#the attempt and the aftermath

[sucker-for-sniffles]

sharing a cold dot png

[furiousgoldfish]

every resource ever: you need to learn to deal with conflict and not run away from it

me in a conflict: I have already lost control of myself because my body thinks we're about to die and freeze/fawn/flight response had already taken over, I am shaking and I can't control my words, and I will now take 2 months recovery and that is IF I actually get out of this alive

[rizzoto-whump]

"Whumpee, what really happened out there? You know you can tell me anything."

Whumpee hesitated, the images of their torture flickering through their mind. "I-I almost died, but I fought and managed to escape. They had no mercy–"

Caretaker interrupted. "I know that. But what about you?"

Whumpee shook their head, unable to speak the truth. "I-I'm fine, I just need some rest. Don't worry about me, Caretaker."

Caretaker frowned, sensing the dishonesty in Whumpee's words. They walked closer and knelt down in front of Whumpee. They held Whumpee' hands between theirs, offering the tenderness they knew Whumpee needed.

"Hey, we've been through a lot tougher times together, haven't we? You don't have to act strong in front of me. Your safety and well-being are my top priorities."

As Caretaker's words washed over them, something snapped within Whumpee. They couldn't hold back any longer, and the dam broke. Tears streamed relentlessly down their face.

[oozeandgoo-art]

[belethlegwen]

The Rescue - Chp 52 - Take A Seat

Hello all of you beautiful strange and wonderful people <;3 The Rescue has been updated for all of your reading and viewing pleasure!

I want to say thank you so so SO much to everyone for the kudos, for all of the amazing comments, for the fanart and tags and asks and everything else since I came back from hiatus! We're entering into the Christmas season now, so things are about to get a bit insane for me, but we're doing what we can!

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and an incredible weekend <3 Take care of yourselves and each other as best as you're able!

Much love,

~ Belle

[unforth]

Whenever I see people talking about TGCF Book 4 they always talk about Mu Qing leaving, Feng Xin being driven away, the temple scene, the creation of Ruoye, etc.

But to me, the hardest part to read, the true lowest point, is the robbery. It just took me a week to force myself to read that chapter. The second hand embarrassment is so strong, but more than that: the attempted robbery is, in my opinion, the only depth that Xie Lian reaches entirely on his own. Bai Wuxiang doesn't (directly) drive him there. No. He reaches the conclusion that it's the only way himself, implements it himself, lies to Feng Xin and his parents about it himself. After that, he catches his first post-fall glimpse of Bai Wuxiang (presumably because Jun Wu heard about what the heavenly officials saw), and he slips into an extended panic attack brought about by all the factors that drove him to that low point, but everything that happens afterwards has outside influence.

But staking out a mountain pass and deciding to rob a passerby?

Xie Lian does that all on his own.

And God he breaks my fucking heart doing it.

[arianeemorythethird]

actually you know what, while I still stand firmly behind "the real villain of rex's tcw-era gothic horror story is rex with a control chip in his head" I think there's another option I'm ignoring here...

in classic gothic horror, of course, a hero has two main ways to resolve the problem of the monster:

✅defeat the monster

✅become the monster

and in canon, rex - being the overachiever that he is - gets to do both!

but gothic romance introduces a third, exciting option:

✅marry the monster

and I think rexwalker is definitely at its sexiest when it involves an anakin who is anywhere on the path from rots-era anguished doubt, to full-on commitment as darth vader, turning all his immense capacity for love and his ride-or-die, damn-the-consequences loyalty towards one ordinary (brave, determined, genuinely good) clone

[whumpdrivethru]

can I order some delirium? confusion, disorientation... maybe with a side of thinking caretaker is whumper?

thanks! 💖💖💖

Hi dear! So sorry for the wait, the hustle got the best of me… But I’m here to serve now! Enjoy 💖

PS: You didn’t specify if you wanted caramel or chocolate sauce (aka pronouns), so I self-indulged with the sprinkles, I hope that’s alright!

- Max

They stumbled inside Caretaker’s room with their eyes glazed over and their breathing shallow. Their mind was blank, so impossibly blank, and they felt unable to form a coherent sentence. Instead, they just stood there, staring into space. Swimming in darkness.

“Whumpee?” Caretaker called softly, frowning. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He stood up promptly from his bed and walked up to them.

They shook their head several times, lips parted, eyes wide with the pupils dilated like they had been drugged. Their dazed silence was terrifying to Caretaker.

“Is it Whumper?” he asked. “What did he do? Whumpee, talk to me, what did he do?”

Upon another absence of reaction on their part, he guided them to the bed and sat them down. Their head bowed mechanically, and so he crouched in front of them to be at eye level with them. He rubbed their knee hoping it would be of some comfort, feeling his own stomach twist into knots with how powerless he was in helping them. They were an empty shell, like their very soul had been stolen. They didn’t even seem to know where they were.

“What has he done this time? Did he give you something? Did he hurt you?”

Still nothing. He placed a hand on their shoulder to try and get them to at least acknowledge his presence. That was when their voice returned.

“NO!” Their face contorted in terror as they stared at Caretaker. “Don’t touch me! Whumper, please, no!”

His blood ran cold. “Whumpee, Whumpee, it’s me! It’s me, it’s Caretaker!” He cupped their face to get them grounded.

But they looked haunted, and they were still thrashing and sobbing and shouting. “No no NO! I don’t want you in my head, PLEASE!”

They pushed themself up and lunged forward like they wanted to flee, but their knees buckled beneath them, and they tumbled down. They screamed as if their whole body were on fire and then curled up into a ball and rocked back and forth.

Caretaker rushed to their side. He hesitated before touching them but eventually gripped their shoulders and forced them to face him. “Whumpee—”

“No, no, Whumper, PLEASE!”

“HEY! Snap out of it!”

They kept begging and crying. Caretaker was out of ideas. The only thing he could come up with in that moment was slapping them. Hard.

It felt terribly wrong. He watched them freeze, and the apology hung on his tongue. Yet, the guilt subsided the second they gasped for air, as the fog cleared from their vision.

“Caretaker?” They swallowed thickly, glancing around with a disoriented expression. “What—”

He shushed them gently, but worriedly. “It’s alright, it’s just me. You’re safe, okay?” He helped them up and guided them back to the bed. “You’re alright. I’m here. No one will hurt you.”

Whumpee gave a slow nod as they let reality sink back in. Heavy, but relieved silence settled over them and remained for a couple of minutes.

“Can you tell me what happened?” Caretaker risked eventually.

“I…” They chewed on their thumb. “I was just having a drink with Whumper, like we usually do in the evening and then...” Their forehead creased as they tried to remember. “Then I think we had a fight. And he…” Their head throbbed and they fell silent again, wincing in pain.

“Then he, what?” Anger was starting to run like fire through Caretaker’s body. “What did the bastard do?”

They ran a hand through their hair, whispering softly. “I can’t remember.”

“Are you making excuses for him again?” he accused. His jaw set. “I keep telling you he’ll hurt you and you don’t listen. For god’s sake, Whumpee, when are you going to stop pretending that he is your friend? Stop protecting him!”

They gazed up at him with gray eyes filled with hurt. “You’re being unfair.”

“And you’re being stupid!”

They turned away slightly, pausing for a while. “I think he tried to brainwash me.” They held back the ‘again,’ though they both knew. Their tone was low and resigned.

Caretaker instantly felt bad for lashing out. “Gosh…” He sighed deeply and sat down next to them on the bed, rubbing his forehead. “Look… I’m sorry. It’s just… Every time is worse than the last one. I always pick up the pieces, and I’m... I’m worried.”

They stayed quiet for a minute. “I’m sorry, Caretaker.”

He sighed again. “No. Don’t be sorry.” He pulled them in gently, wrapping a protective arm around them and allowing their head to rest on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault.”

Silent tears welled up in their eyes. They let them roll down their cheeks and the crook of their neck as they leaned fully against him.

And Caretaker repeated the words, softly. ‘It’s not your fault.’

You've been served by Max! Leave a tip if you liked the meal :3

[tomb-bloom-noctem]

Roughly 80% done with this next chapter of TA&TA. Finally identified a NEED for this chapter I've been lacking all the time. I hope those of you still reading it will find it worth the wait. No guarantees when. But it's coming.

[s-guacamolearts]

So I just got hit with the danganronpa hyperfixation which led me to wonder about the togami family siblings

And here are some of the results (with a REALLY LARGE amount of rambling in the tags)

[quietly-by-myself]

A Wicked Work of Art - Chapter 8

Masterlist

CW: medical whump, trans whumpee, test subject whumpee, experiment whumpee, fantasy racism, dehumanization, fantasy whump, doctor carewhumper, carewhumper, suicidal whumpee, suicide attempt aftermath, overdose mention, suicidal ideation mention, discussion of noncon (not whump), violent/abusive relationships, brief mention of familial rejection around being trans

===

Akakios found himself very tired after the doctor left. He didn’t know what to make of the doctor anymore. The medicine wasn’t going to work. Who was the doctor kidding? Nothing would ever change his life. He would never be allowed to attempt suicide again. He would never be free, seen as human again. So, what would medication change? 

Those were the thoughts plaguing him as he sunk into the sleeping world.

There was Asimi, waiting for him, tears in their eyes.

Guilt overwhelmed Akakios. He couldn’t meet Asimi’s eyes. He expected them to berate him, to tell him how awful and selfish and abhorrent he was. Instead, Asimi just ran to him and hugged him tightly.

“I thought I was going to lose you.” Asimi’s voice was shaking, afraid. “I’m so glad that I didn’t.”

After a long period of silence, Akakios finally found his words. “Why, Asimi? Why did you possess me?”

Asimi pushed Akakios back a bit and put their hands on his shoulders. “I knew you couldn’t take that first experiment, Aka. I just, I panicked. I wanted to save you from that. I forget how much weaker your body is than mine, even with my influence.”

Akakios looked away. “He really hurt me.”

“I never expected him to.”

“Why not?”

Asimi went quiet. “When you’ve been around long enough, Aka, people rarely catch you off guard, but that doesn’t mean that it never happens.”

Akakios considered Asimi for a while. “I really do love you, Asimi. You know… the way that we do.”

Asimi nodded. “I didn’t know that one could love a friend without romance before you, my dear Aka.”

Akakios felt something in his heart that was part longing and part guilt. What was wrong with him? How could he have forgotten how much Asimi meant to him? How much he meant to them?

They shared a dream - a world where the two of them could live in peace together, as something more than friends, but not as lovers or romantic partners. It felt like a pipe dream. That world could never be. However, did that mean that he had to give up hope? Give up on himself?

It all felt so small, his reasons for dying, now that he thought about them with Asimi there. After all, times could be hard, but he knew that they could get better. After all, he’d lived all those years pretending to be a woman. He’d put on a good show for his mother and father, who, though he loved dearly, would never accept this new him. They would never accept the man who never wanted to wed. 

And he’d survived Constantine. He’d actually survived. The worst, everything he’d feared - losing total control over his body - had happened and he’d fucking survived. He still didn’t have control, but he was still alive, wasn’t he? Even when he’d tried to take back control by ending his life.

Asimi smiled a little. “You’re so strong, my love. We can make it through this. The world we want will be ours, one way or another. But it will not be achieved through death. I am here forever. If you die, we will be apart forever.”

He’d hurt Asimi and they still had the strength to love him.

“I’m so sorry, Asimi.”

“You have nothing to be forgiven for, Aka, my love.”

Akakios found tears in his eyes and embraced Asimi again. Asimi held him, long in fast in their arms as Akakios cried all the tears he couldn’t in the world of the living.

—

Vasiliki didn’t sleep when he returned home. Instead, he found himself at the phone, carefully considering the phone call he was about to make.

Did he really want to do what he was about to do?

Vasiliki picked up the phone and dialed the all-too familiar phone number. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually wanted to call someone for something that wasn’t directly work-related.

Was this technically work related? Maybe. But, he felt like a ship in the middle of a hurricane and found himself longing, for the first time ever, to speak to someone.

It was early enough that his friend would be awake, but not early enough that he would be at work.

“Hello, this is Stergios speaking?”

“Stergios, it’s Vasiliki.”

“Vasiliki?” The surprise in Stergios’ voice was painfully obvious. “What are you doing calling me?”

“Do you have to go to work soon? It’s kind of a long story.”

“No, I don’t work. It’s a Saturday.” The concern came next. It almost made Vasiliki flinch. “What’s up?”

“Well, something came up at work.” Vasiliki took a seat next to the receiver and pressed his nose bridge. “I got a new patient and I decided to keep him.”

The silence on the other end of the receiver was painful. “I don’t want to hear about your work unless it’s important. You know I don’t like the way you guys operate at the Facility.”

“I know, I know. That’s why I’m coming to you for advice.” Vasiliki groaned. “He attempted suicide last night. I had to stay up with him doing an observation. Kid cried himself to sleep. I just, I can’t deal with this shit anymore.”

“It reminds you of your early days, right?” Suddenly, the voice that had been hostile was caring and soft.

“Yeah, twenty fucking patients and no time to properly care for any of them. I just started having them all restrained after I lost those three that week. And again, this only happened because he was left unrestrained. I’d forgotten to give him his testosterone shot, ‘cause he’s trans, and found him OD’ing on a bottle of pills I’d forgotten about.”

“Well, then, why call me? I’m always happy to listen to you, Vasil. You know that. But you never call.”

“I know I’m doing something wrong by doing what I’m doing. I’m ashamed that it’s taken me a hundred fucking years and four suicides, only one of which I was able to save, to make me realize it, but fuck. I feel like shit.”

The other line was silent for a long time. Vasiliki knew his admission could easily get him fired, but he didn’t care. Stergios wouldn’t tell anyone. He was sure of it. After all, they’d known each other since they were kids. If Stergios was going to betray him, it would’ve been a long time ago.

“What… what changed?”

“Fucking Constantine. And,” Vasiliki found tears in his eyes as he continued speaking. It was the first time that the words he was about to utter had ever left his lips. “You know that boyfriend I had ten years ago? The one named Giannis?”

“Yeah, I remember him. He was a real shit head.”

“Yeah,” Vasiliki broke down crying, unable to hold back the sobs. “He raped me. It was only once and he broke up with me the next day. But, fuck.”

Vasiliki found himself unable to talk.

“It’s okay, Vasil. I believe you. That must’ve been awful.”

“It was. After that, well, I’m naive as shit, but I could only work with Constantine because he didn’t do that to his subjects. But he did that to this kid and then he attempted suicide and I tried to be the doctor, the scientist, but I just can’t anymore.”

Again, Vasiliki found himself unable to talk over the tears. The guilt - both of his own experience and of Aka’s experiences - overwhelmed him.

“How about I come over, Vasil? I want to be there for you. I don’t want you to be alone going through this.”

Vasiliki nodded, but realized that Stergios couldn’t see that through the phone, so he whimpered that he would be happy to have Stergios over, but that all his food was rotten. Stergios simply said he would bring something fresh for them to eat and hung up.

And so, Vasiliki sat in wait for his friend to arrive, bawling his eyes out like he never had before. At least, at least, someone was coming to see him. Somehow, for the first time, that thought made him feel better.

===

Tags(always open): @i-can-even-burn-salad, @whumpsday, @pigeonwhumps, @oddsconvert, @pumpkin-spice-whump, @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi, @writereleaserepeat, @just-a-silly-little-whumper, @sparrowsage, @inscrutable-shadow, @whumplr-reader, @whumpycries, @demondamage, @whumpshaped

[fleetsonourgecentral]

So how do you think Scourge would handle the events of the fugitive arc of STCO?

To give context, some guy (a wolf named Kane) starts tearing down him in the media by bringing up stuff like "he created Robotnik, he transforms into Super Sonic, he's a bit of a dick (even if everyone already knows that so people don't pay attention to this part)" which makes almost everyone in Mobius but his friends hate him, then after a while there's some mega mack bombings across the zones and Sonic tries to figure out who it was but gets knocked out by a sneak attack and his friends get attacked too and then the attacker reveals itself to be "Sonic", Sonic tries to stop one of the missiles but they set him up and cut off the Kintobor computer while he was helping him disarm it so it explodes, he's arrested and when his friends (Amy, Knuckles and Tails) come to bust him out "Sonic" attacks the and left them to die (though they survive obviously) and escapes, later it's revealed he's the the Metallix Mark IV (basically the Neo Metal Sonic of the Metallix) who framed Sonic for all those crimes and swapped him after they run all kind tests in him to confirm it is him so everyone does think Sonic did all that, Sonic manages to escape the volcano he trapped him in and gets Metallix destroyed by the Lava, then right after that Grimer appears as an hologram (because he is in another dimension were Sonic can't get to him) and tells him he's behind all of it because he drove Robotnik crazy, so he seeked revenge and made Sonic despised by everyone to the point he had to leave the planet.

And Sonic does try to leave after not finding anything to prove his innocence, but Robotnik comes back so he decides to stay and help, but has to do it while being a fugitive hated by everyone with the exception of Tails...

Kay sorry for the wall of text, I tried to get the important bits (or what I think are the important bits), it's hard to explain it to people who haven't read it.

Oh man oh man. So like. I know it would be really sweet and whatever to believe Scourge would believe in Sonic no matter what, but honestly? I think he'd fall for it. Scourge is used to betrayal, he grew up around it. Betrayal was expected on Moebius, the only way to ensure loyalty is through fear, and Scourge has to actively work to trust people won't betray him at the slightest convenience. It doesn't come easily to him. Trusting Sonic is a choice he makes every day, built on the foundation that Sonic has - somehow, against all odds - proved he has no interest in betraying Scourge. It helps a little that Sonic is upfront about it when he doesn't like someone - Scourge is used to people being rude or cruel, and Sonic is so, so fucking rude, which, to Scourge, is a symbol of honesty - but it still isn't easy. It still takes work. And as nice as it would be to believe Scourge would believe in Sonic's innocence against all odds, in reality, I feel like his predisposition to be prepared for betrayal would actually just make the situation hit even harder. He doesn't, and never will, have the endless faith and trust in his friends that other Sonics have. Letting his guard down is a conscious choice, and one he'll revoke at any time if he feels threatened

So as for the fugitive arc? I think it would hit Scourge, and hit Scourge hard. The initial stuff wouldn't bother him - what does he care if Sonic created Robotnik? If he can turn into Super? And the whole reason Scourge likes him at all is because he's a dick. Being attacked would make him hesitate, but it's not the first time someone has impersonated Sonic to ruin his reputation, so he cautiously holds out hope. But after all the tests "confirm" it really is him? Any hope he has shatters. He doesn't care about what happens to Mobius, but he does care about their relationship. To hear Sonic never actually cared about him, that he was being played for a fool (which, from what you described, I imagine is the angle the Metallix would go for during the whole "attacks them and leaves them to die" thing) would be a deep, deep wound. He trusts Sonic more than he's ever trusted anyone, and this is how he's repaid? Stupid. He should have known this Sonic would be no different than all the rest. He should have known better. He never should have let his guard down

Needless to say, he wouldn't take it well. He'd lash out. Yell at Tails for being an idiot for continuing to believe in Sonic's innocence. By this point he's probably developed enough of a relationship with the rest of the freedom fighters to still consider them... if not friends, then at least allies. They were attacked too, after all, and they're angry, just like him. But he'd pull back from them, become a little harsher, more on guard around them in case they betray him, too. Maybe he'd even take over the position of leadership, although I'm sure he would butt heads with Amy over that whenever they disagree on something, and those disagreements would be far worse than her disagreements with Sonic, because Scourge is hurting and is, at all times, two steps away from completely revoking his trust in everyone, so any disagreement from Amy feels like a personal attack and a potential warning sign to him

He'd probably try to hunt Sonic down. Idk what the priorities of the rest of the freedom fighters are - probably trying to un-fuck the world - but his priority is definitely getting revenge. It's probably one of the biggest reasons he clashes with Amy when they don't agree on how to lead the rest of the freedom fighters, and could even lead to him going off on his own if he's challenged one too many times by her. Scourge the Hedgehog doesn't take betrayal lying down. He gets his revenge no matter what

(It's made worse by the fact his anger and hurt don't erase the fact he still loves Sonic. Loving Sonic is habit, and those feelings don't go away so easily. Betrayal isn't enough to erase them, and the fact that they still exist makes him feel like his feelings are betraying him, too. He's hoping that getting revenge and being angry will crush the feelings he has for someone who no longer deserves them. It's why he can't slow down, can't stop, can't control his anger like everyone is asking him to. If he does that, he'll keep loving Sonic, and he doesn't want to do that after Sonic hurt him so badly)

TLDR: he wouldn't handle the events of the fugitive arc at all

[rizzoto-whump]

@themerrywhumpofmay alt. prompt - Failed Escape

@whumpay day 3 - Physical Torture 

CW: Abusive relationship

--

James lay crumpled on the cold, unforgiving floor of their shared bedroom, his body aching from the relentless assault that Ronald had just unleashed on him. Carefully, gingerly, he wiped the blood that oozed from his split lip, wincing as he brushed a bruise blossoming on his cheekbone.

"Why, James?" Ronald slurred while pacing angrily around the room, the smell of alcohol on his breath almost as strong as the malice in his eyes. "Why'd you try to run away from me?"

James trembled, unable to find a voice now broken by sobs. "I-I don't know, R-Ron," he stammered after a tense silence, grasping for any answer that might placate his volatile husband.

"What we have is special, isn't it, James?" Ronald snarled, stalking closer to him, hulking out of the shadows like an unpredictable storm. "You really thought you could just walk away?"

"N-no, I-I was scared. I p-panicked," James wept, tears cutting streaks through the dirt and grime on his face. Ronald sighed, a sudden sorrow touching his eyes. He reached out tenderly and stroked James' injured face, whispering, "I love you, you know. I... I just want to protect you."

[trashideas]

About the AU:

Everyone is aged up (except Dokja)

The Company just wants Dokja to have a good fucking childhood

This is like... Set in some time where everyone from the Company knows Dokja but he doesn't know them.

The Company is all looking for him, Joonghyuk is the first to find him

However, there were some complications for his transition into the world. He is a cat.

WARNING: TW aftermath of suicide attempt, manipulation (bc of kdj Aunt), overall depressing themes

-------

Part 1

After Kim Dokja’s little fall out the second story window, he is recommended to get a therapy dog by one of the doctors.

Of course, nobody wants to spend that kind of money on something a like dog, much less a dog specifically for Dokja’s comfort. Instead of telling that to Dokja, they say:

“The hospital bills are already putting a dent in our savings, we need to be on a strict budget because of you.”

In reality, the hospital is costing them nothing. The payment for the hospital is coming directly from Dokja’s mother’s money. Which- in turn- is actually Dokja’s money.

After the long weeks of being in the hospital, Dokja doesn't like being in his Aunt’s house anymore. He doesn't like the looks people keep giving him. Nobody talks to him, too afraid to be the next reason why Dokja jumps. People don't want his death on their hands, but they also don't want to be responsible for his life.

So he finds himself walking outside more often than not. He can't go far, his limbs are far too heavy for that. If it weren't for his aching muscles and screaming bones, Dokja is pretty sure he would walk until he couldn't find his way back his Aunt’s house.

Walking is a therapy of itself. It keeps his mind occupied and puts an aching pain in his bones. The pain keeps him grounded, out of his mind.

He has found a nice park while on his walks.

While it technically is supposed to be closed after sunset, nobody is near enough to tell he is there, and if people do notice, then they don't care. Because Dokja isn't bothering anyone, no one bothers him.

He likes to sit on the swings and scroll through his phone. Most of the time he is looking for something good to read rather than actually reading a webnovel, but the pass time is rewarding. Especially when he finds something truly good to read.

It's a rare occasion of actually reading something when it happens. He is a few chapters in of a novel called SSSSSSS-Class Infinite Regressor. The plot is interesting enough with enjoyable characters, but there is a nagging in the back of his mind. Something about it is familiar, and for some reason he doesn't like it. He is contemplating dropping it when he feels a set of eyes on him.

He checks the time. Ah... It's gotten late. Early? The white numbers of 1:32 stare back at him.

Someone must think he is doing something nefarious. He gets off the swing quickly. A little too quickly. His limbs are still weak from his... It hasn't been long since he left the hospital. Maybe a few months, so he hasn't fully recovered yet. Dokja thinks he is still supposed to be using crutches, but he lost them at his Aunt’s house at some point.

He stumbles awkwardly and falls to the ground. He has fallen enough to know how to hit the ground. Nothing is in pain and his phone is still in his hand, but he just doesn't have the energy to get up again. Whoever is watching him must have seen and he doesn't want to face the humiliation of getting back up.

He stares up at the blank sky. The light pollution of the city makes it impossible to see the stars.

“Mrrow?”

Dokja’s eyes snap to see a short-haired cat. Well, he thinks it's a cat. It's big enough to be something more akin to small leopard, but he doesn't see the fuzz that baby animals have and assumes that it's just a really big house cat.

The cat is staring at him with wide, yellow eyes. Dokja notices the little dot of white on it's chest. It's too dark to tell the true color of the cat. It's fur is dark, it could be grey or brown- but looks like a pure black under just the light of the moon.

The cat looks like it wants to approach but only stands just out of reach. Dokja isn't sure if he should hold out a hand or not. Despite its size, it doesn't look like a street cat. There are no wounds or scars that Dokja can see and its fur has a healthy sheen to it.

It must be someone’s house cat.

Or its just such a good fighter that no other cat can land a hit on it. Dokja laughs at this, light and airy. It fills him with a joy he hadn't expressed in a long while.

To be comparing a cat to some protagonist, Dokja’s mind must really be skewered.

The cat tilts its head in an obviously questioning manner.

“Sorry, you just reminded me of a character.”

The cat huffs.

Huffs!

Like an actual overdone main character.

Dokja can't help but compare him to the main character of Infinite Regressor, Yoo Joonhyun. He was the typical main character- cold and selfish. However, with the novel’s approach to writing, it allowed the reader to peek into his mind every now and then.

While he acted standoffish and almost rude at times, his mind was a different place. He was always caring for the people around him. Their best interests were always at the forefront of his plans even if it put them in harm's way sometimes.

Dokja decided to call the cat Yoo Joonghyuk. For some reason, the name came to him easily. Probably because it was just another version of Yoo Joonhyun.

“Yoo Joonghyuk,” Dokja said quietly, testing if he liked how it sounded.

The cat’s attention was grabbed immediately. With the uttering of the first few the syllables, the cat’s ears twitched so intensely that Dokja thought it was going to bolt away. Instead, it took a small step forward, and uttered a questioning, “Mrr?”

It's shining eyes bore into Dokja, as if looking through him. It almost made him uncomfortable. The cat was looking at him like it knew him. Like it knew everything about him and more.

Dokja finally sat up and laughed a little uncomfortably, “Ha-uhh, alright I guess that's your name.”

The cat’s ears drooped. Dokja thinks he said the wrong thing.

“Unless you wanna hear the other name options. What about Tank?”

The cat turns away. Sitting with its back at Dokja, but still giving him a nasty side-eye.

“Okay, not Tank... Did you like Yoo Joonghyuk?”

The cat’s ears perk again.

Dokja glances down at the time again, 1:56. He sucks in a breath. Fuck if they find out he was out late again, he might actually get punished. The noise must've sounded too much like a hiss because the cat is standing up quickly and turning to face him.

“Oh, sorry, it's okay- I just have to go now, sorry again for scaring you.”

Dokja gingerly got up with the help of the metal pole of the swing.

Dokja missed the worried look “Yoo Joonghyuk” gave him. However, he did not miss the loud meow the cat said as it trotted to stand beside him. Dokja did not want to think about how big the cat was next to him. It was nearly up to his knee. He was sure that if it decided to stand on its hind legs, then it would be the size of a child.

Dokja looks down at the cat, “Maybe I should call you Tank.”

The cat doesn’t react this time, but Dokja also doesn’t want to throw away the name of Yoo Joonghyuk. The name has grown on him.

“You’re right, Tank is a dumb name anyways.” He steals another glance down at his phone. “Ah- I actually have to go this time,” Dokja starts his version of a brisk walk- which is still embarrassingly slow, “Their alarm goes off at 3 for work,” Dokja feels the need to explain to the cat that is still following him. Was this cat trained for something? Or was it just naturally this friendly?

The cat- Yoo Joonghyuk, Dokja decided finally- kept following him through his walk back. Yoo Joonghyuk was quite talkative with some of the stories Dokja told throughout the walk, mostly when Dokja said something a little depressing. Joonghyuk was so attentive to Dokja’s words that Dokja started leaning away from heavy topics and discussed anything he saw to avoid the cat’s irritated mewls or growls. His sentences didn’t make sense more often than not, but that was okay. He was just talking to fill the silence of the streets.

Dokja didn’t like silence.

It wasn’t like Yoo Joonghyuk could understand him anyways. No matter how angry or confused the cat sounded, there was no way he actually understood him.

It was impossible.

Yoo Joonghyuk was a cat.

Dokja’s mind whispered about all the different types of isakai journeys he has read, and how some of them had the main character turn into some sort of animal that needed to go on an epic journey to become human again.

Dokja laughed to himself. He really was crazy, wasn’t he?

He was comparing the types of tropes in fiction to reality. That was the one thing that normal people were supposed to keep separate.

The cat meowed loudly, pulling Dokja out of his thoughts.

“Yeah?” he asked the rhetorical question for no real reason, “We are almost there, aren’t we?” Dokja looks around the familiar streets that are starting to be illuminated by the rising sun. “I should pick up the pace,” he says but doesn’t do.

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Beyond the Lights AU, Pt 6

Content warning: suicide attempt, hospitalization

After leaving the hospital, Kara doesn't expect to hear from Lena or her team again. She does her best to ignore the reporters outside her home, and studiously avoids the tabloids that cling to the story of Lena's latest attempt to end her life. This time, there is no way to spin the aftermath, no excuse that can be given that wouldn't be worse than the truth.

This Kara knows, and so she throws herself into work. Her colleagues, at least, know better than to tease this time. Kara feels like a vice has tightened around her chest, pressing tight and ready to burst at the slightest provacation. At home, more than one glass meets its end thrown against a wall or cabinet, but anywhere else, she remains collected, barely.

All she can think about is Lena, dreading that her friend-- if that's what they even are-- has been thrown right back to the wolves. So it comes as a surprise when she comes home to a message on her answering machine from the psychiatric unit of National City Regional Hospital.

"Kara, hi--" Lena sounds hesitant, nervous. "I know you probably don't want to hear from me, but I was hoping... I'm at-- well, I've... been getting some help, and I was hoping you'd come and see me. I-- there's something I want you to know, but not over the phone."

Lena pauses, taking a breath that Kara can hear shaking, even over the line.

"I hope you'll come, but... I understand if you don't."

Another beat.

"Bye."

The message clicks its end. Kara stares at the machine, shocked at what she's heard. In the end, she's helpless to resist the pull that tugs her back to the hospital. The nurses don't seem to care that she's there for Lena, for which Kara is grateful-- treating Lena like any other patient could only be good for her.

When she's shown to the visitation room, Lena is already there, seated at a table with a small stack of marble composition books in front of her, gripped in both hands. When Lena looks up at her, it's with a mix of hope and trepidation. Kara doesn't know how to react, so she simply takes a seat opposite her.

"Thank you for coming," Lena says softly. She swallows audibly. "I-- I wasn't sure you would."

"I wasn't sure either," Kara admits. "But I guess I have something to say too." She takes a breath. "I'm sorry, for the way I left things. The way I left you. I just-- I can't--"

"No, no. Stop. Please. That's what I wanted to tell you." Lena meets her gaze. "I want to tell you that I understand."

Kara holds her gaze, waiting.

"Ever since we met, you've been the reason I held off as long as I did. I was a bomb waiting to go off-- Edge only sped a fuse that was already lit. But allowing you to be the my reason for living wasn't fair to you, or-- or to myself."

A tear slips from the corner of Lena's eye, quickly wiped away by long fingers. Kara notices that the bandages on her wrists are gone, leaving the sutures of her injuries plain to see. Seeing them drops the bottom of Kara's stomach out from under her.

"I'm sorry," Lena whispers. "I'm sorry I put you in that position, and I'm sorry I let myself get so lost from myself that I couldn't see the worth of living-- for myself."

Kara wipes away her own tears. She nods, accepting the apology as graciously as she can without breaking down. In a bid to divert attention from her, she nods towards the notebooks.

"What are those?"

Lena blinks, surprised as though she had forgotten they were in her hands. She glances down, then inhales deeply, gathering courage.

"The other reason I asked you here." She slides the books across the table towards Kara. When she nods, Kara takes the top one and opens it. Inside, she finds every page filled to brimming with words, inscribed in graceful, looping script.

Upon a cursory read, they seem to be poems, but as Kara looks closer, the words seem to take on new shape.

"Is this--?" Excitement fills Kara for the first time in weeks.

"Lyrics," Lena confirms with a nod, a small smile on her lips. "The first few days I was here, I slept. Part of it was the meds, and-- what happened. But, once I woke up..."

Lena looks around her, and in the light coming through the windows she seems... at peace.

"Time passes slowly here, now that my days are my own. And every moment of them, words have been coming to me, in a way they haven't before. In a way they couldn't. I was pulled in so many directions, with every piece of me claimed by someone else, I had nothing left to give to my music. But now... they fill every part of me."

Kara stares at her, stunned. In that moment, Kara knows she's finally meeting the real Lena. The one with magic inside her.

"I'm--" Kara's voice cracks. "I'm so happy for you, Lena. Truly."

Lena's sweet smile grows. "Thank you." She clears her throat. "But I have one last favor to ask of you."

Kara nods, her heart all but ready to grant anything Lena asks of her.

"Take them."

"What?"

"Please. My mother-- she's already thinking about how to come back from this, to get back to how things were. And I-- I don't want that. Until I figure out what I do want, I'm afraid-- if Mother finds them, I don't--"

Kara nods, already pulling the books close. "Okay," she promises. "I'll keep them safe. Until you're ready."

This, this she can do. She can keep Lena's secrets just a little while longer.

"But not forever," Kara caveats. She raises an expectant eyebrow.

Lena's features warm into a smile once more.

"Not forever," she vows. "Very, very soon. I promise."

[jasontoddenthusiastt]

no because i read the first like, four chapters of the outlaws webtoon and was immediately like "haha, no?? why is jay acting like bruce never thought of him as his son? why does this author have it out for b so bad?". i'm glad to know i made the right choice if it just got worse

I could understand the ‘wow, I guess I never really found a family with Bruce if this is just always how it’s going to be with him’ mindset, especially if Bruce was being particularly cruel with him.

[ Batman and Robin #20 (2011) ]

He can be cruel. Exploring Jason’s thought process, how he resolves this in his mind and comes to forgive Bruce again and again is something they could have at least touched on. Instead, they not only did nothing new to move the disagreement forward, but they also muddied it further, in a bad way. If they want to complicate (or worse, attempt to resolve) Jason and Bruce’s decades long conflict, that should be a separate comic entirely.

They could have just had Jason cut Bruce off completely (even if temporarily) with the set-up they had, but they did nothing with it (even though they could have avoided the mess they made if they took this route).

Bruce again does something unforgivable to Jason (but now his friends get fucked over too), only for there to be a half-assed make-up conversation that didn’t really address the real issue, and then there’s no further mention of it. Bruce put the outlaws in a simulation for months without their knowledge, and the conversation Bruce had with Jason later wasn’t even about this. Screw Artemis and Bizarro, I guess. They’re expendable because the core conflict is actually about Jason and Bruce.

I wouldn’t say the bad Brucie moments are too ooc based on how he is in canon. The abuse, and him being big on mass surveillance/never trusting anyone while being the one to repeatedly betray other people’s trust. It’s just all the other characters being so tolerant/accepting of his actions is kinda funny, it’s almost like they’re NPCs lol. But also again why are Bruce’s trust issues which cause a strain on his relationship with Jason a main theme in the outlaws book lmao

Ultimately what this webtoon did was take every irritating plot from Jason’s canon appearances, amplified them tenfold, and mixed in even more unresolved plotholes and horrible mis characterizations.