#and it's not like lex was seeking her out. it just happened

[haileydilmore]

smokeshow 2 me is. lex & zoey meeting at a party & getting high together. lex thinks zoey is an obnoxious brat & zoey thinks lex is a gross junkie & when they fuck lex is mumbling something about some girl named steph having pissed her off and zoey moans two other names. and it's not good or fun or even what they want, they're just really bored & wanna feel wanted.

[natalievoncatte]

Few moments in Alex’s life would stick out like this one. There was a rising panic in her throat, pulsing against her airway. Panic and grief gripped her like icy hands, working to strangle, and she wasn’t sure if what she choked down was a sob or vomit. Her hands trembled as they held the paper. She hadn’t thought of this.

The letterhead read simply, PAST DUE- FINAL NOTICE.

With everything going on, she’d simply forgotten about the matter until she swung by the loft. She should have sent Kelly, should have set up something earlier to deal with this. Kara was six months behind on her rent and she was going to be evicted if she didn’t pay.

Which she never would.

Alex had quietly accepted, about a month ago, that Kara wasn’t coming home, that all their methods had been exhausted, that her sister was lost in an infinite, shattered Phantom Zone, never to be found. She’s finally gotten the martyrdom that she’d been unknowingly seeking since she arrived on Earth.

She was keeping it bottled up, because the others still believed, even Brainy, who had to know the odds.

Alex seethed with a towering rage. There were some nights when, lying awake in Kelly’s arms, she’d fantasize about how she’d punish Clark for failing Kara, or what she’d do to Lex Luthor if she got her hands on him. Sometimes it would even be J’onn she raged at, or Lena.

She saved them all so many times, threw her life and body and soul in front of all them as a shield and took on their misery and suffering on top of her own, and though it was like drops cast in the ocean of Kara Zor-El’s grief, she felt every blow, every loss. Alex’s falling tears stained the letter as she thought of every time Kara paced this apartment, excoriating herself for her failures whenever she couldn’t be in five disasters at once.

Alex didn’t want her to be a superhero. She didn’t want that need to throw herself between others and their own suffering to consume Kara’s life, but it had.

Not for the first time, Alex wished that Kara had just stayed on the ground and let her plane crash. It was a selfish, hateful impulse. Kara would never have let it happen and even if she had, something would have prompted her to put on that red and blue costume and fly. It was what she was for.

Alex raged anyway. Fuck that little shit Wynn for making her a costume. The little pervert probably just wanted to make her try shit on to see her half naked. Fuck J’onn for recruiting her, fuck Clark for abandoning her… and… and…

The paper crumpled and so did Alex, sobbing. This was all her fault. If only…

“Alex?”

She hadn’t heard Lena come in. She’d long ago given up heels. Hell, shed given up. She was a wearing a hoodie that Alex knew was Kara’s and her hair was in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, and if asked when she last ate or sleep, she’d have lied. Alex already knew the answer: she ate when someone remembered to feed her and she slept on a cot in her lab as she tortured herself.

Lena was the only one that Alex couldn’t rage at because Lena was already punishing herself. Kara would be furious if she knew how they were letting Lena treat her health.

Without a word, Lena gently grasped the letter and Alex released it.

Lena read it, frowning.

Then she pulled out her phone.

“Jess, I have a task for you. I’m going to send you a pic of an eviction letter. I want you to pay off the back rent.”

“Lena,” Alex began.

Lena waved her off.

“I want the building. Set up some shell companies. No one can know it’s me. Try to negotiate so it looks legit, but they can name their price. I want it done by tonight.”

Lena hung up.

“This is her place,” Lena said, softly.

“You didn’t have to do that,” said Alex.

“Yes, I did. This is her place. She deserves to come back to it,” Lena dropped onto the sofa beside her. “I will never give up. I don’t care if I’m still trying to bring her home when I’m old and gray, it’ll be worth it to see her one more time.”

Alex felt a wave of grief overwhelming her.

“Besides,” Lena forced cheer into her voice. “I spent a billion dollars so I could hang out with her at work. What’s an apartment building?”

Alex jolted. It was as if she watched a wine glass, which had toppled and shattered and cast its contents across the floor, leap back into position. As if the shards of crystal returned to their proper places and the cracks sealed, and the wine splashed back to its proper place, not a single shimmering golden drop lost. When the understanding snapped into place, it was like a lightning bolt. She felt too large for her skin, and the fine hairs at the back of her neck stood, as though bearing a charge.

Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. Lena was in love with Kara.

She could see it now. The love radiated from every pore of Lena’s skin, undulled by the grief that draped her like a nighted cloak, as gold shimmered untarnished beneath dust. Alex’s heart was about to break again.

“I have to get back to the lab.”

“Why are you here?” Alex said, softly.

“I was… I’ve been spending the night. I should have asked. I’m sorry.”

“Kara would want you to.”

Kara would want you to move on, Alex thought. She would want you to find someone and be happy and think only of her in fond memories. She would gladly martyr herself for you, too. You above all. She never stopped defending you even when…

Now there were two wine glasses, side by side, almost touching but not quite, promising a toast unsaid.

Oh.

Oh God.

Alex launched off the couch and threw her arms around Lena, holding her tight. Lena recoiled a little; she seemed to dislike hugs, almost like she didn’t understand them, even as she’d melted in Kara’s embrace dozens of times.

How had she been so blind?

“We’ll get her back,” Alex said.

“We will,” said Lena.

Later, Alex stood off to the side, her veins singing with unbridled joy after Kara released her from a full on, no-powers bear hug. She watched as the others embraced her and slapped her back and welcomed her home while Lena stared at here like she couldn’t believe she was real.

Limping, haggard, Kara suffered their joys with quiet reserve, pushing a little closer to her ultimate destination with each one until she stood in front of Lena.

The hug was awkward, tentative, but Kara thrust herself into it after a hesitant moment and Lena molded against her, the pair standing cheek to cheek a beat too long. Lena pulled back and Kara pulled after her, leaning in, only to dance back and do that awkward little shift.

“Kara,” Alex blurted. “For fuck’s sake, just do it.”

Kara looked at her, wide-eyed and a little betrayed. Kara was beyond honest to a fault: Alex knew that after Kara nervously told her about the infamous “I flew here on a bus “ incident. Kara was honest to the core of her very being, sickened by the act of lying.

To Alex’s surprise, it was Lena’s hands on Kara’s shoulders that turned her away. Kara looked back and her and Lena brought her hands to Kara’s cheeks, resting her palms against the abnormally pale skin of her face. Kara froze for two heartbeats and then gently put her hands on Lena’s sides and pulled her in, there bodies slotting together as their lips found one another, Kara leaning over Lena a little more with the added height of her boots as Lena collapsed into her, tears glittering on her cheeks. The kiss carried on until Alex cleared her throat.

Everyone in the room was stunned save Alex.

“Guys,” she said, “let’s give them a little privacy, huh? We can celebrate later.”

As the others filed out of the room, Lena raised her head from where it had lain on Kara’s shoulder and mouthed a silent thank you.

[fae-morrigan]

Superfam and Found Family: What it Means to Choose

I have seen a lot of my beloved mutuals talk about adoption as a theme in the superfam, and thats true, thats very much a thing, but thats more a subsection of the larger idea with the superfamily: You get to choose your family, and define your relationship to them.

Clark and Kon come to mind. They've been discussed a lot lately, huh? Namely people saying Clark does not treat Kon well. This is false, by the way, they get along great.

But let's sort of dig into the actual story told by their relationship here: Kon was created by Lex without Clark's consent. Clark had no say in how part of his DNA would be used to create a new life.

(This is coincidentally why it irks me that certain fans will act like Clark is a monster for even HYPOTHETICALLY not wanting a relationship with Kon. Guys, you sound like pro-lifers. Lets watch it!)

Despite this, Clark accepts Kon with open arms. Now, as myself and others have pointed out, Kon's technically... he's not a clone, he's a test tube baby. Technically, biologically, he's Clark & Lex's son. D.. diversity win...?

But thats not how Clark and Kon choose to define their relationship. They instead decide, hey, we were raised by the same people, we're brothers.

Kon is not an outsider to the Superfam, even as he is an outsider to this world- He is welcomed with open arms once it is clear he needs a home. And with Clark and Kon, they get to choose how they define their relationship, not Lex, not anyone else.

Then, John Henry and Nat. John Henry is not Natasha's father, but their relationship is very complex and often veers into that territory, for the simple reason that he shows up for her in that capacity when Natasha's own father fails her.

Even while their relationship has its ups and downs (read 52 guys for THEM), they manage to forge a relationship based on mutual respect, enough to the point where during Steelworks, she is not just his niece, but his partner in building a better tomorrow. It is a fatherly/daughterly relationship built on mutual respect largely independent of their blood relation, built on the security that Clay failed to provide Natasha with.

Of course, to talk about adoption, Clois adopting the twins. I think Phillip Kennedy Johnson handles the topic of adoption EXPERTLY with Otho-Ra and Osul-Ra, specifically as a metaphor for transracial/transethnic adoption.

Clark's relationship with the twins is built throughout the Warworld saga, and does not start... great (they discuss looting his corpse lol), and often they. But Clark understands that the kids are traumatized, and seeks to guide them to a better situation.

Now I would be irresponsible to not mention that, during this time, Clark is still struggling with Jon's age up. He mumbles, disoriented during their first meeting, that the kids are the same age as his son (no they are not). In a less tightly written book by a worse writer, it'd be a thing where Clark completely uncritically finds 'replacement kids' in the twins... Which is NOT what happens here, because PKJ is the GOAT.

In the end, his relationship with the twins is built not only independently of his struggles with Jon, but the way he connects with them helps Clark realize that whats done is done. They need him to be Clark, not a man hanging onto the past he will never get back. To move forward, they must do it together, it won't work if the twins remain on Warworld and he remains mentally in Hamilton. Its why it is SUPER important, also, that in the end, Clark doesn't ask them to come with him- rather, they ask to go with Clark.

(Sidenote: The twins lost not only their parents on warworld, but an older brother, too. Clark isn't the only one who finds a healing way forward via the Ra-El relationships, but that's gonna be another post!) And their hero names, Red Son and Starchild, are from their original culture (the Phaelosians), a culture that was systematically robbed from them when Warworld trafficked them into service. Rather than forcing them to conform to the house of El and their legacy, they help the kids reconnect.

These are his children. They found each other in the scariest place in the universe, and together, they find a way past the things they've both suffered through.

I'm afraid I don't know much about Kara (kara mutuals, reading recs appreciated! i've only ever read WOT and a few issues of the most recent Supergirl run) but I do know that her relationship to Clark is inherently different than it was supposed to be, and she has to roll with it and redefine it accordingly. She was supposed to be older than him, be able to take care of him, but by the time she actually finds him, he's the one doing that for her.

(I dont really have a panel here I fear, so look at the pretty art from Woman of Tomorrow. If someone wants to say more on Kara, you're welcome to hijack my post for a bit!)

Kenan is an example of this theme going kind of sideways and being examined from another angle- He's forced to choose between his two found families, and with either choice, he stands to lose something. Either his connection to Superman, or his connection to home:

Kenan already has a messy relationship with family, considering the soap opera level drama his parents inflict on him in his solo. Now, separated from his culture by circumstances he can't control, Kenan's relationship with the Superfam is forced by circumstance, even as it isn't unwanted. He's forced to make the most of what he has.

Then you have Clark and Jon, where the 'and define your relationship to them' part of my thematic statement REALLY becomes important.

I've seen it argued many times that giving Jon the Superman mantle weakens the theme of found family, but I'd argue it strengthens it, because Jon not having a choice in becoming Superman is EXPLICITLY framed as a bad thing.

Jon's not ready to be Superman. He doesn't even really WANT to be superman. But because of the circumstances of his birth, the world, and his father, push him into it. Clark never asked Jon to be Superman, during the Son-of-kal-el + Warworld era. He assumed he would be.

It tarnishes Clark & Jon's relationship, actively preventing Jon from connecting with his father and the WORLD fully in the way they both want. This is a key theme of Superman: Son of Kal El, from the very moment of Jon's actual birth:

All throughout post-age up Jon is the idea that Jon is just as burdened by the expectations placed upon him by his blood as he is comforted by what the mantle represents.

(I know I use this panel like every analysis but its a GOOD PANEL, SHUT UP) And there's of course the fact that... y'know. Well. Y'know.

Y'KNOW.

I think there's a potentially strong story in either Jon walking away from the mantle entirely, or redefining it to be his own. But first, he's going to have to suffer for the fact he wasn't ready for what many people call his DESTINY, including his abuser.

And where does this leave Jon and Clark?

Here.

The last note before Absolute Power of these two is this bittersweet moment where Jon still isn't fully heard. Where he still doesn't get a full say in what he and Clark's relationship will be. And judging by THIS interview from Mark Waid, this particular idea is about to finally come home to roost:

Lastly, there's of course the Most Found Family Thing Of All that i basically see NO one talk about: The fact that the Irons and the Kents just. Share all their big life events with each other. They're literally not related to each other by blood at all, but throughout PKJ's Action Comics, they ARE family!

Teamwork makes the dreamwork guys!

The superfamily is a wonderfully diverse cluster of relationships and examinations of the way family finds each other. Even moreso than the Batfam, which is often defined by their father-son relationship with Bruce in fanon, the Superfam displays a wide array of the various ways non-nuclear families can build each other.

This is all to say you guys should read PKJ's action comics run. It rules.

(This is also to say Superman 2016 sucks ass.)

[ghostface-knight]

i'd like to present my concept of nightmare time episodes where every (or almost every) person is played by the same person, inspired by jaime lyn beatty in daddy. here are some ideas:

peter spankoffski is done being at the bottom of the hatchetfield high food chain, and so he seeks out help to become cooler. he comes across ethan green, who, having just been left by his girlfriend lex, decides, "what the hell, i'll mentor this kid on being cool". when ted spankoffski learns that his little brother is hanging out with "that no-good ethan green", he confronts pete about it, perhaps a little too harshly. his intentions are good, but when has anything ever gone the way he meant? ted, like everybody in town, knows about ethan's reputation, and he thinks he'll be a bad influence on pete. he knows that, if anyone can, pete can make it out of hatchetfield, and he doesn't want ethan screwing that up. so he confronts him, and one thing leads to another, and eventually pete storms out in anger. ted knows if he goes after pete immediately, he'll only make things worse, so he decides he'll let him have his moment of teenage rebellion and then reconcile with him after. a few hours later, ted spankoffski, now drinking his problems away, is approached by a mysterious man who has somehow gotten into ted's apartment. wilbur cross, as he introduces himself, half-convinces and half-mind controls ted into believing that ethan is responsible for this, and the only way to protect pete is to kill ethan. he storms into ethan's tiny basement apartment, wielding his now shattered bottle of booze, and prepared to rip him limb from limb with his new super-powered companion. ethan can hold his own, though, and the brawl is a tough match. eventually, though, ethan manages to get the remaining shard of the bottle and shove it straight through ted's chest. as this happens, pete comes out of ethan's bathroom, revealing that he'd gone to ethan for comfort after his fight with ted. ted bleeds out on ethan's floor as pete holds him.

ruth fleming has graduated high school, and she's lucky enough to find a super chill job as a farmhand on the farm of emma perkins. one day, as they do their usual work (which isn't much, to be honest), they are approached by linda monroe, who is all but seething. she's goes on about how drugs are evil and she will not raise her children in a town where such depravity is taking place. they threaten her off the property, and they think that'll be over and done with. it's not like they've never had to deal with moralistic creeps like her before, and they've always come out the other side. linda comes back the next day with a petition signed by just about every member of the hatchetfield boating society. yeah whatever, perky's buds is not going to be dismantled by some stupid rich people who think they have more power than they do. in the midst of this, they've recently recieved a new client: 17 year old hannah foster. a quiet kid from hatchetfield high, who seems to have joined the smoke club as a way to make some friends. emma and ruth don't think much of it -- neither of them have any qualms about selling to teenagers, and business is business. however, hannah keeps coming back for more and more, and ruth starts to wonder if there's something else going on. back in the linda plot, linda has taken to bringing people out to the farm to protest. each day she (or, more accurately, the people she's hired) come with more and more people holding cardboard signs and chanting. it's really starting to get on emma's nerves. one day, while hannah is picking up her purchase, linda, surrounded by a mob of angry parents and hatchetfield adults, returns. suddenly, linda no longer seems like a nuisance, but a legitimate threat. her followers carry weapons and the menacing smile on her face tells emma and ruth that she isn't messing around. as the mob breaks through the door of the farm house, emma and ruth urge hannah to look for shelter. hannah refuses though, and emma swears her eyes begin to gleam almost inhumanly. the mob makes it to them, and are suddenly thrown back by a wave of psychic energy so powerful it shatters the walls of the house. hannah's new powers (on account of the weed) leave emma, ruth, and herself standing unharmed in the middle of a surrounding pile of groaning, injured people.

i have a few other concepts, but this is getting super long so i better leave it here for now lmao

[lilyswritings]

fate — xix

synopsis: Keep your head down, focus on getting through your classes, and try not to die. That had always been your plan of attack when it comes to attending Kings Dominion School of the Deadly Arts. But your life plans get thrown out the window as you find yourself growing attached to the new kid who refuses to lose his compassion and moral code, despite the ruthless curriculum and vicious social cliques he finds himself surrounded by.

author’s note: thank you all for still being here!! your passion for this series has really kept me going, and i sincerely appreciate each and every one of you who's still here. i am still following closely to the show, but as we are swiftly approaching the end of the tv show (ruh roh!) i will be making some changes. without further ado, please enjoy part nineteen!

wordcount: 2,819

part i || part ii || part iii || part iv || part v || part vi || part vii || part viii || part ix || part x || part xi || part xii || part xiii || part xiv || part xv || part xvi || part xvii || part xviii || part xix || part xx

Marcus Lopez Arguello x Reader

     The dorm room is dead silent as you gape blankly at Petra. "No. Fucking. Way." You stare in horror at your roommate, mouth hung open as you attempt to process the slew of graphic information she just threw in your face. In response to your sheer outrage, she simply shrugs, black-painted lips turning up at the corners at the aghast expression on your face.

"Ew," You gasp, eyebrows furrowing as it seeps in, your eyes darting between your roommate, the sheets on your bed, to the chair in the corner, back to your roommate. "Ew! You and... Both of them? EW!" You stand up abruptly from your bed, eyes scanning the bedding below you in panic.

Petra's eyes twinkle with delight at your reaction to her news of what had gone down during the lockdown, when Lex, Billy and her, had been mere moments away from partaking in a three-way in your very room. While it hadn't gone very far, the sheer idea of something like that happening between your three closest friends, in your room, makes your skin crawl.

"In my room?" You exclaim, still processing, and she laughs.

"It's my room too. And we didn't do anything on your side... I don't think." She shrugs again, ducking away from the pillow you hurl at her.

You point a finger at her, mouth still agape at the very idea of anything like that happening on or around your personal belongings. "Petra Katja Yolga, I swear to God, if you ever have sex on my side of the room—"

"Whatever, Mom." She sighs, flipping you a middle finger, before her expression turns sly and a smirk tugs at her lips. "Besides, I feel like if either of us are in danger of participating in activities of the coital nature in this room, it's you."

Your jaw drops, cheeks blazing at the insinuation. "Shut up." You mutter, unable to form a cohesive comeback, and your heated cheeks and lack of retort just fuel Petra's fire, causing her eyes to twinkle mischievously as she plops down on the edge of your bed.

"Oh, Marcus..." She fakes a breathy gasp, falling back into the pillows, and before she has a chance to tease you further, you whirl around and exit the room as fast as your feet can take you, eyes wide with mortification as the sound of Petra's laughter follows you down the corridor.

Speaking of... You will the flush in your face to dissipate as Marcus turns the corner at the end of the corridor, dark eyes immediately seeking you out. "Hey." He smiles softly at you, and you reciprocate, heart swooping at the mere sight of his smile. Jesus, you need to get it together.

"You okay?" He takes in your flushed expression with furrowed brows and you bite back a laugh.

"Not one bit," You shake your head, eyes wide. "Apparently my three best friends almost slept with each other last night... In my room."

"What, all of them? Like, at once?" Marcus' tone is incredulous and you nod, pleased he seems as baffled by it all as you are, but then he ruins it. "Good for them."

You frown, smacking his shoulder lightly. "No, not good for them! My friends! In my room!"

He huffs out a laugh at your outrage, and it's only them that you notice there's a tension in his expression, a hardened look in his dark eyes that gives you pause. "Hey, what's up?"

Marcus makes a face, obviously not having intended on talking about it. "It's nothing, I just... I just got out of AP Black Arts and had it out with Master Lin. It's nothing serious, though, promise." At this, he slides his hand down one of your forearms, lacing his fingers with yours and tugging you closer to him.

Your brows shoot up, cheeks heating back up at the sudden proximity as you gaze up at him through your lashes. "If the monks catch us like this..." Your words trail off as he dips his head to seal his lips to yours, the kiss causing you to forget any protest you might have once had. Before you know it. his hands are on your waist and you're gripping at the lapels of his uniform, the world beyond the two of you lost to oblivion for all you care. You can hear Petra's voice in your head, cackling, but you shove it away, relishing in the kiss.

"If you're worried about the monks," He whispers as he pulls away, dark eyes glittering with mischief. "Maybe we should go somewhere more private."

You very nearly go along with it too, the air simmering between the two of you in the darkened hallway, but you remember why you were going to seek him out in the first place, and step back to give yourself some space to think — something you have proven to be unable to do at such close proximity to him.

"You —" You brush your hands over the lapels of his uniform, straightening the creases you didn't realize you'd made. "Have a shift at the comics store, if I remember correctly." He curses immediately at the reminder, groaning, and you smirk.

"Come with me." He proposes, hand sneaking back onto your waist, and you raise your eyebrows at how bold he's become — but then an apologetic look sneaks into his features, his brown eyes widening with a plea. "Plus, you sort of need to be there, Saya wanted to call a Vegas Crew gathering."

You feel the romance dissipate from the air just like that, a crushing reminder of the psychopathic killer at large and the incredible danger you all live in swooping in to ruin the mood. "Right. Smart." You nod, running a hand through your hair, and Marcus sighs.

"I was going to go change, do you want to come wait in the room?" You raise your eyebrows at his words and he laughs, hands held up in surrender. "No funny business, I swear." You roll your eyes, but nod anyway, biting your lip at the kiss he presses to your cheek as you follow him to his room.

Before long, the two of you head to the comic store together, only waiting a little while before Saya, Billy, and Willie all show up too.

The black and white photos Saya has sprawled on the counter make you shudder, taking in the horrors of what Fuckface has done to Shabnam's house.

"Jesus," Marcus finally speaks up, voicing your thoughts. "Is that Shabnam's dad?" He holds out a photo and you grimace at the image before you.

"His mom's probably in there as well." Billy says, and your frown deepens, causing him to pat you on the back with a less-than-convincing smile of reassurance. "All the more reason we have to do this now."

"Shabnam's house is rigged with traps," Saya explains, pointing them out on the photos. "Chester has seven to eight people inside, helping him."

You pause from gnawing on your thumbnail to look up at Saya. "Are we sure he has Chico?"

"He's not bluffing," Saya sighs. "He knows everything. He has to be getting information from someone inside of King's."

"Shabnam's parents." Marcus fills in, and you nod along, brows furrowed.

"What's stopping him from just..." You swallow thickly. "Sending Chico's head to El Diablo? If he finds out that it was Maria... That we were there..." It's hard to repress the shudder that wracks your body at the mere thought of that.

Marcus' hand appears on top of yours, dark eyes seeking out yours in an attempt at reassurance. "We're gonna need some serious firepower." He sighs, turning back to the group, and you nod. "Guns, explosives—"

"Y'all must be out your damn minds." Willie's voice cuts him off, and when you look up you notice him glowering at all of you, his arms folded over his chest. His eyes meet yours, and your brows tug together, before he scoffs and turns to leave the store.

"Wait, Willie—" You go to follow him, but Marcus puts a hand on your arm and gets up, exiting the store behind his friend. As soon as they both leave, you turn back to Saya and Billy, sighing deeply and sitting in Marcus' empty chair.

"We have to talk to Maria." You say, knowing full well it isn't what Saya wants to hear, and she grimaces but doesn't argue with you. There's a long silence that follows, where all three of you are inevitably picturing the various awful ways that conversation will go, before you finally let out a deep breath.

"I'll do it." You volunteer, causing both of your friends to glance up at you sharply.

"No offence," Billy starts, glancing between you and Saya. "But I think you're probably the last person she wants to talk to right now."

"I'm well aware," You shoot him a glare. "But she has to know what's going on. And I have to try to... To fix this." You know it's probably impossible, that this might be a death wish, but you have to try. You owe it to her to try.

"Tell Marcus where I've gone, okay?" You look to Saya, and she nods, one dark eyebrow arched at your plan. "I'll fill in on the rest of this later, but... I have to do this."

When you arrive back at King's, you forge a note from Juan to Maria, asking her to meet in the girl's bathroom, before slipping it under her door and running to the bathroom to lie in wait.

You are well aware that this might be the stupidest thing you've ever done, but you have run completely out of other options. As you sit in the darkened girls bathroom, you take a moment to fully wonder where the fuck your life went so wrong that you are now in a bathroom, preparing to trap the leader of the Soto Vatos and el Alma del Diablo's pet assassin, in order to have a heart-to-heart.

You are not given enough time to fully delve into those thoughts, thankfully, as the door begins to creak open and you spy Maria's shoes from the crack under the door.

"Meeting in the girl's bathroom is a new low, Juan." Maria calls out in Spanish, and you grimace as you swing the door shut and plant yourself in front of it, revealing your ruse to her.

She wheels around with her fan poised in front of her, expression morphing from one of surprise into rageful apprehension, and you throw your hands up placatingly.

"I know how this looks, and I'm sorry, I just really need you to hear me out and I knew you would never agree to talk with me." Your words tumble into each other in their haste to leave your mouth, and you sigh deeply before oh-so-slowly pulling open your blazer to show her the lack of knives tucked into the lining.

Coming unarmed to this might have been a suicidal move, but you know it's the only way to get her to listen to you.

Her dark eyes narrow, scanning your body, and you nod. "None in the boots, either." You answer before she even gets the chance to ask, slowly rolling your ankle around to show off the lack of metallic glinting.

"We need to talk." It's a cheeky thing to say as you stand in between her and the only exit, but you need her to agree not to kill you before you launch into anything — and you would really like it if this continued as a semi-normal conversation between two teenage friends, despite it all.

Maria doesn't lower her fan, but she doesn't run to attack you, either, so you take a deep breath and launch into it. "We've been doing reconnaissance on Fuckface, and it looks like he's holing up at Shabnam's house. We need to deal with him before he decides to send Chico's head to El Alma, and we need your help."

Her eyes widen as you talk, obviously as displeased by this update as you were, and you swallow thickly. "We need you, Maria. We have to end this. You killed Chico to save Marcus... Now we have to kill Chester to do the same. And save the rest of us, while we're at it."

Bringing up Marcus is a dicey move, and her eyes narrow at his name, but she finally tucks her fan away and sighs. "When?" She asks, and you sigh in relief, lowering your hands.

"We don't know. Soon. Maybe as soon as tomorrow. We didn't come up with a full plan before I left, but... It has to be now." The word 'we' obviously holds the implications of the Vegas Crew, and you watch her expression twinge at the mention of the group.

"Fine. I'll help." She says, eyes still glued to the ground. "Send a message when you make the plan." She moves to leave the bathroom, but you hold your position blocking the door, and her eyes narrow.

"Move." She orders, dark eyes narrowed, and you shake your head slowly, summoning the courage to say the next words.

"I'm sorry."

Your words hang heavy in the silence of the bathroom, and her expression morphs into one of heartbroken anger, but you push through. "I'm so sorry, Maria. It was never meant to happen like this, I didn't want—"

You're embarrassed by the sting of hot tears that press behind your eyelids, and you watch her drop her gaze to the ground, fists clenched tightly as she folds her arms across her chest.

"My heart has belonged to him since that first night on the roof, Maria. You have to know that." You plead, stoic in your efforts for her to comprehend how out of control you've felt this whole time. "With everything that we've been through, you have to understand that I didn't choose this. It just... Happened."

Her eyes never leave the ground, folded arms pressing tighter against her chest as she scuffs the toe of her shoe against the floor. "I know." She whispers, and you take a breath, watching her expression.

The dimly lit room is filled with tension, the air heavy with unspoken emotions. You've just ripped the curtains back and bared your soul to Maria, and now the ball remains firmly in her court. Her silence hangs in the room, stifling any hope for reconciliation.

Seconds turn to minutes as you both stand there, locked in a moment of profound uncertainty. Maria's hair falls over her face, obscuring her eyes as she continues to avoid your gaze. Her jaw tightens, and you can almost hear the gears turning in her mind, weighing the years of shared secrets and experiences against this revelation.

Finally, she breaks the silence with a heavy sigh. "I know," Maria repeats, her voice tinged with bitterness and resentment. "I've always known. I'm not an idiot. I see it in the way you look at him, the way you two..." She sighs again, dark eyes boring holes into the linoleum tile below her. Her words are sharp, filled with a sense of betrayal.

You nod, the weight of your confession still bearing down on you. "But I never wanted it to be like this, Maria. I never wanted to hurt you."

Maria finally looks up, her eyes meeting yours with a cold, unyielding glare. "You should have thought about that before you let it happen," she hisses. "I can't believe you would let me... You let me get my heart broken."

You take a step closer to her, reaching out to gently touch her arm, but she pulls away, her expression hardening. "Maria..." Your chest feels wounded, the sharpness in her eyes driving daggers into your heart. "I love you. I always will. But I can't change how I feel about him." Hot tears begin to fill your eyes as you shake your head fervently. "I wish I could."

Those words ring the truest for the both of you, and you both know it. Your shared love for this boy has caused boundless issues, invited danger and darkness into your lives, and yet as the bond between the two of you breaks in front of your eyes, you can share in the same hopeless adoration of the same idiotic man.

Tears well up in Maria's eyes, and this time, she lets them flow freely. "That isn't enough..." she says, her voice trembling with anger. "I need time. I need to figure this out."

You nod, feeling the weight of her disappointment pressing down on you, and she spares you one last cold glance before she swipes the tears from her face and storms out of the bathroom. The future is uncertain, but it seems clear to you now that your friendship has been irreparably damaged.

[onmyyan]

Okay so there's this specific genre of fics about the Yandere batfamily x neglected!Reader that I'm obsessing over and basically, reader joins the family unexpectedly, usually a long lost kid from an old fling of Bruce's, and it's wonderfully angsty as the batfamily is so caught up in their own shit they inadvertently ignore/neglect the reader, the isolation is bad because they don't show her their vigilante life, so she's just sees it as some secret family club she isn't good enough to be in, they're always together and talking in hushed whispers about their patrol's, it's hard not to feel like an outsider, the tension is high throughout the years as she sees them act so lovingly towards each other but so indifferent towards her, and then something happens, (reader gets hurt, tries to run away, is kidnapped ECT) and then the batfam's yandere tendencies kick into high gear and they try to fix their severely damaged relationship, lawd I love this concept so much if I write it I'll be tagging the works that inspired me bec everyone should read them omg, anyway I love how jarring it must be once that switch happens, how all of a sudden reader is getting the attention and love she wanted for years, only now she doesn't need it, she's a grown independent woman who's only ever had herself to rely on, after all when you grow up in the shade of such a tight knit family, always on the outside looking in, it tends to make you self sufficient.

I have a few ideas for this concept, one where reader is incredibly smart and after years of fighting for an ounce of affection, gives up on the Batfamily, gets an internship at Lexcorp because Lex recognized her brilliance, he becomes a Yandere for her shortly after reading over her file, because the thought of Yandere!batfam begging for readers attention and affection after years of indifference towards her only to have her seek comfort in a villainous man like Lex Luthor is tew tasty.

My other idea for this concept is the same set up only Reader notices what the family is up to, quickly putting together that her father is Batman and that everyone in the house is a vigilante, she's 17/18 at this point and still desperate to belong to this family so she starts training, going to local gyms and picking fights so she can get used to getting the shit kicked out of her, no one notices her absences, no one but Alfred, he catches her limping in at some ungodly hour, blood seeping through her shirt, a needle and thread in one hand as she clumsily tries to stitch herself up, he asks her what happened, not expecting the most demure and quiet member of the family in this state, she tells him in an empty voice, "Doesn't matter." And Alfred is taken aback by the coldness in her eyes. He of course reports this to Bruce after patching her up, and he shrugs it off, "If she was in some kind of trouble she'd say something." Bruce is certain, sure he hadn't yet truly bonded with his daughter but he was sure he had time to, after all he was a man with the world on his shoulders and a plethora of other people who he felt needed his attention more, (y/n) never gave him problems, she kept to herself and was so self sufficient he felt comfortable putting her on the back burner, years go by and now 23, reader has shaped herself into a proper vigilante, her fighting style is raw, pure anger in her punches, she takes care of Gotham, sure she's not fighting world ending threats, but she's saving people, helping, it's helped to fill the void in her chest where her family's love was supposed to go, the batfamily knows about this new vigilante but know nothing about them, the suit reader wears is tactical that hides everything about her identity, not sure how but she gets unmasked/ hurt and unmasked and they find out, cue Yandere Batfamily.

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.195 Uncle Luca's day out

So, uhhh ... We have a closet now. After seeing Less', our empty wall was looking extra empty. Once I told Sophia what I saw, it was a wrap. She ordered that thing so fast, and it arrived way too early this morning, but here we are. It's funny how this room is smaller than the last one, yet we never had so much storage space before. Fewer windows have advantages, I suppose.

Rosie is barking outside our window. Our dogs are always barking, especially when she is playing, but what catches my ear this time is another voice. I look out the window and see Alessia playing with her! This house is doing a number on all of us, I see. I love that she's not only getting along with our dogs but also seeking them out. I've said it a million times, and I'll say it once more: we're going to be alright.

The other night, when me and Sophia looked school information after trying to prep Desiree, we learned the school system is on winter break right now, so we have loads more time with her! I was so glad and relieved to find this out. I mean, if she had to go to school, we'd send her, but I felt like we were all unprepared for this next phase of life. It came around so fast! Now we have the time to prepare, and we get to have more fun together. With school out, four kids, and two deserving mothers, I decide to take the kids out and let the moms rest. Also during the school information quest, I stumbled upon the high school's events page. They host many events that the public can attend, and tonight there's a football contest. That sounded like a good event for the kids, but it wasn't until 5 p.m., so I made an impromptu agenda to kill time. We began our adventure early with breakfast in Oasis Springs.

We go to the steak house me and Sophia frequent, but I don't recognize the host this time. She must be new, but man, does she have an attitude. She acted like me bringing four kids to a restaurant at 9 a.m. is a personal affront to her. Maybe it is early, or maybe I'm just too flabbergasted by her outburst, but I don't know how to respond. It's for the best because I probably wouldn't be nice because I feel the spirit of "I got time" rising up in me again, heh. I need to get into the gym and hit a bag because it is clear I want to fight someone. I blame Alessia's sperm donor, Jace. We got all hyped up about fighting him and never did. Maybe that urge never left me. Anyway...

The cook had just walked in on her berating me and shook his head at her. If this happens a lot, why don't they fire her? It can't be good for business.

"Come on, man," he said to me. "We've got plenty of tables, and I have to walk that way, anyway."

That was so nice of him. We followed him to a table, and I told ol' Nasty Nelly to have a good day so the kids could hear, heh. Sure, it was sarcasm, but hopefully they haven't learned that concept yet. With any luck, they'll learn to return nastiness with kindness.

When we get to the table, we have a quick family meeting. Because it's their first time in public, and I am the lone adult, we discuss inside voices, manners, and general public behavior, aka, this is not a playground, aka do not embarrass me, heh. Breanna and Arvin want to play in the rain, so I let them go as long as they are quiet. Desiree and Lex stay with me. She colors the placemat, and he plays quietly with a toy.

When the food came, I collect the other two from outside, and we have a fairly decent time together with minimal incidents...

I'm not naïve enough to think we could go all day without someone acting up. But what I did not anticipate was it would be my child I'd have to call out. She kept farting and laughing about it. I didn't realize she was the culprit until Breanna had enough and screamed at her.

I told her no one else thinks it's funny. We're eating, and no one wants to smell that with food in our mouths, and she should apologize to the table. Her remorseful face almost broke me, and I wondered if I was too harsh. I knew I wasn't because I didn't yell, but I just hate seeing her sad. I stayed strong, though.

After breakfast, we still have several more hours before the event, so I take them to Copperdale so we'd already be in town. I remembered a park down the street from the pier, so we go there first. The weather is not conducive to playing in the park. A thick blanket of snow covers the ground, and it's still falling on top of being extremely cold. I should cancel our plans and go back home because I don't want anyone getting sick. But the kids scatter before I can stop them. Desi says she has to pee and goes to the bathroom. Breanna makes a beeline for the monkey bars, reminding me so much of her mother. Arvin also goes to the bathroom, which leaves Lex with me again. He's such a cool little dude with a chill temperament, like me. I noticed his outfit earlier, and he seems to care about his appearance more than the other two.

Some older gentlemen are out taking a stroll for some reason and come over to talk about the weather. Lex doesn't seem to mind, but I want him to have fun too, so I excuse myself to have some snow fun with him. We have a snowpal building contest with Bre.

We win by default because Bre quit when she saw Desi and Arvin talking outside the bathrooms. We're still proud of our victory, though.

It seems a shame to come all the way to Copperdale and be a stone's throw of the pier and not ride the rides, so I check on the kids to see how they're doing with the weather. It stopped snowing, so the visibility is better, but it's still freezing. Children have an uncanny knack for being impervious to the weather, however, so they all said they're fine to stay out. I tell them about the haunted house ride, and they're all very excited about it. I figure we'd do that one over the Ferris wheel so we can get inside for a bit.

Although I know the cars only have two seats, I still wish we can all go together. I want to ride with Desi, but who would stay and watch the other kids while we ride? She wants to go with Arvin anyway, and Lex wants to go with me. Breanna is a boss just like her mom, and she doesn't want to sit with anyone. By the time we all take our turns, it's about 5:30, so we head to the high school.

On the way, I explain how this will be their school when they become teenagers. There're all kinds of activities they can get into, like the football team, which is what we'll be doing today, cheerleading, chess club, computer club, and so much more. Realizing they have no frame of reference for school, however, we walk around the classroom building to warm up and see what it's all about. This isn't my alma mater, but a school is a school. They're all basically the same.

Bre got upset about Desi farting again. Just as I begin to express disappointment, I remember something from her infancy. She was gassy a lot and constantly had hiccups. And she belched a lot when we burped her after feedings. Could something still be going on with her stomach? Am I telling her to stop being nasty while she can't actually help it? I didn't say anything that time and decide to talk to her about it in the privacy of our home.

[lilyyx0]

hii. do you have any caitvi headcanons you'd like to share? also, what were your favorite scenes from arcane this season?

!!!!Arcane season 2 spoiler warning!!!!

omg these are great questions, thank you anon!

I have some caitvi headcanons in mind, these are my favorites

-I guess Caitlyn often corrects Vi when she makes grammatical mistakes, I saw that one on tiktok and thought it was so cute!

-Both of them are really vulnerable, but they're trying not to show it, they're trying to be all tough

(-Caitlyn is a dom, but I think Vi is a switch :3)

-Vi's love languages are physical touch, and WORDS OF AFFIRMATION, I'm so sure she compliments Cait 24/7, and she's seeking physical contact from her every time

-Caitlyn's love languages are gifts (she'd make cute little things for Vi 'just because'), words of affirmation (complimenting Vi while she's at the gym and stuuff :3) and acts of service!

aaand only these came to my mind rn sooo

my favorite scenes from Arcane, S2:

Sevika's new haircut omg :3

THE sesbian lex scene, the gentleness, but the passion in it.. I was bawling my eyes out while watching it, the whole scene was so gorgeous.

the first kiss scene, of course (let's ignore what happened after.)

this.. when Caitlyn let herself fall into Vi's arms, and this little eye contact, seeing their eyes soften ☹️☹️

honestly, I loved every scene, this show was so beautiful, though I'd be happy to see a 3rd season, but I know there won't be a 3rd season ☹️

I'm really really glad I started watching Arcane, and I'm so happy I can be in the 'arcane community' because I met someone here who's really important to me ♡

thank you for your questions, anon!

[ajeepgirl]

After a nearly 8 month break, I have finally finished another Supercorp story. Hope you enjoy it!

Excerpt:

The first time it happened, Lena was fast asleep. She fell asleep on her couch, a half-empty bottle of scotch on the coffee table. Ever since she woke up in this new world, she has felt even more alone than ever before. Like she is stuck behind a magic mirror, only able to view the rest of the world, but not interact with it. She knows it is partly her fault. She let her own anger and past experiences dictate her actions after finding out about Kara. She pushed her away. So far away, in fact, that Kara saw fit to come to her place the previous night, one final time, and let her know just how much distance is between them now. That she is now considered in league with her brother and that just like Superman does with Lex, Supergirl swore to take her down if she crossed the line. Apparently, a Luthor really can’t work with a Super. That just isn’t how their story was meant to go.

It is just after midnight. Lena’s arm hanging off the couch, her fingers barely grazing the hardwood floors. Her other hand rests on her stomach as she lets the scotch settle and her mind drift off to sleep. She spent the evening replaying her most recent conversation with Kara, over and over again. She didn’t know Kara was capable of such forcefulness, of such anger. But then again, she did know that Supergirl was capable of these things, her mind reminding her of the time Supergirl berated her and told her that it is dangerous for a Luthor to know a Super’s identity. Not only that, but Supergirl was willing to have her friend, Lena’s partner at the time, sneak in and see if Lena had kryptonite. That was supposed to also be her best friend. Regardless of that fact, Lena knows that if Supergirl had asked, she would have told her the truth. But in the end, it was the straw that broke Lena’s trust in Supergirl. She had finally realized that Supergirl was always going to have some level of distrust with her because of her last name. No matter how many times she helped them. Lena had accepted that fact and accepted that she would always be on the outside, coming to help when it suited Supergirl and her ragtag team of heroes.

That was before she found out that Kara and Supergirl were one in the same. Before she realized that Kara was two-faced and lied to her for years. That while Supergirl demonstrated her own distrust of Lena Luthor, Kara was showing up to console her and tell her that everything will be okay. Lena often questioned herself, asking herself how she had not seen the truth in all those years. She reminds herself that Kara and Supergirl were two completely different personas, and thus appeared to be two very different people, despite how similar they looked. How was Lena to know that the soft, warm-hearted best friend that was always there for her, was also the one accusing Lena of betraying her?

Something in Lena shattered after finding out the truth. Something deep inside, rooted in her very soul. That’s why she was driven to seek revenge this time around. She didn’t do what she did with Andrea and just cut her out of her life. No. She wanted to hurt Kara the way Kara had hurt her.

Well, Lena got what she thought she wanted… in the end.

As Lena’s breathing evens out, her mind finally letting her rest, she sleeps lightly for nearly an hour before her mind sinks into deep slumber.  It is here when she first sees it. Something she knows never happened, but at the same time, feels so familiar. It is like she is watching herself, watching the scene unfold in front of her eyes. She sees herself sitting in her office at Lcorp, on her couch, eating lunch with Kara Danvers. Except this doesn’t go the way she remembers it going. Suddenly Kara is confessing that she is Supergirl. She echoes much of what she said when she finally did tell Lena the truth, the night of the awards ceremony. Lena watches her own reaction. As Kara is called away, Lena watches as she herself walks out of her office, dazed and teary eyed. It is like she is pulled along with herself, with no control over her actions. She blinks and suddenly she is in her private jet, in the air. Where the hell is she going?

She doesn’t have to wait long. Another blink of her eyes and she is walking down the street with Sam Arias. She is back in Metropolis. She flew to see Sam after Kara confessed that she was Supergirl. Inside, Lena chides herself for not doing this in real life. She listens intently as she watches herself confess one of her greatest fears, that she really is just like her family after all. That maybe she has been a villain all along. Sam, one of her dearest friends, is so reassuring and reaffirming. Lena is not a villain. She saved Sam’s life, after all. Watching the scene unfold, Lena feels her heart warm, wishing she did a better job at keeping up with Sam and wishing Sam never moved. Lena knows she just shut down and shut everyone out after she found out. Hell, she made herself an artificial intelligence to talk to. She now can’t help but wonder if maybe things would have been different if she had someone else around in her life to confide in. Someone to provide an alternative perspective. Someone to be supportive of Lena, but also willing to call her out when she goes too off the deep end. Something she is keen to do when she is drowning in her own pain. Something she has been doing for months now.

The scene shifts again suddenly, as Lena is back on her airplane, a look of sheer terror on her face as she talks into her phone. “Alex, I’m on my way back, right now. I have something that will help her. I swear.” She can practically feel the emotions radiating off herself. The fear, the anguish, the guilt. It’s overwhelming. “No, I don’t have anything to help get the kryptonite out of the air, but I do have something to sustain Super… to help Kara.” Lena’s heart drops as she realizes when this is from. The night her former mentor, Mercy Graves, released kryptonite into the air in order to poison and kill Supergirl. Lena remembers the frantic call from Alex. She remembers her own heart pounding as she raced across town to the DEO with the device that she had made just a few months prior. She might have been at odds with Supergirl, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to protect her. Supergirl gave everyone hope. Even if she didn’t trust Lena, Lena knew Supergirl was still doing a lot of good for the world and that someone had to help protect her.

Another blink and Lena is suddenly watching herself rushing into the DEO. Her eyes wild as she looks for someone to direct her to Supergirl. It’s when she spots Brainy walking into the open area from a hallway. She makes a beeline for him. Seeing her coming, Brainy stands still, his eyes wide, a look of disbelief on his face. She can see him visibly swallow. “Where is she?” She hears herself ask.

“It’s too late,” Brainy says softly. “We lost her.”

“No.” Lena’s heart sinks. Her body follows, crumping to the floor.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” Brainy offers, his voice sounding distant and empty.

It’s then that Lena hears crashing sounds from down the hallway. She looks back the hallway and back at Brainy.

“Alex,” is his only explanation.

Watching herself, Lena’s eyes fill with tears. She was too late to save her best friend. A tear-filled blink and suddenly Lena finds herself standing in front of a gravestone.

Kara Danvers

“No…” Lena says, falling to her knees once again. She watches herself cry over Kara’s grave, apologizing again and again and again.

Lena gasps and suddenly finds herself shooting up into a sitting position, back on her couch in her penthouse. She grasps her chest with her hand, feeling her heart pounding out of her chest. Her eyes are wide, her mind taking a few seconds to register where she is and what happened. Lena is not one to remember many of her dreams. But this dream felt so real. It felt like she was living it. She could feel every part of that dream, almost like it was a real-life memory that she was revisiting.

“What the hell…” she says to herself. Looking at the clock, she sees that it is nearly 3 in the morning. She spends the next hour pacing her apartment, trying to will her body to calm itself down. It’s nearly 5 in the morning before she manages to fall asleep again.

Continue here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54572677

[chaotic-super]

Joining The Superfriends -10

Read Joining The Superfriends on Ao3 here!

Trying to decide what to do about what they are now referring to as The Lex Problem is an immensely difficult task to the point where they have yet to decide on any concrete plans and they are now going on three days since Lena managed to shut down the bugs. “What do you think the best response to this whole thing is, Lena? The public is still in panic mode even though the bugs are gone and I’m starting to think that we might have to make a statement of some kind.” Kara slouches on Lena’s recliner chair, feet up and head resting in her hand, elbow perched on the arm of the chair.

Lena groans, rubbing her eyes with pinched fingers, head flopped back into her pillow. “I don’t have a clue. I wouldn’t be lying on my bed right now if I knew what to do. On the one hand, we could expose him and tell the public what happened but then on the other, we barely have any proof and he could easily twist it back onto me because I also have access to the satellite and I recently left Luthor Corp.”

“Hence making you look like the revenge-seeking little sister of Lex Luthor.”

“Exactly.”

They fall into silence again, both trying to figure out where they can go from here because they have literally been thinking themselves in circles for hours.

Tapping her fingers against her cheekbone, Kara pouts. “My brain has stopped working.”

Lena huffs out a laugh. “Mine too. I don’t think we’re really getting very far with this whole planning malarkey.”

“Malarkey? Are you seventy?”

“Rude, I’m only sixty-three this time.”

Kara snorts, “My greatest apologies, I should have known, you don’t look a day over fifty-seven.”

“Damn straight.” Lena giggles as she says it, the frown leaving her forehead for the first time in a few days.

Kara listens to the sound with glee, overjoyed that she’s managed to bring some semblance of normality to Lena to stop her from living her life in a whirlwind of stress. “Hey, no matter what, we’ll fix it and we have your back.”

“Do all of you though?” The question slips out without her meaning it to, whether it be her insecurity fuelling the question or just genuine curiosity, it’s been lingering in the back of her mind and now it’s out in the open, verbalised in a way that she isn’t sure she meant. “Sorry, I don’t mean it like that.”

 Kara sits up straighter, leaving behind her slouched position and squaring her shoulders. “Like what? I don’t understand, Lena.”

“I’m sorry, I guess Lex has really got to me this time, it’s making me doubt myself.”

“Lena, don’t avoid the question please.”

Lena can’t bear to look at Kara, to see her face when she realizes how truly insecure she can be. “The others have barely spoken to me in days, I know that Alex said that she doesn’t blame me but the others…I don’t know. It’s stupid and irrational. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Kara’s eyes pin onto the ceiling, they don’t focus on anything in particular as she racks her brain, trying to think of the last time she saw any of the other Superfriends interacting with Lena and to her dismay, all of the examples that she can think of are from before they found out that Lex is the one that orchestrated the attack on National City and its citizens.

It’s kind of on-brand for them to separate themselves from whoever is having a pretty tumultuous time mentally. Sometimes the space is welcome but Kara has to admit that there have been times when she’s wanted nothing more than for all of her friends to support her and they have been painfully absent.

“Ah, that. They do that sometimes.” Kara mutters, almost angrily. “I’ve had that problem with them myself at times and I can say from first-hand experience that it sucks balls.”

Lena dares to look over at her, actually turning onto her side to fully engage with Kara. “You mean that it’s normal for them to just fall off the radar from time to time?”

“It can be, yes. They do it whenever something particularly bad happens in the name of giving the person space and I’ve spoken to them about it before. They usually make a half-hearted attempt at least but I guess they didn’t come through for you this time. I’m sorry about them, I’ll have to yell at them tomorrow.” Kara meets Lena’s eyes, a crinkle resting firmly between her own, the result of a mixture of pity for Lena and anger at the rest of the team.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I do, I’ll actually get the group together and get Kelly to mediate, I’ve tried having nice conversations with them about this issue before so it’s time for something more hard-hitting anyway. Any chance you’re able to make yourself cry to make them feel extra guilty when the time comes?” Kara smiles wickedly.

Lena’s lips quirk upwards. “I’ll see what I can do when the time comes.”

Kara claps her hands excitedly, giggling to herself in a way that makes Lena want to pinch her cheeks because she’s being so cute. “Excellent.”

“At least now I know it’s not because they think I’m turning down the road of evil like Lex.”

“Nobody thinks that, we haven’t known you for all that long but even just from these few weeks, we know that you don’t have an evil bone in your body, Lena, it’s one of my favourite things about you.”

Lena quirks an immaculate eyebrow up at her. “Oh, do tell. What are your favourite things about me then? I want a list.”

Kara looks down at her watch in an overexaggerated gesture, her cheeks flushed. “Would you look at the time! I should really get going because otherwise, I won’t have time to walk my plant.”

“Don’t you have fake plants?”

Kara’s eyebrows shoot up in rage. “How dare you, Lena Kieran, I’ll have you know that my plants are completely real and they are very healthy.”

“Healthy enough to miss their daily walk so you can stay and read me that list?”

Kara sinks back into the chair. “You’re annoying at times, you know that?”

“As annoying as Alex?”

“Not even close but don’t tell her I said that because she’s meant to be bringing us dinner and she can and will withhold our food if we’re not nice to her.” Kara checks her phone to see what time Alex texted to say she was leaving The Tower to go and get food, hungry from waiting around.

Lena nods resolutely, not willing to do anything to risk Alex not bringing them food, she still needs to go grocery shopping so if Alex doesn’t pull through she’ll have to eat the random can of spaghetti hoops she has lingering in the back of her cupboard.

Speaking of food though, she has yet to get the verdict from Kara on whether or not her calorie powder has been working out for her. “Hey, I have been meaning to ask you how you’ve been getting on with the powder I made you, is it working out?”

Kara’s face splits into another smile, “It’s going great, Lena, and the best part is that I can even use it at CatCo when I mix it in with my oatmeal or my drinks and everyone just assumes that it’s a protein powder, it’s brilliant.

“It’s also been amazing for getting my calorie count up, I only have like four meals a day now rather than too many to count, it’s saved me a crap ton of time and I can’t wait to see the lasting effects it will have on my overall savings from my decreased grocery bill. Hell, I could even start thinking of getting a mortgage somewhere.”

Lena can’t help but match Kara’s smile, pride blooming in her chest. “I’m really glad it’s working out for you, Kara.”

“There was just one thing that has been bugging me though, something that was there when you showed me the powder the first time and I haven’t had since,” Kara adds, apprehension sitting heavy on her shoulders.

Lena frowns, not sure what Kara could be missing. The scoop for the powder, maybe?”

“We kissed after you showed me the powder the first time and I’ve been missing that every time I’ve had a scoop of the stuff ever since. I know we haven’t talked about it, but since we have some time now, I was hoping that maybe you’d be open to it.”

Well, that clears that up. Lena has been waiting to be able to speak to Kara about the moment they shared in the lab and has been hoping that Kara would bring it up but despite that, she has no idea what to say to her now, or how to respond.

“I…erm…yeah, yes. We can talk.”

“Are you sure? You don’t sound sure?” Kara pins her gaze onto Lena’s.

Lena nods, not fully trusting her own voice.

It’s enough for Kara though. She pulls her lips into a closed-mouth smile. “Alright then, since I kissed you I should probably go first.” She clears her throat before continuing. “I like you, that’s the main reason I kissed you and when you mumbled to yourself about wanting me to kiss you, I just couldn’t resist.”

From the fact that Kara kissed her in the first place, it has never been hard to deduce that she has some kind of feelings for her but to have her openly admit it is something new entirely. “You actually like me?”

“I do,” Kara confirms.

Lena supresses her smile. “I like you too and I did want you to kiss me, and for future records, you’re welcome to do it again.”

Kara is instantly trying to clamber out of the chair to get closer to fulfilling that desire but she is quickly stopped by Lena holding up a single finger. “But not until we have been out on an actual date.”

Straightening herself up, Kara swallows down her embarrassment at how eager she’s acting, she’s acting like a teenage boy being granted permission to touch a boob for the first time.

Perching herself back down on the chair, on the edge this time, just in case Lena changes her mind and lets her kiss her, Kara raises her hands up to cover her blushing cheeks. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to come on too strong.”

“Don’t worry, I like it. I just haven’t ever had the chance to properly date someone and maybe it makes me naive or foolish but I would like to know what it’s like.” Lena ducks her head, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed to speak to Kara properly.

Shaking her head, Kara jumps in to reassure her. “I don’t think it’s foolish, I actually really like the sound of it. I can’t say that any of my past partners have been the kind to wine and dine someone so I would love it if we could try that out together.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

They sit there staring at each other and smiling so hard that their cheeks hurt, only breaking their gazes when they become aware of how long they’ve been sitting there in silence like a pair of idiots with crushes, which is exactly what they are.

Lena tilts her head. “Just for the record, I never expected to come to National City and somehow score a date with The Girl of Steel.”

“Just for the record, I never expected to date the person we needed to hire to help our group be vigilantes,” Kara replies.

“Despite everything that has happened, I am glad I came here, that I moved away from the negativity I left behind in Metropolis.” Kara nods in agreeance. “Speaking of, do you know how the people in Metropolis dealt with the bugs? I never saw anything on the news.”

Kara grimaces. “I actually already thought you knew but it was a targeted attack, the only city to get hit was ours.”

“Why would he have put in the DNA preventative then? What would be the point in putting that in place when he is nowhere near them in the first place unless…he did the whole thing just to try and scare me into going back. I thought that might have been the case but I actually thought that maybe that would be too petty, even for him. God, he’s such a gaping asshole.”

Kara sits and lets Lena rant, watching as she stands and paces her tiny apartment, following her form with her eyes. She hasn’t doubted Lena for a second on whether or not she was involved in the attack by the Luthors but seeing Lena like this, rage-filled and upset, it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that she isn’t.

She’s also certain that the others don’t think she is involved either but she’s still going to have a little chat with them to make sure that everyone is still on the same page because she knows what it’s like to be judged by the actions of your family, especially when you don’t want to be associated with them.

Lena keeps on pacing long after she’s done talking, the calculated steps helping her think. Eight one way, then eight the other, eight one way, then eight the other.

She’s facing Kara, just about to turn back around and start another circuit when there’s a heavy knock on her door.

“That’ll be Alex with food,” Kara says, excitement for food clear in her voice.

Lena takes a calming breath before swinging the door open and forcing a smile onto her face, ushering Alex inside.

Alex eyes her up strangely. “I know something’s wrong because you never smile when you see me, it’s actually quite offensive.”

“Whatever Danvers, just hand over the food, I’m starving.” Lena brings three plates down from the cupboard and reaches for the bag of Big Belly Burger that Alex just strolled in with but is infinitely more annoyed when it gets pulled out of her reach.

“Tell Mama Alex what’s wrong.”

“Call yourself that again and I will vomit. We were just talking about Lex and it made me mad, that’s it, now hand me my burger before I have Kara set you on fire.” Lena pouts angrily.

Alex tries not to laugh at the look on her face and hands the bag over, pleased to have gotten a rise out of her. “Yes boss, but we both know Kara wouldn’t turn on her favourite person on the planet, no matter how good a kisser you are.”

Kara reaches over Alex’s shoulder for her milkshake. “You’re underestimating how good of a kisser Lena is.”

Alex’s hands drop the straw she was about to stab into her own milkshake and shoot up to her ears, disgust clouding her features. “Ew! That’s gross, I don’t want to hear any more.”

Lena smiles mischievously “so you don’t want me to tell you how soft Kara’s lips are and how amazing it feels to have them against my own?”

A finger is shoved into her face. “You are not to say another word or else I will destroy your food.”

“Another word.”

Being as petty and as annoyed as she is, Alex tries to follow through with her threat, grabbing at the bag and pulling it towards herself. Kara, being the only one with any brain cells left, uses her super speed to grapple it off of her, plate up the food and deposit Alex onto the recliner chair with her plate in her lap and her milkshake in her hand.

“Stay!” She points her finger at her sister, warning her not to move before turning to Lena. “And you, behave.”

Alex huffs and digs into her burger, purposely not looking at them as her little act of revenge.

Kara and Lena grab their own food at a normal pace before sitting on the edge of Lena’s bed, plates balanced on their laps.

Lena takes one look at Alex’s frowny face and giggles into her burger. “I know you’re mad but you look like a little grumpy chipmunk.”

Kara tries not to laugh, trying to stop the fighting but can’t resist because that’s the most accurate depiction of her sister she’s heard in a while. She hides her smile behind her hand but the shaking of her shoulders gives her away.

“Kara Zor-El Danvers, if you’re laughing at me right now, I will break into your loft and break all of the DVD copies of every musical you own, don’t think I won’t.”

Kara holds her hands up. “I’m not laughing, I’m just trying to bring an end to this arguing so I can eat in peace. Do you guys think you can manage that?” She forces herself not to smile, a task much harder than some of the fights she’s been in.

“Fine,” Alex says, tone sharp.

“Lena?” Kara nudges her with her shoulder.

Lena takes one last look at Alex with a snicker but also answers. “Ok.”

“Great, now, let’s eat and then we can talk shop after. Lena and I haven’t made much progress with plans so hopefully, you have some ideas, Alex.” Kara says before biting into her food, humming at the taste but taking a second to heat vision her burger, lifting the bun first because she’s not an amateur.

Seeing what Kara just did, Lena lifts her bun and holds it out to her in demand. Kara does so with gleeful eyes.

Seeing Lena so open to her and her alien differences is something that she’s always wanted in a partner, something she once thought she’d found in Mon-El but that wasn’t meant to be. They were both aliens to this planet and Kara should have known better than to have not considered that they were aliens to each other too.

That wasn’t their only downfall but it’s up there, and it’s a mistake that Kara isn’t making. If she’s going to pursue anyone romantically, they are going to be fully, completely, and wholly accepting of who and what she is.

That’s why she’s glad she’s met Lena. She has a good feeling about her.

Read 10 more chapters early on Patreon here!

[therealnightcity]

For Hiro: Demons of War, Lt. Mower, Where the Bodies Hit the Floor

Ares: Bloody Ritual, Discount Doc, House on a Hill

Avi: Letter of the Law, Lex Talionis, On Deaf Ears

:3

Character asks for @depyotee 😊💕

Hiro:

Demons of War: Is there a job that has left a permanent mark on your OC?

As much as he'd like to say that he's seen the worst Night City has to offer, that nothing ruffles him anymore, it still manages to surprise him. It's less of one gig that's so standout, than a parade of them, that showcase how cruel people can be, and how easily greed triumphs over the well-being of others. It wasn't the worst danger he'd ever faced, or the most terrible crimes but the gig of retrieving stolen medicine from Corporal William Hare, suspected cyberpsycho lingered long after he'd gotten his eddies. There's the feeling that maybe if he'd been there sooner, if someone else had been, the man could've gotten treatment, or in touch with Regina. But then again maybe he couldn't have, that it would have always ended the way it did, and at least he'd skirted a larger tragedy. He knows the feeling of having to make a go of it alone, feeling like you've been abandoned, but he was lucky enough to find someone who cared, who was willing to help. It makes him feel powerless, in the face of the corporate machine, and even if he can make a single person feel like it's not just them against the world, than maybe it'll all be worth it.

Lt. Mower: What is the worst betrayal your OC has faced?

Hiro isn't a stranger towards how self-serving people can be, but by far the worst was Wakako. He grew up thinking he didn't have any family aside from a brother he was estranged from, didn't know that she was his grandmother or that his dad had been her son, estranged from the family, or that he has a half-sister. She kept an eye on him growing up, but always held him at arm's length. She said it was because she didn't want him to turn out like his father, that it was for his own good but he wishes she just would've told him, been more involved. She let him make his own mistakes, firm iin her belief that if he was determined enough he would dig himself out of them, and while that held true, he's always resented her for it. He put his trust in the wrong people and she simply watched.

Where the bodies hit the floor: Is your OC vengeful? If not, what would it take for them to seek revenge?

Hiro is vengeful not when he is wronged, but his loved ones. In terms of himself, he's likely to just brush things off, especially if retaliation will simply bring more trouble. In the case of a continued threat, he will deal with it accordingly, and ensure his safety, but he's not going to go on a wild hunt in the name of revenge. If a loved one is wronged, it's a complete reversal, and he won't stop until he feels the debt has been paid--whether it's as simple as petty revenge, or making them disappear more permanently, it's unwise to provoke him.

Ares:

Bloody Ritual: Does your OC have any pre or post mission rituals or superstitions?

Ares always shoots a message to Dakota, or Iris before doing a particularly risky gig. She has the fear of something happening to her on a job, and nobody being there to take care of her dogs, and give them a home, or thinking they've been abandoned. They're like her children, and the idea of them alone and scared is enough to keep her up at night, so having a fail safe in place gives her a lot of peace of mind. She also double checks to make sure she's locked everything up before leaving, and it isn't uncommon for her to turn around and go back to check--the last thing she needs is coming home to her garage raided.

Discount Doc: Is your OC good at improvising? Would they survive a mission underprepared?

Ares thrives on improvising. She goes in with a loose plan, but with the expectation that it'll go to shit, and to be prepared for it. She doesn't necessarily have an entire backup plan, but it keeps her from being frozen in the middle of a crisis, for the most part. She has survived missions under prepared, particularly around the city, where she didn't know what to plan for in the first place. However, she's very, very careful in the Badlands, in terms of the hazards it contains (natural or otherwise), and it's something she's familiar with, unlike the city. Underprepared in the Badlands often means 'dead', and she doesn't plan on that happening anytime soon. She usually carries extra ammo, supplies in her car, and an extra gun or two, along with her tools, a tent, and sleeping roll, and of course an extra mask, goggles and more water than she thinks she'll need. She might find herself out of her depth in Night City, but a sandstorm or raid will never catch her unprepared.

House on a Hill: Is your OC easy to trust or are they paranoid? How vigilant are they?

Ares is too trusting, if anything. While she has a good scope of life in the badlands, and the challenges/specifics that come with it, Ares is less informed about the goings on in Night City, and this can lead her to come off as a little naive about how it works. She gives people the benefit of the doubt, occasionally to her disadvantage, and it's left it's lasting marks on her (in a very physical sense, her missing arm, and replacement cybernetic is a grim reminder). That being said, if someone has proven themselves untrustworthy, she's reluctant to extend the same trust again--she cares deeply and having that betrayed lingers terribly.

Avi:

Letter of the Law: How does your OC feel about Corps? Hatred? Necessary evil? Ect..

As a Corpo himself, he sees them as a necessary evil. He's self-aware enough to know they're not altruistic, but they were a means to an end for him, rather than a 'noble cause' and he saw siding with the Corps as his ticket out of the slums and into a more comfortable life. Although he'd like to pretend it doesn't impact him, his growing disillusionment with Arasaka let to him cutting ties with the company for good, in search of something with more personal freedom. He was simply a dog on a leash to them, even if his kennel was made of gold, and he didn't want to become the next Adam Smasher for them, their tool and completely at their beck and call. Not that his new ally is much less sinister, but his agency is much greater.

Lex Talionis: If your OC is a netrunner, or if they were a netrunner, what would their handle be?

Avi''s would be C3r83rU5 (Cerberus). He's referred to as 'Arasaka's Guard Dog' while working for the corporation, out of earshot of course, and the handle stuck.

On Deaf Ears: What does your OC think about human experimentation? Would they participate in a trial if they were hard up for eddies?

Avi's view of human experiementation is very dim, given his personal experience with it. It's part of the reason he cut ties with Arasaka. Although he condoned his mantis blades and lynx paws, he was filled with experimental cyberware that he hadn't agreed upon, and was missing chunks of his memory. He still doesn't know the full extent of what Arasaka did with him, and most of his records are dead-ends and redacted text. He's had enough of involuntary trials, that he'd rather do literally anything else for money, and Night City always needs another Solo. In his opinion, it's one of the worst things you can do to someone--hide the parts of themself, and leave them wondering what's really them--who is he really, and did Avi ever exist in the first place, or are they simply an Arasaka construct too?

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 2/5

Book Blurb:

A dashing ghost hunter and the bookseller who made up the ghosts he’s chasing wind up entangled in more ways than one in this steamy contemporary romance from the author of Text Appeal, perfect for fans of Ashley Poston and Chloe Liese.

Homebody Lex McCall loves her sleepy Vermont town and quiet bookstore job. After her family, friends, and exes all moved away to seek futures elsewhere, Lex set one rule: no dating tourists, newcomers, or anyone else who is bound to leave her behind. When the bookshop owner, eager to off-load the supposedly haunted building, offers to sell the store to Lex at an unbeatable price, Lex jumps at the chance to further put down roots.

Then handsome stranger James stops by the bookstore. Lex assumes he’s just another tourist passing through, but it turns out he’s part of a ghost-hunting documentary crew that’s looking into the many “verified” ghost stories in town. Lex can’t resist getting involved—especially because these so-called ghosts are actually made-up stories from Haunted Happenings, her hobby vlog from a decade prior. Worried her ghost-faking secret will get out and ruin her chance to buy the store, she tampers with the ghosthunters' research and skews the results. After all, James’s stay is only temporary, and her career dreams come first.

But as they spend more time together, Lex realizes she’s falling for James. Worse, there’s more at stake than her simply being found out and losing his affection: his mission isn’t as frivolous as it seems, and her interference may cost him much more than a spooky story. 

This not-quite ghost story is sure to delight Gilmore Girls fans and anyone who loves flirty romances with a little extra spirit.

Review:

A bookseller who writes fake ghost hauntings and the handsome ghost hunter in town working on a documentary who wants to use her stories.... but doesn't know they are fake are definitely going to clash, especially when they start falling for one another. Lex McCall is a messy pansexual bookseller who has major trust issues. She's forever jaded that she's not her parent's golden child and has major trust issues from everyone leaving her. She spends her free time making up fake ghost stories about her sleepy Vermont town. Then when her boss tells her he's going to sell the bookstore for cheap because of the supposed ghosts haunting the store, Lex can't help but feed into it if it means she can finally buy the store. Then comes James, a handsome guy who has just come into town who just happens to be part of a ghost-hunting documentary crew that are looking into the "verified" ghost stories in town, aka Lex's fake stories. The moment James meets Lex, he is charmed and asks for a date and soon things get serious... but with Lex's secret and her messing with the set... it could ruin everything if it gets out. Can Lex keep the guy or will her lies ruin it all? For a book with a fun premise and about such fun spooky things, this book was a big disappointment for me. I loved how cute the cover was and the fact that Lex is pan and James is Bi made it such a cool rep book... but the actual story felt so lacking in romance. James had insta lust and Lex never grew as a character. I really wish I liked this book more, but it was unfortunately a miss from me. If you like messy small town romances, give this one a go!

Release Date: October 8,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Alcove Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[skylarmoon71]

Clark Kent (Smallville) Short Story - Chapter 6

After that awkward situation, it’s a given that Harry has somewhat banned Clark from ever entering your room.

You giggle to yourself as you’re packing your books into your locker.

You shut the door and jump at the blond behind it.

“Geez!! Stop doing that! “

Chloe gives you an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, sorry.”

You sigh.

“Is there something that I can help you with?”

You know that there must be some type of catch for her to be playing hide and seek behind your locker. She nods, and you follow as she walks down the hallway. When you get to the torch, she looks a bit fidgety.

“Is everything okay Chloe?”

“It is I just..I guess I just needed some girl talk?” She winces when she says the words.

“This is so painful, I just need a little advice.”

You’re not sure what wisdom you can impart on Chloe. She seems fairly wise herself. To an extent, as a reporter you had to be.

“Well see, the thing is a certain friend is stopping by today.”

“A friend?”

“Yeah, and this friend happens to be someone I’m really fond of. I try to act all witty but he always does something to make me act like a schoolgirl.”

“You are a school girl.”

“That’s not the point!”

“Right, right. Continue.”

“Anyway, I need to stand my ground. I mean he isn’t even that cute. I think it’s just the suit. It must be. I’m a reporter and I like a good story. He’s a mystery. That’s why I’m interested. I don’t even really like him like that.”

“Sure.”

This is getting more confusing by the second. You’re not sure if she’s trying to win the guy over or convince herself that she doesn’t have feelings that she clearly has.

“What exactly am I here for, like particularly?”

“I just need you to be a third wheel. If you’re around, nothing will go wrong.”

“Gotcha.”

There’s a soft knock at the door.

You turn, and to your surprise, there is Lex.

“I hope I’m not intruding.” You shake your head, sending him a smile.

“You’re not. Chloe and I were just discussing a-”

“A story!!” She interrupts.

You send her a weird look until she raises her eyebrows and nudges her head in his direction. It takes a moment for you to read the gesture.

Oh..

“OH!!”

You can’t believe you say it out loud.

“Is something wrong?” He asks. You shake your head vigorously.

“I-I just remembered that I forgot a textbook, I have to get going.” Chloe sends you the most murderous look.

“Nice seeing you Lex!!”

You sprint out, fully aware of what might be awaiting you when she gets her hands on you. 

[practically-an-x-man]

From @hawthorne-spengler-stantz's tag for me on this post

Pick your characters and give them a book filled with every thought anyone ever had about them. What would they read first? The positive or the negative ones? The thoughts of people they actually know or a stranger’s thought?

Rae: Refuses to even open the book. For one thing, she wouldn't want people to read the thoughts she's had about them, that feels vaguely like an invasion of her mind, so she'd want to extend the same courtesy. And for another, she doesn't want her mind to get stuck on what other people think.

Robin: Comes up with a few set rules for herself before opening the book. She will not look at thoughts from friends or family, only strangers - she doesn't want it to affect any of her close relationships, no matter how curious she may be.

Madison: Goes on a seek-and-destroy mission for her parents' thoughts. She can't help the curiosity, she needs to know what they think of her after what happened with Johnny, and if they'll ever forgive her.

Ophelia: The book is mostly entertainment for her - she'll flip through the thoughts of strangers who have seen her as Argonaut, most of them are like reading crappy Yelp reviews and she finds it funny. Sometimes, if she has a really bad day, she'll flip through her mother's of Harry's thoughts for a while to ward off the grief.

Jasper: Doesn't bother looking at the book. They can sense others' emotions, so they already have a general sense of what people think of them, and they really don't need the specifics. They only ever (ever) look at one small section of the book - Kyle's thoughts when he was first brought back, when he was still struggling to communicate. They knew there was a lot he wanted to say to them... so why not see what it was that he wanted to say?

Quinn: Reads through the whole book, she doesn't care what people think of her. Some of Lex's old thoughts hurt (she didn't know how jealous and vengeful Lex really was, or how long she'd been planning for what happened in Kyiv), but they're made up by learning how early Billy's feelings for her started - about the same time she started developing feelings for him, actually. And she gets a kick out of the strangers' thoughts, though she later ends up going in with a permanent marker and redacting the worst of the transphobic ones.

Kestrel: Originally considers reading the book, hoping it would help them convince their mind that they made an impact on the world and people around them (something they struggle with). But then they realize that could very quickly lead to a rabbithole of obsession on other people's thoughts, so it's safest not to touch it. They even go so far as to bury it in the backyard - they really, really don't want that temptation.

Katherine: Ahk's section is, quite literally, half the book. He spends a lot of time thinking about her, especially when he's sitting through the daylight hours each day. Katherine reads the first page... then pauses and sets herself a stopping point. It's not fair to him that she read everything, that's a bit invasive, so she only reads up to the moment she learned the secret of the museum. That felt... maybe not fully fair, but at least a somewhat-justified stopping point - she said all her thoughts to him when she visited, not knowing he was listening, so it's not awfully unfair to read that section of his thoughts in return. She also flips through the thoughts of her old bullies, too curious for her own good, and found that a lot of their taunting just came from a mountain of insecurity.

Eris: Their book is massive from how long they've been alive, but most people in it only get a line or two since Eris rarely makes longer connections. He can't help but look through Rick's section, though. It's the only one that takes up any significant amount of pages itself, and Eris is stunned to learn how deeply he really cares about them.

Nikoletta: Flips through the thoughts of everyone at Belle Reve, and uses it as a guide to managing her status and knowing who's really loyal to her. Most of the thoughts are neutral at best, while some people are outright imagining what they'd do to her if they had the chance... those thoughts do frighten her, a bit. By the time she gets to Abner's section, she's surprised at how soft it is compared to the rest. He's about the only person who hasn't plotted her demise, even offhandedly - hell, even Adrian (her right-hand man) has wondered briefly about whether he could be the King of Belle Reve if he took care of the Queen. Thankfully that thought didn't stick.

[im-a-secret-to-everyone]

Hi! (This is gonna be a long ask) I read your post about wishing you could be fine with your friend that's on a mission and your queerstake friends choosing to stay in the cult and I totally get it I won't go into too much detail since you said you don't want trauma dumps, but as a pimo (physically in, mentally out if you didn't know) exmo, it's been hard with my cousin currently on a mission and my queer friends at church doing lots of things to interact with the cult (I don't know if they're pimo like me or not, and I don't want to ask bc it might damage our relationship if they are in the church) As far as deconstruction goes, it varies from person to person how they handle facts/media/etc. that goes against the cult - some people who are more closed minded when it comes to those things will either ignore it and/or label it as "evil" or "anti mormon", while people who are more open minded and/or are more naturally inquisitive may accept it and/or try and debate you and/or at least think about it (I was an open minded tbm, my deconstruction started in seminary when one of my (pimo) friends would poke holes in church doctrine, asking rhetorical questions like "Why would god do it like that?" or "Couldn't this just have happened instead?" and it really got me thinking) And finally, if you want more information about how the church operates and why it can be such a dangerous cult, I'd recommend checking out Exmo Lex's channel on youtube, her videos are really good and she's good at explaining and teaching things to people who were never members of the cult I'd also recommend reading the CES letter and Letter For My Wife if you want to learn about the early church and the big problems with it Hope you have a good day!

aaa thank you so much!

it hasn't been very long at all but i'm starting to have hope for some of my friends. exposing them to unapologetic queerness and a few subtlely religion-critical posts seems to be going well! hopefully i'll have practice by the time the mission ends and i can finally talk more openly with that friend.

i don't think i'll seek out more info just on the basis that i'm upset enough thinking about what i do know. i'll keep those in mind though!

hope everything's going well for you!

[giantroboticplatypusbutt218]

Oversight

This is Part 3 of the Magnetic Attraction series. 

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Content Warnings: Fantastic Racism, Internalized Homophobia, Suggestive Content, Mild Language, Canon-Typical Violence.

Summary: Rev receives some friendly advice from Tech after a mistake of his is brought to attention. Desperate to prove that he took Tech’s words to heart, he seeks the aid of his other friends to improve himself before the evening is over.

Unfortunately, he missed the most crucial piece of advice that Tech tried to convey.

Word Count: 27,277

Chapters: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (Link to Chapter on Ao3)

~

Chapter 4

Word Count: 4868

~

“Welcome to your new confidence training hall!” 

Rev looked around at the massive, empty room. Well, empty besides a few steel floor fans and an unplugged refrigerator standing against the wall. 

“The abandoned storage room?” 

“Yes! It’s perfect!” Duck said, gesturing broadly. “There’s tons of room to work with and the door’s jammed so you can’t escape until your training is complete!”

“Okay, well that’s extremely ominous and also a fire hazard.” 

“What’s gonna cause a fire? The refrigerator? Now…” Duck hummed to himself for a moment. “How to actually train you…” 

“You took me down here without a plan of how you were actually going to help me? I thought you knew exactly how to get me more confidence.” 

“Quiet! I’m concentrating.” 

Rev sighed. 

Duck paced, looking around. “Ugh. There’s nothing in here. Fans? A refrigerator? What’s any of that even useful for?” Suddenly, Duck gasped, smiling. “Actually,” he said, “I think I just thought of something that’s useful for just this predicament.” 

“What is it?” 

“It’ll help your confidence if it’s a surprise.” He began to teleport. “Anyway, just stay put until I get back.” 

“Wait! You’re just gonna leave me here?!” 

And Duck was gone.

-

“Ace? You there?” 

“Just got my suit on. What’s up?” 

“Slam and I pulled Tech out of the freezer. We’re gonna take him to the lounge so he can chill out in a less literal way.” 

Faintly through the communicator, Ace could hear the poor coyote muttering something about clavicles. He chuckled. 

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll meet up with you guys there.” 

“Ace,” Lexi said, her voice uneasy. “I don’t hear Rev or Duck. Something fishy is going on.” 

“Wait,” Tech’s voice came through off to the side. “What happened?” 

“You can fill him in with what you can, Lex. I’ll try to get ahold of Duck while I’m on my way. See you soon.”

“Right. See you soon.” 

She tapped her communicator. 

“Lexi,” Tech spoke seriously. “What happened?”  

“Well…” 

-

It was entirely quiet. 

Rev crossed his arms, letting out another sigh. 

What had he gotten himself into? Here he stood, in the middle of a locked basement dressed in women’s clothes and completely alone with his thoughts. Hopefully Duck wouldn’t take too long… or maybe it’d be better if he took his time. Rev didn’t know. With all of his being he wanted to trust that Duck would know how to help… would give him the progress he needed so he wouldn’t meet with Tech later as a complete failure… but he seriously doubted it. 

Still, this was probably his last chance. Rev could feel exhaustion starting to really set in, his eyes heavy and body aching to get in bed. Or maybe the aching was from the stupid boots. Either way, once this was over, Tech was probably going to catch him before bed and ask what he’d done… and Rev was hoping he’d have any sort of success to speak of. 

Rev also hoped that Tech was doing better at achieving his goals than he was.

-

Tech sighed, lightly tossing the burnt bulb onto the coffee table and falling back onto the nearest couch. “So, let me get this straight,” he said, wiping his face before looking up at Lexi. “Duck decided to help Rev with something, something you won’t specify, and took him who knows where to do so.” 

“Uh, yeah.” 

“Also,” Ace chimed in as he walked over, “Duck muted his communicator and won’t answer his phone.” 

“And I’m guessing, given Rev’s… outfit…” Tech cleared his throat, “he doesn’t have his communicator on him.” 

“Yeah,” Ace replied, a hint of guilt in his voice. 

“Uh…” Slam waved for their attention and grunted uneasily, then pointed to the TV. 

All of their eyes went to the screen, where a news report was beginning to air over the conservation special. 

“Breaking news! We’re back at the Tiger Terrace Zoo, where one of the residents, a beautiful tigress, has gone missing!” 

The reporter began interviewing a panicked zookeeper. 

“Do you have any idea how the tiger could have escaped?” 

“No! I was watching her eat and only looked away for a second, and when I turned back, she was gone! It’s like she vanished out of thin air!”

Tech jumped off the couch and ran toward the lab.

An uneasy atmosphere filled the lounge. 

-

Finally, Rev heard the sound of Duck’s return. But when he turned to see him, there was no relief to be had. 

“Duck…” Rev said, keeping his voice calm and even. “What… is that…?” 

“Pshh! Are you telling me you’re some kind of genius and yet you can’t tell what a tiger- woah!” 

Duck dodged a ticked-off swiped and teleported on top of the fridge. 

“No, Duck,” Rev said, keeping his eyes locked on the dangerous animal. “I mean, why did you bring that here?”  

“For you to fight, obviously! After you beat the tiger in a flawless one-on-one battle, there’ll be nothing for you to be scared of ever again! You’ll be the most confident person on the team! After me of course~” 

The tiger flicked its tail, sniffing the air and looking around, ears pinned back. 

“I’m not fighting the tiger, Duck!” Rev spat as evenly as possible. “It’s just a scared and confused animal. Not to mention how they’re extremely endangered and I’m wearing the opposite of armor!”

“Well, you can’t gain any confidence if you don’t take any risks! I know you can pull it off without a single mistake, so just do it!” 

“I don’t want to do it,” Rev spoke, remaining completely still. “It’s dangerous, stupid, and also animal abuse.”

“It’s not animal abuse! People fight people for sport and it’s completely fine; It’s the same thing!”

“It’s not the- Ugh. Just take it back to where you found it, now.”

“Come on, I just got it here! It was hard enough sneaking it out of the zoo, it’ll be even more annoying sneaking it back in.” 

“You stole it from the zoo?!”  

The tiger looked at Rev, and he went silent.

“I didn’t steal it, I borrowed it. I’ll bring it back once the fight is over and you’ve come out victorious!”

Thankfully, Duck’s brash tone helped keep the tiger’s attention off of Rev. As the tiger was distracted, Rev took his mask and flipped it around, improving his vision and hopefully adding a pair of false eyes on the back of his head. 

The tiger took its focus off of Duck as soon as he stopped talking, continuing to look around at its surroundings and not do much of anything. 

Rev had no idea how he was going to get out of this. As long as he didn’t provoke the tiger or display any prey behaviors, it should be less likely to attack. However, as soon as the tiger decided it was hungry, Rev was in a horrible position to escape its wrath. Running was difficult and the boots would take some effort to pull off. Flying was an option but the ceiling was too low for him to get out of pouncing range and many pillars posed a risk of crashing. Worst of all, Rev had no way to open the door out of there and the basement likely muffled most sounds that would alert Lexi to his troubles. 

At the moment, pleading with Duck was the only way to get out of this, but Duck was set on keeping him there until the tiger was defeated. 

“Ugh! Why isn’t this stupid tiger doing anything? Why aren’t you doing anything, Rev? Just go up and punch it or something!”

“No. I’m not punching an innocent tiger, and the tiger has no reason to attack me right now.”

“No reason huh? Maybe I should give it some motivation.” 

“Wait, what are you-!” 

Duck hucked a big wad of something red, gooey, and strongly smelling of tomato and vinegar straight onto his stomach. The force knocked Rev onto his butt. 

“There! That should get the action going!” 

Rev gasped as the tiger noticed the sudden movement. It lowered to the ground, ready to pounce. 

As soon as it leaped Rev dodged. Then he ran for his life.

“AHHHHHHH!” 

-

“Anything yet, Lex?” 

“No. Not a single breath or heartbeat that isn’t ours, Slam’s, or Tech’s.”

“Great…”

The three of them looked as Tech ran back into the lounge carrying some sort of gun.

“What fancy gadgets do you have this time?” 

“A dart gun.” 

Lexi tilted her head. “You have tiger darts?” 

“We’re heroes who live within walking distance of a zoo.” 

“Fair enough.” 

“Any word of where the tiger is?” 

“No, not ye-” Suddenly, Lexi’s eyes went wide. “The old storage room! Rev’s being chased!” 

They all dashed for the stairs. 

-

Rev was really using Ace’s advice to focus his weight on his toes while in heels, because if he tripped now, he was done for.

“What are you doing?!” Duck shouted. “Fight back!” 

“I’M NOT FIGHTING A TIGER! GET IT OUT OF HERE!” 

“Come on! Are you a roadrunner, or a chicken?!”

“I’M NOT A CHICKEN!”

“Well clearly the tiger thinks you are! A nice plate of fried chicken, all slathered in ketchup and everything!” 

“WHO THE HECK EATS FRIED CHICKEN WITH KETCHUP?!”

“This tiger, apparently!”

If he weren’t trying to avoid being mauled, he might have had more retorts. For now, the only thoughts in his head were how hard it was to run and how much he wished he was still wearing his slash-proof hero suit. 

-

In almost no time the four of them were at the bottom of the stairs. Slam immediately pushed to the front to shove the door open, but as had happened earlier, his hands kept sliding off. 

“Move aside Slam!” Ace commanded, pulling out his sword. “I’ll-” 

With a growl Tech used his powers to tear the door open, crinkling the steel back against the concrete wall like tissue paper. 

Ace groaned as Tech charged in, but quickly let out a gasp as the sound of roars and Rev screaming blared from the room. The rest of the team didn’t waste another second before running inside as well. 

Rev could only spare the quickest glance when help arrived, putting the majority of his focus into not being eaten. 

“Slam, Lexi!” Ace commanded. “Get the tiger off Rev’s tail while I try to use my sword’s tractor beam to get it under control!” 

“Got it!” they both called back, charging toward the hungry animal.

“Hey! HEY!” Duck yelled. “What are you doing?! The tiger is here to help Rev! -WAH!” 

Duck hit the floor as the fridge he was hiding atop was yanked out from under him. Looking up, he saw Tech practically snarling at him. 

“Help him with what?!” Tech exclaimed, hopping on top of the now unoccupied fridge. “Getting ripped to shreds?!” 

“He’d be fine! Rev just needs to grow a spine and fight back!” 

“What are you-?! Ergh! Just stay out of our way!” Tech pulled up the dart gun and laser-focused on the rampaging animal. 

Footsteps thundered as Slam and Lexi chased after the tiger, yelling to get its attention. However, as Ace tried and failed multiple times to get his sword’s tether locked on, he realized they’d need another plan. 

“Slam! Lexi! Cut it off!” 

“We’ll try!” 

The tiger was somewhat doing circles around the basement, so Slam halted in his tracks before turning and running the other way. Lexi, meanwhile, cut through the basement, shortening the amount of space between her and Slam. 

As the tiger approached, Slam made sure to leave room for Rev to run by but jumped in the tiger’s path before it could pass him. 

Face to face with a wall of muscle, the tiger turned to run. 

Behind it, Lexi was standing her ground. 

To the side, Ace readied his sword. 

“And! Got it!” 

The tiger was locked in the sword’s beam, and Ace forced it low to the ground. 

“Clear a path!” Tech commanded. 

Quickly, Slam and Lexi got out of the way, leaving Tech a good shot.

He pulled the trigger. The tiger let out a loud roar. 

“Bullseye!” Lexi called out. 

“Eh… Can you call it a ‘bullseye’ when he shot its leg?” 

Lexi rolled her eyes at him. “Whatever, Ace.” 

As the tiger growled and thrashed around in Ace’s grip, Tech slid off of the fridge. 

“Keep it held down,” he said, looking around. “It’ll take a while for the sedative to fully take effect.” 

“Couldn’t you have gotten something stronger?” Ace scoffed.

“Not if we wanted the tiger to eventually wake up.” 

Ace groaned. 

Tech’s eyes barely scanned Rev panting off to the side when Duck’s voice distracted him. 

“Oh come on!” he whined, stomping over to the others. “All that work to get a tiger here and you guys stop it?! Just like that?!” 

“You shouldn’t have brought a tiger here in the first place!” Lexi scolded. 

“Quiet!” Tech hissed. “There’s a predatory wild animal that just had a sharp needle shot into its haunch being held down right between us by a single energy beam. We don’t need to provoke it.”

“Hey! I can hold it just fine!” 

“Why are you holding it?! Maybe it can still be useful for a few more minutes!” 

“I don’t know what your plan is, but it’s the dumbest you’ve ever had!” 

“Duck. Ace.”

“Seriously guys, maybe you should quiet down.” 

Growls sounded below them.

“It’s not the dumbest plan I’ve ever had! If everyone just worked with me here, I could pull it off flawlessly!”

“There’s no way any of us would ever let you go through with whatever plan involves a tiger and one of our friends!”

“Err…”

“Guys, please.” 

The tiger growled even louder.

“You both need to shut up.”

“Well if you really cared about our friend you’d let me go through with the plan!” 

“Your plan would get Rev killed!” 

“REV COULD HANDLE IT JUST FINE IF HE JUST TRIED!!!”

“ACK!” 

Just like that, the tiger launched at Duck, yanking Ace forward and his sword out of his hands. Duck barely got out a scream when a flash of blue and red knocked him away from the tiger’s pounce. 

“Nice reaction time, Rev!” Duck said. 

“Look out!” 

“AH!” 

Duck teleported upon seeing the rampaging animal barreling towards him, leaving Rev to once again flee in heels. 

“For crying out loud!” Ace yelled, locating and picking up his sword. “Slam, Lexi, repeat the plan!” 

“On it!” 

As the trio went off to cut off and capture once again, Tech heard the sound of Duck’s teleportation nearby. Sure enough, he was hiding on top of the fridge again. 

“Hey! Make yourself useful and fetch me a net or something!” 

“I’m not helping you guys catch that thing!” 

Tech scanned the area for anything metal. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing but it’s the most idiotic thing ever conceived!” 

“I’m helping out your totally-just-a friend, so maybe you should be thanking me!” 

“That still doesn’t make any sense!”

Rev and by extension the tiger were coming toward him, and Tech spotted something metal. 

Working fast, Tech yanked one of the floor fans across the room and warped every bit of steel that it was made of into a metallic rope. Not much, but workable. 

Rev passed by, and Tech swung his makeshift lasso at the tiger. Despite leading the swing, he missed. Thankfully, Slam was up ahead and ready to cut the tiger off, so he chased after it. 

“Hey!” Ace snipped as he ran beside him, sword at the ready. “I’ve already got this handled!” 

“If we both hold it down it’ll have a lesser chance of escape.” 

Slam growled something at them that they didn't listen to. 

“I’m the plan guy, alright!” 

“Why’re you-” 

“Look out!” 

Ace and Tech screamed as Rev crashed into them, having turned too hard and early while trying not to hit Slam while he was distracted. 

The tiger closed in immediately. Tech barely saw the tiger’s paws leave the ground to pounce before he rolled in front of Rev. 

“AHG!” 

“Tech!” 

“GHK! GO!” 

Rev scrambled away as Ace pushed himself off the ground. With his sword once again knocked from his hands, he gave the tiger a strong kick to get it off of Tech before leaping for his weapon. 

“Ah ha!” With the Guardian Strike Sword in hand, he yanked the tiger away before it could attack in retaliation. “Woah!” And the enraged tiger proved strong enough to yank Ace right back. This time, Ace managed to hold on, but that left him being dragged around the basement. 

Right near the exit, Rev looked back into the chaos and saw Tech lying motionless on the ground. He whined as guilt flooded his chest, but his thoughts were interrupted. Ace hit the wall near him with a massive thud, groaning as he weakly pushed himself up from the floor. 

“I held onto my sword this time…” he remarked, voice warbling. 

“Ace!”

There wasn’t even a second to register Lexi’s voice before the tiger pounced, swiping at Ace. Even with the suit preventing him from being gored, the attack still hurt, leaving him screaming as he tried to fight himself free. 

Rev made an attempt to kick the tiger off but only managed three steps before immediately failing to properly plant a foot and toppling to the floor.

Then, a roar rang out as a gooey substance pelted the tiger’s face.

“What-?”

And suddenly, Ace was in a completely different part of the basement. 

He looked up to see Duck smiling sheepishly. 

“Okay so maybe all of this was a bad idea!” 

“You’re just figuring that out now?!”  

“AHHH!” 

With Tech now pushing himself off the floor, all eyes went to Rev as he was chased in Ace’s absence. 

Sparing no time, Tech lifted his metallic lasso and readied himself for another swing. Rev ran past, and Tech swung. This time, it snagged, and he grunted as he forced the tiger back with his powers. 

Rev looked back as Tech strained to control the animal and accidentally snagged a boot on a fan’s abandoned power cord. Had he been in his normal attire, he would’ve easily leveled himself out. Instead, he crashed face down, the momentum dragging him into the wall and leaving a long ketchup streak across the floor. 

“Rev!”  

The tiger lurched and bucked, forcing the metallic rope out of Tech’s magnetic grasp in his moment of distraction. Worse yet, the lashing managed to fling it out of sight. 

Free of restraints, the tiger bolted down the clear path to its prey. 

“No!” Tech dashed after it, despite keeping up being impossible. 

Ace gasped. “Duck! Get me over there!” 

“On it!” 

Rev groaned and rubbed his head, his vision blurred as a blob of orange grew closer. His recognition snapped a little too late to take action, but an energy beam surrounded the tiger and tossed it away.

“You’ve gotta get up pal!” Ace called out, still keeping his sights on the tiger. 

The advice was solid, but Rev found that standing up made his head pound so hard he was forced back to the floor. 

Duck winced at the sight. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered.” 

The enraged tiger ran right back for them, and Duck hucked a power orb right at it. A sticky, purple substance hit the tiger, and seemed to do nothing but annoy it further. 

“Oops… Well, it isn’t an exact science.” 

“Duck!” 

“AHH!” 

Upon noticing he was a new target, Duck teleported away. 

Ace snared the tiger in the sword’s beam again, dealing with an even worse bout of flailing than before. 

“Guys!” Ace yelled as Tech, Lexi, and Slam quickly approached. “Do something! WOAH!” 

Keeping his feet planted was half the battle and he was slipping. He managed to toss the tiger once again, but he fell flat on his back in the effort. 

Free again, the tiger ran. And it ran towards Rev. 

Nearly all of them gasped. 

Rev braced with a yelp.

Tech screamed. 

Slightly closer, he jumped in front of Rev, and everything went dark. 

Agonizing seconds went by, but Rev noticed things were quieter than they should be. He slowly looked up to see that his immediate surroundings were encased in a nearly opaque green shield. Just barely visible ahead of him, Tech stood, hands out and ears back. And in front of Tech, Rev could see the vague shape of the tiger clawing at the shield, the scrapes muffled within the protective barrier. 

The clawing and scraping slowed down, and Rev could somewhat make out the tiger being dragged away from the shield. In the absence of immediate danger, he could hear the sound of Tech’s panting as his own breathing evened out. It was too dark to really see, but Rev could also swear that Tech was… shaking? 

Then, Tech snapped around to his direction. Those golden eyes shined in the low light, highlighting how wide and cautious they were. They trailed a line across the floor, landing on Rev, still sitting there. 

When Tech spoke, his voice cracked. “Rev?!”

It was in the confusion that followed that Rev remembered his positioning sense. His eyes lit up, briefly getting a blurred view of the others arguing over a motionless tiger outside, before focusing on what Tech might’ve been looking at. There was hardly any definition, but there was definitely a streak of something leading up to him, and Tech was definitely shaking.

Rev jolted at the realization of what Tech saw, or might’ve thought he saw. 

“It’s ketchup!” he quickly assured, eyes returning to normal. “Duck pelted me with ketchup earlier and I’m completely fine! Just got a few scrapes and hit my head. I’m all good. I promise.” 

“Oh…” Tech breathed shakily. “Okay.” He fell to his knees, resting his forehead in his hands. “Good. You’re okay.” 

“Hey…” Rev reached out, gently placing his hand on his shoulder. 

Letting out a gasping breath, Tech fell forward and wrapped Rev in a hug. 

“Uh.” Slowly, gently, he wrapped his arms around Tech. “It’s… I’m fine. See?” He did his best to soothe him, trying to ignore how it was entirely his own fault everything got this bad. Still, this was no time for self-pity, not when Tech was shaking so much. 

“Sorry,” Tech weakly laughed out. “This probably feels a bit awkward, huh?” 

“No! No. I know you were just worried about me so if you need a moment that’s fine because I care about you, alright?” 

“…Alright.” Giving him a tight squeeze, Tech breathed away his nerves. 

Slowly, the dark shield began to fade, letting more light pass its transparent green boundary. 

The voices of Ace and Lexi scolding Duck began to filter in, causing Rev and Tech to look up at them. 

Softly, Tech chuckled. “Here, I’ll save you the embarrassment.” And with that, he pulled away and stood up. Then, he looked down with a wince. “Well, that might still make it a little obvious. Whoops.” 

Rev looked at Tech’s torso, seeing his shirt ripped to shreds and covered in ketchup. A sharp ache hit his gut. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Tech said. “I’m sure the team won’t tease us too hard for sharing a hug after all that.” 

Rev looked away, swallowing thickly. 

“Are you alright, Rev?” 

“Uh-!” He cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’m just tired and, you know, got chased by a tiger which was also tiring. That’s- That’s all.” 

“…Okay.” 

Outside, they heard Duck’s voice. “Alright! Alright! I can’t bring it back if you keep yelling at me! Just-! I’m bringing it back now! Jeez!” 

Duck teleported himself and the tiger away, and the last of the shield faded. 

“Well… at least that’s over with,” Tech said. “Here, I’ll help you up.” 

“Uh, thanks.” 

Rev took the hand offered to him, shakily getting back onto his feet. 

Clearing his throat, Tech looked away with a sheepish smile. “Sorry for running away earlier. That was probably… a bit awkward. It’s just… seeing you all dressed like this was… new.” 

“No, it’s fine. I understand. I ran into you while you were busy and suddenly you had to help me up and then when you saw me I was dressed all weird so it makes sense you’d run I think.” 

“I wouldn’t say ‘weird’. I guess compared to your uniform and casual clothes it’s ‘weird’ but…” Tech glanced at the others, still talking amongst themselves. He lowered his volume. “I think it looks nice on you. Uh, great, actually.” He chuckled quietly, rubbing his arm. “But, don’t let me dictate what you decide to wear, alright?” 

Rev took a breath in an attempt to clear his flushed face. “Uh, alright. Yeah. I won’t.” 

Duck teleported back, letting out a massive sigh. “Okay, so the tiger’s all cleaned up and back home. Can you all please stop yelling now?” 

Lexi groaned. “Don’t you feel at all bad for what you did?!” 

“Of course I do! Half the team got hurt! But I was just trying to help so there's no reason to keep yelling! 

Tech huffed. “I still need to figure out what his deal was.” 

Rev’s blood ran cold, horrified at the possibilities of what any kind of conversation could reveal. “Uh- I- It-” 

“He better give me actual answers this time,” Tech said, already stomping over. 

Frozen, Rev could only watch. Stopping him would mean explaining why he was stopping him. But letting him talk to Duck would guarantee him getting incriminating answers. What was he going to do? Tech couldn’t know what he’s been up to that evening! If Tech is reminded of the confidence thing then he’ll want to know the progress he’d made and since all of what just happened was the opposite of confidence Tech would be upset and maybe angry and possibly even heartbroken and-

“Duck.”

The room went quiet besides a nervous chuckle. 

“Uh… hey! Sorry about… you know… endangering the life of your boyf- best buddy. But he’s fine and you're fine and everything’s fine… right?” 

“It’s not fine! Why the hell did you sick a tiger on your own friend?!” 

“He asked me to do it!” 

“No he didn’t!” Lexi countered. 

“Okay maybe not specifically, but it was all for a good cause!” 

Tech leaned in. “That being…?”  

Lexi scrambled to whisper something harshly into Duck’s ear.

“Excuse me, but I’m gonna give the guy who could easily whip up a machine to give me the beating of a lifetime all the information he wants.”

Rev gulped. 

“He wanted some help boosting his confidence, and I figured winning a fight against a scary animal would boost anyone’s confidence. It’s at least a better plan than whatever Ace had going on.” 

“Hey! Don’t drag me into this!” Ace yelped. “Besides, Rev has fought plenty of scary things just fine. Clearly he needed a push to express his feminine side. Still, even Lexi’s plan was miles better than yours.” 

“Oh so you don’t wanna get dragged into anything yet you’ll drag me in just fine, huh?”

Slam shifted in place and looked past the group, grumbling uneasily but not getting their attention. 

“I only offered Rev help because whatever you tried didn’t work out!” 

“It worked out fine! Rev needed to express his emotions and interpretive dance is the perfect medium to do so!” She paused, looking at Tech’s unimpressed expression with a wince. “Uh, I mean, we were just dancing for fun…?” 

Tech looked between them. “Why the heck would Rev ask you guys for…” A noise caught his attention, and he turned his head to see Rev shucking off the heeled boots. 

“Wait!” 

The second boot hit the floor and Rev was out of sight. 

Slam gasped. “Wuh-! Rev!” 

Tech watched as Slam chased after him. Despite the inclination to follow, he figured it was a battle he was destined to lose. 

Behind him, he heard Lexi groan. 

"Great, and now Rev's upset. Nice one, Duck."

"Yeah, and I'm sure he appreciates the extra headaches, Duck." 

Tech turned around to see Duck cowering under their gaze and looking away.

"I…" Then, he huffed and crossed his arms, a haughty expression suddenly across his face. "Well, clearly my work wasn't appreciated here, so I'll… just go then." 

Tech flinched. "No wait!" But Duck instantly teleported away. With him gone, he figured he'd just get as much information out of Lexi and Ace as he could.

“So, let me get this straight," he said. "The three of you were trying to help Rev boost his confidence, but none of you knew what kind of confidence he needed.” 

Lexi crossed her arms, looking away. “He wasn’t exactly specific when he asked,” she mumbled. 

“Well, in just the past ten minutes, I almost watched him die, multiple times. So,” he glared menacingly at the both of them, “you two better start explaining everything that led up to this. Now.”

Lexi and Ace looked at each other, sharing a look of unease. Slowly, they turned back to him. 

“Okay…” 

“Sure thing, Tech…”

~

Link to Oversight Chapter 5 ->