#they both have a prickly exterior but are really good people

[albatmobile]

Cardinal Sins Chapter 1

𓅪 Living with your vigilante boyfriends for the past year has been amazing, well, almost. Butting heads, old wounds resurfacing and a deadly threat still looming overhead could threaten the sanctity of everything you've ever fought for. Will you finally overcome your tainted past and survive the trials and tribulations, or will your relationships and your faith crumble under the pressure?

Rated: M | 6.5k fem!Reader x Jason Todd x Roy Harper [masterlist] Previous in Series: Art of Rehabilitating Snowbirds

Chapter One: Everybody Wants to Rule the World

It’s only been mere hours since Bruce had handed you three sets of keys.

You’d met him in the lobby of your current place after you got a random text that he was in the neighborhood. 

“The keys activate the elevator,” he said as he dangled a set of gold keys in front of you before handing the rest over. “These act as keys to your new place.”

“Mine?” you questioned with a raised brow. 

Time has really flown. 

You, Roy and Jason had been dating for a year now and your lease at your old apartment was coming to an end next week.

Bruce smiled, patting you on the shoulder. “The lease is in your name,” he revealed.

“That’s too much!” you exclaimed. You shook your head, making to give back the keys but he simply refused the action with a chuckle. 

“You’re practically one of my own.” Your heart thrummed in disbelief at Bruce’s reassurance. “It’s the least I can do, seeing as I own the place and all.” You didn’t know why, but you though you saw a twinge of pride in his eyes. “Alfred’s cooking a Sunday roast for the family,” Bruce said before opening the lobby door. He began to walk backward out of the building, facing you all the while. “The four of you should stop by the manor once you get settled in. The movers should already have new furniture all set up, so it’s just a matter of unpacking.”

Ever since freshman year of high school, you’d found your life intertwined with everyone who’s stepped foot in that manor.

Damian had taken you in as a stray within your first week at Gotham Academy. Soon so did Tim, your lockermate and Stephanie, his on-again off-again girlfriend. After that, you were over at the manor daily and spending the night nearly every night of the week. 

Jason had been unexpected, having quite literally crashed into your life. After him, Roy had been an easy addition; that is, as soon as you got through Jason’s prickly exterior. They were both three years older than you, but it hadn’t stopped you from chasing after them.

When Jason and Roy had disappeared before their graduation, you hadn’t realized you wouldn’t hear from them for another 5 years. That’s right- it wasn’t until nearly two years ago that they finally reached out to reveal what had kept them from you for so long. Though, it hadn’t actually been that easy because, well, Jason and Roy are also Red Hood and Arsenal. 

You showed up at their apartment door to find Roy with a bionic arm and a kid and only much later did you figure out their secret identities. 

Soon after they reappeared in your life, your parents did as well. Them and a barrage of Gotham’s finest criminals, which ultimately ended in a dockyard fight with you and the entire Bat Family.

“Sounds good,” you reply, waving him goodbye with a smile as he saunters away with his Bruce Wayne persona. “Thank you for everything, Bruce!”

At his name, flocks of people turned around and began to pull out their phones. He’d turned around to shoot you an annoyed, yet obviously mirthful look at the fact that you’d started a media frenzy.

You stood there a moment longer, watching as he avoided questions with grace before disappearing into his flashy Lamborghini with a small wave back.

Now, here you are piled into a fancy elevator with Jason, Roy, Lian and a shit ton of boxes.

“Old man never gave me shit,” Jason grumbles as he turns the key in the penthouse slot. 

You were surprised by the generosity as well.

You’ve always considered Bruce a father figure ever since he stepped in to help you fight, well, your actual father. That dockyard battle for example??? Yeah, that shit had all been organized by your biological parents.

Ever since your conception, it had been planned that you would be Gotham’s reckoning. 

Your parents had created a trust fund for Gotham’s criminals to funnel money, meaning your death had been planned from the start. All the while, you were to be used as a lab rat for the Joker’s experiments, which were to then be used on the organization’s enemies.

Picture this: 15 years old, wearing a ballgown your mother had stolen to the Wayne Gala only to get beaten and injected by the Joker and his goons. Now, picture 20 years old, surrounded by your found family while your actual family tried to murder you for the 

Talk about trauma, right?

Lian giggles at Jason’s curse, leaving Roy to glare in the raven’s direction. “Oh, so the safehouses he paid for don’t count now, Jay?” Jason merely glares at him in response, undoubtedly saving Lian’s ears from any further cursing.

Recently, Lian’s taken to repeating everything. Literally everything.

From the weather report, to Titus’ barks, to curses and anything and everything she hears from her superhero cartoons, she repeats it all.

You can’t help but feel stuck on what Bruce said when he’d handed you the keys.

“He said I was ‘practically one of his own,’” you relay to them, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as you look to Jason for an answer. 

“Told you,” Roy mutters under his breath, seemingly to no one and everyone at the same time. 

Ever since your biological family had given you up, you’d felt misplaced and unwanted.

Yes, you had Jason, Roy and Lian, but you wanted a parental figure, something you’d never had. Part of you was starting to feel like Bruce was that, but you could never be too sure. The man kept his cards close and his emotions closer- practically the paragon of a closed book.

“I do, you know,” you trail off self-consciously, rubbing at your forearm for comfort, “view him as a father figure.” You’re not sure who chokes first, but both of them immediately begin coughing. “I mean, like, in the least weirdest way possible!” you attempt to rectify your statement, but it’s too late. Your cards are on the table. 

You see, while Jason isn’t biologically related to Bruce and neither are you, you both see him as a father, which does tend to make things… odd.

“Well,” he drawls, “that didn’t sound grammatically correct in the slightest.” 

Of course he’d deflect.

You let out an annoyed sigh, “Fuck you.” 

So, the honeymoon period is definitely a thing.

For real.

Not that it wasn’t currently still going on, nor do you doubt the feeling will ever truly wane with two men like Jason and Roy. All you’re saying is that cracks in the relationship and points of contention have been becoming more obvious. You tell yourself that it’s only natural this happens, though you’re not entirely sure since this is your first long-term relationship.

One point of contention being: Jason dodging any and every serious conversation. 

Example: right now.

Even Roy, who seems to rely on humor to get out of tough situations can sit down and talk it through. Jason, on the other hand? He needs a lot of coaxing and it’s not the way you roll.

“Hey,” Roy rubs your shoulder with his bionic arm before the two of you can start squabbling, “we’re just glad you have family and to be your family. Technicalities and all.” He gives your shoulder a light squeeze as the elevator comes to a halt.

The doors open to reveal a penthouse not even Damian could dream of.

“Holy shi-” Jason’s elbow to the chest prevents Roy from finishing the curse, though Lian already has it memorized.

“Oh, shit!” she squeals as she breaks into a run. She manages to dodge Jason and Roy’s attempts to collect her and calm her down by squirming and ducking under all the new, read: expensive, furniture. 

“Looks like the latest edition of Architectural Digest in here,” you whistle lowly as you take in the expansive room with wall-to-floor windows. 

Roy’s too busy following after Lian, grabbing falling lamps and vases that she’s run into to respond.

Jason still seems stuck on your irritation in the elevator, but, as usual, he says nothing. All you want is validation from him that you belong in his family, yet he refuses to give it to you and you can’t pinpoint why.

“Since when have you read that shit?”

You know moving’s hard, so you take it easy on him. 

For now.

“It’s called manifestation, whore.”

It’s at this exact moment, of course, that Lian sprints into the main living room with an attached kitchen and dining room. “S’called manifestation, roar!” Lian screeches with a devilish smile.

“Oh, thank fuck she heard that wrong,” Roy groans before hurriedly running past you and Jason, who are still stationed in the entryway.

“Oh, thank fuck!” she giggles maniacally as she crawls out from under the couch and makes her way back over toward you and her daddy.

As she’s passing, you reach down, catching Lian in your arms. She attempts to keep running even in your strong grasp but eventually tires out like a wind-up toy reaching the end of its winding.

Eventually, she settles down for a nap in her new lily pad styled bed. The whole room looked straight out of Princess and the Frog with dreamy shades of green, purple, pink and blue scattered throughout.

Tiny pixie lights were strung up and cascaded their twinkling glow down the walls.

While she’s conked out, you, Jason and Roy set to work on unpacking the few boxes you’ve brought. It doesn’t even take two hours, but it’s enough to leave you exhausted.

You plop down to your new sectional with a tired huff.

Jason and Roy are in the same boat.

Jason groans as soon as his body hits the couch, “God, I can’t wait to not fucking do anything.” He closes his eyes and rubs at the bridge between them. “We’re staying on this couch and ordering pizza.”

“Pizza,” Roy tiredly agrees from next to you. “Definitely pizza.”

“I forgot to mention,” you clear your throat, catching both of your boyfriend’s attention as you do, “we’ve got dinner at the manor.”

•••

When you get to the manor, everyone’s already mulling about, laughing as they help Alfred set the table.

Once you’ve greeted everyone and handed Lian off to Dick and Wally, everyone helps themselves to a plate from the kitchen and takes a seat.

It’s truly a full house with your family of four and Bruce and Alfred, of course. Dick brought along his fiancé Wally, while Damian seemed to have a similar idea as Jon is also milling about in the kitchen. Barbra’s here, but what you can’t figure out is why Tim and Stephanie seem to have both brought Conner Kent to dinner.

You vaguely remember him from the college party all those years ago, but since when had either of them been that close to Connor? As far as you’d heard, Tim and Stephanie had been official ever since the dockyard battle, soooo what the fuck is Kent doing at Sunday dinner?

Everyone seems to be thinking the same thing, but with him being a half-blooded Kryptonian and all, no one raises the question. 

“You wanna talk embarrassing?” Dick scoffs. “Wally, over here, decided last Hanukkah,” Wally groans, shaking his head in his hand, “that it’d be a good idea to do a ‘Secret Santa’ for it.”

“Dick, dude, do you even know the definition of embarrassing?” Roy goes into a whole reenactment of the coffee shop debacle, back before you knew about them being heroes. By the time Roy gets to the main part of the story, nearly everyone’s in tears. “And then she smashed a toilet lid over his head, swear,” Roy has to catch his breath, “funniest shit I’ve ever seen in my life. Jay went down like a ton of bricks and the whole time I had to stay in character.”

Where Dick, Babs and Steph are doubled over laughing, Jason looks like he’s already planning where to hide your other boyfriend’s body.

Damian ‘tchs,’ “Pathetic, Todd. You allowed an untrained girl to disarm you so easily?”

“You,” Jason brushes him off easily, “you, I don’t want to hear from.”

“Refusing to hear the truth?” Damian scoffs. “Even more pathetic than I thought.”

Connor looks around the room, gauging everyone else’s reactions, though everyone’s already used to their constant bickering.

“No one likes you, pipsqueak,” Jason sneers like the true older brother he is.

“I like him,” Jon pipes up, smiling sheepishly when Jason’s heavy glare falls upon him from across the table. “But you are being a bit over the top, Dami. You should apologize.”

You’re pretty sure, no, you know it’s Dick who ‘coos' at their interaction and you can’t help but agree.

Jason’s glare drops as he, instead, nods approvingly Jon’s way.

Throughout your friendship, you and Damian had been in a tangled web of miscommunications, hormones, and wrong-doings. Once Jason and Roy came back for good, you knew you and Damian were meant to remain friends. 

Damian and Jon, though? They’re definitely made for each other.

Damian, honest to god, pouts at his boyfriend before turning back to sneer at yours.

“Todd,” his voice rumbles lowly.

“Brat?” Jason’s smirking now.

Damian mutters some unkind words under his breath he’s lucky Alfred’s too old to hear before continuing, “I apologize. It appears I’ve taken things too far, though your skills still are very much questionable to me.”

Jason huffs, “Whatever.”

The subject quickly shifts.

"So, the three of you are official, then?" Bruce asks. His tone is perfectly even as if he's just genuinely wanting to know, if not to understand Jason better, but Jason doesn't see it this way.

The raven straightens in his seat, puffing out his chest in preparation for the conversation as he does so. "Yup."

"So, you're poly," Bruce says as more of a statement than a question.

"Still bi," Jason says as he slowly sips his water. He’s pointedly staring his father down as a silent warning to fuck with him and find out.

Bruce's brows furrow in light confusion. "But you're in a polyamorous relationship." Again, his tone is genuinely curious, not accusatory, but Jason is always used to being on the defense around the man.

"Half my life, I’ve seen you show up with multiple women on your arms, Bruce. You really didn’t think that’d rub off on at least one of us?" Jason smirks as if begging Bruce to tell him he's wrong. "Fact of the matter is, it doesn’t make me any less bi, just like how that didn’t make you any less straight."

Bruce nods, "I see."

Jason looks genuinely surprised that it didn't devolve into one of their usual petty arguments. He nods back, thus officially ending the conversation, or dare you call it, a genuine bonding moment between the two.

Tim waits a moment for the chatter that follows to die down a bit before he brings up what everyone’s been dancing around.

“I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors that, uh,” Tim shoots an uncomfortable look at you and Jason, “Joker’s back. A few of my sources say if he hasn’t broken out already, he will soon.”

You watch as Jason’s fists clench under the table, noting how Roy’s hand immediately chases after to soothe it.

Dick shakes his head before reassuring, “He’s as good as locked up. Bruce, Damian and I checked out Arkham last week. He hasn’t moved since they put him in there after his Thanksgiving bombing.”

Tim still seems unconvinced, however. “He’s still making moves, then.”

“Do you want him to escape, Tim?” Jason sneers. “Because that’s what it’s sounding like.”

Connor bristles, though Stephanie’s gentle hand on his shoulder has him backing down immediately. Your brow raises, thinking back to Roy’s similar gesture with Jason just moments ago. Are Stephanie and Tim back on?

Jon looks as completely bewildered as Conner does as they observe the Bat Family semantics. Meanwhile, Wally and Roy look like they want to step in but, ultimately, don’t want to get involved in family drama. For Barbra and Stephanie, this is all just another Sunday.

“Master Jason,” Alfred’s wise timbre stirs from the end of the table not occupied by Bruce, “Master Damian. Is it too much to ask for just one civil dinner?”

“Sorry, Alfred,” they both grumble in unison. 

Soon, everyone begins catching up once again.

Alfred cuts Lian’s roast for her at the same time Roy cuts her potatoes, Jon keeps leaning over to whisper things to Damian that draw a small smile. Dick, Wally and Roy reminisce about the Titans, eventually going over their wedding plans with Barbra and Stephanie’s excited input, while Tim and Jon argue horror movies with Jason and Connor.

And there Bruce sits, all the way at the end, hands clasped as he watches it all.

Your stomach is warm, filled with the inexplicable feeling of love in the room.

You listen in on it all with a huge grin that’s been present on your face ever since you arrived. You go to drink your water when, suddenly, your hand falters.

One moment, you’re there in Wayne Manor at the dinner table with your family and now you’re….

You look around, watching as groups of men swarm a truck. A group of two men presents you with a box, which, when opened, reveals a stem. 

You blink.

Suddenly, you see people in some kind of uniform running all around you. When you look to the right of you, you want to stumble back, but your body only continues to run.

Joker?

You must’ve been out of it for a while because, when you come to, you’re left with 13 pairs of concerned eyes on you.

“Uh,” Stephanie chucks a potato from her fork from across the table at you, “are you having a "That’s So Raven" moment, or are you and the dickwad’s using a remote-controlled vibrator?” You shake your head, mind still clearly picturing what you’d just seen. Stephanie’s words, however, go unnoticed. Suddenly, you hear her saying your name, “You good?”

You blink.

You’re back in the manor, back at the dinner table, but your mind is clearly elsewhere.

“What?” you ask, looking around the table at everyone’s concerned faces.

Jason’s brows are furrowed in a silent question of ‘are you okay,’ while Roy’s hand rubs gently at your back. 

Are you okay?

You clear your throat and force a smile you know won’t pass in a room full of detectives, but, hey, what can you do?

The last time you had a vision that intense had been…

Your brain screams with a sting of sharp pain that leaves you clutching the tablecloth for relief. 

In the dockyard, Joker had injected you with two syringes. Immediately following the initial toxin, you’d been met with a vision right as the Joker made his escape in the helicopter. Though you’ve tried hard to remember what you’d seen in the past year, for some reason, it had never been clear until now.

Joker’s hands, the glaring lights of the city below, the scrawny man beside him…

“Yeah,” you clear your throat again as you force another smile. “Acid reflux,” you shrug to solidify your false excuse. 

The table’s conversation slowly stirs again, though Jason and Roy’s eyes never leave the side of your face. You’re not ready to meet their eye contact, knowing you won’t be able to meet their concern.

“So,” Bruce begins, “I’ve heard you’ve been somewhat involved in their operations for some time now. Have you thought about what your future involvement may look like?”

“What do you mean?”

He takes a coy sip of water. “I mean, are you content with staying behind the screens? Or, is there a plan to eventually join them in the field?” he asks.

Point of contention #2: neither of your boyfriends ever wanted you involved in any confrontation.

Sure, behind the screens as ‘their own personal Oracle,’ as they called you, was fine. Anything else? 

Nope. No. Nada. They wouldn’t have it.

Total double standard, but they’re too fogged in their love for you to care.

“Says the man who threw three kids into the field before they’d hit puberty.”

“Believe me,” Bruce says tonelessly, “you’d hit puberty, Jason.”

“Old enough to see through the bullshit, maybe,” Jason snaps back easily. “Dick was fucking 8, Bruce. Damian, 10. You don’t care about the logistics, let alone the safety. I do,” he glares at his father, “and I don’t want my family getting hurt.”

“Jay,” Dick frowns, making to put his hand on Jason’s for across the table, but Jason easily retracts his hand. “I love you and appreciate you, really, I do,” he puts his hand over his heart, “but I don’t need you to stick up for me. We’re all working on our issues; it takes time, but I know we’ll all eventually get there.”

Damian seethes quietly across from you, though you know it’s in defense of his father.

“Get there eventually?” Jason snorts, throwing out his hands dramatically. “I’m sitting here, a few years off of 30 and still fucking going through it. You think she needs to go through this contention, too?”

“She,” you start with purpose, “is not a child.” You reference his earlier rebuttal. “And she can stick up for myself! Uh, I mean, herself.” You shake your head in annoyance before starting over, “I’m a grown woman and I appreciate you wanting to look out for me, but that’s so hypocritical when you’re both going out every other night to do the very thing you don’t want me doing, isn’t it?”

It’s deadass quiet.

Like, you’ve never heard the manor so quiet with this many family members in it.

“Speaking for me,” Barbra’s sweet voice stirs slowly as if she’s picking and choosing her words carefully, “I went from Batgirl to Oracle, not the other way around like you.” You nod, interested in where she’s going with this. “Being Oracle has made me so much more aware of everything, regardless of physical training; being Oracle comes with its own set of skills none of you possess and that gives her an edge.” Your heart swells. “We’ve all seen her on the battlefield and seen how she can handle her own under pressure,” Barbara finishes.

“You’re a strong woman,” Stephanie concurs, saying your name as she does so. 

“At the end of the day,” Roy finally speaks up from beside you. “What you’re all saying is true and we can’t stop her. It’s her decision and we’ll support her either way.”

An actual end to the contention?

Your head snaps over to catch Jason’s reaction, but he’s glaring at the painting behind Tim’s head. “I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes,” Jason mutters. His teeth aren’t necessarily gritted, though it sure sounds like it.

No one speaks, there’s only the clinking of forks and Alfred’s low humming to occupy the large dining room.

“Well,” Bruce’s domineering voice suddenly captures the attention of everyone at the table in an instant, “if you’re going to be going on missions, you’ll need to have a suit.” 

He gives you a pointed look that you can’t help but smile at.

“I...” you trail off, looking down at the mahogany dining table. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.” 

“I’ve got that part covered,” he says with a small, warm smile. You’ve got an appointment with the new co-chair of the R&D department. Right, Damian?”

Damian glares from a few seats over, correcting his father, “Head.” No matter how old he gets, he never outgrows his signature scowl. 

 “Of course.” Though, Bruce’s correction goes largely ignored by his youngest son.

“Tomorrow, 10 o’clock sharp,” Damian’s eyes narrow your way, “don’t be late.”

•••

You arrive at 9:55 in the morning out of nerves and sheer excitement.

Jon’s already there to greet you with another man you’ve seen around at a few Chrismukkahs at the Manor. The raven is quick to explain that Damian got caught up in a meeting and introduces you to the gentleman in the suit.

“Meet Luke Fox,” Jon says. He stands a few inches taller than the darker gentleman in front of you, but he’s still quite a bit taller than you. “He co-chairs the department alongside Damian.”

The man in front of you offers a smooth smile and a firm handshake to match. “I know I’ve seen you at parties, but I don’t think we’ve ever been formally introduced,” Luke greets you.

You nod. Definitely nice to finally put a name to the face.”

He then gives you a tour of the entire floor dedicated to R&D, though you haven’t been able to get one thing off your mind.

Luke seems to sense your staring and turns around to smirk. “What?” he asks.

“You said co-chair,” you say, leaving him to nod politely. Meanwhile, Jon seems to know exactly where your line of questioning is going. “Why is Damian the head?”

“Have you met the kid?” he responds. You and Jon both snort. Luke flashes his badge at a scanner on the wall before dragging the two of you through another long hallway. “My dad, Lucius Fox headed this department for decades before he was finally made CEO about three years ago.” 

Suddenly, Jon cuts him off as a loud gust of sound affronts your ears.

“Woah!” Jon exclaims suddenly. He grabs your hand and pulls you over to one of the windows in the hallway. It looks into a lab where someone’s using a flamethrower to torch a small piece of odd-looking metal. 

“This is the innovation section of the floor,” Luke explains. “Right now, they’re testing on something called Nth Metal.”

“Neat,” Jon says, sufficiently satisfied with his answer and finally allows your group to move along.

You fall back into step with Luke and Jon.

“So, when did you start at R&D?” 

Luke scratches at the back of his head. “Probably around that same time,” he chuckles. His laugh is as charming as his professional disposition. “Damian and I seem to know what the other doesn’t, so it’s been good to have him around.” He leans in like he’s telling you a secret. “Well, that and I get paid more, but he doesn’t need to know that,” he confesses. You smile easily, failing to hide your laugh. It’s something Jon catches immediately and quirks a brow at, but Luke continues on like nothing happened, “Co-chair just means I can spend less time leading and more time nerding out.”

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was a Wayne heir right alongside Damian. Hell, you know Luke’s probably 10x more professional compared to Damian’s order-barking leadership style. With what Luke said, though, it seems like they’re a pretty functional team.

“Trust me, Luke,” Jon sidles up beside you like a coy cat. “This one knows all about nerding out.”

“Shut up,” you his, sending him an admonishing glare. He merely rolls his eyes, snickering all the while. “Besides, you know this is the nerdiest thing I’ve done in a while.”

Regardless of your previous warning, Jon takes it upon himself to catch Luke up on the past, oh, six years of your life? Well, as long as he’s known you for, that is, so Sophomore year and beyond.

You’re all rounding the corner to come face-to-face with a giant vaulted door, but Luke seems to move swiftly past it.

Too swiftly.

Your eyes narrow slightly, tuning out Jon’s excited chatter to catch every detail you can. 

There’s a giant red ‘ACCESS LEVEL: 84T BADGE ONLY. TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED,’ sign that takes up a majority of the door, but there’s a smaller print beneath it.

You quickly glance ahead. Luke and Jon are still just in front of you, but you’re clearly lagging. You shoot one more glance at their retreating forms before taking a look at the fine print.

‘All Rights Reserved Clean Energy Project, LLC.’

You shake your head, confused, but Luke seems content to get as far away from the door as possible.

“Ah,” Luke says a little too smoothly for someone who just rushed past a super-secret vault, “here we are.” He inputs a lengthy code, then scans his retina before the door finally budges to reveal the impressive space.

The design room is huge, yet somehow, there’s not an inch of free space.

Mannequins and large rolls of fabric take up a majority of the space with the rest taken up by drawing boards and fancy-looking sewing machines.

“Not gonna lie,” Jon says, nudging you as he guides you further into the room, “Luke and I have kind of taken on this project by the horns, so I wanted to be here when you went over design ideas!” You look down at the table and begin shuffling through Damian’s sketches. He laughs when you shoot him a teasing brow, “No, I did not sketch those. You’ll never let me live down my drunken art skills from Damian’s penthouse party, will you?”

You snort, “It was so fucking bad, Jon.”

“Rude.” Jon bumps into you playfully. “Oh, wait! Go back a page,” he insists and you easily comply. “Okay, the body of this sketch,” he trails off as he searches through the pile. Luke easily hands him a sketch that compliments the previous pick. “Oh, for sure, with these ears.” 

“So, you haven’t entirely figured out the final design yet?”

“Of course not!” Jon says at the same time Luke speaks up.

“Wouldn’t really be your suit if you didn’t actually have a say.” 

You can’t argue with that logic.

With that, you peer over their shoulders at their mismatched collage, realizing that you don’t have any critiques. “Well, I like what the two of you have done so far, but what about functionality?”

“My thoughts exactly,” Luke agrees with a nod, stepping back from the table pensively. “What weapons would you be comfortable with?”

You think back to Jason’s advice. The one that’s rung clear in your head from the moment he’d said it.

“Nothing that I wouldn’t want used against me.”

Jon shoots Luke an inquisitive brow as if to ask if he has any ideas.

“I think we can work with that,” Luke says before he begins on a rough sketch. It’s obvious to you now that Damian was the most likely culprit behind the original drawings on the table.

For the next few minutes, you and Jon both chime in with ideas as Luke switches between erasing and drawing. When he’s finished, Jon nods excitedly. Once you give the thumbs up, Jon uses quickly arranges the final look.

“Okay,” Jon sets down the last paper with a wide grin. “What about this?”

“Honestly,” you squint down at the selection but are, ultimately, unable to put it all together, “Damian probably needs to sketch it out for me to fully see it.”

Before you can even finish your sentence, Damian’s signature deadpan scowl graces your line of sight.

“I heard my name,” Damian says, making his dramatic entrance as he sidles up beside the two of you. Jon ruins the entrance, however, by giving him a sweet peck on the lips that sends Damian into a brief state of shock. He blushes, obviously startled by the action and clears his throat before greeting you both by your last names to cover it up, “Glad to see you’re still punctual.” 

“Glad to see you’re still not,” you tease easily.

He ignores you in favor of flipping through the selected pages. “Oh, good. You’ve both shown her the sketches.”

Jon nods excitedly and begins explaining the new design. You watch in amusement as they work together seamlessly to transfer the three of your ideas to paper via Damian’s hand. 

After another hour of planning, you hold the final design in your hands.

Damian clears his throat, catching your attention, “I’ve been preoccupied with some other cases recently, but I wanted to get back into what happened last year.” You nod, feeling very much in the same boat. Jason and Roy seem eager to put it in the past, but you have the gnawing feeling no matter how much they try to bury it, the situation will resuscitate regardless. “Deadshot’s a good place to start. He might have a good lead that you can follow.”

Deadshot.

The same man who’d been sent to kill you not even a year ago.

“Great,” you trail off. Meanwhile, Damian seems like he’s biting his tongue. “What?”

He sighs, looking over at you with his hazel eyes for the first time since he’d greeted you, “You don’t have to do this, you know? It’s not fun and games being a hero; people die. Heroes die every day. That’s what you’re getting into when you put on the suit.” Damian’s staring deep into your soul, stealing your breath as he does so with the sheer intensity of it all. “This isn’t a comic. There is no next page, there is no second run and there is no do-over. This is real life,” your name is barely a whisper. “You already came so close last time…” he trails off. “Just be sure this is what you really want.”

Before you can open your mouth to defend yourself, Jon butts in.

“I just got my powers. I’ve been going out almost every night on patrol and I’ve never once heard this talk from you, so why are you giving it to her?” It’s not a jealousy thing, but rather Jon pointing out his hypocrisy. “You think that just because I’m half Kryptonian doesn’t mean all of that doesn’t apply to me, too?”

You glance appreciatively in Jon’s direction as Damian takes in his words.

Damian starts an apology, then trails off again, looking at Jon for confirmation on what to do next before finally giving in. “I apologize,” he briefly meets your eyes, then looks back at the design. “Do you have any questions?”

You smile lightly, accepting his apology easily. Luke, however, appears dumbfounded by words he’s obviously never heard from the Wayne heir. “How long do you think it’ll take?”

“You’ll have it sent to your new apartment before your next mission, trust me. Are you sure this is what you want?” Damian scans your face up and down.

If he means the suit, or the hero life, you don’t know. 

What you do know is that you’re ready for it all.

You look it over for a moment before asking, “Does it come in red?”

•••

You want that lead.

You text in your group chat with Jason and Roy about Deadshot as soon as you get out of Wayne Tower.

Jason responds instantly, ‘Meet us at the park.’

The park wasn’t an unusual place to meet. 

You try to go on walks and let Lian run around the playground there every day if you can, seeing as it’s just a block away from the old apartment. Now, it’s a bit more of a trek to get to, but it’s well worth it.

When you arrive, you’re expecting to see Jason, Roy and Lian.

You’re definitely not expecting to see Deadshot.   

You don’t see Jason or Roy anywhere, so you immediately take up a defensive stance.

“Still got that spark, eh, kid?” Deadshot smiles placatingly at you and steps aside to reveal Red Hood and Arsenal sitting peacefully on the bench. “Not here to kill you this time, beautiful.”

“Watch it,” Red Hood’s robotic tone warns from behind as he stands up. 

Deadshot’s hands immediately surrender, though he’s wearing an obvious smirk. “Can’t hate the player,” he says.

“I can,” Red Hood threatens lowly.

The heart-stopping click of a gun’s safety being turned off is enough to wipe the smirk from Lawton’s face.

“Now, now. Let’s play nice.” He tilts his head off to the right where, off in the distance, you notice a security guard. “Wouldn’t want anyone stepping in on our fun, now, would we?”

It’s a thinly veiled threat and you know it.

Luckily, Arsenal steps in calmly. “We’re just here for information,” he says.

Deadshot scoffs in amusement, crossing his muscular arms, “Didn’t think to wine a dine a gent? Just went straight to threatening?” He sighs dramatically, “What’s this profession coming to?”

“Listen,” you speak up. Everyone seems startled you’ve spoken, so you take their moment of surprise to get what you came here to get. “We need to know who hired you.”

The evening was coming on with the sun nearly being set as you all stood there in the desolate park. Tiny songbirds spouted out as they settled into their homes for the evening while a chorus of crickets chirped a cacophonous background melody.

“You’re cute,” he starts, regaining his smirk as he continues. “But we both know you’re not that naïve,” he chuckles, stepping away from Hood and Arsenal to come closer to you. 

Immediately, your boyfriends flock to your side, but Deadshot pays them no mind. He backs you against a tree, putting a hand right beside your head to trap you.

“What’s your game?” you ask before your partners can intervene.

“Well, ring-a-ding-ding,” Deadshot drawls with a slight purr. “That’s what I’m looking for now, right?” He smiles at you like he knows he’s about to get whatever he wants. “An exchange is only fair in this business, right, gorgeous?”

He makes to tuck a stray piece of your hair behind your ear, but you smack his hand away before he can even get close.

“I know about Task Force X.” It’s your turn to smirk. “Now, talk.”

His face instantly drops and his voice deepens. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, little girl,” the mercenary threatens.

You don’t dare look over Deadshot’s shoulder where Arsenal’s undoubtedly holding Red Hood back from doing something stupid. No, instead, you focus on the mercenary who’d been trying to kill you a year ago.

“I’m not a little girl,” you hiss, putting all your power into pushing him away from you. He stumbles backward, nearly tripping over the bench they’d originally met on in the process. “And I do know what the fuck I’m talking about.” You come up on him and send him flipping over the bench anyway, advancing on his fallen form before he even has time to draw his guns. You straddle him, pinning his arms above his head as you knee him in the chin. “TALK!” you demand menacingly.

“You know,” he drawls, “even when you think you’re not giving me what I want, you’re still giving me exactly what I want.” As if to prove his point, Deadshot bucks his hips up. You know it’s an attempt to throw you off, but you hold steady and land another knee on him- this time to his side. “Hgg!” he laughs through his pained grunt. 

“Information,” you insist. To cement your statement further, you knee his other side as you continue to straddle and pin him. “Now, Lawton.”

He scoffs, “You’re don’t get to call me that. Not unless you actually give me what I want, gorgeous,” you continue to glare at him until he rolls his eyes and continues, “You do realize I’m letting you do this, right, doll?” 

You wring his wrists at the same time you knee his side with all your might, unleashing a yelp from the man.

“Yeah,” you twist his wrists tighter until his face twists up in pain, “that’s exactly what’s happening here. Besides,” you start with an airy tone, “I thought you said I was giving you exactly what you wanted.” You turn your head menacingly at him, “Now, which is it, Lawton?”

You give him your best intimidating look, which is apparently enough to finally break him. 

“Fine, fine,” he winces at your grip. “Black Mask hired me.”

You finally break eye contact with Deadshot to peer over at your partners. You motion down with your head at him and they nod, so you release him.

When he stands, he rubs distastefully at his wrists.

“What did Sionis want with her?” Arsenal asks.

Deadshot sighs, “It was a two-parter. Protect the package, kill the girl.”

“What package?” Hood demands.

“Dunno,” Deadshot shrugs disinterestedly, side-eyeing you, “they switched out hired guns halfway through. Picked up the damn thing from Gotham Botanical Gardens, but that’s all I have to offer. Merc’s honor.” He places a sarcastic hand over his heart, but regardless, you believe him.

Red Hood and Arsenal go over a few other things with him, but all you can think of is your vision.

You’d seen a rose and Deadshot’s lead was, well, leading you to a garden.

It couldn’t be a coincidence, right?

“Not that this hasn’t been fun catching up, but I have a girl at home waiting for me,” he snickers at your horrified look. “Don’t look so jealous, beautiful; it’s just my daughter. Anyway, au revior.” Deadshot gives a half salute before disappearing off into the night.

By now, the sun had completely set, though you weren’t itching to get home just yet.

You looked between Red Hood and Arsenal with your hands on your hips, noting they seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“We need a plan.”

A/N: my first sequel!! super excited to share this with you and to introduce the badass on the cover!!!

keep an eye out for the next chapter where more will be revealed! in the meantime let me know what you think!

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[albatris]

ATDAO kids! thought it'd been a while since I'd done up a nice neat intro post for them, so here's that :3

sung-won, kai, tris and shara! and a little about each of them under the cut~

yun sung-won! brash, prickly and intimidating! though really she has a soft heart - she's got trust issues through the roof and only projects a harsh exterior to protect herself. sung-won is a loud and passionate person with an opinion on everything! she's firing at 100% constantly, be it at work, at the gym, in her hobbies... she works two jobs (IKEA and the Department of Interdimensional Instabilities) to support both herself and her chronically ill mum, whom she loves more than anything in the world. she's a difficult person to get close to, but if you manage to win her over, she'll be the most loyal friend you'll every meet. oh - and she also has unstable reality-bending superpowers that might be tearing her apart from the inside out.

kai lancaster! a force of chaos and a friend to all! kai is an intensely social, empathetic person with a flair for the dramatic. endlessly charismatic, perceptive and persuasive, they're easily able to talk their way out of all sorts of sticky situations that would otherwise end in shouting and/or running from the cops. kai spends their time travelling the country in their shitty van, trading interdimensional artefacts and patching holes in reality. they're a pro at helping friends navigate emotional crises but are laughably incompetent at dealing with their own, and would rather set themself on fire than open up to anyone about it. they have a cool, suave image to uphold! and kai does have a plethora of emotional problems - they're currently struggling with the repercussions of losing seven years of their life to a time loop and the fact that their family thinks they died.

tris greer! a sweet, kind-hearted, anxious young man... a gentle, careful soul who tries to care for the world despite his endless existential terror. his psychosis leaves him with a monotone and flat affect - people often find him a little odd and unsettling, but if you get to know him you'll find him a cheery, earnest friend. cat dad and purveyor of terrible puns, tris tries his hardest to see the good in everyone and everything, and his optimism is infectious whether you want it to rub off on you or not. he loves his family to the ends of the Earth, and he's willing to put everything on the line to rescue his older brother Jacob when a freak car accident causes him to blip out of reality completely. even if it leads to a dangerous, collapsing pocket between realities...

shara aleng! amateur paranormal investigator and conspiracy enthusiast. shara is awkward but well-meaning - social cues and making friends are not her strong suit, and she prefers to live life to her own rhythm rather than fuss over impressing others. shara is an upbeat, excited person, ready to rush into all sorts of weird situations just because they sound like they might be interesting. she's a lover of puzzes and mysteries in all their forms and has an eye for subtle interdimensional abnormalities... in fact, she's been able to spot cracks in reality since she was a toddler. presently, she's on a quest to hunt down the source of the apocalypse, using her handheld radio to pioneer her own method of mapping interdimensional faultlines.

[silbeni]

MAKEUP

In which: Rohan does Ryoma's makeup for the club

Pairing: (DIU) Inkspots (Ryoma/Rohan)

Rating: Fluff!

TW: mention of scars

Part 1 of 2. Sequel can be found here

\\\AHHH uh here it is. this was meant to be a smaller chunk of a bigger fic but this ended up getting really long, so I'm making them into two parts. Rohan is really soft in this I know. they're good friends and I make the rules around here 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

Also it's pretty long. Enjoy?

Ryoma initially wasn't sure who to turn to with their romantic emergency. A girl she'd met very recently had invited her to the club on short notice. They'd never gone before, and they wanted to make a big impression. Her usual style wouldn't do, and they weren't too confident in their makeup skill, so they'd need some help. Help like Tomoko, who they'd usually go to for matters like this, but there was no way in heck she would let her go to the club. They could hear her go on her safety spiel just thinking about it.

With Tomoko out of the question, they had few other candidates. Josuke, while fashion aware, had school to attend to the next day- and that boy needed all the help he could get. She wouldn't want to drag him into their mess, anyway- in case Tomoko found out. They found she always went way harder on him than them on the rare occasion that both were in trouble. She had her reasons for her unequal treatment—she knew—but she wanted to avoid that if at all possible. They've gotta look out for their brother, you know?

With now Josuke off the table, there was no one else that she was particularly close with that she thought could help, except for... Rohan! That's right, why hadn't they thought about him before?He’s fashionable, an avid wearer of makeup, and someone capable of keeping things hush-hush. Most people found him rude, and off-putting—and they didn't particularly disagree with either of those things— but they liked who he was underneath of his prickly exterior. Turns out he's actually not a bad guy!

Sure, he has an ego, but that's not all he is. He can be a kind and thoughtful individual, someone that they really enjoyed getting to know. They'd become close over a short period of time, facilitated by their frequent visits. Fortunately, they worked right next door, so it was easy to drop by after their housekeeping duties were finished. Before they knew it, they were making themself comfortable at his mansion and joining him for dinner every other week.

About the plan, Tomoko had already been acquainted with him through Ryoma, so when they asked to stay over at his, she thought nothing of it. It didn't feel good to lie to her, but they couldn't think of any other option. Rohan himself didn't take long to convince. He showed a bit of resistance at the start, but after a moment of mulling it over, he was in.

Still, he made his reservations known about the whole ordeal. He didn't like Ryoma going to the club with someone they hardly knew, so he accepted with the condition that he would accompany them, and basically chaperone. They didn't love the idea. It'd be awkward as heck to have him third-wheeling their date, and they knew Rohan would be miserable too, but if it meant they could go...

So, there they were, 12 o'clock at midnight, getting ready at Rohan's. They had gotten dressed in a newly bought outfit, which showed more skin than they were comfortable with. Observant as ever, Rohan noticed their distress and kindly offered them the many fabulous, expensive jackets in his wardrobe - which they appreciated, but declined, wanting to maintain a false sense of confidence.

He had already begun on their makeup, prepping their face with foundation and concealer. Heavy coverage, as they'd asked. He proceeded with a smokey eye upon their request, and prepared for the next step. "Now, close your eyes and stay very still. I'm going to work on your eyeliner."

"Okay." Following his instructions, they shut their eyes and sat up straight and stiff in their chair like a statue.

Rohan didn't like to be bothered as he worked, and they figured it would apply to this too. He could get scary serious about it, though he was especially lenient with Ryoma. They were the one person he allowed to be in his art room while he worked on his manga. Well, as long as they didn't just stand there and stare at him. It made him antsy, said it made it difficult for him to concentrate. Which was a bummer, because it was fascinating to watch him in his element, but they respected his boundaries.

There was a rustling, the sound of things being moved around, and the opening and shutting of drawers, punctuated by a short silence. "Ah, here it is. Excellent."

"You mentioned you wanted something 'bold', is that right?" The sound of his footsteps gave away the gist of his location, making it not so abrupt when they felt his fingers tilt their face up. There was a little bit of adjusting before he settled on an adequate angle.

They kept their answer to a minimum, careful not to disrupt his workflow. "Mhm."

"Anything in particular you had in mind?" He prepped their face by brushing away a few stubborn hairs that had escaped the hair claw they wore. The sensation was a bit ticklish, but they remained composed. Unlike Ryoma, Rohan wasn't affectionate at all. He allowed them to touch him, but he would never initiate on his own, which is why this set-up felt odd. Not bad, just unusual.

The question he posed them required more elaboration than just a hum, so they spoke up. "Um, not really. I give you full creative freedom to do whatever you want."

Even without seeing him, they knew he was pleased with the answer. They could practically hear him smile, and they found themself softly smiling too. "I'll get started, then."

He held their face firm, only to release it a second later. They kept their eyes closed for a couple moments after that, expecting to feel something more.

After a minute or so, Rohan must've noticed their confused non-reaction. "You may open your eyes."

"...Wha?" Ryoma turned to the vanity mirror beside her to see that, yes, he had already finished. Their eyeliner was thick, sharp and perfectly symmetrical. "How did you-? I didn't even feel that." They moved closer to their reflection to admire it closer. It held up, even up close - impossibly smooth, clean lines. He said nothing about it, relishing in their reaction.

He allowed them to marvel at his handiwork a bit more before calling them back to their seat. "Now, mascara?" He must've anticipated their reaction, because he sat back down, tube in hand before they could respond.

Ryoma, notoriously big mascara fan, bounded back to their seat with a smile. "Yessss!"

"Look up for me." They did just as he said, and tried not to blink while he applied the product to their lower lashes.

Being so still, their cheer had nowhere else to go but to occupy the quarters of their brain. They thought about all sorts of happy things- mostly how excited they were for the date, and how grateful they were for Rohan's friendship. There was a backing track to it, a song that had been stuck in their head for ages played back at full volume.

"That's a lovely tune."

The realization put an immediate stop to their apparent vocalization. They weren’t exactly sure why they'd found it so embarrassing- they'd sang in front of him before. Maybe it was the fact that they weren't aware of *how* they sounded that petrified them. While they were close friends, there were things that they were still self conscious about, especially because of Rohan's critical nature. He hadn't made any negative comments, but they worried that he'd be still judging them in his head.

They must've pulled a funny expression because he chuckled and reassured them. "It's alright, I don't mind it."

They felt as if they had to after he'd given them the go-ahead, so they started up again, painfully conscious this time. But as the song went on, they lost the heat in their cheeks and their joyful spirit returned. They wagered he had been sincere. Rohan is very honest about the things he did and didn't like. Even if he tried to fake it, they'd be able to tell. That was one of the things they liked about him. For a chronic overthinker like Ryoma, Rohan’s directness was a breath of fresh air.

"Now, look down, down." Ryoma did as he said, absentmindedly watching his elbow pop into view every so often as he worked on her upper eyelashes.

After a bit, their focus wandered down to their lap. The tights they wore were a dark, see-through material. Insecurity seeped into their mind as they noticed the marks on their legs. They didn't jump out at you, but they were there. A part of them regretted not wearing solid colour tights like they usually did, while another held firm in wanting to be brave. They reasoned the club would be much darker than Rohan's bathroom, so their date might not even notice. On the other hand, they kinda wished she would. As nervous as it made them, they didn't want their scars to become a surprise. It's not like they could hide them forever. If they were to be rejected because of it, they'd rather it be sooner rather than later, when they've invested time into the relationship.

Rohan's voice cut through their negative thoughts. "Have I heard this before? It sounds familiar."

The mention of the song brought back happy memories, shelving their worries for the time being. They had a little pink iPod they carried pretty much everywhere with quite a few songs on it, but they always found themself looping the same few. It was handed down to her by Tomoko, way back when they were hospitalized. They had very little to do there, and the ipod gave them away to spend those long, dreadful hours. It was a dark time in her life, but she looks back at those moments with fondness. She really was a great nurse.

The little device lay beside them on the nearby counter. ‘Tomoko’ was printed on it, or it used to be. The decal had majorly chipped away, making it almost entirely illegible.

Rohan's firm stare returned them from their brief space out session.

"Oh, yeah- definitely, I listen to it all the time." He had to know. Everyone who knew Ryoma was familiar with it. They'd listen to it during their daily commute, sang it in the shower and as they cleaned up next door. It was one of the songs on the car playlist. They didn't have a license, but they'd play it whenever Rohan would drive her places, when he'd let her.

That clue made the answer immediately clear. "Belanova?"

They grinned. "You know it."

That gained a soft laugh from him. A warm, pleasant feeling bubbled up at the sound. "You're incredibly predictable."

"It's a good band!" They would've loved to continue their banter, but they didn't want to bug Rohan too much while he was working very close to their eyeball. While he had amazingly steady hands, that didn't account for them moving around. It wasn't long before he finished, but by then that line of conversation had died.

He took his hand away and screwed the wand back into its tube. "Alright, that's it for mascara. What else would you want me to do?"

Ryoma thought about it for a second. Red would be a nice pop of colour, and it would work for the edgy, romantic look they were going for. "Can I see your red lipsticks?"

"Certainly. Let's see here..." Rohan went into a cabinet, one of his bigger ones. It seemed to be designated for lip products only, and there were quite a number of them. They were sectioned by colour, so it was easy to find the reds. "Which one do you like most?

There were tons of good choices, but after carefully considering each of them they came up with an answer. They picked out a cherry red with a purplish tinge to it. “This one.”

"I was thinking the same."

"Well, great minds think alike, if I do say so myself." They boasted jokingly, placing their hands on their hips and puffing out their chest in a display of faux pride.

He reacted with a short, sharp exhale that could've been a laugh. He turned away from them, ashamed to be caught off guard by such a corny non-joke, which only added to Ryoma's satisfaction.There was something different about him, though. While they'd made him laugh before, this was all too easy. Maybe something good had happened to him? They didn't analyze it too deeply, It was just nice to see more of this side of him.

With their lipstick picked out, it was time to scope out the lip liners. A similar red would've been an easy pick, but they wanted something different, some contrast. “Red and black?” They held up a black liner.

By then, he had recovered from his brief break in character. "Excellent choice."

He took the items from them, and they returned to their designated spots. Again, he supported their face with one hand, while the other got the job done. They kept their mouth slightly ajar as he first applied the lipstick.

They made sure not to stare at Rohan too much, busying themself by examining things around the room. His house was always decorated nicely, with lots of ornate detail and unique pieces. The stool they were sitting on probably cost more than what they made in a year with their two jobs combined… They sat up a little bit straighter after that.

They felt him stop, but they continued surveying the room with the assumption that he had simply paused. Though, as time ticked by, they grew curious. They looked at him to see that he wasn't doing much at all. He was still leaning forward, engaged but paused mid-action.

Suddenly, their eyes met, and he was shocked back to life. He jolted violently, dropping the lipstick while the cap was off. Fortunately, it didn't seem to be too contaminated, but he didn't seem to care. He wordlessly picked it back up, placed it on the counter and continued with the liner.

Ryoma didn't know what to make of the drastic change in mood. They were obviously concerned about his big reaction, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it. They could only wonder about what he was thinking so hard about. There were a lot of things that they didn't know about him. Between the both of them, he was definitely the guarded one, while Ryoma was more of an open book, though they definitely kept their fair share of secrets. They hoped that, someday, enough trust would be built that he could open up to them.

He was silent during the process. It was done quickly, as if in a hurry. There was a change in his posture, a lack of that grace that he'd shown before. His grip on the pencil was stiff, and he used more pressure than he probably intended. While it wasn't uncomfortable, there was a noticeable difference to his prior performance. As soon as he was done, he quietly stepped back and loitered elsewhere in the room.

Deciding to leave him to his devices, Ryoma slowly rose and approached the mirror. Then, they leaned in closer to it, supporting themself on the vanity it was built into. After a few moments of stunned silence, they gasped audibly. The liner had blended beautifully with the red, while still emphasizing the contours of their lips. With the completed look, they couldn't believe the gorgeous stranger in the mirror was them.

“Well?” Rohan spoke for the first time in minutes. It seemed he just needed a little reprieve to overcome the embarrassment that came with his… whatever had happened, because he was back to his old antics.

They looked at their reflection, then back at him back and forth a couple times.“I look so PRETTY!!!” Without warning, a shrill squeal burst out of them, startling both themself and Rohan due to the unexpected volume. They were deterred for just a moment, giggling sheepishly into their palm.

The next thing they did was pull him into a big, tight hug. Unable to contain their excitement, they began to jump up and down, holding him in their arms. “Aaah! Thank you, thank you! You're a lifesaver!” He held them too, moreso clinging to them as he was lifted into the air.

Ryoma placed the smaller butch down once they noticed he had begun to turn red in the face, concerned that maybe they had shaken him too much.

He appeared a bit frazzled, but he seemed to compose himself after smoothing out his hair and clearing his throat. “...You’re very welcome.”

He was about to say something else, but he sort of froze up when they got up close to him again. They set their hands on his shoulders, and lowered themself until they were more or less eye to eye. “I'll find a way to pay you back somehow, I promise.” They held him like that for a moment before they smiled and withdrew from him.

They recollected some of their things that were scattered about the bathroom in preparation for their eventual departure.

He found his words once their back was turned. “I'll hold you to that, you know.”

They glanced back at him over their shoulder, at his still flushed but smug face. Acknowledged him with a smiling hum and resumed their task.

[lesbianrobin]

i understand ur post but i have a byler mutual saying almost the exact same thing about if they make mlvn endgame because to give will one sole love interest and put him through that much trauma and struggle to accept his sexuality only to have the guy reject him and end up with his sister is homophobic writing and u probably dont agree but i find it hysterical that st have managed to get themselves into such a conundrum that their only option is to introduce mikes secret twin of the opposite sexuality thats been there the whole time so they both get a happy ending. surely this is a perfect plan and there are no flaws whatsoever and everyone will be satisfied

SMCKSKXJSNKE i was literally just talking to sarah about how they've written themselves into a corner by reintroducing the stoncy love triangle in s4 because BEFORE they could have been like yeah steve is over her and now he's finding fulfillment outside of romance etc etc but now they've reignited stancy for some fuckin reason (my fingers are crossed for that theory that says since the upside down is stuck in 1983 it was making steve and nancy's 1983 feelings come back) and suddenly they'll be pissing off Some segment of the fanbase no matter what they do.

re: byler i think. well first of all i think that byler isn't even remotely on the radar of casual viewers as an actual possibility and i don't think it could happen in s5 bc the vast majority of viewers would be like where the fuck did that come from. second of all my el argument is partially a joke but also it's just fundamentally a very different situation where like. for will if byler doesn't happen nothing gets Worse for him shit just stays the same. for el if byler happens something Must get worse for her like she loses her boyfriend of 2-3 years. they're in different situations.

third of all i think it's very silly for people to act like will Needs for mike to like him back in order to be happy when like. it's not The Crush that's making will miserable it's being closeted in a small town in the 1980s and feeling like he can never have what he wants and be truly happy in life. mike liking him back would not fix the misery he feels at having to hide this part of himself from the world.

yknow in s3 robin is a sorta closed-off character who's snarky and prickly at times and she only really opens up in the russian torture scene + the bathroom scene. and in the bathroom scene she is Terrified to tell steve she likes girls but she confesses to having a crush on tammy thompson and... steve makes her feel okay about it. he makes fun of her crush and robin feels Normal and Safe and they laugh together and by the time s4 rolls around robin is a much more open and happy person than she was back before she'd come out to steve. she's more herself. and you know what never happened? tammy thompson never liked her back. robin didn't need a girlfriend. she needed love and support and validation from a good friend. she needed to find comfort with herself and her sexuality and all the other parts of her that she hid behind a tough exterior for protection.

as much as i hate watching will scenes bc noah schnapp can't act for shit, i am kinda looking forward to seeing him finally openly addressing his sexuality in s5 and maybe realizing that his childhood crush on his best friend not being reciprocated isn't the end of the world. i think if will could move on and let mike go (in the romantic sense not as a friend) it might also feel a bit like letting go of all his pain over the past few years and starting over with a clean slate. obviously idk what exactly's gonna happen in s5 we're all just making shit up right now but i guess that's kinda what i hope will happen with him.

it makes me sad kinda that will's most dedicated fans are more preoccupied with getting him a boyfriend than like... self-confidence and shit. but i'm not actually that sad bc i kinda don't give a fuck about will anyway

[robyn-runestone]

I came across the ‘Get to know my Tav’ trend, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to flesh out Carlyle a little more.

Carlyle | Seledrine Drow | Bard | Elf equivalent of 25 | He/Him

favorite weapon: Rapier

style of combat: He prefers toying with his opponent by darting in and out and making quick strikes

most prized possession: His violin. He cares for that thing like it’s his own child.

deepest desire: He just wants to feel like he belongs with something or someone, though he’d rather die than let anyone know that.

guilty pleasure: Crappy mystery novels. He eats that stuff up.

best-kept secret: The reason why he acts like such a jerk to everyone he meets is because he hopes it’d stop them from getting attached to him. After failing to prevent his apprentice from being killed, he decided that he was unworthy of people’s kindness, and even less deserving of their grief. He decided that if everyone hates him, then it would be easier for them to move on when he dies. This backfired when his party noticed how kind he is to children, and soon they began to see even more evidence of the soft heart under his prickly exterior.

greatest strength: He’s really good at grabbing people’s attention. He’s always the one who acts as a distraction when needed.

fatal flaw: Because of the shame that came from his apprentice’s death, he always snaps at/makes fun of people in hopes that they would give up on him.

favorite smell: This one specific perfume he got at a market that smells woodsy and a tad floral. He never uses it because he doesn’t want the smell to run out.

favorite spell or cantrip: Cloud of daggers. He likes using it to trap his opponents in enclosed spaces.

pet peeve: People who don’t care for their weapons properly. 

bad habit: Even after deciding to stop being a jerk, his first instinct when interacting with people is to act snappy with them. It’s hard for him to grow out of the habit, but he is trying.

hidden talent: Because he lived alone for so long, he had to learn how to cook for himself, and became really good at it. He once made a kick-ass beef stroganoff, and Karlach and Wyll often beg him to make it again.

leisure activity: Curling up in a little hidden nook to write songs or read.

favorite drink: Chamomile tea, but like the really fancy ones with the spices and berries and stuff.

comfort food: Literally any kind of soup, especially if he has some bread to go with it.

favorite person: 20 years before the game, he had an apprentice named Yarrow. They were really close, and he almost saw her as a daughter. Every year after her death, he would play the first song he ever taught her in remembrance of the girl.

Later, he fell in love with Astarion. After knowing how it feels to be loved back after being deprived of it for so long, he decided he couldn’t go back to pushing people away again.

favored display of affection (platonic and/or romantic): Carlyle is a huge fan of physical touch, though he has a hard time asking for it. Him and Astarion sometimes read together so that they could have an excuse to cuddle.

After Karlach had her engine modified to allow her to touch others, they both got a lot of hugs from each other too.

fondest childhood memory: His mother and father singing to him at bedtime, and him trying to drowsily sing along before sleep overtook him.

[frostfall-matches]

[ matchmaking... ]

@the-soul-of-a-morningstar : [ match report ready ]

your match is…

✦ Husk

-> There’s a good balance of similar and contrasting traits between you two. You’re a bit friendlier than Husk but not overbearing, which works quite well in your favor. You’re able to chip away at his tough exterior little by little without annoying the grouchy cat demon too terribly much. Ultimately, it’s a fairly smooth introduction! He appreciates that you’re social enough to keep the conversation flowing, but chill enough to naturally know when the interaction is over. You each tend to stick to your preferred groups of people, both assuming a similar role - a role you two will end up sharing if your friend groups blend, or you’re assimilated into the rag-tag Hazbin group. This just means that you two value the same sort of things when interacting with those you care about, especially in the way that you’re realistic, perhaps even a bit cynical, but still willing to help your pals out when they need it.

-> Husk would be slightly surprised but also amused at the softer side that only your partners or good friends tend to see. He has enough life experience to know not to judge a book by its cover, of course, but some level of assumptions will still be made. It’s only natural, after all. So when your cooler, biker guy persona drops and Husk sees the side of you that frequently blushes and giggles whenever he does something remotely romantic, it draws a chuckle out of him. He thinks it’s cute! Very endearing. (And don’t worry, he still adores the biker bad boy front you have going on). Funnily enough, you’ll also get to experience Husk softening up, showing a sweet side to you that no one else is allowed to see.

-> He rolls his eyes at your use of petnames and cheesy letters, but appreciates them much more than it initially seems. Husk will grumble anytime some sort of petname rolls off your tongue (just don’t call him kitten - he’ll show his claws), but it sometimes makes him a bit flustered, deep, deep down. He’d rather die than admit that, though. He’s not much for using petnames himself (they’re cheesy and he feels like a silly lovesick teenager if he tries using them, so he just doesn’t), but he’ll give you one or two personally curated nicknames that he tends to call you when you two are alone. Similarly, anytime you write out some sappy letter proclaiming your fondness for him, he hides how much your written words shoot straight through his heart. He’ll gruffly thank you for the letter or card, but you can’t help but grin when you notice how gingerly he folds up the paper, tucking it away safely.

-> He craves your affection and validation more than you expect. Your tendency to play up being a gentleman and treating your partners like royalty just totally melts him inside. Husk is a bit jaded and reclusive, and likely hasn’t had a deep, loving connection with someone in quite some time. He didn’t think he missed the warmth of a stable relationship - not until you two got together, that is, and you started spoiling him rotten. When you two are alone, you’ll be able to see more of his genuine reactions, such as the content smiles when the two of you cuddle up with each other, or the way his own words of fondness escape his lips as he compliments you and tells you how he really does adore you even if he isn’t the best at showing it.

-> Husk is more likely to lean towards a serious relationship than a casual, temporary fling. He simply does not have the patience or energy to be messing around in relationships like that. Being as prickly as he is, too, he simply does not bother with very many people - so relationships in general aren’t in abundance with him. However, that proves to be an easy indicator that he’s serious about it when he finally decides to pursue a relationship with you. It definitely takes him a while before he gets to a point where he decides “yeah, I think dating him would be nice” but he’s more than willing to make the first move if you haven’t done so already. Husk is loyal, willing to put in the time and effort necessary for a stable relationship (after all, you already put in so much time and effort just to get close to him and worm your way into his heart).

-> While he may not participate in your hobbies, he’s glad that you have interests that make you happy and keep you busy. It’s good to have things to look forward to, things that enrich your life. And even though he may not participate in them, that doesn’t mean he isn’t involved on the sidelines. He’d love to have a chance at seeing you act on stage - considering what he initially knew about you, he never took you to be a theater type of guy! And yet, knowing what he knows about you now, he feels that it really suits you. Not everyone has the balls to get up on stage and put themselves out there, but you do, and he’s proud of your bravery and skill. As for your love for biking… Well, he thinks it’s cool as hell, even if it can be dangerous. He totally gets that your new motorcycle is your baby, too. Husk probably won’t suggest it himself, but if you ever offered him a ride on your bike, he won’t say no.

-> He likes your personal style a lot. It’s classy, but cool. Trendy, but timeless. You put care into picking out your outfits, you like looking nice, and Husk can appreciate that! He has a very particular sense of style himself (whether most would consider his magician hat stylish or not is up for debate), and it compliments yours. He quite likes the fact that the two of you tend to look pretty snazzy side by side. There isn’t a huge clash between your styles, but you two don’t dress exactly the same, either.

-> Your humor? Well, it’s hit or miss with Husk. You might get a chuckle out of him, or he might roll his eyes at your antics. Depends on what mood you catch him in, really. Thankfully, he’s not really the type to be put off by your sense of humor, even if he doesn’t laugh at it. Still, the grouch isn’t completely humorless himself. Husk quite enjoys casual banter - nothing too crazy or out of pocket, but some light ribbing here or there is totally fair game, and he’ll even start it sometimes.

[ivyprism]

The Fell Sorcerer, the Deceased Sorceress's Familiar, and his Brothers (Info Dump)

Warning: Violence, ruthless, short-ish.

Elryc - The Sorcerer Fell Nightmare Sans

Personality: He's chilly and aloof but has unwavering faith and loyalty. He has a strained relationship with his twin brother and his younger siblings. He is rough and prickly. He has difficulty trusting others and can be extremely cruel when presented with dangerous circumstances. When battling individuals, he appears to be a little more restrained. He's a little flirtatious and cocky at first, but he's unexpectedly gentle and caring once you get to know him. He adores both children and animals. He adores the deceased sorceress's familiar but often refuses to show it. He is very harsh and forceful when protecting others.

Appearance: He is a skeleton monster with magenta eyelights. He has sharp teeth. He has four large nasty scars on his right eye that are jagged in nature. He has a golden tooth. He has the ability to turn into a goop monster.

Relic - The Sorcerer Fell Dream Sans

Personality: He has a harsh exterior, but he is both kind and stern. He has a strained connection with Elryc. He strives, albeit grudgingly, to maintain a polite relationship with his twin brother. He is really good-hearted and caring, but his connection with his brother might use some improvement. When it comes to the people he cares about, he is just as committed and faithful as his brother. Unlike his brother, he is quite good with his hands and can read people rather well. When it comes to his crush, he is quite flirtatious and passionate. When he gets to know someone, he is soft and polite, and he is usually cool.

Appearance: He is a skeleton monster. He has golden spots on his torso and legs. He has a large scar on his right eye. He has golden red eyes. He has sharp teeth.

Beyron - The Sorcerer Fell Dream Papyrus

Personality: He exudes a tough but icy personality. He is a strong, calm man who cherishes his friends and family. He has the ability to be gentle and polite. He is both flirty and sincere. He adores his brothers and makes an effort to avoid getting involved in their rivalry. He is a calm and cheery individual, but he is really rigorous. He is deeply committed to his family. He is thoughtful, but merciless when it comes to protecting others. But don't be fooled; he can and will flirt with you until you're hot in the face. He is not scared to cause harm and demonstrates his strength. He genuinely cares about each of them and wishes to help them.

Appearance: He is a skeleton monster. He has golden red eyelights. He has golden positivity on his torso. He has a large scar on his eye. He has sharp teeth.

Blaise - The Sorcerer Fell Nightmare Papyrus

Personality: He exudes a ferocious but nasty personality. He is a strong, calm man who cherishes his friends and family. When it comes to someone endangering his family and us, he can be quite cold and ice. He is responsible for his brothers as well as the ship on a regular basis. He is on the edge of alienating certain people. He is ferocious and passionate. He doesn't have quite as much goop as his sibling, but he has some. It's simply that because it's only on his torso, it's difficult to detect. He usually keeps it hidden until absolutely necessary. He adores his brothers and makes every effort to avoid getting involved in their rivalry.

Appearance: He is a skeleton monster with magenta eyelights. He has a bunch of goop on his torso, legs, and arms. He has one jagged scar on his right eye.

Spirea - The Deceased Fell Sorceress's Familiar

Personality: She is a fearless and strong woman. She has a stern and angry personality. She is committed and loyal. Her sympathetic and empathetic personality lies beneath her frigid demeanor. She often distances herself, but she trusts Elryc. She is truthful and tries to be nicer than people believe she is. She is entirely in control of her emotions and refuses to fight. She is close to the others because she is a very lonely person on the inside. She laments the loss of her sorceress mistress. She is an excellent listener and knows almost everything. She can be quite relaxed and serene.

Appearance: She’s a woman with hazel eyes. She has wavy brown hair. She has a scar on her face. She either wears glasses or has contacts. She can change her form at will. She also has more scars on her torso and body. She is chubby-ish. She's 5'1". She has red highlights in her hair.

----------

@kioko-noodles / @kiokodoodles @hearty-dose-of-ranch @underfell-crystal @miscneilleaneous @und3rwat3r-a5tr0naut @didderd @caycanteven @owl-bones

[parad-ice-lostandfound]

Things that come in my head as I play through Diasomnia's chapter (chp 56-68):

[Potential spoilers below darlings, proceed with caution!]

And we're back. Ready your tissues everyone, we've got a long road ahead of us.

I had my volume at the highest level and had my earphones in, so Baur neatly gave me a heart attack. Also, I kinda prefer the spelling jp server players were using (Baul) over his current one. I dunno, maybe it's because I've seen that version around so often.

On an unrelated note, I really, really like the background music.

This may be a silly thing to focus on right now, but I love the little tidbit of Grim being scared of Lilia's threat, saying he's getting the same shiver he gets when Malleus glares at him. Like, why does Mal-Mal glare at him? I dunno about you guys, but I immediately imagined the Prefect like, giving Grim ear scritches and generally being affectionate with their little kitty, while said kitty tries to ignore the very op, very intimidating dragon who's seething silently because he wants the scritches as well!

Love to see Sebek and Silver in such sync. It's, of course, something that comes from fighting and training alongside each other. And I'll admit, Sebek is growing on me a bit.

"I have no son–" Sir you have three.

Has anyone wondered why the guys are seeing the dreams they are seeing? I've been wondering for a while now. Could it be based on their desires? Like Sebek's dream was of a party celebrating Malleus and Lilia getting their internships (if I remember correctly), Idia's was of normal life with Ortho still alive and going to RSA, and Lilia's is of his past. Sebek's dream could be based on his desire for both the people who he looks up to to be happy and together, Idia's is fairly simple to understand. As for Lilia... his worst nightmare was coming true. It must've have made him feel that history was repeating itself. And perhaps a desire to change the past arose, which is why we're back in the past? I dunno if it makes sense but...

'General of the Right' 'Running Rampart of the Verdurous Moor' 'the Dragon's Hand' Lilia's got some heavy titles.

What in the good name of the Seven is that map?!

The terror in Silver and Sebek's eyes when Lilia talks about cooking lmao

I love the way Lilia talks about Maleanor. It's gives very much 'my sibling is a fucking demon' vibes and I'm here for it. Also, first mention of Egg-lleus!

Why... why is it 'Raverne' instead of Levan??

I really, really love General Lilia. Despite him saying that he wields his magearm only for Maleficia and Maleanor, we can see just how devoted he is to his country and its people. He's a born leader, and compassion hides underneath his prickly exterior.

Each time Lilia says that he won't have kids or he wouldn't settle down and have a traditional family, my heart breaks a little. Especially with Silver's reactions.

How is it that the youngest of Diafamily is the most emotionally aware? Sebek is honestly such a sweetheart, but this has got to be taking toll on him as well.

I do not like the cliff hanger, at all.

[izanyas]

Hello! I noticed you said you're currently engrossed in FMA 🤭 it's also one of my all time favorites anime 🥰

If you don't mind, can you say what personally draws you to it and what are your thoughts on your favorite characters? (In case these 2 aren't your favorites, can you mention what you think about Ed and Roy? Not as a pairing :)) just them individually)

Sorry for being so specific in an ask 😅

Hope you have a great day! 🤗💫

hello!!!

fma has been my favorite manga since i was a kid i'm really attached to it 😭 me and a couple friends decided to rewatch the CoS movie together and we both fell down the deep end and have been obsessively rereading and rewatching everything since then. i'm having so much fun i luv fma...

i think what really drew me in was edward himself tbh! he is such a unique protagonist, and especially at the time he was the odd one out among shounen heros—not naive and untalented meant for eternal nekketsu powerups but a boy who had always been frighteningly smart and had gone thru extremely traumatic events and whose goal as a hero wasn't to become The Best at his craft or to save the world but to fix a mistake he had already made.

i was (still am) very attached to him being disabled and how the story manages to include all that this entails (chronic pain, reduced mobility, special needs...) while at the same time engaging in really cool prosthetic design and functions and without ever making it demeaning or pithy toward amputees. arakawa was an absolute genius for how she went about ed's disability.

ed is just such a GOOD character. flamboyant and flawed and unflinchingly moral. self-sacrificing and self-hating but with a drive and devotion to overcome everything. he's a truly unforgettable character and he is insanely enticing as a protagonist in a story like fma, where every plot point is carefully connected to the overall story... like a transmutation circle in and of itself. icarus fell as his wings melted but ed keeps standing back up even with a whole leg missing, even after facing his own punishment for trying to play god. he is loud and bad-tempered and hilarious and his character design is awesome and that would've been enough to make him a fav for me but when u add in his generosity and kindness, which are so painfully obvious despite the prickly exterior, he's Ultimate Fav material. my blorbo my meow meow.

that his personal story is all about love for his brother and trying to fix the terrible mistake he made and which he will forever blame himself for (even tho everyone around him knows that he was only 11 at the time, and it's a miracle he managed to save alphonse at all, and doesn't think he deserves to hate himself for it) is just... it's good ok. it's a wonderful story with a wonderful conclusion. it suits him, his personality, perfectly. edward elric is a marvel of a protagonist.

damn it's hard for me to pick other fav characters bc i love everyone so much. i love izumi and ling and greed (both versions lmao) a lot... and scar and hawkeye and hughes... its too hard to pick.

roy mustang is definitely up there in the fav list tho. it's a bit funny because usually i wouldn't be much into him as a character bc his whole shtick is pretty much "i committed genocide but i feel bad about it" but he managed to have enough personality and flair to make himself vital to the story and extremely enticing too. it helps that everyone in fma has so much chemistry together, so his team has a lot of charisma. if mustang had been alone or even with just hawkeye or hughes i don't think he would've been nearly as interesting to me. i do think the story should've gone a bit deeper with his goals bc people tend to forget that he doesn't just want to become fuhrer, he wants to disestablish the military state altogether and make it so war criminals (including himself) can be tried legally. his ultimate goal can be seen as very selfish in that way—he wants to be made to face justice. and to the end he's not reluctant to use every tool at his disposal, including marcoh's last philosopher's stone from ishval to heal himself... that's the sort of plot point that leaves you feeling a bit sick and makes him into a character worth his weight in salt.

it's cool to put his choices next to ed's. like ed literally refused to use his deadbeat dad's philosopher's stone, which was made from people from 400 yrs ago that he never knew and who would've been dead anyway and whom hohenheim actually talked to in depth, to save alphonse; instead he sacrificed his most precious passion. and he refused to use kimblee's philosopher's stone when he almost died in baschool—instead he used his own damn lifespan to heal himself just enough not to die lmao. meanwhile, mustang, even while expressing reservations and acknowledging all that it means, used a stone made from the lives of the people he personally massacred. he is what you can genuinely call a morally grey character and that doesn't change thru the story. and i like that.

also he's funny

[pencil-amateur]

i have another one for the social ask game ^^ 8 + 11 with kinga or tracy or both !!!

this ended up… a LOT longer than I thought it would haha- enjoy!

8) what does your f/o’s voice sound like? was it different than you expected? if they don’t have speaking parts, what do you imagine them to sound like?

For Tracy, I already knew her actor so before I heard her, I expected her to sound pretty much exactly as she does: mid-low tenor, British accent, energetic and a little dorky (affectionately)! I did NOT expect her to have a really adorable little giggle, but as you can probably tell, I love that <3

For Kinga, I knew she would have a beautiful singing voice before hearing her, but her voice is often a bit sharper than I initially expected- though that’s not a bad thing by any means! I like how her voice subtly changes in different situations- when she’s showing off an invention, it’s professional and slick, while when she presents a movie, it’s more theatrical and hammy, similar to her dad and grandma. It’s especially noticeable when she talks to someone she cares for or gets really excited- she softens and forgets to put her guard up like she does most of the time…

11) does your f/o tend to tell you everything that’s on their mind, or do they tend to hold things back? what about you? 

Kinga absolutely tends to hold things back, specifically stuff that makes her feel vulnerable. Love, fear, even simple admiration can be covered up with a trusty mask of detached evil. She’s been emotionally hurt by people that she tried to open up to before. There’s a wall between her and anyone who might really care for her made of prickly standoffishness and fear of letting openness come back to bite her. This is in complete contrast to Blivian, who wears her heart on her sleeve… or so it seems. Blivian can let her negative feelings build up inside to keep her cheerful, carefree exterior intact when she’s upset. However, the difference is that Blivian is willing to open up to Kinga, and wants her to be able to do the same… so little by little, Kinga starts to let her in.

For the most part, Tracy is the type of lady to say what she thinks- she isn’t particularly good at hiding her emotions. Like everyone, though, there are a few things she keeps beneath the surface. Erin is introduced to her loyalty to her job and her snarky sense of humor as they begin working together. As they become friends, they start to notice certain things seem to be sensitive topics, but only subtle hints give it away. It takes a good while of noticing split-second reactions and denials that come a little too quickly before Tracy confides in her. She misses a friend she had to send back to the human world, she still feels jealous of winged fairies sometimes, she worries she isn’t good enough. Erin listens to it all, and promises they’ll be there for her like she is for them. Erin themself was summoned to the fairy world thanks to a burst of pent-up emotion, which may make it surprising that she’s more reserved when working as a tooth fairy. Making a friend in Tracy, who got a bit softer towards them after realizing they didn’t really want to give up on themself, gives her some space to talk through her anxieties and frustrations. They’re also more likely to express excitement and wonder about the fairy world around her, knowing she won’t judge.

[starsarefire824]

i want to make it clear first this isn’t abt your work i just came across your asks and started thinking and rambling lol! promiseee <3

i think it’s important to note (in gen not just for will) and it’s fr my dream that people understand that will can be receiving and still be in control (and undo his partner pleasurably), i’d honestly argue that’s a more, better type of control and more healing for him in ways? or feels like natural progression when watching the show especially if it’s with mike at the start of their relationship (im speaking about works following canon here not au’s or other concepts haha).

and is not a jab at preferences ever i just get a feeling only s4 warped people’s perceptions (which i dont get because will is still gentler in s4. he just grew up yknow!) even in sfw content. i guess i just don’t see where people (not @ you <3) get the idea he needs to be aggresive to be in control when that isn’t who he is. aggressiveness is a trait they show us he conforms against and isnt the only way to approach control! but it’s like you said people have different things they like depending on daily moods, and growing up, that’s a real to life way to look at it! so duh he’d have friskier days, i understand that view of it

anyway sorry for word puking fandom thoughts! i really enjoy your moodboards, i’d be interested to check out ones of mike giving in there, i’m happy you enjoy writing multiple dynamics. have a good night!

Thinking and Rambling! Lol. Well, I'm glad the asks did that tbh!! <3

i think it’s important to note (in gen not just for will) and it’s fr my dream that people understand that will can be receiving and still be in control (and undo his partner pleasurably), i’d honestly argue that’s a more, better type of control and more healing for him in ways?

In my "real" headcanons for Will this is exactly what I'd like to see for him. Does that make sense? And I don't know if you misunderstood what I was trying to say, but I agree with you. I think that, and this is from talking to real survivors of SA, that this IS a perfect way to heal and build up his confidence in the fact that someone could give him pleasure and it not be something that's going to hurt him or take advantage of him. Receiving that kind of attention and have it be something completely positive---like think of the healing that could offer and that sort of joyous revelation? That's something that's so beautiful to me personally, and generally how I write Will in most of my stories.

However, I don't see anything less healing or beautiful about someone who's been beaten down taking initiative and feeling powerful in a real physical way. It truly is just how that particular person has responded to their regular life? Imo anyways.

Or....also....this can happen in a completely non-sexual way. Which I have written here. There are mulitple ways this could happen for a person like Will and I think they are all beautiful and worthy of exploration in fic.

or feels like natural progression when watching the show especially if it’s with mike at the start of their relationship (im speaking about works following canon here not au’s or other concepts haha).

Mike, in my opinion, in a canon sense.....is a giver. He seems to have an innate sense of caring for and wanting the people around him to be happy. if you delve past his sometimes prickly and sarcastic exterior, I think he's a person who deep down wants to be needed, wants to do a good job, and in turn would be a partner that would want to give whatever his partner desired. So whether it's them wanting him to take care of them sexually or for them to need other things that involve a different dynamic where he'd be on the receiving end--I think he'd be down for whatever honestly. Imo it makes him happy to please and he shows that with both El and Will in canon. So to me that's an easy one to say! 🙃 I think this generally resonates with readers going for the more dominant version of Mike in regards to Will, but I think there's a lot more to explore there if you sort of wanted to switch things up. I don't think either would really go against his character. And also, I guess----I think that top and bottom really gets misconstrued with dominant and submissive, and they frankly, are two separate things. You can be a top and have submissive tendencies, you can be a bottom and and choke your partner while you're doing it. I mean it's all complicated and so yeah I don't know---I just think that sometimes things get pigeonholed, especially with lgbtq characters. When really, there's just so much to unpack and it can all be good!

and is not a jab at preferences ever i just get a feeling only s4 warped people’s perceptions (which i dont get because will is still gentler in s4. he just grew up yknow!) even in sfw content. i guess i just don’t see where people (not @ you <3) get the idea he needs to be aggresive to be in control when that isn’t who he is. aggressiveness is a trait they show us he conforms against and isnt the only way to approach control! but it’s like you said people have different things they like depending on daily moods, and growing up, that’s a real to life way to look at it! so duh he’d have friskier days, i understand that view of it

No not at all! I mean, people are valid in all of their headcanons of their favorite characters. I personally think for people to have their final opinions of Will will have to wait until season 5 is concluded. BUT yes, I mean---in my personal opinion--Will is a gentler, quieter, and according to an 80s pov is effete in his tendencies. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that and I do tend to disagree with people who have it in their minds that cause he grew muscle mass and shoulders in season 4 that that has somehow changed his personality????

He is very strong in his own quiet way, but yes, he seeks out comfort, he needs that extra love and attention. And that's what Mike offers him. And in turn, his need for that and the way he responds to it is what Mike needs to feel wanted and loved. It's very symbiotic, which is what I noticed starting in season 2 between them, solidified in season 3, and was something that couldn't be ignored in season 4. It's why I started shipping them in the first place! But yeah, of course, as they would grow up and be involved in a relationship with each other the dynamics can ebb and flow and as they get more comfortable with each other and mature they might want to explore new things that would go against their "self-assigned" roles.

Anyways thanks so much! And yeah exploring Mike in a different light and Will in a different light is really just a fun exercise in diving deeper into their psyche, and for me is rewarding as a writer! Of course I have my own personal ideas of canon!Will and canon!Mike but I think the fanfiction versions of these two can be whatever dynamic said writer finds interesting! And it doesn't mean one is less correct than the other.

So here I am word-vomiting right back to you. I hope this makes sense!

[empressofthelibrary]

1 and 22 for a ship of your choice!

I am in a Bailey mood so it's gonna be Birds of Paradise

1. What’s their love languages?

Dick is, absolutely, an Acts of Service/Quality Time guy. We see this all the time in canon. He tries, often, to spend time with the Titans and his siblings outside of "work," learn about what they like, and build real friendships. He makes time to listen to people he cares about, work with them, connect with them. He puts in the effort to help Tim learn the ropes of costumed vigilantism, he helps Donna map out her extremely convoluted retcon-filled backstory, everything with Roy and Lian... he repeatedly drops everything to help when someone asks. And he loves both to teach and learn from the people in his life.

Bailey, however, leans more Physical Touch/Acts of Service. She's not great at words, never sure if her meaning is coming across. But she'll wrap you in a hug, bake you brownies, and offer to be your alibi when the cops show up. She really enjoys taking care of people, and she can get pushy about it when she thinks someone she loves isn't taking good care of themself. She's also a cuddlebug, under the prickly exterior, but she's terrified of actually showing that. So, while she can be a bit of a flirt when she's trying to act confident and impress, she turns into a big flustered mess as soon as there's the slightest physical contact involved.

22. How do they apologize after arguments?

Hoo boy. It depends on the argument, and how long it's lasted. Little fights -- over chores or a scheduling conflict or Bruce being a jackass and Bailey telling him so -- can be mended with some communication and compromise. But the bigger stuff?

Dick... Has a habit of closing himself off when he's upset. Bailey can be a little slow on the uptake when she's struck a nerve, so I can see this getting bad before it gets fixed. And when it does...

No matter who was in the wrong, Bailey will convince herself she's the one who fucked up -- With a couple of very specific exceptions I can't get into just yet. And she'll catastrophize about whatever went wrong, work herself up in knots, until she's afraid this is gonna be it. And then, when that comes out, Dick is gonna feel horrible for making Bailey think that. They fix it, but it takes a long heart-to-heart to work out the problem, both of them committing to try to do better, and... Maybe a very private weekend getaway

Honestly, the two of them spend so long in A Situation™ because they (mostly Bailey) have communication issues, that I think, once they get past that, they're both going to say "okay that was really dumb of us, how about we just. talk about things. no more soap opera bullshit."

[aetherblooms]

slides in. i have QUESTIONS for yvette and lukas. definitely not engineered so you can talk about your favorite things (feel free to skip some if you want ofc): 1. Write a basic lowdown of your OC. What's their deal? / 4. Do they have a family or people they view as family? / 8. Biggest strength and weakness? / 12. What's something they could talk about for hours at length? / 24. Which canon character do/would they get along with the best?

YIPPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (answers under the read more)

1. Write a basic lowdown of your OC. What's their deal?

Yvette: (they/them) A secondborn sylvari elementalist/mesmer with a formidable reputation as one of two commanders of the Pact. A taciturn, well-spoken individual possessed of boundless arcane knowledge and skill, even compared to their peers in the Durmund Priory, a fact which easily earned them the rank of Archon within their order. They are known for possessing a sharp tongue, a bone-dry wit, and audacious streak a mile wide. Despite a prickly and stoic exterior they care deeply for their friends and allies, and will often encourage them to not take risks and to take proper care of themselves, despite rarely following their own advice.

Lukas: (he/him) A Sylvari guardian/necromancer, the twin brother of Yvette, and the second commander of the Pact. Although feared for both an imposing demeanor and terrifying prowess on the battlefield, he remains unwaveringly honorable and righteous. Despite his storied accomplishments within the Pact, the Vigil, and as the slayer of Zhaitan, he remains a remarkably modest man, often shirking the various luxuries his station can afford; however, he is more than capable of conducting himself with dignity and aplomb should he be required to attend any political summits or galas on behalf of the Pact.

ill add a full lore page somewhere. eventually.

4. Do they have a family or people they view as family? 

The twins don't have a lot of people they really consider as family. They have each other of course, and Trahearne and Aurene as well, but unless you count a wyvern, a griffon, and an ever-growing army of stray cats as family... its just the four of of them against the world, really.

(trahearne voice) a family can be me, my husband, his combat trained wyvern mount and our 2ton elder dragon daughter meanwhile yvette is 3rd wheeling sooo hard. gods help them.

12. What's something they could talk about for hours at length?

Lukas: He’s a Bird Facts Guy. He loves all animals and could tell you all sorts of things, but. Birds. actual footage of Lukas. Owls and corvids are his favorites!! (: ironically he tames a wyvern as his mount of choice rather than a griffon.

Yvette: alchemy! they will happily debate the medicinal applications of obscure herbs for hours on end! (: complete with demonstrations of various potions and salves.

24. Which canon character do/would they get along with the best?

[SHAKIGN AT THE SPEED OF SOUND]

The both of them get along with Trahearne the best. Im normal about him. I promise.

Yvette: They’re best friends and confidantes! They’re both good hearted people and constantly curious, always seeking the truth of things. While Yvette is fiery and reckless to a fault, Trahearne serves as the voice of Reason for their antics.

yvette  🤝  trahearne chronically ill scholarly-minded workaholics with trauma involving torture.

(spiderman pointing meme) “theyre jsut like me fr”

Lukas: They’re married, btw. If you care. While Trahearne holds the world upon his shoulders-- what with his responsibilities to the Pact and his title as Firstborn-- Trahearne finds respite in Lukas’s company and allows himself to relax, a reminder that he need not carry such a burden alone.

lukas: (laying face down on the floor) my dearest love has gone to war (the grocery store) and i fear i will never see him again (he’ll be home in half an hour)

[curry-and-casteliacones]

Team: "Mess with Sana and that will be the last mistake of your life"

[slapshot-to-the-heart]

say my name - m. tkachuk

Happy to have jumped back into writing this summer with my entry for @antoineroussel ‘s summer fic exchange!I may have left it until the last day, but I’m proud of what I was able to put out. I was given the lovely @ahockeywrites to write for, so here you are! I was having trouble figuring out what to write about for a while, but the Ratthew news over the pas few weeks really got me inspired. I hope you all enjoy!

word count: 3.5k+

Matthew Tkachuk wasn’t the kind of guy who liked to let things go unsaid. He didn’t beat around the bush, because why would he? It didn’t make sense. If he saw something, or thought something, or felt something, what good would come from keeping it inside? If he noticed something at practice, he told Coach – if it was one of the rookies or younger guys, he’d bring it up with them directly, take them out for coffee after practice or offer to look over video with them. He wasn’t the captain, not really, but as much as the prospect of being one of the team’s ‘elder statesmen’ made him want to tear his hair out, he wanted to do what Gio had done for him. Pay it forward, if you will. 

He didn’t keep things bottled up with the team, and for the most part, he didn’t keep things bottled up with Cat. Keeping things from your significant other, especially feelings things, was a recipe for disaster, and not something Matthew had any inclination towards. Sure, Cat might have been the one to ask him out after they’d spent a week wordlessly flirting at each other from across the café they both frequented, but Matthew had been the first one to say ‘I love you.’ It was only three months in, which for some people might not seem like any time at all, but for Matthew started to feel like a lifetime as soon as he realized how he felt about her. For him, it wasn’t the way some people described it, where it hit you like a bus one day and knocked you clean off your axis. For Matthew, he just started wondering how he missed the blaring red lights trying to get him to realize how deep his feelings ran for her. It took seeing Cat making breakfast in his kitchen one morning after she spent the night, somehow managing to get the bacon and omelettes perfect but burning the toast to an absolute crisp. But at that point, Matthew wasn’t sure how he was ever able to not love her. 

Catriona MacDaniel was the opposite, as much as she was loath to admit it. It’s not that she ever purposefully hid what she was feeling or tried to be difficult to read. She just never felt the need to bother people for things she thought were trivial. She was first generation Irish-Canadian, and, in the words of John Mulaney, “the thing with Irish people is I’ll keep all of my emotions bottled up, and then one day, I’ll die.” In Cat’s humble opinion, truer words had never been spoken. Her and her older sister Aisling were as close as two people could be, but it took even her weeks to pry out that Catriona had a boyfriend, and another month and a half before she would actually let Aisling meet him. But Matthew had managed to steadily chip away at Cat’s unintentionally-prickly exterior, and after two years as a couple and six months of living together, she would freely admit to anyone who asked that with the probable exception of her family (aside from her younger brother Conor, who happily fulfilled his given role as family pest) Matthew Tkachuk was the person she loved most in the world. 

Matthew didn’t usually keep his feelings inside, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be incredibly unobservant at times. (Brady would probably say most of the time, and he’d probably just shorten that to ‘dumb.’) Sometimes, people would have to point out something that he should have realized all along. Not with hockey. Never with hockey. He could run drills in his sleep and overanalyzed every minute of play like his life depended on it. But with the feelings things, sometimes he couldn’t have been more oblivious if he tried. 

 ---

 It was one of the Flames’ biggest charity events of the year, a fundraiser benefiting Alberta Children’s Hospital held at some ballroom downtown that Matthew couldn’t remember the name of. The crisp March air drifted through the open doors leading to the balcony, Matthew longingly looking out at the sparkling lights of Calgary below them. He didn’t usually mind these things, especially not when it was all going towards such a good cause, but that didn’t mean there weren’t places he’d rather be than trying desperately to stay awake as he listened to some business executive who never played a day of hockey beyond Junior B drone on about ‘quarterly income reports’ and ‘how hockey’s gotten so soft since your father’s days, Matthew.”. He sipped his champagne, mumbling a perfunctory “mm?” every once in a while as his eyes flitted across the room, hoping he could catch someone’s eyes who would pull him out of the conversation by making up some pseudo-emergency. 

He came back to the conversation just in time to hear his name. “Sorry, could you repeat that?” Matthew said, clearing his throat. 

“I was just wondering where your lovely wife had gone off to,” the man asked expectantly. 

Matthew blinked a few times, confused, before realizing that he must be talking about Catriona. “Cat? I think she’s waiting in line at the bar for a refill.” After a few second’s pause, “She’s not my wife – I mean, we’re not married. We’ve been dating for,” he did the math in his head, “two years. Our anniversary was last month.”

The man shook his head in apology. “Sorry for that, I must have gotten you confused with your friend Johnny.” Johnny had gotten married not that long ago, but Catriona and Meredith didn’t really look much alike, so Matthew wasn’t sure where the confusion had come from. 

“You’re good, no problem,” he muttered.

“Maybe you’ll be next though, eh?”

Matthew shot the other man a tight smile. “We’ll see.”

Maybe you’ll be next. The words played on repeat in Matthew’s head the rest of the night, when Cat came back from the bar with their drinks, when he was spinning her around on the dance floor, when he got his car from the valet and absentmindedly pulled out a twenty fto tip her. Did he just say that because he genuinely messed up? Did he see something? Did someone say something? It wasn’t like him and Cat had never talked about it before. They had, enough to know that they weren’t opposed to the whole idea, but that neither saw the need to be rushing down the aisle anytime soon. He could see things with Cat lasting…but marriage? That kind of forever, till-death-do-you-part commitment? That he wasn’t a hundred percent sure on. 

Catriona could tell on their ten minute drive home that Matthew was in his head. He was quiet on the ride back, not ignoring her by any means, but he wasn’t really there, like there was something on his mind that she couldn’t exactly figure out. She had gotten good over the past few years at reading him – she didn’t know if there was anyone apart from his mother who could do it quite like her – but this was different. He was distracted, but it didn’t really seem like something was bothering him, and he didn’t seem overwhelmed. He just seemed…different. A little distant, but he opened her car door like he always did, and let her into the bathroom first so she could do her semi-elaborate skincare routine like he always did, so she put a pin in it, hoping she’d remember in the morning. 

 ---

 It was the middle of May – the Flames had just beat the Stars to win the first round of playoffs, and had two days until the Oilers would descend on the Saddledome for the semifinals. Matthew was on the phone with his mom, who was flying out the next day with the whole Tkachuk family in tow. “You’ll be coming back to St. Louis whenever the season wraps up?” Chantal may have said it like a question, but Matthew knew that she wasn’t really asking. 

“Mhm,” he confirmed. “Give it probably a week or so for me to finish things up here and say goodbye to the guys for the summer.”

“And how long does Cat think she’ll be able to get off of work for?” That was one of the things Matthew loved. It wasn’t even a question with his mom, or with the rest of his family. He loved Catriona, so they did too, and had welcomed her with open arms from the moment they met her for the first time. 

Cat was a software engineer, her company offered generous benefits and time off but Matthew knew she’d have wanted to stay longer if she were able. “She thinks two weeks, probably sometime late June or early July. And I might fly back out for a week or so later in the summer just to get some more time with her.” 

“WHIPPED!” Matthew heard Brady in the background of the call. “I’m on speaker?” he asked, sighing. 

He could imagine his mom shrugging her shoulders. “I’m making dinner, my hands aren’t free. Brady, don’t make fun of your brother.”

“You’re one to talk, Brady,” Matthew said. “I love my girlfriend, so sue me.”

“Eh,” Brady said, “I know you two live together and all, but I think she might like me more than she likes you. Wouldn’t blame her.” Matthew could hear their mom whacking Brady with a towel. 

Matthew just rolled his eyes. Honestly, that was one of the many wonderful things about Cat. She had the ability to make everyone around her feel so important, like they were  the only person in the room. Whether it was him, his family, her friends – which she had a lot of, because she had such an infectious personality everyone wanted to be around her – her little cousins, who Matthew had met the summer before when they had flown out to Ireland for her family reunion. It was an hour and a half car ride from the airport in Dublin to her grandparents’ country house outside of Kilkenny, but Matthew’s eyes never left the scenery the whole drive there. Catriona had always been close with her grandparents (well, as close as you could be with an ocean and 4100 miles separating them) and he knew that she was nervous about introducing him. Especially doing so in what wasn’t exactly a low-stress environment, with twenty MacDaniels running around the property. But the whole family loved him the instant they saw how happy he made Cat, even if her grandfather Rory couldn’t understand for the life of him how Matthew made a living by hitting a piece of rubber on ice. 

“Anyways,” Matthew said, trying to get back on topic, “Cat’s going to pick you up from the airport, we can get lunch together somewhere after morning skate’s finished. Sound good?”

Chantal hummed her agreement, a soft beep in Matthew’s ear letting him know she had taken him off speaker. “How are things going with you two?” It wasn’t like his mom needed to know every minute detail of their relationship, but she liked being given the occasional update. 

“They’re going well. Really well,” Matthew replied. He paused for a minute, but Chantal could tell there was something he still wanted to say. “Something happened a few months ago. We were at a charity thing for the team, and someone I was talking to thought we were married – I don’t know if he got Cat confused with someone, or thought he saw a ring or what. It was a one-off comment, he probably didn’t mean anything by it, but I can’t stop thinking about what he said and I don’t know why.”

“Was it actually the fact that he said something that got you all in your head? Or was it what he said that got you thinking?”

Matthew wanted to slap himself on the forehead. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of that. “Um, well, probably the second.”

“Are you thinking of proposing?” Matthew could almost hear her smile over the phone. 

He shrugged. “I don’t know.” Matthew almost wanted to look around the living room, make sure that Catriona wasn’t anywhere within earshot, before he realized that it was noon on a weekday and she was at work. “I think I want to, but…Mom, I’m scared.” His voice wobbled as he perched on the edge of the couch. 

“Do you not know if she’d say yes?”

“It’s not that,” he swallowed, “because I’m almost sure she would. I think I’m just a little scared of what it all means, you know? Like, what we’ve got going is good. It’s really good. I love her more than I’ve ever loved anyone, and I know she loves me, and I think I’m worried that changing anything about what we have would, I don’t know, burst our bubble?” Once the words started flowing, Matthew didn’t think he could have stopped them if he wanted to. “I guess I’m just convinced that if I propose, the other shoe’s going to have to drop eventually. I’m just scared that we’ll get engaged, buy a house, start trying to settle down, and then I’ll get traded to Carolina, or Montreal, or God-knows-where, and she’s going to realize that this isn’t what she thought she was signing up for. She deserves stability, Mom, she deserves everything she’s ever wanted, and that could be taken away from her at any point. I just don’t want to run the risk of being the one to do that to her.”

“But have you ever considered that maybe you’re all she’s wanted?”

 ---

 Matthew was sitting on the loveseat in his living room back in Calgary, spending a few days with Catriona before hopping on another plane back to St. Louis, when Brad Treleving’s contact popped up on his phone. Matthew took a deep breath, settling into the chair before picking up the call. “Brad?” he asked by way of greeting. 

“Matthew. How are you?” Matthew knew he was just asking to be polite. If he was calling about what Matthew thought he was, the pleasantries wouldn’t mean anything. 

“Uh, fine,” he said. “Back in Calgary for a little, but headed to Missouri at the end of the week.”

“Good, good to hear. I’m glad you’re getting to spend time with your family.” He spoke almost distractedly. “Well, Matthew, I’m going to cut to the chase. You’ve been traded.”

Despite the fact that really, if Matthew was being honest, he knew the call was coming didn’t stop him from feeling like he had just gotten the wind knocked out of him. “Oh.”

Brad continued. “We appreciate everything you’ve done for us up in Calgary, and I know you’ll be missed by the boys, everyone here in the front office, and the fans, but we felt it was in the best interest of the team for you to go elsewhere.” Ouch. In the best interest of the team for you to lose your top two players in a single offseason? Okay.

“Alright,” Matthew said gingerly. “Where…where am I going?” Please not Ottawa. Please not Ottawa. Please not Ottawa. He would never fucking hear the end of it if his little brother ended up being his captain. 

“You’re going to Florida. Panthers, not Tampa Bay.”  Matthew knew Brad had kept talking, thanking him again for how hard he had worked for the team, his leadership in the locker room, how Florida’s GM would be calling later that night, but he wasn’t processing any of it. All he could really grasp was how this was the exact fucking thing he told his mom he was afraid about, and how all the sudden he was being confronted with something he couldn’t run from, something he couldn’t even rationalize his way out of. He had no clue what Cat was going to say, what she was going to do, and that scared him to death. 

He was broken out of his spiraling thoughts by the sound of Cat’s key rattling in the door. “Okay, I brought back Chinese, hope that sounds good,” she called through the half-open door. She kicked it closed with the side of her foot before lifting her head, her eyes meeting Matthew’s from across the room. Her expression changed instantly when she saw his face. “Matty, what happened? Is everyone okay?” She dropped the bag of food on the floor with an unceremonious thump, not paying any attention to the crunch of fortune cookies as they hit the hardwood. 

“I, uh, I got traded,” Matthew said, fiddling with his phone. “They’re sending me to Florida for Huberdeau and some other guys, I think, I kinda tuned out as soon as Brad said they were moving me.”

Catriona felt like the breath had been stolen from right out of her lungs. “Oh my God. Wow.” She sat down next to him, squeezing herself into the spare space on the loveseat. “How are you feeling about it?” Catriona knew that Matthew loved his team, that he loved playing in the Saddledome. But for how well she knew him, she had no clue what was going through his head. Matthew had told her before the trade deadline that he had heard some rumors flying around about him getting moved, and for any hockey player without an NTC a trade was always a possibility, but she never thought she had to take the gossip seriously. 

Matthew’s hand wandered over to hers, where he gripped it like a lifeline. “I don’t know,” he said honestly. “I’m not sure if I ever saw myself playing here for my whole career, but I think part of that was just because that happens for so few players, and I didn’t really have a reason to think that I’d be the exception to the rule. But I had a great season, I was starting to step into a bigger role in the locker room – I didn’t expect to be given the C next year, but I think we both thought it might happen,” Cat nodded, “so getting traded really wasn’t something that was at the forefront of my mind.” A solid minute passed between them in silence until Matthew spoke again, sounding much more apprehensive than before. “And I’m worried about what this means for us.”

Cat furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?” 

“You have a job you love, your family’s here, your whole life is in Calgary.” She was starting to look concerned, so Matthew hastily continued. “I want you with me. Obviously, I want you with me. I want to be wherever you are. But it just seems so selfish of me to ask you to leave your home to come with me while I chase my dream, when who knows if we’d have to pack up and move states after a year or two? 

“Matthew,” she said softly, “you are my home. This life, with you, this is my dream. Calgary is where I live, and of course there’s so many things I love about it here, but there’s nothing I can’t live without. We can fly back and visit people, I can FaceTime my parents. I can make new friends in Florida. Matty, I think you’re being too hard on yourself,” she added after a moment. “You’re pretending like you’re not losing anything or giving up anything either. You’re leaving guys who have become your brothers, a team and a city who’ve loved you since you were drafted. And don’t deny that Alberta winters have grown on you.”

Matthew gave a watery smile. “Negative ten degrees walking across the street to get coffee in March? I think Miami might have Calgary beat in the weather department.”

Cat laughed. “We’ll agree to disagree on that one. But see, Matthew, everything’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay. Matthew, wherever you are, I’ll be there right beside you. We’re a team. I know you might think that this is unfair to me, but I promise I knew what I was signing up for when you asked me to be your girlfriend. I knew it wouldn’t all be playoff jackets and parties and getting to put on Santa hats and deliver Christmas presents to children’s hospitals. And when we moved in together, made that kind of decision, I knew how serious of a commitment we were making. I love you, Matthew. I want to be with you. Whether that takes us to Miami, or Boston, or if you find your true passion playing second-tier hockey in Slovakia, I’ll be right there by your side. Because that’s what you do for people you love.”

“How do you always know what to say?” Matthew asked, letting out a shaky breath. 

“It’s a gift,” Catriona said softly, pressing a kiss to his temple before standing up. “Let me go plate up the food, I’ll be back in a minute.”

He squeezed her hand before she left. Suddenly, every apprehension he had had, every but what if vanished as the realization of what he had to do physically took his breath away. But this time, he wasn’t scared. He picked up his phone from the side table, went to Google, and typed in two words. Ones that if he was being honest with himself, he was ready for months ago, but hadn’t realized until now. Engagement rings.

[ivyprism]

The Duet of Medieval and Modern AU Dragon Skeleton Boys (Info Dump)

Long! Dragons! :D

Fjord - Undertale Dragon Sans

Personality: He is a calm and relaxed person who is frequently very cool. He enjoys singing, playing pranks, and telling jokes. He is a gentle flirt who looks out for others. He adapts quickly to modern life. He does not back down and is frequently direct with others. He is fond of people, children, and animals. He can also charm his way out of difficult situations, and the majority of people adore him. He prefers to bark rather than bite, but when he does bite, he bites hard. When it comes to protecting others, he is a very focused individual. He is a fearsome dragon who does not back down.

Appearance: He's a dragon skeleton with a large crack on his skull on his right eye. He has wings and horns. He has a large skeleton dragon form.

Titus - Undertale Dragon Papyrus

Personality: He's brave and cheerful, but knows how to fix situations. He is a well-known and gifted dragon who enjoys assisting and protecting the helpless. He finds the modern day to be very interesting and is fascinated by it. When necessary, he can be very sassy and can often speak back perfectly well. He adores people and takes care of them whenever possible. He enjoys having friends and seeks them out frequently. When it comes to people he doesn't trust, he can be harsh and short. He is also one of the most powerful bosses.

Appearance: He's a dragon skeleton. He has a total of six scars on his face. Five on his right eye and a diagonal scar on his cheek. He has horns, wings, and a tail. He has a large skeleton dragon form.

Strom - Underfell Dragon Sans

Personality: He's a prickly but calm skeleton who can quickly beat someone down. He's tough, but he has a flirtatious side. He has a very good temper but prefers to bite rather than bark. He is concerned about his friends and family, but he conceals his feelings. When you first meet him, he is a little rude and cold, but once you get to know him, he is very sweet and kind to you in general. He has a rough exterior, which he usually smooths out. He is hesitant to assist others, but he does so anyway. He bites really hard too.

Appearance: He's a dragon skeleton with a single golden tooth. He has a large crack on his skull. He has wings, horns, and a tail. He also has a large skeleton dragon form.

Pyrrhus - Dragon Underfell Papyrus

Personality: He, too, is a prickly and confrontational character, but he is more tolerable. Despite this, he is regal and composed. He is a proper knight who takes his responsibilities seriously. He is devoted to Dione. He is both quiet and dangerous. He is hostile and vicious, but with enough effort, you can win him over. He is fiercely protective of his friends and may appear antagonistic in order to defend them, but once accepted, he is a compassionate and sweet person. He is in charge of cleaning up after his brother and the Royal Guards. He has a bad temper and refuses to take crap from anyone.

Appearance: He is a dragon skeleton. He has two scars on his eyes. One drags diagonally across from his left to his right and the other is straight down. He has horns, a tail, and wings. He also has a large skeleton dragon form.

Sol - Dragon Underswap Sans

Personality: He is a bright and joyous person who carries a lot of valor and power on his shoulders. He is frequently described as strong and courageous. He never gives up either. He is intelligent, brilliant, and wise. He'll introduce you to people and cook for you! He is very nice and cautious, but he also gets tired and frustrated and needs to rest. He's the hero who is always there for you. Unless he is trying to inspire the people he is saving to be brave and powerful, he is always quiet and calm while working. He takes his role as a knight very seriously.

Appearance: He is a dragon skeleton. He has a large scar on his right eye. He has horns, wings, and a tail. He has a large dragon form.

Beckett - Dragon Underswap Papyrus

Personality: He has a cold demeanor. He is a serious dragon, but he doesn't seem to realize it. He likes pranks, bad puns, and puzzles. He's a true gentleman. He's a nice guy who dislikes greasy food but enjoys sweets. He balances out his younger brother's energy because he is often very lazy, but he does things when asked. He likes to tease his friends and is a bit of a flirt. He's a nice guy who gets stressed out but knows how to deal with it. He is both calm and cautious. He overcomes adversity.

Appearance: He is a dragon skeleton with three scars. He has three large scars on his left eye that start from the top of his skull down to his cheek. He has horns, wings, and a tail. He has a large skeleton dragon form.

---------

@kioko-noodles / @kiokodoodles @miscneilleaneous @hearty-dose-of-ranch @buff-borf-bork @und3rwat3r-a5tr0naut @fruitsnackart @underfell-crystal