#365 days of writing

[dandelionsfluff]

Sugar

I did not come up with this recipe; it's from Alton Brown's recipe on the Food Network's website (the parentheses are mine).

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat(w/ paddle attachment) until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

1 hour, 50 minutes later....

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

3. Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment(my preference), or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

These cookies are delicious! I make them with my children for my son's birthday. I've forgotten to give myself time for the TWO HOURS of chill time, so I put them in the freezer for, like, 30min and they were good to go; so don't sweat it if you find yourself in that same predicament. I've also adapted them into lemon cookies and orange cookies, but the first time I did it was lemon and either the lemon crystals I used were salty or I messed up on the salt measurement (not the first time THAT'S happened), but I served them to kids who were decorating the cookies themselves, which means LOADS of sugar...so I think that actually worked out in a good balance, and don't sweat it if you find yourself in that same situation, too. I have since used lemon oil and lemon zest, and orange extract and ground dried orange peel to delicious effects - but I don't have any measurements for you, because I'm one of those people who just wing it when I feel like I can get away with doing so. It's just mathematics - the potency of whatever you're adding multiplied by the amount of dish(/dough) it has to flavor equals how much you should put in.

[3vergr3en]

Hi again! I also have this idea of hate fucking Nicholas. He’s getting on my nerves these past few episodes and ofc I love him but I kinda have this fantasy of a wild night with nico where yeah you dislike each other but also have unexplainable desire to HAVE each other right then and there.

Of course, only if you like the idea and are comfortable writing it! Thanks love

🥂 Entangled Desires

(⛓) PAIRING . brother’s!bestfriend!idol!nicholas x fem!reader

(💿) CONTENT . contains mature writing, MDNI.

(📞) A/N . ugh anon, your brain is so yummy 😫😫 Ik what you mean babes, he gives me so— nonchalant but cocky type of vibe that although you know he’s the last person you should consider to let inside your pants, you have this burning desire to fuck him bc you know that he’d fuck you good.

Brother’s!best!friend!Nicholas was always deemed a cocky man. You will never understand how he is best friends with your brother. Euijoo is kind, considerate, and humble. Nicholas is the polar opposite of all of those things.

You thought that little egoism of his would burn out by the end of high school, but it had just gotten so much worse as all three of you grew into adults. It's almost tragic that no one else can see past that ‘I’m so nice and caring’ facade. Not even his fans, not his band members, and unfortunately not Euijoo. Your poor brother has been so oblivious to this, which isn't surprising because he always prioritize the good in people that he oversees the bad. But Nicholas being the little asshole he is, always keeps this crack open for you to peer in, getting a real close look to see his intentions. Wanting you make you seem crazy when you try to warn your brother about him.

He loves to push you over your limits. That little obsession of his started when you three were teens. He’d snatch your clean clothes when you went to shower in the locker rooms after the gym. And he’d only give it back if you..

“Beg nicely for them.” He hums behind you, lips narrowly touching your earlobe.

Startled, you let out a small yelp as you quickly whipped your body around, hands clutching the towel that wrapped around your naked figure that hid beneath. But that fear resided into annoyance remarkably quickly when you saw that stupid, smug grin on his face. “Give. Those. Back. Yixiang.” You muttered, irritation clearly audible in your tone.

He shakes his head disappointingly, “I’ll repeat myself again. Beg. Nicely.” Nicholas recites, giving you a brief, not-so-genuine smile. “C’mon, let me hear you.” His voice deepens when he insists, taking a step forward.

But as much as you hate him, your body tends to react otherwise. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel anything whenever he’d talk to you with such assertion. Especially when he would look at you in a certain way that would make your knees buckle. But being the stubborn person you are, you push past your hormones practically screaming at you and be a big girl. “I’m not begging for shit. Especially not for you.”

“Yeah? Well let’s see about that.”

.

And unfortunately, it continues as you guys are now adults. But instead of verbally taunting you, he’s taken a step further with being more.. physical.

You find yourself hanging out with the group during your free time. Whether it was at their practice rooms, their dorm, or out somewhere— you like being around them and its vise versa for them,, besides one person in particular. And he takes it upon himself to make sure that whenever he sees you, he’d try to have you reeling for the rest of the night.

Tonight, you and the guys were out getting dinner. And unfortunately, the man you oh, so despised had deliberately chosen to sit right next to you— so shocking. “Not tonight, Yixiang. Just let me eat in peace.” You speak, swirling the red liquid around in your glass before taking a long sip.

You fail to notice his eyes gazing down at you, at your figure specifically. The way that mini-dress rode up your thighs and how low-cut the top was, your breasts nearly spilling out if he just.. tug the fabric down. He’s practically eye-fucking you without any shame.

He inches his lips towards your ear, getting real close where you can feel his warm breath on your neck. “No funny business, Nicholas.” You warn once more, eyes darting between the others who were engrossed in their own conversations to notice the two of you who sat at the end.

His big, vainy hand found a place on your bare thigh. His cold rings making contact with your warm skin, making you lightly hiss through gritted teeth. “You look like a whore in that dress. Pretty hot I’d say.” His words rung in your ear, thumb caressing the soft skin of your inner thigh.

You go to wrap your hands around his wrist, contemplating if you should stop him.. or move his hand closer to there. “Wow, so kind coming from a guy like you.” You murmured, side-eyeing him with an unamused expression written all over your face.

“Hm, you say that.. but I can practically feel how hot you are.” He whispers, taking your earlobe in between his teeth to bite on. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough that it makes you squeeze your thighs together— trapping his hand in between your legs.

“Just admit it. You want me.” He adds on, prying your legs apart. “Tell me how badly you want my fingers inside of you.” His voice velvety smooth, just like his fingers as they trace up your thigh till it reaches your underwear.

“I don’t want you touching anywhere on me.” You breathe out, chest heaving as you feel yourself growing hotter.

“Is that so? So you would stop me if I did.. something like this?” He asked, his index and middle finger rubbing your clit through the cotton fabric.

You take in a sharp breath, eyelids threatening to close as you let yourself indulge in the feeling a little bit. “What would the others say if they saw you like this? What would your brother say, hm?” His voice taunts you, but its turning you on even more. And he can feel that as your wetness seeped through your underwear.

Your eyelids shoots open as reality hits you. You’re out at dinner right now. In front of people. In front of your brother who sat oblivious next to you.

He quickens the pace on his fingers, “N-Not here, Yixiang.” You reply, biting down your bottom lip to suppress a moan.

And just like that, he stops.

You gawk at him, eyes hooded with need that couldn’t compare to how his was. Nicholas stared at you with lips slightly parted, deep breaths and eyes filled with lust that sent shivers down your spine. “Meet me in the car in 5.” Is all he said before excusing himself.

.

You don’t know what happened, but you found yourself being pulled into the back seat of his car, and onto his lap with a pair of lips eagerly attaching onto yours. No words were shared, but you both can feel the yearning that was exchanged.

Your hands were found to be in his hair, gently tugging his black locks as he kissed you feverishly. Your heads swayed in a rhythm to match the desperation that was oozing out of you guys.

He momentarily pulls away to catch his breath, and he swears to himself when he allows himself to take in the sight before him. Your hair was disheveled, lips swollen and parted to let out staggering breaths but were glistening in his saliva, and the straps of your dress were hung past your shoulders— top threatening to fall down.

“You look so—“ He was cut short when you kiss him, taking him aback. And a groan emits from his throat when you grind your clothed cunt against his crotch. “Fucking slut.” He curses in between kisses, hands groaping at your ass.

“Shut the fuck up.” You retaliate, lips parting to let out a series of whimpers as his kisses made their way down to your neck. Your flesh was found to be in between his teeth, nibbling on the skin to form red bruises— him knowing that it’ll appear darker for the next occurring days.

You slip the straps off of your arms, allowing the top of your dress to fall freely— your breasts spilling out of its confines. “Fuck. Such gorgeous tits.” You hear him say, one of his hands traveling up your sides till he cups one of the soft flesh in his palms.

“Hurry up Yixiang, before I get dry.” You warn, hands desperately reaching under to undo the belt of his pants. But was stopped with a hand around your wrist, halting you.

“Beg for it then.”

“Fuck you.” You spat.

But his other hand was quick to wrap around your neck and the moan that followed from you was enough to feed his already high of an ego. He pulls you closer to him, lips ghosting over yours. “Beg for it or else I’m leaving you here.” You would’ve thought he was kidding, but knowing him, he’s a man of his word.

He pinches his fingers into the side of your throat, not enough to cut off your air, but enough to give you a warning.

“Please, give it to me, Nicholas.. I want it.” You plea, rolling your hips around in attempt to rub your clothed cunt on his prominent bulge. “Please, Yixiang?”

The way you said his name made something within him internally snap. Was it you calling out for him? Maybe you saying his name in such a seductive manner? Or maybe it’s the fact that you’re finally begging him, especially when it’s for him to fuck you.

He flips you two over with his hand pinning you down onto the seat cushion by your throat. “Such a good girl.” He hums with a cocky smile, halting his movements to dip down and give you a gentle kiss, “All you could’ve done was beg like a good slut and maybe then I could’ve fucked you earlier than now.”

You reacted to that statement with a moan that was not intended to come out, but hey, does it matter at this point? “God, I knew you were a slut— but I didn’t know how much. You’ve probably been waiting for me to fuck you for a while now, hm?” And you nod. You nod desperately. Finally succumbing into your desires all these years.

He leans down to take your lips with his once more, but this kiss was more passionate than lustful. It was as if he was confessing his similar desires, but with a more personal touch to it.

In that interim, his pants were pulled down and discarded, along with his underwear and shirt. Your dress was bunched up to your waist, revealing your lower half. “You’re so beautiful.” He whispered against your lips as he pumps himself in his hand.

“Please, Nicholas,, I—I need you.” You mewl, hands finding themselves on him. One cupping the side of his face, and one pressed flat against his bare chest.

Your underwear was pulled to the side by his fingers, and he allowed the head of his cock to slide between your slicked folds. He thought you may needed prep, but with how much of his cock was being smothered in your arousal, you didn’t need it. His mouth hung open in awe as he watches how easily he’s gliding between you. “You’re so wet, princess.” The pet name rolls off his tongue so smoothly that it makes you clench around nothing but air. You gasp when his head continuously nudges against your clit, giving you the stimulation you needed. He pulls his hips back, grabbing the shaft of his cock to align his tip to your entrance. “Gon’ let me rub this pretty clit, hm?” He coos, his hand reaching up to rub fast circles along the bundle of nerves. “Oh my god—!” You moan as you feel him start to push himself into you.

The sensation of his cock prying your walls apart so deliciously was enough to have your head lolling back with his name slipping off your tongue in a desperate manner. You were concerned with how long you were gonna last when you already felt this good when he wasn’t even fully in yet.

“Oh, fuck.” Nicholas groans as your heat engulfed him tightly. “You’re so tight, fuck. Don’t know why I didn’t fuck this pussy before.” With one push of his hips, he fully bottoms out inside of you— and in unison, you both moan out in pure bliss. Nicholas’s eyes momentarily flutters shut as your warm, gummy walls squeezing him tight was a sensation he didn’t know he needed so badly in his lifetime.

“J-Just.. give me a moment.” You breathe out, your fingers gently taps his chest to indicate that you need a little time to get used to his size. And he gladly onliges without hesitation. Probably the first time where he went along with your wishes. Once you felt more relaxed, you didn’t waste any more time to let him know. “M-Move, please.”

He started with a slow but steady pace, making sure not to overwhelm you although the thing he wants to do to you right now is to fuck you senseless. But he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy seeing your face contort in pleasure, moans slipping freely past those plump lips. “Yixiang..!” You gasp when a particular thrust had your legs wrapping around his waist.

“Yeah, princess? Does this spot feel good?” He rolls his hips experimentally, wanting to get another reaction like that out of you. And just as he thought, another delicious cry emits from you. “Tell me, does it feel good?” He questions, beginning to pick up the pace. You want to reply, but you’re unable to voice it out at the moment when the tip of his cock keeps hitting at a certain spot that makes your vision blur. “Yixiang! Oh fuck!” You cry as he starts snapping his hips against yours. The force of his thrusts were powerful enough to have you hike up the seat if it weren’t for his hand pinning you down by your neck. “M-More! Oh my god!”

Nicholas had to ground himself from losing his control. But it doesn’t necessarily help when he has the girl of his dreams writhing underneath him, taking his cock like a fucking champ. He forces his eyes to stay open rather than closing them and letting himself get lost in his head and potentially lasting shorter than he anticipated to. Which is the last thing he wants when he finally has you to himself.

You looked so beautiful under right now. The way your glossy eyes gazes at him with such a distinct look of desperation, your furrowed brows of concentration to not finish that quickly, and those beautiful moans that made him want to listen to for hours on end.

You were feeling like you were nearing your end, and the pressure in your lower abdomen was a huge factor. “Y-Yixiang, I’m gonna cum!” You announce with a shaky voice, sharp breaths along with a mantra of his name follows afterwards. And he can definitely feel it too with the way your clamping down on him was dangerously pushing him to cumming inside of you. “Fuck, you feel so good, princess. Come with me, okay? Just hold on a little longer.” He urges you, dipping down to leave open-mouthed kisses on your flushed cheek.

You nod in response, wanting to come with him. But with each passing moment was harder for you. Your hands latched onto his sweaty back, nails digging into the smooth flesh, dragging along his skin as you desperately tried to suppress your growing need to come. “Please, Nicholas!”

He grabbed the back of your knees and pushed them up to your chest, essentially folding you in half. When he pushed himself up onto his knees, he began slamming his hips down onto yours, reaching a deeper angle in this position. “Fuck, I’m gonna cum, y/n.” Hot, fat tears starts rolling down your cheeks as the pressure became unbearable for you to hold. But with one last thrust, his hips were flushed against your ass, and just like that— the knot within your stomach comes undone. A lewd cry leaves your lips as waves of your orgasm washed over you, leaving you to ride it out. With your name spilling out, he spills his load into your sopping cunt. Filling you up so much to the point where his cum began seeping out of your hole.

You guys stayed like that for a few more seconds until he eventually has to pull out, resulting in you whining as even that sensation was overwhelming for you. Your hands reach out to hold his, “D-Don’t go,, stay here for a minute, please?” You breathe out heavily, eyelids threatening to close on you. Nicholas couldn’t help but chuckle as he goes to lay down beside you. He engulfs you into his arms, making sure your naked figure was covered by his. “Wasn’t planning on it, princess.” He whispers, kissing your temple. “Whatever.. I know you would.” You mumble, sighing in content when his hand would gently massage your thigh. “Hm, I’m a little hurt, princess. After all these years, you still don’t know me.”

“I think I know you a little too well.” You respond, looking over your shoulder to give him a small smile.

“Yeah? On a scale of 1-10, how much do you think I wanna go for round 2?”

[wolfjackle-creates]

Bring Me Home Arc 2 Part 20: FINAL

So guess what I realized this morning. Today, November 13, 2023 is the one year anniversary of me posting my first DPxDC fic to tumblr. It was the original fill for this very fic. (Which you can find here.)

So I decided I just had to finish this arc and get it posted. This year has been amazing and so much fun. I've become a much better writer and joined a community that has brought me so much joy. I'm glad to be here and I'm glad so many of you like to read what I'm sharing.

I noticed I got a few new readers over the past week or so, so welcome to all of you! Hope you enjoy this early update!

In personal news, my nephew was born and he's adorable and I'll be meeting him tomorrow! (As soon as I'm done posting this, I'm off to make food for his mom.)

Story Summary: Tim and Danny are both neglected by parents who care more about their work than their families. They deal with this by spending too much time online and find each other playing MMORPGs. They keep up their friendship as Tim becomes Robin and Danny becomes Phantom and don't bother keeping secrets from each other.

Arc 1

Arc 2: Part 1, Previous

Word Count: 1.2k

-----

In the end, it ended up taking several hours for Danny, Sam, and Tucker to escape their families and converge on the park. In that time, Tim had called Bruce to let him know he’d be back in Gotham by tomorrow and finished most of his homework.

While he worked, Wulf and Bart were having an animated conversation in Esperanto.

Tim was pretty sure Wulf would be bringing Bart to the Ghost Zone for a tour sometime and started making plans to learn Esperanto himself and bribe Bart to get in on them.

Cassie was helping Conner sort through some of the music Sam had given him. Tim was jealous as he solved more banal trig questions. Why did school have to be so boring? He tapped his pencil on the paper in time to the beat of whatever music Conner had playing.

Tucker was the first to arrive. “Danny and Sam not here yet?” he asked as he plopped down next to Bart and Wulf.

“Nope. Haven’t heard from them, either,” said Tim. He opened his phone notifications again just to be sure, but there was nothing new.

Tucker shrugged and pulled out a stick of jerkey to munch on. “Not surprising. The Fentons will be all overprotective after the mayor was kidnapped by a ghost on live TV. And Sam’s parents are just as bad. Only they smother rather than check the weaponry.” He turned to greet Wulf in Esperanto.

An email came through on Tim’s phone and he groaned. “Our evening interview was canceled. No one wants to hear us try to defend Phantom anymore.”

Cassie cursed. “Course not. Bet the paper won’t publish our editorials either.”

Conner looked over, confused. “Won’t they? Clark works for the Daily Planet. They publish stuff like that all the time.”

Tim didn’t look up from his math as he answered, “That’s the difference between a big, Pulitzer winning publication and a small-town op-ed.”

Tucker sighed. “Well maybe someone will remember your interviews from this morning in a positive light.”

Bart rolled his eyes. “Come on, we can’t change it. So let’s move forward. Next step, make friends with more ghosts! Wulf says there’s a bunch of cool people in the Realms.”

“Realms?” asked Tim.

“It’s what he says the Ghost Zone is actually called. The Infinite Realms.”

“Huh. I’ll have to check JL databases, see if they have any information on them.”

Tucker asked something in Esperanto and Bart burst out laughing as Wulf looked on in confusion.

With Bart’s help, though, he rephrased until Wulf was able to reply. And then the three kept to Esperanto. Tim really had to find time to learn it.

Sam was the next to arrive. She grinned and sat down next to Conner. “How you liking the music?”

Conner grinned and showed her the sheets where he ranked the bands so far based on which songs he’d listened to. She then took over the speakers and searched for specific tracks to try and change his mind about some of the bands he liked the least.

Tim let his eyes close as his friends’ voices washed over him.

After some indeterminate time where he dozed between sleeping and awareness, a foot nudged his hip. Tim grumbled out what was supposed to be a, “What?” but was too mumbled to really be understood.

“Come on, Secrets. You can do better than that.”

Tim cracked an eye open to see Danny grinning down at him. He pushed himself up slightly and blinked heavily in the sunlight.

“Finally got away from your parents?” asked Tim.

Danny collapsed on the ground next to him. “Ugh, don’t remind me. They’re freaking out over everything that’s happened the last few days. Jazz and I are basically going to be on lock down until they feel confident the ghosts are gone.”

“Did you have to sneak out to get here?” asked Cassie.

Danny shook his head. “No, I told them I was going to find you guys to make sure you were all safe. You’re welcome to come back to ours tonight, by the way. Mom and Dad basically insisted on it.”

“What do you guys think?” asked Tim. “Spend one more night here at Danny’s and head out in the morning?”

Cassie sighed. “My mom’s already freaking out that I’ve been gone longer than planned. I should get back tonight.”

“I’ll stay,” offered Conner. “I’m your ride home, anyway.”

“Why don’t you come to my place, Conner,” offered Sam. “Your nails need a fresh coat after fighting today. And I need teach you about the different brands of makeup and what to look for in terms of cost, quality, and ethicality. Plus I can get you more music.”

Tim laughed when Conner looked to him. “Go for it. Have fun.”

Conner grinned. “Then yeah, let’s do it!”

Bart shrugged. “Wulf is going to go back to the Realms soon. I’ll head out after. Wally and Linda want me over for a family dinner tonight.”

“Well, looks like that’s it, then,” sighed Danny. “Been fun having other heroes around.”

Tim nudged his shoulder. “Join the Young Justice. You could join us and we'd help out whenever you wanted. Get you around people who actually appreciate what you do for them.”

But Danny was already shaking his head. “I have to stay here. And now Amity trusts heroes even less. I want to improve that, not make it worse.”

“Even if you don’t join,” declared Conner. “You’re not getting rid of us now.”

Bart nodded his agreement. “Yep. We’re gonna be stopping by all the time. You’re in the group chat.”

“Exactly,” agreed Tim. “And we’ll figure out ways to help you. Starting with how to minimize property damage. That seems to be the big thing people focus on. You can make shields, right? How big can you make them and how much power do they take?”

Danny smiled wryly. “Can’t say I’ve really tested it.”

Tim laughed. “Well, I know one thing we’re doing tonight. We’re going to go back to Nasty Burger—” Tim looked around at the whole group “—all of us. Then Cassie and Bart are going to go home. Danny and I, at least, are going to take a nap. Then we’re gonna test the current limits to Danny’s powers.”

Danny bumped their shoulders together. “You know, this is just like gaming with you all those years.”

“Yeah, well, it’s best to be thorough.”

“We’ve measured, like, his top speed and stuff,” said Tucker, pulling out a PDA. “Want to see what we’ve got so far?”

“Absolutely.” Tim took the device and looked through it. “You’ve a decent amount of information here. Maybe instead of taking a nap, I’ll help you organize it and come up with a testing plan.”

Conner flew over to him and pulled the PDA out of his hand. “Not after pulling an all-nighter you won’t. We’re going to get some food, then the two of you are going to sleep for at least four hours.”

“I’ll set Jazz on you, too,” threatened Sam. “Don’t think I won’t.”

Tim pouted as the device was given back to Tucker. And grumbled more when Conner picked him up and threw him over his shoulder.

“Come on, food time.”

“I am going to put kryptonite in your phone,” threatened Tim.

“Bingo!” shouted Cassie.

Danny laughed as he stood. “Does this mean I can join the next round?”

Tim scowled. “Traitors, all of you.”

-----

Next

And that's the end of this Arc! Arc 3 will pick up where the original fill did. (Only this time, Tim won't be the only DC character there to help Danny.)

I'd say something like I can't believe it's only been a year, but so much has happened to me in the last twelve months that it feels like a lifetime ago, to be honest. But it's been a good year and I'm glad this community has been part of it.

Please follow the subscription post if you want updates for when I start transferring this arc to AO3 or begin posting Arc 3.

[maximura]

[jade-of-mourning]

they both deserve to lose their shit just a little bit -- which may not be the most effectively conveyed here, but my sentiment is there (i swear)

[fandom-monium]

I don't want kids but

He wants a daughter, I'll give him a daughter 🗣😈🤰🏽

[caluski]

today at the store i behaved like a child.... i bought a diary/journal and crayons.... lets attempt journaling again

[cyvmints]

2. “I could never not love you.”

When Bruce comes home from work, Alfred greets him.

He immediately starts to worry.

Usually, Alfred is tailed by a pair of little footsteps happily skipping behind.

Today, Dick is nowhere to be seen.

Bruce frowns as he lets Alfred take his coat.

“Where’s the little one?”

Alfred shakes his head. “I have yet to see Master Dick this afternoon. I’m afraid I’ve been quite preoccupied with preparing for tomorrow’s gala that it slipped my mind. Last time I checked in on him was after lunch. He was in the library perusing for a new book to read I suppose.”

Bruce hums. “I’ll go see if he’s still there. Thanks, Alfred.” He then makes his way to the right wing of the manor where the library was located. It was odd. Dick was usually so eager to greet Bruce whenever he comes home; is always by the door with Alfred when he enters the home. To not have him greet Bruce made the man worry. There was something wrong.

He finds out as soon as he walks into the library and hears sniffles in between the bookshelves.

He quietly makes his way toward the sound and feels his heart break when he sees Dick seated on the floor by a bookshelf, his little arms wrapped around his knees and his head hung low, tears quickly dripping.

Bruce rushes to him and crouches. He feels his heart beating out of his chest with worry.

“Dick? What’s wrong?”

The child slowly looks up, tears streaking down his cheeks. When he sees Bruce, his lips tremble and he lets out a heart-breaking sob.

“M-M’sorry, Bruce—M’ so sorry,” the child stutters.

Bruce is quick to wrap his arms around the nine year old. Dick’s cries get louder as Bruce tightens his embrace.

Bruce lets him cry. He whispers comforting words but Dick continues to cry.

It takes nearly 10 minutes before Dick finally calms down. When he does, Bruce gently pulls away just enough to look Dick in the eyes. He brings out his handkerchief from his pocket and wipes the tears on Dick’s cheeks.

“Do you want to talk about it, chum?”

Dick sniffles and nods his head, although hesitantly.

“We don’t have to talk about it yet if you don’t want to,” Bruce adds as he places his hand on top of Dick’s hair.

“N-no. I have to tell you, Bruce.”

“What is it?”

“I—,” Dick hesitates again before he nods determinedly. “I broke a vase, Bruce.” Dick’s eyes start to water again. “I-I’m so sorry.”

At that, Bruce’s heart steadies. Relief floods his system. He smiles at the boy in front of him.

“Which vase did you break, chum?”

“The one near the classics bookshelf…”

Bruce shakes his head, still smiling.

“Is that why you were crying?”

Dick nods shyly and sniffs.

“Oh, chum,” Bruce chuckles. “Everything’s alright, yeah? I’m not mad that you broke a vase.”

Dick’s eyes snap up to look at him. “R-really?”

Bruce nods. “Really, really. But what made you cry so hard, bud? Is it just because the vase broke?”

Dick hesitates again. “I-…I was afraid you wouldn’t to adopt me anymore b-because I broke it. I didn’t mean to be a klutz, Bruce! I really didn’t see the vase before I bumped into it!”

“Hey,” Bruce takes hold of both of Dick’s hands and squeezes. “I wouldn’t not adopt you just because of something as silly as that, Dick. I could never not love you because of something so trivial.”

“R-really?” Dick’s eyes fill with hope, their spark slowly returning.

Bruce nods. “Really. The vase is nothing compared to how much I care for you, bud. that can’t be measured by monetary means.”

At that, Dick’s entire being brightens once again. He’s back to that joyful kid that Bruce has come to love and treasure.

“And to be honest, bud, that vase was always so ugly. So, thank you for getting rid of it.”

Dick laughs, loud and happy, and Bruce immediately feels his heart lighten.

[kiddphel]

☆ A Reflection of Myself, in You ☆

Word Count: 1,644

Pairing: Wolf2099 (Wolf Spider x Miguel O'Hara)

Summary: Two very broken Spider-Men from two very different worlds find a sense of comfort in each other. And it makes both of them uneasy. But they yearn for it while desperately trying to push it away. Blah blah it's a wedding fic. Lots of dialogue.

"Miguel. Do you remember when you proposed to me?" "I do."

Wolf laughed. There was a hint of annoyance behind it.

The two men sat next to each other, legs hanging over the edge of a random building's rooftop. They didn't sit too close to each other, but not too far apart either. Just enough space between the two of them. Just how they liked it.

"You asked me to marry you before you asked me out on a date." Wolf scoffed.

"No, I said I wanted to marry you. I never asked you to do anything." Miguel glanced at Wolf out of the corner of his eye. His expression was serious. The impenetrable fortress that was Miguel O'Hara and his emotions stood tall, even during a topic like this.

"When you say you want to marry someone, it leads the other person to believe that, oh I don't know, you want it to be reciprocated."

"And I never once said that, did I?"

"You're impossible."

Miguel cracks a smile at that. Wolf notices and smiles in return.

"I'm being serious, Miguel." Wolf Spider continues.

"When did I say you weren't?"

Wolf growled. "It's like you're trying to piss me off."

"I'm not. You just get mad too easily."

Silence falls over them. The sounds of the city below them fills the air and mixes with the tension between the two. Cars honk, a few party-goers are shouting, and the air vibrates with pollution.

"Do you still want to marry me? Even now?" Wolf asks.

"I do." Miguel answers.

"Even though I get mad too easily?"

"Even despite that, I do."

"Why?" Wolf scoots a bit closer to Miguel, challenging him. Invading his space. Both physically and emotionally. "Why would you want to marry me?"

"You're broken and busted and messed up." Miguel sits still, letting Wolf invade.

"And?"

"That's it."

"And here I thought you'd fall for my devilish good looks and witty humor." Wolf laughed.

"Those actually annoy me more than anything." Miguel laughs in return.

More silence. More sounds of the city. The two of them have moved closer to each other, but not enough. There's still that distance. Surprisingly, it's Miguel that breaks the silence this time.

"You're a mess. You don't trust anybody easily. You have anger problems and then get even angrier because you lost your temper in the first place. You push people away and isolate yourself because you think that you aren't allowed to be near anyone because you're a monster."

Wolf Spider tries to laugh, but it falls flat before he can even let it out. "You describing me, or yourself here?"

Silence.

And then,

A realization.

"Oh," Wolf looks at Miguel. "You are describing yourself. That's the whole point, isn't it?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Miguel shrugs.

Wolf stares at him, body fully turned to face Miguel. Miguel, however, is still facing forward. Facing away from Wolf. Staring out into the city.

"Explain a few things for me, would ya, Miguel? You've a very particular man who does things in a particular way. So what's the truth behind the half-confession half-proposal. And why someone so similar to you? No offense, but neither of us quite like ourselves enough to want to marry someone exactly like us."

Miguel gives a quiet half chuckle at that.

"With how perceptive you can be, it sure did take you long enough to pick up on it," Miguel stares back at Wolf from the corner of his eyes. Still not turning his head to look at him. Still keeping his body forward. Still closed off. "It's because we hate ourselves so much that I want to marry you."

"You want someone who sees themself in you, to reject you. React with disgust at your confession. Is that it? How selfish," Wolf scoffs. "Using me for your own self-flagellation."

Wolf faces forward again. He lays his hands neatly over his lap as he looks up at the stars in the sky. Miguel tilts his head slightly to look at him. The give and take of one looking away and the other looking at them. The silent game of tug-of-war.

"You're wrong, Miguel. We are very different."

"You made me explain myself, so is it only fair that I ask you to explain what you mean by that?" Miguel leans back on his hands. One hand slides closer to Wolf Spider. Wanting to grab him, touch him, pull him towards himself. But it stops just a few inches shy.

"You want someone to be the man in the mirror. To look at you with the same amount of disgust and hatred that you see in yourself every morning. But you're wrong. That person won't be me. We're different enough that I don't see myself in you."

"How exactly are we different from each other then? Tell me your perspective on it, Wolf." Miguel stares at him. Watches. "Is it because we're two different worlds? Past and future? Animal and human?"

Wolf Spider shakes his head, "No. It's because while you want to marry me because of your own self-hatred," He grits his fangs, tightening his fists until his claws prick at the palm of his skin, "I want you to marry me because you see the good in me."

Miguel's eyes widen.

Silence.

"Back then, when you told me you wanted to marry me, do you remember what I said?"

Miguel nods, "Yeah. You laughed and said you'd give me a year. If I convinced you that I was worth it in that year, you'd marry me."

"I did. And I made my decision long ago. Would you like to know when I made my decision?"

"I would." Miguel's voice is quiet, gentle. As he sits next to this predator, he speaks so gently. Like he's afraid to scare him away.

"Two months after you said that to me. And I decided then and there that you had proven yourself to me."

It made Miguel uncomfortable, the way Wolf Spider stared out into the night. How he looked forward, and not at him.

"Do you still feel the same?" Miguel asks.

"I do." Wolf answers.

"I'm sorry-" Miguel tries to speak.

"Don't." Wolf interrupts him.

"Let me finish, Wolfie."

Wolf sighs as his shoulders relax. Miguel smiles. He knows that nickname can always tame the beast even in his worse moments.

"As I was saying, I'm sorry we never had this conversation sooner."

"And why is that?" Wolf turns his head slightly, watching Miguel now.

"Because, truthfully, I changed my mind a long time ago too," Miguel tenses up as he watches Wolf Spider turn his body to face him fully once more. He breathes in before continuing. "At a point, it stopped being that I wanted to marry you. And instead, I decided I wanted you to marry me."

"You wanted me to like you." Wolf stated, bluntly.

"Yeah."

"You stopped seeing me as a way to punish yourself."

"Yeah."

"Can you say something different next time?"

Miguel smiled. "For this one, or the next one?"

"Next one."

"Yeah."

Wolf smiled back. The two of them moved closer, fingers brushing against each other.

"Why?" Wolf frowned as he asked. As if he was afraid to know the answer. As if the words might burn. "What changed your mind?"

"Back when you told me about the touchstones you werewolves have. A person that is so important to you that they help you hold on to your humanity. Was I supposed to catch on? That..." Miguel hesitates. "Were you confessing that I was your touchstone?"

"Kinda?" Wolf laughs, rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, you… You are. You are the one person I feel like I can really connect with. For better or for worse. That.. Did that really make you change your mind?"

"It did, but it wasn't so much that I changed my mind and more that I realized I didn't want to let you down. Because I realized that by being your connection to humanity, that meant you saw something in me. And that I am something worth holding on to. It made me realize that you didn't see us as the same. I realized you would never hate me. Wolf, I wanted to marry you because I thought that you were the only person with as much self-hatred as me that you never would. That you would reject me, and that I could justify being alone. But then you went and ruined it by seeing something worth loving in me. You made me realize that there's enough humanity left in me to see past the monster."

"Miguel," Wolf Spider speaks. Gently, soft as lamb wool, "if you can see yourself in me… And I can see something worth loving in you… Can you see that as well?"

"No," Miguel shakes his head. "But I see something worth loving in you. And honestly? It scares me."

"It scares me too. We can be scared together."

The two of them close the distance. Up on the roof of a random building, overlooking the city streets and lights, the two of them lean on each other for the first time. Wolf's head rests on Miguel's shoulder as Miguel rests his head on top of Wolf's. Fingers lace together as they look out over the city together.

Miguel breaks the silence once more.

"In the morning, once the court house opens up, wanna go get married?"

"Did you ever buy a ring? Just in case I said 'yes' some day?"

Miguel laughs, "No."

Wolf laughs with him. He smiles, baring his fangs to the stars watching them up above. The glow of the full moon illuminates them in a warm light. A kind of warmth Wolf was not familiar with from the moon.

"Sure, let's go get married tomorrow."

[nervous-runaway]

You, me, we, and the love we had. The likes of which will never be seen again. Of course there will be other loves, other Great loves. But none like ours.

Never again will our particular set of atoms & stardust touch.

Do you think our little nitrogen atoms weep? To know they waited 13.8 billion years, found their way to our hearts in our mothers wombs and waited. Waited to collide in that motel parking lot in South Carolina, only to never meet again. 13.8 billion years for a single moment.

I wonder if my stardust considers me a waste of time like you do -KR 4/18/22

[dandelionsfluff]

Unrequited Love Poem

Because I couldn't decide which idea I wanted to go with (a fairly common occurrence), today you get a two-fer.

"We've grown apart."

That's what you claim

And yet my heart

Is still aflame

Cannot your love be reignited?

Mine will remain, unrequited

Next up:

I've come to know you

Gradually over time

Strong character, wit, and grace

More than just a pretty face

I've come to need you

Gradually over time

Your laughter has become my balm

In all the chaos you're the calm

I've come to love you

Gradually over time

The spark I felt became a flame

Do you even know my name?

[norbezjones]

11th day of  the 365 Days Of Character Development writing game!  Basically how it works is that each day, we use (with permission, of course) a question from my friend's book on character development to get our creative juices flowing!  If you like this game, I recommend buying the book to support an independent creator!

Here's today's question:

What is your character’s sex life like? How do they regard their sex life and sexual choices?

😳

I'll be answering for the main characters of my upcoming game Romance The Backrooms later today.

[blueparadis]

there's hope ... there's hope. ...stay strong...paradis....

[lotus-flower-writes-history]

The Unofficial Black History Book

Juneteenth (June 19th, 1865)

Everyone knows Juneteenth as the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

But not everyone knows that the slaves weren't officially free.

This is the story.

Juneteenth National Independence Day, also known as Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Juneteenth Independence Day, is a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, observed annually on June 19th.

Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African-American holiday.

Juneteenth, short for "June Nineteenth," marks the day in 1895 that Federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all slaves were freed. The troops' arrival came almost two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Two months earlier, Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas -- Until U.S. General Gordon stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free."

The Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1st, 1863, The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. It established that all enslaved people in the Confederate state in rebellion against the Union "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." 

However, The Emancipation did not immediately set the slaves free.

The Proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control. But when Northern troops advanced into the Confederate South, many slaves fled behind Union lines.

In Texas, slavery continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or a significant presence of Union troops. Many slave masters from outside of Texas had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.

After the war ended in the spring of 1865, General Granger's arrival in Galveston the following June signaled freedom for the 250,000 slaves in Texas. Although emancipation didn't happen for everyone, slave masters withheld the information until after harvest season.

Celebrations broke out among newly freed African-Americans, and that was the beginning of Juneteenth. The following December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

On June 19th, 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first annual "Jubilee Day". In the following decades, Juneteenth celebrations featured barbecues, music, prayer services, and other activities, and as African Americans migrated from Texas to other parts of the country, so did the Juneteenth tradition.

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday, other states followed over the years. In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday. On June 17th, 2021, President Biden officially signed it into law. 160 years later, it officially became a federal holiday.

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My Resources

[jonaswpoetry]

Decayed

A whole other life

was being lived out

ten years ago; who

will I be (at nearly

forty) one decade

from now?

@nosebleedclub January Prompts 1. decade

[1morteveryday]

365/365 👣