#Steph totally loves Family Guy cause I say so

[badtothegnom3]

This is far from finished I’m so done with this mf 😭

[allthegothihopgirls]

I love the asexual Bruce Wayne agenda and I totally agree with it. What I want to know though is how Bruce (asexual queen that he his) deals with his hormonal teenage boys?

Cause like Bruce never got the sex talk (I mean his parents died when he was young, and the family Buttler is Not giving his former employers son the sex talk) and that’s fine by Bruce. Cause he’s never felt these ‘urges’ that everyone talks about. Honestly, sex is overrated.

But, Batman prepares for everything. And one thing that people ALWAYS stress about parenting is having to give your kids the sex talk.

I just really want to know about the hijinks like;

Bruce: *Standing forlornly in front of a ‘Sex Ed’ PowerPoint* So, I understand that you probably have no desire for these… urges. That everyone talks about. But the parenting book (and society) decrees that to be a good parent, I need to give my children a proper education on sex.

Dick: *Very much not asexual* Yeah, no thanks dad this really helps!

Bruce: *Bewildered* How???

although the idea of bruce uncomfortably giving his version of a 'talk' is amusing, i don't think he'd give one at all. none of the boys would really give him any reason to, until he gets to tim at least (he's like, the only one i haven't fully projected my asexual agenda onto at this point).

dick's always been very responsible, so when he starts dating, maaaaybe bruce has like, a single thought contemplating whether or not to sit him down, but i think he'd get off with a "you know that you should always treat a woman right, yeah?" whether dick's actually dating women is up for debate but you get the point and a pat on the back. i believe that bruce operates predominantly under the 'if they have questions, they'll ask' mindset, so he trusts that if dick needs an answer to something, he'll come to bruce. (or just source an answer elsewhere)

i do also think that if anything, alfred would be the one to pull bruce up and ask if he'd adequately informed the boys of things 'one on one' (because he KNOWS that he hasn't). and even then, if bruce were to actually sit dick down, he wouldn't get so far as an introduction spent dancing around the topic because bruce is himself, mortified, before dick stops him and says that he doesn't have to give him this talk, because "wally already did" (much to bruce's disapproval).

as for jason, dying isn't great for a guy's love life. as i pretty much said previously, i don't think bruce would approach anything until it was absolutely relevant (when the boys are already in a relationship). so jason not getting a chance to really date before he died, means that bruce never had the opportunity to talk to him about it. i also believe he'd assume that jason already knows, with the crude jokes he makes, and the kind of people he grew up around on the streets. and obviously, by the time he comes back as red hood, he's too old to 'not know' and it's just presumed he knows his stuff.

i think tim might cause him a little bit (a lot) of trouble though. it definitely scares the shit out of bruce when he finds out about steph getting pregnant by her ex. it prompts him to fling fully into action mode to prevent tim ever being in that situation. that'd be the first time he's properly spoken to one of his kids about it, lots of emphasis on protection and what NOT to do.

however for any other talk pre-steph, i really do think he'd try to palm off the responsibility onto dick (he's very thankful that he's got kids old enough to do it for him), asking him to talk to tim. bruce would probably pull out all the cards "i'm too old" "he'd think it was less weird coming from you" "i don't know what you kids get up to, he's better off hearing it from someone who he can relate to" "i don't want to traumatise the kid" etc etc.

i do think the whole steph situation would be a bit of a reality-check for bruce though, and he'd have the realisation "that could have been any one of the kids" and he would be on his toes for a bit. especially with the amount of girls tim is rumoured to have relations with. him getting with bernard would be a big relief for everyone bruce i think.

once again when he gets with bernard, bruce is 100% palming off the responsibility of having that talk, onto one of his other kids. most likely jason. this is getting super far into my own personal headcanon territory, but literally none of them are straight to me, and i think jason would be the most 'comfortably' gay (mostly just his lack of care about the subject, being percieved as open-ness). bruce would 100% ask dick to talk to tim if it weren't for how private he tends to be with his love life in adulthood. (even getting him to just have the general 'talk' with tim was pushing it)

i don't think he'd ever talk with damian, the league definitely taught him (although objectively). i do think out of all the kids, he'd be the one to have questions though, mainly about the romantic aspect of relationships, as he struggles to wrap his head around the concept of 'love', (which really tests bruce's parenting abilities) i do think dick (having the bond he does with damian) would go out of his way to have a talk with him as he got older though.

as for cass, i don't think she would have ever been taught, with her irregular upbringing, as well as not going to regular school and all. but girls are new in the batfamily, and bruce doesn't want to touch that conversation with a ten-foot pole, so he calls diana in to do it for him.

final note, i also really do think a large contributing factor to bruce most likely never approaching the subject out of his own free will is just how private they all tend to be with their love lives. like i can see dick telling bruce that he's dating someone (as a teenager), but apart from a name and how he knows them, he's not really giving much else away. jason on the other hand just completely leaves it up for everyone else to figure out on their own (it lives entirely in my head that he's like this with his family, but is super close with his partner's family, which is a shock to everyone). if anything, tim's the only one who ever wants people to know about his relationships, for them to 'meet the parents' (bruce) etc etc. it probably all stems from bruce himself being a pretty secretive guy.

[aroace-elgyem]

My ideas for a NPMD Pokémon AU:

Okay so I know I’m not the only one to do this (shoutout @brokecorviknight ) but I’ve had this idea kinda rattling around in my brain and had to write it down.

Pete would have a blipbug (it’s perfect, blipbug is like a Pokémon version of him). I rly like the idea that he doesn’t have any Pokémon (he’s just not rly that kinda guy, y’know?) until steph takes him out to catch his first Pokémon and they see a blipbug and she’s like ‘okay, you HAVE to catch that”.

Steph would have some kinda cool Pokémon. I’m settling on Scizor because I love drawing it and also I love the idea of them both having bug types <3

Ruth would have a Toedscool. It matches her mushroom sweater and also just kinda feels like a nerd Pokémon, y’know? Like it’s kind of a weird goober creature. I love toedscool (had one on my Violet team) so this is also just an excuse to draw more of it lol).

Ritchie I’m not actually totally set on, cause I wanted him to have a Pokémon that has kind of an ‘anime’ vibe but the only one I could really think of was lucario. Think about it, lucario has these aura attacks, it’s fighting type, and in smash bros it has that whole ‘gets stronger the more damage it takes’ which just oozes a shounen energy to me. Problem is, it feels too cool for Ritchie. Like, Ritchie’s Pokémon needs to be kinda toedscool tier in terms of coolness. Maybe it totally works in a ‘trying to hard’ kinda way, idk.

Okay so for Grace I’m gonna be totally transparent, this whole idea came up cause I saw fanart of what the characters teams would be and grace had 5 cute Mon and then a Yveltal. I love that concept, but I think Giratina works better cause it’s basically Pokémon Satan. She’d get Giratina post black book, before that her Pokémon would be Maushold, cause it’s cute, normal type, and it has this very family-values kinda energy (remember that bug that made it so it didn’t have an evolution animation and people memed the shit out of it cause like….what else does that imply if not sex??). Also the Pokédex says that the kids just sorta appear…which is hilarious and total feels like some shit grace would say.

Max has Gengar, it’s a kinda funny foreshadow/reference to him dying and I bet he uses his gengar to bully ppl/pull pranks.

I 100% wanna draw these at some point

[five-rivers]

By the time Danny finished 'explaining,' everyone was sitting, even Damian. Although it might be better to say that Damian was perched.

"I think that's pretty much everything relevant," said Danny, lacing his fingers together. "So... are we good? Do you believe me?"

Honestly, for Dick, the hardest part of all of this to believe was that a clone of Damian somehow wound up with Danny's mannerisms. The fidgeting, the stuttering, the slang, actually volunteering information while being unable to deliver it with any concision... Yeah. It was weird. Especially since Danny did more or less have Damian's face.

"We believe you," said Bruce in a tone that said his guilt complex was eating him alive.

"I don't think you could fake being this bad at explaining things," admitted Damian with a sniff.

"Yeah, so, welcome to the family," said Dick, giving Danny his best smile.

Danny blinked at him. "... Does that mean you don't want to put me in a containment cube?"

"No," said Bruce. "I don't think that's necessary at the moment."

"But I caused the apocalypse?"

"If we locked up every meta who might have caused the apocalypse in an alternate timeline, we'd need a lot more jails," said Tim.

"Oh. Okay. But, uh," he pointed at Dick. "I've already got a family... Mr. Grayson? Richard?"

"Call me Dick."

"I've already got a family, who I love. So. If you don't want to preemptively lock me up, you don't have to actually. Do that."

"You mean the scientists who shoot at you?" asked Tim, holding up his phone which, yes, showed two people chasing Danny in 'ghost form' down a street with guns.

"They don't know that's me," said Danny, "also, they've gotten way better lately."

"This is from last week."

"Eh," said Danny. "Progress isn't linear."

"When you fell off that building, did you fall on your head?" asked Damian, incredulously.

"Honestly don't remember," said Danny. "But I'm sure you've gotten just as many concussions as I have, so I'd be a lot less snide about my IQ, if I were you."

"If you're in danger," started Bruce.

"Look, if you really want to adopt someone, can I suggest Danielle?"

Bruce got a very pinched look around his eyes. "Who is Danielle?"

Danny paused. "Okay, maybe I didn't get all the important details."

"Please tell me there isn't a Damian clone out there who's a girl," said Tim.

"There isn't," said Danny, quickly.

"Oh, goo-"

"She's my clone."

"Isn't that the same thing?" asked Dick.

"Not really? I mean, Dani has my powers, and Vlad was definitely trying to clone me. But my point is, you don't have to do that. For me. Because I'm fine. You don't have to feel responsible."

Dick was quite certain that everyone did, indeed, feel responsible.

"But Dani is, like, traveling the world on her own, so if you could convince her to be adopted, that would probably be a good thing. But I do not need to be adopted, because I am already adopted. Also, I'm pretty sure Damian would murder me."

"We've moved past that, actually," said Dick before Damian could explode and prove him wrong.

"Cool. Anyway, you've got the stuff, so if you don't want to lock me up, I'm just going to go. If that's okay. Is it okay?"

No one answered that, because, no, it really wasn't.

The door opened and Alfred cleared his throat. "If I am not interrupting anything, Master Bruce, it is time for dinner."

"Right!" said Danny, brightly. "So, I'll leave you guys to it."

"Why don't you eat with us?" asked Bruce.

"Uh. Because I don't want to interrupt your family dinner? Or get stabbed."

"Hey," said Dick, "Steph interrupts our family dinner all the time."

"It's true," said Steph with a shrug. "Alfred's cooking is the best. I'd totally get stabbed for it."

Danny chewed on his lower lip for a second, then a smile crept onto his face. "Would you say it's to die for?"

"No," said Damian. "You cannot say things like that with my voice."

"I just did, though," said Danny.

Dick grabbed Damian. Just as a preemptive thing. "Great! Let's go eat!"

"Alfred," Dick heard Bruce say, quietly. "I need you to call the guy."

"Already done, Master Bruce."

Escaped clone au

You know all those fics where Danny and Damian are twins but everyone first assumes Danny must be a clone? How about an au where Danny is Damian's clone who escaped the League after he was assumed dead. Damian could even have been the one to have "killed" him, back when Danny was a newly created, fully brainwashed clone minion and trying to kill Damian himself.

Danny gets adopted by the Fentons and canon goes on as normal, until Dan. Witnessing what would happen to the world should he turn evil really drove home to Danny how dangerous he is.

Even if he was confident he could be trusted with his absurd amount of power (which he isn't), what if the League of Assassins found out about him? Does he still have programming triggers from his evil assassin clone conditioning?

So, Danny does the responsible thing: he goes to Batman to turn himself in.

Cue Danny showing up on Bruce's doorstep with ghost hunting equipment, intel on the afterlife, and an almost unbelievable backstory. Somehow he still managed to be more well-adjusted than Damian.

More thoughts under the read more

Here's how I'm thinking Danny leaving the League went down:

After surviving his wounds but failing his mission, Danny (then an unnamed potential Damian replacement) knew there was no point in returning to the League. As a failure, he was meant to be disposed of. He even thought of simply allowing himself to perish, since that was what the League would do.

But he couldn't help but feel as though that would be a waste of a resource. Surely he could be of more use to the League alive than dead?

That tiny bit of rebellious logic is what caused Danny to go into hiding, only living on based on the off chance he would find opportunities to further the League's goals. Obviously, that mentality didn't last long after being exposed to the real world and meeting one Jazz Fenton.

Being adopted by the Fentons was the best cover Danny could have asked for, since any odd behavior he couldn't hide while he was learning how to be "normal" was totally overshadowed by the sheer bizarre eccentricity of his new parents. He was still the neighborhood weird kid, but even that was a major upgrade from disposable tool, so Danny considered it a win.

Anyway, if anyone likes this idea, please feel free to have at it! Interpret it as you please :)

[thattimdrakeguy]

Weirdly enough Red Robin is the series I’d be most scared to review, because for obvious reasons I imagine more than any other character it’s the Tim fan base (I won’t say fandom, because I feel like that gives a different connotation nowadays. and it’s a bunch of chill, un-interactive but very passionate, chaps) that follow me.

And I’d just get sooo many people giving me nit-picks, and telling me stuff I already know.

Cause I can say anything against Teen Titans 2003, New 52, Rebirth, and Wonder Comics stuff cause that’s the generally agreed upon stuff that you can complain against for Tim. Cause like, to not play dumb to it, this whole Bat-Family fandom acts like there’s freaking laws to abide by if you don’t want a bunch of batty (not a pun, not even saying not a pun in sarcasm lol) fans and stans down your neck. Normally involving certain characterizations or comics that, honestly, aren’t even usually the more accurate ones, but the contradicting ones that don’t make a lick of sense, and that’s not even talking about the straight up fanon ones.

Not to say I wouldn’t get why it’s the Red Robin series that’d get people to give me crap out of all the Tim stuff, because I do. It’s a lot of peoples entry to Tim, and it’s pretty heavy implications of suicidal ideation, and more so obvious mental breakdown journey across continents means a lot to people. I can get why, and if it wasn’t those characters in it, I’d think it was great too.

Also I know for a fact people would act like I’m just bias for 90s Tim, and point out Timmy’s in a teddy bear hoodie in my header. Cause it’s the most weakest defense someone could possibly make cause they’re lacking an actual point. Like they know everything a fucking ‘bout me, when they don’t, I’m just allowed to think my own stuff, and I’m allowed my dang comfort art, so blah blah blah. I’ve proved myself enough. I don’t need some random dismissive guys random approval or not, but man can it be annoying when someone thinks they’re smart about it.

Like basically put, it would be very exhausting to go through the many different series and years of comic book content to explain why I think the way I do, when all the other person has to say is “I like this series a lot, and it means a lot to me, it’s story about depression, and plus it’s Tim being at the button of his sanity so-- And I think this person is stuck on 90s Tim” cause like I freaking get it, and acting like cause I prefer a different Tim comic means my opinion isn’t valid, is the most childish thing ya can really do. Like I love 90s Tim the most for a reason, and I started reading Tim as Red Robin first, ya ninny.

But to just be honest, it is an incredibly flawed series that has overall, in the long game, soiled the character of Tim Drake, and directly influenced the New 52 and beyond depiction of him. Not to give Lobdell an excuse, I just find it really odd that people getting praising it as the peak of Tim content when it’s even caused some really freaking toxic fandom beliefs.

When some of the most important scenes in the series are so botched that it has genuinely made people despise other characters when I don’t even think they were portrayed well for that to make sense. The messy inconsistent writing as it went between two different writers causing some absolutely terrible characterization for Tim that isn’t even always consistent within the series itself because FabNic is just awful, and how forgettable most stuff after the first story is.

That first story I can understand the love for it. But people treating the whole series as a whole like it’s a great journey of long-term story development just feels like a real bad describer for it. Because to me by the end of it’s run it caused Tim to be put in the terrible spot that he’s only now escaping from little under a decade later. As well as only really starting cause people in the company didn’t like Tim and the characters around them as much as you’d hope.

In total, I honestly feel like if it wasn’t released during a time were the common tastes were very edgy and emo-esque, as well as around the time the online fandom spaces were only really then being formed in a way that was practical for casual interaction and discussion, and being the only series titled “Red Robin” therefore people seem to think it’s Tim’s variation of “Nightwing”, when it’s honestly not, it wouldn’t be a series that highly regarded.

I’m not saying the whole thing is a pile of shit, cause it’s also frankly not. There’s some powerful stuff in there, and some moments that really do hit super hard in ways that don’t feel superficial. Cause another thing people don’t seem to understand that when I say his characterization isn’t good in it, does not equal me saying “He is not the same exact character he was 15 years before the series came out”, it legitimately just means I feel they took the character to places that felt more forced than genuine, or just had him stuff that goes against what he’d do for the sake of just being edgy as if it’s deep, even during his circumstances and it created people having a false understanding of who Tim is at his heart, that made it incredibly difficult for Tim to get a good story for basically a freaking decade.

It’s a series I want to review because I have genuine things to say about it, but when ever I do say anything about it I feel like I see several sub-posts that are almost undeniably about me (hasn’t happened for a while cause I don’t really bother talking about stuff I don’t like anymore, cause life's hard enough, and I’ve seen the worst end of a lot of people from it) trying to downplay me, because they got defensive about it, rather than actually trying to process what I meant by things instead of just assuming it cause it’s touchy for them.

Like I’ve openly shit on Damian’s most popular series’, and accepted fandom malarkey, because I legitimately think they’re overhyped as could be, not that great, and only have the popularity they do through bandwagoning and going along with things. And I did that while knowing how defensive the Damian fandom is, and how quick they are to just leak out nasty assumptions or outright suicide bait you (yes I remember someone tried to defend me by suicide baiting someone else, but fuck them too, I never defended them or asked them to. idgaf which fandom does it. i’m clearly not on anyone's team. this isn’t a fucking sports game).

I’ve even straight up shit on pretty much every single Jason story except Under the Red Hood, while defending some Robin Jason stories, and I haven’t even got crap on me for that, which is honestly strange. Surprisingly just got told “Ya know what. Fair point. I can accept that. I don’t agree, but I can accept it.”. Which given what I have been shown of the Jason fandom I expected much worse, but they’ve honestly been really chill with me. Me and the Jason fandom has been actually some of the most pleasant interactions I’ve had outside my own bubble.

The majority of Steph’s existence as a character I’ve criticized and gotten crap on it, but honestly I found the response of countless anons going “YEAH MAN I AGREE WITH YOU” and going way harder on her than I ever did to be pretty dang annoying, and even more annoying cause people kept thinking I said stuff I freaking didn’t out of it. So every now and again people will just straight up lie about me to my face. Like you try to talk to someone that’s been preparing to talk to you by fighting an imaginary version of yourself. It’s pretty difficult if I had to be honest. Talking ‘bout bias’s like I didn’t write TimSteph fan fictions before I realized they weren’t that great and didn’t work, while realizing that I honestly didn’t think Tim was into girls in-general.

But, to get back on topic, with the Tim fandom it’s less like, open faced attempts to make you feel like a garbage human being, and more just straight up rudely dismissive as quite often the ones I’ve seen do it try to portray themselves as some calm knowledgeable unbias source of Tim knowledge.

And there’s a different sensation of annoyance at that.

Like what is the point of trying to pretend to be some source of knowledge and for a few comradery, while also being a dismissive person that first has to make others seem lesser.

And there’s some that I’ve seen do it that I don’t even think are dicks honestly, and have no problem with it, cause it’s just so innocently “I just really like the series and still think it’s good”. That I’d be confused why people would think I have a vendetta against everyone else. I’ve never been like, straight up offended more than once over the specific topic of Red Robin. But it is a thing that makes me like “I’ll get so many people giving me crap over having a different opinion for this won’t I”. And get some people trying to validate just being a bit of a fucker to me for no good reason.

So like, may or may not write a Red Robin review, but I might not cause despite quite a few people in the Tim fandom being quite chill about it, there’s quite a lot of people that are low-key toxic about it, and a lot of bad fandom things came out of it as well.

[janbirdie20]

Rays of Sunlight

Altan Hussan was not a wolf to be trifled with. He was old and tired of the ennui brought on by age. He came to the Alpha of all Alphas to die, but his wish was not granted. Altan was a warrior in every sense of the word, but what happens when his cold, isolated heart meets the hurricane that is Sunny Redfeather, a Navajo Skinwalker from Arizona.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One: There She Goes

Can you remember

Who you were,

Before the world

Told you who you should be?

K.w.

Being named after the sun was a hard thing to live up to. Sunny couldn’t decide if she wanted to be a raging inferno destined to burn the world down with her fire or a sweet, simple beam of light to warm the dark places in others. It really depended on whether or not she had any coffee that morning if she was going to blind the shit out of someone or just be a subtle discomfort. Like if you fell asleep in the sun for too long.

Like seriously who names their kid after a freakin’ hot ball of gas in the sky that, in like eight hundred billion years, would swallow the earth in a fiery explosion and kill any life on it?

Well at least she wasn’t named after the floating rock in the sky where that one guy's missing left testicle was, wait that’s Lance Armstrong the cyclist, not Niel the astronaut, whoops. But damn all those white guys looked the same in her opinion. Sunny was hardly the worst name in the world, cough North West cough, she could live with it.

“Sun, whatcha thinking about?” Moony, said child named after the floating rock in the sky, asked her. Maybe she could change her name? Bethany? Barbara? Something starting with a B maybe?

“Lance Armstrong’s missing left testicle and if he is related to Neil or not.” She responded plainly, ignoring the startled look the woman in seat 2-B sent her. If she didn’t want to hear about Lance Armstrong’s missing left testicle she should stop eavesdropping like a hoe. Little bitch was sending goo-goo eyes at her twin. Moony, her twin Moony, who has never kissed a girl in his life, let alone seen one naked. Which was what this white woman was thinking about if the disgusting smell of lust redating off her was anything to go by.

Over her dead body would this woman pop Moony’s cherry! She giggled and shot Hussie Number Two a glare she had been working on for the 1.58 hours it took to fly from the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona to Stevensville, Montana. The woman looked back down at her Vogue magazine and if Sunny wasn’t feeling so possessive she would have admired the chick’s tastes. On magazines, not men. What about Steph? Nah, that sounded like an STD. Tiff? Tiffy?

“Sounds fun, but let’s call that a personal topic.” Moony drawled, smirking at 2-B and causing her to blush. Which is why 2-B was Hussie Number Two and not number one, as that lovely spot was permanently taken by Jacy Redfeather. AKA Moony.

“Why, Lance Armstrong will never find his missing left testicle if the general public is not informed of its… missingness,” Sunny smirked, she was good at that and blew a strand of bubble gum pink hair out of her face. The look on Catori Redfeather’s face when Sunny came home from Europe with pink hair was priceless, god did she wish she had a camera.

“If you say Lance Armstrong and missing left testicle in the same sentence again I will throw you out of this plane and laugh,” Moony growled. Sunny gasped and jutted out her bottom lip. She was good at pouting too. She had lots of talents.

“What if I said Lance Armstrong’s misspaced not the right ball but the other one, instead?”

“How can you misplace a testicle? I can’t believe we came from the same womb.”

“Me either, have you seen my face, God was mean to you Moons.” Sunny shook her head in sympathy and placed a tan hand on his broad shoulder for comfort. Moony pressed his plump lips together in disgust and shrugged off her hand. Rude.

“God was mean to me in more ways than one. Giving us you as a family member proves that there is sin in the world.” He droned, shifting his long legs, careful not to kick the seat in front of him. Moony was considerate like that, unlike Sunny who knocked the hell out of the seat in front of her when she did the same thing. Why the guy had to glare at her she had no idea, it’s not like she meant to give him a bloody nose. Baby-backed bitch, she thought, sticking a tongue out at the back of his seat, like an adult.

“I am so telling Amá you said that!” Sunny whined, channeling a very accurate Kim K performance. She thought she should get a Grammy for her work. She already had her acceptance speech planned. I would like to thank my legs for getting me places, my arms for feeding me….

“Go ahead, she’ll agree with me,” Moony said, totally unaware she had just cut him out of her will. He took a sniff and furrowed his brows. Sunny smelled the air too and only came up with the scent of airplanes and feet. “I wonder what her name is?” He whispered, barely a sound came out from his lips. But Sunny could hear, could still hear it even if he was in the bathroom at the very back. Mountain lions had very good hearing and so did their Skinwalker counterparts.

“Brenda or some other white name. Why do you care? It’s not like you’re gonna see her again.” Sunny glared at her once more.

“Casual fun, ain’t nothing wrong with it, Suns.” Moony tilted forward to smirk at Hussie Number Two, letting the full might of his Navajo features overpower the woman’s delicate sensibilities. Moony was handsome, even though she had to admit it, with gorgeous long black hair and piercing brown eyes, he could stop a heart in its chest. Then again the same could be said for Sunny, though her features were wider than her twin’s. She had their mother’s Hopi face.

“Moon, we’re Baptist, no diddles before marriage, remember?” Moony sighed and sat back, closing his eyes for a moment. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, his unconscious tick he did when he had a headache. Sunny reached down, rummaging through her brown bag, and slipped two Advil into his large palm. Moony took them without saying anything, he didn’t have to, Sunny felt his gratefulness.

“Attention passengers, we will be landing in Stevensville Memorial Airport in ten minutes, please fasten your seatbelts, raise your tray tables and prepare for landing. On behalf of Delta Airlines, we thank you for flying with us.”

Ten minutes before landing. Ten minutes before they were in Merrick's territory. Ten minutes till Sunny’s life would change.

[kimberly-spirits13]

Tough Love (Request)

Pairing: Bruce x (daughter) reader

Synopsis: You’ve always been tough. It was just part of the job. However, your father never wanted you involved in the hero life. As you got older you trained and started on your own offering to help along the way. He never let you, maybe there was something wrong with him, or maybe it was you?

Notes:

Warnings: Bruce being a crappy father 

Word Count: 1328

           You were one of the eldest siblings of the Batfam. Younger than Dick, but older than Jason, you were Bruce’s first biological child. He never wanted you to follow in his footsteps and become a vigilante. You hated it, being left out of the family business. In spite of this, you worked harder than anyone, trained, got proper schooling, and went out to start a massive corporation. Diana and Alfred were like your actual parents. You crashed at her place when things with your father got harder, and Alfred was there as your rock. He was for everyone.

           At the age of 15, you started secretly training to become the hero, Knight. Your costume was intricate, filled with details on your black armor. Like your youngest and oldest brother, escrima sticks and swords were your calling card weapons. Now, your father knew about these activities. When you told him, he was less than pleased but he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it. Now, in present day, you still offered to help on cases, but always for nothing.

           “Diana I just don’t understand!” You said, “Dad still isn’t letting me help and I’m a grown woman.” “21!”

           “I know you’re pained by this Y/N, but have you ever thought about the fact that he’s afraid of... losing you to the job?” Diana asked sipping her tea.

           “I mean maybe but he’s losing me already and I’m not even that deep in.” You sighed, “He doesn’t care what I do, but when it comes to making a difference, he goes up in arms.”

           You weren’t one to be vulnerable with anyone. It was just part of growing up. Within the office you had to make sure to keep as boss, on the streets, a Wayne, and finally, in the field, Knight. These moments were some of the only that you’d let yourself, your thoughts and emotions show.

           You were about to say something else when the phone rang. It was Dick calling to ask if you were coming to the manor.

           “It was nice seeing you Diana, I have to get back to the manor and help out with a few things.” You said standing up.

           You bid her a farewell and left for Gotham. It was raining when you got there, something typical of the city. Alfred greeted you at the door with a massive hug.

           “How is everything here?” You asked.

           “Everything is in its normal state of chaos, though Master Bruce has taken on a new case that I think might be over his head. It is evolving a few very large corporations, some that you might be better acquainted with.” Alfred explained as you walked into the cave, greeted by your family.

           “That is interesting. Maybe I can look into it.” You said after everyone was suiting up to go on patrol or leaving.

           Everyone was gone when you made your next comment, “You know, without telling dad.”

           Alfred nodded walking off just as Bruce walked in.

           “Without telling me what?” He asked suited up.

           “Oh nothing.” He eyed you suspiciously.      

           “This wouldn’t be about the corporation scheme? Is it?” Bruce questioned.

           “Probably not.” You replied, holding your hands behind your back.

           “You know I don’t want you messing with this Y/N. If I could have, I would have stopped you completely.” Your father walked to one of the gear shelves to get something down.

           “That isn’t up to you, besides I am perfectly capable of helping and doing my part.” You said defensively, “I could help you, you know. I mean I work closer with the owners of the corporations than anyone else, it would be easy-“

           Your father cut you off aggressively, “Haven’t I made myself clear in the past? I don’t want you helping. You could get hurt or...” He paused thinking leaving you room to interject.

           “Or get in the way. Is that it? You just don’t want me coming into the picture with everyone else? Babs could, Steph, Cass! Hell! The moment I came to you asking to do anything it was shut down immediately! Do you not trust me?!” You asked now crossing your arms in anger.

           “No!” He yelled, “You’d be totally consumed Y/N! This isn’t up for debate, I don’t want to hear about it again lest you’d like to lose patrol privileges here!”

           “Fine! Consider this the last time, you never needed me anyways, I was always the side act.” You ran off hoping to not talk about this any further unless he would have a civil conversation without brushing you off like he always did. You knew that was hopeless.

           Bruce tried to call you back but you hopped onto your bike and sped off for Nightwing’s location, hopefully to rant for a few minutes.

           It was silent in the cave for a while. Bruce was fuming, but at the same time he knew, he knew that he couldn’t stop you. You had the drive that he had and the determination of a god. He scolded himself for letting you run off like that.

           “Master Bruce, I think you owe Miss. Y/N an apology. She is your daughter and is only trying to be a part of this family.” Alfred came in, “She tells me that she doesn’t feel like you care you know.” “Miss. Y/N thinks that she is better off just leaving the family all together.”

           Bruce could sense Alfred’s saddened tone upon saying that.

           “You must let her do something of use. Master Bruce, you are already losing her whether you’d like to accept it or not.”          

           Bruce wanted to yell at him but he couldn’t. He’d never really seen you talk to anyone in that way. Maybe he really was losing his little girl.

           “What do I do?” Bruce asked now totally at a loss.

           “Take her up on her offer. If anything, you’d bond more during these times. She’s not all brick and steel walls Master Bruce, you just have to get to know her. Apologize when she comes back, I shall have tea and cookies made upon her return. Maybe during this time, you might come up with a sincere apology.”

           Bruce didn’t argue, instead, he left for patrol to think and also to fight criminals but still.

           You walked into the cave last, staying behind for some extra training. You knew that your father was behind you, however, you weren’t going to acknowledge it.

           “Y/N.” He said.

           “Mhmm?” You hummed in response, your heart racing at what he might say.

           “We need to talk.” He said, “Come over here.”

           You two walked to the cave computer and sat down.

           “I know that I haven’t been very ... accommodating or supportive of your hero life style. I know that I have never been the best father and that I should never have so blindly left you in the dark to figure this entire thing out by yourself. I am so, very sorry for all of the trouble that I’ve caused being so stubborn. I think I was afraid of losing you ultimately. It should never have been my choice. I want to have you start helping on cases more. Build a better relationship with you know that you’re older. All of this, only if you’ll allow it.” Bruce explained.

           You could feel a lump in your throat forming as you heard the words of validation that you had been wanting to hear for so many years. It was the greatest thing that had ever happened to you which was saying a lot.

           “T-thank you.” You hugged him tightly as he did the same.

           “I’m sorry that you’ve had to do all this without your father being supportive of everything, not just the business and schooling parts.” Bruce stated.

           “It’s fine now, all’s forgiven.”

           With that, you sat down with cookies and tea, working on the first case with your father that you had ever done.

I really liked this request a lot. I’m working on more and will post one request a day also sometimes throwing in some of my own. I hope that you guys are having a great week and had a restful weekend and I hope that you liked this!

[simsadventures]

Better Like This: Chapter 4: Attention

Chapter Summary: You and your friends come up with a plan to make Bucky make a move. Is he gonna see through your master plan or is he, for once, going to do what you would like him? 

Warnings: swearing, mentions of injury, drinking, jealous Bucky, sneaky reader

Word Count: 3628

A/N: I kinda strayed away from the SVU concept but I promise I’ll get back to it. I guess I'm not able to do two things at once properly :D Each chapter has more and more words, by the 10th chapter the word count will be like 8K or something :D 

As always guys, if you wanna see something happen, let me know, and I’ll see what I can do with it. 

Series Masterlist __ Masterlist

< Previous Chapter

Scott was a bad planner, and that was an understatement of the year. When he said “we have to use it against him” he didn’t really think of a plan to do it. He and Hope would spend a lot of time at your apartment because, after the little incident, you had to take the rest of the week off to get rid of the last bits of concussion and to let your arm heal. 

So you had a lot of time to think and make a plan on your own because your partner was obviously useless. You told everything to Wanda, who actually took the week off too just to spend more quality time together. You loved her, and all, but 4 days 24 hours a day, that was a lot of Wanda even for you.

It was during a particularly loud night at your apartment, with the two couples keeping you company, that you actually figured out what to do. And it all started so innocently.

You talked about friends and family, just laughing and remembering people, when you realized you and Hope had a mutual friend, without the other one knowing it. “Wait a second, you wanna tell me you know Strange? Doctor Stephen Strange?” Hope almost yelled and laughed at the same time. “Yeah, I’ve known him for years! He repaired my shoulder after a not so good fall during the Academy. We’ve been friends ever since.” You replied and smiled at the memory.

You were little over 23, working your ass and mind off at the Academy when during a drill, you dislocated your shoulder. You didn’t even go to the hospital after the end of the training, because as soon as you fell, all of the arrogant Alpha’s around you started laughing and wouldn’t listen to your painful whines. 

The ER was not too busy when you got there, and so you could be checked and repaired in no time. As soon as the doctor walked in, you shrunk and acted as if it didn’t hurt like a motherfucker. You could smell that he was an Alpha, and didn’t even want to meet his eyes, as you were scared, he would make fun of you too. 

Needless to say, he didn’t make fun of you, but the lecture he’s given you? You didn’t think anyone could be that pissed at you for neglecting yourself, especially someone who’s never met you. But Stephen took you under his wings and was the voice of reason in your life. 

What many people, except his family and close friends, didn’t know, was that he was mated, and moreover, mated a male Omega. He met Wong at a course called Magic Tricks 101 and were living happily together in their luxurious New York apartment. You always loved to go to their place, even though you kinda felt like visiting a freaking hotel. Steven being a renown surgeon and Wong and owner of a luxurious restaurant, you weren’t really surprised their apartment looked that well.

With the mention of Stephen’s name, Wanda’s eyes widened and started to shine. She was a little drunk, just like everyone else in the room except you, and so you tried to ignore her rambling about how Stephen looks excellent and what not. Vis was looking at Wanda with question marks in his eyes like: “really Wanda? I’m in the room too, ya know.” 

She noticed her boyfriend staring weirdly at her, so she added, “not for me, Jesus, but for Y/N. You could totally date him.” 

You weren’t prepared for it and the fit of laughter her idea caused almost threw you out of your chair. “D-date Stephe? Hahaha, oh my god, that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard, I mean, you do know he is mated and mated to a man, right?” 

“Oh shut up, I know he is mated and gay, but does everyone else know?” You stopped laughing and looked at Wanda. What was she talking about? “Go on, I’m intrigued,” said Scott and bid Wanda proceed with her master plan. 

“I mean, you wouldn’t even have to lie to people, Strange wanted to see your new unit anyway, didn’t he? And he’s like a big brother to you, so he always hugs you and kisses you on the head and stuff. You could tell him to come to pick you up at work and have dinner at Wong’s place, no-one in the office would have to know you guys are going out just like friends.” 

You wanted to dismiss her idea. You hated lying, and this seemed like you would have to lie to a lot of people. But Wanda had a point. You would just let them live a story they’d construct in their own heads, it would, theoretically, had nothing to do with you. And seeing Bucky growling at Scott and attacking Sam, for whatever reason that was, could really set the wheels into motion.

“I would have to tell Stephen, I really can’t lie to him, but, and I hate to admit it, this could actually work Wanda. I don’t know what I expect to happen, but something will probably happen, for better or for worse. Alright, I’m game, but if he tries to tackle somebody again, I’m gonna mop the floor with him, true mate or not, concussion or not.” 

You smiled to yourself. You had a plan. 

Bucky, unlike you, didn’t have many things to smile about on that particular Friday night. After acting like a complete douchebag, Steve called him and Sam to his office and gave them hell. No-no-no. Hell would’ve been better than yelling and cursing Steve did. And Steve never cursed. Never. 

So on a Friday night, when he usually would’ve been at home, or at a bar with Sam, occasionally with Steve too, he was now at a crossroad in the middle of Manhattan. After his and Sam’s shift end, for the rest of the week, they both had to go back to being traffic officers. They were both so happy when they took this uniform off of them for the last time and became detectives. Steve knew how much they both hated it, and that’s why this was their punishment for acting like a bunch of children. 

He hasn’t seen you either, because you had to stay at home and get better. This thought made a shiver run down his spine. You were injured and even worse, he himself hurt you. Not intentionally, but that did nothing to his conscience. 

With your absence, he realised a horrific thing. He missed you. The thought made him shiver again. But it was the truth, he got so used to you being there in the office, hearing your voice, however in the distance, it was and being able to smell your delicious smell, he missed all those things, and he couldn’t wait for you to come to work on Monday. And he hated himself for even thinking about it.

Sam’s been pissed at him ever since the scene in the unit, they both knew what they were talking about and the only oblivious person in that conversation was you, and it was, unfortunately, you who got hurt in the end. Sam’s been giving him the silent treatment, and Bucky couldn’t get out of him more than “uh-huh” or “nu-uh” or an occasional shrug. Bucky knew he deserved it for being such an asshole, but it still bugged him.

When he was first paired up with Sam, he pleaded with their previous Captain to get him a new partner. Anyone, really, but that talkative smug Alpha. He didn’t succeed, and after months of Sam’s constant bugging and jokes and just stupidities of everyday life with him, Bucky realised he grew fond of him and wouldn’t change a thing. 

And now he really needed his friend, that smug ass to yell at him, punch him in the arm, and tell him that they’ll figure it out. That Sam will help him manage himself, that he would actually tell Bucky what to do. But Sam was as cold as ice. 

“Oh, come on, man. It’s been going on for days and look, I get it, I’m a dick, but like, can’t you at least talk to me?” Bucky asked Sam after their long-ass shift ended. Sam looked at him with a raised eyebrow, leaned on his car and crossed his arms. 

“Alright, you’re listening, that’s good. Ok, huh. Look, man, I’m sorry, I acted like a child and got you in the middle of a problem that’s nowhere near about you. I’m sorry I punched you for some Omega-“ 

“Some Omega? You shitting me, right? You still playing this game with your brain? Like, get your head out of your ass man. She ain’t just ‘some Omega’, you dickhead. She is YOUR fucking Omega, and you should get this concept through that thick skull of yours. And before you even start with that shit about Y/N being anything like Amber, save your breath. You and I both know that’s not the case. I didn’t like Amber from the very first look, you know that, bro. But Y/N? Everyone loves her and… you know what do what you want, man. But if you wanna reject her? Then do it properly and don’t let her hope for something you are not willing to give her.” With that, Sam got into his car and sped away. 

Bucky was left there standing, staring at the rear of Sam’s car, thinking about it all. Maybe he should reject her. Perhaps it would be for the best. 

Monday couldn’t come early enough for you. You were giddy like a little child on a Christmas Eve. You knew you had to wait till the shift was almost over, and only hope Bucky would be present.

You had Stephen and Wong over at yours on Saturday and told them about your/Wanda’s master plan. Wong was so amused and loved the idea so much, you had a lot of work to do to make him not come and watch the whole encounter. Stephen was reserved at first, he couldn’t really get into a fight, his hands were worth millions of dollars. You rolled your eyes at him and had to promise him, that you’d protect his precious little hands. 

To that he agreed and was getting more and more into the role, trying to figure out, what kinda Alpha he should play in front of the squad and if he should kiss you and how. You made a disgusted face at that and told him to just as he always does, you were good with just a side hug and a kiss on top of your head. REALLY.

Stephen had a morning shift, and you really hoped no-one would get hurt bad enough for him to have to be at the hospital. You were acting selfishly, but you really need this day to go as you planned. You both agreed that you’d text each other if anything changed, but you prayed it wasn’t necessary.

The whole day was going on smoothly, even though you could feel Bucky’s weirdly long stares at you. He wouldn’t be caught dead staring at you the week before and now? He wouldn’t even look away when you found him staring. Weird. And his questions? Was he teasing you? Testing your knowledge? You didn’t know, but you never had so much contact with him. Not that you complained. 

Oh nooo, you were too happy when he came closer to you, and you took a whiff of his scent every time he did so. Delicious, you thought, but would be more delicious in my bed. You rolled your eyes at yourself and made yourself be patient, ‘cause patience is a virtue!

Bucky thought he made his mind during the weekend: reject you. Easy as that. You two didn’t have any relationship, so he shouldn’t care for your emotions. But when Monday came, he caught himself staring at you all day. He couldn’t even concentrate on work, your smell was engulfing his whole being, and he just wanted to get up, scent you properly and take you there in front of everyone. He needed a cold shower, great. 

He couldn’t understand how one person can have such an impact on somebody by just being. He wanted to get closer to you. His whole body sang for yours. So he caught himself many times during the day coming to you and asking you stupid questions just to be closer to you. 

Sam saw it all and smirked to himself. He really hoped he wouldn’t push Bucky towards the wrong decision, but even for someone as patient as Sam, Bucky’s bullshit was too much to bear. But now, it all seemed as if everything was going the right way. At the end of the day, Bucky could even ask you on a date, or something of that sorts. 

The end of your shift was nearing, and you were growing more and more giddy. You tried to look as calm and collected as you could, but whenever you looked at Scott, he gave you his widest smile and almost always put out thumbs up to show his support. You couldn’t look at him anymore without laughing like a little girl. Jeez. 

Suddenly, the front door opened, and when you looked the way, you saw Stephen strolling through the unit towards your desk. From the corner of your eye, you could see Bucky and Sam ceasing their movements, probably stopping in the middle of cleaning their desks. 

“Hey, hun, ready for the dinner? Wong got us his best table.” Stephen smirked at you and did what he always did when greeting you: side hug and a kiss on top of your head. You smiled inwardly and let him do his thing.

“Yeah, sure. Just need to pack last few things, and we can head there. You know Scott, right?” you looked into the direction of your partner who obviously needed every last strand of self-control not to burst out laughing. 

“Yeah, yeah, we’ve met a couple of times. Wong’s, huh? You’re surely spoiling her, man.” 

Now it was you almost laughing your ass off. When you glanced towards Sam and Bucky’s tables, you could see Bucky’s posture changed from the relaxed, I’m-going-home type of posture into a very rigid one, with a set jaw. His eyes felt like they could pierce your soul. And he was just standing there, staring at you. You thought you could even hear a low rumble coming from his chest, but you couldn’t be too sure. 

“Oh my God,” Natasha squealed from behind you, “you’re Stephen Strange, the famous surgeon, right? It’s so nice to meet you!” They shook hands, and she looked at you questionably. The team felt the tension between you and Bucky, and you were quite sure they knew about your little situation. So, you weren’t surprised Natasha was looking at you with some sort of suspicion. 

“Yeah, we’re just heading out. Anyway guys, have a nice evening and-“

“Y/L/N! Can I speak you with for a sec?” You expected a lot of voices to say that, but Bucky’s wasn’t one of them, so you just looked at him confused. Satisfied that he probably took the bait, but confused nevertheless. “Can’t it wait till tomorrow, Barnes?” 

“No, now!” and he left the room, expecting you to follow him. Stephen smirked at you and bid you go, not without playfully hitting your bum. You just giggled and shook your head at him and went to see what Bucky wanted. 

“What is it, Barnes? I got a dinner planned and-“ you couldn’t finish the sentence as your whole body was suddenly pushed against the wall behind you. Neither of you moved, you stared at Bucky, waiting for his next move. 

He didn’t plan on doing this. He really wanted to let you go home and work up his courage to talk to you in the next few days. But when he saw the Alpha coming in for you, expensive suit and all, taking you to one of the best restaurants in the city, he just couldn’t hold back. 

He wasn’t thinking clearly, he just needed to get you out of this Alpha’s presence and alone. Hell, he didn’t even know what to tell you once he pushed you against the wall and held you there. He was starting to calm down, your mere presence was bringing inner peace to him that he didn’t think possible. 

He was a hot-headed man. It mostly did him good, in his line of job. He was the bad cop, Sam was the good one, and the dynamics always worked. But he couldn’t be hot-headed all the time. Usually, he would have to do breathing exercises to calm himself down, but with you around (when you two were alone), he didn’t have to do anything. He could just stare into your eyes, letting your scent wrap around his body like a blanket.

“Anything you wanna say, Barnes, or can I go to that dinner now?” You smirked at him. A low rumble left his chest, but other than that, he was quiet. You would pay anything in the world to know what was on Bucky’s mind. Which, by the way, would be money totally wasted because Bucky’s mind was completely blank. He couldn’t even construct a sentence right now, let alone a sentence that would convey his emotions. 

He didn’t know what he was feeling, he just knew that he couldn’t let you go out on a date with another man. Another Alpha, who could hurt you, or take away the possibility for Bucky to make a move. 

“Don’t go, Y/N. Please,” he whispered and lowered his head, but still not letting go of your shoulders. 

“Why shouldn’t I go to dinner? You said yourself, that you’ll never want an Omega and maybe I’m just acting on your words.” 

“Can I, will you… will you let me explain, please? I know I’ve been acting distant-“ 

“You haven’t been distant Bucky, you’ve been downright hurtful, both emotionally and physically. What would you like to explain to me, huh? Why you’ve been acting like I’m a fucking plague, or why you jumped at Sam and me last week, or what?” You were glad he was talking to you, that he was somehow trying, but you needed him to understand how hurt you were and that you weren’t about to give in so easily. If that’s what he wanted, of course. 

“Everything, let me explain everything, please. I don’t- I don’t understand myself either, and I’m ashamed that my actions and my stupidity hurt you last week. Just please, hear me out, give me a chance to explain.” He was still barely whispering, but now looking you dead in the eye and you could’ve sworn your whole insides just melted. Damn those eyes! 

You sighed. “Fine, you can explain it all to me, but not today, Bucky. I do want to go on that dinner with my friend, and you have no right what-so-ever to try and prevent me from going. We are not a couple, and even if we ever were, you couldn’t dictate me where I can go and with whom. If you are still interested in talking to me on Friday night, we can go out, and I’ll listen to you.” 

  “What if he tries something, or he hurts you or claims you without your approval, I mean-“ 

You had to smile at his behaviour. He was being a little possessive without reason, but he was so cute rambling about stuff he didn’t understand. “Bucky! I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ve known Stephen for quite some time, and he would never hurt or do anything I wouldn’t want him to.” 

This wasn’t a lie, Strange would really never hurt you. Well, he hurt your pride whenever you played any desk games with him and Wong, but that was a different story. 

Now it was Bucky’s turn to sigh. He knew you were right, he made it very clear that he didn’t want to be involved with you in any way, and now he had no right to tell you what to do. His whole being screamed at him to not let you go with that guy wearing a smug smirk on his face. But he had to let you go. For now. 

“Alright, Friday night, then? I’ll talk to Steve if he can let me go off that traffic-patrol bullshit and I’ll let you know, alright? Just… I know I had no right to ask, but… please, be careful.” 

You bit your lower lip to stop yourself from screaming or trying to kiss him or both. You knew you couldn’t just give in and just let him boil in his own sweat before you give him a chance. But the Omega in you wanted to strangle the rational part of your brain and just jump into your Alpha’s arms and let him do anything to you. And the anything was now played in your mind in great detail, and you gulped hard and prayed to God that Bucky didn’t smell the change in your pheromones. From angry to aroused. You needed to get out of there. 

“I will don’t worry, Bucky. Have a good night, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, you felt Bucky’s grip on your shoulders loosen, and you pushed away from the wall and went quickly to grab Stephen and ran away out of there. 

Bucky had to take three deep breaths to calm his Alpha side down, and prayed for the morning to come to see your face, and hopefully bare neck. He was a goner, and he didn’t even realise it, yet. 

/ Next Chapter >

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[keepmeinthedark]

Growing Pains || A Marlene McKinnon fanfiction

Chapter Two - Hogwarts

Chapter One here

Finding the confidence to ask someone if she could sit with them was proving to be a lot harder then Marlene originally thought. Especially with the thought of her fight with her sister so clear in her head.

Marlene was overreacting, she knew it but she didn't care. Steph lied and her and she hated being lied to. Steph knew this.

They had both been brought up in what Marlene thinks was the right way. To respect others, to not take the purity of others blood into account, to be kind and fair and brave. That Slytherins were anything but, that Gryffindor was the house that every member of their family was apart of and that was for a reason.

But surely she knew better then this? Maybe if her sister was in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff she would be less mad. She didn't want to be mad at Steph, for she was the only person on this train that she knew. She didn't think about making friends on the train, she had just assumed she would enjoy the ride with Steph and her friends and then start actually putting herself out there to her own year once sorted.

Luckily she was able to find a carriage of her own, at the very front of the train, next to where the prefects were. She took her seat and a deep breath.

Now what?

She hadn't really packed anything in her bag that could be used as entertainment. She expected that she would have people to talk to for the train ride.

She sighed and looked out the window, this was going to be a long journey. And the train hadn't even taken off yet.

It was about twenty minutes before the train took off and then another ten minuets for someone to join Marlene.

A small plump boy, draw coloured hair and baby face entered the carriage. "Umm I hope you don't mind but could I sit here?" he asked quietly.

Marlene had to stop herself from jumping with excitement, he was clearly someone who would be in her year and she could use the company.

"Oh yes! Of corse, please take a seat," she beamed. "My names Marlene, Marlene McKinnon."

"Peter Pettigrew," the boy replied, shaking her outstretched hand and sitting in the seat opposite her. "Are you a first year too?"

Marlene nodded, "Yes I am, I'm so excited. Aren't you? Oh I can't wait to be sorted and start classes," she rambled, slightly bouncing up and down in her seat.

Peter smiled, "So am I. What house do you think you'd be in?"

"Gryffindor probably," she replied, trying not to sound as confident as she actually was. "My whole family has been Gryffindor, only makes sense. What about you? Are you pureblood?"

Peter nodded, "My family has been mixed and matched. No real legacy for me, although I'm hoping to also make Gryffindor."

Marlene nodded and politely smiled, trying not to let it show on her face that she thought he would rather be suited in Hufflepuff in her opinion.

"Do you have any siblings?" she asked, she didn't want to sit in silence with Peter. She had to make friends somehow and this seemed as good of a time as ever.

Peter nodded, "A sister, Beth her name is. She's a year younger then me. Have you?"

Marlene hesitated. Really she should've known that Peter would ask back but it still caught her off guard. She had just told Peter that her entire family was Gryffindors, but Steph in fact wasn't a Gryffindor at all.

Still, she was her sisters. And it wasn't like she expected Peter to actually make Gryffindor, he probably would never notice.

"I have one older sister, a younger brother and two younger sisters."

"Wow, big family you've got there."

Marlene let out a little laugh, "Yeah, I guess... But I like having a big family. I love my siblings as I know you must love your sister."

Peter nodded, "Yeah, definitely."

Marlene and Peter continued talking throughout the ride and rode the boats to the castle with two other girls.

Just the sight of the castle made Marlenes stomach grow butterfly's, it was everything she ever dreamed of and walking into the great hall for the first time was surly a moment she would never forget.

"When I call your name, come forward and I will place the hat on your head. When you've been sorted please join your house table," Professor McGonagall said, before pulling out a scroll and speaking the first name.

"Black, Sirius"

Black, Marlene had heard of that family before, all Slytherins, all purists, all arseholes. She narrowed her eyes as she watched the black haired boy take his seat up on the stool. This one would be obvious.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted and the hall went silent.

Marlene allowed herself to glance back at the Slytherin table, where Sirius' family were, ready to welcome him with open arms. Now all sat with their jaws open and eyebrows raised.

Looking back at Sirius almost broke her heart, he looked... scared.

Marlenes eyes didn't leave Sirius for the majority of the sorting. It wasn't until she hear "MacDonald, Mary" that her head shot back to the front. She should be called up soon.

Mary was a small girl, with beautiful brown skin and was wearing a black hijab. She walked up to the stall and sat down, it didn't take long for the hat to yell "GRYFFINDOR," causing the hall to applause while Mary joined her house.

"McKinnon, Marlene."

For whatever reason, Marlene decided to wait a total of three seconds before actually moving, as if she was scared that there were two Marlene McKinnons in her year or perhaps if she misheard the professor and went up before her name was called.

She sat at the stool and faced the great hall. Only then did she feel so incredible small. So many eyes all staring up at her, waiting to see where she'd be placed.

She found Stephanie easily, she was sat at the Slytherin table, close to the edge of the table, as if she was getting ready to welcome Marlene into the house.

"Oh god please not Slytherin" she whispered.

Not Slytherin? Pity, I reckon you'd do rather well there.

Marlene had to stop myself from jumping too much. Of course the hat talked, she had been told this. She had been told every little detail about the sorting ceremony but now that she was here she was terrified. Steph being a Slytherin had completely caught her off guard. She just wished the hat would hurry on and sort her already.

Getting impatient are we? So Hufflepuff will never do.

Well you've got that right, she thought. Just please say Gryffindor and leave me be.

Gryffindor? You have bravery yes but also creativity and wit and, if you use it correctly, intelligence. Perhaps Ravenclaw is more your style.

Ravenclaw? She hadn't thought of herself as a Ravenclaw before. Always Gryffindor. She had to be Gryffindor.

You don't have to be anything the hat spoke again. Here all you have to be is yourself and you are not a Gryffindor

Marlene could feel the hat move on her head, she knew what was coming.

Wait, I'm not-

"RAVENCLAW!"

Marlene didn't remover much of the feast from then on. Instead she sat at the Ravenclaw table sulking. She looked like a fool.

Of corse Peter had made it into Gryffindor, along with Sirius, Mary, three other boys and a girl with red hair. She had never envied strangers more.

She couldn't keep her eyes off the Gryffindor table, they all sat there talking and laughing with their prefects. The Ravenclaws around her tried to get through. Also sorted into her house were two other girls, Emmeline and Hestia. And two boys, Caradoc and Benjy. Their prefect, Frank was currently answering every question her four housemates could come up with.

"It's a small batch this year isn't it?" A girl said, taking a seat next to Frank. "Hi, my names Pandora. I'm head girl," she said, shaking each other their hands.

"Small as in number or height?" Frank joked.

Pandora laughed and shoved him "Oh shut it Longbottom, Merlín knows how you got prefect you can't go abusing your power by bullying first years," she laughed causing the others around them to laugh along.

"Anyways, we better go off to bed. Before everyone starts clearing out and we end up losing one of you. Follow me firsties," Frank said loudly, getting up from his seat.

The five first years followed him through the castle until they had reached Ravenclaw tower.

Marlene had to admit the Ravenclaw common room was beautiful. Frank lead them down the staircase and sat the five of them on the blue sofas by the fire.

"Right, well this is it! Umm just a few ground rules that Ravenclaw house has had for a while and a few insights of other houses and all that.

"Firstly, you're welcome to borrow any book only condition is that you give it back. A rule that I'm pretty sure all houses have are parties are allowed but Hufflepuff usually take care of Halloween because they're closest to the food, there's a ball every year right before the Christmas holidays, although only forth year and above are allowed, sorry guys and parties for such events such as birthdays we say third year and above are allowed to host those. Like no offence yall are cute but nobody knows who you are or care about the fact that you're turning twelve so-" he shrugged.

"Boys I warn you, don't go up to the girls dorm by your own will you will regret it. Ummmm what else is there...? Okay if I think of anything else I'll tell you but until then, follow me youngsters," he quickly jogged to a door under the balcony, down a corridor leading to two stair cases.

"Ladies, follow those stairs up to the first door and you will find your dorm room. You'll find that your things have already been sent up for you. Boys, follow me," and with that he, Caradoc and Benjy were gone.

It was Hestia that lead the way to the dorms and immediately jumped on the closest bed. Emmeline then took the middle one leaving Marlene to take the one furthest from the door.

The three girls unpacked in silence until Hestia spoke up, "You're quiet," she said, looking at Marlene.

Marlene just shrugged, "I guess."

Hestia didn't respond but Marlene caught her and Emmeline sharing a glance.

"Well, I was thinking about going down to the common room. Maybe we could get the boys, try to know each other a little better. You two up for it?" Emmeline then asked.

Hestia nodded smiling but Marlene shook her head, "I'm actually a bit tired. Might go to bed early after writing to my folks," she lied. Really she had no intention in writing to her parents until she could properly talk to Stephanie.

The two girls nodded and left the dorm, leaving Marlene on her own.

She sighed and got changed quickly before getting into bed.

"This isn't so bad," she told herself. So far Hogwarts was nothing like she expected but it wasn't all bad. Could've been worse definitely.

With that thought in mind, Marlene turned off the lamp and slowly but surly fell asleep.

[woah-were-halfway-there]

what ever happened to Auston and Carson after in “the fight”? How did they resolve everything? Cause after I read that I wanna know how she felt with the whole situation and how they both were feeling afterwards. Like did they take a break? Or have they ever broken up and dated people but then realized they were it for each other?

Ok so, I was going to write a whole second part to that but I honestly don’t know when I ever will be able to so instead this is going to be a really long but detailed explanation of what happened afterwards, just not written as a story.

They took a break. It wasn’t an official breakup, but it felt like it could’ve been.

Carson didn’t know what to do or think. She was still in complete shock about it all and felt very lost about the whole thing. As days went by, she couldn’t bring herself to contact him back after how everything played out. He called and texted her every day after she left the condo and went to Mitch and Steph’s place to say that he missed her, he was sorry and hoped she had a good day. It got to a point where she muted his text thread in her phone because she was getting too upset each time she got a notification from him.

She didn’t talk to his family either. She didn’t know how to and was still so hurt by them also keeping the news of Auston being charged from her. Carson knew it was because he was their family and totally understood their want to protect him and listen to him when he asked them not to say anything. However, she still needed time and just wasn’t ready to talk to them until she figured out how she was feeling about it all.

She stayed with Mitch and Steph for almost two weeks. The day after she found out about the charge and had her fight with Auston, she took a mental health day off work but went back in after that. Over those days, she was in such a mental and emotional low, and it was really hard to watch. Mitch and Steph hated seeing her that way but continued being there for her in whatever way they could and kept Carson’s dad, Nate and Mya in the loop on how she was doing even though she didn’t want to talk to them about any of what was going on. Her family definitely wasn’t thrilled about the whole situation either.

As the days went by, her coworkers noticed how mopey she was. This was when she first started in her job, seeing as she had just graduated university that June, but she was already such a presence in the office that anyone who knew her knew something was up. They, too, had seen the news about Auston and assumed that had to do with how she was acting but didn’t dare pry that much into her personal life and ask about it.

Since starting at her job about a month prior, just before Carson moved in with Auston, she began making friends with other people in the office. One of the guys lived not too far from where hers and Auston’s condo was, and so they’d often carpool together to work, but since she was staying at Mitch’s place, that stopped, and she opted to either Uber or just walk to work as a way to keep her mind clear and just have some time to herself. Her coworkers noticed this.

The day Carson returned to the office after leaving early then taking a mental health day, her coworkers noticed how she stopped wearing a necklace she always had on, one that Auston gifted her on her graduation day, and how she also turned away the few photos she had on her desk of the two of them so that she wouldn’t have to look at them. The coworker she used to carpool with was definitely very observant of this. He was attracted to her, had harmlessly flirted with her a couple of times before. Still, she always politely declined and made it known that she wasn’t interested and that she was very happy with her relationship. He accepted that but seeing how she turned the pictures away of her and Auston and stopped talking about him entirely. Her coworker saw that as a window of opportunity.

On a Friday, about ten days after Carson left the condo and didn’t look back, her coworker started hitting on her, and she did not have it, but then he flat out asked her on a date which really surprised her. She said no and reminded him that she was in a relationship. Still, then he pointed out what he had observed with how she doesn’t talk about Auston anymore, how she took down their pictures and stopped wearing the necklace she once said Auston bought for her and that he assumed the two of them had broken up. Carson said how they didn’t break up, that things were just complicated and again, politely declined his offer. After that, she started really thinking about how badly she wanted to talk to Auston. She knew she still loved him with her whole heart but needed to figure out if she could forgive him. So, she decided she’d go see him that weekend. Preferably after the Leafs game taking place at SBA the following day because they were away that night.

The moment Carson stormed out of their condo, Auston was a mess. He was distraught over the thought that he may actually lose her, and he hated that he caused all of it. Auston talked with his family for hours that night, saying how he couldn’t lose Carson but knew how he royally fucked up, and if she did decide to end things with him and move on, it’d be no one’s fault but his own. That was a tough pill to swallow because he was beyond the point of imagining his future with anyone but her.

She didn’t go to the Leafs opener, something she hadn’t missed in the almost three years the two of them had been together and didn’t return any of his calls. Things got a little tense between him and Mitchy during that almost two weeks they weren’t entirely together anymore as well. The day after Carson left the condo, Mitch and Steph went over to get some of her things to take back to their place for her because she couldn’t bring herself to go back there. It was weird, none of them knew what to say about any of it, but Mitch and Steph did tell Auston that Carson was okay and would be staying with them for the time being.

After almost ten days of having to see his cousin cry over what happened and mope around his condo unless she was lying on his couch cuddling Zeus, Mitchy was mad. He was mad at Auston for hurting Carson the way that he did and unintentionally lashed out at him for it.

At practice one day, Mitchy was very passive-aggressive towards Auston. He ignored him in the dressing room, then during practice, “accidentally” slap shotted pucks in his direction and even pushed him into the boards during a scrimmage even though they were on the same team for it. Naturally, Auston got fed up and asked Mitchy what his problem was, and Mitchy told Auston that he was his problem. The rest of the guys then essentially locked the two of them out of the dressing room after practice until they figured their shit out.

And they did. Mitchy expressed how frustrated he was. That he trusted Auston not to hurt Carson and has now had to watch her cry almost every day for over a week because of him. He then told Auston that he broke Carson’s heart in a way, and neither of them was in a place to decide how long it’d take for her to decide what she wanted to do because of it. Auston apologized for betraying Mitchy’s trust and, more importantly, hurting Carson. He then went on to say that what he did was stupid and all his fault. He didn’t blame Carson for reacting the way she did, but he hated everything about their situation. He never wanted to hurt her but was aware that he did and couldn’t take that back, but reminded Mitchy of how much he loved her, and although the thought of losing her was devastating to him, he would always put Carson’s happiness before his own. If not being in a relationship anymore was what would allow her to be happy again, he’d accept it regardless of how badly it hurt.

Mitchy admitted that he was rooting for them but said ultimately. It was up to Carson where hers and Auston’s relationship went from there.

The two of them were okay after that and were eventually allowed to go into the dressing room before catching their flight to Columbus. The next night after they returned to Toronto after that game, Carson told Mitchy that she was ready to talk to Auston.

She went to the game at SBA and knew that Auston had carpooled with Mitchy, so after the game, she decided to go down to where the guys would be after they changed and waited with Steph until they showed up.

Auston was obviously shocked to see her but so ridiculously happy. He had to refrain himself from pulling her right into his embrace and not letting go, but he knew it wasn’t his place to do so. She was there for a reason.

After she greeted him, she asked if he’d walk with her. He agreed, and the two of them walked around downtown a bit before making way to the condo. During that walk, they talked about everything. Carson admitted that the thought of not forgiving him and possibly breaking up did cross her mind, but she didn’t want to. She still loved him so freaking much but him keeping something so significant from her wasn’t cool. She had no idea what she wanted anymore, but she knew that she needed to hear what he had to say to make a decision. And so ultimately, they did talk it through. Carson still hated what happened and wanted Auston to know that what he did, how he handled it, and how he proceeded to keep that all from her wasn’t okay. He made her feel like he didn’t trust her, and that hurt a lot, and she also did not like how he handled that situation when they talked about it during their fight. She made it clear that if something like that ever happened again, she wouldn’t be able to go through it for a second time and that if it did, she wouldn’t be able to trust him again. She was able to forgive him, but it took a lot to get there.

[nightwingvixen23]

*BatFam carving pumpkins*

Dick : DAMI !!! Aren’t you going to come carve your pumpkin with us all ?!

Damian : Yeah, just a minute !

*1 minute later*

Damian : *appears with sword*

Dick : um. No.

Damian : How the fuck else am I supposed to carve my pumpkin 

Jason : With a little somethin’ called a carving kit genius 

Damian : Carving kits are for simpletons, of which I am not

Tim : Let him

Dick : He could get hurt !

Tim : My point exactly

Stephanie : *eats pumpkin guts*

Cassandra : Ew, Steph ! That’s nasty !

Stephanie : Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it hon

Jason : *eats pumpkin guts* It’s got a slightly bitter flavor to it, but I’m down for it

Dick : Don’t ask to make out tonight. That’s disgusting

Jason : *slowly lets pumpkin guts fall from open mouth*

Duke : ..okay, but....why did I just have to witness that...

Jason : ‘Cause I’m aiming to get a Halloween fuck tonight obviously

Dick : ....

*An hour and a half later*

Tim : I’m finished !!

Dick : Alright every body, let’s each reveal our pumpkin one at a time ! Who wants to go first ?? Jay–Bae ??

Jason : *turns pumpkin*

*silence*

Damian : Um.. Jason ? What in the bloody hell is going on with your pumpkin ?

Stephanie : I like it !

Duke : Question, who’s thong is that ?

Jason : *smirks at Dick*

Dick : *realizing* Oh my god, JASON, what the fuck !?

Jason : Hey you left it out. Can’t let a sexy thing like that go to waste

Tim : oh, gross

Jason : Don’t worry Baby Bird, it’s totally been washed👌

Tim : Not what I was grossed out about but okay

Dick : JAY ! *snatches thong off pumpkin/stuffs in pocket* I’m just gonna pretend this never happened. Like, EVER

Cassandra : My photogenic memory will prove you otherwise

Damian : *high fives Cass* Never let him live this down 

Stephanie : so, like, are you wearing a thong right now or....

Dick : NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMNED BUSINESS !

Jason : *nodding to Steph behind Dick’s back* 

Stephanie : Ooooop 😏

Duke : *awkward as all hell*

Cassandra : In an attempt to get us back on topic, my pumpkin isn’t that good.... *turns pumpkin around*

Jason : Holy hell Cass !! That’s some epic ass Van Gogh ! Right on !

Tim : How can you say that it’s not good, Cass ? It’s fucking mind blowing !

Stephanie : Okay, but how is it scary ?

Duke : Um...have you seen Van Gogh’s paintings of people? That shit is frightening 

Jason : *points carving knife at Duke* HEY ! No one is fuckin’ allowed to throw shade at Van Gogh while I’m present....no one

Duke : 🙌 

Dick : It’s a master piece Cass ! I love it !

Damian : You call that a master piece ? Check mine out bitches 

*stunned silence*

Dick : ....well....we for sure know who the Artistic One’s are in the family

Jason : Mine was pretty damn fuckin’ artistic too, ya know

Dick : I beg to disagree

Tim : I thought we were supposed to make scary pumpkins though ?? 

Stephanie : I take it that you made yours ‘scary’ Timmers ?

Tim : Hell yeah *shows pumpkin*

Jason : *bursts into laughter*

Duke : I don’t know why you’re laughin’, that shit’s scary as fuck 

Stephanie : *shielding her face/sarcastically yelling* NOOOoooo TURN IT AWAY ! MY EYES ! IT’S—IT’S TOO MUCH !

Tim : Fuck off

Stephanie : Speaking of fuck off *dramatically places pumpkin on the table*

Cassandra : Why am I not surprised

Dick : Steph ! That’s so inappropriate, we can’t put that outside, kids will be stopping by !

Stephanie : I know right 

Jason : I dig it. That right there is my mother fuckin’ jam. Up top Steph *high fives*

Duke : *places pumpkin next to Stephanie’s* BAM !

Damian : That’s very clever 

Duke : Oh my god, Damian complimented me ?? Is this real life ??

Tim : So much for anyone else making scary pumpkin carvings

Cassandra : Yours was the furthest thing from scary that I’ve ever seen 😒

Duke : ONCE AGAIN, student loans are NOTHING to fuck with people ! 

Jason : *wraps an arm around Dickie* So baby doll, are you gonna grace us with the gorgeous artistry of your Jack‒o’‒lantern ? Or are ya gonna make me have to beg for it like you so love to hear me do in the bed room 😉

Damian : And just like ‘in the bedroom’ how about you save such disgusting talk for ‘the bed room’

 Jason : Where’s the fun in that ?

Stephanie : C’mon Dick ! Show us your pumpkin ! 

Dick : Okey‒dokey !! *cheerily turns pumpkin around* TAH‒DAH !!

*nothing*

Tim : *trying not to laugh*

Dick : It’s so good that you guys are speechless huh ? 😊Nailed it !! ✌️

Stephanie & Duke : *snorting laughter*

Jason : Babe...you mean to tell me....you worked on that all this fuckin’ time ?

Dick : Yeah, why ?

Damian : All of 2 hours ?

Dick : Yup ! Can’t believe it to be true, right ? *dusts shoulders off dramatically* I’m just that good 🙃

Cassandra : It looks like a traumatized vegetable that has seen some truly messed up bona fide shit and can’t seem to process just what exactly has occurred before it’s terribly misshapen eyes and so gives a terribly misshapen grin out of painfulness. That is a face that cries ‘HELP ME’

Damian : Leave it to Cassandra to serve the truth out cold

Dick : HEY you meanies ! My pumpkin is BEAUTIFUL ! 

Jason : *takes a hold of Dick’s face/cooing* Awww yes it is baby, yes it is *kisses him*

Dick : *pouting* 

Duke : Alright, let’s get these things out on the porch before Bruce gets home, ya know, to surprise him and all

Tim : Roger that !

*later that night*

Bruce : *heading up the Manor walkway*

Bruce : *stops*

 Bruce : and they wonder why people are so wary to get to know us...

🎃👻🎃The End lol Happy Halloween peeps🎃👻🎃

[bisexualsforprompto]

Worth Chapter 3

(*DISCLAIMER: THIS CHAPTER USES VULGAR LANAGUE AS LILA IS A COMPLETE BITCH IN IT, I HATE HER AND SHE’S STUPID AND UGLY, WOW THIS DISCLAIMER TURNED INTO A RANT ABOUT HOW MUCH I HATE LILA)

Also yay! We finally are given the baddie of the plot, though it’s up to you to figure out who it is. Since I don’t want you to know who it is I’ll be referring to he/she as “you” (that’s a little trick I learned from Jennifer Lynn Barnes, my favorite author).

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Dark hair, blue eyes, and French. That was your MO. The skin tone didn’t matter, which is what had the GCPD so mixed up and frazzled. You laughed to yourself as you poured a glass of Chardonnay. There’d been a lull in your girls, mostly the French part. Last time was so...unsatisfactory. She was only a quarter French and she didn’t scream like the others. You disposed of her quickly, and even though she wasn’t what you had hoped you still took a lock of her hair and added it to your collection. You were missing the adrenaline, but you told yourself to be patient, a French class was coming soon. There’d definitely be someone there, maybe even international news. The justice league would probably thank you personally when they found out who the person behind the mask was who rid the world of its scum. You smiled to yourself, ‘I’d be famous worldwide and another French bitch would be out of the world for good.’

Kay wasn’t an early riser, neither was Marinette. That could only end disastrously, luckily, a certain Wayne family decided to call their friend’s daughter for a wake up call. Purely so she wouldn’t be late to their tour, although they did enjoy talking to her. Steph and Kay were very close friends, the closest out of the rest of the family, though Dick did enjoy Kay’s positive personality. Steph was extremely aggravated when she learned Kay was coming to Gotham because she was with Barbara and Cass for a girl’s week. Kay promised to make it up to her though.

So when Kay’s phone went off blasting “Candy Store” she immediately knew that the Wayne family was calling to wake her up. She smiled to herself as she turned off the alarm, it was nice to have people care.

“Oof what time is it?” Kay asked. “We woke you about an hour before you have to leave for the tour.” Said Dick. “Dope, thanks Dick! See ya soon!”

To be honest, Kay was afraid that she would sleep and nobody would wake her up, causing her and Marinette to miss the tour. She dug in her suitcase until she found her favorite shirt, it was the same color as her aqua blue eyes and it read, “Theatre is my sport” (side note I also own this shirt). She laughed at her friend who was still fast asleep, “Mari.” She said walking over to her friend and poking her.

Nothing.

“Mariiiii.” Kay said louder. “Marinette, Marinette, Marinette, MARINETTE!!!”

Still nothing.

“God I was hoping I wouldn’t have to do this especially so early in the morning…” Kay cleared her throat and leaned down to Marinette’s ear, channeling her inner Christine Daaé she sang the highest note she could hit.

Marinette shot up, rubbing her pounding head. “The hell? Why do I have a ringing in my ears?” Kay shuffled away with a guilty smile, “I mean- somebody may have sang an E6 in your ear, but in all fairness you weren’t waking up!” Marinette groaned and shook her head. “Thanks for waking me up, even though the means weren’t…what I was expecting. I thought I was going to miss the Wayne Enterprises tour for sure.” Kay giggled, “Honestly me too. Sounds like some shit Lila would try to pull. I wouldn’t worry too much though, Dick would never let us miss the tour.” Kay winked as she walked into the hotel room’s bathroom.

“Dick? Wait isn’t that the American word for-“

“Yeah but it’s also a name. Short for Richard. Bruce Wayne, the Wayne Enterprises guy is his father. Well Bruce adopted him technically. The Waynes are the family my mom and I know from Gotham, Damian, the guy I’m totally setting you up with, is the youngest family member.” Kay exclaimed, the bathroom walls were thin but it was still slightly muffled. “Right that random guy you were shipping me with.” Marinette laughed. “You got it!

“I’m excited for you to meet them, I bet you’ll love the whole family and vice versa. Damian should be coming with Dick on the tour, Tim, one of the other brothers, is working there, so we probably won’t see him. The girls are away and Jason is probably- well Jason’s probably still sleeping.” Kay laughed as she walked out of the bathroom in her favorite shirt, baggy jeans, and dark brown hair in long curls.

“What about Bruce Wayne? Oh my god is he coming?! If he is I have to choose a whole new outfit! AHHH NOTHING I HAVE WOULD WORK!!” Marinette panicked as she tossed her clothes across the floor. “Relax Mari! Bruce won’t care if you’re dressed up or anything. We might not even see him!” Marinette slumped, “I still need to dress up a little though.” Kay giggled, “Ok sure. Whatever you say.”

Marinette ended up going with a red sundress and she wore Kaaliki’s glasses she was given from Master Fu, in case Ladybug needed to be in Paris. They transformed into black plastic glasses with a thin rim.

“Cool shades Mari, since when do you wear glasses though?” Asked Kay popping a piece of waffle into her mouth. “Oh these just accent the piece.” Kay laughed, “You’re such a fashion geek.” Marinette threw one of her blouses on the floor at her, “You’re such a theatre geek.” Kay fell onto the floor in dramatic agony, “You’ve wounded me to my very core, how will I ever survive? Unless they get the fright of their lives.” Marinette rolled her eyes as Kay got lost in her own world singing songs from Beetlejuice and eating her waffle. “Come on nerd, we don’t want to be late.” Marinette said as she extended an arm, Kay promptly took it and stood up once more. “I mean, if we’re late that’s one less minute we have to spend with Liar Rossi…”

“Just come on!” Marinette laughed. The girls walked down the hallway until they arrived to the main lobby where the French class was chatting. Alya walked over to them leaving Lila who was fuming that Alya would leave her for Marinette. “Hey girl, can’t believe you woke up early for once. Hey Kay.”

‘No way in Hell is Alya choosing the weird new girl over me!’ Lila screamed internally

Marinette chuckled, “Yep. Without Kay I definitely wouldn’t have though.”

Lila huffed.

“Thanks for keeping my girl straight Kay!” Alya said giving Kay a playful nudge on the shoulder.

‘Oh that is it!!!’ Lila watzled over to the trio of girls. “Hi girls! Oh Kay! Almost didn’t see you! I forgot to mention earlier, people in Gotham don’t really appreciate fags, so maybe turn down your, you know, lesbian urges and stuff.”

Shock. Was all Marinette felt, then she saw red. She vaguely comprehended Kay holding her back, “Oh yeah Lila? I forgot to mention earlier that people in Gotham don’t really appreciate lying bitches, so maybe tone down your psychopathic tendencies.”

“Kay totally uncalled for!” Alya barked. “Are you kidding Alya?! Didn’t you hear what Lila said?!” Marinette screamed. Lila started to blubber, “I’m- so- s-sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your f-feelings!” She wailed overtop the commotion, adding to the cacophony and causing all eyes to be on them, ‘perfect’. “See, you made her cry! Girl, I can’t believe you’d do this! I always gave you the benefit of the doubt but Lila was right, you are a bully!” Marinette huffed and Kay suppressed screams while still fuming. Alya stormed off, and Lila swooped into the conversation once more. “Kay, do you have a crush on me, or something? Is that why you’re acting this way?!” Kay scoffed, “Please, I have standards. You were right about one thing though, I am gay, but being gay isn’t an insult so I’d take your bullshit elsewhere, because the only insult you doled out throughout this conversation was that I could ever have a crush on someone like you!” Kay pointed at Lila to emphasize her point and before the class could turn on her she took Marinette’s hand and they walked out the double doors of the hotel and waited outside for the bus to arrive.

“Are you okay?” Asked Marinette, placing a hand on Kay’s shoulder. “Yeah fine, I just wish people were more tolerant, and you know that wasn’t exactly my ideal way of coming out to you or the class, but sometimes my mouth just starts moving and I can’t get it to stop.” Kay sniffed, “What’s wrong with me Marinette?” Marinette pulled in her closest, now one of her only friends, in for a hug, “Nothing Kay. Lila is the problem, remember one time when you said she was a- oh what was it? Magic? No, mythic?”

“Mythic bitch. Though honestly Heather Chandler is a step up from that-that” and it all came flooding out. Kay started to cry, something she hadn’t let herself do in a long time. Marinette knew full well why too, any Parisian had to hide their feelings. “I hate her so much Marinette and him too.” Marinette knew which him she was referring to, the one who made them slaves to their own emotions, Hawkmoth. “I know Kay. I do too. Maybe Ladybug will get it right one day.” Marinette felt a drop in her stomach. ‘If I can’t protect the ones I love from Lila how can I defeat Hawkmoth? Maybe...maybe Chat was right.’ Kay looked up, tears still welling in her eyes she wiped them away, Ladybug gave her hope. She was able to muster strength and a smile, Ladybug gave Paris hope, “Come on Marinette, she’s doing the best she can. Ladybug has saved Paris more times than I can count, she’s an amazing hero. One day Hawkmoth will be out of our lives for good, and it’ll be her doing.” Marinette sighed and felt warmth from her friend’s words, at least someone believed in her.

“Miss Kay,” said a proper voice startling the two girls out of their shared moment. “Alfred!!!” Kay grinned, “How are you! It’s been so long! What are you doing here?!” The man, Alfred let out a chuckle, “You’re rambling again Miss Kay, but to answer your questions: I am doing well, and while it has been long Master Bruce has sent me here to pick you and any of your friends up to take you to the tour.”

Kay’s eyes brightened, “Dope!!! This is Marinette,” she said motioning towards the bluenette who smiled and waved kindly. “I think we’re ready to go.” Alfred cocked his head a little, “There is no one else you wish to wait for?” Marinette and Kay shuffled their feet awkwardly, ‘don’t you have any other friends?’ Is what he meant. “Nah, it’s all good Alfred.”

Alfred gave a smirk, although he felt disappointed that Kay only had one friend, she was so sweet, he expected her to be the life of the party. “Oh- by the way,” Alfred started as Kay reached for the limo door handle, “We picked up a guest on the way. I think you’ll be happy to see her.” Kay have an awkward smile and a confused look to Alfred, she opened the door only to see her girlfriend.

“CHLOÉ!!!!!” Squealed Kay, throwing her into a tight embrace. “Yes, yes I missed you too Lené.” She returned the hug pecking her girlfriend on the cheek and seeing somebody she didn’t think she’d ever see again. “Dupain-Cheng!”

“Queenie?!” Marinette asked with a look of recognition, she almost didn’t recognize her friend, after all it had been a year and in that amount of time Chloé put her hair in two braids and had dyed them brown.

“You two know each other?” Asked a confused Kay, as she released her girlfriend to look at Marinette. “Yep. Dupain-Cheng was the only tolerable one in my old class.” Chloé gave her girlfriend a soft smile. Kay thrust Marinette into a hug, “You were the Girl Who Didn’t Believe Lila’s Bullshit! I should’ve known! Thank you for being there for my girlfriend!” Marinette blushed, “It’s not a problem. Chloé was there for me more times than I can count.”

Chloé rolled her eyes while giving a gentle smile, “That class is utterly ridiculous, you weren’t. Of course I was going to be there for you.” Kay wrapped both of them in a tight hug, Chloé still in her seatbelt, “Ahhh my two favorite girls in one place!” Chloé let out a chuckle and gave her girlfriend a pat on the shoulder. “Mmk Lené.”

“Wait Chlo, why are you calling her Lené?” Marinette asked. Kay reddened before burying her hands in her face. “Don’t you dare tell her!” Alfred let out a chuckle before driving off to Wayne Enterprises. “Miss Kay’s real name is Kaylené Khan. She’s embarrassed of it for some reason, a fact that Miss Chloé likes to tease her about.” Kay facepalmed, “Alfred!!!”

“You shouldn’t hide your name Lené. It’s beautiful.” Chloé said twisting her girlfriend’s dark brown hair. “I agree, though Kay is a pretty nickname.” Marinette said giving her friend a playful shove. “Yeah whatever. Let’s go meet your new boyfriend Damian!” Kay teased, “He’s going to be at Wayne Enterprises, isn’t he Alfred?” Alfred kept his eyes on the road while he responded, “Yes Miss Kay, but I have to say I don’t know what you’re talking about in regards to Miss Marinette and Master Damian.”

“Yeah Lené what am I missing?” Chloé demanded before looking out the side window of the limo.

“I’ve made the match of the century Chlo! Damian and Marientte would be the perfect couple!” Chloé scoffed, “No way you can get Ice Prince a girlfriend, though if it was anyone it would be Mari.” Kay smiled, feeling triumphant, “See Marinette it’s meant to be.” Marinette chuckled, “I haven’t even met the guy Kay!”

Kay started to swoon in her seat, “Oh my gosh, I’m going to witness love at first sight!”

Tag list (lemme know if you’d like to be added or I missed you, ps 54 tags?! Omg. Fricking Tumblr said I can’t do more than 50, so those of you on my list will be in the comments ASAP):

@legendaryneckjudgestudent

@interobanginyourmom

@beaversuenightly

@worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry

@mochinek0

@shamefullove

@emjrabbitwolf

@actual-disaster-human

@tog84

@thequestionablyhuman

@thyladyanput

@vixen-uchiha

@novicevoice

@2sunchild2

@zebrabaker

@chrismarium

@mycupisbroken

@winter-gardenflower

@dast218

@bluerosette23

@chocolatecatstheron

@anjuschiffer

@fertileleaf

@drarryismylife101

@zerotosiki

@littleredrobinhoodlum

@krispydefendorpolice

@octoberscorn

@18-fandoms-unite-08

@clumsy-owl-4178

@queenmj10

@shreky-boi

@magic-miraculous

@gingerdaile

@mooshoon

@ladylb

@eve-is-the-dawn

@bee-wrecker

@fiendsangelical

@captainmac6

@7-sage-7

@weird-pale-blonde-person

@st0rmy-w1th1n

@fatimaabbasrizvi

@mindfulmagics

@fics-by-maria

@miraculous-simmer7

@kuroko26

@severelyenchantedwonderland

@shewhoridesonrainbows

@shizukiryuu

@melicmusicmagic

[elareine]

So close (JayTim)

Have a bonus story! It’s a sequel to the last advent calendar one, “Far away”, and unrepentant New Year’s eve fluff. 

“Want a drink?”

Tim whirled around at the familiar voice and stared. Jason smiled a bit smugly and held out a glass of champagne.

Without thinking about it, Tim pulled out his phone and took a picture.

Jason was looking at him in bemusement. “What was that for?”

“Gotta keep a memento of the one time you decided to squeeze into a suit,” Tim told him bluntly. “Also, damn.”

“Right. Now, do you want that champagne or not? ‘Cause I had to fight about three long-clawed women for it, just so you know.”

“My hero.” Tim grinned and took the glass, though he immediately ignored it to draw Jason into a quick one-armed hug.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered. He’d expected to have to ditch this entire party and go chase down his boyfriend so they could spend midnight together. That Jason had decided to attend a Wayne gala for him instead meant a lot.

When they parted, Jason was blushing a bit. “Cool.”

“Tim, how are you?” A man that Tim recognized as one of his late father’s associates approached them, hand stretched out.

Tim felt Jason tense against his side but didn’t let that deter him. He just pulled him closer by the waist. After a moment, he felt Jason’s arm sling around his shoulder—probably crumbling his suit—and smiled.

Amiable conversation seemed much more manageable with Jason at his side. Tim even began to relax, something more or less unheard of.

Of course, that didn’t last long, because the next person to approach was Dick. At least, Tim told himself, it wasn’t Bruce. Still he couldn’t help but tense up.

Okay, yes, he could totally see why things between Jason and the rest of the batclan were strained. It had nothing to do with Tim, or only peripherally, and on an intellectual level, he supported everyone’s need to take their time and heal their relationship at their own pace.

On a more fundamental level, this was his boyfriend, and the family was just going to have to deal with it.

Dick seemed to be on the same page. He was smiling. “Hi, Jason.”

Jason didn’t exactly smile back, but he stayed relaxed by Tim’s side. “Hey.”  

“Didn’t expect you to be here.”

“Yeah, well—”

“Hey, I’m glad,” Dick laughed. “Just curious whose invitation you swiped.”

“Didn’t. Just entered through the attic window.” Jason smirked.

Tim laughed. “I thought I told Bruce to fix that weak point.”

“Pretty sure Bruce thought he did. Or maybe he was hoping certain birds would fly in.” Dick winked.

Ah, here it was—Jason turned from a warm, living being into a human brick wall. Tim rubbed his side soothingly through the suit, but all his boyfriend said was: “More like hoping a certain cat would climb in.”

“Wait, really? Are they on again?”

Tim nodded. “Yeah, we interrupted them on patrol two days ago. While B was… arresting her.”

Dick looked like he wanted to ask more. However, Steph chose that moment to join them, dressed in a dark ballgown with way too much cleavage, glittering from head to toe. “Jason,” she hissed, pulling him to the side.

Jason just raised an eyebrow at her.

“They have gold-plated cake pops!”

“The fuck.”

“Gold. Plated. Cakepops.”

“Like. Real gold?” Jason looked somewhere between shocked and amused. “How’s that even possible, and where can I get some?”

“Right?” She grabbed him by the sleeve, pulling him over to the food without so much as a by-your-leave. Tim kinda loved her. He’d go so far as saying that he owed her for this except he knew she was genuinely delighted to have someone else here who appreciated ‘how fucking whacky this shit is, Tim, you guys don’t even notice anymore, but it’s wild.’

They spent the evening like that, occasionally being dragged away from each other but always gravitating back to the other’s side. It was good, having something to focus on at these events. Didn’t make it fun, exactly, but a lot more bearable.

Jason’s arm was firm around him. Tim just smiled through the glances and the whispered comments. (Though how the fuck would anything think Jason was his ‘boy toy’? Who even said that anymore? Jason was clearly older than him. He had grey hair, for fuck’s sake.)

(One strand absolutely counted, no matter what Jason said.)

Then he got entangled in an argument with Damian and an older woman who had decided today was the day to teach the youngest Wayne brat some manners. By the time he managed to extract himself, Jason was nowhere to be found.

At first, Tim wasn’t that concerned. People had to use the bathroom, after all. As the minutes ticked by, his unease grew.

Jason wasn’t with Steph, nor any other member of their family. He wasn’t on the dance floor, or at the buffet, or on any of the open balconies right next to the ballroom. Even as he checked the corridors, Tim became ever more convicted that he’d done the thing he’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t: He had spooked Jason.

Maybe he did go overboard with the whole thing tonight. Just a bit.

Okay, a lot.

Tim knew Jason wasn’t the type for PDA, and still he kept him by his side for the evening, displaying him to all these people Jason didn’t like. It probably made him more uncomfortable rather than less. He just didn’t want to tell Tim because—

…yeah, no. Jason would’ve told Tim if it was too much. He’d never had a problem storming out of a Wayne function before. Tim told his brain to calm the fuck down and went to check his phone.

And would you look at that, there was a message on there.

Upstairs balcony.  

Tim wasted no time in saying his goodbyes. They might return later, and if not, Dick would make their excuses. Everyone could just come to their own conclusions about their whereabouts, for all he cared.

No-one stopped him. The clock said it was ten minutes to midnight when Tim stepped out on the balcony. The crisp, quiet air felt like a blessing on his lungs. Tim inhaled deeply, and Jason smiled at him. “Hey. Thought you weren’t gonna show.”

Honesty, Tim reminded himself. “Needed a minute or two to panic when I couldn’t find you.”

“Oh.” Jason frowned. “I didn’t want to interrupt. Sorry, next time I’ll tell you directly.”

Tim shook his head. “Nah, it’s fine. Just—promise you’ll tell me if I’m too much?”

Because Tim didn’t always see it himself, he knew.

The look Jason gave him was incredulous. “Tim. Have I ever been known to bite my tongue?”

“Not exactly.” Jason said all the hurtful things to the point of cruelty. Tim appreciated that, though. He never had to wonder if that sharp smile was fake or not. “I know. I’m being stupid.”

“Yeah, kinda.” Jason pulled him to his chest, and Tim sighed, appreciating the warmth. “And would you look at that, it’s almost midnight. So leave that fear in the old year, okay?”

“Jason.” Tim tilted his head up to look at him. “That was incredibly sappy.”

“Says Mr. I-want-to-come-home-to-you.”

Something caught the corner of Tim’s eye. “Jason. Are those…”

Jason grinned. “Got them just for you, babe.”

Tim rolled his eyes and kissed him.

That part was still pretty new. Even after that first awkward confession of feelings on Jason’s part and Tim’s more-than-happy reception of it, they had decided to take it slow. Sure, they were dating and Tim had told Jason all that he wanted for them in the future, but there hadn’t really been time yet to explore the physical side of things beyond some slow, long kisses.

Tim liked it a lot. He thought he’d like it even better when Jason stopped holding back and started taking, but hey, they had time. For now, he just closed his eyes and melted into it, keeping the kiss going long after the fireworks indicated they had reached a new decade.

The golden cake pops could wait. Start the year like you mean to spend it, and all that.  

[dottie-wan-kenobi]

Dick or Kory! (whichever you can think of ones for)

🤔🤔🤔 I think I’ll do 6 total, 3 each. tysm for the ask dude!!

Dick:

1. put Donna or Roy or both in mortal danger. maybe he has to pick to save only one of them, and there’s just simply no time to think, no way that even Nightwing (or any other bat) could possibly save both, and there’s also no backup coming, no one even aware that the three of them are in this mess in the first place. I think he’d try and save Roy first, just because Donna can live thru more than Roy could, but to make this even more evil, what if they’re threatening (NTT background) Donna with fire? Dick knows how traumatizing it must be for her to go through that, and he doesn’t want her to have to relive that for a second longer, but Roy is about to die and she’s an Amazon and he’s just a human so he HAS to save Roy, who he’s also freaking out about and doesn’t want to die. but he’s thinking about her every second, and whether she lives or not, he never forgets it, never forgives himself for it

2. shoot Dick in the head but instead of doing the Ric thing, keep him at home with people who care about him and don’t immediately make him relive the shooting. Dick can’t remember anything past a certain age -- maybe just after his parents die. so he’s having nightmares all the time of their death, and he’s in this big huge house that he keeps getting lost in, with these strangers who keep STARING at him like they’re just waiting for him to wake up. ya know, it’s very clear to him that they don’t want who he is right now, they want the Dick Grayson they know. and it turns out that that Dick Grayson is the most popular goddamn man on the planet. there’s a never ending list of guests. all of them are kind enough, but they look at him the same way, waiting for the Real Him. so he’s traumatized, in pain, exhausted, and clearly unwanted, but when he tries to leave, tries to exercise ANY of the freedom that he should have since he’s an ADULT ffs, they all treat him like he’s so breakable. and they won’t listen when he says that he’s durable, that Graysons always bounce back, that’s he fine and can’t he just go walk in the grass without socks or shoes, so he can feel kind of normal for once! and it just goes on and on until he runs away

3. okay, have Dick kill the Joker but don’t bring him back to life. have the consequences of Nightwing -- the light of the superheroing community, the heart -- actually breaking the rule........killing someone..........killing the Joker........ripple through the ranks. Dick’s friends, some of the League, Alfred, Tim, Cass & Steph, they’re all like “it’s not okay but we don’t blame you, we aren’t angry at you.” others are just so shocked that they can’t believe it. Nightwing, kill? please, that would never happen. the rest are just angry at him & judge him. I won’t say any of these POVs are right or wrong, but I think, on top of his own trauma and issues with it, the ones that can’t believe he’d do it? their faith in him HURTS. he’s a killer, a murderer, but they’re so sure he couldn’t ever go that far that they aren’t believing it even after he’s admitted to it. this is like, Clark and Dinah and Ollie and Barry (or whoever, idk), who’ve known him since he was a kid and who he loves like family. so not only does his dad hate him for breaking the rule, not only is he now a Bad Person who’s crossed a line he can never come back from, he’s also permanently ruined those relationships too.

(Bruce doesn’t actually hate him, no one does, but he’s spiraling and not communicating and he just thinks they all do)

Kory:

1. can you imagine her seeing her friends go through any kind of torture similar to what she went through. I’m thinking about Vic in particular but any of them, really. or maybe not even seeing them go through it, just being there for them while they vent about it, about how helpless and scared they felt, and she’s sitting there trying to listen and comfort them while also internally screaming and pushing away all thoughts of her own torture because now is SO not the time. I also think her friend would be able to tell that she’s not in a good mental space to keep comforting them, and I think they would try and say that she doesn’t need to listen, they’re okay. Kory obviously says she’ll keep listening, because she can tell they need her and also because she’s DETERMINED to get through this okay, she’s not the one who was just tortured was she. she probably manages to hold on until the friend is ready to be done, but then she has to go and fly and maybe have a small breakdown in the park (where she’s free, and the air is fresh, and there’s not endless and empty space all around)

2. idk anything about what’s going on w her in canon other than she’s brainwashed. so let’s go with that. someone brainwashes her, which is already bad because she values her freedom more than just about anything, but then. BUT THEN. whoever it is makes her go after her friends, or innocent civilians, or destroy a building like a hospital. she fights the control as hard as she can, and she wins somehow (painfully, I imagine), but then she’s standing there in the destruction. everyone is staring at her, terrified that she’s not going to stop, that she’s going to hurt them or kill them, and when she steps forward, hands up in that earth way that means innocent, they flinch away from her

3. hmmm consider that in some version of rhato, she gets hurt somehow. blasted out of the sky, free falls to the ground, slams into it hard and definitely absolutely hits her head. she’ll be okay soon enough, but when she finally blinks her eyes open, either Roy or Jason is standing/kneeling over her, protecting her from whatever bad guys they’re fighting. and for a second.....she thinks Roy is Ryand’r, or Jason is Dick, but they’re both dead and gone. her brother and her lover, gone forever. and she’s fine to stand up and keep fighting, but the second it all stops, when the eerie silence is ringing out and one of the guys asks her if she’s alright, she just. imagines it’s Ryand’r/Dick, and she misses them so much it aches. but yeah. yeah, she’s alright.

send me a character and I’ll put them in 5 situations that’ll cause them maximum emotional anguish

[luninosity]

feettootie said:MOR – I mean! thank you. If course I mean Thank You! I’d never be SO rude as to demand an end to Justin’s suffering Right Now. …nope, not me. :-)                            

~

...more, you say? Following on from the previous...

#

“We’ll leave.” Mara slid to her feet. “We don’t want to…to make him feel more than he has to. But…give me your hand.”

 Kris did. The shoved-up sleeve of his shirt caught his eye: indigo, because Justin liked purple; a deeper solid color, because he wasn’t young enough for transparent or fish-net anymore, but with little glittery bits in, under stage jewelry.

 Because he’d been performing. Because it’d been their show—

 He wanted to start shaking. He felt sick.

 Justin’s aunt touched his hand; sparks seared, flared, settled into skin. Kris had worn Justin’s demon-mark, the claiming-mark, for so long that he rarely thought about it; Justin’s fingerprints settled easily in smoke and scarlet over his forearm. Protection from anyone else, Justin had said once, and a promise: Kris could touch the mark, press his own fingers into it, and call his demon-husband to his side.

 The back of his hand glimmered in ruby sunfire, now. Mara said, “It’ll last for two days, more or less, that one. I won’t renew it unless you ask. If you need us…”

 “I’ll call you.” Kris wiggled fingers. “I promise.”

 “Good,” she said, and touched Justin’s shoulder again. “Pet? We’re going. We’ll come back if you ask.”

 Justin blinked, yawned, winced, managed the pencil-sketch of a smile. “Thank you.”

 “Oh, don’t thank us,” Mara said, “you’re going to be human for a while, and we’re very sorry,”

 “I am human.” Justin’s smile grew a fraction. “And Kris will take care of me.”

 “He’d better,” said his aunt, and all three demons vanished, because they knew a good exit line; the air tasted of smoke and hot coals and wild flowers, after.

 Night fell like wings around them: amber light, sofa-cushions, New York twinkling companionably through wide windows. Stars and lights craned their necks; Justin curled himself further under the blanket.

 Kris tucked knitted stripes more closely around him. “Are you cold, love?”

 “A little. Mostly it’s just that everything hurts…” Justin snuck a hand up; Kris took it and kept it and guarded it ferociously. “I’ve pushed myself before, but this feels worse.”

 “D’you want coffee? Tea? Our bed?” He rubbed a thumb over the back of Justin’s hand, marveling: Justin was real and alive and loved him. “Anything.”

 “You’re trying to do something,” Justin said. “To do something, make something, fix something…”

 “Please let me?”

 “It’s not fixable,” Justin said. “You heard them…”

 “They said rest. And stay calm, and quiet.” He lifted Justin’s hand, dropped a kiss there. “I’m here for all of that.”

 “You love me.”

 “I do. Married you, didn’t I?”

 This got a laugh, though small; he’d guessed it would. “Kris Starr,” Justin said. “Married. To me.”

 “To the best person I’ve ever known.” One more kiss. “You didn’t answer me about the tea. And—I know your aunts said human doctors wouldn’t help, but would it, at all? You are half human, and they don’t know everything.”

 “They don’t, but I don’t think it’d make a difference.” Justin scrunched up that nose. “I know what’s wrong—I know how I feel—and there’s not really a fix for this kind of burnout. I could maybe use some extra-strength painkillers, but that’s about it.”

 His phone buzzed again, with a mild sense of shame about interruptions. Kris planned to ignore it some more; Justin said, abruptly horrified, “My family. The news—”

 Kris said a word or two that his mother would’ve never countenanced, and snatched up the mobile. Family. Yes. Six missed calls from Justin’s parents and assorted siblings, eight texts, and three other calls, one from Justin’s best friend Anna, one from his friend and employer Willie Randolph and one from Kris’s own best friend and former bassist. “Gods, even Reggie called you—”

 “You don’t have your phone.” Justin struggled to sit up; Kris dove in for support. “The stories…”

 The stories splashed themselves across headlines and home pages and social media. Accident at Kris Starr concert. Collapsing balcony. Heroic rescue. Lots of pictures of Kris and Justin standing side by side on stage; a few less tactful snapshots of Kris cradling Justin in the wake of calamity.

 Kris scrolled hastily past those. No need to see it. Or to relive it. He was still living it. “Should I call your mum?”

 “Yes, please…”

 They did. Justin’s family answered in a riot of emotion, despite the late hour. Both Professors Moore-Bautista were not only awake but alarmed; the twins and little Isabella had evidently stayed awake, worried about their oldest brother, and even James and Stephanie joined in via shared video call. Justin’s closest sibling pushed up his glasses and asked, “What caused the collapse? Do they know?”

 James always had been an engineer at heart, just like his wife; they were working on the interdimensional gateway project out at that California lab, Kris knew. James also looked too much like Justin: younger, plus the glasses and minus the demon half, but they had the same chin and the same nose and the same unconscious head-tilt when listening. Kris’s heart couldn’t quite handle that at the moment, and tensed a little.

 “We don’t know,” Justin answered, “but someone will. Probably just age; it was an old venue…”

 “Too old,” Kris grumbled.

 “Justin…” Justin’s father had always looked exactly like Kris’s mental idea of a historian: tall and thin, all salt-and-pepper, scholarly and gentlemanly over a secret giddy heart that’d once upon a time jumped into the pit at Kris Starr concerts and loved a demon wife and raised a half-demon son. Right now his eyes brimmed over with anxiety. “The news says you’re hurt?”

 “I’m…” Justin hesitated. “Kris is fine. I’m…not physically hurt.”

 “Yes you are,” Kris said.

 Justin’s family got more worried.

 Justin sighed. “It’s just burnout, okay? Nothing hit me or anything, I just over-extended myself. I’ll be okay.”

 “That sort of psychic trauma can be—”

 “Kells,” Justin said to his stepmother, “I know. I’m going to be fine.” Affection colored his tone, clear and bright. “The aunts came over and checked on me. It’s going to be not exactly fun for a while, but they said I should be okay.”

 They’d said they thought so. Different. Not the same. Kris stared hard at his husband. Justin yawned and put his head on Kris’s shoulder. “Mostly I need to rest. We only wanted to check in. We’re all right.”

 “Don’t do anything much,” Justin’s stepmother said, “and we can send Andy and Eddie over with anything you need, or at least throw some egg rolls or soup or turon and caramel sauce through one of James’s miniature portal prototypes, there’s still one in the lab out back and I could fiddle with the coordinates—”

 “That’s where that one is,” James said, illuminated. “I thought I’d left it on campus…”

 “You left that one with your parents,” Steph said, “and also the hyperstring predictor we were working on, the one that didn’t work, and also the interdimensional camera is still in your mom’s lab, but we’ll pick it up when we’re up there for the symposium next week—”

 “Oh, right, and we can drop by and say hi to Justin and Kris too…”

 “You’re always welcome,” Justin said, “even if that was so unsubtle you might’ve been shouting it through the portal. I really will be fine, guys.”

 Every single family member narrowed eyes at him. Justin held up hands in surrender. “Check on me if you want. But I’ve got Kris. I’m totally taken care of.”

 “You are.” Kris folded an arm around him. “And you’re going to rest, after this, and let me do that.” This time Justin’s family all beamed at him. Kris did not mind. He loved Justin. That was that. Simple.

 Justin’s family got off the phone, with admonitions about resting and being comfortable. Justin yawned again, and winced, and moved a hand to rub his temple. Then winced again.

 “That hurts?” Kris took over the gentle caresses. “Everything hurts, you said. Oh—hang on, we do have some sort of painkillers, I think…want them?”

 “Oh gods yes. Please.”

 Kris practically ran. Found a half-empty bottle—old but not expired—in a kitchen cabinet. Grabbed some water and some biscuits—chocolate, which was good, Justin liked chocolate—and ran back. His demon needed energy. “Here. Also we need to do some grocery shopping.”

 “Well, you’ve been on tour.” Justin took pills obediently, sipped water, nibbled when Kris offered him food. “We didn’t expect to be home much…”

 “We are now. I’ll get anything you want. Delivered.”

 “Love you. Can there be pizza?”

 “There can definitely be pizza. And your garlic breadsticks.” He fed Justin another cookie. “Any better?”

 “Kris, I’ve only just taken them.”

 “I know. I just…”

 “I know,” Justin said. “I know. I think…I do want to try to sleep, for a while. Maybe it’ll hurt less. You should call Reggie. And maybe call Anna back for me? I would, but I’m so tired.”

 “Rest,” Kris said, heart choking his throat. “Rest, love. I’ll handle that.”

 Justin closed both eyes—browner more human eyes, less laced with mysterious spice and smoke—and settled into blankets on the sofa. Kris took a deep breath, bent forward, braced elbows on knees. Scrubbed hands over his face.

 Justin was alive. That was everything.

 The coffee table nudged his leg in sympathy. He put a hand on it.

 Justin was hurt—would continue to be hurt—would be more human. Not fixable. Only rest, and time. The shiver struck his spine and made him shudder.

 He made himself call Anna. Justin’s best friend listened with typical practicality, asked whether she should come over, not necessarily this instant but soon, and if so whether she could pick up any shopping for them. Kris nearly wept at the gesture, which earned a, “Don’t you dare, Kris Starr,” followed by, “if you cry then I’ll cry, and then I’ll have to evaporate your next cup of tea before you drink it.” Anna had minor and entirely human water-related magical affinities; Kris had sometimes wondered whether she and Justin got along so well because of the complementary elements.

 She promised to come by the next day, and to bring groceries and homemade banana bread; she audibly remembered which of them was incapacitated and unable to cook, and also promised to bring some actual meals. She also said she’d stop by Justin’s high-rise editorial office and pick up any physical manuscripts or advance copies of books or authorial contracts. Kris thanked her again, and went on to the next call he’d realized he needed to make, which involved Justin’s boss. Fortunately Wilhelmina Randolph, head of that extensive multimedia publishing empire, adored Justin; she’d known him, or at least known of him, ever since he’d been an excited underground music scene reporter writing for fanzines and punk-rock outlets and occasionally consensually falling into bed with one or more story subjects. She’d seen the news as well; she told Kris to not worry about anything, and to focus on Justin’s health.

 Kris eyed his husband. Justin was asleep now, smaller than usual under heaps of blankets, long legs strangely vulnerable. Even his hair looked wrong: so completely ordinary, soft and lovely but in a purely human way, falling in washed-out ginger waves across a pillow.

 He felt the corners and edges and harmonies of anguish tremble, an explosion of empathic rage and grief and love that did not escape. He did not let it.

 Calm. Warmth. Soothing.

 He made tea, straightforward Earl Grey, and breathed in the scent of it. Justin did not wake.

 He texted Reggie. Reg called back, which meant he was actually genuinely concerned. “Kris? Why’ve you got Justin’s phone?”

 “Mine’s still…someplace. Dressing room. England. Someone’ll bring it.” He looked at Justin and the sofa; he looked at his tea. His hand shook. He set the mug down. “He’s…he’s really hurt, Reg.”

 “Oh, gods,” Reg said. “Kris, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You want me to fly out there? To get you anything, to send you anything? Is he…how bad is it?” And his voice was the voice of the friend who’d been there when Christopher Thompson’d picked up his first guitar, and who’d stood side by side with Kris at Sarah Thompson’s funeral—she’d loved Reggie Jones like a second son—and who’d been the best man at Kris and Justin’s wedding.

 “I don’t know,” Kris whispered, and pressed a hand over his mouth; somehow a minute later he found himself sitting on the floor in the hallway, sobs rattling his chest while Reggie talked to him urgently, gently, with love.

 Eventually he ran out of tears. Justin hadn’t stirred; Kris, sitting on the hardwood planks, felt oddly lighter, if shakier. “…sorry.”

 “Nah, you needed that.” Reggie sounded surprisingly comfortable with being long-distance emotional support. “Get it out. ‘S fine. You said he’s doing okay? But he is hurt?”

 “He’s human,” Kris whispered, “and he’s in pain,” and tried to explain more while Reg listened.

 Reggie said, when he was done, “So he’ll recover. They said so.”

 “Yeah…but…what if—”

 “Kris, they said so.”

 “I just want him to not be hurt…”

 “So you’ve got painkillers, maybe some willow bark, cloves, stuff somebody with some herbal healing gifts worked on? And food. I know he needs food. I’ve seen your adorable husband eat.”

 “I’ll get him pizza…”

 “Okay. You’re gonna be okay. You know what he needs, yeah? And he’ll tell you if something’s wrong.”

 “He will.” Justin would.

 “Okay, then.”

 “Have I ever told you,” Kris said wearily, “how much I don’t deserve you?” The floor was getting extra-hard; he thought he could probably get up now. His tea was waiting patiently over on the table.

 “You have,” Reggie said, “but you can always say it again. Check in with me tomorrow, maybe?”

 “Sure.”

 “Love you both,” Reg said, and got off the phone; if Kris was any judge, his former-bassist-turned-vineyard-owner was already planning care baskets to send them.

 The thought made him smile. Reggie did care. Justin had friends; Kris and Justin had friends.

 He peeled himself off the floor, and went to sit with his husband.

  Justin slept, on and off, for the rest of the night. He did not sleep easily; he woke with small sounds of pain, and creases between eyes. Kris, heart knotting his throat, offered painkillers, tea, coffee, various foods—sweet, savory, anything Justin indicated interest in—and stayed awake. His hands seemed to help: stroking Justin’s hair, kneading Justin’s back or the nape of his neck, being present and steady. A few knots unwound in his chest when Justin smiled tiredly at him, and nibbled pizza, and murmured, “That feels good…” while nestling more into Kris’s touch.

 Trusting. Relaxed. So unguarded about placing himself into Kris’s care. Justin was a fucking miracle. But then Kris had always thought so.

 He sang to his husband, along with the backrubs and hair-petting. His own songs, love songs, ballad rock new and old. Some decades-old silly pop love ditties. Some lullabies, the one or two that he vaguely recalled in his mother’s voice. Justin turned his head, at that last, enough to nuzzle a kiss into Kris’s caressing hand.

 Justin at another point yawned and said, “I can make it to bed, I think, if you want?” Kris shrugged a shoulder and told him that anywhere was fine, the sofa was fine, not moving at all would be fine. Justin pointed out that their bed was bigger and therefore better for full-body cuddling. Kris gave in, in part because Justin did look marginally better, or at least less pale.

 In their bedroom, Justin sank down on the end of the bed, which held him up anxiously; the rainbow-striped duvet tucked itself around him. Kris, heart fluttering in his throat, touched Justin’s shirt, the edge of skinny jeans; Justin laughed briefly, an escape of air. “You just like me naked.”

 “I do. But I was thinking more about you being comfortable.”

 “I know.” Justin smothered a yawn in a hand. “I can change, I think…pajama pants…”

 “Yeah, that was the plan.” Kris found the cozy flannel ones, the type designed for New York winters, plus a long-sleeved old Phantom Fighters shirt that Justin wore a lot around the apartment on icy nights, and came back over. “Want help?”

 Justin made a not-quite-annoyed face, sighed, and held up arms. “Yeah…”

 “Love you,” Kris affirmed, with a kiss to the tip of his nose; and slid rock-show clothing off and protective warm clothing on, with care.

 He did love Justin’s naked body: slim hips, smooth skin, lean thighs, that lovely long swinging cock, that pert backside. His fingers knew the feeling of all those places, the sensations of Justin under his touch. They wanted to linger; he gazed at his own hands over Justin’s waist. Justin wasn’t generally fragile—demon magic, runner’s muscles, punk-kid boots, and writer’s cleverness abounded—and was fearless, exploratory, delighted, in bed.

 Justin was injured now, and moved as if breathing hurt. Kris curled a hand over his hip, tugged pajama pants up, and leaned in to kiss his stomach: feather-light, no demands, full of too many emotions to express.

 Justin put a hand out, touched Kris’s hair, coaxed his gaze up. Their eyes met; Justin smiled.

 In bed, twined together, Kris read to him for a while—a history of nineteen-fifties all-girl all-witch groups—and hummed a few songs for him and held tea for him to sip and some trail mix for him to nibble. Justin, drowsy and safe, draped an arm around Kris, snuggled in, and drifted in and out.

 Kris loved him. Kris loved every piercing, terrifying, potentially heartbreaking moment of life with him. Wouldn’t change a thing. Here in their bedroom, under the kindly glow of a single lamp, some wrist cuffs and the collar from their wedding-night in the drawer under the bed, he understood as much.

 He loved Justin, and Justin had the kind of heart that’d leap in to help people; Kris wouldn’t take that away. He’d never want to. Not when Justin could still feel that way, could still love the world that way, in beautiful courageous defiance of an ex-boyfriend and a past and a world still a little unsure about demonkind, though that was getting better.

 He hated Justin being hurt. But he could never ask his husband, his hero, the man who’d saved his life long before any of the night’s events, to be less than a marvel. Justin had looked at Kris Starr, cranky and petulant aging rock legend, and had seen someone worth salvaging, caring for, loving. Even before they’d been lovers. Even when Kris had insulted him and pretended they weren’t friends.

 Justin loved like that: a gift, freely given. Because he thought someone—an old rock star, a friend, a person he’d only just met, a writer he’d offered a book contract—deserved to be loved.

 Sometimes he couldn’t believe Justin had married him. Sometimes he could believe it, and then he swore on every single battle-lined bit of whatever soul he’d got left that he’d make Justin’s life as splendid and delicious and full of cherishing as his husband deserved.

 He’d stopped reading, as the sun came up. He thought Justin might be asleep; he tried not to yawn, and failed. Not as young as he used to be. Not as bouncy. But Justin needed him.

 Justin folded the arm more tightly around Kris’s waist, murmured, “You can sleep, I’m here,” and wriggled closer: all worn-out half-demon loyal fierceness, even when mostly mortal. “You should rest too. With me.”

 “You sure?” He ran a hand over Justin’s head. So human. Very human. Red and dull. “Was kinda thinking I’d stay awake, in case you needed me.”

 “I do need you,” Justin explained into Kris’s shoulder. “Right here. I’m okay…sort of…mostly, anyway…I’ll wake you if I’m not. If I’m hurting worse. I promise. Sleep with me.”

 Kris sighed.

 “Please?”

 “…all right. But you’ll wake me if you feel worse.”

 “I promise, Kris.”

 “Even a tiny bit worse. Even if you only think you might feel worse. Or you’re thirsty. Or hungry. Or—”

 “Kris.”

 “…I love you,” Kris muttered, defeated. “Love.”

 “I know.” Justin waited for Kris to flip the light off, then fit himself into elderly knightly arms. “I love you. Always. My Kris.”

 “Yeah,” Kris breathed, as Justin’s human hair kissed his chin, as light crept around curtain-edges and traced familiar bedposts and doorknobs in gold, “yours.”

[m00nslippers]

Jason is a clever bitch and I love him, in RHATO Issue #32

Okay now we’re finally moving Jason closer to the Winick version that I think is most people’s favorite Red hood--it’s not there yet, but we’re seeing the hints. The cleverness, the charm, the unrepentant sass. Oh yes, we are going places, I like what I see.

Let’s dive in here.

Whoever made that post about Jason not even needing a cover story about being dead to revive his identity was kind of prophetic because here his cover is basically, “So I wasn’t actually dead. no more details, that’s it.” Which is pretty dang close.

And I’m not sure how he managed any of this without Bruce or Alfred finding out but that is damn impressive. We know they didn’t know because we see Alfred’s reaction shot to seeing him on TV. If we don’t see him interact with a few of the other Gotham vigilantes, (or at least see a reaction shot of them all like, “What!? Jason?! The guy we had to physically blackmail to attend galas is running a casino with parties every night? That Jason?!) at some point I’m going to be pretty disappointed, to be honest.

Also, as we already knew from the solicitations and previews, Jason is taking over the Iceburg lounge and looking fancy while he does it. I love it. Jason can put on an act with the best of the batboys. Look at this well dressed man! And his hair! He has hair again, praise the Lord, hallelujah!

Completely unrelated note, that reporter has some really fancy cuff earrings or something and I’m jealous.

I’m validated for noticing Suzie Su was behind Jason in the previews. She and her sisters are part of his crew basically. It’s actually nice to see villains/characters return, too often they are just one-shot or one-note baddies but Suzie has been there since New 52 RHATO and she got a bit of humanization in the Annual when we meet her sisters. She’s not just some creepy fat lady that creeps on Jason, she’s a big sister who is trying to do her best for her family and I like that Jason acknowledges that and brings her and her family in on his scheme and even gets them out of the crime business sort-of by giving them mostly legit employment.

The way he has a bunch of ladies following him around kind of reminds me of Dick with the girls from St. Hadrian's a little bit. But they were all super into Dick and these girls don’t seem interested in Jason at all except as like a boss, which I like.

Jason, this is the kind of thing you should ask about! Ugggghh ~

Wingman looked older in the last page of the previous issue for some reason, maybe he’s died his hair or something. So we still don’t know what’s going on with him. I was hoping we’d get something, a hint but we’ve literally got nothing to go on here. I honestly think he has some kind of direct relation to Jason. Either he’s his dad’s mind in a different inmates body, or maybe a lost cousin or brother or something, or has something to do with the future like he came from there. It’s got to be one of those things, nothing else makes sense that I can think of.

LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL BOY! JUST LOOK AT HIM. LOOK AT THOSE EYELASHES AND BLUE EYES AND THAT SMILE.

Anyone would be charmed. I think Jason is too much of an introvert to like this kind of public job exactly, but I also think he’d be good at it. Dick might be better, because he’s just a natural extrovert, but Jason is still up there. He’s a good actor, and he really cares about people so he’d take care of those he’s in charge of. Jason would be a good boss.

“Started from the bottom now we’re here,” that’s a Drake lyric.

Could these guys be bigger dorks?

Notice that Jason didn’t kill the guys that were causing trouble, he had Miggs (his nickname for Miguel) roll them off to the docks in a ball made with his powers and those dorks were totally right, the room he made was pretty gucci. You got taste, Miguel.These weren’t necessarily real bad guys, they were just punks, and Jason might be killing again but he doesn’t just kill any idiot that gets in his way or causes trouble.

Also, technically they might have been right about Night cheating, we don’t actually know how ‘legit’ the Su sisters are playing things.

I’m sort of torn on the way the colorist is depicting Miguel’s powers, like I miss the glowiness a little bit from New 52 Teen Titans. These look a little too much like normal bricks? But technically that might be better for Miguel, they can pass as normal bricks instead of a power when they have to. They looked clear or white before when the guys walked in there so maybe he can control their color/transparency and glowiness? I still would like to see them look glowy though.

A few things about Miguel: I think these panels illustrated pretty well what their dynamic is supposed to be. I know Jason called Bizarro his ‘friend’ but let’s be honest here, Bizarro isn’t Jason’s friend--he’s his little brother.

Jason compares Miguel to Bizarro and I think that’s key, he sees Miguel as like a little brother that he wants to help. He’s got powers that he doesn’t understand and people keep coming after him for them. I think with Miguel and Tim it was closer to a friendship of equals at least as far as Miguel saw. He admired and respected Tim as a leader and how he always seemed to know what to do, but in the end Miguel was older than Tim, he didn’t feel like he could completely lean on him. It looks like Miguel may have latched on to Jason in that way, since he has the bat-authority too and actually is older than him and a genuinely caring guy. And look at my boy Jason! He comforts and accepts him immediately, it’s so sweat.

Goddamn it, Jason is a good older brother! He’s the best freaking older brother, damn Bruce and the whole family’s bat-morals, man! You’re all missing this! He could have this with Tim and Damian and Duke and even Steph and Cass! He would love that! He would be so good at that! It’s a goddamn tragedy, is what it is.

Also it’s interesting how Miguel acknowledges the reboots, so are his powers related to reality-warping or something so he can sense it? Or it could just be more of this suggestion that a lot of people in the DC universe right now have memories from the previous continuity, so like it all kind of happened even if it technically didn’t type of thing. I kind of thought Miguel’s powers were energy projections made with his mind, like psionically, but maybe they are literally creating matter or something? I don’t know. I really need to read more New 52 Teen Titans to understand him and his powers.

And that line, “A loaded weapon in the hands of a confused teenager. What could go wrong?”

Wow, Jason, you really went there. Referenced you’re own crazy head-state when you went after Bruce in Under the Hood.

Jason is so self-deprecating, you guys.

“When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer. “ This is apparently a quote from Die Hard, because of course it is. Jason is literally Jake Peralta from Brooklyn 99 confirmed.

Ugh, Lobdell’s version of Bruce is just such an asshole!

First of all, Jason hasn’t ‘betrayed him’ not even once, he was emotionally compromised and broke their agreement because he was acting on those feelings. He made a mistake. And Bruce cared more about his rules than Jason’s intentions or feelings or any of the good will they’d fostered in the last year or two. He acts like Jason sold him out or lied to him, when he never did any of those things.

Also, I don’t think saying, “stay out of Gotham and never come back or I’ll throw down and toss you in Arkham” is another chance, okay? It’s not like Jason got anything out of that deal, it was just Bruce not wanting to go through the trouble of hunting him down outside of Gotham because he straight-up knew that he wouldn’t be able to!

That Pretty Woman reference...

The funny thing is, Jason is more like the character who says that line than Bruce is. Bruce, kicking Jason out of the bat-family, is the one who is making the mistake. He could have had an ally, had say in what Jason did, had some limited control over him if he’d just forgiven him or talked to him at all, but because of his pride now he has none of that.

Now this, this is my shit right here. JASON HAS BRUCE BY THE BALLS. By going public with his identity he’s effectively made himself untouchable by Bruce. He’s got the identity of every Gotham vigilante in his hands, and honestly I really doubt Jason would ever give them up, even out of spite or hatred, he never did before when he could have, (he didn’t tell Hush Bruce’s identity, he just didn’t deny it when Hush figured it out, and we’re not sure if that’s even canon anymore anyway.) but it’s partly Bruce’s own doubt in Jason that is keeping his hands tied! That and the fact that if even one of his kids is outted as a vigilante it really puts the suspicion on him.

But seriously guys. Smart Jason is what Iive for.

God, Jason calling him dad, but only because he’s ‘playing up the act’ of civilian Jason Todd, has got to hurt Bruce. Assuming Lobdell’s version of Bruce has any actual feelings of affection for Jason, otherwise it probably just grates.

Lol, okay, so the situation seems to be that Jason dropped in to the Iceburg lounge to pay Penguin a visit. Cobblepot went, “Oh no! That damned Red Hood is here, hide me!” Ran into his panic room and locked it and Jason was just like, “Well, isn’t this convenient,” and made it so he couldn’t get back out.

And then presumably gangster-rules applied and Jason just got all his businesses because he said they were his and no one wanted to argue? I guess? Lobdell doesn’t give satisfying explanations, you guys. This is a testament to that.

I’m not going to lie though, this is pretty satisfying.

Alright, so I’m really excited for more you guys. This is not a perfect issue, a lot of things are hand waved, Bruce is acting even more out of character than usual, and we still have no dang clue what’s going on with Wingman, but there are definitely things here I like, and i’m looking forward to more.