#and also because i said i would. and also it's good practice. even if the amt of time it took was a lil embarrassing oops /silly

[catrocketship]

Hi, I have been involved in community-organized campaigns and even organized political actions and I want to talk about this boycott.

I know people want to do something. It's great that people are seeing posters about this in the world and talking about it but let's talk about what an action needs to be effective and why people are saying that it won't work (spoiler: it's not just people being negative nancies! This boycott lacks something that is key: organizing to back it up).

Who is your target?

Boycotts cannot be everything. Okay, so this one isn't everything, but it's basically everything; all gas? Amazon, Walmart, Target (which doesn't leave a lot of us with options for food). All credit cards?

We have to determine a target, and to that target we must supply a demand. What is that we want to change? The form letter that accompanies this boycott says something about "bullshit Executive Orders" but I'm going to need you to be more specific than that if you want results.

(The EO demand doesn't even really make sense because Target, Walmart, and Amazon aren't following any EO. The DEI Eos don't apply to private entities like these corporations. They're rolling back DEI initiatives because it's better for their bottom line and the EO merely signaled that the atmosphere was right for it.)

What is your demand?

Boycotts are a tool of political action. We leverage these tools in order to apply pressure. Examples include the Montgomery Bus Boycott, BDS, the 1965 grape boycott. I would give this particular boycott more points if it even said "boycott them until they stop XYZ! or start ABC!"

The thing is, boycotts aren't even a super successful tool. But whatever, when they are successful they have a specific target, they are integrated into a campaign along with other tools, and they have a demand . Otherwise, how do we know what success is?

Great, so nothing we do matters.

No, I'm just saying that a boycott unattached to an organizing campaign is not going to change anything (because we didn't ask for anything!)

Organizing works.

Looking around and seeing something you'd like to change, meeting up and talking with other people who want to change the same thing making plans together -- these things are successful. You might even plan a boycott together. You might even take the boycott national or join a national boycott organized by someone else.

If you are new to political action and don't know where to start, look around your community. You may have to change your channels to get in touch with the people doing the work you will end up doing. Look at bulletin boards in cafes, look at your city's reddit, hell, even search [city name] and [issue interest] on Facebook and see if there is an active group. Ask your friend who wears all the buttons. Then show up. Show up to these meetings in person.

Get to know your neighbors. If that seems scary, do the work you need to do to get yourself in good enough working order to introduce yourself to strangers.

Join a community group. Attend a seed swap and join a gardening group. Meet up with others to draw at a cafe once a week.

When in doubt, start with food. Find a community fridge in your area and find out how to get involved.

I also like CAW Shiny Things' list of ways to get started because it's broader than many other (it takes into consideration art as community!)

When you find a community organization, you will make important connections there and practice muscles you use in political organizing, like building trust, power analysis, and planning actions.

I know that we are all scared and that this boycott feels good to latch onto. It's wonderful that you want to take action. I hope that you find something in this post that gets you more deeply involved than a fakey vague boycott.

I'm not saying don't participate. It won't hurt anything. I am saying that there is so much more work we have to do to affect change.

USA people! Buy NOTHING Feb 28 2025. Not anything. 24 hours. No spending. Buy the day before or after but nothing. NOTHING. February 28 2025. Not gas. Not milk. Not something on a gaming app. Not a penny spent. (Only option in a crisis is local small mom and pop. Nothing. Else.) Promise me. Commit. 1 day. 1 day to scare the shit out of them that they don't get to follow the bullshit executive orders. They don't get to be cowards. If they do, it costs. It costs.

Then, if you can join me for Phase 2. March 7 2025 thtough March 14 2025? No Amazon. None. 1 week. No orders. Not a single item. Not one ebook. Nothing. 1 week. Just 1.

If you live outside the USA boycott US products on February 28 2025 and stand in solidarity with us and also join us for the week of no Amazon.

Are you with me?

Spread the word.

[one-green-frog]

Hi! I was so happy when I saw that your requests were open for your platonic yandere batfam series, also I’m sorry if I send in too many, just do the ones that interest you bc I can’t wait to see them!!

Can I please request them dragging you to a family movie night and sleepover (if you want) together

Snuggled in

By now, it felt like you had lived at the manor since the very beginning. The grand halls, the endless corridors, and the hidden nooks and crannies—all of it was as familiar to you as the back of your hand.

Your life had settled into a new normal. Or at least, as normal as it could be when surrounded by the Wayne family and their complete and utter devotion to you. They were obsessed, and you knew it. Their attention was intense, overwhelming at times, but you had grown to accept it. Maybe even crave it. The way they cared for you, how they anticipated your needs before you even voiced them—it was comforting, intoxicating even.

Earlier today, Dick had texted you.

"Movie night. I'll come get you later."

There was no room for declination, not that you wanted to refuse. Movie nights were one of the best things about living at the manor, especially when everyone was present. It wasn’t just about the films—it was about them, about the closeness, the warmth of being surrounded by people who made you feel safe. Sure, you loved spending time with them individually, but when they were together, it felt like a real family, a family you never wanted to leave.

So, all that was left to do now was wait, to enjoy the "calm before the storm."

It didn’t take long before Dick appeared in your doorway, his signature grin in place as he grabbed your hand and practically dragged you toward the theater room. His grip was firm—just a bit tighter than necessary, as if he feared you might pull away. As if he was still afraid you might reject them.

You knew they had doubts. That paranoia whispered to them constantly, telling them that your love for them wasn’t real, that one day, if they let their guard down, you’d disappear. It hurt knowing they feared that, but at the same time, you understood. They knew what they were doing wasn’t exactly right. The way they needed you, the way they clung to you—it was too much, even by their own standards. And yet, they couldn’t stop.

And you? You didn’t fight it. Maybe you should have, but deep down, you liked the way they cared for you. How they made you feel wanted.

When you arrived, everyone was already there, and unsurprisingly, a spot had been saved just for you. Judging by the tension in the air, there must have been a fight before you got here. The privilege of sitting next to you wasn’t something any of them would just give up. It seemed that this time, Damian and Dick had won, both looking entirely too pleased with themselves while the others shot them varying degrees of annoyance.

But now that you were here, no one dared to argue.

Time with you was precious, something none of them wanted to risk ruining. You were the one thing that held them together, that kept them from spiraling apart. They all knew it.

“Jason, why don't you pick the movie?” you said as you settled into your seat.

Jason raised a brow, looking mildly surprised but pleased. He was always good at picking movies, always knowing exactly what suited your mood. Sometimes, he chose thrillers, knowing you enjoyed the adrenaline rush. Other times, he picked romances, sweet and indulgent. No matter what he chose, you knew it would be perfect.

But in the end, the movie never really mattered.

Because the real highlight was always the closeness, the warmth of your family surrounding you.

Dick wasted no time wrapping himself around you, his body practically molding to yours. He had always been the most physically affectionate, taking any excuse to hold you. On your other side, Damian leaned against you, quiet but solid, his presence grounding. He never admitted it, but during movie nights, he always ended up snuggled against you like a cat seeking warmth.

Time passed in a comfortable blur. The others rotated around you, each finding a way to be close. Jason would ruffle your hair as he got up to grab snacks, Tim would drape himself lazily against your side when exhaustion took over, and even Bruce—ever the stoic—would rest a steady hand on your shoulder, a silent reassurance that he was there.

It was getting late, the movie long ended and the comforting presence of everyone slowly lulled you to sleep. You tried to fight it, wanting to enjoy the moment more, but at some point you lost the fight with sleep.

Your head grew heavier, your body sinking into the warmth around you. The others noticed almost immediately. Their voices quieted, movements slowed, as if afraid to wake you.

Bruce was the first to move. Carefully, he lifted you into his arms, his grip firm yet gentle, while Dick untangled Damian from your lap. He fell asleep first and somehow always ending up in your lap, snuggling into you as if seeking your warmth. The transition was smooth, practiced. They had done this before.

Your room was dark and quiet when Bruce laid you down, pulling the blankets over you with practiced ease. He lingered, brushing a hand through your hair, his eyes never leaving your face.

You had saved him. Saved all of them.

Bruce had long believed that some wounds would never heal, that his family would remain fractured, bound together only by shared tragedy. But then you came along—his son, his light, the one thing that brought them back together.

There were many things he regretted. Things he would never be able to fix.

But with you here, it felt like he had a second chance.

That was enough.

And as he sat beside you, watching over you as you slept, he let himself believe—just for tonight—that everything was exactly as it should be.

Taglist: @lilyalone

This was so much fun writing!

Thank you so much for requesting, I'll get to your other ask as soon as possible!

[helen-with-an-a]

Hi, I was wondering if ale and amor would have kids (I forget if they are mentioned) and if so do you have any hc about all that?

I have mentioned it once? Twice? But I don’t mind talking on more depth loll

Previously mentioned:

Alexia already has baby names picked out (Talia for a girl, Jaume for a boy, unless Alba has a son first (it’s also Alba’s baby boy name) then it’s Eliá) - Amor has said that her family has to be able to pronounce the names/have a translation into her language that Alexia doesn’t mind her family using instead (beyond that she’s not too fussed over the names)

Amor really wants to use Ale’s egg at least once when they have children so she can have a big Alexia holding her hand and a mini Alexia on her hip (she doesn’t mind who carries the baby though)

So, it’s actually at Mapí’s 30th that the idea of kids comes up seriously. Amor and Ale have always known that kids would eventually happen for them but it was never really discussed when/how/who etc

Amor decides she’ll carry first since she’s the younger of the two and will probably be able to continue playing after pregnancy with a little more ease (and Amor hasn’t had any significant injuries and secretly doesn’t want Alexia to sit out from playing any more than she already has)

It takes a few tries but eventually they get pregnant with Baby no1. It’s a girl (Talia). She’s from Alexia’s egg and is quite literally Ale’s mini-me. Hazel eyes and blonde-brown hair and a huge love of football. She grows up to be a data analyst for Barça and eventually is the first female manager of Barça Femení (she was never a good player but she had a knack for the stats and plays etc)

Ale is obsessed with pregnant!Amor. If anything Ale falls even more in love with her. She’s the most perfect partner a pregnant person could ask for. Cravings? She’s out in every shop getting it. In pain? You don’t even have to wince and Ale is there ready for a massage. Morning sickness? Ales got the bucket and a hair tie ready to go and will give all the cuddles you need afterwards.

Mapí makes Amor promise she will never get pregnant again because Mapí can’t stand how in love Ale is (and it’s making her look bad with Ingrid)

Amor and Ale did discuss maybe having one of Amor’s family be the donor but they decided that was a little too weird for them if Amor thought about it for too long she got creeped out.

The birth and things went fine, Amor did struggle a little with breast feeding but she wasn’t too fussed about it, Talia was predominantly bottle fed anyway so that Ale could help out overnight and things

When Talia is 4, they decided they want another kid but Alexia is insistent that she carries. She had retired at this point and Amor is still thriving at Barça.

Ale really wants Amor to be the biological mother this time round and Amor agrees so long as the donor is the same one from Talia (so the kids are 1/2 siblings genetically)

It takes a little longer this time round and Ale gets really in her head about it. Despite knowing what can happen (particularly with “older” women who get pregnant), Ale has a hard time accepting that it isn’t her fault

Amor is practically begging for Ale to stop trying, and give themselves both a break and maybe start up later after a year or so but Ale is insistent. They compromise with one final try

It sticks and Ale ends up carrying twins (both girls) and it’s a comparatively smooth sailing pregnancy and birth. Victòria is the oldest and looks exactly like Amor. She grows up to be a history teacher and insists on having a Barça Femení display and a history of female football timeline in her classroom. She is has a massive agenda to push women’s sport at schools and becomes pretty big in that respect across Spain helping to set up in-school clubs and things for all sports. Rosa is the baby of the family and is a mix of Amor and the donor but does get Amor’s hair and eye colour. Rosa is very much the wild child of the family and spends a lot of time trying to figure out what she wants to do. She travels the world (which Alexia has regular panics about) and does tutoring in English, Spanish, Catalan and German to pay the bills when the money runs out. Eventually she becomes a sports photographer and settles in the WSL (mainly snapping pics for Arsenal)

Every time Amor sees Ale interact with the girls, her ovaries explode. Amor was always a bit on the fence about kids until she met Ale and then she couldn’t imagine not having a baby-Ale in her arms.

Ale has always known she wanted kids but she never suspected how much until she saw Amor. It scared her a little at first because she was always asked in interviews about what she wanted in 10 years time and it was always football. But then Amor appeared and suddenly it was a wife and multiple children and maybe a dog and a cat and it really scared Ale at first but then she was like, nope that sounds pretty perfect to me

When Ale and Amor are like in their 80s they just look around and think “yep, this is the good life” surrounded by their family, children and grandchildren and they’re just like this … this is what happiness is

[wlwsoccerfics]

Navigating Motherhood(GiuliaGwinnXMiedemaReader)

A/N: Hope you enjoy this cute little fic. Short but sweet.

Summary: you and your wife navigating life as Professional Football players and First time moms.

It has been two months since you and your wife Giulia became mothers. You have given birth to a beautiful Baby Girl named Florence 'Flo' Violet Gwinn-Miedema. You played for FC Bayern Munich, just like Giulia did.

Today was the first day you would get back into Training with the Team and of course the Girls had asked if you two could bring Baby Gwinn-Miedema with you. They wanted to see their little niece again.

Of course you agreed. You were quite happy to bring her along for the ride. In a few weeks you would take on Arsenal in the Champions League. Arsenal also happened to be the Club your Sister in law Beth played at. So you were excited to see her. Even though you wouldn't be playing in that game. Your sister Viv had just left after coming to munich for a few days to meet her Baby Niece and so you could see your nephew Gideon again. Your sister and your Sister-in-law had him two years ago. Viv gave birth to him.

It was a good thing you could always asked Beth and Viv for advice when it came to raising Florence. Cause your daughter and your nephew were close enough in age.

"Babe?" You hear your wife say. She was walking into the bathroom with Flo in her arms.

"yes liefje?" You asked.

"are you ready to go?" she wanted to know.

"i am! Just had to get my contacts in!" You informed Giulia.

When you were about to leave the house Flo started crying. You frowned softly. Knowing that she probably was hungry.

"someone is hungry!" You stated and gently took her from Giulia. Sitting down on the Couch with her.

"i will Text the group Chat that we will be a bit late to practice." Giulia said, kissing your head and then your daughters.

You gently stroked her tiny fingers while she was nursing.

"you are making mommies be late to work! Good thing you are so adorable so i will let it slide!" You told her with a soft smile on your face. Giulia laughed at your little joke.

"she really is the cutest." Giulia admitted.

"our daughter can't even talk yet, and still has us wrapped around her little fingers already!" You replied with a laugh escaping your lips.

After Flo finished nursing and got burped you changed her diaper before the three of you finally left for practice. Giulia was driving.

"are you okay, Love?" She asked you cause she could tell that you started to get nervous again.

"i am just nervous. It's the first time in almost a year that i will be Training with the Team again! And not do light Training!" You explained to her.

"you gonna do just fine Babe!" Giulia told you. "You already are Superwoman for staying active while growing a tiny human! Which by the way you didn't have to do. Cause carrying a Baby is work enough, but you still decided to have your own workout plan!" She added on. You appreciated how proud she was of you.

"thanks for saying that. also liefje, we need to work on our time management because you know i hate being late. Even when the reason why is our really adorable Baby Girl!" You told her.

You reached the FC Bayern Campus around 30 minutes after practice started. So you quickly got dressed and went out to the pitch. Giulia was carrying Florence in her Baby carrier. Needless to say that practice was on hold when you arrived cause everyone wanted to hold your daughter. You apologized for being late again and for crashing practice but no one seemed to mind.

"she is such a doll!" Lea told you. Looking at her with a smile while Tuva was holding her.

"thanks Lea, took 9 months to Cook her to perfection!" You said jokingly. All of your anxiety gone now. It felt good to be back and not just visiting.

You enjoyed practice. It was an amazing feeling. Only having two take a longer break to nurse Flo again. Other then that everything was just fine. You enjoyed every single Minute of practice.

When it was time to leave, Flo was asleep in her Baby carrier and Giulia was carrying her back to the Car. This time you were the one driving Home.

"how are you feeling?" Giulia wanted to know.

"honestly? Great but i think we have so much to learn and figure out. Making sure we are amazing parents cause this Is what our daughter deserves. And being great at our Job! Cause that's what our Team deserves." You said. "How are you feeling?" You wanted to know.

"good, i agree with you though! We have alot to learn and figure out, but we have eachother and so many people that can help is with it! We got this! Figuring out how to put our daughter and our in Order!" She answered. Good thing you really weren't alone and had a few people to always ask for help. and the two of you had eachother.

[alicedrawslesmis]

it seems to me pretty obvious that Tempest Within A Brain and Javert Derailed are mirrors of each other. One thing we notice about Valjean that may consist a flaw is that he's too introspective

These two thoughts [to escape men and to return to God] were so closely intertwined in his mind that they formed but a single one there; both were equally absorbing and imperative and ruled his slightest actions. In general, they conspired to regulate the conduct of his life; they turned him towards the gloom; they rendered him kindly and simple; they counselled him to the same things. Sometimes, however, they conflicted.

while Javert (we'll find this out later so no quotes yet) is a man who has trouble seeing below the surface. He abhors thinking and reflection and more practically in the end, he has trouble literally feeling Marius's pulse and understanding the things that can happen inside of a house? This is a genuinely incredible detail about him and about the concept of buildings in Hugolandia that building interiors sometimes physically manifest people's interiors. Javert does not know what happens inside of a home. Rather tragically I may add, because he never really had a "proper" one.

In Déraillé he is forced to look inwards and see he has a soul and a heart and is capable of kindness and of love and isn't just a pure representative of real world mundane law. He isn't made of stone no matter how much he may want to.

Here's from Fantine's arrest:

Javert up to that moment had remained erect, motionless, with his eyes fixed on the ground, cast athwart this scene like some displaced statue, which is waiting to be put away somewhere.[...] From time to time she paused, and tenderly kissed the police agent’s coat. She would have softened a heart of granite; but a heart of wood cannot be softened.

And here is from Derailed:

Terrible situation! to be moved. To be made of granite, and doubt! To be the statue of punishment cast all of one piece in the mould of the law, and suddenly to perceive that you have under your bronze bosom something absurd and disobedient, which almost resembles a heart!

Now for Valjean: He is faced here with a question impossible to be resolved kindly. Valjean represents divine goodness in the same way Javert represents the law. On the one hand, ignoring Champmathieu means saving the people of the town, maybe even Cosette, on the other, Champathieu will endure the 'artificial hell' in Valjean's place. There is no possible answer that leads to universal good. So Valjean makes the choice to sacrifice himself, suffer a symbolic (and later a false) death by turning himself in and then jumping onto the sea.

Like I said, it's important to understand that Les Mis is interested in symmetries. Beginnings that mirror endings, people who go toward evil and people who go toward good. Miners that work to change society and miners that work to undermine it. Paris above, the sewers below. "justice" and Justice. Hougoumont at Waterloo and the Barricade during the june rebellion.

This also got me thinking that the reason there's a certain kinship between Javert and Éponine is because they form an opposing pair with Valjean-Cosette. Valjean interacting with Montparnasse like Javert interacts with Marius, you know what I mean? It is absolutely no wonder a book full of cycles and mirrors has exactly 365 chapters, starts on a short little paragraph foreword and ends on a poem with the verse "Comme la nuit se fait lorsque le jour s'en va."

[dreamy-guardian-angel]

:) oh buddy I'm about to be your new best friend. I am the Delta anon. I come from mainly @/howlsofbloodhounds inbox (also Howls if you're somehow seeing this. I'LL COME BACK SOON I PROMISE).

RANT IT IS!

I find that Delta usually has very complex relationships with a lot of people, especially based on his reputation around the Multiverse and Omega Timeline. Bad guys know him as a threat who will stop at nothing to kill, good guys know him as a bit unhinged but their heart is in the (mostly) right place (aside from the murder). Anyone who poses a threat will be treated as such by them with no hesitation.

However, that being said, if a stranger approaches with caution and strikes up a conversation (asks for directions, for him to translate something, etc.), they will actually he extremely polite and patient with them. He won't be aggressive if they approach nicely, which can often confuse the ones who view him as a threat waiting to be unleashed. They know if he's around, a fight will most likely soon follow.

Does Delta know this? Absolutely. I'd imagine that they actually kind of enjoy the fear that comes from others - if they're bad, then they have everything to lose. If they're good, they're safe. He will only attack bad people and it is very well known.

And like most of the talk about Delta and Color's relationship, the headcanon of Delta being Color's roommate and protector (and semi-caretaker while he's in recovery) is usually adopted.

For me personally, I like to imagine that Delta had to reteach Color everything from day one - not to say Color was helpless whatsoever during recovery, just needed a bit of help, love, and routine to get their life back in order. They are very close friends, even though they argue on occasion and blow up at each other due to their explosive natures.

With that being said, I also like to think that Color taught Delta a LOT about so many things, opened their eyes to a lot more possibilities than they realized before. Because before Color really came around, Delta kinda only had himself, Beta (the collective nickname that was chosen for the Bravery Soul), and whoever they encountered.

Some of these things could be about the patience and time recovery takes. Delta is usually a get-in-get-out sorta guy I think, so if he gets injured, he heals himself quickly and rushes to the next AU or fight. But Color practically forced him to realize that what he can survive with ease is not the case for everyone else - he may be able to heal himself without thinking about it, but others sometimes don't have that luxury.

Another thing I'd like to imagine Color taught them more about is patience (ironic, i know). Healing takes quite a bit of time, even if it's done instantly with magic. Color had to be rehabilitated, taught the things people would just know, and Delta was a big part of his learning process. But when things got hard, he practically forced Delta to learn that instead of fighting it (usually physically or verbally), they needed to be patient, take a breath to calm down, and keep trying while keeping their cool.

I also think that Color would help them to actually accept the things they need to do in regards to their neurodivergency (I hc that Delta/Beta have ADHD and probably a few other things, but right now ADHD is the main thing I'm talking about here). Color was taught by pretty much everyone around him that he was allowed to express themselves however they wanted, as long as it wasn't hurting anyone or themselves.

I feel like Delta would be the type of guy to refuse himself stims or breaks, not wanting to be seen as 'weak' or 'vulnerable' by their enemies. I'd imagine that they mask often, causing them only more frustration the longer they do it - hence why they get so excited when they can fight. They get to release all that pent-up stress and energy, and use it to protect people that they care about, including themselves. What better coping method could a neurodivergent with anger issues ask for?

But Color taught him that they don't have to resort to fighting to get out energy, and don't have to mask in order to feel safe - don't have to view themselves as weak for allowing themselves the comfort of stims and all that comes with it.

And that's not to say Delta didn't know about these things before - just that he didn't think of it. Color obviously taught him much more than just these things, but these are the first ones that come to mind. They undoubtedly have the closest bond that could be, no matter what happens.

And moving onto Epic now, I actually don't know how I imagine these two meeting. So I'm open to ideas on this one lmao.

But no matter how they met, they are also very very close - they enjoy spending time together, mostly because it's so different than what Delta's used to. He can feel a bit more relaxed around Epic. And, like Color, Epic encourages stimming to the highest extent (I imagine he has AuDHD). With the memes and overall chaos, though, Delta would probably need breaks of silence in their hangouts lmao.

I'm gonna be real with you, I don't have much of an opinion on him. But that isn't to say that he's not a massive part of Delta's life.

I'd imagine that he'd be the first person aside from Delta that Color was introduced to. Naturally Color wouldn't be as friendly, maybe even viewing him as a threat until he eventually came around. (You gotta introduce early post-VOID Color to people like a cat, from what I understand. It'll work, trust.)

Now, with Cross, it could be a bit more complicated. Even though it was claimed as non-canon by Jakei I believe(?), in Delta's story, he canonically fought Cross. Which obviously leaves a bad first impression for both of them.

Needless to say, when Delta finds out that Epic is friends with Cross, he is NOT happy. Things would probably be tense between the two for a very, very long time, probably involving multiple altercations and fights between the two. But I think they would eventually get on better, more neutral terms - maybe even respect each other eventually.

I do think that the longer Cross is around and the more he integrates into their group, Delta will accept him soon enough and not put up as much as a fight about it. They might even grow protective of Cross, instinctively wanting to protect him from danger, just how he does with everyone else.

And honestly, Cross would probably teach him to be more accepting of people who are trying to turn their lives around. Delta has most definetly fought this dude multiple times in the past, and will proudly admit to that. But he learned that even people who did a lot of bad shit can change, and should be allowed the time, resources, and space to do so. I think they'd be friends eventually.

Now, with Killer, it is going to take him MUCH longer. Cross is mostly acceptable because they showed genuine change and apologized for past actions - Killer, on the other hand, has not yet.

It's kinda known how Color actively saved Killer and helped him begin learning to change and recover. And he's seen firsthand how much Killer has hurt Color - they were on the front lines with them.

So naturally, once Killer tries to assimilate into their friend group, Delta fucking hates it. He is completely unwilling to accept Killer, an unapologetic sociopath with a body count higher than Delta and all his friend's combined, into their friend group. Hell no. They'd rather die (again).

It probably goes on like this for the entirety of Killer's reintegration-into-society process. No matter how hard Delta tries to bite his tongue, mask it, fake politeness and try to be patient, it is a never-ending battle between him and Killer - and in turn, with Color.

Killer being in their lives would definetly create a lot of conflict between them and Color. Delta doesn't want to let some murderer around them - especially one that worked with their literal enemies! But Color is determined to help, and not a single thing is going to stop him.

Eventually, of course, things would get better. Killer would stop being such a menace (though he'd still be chaotic) and Delta would slowly get over his pure hatred of the guy. I'm honestly not sure if they could ever be friends due to the unyielding grudges that Delta holds, but they can at least be on decent enough terms to not try to kill each other every time Color leaves them alone in a room for more than 10 seconds.

I think his relationship with Beta would be very different from all of these, though. They have quite literally known each other the longest, as they are fused together. I'd imagine that at the start of their relationship, it was pretty rocky.

Beta just got freed from his eternal chamber where he was forced to stay in the dark after being killed, and was immediately absorbed to fight and beat a demon before they left forever. That statement alone carries through some the trauma this kid endured - and now he was suddenly fused with one of the Monsters he had previously known. So of course their relationship would be very complicated at first. But with time, things would get less complicated - they would get more in sync, trust each other more.

I think that as the years go by, they'd eventually develop a brother-like relationship. They are definetly very close, always having each other's backs, ready for whatever comes next.

Now, onto headcanons about his other relationships outside of the Chromatic Crew.

For me personally, I think he'd actually get along very well with Lust! (I know a lot of people call him Plum or Sugar or whatever, but I honestly don't mind calling him Lust.) I'm not exactly sure how they would meet, though. Maybe Delta was saving him from someone? Or maybe they met in the Omega Timeline somewhere.

I think their first meeting would be a bit awkward. I don't know Lust very well so forgive me if I'm not doing him justice here, but I imagine he'd be the type to flirt slightly with people he just met (not inappropriately of course).

I personally hc that Delta is aroace, so obviously this would make a very awkward first introduction if Lust gets flirty. However, I think once they get past that (and once Delta sets firm boundaries), they would be good friends!

I also think that they would gossip together. With how involved Delta is and how strong his opinions are on about damn near anything, he definetly knows about a lot of drama happening in the Multiverse. And Lust being Lust, I imagine he'd be involved in drama, too. So I think they would definetly bond on that front.

And honestly, I think he'd be on decent terms with the Star Sanses as well. In truth though, I also don't know them very well aside from the things I see everyone else putting out here, so I may not do them justice in this topic lmao.

I think he'd be fine with Ink, honestly. He may disagree with the things Ink stands for and how he perceives the Multiverse and its inhabitants, but he can't deny that Ink has saved countless AU's - regardless of intention, morals or motive. As long as Ink doesn't try to interfere with their work, they have no issues with him.

Dream, on the other hand, I feel Delta might be a little more frustrated by. Of course Dream is a genuinely good person - that is simply who he is. But the almost foolish (in Delta's eyes, at least) belief that Nightmare can change and may come back around one day can annoy him very easily. It's obvious Nightmare isn't coming back, no matter how much Dream still loves and cares about his brother. It ain't happening. (He thinks Dream is a tiny bit delusional on that front. And also that the whole 'balance' thing is absolute bullshit. However, he thinks that pretty much everything else Dream stands for is good.)

I think he and Blue would be good friends, though! They have quite a lot in common in my eyes. I think they'd go sparring and patrol together on occasion, when they both have the time.

I also think that he and Ccino would get along very well despite how different they are. They balance each other out in a way - and plus, Delta always tips well. (He also tried to steal a cat for Color once. He felt bad and returned it the next day. Ccino has too many cats - his answer to the return was "I thought I just counted wrong. I should probably take a nap and fix that". And that was when Delta became concerned with this man's sleeping habits lmao.)

And finally, Ganz. I'm not sure if you know him or not (he's kinda unknown as well) but I imagine Delta's actually pretty close with him. Due to Ganz's depressive nature, Delta offers help at a moments notice, no matter what kind of help he needs.

All in all, they care very much about their friends.

Anyways, that's all I got! Thoughts?

(Context)

ANON I LOVE YOU, thank you so much for taking the time to answer me<33

Okay, first of all, while I was reading your answer I saw someone reblog my previous post, so @swelteringfire , sorry for the tag, but I thought you might want to read this as well

⤵️

SECOND, thanks again, it really helped and it was actually interesting!

I saw quite a few fanarts of Delta and Color and I was confused at first because I didn't understand their dynamic, but this clears up a lot of things. It actually sounds really sweet how they basically helped each other in so many different ways when they needed it. Same thing goes for Epic and Cross. I believe Cross is a really complex character, and I know he had his problems with a lot (or even the majority) of other monsters, so I'm not surprised they might've had a rough start as well seeing Delta's nature.

I'll be honest, I was particularly curious about his relationship with Killer (sorry, I love him more than anything</3), and yes, I can see how they might have their difficulties. I'm not sure if this is right, but Delta's behaviour and thoughts about Killer at first remind me a bit of what Dust or Horror might think of him too. Now, I love the found family trope for the MTT, but realistically speaking I know they both would view Killer as a sort of threat as well (which is...ironic, but understandable).

Also I didn't know about Beta but thanks, now I'm crying<33 The fandom usually tends to ignore the other souls' trauma, so it's nice to know that someone actually takes the time to focus on that sometimes. They were just kids too.

I also love how you mentioned Lust and Blue as well! Swap is basically everyone's bestie at this point, and I'm so happy about it (also he's probably the most stable out of everyone there). And Lust would absolutely love to stop and gossip after getting to know Delta!

I think he would be fine with Ink and Dream too, and at the same time it's so funny how the bad guys would be kind of scared of him

Overall he sounds like a really interesting character, I would like to see more of him!

(Sorry if it's short, but I have class now)

[lilysworldofjoy]

"Just admit it!" (Dandy's World tickle fic)

A/N: No Lee Rudie fics? I'll fix that, thank you very much (my motivation to write fics at almost fucking midnight is wild—)

Him combo'd with ler Bobette have been gyrating in my mind since.. a long time, so uh... Yeah. Also, look out for mentioned/implied Lee Bobette and Lee Ginger

Keep in mind, just cuz it's not Christmas doesn't mean I'll stop rudieposting... heh...

Plot: Bobette is trying to get toy ideas, so she goes to ask Rudie. That's where she makes a... rather interesting discovery—and decides to exploit the living hell out of it.

~🦌🎁~

It was a snowy day outside Gardenview. Of course it was, it's December after all. The month of the holidays!

Inside, Bobette was walking hurriedly around the area with a large box that had some toys inside. Her dog, Coal, was asleep next to the peppermint chair she usually sits on.

She places these toys on the table nearby. "Phew!" The bauble put her hands on her hips and said, "A job well done! Now... what do I make this time?" Bobette asked herself.

She asked Ginger. Maybe she should make a toy oven, the cookie says. That wouldn't end well, the bauble thought. So despite the measures that would be taken, that idea was scrapped.

Ginger is a good friend, of course! She's just a tad bit worse at ideas than everyone else, and that's why she's not asked frequently.

Or maybe... a toy sleigh! That can work! But... she tried to make that many a time, and no matter what, nothing just sparked her eye in the right way. So it was scrapped too, but one day, it would be a reality.

Bobette had an idea, maybe she can make her friends suggest some toys! So she headed off to the place where she knew she would get some really good ideas for them.

Rudie was untangling the Christmas lights from his body.... again. They shone as he removed them, the lights as bright as his nose. Of course, his peppermint-looking antlers stood out as always. He was almost done with that, and that's when Bobette entered his room.

"Rudieee! Hellooo!"

"Oh hi Bobette! Did you know it's Christmas?", the reindeer asked as the Christmas lights finally fell off of him, practically glowing bright with excitement.

"Of course I did, silly." She said, smiling. "Any good ideas you got?"

He knew the drill, practically giggling to himself as his tail wagged and he said "Oh boy.."

"How about a rocket, or a doll? A bicycle! A unicycle, even! Oh, oh! What about—" Bobette took notes fast, watching as Rudie kept on talking about toys she should craft, like a yo-yo, or maybe even some building blocks.

"Okay, that's enough! Thanks Rudie!", she said, giggling as she did the reflex thing: giving his side a playful poke, causing a flinch and a muffled squeal to exit his mouth. The reindeer swore a shiver ran down his spine.

Wait. Did she see (or hear) that correctly? Or was she just imagining things? The bauble decided to try again, but in a panic the reindeer slapped her hand away. He didn't mean to hurt her, but he was too embarrassed to state something about it.

"D-Don't do that! It's... It..." Rudie hesitated to finish his words, his ears going lower, and his face going a shade of red, though not as bright as his own nose. Said nose flickered slightly as he said this, akin to a broken LED light.

Bobette started to register this. Carefully. Methodically. In a calculating way, even. And then, the cogs in her head started to spin. And once realization dawned, she smirked.

...Oh no.

Oh NO.

But to her, it was oh YES.

There has got to be a way to avoid this fate for himself, the reindeer thought. There simply has to be!

If the bauble gets the gist even once, he's as good as done. But too bad for him, she almost instantly got the gist.

After all the times she was wrecked by him. After every ticklish piece of torment both she and Ginger had to endure. After all those days, it was finally her time to shine. It was finally payback time.

And it was about to be glorious.

Too bad for him, because his ticklishness?

Hoo boy.

Her smirk simply stayed in her face as she giggled. "You think I didn't notice? The fact it tickles?~"

"Uh... uhm..." The reindeer looked back at the closed door, and put his hands up in defense. "L-Listen Bobby," He said his voice shaking as he managed a shaky smile, "we can talk about thi—"

"Oho, there's no talking now." The bauble would rub her hands together and wiggle her fingers with a wide, menacing smirk. "Hope you're readyyy...~" she stated in a sing-song tone that made him panic.

Rudie stepped back, going against a wall. He tried to dodge every tickly attack, but Bobette didn't give up till she finally got him., right on the stomach.

"Pff—"

It was a matter of seconds before he was a giggling mess, flailing on the floor. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Gotcha! Now to amp this up~" The bauble did her tickles in a more fast manner, causing his legs to kick, he struggled to get out of her grasp. But she was strong, capable of making sure he stays. Plus, his laughter was adorable. She couldn't stop now after making this discovery!

"NAHAHAHAHAH! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Now now. Stop moving, or I'll getcha on your melt spot~", she said as her fingers started hovering over to his hooves, but not going there instantly. "These cute little hoovesies right here~"

That's what she thought. And somehow, she was right. The mere mention of... THAT place made him squirm even more. "NOHO, WAHAIT! I'M SOHORRY!" *snort* "PLEHEASE!" *snort*

Bobette froze the second he let that out. Was she hearing things right or was that a...?!

"Oh my gosh." She smiled as her eyes shone. "You snort?! Ooh, like a little piggy! That's SO cute!"

That immediately made the bauble want to tickle the reindeer more. Oh, did Rudie want to sink into the ground and dissapear upon hearing that.

And just like that, she buried herself on his stomach and did a raspberry right there. The reindeer did nothing but let out a loud shriek.

"NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!" *snort* "STAHAHAHAHAP!!"

But Bobette simply went to town, her fingers now circling Rudie's sides and not seeming to stop anytime soon. His legs kicked like their lives depended on it as she continued to tickle him.

"Uh uh uh. I'll only do that if you say it~", she responded to his pleas in a singsong tone, making him redder than his own nose in a matter of seconds.

"SAHAY WHAHAT?!"

And that's when she dropped the bomb, said bomb making him metaphorically explode.

"Just admit it! You're a ticklish reindeer~"

No.

No.

Hell no.

No way he's saying THAT.

"NOHOHOHO—" *snort* "IHI'M NOHOHOHOT!"

"Resistant, eh? Let's see how you react to THIS!~"

The bauble simply grabbed one of his legs and tickled one of the hooves. Let's just say he was gone, for that? That was the final straw.

The squeal that exited him was shrill, loud, and caused him to desperately bang his fist against the ground.

"NAHAHAHAHAHAH—" *snort* "NOT THEHERE! PLEHEHEHASEE!"

"Aww, what's wrong?~ Did I find your melt spot?~"

Rudie just squealed. Then Bobette got an idea, she got down, and did one raspberry on his stomach as she went to town on his hypersensitive hoof.

"OKAHAY! OKAHAY! IHI'M A TIHICKLISH REINDEER!! HAHAPPY?!"

"There we go." She smiles. "I'll just do it for.... A bit longer~ Your laugh is already cute on its own, but it's WAY cuter than before when I go here~"

"NOOOOOOOOHOHOHO!!"

After about five more minutes (which felt like HOURS for Rudie), Bobette finally stopped, letting him catch his breath for once.

"Hmpf... yohou're.. soho... mehehean..." He said in residual giggles, hating how mean she was when it was him. Like a whole different breed of toon when it came to him. She only smirked and said,

"Well, I'm just being nice!"

But deep down, the bauble was so excited she thought, ("Ginger HAS to know about this!")

If the cookie got word, he was beyond done, and we all know what that means: his reign was going to end very, very soon.

And he just hopes that day NEVER comes.

But Bobette? She and Ginger wanted exactly that and more.

Much, MUCH more.

~🦌🎁~

A/N #2: BOY did I cook with this one. I love revenge tickles, ain't nothing better than revenge tickles

[quotidian-oblivion]

Ra’s’ pov. Ra’s thinks about Tim and why he had him in his eye and when this brilliant opportunity of him nearly dying presented itself? It was too good. Too perfect. He thinks about hisdip in the Lazarus and the memories and his deepest thoughts Tim was subconsciously was murmuring to himself, not even aware of what his body was doing. It was too good. Ra’s knew exactly what to do now. He also recalls how much of a perfect candidate for an Heir Tim is. Even under the Lazarus’s influence, his conscious mind was still awake and alert. It was like the boy had a second brain. It was that brain that kept his assassins from hurting the girl—Tamara—as he fought to protect her. So Ra’s appealed to that mind. Reaching out to it, talking to it, molding it.

And he followed. 

It had been nearly three weeks now since he was revived in the Lazarus Pit. And during that time, Ra’s’s forces had dwindled thanks to the Council of Spiders. But he wasn’t too worried. Losing a few assassins now was worth it for the wait to let Timothy recover from his revival through the Lazarus Pit. Because, once he gained proper control of himself, Ra’s knew he would be deadlier than them. And that was without the years of practice. 

Ra’s smiled. Yes. Timothy was perfect. 

Just then, White Ghost burst through the doors. “Master,” he said urgently. 

“Do you have an update on the young Detective’s condition?” he asked.

“Yes, Master,” White Ghost said. “He speaks.”

“He was able to speak once before,” Ra’s said, unimpressed. 

“Yes, Master.” White Ghost tilted his head forward in respect. “But this time… he sees too.”

Ra’s stood up in surprise. 

“And hears, feels…” White Ghost lifted his head, a smile on his face. “And he remembers. Everything.” 

Immediately, Ra’s left the room, hurrying in the direction of Timothy’s room. This was… unexpected, but also unsurprising. He should have known. Timothy was already excellent, so of course he would recover from the Pit’s haze two weeks early. He arrives in front of Timothy’s room and wastes no time in opening the door to see for himself.

And sure enough, standing in front of three still bodies, stood Timothy Jackson Drake, eyes illuminating a bright green and skin coated with blood. “What have you done?” the boy hissed.

~~

That's all for now folks! Stay in touch and I shall release this monster soon once I've finished tinkering with it!

babe please what’s the name of the Lazarus Tim au you wrote I am naught but skin and bones

babe me too. Me fucking too.

My mental health went down into the sewers and never resurfaced back, and I'm still scrimmaging through the shit, and I'm sure I'm close, but in the meantime all I have left is a half-incomplete outline:

~

So. Lazarus Pit!Tim Drake. Let’s explore that, shall we?

[Prologue]

Tim’s on his Red Robin quest, etc etc. Canon goes the way it does. But it deviates at Widower’s attack. Tim receives a fatal blow, and by the time he and Pru get back to Tam’s apartment, he’s lost too much blood. He’s dead. 

So then he wakes up to green. Neon, bright, blinding. In his mouth, nose, eyes, ears. In his veins. Green burning, raging, storm, tearing into his system like a raging wildfire. He felt like he was being burnt in the wildfire too. Pain, so much pain. That’s all he knows. He can’t see except green. He can’t hear except rage. He can’t taste, except a fizzy burn at the back of his throat. He can’t feel, except pain. He can’t smell—breathe, the green flooding his nostrils. He isn’t even aware of what his body’s doing. He isn’t even aware of who he is. It doesn’t matter. All he knows is pain. And the green. That’s all there is to existence. 

Days later, he thinks his first rational thought. After days of seeing nothing but green-tainted vision and feeling nothing but pain as his body was manouvered by a mysterious force, too consumed by pain, he thinks his first rational thought. I don’t want to hurt anymore. Then the green takes over. 

Even more days later, he is able to hear the first sound. It’s a male’s voice, deep, but confident and demanding attention. They don’t want you anymore, it says. He didn’t understand what that meant. They? Who was they? he tried asking. Who am I? But the words could not get out before the green took over once more. 

Only a couple days after that, his vision managed to clear, allowing him to look at his first sight. There was a man standing in front of him. Tall, intimidating, commanding respect and obedience and allowing no room for rebelling. He smiled at him. He thinks he smiled back. 

A day later, he was able to speak his first word. The green was still holding him, gripping him tight, not letting go. But he could feel his tongue idle in his mouth. And he was made aware of the knowledge that he had the ability to move his jaw and tongue to speak. So he did. “Don’t…” And that was all he was able to get out. He didn’t know what he wanted to say. But as soon as the word slipped out, a pressure was released from his body. He didn’t know what it was. But the green flooded his senses and consciousness once more and whatever the context was didn’t matter anymore. 

He didn’t know how long it had been this time. But now, he remembered his first memory. There were colors, colors other than green. It was bright and things were loud and he was—happy, he thinks. There were people all around him, and they were happy too. The colors and noises made him and the people happy. Then, all of a sudden, they stopped. And all he could see now was red. 

Tim snapped his eyes open.

~

The above is the first chapter outline of what I'm going to write out. I haven't finished the fic, and I usually post fics once I've finsihed writing the entire thing. If you're just as desperate as me even after reading this, I can let you know what happens in the second chapter? (But that's the limit of what I can show now lol, cuz then it'll spoil the surprise)

[thepoisonroom]

that post that's like "learning social skills helps with social anxiety" applies to dating also btw

[lexydakitten]

do not remember the original context of why i decided to make this i just know i remember saying i would do iterators holding leviathans featuring nsh in this shirt. like 3 weeks ago. oops. + full version (i just like the cropped one more)

i DO have a version with the pose reference images but if attaching it is necessary then lmk cuz i otherwise won't. the references were just stock images for "guy holding fish" . trying to figure out what people prefer in that regard /gen

[kl-writes]

Switching to reblog since this is a great discussion and I'm not sure if my reply would fit (I hope you don't mind! Your post got me thinking - I only agree with you on some points, but I think it's good discussion)

I'm not sure how controversial this take is, TBH I've seen this sentiment a lot, that kudos/hits/etc. isn't useful for determining whether a fic is good or not. I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy fics based on whether the author uses "said" too much, or spells words right, or has good action/narration/dialogue balance in their scenes (well, maybe a little the last bit). High kudos does not mean "this author has mastered pacing and word choice."

While I agree that a fic with high kudos is not necessarily a fic that you will enjoy, I think that fics with high kudos/bookmarks/comments in general will be better than fics selected somewhat randomly (e.g., leaving as default sort "last updated" or the semi-random alphabetical "author name" sort).

I will agree that public stats can create a sense of insecurity in authors, since many people will conflate fic quality with enjoyability. (for example, I follow a few folks who only enjoy fanfic of characters where the characters match pretty closely with early canon, and dislike a lot of the fanon built up around those characters even if the fanon interpretations tend to be more popular to write about.) I also agree that the target audience of any fandom writing should first and foremost be yourself, and everyone else comes after. I don't write fix-its for stuff that I like in canon but everyone else dislikes, after all...

I also think that the summary/first chapter/tags/etc. is king when it comes to determining whether or not I will like a fic. This is my main way of determining whether or not I try out a fic, and I am always a bit crestfallen when I find a fantastic fic that the author had tagged one character in and left a one-sentence summary, since I usually only find those fics on accident - for a bit of context, I mostly read Transformers fanfic these days, and it recently went over 70,000 fics on AO3 - it's just not viable for me to read through everything, so I have to be sorting well. Some fandoms that I've read fics in have only a few hundred fics (sometimes a few dozen), so in those cases there's not much point in tagging.

I also agree that looking at hits/kudos ratio is useless, especially since I have a preference for long fics. If a fic has 100 chapters, someone might leave 1 kudos and visit the fic every time it updates, leading to 100 hits. It might be closer to 200 if the fic updates slow, too!

The reason why I think sorting by the number of kudos/comments/bookmarks can be useful (though not by hits or kudos/hit ratio) is because a few months back I went through the first 100 fics that you get on each sorting method, and I looked at how many I had read, which ones I liked, etc. I also checked the first 100 fics under "recently updated" to see which ones were appealing (since I hadn't read most of them). For me, I came up with the following:

Sort by kudos (no filters) - liked 33, disliked 3, hadn't read 64

Sort by comments (no filters) - liked 27, disliked 10, hadn't read 63

Sort by bookmarks (no filters) - liked 40, disliked 5, hadn't read 55

Before I did this, I had been mostly sorting by kudos/comments (purpose of sorting by comments is to "weight" long fics higher, but in practice it looked like that wasn't helpful). After this, sorting by bookmarks was the most useful- technically the like/dislike ratio was "worse", but I typically don't read stuff that has tags/summary indicating that I will not enjoy the fic (or that I don't enjoy from reading the first few paragraphs).

As a control, I also checked the first 100 fics under "recently updated" to see which ones were appealing (since I hadn't read most of them).

No filters - 85 looked appealing, 15 did not look appealing

With my usual filters (not explicit, word count over 1000, no crossovers, no michael bay) - I had read/enjoyed 2, 18 looked appealing, and 80 did not look appealing.

So at least for me, it looks like sorting by kudos/comments/bookmarks could be a good way of finding fics. However, I will admit that it isn't foolproof, and if I were to start looking at the top 1000 or top 10,000 for each method the like/dislike ratio may drop.

To be clear, this could all just be my own taste. There's certainly enough michael bay movie enjoyers out there writing fics that they will enjoy and I will not. However, if you have similar problems to me (too many fics - not that bad a problem, but still), I would encourage you to try one of these methods to see if it works. Sorting is, to be fair, probably pointless in fandoms with less than 200 or so fics.

To conclude: you are absolutely correct that high kudos/comments/bookmarks/etc. does not mean that a fic is good, and authors should not be judging the quality of their writing based on this. However, for a reader, sorting by these can be a useful way to find a fic that is enjoyable.

Strangely, though, I think I agree with your conclusion of why AO3 should implement private stats: AO3 should prioritize writers over readers in things like this. Certainly, sorting by kudos/bookmarks/comments is useful for me to discover new fics, but it's not the only method I use (e.g., looking at other fics an author has made, looking at a good author's bookmarks, looking at the bookmarks of people who have kudos'ed my fics, etc.). And maybe I, personally, don't care if my fic only gets 2 kudos and others have 200, but if it's impacting folks' mental health then maybe that is a problem, since AO3 isn't really *about* getting higher numbers.

This might be a controversial take, but as much as I love Ao3 and consider it superior to other fanfiction sites out there, there is one thing that FFnet did better. Public vs. private stats. I love how the hit count isn't public, only comments, favs, and follows are. And, I love kudos on Ao3, but imo they shouldn't be public either.

[cordelianewman]

It was really more amusing how so much could change, but such simple things could stay the same. Even if it was something as silly as swatting someone's hand away from a few fries could make you laugh and remember those sweet memories. "We can get you a new desk calendar if you want, probably a good idea to update it, or at the very least throw out your old one because that last year one isn't going to help you anymore." she pointed out. Though those weren't exactly the first priorities when there had been so much going on in the last few months to really worry about anything else. Giving a roll of her eyes, "No, I wouldn't get one for all pregnancy related things, that would just become unhealthy, tracking ovulation, periods, when we have sex, that becomes.... a job, and regardless that we have decided we want this, we want to try I don't want it to become a job or an obligation to have sex." Sex for them had always been intimate, even when angry, there was always a connection, she didn't want it to become a business transaction because they were hoping to add a little one to their family now. "I appreciate that you're not going to let me do anything too strenous so long as you don't treat me like I'm broken because that will upset me." She had survived a pregnancy by herself with practically no one, worked right up till going into labor. Not that she knew Cage would want that for her this time around, he'd want to give her everything. "I never was in any danger, I am just saying you pointed out that she thought I was competition, when she didn't realize it was never a competition, I was always going to win." she quipped giving a short nod as if that was the best obvious explanation and that was that.

"You're very right chances are when I'm craving something it's going to be in the moment and very much I want it now, not oh let me go make it and then eat it. By that time I probably will be craving something completely different and upset that I just made all this stuff I no longer want to eat." Which obviously would be very upsetting to a pregnant and hormonal woman! She needed her good food. Nodding when he said it may not go perfectly but that both boys were incredibly mature, they loved their siblings, and there was no denying the boys were amazing, kind, gentle souls that would protect their little sisters no matter what. "I just hope they understand why we would want this but it doesn't change what they mean to us, you know? That it's not a replacement, or our "real" child." Giving a roll of her eyes because that was ludicrous. "Not too many toys we're starting to get overrun in the house with toys but I also know it's what they would want most. Clothes would not impress them in the slightest, which both makes me proud and disappoints me." Though Rosalyn and Cienna did love their sparkly dresses and shoes, regular every day clothes for surprise presents? Not the things they were looking for. "Such a smart man." she leaned in pecking his lips before ending the first store. They shopped around for a bit, going in and out of different stores picking up few different things here and there before stumbling upon a vintage shop seeing a case of jewelry. "Oh we should check in here." she said before taking off inside.

There were so many big and little ways that they had both changed from those early days; not just how Cordelia handled her food, but he loved her all the more for it. And if they were sitting down to eat that day and she swatted his hand away from her fries, he would laugh and remember her as a sixteen year-old girl hanging out after practice, just wanting to spend time away from her home and family. Now, he would just order her a whole separate plate of fries to take home and eat later, if she wanted. "Good idea," he nodded his head thoughtfully, "I need to get a new desk calendar for home. My work one's fine, but I noticed the other day that the one in the office is still from last year," which probably was testament to how hectic life had been over the past few months, but he thought -- he hoped -- that things were settling, that they were getting everything back under control, one step at a time. While bringing up the idea of adding a baby to the family, but that was besides the point. He let out a small laugh as she talked about the pregnancy, not wanting to take too much on, raising a brow, "is this the part where you tell me that you're going to get another planner to keep track of pregnancy things?" Actually, no, he shouldn't joke. She would. By the end of this, Cordelia was going to have a bag overflowing with planners, and he made a mental note to make sure she didn't overextend herself with worrying about those, too. "No," he agreed with a shake of his head, "the boys will help me with it. And it's not like I can't handle the farm work on my own, either, when you can't help. But I'm not going to let you do anything strenuous." But then his thoughts were turning to the little cat in the house with sleek black fur, knowing that Twix and Cordelia were friends, grateful for that, but unable to hold back his amusement as she stood her ground, saying that there would never be competition. "Cordelia, baby," he laughed, giving her a look, "you're right, don't get me wrong, but… she's a cat.. You don't make me sneeze when you rub against my nose, so I don't think you're in any sort of danger."

Those cupcakes… actually, the entire night, had been a whirlwind. Cage had only experienced a pregnant woman twice in his life -- at least up close and personal -- once with Colton's mother, and again with his sister, when Lucie had been pregnant with Archer. But he hadn't lived with one that wanted muffins late at night and had him in the kitchen pretending that he knew anything about baking. Which he did, but maybe not the custom creations that she had been expecting. "I mean… you're a good baker, babe, you could just stock up the kitchen and make whatever you want whenever you want it, but… I'm assuming this is the part where you say that you just want to eat it and not actually make it?" Which was fair, and he understood. Sometimes putting in the hard work was not on the to-do list. "Either way. We'll figure it out," he promised her with a small smile. It would just be one of the hundreds of things that they would have to add to a list of things to figure out, to work on, from health and wellness to… well, muffins. But if it was what she needed, then it was what he would make happen. "I can't stand here and say that it'll go perfectly, they're teenaged boys. But I also think that they're very understanding, mature teenaged boys. I know Colton and Rosalyn as siblings are a little untraditional, but look how well they get along, and how good he is with her. And Cienna was Shawn's little surprise sister, and he always tells me that she was the best surprise that he ever got, so," maybe they would have their bad days where they bemoaned dirty diapers or a screaming baby, but Shawn would be off to college after the next school year, and Colton had the kind of active social and sports life that gave him time away from home… he knew it would work out in the end. Nodding his head with understanding, he offered he a knowing smile. He'd tell Lou, for sure. Someday, when the time was right; they had shared so much about their kids, shared experiences and deep thoughts. And Kellan and Mason, because his brothers would understand. But in time. They'd understand that, too. Cage's heart warmed a little bit at the thought of their family, their kids at home; it wasn't what he had expected, nothing that he could have predicted, but somehow, it was better than that. And maybe hat meant they deserved gifts… just a little bit. "We can do that. Clothes for the boys, probably toys for the girls… although we'll play that by ear," God knew they had enough of those. "No, you?" he laughed, shooting her a look. "I already planned on it, Cor."

[the-starlight-papers]

My mom is here to help me move out of my apartment since my internship is over and where’s the “moms are capable of leeching vibe arsenic” post. Because. That’s what’s happening.