#a moody murder mystery

[albatrossisland]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Law & Order Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Diana Hawthorne/Jack McCoy (past), Claire Kincaid/Jack McCoy (past) Characters: Jack McCoy, Diana Hawthorne, Lennie Briscoe, Rey Curtis, Adam Schiff, Abbie Carmichael, Shelly Cates Additional Tags: the bare minimum of a murder mystery, Post Episode: s09e14 Sideshow Summary:

Jack must grapple with the death of another person he was close to.

[peachycrossingx]

murder-mystery cabin 🔎💡

[displayheartcode]

The excess of power that tapped at her glass figure like a bird asking to be set free, lest she shatter into a million irreparable shards. Too much for one small body to contain. It was alive and unrelenting, fighting all the restraints she’d forced upon it over the years.

modern divination by isabel agajanian

[lilirot]

The cover of Every Time We Touch for Touchstarved is so bad. I keep trying to give it a chance but nah, it's not working.

[portugalisinsa]

#going into the tags hoping i'd see some book reccs but its all discourse ;w;#well i'm not gonna claim these are all highly intellectual works but here's some of my fave adult fantasies#tainted cup by robert jackson bennett#the thief by megan whalen turner#winnowing flame trilogy by jen williams#locked tomb series by tamsym muir#goblin emperor and witness for the dead by katherine addison#a natural history of dragons by marie brennan#the mountain in the sea by Ray Naylor#god killer by hannah kaner#temeraire and scholomance by naomi novik#october daye by seanan mcguire#i'm also getting into t kingfisher books :)#gods of wyrdwood by r j barker was also good#i really need to find more books by non-white authors tho

No babe it’s so cool and hot that you always insist that fantasy books written to meet a 4th graders’ comprehension skills have more complex themes and a greater sense of praxis than anything written for adults

[sayoneee]

☆ POISON

“miss her, kiss her, love her, wrong move you’re dead, that girl is poison” - bell biv devoe (2.2k)

contains: luke castellan x daughter of aphrodite! reader. acquaintances to friends to secretish lovers. silena + drew mentions. during tlt.

kashaf’s note: u cant tell me a group of teenagers lived together at summer camp and no one had secret parties. dont @ me for the 90s music references (+ i imagine avantika vandanapu as silena, and momona tamada as drew)

i. and if there was a problem / yo, i'll solve it

“CASTELLAN?” YOU APPROACHED him slowly, tone cautious as if you were speaking to a wounded animal, although in this case, maybe you were, as you reached for his bruised knuckles, remaining persistent, even as he tried to withdraw his hands out of your grasp. “why’d you do that?”

“did i need a reason?” there is a forced jocularity to his words, a well-practiced mask he is never seen without, and you cringe slightly, your gaze catching the grimace that twists his lips. his attempt at a ‘roguish’ grin falls flat, the expression a discordant note against the backdrop of his injuries. luke’s already busted lip splits open, a thin line of crimson carving a river down his chin. he moves to wipe it off the back of his arm, but you’ve already pulled off the bandana tying up your hair (a birthday present from a half-sibling) and begun rubbing at his face.

luke’s eyes widened at the gesture.

despite being tentative acquaintances since your arrival, you’re still annoyed that luke castellan continues to underestimate just how much of his heart he wears on his sleeve — or rather, just how well you manage to see past his facade. his blatant lie hangs in the air, unacknowledged. instead, you deliberately shift your gaze to the purples and blacks that mar his knuckles, setting about wrapping them with your bandana, obscuring the damage.

“i could’ve done that myself,” luke says, amused, his words lightly appreciative. still, at your answering glare, he tosses his hands in the air in surrender as ‘ice ice baby’ continues in the background, uninterrupted, “but thank you, though.”

“i’m no apollo kid, but it’ll do,” you shrug instead of accepting the gratitude, tugging him to his feet, ensuring to grab his uninjured hand, and hauling him outside. 

“you’re no apollo kid, and you decide to take the injured man away from where the apollo kids are actually gathered,” luke muses, once again entertained with himself (was there any other emotion this boy could experience besides amusement?), once the lights of the apollo cabin are so far behind you, neither of you could fully see each other.

“you’ll live,” you say, scowling at him through the darkness, forgetting he couldn’t actually see you.

“and you’re moody for a daughter of aphrodite,” he says, still holding onto your hand as he trails after you.

you stop in your tracks, pinch the bridge of your nose, count to three, and finally turn to luke, who still has his stupidly pleased-with-himself expression on his face. “luke castellan, if you don’t end up dying of some tragic fate or the other i will hunt you down myself.”

“duly noted.”

“holy hera, do you even want to know where i’m taking you?”

“nah, i think the mystery really adds some suspense.”

“that’s it, i give up,” you say, before beginning to drag him back to the apollo cabin, when he plants his feet in the dirt ground firmly, grinning crookedly at you as the moonlight finally shines through the clouds, suddenly bathing him in a luminescent glow.

“nah, c’mon, let’s go to your spot.”

you glare at him, watching how his stupid grin only seems to grow in size, an annoyingly endearing trait. with a sigh, you continued to drag him along, scowling each time he tried to make a quip.

“what if we get to your spot, and i find out this was all just a ploy to murder me?” luke muses out loud, looking thoughtful for once.

“do you seriously believe that if i was gonna murder you, i wouldn’t have done it by now?” you say, pausing when he shrugged in agreement, “we’re here though, whiney baby.” 

luke’s eyebrows rose as he took in the secluded area near the dunes, finally meeting your gaze again. “aw, i can’t believe you just planned out our first date.”

“i seriously don’t know what any of my half-siblings see in you.”

“so you’ve discussed me then.”

“shut up, i dragged you all the way here, because even though i know you like attention, i don’t think you wanted the attention you were getting from punching that poor hephaestus kid in the jaw,” you say shockingly sincerely, startling both yourself and luke.

luke doesn’t say anything, letting what seems like a confession hang in the air, instead, sits down near the water, and rubs a hand across his jaw, watching you as you follow suit, sitting next to him. 

after spending what seems like minutes in silence, watching the waves lap at the shore, luke finally speaks, staring out at the horizon, his tone slightly hollow, and devoid of all things you have come to label as luke castellan, looking eerily similar to the night he had returned from his infamous quest, “heroes aren’t meant to be happy.”

you drew your legs to your chest, wrapping your arms around them and resting your head. “i know — achilles, orpheus, theseus…” you trail off.

“and hercules,” luke adds, almost melancholy. 

“i think i’ve pretty much accepted i’ll die young,” you say, your words coming out in nothing but a whisper despite the two of you being alone.

luke nods in solidarity, lost in thought. “it shouldn’t have to be like this,” he finally says, voice hardening.

ii. talking sweet and looking fine / i get kinda hectic inside

“okay, for this technique, i’ll need a partner,” luke says, looking straight at you. “can you come up here?”

deciding to oblige him, you rolled your eyes good-naturedly, smiling as you joined him in front of the other campers, who had begun whispering when he called out to you. in the crowd, just past your half-siblings looks of shock, you can see the stolls passing around a wad of cash. 

luke addresses the crowd once more, “i need everyone to be paying close attention here, we’ll be demonstrating how to parry, or counterblock for the newcomers.”

as both of you get into position, luke smiles, “don’t forget to go easy on me.”

you laughed, “don’t bet on it, castellan.”

your demonstration ends up feeling like eons, as the two of you continue to dance around each other, parrying and jabbing, and lunging, and striking, and parrying. both of you are panting, your faces flushed as you continue, and just when it seems like you have the upper hand, luke side steps, and easily parries your finishing blow, disarming you in the process.

you laugh as you yield, loving the exhilaration from the fight, but when the two of you face the campers once more, more than half of the crowd is slack-jawed. 

luke, ever the showman, can’t resist a grin, “not only was that your lesson to not underestimate aphrodite cabin, but also to show you the level we’re trying to get you guys to. now, partner up and spread out.”

before you can turn back to address luke again, drew is suddenly at your side. 

“what the fuck was that?” drew hisses, grasping your elbow and leading you away from the training session in full swing, pulling you into your cabin, where silena sits on your bed (still in her armor), clearly awaiting this impromptu confrontation.

“what was what?” you choose to feign innocence, examining your nails before glancing up to see the twin expressions of horror on both silena and drew’s faces. 

“do not act dumb,” drew eyes you coolly, “it’s so beneath you.”

“i’m not acting dumb,” you rolled your eyes at the both of them.

“yes you —”

“you and castellan,” silena interjects, “we want details, now.”

“what details even are there to give?”

silena grabs drew’s arm, pulling her back from apparently nearly pouncing on you. 

drew rolls her eyes at the hand on her arm, and then focuses on you, “you’re literally our next head counselor and you and castellan had never so much looked at each other until this week and now he’s asking you to help demonstrate training techniques, like hello?”

silena snapped her fingers in agreement, “c’mon, you can’t deny that something didn’t happen.”

“nothing did,” you crossed your arms across your chest.

“you know what,” drew says, “if you wanna be like this fine. come find me when you finally decide to — i don’t know — talk to your sisters?” she storms out of the cabin, leaving you alone with silena, who sighs, gives you an apologetic look and goes after drew. 

“well, that was a shit show.”

you whirl around to see your head counselor standing at the entry of the cabin, poised as ever, not a hair out of place as she stood, examining her manicure, looking bored, as usual. 

“couldn’t agree more,” you sigh, sitting on your bed, head in your hands. 

your head counselor takes a seat beside you, “look, i don’t care for whatever petty drama just unfolded, you’ll get over it, daughters of aphrodite and all,” she waves a hand in the air, “— but for now, we have more pressing issues. i’m gonna leave for college soon, and the entire cabin knows you’re my successor.”

you nod as she paused, meeting your gaze, and you can’t help but examine the perfect shape of her eyeliner, scanning her entire picture-perfect face in an attempt to discern her mood.

“i don’t care whatever it is you have going on with castellan, but you need to complete the rite of passage, before you become head counselor.”

“the rite of passage?” you asked, having only heard the phrase in hushed conversations around camp, the knot in your stomach tightening as she continued.

“no child of aphrodite is a true child of aphrodite without having broken their first love’s heart,” is all she offers as an explanation, completely straight-faced. “castellan is perfect for your rite of passage.”

your eyebrows furrow as you consider her words, and with a final nod, and gentle squeeze of your arm, she leaves you with both her legacy and your mother’s legacy in your hands. 

“oh, and before i forget, whoever doesn’t do it always ends up cursed.”

iii. now let me pray to keep you from / the perils that will surely come

luke’s shoulder brushing against yours has turned out to be extremely distracting, and now you can understand why your cabin is more notorious for breaking hearts, rather than falling in love. you can’t seem to focus on anything except how close his hand is to yours, even the golden hue of the fire or the sing-alongs can’t divert your attention. 

the distance between the two of you grows imperceptibly smaller when luke suddenly clears his throat, on the verge of saying something, when a twig snaps behind the two of you, causing you to jump apart and look at the intruder. 

annabeth is standing behind the two of you, looking faintly apologetic, but also terrified. “sorry if i interrupted you guys,” she offers, rubbing her arm.

you share a glance with luke, nodding at him. “you weren’t — luke can always talk to me later,” you say, offering her your trademark smile.

annabeth nodded, “thank you,” as luke gently squeezed your hand before getting up to comfort her.

“don’t thank me, sweetheart.”

you’re at your usual spot when luke rejoins you, running a hand through his curls. “sorry,” he says, “someone left a spider in athena cabin, and no one could kill it.”

you chuckled, “if it wasn’t a total accident, i’d bet money it was travis and connor.”

the corner of his mouth quirks up at the mention of his siblings, “i think you’re spending too much time around them to pick up on their habits.”

“or maybe, i’m spending too much time around you,” you offer, smirking at him, trying to ignore the funny feeling in your chest as he smiles genuinely at you.

“i like to say i’m an acquired taste,” luke shrugs, sneaking a glance at you as you laugh at him. 

“i think i’ve acquired that taste,” you say, without thinking, before realizing how phenomenally stupid that sounded.

luke smiled widely, “y’know, if you weren’t a daughter of aphrodite, i would’ve told you how corny that was —” you shoved him here, “— ow, let me finish, but i actually am really glad to hear that.”

“no wonder,” you smirked, “i can practically hear your heart beating out of your chest.”

“okay, look who’s confident all of a sudden.”

you shut him up with a soft kiss that has him seeing stars. 

iv. i know what’s weighing on your mind / you can be sure i know my part

“again, what the hell is going on with you and castellan?” silena asks one early morning before breakfast, birds chirping as she’s lining her eyes with kajal, glancing at the mirror in her hand as she sits at the top of her bed.

“nothing.”

“i literally saw you guys making out and had to scrub my eyes out with soap,” drew adds, looking extremely disgusted at the thought of relieving that experience, as she paints a fresh coat of nail polish. 

“fine, you’re right,” you concede, curling your eyelashes. 

“don’t you have to do the rite of passage, though?” drew asks, pausing to look up at you.

“i’m not doing the rite of passage,” you say slowly, setting the eyelash curler down on the vanity.

“excuse me?” your head counselor has her hands on her hips, the annoyed expression on her face marring her perfect features, towering over you as she stands in front of your bed.

“i said, i’m not doing the rite of passage,” you enunciate, looking up at her, maintaining eye contact.

the temperature of the cabin seemed to drop ten degrees, and for a minute or so, your stare remained unbroken until she shrugged. “your decision... but don’t say i didn’t warn you,” before dramatically whirling around and heading to the pavilion.

silena gave you a look as drew arched her brow, and you simply shrugged in response.

© sayoneee on tumblr. do not repost, plagiarize, translate or claim any of my works as your own.

[nefarrilou]

@folkling's SLASHED challenge - Vampire Edition!

For everyone who hasn't yet experienced my turn on the slashed challenge (whether you're new since January or just missed it before), I’m reopening the mystery again!

The Countess invites a medium to her estate to communicate with her ancestors. During the seance, the spirits warn of an unknown presence in the house with malicious intent.

I'll reveal the individual characters bit by bit 🍷

[slitherpunk]

games i liked in 2023 (And Other)

I like games ! You know that ?! and I played a lot 2023! and I liked a lot :). They aren't in any specific order, it's just a little highlight of games that stood out to me this year. I've attempted to write a few thoughts on each so I hope take a look. I wrote playtimes for some also but that is very subjective.

-Ones that actually came out 2023-

Lunacid https://store.steampowered.com/app/1745510/Lunacid/ I think I mentioned enjoying this in 2022 but it officially released so I can say it was one of my favorite games in 2023 :3! I like to feel around this game's walls for secrets. I like the npcs that are full of hope and whimsy despite the bleakness of its world. Chill and occasionally spooky first person dungeon crawling around moody caverns and ruins varying from underground forests to vampire castles and blood lake. (Blood lake!!!! Lake of blood!!! Big creature there.) Lots of fun weapons and spells to find, I like the one that lets you turn blood into coffins.

~20 hours

Orbo's Odyssey https://feverdreamjohnny.itch.io/orbos-odyssey If you played the massively popular demo for "Peeb Adventures" by feverdreamjohnny then you know that Johnny makes some fun and funny games and this is certainly one of them. speedy and satisfying platforming! funny dracula moments! short and sweet.

~2 hours

A Walk in the Woods https://mooncaller.itch.io/a-walk-in-the-woods Quaint little GBStudio game :) Made by some friends of mine for a jam :) It's cute I like it. There's minigames where you catch bugs and birdwatch.

~30 minutes long

Undertale Yellow https://gamejolt.com/games/UndertaleYellow/136925 I've only completed the pacifist run and checked out a neutral run so far. as the title somewhat implies, this is a prequel to Undertale where you play as the fallen human who had the yellow colored soul. This Undertale fangame has a lot of charm!!! A lot of battles really feel like they could have been in the original, with quite a bit of extra flair in some circumstances.

~10 hours

vs really cool bird https://bobacupcake.itch.io/vs-really-cool-bird you know that really cool bird that rob bobacupcake made well you can fight it in undertale and it's really fun. yeah two undertale fangames. . . wat of it …

~30 minutes

Misericorde: Volume One https://xeecee.itch.io/misericorde I wont lie the main draw for me into this was cute anime nuns I sure didn't know a whole lot else about it when I dug into it. But it's (the first part of) a VN murder mystery! And I enjoyed it a whole lot. All the characters are memorable and I really enjoy how all of them have differentiating designs. The protagonist is so failgirl. She sucks so much and I love her. I'm very intrigued by the mechanics of the game's world, it clues you in near the beginning to expect something a bit supernatural/fantastical, which gives you (and later the protagonist) a curiosity about what's real and what isn't. The music is all very impressive too, with the ost reaching past 100 tracks varying through post-rock, folk, drum & bass, and others. (Remembering when the track "Scandal" played and my friends and I took a moment to be like- okay hang on this track pwns.) Big fan of its haunting locals and how the aesthetic of the game fits them well. Also the humor is a lot of fun, and I love all the moments getting to know the different characters. Very excited to see the eventual continuation of this.

~12 hours

Absolutely Perfect Specimen https://chambersoft.itch.io/absolutely-perfect-specimen It seems like a lot of people are craving toxic horror yuri lately. Here's a recommendation. It's a VN about the android maid "Pan" and the mad scientist girl who created her. Horrifying & gut wrenching & largely about having other people define you. The art and music is haunting & poignant and matches the ever increasing feeling of dread throughout. It's yuri with the chunks. Peak robotgirl horror for those who can stomach it.

~90 minutes

Wordhopper https://kokoscript.itch.io/wordhopper Very quaint word search type puzzle game for ms dos! I think its style is very slick and that's pretty impressive to see. Chill game with nice vibes and eyecandy visuals. also it was so cool to have played this and then ended up seeing the dev's booth at Vintage Computer Festival Midwest. I was like omg woah I just played this.

~bunny

Bossgame https://lilyv.itch.io/bossgame This game is yuriful as f*ck. Delightful humor and fun character dynamics! A simple-to-understand-difficult-to-master boss rush battle system that makes you satisfied to get it right, and enticing to get just a little farther if you get it wrong. There's a lot of detail and charm to this game's menus and dialogues and win screens, I remember noticing that once you beat a boss there would be some marquee text that would pass by with some prose on it. I love how it balances its silly moments with its heartfelt moments and its high octane moments. I like the character development and revelations had throughout the plot. & I like how good the protagonists are for each other :) It's very sweet. It's hype as hell. if you want some boss rush action paired well with that sweet sweet girl's love, you *will* play this game.

~5 hours

Elly's Adventure https://bikwins.itch.io/ellys-adventure Very cute and witchy!! You are the little witch girl "Elly" on an adventure to get your toys back!! Feels like a pretty authentic gameboy type experience, it takes a lot of design cues from Kirby's adventure and the like. I am a big fan of how playful it feels.

~1 hour

Nour https://store.steampowered.com/app/1141050/Nour_Play_with_Your_Food/ This was a treat for me, but I understand that not everybody is going to get it. It's a game where you play with food(and food accessories). And that's it. It knows what it was going for. I think a lot of people were expecting something else for some reason. It's a cute little toy game and I felt satisfied with my time with it.

~food

Hi-Fi Rush https://store.steampowered.com/app/1817230/HiFi_RUSH/ Do I have to say this game is super fun? It's a big one everybody probably already knows it. This game's dopey humor made me laugh a lot and I'm not afraid to admit it.

~12 hours

WHISKEY.ST2007S https://bonicle.itch.io/whiskey-st2007nes One of the last games I played in the year because it released super last minute. Does anybody else get a rush when running a shopping cart down the parking lot? This emulates that feeling. Short game where you collect whisky stones in the whisky stone dimension because you forgot to go christmas shopping until the very last minute. it rules. It's very short you can go play it right now & get a highscore.

~5 minutes

re:curse https://devpalmer.itch.io/re-curse Discovered this one near the very end of the year also. Fun little rpg maker horror/humor game about a weird scientist lady, her butch, and an evil clown computer virus that figured out how to warp reality. I got a kick out of it. and also enjoyed digging through the game's files, which was actively encouraged by the dev, which I thought was very fun.

~90 minutes

-Didn't technically get to until 2024 but released last year-

SWOLLEN TO BURSTING UNTIL I AM DISAPPEARING ON PURPOSE https://1207.itch.io/swollen-to-bursting-until-i-am-disappearing-on-purpose People love to dunk on a lot of indie rpgs for being "quirky Earthbound inspired and about depression" or whatever. Earthbound's great. If people can nail the kind of humor and absurdity it likes to pull off while also balancing difficult topics I think that deserves a high mark. SWOLLEN TO BURSTING was fun. Bizarre and charming places to explore & distressing secrets to find. I like how it blends meander-around-the-town gameplay with Yume Nikki sort of exploration and effects. Also I'm a big fan of the music. I like how it has the lofi sound which matches the early 3d look of the game.

~6 hours

HalOPE https://starbage.itch.io/halope Another for the fans of sweet little rpg maker games that have a lot of heart. HalOPE is about an incomplete little angel wondering through worlds. Each has a theme, usually to do with an emotion or feeling, and they do well at evoking that feeling as well as its antithesis. a lot of the music is very homey and charming at moments and unnerving at others, sometimes lonely, all doing well in their corresponding chapters to further the feeling of its specified theme. There are so many delightful characters and designs in this & I found myself feeling really attached to their tiny little stories. The narrative at the core of it all hit me. If I may be vulnerable, I cried a whole lot at various moments in this game. It was really cathartic. I feel very excited for people to experience this game.

~5 hours

-Favs I finally got around to that didn't come out 2023-

An Outcry https://quinnk.itch.io/an-outcry Kind of sad it took me so long to get to this one, but glad it meant I got to play the "definitive" updated version of it. Apartment wandering RPG maker horror. Bum smokes from your neighbors and use them to save the game. I wish I could unwrap a lot more of what I like about this game than I can without spoiling too much. But if I could, I'd probably go on for too long. Let me attempt to be succinct & not giving too much away. You can tell pretty early on that An Outcry is about taking action when necessary & not turning a blind eye. What it explores about player vs protagonist agency is very fascinating to me as well, and I enjoyed learning about the inspirations for why the game's narrative works the way it does. The character Anne is such a sweetie and I love her a whole lot. This game has a very tangible feeling, this apartment complex is dirty and crumby, it smells of smoke, and there's a surrounding desperation you can feel.

~5 hours

Pigments https://punkcake.itch.io/pigments Honestly I had gotten this game in a bundle and while I was playing it I hadn't looked at the name and I just kept calling it FRUIT. On call with my friends I'd be like "hey im gonna play more FRUIT". I straight up didn't read the title screen. But it's called Pigments. You play as a fruit and you try to paint the whole floor and not get sliced by buzzsaws. Fun little arcade type game.

~fruit

Bridge, October 3rd https://lowpolis.itch.io/bridge-october-3rd Very short vignette. I like it. It's what it says it is. I'm not going to overexplain.

~like a minute

-Other Games I Want To Mention-

Pseudoregalia https://store.steampowered.com/app/2365810/Pseudoregalia/ I think a lot of people might have already known this one but I felt like it was a pretty fun 3d platformer. There were a few issues I had with it (boss fight at the beginning was frustrating, and I got lost a lot [but it looks like there's been a map patch by now, so, perhaps for some that is a fix]). I enjoyed it but sure felt weird that the only accessibility option was to give the protagonist pants. What kind of joke is that?

~5 hours

Mushroom Musume https://mortallymoonstruckgames.itch.io/mushroom-musume (Disclaimer, this game is still early access, but I saw a lot of people talking about it last year. SO I will mention here?) Haven't played much of this yet, but I have enjoyed what I played so far!! As of writing I've gone through 6 playthroughs, I feel like I've hardly scratched the surface and I've been so impressed by its depth. It's very charming, you never know what sorts of fairytale shenanigans are going to happen, and it's very cool to see how your different stats will affect things. It very much plays out like a roguelike vn. Which is not the sort of thing you may expect to make much sense but it pulls this off well. Also all the mushroom girls are very cute and I love them very much. I hope the sad goopy one who had bugs in her skin rests in peace.

~mushroom

Knuckle Sandwich https://andybrophy.itch.io/knuckle-sandwich -_- Hm. Where do I start with this one. I was pretty excited for this one since the demo and kickstarter in 2018. I felt like the demo was a hell of a hook that got me curious & horrified. As time went on, it seemed to be shaping up into something really cool. turn based combat with action commands and wario-ware-type microgames?? with a banging soundtrack?? like, count me in!! Then it released and well, the gameplay, art, music all delivered. It was very fun and engaging in those aspects. But the story… oh it just devolves into disappointing nonsensical randomness. The whole hook at the beginning seemed to be completely thrown away for the wild goose chase plot that ensues, leaving you to wonder if it was ever going to be relevant again. It felt like it had no idea what it was trying to say or do. It disappointed me that a game that has so much good in so much else about it gets brought down so much for me by this plot.

~12 hours

Rhythm Doctor https://store.steampowered.com/app/774181/Rhythm_Doctor/ (Putting this one in mentions because it is early access.) I really enjoyed the act 5 release. When I first saw this game, I kind of shrugged it off, thinking "that base mechanic doesn't seem like it will last". I thought it was basically just that one ghost shooting game from Rhythm Heaven which I Hate. Well let's just say I am now seeking penitence for my previous transgressions. It's really fun. There's a lot more to it that I didn't know when I first took a look. Also, consistently amazed by people's custom levels, I had no idea that its level editor allows people to do so much in it, I look at some levels and think "This editor seems as complex as an industry standard video editor". I'm looking forward to what they're planning next, very curious how they could possibly one-up the last update.

~rhythm

El Paso Elsewhere https://strangescaffold.itch.io/el-paso-elsewhere This was really fun & funny so far but unfortunately I had been encountering an issue with a certain level where the game would crash. I reported the issue, got a response, and there has been an update since then so I think there's a possibility that it got fixed but I have not tried yet. I would like to return to this sometime but having to relearn controls midway through is always daunting to me.

~?

-Things that looked good but didn't get around to-

Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood https://store.steampowered.com/app/1340480/The_Cosmic_Wheel_Sisterhood/ Still don't know a whole lot about this. But there are witches, and I like witches.

Casette Beasts https://store.steampowered.com/app/1321440/Cassette_Beasts/ I haven't felt thrilled about Pokémon lately. I know a lot of people seemed to really enjoy this little monster-collecting-rpg. The style is appealing to me as a die-hard gen 5 fan. I started playing it but haven't set aside the dedicated time for it yet, but I'm excited to dig in more when I do.

Little Goody Two Shoes https://store.steampowered.com/app/1812370/Little_Goody_Two_Shoes/ Started watching a friend play this, and I'm certainly curious.. Some sort of horror fairytale but also there's yuri? Yum. Enjoyed the style and animation in the nightmare segments that I saw.

Venba https://store.steampowered.com/app/1491670/Venba/ I've picked this up a while ago but still haven't gotten around to it, but I'm eager to, I've heard nothing but good things.

Goodbye Volcano High https://store.steampowered.com/app/1310330/Goodbye_Volcano_High/ I think there are gay dinosaurs in a band and it's going to be the apocalypse? I have also heard nothing but good things about this.

-Things I watched friends play-

Signalis https://store.steampowered.com/app/1262350/SIGNALIS/ This was a pretty big one. You probably already know it, right? Watched a friend play this and I missed various parts but I understood a solid bit of it. hey. robotgirls are always getting put in these fucked up situations. have you noticed this? one time i got really high and cried about it. it isn't fair

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk https://store.steampowered.com/app/1353230/Bomb_Rush_Cyberfunk/ This one was also probably big enough you don't need me to sing its praises. but it looked really neat. swag.

-Various Thoughts-

Lately I've been thinking more about design and narrative. I feel like I haven't been doing as much analysis as I should be when it comes to games. I want to dissect more what games are saying and figure out meaning. Also attempt to see how the mechanics aid in that. I feel like most of my own work is pretty abstract & random. I simply make what I like. While that's fun and all, I still want to improve in a lot of ways, especially in having more of a theme or message. Figuring out how other games accomplish this is obviously a good step toward this.

If you saw games here that interest you I highly urge you to take a look, many are pretty short, and I pretty explicitly wanted to highlight some smaller titles. If you know me you know I like to uplift small games. (Save for the occasional big game, but that's rare these days) I think it's healthy for you to play and support independently developed & published works. I don't want to ramble too much this time about why that's important, but I hope that you might have found something you may enjoy here and if not then I encourage you to find small stuff that you would like. And I would like to encourage everybody to share their findings as well! Little games need our help to be seen and talked about! They don't have the budgets the big ones do for advertising, and advertising on your own is a whole ton of work. If you like something, spread the word! I'm sure the developers would very much appreciate that.

[herearedragons]

alternatively.

out of water part 2

writer math. can I finish chapter 1 of The Hanged Man by the end of next week as a birthday present for myself

[foursaints]

“I don’t care what [Barty] says, Dumbledore’s not stupid”: On Barty as Machiavel

i think we're all forgetting the moment where harry explicitly draws a parallel between barty & remus and i wrote the world’s longest post about it 

under a close reading, moody!barty operates in a manner that is SO distinct from canon!moody, and i think it’s made especially apparent in the way he interacts with students & the virtues he emphasizes in his lessons. even when disguised, barty has a machiavellian tendency that comes through consistently in several different moments. 

i think this quote is a weaker example, but “very tactful” is NOT something that would be used to describe canon!moody under any circumstances. c!moody’s lack of social tact is a known characteristic, and barty uses his tactless reputation to get away with his machinations (see: the dustbin excuse, breaking into snape’s office, even the ferret to an extent).

on the other hand, BARTY is clever and subtle and manipulative, and we see this coming through in how he handles neville. the biggest difference between him and c!moody is the way that barty!moody tends to openly value or praise Cleverness & Craftiness above more moody-ish virtues like bravery, loyalty, or Taking Care of His Students’ Safety… but i think the most interesting part of all this is the way that harry reacts to it.

the hp books notoriously do this clumsy thing where the morality is starkly Black/White (as ursula leguin rightfully criticized). but seemingly arbitrary categories like “gryffindor” or “slytherin” are also conflated with this strict Good/Evil dichotomy. which results in these random-ass traits like “brave 😎🦁” and “cunning 💀🐍” also taking on moral associations within the world of the text (jkr has also done this with physical traits & racial stereotypes, which is vile) 

but an overarching theme in hp is harry grappling with this dumbass in-world black/white morality & unlearning part of it (ex: snape, the epilogue w albus severus about slytherin). but i think it’s sooo interesting that one of the few characters (aside from snape & dumbledore) to demonstrate & valorize a machiavellian tendency AND be admired for it (by harry) is LITERALLY barty jr. 

like! barty’s tact is not a good thing in-canon! he uses his tact to get away with murder & torture & elaborate terrorist plots (he’s part of a group of death eaters described as having "managed to talk their way out of azkaban” p. 527) but i looove that the same trait which allows him to do all sorts of Dastardly Evil is cast as positive and remus-like in this moment. obviously i don’t think jkr was doing of this on purpose, but i love how these little things are unintentionally more compelling than whatever the hell she was trying to do with snape. and it goes deeper!!

this moment is especially telling of barty’s character, to me. subbing out the names, “I don’t care what [Barty] says… Dumbledore’s not stupid” is a CRAZY line. 

it’s lowkey THE barty!moody thesis in comparison to c!moody: nothing we’ve seen from c!moody would even remotely suggest that he’d EVER imply that dumbledore is stupid. (c!moody adopts the “it’s imperative that we blindly trust dd’s mysterious plans” attitude that most of the adults in harry’s life take, that hermione re-emphasizes here). but barty’s attitude is something that harry heavily fucks with in this moment!! 

that’s all i really have to say about The Implications or whatever. but i want to call more attention to moments in canon where barty’s tendencies shine through his disguise because (unlike most marauders characters) his personality is really fleshed-out. especially this aspect of it. my silly 

i. "mind works the right way, granger"

barty speaking about dumbledore like he’s stupid (💀) is enjoyable for several reasons up to & including how big-dicked it is of him, but most importantly i think it’s symptomatic of an overarching theme of his character. in GOF, barty has a tendency to take stock of the people around him, according to what appears to be a really concrete & consistent set of internal values: he values cleverness matched with a certain degree of ruthlessness. 

this bit with hermione is fun. there are about ~6-7 other instances where he praises cleverness, but that’s not really a unique or noteworthy thing to value? but the phrasing in this quote is my favorite. i know that it’s in reference to the skillset required of an auror, but the phrasing of “mind works the right way” can be applied to so much of barty’s character if you reach hard. i love that barty’s language almost casts the mind as something rote & mechanical which can function right or wrong. 

but anyway it only becomes interesting when placed in context of THIS earlier interaction: 

there are endless ways barty could have gone about guiding harry to use his firebolt here, so his specific phrasing holds a lot of weight to me. (keep in mind: he’s prompting harry to feel that he came up with the firebolt/accio idea, but this whole plan was concocted by barty himself much earlier. he’s on the “convince harry to do my broomstick dragon thing” step of his overarching scheme) 

in a sense, by “inspiring” harry to do what HE already independently decided was best, he’s sort of… giving away his own reasoning, a little? the italicized emphasis on enabling oneself to “get what you need” feels… unnecessary, in context? i love that THAT is where emphasis slips into his voice because it betrays his values. 

barty’s Revenge Scheme is insanely fucking convoluted, but at every stage i think that logic is there. in his villain monologue where he rehashes the deranged level of micro-managing he was doing to get harry to resurrect voldemort, at every individual step he was following his own advice. to barty, sometimes murder is just the Simplest Spell to Get What He Needs. 

according his own advice, barty sees the clearest path between two points, and generally has 0 ethical qualms about closing that distance by the Simplest means possible. he later confirms this by describing harry’s morality introducing complications as “contend[ing] with [his] stupidity” (676) 

ii. “good boy,” growled [barty]. “i can make good use of this…”

the scene where barty acquires the marauders map is CRAZYY.. for a moment, barty is so excited & taken aback that we see a few of his genuine reactions. i love that absolutely nothing manages to faze him EXCEPT genuine delighted shock over an interesting new tool he can implement in his schemes. (sidenote: he probably recognized the marauders’ nicknames, which is so funny)

that fact that we have a canonical barty crouch jr “good boy” makes me claw at the walls. anyway. i feel that i don’t need to explain how “i can make good use of this… this might be exactly what i’ve been looking for” supports characterization of barty as a scheming little machiavel because it’s pretty much explicitly stated right there. 

but this quote stands out for his genuine preoccupation with it. from the instant that barty sees the map, his eyes don’t leave it— his eye “whizzed over [it’s] surface” (491), he questions harry about how his name appeared when he searched snape’s office (”’Crouch,’ he said. ‘You’re— you’re sure, Potter?’” (491))— all while harry is sinking into a trick staircase & getting concerned that moody is ignoring him.

“penetrating glare” ← top barty rights! 

the image of him getting new information, questioning harry about it tactfully, and then spending A FULL MINUTE silently integrating it, is one of my favorite instances of him in the book… it’s like you can hear the gears in his head whirring. i like that we can see this type of assessment that he does extends to other people, when he turns it on harry and “size[s] him up”. 

AND ALL OF THIS IS WITHOUT EVEN GETTING INTO WHAT HIS LESSONS WERE LIKE

this post is long enough as it is! but all that’s left to say is that barty will always be at his most interesting when you pay attention to canon… there’s another longpost that could be written about barty!moody’s differences in disposition. the jokes he cracks, his relative lightness, and the sheer number of times he was openly like “FUCK the law i do what i want” (while literally masquerading as a literal wizard cop) are so intriguing. but that’s for another time 

[ghost-proofbaby]

twenty four hours (modern!eddie munson x fem!reader)

HOUR ONE

in which eddie munson and you absolutely hate each other's guts. what happens when your friends make a bet that you can't spend more than twenty four hours consecutively together?

→ tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn

→ warnings: strong language, eventual smut, upside down does not exist, minors dni, excessive use of pet names (to annoy reader), excessive use of fuck (again, to annoy reader)

→ pairings: modern!college!eddie x college!fem!reader

→ wc: 3.1k+

masterlist.

spotify playlist.

◁ previous part, next part▷

1:00 ─ㅇ───────────────── 24:00

HOUR ONE - 4:00 PM

You had a lot of regrets. You were a college student – it was hardwired in your psyche to make an endless stream of stupid decisions you would come to rue. 

There was that time you signed up for an 8 AM math class during your freshman year. There was the time your boss walked in on you spitefully gossiping specifically about him and his lack of leadership skills (you had been fired the next week, no surprise). There was that time Steve Harrington convinced you to get matching tattoos with him while drunk last summer, and now you had to explain to each new person you met why you had a ghost giving a thumbs down with a speech bubble stating ‘BOO’ on your ankle. 

You had made plenty of dumb mistakes, enough to last you a lifetime. 

But this? This had to take the trophy home for your worst impulsive decision yet. 

“I’m not going in there,” you huff, crossing your arms as you lean miserably against the wall across from the open door of apartment 2C. An apartment you’d avoided ardently over the last year. To the point of even braving severe FOMO after turning down hanging out with your friends, solely because they’d be hanging out here. 

“C’mon,” Steve stands in the threshold, waiting impatiently for your tantrum to end. You had to hand it to him – he had a way of being beautifully tolerant of your misbehavior over the years. All your sour moods, all your childish antics, all your moody mornings. Steve was there for them all the last three years, “Five hundred dollars, remember? You just have to survive a day, and then you’ll be rich.” 

There it was – the only thing that could possibly motivate you to make such a catastrophic agreement with alcohol and drugs out of the equation. Money. 

It had taken nearly an hour for everyone to agree on the terms the night before when the bet was first born, but in the end, it seemed fair enough to all involved parties. The wager was five hundred dollars for you and five hundred dollars for Eddie if you two managed, partially funded by your friends pooling their money and partially funded by the Harrington Inheritance. The two of you would set base in Eddie’s apartment, considering you were living in the dorms, and you were instructed to send hourly proof to the group chat. A group chat, that ironically, Eddie was not a part of.

You’re not sure why. You never cared to ask. 

Regardless, five hundred dollars was a lot of money to a broke college student. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d managed to keep more than one hundred dollars in your account for more than a few hours. It was the kind of money that could pay for a few months’ worth of groceries, that would give you the freedom to properly go out rather than settle for another night in with movies your friend group had already seen ten times over. The kind of money you would probably flounder with once it was in your hand. 

“And if I don’t survive?” you sigh dramatically, leaning further into the wall, your bag you’d packed for your time growing heavier in your grasp, “What if, he, like, murders me, Steve?”

“He’s not going to murder you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“If he was going to, he already would have.” 

“I’ve never been around him long enough to give him a chance! What if that’s the only reason he agreed? What if this was his plan all along? He gets me alone for twenty four hours, I mysteriously disappear, and next thing you know, they find my body in the local canal-” 

“While I’m flattered you think so highly of me that I would be capable of planning something so extensively,” the devil himself appears behind Steve’s shoulder, looking to be just as irritated as you, “Harrington’s right. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead by now.” 

“Right. Cause that’s reassuring,” you snap in Eddie’s direction. 

Steve takes a deep breath, no doubt mentally preparing himself for whatever bickering is about to ensue as he sidesteps so he’s not stuck in the middle of your line of fire. 

“Listen, are we doing this or not? Because if not, I’ve got shit to do,” Eddie glowers at you, tapping his foot impatiently. 

You hate him. You really, really hate him. In the most earnest sense of the word. He was impossible, he was cocky, he was obnoxious. And it never helped that he hated you just as much, always adding fuel to the fire. From the moment the two of you had met, it was instant friction. You said go, he said stop. You wanted pizza, he wanted Chinese. Every time a small, mundane decision had to be made as a group, he’d be sure to announce his opinion, always the opposite of yours. 

You’re convinced he solely exists to be the bane of your existence. It’s probably the best part of his day. 

“Five hundred dollars,” you mutter under your breath, finally lifting your bag and leaving your spot against the wall. It was now or never. If you didn’t get this over with now, you’d walk away and be army-crawling financially through life again. You needed the five hundred dollars more than you care to admit. 

It had to be worth it. It had to be. 

The moment you enter the apartment, you’re hit with the scent of him. Something musky, something of subtle spice. It’s all tobacco and pot, cheap cologne and boy. It’s easily overwhelming, and you almost turn around to make a cheap shot at Eddie regarding it before Steve shuts the front door and engages him into conversation. 

Maybe you’d get used to it within the first few hours. 

The rest of the apartment is decorated exactly how you’d expect from Eddie. There’s a certain messy quality to it all without being dirty. The couch looks worn, probably having not been brand new to begin with when Eddie found or bought it. There’s a coffee table covered in random papers, joined by two empty beer bottles and a couple of random dice. He has a TV, albeit small, and the entertainment center that it stands upon is littered by various nerdy collector’s items. 

“Welcome to my palace,” he calls out from behind you, no longer distracted by Steve, “Sorry if it’s not up to your standards.” 

“It’s fine,” you gruffly reply, turning back around to look at him, “Where, uh, can I put my things?” 

The wicked grin that slowly spreads over his face can only spell out bad news, “Wherever. You’ll be sleeping on the couch.” 

“Dude,” Steve sighs. 

“What? It’s a one bedroom apartment, and I’m not giving her my bed,” Eddie explains as he brushes past the two of you and heads for his kitchen. 

If it were anyone else, you’d insist that it’s fine. Practicality tells you that he shouldn’t have to give up his bed. It’s his apartment, his room, his bed – in short, his rules. But it’s Eddie, so the fact that he’s made this decision without you only stokes the burning coals of disdain. Plus, the couch looked like the farthest thing from comfortable. 

“Whatever,” you scoff. You weren’t going to let him know he was already creeping beneath your skin. You were playing the long game here; you were going to start off civil, keep track of just how many offenses he committed against you, and then strike back. “It’s just one night. I’ll live.” 

“Unless I murder you!” his voice calls out to you and Steve from the kitchen. 

“Unless he murders me,” you agree with a scowl. 

Steve puts a caring hand on your shoulder, forcing a frown that’s completely insincere before he says, “What do you want on your gravestone? Also, what’s your preference for flowers at your funeral?” He breaks into laughter as you smack him roughly on his shoulder, “Sorry! Sorry, geez. Just want to have all my ducks in the row. I’ll be sure to ask him the same thing.”

Part of you is absolutely convinced this can only end in bloodshed. You can’t recall a single time you and Eddie have lasted more than ten minutes in a room together without escalating into a full blown screaming match. There was even a time you’d thrown a glass at him at one of Steve’s parties, narrowly missing his head as he’d ducked and let the glass shatter against the wall of the shared apartment with Robin.  You’d felt awful remorse towards Steve in the end. As for Eddie? You’d only wished your aim had been better. 

Steve disappears into the kitchen and you’re left alone once more, wandering as you inspect some of the collectibles more closely by the TV. Most items were from the Lord of the Rings franchise, a few Star Wars items, and an abundance of D&D figurines. All things that you went through phases of piqued interest for, but nothing terribly exciting. They had been just that – phases. Apparently, when it came to Eddie, such things didn’t exist. The apartment really just looked as if someone had taken a teenage boy’s room, and let it explode over more extensive square footage. As if he entered the typical phases for boys his age in high school, and never grew up.

Just as you reach out to grab one of the D&D figurines, a three-headed dragon, Eddie enters the living room with Steve at his side.

“Hey! Don’t fucking touch that!” Eddie shouts, making you jump back, finger no longer hovering over his glorified action figure. 

“Jesus Christ!” you shout back just as loudly, glaring up at him, “Ever heard of an inside voice?” 

He completely ignores the comment as his nostrils flare and he stands between you and the entertainment center, “We need to set some ground rules. Rule one, do not touch my shit, especially this stuff. They’re collectibles, fucking rare and crazy expensive. Keep your hands to yourself, princess.” 

The nickname is a match, striking against the roughness of your hatred, ready to burst into the flames of one of the classic screaming matches between the two of you. Steve can see it clear as day.

He clears his throat immediately, “Alright, alright. Calm down, children,” you open your mouth to argue against that nickname, but he doesn't leave pause for you to interject, “I’m leaving now. I know we joked about you two killing each other but…. Just, please don’t? It’s not worth it. Think of the money.” 

Eddie’s jaw clenches, his eyes unmoving from you as you muster up just as hateful of a glare. 

“Hey! Are you two listening to me?” he claps his hands, and the staring contest ends as you both reluctantly offer him your attention, “I’m serious. Who knows? Maybe you two can come out of this friends.”

Friends. The mere idea makes you cackle cruelly, Eddie balking immediately. 

“As if,” you sneer as Eddie spits, “Over my dead body.” 

Steve simply shrugs, “You say that now. We’ll see what changes over the next twenty four hours.” 

Nothing, you want to say. Nothing is going to change over the next twenty four hours, except I’ll be five hundred dollars richer. 

You join Eddie in walking Steve back to the door, even though you technically don’t have to because, technically, it’s not your apartment. But it’s still the polite thing to do, and Steve is still your friend, so you do. 

Eddie opens the door, and you stand a few steps away from them, shifting back and forth on your feet awkwardly. Steve pauses to check the watch on his wrist before turning and facing the two of you a final time.

“Alright, so, it’s currently four-fifteen. That means you-” he pauses and points directly to you, “-need to send proof of you both being alive, well, and still together at five-fifteen. You guys can leave the apartment, but you have to go with each other, and you can’t ditch each other wherever you might end up going. Capiche?” 

“Capiche,” you answer in monotone, Eddie not saying a word. 

“Good. Oh, by the way,” Steve already has one foot out the door, and you know it’s deliberate. Whatever he’s about to say, you’re not going to be happy about, “Expect randomized calls from all of us throughout it all. Including through the night. Cool? Cool! See you guys tomorrow, and keep your phones charged!” 

Both you and Eddie are already attempting to argue, immediately upset by this detail that was kept from both of you, but Steve is already jogging down the hallway, away from the chaotic outburst. 

“What the fuck?” Eddie says in annoyance, his face twisted terribly, “I didn’t agree to be babysat during this. I just want my fucking money.” 

Even though you were also seething at the additional rule, you opt instead to make a comment to get under Eddie’s skin rather than complain in agreement. “I think you forgot an F-bomb somewhere in there.” 

“Oh?” he turns to you, letting the door slam shut as he swings his arm, “My fucking bad. I fucking guess I should fucking watch my fucking language, yeah? Fucking oops.” 

“Has anyone told you you’re fucking annoying?” you ask in contempt. 

“Yeah. You.” 

He stalks away from his entry way at that, clearly pleased at getting the last word in this argument. And it nearly kills you, because you have no choice but to follow him back into his living room.

It’s going to be a long twenty four hours. 

He’s clearly heading towards the couch to sit down, and you can’t fathom staying in close proximity for another moment, so you begin to veer towards the kitchen. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks suddenly once your back is turned to him. 

“The kitchen?” you glance over your shoulder, lifting an eyebrow, “Or is that not allowed?” 

“Why are you going to the kitchen?” 

“Why do you care?” 

“Because it’s my fucking apartment.” 

Right. He has a point. You won’t tell him that, but he has a point. 

He’s rerouted himself from the couch towards the hallway you’re about to enter, towering over you as his lips settle into a predictable frown. 

“Can you go more than ten seconds without dropping an F-bomb? Seriously,” you question, crossing your arms, “I just want water or something. Is that a crime?” 

“To answer your first question,” he shifts around your body in the tight space, his hand brushing your hip. Both of you jump back at the contact as if even touching each other burns, “No. I fucking can’t. Not when I know it bothers you so much, sweetheart,” he’s once again using a nickname he knows will irritate you on purpose as he walks into what you assume the kitchen is. And once again, you’re following behind him like a lost puppy, having to swallow your pride like a jagged pill, “Secondly, one of my rules is to not touch my shit, so… Yeah. It is a crime by the law of the land.” 

“Law of the land?” you snort, rolling your eyes, “My God. What are you going to do? Call the police? ‘Hello, yes, 911? I’d like to report a crime. A girl I voluntarily let into my home got herself a glass of water.’” 

You choose to purposefully pitch your voice higher rather than lower as you clearly mock him. It gets the reaction you were seeking out - his entire body stiffens as he stops in front of a cabinet. 

“Congratulations,” he says slowly, turning at an agonizing pace to face you, “It’s a new record. It’s been less than five minutes alone, and you’ve already gotten on my fucking nerves.”

“Good,” is all you can reply. 

He huffs in response before he goes back to whatever he was doing before, opening the cabinet to expose a small assortment of glasses and mugs alike. None of them match – all of them were clearly either bought at different times, or gifts, in the mugs case. They’re the type you might find at Spencer’s, all pop culture references or character faces. He grabs one of the smaller, plain clear cups, turning around to hand it to you. 

Before your hand can wrap around it, he yanks it back momentarily, “Now, if you decide to throw this cup at my head like a raging bitch, it’s plastic. Minimal damage. Keep that in mind, yeah?” 

Once he’s gotten in his smart-ass remark, he lets you take the cup from him. 

So he’s also thinking of Steve’s party. Good to know. 

“That’s fine. I’ve practiced my throws since then. I’m aiming for your crotch next time.” 

If you two were friends, it might be funny. You would have said it in light-hearted cadence, he would have thrown his head back in laughter, and it could be passed off as a simple inside joke between two acquaintances. But you aren’t friends, and you say it in a convincingly serious tone, and he doesn’t even smile.  

“You can get water from the fridge,” he informs you flatly, “Try not to break it.”

“It’s a fridge that dispenses water. I know how it works, asshole. I’ve used one before.” 

“You never know,” he shrugs. You expect him to walk away, to leave you to it, but instead he leans against his counter and watches you. 

And he thought he was the one being babysat over simple phone calls? 

You choose to bite your tongue for once as you fill the cup half full of water, taking your time as you sip some down, feeling his eyes on you the entire time. 

It’s only been a few seconds of silence. Blissful, wonderful, divine silence. But of course, it’s Eddie, and the moment he notices you begin to relax, he has to speak up and ruin it. 

“If I knew all it takes to shut you up is to keep your mouth occupied, sweetheart, I would have done it sooner,” he comments, and it takes practiced patience to slowly lower the cup and swallow what water is in your mouth without bursting with rage. But he has to comment on even that, “Aw, and you swallow? Just full of surprises, aren’t ya?” 

You turn to him, face flooding a brilliant shade of red as your eyes narrow. In the most virulent tone you can muster, you only respond with, “I hate your guts.” 

He grins. It’s not friendly – it’s downright bellicose. “The feeling’s mutual.” 

Yeah. It’s going to be a very long twenty four hours. 

[foxalade]

Marauders Scream AU

Barty and Evan are the killers

James and Lily are the main victims

Sirius and Remus are the best friends that die along with way

Peter is a prime suspect but it wasn't actually him

Regulus is the first to die (he's stabbed and then pushed into a pool) and he had a thing for James (unrequited Jegulus)

Marlene, Dorcas and Mary are the cool, stupid girls that flirt with the killer on the phone but Marlene and Dorcas end up dying together, Mary somehow survives

Alice and Frank are (hot) police officers, end up sacrificing themselves for James and Lily

Pandora is a student but she's helping the police cause she's really good at murder mysteries

Rita Skeeter is the News Lady, Narcissa is her Camarawoman

Moody and Dumbledore are the chief policemen but Moody is the only useful one and Dumbledore gets killed

Bellatrix is an escaped psycho who is also a prime suspect but by some miracle she's not the murderer?? (she is in the prequel where Harry is the main victim)

Snape is the creep everyone is convinced is the killer but he's actually just a creep who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, he's bullied at school

[saintsenara]

I’ve curious about something you said… you mention that you believe 💯 that Barty Crouch Jr was a full on DE/Blood purist Before being sent to Azkaban but to me the trial scene made me think otherwise- could you elaborate on why you think he was faking and is a true DE?

thank you very much for the ask, anon!

barty crouch jr. is - obviously - a fascinating character. but this doesn't override the fact that his primary purpose in goblet of fire is to be a narrative device: the plot twist of the century at the denouement of the book, when "professor moody" is revealed as an imposter; and a man everyone assumed to be dead is revealed to be alive; and a man many people [including harry and, it's implied, dumbledore] suspected - on the basis of his performance at his trial - might simply have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, rather than a fanatical death eater, is revealed to be... a fanatical death eater, who has been working for a full year to facilitate voldemort's resurrection.

like in a murder mystery, the narrative purpose of crouch jr.'s unmasking at the end of the book is to reveal that several things the text presents as clues before harry [the reader surrogate] has all the information are actually red herrings once he does.

the first of these is that, like philosopher's stone, goblet of fire goes out of its way to suggest that the faithful death eater at hogwarts is snape - which it does magnificently:

A grim smile twisted his lopsided mouth. “Oh if there’s one thing I hate,” he muttered, more to himself than to Harry, and his magical eye was fixed on the left-hand corner of the map, “it’s a Death Eater who walked free...” Harry stared at him. Could Moody possibly mean what Harry thought he meant?

harry - and, therefore, the reader - is, of course, immediately primed to interpret this as the real moody suggesting that snape is still suspected of being a loyal death eater. what we learn later, of course, is that crouch-as-moody is actually accusing snape of being disloyal:

“I told you, Harry... I told you. If there’s one thing I hate more than any other, it’s a Death Eater who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most.”

and the second is that goblet of fire treats barty crouch sr. not as a villain - per se - but as one of the long line of civil servants who appear in the series whose commitment to doing everything by the book - being precise, bureaucratic, inflexible, and so on - only ends up making them extraordinarily cruel. crouch is the precursor to how percy will behave in order of the phoenix, and he also has numerous things in common with how dolores umbridge [an unambiguous villain] and rufus scrimgeour [an antagonist, but not a villain] are written.

the text suggests on multiple occasions prior to its denouement that crouch's rigidity made him incapable of mercy [a virtue the series really values].

but, in addition to this, it suggests that crouch's cardinal sin isn't that he didn't show mercy to the genuinely guilty... but that he didn't show mercy to the innocent.

how do we know this? because he's the man who's responsible for the miscarriage of justice which defines the series:

Sirius’s face darkened. He suddenly looked as menacing as he had the night when Harry first met him, the night when Harry still believed Sirius to be a murderer. “Oh I know Crouch all right,” he said quietly. “He was the one who gave the order for me to be sent to Azkaban - without a trial.”

sirius also tells us that crouch was power-hungry and corrupt:

"Crouch’s principles might’ve been good in the beginning - I wouldn’t know. He rose quickly through the Ministry, and he started ordering very harsh measures against Voldemort’s supporters. The Aurors were given new powers - powers to kill rather than capture, for instance. And I wasn’t the only one who was handed straight to the dementors without trial. Crouch fought violence with violence, and authorized the use of the Unforgivable Curses against suspects. I would say he became as ruthless and cruel as many on the Dark Side."

and he also gives the reader a nibble at the other half of this red herring, when he suggests that barty crouch jr. might have been nothing more than a victim of his father's ruthlessness, just like winky - the innocent house elf whose cruel treatment at crouch sr.'s hands not only infuriates hermione, but is also given by sirius as proof of crouch's near-villainy:

“Was his son a Death Eater?” said Harry.  “No idea,” said Sirius, still stuffing down bread. “I was in Azkaban myself when he was brought in. This is mostly stuff I’ve found out since I got out. The boy was definitely caught in the company of people I’d bet my life were Death Eaters - but he might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like the house-elf.”

when harry ends up in the pensieve a couple of chapters later, then, he and the reader are primed to view barty crouch jr.'s hysterics on the stand as authentic, to be horrified that crouch sr. could send his son to azkaban with such brutal ease, and to highly suspect that his conviction - like sirius' - was illegitimate.

but - of course - the twist at the end of the book is that harry [and sirius] is completely wrong about this.

barty crouch sr.'s decision to send his own son to azkaban was the right one. and the thing that ruined him was not making a ruthless decision, but making a merciful one.

because, as barty crouch jr. tells us, his father breaking him out of azkaban, around a year after sending him there, meant nothing to him... other than the chance to return to voldemort:

“And what did your father do with you, when he had got you home?” said Dumbledore quietly. “Staged my mother’s death. A quiet, private funeral. That grave is empty. The house-elf nursed me back to health. Then I had to be concealed. I had to be controlled. My father had to use a number of spells to subdue me. When I had recovered my strength, I thought only of finding my master... of returning to his service.”

these are not the words of someone who was anything other than a sincere death eater when he and the lestranges attacked frank and alice longbottom.

and they are, therefore, the words of someone whose performance of horrified innocence - just in the wrong place at the wrong time - at his trial is one hundred percent fake.

[kpopscatterbrain]

Kdramas/Movies with strong female characters

Dramas

Eve (2022): Lee La-El (Seo Yea-Ji) When Lee La-El was little, her father died unexpectedly. Powerful people were responsible for his death. After her family was destroyed, Lee La-El prepared for the next 13 years to take revenge. Starting by targeting Kang Yoon-gyeom, one of the main culprits who orchestrated the death of her father. Along the way she becomes torn between her desire for revenge and her feelings for Yoon-gyeom.

It's Okay To Not Be Okay (2020): Ko Moon-Young (Seo Yea-Ji) Ko Moon-Young is a popular children's book author with antisocial personality disorder. She had a troubled childhood and a turbulent relationship with her parents. She develops romantic feelings for a psychiatric caregiver after a coincidental encounter and often goes to extreme lengths to get his attention.

Hotel Del Luna (2019): Jang Man-Wol (IU) Jang Man-Wol is the moody owner of Hotel del Luna. The hotel catering to the dead has been bound to her soul in order to atone for the sins she committed 1,300 years ago. Through the new manager Gu Chan-sung, the mysteries and the secrets behind the hotel and its owner are revealed

My Name (2021): Yoon Ji-Woo (Han So-Hee) Yoon Ji-Woo’s father gets murdered suddenly. She wants to desperately take revenge on whoever is responsible for her father's death. She starts working for a drug crime ring that her father was a part of. Ji-Woo joins the police department as a mole for the drug ring.

Vagabond (2019): Go Hae-Ri (Bae Suzy) Go Hae-Ri is an NIS agent and is currently working undercover at the Korean embassy in Morocco. She is tasked to help the bereaved families of a fatal flight. She helps Cha Dal-Geon whose nephew was on the flight uncover a darker and more sinister conspiracy than they expected.

Sisyphus: The Myth (2021): Gang Seo-Hae (Park Shin-Hye) Gang Seo-Hae is an elite warrior. She can take down the biggest men with just her bare hands. She is a sharpshooter and a bombmaker. She learned these skills to survive in a world that is dominated by gangsters and military cliques. One day she time travels to save a genius engineer.

Mr. Sunshine (2018): Go Ae-Shin (Kim Tae-Ri) Go Ae-Shin is an orphaned noblewoman and a member of the Righteous Army. Her parents were independence fighters who died in Japan due to their colleague's betrayal. She trains as a sniper. An american soldier Eugene meets and falls in love with Go Ae-shin. 

The Glory (2022): Moon Dong-Eun (Song Hye-Kyo) Moon Dong-Eun was a victim of high school violence. She waited for the bully ring leader get married and have a child. Now she is the homeroom teacher of her tormentor's child. Her cruel revenge plot begins.

Tomorrow (2022): Koo Ryeon (Kim Hee-Seon) Grim reaper Koo Ryeon is the leader of a crisis management team. The teams objective is to save suicidal people. Choi Jun-Woong (Ro Woon) is a young job seeker who is unable to secure a job. One night, he accidentally becomes a new member of the crisis management team.

Remarriage & Desires (2022): Seo Hye-Seung (Kim Hee-Seon) Seo Hye-seung who lost everything in an instant after her husbands affair and su*cide. She signs up to a matchmaking company Rex for the upper class, and participates in the race of her desires for her revenge.

Under The Queen's Umbrella (2022): Queen Hwaryeong (Kim Hye-Soo) Queen Hwaryeong is supposed to act with grace and dignity, but she has troublemaker sons. The queen decides to abandon strict protocols to transform her sons into deserving princes through education and personal growth, all while navigating the complexities of motherhood and royal life.

Juvenile Justice (2022): Sim Eun-Seok (Kim Hye-Soo) Sim Eun-Seok is an elite judge with a personality that seems unfriendly to others. She hates juvenile criminals and gets assigned to a local juvenile court. There, she breaks custom and administers her own ways of punishing the offenders.

K-Movies

Kill Boksoon (2023): Gil Bok-Soon (Jeon Do-Yeon) Gil Bok-Soon is a single mother and a contract killer working for M. K. Ent. Highly regarded by her peers, she has a 100% success rate and is one of a few killers rated "A" by her company. Right before Gil Bok-Soon is set to renew her contract, she gets involved in a kill or be killed confrontation.

Ballerina (2023): Jang Ok-Ju (Jun Jong-Seo) Ok-Ju used to work as a bodyguard. Ok-Ju is friends with Min-Hee, who is a ballerina. Min-Hee asks Ok-Ju for a favor. She wants Ok-Ju to take revenge.

The Witch: Subversion (2018): Ja-Yoon (Kim Da-Mi) A young girl escapes from a mysterious laboratory where she was trained to become a murder weapon. 10 years later, the girl, named Ja-yoon, is living a normal life, apparently without any memory of her past, she becomes involved in a crime.

Special Delivery (2022): Eun-Ha (Park So-Dam) Eun-Ha is a special driver for deliveries. She delivers anything or anyone for the right price. Her success rate is 100%, but she gets involved in an unexpected delivery accident.

Brave Citizen (2023): So Shi-Min (Shin Hae-Sun) So Shi-Min used to be a boxer in her student days. She now works as a contract teacher at a high school. She confronts a school bully, who frequently torments other students.

[fireolin]

The Wishing Hunt 𝕏𝕏 Ch 29 𝕏𝕏

Feast

This chapter: Killua's moodiness continues as the feast begins. Gon finds it increasingly hard to endure being jealous.

Since he didn’t have to turn the spit constantly, Gon watched the gathering in the courtyard from the temple balcony. As he leaned on the balustrade, Killua’s falcon perched by his elbow. After the heat from the fire pit, the air hitting his cheeks felt refreshingly cold... Read on

About: Prince Gon Freecss and his reluctant bodyguard, Killua Zoldyck, embark on a fake relationship to save them from predatory fae advances as they travel into the realm of Aiai. Gon has no idea Killua is only pretending to be human and is actually on the run from his fae family. Neither of them understand why Gon (who, despite being gifted, is definitely human) develops a mysterious knack for fae magic along the way. A group of magically talented murderers are travelling in the same direction and will kill them on sight. Even if Killua and Gon survive, they must eventually part, so falling in love is out of the question. Or so they both say, at the start.

Slow burn. Unconfessed love. Jealousy and possessiveness. Deepening friendship and desire. Chapter 1 on Ao3

[storyscribeforthesentiment]

the detective & the dark knight | chapter 9

Summary: Detective Marie Manning, investigating a series of brutal murders in Gotham, crosses paths with the mysterious Batman. As they work together, their mutual respect turns into a deep, passionate bond. Amidst danger and corruption, their unlikely partnership evolves into a profound love, forever changing their lives in Gotham’s dark corners.

Pairing: Batman/Bruce Wayne x f!main character

Author’s note: Hi guys! I know, Marie is probably annoying some of you with how mad she is at Bruce (but like... can you really blame her?? 👀). I promise their relationship will turn around soon! But for now, let’s just let her be moody, okay? Meanwhile, Bruce is out here pining for her like it's nobody’s business.

Word count: 5.6k

Warnings/tags: mentions of gun violence, police bribes, fighting, murder

Chapter List

Marie sat hunched at her desk, the precinct buzzing around her like a hive. The voices of her colleagues drifted through the air, a low hum of chatter about arrests, leads, and the constant chaos that defined Gotham.

But she wasn’t really listening. The words were just noise. Her focus, when she could manage it, was on the case file in front of her—another one connected to Maroni’s tangled web of corruption. But it wasn’t sticking.

She was distracted, her mind continually drifting to him. Bruce. Batman.

Her hands, trembling slightly, clenched the edge of the manila folder as she tried to shove those thoughts down, forcing herself to focus on work. But it was no use. Everything reminded her of him.

Every fleeting mention of Batman on the precinct floor, every hushed conversation about his latest heroics—it all pulled her back to him. It had been a week since she last saw him, since they’d spoken, and yet, he was everywhere.

Marie gritted her teeth as she tried to keep her thoughts on the case, but it was impossible. She leaned back in her chair, exhaling a sharp breath. 

Gordon and Batman had taken over the Red Lotus case. Maroni hadn’t been seen since the incident at the docks, and no one in Gotham dared give any information away about him.

Marie took on smaller cases over the last week, like she had been doing before Gordon assigned her to the Red Lotus case. Carjackings, hit and runs - the usual in Gotham.

There was a hollow comfort in this routine, in the cases that didn’t involve Gotham’s criminal underworld pulling at her heartstrings.

She would be lying if she said she didn’t crave the feeling of getting close to solving the Red Lotus case. Chasing down leads, getting so close to bringing down Maroni.

Marie missed the adrenaline. She missed the late-night stakeouts and the thrill of getting closer to unraveling the tangled web of Gotham’s crime syndicates.

But what she missed more — and would never admit, even to herself — was the feeling of having Batman by her side, knowing she was safe with him watching her back. And there was something so comforting, knowing Bruce was waiting for her with open arms when she got off her shift, his presence a sanctuary amidst the chaos.

Not anymore.

She could still hear the muffled voices of a couple of detectives chatting near the coffee machine. She strained her ears, catching the tail end of the conversation.

“…heard Batman stopped another gang down in the Narrows last night.”

“Guy’s a damn ghost. Always one step ahead.”

“He saved a whole crew of people in the Palisades, too.”

Of course, he did.

Marie closed her eyes, squeezing them shut. She knew Batman was out there, fighting Gotham’s battles like nothing had changed. He had a way of compartmentalizing things, shutting his emotions off when the suit was on.

That was part of what made him him. But to Marie, it just added salt to the wound. It was like she didn’t exist in the part of his life that mattered. Or maybe she did, but she wasn’t sure how. Bruce had kept his identity hidden from her for so long that now everything felt like a lie.

She tossed the file aside, unable to deal with it anymore, and rose to her feet. She needed air. Space. The precinct suddenly felt stifling, as if the walls were closing in, her co-workers’ glances brushing against her like tiny knives. No one else knew what she was dealing with—what she couldn’t talk about.

She wandered to the nearest window, watching the streets below. The city was still churning, still breathing. Gotham didn’t stop for anyone, not for her, and certainly not for Bruce Wayne.

She remembered when she used to think of him as just a man—Gotham’s billionaire playboy who throws lavish charity events and galas without a second thought. Then, of course, she found out the truth. And now, knowing who he really was, it made everything so much more confusing. She didn’t know who to hate more—the man or the mask.

Leaning against the windowsill, her mind drifted back to one of the last normal moments they’d shared—when they’d shared ice cream in his kitchen. It was a rare moment where she felt completely happy, and she could feel the happiness radiating from Bruce, too. It was actual moment of peace in a life that seemed only full of shadows.

She could still see the way he looked at her, his eyes soft, affectionate—different from the cold, calculated expression he wore as Batman.

That was real, right?

Marie inhaled sharply, pushing the memory away. She had to. There was work to do.

—-------------------------------

The rooftop was slick with rain from the evening storm, the faint shimmer of streetlights glistening on the wet concrete. It was always like this in Gotham—the city almost seemed to weep in its own misery. But that was why Batman thrived here. It his city to save.

Jim Gordon stubbed out his cigarette, letting the final puff of smoke fade into the cold night air. He was standing with his back to the rooftop edge, his usual trench coat wrapped tightly around him.

Next to him, in the shadows, was the figure of Gotham’s Dark Knight—Batman. They stood in silence, only the faint dripping of rainwater breaking through the quiet.

“Another night, another criminal off the streets,” Gordon said after a moment, referring to the convicted murderer they just caught together. Just one of the many in Gotham.

“Feels like it never ends.” Gordon continued, his voice rough from years of cigarette smoke and hard nights. 

Batman was quiet, his face unreadable beneath the cowl, eyes scanning the city below.

Gordon could always tell when something was bothering him. Despite the stoic front, the silence tonight felt heavier than usual. He took a deep breath before speaking again. “I noticed you’ve been... different lately.”

Batman remained still, but Gordon could sense the subtle tension.

“I don’t know what’s going on between you and Detective Manning, but it’s clear something’s changed,” Gordon continued, his voice dropping to a quieter tone. “She’s a damn good detective. One of the best I’ve ever seen. But something’s eating at her, and I can’t help but think it’s tied to you.”

Batman finally spoke, his voice gravelly and low. “It’s complicated.”

Gordon raised an eyebrow. “Everything’s complicated in this city.”

Batman’s gaze remained on the skyline, the glow of Gotham casting long shadows across the rooftop. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.” He said in a low tone.

Gordon studied him for a moment. He’d been working with Batman for years, yet he knew almost nothing about him. Though, he had lived long enough to recognize when a man was struggling. Even if he didn’t show it on the surface, there was always something beneath—the weight of the mask, the burden of secrets.

“Look,” Gordon said after a pause, his tone softening, “I don’t need to know all the details. But if you’ve got into something with her, you better figure it out. She’s not the type to let things slide. And trust me, you don’t want to lose her.”

Batman’s jaw tightened beneath the cowl. “I know.”

After a few more minutes of silence, with only the distant hum of Gotham filling the air, Batman finally broke it, his voice low but laced with concern. “Is she okay, though?”

Gordon glanced at him, noting the rare crack in Batman's stoic demeanor. “She’s holding up.”

The rain started to fall again, a light drizzle that filled the silence between them.

Gordon took a step closer, his voice low but firm. “I’ve seen a lot of people come and go in this city. Most of them don’t make it.” He paused briefly, thinking carefully about his next words, “But Marie? She’s different. She’s not just a good detective, she’s someone you can trust.”

When Gordon was met with silence, he continued slowly, “If you let her walk away... you’ll regret it.”

Batman didn’t respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on the dark streets below, but his mind was elsewhere. On Marie. On the weight of his decisions, and the lives affected by them.

“I’ve already hurt her,” Batman said quietly, almost to himself.

Gordon shook his head. “People get hurt. But if you care about her, you make it right. You don’t just disappear into the shadows and hope it goes away.”

Batman finally turned to face Gordon, the rain now coming down harder, creating a soft rhythm on the rooftop.

“She’s... not like anyone else,” Batman admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gordon gave a faint smile, the kind of knowing look that comes from years of experience. “Then don’t lose her. Whatever’s going on, don’t let this city take her from you too.”

They stood in silence again, the rain now falling steadily around them, washing away the grime of the city. Batman didn’t say another word, but the weight of Gordon’s advice hung in the air, sinking into him.

Without a sound, Batman stepped back, disappearing into the shadows once more.

—-------------------------------

Marie stared at her computer screen, pretending to be focused on the case files in front of her. In reality, her mind was miles away.

Across the room, Harvey Bullock slouched at his desk, a half-eaten donut in hand, eyeing her suspiciously.

“You look like hell, Manning,” Bullock muttered around a mouthful of pastry.

Marie gave him a sidelong glance, leaning back in her chair. “Thanks, Bullock. Always the gentleman.”

Bullock grinned, crumbs falling from the corner of his mouth. “Just calling it like I see it. What, Gotham’s finest can’t take a few days off without looking like she’s been hit by a bus?”

“Maybe Gotham’s finest isn’t sleeping too well lately,” Marie shot back, though there was a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. Harvey Bullock had that effect. He could irritate anyone within a ten-foot radius, but somehow, he managed to lighten the mood when things got too heavy.

Bullock leaned back, eyeing her with exaggerated concern. “Too much caffeine? Or not enough?”

Marie shook her head, chuckling despite herself. “You should be a therapist, Harvey. You’ve got all the answers.”

“Hey, don’t knock it. I’ve been told I’m a great listener.” He popped the last bit of donut into his mouth and wiped his hands on his shirt.

“Yeah, well, don’t quit your day job,” she teased, leaning forward again, though her attention was still distant.

“You sure you’re okay, though?” Bullock’s voice dropped slightly, the humor still there but laced with genuine concern, “Ya know, since the docks.”

Marie sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I’m fine. Just... tired.”

Bullock grunted, not buying it, but before he could press further, the door to the office swung open, and Gordon strode in with purpose.

“Marie, a word?” Gordon’s voice was firm but not harsh, cutting through their banter. He didn’t seem interested in whatever lighthearted exchange he had walked in on.

Bullock raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them. “I’ll take that as my cue to go get another donut.”

Marie offered Bullock a weak smile as he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, giving her a half-salute on his way out.

Gordon waited until Bullock was out of earshot before stepping closer to her desk. His usual calm demeanor was tinged with something heavier, something more personal.

Gordon cleared his throat before speaking. “Batman asked about you.”

She stiffened, her hand dropping to her lap. “Did he?” Her voice was neutral, trying to mask the storm brewing inside her.

“He did. First he asks about you when I’m in the hospital, then again tonight…” Gordon looked at her carefully, his sharp eyes catching the subtle shifts in her expression. “Is there something going on that I should know about?”

Marie’s heart pounded, but she kept her face steady. “No, Jim. It’s... personal.”

Gordon raised an eyebrow. “Personal?”

She hesitated. Her first instinct was to shut the conversation down, to bury it deep where no one could pry. But this was Gordon, the man who had been like a mentor to her. She trusted him more than anyone in the department.

Still, how could she explain this? That the man behind the mask wasn’t just some anonymous vigilante anymore but someone she loved, someone she couldn’t bear to see?

“Look, Jim... it’s better if you don’t know,” she finally said, her voice lower now, almost pained. “Trust me. It’s just... complicated.”

Gordon studied her in silence for a moment. He didn’t push, didn’t pry, but he didn’t need to. “Marie, whatever’s going on with you and Batman... I’m not asking for details. But it’s clear to see that something’s weighing on him. And whatever it is... it’s you.”

Marie’s throat tightened. She didn’t know what to say to that. She couldn’t. So she stayed silent, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of a file on her desk.

Gordon leaned forward slightly, his tone softening. “I know this city can make us feel like we have to carry everything alone. But a man who’s willing to risk everything, even his own life, to help others…that’s a good man, Marie. And good men are hard to come by in Gotham.”

His words struck her, harder than she expected. She swallowed the lump in her throat and gave him a small nod, unable to respond with anything more. Gordon gave her one last look, the kind that said he knew she wasn’t telling him everything but trusted her judgment.

He stood up and made his way to the door. Before he left, he paused. “If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.”

Marie watched him go, her heart still racing, his words echoing in her mind.

—-------------------------------

Later that afternoon, Marie found herself standing in an old, worn down gas station just outside of downtown Gotham. The gas station attendant had been the victim of a robbery, one of the smaller cases Marie had been assigned to recently.

She listened as the woman recounted the robbery in shaky detail, but Marie’s mind wandered.

“So then, he pointed a gun at me. It was a small gun…” She said, trembling.

The words washed over Marie as she scribbled them down in her notepad, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

Weeks ago, she had been knee-deep in the Red Lotus case, chasing down mobsters, solving murders, feeling the pulse of Gotham’s criminal underground under her fingertips. But now? This was mundane, routine.

Marie glanced down at her notebook, absently jotting notes. The pen felt heavy in her hand. It was hard to care when her mind was elsewhere, locked on cases bigger than gas station heists.

“I... I just froze, you know?” the woman said, her voice quivering. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Marie nodded, offering a half-hearted, “You did the right thing by cooperating.”

The woman kept talking, but Marie’s gaze drifted above, to Gotham’s distant skyline. On top of a nearby building, Marie saw the brief shuffle of a shadow.

No, not shadows. Movement.

Her eyes narrowed as she turned her head just enough to catch a glimpse of whatever the movement was. High above, silhouetted against the dimming Gotham sky, was a figure cloaked in black.

Batman.

He was watching her.

Marie’s breath hitched, her heart skipping a beat. She turned her attention back to the woman, trying to stay composed, but the weight of his presence bore down on her. It was as if he was always there, in the corner of her mind, lingering in the shadows, never fully gone.

She wrapped up the interview quickly, telling the victim that a patrol officer would escort her home. The moment the woman left, Marie stood and crossed her arms, peering up to the rooftops. Batman hadn’t moved, still standing like a silent sentinel, observing.

Was he there for her? Was he watching over her, or was he just waiting to see if she’d call for him again?

She couldn’t stop the bitter thought from creeping in: Was he keeping tabs on her, like he had done with so many others? Was she just another case to him, another assignment?

Marie stepped back, heading towards her car. She didn’t need him. She could handle herself.

But as she walked away, that familiar pull was still there, stronger than ever. A part of her wished he would swoop down, that they could talk, that everything could be fixed with just a few words.

Yet, she knew deep down, nothing was ever that simple in Gotham.

—-------------------------------

Marie spent the next week navigating the streets of Gotham, tracking down suspects and interviewing victims. The interviews came and went—each victim recounting their stories of theft or assault—and with each case, Marie felt more and more detached from the pulse of the city. 

The mundane details of everyday crime began to blur together, overshadowed by the thrill of what she had been working on before.

As she moved from one part of the city to another, she occasionally caught glimpses of a familiar silhouette in the shadows. Each time, her heart raced—seeing Batman watching her from a distance brought an unexpected warmth to her chest.

Yet, just as quickly as she spotted him, he would disappear, slipping away into the darkness like a whisper. It both excited and frustrated her, fueling her longing for connection even as she tried to keep her distance.

Nearing the end of her shift, she received a call about an assault in a dimly lit alley. Rushing to the scene, she felt a sense of urgency. This was the kind of case she could get lost in—a chance to bring justice to someone who needed it.

When she arrived, the scene was chaotic but contained. The victim, a young woman, sat on the ground, trembling and visibly shaken. Marie’s heart ached for her. And standing protectively beside her was none other than Batman, his presence a commanding reassurance amidst the chaos.

Batman spotted her getting out of the car, his gaze locked onto her as she approached. Bruce felt a deep ache in his chest, the urge to reach out for her overwhelming. Marie looked beautiful, her long brown hair cascading over her shoulders, illuminated by the dim streetlights.

Yet, he could tell she hadn’t been sleeping well; the shadows under her eyes hinted at the weight she carried. Having her this close again felt so right, igniting a familiar warmth in him that only she could create.

He fought against the impulse to step forward and reach for her, knowing the complexities that lay between them, but every instinct urged him to close the distance.

“Detective Manning,” he acknowledged, his voice low but firm.

“Batman,” she replied, glancing from him to the young woman, who seemed to be comforted by his presence. “What happened?”

“When I arrived, she was being assaulted,” he said, his gaze still on the woman. “I took care of her attackers. They won’t bother her again.”

The woman looked up at Batman, her eyes shining with gratitude. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Marie felt a warmth spread through her as she observed the bond forming between them. There was something profound in the way Batman’s stoic demeanor softened, just for a moment, as he acknowledged the woman’s thanks.

“You’re safe now,” he assured her, his tone surprisingly gentle. “The real help is here.” He gestured to Marie and the other patrol cops.

Marie stepped closer, kneeling beside the woman. “I’m Detective Manning. You’re going to be okay. We’ll make sure of it.”

The woman looked between them, her expression shifting from fear to relief. “I don’t know what I would have done without him,” she said, her voice stronger now. “He saved my life.”

Marie felt a pang of bittersweet emotion. It was true. Batman was a hero, and in moments like these, she understood the weight of what he did for Gotham.

Batman met her gaze, and in that instant, they shared an understanding that transcended words. The moment lingered, filled with unspoken emotions and unresolved tension.

“I need to get her to the hospital,” Marie said, breaking the silence.

“Of course,” Batman replied, stepping back, his figure melding into the shadows behind him.

As he disappeared into the night, Marie felt the familiar rush of admiration mixed with frustration. She turned back to the woman, offering her a reassuring smile. “Let’s get you the help you need.”

The woman nodded, her gratitude evident in her eyes. With Batman’s bravery as a backdrop, Marie felt a renewed sense of purpose. Even in the aftermath of heartbreak, she knew she could still make a difference.

—-------------------------------

The warm glow of the evening sun filtered through the window as Marie settled into her cozy apartment, surrounded by the familiar scents of Chinese takeout.

She plucked a fortune cookie from the bag, cracked it open, and read the message aloud, chuckling softly to herself. “You will find a new adventure soon.”

Marbles, her fluffy gray cat, meandered over, nudging her hand with his head. She laughed, reaching down to scratch behind his ears. “What do you think, Marbles? New adventure or just more cases?”

The cat purred in response, as if he understood her dilemma. She absentmindedly picked at her food, trying to quell the persistent hunger that came with her long hours at the precinct. Just as she took a bite of fried rice, her phone buzzed on the table.

“Hey, Marie,” Gordon’s voice came through the receiver, slightly breathless. “I’m sorry to bother you on your day off.”

Marie swallowed her food,. “What’s up, Commissioner? Did someone get into trouble?”

“Actually, yes, but that’s not why I’m calling. I hate to do this to you, but I have a meeting with Batman scheduled for this evening.” Great, Marie thought. 

Gordon continued, “We need to go over his recent findings on the Red Lotus case, but I’m swamped with administrative stuff. One of our officers is being charged with racketeering, and I can’t get away.” She could hear chaos in the background, meaning he was likely at the courthouse already.

Marie sighed, knowing the importance of the meeting but not feeling ready to face Batman alone, “So you want me to meet up with Batman instead?”

“Yeah.” He said, taking a moment, “Listen, I know things between you two aren’t great right now, and I’m sorry to put you in this position. But it’s crucial. He’s got a lead on Maroni’s whereabouts. If you can get Batman to share his findings with you, it might help us a lot. Stuff like this can’t wait.”

Marie felt a flicker of annoyance, still grappling with her feelings. “Sure,” she said, attempting to keep her tone light, “I can do that.”

“Listen, I trust you with him, and I know you’ll handle it. Just... be careful, okay?”

“Always,” she replied, her heart fluttering slightly at the thought of seeing him again.

After hanging up, Marie took a moment to gather her thoughts. The mix of longing and apprehension made her stomach churn, leaving her uncertain about how she would handle seeing Batman again.

She finished her takeout, set the containers aside, and gave Marbles a quick scratch behind the ears. “Looks like I’ve got some work to do,” she said, her voice playful yet tinged with anticipation.

Later that evening, the cool breeze swept across the Gotham skyline as Marie climbed the stairs up to the rooftop. The city spread out beneath her, its familiar chaos muted by the distance.

Her heart raced at the thought of seeing Batman again, the man who had both saved her and complicated her life in so many ways.

As she stepped onto the rooftop, she caught a glimpse of him leaning against the edge, his cape billowing softly in the wind

He turned at the sound of her footsteps, and for a brief moment, they simply stared at each other, the air thick with unspoken words.

“Detective,” he said, his voice deep and resonant, surprised but pleased to see her.

“Hey,” she replied, her tone lighter than she felt. “Gordon sent me. He couldn’t make it.”

He nodded, the shadows on his face concealing his thoughts but not the warmth in his gaze. “It’s good to see you.”

Unsure of how to respond, she jumped into business talk, “Gordon mentioned you have a lead on Maroni. Something about him not being back in town for a few days?”

“Yeah,” Batman confirmed, his expression serious. “I know a good location to find him, but… he’s off the grid for now. A shipment of drugs is coming in three days from now, and Maroni definitely won’t miss it.”

Marie crossed her arms, feeling the tension between them lingering in the air. “So, I guess we’re back to playing the waiting game, then.”

“Looks that way,” he replied, a hint of frustration in his tone. “I’m sorry Gordon put you in this position. I know things aren’t exactly... ideal between us.”

“That’s one way to put it,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “But it’s fine. I’ll manage.”

He took a step closer, and she could feel the intensity of his presence. “How’s your nose?”

She raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. “Still too big for my face, but if you’re talking about the punch from Zucco, it’s healing just fine.”

Bruce chuckled softly.

As the weight of the situation settled around them, he regarded her intently. “How’s it been going? With the robbery and assault cases.”

She shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Just part of the job. I guess someone has to keep Gotham safe, even if I’m not in a cape.”

He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “You’re brave, Marie. More than you realize.”

She felt a warmth wash over her at his words, and for a moment, the walls she’d built began to waver. “And you’re always lurking around.” she said, a playful smirk forming. “A little stalker-ish, don’t you think?”

He allowed himself a small smile. “I told you I’d always check in on you. I wouldn’t be able to focus on my work if I didn’t know you were safe.”

Marie raised an eyebrow, the teasing tone creeping back in. “It’s a little creepy, you know.”

“More like looking out for you,” he replied, his voice steady. “I can’t help it. You mean a lot to me.”

In that moment, everything else faded away—the cases, the tensions, the pain. It was just them, standing on that rooftop, their hearts laid bare in the quiet of the night.

She held his gaze, the tension between them electric, charged with unspoken feelings.

Bruce’s expression softened slightly as he spoke, his voice low and sincere. “If I know anything about you, it must be driving you crazy working on those smaller cases. Even if you don’t want to admit it.”

Marie forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Even working smaller cases can make a difference,” she replied, trying to convince herself as much as him. “I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

“Bullshit.” His tone was sharp, cutting through her facade.

She frowned, crossing her arms defensively. “Really, I’m fine with what I’m doing.”

He turned his gaze to the sprawling streets of Gotham below, his silence more telling than any words.

The weight of the moment pressed heavily on her, and after a heartbeat of contemplation, she let out a resigned sigh. “Alright. Shit, I miss the thrill of chasing the big cases. But I’m managing. Just…trying to keep my head above water.”

Bruce nodded, relief flickering in his eyes at her honesty. “I’m always happy to get my partner back, you know.” His voice took on a teasing lilt, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. “After all, Gordon doesn’t keep me on my toes like you do. And let’s be honest, he’s not nearly as nice to look at.”

Marie rolled her eyes, a laugh bubbling up. “You’re insufferable.”

“Maybe,” he replied, stepping just a little closer, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. “But you love it.”

“Bruce,” she began, the name slipping out before she could stop herself. The moment felt charged, as if the air crackled with the weight of their shared history and unspoken feelings.

“Marie,” he replied, his voice softer now.

“I just don’t know how to navigate all of this,” she admitted, her vulnerability shining through.

“Neither do I,” he confessed, their connection lingering in the air. “But we’ll figure it out.”

As they stood there on the rooftop, the city below them alive and chaotic, Marie knew one thing for certain—this wasn’t the end. It was merely a step toward something new.

—-------------------------------

The rain drummed steadily on the rooftops of Gotham, blurring the lines between night and day. Batman stood at the edge of a crime scene, the dim glow of police lights illuminating the chaos below.

A recent robbery had turned violent, leaving the alley strewn with shattered glass and discarded evidence. He moved with purpose, his mind still tangled in thoughts of Marie.

Since their last encounter, she had occupied his thoughts incessantly. He thought about how her eyes had softened when they discussed their partnership on the rooftop, igniting a flicker of hope within him.

Perhaps there was a chance she might consider working with him again—and maybe, just maybe, there were still feelings lingering beneath the surface.

Batman arrived at the crime scene and walked up slowly, taking in the commotion of the scene.

Bullock approached, his expression annoyed as he looked Batman up and down. “Do what you need to do, just don’t mess with my crime scene,” he said, gruff. Batman nodded, barely giving Bullock a passing glance.

As he analyzed the evidence, the rain pattered softly against his cape. In the background, he could hear Bullock chatting with the new young detective, Ryan Cole. Their conversation started with the usual detective banter—sports, the best places to eat—before it shifted into something more vulgar.

“Hey, Bullock,” Cole’s voice cut through the steady rhythm of the rain. “What’s the scoop on Detective Manning? Heard she’s quite the looker.”

Bullock rolled his eyes, already anticipating where this was going. “Watch yourself, Cole. Manning’s not just eye candy. She’s actually a good detective. One of the few. She’s nice.”

“Yeah? A nice piece of ass, if you ask me.” Cole leaned in, a smirk plastered on his face. “You think she’s got a boyfriend? And if she does, do you think he’s keeping her happy?”

“Like she’d ever settle for your sorry ass.” Bullock shot back playfully, crossing his arms. “If you’re thinking about making a move, I’d advise against it. She’s involved with Wayne.”

Cole chuckled dismissively. “So she’s a money chaser. I respect it. Heaven knows we don’t make shit at this job.” He lit a cigarette, taking a long drag of it. Bullock shook his head in response, chuckling.

The casual disrespect in Cole’s tone made Batman’s fists clench. He stood there, simmering with rage at anyone who dared to talk about Marie like that. Just as he prepared to intervene, Cole edged closer to the crime scene, nearly trampling evidence.

“What’s the big deal, anyway? It’s not like she’s off-limits. Besides, I’d take my chances.”

Batman’s protective instincts surged as he saw Cole’s casual demeanor. Seizing the moment when Cole turned away, he lunged forward, pinning the detective against the alley wall with a swift motion, his hand pressing firmly against Cole’s throat.

Cole’s eyes widened with fear, gasping for breath as he instinctively clawed at Batman’s arm. Bruce quickly realized the precarious position he was in—he couldn’t outright tell Cole not to speak about Marie; that would reveal too much and invite unwanted questions.

“You’re about to compromise the crime scene by stepping on evidence,” Batman growled, his voice low and menacing.

Cole’s bravado evaporated under the weight of Batman’s grip. “Okay! Okay! I get it, man! Just—”

Bruce studied Cole, wrestling with how to proceed. Against his better judgment, he leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “Keep your comments to yourself and stay away from her.” He released Cole but maintained a watchful eye, ready for any sudden movements.

Cole nodded vigorously, trying to regain his composure. “I wasn’t serious, man. Just trying to lighten the mood.”

Bullock watched the exchange with a mix of amusement and surprise. “You just got schooled by a fuckin’ Bat,” he chuckled, shaking his head.

As Batman returned his focus to the crime scene, a sense of satisfaction coursed through him. He had defended Marie, and that protective instinct ignited something deep within him—a fire he couldn’t ignore.