#I really hope I did Thirteen justice

[oddlittlestories]

Two more chapters for you! (This is my House gets a tbi in wh fic)

Chapter 3: Wilson is struggling to keep his head above water through the grief, denial, and deluge of stuff to do.

Chapter 4: House is doing alright… at first. Sometimes, ‘okay’ is a fragile thing. This one has Thirteen and the rest of the ducklings.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Tags: Medical Procedures, Medical, Medical Trauma, Brain Damage, Brain Surgery, TBI, Hospitals, Emotional Hurt, Angst

[sadcoms]

a collapsing star Pairing: Thirteen/Rose Summary: The thing is, the Doctor thinks, is that Rose has never felt like a ghost to her. Even when she probably should have. / A retelling of Our Wives Under the Sea. Tags: canon divergence, timeless child, power of the doctor, the flux, angst.

If the deep sea is a haunted house, then outer space is a graveyard. The Doctor thinks she’s always known that, deep down. It’s why she ran away, why she wanted to travel. To prove that gut instinct wrong. How can all those stars have died millions of years ago when she can not only see them, but touch and feel the lifeforms they support? That was the trick though; one moment you could be drinking hot chocolate on a planet swarming with millions of people, and the next you could be in the same spot but with the planet gone, just a charred lump of rock and a dying sun beside you. It’s easy for the living things to feel like an illusion after that. No matter where you're standing, the light from a sun eventually reaches you all the same.

Read the rest here.

[that-was-anticlimactic]

i will never understand how or why the httyd movies did the books such an injustice.

the movies aren't even an adaptation - they stole the name of the series, the name of some of the characters and places, and the general idea that there are dragons. honestly, i would be fine with the movies and maybe even like them if they didn't capitalize off of cressida cowell's incredible books that never get any credit.

the books are an amazing story about the cycle of violence and how vengeance and revenge is dangerous. hiccup says that the past is a ghost story, one we need to learn from to better ourselves. the books are about how everyone deserves freedom, how every creature, every being on the earth deserves to be free. we see that in the slavemark, with the dragons.

and like... hiccup is so different. they did him a severe injustice. he's scrawny and intelligent and learned to talk to dragons simply by observing them! he chooses kindness first above all else; instead of yelling at toothless to train him, he is kind. and in the end, that kindness is why toothless chose to save him. bc even toothless himself says that dragons are inherently selfish creatures who care only for their survival. hiccup is brave - his beliefs differ drastically from both the vikings and the world.

hiccup is a child who chose to do the right thing even at the expense of himself. he agreed to free the slaves on nobert's ship, and in return, they gave him the slavemark which is easy to give but cannot be removed. he was like twelve. and having the slavemark means he cannot be with his tribe or his family, it means he isn't considered a human being anymore. and he keeps it a secret for awhile until it's revealed and when it is everyone turns their backs on hiccup. his family, his tribe, his mentor, people he TRUSTED. everyone except fishlegs, and, once she got over the shock, camicazi. he was thirteen. and even when he lost his memories and was really injured, he persisted. he was told to go to tomorrow and to save the dragons and he did bc in his heart he knew it was right even though he didn't know who he was or how he got there.

and fishlegs,,, oh my god FISHLEGS!!! the did him SO DIRTY!!! fishlegs is hiccup's best friend, one of the main motivators for hiccup. he steals norbert's potato for the sake of fishlegs, he gives fishlegs his dragon and goes to retrieve another, he takes the blame for fishlegs. and fishlegs does the same for him. he takes the slavemark with pride. he refuses to turn. he gives hiccup his lobster claw necklace which is his most prized possession. he is brave for hiccup, he believes hiccup is alive. he fights for hiccup harder than anyone else ever has. he does not turn. his is loyal, has allergies, has asthma, has a squint and a limp, has glasses bc he's blind without them... and he's still a hero despite being a runt, despite everyone even the adults telling him he's hopeless, telling hiccup to leave him behind.

and they cut camicazi! i'm sorry, but astr*d is nothing compared to camicazi. camicazi is a tiny, feral child who can easily best hiccup, fishlegs, and pretty much anyone in a sword fight. she can bring a grown man to tears with her rudery and smack talk. she is recklessly brave and craves adventure and follows hiccup blindly bc she trusts him that much. she isn't in love with hiccup - in fact she doesn't care about romance and love. she gives up everything to help hiccup bc she has a strong sense of justice. she is the motivator, the cheerleader, she finds a positive in everything. she never gives up. literally never gives up. and that's one of the most inspiring things about her: she always has hope.

and toothless! god!!! toothless is *thought to be* a common or garden dragon. he is horrifically tiny, he is literally toothless, and is the biggest brat in the world. he will cause problems on purpose. he has a stutter, he's the most selfless selfish dragon around. he and hiccup can talk to each other. he masks his fear with singing and being annoying. his growth is remarkable. he starts off refusing to obey hiccup, doing the opposite of what he says, making life harder for literally everyone around him, and he's still somewhat like that. but he's also braver, more caring, more willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others. he's clever, which he needs to be to make up for his size and aggression. he protects hiccup with everything he has, therefore, he protects what hiccup cares about just as hard. he was the only dragon that didn't abandon the vikings in the first book bc he cared about hiccup.

and snotlout,,, god,,, i will never forgive the movies for butchering snotlout. hiccup's cousin, the bully character, the one who is horrifically jealous that hiccup's dad was born before his. the one who desperately wants to prove himself, to be worthy, to make people proud. and you hate him, you despise him. he betrays everyone many times bc of the nothing promised to him by alvin and his mom. he loses himself, turns his back on himself, all bc he wants to prove himself. all bc he wants to be better than hiccup. and hiccup still forgives him and gives him chances, sometimes out of pity, but also bc snotlout is his cousin. he can't just turn his back on him no matter how miserable snotlout made his life. and in the end, snotlout sacrifices himself for hiccup. he gives up his life for hiccup in one last attempt to set things right. his death and the events preceding it are one of my absolute favorite moments in the book. gives me chills. makes me cry.

that's the thing with the books - they're so realistic. there is no inherently happy ending where everything works out. the first book begins with "there were dragons when i was a boy", implying that they're gone now. the books show there are consequences to our actions. they enslaved the dragons, they fought against them during the dragon rebellion all bc alvin and his mom said to, and now they're gone bc a simple apology doesn't fix hundreds of years of enslavement. and the only way for the world to move forward was for the dragons to leave and heal on their own. and now they have to learn to live without them. and yeah i've heard the third movie ends like that but. it doesn't have the build up. it doesn't have "there were dragons when i was a boy". it doesn't have eleven books of development to back it up, to make it feel meaningful.

i know that the movies are really special to a lot of people. i know that, on their own, they're genuinely good movies. i can acknowledge that the soundtrack is amazing and the animation is beautiful. i just can't see past the way they butchered the world that i love, the world that i grew up with. i can't see past the way people yelled at me for saying i liked the books better, the way that people gave me weird looks when i showed them a picture of the original toothless, when i tell them that nightfuries aren't even a type of dragon. cressida cowell created hundreds of different dragons, and the movies couldn't even pick from that. i can't forgive the way that barely anyone knows there are books bc the movie barely gives credit to them. i cannot forgive the way they capitalized off the books and then shoved them aside. i know cressida thinks they're good movies and i know a lot of httyd book fans also like them. but i just... i cannot get over how much they changed and how they missed so much and ignored the books. also they got rid of camicazi so hiccup could have a love interest and that is unforgivable to me.

if you disagree, that is a-okay. we're all entitled to our own opinions. i just ask that you, perhaps, try the books out. give them a chance. bc they're amazing works of art and also just like. don't yell at people who don't like the movies? whether it's bc they prefer the books or just aren't into that kind of movie. and just remember that dreamworks didn't come up with the story; cressida cowell did.

[eatmeandbirthmeagain]

hello! a little fic request I’ve been thinking on, not pressuring you to write it or anything, just wanted to share.

the y/n is a hot tempered foreign princess who got married to Baldwin when they were both children. she’s very energetic, straightforward, man-like in her character, but has to adapt to fit in the court of Jerusalem and also to „suit” her husband’s calm manner and the fact that he’s ill doesn’t help.

she’s unhappy about it; maybe even tears a little during the wedding, but doesn’t let anyone to think she may be vulnerable (mostly because she understand that that can be used against her in the future after Baldwin dies). but over the time she finds herself drawn to Baldwin because, well, unlike her teachers, he lets her study and play chess with him. he cares about her desires and interests. he also respects her, not just like a woman but as a friend, and a clever one. maybe some of her advice on the politics is used by him at some point (which would be absolutely unrealistic, but really, we’re talking historical romance with a leper king here…). a cute detail would be him gifting her a weapon of some sort to protect herself because he knows how she doesn’t like being treated like she’s helpless. bonus points if he says something romantic and or pathos’y about it.

did I write this whole oc story as a multiple chapter fanfiction in my head? yes, I did. am I going to finish it? absolutely no. but I’d love to read your interpretation!

♧ "Princess" - King Baldwin x Reader ♧

♧ Angst ♧

A/N: Hello Anon! So sorry for taking so long to write this, ive had so many requests. I'm not sure if this is what you had in mind but it was my interpretation and I hope you like it! I dont really like how it turned out as your request had so much detail and my writing does that no justice, but I hope its okay ☺️! As always, this is based on the film Kingdom Of Heaven, not the real historical figgures. This is also set pre-film. Enjoy!

TW: Leprosy

At thirteen years old, marriage was the last thing on young y/n’s mind. But yet, here she was. Soon to arrive in the city of Jerusalem, to be wed to a boy she had only ever met a handful of times.

Baldwin the fourth. The leper, who's mother just so happend to be ready to find him a wife at the same time her father was ready to find her a husband.

She sat in silence for the entire journey, this was uncommon for her. She usually always had something interesting to say or something to observe with curiosity. But as per request by her father, from now on she “had to act like a proper lady. No more of this ridiculous 'masculine' behavior”.

“You will be wed to a king y/n” he had told her. “You must stop acting the way you do. No king will be allowed such behavior from his wife”. 

Her attempt to keep to herself for the journey had been successful so far. She remained silent and still. Just as her mother taught her. “Just how a lady should be”. 

As the city came into view, y/n felt tears begin to burn her eyes. She would never again be allowed to explore the wilderness on her fathers land, or read every book she was allowed to have from the library. She surrendered herself to a life of boredom and suppression. 

Once exiting the carriage, she was greeted by the royal officials as well as the king's mother.

“I am so pleased to finally meet you young lady" she greeted her with a smile "you shall make a fine wife for my son” . Y/n thanked her and was ushered off quickly to prepare her for the hour of the wedding.

Y/n held back tears as servants worked busily around the room. Dressing her in beautiful garments, jewelry, and makeup. She was distraught. But she dare not cry. They could not see her so weak.

----------------------

The events proceeded and y/n barely even looked at the boy she was marrying. She could not bring herself to make eye contact with the man who would rule her life forever.

They told her to smile. “No man wants to see a lady disappointed on her wedding day” the king's mother had told her before they entered the church.

Baldwin himself was nervous about this day but just enthusiastic. Unlike y/n, he was looking forward to being wed to a young woman. He did not want just a wife to serve him, but a companion too. Someone who he could speak to about all kinds of things. Someone who would love him as much as he loved them. When he saw her, she looked beautiful, but sad. Very sad.

He hoped she was not sad about marrying him. Perhaps his illness deterred her from wanting to even be near him.

But she was still beautiful. She was 14, just like him. He could not take his eyes off her. He had met her a few times before, and she interested him deeply, even though they barely spoke. He more so just watched her play and talk with the other young people from his bedroom chamber window, longing to join them if it was not for his illness.

She played more with the young boys than she did with the girls. Always full of energy and life, always talking and laughing. But now, she looked different. As if the light had been drained from her. 

--------------------

When the wedding was over, the young king and queen got acquainted in the boy's chambers. She still seemed very quiet and unsure about his presence.

“Are you alright?” He asked her the second they were alone. “Yes your highness” she replied in a small voice, very different to the excitable tone she used to have. She sighed and lowered herself onto the small couch, turning away from him to look at her hands.

Baldwin thought for a moment, but then remembered that his mother requested he chose a wedding gift to present her after the affairs.

“I have a gift for you,” he said happily, lightening the mood.

He noticed her eyes light up a little at the comment. “You do?”

“Yes, would you like to see it?”

Y/n nodded excitedly, a smile forming on her face for the first time all day. The boy stood and disappeared behind the red, satin curtains that covered the large windows. He returned a few seconds later with something behind his back and a wide smile.

"I had to hide it, so my mother did not see what I chose for you" he explained. This peeked y/n's intrest greatly.

“Alright, close your eyes, '' he told her, the smile still plastered to his face. Y/n shut her eyes with anticipation. When he told her to open her eyes, she was lost for words. In the young king's bandaged hands, he held a shining silver sword with a pale pink ribbon tied around the handle.

Her eyes widened and stared at the sword for a long time before taking it in her hands to admire it. “Do you like it?” he asked, cautiously, hoping he had not offended her.

“Baldwin.. I love it!!” she exclaimed with a grin, jumping to her feet and wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a tight hug. The smile returned to his face and he put his arms around her waist.

“Now you can defend yourself my love. No wife of mine will be left vulnerable, even if there are men to protect her. She will defend herself, because she is strong.” His words filled the queen with happiness and hope. Perhaps her father was wrong after all and she could remain as herself. At least in the presence of her husband. 

-------------------

From that day on, they were inseparable. Unlike y/n’s tutors and parents, he allowed her access to his entire private library so they could study and read together. He allowed her time to herself, so she could do the things she loved without anybody telling her how to behave.

He quite often went as far as to seek her out for advice on political issues, not allowing her straightforward intelligence to go to waste.

Overtime, y/n became used to her duties as queen, but as much as she learnt to fit the role, she treasured her time alone with Baldwin. He cared about her interests, her desires. He respected her, more than anyone else ever had. They played chess together as well, each game being a delightful battle of the mind.

He saw her as not just a wife, but as a companion and an intelligent one at that. And for this, she would be forever greatful.

[trekscribbles]

The Bushwhack Job: Chapter Fifteen

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen

(Disclaimer: This is a relatively rough draft and subject to change when I post to AO3. I'm just overly excited and want to share what I have.)

Sophie didn’t want justice. She didn’t even want revenge.

She wanted to disappear.

But she couldn’t leave—not really, not yet. Not with Hardison in denial and Parker out for blood, and Nate… Nate would wait to implode until the job was over, but when it happened, there would be collateral damage. Someone needed to be there to sweep up the pieces, so she did what she always did when her heart took the shrapnel of a job gone wrong.

She became someone else.

Eliza Clancy walked into her new job at Lancaster’s downtown office without a care in the world. She shrugged her rhinestone-studded bag onto her desk and gushed good mornings to the various clients who streamed through the door, and she did her work with all the diligence of a fresh hire who still hoped to impress her boss. When Stephen Lancaster sauntered through the doors, Eliza turned the full force of her smile on him and earned a wink in return. She let him take the lead in the conversation, encouraging his advances with fluttered lashes and a blushing agreement to join him in his office. Lancaster smirked and strutted away, his heels clacking across the lobby. He played with his cuff links as he pressed the elevator button for his office, and Eliza kept a smile on her face in case he looked back before the doors closed.

Then she went to work.

Hardison had given her a thumb drive, and she plugged it into the computer tower under her desk and followed his directions for installing his program. His accent is atrocious, she texted Nate, unable to keep her hands still while she waited for the download to finish. His entire focus is on vowel mergers, and he completely ignores rhoticity and t-glottalization. Not to mention the fact that he’s combining half a dozen dialects. He wants very badly to be seen as Southern, but I’d guess he’s from New York.

Did you get Hardison’s program running? Nate replied.

She glanced at the download bar. Working on it.

“Excuse me?”

Eliza palmed her phone, flashing a smile at the man standing behind her counter. “Good morning, sir. How can I help you?”

The man gave her a polite nod. “Mornin’, ma’am. I’m just picking up an envelope for delivery.”

Eliza glanced at his jeans-and-hoodie combo, and the plain ball cap he held in his left hand, and raised her eyebrows. “Delivery for which company?”

“No company, ma’am,” he said, smiling. “I just do this on the side. My name’s on that envelope there. See?”

Eliza set her hand on the manila envelope labeled J.B. “This?”

“That’s the one.”

Something prickled in the back of her mind, and she tilted her head at him. “This is from Mr. Lancaster?”

“Directly from his office,” J.B. answered.

Well, that was deliberate wording if she’d ever heard it. “And he knows it’s from his office?”

A flicker of interest brightened in his eyes. “Y’know, I’ve made pick ups here before, and I’ve never seen you. I would’ve remembered.”

“I’m new,” Eliza said, leaning forward on her elbows.

“Is that so?” J.B. gave her another curious look, his smile widening. “And just when did you start?”

She lowered her voice. “This morning.”

“That’s pretty convenient timing.”

“For what?” she asked innocently.

He shrugged. “Nothing. Never mind me, I just get to talking. But I wonder if you might help me with something else.”

She waited, inviting him to go on with a small smile.

After a moment, he eased forward a step and set his arm on the counter. “What’s Mr. Lancaster’s schedule like for the rest of the day?”

“Are you hoping for an appointment?” Eliza asked.

“Not specifically,” J.B. said. “Just curious. Between the accident at his new office building and his press release regarding that historical find, I’m sure he’s a busy man. I suppose I was just wondering how busy.”

“He’ll be in his office all afternoon,” Eliza said, watching J.B.’s expression carefully.

He smiled. “Thank you, ma’am. You’ve been a big help.”

He tucked the envelope under his left arm and nodded to her as he turned away. She almost went back to her work, but some instinct kept her watching as he passed the security guard standing at the doors, where he dropped the envelope, laughed at himself as the guard bent to pick it up, and deftly slipped the walkie-talkie off the man’s belt.

He glanced back at the lobby, noticed her watching, and winked.

“I think he likes you,” said the woman at the next desk.

Eliza raised her eyebrows. “You think so? Have you seen him before?”

“He’s been here a couple times in the last few weeks,” her neighbor answered. “Sorry, you’re new, right? I didn’t catch your name.”

“Eliza.”

The woman smiled. “I’m Peg. You figuring things out okay?”

“Oh, sure,” Eliza said. “Everyone here is so nice.”

“Of course they are.” Peg gave a short laugh, and Eliza tilted her head. “Well, that all stems from Mr. Lancaster,” Peg went on. “He sets the tone for everyone. I noticed he talked to you quite a bit when he came in.”

Was that jealousy? Eliza waved a hand and glanced at her computer to check the progress of Hardison’s program. “He was only asking about his schedule.”

Peg tossed her hair. “He likes to check on us. I wouldn’t be surprised if he invited you up to his office. He does the same for all the new girls.”

Eliza flashed her a disarming smile. “Oh, I don’t think anything of it. I’m sure he’s a great boss, but he’s not my type.”

“I see.” Peg’s expression softened, and she returned the smile. “Well, let me know if you need anything. I’m happy to help.” 

That was... interesting. And not quite in character for Eliza—she was friendly but tough, used to taking care of herself, used to getting her way. She wouldn’t have backed down from Peg’s challenge. But she’d opened her mouth to deliver a backhanded comment about Peg marking her territory, and at the last second, she’d deferred. She’d chosen sugar over vinegar, reassurance over escalation.

And it had worked.

Eliza studied her computer screen without seeing it. That wasn’t her style. She didn’t submit, she needled. She found out what her target wanted, and then she withheld just enough to make them want to help her, made them crave her attention and approval. Backing off like this, disarming her opponent with quiet charm—that was more like—

She shook her head, blinking hard at the screen.

“A little tip,” Peg said, leaning back in her chair to look at Eliza. “Mr. Lancaster likes it when we bring in pictures of our families. He wants the office to have a homey feel.”

Eliza swallowed back a rush of emotion and smiled. “Well isn’t that nice.”

“Kids especially,” Peg went on. “Married with kids is always good.”

“Sorry,” Eliza said, huffing a small laugh and holding up her plain-fingered left hand. “No husband, no kids.”

“Well that’s all right, other family works too. You got any siblings?”

No. Eliza was an only child—driven, independent, and confident. She’d come to the city to work her way into a management role; she had big dreams, and she wasn’t afraid to fight for them.

“A brother,” she said, without her brain’s permission. “I had a brother.”

Sympathy chased the lingering distrust from Peg’s expression. “Oh, hon, I’m sorry. You were close?”

“He—We—” she stammered. “We were…” What were they? How could she possibly describe what he was to her? But Peg was watching, and she had to say something, so she took a breath and stole the words he’d once said about her. “He was a brother and a best friend, all rolled into one.”

“You don’t have to put up a picture if it’s too hard,” Peg said. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

A message on the screen blinked, and Eliza forced a smile to her face. “Oh, that’s all right. But I—I really should get back to this. I got some appointments to enter.”

“Of course,” Peg said gently. “You let me know if you need anything.”

Nate arrived shortly after that, and she passed him the credit card she’d taken from one of Lancaster’s sales reps so he could update his outfit to match Lancaster’s expectations. She waited for him to return, but before he could, Janish, the hulking head of security, showed up with a message for Eliza to meet Mr. Lancaster in one of his private offices.

“Of course,” she said, balancing her tone between shy and eager. “I’ll just freshen up and—”

“No need,” Janish said. “Follow me, please.”

She made one more attempt, putting on her prettiest smile. “There’s no need to trouble yourself. I know where his office is.”

“Mr. Lancaster has a meeting in his penthouse office,” Janish said blandly. “He will meet you on the fourth floor. Come with me, please.”

And for the first time in years, she felt afraid. It surprised her—snuck up on her, like a... well, like a thief. She’d been on her own for so long, had relied on herself for so long, that it shouldn’t have been such a shock to return to a system where she had no backup. But since joining the team, she’d never really been alone on a job. They were always there on the comms, and barring that, she’d always been able to rely on...

She bent to retrieve her purse from under her desk, pausing just long enough to unplug the thumb drive and drop it inside. “Lead the way, Mr. Janish,” she said, smiling. She could handle being on her own. 

She had to.

He ushered her to the office at the end of the fourth floor hallway, where she waited quietly while he guarded the door. She pondered what Eliza would do if the con was up, and how she’d manage if she had to drop the front she’d built up. She pretended not to recognize Nate when he came to request her presence on Lancaster’s behalf.

And then Eliot was there, arriving just in time to save the day like he always did, and the con and the character and every other crisis melted away when she wrapped her arms around him and cried. 

***

“Ford, I have Parker. Come around to the front. Lancaster’s still inside with Spencer.”

J.B.’s voice came over Nate’s radio, and Sophie abandoned the side door they’d been watching and ran as quickly as her heels would let her toward the front of the building. “He has Parker,” she panted. “What about Eliot?”

Nate glanced at her as they ran, but he didn’t answer. All the relief and joy that had been twisting in her stomach fell back into a tangle of anxiety, and she paused to take off her shoes so she could go faster.

They weren’t going to lose him again. They couldn’t. If he was still inside, they would go get him.

They were bringing him home.

Hardison was waiting with Parker and J.B., who was deep in discussion with a police officer—the chief, judging by the golden stars embroidered on his sleeve. “Didn’t you hear what she said?” J.B. was saying, gesturing wildly at Parker. “We’ve still got a man inside, and Lancaster has a gun. We can’t just sit out here and do nothing.”

“I can’t send any of my men inside until the bomb squad arrives,” the chief answered.

“Come on, Vince,” J.B. said. “They’re just in the lobby. If you won’t go in, then at least let me.”

The chief shook his head. “You know I can’t do that. You’re a civilian now, Rimes. You’re not trained for this.”

“I’m trained for more than—”

“Let me do my job,” the chief interrupted. “I’m letting you stay on this side of the blockade for old time’s sake. Don’t make me regret it.”

He turned away, shouting orders for his men to keep the gathering crowd away from the building, and J.B. swore under his breath. Sophie glanced at the building, blinking in the glare of the mirrored windows. She couldn’t see inside, but if Eliot was just in the lobby…

“You said Lancaster has a gun?” Nate asked.

Parker nodded. “Eliot told me to get out. He promised he’d follow.”

“Normally I wouldn’t question that,” Hardison said, standing close to Parker. “But he’s not exactly operating at 100% right now. Without his memories—”

Parker spun to face him. “Without his what?”

“He didn’t tell you?” Sophie asked. 

“Tell me what?”

“He hit his head,” J.B. said. “Retrograde amnesia. He didn’t even know his name when I found him.”

“But...” Parker shook her head, frowning at Hardison, then Sophie, then Nate. “He knew me. He called me Parker.”

“I told him your name,” Nate said. “But he told me himself that he didn’t remember us.”

“He knew me,” Parker insisted. “He said he thought I was inside the LanCast building.”

“Wait.” J.B. gaped at her, then at the others, then back to her. “That was you?”

Nate’s eyes were back on the building, but he turned his head toward J.B. to explain. “Lancaster set a trap. He told Eliot that Parker was inside so he would go in after her.”

“Then...” A grin split J.B.’s face, so bright and unexpected that it warmed some of the chill in Sophie’s chest. “You’re alive!” he laughed. “And he knows it? He knows it was you?”

Parker opened her mouth, confused, and J.B. waved a hand to cut off her question. “He remembered someone important was inside,” he said. “Or—was supposed to be inside. He went back to look for you, but when I told him the news reported three bodies had been recovered, he—well, we both thought you were dead. It was—he was—” He shook his head and resettled his cap on his head. “I was worried about him. I’ve seen men lose their friends in combat, guys they were supposed to protect… I wasn’t sure he’d come through the loss. He may not have remembered your name, but he remembered you.”

“All of us,” Nate said quietly. “Not like Parker, but… he told me he’d dreamed about us. A part of him remembered.”

“And he promised you he’d make it out?” J.B. asked Parker. When she nodded, he smiled. “Then he will. After what he went through, he’s not going to give you all up again.”

Nate’s eyes flashed. “We’re not giving him up, either. Parker, Hardison—if Eliot’s hurt, we’ll need paramedics.”

“On it.”

Police and firefighters shouted orders over their sirens, but J.B.’s status apparently applied to them as well, because nobody made them back away. Hardison and Parker returned a few minutes later, dressed in paramedic uniforms.“I got the keys to an ambulance,” Parker said, panting. “We just need to—”

A single gunshot sounded from inside. They froze, and Sophie held her breath, waiting for the inevitable.

There was a low, metallic boom, and the windows in the upper floors shattered. People on the street behind them screamed, their voices joining the noise Sophie could barely hear over the pounding of her heart. Parker broke for the door, but J.B. caught her and held her back, and she didn’t even have time to fight him before a second explosion rocked the ground. Firefighters yelled at them to stay away, to get everyone back, to clear the area—and then a blast of fire and broken glass blew through the doors, and Sophie raised a hand to shield her face as the concussion knocked a wall of heat against them.

When she looked again, Eliot was sprawled face-down on the ground in front of the ruined doors, unmoving.

They were all running, then. Parker reached him first, falling at his side and brushing the glass from his back, shaking his shoulders. He didn’t react.

J.B. crouched beside her and turned him over. “Take his legs. I’ll get his—”

Hardison dropped at his side and pushed his hands away. He scooped one arm under Eliot’s knees and wrapped the other around his back, pulling him up against his chest as he stood. Sophie caught Eliot’s limp arm and tucked it across his stomach before Hardison turned away. Her face was wet again, and flames roared at her back. Nate dragged her away as firefighters swarmed the building.

Parker ran ahead to open the back door of their stolen ambulance, and J.B. jumped inside to help lift Eliot’s body—Eliot, a live, living Eliot, not his body—onto a waiting stretcher.

Sophie put her hand on Hardison’s empty arm. “It’s okay,” she said, because Hardison was shaking and she had to say something, even if she wasn’t sure she believed it. “He’s going to be okay.”

He dragged his sleeve over his face and took her hand, never once looking up from Eliot’s face.

“He’s breathing,” J.B. reported, his voice distracted. “Parker, hand me the BP cuff there—yeah, thanks. Help me get his sleeve rolled up.”

They worked silently for a few minutes, shuffling back and forth between the narrow aisle as they checked Eliot’s vitals. J.B. spent the majority of that time by Eliot’s head, shining a light into his eyes and feeling for injuries hidden beneath his hair.

“Ford,” J.B. said finally, leaning back and wiping his arm across his forehead. “I don’t know much about you folk, or about Spencer, but I assume you’d like to avoid a hospital stay?”

“That would be ideal,” Nate said. Sophie glanced at him; his voice was raspy, like he’d been inhaling the smoke pouring out of the building, and he wouldn’t look at her. She reached out with her free hand to take his.

“I can treat his leg at Sunny’s,” J.B. said. “And I don’t see any other injuries I couldn’t handle. But he needs a CT scan before I can be sure we can risk it.”

“How are we going to get a CT scan outside of a hospital?” Sophie asked.

Hardison squeezed her hand, inhaled, and let it go. “Leave that to me. Text me the address, I’ll meet you there. Parker?”

Parker vaulted out of the ambulance and threw a glance over her shoulder at them. “It’ll be okay,” she said, smiling. “He promised.”

Then she and Hardison ran around the side of the ambulance and were gone.

[ordinaryschmuck]

I have plans for a web comic. Your standard, superhero comic, written and illustrated by me and likely ONLY by me. A comic that has this premise:

"When some of the world's mightiest heroes are discovered to be dead, with more villains growing and super killers out in the world, it's up for humanity's last hope to band together as a single team for justice. Unfortunately, humanity's last hope includes a narcissist, a coward, an idiot keeps losing fights, a homeless person who wants a normal life, a super genius that's thirteen-year-old, a shape-shifting pacifist, and a recovering drunk leading them all. Will they be able to save the world? Well...They'll certainly try."

It'll have lots of stuff that makes superheroes fun. Action, comedy, heroes being human, struggling to do good for both the world and for the people in their lives, tragic backstories that show why the heroes make sure no one has as bad of a day as they did, SELECTIVE intense violence, heroes advocating for redemption over final acts of violence, and some gay characters...Alright, that last one's more or less implied in most superhero content, but why not include here, right?

I love this idea, these characters, and all the plans I have for them. The problem? On the internet, it's a shot in the dark if whether or not what you make is popular. And I don't know if my heart can take it if the first few pages of my comic go up, and only ten people see it with two of them liking it. I can't take it anymore. I've tried three times to make a webcomic, really trying to make something good and pouring everything I have into each one, only for my work to go unnoticed and unappreciated.

"Maybe they're not good."

Yeah. Maybe. Maybe my writing's not good enough to stand out. Maybe my art-style isn't appealing enough to some people. Maybe my jokes aren't funny enough. Maybe my ideas aren't interesting enough. Maybe my story's aren't profound enough. Maybe...I'M not good enough.

...But at least maybe it'll be worth another shot. Who knows, this will finally be the one to worth trying and get a lot of attention. At least, worth trying for a year and see how big the numbers are. But here's the thing: I want to make sure first. I want to know, going in, that I'll have enough people supporting me.

So, here's what I want: 1,000 notes. I don't want money, I don't want donations, I want 1,000 notes on THIS POST to tell me that my creative mind is worth creating again. If I get 1,000 notes, at any point throughout...let's say the rest of the year, then I'll do it.

I'll make another webcomic. And hopefully don't waste my life doing it.

[amberlynnmurdock]

Blind Faith (Ch. 13)

Chapter Thirteen: The Devil Has Many Disguises

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader

Summary: You take up Zach's offer to have dinner at his apartment.

WARNINGS: attempted assault, getting drugged, losing consciousness, side effects of drugs

A/N: PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION! This was a tough chapter to write because I didn't want to write anything too crazy but also not anything not-crazy... this was always in the plan/outline. PLEASE be aware of what you drink when you go out! It's a crazy world. I know this subject can be sensitive. I KNOW. I took this seriously in school and something I always thought was I wish Daredevil was real so sick people could get the justice they deserve! With that said, I hope you like this update, because I can't wait for the next one!

Tags at the end!

Ao3 Link

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Office of Nelson & Murdock

Rain pattered softly against the windows of Nelson & Murdock. It was a quiet and calm day, completely opposite of what you felt inside. Inside, your heart was racing at the thought of your plans tonight, your mind felt like you were thinking a million different things at the same time, and in the pit of your stomach was an excitement you hadn’t felt since the beginning of summer. 

A week had gone by since the Bar dinner, and Zach was successful in his attempts to ask you out on a date—was it a date? Tonight, you were to go to his apartment just a little uptown to have dinner and discuss all things LSAT and law school. What really won you over was his genuineness, even over the phone. 

Gone was the slightly cocky, sure-of-himself lawyer you met at the dinner. Instead, Zach actually seemed shy and sweet on the phone. He blamed his attitude on the alcohol, which you’ll admit, you blamed yours on that as well. If you were comfortable enough to come to his apartment, he offered to have dinner there and show you his library of law school books and whatnot. 

“Excited for tonight?” Karen asked as she walked past your desk to drop off a few files for you to input into the system. She smiled and sat on the corner of your desk, pushing a strawberry blonde strand behind her ear. 

“I am,” you admitted, feeling your cheeks turn hot. You spoke in a low voice, so Matt or Foggy couldn’t hear. “I mean, a free fancy dinner and LSAT help? It really can’t get that much better for me right now.”

“I’m sure you’ll have a good time,” Karen said. “Text me, though, if you feel uncomfortable at all or if the date seems to be going wrong, or if he just grosses you out. I’ve had my fair share of dipping on dates early.”

You laughed, “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t go down like that.” 

Karen told you more about the files she dropped on your desk—most of them didn’t have to be put in until Monday, and instead you could use most of the day to read and learn them first. Foggy came out of his office, whooshing past you and Karen, and straight into Matt’s office.

Matt locked himself in his office all week, seemingly avoiding any small talk or conversations. He must’ve been busy with his cases—there were a lot more coming in this week—or so you thought. No, Matt’s mind was occupied with something else, something that’s been slowly eating at him since the Bar dinner last week. 

He sits in his office quietly, one earbud connected to his Orbit reader, the other trying not to eavesdrop on your conversation with Karen, but who was he kidding? He knows Zach has been reaching out to you the entire week, trying to invite you to his apartment for dinner… but something wasn’t right. Matt didn’t know what it was, but something didn’t feel right. 

So what did he do? What he does best—investigate that annoying, hard-to-ignore intuition. Earlier this week, he decided to pay a visit to Landman & Zack on his lunch break without telling anyone. Like clockwork, Zach’s been calling you right at 1:00 p.m. 

Matt was able to listen in from the third floor of Landman & Zack’s building, from the inside of a broom closet, all the way up to the 10th floor where Zach’s office was.

“Hello?” 

“Miss __,”

“Is this Zach?”

“It sure is,” he chuckled lightly over the phone. 

“How can I help you, Zach?” 

“Well, I—I haven’t stopped thinking of our meeting at the dinner last week. I was wondering if I could see you again.”

“You were, were you?”

“Yes,” Zach said, with a hint of impatience only Matt could hear. “I was.”

“Hmm.”

“I was serious about the LSAT help, but I was also thinking we could combine dinner with that, at my apartment uptown?”

“I’m not usually one to go to someone’s house on a first date.”

“None of that,” Zach shook his head. “I just want to help, that’s all. And treat you to dinner, of course.”

It wasn’t the way Matt could hear Zach tapping a pencil on his desk, or the way Matt knew the palms of his hands were sweaty that was off-putting, but it was the way Zach’s heart was beating when he spoke those last few lines to you—about wanting to help.

He was lying. 

And since that moment, Matt’s been contemplating what the right thing to do was. So, by locking himself in his office and avoiding your presence, he thought the answer would come to him—well, it was clear, but it was a matter of whether he should ignore it or not. He listens to you as you gush to Karen about your plans with Zach tonight. He doesn’t realize how tightly he’s clenching his jaw until Foggy walks into his office, seemingly picking up on what your plans are. 

“Hey man,” Foggy greets casually, “can we talk?” Matt leans forward on his desk as Foggy shuts his door. 

“What’s up?” Matt asks. 

“I didn’t want to ask to be weird, so I figured I’d come to you. Did—what happened at the Bar dinner last week? We sort of talked about it, but I don’t think I got the full scope,” Foggy explained, gesturing to you and Karen. 

Matt sighed and ran his hand over his cheek in annoyance. “We ran into an old colleague of ours,” Matt said with a forced smile, “Zachary Zack.”

“I gathered that, but—is—don’t tell me that asshole is coming onto her,” Foggy said. He runs his hand through his long blonde locks. “That guy got everything handed to him at that firm because of his father! And now, he thinks he can just cozy up to one of our employees and bribe her to leave us?”

“He’s not bribing her, Fog—he’s trying to win her over, see her—I don’t know,” Matt said exasperated. “You should’ve heard him at the party. He’s the same pompous asshole as he always was.”

“What, you mean like ask her out on a date?” Foggy asked with concern. “He asked her out, and that’s what she and Karen are talking about?” 

Matt nodded his head slowly. Hearing it said out loud caused Matt to feel an uncomfortable rush in his chest. He hands turned to fists as he took a deep breath. 

“He gave her his number at the party. I’m assuming she must’ve messaged him because he’s been calling her every day. Yesterday, he finally asked her to dinner at his apartment and to help her with the LSAT.” 

“Jesus…” Foggy sighed. “I mean, I don’t want to scare her or tell her what to do, but Zack was bad news back then. I wouldn’t want him to hurt her or take advantage—what’s his intention?”

“I don’t know,” Matt said cooly. “But I do know he lied to her about wanting to help.”

“Lied—how do you know?”

Matt sighed and took off his dark red glasses. 

“The other day, I took my lunch and decided to go to Landman & Zack, right before I knew he would call her. I…listened to their conversation and could hear Zach’s heartbeat. He was lying, Foggy,” Matt whispered. “I don’t like that.” 

“What should we do?” Foggy asked. 

“Not we,” Matt shook his head. “What am I going to do.” 

“God Matt,” Foggy shook his head, “you really think it could be that serious?” 

“I don’t know,” Matt answered. “Just to make sure she’s safe, I’ll follow her. That’s all. If he seems fine, then I’ll leave. Maybe his heartbeat was a product of nerves asking her.”

“Maybe,” Foggy said. “Well, be careful. And make sure she’s safe.”

Matt nodded as Foggy left the room. He sat there for a moment, thoughts swimming in his head—he thought of the last night you banished him from his life, as the man in the mask, as Daredevil, as your savior. He thought of the very first night he ever met you, the first night you shared on your rooftop. This wasn’t about his feelings for you anymore, or his heartache, or yours—it was about making sure you were safe. 

⠋⠁⠊⠞⠓

Entering the last case in the system, you nervously watched as the clock finally struck 5:00 p.m. Karen was gathering her bags and jacket and Foggy was almost halfway out the door. He stopped in Matt’s office for something and then wished you a good weekend, and to be safe. 

“You too, Fog,” you smiled. He looked at you with a soft expression before heading out. Karen walked by your desk to wish the same thing. 

“Let me know how it goes,” she said quietly. “Great job today, by the way.”

“Thank you,” you blushed. “Have a good weekend!” 

She said goodbye to Matt and shut the door quietly. You finished typing your last sentence before you began to pack your own things up. 

Zach said to come by his apartment anytime after work, so you weren’t going to put pressure on yourself to get ready in a rush. Though, you did want to get there at around eight o’clock. 

As you were about to head out, you noticed Matt was still sitting at his desk, hunched over a pile of papers, running his fingers over the braille. He was so concentrated, you weren’t sure if you should slip out or wish him a good weekend. He may have felt your presence, you weren’t sure, but he looked up behind his dark red glasses as you stood in the doorway. 

���Heading out?” Matt asked. 

“Yeah,” you nodded. “Just wanted to say goodbye and have a good weekend. Got any plans?” 

Matt chuckled a little as if to say, me, plans? 

“Not really,” Matt answered. “Think I’ll take this weekend to relax, maybe catch up on work.”

“You’re always working,” you smiled and spoke softly. “Why don’t you take a break and actually relax?” 

“I take a break, the cases pile up even more,” Matt said. “Do you have any plans?” 

“Not much going on. I am—I’m going to have dinner with that old colleague of yours, Zach?” You told Matt. “Took him up on his offer to help me with studying. He’s making dinner, too.”

“Hm,” Matt replied, “that’s good. A date?”

“I’m not sure,” you laughed nervously. Telling Matt these things treaded weird territory, but you felt comfortable enough to talk to him like this. You remembered that night outside of Josie’s when you confided in him about your savior. “What was he like? When you worked with him, I mean. How was he?”

Matt shifted in his seat. You wanted to say never mind, but then he started to speak. 

“He was… loud.”

“Don’t hold back now,” you smirked. 

“He was a little pretentious. I don’t know if you know, but his father is the elder Zack. I never worked that closely with him, but everyone knew who he was.”

“Hm,” you answered thoughtfully, “why did you and Foggy leave?”

“We didn’t agree with how they ran their firm,” Matt said. 

“Interesting,” you replied. “Well, I guess I’ll let you know if he’s still pretentious.”

“I’m sure not much has changed,” Matt laughed, “But I hope it goes well. I really, really do.”

With that, you smiled once more at Matt, before leaving him alone in his office. 

⠋⠁⠊⠞⠓ Uptown 8 PM 

Zach’s apartment was a little bit uptown, but not much. Just like you were stunned at the venue of the Bar dinner, your reaction to his apartment was no different. On the 12th floor, his apartment had a beautiful view of Manhattan, especially at night—the building lights twinkled as you looked out his giant living room windows. He had an open floor plan, so when you first walked in you basically saw almost all of his apartment. To the right was a kitchen with a white marble countertop, and to the left was a small dining room with the same countertop. In front was the large living room, and beautiful large windows. 

He was in his kitchen, keeping an eye on the linguine he was boiling. That and the shrimp in the pan smelled delicious. 

“Like the view?” He called from the kitchen. Separating you was his large living space, with a tan suede moon crescent-shaped couch. The ceiling had a diamond chandelier and a glass coffee table. You were happy you opted to wear a white silk shirt and matching skirt. For some reason, you had a feeling his apartment would be minimalistic and classy. 

“I do,” you answered, “but nothing I haven’t seen before.” 

He laughed as he stirred the pasta. “Guess the view of the city all depends on where you stand. Wait til I show you my library.” You looked at him—he wore a white button-down shirt and khakis. His blonde hair looked more warm in the lighting. 

“The library,” you repeated. “Where all your law books are?”

“And even more,” he smiled brightly—his chiseled smile caused goosebumps to form on your arms. “Do you want some chardonnay?” 

“Please,” you accepted his offer. He turned the stove on medium heat before grabbing a brand new bottle from his separate wine cellar. Bringing out two large wine glasses, you watched as he poured you the cold, golden liquid. 

“Say when,” he said, catching your eyes. Your heart leaped. 

“When,” you smiled. 

Zach raised his glass—you mirrored him as the wine glasses clinked. He held your gaze for a moment before you both took a sip of wine. It tasted sweet. You blushed and looked away. 

Suddenly, the pot on the stove overflowed. Zach immediately turned the stove down and took the lid off the pot, scratching the back of his head. 

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, “I’m not much of a chef. Why don’t I show you the library now?” 

You laughed, sort of caught off guard by how he seemed unsure of himself. Taking another sip of wine, you nodded your head. 

He walked you down a narrow hallway in his apartment. At the end of the hall was a glass door, away from the view of the city. When Zach pressed a light switch on the wall, the room lit up a soft glow and your reaction was similar to the first time you saw the giant blue whale hanging in the middle of the Museum of Natural History. You were in awe.

“The rest of the collection is at my dad’s,” Zach laughed as he watched you gape in the room. Against each wall were bookshelves lined with the most beautiful leather-bound books. Between blank spaces were the scales of justice, or a mini statue of lady justice. At the front of the room was a long mahogany desk with two lamps on either side and a quill and ink bottle for style. You gravitated towards it, running your fingers over the smooth wood. 

“Where are the LSAT books? Could we take a look?”

“When dinner’s over and we have some more drinks in us,” Zach smiled. Part of your heart fell from disappointment, but it made sense to not rush into what you came here for. Plus, you were really hungry. And this wine was delicious. 

By the time you made it back to the kitchen, you finished your wine. You took a seat in a golden chair at the marble table and looked at this side of the room. There was a long mirror against the wall and some house plants in each corner. Zach wasn’t much for decorating, you could tell. 

With his back to you in the kitchen, Zach poured you another glass of chardonnay. He brought you your glass before he went back and prepared two plates of shrimp linguine. You drank from the wine glass and started to feel that familiar buzz wine gave you. 

“Dinner’s served,” Zach smiled as he sat in the seat next to you. It smelled delicious—you wasted no time twisting your fork in the pasta and taking your first bite with a small piece of shrimp. 

“This is amazing,” you breathed, “wow.” 

“Thank you,” Zach nodded, “it's a recipe from my grandmother. It goes perfectly with the chardonnay.”

“It really does,” you said, taking another sip of the wine. “I’m actually not much of a wine drinker, but I do enjoy it occasionally with dinner.”

“I love it,” Zach smiled. 

“So, I have a question,” you began. “What was it like working with my bosses?”

“Nelson and Murdock?” Zach questioned, “I didn’t work with them that closely. They weren’t even there that long. To be honest, they seemed a little too soft for this field.”

“Woah,” you said in defense, “these are my bosses you’re talking about—be careful, Zack,” you squinted your eyes playfully. Zach shrugged his shoulders, seemingly serious about what he was saying. 

“Being a lawyer isn’t all about justice. I learned that the hard way,” Zach said, “it’s more than just lady justice and good vs. evil. It’s a business. You’ll learn that in law school.”

You didn’t agree with what he said. The whole point of the justice system was to serve justice—it’s not all business and it’s not all money. 

“Maybe it’s business for Landman & Zack, but not for Nelson & Murdock,” you gently argued. 

“That’s why our building is on Fifth Ave and yours is off a corner in the Kitchen,” he said rather smugly. Not wanting to push the matter further—clearly, there was some weird tension between Zach and your bosses--you smiled and took another bite of linguine. 

After your next sip of wine, you placed the glass next to your plate, and there was something unsettling about the way the liquid splashed on the glass. You watched curiously as if in slow motion, as the cold wine splashed outside the wine glass and on the back of your hand. You felt an inclination to react, but you sat there, staring in confusion. 

“You okay?” You heard Zach’s voice, which strangely sounded muffled. Were you drunk already, after only one and a half glasses in? You knew wine could have this effect on you—your wine drunk was different from your tequila drunk—but why were you such a lightweight tonight? 

“Yeah,” you said or tried to say—your voice felt like it was a thousand miles away from you, and you were still staring at the glass and your hand covered in the sweet, sticky liquid. Did you even hear your voice? Were you going deaf? Where did this loud ringing sound come from? 

You watched as Zach dabbed your hand with a napkin. You flinched at his touch and tried to bring your hand close to you, but it felt like it weighed a ton. You couldn’t move it. It was like when your arm fell asleep from sleeping on it wrong—not even a pinch you could feel. Your eyes fell to your shrimp linguine, which suddenly was nauseating to look at, even smell. The linguine noodles looked like a bowl of just yellow, with a few orange dots that tried to be shrimp. You shut your eyes, blinked really hard, and opened them to feel even more dizzy. 

“Something’s not right,” you said weakly, so softly you weren’t even sure Zach heard you. Your tongue felt thick. Your heart started to pound, no, hammer in your chest—not a rapid beat from adrenaline, but an agonizingly slow and steady beat—you could hear it in your ears, your pulse, like a hammer was hitting your chest from the inside, telling you that something wasn’t right. An impending feeling of fear washed over you like an ice-cold wave, but at the same time, everything started to feel too hot. 

“Let’s lay you down,” Zach’s muffled voice said. You tried to get up from the seat but even that was too difficult. You could barely hold onto the armchairs. Zach expertly got up and pulled your seat out, lifting you from behind. You stood on your feet but nearly fell over the table. Your glass of wine spilled across the table, the glass shattering into pieces. “Let’s lay you down,” he says again.

“I don’t feel good,” you slurred. It was the strangest thing you’ve ever felt, a mix of terror and confusion. You were still wondering how you ended up so drunk, and why you suddenly felt a strong urge to go home. You could barely walk, let alone stand. Zach was practically dragging you to the long, suede couch. And you’re not sure if you tripped, but you flung onto the couch and landed on your side, feeling your whole body weigh you down like you were made of sand bags. Your heart was still hammering slowly in your chest, and you felt like you were sinking. Sinking into doom, into fear, into an abyss you couldn’t crawl out of. Sinking in a dream you couldn’t wake up from. 

The only way you could describe it was like being in the middle of a terrible, terrible nightmare—the worst you could think of—and just as things were about to get terrifying, just as whatever dream-maker had control over your dreams was going to commence the final act of doom, you think you will wake up to sweet relief and reality—except, the nightmare keeps going, and this is your reality. Tunnel vision now. You can barely see. 

“You said you wanted to lay down,” Zach appeared over your head now, his once-blue eyes now beady as he looked down at you. His fingers felt meaty as they forced you to look up at him. You furrowed your brows—I wanted to lay down? I asked?—you tried to wipe your hair out of your face but an unpleasant grip took your wrist and threw it above your head. You felt heavy, numb, powerless. 

“Shh,” Zach cooed in a sing-song voice, “it’s okay, you wanted this. Remember?” He’s leaning over you now, and you’re watching as he begins to unbutton your white shirt. 

You don’t remember. You don’t remember how you ended up on the couch, and his voice made you turn your face and push into the soft velvet cushion, away from him, an attempt to escape. An attempt to have any kind of control. To hide. 

And then suddenly, his body weight on top of you was gone, like an intense pressure on your chest immediately disappearing. 

You looked at the soft, suede, tan-colored couch. The sort of color that reminds you of old peeling wallpaper in a doctor’s office; uninviting, ugly, yellow and dry. Before, the color of this couch was ordinary—but with your cheek pressed against it and you lying on your side, you see the color for what it is. Boring, ugly, and something you absolutely hate to look at. And you want to hold onto anything familiar in your mind—a familiar feeling, a familiar image, but you can’t. You’re breathing heavily, and your eyes feel like they weigh a ton. You struggle to keep them open but now the room looks like it's spinning from the way you lie—like a washing machine. You see a figure in black moving around before black is simply all you see. 

Hell’s Kitchen 12 AM 

The first thing you wake up to is your uncontrollable shaking. It reminds you of a time when you were in middle school and you came down with the flu. You remembered being wrapped in a hoodie and sweatpants and socks, under thick blankets, and shivering like you were out in the cold. Your mom brought you chicken soup and your dad put on your favorite cartoon. There was a huge difference between then and now. You were shivering, but there wasn’t that familiar feeling of home. Only panic.

Your eyes shoot open and it takes you a moment to realize you’re not in a room you recognize—your eyes first land on dojo-type sliding doors, a soft glow coming behind them. You look around a little more, and there’s not much in the room except for a wooden armoire tucked in the corner and tiny windows in the front. Bright, neon lights shine through them before they disappear again. You shut your eyes once more. It’s then you realize you have an IV in your arm. A strange, tight pinch in the middle of your arm, on your most delicate skin. 

You shoot up in bed, shaking, and your head pounding. The bed you were in must be king-size, covered in dark silk sheets. Black or dark blue, you couldn’t tell. You’ve never slept in silk sheets before. At the edge of the bed are more folded blankets, and you immediately grab them, desperate for some more warmth. Throwing them over yourself, you immediately lay back down, cautious of the IV in your arm. Your teeth started to clatter. 

You’ve been wanting to avoid the only answer that brought you here. You didn’t even want to say his name, think of him, or that God-awful voice he used… 

Tears welled in your eyes—you can’t remember much other than that. You don’t remember how it happened, all you know now was you were in bed, with an IV in your arm. Tears streamed down your face, and the familiar hammering heartbeat started in your chest again. It wasn’t from terror, but sadness. You felt so incredibly sad, and you didn’t know why. Your whole body felt weak and cold. Your chest felt heavy. 

You jumped when you saw the dojo doors slide open slightly. Wiping your tears and holding your breath, you looked around nervously for a weapon to use against whoever stood behind the doors. 

You felt immense relief and confusion when you saw your savior step into the room—his room, you concluded. It had been months since you’d seen him, the lightness that filled your chest was telling you—that you missed him, so much. But what strange circumstances were you in now? 

“M-Mike?” God, even your voice was quivering and hard to mask. “What—you brought me here?” 

He was silent in his movements, his face half covered and in his usual black outfit. You were relieved it was him but confused all the same. Did he know where you were? How? Did he save you? 

Of course, he did. 

“Yes,” he said, slowly walking over to you. You flinched, for some reason, like second nature as he got closer. He stopped in his movements and held up his hands. “It’s me. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I know,” you said in a shaky voice, pulling your knees to your chest. “I don’t know why I flinched.“

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “Can I sit next to you?”

“Yeah,” you answered weakly, more like a desperate plea. “Yes.” 

“Okay,” he nodded, and you scooted over a little to give him room. The bed dipped when he sat down. You stayed in your fetal position, shaking. You wanted to reach up and touch him, but you were all too weak. “How do you feel?” He asked, even though he knew the answer was obvious. 

“I can’t stop shaking like I have a fever,” you said. “My head is pounding. My throat is dry.”

“You do have a fever, but the IV is helping bring it down,” your savior explained softly. 

“Did you hook me up to it?”

He shook his head. “No. A friend did.” 

“Mike,” you whispered, “what happened to me?” Your voice cracked at your question, and your savior’s throat bobbed, like this was hard for him, too.

“Nothing happened to you,” he said softly. “I didn’t let him.” 

“Did he… I felt like everything was fine and then suddenly I couldn’t walk. Did he slip my drink something?” 

Your savior didn’t speak, he only nodded. “You’re experiencing the side effects now. It’ll be in your system for 12 hours, but the IV is flushing it out.”

“Oh my, God,” you cried, “oh my, God,” you cried into his silk pillow, feeling something tighten in your chest. You felt his warm hand on your shoulder, caressing your skin. You sobbed, hiccuping cries, and your savior stayed there, holding your arm. 

“__,” he said your name after your cries softened. “You’re with me.” 

You opened your eyes and wiped your tears, looking at your savior. Slowly drawing his hand away from you, he reached behind the back of his head and pulled his black mask loose. With his head down, he slowly drew it back and off his face, and you swore you couldn’t tell if you believed who you saw or if the drug's side effects were still in your system because you were looking at Matt Murdock right in his hazel-brown eyes.

_____

TAGS:

@starry-night-20 @sumsytee @queerqueenlynn @mattmurdocksstarlight @marvelcinematiquniverse @hailey-murdock (please let me know if I missed you!)

[goldendoodlerlockerlove]

Also, also, Jimmy Jr

Woohoo!! The only boy ever, the dancing queen himself, Jimmy Jr. I'm lowkey sweating a bit because I want to do your favorite boy justice.

First impression: I was very normal about Jimmy Jr. at first (please don't come for me--) I just didn't have a very strong opinion about him. I thought he was funny, and a decent love interest for Tina, but I didn't think much of him. I did think the whole Romeo & Juliet thing he had going on with Tina was pretty great, but other than that, I was pretty normal about him.

Impression now: I hope you know you've made me appreciate him so much more, and now I find myself randomly thinking about him. I think he's an interesting character to analyze, especially when it comes to his daddy issues with Jimmy Pesto Sr., And analyzing how he expresses himself through dance is really fun. He's quite a relatable character. You've given me brainrot, DT, I hope you're happy, pffffffft.

Favorite moment: One of my absolute favorite quotes in the entire show actually is "DON'T TELL ME NOT TO DANCE, DAD!! 😤" I kid you not, it makes me wheeze every time. And the moment when he takes Tina out on a date to Fro-Yo Mama in What A (April Fool) Believes is so sweet (awesome frozen yogurt shop name, by the way).

Idea for a story: Ooooooh, maybe a story that delves deep into his daddy issues with Jimmy Pesto Sr. would be great. Or one that delves deep into his relationship with his mom, because we haven't seen her yet. Though, I would also love to see something centered around his relationship with Andy and Ollie. We need more Pesto Brothers lore!!

Unpopular opinion: Oh my god, what are some people's problems with Jimmy Jr.?? Why can't we all just get along and appreciate his weird, wonderful dancing?? I swear, every time he appears, it stirs up some sort of controversy within the community, and frankly, I'm so tired of it. He's a great character, and I will not hear otherwise. He's thirteen and doesn't treat her that much badly than Zeke. I said it!!

Favorite relationship: I love his relationship with Zeke, it's hilarious. I still keep thinking about when he wanted to catch a chicken nugget in his mouth in the movie and Zeke was helping him. That was great. However, I do love analyzing his relationship with Tina. The two of them are so fun and chaotic together. I will say, @babsvibes said it best, but one of my favorite aspects about their relationship, whether romantic or platonic, is that Jimmy Jr. loves it when Tina is mean, and she can get mean. Their stupid competition on who can run the fastest during The Gene Mile?? I love it. And it goes to show that Tina can be just as mean to J Ju as he can be to her. It's mutual 😌

Favorite headcanon: Jimmy Jr. is a redhead and I will not hear otherwise. DT, ever since you began drawing him with red hair, I've been so obsessed. Now every time I've drawn him (which honestly hasn't been enough, I want to draw him again) I always make him a redhead. It just works so well!! I like to think him and Andy and Ollie all got their hair from their mom. I'm really glad that he didn't inherit Jimmy Pesto Sr.'s butt chin--

[batberryparfait]

oh wait i can force people to hear about the comically self-indulgent Homestuck/DC AU here. but i'm gonna do it under that funny little line break. first up is June Egbert as Supergirl. i hope this makes literally any sense

CHAPTER I Supergirl: Up In The Sky

on the distant planet Krypton, twin babies were born. the latest of the House of El, and the last Children of Krypton; Jun-El and Jad-El. not long after, the planet was besieged by the intergalactic warlord Her Imperious Condescension, and by the time the battle had clearly been lost, all that Jun-El and Jad-El's parents could do was launch them into space, hoping against hope that they'd land somewhere safe, and good.

Jun-El did. his pod landed on the outskirts of Smallville, Kansas, and was found by a human couple; Jameson Egbert and Latula Pyrope. not knowing what else to do, and knowing they couldn't leave the baby behind, they took baby Jun-El with them, and raised him as their own. they named him John Egbert, and raised him alongside Latula's daughter Terezi.

for years, John knew nothing about his unearthly heritage. he assumed his family was flesh and blood, and it was only on his thirteenth birthday that anything seemed different. however, as soon as John turned thirteen, he began to change in ways he knew weren't right-- he's getting impossible powers, strength and speed he can't understand. it's only so long before his parents reveal the truth, and tell John about where he truly comes from.

as a teenager in Smallville, John rarely used his powers... but time after time, he found he had to use them. his parents-- his human, earthly parents-- had instilled him such a strong sense of justice that he couldn't bear to see people suffering when he knew he could do something.

and so, with the cloth he'd been carried in as a baby resewn into a costume, John became Superboy. after high school, he goes into journalism, and ends up getting a job at the Daily Planet... all the way over in Metropolis. at twenty-two, John is new to the city, new to being a superhero, and starting to really question the way he feels about himself... and whether he wants to be a Superboy at all.

at the same time, Jad-El-- unbeknownst to John and the rest of the world-- had landed somewhere much worse. on the edges of an American military base, Jad-El was found as an infant and kept captive for twenty years, experimented on and isolated in a cage for twenty years straight. finally, as an adult, Jad-El escapes from captivity, and turns her angry, terrified eyes against humanity as a whole... Metropolis first.

when news hits the Daily Planet that a Supergirl is attacking the city, John doesn't know what to do-- but he recognizes the symbol on her suit as the same as his own. she's not just Kryptonian-- she's family.

after a massive fight through Metropolis, John is able to calm Jad-El down, and the two vanish. the public assumes that Superboy defeated the invader, and hasn't been seen since. some fear he's dead.

meanwhile, Jade Egbert moves in with the rest of the Egbert family. now with a proper tie to his Kryptonian heritage, John has a new resolve to fight for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow... and a new lease on her own life. with the support of her family of two planets, and her friends at the Daily Planet, June Egbert is back from the dead and bigger than ever as... SUPERGIRL!

[brilliantfantasticgeronimo]

the star beast reactions:

the end of time part 2: “the story never ends” switches to “ the story hasnt ended yet” this show is driving me to cookoo land

taxi logo! Very 2005.

“That says grand mistress!” “oh, catch up” [….sentient physic paper headcanon? Maybe everything the doctor carries is secretly sentient sdlkfj rip all those sonics that fell in battle]

NERYS HAD AN ACCIDENT. KARMIC JUSTICE.

"me putting up with that" ksksksks "what do I care? I’ve got the true greatest girls in the world" just u wait for what’s coming shaun. Hope u always secretly wanted an autistic queerplatonic husband.

"and I shoukd know, I invented them!" bully!donna headcanon comfirmed (?) to go with already-canon teenage!wreck donna.

"oh, yes definetly" sylvia "queer-coded mom "mother of a queer " subtext finally becomes text as "grandmother of a queer"!!!!

"you had a bit of a breakdown… and then you got better" sksksks every “the doctor is a hallucination” dark!fic ever/ alternatively: amy coded

"I should be really happy"'... but sometimes I lie in bed thiking, what have I lost?" THIRTEEN CODED THIRTEEN CODED OH GOD THE REGRETS OVER DROPPING THE FOBWATCH….

“Fuge” is iconic

THE MUSIC IS DOING A THING!!!

14 is definetly someone who lived 11/12/13's lives lol my girl is so tired

"I’ve read the files" when UNIT personel says this the translation is: I’ve watched all of three’s era.

"I dont know who I am anymore" understatement of the billenia!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "she's happy! Is she?” I mean tbf, is anyone ever? in this economy? Lol

"I don’t believe in destiny but-" (yeah you do?)

"You know my rules, no secrets in this house" I wonder if Donna didn’t get at least a little bit mad after this that everyone lied to her for 15 years dlskjf

NERYS. VIPER IN THE NEST

the bit with wilf’s accomodation was a good subtle commentary about accesibility again…

ok…. But the definite article bit was excellent??? sdlkfj i swear fandom is so recalcitrant sometimes

"two hearts! so do I!" [rtd: in case u didn’t notice, this is what we call A Foil]

"that’s not concrete ', it’s mortar" "thank you, bob the builder"

the doc in the wig…………………… valeyard coded

There will be no violence... UNTIL he deems it fit and proper! and that’s GROWTH(tm)

solar psychodelia my beloved eu band

"it just felt like the sort of thing he woukd do" t.t

"who cares about me?" "i do" T.T!!!!!

(sdklfj tho ngl it feels like it escaletes to this emotional level wayyyy too quickly)

clifftops.... grief... fingerprint… THE SMELL OF DUST AFTER RAIN……..

I mean he did very much kill donna (again?) ddklSjs THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT THING THAT JUST HAPPENED???

“She chose her own name…” trans doctor fodder?

"male and femape and neither and more" tbh this works rlly well on the metaphysical level I was talking about (note to self: elaborate on that in another post), do have to agree it sounds a bit iffy on the gender politics front...

"cryptic, I hate that" liar, you’re all about that

tbh "shame you are not a woman anymore" feels riiiiiight in line with "you two are just time lords, you dumbos!" sdkfj donna has to be a lil’ bioessentialist about meta cris-es every time doesn’t she.

"and we choose to let it go" / [the one adventure I could never have] / [terf island will eventually let go of transphobia] / [“how to let go of depression”: the scifi/adventure series]

"why does it have to be one last trip?" good question!!! yaz would like to know as well!!!

CONCLUSIONS!

Fun as hell! But i did feel a tinge disappointed that rose and the nobles aren’t that developed (and Shirley as well).

I think The Point and The Message is a bit clumsily delivered, but overall the writers’ hearts are in the right place and it does work philosophically for where (I think?) the series is going next. As a ~Trial Of A TimeLord Enjoyer~ the bit where 14 puts on a wig made me go feral.

The meep is well realized but tbh I don’t think the OG story is that strong? And I think my Hot Take is….. I think that a straight-forward story wasn’t super compatible with all the mechanics and logistics and exposition that this “fix fic-ing the doctordonna” story necessitates. So the whole thing feels kinda bogged down by having to be a recap.

Finally… I think the resolution feels a bit too... mechanical? because Rose is not developed / put as the POV at the start, it’s not enough of an emotional thrill to see her saving the day (other than like, idk, if I interpret Rose Noble triumphing being a metaphor for Donna’s life being complete when she has her own life but also the doctor back again (?)).

[readnburied]

What I Read in April

Target: 9

Read: 6

I had a lot of fun reading the books I got to read and I feel so privileged that I had the chance to read such amazing books even though I wasn’t able to reach my monthly goal. So without any further ado, here’s my April wrap up. 

Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell

This is book 1 of the series of the same name and follows Kellen who is having a hard time accessing his magic and if he doesn’t access his magic by his sixteenth birthday then his life would be over as it is. However, when an unexpected stranger comes to his town and takes a special interest in him, Kellen and the stranger embark on a path that is unacceptable in society. But following this stranger might be Kellen’s only hope. 

I’ve been wanting to read this book since I first got it but I’m grateful to finally got the chance to read it and it didn’t disappoint. It was witty and hilarious in all the right places. I loved the magic system, but most of all I loved Kellen and how imperfect he was. So many books have perfect main characters but Kellen was the exact opposite and I’m so eager to continue with the series. 

Thirteen Rising by Romina Russell

This is book 4 and the conclusion to the Zodiac series and continues with the story of Rhoma Grace as she sets about bringing the traitor to justice but first she needs to fight her own demons which has her suspecting everyone, including her family and the man she loves the most. The truth is finally revealed and Rhoma must figure out how to bring the zodiac together before it’s destroyed forever. 

The author really knows how to bring the story to a perfect finish and she did that in this series. Everything was beautifully executed and I especially loved the history and conclusion of the thirteenth zodiac. However, my heart broke for the thirteenth ruler and I wished the author didn’t kill all the people she did. I highly recommend everyone to read this series because it’s definitely worth a read. 

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

This is book 4 of The Heroes of Olympus series and follows the gang of demigods as they brave the gates of Hell aka Hades to rescue Percy and Annabeth. The tide is closing in and Gaia is about to rise and if the demigods don’t come together, then it could be disastrous for the world. 

Everybody loves this book and I enjoyed it a lot as well. Each character’s journey was different even if they were taking the journey together, which really kept the story moving forward. I love the author’s writing style and despite having so many different POVs, the story didn’t become confusing or convoluted. 

Steal the Light by Lexi Blake

This is book 1 in the Thieves series and follows Zoey Wharton who after the tragic loss of her lover, takes on the job of being a thief for the supernatural world. But she’s good at what she does and when her reputation brings her face to face with a job she has no choice but to accept, Zoey realizes that she gotten the raw end of the deal and if she doesn’t do something about it soon, then she could kiss her life goodbye. 

I expected this book to be a lot more interesting than it was. But I still enjoyed it. I thought it would be something unique but it missed the mark by quite a lot. It read like a cozy mystery or a cozy fantasy rather than an action adventure as I thought. But I still recommend everyone to pick up this book if you’re in the mood for reading something easy. 

Every Gift a Curse by Caroline O’Donoghue

This is book 3 and the conclusion to The Gift series and continues the story of Maeve who wants to find everything she can about the Housekeeper card because she knows if she won’t then the card will keep coming back and disrupting her life. But magic has a way of coming back when and how you least expect it and when it comes for Maeve, she must do everything she can to defeat the Housekeeper or lose everything and everyone she loves, including her. 

I had a lot of fun reading this book because the ending was so unexpected. I never thought the author would take the book in such a unique direction but they did and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It was something that really inspired me and now I want to write something like this. 

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong 

This is book 2 and the conclusion of These Violent Delights series and focuses on Juliette and Roma once again as they’re thrown together to fight the enemy for the second time. And this time they better hurry if they have any hope of saving and ruling their precious city. Truth and lies will come to life and Juliette and Roma must decide if they’ll let their history tear them apart or will love conquer all? 

Just as I enjoyed the first book, I loved reading this book as well. I loved the world building and the way the gangs operated for the ultimate benefit. There were some frustrating bits because Roma and Juliette refused to see past their own prejudices, but in the end it was just perfect. 

So these are the books I read in the month of April. I loved each and every one and I can’t wait to see what May holds for me. Comment below if you’ve read any of the books mentioned above and what’s your opinion on them. I would love to know. 

[theskyexists]

The Church on Ruby Road

So I watched the first episode. RTD is a good writer. He's simply. A good writer. He puts in pieces, the pieces come together, they make sense and emotional sense.

It was very silly. I loved his classic tricks for the Doctor. Implying he's a bit more magic if you just meet him. Because he knew. He knew the glass was going to fall. Knowing the police officer's gf is going to say yes, knowing the guys going to propose at all. TIME LORD. He just shows up - he's somehow there every time.

Disdain for other time travellers. Nice. Near Instant understanding of new technologies (because he's an alien genius scientist what have you - god how I HATED the absence of that in chibs' work, the reversal of that! For the female doctor!!!!) Rope language. Very cool little worldbuilding.

The CRAZY goblin stuff lol. They looked enormously good. And the song! Lol

The setup for the gloves, Chekhov's gloves. Pieces come together.

And the whole episode about A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS THEME time story - how much worse would the world be without you in it? Alternate history. A wonderful companion introduction. And a great embedding in family. I always love RTD for that. The mundane is fully fleshed out.

Gatwa did a GREAT classic Doctor. The running through corridors, the joy at the weirdness of the world even if it wants to kill you, the crying. God I LOVE that RTD is going with the timeless child - I LOVE what he's doing with it. It's such a great idea and he's doing it justice - he's themed the companion around it - he's built in a mystery to the companion which reflects the Doctor's. And a moment which emphasises that the Doctor COULD find out about Ruby's mother - but doesn't...

Wonderful grandma running gag tea joke. Not killing the goblins but destroying them... Probably. Always an interesting ambiguity there from RTD I think - which sometimes turns into explicit hypocrisy

The companion I think is.... Generic. I mean the acting is generic the dynamic is generic. About Amy level for me personally. I really really loved it when they were bickering - that's when they really had a spark, and when Ruby got some oomf. The one braincell improvising between them also lol

Great climactic suspense,great foreshadowed solution, great emotional moment when the Doctor puts her bacK . GREAT emotional moment when we see how Carla and her mum are doing without her. So many lives... Really loved the moment when the coincidences keep mounting and thunder keeps cracking also.

I really hope Ruby wins me over because she hasn't quite yet. she's just so... Idk generic British girl I guess. The pacing was a bit weird at times... And their first meeting didn't quite do it for me...idk. but they got better

It's interesting, I did miss thirteen era a bit. There was something very... Hmmm. Close. To it. And I don't mean the shots.. very raw somehow. While this is very much a NARRATIVE. Trade-offs i guess

[ciaossu-imagines]

(day 2) i’m requesting again because i love your event! can i request prompt thirteen for aoba koyo please? i know he’s only from the manga and others might not know him, but i like him so much 💓

Oh my gosh! This ask so excited me receiving it, because so many of the Shimon family are terribly underloved. I do think it is just because they are manga only characters, but they are all so fantastic, including Koyo! I hope you’ll enjoy these headcanons and that I did him justice.

What does your muse’s voice sound like? Is it light? High-pitched? Scratchy? Deep?

I know he does have a voice actor in the vomics, but it doesn’t really sound like what I picture him sounding like in my head. Honestly, if I had to pick a voice actor for Koyo, I’d probably choose Gakuto Kajiwara because Koyo sounds a little bit like Asta to me in my head.

What is your muse’s handwriting like? Is it neat? Sloppy? Fancy?

Honestly, illegible most of the time. It’s not that he can’t write neatly, because he can, but it takes him longer. He mostly rushes through writing stuff down because, even when other people can’t read it, he knows what he wrote down. He also tends to shorten words or use his own little shorthand (eliminating vowels from words whenever possible) to cut back on the amount of time it takes to write things out, which makes a lot of what he writes even more incomprehensible to most people.

Does your muse prefer coffee or tea?

Koyo prefers tea, though he prefers a stronger flavoured tea, such as sencha or genmaicha. He doesn’t mind coffee and will occasionally drink it, preferring it black and unsweetened, but he does prefer it iced or cold to hot.

Is your muse good with keeping on schedule for meetings, appointments, or events, or are they always late? Or are they always a bit early?

It really depends on the event or meeting. If it’s something Koyo takes seriously and wants to do, he’s usually actually obscenely early just because he is so excited about it. If it’s something he’s really not all that jazzed up over, he’ll arrive on time if he can but if he’s a little late, he doesn’t see too much of an issue.

Has your muse had any injuries in the past?

Koyo has. His eyes do get the worst of it, and I do think he runs a high potential for going blind early because of the damage he has caused his eyes over the years, but his love for fighting, and the way he constantly trains his body, means that he normally has some bruises and he’s sustained quite a few injuries throughout the years.

What is your muse’s smile like? Do they smile often?

Koyo doesn’t actually smile often. He smiles happily even less often, with most of his smiles being colder, harsher looking than his genuine happy smiles. They’re smiles of bloodlust or excitement for a fight, almost predatory. When he does give genuine happy smiles, they’re close-lipped, soft, with just the corners of his mouth pulling up (though it is a little crooked too, with the left side of his mouth turning up just a bit more).

How does your muse feel about storms? Are they afraid of them, or do they calm them?

Honestly, Koyo isn’t crazy about storms. He’ll still go out to work out in them, just because he needs to keep active, but it does hurt his workouts and slow him down. If it wasn’t for that, he wouldn’t mind them so much.

How does your muse react to possibly dangerous situations? Do they face them head-on, or do they plan out their actions first?

Koyo is impetuous. He is reckless and headstrong and very sure of his own strength, and he definitely is the type to jump into a situation head-first, without planning or strategizing, especially since, as mentioned, he is also a guy who likes a good fight, a good excuse to really let loose.

What is your muse’s favourite season? What about their least favourite season, if they have one?

His favourite season is autumn, just because with the leaves changing colours, both red leaves and green leaves live side by side. He really likes that, especially considering the teasing he has gotten because of his contradictory name.

Does your muse like daytime or nighttime more?

Koyo is a daytime person for sure. He gets up early to work out and train, usually as early as 5 am, and he’s much more active during the daytime hours. Because he does get up so early, he also tends to fall asleep early and he’s not a fan of staying up late at all.

How well does your muse sleep?

He takes a little bit to fall asleep, but once Koyo is asleep, he’s dead to the world. No amount of noise will wake him up. He can sleep through pretty much anything, with the only exception being if someone opens his bedroom door. For some reason, that is the only sound that penetrates his sleeping brain and it automatically makes him alert, ready, and slightly on edge just in case whoever is coming in his bedroom door is a threat to him.

What are your muse’s thoughts on love? If they are not in a relationship, do they believe that they will ever find a perfect someone for them?

Now, much like Ryohei, I strongly do headcanon Koyo as someone who, while not the traditional romantic, does have a romantic streak in them. He really does believe in the concept of romantic love, of soulmates, of the perfect person made just for him and he really does want to find that person and have a life with them. A relationship and possibly marriage is definitely something he wants later on in life, and I do think he is prone to crushes pretty easily, just because he so wants to believe that he has possibly found that person.

Does your muse believe in luck? How about fate?

Koyo doesn’t put a lot of stock in the ideas of fate or luck. He’s firmly of the belief that people make their own fate, make their own luck, and that anything can be overcome or overturned with brute strength and the ability to think on your feet.

Does your muse have good eyesight? If not, what is it like? Are they nearsighted or farsighted? Or both? Do they use glasses? Or do they prefer contacts? If your muse wears glasses, what are their glasses frames like?

So, this is actually answered in canon for Koyo. It’s shown that his eyesight is actually beyond normal human capabilities, allowing him to see far more than anyone else can. However, it does put an extreme strain on his eyes, and he does have to wear specially designed glasses, thin-framed, black ones, that dampen his eyesight down to that of normal human capabilities.

Does your muse have good table manners? How do they feel about bad table manners?

Koyo has atrocious table manners. He eats really quickly, to the point where you wonder if he’s even taking the time to chew, and he wraps his arm around his plate and leans over his plate to shovel the food in even easier. He also eats a lot, going back for seconds and thirds, depending on how much he pushed his workout that day. He really doesn’t care about anyone else’s table manners, provided they’re not chewing with their mouth open because that does really bother him – it’s the sound. It just icks him right out.

What is your muse’s opinion about flower crowns?

Flower crowns are cute and appropriate on little kids and on women, in Koyo’s opinion. Other than that, he doesn’t see a place for them and might have a rather dim view of a man walking around in a flower crown, unless his child is with him, and they obviously made it for the man.

Does your muse sing well? Regardless of whether they sing well or not, do they enjoy singing?

Koyo doesn’t sing well at all actually. He sings forcefully and loudly and passionately, but not well. He’s too loud, too pitchy, always off beat and a second behind the words, but good god, he does give it his all. That being said, he doesn’t sing often, and I don’t see him as a guy who listens to music that much either, or that often.

Is your muse good at math? Do they like it or do they hate it?

I hate to say it because it does sound mean but Koyo is, overall, really book-dumb. He doesn’t learn quickly and complicated things, such as anything other than the most basic math, don’t sink into his brain easily. He hates schoolwork and book learning, and he does everything he can to try to avoid studying.

What is your muse’s favourite animal?

Koyo’s favourite animal is a tie between a lion or a jaguar, with the jaguar probably edging out a bit more as his favourite. He admires the grace, strength, and ruthlessness that jaguars can show when taking down their prey and honestly, he just finds them really pretty to look at as well.

How does your muse feel about bugs and insects?

Overall, insects are not something that bothers Koyo. He’s pretty okay with most of them and he has no problem with being the one to kill the spiders or the hornets or such that get into the house. However, all bets are off the table with both June bugs and cockroaches. Those really bother him and kind of gross him out and make him a bit afraid, though he would never admit to that.

Does your muse prefer calling or texting?

Koyo prefers calling whenever possible. He tends to be fat-fingered when it comes to texting and his spelling is bad. Add to that the fact that autocorrect fails happen a lot whenever he tries texting, and he can’t understand what half the emojis mean, and calling is just simpler for him.

Of the sun, stars, and the moon, which is your muse’s favourite?

Koyo prefers the sun. Again, he’s very much a day-time person. He prefers the heat and light of the sun to anything associated with nighttime, such as the stars and moon.

Does your muse prefer lots of friends, or just a few close ones?

Koyo, because of his loud, brash personality, does have a problem with making friends. He doesn’t make friends easily or quickly and he can drive people away. So, he really does have very few friends, though he does treasure those few he does have more than he’s really comfortable or emotionally able to show.

Is your muse religious?

I don’t actually see Koyo as someone who is at all religious, and he might actually scoff or make fun of certain religions, just because he doesn’t really see the logic or reasoning behind some religions and does, in some ways, see religion as being something people use as props or reasons for why they haven’t gotten anywhere in life.

[strangcbchavior]

( MELISA PAMUK / 32 / CIS WOMAN / SHE/HER ) — did you see THE IA DETECTIVE ASSIGNED TO HOPE MERCER’S CASE, AILYA ŞAHIN, wandering around the mercer hollow today? i heard around town that the INTERNAL AFFAIRS DETECTIVE is RESILIENT and METICULOUS, but also INSENSITIVE and HEADSTRONG. people say that they remind them of TO-DO LISTS, THE SMELL OF OLD BOOKS, and A BLAKE LIVELY POWER SUIT, but how well can you ever really know someone in mercer hollow? ( admin jay / 26 / mst /  she/her )

✧*･ﾟ𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒚

character inspo: chloe decker (lucifer), temperance brennan (bones), amy brookheimer (veep), katara (atla), lisa simpson (the simpsons), belle (beauty and the beast), monica (friends) 

ailya was born in turkey and into the lap of luxury. her mother was the classic combination of an heiress and a socialite, and her father was the founder of a successful petrochemical company. her mother obtained dual citizenship when ailya was a toddler so that she could pursue ailya's dance career in new york and los angeles. for the first thirteen years of her life, ailya lived and breathed dance. she was homeschooled in order to spend extra time in her company’s studio, and she was a national title holder for most of her life. her mother was convinced that she could have a lifelong career in dance and a future in modeling. 

ailya, however, disagreed. she was a serious child; the kind of kid who always used the steps to get into the pool (( after checking the water temperature first, of course )). she tried to get control of her life in high school. she devoted countless hours to her academic interests in order to get into an ivy league school for pre-law. her mother was devastated. she was only allowed to go if she chose a school close to their pent house in new york. 

she earned her undergrad from columbia so that her mother could ensure that she still spent time in the dance studio before and after classes. quinn wriggled out from under her thumb when she graduated early and was accepted into yale for law school. her parents footed the insanely expensive tuition and rent bills in exchange for a promise that when she got this 'working girl' fantasy out of her head, she'd return to have children and marry someone of her parents' choosing. aiyla quit dance, so she had to appease one of their dreams for her future. 

she grew disillusioned with the law very quickly once realized it wasn't actually about right and wrong or justice, especially when most of her colleagues belonged behind bars with their clients. she made a career change into internal affairs in state that was supposed to be less corrupt than new york in her best attempt to make sense of the u.s. justice system.

✧*･ﾟ𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕

aiyla is of the opinion that if you want something, you have to work for it. there aren’t any excuses in life, so either put up or shut up. she takes Extreme offense to anyone who throws away opportunities by messing around.

she’s v cordial at work, so she can come off as cold. she thinks that personal lives should be kept out of the workplace. of course, aiyla has no personal life to talk about so that’s an easy motto for her live by lmao. 

she’s fiercely loyal to the few friends she has. 

aiyla isn't mean intentionally, but she doesn’t know how to sugarcoat things or understand why some people would be sensitive to criticism. she grew up with a hyper-critical mom, so she thinks that’s the best way to improve, and that she’s being helpful when she’s being harsh lmao–but her goal isn’t ever to hurt someone’s feelings. she’s very honest and genuine, but not tactful. 

she definitely lacks an ability to understand people who think differently than she does, and she is, of course, always right.

she’s totally ruled by logic and reason. her loyalties lie with concrete evidence adn reason above all else. 

she can often come off as arrogant. she doesn’t brag or flex, but she’s definitely not humble lmao. she is definitely aware that she’s smart and beautiful lmao, and she’s far more likely to say, “i know,” than, “thank you,” to a compliment. 

she hasn’t danced since she was 19, and it’s entirely to prove a point to her mom even though she did love dancing before her mom became her momager. *you’re doing amazing, sweetie*

she’s v embarrassed that she wanted to be a ballerina when she was eight bc how immature and unrealistic. it’s not like she was four. 

she has a dog who she loves more than any human. she’s a german shepherd named lizzie (after elizabeth bennet of course).

she loves art and poetry history. she’s also really into the history of fashion and fashion in general. most of her money (that doesn’t go into a 401k and her investment portfolio) goes towards art pieces and handbags. 

she views relationships as a basic tier in maslow’s hierarchy of needs, similar to food or shelter. to her, sex is just a means to an orgasm, and orgasms are occasionally necessary to release tension. so ,,, she’s never had a romantic partner lmao, and she’s not interested in any unnecessary distractions from her work.  

𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 !!

best friends: ( m, f, nb ), childhood friends: ( m, f, nb ), fwb: (m, f, nb), casual hookup ( m, f, nb), work rivals: ( m, f, nb ), enemies: ( m, f, nb )

all the connections tbh. hmu or like this and i’ll hit you up !!

[currentfandomkick]

Reblogging here as too out of it to tag atm

Danny knew he was doing great—hell, he gets to present his last project for mechanical engineering before he can refocus on making robots programmed to help during crises for medical, evacuation and environmental clean up while being tailored to local needs.

Problem: the team he’s supervising is going on a mission mid-presentation that he cannot reschedule… and none of the others in the JL have offered to cover for him.

Why they keep trying to make Captain Marvel handle it is beyond him—he’s a member of the young justice team because he’s a kid. He’s thirteen now, sure, but he’s still a kid.

And while he loves his truama-bonded gremlins—Bart holding a special place in his heart—he is putting his foot down on sending his feral mentees out without some adult back-up.

“Hey, Canary? Can i talk to you for a minute?”

He noticed since Red Arrow’s relapse a year ago, she’d been the most responsive to his concerns regarding his kids.

“Sure thing, just let me wrap up this report.”

Danny waited. Once she was done, they moved to one of the private conference rooms.

“So, i know my team is scheduled for that raid on the Light next week, and i know its on the schedule that I can’t attend,” he began.

Canary nodded along.

“Is there a reason why another mentor wasn’t assigned?”

She paused at that.

“Another mentor—Captain Marvel is going to be there, so you don’t need to worry Phantom.”

“I kind of do, since he’s got a lot on the civilian side coming up with him finally starting high school a week after the raid.”

Canary froze.

“He what.”

Danny paused. “He’s starting high school—he’s one of the youngest on the team developmentally speaking, even if he got a weird aging side affect to his powers too.”

Canary nodded slowly. “I’ll speak with Batman to get that covered and uh, out of curiosity, what’s your presentation on?”

“Oh! I finished proving the viability of ectoplasm from the Realms being a reusable energy source, and a way to enable a degree of autonomous sentience to technology that can be given different pre-dispositions. its costs benefit analysis to use including maintenance factors, since I passed the biochem minor last semester.”

“College then,” Canary guessed, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Graduate school with a major in mechanical engineering and minors in bio-chem and environmental studies—took years to get back into school after dropping out as a junior during way too many timestream adventures. Why?”

Canary paled. “No Reason. Excuse me.”

She left.

Danny frowned.

—

“Ollie, get Bruce’s ass over here for a meeting. Now.”

“Did something happen with Phantom?”

“Ollie. He’s in grad school, and had ‘timeline adventures. And Marvel’s just starting high school apparently.”

Oliver dropped his phone. “He, he what?”

“Exactly. So, get your bestie’s ass over here as we were all thrown for a loop or he let things go along this far for over a year.”

—-

Billy was a little thrown when the JL called him in. He’s pretty sure he and Danny have done a great job publicly keeping up the ageless champion image as Captain Marvel.

The team was oddly silent as he walked in, except for plastic man doing his usual Bit.

One day he hopes he can be as good an actor as Plas—he’s still not sure why so many don’t remember hiw little he needs to regenerate from or how capable he really is.

“Cap, take a seat,” Flash offered, pulling put his chair before settling back into his own, room still too quiet.

Serious conversation… great.

“Thanks,” he smiled. “Now, what’s the emergency meeting for?”

“You’re not in high school yet,” Green Arrow began. “And Phantom is a graduate student?”

Billy didnt see the issue. “Starting a week after the mission, and Phantom’s graduating a week or so after—year thrown by rouge attacks at his school,” He explained.

Batman hrm’d at that. “It was shut down for a few months.”

Billy nodded.

“You, you are a kid,” one of the lanterns began slowly.

“Well yeah, isnt that why you put me on the team with Phantom? He’s been mentoring me since we met and clocked everything. Why else would we be on Young Justice together?”

The room exploded into a cacophony of sound.

I need a Misunderstanding trope where Phantom is put with one of the ‘kid’ groups because everyone assumes he’s a teen, but Phantom (he’s, like, 28) thinks he’s just like… co-managing/supervising the group with another Justice League member.

Asked if he’s in school thinking high school? He says yes, thinking of college where he’s going for his graduate degree. His grumbles over homework and time management skills cements it.

ICE contact? Frostbite. Yeah, that’s really his name. (Jazz talked him out of putting her because if it’s an emergency then they likely need medical history and support.) Here’s a device to actually reach him. His parents? Uhhh, nah, I would put my sister second.

It just goes on.

The guy snarks, puns, and throws jokes, clearly up-to-date with internet culture. He’s a casual dude, loves video games, burgers, and space. He’s kinda short and a little lanky, but he’s stupid strong (like he both forgets he is strong and doesn’t know his strength at times).

Phantom’s checking all the boxes as a teen hero both visually and on vibes with the League so they put him there. Danny’s touched that they think he’s responsible enough to put him in charge of the kids, so he does his best.

(Batman finds out about the appointment after it’s approved, but before he says anything he sees how much the teens open up around Phantom and… well… if they didn’t do their homework to see that the Phantom persona has been active for 14 years with pop-ups through history then that’s not really his problem, is it? He might miss that Phantom doesn’t realise this for a while…whoops.)

[stardust-in-my-mind-blog]

knock at the door

I rarely have people spontaneously appear at my door

in a way that is positive or even welcome

in my current home it's mostly older people

and usually they show up to complain or tell me

something that is ridiculously arbitrary but matters VERY MUCH

to their very small and limited perspective of the world

that was kind of their generation's culture so I get it

and also they didn't have the internet and I think we forget

how difficult it was to get all the information we youngsters

have at our fingertips now that you'd only have been able to

obtain by going to the library or something likewise scholarly

today it was a man at my door that I'd never seen

handing me a summons to court for my divorce

I still have my other divorce papers and it looks the same

I read over it lightly and it uses the same language

there was a moment I felt emotion at my throat

there's not excitement exactly that replaced it

but more of a sense of 'finally we can get this started'

I'm over the shame and stigma of divorce now

I felt for awhile like I'd failed something or would seem

less desirable to future prospective partners because I obviously

was not able to retain the title of wife very well

I have this thing where when dudes start treating me bedly

I kind of make their life hell with my amazing monologues

and hilarious mythologies about how stupid they are

I guess some men just can't take their justice well

maybe they should have been nicer I dunno

now I've kind of woven it into my mythology

it takes a lot of work to have two divorces under your belt

it's expensive and takes awhile to get through the process

it shows I'm willing to commit and willing to burn it down

it shows I really believed in something for awhile

I'm glad I ate breakfast first because this experience

would not have gone down well if I was hangry

it's a confirmation to how truly unattached I am now

and considering this dude had a habit of randomly telling me

he wanted a divorce more than thirteen times during arguments

and it was more a devalue and discard cycle

but that's how he likes to do things and then deny them

I'm glad he finally put his dick where his mouth is

the first time I went through this process I never really

overcame the shame of it and acted accordingly

during my first custody battle I didn't look at all the options

because I was so scared at the threats made to take my kids away

this ex-husband also threatened to take my kid away

and did various other things to keep me in a state of fear

and enjoyed the pain he habitually came around to inflict

I think I've learned my lessons this time around

so it may just be time to return them and I hope

my lawyer is impressed with how far I've come

last time I wanted to play nice and cared way too much

about the feelings of someone who never cared about mine

now I love knives more than feelings so it's going to be

fun to see just where I can cut and what will come out

and that's a metaphor in case my words make anyone uneasy

this is going to be a chess game I just may enjoy

what can I get away with?

what can I gain from this war?

I am not at all interested in leaving without a few spoils

of war to make sure he remembers just who the fuck

he decided to mess with and treat poorly

he's the one who chose to make the vows and break them

and now that I'm faithful only to myself

I'm interested to see all my options on the table

I want to make sure he sees them too

sweats a little as I peruse and decide just what I want to take

I want him to cry to the next girl that I skinned him alive

maybe that's just now though and I'll feel differently

after a bit of time passes but since I've taken such careful

time to document the unforgivable sins of his making

I think my efforts deserve whatever just rewards they receive

it's fun to let go of the outcome and embrace curiosity

I don't know what I want to do but I do know

I'm going to have fun and enjoy it a bit

third time is the charm and I don't feel sad anymore

and I'm kind of excited about what I'm going to learn