#whatever this is a nice panel I need to stop rambling

[ddejavvu]

don't mind me i'm just thinking about how Eddie Munson would SO pretend to be someone you know if you come up to him in a store or so and whisper to him how this guy has been creeping you out for ages 'n he would take to his role so well 😭 i need to shift dimensions I need to be with this guy

i'd commit unspeakable horrors to be his girlfriend

--

You almost feel bad practically tackling the man from behind. All he was doing was grabbing a can of soup off of the shelf, and you made him your impromptu best friend.

He lurches forward at the contact, and turns to look at you with fire in his eyes. You're absolutely certain he's going to scold you, but he sizes you up at his eyes soften slightly. He raises one eyebrow, a silent 'what the fuck do you want?' and you ramble breathlessly.

"Please pretend you're my friend," You whisper, the squeaky wheels of the cart you're dreading the owner of coming towards you down the aisle, "He's following me and I don't know what to do."

He doesn't even blink. His face doesn't shift in the slightest, and for a quick moment you're unsure whether he heard you at all. But his arm curls around your own, and he spins you to face the soups.

"-so I was thinking chicken and stars, but R2-D2 absolutely kills as a noodle," He drawls, ringed fingers gesturing vaguely at each can that he names, "'S whatever you want, babe."

You hear your supermarket stalker's wheels squeak to a stop at the end of the aisle, and you don't dare turn to see his face. You'd prefer never to see it again, a reminder of the lewd comment he'd made in the produce section about melons.

"Star Wars," You decide, plucking the can off of the shelf and handing it to him, "Uh, thank you."

"Now we need," He squints at his list, tongue poking out of his mouth and sticking to his upper lip, "Ritz crackers, and chicken for tomorrow night."

He mimes looking for the crackers, noticing the man standing at the end of the aisle, waiting.

"Oh, sorry," He lifts the back wheels of the cart with the handle, scooting it sideways so that the man can pass, though you both know he doesn't want to, "Were we in your way? Go ahead, we're gonna be here for a while."

The man stares at you, you can feel it. But your new best friend sets a hand gently, politely on the small of your back, leading you around him and sandwiching you between the aisle and him. He holds the list out in front of you, "Babe, can you tell what that says? Can't even read my own writing," He laughs good-naturedly, "I think it says 'blueberries'?"

"Or blub errands," You try deciphering his messy scrawl, weight lifting from your shoulders as the man finally decides to move, crossing your path and bumping the wheel of your new cart as he does.

"Definitely blub errands," The boy beside you snickers, glancing at the reflective panel of the aisle beside him to watch for when the man finally turns a corner, "Some nice improv, babe."

You're not sure why he's still using the nickname, the man is out of earshot. But you're too relieved to care, physically relaxing as your shoulders slump.

"Oh my god," You let out a much bigger breath than you intend to, almost dizzying yourself, "Thank you so much. I just- he was always there and I didn't know what to do! I'm sorry I almost knocked you over," You turn sheepish, eyeing his ankle that you're fairly certain he'd twisted in the meetup, "Are you okay?"

"You're fine," He waves off your apology, rolling the ankle in question with a cheeky grin, "I'm tough."

"You look it," You eye him up and down, a silver chain dangling from his belt that's almost covered by a leather jacket, "Do you have, like, a really big tattoo of a heart with a knife through it on your arm? Bonus points if it says mom."

He laughs incredulously, shrugging the shoulder of his jacket off to prove you wrong, "Uh, no, but thanks for the idea."

You let out a laugh, something that seems impossible considering how scared you just were, but one that comes naturally. The boy you'd found seems to be the type you'd go for both in and out of a life-threatening scenario, and you're starting to wonder if you'll get this lucky with any real relationships you're in.

"Well, listen," He stuffs the list in his pocket, a scrap of the paper sticking out, "I've only got a few more things. If you want, we can check out together," He motions towards the hand-held basket you're holding, "'Cause I don't think that guy's gone. I'd offer you a ride home," He reaches a hand up to scratch aimlessly at the nape of his neck, "But I drive a van, and I think me asking you to get into it would be creepier than anything that guy did."

"It's okay!" You assure him, a light laugh escaping you at his earnestness, "I'm sure I'll be fine driving home. But seriously, thank you," You smile at him, clutching the handles of your basket tighter in an effort not to hug him, "I really appreciate this."

"Anytime, babe." There's that nickname again, paired with the grin you'd seen before, "Now come walk with me, you're helping me find the blub errands."

[a-hazbin-reader]

Alastor X Reader Headcanons

✅️Romantic

❌️Platonic

Part One:

Part Two:

TW: A little spicy, Valentino jumpscare, Vox being a little pushy, A little Vox X Reader

Description: A BALLROOM DANCE TROPE?!?!?

Alastor heads straight to the one person who he knows can help, someone who claims that romance and love are her specialties

Rosie doesn't even look surprised to see Alastor, in fact, she looks a bit disappointed that he hadn't shown up soon

"Well, well, well~ If it isn't Mr. Casanova himself!"

Her tone is nearly mocking as she ushers Alastor into a more private area, rambling about men being hopeless as she sets the table

"You know... I quite liked Y/N! A shame to see you let them go."

Alastor almost feels like a child under her judgemental gaze, his ears folded flat, and his shoulders drawn up

"Ah... Well, I was actually here to talk to you about that. I'm in the market for some advice on how to...make amends with Y/N."

Rosie immediately perks up, clapping happily as she learns forward in excitement

"Now that I will gladly help with! We just gotta fix you up a smidgen and deal with that emotional constipation of yours!"

"H-hey now!"

You wake up in a room you don't recognize and almost panic until you see Vox coming out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his hips

Can he even shower? Who knows

"Oh, you're finally awake...~"

You feel your face burn as you turn your head away, Vox seemingly shameless about his body as he chuckles and walks around you to grab his clothes

You have to swallow and force your eyes to stay on the wall as Vox walks around behind a thin, nearly see-through, panel and drops the towel

Subconsciously you reach for the bead Alastor had given you to calm your racing heart, only to find that it's missing and guilt overwhelms you

You figure you must've lost it when you were attacked by those thugs and somehow that feels like you lost your last connection to him

You're suddenly brought back to reality when a drop of water trickles down your leg and you look up to see Vox kneeling over you on the bed, a frown on his face

"You alright? You look a little sick still, must be a side effect of whatever those fuckers gave you."

He traces a claw down the side of your face, drawing a shudder from you as you pull the blankets back over your body

"I'm fine... Just a little gross feeling, that's all."

As nice as it feels to receive affection again, especially from someone who seems to genuinely want to give it to you... It feels wrong, Alastor's image flashing in your mind

Vox tuts and moves to the other side of the room, coming back with clothes and a towel for you. You can't help but notice that the clothes are very... VoxTek.

"You'll feel better after a bath, everything you need is right here. Unless you need some help in there~?"

His smirk is positively predatory, pulling you in closer by your face so you're forced to meet his hypnotic gaze. You feel your face burn at the implication

You manage to squeak out a negative and shake your head, pulling away and moving to get up, your legs wobbling under your own body weight

Just before you're about to collapse, Vox catches you, pulling you to his chest with a smug look on his face

"Maybe I could at least help you get there, hm?"

"I-I suppose..."

Once you're alone in the bath, then you feel your mind wandering back to Alastor once again. You wish you would stop pathetically yearning for him

Physically, you were affected by both Vox and Alastor but emotionally... Alastor came out on top no matter which way you cut it

You felt guilty as though you were stringing Vox along even though you tried not to. Now, here he was putting himself out there again for you

Thankfully your legs work again once you're ready to get out, putting on the clothes Vox had given you and stepping out of the bathroom

Only to see the overlord waiting eagerly for you, an almost boyish excitement radiating off of him as he held something out in his hand

You took the old-fashioned looking paper and examined it, the ink still so fresh on it that you could smell it. It reminded you of Rosie, in fact...that was her signature at the bottom

An overlord dance..? What the fuc-

"You should go with me. As my date."

He poses it casually, as if it's just a favor between friends when you both know he's looking for more. Something he wants but you're not sure you can give

"I guess it would be rude to refuse the man who saved me."

He chuckles darkly and wraps an arm around you, collecting a drop of water from your neck with his claw and flicking it away

"Yes, it would be~"

It's the longest, hardest(that's what she said) most difficult week of Alastor's afterlife waiting for the day of Rosie's dance to arrive

He's been rehearsing everything he's going to say to you, especially the part where he apologizes because his mouth refuses to say the words

Alastor's mind is static thoughts of you and the million different ways you might react to him, he doesn't even notice Rosie fretting about the rain and how it's going to ruin everything

"Alastor! This is practically a glass building we're talking about here! How am I supposed to set a romantic mood in the ra-candles! Of course! Lots and lots of candles!"

What if Y/N doesn't show up? No. Mimzy told him in good faith that Y/N would be there, with Vox, but that's something he can deal with

Rosie taps his shoulder, her hands going to her hips as she stares him down.

"And YOU are going to be late if you don't start getting ready right now! Go on now mister!"

It's an awkward ride to the venue with you, Vox, Valentino, and Velvette, plus their dates all crammed into the same limo. The only consolation is that Angel was Valentino's date so you two get to throw each other looks the entire ride

The rain has turned into a downpour, Valentino and Velvette complaining that their outfits/makeup aren't meant for this kind of weather

You're a bundle of nerves by the time the vehicle stops, taking Vox's hand and stepping out. You feel a bit like a celebrity with all the cameras flashing and reporters yelling

The rain has everyone rushing inside so it's not something you get to focus on for long. You and Angel can't help but laugh at how ridiculous it is to watch all the overlords fret over their clothes

But your laughter is cut off when you see Alastor from across the room, the two of you immediately making eye contact and not breaking it. Not even when Vox places a drink in your hand

You hardly break eye contact at all, not when Vox drags you out to the dance floor, your gazes meeting with every spin and twirl

Not even as Vox mingles and parades around with you on his arm, your skin prickles in whichever direction Alastor is. You find yourself migrating closer to him without knowing

Vox is too busy trying to keep Valentino from throwing a tantrum over something stupid to notice that you've wandered away. Angel takes the chance to push you forward suddenly, straight into Alastor

"Go get your man, toots~"

You're too busy falling to notice Niffty darting around in the background and causing chaos over by the Vee's, nipping at ankles and pulling on cords

The moment Alastor's arms wrap around you to catch you, it's as if your entire body has become electric. Alastor smoothly sweeping you onto the dance floor to cover up your fumble

"My dear, you're more lovely than I remember~ Though your outfit could use a little bit more red~"

As much as you've missed him and dreamt about him...you're still hurt.

He laces your fingers together once he feels you start to pull away, his free hand coming to rest on your hip as he spins you gracefully

"Alastor, unless you're going to apologize-"

"I'm trying to, but darling, you keep running from me! I...I hurt you and I'm sorry for that."

You rest your hand against his neck, rubbing your thumb against his pulse and feeling how erratic it is. The only sign that he's nervous right now

"I was so caught up in my feud with Vox that I was blind to how I made you feel...and by the time I realized that I had fallen for you, you wanted me to let you go."

Somehow, he's managed to guide you both to an exit, taking you into an empty hallway and pulling away with a tight smile. If you stare at him hard enough, then you notice that he's blushing

"You love me, Alastor..?"

It's all you can manage to squeak out, the overlord backing you up against the wall as he crowds you in, grabbing your hand and kissing it

"More deeply than I'd care to admit, I'm afraid my heart is in your hands, darling... please be gentle with it."

Being so close to him again, hearing him confess to you, it's all so overwhelming, and all you can do is reach up and touch the beads on the end of his monocle. The familiar feeling of onyx against your fingers helps sooth you enough to find the words

"Do you love me enough to kiss me? Without needing to spite anybody?"

Alastor's entire body shudders in pleasure from the simple touch, drawing you closer to him by your hips and leaning in to brush his lips against your own

"Darling, I love you enough to do so much more than that."

There's a hot fizzy feeling that flows throughout your entire body once he finally kisses you, your arms wrapping tightly around his neck once he licks inside your mouth. One of his hands sliding further down to grab your leg and hike it up as he presses closer, growling at the taste of you as he-

"So I take it you've made your choice, Y/N?"

Vox!

You have to grab Alastor by the back of his hair and yank him off of you so that you can explain yourself, something that Alastor seems to enjoy far too much but that's something to unpack for later

"Vox, I'm so sor-"

He simply holds his hand up to stop you, a slightly annoyed look on his face as he rubs his forehead

"I know when I've been beat. Normally, I don't accept that but I don't want to be anyone's second choice. Though, I do think you're missing out and Alastor? Fuck you."

"Likewise, old pal~"

And just like that, Vox is gone. A small part of you feels guilty, but a greater part of you is relieved that things didn't escalate further

You're brought out of your thoughts by the feeling of Alastor biting your neck, a pleased hum escaping him as you gasp and tug on his hair again

"A-Alastor...take me back home..."

The thought of you coming home, your real home, is a pleasantly sobering one for him and he pulls away to gaze down at you

"That sounds like a beautiful suggestion, darling~ Let's get you home and get you out of these horrid VoxTek clothes!"

"Hey! I picked this out!"

"VoxTek is what makes it so horrible~"

You hug his arm happily as you two step outside, Alastor pulling out an umbrella and holding it over you both. Though you have to really squish together to stay completely dry

The entire walk back is spent kissing and sharing horribly love sick looks with each other. Alastor humming a happy tune and spinning the two of you around occasionally

He stops once you're at the steps of the hotel, pulling you flush against him once again and rubbing your cheek as he leans in to kiss you

It takes forever for you both to pull away, panting softly and making heated eye contact

"Welcome back home, my love~"

Don't worry about Angel, Niffty ended up causing a fire and they ran out together happily. Valentino's wings caught on fire and Vox found a new pretty thing to fall in love with. Velvette is now invested in everyone's relationship

@deadpoolssweetchimi @milkissesx @yourdoorisunlocked @pinestwinssimp @cinnamon-galaxies @eris-norwega @lil-glum @s0f14224 @chair-made-of-potatoes

[critterbitter]

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your comic making process? I find it hard to make comics that look eye-pleasing to read and yours are like candy.

Ah, comics! Dig under cut to see some old wips as I attempt to explain my nightmare thought process to you.

For making a comic AESTHETIC and APPROACHABLE:

I've noticed that it's easier for people to be pulled into a comic if I set the environment first and foremost, so people have some vague context for the scene. Of COURSE that's not always necessary ( there are a lot of comics that start out without environmental story telling and it works perfectly) but I've always liked having a lil illustration before digging my rat claws into the meat of the story.

For example! “Emmet and Elesa have a clandestine meeting in the library at 4 am.”

The sketch was sort of the jumping point to where I wanted to go with the comic. I wanted to a. explain wtf is happening and b. draw a nice conclusion about what the f is happening.

You don't need to make the environment available in every panel too! I'd suggest making your first panel tell all the environment detail you need and then like... slowly removing irrelevant detail from there. And then hit folks with the background again at the end. (So basically, you don't see the library in this comic until the beginning and a bit towards the end. I have tricked you! aha!) So that's one tip i have. For Readability: Anyways, to make a comic easy to read, spacing is super important. Dialogue tends to cramp a shot by a WHOLE lot. For example! Remember the "Lamp is told she's beloved (and has a tsundere moment over it"? That used to be TWO panels. Man. Nightmare fuel. Lemme find it. (This is the rough. I Lined It, realized the pacing is off, and then withered. Please don't look at it too hard.)

So here's the thing. This READS. But the sheer amount of dialogue in the beginning is fatiguing for me and the "you are beloved, Lampent" NEEDS that oomph of both characters realizing that over the span of years, their relationship stopped being antagonistic and started being family instead. Some folks are fine with blocks of dialogue, but I have the attention span of a patrat on candy. I will not make it. SO! To match the almost moody atmosphere, I stretched the comic out. I stretched that bad boy out a LOT. And I got this out of it.

Something to keep in mind in comics is there's always going to be one or two iconic lines. Lines that make people FEEL things. Those lines deserve their own panel, their own shot, their whatever. A good story has lulls in its conversation. If you can replicate it, you're winning. Character Blocking:

So basically no, it's not all witchcraft. It's only a bit of witchcraft. Another thing that helps is differentiating characters if they're on the same panel is by solid blocks of color. I have, for the longest time when working on storyboards, blocked characters different tones in order to help differentiate them. Don't be shy! Do that if it helps your comics read! Ingo will always be darker shaded then emmet. The angry nightlight will always have some hint of purple on her (unless I forget). The first goal in a story is to convey information, hehe. Here's an example of color blocking! (This is from a VERY old botw comic I did for linktober in 2021.)

It's, ah, rather rustic compared to what I do. usually. I know! BUT the primary goal here is to convey where the characters are in relation to each other. And the fact they're color coded makes life easier for both reader and artist. Alright! That's all the tips I can think of off the top of my head. Time to get off that soap box, haha. Overall: Basically, my work process is-- draw a story telling image/ write a funny piece of dialogue. Build the comic around that. Pace it so the important lines stand out. Color code the characters for max visibility. And then four to twelve hours of lineart, but that's neither here or there.

Thanks for coming to my unregulated rambling!

[silverwhittlingknife]

hi anon <333 okay so uhhhh listen when i got this ask which i think was... a month ago? a couple months ago? i did not have a dick & tim reading guide

BUT i read this ask and i thought WOW WHAT A GOOD IDEA, a dick & tim reading guide, i wish i'd had one of those when i started reading!! and also i had a lot of work that i didn't want to do so i needed a project to procrastinate on dsfdsfs

so i have been working on a reading guide spreadsheet and it is ALMOST DONE so i will post it soon-ish. <3 if anyone wants to check out the unfinished version and tell me if it's readable dm me <3

also below i have rambled a lot about the makings of the spreadsheet if you also like spreadsheets a lot

this is only sort of tangentially related to the reading guide but it is the SECRET ORIGIN of the reading guide. i think many comic fans eventually end up with a spreadsheet story because comics are bonkers and difficult to keep track of, so either you sensibly engage with your hobby in a reasonable fashion or you slowly go bonkers yourself and end up with a spreadsheet story. this one is mine.

so a year or two ago, when i got first got deeply deeply obsessed with dick & tim, i was desperate for content and i wasn't able to find much on tumblr

so out of a combination of deep affection for the boys and also an extremely strong desire to procrastinate the things i was supposed to be doing, i went through dc.fandom's list of dick's appearances and of tim's appearances.

and i cross-referenced them all to find the comics they both appeared in, and then i started kinda randomly reading through those comics looking for good art/panels that they both appeared in and taking notes on whether they appeared in the same panel or not:

and then as i became even more obsessive i started adding in a bunch of their solo appearances so i'd know the context of their team-ups, and i started color-coding blue-for-nightwing, red-for-robin, purple-for-both-of-them:

and then i started trying to make lists of Significant Events so that i'd know e.g. when characters died or got married or broke up:

and then i got tired of having to search for dc.fandom pages every time i wanted to check something in a comic, so i started adding links to dc.fandom and to dc universe:

and then i thought, you know, it'd be nice to have comic titles and to know if it's part of an ongoing story:

and sometimes when i was reading, i started taking notes on quotes or whatever was going on:

and that's about when i got this ask, and i thought, you know, i really should make a reading guide.

and i started thinking, okay, is there any way to take my spreadsheet and make it slightly less convoluted and a bit more like a reading guide?

and the answer was, probably not!!! but that did not stop me from trying sdfdsfds

so right now i have a spreadsheet called "Dick & Tim Reading List" and it's got a section that looks like this which has about 200 recommended-read comics:

but ALSO there's a tab that's really really long that has all of dick's solo comics and also all of tim's solo comics (from 1987-2011, not of all time, but still):

and also you can just get a list of all (post-crisis) comics dick&tim have appeared in together:

and also as i was working on this i discovered FILTER VIEWS and simultaneously got curious about all the quotes in grayson 12, which taunted me with the possibility of getting post-crisis continuity back before not giving it to me >:(((((( but anyway they're still good quotes so i made a list of all of them

anyway then i looked at all of that and thought ehhhhh okay but that's very complicated!! maybe i need some shorter reading recommendations. so then i started making a list of those:

basically you should picture the spreadsheet journey like this puppy:

anyway i'm still kinda distracted but i do intend to clean it up a bit more and then post a link, so that will happen soon-ish hopefully <3

[unsanitarystation]

Misfire contracts a virus from all the shit he drinks one day and literally all the virus does is make him lose control of his waste tank. And literally no one notices. He's just always like that as far as they are concerned.

At first it makes him need to void a lot more than usual. He's pissing every hour or so, which is weird, but no one even really notices cos, hey, Misfire is always pissing somewhere anyway. Even Misfire just thinks it's a little weird bit doesn't think much of it

The virus progresses and soon Misfire can't quire control his tanks. If someone shocks him he will leak. The others kinda just :/ at him when they call for him and he squeaks, waste fluid dripping down his thighs, but they don't ask. Clearly Misfire just had too many energy drinks or something

It's only after a while when Misfire literally can't hold his piss at all that they all start to realise something is off. Misfire waddles in, a slow stream of waste fluids flowing from between his panels, and is like "Hey. Anyone ever couldn't stop pissing. Like I don't mind but it's getting a little weird."

Spinister doesn't even bring Misfire to the medbay or anything. Everyone has seen everything before anyway. He tells Misfire to get on the table and open his panels so he can check. So Misfire hops onto the table, piss pooling underneath him and on the table they usually use for other things. Like refuelling. Or games. Or meetings.

When Misfire's panels snap open, the seal to his waste tank is clearly constantly dribbling, and looks kind of irritated and swollen.

Spinister makes a remark about being surprised that it didn't hurt or itch as he prods at the swollen seal with his finger- and that makes Misfire squeal and shoot a jet of waste from his waste port.

It doesn't really hurt, surprisingly. But it is engorged. It's sensitive. Misfire ends up begging Spinister to rub his swollen waste port and fuck his urethra with something. Sure his piss goes spraying everywhere but like. It was doing that anyway

The proper purge of his waste tanks from all the hard pissing helps clear the virus as a nice side effect. But it's too late anyway and Misfire has now acquired a new hobby of sounding his poor urethra

(I DONT KNOW WHAT IM EVEN RAMBLING ABOJT ANYMORE SORRY. also fulcrum saw and was horrified by whatever happed right in front of his salad. He's going to fuck Misfire's piss hole next)

LEAKY MISFIRE!!! he doesn't even notice at first because he already takes a piss wherever and whenever. It's only when it literally doesn't stop that he gets worried. Thankfully, they can plug him up, and it feels sooo good <3 Misfire cums as hard, if not harder, as if he were getting fucked. Having his urethra plugged up and fucked with the sound turns him into a stupid mess...

[folansstuff]

Dungeon Meshi Thoughts

Mostly about Laios tbh (Spoiler-y for Anime watchers btw)

also this is gonna be super personal and rambly so uhhhhhh, yeah!

So during my read through of Dungeon Meshi, I couldn't stop thinking about how much I related to Laios. Initially I chocked it up to being a guy with a particular and intense interest and some kind of mutual undiagnosed Autism, plus the stellar writing and art of Ryoko Kui just making me really vibe with the guy

And then I get fucking hit with this in Chapter 88:

(Also that's not the full panel this manga has INCREDIBLE panel work, like seriously.)

Laios notes more than once that he doesn't get other people, he spent most of his early years with either his sister or with pets and his attempts to go out into the world were met with him feeling out of place with other people, all of which seemed like they got something that he didn't, forcing him to drift from place to place until he became an adventurer. He says he would simply be happier as a monster, or at least surrounded by them. After all, a monster doesn't need to worry about looking like an idiot, or accidentally insulting his friends, or being too into stuff. He sees his sister turn into a half-dragon and while he is worried about her, and he openly says he wishes it was him. And while that's played off for comedy, finding out that, yeah, Laios was alienated and was ostracized and would probably find solace in the idea of not being human anymore makes it all make way more sense.

And sans the "Destroy humanity" stuff, I totally get it! Every character I've ever latched on to, every character I've ever invented (even Atticus to some extent) has had the caveat on not being 100% a person. I've been doing that since I was a kid, imaging characters that are just that little but inhuman.

I have, and frequently do, feel alienated in the ways Laios talks about being in the manga! I have also been in positions where I realize I know nothing about the people I'm meant to be friends with, or that I have been making a fool of myself in front of the ones I do have! That if I simply wasn't a person, then I wouldn't have to feel alienated, or stressed, or lonely, or whatever ever again. There have been plenty of times that I had thoughts exactly like Laios', and there's something really weird about having that instinct reflected back at me.

And Laios doesn't get "better". He never stops being kinda absent-minded, never stops being either too close or too distant, never stops being obsessed with the thing he's obsessed with. (to both tragic and hilarious effect come the ending of the manga) He rejects the idea of becoming a monster, thanks to his friends and the experience of sharing meals with others, but that instinct and mental thing never goes away.

He doesn't stop being weird.

And my point is that it feels weird and kinda nice? To see a character who thinks and feels similarly to me, and not have him be some kind of sociopath. And maybe I'm misinterpreting him, but that's what he means to me, I guess.

Anyway read Dungeon Meshi

[wellpresseddaisy]

Long Ago (and far away) pt. 19

Severus reminded himself that running would not help the situation and would, in fact, lead to seriously undesirable panic on the part of students. Of all the dunderheaded things to have  left undone…two Gryffindor students with unsuitable wands. Surely Minerva would know. 

He hoped. 

She was kept so busy.

In about ten minutes she'd know, if she didn't already.

He didn't even have to wait for his door to open when he reached his quarters. He blew through the sitting room, hearing a bewildered 'Pet?' trail after him, but he had a mission. He could stop to soothe ruffled feelings in a moment. 

He knelt by the bookcase in his study and pressed the molding just where a small snake had been carved into the wood. A panel popped open and he retrieved a casket.

"Pet, whatever is the matter?" Dare leaned in the doorway.

"Two Gryffindor students have been going about with hazardous wands. One is broken and the other is the worst fit we've seen in years. Inherited, of course. They will try to force a child to use a family wand." Severus muttered as he checked the contents.

"Ah, I expect you're going to see Professor McGonagall?" Dare asked. 

"I hope it won't be long. There's Potter after dinner and then I really must take the time to speak to the Headmaster." He tapped his left forearm. "He needs to know."

"Of course. Should I wait up for you?"

The question had Severus halting in his tracks. "Beg pardon?"

"I can wait up, if you'd like. You might be a while with the Headmaster, after all."

Severus blinked as if trying to understand that someone would wait. For him. Just because he was out late and they wanted to see him. 

"If you'd like?" He finally answered. "That would be…nice."

He escaped before his husband could unsettle him further. Precious few had ever waited up for him. The headmaster, certainly, but that was to hear a report. Minerva, on occasion, when she worried after him. The whole concept shook him down to his bones. Another person in this world cared for him for no reason other than he existed. 

Would he ever stop feeling as if the axis of his universe was riding one of those appalling funfair contraptions?

He stuffed those rambling thoughts right down and hurried to Minerva's office. Better to think about towering rage at students being left to fend for themselves. How was the woman meant to cover all her actual work and pastoral care without the use of a time turner? When he stopped to think about it, it was bloody inhumane, piling all that one one person. He tapped sharply on her door and noted that there was no 'In Student Meeting' label posted for once.

"Yes? Come in." 

He almost felt bad, she sounded that tired, but he entered. Minerva's desk was piled with parchment, stacks and bundles tipping precariously together. She did not rise to greet him, a sure sign she was as exhausted as she sounded. And so early in term. 

"Severus, what can I do for you?" She asked.

"You can call Weasley minor and Longbottom in, please." Severus spoke briskly. 

"Have they done anything?" She asked tartly.

Severus set his casket down on her desk. "What they haven't done is ask you for help. Both of them are using hazardous wands."

Minerva sighed and rubbed a hand across her face. "I knew about Longbottom, but what can one do about the Dowager? She's adamant that he use his father's wand. I expect Weasley's was damaged in his…adventurous return to school?"

"With that attitude, one can't do much." Severus replied crisply. "I have a solution. And, yes, Potter just disclosed that to me."

"You've been to see him?" Minerva asked, a bit too casually. 

"I have and you were right. He is…not what I thought."

Minerva said nothing but looked incredibly smug. Severus wondered if that was part of her animagus form. Cats could radiate the most obnoxious levels of smug he'd ever experienced. 

"I knew you'd see it that way if you spoke to him. Now, what is this solution?" 

He opened the casket, revealing nearly stacked wand boxes. 

"Severus! How did you—no. I don't want to know."

"It's been sanctioned by Ollivander, Minerva. He…he's had some concerns for a long time surrounding family wands. Many simply won't listen to him."

"If Ollivander is involved…do you plan to fit both boys with a new wand?" 

"If there's one they match with, yes. Longbottom can either engineer an accident or pretend he's using his father's wand at school. Weasley shouldn't have the same problem. I have no doubt that he simply doesn't want to trigger another Howler."

"I'll call them. If Augusta gets wind of this…" she trailed off, going to the announcement board across the room.

"Send her to me." Severus smiled thinly. "She could do with a good routing. And if she persists in being a problem, I'll tell Dowager Prewett."

Minerva snorted as she inscribed a quick message on the board. 

"I don't know why that woman has taken to you the way she has. There, that will go out now."

In a moment, her voice echoed through the corridors. 

"Would Ronald Weasley and Neville Longbottom please come to my office."

"Now we just need to wait. They should be prompt. Weasley, at least, knows better than to lollygag."

Sure enough, the two boys tapped on the door and then skittered into the office minutes later, distinctly out of breath. Longbottom skulked behind Weasley, trying to make himself as small as possible.

"'lo, Professor McGonagall. We were in the library." Weasley sounded wary. 

"It has come to my attention that both of you have wands which are causing…problems. Professor Snape would like to suggest a solution." 

"Gran won't let me have a new one. She had a thundering row with Ollivander over it." Longbottom blurted out, horrified.

"We needn't tell your grandmother, Mr. Longbottom." Severus stepped in to reassure the child.

No use having Longbottom go to pieces when it could be avoided.

"We needn't?" Longbottom asked, as if this were an entirely new concept. 

"You can see if one of the wands I have available will work for you. Then, you can either use your father's wand only at home or you can engineer a small accident so it's unusable but not destroyed." 

"But that's lying!" Neville protested. "Are…are you telling me to lie to Gran?"

It seemed moral outrage overcame fear for Longbottom. Severus made a mental note. Minerva, whom he could see in his peripheral vision, pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, Mr. Longbottom." Severus answered simply and Minerva sighed. He continued, "you are twelve and away at school. Your grandmother, while an estimable woman, does not need to know every choice you make. You can, of course, choose to struggle along with your current wand. You may also choose to tell your grandmother the truth and send her to me." Perhaps the child would prefer the hard road. 

"I'd like to see if I match with a new wand. But…I'd like to think about what to tell Gran, if…if that's alright." Longbottom decided.

"That's perfectly fine, Mr. Longbottom. We can talk about how you'd like to handle your grandmother." Minerva promised. "Away from less than savory influences."

Weasley snorted.

Severus ignored her pointed comment. "And Mr. Weasley?"

"I'll try. Only I might be hard to match. I went through all the family wands and only Charlie's first one worked for me." Ron's hand went unconsciously to his pocket.

"We shall see." Severus removed the boxes from the casket and removed the top of each. "Mr. Longbottom first, please."

"What happens if we don't match with any?" Longbottom 's voice quavered.

"Then we call in Mr. Ollivander." Minerva answered. "Go on and try."

Longbottom stretched out a trembling hand, steeled himself, and then ran his hand over the open boxes instead of picking up a wand directly. He bit his lip as he hovered over the row of boxes, brows furrowed in concentration. Toward the end of the row, he finally plucked a wand from a box. 

Shimmering golden sparkles fountained from it as a light breeze danced through the office, ruffling parchment and hair as it went. 

"This is it." Longbottom's voice came out unsteady. "I didn't know….what is it, please, Professor?"

Severus lifted the box and looked at the label pasted on the top. 

"Cedar and unicorn hair, Mr. Longbottom."

"Cedar?" Longbottom echoed. "I didn't think I…it's a bit of a surprise."

"Let's see if Mr. Weasley is as full of surprises. Which method would you prefer? The Longbottom or the Ollivander?" Severus, quite honestly, wished to finish so he could, perhaps, get an hour of marking in before dinner.

"I have a method." Longbottom muttered to himself.

"Er, what's it feel like, Nev? With hovering your hand?"

"It felt like something clicked for me. Like I'd been waiting and waiting and suddenly it was just…there." 

"Right. Could I try the Longbottom method, please?" Weasley knocked shoulders with the other boy.

"Please." 

Weasley made it to the middle of the row. He didn't need to be told twice before he scooped up a wand, sending a rain of brightly glowing miniature globes down on the room.

Without being asked, Severus checked the box. "Rowan and dragon heartstring."

"Rowan…" Weasley murmured, looking down at his new wand in wonder. "It's just like Nev said, too."

"With that sorted, I'll take my leave." Severus gathered everything quickly, but not quickly enough to escape Gryffindor soppiness.

"Thank you, professor." Weasley managed, tearing his eyes away from his wand.

"Yes, thank you so much." Longbottom echoed.

"Use them well." Severus escaped from the room and the overpowering gratitude. 

They didn't own him that. He was just doing what needed to be done. 

[ddrqoyote]

people keep saying gear 5 is bad cause it turns luffy from a regular guy who made it this far with hard work into another chosen one. ignoring that that was never really true (related to garp and dragon, chosen by shanks and trained by rayleigh, has the will of D, etc), it makes me think of one of the biggest tensions in shonen.

there isn't really a thesis to what you're gonna read, i'm just rambling on something i think about a lot lately.

people want a self-made man for the lead that anyone could see themselves becoming. people also want a world-beater who can stop established, global evils with nothing but a small group of friends, and it needs to happen relatively quickly cause no one but hindu monks wants a story 5000 chapters long. and honestly, it doesn't feel real to have both. anyone who's been around the block a couple times knows that's not how the world works. it's not that easy to dismantle, no one can just stomp through the world like godzilla and knock all the bad stuff down. even kings and dictators can't do that.

i think most older shonen fans know all that, we're not dumb, we just don't like it.

there's this book of wwii superhero comics called "the great comic book heroes". the writer, jules feiffer, grew up on them in the 30s and worked on them* during the 40s and 50s. he talks a lot in the book about how he saw the earliest superheroes growing up.

*assistant to eisner on the original spirit run and wrote the last couple years. though he's probably better-known as a pulitzer-winning cartoonist, author and playwright. also illustrated the phantom tollbooth.

"The problem in pre-super days was that, with few exceptions, heroes were not very interesting. And, by any realistic appraisal, certainly no match for the villains who were bigger, stronger, smarter (as who wasn’t?), and even worse, were notorious scene stealers... Villains, whatever fate befell them in the obligatory last panel, were infinitely better equipped than those silly, hapless heroes. Not only comics, but life taught us that. Those of us raised in ghetto neighborhoods were being asked to believe that crime didn’t pay? Tell that to the butcher! Nice guys finished last; landlords, first. Villains by their simple appointment to the role were miles ahead. It was not to be believed that any ordinary human could combat them. More was required. Someone with a call. When at last appeared, he brought with him the deep satisfaction of all underground truths: our reaction was less “How original!” than “But, of course! The advent of the super-hero was a bizarre comeuppance for the American dream. Horatio Alger could no longer make it on his own. He needed “Shazam!” Here was fantasy with a cynically realistic base: once the odds were appraised honestly it was apparent you had to be super to get on in this world."

the rest of the essay is here if you want to read something about superheroes that isn't "they're the modern mythology (for the 1% of people who read comics)!" or "superheroes are shit even though i make a living writing them, because i'm british!"

but basically a big reason these superpowered characters exist is because real people CAN'T do the things they do. we can learn from them, we can strive to have as much integrity as them, but we can't enforce decency on the world or save everyone from the bullshit that happens to them, even the people we care about (i've tried saving people, believe me, it doesn't work).

i'm not trying to crap on shonen or superheroes, i'm just less and less sure what to do with them these days cause they're a huge part of my life and now they feel less real than when i was younger. i know they don't have to reflect reality for me to enjoy them and it's pretty silly to expect that, but... i don't know. sometimes i feel like i've totally run away from reality and i don't like that about myself. it feels like my life's empty sometimes. and i don't like how socially acceptable that's become either. every time i hear people talk about irl "character development" or "i'm in my [x] arc" or something similar, or some youtuber says "here are the characters in this story [that really happened]", i don't like it. call me a boomer but it worries me.

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

@admiral-craymen replied to your post “If we are to have a rational conversation about this, I need you to stop using the word "free speech"”

"Freeze Peach"

No, it's not that. I don't want to have a conversation about this at all tbh but let me try and explain. "Free speech" is a term we use when talking about whether or not the government can restrict what you say (or write, etc.) legally. That doesn't mean that any kind of speech is protected, even by some non-governmental entity like Wikipedia. It means there are very specific rules as to how free speech can be restricted in certain situations (say, for instance, inciting violence) – these are called "legal restrictions on free speech."

When someone says something like "free speech isn't absolute," they usually mean one of two things: either that the legal restrictions are more stringent than many people think ("It might sound nice to say 'anything goes,' but if your speech advocates violence against others, then the law has every right to limit it") OR that the legal protection extends beyond its original meaning to other kinds of restrictions ("Wikipedia should censor information because it contains truth claims"). The first case is legitimate and the second is not; neither case involves an unrestricted right to say whatever you want with no consequences from anyone. ("You can say anything except advocate murder.")

The problem here is that people conflate these two cases. They imagine that the US Constitution guarantees us an absolutely unfettered freedom to express ourselves legally without regard to social norms, which is simply false. This leads them to conclude that since Wikipedia does enforce social norms, their actions must violate our constitutional rights somehow, although it's impossible to specify exactly how, and therefore the site must be shut down immediately until it figures out how to adhere to the letter of the law and the spirit of the founding fathers at once. Thus the question of whether free speech is being violated is confused into a matter of whether a website has failed to exercise some form of moral authority over us.

This justifies itself by appealing to a supposedly fundamental human need to be told off for saying something wrong. But if a thing is true, why do we care? And who decides what's true anyway? If you start taking truth-claims seriously, you end up back where you started, asking "who enforces the rules of logic?" Is God really going to smite me if my reasoning is invalid? No, he probably won't, unless he wants to. So maybe the real sin is to break community standards of reasonableness rather than breaking laws of physics. Sure, you could always appeal to divine judgment after the fact, but is that worth it? Better ask yourself whether or not your behavior will actually affect others beforehand, rather than waiting for a chance encounter with Jehovah. Or better yet, just take responsibility for yourself instead of relying on someone else to tell you how to act.

Anyway, that was long and rambling and possibly confusing, sorry! Just wanted to clarify. In general, I am suspicious of arguments based on simple principles that would require huge changes to society or require centralized control, e.g., abolish the police, give everyone a computer so they can self-publish books, build giant solar panels across the desert so energy prices fall below $1 per gallon, etc. These schemes may be morally desirable in some way but often seem impractical at best and horrifying at worst.

[everyizuna]

[heliads]

Happy writing anniversary! For the celebration, can I request a second part of Newcomers to Mystic Falls where the reader and Jordan became an official couple, Jordan meets the other supernatural beings in Mystic Falls (including the Originals and Katherine), there’s some snarking between Katherine and the Salvatore siblings, hunters from Beacon Hills come to Mystic Falls and kidnap the reader and Jordan for some reason, the reader and Jordan free themselves from the trap the hunters put them in, and Jordan sees the reader’s scary vampire face for the first time? 

newcomers to mystic falls my beloved <3

part one / masterlist

“I think I need a map.”

It’s Jordan, speaking from his place draped casually across a sofa. You don’t know when exactly you stopped seeing him as an intruder in the dark paneled halls of the Salvatore house, but it was certainly a long time ago. You have never been the best at judging the years, especially not since your share of decades has far eclipsed anyone who looks half as young as you, but still.

Jordan appears to be in the mood to be entertained, so you humor him. “A map for what?”

He extends a hand vaguely towards the ceiling, twisting his wrist about so as to include the entirety of Mystic Falls, and perhaps the world, in his ramblings. “Everything. Your entire supernatural experience. I thought I knew what a non-human world looked like back in Beacon Hills, but we were just scratching the surface.”

You prop your chin up on one hand so you can study him. “I could say the same thing to you. I haven’t ever met a banshee or a kitsune, and you have.”

Jordan waves a hand dismissively. “Once you see one, you see them all. You guys are different, though. You have a full on vampire hierarchy.”

You chuckle. “If you’re talking about the Originals, then yeah, I guess that’s one way to put it.”

Jordan sits up, rubbing a hand against his temple to ward off a sudden rush of blood to his head. “And how else am I supposed to put it? I barely know anything about them. All you said is that there was one founding family of vampires, and no one here can ever decide whether to trust them or not.”

You nod slowly. “I think that sums it up just fine. Is that not enough for you, though?”

Jordan shakes his head. “Back in Beacon Hills, when we had a new crop of dangerous supernaturals, we’d go to the library and look up mythology books to see if something popped up there. We were also only using the stuff from the high school library, which is probably why it took so long.”

You laugh. “That sounds terrible. All we do is murmur about something for a while, and then one of the older vampires comes back and seemingly knows everything. Either that, or Bonnie does a spell and solves all our problems for us.”

Jordan whistles under his breath. “That does seem way faster.”

“It is,” you add, “I can see why you moved here.”

Jordan quirks a brow. “Are you sure that I only moved here for superior research techniques and not because I sensed that I needed to meet someone of the gravest importance for my entire future?”

You smile, forcing down a wave of butterflies in your chest. “That too.”

Your conversation is derailed by a shout from across the house. When you turn and look, you notice that Stefan and Damon have returned from whatever jaunt through the town they were taking this morning. They have also noticed Jordan, which may or may not be a good thing, because they’ve never actually met before. 

Damon takes it upon himself to act the role of judgmental older brother. “Who’s this? Another blood bag in human form?”

You roll your eyes. “No, Damon. Can you please greet people normally for once?”

He shakes his head. “Afraid not.”

Jordan stands up, offering his hand to Damon. “I’m Jordan Parrish, Y/N’s boyfriend. It’s nice to meet you.”

Damon and Stefan immediately stare at you, but you just smile. It’s nice to hear Jordan refer to himself as your boyfriend; although the two of you have been on your share of dates, you do rather like hearing him vocalize it. 

However, Damon will still be Damon, so he shakes Jordan’s hand with a grip that would likely fracture several human bones. Jordan just smiles and squeezes harder. 

Stefan, thank everything, seems appeased by this. It takes a rare sort of man to not immediately come to blows with Damon, so the fact that Jordan is standing his ground automatically wins over the pacifist side of your younger brother. 

“I’m Stefan. Glad we’ll have another friend around here, Jordan. You can never have too many.”

Stefan says the last part with a biting glare directed towards Damon, although the dark haired man just grins. 

You take this moment of relative peace as your sign to get out. “You know what, Jordan and I were just talking about how he hasn’t been well introduced to Mystic Falls. I think we’re going to head out for a while, stop by some places and see some more vampires.”

Jordan looks intrigued by this, but unfortunately, so does Damon. 

“I think a tour seems like a grand idea. Say, how about we tag along, too? The more the merrier, right, Y/N?”

You want to throttle him. “Damon, we aren’t in the 1800s any more. I don’t need a chaperone.”

You turn to Stefan beseechingly, but unfortunately, he seems just as inclined to cause you grief. “Actually, I think it sounds like a great idea. If you’re going out in search of dangerous vampires, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to have some backup.”

You sigh. “Alright, then. Looks like we’re having a field trip.”

Jordan just laughs. “I think it sounds fun.”

Damn your boyfriend and his relentless optimism.

Thus, the town of Mystic Falls finds three Salvatores and one hellhound stepping out of your family home and into the streets. You’ve already taken Jordan on an extensive tour of coffee shops and crowded bars, but you’re angling for a more supernatural approach now. 

The first stop is the Mystic Grill to meet Caroline, which in turn means meeting Klaus Mikaelson. You greet your friend happily, whereas Jordan and Klaus eye each other coolly from across the room. You can practically read Klaus’ mind from his furrowed brow and dangerous spark in his eyes, so you hurry Jordan away before the Mikaelson hybrid can start planning out how to fit a hellhound into a sire bond. 

Elijah finds you next, waiting outside the Grill with his hands tucked into the pockets of his suit, as impeccably dressed as always. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, who is this?” Elijah prompts, regarding Jordan with the faint curiosity of someone who has lived hundreds of years yet still manages to maintain enthusiasm about his day to day existence. 

Jordan smiles, although it seems more forced than before. Perhaps he’s rattled from meeting Klaus, or perhaps the spirit of the hellhound inside him can tell when meeting someone as ancient as himself. 

“The name’s Jordan Parrish. I work with Sheriff Forbes.”

Elijah inclines his head once. “I’ve heard that name before. Pray tell, how are the wolves of Beacon Hills?”

Stefan, who has been lurking somewhere behind you, steps forward with a start. “Wait, you know about Beacon Hills?”

Elijah spreads his hands. “I know about many things. Friends, enemies. It pays to have contacts in all sorts of places where supernatural creatures frequent, and Beacon Hills is one of them. I happen to be on good terms with a veterinarian named Deaton.”

Jordan considers this. “That doesn’t surprise me, actually.”

Damon scoffs. “Well, it does surprise me. Were you ever planning on telling us that there was a small nation of werewolves across the country, Mr. Holier-Than-Thou, or were you just going to forget about it until convenient?”

Elijah smiles. It is one of the most threatening things you’ve seen all day. “The latter, I'm afraid. If you would like me to be more vocal, though, I’d love to bring up the small werewolf nation when, say, my brother is around. I'm sure Klaus would be delighted to hear about it.”

You grin. “Touché, Elijah. I think I’ll take that cue for all of us to leave.”

He raises a hand in farewell, and you swear you can feel his eyes on your back even when your small party has crossed several streets and disappeared out of view. 

Jordan shivers. “So those were some of the Mikaelsons, huh? I can’t decide whether they’re bloodthirsty killers or just really weird.”

Damon claps him on the shoulder. “I prefer to think of it as a bit of both. There is someone here that’s worse, though.”

Jordan frowns. “Worse than the Mikaelsons? What, is there an actual demon here other than me?”

Damon shudders darkly. “Worse in a different way, Hellboy. I’m talking about—” Damon drops his voice until it’s scarcely above a whisper “—Katherine.”

Jordan arches a brow. “Ah. I’ve heard of her.”

You grin at the twin expressions of disgust on your brothers’ faces, although it dies when you hear someone speaking behind you. 

“But do you really know me, sweetheart? Rumors can be deceiving.”

Stefan grimaces. “Speak of the devil and she appears. How are you, Katherine?”

Sure enough, Katherine Petrova is waiting for you when you turn around. She’s posturing beside a park bench, and looks delighted to have such a poor reception. 

“I’m glad you think of me as a devil, Stefan. It means I’m powerful. It means you’re afraid of me, and I still have a pretty big hold on you.”

Stefan is losing the battle to not roll his eyes. “You think any publicity is good publicity, then?”

Katherine ignores this, opting instead to turn her gaze towards Jordan. “So, new boy, what’s your story? I’m a sucker for a heart of gold, so I’d love it if you’ve got one.”

Jordan dubiously raises a brow. “What, so you can rip it out of my chest?”

Katherine smirks. “Precisely.”

He nods, looking vaguely horrified. “I think I’m good. However, I think Stefan and Damon were just talking about something like that. How about I go off with Y/N while they stay here to talk to you?”

Jordan all but drags you away before your brothers can protest.

You laugh. “Thanks for the escape. I can’t stand her.”

Jordan’s eyes widen. “I get it now. I get all of it. Let’s run before she tries to catch up, or before your brothers can murder me for leaving them alone with her.”

You grin. “It’s what they deserve for trying to tag along.”

Jordan smiles as well, reaching down to take your hand. “Despite a few other people, I like your town a lot. It’s pretty. Most everyone here is nice.”

You nod in agreement. “I’ve lived all over the world, but I keep coming back here. I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe it just feels like home.”

Looking over at Jordan, you’d argue that he feels like home too. Few people have adapted to the surprise of meeting a vampire as quickly as he did, although that could be because he’s a supernatural himself. Regardless, you’re glad to have him. 

However, you notice that he doesn’t seem as carefree as you. Jordan’s eyes keep darting to the alleys nearby, as if he expects to see figures jumping out at him at any moment. 

You squeeze his hand to get his attention. “Hey, everything alright?”

Jordan inclines his head. “Yeah, I think so. It’s just- well, I saw somebody coming out of a restaurant, and I swear they look familiar. The problem is that only thing I can connect them with is Beacon Hills.”

You frown. “You think someone from your old town might be visiting? That’s a good thing, right?”

Jordan shakes his head once. “Not if they’re the person I think they are. The hunters back in Beacon Hills were brutal, just as bad or worse than over here. If someone’s come to track me down all the way to Mystic Falls, it can’t be good.”

You lean your head on his shoulder. “The way I see it, we have two options right now. Either it’s a stranger, and we’re reacting to nothing, or it is a hunter, and we’re ready for them. Regardless, you’re a hellhound and I’m a vampire. We can handle them, I promise.”

Jordan sucks in a breath through his teeth. “That’s good, because I think we’re going to be fighting anyways. Look.”

He points ahead of you. A group of two or three men have blocked off the entrance to the street, and you can see more emerging from the shadows. You and Jordan were walking on the side road, so there aren’t any other humans around to watch what’s about to happen. The hunters must have planned it so there wouldn’t be any witnesses. 

The lead hunter, an old man with a voice like a creaking hinge, steps forward. “Jordan Parrish. Did you really think you’d be able to leave Beacon Hills? We don’t allow your kind to rejoin the world so easily.”

You arch a brow. “I get what you were saying. These guys are weird.”

The main hunter directs his gaze your way. “Listen, young lady. You don’t understand who he is. Leave now before someone gets hurt.”

You laugh. “I think ‘young lady’ is a bit off the mark. I’m going on one hundred and seventy.”

The man’s eyes narrow. “She’s not human either. I say we bring them both back with us.”

Jordan steps protectively in front of you. “We’re not going anywhere.”

The man looks as if he’d been hoping to hear that. “I wouldn’t be so sure of yourselves.”

He gives a signal to his men, and they start to move towards you. One points a gun your way, but by the time he pulls the trigger, you’re behind him, snapping his neck as cleanly as a tree branch. 

Across the street, Jordan’s eyes glow, and his chest and arms erupt in flames. The hunters’ weapons seem like playthings next to him. 

Between the two of you, the hunters never stood a chance. The old man manages to disappear into the shadows before you can kill him, but at least now he can spread the word to not fuck with either of you. 

You finish off the last hunter by sinking your jaws into his throat, then let his body fall to the ground, wiping the blood from your mouth with a casual hand. 

When you turn around, Jordan is staring at you, eyes dull with something that you cannot entirely name. For a moment, you wonder if the hunter has gotten back up from the ground, and then you realize what it is. 

Jordan Parrish has never seen a vampire actually being a vampire. He’s never seen the way your eyes turn dark, how black veins spider out across your face. He’s certainly never seen your fangs dripping blood from a recent kill. Does it horrify him? You’re not sure what else it could do. 

You take a hesitant step back, raising your hands as if to fend off a blow. “I know how it looks, but you need to trust me. I don’t do this all the time, only when somebody’s trying to kill me. The rest of us vampires get our blood from hospital blood bags. We don’t hunt humans, I promise.”

You’re not sure what you expect Jordan to do. Turn and run, maybe. Keep staring at you with that same fear. Instead, he just moved forward and kisses you, heedless of the blood still smeared across your lips. 

You’re stunned into silence, but Jordan is not. “Y/N, if you think I’m going to leave you because you’re a vampire, you couldn’t be more wrong. I’m a hellhound. I’m the monster, not you.”

You smile softly. “Perhaps we can both be monsters.” It would not be the worst fate in the world. 

Jordan nods, and smiles back at you. “That sounds good to me.”

teen wolf tag list: @thatfangirl42, @rogueanschel, @lovesanimals0000, @rafecameronswhore, @bellabadacadabra

[venushasvixens]

Ch. 11 - Fightin’ Words - Life is but a Dream (Spike Spiegel x Reader)

[A/N] to clarify before I begin, I do NOT hate Faye. There will be a following chapter to explain how we got from point A to point B, since now that I see it, this chapter seems like a stretch. I apologize if the writing is a little shitty, I got too excited when writing it, and I was basically vomiting words onto my screen. Enjoy!

Previous chapter: Ch.10

⛔️ WARNING: this chapter contains implied sexual content, drinking, and strong language

-

There is a clear difference in kissing. One was for lust, meant to excite and give pleasure to the receiving, as a plus on to tie in all the ingridients for good sex. The other was for love, showing affection and those deep emotional feelings that both parties were in need of.

The lines were blurring.

Wanting this to be a strictly physical relationship, other elements started to incorporate their way into your escapades. And now Spike knows almost everything about you. Eating habits, what makes you laugh, and the type of people you hate. Talking for hours on end, both of life and it’s ridiculous nature, there was no off time between you both. It felt good.

The quiet moment after you left his room for your own, a faltering feeling of sadness and loneliness enters Spike. The urge to grab you and bring you back to his bed for the night was strong. He tried to get you to stay (always subtly), but to no avail. Well aware of your need for space, he always respected your decision.

The crank that was once rusty, was in Spike’s head as his mind ran endlessly of if you liked him or not. It was a thought, a discussion he wanted to put off for so long. The consequences of his doubt were going to hurt, especially when it was going to be that time to go. The reassurance that this was only a fling, a friends with benefits deal, was on its way to be tossed out of the trash chute into space.

“Trust me, Spiegel, I’ve had plenty of time as a child to know what I’m talking about.” You said as Spike passed you his cigarette.

“About what?” He asked, completely clueless.

“Rocks. Crystals, geodes. Have you not been listening?” You scolded, scoffing as Spike shook his head.

“The library in the city gave the orphanage books they didn't want anymore. My favorite book was the one about rocks on Mars, of course it was simplified for my small brain…”

Head in his hand, Spike listened as you rambled mindlessly of all the different rock formations on Mars. As much as he wanted to learn, he couldn’t help but be distracted by his acknowledgment of your presence. More specifically, the air you brought in the room. Spike began to think of it as his favorite perfume, sweet and sultry, with a hint of spice. It made him feel safe.

You were so attractive when you were educating him. He hated to hear it from Jet or anyone else, but you made it interesting.

“You’re pretty hot.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah thanks. Anyways, like I was saying…”You replied, flattered by his sudden proclamation.

“I’m serious. You’re talking all smart to me, and I can’t help but tell you that.” Spike smirked. “I think I learned more from you than in high school.”

You laughed softly. “I tell you because I know you’re dumber than a bag of hammers.”

“Is that so?” Spike raised his eyebrows. Why was your teasing making him feel even better? “You’re going to regret saying that.”

“I only have one, and not that.” You smiled slyly, the glint in Spike’s eye becoming more noticeable.

“I’m about to make it two.”

“I would love to see you try.”

You put your hands up to defend yourself, Spike’s smooth moves rendering you helpless. In a second, he had your arms pinned down by your sides, a deep throated chuckle emitting from him as he watched you struggle. There was no danger but that of falling to his charm and whim.

“I don’t regret this.” You panted.

“Sounds like the best decision I’ve made.” Spike mumbled, gaze traveling all over your face. He brushes the stray hairs from your face, fingers tracing your hairline and ears. He was so close, you could feel his breath on your neck, threatening to brush his lips on yours.

“Can I ask you something?” Spike broke the silence. You nodded eagerly.

“I-“ He began, cut off by the loud knocking on the door.

“Spike? Spike? Are you there?” Jet called out.

There is no answer, except you panicking over whether Jet sees you naked or sprawled out on Spike’s bed. The only sound that could’ve been heard was the thuds of you scrambling around the room, looking for your bra and panties. Spike watches in amusement, not caring at all at the dilemma you both were in.

“Yeah?” Spike called out, the clink of his lighter going off.

“I was going to ask if you wanted to come up to the bridge for a drink, got a few good bottles of gin from our last bounty.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Good.” Jet finished. Footsteps drew further away down the hallway and supposdely onto the stairs. You sighed in relief, getting dressed at a leisurely pace. Safe, once again.

“Y/n, you can come too if you would like.” The loud booming laughter of Jet filled the hallway, masking your dread.

This evening was going to be delightful.

-

“Where's the gin?” You said in confidence, like you weren’t just caught in Spike’s room. Hopefully he wouldn’t see the slight limp in your step either.

“I have it, but I knew it would be a good bait to get some help up here.” He replied.

“Then I want at least half the bottle as a down payment. And an apology.” You scowled, taking a peek on the holo computer, skimming over the briefing for the next bounty.

Jet chuckled. “Now young lady, I have something very important to ask you.”

“Huh, you and Spike. I’m not too scared of yours.” You glanced at him, sitting in his seat.

Jet rested himself against the table, nodding. “I was going to say that us boys and Ed really enjoy you here. These last few months have been the best one this ship has seen in a while, and you are welcome to stay however long you want, kid.”

You knew you were doing well, but now you caught the bag. Jackpot. “You’re just saying that because I feed you all.”

“That's part of it too.” Jet grinned. “But I’m serious, (y/n). I think all of us could vote in favor of a new crew member. What do you say?”

Thinking, you remembered your freedom, sought as a child. That’s all you ever wanted, was to be out and allowed to do whatever you could. But deep down, the thing you really needed was a home. A family.

You could find that here on the Bebop. Even if you got a rocky start, it was smooth sailing for now. You felt wanted. That’s what you needed.

“Doesn’t sound too bad. I’m down.” You beamed.

“Glad you agreed, or else it would’ve been real awkward if you said no.” Jet replied, giving you a soft pat on your back.

“Mmm, would you kick me out if I declined this most generous offer?” You teased.

“Kid, you have my respect, I would let you pack first then throw you out.”

You cracked up, the deal was done. As you sat in your new home, you couldn't help but feel eternally grateful. “I really owe you one, Jet. You really got me out of a tight spot.”

Jet nodded as he searched for something on the control board.

“Was..was that how Spike came around? Picked him up like a stray?” You asked, surprised at your brazen question.

Jet stops messing with the controls, paused as he tries to peace his words together. “To be honest, I can’t even remember when or how Spike joined me here. He just popped up one day, and I haven’t been able to shake him off.” Jet gave a small titter. “Ah, (y/n). The man’s been through it tough.”

“Can I ask?” You said meekly.

“All that time spent together, and he hasn’t told you?” Jet chaffed, a smirk starting to grow.

Shit. “We haven’t spent much time talking today.” Fuck it, no use in denying it now.

“That’s what I thought.” He snickered. “Well, let me put it this way. A heartbroken man is a lonely one. He roams the galaxy in search of finding a way to fill the void left in him, either desperate to find something new. Or leave the void empty, allowing himself to wither away peacefully.”

“Hmm.” You replied shortly. A lot wasn't said, but it made sense.

“I’m only saying this once, (Y/n). He’s changing, and for the better. I haven’t seen him smile so much sober. I have to thank you for that.”

You made a change, as small as it was. You hear footsteps approaching the bridge, the sliding door opening to reveal Spike. As he quietly passes you by, he shoots you a small wink, making you blush. Spike sits down with a sigh, his legs propped up on the control panel.

“Easy, I’m still working there.” Jet warns as he hands Spike a drink.

“Then how come you're not sitting here?” He smirks, side-eyeing you to watch him kick up dirt.

You smile back, letting their conversation fade away slowly. This moment, you had to screenshot it. It doesn’t look like a normal family, but it wasn't dysfunctional. You had a crazy red haired computer genius as a sibling, along with a dog that you think could do math better than you. It topped nicely with a protective mentor and teacher with one robotic arm, and a man who you didn't think you could even get near without getting your arm bitten off.

Someone was missing. She hasn’t been seen all day, but that’s typical. As an official member of the Bebop, there was no back burner now. You could turn off your predatory instinct on your prey. The hunt on Faye was over. You didn't have to be her best friend, just tolerate her attitude enough when she decides to stay on the ship for longer than a day. You really didn't want to fight her, but sometimes she made it so difficult. Besides, you were too tired anyways.

The little get together was carrying on joyfully, now joined by Ed and Ein. Ed wandered aimlessly in all directions on the bridge, babbling on about all the buttons and flashing lights. You sat next to Spike in your own chair, feeling the small soft padded pushes of Ein on your legs.

“What is it boy?” You asked sweetly, reaching down to rub the top of his ears. He jumps on his hind legs, trying his best to climb up onto your lap. You cooed at him, picking him up and placing him snuggly on your thighs. You swore you could’ve seen him smile as your pet his fluffy face, massaging his soft head.

Spike leaned over, whispering. “Do you think I can get a massage too?”

Before you could respond, Ein gave a small huff, one eye opening to watch out for his competition. “I’m sorry, but the baby said no.”

Jet laughed as Spike smiled. You looked down to see that Spike’s glass was still full, while Jets was drained of all gin. You were working on yours at a slower pace. “You don’t feel like drinking tonight?”

“Hmm?” Spike looked down at his drink, sloshing it against its glass walls. “ Oh, I’ll get to it.” He said before reaching out and touching your back gently, his fingers tracing circles on your spine.

What a win-win situation, Ein gets to be loved on and you get to be petted, you thought. Goosebumps rose on your arms as Spike continued. The sky turned to night, all the stars in the galaxy could be seen from the bridge’s giant front window. Ed was curled up in a ball in front of it, tuckering herself out. Ein provided some warmth to Ed, loafing on Ed’s stomach. Their snores mixed in together, obnoxiously loud, but incredibly cute.

Spike never got to his drink, so he offered it to you instead. Two was all you needed to finish off the night. You took over Ein’s spot on Spike’s lap, your arms wrapped around his neck as you conversated with the boys. His hands rubbed the side part of your stomach before interlocking, his heated palms providing comfort. You wouldn’t mind falling asleep here.

The flash of Faye’s Redtail blinded you as she clumsily parked out on the flight deck. You didn't care as long as she didnt destroy the hangar, then you all would be in huge trouble.

“She’s home early.” Jet stated, watching as she stumbled out of the ship.

“It’s not even midnight yet. Think she missed us?” Spike called out sarcastically.

“Doubt it.”

This was the last of peaceful silence for the night, you thought. You were hoping not to jinx it.

BAM!

Everybody around you whipped their heads to the source of the sound, except yours, because you knew exactly who it was and what was going to happen. Ein used Ed’s stomach as a launching pad, frightened at the loud noise. What could you say, you have a knack for sensing a challenge. The only thing was, you were not in a mood to seek it. It was brought to you, sucking all good energy out of the room and switching it to a fireball of jealousy.

In walked a staggering Faye, pleased with her grand entrance. She tipped to one side, before switching to the other slightly. Just one look was all it took before you gulped the rest of your drink down, flipping the glass on its head. You could see out of the corner of your eye Spike’s focus was on you. His brows furrowed, head tilting as if to ask what were you doing. Your reply was a swift head rub, his hair swooshing.

“Evening, Faye.” Jet chimed, pushing the bottle of gin closer to his side behind him on his control board. There was no way she was getting any more tonight.

Your gaze changed to Jet, who you thought could also sense the new air in the bridge. He sat at the edge of his seat, arm resting on his knee. What was he waiting for?

A small hiccup bounced off the metal walls, prompting Faye to trip and catch herself on the main control board in the middle of the room. Her eyes closed, she began to shake her head side to side, a small manic giggle escaping her mouth.

“You just-just can’t keep your fucking hands off of him, can’t you?”

You felt a shiver of shock rest on your shoulders as you turned your head to face Faye. Before you could speak, Spike opened his mouth to defend you.

“The hell is wrong with you?” Spike retorted, his hands now pressed firmly on your waist.

“Everything was just fine without her, you-“ Faye snarled as she pointed to Jet, “just had to have a heart.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Jet replied cautiously.

Faye circled around the control table, using it as support or else she tumbled over. A mumbled slur of insults, consisting of calling you a slut and Spike an idiot. She was drunk, you thought. Let it run off like water. She will be fine once she’s in her bed, snoring her way into a killer hangover. You couldn’t shake that feeling that you needed to start gearing up. You wiggled out of Spike’s hold, planting your feet firmly down as you lean on the control table.

“I..I honestly don’t get it.” Faye said aloud.

“Get what, Faye?” You piped up, the slightest shake in your voice.

Oh! So it can talk!” She cackled out loud. “Let me tell you what, since you asked!”

“Please, I would love to know.”

Her pointer finger shoved right in your face, furiously wanting to make contact. “I-I find it hard to believe that you managed to get him to fuck you.”

“Jesus, Faye, in front of the kids?”

“Fuck that! She’s going to hear what I have to say, whether the slut likes it or not.”

As angry as you should’ve been, coolness was all you displayed. The voice in the back of your head reminded you of unforgettable advice you knew all too well. Alcohol could be a very good truth serum.

“What a f-fucking slut … you know how I think y-you managed to stay on this tin can of a ship?” She muttered. “You have to be f-fucking the captain.”

“That’s enough! Leave until you sober up.” Jet stood up, standing in the space between you and Faye. “Not having any of that on my ship.”

You looked at Spike, face frozen in a silent menacing fury. Leaning back on the console, you kept glancing to see Faye moving further and further away towards the door. That was it, the show's over. But someone had some kind parting words.

“Hey, how about this! I bet Spike has to cover your face while fucking your ugly ass, I would too, you stupid-“

Your knuckles had never stung so bad, but it felt so good to watch Faye’s head swing back. A flurry of raged-filled punches landed on either side of her face, so fast it didnt give her enough time to react. Waking up, Faye gave a heavy footed kick to your side, prompting you to scream out in pain.

Each swing of her high leg swings missed as you ducked, giving you a chance for an uppercut into her stomach. You could hear the sound of the wind knocking out of her with each punch. Faye’s hand pulled your hair back roughly, fists meeting across your face, swiping your nose. Intense pressure built up, the threat of blood leaking out of your nose becoming evident. She wanted to play dirty?

We can play dirty.

You used everything you had in you. Scratching, biting, kicking. You were not going to lose. You did not give two shits if she was vulnerable, this bitch was going down. It felt like forever until you felt the strong arms of Spike yanking you away from the fighting ground.

“Hey, hey, hey!” You heard Jet roar, becoming a flesh and metal cage around Faye’s upper arms, taking a small beating as she tried to claw her way back to you. Ed was yelping and screaming at the top of her lungs, while Ein barked and yowled at the commotion.

“Stop, (y/n), its me you’re hitting, damn it!” Spike yelped as you gave the last swings, realizing that the fight was just about over. You panted, the painful injection of adrenaline overcame your body. You watched on in pity as Jet tried to get Faye to calm down. As you trudged back to your seat, with the help of Spike, the last word was finally given out of the door.

“Get comfy bitch, I’m going nowhere!” You screamed.

“And I know who burned your ship, but there’s no way I’m telling you, you dumb cunt!”

Other insults flew in your direction, but were ignored. You stood in disbelief as you let the major bombshell play over and over. Feeling the soft tug of Spike pulling you back gently down to your seat, letting you wallow for a second. He knelt in front of you, examining your growing black eye and red welts on your face. “Damn, that's going to leave a mark.”

You looked away from him, tears welling in your eyes.

“Oh (y/n), I didn't mean it like that, it doesn’t look that bad.” Spike apologized as you sniffled.

“It’s not that. I-its that..'' sobs so quietly, but causes the greatest quivering, “she knows who did this to me, and won't even fess up because she hates me. What kind of shit is that?”

Tears fell freely onto your lap, pain induced by your loss fueling more hurt. It was so cold by yourself, a shell encasing you in. Through the mists of your tears, the shell was just Spike’s chest moving closer in. The heat of his body provided consolation without words, the tightness and slight rocking bringing you down to a clearer, more relaxed consciousness.

“I’ll catch them for you.” Spike mumbled into your ear, his hands massaging the back of your head. “It won't bring anything back, but if that will make you feel better, I'll do it.”

This wasn’t an empty promise. There was sincerity behind Spike’s words, wanting to help you. It was now confirmed just how much you meant to him. He was willing to assist for payback. His offer was sweet, but it didn't feel right. This wasnt his struggle, it was yours.

You were going to catch them, and only God knew the hell you were going to bring.

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

This Is Still Marvel, Right?

Summary- 2.5k Sam Wilson x Bucky Barnes x Wade Wilson x You. Deadpool the character from the comics is sitting across from the table from you, real right in front of your eyes. Not only is time travel a thing, but dimension travel is as well, and he is here for a very serious reason. Warnings- swears. Written for @what-is-your-backupplan-today​ CATFA 10th Anniversary Challenge. Prompts are highlighted. 

Masterlist

“You came from where?” Sam questioned with a tilt of his head, arms folded across his chest as he raised a quizzical brow at the man in all red. 

“And why the clown suit?” Bucky right next to him asked, trying to make sense of what was going on. 

“I’m from the X-Men verse, you know… bald dude in the wheelchair, Wolvie with butter knife hands, we have our own pigeon boy. Not as sweet as your wings though.” Wade said with a sigh. “And we had a Peter, but the winds… god the winds were too strong. I will never forget you Sugar Bear.” He sobbed in his hand a moment, sniffling a moment. 

You were thoroughly in shock, your jaw was dropped to the floor as Wade mother fucking Wilson sat in the interrogation chair, one leg crossed over the other, his ankle jiggling as he leaned forward on his elbows, planting his chin in his palms as he made an cooing sound at the two men. “Aww, they are so cute when they are confused, aren't they cute? The cutest little puppies.” He went to boop Bucky's nose, but Bucky reared his head back away from his hand and a whir of his hand closed around Wade's wrist, which caused the masked mercenary to gasp out excitedly. 

“THE WINTER SOLDIER ARM, VIBRANIUM UPGRADE. I keep telling Cable he needs this hook up, his isn't nearly as cool as yours. Mister Bucky Barnes Sir, can you sign my suit? I’m a super fan.” the white eyes of his mask widened and you finally managed to close your mouth watching all this.

Whatever this was, you were actually wondering if you weren't in some drugged hallucination right now. Mission gone wrong? You had eaten that turkey sandwich out of the compound fridge, maybe it was drugged and this was someone's payback for stealing their food.

“Come on man.” Sam snapped out, still trying to get a straight answer out of him. Bucky let go of his hand which Wade muttered to himself. 

“I'm never washing this hand, not ever.” He cradled it to his chest. “Just wait till I tell Chrome Dome who shook my hand.” 

“ANSWERS!” Bucky yelled out and Wade gasped at the outburst. Bucky reached over to grasp the mask and yanked it off, grimacing as Wade's appearance showed. Both Sam and Bucky recovered quite quickly, you were still freaking out in the corner and Wade gave a suggestive wink to the two of them. 

“Names Wilson, Wade Wilson. No relation to this saucy stud though.” He eyed Sam up and down with a purr, who scoffed at the sudden attention. “Don't worry, I know that one is crushing on you hard. The chemistry. I won't make a move on you. Winter Soldier though is fair game, eh?” He made a chef’s kiss motion after pointing at you. “So are you two… do you… fondue?” Wade asked, Sam and You looked at each other and made disbelieving faces at one another. “Oh we're not admitting feelings? My bad. I jumped ahead in the comics. So much sexual tension.” Making a donut shape with one hand and a pointer with the other, meshing them together, you could feel your throat close up and Sam’s eyes widen. Bucky was struggling to keep his calm at this point, Sam too. Wade made a motion to stand and get up. 

“Do we have any eats here?” He puts his hand on the handle to open the door and a knife flung through the air, landing right next to his face. Wade paused and turned around. “Here I thought this was still Marvel and not Dc. Tony would have offered me a snack by now.” He grumbled while sitting back down. “A falafel, blueberries, I know he likes to snack, I've seen the movies.” 

You finally got over your shock and went to sit across from him. “Mr.Wilson…” 

He put up a hand. “Pool please, Deadpool. Or Wade. Or you can call me Captain Deadpool. Too much?” He glanced up at Sam and Bucky. “Yea too much, just call me Wade.” 

“Wade.” you started again, trying to figure out how to approach this. “We’re confused, because you are a comic book character.” You pulled up your phone and pulled up a screen clip of his movie. 

Wade gasped and grabbed at your phone, studying it. “Look at that handsome son of a bitch. I'm so glad they picked Ryan Reynolds for the part, he looks just like me.” He held the phone up next to his face. “He’s so good looking, it's the Canadian genes.” Then handed it back, you tucked it away and he leaned forward to toss what looked like a beat up comic book on the table.

“What’s this?” You question, pointing at it.

“A comic book. You guys are just comic book characters and I'm here to fix your story. What? You seriously didn't know you are comic book characters in another universe?” 

“Our story?” You pulled the comic towards you and sure enough plastered on the front was Sam in his Falcon Suit, Bucky with his own gear and you were soaring in the air above slightly out of focus. 

“Yes, your story. Listen Cable, you all know Cable right? He's like a moodier you Buckaroo…” The name caused Bucky to growl a bit, but Wade continued without noticing. “... hooked me up with this cool device. Not like those stones you all have, this is some actual batman kind of future fuckery that I got rigged to not just travel back in time. But other dimensions. Whoo... “ He made wiggly fingers. “It's like magic right? Cool.” 

You were flipping through the pages as fast as possible, skimming the storyline. Amazingly all of it was there, the mission report Nick Fury brought Sam this morning, you and Bucky sparring and how he pinned you against the mat, the heart to heart about how you two missed Steve. 

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose while Bucky looked over your shoulder at the comic book. “I'm getting a headache, or I'm losing it. Did I get hit in the head?” Sam rambled a bit and you got to the end of the comic, seeing that the mission Fury had given you three was completed, successfully. 

“Says there we did just fine.” Bucky said and you closed it before pushing it towards the center of the table. 

“It's not all just fine.” Wade threw up his hands in exasperation and you shook your head so confused. 

“Explain it to us Wade.” You grasped the comic again, flipping through it, scanning the pages as quick as you can. 

“Go to page 53.” He tapped his finger against the steel table and you did, the panel showing you and Sam standing on a roof top about to enter a building from above and Bucky was shown in another panel scaling a building. 

“I don't see it…” you shook your head confused as to what he was talking about and Wade pointed at the bottom, that was just barely in view. A hot dog cart. 

“You are here, from another dimension of life… because of a hot dog cart?” 

Wade nodded firmly. “If we don't protect that hot dog cart, bad things will happen.” His voice lowered, turning shifty. “Spooky stuff… anal stuff.” He shuddered and sat back, staring at the hot dog cart in the bottom of the picture. “If we don't protect that hot dog cart, it causes issues you couldn't even fathom. Another life just poof… what did y’all call it? Spanked out of existence?”

You just automatically corrected him. “Snapped.”

“Spanked sounds better, maybe consider changing it to spanked?” 

Sam cleared his throat. “You traveled through dimensions to get here so we could save a hot dog cart? I'm just- trying to keep it all straight. This isn't entirely the weirdest thing I have heard, but it's close.” 

Bucky scoffed. “I say this guy needs some help, maybe his brain got scrambled like mine.” 

“Nah, I didn't get the mind trip you did. I was tortured by a guy named Francis.” Wade snorted gleefully. “Called himself Ajax, like the dish soap!” Slapping his knee, he busted out laughing heavily, starting to cry. 

You rubbed at your face and looked over your shoulder. “I think we should trust him guys. What if what he says is true? We’ve dealt with crazy shit before.” 

“You can't be serious Y/N.” Bucky shook his head and Sam looked doubtful. Wade giggled as he wiped a tear from his eye, pointing a finger at you. 

“I like you, you're the smart one here I can tell.” 

You all turned to Sam who hadn't said anything yet. He sighed and rubbed at his face a bit, before finally saying under his breath. “I'm never going to hear the end of this… Lets take him.” 

Wade did a fist pump in victory, leaping up to grab his mask back from Bucky. “X-Force Ass-” You were quick to cover his mouth, leaving the “-emble” garbled. 

“He's going to get us killed, Wilson.” 

“I said to call me Deadpool or Captain Deadpool.” 

“I WAS TALKING TO HIM!” Bucky jerked his thumb at Sam, gritting his teeth while he yanked open the door and left the room. Deadpool followed after him, the next thing you heard was Bucky hollar. “I'm going to kick your ass Prick.” 

“Will you? You're making me all excited. Like a fairy making a little girl's wishes come true, I feel like I could fly.” 

Then you and Sam heard something loud crack and Wade’s cooing grew fainter. “Nice boots, Tinkerbell!” 

You snatched the comic book and stuffed it in your back pocket. “Uh we probably better go stop Bucky. It's pointless for him to try to kill Wade and will just tire himself out.” 

Sam opened the door, holding it open for you. “Should we really take that away from him?” 

“True and it sounds like Wade is having himself a fan moment anyways and doesn't care.” You stepped out to see Bucky and Wade tangled together wrestling.

Just as the comic stated, You and Sam were able to go in from the top. You could see Bucky below you using rigging to scale the building. Down further below you could see a red dot pushing a hot dog cart down the street well out of harm. Speaking into the comm’s, your wings folded to pull you into a spiral, spinning towards the roof. “Wade’s got the cart moved, and were clear to enter.” 

There was a grunt in the comms and Bucky's voice crackled through. “Well damn, I'm glad the hot dog cart is safe… for reasons spanning an entire dimension that we still don't know.” 

“Who are we to question it, Bucky? I mean, we’ve seen some pretty strange shit.” You stated as Sam landed next to you, shooting at the door and ducking inside together. “Maybe this is just another one to add to the pile.” 

Silence descended on the group as you each made to fulfill the mission. Once the building was clear and the three of you were working on exiting, Wade was waiting on the roof, sitting on the edge eating a hot dog and had three more lined up next to him. “I brought you all lunch, you guys do that sort of thing right? Good Mission? yes I bet. Buckaroo has the happy murder gleam in his eyes.” He took another bite of his hot dog and chewed while studying Bucky closely. 

“Don't do that.” Bucky shuddered a bit and Wade proceeded to pop the last bite into his mouth and chewed slowly while rolling the bottom half of his mask down. 

“Do what Buckaroo?” 

“Stare at me or call me Buckaroo.” 

“While eating a hot dog? Only way to properly eat one. I know you love it James. Well my mission here is done.” He pushed off the ledge to give you a hug and handed you a manilla envelope. “This is for you, it explains everything. Toodleloo Kiddies, it was fun knowing you. Oh and if you see Hugh Jackman on the street, tell him his coffee sucks and bitch slap the prick.” He jumped back on the ledge and looked over the edge. “Oh this is gonna kill my knees but this is a true superhero moment. Wait for it…” He gave you all a salute and stepped over, plummeting down. Sam and Bucky rushed the edge, looking over. 

You knew better, a superhero landing wouldn't kill him. 

“NAILED IT!” you three barely heard, then in a flash of sparks, Deadpool was gone. 

“I thought for sure he was going to pancake down there.” Bucky said with a hint of sadness and Sam shook his head. 

“We gotta get out of here before we're caught and get this back to Fury.” Sam held up a chip that held the actual intel of the mission. 

You silently agreed and together the three of you made your way off the building and back home. 

Afterwards once you were back in the tower and changing out of your suit, you glanced at the manilla envelope Wade left you. 

Sitting down on the bench, you opened it and peeked in. What looked like another comic book was in there as well as a letter. Pulling out the letter, you scanned it. 

~To the Super Duper Trio, 

Thank you for believing me. It was crucial. We're not the only comic book verse out there living our lives. Sometimes they cross intersect in ways that I can't explain, go find the wizard, he can tell you more about it. Also ask him to your next party, because he can do the COOLEST TRICKS. But if you take out the comic book enclosed you will see on page 23 there is a hot dog cart as well as a familiar looking dork named Jake Jensen. Alias- Capt Jensen. 

Perhaps your Captain is alive in some way, the DC universe having changed him to a loveable, cat hating, Petunias loving, super smart idiot.

Tell Birdman thanks for the vote of confidence, caw caw mother fucker.

Tell Buckaroo he forgot to sign my suit, I will be back. He is my favorite after all. 

And what I wanna tell you is take care of those idiots so they dont kill each other. 

With Love, 

Captain Deadpool

Ps- Yes Cap’s as awkward with women in DC as he was in Marvel. 

Pss- Welcome to X-Force! I will be in touch. 

You pulled out the comic book and glanced at the cover seeing six people staring down, the title of the comic- The Losers. Flipping to the page, you found a photograph tucked in between the pages, showing another version of the page. One where the street looked demolished and a man lying crumbled by a cart. Also a familiar hot dog cart leaned on its side, demolished. 

Setting the picture aside, now you glanced over this panel to see the same man making a show of pulling out a crossbow, the bubble above his head with the words “That’s right, bitches, I got a crossbow!” 

The scene didn't really surprise you that much, more like the character now alive in the comic looked just like Steve. 

A thinner version, he had facial hair, and the entire get up was never anything Steve would have willingly worn. 

But it looked just like Steve Rogers and for the second time that day your jaw dropped. 

Maybe Wade Wilson was right, after all… 

Nothing was off limits and stranger things have happened.

[wildsunscorpion]

How Bum Geon Woo communicates through his body language (Plus how he's actually giving the special treatment Eui Joon's been yearning for)

I reread DCS for, like, the tenth time now. Yes, I'm obsessed ohmygod! I'm liking how these two characters are written so far. I originally wanted to break down just Chapters 20-24 of DCS because the first time I read it I got just a little annoyed with how Geon Woo (a.k.a. Ahjussi) was, let's say, just kind of pushing Euijoon's limits. But I ended up doing more than just Chapters 20-24. Dios mio.

I was just a little tired of seeing the same trend with guys in manhwa. They always seem to be domineering, especially if their partner is the "sweet and naive" archetype. (Eui Joon, I think, does not really fit into this mold.) Of course, that's usually because they're dealing with their own issues, and I don't really blame them.

But I like DCS because it justified that kind of behavior in Geon Woo when he was having sex with Eui Joon (in Chapters 20-24, particularly). Lol I'm probably the only one who realized this later than I should have ehehe. I'm still posting this tho.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD‼️‼️

His antics speak volumes. It's amazing how I missed all those details just because the sex scenes were. Steamy. As. Fuck. Good lordy! Geon Woo is definitely a man of few words (He once said Eui Joon makes him talk like he would for a whole year, haha!), so it would make sense to communicate whatever's going through his mind in a situation through body language.

I also want to add the times that he makes the effort to hold a conversation with Eui Joon. Geon Woo doesn't really talk when he doesn't need to, so it's important to pay attention to his actions.

☙ ☙ ☙ ☙ ☙

Chapters 0-12

The first time we get a glimpse of Geon Woo's side of the story was when Eui Joon finally confesses to the person who's been his crush for 3 effing years, Hyeon Woo. Eui Joon is inexplicably happy when Hyeon Woo says he'll consider and comes to the convenience store in good spirits. Geon Woo, keen as always, notices, and when Eui Joon tells him what happened this is what we get:

It's the way it was framed. How we see his reaction from behind rather than from the front. He turns away, seeming to go inward and brood once again.

Afterwards, another gangster comes. The guy challenges Geon Woo for taking too long at the front of the line. Geon Woo asks Eui Joon if he smokes, and when he replies that he doesn't, Geon Woo "borrows" the lighter on the countertop and uses that to throw a stronger punch to the man behind him, who temporarily falls unconscious. Geon Woo turns back to Eui Joon, seeming to have something else to say. But he sees the frightened look on Eui Joon's face and decides to keep it to himself before leaving through the door.

"And..." He pauses, turning to Eui Joon. "... Never mind. Good work."

JUST WHAT WAS HE ABOUT TO SAY?!?!?!

In the succeeding panel, Eui Joon is nonplussed. He wonders out loud, "What is happening?" Couldn't have said it better, girl. Geon Woo was just taking out his frustration and he had the perfect opportunity at the moment.

The second time was when Geon Woo invites Eui Joon to drink after the incident with Hyeon Woo (who basically asks Eui Joon to cheat with him and inebriates him—probably with the intention to take advantage of him). From the side stories, we learn that Geon Woo has taken an interest in Eui Joon after seeing him for the second time, and when he comes by through the hallway—finally discovering they were neighbors—and witnesses the two, he sees it as a chance with Eui Joon.

He invites Eui Joon out to drink, after Eui Joon's suggestion for a dinner at 2 in the morning fails to entice him. Eui Joon rambles his questions away, wanting to get to know him better, but Geon Woo doesn't immediately answer and catches him off guard when he "casually" inquires after his sexuality. Not the smoothest move there, lol, but in the side stories we see that wasn't really his intention.

"Damn it, why did I ask that question? It just slipped out..."

He answers Eui Joon's questions afterwards, surprising Eui Joon with the fact that he's actually been listening to what he's been saying for the past minute. We're starting to see just what kind of a person he is (Listening skills are always a plus in my book).

A little later, we see them on their way back to the apartment. Eui Joon asks Geon Woo to tell him anything interesting because he's been the one talking all night. Geon Woo acquiesces, asking a question that may have been part in consideration of Eui Joon's vulnerable state, and perhaps also part due to the possibility that he worried about him.

"Come to think of it... School has already started. Isn't it tiring to work 'til dawn? Aren't you working too much?"

Geon Woo's face is a little hard to read. So every subtle change in his expression says something. If you read the manhwa, you'll see the slightest bit of concern in his eyes. It's hard to catch until you've read the side stories (at least for me, haha).

One more thing I like about Geon Woo is that he doesn't meddle when it's not his business. He knows the state of Eui Joon's family—their inability to afford his college tuition, his hospitalized brother—and he knows he can help. I mean, I don't know how wealthy and powerful he is as a gangster but he probably has the means to. But he rarely opens the topic to Eui Joon.

Aaaand onto Chapter 8! Just before the first sex scene in the entire series. Eui Joon is crying because he had a shitty day both at school and at work, poor thing—all because of Hyeon Woo. He cries even more when he notices that Geon Woo, who came to the store every day, didn't come to the store that day. When he encounters him outside, he breaks down, catching Geon Woo off guard.

Geon Woo tells his lackey to leave and asks Eui Joon to stay. Eui Joon tells him he was fine and proceeds to go back to his room, but Geon Woo frightens him when he says he was already being nice. And then we get this:

"Ah, I don't mean it that way... Just a while."

That gentle tug is honestly so uncharacteristic of the usual ruffian behavior we often see from Geon Woo. It's a nice sweet detail that proves what he says in Chapter 26 (when he finally confesses) that he treats Eui Joon differently from others.

Eui Joon cries his heart out to Geon Woo, and Geon Woo just lets him. Afterwards, Eui Joon resolves to forget about Hyeon Woo. By finding someone, hmm, more physically endowed.

"I must find someone more good-looking than him. With a nicer body... And a bigger dick!"

Clueless guy basically described the man beside him.

To that, Geon Woo says:

"How long have you known me? You really dare to say anything like that in front of me?"

Which comes off as slightly hostile at first. The next panel shows a dark aura surrounding Geon Woo, which Eui Joon interprets as distress from his implications of doing it with him—whose sexual preference so far remains ambiguous (In the side stories, we learn that Geon Woo himself struggles with figuring this out.). But then, he surprises Eui Joon when he slowly leans in to kiss him.

CUE SEX SCENE! I pitied Eui Joon a little because he wasn't really in the best state when Geon Woo offered this. In Geon Woo's defense, though, from the moment he found out that Eui Joon was gay he saw doors opening. When Eui Joon said something like that, I think his attraction to Eui Joon finally caught up to him and he couldn't resist the opportunity. He definitely wasn’t distressed by the implication of Eui Joon’s words; he was distressed by the decision he had to make—to go through that door or not. Because he knew he wanted it, even though he was constantly denying it from the start.

“This dirty thought wasn’t something that I have planned from the beginning.”

The day after, Eui Joon is a little rattled. He doesn’t know how to treat Geon Woo after that—not when he realized that sex could be that hot and satisfying (uwu). Geon Woo appears to be unaffected while Eui Jon’s brain is in knots about everything. But the questions Geon Woo asks tell us that he’s beginning to show Eui Joon a little emotion. He asks to see Eui Joon’s face to inspect the healing bruise he got yesterday (the one that Geon Woo covered with a bandaid—which was so sweet, huhu). And then, he asks if he was tired after school.

“Let me see your face.”

“School classes. Are you tired after taking them?”

From my perspective, he wasn’t just asking for the sake of being nice to the person he slept with. The story still hasn’t covered much of Geon Woo’s history to know whether he had been like this with his previous partners. Although there was a moment in Chapter 27 during one of their conversations when he gave us a little glimpse:

Geon Woo: It's normal to cry over pathetic things at your age. Eui Joon: Have you cried like that before too? Geon Woo: No. Eui Joon: Then how do you know that? Geon Woo: I just... know. Because there was a guy like that around.

From the time Geon Woo invited him out to drink, I think Geon Woo was genuinely concerned when he asked how Eui Joon was doing.

☙ ☙ ☙ ☙ ☙

Chapters 13-26

Geon Woo's love language, I think, is his actions. He fights off the gangsters that bully Eui Joon into giving them discounts or even paying for them from his own pockets so they won't have to. He gives Eui Joon food and medicine when he finds out he was sick (the morning after having sex with him in the car for hours, lol). He likes taking care of the person he likes. So in Chapter 26, when he "confesses" to Eui Joon, that was Geon Woo pointing out that he's been doing the same thing all along.

"I mean, look at me just once... What kind of person I am. How I treat you. Take a good look at it. If you think that I'm good, then pick me. If not, you can throw me aside." "But. Before you do, you should understand this. Until then, I don't intend to let you get away."

This "non-confession" (he actually tells Eui Joon it wasn't a confession) actually says a lot about Geon Woo. His attitude towards their relationship is very blunt and straightforward. Once he's made a decision, he stops listening to his doubts and stands by it. I don't really know when Geon Woo decided that he liked Eui Joon. It was more slow-growing. In the side stories though, we see him considering this big-time when this thought crosses his mind:

"There's the common phrase of having the opportunity to meet your fateful love. If there's a sign for it, would it be possible to stay vigilant?"

AHJUSSI YOU SOFT-HEARTED ROMANTIC I CAN'T T^T He becomes more bold with Eui Joon afterwards, but he's still a little prickly. He's constantly weighing his options, trying to figure out in what way will doing the things he does for Eui Joon benefit him, if at all. In Chapter 13, when a customer comes inside the store and forces Eui Joon to pay for what he bought, he's on the scales. But then the memory of that morning flashes through his mind, and he remembers how the simple act of Eui Joon giving him his number had made him smile like an idiot. He beats the customer for him, taking the money he owed, and gives it back to Eui Joon. He even manages to casually ask him out on a date. The guy can be smooth as fuck.

Eui Joon: Are you saying... we should eat together? Geon Woo: Sure. I guess I've done something worth compensating. Will you give me my reward?

Take notes, people! At this point, Eui Joon has gotten him wrapped around his finger, and he didn't even know it! Of course, Eui Joon still thinks their relationship is only purely sexual, but then Geon Woo begins doing these uncharacteristically tender gestures that Eui Joon initially interprets as Geon Woo giving him special treatment.

"Let me see your face." "School classes. Are you tired after them" "I'm thinking that... You'll look good in short hair, too."

And Geon Woo even tries to initiate a conversation with Eui Joon when he feels like Eui Joon couldn't take the awkwardness. A good example was when Geon Woo treats him dinner at the restaurant.

"...." "Is this your first time coming to this kind of place?"

Somehow, these things he does still feel kind of forced, like he was genuinely annoyed at Eui Joon and everything he did. Even when he asks to do it with him again and Eui Joon refuses because he was still sore, there was a moment of frustration that shone through.

It was a sign that Geon Woo was still confused about the things he was feeling towards Eui Joon. He knew he wanted him physically, but then he doesn't take up the woman's offer that evening after Eui Joon refuses him. It wasn't actually written on paper, but knowing Geon Woo's character he might have felt uneasy about going through with it. Not particularly on Eui Joon's behalf, but it may have been unconscious because of his budding feelings.

His feelings were something that rattled him, and he was usually undeterred in any kind of situation. What rattled him more was that Eui Joon didn't know anything about what he was going through.

"Being naturally attracted to you, and going through unfamiliar emotions. This feeling should only be felt at an adolescent age."

We're seeing him from behind again. The use of this perspective in manhwas / mangas / comics usually makes you feel like can't tell what the character's thinking about, but most importantly that they're most likely about to go do or SAY SOMETHING DAMN IMPORTANT. Like, maybe, telling their feelings to the person they like!?!?!

"Eui Joon-Ah. I like you."

ASDFGHJKL DID ANYONE SEE THAT COMING?!?!?!

That actually surprised me hella lot. I'd originally thought Geon Woo was the tsundere type, but he was more honest with his feelings than I believed. However, he hadn't been completely convinced by these feelings until Eui Joon had offered to break it off. Suddenly there was an exit to his situation, but he didn't really feel happy about it. He was frustrated at not being able to properly understand what his words made him feel. Because the truth was he didn't want to break things off. He just wouldn't admit to himself at the time that the reason was he actually wanted Eui Joon.

We could see him debating it himself, poor thing:

"I didn't expect myself to be in a situation where I couldn't even understand my own feelings. I should've figured it out the moment I couldn't understand my sexual preference. I'm not that young anymore... What is this?" "No... It could also be a spur of the moment... It doesn't seem to be like that. It might also be due to pride, but I feel it's not necessary for these kinds of feelings to affect my pride... But even when it's like this, I still want to..."

Geon Woo decides to "have a little fun" before conceding to Eui Joon's request to "end their entanglement". But I've noticed that whenever something bothers Geon Woo too much, he takes a smoke. When Eui Joon makes the suggestion, Geon Woo does just that.

The slightly rough way in which Geon Woo treats him afterwards shows his frustration. He grabs his arm roughly and pulls him towards the car, but he doesn't realize he was hurting Eui Joon's wrist with his own watch until Eui Joon whines in pain—at which point Geon Woo just laces his hand through his instead. Which I thought was so sweet T^T

When Eui Joon freaks out about doing it at the school where he studies and asks Geon Woo to consider it for him, Geon Woo says, "Do I have to consider that for you too?" And when Eui Joon asks for him to do that, Geon Woo replies, "I guess I've been too nice to you." THE MAN WAS FREAKING FRUSTRATED!!! Geon Woo even challenges him to stay quiet, telling him no one will hear them if he does. Throughout the whole thing, Geon Woo wanted to dominate him, daring him to take what pleasure he could give him, but with an aggression that bespeaks the storm in his heart and mind. Reading it back, I realized just how damn hot that scene was. I mean, goddamn. After Geon Woo admits his feelings, there's a serenity about him afterwards. He no longer has to second-guess taking care of Eui Joon or expressing what he felt towards him. He gives him food and medicine the next day since he caught a fever. He "invites himself" to watch a movie with him since they both had nothing to do for the rest of the day. The guy was basically courting Eui Joon, haha. Not a confession, my ass XD

And then, when Eui Joon opens up about how he rejected Hyeon Woo, Geon Woo tells him he'll also wait for him for around three years T^T

MY HEART I CAN'T T ^ T ☙ ☙ ☙ ☙ ☙ So that's kiiind of a long breakdown. I included as little pictures as possible. Copyright and all that. I just really like this series so far. I want to be able to read the original someday. Hopefully I'd be able to learn Korean T^T. If you like this as much as I do, chat me up =D would love to hear other thoughts.

[notchesandbullets]

Saving Her (Ojiro Mashirao x Wolf!Reader)

Part 2 : Aizawa’s reluctant dad side kicks in when he sees you’re clearly distressed, fast friends with Midoriya, fluff with the girls of 1-A, Todoroki and Sato.

Word Count: 5.7k 

Bowing your head in defeat thinking that there was nothing you could do to possibly change his mind, you started to shuffle towards him when you were stopped.

"Ojiro-san..." You whispered.

He refused to move his tail. He refused to let you go.

"Aizawa-sensei, please," He was desperate, worried out of his mind at what would happen if you were left alone.

If he wasn't there to protect you.

He gritted his teeth, holding back as best as he could. "Don't do this."

"Do you want her to be safe or do you want her to be with you?" Aizawa's eyes were serious. "Because those are two different things."

The boy fell silent beside you.

"Here, she's exposed. Her whereabouts have been leaked to your classmates and while I don't blame you for the incident that occurred, you have taken responsibility for her." The older man continued despite your head ducking down in shame. "This is what's best, not only for her, but for the rest of you."

He directed that last part over your shoulder and you glanced over to see all the boys from earlier as well as a couple more unfamiliar faces that obviously had been roused from their sleep due to all the noise.

Aizawa sighed, really not wanting to argue or go up against one of his most dedicated students this late at night. "You have to remember this dormitory was built to ease your parents' worries. They entrusted your safety to us and we are responsible for you."

The air suddenly got a lot more difficult to breath.

"I told you that you would have to earn my trust back." He said, rough but even voice cutting through the silence like a knife, alluding at something you didn't understand.

You didn't want this. You didn't want to make things hard on everyone or cause a fuss.

"I'll go."

Ojiro's expression of surprise gave way to pain. "Y/N..."

"They'll be safer if I leave, right?" You met Aizawa's blank stare bravely despite your knees knocking together. "I want to protect them, too."

Protests rose from the other students at your determination, the majority of them pleading for you to stay, much to your surprise. But their teacher wouldn't budge and slowly, they had no choice but to give up. As much as they wanted to get to know you better, it seemed like that would have to wait.

You looked up at Ojiro, sad to have to leave but knew it was the best thing to do for now. As you moved to take off and return his hoodie to him, he halted your movements.

"Keep it." He urged, a slight blush present on his cheeks. "I don't want you to get sick."

With a small smile, you thanked him quietly, promising to give it back when you were able to see him next. He returned your smile at the prospect of there being a next time before unwinding his tail from around you.

You followed Aizawa to where he was staying so that he could make a phone call from his office. You took a second to peer around the cluttered room curiously but dared not explore. Unlike Ojiro, he didn't seem like he would take kindly to you poking around his things.

Suppressing your instinctive curiosity, you gulped when he hung up the phone, approaching you with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"For now, you can't stay on the school grounds until we figure out some kind of legal guardianship." He relayed, being rather straightforward and clear cut with you. "I'll walk you to an inn for tonight."

"Ah..." You trailed off as he fixed his gaze on you, shuffling your feet awkwardly. "T-Thank you Aizawa-shi, but I-I can... take care of myself. I don't want anyone to get in any trouble and I know it will reflect badly on UA if you are caught harboring me, so..."

Letting out a heavy sigh, he walked past you as you rambled, opening the door. "Just hurry up."

You walked quickly, not wanting to fall behind as he strode on ahead of you, paying your entire speech no mind. You didn't know whether or not to be thankful or offended but greatly leaned towards the former. It was true that you had enough survival skills to look after yourself but life was much harder when there wasn't anyone in it.

It took about an half an hour by taxi but the night was nice and Aizawa instructed you to hide your ears and tail as well as not talk to anyone else.

You followed him to a quaint inn at the outskirts of UA's property, checking in at the deserted lobby, Aizawa paying for your room for the night. Unable to help it, you started to wander, curiosity taking over.

The walls were decorated with vintage wallpaper, curling slightly at the edges when one panel would fade into another. But while the air inside felt musty and the carpet was stained with faint shades of tea and coffee, the fresh flowers at the center of the lobby brought a smile to your face.

Once you were out of earshot but still within his field of vision, Aizawa turned to the owner.

"Make sure she gets whatever she asks for." He told him gruffly, handing him a bunch of yen to compensate for the trouble. "Food, blankets, whatever she needs."

"Y-Yes, of course, sir." The owner babbled, stunned by the sheer amount of money he had just handed to him.

You spun around, yelping frightfully when you face-planted into Aizawa's chest. He steadied you, sending you a glare that one could only decipher as a warning. Backing away quickly, you apologized profusely until he cut you off, telling you not to make so much noise.

It was late and he had a headache.

Chastised, you followed him up the creaky stairs, coming to a door with green paint peeling off of it.

Aizawa arched an eyebrow, then internally shrugged, using the key to open it. Inside, there wasn't much. A twin sized bed was crammed next to a lumpy couch he was assuming had a pull out cot, a table and a single chair in the corner along with a small bathroom.

He sighed again, wishing that he brought his sleeping bag. That would've been more comfortable than this.

Flicking on the light, he drew the curtains closed. Sparing a glance over his shoulder to make sure you were still alive since you hadn't talked since he entered, his eyes narrowed when he found you with your back pressed against the door, eyes widened in alarm.

Your knuckles were white from where you were clutching the doorknob, nearly breaking it in the process and the sound of it rattling is what drove him to finally break the silence.

Recognizing the patterns of your behavior, he turned around to face you, keeping his shoulders relaxed and maintaining eye contact with you. Trying to appear as non-threatening as he could possibly get, he forced his jaw to unclench.

You let out a shaky breath you didn't know you had been holding in when his expression softened. If you didn't know any better, it almost seemed like he was being kind.

"I don't know what you've been through but I'm not going to do anything to you, kid." Aizawa murmured and you were taken aback by how the edge to his voice disappeared when he was talking with you. "I also know that might be hard to believe coming from a stranger, but it's late and you need to sleep."

He had a feeling you would react like this and while initially he had planned on leaving and going back to the dormitory to get some shut eye before the sun came up, something compelled him to stay.

He wasn't sure it was because of your reaction but regardless, he wasn't leaving now.

This area wasn't well protected and if anyone saw you coming in and him leaving, they wouldn't hesitate to take you. He didn't know how well informed the Quirk Traffickers were but he wasn't going to take any chances.

Waving his hand towards the bed lined with fluffy pillows, you hesitated before timidly laying down as he suggested. Now, you realized what he was doing. With you here and him there, he had maximized the space between the two of you and didn't block your access to the door in case you needed to flee.

Your ears flicked nervously as you got under the covers, trusting him a little bit more. "What about you?"

He exhaled, eyes closing, swollen bags already present under them. "I won't move from here. I'd leave you alone, kid, but I'm not sure that's a good idea since those guys that are after you are pretty persistent."

Your eyebrows knitted together, contemplating if it was a good idea to ask him.

He had just started dozing off when your shy voice asked, "You're a hero, right?"

Humming nonchalantly, he hoped you would drop it there but you didn't.

"Is..." You played with your fingers, tail flicking back and forth. "Is there any way I can become one?"

That piqued his curiosity.

You stiffened when he cracked an eye open, piercing your soul.

"Why don't we talk about it more in the morning, kid?" He finally said.

Unable to conceal your eagerness, you beamed at him and he crossed his arms over his chest, which was rumbling with laughter. You shifted, getting comfortable and promptly fell asleep. For the first time in a while, you didn't stir once during the night.

He stared at you for a little while longer, gaze growing fond. For a kid to have gone through as much as you have, you sure appeared pure and untainted. Your energy was infectious.

A nightmare for the constantly exhausted underground hero.

Hmm... maybe this kid won't be so bad after all.

The next morning, you were awoken by the light of the sun for the first time in years only to be shocked when a steaming hot plate of sausages and fried rice with eggs were placed by your bedside.

"Aizawa-shi?" You yawned, rubbing your eyes sleepily.

"You don't have to be so formal, kid." He told you. "Aizawa-sensei is fine."

During the night, he had moved from the corner to keep an eye on the door. Sometime around 3 am, he had finally fallen asleep and when he woke up, there was an annoying crick in his neck.

Your nose scrunched up as you sat up, accepting the plate of food he offered you. "But you're not my sensei."

He shot you a look at your cheeky reply and instantly, you shut your mouth, stuffing your mouth only to cry out when you burned your tongue. He scolded you immediately and rushed to get you a glass of cold water.

You smiled sheepishly as he made you drink some before instructing you to blow on your hot food before shoveling it in your mouth like that. This time when you resumed your breakfast, the silence wasn't harsh or stifling like last night. It was lighter.

"I would be if you attended UA."

You dropped your chopsticks. "Huh?"

After more thought and a lot more details from him, you learned that when he had contacted Principal Nezu late last night for the third time. He had asked if it would be possible to enroll you in the general studies course until they could figure out a safe place for you.

Going to school would put you on a lot of lists due to the information the school had to provide for the government and it wasn't his initial plan since you wouldn't be able to hide in the blink of an eye with no paper trail, but he couldn't think of anything else after that fiasco that Ojiro had informed him of last night.

Plus, with you enrolled in their school with literally pro-heroes everywhere, you would be well protected simply within UA's walls. And if you ever went missing, he could already think of twenty students who would come to your aid.

You were silent at first, mulling it over. Your fluffy ears twitched every so often as you ruled out other possibilities until a wide smile spread from ear to ear.

You bowed at him, popping back up with your eyes shining, heart touched that these people you barely knew were going so far for someone like you.

"I would be honored, Aizawa-sensei."

You spent most of the weekend alone since he had other responsibilities that required his attention but he always came by at lunch to check on you and then again at night to keep watch while you slept. You argued that he didn't need to do all of that but strangely enough, he insisted and you conceded, unsure of how much you could push the issue since he was your senior.

Before you knew it, the weekend and Class 1-A's break was over. It had been four days since you ran into Ojiro and you couldn't lie. You missed him.

Badly.

Aiawa had classes to teach and you were looking forward to seeing Ojiro and Yaoyorozu and the other girls again.

For the past few days, he hadn't let you leave the motel room.

The innkeeper, who you learned his name was Jin, often came to keep you company when you requested some food. You felt bad for making him do so much work but he never seemed to mind it. In fact, he rather seemed happy to have someone to talk to.

You were supposed to leave at the same time as Aizawa the day classes resumed but were so taken with the invention of the bathtub on the way out that he had to leave before you. Heaven forbid he got fired because he was late in helping you figure out how a shower worked.

Which is why you were confused when he kept finding excuses to stay longer until he admitted to being uneasy leaving you to walk to UA alone. You teased him and he rolled his eyes. But in all seriousness, who was going to try their luck in broad daylight?

No one was going to snatch you in front of a bunch of people.

He had nothing to worry about.

After a very long and thorough lecture of safety he hammered into your head to keep the door locked at all times and to stay away from the windows, only to follow it up with all the emergency protocols you were to follow if you were being followed or attacked.

To be honest, you nodded your head through it to show that you were listening just to appease him.

He finally left an hour later and you were free to do what you wished without him quietly worrying away in the corner that you were going to hurt yourself.

It was becoming a known thing that despite your keen wolf senses, you were very clumsy.

Aizawa found it oddly amusing and horrifying at the same time.

Deciding a bath was in order, you filled up the tub with warm water, washing away all the grime and blood that had accumulated over time with a soft hum of contentment.

Once that was done, you got dressed and finally left, bidding the Jin, who was at the counter a warm farewell and thanking him for the many meals.

He waved goodbye to you, telling you he hoped you would come back and visit soon even if it wasn't to stay at the inn and you nodded eagerly, promising to visit him in the future.

You skipped down the pavement, making sure your ears were sufficiently hidden under the hood and tail tucked away thanks to the excessive length of the huge sweatshirt. You thanked the heavens above that you had been born with normal eyes.

The last thing you wanted was to have to wear sunglasses all the time.

Three hours later, you were standing out the gates of the school, completely smushed against the security gate and getting trampled on by the press in their chaos to try and find a way to break in.

Geez, their persistence was annoying.

You would've gone another way if you knew one. This was the only route in and out of the school as far as you were aware.

Squealing when you took a tumble as someone shoved you a little too hard, you winced as you tried to catch yourself from falling, only to scrape your knees when you landed on the rough cement.

Ouch... You grimaced, pulling down on your hood to ensure that it wouldn't slip off and expose your ears. That one hurt.

Puffing out your cheeks, you concluded you weren't going to get anywhere so long as they were here. You took your chances, taking off for Heights Alliance.

Just as you thought, the building was locked but you sniffed the air, eyes lighting up as you spotted the same boy from last week. You had caught him talking to Ojiro before and he had taken the liberty of introducing the two of you. He was sitting on the front steps with a somewhat distant look in his eyes and a small notebook in his hands.

"Midoriya-san!!"

He turned at the sound of your voice, visibly lighting up when he saw you.

"Y/N-chan!!" He greeted enthusiastically, then dropped his hand in concern at your disheveled appearance and bloodied knees, running out to meet you. "What happened?!"

"Ah," You winced, flashing him a canine smile full of guilt as if it was your fault you got hurt. "I got pushed around by those people crowding the front."

Pulling a key from his pocket, the boy laughed along with you before unlocking the front door. "Aizawa-sensei tells us not to talk to them, but I'm pretty sure Kacchan has threatened them before."

You tilted your head, puzzled. "Kacchan?"

That name didn't ring a bell.

He enthusiastically explained the rivalry of his childhood friend as he navigated you through the common area. You sympathized with his story, listening attentively when he mentioned how desperately he wanted to be friends with him and admired him.

Ah, so Kacchan was the explosive pomeranian.

You smiled when he told you that recently things were starting to change between them and hugged him happily when he mentioned that maybe they would finally get to be friends one day.

"How are you so nice to him after he tormented you like that?" You asked, genuinely curious and in awe at how his bullying didn't harden his heart.

Midoriya shuffled towards the kitchen. "Kacchan acts mean but he really isn't. He's really strong so I think he just doesn't want to look weak."

His thoughts rang through your head and you fell silent when he didn't elaborate.

Actions speak louder than words, huh?

Sitting down on one of the couches, you followed him with your eyes as he rummaged through something under the sink. "What are you doing? And aren't you supposed to be in class?"

He straightened up with a small huff, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Ah, well, they're training today and Aizawa-sensei says I'm not allowed to participate until I learn how to fight without injuring myself."

You tapped a finger to your chin as he came over with a duffle bag in his hand, sitting a respectable distance away from you. "But if you don't train, then how will you get there?"

Midoriya just smiled easily, eyes turning into crescents. "He doesn't really mean that but today he actually wanted me to make sure you got here okay."

You jolted at that.

"He what?!"

"Yeah," His brow furrowed but then smoothed over once he found what he was looking for. "I know it probably seems like Aizawa-sensei doesn't care that much but he actually does, and a lot, for us."

He told you about the USJ incident and the lengths he had gone to protect them when the League attacked.

You were speechless. Sure, this was not that new to you since you had experienced his rugged, begrudging version of kindness over the past couple of days but to have someone go out of their way to make sure you were safe and for them to actually agree to it was a whole other thing.

To hear that you weren't the only one who experienced that side of him made your heart feel warm.

Aww... he's such a softie.

"Ojiro-kun wanted to do it but Sensei said he needed to work with Ectoplasm on his tail movements." Midoriya explained, not noticing the pink that dusted your cheeks as he mentioned his name. "Here."

Blinking, you stared at him for a beat before you realized he was holding something out to you. "Oh!!"

You took the pair of athletic sweatpants with a questioning glance. "What are these for?"

He blushed, stammering. He didn't think he would have to explain it. "W-Well, y-you know, Yaoyorozu-san always k-keeps an emergency bag for these kinds of things and I-I don't think she would mind."

You giggled and his nerves faded a little in wake of your bright laughter. He gave you some band-aids and ointment to apply on your scrapes after you cleaned it.

"That's really thoughtful, thank you." You said.

He scratched the back of his neck shyly, matching your smile before packing away the rest of the things while you went to go change.

Fortunately for you, the slight injury wasn't severe. There was only a slight discoloration from where you had impacted the pavement surrounding the patches where a couple layers of skin had come off.

As soon as you finished taking care of it and put on the pants he had given you over your usual shorts, you exited the bathroom only to find Midoriya in the same place you had left him.

"So, class?" You asked, now that he had fulfilled his mission from Aizawa.

He smiled sheepishly, holding up his phone. "Ah, about that..."

Apparently, the police were held up by traffic at the moment and couldn't deal with the press that were still disrupting the students and staff. One had been foolish enough to try and cross the sensor without a pass, causing the UA barrier to activate. No one could get in or out for the time being.

Since they just built the dorms recently, the teachers were working to extend the barrier around the new buildings but it hasn't been finished yet. Instead, Cementoss created a high wall to keep outsiders out while the finishing touches would be put in place.

So while you couldn't go to school, you also couldn't go anywhere else.

Midoriya sighed, looking awfully forlorn. "I'm sorry, Y/N-san. It looks like we'll be here for a while."

"That's okay!!" You cheered, plopping down next to him, not wanting to see him so sad. "This will give us some time to talk, right? What's your story?"

He was surprised you were able to let go of it so quickly since you seemed so eager to see his classmates, then shook his head as confusion hit him like a truck. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what made you want to go here?" You asked, tucking up your knees and resting your chin on top of your knees. "Why do you want to be a hero?"

The look that crossed his face was one of unbridled joy and determination as he launched into his story after hearing that you wanted to know about him. That look in his eyes only grew brighter the more excited he got and his energy was contagious.

You couldn't help but cheer along at his moments of triumph as he relived the memories.

It connected into him showing you his notebook where he wrote down everything about all sorts of heroes once you asked him how he managed to keep track of everything he had told you in his brain.

The two of you were so engaged with your conversation, hunched over the coffee table as he tore through his notes that neither one of you heard the front door open.

But the loud chatter that flooded the common floor had you both springing to your feet in an instant.

"Welcome back, everyone!!" Midoriya greeted enthusiastically as his peers crashed the party. "Y/N-chan is here!!"

You smiled happily as Ashido launched herself at you, smothering you in a hug.

"Y/N-chan, you're back!!" She shouted excitedly. "Yayy!!!"

"I hope it's alright that I'm borrowing these." You tugged on one of your ears self-consciously as Yaoyorozu greeted you just as warmly. "There was a minor incident earlier."

The raven-haired girl waved you off automatically. "Of course it is!! That's what it's there for after all. You can keep those, I'll replace them later."

Jaw dropping open in surprise at how cool she was, you just managed to catch Uraraka as she flew at you at breaknecking speed. You returned her hug, smiling and bobbing your head along with her as she caught you up on all the latest things that had happened since you were gone after making sure you were okay.

It was almost weird. Almost like you fit right in.

You had only met them once last week and yet they were all so eager to befriend you. You thought you should've been more wary of them but they didn't seem to mean you any harm. Your gaze eagerly scanned for Ojiro, only for your tail to droop slightly when you didn't see him.

Hagakure giggled, picking up on your disappointment. "Aizawa-sensei asked him to stay behind for extra lessons today, but he'll be back later~"

If the invisible girl was visible, you were almost sure you would've seen her wink.

After that energetic yet warm welcome, you were ushered further inside as the boys took over the common space to hash out some friendly competition through a game of Smash.

Bakugou was banned, he broke one too many controllers in his fit of rage last time.

You stumbled through the hallways and jittered nervously as you and the girls took the elevator up to Yaoyorozu's room.

It was rather cramped, given that all her furniture was a lot bigger than her bedroom could handle but that just meant you all could sit in a circle on her enormous bed.

Hagakure eagerly asked if she could paint your nails to which you stammered out you weren't exactly sure what that meant.

An array of shocked gasps had the girls scrambling in a flurry to grab anything and everything needed for an evening of relaxation. Jirou even grabbed her guitar while Yaoyorozu left to go make some tea. Uraraka got to work on detangling your hair, in awe of your fluffy ears. The two of you were caught giggling hysterically as Asui came through the door with the elder girl balancing a tea tray in tow.

The next couple hours consisted of you getting to know Asui better, the frog girl preferring you call her by her first name, Tsuyu, and the girls spoiling you rotten, completely ignoring the fact that they had homework due tomorrow.

You were floored.

Your stomach started to growl and your cheeks pinked when Ashido shrieked at how adorable you were.

Jirou just barely stopped herself from smacking her friend, you were clearly hungry.

Yaoyorozu asked if you would like something to eat and you bowed your head, folding your hands in your lap.

"... If... If it's not too much to ask for." You said quietly.

Yaoyorozu cooed and Hagakure squealed, practically dragging you out of the room and back downstairs. Uraraka and Jirou stayed behind, needing to get to work on a project that wasn't due until the end of the year, but wanting to get started on it now so that they didn't have to do it later.

Midoriya was nowhere to be seen once you got downstairs, but the other boys hadn't moved since you had last seen them with a few exceptions.

Kirishima and Kaminari were still lounging in the same spot but had turned the TV off and had textbooks spread out before them.

Shoji, Aoyama and Iida were in the adjacent corner, all three of them looking up when Ashido bounded over to them.

Asui went over to where Tokoyami was studying, and the two of them started studying for Midnight's upcoming exam.

Sato was in the kitchen when Yaoyorozu came in, greeting her politely when she asked if he could help her make something for you to eat. He blushed a bit, saying how he didn't have much experience cooking since he was more proficient in sweets but that he could try.

"What's going on?"

You turned around at the unfamiliar voice as Yaoyorozu greeted him, with a slight twinge of relief in her tone.

"Todoroki-san!!" Yaoyorozu smiled. "Do you know how to make any meals? Y/N-chan is hungry."

The boy with two-toned hair debated the situation, brow knitting in concentration.

"I'm not sure." He said slowly.

He wasn't sure he'd be able to make you something satisfactory. He really only liked to eat one thing and therefore only knew how to make that well.

"Do you like soba?" He asked you.

You tilted your head, the word not ringing any bells. "What's that?"

Todoroki cracked a small smile at your curiosity, then pushed up his sleeves and immediately got to work alongside Sato while Yaoyorozu fetched what he needed.

You wanted to help them but seeing as how you had no idea what it was or what they were doing, you decided to leave them to it. Sitting on the same stool at the kitchen island as the first night when you came here, you interjected occasionally to grab something they seemed to be looking for in an attempt to not be entirely useless.

Sato was the one to reassure you that there wasn't much to do in preparing it and that your food would be done soon.

Five minutes later, Todoroki was pushing a bowl of hot soba towards you. Sesame and ginger wafted through the air from the broth and your nose scrunched up cutely, bright eyes going wide as you salivated.

"It smells really good!!" You cheered.

A subtle but relieved smile made its way onto his face at the compliment and he handed you a pair of chopsticks. You had been fed hot food so rarely you weren't used to cooling it down before you ate it. You dived in, recalling Aizawa's instructions from before and blowing on it first before tentatively taking a bite.

They were really tasty for something that looked so simple.

You beamed, soup dribbling down the side of your chin once you tasted it. "Thank you, Todoroki-san, Sato-san, Yaoyorozu-chan!!"

The boys bowed while the girl diligently wiped your chin with a napkin and patted your head, happy you liked it.

Content that your needs had been satisfied, Yaoyorozu asked if you wanted anything else before she got started on her homework for the night. You shook your head, thanking her once more before she left, Todoroki following not long after.

Finishing your soba, you watched curiously as Sato whisked something together in a large bowl, checking on the paper on the counter before pressing a couple of buttons on the oven.

"Whatcha doing?" You asked, nose twitching,

His gaze flickered up to yours and he smiled. "I'm making a chiffon cake. Would you like to try it once it's done?"

You beamed, practically drooling at the thought of it already. "Yes, please!!"

The aromatic scent of chocolate hazelnut made your mouth water as he pulled it out of the oven.

He made casual conversation with you as you stared longingly at the cake that had to set first before he cut it. You were surprised to find out that he liked baking more than cooking but nodded your head understandingly when he explained his quirk to you.

"That's so cool!!" You exclaimed, flapping your hands excitedly. "You convert all of that into power and it makes you stronger?!"

"Yes, but it doesn't last very long." Sato told you as he sliced the confection carefully. "And my brain doesn't work as well but it is quite handy to have in a difficult situation if I have some snacks on hand."

Your eyes lit up when he handed a generous slice to you on a plate rimmed with cherry blossoms. It almost looked too good to eat.

Almost.

You waited until he got back from distributing it to his peers who were still in various spots on the common floor before sharing it with him so you could eat it together. Of course he didn't remember to save any for him.

"Isn't this a lot of work?" You mumbled around a mouthful of cake as he explained how he'd been trying all sorts of new recipes. "Doesn't it get tiring?"

Sato nodded, cleaning up his work space and grabbing new bowls from the cabinets. "Yeah but it's worth it since it helps me with my quirk. Besides, I get to share it with everyone when they're done."

You giggled, pointing at him with your fork. "Yes, that's definitely a plus."

A hearty guffaw erupted from his lungs, causing several others to look over in your direction but your smile only grew wider.

You made someone laugh. Really laugh. It made warmth bloom in your chest and you kicked your feet happily, chomping on the last bit of cake with a blissed out look on your face that was equal parts from the confection and your new friend.

He might've looked intimidating but he was nothing but kind.

The front door cracked open and your head turned at the various greetings that came from around the shared space had your eyes widening.

You dropped your fork and it clattered on the countertop of the kitchen island.

"Ojiro-san!!"

Taglist: @katsukis-sad-angel​