#So it has lost all meaning to me

[pickleking8]

Adoption Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up To Be --- Chapter 3

Words: 1,132

Ao3 Link

Previous - Next - Masterpost

TW: references to past trauma/vivisection/and death (done to a minor)

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     Danny winced as he shifted in bed. The healing scar pulled on his skin, and it had started to itch. Ghosting his fingers over the makeshift bandages, he felt his way over the creases and wrinkles. He closed his eyes, hoping to see a comfortable field of darkness and to feel the lull of sleep, but all that approached him was green. That stupid neon green.

     Green, green, green everywhere! Slippery and disgustingly warm in that  that coated the table, reflecting the tinted lights that were glaring and cruel, flecks of green on the surgical blue of his parent’s gloves, just green everywhere. And it was all too bright.

     Danny’s eyes snapped open. He- he couldn’t. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t do this, he needed to get out, he needed to get away, he needed to get away from the grimy walls of the cheap hotel that seemed to be closing in on him all too quickly. 

     Danny flinched when he noticed the green light his eyes were giving off in his panic. It was a soft light, subtle, but much, much too green. Too neon. 

     Stupid color anyway, he thinks, shivering in the sudden chill that wafts over him when he throws the blankets off. He needs to get out. The floorboards creak as he makes his way across the room, glancing at Jazz, who was sleeping soundly in the bed. She looks tired, even in her sleep. Stressed, worried, upset. She’d been run ragged taking care of him the past week, not to mention the stress she’d been going through trying to make plans, trying to figure survival for them out… he’s sorry. 

     The hotel’s roof is surprisingly easy to access. The building has no alarms and barely any locked doors. Climbing the stairs winded him. He would have simply floated up, but the… incident had left him with little ectoplasm to spare; what he did have was going into keeping himself alive. No powers other than the barebones necessary could be used, meaning he had to climb the stairs like a normal person. He decided he didn’t like it. The night air was humid, but a light breeze still introduced a slight chill. Danny winced as his bare feet grated on the gravelly texture of the roof. He should have put on shoes. Sparing a glance over the edge of the roof, he shuddered, imagining what it would be like to have to deal with falling off a roof without his powers, and quickly snapping his gaze away from the edge. Nearing a secluded corner of the roof which hid behind a large air conditioning unit, Danny lowered himself with bated breath onto the precipice. Dangling his legs and kicking his feet, he leaned back onto his elbows and gazed at the few stars he could see in the cloud-ridden sky. They winked in and out of sight as the rain-laden clouds plodded past, but they remained. A steady fixture, something to be counted on. Persevering. Danny smiled. He liked stars. And so he stayed there, enjoying the way the air pulled on his feet as he swung them, feeling the breeze ruffle his hair, and keeping his gaze steadfastly on the sky. And it would be that unwavering gaze that was his undoing, for in his solitude, he quite terribly failed to notice Red Robin, who, at the moment, was in turn gazing slack-jawed back at Danny.

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     Tim had always admired the second Robin. Always looked up to him, respected him. He was an idol. He knew what he had looked like when he had died. And he knew that he was dead. He knew, without a doubt, that Jason was dead. So why, then, was what looked like a fifteen-year-old Jason Todd sitting on top of a roof of a shitty hotel. Swinging his legs and looking at the sky like he hadn’t a care in the world. Actually, scratch that.  He looked like he had several cares. Jason the kid winced when he brought up his arm to wipe his nose, and the hem of his too-small hoodie rode up to reveal dirtied bandages. 

     Tim’s breathing picked up. This couldn’t be Jason. This couldn’t. Jason was dead. Tim had seen his body, broken and drenched in bruises. And yet… this boy. Looking too much like Jason to be a coincidence. Wincing like he had a large wound on his chest. Something like an autopsy wound. Looking just a little too pale, too pallid to be on the safe end of healthy. Many evident bruises. It couldn’t be, and yet. Here he was. Here Jason was. 

     Tim had to tell the others. They would be ecstatic! Jason was alive. Somehow. They’d figure that part out later. But he was alive! Oh, just wait until he was back at the manor. Jason could have his room back! It wouldn’t sit empty anymore, serving only to remain silent under Bruce’s quiet gaze, a haunting monument to the lack of Jason. They didn’t bring it up. But it would be okay now! The room would no longer be silent! It would be okay. Yeah, it would be okay. 

     Calm down, Tim, he chided himself, It could be a clone. Or even just a doppelganger. It could be anyone (Or it could be Jason, a quiet part of himself whispered. It could be Jason again). He was broken out of his thoughts as the kid (Jason, it’s Jason) stirred. He shivered, as if he was just noticing the chill, and made to get up. He winced once more, bringing a hand to his chest this time, clutching it as if he was about to shatter. As luck would have it, as he turned to leave, his sleeve caught on one of the screws on the clunky AC unit. The boy (Jason) grimaced, annoyed, and yanked on his arm. He only succeeded in tearing his hoodie. Huffing, he simply walked away, steps light in a guard against the loose tarmac and hands stuffed firmly in the pockets of his hoodie. The door to the roof thudded closed, the sound resonating across the now empty rooftop. This was it. This was his chance! He could get Jason’s DNA off the sweatshirt scrap, he could prove his theory! 

     In no time at all, Red Robin was back on the ground with a little baggie containing the scrap securely in one of his many pockets. Heavy shoes pounding soundly against the street, he started running, eager. So very eager. In that, it was quite soon that he disappeared entirely from the flickering glow of the hotel’s neon sign, hungry tendrils of crackling light licking at his boots like a brilliant, dancing fire, and him leaving it to hum gratingly and alone in the night.

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Constructive criticism would be appreciated!

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Next - Masterpost

[cozylittleartblog]

Columbo and the Knight (1984)

put me in the universe where Columbo ran through the 1980s and had a crossover episode with Knight Rider. I think they deserved it, and I am not just saying that because they're my two favorite Old Shows. @telebeast wrote a little fanfic blurb about it and I HAD to visualize it into a comic (which is also the longest comic I have finished thus far at five pages...), so writing credit goes to them.

Autism W!

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Thank you all for an incredible 500 days of love and support. I offer you: answers to questions that no one has asked.

(As always, more can be found in the tags <3)

[casualavocados]

I asked myself why I failed to notice. It was the first time we'd been apart that long. I found the birthday gifts you prepared for me in my room, from my 18th to my 21st. ...Shut up. I started to think about what you were doing back then. Were you celebrating my birthday all by yourself?

KISEKI: DEAR TO ME Ep. 12

[arsenicflame]

It's a time-honoured tradition- every time Sam comes across Izzy (and Ed) in their travels, he asks Izzy to marry him. And every time, Izzy turns him down.

At this point, Sam is asking more for the sake of it than any belief Izzy will ever say yes, a remnant of childhood dedication touched with 30 years of heartbreak and regret- though even now, a small part of him still holds out hope. Sam's promises have only got more extravagant over the years, from a job as his first mate, to a captaincy, a fleet at his command, a whole fucking island if that's what Izzy wants- but he knows it isn't though, not really. If Izzy was ever going to agree to marry him, to leave his life and go with Sam, it wouldn't be for anything Sam could offer him. Izzy never did care for flashy shows of wealth, for a ship or to be captain. The only thing that ever mattered to him was loyalty given, and loyalty shown in return. 

It all comes to a head after Stede left and came back, after Izzy lost a toe, lost his leg. Sam hasn't seen him since before things with Ed started to really slide off the rails, before stress permanently set into the lines of Izzy’s face. So, when he sees a dishevelled man with a hoof for a leg in a no-name port, he doesn't even consider the idea that he might know him. It's only when he turns towards him, and Sam catches a glance at those oh too familiar tattoos, he realises this is Izzy, his Izzy, that stands before him.

Knowing Izzy's discomfort with pity, he doesn't treat him any differently than he would in years gone by, positioning himself in Izzy's line of sight before approaching and sweeping him up into a bone crushing hug. 

“Israel-goddamn-Hands!” he exclaims, as Izzy grumbles back a begrudging “Samuel-fucking-Bellamy”, a tradition almost as old as their friendship itself. Izzy might not hug him back, but he can’t keep the corner of his mouth from twitching, just for a second.

(If Sam holds Izzy a little tighter and a little longer than usual, well. That's his business)

By the time Sam lets go, most of the crew has appeared in the town square, drawn in by the commotion. They may have given Izzy his leg and welcomed him as one of them, but still there’s an underlying tension, with nobody quite ready to set aside everything that happened before the Kraken. Seeing him cosying up to an unknown man sets everyone on edge, unsure whether to come to their first mate’s aid, or to assume that they've been betrayed once again.

When Ed sees that the yelling was Sam, his hand goes tense where it's held in Stede's. He knows the routine, has seen it more times than he can count, but as he watches them part he realises that this is the first time in a long time he's unsure of what Izzy's response will be.

Knowing that something’s different, knowing that Izzy's feeling vulnerable already, Sam doesn't go for the same flashy proposal he’s been giving for years. He doesn't promise Izzy the world, he doesn't cause a scene (or, any more of a scene than he already has, anyway). He looks at the fractured man in front of him, takes his face in his hands, and says the exact same thing to him he said when they were little more than boys. “Israel, I have to ask you. I know what you'll say, but I have to try. Come with me. Marry me and sail away with me. I'll keep you safe”

And Izzy… hesitates. He glances over at Ed, at Stede, and says to Sam “...We’re staying in port for a week. Ask me again then”

That's the moment Sam knows there is something deeply, horribly, wrong. He's not just looking at an Izzy who got seriously injured in a fight and is struggling to cope, this is something so much bigger than that- and that Ed has something to do with it. Izzy wouldn't even be considering leaving if he didn't. Whether it was negligence or something more sinister, Sam doesn't yet know, but he intends to find out.

[lavender-rroses]

//JRWI RIPTIDE SPOILERS

talk to us

[sableeira]

there is something about magic systems that borrow from a specific craft that makes them so special. Maybe it’s because they feel more tangible and it’s very easy to get swept away by the passion for the craft that is clearly written on every page.

Whether it’s the art based magic system in Witch Hat Atelier. Or the translation based magic system in Babel. Or the alchemy/chemistry based magic system in Fullmetal Alchemist.

The relation to a specific craft makes the characters passion for their magic feel so personal and relatable. Because there is magic in art, in translation, in chemistry and any other craft that people partake in. The magic system becomes a love letter towards creation and everyone who creates and there is nothing world building wise that could be more charming.

[ryllen]

Look what came through the mail today! The letters & ( •̀ω•́ )σ 3 little gremlins from letterstoear.

Just wanna say i adore the flower stickers on the letters too much, they are that much worth mentioning.

[gods-perfect-idiots]

something something blood-soaked hands cradling your face something something

anyway here's the post btw

[starshipoftheseus]

04.11.24 (SEA vs SJS): a very tired JOEY DACCORD accepts his three stars of the year & fan-favorite awards at the end of the last home game of the season

[caeslxys]

Something I think is extremely interesting thematically when it comes to connecting what Downfall and the ideas it tackled to the overarching narrative of campaign three is that the things Downfall made a point to showcase of Aeor—Cassida, Hallis, the visual of an aeormaton proposing to her partner, the specific and intentional decision to shed light on a far from insignificant amount of the population being civilians or refugees—is that it plays in perfect parallel across from what is happening (and, really, has been happening) to the ruidusborn on Exandria in present.

Bear with me for a moment. Aeor is ultimately a city that was collectively punished for the decisions of its leadership. We could (and, judging by the amount of discourse around this particular topic already, probably will) argue about what the Gods’ motivation for all of this was—whether it be that they could not, in the end, bear to kill their siblings or that they were terrified at the prospect of mortality—for me it is a very healthy dose of both—but for this I am much more interested in the latter. They were scared. That, really, is the driving force behind both this arc and their role in c3 as a whole.

Why I point this out is: It is far more interesting to me, especially as we go back to Bells Hells this week, to dissect the Gods and their decisions not purely on sympathetic motivation alone but as beings in the highest seat of power in the highest social class in Exandria.

So, having established that the Gods (in relation to mortals) are more a higher social class than anything we could compare to our real life understanding of divinity and that Aeor was eviscerated largely because of their fear—what is the difference between those innocents in Aeor caught in the trappings of their autocratic government leadership and a divine war on the ground, and those of the ruidusborn being manipulated both by Ludinus and by the very thing that inspired such visceral fear in the Gods to start with. I would argue very little.

I think of Cassida, doing what she genuinely thought was right and good and would save people, her son, and the object of her worship—and how that did not matter enough to any of them to spare her because of the fear they held at the very concept of mortality. I think of Liliana and Imogen, one of which we know begged for the gods to help her or send her a sign for years on years, and how every single one of their largest struggles could have been avoided had the gods loved them, their supposed children, as much as they feared what they could be. I think of how the thing that did save Imogen, in the end, was a woman who herself existed in direct defiance of the gods will. I think of that young boy, sixteen years old, that Laudna exalted on Ruidus.

I think it’s completely fair to judge Aeor’s overall society as deeply corrupt—it was!—but its leadership and police force are not a reflection of every one of its citizens. Similarly, it is fair to judge the Ruby Vanguard as corrupt—it is!—but its multiple heads of leadership and even the god-eater further are not a reflection of every one of its members.

Notably, and what I think the Hells will latch onto, this did not matter to the Gods. It did not matter that Cassida was trying to help. She was still too much of a risk. Will it matter, what Imogen does? Will it matter, if that young boy is in the blast radius when they decide to take no further chances?

I’ve seen a lot of people say that the Hells will side with the gods and I don’t think I agree. Especially as Imogen has been scolded and villainized over and over for daring to try and save her mother—who herself has been seen by some as an irredeemable evil in spite of her drive being the exact same—her family—but when it’s the Gods it’s justified? When it’s the Gods, it’s sympathetic? Too sympathetic to criticize further than “they’re family”?

I obviously do not think the Gods should die or be eaten or what have you, and I certainly don’t agree with Ludinus (though I find him much more compelling than just a variation of hubris wizard), but when talking about the Gods in Aeor and in present it isn’t really at all about their motivation or their family. It can’t be. Too many people, including our active protagonists, lives have been effected for it to be as cut and dry as “they’re family”. These are your children. They are your family, too.

[mo-ok]

✈️🌊🐬 blue 🐬🌊✈️

🌠

[coolingrosa]

Hi have I ever mentioned my favorite straight couple ever

[tequiilasunriise]

When Steph and Cass get married they don’t take the last name Brown (Daddy Issues™️) or Cain (Daddy Issues Prime™️) or even Wayne (Steph absolutely REFUSES to become a Wayne nosirree), but a secret fourth thing (Gordan).

[litterateur97]

JayVik and TimeBomb were such well written ships that make you feel devastated they didn't get happy endings.

CaitVi was such a well written ship that makes you feel devastated they did get a happy ending.

[guidingthulite]

guys if the next n25 event is kanade5 and kanade helps mizuki in a way no one else could because kanade is what brought n25 together in the first place and gives mizuki strength to face her fears can you all go "alma you're so smart" and "alma we love you and your infinite wisdom" and "alma i'm going to draw kanamizu for you"