cristinacclearwater

[cristinacclearwater]

My favorite thing about fanfic Zuko is that he just does not have a reference point for sexism. Like:

Some person: isn’t that women’s work?

Zuko, thinking of Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee: women’s work? You mean homicide?

[cristinacclearwater]

Little Snippets #8

A/N: Recently reread an older prompt thread of Danny reincarnating as Tim and remembering his previous life at nine... that inspired this...

Something was different about Tim. They all noticed as they watched the third Robin as he went through the cave like a whirlwind on fire. Collecting small gadgets and trinkets, his laptop and other things before hurrying off with some kind of excuse again. Dick arched an eyebrow and glanced at Bruce. The first Robin felt tempted to as Bruce for help to figure out if something had happened during their last mission.

While near death situation weren't uncommon in their line of work, they never before had affected the young teen the way they have right now. Dick had first thought, the kid had suffered some kind of head trauma considering how disoriented he had been when he first woke up. But this, was ridiculous, it wasn't like Tim was acting all to different from his usual self but.... Dick shock his head. Maybe he was just imaging it. The kid was still the same, tinkering with gadgets and drinking coffee or energy drink in amounts the kid was still way to young to consume the way he does. Maybe the boy hit puberty finally.

In his room Tim dropped everything he had collected from the Batcave into a pile, before quickly grabbing a notepad and scratching out bullet points as well as adding new points. The kid then proceeded to start pacing his room, counting something down with the help of his fingers as he muttered to himself.

"Okay Tim, think... I should have everything I need... I just need to remember the blueprint and then build it. It's not like I never build gadgets of my own. It something I have always done once I got into it... so it will be easy to make it and then..." His muttered continued before he plopped onto the ground, not before grabbing his little multi-tool box. His hand grabbing his notebook once again as he opened it and began scribbling down.

"If I use the parts of the stun gun.... and then the chip set from the bat mini computer.... then use the metal from one of the many batarangs..." Tim mumbled to himself, before coursing as he dropped his pen. His hand going intangible for a brief moment. His eye twitches for a second before he took a deep breath calming down, then picked up his pen again. He really needed to get started on building that Fenton bracelet.

"They just had to knock me hard enough into the head that I would remember my past life...." Tim mutters quietly, annoyed with the goons he had fought during their last mission. He took another deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. Memories that belonged to Danny Fenton flitting across his mind. When Tim had woken up the first time he hand't remembered for a hot second that he was Tim Drake, son of Janet and Jack Drake, ward of Bruce Wayne and third Robin to Batman.

He literally thought he was Danny Fenton waking up in a strange dimension. After his initial panic calmed down Danny, or rather Tim had anaylized his situation and figured out, he was remembering his past life. It made the most sense. At first that was easy to deal with, until Tim one day fell through the floor. Thankfully neither Bruce, Alfred or Dick had noticed that incident. But to Tim, that meant he unlocked his abilities from his past life.

Which how was he going to explain that? 'Oh hey Bruce, I woke up and I don't have a meta gene but I remember my past life and now I have ghost abilities.' Yeah... that would go really well with the paranoid old man. Someone Tim was currently babysitting until that man recovered from his grief.

That brought Tim to his next dilemma. Because he remembered Danny Fenton read comics, while he mostly read comics centered around Martian Manhunter his past self thankfully had a friend that was into Batman and had discussed the comics with him. That was lucky for Tim. Because Tim wasn't stupid, he had seen other kids at school read these kind of books before. So he was aware that he was currently experiencing and living through the plot of one of these reincarnations book.

A part of him was partially sure that he could blame that on some of his ghostly friends from his past life.

Eitherway, thanks to his past life's friend. Tim had knowledge of the future, even if he didn't remember everything. Bad point, he had by now figured out in which timeline he was. Or at least Tim believed he had, which meant he was to late to prevent the fall of the second Robin, but if he calculated right either Damian was going to appear soon or he would be joining the Teen Titans which meant one step closer to going to get attacked by an enraged second Robin coming back. There were targets painted on his back. At least he wasn't at the point at time where he had another insane fruitloop obsessed with him.

Tim groaned. "I swear if this life were a novel it would be called, 'how to survive your siblings rage after awakening to your past life'."

There was a pause in the moment where Tim just let his mind wander. Before sitting straighter and getting to work onto the things he needed to suppress his ghost powers for the moment as well as making plans for the inevitable appearance of his future siblings. He just hoped he remembered the order of events correctly let alone that they were from the timeline he was in, otherwise he would be screwed.

"And that is, if I really only remembered my past life and did not taking over another kids life.... And Ancients... please don't let this be a Joker Jr. timeline...."

[cristinacclearwater]

so, i don't particularly mind when the Drakes are abusive and/or completely absent in fics (note that the followinig train of thoughts is based on the fics i read and absolutely not bases on the comics)

but

i feel like we tend to forget that Tim is still a Drake. like yeah he was adopted by Bruce and, depending how you see it, has lived in the manor for a few years. but still, he was raised by the Drakes, specifically by the Janet Drake. the one woman the press knew better than to badmouth. she was feared, liked and respected at the same time

like, there's no way that woman would leave her only son, the one she carried 9 month, alone for weeks without teaching him how to behave as high society. he's the one supposed to represent the Drake name everytime he's outside, whether it's at school, on a walk or at galas. so naturally he could tell when he's being followed and photographed, by people or paparazzis (which could have helped him learning how to not be seen, hence being able to follow batman and robin around at the age of 10 without being found), and then flashing his best natural smile. the guy is strikingly beautiful and he knows how to accentuate it with make up (rather usefull skills between the bruise at night and the eyebags in the morning) depending on what he's wearing. and obviously he knows how to dress, as in it's natural for him. he knows which colours to associate and do it without thinking. even if he's borrowing some of his siblings' clothes, he'd still accord them. he would litterally debate with Alfred about which brand his better or which suit would be more adapted to a gala.

i did hear about Janet teaching Tim a maths formula to know people status ? not sure if it's canon, but obviously Tim would know about anyone at any gala and be able to tell who's richer based on language, clothes, facial expressions...

and then high society (and the press as well) also tends to forget that before being Tim Drake-Wayne, he was Timothy Drake, son of Janet Drake, and know how to talk and insult someone without insulting them. he knows exactly what to say and how to say it so people would know they better not play smart with him. (rip anyone who try to belittle any of siblings, he'll rip them apart while smiling)

Janet raised him with the belief he'll take over Drake Industries, so when Tim took over WE, he wasn't totally thrown to the sharks (he still had the help of Lucius), he learnt the name of each and single employes (which is a looot) and a few things about them. he can tell when someone is trying to manipulate him at a board meeting, he knows how to deal with the money... he's definitly highly liked and respected by the employes of WE

and on another note, you cannot make me believe the guy does not know how to cook. banned from the kitchen ? bullshit

like if we follow the whole idea of absent parents then that means at some point Tim had to take care of himself. maybe he had a nanny or something, but she was definitly not there all the time. so my headcanon is that he does know how to cook, and is in fact a good cook. like he'd been alone for weeks and had to learn how to cook an egg, then make a salad until he could do more complex receipes

all to say that my man Tim knows how to carry himself and bend the world to his needs because that the least Janet would expect from him, and he's never going to embarass her, ever

[cristinacclearwater]

I think the fact that Tim’s childhood was actually fairly normal makes things funnier, actually.

He was raised in boarding schools and a bit of a latchkey kid, but he knew his parents loved him and he was supervised the majority of the year. He has normal interests, like skateboarding and superheroes. He has plenty of friends and meets up with them outside of school and everything. Even when he has to go to a new school, he finds a friend group. He dislikes school and he’s a dork. He has had multiple girlfriends, a homoerotic friendship, and a boyfriend. He’s intended to be the reader-insert, the Everyman, the guy that teenage boy readers identify with. As far as Batman comics go, he’s practically Normal McNormal Face on a surface level.

He also:

Responds to a temporary lack of adult supervision by stalking Batman with a camera to prove that Batman is being reckless. How did Tim know Batman was being reckless in the first place? Who knows! Maybe he just stalked him recreationally first.

Travels to New York City alone to break into Dick Grayson’s apartment.

Tries to clone his dead best friend (the other half of said homoerotic friendship).

Climbs out the window in the middle of a conversation with his guidance counselor.

Fakes an entire uncle and hires an actor to play him because he wants to live independently.

Runs away to a quarantined disaster zone, resulting in a huge manhunt.

Deduces Batman’s identity at age 9 and keeps it a secret (look, 9-year-olds are chatty).

Falls asleep on a rollercoaster, in the middle of a stakeout, and other inopportune places like the freaking dormouse from Alice in Wonderland.

Desperately attempts to keep the family together in Gotham War to a frankly disturbing degree.

Routinely ends up in random countries without adults, but it’s fine because he’s Competent (TM).

Hero worships Dick Grayson so hard he literally steals his identity.

Like, no, Tim’s insanity is not the result of cartoonish childhood neglect. Which means…

He’s just like that.

[cristinacclearwater]

Everyone in YJ is multilingual (mostly bc they’re nosy)

Everyone on YJ speaks at least 14 languages which is a skill they all use to fuck with the jl and their villains like oh??? We’re having secret conversations??? I would like to be included and everyone’s like wtf why do you speak this fucking random dialect of Russian?? This is Arizona??

They all speak binary for some fucking reason (they’re nerds) Also Kon tells people binary is Tim’s native language which starts a debate on whether it counts as Kons native language)

Diana is swearing in ancient greek under her breathe and Anita laughs before responding in ancient greek so Diana’s time monitoring yj is spent trying to make sure the public knows she did not teach those little miscreants to swear in her native language however she did teach them some technically lethal combat moves which is not better but she thinks it is

Anytime aliens come to metropolis or anywhere else on earth, occasionally Kon shows up and starts speaking to them in their native language so Clark’s like 🤨 …did Cadmus teach you that?? I don’t even know that language and kons so offended bc no?? Bart crashed our fucking spaceship and we were stranded in space for like 8 months…you didn’t notice??? I know their language bc we fucking hitchhiked back to earth (yj also pissed off multiple entire planets of people but 🤷🏾‍♀️) and Batman’s so pissed when Clark complains to him about this bc Tim told him they were doing undercover recon in Eritrea

the jl is trying to translate a threat from the league of assassins while batman is off planet but cissie showed up bc damian was insulting the jl in the leagues dialect and being purposefully unhelpful (he sabotaged the leagues plan like three hours ago and he enjoys making adults feel stupid esp if they’ve tried to baby him) so everyone else is confused when cissie laughs at damians remarks and casually corrects green arrows translation (she also invites damian to blow stuff up with yj which is immediately rejected but he changes his mind when olivers lets them know he can hear them and tries to lecture them)

clark is talking to Diana in kryptonian and he hears a collective gasp of offense from yj and he’s like ?? (Tim followed all the supers around for like a month to teach himself kryptonian and then taught Kon and the rest of yj)

J’onn walked in on Greta and Cassie discussing how to ditch their green lantern in the watchtower break room and snitched immediately bc they finished his secret stash of cookies but he also has inside jokes in martian with them (despite this yj does not listen to him in any capacity)

They all know Interlac (Bart kept cussing in interlac and decided it would be great if yj also did this) but really the rest of the jl is under the impression it’s some fucking code yj made except the speedsters are like Bart ☹️ no spoilers you promised!! and he’s like it’s not even a real language 🤨 didn’t you hear?? Rob made this fucked up cipher and I hate it 😞 it took me like six minutes to learn (they have to let it go when Bart goes oh so you don’t think tims smart enough to create a language on his own?? within earshot of the bats)

Or Anita starts muttering in patois while they’re being lectured by the jl and bart laughs and she’s like 🤨 someone cooked here and I don’t know if I like that 

[cristinacclearwater]

Please someone more patient than me write a meta about Tim's utter disinterest in being the biggest/fastest/strongest, etc./his humility despite being very pedantic or cocky in other ways.

At the end of Robin 93, he also sort of jeers at Ulysses Armstrong for getting so jacked and still being shit at fighting.

Love this attitude.

[cristinacclearwater]

Skull de Mort, just a civilian in the dark world of the Mafia, feels the weight of his position more than anyone realizes. He’s surrounded by some of the most dangerous mortals in the Underworld, all of them hardened by lives filled with violence. To them, he’s just another civilian trapped in their deadly world—someone to be underestimated, someone who doesn’t belong. But Percy Jackson knows better.

He sees the Arcobaleno for what they are—ruthless, dangerous, and impossibly flawed—and yet he feels tethered to them. They remind him of the Olympians in all the worst ways: their arrogance, their power plays, their cruelty. But unlike the gods, the Arcobaleno are mortal, fragile in a way that shakes him to his core. They bleed, they break, they can die—and that terrifies him.

He wonders if Hestia ever felt this way, loving a family so broken, so unworthy, yet still choosing to stay. He’s tried to distance himself, to remind himself that he doesn’t belong, that he doesn’t deserve to feel this way after failing Annabeth. But every time Reborn smirks, Lal snaps at him, or Fon offers green tea, he feels himself softening. They’re everything he should hate, everything he swore to leave behind—and yet, he can’t help but care.

A civilian out of place within criminals

A demigod between mortals

He feels old in their presence, far older than he should. The youngest and the oldest of the Arcobaleno. The weight of his past, his godly blood as a demigod, his 'civilian' status makes him feel like an outsider, watching from a distance. But at the same time, he feels young, the youngest among them, desperate for their approval, their trust, even their scorn—anything to prove he’s still alive, still worth something. The confusion tears at him, but he’s too tired to fight it anymore.

He was born from the sea—wild, powerful, untamed, a child of Poseidon who should command storms and guide ships through treacherous waters.

He is a Cloud, inverted he might be, Skull de Mort, the Cloud Arcoaleno, the World's Greatest Stuntman - Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson, The Hero of the Prophecy, The Savior of Olympus, Defeater of Kronos - was protective, possesive and territorial as any other Cloud in Mafia. The Arcobaleno - terrible, cruel and unwilling as they are - were his.

Skull often finds himself thinking about his favorite divine aunt Hestia. She’s, much like him, cares for those who don’t always quit deserve it. In her quiet devotion to her terrible family, despite their flaws and conflicts, he sees a reflection of his own feelings. Like her, he’s drawn to those who are broken, offering them protection and care without asking for anything in return. Percy Jackson once judged Hestia a little for loving her far too cruel siblings. Skull de Mort admires her ability to love unconditionally, to give without expecting, and wonders if, deep down, he too can find peace in loving those who, may never truly be able to love him back.

And maybe that’s all he can ask for—a family, even if it’s a family of the damned.

Skull doesn’t know if they see him the way he sees them. He doesn’t expect them to, either. But when he looks at them, he sees a family he doesn’t deserve, a second chance he didn’t ask for but can’t let go of. And for all their flaws, all their cruelty, he loves them—not despite it, but because of it. Because they’re as broken as he is. And maybe that’s enough.

[cristinacclearwater]

Charis Kymatema’s life had been a tragedy worth of the greek myths of old

Born Sadako Sawada, in Japan, a direct descendant of Vongola Primo, she had never asked for the blood and fire that ran through her veins. It was a weight she carried, one her parents had worked tirelessly to shield her from.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

When her foolish younger brother, Iemitsu, entered the mafia world, seeking glory and a dead legacy long buried, he had unknowingly brought ruin upon their family. His ambition, his reckless talk, put them all in the sights of powerful enemies of the Vongola.

The consequences were swift and brutal. Her parents were taken from her—victims of a war she never wanted to be part of. Their heads send back to the 'Young Lion' without mercy.

In that moment, Sadako had made a choice. She couldn’t stay—couldn’t let the mafia’s bloody legacy swallow her whole. A women of Vongola bloodline, a Latent Sky, in a Famiglia with so many male heirs? She would be a prize, a spoiled brat's trophy wife and broodmare, a way to tie back Primo's bloodline to the main one and secure her brother's loyality and position.

Either a dark life of blood and danger with a cold brutal death as a mafiosi or a life in a cage as a little trophy and vessel to more heirs as the wife of one

She had no choice but faked her death, leaving behind everything she had known and stepping into the shadows. She had no choice but to bury her identity, bury the girl who had once been the daughter of the Sawada Ietsuna and Sawada Chiho, and take on a new name, a new life.

Sawada Sadako died that day

Charis Kymatema was born in her place

Greece became her refuge, a place where the sea whispered calm to her grief and soul. The blond girl found solace in the ocean, went becoming a marine biologist for her love of the beautiful waters, dedicating her life to studying the deep, untouched world beneath the waves.

The sea, in all its unpredictable power, felt like the only place where she could truly be free.

Charis Kymatema had never intended to be part of any greater destiny. She had left that world behind, the legacy of the Vongola bloodline and all its destructive ties, with her past buried in the shadows. She was just a foreign woman, a marine biologist, a simple soul seeking refuge in the solace of the sea.

But sometimes, the sea doesn't offer refuge—it offers a pull, a desire, a calling that no one can ignore.

She had never expected to meet the god of the sea. How could she? A mortal like her, running from a life she could never erase, finding herself face to face with a god—an actual god. It was ludicrous. It was surreal. But there he was, standing before her like he belonged to the waves themselves, his presence both overwhelming and strangely calming.

At first, she thought she was losing her mind. Perhaps the ocean had finally claimed her completely. But Poseidon wasn’t a figment of her imagination. His voice, deep and commanding, resonated within her, not in her head but through the air, like the winds and tides themselves had spoken. His gaze held the weight of millennia, ancient and knowing, but there was something human in it too—something that made Charis wonder if, in some strange twist of fate, this god was as lost and as torn as she was.

She had no idea how it happened. It was the way he seemed to understand the tangled mess of her soul, the way his presence felt like the ocean..

And then, when it happened—when their bond became something more, something undeniable—she couldn’t believe it.

Seirena Kymatema

That was the name she picked, a honor to her father’s realm and domain.

Her daughter

A child of the sea, born from the unthinkable union of a mortal and a god. Charis had thought her life couldn’t get any more complicated, but it seen her foolish, cruel little brother wasnt the only to flirt with danger.

Charis loved her little Seirena more than words could capture, but that love came with a heaviness that weighed on her heart. While she would never call her child a mistake, her baby girl was no ordinary child. She was a Sawada in blood, a living testament to the power that flowed through Charis’s veins. And with that blood came a curse—an inevitability that, as much as Charis tried to escape it, her daughter would one day be bound by it.

Seirena’s own paternal lineage was both a gift and a curse. The power of the sea that ran through her veins was something the mafia world would want to control.

Her precious little girl belonged to the sea and only fools dared caged a tempest.

Charis had witnessed the ruthless lengths to which the mafia would go to secure power, and she knew that the Vongola would not let a child of her blood go unnoticed. They would see her as a tool, a potential heir or wife to their empire, and they would stop at nothing to claim her.

The thought of her daughter being dragged back into that dark world, being turned into a disposable tool by the same people who had destroyed her family, was unbearable. Charis could feel the looming danger that threatened Seirena’s safety and freedom.

She had fought to escape that life, to protect herself from the chaos it had wrought.

And in the end, Sawada Sadako knew she had to protect her.

Whatever it took.

[cristinacclearwater]

Skull de Mort, just a civilian in the dark world of the Mafia, feels the weight of his position more than anyone realizes. He’s surrounded by some of the most dangerous mortals in the Underworld, all of them hardened by lives filled with violence. To them, he’s just another civilian trapped in their deadly world—someone to be underestimated, someone who doesn’t belong. But Percy Jackson knows better.

He sees the Arcobaleno for what they are—ruthless, dangerous, and impossibly flawed—and yet he feels tethered to them. They remind him of the Olympians in all the worst ways: their arrogance, their power plays, their cruelty. But unlike the gods, the Arcobaleno are mortal, fragile in a way that shakes him to his core. They bleed, they break, they can die—and that terrifies him.

He wonders if Hestia ever felt this way, loving a family so broken, so unworthy, yet still choosing to stay. He’s tried to distance himself, to remind himself that he doesn’t belong, that he doesn’t deserve to feel this way after failing Annabeth. But every time Reborn smirks, Lal snaps at him, or Fon offers green tea, he feels himself softening. They’re everything he should hate, everything he swore to leave behind—and yet, he can’t help but care.

A civilian out of place within criminals

A demigod between mortals

He feels old in their presence, far older than he should. The youngest and the oldest of the Arcobaleno. The weight of his past, his godly blood as a demigod, his 'civilian' status makes him feel like an outsider, watching from a distance. But at the same time, he feels young, the youngest among them, desperate for their approval, their trust, even their scorn—anything to prove he’s still alive, still worth something. The confusion tears at him, but he’s too tired to fight it anymore.

He was born from the sea—wild, powerful, untamed, a child of Poseidon who should command storms and guide ships through treacherous waters.

He is a Cloud, inverted he might be, Skull de Mort, the Cloud Arcoaleno, the World's Greatest Stuntman - Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson, The Hero of the Prophecy, The Savior of Olympus, Defeater of Kronos - was protective, possesive and territorial as any other Cloud in Mafia. The Arcobaleno - terrible, cruel and unwilling as they are - were his.

Skull often finds himself thinking about his favorite divine aunt Hestia. She’s, much like him, cares for those who don’t always quit deserve it. In her quiet devotion to her terrible family, despite their flaws and conflicts, he sees a reflection of his own feelings. Like her, he’s drawn to those who are broken, offering them protection and care without asking for anything in return. Percy Jackson once judged Hestia a little for loving her far too cruel siblings. Skull de Mort admires her ability to love unconditionally, to give without expecting, and wonders if, deep down, he too can find peace in loving those who, may never truly be able to love him back.

And maybe that’s all he can ask for—a family, even if it’s a family of the damned.

Skull doesn’t know if they see him the way he sees them. He doesn’t expect them to, either. But when he looks at them, he sees a family he doesn’t deserve, a second chance he didn’t ask for but can’t let go of. And for all their flaws, all their cruelty, he loves them—not despite it, but because of it. Because they’re as broken as he is. And maybe that’s enough.

[cristinacclearwater]

Fon hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. He’d only caught a glimpse of the man speaking with Skull—just a glance—but that was enough. Enough to draw him closer. Enough to trap him.

His figure was too solid, too real for Mist Flames. His presence rippled through the space, ancient and unrelenting, like the weight of a thousand battles pressing down on Fon’s chest. And his eyes—

The moment Fon met them, the world shattered.

They were fire and blood, endless chaos forged in the crucible of war. In their depths, the martial artist saw not just bloodlust but something far worse—judgment. The weight of every life he’d taken suddenly burned on his hands, the phantom warmth of blood slicking his fingers. His ears filled with screams, whispers of the lives he’d ended, echoes of the crimes he had tried to forget.

The memories of his sins swirled around him, drowning him. The child who had clung to her father’s hand as the Fon cut him down. The rival mafiosi he burned alive with his Flames. All of the men and women who had begged for their lives, the sharp cry of his death still etched in Fon’s soul.

It was all there, dragged to the surface by those burning eyes, an unspoken accusation.

And yet, it wasn’t hatred he felt. It wasn’t fear. It was something far worse.

Reverence

Those eyes weren’t just alive with war—they were war.

They were the force that made men kill and die, the unending hunger that drove nations to destroy one another.

The Storm Arcobaleno couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. His own body betrayed him, frozen under the weight of his own sins.

“Fon.”

The voice barely registered.

The red-claded baby couldn’t look away. His instincts screamed at him to move, to run, to fight, but he was frozen. The room was suffocating, and yet he was trapped, staring into the abyss of that man’s gaze as if he were bound to it by the blood on his hands.

"Fon."

In those eyes, he saw every life he had taken, every sin he carried, every drop of blood spilled. The phantom weight of his deeds pressed down on him like chains, pulling him deeper into the storm.

“Fon!”

Suddenly, a small hand gripped his shoulder, shaking him hard. Fon blinked, gasping as the world snapped back into focus. Skull was in front of him, his usually carefree expression set into something serious.

“Hey! Stay with me,” Skull said firmly, his voice sharp, cutting through the lingering haze of dread. “Don’t look at him too long. Trust me.”

Fon’s breath came shallow and uneven, his body still trembling from whatever thing had been cast over him. He glanced past his fellow Arcobaleno, but the man wasn’t even looking at him anymore. And yet his presence still lingered, a suffocating reminder.

“Who...” Fon’s voice cracked slightly. He swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. “Who is this?”

Skull didn’t answer immediately, his hand still firm on Fon’s shoulder as if grounding him. “Someone you don’t want to mess with,” the Cloud said finally, his tone low but steady.

The man chuckled softly, a sound like distant thunder, and turned his burning gaze back to Skull. “You have interesting friends, little cousin. Not everyone is strong enough to survive looking into the eyes of war.”

“Enough,” Skull snapped, his voice sharper than Fon had ever heard it.

The man smirked, stepping away, his form dissipating into the shadows as if he were never truly there. The air felt lighter, but not by much.

But still doesn’t feel like Mist Flames.

Fon exhaled shakily as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. “Cousin?” he asked, his sharp eyes narrowing at Skull.

Skull shrugged, his carefree mask sliding back into place. “Long story. Forget it.”

Fon didn’t press, but he knew there was more to Skull than he let on. And whoever that man was—whatever he was—Fon wasn’t sure if he ever wanted to find out.

[cristinacclearwater]

On Christmas Eve Cass Steph and Dick all break into Tim’s apartment to bring (kidnap) him to the manor for Christmas and see the usual stuff the ungodly amount of coffee and paper work for WE minimal decorations which they expect what they didn’t expect was the mountain of presents which isn’t a total shock Tim is a rather prominent socialite but at closer inspection half the gifts are from different villains/rouges some of the names include

:Ra’s Al ghul

:Edward nigma

:Harley Quinn

:Lady shiva

And MANY more names for obvious reasons they are concerned and when Tim is opening his front door and Steph starts demanding answers from him and dick starts begging him not to turn into a supervillain (cass is drinking tea on the couch ready to enjoy the show) he is confused and and then the rest of the bats show up and start trying to talk him out of becoming evil (except Jason who thought this was hilarious and just a little terrifying) and now he is just trying to figure out what the fuck is going on until dick let’s it slip and they ask why Tim has presents from supervillains laying around and Tim just doesn’t know how to explain that he and said supervillains have exchanged gifts since his YJ days and pretends he doesn’t know why the gifts were there

So the bats start saying that they are gonna confront the supervillains cause this means that they might know secret identities until Bruce see’s an open card on the kitchen counter from Harley that is actually a invitation to a villain Christmas party which appears to be a few weeks old and a photo with Tim in his Red Robin suit hanging out at the party with all the rouges and Tim has to figure out a way to get out of this but he is Tim fucking drake so he can’t just admit it so somehow now everyone thinks there is a clone of Tim running around with the rouges which is why they send him cards gift etc and Tim goes along with it but so do the rouges (Tim to this day doesn’t know why but just thanks the gods they did) so Batman looks but can’t find any evidence anywhere eventually it goes to the back burner when joker escapes and they didn’t pick it up again and nobody figures out the truth until Harley invited Steph and cass to the same villain party and they see Tim discussing science stuff with ivy and now cass and Steph know but they don’t tell the rest of the bats and this doesn’t come up again until YEARS have passed and Tim is on really strong pain meds and felt so bad he admits it half of the bats think it’s the funniest thing ever the other half are concerned/upset Tim didnt tell them

(Tim still goes to the Christmas party’s ever year without fail)

( i wrote this at one in the morning it might not make any sense so…. Sorry?)

[cristinacclearwater]

I feel like Tim would be petty as hell regarding the 'tell a responsible adult' thing;

Clark: "look. All we ask, is that sometimes you kids tell us, if you need help- ans we will! That's what we're here for! There's nothing wrong with going to a responsible adult, and telling them the problem and letting them solve it-"

Kon: isn't that literally how Tim became Robin, tho? And didn't you literally complain that we acted to much like kids and not enough like adults when Young Justice just started, when we were what, 14?

Clark: well, no,-

Tim: you mean, yeah. I literally went yo Dick- a police officer which everyone says you should go to if you have a problem- and told him about Batman going crazy, and he ignored my advice and went off as Nightwing, and then I had to go and save Batman and Nightwing. From two face. Without any training. And then again later, I had to save Batman from Scarecrow. And then I told everyone that Batman was alive and you all said I was going crazy, and I ended up losing my spleen because nobody would believe or help me for multiple months.

Clark: uhm....

[cristinacclearwater]

Someone kidnaps Tim and creates a clone of him to infiltrate his life and steal money/ valuables/ secrets, only to fail at every turn because he can't figure out what 'normal' Tim behavior looks like.

Clone! Tim- Well, goodnight family. I will see you in the morning.

Dick, jumping up and feeling for a fever- Somebody call Alfred.

Jason- Didn't you just wake up like twenty-eight hours ago??

Damian- Here you go, Drake.

Damian- I made you coffee.

Damian- Enjoy.

Clone! Tim, swigging it and desperately trying to keep a straight face despite how strong it is- Thanks... buddy. It's great.

Damian- Hmm...

Clone! Tim- Bruce, hey. I was wondering-

Bruce- What did you break?

Clone! Tim- Nothing? Why?

Bruce- You knocked on my office door. You only do that when you're hurt or trying to be on your best behavior so I won't get mad about- Wait. Did you hack into Lexcorp again?

Clone! Tim- Uh... no? What?

Bruce, not listening- How many times do I need to treat someone to a date just to keep them from pressing charges against you?

Clone! Tim- What?

Bruce- Nevermind. Just tell me you found something good.

[cristinacclearwater]

So I've been rereading skip beat from the beginning for the first time in uhhhhh almost 10 years and I'm going inSaNE over characterizations and development that I have to write it down

At this point I'm only at the Heel siblings arc so I haven't gotten to the Guam or Saena arcs which are very big for Kyoko and Ren's character development and healing which I haven't reread since those chapters came out

Can we just take a moment to appreciate Nakamura for basing Kyoko and Ren's childhood struggles and trauma on very real things that aren't often, if at all, dealt with in anime/manga and also writing them with utmost care (Not only do the traumas inform their personalities, but their healing arcs aren't just a one and done thing!! It's a very slow process) Like starting with Kyoko, her single mother neglected her so much that she was raised by a family friend. On top of that, nothing Kyoko did was ever good enough for her mother, and both of these things are so apparent in Kyoko's character. She attaches herself to fairytales and magic as an escapism and because she relates to stories like Cinderella. She literally cannot function if she messes up and no one criticizes her. She can't properly acknowledge her own talents and beauty without it being attached somehow to fairytales; she never quite believes shes good enough. Similarly, she didn't want to bother anyone with her troubles, so she always dealt with them alone/in private spaces. Pretty sure she also has lowkey abandonment issues. And this is all parental trauma!! Things she already has before the series starts and she gets so utterly heartbroken she swears off romantic love entirely so she can never get hurt the same way again.

(I don't think I'll ever get over how Kyoko told all this to Kuu and he was literally like I'm adopting you. Your mine now. Sorry I don't make the rules ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And Kuu going home to his wife like hey we got a new kid 😂 Like Kyoko freezing up when she made mistakes and then Kuu showing her love instead of reprimanding her makes me go 🥹😩💖✨😭💝 Kyoko getting all fluffy from head pats🥹🥹 But on the downside she literally can't bring herself to call him dad unless she's in acting mode sjdfhsf)

When I really consider it, I wonder if Kyoko really loved Sho as a person or like.... the idea of him. Like he was just a convenient guy via proximity bc Kyoko needed someone to be her "prince". We haven't been shown exactly why she fell in love, but it would explain why she stuck with dedicating herself to him despite his terrible personality and knowing he never saw her the same way. It's portrayed like the concept of hatsukoi in anime where its ✨pure✨and innocent✨It seems very idealistic. Whereas Kyoko's love for Ren is more mature. She sees every aspect of Ren and doesn't sugarcoat it, she sees him as he is (she does him up on a pedestal but partially bc she admires him but also as an extreme measure to protect her heart and hide her feelings imo)

And REN. trauma to the max. He had to deal with the hardships of making a name for himself when his parents are already famous, extreme racism from being biracial, his friend/mentor dying from an accident he unintentionally caused???? Like boy hates himself so much he's literally disassociating 24/7 he needs a fucking therapist. I get how being Ren has helped him in some capacity but he needs a professional asap. Though deep diving into this is so interesting because Ren/Kuon compartmentalized his issues and the parts that he hates about himself so much he created its own persona ("Dark Kuon"), to the point he's rarely ever just himself. And he buried it so deep that as soon as he cracked the lid open, those emotions just spilled out. He can't even allow himself to be happy, and when he does feel truly happy, his automatic response is acting nonchalant,,,,,,,,,,,, he didn't even realize he was doing it at first 😢

Also the symbolism with Ren's watch makes me go a little feral. I don't remember if it's originally his or Rick's but it obviously stopped when the latter died and Ren keeps it as a reminder of what happened and why he went to Japan. It's a weird item since it grounds him but also represents his heavy trauma, and I think having those two things in one kinda showcases Ren's unhealthy coping mechanisms (like grounding himself to something traumatic isn't... great...). But that scene where he realizes he took it off and he has a moment of whether it to keep it on as Cain Heel or not??? *clenches fist* it was so good. (To recap it, he had his watch so he wouldn't lose himself in the role of BJ and then forgot it in the bathroom after an unexpected trauma response) Ren narrates his thoughts as choosing between Rick or Kyoko but interpreting this, he's choosing whether to keep himself stuck in his past trauma or move forward and let himself be happy AKA stick with unhealthy coping mechanisms vs try something healthy and rely on people he trusts. Kyoko essentially becomes someone Ren grounds himself to 🥺 He still needs therapy though lmao. He's so mentally unstable in this arc,,,

As I'm writing this I'm seeing a parallel between Kyoko and Ren and how they both had an experience that completely and utterly broke them, and it was this that pushed them onto their current paths in showbiz. And they likely would never have met each other again if those things never happened (they had to lose themselves to find each other?? 😭). It's so funny to me that Ren is all like ThEiR fAtEs ArE iNtErTwInEd with Kyoko and Sho when you have to consider the fact that him and Kyoko meeting again was like. a chance in a billion. It was fate 😂

KyoRen is such a poetic ship to me. The fact that they're different people when they meet and don't recognize the other. How Ren starts falling in love AS SOON AS HE REALIZES KYOKO IS THE SAME GIRL HE MET (Ren being gray/demiromantic.... more at 5). Kyoko lowkey starting to crush on Ren when she witnesses a bit of his real personality. These two things happening around the same time??????? And Ren being SO afraid of being Kuon, his true self, because of his bad qualities, but Kyoko pulling out the good qualities without him fully realizing it?? (I'm 100% referring to Kuon being a mischievous little shit and I live for how he teases Kyoko) tbh they treat each other differently from other people without even realizing it lol. And Kyoko being surrounded by toxic and possessive men pursuing her, and Ren being anything BUT. Like my man is a gigantic green flag. He recognizes that he can't seriously pursue Kyoko bc she's a minor and he really tries his best to only be a friend and mentor in her life and keeping her trust and never crossing her boundaries despite the stereotypes of men being "unable to control themselves." Y'all take point this should be the standard at minimum☝️

I have to talk about Sho bc this boy is so fucking toxic but he makes such a fascinating character. As much as I hate how Kyoko got heartbroken in the way she did, I think it was necessary so that she could leave Sho's sorry ass and cut him out of her life. Seriously,,,, he took advantage of her and used her as a servant. she literally dropped out of school, moved to a different city, and took on two jobs for the sole purpose of helping his career and then he threw her away like a used rag (JUST THROW THE WHOLE MAN AWAY). And then he has the audacity to fall in love with her smh. Anyway the fascinating part about him to analyze is how he's so possessive of Kyoko. Like she was a mere fly in his life, but she was always his. Until she wasn't. And I think those twisted thoughts kinda morphed into feelings for Kyoko. Ig in a way he still cares about her, but it could never hide how toxic he is. Anyone who's like I don't care how this person thinks of me as long as I take up the biggest space in their heart is egotistical and narcissistic. BUT he and Kyoko bickering like siblings will always be funny. Like epitome of two people who've lived with each other for way too long so they know how the other ticks and also get on each other's nerves 😂😂Sho does makes a good foil for Ren though. Like he's basically everything Ren is not: immature, temperamental, possessive, vain, the list goes on. His only redeeming qualities as a character is providing good drama and humor and being an example of what Ren isn't.

Skip Beat is really a story about healing and learning to love yourself and letting others love you and Nakamura is such a good story teller 🥺

[cristinacclearwater]

magical realism is just a part of the skip beat universe but it's not addressed bc it isn't relevant to the plot. of course kyoko mogami believes in fairies. she has an army of sentient spirits born out of her hatred for sho at her beck and call. she knows a guy who can destroy electronic devices just by touching them. she knows another guy who's basically psychic and can see spirits and look into people's memories. it's not HER fault she's sensitive to the supernatural....

[cristinacclearwater]

Bruce comes back from the dead and wants to make things better. Bruce comes back from the dead and Tim was the one who brought him back, so it's obviously Tim who'll know best how to help him reconnect with everyone.

It's Tim who should give him advice on how to bond with Dick. Dick has always been his idol, after all. Tim would know best how to bring him back, and he does. He gives good advice and the two of them begin to get closer.

So Bruce asks about Jason, too. Asks about how to bring his son back into the fold and Tim wished for a brief and brutal moment that it weren't so obvious who the favorite was.

Tim told Bruce to give Jason his space, to loosen his rules, and make it clear that no matter what the Red Hood did, no matter what the Batman believed in, Jason was always welcome. Bruce would always want him.

It worked. Bruce wasn't surprised. Tim was a special sort of bitter.

Bruce asked again for Damian and Tim had to push down his anger. "That boy tried to kill me," Tim wanted to say. "I hate him and I want you to hate him too so that I can remember a time when we had something in common," Tim didn't say, but he got close.

He instead told Bruce how Damian liked art and animals and loved hearing stories of the wonders of Batman.

He told Bruce just how much Damian loved being Robin. Told Bruce to tell Damian what a good Robin he was.

God bless or maybe damn him, but he did and it worked and Tim wanted to start screaming and clawing at something because that would have never worked if Tim tried it and it wouldn't have stopped Damian from cutting his line--something Bruce did not and would never know about.

Bruce asked about Babs. How should he make sure she knew that she was a part of the family? That they loved her and not just for the work she did?

He asked about Steph. How should he make sure she knew that she was more important than his rules and that, if something else should go wrong, she didn't need to run away?

He asked about Duke. He never got the chance to get to know him before leaving--not as well as he wanted to, at least. How should he let him know that he was just as much a son as everyone else? That, whether or not his parents woke up, he'd always be welcome?

He asked about Cass. How should he show her that he loves her even though he has nothing to teach her? How can he convey how much he cares about her, his first daughter?

Bruce gets brought back from time and he makes things better. He brings his family back together by following Tim's advice.

And Tim?

Tim brings his dad back from the dead and Bruce changes, becomes a better father.

Bruce changes, but not everything can.

That, Tim thinks, is why Bruce never calls Tim his son.

[cristinacclearwater]

I need a fic where Janet, Lex, Bruce, and Oliver knew each other as children or teens. They may have been a merry band of high society miscreants or as sworn frenemies.

Janet was a certified terror, and the boys were there to either keep her in check or join her. She also freaked them out, but they weren't going to admit that.

Around the time Bruce and Oliver disappear, Lex goes off to do his own thing, which leaves Janet.

She works to get her business degree and meets Jack Drake who (I headcanon) is a loveable idiot, loves archeology and would do anything for the ones he loves.

They get married and work on Drake Industries with Janet as the CEO as she's better suited for business. At this point, Bruce and Oliver are back as ditzy high-society men and Lex is basking in villainy so Janet doesn't bother to reach out, especially with Timothy on the way.

When Tim is born, she can't help but think about how he would've had three uncles to take care of him when she couldn't but there's no chance of that happening anymore.

Janet vows to teach Timothy everything she knows about handling people, business, and whatever else the world throws at him.

Bruce is the only one who knows that Janet has a child and does not see the similarities between them until a while later when her kid is knocking on his door with the threat of blackmail.

I can only imagine the reactions that Oliver and Lex would have when they learn that there's a Janet 2.0 which is literally a copy and paste of her, just a different gender. _____________________________ I might expand on this... who knows?