#why would he explain himself to Daniel??? why would he want to protect himself from daniel

[loumandforyou]

Armand + why would you say that if you have only met this man once

[honeyjynxxed]

DeadTired Draft

"You're very good at pretending to be a shadow."

Tim's voice shook Danny from his quiet note taking and he looked up at his study partner with furrowed brows and confusion on his face. "I'm sorry?" It was as much a question as it was an apology which meant it was neither really.

Electric blue eyes pinned him in place, and Tim looked at Danny as if he had just said the sky was green. "If I had not been partnered with you in our ecology class I wouldn't know you exist. No one at this school knows you exist besides the staff and even then you're a name to a face to a grade. Nothing else. You're very good at pretending to be a shadow, a bodiless thing gliding along the edges of society."

Danny bit his lip slightly, mulling these words over. Tim was right of course, he never allowed himself to make waves, he stuck to the background of any place he was in, and really he was surprised that he wasn't more noticeable with how often Tim Drake-Wayne was his study partner. "I guess...I've never really like attention anyway. Why, you stalking me, Drake?" He raised a brow at the other boy, attempting to hide his confusion behind snark. He hardly ever used Tim's last name, either of them, but this seemed like an appropriate time to do so.

"Hiding something, Nightingale?" Tim snarked back but there was a bit of genuine questioning under his tone that had Danny tensing up in his sit, gripping his pencil a little too tightly in his left hand. "I can only contact you through your student email, you don't have a phone number or a phone period as far as I can tell, you have a laptop that barely works and seemingly requires a blood sacrifice to do the most basic of tasks. You live on campus but you never let me see your dorm, you never agree to meet me anywhere but the library on campus and I just-" He lets out a heavy sigh and runs his hands through his hair and suddenly Danny is a lot less tense in his seat. When Tim's eyes settle on him again there's genuine concern there and it breaks his heart. "I am worried. Daniel Nightingale doesn't exist outside of this college and it makes me think you're running from something or someone. If that isn't the cause then by all means please tell me I'm overstepping but Danny..." Tim reaches across the table that separates them and grabs at his free hand. "If you need help I'm here, ok?"

And oh...oh Danny's core positively sings in his chest at the admission. Protection was a major obsession for Danny and the way Tim talked, the way he explained his thought process, it made Danny feel warm and fuzzy inside despite the permanent chill in his body. Tim wanted to protect him and wasn't that so sweet? "I-" Danny stuttered before a sad smile was spreading across his lips and he gave the boy's hand a gentle squeeze. "I appreciate that but unless you have a way to somehow get an entire government organization disbanded and legislature revoked then I'm afraid this is out of your ballpark."

And really, Danny should've known better than to open his fat mouth. He should've known that the Fenton luck would bite him in the ass with his first real friend since Sam and Tucker. Tim may have dropped the conversation after that but by no means had he dropped the topic entirely. No instead apparently he had somehow gotten into contact with the Justice League because less than two weeks later Batman, Red Robin, Superman, and John Constantine of all people were waiting for him inside his dorm when he got back from a late night of studying.

What.

The.

Fuck.

[hvnnigrvhm]

the tragedy of armand in dubai is the fact that he genuinely likes daniel. yes, there is a threat there, and he hates how good at digging daniel is (as every liar despises the truth), but despite it all, for some unknown to us reason, he has an outstanding amount of sympathy for a boy he tried to once kill. that’s why at the end he is getting outsmarted and beaten. it’s because once his emotions stepped in, he wasn’t as guarded anymore (should i quote, unaware of the plotting around him because he was in love?).

armand tortured daniel back in sf, thinking him unimportant. it was louis who saved him. and yet in dubai there is a weird shift of the dynamics. in dubai it’s louis who messes with daniel’ parkinson’s and armand is the one to stop him. someone who likes to chase his mortal victims and gets the thrill out of them begging, suddenly decided that this mortal didn’t deserve that kind of a treatment. it’s louis raiding daniel’s memories and armand trying to clear the air, thinking it have gone too far. it’s armand apologising to daniel after louis raided his mind, explaining to him that he was invited there as a guest, trying to maintain a hospitable atmosphere in the house. it’s armand taking care of his levodopa transfusion and it’s armand getting weirdly intense about the last dinner and dropping that mysterious sentence “i do hope you’ll join us”, as if he actually cared.

what conclusions might be there apart from the obvious? in san francisco he wouldn’t have cared if daniel died, that’s how inconsequential he was to him, and for some reason fifty years later armand is weirdly protective of him. he still stays in the shadows, and only shows his concern once there is a crisis on the horizon. armand likes him, and for someone who never wanted the interview to happen he is weirdly drawn to their conversations and wants to actually tell him things about himself. something once again he would have never done in san francisco. if that’s all not a proof that the dm happened in between those decades, then i don’t know what is.

[unadulteratedsoulsweets]

A DC X DP IDEA #41

Say Uncle.

Imagine dis…

I don’t have much to say about this one just the fact that when you are buying alcohol to celebrate New Year just make sure not to drink it all at once despite the holidays…

Ah, the hangover: nature's way of reminding you that your liver is not, in fact, a miracle worker, and your brain did not sign up for the tequila marathon.

And no, this prompt is not about just that. I want to get this idea off my list before I completely forget about it.

…

The night when both Martha and Thomas Wayne met their demise Alfred already swore himself to protect the two young masters that were left behind. Bruce at the young age of eight witnessed his parent's murder and death, just because the boy insisted on watching the latest film with only the three of them young master Daniel’s insistence. Daniel, who was only 5 years old caught a nasty cold and was prompted to stay inside the manor to get better. Young master Daniel insisted on the three of them enjoying the film instead of staying at home just reminding them to bring him souvenirs to not be completely left out.

Tasked with raising two young boys both boys felt sadness and guilt for each of their own despite not having to feel guilty about it. Young master Bruce for insisting to go at the theaters and young master Daniel for insisting on a souvenir.

The media with all of its cameras stared down at the Wayne name and manor as it was the tragedy of the century as the Waynes are not only the wealthiest of the socialites but also one of the founders of Gotham City. All metaphorical eyes went to Master Bruce, why only him you ask? It is all because young master Daniel had not been introduced to the public eye as it had been some sort of tradition to the Wayne’s to teach their children at the age of 7 to have them enjoy privacy and have the children at a certain age to understand the dangers of media.

With young master Daniel still technically hidden Alfred made the hard decision to further hide the young master through the system. Both boys of course protested through tears and shouts from both boys. Of course, Alfred tried to explain to the boys for their protection and Alfred assured the boys that he would use his connections to watch over Daniel.

…

Fast forward and the two brothers despite having a secure line of communication simply strayed apart. Maybe it’s because of the distance or maybe it’s because of talking to each other less when both entered their teens, but I say because of secrets…

With Bruce, he had traveled the world training to become somebody, somebody who can prevent tragedies like his can ever happening again. To protect and make a difference to the place that took his parents away. He kept silent about Danny, his training, and his turning into a crime-fighting vigilante. He wanted Danny to stay safe the last family he had, to stay in the life he had built, from what Danny had told him from the rare chances that they both got the time to chat. Bruce kept on thinking to himself that it was safer for Danny. The lack of knowledge of both the public about his bio brother and Danny’s knowledge about his nightlife made Bruce’s nightly chant to himself justified.

…

Danny scanned the manor, it had been a while since he adjusted the cuff of his fitted suit. He hadn't been here in years, and Bruce hadn't gotten in touch with him outside of Alfred's regular chats and the rare times the brothers even called the other.

As far as the world was concerned, Bruce was "dead." The family he hardly knew was shocked to learn that Danny was named guardian of the remaining Waynes in his will. This prompted Alfred to explain who the supposed relative of theirs and began tidying the manor as if the queen herself was going for a visit.

The moment Danny entered the manor both Dick and Jason had their eyes on him. As the two who had been with Bruce the longest apart from Alfred, they should have already heard something about the man from Bruce, even a slip of the tongue but nothing, so they have every right to be wary of their supposed uncle who has actual biological connection to Bruce.

Their apprehension was only increased by Danny's striking similarity to Bruce. He had the same sharp blue eyes, but his expression was gentler, and the same sharp jawline, but it was tempered with fatigue rather than unwavering resolve.

Danny made significant adjustments during his brief time as their new guardian. Without Damian ever hanging onto Dick like some sort of life Line, Dick has now the time to properly sort out his feelings and mourn for Bruce. Jason despite the bad blood between father and son is also seeking professional help as per Danny’s wishes to sort out his thoughts and with Danny slowly filtering out his ecto to a much healthier one. Tim finally had a sigh of relief when he saw their supposed uncle handle the board like an iron fort. He had managed those elites as if Danny had the experience dealing with old men that thought to be the center of the universe. Finally, Damian, who at first struggles with the supposed usurper to his supposed birthright begins therapy that focuses on undoing the works of a cult, as per the suggestion of the usurper’s foster sister.

Slowly but surely they finally had a sigh of relief to the civilian side of their lives, as Danny kept the Wayne co flourishing and the nosy journalist away from them especially Damian since he is the only biological son of Bruce Wayne despite adopting Dick, Jason, and Tim first.

 On the other hand, their vigilante life is full of tension, as Tim supposedly found evidence of Bruce being alive. Dick and Jason kept pushing on to Tim that he is full of grief to accept Bruce’s death and brush his claims. Of course, Tim tried to find more definite evidence but was later banned from the Batcomputer for his mental health.

…

It all came to a head when a sleep-deprived Tim stumbled into the dining area for breakfast with the rest wearing his robin suit and sweatpants and a haphazardly worn domino mask on his face. As Danny is about to ask Tim about his sleep, Tim not recognizing who he is talking to begins a floodgate of information.  The partial evidence, Gotham’s criminal activities, the number of vigilantes needed to wear the cowl to ensure no one could suspect that something happened to Batman and so much more.

By the time Tim ended his rant he saw a pale-faced Dick looking at him with pure disbelief, Jason and Damian looking at him with murder in their eyes, and finally, Alfred holding a tray of freshly squeezed orange juice so tightly that it began to shake.

Tim is now dreading whatever expression the person is in front of him. Tim now slowly looked at Danny’s… Contemplative face?

All of them are now holding onto their breaths looking at Danny waiting but for what?

Danny blinked, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he muttered something under his breath, too low to catch. Then, slowly, he raised his hand and tore open the air, as if cutting something in midair.

A green rift shimmered, pulsing with an eerie light reminiscent of the Lazarus Pits, though a bit brightener. Before anyone could react, Danny reached into the rift with the ease of someone retrieving a misplaced item and yanking a battered figure through.

Bruce Wayne, still wearing his Batman suit, though, stumbled into the hallway, his cowl pushed back to reveal a rare expression of wide-eyed shock.

The rift closed as abruptly as it had appeared, leaving only each of them with their respective jaws dropped and wide open.

Danny looked at Bruce as if scanning any injuries and let out a deep sigh of relief.

And uttered a single sentence that seemed to come from Danny’s inner mind.

I can't believe you turned into a furry fruit loop.

Immediately turned around and left the still-shocked family with their minds still rebooting at what had just happened. Bruce, for his part, could only stare after him, his mind racing to catch up.

…

Danny on the other hand is mildly a bit stressed, don’t get him wrong. Having Dan, Ellie, and Klarion as his kids is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to him, he just wished that the kids the rare chance they have their truce would send their home straight down the deepest rings of hell. As much as he had a clear reason to fight off some demons after so much adventure in terms of retrieving their house it got so old that it became a hassle.

 Let's also talk about how chatty Mom and Dad have been ever since his older brother Bruce became a crime-fighting furry, and when he started adopting kids as if they were Pokemon. Bruce doesn’t have to catch them all, and stop encouraging him, Danny wailed to his ghostly biological parents. As much he adored his nieces and nephews, he densest need to know from his ghostly parents how many flips Dick did with one hand or how many books Jason added to the library or how many albums of pictures Tim had, or even how adorable Damian is.

So imagine his surprise that in the middle of him sorting out paperwork, he is now an official guardian to his nephews since Bruce had “died”.

At first, he was hesitant on top of his children, for, he has an entire realm to sort out. Add to the fact that he didn’t feel Bruce’s spirit enter his domain. Bruce’s kind of lifestyle along with his nieces and nephews already guaranteed them a spot in the realms.

So when Tim exploded out of sleep or just needed someone to vent it made him send out a silent question to Clockwork. There he was, his dumb older brother, falling through each timeline, he simply grabbed the scruff of his neck and pulled him back to the present.

As Danny left the manor, he silently wept for the added paperwork that he expected to be added as well as damage control to whatever chaos his children got themselves into.

….

 PS: If someone out there wants to continue or make a fic about this you are free to do so, don’t forget to tag me though.

[keykoso]

Formula 1 drivers as High School students

To spark some creativity and to practice drawing faces I challenged myself to draw all the current and some retired F1 drivers as if they where high school teachers or students for my F1 spiderman AU. So let's start from the begging.

The Seniors

Max Verstappen: A little bit of information on Max. He sits outside the music classroom because the piano music calms him down but he always leaves before Charles exists the room because doesn’t want to admit that he enjoys it. Max has big anger issues and a talent for boxing. Because Daniel, as the PE teacher, noticed that Max was potential he gave Horners number. Daniel was Horner’s pupil back in the days but they had a falling out. However Daniel knows that only Horner can shape up Max to his full potential. In this AU Horner has a boxing school.

Charles Leclerc: Charles has the best face card in school but his fashion sense is his downfall. Also Charles was bleached tips (00s vibes). Also also Charles is convinced that Artur started that rumor but Arthur pleads innocent. Lando is having the best time in the world because of that.

Lance Stroll: Lance is like the super rich but Esteban sees the real him, this introverted kid that just wants peace and quiet. Lance adores Estebans non stop talking that is way they are always sitting together at school assembly and at lunch. Basically, Lance let's Estaben do the talking.

Estaben Ocon: Esteban is the go to guy at school if you need any help especially if you can’t reach something.

The Juniors

Oscar Piastri: Oscar is the Spiderman of my f1 spiderman au. He has the personality of Andrew Garfield Spiderman. Smart smart kid. Lando is always copying homework from him. Hamiltons favorite student. Lewis looks out for Oscar because he sees that the kid has brains but for some reason the brightest pupil is always sleeping in his English class. Oscar noticed that Alonso is interested in him, but his spidey sence is saying that something is up whit him. So as the story progresses Oscar is keeping a distance from his science teacher. However, Lando works for Alonsos lab so that makes it complicated because Oscar wants to protect his best friend

Lando Norris: Lando has this Harry Osborn portrayed by James Franco vibes. HE IS NOT THE GREEN GOBLIN in my au. I'm sorry but I will not hurt my precious baby. The class clown who's always dragging Oscar along with his pranks and antics.

Yuki Tsunoda: The short kid with anger issues. Car guy, always talking about them and dreams about owning a Nissan Skyline car. Has a mood board for his dream cars. If you missed a school fight he's the guy whit the tea.

Logan Sargeant: The exhange student. Keeps it to himself. Only here for one year. Oscar befriended him at science class.

The Sophomores

Liam Lawson: The Lightning McQueen kid, he's the type for guy that would do anyting to be popular and play the guitar to the girls on there first date. Barbie movie reference. An if anything happens to him, Liam runs to the teacher to complain about it. If any of the school teachers see him coming they start running away.

Franco Colopinto: The girls guy, absolute romantic, can get away with anything because he knows how to smooth talk his way out of trouble. However, for some he disappeared for a period of time. Nobody knows here he went. But when he got back Franco acted as if nothing had happened.

Jack Doohan: Because Jack wants to be tiktok famous he shaved his head in the school bathroom while Liam filmed it. It did go viral and he got called to the principals office. Also Jack is like the biggest sunshine and I alot of girls adore him but he's clueless why that is, so he usually never notices the attention he gets.

The Freshmans

Kimi Antonelli and Ollie Bearman they met in preschool. Oli was dressed as a bear for halloween and because he was already the tallest kid in class Kimi really thought that Oli was a bear. Of course the teacher had to explain to Kimi that that’s just a costume. Since then they’ve become friends. Oli always laughs at that moment and Kimi as a shut up gift have Oli a teddy bear that he keeps in his locker. Also Lando believes that Oli and Kimi will become the next pranksters after he and Oscar graduates. That’s why George is absolutely terrified and tries to befriend the younger freshman so that we could discipline from the start. However, the fact that Kimi for some reason has a get out of jail card from Toto him and Oli absolutely abuse this power. Lando noticed that and is super jealous because he’s always sitting in detention.

Gabriel Bortoleto: Gabriel and Oli got drunk together and forgot that they have an exam at Alonso’s science class. Fernando understood that the boys were shit faced but he pretended not to notice Oli sitting in class with sunglasses and drinking energy drinks while Gabriel was as pale as a paper sheet.

Isack Hadjar: because he was this foreign accent he got confused with Logan and was placed in the junior class. Nobody even questioned his existence but Yuki noticed that Isack is absolutely lost at the curriculum. Isack explained that he’s not the exchange student and after lunch break he was back with the freshman. That’s the story how Isack befriended Yuki.

NEXT PART - THE TEACHERS

[hugsandchaos]

Seeing Double

Part One, Part Two, Part Three

Summary: A ghost who looks a lot like Phantom comes to him in search of protection, and their newest member instantly agrees. He calls her his little sister, and sooner or later, Phantom also might end up with a new brother.

*bangs pots and pans together* @vixen-uchiha, @starlightcat04, @blueliac, COME GET Y’ALL’S JUICE!!!

Phantom smiled to himself looking up at the night sky. The event he’d been waiting for finally started a few minutes ago, the top right “corner” of the moon was dark with the tiniest hint of red on the “edge”. He was pretty grateful for being allowed to go outside for the lunar eclipse. Especially since the other members of Young Justice got to tag along as well. He could hear Wally explaining the specifics of the event to Conner below, but ignored it.

Phantom was well above the trees so he could get a perfect view of the lunar eclipse, so it wasn’t very hard to ignore them. Especially since he was so happy about what he was going to see soon. And by soon, he meant an hour or so. Since they were so far out from the city the civilization in general, Phantom also had an amazing view of the stars. It seemed like every second he spent looking at them instead of the moon, a new one would pop into existence. Or he’d recognize another constellation.

He leaned back so he was floating with his back facing the ground and crossed one of his legs over the other. He folded his arms over his abdomen and smiled fondly, acting as if he was laying on solid ground instead of being in midair. Then a small blue fog of smoke came out of his mouth.

Phantom quickly swung himself upright and looked around. He really didn’t want to deal with any ghost fights right now, he just wanted some peace. As he scanned the area around him, he noticed something in the distance. It definitely wasn’t a star, and it was too small to be a pod. It might be the ghost he had sensed being nearby.“Phantom?” Robin called out. The ghostly hero glanced down below.”Everything alright?” He asked.

Phantom nodded and went back to looking at the ghost.”Yeah, just a second. I think I see something.” He yelled back. He squinted his eyes to try to see if he could recognize the ghost. It didn’t take long for him to figure out who it was, and when he did, a huge smile broke out across his face.

“Danielle!!!” Phantom called out.

He quickly rushed towards his younger clone. He didn’t notice his friends calling for him, but he noticed that Dani had definitely spotted him since she was also hurdling towards him. They reached each other somewhere midway and Phantom slowed down enough before they practically collided with each other. Dani didn’t really slow down as soon as him and knocked him back a little, but he wasn’t too fazed by the impact and wrapped his arms around her.

He hugged his sister considerably tighter than he usually hugs people, and spun around a bit as a small way to release some of the new, excited energy. Dani laughed a little as they spun, then he stopped.”How have you been?!” He asked excitedly.

“I’ve been great!!” She said. They both ended the hug with big grins on their face, very happy to see the other after months had passed. Phantom was about to ask her about her time apart from him, but she opened her mouth to speak.”I’ve seen so many cool things that I wanna tell you about, and guess what?!“ She asked. She held her mouth open and pointed at the upper part. That’s when Phantom noticed her canine teeth were a bit bigger than a regular human’s.”I’ve grown fangs, like yours!” She exclaimed. The older halfa gasped softly. He wasn’t quite sure what emotion had just swelled up in his chest a little, but he’s felt it before, and it was definitely positive.

Was it pride? Was he proud of her? He wasn’t sure if that was it or not, but the feeling remained.”That’s so cool, Dani! They’re fang-tastic.” He said.

Dani’s grin grew a little bit wider when he said that.”Why, fang you!” She said. Suddenly, her expression changed drastically from pure excitement to what looked like distrust. Her eyes looked at something behind him, and Phantom quickly turned around to see what or who it was that caused her reaction.

Megan was floating there.”Who’s your friend, Phantom?” She asked kindly. Phantom calmed down a little and smiled again. He glanced back at Dani again and noticed how she looked a little confused, but still defensive. He floated back to be next to Dani.

“Hey, Megan! This is my little sister. She has the same powers as me.” He said. Him talking with his friend so calmly and casually seemed to help Dani relax. Which was what he was hoping for.

Megan’s smile grew as she looked over at the other halfa.”Really?! You’ve never mentioned your relatives before!” She said. She held a hand out.”It’s really nice to meet you, Danielle. I’m Megann! Well, Megann is my Earth name.” She introduced herself. Dani glanced over at Phantom. He knew what it was she was asking and gave her an encouraging nod. With the affirmation that it was safe, Dani smiled and shook Megann’s hand.”Nice to meet you too.” She said with a small smile. For a moment, Phantom was happy that they hadn’t met her in some kind of fight or had a misunderstanding. Then he remembered something pretty important. Not wanting to make it awkward, though, he decided to try to play it cool.

He gave Megann a slightly apologetic look.”I’m sorry, but would you mind letting us chat for a bit? We have a lot to catch up on and talk about, and something tells me it’s going to get a little personal.” He asked politely. He tried to make it understandable and reasonable, and to him, that sounded like a good explanation. He’s been pretty private about his life before he joined Young Justice, anyways.

Megann nodded.”Oh, yeah, of course! I’ll let the others know what you’re doing if they ask.” She said. The older halfa agreed with that idea and nodded to show it. The martian turned around and flew back to the others, and once she was gone, Phantom glanced over at Dani.

She turned to him at the same time, also looking pretty serious. Seemed like they both had something to say.”You go first.” Phantom said. Dani remained silent for an extra minute. Phantom waited until an idea of what it was entered his head, and he didn’t like it one bit.”It wasn’t Vlad, was it?” He asked. Dani shook her head.

“I was... I was spotted by one of them.”

Those words briefly made Phantom’s core stop. The sweet moment suddenly turned way more sour than he was expecting. His eyes widened in shock and horror and they both floated in silence for a while. With each passing second, Dani looked more and more like she’d start to cry. Tears were slowly starting to form, but she was holding back.”I don’t want them to catch me... We both know I can’t go into the Ghost Zone, so... I didn’t know what else to do.” She said. Her voice came close to cracking at the end.

Phantom quickly pulled his mind back together. An urge to protect his sister began to block out the fear he also felt for her and he pulled her into a hug.”They won’t get the chance. I’ll do everything to make sure of it.” He said. He wasn’t entirely sure how he’d be able to actually protect her against part of the government, but he wasn’t lying. He was going to do whatever he could to protect her from the Guys In White. Dani hugged back.”Thank you.” She said.

“Anytime.” Phantom said. It was practically obvious to him. As long as his core was still vibrating and his heart was still beating, he’d protect her against anything.”But listen, my team doesn’t know I’m a halfa. They only think I’m a ghost. I think you should say the same.” He said. Dani nodded.

They soon ended the hug and Dani looked better than before. Phantom noticed something above and pointed behind her.”Look at that.” He said. Dani followed his gaze and let out a small, amazed “ohh” under her breath when she saw it. The lunar eclipse wasn’t complete yet, but it was getting there. A part of it was still white, but the majority of it was getting more and more red, and even looked a little orange.”I saw one of those before. Lunar eclipse, right?” She asked.

“Mhmm.” Phantom confirmed.

The two remained there for only a few minutes, watching the moon change ever so slightly, before Dani filled the silence again.”Can we meet the rest of your teammates?” She asked, turning to face him.

“Duhh! This way.” Phantom said, then flew to where his friends had set up camp.

It was a pretty short flight, and once there, his teammates were already looking at them. The group had used Megan’s bioship to fly out an hour or so away from the mountain and brought their own tents, and obviously some campfire snacks along with other necessities. They were all aligned in a circle with a sort of “entrance” facing the direction of the bioship. Phantom landed with Dani close behind and glanced back at her to make sure she wouldn’t get overwhelmed or anything. He wasn’t entirely sure how good her social skills were. She looked a little bit surprised, but overall okay. Phantom turned to his team.”Hey, guys! Hope you don’t mind one more.” He said, gesturing towards his sister. Dani smiled and waved at them.

Megan was the first of them to speak.”Not at all! Come on over, the eclipse is getting closer.” She said. Dani accepted the invitation and began walking over to them. Phantom obviously followed.

He noticed Conner looking a little surprised, but brushed it off since everyone seemed a bit surprised to learn that he apparently had a sister. Dani floated off the ground to be more at eye level with his friends.”How come all of your friends are taller than me?” She asked, glancing back at Phantom. He just shrugged and grinned.”I guess you just got the short end of the stick.” He said. Dani rolled her eyes and looked back at them.

“I’m Danielle! It’s nice to meet all of my brother’s new teammates.” She said. Robin held his hand out and Dani accepted it.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I’m Robin. That’s Wally, Artemis, Conner, Kaldur, and you’ve already met Megan.” He said. Phantom leaned closer to Dani and pointed at Wally.

“He doesn’t really believe in ghosts, so feel free to bug him when he’s not training or on missions.” He whispered.

Wally glared at him and Robin and Artemis both muffled a laugh behind their hands.”Hey!” Wally snapped. Dani gasped almost slightly offended, then grinned mischievously.

“Oh, I’d love to!” She said. Before she said something else, though, Conner spoke up.

“Megan told us you’re his little sister, but I didn’t expect you to look practically just like our friend. You could be mistaken for twins if it wasn’t for the age difference.” He said. He didn’t seem upset, and Phantom was a bit relieved about it. He didn’t think that Conner would start anything, but he had anger issues and had... negative reactions to being reminded that he’s a clone of someone who doesn’t like him.

Dani shrugged a little. “Well, yeah! I’m his clone, so of course I look like him and have similar powers.“ She said. The camp went quiet. The atmosphere wasn’t exactly heavy or intense, but it certainly wasn’t as happy and calm as before. Dani noticed the change and at first was confused, then she started to grow nervous. She glanced between Phantom’s teammates.

Finally, one of them spoke.“You said she’s your little sister.” Wally said. Phantom immediately hopped onto the defensive, but tried to remember about their treatment towards Conner and not mistake his confusion in his voice for something negative.

Dani seemed to make that mistake, though, since she began floating closer to him with a pretty nervous expression.”Yeah, because she is. Just because there’s no legal documentation or something doesn’t mean she can’t be my family.” Phantom said. Dani stopped right next to him and nodded in agreement. To her surprise and not her big brother’s, his friends all seemed almost a little heart warmed by this. Conner just looked surprised.

“That’s nice of you. To give her a family.” Kaldur said.

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t, but thanks?” Phantom said. Dani suddenly flew upwards and looked at the sky.

“Enough with the sentimental stuff, we’re going to miss it!” She said. The older halfa quickly remembered the reason they’d come outside in the first place and let out a small “oh”. He followed her lead and smiled at the moon once he was above the trees.

It was now completed and fully red. Sure, there was still a tiny bit of lighter red, but the huge majority looked a lot like blood. It was a little creepy, but Phantom still couldn’t help but admire it. It was amazing, and made him almost forget about the talk he’d need to have with Kaldur and Red Tornado, and possibly the rest of the league later. He’d think about that after the eclipse was over. For now, he was just going to enjoy the sight.

[aealzx]

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Despite not being comatose anymore, Danny’s health still wasn’t the greatest. After getting introductions for who everyone was they had started to explain to him what had happened. Only for him to fall asleep again before they got very far. After being assured by Bruce and Leslie that it was normal for those who had been in a coma to not be able to stay awake very long in the beginning, the others had found ways to entertain themselves while letting him rest more. When he woke up again hours later they let him orient himself again before trying to pick up where they’d left off. They had to repeat the same sequence again two more times before they got through the entire two months worth of events.

The hardest part of catching Danny up on everything had been admitting they didn’t know what had happened to Maddie and Jack. During the third time of being awake Danny had asked where they were, being confused why they hadn’t shown up to see him yet despite everything. And when Jazz had finally admitted it was because they weren’t there, and they didn’t even know if they were okay, Danny had panicked slightly. If he’d been in better health Jazz knew she wouldn’t have been able to stop him from running out into the city to try and find them himself. Yet at this point he couldn’t even push himself upright without help, and changing forms or even floating seemed impossible. Which had left him collapsed in Jazz’s lap, sobbing, “You don’t get it, Jazz! None of this matters at ALL if the people I care about aren’t alive! That includes mom and dad! None of this matters if they’re not okay too!”

Jazz knew that Danny really only fought to keep certain people happy. He’d protect everyone, sure. But the reason he kept going, the only real motivation he had for throwing himself in harm's way all the time, was to protect his friends and family. He did a lot of crazy heroic things, but he didn’t want to be some big time famous hero like she had learned Batman and Superman were. It was hard to not be able to tell him that he hadn’t failed. Only Sam, Tucker, and Danielle had been able to get him to calm down by reminding him how resilient Jack and Maddie were. Despite all the fights they got in, it was very rare that those two got hurt. So odds were they were still just fine after this disaster too. It had been enough to calm him down at least enough to stop crying, and allow himself to rest more. But his words still rang in Jazz’s head the next day.

Throughout the days Leslie was present more, checking Danny’s vitals, drawing a little more blood for another panel, bringing him room temperature water to sip in the afternoon. She strangely didn’t try to get Danny to eat anything until the next day. When Jazz asked about it Leslie had explained that while Danny definitely needed to eat again, there was a chance he wouldn’t be able to handle it just yet. While the cryo stasis had helped him not deteriorate as much as anyone else would have over a two month coma, he still had. He was underweight, malnourished, and easily fatigued. And that included his digestive system. She tried to help by giving Danny another vitamin IV with a slightly different formula. But even with that the first time she’d let him try eating two plain crackers he’d ended up throwing up less than an hour later.

That was when Bruce happened to come check on them. With the biggest hurdles for now having been taken care of, most of his kids had gone back to their own homes, as they usually did. It was hard to keep them around for more than a few days, and while there was still the task of getting these displaced kids back home they all knew that could wait until Danny was feeling better. Especially after learning through bits and pieces of information that there was a government team back there that would just love to hunt him down the first chance they got. So with Duke and Damian currently at school that left the house rather empty, and Bruce found himself taking charge of checking on their visitors. He had learned a lot about them in the past two days. The kids were obviously used to helping patch Danny back up, without the help of any adults. But they still relied on Danny being okay to feel secure. Danny was the one that protected them. Danny was the one they relied on being okay to judge whether or not everything else was okay. When Danny was cracking jokes the others were at ease. But when Danny couldn’t force himself to reassure them, there was a harsh spike in their anxiety. And usually Jazz was the one that took charge, trying to keep them all calm and reassured.

It was an unfair, but understandable situation that didn’t allow for Danny to truly rest. And that was what motivated Bruce to enter the room and approach the kids this time, stopping by the connected bathroom to grab a soft towel first. Jazz was once again the only one sitting on the bed while the other three hovered nearby, waiting to be directed. Her hands were on Danny’s back and arm as he was curled over the bucket Leslie had made sure was left just in case, coughing and half heaving despite there being nothing left in his stomach. Bruce couldn’t imagine how much stress it must be to have an audience, so decided the first thing he’d do would be to get the others to disperse. When he raised his hand to Tucker’s shoulder he couldn’t blame Tucker for jumping in startle.

“D’dude! You scared me,” Tucker protested shakily.

“He’ll be alright,” Bruce chose to assure instead of apologizing for inevitably sneaking up on the kids. “Can you three go work with Alfred to find a change of clothes and bedding?”

The three almost jumped on being given something to do, a series of affirmatives before they scurried from the room. Bruce sent Alfred a text to request he keep the three of them occupied for a while then knelt down next to the bed and offered the towel to Danny. It seemed his stomach had decided to stop throwing a fit for now, and as Danny took the towel and buried his face in it Bruce relocated the bucket to the nightstand. He didn’t need to wipe his entire face, but from that angle Bruce hadn’t missed the tears, and realized Danny was hiding.

“Jazz, can you join the others?” Bruce requested on Danny’s behalf. “And find Leslie to help waterproof his injuries so he can have a bath?” Not only would that give Danny some time away from the others, but he actually really needed one too. A fact Bruce realized when he’d reached up to help pull Danny’s hair out of his face. He’d probably feel a little better after getting fully cleaned up for once too.

Jazz seemed reluctant to leave, but at least seemed to know when her presence was a detriment more than comfort. She knew her brother well, and after leaning down to give Danny a peck on the head and whisper a quick ‘I love you’ she headed out the door.

“...Am I even allowed to have a bath?” Danny’s question came after he was sure Jazz was gone, raising his head and looking and sounding as miserable and pathetic as he probably felt.

“Of course you are,” Bruce assured, using his thumb to brush away another tear that escaped when Danny blinked. “We’ll just have to waterproof your injuries and IV site. But then you should be fine to take one for as long as you want.”

“...Really?”

“Yes.”

The idea of getting some time to himself was welcomed, but after realizing what he was thinking Danny’s expression crumpled again, and Bruce had to raise a little to catch him as we swayed. He was a little surprised when Danny actually curled into him then, his form shaking.

“Sorry,” Danny whimpered, and Bruce couldn’t keep himself from gathering the boy up in a tight hug. “...I’m not okay.”

That sounded like it had been incredibly hard to say, and Bruce had to wonder if it was something someone had been working on with him. He’d heard from Jason that it was relatively recent that Danny’s parents even knew what he was, let alone what he’d been going through. Perhaps one of them had been the one to talk him into letting them know when he wasn’t doing well.

“...I know,” Bruce responded quietly as he moved to sit on the bed and pull Danny into a ball. Everyone knew Danny wasn’t doing well physically. But Bruce knew he wasn’t just talking about that part of his health this time. “You’re going to be okay though.”

It felt good to be held by someone he didn’t have to protect. Someone that he didn’t have to pretend he knew what he was doing for. Act like he was just fine and nothing fazed him. It had been something he had just started getting after his parents got involved with all aspects of his life, and he hadn’t realized how much he would miss it until they weren’t there to give him that comfort. Jazz had a habit of calling out the fact that he was just a kid, but she was too, and couldn’t quite give him what he needed. But Bruce was an adult. And someone who seemed to have also lived through similar injuries. Hearing him say he’d be alright felt like a stated fact instead of just a confident reassurance.

It didn’t take long for Leslie to arrive and expertly shoo Jazz away again to help Alfred with the others. She wasn’t surprised at all to hear that Danny had thrown up, and instead just assured him he was going to be okay, and to think of it like having the stomach flu. The comparison did wonders in helping Danny calm down more, to the point he was only sniffling quietly as she took care of dressing his wounds in a waterproof covering.

“Don’t scrub too hard on the edges of the bandages when you’re washing up, okay?” Leslie directed while rubbing the said edges of the last bandage she was placing around his arm to encase the temporarily detached IV. She’d taken some time to clean the sites that would be covered so Danny would be able to feel completely clean after his bath, and was pleased to see he was healing a lot faster now that he wasn’t in some sort of stasis mode. She wouldn’t be surprised if his wounds were completely healed by the end of next week at this rate.

Danny gave a small hum in acknowledgement, understanding that he couldn’t break the seal if the bandages were going to work properly. The desire for an actual bath was strong enough that he was willing to comply with their conditions, even if it meant he had to have Bruce in the bathroom with him, just in case. It made sense considering he couldn’t go to the toilet on his own just yet, but at least Bruce had promised to stay facing towards the door as long as he could. He also had his phone with him to work on his own projects, so wouldn’t even try to get Danny to talk to him.

It was exhausting, but Danny also didn’t realize just how much it would feel good to be clean. To not have his scalp itch, and skin feel like a layer of grime was coating it. And also just to lounge in the warm water, in the silence and almost complete isolation. He was there for a little over an hour - dang fancy rich people's tubs and their ability to keep the water just right - before it became uncomfortably apparent he wasn’t just imagining the aching starting to get worse. Which led him to reluctantly using his foot to nudge the plug out to allow the water to drain and reaching out to knock his hand against Bruce’s shoulder.

“Done already?” Bruce asked easily, glancing over his shoulder halfway.

“Morphine is wearing off,” Danny admitted with a grimace, resting against the side of the tub.

“Ah,” Bruce nodded in unfortunate complete understanding, turning his phone screen off and tucking it into his pocket while grabbing the towel and soft robe to hand to Danny. “Let me know if you need help.”

Danny hummed once again to acknowledge what was said, but stubbornly took care of at least getting the bathrobe on himself on his own once the water had drained. Unfortunately he had to ask for help to get out of the tub, still too weak to lift himself up or stand. But Bruce didn’t react differently towards this than if Danny had simply asked for help opening a jar or something. It was nice.

Alfred had already brought a pair of soft pajama pants and fluffy socks when he’d returned to change the bedding as well. And once Danny was dressed Bruce had carried him back to the edge of the bed where Leslie could double check that the bandages had worked, get the IV reattached and another dose of morphine going. He found he was so worn out from the simple task, but also found that once the morphine did its job taking away the aches and pain he did feel a lot better than before. Enough that Duke pausing in the doorway while returning home from school didn’t make him feel too wary.

“Oh- First post injury bath?” Duke asked, pointing a finger at Danny as he noticed the bathrobe on the bed and Danny’s still damp hair. When Bruce nodded, Duke grinned. “Nice! Those always feel amazing somehow. You should take him to the couch next.”

“The couch?” Danny couldn’t help asking. Was it just the family room couch or something different?

“In the study. It’s quiet in there, and being stuck in bed sucks,” Duke explained. “I bet he was actually already planning on taking you there. After living here I came to find out Bruce is actually really good at helping people feel better. Even though he’s not perfect, no one is, he still makes a nice dad-”

“Duke,” Bruce interrupted, a slight scowl hiding his embarrassment. “Make sure you have enough time to finish your homework before patrol.”

Other people may have been put off by the glower, but Duke just laughed. “Sure sure. I’ll meet you in the study?”

It took Danny a moment to realize Duke was talking to him, and couldn’t keep his shoulders from drooping. He didn’t really want to entertain people yet, he was already feeling physically drained on top of emotionally.

Surprisingly Duke picked up on the mood easily. “I’ll keep quiet. Promise. But trust me when I say it’s really nice,” he offered, easily picking up Danny’s anti-social vibes.

“...Sure. We can try,” Danny accepted, figuring he could at least attempt the idea since Duke didn’t seem to want to spend the time talking.

It was just a few more minutes for Leslie to finish giving him another routine checkup and add an anti nausea patch behind his ear before allowing Bruce to pick him up again. Danny inevitably felt tiny as Bruce was able to carry him with just one arm, leaving the other free to bring the IV pole with them. But he found he didn’t mind. It had only been two days of him being awake in that bedroom, but Danny found getting to leave the room was nice. The study was quite a ways down the hall, and when they reached it Alfred was already there.

“I’ve provided the usual snacks for Master Duke and Master Damian. There’s also a thermos of warm broth that Dr. Thompkins has approved for Master Danny to try if he’s up for it. I will continue to keep the rest of the children occupied until supper,” Alfred informed, bringing their attention to the mentioned food on the low table in front of the very plush couch.

“Thank you Alfred,” Bruce responded simply, heading further in the room to get settled.

There was a fire crackling gently in the fireplace, keeping the room pleasantly warm despite the autumn chill outside. There was already a slight frost on the windows, but the glass was the only thing that reflected that cold. All the colors of the room were warm, and the faux fur blanket Bruce grabbed to help bundle Danny up in only increased the cozy feeling the room had. It was quiet, as Duke had said, and comfortable. Even when Duke and Damian joined them to work on their homework they rarely spoke. And when they did it was in low voices, and to each other about their homework or school day.

Danny had accepted being brought there with the thought that he’d have to end up asking to go back to the bedroom later. But after having spent some time quietly looking around the room his gaze had settled on watching the fire. And slowly the crackle of the wood, soft scratch of pens and pencils, rustling of paper and quiet taps of technology muddled into a soft haze. Eventually Danny’s eyes drooped closed as the soft sounds and comforting warmth became a lullaby coaxing him to sleep. 

Duke was right. The couch was pretty nice.

_____________

This entire chapter was unplanned X'DD but I ain't complaining.

Bruce was as hard to draw as Dick was 8 | my art style is too cute coded for these rugged american comic characters.

Also I am extremely distracted translating a manga that not available in english just so I can know the story |D updates might be a little slower.

_____________

Tag list: @galaxy-sharks-and-bottled-ships, @starscreamlover, @nerdynonnativenarnian, @dragongoblet, @megacharizardx99

@bellathecatastrophe, @cj-ghostemoji-destielpie, @asexual-insomniac, @wolfeyedwitch, @tkiesai, 

@fanaroff, @raven1508, @nebulainajar, @serasvictoria02, @oliocelottafanfics,

@honeysuckletook, @omniithe-deer, @wolf-under-the-stars, @gingernutcalo, @that-random-fangirl,

@op-sys-chaos, @kirasigncomics, @ehobep, @paranoid-ira

[bellezaycafe]

Get Your Shit Together - Chapter 7

genre: 2024 and onwards AU, with the 2024 starting grid.

pairing: Romantic!oc x that triangle y’all voted on. Platonic!oc x the whole grid.

warnings: swearing, mentions of physical crimes, discussions about gangs, mentions of bars and alcohol. Besties arguing. talk about the accident in chapter 4.

context: Part 1 and Masterlist…

comments: here’s the Max and Sadie content I promised. I like to reveal details slowly, as you can tell. Also, I’m writing Oscar like he’s a genius because I can see him putting the pieces together before anyone else.

Also, I'm not referring to AlphaTauri as Visa Cash App Racing Bulls or whatever their rumoured name is.

The three time World Driver Champion grumbled as his phone buzzed. He was tired of people texting him. He wanted one day of peace.

Lando: you should have told me

Max: Told you what?

Lando: why sadie disappeared

Max froze and knew his peaceful day was gone. Either Lewis had spilled, which was unlikely, or Lando had found the Australian girl.

Max: Who told you?

Lando: she did

Lando: you should have told me

“Goddamn it, Lando,” he muttered and pulled himself off of his couch.

Max: I take it you found her

Lando: by accident

Lando: but yeah we found her

Max sighed and tapped the call icon. This would go so much faster if he wasn’t wasting time typing.

Lando picked up in two rings.

“Witness fucking protection, Max,” he greeted.

“Is she with you now?” It was the first thing on Max’s mind.

“No.“

He couldn’t see Lando’s face but Max could hear him pacing.

“Lando-“

“Witness protection, Max. Gangs! Attempted assault!” The boy was raging.

But Max picked up the details Sadie had never told him.

“She’s told you more than she did me. What attempted assault?”

Lando didn’t reply as another voice, faint from distance, interrupted them.

“No, I’m not giving you the phone. Go ta- Hey!”

There was a scuffle and Max Fewtrell’s came over the line.

“Max, mate. Can you stop this dumb fuck from doing something stupid?”

“It’s Lando Norris,” the Dutchman commented.

“Yeah, that’s the fucking problem.”

There was more background arguments which had Max impatiently tapping his foot.

“Right, I’ve got the phone now,” came Oscar’s accent. “And you’re on speaker. Do you want me to explain?”

Max grunted an affirmative.

“Right. Sadie works a bar at a restaurant about 45 minutes drive from here. Lando and Max went there for dinner because Daniel said it was good and low key. Lando recognised her, she recognised him. She drove him back to my mums house and apparently ‘explained what she could’ on the way.”

Max could hear irritation in the young Australian’s voice and wondered why he was riled up.

“Okay, and now she’s gone again?”

“Yes,” Lando whined.

“And she left without giving you a way to contact her,” the Dutchman guessed.

“Yes,” Lando grumbled.

“Sadie has our numbers,” Oscar added. “Lando’s and mine.”

“She’ll text you if she wants to.” Max tried to reassure.

“Will she?” Oscar asked.

“I don’t know,” the Dutchman admitted.

“She unpredictable,” Lando observed.

“No shit,” came Max Fewtrell’s voice. “She took your fucking car to the leg for you. If anything is unpredictable, that’s it!”

“Right, I’m going. You three can argue amongst yourselves, but trust me on one thing. Don’t chase her. Sadie is scared and she would rather hurt you than risk herself.”

“I don’t believe that,” Lando stated. “She risked herself for me once. She did it without thinking, she-”

“Lando, she was doing her job.” Max cut him off and he flinched at the harshness of his own voice. “I’m going. Don’t do anything stupid.”

And he hung up.

Then pulled up a contact he hadn’t touched since the beginning of November.

She answered faster than Lando had.

“He called you, didn’t he?” Sadie’s voice was a little distant and Max could hear the road noise. He knew her car had bluetooth and wasn’t concerned.

“Yeah,” Max sighed out the confirmation.

“Did you give him my number?”

The distrust stung.

“I swore that I wouldn’t. Kid, I haven’t even given it to Lewis.”

He heard Sadie sigh.

“Just checking,” she grumbled.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” A lie.

“Kid-“

“Max, I’m 21.”

“Don’t care. You keep lying to me and I’m gonna keep calling you kid.”

Kelly walked into the kitchen, still in her pyjamas despite the late morning. She immediately knew who he was talking to. She raised an eyebrow at him and poured herself a cup of coffee.

Max flicked the phone onto speaker.

“I’m fine, dumbass.”

“You’re not.” But he wouldn’t push, he’d learnt not to.

“I will be.” It was always the same answer, again and again.

“Alright well, check in with me like usual okay?”

Sadie muttered a confirmation but Max knew that she was debating a disappearing act.

“Sadie,” -he hoped using her name would connect with her heart, rather than her fear- “just the check in. You know you don’t have to do more.”

“I know that I don’t have to do anything,” she quipped. It wasn’t a snap, she’d never snapped at Max. “But okay, I’ll text you in December.”

“Thank you.”

“Have a good day, Max.”

Max rolled his eyes. Of course she had already worked out the timezones.

“Have a good night, kid.”

To be fair, he had too.

The call disconnected and Kelly placed her hand on Max’s. It was a silent reassurance that Max appreciated.

“Penelope will finish her TV time soon,” Kelly said as she kissed his cheek.

He snaked a hand around his girlfriend’s waist and drew her close.

“We should go out for lunch,” she added.

“Thank you,” Max said into her lips.

It was a grateful sentiment that held far too many layers for his tired mind.

——$——

December landed while Max was battling it out in Qatar. Oscar had taken Saturday's sprint, again, and fought hard during Sunday's race. The Dutchman had defended through the final four laps, fending off both Australians in cars that shouldn’t have been outperforming the Ferrari’s or Mercedes’.

But Oscar had pulled an impressive P2 for a second year in a row, and Daniel had been all smiles as he'd pulled his AlphaTauri into P3.

But as Max hauled himself out of his hotel bed on Monday morning, thoroughly hungover, he found a text from Sadie.

She'd set her own contact name in his phone.

Ego Crusher: All safe and okay here. I know that Qatar was this weekend, saw that you won. Congrats on another win. Congrats to Oscar for beating your slow ass in the sprint. He's good at keeping you on your toes.

Ego Crusher: I didn't tell you until now because I wanted you to focus on Qatar, but the trial started last Wednesday. Should finish Monday my time. I'll let you know what the result is. This is the last four.

Max hissed out a breath, both at his aching skull and her news. He checked his time in Qatar, 9:30am, and did the mental maths for Melbourne time. Sadie would just starting work, 5:30pm, if she had shifts during the trial.

The Crushed: Thanks for letting me know you're okay. I hope the trial is going well.

The Crushed: I know you said you don't want to leave Australia but if any of those dicks are acquitted I'm sending someone to get you.

He left his phone on the kitchen counter, poured himself a glass of water and contemplated his capacity for the energy of Daniel Ricciardo that day.

Max's phone chimed. He cursed at the sound's affect on his headache and flipped it over.

*new message from Ego Crusher*

So Sadie wasn't at work.

Ego Crusher: Yeah, yeah. You said that already. Tell Kelly I say hi and give P a hug for me when you next see her.

The Crushed: Will do.

The Crushed: Update me.

Ego Crusher: Will do :)

Max flicked his phone onto silent, texted an update to Kelly and went to put it back on the countertop. Before he let it go, it vibrated again.

*new message from Oscar Piastri*

He cursed in Dutch.

Oscar Piastri: I know you're in contact with Sadie. She told Lando and I about the trial back in Melbourne. We haven't heard from her and we're worried.

He swore again.

Max Verstappen: She'd kill me if she knew I told you.

Oscar Piastri: You just confirmed it but okay

Max Verstappen: If I said nothing Lando would try to find her again and then we'd all be worried.

Oscar Piastri: You're not wrong

Max Verstappen: She updated me overnight. Trial is still going but so far so good.

Max Verstappen: How long have you known?

Oscar Piastri: Figured it out after you hung up on Lando in Melbourne. You spoke about her like you knew her.

Oscar Piastri: And thank you.

Max finally set the phone down, sighed and cursed, again. His life had never been simple but he didn't know if it had ever been as complicated as it was since Sadie had appeared.

He had siblings. He had Victoria. He had quite a few of them amongst his father's numerous marriages. And he was familiar with the protectiveness that came with being an older brother, and essentially a step-dad.

But he wasn't quite sure how to protect someone who didn't want his protection. Or wasn't actually his sister.

----$----

I did promise some Sadie and Max. I didn't promise it was going to be sunshine and joy though.

@snubug @cmleitora @izzy-marvel @aquangxl

a few came up with “no blog found” so i hope they worked

[f1-disaster-bi]

https://www.tumblr.com/cosmicscuderia/783452008658141184?source=share

I read this and it made me think of mystery au and how lando keeps his secret 🫶🏼

Oooo those absolutely do remind me of Lando in that au!!!

Lando would be so good at turning conversation away from himself and his past. It doesn't matter if it's Max chatting with him at work, or Daniel trying to get to know him at the bar, or George and Alex walking with him back from the pub. He finds a way to constantly turn the conversation to the people he is with or something else going on, and it takes awhile for Daniel to pick up on what he is doing, but Max knows. Max knows because he does it when people ask about his dad and he just files it away as something Lando doesn't want to talk about.

Daniel definitely notices that the first time Lando comes to the pub with Max, Lando sits in a way that gives him a view of all the visable exits and how he watches them. It gets worse after the news that a survivor in witness protection has been killed, and Lando gets more jumpy no matter where he is before he disappears for a few days, locking himself in the house out of paranoia and telling Max he can't work cause he's sick.

Lando definitely flinches or has a weird reaction whenever anyone is nice to him, especially if it's something like a "hey let me walk you home" from Daniel or a "Do you want a lift?" from any of the others because that means Danger to him. He'd question every time someone buys him a coffee or a coke in the pub, or Max pays for their lunch or Charles offers to help him weed the cottages garden. He'd be so scared of letting people be nice to him because what if they hurt him? What if he lets his guard down and gets attached and they get hurt?

He also would want to confess, especially when he starts to fall for Daniel and gets closer with Max. Max is the closest to a bestfriend he's had in a long time. He wants to tell him why he is the way he is. He wants to trust him and have a friend to rely on and sometimes he comes close, he gets a word or two out of his mouth and then panic grips him and he says something else, and it's the same with Daniel.

Lando wants to tell Daniel. He does not want to lead Daniel on. He wants to show Daniel all parts of him so he can make a choice. He wants to explain the few scares littering his arms, the one around his wrist, the ones no one can see. He wants to show Daniel everything so he can either break Lando's heart or he can protect Daniel with the truth.

It's why he writes the letters. They are everything he can't say outloud, and he hopes they never get those letters and that he can tell them himself but when it becomes obvious it's his friends and Daniel or running to protect them, he sends the letters and runs

[piedpiperart]

Phantom of Gotham 10

Chapter 9

After breakfast, Tim, Damian and Danny went on the tour while Jason went to check out the library. It was Jason code for ‘I’ll be in the manor if you need me, but I’m avoiding Bruce’, and Tim appreciated that. It also gave him time to send Jason the files he’d uncovered about Danny. 

Unsurprisingly, Danny wasn’t from Gotham. Surprisingly, Danny had come to Gotham under a fake identity, one so well hidden even Tim wouldn’t have noticed if he wasn’t paying attention. The person who set Danny’s backstory was a great hacker, and Tim absently wondered if it had been Danny, despite the lack of computer coding classes in the boy’s schedule. He knew Danny was more proficient at chemistry and engineering. 

Nevertheless, Danny Folson was actually Daniel Fenton. He was from Amity Park Illinois, supposedly the most haunted place in the world. Just by reading that fun fact, Tim knew it wasn’t a coincidence that both Danny and Phantom had shown up around the same time, and berated himself for not noticing it sooner. He wasn’t exactly sure what their relationship was, or who was protecting who, but it was obvious Danny was a runaway. The only mystery now was what-or who- he was running from. 

Tim’s running theory is the parents, especially when he found the missing persons report filed by one Jack and Maddie Fenton, the town’s ghost hunters. Brushing off the creepiness of that, Tim dove deeper into the Fentons and found out they’d published a lot of papers about ghost portals, realms, ectoplasm, ghost biology, and worse, weapons. Based on their obviously biased research, Tim was not too surprised that they had invented more weapons and capture gear than anything else. It was worrisome, given that they had a rivalry with ghosts, yet their son was on the run with one. Or at least they were in contact with one another. 

Danny’s past was a big puzzle Tim was itching to put together, especially when they had more information on the GIW and Phantom because of it. Apparently, since Danny’s disappearance, the Fenton’s had partnered with the GIW. After all of Tim’s research on the GIW, he couldn’t help but be suspicious that so many people in Amity Park seemed to be aware of the ghosts, when no one else had any clue. Even the Justice League didn’t have any records on ghosts like Phantom, and Tim knew Bruce had gotten in contact with Constantine on the matter. 

Reading all of this in his phone, Jason grimaced. Danny had runaway from his weapon-obsessed ghost-hunting parents to Gotham a the same time an actual ghost showed up. Based on Tim’s reports, Danny running away had no catalyst, no big event for why. Jason could guess it had something to do with ghosts, but other than the GIW and his parents, the actual existence of ghosts were considered a hoax to everyone else in the world. 

The vigilante’s theory was that Danny ran after meeting Phantom, but still. Jason could tell something was off. Phantom had mentioned there were a few halfas in hiding, which, without knowing how they came to be or what their abilities are, it would be difficult to find them. Then again, Tim had thought Danny could possibly be one. It would explain running away from his parents who hated anything to do with ghosts. But Jason and Tim didn’t find any evidence of meta abilities besides a slower than usual heartbeat, possible resistance to cold, and lack of appetite. All of those could be just regular human quirks though. 

For now, they needed to talk to Phantom. If Danny turned out to be a halfa, they needed to find out how to help keep him safe and healthy. No doubt being homeless put a strain on his body, and given that there were only three halvas around, they could assume no one knew exactly how to treat them medically. Jason sighed running a hand through his hair. He didn’t want to think about what could have happened to turn Danny into a half-ghost. It hit a bit too close to home for him, and he wasn’t sure how he felt.

Messaging Tim, they confirmed that they’d keep an eye out for Phantom tonight. With Bruce and Dick off to who knows where to stop some sort of magical snowstorm responsible for all the snow in Gotham, it would just be the three of them out tonight. Alfred would keep an eye out for Danny while they were gone, and Jason knew no one would come take the kid at the manor. Not with the bats security system. 

Bruce and Dick had found out about the snowstorm the same day it happened, given that it was unusual for winter to start so early with so much at once. They hadn’t given out details but Jason was pretty sure it was a ploy from Dr. Freeze. If anything, they should be done by tonight, Jason suspected. Freeze was simple enough to handle. 

Jason skimmed through Danny’s files again, committing it to memory. It seemed the kid had pretty good grades up until two years ago. After that, it was mostly Cs and poor attendance. Possibly when the ghost thing started, or when Danny became a halfa. Jason did note that the kid hadn’t had any sort of checkup at a doctor since he was seven and had to go for a broken arm. Looking at his sibling, he could tell that she more or less took care of the kid when she could. Jasmine Fenton, currently attending college in Illinois, not too far from Amity Park. Considering her major in psychology, he could infer that she was not onboard with her parent’s ghostly obsessions. It was a strong possibility that she had helped Danny get out of Amity. For now though, they’d have to talk to Phantom first before interrogating the kid. 

A quick text from Tim had Jason putting his phone away and picking up the book he’d been reading, looking towards the door expectantly. He wasn’t surprised in the least to see that Damain and Danny had somehow turned the tour into a race. The two skidded to a stop in the middle of the library while Tim followed leisurely behind, a bit exasperated. 

“I win,”Damian claimed, puffing out his chest. Danny stood up straighter, adopting a thoughtful look. 

“I dunno, I feel like I might’ve won that time,” Danny said, stroking his non-existent beard. “Tim? Who do you think?”

“Drake was not even paying attention,”Damian grumbled, scowling at Danny. 

“Since I value my life, I’m gonna have to say Damian won,”Tim said, collapsing into a red beanbag chair. Damian nodded with a smirk, and Danny pouted. 

“Alright, but I’ll get you next time,”Danny vowed. He went to sit in a green beanbag chair, only for Jason to catch his attention. “Jason, right? Whatcha reading?” 

“Jane Austen,”Jason said, flipping the book to show Danny the cover. 

“Ah, Pride and Prejudice,”Danny nodded sagely. Jason perked up at the reaction whale Tim and Damian rolled their eyes. 

“You’ve read it?” Jason asked casually. Danny made a so-so movement with his hand. 

“I read the version that was retold as a guinea pig picture book,”Danny said, like that was normal. Jason and the others gave him a bewildered look. 

“What?”Damian asked incredulously, while Tim was typing on his phone, no doubt to search if such a thing existed. It did. Tim made a noise of vague interest, and sent it to Jason’s phone. 

“I think it’s called ‘A guinea pig pride and prejudice, but it might not be too different to the normal version,”Danny said, oblivious to the look on Jason’s face. “Anyway, Tim said you’d join us for videogames?”

“As soon as I burn whatever book you’re talking about, sure,”Jason shook his head, getting up. “Which games are we talking about?”

“Mario Kart,”Tim called from his beanbag. Danny stuck out a hand to help him up, and effortlessly picked Tim out of the beanbag, much to Tim’s surprise. “Whoa, you’re stronger than you look.”

“I’ll have you know that short people can also be strong,”Danny sniffed. “I just forget sometimes that people can’t handle my raw strength,”Danny said, gesturing to his frankly abysmal muscles. 

Damian snorted. “I would highly doubt anyone would be impressed by a fishbone such as yourself.”

“Yeah kiddo, you look like a light breeze could knock you over,”Jason joked. The three of them made their way down to the game room as they talked, Danny getting more exasperated. 

“I’m telling you, I’m stronger than I look, promise,” Danny laughed. “I bet I could even beat Tim in an arm wrestle.”

The three brothers snorted. “Bet,”Tim smirked. He knew he looked kind of scrawny from afar, but because of his night job, he had amassed a lot of muscle. 

“I can’t wait to see this,”Jason laughed. “If you beat Tim you can stay here as long as you want.”

“As much as I hate to agree with Drake,”Damian scoffed,”There’s no way you’ll beat him.”

“Oh I see, ye of little faith,”Danny hopped on his toes, grinning. “I think you’re just scared.”

Tim rolled his eyes. “Sure, I’m so scared of you and your noodle arms.”

Before Dnany could retort, they’d made it to the game room. “Woah, does this mansion have everything? Is that an arcade game?”

“Yep,”Jason said, grasping the teen’s shoulders and leading him to a table. “Now arm wrestle Timmy. You can’t make a claim like that without following through.”

Danny laughed, standing opposite to Tim at the table. “Alright alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He joked as they got into position. 

“Three, two, one,”Jason counted off, and the two arms gave a bit of a jolt before standing still in the middle. Tim looked baffled, while Danny had a grin. “Come on Timbo, are you even trying?”

“I.. am.. What the-” Tim gritted out, and stopped talking when their arms moved slowly in Danny’s winning side. Their hands briefly touched the table before they relaxed, and Jason broke out into a loud laugh. 

Meanwhile, Damian shook his head. “I knew you were weak, Drake, but now you’re just pitiful,”Damian scowled.

“Wha- No, he’s actually really strong! I’m not kidding, how the heck-”Tim sputtered.

“I told you,”Danny said smugly, crossing his arms. 

“Me next,”Jason grinned, and Danny nodded. 

“Okay, no offense, but I think you could lift my whole body with just one arm, so I don’t think this is very fair,”Danny said, choosing to ignore how Tim and Damian started arm wrestling at a different table to see who was srongest.  

“Why, you scared?” Jason teased as Danny gripped his hand. He startled a bit at how cold Danny’s hands felt. 

“Nah,”Danny said easily. He knew if he’d used more ghost strength it would look suspicious. ”I can at least give you a run for your money.”

The arm wrestle started and while Jason still won, he did so a lot slower than he would have against Tim or Damian. Jason laughed. “You’re pretty strong though, I’ll give you that.”

“Hey, as long as I beat Tim, my life goals have been met,”Danny laughed. “Now what’s Mario Kart? I’ve never played.”

Suffice to say, they were all cramped in the game room for hours until Alfred came to collect them for lunchtime. Despite the siblings previous reluctance to hang out together before, they found that they were pleasantly content to get along with Danny around. Jason brushed it off as everyone behaving for the new kid, but it felt nice to forget about all drama for a while. 

“Did you notice how cold his hands were?” Tim whispered to Jason once Damian and Danny were occupied with vegetarian sandwiches. Jason nodded, knowing Tim would add it to his ever-growing file. Looks like their halfa theory was becoming true.”And he’s strong, could be a meta ability.”

“You’re just a sore loser,”Jason whispered back, only to get a scowl back. He grinned, patting Tim on the back before joining the shorter two for sandwiches. 

“You’re vegetarian as well?” Damian was asking. 

“Yea,”Danny said between bites. Looking at his plate, Jason only saw half a sandwich and resolved to get the kid to eat another one by the time lunch was over. “My friend is an ultra-recylo-vegetarian, and she finally convinced me,”Danny explained. It definitely wasn’t because he regularly saw ghosts that resembled corpses, and that meat had started to remind him of that a little too much. “I don’t mind it, but I’d just prefer not to eat meat when I can.”

Damian nodded sagely, giving Tim and Jason a look. “I am glad at least one other person here is sensible.” 

Danny laughed,”My friend Tucker was horrified when I told him. Are you the only vegetarian at the manor?”

“I am,” Damian said. 

“Not for lack of trying,”Tim added under his breath. Then louder, he added,”You should try the cucumber sandwiches, Alfred makes them the best.” He said, grabbing one and putting it on Danny’s plate. 

“I don’t think I’m that hungry,”Danny joked, nervously. Jason patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. 

“You’re skin and bones, kid,”Jason lectured. “An extra sandwich won’t hurt ya.”

Danny gave him a confused look, but ate as much as he could anyway. He really didn’t feel hungry, but maybe he was acting too suspicious? Danny thought to himself. It just felt weird to eat when he didn’t feel hungry, and he wasn’t sure how his ghostly side was even affecting what he ate. Honestly he didn’t even know if he needed to eat anymore. Jazz would kill him if he tried to test that theory though, so he stuck to munching on the delicious sandwich while the siblings bickered. His core hummed quietly at the feeling of being included with the family. 

He’d miss them when he left. 

Chapter 11

[chicalepidopterareblogs]

But do you want daniel/marius to happen in the show? why? i promise you im not picking a fight i am genuinely curious? what part of book daniel/marius do you think can apply to the show with all the changes?

and if they do make it happen.. boy i cant imagine how many seasons they’re gonna need to explain it to the audience who don’t read the books? we haven’t even got to marius/armand yet? lol

First of, thank you for asking in good faith. Sometimes it seems that it is impossible to talk about certain topics in this fandom, especially the Marius related ones.  

The way I see it, we don't need many seasons to explain Daniel Marius if part of it has already happened in the past. Imagine, Devil's Minion after San Francisco going more or less as in the book: Daniel spiraling down his alcohol/drug addiction begging Armand for the Dark Gift; Armand fatally in love with the fascinating human, refussing to turn him into a monster. Marius de Romanus has to burst in because that's what he does, he loves to stick his nose in other people's business, especially if they are Armand's. Think about Sybelle and Benji. He gives Armand an ultimatum about Daniel, turn him or let him live a full human life. Armand lets Daniel go and during the time it takes for him to heal, Daniel moves in with Marius. After a while, Marius erases his memories too and lets him go (the "Marius de Romanus? Never heard of him" line should not go to waste). 

So, there you go, Daniel and Marius patient/caretaker dynamic from the books, only that this time Daniel is still human, played by Luke Brandon Field and whoever gets to be Marius.  Nevertheless, I am ambitious and I can also see a second part to their (love)story playing out in the present time.

Now, I would like to reply this to @/inspireland but they blocked me so you will have to do, dear Anon. Sure, Daniel was able to clock out the abuse in Loustat and Loumand's relationships but nothing in the show suggests that he did it out of empathy or compassion. Of course old Daniel is a parent but Armand is not his child. He's the diabolic creature Daniel loves and lusts for, who traumatized him to the brink of madness and death. In this scenario, Marius would be the one who saved him from all of that.

Of course old Daniel would ask questions, but not (only) for Armand but for himself. It would be extremely ooc for show Daniel to confront Marius on behalf of Armand on the basis of some (very popular) fanon theory that Armand would ever want/need/ask for such thing. Show fandom, that inspireland person among many others, tends to asign Daniel a compassionate kind of morality that has no foundation in the adaptation whatsoever. That's not Daniel's characterization in the book, much less in the show, where he fucks a girl with a paper bag over her head while she cries. If someone needs to confront Marius that's Armand himself and I hope the show makes the most of it, now that Armand is older in this version (no, he won't kill Marius with hammers, sorry).

But I digress.

I'm not saying, always in this hypothetical scenario, that Marius will be able to influence old Daniel into believing that what he did, protecting him from Armand's harmful influx, was entirely for his own good. However persuasive Marius could be, Daniel would still be bitter that both, father and son, tampered with his memories. He nonetheless, and thanks to the calmness that comes with old age, will be able to understand that it was necessary. And there will be affection between him and Marius but Daniel will still fight Marius back and try to vindicate his past human self. He will torment Marius with questions and those questions will be cutting and provocative. And, if characterised properly, show Marius will know how to answer them.

Think about it. Old, wise and seasoned journalism vs much older, much wiser, persuasive and charming ancient roman rhetoric. Horny septuagenarian fledgling against the enchanting and delectable ancient vampire he probably already yearned for in his human youth. If the show dares to go there, the battle will be epic and it will have my respect forever.

I know, I know. This sounds threatening for Devil's Minion but don't worry. Armand and Daniel will be together in the end because that's what Anne Rice wrote and the show will find a way to make it work. But she also wrote Daniel Marius and we know that the show is sticking to the books even more so than we expected. I don't see why they won't write Daniel Marius too, given all the exciting possibilities.

[crobones]

what if there was a fic from louis' perspective about pining over Daniel

and Louis realizing he cared for young and interesting Daniel just as much as he now "cares for" old man Daniel. Grampire Daniel is the best of both worlds but it's pining because he's convinced Daniel takes to vampirism so well because can experience independence again and be a free spirit, and really Louis almost convinces himself that he's just jealous of Daniel's second chance at reconnecting with his family. Because Daniel could talk with his exes or his daughters as a result of vampirism going public and the Daniel he knows could have been a great husband and father if the two of them had just never met and Daniel didn't get his brain broken by several days of constant mind manipulation and trauma. Louis knows he's just trying to make excuses for having been obsessed with a mortal, passing it off as "he's interesting" and some part of Louis is convinced that he doesn't know how to be independent and he should learn from Daniel.

Louis distracts himself by immersing himself fully into vampire society and making allies and killing those that try to kill him first and really he doesn't have to take on the responsibility of fending off vampires going after Daniel because Armand is also there in the shadows but Louis almost feels responsible for what's happening to Daniel. for both having been turned out of spite, and becoming a target, and really Louis just cares about Daniel's safety! that's all!

it's no matter that his thoughts turn to Daniel constantly, or to Daniel's happiness, or his old man hands, or the lovely curls that are even more lovely now that they're silver and grey, or his extremely attractive carefree confidence, or his colour shifting eyes that were always so expressive but now even more so, or his tongue that's always cracking wise but now is always licking at or playing with his fangs mindlessly like he doesn't know how sexy it is.

he also realizes that he's better at maintaining a telepathic conversation during his occasional hook-up with Lestat because either Lestat never realizes it now, or he simply ignores it and enjoys what Louis gives him, willfully ignorant to the lengthy conversations Louis has had with Daniel in flagrant delicto when Daniel just calls him out of the blue sometimes (curious that Daniel's timing has caused this happen more than a few times.) Daniel definitely doesn't know, because that would be embarrassing and how could he explain it away? how can Louis explain that he's orgasmed with the sound of Daniel's rough laughter filling his mind at some joke that probably wasn't even that funny, but don't worry Louis is sure there's no connection there.

Louis' fine. He's fine.

When Daniel finds out all that Louis is doing by killing other vampires that set out to hurt his boy, of course Louis will play it off as feeling responsible for it all - for every bad thing that has happened to Daniel but Daniel just laughs at him and Louis' a bit hurt but Daniel explains that they'll never know if '73 really broke his brain because it's in the past and they're here now and maybe Louis should get over himself, just a little bit. Daniel made his own decisions, ruined his own marriages, was estranged from his own daughters for nearly a decade because of his own fuck ups. Louis shouldn't blame himself for everything, because Daniel doesn't blame Louis at all. Daniel appreciates the apology, but wishes Louis didn't make himself the sin-barer. Daniel says he wouldn't be his friend if he blamed Louis for any of it.

Louis' relief is followed closely by a hollow ache in his chest and really all he's ever wanted was a friend, so why did it hurt when Daniel said it? Vampires become obsessive over everything, surely he's just being protective of his only friend. The friend that cares about what Louis wants and not just what he thinks he needs, or what he could take from Louis. Daniel is a fantastic friend. Friend. Fuck.

[i-want-my-iwtv]

Hi! I have some IWTV qs after seeing the movie&the internet isn't helping me at all. Hoping you could! 1.I've seen book explanations for why Lestat survived the fire, but is there something I missed in the movie to explain it? 2.What did Armand mean when he said he'd die if Louis left? 3.Why was Louis so weak and feeding off rats towards the end?Traumatized by the fire or something? 4.If Louis hated being a vamp so much,why didn't he just kill himself? &my last question will be in another ask...

^1/3 5. Is a possible interpretation of the ending that Louis&Lestat are working together again? Lestat said he could go out again if he had Louis but Louis said he had to go. Lestat then somehow ends up going after the guy that Louis was just talking to? Obvi not a coincidence so maybe he's just following Louis...but what if he's doing what he said? He's going out again bc he has Louis. Louis set up Malloy; or at least did so only after his reaction to his story? Maybe a stupid theory lol. ^2/3 anyway, sorry to come at you with all these questions, I just can't find answers anywhere else. Loved the movie and would just like to understand it better. I also think Louis&Lestat could be working together again because if Louis has resigned to killing people to survive, which is all Lestat ever really wanted him to be, is there any real reason they can't be in eachother's lives anymore? Thank you so much for any time you can give me and my questions lol! ^3/3

Wow, Anon, that's a lot of questions! Thanks for asking me 💗

The 1994 movie doesn't say how Lestat escaped the fire. In the book, Armand first tells Louis that Lestat had died, but much later, Armand tells Louis that Lestat left the theatre before Louis returned to burn it down:

Here's the script for Interview with the Vampire. It's similar, but not the same as the movie! It doesn't explain why Lestat survived the fire, but it's a fun read.

In the Vampire Lestat, Lestat says Armand took him by carriage to Magnus's tower after the trial, and after Claudia died, probably before the fire.

Hit the jump, cut for length.

2. Armand needed Louis to "quicken him once more," but he wasn't really dying in the physical sense. It's more like he saw in Louis a way to live again, having a new relationship with a New World vampire and experiencing the technology and culture with Louis is a reason to live. In the books, Armand forms a relationship with the interviewer Daniel, and they explore technology, culture, etc. of the time together (it's in Queen of the Damned). Armand wanted that kind of companion in Louis but Louis wasn't interested.

3. I think you meant Lestat? Bc Louis isn't eating rats at the end, it's Lestat. Lestat was weak from surviving the fire that Louis set on him before he and Claudia left for Europe, and an injury from Armand*.

*In the Vampire Lestat, he's on the roof of Magnus's tower with Armand, after Claudia's death, and Armand apparently punches Lestat off the tower, further injuring Lestat:

So, Lestat was pretty weak and horrible-looking, and would have had trouble going into places with people to kill them without freaking them out, so feeding on animals was easier:

4. Louis, deep down, didn't actually hate himself enough to want to kill himself. But he does try later in the series, depending which books you include as canon. Personally, I think Louis has conflicting feelings about how much he loves art, nature, humanity, Lestat, and the other vampires... he loves how his senses were enhanced by becoming a vampire, but it's also somewhat shameful, bc the price of those things he loves comes at the cost of continuing to take human life to fuel his existence.

I think Louis really was ready to kill himself for giving into his nature and feeding on a child, and that's really why Lestat turned Claudia, to protect Louis from the overwhelming guilt of having killed the most innocent victim. Luckily it seems like Louis didn't go for any more children, so Lestat didn't have to turn any more of them!

5. Tackling this in a separate post and I'll link to it 😎 [X]

[thelonelyfairy]

Remember Me

Chapter 4

Leon x Reader (oc)

Note: A special shout out to: @ghostly-thorn for allowing me to use her OC. A little fun fact is her work: “In A Rose’s Shadow” heavily inspired me to write this story in the first place. So thank you for inspiring me dear ❤️ enjoy the chapter!

Masterlist ch3 ch5

After a restless night of tossing and turning, you reluctantly leave your room, consumed by swirling thoughts. There's no backup plan if you're caught; you only have Houndoom in case things go awry, and despite him being the strongest in your team, you two won’t be able to take down Team Rocket yourselves. After all, you've entrusted your previous team to guard Alola in your absence.

Accompanied by Houndoom, you decide to venture through the streets of Motostoke to ease your thoughts, opting to explore while the city lay dormant.

As you stepped outside, the wind tousled your hair, and you found yourself gazing up at the sky. Despite the city's luminance, the stars sparkled brightly overhead.

A gust of wind passes through your legs, interrupting your little moment with nature.

"Houndoom!" you whispered urgently as Houndoom leaves your side, you hurry to catch up as your loyal companion bounded ahead, heading towards the firehouse before veering left. You followed, crossing a bridge over rushing water, gears whirring beneath, hinting at the height of the drop below.

“Well, hello to you too,”

An elderly man wearing a fedora and a long black coat, accompanied by gloves, sits on a bench overlooking the rushing water below. He affectionately pats Houndoom, which wags his tail contentedly.

"Houndoom, come here! I’m so sorry!" you say as you approach the pair. How odd that Houndoom would willingly approach a stranger.

The man's chuckle ripples through the air as Houndoom obediently pads over to your side. "What brings you out here so late?" His voice is smooth, yet there's an underlying sense of authority underneath.

“I can’t sleep. I think it’s just nerves,” you confess.

“Ah, a Gym Challenger?” he muses, catching on to your unspoken anxiety.

You nod, confirming his assumption.

“Have a seat,” he offers, gesturing to the bench. If Houndoom appears comfortable around this stranger, then there's nothing to worry about.

“Fiore,” the man introduces himself as you sit, leaving Houndoom to lay on the ground between the both of you.

“Danielle,” The man only shows his eyes, the coat covering part of his face. His eyes are a stone gray as he eyes you up and down.

“You don’t strike me as a Danielle,” he observes.

“And you don’t look like a Fiore,” you retort.

“Sharp tongue,” he chuckles, his amusement evident, leaving you to smile at his warm laughter. “What is it exactly that you’re nervous about?”

“I wouldn’t say nervous,” You explain. “I can train my team with no problem and I’m fine talking to an audience, I’m just worried for my sister’s safety.”

“Then why are you here?”

You sigh, “my sister wanted to try something new-“

“No, no, no.” He interrupts, “Why are you here?”

Your lips seal shut while Houndoom gently jumps onto your lap, sensing your sorrow. “I don’t want to hide in the shadows anymore.” you express, clenching your fists. “I want to be strong and no longer cower away from danger. I want to protect those that aren’t strong enough.”

Turning to the man, you notice his expression remains unchanged.

“You have a certain look… it reminds me of my own son who stood in front of me many years ago…” he squints. “You have the same eyes.”

‘Shoot, I forgot to put the contacts in!’

His gaze shifts to the stars above, “I’m here to support my granddaughter, as we only have each other left.”

“I get it. My sister is my only family left too,”

“Johtonian?”

You nod, “is it obvious?”

“Well, you have a Houndoom,” he points out, facing you. “Secondly, I’m from Kanto, which is the ground zero of Team Rocket.” His eyes creases, “But, you look like any other ordinary Johtonian.”

You chuckle as Houndoom settles comfortably in your lap, as you lean back on the bench, gazing at the stars above.

“It’s hard to find support for Johtonians in Galar. It feels like I have to wear a mask and erase what I left behind,” you whisper.

“We all wear masks,” Fiore reflects, “and there comes a time when we can’t remove them without shedding some of our own skin.”

"Dani, quit worrying over your appearance," a familiar voice, rough yet feminine, interrupted your thoughts. The locker room's bright white walls surrounding you, along with the faint smell of smoke—echoes of Motostoke Stadium.

With the ceremony looming, you both had already collected your uniforms with the exception of Hop receiving his last, and escorted out of your dressing rooms to separate locker rooms that lead in different directions towards the pitch. Now all that’s left is waiting amidst the anticipation of fans, broadcasters, and paparazzi.

"Can’t you blame me?" You reply to your sister, stealing a glance at your reflection before admiring the triple-digit number on your uniform. "The whole world's eyes are on us, even Alola.”

The weight of it all settled in. Despite altering your appearance, the risk of being recognized lingered—a reality you couldn't escape.

“You look nothing like the old you. You’ll be fine,” Lyz rises from the bench, approaching the mirror.

Her grey eyes were concealed within her own green contacts, and with her bold decision to cut her hair into a masculine style, she spares little to no features of your father.

“Think about it,” she suggested. “Say if Team Rocket did find you, your new team would already be strong enough to fight back.”

Now that you think about it… that wasn’t a bad idea after all, in fact, it would help Houndoom immensely if he had a team to work with.

“Yeah,” you said, pulling Lyz closer for a hug. This event wasn't a matter of life and death, but rather an opportunity to step into the spotlight, no longer hiding in the shadows.

“Hello, hello!”

You both turned, facing Hop peeking his head out from the locker room entrance, sporting his uniform like all the others.

“Sorry, am I interrupting something?”

“No, not at all!” Lyz gently moved away from you to comfort Hop, easing him inside.

“What’s with the long faces?” He raised his fists. “The whole world will see us now!”

‘Now?’

A blast of music fills the stadium, even reaching the locker rooms. The TV flickers on, revealing the empty battlefield, with the audience cheering joyfully and cameramen and reporters lining the sidelines. With the event being officially broadcasted, it’s too late to turn back now.

Rose then emerges from a tunnel with Oleana, seemingly unfazed by the sight as he waved at the crowd.

Flashes of lights begin to speckle across the stadium from paparazzi, reporters, and a staggering amount of Romtom phones filming using the drone form.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!”

Rose then addresses the crowd, “My name is Rose, Chairman of Galar’s Pokémon League! I know that everyone gathered here and those watching at home have all been eagerly awaiting this moment, especially with the new developments!”

The crowd erupts in cheers and applause.

“But it is my pleasure to announce that finally—“ He raises a fist to the sky, “The Galar region Gym Challenge will now begin!”

The screen behind Rose displays images and highlights of previous Gym Challenges.

“Yes, the Gym Challenge! Participants must defeat the eight Gym Leaders and gather all eight badges to prove their skill as a Trainer!”

Rose strikes a pose, showing off his rather underwhelming biceps. “Only the most worthy will have the honor of challenging the greatest Champion in history!”

You ignore Lyz’s sidelong glance as your heart sinks. You could never hate Leon, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of how unfairly he received his World Champion title, all because of your forced early retirement.

“Now I would like to invite the Gym Leaders to show themselves!”

The camera zooms out from Rose before panning to the tunnel, revealing the faces of the respected gym leaders exiting onto the pitch. The crowd cheered for multiple names, with Raihan's name overlapping the others.

One by one, Rose introduces the Gym Leaders, starting with ‘The Fighting Farmer, Milo,’ who seems to be undoubtedly friendly, grinning as he waves happily to his fans.

Next was, The Raging Wave, Nessa, seeming to be the complete opposite of Milo, a blank stare with harsh deep sea orbs until she throws charming kisses to the camera, with her hair rippling behind her like waves of the ocean. The stage name speaks for itself.

The ever-burning man of fire, Kabu, marches with his head held high with a faint smile. You’ve recalled a few whispers from here and there of his history in Hoenn, to which you admire his fiery spirit.

Up next was a slight change of pace, a pale boy with a white mask known as, ‘The silent boy of mystery,’ waving side to side with a slumping posture, obvious that he did not seem like a social butterfree compared to the other Gym Leaders.

The master of fantastic theater, Opal, was announced next. You worry for her continuing at this age as she walks much slowly with the others even with the help of her cane.

Melony, the ice-cold professional with all white from head to toe even from her skin and hair with the exception of her icy blue orbs. The screams and cheering increases as she waves and winks to the crowd.

And if those cheerings weren’t loud enough, a sudden wave of female screams took over the stadium once Raihan, the infamous Tamer of Dragons, was the last to be announced. He grins, showing off his fangs as he waves to the crowd before taking his selfies from his Rotomphone.

“Unfortunately we’re missing one, but these are your Gym Leaders on this rotation! And we are proud to call them our own!”

The camera pans out to the gym leaders in a formal line.

“Gym Challengers, please enter the pitch and head towards your endorsers.”

A soft, gentle hand extends toward you, while another, with warm honey-colored eyes and a broad, friendly grin, meets your other hand.

And with a push by some unseen force, your legs begin to move, carrying you forward on your high-top platforms. The shadows that once enveloped you within the tunnel dissipate as you emerge into the blinding brightness of the stadium lights and flashing cameras. With a deep breath, you inhale a sense of security mingled with anticipation, exhaling a newfound sense of freedom into the bustling atmosphere.

As you set foot onto the pitch, a wave of calm washes over you, reminiscent of the familiar cheers echoing through Alola's arenas. Memories begin to flood – the trials against the Kahunas, the intense battles of the elite four, and the annual clashes with Leon for the World Championship.

With Hop and Lyz by your side, you raise your joined hands, eliciting an even greater roar of approval from the crowd as you approach the Champion, flanked by his Chairman. Meeting the Champion's gaze, his honey-colored eyes gleaming, presenting a curt nod from your action.

For the love of your family and your people, you will steel yourself for the challenges ahead, and you will refuse to go down without a fight.

♡ ♡

Photo sessions ensued with your endorser, Champion Leon, alongside Chairman Rose and the other Gym Leaders, carefully avoiding Raihan and the Gym Challengers, particularly the boy who had earlier pushed Hop, accompanied by his raven-haired companion.

All seemed well until a familiar tangle of white hair with black roots approached last for the group photo.

Guzma...

With the grace of Arceus, you managed to avert his gaze. As much as you needed to stay informed about the current state of Alola, any hint of familiarity would immediately raise suspicion.

Unfortunately, the show was only halfway over. With the upcoming interviews, you were all escorted to your designated dressing rooms once more to await the arrival of your stylist. You could already envision the eager anticipation of the audience waiting to be introduced to each Gym Challenger.

Despite your previous experience with interviews during your Championship in Alola and Leon's reassurance and training, nerves crept in once more. Only the viewers could guide you through the Gym Challenge, but what if you failed to meet their expectations? Back then, you cared little if anyone liked you; your sole duty was to protect your region. But how could you protect it once more if these people didn't see the strength in you to begin with?

"Hey hun, you holding up okay?"

You turn at the sound of the voice, the door slightly ajar after being left open, anticipating the arrival of your stylist any moment.

But to your surprise, it's not just any stylist.

"Sonia?" You ask, taken aback by her presence, recalling she mentioned joining you solely for research purposes.

Sonia pouts slightly, hands resting on her hips. "I'm your stylist! Didn't Lee tell you?"

Shaking your head, you approach her, offering a quick embrace before ushering her inside. She mutters something about Leon under her breath as she enters, clutching a kit in one hand and a garment bag in the other, presumably holding a dress.

"I'm doing okay," you respond, closing the door behind her. "Just a lot on my mind right now."

"I noticed, we all did," Sonia smiles warmly. "Believe it or not, many of the Gym Challengers aren't exactly friendly to each other, even with the same endorser. So, seeing what you did on the pitch really touched everyone."

The impromptu of raising your joined hands was sudden, yes, but in the heat of determination, it was necessary to send your message.

"Anyway!" Sonia changes the subject cheerfully. "We've got your dress. Leon went with this color for you!" With a flourish, she unzips the garment bag, revealing a stunning scarlet dress, echoing the hue of your own fiery locks.

"It's beautiful, Sonia..." you murmur, admiring the soft fabric.

"No problem, dear!" Sonia chirps, pulling out her makeup kit. "Now, let's get you dolled up!"

After a few minutes of Sonia delicately applying makeup, she moves on to your hair, preparing it in an elegant updo. However, she pauses as if something caught her eye.

"Oh hun, why didn't you tell me you're a redhead? No wonder Leon chose this color!"

Your heart skips a beat, a sinking feeling in your stomach.

"What do you mean?"

"Your roots are showing, darling. But don't worry, it's not noticeable from afar. But if you ever want to make your hair pop even more, I've got some tricks up my sleeve!" Despite the surprise, you hardly notice Sonia finishing your hair.

"I'll leave you to it. Leon should be here soon," she says, gathering her things.

"Thank you, Sonia," you murmur, admiring your reflection. "It's been a while since I felt this pretty."

"You've always been pretty, dear. Your kids will thank you one day!" With a final smile, Sonia exits, leaving you feeling flustered.

Shaking off the thought, you begin to put on the dress, only to gasp as you realize the zipper at the back, just out of reach. Time slips away as you struggle with the stubborn zipper, trying every trick you've seen online to no avail. Your only hope was texting Sonia for help to which she responded that she’ll arrive shortly.

There's a knock on the door.

Finally!

You hurry to the door, using the front of the dress to conceal your chest.

Your rescuer has arrived, but to your surprise...

"Leon?"

The Champion's eyes widen, pupils slightly dilated with surprise. His face flushes crimson, partially hidden by his hand as he turns away.

"I'm so sorry, let me—"

"Wait—" Your gentle touch on his strong bicep halts his movement.

"I need you."

After your words hang in the air, Leon slowly turns back to face you, his expression a mixture of confusion and concern.

"What do you mean?" he asks, his voice softer now, his gaze searching yours for answers.

You take a deep breath, gathering your thoughts before speaking again. "I mean, I can't zip up this dress on my own," you admit, gesturing to the zipper at the back that remains stubbornly out of reach.

A flicker of understanding crosses Leon's face as he steps closer, closing the door behind him for privacy before his hand reaches for the zipper. "Of course," he says softly, his touch surprisingly tender as he begins to zip up the dress.

As he works, a comfortable silence settles between you, broken only by the soft sound of the zipper sliding into place. Once he's finished, Leon steps back, his gaze meeting yours once more.

"There," he says with a small smile. "All done."

You offer him a grateful smile in return, a sense of relief washing over you. "Thank you, Leon," you say sincerely before Rotom flies towards your palm with a message from Sonia.

✉️ Arceus! I just read this I’m so sorry 😣 , I can hear Leon talking inside tho, sounds like he came in to save the day as always! 😁

He nods before clearing his throat, leaving you to quickly set your phone down, “Sonia told me you were ready so I figured I might as well stop by to train you first, after all,” he gestures for you to sit by the vanity while he grabs a spare chair by the room.

Leon notices your nervous frown to which he offers an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” he says reassuringly. “We’ll make sure you’re ready for anything they throw at you during the interviews.”

Leon proceeds to outline the fundamentals: always smile and greet people, and steer clear of any questions not related to the Gym Challenge.

Everything goes smoothly; he covers familiar ground, thanks to your prior experience as a Champion.

However, there's a shift in tone now.

"Be cautious about discussing Johto," Leon warns. "You might have supporters, but there will also be detractors. The host might try to push your buttons, and I don't want you to feel overwhelmed when that happens."

The problem is, you've never set foot in Johto. You feel like the least qualified person to represent your family's region.

With a heavy sigh, you slump down, chin lowered as you stare at the floor.

"Hey, look at me."

You raise your head to meet Leon's gaze, a lock of hair falling into your face. He gently tucks it behind your ear.

“Trust me, yeah?”

The warmth of his eyes soothes you, and with his gentle smile, you find yourself unable to resist believing his words. Despite the doubts gnawing at your mind, his assurance feels like a lifeline in this storm of uncertainty firing all over your mind.

As you nod in response, a sense of resolve begins to settle within you, strengthened by the unexpected support from Leon.

He wants to see you succeed.

“I trust you.”

♡ ♡

Music begins to fill the stadium as the audience erupted into applause, eagerly awaiting for the spectacle about to unfold.

Cameras were strategically positioned at the center of the pitch, displaying on the large stadium screens for the crowd's enhanced viewing experience. Positioned facing each other were two seats, ready for the upcoming interviews.

Shielbert, the charismatic host of this year’s Gym Challenge, made his grand entrance. With his trademark grin and sparkling eyes, he strode onto the pitch, capturing the attention of all present.

Clad in a scarlet tuxedo, his light blonde hair resembling a shield as it gleams under the stadium lights, his smooth voice begins to resonate throughout the arena as he addresses the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" He booms with a theatrical flair, "Welcome to the event of the year – The Gym Challenge!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, their enthusiasm filling the air.

“As the rotating host of this year’s Gym Challenge, I'll be leading the way, while my younger brother enjoys his moment out of the spotlight,” he quipped, bringing in laughter from the audience.

But there was none within the locker room.

All Gym Challengers were directed to return to the same locker rooms they had visited earlier, where they would wait for their one-on-one interview with Shielbert as well as being instructed to optionally bring along their ace Pokémon.

You opted to bring Totodile to represent Johto, deciding against bringing Houndoom in order to blend in since most of the Gym Challengers were relatively new in their Pokémon journey.

As you wait with Totodile keeping you company, your gaze fixed on the looping advertisements, attempting to not nod off from the boredom.

"How do I look?"

Near the entrance of the room, you spot your sister, dressed smartly in a dress shirt, trousers with suspenders, and sports gloves.

"You look great!" you compliment, while Totodile chimes in with applause.

“Why thank you, to you as well.”

Before you can thank her, she releases her recently caught shiny Trapinch from the wild area.

“Really?” You ask, narrowing your eyes, as you had assumed she would choose Sobble as her ace.

“What? Can't I show off my recent catch?” She beams proudly as she cuddles her Trapinch, making it squeak in delight.

Before you can reply, Hop enters with Wooloo trailing behind. He wears a basic tuxedo and slacks, with a tie that matches his hair along with a brooch of the Champion Logo to represent his older brother.

“Well, look at you!” Hop’s face lights up at the sight of your sister as he extends his arms, to which your sister embraces. The warmth of their reunion fills the room.

If only your parents were here to witness your sister's first puppy love.

"And you, Dani! Looks like Lee finally caught on to your fiery spirit!" You smile and thank him, remembering Sonia's comment about Leon personally selecting this dress for you.

The TV emits a soft ding, prompting all of you to glance at the screen displaying the leaving order aligned with the Gym Leaders' order, indicating that you three will be the last to leave.

Luckily, the interviews are short, only about 10 minutes each, so everyone gets a fair shot. Milo’s group sets a friendly tone, setting a good example for those following.

It’s interesting to see that each challenger seems to reflect their gym leader’s personality in some way, which makes sense for endorsements.

Tension rises when Piers’ only invitee steps onto the pitch, the cameras zooming into her rocking an alternative dress style.

It’s the girl from the Inn, Marnie. And with her side, a Pokémon familiar to a Pikachu, to what your Rotom phone called it as Morpeko.

Marnie mostly gave short and direct responses but seemed hesitant on her words which Morpeko comforts her, but gains confidence as Team Yell cheers her on.

Next up is Raihan’s, you and sister shared a look as Guzma, another solo invitee, enters the pitch with his streetwear style outfit with a Centiskorch on his shoulder.

“You guys think he looks cool right?”

Poor Hop, fortunate how he’s innocent enough to not connect the dots.

But of course, Guzma would be endorsed by Raihan, he’s the only person he knows well in Galar.

You can recall meeting Raihan once Leon’s Alola visits became frequent, Leon mentioned that his best friend needed a break from his social media and Gym Leader life. What better way to relax than to stay at Alola?

And what a coincidence that Guzma joined you on that day.

You and Lyz gave a quick nod to Hop before Guzma begins.

As the interview kicks off, Shielbert asks basic questions, and Guzma answers casually, without a care for winning over the audience. Surprisingly, they seem to love his laid-back attitude along with his Centiskorch nodding at Guzma.

But then, in the last 5 minutes, they hit Guzma with a loaded question about his past.

“Guzma, we’ve heard around these parts that you used to run a gang. Isn’t that right?”

You frown. They’re trying to taint his image already after a good start.

Guzma straightens from his laid back position, his Centiskorch frowning from the sudden change. "It ain't just some gang. We're family," he explains. "My crew's made up of runaways and kids without a home, lookin' for a family."

Wise words, he leaves the audience in awe and Shielbert was kind enough to change topics.

“I apologize for what I’m about to ask, but your home region was hit recently by Team Rocket attacks. We’re unable to receive anything on their end due to that. So tell us, how’s Alola holding up?”

Your heart sinks to your stomach as Guzma prepares a response. He takes a deep breath and gulps before speaking. "All I'm sayin' is, Alola can't even get a word in with how much Team Rocket's been takin' over. We just wish there was a region out there that’s able to help us.”

“I’m very sorry about that, but please, everyone,” Shielbert interjects politely, brushing off Guzma’s words, “give a round of applause for Guzma!”

Guzma stands tall and proud, though his expression seems to betray a frown at Shielbert’s poor choice of words as he walks off. If the host is already ignorant of the matter, your answers won’t make any difference either.

You glance at Hop and Lyz. Despite their attempts to appear calm, their trembling arms and legs give away their nerves.

Taking a deep breath, you rise from the bench, turning towards Hop and Lyz with Totodile by your side.

“Listen up, you two,” you begin, catching Lyz and Hop’s attention, including the Pokémon.

“We’re going to ace this interview. We’ll answer all the questions, have everyone love us, and walk in there with our heads held high! Understood?”

Lyz nods shyly, and Hop raises a fist in the air, “Yeah, we got this!” Wooloo bleats in agreement, Trapinch stands up proudly, “ Clack- clack!” it cries out, and Totodile joins in with cheers.

"And now, everyone," Shielbert announces, "as we near the grand finale of today's ceremony and interviews, please join me in welcoming Chairman Rose!" The crowd erupts in surprise and cheers.

Rose steps forward, exchanging a brief handshake with Shielbert and sharing a few words before Shielbert exits and Rose addressing the audience.

"Thank you all for the warm welcome, and thank you, Shielbert, for the introduction. We'll now be switching gears as I take the lead to interview the challengers endorsed by the Great Word Champion himself!”

“But first, let's start with my own endorsed challengers. Please welcome my dear daughter, Marcella!" The crowd cheers, whistles, and cameras flash throughout the stadium.

The raven-haired girl from yesterday makes her entrance, her straight hair now transformed into dark curls styled in an updo, her poofy purple dress giving a cute yet elegant charm as her Ghastly hovers beside her.

The crowd erupts into cheers once more, Rose smiling proudly at the girl’s alluring appearance as they share a brief embrace before taking their seats.

“And who’s this?” Lyz asks.

“That’s Rose’s daughter…” Hop whispers, “I’ve heard he’s trying to set her up with Leon.”

You ignore the heavy thump in your heart at the news, but you know there’s little you can do to intervene.

“Go take a seat, my dear!” Rose exclaims, ushering his daughter to her place.

Surprisingly, her interview lasted only 10 minutes, just like the others. She reveals much of herself, preferring to be called Zera, mentioning Bede as her adoptive brother, and proceeds touching on her pampered lifestyle.

Your own childhood was privileged in its own way, but your family chose a more humble path.

With the snap of their fingers, your parents could’ve easily lived a luxurious life in Akala Island, perhaps even claim ownership of Aether Paradise.

Rose, on the other hand, has provided his daughter with endless open doors that many in Galar would envy.

The Chairman and his daughter gave one last embrace after their long drag of stories together before they part ways.

Lyz releases a weary sigh as the boy with tufts of white hair, trailed by a floating Solosis, strolls onto the pitch. Dressed in a pale pink tuxedo, he stands out against the more conservative attire of the other male invitees.

It's the same boy who pushed Hop yesterday.

Rose and the boy, who introduced himself as Bede, exchange a handshake before taking their seats.

Unlike Marcella, Bede's upbringing was marked by orphanhood and financial struggles until Rose adopted him. He expresses unwavering loyalty to Rose, acknowledging him for saving his life.

“Me and Solosis will become unstoppable, and I swear that to you, Rose.”

Throughout the interview, it became apparent that Bede was a broken boy in search of a paternal presence. Rose appeared to deflect any loyalty sentiments, instead emphasizing his Pokémon and the rationale behind the endorsement, much like Shielbert did with the previous challengers. It seemed that Bede had hoped for the same treatment Rose gave Marcella. They share an awkward hug from the side before Bede leaves the pitch.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've all been waiting for, the challengers endorsed by none other than the Champion himself. Let's give a warm round of applause for Danielle!”

Your body stiffens. You had anticipated that Hop would be called first, given his relation to Leon.

The thunderous cheers reach into the locker room. Rising to your feet, you smooth out your dress before Totodile jumps into your arms.

Hop and Lyz offer words of encouragement and support, which help ease your nerves as they hold the door open for you.

With a deep breath, you step forward, one foot in front of the other. Despite the cheers fading into the background, you hear the distinct click of your heels on the tunnel floor leading to the pitch.

“ Totodile !”

You smile at your Totodile, sensing comfort and determination in its voice.

“Yeah, we got this!”

Emerging from the tunnel, you’re momentarily blinded by the bright stadium lights once more. What surprises you further is how effortlessly your heels glide over the clean, grassy pitch. Perhaps they’ve added some sort of discreet path to prepare for this.

As you make your way onto the pitch, the crowd's cheers and camera flashes wash over you, but you remain focused, your heart pounding with determination. Totodile nuzzles against you reassuringly, seeming to catch on from your heart rate, his presence giving a source of strength.

With a final deep breath, you square your shoulders and approach the center of the pitch where Chairman Rose awaits. His welcoming smile puts you slightly at ease as you extend your hand for a handshake.

"Welcome, Danielle!" he exclaims, his voice booming over the cheers of the crowd. "We're thrilled to have you here! Take a seat.”

You nod, a surge of adrenaline coursing through you. This is your moment to shine, to show the world what you're made of.

“Your grand entrance at the Opening Ceremony certainly caught everyone’s attention. Care to share the inspiration behind it?”

The memory of the joined hands during the ceremony floods your mind. It was a spontaneous gesture, but it was needed to send a message for the world.

“I felt like it was important to send a message of teamwork,” you explain, scanning the audience. “In a competition like this, everyone can turn against each other for the title. But we’re not just any individual; we’re a team, a collective force. Together, we’re stronger.”

A smattering of agreement ripples through the crowd, followed by enthusiastic applause.

“How about we shift gears and hear more about your Totodile?”

He gestures towards Totodile, who bounces and waves to the delighted crowd from your lap, eliciting a mixture of awe and laughter.

"Totodile here has been my partner since day one," you share, feeling a bit down for needing to lie for bringing up Houndoom until you run a hand over Totodile's head as he affectionately nudges your palm.

"Even though he's still new to battling, he's got quite the spirit." Totodile reacts to your comment with a grunt of frustration, playfully swatting your hand away, much to the amusement of the audience.

"But that's what makes him special," you continue with a smile, earning a nod of agreement from Totodile and chuckles from the crowd.

Chairman Rose nods approvingly. "A strong bond between Trainer and Pokémon is essential in the Gym Challenge. Now, tell us about the team you're planning to set up."

Your confidence shines through as you respond, "I’m aiming for a well-rounded team with a mix of types so there’s less disadvantage.You can’t win if you’re only going to rely on type, right?”

The crowd agrees, you scan the crowd, proud of the smiles and cheering you’ve received so far until your breath hitches.

Chairman Rose's expression tightens, but there's something unsettling about it. His lips curve upwards, a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, leaving an eerie aura between you two.

“Since you have a Totodile, it’s safe to assume you’re from Johto. Am I right?” Rose asks, leaning in with genuine curiosity, his tone even but his gaze piercing.

Touche .

You pause, weighing his question carefully. “Me and my sister moved here after hearing Galar is open for refugees.”

Taking a deep, shaky breath, you meet Rose’s intense gaze. “Johto is struggling with Team Rocket’s reign, and we didn’t have many options left. Coming to Galar seemed like a chance for a fresh start.”

“And what makes you believe you’ll find that fresh start here in the Gym Challenge?”

You meet Rose's gaze head-on with unwavering determination. "Because, Chairman Rose, every challenge is an opportunity to prove oneself, is it not?”

You notice the audience straightening up, some even edging forward in their seats.

“Even though Johto faces the threat of Team Rocket's control, it has also given us strength and determination in its people. While we came here for refuge, we're not here to be pitied or underestimated. We're here to compete, to prove we're not just pawns of Team Rocket. And let me tell you, Chairman,” you address the camera, “and even to Team Rocket if they're watching, we're not giving up easily. I'll win this challenge and bring peace back to Johto, Alola, and the other regions you’ve terrorized.”

The audience erupts into applause and cheers, as they show their support for your bold declaration. You can feel their excitement and encouragement washing over you.

Chairman Rose nods, his expression thoughtful as he takes in the audience's reaction before quieting them down. "A powerful statement indeed," he says, his voice carrying across the stadium. "Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Danielle. I have no doubt that you and Totodile will make a formidable team in the Gym Challenge." Rose takes your hand before raising it to the sky.

“Give it up for Danielle!”

As you head toward the tunnel to exit the pitch, the crowd's applause echoes in your ears, cheering your name as Totodile comforts you with a long hug.

♡ ♡

Next, it was Lyz's turn, and Rose approached her with a friendlier demeanor, avoiding any attempts to throw her off guard like he did with you. He hardly asked anything related to Johto, but Lyz made sure to mention that Johto deserved to be free from Team Rocket's control.

Hop received similar treatment, and you couldn't help but smile as he too stood up for Johto. It was surprising that Rose didn't make a big deal out of him being the younger brother of the Champion.

And with that, today's interviews came to an end as you all recalled your partner Pokémon into their Pokéballs.

After changing back into your original outfit, the three of you made your way toward the exit of Motostoke Stadium.

"Standing there on the pitch... in the stadium... in front of everyone!" Hop exclaimed excitedly, his enthusiasm clear. "There's really no words for it, but... I can barely contain myself! My heart's racing!"

Before you could respond, three figures approached you; Leon, Chairman Rose, and Marcella.

“You’ve all done amazing out there!” Leon commended, casting a proud glance at Hop. “Couldn’t be prouder of you.” The brothers exchanged a smile before Rose approached with a friendly demeanor, a stark contrast to his uncomfortable presence on the pitch.

“So, the three trainers endorsed by our World Champion himself! It’s truly a pleasure to meet you all.”

"Oh, and what's this?" Rose's keen eye caught sight of the Dynamax Band on your wrist, a glint of curiosity in his lime-colored eyes. “I see you three already possess Dynamax Bands… How wonderful! It seems you two have been led here by the guiding light of the Wishing Stars.”

“By the way, it was my wonderful company that invented those Dynamax Bands, you know!" Rose says with a touch of pride. “And I daresay this year’s Gym Challenge is looking to be an absolute blast!” He finishes with a hearty clap before Marcella leans in to whisper something in his ear, prompting him to clear his throat.

“Now, I’m terribly sorry, but there’s some urgent business I need to attend to, so I must be on my way.” Rose announced before walking off, "The best of luck to you three!"

With a nod of farewell, Rose exits the stadium, Marcella trailing behind him. She paused for a moment, blowing a kiss to Leon before hurrying to catch up with her father.

You catch Lyz frowning in disgust while Leon, his face slightly strained, turns his attention back to you three, his smile somewhat forced but nonetheless present.

“Now, listen closely, you three,” Leon’s voice took on a serious tone, his words delivered in a whisper meant only for your ears. “You’ve both only just started on your path as Trainers. If you want to win, you need to do more than just train your Pokémon. You need to train yourselves too.”

“Well said, Leon,” you comment, acknowledging his advice with a nod, prompting a smile from him.

Allowing the brothers a moment to exchange words, you turned your attention to Lyz, intending to discuss your plan for approaching the Gym Challenge. As you stepped out the door, you were met with a surprising absence of fans, paparazzi, or news reporters. It seemed the Chairman had protected the Gym Challengers privacy for today.

From the shadows emerged a figure, leaving you to instinctively draw your sister closer. However, the figure soon revealed themselves to be a League Staff member.

“Hello Challengers! The Chairman asked me to deliver these gifts to you.”

Approaching cautiously, you noted the presence of guards surrounding the building, reassuring you of your safety.

“A gift… such a wonderful thing… from the chairman… such a wonderful man.”

You blinked, the League Staff clears her throat. “Excuse me. The gift is access to the Flying Taxis!” As she hands you a brochure of VIP Flying Taxi Information, she continues, “If it’s alright with you, I’ll read a segment from the Flying Ta-“

“No, thank you,” you interject, cutting her off. “We’re super tired from today. We appreciate it, though.” Quickly, you led your sister away from the League Staff.

“Tomorrow, Route 3, Turffield,” you reminded yourself, the next destination already looming in your mind.

[rriavian]

Okay, so I'm sending a more detailed explanation in an ask so I can show you some of the comic pages that stuck out to me in particular. Also, once again, major comic spoilers here, I pretty much just have to explain the whole plot of TKO in order to explain why Morpheus's manipulation style is so spot on in your writing, so this is your final warning for spoilers

So I'm not sure how much you know about the plot of The Kindly Ones, but a major aspect of it is that part of Morpheus wants to escape the role of Dream of the Endless, but can't bring himself to leave like Destruction did. He also can't seem to believe that he's capable of change, which is one really major change that was made in the show, cause by the end of season 1, Dream's acknowledge that he is capable of change. Anyway, but the question is, and this can be debated heavily, how much did his desire to stop being Dream of the Endless played into what ended up happening.

So basically at the end of Season of Mists, he makes a deal with Loki, that he'd create a dream-thing to play the part of Loki in Loki's prison, which would allow Loki to go free and also put him in Dream's debt. Now, fast forward to TKO, and Loki kidnaps Daniel. Dream then sends a newly remade Corinthian and Matthew to search for him, while Lyta is on the warpath. This of course leads to what ends up happening, Lyta setting the Kindly Ones on Morpheus, eventually The Corinthian and Matthew finding Daniel and bringing him to the Dreaming, which does calm Lyta down, but by then there's no calling off the Kindly Ones, and I presume you know how that ends.

Anyway, but the question is, what led Loki to kidnapping Daniel in the first place. I saw the theory that Dream actually called in the favor with Loki to kidnap him, but I personally don't believe that. I think it makes more sense that Loki, who didn't want to owe anyone anything, kidnapped Daniel because he knew it would lead to Lyta calling the Kindly Ones on Morpheus, leading to his downfall and thus no more debt is owed.

This comment by Odin sells that for me, it seems to imply that there was no getting a favor back from Loki, Loki would find some other way out of the debt. Which makes me think that Morpheus didn't cash in his favor with Loki

Odin goes on to make this comment about Morpheus though, which is absurdly similar to a comment The Corinthian makes about him in your series. And Morpheus's answer here is very classic Morpheus.

Now, it's later implied that there was definitely some manipulation on Morpheus's part going on. And once again, there's another statement made that bears striking resemblance to The Corinthian realizing how thoroughly he had been manipulated in your writing

So here's what I think happened. Dream knew the character of Loki as he knows everyone. He knew that Loki would do anything to get out of paying a debt. So by having Loki in his debt, he would be ensuring that someone would be going to any lengths to see him destroyed. Morpheus would put up every fight he possibly could, he would not let himself die without doing that, after all, that's why he couldn't just quit like Destruction and give up his responsibilities. He would protect the Dreaming until the Dreaming required him to sacrifice his life for it. And then he could finally have peace.

But if all this is true, then Loki did exactly as Morpheus wanted. If all this is true, then Morpheus was the true manipulator. And just this style of ensuring that he wins no matter the outcome, strikes me as very similar as to how Morpheus manipulates The Corinthian in your series. He was always going to win, he had what he wanted from the beginning. Sort of like how the moment he had Loki in his debt, all he had to do was wait for the scene to play out and let everyone act as their nature would allow.

I think that Morpheus probably would have preferred fewer people be hurt in this, because I think that fundamentally, he cares so much about the Dreaming and humanity. Which is why he couldn't just abandon his responsibilities, no matter what The Corinthian might say.

But I think this highlights the main reason I was so shocked that you hadn't read the comics.

There are other things too, things about Morpheus's character that becomes very evident as you read TKO, but are there are hints of in the show, such as how he handles vulnerability. He simultaneously lets himself be vulnerable while also not allowing himself to truly be vulnerable and it's very interesting. He like wields his own vulnerability as a weapon against himself in a sort of "you can't hurt me if I do it first/ you can't really hurt me if I just let you" and also a "My weaknesses are so far above you're strengths that it does me no harm to be vulnerable" sort of way. That aspect of his character I think is particularly evident in TKO, but definitely can be seen in the show as well.

Then there's the way that he has no qualms about letting other people define him. He will play whatever role he needs to for a means to an end, so it doesn't matter to him how you see him. Which is very evident in his response to Odin, "you have known me for some time, old god. Which would you say that I am?" it doesn't matter to Morpheus if he's the cunning spider or the hunted deer, all that matters is that he sees his end reached.

So yeah, this has been very long-winded, but you probably can see why I was absolutely astonished that you hadn't read the comics.

Also, to comment on what you said about hating misunderstandings which leads you to try to be as close to canon as possible as far as characterization goes, I completely get that. As someone who also hates misunderstands because I've been misunderstood too many times before, I too try to capture the fullness of a character in all their complexities when writing, I'm not sure if I succeed, but it matters a lot to me. Dream was also my way in to the fandom, he just makes sense to me, you know? I find him to be rather relatable in some ways and I've never struggled to understand why he does what he does or is the way he is. But all of this might be why I find your version of Morpheus to be so accurate.

The funny thing is, Corintheus isn't normally my thing. I've always found myself drawn to ships that are a friends to lovers sort of situation, which is why Dreamling is my main ship for this fandom. But your fics have permanently altered my brain chemistry. Just the power dynamics throughout them are just so interesting. First time I ever recall reading fics that were mostly porn for the plot lmaooo

Anyway, this has gotten quite long, but I hope you enjoyed reading my thought process here

I’m still in awe of every word of this. Just—honestly this is incredible! Thank you so much for putting so much thought into it, getting feedback like this is the most incredible thing, and I’m always ready to talk about any aspect of the series that has jumped out to people. I actually have a bit or dialogue set in the BTT verse around the time of the Kindly Ones. But I think my plan is to read along as the show does its thing. I’m not afraid of spoilers but probably won’t engage with comic stuff too much as they are very much separate entities. I want to keep my versions pretty distinct, as I’m writing for show canon.

So disclaimer - I've still not read the comics.

Dream’s characterisation is a direct result of how I view power, its various dynamics, and what that might mean to an essentially near all powerful being.

It was important to me to take the humanity out of it. Very specifically meaning humanity as a species, not necessarily as a morality. I’ve seen it used it interchangeably but inhuman doesn’t always mean immoral—doesn’t always mean a lack of personhood either—and the interchangeability is very indicative of our own bias on what being good (or even what being real) means.

Your point about vulnerability and how I write it is one of the results of this. What is vulnerability? And why do we usually shy away from being seen that way? Why do we assume that everyone else should/does act the same? It’s a loss of power, a felt helplessness, and how perspectives on that would differ in someone like Dream is very interesting to me. Arguably there’s no reluctance in actions we as viewers would see as weak—no real loss of control—which is exactly why him letting someone hurt him, or hurting himself before they can, work as things that disguise themselves as vulnerability while being a subtle way to deny an advantage.

It's like—what can you do that I will not allow? That I will not do willingly.

Even while being trapped by Burgess Dream never allows himself to be drawn into a dialogue. He refuses to engage entirely, doesn't acknowledge it as a fight, and while it could be seen as petty pride it's still Dream resolving to just take the imprisonment for what it is.

For me it’s an example of Dream being so powerful he can actually take the most extreme of hits, doesn’t always even see them as hits (like in Baiting the Trap). It's why I see Dream’s constant need to be in control of the collective subconscious as not necessarily incompatible with his appearances/allowances of vulnerability. From what Dream said in the show his experience seems to be a constant awareness of the entirety of human feeling. Dream can’t let it overwhelm him, has rules to protect himself, but he’s never had one moment of his existence where he’s not been standing right in the thick of it.

To him it’s normal, and I think the intensity of the storm he’s constantly standing in really factors into his responses externally. There’s very little that can compare with his normal existence and I think his true vulnerability is very much related to that internal, individual, fight that is really one he has with an aspect of his own self.

Again. It’s ‘what can you do to me that could ever match the battle within’.

You could say Dream brings this to its natural conclusion in the comics by finally ending the situation with Orpheus (again, I don’t exactly know what happens). It seems like he puts himself in a state where he’s ready for things to end, does the one thing that would ensure there’s no turning back, triggering the fate planned for him himself to deliberately rob anyone else of the chance to do the same thing.

He’s the instigator and that means he can be his own victim rather than be forced to be anyone else's.

I've got a lot more on this point so happy to expand!

Going back to BTT and power dynamics, I saw a post that really resonated with how I write that ended up being an explanation of some ideas from The Art of War, because apparently I’ve accidentally been writing battle tactics all this time. I’m happy to expand on it if anyone is interested (this answer got so so long my goodness!) but the three points that most stuck out to me as what I use are the following:

Manipulate what your enemy views as orthodox and unorthodox behaviours. By feigning orthodox behaviour, you set your opponent up for attack through unorthodox action. Eg. Appear weak when you are strong.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

A large group striking a small group is not held in high esteem, but a small group striking a larger force is.

This is sort of the cheat code to everything I've ever written, and explains a lot about how I construct narratives. Erm, I didn't address everything you said so happy to do a part 2 if you want? This got very long! The amount I cut from this answer probably shows how much I’ve thought about this series haha. I apparently have like ten thousand different layers to this in even my own head.

[f1-disaster-bi]

alsoooooo i was reading superhero au again, and this is actually the smallest thing but i need to know, in the final fight with jon vs max’s dad, it’s mentioned that landos teddy bear was on the ground, did he ever get it back? it seemed like such a sweet item between max and lando and the line about it being on the ground is so minor but it just stuck w me. i hope it was picked up by maybe one of the other good guys during the fight when max and lando was rushed away bc i felt so bad for it (the inanimate object lmao) or if not, max and jon knows that lando regrets what happened to it, maybe blames himself a lil, and they get lando something new and soft, not as a replacement but as something different but equally as meaningful?

I love that you asked about this and picked up on it!

The teddy had such significance to Max and Lando. It was the last thing that Max had from his mum, and he hid it carefully to stop his father from taking it away. Jos had done that before. He'd thrown it out so Max got better at hiding it.

When Lando was sold to Jos and thrown in with Max, he was just this crying little kid and so scared. Max instantly wanted to protect him, wanted to be brave for him so while comforting Lando, he pulled out his stuffed cat teddy and gave it to Lando. He told him he could have him so he wouldn't be scared, and Lando took such good care of it. It's why he grabs it before they leave, it's the first and only good thing anyone had ever given him.

When it gets trambled during the fight, there is no saving it. Jon would have seen it and grabbed it if he wasn't nearly dead from the fight, and Kevin and Hulk were too concerned with getting Jon out alive and back to the jet so they can help him so Lando's teddy gets left behind.

He does get a new one when they eventually move in and are adopted by Jenson and Sebastian.

Max knows his little brother like the back of his hand. He can see that even though they're safe, Lando is struggling to sleep. It's a lot of change all at once. They go from being abused and living in constant fear to living in a compound of heros where they should be safe but don't really feel it to running away to living with Seb and Jenson. They both struggle with it, but Lando seems to have more issues with sleep, and when Max figures it out, he goes to Seb and asks him to put him to work so he can earn money to buy something for Lando.

Seb, of couse, explains that Max doesn't need to work and that he'll take him to get Lando's gift, and Max takes some convincing but agrees because he really wants to get Lando a new teddy. He explains it to Seb, and Seb makes sure that they find the perfect one for Lando; it's another cat, slightly bigger than the last but soft and perfect for cuddling, and when Lando is given it, he cries cause he felt so bad losing the original one.

Later down the line, Daniel, a few months into dating Lando, sees Lando's teddy on the bed and makes a comment that accidentally makes Lando assume Daniel is making fun of him but he isn't. Daniel genuiely found it cute, and proves it by getting Lando's teddy a friend and Lando is just left staring at him because he can't believe Daniel doesn't think it's stupid or weird or silly, and that he went and got him another