#(i love them but it's also to avoid needing to compete with anyone for the striking chestpiece. lol!)

[crowlore]

is dawntrail seriously just around the cover it honestly feels like endwalker just came out

[ryker-writes]

Hi Ryker!

May I request Male! or GN!Reader dating Idia and Malleus?

Because Cater said he finds Diasomnia and Ignyhide people hard to approach, most of the student body fears Malleus and never really saw Idia, I think it'd be hilarious if Reader managed to befriend and woo them both.

I wish you a nice day/night, remember to drink something tasty and eat something.

hi hi! Glad to finally write a request for you since you've been around my blog for a bit! I'll be doing GN!Reader to keep it inclusive to whoever reads and wants to connect with it (hope you don't mind). I kinda got carried away so it's longer than I thought it'd be

Request rules and Masterlists

Dating Idia and Malleus (Poly relationship)

First of all; WOAH

It's not uncommon for people to avoid both Idia and Malleus for very different reasons

Idia avoided people, but some found him creepy or weird due to his unique appearance and personality

Malleus on the other hand, is elegant and refined, but too powerful and intimidating for his own good (and it's not even intentional)

So it's quite a feat just being able to befriend both of them considering they're not often even seen around campus

There's always a stunned silence when you mention them as close friends

Cater says you must have next level "rizz" in order to charm your way into a conversation and friendship with both of them

And when you tell him you're actually dating both of them? He is truly stunned into silence, staring at you like you grew a third head

He and everyone around you is baffled beyond belief

It's one thing to date the world's biggest introvert who can't even attend class in person, but to date a literal prince and one of the strongest mages at the same time???

"They have to have strong magic! How else can you possibly explain them dating Idia and Malleus?"

Dating the two of them had quite an interesting start

I think the only way for you to possibly date both of them is for Idia to come first

If you dated Malleus first, Idia would probably bury how he feels thinking you would never date him too since he can't possibly compete with Malleus for your love

And he does feel a little insecure when you mention also having mutual feelings with Malleus too

But with some reassurance that you still love him very much, he's okay with it!

Actually, he likes it!

With you dating Malleus at the same time, he doesn't feel as much pressure to do everything perfectly to be a good boyfriend or forcing himself to go to big events with you because he knows Malleus is there when he's not

Idia also needs time to himself to recharge his social battery, but he feels terrible telling you he needs to recharge on his own, but now you can spend time with Malleus while he recharges and will be ready to spend time together later!

He sees and understands why you like Malleus too, after all, Malleus is "A SSR boss character with insane stats. Anyone would be attracted to him"

Malleus on the other hand...can't fully see the attraction to Idia

Don't get me wrong, he knows you love Idia too and he respects Idia, even considers him a smart and worthy fellow partner for your love

He just doesn't feel the same affection for him as you do, and that's okay with him

Malleus is open to new experiences and things to try, so when you suggested being in a relationship with both him and Idia, he was surprised, but willing to try

and to his surprise, he quite enjoys it!

He gets to know you and Idia on a deeper more personal level, and to him, that's one of the best parts about it! He doesn't have many people in his life that he can be so open and close with, so being able to be like that with both you and Idia really means a lot to him

Malleus knows there are times he's out of touch with modern culture and traditions, so he's very glad to have Idia who can help fill in the gaps and explain some things to him (after rewording his sentence at least five times to make it understandable)

With Idia around, he doesn't feel like he has to worry as much about not being able to keep up with how fast human/modern times move, and worrying about you whenever you're not in his sight

Overall, they both enjoy the relationship the three of you have

Dating both of them is quite the experience

For starters, you'll never face financial issues. Anything you want or even mention a slight interest in wanting, you'll have it by end of the day

Yeah, there's a mountain of presents on your birthday, and that's just from one of them

Security is also never an issue. No one in their right mind would provoke Malleus anyway, but even with Idia they risk all their personal and private information being exposed for all to see and the wrath of Styx security

In fact, just about any issue you have can be solved by both of them

They balance each other well in different approaches and areas of expertise

When you have a tech issue, leave it to Idia. When you have a magical issue, leave it to Malleus. When you have a personal issue or issue with others, they'll work together <3

The two of them love you very much, and they often work together or help each other in their efforts too

Even when Idia is feeling insecure about himself and where he stands, Malleus can sense it and is able to reassure him just how deeply both you and him care for Idia and value him

And when Malleus is feeling confused or like a third wheel of sorts, Idia is willing to take a step back and share attention with Malleus too

They even spend time together on their own too, and despite the initial awkwardness in the beginning of the relationship, they get along quite well

You've walked into Idia's room before to find Idia trying to teach Malleus the basics of technology and computers, even trying to teach him how to play some of the simpler games

The next day Malleus had a custom headset to help accommodate fae ears and his horns

On the other hand, Malleus has managed to drag Idia out of his room more, walking at night for both ambiance and to avoid the majority of people

When holidays come around, the two scheme together on how to surprise/what to do for you

There have been rumors circulating around the school about the two smiling evilly and chuckling in dark corners, and everyone gets on edge for a few days

Most of the time when you mention dating both Malleus and Idia, people don't believe you

They'd probably think you're delusional, but the smart ones know to hold their tongue on that

The not so smart ones (Ace) don't hold their tongue and call you delusional, and suddenly there's a thunderstorm and their search history is public information

Malleus and Idia are both pretty protective of you, and love you deeply, so you bet they're going to do just about whatever it takes to ensure you're happy

[bunni-v1]

Omegaverse Lighter Ramblings

🍓That Omagaverse ask has had me in a chokehold, I haven’t have the time to write much of anything since finals week started butttt I have to get Alpha!Lighter out of my head and onto my blog IMMEDIATELY!!!

TW: Omegaverse related stuff lol (marking, breeding, excessive use of the word alpha 💀)

Info: Lighter x Reader; Alpha!Lighter; implied Omega!Reader; Spoilers for Lighter’s trust events

-Lighter is unequivocally an Alpha, let’s get that settled. There’s no way he’s anything but. He has that pure alpha male kinda vibe (jsbsishwos).

-Speaking seriously, he presented around when he turned thirteen, and he’s always been seen as an “Alpha’s Alpha”. He’s strong, competent, and he demands respect just by being in a room.

-It’s part of why he became a mercenary in the first place. He just knew he was built to lead a pack, no matter how dangerous the work they did was.

-He was a great head too, his pack loved him and he loved them. He did his absolute best all the time to be the best Alpha he could be, supporting all of his pack members and never discriminating based on their second genders.

-He vowed he wouldn’t become a monster like other Alphas. He heard the stories of pack leaders losing their minds or abusing the weakest members just because they could. It made him sick to his stomach, so he made sure his pack was safe under him.

-So their deaths hit him so much harder. He legitimately cannot handle it, the grief and the devastation turn him into a monster in the ring. He is the perfect picture of everything he swore he would never become in those years, and they’re particularly difficult for him to reflect upon.

-Joining the SoC is also made harder because he’s kind of needing to recover from literally just living on his instincts 24/7. He avoids the girls like the plague cause he doesn’t want to hurt them — it’s his job to do the opposite.

-Slowly, slowlyyyy, he warms up to them and he lets them in and he doesn’t realize how much he missed having a pack to call his own until he has them. This time, though, he doesn’t want to lead and he doesn’t have to.

-(In case anyone is wondering Caesar is an Alpha (no duh), Piper is a beta, Burnice is… Omaga(?), and Lucy is an Omega. Lighter loves them so much, despite the distance he keeps, he hold nothing but respect and admiration for his pack.)

-It’s a good deal he’s got going too. He gets to have a pack full of friends and a home to call his own… and he can also take out any pent up aggression in his fights.

-Okay with all that out of the way, I’ll get into the shit you wanna hear.

-Firstly Lighter smells… peculiar? He’s got this woody kinda undertone and there’s a sharp scent of gasoline on top of it. He smells like a fire before it’s burning. It’s not bad, but it’s really intense and it can be… too much for most people.

-It’s something that lingers in the air even after he leaves. He always tries his best to contain it, but he can’t help that he naturally secretes a lot of his scent. The girls don’t complain, and it’s a good way of keeping people in check, so he never thinks too much of it.

-Though he does notice the odd looks he gets in Lumina Square, he just figures it’s because of the way he dresses or some other thing.

-It’s not till you point out that his scent is so strong that he realizes. You frame it as a good thing (because of course you love how your alpha smells), and he starts like secreting his scent more when you’re around 😭

-Speaking of you fucking REEK of Lighter. He is big on scenting, leans hard into that jealous protective side he has. If you smell like him, people probably won’t mess with you.

-If someone is stupid enough to do so, they probably won’t be around long enough to warn others not to, honestly.

-Imagine regular Lighter’s protectiveness turner up to like ten. He does NOT fuck around when it comes to his mate, not even a little. Those violent instincts come out tendfold when his mate is in trouble.

-So, yeah he scents you a lot, and he’s big big big on marking. You’ve gotta have a visible mating mark somewhere on your person or else Lighter’s gonna be antsy until he can get one on you.

-His favorite ones to leave are on the juncture between your neck and your jaw. The mark is big, but it’s still something that you can hide easily for more professional things.

-He’s quite possessive of you, too. He’s never had a real mate to call his own before, and you are everything he’s ever wanted and more. Excuse him for being a little obsessive.

-His favorite thing in the world, though, is your scent. He practically begs you to scent him every morning and every night. It rarely sticks thanks to how strong his own is, but it’s the idea that he wants your scent so badly that’s so flattering.

-He also wants you to mark him, and he doesn’t care where. His neck? Perfect! His chest? Wonderful! His thighs? Knock yourself out!

-He does LIKE having matching mating marks though, so he’d be very flattered to have your mark in the same place as his.

-Ah, and finally, let’s talk about his rut shall we?

-It’s intense, like worryingly so. It lasts about a week and a half, exceptionally long even for alphas, and it’s miserable to deal with alone.

-He used to take suppressants for them when he was younger, but during his time in the ring he just learned to lock himself away and deal with it.

-There’s little to no relief during his ruts when he’s alone. He can fuck his hand or use toys and cum like that and he’ll be fully erect within a minute later.

-He gets these awful fevers that, the first time it happened, the girls thought he was legitimately dying until Bug Daddy realized what was going on and chased them off.

-He really struggles to keep himself mentally in check during his ruts, so he usually locks himself away until it’s over for everyone’s well-being.

-When he gets with you, though, it’s… different. They’re MORE intense, like to the point it concerns him a lot. He connects pretty quickly that it’s because his alpha knows that he has a mate now, and it wants its mate to help it out.

-He’s kinda afraid to let you help, though. He’s not exactly coherent or even remotely considerate of anything during his rut. All he’s thinking about is how badly he needs to fuck whatever hole is in front of him (specifically, how badly he wants to fuck your hole and stuff it full of his pups).

-You’re insistent about it though, and he can only say come up with so many excuses before he finally gives in.

-It’s literally life changing, I’m not joking.

-He gives you a whole rundown about being safe and how you need to put yourself first no matter what and blah blah blah.

-He’s so fucking sweet to you during his rut, I’m not joking. It’s literally like his alpha is sedated by your presence, and he’s so incredibly obsessed with keeping you happy and satisfied with him.

-Anything you want it’s yours so long as he gets to be with you, okay. Just the smell of your skin is enough to make him sigh in relief. Let alone the touch of your skin.

-He’ll split open your legs and eat and eat and eat until you’re sobbing for him to do anything but. He can’t help that you taste soooo good on his tongue. He can’t get enough of that delicious flavor you’ve got, not when he’s so far buried into it now.

-God don’t even mention how you feel around him. It’s actual heaven, you letting him rut into your sweet little hole, all because you love him. All because you want to help him out. Oh, it has his alpha purring in delight.

-So many positions, most of which have him bent over you so he can coo in your ear how good you feel. How he can’t wait to see your tummy swell. How much he adores being inside you.

-It still takes him a while to cum, despite how satisfied he is being inside of you. It’s just how his body is, but when he does cum it’s A LOT. If he’s not knotting you you are almost drowning in it.

-Forbid if you play with it, he’ll be hard again in less than ten seconds and ready to go again.

-When he cums, though, he always leaves a nice bloodied mark to enjoy for later. Your whole neck is pretty much black and blue from how many he leaves.

-That’s okay though, you enjoy it too, which only motivates him to keep going more and more until you tell him to stop.

-You’re his cute little mate, all his to mark up and stuff up. The way you squirm when his knot swells inside you makes his toes curl.

-And when you whine about being “too full” as he pumps load after load inside he can’t help but laugh at you. You wanted this after all, don’t complain when he’s giving you exactly what you asked for.

-Having you during his rut shortens it a significant amount, and it usually only lasts four to five days so long as you’re available.

-After the fact he’s so doting, feeling so bad for splitting you apart and stuffing you too full. You usually need a few days to recover together, and it’s full of nothing but pampering and loving from your oh so adoring mate.

[hypewinter]

I got a take on the Danny is Damian's older brother au. He's Damian's brother but he's his adopted brother. So hear me out:

Danny is running away post TUE and he encounters some assassins. For whatever reason they get into a fight and he beats them. This ends up getting back to Ra's who is quite curious about who beat up his most prized assassins effortlessly. After some investigation, he extends an invite for Danny to train under him. On Danny's part, he jumps at the chance to disappear off the face of the earth and have a free place to stay.

Danny ends up being an absolute prodigy. This is him close to being Dan so his morals are much shakier. He doesn't leap at the opportunity to kill, but he's most definitely not above it if need be. Combine that with his ghost powers and personal training by Ra's himself and the guy becomes like the golden standard within the league. So much so to the point where Ra's even names him his heir and adopts him. Though Danny insists he is his adopted grandson and not adopted son.

Flashforward to Damian being born and Ra's obviously wants him to be his new heir. Not that Danny has any problem with this. He's very clearly Ra's favorite considering the things he's allowed to get away with. Like letting targets go, having worldly possessions in his room (TV, gaming console, computer, etc), and even befriending his subordinates (Ra's particularly doesn't like that one but knows Danny will never allow it to become a weakness for him). Even if Danny wasn't the heir, he would still maintain a significant level of authority within the league (again not that he cares about having power as long as there's a roof over his head).

The problem is, Damian can't compete with Danny. After all, who could match up to a highly trained half ghost with dubious morals? Let alone a kid. Too bad Ra's doesn't see it that way. He sees Damian as a failure who will never measure up to Danny. That's why he sends the boy off to live with his father. It's under the excuse that he'll be receiving a different sort of training but in reality, the Demon Head no longer wants anything to do with his biological grandson.

Obviously this turns into quite the complex for Damian. Meanwhile Danny absolutely adores Damian. From the moment he was introduced to the baby he was ecstatic. He'd always wanted to be an older brother. He would constantly be barging into Damian's room to hang out and whenever they'd sparred together, he'd try to let him win. Ra's quickly caught onto that one and put a stop to it immediately though. Basically Danny is Damian's League of Assassins version of Dick. An example of what he's supposed to be that he will always compare himself to (and that also has no idea what personal space is).

Danny loved his little brother so much that he even managed to get a mission to Gotham about a year after Damian had been sent there in order to surprise him with a belated birthday present.

The bats are absolutely shocked with an assassin suddenly charges at Damian and before anyone can react, scoops him into a hug. Damian is screeching bloody murder as he attempts to get Danny to let him go. Danny is just hugging him while saying stuff like "I missed you little brother" and "You've grown so much since I last saw you" all while avoiding knives to the chest.

The bats get shocked x2 because wait.... little brother!? Talia had another child!? And one far older than Damian to boot. Damian is quick to clarify that Danny is adopted while still trying to stab him. Imagine the boy's horror and Danny's delight when he gets invited back to the batcave to speak further.

[etherealstar-writes]

I WANNA BE YOURS | WOSO X READER | PT 17

pairings: woso x reader

summary: in which you're accidentally added to a random group chat, not knowing they're all actually famous footballers, and obliviously end up having many of them competing for your love and attention.

part: seventeen

part one here

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

Y/N PROTECTION SQUAD

lotte has anyone checked on y/n lately?

lessi no why? what's up

lotte i feel like she's been trying to ignore us and the groupchat is quite dead that itself should be ringing some bells

niamh last time i saw her was when we went to nandos together a week ago but i could tell she was feeling a bit down, and these past few days she keeps saying she's busy or tired whenever i try to make plans with her

charli same here

leah wait you guys went to nandos again?!

steph that's what's concerning you the most rn omg? nandos? and not my child?

kyra i think we should revoke leah's privileges to be in this chat tbh raise your hand if you agree ✋

niamh ✋

lotte ✋

lessi ✋

charli ✋

katie ✋

steph ✋

georgia ✋

ona ✋

ella ✋

viv ✋

leah EXCUSE ME?! ALSO SINCE WHEN WAS VIV PART OF THIS GC?!

kyra see that just shows how uninvested leah is in this gc she isn't worthy to be part of the y/n protection squad

leah kyra istg you're gonna catch these hands the next time i see you

steph oi you won't lay a hand on my children not on my watch, williamson

kyra thank you mum 🥰

the REAL karate kid guys have we noticed that y/n's disabled comments on all her posts lately?

viv the fans and media can be quite toxic i won't be surprised if they caught up to her

niamh sent a few screenshots

kyra oh.

lotte no wonder she's been trying to avoid us she's most definitely seen all those tweets

katie i'm gonna fight em 😈

kyra i'm joining you 😈

niamh count me in 😈

georgia me too 😈

lotte guess i'll see you all on the battlefield

steph the battlefied it is

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

THE NATIONAL DIVING TEAM

brightness why are we at war in twitter rn

sam the skippa HELP this is so entertaining

rusty metal @ the imposter aka y/n ❤️

meado y/n you need to see this

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ what is happening

mccard y/n protection army reporting for duty

meado

willybum DAMN YES STEPH

rusty metal i need more popcorn for this

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ stop you guys tysm i'm crying

the REAL karate kid you see those are the more .... civilised ones and then there's kyra's ones

pest don't be shy show em 😈

the REAL karate kid

willybum KYRA 😭😭

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ thank you kyra 😈

pest you're very welcome y/n 😈

kie ONA WHO TAUGHT YOU THIS 😭😭

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ PLS IM SO PROUD OF YOU ILYSM HAHAHA

pest our teachings have paid off

ona they sure have pookie 😈

rusty metal STOP 😭😭 you two are banned from teaching her slang

pest it's not our fault you're a grandma

the imposter aka y/n ❤️ okay but genuinely thank you so much everyone you guys really didn't have to back me up there but it truly means a lot to have your support i love you all so much 🥺😭❤️🙏

pest we love ya too y/n ❤️

mccard ❤️

stephy ❤️

neev ❤️

cha cha ❤️

elton ❤️

meado ❤️

viv ❤️

ona ❤️

rusty metal ❤️

the REAL karate kid ❤️

stairway ❤️

willybum ❤️

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

complicated feelings about book 7

Hey, hello, hi!!

I’ve been having a lot of thoughts and feelings about the direction the main story is going in ever since 7-100. I wanted to wait until the hype for the book 7 part 9 and anticipating part 10 settled down a bit before I made this post, as I wouldn’t want to impede anyone’s excitement for it—and now that time has come.

While I wouldn’t say I’m being entirely negative or harsh in this post (I’d say I’m being “worried” in my critique at most), I’d caution you to avoid it if you think it would upset you or mess with your enjoyment of the main story, especially knowing that the book 7 part 10 update is coming later in August.

Thank you for your time ^^ and without further ado…

I started to feel iffy about how the story is going around the part Idia wakes up. At the time, I remained optimistic and brushed it off. However, the inkling I had then has since magnified, especially with the recent Scarabia update.

What is that issue with, you may ask?

The dream hopping and waking segments.

They feel so… for lack of a better term, dissatisfying?? Rushed?? I don’t know, but I’m left still feeling like (just as Ariel says) I want more. I was hype when they first happened, but with each new update, I let myself sit with what happened for a few days and, thinking back on it, problems start to arise.

Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT saying that these segments are lame or that they don't make sense. I love being able to delve into the dreams and see a ton of novel yet absurd things, and I love how genius Idia's plan is. It makes sense narratively and I, of course, appreciate being able to see the dreamscapes and the desires of so many beloved characters. BUT... The problems primarily come down to pacing and the overabundance of contrivances.

The set-up itself is elaborate but also keeps piling up more “but also we need to do THIS” details that seem to overcomplicate things or act as red herrings. Silver’s UM itself is already warranting an explanation, then we got Idia’s video presentation, now we have to account for leaving people and hologram projections behind… all for the sake of limiting how many people travel to the dreams because OH YEAH we also need to consider Malleus catching on. It’s contrived for the sake of the narrative giving everyone a chance in the spotlight before the Big Finale. The universe has to dedicate so much time to explaining how this is feasible or why people need to stay behind in order to justify the pacing and to avoid an increasingly growing group from competing for attention. We spent SO long on just exploring Lilia's dream that the shift to waking up all these other characters seems so much quicker by comparison. It's natural that we can only devote so much time to each character (since we have so many students to collect), but it also results in some people feeling very rushed or not fully realized. For example, Epel only gets 5 parts dedicated to his turn-around but Kalim gets 8. This variance naturally occurs as some dreams are less serious than others, but despite this it still leans into some non-OB boys getting more of the spotlight than others. Additionally, we also see very uneven distribution of lines across individual segments. There is so much information crammed into some parts (like 140 and 141) while other parts are pathetically sparse and not much happens.

When it comes to the OB boys, they of course get longer segments than the others, so it doesn't feel as bad. However, I think the OB boys come with other issues... Namely the "resolutions" to their battles against their OB forms. Not only is there a formula to how they are woken up (which makes things less exciting compared to not really knowing what happens in the main story except for OB boy at the end), but there's also a part carved out for them to give a big speech about how they've changed or how they'll move on from the past, etc. This is especially true of Jamil, who probably had the longest speech of the OB boys thus far.

Now yes, I know it's an anime trope to give speeches (particularly for TWST, which primarily tells its story via dialogue). But does it have to be so... blatant??? Like, the OB boys are usually alone or just trapped with their inner darkness in these moments. Who exactly are they announcing their character change to? It does not feel diegetic at all. This is a lot of telling and not as much showing. That contrasts with the character development we saw in book 6; at least there the OB boys were paired up with other people, so there was someone to bounce off of and butt heads with. It feels like they're having a conversation, actually bonding with their peers, and learning from those tough interactions. (In fact, I would argue that book 6 did this growth in a much better paced and more cohesive manner.) In the dreams of book 7, the interactions have to be shared among several other students and they have to be so much shorter as a result of that.

What we’re seeing in book 7 is character growth we already knew about, but told to us in a more overt way. We are not learning anything new. Waking people in book 7 involves a lot of flashbacks to events that already played out, so rather than any real development being made, it's returning people to the state they were in before (since that "change" was in the process of occurring in the real world).

It feels like book 7 is trying hard to follow through with all the promises the earlier books built up to. And, quite honestly, many of these emotional conversations (like Kalim and Jamil shouting at each other about their flaws) NEEDED to happen. I just don't know if this was the appropriate context for it, because it comes off as an ultimatum or an ending to a story that had so much more left to say.

The way these book 7 segments are framed, the students "waking" is meant to mark a pivotal moment in their development. I worry what this means, because the dialogue is very... resolute? Especially for the OB boys. And them announcing how they've changed out loud rather than in a more subtle way (like Kalim saying he is 'frustrated' but not being able to explain why in book 4, Leona saying that Jamil is "not like him" in book 6; implying that there is hope for Jamil but not for himself, etc.)... It gives the impression that this is the "end" of their character arcs, that their growth is now "complete", even if that wasn’t the intention. I don't feel like that's how character development works?????? It's never really "done", it's a continuous and ongoing thing, so the vibes of it feel a little off. I would have liked it more if it were open-ended or at least vaguer. Still hopeful, but vaguer. These are meant to be triumphant moments, yet I don't get that feeling because it's very repetitive at this point. I've pointed out many patterns myself, and that makes future installments VERY predictable and boring aside from the actual dream settings we visit. We have 11 more students to hit up. E L E V E N. That's SO many. Do you realize how far away that is????? I even ran the numbers:

Idia spans 109 - 116 (7 parts)

Epel spans 120 - 124 (5 parts)

Rook spans 125 - 131 (7 parts)

Vil spans 133 - 139 (8 parts)

Kalim spans 140 - 147 (8 parts)

Jamil spans 148 - 157 (10 parts)

That means, on average, it takes 7.5 parts for each character to wake up. With 11 characters left to do, that means we have at LEAST 82.5 parts left (spread across 3 updates, one for Octavinelle, one for Savanaclaw, and one for Heartslabyul). With the current 157 parts out, that means book 7 is going on until at least part like 240... AND WE STILL HAVE A TON LEFT TO WRAP UP, like Yuu going home, Grim OB, Crowley's intentions, the mystery of Raverne’s disappearance, the truth behind Mickey and Yuu’s connection, beating the crap out of OB Malleus, etc. Book 7 is dragging on for a while, and the novelty of each dreamscape can only last for so long before the same old pesky problems creep in again 💀 The pacing is so weird; it simultaneously feels too long and yet also not long enough. Not only that, but because there are so many other characters to collect, it is robbing Diasomnia and Ignihyde of THEIR promised screen time in the second half of the book.

A lesser issue I had was the weird... tonal whiplash? The dream segments are largely silly and they spend a lot of them goofing around with the explanation of having to "investigate" the dreamer's weak point and hitting on that to wake them. (This complaint runs counter to the pacing issues I mentioned earlier; cutting down on the time spent being silly means we'd be rushing the story, but not having silly parts means dragging the story out. It's hard to really balance the two.) Here I am sitting here and thinking 1) there is NO sense of urgency, 2) what a waste of time, and 3) what a wasted opportunity for Yuu.

I'm not a huge game!Yuu fan; I see them as a blank slate for self-inserting, and since I'm not someone who likes to self-insert, Yuu has little to no value to me and just serves primarily as a vehicle to have things exposited to them and as a POV character. But hey, if the story wants to stress Yuu is important and helps these characters change, then why not do it here??????? There's so few times when they actually do something of importance in the main story (with perhaps their most involved points being books 3 and 4, maybe 6 when they took the initiative to go free their friends/rescue Grim).

A lot of it honestly feels like wasted time since most characters outside of the dorm leader do not change in significant way or in less serious manners. It really falls flat because Yuu largely did not do anything to influence those extra characters, let alone the OB boys.

While talking with a friend, they suggested that non-OB boy sequences could have been relegated to vignettes to go with limited story cards (that way TWST could have more banners, assuming one for each character) or as free bonus side-content that unlocks as an optional thing similar to how the collecting wishes worked in Wish Upon a Star; they are not essential. It feels like they were obligatorily thrown in as fanservice before the big closing. The narrative would have still worked and we would get to the point faster if we limited the main story componeny to just the necessary people (Ignihyde + OB boys).

Another potential route: if you insist on hitting up all the characters before the end, why not give Yuu a chance to DO SOMETHING in book 7 since they're the only person in the wake-up crew to have interacted with all these people we're trying to wake up? The only one who has experienced detailed and prophetic dreams associated with the OB boys???? The one who has been tasked with investigating and resolving various students' issues around campus? Why not let Yuu take the lead in discovering the best method to wake each boy up? Then we'd at least get character development on Yuu's part, get to see how Yuu is positively influencing the boys, and it cuts down on the down time of wandering in circles and making no meaningful progress.

Finally, I think the bad pacing messes with Diasomnia the most. Malleus is being shafted in his own darn book, because we have not checked in with him for several tens and tens of chapters. The least book 7 could do is cut back to him at the end of each OB boy’s dreams??? So we can see how he is doing?? But no, we don’t do that and as a result Malleus feels like he’s been sitting around twiddling his thumbs the entire time. And it’s very odd that the first 100ish parts are so Briar Valley lore heavy but then the second 100+ parts so far completely changed it up. Again, all of this contributes to book 7 feeling like choking on content while also weirdly having nothing meaningful to chew on at all.

*takes a deep breath*

Anyway, those are my thoughts 💦 I would like to reiterate that I do NOT "hate" book 7, I just disagree with the pacing and how they've decided to write in waking up the characters for this current stretch of it. It's no doubt a daunting task and I'm sure the writers are all doing their very best... I don't know if the end product managed to achieve what it wanted to for me though. It’s tiring and repetitive (like bouncing up and down on a roller coaster that cannot decide how it wants to go and leaves you no time to recover/catch your breath), and I’m left still feeling unsatisfied and wanting more.

Theoretically, I like the ideas but not the execution of them… I can only hope that the pacing improves for future updates (especially with the Octa update on the way and attempting to shake up the formula by introducing two story SSRs instead of one), or that book 7 can at least end strongly with that final battle.

[tossawary]

This is a very niche fic idea that I have no solid intention of actually writing, but... "Naruto" has more than a few self-insert fics and some of them are transmigrations into canon characters. Some of them are about OCs who do not want to be a ninja and are desperately trying to get out of it. There's usually some deliciously frustrating tragedy and horror about the brutal and inescapable military system of Konoha.

So, I thought that it would be kind of interesting to do an OC-insert into Sasuke, probably ultimately more comedic than angsty, as the OC tries to fail out of having to become a ninja, but then has to struggle against the fact that a civilian Sasuke would probably be expected to start a new Uchiha clan ASAP. (They probably have to concede to at least becoming a genin for the benefits of legal adulthood of some kind at 12 years old, even if it means being a part of the damn military.)

But even if the OC would personally love to be a parent someday, they cannot condone participating in what's essentially a breeding program for a new generation of Sharingan-wielding super-soldiers. Children who are probably going to be chewed up and spat out by Konoha someday too.

I think it would be neat to have a character treat the Sharingan like a genetic disorder that they don't want a child to suffer. I think it would have been interesting if canon Sasuke had also wrestled with the idea of letting the Sharingan die out. Fuck it, he'll adopt if he wants to be a dad someday. I also think it would be funny to have an OC-insert whose goal is to get a secret vasectomy (body autonomy!) without the leadership of Konoha finding out.

Sasuke, as soon as Sakura becomes a medical nin: "I need you to do me a huge secret favor and NOT be weird about it."

Sakura, also still currently a teenager: "You're asking me to CASTRATE YOU, AT HOME, IN SECRET, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO NOT BE WEIRD ABOUT THIS?!"

(And there's the whole fucking issue of the "Naruto" universe having cloning, so, no, a vasectomy isn't a solid guarantee of getting out of this. But it might buy Sasuke a few years to figure out how to avoid the mad science route too if anyone tries to force marriage on him at any point.)

Even throwing aside the issue of children, even in an AU where the OC-Insert is cool with having bio children, I think it would be really funny to have a Transmigrator Sasuke announcing outright in the first Team 7 meeting that his dream is to retire super early and become a shinobi tradwife to a super strong ninja.

Kakashi: "...What?"

Sasuke, possibly talking out of his ass to troll his team and because he's already spitefully exhausted: "I said what I said. I'm the only Uchiha left to pass on my clan's techniques, so my dream is to be a stay-at-home ninja, supported by a super strong spouse who can protect my family."

I think this would break Naruto and Sakura's brains. ("Marry Hokage Naruto" is not the worst plan that a transmigrator could come up with, probably.) I think that this would be a super funny start to a Team 7 OT3 in which Naruto and Sakura become rivals for the position of Sasuke's shinobi sugar daddy/mommy. (Naruto doesn't consciously realize that he's competing for Sasuke's hand in marriage at first, but he gets it after a few years or so.)

Kakashi is... So Tired. Obito, are you seeing this shit??? What the fuck.

I know some OC-insert / SI-insert into Sasuke fics exist, I just think the funniest plot direction for a transmigrator in this situation would be to completely bail on both the "take revenge on Itachi" and "rebuild the Uchiha clan" dreams in the least macho ways available.

Also, what WOULD Itachi think of Sasuke abruptly deciding to give up on revenge and to become a house husband instead?

[everestgale]

what if. what if I ask about Paranoid. huh what then-

(take your time lol)

Well, good thing you told me to take my time because it took me a while to formulate all of my thoughts on this guy. Damn you Paranoid- /lh

[Send Me a Character and I'll List Ask Game]

Warning: I have some strong opinions on Paranoid, and as a result, I'm worried that it might sound like I'm attacking people or bashing people's opinions/headcanons. So I need to preface this: I am NOT bashing anyone for having different opinions and headcanons from mine. And I am NOT saying that my opinions/headcanons are right/better and other people's are wrong/worse. This is nothing but me sharing my opinions, that's all :]

favorite thing about them

It is insanely refreshing and comforting to see a fictional character with anxiety symptoms, who copes through hyper-competence and vigilance.

Most portrayals of anxiety and anxiety-like symptoms tend to lean towards shy, socially awkward, quiet, and avoidant characters. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! I'm just saying this to explain why having Paranoid, a character with, well, paranoia, be demanding, argumentative, and competent, is so refreshing and, honestly, validating, in a weird way. His response to the horrors, to his own distrust and anxiety, is to laser focus on a solution/an action that he can take to make it all stop… and there is something very relatable in his persistence, in him trying so desperately to claw his way out of this self-imposed, distrust- and fear-filled prison, sometimes to the point of insanity.

And it's very much a self-imposed prison. His distrust, anxiety, and fear are what twist Nightmare into the lonely monster she is, power of perception and all. He is quite literally the source of his own problems, which he then tries so desperately to solve… all of which are immensely relatable. He is a very flawed character with a very skewed perspective… but he isn't a helpless cowering little thing, he is a coward, sure, but he frantically fights back despite it.

I don't even know if this makes sense anymore. But also yes, I project like all hell onto Paranoid. No, I am not sorry about it.

[Yeah, this is also getting long. More under the cut.]

least favorite thing about them

Paranoid, I love you, I would never say no to more Paranoid… but I have to be honest, he stole Skeptic's rightful spot in HEA.

HEA with Skeptic would've been such a nice exploration of his character, especially with how underutilized he still is, even after the Pristine Cut. And realistically, Paranoid didn't need another Chapter appearance, especially since, if I remember correctly, he was the voice with one of the highest number of Chapter appearances, he got an extended role in Apo, and he got an appearance in the Cage. My Paranoid-loving heart is screaming for saying that, but Deconstructed -> HEA should've been Skeptic.

favorite line

"The whispering and the coercion and the bickering — everything horrible about being alive has stopped. I could get used to this."

"Oh that's right! Yeah, fuck this guy. Don't trust him."

"Of course I'm not okay! I've never been okay. But maybe I needed to never be okay for us to make this happen."

"Who deserves something like this? She wants her freedom at the expense of ours, and she's willing to destroy us over and over again if it helps her. What kind of god does that? Stop deluding yourself. If we're going to make this work, all of us need to see the truth!"

…and of course, the classic "Heart. Lungs. Liver. Nerves."

brOTP

I am obsessed with platonic ParaBroken, especially with the new Apotheosis re-write. Seeing Paranoid absolutely lose his mind as you defy Apotheosis, seeing both him and Hero encourage Broken to see beyond his devotion to Apotheosis... I remember genuinely clapping my hands after picking [Still your doubts.] and hearing Broken go:

"But it's not enough to stop us, is it? We're going to make it to her."

They did it! My boys did it! They helped Broken to see beyond Apotheosis, beyond his perfect goddess... and believe in something other than her. Even better, to believe in them, to believe in him.

And this exchange too:

"That's what should happen. Why isn't it happening? Did we do something wrong? Were all these powerful, heroic thoughts not enough?" "I believe! I believe in us! Isn't that enough?" "Unless we got the rules wrong... I'm sorry. I think I messed this up."

The way these lines are said... Broken's genuine confidence and Paranoid's panic turned into guilt... UGH, I love how their relationship develops throughout this route.

Not quite as rooted in canon (more so inspired by the dynamic written by one of the Discord mutuals), but I also like to imagine that in the post-ending (where they would recover all of their in-game routes as memories), Broken remembers and appreciates Paranoid's persistence during the Apotheosis... and so in turn, he helps the anxious voice with his panic in whatever ways he can. I love my platonic ParaBroken HC <3

Honorable mention goes to ParaCheated, with Cheated being a near-permanent resident of Paranoid Medical Center™, and Paranoid trying his best to patch Cheated up when he falls apart... they hate how often they have to see each other there, but besides that, they have a pretty good friendship :]

OTP

...it's ParaHero [2]. I already talked about it for a while in Hero's character ask. If you wanna know why I like ParaHero so much, check it there :]

...actually, I feel like I didn't do ParaHero justice in my Hero post. It's just so hard for me to explain my thoughts on why I like this ship so much. Just the way they interact during the Nightmare route, with all their bickering and back-and-forth, especially the "I thought you needed me to run the autonomic nervous system" conversation. Despite Paranoid's clear annoyance (and Hero's awful chant), he still gently (but still with his signature snark) guides Hero on how to do it properly. And throughout the route, when Paranoid kept losing control of the autonomic nervous system (either because he kept trying to comment, or because of Nightmare), Hero was there to guide him back, to keep them all alive. Like I mentioned in the Hero post, there's a certain degree of comfort between them that really appeals to me, and I can't quite explain it. It feels like they are protecting and helping each other. It feels like there is trust and respect between them. It just feels like they would get along well.

And during the Apotheosis! How both of them (more so Paranoid than Hero, but still) are trying to convince Broken to join them, how they eventually all do join together for "One. Last. Try"... how in the old Apotheosis dialogue, Paranoid's curious "I'm interested" sort of calms clearly pissed-off Hero... and how in the new dialogue, Hero gently asks Paranoid if he's okay... These BIRDS, UGH-

...the goal of this was to elaborate on my ParaHero thoughts, but instead, I feel like I'm talking in circles. I don't know if anything I said makes sense! Grr! Why are words so hard /lh

nOTP

This is probably one of my only actual nOTPs... it's ParaCold. And the more I think about it, the more I realize that it's mainly for personal reasons </3

And to be clear, this is specifically for ParaCold as a romantic/semi-romantic ship. ParaCold in general is a very interesting dynamic, and I love exploring it, so long as it's not romantic <3

random headcanon

Oh! My Paranoid is the only voice that doesn't have eyes with irises, and instead, he has "glassy eyes full of static" (as a nod to all of the crackly static noises in the Nightmare route. I sort of talked about how his eyes "break" in this post :]). And because of that, I HC that he kind of has a bad vision, loosely inspired by the visual snow syndrome. It just makes sense in my brain that Mr. "More eyes, too. You never mention the eyes" would be the one with noisy vision.

unpopular opinion

I am not a big fan of fem!Paranoid headcanon. It personally just makes me a tad uncomfortable to write my Paranoid as fem, given the fact that he is the most anxious voice, who has a tendency to lose his mind and act what's commonly described as "hysterical", all qualities that are often stereotyped and associated with women and femininity. Plus, I really like Paranoid's representation as a guy with anxiety/paranoia, so writing him as fem feels doubly awkward.

It's a popular community HC, so I feel I should clarify again: this is just me trying to explain why I don't feel comfortable with writing my Paranoid as fem. I am NOT trying to accuse anyone with fem!Para HC of misogyny or anything like that. If you write and HC Paranoid as fem, I respect and support you! This is just my thoughts and opinions <3

…plus, as I already mentioned, I project onto Paranoid a lot. And as a transmasc/genderfluid/not sure nonbinary person, I identify with masc!Paranoid a lot more than fem!Paranoid <3

song i associate with them

I genuinely don't remember how I found this song, but it fits Paranoid really well: "something wrong" by NomnomNami

"those eyes, they continue to spread on the walls on the ground and i don’t think that any place that’s safe is left"

"i know i wasn’t wrong! how can this be my fault? my blood is spilling out your eyes are full of doubt…"

favorite picture of them

Of the art that I made (because canonically disembodied voice and all), this is probably my favorite:

...yeah, it's ParaHero angst. I just like how I drew Paranoid here <3

[awriterinthenight]

"What'd She Say To You?"- Leo Valdez

requested: anonymous

words: 1817

warnings: reader is insecure, a bit of swearing, reader avoids Leo

summary: Someone tries to break up you and Leo, but Leo won't let that happen. But for you, you start to feel insecure about it.

No one could compete with Aphrodite kids. They were the prettiest, the most charming, and even some of the most cunning. If an Aphrodite kid liked someone they would stop at almost nothing to get them. Some weren't like this, but others could be even worse. To you the worst one was the girl who tried to break up you and your boyfriend.

Jessica, or Jess as everyone called her, had plotted a way to try and get your boyfriend, Leo Valdez, to break up with you so that she could get with Leo. She planned to charm him, and convince him that you were actually a terrible person, so he would then break up with you. What she didn't account for was how much Leo Valdez truly loved you, and could see how clearly she was trying to get him to break up with you.

"And I just think someone as talented as you should not be with someone as useless as them, they're bringing you down," Jess said, trying to make herself be as seductive as possible, which made Leo want to laugh, but he held it in.

Leo shrugged, "I think they're pretty great actually, they're my girlfriend, and they also have some pretty good talents," he defended, watching her get more frustrated the more he wouldn't budge.

"But they're so...them. I mean they don't talk to anyone at camp, that's really weird, don't you think," she uttered, which wasn't a lie, since you were very anti-social.

Once again Leo brushed it off, "They talk to me, I think that's good enough."

Jess knew she needed a new plan since she couldn't get Leo to break up with you, she needed to get you to break up with Leo. She left Leo after that conversation to go search for you.

While Leo and Jess were talking you had seen them from across the camp. It made you feel a bit nervous, since you were the opposite of her, so why would he talk to her, but its not really any of your business, Leo can talk you other people, but still why her, and more of why was she talking to him, and why was she so flirty? So many questions, thoughts, and negative thoughts flooded your mind while you zoned out.

You were startled when Jess herself showed up behind you tapping you on the shoulder. You were shocked as to why she would talk to you. She'd given you more dirty looks than she's had boyfriends, and she's had a lot.

"Hey, I know we don't talk much, but I just thought since I'm a girl’s girl I would tell you what Leo was saying about you," she said, acting as if she was trying to tell you something important and not act like she was lying.

"Oh," you muttered quietly, "W-what was he saying?" you asked confused as to why Leo would say something that warranted her to tell you.

She took a breath and grabbed your hand before she spoke, "I'm so sorry, and I swear I'm just trying to look out for you, but he was saying how you were basically useless. He said how you don't really have a talent, and how he's really unattractive to how anti-social you are. He also said something about how he thought you weren't that pretty, and he's only with you cause you were easy to date and he never actually liked you, which I think is bogus, you're so pretty," if she wasn't such a bad person, she could've won an academy award for her performance.

You were in complete shock from her statement. Did he really say, and think those things? "Wait, but that doesn't- I mean- he never seemed like he believed any of those things, that- I'm just- I," you could barely make out sentences from your confusion, and the shock you were in.

"I'm so sorry, but I think he's completely crazy for thinking and saying those things," she said, dropping your hands, "A little advice that may be helpful. You should really dump him, you deserve someone who truly loves you." She then left, leaving you to wallow in her words that were apparently Leo's.

You had had problems in the past with being insecure, and having fake friends. People used to say things behind your back, and still do sometimes. It affected you deeply, so even though deep down you knew what she said was a lie, most of you believed what she said. It wouldn't be the first time someone lied to you about how they felt about you.

Talking to Leo was the right option in this situation, but you couldn't bring yourself to do it. What if he really did say and mean those things? What if he was lying to you all the time? What if every time he called you beautiful he was lying, and wanted to tell you how horrible you looked? What if every time he called you 'mi amor' he never truly meant it?

Every thought spun in your head, making you avoid Leo more and more. You sat by yourself at the Hecate table instead of sneaking to the Hephaestus table like you usually did. You didn't have many siblings, and the couple you did mostly stayed silent during meals. That gave you more time to ponder about everything you ever did wrong.

***

Leo could tell something was wrong immediately. You were avoiding him, not sitting with him at meals for the past two days, and walking the other direction every time he tried to talk to you. Leo was worried about you, and why you were avoiding him so much, so he set out to talk to you about what was going on.

Luckily he knew one place he could always find you at. The forest was your favorite place, especially one tree that dropped a bit and could create the perfect shade. Leo walked over to where you were, building up the courage to confront you.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked, being directed, but his words came out as a plea for you to answer.

You looked up from your book startled by him, but fear of what he might say to you consumed you, "I-I've just been busy with counsellor duties," you managed to lie.

Leo knew you were hiding something, but was doing his best to not get on his knees and beg you to tell him. He sat down next to you, cringing when you moved yourself farther away from him, "You've been busy before, and haven't avoided me. I know something is going on, please tell me what it is, amor."

The name 'amor' made you think of exactly what Jessica had said. You tried to keep yourself together, but a few stray tears slid down your cheeks. Leo quickly wiped away your tears with his thumb.

"What's wrong, princessa?" he asked, worried for you, ready to kill whoever made you cry.

You decided to tell Leo the truth, the worst that could happen was that it was true, "Remember the day you were talking with Jessica?" you asked him through sniffles.

He nodded, letting you continue, "I saw you talking to her, and I might've been a bit insecure, but I tried to think nothing of it. Then she came up to me and said that you told her all these horrible things about me. I know I shouldn't have believed them, but I didn't want to risk them being true and knowing if they were, so I avoided you. I know it was stupid, and I'm sorry, and I shouldn't have been so stupidly insecure about it," you finished, the last of your tears rolling down your cheeks.

Leo was in shock from what you told him, he knew Jess was lying, and he hated how it hurt you, "I don't know what she told you, but she lied. I love you, amor. I'm so sorry," he wrapped his arms around you, placing a few kisses on your forehead.

"I'm so stupid for believing what she said. I'm sorry I avoided you," you mumbled into his chest.

Leo lifted up your chin, wiping away your tears, "You're not stupid. Jessica is just a horrible person. Why don't we go back to your cabin, no one's there. You can tell me about the book you're reading," he offered, knowing you loved nothing more than when that was how you spent your day with him.

You let out a small smile, something Leo was happy to see, "That sounds perfect."

While you two were walking to your cabin, none other than the bitch herself, Jess, showed up to talk to the two of you, "Hey, she said, a bit flirtatiously to Leo, while once again giving you a dirty look.

"What do you want?" Leo asked, annoyed by her from what she did to you.

"Nothing, just surprised you two are still together," she said, disgusted by it. You could feel yourself tense up from her words.

Leo was done with her, and her bullshit, "I think we're going to be together for a long time. I don't care for you, so I think you should move on, and leave her alone."

She seemed shocked by what he said to her, "Fine, but when you break up, don't crawl to me," she said, storming away. Once she left Leo brought you to your cabin, and laid down with you on your bed.

"I'm so sorry, princessa," he apologized, wrapping his arms around your waist to hold you close.

"It's not your fault," you said, closing your eyes.

After a moment of silence Leo asked you, "What'd she say to you? Like what did she say, I said about you?"

You were too confused as to why he would ask, but you answered him, "She said you said I was useless, and not pretty," you said, saddened when you remembered her words.

Leo let out a scoff, "I think that's the biggest lie I've ever heard," he said, placing a kiss on your forehead, "You're the most gorgeous person I've ever seen, and I don't think anyone is better at helping me than you, you're not useless," he reassured you, peppering kisses on your face and neck.

You felt content that he didn't agree with the things Jessica said, "She also told me how you apparently never actually liked me," you told him.

"Well I don't," he said, making you sit up in confusion, "I love you, mi amor." You laughed at him, falling back onto his chest.

"I love you too," you muttered into his chest. You were content with staying like this for the rest of your life. No matter what happens in the future you will always have Leo to make you feel better.

Current Taglist (ask to be added)

@almost-gabrielle @scarlett-8 @atashiboba @that1deerpersondownstairs @herondale-lightworm

[puppetwoman17]

Would you ever expand upon your joker junior thoughts more? I think that was such a well written idea and would love to hear what else you think about it

Oh my god yes. 100000% YES!

That post before was more of an idea vomit, didn’t cover all of what I thought, so I’m happy to hear someone wants to hear more.

So, JJ’s always been a tough convo for Tim. Obviously. But it’s not just because of how traumatizing the Joker can be, or about the shocks and psychological torture. It also reminds him of a grim time in his life. With Bruce still going through the motions post-Jason’s death, and Dick frequently spending all his time in Bludhaven, he hadn’t been watched much. Save for Babs, ofc.

That’s actually why they’re so close. She’s much more emotionally competent thanks to her dad, lol.

JJ wasn’t only a big thing for Tim, but for Gotham too. In a place like this, it wasn’t hard for whispers from the Joker’s men to travel to civilians and cops. Everyone knew why Robin was nowhere to be seen. Everyone knew why Batgirl looked the way she did, agitated and worried. Everyone knew why the cops searched that same warehouse over and over, never allowing anyone inside.

Which was also why no one was happy to see Nightwing, very obviously the first Robin, return after yet another sabbatical in Bludhaven. Of course, that stopped a little after everyone collectively realized that, oh crap, he doesn’t even know!

This begins a collective effort by the more clear-minded people of Gotham to NOT disclose anything JJ related. There has to be a reason, right? No way were they going to force Robin #3 to disclose anything he didn’t wait to. It didn’t hurt that a year or two later, a mysterious figure named Oracle began effectively making every news article or picture related to JJ disappear.

Everyone holds their breaths for the next few months. What if what happened to the second Robin happened to him? What if he was too crippled to go back out?

As the Batfamily grows bigger, it becomes way clearer that Robin #3 hasn’t said a WORD. Not even after they grow closer, when the screaming and murder attempts and arguments cease. He doesn’t say a word, so no one else does either.

Tim goes to great lengths to medicate himself against any variant of Joker venom or gas. The familiar smells just… bring things back to the surface.

He tries not to act like Jason whenever the Joker gets out of Arkham. It’s already hard for everyone to hold him back from killing the monster. Jason doesn’t need some second-rate copy of his trauma trying to get sympathy. Unlike Jason, he didn’t die. He didn’t come back differently, or lose footing on his life, his job, whatever.

It would just be better if Tim acted as aloof and concentrated as he always did. Not make a big scene, and follow Batman’s orders to a T. No need to worry anyone.

Honestly, the only reason no one notices the literal war going on in this boy’s head is because he doesn’t want to cause a scene.

Oh, and if you’re wondering what he says when one of the bats finds him the next night, still avoiding them…

Yeah, he full on denies EVERYTHING. Looks whoever it is, Jason, Steph, Dick, straight in the eye and says that what they saw was fake. Edited. Something to threaten Bruce with years ago. Tim just ran because…because…Anyway, he’s fine. Don’t worry about Tim Drake. He’s fine.

Babs groans over the comms when everyone hounds on her to tell them everything. Like hell is she gonna tell them a single thing until she has Tim’s full permission.

[bree-peasant]

One for the Ages - a Kakashi x fem!Reader fic

Chapter 4/5

(Back to Chapter 1, Chapter 3)

Author's note: Onto lighter times, featuring flirtatious!Genma and jealous!Kakashi! For anyone new - this is a reader self-insert, slowburn fic, but the reader has a pre-established past, which reveals itself along with the story.

Word count: 2.1k

Summary (from part 1): A new shinobi joins the Konoha ranks and Kakashi finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. Quick Gai appearance in this chapter.

Warnings: none in this chapter!

Enjoy! ♡

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As the genin were competing in the first two trials of the chunin exam, Y/N found herself with more spare time than she desired. Wanting to avoid both thoughts of the gray-haired ninja, and another situation in which she'd have to resort to her kekkei genkai, she decided that developing her skills as a shinobi was the best way to pass the time.

She arranged sparring sessions with Gai, which had become a habitual thing for them now. He had been her first opponent, but also her first friend in the village, and their relationship grew as time went on.

She was getting her butt kicked during one such match, as it was strictly taijutsu, and Gai didn't hold back for her sake. She hit the ground for what felt like the hundredth time, when he extended his hand to help her up and suggested taking a break.

They sat on a fallen log in the clearing where they trained, Y/N took a sip of water, handing the bottle over to him.

"Is there something going on between you and Kakashi, Y/N?" Gai asked, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

She took another sip without looking over at him. Finally, she spoke, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.

"What makes you ask that?"

"I've known my rival for a long time, I can tell he acts differently whenever you're around. I just wondered if perhaps the spring of love has blossomed between the two of you like the flowers of a young sakura tree." He smiled widely.

Y/N managed to stifle her giggle at those words. Give it to Gai to describe things with so much flare.

"We're just friends, that's all." She replied, recovering her seriousness. "We have a lot of things in common." She added.

"Well, in case something does happen between the two of you, I want you to know that I will be the happiest man alive. Seeing two of my friends soaring high in the skies of love, brings such joy to my youthful soul!" He pulled his fists to his chest in a dramatic reenactment of how he felt.

"Thank you, Gai." She smiled. "But nothing's going to happen between me and Kakashi, believe me." The smile slowly fading from her lips.

On her way home from training, she thought about Gai's words. If people were starting to notice something odd between them, she had to put their minds to rest. Moreover, she had to put her own mind at rest. Although she'd enjoyed the closeness she still shared with Kakashi and their talks, he'd made himself clear that it would go no further. Perhaps it was time to move on.

Y/N was just preparing to go to bed, when she heard a faint knock on the door. Not expecting anyone, she felt on edge when opening the door. To her surprise, a scruffy-looking Kakashi stood at her entrance.

"May I come in?" He asked, weary-eyed and somber.

"Of course." She made way for him to pass. "Have you come back from a mission?"

"Indeed." He sat in his usual chair, stretching his legs in front of him and groaning in discomfort.

"Are you hurt? Do you need help?" Her voice was steady, although worry came through it.

"No, nothing some rest can't fix. I just wanted to see you."

His unexpected honesty struck a chord, but she forced herself not to read anything into his words. Instead, she put the kettle on and took some dried leaves off her rack.

"Why don't you lie on the bed and I'll make us some soothing tea. But take that muddy vest off before you do!" She added, as Kakashi headed to her room, making him chuckle.

"Don't tell me you've never thrown yourself onto the bed straight after an exhausting day." He said, putting a pillow behind his head, as he got more comfortable. It still surprised him how at ease he had begun to feel in her space. He pushed the thought away, refusing to let his feelings take over. He'd indulged enough by coming here in the first place.

Y/N walked over with two steaming mugs in hand. She handed one of them to her companion and took a seat on a chair by the bed.

"You've been keeping busy these days." He noted casually. "You're always out training or taking on new missions."

"Are you keeping an eye on me?" She raised her brow at him.

"I'm naturally observant, that's all."

As much as she enjoyed his presence, her desire to climb on top of him in that moment was too much to bear.

"Do you mind if I make some remedies while we talk?" Keeping her hands busy could resolve some of the tension in her body. She got up and started pulling various tools out.

"Go right ahead." He sipped on his tea, while watching her careful movements.

A few hours passed in pleasant conversation. Mugs, long emptied, sat on her nightstand. Kakashi got off of the bed.

"Thank you for keeping me company tonight. I needed it."

They bid each other goodnight and he left. Y/N sighed into the empty space. This friendship thing was becoming increasingly more difficult for her. She prepared her bed for the night, a new resolve building in her.

The next morning:

She was walking out of the Hokage's building after taking on a short C-rank mission to keep her occupied during the day, when she crossed paths with a handsome jōnin heading inside.

"Hey!" She called after him, surprising herself with this forwardness. "You're Genma Shiranui, right? You're one of the proctors for the chunin exam."

"That's right. I know you, aren't you Y/N? Your team is competing in the exam." He spoke, a faint smirk lingering on his lips. She nodded in response.

"Any chance you could give me a hint on what else you've got in store for these kids?" She asked, a cheeky smile lighting up her face.

"That wouldn't be very fair to the other sensei, now would it?" He replied, matching her cheek.

"It was worth a try!" Y/N prepared to leave but he interrupted.

"I'll tell you what though, my tongue gets quite loose when I've got a drink in me. How about it then?"

He was indeed very handsome, she thought, especially when he smirked in that self-assured way.

"Why not." She said out loud. "I'm on my way to take care of some things, but I'll be free tonight?"

"Great." He nodded. "See you then, sensei." He winked at her and went into the building.

Yes, a pretty distraction like that was just what she needed.

Walking out of the staff lounge later that day, Kakashi passed two chunin he vaguely recognised as Izumo and Kotetsu. They were talking loudly and he couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"Hey, did you hear Genma's got a date tonight?"

"So what! That guy's always got some date or another."

"Yeah, but this one's with that new sensei. You know, the really pretty one."

"Ah, fair play to the guy then."

Kakashi's heart tightened at the thought of Y/N out with that jōnin. But why shouldn't she date, he tried to banish the feeling before he could even give it a name. After all, wasn't he the one who rejected the possibility of something more between them? Frustrated with both the situation and himself, Kakashi decided the best remedy was to busy himself throughout the day, so he could keep his mind distracted.

Y/N came home with enough time to shower the dust off herself and get ready for her evening plans. It was rare that she got to step out of her jōnin clothes and into something more appealing, so she took the time to make herself look nice. Once ready, she headed over to their meeting spot. Genma stood outside the venue, wearing a navy blue turtleneck with trousers to match, his signature senbon between his teeth. He grinned at the sight of her.

"Shall we?" He said, moving the curtain aside, so she could walk in.

They sat next to each other at the long bar, Genma sneaking looks at her, as they ordered their drinks. Y/N felt flushed with excitement. She couldn't help but notice the difference from her times spent with Kakashi. This felt both less secure and lighter at the same time.

They got to talking, the awkwardness quickly dissipating. Genma was very charming when he wanted to be, but he was also a good listener and showed genuine interest in what she was saying. Y/N found herself comfortably enjoying his company.

The more time passed, the more forward they became, flirting with each other and making remarks on the other's good looks. Occasionally, Genma would place a hand on her lower back, or his knee would touch hers and remain there, as if to test the waters. Y/N didn't mind, in fact, she encouraged it, feeling emboldened.

A few drinks later, they were both slightly tipsy and flushed with desire.

"It's getting late." She mentioned when the conversation had dwindled. "I should head back."

Genma looked at her, trying to read her expression. He was met with a cat-like smile that told him everything he needed to know.

"Can I walk you home?" He asked, ever the gentleman.

So, they walked, or rather swayed towards her place, locking arms whenever one of them tripped, giggling and talking loudly. Both of them too tipsy to sense the shadow that followed them close by.

Reaching the flat, they stumbled inside giggling, shushing each other, as to not wake the neighbours.

"I'll put some tea on to sober us up a bit." Y/N said cheerfully, letting go of Genma's hand, without even realising she'd been holding it for the last few minutes. In the fog of her drunken mind, she made a note of how quickly the intimacy between them had grown.

Genma looked around her flat, stopping at her bookshelf, trying hard to make out the titles, his vision blurry. When she'd put the kettle to boil, Y/N joined him where he stood, stopping awfully close to the handsome jōnin. He turned to look at her, his glazed eyes focusing on her lips, but before either of them could make a move, a knock on the door pulled them back into reality.

Surprised by the unexpected intrusion, she went to open it. And who did she find at the entrance, but the root of her recent troubles?

Kakashi stood in his usual slouched pose, a smile visible under his mask.

"Hello." Without waiting for a response, he made his way inside, brushing past Y/N.

"Oh, Genma, I didn't know you were here!" His tone was nonchalant, like they'd just bumped into each other in the staff room. "Sorry to interrupt, I think I might have left my book here last night." He said, putting a slight emphasis on his words.

Y/N stood completely stunned, still holding the door open, unable to comprehend what was happening. She watched in astonishment as Kakashi headed towards her bed with the obvious familiarity of someone who'd been in the flat many times, and crouched down to look under it.

"Hm. I think it might have fallen out of my vest when I took it off... Ah, there it is!" He pulled out a crinkled copy of Icha Icha and stuck it in his pocket. "You know me, can't go to sleep without my novels." He casually laughed, glancing at Genma, who looked like he'd sobered up rather quickly.

"Well, I'll leave you two crazy kids alone. Don't stay up too late. Goodnight." With a wave of his hand he was gone out the door.

Y/N finally regained some of her composure and turned to a very solemn looking Genma.

"I honestly have no idea what that was all about." She forced an apologetic smile on.

"Listen, I don't want to step on any toes here." He hesitantly spoke.

"You're not! Kakashi was here last night, but we just talked! I don't know why he needed to come in like that..." She blurted out, trying to do damage control.

"Look, Y/N, tonight's been great, and you're honestly very attractive, but this whole situation seems a little too complicated for me. Plus, I really don't want to get into Kakashi's bad books. That guy is terrifying."

Genma awkwardly remained in place for a moment, expecting her to say something.

"I think I had better go." He said, realising she wasn't going to.

@duckingmetal @junksmah @jinnyart06 <3

Without waiting for a further response, he let himself out, closing the door behind him with a thud.

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Next chapter

[jamesisasimp]

hello your tags !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes yes yes !!!!!!!!! giggling at all of this because yeah!

i think for james he was getting it all confused right? because that’s regulus and his cars are so cool and so fast and he always wins so james is like … do i wanna be WITH him or do i wanna BE him??? and he has a good time getting regulus all riled up when they race each other and loves making him mad by being like “i let you win” but then when regulus DOESNT WIN james is like …. “oh! oh no! i think i do actually wanna be w him bc i don’t even care that he just lost rn”

but by then it’s tooooo late because barty is here and regulus’ attention is now elsewhere because first he tries to break barty down and then he’s like …. well … if you can’t beat them … join them ig …

but there’s also tension because the black family has scouts and they’re like “we need to recruit this guy to race for Us. since he’s so good. and they’re giving regulus shit for losing so the only option is for barty to join the black family or for regulus to sabotage him so bad that he’ll never race again except barty isn’t working for anyone but himself so he absolutely refuses regulus’ recruitment tactics so reg has to go to drastic measures and they kinda hate each other but now they’re also kinda ?? obsessed and in love ????

okay sorry for brainrotting in ur asks unprompted like this ,,,, i just loved ur tags 😭

I literally love this so much you have no ideaaaa!!!!

Jealous, bi curious James going through a sexuality crisis with a rival, you will always be famous

Also your Barty is already so hot on principle and now you want to make him the mysterious allusive guy from out of town with no backstory that wears leather and has a cool ass car and races like no one has ever seen before????

Like I get it, Reg. I too would leave husband material James Potter for a bad bitch

This James/Barty rivalry is actually sending me because in the big finale race where Reg and Sirius are competing to see who's the best Black family heir, James is also trying to prove that he's better than Barty, to win back his mans. And Barty is not above teasing James endlessly over the fact that Reg (this sexy little ball of curls and french curse words) chose him!!!

Which, like, means so much to Barty too you know? Like he's the type of guy that has spent his whole life being the best, being better than the best, giving 110% in the hope that someday it might be good enough, that someone might appreciate how hard he's worked. And no one ever does, so he stops trying and avoids being inaugurated into another family full of expectations he'll never meet - he lives for himself and his own enjoyment and that is all

But then Regulus... oh, Regulus isn't like the others. He knows Barty's fucking good, and he knows getting that good isn't easy because he wasn't always the best at racing either. He did it to connect with Sirius at first, then to take Sirius's place once he left, and so he knows how hard it is, how much you have to push yourself and your car. And he wants Barty to teach him, because, even if he hates to admit he's not the best, he knows Barty's an expert, someone he can learn from

Like give me Barty dragging Reg, who has always bought the newest, top of the line tires and engines and suspensions and other car stuff, to the most seedy, back alley places to get new add-ons for his car. Helping him pick out a new break kit for Marleen to put in and a new set of lights ("How do headlights help me go faster, Barty?" "They don't, but they look fucking cool")

And he trusts Barty to make him a better driver (after seriously debating breaking his legs for upstaging him or paying him off to never race again) and Barty fucking loves that, more than the money or anything else. Regulus is taking his advice and listening to what he has to say and has anyone else noticed how fucking hot he looks when he's so concentrated, and-

But also they're racing for completely different reasons!!! Barty does it because it's fun and he's good at it and he needs the money, and Reg does it because he has something to prove. So the whole time Barty is trying to teach him that all you have to do is let go and have fun, and Reg is just trying to win, to prove to his parents (and himself) that he can be as good as Sirius - better than Sirius. So like the tension!!!! They frustrate each other so much!!! But also they're so in love!!!!!

Anyways, please brainrot more!!!! Anytime, all the time!! These two will be living rent free in my brain foreverrrrr

(Like just picture the abandoned car junkyard picnic date where they lift mufflers and sit on the old rusty hood of a car with the headlights on and drink and snack and make out talk about life)

Okay, getting off my soap box now-

[roseghoul26]

Hello! I would like to request Cooper Howard x gn!reader (post war, because...murderous cowboy...hnnngh), where they struggle with mental health issues like depression? I've been in a really tough spot, having no energy or motivation to do anything or really any desire to take care of myself. So I was thinking, maybe the reader's mental health is declining, they're slower and sloppier when it comes to keeping up with Cooper and he's more and more frustrated. Then one day he has enough (maybe the reader is taking too long packing up) and threatens to leave them and they're just...passive, because they really don't care anymore about what happens to them. So he realises they haven't been taking care of themselves properly for a while now and then some soft moments with him? I know this is pretty dark and you can change this however you'd like, but I'm dying for some hurt/comfort with this man 🥺 It's totally cool if it's too much for you, if you decide to not write this, please just let me know, so I don't wait for it. Thank you so much, I love your Cooper fics <3

Cooper Howard | The Ghoul x gn!Reader

Synopsis: You’ve been struggling lately, putting both you and your traveling companion in danger. He was bound to confront you about it eventually. Tags: Prompt Request, Not Beta Read, Gender Neutral Reader, Depression, Mental Health, Mentions of Suicide, Disagreements, Comfort, Lazy Day, Cuddling, Beginning Relationships Author's Note: Trigger warning for topics relating to mental health, such as depression and suicide. Please do not read if you’re not in a good mental space. Take care of yourselves. Also, everyone’s experience with depression and mental health issues differs, so I am writing this story the way I experience it. Also, this was a fun challenge to write. Like how the hell would he approach a topic like this? It’s been fun to explore his character like that, and I hope I did it justice. Thank you so much for the request! <333

You used to be able to keep up with the Ghoul. 

Wherever he went, you followed, tearing through the Wastleland without hindrance. You watched his back, and he yours, a security that was unheard of in this world. It was a trusting friendship, bordering on something else, something that neither of you had crossed yet. You couldn't compete with over a hundred years of experience with a gun, but you were able to hold your own quite well. You were a decent shot and someone who never let anyone get the drop on you, senses always sharp. 

So when you started missing easy targets and found yourself surprised by opponents one too many times, you knew it was a matter of time before the Ghoul started asking questions and not believing the first lie that you said. The first time it had happened, you blamed it on your lack of sleep, and he seemed to buy it. And maybe you convinced yourself it was just a lack of sleep, ignoring the darkness that had begun to emerge in your mind. You just needed to rest, was what you told yourself. 

It happened again a few days later, completely missing a target in front of you. Your reactions had begun to slow down, too, unable to avoid the swing of a blade, cutting across your cheek. It was like your body gave up on wanting to move, an unbearable weariness to your muscles that you were unable to shake. Later, as you bandaged the wound on your cheek, the Ghoul confronted you, demanding to know why you were acting so sloppy. You’d merely shrugged, offering up the idea that you were sick. This time he seemed less convinced, yet he had let the matter go. 

You knew why you were acting the way you were. You weren’t unfamiliar with depression, far from it. It was something you’d dealt with your entire life, coming and going like waves. You’d go days, weeks, months and you’d be fine, but then a flip would switch. You’d lose your energy, your motivation, wanting nothing more than to just lay on the ground and never get back up. You’d stop taking care of your body. You’d lose your appetite. Your thoughts would turn dark, ideations and ideas flashing in your mind, things that you’d never tell another soul. 

For the months you’d been traveling with the Ghoul, you’d been able to keep a reign on your depression. Sure, you had your off days, but nothing like this. It was like the universe was punishing you for having such an excellent past months. 

But how could you explain this to your traveling partner? How could you explain that you didn’t have the energy to continue existing, to continue fighting? He needed you to be alert, to not have your thoughts occupied with something, that in perspective to the Wasteland around you, was trivial. 

So you kept your mouth shut, forcing yourself to appear alert and unaffected. You forced those thoughts to the back of your mind. You forced your body to move, no matter how much it screamed at you to just be still.

But it seemed that all that bottling your thoughts up did was make it worse. As the days dragged on, you stopped talking, only muttering small words whenever the Ghoul asked you a question. You’d normally spend the time traveling conversing, and the Ghoul did try to initiate a conversation with you, but no amount of questions and joking and jabs could get you to break. Eventually, he fell quiet too.

Sleeping became a challenge. You’d think with how exhausted your body felt, you’d be able to sleep easily, but the opposite was true. Hours would tick by, and you’d lie awake, getting up the next morning more exhausted than before you went to bed. Your face, already a bit gaunt from living such a difficult life, had grown even more so, the circles around your eyes darkening and your lips growing more chapped. 

You stopped eating, turning away the food he offered you. After you went a few days without eating more than a bite, he practically forced spoonfuls of food into your mouth, snapping at you the entire time. It was humiliating, but you couldn’t bring yourself to change. You just wanted to be done. 

You could tell that your demeanor was starting to annoy the hell out of the Ghoul, whose words had turned shorter and snappier. If you took too long, he’d grab you by the shoulder and drag you along, like an upset parent with their child. Your cheeks would burn every time, tears pickling your eyes, and you’d hang your head. 

There was a tension growing between you and the Ghoul, your friendship growing thin. His guard was up constantly, unable to trust you any longer to watch his back, which hurt you more than any knife or gun. Soft glances disappeared, his gaze scrutinizing when he looked at you. Light touches from him reserved for when you were at rest were no more, as you chose to keep to yourself every night. Instead of walking side-by-side, you’d linger a few feet behind him. You pretended like it was easier this way, to make him push you away, but it was tearing you apart. 

But eventually, that tension snapped. Too many close calls, too many sluggish movements, too many half-hearted excuses finally made him break. You’d just gotten up for the day, another sleepless night behind you, and you were packing up your few belongings. You must’ve been taking too long, because you heard him sigh audibly, standing in the open doorway of the room you’d sheltered in for the night. “What’s your fuckin’ issue?” He growled, arms crossed tight over his chest.

You looked up, feigning confusion. “I dunno what-”

“Bullshit,” he cut you off. He began to walk towards you, his steps methodical, threatening. “You’ve been actin’ like this for weeks, and you’ve only offered me half-assed excuses.” He was seething, and understandably so. He crouched down in front of you, rendering you unable to escape. “So, you,” he stuck a finger in your chest, barely avoiding hitting you, “are gonna tell me why. And don’t even think ‘bout lyin’, sweetheart.”

You swallowed, heart hammering in your chest at the confrontation. Words flooded your mind, a full explanation on the tip of your tongue, yet you just couldn’t bring yourself to utter it. Your mouth opened and closed, struggling, until you eventually just gave up. Sighing, you just shook your head, which pissed him off even more. 

A disbelieving laugh left him, and he ran a gloved hand over his face. “No? You’re kiddin’ me, right?” He didn’t wait for a response. “Ya know, I’ve tried to be lenient. I bought into your fuckin’ lies that you were ‘just tired’, ‘just sick’. I tried to give ya space, to give ya time to get out of this. But you’re gonna get us both killed if ya don’t fix yourself. I can’t be distracted out there, constantly worried ‘bout you and keepin’ you alive, ‘cause it seems like that’s the last thing on your mind.”

He took a breath, steadying his rising voice. “So I’m gonna give ya one more chance to explain yourself, or else I’m leavin’ without ya.”

“Then leave.” Your response came almost immediately, your voice lacking any inflection. Even though in the back of your mind you were screaming at him not to leave, you kept an air of indifference about you, unable to make yourself care. It would be easier if he just left, wouldn’t it? You wouldn’t be putting anyone else in danger, and you wouldn’t have to deal with the guilt you felt of him worrying about you so much. And it would be so much easier to just disappear if there was no one looking for you.

He wasn’t expecting that as a response if the look on his face told you anything. His brow muscles were raised, leaning back from you in shock. But the way he was watching you, it was like he was observing you in a different light, dots beginning to connect in his mind. “You’ll die out there without me.” 

You merely shrugged your shoulders, glancing down to continue packing your belongings, no longer able to look him in the eye. He didn’t respond, simply standing up with a sigh. You didn’t look up, not even as you heard him walk away, backing towards the entrance of the room. You didn’t look up, even as you heard the surprisingly gentle click of the door as it shut. You didn’t look up, even as the tears that you’d been holding for the past weeks finally fell.

You were alone.

You thought it would make you feel better like there would be a weight lifted off your shoulders. But everything just felt heavier, the thoughts in your mind becoming a tempest, making you physically weak. Expletives tumbled from your lips as you sagged down onto your arms, head hung. Of course, he’d fucking leave, you idiot. No one wants to deal with your moping.

A part of you wanted to chase after him, to beg him to stay, but you already felt pathetic enough. You couldn’t blame him for leaving, not at all. You were weighing him down, putting his life in danger; he said so himself. He could only deal with you for so long. You should be grateful that he didn’t leave sooner.

The sound of rustling fabric made you jump, finally looking up. The Ghoul had taken off his jacket, laying it across the back of the couch he had slept on, never having left the room at all. Stunned, you watched him sit, taking his hat off in the process and setting it on the floor. He finally caught your eye then, a soft look on his face, a look you hadn’t seen in a long while. 

“I thought you left,” you whispered, sitting back upright. Embarrassment warmed your cheeks, and you tried to wipe the tears that had fallen on them. 

“I ain’t leavin’ ya, sweetheart.”

“Why not?”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Do you want me to go?” You’d never shaken your head faster in your life. “Then I’m stayin’.”

“But why?”

He sighed. “‘Cause I care ‘bout you. I… Is that too hard to believe?”

It is. Unable to find words, you just shrugged again. 

Something akin to regret or remorse flashed across his face, and muttering something under his breath he reclined against the couch. He was upset, but even now you could tell it was not because of you, at least not fully. “C’mere,” he murmured, patting the couch beside him. “You look like you’re gonna fuckin’ bolt at any second.”

Taking a steadying breath, you complied, albeit with some difficulty, your legs barely wanting to function. His gaze didn’t leave you once, as much as you wished it would, making you want to collapse in on yourself. The walk to the couch felt like it was miles long, but you eventually made your way over to it and him. 

He rolled his eyes when you just stood there in front of him, unsure of what to do with yourself. “Sit down, I ain’t gonna fuckin’ bite.” In another situation, you knew he’d add some comment like unless ya want me to, but he bit his tongue. The couch groaned as you sat next to the Ghoul, keeping a foot between your bodies. “Talk to me,” he commanded, yet his voice was gentle. “What the hell’s goin’ on?”

You picked at the skin around your nails, no doubt drawing blood. “I’m… I’m not quite sure how to explain it,” you responded, and you expected your words to upset the man even more. But he nodded his head slowly, an almost understanding look on his face. “I’m just… done."

“Done with… what? Bein’ out on the road?” You shook your head. “Travellin’ with me?” You shook your head again, this time more vehemently. “Done with what?” You knew that he knew the answer to his question, but he wanted you to say it.

“I’m done with… with existing. I just can’t bring myself to care anymore. I’m just so tired of it all.” You sagged back against the couch like speaking took a toll on your body. “I’m so tired.”

He didn’t respond for a while, mulling over your words. “That… that explains a lot,” he chuckled humourlessly. “Your mind won’t just leave ya the hell alone, will it? It's like all your mind can focus on are these terrible fuckin’ things, no matter what ya do. And it just weighs on ya, like a million pounds, getting worse with every passin’ day until you just wanna… give up.”

He explained it perfectly, and you cocked your head to the side, a bit confused about how he was able to do so. “I ain’t a stranger to what you’re goin’ through. We’re well fuckin’ acquainted, to say the least. So I shoulda recognized it sooner with ya.” 

He paused, sighing. “Wanna know somethin’?” You nodded. “I was too busy thinkin’ ‘bout what I did to upset ya that I didn’t bother to think of any other possible reason as to why you’re actin’ the way you are. But once I realized it wasn’t my fault, not entirely, instead of bein’ there for ya, I was an ass. I thought, because I’m a damn idiot, that you were just mopin’ around for the hell of it, putting us both in danger simply ‘cause you were tired or some shit. Not once did I stop to think why. And I apologize.”

“You don’t gotta-” He cut you off with a pointed look. “I… I accept your apology, then.”

He nodded slowly, content. “I’d like to help ya, sweetheart. I know nothin’ I say or do is gonna make it go away like that… but I’d like to try. Whatever ya need from me, and you’ve got it.”

“I’m not sure what I need exactly,” you admitted quietly.

“When ya figure it out, will ya let me know?” You nodded.

“Just… be patient. As difficult as that is for you.” You hadn’t meant for the jab to come out, but you weren’t taking it back. Especially when a loud laugh left the Ghoul, making a smile of your own appear on your face. It was faint, yet it was there.

An almost starstruck expression appeared on his face, his laughter dying out. “I missed seein’ ya smile,” he murmured as if it was a subconscious thought.

You ducked your head, making him laugh again. “As for bein’ patient, well, I can be that, if that’s what ya need.”

“It’ll take some time,” you cautioned again, indirectly giving him a chance to back out of this. 

“Time ain’t an issue. I’ll wait as long as it fuckin’ takes.”

“You mean it?” Your voice was so soft, barely audible to either of you. 

You watched as one of his gloved hands inched towards you, palm upturned. Tentatively, you placed your in his, eyes growing wide when he brought your hand to his lips, kissing the back of it gently. “I swear,” he uttered, sealing the promise with another press of his lips.

As you returned your tingling hand to your lap, his eyes scanned over your face, a furrow appearing between his brow. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten somethin’? Somethin’ that I didn’t force ya to eat,” he added when you opened your mouth to respond. 

Your silence said enough, and he leaned down to his bag, which he had placed beside the couch when he sat. After a few moments of rustling through, he handed you a small bag of what appeared to be jerky, as well as a small canteen of water. “It ain’ human,” he added when you eyed the bag suspiciously before taking it.

The jerky was salty and tough when you took a bite, not quite wanting to, but unable to not eat under his gaze. You ate in silence until your stomach was full and your teeth hurt from the tough material. Taking a swig of water, you could feel your eyes growing heavy, eating seemingly draining your energy more than replenishing it. Stifling a yawn, you shoved the canteen back into his hand, and you noticed he had an almost pleased look on his face. 

You were confused, though, when he stood, making his way to the entrance of the room. For a moment, those thoughts flashed in your mind that told you that he was finally leaving, that he realized how pathetic you were. But instead of doing any of those things, you watched as he simply wedged a chair under the handle of the door, like he had done before you went to bed for the night. 

“What’re you doing?”

“We takin’ the day off. Doctor’s orders.”

“But aren’t we supposed to be in Filly in a few days?”

“We’ll be fine. You are gonna spend today catchin’ up on some much-needed rest.” He stood in front of you now, a moth-eaten blanket in his hands. 

“And what are you gonna do?” You asked, and he shrugged. 

“Don’t worry ‘bout me, sweetheart. Go ‘head, lie down.”

Your eyes quickly scanned the couch, and you took a deep breath before speaking again. “The couch is big enough for us both, no?”

For the second time that day, you’d stunned him with your responses. “Is… is that what ya want?”

Encouraged that he hadn’t just outrightly said no, you nodded your head, and a fond look crossed his features. He handed you the blanket before sitting once more, but instead of his back being against the cushions, he rested it against one of the armrests, not before tucking a pillow in front of it. 

Once he was situated, he opened up his arms to you, and you could’ve laughed at how uncertain he looked. Hands rested on your body when you laid down, head on his chest, laying on your stomach, and you made sure the blanket covered both your bodies as best you could. You weren’t too worried about covering all of you, though, with the sheer amount of warmth he was radiating. 

His eyes were already on you when you glanced up, a smile pulling at his lips. “Comfy?”

“Yes.” Your voice was barely audible, but he heard it. 

You felt his fidget with something in his hand behind your back, but you didn’t have to wait long to find out what he was doing. You felt fingers run along your scalp, making you shudder, before combing through any hair there. “Alright?”

You sighed contently, nodding your head before letting it fall back onto his chest. He continued to run his fingers there, his other hand tracing patterns across your shoulders. You hadn’t realized how tired you were until now, finding it hard to keep your eyes open. For the first time in a long time, you felt safe. Safe from the world outside this room. Safe from the thoughts that plagued your mind. Safe from everything. 

He didn’t have to see your face to know that you were struggling to stay awake. “Go to bed. I’ll be here when you wake.”

“Promise?”

“Ain’t fuckin’ like I’m gonna be able to get up,” he chuckled, before taking a more serious tone. “I promise.”

That was all you needed to hear before you finally let the final strings of consciousness leave your grasp. Before you lost control of all your senses, though, you felt him lean down, pressing a barely-there kiss to the top of your head. “You’ll get through this, sweetheart.”

You believed him.

[inamindfarfaraway]

why do you ship poppy and sparrow from eah?thoughts on duchess swan and sparrow?

I have nothing against shipping Duchess and Sparrow! I just slightly prefer to think of them as best friends. Honestly, considering how she’s lived in the shadow of tragic doomed romance her whole life, I think it would be really nice for Duchess to find her happiness without any long-term romantic partner. I feel like she’d have anxiety about romance ending badly for her. Yeah, it turns out destiny is fake, but fifteen or so years of having the inevitable narrative of your future drilled into you and knowing that you are meant, you exist, to be hurt and betrayed and doomed by your romantic partner? That’s gonna mess your attitude to dating up. And since destiny is fake, non-doomed lovers are just one bad day away doom. There is no permanent happily ever after. Anyone could hurt her for any reason; and as she hopefully matures to be nicer and more moral, she could be afraid of hurting her lover too based on her past actions. But to learn that she doesn’t need to be anyone’s love interest could be empowering and liberating. She and Sparrow are definitely each other’s true loves in some way. I personally enjoy the platonic sense better, but the romantic option is just as valid an interpretation.

Okay. Duchess tangent over. Now, as for what I like about Poppy/Sparrow.

Poppy says in her bio that she finds Sparrow cute, but would like him more if he weren’t so arrogant. That’s a good foundation on her part. She sees worth in him, but also his flaws. If he ever wanted to play around with her, her standards and boundaries (and Holly) would force him to get his act together at least a little, which could be a catalyst for his character development.

They both have themes of freedom and rebellion. Sparrow is a Rebel more because he values his personal freedom than because he’s invested in human rights, refusing to conform to the law by stealing, his story by keeping the gains for himself and social norms by being an ass. Poppy loves not having a predetermined future and officially becomes a Rebel to avoid being the next Rapunzel and queen. Her least favourite class is Princessology, where you learn to be a responsible, respectable princess. Sparrow gets that. But she can show him how to express himself and defy social mores without being obnoxious about it.

They’re both creative types with unconventional styles and adventurous spirits, Poppy’s medium being hair and fashion while Sparrow’s is music. However, Poppy is a great, popular hairdresser. She’s good at listening to her clients’ input and giving them what they want, without sacrificing her own integrity. Sparrow is technically a skilled guitarist, but he hasn’t bothered to become as good a singer, only cares about what he wants and is terrible at responding to criticism. He could learn from her to be a better artist. And I think their alternative aesthetics (I know Poppy’s is still pretty tame and feminine, but that feels more like Mattel being Mattel than the ultimate expression of her alleged personality; fanart that depicts Poppy with a wilder fashion sense my beloved) could complement each other really well.

Conversely, Poppy has sometimes been known to be unsure of new situations or herself, like that whole time she was on the fence between the Royal and Rebel ideologies or when she was nervous about ice-skating for the first time. It’s easy to extrapolate that being raised as the spare to Holly’s heir with the glaring lack of a destiny could have given her some identity issues in general. (Canon doesn’t really show that, but canon shows us so little depth that we have to fill in the blanks.) Sparrow does not have that problem. Ever. He knows who is and what he wants in life, and he’s gonna take it. Maybe he could influence her to be more confident.

It’s less much less obvious because Poppy is genuinely kind and morally principled and socially competent to balance it out, but she has a selfish streak too. She regularly cuts off her magically strong, long and fast-growing hair and sells it. Why sell it? Why not just donate it? Because despite having all the money she could ever need, she wants a little more for herself. She makes a steady profit by selling something she doesn’t have to work for and doesn’t want. That’s a shrewdness and initiative Sparrow can appreciate. I think her choosing centrism wasn’t as callous or stupid as some fans have made out; the Royals have a lot of understandable, sympathetic arguments, the Rebels at this time can’t prove that the other shoe won’t drop and with a Royal sister who’s probably afraid of her going poof, it would realistically be an emotionally fraught political debate for a teenager. But her “Roybel” identity is still a safe position where she tries to have the best of both worlds and can feel vindicated no matter which side wins. And it’s interesting that for as good a person she is and as many friends she has with Rebel stances and/or tragic fates, what drives her from “The face-eating leopards have pros and cons, let’s see how things go” to “Face-eating leopards are bad and need to be fought” is literally “Wait, the leopards want to eat my face?” If anything, I think her selfishness is wiser and more effective than Sparrow’s - she stays inside the law and benefits others enough to have strong friendships and a glowing reputation.

We also see in the ice-skating webisode that Duchess develops respect for Poppy and her courage after initially viewing her as a rival, setting up a friendship and a fun dynamic as Sparrow’s two true loves. Especially if, as I suspect, Poppy wouldn’t make a half-bad partner in crime herself. And on the other hand… Sparrow and Holly. Sweet, gentle, polite Holly who finds nothing more exciting than reading. And Sparrow Hood. Needing to coexist and learn to get along. That’s hilarious. Imagine the wedding speeches.

In the original Rapunzel tale, she was born to poor farmers and married into royalty, so an O’Hair falling for a commoner is at once a reversal and a return to form. It feels fitting.

Likewise, the original Robin Hood was in some versions a nobleman who abandoned his decadent lifestyle to serve the lower classes. (They weren’t always comfortable having a true peasant hero.) So I like the idea of Sparrow inverting that with his journey, being a greedy, selfish scoundrel as a poor kid and then only gaining riches after becoming equally rich in compassion and generosity. Only once he’s ready to share the wealth does he get access to a royal treasury. Legally, even!

Thanks for the ask! It was very fun articulating my thoughts and feelings about these characters, I’d never done that before and I thought of a few new arguments while I was writing this. I love all of them even more now.

[acmeofficial]

Hey Zari who are all the agents there at acme? I only know afew of them…

Hello! Let me give you the rundown (under the cut because there are a lot of us)

Chief: Our head honcho. You probably know her. She runs everything. Founded ACME. Usually a hologram. The works!

Agent Zari: Higher ranking agent, she's been around as long as anyone can remember. Very serious unless cracking the dumbest pun you've ever heard. She usually trains new agents and is partnered with Agent Bronson if she isn't training someone.

Agent Argent: Depending on when, sometimes our agent. She's smart and analytical, if a bit of a dreamer. Everyone knows about her thing for Carmen Sandiego except her. She partnered with Zari when training and now partners with Devineaux.

Agent Devineaux: Number one car wrecker, but gets the job done! Sometimes. He looks before he leaps, but if he leaps right, he leaps RIGHT. Again partnered with Zari when training and then Argent afterwards.

Ivy: [OOC: We pretend she's here if it's relevant but most of the time Team Red has her LOL. Same with Zack] One of our newer agents who specializes more in mechanics (fixing the cars Devineaux wrecks or our drones or pens) than field work, but can get a job done like nobody's business if asked. She's technically partnered with Zack but might stay at base while he works in a bigger group so it's more of a formal pairing.

Zack: The other newer agent who turns out to have the exact same sense of humor as Chief. They get along like a house on fire. Not to mention he's got a shockingly good brain for strategy and picks up new languages like nobody's business. He's become seriously good. Again partnered with Ivy but works in groups better.

Agent Bronson*: Affectionately referred to as Jawline by me. He was Zari's partner before Devineaux and Argent came along. He doesn't talk much, but he's very competent and serious.

Agent Dobson*: Our good natured guy in the tech seat. He looks over monitoring suspects and things. He avoids the field as much as he's able to because he tends to freeze up, but you can see him on those huge operations where we need a lot of field agents because we pull like everyone. He sometimes works with Rodriquez but is usually solo.

Agent Rodriguez*: Another one of our best in the field. She helps a lot with hands-on investigations, taking suspects into custody, etc. She partners with either Dobson or Sokolov depending on the work. She's very pretty 🥺

Agent Morgenstern*: Another great field agent, if a bit impulsive. She loves to talk and act. I actually think her and Devineaux would get along great. Or maybe hate each other. Anyway she and Jacobson are partners.

Agent Sokolov*: I cannot for the life of me find a great picture of him. Sorry, Agent Sokolov. Unfortunately the pictures are only about to get worse. He works with Rodriguez, usually, on field stuff.

Agent Jacobson: Also can't find a good picture of her but she was on the Stockholm job. Another field agent and I have not if I'm honest met her very much so I don't have much to say. Sad. Partners with Morgenstern.

Agent Lombardi*: Obviously camera shy because THIS IS THE WORST PICTURE YET. He's got red hair if you ever see him you'll know. Especially because he likes to crack jokes all the time. He and Zack look similar almost until you hear them talk (Zack is from Boston and you can hear it. Lombardi is from Spain). He was assigned to the Mumbai job if any of you are familiar. He actually usually like flies our helicopters and stuff as backup which is why you may not see him usually.

Agent Anderson: Our resident crime scene photographer. I also again can't find a good picture to save my life when she had blonde hair. She after all is usually the one taking them, not having them taken. That last picture is also her she just dyed her hair because everyone kept mistaking her for Zari from behind LOL. She usually works solo as she's usually for crime scenes, not field.

Agent Williams-Green: Another field agent I confess I have not met much. She was on the VILE HQ bust. She's partnered with Agent Silva.

Agent Silva: Williams-Green's partner. Again I can't say I've met them much but they do exist LOL.

[OOC: *Names with an asterisk were done by Dusty from @carmensandiego-dreams-collection. Please check out this fic they did with the ACME agents it is FANTASTIC. https://www.tumblr.com/carmensandiego-dreams-collection/762099749041078272/this-is-a-test?source=share ]

And, finally (as far as I can remember meeting, there are way more who work office jobs or I've just never met), there's me, "Apprentice." I'm basically ACME's intern and I run their social media. Which is just Tumblr. yippee

That's me and VILE's Intern. Who I hate sooo much. Drawn by @tiredguyswag :)

[miniaturecowboys]

Talking therapy with the dragon riders

what i think they would want to/ need to cover in therapy

Hiccup: his eventual position of the chief, self- esteem issues. it would probably be more effective to use CBT techniques in drawing parallels with his leadership within the riders and the leadership he would have to do as chief. the aim is for him to prove to himself that he is able that he is able to lead. possibly also more general self-esteem issues, reconstructing and challenging his idea of what a Viking is/must be. helping him come to terms with the fact that he will never be his father, and the fact that he can still be a strong Viking chief despite this.

Astrid: vigilance and independence. relaxation techniques similar to those used in anger management that she can then use to help her live in the moment and relax, instead of constantly thinking about danger and protecting those she cares about. also, getting to the cause of her hyper- independence. using past evidence of how others, especially hiccup, actually have reacted to her needing help. comparing that to her expected response, show how this fear of depending on someone is unfounded.

FIshlegs: insecurity. possibly a reconstruction of what he views as strong, encouraging him to view his intelligence as mental fortitude, similar to hiccup, helping hm understand that he does not need to change how he is to be loved, respected, etc.

Snotlout: oh boy, this is a big one. starting with his insecurities, getting him to understand his fears and insecurities. he most likely will struggle to admit that he has these insecurities. after that, looking at how they effect others around him. a very important step would be deconstructing the idea of his father in his head, in order to lessen the need for acceptance. helping him come to the realisation that he will never get the validation he needs from his dad, and helping him find that validation on someone who can give it to him (e.g. the other riders) and accept that he can be a good, strong, competent, proud Viking without his father's validation. extensive techniques to avoid dips in self esteem - relaxation techniques, positive self-talk, reaching out to others. coming to an understanding of what he can do/control and what he cannot and should not try to. this would absolutely take the longest because of how deep self-deprecation, insecurity and outside validation are embedded in his world-view.

The Twins as a unit: i'm not sure on this one. most likely they have underlying issues with acceptance, struggling to both be themselves and fit in. likely some shared self-esteem issues over their place as 'the tricksters' and how that casts them as liabilities. but overall i'm not really sure. if anyone actually reads this who has also watched the httyd series if you outlined the issues they deal with i could work off of that i'm just coming up dry rn.

Heather: possibly working of anger issues, using the method of finding the trigger of her anger, teaching her relaxation techniques and then role-playing triggering situations in a safe and controlled environment. talking through her trauma and loneliness, assessing how it effects her everyday life and how she treats others. unpacking what family means to her.

Dagur: the expectation put on him to be violent at a young age. much of this work would be building off of the work he does himself during his redemption arc - unpacking why he felt the need to be violent, helping him with relaxation when he feels angry or wronged, encouraging him to find a way to help those he has wronged in the past. unpacking possible fears of his impact on the world being more negative than positive, or fears that his morals are unsalvageable and he will always be evil deep down.

I can do more characters if anyone actually likes this.