#It’s the multiverse so they could meet somehow

[zmichelle1234]

IDK WHETHER TO TAG THIS AS A SPOILER OR NOT SO I WILL ANYWAY

‼️ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE SPOILER‼️

[baggidude]

If i see one more FUCKING mention of multiverses in media I like or would like to interacted with than im gonna kill myself

[little-jana]

"The Bookstore Incident"

Pairing: Spencer Reid x reader

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: Spencer being clumsy, use of Y/N, early seasons!Spencer

Words: 2k

Summary: When Spencer Reid tries to grab a book at a local bookstore, things go very, very wrong. Or do they?

a/n: requested: yes! Anon asked for a prequel to this one! So here it is! Enjoy!

It was supposed to be a quiet afternoon.

You had wandered into the little independent bookstore tucked between a coffee shop and a vintage clothing store, looking for nothing in particular. The scent of aged paper and fresh ink filled the air as you traced your fingers along the book spines, aimlessly browsing.

The shop was cozy, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a slightly creaky wooden floor that made the place feel like something out of a story itself.

That’s when you heard the crash.

The unmistakable sound of books tumbling to the ground echoed through the store, making you and a few other patrons jump. Turning toward the commotion, you saw him—an absolute disaster of a man standing amidst a pile of fallen books, looking both mortified and helpless.

Tall, lanky, and frantically pushing his unruly brown hair out of his face, he was reaching for the top shelf of a precariously stacked display. It seemed that whatever book he had been trying to retrieve had caused a domino effect, sending at least two dozen books cascading to the floor.

“Oh, no,” he muttered under his breath, crouching down to start picking them up. He looked like he was debating whether he could somehow put them back before anyone noticed. Spoiler: he couldn’t.

You couldn’t help but smile as you walked over. “Need some help?”

His head snapped up, startled by your presence. “I—uh, yes? Maybe? That would be—um—thank you.” His voice was soft and warm, yet tinged with embarrassment.

You crouched down beside him, picking up a book and glancing at the title. Theoretical Physics and the Multiverse Hypothesis. You raised an eyebrow, looking at the others scattered around. A mix of philosophy, quantum mechanics, psychology, and a single, completely out-of-place Agatha Christie novel.

“Quite the collection you knocked over,” you teased, stacking a few books into a neat pile. “Little bit of everything.”

He let out a nervous chuckle, adjusting his sweater vest as he gathered another handful of books. “I, uh… I like to read.”

You grinned. “I can see that.”

For the first time, he looked directly at you, and you noticed just how kind his eyes were—warm brown, filled with something sharp and intelligent but also… a little lost.

You held up the Agatha Christie novel with a smirk. “Murder mysteries, too? Didn’t peg you for the type.”

He blinked, then smiled—just slightly. “Actually, I find her writing fascinating. She once disappeared for eleven days, and no one knows exactly what happened during that time.”

You tilted your head, intrigued. “That’s a fun fact.”

He perked up a little. “I have more.”

You laughed. “Oh, I bet you do.”

A faint blush crept up his neck, but before he could say anything else, you grabbed the book he had originally been reaching for off the shelf and handed it to him.

“Here,” you said. “This the one that started it all?”

He nodded, taking it gingerly, as if he wasn’t sure he deserved it after the chaos he’d just caused. “Yes. Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. I’ve read it before, but I wanted to reference something.”

You shook your head in amusement. “Of course you have.”

“I’m Spencer, by the way,” he blurted out suddenly, as if realizing he hadn’t introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you, Spencer. I’m (Y/N).”

He hesitated for a moment, then—tentatively—held out his hand. His grip was gentle, fingers warm against yours. It was a simple gesture, but it made your heart skip a beat.

“Well, Spencer,” you said, unable to keep the teasing note out of your voice, “if you ever need help knocking over more bookstores, let me know.”

He let out an actual laugh this time—a soft, real one—and ran a hand through his hair, still looking adorably flustered.

“I might just take you up on that.”

[gay-dorito-dust]

Hey hi so I just have this flash of an idea: Reader saving Ford / Stan out of a danger they’re facing. Like I’m talking reader carrying them bridal style and gently putting them down and being all “Are you alright, my love?” Hehehehhehehehe blushy boys

Stanley was a punch first, ask questions at a later date type of guy, he was use to being the protector of the family no matter if the guy he was up against was bigger. He always came out on top in the end.

So when he found himself being lifted into your arms and you brought him out of the line of danger and looked at him with a face full of concern before asking; ‘are you alright my love?’ He knew he watched too much of that sappy romance drama Mabel got him into as he felt his cheeks burn hotter then ever.

‘I’m fine now toots thanks to you.’ He replies, trying to keep his cool when his heart was hammering in his chest and all he could think about was how attractive you were in his eyes, then again you were always attractive in his eyes but there was something about being saved by you that made him conflicted.

On one hand, Stan was the man in the relationship, he’s meant to keep you safe from all harm -paranormal or otherwise- and if he didn’t do that, then he wasn’t a man. But he also felt relieved that he didn’t have to always look out for himself anymore when he’s with you, knowing you had his back as much as he had yours no matter what. It was reassuring knowing that he could fall back on someone and know that they’ll catch him when he falls.

So while he still might think that he should still be the one protecting you and all, Stanley doesn’t mind it one bit when you’re looking at him with such caring eyes, hands holding his face as though he was the most precious thing in your life. (he was, he very much was)

‘I’m glad.’ You said with a smile, ‘now let’s stay as far away from here as we can from now on.’ You added as you grabbed his hand to walk back to the mystery shack.

‘I dunno doll face, I might just get myself into a bit of trouble more often if it means having you come save me.’ Stanley teased with a wink.

‘Don’t push it. I might not always be there to save you.’ You said playfully as you nudged him with your elbow to his side.

Ford’s face was as red as cherry tomatoes the second he recognised he was in your arms, carried away from the skeletal deer anomaly that had seemingly lost all interest in both of you, but yet his face somehow got even more redder when you put him down on a nearby fallen tree stump to hold his face in your hands as you said:

‘Are you alright my love?’

He’s suddenly finding the fungi growing on the side of the tree trunk more interesting than meeting your eyes as the words caught in his throat. Ford always though it’s be him carrying you away from danger, keeping you safe and making sure that you weren’t hurt in any way, he could handle them thanks to the survival skills he built up whilst in the multiverse; and yet here he was feeling as though he was developing his first crush on you all over again.

‘I’m fine dear, apologise for being caught off guard.’ He tells you as he couldn’t help but be ashamed that he allowed himself to get lost in the excitement of seeing a new anomaly. You literally him while he was still mid sketching the cryptid!

‘It’s okay Ford, I know how you get with new anomalies but I often wish you didn’t almost risk certain death just to finish sketching them.’ You said softly as you gingerly brushed your thumb against a thin cut he had gotten on his cheek from the skeletal deer anomaly, you knew this man has survived worse but you couldn’t help but worry every time he got hurt somehow. After all it was better to admire something form far rather then within it’s territory, and the anomaly happened to be hostile and territorial.

Ford sighed as he lent into your touch, still getting use to your tendency for physical contact after going so long without it, closing his eyes as he took this moment to cherish your unconditional love and affection for him. After all his dad only started giving a shit about him the moment he figured he could gain money from exploiting his own son’s intelligence. ‘Apologise once again my dear-‘ you cut him off by pressing a kiss to his forehead, thumbs caressing his face as though he were made of porcelain.

‘It’s okay my love, I just worry about your safety and want you to do what you love safely.’ You tell him as you pull away from him before offering him your hand with a smile. ‘Now let’s go find an anomaly that won’t hunt us down for sport.’ You add as Ford grabbed your hand and smiled.

‘I’m sure I spotted some mushroom people not too far from here having a dispute with some gnomes not too far from here, shall we take a look?’ He asks you and you gestured to the vastness of the forest in front of you both with your free hand. ‘By all means lead the way mr Pines.’ You replied softly as you both searched high and low for disputing mushroom people and gnomes.

[sunarryn]

DP X Marvel #13

Danny Fenton never asked to be king. High King, actually. Supreme Sovereign Overlord of the Infinite Realms, Master of Time, Space, and Everything Between. Whatever. Clockwork said the job came with responsibilities, like cosmic balance and interdimensional peace and setting a good example for the lesser ghosts, but Danny’s idea of diplomacy was giving Skulker a wedgie and sending him flying into a hellmouth. Which, according to Clockwork, was “not sustainable inter-realm policy.” So now here he was, eighteen years old, king of all things weird and glowy, and being told he needed to “forge political relations” with Earth governments.

“Pick one realm,” Clockwork had said with his usual serene smugness, swirling his time staff like he was a magical baton twirler at the Ghost Macy’s Parade. “Start with a sovereign nation. Establish diplomatic rapport. You are a king now. Act like it.”

Danny considered going to Canada, because he heard they had maple syrup and weren’t really into starting fights, but then Frostbite suggested Wakanda. “A hidden, technologically advanced kingdom,” Frostbite boomed with a fang-filled smile. “They are isolated yet powerful. A worthy first partner.”

And that’s how Danny Phantom, ghost king of the afterlife, showed up in Wakanda in his full royal regalia—ripped jeans, a NASA hoodie, and glowing white hair that he had half-heartedly tried to tame with ectoplasm gel. His crown—which he insisted was optional—hovered behind his head like a haunted hula hoop. The Wakandan guards were not impressed. One of them tried to spear him on sight.

“HI!” Danny shouted, floating three feet off the ground to avoid being stabbed. “I come in peace! And also kind of by accident! I may have ripped a hole in your sky barrier. Sorry!”

They dragged him to Shuri.

Princess Shuri was not having a good week. Some idiot on the Council of Elders tried to propose to her again, a hyena broke into her lab and stole a vibranium gauntlet, and now there was a glowing white boy hovering upside down in her throne room claiming to be the King of Ghosts.

“You,” she said, pointing a very sharp finger at him, “are either the most powerful being in the multiverse or the dumbest man I’ve ever met.”

Danny, still upside down, squinted at her. “I can be both. It’s called multitasking.”

Shuri blinked. Then laughed. Then immediately regretted laughing because Danny took it as a sign they were friends.

He followed her around like a lost ectoplasmic puppy for three days, asking questions like, “Do you believe in ghosts?” and “If your vibranium works on sound frequencies, does that mean you could weaponize my ghost wail and make, like, a portable banshee cannon?” and “Do you wanna ride my haunted dinosaur?”

Shuri didn’t know what to do with him. He was infuriating. He phased through walls. He reorganized her lab equipment by vibe. He called her nanobot swarm “glowy spiders.” He kept summoning ghost animals to show her like a toddler bringing frogs into the kitchen. At one point he tried to court her with a bouquet of screaming flowers from the Nightmare Zone. They bit her. She threw them in the incinerator. He pouted for an hour and sulked on the ceiling.

Somehow, this only made him more endearing.

Because sure, he was a pain in the ass, but he was also… genuine. And weirdly charming. He made her laugh when she wanted to scream. He made her guards nervous, which was hilarious. He helped her reboot a broken AI system by whispering ghost gibberish into its processor. It worked. Nobody knew why. Not even Danny.

And then there was the incident at the United Nations.

Danny, trying to prove he could be a good king and a solid diplomatic partner, insisted on attending a meeting with Shuri in New York. He wore a suit. The suit burst into flames five minutes in because he forgot he couldn’t suppress his ecto-core for more than an hour without leaking nuclear-level ghost juice. He tried to cover it up by summoning a clone to sit in his chair while he phased under the table to cool off in spectral form. Unfortunately, his clone started ranting about how France smelled like bread ghosts and threatened to annex Canada “in the name of spooky justice.”

Shuri had to drag him out of the UN by the collar of his glowing cape.

Back in Wakanda, after the global scandal of the “Ghost King’s Toasted Clone Uprising,” Danny was sulking on a floating chair, eating ice cream straight from the tub and accidentally freezing the spoon with his aura.

“I’m never doing politics again,” he declared, face half-smeared with mint chocolate chip.

“You are literally a king,” Shuri reminded him, arms crossed. “You have to do politics.”

“Then I abdicate. I leave the Ghost Realms to my dog, Cujo. He’ll make treaties with slobbery kisses and head pats.”

“You’re such a drama queen,” Shuri sighed, snatching his spoon and dipping it into the tub. “A glowing, interdimensional, mint-breathed drama queen.”

Danny perked up. “Did you just share my ice cream? Is this a bonding moment?”

“No.”

“It feels like a bonding moment.”

“It’s not.”

“I’m just saying, if I died again right now, I’d die happy.”

“You’re already dead.”

“Exactly. That’s how good this moment is.”

And then came the courtship.

Apparently, in ghost culture, any monarch who shares food with another royal is engaging in “pre-mating ceremonial bonding.” Danny found this out after the ice cream moment and immediately declared that he was now courting Shuri, Princess of Wakanda, Heir of the Panther, Queen of His Afterlife.

Shuri threw a shoe at him.

Danny dodged, declared it a “warrior’s blessing,” and carried the shoe around for two days as a sacred relic.

T’Challa returned from a diplomatic mission to find a literal ghost king holding his sister’s sandal in one hand and trying to explain to Okoye why his haunted llamas needed Wakandan citizenship. The Black Panther stared. Blinked. Then turned around and left without saying a word.

It only got worse when the ghosts started showing up.

You see, Danny forgot to mention that his realm was connected to every plane of existence, including all other universesand timelines. So, one by one, people started noticing strange, glowing portals opening in their showers, under their beds, and once—tragically—during a live interview with Tony Stark, who got slimed with ectoplasm and spent an hour screaming about “interdimensional snot monsters.”

Wanda Maximoff accidentally astral-projected into Danny’s throne room during a meditative nap and got stuck in a four-hour tea ceremony with Princess Dorathea the Dragon Ghost, who tried to set her up with Wulf, the yeti-looking ghost of justice. Doctor Strange kept getting prank-called by Technus, who hacked the Sanctum’s Wi-Fi and kept sending memes with captions like “Ur magical protections are mid. Sincerely, King Danny.”

Eventually, the Avengers invited Danny to a meeting.

He showed up fifteen minutes late, riding a skeleton horse, wearing sunglasses indoors, and drinking bubble tea through a glowing straw. Thor challenged him to a duel for “honor and clarity.” Danny beat him by turning intangible and pantsing him in front of everyone.

Shuri watched from the sidelines, sipping her own bubble tea, absolutely smitten and refusing to admit it.

“Just marry him already,” Okoye muttered, half-exasperated, half-amused.

“I don’t even like him,” Shuri snapped. “He’s a reckless, chaotic disaster. He tried to eat vibranium popcorn and exploded.”

“You saved his ectoplasmic signature in your lab.”

“For scientific research!”

“You painted your gauntlet with his core color.”

“It’s a good aesthetic!”

“You wrote a five-page protocol for ‘dealing with ghost boyfriends.’”

“PREEMPTIVE PLANNING.”

Danny, overhearing all of this from the ceiling, grinned like a haunted gremlin. “So you do like me.”

“Get out of my lab,” Shuri said.

He floated closer. “Make me.”

She did. By launching him into orbit with a vibranium railgun.

He came back the next day with a moon rock and a bouquet of cosmic roses made of stardust and regret. She didn’t smile. Not really. Just a little.

And thus began the weirdest, most politically unstable, gloriously cursed romance in the history of both the Ghost Zone and the multiverse. International relations were a mess, ghost cats roamed Wakandan streets, Thor and Cujo became best friends, and Danny made a habit of whispering “I’m Shuri’s spooky consort” at every formal event while phasing through walls.

Nobody knew if it was true love or mutually assured chaos.

But one thing was certain: Ghost diplomacy would never be the same.

[rivalswrites]

Valentine's Day special 1/4

Before you read, please be warned that I'm writing based on my impressions of them not only in the game (though it's the biggest inspiration), but some of them with the movies/shows in mind too.

Summery: giving everyone on the Marvel Rivals roster a kiss (with plot!!)

Valentine's Masterlist

Underage characters and animal characters will be platonic (there will be a reminder for each one

Characters included: Adam, Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America, Cloak & Dagger, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hawkeye, Hela

It's late afternoon, and you're both alone in the infirmary. Neither of you are injured, but somehow the monotone atmosphere of the room has become a special place for you two to hang out. It's a place that barely anyone actually uses, maybe once in a blue moon when there's no mystical healer to instantly redo any damage (which is a very rare occasion.)

Perched upon a bed with a really still mattress, you look down at him, he who isn't sitting next to you- but instead below you. He's on the floor, on his knees, and his face lays on your leg like it's the most comfortable pillow ever. His hands hold both your legs together while your hands play with his hair gently, softly brushing through and horribly braiding it before brushing it out again.

You're both talking, about anything that comes to mind- usually it's about the impending doom of the multiverse, but today? Today the conversation flowed about space. It all started when you had mentioned you'd never truly seen space until you were thrown into Wakanda- the one that was far into the future, in space. That little comment had sparked Adam to inform you all about it, he described it's beauty and was saddened you'd never seen him home truly: when you told him you could see it from earth he said it wasn't the same as actually being in the stars, traveling through it.

His face was bright, looking up at you with- forgive me- stars in his eyes and a large smile that definitely molded his whole face. The bright aura around him almost glowed, you swore he actually was- but maybe that was just the light meeting his skin.

Gently, your hand moved from his scalp to his cheek to hold it: making him look more towards you as you leaned down. Quickly he stopped talking, his breath hitching at the closeness, his grip on your legs tightened a little too. Ever so gently, you pulled his face up and laid a kiss on his lips- closing your eyes and leaning into it. Adam happily returned it, using his legs to push himself up and meet you with more passion than he had with his talk of space.

When you pull away he follows, now he's fully standing on his knees and his eyes are fluttering open. His face is in a pout because he wanted more, for it to last longer. Your thumb rubs his cheek and he leans his face into it while looking up at you with big eyes.

Giving in, you lean down and give him another quick kiss on his forehead before pulling back. “You're so cute when you talk about your home.”

Honestly you weren't even expecting to see him much today. It was a common occurrence at the moment to not see him often due to how much time he spent in the labs working with his sister. The stress of keeping Wakanda safe while working to fix the multiversal problem and fight against Doom.

You didn't hold it against him, but that didn't stop you from wanting to see him. Everyday passed by and it was sad how you really only saw each other at night for a short dinner and bed. But this work was important to him, everyone knew. And so you let it be and took what you could get, enjoying the dinners and cuddling up in bed. Until that wasn't enough.

One could go only so far without affection that everyone craves, so you deemed it okay to interrupt his work- just a little. The doors to the lab were pushed open and you walked into said lab.

He was sitting in a chair, hunched over and looking over what you assumed was data. Shuri caught a glimpse of you, afraid you had been caught. You raised your hand in a shushing motion while tilting your hair towards T’challa. Thankfully Shuri was smart and got the memo, quickly turning around and continuing her work.

Sneaking up on him was difficult, you knew he had a keen sense of his surroundings, but you tried anyway.

“I know you are there” he says, not even moving from his place. So much for trying.

“Fine, I've been caught, but can you blame me for trying?” You reply, walking up to him quickly and wrapping your arms around his shoulders. Your head leaning on his as you glance at his work, stuff you didn't know much about- but that didn't stop you from looking.

T’challa chuckled and leaned his head back to yours, pushing against it in a loving way- something you'd both do as a way of playful love. “I cannot, my love” finally, he had turned to look at you, face to face. His smile was something you had missed so much.

“You work so long” you mutter, laying your forehead against his and closing your eyes.

His eyes wandered around your face, you couldn't see it but his eyes were full of regret. “I know my dear, and I am sorry” he responded, his hands coming up to cup your face.

“Don't be, I know it's important.” His heart pangs with guilt, and he almost instantly followed up your own words with “and you are too.”

A quiet hum left you, but that was all that was said. He knew he had to make it up somehow, and that he couldn't make up for all the time he'd made you spend alone. So he did the only thing he could think of at the moment, pulling your face closer to his and giving you a kiss.

It was passionate, and loving, his feelings easily conveyed to you. Obviously you returned, arms tightening around him to get closer. The kiss was quicker than expected, but it didn't feel like it- either way you both knew that the love between you two was something that couldn't be broken by time apart (though he later promises to take more time for you).

You were sitting on the bathroom counter, swinging your legs a little as you wrapped yourself around Natasha. She moved around a lot, seeing as she was doing her makeup, but you didn't care- you just continued to lay on her shoulders and enjoy the smell of her hair wash.

“Enjoying yourself sweetheart?” She asked, leaning her head on yours while her arm wrapped around your shoulders mutually- mostly so he could get her mascara out of its container. The only reply you have was a soft “mmm” and a nudge closer to her.

She laughed at that, patting your back before focusing on the mirror behind you to get her mascara on.

It's a quiet atmosphere, your breathing mixed together and the messing around of makeup were about the only thing that made noise.

Switching hands, she skillfully works around you to get her other eye- pulling back and blinking to get a good look at herself. To make sure she got it right she pulled back, her hands resting on your arms to push you back too. “C'mon Sweetheart, look at tell me if it's alright.” It was easy, staring at your girlfriend's face with her permission. A true honor.

Time felt like it stopped, her gorgeous face looking right at yours with a smile. Her arms came up to rest on your shoulders, hands connecting behind you to almost cage you- but it also caged her because your legs were locked around her in almost the same way.

“Yeah,” you mutter “looks great, Nat.” She smiled more, pulling her hands to rest on your neck and pulling you close. “Always so good to me” Natasha said, pulling your head close. The two of your bodies were so close, and you both seemed to enjoy it. No complaints when your faces were inches apart.

“Always so pretty, Nat” you mutter, leaning in and closing your eyes, your hands resting on her back. Her laugh was angelic, as she leaned in and pressed her lips to yours quickly- pulling back soon after, “you're lucky I haven't put any lipstick on yet” she said before leaning in to kiss you again: this time for longer.

Music floated through the air, a vinyl running of some old song he had enjoyed back in his day, before being frozen. Steve laid on his back on the bed, humming along with the song as he rubbed your back. It was night, and he always had the vinyl running at night, something that helped relax- other than being with you.

Neither of you were asleep, something that occurred often with the both of you. Insomnia, you had told him about it one time, but he didn't pay much mind to what you had said- as rude as that was.

All he thought about was that it was more time awake with you, in a nice quiet atmosphere.

He tilted his head when he heard you take a deep breath, more like a sigh. “What's up?” Steven muttered, his hand rubbing your shoulder and pulling you closer.

“‘m tired” you replied, hugging him closer. “Then why don't you go to sleep, hm?” rolling over on his side, his other arm wrapped around your back and rested his hand on your lower back.

“Not without my kiss.” Steve chuckled at this, his laugh bubbling over to where your head that laid on his chest moved along with it. “Alright, how can I neglect your nightly routine?” he said, leaning his head down and raising his hand to cup your face.

You followed suit, raising your own head and staring at his face, memorizing the soft features of his old face- though it doesn't look old, obviously because of the ice he was stuck in for years.

Unsurprisingly he leans in for a kiss, and so in turn you do too. It starts off with a quick peck, but Steve couldn't get enough, so he keeps going in for more. The more he kissed you the longer he lingered before eventually he wouldn't- no, couldn't leave your lips. They were so addicting, and even though they were slightly chapped he still thought they were the best thing in the world.

When he did pull back, he rested his face on yours, tucking it over and pulling you closer. “Sleep baby, I'll be here” he whispered, rubbing your back calmly to get you to sleep- which works. The soft music playing along with his warmth easily puts you to sleep, satisfied with your goodnight kiss. Steve stays up for awhile longer, thinking about how thankful he was to have someone like you amidst the chaos.

(Platonic)

“You both are utterly ridiculous, charging in like that,” The pair was guilty of your claim, looking down while sitting at the table “you two could've been seriously hurt. Waiting for the team to come back would've been the smart option. The scolding had gone on for a while, and both Tandy and Tyrone were accepting of it.

They weren't used to having someone to take care of them, especially after they had been out on the streets, but they were still kids. That's what puts you on edge, them being children fighting for the universe like that.

Tyrone was currently the one physically there, playing with the drawstrings of his hoodie and avoiding eye contact. Tandy was the one who wanted to rush in, but he knew that whoever's idea it was didn't matter.

“We're sorry, really.” Tyrone muttered, continuing, “We thought we could hold the point until everyone came back.” He looks off to the side, his body shrinking in on itself- obviously as a defense mechanism. The poor boy.

With a sigh, you sat down next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “And I get that, I've done things like that before too- but you're both just kids…”

Tyrone whispered out a ‘yeah’ and leaned into your build. “I'm frustrated, but I know thinking stuff out in the midst of battle is hard” you comforted, patting Tyrone’s back. “Don't beat yourself up, you're both trying your best.”

Pulling Tyrone closer, you give him a kiss on the forehead. “Doing great, you're both strong for agreeing to help us all fix the entanglement.”

Before you could even process it, a flash of light blinded you for a second. When you blinked back your eyesight you saw Tandy sitting where Tyrone just was, “I want one too” she said- more like demanded. “A kiss, right here.” Tandy then pointed to her forehead, staring at you intently.

“Alright sweetheart, calm your horses.” Leaning down again you place a kiss on Tandy’s forehead too, just like you did with Tyrone.

“I worry for you both, please just wait next time.” Pulling Tandy closer, she snuggles up into your side- almost demanding all of your warmth for her and Tyrone to have, all to themselves.

It didn't take a detective to find out his hands weren't what they used to be, and while they had recovered it was still difficult from time to time.

This was one of those times.

Strange sat on the floor, legs crossed and staring down at his hands. His stare was intense, and he was definitely deep in thought- bad thoughts, you knew it all too well. Hands shaking as they laid in his lap, his fingers twitch involuntarily every few seconds.

You took it upon yourself to help him, as his partner it was a duty you took up because you knew he couldn't stop himself when he was like this. Taking his hands in yours, you pulled him onto your lap- it was comical, his large frame on top of yours when usually it'd be the other way around.

“You're doing it again,” you said, raising his hands and cupping them together before giving his knuckles a kiss. “Looking like you hate it.”

“I do” he replied, leaning his head on yours and making eye contact. “My life would've been different.” There was silence, he'd never brought that longing up before- but you knew. He wanted a normal life, he longed for it at times.

“Yeah”, you pause and look him right in the eye, “but then I'd never have met you. That'd be devastating.” You take a pout, which gets a chuckle out of him.

His hands resting on your shoulders, your hands on top of his. “Yeah” he mimics you.

The quiet between the two of you is calm, tame, and neither of you want to break it. But you do anyways, “I know it's hard for you, but you know more than anyone that dwelling on the past isn't good.”

Steven groaned quietly, turning his hand to look away before your hand shot up and grabbed his jaw- forcing him to look at you. “Hey. Don't go doing that, don't close yourself off from me.” The tone you used was demanding, yet still soft. “Love you too much to not want your baggage” you joke, smiling up at him.

Blush decorated his face, flushing over your assertiveness. Your hand on his face warmed the skin underneath, it almost burned under your hand. “Right.” He mutters, resting his forehead on yours.

With a proud smile you lean in and give him a kiss, your hand moving from his jaw to his cheek- carding through his facial hair and scratching at it slightly. His hands on your shoulders tighten their grip before moving to your upper back where he holds you close.

(Platonic)

Being friends with a living tree was an interesting thing to process, especially after learning he could talk (albeit only 3 words). Groot was a kind, gentle soul- tree, he always seemed to understand.

It was a quiet day, the two of you were talking out in a forest. Well, Groot was walking, you were on his shoulder and enjoying the view. After gaining permission from the Guardians, you took Groot to a broken part of some random universe where everything had become overgrown- assuming he'd enjoy the nature.

Which he did.

In fact, he enjoyed it a lot. So much so that he sat down halfway through your walk and just leaned on a tree. Your back hit the tree too, but it didn't bother either of you, instead you rested your hand on top of Groots head and patted it- even with how uncomfortable it was with all the spikes.

“I am Groot” he looked up at you. “What's that buddy?” You glanced down, leaning forward to see him better.

“I am Groot” he repeats, holding up his hand this time. In-between his fingers was a flower, painted a pretty blue.

“Oh Groot, it's beautiful” reaching down, you grasp the flower and bring it closer to get a better look. You can see little bugs scurry along the petals, little ants and a ladybug. “Is this for me?”

“I am Groot” he replied, smiling up at you. “Thank you Groot, I really appreciate it.” Leaning down you place a quick peck on his head, watching as the area where the kiss was planted sprouted little tiny flowers.

A pizza box was thrown into the dinner table, Clint walking past it after he dropped it into the table. He was freshly done with a game/mission and all he wanted to do was take a shower and eat junk- hence the pizza.

He paused at the bedroom door, which was cracked open, and stood there for a second before leaning forward to look inside. There he spotted you, laying on the bed on your stomach- watching a show on your shared laptop. With a grin, he opened the door and walked in as quietly as the ronin could (which was very).

Standing at the edge of the bed he peered down at the computer- some action show was playing and he could tell you weren't paying too much attention to it. Hell, you were dozing off a little, head tilting down every now and then before snapping up. ‘Adorable’, he thought to himself.

It was pretty dark outside, arguably he thought you should be asleep by now, but he knew how you were- wanting to stay up and see him come home. Raising his leg he got onto the bed, trapping your legs in-between his. Before you could even realize what was going on he flipped down, trapping you underneath him. The bed dipped under his weight not adding onto yours, and his arms wrapped around your neck.

“Hey there sweetheart” he grins, leaning his head on your shoulder and nuzzling his nose into the side of your face. “Clint! You scared me” you muttered, turning and bumping his nose with yours.

A laugh bubbles from his chest, verberating into your back as he does so. “Sorry baby, couldn't help it. So happy you waited for me.” He said, cuddling up and tightening his grip on you. “I got dinner.”

You let out a hum, shutting the laptop and moving it to the side table. Shuffling the bed sheets around you leaned onto your side, bringing Barton with you, and then turning around to meet him face to face. “You stink.”

“Wha- hey! I just got back, give me a break.” He cried out, crowding your space with how close he held you. His cheek nuzzles into your hair and acts all hurt.

“Take a shower before you stink up our bed” you draw out, pretending to push him away while laughing. “C'mon, just a quick one?”

Clint pretended to think, staring at the wall behind you for a minute or two. “Alright,” he let go of you and leaned up on his arm “but give me a kiss first?” bargaining was all a part of his game.

You scoffed at his comment, but leaned up and placed a hand on his chest anyways. “Just don't use all the hot water” you mutter before leaning in and giving him a kiss. He quickly deepened the kiss, grabbing a hold of the back of your head and groaning into it before pulling away quickly- leaving you a little dazed from the unexpectedness and how tired you were.

“Alright, Pizza’s on the table.”

The TV was on and one of the various streaming platforms was open, as Hela has graciously agreed to watch a show with you. She always claimed modern entertainment was under her, but for her lover she could make an exception- you had basically begged her, saying it was something she might like. So here she is, sitting on the plush couch and an arm wrapped around your shoulder.

Television wasn't her thing, being the old fashioned gal she was- and the fact that Asgardian entertainment was very different, but if you thought it would be something she might like she'd give it a try.

You pointed the remote at the screen, scrolling until you found it and clicked play on it. Hela didn't particularly care for the name or intro sequence, using the hand over your shoulder to play with your hair. Her face was close to yours, you could feel her breath on your ear if you focused hard enough.

Eventually though, something had piqued her interest- and while she did continue to play with your hair, she slowly let her attention go to the screen. It was a history show, or something that played on actual history, so interesting how it was different to Asguardian texts.

Your hair laid on her shoulder and you grabbed her hand now resting idly on your shoulder, intertwining your fingers together. “Thank you for watching with me” you mutter, rolling your eyes up to look at her face. “I really appreciate it.”

The response she gave was different from what you were expecting- a simple hum of acknowledgement- instead she leaned down and kissed the side of your head. “You mortals get excited over the smallest thing, I find it… endearing.” She said, leaning her head on yours, “only when it's you though” she corrected herself quietly.

[waywardsou2]

(credits to @lucrezianoin for the video)

(Latching onto their post because I had something I needed to say)

My theory here is that look of surprise on Viktor's face is because Jayce hasn't ever made it this far, at least not in once peice.

Part of me thinks that this whole time he's been watching Jayce since he can jump multiverses or somehow knew where Jayce was at in the timeline of events he knew were to come in this timeline.

But for whatever reason Jayce never made it this far, he never made it to Piltover to find him and be able to learn what he needed to to succeed. This is the first time Viktor has seen Jayce in a form that wasn't "perfect, dead or dying.

He very well knew who was knelt in front of his Jayce but even still his eyes widen and flicker, his mouth falls open and he takes a pause that I don't think was for the dramatic effect on his part.

This is the first time he's seen Jayce whole in a few multiversal millenia.

And not to mention Jayce, his face of disbelief and probable realisation that everything up to this point had somehow always been connected to Viktor, that even from the beginning it was Viktor who set him on the path of his obsession with the arcane and anything magical.

His whole face softens, he was tired, he was confused, he was angry. And some part of him probably blamed this mage. If he hadn't been given the crystal, he wouldn't have perused magic, Viktor wouldn't have been caught up in all of this and maybe they could have just been professors together at the academy. But then it turns out that it was Viktor, it somehow was always Viktor

Also, that fact that both of their pupils dilate slightly which happens when looking at something you love. It's not like it was the light or anything they are both very well lit up with bright eyes. They are looking at the person they hold most dearest.

Jayce knows if he fails, he loses Viktor, he loses his life and he risks the lives of many others

Viktor knows that if things haven't worked out in the correct order, he is doomed to watch himself and Jayce tear each other apart all over again.

This also means that Viktor has seen infinite outcomes where Viktor and Jayce have not been able to save each other and that this one. These exact events, were the only thing in all of the multiverse that ended up being the good ending, where Viktor wasn't left alone with his glorious purpose and Jayce didn't wind up dead. This and only this timeline was the way things could work out without one of them getting hurt or lost.

I also want to say that this probably created a paradox. Mage Viktor only exists because Jayce and Viktor used the Arcane to unlock the multiverse. But mage Viktor had to exist in some timeline before hextech to be able to find Jayce and fix the other timelines.

And the other timelines only exist because Viktor was trying to save them, but if he had never given Jayce the crystal or saved him then the other timelines may have never suffered, he did this because he couldn't fathom the idea of a universe where he never got to meet Jayce. It was almost as if he didn't like the thought of any of his counterparts never having met Jayce...if that isn't heartbreaking, I don't know what it

And I have a question about Mage Viktor's actions...why? It's not like Marvel where fixing his timeline will fix all timelines. Jayce was only able to save his timeline and Ekko was only able to keep the other timeline from falling apart by leaving. So why did he feel the need to try and fix all the other timelines?

Because he loved Jayce, I think. And he never wanted there to be a timeline where they never met. he needed his counterparts to know what it was like to be in Jayce's presence, he needed to know that he could be loved and that he could love in return. He needed them to understand that. But so many...too many of them didn't

[unconventional-lawnchair]

Hi! I've been thinking a lot about hufflepuff!fem!reader biting more than she could chew whilst practising new spells and opening a portal to a new dimension (think of the multiverse) and ending up in Gotham where she meets Nightwing during one of his patrols, where he was helping out the rest of the Batfamily pin point the spot where an anomaly created by her was detected...thanks! xx

Falling First

AN: I am SO sorry, I realised how long it was this will likely be a two parter- but OMG I dropped everything this idea was too cute

WC: 6077

CW: Use of {Y/N}, vivid panic attack, blood, rat mishandling

“Are you going to keep reading that dumb book?” Damien’s judgmental voice called over to Nightwing from the other side of the rooftop. He was practicing his form, swinging around Nightwing’s staff as if it was one of his swords.

Dick was leaning against the concrete wall, holding a soda and reading a book propped on his lap. The title? Hogwarts: A History.

“Dumb book?” Dick scoffed playfully, leaning further back. "It's fascinating!" He raved, not taking his eyes off the pages. "Besides, who doesn't want to read about wizarding worlds and magical creatures? The.. the interesting ways in which students have harmed themselves. I wonder if there is another volume..” He began to mumble.

Damien rolled his eyes, still twirling the staff with practiced ease. "We deal with real villains and real threats every day. I don't see the point in wasting time on make-believe. And did father even say you could take that here? It's evidence.”

Dick glanced up from his book, a smirk playing on his lips. "You know, some day, you'll learn to relax. It's just a light read. Helps keep the mind sharp and the imagination alive."

With a final, flashy spin of the staff, Damien stopped and faced Nightwing, raising an eyebrow. "Imagination? You sound like Grayson. Oh wait, you are Grayson.”

Dick chuckled, shaking his head. "And you, my dear Damien, sound like a mini Bruce with a side of extra grumpiness."

Damien huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I just don't see the point."

"Well, in fairness, you do need a signal. Has it happened yet?” Oracle’s voice called out from their earpiece. Dick leaned back and pressed two fingers to his ear. “Not yet, it's still stable.”

Damien huffed and walked over, sitting down on the concrete wall and snatching the bag of open puffs. “We'll be here all night. What's the point?”

“To find more anomalies, Robin.” Barbara sighed and leaned back in her seat, spinning a bit from the large computer screen and sliding over towards a glass display, showing off several random items that had been appearing on the roof top for months now.

Scrolls, weathered and tampered. Random blue crystals, which Dick’s newest favorite book called ‘moonstones,’ quills, and even what seemed to be a wand carved from hazel wood. All of which had appeared on that rooftop with a spark of terrifying energy.

"Right, anomalies.” Dick smirked, sitting up a bit straighter and closing his book. "We can't have mysterious artifacts just popping up all over Gotham. That would be bad for business."

Damien gave a reluctant nod, munching on the puffs he had taken from Dick’s bag. "Still, I don’t see how reading that book helps us."

"Knowledge is power, Damien." Dick cheeked, taking a sip of his soda. "Even if it's from a 'dumb book'. Besides, it might give us some insight into what we're dealing with. These items don’t exactly scream ‘normal’."

Barbara’s voice crackled over the earpiece again. "He's right, Damien. Understanding the lore and history behind these artifacts could be crucial. It might help us figure out where they're coming from and possibly even how they are getting here.”

“Yeah yeah..” He mumbled.

“Besides,” Dick smirked. “Who's to say we can't have a little fun on the-”

Before he could continue, lifting the book, it began to spark and flicker in his hands. As if its very file was corrupted but somehow managed to manifest physical energy. The book glowed with an eerie yellow and pink light, and the pages began to flip rapidly on their own.

"Uh, guys?" Dick called out, his playful demeanor shifting to one of concern. "I think we might have another anomaly on our hands."

Damien immediately leaped up and snapped his attention around them, pulling his katana from his sheath and getting ready.

Dick got up next, taking his staff and looking around cautiously.

“We are getting it here too!” Barbara ’s voice was hardly audible, the lights around the city began to flicker and wave, as if he was staring at a terrible simulation on the break on destruction.

Barbara stood watching the other artifacts from the batcave, seeing them flicker and spark with life as they began to glitch from place to place.

Suddenly, there was a loud crackle from above Dick and Damien, and then a loud squeak.

“Shit.” Dick hissed and shot him, using his staff to propel him and catch whatever was falling before it hit the ground.

He found in his hand, a fat brown and white rat.

Just like that, the glitching stopped. The lights around them returned to normal, and they were left with a new friend.

Dick got to his feet, holding the rat much like you would a can of soda. Staring at it curiously as it squeaked and wiggled about in distress.

"Well, this is new," Dick remarked, raising an eyebrow at the squirming rodent. "Meet our latest anomaly." He showed Damien the squirming thing.

Damien sheathed his katana, looking unimpressed. "A rat? Seriously? This is what all that chaos was about?" He wandered over and held his hand out for it, Dick smirked and pushed his head away, stepping back with a chuckle as Damien tried to steal the rodent from him.

Barbara's voice came through the earpiece, much clearer now. "Dick, Damien, are you both okay? The readings just spiked and then dropped off the charts."

"Yeah, we're fine," Dick snickered and held the rat higher, still holding Damien off. "But it looks like our anomaly this time is a... rat."

“You're not holding it properly!” Damien hissed, muffled against Dick’s palm as he tried to get to the distressed animal.

"A rat?" Barbara repeated, puzzled. "That's odd. Any idea if it has any special properties?"

"Well, it did appear out of thin air." Dick noted playfully before he looked up at it, holding it flat on its stomach now. “Speak!”

It only seemed to huff in response and Dick shrugged. “Looks like a common city rat.”

“That's not a city rat!” Damien snapped. “Look at its patterns! It's domestic.”

“A pet rat?” Barbara muttered before she crossed her arms, confused. “So we started with random items and now a living creature?”

“Sounds like experiment progression to me.” Dick cooed at the rat before he lowered his arms. “Ima call him Mr. Squeakerson.”

Before he could stop him, Damien finally stole the rat from him, shielding the creature against his chest. "He's not a toy, Grayson," Damien snapped, glaring at Dick. "This is serious."

"Alright, alright," Dick relented, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

Barbara's voice came through the earpiece again. "Damien's right. If this rat is part of the anomalies, it could be important. We need to figure out where it came from and why it's here."

Damien nodded, cradling the rat gently, running two fingers down its back. "I'll take him back to the Batcave and run some tests. Maybe there's something special about this rat that we haven't identified yet."

"Good idea.” Dick agreed, his expression turning serious. "I'll keep an eye out for any more anomalies up here."

Barbara hummed. "I'll continue monitoring the readings. If anything happens, ring me, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Both Dick and Damien called into their ear pieces.

~~~

“No!” You sobbed out as the portal disappeared, staring at the middle of the shrieking shack in distress.

“We can always try again next full moon.” Luna Lovegood’s airy voice called over to you. You gave another groan, walking over to one of the discarded desks and sitting down.

“It's not working! I just don't get it.” You huffed, looking over the tomes and scrolls you both had splayed out on the floor and tables, ones you had pinned and scraped together, littered with muggle sticky notes and ink that traveled between the pages as if to etch out a map.

Tomes of old magic with modern magic, the deep theory of apparition. And even some old muggle studies of what they would call inter dimensional travel. You began to scatter over the pages, stepping over the moonstones you had gathered, the fine line of black sand that had now crystallized with the energy of the portal, making it almost glass.

“What a waste of Diricawl feathers.” You whined and let your head hit the desk, Luna reaching over to rub your head to try and comfort you.

It had been months, months of you trying to create a portable form of Floo Flames, something safer than apparition and more accessible to the masses. You were turning 19 soon, you were so close to having to leave Hogwarts behind, and thus all the free materials needed to continue your experiments.

Luna continued to pat your head gently, her presence a small comfort to fight off your frustration. "You got closer this time." She breathed.

You sighed deeply, lifting your head just enough to glance at the scattered notes and artifacts. Lazily lifting your hand to grab one of your quills. "I know, Luna. It's just... I was so sure this time. We've been working on this for months, and it feels like we're no closer than when we started."

Luna gave you a dreamy smile. "Progress isn't always visible. Sometimes, it's in the small things. Like today, we didn't lose anything to the portal.”

You slowly smiled, lifting your head. “I guess so.” You mumbled. “And it was bigger this time. I could almost put my hand through.”

“That's the spirit.” Luna hummed and stood up, waving her wand as she began to set the items to collect themselves from the floor. You pouted a bit and Luna turned to smile at you.

“Still miss your wand?”

“Deeply.” You huffed and sat up, fixing your tie. “And that history of Hogwarts book is going to set me back a few galleons to replace.”

Luna tilted her head, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Oh, I did forgot to mention. My father still has his old copy. He said he'd love to have you for tea, lend it to you. I can ask him if this coming holiday works."

You smiled at her, feeling your heart throb at her thoughtfulness. How could anyone hate this girl? "Thanks, Luna. You're always so helpful. I just hope we can figure this out before I have to leave Hogwarts."

Luna nodded, her brows furrowing. "We'll get there."

Just as she finished speaking, a soft glow appeared on the desk beside you. A small, shimmering portal flickered into existence for a brief moment before winking out. Both of you stared at the spot in surprise.

"Did you see that?" You whispered, as if speaking too loud would wake you up from a dream, your smile growing tenfold as Luna’s brows only furrowed deeper.

“It materialized! On its own!” You lit up and quickly got to your feet, scrambling for your journal.

“Oh that can't be good.” She muttered.

You paused, looking back at her with confusion. "What do you mean, can't be good? This is a breakthrough!"

Luna's expression remained serious, her eyes scanning the spot where the portal had flickered. "If it materialized on its own, it means the magic is becoming unstable. It might be reacting to something we don't understand yet."

Your excitement dimmed slightly as you considered her words. "Luna, it's a marvel!” You insisted. Luna hesitated, seeing her mother’s fire in your eyes. She took a steady breath and frowned a bit, turning into a pout, as you slowly relaxed your shoulders.

“It's a breakthrough.” You insisted. “And it happened after 3am, is that it? Did we have the witching hour wrong?”

As you began to scatter around the room, Luna watched with a worried look, before she could speak up about her concerns, you reached out your hand to your table. “Templeton! Quill!” You called out. But when the quill didn't hit your palm, you looked around confused. Where had your rat gone?

There was a moment of pause before you looked back at Luna. “Looloo? Where did Templeton go?”

Luna looked around the room before she slowly eyed the circle in the middle of the room. You felt your heart drop.

~~~

The majority of the day you had been moping. You missed your rat.

It was all you could think of, through every class, you couldn't shake the worry gnawing at the back of your mind. You had grown quite attached to Templeton, and the thought of him being lost somewhere unknown was unbearable. Was he alive? Was he eating? Was what he was eating safe? Was he safe?

Luna tried to cheer you up during lunch, but even her whimsical stories and odd facts couldn't lift your spirits. "We'll find him.” She tried to reassure you. "Maybe he's on an adventure of his own."

"An adventure?" You muttered, poking at your food. You had already started pushing the peas out of your food for Templeton. "I just hope he's safe."

As the day went on, you found yourself increasingly anxious. What if the portal had sent Templeton somewhere you couldn't reach? What if he was scared and alone? Cold and wet? What if he was missing you as much as you were missing him? The questions swirled in your mind, making it hard to focus on anything else.

---

Back in Gotham, Damien was busy running tests on the rat in the Batcave. He had set up a small, comfortable enclosure for the creature, complete with food and water. As the automated scanners did their work, Damien couldn't help but notice how the rat seemed oddly calm, almost as if it was used with all the testing.

"Any luck?" Dick asked, strolling into the lab area with a curious look. He was out of his costume, just in sweats and a black shirt.

"Nothing yet.” Damien mumbled, keeping his eyes on the monitors. "But there's definitely something different about this rat. It's too comfortable around all this testing. And his heart is on the wrong side.”

Dick nodded, looking at the rat with interest. "Any signs of where it might have come from?"

Damien shook his head, glancing at the rat. "Not yet. But the fact that its heart is on the wrong side suggests it might not be from around here. It's an anomaly in itself."

Dick frowned, leaning in closer to the rat. "So, it's not just any rat. That makes things more interesting. We need to figure out where it came from and what it means."

As the rat continued to explore its new enclosure, Damien's eyes narrowed. "... it's really friendly. Doesn't seem to like it kibble, keeps trying to eat what Alfred brings me."

Dick nodded. "I've been cross-referencing the data from the anomalies with our existing records over the years- wait, have you been letting it out of its cage?”

Damien flustered, stammering for a moment. “It's a small enclosure!”

Dick chuckled, shaking his head at Damien's defensiveness. "Seems like Mr. Squeakerson is already growing on you. What? Don't have enough strays?"

Damien scowled, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Don't get too attached. We still need to figure out where he came from and how he got here." Barbara's voice came from behind them. She pushed herself down the strip walk way in her wheelchair, getting back to her monitors with a yawn. Looking over to the cage and smiling as the rat seemed to get excited at her return. “He's smart. Very friendly.”

"Yeah, a bit too friendly for a rat that just appeared out of nowhere." Dick noted, watching the rat scurry around its enclosure with curiosity. "What do you think, Babs? Any theories?"

Barbara adjusted her glasses and leaned closer to the monitors, tapping a few keys to bring up the data. "It's definitely unusual. The heart on the wrong side, the comfort around humans, and now it's showing signs of higher intelligence. This isn't just any ordinary rat. That has only been seen once before.”

“... you mean when Lex Luther-”

“Exactly.” Barbarainterrupted and gestured to the display. “A wand. Stones, papers and tomes, even quills? All of them tie back to your book.”

Dick furrowed his brow at her and she then gestured to the rat. “What was it your book said? You could bring pets?”

“A rat, an owl, or a frog.” Dick mumbled before Damien seemed to catch one.

“Are they…”

“From another universe.” Dick concluded with a slack jaw.

“One where their organs mirror our own.”

Damien's eyes widened with realization. "So, you're telling me this rat might actually be from a parallel universe? One where magic is that common?"

Barbara nodded, her expression serious. "It's starting to look that way. The items we've found, the anomalies- they might all be connected to this other world. And if this rat is any indication, living creatures can cross over as well."

Dick looked thoughtfully at the rat, now affectionately named Mr. Squeakerson. "If that's true, then we need to figure out how these portals are opening and why. There might be more at stake here than just a few random artifacts."

Damien nodded and Barbara sighed.

“I think we need to call in the others. Tell Bruce what we know.” Barbara mused and gestured to the rat.

Dick walked over to the cage and opened it, a bit surprised when the rat ran up his arm and straight to his shoulder. Like it knew exactly what he wanted.

“Huh.”

“I'll call the others.” Damian nodded, turning before Barbara called over. “Don't forget Jason!”

She could hear his groan echo off the walls.

~~~

You were stressed, you were tired. You hadn't slept since Templeton fell through the portal. You went straight back to the shack after curfew, setting everything up once more.

Luna, ever the supportive friend, had accompanied you despite the late hour. She watched quietly as you frantically arranged the moonstones and black sand, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

"You need to rest.” She said softly, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder. "You'll think more clearly after some sleep."

You shook your head, determined. "I can't rest, Luna. Templeton is out there somewhere, and I need to find him. What if he's in danger?"

Luna sighed but didn't argue further. Instead, she waved her wand, casting a charm that made the various components float into place more efficiently. "At least let me help you. Two minds are better than one."

As you both worked, the night crept into day. Luna pushed more firm this time, asking you to at least rest before you attempt anything.

You agreed to a nap, though reluctantly, knowing that your exhaustion could lead to mistakes. Luna conjured a small, comfortable cot in the corner of the shack, and you lay down with a sigh, the weight of your worry making it hard to fully relax.

Luna sat beside you, humming a soft, soothing tune. "Just a quick nap, and then we can get back to work. Templeton will be alright. I have a feeling about it."

You nodded, your eyes drifting shut as Luna's gentle voice lulled you.

As you drifted into a fitful sleep, Luna kept watch, her wand ready and her eyes scanning the room for any signs of magical disturbances. She hoped that a brief rest would replenish your energy and clear your mind for the tasks ahead.

---

Back in Gotham, the Batcave was bustling with activity. Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd, and Tim Drake had joined the investigation, each bringing their unique skills to the table. And, unfortunately, their unique attitudes as well.

"So, this rat just appeared out of nowhere?" Bruce questioned, his voice calm but with an edge of curiosity.

"Exactly," Damien replied, holding the rat gently. "And he’s not just any rat. His heart is on the wrong side, and he shows signs of higher intelligence. We believe he might be from a parallel universe."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, glancing at Barbara and Dick. "Any theories on how these portals are opening?"

Barbara nodded, pulling up a holographic display and gesturing out to each spike of energy. “We think it's intentional. Like they are testing portals.”

"Testing portals?" Bruce echoed, narrowing his eyes at the display. "That would explain the increasing frequency and the variety of objects appearing. But why?"

"Could be a number of reasons." Tim suggested, stepping forward with a thoughtful expression. "They might be trying to establish stable connections between universes, or perhaps they're searching for something specific. Like a person?”

Jason, leaning casually against a console, chimed in with a smirk. "Or someone pissed off the wrong wizard and now we're dealing with magical fallout."

Damien shot Jason a glare but didn't respond. Instead, he turned back to Bruce. “Whatever it is, we think it's on purpose.”

Bruce nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the information. "We'll need to be prepared for anything. If someone- or something- is intentionally testing these portals, it could be a prelude to something much larger."

Dick looked at Mr. Squeakerson, who was now comfortably perched on his shoulder. "And this little guy might be our best clue to figuring out what’s going on. We need to keep him safe and see what we can learn from him."

Barbara interjected, "I'll continue monitoring the energy spikes and anomalies. We need to pinpoint the exact locations and timings of these events. Maybe we can predict when the next one will happen. There may even be more than one at a time.”

Tim hummed and nodded. "I'll look into the possibility of any magical artifacts or entities that could be responsible for the portals. There might be something in our archives that matches the energy signatures we're seeing."

Jason shrugged, pushing off the console. "Guess I'll be on anomaly patrol then. Wouldn't want anything else to just drop out of the sky unannounced."

Bruce nodded in agreement. "Good. We need to cover all the ground we can. Dick-”

“I'll patrol with Damien.” He interrupted and Bruce narrowed his eyes for only a moment before he nodded. “Everyone's dismissed.”

~~~

You woke up to flashing lights around you. As you opened your eyes, you were greeted with a bright yellow light, more flashing, then, suddenly, you felt like you were falling.

There was a sharp surge of pain that rocked you when your back hit the rooftop. You gasped, the wind knocked out of you as you struggled to regain your bearings. Blinking against the harsh lights and trying to make sense of your surroundings, you slowly sat up, wincing at the ache in your back. The smell of the city- smoke, asphalt, and something distinctly metallic; all hit your nose at once.

You raised your hand as you felt something warm drip from your nose, only to feel another painful shock run through you. You gave a wail of pain as your body began to glitch, as if you were some kind of faulty Sunday cartoon.

It was unbearable, and you let out a throat tearing sob as the pain rocked through you. No one was around, no one near you anyway, and the glitching seemed to get worse. The lights of the city seemed to flicker in response to your pain, and after what felt like hours, you were able to lift yourself.

Your face was covered in blood, your uniform stained with the red fluid, and your head was light.

As your blurry eyes began to focus, you took in the city around you. It was nothing like you had ever seen before; the buildings were towering structures of steel and glass, illuminated by a myriad of neon lights and billboards- some brighter than the sun itself. The noise of the city was a constant hum, a combination of distant traffic, sirens, and the occasional shout from the streets below.

You staggered to your feet, clutching your head as another wave of dizziness hit you. "Where... am I?" you whispered to yourself, trying to make sense of the alien environment.

Were you in a muggle city? Where were your things? Where was Templeton?

Your breathing grew quicker as you realized, not only did you have no clue if you popped out where everything else had but that portal that brought you here was clearly unstable. You didn't summon it, nor did you think Luna did.

She was right, she always was.

You ran your fingers through your hair with a choked sob. Growing more and more frustrated with your own stupidity- you didn't have a wand, you hardly knew any nonverbal spells, you were in the middle of nowhere, and the backdrop of screaming and rowdy life of the city didn't bring any comfort.

Your breath started coming in short, rapid gasps, each one feeling more shallow than the last. Trying to calm your sobs, only worsening it with hiccups. Your heart pounded in your chest, a wild, erratic beat that echoed in your ears. The world around you seemed to blur, the neon lights and towering buildings warping and bending in your vision.

"I... I can't... breathe.” You choked out, your voice barely a whisper. Your hands trembled uncontrollably as you clutched at your chest, trying to will your lungs to take in air. Each inhale felt like you were trying to breathe through a straw, thin and insufficient.

You stumbled, falling back down to your knees and curling up against the concrete wall. Clenching your robe as the horrible and painful glitches returned, the lights and sounds of the city mocking you as the power flickered around with you.

Your mind raced with a thousand thoughts at once, each one more frantic than the last. Where am I? How did I get here? What if I can't get back? What if Templeton is gone forever? The questions swirled and collided, creating a cacophony of panic that drowned out any attempt at rational thought.

The ground seemed to tilt beneath you, making it difficult to keep your balance. You reached out, grasping at nothing, desperate for something solid to hold onto.

Your vision started to narrow, darkening at the edges as the pain rattled you into nothing but a trembling lump.

As your vision continued to darken and your breaths came in ragged gasps, you heard a voice, distant at first but gradually becoming clearer.

"Hey, are you okay?" The voice was filled with concern, cutting through the chaos in your mind. You tried to focus on it, using it as an anchor to the present.

A figure knelt down beside you, you couldn't make him out but he felt safe. He gently placed a hand on your shoulder. "Just breathe, okay? In and out, nice and slow." The voice was calm and steady, a stark contrast to the panic you felt inside. You tried to will away the tears that prickled your eyes.

You tried to follow the instructions, but your body was still wracked with tremors and your mind was a whirlwind of fear. The figure gently rubbed your back, trying to soothe you.

"It's okay, you're safe now.” His voice reminded you of something. Something soft, something gentle.

As you focused on the voice, you felt a small sense of calm start to push through the overwhelming panic. It was like a lifeline, something to hold onto in the midst of the storm inside your mind.

"That's it, just breathe.” The voice continued, steady and reassuring. "You're going to be okay. I'm right here with you."

You took a shaky breath, trying to match the rhythm the voice was setting. In and out, in and out. Slowly, very slowly, the world around you started to come back into focus. The neon lights were still bright, the city noise still loud, but they felt a little less overwhelming with each breath you managed to take.

As your vision cleared, you saw the face of the figure kneeling beside you. It was a large man. Well, certainly larger than you. He was in a blue and black uniform of sorts, and a symbol on his chest you couldn't make out with your hands in the way. You didn't realize that in your panic to find anything solid, you had reached out and grabbed him. Not that he seemed to mind, looking at you from behind his domino mask with such gentleness.

"Hey.” He said softly, his covered eyes tracing your face. He had such a sweet smile. "You're okay. I'm Nightwing, and you're safe now."

You nodded weakly, now gripping his arm for support. The tremors in your body were starting to subside, your breaths becoming steadier. Nightwing's presence was grounding, his calm helping to pull you out of the spiral of panic with so much ease you wondered if he had done it before.

"Can you tell me your name?" He prodded gently, not wanting to overwhelm you.

You swallowed hard, trying to find your voice, wincing as you tasted that copper flavor, your nose was still bleeding. "{Y/N}.” You managed to say, your voice barely above a whisper. "My name is {Y/N}."

Nightwing gave you a reassuring smile. "It's nice to meet you, {Y/N}. Pretty name for a pretty girl. Can you tell me what happened? How you got here?"

You took another deep breath, trying to gather your thoughts. "I... I don't know. There was a portal, and then I was here. I don't know where here is."

Nightwing nodded, his expression serious but understanding, his smile slowly falling. In your sensitive state, you felt your heart clench as you clearly disappointed this definite guardian. "You're in Gotham City. We'll figure out the rest. Can you stand?”

“I-I don't know.” You whispered, your voice shaking and he nodded.

“That's alright, you're alright. Can I touch you?”

“Seems only fair.” You whispered and began to move your hands from his arms.

Nightwing chuckled softly at your remark, glad to see a bit of humor returning to your voice. "Alright, I'm going to help you up. Nice and easy."

He gently placed one arm around your back and another under your knees, lifting you with surprising ease. You felt a bit of a jolt, but his steady confidence helped keep you grounded. As he stood up with you in his arms, you leaned against him, feeling an odd sense of safety despite the chaos around you.

As he carefully carried you towards the edge of the rooftop, you noticed another figure standing there, watching with a mix of curiosity and concern. It was Damien, still holding the staff, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.

"Another anomaly?" Damien asked, his tone skeptical.

Nightwing nodded, carefully setting you down on a nearby crate, making sure you were steady before letting go. "Looks like it. This is {Y/N}. She came through a portal, just like the other items."

Damien approached, his expression softening slightly as he looked at you. "Are you alright?" He asked, his voice carrying a hint of genuine concern despite his usual demeanor. You didn't notice Nightwing raising his eyebrows in surprise.

You nodded, still feeling a bit uneasy. Nightwing pulled out a cloth and held it out to you.

Raising it to your nose you started to stop the bleeding, watching as he put two fingers to his ear. “Oracle, we found something. Send a car.”

“Car?” You whispered and Damien narrowed his eyes at you.

“You must of hit your head pretty hard, huh?” He prodded and you turned to him with furrowed brows.

“Cars? Like the muggle death traps?” You pushed and the younger boy gave you the same confused look you were sending him.

“Muggles? The hell are muggles?” He pushed and your stomach sank.

Nightwing and Damien exchanged a glance, both clearly puzzled by your words. Nightwing crouched down to your level, his expression softening even more as he tried to understand.

"Muggles?" Nightwing asked gently. "You mean non-magical people, right? Like in the book I was reading?"

You nodded slowly, feeling a bit relieved that at least one of them seemed to understand. Then, your jaw dropped. “You read my book?” You pushed and he slowly nodded.

“I guess that was yours? You have a lot of explaining to do.” He slowly smirked at you and you couldn't help how your stomach fluttered at his look.

“Explaining?” You whispered.

“Those portals have been opening up everywhere. It's messing with our entire power grid.”

“What's a power grid?” You pushed again and his jaw clenched a bit.

Damien gave a huff. “This will be a fun one to explain.”

The second the car pulled up you fell quiet. Looking down the several story drop. You looked between the two boys curiously before Dick smiled at you and easily wrapped his arm around your back. “Go ahead and wrap your arms around me, yeah?”

You gave a small yelp at the sudden contact, making him chuckle, which made you pout, furrowing your brow at him. Still, you listened, and wrapped your arms around his neck. Pulling closer to him much like a cat would. He sent Damien a wink and the young boy groaned, rolling his eyes.

You peaked just past Dick’s shoulder and watched as he pulled out a bat shaped trinket, only for him to shoot it out and latch onto the side of the building. “Tighten that grip, I won't choke.”

“Keep teasing me and I'll actually do it.” You huffed before you gave a small gasp at you own tone, Dick just barked out a laugh in absolute delight at your snark.

Then he jumped.

And you prayed to Merlin for a proper savior.

You watched as the hook began to slow your fall, staring curiously around you with an awe strucken face. Nightwing helped you down again and let you in, instructing the younger boy to go home on foot, it seems there were only two seats.

The ride there was filled with mindless chatter. It was mostly one sided, as Nightwing spoke to a small device in his ear.

You sat in the car, your mind racing to catch up with everything that had happened. The city outside the window was a blur of lights and movement, a stark contrast to the more familiar and magical world you had come from. Nightwing's calm voice was a soothing background as he communicated with his team.

"Yeah, we're on our way to the Batcave." Nightwing said into his earpiece. "We have a guest who might be able to help us with the anomalies. We'll need everyone there."

You glanced at him, your curiosity piqued. You kept your voice low so as to not interrupt what was happening. "Batcave? Is that like your headquarters?"

Nightwing nodded, giving you a reassuring smile. "Clever girl. Yeah, go ahead and lean back, we don't know what happened to you.”

You nodded and compiled easily. You found yourself wondering how easy you would be to kidnap, just send you to a foreign place and send in a hot guy who called you pet names and you were done for.

Nightwing continued his conversation through the earpiece, his tone professional yet reassuring. "Oracle, make sure the med bay is ready. We need to check for any injuries or anomalies. And get Bats and the others up to speed."

You felt yourself slowly slipping, the exhaustion form it all catching up with you. As the car sped through the city streets, the combination of Nightwing's soothing voice and the gentle hum of the engine began to lull you into a sense of calm. The adrenaline from your earlier panic attack was wearing off, leaving you feeling drained and exhausted.

"Just hang in there a little longer." Nightwing pushed gently, noticing your drooping eyelids. "We'll be at the Batcave soon, and then we can get you checked out and figure out how to help you."

You nodded weakly, feeling comforted by his presence. The car finally came to a long tunnel, one you couldn't see a thing in. Finally, a light broke through the darkness showing a massive cave. Nightwing helped you out of the vehicle, his grip was firm and the last thing you remembered was seeing the symbol on his chest, much more clearly.

It was a bat- of course it was.

[twisted-dork]

Jason Meets May Parker (AKA The Woman of His Dreams Because She Beat Up the Joker)

Jason Todd wasn’t a romantic.

He wasn’t the type to believe in love at first sight or fate or any of that Hallmark crap. (He may read romance books but that’s fiction therefore it has different rules so it doesn’t count!)

But standing in front of May Parker for the first time—the woman who had, without hesitation, beaten the absolute hell out of the Joker—he thought, Yeah, I’m in love.

He hadn’t planned to meet her like this.

After all, he had questions.

Who the hell was she? How did she take down the Joker with nothing but a baseball bat and sheer rage? Why did the kid she was protecting act like this was just another Tuesday?

So, naturally, he did what he did best.

He followed her.

Which, in hindsight, might not have been his best idea, because when she caught him lingering outside the library where she worked, she hit him in the chest with a hardcover book.

Hard.

May: “You gonna tell me why you’re lurking like a creep, or do I need to hit you again?”

Jason, stunned, looked down at the book she had just used as a blunt weapon.

Jason: “…Did you just hit me with ‘War and Peace’?”

May: “It was the closest thing I had. Want me to try ‘Moby Dick’ next?”

Jason, for reasons he couldn’t explain, grinned.

Jason: “Well I would appreciate it if you didn’t, you pack quite the heat.”

Jason didn’t lie that hit actually hurt which only made him more curious on just how strong she is.

May: “Well from what I’ve seen here in Gotham I think that’s a good thing?”

She smirked putting her hand on her hip.

Once Jason convinced her he wasn’t a threat (and after she made him hold out his hands so she could check them for clown makeup because she wouldn’t be surprised if The Joker sent people after her), May allowed him to sit with her inside the library.

She watched him warily over the rim of her coffee cup, the same way one might watch a stray dog that had wandered in off the street—curious, but not quite trusting.

Jason, on the other hand, was watching her.

Because she was different.

She wasn’t scared of him. Wasn’t intimidated by the leather jacket, the scars, the general air of menace that usually made people keep their distance.

No.

She just looked… tired.

Tired, but not weak.

And damn if that didn’t make his brain short-circuit a little. He had only planned to feel her out. Figure out what kind of person she was.

But then (the boy who was kidnapped,) Peter ran up to her, tugging at her sleeve.

Peter: “Aunt May! I finished my book! Can I get another one?”

May smiled, ruffling the kid’s hair in a way that spoke of effortless familiarity.

May: “Sure thing, sweetheart. You want another science book?”

Peter: “Mmhmm! I wanna learn about quantum physics!”

Jason blinked.

Jason: “…You’re like, five?”

Peter (scowling): “I’m sevente��!”

May m: “Careful. He’ll start monologuing about multiversal theory if you’re not careful.”

May cut Peter off handing him a book and smoothing down his curls.

And that was it.

That was the moment Jason knew he was completely and utterly screwed.

Because the kid was hilarious, and May Parker was somehow both the most terrifying and most comforting person he had ever met.

And Jason Todd?

Well.

Jason Todd had always had a thing for dangerous women with big hearts. He didn’t say it aloud, but he knew then and there that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Not just because May had wrecked the Joker like it was personal (which by the way he sees how much she loves the kid it’s unsurprising).

Not just because Peter was the most sarcastic seven-year-old he had ever met (at least he’s not trying to stab him like Damian would).

But because she reminded him of the kind of person he wished he had when he was a kid.

Fierce. Protective.

Unyielding in the face of cruelty.

And even if she didn’t know it yet, she had just gained an unofficial bodyguard in him.

Because Jason Todd wasn’t about to let someone like her face Gotham alone.

Not now.

Not ever.

——————————————————————————————————————

I’ll be making a taglist soon so if you want to be tagged then just request in my ask

Masterlist

[amethystarachnid]

HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART

⤷ ANTHONY “TONY” E. STARK

ᯓ★ Pairing: Anthony “Tony” E. Stark x fem!reader

ᯓ★ Genre: romance fluff

ᯓ★ Request from: MARVEL Multiverse

ᯓ★ Story type: one shot

ᯓ★ Word count: 5.5k

ᯓ★ Summary: Everyone in school knows that you and Tony are endgame, probably the best couple in school. But when a new girl arrives in school and tries to get between you two things get a little heated, but the love between you and Tony is strong, so you have nothing to worry about.

ᯓ★ TW(s): a girl tries to get between you and Tony so drama but really nothing serious that needs a tw

ᯓ★ AU: high school

ᯓ★ Request: Can you write High School AU with Tony? High dose of fluff, study dates, and kisses? ❤️ (female reader, and you can add more topics, for sure 💕) (@little-angel-oc )

ᯓ★ Comment if you want to be added to the taglist (specify if you want the everything taglist or for a specific character)

ᯓ★ My Masterlist

ᯓ★ MARVEL Multiverse - choose an AU, pair it with your favorite character and make a request!

ᯓ★ Songs & Superheroes tales - The Game (to make a request, follow the rules on the link!)

ᯓ★ MARVEL Bingo

ᯓ★ English isn’t my first language

You’re not sure what to make of Tony Stark when you first meet him. He’s brash, cocky, and has a grin that seems to be permanently fixed on his face. It’s your first day at Midtown High, and of course, he’s the first person you bump into—literally. The books in your arms scatter across the hallway floor, and you barely have time to react before he’s crouching down to help you gather them.

“Whoa there, new kid. You okay?” His voice is smooth, confident, and it makes your heart stutter for a second, though you’re not sure if it’s from nerves or irritation.

You mumble a quick thank you, avoiding his gaze as you stand, adjusting your backpack awkwardly on your shoulders. You expect him to walk away—guys like him usually do—but Tony doesn’t. He leans casually against the lockers, eyes sparkling with amusement as he looks at you, like you’re some puzzle he’s eager to solve.

“Where you headed? I could show you around,” he offers, but the smirk on his lips suggests there’s more than just friendly assistance on his mind.

You decline politely, trying to disappear into the crowd of students rushing to their classes. But Tony Stark isn’t the kind of guy you can avoid for long.

Weeks pass, and somehow, you find yourself drawn to him despite your initial impression. He’s everywhere—at lunch, in the library, and most annoyingly, in your chemistry class. Tony's always surrounded by friends, always the center of attention, yet whenever you catch his eye, he winks or sends you a sly smile. It’s infuriating and kind of… charming?

One day, as you struggle to understand the periodic table, a familiar voice breaks your concentration.

“Need some help with that?”

You look up to find Tony leaning over your desk, his eyes scanning your notes. Before you can protest, he slides into the seat next to you, grabbing your pencil and scribbling something in the margin of your notebook.

“Here. You were just missing this part.”

You stare at the neat, concise explanation he’s written. He’s actually right. You glance at him, surprised, and he grins, looking far too pleased with himself.

“I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”

That’s the beginning. The moment when everything shifts.

The first time you agree to study with Tony is in the library, after school. You think it’s going to be more of the same—him goofing off, you trying to stay focused. But when you sit down at a table together, Tony’s different. He’s serious, focused, his brow furrowed in concentration as he explains things in a way that makes everything click.

He’s smart. Really smart. And it catches you off guard.

“You didn’t think I’d actually help, did you?” he teases when he notices your stunned expression. You shake your head, laughing softly, and for the first time, you feel something warm and soft bloom between you.

Study dates become your thing. You meet at the library, then sometimes at his house, where the Stark mansion looms large and intimidating. But inside, Tony’s room is a mess of textbooks, blueprints, and scattered projects. He talks excitedly about tech and engineering, his hands moving as fast as his mouth. And slowly, you start to feel at ease with him.

One evening, after a particularly long study session, Tony’s hand brushes yours as you both reach for the same notebook. You freeze, your heart hammering in your chest. You glance at him, and he’s already looking at you, his eyes softer than you’ve ever seen them. There’s no teasing, no smirk—just quiet, unspoken words between you.

And then, he leans in.

It’s gentle, almost hesitant, the kind of kiss that makes your entire world slow down. His lips are warm against yours, soft and sweet, and it’s over before you can even process it. When he pulls back, Tony’s eyes search yours, waiting for your reaction. You smile shyly, and his grin returns, wider than ever.

“Study break,” he whispers, before kissing you again.

After that, everything changes.

You spend more time with Tony, not just studying but talking—about your dreams, your fears, your lives outside of school. He opens up to you in ways you didn’t expect. Beneath the charm and bravado, there’s a boy who’s constantly under pressure, trying to live up to the Stark legacy while carving out his own path. You see his vulnerabilities, the cracks in his confident façade, and it makes you fall for him even more.

One evening, you’re sprawled on the floor of his room, surrounded by notebooks and textbooks, when Tony suddenly leans over and rests his head on your lap. You freeze, your heart doing that weird flip-flop thing again. He looks up at you, his brown eyes soft, a small smile playing on his lips.

“You know, you’re the only person who’s ever really seen me. Like, really seen me.”

Your fingers hesitantly brush through his hair, and he closes his eyes, letting out a contented sigh. It’s moments like this—quiet, intimate—that make you realize how deeply you care for him. You never expected to fall for Tony Stark, of all people, but now you can’t imagine your life without him.

Weeks turn into months, and your relationship deepens. There are more stolen kisses between classes, more late-night study sessions that end with you falling asleep on Tony’s shoulder. He walks you to your locker every morning, his arm casually draped over your shoulders, and everyone at school knows you’re his girl.

But it’s not just the romantic moments that matter—it’s the little things. The way Tony makes sure you have your favorite snacks during study dates, how he’ll randomly text you at 2 AM with some random fact about the universe, or how he insists on carrying your books even when you tell him you can manage just fine.

One rainy afternoon, you’re sitting together in the library, your fingers intertwined under the table. Tony’s explaining something about quantum physics, his voice low and soothing, when he suddenly stops, looking at you with that soft, unguarded expression you’ve come to love.

“I think I’m in love with you,” he blurts out, his voice quiet but firm.

Your heart skips a beat, and you can’t help the smile that spreads across your face. You squeeze his hand, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips.

“I love you too, Tony.”

He grins, wide and brilliant, and for once, there’s no cocky retort, no snarky comment. Just the two of you, lost in each other, surrounded by textbooks and the quiet hum of the library.

It’s in these moments, wrapped in soft kisses and whispered words, that you realize Tony Stark isn’t just the arrogant genius everyone else sees. He’s yours—the boy who fell in love with you over study dates and late-night conversations, the boy who makes your heart race with every kiss.

And somehow, against all odds, you know he always will be.

The school hallways are buzzing with the usual morning chaos—people rushing to their lockers, friends calling out to each other, and the faint chatter of gossip floating through the air. You’re standing by your locker, waiting for Tony like you do every day. It’s become part of your routine. He’s always a few minutes late because he stops to mess with one of his gadgets or gets caught up in a conversation with a teacher.

But right on cue, you hear his voice echo through the corridor before you see him.

“Morning, gorgeous!” Tony’s familiar grin spreads across his face as he approaches, slinging his arm around your shoulders like it’s the most natural thing in the world. His lips brush your temple, soft but enough to send a little flutter through your chest.

“Late again, Stark,” you tease, closing your locker and nudging him playfully.

He rolls his eyes, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “I was testing something in the lab. You can’t rush genius.”

You laugh, shaking your head as the two of you fall into step with each other. It’s a typical morning. Just you and Tony, strolling through the halls like you own the place—except neither of you care about that. It’s just about being together, hand in hand, oblivious to the world around you.

But then, you notice her.

A new face, standing by the school entrance, hair perfectly styled, her gaze following Tony like a hawk. You don’t recognize her, but she’s clearly new, and it’s obvious by the way she’s staring that she’s already heard about Tony Stark. Who hasn’t?

As the two of you pass by, she does a double-take, her eyes lingering on Tony in a way that makes your stomach tighten. You’ve never been the jealous type, but something about the way she looks at him makes your chest ache. It’s not just a passing glance—it’s an intention.

Tony doesn’t seem to notice. He’s too busy rambling on about his latest project. You try to shake off the feeling, but it sticks with you all morning.

By lunch, you’ve forgotten all about the new girl. You and Tony are sitting at your usual spot, surrounded by your friends. He’s telling some ridiculous story about how he almost set off the school’s fire alarm during chemistry class, and everyone is laughing, including you. Tony’s arm is draped lazily over the back of your chair, his knee brushing against yours under the table—a constant reminder of how close you are.

But then, she walks into the cafeteria.

Her name, you’ve learned, is Olivia. She’s the kind of girl who commands attention without even trying—perfect posture, bright smile, every strand of her hair exactly where it should be. And she walks in like she owns the place, her eyes scanning the room until they land on Tony. Again.

Your stomach twists as you watch her make her way across the cafeteria, straight toward your table.

“Oh no,” one of your friends mutters under their breath. “She’s coming over here.”

Tony, completely oblivious to the tension, is still talking. “So, then the whole beaker just—”

“Hi, Tony,” Olivia interrupts, her voice sugary sweet. She stands directly in front of him, smiling brightly as if she’s known him forever. You feel his arm tense slightly behind you, but he doesn’t immediately move it.

“Hey…?” Tony trails off, looking at her with a confused tilt of his head.

“I’m Olivia. I just transferred here,” she explains, her gaze flicking briefly to you before settling back on Tony. “I heard you’re kind of the genius around here. I thought maybe you could show me around sometime? Help me get the lay of the land.”

The cafeteria feels like it’s holding its breath, everyone at your table now staring at the interaction with thinly veiled interest. You sit a little straighter, trying to stay calm, but you can’t ignore the way Olivia completely ignores your presence, like you’re invisible, like you’re not literally sitting in Tony’s arms.

Tony, to his credit, doesn’t miss a beat. His arm tightens around your shoulder, pulling you a little closer as he offers her a polite smile. “That’s nice of you to ask, Olivia, but I’m kind of booked with…” He glances at you, his eyes softening, “…well, everything.” He doesn’t need to say more. The message is clear.

But Olivia isn’t easily deterred. She leans on the table, her voice dropping into a flirtatious tone that makes your blood simmer. “Oh, come on. You can’t be that busy. I’m sure we could make time—”

“He is that busy,” you cut in, your voice sharper than you intended. The entire table goes quiet, and Tony’s eyes flick to you, wide with surprise but also admiration. You never get possessive. This is new for both of you.

Olivia straightens up, finally acknowledging you with a raised eyebrow. “Right. You’re his girlfriend.” She says it like it’s something temporary, something that could change at any second. Her eyes flick between you and Tony, as if she’s sizing you up, figuring out if you’re competition.

Before you can respond, Tony does. He leans forward, his arm still securely around you, his voice low and steady. “Yeah, she’s my girlfriend. And trust me, Olivia, I don’t need to make time for anything else.”

The look Olivia gives you is brief but sharp. She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Well, if you ever change your mind…”

She doesn’t finish her sentence, just winks at Tony before walking away, leaving the tension behind her like a storm cloud.

You exhale a breath you didn’t realize you were holding, trying to shrug off the unease that her presence left behind. Your friends are already muttering about her under their breath, but you stay silent, unsure of how to feel.

“Hey,” Tony says softly, shifting in his seat to face you more fully. His hand moves from your shoulder to cup your face gently, forcing you to meet his gaze. “You know I’m crazy about you, right?”

You nod, though the knot in your chest still feels tight. “Yeah, I know.”

“I mean it,” he says, his thumb brushing your cheek in that soft way that makes your heart skip. “There’s no one else I want, okay? Just you.”

You smile despite yourself, leaning into his touch. The rest of the world fades away, and for a moment, it’s just you and him again, like always. He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to your lips, right there in the middle of the cafeteria, in front of everyone, like he’s making sure everyone knows exactly where he stands.

Including Olivia.

For the rest of the day, Olivia doesn’t bother you again. But you can still feel her eyes on you from across the room, watching, waiting. And though Tony spends every spare second reassuring you with kisses and soft words, there’s a part of you that can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t over.

You trust Tony. But Olivia? You’re not so sure.

The afternoon sun filters through the large windows of Tony’s room, casting a warm golden glow across the scattered textbooks and notebooks. You’re supposed to be studying for tomorrow’s physics test, but it’s hard to focus when Tony’s lips are pressed against yours, his hands gently resting on your waist.

You’re sitting on his bed, your books long forgotten as he leans in closer, his kiss becoming slower, more intense. The air between you feels electric, and everything else fades into the background. Tony’s kisses always start soft, teasing, but they quickly grow deeper, more consuming, until it’s like nothing else exists.

But then—ding.

A notification from Tony’s phone interrupts the moment, but neither of you react. His lips still move against yours, more urgent now, like he’s trying to drown out the noise with you.

Ding.

Another one. You feel Tony stiffen slightly, but his hands stay where they are, pulling you closer, his kiss deepening. It’s like he’s deliberately ignoring it, and you try to focus back on him, but the third chime pulls you out of the moment entirely.

Ding.

You pull back, breathless, your heart racing from both the kiss and the annoyance bubbling up inside of you. “Tony,” you murmur, your hands gently resting on his chest as you push him back just enough to meet his eyes.

He looks at you, his brows furrowing slightly as if he doesn’t understand why you’ve stopped. “What?” he asks, his voice low, rough from the heat of the moment.

“Your phone,” you say, trying to keep your voice calm but feeling a twinge of frustration. “Who’s texting you so much?”

Tony groans, glancing over at his phone on the nightstand as if it’s the last thing he wants to deal with right now. “Probably just Happy, or something about my dad’s company…” He starts to lean in again, his lips brushing your neck, but you’re not convinced.

It’s not like Tony to ignore his phone for this long. You push him back a little more, your voice firmer now. “Tony. Check it.”

With a sigh, Tony finally reaches over and grabs his phone, unlocking it with one hand while the other stays on your waist, like he’s unwilling to let go of you completely. But as soon as his screen lights up, his face changes. His eyes narrow, and his jaw clenches.

“What the hell?” he mutters under his breath.

Your heart skips a beat, that uncomfortable knot of worry tightening in your chest. “What is it?”

Tony doesn’t respond right away, his thumb scrolling through what seems like a string of messages. You lean closer, trying to see the screen, but before you can, he pulls it away from your view.

“Tony,” you press, your voice quieter now, a mix of confusion and concern lacing your tone. “Who’s texting you?”

He sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “It’s… Olivia.”

You blink, not quite believing what you’re hearing. “Olivia?” You remember the way she’d practically thrown herself at him in the cafeteria earlier today, completely ignoring your presence. “How does Olivia have your number?”

Tony winces, looking genuinely confused. “I have no idea. I didn’t give it to her. I swear.”

But that’s not the worst of it. He swipes to open the messages, and your eyes flick to the screen. There’s a string of texts, one after another:

Hey, Tony :) I heard you’re amazing at physics, could really use some help tonight. Studying alone gets so boring… Maybe we can work something out ;)

You feel your face heat with anger as Tony keeps scrolling. There are pictures too—selfies of her in a tight top, smiling at the camera with her lips slightly parted, each one more suggestive than the last. She’s not even being subtle.

Tony’s face hardens as he scrolls through the texts, clearly just as annoyed as you are. “This is insane. I never—”

You cut him off, trying to keep your voice calm but unable to hide the anger bubbling up inside. “She’s acting like a complete pick-me. And she knows you have a girlfriend, Tony. She knows.”

Tony’s eyes snap up to meet yours, and his expression softens immediately, his hand reaching for yours. “Hey, I didn’t ask for this. I don’t know how she even got my number. But you have to know this is ridiculous. I don’t care about her. I don’t even like her.” He squeezes your hand, his voice earnest. “It’s you. Only you.”

You bite your lip, trying to push down the wave of frustration building up inside of you. The rational part of you knows he’s telling the truth, but that doesn’t stop the sting of seeing those messages, the blatant way she’s throwing herself at him, completely disregarding you.

“Then block her,” you say, your voice quieter now but firm. “Right now.”

Tony doesn’t hesitate. He goes back to the message thread, and with a few taps, Olivia’s number is blocked. He throws the phone back onto the nightstand with a look of disgust before turning his full attention back to you. His hands gently cup your face, and the warmth in his eyes melts away some of the tension in your chest.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, his forehead resting against yours. “I didn’t mean for that to ruin everything.”

You sigh, leaning into his touch, your heart still racing but for a different reason now. “It’s not your fault. I just… I don’t get why she’s doing this.”

“She’s not worth even thinking about,” Tony says, his voice firm. “I don’t care about her, okay? She’s just trying to cause drama, and I’m not playing into it. I’m with you. No one else.”

You nod, feeling the weight of his words sink in, grounding you. His thumbs trace gentle patterns on your cheeks, and he tilts his head slightly, his eyes soft and filled with nothing but affection.

“Come here,” he whispers, pulling you back into his arms, his lips finding yours again. This time, the kiss feels different—deeper, more tender, like he’s trying to prove something. Every movement of his lips against yours is filled with reassurance, as if he’s reminding you, with each soft touch, that you’re the only one who matters.

And even though Olivia’s messages still linger in the back of your mind, they start to fade away as Tony’s kiss consumes you again, drawing you back into the warmth and comfort of being with him. Here, in his arms, it’s clear that no one else stands a chance.

The library is quiet, as always, the only sound the occasional rustle of papers and the soft hum of a distant conversation. You’re smiling to yourself as you push open the door, balancing a snack in one hand and a drink in the other, a small treat for you and Tony to get through the rest of your study session.

Tony had seemed a little drained when you left, leaning over the pile of notes and textbooks, muttering about how the periodic table was starting to look like some kind of puzzle he couldn’t crack. You thought some fresh air and snacks would do you both some good.

But as you step into the room, the smile slips from your face.

Sitting in your seat, right next to Tony, is Olivia. Her legs are crossed, her arm casually draped across the back of your chair as she leans toward him, her voice low and flirty. Her head is tilted slightly, that same smirk on her lips that she wore in the cafeteria. Tony looks uncomfortable, his body stiff and tense as he stares down at the open textbook, his eyes flicking up at her every now and then, clearly trying to keep the interaction as brief as possible.

“Come on, Tony,” Olivia’s voice drips with sweetness, but there’s a sharpness beneath it that makes your stomach twist. “You can’t be serious. Why are you wasting your time on her?”

She says the last word like it leaves a bad taste in her mouth, and that’s when something inside you snaps.

You walk over, as calmly as you can manage, but your heart is racing, and your grip on the snack bag tightens. Tony catches sight of you first, relief flashing across his face as he sits up a little straighter.

“Hey,” Tony says quickly, his voice clearly trying to break the tension. He immediately reaches out for you, as if to remind both you and Olivia where his loyalty lies. “You’re back.”

Olivia doesn’t even look your way, her eyes still locked on Tony. It’s like she doesn’t care, like she’s deliberately ignoring your existence even though you’re standing right there.

You take a deep breath, setting the snacks down on the table in front of you. “Olivia,” you say, keeping your voice calm but firm, “you’re in my seat.”

She finally turns to look at you, her expression unreadable at first, but then a slow, condescending smile spreads across her face. She leans back in the chair, like she’s not planning on moving any time soon. “Oh, sorry. Didn’t see you there.”

You clench your jaw, your hands tightening into fists by your side. “I’m pretty sure you did.”

Tony looks between the two of you, clearly ready to step in, but you put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. This is your fight now.

Olivia’s smile widens, and she shrugs, her voice filled with fake innocence. “I was just talking to Tony. You know, trying to understand why someone like him would waste time with… well, someone like you.”

Your blood boils at her words, but you keep your face as composed as possible. This isn’t the time to let anger get the better of you.

“Olivia,” you start, stepping closer so she’s forced to look up at you from your seat, “we both know what you’re doing here. And I’m telling you now, it’s not going to work.”

Olivia rolls her eyes, completely unfazed. “I don’t know what you mean.”

You take another step, your eyes narrowing. “I mean, Tony’s my boyfriend. He’s made that clear to everyone—including you. So, whatever little game you’re playing, you can stop, because it’s not going to change anything.”

For a second, you see something flicker in Olivia’s eyes—maybe surprise, or annoyance—but she quickly masks it with another smile. “It’s cute that you think that, but let’s be real. Do you actually believe that Tony’s going to stick around with you? He deserves someone who can keep up with him. Someone who doesn’t… bore him.”

The words sting, but you don’t let it show. Instead, you take a deep breath and glance at Tony, who’s now glaring at Olivia, his jaw tight. He looks like he’s about two seconds away from saying something, but you speak before he can.

“You really think I’m boring him?” you ask, your voice steady despite the fire burning in your chest. “Because from where I’m standing, it seems like he can’t get enough of me.”

Tony finally speaks up, his voice sharp. “She’s right.” He looks at Olivia, his expression darkening. “I’ve told you already, I’m not interested. I’m with her, and that’s not going to change. So, maybe you should find someone else to flirt with, because I’m done with this.”

Olivia blinks, clearly caught off guard by Tony’s bluntness, but she recovers quickly, standing up and smoothing her skirt as if she’s not at all affected. “Fine,” she says, her voice still dripping with venom. “But when he gets bored of playing house with you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She brushes past you, her shoulder bumping yours slightly as she leaves, but you don’t move. You stand tall, watching her walk away with her head held high, even though you know she didn’t win this time.

Once she’s gone, you let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding, your shoulders sagging a little. Tony immediately pulls you into his arms, his face softening as he tucks a strand of your hair behind your ear.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice gentle, though you can hear the edge of frustration still lingering.

You nod, leaning into him, the warmth of his arms grounding you. “Yeah. I just… I can’t believe her. She’s so persistent.”

Tony sighs, kissing the top of your head. “She’s not going to stop, but she can try all she wants. It’s not going to make a difference.”

You smile up at him, your heart swelling with affection. “Thanks for standing up for me.”

He chuckles softly, brushing his lips against yours. “Like I said, there’s no one else. She can throw herself at me all day, and it won’t matter, because all I care about is you.”

The knot in your chest loosens completely, and you lean in for a soft kiss, your hands resting on his shoulders. The library is still quiet, but the tension from before has vanished. Now, it’s just you and Tony again, like it always should be.

As the kiss breaks, he gives you that familiar smirk, the one that makes your heart flutter every time. “Now, where’s that snack you promised?”

You laugh, handing him the bag of treats. “Only if you promise not to let anyone else take my seat again.”

He grins, pulling you closer. “Never again. That seat—and everything else—is yours.”

It’s late afternoon, and the sky is painted in soft hues of orange and pink, casting a golden glow over everything as you and Tony walk through the park. The crisp autumn air makes it perfect for a cozy date, and Tony’s hand is warm in yours as you stroll side by side, talking and laughing about everything and nothing at the same time.

You’ve both ditched the textbooks for the day, deciding that spending time together was more important than stressing over schoolwork. Tony had suggested the park, and now, you’re both content walking the leaf-covered paths, taking in the peaceful quiet of the world around you.

The last few days had been tense, with Olivia constantly trying to get between you two, but today feels different. Everything feels lighter, like you can finally breathe again. And as if on cue, the universe gives you the proof.

You glance up as you pass by the small café near the park and spot Olivia sitting outside at one of the tables. But she’s not alone. Across from her sits Jason, one of the guys from the football team. He’s grinning at something she’s said, and Olivia is laughing, twirling her hair around her finger like she always does when she’s flirting.

You nudge Tony gently, nodding toward the scene. “Look,” you whisper with a hint of amusement in your voice.

Tony follows your gaze, and when he sees Olivia, he smirks, shaking his head. “Looks like she’s finally found someone else to bug.”

You smile, feeling a wave of relief wash over you. It’s strange to think that the girl who had caused you so much frustration just days ago is now wrapped up in her own world with someone else. And honestly? You’re just glad it’s over. Olivia’s attention has shifted, and for the first time in days, you feel completely at ease.

“Well,” you say with a small smile, “at least now we don’t have to worry about her anymore.”

Tony chuckles, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as you continue walking. “Good riddance. Now I can focus on what’s important.” He pulls you a little closer, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the top of your head.

“What’s that?” you tease, glancing up at him.

He grins down at you, his brown eyes warm and filled with affection. “You, obviously.”

The rest of the date is simple and perfect. After the park, you and Tony grab ice cream from a small stand by the water, sitting on a bench and sharing bites of each other’s cones. The sun starts to dip lower, casting long shadows, but neither of you are in any rush to leave.

Tony keeps cracking jokes, making you laugh until your stomach hurts, and in between the laughter are soft moments—his fingers brushing against yours, his lips pressing gentle kisses to your temple, your cheek, and eventually, your lips. It’s a perfect day, one that feels easy and light, like everything is exactly where it should be.

As the sky turns darker, you both make your way back to Tony’s place. It’s quiet when you arrive, his parents out for the evening, so the house feels like it belongs to just the two of you. Tony leads you upstairs to his room, and the moment the door closes behind you, it’s like a blanket of warmth and comfort settles over everything.

You sit down on his bed, kicking off your shoes and leaning back against the pillows. Tony follows, lying beside you, his head propped up on one arm as he looks at you, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. The light from the lamp on his bedside table casts a gentle glow, and in that moment, it feels like the world outside doesn’t exist—just you and him, wrapped up in the quiet of the room.

“Today was nice,” you murmur, your fingers tracing idle patterns on his arm. “I missed this. Just us.”

Tony hums in agreement, his eyes soft as he watches you. “Me too. No distractions, no Olivia… just you and me. That’s how I like it.”

He leans down, capturing your lips in a soft kiss. It’s slow and tender, and every movement feels like a quiet promise. His hand rests on your cheek, his thumb gently brushing your skin as he deepens the kiss, but it stays gentle, soft—like he’s savoring the moment. There’s no rush, no urgency, just the two of you wrapped in the comfort of each other.

You pull back slightly, resting your forehead against his, your eyes fluttering open to meet his gaze. His fingers thread through your hair, and he smiles softly, the kind of smile that makes your heart skip a beat.

“I love you,” he whispers, the words filling the space between you like a warm, quiet confession.

Your heart swells at his words, and you reach up, gently cupping his face in your hands as you smile back at him. “I love you, too.”

Tony grins, leaning in to steal another kiss, his lips soft and warm against yours. You melt into him, feeling the weight of the world slip away, leaving just the two of you in this moment of pure, quiet love.

When the kiss breaks, he pulls you closer, his arms wrapping around you as you settle into his chest. You can hear the steady beat of his heart beneath your ear, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest is enough to lull you into a state of peaceful contentment.

“Stay over?” he murmurs, his fingers trailing lightly down your arm.

You smile against him, your eyes closing as you nod. “Of course.”

And just like that, the world outside disappears. It’s just you and Tony, the soft glow of the lamp, and the quiet hum of love that fills the room. You fall asleep wrapped in his arms, knowing that there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.

soft Tony my love <3 If you liked the story don't forget to leave a like, a reblog and drop a follow if you want to read more!

[twilightkitkat]

Hear me out y'all, I've been talking about multiverse shenanigans lately so what if Wade literally became Spiderman?

The TVA sent Wade on a mission to protect the anchor being of another universe, Spiderman. Except... there was a small hiccup. Wade got there right as Spiderman died. He was officially brain-dead, even if his blood was still circulating.

So, naturally, the TVA employee in charge of this universe panicked and fucked things up further. By putting Wade's conscience into Spiderman. Hooray!!

Now time to undo this shit and get back to his universe. Except... that doesn't happen. Because the portal closes and he's stuck here, with his own fucking vegetative state body. While he's in the body of Spiderman. Shit.

Fuck the TVA. And their shitty employees lie to cover their own asses and hide the fact that Wade just replaced the anchor being of another universe.

And Wade... has to pretend to be him, for better or worse. Because the mission was to get this timeline roughly where the Sacred Timeline left off. Or it'd collapse. With him in it.

(Which he thought he could do by saving Spiderman and letting him make the same decisions as he did originally, but noooooo. Now he has to imitate Peter and remember what the hell he did in the Sacred Timeline. Thank God for the fourth wall, because Wade does not share the same decision-making process as this guy.)

And Wade manages. Poorly. Especially when he has to hide his own body in the closet, which is miraculously still breathing.

But he tries! He attends high school for the first time in forever (yikes) and somehow manages to not flunk out, he acclimates himself to Peter's powers, goes web-slinging (with a much better costume, thank you), and talks to all of the right people. He manages all of Peter's tasks while trying not to focus on how much he misses his home and how he wishes Logan were here.

But it's insanely awkward. Especially when the people around him notice how weird he's been acting. Namely Peter's best friend and aunt. (And that's a whole other can of worms that Wade's trying his best to avoid.)

He nearly fucking stabs Flash with his pencil when he made fun of him, only held back by Ned tugging at his arm and asking what was wrong. (He does, however, steal his clothes after gym. Payback.) And he kind of forgets to get with MJ, oopsies! Not his type. (Especially with the whole teenager thing. And the fact that he's already kind of in love with someone. Who he misses incredibly and sometimes wonders if they'll come for him...)

He manages to meet Tony Stark around the same time as Peter and wow this is awkward. Because Wade knows what the Accords are and quite frankly, is very vehemently against them. But he grumbles and reluctantly goes with him. And manages to do a lot more damage than the original Spiderman, huh. Guess his years of experience stacked up well against a literal teenager.

His relationship with Tony would be especially interesting. Because in the original timeline, it was almost paternal. But Wade is not shopping for father figures, especially ones who are around his age and not nearly as experienced, so he manages to laugh it off. (Even if it does feel nice, privately, to be cared for.)

Everything comes to a head when Wade's staring blankly at the board in class, trying to will himself to focus. Until the teacher says a new student is coming in. Wade's been here for a few years now and he's now 18 and it's his senior year. (...It's weird to think he'd actually go to college. And it won't even fucking transfer back home, so it's all for nothing.) Point is, nobody transfers senior year.

So he looks up with vague curiosity to see a younger version of Logan.

What the fuck.

He didn't keep incredibly close tabs on the X-men of this universe (partially out of respect, partially out of fear) but he knew that they were all alive. They were more adamant about wearing masks and "protecting their identity" in this world so there wasn't much information. But apparently, Logan was just as young-looking as in the first X-men movie. Hugh Jackman really was fine, back then.

But what the hell was Logan doing in high school? Even in another universe, it's a central plot point that he's over 200 years old. He just looks young. (Not that Wade is much better, sporting the middle-aged man-turned-teenager look.)

Until Logan's eyes fix on him. He was looking at him with very intense emotion in his eyes, something Wade couldn't exactly name.

Not until he's shoved up against the locker in some shitty corner, claws pressed against his neck as Logan snarls at him and asks where the fuck was Wade and what did he do with him.

And Wade doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. Because, on one hand, this is objectively hilarious and he's really happy to see his Logan had somehow possessed this one. But on the other hand, he kind of isn't immortal right now and he doesn't want to test his luck.

So he manages to spit out the story. And Logan stares at him with shock and then trepidation and then genuine relief and suddenly he's hugging him and clinging to him and burying his face in his neck and oh shit is he crying?

They stay there even as the next bell rings, dropping to the floor and just sitting together.

All goes well until Ned comes looking and finds Wade with Logan leaning against him, head on his shoulder, and holding his hand. And now he has to explain to his aunt, to his best friend, and to his mentor who the fuck Logan was and why he's following him everywhere now. ("Don't worry! Him and I go wayyyyy back, he's been my online friend for years. He just transferred here recently, sorry I forgot to say haha...")

And then it just devolves into everyone being vaguely shocked as Logan and Wade act super affectionate while trying to figure out how the hell to escape the timeline. Not that Wade doesn't appreciate not being in pain constantly, but he kinda has a life back there. And yeah, these people are attached to him (and he's started to care too) but they don't really know him. They just know he suddenly became a master in fighting and insanely competent (and kind of fucking crazy) one night after getting a concussion. Hell, Mr. Stark only met him in the suit for the first half of their relationship because Wade was wayyy better at keeping his identity a secret than Peter.

It'd just be interesting to see how canon would diverge and how the characters would react to Logan suddenly coming in and insisting on being a fucking guard dog at all times. Everyone is vaguely concerned and thinks that "Peter" is in a toxic relationship where the other party is demanding until they see how reciprocal it is. (And what the hell?) And how they seem to get each other and make odd references and somehow share the same edgy humor brand.

[weebsinstash]

I'm drinking my yandere Justice League juice again because I keep thinking of all sorts of multiverse/timetravel plotlines because the superhero genre is genuinely so full of fun and weird and dramatic and sad opportunities

You accidentally get sent into another dimension and meet another Justice League who helps you return home! .... except you don't exist in their universe and now they really miss you and they keep coming back to your home dimension to visit and eventually try to take you away entirely, even willing to square up with "your" versions of themselves to do it

Reader who figured out by themselves how to escape a timeline where you were actually treated fairly poorly by the Justice League and they come after you because "oh, we promise we'll be different this time, and also we totally won't be extremely possessive because you have the power to leave us now, uhhhh dont you want to restore the balance, what if this uhhhhhh ruins the timeline, we better take you home"

Do we have any Re Zero fans in here. Have any of you seen where it's revealed every time Subaru dies, he's actually somehow joining a brand new universe/taking over another version of himself, or a new universe is being created, and that the universe he died in is just, forever like that now, it doesn't just blip away, everyone he was with or saw him die is now dealing with the after effects?

We could go two ways here: Reader dies a hero and the Justice League goes insane with grief and guilt that you sacrificed yourself or that they couldn't save you, OR, Reader just straight fucking kills themselves after a series of like manhwa-levels of betrayals and dickery from the League, maybe they even kicked you out or shunned you after some sort of mistake, and they're desperate to make things up to you when they find out you're still out there

Like, the trauma they experience when you die and they find out you're still alive and they COME TO GET YOU??? The JEALOUSY that you're WITH THEM but not with THEM? And then you just fucking say, "no thanks I want to stay here, I like my new life here"???

The GASLIGHTING. The MANIPULATION. It's all the more juicy when you think of the different depictions of time travel and multiverse shit because, sometimes time travel is depicted as super rigid, like if you fuck up the past you return to a completely different future, and sometimes it's depicted almost like string theory where any divergence is just a brand new dimension to hop between, so like... I dunno if I explained that well enough but, your former JL genuinely convinced something could happen but also trying to manipulate you by saying you not returning to their timeline could have terrible consequences, meanwhile here's like, New Flash, "technically if they killed themselves in your timeline wouldn't it, I dunno, break reality or something if you brought them back anyways" and your new Justice League, uh, definitely isn't willing to give you back either, especially if they mistreated you

New JL is convinced Old JL was abusive and doesn't appreciate you. Old JL thinks New JL are exploitative manipulative creeps who are taking advantage of you during a vulnerable time. Neither side thinks the other deserves you.

Also consider??? Platonic yandere JL vs romantic/sexual yandere JL???? Because that could be wild either way too? Like, the perspective is nuanced from both angles. Old JL being the platonic ones and thinking, you know, kind of what I just said about thinking New JL are creeps but like, ESPECIALLY thinking they're creeps, like manipulative EVIL perverts because what the fuck do you mean you 'took our friend' after they had this traumatic death and you all want to sleep with them and keep them in your new timeline, the fuck??? Give them back??? Or, the reverse, where New JL is like, "oh my fucking god what is wrong with you guys?? Reader is so cute and funny and nice and you're all so creepy, how could you ever want to sleep with this little cinnamon roll you perverted fiends, tf, no wonder they left you??? And now you're chasing them??? You guys are like demonic??? It's giving prison??? It's giving UNDER the prison???"

You've got one yandere Batman over here borderline Jojo posing, "Reader may not be from our timeline originally, but that doesn't mean they're not allowed the choice to make this their new home, you dastardly knight of darkness!" and meanwhile the other yandere Batman who is dressed entirely in black and not a speck of color on him is glowering silently and trying to formulate how to break every bone in his alternate's body in the most painful but nonlethal way possible

Both J'onn's becoming immediately shaken up as they read the minds of their opposition and their other self and realizing just how crazy they all are but especially what they think of you, memories of you, what they want to do to you--

Platonic Superman is doing his best to be nice, "I don't know who you think you are, but you're not welcome here and you need to leave" and the romantic Superman just fully unabashedly, "I'm the man who's going to marry them" and here's platonic Supes recalling how you've had dinner with him and his wife at his home and he's let you hold his infant child and now he's imagining you getting snatched away and goodness forbid impregnated by this 'clearly evil' version of himself and a little voice inside of Clark goes, "oh, I know who you are now :) you're the man I'm about to punch straight back through the multiverse"

Reader finding out both dimensions of Justice Leaguers are crazy and having to flee to a THIRD dimension and that's either another "friends to captors" situation or you just accidentally wind up in like, one of the many many evil timelines. Oh wow you thought dealing with Batman was bad? Imagine dealing with an Owlman who takes all of Bruce's typical traits and enhances the worst aspects of them to 100. Depictions of Owlman range from "this psychotic kid is the one who arranged the death of his parents to steal their fortune and he's sadistic and mean" to "this version of Bruce is SO literally-thinking autistic that he thinks only the 'original' dimension that all other dimensions stem from is all that matters and that none of the choices anyone makes or the things that happen in every other dimension even matters so why not just like, find Universe Zero and destroy it which would just staight up fucking kill all life ever, because what's the point in any of us being alive lol"

O-oh no, pleeeease don't kidnap me or goad me into sexually charged fights, evil alternate universe lesbian versions of Wonder Woman and Catwomn and Black Canary 👀 I'm so sensitive and fragile and delicate 🥺 I bruise like a little peach you know 👀 pwease dont pin me down and mess up your lipstick all over my face neck and collarbones, that would just be MISERABLE 🥴

Somewhere in a conference room in the Watchtower there's like a hidden meeting discussing who gets custody of you this upcoming weekend. Are you getting swept up in a throuple with John and Shayeera? Are you suffering through the company of a version of Batman who's a miserable alcoholic Thomas Wayne who has trauma bonded onto you and sees you like a surrogate child that his PTSD convinces could be killed at any moment? Are you gonna 'get a ride in the Flash Mobile'? Does a very loud and bombastic version of Aquaman want to teach you to be a better swimmer? They could argue on a schedule for hours until they all finally agree on some sort of spread sheet, but, let's face it: they won't be able to patiently share you forever :) the question eventually becomes, "who will be the first one to snap and betray all the others and take you for themselves?" who knows, maybe it would even BE The Question!

[motherlvr]

Hi, can you do a Earth 42!Miles x Earth 42!Spider-Woman!Reader where Reader somehow meets Hobie and they hit it off. Miles sees them one day and gets jealous

tysm for the req!!

wc: 2.8k

pairing: E-42! Miles Morales x Spider-woman! reader

warnings: cursing, argument, friends to lovers, makeout sesh, slightly suggestive

a/n: imagine some comically sized british chap comes in and steals ur girl nahhh

-----------

Your webs were useless against him.

At the moment, you were trying to apprehend a Vulture-like man and prevent him from further harming Brooklyn. As you have been for the past hour. You tried to pin the winged man down using your webs, but he tore right through them like they were made of paper.

What you initially believed going to be light work turned into a much larger problem as you were slammed into the side of a building. The unwelcome guest had an unfair advantage over you. You had to learn that the hard way.

His wing regenerated within only seconds of you ripping it off. It was like you were inside a cartoon.

Your jaw almost dropped to the ground. Hammerspace was real? You had only read about it in comics. "Dude, who even are you?" You shouted in confusion. But whoever he was, he wasn't from your world. That part was evident.

But it seemed like the tides were turning to your benefit.

You heard it before you saw it. You could've sworn guitar riffs rang throughout the air before another unexpected visitor came flying through a portal.

Upon further inspection, you realized it was another Spider-person. How was that possible? You thought you were the only one. But it wasn't the oddest thing you've seen as Spider-woman.

Bashing the winged man on the head with an electric guitar, he temporarily caught the Vulture off guard. Using it to his advantage, he quickly encased the anomaly in a force cage. Dusting off his palms, his lengthy legs strode over to you.

"Hold ya applause." He joked, giving you a small bow and pretending to tip an invisible hat.

His slightly cocky attitude was justified as you almost did applause. He folded the guy you've been fighting for an hour within only a few minutes. With a damn guitar, nonetheless. You almost geeked out, "That was fuckin' sick!" you exclaimed.

"Don't sell yourself short, mate. You did most of the work. My name's Hobie." He introduced himself. And from there, a grand friendship bloomed.

---------

Present-day and a few months have passed since you were practically drafted into the Spider Society. It was like a full-time job, as consumed most of your free time. The spare time that you'd usually spend hanging out with Miles. So needless to say, you were deprived of interactions with anyone that wasn't genetically enhanced by a spider.

Balancing your social life and the fate of the multiverse was much more challenging than Miguel originally let on. But what would he know about social life, anyway?

In the time you've spent at the Spider Society headquarters, you gravitated towards the infamous freedom fighter, Spider-punk. Or as he refers to be called: Hobie Brown.

Ever since he singlehandedly took the Vulture out with a guitar, the two of you just 'clicked'. Better yet, you guys were an unbeatable duo when it came to dealing with anomalies. You were almost inseparable. Just as Miles and you once were. Miguel even assigned Hobie the same missions as you.

One could say Hobie became what Miles once was to you. As you used to confide in Miles, you started to turn to Hobie instead. It wasn't that you were intentionally trying to distance yourself from Miles, but rather due to the convenience that Hobie shared the same issues as you. Rather, in this case, almost the exact same story. Hobie understood you to a Tee.

Miles was aware of your identity as Spider-woman as you were aware of him being the Prowler. But it wasn't always that way. Once upon a time, Miles originally intended to keep his identity as the Prowler a secret from you, but you found out anyway. Call it your spider-sense, if you may.

When someone close to you mysteriously disappears for various periods of time, it starts to hit a little too close to home. Miles trying to keep his identity concealed from you was a routine that wasn’t too different from yours. Him sneaking out at night, returning at ungodly hours with bruises, and lying. It was all too familiar. You eventually figured it out on your own. And when you confronted him about the truth, he confessed it all to you.

When he apologized for keeping such a crucial piece of information a secret, you couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. So you revealed your secret identity to him. The two of you entrusted each other with your greatest secrets. Secrets that could completely ruin one's life if they were spread to the world. It would put massive targets on both of your backs. The two of you had something special: trust. Or at least, used to.

Refocusing back on the present, you were currently out hunting anomalies with Hobie as you have been for the past months.

Today's anomaly was a particularly pesky villain. He had Hobie and you running in circles all around New York. Inevitably, the two of you caught him anyway.

Wiping the sweat off your forehead, you realized how fatigued you were. You were sure Hobie felt the same.

Your life revolved around the Spider Society and what missions needed to be completed. You worked all day and all night to ensure the protection of the multiverse. You didn’t have much time to yourself nor time for anyone outside of the Spider Society.

So, after completing the mission Miguel had assigned the both of you, you convinced Hobie to take a short interlude with you before going off to catch another dimension-destroying villain. Thankfully, he agreed.

Opening a portal to your selected safe space in New York, you guided Hobie outside the Clocktower. You frequented it when you needed a quick retreat from all the responsibilities being Spider-woman came with. But unbeknownst to you, Miles did the same. He was leaning his back against the other side of the Clocktower, unsuspecting of your presence.

Safe to presume, both of you were alike in more ways than just having secret identities as vigilantes.

Miles has been visiting this Clocktower ever since he took up his Uncle's mantle as the Prowler. He came up to this tower to wind down, away from his vigilante duties. His life was turned upside down, but the one thing that remained constant in his life was you. Now was a different story, however. You were slowly fading away from him, and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Angling his head up towards the sky, he pondered about your disappearance. What could possibly have you so occupied? Another guy? Just the thought irked him.

You stopped returning his calls, messaging him, and didn't seem to have any free time. He knew being Spider-woman must come with great responsibility, but the excuses you made were piling up. The mutual trust the two of you once shared was slowly becoming a distant memory.

As Hobie and you pulled your masks down, you let out a long exhale of air. Sitting on the ledge of the clocktower with your legs swinging, Hobie made himself at home next to you. He said, "I am absolutely knackered." his English accent becoming more prominent. You cracked a slight smile and teased, "You tired, innit?" He only rolled his eyes at you and said, "You ain't even use innit right, you pillock."

Your uncontrolled laughter could be heard from miles away. It felt good to be able to relax for once. Even if it was only for a few minutes. Dramatically wiping tears from your eyes, you asked in between laughs, "What the hell is a pillock?" Hobie didn't find it nearly as amusing but gave a small chuckle at how comedic you found it.

As your laugh rang throughout the air, Miles' ears almost perked, despite not hearing your voice in months. Suddenly rising from his position, he wondered whether his ears were deceiving him. But as your laughter got louder, he was positive it was you.

Following the familiar sound of your voice, he spotted you sitting on the ledge of the Clocktower, looking as carefree as ever. Your back was facing toward him, and he was dying to just catch a single glimpse of you.

He called out your name with only a hint of hesitation. And when you whipped your head around, it was like a wave of affection hit him all over again. He was seeing you for the first time in months. Even after all that time away, you still made his heartbeat pause.

A silent moment passed as the sun's gleaming rays framed your figure in all the right ways. He only snapped out of his trance when he realized you weren't alone. You were accompanied by a rather conspicuous individual. Another guy.

Narrowing his eyes at the sight of the unknown male, he asked you, "What're you doin' up here, ma?

He wanted to hold a grudge against you for barely speaking to him within the past few months, but that was a less-pressing matter that he'd bring up later.

You disappeared for months. But out of the blue one evening, you return with some unknown guy. Staring at Miles, you looked like a deer caught in headlights. He felt as if he wasn't supposed to be seeing this.

Perhaps Miles was being selfish. But he couldn't bare to see you with another guy. So when he saw you with Hobie, he only assumed the worst.

Not to mention, Miles believed you looked a bit too cozy with the enigma of a male next to you. If he hadn't interrupted the two of you, it seemed to him like you would've snuggled right into the other man's side. Who was he? And why would you choose to spend your time with him rather than Miles? What did he have that Miles lacked? His jealousy was bound to make him snap the longer he saw you in the comforts of a guy that wasn't him.

But what he felt ran deeper than just jealousy. He was envious. He was envious of a man whom he didn't know anything about. Because he was who you chose to spend time with, not Miles. That was how Miles perceived it, anyway.

Your response made him snap back to reality. "Miles? What are you doing here?" Emphasizing the word 'you', you tried to reverse the question onto him. The Clocktower wasn't exactly a designated hang-out area for civilians. Hobie stood up and stretched as he was going to introduce himself to Miles. He held his hand out to help you up and you mindlessly accepted it. Miles' eye twitched seeing your hand in another man's hold.

Hobie and you walked over to Miles, and Miles' envy only grew. He soon realized Hobie was a Spider-person as well. Just as you were. Since when did a Spider-man exist? Miles thought.

Hobie exuded nonchalance as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his spiked jacket. He seemed unbothered by Miles' presence.

Questions plagued Miles' mind as he analyzed Hobie: Were you into guys like him? Is he why you haven't been around lately? How was he so tall?

Miles stared daggers into Hobie's eyes. But Hobie brushed off his glare and said, "What's up, man? Name's Hobie." Miles only nodded his head once at him and said, "I'm Miles." "Yeah, I know." Hobie responded. Miles paused for a second but shook it off as he turned to you. Replying to your previous question of why he was here, he told you, "I come here sometimes. You too, huh?"

Nodding your head, you agreed, "Yeah. To clear my mind, y'know?" With some other guy? Miles almost snipped. Instead, he hummed in response. Enunciating, he asked the question that's been lingering in the back of his mind for months. "Where've you been for the past months, ma? You went ghost." He tried to seem as collected as he could.

Rubbing the back of your head, you tried to come up with some lame response. "Sorry, Miles. I've just been busy lately." Miles couldn't stop his next words from coming out once they started to form.

"Busy doin' what exactly? Him?" He remarked, nodding his head in Hobie's direction. His outburst made your eyes widen in shock. You were aware you didn't look entirely presentable, with maybe a few stray strands of hair, but could you catch a break for once? You had just saved another dimension from deteriorating.

Hobie and you blurted out a response at the same time, "Nah, that's mad." "Absolutely not." But Miles wasn't convinced. The way both Hobie and you appeared utterly exhausted wasn't exactly helping your case.

Sensing the obvious tension in the air and the way you gaped at Miles, Hobie glanced down at you and pointed out, "Hol'up, you fancy the Prowler?" as a slight chuckle escaped his lips. His face was laced with an amused smirk rather than judgment.

"Hobie!" You shot him an agitated look, silently telling him to shut up.

Miles was only wondering how Hobie instantly knew he was the Prowler. He was convinced for a second that Hobie could read minds.

Hobie began to understand Miles' initial hostility and tried to assure him. "Apologies, apologies. I ain't know you lot were together." Hobie said, raising his palms in his defense.

Miles had no intention to correct Hobie, but you hesitated as you said to him, "We're not..." The words faltered on your tongue. Noticing your hesitation, Hobie leaned down to you and whispered in your ear, "Yeah? Does he know that?"

Reading the room, Hobie could tell you needed to speak to Miles in private. It seemed Miles was in the dark about a few key things. So as always, once Hobie is satisfied with the mayhem he has instigated, he leaves the scene. Giving you a two-fingered salute, Hobie tells you, "Alright, I'm off. See you in a bit." throwing you a wink. You mentally cursed him as he strolled away. Once he was out of Miles' sight, he disappeared into a portal back home.

For a brief moment, Miles wondered whether Hobie was his replacement.

Sighing, you pinched the bridge of your nose and turned to Miles. "I'm sorry, Miles. I've just been preoccupied with Spider-woman stuff." You said, not going into further details.

His jealousy almost boiled over. "Cut the shit, ma. If you're busy jeepin' with some guy, just say that." Miles was exasperated as he threw his arms in the air.

In pure disbelief, you tried to tell him. "Miles, you got it twisted. I swear. I didn't mean to shut you out, I've been out on missions. You know how it is." You were no fool. You knew how it must've looked to Miles when he caught you with Hobie after disappearing for months. But you didn't want him thinking you had ditched him just to go fool around with some other guy.

You didn't want your friendship with him to end like this, nor did you want it to end at all. "Hobie's just my partner. We go on missions together. That's all we are." You continued to explain to Miles. While you could understand Miles' viewpoint, the guy you wanted was standing right in front of you.

Miles furrowed his brows at you and inquired, "So you aren't messin' with him?" You immediately replied, "For the last time, absolutely not!"

Miles nodded in approval, "Good. Does that mean you ain't gonna be mad at me if I do this?" He ominously questioned you. Raising an eyebrow, you asked, "Do what?"

His gaze flickered to your lips as he lifted your chin with his hand, swiftly connecting your lips. Your lips slowly move together as ocean waves do. Removing his hold on your face, one hand traveled down to your waist to pull you in. You lifted your arms to wrap them around his neck.

Ever since he saw you again, his urge to press his lips to yours was undying. Those silent months caused plenty of built-up frustrations that he had wholeheartedly planned on taking out on your lips. He missed you. The way you felt against him, your voice, and the sweet aftertaste you left on his lips.

As the moments passed by, the heat you both felt was only getting more intense. He backed you against a wall of the tower, and you wrapped a leg around his waist to pull him in even further. One of his hands supported the leg that you encased around him, tracing circles into your thigh with his thumb.

Parting to catch a breath, you left kisses down Miles' neck. In between each one, you whispered an apology. "I'm really sorry. Promise I'll make it up to you, Miles." After you were done speaking, he only glanced down at you. Whispering back, he told you, "Talk less, ma." as he stole your breath yet again, pressing his lips to yours.

You supposed he was right. The two of you would have plenty of time to talk later, as it was apparent he wasn't letting you go anytime soon.

--------

tysm for reading!

taglist: @l5byrinth @11erinome11 @ulovejayy @laylasbunbunny @whatamidoing89 @kanvis @sophiaj650 @edgyficuselastica @spideys2cute @whatamidoing89 @beabadobee @sxributr @justhereforfunidk

lmk if u want to be added! honestly have no clue why the last few tags aren't working i am so sorry lmao

[whereispearlescentmoon]

This lyric from Wildfire by Rabbitology but it’s Shiny Duo in Secret Life (inspired by the moment at about 48:35 in Pearl’s episode 8 where Gem says “Pearl you’re scaring me” and Pearl stutters and apologizes)

“And cedars, they blacken to cinders

Don’t recognize your face in this glow”

Word Count: 1176

Before Secret Life, Gem is only familiar with the Pearl she knows from their creative worlds, or other SMPS like Legacy, Hermitcraft, or Empires. She is a multiverse hopper, she has seen many versions of all of her friends, even the ones they don’t remember themselves.

And she thinks she knows Pearl well. Pearl is one of her closest friends. Gem knows her to be goofy and sometimes reckless. She knows Pearl to be helpful and kind, an artist and a prankster. She knows that she’s formidable in a PvP match. But when they’ve fought it’s always been for fun. Pearl has always laughed as she swung her sword, always had a wide grin even when she went down. The only exception had been her encounters with Xonorth, but even then there was something light in the way she taunted the demon, baiting him into fighting her.

But what Gem has never seen from Pearl is cruelty. She’s never met Scarlet Pearl, though she’s been told stories from the other Hermits who have been in the games. Ren says she's like a demon. Bdubs, somehow less dramatic, says she goes insane. Cleo says she's unstable. All of them speak of red life Pearl with a thin layer of fear. She always figured they must be exaggerating. How bad could Pearl, who makes weird soup and speaks in silly voices, really be?

So when she has the chance in Secret Life, she kills her, brings her to her red life and steps aside for a moment so Pearl can change into her red cloak. It’s surprising that Pearl forgives her so easily. She remembers a conversation with Cleo after Double Life where she had described Pearl as loyal like a dog, with a shiver that made Gem feel like there was a weight she didn’t understand behind the words.

Maybe Gem shouldn't be surprised when, within a couple of minutes of being turned red, Pearl gets her first kill. She's sitting on the back of the camel, one hand ready on her bow and the other grabbing the back of Pearl's cloak to stabilize herself, and so she has a front row seat to the look on Pearl's face after she kills Grian. It's not just the satisfaction of extra hearts. It's something closer to euphoria, to relief. Like she's settling into something comfortable and familiar. And Gem can't help but cheer her on.

She keeps cheering as they chase down Cleo. Maybe Pearl shouldn't take the kill, Gem would have liked it and others were lower on hearts, but Gem whoops all the same as the arrows thud into Cleo's body and they fall limp before respawning. Pearl has started laughing in front of her, and it's not a laugh Gem knows. It's not the giggling of sneaking around to plan a prank, or the full-throat way she laughs when someone tells a good (or bad) joke. It's high pitched and half speaking, words choking through in the form of an apology to Tango.

"Well, you might have unleashed something, Gem" and Gem does not know yet to be scared. She still thinks this is her Pearl, that this is someone familiar.

"Good job, Pearl, I'm proud of you!" She claps a hand on the shoulder in front of her and Pearl sits up straighter at the praise. They see Cleo again at the Secret Keeper and Pearl's words take on an unfamiliar biting tone as she reminds Cleo that she had told them she would kill them . Her words are sing song and she laughs to herself as they ride away. Something about it makes Gem uneasy.

Another memory, then, of Impulse freezing up at a Soup Group meeting right after Double Life when Pearl giggled at a joke. Pearl hadn't seemed to notice but Gem had and had asked him about it afterwards. He admitted to her that sometimes he could still hear the way Pearl laughed as she had hunted him and Bdubs down, the fear still fresh since it had only been a week since it ended. Gem hadn't been able to see a way Pearl's laugh could possibly make someone so afraid. Not until now.

Gem, caught up in the moment, makes a mistake. She tells Pearl that they should kill Etho next and Pearl doesn't hesitate before they track him down. She's clearly eager to get another kill and eager to please Gem as an ally. Loyal like a dog indeed.

By now though, something has changed in Pearl enough for Gem to finally see that this isn't right.

"Where are you, Etho?" Pearl's voice trills, the way she calls for dogs. Her smile has gone sharp like a knife, though it is lopsided. It's like it's straining wider that her face wants to let it, twitching back and forth between sneer and grin. To Gem's she looks like an animal on the hunt for her prey. Her stomach has dropped. This isn't fun anymore. "I saw that pickaxe,"

"Pearl, you're scaring me," She says it quietly, carefully. Almost a joke but not quite. Gem doesn't know if it might set her off. To her surprise, Pearl just deflates in front of her, pouting. It isn't a playful hurt on Pearl's face, but genuine, like she's been slapped. This, too, is deeply uncharacteristic. Pearl can take a joke. She usually knows Gem doesn't mean it. But right now even Gem isn't sure if she means it. Pearl looks down at her own hands on the camel's reins, suddenly startled. She looks like she's only just realized where she is. Gem can't help but scooch back on the camel away from her.

"Sorry, sorry-" Pearl coughs, guiding the camel further down towards where she had spotted Etho's pick, "Sorry, um, who, huh, wha- hm? Sorry, sorry, my bad, my bad,"

She turns to look at Gem as she apologizes and Gem can see the way her pupils have blown wide. The crimson of her irises is barely visible as she stutters over her words. A new scar has appeared over one eye, one Gem is sure she didn't put there with her kill. She's pale and sweaty, the way Gem has only seen her before when she's sick. And she's shaking, now, like her body can't quite contain the energy of the hunt. The sun bounces off the fabric around her shoulders and back up on to her face, painting the bottom half of it red. Gem's stomach churns. Pearl looks like she's covered in blood.

"Geez," Gem lets out a huff of breath, torn between reaching forward to her friend and hopping off the camel and running for her life. Pearl won't hurt her though. She's sure of that, even if she's never seen this bloodthirsty version of her friend. Gem is certain there is no version of Pearl that genuinely wants to cause Gem pain. It's why she stopped when Gem asked her to, right?

"I'm sorry, I can't help it," And Gem is inclined to believe her.

[alvfr]

you asked for it! im forcing you!

how about a scenario on that particular AU you have cooking around? between nightwing and a spiderperson that is marooned in the black and white gotham city

we love to see it

posting this like you haven't already read all of it >.< a/n: the funniest jokes are princess-marida's and she is a blessed saint that endures my long ramblings about wips, including this one. i know it says a scenario, but this turned into a longer project (shocker) so here's the first part of chapter 1 (eventual) paring: dick grayson/reader rating: m (swearing)/sfw cw: spider-woman!reader who never stops talking, no use of y/n, superhero violence summary: for years, you have been the one and only Spider-Woman of your world. However, after being recruited to the multiversal Spider-Society, you learn that there's a version of you in every other universe too.At least that's what you thought until something goes wrong and you end up in a world with plenty of superheroes, but no Spider-Man. You're stranded, alone and glitching. You need to find this world's Spider-Man and restore your link to the Spider-Verse before you disintegrate completely - easier said than done with both a local detective and a hot vigilante on your tail.

Out of the Spider-Verse (and into Gotham)

All right, guys. Let’s start at the beginning one last time. 

Your name is definitely not Peter Parker, but you were bitten by a radioactive spider, and for the last few years, you’ve been the one and only Spider-Woman. At least, you thought you were until another Spider-Woman showed up to recruit you to the multiversal Spider-Society and you realized you were one of many, many, many Spider-things from all kinds of universes. It was a sweet gig, getting you out and about some, meeting new people, doing team-ups and group work, and your leader was a decent enough guy. A little intense. Borderline scary. Easy on the eyes though. Really easy on the eyes.

And one day, you’re hanging out at the headquarters minding your own business, totally not gossipping about boss-man, when the order comes to capture one of your fellow Spider-Men. Next thing you know, you’re caught up in the whirlwind of Spider-Beings chasing after someone called Miles Morales, and somehow, in the chaos, you slip.

A fluke, really. You never slip. You’re Spider-Woman! You literally stick to walls and ceilings, and somehow, you lost your footing and took a tumble into darkness. 

Real darkness. Where bright flashing lights and psychedelic colors had accompanied you all the other times you hopped through dimensions, this time, you fell into a black pit of nothing. Reflexes had you shooting out webs, desperate to get an anchor point. They disappeared into the void with an embarrassing swish, and you did not even have time to scream before you smacked into something undeniably solid.

Concrete, probably, based on the cloud of debris and dust that rained over you as your body dug several feet into it, knocking every cubic inch of air from your lungs with an oof. Yup, you determined as you lifted your now gray arms to study them. Definitely concrete. You dropped your head back into the rubble and made a face under your mask. Concrete dust was a real bitch to get out of the suit, and you would be forced to cosplay as whitewashed Noir Spider-Man until you could get it dry-cleaned. 

Read more on AO3

[loverofpiggies]

Oh, you watched Fiona and Cake, great!

I am curious, what were your thoughts about like Winter King or first opening? Or like about overall more mature stuff than in og adventure time

So now that I'm doing a huge rewatch of the OG Adventure Time, I will say I adore both in their own ways.

It was really cool seeing the more mature stuff in Fionna and Cake, sort of like the show 'grew up' with the audience, you know? And do NOT get me started on how much my heart was destroyed by Simons entire plight through.

See I never managed to finish the first show, mostly just got distracted, but on my rewatch I can tell I at least got through six seasons. I like how spaced out the original show is, and it makes the really sad shit with like the Ice King hit like a ton of bricks when it happens. It really feels like you're watching all these wacky people live their lives, and occasionally the horror of the Mushroom War reminds you of its effect, through Marceline, and the Ice King, and every character who was forced to live through it. I don't know, it's really nice!

Okay I'm gonna ramble so I'm putting a read more!

I was wondering if on a rewatch I'd get frustrated the way later seasons of Steven Universe made me get frustrated, but it never felt like that at all. It's just been... fun. It's just Finn and Jake on adventures, occasionally having to set down their fun and recognize the horror of things around them, and it's just. DAMN it's just done so well.

I just got to the episode where Finn meets Prismo and makes the wish, and accidentally ends up wielding the power of the crown, and all it did was break my heart. Like I was sitting there, and for a split second I was like 'wow that crown corrupted him really fast!' and then I remembered.... he was like 13 when he got the crown. He was still a child, and when Simon got the crown, he was what, in his 40s? He was just a kid, and couldn't possibly be able to handle or combat the crowns power. It just punched me in the gut.

So I very much enjoy how spaced out and silly the original Adventure Time is, because its such a unique world I love seeing more of it, and I feel like it makes the heavy scenes hit so much harder. With Fionna and Cake, I love how tight the story is and how structured things are. They're both SUCH good shows, with different ways of writing and different vibes and I adore them equally at this point.

ALSO THE WINTER KING, holy shit don't get me started, but I will rant about this mofo

(These are keychain designs but I decided to put them together on a little canvas)

Firstly, I fucking LOVE the Winter King, and I'm really sad we didn't get more of him. I do wonder if the fact that Fionna's universe wasn't 'canon' during all the universe hopping, that if somehow the multiverse will reverse some things and 'repair' the damage. I'm not even saying that because I want to see the Winter King again, it just absolutely sounds like something that could happen in Adventure Time. Hell, look how they made Fionna and Cake just-- real! Thanks Prismo you're a cool guy.

But in terms of the Winter King as a character, and in terms of his universe? I want SO much more detail. Where is Finn, where is Jake? Marceline either left the Winter King or got killed, so I'm curious there too. The juxtaposition of genuine confidence and whimsy, and the mans incapacity to feel remorse or even real deep sadness (him saying 'Oh! The dead one?' when Simon asked about Betty was... holy shit) he was just an EXTREMELY interesting character, and I so badly want to see more of him.

Also dude was just funny. The fact he straight up admitted he thought about kissing his alternative universe self was so fucking funny, and plays heavily into his narcissistic behavior and tendencies.

On TOP of that, the idea of how he ended up cursing Bubblegum specifically would be so interesting. I read online people assuming when the Ice King did his spell, it was more like "I want Princess Bubblegum to love me, so I'll do a spell so she can understand what I'm feeling and then she'll marry me!" but then the 'understand what I'm feeling' is actually just... "Hey, I feel absolute madness, here, take it off my hands!' and might have just been a huge accident. We certainly can't trust Winter King's words about it.

I don't know. He was so fascinating, and the way he put feelers out to see if Simon would feel the way he does (Specifically talking about making an Ice Betty, then realizing Simon was disturbed so he shrugged it off with a laugh, being like 'no thats immoral obviously haha') and the fact that he was so cautious and smart about avoiding telling Simon how he conquered the crown? Like he would be glad to help and teach Simon how to keep his sanity AND his power... but obviously would have never spoken his secret the more he realized Simon would morally object to it.

I dunno. This character was in the show for 20 minutes and he was so fucking interesting I almost feel robbed. I hope maybe we can get some Adventure Time comics about the guy at the VERY least!