#at least i made her a trapeze artist lol

[pickalilywrites]

I dont know if you have watched the greatest showman, but if you did can you make a Rivetra fic with Levi as Philip and Petra as Anne?

I’ve never watched it but I’ve listened to Rewrite the Stars so many times lol I love Zendaya ;~; 

The Secret to Flying

Rivetra. The Greatest Showman AU. 

1736 words. 

Hedoesn’t know how she manages to climb up to the bars every day and night topractice and then perform. Just the climb there has him winded and it’s noteven that long of a climb. He must be out of shape. But it’ll be his last timethere – in that particular place and in the circus in general. He just came tosay goodbye even though he knows she’ll probably hate him for it. It’s strangebecause she’s not one to hate very many things. The fact that he’ll be one ofthem is…well, he doesn’t want to think about that right now.

Leviwatches as she swings across the ring effortlessly, not even frightened aboutfalling in the least bit. She has the net set up like she usually does forpractice, but he still can’t imagine what it feels like to fall at that heighteven with a safety net. That’s just another thing that separates them though.

Shemust see him. He wasn’t exactly quiet as he clambered his way up the ladder towhere she was, and he’s the only person in the tent besides her. While it’sspacious, it’s not exactly difficult to notice if someone’s there with you whenthe place is empty. She probably thought that he would leave if she ignored himlong enough, but he’s more stubborn than that.

“Petra,”he says when he can’t stand her not looking at him any further. His voicesounds so loud in this empty space. It’s impossible for her to pretend that shedoesn’t hear him.

Shefinally turns to look at him, a feigned smile on her face. It lacks the warmththat it usually has, and it only makes him hate himself more. “I’m surprised tosee you here,” Petra says to him. She’s breathing a little heavily from hertraining, but he’s surprised she doesn’t sound more winded. “What are you doinghere?”

“Sayinggoodbye,” he replies. He fiddles with a button on his shirt. How funny that heis doing such a thing. He’s never been so nervous as to play with imaginarythreads on his clothing, so why is he doing so now? It’s just a simple goodbyeto a friend. There really isn’t a need to feel such guilt over it. He’s justbeing ridiculous.

“Isthat it?” Petra asks. She’s not exactly angry – at least not entirely – buthe’s confused as to why she looks so amused. When he only stares at herblankly, she gives him another half-hearted smile. “Well then, goodbye. Thankyou for stopping by.”

Thisisn’t what he expected. It’s not what he wants either, although he can’t sayfor certain what he really wanted in saying goodbye to her. Not tears. Thatwould be too selfish of him to ask from her, but he was perhaps hoping thatshe’d be a little distraught at his leaving. It should be a good thing thatshe’s already accepted it, but he can’t help feeling a little annoyed.

Butwhat annoys him the most is her back turned to him, so he grabs her by thewrist without thinking because he cannot bear to think that her retreatingfigure will be the last image he’ll ever have of her.

“Isthat…is that all you’re going to say to me?” he asks her. He realizes howchildish and bitter his tone is, but it’s too late. He’s already revealedhimself and he can’t hide it away from her.

Sheglances at his hand gripped around her wrist, but she doesn’t pull herselfaway. “What else is there to say? If you’ve made a decision, who am I to tellyou to stay?” she asks. It’s so strange to see her so indifferent when usuallyshe’s so passionate and caring, sometimes forcing her way into his personalaffairs even if he doesn’t want it. Is this really the same person?

“It’snot as if I want to go,” he mumbles, angry for saying something so soft andsentimental at a moment where she doesn’t even care. “This just isn’t the placefor me. I don’t belong here.”

It’sonly then that she looks him, really looks at him, and her expression is nolonger unfathomable. She’s angry for some strange reason, but at least it’s nother indifference.

“Didyou decide that on your own or did someone tell you that?” she asks, pullingher wrist away from him. She frowns at him as if he had personally offended heralthough he doesn’t understand how she could be so hurt about what he said. It’snot as if it concerns her anyway. “What makes you think there isn’t a place foryou here?”

“BecauseI’m not like any of you,” he mumbles. He feels a fool now, but he knows she won’tlet it drop until he gives her a proper reply. “I can’t be a part of…all ofthis.”

It’sonly then that her gaze softens. Petra lets go of the rope she was holding onto,letting it unwind around her arm and fall onto the floor behind her, andreaches to brush his check with a gentle hand. “Have you been alone so longthat you can’t imagine yourself happy with others?” she whispers. “Thishappiness is not an illusion. It isn’t forbidden to you, so why don’t you takeit?”

“Didn’tI just say?” he says. “I’m not like you.” He can’t see something he wants andtake it fearlessly when he knows there’s a risk of having it taken away from him.If that means he has to be alone forever, he can be content with that.

Tohis surprise, she smiles at him like one would smile at a child. Silently shetakes him by the hand and leads him to the edge of the platform. She standswith her toes hanging over the edge, but he remains behind her, not braveenough to venture so far where a fall is so much more likely.

“Thenbefore you go, let me teach you the secret to flying,” she tells him. Again,she takes the rope she had previously discarded and wraps it around her wristthe way he’s seen her do so many times in practice and in shows.

He’soften heard the other circus performers joke that what Petra does is a fancyway of falling. Perhaps so, but she always makes it look like flying. There’s areason why the crowd is silent as she performs, watching her glide across thecircus tent as if she was always meant to spin and twirl in the air instead ofliving with her feet on the ground like most other people are.

Andalthough he would like to watch her one last time before he goes, he findshimself saying, “I should go.” If he stays any longer, he’ll never be able toleave.

“Youshould go, or you want to go?” she asks him. The rope is still wound around herarm and she’s teetering on the edge of the platform looking as if she couldleap off at any moment.

Heshould go, but he doesn’t want to go. He doesn’t know which one he should say,so he remains silent.

Shemust take his silence as a desire for her to continue speaking – and she’s notwrong in making that assumption. “When you’re flying in the air, you need tomake a decision. Are you going to remain where you are, or are you going tofly?” Petra lifts herself on and off the very edge of the platform, pushingherself off and then falling back into place. It’s just a simple movement, butshe makes it look so graceful. “And once you leap into the air, you can’t changeyour mind midway. You can hang onto the rope for safety, but you’ll dangle inthe middle of nowhere. You need to decide where you’re going and stick to it –then you’ll be at the place where you want to be.”

Helooks at her warily. She’s been doing this almost her entire life, so she cansay such things so easily. How can she expect him to live like her? “Is itreally so bad staying on the ground where you’re most comfortable?” he asks.

“Peopledon’t come here to watch me with my feet on the ground,” she laughs. She stopsteetering off the edge and sits on the platform, patting the space next to herso he’ll sit beside her. “And if I did that, I’d never know how exhilarating itis to fly. If you really want something, you have to reach for it even if itscares you. So when I perform, I look for the place I want to go and I takemyself there. All the flips and twists are something a little extra.”

Hesits beside her, letting his legs finally dangle off the side just like hersdo. He probably won’t fall unless he leans forward, but there’s still thatdanger. It’s a little thrilling, he has to admit. Petra will probably call hima wimp if he admits this to her.

“Whathappens if I reach for it,” he asks, “and I end up falling?”

“Silly,”she smiles. She reaches for his face, thumb caressing his cheek lightly. “ThenI’ll catch you.”

Hisheart beats faster and he wonders if her heart beats this quickly when shejumps and flips into the sky. It must be something like this, right? Being so entrancedby something you need to reach for it, he thinks as he leans in closer to her.If you want something, you should take hold of it before it escapes. He thinkshe’s beginning to understand, so he closes his eyes, waiting for their lips tomeet, but when he opens his eyes she’s gone.

Hesearches for her and only finds her when she laughs, the sound of her amusementechoing across the empty circus tent. She’s swinging so easily across the wide-openspace, unafraid of the drop beneath her, dangling from the ceiling from only arope. She doesn’t think of the terrible things that could happen. She’s onlythinking about gliding through the air, the feel of the wind as it brushesthrough her hair, and he can see on her face that she’s happy.

She’sflying.

[ukaidilf]

Welcome! I'm really excited for your account, so here I am giving you information for a match-up😌 (also, not related to this, but I really loved your stoner Kenma thing)

Anyways, I'm she/her using, bisexual, and I don't think that I really have any preference for what I want in a partner. I guess patient or just able to not be overwhelmed by me and overall not a bad person? Oh, my love language is physical touch.

I'm 5'3" with curly (4A) hair, I'm African/Filipino, and I'm a bit on the heavier side(mainly carried in my tum tum and chest, honestly a bit weird for how active I am haha, like, there's some music, yeah, but its mainly fat and I'm like "???"). My eyes and hair are both brown and I tend to keep my nails short bc of my hobbies. I also have a lot of calluses on my hands and feet, especially on my fingers, i would walk on rock on my hands or just normal without batting an eye at this point I swear...

My personality is normally more on the loud side of things, I'm ENTP, an Aquarius and ADHD with Tourettes lol. But I do really care about those I love and tend to be very protective. And I mean protective like, would go to jail for someone if I needed to just to be sure they are safe. I'm not very good at communicating my feelings or what I think about unless it is a very easy sentence. When it is like that, it just comes out of my mouth, I have little to no filter.

My hobbies, hahaha, there's quite a bit.... so starting, I'm a performer at heart, have been putting on shows for people just to entertain, I love seeing and hearing their reactions! What do I perform?

Band

I have been doing music for about 10 years now, my main instrument used to be piano, but its shifted over to alto sax awhile ago. However, I have 20+ instruments in my room that I play proficiently and can play even more than that. I'm in marching, jazz(2 different ones), symphonic, and concert bands(also 2 different ones). I've been to jazz All-State before as well. Despite all of this, most of them are classes anyways, I still have time for more things lolol.

Dance!

I was a ballerina for a while, then transitioned into tap and hip hop. I did these for about 6 years total, and now I dance Folklorico! This has been for almost 5 years now, and I honestly love it. I live really close to the border too, so it isn't hard for me to find a good company here.

Circus

This one is a bit weird not that I'm looking at what else I do lolol. So I'm mainly an aerialist, specializing in silks and flying trapeze. I do however also have training as a mermaid and with hula hoops! This one is really fun to hear their reactions for, and I love to perform it so much, even if it can sometimes be scary... (honestly tho, nothing to me is scarier than soloing for band when you make your own solo)

Artistic skating

So, I don't perform this, this is just in my free time to help me get ready for roller derby because I'm not legally allowed to play yet. But this has been more recent, within the last year or two. I do really love this and choreographing my own stuff! Speaking of roller derby, I have also done sports!

I've played volleyball, soccer and done gymnastics the longest, but I've been to camps for softball before.

For volleyball, I started as a setter, but then I switched companies and have a libero position now, which makes sense because before volleyball when I did soccer I was a goalie, so I'm able to get to the ball pretty quickly and without much, if any, thinking. I did soccer around the same time as ballet, but for a few more years and volley ball is more recent, but I had stopped last year. Soccer I had started at 2, same time as ballet, but I didn't stop until 7, then did volleyball from 8/9 to 16.

HDJSCHXXJWAGQBE THIS IS SO MUCH IM SORRY

tysm!!! i’m so glad you liked the kenma thing!🥺 wowowow, thanks for all the info! I ship you with.... nishinoya yū <3

✿ he LOVES and PRAISES your body <3

✿ calls you beautiful at least 8x a day.

✿ a noisy match made in heaven.

✿ tanaka makes fun of noya because you’re barely an inch taller than him.

✿ youre protective of each other, him more so over you so he feels like the “man” in the relationship.

✿ “but youre my baaaaabyyyy y/n-chan”

✿ he will do anything with you. anything. begs to do all the hobbies you do.

✿ “babe, babe, PLEASE let me dangle from the ceiling on those things. COME ON, PLEASE i’d be so majestic!”

✿ will dance with you in the rain <3

✿ very very proud boyfriend.

tysm for the ask! you seem so cool btw!

[daylightbegins]

Writing Update

This is mostly just a list of fics that I’ve started since NaNo ended October (wow, I’ve been horrible about updating. lol.) for those of you who are interested. Assuming I don’t ramble too much I’ll stick a note at the end about what I’ve been working on the most lately.

Mac Memoir AU: Set current day-sh. Mac didn’t came back to the States after getting stabbed in Fallujah in 2009, but she’s back now and working on a memoir about her time as a foreign correspondent. She calls up Will to talk about the book. Ten years on he’s retired and not as cranky as you’d expect.

Current Day AU (Sloan’s playing  matchmaker): Sloan tries to set Mac and Will up on a work date but Will’s not having any of it until he decides it’d be fun to mess with Don (his current EP) who needs someone to cover for him while he’s on vacation.

Nebraska Backstory Swap: Sloan’s the one from Nebraska this time (I have so many backstory swaps, sorry not sorry). Mac’s caught without enough people for her panel 40 minutes before air so she strong arms Sloan into agreeing to fill in. Sloan who used to work in marketing and now does data modeling with Neal for the website. [I’m trying to squeeze this into something short but it’s falling kind of flat without enough setup.]

Sports AU/Cuddling for Warmth: Mac and Will have a friendly snuggle/nap on the bus after a match/game/meet. [oneshot for my bracket fic challenge. This is my second attempt with this prompt set and I’m still not sure what’s missing.]

Breanna AU: Premise: Mac’s asexual, Brian is now Breanna (I can’t turn Brian into a wholly good guy. ugh.). Mac asks Brea to sleep with her because she doesn’t want to sleep with Will, find out she finds the whole thing utterly repulsive and have to explain that to him. Things don’t quite go according to plan. Fast forward four years to when Will asks Brea to write the New York Magazine piece.

Why Did You Tell Me AU: Mac doesn’t tell Will about Brian. Things continue as planned: they get married, have twin boys, Will semi-retires and goes back to consulting/practicing law part time while Mac works for a local news station to be able to spend more time with the boys. She slips up, says something that grabs Will’s attention and he can’t let it go; she tells him about Brian and suddenly they’re on rocky ground. The story picks up from there.

The other post-NaNo stuff I’ve been working on: I have a Valentine’s day fic (between seasons 2 and 3 plotted in my head. We’ll see how long it takes me to get it down on paper. Similarly I have a female bodyguard AU swimming around in my head without a plot other than Will’s traveling for work and needs some discrete security. Sloan suggests Mac. I’m thinking St. Lucia, pool time, leather jackets, and bossy!Mac.

And the the older stuff, aka the stuff I started in November:

Family of Choice/Cabin AU (prompt bracket fic): Mac’s spent the last couple of years getting shipped off to various boarding schools and then finally a military school because she’s not really into following rules she doesn’t agree with. Problem is she doesn’t have anywhere to spend the summer so Sloan invites her to stay with her, at Will’s cabin and now 19 year old Will is stuck with 17 year old bookworm MacKenzie.

Mac ends up Car Camping in Will’s driveway: AU with no real plot yet

The first Sports/Cuddling for Warmth AU: Cabin in the ‘dacks after a cross country meet. Sloan thinks Mac and Will are adorable. Also it snows.

Nebraska Radio AU: Domestic/future gen AU. Mac runs a radio station in Nebraska. Will’s one of her hosts. They’re married with kids and a few issues. Don and Sloan have a couple of kids, Jim and Maggie are married with baby #2 on the way. Charlie’s retired and is everybody’s grandpa.

Acro AU: Basically just an excuse for a circus like AU. Trapeze and aerial silks. Mac is Will’s new partner. He’s not happy about that. He’s less happy about being berated by Sloan for being a jerk to Mac because as he finds out Mac left her previous job after some traumatic events.

Pre-series Mac and Will on vacation: This may possibly be morphing into somewhat of an AU. Cabin in the woods. Early days. Mac wondering what the hell she’s doing with Will.

Intertwine: Mac and Will through the seasons if Wade hadn’t existed and Will was less interested in Nina and/or Mac and Will both had some serious impulse control issues. Definitely not PG.

Another Musician AU: Charlie’s a manager at a well known record label playing matchmaker with some of his artists. Will’s kind of a big thing but quickly realizes Mac’s a whole lot more famous then him which makes  her a sellout in his books until he realizes she’d be happy to give it all up. She started out as a child star and she’s sick of her mom masterminding her whole career.

Crime Reporter AU: Mac’s just broken a story on corruption in the city police department. While her name’s been left out of the byline everyone still knows it’s her and she’s having a hard time doing her job. Working for the Brooklyn DA Will steps in to help and ends up tangled in a mess when a bunch of guys decide to try and shut Mac up a little more forcefully.

Forensic Pathologist AU: Mac gets pregnant in med school (decides not to practice medicine) and marries Will. Now he works for the DA and she travels around helping identify victims of violent crimes. One part domestic!fic, one part omgCharlienooo

Family of Choice/Wilderness AU: Will and his gang are headed to his cabin Upstate to hunker down and wait out the dystopian nightmare playing out in much of the country. Everything’s going great except Mac won’t stop picking up strangers. Will’s pretty peeved about this but starts coming around to the idea after Mac adopts 8 year old Jenna.

Church and Horses AU: Will meets Mac after Sloan insists he come to the church dinner to meet people since he’s relatively new in town. He’s a large animal vet. Mac’s a mom with four kids and a jerk of a husband who’s just left her for a more exciting life.

Mostly I’ve been working (kind of) on my original backstory swap (Mac’s the anchor with issues up to her eyeballs and Will’s the EP). I’ve made it through the first part of season 3 plotwise. The last couple of days has been a lot of the ‘Why Did You Tell Me AU’ with a couple of chunks on the Brianna AU. I’ve also worked on some shorter stuff that didn’t make the list above for brevity’s sake. I’m not sure any of it’ll ever get finished but at least I’m writing something :) I’ve also been messing around with the current day AU (election night is in 2016 instead of 2016; Will sticks his foot in his mouth and doesn’t fix it before the night is over -> trying to stick to any sort of news timeline is making my brain explode) and the Mac Memoir AU.

[paigeoforacle]

I read that post and if anything there should also be a discussion why the majority of those 90’s covers did take Barbara out of her wheelchair. I’m tired of being carried being seen as romantic and the chair being gone and never seen but implied. The artist and writers were able bodied and it is time we talk about how you can’t separate that. Like you see it in the issues were Babs go up on the trapeze or Babs goes sky diving, things that take her out of her chair and are made to seem romantic when to me it’s not.

Yeah, I totally see what you mean. It doesn't help that I'm pretty sure both of those instances you mentioned were written by infamous jerkface Chuck Dixon. I know for sure the trapeze bit was, but I can't remember if the skydiving was during or after Chuck's tenure.

That being said, I feel that if we had more romantic moments of her in the chair (I seem to remember one or two times she had dinner with someone, probably Ted, in the chair) to counteract the times she was out of the chair, or at least it was visible (say, after the trapeze bit she is put back in the chair) it would probably be fine?

Sorry if I was rambling, I just woke up and have twelve neurons firing, lol.

[verdigrisprowl]

June 16 Bevel’s Movie Night - The Greatest Showman & Steven Universe

Everyone agreed the main character was a jerk. However, circuses look fun.

Prowl left before Steven Universe.

Today ItsyBitsySpyers *Soundwave trudges in and parks himself. He's busy as anything catching up after his vacation, but he's here and ready to watch this thing.* Bevel Hey, Soundwave. *waves* ItsyBitsySpyers [[Good evening.]] Bevel Did you have fun on your vacation? ItsyBitsySpyers [[He enjoyed himself more than was expected.]] Bevel Aw, that is good. Did you talk to the Pahvans any? ItsyBitsySpyers [[No. He decided not to stay there. Staying might have brought them harm.]] VProwl *appears* Bevel Hey, Prowl. *waves* ItsyBitsySpyers *Greeting ping.* VProwl *... well, looks like there's only one option today, so takes his usual seat. a vague nod in bevel's general direction* *on to question #2: does he have to worry about soundwave telling—? no wait, she already knows. never mind, no problems here.* ItsyBitsySpyers *Soundwave nods to Prowl - with a small pause to cringe a little at that bad high note - and and settles in.* Ratchet *pops in* Bevel Where did you go after that, Soundwave? VProwl *oh never mind there's ratchet hi ratchet prowl's gonna go sit with ratchet sorry soundwave prowl's gone* Bevel ((Starting asap so get food and potty and all that if you need it Hi, Ratchet! Ratchet Hey! ItsyBitsySpyers *Oh. Well, that's not unusual for these nights. Still, he'd got his hopes up once Prowl sat down.*

[[To Risa. Ask your creator if you know nothing about it.]] VProwl *... RATCHET doesn't know. ratchet only ever caught the very beginning stages. all right, now prowl gets to be nervous.* ItsyBitsySpyers [[Good evening, Ratchet.]] Bevel I have never been there, but I know about Risa. Ratchet Evening, Soundwave. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Then you can be sure he had a tolerable time.]] *Soundwave perks.*

[[Music already?]] ItsyBitsySpyers *Ohhhh this is going to be a good night. Well, if he doesn't have to share the couch, he might as well stretch across it and fold one arm over his middle.* VProwl *Prowl must be tired. The shouty parts of the singing are hurting his audials.* Bevel *lays down on her stomach on the floor* ItsyBitsySpyers *Tilts his head. Was that not a real circus, then?* VProwl *Oh, so it wasn't just the one song, this is a singy movie.* *...... No dogs so far.* Bevel Rude. ItsyBitsySpyers *Really does not like the old human.* VProwl ... They could solve the problem by inviting /him/ into /their/ home. ItsyBitsySpyers [[The only way beings so obsessed with class and currency would dare is to have him work for them, as before.]] *Irritable puff.* VProwl *Okay, now he knows he's tired, the sheets are giving him a headache.* Bevel I like his little shadow machine. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Clever, clever human.]] VProwl Not talented at advertising, is he? ItsyBitsySpyers [[Doesn't seem to be, no.]] ItsyBitsySpyers [[He looks to have finally hit a kind of stride.]] VProwl He's collecting employees he can't yet pay, not customers. *there IS a dog.* ItsyBitsySpyers [[Yes, but at least there are people interested in being a part of it. Which is more than he had to start with.]] VProwl Hm. He knows what to do with negative press, at least. Bevel And they are doing really well too. That is a lot of people in the audience. ItsyBitsySpyers [[No doubt that old human would perish of shock if he saw.]] VProwl ... I can't help but get the sense that... if he were to write a propaganda movie about his own life to justify exploiting outcasts for profit, this is what it would sound like. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Perhaps he did.]] [[Is he still alive?]] Bevel All negotiations should include singing and dancing. VProwl Ugh. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Some of us would have an unfair advantage.]] VProwl I rather enjoy being able to get things done. Ratchet [[ is that MJ ]] Bevel ((Yes VProwl ... I haven't heard a laugh like that since before the Senate was murdered. Bevel It sounded really fake. ItsyBitsySpyers [[You do not sound pleased to hear one again.]] VProwl I'm neutral on it. VProwl Now /she's/ being hoodwinked. The real answer is "because you happened to be here when I was." ItsyBitsySpyers *Suspicious.* [[Is he infatuated with her. Is that what that is.]] [[....And now he leaves them in the cold.]] VProwl Mm-hmm. Bevel Boo. Ratchet He really called them that. VProwl He certainly did. ItsyBitsySpyers *Shaking his head.* [[Vile. He hopes they will all choose to burn their employment contracts.]] [[And the young one is a coward.]] Bevel At least he wanted to put them in the box instead of the standing room. ItsyBitsySpyers [[At least he wanted that, yes.]] VProwl Or unionize. Bevel Unionize! VProwl I heard that's a thing humans do. They could make more money for being called names by their boss. ItsyBitsySpyers [[...Why is he not following his companion and his offspring.]] Bevel *scowls* ItsyBitsySpyers *Angry buzzing.* VProwl ... I'm leaning back toward quitting. Quit and start their own circus. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Agreed.]] Bevel Yeah. Bevel All these parents are awful. VProwl All of these people, in general, are awful. Bevel *nods* VProwl I'm fairly certain the outcasts only aren't awful because they have yet to be afforded the rank and wealth to permit them to be so. The main character started off approximately as low as them and became awful the instant he was rich enough to be so. I think it's a running theme. Bevel I hope not. VProwl The sole exception appears to be his wife, who married him despite his rank; but she's hardly had any opportunity to do anything this movie except interact with him. Bevel *bad father on top of everything else, least favorite character forever* ItsyBitsySpyers [[Two credits on leaving his wife for the opera singer. He has abandoned everything and everyone else that supported him and gave him the opportunity he values.]] Bevel Noooooo. That would be the worst ending ever 😔 VProwl Hm. The moment after the opera singer pointed out that those born into privilege don't know what it's like to be born without it, he threw that concept into his wife's face. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Hmm.]] VProwl ... Why's SHE quitting? Did she find him THAT appealing after one party in the queen's presence? Is—is he supposed to be an appealing person? ItsyBitsySpyers [[Not in the slightest.]]

[[...Oh, Primus.]] Bevel He said he was leaving. VProwl Well. He deserved it. THEY didn't, though. ItsyBitsySpyers [[...Do not tell him the one semi-respectable human employer in this whole affair is--]] Bevel Aw no. VProwl The opera singer, though—just—decided to—casually endanger his reputation and family life in public, because he invited her across the ocean to sing and she was disappointed that "sing" wasn't code for "fuck"? What sense does that make. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Vindictiveness.]] VProwl It's ludicrous. Ratchet It is ironic that the one decent decision he made brought him to ruin. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Presenting them as equals? Hm. He certainly doesn't /treat/ them as such.]] VProwl He is an actor. VProwl If they want their home back, why rally around him for it? I still say they should go start their own circus. Bevel Yeah. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Still agreed.]] [[Himself?]] Bevel I think he means his family? VProwl If they think they need his name and face attached to it to make it work, then THEY can HIRE him to perform for them. Bevel Ha! He does not have any money, so I bet he will need them more than they need him. ItsyBitsySpyers [[...He led them on and ran away on a train?]] VProwl He's got a questionable reputation attached to a recent scandal. THEY'VE got an act. I think he's tracking down his family. Bevel He is! ItsyBitsySpyers [[Easier to transport, less expensive if burned. Not unwise.]] VProwl THAT much fabric? *yknow. the movie's almost over. the loud notes are still hard to listen to.* Bevel *sorry, Prowl* VProwl *well. he could be sleeping better.* VProwl ((... how do you park an elephant)) ItsyBitsySpyers ((any which way you want)) VProwl ((I GUESS)) ItsyBitsySpyers [[Stop singing at the ballet recital. How rude.]] Bevel ((excuse my police, but this guy just double parked his elephant in front of my carriage, can you tow it? VProwl ((*handcuffs its trunk*)) Bevel ((lol ItsyBitsySpyers [[Well. That was an interesting look into human entertainment history.]] Bevel Do they still have circuses on Earth? VProwl There's a circus on my Cybertron. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Oh, yes. They d-- what?]] *Snap attention.* [[Where? When?]] Bevel There is? *sits up excitedly* Ratchet [[ didn't the barnum circus officially shut down a couple years ago ]] VProwl Outside of Iacon. I think it's continuously going. One of the performers owns a bar in Metroplex. Bevel ((last year I think Ratchet [[ i saw it once as a kid, i don't remember much from it though except for the tent and discovering i don't like the big bread pretzels ]] Bevel ((same... also i remember loving the trapeze artists ItsyBitsySpyers ((it closed last year yeah)) VProwl *oh, nope, Prowl isn't staying for this show.* I should head out. Evening. Ratchet Seeya, Prowl. Bevel Night, Prowl. ItsyBitsySpyers [[Goodnight, Prowl.]] [[He should be on his way as well. He is very behind still, and there are things he must check on.]] *Maybe including that circus.* VProwl *disappears* Bevel Aw, ok, Soundwave. ItsyBitsySpyers *Nods, rises, and heads on his way.* Bevel ((i legit forgot she threw herself out of the van like that omg VProwl ((that's one of the most important moments in the show)) Bevel ((this is probably the episode when everything really changed VProwl ((i'd agree with that)) Bevel ((you got hints of things before this and some weird, funky stuff happening, but that reveal was just so big. I'm still sad I was spoiled on it before I started watching the show Bevel (("ok. bye." lol Bevel ((ok, that is all I have to show tonight, thanks everyone for coming VProwl ((gnight~))

[secondgenerationnerd]

One Fell Swoop

Author’s note: Ya know, there’s been lots of happiness in my fics lately. I need to fix that. Lol

Word count: 1616

Rating: M for trauma

Dick Grayson looks at himself in the full length, already imagining his family’s jokes about the unitard. He chuckles when he hears his daughter make a choking noise behind him.

         “Do you really have to wear that?” She asks, groaning. Dick laughs.

         “Trust me, Starshine, I’m not thrilled seeing you in that either.”

         Dick had gotten a call form Max Halley, the grandson of the ring master from Halley’s circus, three weeks ago. The Circus was coming to Gotham and they wanted to know if he would be interested in doing a comeback performance of the Flying Graysons. Mar’i had been in the room and begged him to say yes. He’d agreed only if she would do it with him.

         Dick will say this, as he watches Mar’i pull her hair into a tight bun, if nothing else comes out of this experience, he’s at least had more time to spend with his daughter. Mar’i has been a trooper the last few weeks. Trapeze work is different that her dancing, but she adapted as quickly as she could. Mar’i and Dick had gone with the colors of the Robin uniform for their costumes. Mar’i’s costume is a pair of red tights and a tight green crop top. Dick has a one-piece suit with opposite coloring. He takes the ribbon from her make up table. He wraps it around her bun, like he’s done a million times for her dance recitals.

         “Dad,” Mar’i looks at him.

         “Yes, Starshine?”

         “I, uh, I wanted to talk to about something…” She seems nervous.

         “What is it?”

         “well…Tonight, I don’t want to use my powers. Like at all. I don’t want them as an option.”

         “…You lost me, kiddo…” He sits down in front of her. She holds up a bracelet. He recognizes its design. The West twins had made it for her, so she could deactivate her powers when they acted up.

         “Tonight, when we’re performing, I want to experience being a trapeze artist the way you, Grandma Mary, and Grandpa John did. I want to rely on my skill. Not my powers. And…This is the best way I feel like I can…”

         Dick smiles and takes his daughter’s hands,” Have I told you how much I love you, Star?”

         Mar’i laughs, slipping the bracelet on,” Every day, Dad.”

         “It’s not enough.” He kisses her forehead,” I love you, Mar’i.”

         “I love you too, Dad.” They stand, and Dick pulls her into a hug. Most 16-year olds would groan and push away. Mar’i hugs him back, tightly. Dick smiles. If her powers had been activated, she would have broken his spine. But instead, he just feels her hug him. Like it might be the last time.

         “Well,” He smiles at her,” Let’s go show them what it means to be a Grayson.”

         “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!” Max Halley booms. Dick chuckles. Somethings never change. Like the blinding lights. The roar of the crowd. The firmness of the trapeze in his hands. The way the rest of the world just fades away. Though somethings have changed. He looks across the way. Mar’i stands where his parents once had, smiling at him the way they had,” THE HALLEY’S INTERNATIONAL TRAVELING CIRCUS PROUDLY PRESENTS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME ENCORE PERFORMACE! THE FLYING GRAYSONS!”

         The spotlights are on them and the fun begins. Dick swings out first, flipping onto the second trapeze Mar’i swings to him. He uses his legs to hold himself upside down and reaches for Mar’i. She leaps forward, grabbing one of his hands with both of hers. She twists in the air, Dick knowing it’s part of the routine. As they continue their act, both are aware of their family and friends below. All of them in awe. They had kept the act a secret. Even the part of there not being a net.

         Everything is perfect. Then it’s not.

         One of their final tricks is supposed to go like this: They would trade trapezes, doing two flips in the air. In the time it would take for them to swing back to each other, Mar’i would have done several flips over her trapeze. She would swing over it one more time. Reach for her father’s hands and they would land safely on the other side.

         They start it well enough. So far, the whole act has been perfect. Then the worst thing that could happen does. As Mar’i swings over the bar, bringing her feet up to push off it, it snaps. Mar’i and Dick share a look of surprise. Time slows down. She reaches for him. He stretches his arms out as much as he can, desperate to save her. Her fingertips brush against his. A single word escapes her lips,” Dad?”

         Then she falls. He watches it happen. Watches her claw at nothing, twisting around. No one tries to help. Most of them know she has powers. No one knows about the bracelets. It’s not until she hits the ground that someone screams.

         “MARRRR’IIIII!!!” It’s from Dick. He swings to the platform and is climbing down as fast as he can. Mar’i lays on her back, legs bent at strange angles, hair falling from the bun. The green ribbon he had tied in her hair, not an hour ago, starts to turn red. Her eyes are closed,” Mar’i… Baby? Please, please wake up.”

         “MAR’I!” Other people are arriving. Their family. Her friends. Dick leans over her, wanting to protect his little girl. He hears her take a shaky breath.

         “Mar’i?” He looks at Bruce,” Call 911- “

         “Dick- “

         “CALL 911, DAMN IT!” He shouts. Mar’i’s eyes fly open. She gasps for air. Dick grabs her hand, others holding her body down,” Starshine, don’t move. You might have hurt your spine. Stay still.”

         “Da-Da-Daddy!” Thick tears roll down her cheeks,” It hurts!”

         “I know, Star, I know.” He squeezes her hand.

         “I-I-I c-c-can’t fee-f-feel my l-l-l-l-legs!” Dick’s heart sinks. Mar’i cries more. Dick holds her hand tight.

         “Mar’i, say yes or no. Can you feel my hand?”

         “Y-Yes.”

         “Focus on that, baby. EMTs are on the way. You just focus on my hand ok?” Dick fights tears of his own. He stays strong for her. He doesn’t let her see him cry as they wait. Doesn’t let her see them as the paramedics get her into the ambulance or the drive to the hospital. When the doctors take her back for surgery, he lets them know about the bracelet and what will happen if they take it off. He says all of this without them so much as breathing.

         His family watches with him as they take her away. And they watch as his legs give out he collapses on the ground.

         Mar’i makes it through the surgery well. They remove her bracelet after fixing what they need to. Her accelerated healing kicked in and they’ve been observing her the last two days. She hasn’t woken up yet. Dick hasn’t left her side in all that time.

         “Mmmm, dad?” Mar’i’s eyes flutter open. Dick’s head jerks up.

         “Starshine?” His eyes readjust.

         “You need to shave,” She gives him the famous Grayson half smile. Her midnight curls are messy around her face. Her tan skin pale. But she’s alive. He’s out of his chair, holding her face and clutching her hand.

         “Oh, Starshine. Baby,” he looks at her with love,” How do you feel?”

         “Sore.” She winces. He remembers what the doctor said to have her do when she first wakes up.

         “Can you wiggle your toes for me, sweet girl?” He moves the blankets off her feet. She wiggles her toes and ankles. They both smile,” that’s my girl.”

         “Where’s everyone else?”

         “The twins and Lian are in Central City, handling Captain Cold and Heatwave. The family is at home, waiting for me to call with any updates. I told Jon to go home about an hour ago so he’s probably in the waiting room,” Mar’i smiles at that.

         “You stayed?”

         “Of course, I did. You’re my baby girl.” Mar’i squeezes his hand, softly. Dick sits on her bed, looking at her like she’ll disappear if he stops.

         “Something on your mind, Daddy-o?” He chuckles at that.

         “Mar’i, I thought I lost you.”

         “Takes more than a fall to hurt me.” She says with a cocky grin he doesn’t believe. He tears up again,” Daddy?”

         “I thought I lost you…” His voice breaks,” I thought God took you away from me. Like my parents. Like your mother. I saw you fall and I could only-only think ‘Not her too.’”

         “Dad- “

         He shakes his head,” Mar’i, I-I cannot lose you.”

         “You won’t.”

         “I almost did. And I can’t lose you. I can lose my job. I can lose my position as a hero. I can lose the apartment or anything else. But you-you, I can’t lose you. You are everything to me.” Mar’i has tears rolling down her cheeks,” From the day, I first saw you, you stole my heart. Every single day, I have watched you grow and learn and just…you have become such a light in my life. My beautiful star.”

         “Daddy,” Dick wipes her eyes,” I’m sorry…I never should- “

         “Hey, you didn’t do anything wrong. It was an accident. All that matters, the only thing that matters to me, is the fact that you are awake and talking to me.” Mar’i scots over in bed. Dick understands. He lays next to her, one arm around her shoulders. Mar’i rests her head on his shoulder.

         “I love you, Dad.”

         “I love you too, Star. So, so much.” He kisses the top of her head. He holds her and thanks God that he still can.