#Most of it uniforms but I will be making classical additions

[i01-xcl]

[just-aake]

Holiday Teasings

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: A festive new addition to Natasha’s usual outfit surprises all of those around her.

Warnings: fluff

Words: 1446

It was the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean work stops at the SHIELD headquarters. Even now, agents continue to tirelessly carry out their tasks and missions, the hallways bustling with conversation and hurried steps.

All of them trained to be efficient and timely with their duties. However, even the most experienced agents find themselves falling silent and stopping in shock at the sight that passes by them.

Normally, the presence of Black Widow would cause anyone to stare in awe, but today, the reason for such a pause is different. 

Only those close to her or brave enough would ever dare to ask or comment about it though, as proven by Agent Hill when Natasha arrives at the door of today’s meeting room. 

“Wow,” Maria exclaims, blinking in surprise as she examines the widow’s outfit. “What in the world are you wearing?”

“It’s just a sweater, Hill. Let’s not make a big deal about it,” Natasha says pointedly, crossing her arms, which only causes the bells at the cuffs of the sleeve to jingle in response.

Maria quickly raises her clipboard to cover her mouth, hiding her smile as she hums and nods in acknowledgment.

Natasha’s bright red sweater stands out amidst the typical dark SHIELD uniforms, easily capturing the curiosity of onlookers around her.

Had it been just a plain-colored sweater, maybe she wouldn’t attract as much attention.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. 

The design on the front depicts the classic suit of this holiday, complete with cotton fluff, a belt buckle, and jingling bells.

The two enter the meeting room together, and Maria continues her questioning.

“How long do you have to wear that?”

“Midnight,” Natasha responds as she takes her usual seat at the large conference table.

Steve comes in the door soon after, and after a brief pause of surprise, he gives his usual nod in greeting to the two and takes his seat beside her.

Natasha raises an amused brow at him.

“No comments?”

He shakes his head firmly.

“Nope, I know better.”

Immediately after his words, a figure comes rushing through the door. 

“Oh my god, it’s true!” Tony exclaims gleefully. He shakes Bruce’s shoulders excitedly when the scientist enters the room.

“Quick, where is a matching hat to complete the outfit?”

Bruce brushes off his hand and distances himself from Tony when he sees the warning glare the Widow sends their way.

“Must have left it back at the lab,” Bruce responds nervously with a shrug before going to his seat.

Like Steve, besides a brief pause and a curious tilt of her head, Wanda does not comment on her attire when she enters.

After a moment, Sam strolls into the room, giving Natasha a grave look. 

“You may need to check on your ride, Nat.”

Natasha straightens in her chair at his words, her brows pinching in confusion about who would ever mess with her motorcycle.

“What do you mean?” 

Sam gestures over his shoulders, nodding seriously.

“Yeah, I just flew in from the roof, and I didn’t see your reindeers or sleigh anywhere.”

Natasha rolls her eyes and slumps back in her chair as Sam laughs at her reaction, patting her shoulder in jest before taking his seat.

Tony leans forward across the table excitedly.

“Oh, I have a question, and be honest with me here, Romanoff.” He pauses for a dramatic effect before saying teasingly. 

“Am I on the naughty list?”

Natasha rolls her eyes and sighs in disgust, shooting him a deadpan glare.

Before she can respond, Natasha catches something at the corner of her eyes, and her glare swiftly turns to the Sokovian Avenger across the table, who fumbles with her phone in hand at the sudden attention.

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

Wanda gives her a sheepish smile, waving her phone lightly. 

“I told Clint, and he asked if I could send a picture of you since he can't be here to see it.”

At her apologetic expression, Natasha sighs and waves her hand in resignation, giving Wanda permission.

Tony laughs and claps his hand in excitement at the sound her action makes, remarking, “Hey, can you shake your hands again? The bells really bring out the holiday spirit in here.”

Natasha is about to tell Tony where he can shove his holiday spirit when a stack of folders thrown against the table interrupts her, catching everyone’s attention. 

Fury stands at the end of the table with a reprimanding expression.

“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s get this meeting started. No more jokes about Romanoff’s outfit.”

“Thanks, Fury,” Natasha says.

Without a beat of hesitation, he replies in his serious tone.

“Anytime, Santa.”

The whole room erupts into laughter, and the meeting ends up having to start much later after that comment.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Your phone chimes, signaling the end of your timer, and you go to the oven to check on your cookies.

Removing the tray of freshly baked cookies from the oven, you place it carefully on the table to cool off. Taking the baking gloves off your hand, you bend slightly to examine the baked treats to make sure that they are perfect.

As you straighten up, your back bumps into another body as familiar hands wrap around your waist, pulling you in closer. 

“Mmm…those smell lovely,” Natasha compliments next to your ear.

You smile and lean into Natasha’s embrace, turning your head to greet her with a soft kiss on her cheek.

Natasha returns your affection, pressing a gentle kiss against your shoulder, before mumbling.

“It’s not even midnight, yet you’re already making my prize, makes me think you didn’t even plan on winning.”

You laugh lightly at her words before admitting.

“A deal’s a deal. Besides, I wanted to make some extra ones for you to bring in tomorrow too.”

Your hands fall atop hers, clasped around your front, as you play with the bells at the cuffs. The sound rings joyfully in your shared space.

“The others didn’t tease you too badly, did they?”

Natasha shrugs nonchalantly before responding.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

“That’s good,” you reply, nodding your head.

As you get lost in her warmth, Natasha moves to take a cookie from the tray, but you notice and quickly slap her hand away lightly in a warning. 

“No, they’re still hot,” you chastise her.

Natasha chuckles at you before turning you around in her arms and leaning in closer, her voice lowering to a tempting tone. 

“Can I get my other prize while I wait then?”

With an amused smile, you cup her face and pull her in for a kiss. 

Natasha’s arm tightens around you, pulling you closer in response and deepening the kiss.

After a moment, you pull back, your smile widening when Natasha tries to follow before stopping with a pout when you hold her face firmly in place to look into her eyes.

“By the way, Clint showed Laura and the kids a picture of you in the sweater, and they want you to wear it at their Christmas party this weekend,” you tell her.

“Will I get another reward if I wear this again?” Natasha says jokingly. She doesn’t need any more persuasion to wear the sweater again if it’s for the kids.

You tap your lips as if in fake contemplation before giving her a teasing smirk.

“Well, I did get you something that I think you will enjoy seeing me wear,” you say, leaning in close to her. 

Natasha’s eyes glint in excitement before whispering against your lips.

“Yeah?”

Before she can bring you into another kiss, you pull away swiftly, turning around to check on the cookies.

“Guess we have to wait until after the party to see if you will get your prize,” you tease over your shoulder.

Natasha lets out an amused huff, shaking her head fondly at you, before sneaking a cookie from one of the piles that you’re making.

“Natasha!” You chastise with a small laugh.

She takes a purposeful bite of the cookie, wearing a victorious grin.

You roll your eyes fondly at her, then turn your attention to the piles of cookies in front of you. 

Retrieving your already prepared festive goodie bags, each labeled with the names of your Avenger friends, you begin to separate and place them alongside the corresponding piles you’ve created. 

When you finish, you clap your hands determinedly before declaring, “Alright, for each teasing comment they made to you today, they lose a cookie.”

Natasha’s grin widens in realization, and she gives you a quick kiss on your cheek, returning to her previous position of hugging you from behind before listing out the guilty parties.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

a/n: thank you for reading, hope you all have Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

[crystalizedcryolite]

While waiting for me to finally finish the next chapter..

DESIGN ANALYSIS FOR MY VIGILANTE AU >:D

As always, let's start in rainbow order! But first things first; all CG members have matching eyes, in one way or another! Red has yellow eyes, Orange has green eyes, Yellow has orange eyes, Green has blue eyes, and Blue has red eyes!! I might change things depending on how it looks, though.

Anyway, Red!!

I'll admit, I'm definitely giving him a design upgrade, but let's talk about this one.

Ah, the classic yellow bandanna. How could I leave it out? It's iconic!

His hair is definitely the wildest out of everyone's. A lot of black and grey in his design, too, which makes the yellow bits and the light-up shoes REALLY stand out.

The yellow matches his eyes and bandanna, and is reminiscent of that media trope with seeing yellow eyes peek from the darkness. The mask is, of course, to hide his face. Red didn't really seem like the guy to wear a visor like Green, or cover his entire face like Blue, so he gets that mask! Might change that, who knows.

His outfit looks thrown together with not that amount of effort. Very casual, as Green pointed out. Before Orange, he was the latest addition to the team, which can mean he can be a bit inexperienced. Wanted to convey that somehow!

Light-up shoes, oh, light-up shoes... who doesn't love them? Green certainly doesn't, but Red disagrees!

Next one!

Orange/Sketch

Now, I didn't draw their vigilante outfit yet, but I added the description of it to give an idea!

I wanted her hair to give a very anime-protagonist feel, if that made sense? Not sure if I got that right but it works for me! And hey! Freckles!

Working clothes: His pants are covered in paint to give an artist-like feel. (I should know. I paint a lot and some of my clothes did NOT survive the process.) As for the top and apron, I wanted it to feel like an actual café worker's uniform without it being a basic starbucks rip-off.

Vigilante outfit: VERY reminiscent of outfits animated characters would wear in scenes where they're doing some graffiti on the streets. That was my main inspiration behind the design.

Also in dark colors. They have to blend into the darkness and stuff!

The pouch mentioned was for practical sake; as is something I like to do when thinking of designs. And it helps with the artistic urge to draw at any time, regardless of what the situation is.

Not much to say about Orange's design, besides the fact that I wanted to give it a very protagonist-y vibe.

Yellow/Y

The second design is more or less his actual vigilante outfit, buuuut yeah!

Curly hair -despite my inability to draw it- and Yellow has been a favorite hc of mine!

His outfit is somewhat inspired by steampunk? Not exactly, but I DID have steampunk in mind while making it! The pilot's jacket was the best change yet.

Someone on a03 has told me that he looks like Alan, somehow! I'm not sure if I see it, so does anyone else see it? It would be a funny coincidence if so!

Green/Songbird

His hair is my favorite part of my Green design so I HAD to keep it! The classic headphones are there with a gamer-ish colour scheme.

VERY hip-hop and streetdance inspired! His visor is a reference to the sunglasses Orange gave him in the "More Faces" short, rather than his sunglasses in the Influencer Arc.

His clothes are a reference to the clothes I see my sister wear for her own dance training, and I love streetwear in general, so its a perfect fit! The necklace is just for show, though. Nothing practical about that, but it does look cool! Plus, it's a notion to his powers! His outfit is practical, but still shows off somehow, just like Green!

My vigilante!Green is the most experienced in the group, so I wanted him to look that way, somehow? And he definitely looks the most professional! I think!

Blue/The Witch

The second member to join the vigilante team!

I HAD to give her a hat. The witch's hat is a must. Practical? Not exactly. Cool? Yes, indeed.

The mask is my favorite part. A direct reference to the "Faces" short, AND a good way for Blue to, ahem, mask her identity (hehe a pun)

The sweater and coat combination seems strange, but it looks a little like a modern witch outfit? Trenchcoats definitely give a vigilante vibe in a way, and Yellow already had one, so Blue gets a belt and a sweater to go with it!

Blue definitely needed a bag for her potions. She can't just make them on the spot!- well, she can, but it would still be a hassle! She'd be the most practical when it comes to her clothing for vigilantism, after Yellow.

Purple/Aeolus!

Obviously, the cloak is a reference to elytra. The green hairtie, the bag and the cloak buckle is a reference to their mother, Orchid. You can see the vines on the bag strap, the flowers on the bag and buckle, and the leaf-shape on the hairtie.

There's also a lot of green on them, wink wink ;3

To hide their identity, they cover a majority of their face with the cloak hood!

It was hard to balance the colors, but I'm happy with the results! This one is simple compared to the others, but its still cool nonetheless!

Purple was meant to have ripped jeans but my drawing ability to low, so... sorry, Purple.

AAAAND THAT'S ALL! Sorry if this seemed boring or disappointing, or whatnot. I tried my best!

[seventeenlovesthree]

Yamato Ishida's clothing style - a meta analysis

Since Yamato has won the fashion analysis poll ahead of Sora, Mimi, Takeru and Hikari, he'll be the second to get one after Koushirou and Taichi. Fortunately - and interestingly enough -, he might be one of the easier cases among all the Chosen Children, because he has very consistent themes and motifs going on, so let's get this on step by step:

Adventure (+ Our War Game), age 11/12:

Even though the kids do not change clothes very often throughout the series, we can still find a few of the aforementioned "themes and motifs" for Yamato here: Starting with his signature sleeveless/turtleneck shirt in Adventure, his favourite - and thus associated - colour appears to be green and since he seems to prefer overall dark colours, you will usually (but not exclusively) see him wear darker shades. This can also be observed during OWG, where he wears a dark brown button-down shirt - which will turn out to be a common theme in addition to dark jeans or pants. Plus, unlike most of the other male characters, you will almost NEVER see him wear sneakers, because he's clearly a "boots" kind of guy.

As for his hair, this is where the classic "cool boy haircut" with the spikes and side fringe found its origins (which is also pretty close to how his father wears his hair).

02 (+ Diablomon Strikes Back), age 14/15:

This is where the "rockstar phase" begins and even though green doesn't make an appearance here, he consistently sticks to dark colours - mostly blacks and browns - as well as complementing boots, button-downs or turtlenecks. Despite him being the leader of his own band, his style is something I would personally describe as very neat, almost unagitated and thus more in line with his introverted side - which can be interpreted as him trying to be somewhat lowkey, not intending to attract too much attention. But at the same time, his style (= dark clothes in contrast to his blond hair) naturally creates a sense of "mysterious aloofness" (as it may be described by his fans, such as Jun. While it is also never explicitly stated, we know that he has European/French genes from his mother's side, so this may or may not add to his visual appearance easily attracting attention and popularity).

In terms of his school uniform, he doesn't go all out on being extravagant either, but instead chooses "the middle ground" between Taichi's "loose and casual" and Koushirou's "neat and correct" style by wearing the blazer closed but leaving out the tie. It's still overall very correct, with a hue of "coolness".

Diablomon Strikes Back then adds two more motifs for him, implying him becoming more and more comfortable growing into "his own": From this point on, we will see him wear little accessories like rings and necklaces - which, as we will see later, may even have a link to Gabumon one way or another. He also starts to wear more layers from now on, such as (college or leather) jackets - which will become more prominent later.

The "cool boy haircut" has grown out a little, softening the spikes. Not only could this be seen as him "differentiating" himself a little from his father (which is a common interpretation of the hairstyle change); it also gives him more of a J-pop-star vibe and makes him appear more "chill" in general (whereas I can only assume he was considered more of a "surfer boy" in Western fandoms back in the day).

Tri, age 17:

While he has cut his (still softened) hair a little bit shorter again, he overall maintains an effortlessly "casual but cool" style: Not only have the green tones returned to his wardrobe, the boots are also still there (even if they're not visible on the picture evidence). The ensemble is usually complimented by elements from his aforementioned DSB/"rockstar" phase: We see him wearing necklaces and chains in his everyday outfits, simple (black, green or even white) shirts with or without prints and with or without cardigans or jackets - and we can also tell he has gotten generally more daring (and a little less "tame") by wearing ripped jeans.

His school uniform is still more or less "neat", but even though he has added the tie, he wears everything more loosely than he did in 02. For his Summer school uniform, he also chooses to wear a long-sleeved shirt rolled up - instead of the short-sleeved ones all the other male characters wear.

Kizuna, age 22:

As a young adult, he basically tries to marry the majority of his previously mentioned themes into one consistent style: His signature cool-boy hairstyle - neat, short, spiky - has returned as well as the dark greens and the boots. In general, his colour palette consists of green, black and white - with an interesting case of grey in the middle of the movie. Similarly to Taichi, this may or may not have some special implications: Taichi wears an asymmetrical shirt, black on the left (covering his "heart"), blue (his favourite colour) and white on the right ("light") side, indicating his insecurities in terms of what's the right path. In contrast, Takeru wears all of his associated colours (VERY colourful green shades), as does Koushirou (orange), while also wearing a pristine white shirt - they're both not at risk of losing their partners, they're both on the light side, whereas Yamato and Taichi are completely at a loss. Yamato, who wears a grey button-down shirt, appears to be just as torn about his future and current situation as Taichi is, having abandoned his beloved music and hesitantly contemplating a future in the military. Which is also why he may wear a dog tag - and, as mentioned previously, this may also be a reminder of his bond to Gabumon after all. (And on a lovely little side note, I assume that Takeru starts wearing necklaces at the time of The Beginning to signify his own bond to Yamato.)

In terms of layers, we see him wear leather jackets, blazers and vests, everything being mostly "neat and correct" (again), with the same sense of effortless coolness he always had (but, if you wanna follow Kizuna's course of action, it may also display a sense of insecurity that leads him to choose style cues from the past over trying to move forward. I do like his Kizuna style and there is nothing wrong with returning to what you are familiar with, especially because most of it is definitely and consistently "him" - but that interpretation would also be in line with Kizuna's message, "forcing" oneself to conform and be a responsible adult.) One interesting addition are the red (!) glasses he wears during lectures, which is a colour we haven't seen him consider before. (Since it's "red", a possible interpretation could be that Sora gifted it to him - Kizuna is very persistent with its colours after all.)

Beyond, ???

Now things are getting a little more tricky, because we do not exactly know how old Yamato is supposed to be in these sketches - since this could be Kakudou's interpretation of post 02/DSB!Yamato as well as him being somewhere in his later 20's, also according to Kakudou's vision. I've tried to put my thoughts on this style into words here already, but to summarize it very quickly here: It's interesting that we see the grown-out 02 haircut again, as well as the earring - if we follow my interpretation of 02!Yamato, this only means that he has grown even more comfortable with himself to dress and present himself as less neat and also "less spiky" (= less aggressive in personality).

The epilogue, approximately age 39:

Last but not least, the epilogue shows our astronaut choosing the same colour palette and style cues 02!Yamato had already been famous for: Blacks and browns, glimpses of beige, a turtleneck and a (leather) jacket. His hairstyle is back to being the exact same as his father's - and as for now, there is not a lot to say about that without having the full context of where "Beyond" may eventually lead him in this timeline.

So my final verdict is: As mentioned at the beginning of this post, most of Yamato's style choices have a coherent theme: cool, effortless, mostly unagitated, sophisticated and tame, but with a glimpse of growing "rebellion". You can tell he confidently knows his favourite colours - mostly dark greens, black and brown with softening tints of grey, beige and white. He loves his (short or no-sleeved) shirts (with or without print), button-downs, turtlenecks and boots - and sometimes even dares to put on something like leather jackets or vests over those. What he appears to be a little unsure about is the consistent usage of accessories - and his hairstyle.

While the dog tag may be one of his more prominent features at this point (potentially signifying his bond with Gabumon), the state of his hair may or may not indicate how comfortable he is with his identity. Next to Taichi and Sora - and due to him still dealing with the aftermath of his parents' divorce -, he is the one who struggles the most with where he sees himself in the future. We know he has a high sense of responsibility (especially for those he cares about) and tries to find rational solutions, but may let his emotions get the best of him sometimes, hindering communication, so that may be where the inconsistencies stem from. While his clothing style is mostly tame and neat, indicating his wish for order, it has these little moments of (emotional) "rebellion" in it at times; rings, necklaces, ripped jeans - all things he tried out at some point, but doesn't seem to be 100% sure of, since he doesn't consistently wear them. Whether that's because he feels like he has to conform and fit into society as he grows older, abandoning music because it's not a "feasible career" - or simply feels more comfortable wearing his signature haircut (and "what he already knows") once again. One could also interpret his return to his old hairstyle as a sign that he may have grown closer to his father, thus feeling more comfortable "merging" all these style elements and finding a middle ground, slowly but steadily - but whether or not that is true, I am not able to tell.

[sharksandsquirrelsandsnakes-ohmy]

I have recently realized that when I write about adult Stiles, he sounds a lot Deadpool and/ Dean Winchester...

Here are my favorite examples (most of which are from a draft I'm working on):

~~~~~~~~~

Stiles twisted the knife, making a face when he felt the bloody, torn flesh rub against his finger. The guy let Stiles go, shoving him into a stack of crates.

Stiles gasped in lungs full of air. “What,” he asked heavily, “not into fingering? Why didn’t you say pineapple?” Stiles huffed a laugh.

~~~~~~~~~

“You’re not helping my reputation by showing up in uniform,” Derek said in a tone Stiles knew to be his approximation of a joke.

“Being friends with a cop who happens to also be the sheriff’s son is hurting business,” Stiles asked with a smirk, leaning on the hood of his car. “I didn’t know you kept that clientele, Der. I mean, I’m all for ACAB, especially when the Feds come poking around but…”

Derek shook his head, standing in front of Stiles. “You really shouldn’t say that while in uniform,” he said, trying not to smile. “I meant because of my history with the department.”

~~~~~~~~~

Derek walked into the loft, completely covered in dirt, and slammed a similarly mud crusted backpack on the counter. “We have a problem,” he growled.

Stiles didn’t even bother to look at him, pulling his chicken nuggets out of the oven. “Of course we have a problem! When don't we have a problem? There's always a problem.”

~~~~~~~~~

“Corinne,” Stiles said as some form of greeting.

“Hello Stiles,” she said in that evil tone of voice. Classic villain, kind of cartoony to be honest.

~~~~~~~~~

Derek: Does everyone understand the plan?

Cora: Uh, ya, but I have one quick question. So, you've explained plans A and B but, since plan A never works and plan B usually goes to shit, what are plans C through, I don’t know, F?

Stiles: I'm so glad you asked. Plan C is when I yell 'pizza's here' which is your sign to hit the deck so Allison and Chris can shoot anyone standing. Plan D is Lydia going full banshee scream on their asses. Plan E is some spontaneous magic by yours truly and Plan F is to just mountain ash trap everyone in and hopes for the best.

Derek: There’s plans A through F?

Stiles: And Plan G but that involves some coffins, a nice plot at the cemetery, and a very heartfelt rendition of the Independence Day speech from Coach Finstock. Scott: I didn’t even know there was a plan…

~~~~~~~~~

Stiles heard the person behind him inhale deeply. “McCall,” the guy growled, sounding more animal than human.

“Stilinski actually,” Stiles corrected, “but thanks for the smell check, wolfy. Glad to know eau de alpha is still strong.”

~~~~~~~~~

Stiles: I hate you.

Peter: You can hate me if you want.

Stiles: Good because I do.

~~~~~~~~~

The werewolf wrapped an arm around Stiles's throat, shoving a gun against his temple.

“Kinky,” Stiles rasped, finding it hard to breath.

~~~~~~~~~

Stiles walked, led by the gun at his back and the new addition of a hand on his neck.

“Ya know, this is kind of nostalgic,” Stiles remarked, feeling the sharp pain of claws against his neck. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Might get a reaction you aren’t expecting.”

~~~~~~~~~

Stiles was shoved onto the floor. It was disgusting even for a warehouse. There was blood splatter and mud on the floor. Which was also nostalgic in a sad, fucked-up kinda way. Like, who gets nostalgia from high school because of a crime scene?

~~~~~~~~~

Stiles grabbed his knife and pulled it out of the guy. The werewolf was shaking, not dead yet. "Enjoy Hell," Stiles patted his cheek roughly. He was crouching in the open to retrieve the knife. You’d think he’d know better by now.

~~~~~~~~~

Blood had utterly ruined Stiles’s suit. He was hardly able to apply pressure to the wound. He was bleeding out. Again. He wasn’t getting that deposit back. He tried to pull his eyes open but he was tired. So tired. If the gang didn’t hurry, he’d be on the fast track to a dirt nap and he wasn’t sure he could stay still that long.

[ponyosmom35]

day out with the boys

Simon Ghost Riley x reader

Liability chapter eleven!

synopsis: reader and the boys go out as they show her around London!

warnings: drinking, cursing, fighting

Liability masterlist

https://www.tumblr.com/ponyosmom35/733401347573088256/simon-ghost-riley?source=share

She was nervous as she tied her hair in a half-up, half-down style. Her long waves cascade down her back and she tries to smooth them out nervously. She had dressed in tights with a short skirt and a sweater, she had a jacket on overtop to pull it all together. She had on her favorite pair of platform docs which gave her an additional two inches. She smiled at herself, it had been so long since she’d dressed in anything other than scrubs, or a military-provided uniform which was less than flattering on her body. 

Johnny and Kyle asked if she wanted a tour of London, she agreed without hesitation. She’d been wanting to explore since she’d arrived. After getting permission from Price, who had far too much paperwork to join their day off they went to Simon. When Johnny asked he received an immediate no. She was quite upset when she found out he didn’t want to come, and took it upon herself to convince him. As much as she loved the other two, something about Simon pulled her in. She wanted to be near him at all times, hoping that she could learn something about him. He was such a mystery and she was determined to figure him out. 

She texted Johnny and informed him that she was nearly ready, and would meet him outside in a few. She sprays her favorite perfume, the classic ‘Cloud’ by Ariana Grande and leaves her room. She hurries to Simon’s office and knocks on the door gently. 

“Come in” his deep voice calls 

She opens it and peaks her head inside and greets him with a smile. “hey” 

“Come in love” he says

her breath hitches at the nickname, he'd never referred to her as that before. It was typically just her name, or nothing at all. She was regularly called it with most of the people on the base, especially Price, Soap, and Gaz, but never ever had Simon said it. The name gave her butterflies.

He watches her open the door all the way and all the breath is knocked from his lungs. His eyes rack down her body and his chest tightens. He’d never seen her dressed in civilian clothes before. It was rare that she didn’t have her hair pulled back into a bun or updo. She looked absolutely stunning. 

“Going somewhere?” he asks

“Yeah Johnny and Kyle are gonna give me a tour of London, I was wondering if you wanted to join seeing as Johnny's not...” she trails off awkwardly

“I’ve got a lot of paperwork” he says, 

“Oh come on! I’ve been waiting for the perfect time to explore since I got here!”

“Sorry love” he responds, there goes her heart racing at that nickname again.

“Okay well at least tell me your favorite pub and I’ll make sure to add it to the list, the boys have at least three places in mind already” she says, his heart racing as he imagines her in a pub. All of the filthy men staring at her, he knew she’d be eaten up if they heard her speak and found out she was American. Simon knew that she was completely safe with his teammates, but he refused to take any chances, not with her. 

“Okay, I’ll join” he responds, causing her eyes to widen, she claps her hands happily as he stands and closes his laptop. 

“What made you change your mind?” she asks with a big smile on her face

“Guess I could use a day off” he lies 

“Okay well the boys are waiting outside” she says 

“I’ll be out in five” 

“Okay” she says happily before hurrying outside. As soon as Johnny spots her he raises his hands in annoyance.

“Fuckin’ hell lass you sure take your time, but I can see why” Johnny says looking at her “you look nice”

“Shut up suds” she laughs, hitting his arm

“Are you ready to go?” Kyle asks 

“Just waiting on Simon” she says, watching as their faces drop in shock. Not only had she somehow learned his name, which he never gave out to anyone, but she’d also convinced him to come. 

“You know his name?” Kyle asks “he told you that willingly?”

“Well more like showed it to me, doesn’t matter now” she shrugs 

“You’re a real fuckin sorcerer love” Johnny murmurs 

“Whose driving?” 

“Definitely not LT” Johnny comments as he gets into the driver’s seat, Kyle offers the front to her and she shakes her head and gets into the back, she wanted to sit next to Simon. 

“I keep hearing that! He can’t be that bad” she defends 

“He’s the worst fuckin combat driver I’ve ever seen, scariest experience of my life” Kyle comments 

“Remember when he nearly threw me out the fuckin helicopter?” Johnny recalls, as they all laugh loudly. 

“Never driven with em’ on civi roads, maybe he ain’t that bad” Kyle says 

“I doubt it” Johnny says running his hand over his beanie. 

Johnny puts on some rap music and blasts it loudly, she rolls her eyes and looks to the right just as Simon opens the door. He sits and buckles, glancing over to her quickly before looking away. “Johnny what the fuck is this shit? Play something good at least” 

“Like what?” 

“Taylor Swift!” she exclaims 

“Fuck no!” Johnny says as he drives off of the base

“Absolutely not” Kyle responds 

“Simon? Thoughts on Taylor Swift?” she asks 

“She’s the most famous popstar in the world for a reason” he says staring out of the window. The two men in the front yell loudly in protest and make fun of him. “Shut the fuck up the lot of you! This is her day and if she wants to listen to Taylor you fuckin put on Taylor!”

“Only if it’s Reputation” Johnny sighs, she cackles as she reaches forward and pats his shoulder 

“I knew you were a closeted swifite” she says, making everyone laugh loudly. 

“Don’t make me turn this vehicle around ankle biter”

“Don’t test me suds” she snaps back, he looks at her in the rearview mirror and shakes his head, a smirk on his lips. 

She turns to the right and peers over at Simon, she hadn’t gotten a proper look at him since he got in the car. She instantly notices his jeans, and how massive his thighs were as he was manspreading in the back seat. He was wearing a thick black zip-up with a black hoodie underneath. His hands were ungloved and resting on his knee. She gulped and stared at them, it was the first time she had laid eyes on his massive hands. His fingers long and slender. As if noticing her stare he turns to her she nearly gasps in shock. He was wearing a normal facemask with a beanie on his head, still covering most of his face, but it was more than she’d ever seen. She sends him a small smile, trying to play it off like she hadn’t been staring at his neck. 

-

As they arrived in London the boys began to show her around, they took her to the main tourist destinations and she was amazed by it all. She took tons of photos of the scenery and a few with Johnny and Kyle, Simon of course politely refused and offered to take them. He took several of her in front of Big Ben, he smiled to himself at how adorable she was. 

Johnny was ecstatic to be off base, he was full of energy and was pulling her from shop to shop. She’d barely gotten to speak to Simon as he was like a kid in a candy store, quite literally pulling her into a candy store and buying all of his favorites which he planned on making her try later. She made sure to give him shit about being from Scotland and acting as her tour guide of London. Despite not being with Simon, she kept her eye on him. She watched how he interacted with the world. It was clear that he was not relaxed, he was surveying the area. He was watching their backs.  Of course, she noticed the other two doing the same occasionally, but Simon was scoping out alleyways, and checking shops out before he entered. He always made sure that she was in front of him, as Johnny walked by her side and Kyle led the way. She was being guarded, whether it was intentional or not, she was unsure. To an onlooker, it wouldn’t have been noticeable, but she saw it all. 

“Remember how I told you that once you earn LT’s respect there’s nothin he wouldn’t do for ya?” Johnny asks as he bumps her shoulder whilst they walked down the street casually. 

“Yeah”

“He’s watching you like a hawk” 

“I know” she says softly “I feel bad, I want him to have fun too”

“May not look it, but he’s having fun. Just can’t turn off the soldier in him, none of us can” he says as they pass by a jewelry shop. She pauses and looks at the displays in the window, Johnny smiles as he devises a plan and pats her on the back. “Gazzy and I are gonna go check out the market for snacks, meet you over there when you’re done” he says before walking away. 

She frowns and continues to look at them, she instantly feels a presence beside her and looks up to see Simon “Apparently they want snacks, I can meet you guys in just a second, I wanna check this store out” 

Simon doesn’t speak and instead opens the door for her, she blushes madly and hurries inside, the warmth welcomes her. She goes around to the necklace that had caught her eye in the window and looks at it. A simple clear quartz stone on a chain. She picks it up and admires it for several moments. Simon was next to her, looking at the various stones placed nicely along the tables. 

“A clear quartz, for protection” the shop owner says, the small older woman walks over to her with a warm smile. 

“Its beautiful” she confesses

“Fit for a beautiful young woman” the shop owner says

“Thank you” she laughs awkwardly

“Do let me know if you have any questions love” she says before returning back to her spot

“Are you gonna get it?” Simon asks 

“I want to, but Emma will lose her mind if I buy myself more jewelry” she laughs, Simon snorts and watches as she moves through the store. He picks up the necklace and waits for her to make it to the back. He hurries to the counter and purchases the necklace. 

“I was hoping you’d get this for that darling girl” the shop owner says softly 

“Thank you” he nods before putting the box in his pocket. 

He was able to conceal it before she noticed. Now it was getting dark, the boys were hungry and ready to hit up a pub. It didn’t take long to find one and the four of them sat down at a table. Johnny and Kyle were already down two pints and they’d only arrived 15 minutes prior. Simon sat with his back against the wall as he watched the people around them. 

“Why the fuck won’t you let me get you a drink?” Johnny asks 

“I told you, I’m not into beer, I’m a cocktail girl” she shrugs 

“Out of your fuckin mind lass” 

“What’s your drink of choice?” Kyle asks 

“Guess” she smirks 

“Malibu sunrise” Simon states, she turns to him eyes wide in shock

“That is very close, definitely one of my favorites”

“Sex on the beach” Johnny suggests 

“Another good one but no”

“I don’t know, a fuckin lemon drop?” Kyle asks

“Yes!” she exclaims as they laugh. 

The four of them chat for about an hour about London culture and the vibe, they explain how rowdy it gets when there’s a football game on. She listens happily and watches Johnny and Kyle drink a ton. The drunker they get, the harder they make her laugh. 

“Is it true that all gingers are born with no souls?” Johnny asks seriously 

“Is it true that Scottish men are required to wear kilts at all times?” she retorts sarcastically 

“Touche” he laughs, pointing his finger at her.

“Okay well I’m gonna go get water for us, does anybody want anything else?”

“Another pint!” Kyle shouts happily

“No” she laughs before walking up to the bar. She could practically feel Simon’s stare on her back as she pushed through the crowds. After ordering the water she leans against the bar, accidentally bumping shoulders with the guy next to her. “I’m sorry”

“No problem love, crowded in here” he smiles as he turns his entire body to face her, only mere inches between them. She sends him a polite smile and tries to scoot away, only to hit someone else on the other side. 

“Yes it is” she responds

“Wow not only are you beautiful but you’re American as well? Must be my lucky day” he comments, she laughs awkwardly and crosses her arms. 

Across the pub Simon noticed the man begin to talk to her, his friends behind him all looking at her like she was a piece of meat. He watched as her body shifted uncomfortably. He clenched his hand and kept a close eye, ready to get up.  

“Let me get ya a drink”

“I’m good” she refuses 

“Come on, can’t have a beautiful bird come to a pub without drinking” 

“I’m having a great time with my friends” she retorts 

“What friends? I don’t see any”

She turns and points to the three men in the corner, her eyes catching Simon’s instantly. She silently pleads for help and he’s on his feet in a second. “Oh here comes the big guy”

“This your boyfriend love?” he asks 

Simon doesn’t say a single word as he stands behind her, he sends them a death glare and they all turn back around. Mumbling amongst each other. Simon grabs the water and keeps his hand on her back as he guides her back, keeping himself between her and anyone else. As they return to the table she notices that Johnny and Kyle were over by the pool tables, setting up for a game. 

“Why aren’t you drinking?” she asks curiously as she settles back into her spot next to him. 

“Someone needs to drive back to base” 

“Maybe I should be the one to drive” she jokes

“Why is that love?”

“I’ve heard about your driving” she says

“What about it?” he asks

“Lets just say I’ve been warned never to let you drive me, or fly a helicopter” 

Simon laughs and runs his hand over his head, pushing the hood down and the beanie back slightly. She was able to catch a glimpse of blonde hair and smiles to herself. So Simon Riley was a fucking blonde. God she was so feral for this man. Even the slightest sight of his skin made her feel like a man in the 19th century, seeing ankles for the first time.

“That was one fucking time! I lost the right engine, I told that bastard to hold on” he defends as she giggles loudly. 

"everyone's survived, that's what matters right?"

"yeah for fucks sake"

“So tell me, why do you wear the mask in public? I get back at the base but why here?”

“can’t risk exposing my face” he deadpans

"wow riveting" she retorts “Do you wear it to sleep?” 

“Sometimes I forget to take it off” 

“Hmm, seems like it would be uncomfortable”

“Got used to it” he shrugs, both watch their friends start a new game of pool with a few others from the bar and she rolls her eyes. “You much of a pool player?”

“Yeah I’m terrible at it, but its fun. I’d rather sit with you though” she admits

Simon looks at her in surprise and tries to calm his racing heart. He was flustered by her words. “Are you any good?” she asks 

“Very”

“You’ll have to teach me sometime” she comments, lying through her teeth. She was a very good pool player, she’d only ever been beaten three times in her life. She loved to play that game, pretend that she sucked so she could hustle the fuck out of unsuspecting men. Plus she wanted any excuse she could find to spend time with him. 

“Stay here” Simon grunts out of nowhere, in an instant he’s across the bar and shoving a man off of Johnny and to the ground. She gets up and hurries over to them, pushing Johnny back as he yells profanities at them. Simon is punched in the face and he grunts, Johnny and Kyle instantly hold him back as he rushes forward along with several others trying to restrain the massive man. She dodges them and walks up to the man, kicking him in the balls, he doubles over and clutches himself and she punches him in the face, knocking him on his ass. The pub erupts in cheers as she holds her hand to her chest, pain radiating through it. She’d never punched somebody before. 

“Tell your fuckin bitch to calm down!” the man yells as he stands back up

Simon grabs her and pushes her behind him and punches the guy in the face once. He collapses roughly on the ground, completely unconscious. She holds her hand to her mouth in shock. He walks away from the scene and drags her back to their table. He takes one of the napkins and places a few ice cubes in it. He creates a makeshift icepack and gently puts it on her knuckles. He checks his shoulder to see Johnny and Kyle getting kicked out and sighs. 

“Are you okay love?”

“That was kinda exhilarating!” she admits 

“Shocked the hell out of me”

“I like to keep people on their toes” she jokes, smiling as he snorts. 

“Are you okay?” she asks, remembering that he’d been punched as well. He laughs in response and shakes his head. Right, that was a dumb question considering who she was talking to. Over the course of the day, it was as though she’d forgotten that he was the same Ghost that she fought with so many times. They are asked to leave the bar as well and the four of them walk to the car. Both keeping a close eye on the rowdy men in front of them. 

“So how was my form?” she asks 

“Needs work” he says, she laughs and hits his arm.

“Alright whose driving?” Kyle asks 

“Me” Simon grunts 

“Fuck no!” Johnny complains “I wanna live to see tomorrow”  

“Get in the fucking vehicle Johnny” he snaps, earning a laugh from her.

[twstfanblog]

*~RSA Is Weird~*

A/N The starter for my first little series! I'm going to make one for each dorm and their respective 'Weird RSA kid' The first one will be Neige, and I will try to get that one up tomorrow.

Warnings: She/They Yuu OC, Swearing

Pairings: Platonic Crowley & Yuu

Enjoy~!

~I Own Nothing~

Hope you guys enjoy~!)

Starter, Part 1 (Pomefiore), Part 2 (HeartsLabyul), Part 3 (Diasomnia)

The headmaster’s office felt both the same and very different. Surprisingly the wreckage of the castle barely reached the area. Crowley’s office was basically untouched from the disaster of the end-of-the-year ceremony. The bare bones remained the same, but now the walls were filled with photos upon photos, some Yuu had taken herself, and the classic photos of the Great Seven. Some looked to be far older, one had a student who looked suspiciously like Crewel covered in mud and glaring at the camera. Another had who Yuu assumed to be Trien napping in what she thinks is the rose maze in Heartslabyul, a kitten Lucius curled in his lap contently. They wanted to ask where Crowley even got the photos, wondering if he had used the Ghost camera before dumping it on them. The rug once plain was full of woven patterns and shapes. If she looked long enough she’d find a new object in the mess of colors and lines.

Crowley’s desk had survived, not so much as a nick on the polished wood, surprisingly filled with paperwork for once. But they were most pleased with the newest additions of multiple matching end tables and various lengths of seating for the office. Yuu sat in one plush armchair, newly tailored school uniform along with an official Ramshackle armband around her bicep. She sat sideways in the chair, legs crossed and dangling off the side as she twirled a tuff of her wolf-cut hair, looking at the fae organizing the papers in his hands.

"Tell me again why the fuck we're doing this?" 

Crowley sighs, looking at Yuu with a pitiful pout. The crow fae bent across his desk slightly to make sure she could see his face, "My hatchling, so rude to me. This event is to show the people of Sage Isle that their donations have gone to good use! Not only has our campus been restored, it's been improved!"

"..." Yuu stands, walking to an open window in a calm manner. They take their time, pulling back the curtains of the room and looking out to the campus before turning back to Crowley, "Where!?"

"Child." Yellow eyes lock onto her, the silent command of ‘Enough’ heavy in the air.

Rolling her eyes, Yuu moves back to her seat, grabbing her cup of tea from the end table and raising her brows in a mocking tone, "Dad."

The severe presence Crowley had instantly evaporated, the fae smiling slightly and letting out a soft coo before clearing his throat. Crowley's bouts of seriousness used to make her uneasy, but with how many times she's been graced to peak behind the headmaster's elaborate play of personality, she was able to tell when he was bluffing or actually serious. Bluffing could be sassed still and was easily broken with paternal acknowledgment. Luckily Crowley hasn't felt the need to be truly sincere since the campus was destroyed.

Yuu sipped at her tea, thinking back to before the summer break. The whole mess of Grim's overblot and just how badly the campus was affected before they beat him, how badly everyone was injured in the fight. Not to mention-

Crowley's gold-tipped fingers snap her out of her thoughts. His masked face looking at her in mild annoyance, "Hatchling, did you hear a word I said?"

"...No." Turning away to sip her tea, unbothered by Crowley groaning and standing from his desk.

"As I was saying. This is a way to show the people of Sage Isle their donations have gone to a good cause -blah blah blah-” Crowley was suddenly right beside her, bright yellow orbs glowing in an almost manic glee to match his fanged smile, “-But! I’m also using this open house week as a way to rub it in Ambrose’s face that Night Raven is still standing!” He stands up straight, mumbling under his breath about the other headmaster and pacing in a tight circle in front of her.

Yuu was well aware of what was ruffling his feathers. Night Raven had to put a hold on new admissions for their next school year since the campus was destroyed and under reconstruction. Not to mention the pocket dimensions and classroom expansions he had to weave. Seeing how the current students of Night Raven had made the choice to simply repeat a year, dorms were bound to be cramped when the new students appeared. But Crowley having to actually do his job for once wasn’t the cause of his mood. It was Ambrose the 63rd himself. Seeing how the other headmaster “dared” to offer a place at Royal Sword Academy to Night Raven students if the campus wasn’t completed in time for the new school year.

Now, Crowley needed to swing his newly built dick around as a show of dominance to the friendly old man. But it was none of her business what helped him sleep at night.

She checks herself back into her crow guardian’s rambles, muttering into her cup of lukewarm tea, “What fucking family is naming their children Ambrose sixty-three times?” “EXACTLY! It’s so stupid…”

“So why are you making this my problem then?”

Crowley stops his pacing to lean into her face, a smile on his lips, “Well, every good event needs a planner, dear. Since I am your humble father-”

“Don’t call yourself that-”

“-Your most humble, caring, gracious father, I will be handling the final stages of planning. I just need you to do rounds during the week and make sure no one is dying on campus.” He uses a single clawed finger to poke her nose, his smile growing seeing her fight off her own grin at the tease, “I paid good money for that new pavement. Can’t have it all be stained with blood before the school year starts…”

“Wasn’t your money but go off, dad.”

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

And that's the start! Pomefiore is first and the chapter is almost done. Here's hoping I can get it done and posted soon.

Thanks for reading!

[no-quit-lucy]

Tim realises Lucy has a crush on someone at work but doesn't realise it's him

Takes place early season 4. Rated T wc: 2,753 read on ao3

Tim had the day off. Tim was supposed to have the day off. Tim was not getting the day off.

It was a slow day at Mid-Wilshire. Dare he (not) say quiet, there was no reason for him to come in on his day off.

Except Sgt. Johnson had gotten food poisoning at brunch, (really?— who kept letting Smitty pick the restaurants?) and Tim was called in to cover the rest of his shift.

He quickly changed into his uniform and contemplated how his day could go. He could pull Lucy from her current duty— she was working, likely on patrol with Nolan or milling around the station— or he could sit his ass down at a desk and wait for someone to need him. Lucy wasn't his aide every day, but most days, he pulled her help because, well, because they worked well together and despite what he said and how he acted, he enjoyed her company.

Leisurely making his way over to the detectives’ desks, Tim wanted to check in with Angela to see if she was working on anything particularly interesting. As he approached, he saw Lucy hanging over the half wall that separated her desk from the walkway. She was animatedly discussing something with Angela (though, when wasn't she animatedly discussing something with someone?)

“I know what you're going to say, Angela, that it doesn't matter that we work at the same station, I like him and I should go for it— but that's just it. We do work together and I don't know if I—” Lucy cut off at Angela’s insistence.

“Hey Tim, I thought the game was on today,” Angela said as he got closer.

“It is,” he frowned, curious about who Lucy was talking about but not wanting to pry. “Johnson got a case of the Smitty’s.”

Lucy and Angela reacted appropriately, grimaces etched in their facial expressions.

“I gotta go, Angela. We’re still on for drinks after shift?” Lucy asked, tapping her hands on the top of the half wall. 

“Unless my sitter suddenly drops dead, I won't miss it!” Angela waves off Lucy and directs her attention to Tim.

He's still frowning, watching Lucy rush away.

“Lucy likes someone who works here?” He asked, pointing down to the station’s floor. His voice ticked up an octave and he hoped Angela didn't call him out on it.

“Come on, Tim,” Angela cast down her eyes at him, a classic Lopez look that meant she thought he was an idiot for asking.

“Is it Webb?” He asked, squaring up his shoulders and trying not to think about why Lucy having a crush on someone they work with was making him physically itchy.

***

Lucy’s voice came over the radio talking back and forth with dispatch. Tim was utilizing his overtime to catch up on paperwork and listening to the radio while he worked helped get his body to sit still.

Until he heard Lucy use that voice when requesting additional information from the guy on the other end of dispatch. Her flirty voice that she admitted to using when the lines were busy and she wanted her information first.

Just like he had his deal with Nell, Lucy had cultivated her own relationship with Kevin from dispatch.

Kevin, who Tim knew had a lot in common with Lucy, who willingly bent to her request because of the puppy dog eyes he gave to her anytime Lucy stopped by to give him a thank you gift when really, the gift was Kevin getting to talk to Lucy at all. The worst of it all, Tim knew Lucy turned up her charm to avoid getting attached to boring calls and pushing her down the queue.

Tim squirmed in his seat as he heard her overzealous thank yous and pleases, knowing the sharp bite of her breath when she uttered them while sitting two feet away in his shop. How much he itched to hear that sultry tone directed at him. He wondered if it might be Kevin, whom she had a crush on. It could be anyone who worked in the station. Anyone.

***

Later, Lucy came in from an arrest and Tim was sitting at his desk filling out (different) paperwork. He knew the promotion came with more paperwork, he just also wished it came with more action. Being a field sergeant was less exciting than a training officer and he was starting to miss his old title and duties.

He saw the taco truck bag gripped in Lucy’s hand. The one that was only open for an hour at a time since they sold out so quickly. The taco truck that he and Lucy had dubbed his white whale— he'd been trying to track down an order since before Lucy’s rookie days. He grinned as she made her way toward him with the bag in tow, eyes shining bright at the thought that maybe Lucy liked him more than she let on. How kind of her to act as his Queequeg and help him harpoon his whale.

“Davis!” Lucy called out as she resolutely passed by his desk, not even sparing him a passing glance. “I got La Brea bites! Wanna share?”

Shit, Tim thought, maybe Davis is the guy Lucy’s got a thing for? He shrugged it off the best he could, trying not to take it personally that Lucy didn't want to share her tacos with him.

***

Travis, who worked in motor pool, always chatted up Lucy when she went to pick up their shop. Slightly bitter about the tacos, Tim pulled Lucy to join him on the call he got that interrupted her from finishing eating with Davis.

Boy howdy was that a mistake. Tim had to stand and watch as Travis flirted and made Lucy laugh. He couldn't drop the bags that he had grabbed until Lucy got the keys and unlocked his shop.

He clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to yell Boot! And have her get a move on. Instead, he glared as Lucy took a step back and covered her mouth, she was laughing so hard at something he said. Tim couldn't see his face, but he could tell by the young man’s posture that he wanted to punch his lights out.

Not tolerating the scene a moment longer, he barked out, “Chen!” and Lucy turned, fluttered her hand, and then said goodbye to Travis with an all too friendly touch on his arm.

With all these young, attractive, male coworkers to pull her attention, Tim couldn't tell which one had caught her eye enough to gossip with Lopez about it… Who the hell did Lucy have a crush on?

And why the hell did he care so much?

***

Coming back to the station for meetings, Tim needed a pot of coffee or a shot of whiskey, but since he was still on duty, a pot of coffee would have to do.

He made his way to the break room, overhearing Aaron’s boisterous laugh and slowing his gait. Softer, he heard Lucy’s snort and knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but they should know; there's no expectation of privacy in a police station. 

Deciding to let the curious devil on his shoulder win, Tim leaned forward to overhear their conversation.

“Come on, I want to guess,” came Aaron’s voice.

“You haven't been here long enough to have a guess,” Lucy retorted back, sassy and playfully rude.

“Let me test my skills then! Harper’s always saying you gotta be able to read people’s behavior like that—” Tim heard Aaron snap his fingers on the last word.

“Okay, I'll be your judge; guess away,” Lucy relented.

Tim could see in his mind’s eye the way she would have swished her hand in the air.

“Officer Tanaka in k-9?” Aaron said.

“No, but I can see why you'd guess; Kojo has a crush on his dog— she's so sweet.” Lucy gushed.

Tim rolled his eyes at Lucy through the wall, she talked about Kojo like he was still her dog. But that explained why Lucy was always bugging him to let her take Kojo to the k-9 doggy playgroups.

“Okay, okay,” Aaron hummed in thought, “Lieutenant Signh, he’s not on patrol anymore, right?”

“No, he doesn’t, but he works on patrol,” Lucy let slip.

Tim could tell she didn't mean to reveal that from the sound of her hand slapping over what he could only assume was her mouth.

“Ah okay, I got it. It’s obvious,” Aaron cooed.

“Oh is it now?” Lucy taunted.

“Yeah,” Aaron responded, “Everyone knows you have a thing for—”

“Tim!” Sergeant Grey shouted down the hallway.

Tim startled and turned, trying to shake off getting caught loitering.

Grey just tapped his wrist for the time— Tim had to fill in on Sgt. Johnson’s meetings for the day too. Luckily there was only one and Tim could spend the time distracted trying to fill in the name that Aaron was about to reveal Lucy obviously had a crush on.

***

“Hey, I invited Julius to join us,” Lucy told Angela as she once again stood at her half wall, this time dressed out of her uniform.

Tim observed her briefly, her long hair cascaded down her back, over her bright orange leather jacket. She wore tight black jeans and boots and as quickly as he had looked, Tim steeled himself and looked away. It was improper for him to stare at his subordinate officer’s ass. No matter how much he thought in a perfect world, they didn't live there. He lived in the real world, and in the real world, nothing could happen between him and Lucy because… because… well because of a lot of things. Namely, because they worked together.

That, however, didn't stop Lucy from liking someone they worked with, Tim thought bitterly, even if she was seeking out Angela’s advice on whether or not to act on her crush. The entire day, he hadn't been focused on his work. No, instead, he couldn't get that morning’s interaction off his mind. Lucy liked someone who worked at the station— lucky bastard.  

All day, he contemplated each male officer who walked by, wondering if they were the one who had captured her attention, wondering if they were the one Lucy was contemplating risking her career and reputation for– if they were the one Lucy Chen wanted to be with.

In a fit of overwhelming conflicting emotions, Tim walked up to the pair, still in uniform, and asked to join them at the bar. 

“I owe you a beer, Lopez,” He said as his reason why he wanted to go. Normally, he skipped out on those outings, especially since his promotion and desire to stay in with Kojo.

Lucy quickly flashed her eyes at Angela who purposefully wasn't looking. With an evil grin, she invited Tim along, promising to see him at the bar.

Tim changed out and walked to his car, hoping he wouldn’t regret his decision.

***

“Why are you in such a pissy mood, Bradford?” Angela asked as she passed him his order from the bar.

“I didn’t have lunch,” he grumpily replied, yanking the checkered basket toward him and digging in.

Truth be told, he was so bitter about the tacos that he skipped eating altogether. Why the hell was he letting Lucy get to him like this?

“I saw Lucy got tacos from that taco place you keep talking about,”

“Oh! La Brea bites!?” Lucy interjected, coming back from the bar with the drink she carefully watched get mixed. “I was their last customer today, and it was so good, totally worth the hype. Their homemade tortillas were incredible. Tim, I would have gotten you some but they only had their vegetarian tacos left and they use mushrooms as the protein so I knew you wouldn’t be into that, nor would you respect me if I had my chance to try it and didn’t, so sorry, not sorry!

Tim stared frozen during her entire spiel. He was used to Lucy rambling, but he hadn’t encountered a relaxed Lucy rambling in a while and honestly, it took him back. Then he suddenly remembered Davis was vegetarian and had a plethora of other dietary restrictions that needed to be observed when sharing community meals. That’s why Davis got the extra tacos and not him.

“Oh,” he finally said.

Then a group of officers, Julius included, showed up at their table and stole Lucy away to hang out. A hot shot like Lucy Chen was sure to be the center of attention, Tim had no doubt, just hits of jealousy that he wasn’t on the top of her list.

“Oh, I don’t think you not having lunch is what has you in a pissy mood at all,” Angela goaded, crashing into Tim’s shoulder.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tim grumbled, shooting lasers at the way Julius stood close to Lucy to hear what she was saying over the loud atmosphere in the bar.

“Lucy has a crush on someone and it’s killing you,” Angela commented, stealing food from his plate and sipping her beer.

“No, it’s not,” Tim denied.

“Tim,” Angela raised her brows, “I heard you growl when Hernandez helped Lucy get that box from the top shelf earlier today,”

“I did not,” Tim lied. It was reflex, the step stool was right there.

“Look how tense you are now! Julius has a partner and you’re acting like his close talking with Lucy is a betrayal to the nation. They’re just friends.”

Tim sat back in the booth and rolled his eyes, pushing the basket of crumbs away. He tried to relax, he really did, but then he looked over to check on Lucy and saw her close dancing with Mateo, who he knew was single and on the prowl… Guys still talked in the locker room, he couldn’t help but overhear.

He chugged the ends of his beer and roughly shifted in his seat. “I’m not jealous,” He lied, saying more about how much this was bugging him than Angela had asked.

“You don’t know, do you?” Angela realized, wholly and completely.

“Know what?” Tim asked, folding his arms tighter, missing the way Lucy looked longingly at him while his head was turned.

“It’s you, Tim.” Angela nodded, to Lucy.

He widened his eyes and looked back to Lucy. Their eyes met and it was as if Lucy could hear the thoughts inside his mind.

“I need to leave,” Tim announced, breaking the spell and grabbing his jacket as he headed for the street.

“Tim!” Lucy called moments later, stopping him before he made it to his truck.

He didn't say anything as he turned around, just offered her a terse nod.

“Are you mad about the tacos?” She asked, breathless from rushing through the crowd from the back of the bar to catch up with him.

“No,” He scoffed, “I’m not mad about the tacos, Lucy,” He looked down at her, said her name so softly it knocked the wind out of her.

She stepped closer, swept into his current. Tentatively, she placed her hand on his forearm, looking at her touch then sweeping her eyes past his lips and into his crystal blue gaze.

His mouth hinged open, his breathing stilled, his heart rushed faster than a racehorse. Tim offered a touch of his own, bending his arm to pull her closer at her lower back. He looked down at her mouth, angling slightly and gently, tentatively, slowly, carefully pressed his lips against hers.

It was a short and sweet kiss, beautiful and chaste but he knew that's all it could ever be. He pulled back and regrettably took space between them. They couldn’t do this while he was her sergeant and she was his aide.

“Lucy,” He said sadly. His thumb brushed her cheek and she took a step back too.

She knew her answer before she talked to Angela about her crush. She couldn’t be the one to act on it. In a sense, neither could he, so the point was moot. Until one of them got a promotion or switched stations, they would never be allowed to date each other without consequence.

“I know,” Lucy somberly responded, “Drive safe,” she said before turning to walk back to the bar.

Tim waited for her to completely disappear from his vision before getting in his truck and driving home to wait out the rest of his life with his dearest companion, Kojo.

[paldean-ranger-brandy]

"You're Brandy, right? I'm Lark, the new transfer in from Fiore".

The young man (sort of) who has approached Brandy is in his mid-to-late twenties. His eyes are a bright, goatlike yellow, though perfectly human in shape. His hair is dark brown, except for a loose tuft in the front that's a minty pastel green. A fairly ordinary-looking mud-brown rockruff sits politely by his side. The ranger is wearing a Fiore-style uniform: black-and-white underlayer with a bright red short-sleeved jacket. The only addition is a he/they pronoun pin at the collar. He's got a capture styler on his belt near easy reach of his right hand, and a set of six ultra-balls for the off-hand on his left.

Lark saluted. He tried to make the gesture a little more casual. But being in a new region surrounded by new people and pokemon on a serious mission had ramped up his tendency to fall back on rules and order, so the gesture ended up at about 90% crisp, textbook formality.

"I've read all the paperwork the union sent over, and some Paldean ranger guides, but as the person on the ground I figure you have the best idea of where I'll be most useful."

Brandy blinked, taking a moment to take in the ranger before her. She had stopped in to check in on some reports of the most recent paradox escapees, and been informed that one of the contract hires had arrived and was waiting to check in. She knew they were coming from Fiore. She was expecting the new face. What she was not expecting was the classic, textbook Ranger From a Ranger Region walking stereotype to greet her. She'd have found it a little funny if she weren't so dog tired.

"Hey. Nice to meet ya, Lark. You super don't need to do that. I'm not much one for formalities." And true to her word, Brandy did not look the slightest bit like a professional. She was wearing her red Union-issued jacket and styler, but that was about it for the official uniform. Under the jacket she wore plain black athletic wear and some well worn boots. Her black hair was pulled back into less of a messy bun and more of a sloppy bun, the kind of which would make any MUA girly feel faint.

She pushed off the counter that she had been leaning against to talk to the operator behind it. At her feet a small, slightly fat poochyena looked up at her expectantly.

"This is Macaroon, by the way. Not my partner, just a part of my little pack. She hangs out at the base when I'm out on missions." Macaroon wagged her tail a little at the mention. A keen observer would notice a distinct lack of protruding fangs and overbite that the species was known for.

"Welcome to Paldea. And hey, thanks for offering to help out. We do really need it. C'mon, let's take a walk around outside. We got a couple pokemon out in our pastures that you'll want to meet."

[radix-outpost]

Various Sailor Moon fan design things (not in chronological order).

The big sheet 'o fanon form concepts was born out of some sprite edits I'd done recently: y'see, I wasn't satisfied with my first pass at the "Ultra" forms and tested something out on those sprite edits (using Sailor V's armour as a basis instead of that one proto-Moon sketch). Then I thought about what other forms I could make for everyone, getting as far as "Speed" and the basic idea for "Aqua" before I needed to draw them.

In addition to all the new stuff, "Mystic" and "Defender" got redesigned, too (mostly just putting the bow back on Mystic). Other notes:

"Elemental" is a simplified form of the early Sera Myu costumes; the name (and its attachment to Myu) came from AmethystSadachbia's AU.

"Blue Shift" has the distinction of being completely uniform (even Moon and Chibi Moon would have the same outfits), with only the brooch and tiara gem reflecting the wearer's normal planet colour. Largely inspired by cheerleader uniforms.

Everyone wears shorts in their "Gravity" form; the coats are about the same length as Mystic.

"Omni" is similar to what I was gonna have everyone's Cosmic form look like; more on that later.

"Aqua" is probably the most situational out of all of these; maybe it would see use on a planet that's 99% ocean?

Other stuff:

Redesigned Sailor Charon/Celia Spiros; her new hairstyle is modeled after a character (Monaka) from another Naoko Takeuchi work, "Toki Meca".

After going to the trouble of adjusting Naru-as-Sailor-Earth's colours... I ended up dropping this element from my AU entirely in favour of just elevating Mamoru to "Sailor Earth" (and Helios to Sailor Sun). :U But I didn't want the concept of an empowered Naru to go to waste, so now she's a pseudo-Guardian who uses Usagi's Disguise Pen to transform and takes the alias "Sailor Comet". (It's a common fan-Senshi name, but realistically not something that could spawn a Sailor Crystal.)

Omni Form Sailor Moon, the "good future" alternative to Sailor Cosmos--or, "I had to write around using the Classic anime as a basis for my AU". (Chibi Chibi will become Sailor Cosmos eventually, but because she's Galaxia's disembodied Sailor Crystal/daughter by technicality, she's not going to look like canon Cosmos) Uses Cosmos as a basis, with elements from manga!NQS.

[eric-cartman-my-beloved]

Eric's Top 10 Outfits

(in my humble opinion)

This is a post I was meant to make ages ago, but anyway. (At least technically it's out before the end of 2023...)

Although I get the feeling some people may not like a pick or two, let's get to it.

10. Grand Wizard King

Ever since I saw that outfit in The Stick of Truth I fell in love with it. I love the color scheme and the staff he carries. Also the cape. Gives him a more regal appearance.

9. Swimsuit

Eric in a swimsuit. Need I say more? I just think he looks adorable and the flowery pattern is pretty cute.

8. Purple Robe

Oh my god I love this one...! It's so stylish and he looks so comfy in it. The color is also very beautiful, and I adore the calligraphic "C" sewn on his chest...

7. Black Hoodie and Jeans

A more casual look. It really just shows that Eric can look good in anything. Black in particular looks great on him.

6. Leather Jacket

More black... I've got a lot of feelings about this. I love leather jackets in general, so seeing Eric in one is like a dream come true.

5. Crown and Cape (King)

Should be pretty self-explanatory. Eric is definitely a king (among other things) and he more than deserves the crown. He wears it perfectly. And he thinks so too.

4. Dinosaur Pajamas

I love all of Eric's pajamas - they're all very cute - but if I had to pick the one that catches my attention the most it's this one. (Maube because I also love dinosaurs.) And Eric with a dinosaur pattern is just... cuteness overload... Also it's so nice how the top piece is a button up and not just a shirt.

3. Scarface

The contrast of black and white is impeccable on him. And the golden chain along with the partly open shirt is a lovely addition. I've always thought that it'd be fitting for him to get involved with the mafia at some point when he's older, and this outfit just proves me right.

2. N*zi Uniform

Might be a bit of an unpopular/controversial opinion, but... yeah. I just think he looks good in both outfits (which I'm counting as one). Nothing more, nothing less.

1. Suit(s)

Every suit Eric has ever worn, I love it to pieces. I just adore the way he looks in them. I like seeing more formal outfits, and the fact that Eric is more likely to dress formally than the rest of the boys in a situation is one of my favorite facts about him. He looks like a sophisticated little business man.

+Bonus

This spot is of course reserved for his classic red jacket and brown pants. (That Tumblr unfortunately won't let me add because of the image limit...)

You can't mess with the classics.

[girluninterrupted11]

It's now time to talk about the tumultuous 40s

Now fashion may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of the 1940s. Considering this was the decade where the second world war took place, and a horrific genocide that slaughtered millions, fashion isnt at the forefront of our minds. Oddly enough though, it is during this time that many fashion designers that we know today (namely Hugo Boss, Coco Chanel) were known Nazis, and produced the SS uniforms. Obviously I think that's horrific and want to keep that in mind as we go through this decade. 

With that said, the 40s are known for its simplicity. As we know, I really do prefer this. I think simplicity is under appreciated and we tend to get lost in the vast variety of clothing available to us. It’s always good to get back to the basics when in doubt. Because of the war, the priority of fashion was practicality and the materials available were limited. This created a simple, practical style, and I honestly really like the idea of this. As much as I love fashion, for an everyday sort of thing, you have to be practical. It’s for this reason that I opt for my 1460s docs as my shoes most days for example. 

Above, you can see two outfits that to me really encompass the 1940s. Women started really wearing pants all the time during this decade (popularized by Katherine Hepburn, among others), because of the practicality, which of course I like. I think nicely fitted dress pants or plain cotton pants (like the ones seen above) can really go a long way. The simple cotton fabrics look elegant. It’s simple, casual, but chic and tasteful. To me, it is the perfect effortless look, the first image especially. It's why I love linen pants and tops, especially in the warmer seasons. Those white, plain cotton button down blouses (seen on the left) are a key component of this decade (which I love!!!). Belts (second image) and other accessories are also seen, which as we’ve established I am a big fan of. These looks are really what dominated the 40s. Underrated in my opinion, not everything has to be crazy and flashy to be fashionable. 

The next look I want to talk about is the more “feminine” and dressier side of the decade. This would be the less practical side (which I still love), the more fashionable side if you will. As you can see, long hemlines were popular during this era. On the left is a dress, with the fitted waist that was common. I personally love this dress. It's modest, as to be expected for war times, but also feminine. It’s of course simple, but the little details are really what I love. The buttons match perfectly, the belt is exactly what’s needed (in my opinion) to add shape without losing elegance. I love the belted-waist, and it is something I even do with my own dresses and such (that are looser or cut similarly to the one in the photo). The gloves are also a nice addition, which was also popular during this time. As I've previously mentioned, I really do prefer simpler, more sophisticated, elegant, and classically feminine looks. This is really what the first look means to me. 

Similarly, the second image is simple but fitted enough. It’s a two piece, a long hem lined skirt with a matching blouse/top, which recurs throughout the decade. Once again, the little detail of the buttons add a nice touch. Maybe that’s a strange thing to notice, but I really do love buttons, especially on sets like this. They add a nice little flair, and have to coordinate with the rest of the outfit. That may just be because I'm the type of person that focuses on small things. But it's because of people like this that we have to make sure everything is coordinated. The collar in both outfits is also high and very specific to the decade of the 1940s (and a bit before, as well as after), which matches the modest elegance I talked about.

That brings us to the end of this era. Thanks for reading and following around yall, and stay tuned for the next decade as we are approaching my favourites xx.

[artfromsaturn]

 Previous Dresses: Scarecrow | Riddler, Ra’s, Two-face, & Penguin

I think this will be the last of my Batman Villain Lolita Post for now, with a few of the more challenging villains.  Again, feel free to make your own designs or use these in some way, the more the merrier. :D  

A few thoughts underneath the read more + alt colors for Zsazs & Killer Moth

Black version for Zsazs to keep with his pants & classic Killer Moth:

Pyg: I think he’s one of the most Devianart Edgelord of the Batman villains, but his portrayal in Arkham Knight was done well enough that I warmed up to him.  His plastic surgery nightmare face design is fun and the reactions of the victims & other people worked well, and showed Lazlo as terribly messed up instead of cool edgelordsona.  Like, you know, a person who’d exist.  Good job Batwriters. 

Anyway I leaned towards the guro lolita + simple butcher look his comic and his game designs went for.  There are extra additions of frills for both a more “doll”ish look and a touch of ita, since tacky feels part of his character.  I didn’t want to just make a mask so I framed the hair as “pigtails” (what else?).  I think some make up would add to the look to make the doll idea and the pig idea go farther.  The pattern on the bottom of the skirt and boots is supposed to be those chain link people you can cut from a piece of paper that all hold hands, all perfect, like Pyg declares his dollitrons.  I’m not sure how successful the transparent apron is but at the end oft the day I like it and that’s what counts.

Freeze: This design might lean too much towards literal costume and less into a more practical interpretation of the design, but I can’t help it, I like the Tron and glowy stuff aesthetic.  Doing a retro futuristic lolita look was too fun of an idea to pass up.  Not much has changed outside of converting it to a dress and turning the gauntlets into Miku bell sleeves.  Snowflake earrings & delicate hair for Fries’ one true love & because they’re pretty.

Black Mask: I didn’t want to do all skulls since there’s enough dresses out there that do that, so I ended up with the mask part of his name.  Made sure to give the rich colors of a mobster along with the swag of the suit as well.  I think this one could be designed to be better and less busy (to fit in with the sleekness of Black Mask’s look more) but I wanted to go a bit over the top because why not, Lolita’s very theatrical.  

Ventriloquist: Ok, this is a silly one.  This is nice and casual lolita that doesn’t look too close to Wesker, but that’s because Wesker’s design is supposed to be intentionally plain and meek.  Without the (badly drawn, sorry) Tommy gun purse & Scarface, I don’t think he’s recognizable.  That’s not a bad thing - him and Scarface complement each other perfectly and make a memorable design.  So I did my best to make a cute casual coord and add the few touches to make it look more like Wesker, & drew a teeny Scarface to show such.  I wish I could have done more to reference Peyton Riley/the second Ventriloquist but all I could capture was the color since her design is also very simple. 

Scarface himself only got colors that were closer to the outfit.  I didn’t fancy him up too much since I think it would mess with the gangster look he has, which is already close to aristocrat fashion in the lolita world.  He was lucky not to get extra frills at the ends of his sleeves!

Zsazs: another mainly Arkham Design.  Most of mine are based partially on Arkham since that’s where I get most of my Batman fix, apologies!  Anyway, I just liked the idea of a skin-flesh dress with the locks and buckles of the Arkham prisoner jacket/uniform.  The bell sleeves already being on him made this a lot easier.  I left a spot open where I was going to draw the bat symbol, but I decided against it.

Killer Moth: Top are his Arkham Asylum Artwork colors since I think they’re very nice.  Went for a cute little 1960s inspired fur coat & bob, as his design is already psychedelic. Gave a fun flower crown to round out the colors & hold up some cute moth antenna.

Firefly: His The Batman design was the most unique to pull from and a good starting point to make an outfit.  I took some inspiration of the warning stripes, junk around the belt, & burnt skin tights from the Arkham version too.  *ellis voice* I ever tell you about the time Keith and I made fireworks? Otherwise, his design would have been much harder to work with considering it’s mostly a solid suit with not many features in his apperances.  It would have had to be more abstract if I went for one of those.  

But yeah his The Batman design and designs spinning off from it kick ass, so I did a sporty-ish look.  I hope the bonnet doesn’t look too silly, I just wanted headware that differed the outfit from Killer Moth better.

Strange: Another design that had to go with the Arkham look.  Strange is a classic villain with his face being one of his big, defining features.  This is a great thing in character design, it just means it’s harder to make an outfit around it! 

I love the classic mad scientist look so I didn’t stray too far from it, it looks fun medical Lolita already. All I really did was add the medical book brain pattern (thank you British Library) + little bats, because of course he’d have bats on his brain.  It’s also a nod to his habit of Batman Cosplay & impersonation.

A few people I thought of but didn’t make dresses for:

Joker - He’s fabulous, I just didn’t feel jokery & wanted to focus on others more.

Catwoman, Harley, & Ivy - All three ladies have so many designs it’s hard to choose.  They have so much more freedom with their designs than most of the male crooks.  I’d have to make like... 4+ outfits for each just like I did with Scarecrow if I was to ever be satisifed. ;w;

Mad Hatter, White Rabbit - All the Alice themed supervillains have been done as Lolita Coords by Lolita fashion already since, well, Alice was a big inspiration for the fashion in general. I’d be down for them but I just felt bad because I couldn’t think of how to separate them from others as well as I could, like how I made Black Mask’s design more elaborate as to make sure the themes and connections to the villain was clear rather than just a skull design.

Killer Croc & Man-bat: Also hard to differ between a general animal-themed coord and them.  

Thanks, hope you guys are enjoying your new year so far. :D

[earth-93]

Mystic's Musings: Untitled Horror Crossover YA Treatment

Hey, y'all.

I've been wanting to make more use of this non-E93 section of my posts ever since my New Warriors treatment. I have a few on hand, but decided in the spirit of the season share something on the spookier side.

The concept first came about way back in 2016, when like a lot of people I was morbidly fascinated by Universal Pictures' pitiful attempt to make a cinematic universe out of their library of classic monster characters. I thought to myself, if I were handling something like this, I'd probably not make it so damn serious.

Something a little more irreverent, more tongue-in-cheek, not unlike what the Percy Jackson series did for Greek mythology. The idea has been floating around in my head ever since, never coalescing into solid plan, but always changing, always being added and updated in-between my other projects.

Around that same time, I was also really into the supplemental work of the Wold Newton Universe. Originally conceived by pulp writer Phillip Jose Farmer in the early 70's, the premise of WNU posits that the great literary figures of serialized and pulp novels were capable of such extraordinary feats because a handful of their ancestors were all riding in a carriage one night in the late 18th century when a meteorite struck down into the English countryside (Based on the real-life meteorite that crashed nearby Wold Newton, England around that some time), the radiation of which affected their genes and the genes of their descendants.

The WNU received a boost of supplemental writings in the early parts of the web, were people would add onto Farmer's original writings and continue both the Wold Newton Family Tree and additional crossovers in the WNU. While a fun connect-the-dots sort of crossover venture at the time, in hindsight I can admit that the supplemental works did a lot of jumping through hoops to incorporate every prominent fictional character into the same handful of family trees, all to endow them with the same abstract genetic lineage (Most egregiously, when they try to incorporate non-white characters into the family tree), but the general idea of taking the many adaptations of literary characters and spinning it into a family tree rather than one uniform person always stuck with me, copyright be damned.

So with all that backstory out of the way, let me finally lay out the thoughts and ideas I've developed over the years with this premise of mine.

Setting

In terms of rules and worldbuilding, I've flipped back and forth on this one. At first, I was leaning more towards something like Percy Jackson or Artemis Fowl, where the supernatural is a heavily guarded secret society, or guarded some mystical veil that conveniently obscures it from the masses.

Later, I was more fond of something along the lines of The Southern Vampire Mysteries (Which would be adapted into the series True Blood) or Anno Dracula, where the supernatural is an open fact to the public and has created major social, cultural and even historical deviations from the real world.

At present, I'm aiming for a mix between the latter and Supernatural and The Dresden Files, where such fantastical things are more an open secret. The average person is aware, but the level by which it's acknowledged differs based on region and community. Monster hunting, seances and cryptozoology are less niche than in reality, but still not as reputable to completely block hucksters, opportunists and showmen from flooding the spaces.

The triumph of Abraham Van Helsing over Count Dracula opened the floodgates for monster hunting towards the end of the 19th century. The horrors wrought upon by the Frankenstein and Jekyll families have created generation-spanning stigmas over so-called "mad science." (The more this project develops, I would absolutely love to put more of a spotlight on the fact that these stigmas and literary legacies laid out thus far stem from European, primarily British, sources, and how different such things are perceived and addressed elsewhere in the world).

By modern day, the things that go bump in the night, while relatively normalized, still hold a degree of superstition and misunderstanding, which is where we find our starting protagonist at the beginning of the story.

Plot

The starting protagonist (Let's call him "Shaggy," for reasons I'll explain in the next section) has been taught since childhood to stay clear of all things monster, to the degree where it's become a point of crippling anxiety. As a young adult, "Shaggy" is mostly floating through life, unsure on what he wants but evades everything he's been told he doesn't want. "Shaggy's" superstition ends up saving his life when shadowy figures no one but he seems to notice turn out to be real and have been preying on him.

As he flees, "Shaggy" runs into a completely different group looking for him, albeit with the intention of protecting him. They give "Shaggy" the truth: He is the latest descendant of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein, and the other group pursuing him are agents of Dracula, who has been preying on the Frankensteins for generations as part of his many avenues to continue his immortal life.

The bulk of the story involves the group escorting "Shaggy" to a safehouse, all while the question as to why he's so important to the Lord of Vampires floats overhead. Sure, "Shaggy" might be a Frankenstein, but he has none of the mad ambition or brilliant acumen of his forebears, so even if Dracula's agents were to apprehended him he couldn't fashion a new Monster. The twist in the first story would reveal that "Shaggy" is not just a Frankenstein, but technically also a Monster.

As a nod to my old affinity for WNU, I have it planned that every major depiction of Frankenstein (The novel version, the Universal version, the Hammer version, etc) is a successive member in a greater family tree. "Shaggy's" absent father, the Gen X Frankenstein, was a cross between Weird Science and Frankenhooker. Ergo, he was a creep who had sex with his female Monster, and being a human/Monster hybrid, "Shaggy" potentially constitutes as a sort of post-human, making him especially significant to Dracula's ambitions for full immortality.

By the end of the first story, "Shaggy" reconciles the truth about himself and overcomes his fear of the supernatural through the camaraderie formed among the group. Dracula and his minions will remain the Big Bad for the series, but the team will have all manner of misadventures down the line.

A spotlight arc getting into the sordid Jekyll & Hyde families. Stopping a private military firm from bringing about a zombie apocalypse, because despite repeatedly almost doing so across the last half-decade, various people and groups continue to try and weaponize the undead. A trip to Mexico and a team-up with the Los Campeones Justicieros, who have been fighting against the forces of mad science for generations. A Bigfoot solidarity club, made up of the many, many ape-men cryptids that exist across mythology. And probably more, once I get around to writing it.

Characters

As you might have picked up on by now, the principal cast of this series is loosely inspired by a mix of the archetypes of the Universal Monsters and the Mystery Gang of the Scooby-Doo franchise. Let's wrap this post with a brief spotlight on each:

As previously mentioned, "Shaggy" would be the latest Frankenstein. A lanky former layabout who is perpetually in existential trepidation over his circumstances. A hectic familial arrangement led to "Shaggy" as a boy being put exclusively into the care of his stepmother, who out of a misguided sense of protection would terrify "Shaggy" over supernatural forces and inflict brutal punishment whenever she suspected him of engaging with it.

While the truth about himself and his family is partially shocking, to an extent it actually brought about a sense of relief, the idea that his life isn't as aimless as he once thought. Of course, through his misadventures "Shaggy" will realize being a post-human isn't exactly all that it's cracked up to be, but he will still find comfort and communion not just with his new gang of friends, but of the supernatural at large, an aspect of the world he was taught to fear.

"Shaggy" isn't a complete nervous wreck, though. After failed stints of using drugs, both medicinal and recreational, to cope with his anxieties, "Shaggy" turned to spiritualism, something that was still taboo to his stepmom due to it often running parallel to mythology and folklore. Through this, "Shaggy" has not only found a core sense of control he can generally rely on, but he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the supernatural, and can often help the rest to parse out what are genuine threats and what is just smoke and mirrors.

What "Shaggy" lacks in bravery he makes up for in determination. Owing to his enhanced post-human physiology, "Shaggy" can run several miles without fatigue or exhaustion, is virtually immune to all poisons and toxins, and naturally process and digests (Stress-eating was often a point of coping for "Shaggy" though neither he nor anyone around him could fathom why he never seemed to gain a pound). Since most of their enemies are after him anyways, "Shaggy" quickly finds a groove where he becomes the bait, evading the gang's pursuers while they hatch a scheme to defeat them.

"Daphne" would be our Wolfman stand-in. Going off of the Universal homages, one would assume "Daphne" to be part of the infamous Talbot family. However, coming from cajun ancestry myself, I'm going instead to make her a part of the "Rougarou" pack, a clan of lycanthropes native to the Louisiana bayou and whose wolf forms evoke the near extinct red wolves native to the American Southeast.

"Daphne" is the glue that holds the team together, the most emotionally healthy and mature of her friends who can keep morale going even in the most dire of circumstances. She is a "casual naturist," jer lycanthropy making nudity a recurring thing to contend with, but she also is very enthused about her sense of fashion being another aspect of her self-expression.

In addition to her lycanthropy giving her enhanced feats, "Daphne" is also a skilled survivalist and horticulturalist, making her invaluable for prolonged periods living in the woods or off the grid. Her passion and loyalty, however, is as much a flaw as it is a virtue. Though the most emotionally composed out of the gang, "Daphne" can still be impulsive and quick to anger, especially whenever her friends are ever threatened or in perceived danger. Though she has mastered her lycanthropy where she can transform at will and at various stages, "Daphne" is still vulnerable to the various lunar stages, which enemies can capitalize on.

The "Fred" of the group is the only non-Monster. Rather, he is the latest generation of the Van Helsing family, trained from infancy to follow in the tradition of monster hunting. I absolutely love the interpretation over the years that Abraham Van Helsing and his cohorts were carrying out unreliable methods and who swindled the wealthy to achieve their goals. Loosely inspired by the anime series Helsing, by modern times the Van Helsing family have largely been coasting off of his slaying of Dracula, even as monster hunting has become more ubiquitous over the past hundred or so years.

That's not to say "Fred" himself is arrogant, or even blood-thirsty towards hunting monsters. The recurring shorthand I've described this character to people is that of "an Ash Williams-type," a sort of idiot savant who's not very good at anything besides monster hunting. Even then, it's largely a matter of sport to "Fred," unlike most of his family who hunt to kill. And I am absolutely going to lean in with the more recent iterations of Scooby-Fred being a trap-making himbo. In essence, "Fred's" ingenuity and capability are often a gambit, but if his skills are indeed applicable, its very high reward. In addition, "Fred's" conventional good looks, strong charisma and prestigious family name often helps the gang get into certain spaces or people. "Fred" is not the leader of the group, though many assume as much.

No, the true leader would be "Velma." Similar to "Shaggy," "Velma" is a hybrid of sorts. Her father was the revenant Imhotep, conceived during his time living incognito on the streets of Cairo under the name Ardath Bey. "Velma" has been endowed with longevity (Among other powers) through Imhotep's revenant heritage, so she is still in the young adult range as the rest of the group despite being nearly a century old.

Like her father, "Velma" is skilled in hypnotism and enthrallment, and has an intrinsic connection with arid climates and biomes (This has put a wedge from time to time with her friendship with "Daphne," as her native swamplands are conditions by which "Velma" is most physically vulnerable). "Velma" has dedicated her life to vanquishing evils such as her father, and her knowledge and analysis of the supernatural is more historical than "Shaggy," who goes about his research from a more spiritual angle.

Aside from her physical and environmental limitations, "Velma's" other main weakness are her poor interpersonal skills, mixed with long-standing issues with self-loathing. "Velma" often carries out her work to atone for the sins of her father, and having lived out so many years of fervent fear of monsters, has consigned herself to live by way of atonement, never finding true peace until she warms a righteous death. This is something "Daphne" and "Fred" have learned to accommodate, as upsetting as it makes them, though "Shaggy's" integration into the group will cause some flare-ups with this, especially as he experiences his own arc of self-affirmation. "Velma" might find love in the form of the gender-fluid descendant of Jekyll & Hyde I've been throwing around, we'll see.

Last but not least, there's "Scooby," who will be going in a different direction than some might expect. "Scooby" starts out as "Shaggy's" (human) childhood best friend, who took him in after his home life became too toxic to stick around. She clashes with the team before they go on the run, putting her foot down that she tag along as the rest of the gang escorts him to safety.

At first, "Scooby" is "Shaggy's" foot in perceived normalcy and familiarity, especially as his life and circumstances become increasingly more chaotic and fantastical. However, after the team has a brush with the Cult of Dagon, "Scooby" begins to exhibit several ailments: Nausea, dehydration, thinning hair, dry skin. After a check-up, the gang will discover that "Scooby" has ancestry tied to the Deep Ones, and is experiencing her metamorphosis into a Gill-Person prematurely. By the end of the story, she will have transformed fully.

Even after the loss of her humanity, "Scooby" will remain kind and affable, though much like the original Shadow Over Innsmouth tale, there will be left ambiguous whether "Scooby" remains fully herself, or if she is also becoming fanatical and subservient to Dagon (Which could be a main plot in and of itself). In addition to being able to navigate submerged and subaquatic terrain through her newfound amphibious nature, "Scooby" will also have the ability to communicate with non-humanoid monsters, the full extent of which the gang will learn along their travels.

Conclusion

And that's pretty much the short run of it. What do y'all think? Do you have any thoughts, suggestions or questions? Would you be interested in a more fleshed out plot with this premise and cast down the line? Feel free to let me know. Until then, have a Happy Halloween!

[blackyote]

Answering this ao3 wrapped (writers edition)!

1. How many words have you written this year?

24,930! Plus a couple drabbles that were only on tumblr.

2. How many works did you publish this year?

18

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

Probably "Classic." Got those brainworms and ran with it.

4. What work of yours has the most hits?

"Love Remains the Same" at 1869! It was my first TOH fic :)

5. What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

Maybe "What's a Sprog" given how short (and lazily written) it was lol

6. Favorite title you used

"Classic" for how perfectly referential it is to the fic's content. But I also thought "Planting a Seed" was clever.

7. If you use song lyrics, which artist's songs did you pull from the most?

I think "Love Remains the Same" was the only lyric I used and I couldn't even tell you who sings it.

8. Pairing you wrote the most for this year?

Huntlow.

9. Favorite pairing you wrote for this year?

Gustholomule! I didn't even write them a ton but I love them okay.

10. What work was the quickest to write?

Not counting collection chapters, probably "What's a Sprog."

11. What work took you the longest to write?

Uhh I'm guessing "Whittle Talks" because start to finish was a few weeks because I was so busy.

12. How many WIP's do you have in your docs for next year?

I have ideas written down but no actual WIP.

13. What's your longest work of the year?

"The Birds and the Bees" is 2848 words atm, but if we're talking one-shots, it's "No Stone Unturned" at 2464 words.

14. What's your shortest work of the year?

"Santa DNI" at 610 words.

15. What WIP are you taking into next year with you?

I really want to write a Steve-centric fic...

16. What's your most common "Additional Tags" tag?

Probably something boring like "Season 3" idk.

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

You'd think Hunter or Mattholomule but I keep wanting to say Steve. I love Steve TOH.

18. The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

I'm not sure but I'd like to get better at writing Gus.

19. What's one pairing you want to explore next year?

Platonic, obviously, but Steve and Matt. Also Gustholomule.

20. Which work of yours have you reread the most?

Probably "Bury the Lede." I couldn't even tell you why. It was the first piece I got beta'd and I just wanted to make sure it was perfect.

There were also bits and pieces of "Anchor" I reread a lot for the same reason.

21. How many kudos in total did you get this year?

2239!

22. Which work has the most comments?

"Pleased to See You" has the most comment threads at 11.

23. Did you do any collaborative works this year?

Nope! Might be fun to try one day.

24. Did you write any gifts this year?

No. I'm a grinch.

25. Did you receive any gifts this year?

Two from angelcloves! One I did not ask for.

26. What's your most common category?

G

27. What do you listen to while writing?

I can't really listen to music while writing. It's too distracting for me. But I like writing at coffee shops and stuff where there's background chatter.

28. Favorite work you wrote this year?

"Classic" :) Also partial to "Planting a Seed" and "No Stone Unturned."

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

This one from "Bury the Lede" is a favorite:

A veritable wall of spectres face him now, slashed across the darkness, receding into the black. The orb's light dances across their ragged, broken forms, revealing and concealing in turn. All wear the familiar owlish mask, all wear the white and gold, but the masks—

Cracked.

The uniforms—

Ripped and bloodied.

Hunter stumbles over his feet, bumping into the ice behind him. They're coming closer. He doesn't see their feet move, but they're closer.

Closer.

Also, from "Planting a Seed":

“Come, child. Let’s get you up.” He extended a hand, and the grimwalker paused, taking a moment to assess the first person they would ever see. Their mouth hanging open like that revealed a gap in their front teeth. A deviation from the blueprint, but it somehow made this face feel all the more familiar. Belos smiled.

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

Gustho is literally my first time writing mlm fic??? Also, the fandom friends I made! Love you guys.

[god4life]

This is the grand opening of my Noah Patrick Torres Collectibles Korea Store. I have a store in the USA called Noah Patrick Torres Collectibles USA at the following eBay handle: https://www.ebay.com/usr/noahpatricktorres?_tab=feedback with 1233 positive rating reviews.

Barry Bonds Graded Card Lot - PSA and CGA Certified - Rare Collector’s Investment Opportunity

https://youtu.be/y03yspm2bcc

Barry Bonds Graded Card Lot - PSA and CGA Certified - Rare Collector’s Investment Opportunity

Introducing the ultimate Barry Bonds Lot Collection of 8 PSA/BGS graded cards, a must-have treasure trove for any avid sports card collector or savvy investor. This collection encapsulates the illustrious career of one of baseball’s most prolific legends, Barry Bonds, showcasing cards that highlight key moments, unique designs, and immense collector appeal. These cards come with PSA/DNA and CGA/BGS certification numbers, ensuring their authenticity and investment-grade quality.

This unique lot is not just a collectible set; it is a dynamic investment opportunity with present value and exponential future growth potential in the sports card market.

Detailed Breakdown of the Barry Bonds Graded Card Lot

1. 1995 Classic 5 Sport Barry Bonds Hot Box Autographed Card

Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10 (Card), Auto 8

PSA Cert Number: 28800655

Description: This is a standout piece     from the 1995 Classic 5 Sport series, featuring Barry Bonds in a dynamic     batting stance. The on-card autograph adds significant value to this rare     collectible, authenticated by PSA/DNA.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness, compatible with standard top loaders and sleeves.

Current Market Value: Estimated at $800-$1,200     due to its rarity and signed feature.

Investment Potential: With Barry Bonds’ Hall     of Fame contention, this card is a high-value asset with long-term     appreciation.

2. 1993 Pinnacle Barry Bonds #504

Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10

PSA Cert Number: 53817006

Description: A classic Pinnacle card     capturing Bonds in his prime, this piece features a sharp action shot and     vibrant color.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness for easy storage and display.

Current Market Value: $200-$300.

Investment Potential: The Pinnacle series has     always been a collector's favorite, and this card offers steady growth     potential over the years.

3. 1988 Topps Pirates Leaders Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla #231

Grade: PSA Gem Mint 10

PSA Cert Number: 81325956

Description: This card highlights the     dynamic duo of Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla, two cornerstone players of     the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness.

Current Market Value: $100-$150.

Investment Potential: This card offers     historical significance as it represents Bonds’ early career days, adding     nostalgic value.

4. 1986 Topps Traded Barry Bonds #11T

Grade: PSA Mint 9

PSA Cert Number: 40255050

Description: One of Barry Bonds’ most     iconic rookie cards, this piece is highly sought after in the sports card     market.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness.

Current Market Value: $600-$800.

Investment Potential: As Bonds’ legacy     continues to grow, his rookie cards remain some of the most valuable     pieces for collectors and investors alike.

5. 1987 Topps All-Star Glossy Barry Bonds #30

Grade: PSA Mint 9

PSA Cert Number: 81250608

Description: This glossy card is part     of a limited All-Star set of 60, making it a rare addition to any     collection.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness.

Current Market Value: $150-$200.

Investment Potential: Glossy editions are     always in demand due to their limited print runs, offering consistent     value growth.

6. 1990 Fleer Barry Bonds #461

Grade: PSA Mint 9

PSA Cert Number: 44819786

Description: A nostalgic card from     the early ‘90s, capturing Bonds in his iconic Pittsburgh Pirates uniform.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness.

Current Market Value: $80-$120.

Investment Potential: A staple for vintage     collectors, this card reflects a timeless era of baseball.

7. 1986 Topps Traded Barry Bonds #11T (OC)

Grade: PSA Mint 9 (Off-Center)

PSA Cert Number: 56216792

Description: A secondary rookie card     variation, still highly sought after despite the off-centering.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness.

Current Market Value: $400-$600.

Investment Potential: Rookie cards maintain     value over time, and this piece is no exception.

8. 1987 Fleer Barry Bonds #604

Grade: BGS 8.5 NM-MT+

BGS Cert Number: 0002042346

Description: A beautiful,     blue-bordered card featuring Bonds in his early career days.

Thickness: Standard 35-point     thickness, suitable for regular top loaders and cases.

Current Market Value: $80-$100.

Investment Potential: With limited high-grade     copies, this card’s value will likely grow as Bonds’ legacy solidifies     further.

Investment Potential and Market Impact

This Barry Bonds Lot Collection of 8 PSA/BGS graded cards offers an exceptional investment opportunity in today’s booming sports card market. Barry Bonds’ record-breaking career, including his home run records and MVP accolades, ensures that these cards hold immense historical and monetary value. Rookie and autographed cards, in particular, are highly coveted, with demand steadily increasing over the years.

As the sports memorabilia industry continues to gain mainstream attention, collectors can expect these cards to appreciate significantly. The lot’s blend of rookie, autographed, and limited-edition cards makes it a diversified portfolio for both novice and seasoned collectors.

Shipping Details

Combined Shipping: Available for buyers     purchasing multiple items. A flat combined shipping rate ensures you save     on additional purchases.

Air Shipping: Full shipping cost     applies. Delivery within 7–14 days, ensuring your cards arrive quickly and     securely.

Sea Freight Shipping: Free shipping option for     budget-conscious buyers. Delivery within approximately two months,     offering a 100% cost-saving alternative to air shipping.

Each card will be packaged securely to ensure it arrives in pristine condition, maintaining its high PSA/BGS grading.

Conclusion

This Barry Bonds Lot Collection of 8 PSA/BGS graded cards represents a rare chance to own a slice of baseball history. With cards spanning his rookie years to his MVP prime, this lot is a true gem for collectors and investors alike. The combination of autographed, rookie, and high-grade cards ensures unparalleled value, while the inclusion of free sea freight shipping makes this lot accessible to buyers worldwide.

Don’t miss the opportunity to add these iconic Barry Bonds cards to your collection or portfolio. Secure your investment today and own a piece of sports history that will only grow in significance and value!