hand on his father’s shoulder but there’s barely any substance there.

“I miss you but everything turns out fine for me. Alfred raised me right and he’s just as much my parent as you both are. I’ve wanted for so long to introduce you to your grandchildren because they bring such light and joy into my life, I wanted to share them with you.” They look away from him and over at the children in their various states of injury and disrepair but Bruce can see that doesn’t matter to them. Mother tucks a wisp of hair behind her ear and blows a kiss while Father gives a small smile and nods at them.

“We’re happy for you, Bruce. Take care of them, son,” Thomas says just as he fades away entirely, the last word held aloft briefly by the wind before dying down completely leaving the heroes alone once more. Bruce takes a deep steadying breath as he imagines them going back to the past only to be gunned down. Instead of focusing on such grim thoughts, he looks at the result of their lives: a mismatched family of friends and lost children come together for a common cause and held together by love.

It’s Cassandra who approaches him first, stepping forward gently but resolutely and folds herself against his chest. He holds her tight, only moving when the others crowd forward and try to squeeze in as well. Dick buries face in the cowl’s neck to hide his tears and Tim ends up squashed between Cass and him. Damian was closer to his back, curling up tightly in his cape while Jason stood a bit on the periphery but still undeniably within the groups’ orbit. He feels his children, alive and infuriating and the brightest spots in his life and he smiles to himself. This truly is the final lesson his parents taught him, that the best treasure in life is to spend it with those you love. And by that philosophy, Bruce Wayne is rich indeed.

[easybrieseymovies]

Top 10 Movies of this Decade –– A Biased Reflection By Conner Miller

As this hellish decade draws to a close it only felt right to list the ten films that made it a little better. Do not expect to find all critical darlings on this. This is a place for my personal top 10 –– not Joker. Lettuce Pray:

10. Short Term 12 (2013) dir. Destin Daniel Cretton

Chances are you’ve seen Captain Marvel, Atlanta, Booksmart (more to follow), Brooklyn 99 or Bohemian Rhapsody. There’s almost no chance you’ve seen this intimate 2013 SXSW selection. Before Brie Larson was terrifying alt-right women haters and winning Academy Awards she portrayed Grace, a supervisor at a group home for troubled teens. Typically in indies like this one mid tier star is all the budget can afford. Director Destin Daniel Cretton took chances on barely known actors who used this film as a launching pad to stardom. Between Brie and Rami Malek alone there’s Academy Awards for Best Actress and Best Actor. Add in LaKeith Stanfield of Atlanta and Someone Great fame, Kaitlyn Dever of Booksmart and Unbelievable and Stephanie Beatriz from Brooklyn 99 and you’ve got enough to make a Knives Out sequel.

The shocking thing is with the immense talent featured the film’s budget was under a million dollars. Larson’s performance as Grace is layered, empathetic and revelatory. She is one of the few actresses that lets you in without words. You can see the grief and longing to help her kids she mentors in her eyes. The relationship between her and troubled teen Jayden (the magnificent as always Kaitlyn Dever) forms the film’s emotional core. Grace and Jayden lean into each other and find their tribulations aren’t dissimilar. Cretton shows a deft touch in letting the actor’s play to their strengths and allowing the camera to be still and messy allowing the group home to become a character. The film crackles with humanity and everyone involved shines bright.

There’s not an excuse to miss this one. Hop on Amazon Prime and catch it!

9. The Social Network (2010) Dir. by David Fincher

Before their ill-fated runs as Lex Luthor and Spider-Man, Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield headlined this snappy masterpiece about your grandmother’s favorite app to share slightly racist boomer memes. While Facebook has aged like milk, the film has only grown more relevant. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin’s whiplash paced dialogue is the highlight here. There’s not a day that goes by I don’t try to work my “fuck you flip-flops” into casual conversation.

For a film about such a now mainstream app, there’s more weird shit to shake a stick at. Brenda Song (withholding calling her London Tipton) as a crazy ex who likes to burn trash! Justin Timberlake with a strange haircut as Napster founder Sean Parker! Not one, but two Armie Hammers! Early career Dakota Johnson! All of these welcome turns are grounded by Sorkin’s bubbling script. Even in limited screen-time each character’s dialogue is so unique they feel lived in and real.

For all of David Fincher’s acclaimed films, I find this one the most accessible. This isn’t Fight Club or Se7en. His most human film by far TSN takes everything great about Fincher and condenses it into one highly enjoyable package. Sometimes his films become meandering and Sorkin’s dialogue helps dial this in. The result is a film that feels dangerously ominous considering its 2010 release date. In some ways it feels the film that defines and bridges the distinctly different presidential administrations this decade brought.

8. A Star is Born (2018) Dir. by Bradley Cooper

On paper this film looked like a dead on arrival disaster. Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut? A fourth remake of a classic movie? David Chapelle in a dramatic role? This movie rose above the memes and truly kicked me in the teeth. There’s so much to love so hey let’s get another look at it!

Blistering hot take, but the cinematography in this film by Matthew Libatique might be the best of the fucking decade. When he shoots scenes with Cooper’s Jackson Maine the camera is frenetic and unsteady. As he begins to let Lady Gaga’s Ally into his life the camera grows steadier and symbolic of their bond. Nearly every wide shot in this film looks like a painting. The concert scenes are slathered in lights that make the viewer feel like they’re on stage with Jackson and Ally.  Exhibit A:

Elite framing aside the songs in this film are eternal and will always loom on my Spotify waiting to strike. “Shallow” is the ultimate karaoke song and I will always attempt to howl Lady Gaga’s eternal AHHH AHHHHH AHHHH until I am lowered into the ground.

Parks and Recreation fans will be pleased to see Hippie Ron aka Sam Elliott in an utterly dominant supporting role as Jackson’s older brother. I still write angry letters to the Academy asking why he didn’t win Best Supporting Actor. I am very PASSIONATE about this film and it is on HBO. Grab a six pack and prepare to sob.

7. “The Spectacular Now” (2013) Dir. by James Ponsoldt

This originally was going to be Whiplash, but Tyler needed to take the floor on that as a young student living in Manhattan. We do stick with Miles Teller for number seven with one of god tier studio A24′s first hits: The Spectacular Now. Admittedly any film that features Brie Larson and Kaityln Dever already has me interested, but bias aside this truly is a beautiful ride.

Late film critic Roger Ebert famously gave this film a perfect 4/4 in one of his final reviews. I’ll do Roger one more and give it a 5/4. Between the grainy film stock, the small scale stakes and the authentic characters this film just feels achievable. There’s no beam in the sky or city to save, but the stakes feel just as dire. As the main character Sutter navigates alcoholism, love and trying to understand his parents you feel for him. He’s a proxy for which everyone in high school else felt. There’s a gentle innocence in how sweet the movie is. If it is ever taken off Netflix I will be ready to storm their server room.

6. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018)

You thought you were going to escape without a Marvel film and you were almost right. The various reboots and remakes of Spider-Man this decade all featured high and low points. This animated tale, however, was transcendent. Moving the character into animation and featuring a Spider-Man of color in the lead injected much needed life into the character. I never thought i’d see the day that Spider-Man won an Academy Award, but lo and behold deviating from a cis caucasian Spider-Man brought it home.

Between the film’s electric soundtrack, unique frame rate and snappy animation it truly is the closest thing to living in a comic book. Miles’ first swing sequence is by far one of the greatest scenes in cinema – animated or non-animated. The voice acting is superb and without a doubt this film will be heavily played when I have kids over Frozen. Another one right there on Netflix waiting for you to check out!

5. “Waves” (2019) Dir. by Trey Edward Shults

One of three 2019 selections on this list (it has been a hell of a year for cinema) Waves is by far the hardest film to find on this list. Despite an extremely limited release last month I was able to catch it in cinemas. I haven’t experienced a film that better captures the dynamic of a family. The vibrant colors of South Florida evoke shades of Moonlight as the viewer is introduced to son Tyler masterfully played by newcomer Kelvin Harrison Jr. We see him navigate his senior year of high school amidst the pressures of a girlfriend, competitive athletics and the constant weight of his overbearing, but layered father (a brilliant Sterling K. Brown of This is Us fame).

To say much about the plot is to spoil the film, but it is powerful to say the least. The film’s soundtrack is simply a miracle. The brilliant hues of neon and ocean pastels burn images in you mind as Frank Ocean, Kid Cudi, Tyler, The Creator and numerous other beloved artists weave in and out. This film literally has more than five Frank Ocean songs in it. If that isn’t convincing enough you’re on the wrong blog.

4. “Uncut Gems” (2019) Dir. by Josh and Benny Sadfie

Infinitely rewatch-able, this film is the closest simulation to living inside a pressure cooker. Adam Sandler plays the neurotic Howard Ratner with the conviction of man of his hair on fire. Even in the scenes he isn’t present his gravitas is felt in every frame. There’s really something here for everyone. Howard owes people money from his diamond store in Manhattan. As he ramps up his debt with a series of increasingly risky bets the viewer follows him night and day. Each time he seemingly as a way out the stakes only increase.

The frantic and gritty way the film is shot paired with its masterfully tense score have the film dialed up to 120 the entire runtime. It is the film equivalent of “Why are you so sweaty? I was watching Cops.” in Stepbrothers. This one just went wide release on Christmas so get out there before it leaves theaters.

3. “La La Land” (2016) Dir. by Damien Chazelle

Don’t let the infamous Best Picture swap with Moonlight fool you about the quality of this film. In his follow up to Whiplash, Chazelle takes command from the opening musical number on the overpasses of the 405 in LA. This love story of ambition between aspiring musician Seb and actress Mia has heart that few films have. It isn’t about boy meets girl. Similar to A Star is Born it is about finding the person you need to reach your dreams.

There’s few films with this level of direction. Each camera movement, lighting choice and story beat is tactile and purposeful. Emma Stone delivers a career defining performance and the Academy thankfully awarded her Best Actress. Every song on the soundtrack is an absolute banger and there’s really no excuse for not watching this one. A true gem even on my twelfth rewatch and four papers/presentations I gave on it in film school.

2. “Booksmart” (2019) Dir. by Olivia Wilde

These final two movies on the list exist on their own personal Mount Olympus. Olivia Wilde, in her directorial debut no less, creates an honest coming of age movie that’s actually a love story. Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaityln Dever) are honor roll students on their final day of high school. When they realize the kids who partied and didn’t study religiously also got into Ivy League schools they set out to correct that over one crazy night.

You really won’t find a sweeter or more hopeful film. Dever and Feldstein bring electricity to their roles and won’t fail to make you laugh and cry. In a news cycle filled with hate and fear, films like this are needed. A film that’s sexually, politically and morally progressive without getting on a soapbox is nearly impossible and that’s exactly what Wilde achieved with this instant classic. I literally only have a Hulu subscription to rewatch this endlessly. I also own two different shirts of Amy and Molly. Enjoy.

1. “Lady Bird” (2017) Dir. by Greta Gerwig

If you’re still reading this far you likely know me and know what’s number one. Gerwig’s Lady Bird is nothing short of perfection. A riveting and relatable story of titular Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson’s journey navigating her senior year of high school in Sacramento at surface, but really about parents and children.  Between Sam Levy’s grainy cinematography that makes the film feel like a memory, Jon Brion’s understated score and Saoirse Ronan’s dynamo performance as Lady Bird there’s so much to love. You’re this far. You don’t need to read anymore. Take a breath, pat yourself on the back and let’s hope the next decade is even better. Also Lady Bird is on Amazon Prime. Don’t forget that.

(P.S Larry McPherson is the best movie dad of all time –– fight me.)

-Conner

IG and Twitter: @connerjmill9

[edyacouky]

Can I protect you? 2/4

I wasn’t sure I will suceed write the next chapter this week. My job kill me I am so tired.

I hope you will enjoy it

Read on AO3 Chapter 01 Chapter 02 Chapter 03 and Tumblr Partie 01, Partie 03

                                                          ~*~*~

When Jason wakes up, he forgets where he is and why. Until he hear the Joker’s laugh. And he remembers. Stephanie was gone and he found her. But it was a trap for Bruce and he was the one fall for it.

And if things can’t get worse, he was fifth month pregnant.

If the Joker doesn’t kill him, Roy will do and Jason will not stop him.

He killed his child. He killed their child.

“I have to admit Hoodie, when I saw it was you I was really mad. But it seems you understand a fundamental true.”

Joker injects something in his neck after he retired his scent blocker. If his round belly doesn’t betray him, his scent does.

“More the merrier, the merrier.”

And the fucking Joker touches his belly. He wants scream, kill the bastard but he can’t move.

Jason doesn’t know what drugs Joker puts on his system paralyses him.

When Joker let him down, Jason saw Stephanie. She is just beside him. They could almost touch. She doesn’t smile like before and the storage doesn’t look like the one they were before.

How long was he out?

Breathes, Jason said to himself, and focus on what you can see.

Stephanie seems alive but badly beaten, and her scent shows her anger.

Jason thinks that she must be angry because of what Joker did to her, of what happen this late two days. But the true is she is angry because she gets caught, because of what Joker will do to Jason and his pup because of her. And she can’t do anything.

“I can’t wait see Batsy’s face when he realize he fails save not one, not two but three people! And everyone is so weak for omega bitch pregnant!”

Joker stands up in front of Jason.

“Like there is something hard to open the thighs and take a knot!”

He kicks Jason in his belly and laughs at that. Stephanie, despite being unable to move, groan deeply and menacing.

“What sweatheart? It is your?” Joker ask before kick Jason again

This time, Jason fights his instinct and force himself to stay calm. He gets caught because he was stupid enough to panic earlier.

It is not the first time he was paralyzed by a drug. He has to stay calm and focuses to move. He can do it. He will stand, punch the fucking Clown. Scratch that. He will kill the fucking Clown. And he will save his pup. Even if Roy refuses to let him see them after the birth.

“Hello!” Joker yells to his face

Fuck. They are so close, they almost kiss.

“Are you there Hoodie? I remember that you know better how to handle the blows!”

Jason concentrates only to move. He can feel his toes wriggle when Stephanie uses everything strength she has left to take his hand.

“If you’re not the cutest couple here! Joker laughs

-Pudding?

-Excuse me Harley. No one is cutest than us.

-Pudding, what are you doing?

-Are you this stupid?

-You shouldn’t do that …

-What did you expect when I tell you I have a surprise for the Bat, my dear Dumbass?

-Not a pregnant omega …

-No! Nonono! Not you too! You are not this stupid, are you? Joker ask kick Jason again

-Stop that!”

Jason can feel his knee wriggle too. Just a second and he can move his leg to destabilize the Joker.

Joker was going to kick him again but before Jason could feel the pain, Harley punches Joker with her giant mallet.

She looks as surprise as everyone that she actually do that. But she didn’t lose her confidence. She takes place between Jason and Joker.

“Don’t make him loose his pup.” She said

Joker groans at her before attack her.

Jason takes advantage of the diversion; he crawls up to Stephanie, with difficulty because of the drug but with determination all the same.

“S-Spoiler …”

Gods, he voices is so weird almost like it didn’t belong to him.

Inhale, Jason. Exhale. Good, he can do it. He can save them.

“Ja …

-Shh. N-nam…e yo…u re…mem…be…r?

-I … I ‘…m s-s-sorr…y …” She whispers while one of her hand touch his belly

Jason almost cry, thinking that his child could die here because of him. Never Roy will forgive him. Never Jason will forgive him, if he survives.

No. He won’t think about that. Gently he caresses Stephanie hair with his nose.

“Shh. T…They w-will …be … f-fine. You … w-will … be … f-fine. I… I … w-will… be … f-fine.”

Stephanie didn’t success hold back her tears. But it is ok. Jason didn’t think she let herself cry before the Joker and she needed it.

“Shh.

-S-sor…ry … S-s-so s-so…rry …

-I … n-need … kn…now … h-ha…ve …you … a … a …a … com …com …?”

Stephanie shook her head.

Jason wasn’t surprise but he was hopping they had a chance to contact the Bat.

“O…K … O…K. H-ha…ve …so…me…thi…ng …el…se?”

Stephanie start shook her head then stop.

“B-ba…ck … on … my n-ne…ck … bu…t I … I … c-ca…n’t … he”

Jason saw her move her arms and understand what she means. All her fingers are broken and she didn’t seem able to move her shoulder too much. Joker beat her so hard that she was unable use whatever was on her neck and could have help her.

“O…K … F-fine …”

He feels something hit the floor beside them but he decides not to look, only focus on what Stephanie try to show.

It was a tracer, one Bruce like to put on everything his children could wear. It seems like Stephanie turn off this one, and he can’t blame her since he would have done the same thing.

Shit his fingers shake so much.

Inhale, Jason. Exhale.

Gently, slowly, he turns on the device and can only hope they will find them before Joker stop beating Harley to beat them.

“Please, he thinks, I don’t care about my life. I know I shouldn’t be alive. But please. Not my child. They have to survive. Please.”

Stephanie and he put their forehead together, trying breathing as calmly as they can, while they wait for a miracle, too exhausted and wounded to fight.

“You are a stupid bitch, Harley! Joker yells when she was finally unable to fight him anymore. How dare you make me angry? And for what?”

Jason feels Joker catch his leg to pull him. He tried kick him but all he gains was a knife stab his leg.

“For this stupid bitch that waste a perfect joke by coming back! For this stupid bitch that open up his thigh and let any alpha knot him! For this stupid bitch!”

This time Joker will stab him in his stomach. Jason knew it. And he have no arm, can’t barely move, and lost blood because of his leg’s injury.

“Not my child. Not my child. I’m sorry Roy. I’m sorry Lian. I’m sorry baby. I can’t protect you. I knew it and I decide make you suffer anyway.”

Joker finally looks at him and not Harley anymore. But Jason wishes he didn’t to that.

“Last chance Hoodie. Will you be?”

Jason wants to, but he knows the true.

“F-fu…ck … you.”

Joker will love hear him beg and cry while he take everything he wants no matter what.

I’m sorry.

Like in a movie or TV show, it was when all was lost that a miracle occurred.

A batarang stab Joker arm and almost all the Batfamily appears.

Orphan and Red Robin go for Spoiler watching what they can do for her before bring her back to the cave where she can be treated.

Batman and Robin fought the Joker and Harley who seems fight for her “pudding” again. One day she will stop, when she realize she can.

Nigthwing and Batwoman go for him. They look at him like they don’t really believe he is here.

“Little wing, Dick whisper, what the hell are you doing here?”

Jason whine, almost cry. He knew it was a bad idea coming here. He knew he fuck up. Can’t they focus on save his child? The lesson could wait.

“Not important right now. We have to stop his leg bleeding and take him to the hospital. Batwoman said and Jason wants to thank her

-He can’t go in hospital like that. Dick said pointing to his costume but starts stop the bleeding

-We can retire his domino and his top with the symbol on the car. Batwoman retort

-It would be weird that we both bring a pregnant omega …

-What? You never have to bring a pregnant omega to the hospital during one of your patrol? And at least things in the cave change during the last two hour, we can’t take care of him or the baby there.”

Dick bit his lip but didn’t try anymore to argue. The risk their identity was discovered was big, but the health of Jason and his baby was in danger too.

“You are right. Sorry. Everything will be alright Hood, ok? We will take care of you.” Dick smiles gently and Jason truly wants to believe him but he can’t.

He feels pathetic but he needs Roy with him, especially if things go wrong.

While they carry him to Batwoman’s car, Jason tries to explain that to Dick.

“A-Ar…se…nal…

-What?”

At first, Dick frowns then he looks at Jason’s belly and his eyes widened in shock as he understood what he was trying to tell him.

“Ok … Ok … we will tell him where you are as soon as we can phone, ok?”

It is not enough but Jason realize they can’t stop his bleeding and drive and call Roy. So he nods.

Luckily, Gotham is used to their vigilante now, and neither the doctor nor the nurses think much of seeing Batwoman and Nightwing. In an instant, they all focus on the distress pregnant omega.

With the little information, Batwoman and Nightwing give them –The omega was drugged but they don’t know exactly by what, he was maybe punch on his stomach- they start treat him.

Despite their instinct, they leave Jason alone on this hospital. The last thing they need is someone thinking they have a connection.

Dick calls Roy while he was seated on the roof of the building opposite. Roy reacts like expected. He was worried and angry at them. When he knew which hospital Jason was, he hangs up.

Dick sighs but when he sees Kate informs Bruce about Jason’s situation, he thinks it must be worse for her.

“Seriously B? She asks unimpressed. You think it was a good idea brings him to the cave, really? We haven’t anything to make sure the baby is safe. I know that he is hurt; it is for that we bring him to a hospital. Of course we leave. We never stay when we bring a victim to the hospital. You know what B? If you worried, you can come see your damn son.”

She hangs up. She sights loudly.

“Your father is an asshole.”

Dick smile weakly when watch the hospital again. He wants go see Jason. But he can’t come see him as Nightwing neither as Dick Grayson. Fuck if he visits him as Dick Grayson it is sure someone will assume he is his mate and the father of his baby. His baby. His Little wing is pregnant ! And he didn’t know it! He is pregnant with his ex-best friend’s baby! And he didn’t know it!

“You are as worse as him. She said. Come, we will change and see him.

-But what we will tell to the hospital? To the media?”

Kate has no time to respond, they see Bruce Wayne. Not in disguise. Not at Batman. They see Bruce fucking Wayne enters the hospital as himself.

“Same thing as him.”

Bruce, you hypocrite. Dick though.

When Roy finally arrives on the hospital, he is a mess. When Dick calls him he was recovering Lian from Dinah's house. They would go home, prepare the meal until Jason returns safe and sound. Lian did not understand why she had to stay longer. Roy had not said anything to him not to worry but it had not had the desired effect.

He could still hear her cry.

And he didn’t feel much better.

“I receveid a call. He said to the receptionist. My mate is here. He is pregnant. Please tell me how he is.

-What his name is?”

Shit. With which name he was checked in?

No. It wasn’t important. They have agreed on a name for Jason’s new identity.

“His name is Jason Johnson. But I don’t know how he was check in.”

The receptionist looks at him with a sad smile; visibly she was touch by his worry. Roy didn’t met many alpha that was unaffected by a distress omega. They were sympathetic or sexually excited by that.

While she did her research, Roy give her all the files he have to prove the existence of Jason Johnson and that they are mate.

“Roy! Dick calls him and Roy didn’t know how he feels about that. Good thing you are finally here. They didn’t let us seem him. We come here so fast that we didn’t think of take any identity card.”

Roy realizes only now, that not only Dick, but also Bruce, Kate and Damian were here.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?

-Roy, we just want to…

-I don’t care about what you fucking want! Roy exploded. It is because of you Jason is here now!

-You are not fair …

-Oh you must fucking kidding me right now?! I am not fair?

-You can’t keep me for seeing my son.” Bruce intervene on mode Alpha bullshit

If he thinks Roy will let him be impressed, he was mistaken for another omega.

“Oh yeah. The son you are close enough he didn’t want you to know he was pregnant! For fifth month! And he never changes his mind. He didn’t want you to know or have any contact with our child. I don’t have to keep you to see your son; your son doesn’t want to see you!”

Bruce looks so hurt by that, that if it was different circumstance Roy will feel bad for him. But now, Roy thinks Bruce didn’t suffer enough.

He wants yells: “No Gotham, no Red Hood for fifth month! But one call from them and he came risk his life, his and their baby’s life for them. Again and again. But it would never be enough, right?” but he said nothing because, even in his distress, he knew here wasn’t the right place to talk about their job.

“Please. Tell me you find my mate. Roy said to the receptionist

-I find someone but they didn’t have any identity card. The doctor will come soon to tell you if you can see him.

-Soon how?

-Soon like right now.”The doctor said

She was a skinny and tired beta but she was forthright and honest.

“I can’t tell you anything about the patient if I am not sure you are who you said you are. But he is awake enough to tell if they know you. Please come.”

Roy takes back his papers and follows her. He stops when he saw the Batfamily do the same. He groans at them threatening.

“What do you think you doing?”

Bruce groans back and for a moment, everyone though they will fight.

“-Please misters. I will let the patient decide who they want see.” The doctor interrupt not impressed

With difficulty, they all arrive in one piece to the room. The doctor forces them to stay outside while she approaches Jason.

“Mister, there are some people here. Maybe there are your families. Can you confirm it? Can you look at them please and tell me if they can come into your room?”

Jason’s scent reeks from distress and worry. It is almost unbearable even at the door. When Jason looks at them, they can see him crying.

“Roy.” Jason said looking at him miserably

It is enough for Roy who run to him, takes him in his arm and kisses his cheeks, his nose, his forehead, and his lips.

He can’t help himself but put his hand on Jason’s belly. And no word can describe the relief he feels when he feels his child move.

“You’re alive. Our child is alive.” Roy said like he can’t believe it

Jason cries louder making his breathing difficult.

“Shh. I am here. Cry, you will feel better after.”

Roy rock Jason in his arm. He can’t understand why Jason reacts so badly. They are fine. It was a horrible night. But they are fine, right?

“Sorry. The doctor said. But about the other person, do you want to see them?”

Jason shakes his head without look at them.

“Ok. I will let you a moment then I come back explain everything to you, ok?

-Yeah. Thank.” Roy said

Bruce and Dick were devastated by Jason’s reaction and at first refuses to leave. They wanted at least know how Jason was.

“The patient didn’t confirm you are his family. The doctor explain

-I am his father.

-If it is true, come back here tomorrow. Maybe he will confirm that. In the meantime, please leave.

-I will come back tomorrow.” Bruce said more for Jason than the doctor.

Then he leaves and the other follows him.

“Mister?

-Harper. Roy Harper.

-I am the Doctor Olivia Armstrong. If your … mate, right? Right. If your mate agrees, are you ready listen the prognostic?

-I am. Roy said before ask to Jason. Are you? It is ok if you are not …

-I am. Please, just … Don’t stop holding me …”

The doctor let them an instant before saying:

“Your mate was kicking in the stomach more than once and drugs with some paralyzing drug.

-Oh God … Jaybird … Roy said while kisses him again

-We did exam to ensure the health of Mister Jason and the baby.

-And well?

-The drugs don’t seem have long effect on Jason and the baby. In some minutes, it would be off his system without any after effect.

-Ok good. And the bad news?

-Like I already said to Jason … Well there was obviously a detachment of the placenta. The hematoma is peripheral and small so it will not impact the maternal-fetal exchanges.

-What does that mean? Jason and the baby are in danger?

-We will have to impose on Mister Jason total rest and close supervision. At least initially, to make sure that the hematoma does not get worse.

-I killed them. Jason said

-No you didn’t. You are fine. They are fine.

-No they are not.

-Mister Roy, I don’t want trouble you and your mate more but you must know. We cannot guarantee that the pregnancy will end well. We will do everything we can but we cannot promise you everything will be alright.

-I am so sorry.

-Hey, Jaybird. Look at me. Look at me. No matter how it ends it is not your fault, ok?

-You must be so mad … I hate myself so much …

-I want to be mad. Roy confesses. But true is in your place I would have done the same thing.

-God … Doesn’t make us horrible parent?

-Hey! I think we did great with Lian.

-It is because she is so smart.”

Roy laughs and kisses Jason again who relax a little in his arms.

“I love you Jaybird. We will everything for this pregnancy to end well. But no matter the end, I love you.

-I love you too.”

[dailyaudiobible]

10/05/2019 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 4:19-6:15, Colossians 1:18-2:7, Psalms 77:1-20, Proverbs 24:23-25

Today is the 5th day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I'm Brian and it's great to be here with you as we close the books on another one of our weeks together and this would be the first weekend in the month of October, the final quarter of the year and I'm still moving into this month. I can't believe that we’re in October. But it's an exciting time and it’s an exciting time to be here with you as we take the next step forward in the Scriptures. And we moved into Jeremiah this week and we also moved into the letter to the Colossians this week and that's what we will end week with, taking the next step forward in these writings. So, first, Jeremiah chapter 4 verse 19 through 6 verse 15. And we’re reading from the Christian Standard Bible this week.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. And again, as we do so often when we come to the end of the week, we mark the time, we thank You for bringing us this far, we thank You for bringing us through this week, we thank You for bringing us into this month and as the days go by, we thank You for Your faithfulness to us and Your kindness and Your love that is beyond description and beyond comprehension. Thank You for Your patience with us as we continue to walk this path of faith and we invite Your Holy Spirit to plant the word that we've heard this week into the soil of our lives. Come Holy Spirit we pray. In Jesus’ name we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website it is home base and it’s how you stay connected. And, so…so, do stay connected.

Reminding you of the new resource that we’ve been talking about for the last couple of days, the God of Your Story, which is a 365 day devotional comprised of a written form of the kind of commentary that we do every day here on the Daily Audio Bible and really a representation of all that we've learned together over the years. So, I am praying that everybody who considers themselves a part of this community gets a copy of this resource, not only for what it is and for what it can do in our lives, but also because all of it goes to support the efforts of keeping this going seven days a week every day without fail. So, thank you for your partnership in that.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com as well. There is a link that lives on the homepage and I thank you humbly and profoundly for your partnership. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, you can press the Hotline button, the little red button at the top in the app and just start talking or 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Good morning family this is Shannon from Salem Oregon. I have a praise report and prayer request to share with you. I had applied to a lot of school counselor positions, 13 to be exact. I had five interviews. I was a finalist for two and I wasn’t selected for any of them. However, the one where the principal called to recruit me to apply for that counselor position, she ended up asking me to apply for a long-term sub position in her building and I didn’t think I could because I don’t have the right license for that. My license admits me to 10 consecutive days of something and this was over a six-week position. But she helped me to get the license that I need to do that. And, so, I took that position and in my first full week. It’s been a big challenge. So that’s part of my prayer request. The kids…there are several really just strong behavior issues in that classroom. The classroom itself isn’t really a classroom. It was a reading room and so it’s very small, so we don’t have a lot of room for movement and things which second graders need. There’s a lot of other challenges which I won’t go into, but I just want to ask you for your prayers. I’m still in my master’s program for school counseling as well. So, being a full-time employee and a full-time student and having a family, it’s…it’s really tiring and I’m sick right now. You might be able to hear my voice I have a sinus infection and/or probably some kind of virus. So, please pray. My husband travels two weeks at a time every month to England for his work also. Please pray for us thank you. Bye.

Hi Daily Audio Bible this Sierra Tango Papa on the Eastern front and just praising God for all that He’s doing in the amazing amazing things that I’m seeing Him move through and in. I just…as I listen to all the prayer requests, one of the things that is so evident is that we are all in process. There is struggle and strive and trial. God wants to be there with us. He wants to walk through that process with us and that’s where we grow and that’s where we have life, that’s where we change and are transformed. And He ask that we join with Him and that His word be that center pole, that north star, that guiding light. So, I just pray for you all, that you’ll just join with me to just press into God and see what He’s doing and join Him in the process and just allow His victory to come through in every situation. I love you all and I’m praying for you all and I know that God is moving in ways that you just can’t even imagine. Looking forward to hearing your story. Bye-bye.

Hi this is Stephanie the Lord’s Chic in Enid Oklahoma. Just wanted to let everybody know that Shane who has the stage for lymphoma is home. He got in last night. And I just want a big shout out to the Portland DABbers - Margie and Jim and Rob - who went out of their way. You guys didn’t know us from Adam and you went and you ministered to him and you brought him food and encouraged him. So, it’s gonna be a long journey. I walked right past him in the airport. I did not recognize my own son because he had lost so much weight and lost his hair. So, if you all would keep us in prayer that the hoops that we’re gonna jump through with insurance and, you know, chemo, and paying for things while that’s pending, we would really appreciate it. But gosh, I can’t believe that through this ministry that people were actually able to put hands on him and touch him and hug his neck while he was in a place where he was alone. You guys are amazing! May God bless you all back a thousand times. And just keep us in your prayers please. It’s gonna be a long road yet. All right. God bless.

Hi Daily Audio Bible my name is Crystal I’m from Illinois. This is my second year listening to Daily Audio Bible and I just love coming into this community in the word every day. This is my first time calling. It’s truly been like a renewing time just in the last year and a half that I’ve been listening, especially since last year was my first time reading through the Bible as a whole and it’s been a spiritual turning point for me. So, thank you Daily Audio Bible and Brian and Jill just for all you guys do. I do have a few prayer requests. First, for my husband Paul who works with my brother-in-law. They’re contractors and their company has had a hard time lately just running into a lot of obstacles and things going wrong. So, just prayer for them for strength, for renewed faith, for…just them to continue to look to God through it all and grow. And also, for my daughter Bella. She is a kindergartner and has had some very grown-up questions lately and is struggling a lot with fear and she’s super smart, but just prayers that she continues to understand the character of God and just grow her young faith. And then prayers for my friend Allura. She has not been able to find a job lately and she needs a new place to live in less than a couple weeks and she has a new faith in Jesus. So, just prayers for her through all of those trials right now because that’s just been a huge struggle for. And then lastly, my right shoulder was injured a few weeks ago and I’m out of work right now. So, healing for me so that I can get back to work. Thank you, guys. Love you all.

Hi Daily Audio Bible family. I just wanted to lift up Carl in prayer today. Heavenly Father I ask that You move into Carl’s life in a way that he could feel Your presence. Lord surround him with love. Help them to know that love comes from You and to recognize when the enemy is lying to him and telling him that he’s worthless. Please help him to find meaningful work and a safe place to live. Protect him, protect his sweet dog. Thank You, Lord. You care about us. In Jesus name. Amen.

[lovemesomesurveys]

S/O to @iaintgotcontrol for finding a new survey! lol.

Looks and Personality

What do you look like? I have a face with freckles, brown eyes, a nose, and a mouth. I wear black rimmed glasses. I have long hair that goes past my butt. I naturally have dark brown hair, but I dye it red. I’m thin. Gangly.  How often do you bathe? I don’t take baths, but I shower every 1-2 days. How do you wear your hair? In a pony tail.

What colours do you tend to wear? I have a lot of black and gray with pops of other colors. Do you have any tattoos? What, where and why? No.

What kind of clothes do you wear? Comfy, casual clothes. I’m always in leggings and a comfy shirt. I own a LOT of leggings and graphic T’s.  What kind of jewellery do you wear? I haven’t worn any in years. I used to wear these 3 rings I have 24/7 until one day I took them off for some reason and just never put them back on since. That was probably like 5 years ago. I went through a phase where I was all about accessorizing and wore a ton of bracelets. I wore necklaces and earrings, too. Is there anything else you often wear? I’m always wearing socks. Would you say you had a “look”? I’ve gone through different phases like the preppy/girly and emo phase, but now I’m just very casual and comfy. When going out, do you dress up or down? My going out consists of going to the doctor, the movies, or Walmart. I don’t dress up for any of those things.  What do you wear to bed at home? Those comfy, causal clothes I’ve been talking about. What do you wear to bed when your somewhere else? Same thing. Is there a place you keep any prized/secret things whilst you’re away? No.  What’s your favourite food? Chicken tenders, boneless chicken wings (garlic parm), burritos, potatoes in various forms, eggs, spaghetti, meatballs, and pesto pasta. What’s your favourite drink? Coffee. What’s your favourite desert? Donuts, cupcakes, muffins. What’s your favourite type of food (e.g Mexican)? American, Italian, and Mexican. Do you have any mental problems? Yes. Do you have any phobias? What? Why do you think you have this/them? Yes. Why might somebody dislike you? Because I keep to myself these days and have been very distant and withdrawn from everyone outside of my immediate family. I’m very moody. I don’t put any effort into maintaining friendships anymore. Or any effort into much of anything. I haven’t been a good friend at all to the friends I used to have.  What skill do you possess that you are most proud of? I don’t feel like I have any.  What is your greatest strength (e.g. honest, loyal, brave)? I... don’t know. What’s your greatest shortcoming or flaw (e.g. cowardly, alcoholic)? I have a lot of those. Who do you most admire? My mom and younger brother. Who do you most love? My family. What three things do you look for most in a partner? Good sense of humor, understanding, patient.  Do you like crowds? Nooo. I don’t well with crowds. What are your hobbies? Tumblr/surveys, watching YouTube, coloring, reading, watching TV. If you can’t get to sleep in the middle of the night, what do you do? So every night? At night I do my Bible study, watch YouTube, watch TV, and read. What is your favourite animal? Dogs and giraffes. What is your favourite colour? Pastels. If you could ask God (to athiests - IF there was one) one question, what? I mean, there’s a lot I’d like to know but some things we aren’t meant to know or are beyond our comprehension. Things will be revealed when they’re meant to, if they’re meant to be. Rate yourself on these traits from 0 to 10. 0 - do not possess this trait. 10 - you have great amounts of this trait. Calm temper Charm Cheerfulness Confidence Courtesy Curiousity Forgiveness Generosity Greed Helpfulness Honesty Loyalty Optimism Patience Self-sacrafice Wit Background Where were you born and raised? California. Briefly describe your family. Loving, supportive, encouraging, funny.  You must choose one - your childhood was calm/peaceful or tragic/turbulent? Calm and peaceful out of these choices. I had obstacles and struggles with health related things, but honestly those aren’t what stick out the most to me. I was a very resilient, strong kid. I’m a very weak, scared adult.  Did you have any rolemodels? My mom and grandma. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you? I’d say the incident that made me a paraplegic at 7 months old takes home the trophy for that category.  How did it affect you? In every single way from that day forward. Have you ever had any recurring nightmares or themes in nightmares? Yes. As a kid I remember one of the reoccurring nightmares I had was Ghostface chasing me with a knife. I was so scared of Scream for the longest, but I love the movies now. ha. What were they? Death and being chased. Do you currently have a boyfriend/girlfriend? No. Do you have any close friends? I have my family. Briefly describe your best friend: My mom is so strong-willed and hardworking. Very giving. Very outgoing and social. She’s also very funny and sarcastic. She loves her some ID (Investigative Discovery) and Game of Thrones. Any enemies? No. Who? What are they like? Would you risk your life for your best friend?(not lover or family member!) My best friend is a family member, though. And yes. With who was your most important romantic relationship? I haven’t had a serious relationship. Of what are you most proud? :/ Of what are you most ashamed? The person I’ve become over the last 4 years. I really hate this person I’ve become.  Alignment, Ethics and Religion What is your religion? Christian. Where do you stand on abortion? Where do you stand on the death penalty? I’m on the fence. Where do you stand on wearing fur? I don’t wear fur or use real leather. Do you have a moral code that you follow? What? I mean, yes? Could you kill somebody? I can’t ever imagine myself being able to do that, but it’s something you don’t really know unless you find yourself in a situation that could lead to that. For what reason would you kill somebody? The only reason I could think of is self-defense, but even then I still can’t imagine killing someone.  Would you SERIOUSLY CONSIDER killing anybody right now? No, sheesh. Do you trust easily, or not? Trust isn’t a big issue with me, I just have a hard time opening up and expressing myself to people and sharing my feelings. What are your political beliefs (anarchy, communism, democracy etc.)? What, if anything, WOULD you sacrifice your life for? If it meant saving a loved one. Would you ever, for any reason, abandon your friends in an hour of need? That’s what I’ve done over these last few years. :( Motivation

What are your dreams/ambitions/goals? That’s the problem... I don’t have any. How do you plan to reach them? How would your ideal partner look? Not say looks don’t matter at all, but I’m more concerned with personality.

Do you ever want to have a family someday? With children? I can’t see that happening. Who would you want to start this family with, or do you not yet know? What would stop you from reaching your goals (e.g. death, retirement fund)? My health. What do you see yourself doing next year? I have to take it day by day, hour by hour, man. What do you see yourself doing in twenty years? Yikes. Would you ever have an affair? No, I truly don’t think so. Would you ever have a one night stand? No. What are your greatest fears? Losing my loved ones. More information If you had a month of nothing (no work, no obligations) what would you do? That’s been my life for the past few years and it hasn’t been a good thing. It dug me in a deep hole for depression. How do you relax? Listen to ASMR. What one thing would you change in this world (free Tibet, abolish Sweden)? No more violence.  Would you ever choose a career or job where your life was at risk? No. Why? How would you like to be remembered after your death? “When my time comes, forget the wrong that I’ve done, help me leave behind some reasons to be missed.” Random questions Where you present at any major historical events (e.g. 9/11)? No. How did they affect you? Do you have any famous relatives? No. Do you have to try and live up to your family’s expectations? My family doesn’t put any ridiculous or impossible expectations on me. All they want is for me to be healthy and happy, but for some reason I can’t seem to get my shit together and take care of myself like I should. Are you a loyal member of any organizations? No. General Information Name: Stephanie. Age: 29. Date Of Birth: July 28th. Race: Caucasian, Mexican, and some Filipino that I know of. I really want to do one of those DNA tests to see exactly what I am. Height: I’d be about 5′4. Weight: Mid 70s (lbs). Are you happy with this? No. I need to put on some weight. Desired weight: I used to be mid 80s-low 90s. Sexual orientation: Straight. First language: English. Second/Third/Fourth etc. languages (if any): I’m only fluent in English. Why did you take this survey? I hadn’t taken it before and I wanted to do a survey.

[belizedeservesbetter]

If I Could Turn Back Time I Would See The Cher Show Again and Again

10/10 would recommend 

Let’s get one thing straight first and foremost - The Cher Show is not a good show. The concept is really strange and I don’t understand it at all. So basically Cher is doing a musical about her life (I think???) and calls upon two of her younger selves to help her tell it and all three of them Star (Stephanie J Block), Lady (Teal Wicks) and Babe (Micaela Diamond) know and acknowledge each other and their existence as well as the audience? But who are we to them? Why is this happening? Why do they introduce everyone who comes on stage? Why are there so many bad jokes? Why does Lucille Ball make an appearance? Why are weird projections used way too much? They didn’t add anything to the show!  

I don’t care. I loved it.

The thing about The Cher Show is that it completely embraced its campiness and ridiculousness, or more like the crazy magnificent Stephanie J. Block embraced it and worked it like no other. 

Stephanie J. Block plays Star Cher and she is definitely the number one star in the show and in my heart. She is the show. She is Cher. She is absolutely incredible and honestly? She’s gonna win the Tony for this one. She literally commands the stage. She’s got the voice and she’s got the charisma and watching her literally rise out of the floor in the opening number is going to keep me going through this cold winter. 

In short, she’s incredible.

She’s also the glue that holds the show together. Quite honestly, without Stephanie J. Block, this show would fall completely apart. Without her, this show wouldn’t be worth seeing. 

Micaela Diamond as Babe Cher (Small Cher) is really wonderful. She’s definitely going to be a big Broadway star one day, even though her Cher voice was the worst of the three. 

I feel bad for Teal Wicks because she’s the least interesting iteration of Cher. She has the least amount of time and not as much to work with for the most part. She’s also very clearly outshone by Block and Diamond. It’s not like Wicks is bad - she isn’t in the slightest - she’s just the least good of three very good performances. 

Of course Emily Skinner is wonderful as Cher’s mother, as well as Lucille Ball. I know a conversation between Lucille Ball and Cher happened but I still don’t know why they included it. Regardless, hearing Block and Skinner harmonize gave me three years backs to my life that King Kong took away from me. 

Jarrod Spector has really made a career of playing iconic classic musicians, from Frankie Valli to Barry Man to now Sonny Bono. And you know what? He’s great at it. His Sonny was fantastic and an absolute joy to watch. 

What more can I say about this show? The costumes were stunning, but that was to be expected. There’s a whole fashion show number that is absolutely ridiculous and stops the show cold in its tracks but I loved it. The show is so tongue-in-cheek fun that it was okay. 

Every single person in the cast was clearly having a blast and it was so joyful and fun and was a true example of good escapist theatre. The show gives the audience exactly what they want - just about every Cher song imaginable and three strong women belting their hearts out. 

Surprisingly, I felt very empowered by this show. The show is really about a strong, multi-dimensional woman who has ambition and fears and insecurities and stamina and talent trying to make the life for herself she always wanted. It’s a story about a woman overcoming what men have thrown at her and ending up on top. SPOILER but watching Star Cher let Lady Cher be the one to tell off Sonny - the Cher who had to endure the brunt of his terribleness - felt really amazing to watch. Star Cher had moved past it but letting Lady finally find closure was beautiful. Likewise, Star letting Babe accept the Academy Award - the Cher who dreamed of being an actress - was truly beautiful. Letting the dreamer finally achieve her ultimate dream was wonderful. 

So much of this show was about strength and moving forward. The reason I let the heavy camp factor slide and the absolute ridiculousness of the concept go by the wayside is because this show has a strong backbone. It has top notch performances and a beating heart. 

It’s completely earnest, which forgives a multitude of sins. I’ll probably be back if I win the ticket lotto, if only to hear Stephanie J. Block sing Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves again. 

[itsthisgirlfanfic]

Chapter 2

Tyler

“Whoever messes up in doing 5 kick flips in a row has to eat some nasty ass shit!”, I yelled. All of us was just wildin out, doing what we do best. I saw a garden and found a cup laying on the ground. I scooped up dirt and filled the cup. There was mad worms. I gagged and bought it back to the group. Everybody was yelling and shit. “Come on Jasper!”, Taco yelled and grabbed Jasper by his shoulder shoving him up. I spotted some random white kids and decided to invite them to come join the contest. These niggas don’t even know the consequence. It was hilarious. One of them wanted to do it, so it was about to go down. Jasper kick flipped effortlessly, as the white kid struggled a few times. After each of them did the 5 kick flips, it was obvious Jasper won.

“Eat this!”, I said, shoving the cup to the white kid.

“Are you serious?”, he asked looking surprised.

“Come on dude if you don’t eat it I’ll tell everybody at the park that when your home alone you jerk off to AJ from 106&Park!”. Taco was the first one to start laughing obnoxiously along with a bunch of other niggas we skate with. Jasper was off to the side smoking. Lego was too busy snapping pictures of us for his blog. Although we all do some crazy shit, I can truly say I love these niggas. The boy took a worm out the cup. We all looked at him with open mouths, waiting for him to do it. It was silent.

“Fuck it”, he said, then slurped the worm right into his mouth.

“YOOOOOOO!!!”

We all started gagging and laughing our asses off. Then I felt a vibration and heard N.E.R.D’s “Chariot’s of Fire” blasting out my pocket. I looked at it and saw it was Hodgy.

“Waddup son, we at the park but we about to go to the trap”, I said.

“Iight, I need to get out this house.”, he said in a muffled sound.

“Tell Renee I said….haayyyyyyy”, I said in a creepy tone, then hung up. “Yo let’s go to the trap niggas!”, I said, getting on my skateboard. Everybody started dapping and stuff. Taco and Jasper got on there boards and we all took off. I was going so fast. Only sound coming from our wheels on the pavement, Jasper and Taco were pretty far from me. That’s when I turn the corner and-

“OH SHIT!”,

I yelled as I swerved sharply and fell off my skateboard skidding my leg. “Oh my god! Are you ok?”, the girl that I can’t fucking believe is right in front of me. Oh my god she’s so gorgeous. Oh my god Tyler your a loser, a big-eared dark skinned loser.

“I…uhh…shit!”, I looked at my leg and saw the blood leaking from my leg. “Shit!”, she said, when she saw it. I looked at her surprised hearing it coming from her mouth. She was digging in her bag and then pulled out tissues. She then knelt down and started patting the spot. Her curly hair blowing in the wind. Dang it’s fucking awesome I’m seeing her again, especially this close. Crazy thoughts errupted in my head…like I wanted a piece of her hair so I can make some mural type shit. "You need to watch where you going", she said and then smiled when she was done wiping all the blood off. “You didn’t have to wipe it up and shit, like I mean, like…it’s fine, but thank you..-”

“Stephanie”

“Uh, Stephanie.”, I nervously said. Gosh Tyler your a bitch. She then looked at me squinting. “You live across the street from me right, what’s your name?”

“Oh.. umm..”, I looked at her. She was patiently waiting for me to tell her my name. But I was so nervous like shit.

“Uhhh…”

She started laughing.

“It’s ok, it’s a pretty hard question if you ask me..”, she said still laughing.

“Nahh I was just playin, It’s Tyler..and yeaa I saw you earlier…”, I said trying to not sound stalkerish, even tho she saw me.

“Cool Tyler, hey, since we’re you know…neighbors, can you show me to any spots that’s like…hiring…if you know.”, she said making her pink lips curl to a beautiful smile. I immediately got stoked, like she really didn’t know who I was…That we have our own store and I can hire her. “Fuck yea, but uhh..”, I looked at my skateboard, and so did she. Then she reached her hand out. Surprised by the gesture I grabbed it and she pulled my skinny ass up. I was surprised by her strength. My leg was fine, but then she got on the skatboard, leaning on me. I immediatly got a boner.

“I’m always willing to learn”, she said then smiled again.

Yo, is she perfect or what?

Hodgy

   “Where are you goin? Why you always leaving so much? Like I understand you love your music, but I’m pregnant Gerard I need-” I tuned her out at that point. I’ve been with Cortney for 7 years, I introduced her to the leaf and ever since, we’ve been inseperable. One night like any other night, we had sex. But we were so caught up, we forgot protection. She’s 7 months now and I love her but these mood swings are killer. I looked at my phone and realized Tyler texted me.

Ace: Change of plans, I’m getting bitches!

  I laughed and shook my head. This nigga. I got up from the couch. Cortney was in the kitchen cooking something. “I’m out.”, I said then walked out the door putting my hat on. I went in my car and opened the dash so I can get my pack out. Layed it on my lap, and turned the car on. I was on my way to the studio, where I know my nigga Left will be.

I need to blow off steam…