#to y'know. make that easier to browse

[hua-fei-hua]

splitting up my blog archive into several smaller zip files for cloud storage backup upload purposes, and the way i decided to go about this was to zip up the media files by the file type, right?

anyway i apparently reblogged 36,506 jpgs by 4/20 this year, and each time i try to deselect all those jpgs, file explorer freezes up, presumably bc there are just so many goddamn jpgs. dunno how it'll handle the 46k+ pngs

[picory]

sites that ditch pagination in favor of a "load more" button should be banned. baaaannned to hell. might be my currently poor internet connection that's making it extra unbearable, but soon as i try to load more items in a catalogue, the page crashes. cause it's trying to load so much all at once. but y'know, even with decent wifi, i just don't want to keep endlessly scrolling down, whether i'm shopping or browsing through an archive. with numbered pages i can easily go back to the exact page where i spotted that one item i had tucked away in the back of my mind. much easier!

[pynkhues]

I feel like from browsing tags on tumblr and on AO3 that DM is more popular than Loustat, which I find super interesting. Personally I love both so I’m happy to get any content, but I was initially really surprised that was the case given the amount of content in canon is almost the exact inverse to fandom.

I wonder if this is because DM hasn’t happened yet so there’s more to speculate, on up to and including the dynamics at play. But I do ALSO wonder if it’s because it’s more acceptable to ship and you’re less likely to have gotten hate about DM compared to Loustat over the last two years. Which I find soooo funny because if that’s the case, when it actually happens I suspect people will be in for a rude awakening.

Anyway, just wondering if you’ve noticed this and had any thoughts? You’re very insightful about these things and I know have been in various fandoms before.

Ah, it's kinda funny you bring this up, because I was actually talking about something adjacent to this with @hypermania yesterday.

I think they're a fun ship with a fun dynamic generally, and I think you're right that a part of it comes from the fact that DM hasn't happened yet. I think that opens up the overall possibility of what their dynamic and relationship could be, especially given there's a wide window of time to play around in between the 70s and the modern era. I think their particular dynamic can at first glance look pretty trope-y too in a way that often appeals to fandoms (enemies to lovers! Mutual obsession! A hardened character who's actually a traumatised victim who just wants love and the snarky antagonist who'll love him - entire fandoms have been built on the back of that), and I think as a ship, people probably see them as having less baggage than Louis and Lestat, both in terms of actual canon elements (no dead child, no dv, no murder, etc.) and in terms of -- y'know. *gestures to the fandom*

I also think, at least in terms of fic, that people probably think Daniel and Armand are easier characters to write, which - - mm. I think Daniel definitely is easier to write than Louis and Lestat are, but I don't think Armand is at all. This is actually what me and Courtney were talking about yesterday - that there's a tendency to defang all these characters, but particularly Armand it seems? There's this sort of fanon version of him that's almost as popular as housewife Louis which is as this waifish little weirdo, when Armand's pretty specifically dangerous, especially in the show. He's a master manipulator and an apex predator, and while, of course, he's not just those things, it does seem to be a part of him that's softened when it comes to writing fic which has him falling pretty neatly into a character archetype that I think is just generally very popular in fandoms, even though it's not necessarily the way I'd personally interpret him.

I also - - mm. Trying to find a way to say this, haha. Sex work is a pretty popular trope in fanfic, and it has been in every fandom that I've been in. I think Armand having a canonical past in that is appealing to certain parts of fandom, for better and for worse, to say nothing of the canonical BDSM element of his character (which I think is less popular with Louis, because I think Louis as a dom didn't match with established post-s1 fanon between seasons, which is kind of interesting to me in particular given I think it makes a lot of sense).

So yeah, I think it's a mix of things, ranging from them just generally having an appealing dynamic and being open to possibility and having less (perceived, at least) baggage both in canon and fandom, and them also - particularly Armand - being shaped by fanon into versions that just generally seem to be popular across fandoms.

[dyed-indigo]

y'know it's really funny how tumblr has communities now but there's seemingly no way to browse them or anything (even though you can add associated tags which would theoretically be for making it easier to find?) so the only way to see that a community even exists, even a public one, is to be invited or directly linked.

[thessalian]

Thess vs MCM Comic Con, Day 3

So before I start with the rundown of today, I will say this:

It was worth it.

I may not entirely believe that now, when everything fucking hurts and the stress and frustration of that level of people and noise and exertion and pain is still pretty much flattening me? But I know it was. The memory of how worth it this was will stay fresh long, long after the pain of the actual doing of it is gone.

So. Anyway. Day 3. Starting from after I made sandwiches and prepped to get an exchange on my d20-less gold sparkly dice.

We managed to get there in good time for the Critical Role panel. Now, obviously not in good time to get a seat in the main stage area where they were actually doing the panel, but giving it some thought, we didn't really want to be there anyway. We'd already been up close and personal with the Critical Role crew; we didn't need more than that. Plus the noise would have been way, way too much. So instead, we went over to one of the stages that was streaming the panel on their big screen. Which was better because the camera crew zoomed in when a question was directed at a particular person so we actually got to see them. And the panel was really good. It was so endearing when an audience member asked how they managed the whole thing with being business partners and friends and they talked about how Matt insists that they all hang out just as friends outside of the game space and the business space, and how Travis is this really supportive protective Big Poppa Bear of a CEO, and how it's easier with a group of friends than it is with a two-person partnership or trio because you've got people who can step in and mediate when tempers run a bit high ... and most of all when Ashley said she literally didn't know what she'd do without them (and then had to hand off the mic because she was about to start crying) and Sam said how he really just wanted them to be doing this - being the friends and family they'd become - for the rest of their lives ... and to wear a T-shirt with Matt's face on it at Matt's funeral. I honestly have zero worries about Critical Role LLC and its potential effects on their friendship. Seems like they're doing just fine.

There were no problems with taking my dice back. Thankfully, I got the same guy who sold them to me in the first place, though given the ambient noise and low light levels in the area, it was a bit of a struggle to get him to understand the problem. When he finally understood, he did go the extra mile finding me a replacement set. I repaid that kindness by stopping him when he went to put the dice set I was returning back into the box of merchandise for display / sale. Didn't want him to go through that again, y'know?

(Side note: turns out that the little golden shinies in my Alisaie-themed dice set are, in fact, small golden capital As. That's serendipity on a ridiculous level, right there.)

After that ... I admit it all caught up to me and on top of the body aches, spasms, and migraine, I remembered just how difficult it is to wander a convention hall with someone whose interests in terms of art and entertainment kind of vary from yours. So I suggested to Marion that we split up for an hour and a half, and meet up somewhere to devour lunch and see where we were going from there. I browsed a bit, but mostly I just found a place to sit down and watch the cosplay go by. I mean, I did make an attempt to go outside, partly for a smoke but mostly for someplace where I could be more than two feet away from any human being ... but it had started to rain and so I still ended up crammed under the awnings with my fellows who also wanted fresh air and/or nicotine.

By the time I met up with Marion again, I was getting to that "I am struggling to form coherent sentences" level of migraine, holding it at bay with some co-codamol that I took with the first can of A&W root beer I've had in years, and it was just what I needed, thank you. So we scarfed down lunch. I was honestly ready to leave right then, but Marion wanted one last turn-around to look for a couple of things she hadn't spotted in her first trip. I couldn't really deny her that no matter how much I wanted to go home, so we agreed to meet up in about an hour at the "Reset Room" (they had a room especially designed for people who just needed to decompress; probably the most useful thing they actually did in terms of accommodations, I have to say).

In that time, I caved and bought a copy of Flavours of the Multiverse - a D&D themed cookbook. It wasn't my only purchase of the day, mind you. I also got three pin-badges - one "That's How I Roll" one, one "Shiny Math Rocks" one ... and one that just reads "They/She". That and a "They/Them" nonbinary flag-coloured lanyard. At least there, I could wear those things without being too afraid. Anyway, after my few purchases and another trip outside (where, thankfully, it had stopped raining), I read my new cookbook until Marion rejoined me and we headed home. Unfortunately, on top of all the stairs at London Bridge and Elephant and Castle stations, there were a surprising number of people cramming themselves on the 363 at 5pm on a Sunday. So my Time of Squishening unfortunately got a little bit extended. Still, I am now home and have had coffee and more painkillers and I feel a bit better.

That was probably my last MCM Comic Con. It's definitely the last one I go to for all three days. The accommodations were insufficient (though in all fairness, that's entirely down to the organisers - the stewards were so nice and tried so hard to make things work when it was clear that the original organisational scheme was a shit-show), and the attendees ... well, most of them were really nice but I cannot count how many people I had to nearly throw myself at a wall to avoid because they were walking through a crowded convention hall while looking at their phones. Or just anywhere but straight in front of themselves. And public transport ... well, some of that "step-free access" is only on a technicality, put it that way, and it's actually easier to just struggle with the stairs if you can. I think the worst part of this has been that it's basically opened a window on another part of how hard my life is going to be now.

But never mind. I'm going to decompress a bit. I am going to make breakfast-for-dinner in the form of French toast and bacon, I am going to sit Marion down through the rest of Arcane, and I am going to enjoy my last evening with my houseguest. And at some point I am going to look into the work of the Hire A Bard guy I saw at the convention, who will set your character and/or campaign to music for a fee. This might be worth considering as a Christmas gift (however delayed) for the Cupcake Coterie.

Anyway. Yeah. I hurt. I am very much not at my best. But it was worth it.

[rggcharacterarchive]

intro post

hey! this is a blog dedicated to archiving character interactions in the ryu ga gotoku series. ideally, this can be a resource for anyone looking to find particular exchanges or checking characterization. the focus will be on non-cutscene interactions, but some cutscenes may be included. my hope is that i can begin with major characters (i.e. kiryu and haruka) and branch out to minor characters (i.e. pocket circuit fighter)

DETAILS:

1. posts will be tagged with names of the characters involved and the game(s) the screenshot(s)/video(s) originate from.

if the relationships are particularly frequent/prominent, then i may have a tag like "kiryu and date" for their interactions specifically.

if you're looking for something, check the featured tags.

if you still can't find something, feel free to reach out to me, and i'll see what i can do.

if there is a common merged name for that dynamic (i.e. a ship name, though some people use these to refer to a dynamic generally), then it's likely i'll include that as well, regardless of whether the content is romantic or my feelings on that pairing, so that people can find what they're looking for more easily. if i make exceptions, it will be in extreme instances, and i reserve judgement on those. please don't ride my ass for this, i don't want to have to block you. this is for everyone. play nice.

2. i will be accepting submissions and requests for particular characters and/or interactions, etc.

use the submissions to send in screenshots/footage, and use asks for requests/other communication.

if you're not sure if something belongs on this blog, go ahead and ask/submit! chances are i'll put it there anyway if it's official rgg stuff.

please do not submit fake/doctored screenshots, even as a joke, without explicitly stating that they are fake/edited. i don't think i'll have the time/means to verify all of these myself, so please just... don't do that. don't shit where you drink, y'know?

submissions are especially welcome for hard to access dialogue (i.e amon victory dialogue) or games that are hard to access (i.e. kenzan or the kurohyou games).

it'll make it a whole lot easier to fill this archive with others helping out, but feel free to be browse-only!! even if i populate this blog on my own, i'm very excited and happy to be able to do this. :D

3. submissions will be accepted for all games under the rgg banner, but i will likely be unable to fulfill requests for games i haven't played/don't have access to.

in such cases, i will likely put out requests to the broader community to see if someone can provide what you're looking for. i'd suggest not making such asks anonymously so i can @ you if i get it, but it's up to you. i'll try to keep track, but forgive me if i don't.

currently, i have played 0-7 and LAD ishin. i have the judgement duology, but i have not played them yet.

4. please be patient with me!

im writing this at the blog's creation so im not sure how it'll go, but requests will likely take some time to fill, especially if they require a lot of time (i.e. late-game hostess or real estate dialogue).

additionally, if i get a lot of requests, response time will likely be slow.

i'm a full-time college student, but i'll do my best!!

5. interactions will be from my main, @skrunksthatwunk . come say hi there if you wanna :3

Sometimes I'll post analyses/meta posts in the reblogs of things from this account. I'm trying to keep the archive neutral on analysis and intepretation, but I loooove analyzing and interpreting rgg so that's where that'll be. I'll put it under the "archive response" tag on skrunksthatwunk if you want to find them.

6. i'm open to suggestions on organization or content, especially right now, since the blog is very fresh. it's a community resource, and it exists for us.

i may take away this feature or not implement suggestions based on my judgement in the future, but right now it's all good, and i don't think i'll stop it unless shit gets really caustic or out of hand.

7. there will likely be a delay on new games, and i don't know how quickly i will put out content.

i expect it will be a very gradual process, but we'll see.

8. i'll add tags for characters to the tags i use as i post.

if there isn't one, chances are i haven't made a post with them yet, but feel free to ask me directly.

ok update i didn't know they limited featured tags so you'll just have to search for some of them

9. some characters/dynamics may be difficult to tag. in such cases, i'll try to come up with a system for:

types of characters (i.e. "hostess: rina" or "hostess: yuki")

or groups (i.e. "morning glory orphans", "ichigang", "shinsengumi", "majima construction")

if there's nothing else, i'll likely put the game if it's a one-off character (i.e. "mayumi (yakuza 5)")

this might be a bit shaky, but i'll try to make it all very clear and send out updates if/when i change things.

10. i might end up tagging certain things "archive: x" so i don't clog up popular tags (i.e. "archive: kazumaji"), but we'll see.

11. some posts may require threads. i will tag the final posts in these "🧵" to indicate it is the final version, and i will edit the top of the chain with a link to its finished version for user convenience.

my hope is that this'll make it easier to find the full post without having to dig through reblogs, especially if the post gets popular (because people may not reblog the whole thing, and may reblog an earlier version without the link. which is totally fine btw).

if a post gets popular, i may add another tag called "popular", to make it easier to search for these posts specifically. search for this along with 🧵 or character(s) and game(s) for the best results finding older, popular posts.

again, if you're really struggling, reach out, and i'll do what i can to help you.

12. various other infrastructure tags:

"text only" for pure transcriptions (i.e. transcribing a cutscene, no screenshots)

"screenshot" for posts that have images (these will include alt ID transcriptions, but "text only" is intended for screen reader use. i do not use screen readers myself, so if there's anything i can do to improve that experience, i would love to know)

"video" for posts with videos, which will have transcriptions under a readmore (and will likely have text only transcriptions, which i'll try to link to such posts)

"cinematic"" if the content is from a fully animated cinematic (i.e. ones you can rewatch from the menu)

"cutscene" for those scenes that are mandatory to progress the plot and often happen between cinematics, but are posed in the typical dialogue format (i.e. scrolling text in boxes)

"overworld" for dialogue that occurs in other circumstances (i.e. speaking to an npc, substory dialogue)

"objective" for objectives located on the pause menu, which are characterized as the player character's inner monologue

"substory" for content from substories (these will likely also separately be tagged "substory #: title"). if they are from a particular minigame's line of substories, i'll tag them something like "mesuking" to distinguish them

"maps" for maps

"menus" for store inventory and bar/restaurant menus

"location ref" for references of particular locations, especially interiors (i.e. tojo HQ)

"location: x" for various locations, i.e. serena, purgatory, prison, restaurants, etc

"inventory" for items (corresponding to the game's classification of them)

"equipment" for weapons and armor (corresponding to the game's classification of them)

"abilities" for ability descriptions, categories, users, and costs

"messages" for emails, pager messages, etc (excluding phone calls, which have their own tag)

"phone calls" for phone calls, both cutscene and overworld

"misc" for other stuff, in case you're having trouble

[will do my best to update these as i get all this better]

13. when applicable, i'll indicate chapters. cinematics will be labeled "CHXCMY", where X = the chapter number and Y = the cinematic number. this way they can be reviewed in order

anyway, i hope you enjoy!

[unknown67811]

i tried to kill myself two nights ago and there isn't guilt. i only feel anger that i didn't accomplish it. i can't take my meds now because every time i try to injest a pill i start to gag. this will happen for the next few months and then it'll stop; it feels routine now.

last year i tried the same thing and freaked the fuck out because i couldn't breathe. i told everyone it was because "oo i don't want to be on ebt. oo so horrible" kind of? but i had went to the apartment prior and had to get mine and my daughter's social security cards. my fiance at that point was so vile to me. it's obviously not his fault as he doesn't, y'know, make my decisions for me but regardless-- it hurt a lot. but it wasn't like that this time. i had a panic attack during but it was only because i found out someone had seen and thought i was fucked and winding up in the hospital. otherwise, entirely peaceful and i knew everything would be taken care of-- someone my age would find me that morning with no worries about someone else finding me and being completely alone for the time until someone worried enough to check in which could've been days had i not chosen that night.

at 5AM(?), i thought i was dying. in and out of consciousness, my chest hurt and tightened, i was covered in this disgusting cold sweat and when i looked at my lips they looked pale and almost blue. my breathing was really shallow. i got so fucking close. maybe i'm romanticizing it but while yeah, i was sick, i felt the best i had ever felt.

my life isn't horrible by any means but i've no purpose and i've struggled with that since i was little. i knew i wasn't going to really amount to anything. i don't have a lot of memories from when i was a kid, mostly really bad ones, but i remember sitting in bed with my legs crossed contemplating how to kill myself after school in kindergarten. i, partially, blame my dad for that one. turns out putting a gun to your head in front of your child at three doesn't really do wonders for their psych.

i'm a mother, so yeah, "purpose" but i'm a horrible one. i'm not horrible on the scale of abusive (i hope) but fucking her up for life? probably. she'd go through life saying "i wish mom were here" but realistically, it'd absolutely be better in the long run. i'm a bad person in general and she will learn that. her dad will teach her that and he knows what a horrible person i am more than anyone. at least when you're dead no one really says anything bad about you-- everything you did that was considered bad is forgotten and washed over with bullshit kindness. at least they'd finally love me.

i don't really talk to many people so i hope that spirits actually get to get on social media and browse. my obituary is going to be the least shared shit and i actually think that's so funny-- funeral would be very tiny and i'm alright with that. i don't really want one but i know there would be one so the smaller the better. i wish my birthday was better placed along the year, it'd be easier to say "got my celebration of life! i'm done!" but it's so close to all the holidays and makes it literally impossible. i mean, yeah, i could but i don't want to do that so close to halloween and then there's thanksgiving and christmas.

i'm very honest with my best friend about how i feel but it feels very abusive in ways. i forget we've such an age gap. i don't want his years to be filled with memories of getting his feelings hurt (if it actually is even i don't know) and fucked around with. i think the best way to be would be to create stronger boundaries if i decide to continue to speak to him. every time i go no contact i wind up messaging him a few hours later. i don't think i could replace him-- we've definitely some sort of soul connection. i stopped being friends with multiple people and it's never bothered me. i haven't even went as far as really looking at their profile after a month or so. the only person i ever felt so strongly about was another guy i was friends with for years and years. different circumstances within age and relationship, of course, but regardless there's heavy connection there on my end at least.

i'm engaged also which is very confusing. i don't really know if i am anymore? i don't think i am. i think i'm single? i've told him multiple times i don't love him any longer and i don't. he was drunk once and i was terrified with a newborn so i tried to run out the backdoor with her at our old apartment to get into my car. i don't remember a lot of it because it happened so fast but i do remember making it halfway through our kitchen and feeling his footsteps really close behind me so i put our daughter into her swing really quickly and he grabbed me by the head of hair and slammed me into the floor. i had bruises all over my arms and back. it would happen again a few months later and even worse next time. no one really believes me so i just kind of shut up about it. i'm either very crazy or such a bad truth-er that i look like i'm lying. his mother came over and was angry at me that night. his best friend denied everything but proceeded to tell his girlfriend at the time that it happened. a conversation would ensue between my ex(?) fiance a few days after the second time where he would ask where i had gotten a really big bruise on my hip and before i could answer he said it looked "cool". once we were having sex and he was being really horrible to me. name calling, slapping, name it and it was probably happening. in my head, all i could see was my ex before him and i started panicking. i went completely numb and asked him to stop for 5 minutes straight. i remember he was heavily intoxicated so i just assume he didn't hear me? giving the benefit of the doubt but i was also in tears (annoying i know whatever). he was very nice about it at first and i told him i wasn't really in the mood anymore because i was sobbing. he wouldn't let it go and we wound up having sex within 3 minutes of me begging him to stop. a few hours ago he said "you're my baby. you'll always be my baby." i just want to crawl in a cave and die. the mixed signals are so exhausting and i want to fucking die. i can't take it. not to mention everything he's done to me in the past two years. all with the, "eh you bruise easily and no one will think shit about it".

if i don't kill myself, i'm going to disappear within the next year. i hope at least. first stop, police station to let them know i'm not missing and there should be absolutely no one on my ass. and then getting the fuck out. i can't take it anymore. fourteen year old me was completely right about this place. she was so angry and i get it. i'm not pulling the whole "i'm so different" but what i am saying is that i just don't fucking click. and maybe i won't click really anywhere but it's worth a try, i guess.

i don't believe i'll ever have a physical address that i consider 'home'. i think i just need to be with people that are my home. i want to find home with my stink if the death that i crave so much isn't an option for the time being. i love being alone for the most part but to know that no one around you really wants to speak to you hurts so bad. i know i'm a bad person but they act like i've committed a murder.

i'm just hurt i guess. with no actual reason to be hurt. i'm just overdramatic and angry i think. many people go through worse than i ever have and still come out just fine so like, what the fuck is up LMAO

[airs-headspace]

I am now browsing Gum Road for dragon bases so that I have a skeleton to work off of even if I don't use the base art itself.

Also I CAN draw Dragons (my drawings of Dabi's Charizard for Pokemon AU is proof enough) BUT, it was somewhat simplified/chibi-ish which is easier for me to do BUT I WANT TO MAKE MY DRAGONS LOOK LIKE!!! DRAGONS!!!

Y'know????

[little-mouse-adventures]

6, 12, 14, 38 please :D

Dang, making me think here!

6. Best and worst part of being an online creator?

Best: waaaaay more opportunity to make friends! So many more people to connect with!

Worst: holy shit the imposter syndrome. there's so many super cool creators out there, it's easy to get stuck in a rut of "oh but I can't create like X, so why am I bothering to try?" (which is where i start reminding myself of two cakes, and the things i create could only be created by me, etc etc, but still)

12. What's some good advice you want to share?

Life is so much easier if you just Do The Thing. I mean like... you're browsing your phone, have the stray thought "oh I need to switch the laundry over. i'll do it when i'm done checking this webpage!" NO!! Go Do The Thing! otherwise you will forget!! and your phone will still be there once the laundry is switched over!

14. What's something you've always wanted to do but maybe been to scared to do?

Tbh, learn pole dancing. It seems like a great form of exercise, but I am not terribly athletic and am also shy as hell.

38. Fave song at the moment?

lol I Saw The Light by Wynnona. Sometimes you just gotta listen to oldies country, y'know?

[wavellites]

"It's not spoiling," he protested. There were more gifts for other Avengers, but those would be delivered at another time. Today was just for the three of them. "I figure it's the least I can do since you two are going to have to put up with me every day now. Might as well sweeten the deal a little bit, yeah?" As if they weren't just as happy about the reunion as him, but it was easier joke around for the moment than to really sincerely express himself.

The outpouring of affection from both Natasha and Bucky warmed his heart, and in spite of the new surroundings, Steve knew that he really had come home at last. The pie was the proverbial cherry on top; he really couldn't ask for more than that.

"I know it's cliche," he said with a dry laugh. That a guy like Steve Rogers, whose birthday was even the 4^th of July, would enjoy apple pie is kind of hilarious on the face of it, but there was more to it than that, of course. "Mom always used to make pies whenever we could get our hands on the ingredients, y'know? We had a lot of water pies, sometimes even mock-apple pies. Having one with real fruit in it was always a treat."

Bucky's suggestion that they could go ahead and get the grill started was met with a decisive nod. Steve would never complain about it to them, but his enhanced metabolism meant that he could basically eat non-stop without a problem, and while he'd brought some snacks with him on the flight and been served a meal on top of that, he was eager to dig into a proper dinner.

"If you wouldn't mind doing that, I've got something I need to take care of in here," he said, pulling the kitty treats out from his pocket. Alpine was watching the three of them from around a corner, and Steve did another quick scan of the room before finding an empty span of the wall where he could sit and casually stretch out his legs, holding the treats in one open hand while he browsed his phone with the other. It was basically a cat magnet.

@xlianovna @70yearsofwinter

✘ ⌖ ➶ Once in the familiar apartment, Natasha took a seat on the arm of the couch while Steve went to get cleaned up. Alpine was curious as ever and it seemed the perfect moment to put the bribery theory to test. The redhead held out the treats in her hand, calmly talking to the cat. "Come on, girl. Surely we can share him. See? I come in peace." The white cat was a little hesitant, but ultimately was too tempted by her favorite treats to turn down the gesture. Natasha smiled when she took the treats from her hand, then turned to look for James. "Step one down. Now let's see how my shoes fare the night."

When Steve returned, Natasha got up from the couch and practically glided across the room to take the bottle of golden liquid. "Rogers! Have I told you that I love you?" she said before kissing his cheek. Asgardian mead was the only known liquor to effect someone with the super soldier serum. She wouldn't need to drink nearly as much as the other two since her serum is a weaker strain, but she was still looking forward to being able to relax and have fun for a night.

"What's this?" she then asked when handed a leather pouch. "Steve, this is your homecoming party. You're spoiling us." Even as she said the words, she couldn't stop her cheeks from dimpling with giddiness. Natasha wasn't a woman who expected gifts or doting. She'd never had a birthday party as a child, and Christmases in the Red Room only meant a nicer dinner. But as she was ladened with gifts, she suddenly felt like a little girl on Christmas morning. Opening the pouch, she found Nordic looking hair ornaments and an ornate knife in its sheath. Lips parted in a silent gasp as she beheld the beauty of both. The craftsmanship left no doubt that they were Asgardian. When she met Steve's eyes, her own were filled with such gratitude that she couldn't put words to. "I missed you." She gave him one more quick kiss on the cheek.

"Oh! I got something for you," she said as she headed to the kitchen, letting James have his moment to his open gifts. She set her haul down on the counter, then went to the fridge and pulled out a white box with a fancy bakery's script on the side. "Apple pie. I hear it's your favorite. And better yet, I didn't bake it, so you won't be poisoned." She set it on the stove, then got the oven preheating.

➶ @70yearsofwinter | @wavellites

[ficreadergirl]

Dangerous Inquiries (ch.15)

You sat there completely speechless. No words came to your lips. You were stunned. After a moment of silence you managed to stammer out a question. "How do you know that?" you asked. Both of them glanced at each other and then turned to look at you again. "Because… y'know. Bruce kind of helping Batman and we heard from him." Dick said slowly, unsure of what reaction you would have. You remained silent for a few seconds before turning your gaze back onto the table. "Are you sure about that?" you whispered brokenly. "We're pretty sure Y/n. I'm so sorry." Dick apologised earnestly. "So… my father was…" you said in disbelief, not being able to finish your sentence. Tears formed in your eyes. Dick put an arm around your shoulder and squeezed you tightly. "Y/N, we will find out the truth. Never doubt that. Okay?" he said soothingly. "It's true isn't it then?" you said shakily. "My father did… something he shouldn't done." You felt Dick tense up beside you as though trying not to cry. "We're going to find out everything." Dick said quietly. You could tell how much pain he was going through. "Okay." you said quietly. "Look, if you ever feel unsafe or upset, you can always stay with us. Just stay away from Jason and that white haired woman. Please." Kory pleaded. "Thank you both." you said softly. They gave you a sad smile in response. You stood up and hugged them both. "We love you sweetie." Dick whispered before letting go of you. "Love you guys too." you replied, giving each one a tight hug again. You were tired, emotionally and physically drained. "Guys I'm really tired." you mumbled weakly. They nodded in understanding. "Alright honey, we'll see you tomorrow." Kory told you warmly. You smiled and waved goodbye at them both. As soon as the door had been shut, tears began falling down your face. You sobbed into your hands desperately. What were you gonna do now? You thought to yourself, shaking with fear.

You stood up, dried your tears and went into your room. You picked up your laptop and began browsing various online sites. One caught your eye. A site where people post stories and posts articles related to Gotham's murders and serial cases. You were looking for Red Hood's cases, hoping to find evidence to link them to your father's murder. You found nothing else but victim's victims curses on the internet. "Damn!" you exclaimed. You slammed the laptop closed angrily, causing several pictures to fall onto the floor and shatter. "Shit!" you cursed under your breath, quickly picking up the pictures, putting them back together and walking over to the window and looking outside. You were beginning to feel like there was no hope for your father's innocence. Not anymore. He may have been a criminal, but he was still your father. You closed your eyes tightly and took a deep breath. You sighed deeply and opened your eyes. You wanted to calm down, but this was not getting any easier. Your emotions had been running high for so long now. You wanted to call Jason and hear him tell you Red Hood wasn't the murderer. You wanted to stop seeing those images in your head. After calming yourself down you decided to call him. You needed to talk to someone. Your finger hovered over the number before finally pressing the call button. It rang once before Jason picked it up. "Y/n-" he started but you interrupted him. "Hey Jason. That white haired woman-" you started to say. "I'm at your door Y/n. Could you open it?" Jason cut you off. "Wait! Where are you?" you questioned.

"In front of your house right now." he answered simply. "Oh okay. Yeah I'll come let you in." you responded. You hung up the phone and made your way towards the door. Once you opened the door, you noticed Jason standing in front of your door. "What happened?" you asked confused. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." he answered. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Is something happening?" you asked concerned. Jason hesitated for a second before responding. "Can we talk inside?" he requested. You looked at him, wondering why he sounded so nervous. "Yeah, sure." you answered hesitantly. You stepped aside and allowed him to enter first. He followed you into your living room and closed the door behind him. He stood in the middle of the living room for a minute. "Is everything alright? Is there something you need to tell me?" you asked him carefully. He stayed quiet for a while as he looked around your apartment, searching for something. "Could you bring me water please?" he finally asked, glancing over at you. You walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. You handed him it. "Thanks." he replied softly. He drank some water while you started talking. "You remember that white haired woman I told you about. Right?" you asked him. He nodded as you continued, "Well, I learned that she is work-". You were cut off abruptly by Jason's lips against yours, effectively shutting you up. Your eyes widened slightly but you recovered quickly. When he pulled away you were blushing madly and couldn't form any words.

"Jason… What-" you began confused. "Y/n I need to explain myself." he interrupted you gently. Your heart skipped a beat. "Go ahead." you breathed. He stared at you intently for another moment before continuing. "I gotta go." he stated suddenly heading for the door. You stood frozen watching as he disappeared. Your mind was spinning trying to process what just happened. Had it just really happened? Did Jason Todd just kiss you? Your cheeks burned brighter red as more questions filled your mind. Did you just let him kiss you? Was that okay? What should I do now? Why am I even thinking about this stuff right now? you wondered frantically. You took a deep breath and tried to push all thoughts out of your mind as you headed towards your bedroom. You needed to rest now and think about it later.

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[danieyells]

Years ago tumblr banned porn, early this month apple made them restrict even more tags for ios users in an attempt to make the proccess of getting updates through easier

And today I(admittedly, an android user, because fuck apple tbh) got an add for a tenga egg--y'know, the sex toy--on tumblr.

. . .y'know, because we want the internet to be safer for kids or wtfever companies are using as an excuse these days.

And in case you're one of those people tumblr mobile ads have little to nothing to do with one's browsing habits. Have you ever seen some of the ads this app shows people? Half the time they don't have anything to do with anything.

[charming-2d-boys]

Hey would you be able to do a hc on dating shalnark? Hes my fav troupe member and i never see him get any love

Hi! Of course I can and I can't wait to try my hand at writing for more characters 👏😆

Again, really long, but I had some ideas and just had to add them 😛

Thank you for requesting and I hope you'll like these!

Shalnark's advantage when he meets someone is the fact that he always exudes this friendliness and coupled with that smile of his, it's no wonder people are a lot more responsive to him

that's pretty much what attracted you to him in the first place

you met him when you were angrily grumbling about some idiot on a skateboard who had pushed you "by accident", making you drop your phone in a nearby puddle

you tried picking it up as quickly as possible, but of course, the screen was black, luckily unbroken, but dripping with dirty water

of course, the jerk was already gone by the time you looked up to curse at him and ask for an explanation or at least an apology and you're left with a - possibly - broken phone

Shalnark - who out looking for some spare parts for one of his devices that Uvogin broke by accident - sees the whole thing and is slightly amused by your predicament, but decides to help after seeing the sorry state of your phone - he cringed at the thought of that happening to one of his devices because of some idiot

he's already stuck an antenna in the back of the jerks neck, pulling out his phone and making the guy just skate around like a mindless puppet as he screamed incoherently

watched you out of the corner of his eye as you stopped and stared, trying not to laugh - let's face it, he deserved it

didn't want to cause a scene though and he made the guy trip, scraping his knees and arms and possibly spraining his ankle, before walking by him and quickly picking up his antenna

he walked over to you and asked if he can help since he's good with devices and he managed to turn your phone on! Before it died again

you were disappointed, but thanked him for his help anyway

Shalnark offers to go with you so he can help you buy a new phone right now because who knows, maybe you're gonna need one immediately and you can't afford to stay for several days until you finally manage to get one

since he seems to know his way around electronics, you take him up on his offer and go to the nearest store where you browse through several phones

Shalnark asks you about what you'd like exactly and comes up with several suggestions that all sound very appealing and whose prices are actually pretty decent as well, one of which you end up buying

you ask him how you can repay him and, since he's feeling bold, asks you out

a bit surprised by this, but hey, why not? He's cute and he helped you out

and you don't know where you expected him to take you, but it definitely wasn't the local gaming centre

it seems a bit childish, but at the same time, you can see why he chose this place

it's like he just fits in here and he seems to feel likes he's at home

it's noisy, colourful and full of kids and teens, even a few couples

you both get some coins and start going to different games

Shalnark is good, that's for sure

I mean, you're doing pretty well, but man, is Shalnark just so good at those games

lets you win a few times because while you're trying not to show it, you're a tiny bit upset that you keep losing

he thinks you're adorable and pinches one of your cheeks when you pout because he just can't help it

the gaming centre turned out to be one of the best places for your dates with Shalnark when you felt like relaxing after a long day or just felt like trying your luck beating him at any video game

definitely has you sit in his lap whenever you play any console games

also loves distracting you by kissing your cheek or blowing a raspberry on your neck or even tickling your sides

always tricks you by stopping you in the middle of the street and points at something behind you, only for you to kiss him by accident when you turn back around because there was nothing there and...oh, what a tease he is

you just wanted me to kiss you, didn't you? You should've told me~

you kicked him for that because he said it loudly and people stared at you with that look that says get a room

told you a short version of what he does and promised you that he'd never involve you in anything because he cares about you and wants to be honest when it comes to your relationship

you already had a feeling he was into something shady when he received phone calls at odd hours or came back with cuts and bruises, but never said anything because you wanted to see if Shalnark would

you took some time off to think about it and man, did that make Shalnark anxious

but when you called him and told him to meet up, he actually was scared because you already knew about him and you posed a risk to the Troupe

Shalnark literally deflated like a balloon when you told him that you still want to be with him and he hugged you so tightly and kissed you and kept making promises about keeping you safe and happy

and he does keep his promises

always calls you or shoots you a message when he's gone, letting you know that he's okay, he misses you and loves you

always brings back gifts, especially things that you might not find in your city

if you want something specific, even if you only mentioned it in passing, he gets it for you

Shalnark likes bringing you flowers since they make your house so colourful and always remind you of him

teaches you different tricks to navigate the Internet easier and find whatever you're looking for, whether it's for school, work or just personal interest

handyman because he likes taking things apart to see how they work and then putting them back together

always makes sure he's got the day off on your birthday so he can spend it doing whatever you want

he's always up for trying new things and going to new places with you and loves taking pictures with you

he keeps one in his wallet from when you had a date at home during winter and you were both cosy, wrapped in blankets, with hot chocolate and tea nearby and snacks while you were watching Coco

it's not a winter or Christmas appropriate movie, but you two love it too much and it's just too good not to watch it

he took out his phone and quietly called you, making you see the phone, then his puckered lips and you laughingly leaned in

you only heard the click going once before Shalnark just let his phone fall on the carpet, pulled you closer and kissed you all over your face until you told him to stop because you couldn't breathe from laughing so much

cooks so well and it's a blessing when you come home and he's already in the kitchen, saying welcome home, love! with a huge smile that make his eyes crinkle at the corners, before telling you to go and get ready since dinner's almost ready

will dance with you whenever he hears a song you both like

even if it's in the middle of the local supermarket

he's done this so many times that people aren't really fazed by it anymore

the old ladies in the neighbourhood always pinch his cheeks and praise him for being so cute and romantic, with some saying that they wished their husbands were like that too

likes it when you get along with the Troupe, but don't be too friendly, y'know?

it's not that he doesn't trust you or the Troupe or anything, but he knows what an amazing catch you are and he's always scared he'll have competition

reassure him and he's back to being the bright, bubbly and funny guy he usually is

you, him and Feitan love teasing Phinks

you always apologize if you ever see that you've gone too far, even though the other two have way higher chances of doing it than you

but they all appreciate your thoughtfulness

since Shalnark trusts you, so do they, especially since you've come this far

and if he promised he'll protect you, so do they, because they consider you one of their own

[aureatesvn]

Economy//Jaebeom

Content: humour, fluff(?) if you squint

Model!Jaebeom has never been so confused.

Or,

An avid display of the frustrations of the rich (and supposedly famous).

People came and went like clockwork, each individual blurring into a mass flow of luggage and sweatpants and crying children, lord save him from the crying children. The airport was just a disaster waiting to happen, but he found an awkward kind of comfort in the timeless feel of the place. It was the same routine every time, arrive a few hours early, pass through security, don his trusty bucket hat and find somewhere to wait. With a book, preferably. This time was no different, aside from the… minor intrusion.

It had been less than an hour since he'd made himself comfortable in his isolated corner of the seating area, it was a nice spot and he was quite proud of himself for finding it, to be honest. He'd scoured almost a quarter of the airport (the quarter he was confined to), and it had taken exactly 38 minutes, but he'd eventually gravitated towards the large windows where the morning sunlight was streaming in from. A few moments later, he'd snagged the perfect spot. It was sort of a treasure-hunt type game to him, and he'd undeniable succeeded.

Unfortunately now he was feeling dozy, the warmth of the sun warming him, and the ebbing of people passing by allowing him some peace. It was the perfect setting for a nap, and he'd all but given up on trying to focus on his book. He needed a cold drink, which meant he had to go find a cold drink… He surveyed the area for any nearby cafés or bars, and was left with a single option he could make out if he squinted into the distance, that's where he'd have to go then. 

With a resigned sigh, he started collecting his things, unwilling to part with his spot, when a brilliant idea struck him. Possibly the best idea he'd had in his entire life, really. 

He returned the things to their original places, jacket across the back of the chair, bag (which he'd taken his phone and wallet out of) planted decisively on the seat. He considered leaving his hat as well, but eventually decided that was a step too far, and stepped back to assess his work. 

Well, the seat was indisputably taken, and anyone who would argue otherwise was either blind (in which case he'd happily offer up the seat anyway), or specifically looking to cause trouble. He possibly could have worried a bit more about theft and such, but as it was, he took it as a test of the upstanding airport security and didn't think much more of it. 

Happy with his spot secured, he smiled to himself and ambled his way to the café, peering back every so often to check no one was getting too close to his place. He had one or two stares at how he was forced to angle his head in a rather ostrich-esque way, but it was most definitely worth it. Eventually he was too far away to see, and focused on getting his drink and getting back as soon as possible. 

He was halfway back with his lime soda when he saw it. Actually, he'd seen it a bit before then, but had been in denial about the rather horrible turn of events, and so hadn't quite believed his eyes. He most definitely believed them now. As he drew closer, the scene he was nearing didn't get any less horrifying. In fact, when he was close enough to feel the need to cautiously side-step his way to his belongings, it was decidedly more awful than he'd anticipated from a distance. 

There was someone right there. 

Not on his chair, his things were still perfectly in place, untouched, but at the uncomfortably close distance of the very-next-seat along, there was a person. And all their things. 

He stood over his seat, trying to process the events that led up to this, not quite fully understanding how the obviously taken seat hadn't deterred this female (he thought she was female, at least) from making herself at home in the 2 seat radius surrounding the chair. Least of all, what had prompted her to sit right next- 

'Is there a problem?'

Yes yes yes yes yes absolutely, please leave.

'Sorry?' was all he could choke out.

She was looking up at him, but somehow managed to be looking down her nose, and he had enough sense in him to recognise she felt rich. Or maybe it was her small(ish) collection of branded items. Fendi? Jackson would have a field day. 

'I asked if there was a problem? I don't appreciate being ogled at.'

He was at a loss for words, he hadn't expected her to be so… brusque. Usually strangers at the airport interacted with a stilted politeness, lots of half-bows, please and thank yous, maybe she didn't get the memo? Taking a sip of his lime soda, he noted that Saint Laurent was also present within her collection. How ironic. 

'Ah, no, I wasn't looking at you, these' he gestures to his bag, 'are my belongings…'

He's not quite sure what he was expecting, but whatever it was, it absolutely wasn't for her to look possibly more offended than she had been before he'd spoken. Maybe she'll move if I upset her enough? 

As he half heartedly checks himself for thinking such a thing, she swivels her head back and forth between him and his things, the sunlight glinting off of her hair.

'They're,' she points at his seat, 'yours?'           

She points at him, disbelief written across her face. They stay like that in silence for a few moments, at an impasse.

He coughs awkwardly and takes another sip.

'Yes…?' 

At this point he's thinking it maybe wasn't worth it, and it would be easier for him to just find a different spot, without the oddly confrontational scenery.

'Are you sure?'

He chokes on his lime soda. Through spluttering and coughing and the highly unpleasant burning (fizzing) at the back of his throat, he resolutely decides he's not letting her chase him away from his spot. He got there first anyway. 

Fighting mindset truly in place, he sets her with a condescending smile, and drawls out his question like he would to address a rather irritating child.

'You don't believe that the bag and jacket that I put on that chair, walked over to collect, and said were mine are… mine?'

He sees the realisation dawn on her, and fights the urge to laugh (not because he wanted to be polite, but because his throat was still tingling and he was sure he'd end up coughing again if he laughed at her). She pouts and waves a manicured hand between them, shaking her head.

'No, no, it's just people travelling... economy… tend to…y'know...have...' 

People travelling eco- What?

He blinks at her, once again unsure what to say. 

'WAIT- Not- Not that economy is a bad thing or anything, that's not what I meant-'

A part of him is relieved that there are obviously people out there who are far worse than him at meeting strangers. The other part of him is bitter that he had to meet one of them. He's certain the ice in his soda has melted at this point, and curses her for (if nothing else) leaving him with a diluted room-temperature drink.

'Look, I'll just take my things and-' he spots a relatively empty block across the seating area from them, and gestures to make sure she sees. She blinks up at him owlishly, as if waiting for him to go, and he sighs tiredly. The polite thing to do is to offer to move instead. 

After approximately 15 seconds, he gives up, collects his jacket and bag, and trundles over to the less sunny, less quiet, and overall less comfortable seating block. 

He spends the next two hours trying to lose himself in his book, checking the flight status and complaining to the guys about the awful encounter.

At roughly 11:45 he finally hears the boarding announcement,

Flight KE418 to Seoul will be boarding shortly, please proceed to gate 117.

And by some sheer luck, he finds himself at the very front of the queue when the man at the desk starts checking passports and boarding passes. 

He practically skips his way down the corridor to the plane, buzzing with excitement. He's almost home. The flight attendant smiles at him, checks his pass and escorts him to an aisle seat, and when he takes off his hat to push back his hair, there's a barely noticeable twitch of her lip to show that she recognises him before she disappears to attend to another passenger. 

He sinks into his seat, browsing movie options on the monitor, and is just about to put headphones on when he hears it.

'Oh, thank you, sorry, this seat? Thanks…'

That voice did not go with that meek tone at all. 

He looks up to see her nervously shuffling down the right-hand aisle, and slowing down when the attendant does, one seat ahead. Please no, let me have my flight in peace, lord if you have any mercy…

'This is seat 04, if you have further requirements or any issues, just let us know.'

As it turns out, the lord didn't have any mercy free today. 

He takes in her slight frame over the divider, made to look smaller by her hunched shoulders and clasped hands, before realising she's not yet sat down because she's been staring at him. Great, now all he had to do was figure out if she recognised him because she'd chased him away earlier, or because she'd seen his face in a magazine. Or both. 

He decides to take initiative, and smile politely at her, bowing his head. She's already slowly turning a deep pink and, somewhere in the back of his head, he thinks she's quite cute when she's flustered. 

With that thought, he decides he's in a good enough mood to tease her, and acknowledges that there's no way she won't have recognised his clothes (if not his face) from earlier.

'So, economy huh?'

[modestlyabsurd]

Humble Beginnings (Loki x Reader)

Being taller than most, it's a different view. Physically looking down at people varies a bit from doing so in a smug manner. Especially when the mind is now absorbing things in a new way; or at least, it's attempting to.

The people all look different from each other, and yet similar at the same time. Suppose that could be just because it's only an assessment from a few seconds observation of each individual. The loud, overestimulating environment doesn't help either. The propogandic billboards, buses with advertisements obnoxiously splattered across them, and speaking of obnoxious.

These humans and their phones.

It's clear, some of the differences. No skin tone is exactly the same. Hair tends to vary nearly as much, ranging from long to short to naught, from straight to curly, in any color imaginable. Part lines in scalps are fascinating. The curvature of noses is also quite interesting from such a perspective. But one thing seems to remain the same, and that is the amount of hands holding cellphones.

It's unnerving.

To think that the idea of being ruled was so outlandish, all whilst they are unknowingly being ruled already - by something far less benevolent than me.

His thoughts go to that dark place for a split second. He spares himself a smirk, before remembering. That was wrong of him.

He regrets it. And not just because "that's what the doctor said", but genuinely. If Loki could go back in time and pull some strings, he would undo many of his actions. But the doctor also reminds him regularly that he was not himself at that time. That he was mind controlled, which bothers him even more. How weak he must have been to have fallen under such influence.

But that is in the past, and cannot be changed. However he has control over himself now; he can change the present as well as the future.

As much as he damn well hates to admit it, the therapy is working.

Assigned by Stark himself, Loki's therapist has now given him more freedoms on Earth - at the cost of his progress, of course. Apparently he's been doing exceptionally well, since he's now allowed to walk and roam the streets of New York City unsupervised.

(For two hours a day, in a nine block radius, with all six Avengers ready if he were to pull anything suspicious.)

So far he's gone and snuck in to see a film in the movie theater once - a strange animation revolving around talking fish who are prone to misplacing one another - he's browsed the two bookstores within the radius, conjured roses and left them for street performers playing their music, and spent a great deal of time in a particular coffee shop.

... It's been nicer than he thought it would be.

Even now, as men and women who are on important phone calls or simply aren't paying attention carelessly collide into him, he's enjoying himself. The weather is beginning to chill more and more each day, and on this young evening the sky is a cloudy silver. He's been hoping for a storm.

His feet are carrying him down a certain sidewalk. Confident, secure steps. He fiddles with the pocket watch in his warm, faux leather jacket pocket. Embossed in the cover is the letter S, for Stark Industries. Embedded in the gears is a tracking device. Understandable, he admits, running his thumb over the watch. He knows himself better than anyone. Which isn't saying much.

Attaining that elusive balance is the most difficult for Loki. The balance within only him, of self-trust, and the lack of such. Most beings have moral compasses which guide them in the right direction through life. Loki's decided that he has a moral pendulum that swings wherever the wind blows it. A weakness, without question, that will be his downfall one day.

"Unless you become the wind."

He'd argued that with the doctor. Things never go exactly as you plan them. Life's wind tends to blow a bit harder.

"Then you become a rock, a boulder, a shield to your pendulum. Unmovable against the wind."

Easier said than done. But doable nonetheless, he supposed.

His ever-descending thoughts are interrupted by the rich, seductive smell of coffee. He can suddenly feel his heart beating as he sees the caramel brown walls through large storefront windows. The view gets larger and he sees the charming wall artwork of a cappuccino with intricate designs in the cream. He thumbs the pocket watch.

A customer hurries through the door, a warm drink in hand, leaving the coffee shop empty. He clicks the silver watch open. 7:42. It's nearing closing time for the shop.

Hidden behind the neon "open" sign, he steps along the sidewalk, peering in from the darkening cold outside. And there you are.

His heart races - it practically soars.

Wiping down the countertops and tabletops, erasing the daily specials from the chalkboards, sweeping strands of hair out of your face along the way. Focused. Hard-working ... yet elegant. Beautiful.

You're headed toward the back of the shop and when Loki loses sight of you, he swallows down his nerves and strides in.

The charming little entrance bell resurfaces his unexplainable anxiety. It was loud and it got your attention. He had to think fast. But no matter - he had a plan of action ready long before, thanks to a close connection. A friend, perhaps.

Loki's jaw drops briefly as you reappear behind the sales counter, but he smoothly recovers with a Cheshire smile, "Hello Y/N."

You're re-tying the brown apron around your waist when his voice suddenly catches you very off guard. "Hi," you all but sputter.

Oh goodness, you scold yourself. If only you could somehow prepare for Loki's visits in advance. He drops in at the most inconvenient times as far as your appearance goes - you'd like to not have flour all over you, coffee stains on your clothes, and maybe do something more with your hair. But with Loki ... you'll take whatever you can get. Especially since you can't seem to form a complete sentence when he's around anyway.

He has eyes that could take you on an infinite trip throughout the entire universe. And he tends to keep steady eye contact. It's intense. It makes you physically squirm.

Much like now, when you suddenly notice how nice he looks tonight. You wished there was somewhere to divert your attention such as other customers, but it's almost eight. No one wants coffee at this time.

Except for Loki, who has his full attention on you. A dark pink dusting his smiling cheeks.

"What're you doing here?" you found a voice. "It's getting late."

You begin clearing out what's left of the muffins and cookies from the display case directly beside the sales counter, pulling each one out and placing them in a container. Loki watches your movements as well as your face, desperate for a longer look into your eyes.

"Well," he chuckles nervously, "I was just heading back from seeing another film in the cinema - I can't remember the title at the moment ... Something about a lowly peasant who discovers a strange genie and together they must save a princess and her kingdom, while the peasant subsequently wins the princess's heart in the process."

You suppress a smile. "Aladdin?"

"Yes! That's it. I quite enjoyed it, really. Although the genie and his, eh ... sense of humor took a bit of time to tolerate. I think having someone accompanying me to interpret it would've perhaps made it easier."

You've yet to stop cleaning since he came in. This is harder than he expected.

Collecting himself, he steadily asks, "Is the kitchen still open for service?"

You glance at the clock on the wall, with a quintessential coffee cup in the middle of it. "For the next fifteen minutes, yes. What can I get for you?"

Before he can get a still glimpse of you for more than a second, you're heading for the kitchen. The sound of running water indicates that you're washing your hands.

Left to himself, he speaks over the sound toward the kitchen, "Would a couple of cookies and a hot chocolate be too much?"

"Absolutely not," you bubbled back.

A familiar song plays softly throughout the coffee shop as Loki notices. He's heard it before, the man singing with poetic but very, very Midgardian lyrics, accompanied by almost lullaby-like music. And then he hears another voice singing the words - only it's not reverberating through the speakers but humming gently from your mouth.

Loki finds himself watching you once again. You pour thick, steaming hot chocolate into a cup with careful hands, while singing this lovely tune playing. He's mesmerized. Confused, definitely, as to why he's so mesmerized. And why he's been mesmerized ever since he first saw you and learned your name. Why he cares so much about you, why he longs to see you when he's not around. Even if only in small-talking, short lived increments.

"Must be something in the drinks."

"Hm?" you stop singing suddenly.

Loki nearly implodes. Thankfully he's a quick thinker.

"I was just trying to remember - what is this song that's playing?"

"It's called Scar Tissue by The Red Hot Chili Peppers."

He'll remember that.

"Ah. Thank you, I - " he laughs, "the names of certain things have been eluding me as of late. For a moment I thought it could be something in these drinks of yours."

You grin. You grin!

Loki's mouth goes dry. He takes a sip of his hot chocolate after you set it on the counter for him, unable to look away from you.

The taste of chocolate coats his mouth, the smell fills his nose. You glance up at him with that grin - for a split second - before turning away. Gods, he thinks. How beautiful you are.

"It's probably just the time change," he changes the subject. Fills the silence. "I've read that the changing of the seasons can largely affect many aspects of one's everyday life. Like their sleeping patterns, their cravings, their memory. I've read that some can even react to the change in temperature, as well, did you know that?"

You shake your head, wrapping the last two chocolate chip cookies of the night in some wax paper and placing it on the counter.

"Y'know, the nights seem to have gotten darker as well. I could walk you home if you'd like."

You pause involuntarily. How can the mere idea of something make your heart skip ten beats? Shouldn't that kill you?

"No," you declined, "that's okay. I appreciate it."

"Yeah. Anytime."

Loki's watch vibrates in his pocket. He reaches for it, discreetly disabling the alarm that told him it was eight o'clock. Exactly two hours since he left the compound, giving him exactly ten minutes to arrive back before a small army tracks and descends upon him.

A deflated balloon comes to mind.

"Well," he replaces his watch, "at least be sure that you use precaution out there. It's cold, and dark, and the perfect time for monsters to be out."

You nod. A piece of hair falls into your face and Loki has the strong urge to brush it behind your ear. So strong that his fingers twitch.

He picks up his cookie and hot chocolate to fix the problem when he remembers a key part of the transaction - the actual transaction. "Oh! I need to purchase this - "

"Don't worry about it. It's on the house."

He freezes mid-search for some money in his pocket. You're looking him straight in the eye with pure ... purity. He takes you in, drinks you up. Your voice, the apples of your cheeks, your smallness compared to him. Tingles spread throughout his chest and he learns that that is one of the most pleasant sensations he's ever felt.

"That's very kind. In that case ... " he pushes one of the untouched cookies still on the counter toward you.

You look down at his thin, pale hand.

"For you."

A premature scolding lodges in your throat as he's heading out the door. But before he exits into the autumn cold, he turns on his heel and smiles at you. "Goodnight, Y/N."

"Goodnight, Loki."

~

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[aerialsquid]

Noodling Part V: Angry Man Shops for Flower Arrangements

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Chapter-specific Content Warning: Emotional/mental trauma related to academic pressure and teachers. Nothing severe, but this is a little more intense than the last chapter. ----------

"This time I really need you to stay behind. This girl has an Earthshaking Quirk, and if she decides to use it she could take out half the block."

"You think she'll turn hostile?"

"Always possible, if I confront her directly. Which is what I plan on doing." Aizawa privately hoped she did. It would give him an excuse to vent the tension that had been building in him over the last several days, and that his trip to Kuroda and Samejima's residence hadn't sated in the least.

This time, instead of hunting for her home address, Aizawa and Yagi had targeted Tsukuda Jiodo's place of employment - 'Scent of Lilies', a small store selling floral arrangements and pots across the street from one of the city parks. Picturesque, but hardly the kind of place that a destructively-Quirked hero would be satisfied with.

Through the shop windows, Aizawa could see Jiodo rearranging small pots on the shelves. She had a slight build with night-dark hair, longer now than it was when he'd last seen her sobbing in Nezu's office on the day his request for expulsion was approved. The store seemed to be deserted, too, and they'd shown up about half an hour before the shop closed for the day. A good time for a private talk that might turn ugly.

Aizawa remembered Jiodo as a quiet, eager to please girl with a fierce dedication to her studies. As a student, she'd been fine. Not the best ever, but fine. He'd seen her type before - great at academics, born with a powerful-seeming Quirk, and lucked into passing an entrance exam designed to favor those who could break the most large objects in a given time period. Unfortunately it took more than that to make a good hero, which was why Aizawa considered the entrance exam only as a first culling before he made his own judgments about who deserved to move ahead.

Jiodo, in his assessment, had not.

"Good afternoo--" As the bell over the door jingled merrily, Jiodo turned and made it halfway through a greeting before her higher functions realized who she was looking at. She froze up.

"Huh. Long time no see," said Aizawa, expression blank. "You were...Tsukuda, yeah? Something like that?" He shrugged in false apathy and moved past her into the store.

"Ai..Mr. Aiz…" Jiodo bobbed forward into a frantic, shivering bow, clutching a clipboard tight to her chest for security. It reminded Aizawa briefly of the way Yagi reacted to Gran Turino, on the single awkward occasion he'd been in the same room as the pair of them. This wasn't the panic of a trapped criminal, it was the panic of a traumatized student abruptly reliving her past trauma at the sight of his face.

Right now, Aizawa couldn't bring himself to care. He waited, stonefaced, while his former student scrambled for words.

"HowcanIhelpyoutodaysir," said Jiodo in a single breath during the downstroke of yet another bow.

Playing dumb, for now. Fine. He'd see if she could be baited out.

Aizawa pretended to consider the arrangements and little bowls, pacing the store agonizingly slowly while she watched him with wide-eyes.

"So this is where you wound up, Tsukuda?" he asked, watching her reflection in the sheen of a metal vase.

"Yes, sir," said Jiodo in the tiniest of voices.

"Huh. What school did you go to after UA?"

"No, sir. I, uh. I didn't." Her voice dropped to the lightest, frailest of whispers. "I didn't go anywhere," she muttered, head down.

Aizawa prodded at the bowed head of a peace lily blossom. "Nowhere? You were a good study. It was the one thing you were actually good at."

"I would...like to not talk about this, sir. What kind of flowers do you want?"

"Something big and brash. It's my anniversary. I'll know it when I find it."

"Oh...anniversary...these are for someone you're dating?" Aizawa didn't need to check to know she was giving him that 'Aizawa-sensei dates??' look of horror and confusion that he got every time someone referenced the concept of him having a romantic life.

"Something like that." She'd be unlikely to believe Aizawa Shouta would go shopping for flowers of his own accord, and he needed an excuse to browse.

Aizawa drew the silence out as she kept following him around the store, offering quiet terse answers to his bullshit questions about the prices of flowers and how fast each type were likely to die. He made sure that he never had his back fully to her, but also never fully looked her in the face the way he would someone who actually meant something to him. Occasionally he made a small 'tsk' noise with his tongue, as if finding disapproval with the blossoms, and every time he did it Jiodo trembled.

"So. Hero school to flower shop. Must have been a rough time."

"Mhm."

"Honestly, I'm surprised you're treating me this nicely. Maybe expelling you really was a good decision if you're this comfortable with it."

Come on. Break. Take out that grudge you've been nursing. You know I have you dead to rights--

"I actually hated UA." Jiodo's hand slapped over her mouth. She stared at Aizawa with wide, fraught eyes as if he would somehow double-expel her for it. He turned to fully face her and stared back with an even, calm gaze.

"Go on."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Aizawa," she whispered.

"No, no. I'm not your teacher anymore. Speak your mind." He gestured for her to continue, carefully watching the movement of her limbs. If he remembered the nuances of her Quirk correctly she'd need to be touching the earth with her bare hands to cause a quake, but with all the dirt in this shop there might be a way around it...

Jiodo swallowed hard. Her fingers were white where they held the clipboard tightly to her chest. "I hated every moment of it. I hated being there. I never felt like I fit, I never felt like I could rest. I hated you and I hated my classmates, even the nice ones," she said quietly, eyes downcast. "After you expelled me, I...it hurt, but it meant that all my worries about class ranking and achievement didn't matter anymore. I was free. Doomed, but free. I was...I went in the bathroom and I just started laughing, because it meant I didn't have to fight anymore. I could just give up. It felt so good to just stop chasing something I didn't even want in the first place."

She tensed up again, wary, and bit her lip. "I'm almost grateful you did it, now."

"You work in a flower shop and you could have been a hero, and you're grateful for it?" Aizawa put every drop of venom he could into his words. He folded his arms, subtly getting his fingers around the end of his capture weapon. "Are you sure you're not just trying to justify failure to yourself to make it less unpleasant?"

Come on. Come at me. You're cruel enough to blackmail me using Yagi's body as a weapon, you're cruel enough to try and attack me in person.

"I like the flower shop," Jiodo insisted, a notch louder. Her breath was hitching and her eyes were still on the floor, but her voice was growing stronger. "I have friends now, and we can go play video games or just hang out, and we're pooling in money to start a little garden together. I didn't have friends at UA. I hated having to fight and compete all the time even when I was good at it. The money's not great, but...but I'm happy here. And at UA, I was miserable. The only people who were happy about me being there were...were my parents. I had my whole life kinda planned out around becoming a pro hero, so I had to...just put myself back together again. From scratch. And it, y'know...it's getting easier. No, not easier, just better. I finally feel like I can breathe. And I"m sorry, I know it's not what anyone wanted for me and I know it's a waste, but at least I'm happy."

"And is that what matters to you now? Being happy?"

Jiodo looked up at him over the clipboard, only to find Aizawa was half-smiling, a single corner of his mouth turned up.

"I...yes. Yes, it does," she answered weakly. "I'm sorry. I know I'm a failure."

"I don't just expel people for kicks, you know. If the business course passes a student who's not fit for the work, all we have is one more incompetent corporate executive in the world. If I pass a student who isn't right for hero work, I might as well be writing their death sentence. You weren't a bad student. You worked hard, and you had drive. Maybe you'd even have been a mediocre hero after all. But I couldn't take a chance on mediocre. Mediocre CEOs just lose money. Mediocre heroes die."

"I know. I'm sorry. The school put its faith in me and I let you all down."

"Bullshit." She flinched, and Aizawa moderated his tone a few degrees softer. "You weren't the disappointment. People who shoved you into the hero path from the moment you manifested your abilities are the ones who let us down. Not everything should be about climbing the ranks higher and higher until going any further would break you completely." He thought of the man waiting for him outside. All Might set out to be a symbol and it worked too well...he should have been a symbol of a terrible task that needed doing and ought not to ever be done again. Instead, and with as little of his consent as he'd given for the pornography, his path had become an aspiration.

"Huh." Jiodo let out a shaky huff. "Tell that to my parents. Anytime I wasn't pressing myself so hard I nearly lost my mind, they called me lazy. I think they took my expulsion even worse than I did--no, I know they did. All their hard work, down the drain. These days they barely talk to me."

"And is that so bad, not having them puppeting you around?"

"Well, no, but…"

"This goddamn system is broken, Tsukuda. it's been broken since before either of us were born. Don't be sorry for not becoming something you never wanted to be...I'm not sorry for keeping you from it either. A parent who'd prefer you rushing to your death instead of happy and working a retail job isn't worth of the title."

The spectre of Yagi, lurking in the back of his head like a long-limbed shoulder angel urged him to add, "But I'm sorry I made you suffer by denying it. I'm glad you've found what makes you happy."

Tears welled up in Jiodo's eyes.

-----------

Fifteen minutes after entering Scent of Lilies, Aizawa sent a subtle 'it's good keep waiting' text to Yagi as Jiodo poured her guts out to him. Yagi spent an agonizing twenty further minutes pacing back and forth in the park, trying to hide behind trees when people looked at him for too long, and thoroughly made himself seem like a creeper.

When the lights in the shop finally went out Jiodo and Aizawa exited together. Jiodo's eyes were red-ringed, but there was an exhausted smile of relief on her face. Yagi watched from the trees as the two exchanged a few final words, and then Jiodo gave Aizawa a tight hug that nearly crushed the air out of him. All the flowerpot-lifting had clearly given her good upper arm strength. She pressed something wrapped in cellophane into his hands, and then scampered off down the street, one hand upraised in a goodbye wave. Aizawa stood watching her for several seconds before slowly turning and heading into the park.

"Well?" Yagi asked, when Aizawa finally trailed back to him.

"She's not our blackmailer, but I know who is."

"Who?"

"Tsukuda Jidai. Her father. Similar enough name on the credit card statement to throw us off, plenty of motive, and one hell of an entitlement complex. I think I know how we can take him down a few notches, though."

Aizawa held out the package. Through the translucent wrapping at its base Yagi could see it was a pot of small purple flowers. The pot was in the shape of a plump yellow duck who'd clearly seen hard times, judging by the rough edges where a fall had broken off part of its wing. Damaged goods, impossible to sell, but still serving its purpose of protecting the tender blossoms embedded in its back.

"Also, happy anniversary. Here's a duck."