#Robin Processes Emotions On Main

[brown-little-robin]

part of the reason I'm so paralyzed job-wise is that my family (who I live with) always responds to any idea you float with all the reasons that it might not work. all the difficult things you'd have to deal with. "just a warning, not trying to discourage you". but the thing is.

THAT DISCOURAGES ME

[kultofkorii]

− Devour

✎ sanji x obsessive! reader

♦︎ fic type: smut

♦︎summary: the love you have for him is deep and might be concerning, but he doesn't have to know.

♦︎word count: 1.7k +

♦︎warnings: Obsessive thoughts, no use of y/n, gender neutral reader, penetration

He was yours, it didn't matter if he knew of not, he was your and nothing he or anyone could say would ever make you think differently. From the moment he walked onto the sandy beach of your home island and helped you liberate your people; to the moment he asked you to be his, he belonged to you.

Some of his crewmates seemed reluctant to have you join them, the time it took for them to learn eachother and their mannerisms was long. They didn't want to go through that process all over again, but Luffy recognized you for your strength and saw what you could bring to his crew which had previously been missing. And so you became the Strawhat's very own Alchemist, your expertise being in chemicals, toxins, and medicines.

This had to be the universe's way of paying you back for all the trouble you'd went through. You wouldn't dream of passing up this offer, especially if you could be with the blonde cook. After months of traveling with the crew, you were able to form solid friendships with everyone. While Sanji was your main goal, you couldn't lie and say that you didn't care about the rest of the Strawhat Family. Sanji just held a special place in your deep and twisted soul.

This aspect about yourself you hid pretty well, years of trial, error and rejection had made you see that the world wasn't truly ready to understand you as a person. Neither was your new family, despite how accepting they were. Maybe one day you'd let them see, but the inner workings of your mind were not for any normal person to comprehend. You were okay with this arrangement though, because the more normal you seemed the closer you could become to him.

He didn't have to know how deep the black void in your heart seeped. Sanji in all of his beautiful, perfect glory didn't need to burden himself with your brokenness. When he smiled at you from across the deck, he didn't have to know. When he brought you, Nami and Robin special treats, he didn't have to know. When his soft, peach colored lips touched your knuckles delicately, his ocean blue orbs meeting your; although his lustrous golden hair covered one. His perfectly curled eyebrow raised 1 1/3 cm away from his eye which locked you in his gave. The feel of his perfectly manicured hand grasping yours lightly; you wished you could clip his fingernails and keep them in a small locket next to you heart- he didn't have to know.

You continued to keep it from him, even as he knelt before you, asking you to finally hold the keys to his heart. Those raw, dark emotions resurfaced for a split second which you quickly suppressed before he could notice. Like you'd practiced over and over again, you happily wrapped your arms around him, inhaling the scent of his cologne mixed with natural kitchen spices. He didn’t need to see the depths of your obsession, all he needed to know was that you loved him, and that you would do anything to keep his attention on you.

Sanji didn't have to know, not even as your nails marking his back as he slowly plunged into your tight canal; letting the world know who he belongs to. He seemed to have the same agenda; the way his mushroom tip bruised that desired spot was better than you could ever imagine. The times you've touched yourself to the thought of him couldn't begin to compare to this moment. "Ngh- my love you feel so- so heavenly."

His hips moved with purpose and to an unknown rhythm that was synced to the beating on your heart. Sensual touching exchanged between you two, further solidifying you in this moment. The intensity of it all makes your mask crack just a little, enough for Sanji to see a sliver of your dark heart but not enough that we could ever think of pulling away from you. "Mine your all mine...Sanji tell me you're mine- shit..Tell me...tell me you'll never leave me!"

His pace intensified even more, your obsessiveness pulling him evermore closer to you. This being the first time he'd ever truly felt desired the way he wanted to be. Finally the love he had could finally be truly shared and reciprocated back. He felt his member twitch inside of you, more cum leaking into your canal. "I'm yours mon amour- I promise you I'm yours-fuck-"

Loads of cum seeped from when you two were connected, his fast pace pushing more into you weeping hole. You'd lost count of the orgasms you'd had but anytime he saw your mixed essence trailing onto the sheets beneath you he'd quickly fuck the liquid back into your tight canal. Slutty groans leaving his kiss bruised lips as he tips into the brink of overstimulation. “You feel so good! ‘So good!”

“Oh my fuck—!” The whines escaping your throat were drowned out by Sanji's soft lips pressing against yours hungrily. You returned the same level of intensity, more of your darkness seeping through in the moment. His pace was controlled but the way he drilled his hips into your own was delicious.

Sanji's breathing increases in pace; trailing light kisses down you burning skin. The heart from you bodies makes you both feel drowsy but Sanji won't cease until he's pulled one more release from you. "M'gonna cum-fuck-," He locks eyes with you, the moment becoming increasingly more intimate. His lithe hand lifts on of your legs, placing it over his shoulder to reach even deeper, but not before placing a warm kiss in you ankle.

"Come with me, mon amour, please." He coos at you; the bed shaking with every thrust. The friction, each precise thrust, his burning skin pressing ever more closely against yours. The sight of his chest rising and falling, jagged breaths leaving his lungs. That gaze, like you were the only being in the world as his tip pressed further into you slutty hole. These were all factors pushing you over the edge, whimpers leaving both of you. His stuttering hips pushing his finally load deep while simultaneously ridding you through your most intense orgasm yet.

Lingering marking across his pale skin, hushed whimpers leaving his pink lips at the contact of your lips again his neck. Sucking the red beneath his skin towards the surface, imagining yourself sucking that sweet red nectar of his, devouring what was truly yours. Letting any woman, who dared to set their eye on him as a suitor see, that he belonged to someone. And if they dared to ignore the physical signs of your possession, they would simply have to leave the face of this earth. Sanji wouldn't miss them, he didn't need to when he had you and you were all he would ever need. He didn't have to know.

He was yours to devour.

[sabbathbloodysabbeth]

AHHHH I’ve been rereading some of my past posts (they were created for me and god am I happy I created them) but they have also put this thought into my head.

What if Omega Steve is the only one able to carry Eddie out because he has been doing everything in his power to not be seen as “just another weak omega” on his free time. Working out, purposely preparing for this moment. He needs to be useful. He needs to be needed. And these needs all stem back from his lack of physical and emotional intimacy. He does have some with Robin, and Robin only but Robin is a beta and doesn’t know how to handle an omega so Steve just doesn’t act like one of those Omegas even though it’s in his nature.

Now he can’t deny all of his nature, he does tend to act “motherly” and protective of those he loves and does other smaller things that aren’t that noticeable. In summary, Steve has and most likely will always be in control. (Which is fine but it’s a rare trait in omegas)

But what if in this universe you don’t find out your second gender until you were closer to eighteen. The youngest being sixteen but that was more rare than anything. Which means in season one neither Nancy, Steve or Jonathan are presenting. Along with this, it’s a well known fact that chaotic situations before presenting is a bad thing as it can affect how your omega/beta/alpha is for the rest of your life. (Basically if they are going to be feral, protective, closed of, or any other traits but to a higher extreme that can lead to complications)

So the younger kids are safe as they are no where near presenting but Steve, Jonathan and Nancy are all in the danger zone. All of them are being actively watched at all times by doctors that were assigned to them. (They each get their own) and when the time comes they all start presenting.

First Nancy, she presents as an Alpha (which was effected by the stressful situation, the doctors did the probability check and testing and she was supposed to be a beta) but other than that she is completely fine and an average alpha considering the circumstances.

Then there is Jonathan. It doesn’t take him long but he presents as a beta. And he’s also completely fine considering the circumstances. Besides having a bad anxiety disorder he’s good.

And finally Steve. Steve who is extremely late with presenting. He doesn’t present until after the events of season three. The doctors think it may have had to do with the unknown drugs that were forced into his system.

Steve’s omega is definetly fucked up, and similarly to that of Nancy Steve was supposed to be an alpha. But in the chaos and trauma his secondary gender switched completely but still holds some “alpha traits”. And he is now always on watch just in case. Along with this he can’t have any heats, which means he’s essentially unable to have children.

Time skip back to him struggling in the upside down. Robin can’t carry Eddie, she’s so tiny and can barely hold herself up. Nancy possibly could but she looked just as exhausted, her own Alpha overwhelmed with how much charge she had to take. And poor Dustin is sobbing, Steve doesn’t think he has much choice. And before any of them can stop him he lifts Eddie (who is an alpha) up and carry’s him out. All of them are shocked, and slightly alarmed as something triggers and Steve’s omega has finally done what the doctors said it would. It goes feral.

It takes a couple of doctors but he’s safely detained while he heals and his omega pretty much takes over completely. The doctors describe it as a form of coma, where the main person (Steve) has been forced to go to “sleep” for a while by his omega as a form of protecting him from anymore trauma. And with the amount of trauma he’s gone through they predict he won’t ever wake up.

But thanks to Steve, Eddie is still alive. Sacrificing himself in the process. Both him and Eddie are in comas and after a year when Eddie wakes up time starts to move again.

Eddie gets taken care of and the doctors come to him after a month of being awake (without telling anyone else) to see if he could test something for them. And by test they mean they want them to go into the same room as Steve’s omega and see if that helps trigger him back awake.

The first session (this goes on for numerous sessions) they see a flicker of Steve return to himself but bla bla bla summary of what I’m trying to come back to is that Eddie and Steve have numerous sessions together where Eddie’s alpha helps Steve’s omega out.

Teaches him how to nest, gives him more physical intimacy that an omega needs (except a heat of course) and starts to bond with Steve who is slowly coming back to each day Eddie comes. It gets to the point where Eddie has to move from his room to Steve’s to stay with him full time while they both heal because his Alpha has bonded with Steve’s omega.

I feel as if I’ve rambled enough but this was an idea I had!

[huis-one-man-show]

WIP#2, also known as "what-if-dick-gave-up-vigilantism-to-be-a-brother AU"

SO. Let me preface by saying, canon who? Canon is a tragedy and sibling relationships make me weep on a good day, so here I am with my wholesome/fluff/slice-of-life agenda and happy endings magic wand because holy shit, the Batfam is deficient in this area. I am also a sucker for magic, so there's going to be a magical touch to this series.

The heart of this series, the overarching theme, is relationships and hope and it starts with a primordial being, ■■ (that's what I've been calling her, yes it's ORV inspired), being brought into existence because the universe was lonely. My soul sister, let's call her A, once said to me:

“one thing I do think about (when it comes to the topic of hope) is how hope is often triggered in moments of isolation, hoping to one day not be so lonely or hoping to one day be heard, be seen, be understood – but I feel like hope is cultivated the most once within a collective, or within support, or community. Less seeking out hope but generally being more hopeful.”

I'll go into more detail about this particular line of lore eventually (let me know if you want to know more :O), but at the end of the day, ■■ was the first being to be worshipped as a symbol of hope, love and resilience. As civilisation advances, her origin is forgotten and she is reborn into various religions that all remember her differently – Guan Yin, Freyja, Durga, etc.

Dick comes from the last line of ■■ worshippers that remember what she represents (courtesy of his mother o7). As with any higher being (and being a fantasy/action sucker, sue me), per tradition the first born of each generation becomes her vessel and can wield ✨ magic ✨ ohohoho

How does this fit into everything else? Well, it's one of the deciding factors that makes Dick pick family over vigilantism.

I've kicked canon to the curb and squished down the age gaps of our lovely BatFam so that my timeline works out. Dick has 7 amazing years of being an only child before meeting Jason at the age of 14 (Jason is brought home at 12). About a year into staying with them, but prior to Ethiopia (I just shot canon point-blank in my backyard), Jason runs away from home which is the pivoting point for Dick to come to terms with what it means being Robin.

In Robin Wars, each of the Batboys were talking about what it meant to be Robin and Dick's answer, "Robin is Family" really did not help with my emotional investment into this AU. My selective reading took it, and ran away with it cackling. Along with the fact that Robin was a parent's nickname for their son, that he essentially became Robin in honour of his parents, it makes sense for Dick to prioritise his younger brother because family looks out for each other. To him, being Robin is about protecting your loved ones and showing up, and Jason needs that. It's not a hard decision to make at the end of the day.

And there you have it, the context for what birthed this entire mega AU.

It's a massive series I'm planning with three main parts and a shit ton of side adventures. The three main parts are broken up into the prologue (when it was just Alfred, Bruce and Dick), pre-canon (seeing how events change as Dick grows into being an older sibling, giving context for the main story) and the main story (the "current day" you could call it; it's a coming-of-age with heavy occultism and refusal of the call flavourings). I have also thought of what-if's for my what-if AU, I am too deep into this.

So far I've been writing the pre-canon chapters and finished writing some of the side adventures stories. I cannot stop coming up with new prompts for the series and I am just enjoying the writing process tbh haha

I think I've covered the major points of this AU. If you are curious and want to know more about this universe, feel free to ask, I am excited to share and to hear your thoughts! I am also open to prompts too B-)

p.s. I have cherry picked some events from the canon timeline to be a part of this universe. Characterisations are a mix of fanon and canon and whatever homebrew that's going on in my head 🤠✌🏼

(side note: recently I've been toeing the Teen Titan's line and I'm so screwed because their dynamics and friendship just resonates with the core AU theme help mE—)

[hermit-house]

I got bored and asked ChatGPT to describe the possible plot of Season 5 and wrap up the character arcs as if the Duffers were doing it. And to pay special attention to Mike and Will's "friendship".

And, holy shit, you have to read this! I laughed and screamed 👏😎

ChatGPT 👇

Creating the fifth season of Stranger Things is a challenging task, given the rich characters and plot lines accumulated over four seasons. Here's a possible plan that could logically conclude the main character arcs, in the style of the Duffer Brothers.

Main Concept of the Season:

Theme: The consequences of growing up, accepting one's identity, saying goodbye to the past, and the final battle for Hawkins.

Storylines and Character Arcs:

Will’s Return and Revelation of His True Nature:

At the end of Season 4, we see that Will still feels a connection to the Upside Down and Vecna. In Season 5, this connection becomes more intense, and Will starts seeing events occurring in the Upside Down, leading to troubling visions of an impending cataclysm.

Will realizes that his connection to the Upside Down is the key to defeating Vecna, but to do so, he must fully embrace this connection. This leads to an inner conflict: he fears becoming a puppet of the monster again but understands that without his involvement, they cannot win.

In the process, Will also continues to struggle with the realization of his sexual orientation and his feelings for Mike. These feelings cause him anxiety, especially considering that Mike is still connected to Eleven.

Gradually, through conversations with other characters, like Robin, Will finds the courage to confess his feelings to Mike, though he fears it might ruin their friendship.

Mike and the Conflict of Growing Up:

Mike faces the conflict between his childhood and the need to grow up. He feels that they are all drifting apart and tries to keep the group together.

His relationship with Eleven goes through trials. Ultimately, Mike realizes that his love for Eleven was an important part of his life, but their relationship can no longer remain the same. While he deeply cares for her, he begins to understand that their bond is more sibling-like than romantic.

At the same time, through a series of conversations and shared experiences, Mike starts to notice that his feelings for Will are more complicated than he thought. He realizes that Will has always been more important to him than he admitted, and that their friendship was always based on a deep emotional connection.

Mike becomes a pillar for Will, realizing that his role in this story is to be the one who unites the team and supports those in need.

Eleven and the Final Showdown:

Eleven continues to develop her powers, realizing that the key to defeating Vecna lies in uniting all her memories and experiences. She finds a way to use her pain and trauma to strengthen her abilities.

Eleven also helps Will confront his fears, and together they find a way to use his connection to the Upside Down as a weapon against Vecna.

In the final episode, Eleven and Vecna face off in a decisive battle, in which all the main characters participate. At the moment when victory seems impossible, Will and Eleven combine their powers to deliver the final blow.

Max, Lucas, and Saving Hawkins:

Max remains in a coma after the events of Season 4, but her consciousness is trapped in the Upside Down. Lucas and the other friends search for a way to bring her back, seeking help from new allies and old enemies.

Eventually, they find a way to enter the Upside Down and free Max, which becomes an important step toward defeating Vecna.

The Final Battle and Aftermath:

The final battle takes place in Hawkins itself, where the worlds of reality and the Upside Down begin to merge, threatening to destroy the town.

Each of the heroes contributes to the victory: Dustin, Lucas, Nancy, Jonathan, Robin, and others find their own ways to help in the fight. Each character's role will highlight the importance of their individual qualities and their unity as a team.

The finale shows that they can defeat Vecna, but it requires sacrifices. Perhaps one of the key characters (like Hopper or Joyce) sacrifices themselves to save the others.

Epilogue and Closing of the Arcs:

After the victory, Hawkins returns to normal life, but the heroes realize that their childhood is definitively over.

Will and Mike begin to explore their new relationship. They decide to take it slow, understanding that their journey is just beginning and that they need time to sort out their feelings.

Eleven and the other heroes begin a new life, leaving the past behind but with the assurance that their friendship and shared experiences will always stay with them.

At the end of the season, the audience sees the heroes going their separate ways but remaining close friends despite all the changes.

Conclusion:

Season 5 will be the culmination of the entire story that began in a small town and turned into an epic battle for the world. The heroes will face the consequences of their actions, complete their internal arcs, and take on new roles in life, leaving behind their childhood and past fears.

[strangerthingsfanworkrecs]

Artist Highlight: Talanashta

This week, we're highlighting @talanashta! All recs this week will be for their work. @talanashta writes, and makes graphic designs at @talanashta-graphics. If you want to see all their work, check out their website! (which they also designed and maintains) We're highlighting Talanashta for their incredible Stobin dynamic.

We strongly recommend checking out their UnderTale crossover fic -- Fallen Down, which they also did a bunch of fantastic graphics work for. Talanashta answered some questions about their creative process and their work under the cut

Why Stranger Things?

I had read a few Stranger Things fics way back when the show first came out and knew a bit about the show, but at the time I hadn't been drawn in. (This was immediately post-season 1.) But then as the show continued, and Steve became a bigger part of it, and Robin was introduced, I got sucked in fast. I love both of them so much!

What's your favorite ship (platonic or romantic) to create for?

Stobin. They are my OTOTP, above any other pairing in any other fandom, and I'd like to think that comes through in my works. I have so many emotions about these two, it's ridiculous. Pretty much if I've got both Steve and Robin in one of my fics, that's it; they're the main focus.

What's your typical writing process like?

I have a bit of a hodgepodge of styles. It really depends on if I have a plan in mind or not. Sometimes I'll write with a super detailed outline and stick to it, but most of my works I just go with the flow and write where my creativity takes me. If you ask anyone, though, I'm a notes person. Any of my fics that involve actual planning end up with pages upon pages of notes.

What got you started on making graphics?

For the things for my site, I just wasn't finding resources out there that were what I wanted, so I started making my own. Plus I wanted my accounts to have my own creative touch on them, instead of someone else's.

What's your typical designing process like?

Vibes. 100%. I have a couple styles I like, so I pick a theme or color scheme and just build on those. Like for my seasonal stuff, I'm just like "What's Halloween-y? Pumpkins? Toss some of those in there then!" I use Canva (the free version) for making most of my graphics, but I use Krita for anything Canva can't do.

What has been your favorite project so far? Why?

Fallen Down is for sure my favorite. It's very fun to see these two familiar characters going through a very new situation like this, interacting with other characters I love. It's got a bit of mystery, some adventure, friendship, the works. I also have a very loyal fan of the story who leaves me very detailed comments that always make my day!

What has been your hardest project so far? Why?

Kinktober. I've been doing creative writing for over 15 years now, but I only recently dipped my toe into occasionally writing smut, and boy, did I struggle with it. It's like any skill, and I just didn't/don't have a lot of practice. I ended up only filling a few prompts for it and called it good.

Have you ever had a creative block? How did you get over it?

I don't have too many issues with that, in general. I feel I'm a pretty creative person. Over the years, though, I've learned a few tips to help when I come across a stumbling block. If the story isn't flowing, I go back a few paragraphs and try again. Usually, the direction I'd been taking the story in just wasn't the right one, so I don't force it.

Is there a big source of inspiration for you? Books? Art? Games?

Stranger Things isn't my only fandom, so some of my inspiration comes from what's going on in other fandoms. I read a lot of fanfiction if I'm being honest, and that shapes a lot of my ideas.

Is there an upcoming project you're particularly excited about?

My Eddie Munson Big Bang fic! I don't want to spoil anything, but it follows middle-school Eddie just after he moves in with Wayne. In the fic, their neighbor at the trailer park owns a dog. It's a very "horse girl" fic, with Eddie and this dog and their developing friendship. It's got some angst, but it works towards a lot of positive feelings and a happy ending.

Is there anything we didn't ask that you'd like to add?

If anyone out there reading this ever wants to talk about any of the things I've put out there (my site/coding, my fics, my art) or ask more questions, feel free to DM me! I'm always happy to chat.

[paisholotus]

Bonding with Dick Grayson....

Vivica's Pov

The morning after my unexpected outing with Jason, I woke early, my mind still processing everything I'd witnessed. His warning about Bruce echoed in my thoughts: *Batman isn't something he does; it's something he is.* The words held an uncomfortable truth I was still trying to reconcile.

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand, surprised to see a text from Dick Grayson.

*Heard you're getting the grand tour from my brothers. My turn today. Meet me at the garage at 9? Dress casual + comfortable.*

I smiled despite myself. Word traveled fast in this family. I texted back a quick confirmation, curious what the eldest Wayne son had planned.

When I arrived at the garage, Dick was leaning against a sleek blue motorcycle, two helmets tucked under his arm and an easy smile on his face. Unlike Jason's guarded intensity or Tim's analytical reserve, Dick radiated warmth and openness.

"Morning!" he called, tossing me a helmet. "Hope you don't mind bikes. It's the perfect day for a ride."

I caught the helmet, eyeing the motorcycle warily. "Where are we headed?"

"It's a surprise," Dick said with a wink. "But I promise it's less intimidating than whatever Jason dragged you into yesterday."

My eyebrows shot up. "He told you about that?"

"Not details," Dick assured me. "Just mentioned he'd shown you 'his Gotham.' Which, knowing Jason, probably involved at least one questionable informant and several veiled threats."

I laughed despite myself. "Something like that."

"Well, my Gotham's a little different," Dick promised, climbing onto the bike with athletic grace. "Hop on."

Settling behind him, I wrapped my arms around his waist. "I should warn you that my motorcycle experience consists entirely of clutching for dear life while trying not to imagine the road rash."

"Just lean when I lean," Dick instructed, his voice warm with amusement. "And trust me. I've been riding since I was sixteen."

With that, we roared down the manor's long driveway and onto the open road, the morning air crisp against my face through the helmet's visor. Dick drove with confident precision, taking us through the winding roads that skirted Gotham's outskirts.

Unlike my tense ride with Jason, this journey felt exhilarating rather than dangerous. Dick handled the motorcycle like an extension of himself, each movement fluid and precise—remnants, I supposed, of his circus upbringing.

We rode for nearly an hour, leaving Gotham's urban sprawl behind for rolling countryside that eventually gave way to coastline. Finally, Dick slowed, turning onto a narrow road that wound through a wooded area before opening onto a stunning vista: a secluded beach cove with crystal blue water sparkling under the morning sun.

"Welcome to Hidden Cove," Dick announced as we dismounted. "One of Gotham's best-kept secrets."

I pulled off my helmet, looking around in amazement. The small beach was nestled between two rocky outcroppings, completely invisible from the main road. A weathered wooden dock extended into the calm water.

"It's beautiful," I said truthfully. "I had no idea this was even here."

"Bruce used to bring me here when I was a kid," Dick explained, retrieving a backpack from the motorcycle's storage compartment. "On the rare occasions when he'd actually take a day off. It was our place."

Something in his voice—a gentle nostalgia tinged with complicated emotion—made me look at him more carefully. Of all Bruce's sons, Dick was the one I knew least about, despite his friendly demeanor. He'd been away from Gotham during most of my time with Bruce, pursuing his own life and career in Blüdhaven.

"Do you miss those days?" I asked as we walked toward the shore.

Dick considered the question, squinting out at the horizon. "Parts of them. Things were simpler then—at least they seemed that way to me. Just Batman and Robin against the world."

He spread a blanket on the sand, gesturing for me to sit. "But I wouldn't go back, even if I could. We've all needed to find our own paths."

"Nightwing," I said, testing the name.

Dick's smile was genuine. "Yeah. My own identity, my own city. Bruce didn't understand at first, but...I think he does now."

He unpacked a thermos of coffee and some pastry boxes that I recognized from Alfred's kitchen. "Breakfast? Alfred insisted I bring enough for four people."

"That's Alfred," I laughed, accepting a cinnamon roll. "Always taking care of everyone."

We ate in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the peaceful setting. A few boats drifted far out on the water, but our little cove remained private and serene.

"So," Dick said eventually, "how's it going? Being back at the manor, knowing everything now."

I appreciated his directness. "Honestly? It's overwhelming. One moment I think I'm starting to understand what it all means, and the next I'm completely lost again."

Dick nodded thoughtfully. "I can't imagine finding out the way you did. At least I was brought into it from the beginning."

"Bruce told me you were the first," I said. "Robin, the original."

"The guinea pig," Dick confirmed with a wry smile. "Bruce was still figuring out how to be Batman then, let alone how to be a mentor. We made a lot of mistakes together."

Something in his tone made me ask, "But you don't regret it?"

"Never," he said with absolute certainty. "For all the complications, all the fights we've had over the years—and there have been plenty—I've never regretted the life Bruce gave me." His expression grew serious. "After my parents died, I was drowning in grief and rage. Bruce gave me purpose, a way to channel those feelings into something meaningful."

I watched him carefully, struck by how different his perspective was from Jason's more conflicted relationship with their adoptive father.

"He's not perfect," Dick continued, seeming to read my thoughts. "God knows he's made mistakes with all of us. But his heart's always been in the right place."

"Even with Jason?" I asked softly.

Dick's expression clouded. "That's...complicated. Bruce blamed himself for what happened to Jason. Still does. And Jason—" he paused, choosing his words carefully. "Jason came back changed. It took a long time for them to find any kind of peace."

"And now?"

"Now they respect each other's differences, even if they don't always agree," Dick said diplomatically. "It's a work in progress."

I nodded, understanding. "And what about you and Bruce? Tim mentioned there have been...tensions."

Dick laughed, but there was a hint of old pain beneath it. "Tim's being polite. Bruce and I have gone rounds over the years. I left Robin behind partly because I needed to be my own man, not just his sidekick." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "But we've always found our way back to each other. That's what family does."

The word hung between us, weighted with meaning. Family. Bruce and his collection of damaged, brilliant boys—not related by blood but bound by something perhaps stronger.

"Is that how you see it?" I asked. "As a family?"

"Absolutely," Dick said without hesitation. "A weird, dysfunctional family that spends its nights jumping off rooftops, but a family nonetheless." He smiled warmly. "Bruce would never say it that way, but I know he feels the same."

I drew patterns in the sand beside the blanket, processing his words. "When Bruce and I were together before, he kept all of this separate from me. I knew something was missing, but I never imagined..."

"The scale of it?" Dick suggested.

"Exactly. Not just Batman, but all of you, this whole network he's built." I looked up at Dick. "I keep wondering where I could possibly fit into it all."

Dick studied me thoughtfully. "Can I be honest?"

"Please."

"Bruce has always kept parts of himself walled off—even from us, sometimes. But with you..." he paused. "You got closer than almost anyone. When you left, it hit him hard. Harder than I think even he expected."

I swallowed, remembering the pain of that separation. "He never came after me."

"Would you have wanted him to?" Dick asked gently.

The question caught me off guard. Would I have? If Bruce had shown up at my door, revealed his secret, asked me to come back—what would I have done?

"I don't know," I admitted. "I was so hurt by the secrecy, the constant distance between us. I might not have been ready to hear it then."

Dick nodded understandingly. "For what it's worth, I think he wanted to. But Bruce..." he sighed. "Bruce has this habit of deciding what's best for everyone else. He probably convinced himself you were better off without him and his complications."

"And now?" I asked quietly.

"Now?" Dick's smile returned. "Now he's walking around the manor like he's seen a ghost. A ghost that terrifies and fascinates him in equal measure."

I laughed despite myself. "That's not very reassuring."

"It wasn't meant to be," Dick said, his expression turning serious again. "Loving Bruce Wayne isn't easy—never has been, never will be. He's stubborn, secretive, and sometimes so focused on the mission that he forgets everything else." He reached out, briefly touching my hand. "But he's also the most loyal, dedicated person I've ever known. And beneath all that Bat-armor beats a very human heart."

His sincerity moved me. This was a side of Bruce I knew existed but rarely saw—the man who had taken in orphaned boys and given them purpose, who had earned such fierce loyalty despite his flaws.

"Enough about Bruce," Dick said suddenly, standing and offering me his hand. "Come on, I want to show you something."

I accepted his help up, curious. "What?"

"The real reason I brought you here." He led me toward the wooden dock. "The water in this cove is perfect for swimming—warm, clear, and calm. And about thirty feet out..." he pointed to a large rock formation rising from the water. "Perfect for diving."

I raised an eyebrow. "Diving? I didn't bring a swimsuit."

Dick grinned mischievously. "Prepared for that." He reached into his backpack and produced a neatly folded navy blue one-piece. "Barbara left this at the manor ages ago. Should fit you."

"You're serious," I said, half-laughing. "You brought me all the way out here to go diving?"

"Not just any diving," Dick corrected. "I'm going to teach you how to dive like an acrobat."

The enthusiasm in his voice was infectious. "I'm not sure I have the coordination for acrobatics."

"Everyone says that," Dick replied confidently. "And everyone's wrong. It's all about understanding your body in space—and trusting yourself."

There was something symbolic about it—this invitation to literally take a leap of faith. After my tense, eye-opening day with Jason, Dick was offering something completely different: joy, freedom, the simple pleasure of movement.

"Alright," I agreed, taking the swimsuit. "Where can I change?"

Dick pointed to a small wooden changing hut at the edge of the beach. "Bruce had that built when I was a teenager. Some things he does think of."

Twenty minutes later, I stood nervously at the edge of the rock formation, looking down at the water below. From the beach, the drop had seemed manageable. From up here, it looked impossibly far.

Dick stood beside me, perfectly at ease in his swim trunks. His body was lean and muscular, marked with an assortment of scars that told silent stories of his nighttime activities.

"I'm having second thoughts," I admitted, peering over the edge.

"That's normal," Dick assured me. "But I wouldn't let you do this if it wasn't safe. I've been diving off this rock since I was twelve."

"You were also a circus acrobat," I reminded him. "I'm just a regular person with a reasonable fear of heights."

Dick laughed. "Fair point. But here's the thing about fear—sometimes you have to acknowledge it and then move past it." His expression grew thoughtful. "That's something Bruce taught me early on. Fear is natural, but it doesn't have to control you."

I recognized the lesson—one that clearly applied to more than just diving off rocks.

"Okay," Dick continued, his voice shifting into instructor mode. "The key to a good dive is commitment. Once you decide to go, don't hesitate. Keep your form clean—arms extended, back slightly arched, legs together." He demonstrated the position. "When you hit the water, your arms will create the entry point. The rest of your body follows that path."

"And if I belly flop?"

"Then we'll both have a good laugh, and you'll try again," he said simply. "Watch me first."

Without further preamble, Dick stepped to the edge, raised his arms above his head in perfect form, and launched himself into space. His body arced gracefully, entering the water with barely a splash. Moments later, he surfaced, pushing wet hair from his eyes.

"See? Easy!" he called up to me. "Your turn!"

I took a deep breath, trying to summon courage. This was nothing, I reminded myself. Bruce and his children leapt from skyscrapers nightly. Surely I could manage a simple dive.

I raised my arms as Dick had shown me, fixed my eyes on the spot where I wanted to enter the water, and jumped.

For one breathtaking moment, I was flying—suspended between sky and water, completely free. Then gravity reclaimed me, and I plunged into the cool embrace of the cove.

I surfaced with a gasp, exhilarated. Dick was treading water nearby, his smile brilliant.

"Not bad for a first attempt!" he exclaimed. "Your entry was a little off, but your form in the air was solid."

"That was..." I searched for words, settling on, "amazing."

"Right?" Dick's eyes danced with enthusiasm. "Nothing quite like it. Want to go again?"

We spent the next hour diving from progressively higher points on the rock formation, Dick patiently coaching me through more complex movements. By the time we finally returned to the beach, exhausted and hungry, I felt a strange kinship with him—a shared appreciation for the pure joy of physical movement.

"You're a natural," Dick said as we dried off in the warm midday sun. "Most people take way longer to get comfortable."

"I had a good teacher," I replied, wrapping a towel around my shoulders. "Though I'm definitely going to feel this tomorrow. Those are muscles I haven't used in years."

Dick laughed, reaching into his backpack for sandwiches—another contribution from Alfred. "Worth it, though, right?"

"Absolutely." I accepted a sandwich gratefully. "Thank you for bringing me here. It's been...therapeutic."

"That's what I was hoping for," Dick admitted. "After hearing about your day with Jason, I figured you could use something a little lighter."

I studied him curiously. "You three coordinate your 'get to know her' days, or is this just coincidence?"

Dick's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Let's just say we have a family group chat that Bruce isn't part of."

"Of course you do," I laughed. "And what does this chat say about me?"

"That you're good for Bruce," Dick said simply. "Tim likes your tech brain. Jason respects that you didn't flinch at his methods. And I..." he paused, considering. "I remember how Bruce was when you were together before. Happier, more balanced. He needs that."

I felt a surge of emotion at his candor. "You're very protective of him."

"Someone has to be," Dick said with a shrug. "Bruce takes care of everyone else and forgets himself in the process."

We ate in companionable silence for a while, watching the sunlight dance on the water. Eventually, Dick spoke again, his tone more serious.

"Can I ask you something personal?"

I nodded, curious.

"Are you still in love with him?"

The directness of the question caught me off guard, but Dick's expression held no judgment—only genuine interest.

"I...do. I mean I've loved this man since we were kids. Before I found out he was Batman he came to my apartment dressed like Batman but I didn't really know what it was for. Before he left i knew he was gonna go down this dangerous path that I couldn't stop."

Dick nodded thoughtfully.

"Not just that," I clarified. "Even before I knew about Batman, there was always this sense that Bruce was holding back, keeping parts of himself walled off. I thought it was because of his parents' deaths, the trauma he carried. And it was, partly. But now..."

"Now you know it was more," Dick finished for me.

"Exactly. And I'm still trying to understand what it all means—for him, for me, for us if there even is an 'us' anymore. I hope there is."

Dick was quiet for a moment, skimming a stone across the water's surface. "Bruce once told me something I've never forgotten. He said that Batman was born the night his parents died—that the person he might have become died with them in that alley."

I felt a pang of sadness at the image. "That's heartbreaking. It hurts me that he feels like he has to go through things alone."

"It is," Dick agreed. "But I don't think it's entirely true. The Bruce Wayne who raises orphaned boys, who builds hospitals in his parents' names, who still tries to do good in the light as well as the darkness—that's not just Batman wearing a mask. That's the person he was always meant to be, finding ways to exist alongside the mission."

His insight struck me deeply. "Is that how you see him?"

"It's how I've had to see him," Dick said with a gentle smile. "Otherwise, our relationship wouldn't have survived. Bruce-and-Batman is a package deal. You can't love one without accepting the other."

We fell silent again, the weight of his words settling between us. The sun had begun its westward slide, casting longer shadows across our little cove.

"We should probably head back soon," Dick said eventually, glancing at his watch. "Bruce is hosting some Wayne Foundation thing tonight. Alfred will have my head if I make you late."

"I'd forgotten about that," I admitted, standing and brushing sand from my clothes. The Wayne Foundation dinner—another piece of Bruce's carefully constructed public persona, the charming billionaire philanthropist who couldn't possibly be Gotham's Dark Knight.

As we packed up our things and made our way back to the motorcycle, I found myself wondering which version of Bruce I would see tonight—the carefree playboy he showed to Gotham society, or the more complex man I was slowly rediscovering through the eyes of his sons.

Dick seemed to sense my thoughts. "For what it's worth," he said as he handed me my helmet, "you're the only person who's ever really gotten to see both sides of him. Not just Bruce Wayne the billionaire, or Batman the vigilante, but the man caught between worlds."

"I'm not sure that's entirely true," I countered. "You and your brothers—"

"It's different with us," Dick interrupted gently. "We're part of the mission. You..." he paused, searching for the right words. "You were the possibility of something else. Something beyond the cave and the cowl."

The simple truth of his statement stayed with me as we rode back toward Gotham, the wind whipping past us and the open road stretching before us like possibility itself.

When we finally pulled up to the manor, the sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Bruce was standing on the front steps, apparently waiting for our return. His expression was carefully neutral, but something in his stance betrayed tension—concern, perhaps, or something deeper.

"Thanks for today," I said to Dick as I handed back the helmet. "It was exactly what I needed."

He grinned, glancing at Bruce's stoic figure. "Anytime. And remember what I said about diving—"

"Commitment," I finished for him. "Once you decide to go, don't hesitate."

Dick's smile widened, both of us aware we were talking about more than just diving now. "Exactly."

As I walked toward the steps, Bruce's eyes tracked my approach, dark and unreadable. Behind me, Dick's motorcycle roared back to life, speeding away down the long driveway.

"Did you have a good day?" Bruce asked, his voice carefully casual.

I looked up at him, really seeing him—the man who had created Batman, who had raised these remarkable young men, who had somehow found room in his mission-driven life for love despite himself.

"Yes," I said simply. "A very good day."

Something in my tone made his expression soften slightly, the mask of indifference slipping to reveal a glimpse of uncertainty—and hope.

"The gala starts at eight," he said, holding the door open for me. "But I thought maybe we could talk first. If you have time."

I smiled, feeling a strange new confidence after my day with Dick—after diving from heights that had terrified me and discovering I could fly, however briefly.

"I'd like that," I told him, stepping past him into the manor.

[operationlightswan]

Crossing Your Path / A Different Beginning

For those who liked the sneak peek, I published the first chapter for the cursed AU fic.

Summary: At Emma’s 28th birthday what seemed like another normal and lonely birthday becomes an unexpected outcome of events. A knock at her door comes to change her life completely – her son, Henry Mills, who she gave away when she gave birth to, is back to meet her and bring her home, to Storybrooke, Maine. When she is about to drop off Henry at his adoptive mother’s house Henry starts to tell her about the cursed town he lives in and fairytale characters that live alongside him. Everything in this town is odd, specially the curious individual named Killian Jones, a dockworker, used to live in the shadows. What will happen they finally cross paths?

Notes: Alternative Universe for season 1 - Killian Jones is present in cursed town, Graham Humbert lives throughout S1, Liam Jones is alive, Milah is alive and part of the curse – has an affair with Killian but is married to Mr. Gold/Rumple, Robin Hood is also cursed.

Tags: Romance, Alternative Universe - Canon Divergence, Cursed Storybrooke, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Family (more listed on AO3)

Emma closed her eyes and sighed, once again she was spending her birthday alone. This time it was her 28th birthday. She had just spent the night trying to catch a crook who had tried to escape jail for the second time that month. The worst part about this one was not even the way he made her run out into the street, but the fact he actually had the audacity call her a friendless orphan who had no idea what a family was.

She made her way from the front door to the small counter while taking off her heels and throwing a brown paper bag on top of it. A small brown cupcake decorated with white frosting and multicolored sprinkles was taken out of the bag and placed on a small plate, a blue star-shaped candle carefully put on top of the cupcake. She lit up the candle with a small lighter she had found in her coat’s pocket.

She was finally about to blow out her birthday candles.

Emma - Another banner year...

As she heard a knock on her front door. She turned, surprised at first, as she was not expecting guests at this time of the day and certainly not at her place. She walked the few steps to the door, checking through the peephole for the possible culprit of her night’s interruption but no such luck. She slowly opened the door and checked both sides of the hallway but could not find a single soul to blame on the rude interruption. Until, finally, she looked down at the floor to find a funny-looking boy, around 4’5 feet with dark brown hair with a sweet smile. He was dressed in a black peacock coat with a grey and red scarf and a black backpack on his back.

Emma opened her mouth to speak, too stunned to say something coherent.

Emma – Uh��� Can I help you?

Henry – Are you Emma Swan?

Emma - Yeah, who are you?

Henry - My name's Henry. I'm your son.

Emma’s face suddenly became blank at the statement. Before saying anything else, Henry slipped under Emma's arm and walked into her apartment as he was supposed to be there at that exact moment at that time. He stood between her middle-sized couch and small kitchen counter as if expecting some kind of cosmical answer to whatever was going on.

Emma - Whoa, hey, kid! Kid! I don't have a son! Where are your parents?

Henry - Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption? That was me.

Emma - Give me a minute.

Ten years ago. Emma remembered as if it was yesterday. As if by instinct Emma rushed immediately into the bathroom, her insides going in knots, to avoid any more questions about the adoption process or about the father in question. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Henry was oblivious to Emma’s emotional turmoil.

Henry - Hey, do you have any juice? Never mind, found some.

As she heard the young boy making himself at home, Emma quickly exited the bathroom and rushed to the kitchen. She stopped as she heard what Henry said next.

Henry - You know, we should probably get going.

His small voice was so full of wonder and excitement. It truly amazed Emma how unafraid he acted in her presence; it’s like he felt safe around her. Emma quickly cleared the thought from her mind, it was not her kid. She had to get rid of him. For a brief moment she indulged him in his quest.

Emma - Going where?

Henry - I want you to come home with me.

Nevermind. Remember to never listen to kids’ suggestions on anything. It’s time to start getting logical here Emma.

Emma - Okay, kid, I'm calling the cops.

As Emma crossed the room, Henry turned around, an elaborated plan on his mind.

Henry - And I'll tell them you kidnapped me.

Emma - And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother.

She put the phone down. Henry smirked. The kid was smart, she would give him that. He was definitely his father’s son.

Henry - Yep.

Emma - You're not gonna do that.

Henry - Try me.

She had got him there. He was definitely lying. Emma sucked at many things in her life like cooking or dancing but there was one thing she was damn good at.

Emma - You're pretty good, but here's the thing. There's not a lot I'm great at in life, but I have one skill. Let's call it a "superpower." I can tell when anyone is lying, and you, kid, are.

Henry’s face and confidence were immediately taken over by worry and fear. For once he was actually scared of the consequences of his actions since he had arrived at her place. A begging look on his face took Emma by surprise.

Henry - Wait. Please don't call the cops. Please come home with me.

Emma - Where's home?

Henry - Storybrooke, Maine.

Emma stopped for a second. Storybrooke was a curious name for a small town and one she had never heard of in her entire life.

Emma - Storybrooke? Seriously?

Henry nodded. His expression unchanged.

Henry - Mm-hmm.

Emma sighed. The kid had to get home either way, might as well make sure he actually got there safe, she thought. Emma grabbed her red leather jacket and her car keys.

Emma - Alrighty, then. Let's get you back to Storybrooke.

---

It was a rainy night. Emma had just recently entered Storybrooke’s town limits. No people were in sight, no animals’ sounds were heard, it seemed like a peaceful and quiet place to live in at first sight. Emma kept thinking back to the conversation she had with Henry right before they arrived in town. Did he actually believe in fairytales at that age? And did he actually believe they were happening in real life? Maybe putting him up for adoption created more problems in him than she had imagined.

Emma parked her bug on the side of the road. She looked at passenger’s seat where Henry was seated and tried to figure out the best approach to actually get the truth out of him.

Emma - Okay, kid, how about an address?

Henry - Forty-four, not-telling-you street.

Figures the kid would not want to cooperate with her right when she was so close to her goal.

Emma – Look, it's been a long night, and it's almost…

Emma looked at the clock tower. Her eyes could only be deceiving her.

Emma —Eight-fifteen?

Henry - That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here.

Emma - Excuse me?

Henry - The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here.

Emma: Hang on. The Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairy-tale characters here.

Henry - Yeah. And now they're trapped.

Emma - Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?

Henry - It's true!

Emma - Then why doesn't everybody just leave?

Henry - They can't. If they try, bad things happen.

As she was about to reply, two tall men chatting cheerfully amongst themselves stopped in their tracks when they spotted Henry sitting in the parked yellow bug. The man on the right looked a bit older, in his mid-thirties and had curly hair, bright blue eyes, he was dressed in a blue big trench coat and some black jeans, a yellow beanie hat on. The other man was close in age, in his thirties. He was dressed in dark jeans as well but instead of a trench coat he wore a green vest over a red sweater. His brown wavy hair was carefully combed to both sides, his soft brown eyes gave the impression of someone who had been through a rough past. Emma immediately turned her eyes to avoid further contact. A familiar smile appeared on the two men’s and Henry’s faces.

Robin – Why, is this young master Henry I am seeing walking around town so late at night?

Liam – And inside a stranger’s car nonetheless, it seems the young lad has gotten quite off course.

Henry – Hey Robin! Hey Liam! Don’t worry! This is my mom, Emma! She’s bringing me home.

Emma – Biological mom, kid. And who are these two strange men you are friends with?

Henry – This is Robin, our forest guard, he usually takes our class for field trips around the wood’s areas. And this is Liam, he is our harbormaster. He has taken me sailing around the Storybrooke area many times when mom is too busy.

Emma saw Henry’s sudden pained face and thought about her own experiences as a foster kid, spending most of her free times alone, hoping for one of her parents to at least ask her where she had been that day.

Emma - I see. And isn’t that mom worried that you aren’t showing up at home this late?

Henry – She doesn’t love me really. She just pretends she does. She’s evil.

Emma – Evil is a bit extreme kid.

She turned to Liam and Robin to try to pry some information out of them.

Emma – Do any of you know where he lives?

Robin – Yes.

Liam – He lives right up on Mifflin Street; the mayor’s house is the biggest one on the block. There is no missing it.

Emma – You are the mayor’s kid?

Henry – Sorta of.

Emma thanked both Liam and Robin who laughed at the curious situation going on.

Emma - Well, I really should be getting him home.

Liam – For sure lass, it was a pleasure to meet you and to see you again Henry. Have a good evening.

Robin – Good night to you both.

Emma got in the bug as she sighed. The mayor’s kid. This was going to be a gigantic nightmare to solve. As she was about to start the car, she looked at Henry with a quirky smile on her face.

Emma - All right. I'll play. Who are they supposed to be?

Henry – Huh?

Emma – In this fantasy of yours…who are they supposed to be?

Henry – It is not a fantasy and Robin is Robin Hood.

Emma – Oh right, the whole forest thing. And Liam?

Henry smiled as he opened the book on a page with two young men steering a ship filled with pirates. Both of the men were smiling at each other, one was holding a spyglass in his hand and the other was holding what seemed to be a sextant. Henry crossed his hand through the page.

Henry – He is the brother of one of the most important captains the world has ever seen.

[kevin-day-is-bi]

cleansing your inbox part 2! trick or treat ask game! any ship, go absolutely wild :) (once again necrotic-nephilim from my main, tumblr give us side blog ask rights-)

VERY VERY VERY DARK

Most of them treated her like something that would be taken away, like outside time at Arkham. They treated her how they wanted, left her with bruises, drugged her, shared her around, but always cleaned her up and set her head straight before sending her on her way. The nicer ones even bandaged her wounds.

She had hoped Slade was the same.

He was not.

He was worse.

He had ordered her to strip in the most perfunctory way she had ever heard (and she spent most of her days being ordered around by Bruce Wayne) immediately upon her entering his space. She had done so, but left the mask. That was her only stipulation. Or maybe it was Bruce's stipulation. Or maybe it wasn't a stipulation at all and it was just expected.

Once she was naked, she stood in the middle of the room while he circled her. She was hyper-aware of everything her body did, every brush of her hair against her back and wobble when she tried not to turn with him. He came back to stand in front of her, gaze slowly traveling up and down. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he paused on her breasts. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt, no mask, no swords, nothing, but somehow he still looked terrifying. He hit her face and tilted his head.

"I wasn't promised a sullen teenager. I was promised a Robin."

Steph kept staring at him, not really sure what to do. The others just grabbed and used her. Well, Ivy liked to talk, but Ivy talked to anything that listened. Sometimes Harvey asked her how her day was going while he was strapping her into the gloryhole. But she didn't have to initiate anything. Bruce said she was too blunt when she tried to turn people on. They were working on it. Which really meant Bruce would sometimes force her to flirt with him over and over and over again to earn the right to wear her own clothes, and if she wasn't satisfactory, she would shiver in lacy lingerie - or nothing at all - in the Cave while trying to hunt down serial killers.

Slade started walking and her head snapped up. She was too nervous, too unfamiliar with what he wanted.

"I've heard so much about you whoring yourself out that I expected you to be a little more seductive." He sounded a little interested. She wasn't supposed to be interesting. She was supposed to be fuckable.

"Sit on the table." She did. The wood was cool under her skin.

"I'm going to be honest, because your fear is useless to me. I have other emotions I want to wring from you." He placed his hands on the table, leaning uncomfortably close to her. "I'm going to hurt you. A lot."

If he wanted that to alleviate her fear, he failed.

Carefully, slowly - giving her time to process? Why? - he pulled out a knife. She stopped breathing, then started again. With his other hand, he reached out and ran a hand down the top of her thigh like she was an animal he was examining for slaughter.

"This area doesn't have as many scars. Why?"

Steph opened her mouth to speak and failed. She cleared her throat. "My cape. I don't wear one just to dramatically drop down from ceilings, y'know."

"Interesting," Slade mused, before slashing down. She flinched, fighting the urge to kick the knife out of his hands, but she didn't flinch enough, and the blade hit flesh. It was a relatively shallow cut, and clean, but blood welled up immediately. He didn't give it time to flow. She tried not to flinch again as he reached down and swiped his hand through the blood, pulling it up onto his fingers before reaching forward and rubbing his hand on her right breast, leaving bloody smears. Her stomach lurched and she opened her mouth (that was supposed to be trained out of her, she wasn't supposed to talk so much). He shoved his fingers into her open mouth.

The taste of blood was so immediately revolting that she tried to pull away, but with his other hand he grabbed the back of her head until she stopped struggling.

"Don't do that. I would really hate to punish you." He did not sound like he would hate that at all.

He kept his fingers in her mouth while he unzipped his jeans and pulled out his cock. He wasn't long, but he was uncomfortably thick. Also hard.

He pulled his fingers from her mouth and wrapped them around himself, her bloody saliva smearing and dripping. She watched, horrified and fascinated. He reached out and stole more blood, the pressure burning. his breathing turned labored. And then he stopped.

With the hand still covered in far too many fluids for her comfort, he reached out and grabbed at her breast. Not a grope, but holding it, like he was weighing it. Judging it.

"I love your tits," he said, and she cringed internally. He was older than her dad. Sure he could be better than that. "They're so perky and full. Any tricks?"

"Genetics." Also Bruce forcing her to wear push-up bras 24/7 for three months. To sleep, during sex, on patrol. He found a swimsuit bra and forced her to wear it during showers. He still made her do it while on patrol and in civilian clothes.

Slade slapped her breast. She'd been expecting that. Everyone loved to do that. It still hurt.

From a small box that she really should've noticed sooner (sue her, okay, there was only so much she could take when a mercenary was masturbating with her blood) he withdrew a vial. She tilted his head, and he shook it at her.

"Peppermint extract. Very strong. Lie back."

Steph blinked, not understanding, but she lowered herself onto the table. And then she squirmed in surprise.

Droplets on liquid on her nipples. She didn't understand, it felt cool but not-

Peppermint extract. It burned. She reached up without thinking to wipe them away, but Slade caught her hands and slammed them back into the table. She was twisting under him, the pain driving pained gasps from her.

Slade transferred both of her wrists to one grip and yanked her forward, off the table and onto her knees.

"Open."

She couldn't do anything else. This was something she was used to, but the peppermint was fuzzying her mind. She knew how to lick and suck, apply the right amount of pressure, open her throat up.

She didn't do any of it. She just knelt there and choked. Eventually the burning faded - or she got used to it? - but every light breeze or brush of his jeans brought the pain back to the front of her mind. Slade was groaning above her so he was obviously pleased. He held her head down - and down and down and then she was losing the ability to breathe and her gag reflex was kicking in and she tried to get away. He pulled her off and smiled down at her as she coughed.

"That was lovely, thank you." His voice was rough, but content. He pulled her up and gestured back to the table. "Face down."

She did. The first touch was terrifying, but he just...touched her. Ran his hands over the planes of her back, the sharp edges of her shoulder blades. The press of wood against her nipples alleviated the ache and she could finally think again, sucking in deep breaths to clear her head. He shoved her legs open and they went easily. It wasn't until he traced a finger over her folds that she realized she was soaking wet. She felt sick.

One finger was inside her, then two, then three. His other hand stayed on her skin, tracing the scars.

"Have you been eating? You feel thinner than the boys ever did."

"Thanks, dad," she said, adding as much sarcasm as she could manage, though her voice was shaky. Slade tsked, running a hand down her spine.

"Don't say that if you're not going to follow through."

She turned her head so she could see him through gaps in her hair. This was familiar ground.

"Daddy," she said, unable to summon the will to moan it. It was low and rough and a little detached. Bruce wouldn't have liked it.

Slade smacked her - not her ass, where most of them liked (Harvey had once said he liked to watch it jiggle and Bruce had changed her workout routine to remove her glute strengthener), but rather the inside of her thigh. It stung, but it stung so close to her cunt that she moaned. She didn't like moaning during these things, or at least moaning unintentionally. She was doing a job.

Besides, no one really ever did anything that would make her moan.

"I'm going to fuck you now," Slade said, and then his fingers were gone and he was inside her and it was so sudden and unexpected that she just gripped the table and stared.

Then there was pain on her back - another cut - and she was shaking under his sure hands.

Slade did not last long. He came inside her, which was not a surprise, and pressed his fingers into the cut on her back, which was also not a surprise but did hurt a lot.

He pulled out. Steph started to shift, but he grabbed her hair and pulled her towards him. Awkwardly, she slid off the table again and was presented with his cock.

"Clean it."

She stared. Her blood was on it. The grip in her hair tightened.

She cleaned him off. It tasted horrible. She was used to semen - one of her earliest aspects of training was that she wasn't allowed to eat any food without having semen ahead of time, but semen and blood and her own juices combined was disgusting. When she pulled back, Slade tilted her head up.

"Open."

He spit into her mouth. She swallowed without being asked.

"Good girl," he murmured, one thumb stroking her cheek. His age and emphasis on "girl" made her feel very young. She guessed she was, actually. His son was two years older than her.

Steph got up, legs aching. She hesitated, unsure if they were done, but he was reaching into the box again.

"One more thing."

Clamps. Not nipple clamps. Construction clamps. She took an unconscious step back, but that was just table. The clamps were put on and she yelled. On top of the peppermint it was so painful she thought she was going to start crying. Normally, of course, this would be horrifying. No one wanted a toy they couldn't break. But Slade looked delighted. She reached up, desperate to get them off, but he brushed her hands away and reached up himself.

And yanked them off without opening them, the textured grips on them scraping her skin raw. She did start crying, mostly out of shock. Slade slapped her breast again, and through her obscured view she watched him nod appreciatively at the bounce. Bruce would be pleased.

"You can go now," he said, again grinding into the cut on her thigh. "You were perfect. I can't wait for this to happen again."

Steph got dressed in her suit, the tight fabric horribly painful against her cuts and abused skin of her breasts. As she pulled the hood up, Slade called out,

"Oh, and tell the Bat I'm giving up on Sionis."

Slowly, she turned to look at him. He was seated at the table, cleaning off his knife. He winked at her.

"Your pussy is just that good. No reason to bring drugs into Gotham if I get that as my incentive not to."

She basically ran out of the door. When she was several blocks away, she ducked into an alley.

Steph leaned against the wall, shaking. When she moved, her underwear was sticky. With him. She raised a gloved hand to her comm and clumsily pressed the button.

"I'm done. Slade is withdrawing from the partnership with Sionis."

She held her breath, waiting. He had told her to go back and do more before. She didn't want to do it again. Or maybe she did. Or maybe she wanted more. Unbidden, an imaginined image of Slade's hand softly brushing her hair away from her face flashed through her mind. Nausea rolled through her in a shiver at the same time as heat pooled in her stomach.

The comm beeped.

"Thank you, Robin. That was well done."

An ugly feeling grew in Steph's stomach, a rolling, oily sense of pride. She didn't like it. She would do anything to feel it.

"We'll work on your oral. Finish patrol and come back to the Cave for training."

Her head hit the wall with a quiet thud. She stared at the smog-filled sky, swallowing down the tears/bile/scream/laugh. Slade liked it, she wanted to whisper, but Bruce was listening. He was always listening.

[1doesnotsimplyhavejust1fandam]

It’s the way that Nathan Ford is BY FAR the least interesting character of the original Leverage five, and yet he’s the one who gets SO much backstory and context to himself. I’m literally watching the season 4 finale and I just don’t care that his father was murdered because Nate’s being incredibly annoying. Trying to be empathetic about a character grieving doesn’t even work for me here because his entire team is trying to make sure he doesn’t MURDER the man/men responsible for his father’s death and he’s not letting them in at all. It’s part of the reason I dislike his character so much. There’s hardly ever moments when he is genuinely vulnerable, not even with Sophie, who he is supposed to be in love with (yeah yeah, I know, they’re “friends with benefits” right now, but that’s not fooling anyone with eyes even without the knowledge that they end up together at the end). Nate is this mastermind of a character and it’s cool and intriguing for all of half of season before you’re scratching your head like, where’s the care for his team? He was kind to Hardison in the evaluation form and he didn’t want to make Eliot kill again, for any reason, but it’s so hard to appreciate his humanity when he’s spent the past three(ish) seasons on the verge of drinking himself to death, verbally bashing Sophie, and only being about the work. Sophie having a notebook full of moments when Nate put her or her ideas down isn’t funny or a moment of character growth. Nate doesn’t fully understands how that’s so shitty of him, as team leader, but also as her sexual (romantic?) partner. Every moment of Sophie and Nate’s relationship has to be fought for BY SOPHIE, and at this point, I don’t even know why she even wants him. He may be acting as Robin Hood and helping people, but he’s barely even a person while he’s doing it. I’ve never liked Nate, but making my way through season 4 has definitely given me the hardest time with remembering his redeeming qualities. Every time he’s vaguely misogynistic or acts like an immature man child when it comes to processing his emotions without alcohol (which happens: never), I question why he’s the main character, why my screen isn’t filled up with Hardison being the sassiest mf of them all or OT3 moments or Sophie conning the hell out of men who are led by their dicks and not their minds. When I’m watching the Nate centric scenes/episodes, I’m never wishing for more, I’m wishing the rest of the team was in the spotlight instead

[brown-little-robin]

I think I'm in the "conscious incompetence" stage of being a social animal in the real world and it sucks so majorly. bro what do you do after you realize you're bad at socializing and then in-person interaction gets harder because you know you're failing at it now.

[drbatsponge]

Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood REVIEW

So, it's Cassandra Cain day, and as always on this day I'll usually review a comic, I decided for this year I'd be reviewing Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood, considering I recently bought the trade last Christmas, so yeah!

First off, I want to start by saying that overall I think this is a pretty decent story, but it also highlights the difference between the two writers of Bill Willingham and Andersen Gabrych, seeing how they handle the grieving process of both Cass and Tim is particularly interesting.

Obviously I don't want to say Willingham doesn't try his best to make it seem like Tim is sad following Stephanie's death, but like he does really brush it off more, during her funeral he isn't even really sad about Steph all that much, more mad at Bruce.

And I understand Willingham tries to make an excuse that Tim is sad over a bunch of people rn so he doesn't have that many tears to shed over Steph, but like she's the most recent death, I think Tim would be a little more upset over her. 😭

Even after frickin' hallucinating her does he not even get sad over her, more or so his father, it really feels like he doesn't care that much about Steph's death and she's just another casualty.

Meanwhile for Cass, I'd say the weight is more felt, you actually see her shedding tears at her funeral, and it genuinely seems like Cass is more upset about her loss whereas Tim is just bottling up his emotions about it.

So, I definitely prefer how Gabrych writes the reaction to Stephanie's death as opposed to Willingham, because she feels more important of a loss.

As for things beyond that, I have to say there's some really good action sequences in this 4 parter, it's certainly helped that two of Cassandra Cain's best artists worked on this, being Damion Scott and Ale Garza, while their style does certainly contrast, considering Scott is more cartoonish and Garza is more anime-ish, I still think both do a fine job regardless and it's just nice to say there's a Cass comic out there where two of her best artists did some awesome stuff for her.

I especially like the scene where Cass is fighting Shrike and the scene where she's taking on a bunch of the Penguin's goons.

Finally, I'd like to touch on what I love most about the story, and that would be the contrast between Tim and Cass on wanting to be like Batman.

It's basically the main theme of the story, where Tim is afraid of becoming more like him, but Cass is embracing that, wanting to become that symbol.

It's best summarized in the scene at the end of the story where the two finally have a heart to heart about it, and it's some good stuff.

So, overall, I would say I think Fresh Blood is a pretty good read.

It has some flaws here and there, especially the weird contrast between how each writer was reacting to the death of Steph at the time, but beyond that there's some good stuff that builds up Cass and Tim's relationship, and the art is certainly excellent coming from some of Cass's best artists.

Well, there you have it, my little review/analysis of Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood! Hope you all enjoyed it, and as always stay tuned.

Same bat-time, same bat-channel!

And happy birthday to the best comic character ever created imo: Cassandra Cain!

[harringrieve]

I FUCKING POSTED THIS ON MY MAIN FIRST💀💀💀

Anyway, after a bout of ennui, I grabbed this from my notes drafts bc it started glitching and I’m nervous it’ll delete smth by accident

Somewhere btwn s3/4 I THINK, in a govt hospital wing

“Whaddayou doin here, Harring-har-“

The word seems to get stuck malfunctioning somewhere between his brain and his mouth, as he blinks tiredly, still trying to figure out where the fuck he actually is.

“Oh you know”, gestures around with the folded magazine in his hand, “just uh, makin sure the scientists don’t, like, cart you off to, a- a different secret lab or somethin”

Lab? His tongue is dry and sticking to the roof of his mouth. Scientists? Billy’s brain fuzzily processes what Harrington’s insinuating, the alarm creeping up slowly.

“…..That’s a concern?”

“Oh yeah, big time. Also you’re lucky you woke up when you did, Nancy was supposed to take over next watch shift, and she’s not NEARLY as uh…..chipper as I am.”

“That so.”

“Yeah, no, I think Click-clack is givin her guff for some thing she submitted? I don’t know, she’s tetchy.”

“Have no idea what that means, also quick question-”

“Yeah”

“What the fuck is goin on?”

Harrington’s eyebrows raise as he puffs his cheeks and blows out a big breath,

“Oh jeez man, I don’t think I have enough- fuckin like, brain power to get into the whole thing right now-“

“Ugh, figures”, Billy shuts his eyes again and rests his head back, suddenly over being awake.

“Wh-hey, fuck you, I could be at home right now, instead of this creepy ass lair, but no, we gotta make sure Billy Hargrove doesn’t get vanished by the government.”

Lair? where are they? Harrington doesn’t seem that married to the petulant shit he’s saying anyway, it feels like it’s more just to have something to do. In any other situation Billy would feed the fuck into this, enjoy every button he’s pushing, but FUCK is he tired. His whole body feels like fuzzy static. Fuzzy achy static.

“She’s helping Murray set something up for you”

“What?” His face kinda hurts when his brows twist, giving up his half-assed attempt at sleep.

“Nancy,” he clarifies, “we had a whole exit strategy to get you outta here when you woke up. Get you like, back on your feet and fuck off into the sunset or whatever Max thinks you where gunna do”

Max.

“…….Why are you doin all this?” It’s barely a question really, more like a blank murmur, devoid of any inflection that could give Harrington the slightest hope of gauging Billy’s emotional state.

Steve heaves another slow measured breath, and looks slightly away from Billy, as if to try to remember why himself.

He blinks a few times, makes a vague shrugging gesture with like, the upper half of his body, then shakes his head a little, “Cause fuck these guys.”

Billy almost choked a little, deigning to open his eyes again and glance over.

“Yeah?” He asks with an audibly and visually confused smile, like he’s trying not to laugh at the ridiculous nature of Steve’s statement.

“Yeah, everything’s been their fault for like three years now. I’ve fought shit I wouldn’t put my worst enemies against. Fuckin vile.” He slumps back a bit, “You’re a dick, but like,…” he doesn’t seem to really have much of an answer past that, “Fuck em.”

[later]

“Maaan, Pick a story asshole, either I’m a slut who can’t be friends with girls, or I’m a freak loser, make up your mind”

[Robin walks in]

“What are we talking about?” She sounds like a mix of horrified, delighted, and grossly intrigued.

“He thinks we’re like,” gesturing between himself and Robin, “-secretly in love, or dating, or something”

Robins face scrunches up, “Ew.”

Steve makes a wide sweeping gesture at her, “THATS WHAT I SAID!”, and looks pointedly back at Billy, as if to say, ‘There, see?’

“Jesus, alright, you’re both undateable losers.”

“Oh, he has no problem getting dates-“ completely disregarding and breezing past Billy’s direct insult to her dateability

“The fuck, Rob-“

“Oh yeah?” He smiles, encouraging whatever sly shit she’s onto.

“I don’t know what you guys where sayin earlier about him bein a slut, but it’s not factually incorrect.”

Billy’s well-known cackle bursts outta him for the first time in months.

Steve just seems to deflate with the power of his sigh, arms momentarily thrown up in the air in defeat before landing down against his jeans with a pointed SLAP as he sinks further down into the uncomfortable chair he’s been lounging in this entire time.

“Rob, what are you even doin here-“ he starts off, obviously trying to divert the topic of conversation, god he’s so whiney sometimes, Billy’s kinda obsessed with it, “wait-HOW are you even here?” His tone switches to confused disbeleif, eyeing her with confusion.

“I own a bike, dingus, and I have functioning legs.”

His eyebrows screw together, “You live like, ten minutes by car from here- whaddoyoumean you ‘rode your bike’, it’s like 90 degrees out-“ he flings an arm out towards the windowless wall.

“Jeez, okay mom, I-“

“Have you had anything to drink? Are you even wearing sunscreen?”

“I’m fine! It’s nice out-“

“It’s the middle of august !”

“It’s the beginning of august, first of all-“

“Heat strokes not a joke Bobbin, you can get-“

“Yes I know, Stevert, I’m in band, I’m outside wearing synthetic hell clothes for practice all summer-“

“Yeah, standing, not biking who knows how many miles uphill in the sun.”

Billy finally interjects, “Jesus I take it back, you’re obviously divorced.”

He gets twin looks of scandal.

“How dare you, first of all-“

“I would never-“

Billy just snorts and settles back into his sheets, “Sure, whatever.”

After a moment of silence

“Actually, Nancy dropped me off on the way to Forrest hills.”

“Oh, you bitch.” Steve breathes out right before Robin breaks out laughing.

Robin and Steve continue sniping back and forth, this time in Italian, Steve rapid-fire, Robin more careful and deliberate.

[coffeencream]

REVIEW: Babel by RF Kuang

A quick disclaimer before we start- this book impacted me very heavily, and because of those strong emotions I think I have to include some spoilers in this review to process what I felt in the book’s heaviest moments. You’ve been warned!

Robin Swift was taken from his homeland to become a scholar. Thanks to his powerful and mysterious guardian Richard Lovell, an 18 year old Robin becomes one of four new undergraduate students at the Royal Translation Institute, aka Babel. He meets his cohort- dazzling Ramiz Mirza, fierce Victoire Desgraves, and posh Letty Price. From there, an unbelievable, years-spanning epic of magic, academia, love and betrayal.

I’ll start by saying that I absolutely loved the magic system in Babel, because it’s so simple- words are power, just like they are in the real world. I think this works beautifully to illustrate Kuang’s main arguments about colonialism in the book, because it literalizes the way that empire depends heavily on those they exploit, even while proclaiming their colonies less than. I really appreciated the care that was taken to explore multiple schools of thought regarding the best way to fight oppression. None were explicitly “wrong” because both theories- Victoire and Anthony’s nonviolence and Griffin and Robin’s violence- were more than justified in the context of the book. Obviously, this mirrors real life. As someone who talks politics in leftist circles, I hear both ideas come up. Do we disobey quietly, lobby our politicians, and wait for slow incremental change? Or do we fight, scream, burn, demand to be seen as human? There’s no right answer, but I think the fictional environment of Babel is a good outlet to explore these questions, and Kaung does it expertly.

Ok, now that my academic, poli-sci major baggage has been laid out, I’m gonna get a bit sappy. This book WRECKED me. I cried. So. Much. In the style of a Shakespearean tragedy, just about every single character that you fall in love with through the first three hundred pages of this book will be taken away from you. (Spoiler time!) I want to write about Ramy’s death specifically. Just as Robin and Letty fall in love with him at the first hello, so did I. Ramy was a character that simply shone so brightly that it reached far off the page. Kind, passionate, brilliant. OF COURSE two of the three people around him were madly in love. Letty’s betrayal (especially Shakespearean) and her goddamn revolver took Ramy from us, and in the midst of my reading I felt like the world was ending. Even worse, the most emotional moments come dozens of pages later. Robin and Ramy clearly loved each other. It was perhaps unrealistic to believe that they could have a happily ever after in 1840, but I thought at least they would get to be honest with each other about how they felt. Instead, Robin is left alone to grieve, to wonder how Letty, who “loved him almost as Robin loved him”, could take away the person who defined his world. Kuang invokes Ramy’s name almost like prayer. Robin turns to it in his time of most need. It hurts, like, reaaaallly hurts. I’ll think of them every time i see a sunset now.

Last thoughts. This book is nothing if not a five star read. It’s somehow a love story, a dark academia fantasy, a Newsies-style tale of the underdog, and more. It’s a found family that could never last. I can safely say that it’s one of the best things I’ve ever read, despite how much pain it caused me. There’s so much more I could’ve said, but I’ll leave it here.

READ THIS BOOK!!

[thestrangearchives]

putting my stranger things band au out into the world

weve got steve on main vocals/guitar

robin on bass/backup vocals (although there are a couple songs where she takes main)

and max on drums

do they have a specific genre? who tf knows i chose these songs for their lyrics and story but i imagine some would be modified to create a more uniform sound

now for the album in order(please hear me out on some of these):

Dear Reader- Taylor Swift (steves song to dustin)

BNBG- Djo (steve meeting eddie and discovering hes bi)

To Love a Boy- Maya Hawke (robin song!! self explanatory)

Change- Djo (steve reflecting on who he used to be vs who he is now)

Dial Drunk- Noah Kahan (steve gets arrested for xyz and his parents wont answer)

Somebody’s Baby- Sidney Gish (robin song 2!! start of her crush on nancy)

Acolyte- Slaughter Beach, Dog (90% written by steve before eddies death and finished after)

Run the World!!!- Dayglow (written by max! they all call it their fun song but its definitely still more about her ptsd and depression)

Strange Time- Matt Maltese (steve wrote this soon after eddie died)

Coffee- Chappell Roan (duet between steve and robin about their shared ex, nancy. they all ofc still love her and are very close friends but this was written during a rough patch post ronance breakup)

Brother- Fenne Lily (co-written by max and steve about their relationship)

ceilings- Lizzy McAlpine (steve keeps forgetting that eddie has died)

Francesca- Hozier (stobins soulmate song! written by robin because she knows steve feels guilty about dragging her into the upside down but she doesnt regret it because now she has him)

vague storyline is that steve starts getting into music to cope with all of the upside down shit sometime between end of season 1 and season 2. he starts seeing eddie after season 3 and is head over heels for him before eddie (still) dies at the end of season 4 and is (obviously) heartbroken.

after max heals she starts learning the drums to help process emotions better and also around this time robin and nancy start a budding romance. steve learns about max playing the drums and starts having jam sessions w her and later on robin also joins and its just very cathartic for them all. nancy and robin are kinda on again off again until steve and robin write Coffee together which firmly puts them in the past and they remain good friends after. (i love ronance i swear but for whatever reason in this au i just dont see them lasting longterm) (also i feel bad because the story of Coffee feels like it makes out nancy to be a villain and i love her i swear)

after a few years steve, robin, and max decide to start playing local bars and small shows and eventually are discovered and release their first and only album. the album gets wildly popular and they tour for a bit but none of them really wanted fame and decided that they really just preferred making music in their living rooms. they do pop up shows at small venues every now and again and they still consider themselves A Band.

likely they get rediscovered on tik tok or something and everyone is coming up with theories on the story of the album(stupid shit like ‘he said eddie in acolyte right’ ‘no dude he said annie steve isnt gay god some people’ or some weird love triangle involving steve robin and some mystery person) so they all make a video talking about the history of the band and steve comes out and opens up about how some of the songs are about eddies death (which starts another fire once people find out that steves eddie is eddie munson because obviously everyones heard of the hawkins murders at which point steve releases a video basically telling everyone to not talk about shit they know nothing about and to fuck off and leave him alone and after that the band is never heard from online again) happily ever after the end :) i just needed this out of my brain

[corcnaiism]

;-- guys you have to understand that shipping with my sunday is a task you and your muse will have to put the heaviest work in. it's not that i don't want to ship with him but he's literally insane and lost in the sauce

honestly just tired of people trying to throw ships @ him and not want to put the effort in it like im sorry that you tried to kiss him and he smited you and you got bothered by it but what did you expect? your muses are free to do whatever to him ( and this goes for any of my muses ) but don't think he's gonna just take it without reacting accordingly. just own up to him not reciprocating and if you understand my headcanon lore of him and how he functions and you're perfectly fine with constant rejection and foul attitude from him, then you're good to go. my sunday isn't redeemed, his main focus is to make robin this goddess for others to adore and make her life the happiest ever, she is his priority over everyone else. he doesn't want distractions and purposely erases his own memory to avoid them for fuck's sake. yes, he craves attention and love and affection but he's so prideful with a stick up his own ass that he doesn't want to admit to it and doesn't wanna show weakness.

im more than happy to discuss potential ships where he can actually feel something positive towards someone but it's a very slow burn kind of process so if you're willing to be patient then we're good. im not saying sunday can't show love and passion towards someone else but there needs to be this sort of talk ooc like DEEP talk so we can discuss how it'll come to fruition. sunday can get flustered and he can feel crush-like emotions but he won't go out of his way to chase after that and pushes others away. he's just a deeply disturbed man who isn't a hero in any sense of the word. you can try to fix him but it'll take a lot more than a bandage to fix this man.