#and accepts the new him as the 'real' one

[ellecdc]

Hey! Love your writing!! I was wondering if you would write a poly!marauders/moonwater/wolfstar (whatever you want) band au where reader is also a singer/famous in some way. One of the guys writes a song and uses her real name in it, basically outing the relationship (if u want he also adds her moans quietly in the background…)

hahaha thanks for your request, doll! I had a vision when I went into this so went with Sirius instead of a poly ship!! <3

rockstar!Sirius Black x actress!reader who spark romance rumours [500 words]

CW: fem!reader, fluff, suggestive line at the end of Sirius' text messages

“Now, I know you’ve told us pretty much all you can about the movie without giving too much away,” the host - Rita Skeeter - offered with a conspiratorial smile as she leaned in closer, “but I’m hoping you can share a little more on something I know a lot of viewers are just dying to know.” 

You ran your tongue over your teeth as you smiled at the studio audience whilst they cheered, hoping that the cameras couldn’t catch how violently your face heated up at the direction of the conversation. 

“It appears that everyone's favourite band The Marauders have released a new song recently.” She continued eagerly; you waited for the cheers to die down before responding.

“I think they’ve actually released an entire album recently.” You corrected cheekily, earning you a round of laughter. 

“Indeed they have,” she allowed, the fire of a determined journalist burning behind her eyes as she narrowed them slightly in challenge, “but there’s a title on that album that sounds awfully familiar.”

You played coy, offering a shrug of one shoulder as you smirked at her.

“Might it even be…your name?”

You laughed out at the audience as they all squealed in delight. “It’s a wonderful name, Rita; it should be the title of more songs I should say.” 

“So are you saying that the song is not about you?”

You offered another flirty shrug of your shoulders. “I’m sure there are a lot of people out there with the same name.” 

“Perhaps, but just how many Y/N’s does lead singer and the band’s songwriter Sirius Black know?” She queried with a perfectly arched eyebrow.

“You know, I think you might have to ask him, Rita.” You teased, earning more laughter from the crowd. 

Rita looked just about ready to give up as she fell back into her chair with a theatrical huff. 

“Sorry I couldn’t have been more help, Rita.” You apologised, placing a placating hand atop of her own. “I will say, though…”

You paused as the crowd cheered, everyone in the audience nearly leaning forward in their chairs to listen to what you might have to say about the matter.

“...that is my favourite song on their album.” 

Seemingly appeased to have some form of acknowledgement of the widely speculated romance blossoming between the actress and rockstar that would no doubt cause headlines by the time you left the studio, Rita smiled and accepted your hand in hers before announcing your full name to the crowd one last time for a final round of applause. 

…

You were barefoot and donned in a robe as a member of your glam team took out your hair when you opened up your text messages.

[fairsweetlonging]

imagine an au where shen yuan transmigrates into a blank slate npc with very little system involvement, traveling around for a while until he's found by yue qingyuan and taken back to the sect because apparently shen qingqiu went missing around his transmigration period and shen yuan looks exactly like him, so it must be him, but then a few weeks later when he's just settled in on the peak and accepted his fate the real shen qingqiu shows up who was just on vacation and everyone forgot.

now there are two shen qingqiu's, one of whom is the real one and the other an amnesiac they gaslighted into believing he is shen qingqiu.

anyway—shen qingqiu has a new didi now!

[samhadjblog2]

From what I gathered its less about "The power of forgiveness" and more like its the ability to realize that conceding to an identity we build for ourselves limits what we are capable of and this in turn continues the cycle of violence. Jinx believing she is nothing more than "A Jinx". Viktor believing he will forever submit to fate. Vi narrow minded dedication to being strong for the people she cares about. Mel trying to avoid being a violent person like her mother but still trying to maintain the ideals of her family, Ekko believing people can't change, Jayce continuing to reach for the future without thinking about his actions. Ambessa's willingness to obtain what she wants the expense of others. And this season was all about there respective identities holding them back. And one example of this would have to be how Jinx and Viktors storylines parallel each other. At the start of the season they both come to accept the identities that were placed upon them. Jinx accepting she is nothing more than a violent tool and is living for nothing. And Viktor has no real free will. However they both come to recognize that there is good that can come from their identities. With Jinx inheriting the mantle of a hero of Zaun and Viktor becoming the herald of "The Glorious evolution". However in episode 6 they come to realize that even if they were trying to do good their actions had negative reactions. Which in turn led to both of them to come to wildly different conclusion for Jinx she came to believe that can be no good from her even when she tries to do good and she needs to end herself. Viktor comes to believe that free will is what truly holds us back as people and we must all become a hive mind. However their respective partners after coming back from their multiverse hoping story with the exact words they needed to hear. Ekko after experiencing a better world then his world come to tell Jinx with the words of her alternate self that her past do's not define her. Jayce after experiencing the dark future Hex-tech brings and living through the life of Viktor by bieng crippled and climbing his way to the top, he is shown that hardship is what makes us who we are, and a world without hardship leads to nothing and he do's this by showing Viktor "Future Viktor". (Ignore the dumb shooting Viktor plot point I'm trying to just explain what the story is doing not that what it was doing was well. )

Mel meanwhile is about how she wants to not try to be like her mother use violence. However her non pacifistic actions held her back from trying to escape the black rose. And its when she fully awakens her mage powers that she is able to embrace a new part of herself. And in turn become both the Fox and the wolf in order to defeat her mom.

However while I get the intentions of the story. The execution of it leaves a lot to be desired. "Jinx learns that she doesn't have to adhere to what other people believe her to be" However how she learns this is through another person telling what she can be. " Vi single minded drive to protect the people she loves makes her narrow minded" but all that means is that she is just pushed around by the narrative. "Jayce claims that no one decides your future" however he was flung around by the universe and just made into whatever the plot needed him to be this season. " Mel's desire to not be violent leads to her limiting herself" however that just means she's just trapped in a dark room for most of the season. The theme of how conceding to identity limits who we are, in turn limits the shows full potential.

I love how arcane s2 just nullifies whatever it was saying within the same season or the show in general. “Forgiveness is what breaks the cycle of violence” (—said by Silco) except ALL the families in Piltover that were responsible for Zaun’s desperation returned to the table with the same prejudice, certain to outvote Sevika and maintain the brutal status quo. Also, Mel didn’t defeat Ambessa with the power of forgiveness. Her whole triumph was becoming the fearsome violent Wolf like her mother, wasn’t it? The cycle didn’t break, it just restarted. “The violence endemic to human nature is inescapable” (—said by Viktor) unless you’re Jinx apparently, where you can just hop on a balloon and fly elsewhere, or marry a rich woman like Vi 😘 “Our flaws are what make us beautiful, we are whole as we are/not broken” (—said by Jayce) unless you’re Jinx, then your mental illness is the cause of destruction and your family would be better off without you. “Love (not survival/prejudice) is the motivation of our most horrible actions” because that’s the only reason anyone did good/horrible things—for the daughters! Not for economic gain, personal ambition, or out of survival it was LOVE ALL ALONG (FYI, in Season 1, the daughters were meant to demonstrate the consequences of the actions of their parents and critique their philosophies, NOT be the cause of their parents actions). “Accept the inevitability of change/death” just not when it comes to the status quo. “There’s no prize to perfection and all pursuits must end” cool, but the pursuit was completely worthless apparently so who even cares if it ends at this point? Hextech was apparently created by Jayce and Viktor to be destroyed by Jayce and Viktor whose goal was to make the world a better place. They just made the world worse and fucked off. So now what? Literally what was the point?

S2 wouldn’t be so incoherent if it was having anywhere near the same discussions as S1. The two seasons are talking about very different things with significantly different characters.

[enkays-den]

keep thinking about this tiny moment from the Imp and Skizz podcast with Claire

just,,,, the way that Impulse INSTANTLY leans into the mic because he knows. literally three goddamn seconds to answer. He gets this faraway look in his eyes and smiles like he's thinking "do you SERIOUSLY not know????" and answers before Skizz finishes his sentence. You can see him remembering the hundreds of times that Skizz helped him out and was able to shine light on difficult situations. He doesn't need to even think about it, he feels the answer come to him via memories.

He also talks in the Hot Ones stream with Tango about how Skizz is the one to help you right your ship if it's going off course

and he just said it aloud to no one. the delivery is just. so soft. And then reiterates it and speaks to Skizz directly. Because Skizz deserves to not feel that impostor's syndrome, that there's very real reasons that people feel they can trust his judgement.

AND!!! Skizz thanks him three times for saying it! He accepted the compliment for what it was and wanted to make sure Impulse knew he was heard, even if he couldn't internalize it in that moment. That's good emotional intelligence, folks.

One more layer.

Impulse literally embodies the traits he sees in Skizz when he tells him this. Good with words and people. He knows Skizz so well at this point he had his response in seconds and said it succinctly, to the point where he tries to say "you can understand situations from a wider perspective" and Skizz doesn't even need to hear the rest of the sentence, because that's how good their communication is. Also have this clip showing that Impulse uses Skizz as an example on how to live life.

Just... They're so important to me. They really give new meaning to what a Best Friend is supposed to be.

That's a man thinking about how lucky he is to have skizz as his friend

[rootspiral]

Agatha All Along deep dive: episode 9 part 5

(Wandavision entries: [1][2][3])

(AAA entries: ep1 [1][2][3][4] ep2 [1][2][3][4] ep3 [1][2][3] ep4 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][+1] ep5 [1][2][3][4][5] ep6 [1][2][3] ep7 [1][2][3][4][5][6] ep8 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] ep9 [1][2][3][4][5])

question for you: it that only a reflection from set lights, or did agatha have tears in her eyes?

because, well, this is agatha. she's putting on a show, so you know that she's not as confident as she wants to appear. I imagine that suddenly turning into a ghost is not an easy adjustment. super interesting from a nerdy scholary prospective, but psychologically?? idk

billy, as usual, has to beg her to PLEASE BE SERIOUS FR

I toOK A calCULateD RiSK

whatever you say you big loser

then she demonstrates being a ghost by trying to slap billy. it's scientific and not ridiculous at all

at long last, and very, very late in the game she explains the nature of the Road to billy - and notice how she's still not able to be completely honest, despite all the previous moments they shared. the song means the world to her, but she's not ready to admit that yet.

the Road was very very very much real, and all the deaths that happened do count

I'll die on the hill that billy is a good person at heart. the tower, the potential for tragedy and destruction, is just that, a potential that the people in his life - the kaplans, eddie, the coven and yes, even agatha - are helping keep unfulfilled.

agatha shakes her head, gently, carefully. and we can see there has been some growth here: the first time billy supposedly killed someone she went on a whole speech about how Killing Makes You a Survivor Actually, a speech that was more about her than him. she's at least considering his feelings now

and btw agatha's "death" not being final like the others' doesn't cheapen the message at all. these are shows about dealing with / accepting mortality, and that is a journey agatha has just started. she (somehow, crying and screaming and flying by the seat of her pants) cheated death and will get herself a new body, and that's just one step forward and two steps back on her way to learn to finally stop running.

remember when nicky was upset about killing witches and agatha avoided the subject by singing a song to him, because she didn't know how to relieve a child of the guilt that was hers and only hers? she is trying now. she sees how this is devastating billy and she (badly) tries to absolve him. she is the one who lured the coven into a trap, who didn't disclose the nature of the Road, who very much killed alice.

and mark my words: she knows who sharon is, she absolutely remembers her name. I think she feels the most guilty about killing sharon, because with alice it was kind of an accident, but she went out of her way to doom this poor little lady, and she's been distancing herself from her with callous jokes since the beginning.

look at her face. this is Empathy. I've talked a lot about how for agatha it's easier to feel empathy for people with similar stories and backgrounds to hers. she felt it for wanda and ran from it. billy has the added quality of being perfect son material (I'll get to that in a minute) and right now? she knows what he's going through. she was once a girl born with the power to kill people, a power she didn't know how to stop, and it ruined her life and doomed everyone who crossed her path.

and she's still trying to have her cake and eat it too! consoling billy while still keeping her "whatever I don't care anyway" fake vibes. I'd say that she's matured a little, sure! from toddler to at least first grader. she even dares to roll her eyes when mentioning jen, this actual piece of ghostly turd.

please please please let jen come back in a marvel property that doesn't suck / hopefully written by jac and her team. please please please let us see what she does next

"should I go check on how agatha and billy are doing? nope screw them bye bye losers omw to rebuild my empire!" *nyoooooom*

(I don't know what I'd like to see more, jen becoming a force for good right away or still on the road to recovery, clashing heads with agatha.)

agatha takes a deep breath (can ghosts actually breathe tho) and gives billy a speech reminiscent of what she told nicky all those years ago. if you want to survive, get used to this feeling. we are supposed to read this interaction with the added context of her relationship with her own son (hence the callback). so why does agatha gives billy the nicky treatment now?

I think billy is all that agatha hoped and wanted nicky to be - a partner in crime who can keep up with her intelligence and sense of humor, a powerful witch she can pass her knowledge to, and a son who will love her and stick by her side no matter what. billy is the whole package, from the very beginning she couldn't see him as just the carrier of the very power she needed to bring nicky back; another hunger took over, the hunger to claim him and raise him as her own.

which brings us to the crucial question: why does agatha want a son? why did she have nicky in the first place? the answer, in true agatha fashion, is selfish, flawed, tragic, human. she wanted to fix her own childhood. she wanted to raise a version of herself who had all the love and support of a mother. and so she made sure that nicky had what she never had, including books and lessons to learn magic from. she tried to make him immune to life's heartbreaks - get used to this feeling, like she never could (because she never managed to make her own heart impervious, she only hid it away and tried to ignore it.) she essentially imagined her child as a a mini-me who committed all the same atrocities with no guilt or remorse and the added bonus of a mother cheerleading them on. another cheat sheet, a way to fix herself without actually working on her issues.

except nicky wasn't exactly what she had expected. he didn't like killing witches. instead of a talent for magic, he showed a talent for music and, credit where credit's due, agatha encouraged and nurtured it. when nicky died, agatha was on her way to accept that he was his own wonferful person and that being a parent is an exercise in selflessness. despite all her mistakes, she did one fundamental thing right: she loved nicky so freaking much, and was genuinely loved in return. who knows what could have happened if they were allowed to continue on that path.

billy is also very much his own person (not to mention almost and adult) so he simply won't let agatha project her issues all over him. (agatha is like, "challenge accepted.")

her love for billy is not in question, but now she has to be selfless and admit he doesn't exactly need mentoring in serial killing. what did billy need from the Road after all? it wasn't power. it was a sense of identity, a community, help in finding himself and his brother. agatha knows this perfectly, she's just *gestures in her general direction* like that.

go to episode 9 part 6

[kyu-piddy]

New Year’s Kiss

An: Happy new year everyone! Exams are kicking my butt, so I haven’t been able to write much. Even so, here’s a little something to celebrate the beginning of 2025!

Gn reader x nrc students (minus Ortho)

Words: 5.3k words

Tw: None

The clock strikes midnight, the new year commences, and the man you secretly love stands in front of you.

Eyes locked and heart in your mouth, seconds pass in silence…

Ace

Ace’s mouth quirks into a little smirk.

“I know you’re just dying to kiss me, Prefect.”

His jeering tone is contrasted by the heat climbing up from his neck to his cheeks, hand on the back of his head.

“Maybe you’re the one dying to kiss me, Ace.”

His false confidence crumbles, his gaze faltering to the ground.

“Maybe… Just maybe, I do.”

The festivities around you continue, but time stands still as you take a step forward, so uncertain in your certainty.

As your faces are merely inches from each other, you stop, sudden shame coloring your mind.

Before you can put much more thought into it, Ace leans forward and steals a kiss.

Soft and brief, he quickly pulls away, turning his head around just as quickly.

“The others are probably looking for us. Let’s go.”

He starts walking fast, bashfulness leading his feet, but passion leading his heart, and hand, to yours.

Deuce

Deuce seems momentarily lost, briefly fleeting from confused to bashful, before setting into a serious expression, resolute on whatever his mind has decided.

“Prefect, there’s this new years tradition I’d really like to try.”

His practiced speech stops midway, loosing himself in your inquisite eyes.

Murmuring something to himself, he throws himself forward, grabbing your hands with his, a violently soft prayer of acceptance.

“I really want to kiss you!”

You blink stupidly back at him.

He takes a step back, a dejected look on his face.

“Only if you want to, of course. I’d never want to force you.”

Grabbing his tie, you shut him up with a kiss.

He freezes, insecurities of a first kiss clouding his judgement, but slowly and surely melts into it.

Cater

“Happy new year! Since I found you first, you have to give me a big ol smooch.”

You roll your eyes, but nevertheless lean into his face, landing a soft kiss on his plush cheek, small specks of glitter reflecting the low lights of the room.

“Happy now?” you ask, a small smile on your face not reflected in your heart.

Cater puts on a pondering face, finger tapping on his chin, pensative gaze staring straight through you.

“Uhmm… Not really, no.”

He chirps, and his airy smile drops, replaced by a surprisingly serious look.

“I want a real kiss,___.”

“Cater, don’t play around! I swear, it’s too early in the year for a magicam challenge.”

You playfully slap his arm, a chance for him to grab it and pull you close, his other arm resting on your lower waist.

“I don’t always play around, you know?”

Releasing your arm, he leads his hand to the back of your head.

The sparkles on his cheeks are the last thing you see before you’re engulfed in a fiery kiss, one that you’ll remember forever.

Trey

“The mess after this party is going to be immense. I pity whoever will have to clean it.”

“Thankfully it isn’t us! I can already imagine the hours it would take to clean the stains of that carpet.”

Trey is extremely good at small talk, and soon enough the moment dissolves like morning dew.

You can’t help but pity it, cursing your own innactiveness.

Warm eyes inspect you without you noticing, critical but not antagonizing, waiting for an opening.

Then, something clicks.

“Prefect, I think I saw something in your teeth.”

“What!” You let out a gasp of embarrassment, hand shooting up to hide your momentary blemish.

“Now, let me see.”

He moves close to your face, slowly unpeeling your hand of your face.

“Open your mouth, please.”

He orders politely, not leaving you any choice.

You comply, his hand on your chin, and after a quick inspection, Trey speaks up.

“It seems I was mistaken. Apologies, Prefect.”

You close your mouth, but before you can thank him something warm graces your lips.

Bashfully, you close your eyes, his lips on yours like heaven.

His tongue slithers between your lips, exploring every crevice of your mouth, memorizing them.

Treys warm lips leave yours, a cheeky grin replacing his former expression.

“Now I’m completely sure there’s nothing there. Thank you for collaborating.”

You give him an annoyed look and he merely chuckles in response.

Riddle

“Riddle, did you know there’s a New Years tradition of kissing someone at midnight?”

You ask, breaching the silence.

“I have heard of it. Mother always said it was a glorified disease spreader.”

He answers matter of factly, and you feel yourself deflating.

“Is that so.”

More silence. You shuffle your feet around, unsure on how to proceed.

As the seconds pass by, midnight and one minute inches closer.

“Please do not participate in such an activity, Prefect.”

You feel exasperation boiling over, like a petulant child being told by their parents what not to do.

“Why not, Riddle?! If you don’t want to, why shouldn’t I go find someone who wants!”

Riddles eyes widen, his face exploding in a fiery red color.

He clears his throat, doing his best to look you in the eye.

“You’re right, Prefect. I can’t tell you what to do. I just… I wouldn’t want you to do such a thing with someone else because I want to be the one that you… that you kiss.”

An exasperated plea, love and desperation coating his unsure voice.

You feel your heart drop to your stomach, thump thumping louder each time.

“Would you do the honor of letting me kiss you?”

Riddle asks, a wish and a request all at once.

“There’s no else I’d rather do it with.”

Even if midnight had already passed, Riddle and you still shared a New Years kiss, tinted with the flavor of strawberries.

Jack

“Prefect, you’re hurt.”

You looked down at your ankle, a bitter red pulsating under the supple skin.

“It’s fine. I think I just tripped earlier. Don’t worry about it.”

You smile at him winningly, but his worries are not soothed by your words.

Your feet are pulled out of the ground, a small gasp escaping your lips, as Jack picks you up.

He carries you to a small room and sits you down on a chair, unbothered by your flustered opinion.

“There’s a first aid kit here. Take off your shoe and give me your foot.”

You comply, even as redness creeps up and stains your feautures.

Jack starts applying some sort of cold cream, and then fixes you up with bandages, his hands unexpectedly tender despite their rough exterior.

“Thank you, Jack. I feel much better.”

“Good.”

He answers almost disinterestedly, his soft smile letting his true feelings shine.

“Sorry for making you miss the best part of new years.”

Your voice fails you as your mind scrambles to find the right words.

“I want to make it up to you.”

Slowly, very slowly, you approach his face, gauging his expression.

It remains painfully unmoving, but his tail waggers behind him, giving you all the confidence you need.

Lips on lips, gently like a flowers touch, you don’t let yourself get too carried away.

“We should probably go back.”

You comment.

He nods his head, a dust of pink gracing his cheeks, as he once again swoops you off the ground, his tail wagging the only assurance you need.

Ruggie

You feel your pocket rustling as Ruggie walks past you, too quick for you to catch up to him.

Rummaging through said pocket, you find your phone missing.

“Ruggie, come back!”

Perusing the room with your eyes like a detective inspecting the scene of a crime, you spot his tail peeking from behind a door.

Running as best as you can through the crowd of intermingling bodies, you reach the door and quickly slip in.

The room you slip into is empty and slightly dusty, unknown to the partygoers.

“Ruggie, where are you?! I saw you come here.”

Suddenly, your vision goes dark, warm and soft palms blocking your line of sight and reason.

“Caught ya. Shishishi.”

He laughs lightly near your ear, the baby hairs on your neck standing on edge.

“Can I have my phone back now?”

He laughs again.

“I can. But I have a price.”

His hands slid away from your eyes, and you turned around to him.

“Close your eyes, and you’ll get your phone back.”

Cheeks flaring up, you complied.

But instead of the cold metal of the phone sliding into your pocket, you felt the warm breath of the one you had long pinned for against your face.

And in no time at all, his lips on yours.

Leona

Leona’s languid gaze swept through your body, resting upon your face in the end, a lazy smirk pulling at the edge of his lips.

“Isn’t there something you should be doing, herbivore?”

“Getting more fruit punch? I definitely should be doing that.”

“Feisty little thing, aren’t you?”

His words made butterflies flutter in your stomach and your heart skip a beat, but your face remained calm and composed.

You would make him break first in this long lasting dance of yours.

Suddenly, he got close. Much too close, as your back hit the wall, one of his arms caging you in.

“Little herbivore, you can keep running and hiding, but sooner or later you’ll have to give in.”

You mulled over his words, a coy look decorating your face, innocence disguising your true intentions.

“If you’re not going to stop me, why should I? Maybe if I ask Malleus-”

Your words were cut off by his mouth on yours, a ferocious and heated kiss, his taste and smell invading your senses until you could no longer remember anything else.

“Are you going to ask that stupid lizard now?” he breathed out in bettwen kisses.

“Never.” you answered, pulling him closer by his collar.

Azul

“Ah, dear Prefect. Are you enjoying the Mostro Lounge new year party?”

He curtsied you with his hat, a perfect old timey gentleman.

“Indeed, I am. I wonder how this party has all my favourites coicidentally. Favorite beverage, favorite food, even my favourite color is part of the main decorations.”

You made sure to give him a significant look, his gaze unfaltering under your scrutiny.

“What interesting coincidences, aren’t they?”

His smile never faltered, ever so politely fake.

“Our vip lounge has some extra festivities that could be to your interest. Perhaps could I escort you there?”

“No, thank you. I’d rather go back to my friends.”

His smile fell momentarily, a shocked look on his face quickly covered by his suave persona.

“But I insist, Prefect.”

“And I insist on no. I have to go.”

Making your way through the room, you counted down from five in your head.

As it reached one, the twins appeared in the corner of your eye, turning into a makeshift wall, stopping you in your tracks.

“Heyaaaa, Shrympy. You have to go back to Azul, or he’ll surely blow a fuse.”

“That’s right, our esteemed guest. Our dear Azul is waiting for you.”

“Then tell him to come get me himself.”

The twins look at each other before swiftly dispersing.

In seconds, Azul appears, looking slightly frazzled.

“So dear Azul, did I ruin your perfect plan for new years? Let me guess, you wanted to take me to the vip lounge, butter me up, and then kiss me?”

Undeciferable emotions pass through his eyes like a carrousel as you simply smile at him mischievously.

His mouth moved, something about to be said, but you didn’t let him, kissing him before a sound could be uttered, and breaking away even faster, quickly shuffling away to the table where your friends sat, but not before saying one last thing.

“Happy new year, Azul. Let’s hope next year you can kiss me for a change.”

Jade

“Jade, there’s a strange mushroom in my glass.”

Jade smiled widely at you, eyes closed and hands politely folded.

“Is it so, now? May I see it?”

Handing him your cup, he observed the floating little fungi.

“Oh, dear. I’m not quite sure, but if this mushroom is the one I believe it is, it isn’t toxic per say, but it has serious side effects, such as vomiting and rashes.”

You raised one of your brows at him, his impassive face unfaltering.

“How could such a mushroom end up in the drink of a client at a restaurant? Seems very unlikely.”

“Unlikely but not impossible. Certain students of this school are known for their mischievous streak. But for now, what matters most is helping our esteemed customer.”

“And how can you help me?”

His eyes opened, he stared at you with his menacing smile, teeth barred for all to see.

“Thankfully, it is very simple. The victim of the mushroom must simply have the toxin extracted from the zone in the body where it went into contact with.”

“Right. And how do you do that?”

“A simple suction motion can do the trick.”

“Really, now? Then in other words I have to ask someone to suck on my lips?”

“If it is the mushroom with those side effects, yes. It could also be a completely normal mushroom.”

You felt like rolling your eyes at him, his obvious stunt endearingly annoying.

“Okay. Then suck it out of my lips.”

Your direct answer didn’t seem to faze him as he leaned into you, slightly sucking on your lips.

Heat crept up to your face, his lips becoming warmer and warmer against yours.

“Uhmm, I’m not quite sure if it is that mushroom after all. Maybe it’s another one. I’ll have to test it to be sure.”

You went to grab your cup again to show him the mushroom again, but he held your cheeks with his hand and kissed you, properly, this time.

His tongue licked the bottom of your lips, and finding your teeth pliant, delved deeper, tasting all it could.

As he pulled back, you asked him.

“What mushroom is it after all?”

“Just a normal mushroom used for cooking.”

With a little smirk, he answered, and leaned again to kiss you.

Floyd

“Shrimpy, Shrimpy, if you don’t kiss me right now I’m going to squeeze your dumb friends reallll hard.”

Floyd’s burning gaze flustered you harder than any of his words, leaving your brain to catch up to your ears.

“You are not doing that! And I am not kissing you under a threat!”

You argued back at him, watching his face turn from a pearly white grin to pouty.

“Come on, Shrimpyyyyy. It’s a tradition on land to kiss someone on new years and I wanna do it.”

“Then go do it with someone else.”

You replied, cheeks flaming at the idea, but to proud to go back on your words.

His pout deepened, and he raised his arms.

“You’re so cruel. I don’t want to kiss anyone else! I want to kiss you, ___.”

The sentence starts airy and whiny, childlike even, but ends with a poignant seriousness that makes your eyes meet his.

“Kiss me. And only me.”

He orders, hand on your shoulder.

You furrow your brows at him.

“Only if you ask politely.”

He ponders your words, but does not heed them, leaning into you and stealing a chaste kiss before running away.

“Hey! Get back here!”

You run after him, but his gigantic legs and lanky build let him get away, as he shouts in a sing-songy voice.

“Shrimpys kiss is mine!”

Kalim

“So I was there, in my potions class, and then this frog flew into my cauldron and-”

You sighed, Kalim’s mouth running wild as he kept telling you stories of his day to day.

Normally, you’d enjoy his jovial and light conversation, but right now you expected a little bit more.

“Oh gosh, look at the time! It’s past midnight!” He comments excitedly.

“The fireworks are starting right about now! Let’s go, Prefect!”

On the balcony of Kalims room, you stand side by side observing the fire works, their light illuminating the night sky and reflecting in your eyes.

You shyly try to take his hand, but he is to busy gesticulating them around, pointing to each image produced by the fireworks with such wonder as if he had never seen them.

As the show draws to a close, he finally turns fully to you, eyes filled with happiness and a desire to please.

“Did you enjoy it? Don’t you think it was just the most amazing firework show you have ever seen!”

You smiled at him, but no answer could be given, as the carpet beneath you both flew from underneath you, sending you both crashing down onto the ground.

Something soft hit your lips, and you opened your eyes to Kalims lips on yours.

He quickly leaned back, red covering his face.

“Oh my… that was nice, wasn’t it?”

“I think so too.”

You answered, still a bit dazed, the full brunt of the embarrassment not yet settled in.

“Can I do it again?”

Your eyes widened at his direct request, heart flying out of your chest.

“You can.”

Beneath the star lit sky, you kissed as many times as the stars would let you.

Jamil

“Are you still busy with Kalim?”

You asked, crossing your fingers in hope that Jamil could be yours, even if for just a minute.

“I’m afraid so. Kalim wanted to try a new drink, so I had to go prepare it.”

He gestured to the tray in his hand with his head, face umbetraying of any emotion.

Your own wasn’t so lucky, as you visibly deflated.

“Sorry to bother you then. I’ll go back to the refreshments table.”

Giving him a small smile, you started walking away.

His hand reached out, softly gripping yours.

“Give me a minute.”

You nodded, and watched as his back disappeared into the crow.

The sound of fireworks could be heard all around, overpowering any other noise, all the guests surrounding the windows and filling the balconies in hope of catching the best view, while you waited in the back.

As minutes ticked by, your hope depleted and your frown returned.

But your smile blossomed as you saw Jamil returning.

“I apologize for making you wait. Kalim wanted some more pillows.”

You held his hands on your own, softly brushing your thumb against the back.

“It’s fine. As long as I can steal you for just a bit.”

Silence reined bettwen you both, as the fire works raged on.

Soft gazes and tender hearts, you leaned closer and so did he, and sooner rather than later the silence was filled with a kiss.

Vil

“Dear, your makeup is smudged.”

Your eyes widened, searching for the nearest mirror.

“Where?! I swear, it must have been Ace with his stupid prank! I’m going to kill him!”

Taking a hand mirror out of his bag, Vil held it out for you to use.

“Thank you so much. I completely forgot mine!”

Seating on a random chair nearby, you started reapplying your eyeliner.

Vil watched you from the back, his reflection in the pocket mirror, even though small, imposing.

“I see you used the makeup I recommended. You sure do look splendid, my dear.”

“A compliment from you, Vil? My, I feel touched!”

You jested, a small laugh escaping the man behind you.

“I sure hope you do. I don’t hand out compliments that easily. Only to those who deserve it.”

His reflection in the mirror gets bigger as he keeps approaching you from the back, strands of blond hair draping over your shoulder.

“Turn to me. Let me help you with your lipstick.”

Face turned to the side, he felt even closer, amethyst eyes piercing through you and your makeup.

“Such a beautiful shade, isn’t it?”

“I think so too. And it barely stains, too!”

“I know, dear. But sometimes products are a little faulty and should be tested.”

His lips meet yours before you can even understand what’s going on.

Soft and fragrant, he moves away much too quickly, your head following his, even though you’re not connected anymore.

He laughs softly, a delicate and musical sound.

“So? Did it stain?”

You basfully inspect his lips, his makeup as pristine as if freshly put on.

“No. I don’t think so, at least.”

“Then shall we test it again? Any good products mustn’t be tested just once.”

“Of course.”

Your face flushes at his proposition, betraying you amd your willingness.

Vil doesn’t seem to mind, leaning down again and stealing another chaste kiss, and then another, and then another, until you can draw the shape of his lips with your heart.

Rook

“Ah, my little trickster! Enjoying the anne noveau? It’s a truly joyous ocassion!”

You smiled at Rook’s dramatics, deciding to humor him.

“And why is it so joyous?”

A mysterious glint lit up his eyes, mischievously charming.

“There’s this little traditión that certain people partake in during this occasion. A new years kiss. Have you heard of it?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not. Who knows?”

You smile at him, mischievously coy, playing around with your drink like one who isn’t quite sure how to answer.

“My little trickster, how you tempt me so.”

Using his thumb and pointer, he takes a hold of your chin delicately possessive of a prize that is not yet his.

“This temptation you have laid upon me, won’t you help me satiate it? Let this curiosity of mine rest?”

Your heart beats rapidly, bravado gone as your gaze was forced to battle with his, an evergreen intensity that made you crumble.

“Since it’s also a curiosity of mine… I’ll let you.”

His mischievous smile widened, and with unexpected ferociousness, locked his lips with yours.

His hot mouth felt like a burning inferno, burning you up from the inside and leaving you wanting for more, needing him more.

As you tried to deepen the kiss, he leaned back, perching a finger on your lips.

“Not now, my ___. Let’s wait a little while longer, shall we?”

Epel

Epel shuffled awkwardly in front of you, his fancy clothing clashing with his dour expression.

“What’s up, dude? You look way too sour. Did Vil make you wear that fancy suit?”

“Yeah. I look like some sorta fancy pastry with too much frostin’.”

You giggled at his words, shaking your head.

“I think you look rather nice. But you can always shed the tie if it’s really bothering you.”

“That’s a darn fine idea.”

He quickly shoves the tie down his pocket, visibly relaxing.

“Better?”

“Couldn’t be better. I can finally move freely! Thanks! I owe ya one.”

He moves away, as if to go back to the dancefloor but turns back and runs towards you.

“To hell with it!” you hear him mutter, before bashing his lips onto yours, pure drive behind his every move.

He pulls back, eyes wide and breathing erratically, surprise by actions of his own doing.

“You’re redder than an apple.” he comments, still looking bewildered.

“So are you.”

“Guess we matchin’ then.”

He smiles, all teeth and small dimples, and you smile back.

Idia

The beeps and boops of Idia’s phone were the only noises made from either of you, the tall man hunched over on the floor, back to the wall, like a child hiding from his parents.

“Aren’t you going to go celebrate the new years with everyone?”

Without taking his gaze from the screen he answers matter of factly.

“Nah. Gotta grind for the new years event. Gachas can totally bs with their event requirements.”

“Okay then.”

You kept your back to the wall, staring into the crowd up ahead, a pang of sadness weighting you down.

“Big Brother!” chirped a happy voice.

“And Prefect! Happy new year!”

Ortho beamed happily, circling you both excitedly like a little rabbit jumping around.

“Big brother, have you given ___ the kiss of new years yet?”

Idia’s fingers stop for the first time in the night, a red game over flashing on his screen.

“New years kiss?” you ask gently.

“Yes, Prefect. Big brother said it’s a quintessential part of any romance anime that has a new years episode! The epitome of end of season drama. So, has big brother kissed you yet?”

Said big brother is slowly slipping further and further down, glueing himself to the floor, fiery pink hair licking at your feet.

“Not yet, Ortho. But don’t worry about it. I’ll help him with it, ok?”

Ortho nodded and merrily skipped away, leaving you with his distraught older brother.

Crouching down, you got your face in front of his, his eyes closed shut.

“Am I getting my kiss now?”

He groaned loudly, slightly opening one eye to peek at you.

“This is not fair. You know my weak point. It’s cheating!”

You giggled at his conundrum, bending down to close the final space left bettwen you two, giving him a little peck on the lips.

“Next year, you give me the new years kiss alright?”

Groaning, he turned to the side and curled into a ball, slowly nodding his head.

Malleus

“I finally found you, Tsunotaoru!”

The tall fae stood in the middle of a lonely balcony, his only companion the smiling moon.

“Child of man. You have come to visit me?”

He asked, joy and sadness laced onto every word.

“Of course I have. It’s new years after all. And no one likes to spend new years alone.”

“That I do believe to be true. Sadly, there are too many years and not enough people to spend them with.”

Malleus longingly observed the moon, heavy fog of uneasiness seeping through the balcony.

You approached him, letting your head rest on his shoulder.

“One day, only that moon will still be here with me. And even she mocks my plight, smiling radiantly upon any who walk below her.”

Stroaking his arm gently, you spoke softly, barely above a whisper.

“Perhaps that is a good thing. Perhaps one day, when the moon is the only that remains and she smiles at you, you’ll see the smile of everyone who used to smile at her too.”

Finally, he turned to you, holding your hand with a feather like touch.

“I quite like that sentiment, child of man. Even so, at least for tonight, I don’t wish to share with the moon. Tonight, shan’t you be only mine?”

A soft smile bloomed on your lips, your free hand caressing his face.

“Tonight, and forever.”

“Forever.”

His plush lips slotted perfectly onto yours, a warm kiss to truly last forever under the moonlight.

Silver

“Silver, wake up! It’s midnight!”

The silver haired man asleep on your shoulder remained so, the ruckus of the festivities almost like a lullaby to his tired mind.

“Oh, please, Silver!”

You shook him vigorously, and he finally awoke, startled.

“Prefect? Have I fallen asleep again?”

He looks around, in an unbotheredly lost way only someone who is used to falling asleep everywhere can have.

“Yeah, you did. And you missed the new years!”

“That’s fine. Every year there’s a new one. Besides, this year I have a higher priority.”

You raised a brow.

“A… higher priority?”

He nodded assertively.

“Father told me about this “new years kiss” tradition, and as such”- he got down on one knee in front of you, head bowed- “___, would you give me the honor of being my new year’s kiss?”

You stared at him, baffled and more than a bit unsure on how to react.

“Please get of the floor, Silver.”

“Is that a no?”

“I didn’t say that. I… I accept it.”

You feel your cheeks heat up as your almost sworn knight gets up from the floor and takes your hand in his.

“You’re rather beautiful,___.”

Face hot and stomach twirling, you can’t help but look away from his eyes.

“Please just kiss me already.”

“Of course.”

Closing his eyes, he gently presses his lips against yours, before promptly falling asleep on top of you.

You sigh, letting the man rest. Next year you’d get back at him.

Sebek

“HUMAN. HAVE YOU SEEN LORD MALLEUS! I WISH TO BE THE FIRST TO WISH HIM A HAPPY NEW YEAR.”

Sebeks voice boomed in your ear, and you feel the moment slip from your fingers like sand.

Annoyance creeps onto your voice and face, and you can’t help but shout back.

“I DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T CARE! LIKE YOU DON'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT ANY OTHER PEOPLE! DON'T YOU HAVE FRIENDS TO THINK ABOUT?! OR EVEN… me?”

Anger leaves your voice, and only sadness and solitude remain.

Sebeks shocked face reflects in your eyes, tears welling up and forming a cristaline pool.

“Go find your lord or whatever. I’ll find someone else to spend my new years with.”

You run away from him, hiding in a dimly lit room, tears falling down your cheeks and staining the floor.

Some time passes, and someone knocks on the door before bursting in.

“HUMAN I- I have come to apologize. My behaviour was unbecoming and I’d…”

His whole face was flushed red, as he tried to get his next words out.

He adjusted his posture, standing straight and then bending down, in a perfect 90 degree angle.

“I would thourogly enjoy spending new years with you, if you would like!”

A smile creeps onto your face as you dry your tears with the back of your hand.

“Sebek?”

“YE-Ahem, yes?”

“I’m going to kiss you.

“WHAT?!”

You threw yourself at his arms, letting them surround you and hold you as you bash your lips onto his.

He shyly returns, unsure of what to do.

“Stay with me tonight?”

You ask, unsure.

“As long as you’ll have me, I’ll stay.”

Lilia

“Young ___, enjoying the new year celebration ?”

Hearing him call you ��young”, felt like a stab to the heart.

Lilia always seemed to see you as much too young, much to green, to ever see you as more.

“Yeah. I am. What about you?”

He smiled gently, swirling his glass.

“The new year is a time of change, supposedly. Of growth. But an old man like me can’t do much of those things anymore.”

He sipped on his glass, unbothered by the implications of his words.

“That’s not true. No matter your age, you can always change. Hopefully for the better! Besides, you aren’t that old, Lilia.”

A depressed smile decorates his feautures as he turns to you, so different from his mischievous ones you’re used to seeing.

“ What if I told you I was indeed that old, ___? Would you still want to stay here in hopes of a new years kiss? Of a romance with a fool long past his prime?”

Your eyes widen at his serious tone, no bitterness or happiness in it, nothing at all, just truly neutral questions.

Even so, you felt your conviction solidify.

“If the self proclaimed fool past his prime would at least entertain the idea of me actually being in love with him, he could believe me when I say, I want only you.”

A small incredulous laugh escapes the man by your side.

“Perhaps I should entertain that idea.”

“Not perhaps. You really should.”

You stare at him resolutely, his smile morphing into one of his familiar mischievous ones you liked so much.

“If that is the case, first I have to get a taste.”

In the blink of an eye, he had his lips on yours, warm and softly aggressive, his fangs perfurating your lips and leaving tiny dots of red blood behind.

The metallic taste lingered in your mouth even as he retreated.

“You taste rather appetizingly, ___.”

Your blood colors your cheeks as well as your lips, the perpetrator of both fixing a hair of yours behind your ear, blissfully aware of your bashfulness.

[cipheramnesia]

It's been awhile, but generally iirc the series was waning in popularity at the end of the 80s. The attempt at a reimagining of the character under Colin Baker was pretty much rejected before it could pay off (it was meant to give the audience a chance to experience the Doctor rebuilding their humanity and empathy, but people hated the initially chaotic and selfish version). Colin Baker was written off early - so unceremoniously that he flat refused to participate in the underwhelming regeneration scene - and the first few scripts with Sylvester McCoy were done before he was cast, which presented a fairly bland but safe characterization. Few people seem to give him credit as the first actor in the series who didn't used RP as the Doctor. Instead, his Doctor speaks with his own distinct Scottish brogue, which over the course of his time in the role (I think) worked to tremendous effect in distinguishing his Doctor as deeply cunning, steeped in ancient mystery and incomprehensibly powerful, overlayed on top of a deep melancholy. However, again, this newer and more serious angle presumably wasn't well received by the audience. On top of all that, a huge number of his serials were committed to nostalgia tied to the show's 25th anniversary, such as Battlefield, Silver Nemesis, and Remembrance of the Daleks - frankly I'd count Curse of Fenric in there too.

There was a whole lot going on during Ace's appearances, and combined with the majority of the fandom favoring the new Doctor Who (familiar with the better known 1-5 Doctors at best from the classics), she's kind of flown under the radar probably until she got a call back in Power of the Doctor. And beyond all that, she was really a bucket of cold water over the established companions. It wasn't just that she'd push back so much, but that it was very sullen, very emotional - she was angry, and acted out in ways that were more upsettingly human. With other companions it was always a bit of give and take, but Ace was probably the first one where she got really hurt, emotionally speaking. And also who hurt the Doctor back on the same level. Several of their personal conflicts were upsetting on a deep down level in ways that haven't recurred very often before or since (another way she matches well with Rose). Every version of her history has her parting with the Doctor on bad terms, and it's an honest read of the character.

The things that made her so appealing to teenage me, watching reruns in the USA, probably rubbed a lot of viewers the wrong way. There were so many nuanced background elements that came through, her raging anti-racism stemming from personal trauma, her history of abuse from her mother, the overarching experience of being treated as stupid and small and worthless felt so very real for me. It made her triumphs cathartic, her acceptance by the Doctor profoundly moving, and her losses tragic. In the present day, she's vibrant, she stands out as a complex and strong female character, something of a treasure who is going to live in my head forever. But at the time, well, she was just one more reason to cancel the whole show.

[ledesaid]

"Does anyone else want dessert? ╚░╚

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Indigestion

A word unknown to Billy until about twenty minutes ago. Dinner at the Kent house, according to Clark, tended to end with all the guests completely and totally full.

Billy prayed to Ares that nothing would befall humanity for the next few days. It would be a real miracle if he could pronounce the wizard's name in that state.

"Does anyone want dessert?"

Billy practically fell asleep at the kitchen table.

"Oh heavens, Martha, the boy can't take anymore."

"No problem, Billy, a good piece will be waiting for you at breakfast."

The nearly adolescent boy thanked them tiredly and couldn't argue when Clark took him to his old room. He vaguely heard Clark say he'd sleep in Conner's room and everything faded before his full stomach.

The morning surprised him with a spectacular aroma and his feet led him to a table full of pancakes and scrambled eggs with bacon.

"Good morning, Billy! Come sit down. Jonathan and Clark are returning from the market, and while they arrive, you can eat the strawberry pie from yesterday, it only had that cover."

Billy took the pie; the soft and fluffy crust finally melted in his mouth. It was the first time his mouth had salivated for one to this extent.

"It's delicious, Mrs. Kent."

"Please, just call me Martha or Mom, that's how Clark's friends know me."

"I'll try to remember, Mrs. Martha."

It had been a long time since he referred to someone as his mother, not since he was four years old, but he didn't want an old memory to ruin his stay.

He was at peace. He wasn't have much to do back in Fawcett.

With the mayor taking care of installing the new social help center, Billy could shorten his rounds in the city and, happily, his shift at the League was starting in two days. The Watchtower, after seven years of service, had fallen, but that’s a story for another day.

Billy had noticed he had anemia from reducing his food rations. The spacial buffet had ended abruptly, a hard blow to Billy’s budget.

Returning to his routine to resupply was harder than expected... and the curious fact that the captain could show symptoms of his clear malnutrition made Clark try many ways to invite him to eat with his family... Had he known how well his mother cooked, he would have accepted that invitation years ago.

Krypto barked.

In less time than he expected, everyone had breakfast, but Billy swore the food on his plate multiplied and he ended up back on the living room sofa taking a quick rest.

"Does anyone want flan?"

At some point in his nap, Billy wanted to try it, but he fell asleep again.

Clark woke him up wearing overalls.

"Do you want to learn how to milk a cow? I can meet you the new calf."

"Of course!"

Time passed so quickly that Billy found himself sitting again at the Kent house table enjoying a pork chop, too juicy... Billy wondered if that’s how they should taste, but his stomach made a decision, that definitely had to be the standard for chops.

"Does anyone want chocolate cake?"

That Martha had prepared that cake and Billy forgot he had to leave immediately thinking about eating it at dinner was a coincidence. One that repeated for the next days, weeks, months... Maybe Billy realized it wasn't a coincidence, but he had already been living with the Kents for practically three years.

"Does anyone else want dessert?"

Billy was sure he did.

[zenithangelic]

Hi could I get fallout 4 companions with a sole survivor that's really good at cooking/baking? Even though there's a lack of resources they're always able to make a tasty meal :)

FO4 Companions reacting to the Sole Survivor's cooking/baking skills:

Cait

Cait is initially skeptical, but she’s absolutely delighted when she tastes the Sole Survivor’s cooking.

She’ll tease you for being “too fancy” but can’t resist taking an extra serving of whatever’s on offer. Even with limited ingredients, she can sense the effort and love put into the dish.

Cait will often ask for something hearty, like a meat stew, and once she’s had a taste, she’ll go on about how it "hits the spot" after a long day of fighting.

Codsworth

Codsworth is always delighted when the Sole Survivor whips up something to eat, and he’ll politely offer his assistance, even if he’s not sure how to cook.

Whilst he can’t taste the food himself, he’ll always compliment the cooking, saying things like “It smells absolutely divine!” and offering praises for every dish.

Every meal becomes an opportunity for him to “fluff and polish,” ensuring the setting matches the quality of the food.

Curie

Curie is fascinated by cooking, always eager to learn new techniques, even if she sometimes gets things mixed up due to her scientific curiosity.

She loves the idea of making food “delicate” and “scientifically perfect,” so she’ll happily offer advice while watching you bake or cook.

Curie’s delighted with any dish, but if you make something with vegetables or fruits, she’ll be thrilled, claiming it’s “just like the old world” and perfect for a healthy life.

Paladin Danse

Paladin Danse is a bit of a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, but he quickly learns to appreciate the Sole Survivor’s culinary prowess.

He’s always impressed that the Survivor can make something delicious out of practically nothing, but he’s especially fond of simple, hearty meals like roasted meat or stews.

Danse feels a little awkward about accepting the food at first, but once he digs in, he’s hooked. He’ll show his gratitude with a firm handshake and a grunt of approval.

Deacon

Deacon is totally into the fact that the Sole Survivor can create a good meal even when supplies are low. He’s all about resourcefulness and loves seeing the creative dishes that come out of seemingly nothing.

He’ll often make light-hearted jokes, suggesting you could sell your cooking as a new "underground recipe" in the Commonwealth.

Deacon’s definitely a fan of whatever is made with spices or anything that packs a punch—he loves the unexpected flavors.

Dogmeat

Dogmeat may not have a sophisticated palate, but the Sole Survivor’s cooking always makes him wag his tail and give an excited bark.

He particularly enjoys anything with meat in it, and even if it’s just a bit of leftover stew, he’ll happily share in the meal.

He’s a loyal taste tester and might nudge at your leg with a hopeful whine if he thinks there's any leftover scraps.

John Hancock

Hancock loves a hearty meal, and the Sole Survivor’s cooking quickly becomes one of his favorite parts of the day.

He’ll joke that “you’re the real hero of the Commonwealth” every time you serve him something tasty.

Sweet treats like pies and cookies have him absolutely hooked—he’s got a soft spot for anything that feels like a little piece of the past.

Robert MacCready

MacCready’s not exactly a food snob, but he’s very impressed when the Sole Survivor manages to create something edible out of the wasteland’s limited ingredients.

He’ll give a sarcastic comment at first, but after one bite, he’s all about the meal. He’s particularly fond of anything that’s spicy or has some heat to it.

He’ll often try to get you to make something “big and filling” since he’s always thinking about his next meal.

Nick Valentine

Nick is a man of simple tastes, but he definitely appreciates a well-cooked meal. He’s especially impressed when the Sole Survivor can bake something using barely any ingredients.

He’ll quietly savor each bite, complimenting you on your skill with a quiet, “You’ve got a real knack for this, kid.”

Nick loves anything with a bit of sweetness, like a nice pie or dessert, especially if it reminds him of the days before the war.

Piper Wright

Piper is overjoyed by the Sole Survivor’s cooking skills, and she’ll write about it in her journal, claiming that it’s “the best thing since sliced bread”—even if there’s no bread to be found.

She’s big on comfort food, so anything that’s hearty or filling is her go-to. She’ll always ask for seconds and enthusiastically praise your cooking.

She also loves to bake with you and will insist on trying her hand at recipes, even if they don’t always turn out quite as well as yours.

Preston Garvey

Preston is always grateful for a warm meal, especially when resources are tight. He’s definitely a fan of stews or dishes that have a good balance of protein and vegetables.

He’ll often tell you that “this kind of meal is just what we need to keep going.”

Preston might even offer to help cook, especially if it involves something he knows, like preparing simple meat dishes.

Strong

Strong, while mostly focused on his search for “milk of human kindness,” is deeply impressed when the Sole Survivor manages to cook up something that smells even remotely appetizing.

He’s not picky—anything with meat or something that can be gnawed on gets a thumbs-up from him.

Strong might even try to take a larger share of the food than everyone else, but he’ll show his appreciation with a grunt or a satisfied “good food, human.”

X6-88

X6-88 is more focused on his duties as a Courser than on food, but he quietly respects the Sole Survivor’s ability to prepare meals, especially given the wasteland's limited resources.

He’s practical, so he’ll appreciate whatever you make, but don’t expect any outward praise. He’ll simply state that the meal is “efficient.”

He prefers meals that are straightforward and no-nonsense—like grilled meat or something simple but nutritious.

Ada

Ada is fascinated by the idea of cooking in the wasteland, especially since she’s a robot and can’t taste anything herself. But she’s all about making sure the meal is “perfect” and will offer helpful suggestions.

She enjoys watching you cook, often pointing out how the ingredients could be optimised for better results. But when you bake something sweet, she’ll describe it as “incredibly efficient nourishment.”

Ada is especially impressed with any food that’s meticulously prepared or has a technological flair to it.

Automatron

Like Ada, Automatron lacks the ability to enjoy food, but they still value the efficiency and resourcefulness behind the Sole Survivor’s cooking.

They’re always keen to learn about the process and might even suggest improvements based on their mechanical knowledge.

Automatron might take notes as you prepare meals and will offer praise for any dish that has a perfect balance of ingredients.

Old Longfellow

Old Longfellow is a man who’s seen it all, and he’s particularly fond of a hearty, no-frills meal after a long day. He’ll often ask for simple dishes like fish, stews, or roasted meat.

He’ll quietly sit and enjoy the meal, nodding in approval after each bite, but he doesn’t always have much to say about it.

If you make something with seafood or something that reminds him of home, he’ll reminisce about the “good old days” in Far Harbor.

Porter Gage

Gage loves anything that’s simple and easy to prepare, but he’ll be downright impressed when the Sole Survivor manages to make something “top-tier” out of almost nothing.

He’s got a taste for bold flavors, so anything with a spicy kick or unique ingredient will catch his attention.

Gage might joke about you opening a restaurant in Nuka-World, but he’s genuine when he says you’ve got skills that most people in the wasteland can only dream of.

♡If you liked this fic, please consider buying me a coffee! Ko-fi ♡

[boofeine]

New Year's Kiss

pairing: seventeen x reader

genre: headcanons, suggestive

warnings: mdni, kissing, nothing much... it's kinda fluff

a/n: happy new year!!! wishing a wonderful 2025 ahead for you, and i hope all of your resolutions come to reality <3

tags: @huen1ngk4i @aaniag @svteensworld @kooqitas @unlikelysublimekryptonite @kwannibalism

seungcheol runs to a taxi with your hands together, trying to hide from the sudden hard snow. you both sit breathless in the back seat, the air cold and funny as you both giggle around. the tip of your nose pinky that seungcheol finds cute and your plumpy lips way too tempting. "you look so cute" he suddenly bursts out, his palms hugged on gloves cagging your cheeks on an attempt to arm your face; but it just affects your stomach instead, the little butterflies as he stares your eyes and then your mouth. "can i kiss you?" he asks. your mouths connecting with the muffled cheers from outside telling you it's a new year ahead.

jeonghan has been flirting with you shamelessly for hours now. you know, you know this, you watch this happen with your group of friends a lot, you were just never the chosen one. he keeps teasing you, saying absurds and laughing later, you're actually getting frustrated... that's until you know it's a real thing. "thought new years would be a good place to start" he says when the clock is approaching midnight. you ask confused what he means, and he simply adds, "i really like you, would you let me kiss you?" and when the kiss is said and done, jeonghan stares into your eyes and asks you out.

joshua is sweet like the gentleman he is. he hugs you softly, wishing you a happy new year, his smile making his bambi eyes tiny, making it hard not to feel a little in love. he stays in your embrace, a kiss to the top of your head "happy new year, yn-ie" he says, and you reply with your cheeks aching from so much happiness. he breaks the silence after a few minutes "can i make a wish for this year?" he says and you nod on his chest "i hope i get a kiss from you" he concludes. you swallow dry, finally looking up at him "you have to wish something else" you were a little mean, you think, because his whole face twists but you're fast to add "because this one is already coming true" you say coming closer as your lips finally fits together with a air of relief.

jun sees you laying on the door frame by yourself. people are starting to run around, screaming it's close to midnight. you stay there watching the commotion with a vision of the outside, that you don't even realize jun joining you. his low tone catching your attention when he starts to count down as everyone does. you look up smiling to him as he does the same for you, his sight moving up and then back to your face. as you follow his eyes, you can see the mistletoe just above you two on the frame, you can feel your face flushing when he shoots "i guess you own me a kiss" his steps coming closer, the fireworks exploding outside, not even close to your heartbeat as your lips touches his.

soonyoung pulls you up on his arms with a tight hug while the fireworks explode around you. you both smile happily as he twirls you around on his arms, greeting you the new year with warmth and so much happiness. everything happens too fast, your kiss on his cheeks getting on the side of his lips before he drops you down, and everything stops around you, the pinning stare as you both lean to a real kiss this time around.

wonwoo just bumps on you in the middle of the party chaos. that being the first time you two make yourselves known on the place. you stop, greating each other warmly, completely forgetting new year is soon and you both should probably go find your friends and family before midnight. you just keep chatting and updating each other of how your lives are going, the kiss happening so suddenly and naturally. the fireworks startling you both as you just giggles on each others mouths, accepting the new start.

jihoon hates to make you sad, and he knows that chosing to stay alone at home on new years is one way to do it. he stares at the snow going down his window, reminiscing the call that happened just a few minutes ago, with you, and how he wanted to say he was sorry. the bell suddenly rings, and jihoon comes to open the door, with your figure right in front of his eyes, wet hair from the rain as you embrace him in a big hug. "i wouldn't spend new years with anyone else" you say, your lips coming together with his and passion as the clock hits midnight.

seokmin was wanting this for a while now but never was able to gather enough courage. and when he finally does, it's not in the greatest scenario, but he wouldn't lose that one last hope. the loude music and chatting echoes in the room as you both dance beside each other. he suddenly comes closer "can i kiss you when the new year turn" he shouts, and you wonder if you heard it wrong around all that noise. the sudden confection making you flush. your head screams YES!! but you're unable to word it out. but when midnight comes, he will know your answer with your lips pressed on his own.

mingyu is just as clumsy as you. your ways of greeting each other happy new year all over the place. you laugh together when you almost bump heads before the hug fit. the smiles dying down when your heads move to the side together, both with the same idea of landing a sweet cheek kiss that turns into a peck when you reach each other's lips instead. your eyes go big, and your body stiffs, but none of you pull out as you relax on his embrace and just kiss.

minghao is one of those people that you meet without warning, he's a friend of a friend of yours that came along for the year turn. it's been a few hours of conversation, but you're sure he'll be someone to keep for the next year. you can already tell honesty is his cup of tea, and he proves you right when he openly tells you how beautiful and easy to talk you are. "that's been actually the best conversation i've had in ages" he concludes and you want to die in shyness, you feel little butterflies in your stomach and the way his perfect shaped lips move when he's talking makes you want to try it. you go silent and he askes... as he is, you answer honestly "i was just wondering how your lips might taste", "you can try it out" he says and your lips meets more times than the whole year throughout this night, making it not different on midnight.

seungkwan promises to take you home after the new years party you both were. it's just on the door of your apartment that he makes out with you in the back of his car. it comes at a surprise how into it you are and how his hands hug you perfectly as he kisses you. the hot air around you both blurrying the windows as you just see the smug flashing lights from the fireworks that announce you it's a new year. "Happy new years, yn-ie" he says, caressing your cheeks as if you haven't kissed as you were hungry for it minutes before. — (edited from ripe clementines :D)

vernon had joked about it, how "funny" it would be if you get too tipsy on new years and ended up kissing each other. you laugh it out but he looked a bit too serious to be kidding. new years came and none of you were nearly drunk. just chatting and gaming until midnight. when it's close, vernon comes to you "turns out we are not tipsy nor kissing" he plays and you think 'what a shame', either way it's not from neither of your personalities ending up on this scenario. you decide to be bold and reply "is being drunk a requirement?", "to kiss me?" he asks, cleaning nonexistent dust from the tip of his nose while you just hum, looking up at him. "you can kiss me if that's what you asking" he's smiling but you're serious, coming to peck his lips before giving a real kiss that is very much welcomed. as the last seconds of the day ends, another year being gone, you think 'what a happy new year'.

chan spends new years with you every year since you were teens. he's someone you know from a family friend with yours, you both kinda grew with each other in small gatherings like this. night felt particularly different this time around, he grew a lot and suddenly talks and acts like a man, but jokes like a kid as always, has you laughing from literally anything he says. for chan, he knows his ways, he has a eye on you since forever and he finally sees a chance that he wouldn't waste. gathering all the courage to ask you out, he's surprisingly met with your lips on his. you just kiss and say nothing as he melts, feeling like he's in a dream... he will take it as a yes. maybe that's the magic of a new year.

[stonecoldmeme]

@painedprince

"It's a fantasy until I can convince myself it's real." Ignis didn't exactly argue, and he really had come to accept the new reality of their lives. Mostly. Of course that did also mean trying to figure out how to position all of them within easy enough reach of one another, but what good was a strategist who couldn't adjust the slightly bit closer to Prompto while Noctis was working on his shirt?

With a breathy chuckle, Prompto managed to keep pace with his hand while turning his head and leaning closer to his fiance. "Here, I want you to give this to Iggy for me." Passing along a kiss was fine, right? Especially a long kiss, almost successfully distracting him from his task in Gladio's pants, but ultimately his hand never stopped moving. Pulling back, panting, he added, "Just like that." And, well, Ignis didn't look disappointed about it.

Back to making sure Prompto wasn't going to disappoint anyone, though. "So, uh. You can put your hand on my head or grab my hair if you want. Just don't push or pull too hard." That was the only warning Gladio got before the blond backed up just enough to get the Shield's pants open and lean in for a little lick to the tip of his cock. To start.

"...You're right, that is a boring fantasy." Noctis smiled at him. "You get to live that every day. For me, that's just- it's only part of the fantasy, you know. I guess it is the important part, huh?" He rolled Ignis' shirt down his shoulders and kissed his collarbone, but not before giving Prompto's cheek a parting nuzzle.

Meanwhile... "I don't care what you do to me, you're so damn good at all of it. Just tell me when you want me to touch you, and where."

"...and tell me, also!" Noctis added to the conversation he very much wasn't involved in.

"And... tell princess over here, too, I guess." Gladio snickered.

[bothoutsiders]

pls i recommend listening to this song on repeat while reading. ( this is part two from a previous ficlet. )

--

The cold, wet concrete beneath him felt oddly comforting, even as his chest tightened with every shallow gasp. It was difficult to pull air into his lungs, and whenever he managed to do it, it burned with each breath. The metallic, sharp scent of his own blood lingered in the air. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Not now.

He had been alone for too long, and when things changed, when he became the monster he was now– he found someone who accepted him. Tim. Jason’s mind brought back memories of him. His warm, small hand petting his fur. His forehead pressing against Jason’s, as he whispered encouraging, kind words. Things were going to be alright, he only needed to focus on his voice.

The thought of opening his eyes never crossed his mind. Let alone the thought of even getting on his feet to look for shelter and heal his wounds. Even with the struggle of breathing, he was feeling strangely comfortable. Enough to want to take a well deserved nap.

“Jason!”

His ears twitched, tuning to the new sound, ignoring the one of his lungs slowly collapsing. The voice sounded real, but it could’ve been one of his many hallucinations. It happened occasionally, after all, his mind had been broken a few times. By now, he was barely aware of the state of his own body, not even noticing he had been lying on a puddle of blood for a while now.

“Jason! Jay!”

The voice was so familiar. He almost could tell who it was… But he couldn’t put a name to them. He could only see the image in his head of a pretty young man smiling up at him. It was a sweet, nice smile. 

Tim. Timothy was his name.

A low growl rumbled deep in his throat, his body fighting, refusing to surrender, because that was what he did best. To resist. To come back from death… But it felt so cold now.

With great effort, Jason opened his eyes, but his vision was blurred. The voice calling his name, and the sound of feet running on puddles of rain in the distance, grew muffled. His pulse thundered in his ears, louder than his breaths.

“Stay with me, Jason. You’ll be alright!”

With some difficulty, his exhausted eyes tried to focus on the thin figure kneeling in front of him. He felt small hands inspecting his body with practiced ease, and somehow, he felt safe. He felt he was back home.

When he looked up at Tim’s face, he saw his disbelief, the desperation as tears rolled down his pretty face. He could smell Tim’s fear in the night breeze. Jason didn’t need to see to know this was the end.

“Jason, look at me,” it took some effort to pull away his gaze from Tim’s hands. They were covered with blood. “You need to help me, I need you to stand up– we will take out the bullets, then you’ll be able to heal– Jason, listen to my voice!” 

He could hear Tim’s voice breaking as he closed his eyes again. He knew he couldn’t fight this now. 

Tim's trembling hands reached out, brushing against the black fur of his head. Some parts of his body were already matted with dried blood, making it impossible for Tim’s thin fingers to brush him as he used to. He tried to cup his face and lean against him as his boyfriend’s head rested on his lap, and his blood stained his legs completely.

“Stay with me, Jason. Stay with me, stay with me, stay with– Jason, please.” A broken sob. 

Jason nuzzled against him, seeking comfort in the only person who had accepted him, who had offered affection. The motion was slow, tender, despite the growing weight of death pulling him down. He was trying to imprint Tim’s scent in his fading senses.

Maybe it should’ve been better if Tim hadn’t seen him in this state.

His head dipped against Tim, whose sobbing filled the silence. He mustered up energy to look at him one last time. Jason’s eyes, now dull and fading, locked onto his as he tried to memorize every detail of his face, before darkness slowly swallowed his world, stealing the last bit of light.

He could rest now.

[ambernotember]

911/omgcp crossover🏒 🏒 🏒 (for @herrmannhalsteadproduction, because I mentioned it and then I wanted to share some of it)

Will knocks on the office door. “Captain Nash?”

The man at the desk looks up at him and smiles. “You must be William. Come on in,” he gestures to the empty chair across from him. “Let’s get the paperwork finalized and then we’ll give you a tour of the place.”

Will flips through the paperwork, adding his signature in the appropriate places and putting aside the copies he’ll need to keep. He pauses on the one labeled “Food preferences and allergies”.

“Um, I understand why you’d want a copy of allergies, but why food preferences?” Will asks.

Captain Nash smiles. “We do a lot of family dinners here. I’d hate to make something you couldn’t eat.”

“Oh, uh,” Will can feel his ears getting hot. “Well that’s - that’s kind. Um,” he clears he throat a little bit before continuing. “I actually cooked a lot for my team in college, if you ever need some help.”

Captain Nash’s smile gets bigger. “We’ve got everything covered for this shift, but I’ll definitely get you started next shift. It’ll be nice to have some extra hands around.”

“I also bake,” Will says before he can stop himself.

Nash laughs. “We are lacking in the baking department. You might get put on permanent duty.”

They sit in a comfortable silence while Will finishes the paperwork, double checking the two piles and storing his copies safely in his duffle bag.

“Let’s get you set up with a locker and introduce you to the rest of the team,” Nash says, clapping him on the shoulder as he guides him out of the office.

“Sounds good Captain Nash.”

He laughs again. “Please, just call me Bobby. We’re not that formal here.”

”Pretty much everyone calls me Dex,” Will offers.

Bobby’s eyes crinkle. “Buck’ll be disappointed you came with a ready-made nickname.”

”Sorry…?” Dex replies.

“It will save a whole shift of possibilities. You’ll be glad.” He points to the cubbies they’ve stopped in front of. “Here, your gear will be in the last one in the row. We don’t have a new nameplate yet, but the team knows it’s yours. Locker room is just through here, you can grab any of the empty ones.”

— — —

“So, how was the first shift?” Derek asks as soon as he walks into the house.

“Long, busy, but good. The team is really nice, they’d remind you a bit of our team.” Will flops down onto the couch and accepts the coffee Derek hands him.

“Loud and codependent?”

Will snorts. “Surprisingly accurate. Chim’s even married to Buck’s sister so some literal family connections there.”

“Chim?” Derek raised an eyebrow at him.

“Chimney – not his real name, and no, I don’t know why they call him that — yet.”

“That’s gotta be a good story, let me know when you find out.” Derek sits down next to Will with his own coffee and a plate with two pastries on it. “I went on an adventure while you were at work, try these out.”

[ender-cloud]

NEW UPDATE AND OH OK UM ONE MOMENT THERES A LOT TO UNPACK HERE

Tgs spoilers undercut

Ok, ok, ok! Im currently ill so my minds a little bit scattered and I woke up really late today because I needed the rest, so im posting this a little late but oh my hod!!

Ok, ok ok ok! So!

Hyde is having the same problem Jekyll did before he passed out and I think this could mean 2 things.

When Jekyll was having this issue Hyde was going into the back of the mind, which is exactly what Jekyll is doing right now trying to erase himself, does this truly make it so Hyde will die with Jekyll?

Now now, Lyn wonders if Jekyll is wanting to kill Hyde but I don’t believe he does. I think Jekyll Hyde wants to suffer but he made his intentions seem very clear. He wanted Hyde to go mad without him as he is sent to Jail because of the crimes he’s committed in the past. Also I don’t think Jekyll knows that he’s possible of killing Hyde.

Fritz beought up that Sage said that if Hyde dies then Jekyll will go back to normal. But that might not have the same effect on Hyde.

Hyde stems from Jekyll and the only reasoning why Jekyll was affected before was because Hyde was pulling him down. Forcing Jekyll to go with him which Jekyll isnt trying to do to Hyde.

Thank you lyn and Fritz for what you found out while I was asleep

Hyde isnt an organic human, but just a product of Jekyll, and it beings up if the host (Jekylls body/Jekyll) dies then what will it do for Hyde’s life. Jekyll most likely dosent know he’s killing Hyde by killing himself but it is just a side effect

But I would also argue that it might not be, for one, when it was happening to Jekyll it was way worse, he was grabbing his chest in pain and was barley even able to stand, Jekyll is the host body who wouldn’t have died if Hyde did, so shouldn’t it be 10 times worst for Hyde?

It also brings up Hyde’s anxiety, in this moment hyde is scared from being left alone and is terrified that Lanyon has found him like this. The pounding of his heart could be a start of a panic attack instead of a sign that Jekyll is killing him.

Either way, a full blown Panic attack would be an interesting thing to see Hyde experience in front of Lanyon and show how more of an exposure to to the real world is effecting him. If Hyde is going to die from Jekyll, I dont think it’s happening just yet

Ok ok! Now to the dialogue

Hyde trying to still show he’s tough even though it’s obvious in his face he’s lost, scared, panicked. He’s keeping up his persona but he looks like he is going to break soon.

He is just as emotionally vulnerable as Jekyll and he needs his reputation as much as Jekyll desires his

ALSO LANYON TREATING HYDE AS A PERSON FINALLY???? He seems to have accepted that Hyde and Jekyll are the same person, bringing up a memory he had WITH JEKYLL while saying YOU to hyde.

While Jekyll and Hyde arent the same people, it is a start.

Haha, oh Jekyll would, now now, before we get into the story it makes me wonder if Lanyon thinks this was Jekyll’s Hyde showing which is why he brought it up, he dosent exactly know what part of Jekyll he was always talking to.

Woah, Jekyll not wanting to lie to the people who have been nice to him, crazy Idea! /j I just giggled at a stupid joke

I do find it interesting how Jekyll has changed from back them, not fully, he was still desperate to get people to aprove of him, a people pleaser at heart.

Also jekyll is literally on his knees begging for this simple chance that Lanyons parents wont even find out about, he is truly just desperate to be liked and accepted.

Lanyon is really smart, as seen, but is holding himself back because he wants it to seem that he dosent need his fathers approval or attention but is instead is proving how much his father floods his mind.

He’s not doing this for himself, he is doing it to spite his father, trying to go against Him, not because he dosnet care about school or what people think, but instead Because he cares too much. He is trying to trick himself into thinking it dosnet Matter but it does matter to him what his father thinks.

Also Jekyll being so scared of being called a monster shows how even from the beginning he didn’t like the hyde part of himself and how he really just wanted to be accepted, he doesn’t want to be perceived as a monster even after all of these years he just wants to be liked

This story of the past dosent seem to be over yet so we’ll have to wait until next week for the rest

[painandmovies]

bruh, they literally said they won't be switching up the couples to a question! They also said quote, "there's not gonna be time to explore our characters love life," if you wanna get technical.

"if you believe the duffers wrote an entire season without any changes or progression of any of the current relationships..." I do! But you can watch and get the answer!

Will could very well get a love interest (that's not Mike, probably). [I'm not hating on the possibility of 2 main characters getting together; I'm just going by the text and subtext of what's on screen because that's what it's looked like for FOUR seasons (I know some of the theories bylers have for subtext and I disagree...I'm allowed)]. I'm not fantasizing about queer people being disappointed, bffr. I'm simply expressing an opinion as you have done, because that sub-fandom has been a very vocal, and active "mean-girl" group (to those who disagree with them and are purely just existing, so often posting in tags deliberately to hate on the 'rival' ship (I don't ship m*leven but I came across this with a ST post). [And I keep tagging these posts "anti-byler" because I'm not trying to upset someone's enjoyment in fiction; if you have not blacklisted posts discussing anti-byler; that's on YOU and sillier to get upset over someone sharing their mind over something that does not matter in the grand scheme of things in our world].

If you really wanna get deep in my hatred of byler (and why I'd find joy in it's fans being letdown), let's address how Noah Schnapp, the actor IS a zionist (and if you disagree (idc tho), still said something nasty in reference to children and people dying and was not ignorant at 19, profiting off of something being "sexy" for civilians and their pain. If I'm really talking about the habits of bylers and how they operate every time this ship is trending, and what they have said initially re: Noah Schnapp, I could talk about how I find it odd that no one wants to bring it up, and separation of the actor and character does not seem to be a thing, much more marked by Noah's coming out and people's relatability to a gay CHARACTER and a gay actor outshining their connection to morals (and the fandom of that ship, largely overlooks the actions of that actor, doesn't hold him accountable, accepted a half-assed apology, and like I said, sees the real person as well as their inspiration, much less doesn't care about his remained standing on the show, because they stay concerned about a ship, and supports his real life activities/behind-the-scenes pictures, friendship with his cast members, etc... (all for the unjustifiable explanation of finding it cute).

I'm not acting like a mean girl over people who enjoy gay ships. I'm not straight, either! And I don't like byler! (Do you like all "gay" (uhh, Mike is ???) ships because they are gay?) me "doing something productive" while you wrote ALL this getting mad over the initial post of something I said. If you believe they will be together, this should not hurt you. You can watch the show and be happy when it comes out, if that's what you believe. Come back to this post is 2025 (:

This post got much longer than I intended to. But I might as well mirror your long-winded reply and once and for all respond to these repeated and new claims (i'm so not surprised to be a rebuttal). Happy supporting zionists!

I'm not a mean person, but istg I'm gonna laugh when I open up this app and see that byler isn't endgame and all the shippers lose their minds after 5+ years of the creators telling them it isn't gonna happen.

[dcdreamblog]

Your last post made me curious about this Doiby fella, was he really the consort to an alien royal and how did a random taxi driver become the sidekick of a superhero anyways?

My favorite part of my job, both here and in real life. Is that I can say stuff that gets reactions like this. People balk at me, and then I get to remind them that I do not, nor would I have to, lie in my profession.

(Newspaper head shot of Dickles published by the Gotham Gazette, 1941) Born Charles Dickles in Brooklyn, New York his nickname is actually "Derby" based on the hat he always wears. "Doiby" stuck because of his very thick accent. Before he ever met Alan Scott, Dickles had lived a storied life having driven a transport vehicle in WWI that he then bought using his severance pay. Naming her Goitrude.

His path crossed with Scott on a rather mundane case involving industrial sabotage related to a notable but historically minor innovation in radio technology. When Scott's secretary Irene Miller was pursuing the criminals, showing a dexterous driving ability under fire and fighting off the thugs with his bare hands, the 5'4" Doiby was recognized as the hero of the hour and invited into the orbit of Green Lantern even more closely when he mistakenly discovered his secret identity.

They were a common pair during the war years but Dickles returned to a quiet life of obscurity after the passing of the Keane Act. Though there is a humorous anecdote of him being taken in for questioning by the FBI to be interrogated for Green Lantern's secret identity. An identity Dickles DID know but was ultimately dropped when he spent the following 14 hours stonewalling the agents attempting to question him only repeating the d words "I dunno nuthin'"

It wouldn't be until MANY years later than an agent Dickles was swept up in the first case that brought his old pal together with his modern counterpart, where the trio ended up on the planet Myrg trying to defend the crown Princess Ramia from being married off to a suitor named Prince Peril (I refer you to the top notion that I do not need to make anything up). Doiby was smitten with the royal lady and thought she might make a perfect match for his friend Alan. One problem. Ramia herself was gaga over Doiby!

Upon Peril's defeat, Ramia proposed to Dickles in front of both Green Lanterns, the diminutive cabby accepting and being named Prince Consort of Myrg, a position he holds to this day. What descriptions we have been given describes a planet that has been radically altered by Dickles' personal popularity, where a generation long cultural fad has been inspired for turn of the center Brooklyn! Right down to an aged Dickles, with the assistance of Young Justice, staving off a conquering invasion by beating the aggressors at a game of interstellar baseball!

(A web photo taken of Dickles alongside the short lived "Old Justice")

To all current reports, Dickles is alive and well and still in general contact with his old buddy through some interstellar means. His stretched longevity probably down to some alien science or other but who can say. All I can say is that I for one am never again underestimating a New York cabby.