#( She sees the best in people ; threads ( ( Cassie ) )

[brucewaynehater101]

Hear me out for mixing Emperor Tim and Spider Tim. Spider Tim does not want any of the Bats to know about his spider form, but Young Justice knows all about it. It started because Greta asked him about the magic she could sense in him and Tim telling them that he had some "thread based magic" and took a few strands of his silk to wrap around Cassie. She had to genuinely try to break out of just 5 loops of this hair thin thread. They ask him why he doesn't use this all the time and Tim simply shrugs, "I can't make a lot of it. The older I get, the more I'll be able to make bur for now? I'm stuck with only a few dozen yards a day." This isn't quite true. He can currently make about 50 yards but it will grow with time.

Months later, they run into a magician who casts an anti magic barrier around them, canceling out Tim's Glamor and he immediately transforms into his spider form. He looks back at himself and then yells, "you rat fucking bastard! Do you have any idea how rude it is to out people as non human who aren't ready to come out yet?! I'm gunna fucking *eat* you!" To which, he does. They do a Q&A as Tim devours his meal in the saftey of Bart's space ship. Tim tells them about how dangerous poachers are to him and why, how his mom is the best ever and what normal spider demon parents do, why he's actually eating the guy, and when someone asks about his civilian ID, Tim says, "I still can't tell you but bow you've seen why. You know what I am. I just told you how much of a problem poachers are. If word gets out that I'm a Spider Demon and one of you guys slip up with my civilian name, it's not just me at stake. It's my mom and her siblings and my cousins and my siblings who I've never met. Our families don't meet up because of how dangerous the poachers are,how they could and would decimate our entire population at the drop of a hat. You think they don't use truth spells on us to try and pry who our family members are out of us? You think they won't use those same spells on you guys to force you to tell them who I am so that they can hunt down and exterminate my family? I can't risk that, even if I trust you guys with this form. But... I can tell you guys that you can call me Tim." Having such a good explanation for why he cant tell them beyond "Batman said I can't" should let up a ton of tension in the future and make when he does eventually tell them all the sweeter.

Tim decides that when he's visiting his planets, he doesn't have to worry about Earth Based Poachers so he uses his spider form. He has to admit that it feels *really* nice to stretch out his limbs for so long and also climb up and down walls. Plus! None of these people know to fear spiders! He doesn't have to worry about looks of disguste or hatred simply for what he is! His citizens still think he's adorable and sweet and small.

His spider form does *not* help with the problems with the GLC because the moment the humans see a picture of him, they are all reeling back. John will never admit that he has a phobia of spiders. Kyle freely says, "it looks like it's a spider demon. There was rumors of one running around back on Earth for a while. I never saw it but if it is, then it's extremely dangerous." And Hal pipes up, "I saw it once and that is definitely the spider demon that was running around. I didn't get to see it for very long, but I was hunting down a magician and saw it fighting that thing. It was horrifying, that thing chopped the guy up with its front, scythe like legs and after it killed the magician, it ate them! And then it vanished. But how did it get into space and become the leader of this empire?"

Hal did see Tim do that. What he didn't see is that fact that the magician was a poacher who was planning to also go after the other Bats thinking that they were definitely creatures too. Of course Tim wouldn't allow his family to be hunted like that by someone who would tell them his greatest secret. So he made sure they couldn't and had a nice snack in the process.

Tim deserves to snack on that magician. That was rude af of them to do that to him (although I doubt they cared and they can't care now that they are dead). Do magicians taste differently? Like static or something?

I'm also curious about how YJ treats Tim's OG form. I bet he oscillates between severely unbothered (it's who he is, why should he care?) to being self conscious (Bats and others have expressed their dislike of spiders and his form could cause him to be taken out by a poacher). He just flips between these two depending on various variables.

I'm also curious about Tim killing and the No Killing Rule. How will Bruce react to this?

I do like the addition you did for GLs. I wonder if they try to reach out to John Constantine about the spider demon taking over the universe. I love Tim and Constantine interactions, ngl

[celestialspecial]

Blood Rush

Warnings: Mentions of Blood/ 18+ themes

The pounding beat of the music seemed to reverberate down to the earths mantle. An intense light show swam across the crowd lighting them up in vivid reds and blues, purple tones intermingling on the dance floor.

The entire club was packed to the gills, heat, sweat, and sounds drowned together in one large overwhelming assortment. The entire establishment felt like it was shaking down to its foundation from the pounding bass.

So many warm bodies all in one place. Billy let his eyes close as he leaned over the side of the railing looking down at the crowd. If he focused he could pick out conversations going on all around him.

He didn’t need to strain, no, to their human ears they had to yell. His pale hands gripped the metal pole tighter as he sniffed into the heavy air. Filled with so many different fragrances. Perfumes, sweat, the stench of sex even emanated from a few of the private vip booths.

A lilting soft scent wafted over his nostrils. It was airy, sweet but not overpowering. Whatever it was had his mouth watering. It was blood. But not just any. 

He let his sixth sense drift outwards, hoping to pinpoint exactly where the smell was coming from. Ignoring the ache in his stomach, hungering for whatever delicious morsel was unknowingly going to become his next meal.

The next song started and the strobe lights flickered over the packed interior. He could feel the pulse from the DJ booth, the whole floor felt like it was moving as people jumped up and down.

In his earlier days this place would’ve drove him mad. The bursting colors, unconfined smells, the droning music. And the thirst for blood. He would’ve gone mad.

Now it was the only place he could zone out. Far removed from reality. The one place he could fade into the background and pretend. Pretend he wasn’t what he was.

You could feel the buzz start to wear off as you downed your next glass of water, the sweat streaking across your forehead. You brushed at the strands stuck to your face in a futile attempt to cool down.

You could see some of your girl friends still out on the dance floor, the vodka had in fact, helped them dance better. You couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous penis headbands two of the them wore.

Then Cassie in her short white dress with a ridiculously large sash starting “Same Dick Forever.” The micro veil now very askew on her head. 

“…and three waters please.” You smiled at the bartender. You were doing your best to be the mom friend by drinking less but you knew there was no way to get the group back to their respective apartments if you had to drag them.

Another surge of that intoxicating scent rose up from beneath him, this time a little stronger. It had Billy, craning his neck this way and that searching for its source. 

Outlined in his enhanced periphery he could see another two or so vamps sniffing into the air as well. Red eyes threading through the crowd greedily. 

I don’t think so.

This catch was his. If only he could find them.

“Awwww is this for me?!” Izzy slurred taking the water from your hand. You watched half of it spill onto the dance floor as she regained her balance from holding the cup.

“Yes. Waters all around! Drink up!” Passing the other cups out to your friends and watching them sip something non-alcoholic. 

You couldn’t help but giggle, smacking a palm to your forehead as Cassie took a long swig then made a face, realizing it was actually just water. 

“What gives?!” 

“It’s 3 am, and I promised your fiancé I’d have you home. In one piece.” You emphasized the last part, knowing that would get Cassie to relent. 

“Ughhhhh fine.” But she was smiling, her eyes still significantly glazed. 

“Alright, bathroom break then one more dance until our Uber is here.” You corralled them off to the side as you whipped out your phone, scanning the latest price increase from Uber and Lyft.

It was more than you wanted to pay but you needed to go home, and there were so many people leaving the clubs right now. 

After hitting confirm you could feel it. A cold pin prick crawling up your spine. A quick glance around and you realized no one was touching you, but it felt like it.

All you could see were groups of people dancing as magenta light poured over the establishment in waves. No one. 

Izzy said something to Meg and Cassie chuckled but it was all muffled to you. A loud pounding in your ears, your heart rate kicking up a notch. 

What the-?

Then you looked up to the balcony where the vip booths and other dancing patrons occupied. A man was staring down at you.

Black eyes and raven hair. Pale skin that absorbed whatever new flash of color the strobe lights were sending out. He didn’t blink as you continued to stare at him.

He was handsome. Not the usual handsome you liked, but a cold almost threatening kind. Jaw set on edge and slicked back hair, almost too uniform to be in a club.

The discomfort in your chest growing with each second neither of you looked away. You swallowed thickly, pushing your sweat drenched hair aside, praying a cool wind from one of the fans would wipe away the cold sweat gathering on your skin.

His nostrils flared and you stumbled backwards, knocking into Izzy and the rest of her untouched water toppled to the floor.

“Hey! What gives?” 

“We need to leave now.” 

“Why?” Cassie asked, sobering slightly at the hint of panic in your voice.

“There’s a man up there watching us.” You turned to point but he was gone. You brows drew together. “What the fuck?”

“Oooooookay. How many shots did you do while getting us waters?” Cassie giggled, nudging you with her shoulder.

“None I swear, I just-“ a small beep from your phone rang out, “driver is now arriving. Ok guys, we gotta get out of here.”

It was no small task getting the rest of the bachelorette party out, more like herding cats, but you did it as quickly as possible sparing a few extra glances over your shoulder in the process. 

Billy had pushed away from the railing and was descending the curved stairs down to the first floor. The second he’d spied the girl below he knew it had been her he’d smelled.

Was he planning to kill her? Suck the blood from her body like he originally intended? Why did he feel like that was no longer an option?

Her wide eyes had pinned him to the spot, and an arousal grew within him, the feeling he got when a hot meal was within reach and something else. Something that brought him pause.

The other vamps hadn’t located the exact scent yet so he needed to move before they noticed him gone. There was something delectable about whatever blood ran through that girls veins.

Untainted, pure. Not pure in the traditional sense of white dresses and sacrifices to volcanos, but something deeper. Bloodlines dating back centuries could give off smells unlike anything else.

Reaching out Billy could practically hear her thrumming pulse calling to him through the darkened club. He licked his lips imagining sinking his fangs into that soft skin, her scent overwhelming him.

Drinking deep, that lifeblood coating his tongue. There were so many vital arteries he could choose from. He ached to bite into her thigh, tasting the sweat on her skin in the process.

A roiling in his stomach set him on edge, only this time it wasn’t from hunger.

Some bouncer pushed past him, shouldering Billy to the side and for the first time since he was turned, Billy stumbled. 

Catching the wall only at the last moment. Placing a steadying hand on the bricks to his side, leaning against the cool stone.

A hand shot to his forehead as he felt a shooting pain streak across his vision.

What in hells name?

The Uber pulled up as best it could to the crowded sidewalk. A Prius, way smaller than the picture had looked on the screen of your phone. 

Izzy tripped on the curb sliding into the backseat followed closely by a hiccuping Meg. Cassie grabbed the passenger’s side door before stopping.

“Wait, there’s not enough room.” She squinted into the vehicle. You licked your lips, begging your brain to think of another plan. 

“Sorry ladies, my cup holder doesn’t go up in the back. Damn things stuck, supposed to get it looked at next week.”

The man gestured to  the back seat where sure enough the cup holder had dropped into where a middle seat should be.

“We can wait for another one.” Cassie suggested, hand beginning to loosen on the door handle. 

It was late and if you waited any longer it’d be $300 for any type of transport and be over an hour wait.

“You guys go. I’ll get the next one.” You didn’t want to, but you were the only one sober enough to use the app and the streets were busy enough while you waited for your ride.

“Are you sure?” She looked hesitant, Izzy was already passed out asleep in the backseat. 

“Yes, go. Tell Dan he’s welcome.” You tried to smile reassuringly but it felt forced.

Cassie noted the struggle in your voice but before she could push back, you opened the door and gently nudged her inside. 

“Text me when you get home!” She shouted through the lowered window as the car pulled away.

Shit.

Your fingers felt stiff as you tried desperately to find another rideshare, hell you’d pay through the nose for a cab at this point.

Then you felt it again. That icy sensation tingling along your spine and up your neck.

Whirling around all you could see was throngs of people rushing past into cabs, or onto the next bar that was open. 

A swirling mass of coats, hats, vibrant clothes in the hustle and bustle and then a flash of white. A pale face. A familiar face.

The man who’d been looking down at you from the club. People moved in and out, obscuring your vision of him but there he stood. 

You willed your feet to move, but your body betrayed you in every sense of the word. Run. Move. Anything. 

He was moving towards you now, each movement fluid and calculated. Why hadn’t you just shoved yourself into that damn car with your friends?

What had possessed you to just…not get in?

Somehow the neurons in your body started firing again and you were able to turn tail and run. Bolting as fast as you could down the sidewalk. Weaving in and out of groups of people.

Where the hell were you going? It didn’t matter, you just needed to move. To get out of there as fast as possible. Your sneakers splashing through a puddle as you rounded a corner. 

A small convenience stores lights called to you from just a little ways away. You could get in there and call for help. Call the police. 

Your arm began reaching out even before you could realistically grab the door handle. Fingers stretching, so close!

Then a hand shot out, grasping your wrist and tugging you into the dark alley to the side. You tripped over your own feet, tumbling to the ground, skirt catching on the rusted edge of a dumpster.

The vice remained on  your arm, but now laughter accompanied it.

“Well aren’t you a sweet little thing?” A large hulking man hovered over you, bald, with a stained shirt, beady eyes that seemed to glint red in the moonlight. He smelled sour, a thumping in your chest increased.

As if he could hear the uptick in your heart rate he chuckled to himself. Sniffing the air, bear paw of a hand holding you tightly.

“You smell delicious.” You shuddered understanding the implications, tugging your wrist even though it was futile. 

“Let me go!” You screamed even though you were sure no one could hear you. 

“Not a chance precious.” He grinned, an evil look danced across his face, mouth parting and then you could see two glimmering white fangs. Elongating before your very eyes.

Then you knew this was it. It was over. You wouldn’t get to see Cassie get married, see Izzy get her graduate degree, you’d never buy your own house or settle down yourself.

Your eyes squeezed shut waiting for the end. But then you heard a shout and suddenly your wrist was freed and the man before you was rolling across the pavement. 

His own attacker on top of him, the sounds of a scuffle and tearing flesh.

You crawled off to the side, your fingers felt numb against the cold pavement. You could hear the brawl happening to the side of you but you tried to ignore it.

Instead attempting to lift your body up, willing your knees to stop shaking so you could stand. So you could run.

A shout rang out, bouncing off the enclosed space and the bald man stumbled back a few paces. A huge hand grasping the side of his neck where blood was shooting out in spurts.

That ice water chill shot through your veins once more, the dark haired man stood back facing you, panting. His shoulders rising and falling underneath his stained hoodie.

The other man, no- vampire, pulled back eyes darting to yours.

Narrowed as if second thinking his retreat but the snarl that came from your protector-reassured the idea that leaving was the best idea.

The words froze in your mouth, was thank you enough? Could you even form a coherent thought right now? Heart still racing.

The dark haired man looked back at you and the shudder that ran through your body nearly knocked you back to the ground.

Blood soaked the front of his sweatshirt and smeared along his mouth. A mouth that held two sharp canines, equally covered in red.

His eyes looked wild, scratches marred his clothing from the fight. A lump in your throat tightened watching the drop of blood drip from his mouth into a puddle at his feet.

You felt along the wall to your side, desperate to stabilize yourself and begin running again.

You weren't sure how, maybe he could read thoughts, you'd never met a vampire before. But he was on you in less than a blink.

His hands gripped your biceps, pushing your back into the wall behind you. His eyes were so black you couldn’t see the pupil, but when the light caught on them from a passing cars headlights you swore they were red.

Your body was frozen to the spot, limp in his grasp.

“Why do you smell so goddamn good?” He pressed his face into the crook of your neck, snarling against the heated skin. 

His scruff scraping against you, his tongue darting out to lick a long stripe up the column of your throat.

The noise that escaped your mouth must have pleased him, because you could feel him muffle a sound of amusement against you.

Billy had been a vampire for so long now, years of practice controlling his hunger and urges but this girl seemed to unravel all that. 

If he’d been newly turned he would’ve torn into her throat without a second thought. Allowing the hot blood to flow unencumbered into his mouth. 

It took almost all his control to not just bite and drink all that he could. Pulling back, his once slicked back hair now falling into his face. 

Framing his pale skin and dark blood red eyes, fangs protruding as he huffed a laugh at her expression. He must’ve been quite a sight. Torn from the pages of horror comics.

Her heart was thundering in her chest, those gorgeous eyes wide and beautiful full lips parted in fear but, hell, what would they look like parted in ecstasy?

Billy could feel his pants becoming tighter just at the thought. No. He needed a taste. Something to whet his appetite, nothing lethal. 

His thumbs rubbed at the exposed skin on her arms where he held her firmly in place. 

“Please let me go.” She stammered, it was soft, pleading. It tugged at a long forgotten part of him that remained from his time as a human.

It almost worked.

“No I can’t do that. Not yet.” 

Leaning in Billy kissed the side of your neck. Sucking a long slow spot where your shoulder met in a delicate crease. Another delicately placed kiss to the clavicle, working his way up to nip at your ear.

Your treasonous body relaxed into his grasp, turning to soft putty under those strong hands that still held you in place. 

His eyes fell shut, smothering a groan against your skin as he could smell your own arousal dampening between your legs.

Why was this girl making things so much harder for him?

Some vampires chased their prey, claiming the fear and adrenaline pumping through their victims bodies was the closest they could get to a high they had experienced as humans.

Billy disagreed. Pleasure tasted so much sweeter than fear. That metallic tang was pleasant when you were a newbie. A fresh kill that had you feeling dangerous and all powerful.

But desire? Lust? There was no comparison. It trumped all other emotions flooding the system when he fed. It made him feel truly alive and lulled his generous donors into a blissful relaxed state.

In a swift movement, he had your hands pinned overhead. Holding them tight against the brick wall. He was so close to you now, his breath scattered the few stray strands of hair that had fallen over your shoulder.

A strong muscled leg inched between your own, spreading them apart millimeter by millimeter. You bit your bottom lip so hard it drew blood. 

Dark eyes immediately darted to your face, sniffing the air once. All while keeping both your hands pinned with his inhuman strength, the other hand drifting to capture your chin.

Holding it in place before sucking your bottom lip into his mouth. You cursed yourself as shockwaves of pleasure soared through your bloodstream. Both of you moaning at the sudden sensations.

“Are you going to kill me?”

The man before you pulled back at that. Eyes that had been fixed on your lips now lazily drifting over the rest of your face before making contact with your own. 

His thumb grazed your lip that was now swollen from where he’d sucked the rivulet of blood free. 

“No.” He paused, as if to say something else but then thought better of it. At that you felt your body relax, sinking against his raised leg. 

His knee rose further up, pressing into you firmly enough you gasped at the contact. He bounced it higher, your sneakers scraping desperate for purchase onto the ground, but they no longer made contact . 

“That doesn’t mean I’m not going to have some fun with you.” 

[juliaswickcrs]

HIRAETH

rating: 14+

relationship: robb stark/oc

AO3

summary: Emma Hightower wakes in a land that is not her own with knowledge of a future that does not belong to her. But as she learned from watching Game of Thrones, knowledge is power, and despite warnings about fate and defying the will of the gods, Emma refuses to let any Starks, Tyrells, or Targaryens die at the hands of Lannisters, even if it means throwing herself in their line of sight. Even if it means throwing herself into war. {modern character in westeros, time travel fix it au}

a/n: this has been on ao3 for a while now, but @bisexualterror convinced me to post it on here! please reblog or comment if you enjoyed it!

CHAPTER ONE :: OLDTOWN

She awoke on a soft patch of grass, sunlight streaming through stained glass, crafting a kaleidoscope of colors which danced across her exposed skin. 

Her dress held tight to her frame, skirt flaring out at the waist as it gathers around her thighs. 

It is exactly what she was wearing when she touched the white bark of the tree in the center of the castle. 

Her flannel shirt dangled lazily from her shoulder as she pulls herself up, spandex peeking through the short hem of the white sundress. 

The grass refused to stay grasped in her palms, sliding through her fingers like silk. 

It seemed to be the only patch of grass in this place, the surrounding areas decorated with black marble that covered the area except for a small hole near the top.

The stained glass depicts figures Emma has never seen, and she finds herself staring at a long-haired woman grasping a bouquet of flowers with her head down. 

Besides her stands a broad shouldered man on his knees, sword in hand. 

Despite how little Emma knows, something deep in her head rings familiar, the weight of her bag dragging her shoulder down as she moves closer to the windows. 

She glances behind her for a brief moment and freezes. 

The white tree stands behind her, although it is much smaller than she remembers. 

There is no face carved into it, but the white bark and red leaves are unmistakable. 

It is nearly the exact tree Emma remembers touching after hearing the screams and yells of Cassie and Alec. 

Her leather boots clicked against the beautifully crafted floors of the Cathedral. 

That is the best approximation she can give for the place she woke up in and for all her hatred of it, Emma cannot undo the religious knowledge she grew up with. 

Stained glass, black and white marble, the sounds of choirs in the distance…it’s all horribly familiar to her and yet unknown at the same time. 

The sweet smell of incense caused her to wrinkle her nose as she continued down the narrow halls, religious imagery and icons plastered upon the walls.

It does little to quell the rising nausea in her stomach. 

She hates the smell of churches, the close walls and hymns that accompany the wide-eyed stares and whispered prayers.

“Excuse me, miss” a deep voice rumbles behind her and she whips around, hair nearly slapping the man in the face. 

He’s tall and bearded, with wide eyes resembling her own staring down at her. 

The clothes he’s dressed in are of fine fabrics with gold threaded through the deep forest green of his tunic. 

The sword that swings by his side is certainly not something Emma would see back home, but maybe people in Ireland take live action roleplay more seriously?

That was the only alternative that didn’t have Emma questioning her own sanity. 

“Are you lost?” 

His tone was one she’d heard many times, where an adult would ask a question that was clearly meant to be rhetorical. But Emma had never been good at answering those. 

“I’m sorry, sir,” Her eyes fell to the grey tower and golden flames emblazoned on his doublet, the emblem feeling unmistakably familiar “I don’t know where I am, I believe—“ 

“You don’t know where you are?” The man scoffed incredulously, crossing his arms and shaking his head as if she were a child, “I’ve heard many excuses from whores, but I do believe that is a new one.”

Emma’s chest burned at the insult, “I beg your pardon?”

“Come now brother,” A melodic voice interrupted her attempt to defend herself, “Is that any way to talk to one of our own?”

A pair of long nails attached to spindly fingers landed on Emma’s shoulder, cold to the touch and causing her to tense up. 

The man sighed, “Malora, I do not have time for your antics today, surely father—“

“Father has sent me to retrieve your issue,” The woman behind her spoke pointedly, eyes staring down the man, before lowering her voice, “Or at least, that’s who he believes has shown up in the garden of the Starry Sept.”

The man shook his head again, “You and I both know Father had gone quite mad these days, surely he does not believe—“

“You don’t know what he believes anymore, brother,” the woman, Malora, spoke with a sharp tone, “You are not the one he asks to join him in the High Tower. You have not seen him of late. He is filled with dreams, ideas that no other lord would dare speak aloud, and when he asks his children to perform an errand, he expects it to be done quickly and discreetly.”

Malora’s brother tightened his grip on his sword, jaw clenching as his eyes wandered over Emma’s frame once more. 

She tried to ignore the ridiculous thoughts filling her head as the conversation took place. 

With words like Starry Sept, and High Tower standing out and joining the emblem in familiarity. 

The woman who saved her from the insult steers her past the bearded man and Emma finally catches a glimpse of her. 

She is tall and willowy, with long dark hair that seemed to match the imagery of the stained glass Emma saw earlier. Her skirts fell to the floor, causing Emma to tug on the hem of her sundress. 

They were made of a dark velvet the color of the night sky, dotted with flecks of gold and seemed to move when Malora moved. 

As they passed the bearded man, Emma stopped and stared up at him, gathering every bit of vitriol she could muster, “I’m not a whore,” She spat, “And even if I was, you could not afford me.”

The man’s face turned red and Malora’s lips tilted upward into a smirk. 

The older woman unclasped the cloak around her shoulders, “Here,” she handed it to Emma, “Unless you wish to be mistaken for a whore again, I would advise you keep that on you until we reach my father.”

Emma stared at the deep violet color for a moment before dropping her gaze toward her short hem. 

She wanted to say no, to protest against the ridiculous standards they were enforcing on her. But she had questions, and she needed to know if all of this was as impossible as she believed it to be. 

The golden strings tied neatly around her neck and Emma pulled the thick hood over her long dark hair.

She did not know where Malora was taking her, nor why the bearded man seemed intent on following them through the winding passageways and sweltering heat of what was clearly a bustling city. 

As she held tight to Malora’s hand, a series of possibilities floated through her mind. 

The first was that she’d been dragged into the middle of a very elaborate LARP scenario. 

The swords, the fancy accents, the beautiful Cathedral.

It all made sense. 

After all, Ireland was famous for their beautiful churches and…unique characters but Emma had never heard of people being this committed to the bit before. 

The second was she’d accidentally stumbled onto the set of a fantasy show for Netflix. Ireland was a popular filming place after all, and it would explain why everyone was dressed in similar silhouttes and spoke as if following a script. 

But that would not explain how she fit into this whole thing. Unless it was like that one show where everyone else was an actor except for the lone person out of the loop. 

The third was something too impossible for her to contemplate. 

But it explained more than the first two options ever could. 

The strange dialect, the clothes and belief she was a whore, the fact that the city she was now weaving through resembling nothing of the Irish countryside she’d been given a tour of before with her friends.

It all made too much sense and yet none at the same time. 

“Look out!” Malora yelled and Emma turned just in time to see a wide-eyed man with crooked teeth and a knife fall to the ground with a groan.

Blood spilled out of his mouth and onto her dress as a steel blade punctured his throat.

The bearded man stood before her with a look of disdain, but all Emma could feel the warmth of the blood spattering her face and chest, staining her dress crimson as the life left the man’s eyes. 

And suddenly the impossible became reality. 

If it was a movie, a director would have yelled cut. If it was a show, special effects would have taken place. And if it was a LARPing session, there would be no need for live steel. 

She could taste the iron.

This was real. 

The blood was real. 

Emma knelt down and grasped the knife in her hand. It was crudely made, with a misshapen wooden handle and a flimsy blade.

It punctured the tip of her finger and she winced.

The knife was real. 

This was no longer a dream, nor an impossible option. 

“Holy shit,” She whispered. 

Malora grasped her hand and quickened her pace, the bearded man falling back into place as they continued downriver.

The water rushed beside them as whispers turned to bustling conversations.

Survival instinct kicked in and Emma ran alongside the woman, still not knowing where she was headed or what her fate would be when they got there. 

A white marble bridge arched across the mouth of the rushing river toward the jagged bluffs overlooking the sea. 

The waves crashed against the obsidian fortress which lay atop the cliffs and if Emma forced herself to listen, it almost sounded like the whispers of a thousand voices every time the water hit the brick. 

It was only when a door closed behind her that Emma returned to reality, gauging her surroundings once more. 

If this really was the truth, then she would need every bit of cleverness and wit she possessed. 

She would not win battles with swords or bows or strength, only what was in her mind. 

“Are you alright?” The bearded man seemed genuinely concerned, a far cry from his behavior before, and Emma forgot that she was now covered in someone else’s blood. 

She nodded briskly, certain that her fear was written all over her face. 

The bearded man shot a look at Malora, who was already talking with two men in silver armor with more swords at their sides. 

Both of them held the same emblem on their armor the bearded man did on his doublet. 

God, why couldn’t she remember what it was?

The armored men nodded and disappeared down one of the many hallways.

Several entrances poured out into the foyer, a large spiral staircase reaching up into the endless expanse above her, carved out of the same white marble the bridge was made of. 

“Father will be expecting her,” Malora spoke in hushed tones, the woman’s lips tugging themself into a frown, “And seeing as she clearly has nowhere else to go—“

“I will bring her to Father,” The bearded man spoke, eyes darting Emma’s direction. They lingered on the blood coating her face and something akin to regret crossed his face, “The least we can do is provide her with a place to stay if he decides otherwise.”

Malora sighed and squeezed the man’s shoulder, “Thank you Bael.”

Emma tensed as Malora turned her gaze her direction, only relaxing once the woman gently pressed her hands onto her shoulders once more, “You will be safe here. I do not know what my father intends to do with you, but we will not leave you to your own devices, I will ensure it."

Emma nodded, “Thank you,” She breathed out, barely able to comprehend the woman’s words. 

They filled her with relief, and even though something seemed to dance behind the woman’s emerald gaze. 

Emma blinked, and Malora was gone. 

Her skirts swished up the endless marble staircase, and she silently wondered how the woman held the stamina to ascend the staircase without so much as blinking. 

A moment passed, and the bearded man entered her vision. 

She caught a much better look at him this time around.

Auburn hair hung neatly to his shoulders and his beard was well trimmed. The man was probably in his forties or fifties if she had to guess, close in age to Malora.

In fact, the two seemed to share the same eyes, except the man’s were a much more muted color, resembling waves of grass instead of the cut of emeralds. 

The man seemed to be waiting for something, and it wasn’t until his lips moved again that Emma realized he was asking her a question.

“Your name,” He spoke softly, as if suddenly realizing his mistake from earlier, “What is your name?”

“Emma,” She muttered, still in shock, “My name is Emma.”

“Very well, Emma.” The man spoke, offering his arm, “Follow me, I’ll take you to meet my father.”

His father. 

Of course it was his father. He was a wealthy man, probably a lord of some kind. A deep groaning sound pulled her back into the moment and she found herself staring at a very unstable, very crude elevator. 

The man walked in like he did this every day, staring at Emma for a moment before gesturing for her to follow, “Well, Lady Emma, shall I inform my father you are here or do you plan to stand there all day?”

Gulping down the bundle of nerves in the back of her throat, Emma winced as she stepped onto the wooden floor of the fragile contraption, closing her eyes as the cage shut and began creaking toward the top. 

A tough grip wrapped around her shoulders, but she dare not open her eyes for fear of seeing just how high she was dangling. 

It was worse than rides up the tall skyscrapers back home and she silently waited for a cable to break and send her plummeting like the Tower of Terror. 

The cage shrieked to a stop and she waited. 

And waited. 

And waited. 

But the sound of a cable snapping never came, and when she opened her eyes, the cage door was open with the bearded man offering his hand to her. 

She stepped off without taking it, balancing delicately on the balls of her feet as she pushed herself through the frame. 

“I see you still take offense to my earlier remarks, my lady,” The bearded man dropped his hand while Emma attempted to stabilize herself using the stone railing.

“Women typically aren’t fans of being called whores” Emma shot back, unsure where her voice had come from.  The man arched an eyebrow and Emma gulped, forgetting where she was for a moment, “…Sir.” She tacked on carelessly, “The only reason you’re treating me differently is because your sister and father say you should, otherwise you’d still assume I’m selling myself, right?”

The man dropped his head in shame and that was all the answer she needed. 

Now that she was behind high walls and Malora had promised her safety, her boldness returned in spades, anger rumbling in her stomach at the earlier insult. The short hem and lack of sleeves was all he had to go off of and he’d decided she must have been a prostitute. 

After all, what other option was there for a woman in these times?

She wasn’t dressed like the others around her, and she held no emblem to distinguish her as the daughter of a lord or lady. 

“And even if I was selling myself, perhaps I had no other choice,” She continued to ramble, the words coming to her as the wheels in her head turned, “Perhaps I was abandoned and left in a whorehouse, or disowned and forced to find my own way. I would hope the gods would see that and forgive me.”

The words were too honest for the world she lived in now, but she might as well take one last moment of truth before being forced to lie for however long she remained here.

With her luck, it would be the rest of her life. 

“Well said, my lady.” The man nodded, gesturing toward a magnificent gilded door with the same emblem of a tower aflame carved into the mahogany doors.

It was obviously a symbol of great importance, and Emma wished she could remember what it was. 

“With a temper and a wit like that, I can see why my father is eager to meet you.”

He lifted the bronze knocker three times, the echoing sound followed by a muffled voice of similar cadence to the man beside her. 

“Enter.” It ordered, the door swinging open. 

Anxiety clawed at Emma’s stomach as she stared into the darkness before her, the only light coming from the flame of a candle burning in the middle of the room and the sunlight from outside.

She swallowed the lump building in the back of her throat and shuffled forward, the door slamming shut behind her. 

An older man stared up at her, silvery blonde hair illuminated by the flickering flames of the lit candles surrounding a desk in the middle of the room. 

Scrolls and parchment lay scattered about the room with books open to specific pages stacked on top of one another. 

Many were scrawled in languages Emma didn’t recognize, with drawings of scales and equations written in the margins. 

Behind the man lay a stained glass window with a seven pointed star, the ledge underneath it decorated with bunsen burners and beakers and lumps of coal under magnifying glasses. 

In the shadows lay a green powder Emma had no desire to touch and she tried to memorize as much as she could to see if it jogged her memory in any capacity. 

“Ah, the Lady Emma,” The man’s eyes twinkled as if with knowledge no one else possessed, “How wonderful to receive you. I am Leyton Hightower of Oldtown, Lord of the Hightower and Beacon of the South.”

It all clicked into place. 

“I see you’ve already met my eldest daughter Malora and my heir, Baelor.” He gestured toward the bearded man behind her and the shadow beside a bookcase. 

Malora stepped out of the shadows with a comforting look, and Emma’s stomach sank further, grasping tightly to the strap of her bag.

“Now that we have all become acquainted,” Leyton continued nonchalantly, looking unbothered as Emma’s eyes darted around the room putting the pieces into place, “Perhaps you would like to tell me exactly how you ended up in Westeros.”

She gulped. 

hiraeth taglist: @bisexualterror (lmk if you wanna be added)

[suzukiblu]

WIP Wednesday Game

Taken from @kedreeva.

It’s WIP Wednesday, time for a little accountability, sharing your work, and getting a kick in the pants.

Here’s how it works:

In a reblog of this post (so people can find you in the notes) or new thread (w/ rules attached) if you want to play on your own, post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to play!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event or gift fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

That’s it! You can invite others to join in, or just post. I’ll be searching the reblogs to find people to send asks to!

If you’re reading this, you’re invited!

If you see someone posting a WIP Wednesday Game snippet, send them an ask! Make them write.

file names:

Kon is too trans for this pregnancy shit

the one where Clark is trans and Kon is not

transfemme Kon and her Amazon soulmoms

Cassie has a sexuality crisis, Kon has a gender one, and Circe makes everything worse

the one where Kryptonians have omegaverse genders, but nobody told Match

( why yes this week is WIP Wednesday: Sex And Gender Is Weird And Complicated Edition™ )

snippet from "Kon is too trans for this pregnancy shit":

Kon slams his bedroom door just shy of hard enough to crack the doorframe, melts the pregnancy test in his hand into slag with his heat vision, and then throws its remnants into his trash can and hides in his bed. Because he’s pregnant. Because he’s an idiot. An idiot who is pregnant. Pregnantly. 

Fucking Christ alive, how could he be this fucking stupid?! 

Just–Kon has fucked up a whole lot of times in his life. This time is probably the worst time that didn't get somebody else hurt, though. Well, like. Not hurt-hurt. 

Somebody is definitely getting hurt here. 

Kon kind of just . . . doesn't tell people that he's . . . that he isn't technically . . . 

He flirts? A lot? Like, a lot more than he really should. But he flirts with girls a lot. And he is very, very careful about how close he lets those girls get. And he . . . and he . . . 

Just–when he actually wants laid, when he really gets the itch, he doesn't go out as Superboy.

There's a reason he never got anywhere with Cassie, after all. Or with Tana or Knockout. Or with . . . anyone he ever actually, like . . . gave an actual fuck about the opinion of or was gonna see again. 

He’s not a real guy, after all, so . . . so how could he have? He’s not . . . 

When Cadmus was still a thing, he didn't have to worry so much. It wasn't hard to get treatment and whatever, and his files were all very firmly locked down. And when Cadmus went underground, Serling deleted all those files and hooked him up with a little machine that replicates hybrid-appropriate T before she cleared out, because Serling is the fucking best like that and literally the one true ally, as far as Kon's concerned, so . . . yeah. And the replicator has mercifully kept working for him, at least so far, so all he's ever had to do was hide the thing in the back of his closet and make sure the Kents never catch him pulling any of the blue K needles out of their little lead-lined case or injecting himself with said needles. Fuck knows what they'd think if they ever did. 

Probably that he was a drug addict or something. That seems like the most logical conclusion for them to jump to. They sure as shit know he's not diabetic or anything like that, so . . . yeah. 

They'd definitely think he was a drug addict. 

He's sure Clark would, if nothing else. 

Although that'd probably be less of a disaster than this, really. At least if he was an addict, he could go to rehab or something. For this . . . 

What is he supposed to do about this?

[rofax]

enabaling ur unnormalacy; elaborate on self destruction vs destruction of the self?

YEEAAHHH ENABLE ME BEING TOTALLY NORMAL ABOUT ANNIHILATION

So quick preface: I'm not like... great at putting my thoughts about this kind of stuff into smart people words, so this might sound a little goofy but I still mean it all very earnestly and am expressing it to the best of my ability.

Also this is hella long, my apologies.

So in the movie there is this IMHO very straightforward theme of self-destruction. The movie opens with Lena talking about cells being programmed to die with old age (and how when that part of a cell goes haywire it becomes undying as cancer). Cassie says that she thinks Josie was trying to feel alive in her self-harming. And Ventress has the line, "Almost none of us commit suicide, and almost all of us self-destruct. In some way, in some part of our lives."

There's this common thread of self destruction as something very fundamentally human. We have these impulses to self destruct things in our life, our cells arguably have destruction coded into them, something about choosing to self destruct reminds us that we are human and alive and DOING this. It's not just something that happens to us, it is something we can do that reaffirms our being alive and having meaning.

All the characters have some element of self destruction in their lives, from Lena and her affair to Anya and her addiction to Josie and her history of self harm, and we also get to see different ways self destruction manifests while in Area X. Anya loses her shit and ties up her team, her break from reality (although idk if that's fair in Area X) is what leads her right into the bear. Josie chooses to surrender peacefully to her destructive impulses and become part of Area X. Ventress tries to face it and is broken down in something totally unrecognizable and remade. Lena fights it and introduces self destruction to Area X.

I think Area X isn't really destroying everything like the interrogation team describes, but changing it like Lena said. It creates new lifeforms that shouldn't be able to exist, it assimilates memories and places from the people who visit it, it just creates and creates and creates. And it's incredibly unstable. It's only once Lena puts the grenade in her doppelganger's hand that Area X/the Shimmer is given the ability to self destruct. I firmly believe that after everything we saw that alien and Area X do, it could have just NOT immolated itself. But it did anyway. And in doing so, it took this thing that was so unlike us and only created and made it something LIKE us. It gave it this human quality of self destruction. And the Shimmer subsequently collapsed.

MEANWHILE, IN THE BOOK...

The protagonists are stripped of parts of their identity VERY early on. They literally do not have names when they go into Area X and are only known by their professions. Hypnosis is used to guide them across the border and is later revealed to be used extensively to compel them to do other things as well. They are stripped of their identities and their free will. They are not afforded their sense of self while in Area X. (Interestingly, it is Area X itself that returns some of the agency to the biologist by innoculating her against hypnosis with the spores!)

The biologist notes several things throughout the novel that she speculates or are implied to be like... facets or elements of previous expedition members or features of the wilderness. The dolphin with an eye that's too human, the moaning creature in the reeds that she realizes was once another expedition member, even the Crawler flashes briefly to her as the lighthouse keeper. Even the accounts and journals of previous expeditions have literally lost their distinction from one another as the giant pile they lay in decomposes. The surveyor is released gently into the water after she dies to become part of Area X and hopefully know peace. Even the Crawler's skin is made of the same cells as human brain because it is not an individual thing, but a collection of so many other things. The people in the abandoned village made of plants that the biologist gets an uneasy feeling about. These individual people are consumed by Area X and distributed into something new as part of a larger whole, the lines between one person and another and the landscape all blurring.

Previous expeditions have people who come back wrong. They come back unlike how they were before. The people who come back aren't the same people who went in (literally, the doppelgangers happen to everyone) but they still have pieces of who they were. They just also have pieces of Area X and the people they were with. There's a lot of metaphors about being colonized by the desolation and Area X and the biologist often wonders if she's making her own choices or if the spores from the tower are influencing her.

When the biologist finds the psychologist dying, the psychologist notes, "You've changed" and the biologist later wonders if she meant like... changed sides. Like she wasn't allied with humans and who she was before anymore. She's part of Area X instead of a single person who is a world in and of themselves.

Towards the end of the book, the Crawler seemingly chooses NOT to kill the biologist, even though it earlier killed the anthropologist. She wonders if she didn't seem foreign to the Crawler anymore. If she was so enmeshed in Area X that it didn't consider her a threat. It's hard to say WHAT the reason was because the Crawler is beyond comprehension, but it's important to note that the biologist isn't the individual she was at the start and is also much more than herself at this point. Area X is functioning within her through "the brightness". She is part of Area X, Area X is part of her, and something similar happened to everyone who came before her.

Part of this unknowable cosmic horror of Area X is the dissolution of what makes you you, and being remade into something different. Area X keeps changing the things that come into contact with it and making new things out of them, so while the doppelgangers are definitely not the same physical bodies that went in, they still contain parts of them. But the individuals who went in do not exist anymore. Their destruction of self starts before they step foot over the border with the names and hypnosis. Anything to do with Area X breaks a person down into something else and shares that breaking down across everyone.

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

* 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐓

NAME,   Cassie Maurice Roosevelt

NICKNAME,   give her one

GENDER, Cisfemale

ORIENTATION,   Demisexual, biromantic

PREFERRED  PET  NAMES,   No preferences

RELATIONSHIP  STATUS,   Single

FAVORITE  CANON  SHIP( S ),  Originally, when I first created her, I shipped her with Sean, but they have become more of a older brother-younger sister dynamic in my head, so none? I haven't really shipped her with anyone in the game. Usually Cassie falls into platonic or familal dynamics in general. I do want to write her in more romantic dynamics.

FAVORITE  NON-CANON  SHIP( S ),  It has to be @colecassiidy 's Cole. I haven't been able to get to our threads with Cassie for a bit, but I deeply enjoy their dynamic. They started out platonic, but as we started interacting it became increasingly obvious that Cole and Cassie liked each other more than friends. I love how we built up this whole backstory for them, how their fathers are similar but they are two different social classes, and how they are intertwined in their past, but met in the events of r.dr2, and how different they are, yet how they have remained the same. Their friendships and their feelings have basically remained the same through all of that, and idk I like the slow burn with them lmao.

OPINION  ON  TRUE  LOVE,   Cassie believes in it, even if she never experienced it herself as a default. Cassie doesn't know how true love couldn't exist entirely. Somewhere, someplace out there, true love exists for someone. With how many people are out there in the world, how isn't there her true equal that has nothing but sincere intentions? She has learned that life is hard and cutthroat, but in all that evil, there's goodness somewhere and that's what makes it all worth it to keep living.

OPINION  ON  LOVE  AT  FIRST  SIGHT,   Call her naive, but she does believe in love at first sight. She believes in the idea of soulmates. She thinks that if she has an other half, you would know immediately. There''s no denying it.

HOW  ‘ROMANTIC’  ARE  THEY,   Cassie is a hopeless romantic. She's not into PDA because of the standards and expectations she grew up in, but Cassie is very romantic. Cassie will express it, but she more of shows it through gift-giving and acts of service. Cassie wants to find someone she can pour her love into and someone who can do the same for her.

IDEAL  PHYSICAL  TRAITS,   Cassie doesn't really focus on physical traits, she's more into personality, but maybe a more of a gentle look? Youthful traits? Clean shaven? Lean? She prefers for someone to be taller than her.

IDEAL  PERSONALITY  TRAITS,   Gentle, kind, sensitive, good sense of humor, emotionally intelligent, hardworking, devoted.

UNATTRACTIVE  PHYSICAL  TRAITS,   This sounds so bad, but wrinkles, poor mouth hygiene, body odor, unkempt hair, dirty and muddy appearance

UNATTRACTIVE  PERSONALITY  TRAITS,   Cruel, self-righteous, narcissistic, manipulative, selfish, murderous, self-centered, egoistic, grumpy, hot tempered, unpredictable, possessive, jealousy.

IDEAL  DATE,   Just sitting down and talking anywhere. Preferably something more lowkey to where there won't be many distractions and more alone, quiet time. A walk by the water, sitting in a field, teaching someone about flowers and gardening, and doing an activity together that way.

DO  THEY  HAVE  A  TYPE,   Not really? I guess maybe either charming, sensitive people, or extroverted individuals. Just someone she feels safe around.

AVERAGE  RELATIONSHIP  LENGTH,   Long-term monogamous relationships. Usually she only toys with a relationship if she plans to marry the other person. Cassie hasn't had a relationship before though.

PREFERRED  NON-SEXUAL  INTIMACY,   Kissing the back of her hand or embracing her, usually just quiet intimacy.

COMMITMENT  LEVEL,   Cassie wants to settle down with someone. I think Cassie tends to draw toxic people towards her because of her empathetic and kind anture, so if she can see the best in them, if she can see their potential, it can turn ugly if she decides to get in a relaitonship with them because she's committed. Of course, she desn't stay in these relaitonships when they turn ugly, but when she loves you, Cassie loves you. But in a healthy scenario, she would commit herself to her partner with all of her heart.

OPINION  OF  PUBLIC  AFFECTION,   Cassie isn't comfortable with PDA. She prefers for affection to be exchanged alone or indoors just because of how she grew up, with how she has to be polite and reversed.

PAST  RELATIONSHIPS,   Cassie hasn't had a relationship before and maybe her idea of a romantic relationship is rose-tinted, very fairytale-esque, but I think having no prior relationship experience and coming from a manipulative father can be a bad motivator for anyone with bad intentions for Cassie in a relationship (just with her inexperience).

tagged by :  stole it

tagging : steal it if you want to

[lovebvffys]

and also!!!

rue's drug addiction is practically a b plot in s2, because almost everything about her was focused on jules or jules/elliot (and im not a rules hater in fact i love them to death <3 but theyre both their own people and we should be allowed to see that) and the best episode of the ENTIRE SEASON was the single episode that focused entirely on rue and let zendaya act and it was sooo good !!

they completely disregarded the nate/jules plot (dont ship them thats gross), in favor of jules/elliot and nate/cassie, when their (jules/nate) story wasnt even kind of wrapped up or given any kind of closure, they just moved on cus they wanted more sex montages ? ig

lexi (imo) was totally suppoed to be a lesbian in s1 and in love with rue (their kiss scene, willing to do literally anything for her, the 'i think shes in love wit her' scene) and then in s2 not only do they give lexi a random comphet bf, but she just DOESNT INTERACT WITH RUE ALMOST THE ENTIRE SEASON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HER SELF TITLED BEST FRIEND AND THERE IS ALMOST NO INTERACTION BETWEEN THEM THE ENTIRE SEASON

season one was good, and they had so many interesting plot threads, but they completely removed/disregarded those in favor of boobs and dick montages and weird random relationships that make no actual sense.

something that bothers me so much about euphoria season 2 vs season 1, is that season one while it strayed from the plot quite a bit, it had a clear plot and a clear idea and it all seemed like it had been written before two days ago. and then you go into season 2 and it's like,,, what the fuck????

because they completely ignored kat, and ik it's because of off screen stuff, but still. lexi's whole plot line changed, cassie and nate ??? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ?? ?and the whole jules and nate plot just vanished and was replaced by jules/rue/elliot love triangle when jules just was coming to terms with the fact that shes a lesbian.

it's just so obvious that s*m got wayy too caught up in the glam and 'aesthetic' of euphoria that he forgot what his own damn show was about and it drives me a little crazy. the stuff in season one that was good was SOO good, and then almost all of that was dropped in s2 in favor of two boring ass love triangles and an unplanned poorly written season plot.

[creatress-corruption]

More... headcannons? Kinda? I dunno

It has an effect on you, growing up surrounded by magical items.

Cassie would know this the best.

Being raised with the Old Builders and their many mystical items has left her with some... oddities. But we already know these, so instead we'll look at the others and how they are effected.

Harper spent decades with the Redstone Heart, tinkering with redstone, building machines; even after PAMA has been dismantled, gone, dead, the woman can still feel the static at the back of her neck, can hear the electrical current running from one piece of machinery to the next; she knows, sometimes, how to fix things without even having to look at it.

Ivor and Soren both spent time with the Command Block, more than any of the others had, touched it with their bare hands, touched an item that could bend reality, create and destroy, that could tug at the threads of the universe, doing whatever the user desires; but Soren knew what he was getting into, and once the Order disbanded, threw himself into anything that wasn't the gods-dammed block. But even so, he can still see it, if he stares off too long, eyes glassy and unfocused, the code of something no mortal is meant to see.

But Ivor- Ivor who lived in the Farlands where order goes to die, who messed with potions and enchantments, who went far and beyond, first in revenge, then in curiosity- for him it's worse. Sometimes at night he'll be sleeping, but- and he knows it sounds crazy, because it is- but he sees himself, asleep, and the longer the stays there, staring, the more the world begins to unravel. Code- yellow, blue, red, and all the colours in between- flashing and crawling and taking over until only he remains.

It reminds him of the Witherstorm, devouring everything until only it remained.

And beyond it, he sees... something. He doesn't know how to describe it, but-

Here's the thing. The Command Block isn't supposed to effect people like this. It just... isn't, kay? But the constant use- creating portals between worlds when it was too dangerous to do so by hand, despawning an Ender Dragon (a dimension guardian), the corruption of a Wither (and a potion, a failure, but still soaking into it, dripping between pieces of hardware and redstone wires centuries old (sparking, glitching, failling), that too effected it)- it all adds up to this: like mold it takes over, spreading, invisible at first, but there.

And it effects Ivor, and Soren, and the Order- hell, even the other Builders were effected (and Cassie, young Cassie, left alone, staring staring staring, hearing whispers when there were none). And there comes a day when Jesse and Ivor talk. And the description Jesse gives him is- it's-!

- but Ivor stares at an infinite galaxy. Structures everywhere. A line-up of every plant, animal and sentiment being lined up like some twisted museum. And in the center- (calling-glowing-whispering-powerful)- is- its...

Well. You've met Romeo, yes? Looked into the eyes of an uncaring god, thousands of years old. And... well. Ivor muses that the Admins had to have gotten their powers somehow.

Mevia and Hadrian, more than Otto, guarded the Atlas with a fervor that had the man worried. The Flint 'n Steel weren't special, it was the enchantment on them that was, but the Atlas... well, making more of it would be a... trying endeavor, let's just say and leave it at that.

But that possessiveness leaves the two with a perfect sense of direction. Getting out of that bedrock world with nothing but chickens/zombies was easy, but it was this imprint of the Atlas' powers that sped that up by whole weeks, leading them straight to the weak point between walls. It helps them, Hadrian knowing where to step to avoid a trap in Cassie's mansion, Mevia knowing where to go in the cramped, desolate Underneath.

And- while it wasn't the crowns themselves that gave the chickens their Eversource abilities, but just a way to tell them from normal chickens- there is something there. Isa can tell Benedict from a normal chicken with just a glance, crown or no crown. Perhaps it's something innate within her, or because she took one as a pet- a familiar- but Isa knows an Eversource when she sees one, her own or a wild one. And it can't be a simple intuition, a guess, because she's always right. There is no tell, the chickens are identical down to their last atom- the only difference lay in the eggs they lay, and that's a magical difference, not a scientific one, so no one can actually tell them apart. Except Isa.

There's a magic to their world- their universe, with its millions of worlds and thousands of dimensions. And Cassie- free, seeking forgiveness, and mending broken and strained relationships- wants to see more of it.

And there is a man here, in Beacontown, who leaves her with fleeting feelings of familiarity, hair like hers, but while her eyes where the green of trees and grass, his were of honey and the sun.

She knows the looks they get- worried, suspicious, angry, horrified- and she gets it. Because they are similar. And everyone knows it, and they are worried.

But it doesn't matter, because Cassie Rose has never really cared for the opinions of the masses (being raised by Hadrian and Mevia will do that), and Romeo, after a few frightful, tiring weeks of being human, has stopped caring as well. Instead they spend their days, side by side, him telling her about times long past, her telling him recent events he didn't care to learn about.

And Jesse may have taken his powers, he may have taken Xara's, but Cassie knows magic, knows power. But she knows that people are fearful of such. And why wouldn't they be? They've gone through so much in only a decade.

So Cassie Rose stays quiet when Romeo gets angry and the room temperature rises or falls. She doesn't mention how his eyes glow, or how his teeth are still so sharp. Or how- when they leave, off to explore- the monsters leave a wide berth, never attacking the ex-admin. She pretends to not notice, like everyone else, she notes, how Xara can break blocks with a single punch, how sparks light up around her when she gets angry, how the tips of her fingers are still an endstone yellow, nails a code green in the right light.

She's more careful now. She's learned after all. She's more patient, observant, secretive. She has to be. Because now she has more to loose.

Before, she knew that if she died, then at the very least, Stampy (kind, sweet, caring Stampy) would take care of her cats. But now she has her dads (and she still feels weird calling them that), and her aunts and uncle. She also, uh, met this one kid? Aiden? And well... she likes him, she supposes, and they're similar, both, uh, attacking Jesse and what-not.

And Romeo. Red-haired, honey-eyed Romeo, who helps her take care of her cats, who knows potions and poisons, machinery and architecture, who teaches and cares for her. He fits right in, in her little (but growing) weird family. And she thinks he likes her too, missing someone, her being not-quite a replacement, but something to soothe whatever hurt still exists.

Sometimes he pats her head, ruffling her hair. She likes that.

She likes him, likes all of them. And... maybe she's finally happy.

This morning I randomly thought about all this, put it into words, and then I had to go to school without writing *any* of it down. So there's a chance I've forgotten some things. Which sucks.

[jnixz]

Nightmares about (Her)

Do you ever think about how people would possibly have had nightmares about Maligula?

and then do you ever wonder about difference for the psychic 7s’ nightmares on her? like as Maligula-- something they fought? and of course, the absolute pit of dread and horror that yeah, they are fighting their friend Lucy?

And given how funky mindscapes and dreamscapes can get with brain transitions, getting a mix of nightmares of both overlapped with one another?

(Other people know Maligula. Just Maligula. No more than a monster in history, but her friends know she wasn’t just that. A nightmare of which is the reality of their situation)

Helmut obviously, we’ve seen and probably had so many that it completely overwrote who Lucy is to him when trying to remember.  Every time he tries to feel out, to sense things as a brain, he is just the remembers the feeling of drowning -- then overwhelmed by in the lack of senses. The last he could ever remember of her was a terrifying force full of malice (with terrifying eyes and a otherworldly dark silhouette, very different from the Feast of the Senses constructs), washing away any of his songs with a malevolent laugh and the rush of water. Down and down, drenched and drowned.

How terrible it is, that who he remembers as another kind and fun loving soul, to be the one who sent him to the depths -- frozen yet in a loop of wondering if his efforts was in vane, if his husband was safe. As a brain, it is had been increasingly difficult to tell if he still remembers something, or if he is having a nightmare. A conclusion for that dilemma, given how the reality of it, of course, was that because Maligula was both.

Bob losing the thought of Lucy, because his husband is gone, drowned in an icy tomb. Another important person, another loss. It seems that every flower of relationships he has would inevitably wither. Then the alcohol, poorly coping and a sort of self-punishment what with it being the water of his level. Any reflections on its surface would only reveal him -- just him, all alone. Thread as he might try, he still slowly drowns in grief, a downward slope in contrast to the cliff of Grulovia. Maligula, Lucy, he doesn’t think of her anymore if he could help it. It hurts to remember that she is both the cause and another person he cared about that he has lost.

Cassie and Compton seeing Lucy warped as Maligula, twisted into someone they can’t recognize, and someone who they aren’t strong enough to stand against. Watching as they hurt the rest of their friends and delivers a torrent of water to their faces, their efforts easily ignored despite how much they work together. A looming large figure that haunts and clung to them as a reminder of their failure. One stuck in the past, the other overwhelmed in the present. It is a similarity I’ve seen for both their boss battle figures to be critical of what they could do/have done that they could have made this better. One thinking she should’ve stopped the ideas that made this happen and put them on a cornet, the other thinking how he couldn’t do anything to more to help and overwhelmed to a point he stays on his own zone.

Otto watching the friend he invited for the purpose of helping them with their road of discovery, turned to a person who uses her immense power do harm and everything non-psychic feared psychics would do. He thinks of Maligula and thinks of the death at her hands. His hands grow cold as he remembers how the product of his own specialty essentially caused the demise of others. He thinks about how he wanted to make dreams and yet there is a nightmare every time he thinks of Lucy, not as herself but as Maligula. Everything after had that story attached, and he did the best he could after the storm. Still, whenever he tells tales of Psychonauts, He doesn’t like to think of that name.

Ford fractured and getting nightmares of just Maligula and his battle with her pre-pn2 release. Water hitting him as he fought her in the real world mixing with his fight the mental world (because, for most of his years, he wouldn’t remember he went into Lucy’s head. He buried that and all he remembers is the fight). The waves strike bluntly and too much pressure forces against him, and yet oddly, a part of him observes, that they were never being sharp nor forceful enough to be the cause of his fractures and how he broke apart (something is missing, something(?) very important is missing but this is all he remembers(?))

And then whenever he recalls everything, sleeping at his sanctuary where he could have dreams of happy times with Lucy, a gentle dream or perhaps a memory of her playing with her powers. But then there is gush of water everywhere, and hands made out of water grab and cover Lucy, her precious smile transforming to a malicious grin. And the fight starts.

(Or perhaps, it starts just like the time she left. Of long days waiting for her to reply, to come back, to be with all of you safe and sound.-- Only to hear her words shift, to be delivered the news of disaster, to be called to see her again finally yet she is not Lucy you knew)

He startles awake crying at those ones, finding himself at his trailer as he snaps his eyes open. He blinks his disorientation away and forgets why he has tears in his eyes.

(And then a young boy comes into camp, and somehow, he feels something familiar is about to happen again)

Ah, and then you have to remember Ford must’ve been the one who saw Lucy as Maligula the longest, because he had to fight further even when rest of the psychic 6. First to subdue her in Grulovia (with the accumulative help of others), then He had to push back Maligula in her own mindscape (alone). It is her own realm, and even though she had her powers suppressed with the cuff, the mindscape still had plenty of water and shifting physics that is difficult to navigate. And then he had to fight her again in pn2, to which I definitely have a fic wip for it. This time though, she has all the water around her for her to control (A ginormous lady the size of a dam, with tidal waves of water coming at him) One could wonder how it felt like to have that fight again. He is more scared of this than any other height he’d have to jump out of.

and then of course Lucy, who could have very much had nightmares during her time as Marona/Nona, fearing the water curse and what that monster has done to her country. Fearing that one day the hand would take the only family she has left. There are few nightmares of her drowning but it seems distance, like she wasn’t the one who drowned. And then there are times, where water engulfs her and yet everyone else seems to die. 

The water drowns them and she doesn’t know why she can hear herself laugh.

The block unravels more and she’d have nightmares of what she has done as Maligula. The guilt of harming others, of killing people, of losing herself that she harms even the ones she loves and hold dear in her heart.

It definitely would feel awful when they get nightmares of Maligula, and even more so of Lucy.

Let's be real, Maligula was terrifying. If they did not have the personal connection, the fight and confrontation with her is certainly not something they had ever thought they'd face. But they do have a connection and wanted to help, but couldn't and they all can't help but blame themselves.

(Imagine even post-pn2 they have nightmares after the reappearance of Maligula. It would certainly kick up a return of feeling bad from that sort of confrontation. Like woah nearly getting drowned in a giant water tornado would NOT feel great.

It’s all out of their control what their head dreams up but you have to feel bad that you get bad dreams of the people you love. Ford gets them even as he sleep by Lucy side, and for a moment he sees Maligula and teleports out -- before remembering that’s all in the past now and she is fine. Doesn’t stop him hands from shaking and maybe berating himself even more for being afraid. He blames himself the most still.)

[theonethatwatchesalotofshows]

The way the Euphoria fandom seems to revere Maddy, claim she can do no wrong and justify all her wrongdoings reminds me of the way people love Blair from Gossip Girl, Paris from Gilmore Girls and the unholy trinity from Glee. I am not going to lie and say I didn't enjoy these characters but I see fans praising them for bullying other characters and being mean and calling it "iconic" (most videos that are titled "the unholy trinity being iconic for x minutes 'straight' " are literally just montages of them bullying Rachel for no reason) and twisting every single situation so that they look like the victim and everyone else looks evil (I saw a Reddit thread about how Rory apparently ruined Paris's life by literally just existing and going to the same school).

Like no. All of these characters are deeply flawed people. Are they funny, iconic, stylish, entertaining to watch and well-written? Yes. But you can't seriously defend everything they do.

Blair was a classist and racist bully that was making everyone's life at her high school miserable and loved to use people as pawns in her twisted games with Chuck, constantly slut shamed her so called best friend and belittled her intelligence.

Paris was terrorizing Brad and Rory for no reason and cheated on her boyfriend and dumped him on his birthday over the phone.

Quinn, Santana and Brittany were also bullies that cheated on almost every single guy they dated and were super hypocritical about it. Quinn went as far as to lie to her boyfriend that her unborn child is his even though it was his best friend's and Brittany went even further- she outed Santana TWICE (the second time being to the entire Internet) and then leaked their sex tape (pressumably when they were both underage) and didn't even apologize for it once because she really didn't see anything wrong with her actions

But Maddy is probably even worse than all of these. In the very first season she sent an innocent guy to jail for assaulting here to cover up for her shitty abusive boyfriend. Then she seemingly wanted to leak Jules's sextape even though Jules was a minor. She is far from innocent. Did Cassie cross the line by hooking up with her ex just a few weeks after they broke up? Yes, best friends don't do that to each other. But best friends are also supposed to be there for each other and Maddy wasn't there for Cassie- she ignored her when she wanted to ask for advice about her pregnancy, hijacked the entire conversation and made it all about her. Then she went on to ignore all her cries for help throughout season 2. She saw Cassie wrapping a balloon around her neck while being wasted and wrote it off as: "when she drinks, it's tragic".

So no, I really do not think Cassie deserved to be beaten up by Maddy, they were both pretty bad friends to each other and this blind praising of mean girl characters needs to stop.

[speutschlish]

Promising Young Woman is not a revenge film.

Promising Young Woman is not a revenge film.

Promising Young Woman is not a revenge film.

Promising Young Woman is not a revenge film.

Promising Young Woman is not a revenge film.

I am so tired of all the reviews that just don’t get it.

PYW is a realist film.

PYW is an existentialist film.

PYW is a film with revenge elements, but it’s not a revenge film. 

It’s a film about facing the truth, no matter how grotesque, how insidious, how treacherous, and what happens when you are the only one willing to do that while the rest of the world brushes it off, looks the other way, or even cheers it on. 

It’s a film about facing the truth and never letting go, even if it kills you, because you can’t bear to snuff out the part of your identity that deeply believes in the truth because that would be another type of death in and of itself.

So, PYW is a film about fractured identity and the inability to reconcile one’s identity because the entire rest of the world doesn’t see the truth that Cassie knows in the deepest core of herself.

spoilers below

You see, Cassie didn’t want to get revenge on Al and everyone who supports or tolerates him - we see this clearly when at the end she wants to carve Nina’s name onto him, not kill him. She states her motivation clearly - it’s to make him FACE NINA, to face the truth of what he did to her.

What she wanted was for everyone she “took revenge on” to see THE TRUTH of their actions. 

That’s why she sends scheduled texts to Ryan from the grave - to say “Hey! Although we didn’t explicitly talk about this, I know for a fact that you will be at the rapist and murderer’s wedding even though you have recently seen video evidence of him raping my best friend who died by suicide as a result (which you also saw in person years ago!). I know this because you refuse to face the truth  that you are complicit in rape culture. Do you see now why YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM?”

Same for the college dean, same for Madison. She does harm them, and I am not condoning what she did as righteous or good - it’s flat out wrong what she did, even if she didn’t actually set up any real rapes. But her motivation behind those acts was NOT to get revenge - it was to FORCE them to see the truth because now it’s happened to them or to someone they love. Now, they cannot look the other way - they have to face the truth.

Cassie is the only one who sees what happened to Nina for what it is and the only one who cares as much as someone should care about it.

She lives her false life of the coffee shop and forced conversations with her parents, which is the life that society deems as “normal”, albeit subpar for a woman of her potential.

Her true self is the one that faces reality and faces the truth - the part of herself that fights back in the ways she can against rape culture and the patriarchy.

The problem is that her true self is the one that is absolutely unbearable for society to see, which causes this rift in her personhood. Her personhood that is hanging on by a thread - and really, how meaningful is it anyway? If it could be ripped away from her so easily just as what happened to Nina? And no one cares? No one wants to face it? And so they forget and they make excuses and they call it gossip and silly and crazy. That is trauma, and that is how destructive our society is to victims and survivors.

So how do you take revenge on that?

Go around shooting men? Killing them? Rounding them up into camps? That’s fantasy; it’s entirely inhumane; and it wouldn’t solve the problem. 

Because the problem isn’t about getting revenge. It’s about the inability or the unwillingness of most people of any gender to face the truth and act accordingly.

The way Cassie dies makes it so obvious to me - she is smothered to death. Her screams are muffled. Her pain is muted. She died the way she lived. 

Her last acts were acts of forcefully REVEALING TRUTH to those who did not want to see it.

[tragcdysewn]

below the cut is a lil update for all my muses and how they’re doing with all this, which also doubles as a starter call! by default, i will be keeping all pre plot drop threads chill and taking any new starter requests as we’ll just do two threads, but if you want to transition anything feel free to dm me! i’m feeling feral so no caps, just tell me who you want the starters for and from!

abigail mckinnon

girl is Stressed™️ lmao. she’s working on finding a way out and is shooting off any spell she can think of. another random attack with her family involved? nope girl is throwing fists **open to injury/death/etc

adora

thank god she smuggled in the she-ra sword, bam bam we’re chopping heads and she’s having a bit of a fun time though she’s absolutely freaking out

ahsoka tano

she! is! tired! she wants to rest let her know PEACE lmao. she’s fighting and protecting anyone she can but she is not fucking happy about it **open to injury/death/etc

allana solo

allana is way too drunk to be dealing with this shit, they were already struggling with her dad being around and now this? fuck no

alphonse elric

look can he do alchemy without needing the circle? yes. is it his first instinct at this point? no not at all he’s been body slamming every problem for years give him a gun **open to injury/death/etc

ariana dumbledore

nope. absolutely not she is not a fighter she is doing the bare minimum to keep her ass alive and that is it

bela dimitrescu

umm.... she’s having fun. will probably eat some people alongside dracula this is literally her ideal night especially with both her sisters here now? perfect

bellatrix black

she’ll be protecting herself and voldemort and rhiannon and that’s about it why would she??? help the muggles??? hard pass lmao

beru lars

give her a gun!! she deserves it and will blow wolfman’s head off no hesitation!!! but until she gets one she is hiding

cassie lang

is absolutely in full hero mode doing what she can to help people, though this is so not what she’s used to so we’ll see how she does

darcy lewis

hiding under a table. she’s a normal person who does not bring weapons to formal events someone help her please

davina claire

fighting vampires and werewolves is p normal for her and magic makes it v easy she’s doing fine

elphaba thropp

she is not good at combat magic but will absolutely try to hit someone with a chair if she thinks it might manage to help **open to injury/death/etc

feng xin

...is a bow good against the fishman?? we’ll find out lmao i’m thinking he will be physically pulled from after his own ascension even if he doesn’t remember it but he doesn’t know all that so he’s just shooting

feyre archeron

this isn’t really that bad by her standards and she will be just looking for her kids and taking out anything that gets in her way lmao

hallie parker

should be hiding, is definitely filming all the insanity because she has negative levels of self preservation

howl jenkins pendragon

*insert ‘has anyone seen my son’ gif here* howl is full panic mode where the fuck are their wife and child???? 

james potter

man JUST got his memories back and wanted one nice night come on bro he deserves better than this shit but unfortunately will be protecting people because he’s incapable of not doing that

james witherdale

he is back to being fully aware so um good luck to anyone who runs into him and victoria tonight lol

jeyne westerling

she can throw a punch and that is about it she’s just gonna be helping get people into safe rooms and looking for a way out

jin zixuan

he definitely brought a bow man doesn’t trust anything to be cool and chill especially now he doesn’t have his sword? he is doing his best

korra

she’s not happy about this but she’s good at it so like she’ll do it ig?? would love one night where she doesn’t have to be the avatar thank you

lan wangji

...yeah he was waiting for the other shoe to drop, he’ll be protecting people and panicking wondering where the hell his family is at **open to injury/death/etc

lumine 

when in doubt, blame childe. i’m kidding. maybe. she will be doing her best to keep people safe though

lyanna stark

like... she wants to be fighting but this is so out of her wheelhouse that she is going to leave it to people who know what they’re doing lmao

marinette dupain-cheng

she literally can not leave to transform so she’s fully stuck with no powers and i honestly do not know how she’ll deal with that

mj jones 

when in doubt, start swinging at shit until you get somewhere safe. that is her whole plan got help her

mobei-jun 

absolutely tried to portal out and ditch pretty much everyone but like... the demons and qinghua and was pissed when it didn’t work but like he’ll commit murders i guess

mya stone 

nope. hard no she didn’t sign up for this she is hiding in the bathroom immediately 

nie mingjue

...i don’t wanna say he’s happy about this but like... he’s kind of hype he gets to fight shit again to be totally honest **open to injury/death/etc

renesmee cullen

yikes this is not their speed at all! she’ll do what she can to get people to safety but they’re not going to be out here swooping in to save the day

rose weasley

might do a bit of fighting but she really just does not enjoy it and is not good at it as she should be to manage this kind of scenario

sheev palpatine

will be playing the part of good guy politician to a t, helping out where he can to get people to safety and reassure everyone that they’re figuring out a solution

shen qingqiu

this man is so so drunk please help him. he is armed. he will attempt to fight. he will absolutely not do well honestly he’s so lucky he’s got people protecting him he’d be so dead otherwise

thanatos

they canonically turn situations like this into a dumbass game so catch them floating around laughing as they kill shit

ty lee

will try to fight but realize very quickly she is out of her depth and just focus on getting people out

wanda maximoff

she figured something was gonna go wrong, it’s like half the reason she showed up and she will be in scarlet witch mode protecting anyone she can

wen qing 

she has her sword, and can use it, but ultimately they are a doctor and this is not at all their area of expertise catch her swinging blindly **open to injury/death/etc

xiao lanhua

girl is RUNNING she is canonically terrible in a dangerous situation she will just be screaming and getting the hell out **open to injury/death/etc

yor forger

officially she is a mild mannered sweet little house wife but also um don’t threaten her husband and her kid thorn princess mode is on lmao

[mediocre-writerr]

you belong with me [cassie howard]

cassie howard x fem reader

requested: Hey! Can I request a f! reader x Cassie Howard fic where the reader is in love with Cassie, but it's like a slow burn happy holidays! xx

key: italics stand for rue’s voiceover! enjoy

*not my gif*

Y/N Y/L/N and Cassie Howard have been best friends since they were little. Y/N was always there for Cassie during her whole childhood. Watching her from the sidelines as her figure skating became more and more incredible. 

“Y/N! When are you gonna get off your lazy bum and join us?” Cassie’s dad asks during one of their many ice skating practice sessions. 

You were taken back by surprise and you looked towards Cassie who was giving you her best pouty lips and eyes, “Oh okay.” 

You strapped on the ice skates that the Howard family bought you for your 10th birthday. A gift you rarely used. But was still grateful for nevertheless. 

Back before your Cassie started getting into ice skating your family was big about hockey. So you knew the in’s and out’s of ice skating, but you weren’t good at doing cool tricks. 

“Y/N, you’re a natural!” Cassie says as you start skating towards her. 

And it’s like she jinxed you or something because you started slipping. Flailing your hands up in the air. But she caught you and the two of you just stared at each other smiling coyly. 

Her lips were inches away from yours. But her dad cleared her throat, looking at the two of you with a small smirk on his face.��

Y/N and Cassie were inseparable, nothing seemed to ever get in between them. Lexi always gave Y/N looks and have conversations where she tried to make her think that it was something more than just a friendship, but she was easy to laugh off or ignore. 

Lexi thought of Y/N as a second sister growing up together and having Y/N be over all the time. So when she saw the way Y/N looked at her older sister she couldn’t help but want to protect her. 

She didn’t want you to get hurt, but how could Cassie ever hurt Y/N?

Y/N loved Cassie more than a friend. There was never a specific moment when Y/N found out she liked Cassie. It was everything about her, all of the moments leading up to since they were young kids.

Much to her disappoint, Cassie’s underlying daddy issues made her attached to boys in more ways than anyone could ever possibly. She fell in love too fast and dare I say it, was too naive. 

Cassie wanted to be loved and never wanted to be alone. She wanted all the boys no matter how stupid, sweet, or mean they were. And that led to many nights of crying in Y/N’s arms about some boy who leaked her nudes or made a sex tape or broke her heart.

“Y/N?” she whispers over the phone, her voice already cracking.

You shot up from laying down on your bed and instantly woke up at the sound of your first love crying, “Hey is everything okay?” 

“No. I can’t. Someone made a sex tape of me and leaked it and I just really need you.” she whispers, trying to get all of the words out. 

“I’ll be there in five.” 

Luckily for the two of you, you didn't live far. And before you knew it you were climbing in her bedroom window. 

She instantly pulled you into a hug and you wrapped your arms around her waist. Placing a hand on the back of her head to pull her close. You started rubbing the back of her head, threading your fingers through her hair. 

“It’s gonna be okay.” I whisper, “I’m here now. You’re gonna be okay.” 

Y/N always protected Cassie. Ever since the first pictures of her nudes were leaked she was there to let her cry. Her first sex tape was leaked, Y/N was there. A boy broke her heart, Y/N was there to pick up the pieces to put her back together.

Y/N hoped that one day she wouldn’t feel this way anymore. Or one day Cassie would realize that she was there all along. But it never happened. And it seemed like it would never happen when Cassie started dating McKay.

Y/N insisted she wasn’t jealous, but she also insisted she wasn’t jealous about all of Cassie’s suitors.

“McKay is a good guy Y/N!” Cassie yells. 

The two of you were having yet another argument. And you weren’t angry at her or at McKay, you were just tired. So fucking tired. 

“What’s wrong, Y/N?” Cassie asked, “This is your third snide comment this week about McKay this week and it’s only 10 am on a Monday!” 

“I’m sorry for being bitter. I’m just tired.” you whisper. 

Lexi gave you a sympathetic smile and look. And you just smiled back softly. 

See you weren’t jealous. That would involve anger and you weren’t angry. You didn’t hate McKay. 

Sure, there were thing that he did that was questionable at best, but he was wasn’t the worst out of all of Cassie’s boyfriends. 

Even though your happiness was slowly dwindling away each time you saw them at a party. Or each time she canceled plans to go hang out with him instead of you. Or each time you saw them kiss. 

Even though all of it was fading away in you. She didn’t deserve to lose anything when she was so happy. So you tried to stay the same for her and not act any differently. 

Lexi had been a good friend to Y/N and did her best to try and pull her out of it. The annual carnival was coming up and it used to be a tradition for the three girls to go together, but Cassie was busy with McKay...again. 

The two of you ran into McKay on the way to the Ferris Wheel. Much to both of your surprise you didn’t find Cassie next to him, “Where’s Cassie?” Lexi asked.

“Oh I don’t know we called it a night a couple hours ago.” he said with a shrug before going back to Nate and Mr. Jacobs.

Both of you looked at each other and immediately knew something was up. Agreeing to split up both of you searched the carnival in chance to find her. 

That’s when you saw her going around the carrousel with Daniel. She was grinding against the pole of the horse. And Daniel looked like he was getting turned on by it.

But there was something about her that was off. She looked high. You were gonna leave, but you decided to wait for the ride to stop. Before ultimately taking her home, you didn’t want some asshole like Daniel to take advantage of her in the state she was in. 

As soon as the ride stopped you hopped the fence that separated the line to get to her. Despite all the yelling from the person who controls the ride you made your way to Cassie.

“Hey Cassie. How about we get you out of here, okay?” you ask.

“Y/N! I didn’t know you were here.” she slurs and you nod smiling.

“I’m right here.” you whisper to her, unbuckling her seatbelt and lifting her off.

Daniel scoffed, “What the fuck Y/L/N?! We were in the middle of something!” he yelled annoyed.

“Not anymore.” you reply. 

You guided her towards the exit, but saw that she was stumbling and it was hard for her to walk. So you did what you thought was best and picked her up bridal style. 

Cassie wrapped her arms around your neck and nestled into your chest, “Can you believe McKay said to people we weren’t dating? We were just chilling. He literally told me that he loved me yesterday.” she says angrily.

“I’m sorry love. You don’t deserve that.” you whisper back as you saw Lexi, Jules, and Rue running towards the two of you.

Lexi looked at her sister frantically, “Is she okay? Do you need help? I can get her for you.

“Lex take a breath,” you whisper and she nods taking a deep breath, “She’s okay, she just looks a little high off of something. But I got her.” 

Lexi nods and we all get into Cassie’s car. Jules and Rue decided to stay at the carnival a little longer, but we thought it was best if we got her home. 

Cassie passed out across your lap as you just ran your fingers through her hair. Staring at the beautiful girl in front of you. 

“I wish she could see that you were always there for her. She needs someone like you in her life.” Lex whispers looking at you through the rearview mirror. 

But the thing is Cassie never noticed. As much as she would hate to agree with me, she took Y/N for granted most of the time. She just assumed that her best friend since basically birth would always be there for her.

She learned that the hard way.

You were more tired than usual as you sat on the couch of McKay’s house. You were at one of his infamous parties seated next to Lexi, Rue, and Jules. 

Lexi and Rue begged you to come and you agreed without hesitation. But then you realized that you would have to see them dancing close to one another, kissing, and just being with each other. 

The other three girls proceeded in conversation, but you were too tired to contribute. So despite all of the loud music and drunk people, you laid your head on Lexi’s shoulder trying your hardest to just shut everything out for a few minutes. 

And you were about to shut everything out when you heard your name being slurred, “Y/N, what’s wrong?” 

You opened your eyes a little, not wanting to leave the comfortable spot you found on Lexi’s shoulder.

“It’s nothing, Cassie, really. I just have a headache.” you whisper, trying your best to smile at her.

“Why are you lying to me?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

Of course she knew when you were lying, 

“Just let it go, please.” you pleaded with her.

You didn’t want all of this to come out now. Not when she was tipsy. Not when all of your friends and a bunch of random strangers were around to hear.

“No Y/N! I can’t! It’s like you’ve been falling into this pit of sadness for I don’t even know how many months now! I just want to know what happened. You’re supposed to trust me. I trust you. So why can’t you trust me?” she whispered sadly.

“3 months.” I whisper simply.

“What?” she asks.

And it was all coming out right now. Despite all your wishes and prayers to not to.

“I’ve been falling into a pit of sadness for three months. Ever since you started falling for McKay.” you whisper and it looks like the wheels are turning in her head, “I can’t trust you because I’m in love with you!” 

You finally yell out, letting all the feelings that you’ve had pent up to finally come out. Lexi squeezed your hand lightly to let you know that she’ll be right here.

“What?” Cassie asks, her mouth open agape as she just stared.

“I always have been! And now it’s too late. I’m not angry with you and I don’t hate McKay. I’m just tired. I’m tired of feeling like I’m just there now when everything goes wrong in your life. When you and McKay fight or when you need someone to pick you up when you’re drunk. I’ve always been there for you and I’m tired of it not being enough.” and with that you got up and you left. 

She didn’t try chasing after you. No one did. They all knew you needed your time and your space to regroup. 

And just like that the non-related conjoined twins were separated. Neither of them talked or hung out. The only time they would see each other is passing in the hallway exchanging small smiles.

It was weird for the both of them. No small study sessions or move nights. Just them alone. 

Cassie didn’t like not having Y/N there, but every time Y/N tried talking to her she would just avoid her.

During the time Y/N was gone she realized that Y/N was right. Lexi gave her a stern talking to. Lexi’s talk was basically her singing that one Taylor Swift song.

You know the one that goes like...

Dreaming about the day where you wake up and find that what you’re looking for has been here the whole time. Then something about short skirts and t-shirts, I don’t fucking know.

And that’s when Cassie knew. Cassie Howard was in love with Y/N Y/L/N.

Then the infamous night happened, where everything came pouring out...literally. It was raining outside. 

Your phone buzzed with a text and your heart stopped at the name that popped up onto your phone. 

With a text that read meet me outside. You looked outside your window and saw the raindrops that stained your window pane. And made out the small figure that is the blonde girl. 

You grabbed a hoodie from your closet before running downstairs and to the middle of the street.

“Cassie! What are you doing? It is pouring!” you yell the hood covering your head.

You stepped closer to her throwing the hoodie you grabbed from your closet over her head. She was standing there wearing nothing, but a long sleeve shirt and jeans. 

“You still care about me?” she asks barely above a whisper voice.

You let out a sigh, “Just because we stopped talking doesn’t mean I stopped caring.” 

Out of nowhere Cassie pulled you closer to her by the waist placing her lips on yours. You didn’t kiss back at first, but it didn’t take you long to kiss her back. Your two lips moving in perfect motion, you only pulled away when you felt like you were gonna pass out.

“I love you. I always have and I’m sorry I took you for granted. And I’m sorry I didn’t see that you were right in front of me all along. I love you. I am so sorry-” she was about to go on, but you cut her off with a quicker kiss.

She smiles into the kiss before pulling away, “I love you so much, but this was very dramatic.” you whisper with a smile that matched Cassie’s.

She giggled lightly before pecking your nose.

[rideboldlyride]

Thanks for the tag @ifyouwereamelodymeg !!

The 20 most recent first lines…. Hmmm… I’m not sure how accurate this will be, but I’ll try my best.

1. deny thou bear’st love for any ( working title); dramione; one-shot:

You have to promise me, Hermione.

2. Sonnet 14; dramione; second vignette:

His feet crunch across the frigid fallen leaves, away— away from her— and she acts without thinking. A dart, and she grabs his fisted hand, stopping him in his tracks. Their extended arms are a single bridge across an expanse of wet, frosty peaks of orange, yellow and brown. He glares at the connection, but doesn’t send his steely gaze to meet her eyes.

3. Sonnet 102; dramione; first vignette:

It was a challenging subject masquerading as a simple question.

4. As the thread of my breath (working title); dramione; one shot:

Looking back on it, he shouldn’t have been surprised to see her at the Gala.

5. In the Offing; dramione; one shot:

The surprise of the snow storm is almost offset by the gentleness by which it falls. And falls.

And falls.

6. The Diary (working title); dramione; massive one shot:

It’s the first year that her mum doesn’t cry on her birthday, but the firmness of her hug is enough to tell Cassie that her mum is just barely holding it in. While the party is loud and raucous, overfilling their modest lot and garden, the distraction isn’t enough to keep the birthday girl from regularly checking in on her mum. A small crowd of their closest friends—people practically like family—hover near her, but her mum’s expression remains tight. But when Cassie frowns, lips tight and expression sharp, her mum smiles and makes a silly face.

7. Potentiality; dramione; one shot:

“Why, Draco?” She pulls her arms tighter around her waist, nails pressing into her own skin. “Why are you doing this?”

8. Chapter 2 of Come Away With Me; dramione; multi chapter WIP:

“He was right behind me!”

9. Chapter 1 of Come Away With Me; dramione; multi chapter WIP:

The loud crack of sudden Apparition was still ringing in her ears when she re-emerged on the other side. The Burrow steadily resolved itself into familiar shapes before her fatigued eyes.

10. DHr Coworkers (working title); dramione; one shot:

She doesn’t quite remember when it started, but Hermoine’s fairly certain it was when Pansy started complaining about her ravenous manner during after-work drinks. It isn’t her fault that her schedule is so busy with projects that lunch is often just tea and biscuits. Hermoine’s fairly certain that Padma has something to do with it, but can’t seem to find the proof, outside of her friend’s sly smiles and calculating glances.

11. Auror AU (working title); dramione; one shot:

“This is a bad idea.”

12. Chapter 2 of Fear and Love; Zutara; multi chapter WIP:

Tuesday nights begin to change.

13. Chapter 1 of Fear and Love; Zutara; multi chapter WIP:

When he gets the phone call from Jet, Zuko's hardly surprised. Jet had already mentioned the girl's tape, smirked over her expensive photoshoot the last time he had come into his club, and had been waiting for her arrival on the train. But even on the fastest train, it was several days from Cali to the Big Apple.

14. A Heart Twisted; Zutara; multi chapter WIP, unpublished:

They arrive in the city like a rising tide; quiet, steady and merciless. While their intent is not to draw blood, they do not pause when they strike down the Fire Lord’s personal guards. They do not hesitate to grab the nearest of the house staff and hold sharp short blades to their throats. And they do not stop until they stand before the Fire Lord and his council, eyes full of venom and teeth bared.

15. Original work, untitled:

It's a land of islands. Some are mere specks on the map, an accumulation of sand among a never-ending blanket of blue. Some are vast monoliths rising from the seafloor to herald civilization's dominance over the earth.

16. My Whole Life Alone. Loving You; Zutara; multi chapter WIP, unpublished:

The news hit the nations with uproar. Aang and Katara, despite their three children and multiple years together, were no longer married.

17. Edge of the Ice; Zutara; one shot:

Legend speaks of a man who lives at the edge of the ice. Every child of the south had heard the stories growing up, whispers of fires that burned without fuel and eyes that glowed like the sunset.

18. Forever Together, Eternally Apart; Zutara; multi chapter WIP:

There once was a story so rich and deep, of two loves, two halves becoming one whole. Their tale is rich and full, an epic love kept under the cover of dark to avoid the prying eyes of those who would tear them apart.

19. Me and You, We Got More Yesterday Than Anything; Zutara; one shot:

It was food poisoning, he was sure. Not something uncommon in some of the further reaches of his nation, where water was not as purified and food was stored for too long due to scarcity. With only a handful of staff at his side, the rest relief workers that he had been sprinkling behind him, he often fended for himself, the many years of banishment resurfacing in his memory. Though no longer banished, he was once again wandering down roads on a mount, moving from village to village, trying to help where he could. It was completely unheard of, this type of action by a Fire Lord, but Zuko had been everything but a typical one.

20. The Fire Festival; Zutara; one shot:

He should have known. After all, it wasn't like before, where he could just make a plan, and go. Now there was paperwork, appearances, schedules to work around. Four years away had comfortably pushed those expectations far away in his mind. So when his friends had mentioned the Fire Festival, Zuko had agreed. All he needed to do as Firelord was make an appearance at the beginning to bless the activities of the night, and then he would be free to escape and slip into the crowd and join his friends.

——

Hmmm… patterns: I’ve gotten more succinct over the years? As for my favorite, I’d say probably any of the Scorn to Change My State with Kings intros, just because they’re an immediate image or sensation. And the beginning of Come Away With Me throws you into action right away. So more of my recent writings, I guess. Lol.

I’m tagging…. @gemgirl28 (if you haven’t already done it), @bulletproofteacup, @cablesscutie, and @neincraff ❤️

[catxsnow]

YOU NOT HIM T.D.

Request: Can i request reader liking dick but he reject her because she is too young or something lol. But then tim has a crush on her and she slowly starts to fall for him. Then dick regrets it. Pretty please? 🙏 Thanks!

Warning: angst, mentions of blood, if you squint really hard mentions of sexual content, fluff

A/N: This might be one of my favourites 🥺🥺

Word count: 5.1k 

Bruce Wayne was somehow able to adopt all attractive children. Every single kid that he had living under his roof turned out to be ridiculously handsome later on in life. Dick, the oldest - a ladies man through and through. Jason had his whole 'bad boy' persona - though you knew him well enough to know he was nothing but a sweetheart.

Tim was nothing but lovable. He was kind and sweet to you since the beginning. Even Damian who was still young was going to grow up to be just like his father. They were all incredibly good looking people - all of which had made you weak in the knees.

You had been running alongside Bruce and his family for a couple years. Long enough to have known their identities and long enough to be an equal with them. It was had being a sidekick to the great Batman, but you had made do. Being partners with Tim worked fine, but the moment he left, you did too.

Years of training, hard work, and pining over Dick Grayson. The only problem being - he was twenty-six and you were just past the age of eighteen. Far too young for him and in his eyes, way too immature. That didn't stop you from liking him more and more every time you saw him.

You had even gone out of your way to move to Bludhaven to be closer to him. Working more cases in the night with him, getting every chance that you got to be with him. You were hopelessly yearning for him.

Dick Grayson was perfect. He was kind, patient, a total badass. In all your time of knowing him, he always took his time with you no matter the situation. If you couldn't get a proper training move down, he'd stay with you until you got it. Having trouble with your school work - he'd sit with you and figure it out.

He truly was the perfect man, and you wished nothing more to know if he felt the same way. So, the next time you saw him - you risked everything. You told Dick of your feelings for him, how you wished to be together and be the one to love him. You spilled your heart out to him, hoping that he would accept you.

As you should have known, he didn't. Dick saw you as nothing but a little sister he never had. You were far too young for him. His love for you was always there, just not in the way that you had hoped. Heartbroken, you assured him that you understood him and that everything was okay. As long as you didn't lose him forever, that was what mattered the most.

You were thankful that Dick didn't make things awkward between you. Every time you saw him it seemed just like old times - but now you knew not to get your hopes up anymore. Dick had made his choice, and he wasn't going to change it.

With a broken heart, you moved back to Gotham. Back to working with Batman and Robin- neither of which you were fond to be back with. Things weren't the same, Bruce and Damian didn't need you anymore. You would fly solo unless it was some sort of big raid - often times having to go home to an empty apartment where you would have to sew your own wounds.

You missed what your life was like in Bludhaven. Going back would be too hard, you needed to distance yourself from Dick, let these feelings simmer away until there was nothing left. At least, you hoped that was what was going to happen.

Another night of Gotham and another night of blood soaking through your suit. It had only been a few weeks since you had been back but it felt like a lifetime. Gotham was draining and you forgot how terrible it treated you.

"Heard you were back in town," a voice called out. You were in the bathroom, trying to stitch up the cut along your torso. The sudden arrival had caused you to jump, making your wound even worse. "Oh fuck, sorry."

Tim Drake stood at your door. He wore jeans and a t-shirt that showed just how much stronger he had gotten since you had last seen him. You glared at him between winces of pain. Tim carefully grabbed the needle and thread from your bloody hands, wordlessly taking your place and finishing the job.

"What the fuck, Tim," You snapped. Since being home, you were in no mood to speak to anyone of the Wayne family. It was nice being on your own for a while. Besides, he was supposed to be with the Teen Titans right now. "What are you doing here?"

"Heard you were back in Gotham," He repeated earlier. His stitching jabbed you a little too violently and you jerked at the pain. Without realizing you had latched onto his thigh to try to dim the searing hurt that ran up your body. You never noticed Tim's breathing catch in his throat and the heat that crawled up his neck. "Thought I'd come by and see you."

"How'd you find me?" You asked. You never told anyone where you had set up your new home. Tim only gave you a look - of course. He knew how to find you, he could find anyone if he so wanted to it wasn't too difficult. You appreciated him for going out of his way to meet up with you.

Tim finished the last stitch and wiped away the rest of the blood that stained your skin. He placed a white bandage over it and stretched his back from being crouched for so long. Without missing a beat, he followed you to your room, watching you rummage through your drawer to find a t-shirt to wear.

"I'm guessing you didn't just come for a visit," You continued. Tim leaned against your door, arms crossed over his chest. While he explained himself, you went out to clean up your weapons used from the night, something to keep you busy and your mind off the idea that he might bring up Dick's rejection.

"I came to see if you wanted to join me," He announced. You raised an eyebrow at him. So many times you had explicitly stated that you wanted no part of any team. After learning everything from Batman, you picked up on his undesirable trait of not wanting to be part of a team. Whether it was the Justice League or the Teen Titans.

You scoffed and pushed past him to retrieve your bloody suit. It would need to be fixed and cleaned up before tomorrow night. Tim followed you through your small home. He had wanted you to join for a long time, now that you were done your little escapade in Bludhaven, it was the perfect chance to convince you.

"Come on, you're coming home with wounds every night and I'm worried about you," Tim tried to change your mind. Your eyes narrowed at his words - this hadn't been the first time that he had seen you in Gotham.

"You've been following me?" You asked, but more so looking for confirmation. Tim hung his head in shame. He felt like an idiot for letting that slip - you shouldn't have known about it. It had been several days that he had been in Gotham. Bruce knew, he never told you until now.

"I was worried about you," Tim confessed. "I heard about what happened with Dick and I didn't want you to do anything drastic." More like he was hoping that he could be the one to swoop in and win your heart. You were only a year older than Tim, but while you were pining after Dick, he was pining after you.

Those years as being partners he had fallen in love with you. He loved the way that you were so excited to save people, how you were so easily able to solve problems, and the way you smiled when you were excited. This whole time, you hadn't noticed because you were so busy with trying to sway Dick.

You cringed at him revealing knowing about what happened between you and Dick. That was the last thing you wanted to hear come from him mouth - it was embarrassing. You didn't even want to think about what it would be like if Damian found out what had happened; he would never let you hear the end of it.

"I'm not going to work with a team of kids," you kept up with your answer.

"They - we - aren't kids. I just thought maybe you'd like some fresh faces," Tim argued. The selfish part of him wanted you to come just because he wanted to see you. He wouldn't tell you that, not yet anyways.

You had to admit, the idea of getting out of Gotham and seeing some fresh faces sounded a little too perfect to you. It would be nice to put Batman and Co. on the back burner until this stupid flutter in your heart for Dick went away. As much as you didn't want to join a team, it was your best option.  

The bloody suit in your hand dropped to the ground. Maybe it was time for a completely new revamping. New name, new suit, new team, new city. You had been the same vigilante for years - Dick, Jason, even Tim had all grown out of their original stage and into something new. Maybe it was time for you to do so too.

"You know what? Fuck it."

><

"Tim!" You screeched. Your face was bright red from all the blood flowing to it. Everything was viewed upside down and you were starting to get dizzy.

It had been well over a year since you had joined the Titans. They were all excited to see you there, many faces that you had never seen before and even more that you liked to consider friends. Bart, Kon, Cassie - you were all so excited to see them. Joining this team seemed like a pain but the second you stepped into the tower you knew you made the right choice.

Your new persona made you feel alive again and you were more ready than ever to get back out on the streets to kick some ass. This new life that you created here, it was something that you never thought you would be able to do. For the first time in a long time, you felt happy, at home. Something that never truly happened at the Manor.

"Tim! Let me go!" You laugh echoed through the massive room. The two of you had been training - though at that moment neither of you were taking it seriously in the slightest. Tim had grabbed you by the thighs and hauled you over his shoulder, running around and not letting go.

You slapped his ass, hoping that it would be enough to get him to let you go. Instead, he slapped yours even harder. Thankfully he set you back down on the ground, but didn't considering letting you out of his hold. Tim pulled you against his chest, kissing you long and sweet to make up for his behavior.

"Sorry, my love," Tim smirked. No he wasn't.

Maybe the reason that you were so happy with you new life was because of Tim. Tim Drake had been the one to convince you to change homes, and the one to wiggle his way in to mend your broken heart. He had stood by your side through thick and thin, doing everything in his power to make you feel better.

Along the way, he had also gotten you to fall in love with him. Dick was out of your mind, every thought now consumed by Tim. The first year you were there, it was incredible to see such a change within you. Everyone saw it - Bart making the most fun of your growing feelings for Tim. Feelings that you denied for a very long time.

Everyone could see how hopelessly in love you were with each other. You hadn't been able to believe if for a long time. Tim was your friend, your partner - not a lover. There was no way that you saw him like that, right? You had never been so wrong in your entire life.

Maybe these feelings for Tim had always been there. Maybe you were just too busy following Dick around that you didn't have the time to realize it. Or maybe he had brought out a side of him that you hadn't realized existed. You saw him differently than you had when he was Robin.

It was one night that the two of you were alone in the tower - a first since you had been there - that had gotten you to admit your feelings. The night was calm and you guys took the opportunity to play a movie on the big screen. Unfortunately for you, the whole movie you had been consumed with the idea of kissing him.

A perfectly timed sex scene had given you a strange amount of courage. You couldn't take this tension with him anymore. So, you had nearly leaped on top of him, pressing your lips against his. Tim didn't hesitate to react to it, kissing you back and pulling you onto his lap. You straddled him, fingers threading through his hair as he desperately tried to peel your clothes off.

After a very embarrassing, almost naked, confrontation with your teammates that had suddenly arrived, you and Tim became inseparable. Several months of dating and you knew that you had made the right choice with him. Tim cared about you in ways that you never thought a man would do for you.

"Yeah, yeah," You waved him off. Your face was finally going back to normal as the blood flow balancing out. "There's a lot of ways you could make it up to me, you know?" You grinned, hands trailing up his bare chest.

"Oh yeah?" Tim placed his hands on your hips, pulling you completely flush against him. He trailed soft kisses up your neck, eager to hear what you were thinking. "What'd you have in mind?"  

Suddenly, your foot hooked into his ankles and you pulled his legs out from right under him. Tim groaned as his back painfully hit the training mat and a disappointed look filled his eyes. "Buying me lunch."

Tim didn't let you get very far. He pulled the same move as you did and brought you down on the mat. Tim trapped you beneath him, his legs on either side of yours and hands by your shoulders. You could get out if you so wished - but you didn't.

You were thankful he let your hands free. You placed them on either side of his face and pulled him down so you could connect your lips. There were many times that you would be in the training room, Tim convincing you to make out and every time someone would walk in. This time you felt dangerously brave.

Tim gasped as your hands trailed down his chest and towards his shorts. "You really want to risk that right now?" He asked between kisses. You responded without words, and instead adding pressure to your hold. Tim groaned into your neck, there was no way that he could say no to you.

"Tim!"

You had never seen your boyfriend jump off of you so quickly before. The voice hadn't belonged to any of your teammates and the tone of it wasn't scolding, it was excited. Whoever it was, obviously hadn't fully seen what had been going on. You should have expected that you wouldn't get what you wanted.

"(Y/N)?" Dick Grayson faltered in his spot. It was the first time that he had seen you since he had let you down. Nearly two years without seeing how much you had grown.  He had heard that you had moved into the tower, but it had been a long time since you had gone home to Gotham.

Tim went without you, working with Bruce for a few cases here and there. No one had visited the tower while you were there and you had to admit that you were thankful for it. Leaving your past behind - besides Tim - it was refreshing. Seeing Dick again had brought back a tug in your heart that you thought was long gone.

"Dick," You half smiled. His hair was shorter than last time you had seen him. Muscles more defined than ever. The bags under his eyes were worse but his smile was still the exact same. Dick hadn't expected you to be with Tim, not romantically. You never seemed interested in him growing up.

Your breathing caught in your throat. After seeing him for the first time in a long time, you didn't realize the wave of emotions that would come. You were confused by everything flooding your brain - hope, guilt, desire, even anger.

"You look great," he complimented, bringing you in for a hug. It was true. You had grown a lot in these two years. Different hair, more fit than you ever been in your life. Being on this team had done you good in more ways than one.

"What're you doing here?" Tim asked. Dick stared as you interlocked hands with your boyfriend.

"I'm, uh, taking Kori's place as team leader for a little while," Dick explained. Kori had mentioned before that she was going to need to take some time away. She never said what for or when, but she must have had to leave sooner than anticipated. "You guys are together?"

"Yep," your voice strained. You never imagined that this reunion would be so tense. It was easier to see Dick right after he had let you down than it was now. For some reason, his appearance had created a tension. You weren't sure if it was from you, or if Tim was suddenly jealous of his older brother, or Dick was just uncomfortable with it all.

"Congrats," Dick nodded. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. A sudden noise came from outside the room. "I'm gonna go see everyone else I guess. See you later tonight?" You and Tim both nodded in sync. It seemed like the moment that he stepped out of the room, you both let out a breath of air.

"That was weird, right?" You asked, staring at the door that Dick left from rather than up at Tim. You couldn't have been the only one to find that whole confrontation painful. Tim nodded in agreement. His jaw was tight and he glared at the door Dick just left from. "Wait a second, you're not jealous of Dick, are you?"

"No!" Tim defended. Unfortunately for him, you could tell that he was lying. "He was your first love! It's only been two years since he told you he didn't feel the same way. Besides, you didn't see the way he was looking at you. I just..." He trailed off, unsure if he was willing to say what was on his mind.

"You're worried I still have feelings for him," You finished. Tim wearily nodded. You placed your hands at the base of his neck, thumb brushing against his jawline. Tim was forced to look you in your eyes, as much as he didn't want to at this moment. "I love you, Tim. Only you. You have nothing to worry about."

You pulled him down for another kiss. Tim finally melted into your hold. He knew that you loved him, genuinely. However, it was still hard to have Dick be living in the same home as you once again. He felt childish for being jealous for no reason. Dick had already stated that he didn't have feelings for you - he didn't need to worry now.

At least he hoped.

><

Apparently Tim did have something to worry about - and it wasn't you.

Dick's time in the tower extended longer than he imagined it too. He was only supposed to be there for a week or two, now it had been nearly a month. While it was nice to have him around, especially on missions, Tim was eager for his brother to leave them again. He hated when the two of you spent time together.

Maybe it was just him being jealous, maybe he was paranoid. Either way, whenever it was the two of you alone, Tim got antsy. Kon was the first to notice. He assured his best friend that he had nothing to worry about - as far as his Kryptonian sense could tell, you didn't have any feelings for Dick.

Tim found himself spending more nights in your room, keeping you in bed longer than he normally would in the mornings. He even held hands with you more often; you had enjoyed his affection, even though you knew where it had stemmed from.

It was an afternoon of training did he finally have enough. Dick was using you as a partner to show off some new moves for all the team to learn. The two of you danced around the mat, anticipation running high. You were both drenched in sweat, breathing heavy from your previous spar.

"Come on, Big Bird," You taunted. Dick hated that name, it only reminded him of Sesame Street. He hadn't heard that name in a long time - not since he had seen you last. For some reason, it had caught him off guard enough for you to make your strike. Dick reoriented himself rather quickly.

Instead of you taking him down, he had roughly slammed you to the floor. Dick hovered over you, eyes soft as he met yours. Ever since he had been back with you in the tower, there was something eating him alive. Guilt? Shame? He tried to blame his feelings on those but he knew what it was: regret.

Dick regretted letting you go all those years ago. When he was asked to take over the Titans Tower, he was excited to see you. In two short years he had hoped that you hadn't moved on. Not seeing you nearly every day left a hole in his chest and he didn't realize what it was until seeing you again.

Upon realizing that you were with Tim, he felt his heart crack. Of course he had lost his chance with you - and it was no one to blame but himself. Dick pushed you away because he thought you to be too young, when in reality he was just scared of hurting you.

"Dick!" Tim's voice echoed throughout the training room. There was a harsh tone to it, full of jealousy and frustration. It had broken him out of his trance. Dick hadn't realized just how long he had been pinning you down. You tried to wiggle out of his grasp but he was far too strong to get of without hurting him. He had been completely lost in thought being that close to you again.

He shook his head to rid those thoughts, thoughts of you. Dick pushed himself up off the ground and stuck his hand out for you to grab. You didn't take it. Instead, you moved back to Tim's side. He instantly swooped down to kiss your lips. Dick knew what Tim was doing - he was being possessive of you. It was easy to notice with the glare that followed. 

"That's it for today," Dick announced. He left the training room, followed by the rest of your team. It was only Tim, Bart, and Cassie that knew about your history with Dick. Bart and Cass both gave you a weary look as they walked by you. For once, you felt uncomfortable under their gaze.

Finally, it was just you and Tim left. He stared at the floor, thoughts running through his head and keeping him in this trance. What was Dick thinking? Why was he acting like that? Like he regretted his choice with you? He was beyond angered at his brother for looking at you like he was.

You grabbed both of his hands, staring up at him as if he was the only thing that mattered in this world. Tim's gaze where Dick hovered of you wouldn't falter - and sadly you had known exactly what he was thinking. Dick was a ladies man, he knew how to flirt his way through everything and he certainly knew how to flirt with you.

If there was one person in this world that could convince you to leave Tim, it was Dick. He was the one to have your heart first, not Tim.

"Babe," you finally spoke. Your hands slid up his arms until cupping his face. Tim finally met your eyes with a broken look. "I love you, and only you. I need you to know that."

"I do," he whispered. It sounded as if he didn't believe himself, and in some ways, he didn't. All his life he grew up wondering how Dick got women so easily. Now, as soon as he finally gets you, Dick comes back with god knows what intentions. "I love you, too."

"Big Belly Burger?" You offered. Tim hinted at a smile, somehow you always managed to make a dark room light.

"You're buying."

><

You had managed to avoid Dick for the rest of the week. Patrol was exclusively with Tim, training you were paired with Cassie, even at dinner you would sit as far as possible from him. Whether it was because you were good at avoiding him, or if he was putting in the effort as well, you didn't mind the space.

It was your teammates that would catch Dick glancing at you at random points in the day. No one would ever say anything about it, but they all knew that something was going on between the two of you - or something had gone on. In all your time there, it seemed like Tim was the only one on your mind, they didn't think Dick had an important role as well.

It wasn't until the end of the week did Dick corner you. It was late at night, Tim was asleep in your bed and the others were all in their rooms. You found yourself in the kitchen for a late night snack and some tea. One of the few times that you were alone, he knew that he needed to talk to you and set things straight.

"(Y/N)," Dick startled you. Your back was towards him and the sound of his voice had caused you to jump - along with spill boiling hot tea on your hand. "Shit, sorry," he apologized. Dick ran cold water on the tap and gestured for you to put your hand under. Instead, you turned the water off and dried your warm skin.

You didn't want his help.

"What do you need, Dick?" You asked. Tired bags were under your eyes as you looked to him. What he had done at the start of the week had been keeping you up all night.

"I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry," Dick began. "I'm sorry for hurting you all those years ago, I'm sorry for the other day, I'm sorry for not realizing your feelings sooner... and mine. I didn't realize how much I cared about you until seeing you again, or I guess seeing you with Tim. I know that I'm a day late and a dollar short, but I needed to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Tell you that I love you," Dick revealed. His arms were crossed over his chest and he avoided your gaze. It took him two years to realize his mistake of missing out on you and he regretted it. He wished that he hadn't been so ridiculous to think your age mattered - now when in the grand scheme of things it wasn't even a big age gap.

Your breathing stopped for a second. Two years ago you would have been ecstatic to hear those words come from his mouth. That was all you wanted to hear from him. Now, now the words sent a chill down your spine and left you with a dry mouth. You didn't want to hear that from him anymore.

The grip on your mug tightened until you swore the ceramic was going to crack. You let out a huff of air, frustrated with his words. Why was he telling you this now? To ruin your relationship with Tim? To win your heart back? You loved Tim, and that was the end of the story. Dick was your friend, that was all.

"I think it's time you head back to Bludhaven, Dick," You met his eyes once more. The team would do fine without him or Kori for a few more days. Right now, you just wanted him gone. You didn't want to have to look Dick in the eyes knowing that he loved you and you no longer felt the same way.

The distance apart had done wonders on you, now he needed to do the same. Forget about you, find someone else. You wanted Dick to be happy, to be in love. He was still basically your family, you always wanted what was best for him. Being around you after this revelation? That was far from what was best.

"I'm sorry," Dick apologized once more.

"So am I," you placed a hand on his shoulder as you walked by. You paused at the doorway, debating whether or not to tell him that you wished him all the best. In the end, you decided against it and walked back towards your room.

Tim was still asleep in your bed. His back was exposed and the covers were down to his waist. Snores filled the silent room, muffled by the pillow that he was hugging. This was the love of your life. You were always meant to be with Tim, never Dick. It might have taken you over half a decade to realize it, but it was well worth the wait.

The mug of tea that you had made for yourself was set on your desk and long forgotten. Instead, you slipped into bed with Tim, who stirred at your appearance. The pillow he was hugging was replaced with you and he snuggled into the crook of your neck. Tim sleepily left a kiss against your skin, too tired to fully wake.

"I love you, Timmy. More than anyone," You whispered. He was already back asleep, unaware of the words you spoke. Unaware of the conversation that you had with Dick. It was best that he didn't know. You and Dick were adults, there was no childish rivalry needed. You didn't want to be the one to ruin a brotherly relationship.

Tim had you, that was all that mattered.