#avoided with like a very simple conversation or she could have just not written a novel length false confession about murdering a child

[nick-eyre]

Tell us about the colleen hoover book that you rated as 1 star

Okay so the book was v/erity and I read it because a cute girl told me it was really good and I wanted to talk to her again but it was a mistake!

Its basically just hetero smut pretending to be a mystery thriller (no shame in liking that but I personally prefer less blowjobs more murder) + the ‘twists’ are so stupid and there so much lost opportunity! Idk how to even talk about it just 0/5

I never saw that girl again but its probably for the best because I don’t like your book taste is not a great conversation starter

[ivysprophecy]

slim pickins

warnings; bad date? mentions of sex, cursing underage drinking and yes i meant for it to be written poorly i was trying to keep the humor of the album in the writing

masterlist | p. 2

no pressure tags; @murdockcastleslut @kimoralov3 @arkofblake

word count; 1911

summary; youre tired of not finding a decent guy who will treat you right and lay you right. at least not one you've known since you were kids. however you just cant help yourself. besides its slim pickins out here you take what you can get.

divider by @bernardsbendystraws

i wanna make one thing clear, when i say there are no good guys left i do not wanna hear about you and your boyfriend of three years that can cook and loves your mom.

thats exactly what im talking about maddie!!! i dont give two fucks that he took you to barnes and noble and bought you every book you wanted.

they are all taken. its plain and simple.

which is why even with a full roster, im stuck taking fucking zander, yes with a z, to my friends' kegger.

i mean yea hes cute. hes tall, built but not that gross kind of muscly. but if were being real i shouldve known better when he was joking about being a male stripper when hes a ginger.

and i can tell kie is judging me, rightfully so. her side eye is lethal. when i introduced him to everyone she asked him about his greta van fleet tee and he said he didn't even know it was a band.

needless to say pope had to drag her away.

after that incident i decided it was best if we tried to talk away from the rest of the group. boy was i wrong.

"so what do you like to drink? ill go grab us something," i offer trying to start the conversation, also avoiding the usual problem with taking a drink from men.

"im good with whatever"

i like to think im not a violent person, but im about to be.

"does a beer sound okay?" i ask him grabbing a twisted tea for me from the cooler.

"sure thing." god why is he acting like such a bitch? i should ask him if he's on his period.

i hand him the can, our fingers brush and its my final clue for the night that i am definitely not going home with him. no spark at all. hes done just about everything else to piss me off.

he did the thing where he licks his lips exaggeratingly looking me up and down, making a point to make sure i saw.

he walks so slow for being 6'3.

and finally he tried to mansplain my career to me. i'd had just enough when he opens his mouth again

"ew, you like twisted tea? who likes sweet tea?" his face contorted in disgust, it was about to contort from my fist breaking his goddamn nose if he keeps talking to me like this.

"we literally live in the south dude." my face could not make it any clearer i am so done with this guy.

"still, sweet tea is disgusting. im not kissing anyone that drinks that nasty shit."

"who said i wanted to kiss your nasty fucking mou-" i was interrupted by the sound of a very familiar giggle behind me as his arm wrapped around my shoulder, the smell of his deodorant and sea salt that cover his skin start to put you at ease.

jj was always there when you needed him, sometimes even when you didnt but right now you couldn't be more grateful. "im glad you found those mama i got em just for you. remembered theyre your favorite. right?"

and you wanna know the best part? zander is shaking already pissed off that jj is at my side. territorial i guess.

"you mind?" he asks him nodding his head at me like im not even there.

jj cant help but laugh at him "yea bud i do mind. she's hanging out with me tonight. have fun with your ipa dick." and with that he steers us off to where the rest of the pogues are.

but not before i can look over my shoulder and give the ginger an innocent smile and a shrug as if i had no control over the situation, when really id pick jj over anyone else.

"you owe me a big fat kiss mama," jj whispers in my ear walking us over to where our friends are standing, drinks in their hands laughing and chatting up a storm.

"in your dreams honey."

"every night all night," he quips back before i shove him off me.

now before you give me shit, jj and i have had our fair share of fun, but unfortunately im starting to look for something more serious.

watching john b and sarah be disgusting together is getting to my head. popes got something going on with cleo and im starting to recognize the pattern. and before i know it everyone will be in love if i don't start making an effort in that department.

random casual hook ups aren't doing it anymore, especially considering they aren't even that good.

unless theyre with jj.

but hes not an option, theres too much drama. too much history. too much too much too much. im not what he needs and i know for a fact he doesn't want me in that sense.

is that a bit dramatic? probably.

i mean hes a great lay, he's hilarious, he's got that blue collar kind of muscle, and he genuinely cares about me.

so of course im not going to date him, why would i?

what do you mean make good decisions? id rather do things in the most difficult way possible!

"y/n youve gotta stop giving those guys a chance, im starting to feel bad for you."

"you try finding a decent guy in a ten mile radius." i glare at him, obviously not wanting to joke about this right now.

he sticks his hand out in front of me, "fine i will. let me see your phone."

curious to see what he will do i hand it too him unlocked, he swipes and taps for a few moments, smiling down at the phone before handing it back to you.

when you look back down at the screen all you see is your instagram open with his stupid fucking smiley face on the screen.

he took a picture of himself and posted to my story. written on the screen in bubble letters in my favorite colored heart 'my favorite guy <3'

"i think he's your best bet." that same smile facing back at me now, cockier than ever. so smug i wanna kiss it off his face

i cant help but roll my eyes. "jj im serious! at this rate im going to die alone. every decent guy is taken or unavailable. all i want is someone funny, kind, and attractive is that too much to ask for?"

"im right in front of you mama you dont gotta look far."

"jj we both know we're not the serious kind of relationship im talking about."

"you can think what you want too but ill be here waiting for that kiss you owe me."

"i think all that tequila youve been sipping has gone to your head maybank."

he stands in front of me, taking his signature red cap off his head and putting it on mine smiling down at me, "what do they say in those books you read? you wear the hat you ride the cowboy?"

"this no ten gallon hat and you are no cowboy."

we laugh at each other, its always been easier to do that then actually talk about our feelings. so i put his hat back on his head, backwards the way he i likes it.

"cmon y/n/n, have a few more drinks, relax and hang out and ill make you feel all better later yea? its what im best at, you know."

"its gonna take more than a few more teas to convince me jj"

"what about that thing you like that i do with my tongue, huh mama? doesnt that sound pretty good right now? i think it does."

"i give you one fucking compliment and it goes straight to your head."

"technically its about my head so that makes perfect sense," he hands me another can with that stupid signature smirk of his and his stupid sexy hat backwards. i hate to admit it's working on me.

just like it does every other time.

i squint my eyes at him taking the can, rolling the idea around in my head. "fuck it. its not like anyone else is offering," i take a big sip of my drink.

jj pumps his fist in the air like a victorious idiot giving a few woots and hollars before picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder despite my wishes.

"jb!!" he shouts turning around to face him, "we're headed out!"

john b looks at the two of us shaking his head at how im kicking my feet to wiggle out of jjs oddly strong grip. "make sure you change the sheets when youre done!"

oh my god he did not just say that. "fuck both of you!"

jj just laughs carrying you back to the chateau like a kid who's excited to use a brand new birthday present.

"what happened to letting me have a few more drinks before we left??"

"youre just too irresistable mama, gotta have you now,' he gives my ass a light slap for good measure causing me to roll my eyes for the 600th time tonight.

"are you gonna put me down now?"

he pretends to look like hes thinking about it, "i guess. only so i can watch you walk away," he does as he says helping me get my feet on the ground.

"youre a pervert."

"no im flirtatious, and you love it, you know it makes you blush i see it. now go on and give me a lil walk yea?"

oh im gonna kill him...

oh wait! im gonna kill him!

"okay... fine. but no touching until we get home," i smile walking away exactly like he asked, but i know behind me he is a puddle of mud. standing still, about to start begging me to let him.

he finally catches up after a few seconds "mama please- cmon thats not fair. you look too good in those shorts you know i cant wait that long. just wanna feel you."

i cant help but giggle at his words, its honestly adorable how mopey he gets. like i just kicked his puppy or something.

"hands of jj i mean it... not until that door shuts behind us."

it didn't really matter that i can see the chateau or that ill be there in literally a minute.

its actually painful for jj to not be able to touch me as he pleases.

i turn around to face him with a cheeky smile. "you want me maybank?"

and of course he nods so hard it looks like his head is going to fall right off.

"come and get me," running towards the house, i can see the moment when his reflexes kick in, his boots thudding against the ground as he gains on me.

just before i can make it to the poarch jj wraps his arms around me, lifting me a few inches off the ground and spinning me around in a fit of laughter.

"okay! okay okay okay you win- you got me."

"oh ive got you mama, and im havin you for the rest of the fucking night," he presses a kiss to my neck hauling me inside, the screen door slamming shut after us.

am i gonna regret this tomorrow? most likely.

but what can i say? its slim pickins in this part of town.

[a-simple-imagine]

Too Cute to be Angry

Synopsis: A night spent talking to politicians and alt right superheroes is enough to drive anyone crazy but it's sister sage that puts you over the edge

Pairing: Victoria Neuman x fem!supe!reader (feline shifter)

Words: 3k+

A/N - self ingulgent little cat girl fic with my favourite supe written entirely for myself :)

WARNINGS - swearing, brief mention of murder and homophobia

Victoria Neuman was the busiest woman you know. if she wasn't spending her days in meetings or on Zoom calls, she was attending interviews or making speeches. she was a very driven woman. had big goals. ones you could hardly even fathom but not from lack of trying. you wanted to be part of her world but at the same time, it was so difficult to comprehend. it's not as simple as black and white. the people she surrounded herself with weren't always the best and for the most part, it's clear she tries to keep you out of it. possibly some misguided attempt to protect you.

it was a rare afternoon that was cleared just for you. nobody else around. no work calls or meetings. just the two of you sharing a quiet moment. laying on the couch with your head in her lap.A delicate hand scratches behind the feline ears that live upon your head. it feels good; and calming.a sluggish but continuous rhythm that was drawing you to drowsiness. She wouldn't mind. it wouldn't be the first time nor the last that you fell asleep on her.

"babe,"

"yeah?"

"how would you feel about going out tonight?" the answer was no. it was always going to be no. you were too content with a quiet evening to suddenly have plans thrust upon you.

"Where?" you question anyway and her hand slows.

"Tek knights." a mumbled answer that your ears pick up loud and clear. she couldn't be serious right now. there is absolutely zero reason why she would be going to see Tek Knight for anything but business and she already promised you no business tonight. it was just gonna be the two of you.

"Are you... serious?"

"some fancy party."

"no," replied snappily. "dude is creepy."

"When have you ever met tek knight?"

"once actually," you state, moving yourself up to look at her. "and he was fucking weird- asked inappropriate questions about my tail." you swish your tail, gently grazing it against her cheek.

"Well, you can just avoid him all night," Victoria insists, shoving your tail away. "I'd really like you to come."

"no thank you, can you go back to scratching behind my ears now." you lay back down.

"no,"

a heavy sigh. "Victoria," whined softly, as you nuzzled into her lap. you're tempted to gently bite her thigh but you don't. that would not help your case right now. "please?"

"if you agree to come I'll give you all the ear scratches you want."

"that's not fair."

"I need a buffer for when I can't take it anymore and that's you," she gives your side a firm pat. "I got you something pretty to wear."

"how pretty," mumbled against her legs.

"very," that meant expensive. you groan, stretching your arms and legs before sitting up. she raises a curious brow that makes you roll your eyes. She wasn't going to let this go.

"fine but you owe me," she places her hand on your head, ruffling your hair, making sure to get behind the ears. you naturally lean into her touch. this was gonna be a very long night.

Tek Knight lives in a mansion. like an actual massive mansion that's old and creepy but also kind of cool. gothic in nature and not an ounce of homeliness to its name. Victoria annoyingly leaves you alone pretty quickly and you're forced to find your own source of amusement. music plays as background noise and there really isn't anything to do here other than touch ornaments or talk with Republicans. She didn't tell you this was gonna be a party filled with right-wing nuts but here you are anyway. conversing with old white men about reproductive rights and how gay people are fine but need to stop shoving their lifestyle down Americans' throats. you observe the party from the corner of the room. helping yourself to the hors d'oeuvres as trays rush by. It's always a wonder why they don't just have actual food at these events or at least something a little less fancy. something actually tasty.

"you're Neuman's girl, right?" it's not inherently wrong so you allow the nickname especially when you realise who it comes from. she has never tried to hide your relationship but she hardly advertised it either. can't scare off the voters or whatever. you don't mind. you're not exactly in a rush to be hounded by the general public. Homelander stands beside you; strong and tall in his red, white and blue super suit. You've never been next to such a powerful supe before excluding Neuman. he was intimidating in real life.

"homelander," you declare obviously. you're not sure what else to say here. Victoria speaks about him a lot. he's also in the news all the time. you very recently watched him on TV. "I saw your trial," blurted out before you thought of the consequences. he probably didn't like to talk about him murdering a man.

"so you saw that I was found innocent,"

you nod a little. he'd been found not guilty despite the overwhelming evidence which was kind of insane but also expected. "Vicky says you should have been locked up," you agreed.

"and what do you think?" he turns his whole body towards you and you do the same. such intense eyes it's almost like he's looking right through you. you may be a supe but you were hardly on his level. Victoria says he's kinda unstable these days and anything can set him off so you try to think of something safe to say.

"I think... your eyes are really fucking blue- no wonder fascists love you," he smiles. you don't know if it's amusement or menacing but surely he understands you're joking. and if not, he likely won't attack at this fancy little party.

"calm down, I'm not going to hurt you."

"What makes you think I'm worried." he wasn't a mind reader that you knew for sure.

"your heartbeat," he replies. "but mostly the ears," the blonde points to the cat ears on the top of your head. "anyone else would call it cute," and with that, he walks away. he was a... confusing man. even from that short interaction, you can tell he can be elusive. alone once more you decide to go in search of a drink but it isn't long before Victoria is at your side.

"hi baby," you're happy to see her. you hope it means you can go home soon.

"hey,"

"What did he want?"

"Who? homelander?" why did she care? "just chatting about his trial and how cute I am."

"how cute you are?" she repeats back slowly.

"Hmm it's no surprise- everyone is obsessed with me so."

"you are adorable,"

a very bright exaggerated smile, showing your canines before your face immediately falls. "can we go yet?"

"you promised you'd hold out a couple of hours," and it was starting to feel like a lifetime.

"and I have," you groan dramatically.

"It's barely been an hour,"

"y'know, I literally got told women have too many rights," you reply. "too. many. rights- what does that even mean?"

Victoria sighs softly. "I know they can be... opinionated but just suck it up for me okay? it'll be over before you know it,"

"I wanna go now,"

"I know," she runs a gentle hand along your back. "but this is important."

"why is it so important?"

"I- I can't tell you that right now," Victoria replies. She never told you anything. it was always just important calls or important meetings or important parties. it made you want to roll your eyes. "just please behave for me," you put on a pout. "and I'll take you to the nice restaurant with the fancy cakes you love,"

"Really?" said cautiously. when in doubt she'll bribe you. not because she doubts you'll do it for free but rather as an insurance policy. better safe than sorry.

"Always so easy," she chuckles. "you gotta work on keeping your ears in check. perked right up when I said that,"

you frown a little, reaching up to cover your ears with your hands. "stupid ears."

"It's cute," she hums softly, a kiss placed against your temple.

"I hate you," said sharply.

"Just... mingle or something." Victoria pats your shoulder before leaving you alone again. you follow her with your eyes as she walks up to some old man. you decide to go for a walk and find that drink you were after.

"you arrived with Neuman," stated matter of factly. sister sage walks up from behind you. you cover your mouth as you finish the little pastry you stole off a tray.

"Sister Sage," mumbled through a mouthful before you swallowed. "newest member of the seven- I heard you're like the smartest woman ever."

"smartest person," she corrected.

"smartest person," you repeat. "what's someone so smart doing in a place like this?"

"we're surrounded by some of the most powerful people in the United States of America right now," Sage explains. you know on some level that should mean something to you but you hardly feel excited or proud. quite the opposite. you were in a room with some of the worst people in the United States of America. Almost all of them are against the very things you are.

"but not the nicest," you grab a champagne flute as it passes by, taking a long-needed sip of bubbly liquid.

"nice only gets you so far," she continues. "you're probably the nicest person here but also the least important."

wow. okay. rude. "I wouldn't call myself the least important."

"I would," she replies. "even the waiters are of more value right now. you're just Neuman's basically pet, cute but useless."

you're not sure what to say to that. is that why Victoria never shared anything with you? didn't think you were important? just a pet to be paraded about like some cute little mascot in her parade for power? "I'm not her pet."

"how do your ears and tail work? they're biological right?" the question catches you a little off guard. such a change.

"uhhhh shouldn't the smartest person alive be able to figure that out?"

"you're a shifter but only into a feline," her eyes trail over you like this was some sort of interview or examination. "do you keep the ears for aesthetic purposes? surely, you can get rid of the cat ears and tail."

"you'd think," you shrug. "but no, I'm cursed to be every nerdy incels wet fantasy." the cat ears and tail were considered cute by many, disgusting by others and a fetish by too many. for a long time, vought used you in a lot of advertisements and commercials until you quit. you still occasionally do some ads and stuff for extra cash. Not often do people see a real-life cat girl. a hand snakes across your back and you instinctively jerk away before realising it's Victoria. "hey,"

"Can we talk?" she wears the fakest smile ever.

"hmm," sage hums. you quirk your brow.

"What?"

"Nothing," she insists. "you have the exact dynamic I would expect. don't mind me." you'd ask what she meant but she is already walking away and Victoria is leading you in the opposite direction.

"what's up?" you wonder.

"I don't want you talking to sister sage."

"why?".

"Can you listen to me for once?"

"for once?" all you do is listen to her. this whole night was for her. "I'm here listening to old men tell me I deserve to go to hell for you. this is worse than that political banquet where that man followed me around the whole night and kept trying to pet me." you huff.

"you don't think I haven't thought about popping my own head every time one of these rich idiots tries to talk to me about reproductive health?" her voice is quiet but stern. she's trying not to cause a scene. "but I put up with it so just suck up. it's important."

"oh really? never would have guessed." you roll your eyes. "I'll just go sit in the corner and stare at the wall since I'm not important enough."

"That's not what I said,"

"no I get it, don't worry," you force a smile and brush past her. "I'll be a good kitty."

it's a quiet ride home. silent even. staring out the window as bright lights zoom past. you can hear Victoria chatting on the phone. much too busy to take note of your angry brow or vacant stare. you're angry at her. Sage's words weren't helping either. playing over and over in your mind. cute but useless. you couldn't necessarily disagree. Even Vought just wanted you because of how you looked. sure you had enhanced strength and senses but that was only compared to humans. there were plenty of much stronger supes. there were even more useful shifters. you just became a cat. agile. sneaky. but ultimately just a common house pet.

"Are you gonna pout all night?" Victoria eventually asks as you pull up outside her home. it pissed you off more.

"I'm sorry, I thought I wasn't allowed to speak." replies sharply as you exit the vehicle; a quick slam of the door. you hear her get out the other side and follow behind.

"I didn't say you couldn't speak,"

"semantics," you huff back. maybe she didn't say you couldn't talk but she did try to control every conversation. who you could and couldn't speak to. always checking in to make sure you weren't saying the wrong thing. "I don't feel like talking."

"We need to."

you just ignore her. That was much better than an argument right now. all you wanted was a hot shower and to go to bed. As soon as you get inside, you march upstairs. She doesn't follow, instead heading towards the kitchen.

the hot water was a welcomed distraction from your otherwise terrible evening. it was supposed to just be about you too and she just couldn't help but make it all about herself. propping herself up to important people. sneaking off for private meetings that you weren't allowed to attend. you go to bed alone. she was probably downstairs working like always. you don't know how long it is before she joins you.

"you have to talk to me eventually," Victoria hums. "can't sulk in your other form forever."

whenever you fought you liked to shift. being a cat was simpler. nobody had any expectations for cats. it was like the perfect excuse to not have difficult conversations. She couldn't understand you after all but you could understand her. loud and clear. "just tell me what's wrong."

you stretch out. fluffy kitty paws morph into human hands and legs sprawled out in the darkness. you sigh softly following on to your back. Victoria is sitting on the edge, looking down at you. "I'm not your pet," growled quietly.

"I never said you were,"

"that's all anyone sees me as," you reply. "Neuman's girl. neuman's pet. cute but useless/ that's what sage said."

"that is why I didn't want you talking to her," she replies.

"but she's right," you express. "you don't treat me like we're equals. you hide stuff from me. tell me it's too important and I won't understand. I'm not a fucking child or your silly little house cat, Victoria."

"Baby," a gentle hand moves to your arm but you shake her off. Moving onto your side and away from her.

"don't."

"Okay," she retracts her hands slowly. there's a moment of silence before she continues. "I don't see you as a child or some silly cat."

"Sure you do,"

"I don't," she insists. "I'm a politician there are some things I just can't share with you-"

"but you don't tell me anything," you interrupt

"but I admit I could share with you more," she proceeds with. "I just... I try to keep you out of all that bullshit. not because I think you're stupid or useless but because it's just easier. I don't want them tearing you down to get to me,"

"But I'm willing to take it,"

"you shouldn't have to. I don't want that for you- for us." she urges. "Sage can say whatever she wants but I don't believe those things about you. You're smart, beautiful and adorable sure but you're not useless. I'm so lucky to have someone as caring and wonderful as you."

"gross," said playfully after a moment. a small smile tugs at your lips though. "Victoria?"

"mhmm?"

"I'm sorry for acting like a spoilt brat tonight,"

"I'm sorry I made you spend an evening with all those awful people," you chuckle lightly as you roll over to look at her. they really were awful people. and maybe you weren't one of the most important people in America but you were a good person. a nice person. and that was much more interesting.

"World's worst and most boring party," you voice. "how did your private meeting go?"

she hesitates. probably a debate on whether to tell you or not. "...pretty well I think."

"Vice President Neuman has a nice ring to it," you tease. smiling up at her in the darkness. a strip of moonlight crosses her face. twinkling in her pretty eyes. it was a wild thought. one day soon you could be dating the vice president of America.

"how do you feel knowing you'll be the second lady?"

"oooh so official. so important."

"you're already so important,"

"to you maybe." you huff.

"does anyone else matter?"

"you of all people saying that is crazy," you semi-tease. it was kinda true. she cared a lot about her image. about how the world saw her. "let's just go to sleep."

Victoria doesn't answer but she does lie down, shuffling up behind you. there's a slight hesitation like she's not sure if you've truly forgiven her. you move closer to her, resting your head against her chest. listening to the way her heart thumped in her chest "night."

"good night," you hum softly as you let your eyes flutter closed. "I'm gonna get so many fancy cakes tomorrow."

[amazinglyegg]

a bit of an angsty ask-- could you do companions react to sole having a panic attack?

Of course! Angsty prompts are my favorite <3

Companions react: Sole having a panic attack

Includes: Cait, Curie, Codsworth, Danse, Deacon, Gage, Hancock, Maccready, Maxson, Nick, Piper, Preston, and X6

Cait: 

As long as she’s known Sole for more than a few days she’ll be pretty decent at comfort

She gets it. Panic attacks suck. All she can do is try to make it less-sucky.

Won’t get all sappy or dramatic but will just sit with Sole somewhere and remind them that they’re alright

She also won’t let it overstay it’s welcome either, if that makes sense.

Once the panic attack is over and Sole’s willing to continue Cait will just get up and go along with her day, not bringing extra attention to what happened or trying to talk about it or anything

Curie:

Catch her re-reading (or even writing) notes while Sole’s panicking

Obviously Sole’s comfort is top priority but Curie doesn’t remember everything she’s supposed to do! She’s gotta read up on it!

“Think about something nice… like a field of flowers, or a puppy!”

She's very empathetic so she might end up crying a bit alongside Sole, and will probably tell Sole to just ignore her and focus on themself

Great at talking through emotions with! She'll never judge Sole for what they're feeling, even if it's "irrational" or "dramatic". Emotions are confusing, she gets it!

Codsworth:

Codsworth will do whatever he can to make up for his lack of ability to give physical comfort

Blankets, drinks, distractions via books or games, more blankets…

A lot of verbal comfort as well, but he might gear towards gentle jokes or stories rather than traditional comfort

He will mother-hen Sole for a while, even after the panic attack is over. Acts of service is his love language and he really wants Sole to know how much he loves them!

Might stress-clean afterwards, he’s just really worried about Sole and has a bit of abandonment issues he's gotta work through

Danse:

Surprisingly he’s not terrible at helping!

Gets Sole away from the situation, gives them some water, asks simple yes/no questions, etc. etc.

You can kind of tell he has a mental checklist going on and once he exhausts it he just kinda sits there and waits for the panic attack to end

Other than that he has no real clue what to say, so don't expect much more than a "there, there" and an awkward shoulder pat

He's definitely open for Sole if they need to vent or whatever but he's terrible at letting them know that, so Sole will probably have to be the one to initiate any further conversations about it

Catch him reading some medical book written in the 1900's for advice and going up to Sole like "Have you tried cocaine?"

Deacon:

Uhh. Panic.

Deacon is NOT good with these things! Lots of awkward laughter and (gentle) jokes and tense body language that kinda makes Sole a little more stressed

He’ll get better with time (and practice) though, although he may still need Sole to tell him what they need from him from time to time

He IS good at reading body language and such, so it won't take long for him to pick up details like whether they want to be touched or not

Definitely mentally noting down what triggers Sole’s anxiety so he can help them avoid it in the future

Gage:

Will straight up admit he has no clue what to do.

Doesn’t want to make things worse and doesn’t want to accidentally piss off Sole so he’ll probably just give them space and leave a beer next to them

The best Sole will get out of him is a pat on the back

Does defend Sole from any onlookers and will gently guide them somewhere more private if there are people around when they have the panic attack

To him, he'd be mortified if anyone saw him panicking like that! Catch him telling Sole embarrassing stories about himself so they feel better about being that vulnerable around him (even if they don't mind at all)

Hancock:

I think he’ll be good at recognizing the signs of a panic attack and comforting Sole even if they aren’t super close yet

He’s just the type of guy to get along with strangers, and that goes with comforting them too

He’ll rub Sole’s back and talk them through it quietly without drawing too much attention to it

He’s willing to just continue the conversation or act like nothing’s happening if it’ll help Sole - sometimes ignoring it will make it go away faster!

Generally just lets Sole take the lead and picks up on what they want/need from him

Nick Valentine

Okay we all know he'd be AMAZING at this

He'd notice Sole's anxiety, potentially before they even have the panic attack, and will lead them away somewhere calmer to de-stress

He's great at reassuring them of whatever they need to hear ("It's going to be okay, you're safe, I'm here...) and he'll stay calm and composed in the process

Honestly wouldn't be surprised if he kept like, a stuffed animal or something in his giant coat of his for this reason

Might be hesitant on physical touch, or even eye contact - he's self conscious and afraid he'll freak them out with his eyes or metal hand

WILL let them wear his coat like a blanket though... if they can excuse the smell of cigarettes

Maccready:

He doesn’t know what to do but he can’t just leave them, so he’ll try anything really

Talking them through breathing exercises, keeping them away from crowds/busy areas, patting their shoulder awkwardly, hell he’ll even give them a hug if they ask

Tries to just be there for them, even if he doesn’t really know what to say or do

Might just resort to “keeping watch” by sitting a few feet away from them with a gun, both so they can have their space and so they know they’re safe and he’s still within earshot.

Maxson:

Definitely a “just calm down” / “just breathe” type of guy

Either that or he’ll straight up panic and send Sole to the med bay thinking they're having a heart attack

He’s never really had anyone to role model good responses to these kinds of situations before! He’s trying his hardest but he has no clue what to do

He WANTS to know what to say though, so if Sole explains it to him after the fact he’ll pay attention and use their advice for any future panic attacks

Canonically he views mental health as just as important as physical health, so he will definitely take Sole seriously and do whatever it takes to keep them happy and healthy

Piper:

“Haha what’s wrong Sole?? 😀 … oh shit what’s wrong 😥” type of reaction

Basically it might take her a bit to realize Sole’s having a panic attack, but she’ll do what she can to help once she notices it

Takes “rest and digest” literally - will give Sole food and tuck them into bed if she can

Might try to throw every coping strategy she knows at Sole all at once in hopes one of them will work well

Uhh BREATHING and FOOD and and PET DOGMEAT do you want to go on a walk?? How about some hot chocolate???

Might be a good idea for Sole to make a checklist for her to go down one by one...

Preston:

Great at speaking gently and keeping Sole from panicking more

Slow movements, low voice, maybe holding their hand or rubbing their back comfortingly

He doesn’t always know exactly what to say so he’ll focus on self-soothing for himself to help Sole calm down as well

Things like taking deep breaths so Sole can follow along or going on a walk with them

He's also very respectful of their space and privacy, and will immediately give them space if they ask for it (even though he's almost worried sick about them)

Will reassure them that he doesn't think any differently of them or their ability to lead the Minutemen!

X6:

I think X6 would actually be pretty good at comforting Sole, all things considered

The last thing you need while having a panic attack is other people panicking as well, right?

And X6 will definitely stay calm, that’s for certain.

He might also end up overloading Sole with facts about panic attacks though

Sole will be like “I think I’m having a heart attack” and X6 will respond by giving a list of every single symptom of both to compare and contrast as proof it's a panic attack

You can definitely catch him silently panicking the first time Sole has a panic attack though

He’s not good with emotions man he’s trying his hardest

[commandershepardvasfuckit]

How Halsin’s “once you get to my age” conversation not long after he finally recruited as a party member SHOULD have gone if you were an elf and could call him out on not being old.

Because as a drow my Tav should be allowed to call him out and tease him over it

(My Tav, but written pretty generically and without any gender indicators for Tav so knock yourself out)

————————

“You didn’t answer the part about lovers” you say as you fold your arms. Halsin held a certain level of fascination to you. Maybe it was his sheer size, maybe it was his confidence, or his willingness to just listen. Maybe it was because you truly could not get a read on him.

He had been frustratingly dodging most questions about himself until now, softly smiling and telling you ‘there will be time for questions later. I must keep my focus on the task at hand’ and now somehow managed to tell you an incredible amount and nothing at all at the same time.

“I’m 350 years old. Of course there have been lovers. Just because I love nature doesn’t mean I’m betrothed to it. Though sometimes, nature needs reminding…” he trailed off.

Another redirection, talks of the past while not acknowledging that the question was about the current and offering an interesting tidbit instead. You recognized what he was trying to do, but unfortunately his smirk while speaking about nature alluded to an all too good to pass up story.

“Hold on- nature needs reminding of what exactly?” you ask.

“Well, I didn’t pick this scar up in battle. I was in wildshape, only I forgot it was the season when bears are particularly social. A she-bear claimed me as her own- and did not appreciate being spurned” he said.

Less riveting than you hoped, but still interesting. And certainly not enough to convince you to drop the question.

“Don’t leave me hanging- is there someone in your life right now?” Simple. Direct. Surely no way to dodge it again.

“Right now? I bed down alone, I’m afraid” he answers. There’s a small drop in his voice, not sorrow, but, disappointment?“Perhaps once I talk less of curses and parasites, my fortunes will improve”.

It was not quite the answer you were expecting. A clear answer this time, but something in the way his words hung in the air felt off.

You look over his face, searching for some glimmer of information but are met with the same relaxed but stoic expression he used when he was done talking about a subject.

“Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn’t even think to ask” you change the subject, hoping to find any bit of interesting information from him.

“Hmm, I suppose you wouldn’t be shocked to learn I love animals and nature? I know, I know; well-trodden territory. Well, let’s see… I whittle in my spare time, and I’ve something of a sweet tooth- though everyone’s very amused when I say I like honey”.

A smile plays on your lips, you genuinely could not tell if he was avoiding saying much and choosing to give you obvious answers purposefully or not.

“Whittling? What do you make?” you ask, fishing for anything you could.

“Ornaments, utensils- and ducks. I like ducks”.

New information gained and yet nothing new truly learned.

“So you turn into a bear and you like honey?” you repeat back to him, “A little on the nose”.

“I like what I like. Once you get to my age you realize there’s little point in denying yourself, so long as other’s aren’t affected” Halsin replies.

“Your age?” you laugh, in the grand scheme of elven lives Halsin was young still, only a few decades older than yourself despite speaking as if he was at least 800. “And how old do you think I am?”

Halsin flashed a quick smile, brief but betraying a lot of emotion. The sort guilty smile you offer when you’re caught.

“My apologies. I don’t encounter too many full elves these days” his face relaxes, not his usual careful composure, but a true relaxation. “No, I supposed 350 is young still, and sometimes I need reminding of that too. You get used to seeing life on the scale that the others see. People treat you as old and you start to believe it, or at least you let them make their assumptions about you”.

“So ‘old, wise Halsin’ is an act?” you tease.

“I am wise!” he laughs, a truly deep laugh that rumbled from his chest. A laugh that spreads into a sense of warmth within you. “If I wasn’t then you wouldn’t have come to my grove seeking my knowledge and skills!”

“I was told to seek out the old, wise archdruid of the the grove and imagine my surprise seeing an elf, only decades older than myself acting as if he was as least twice his age!” You laughed back, unable to keep his laughter from spreading to you. “Though I suppose I can keep quiet and let you continue this front, if you can keep up with me, old man, because I very much so am still young” you tease.

“You’ll find I’m more than able to keep up with anything you’ve got, don’t let me fool you into thinking my size is just for show. I think you’ll find I’m more than capable of going all day and night” the tone that crept into his voice let you know that he very much knew why you were asking if he currently had a lover earlier.

[wrathofrats]

Seeing blind (you’re too good to be all mine)

Chapter 1, read under the cut or on ao3

Big big huge iconic thank you to @divine-misfortune bc he literally has written half of it in my DMs so thank him for this being an actual thing now

1.8k, Teen and up, no warnings apply. It’s just set up for right now.

“Well it turns out I work here” Swiss laughed. Rain glared at him for his dumb answer. He was cute in a handsome way. Locs pulled back into a bun with a bright smile. “Thought you knew that rain, especially since you knew my name”

Rain shouldn’t be looking this hard at him.

Or this is the farm au from that post the other day. Except it’s now going to be a fully chaptered fic

Rains never been much for dirt. It sticks to his skin and his clothes and just makes him feel grimy whenever he has to come in contact with it. Most jobs he had to do he’s able to avoid it, his dad always resigns him to simple things like picking some of the produce to set aside or checking on the animals or grabbing a tractor when he needs it. Easy, enough to claim he’s helping out but not too much to where he would have to talk to anyone or get his favorite sweaters stained.

The small orchard was always the prettiest during this time of year. Late September with the trees starting to turn and apples clinging to their branches. It was his favorite small task, just to gather some of the ripe ones to take inside. His mother always saves some of the produce for her own kitchen.

Rain studied a couple, his mom was very particular about which ones she wanted. A couple she could use now and a couple that would ripen in a few days so she could eat them fresh. She liked to stake her claim before they had to harvest the rest to sell.

“Don’t force it, if it doesn’t come off easily it’s not ready yet” said a voice from behind him. Rain whipped around to see one of the farm hands standing behind him, his hands in his jean pockets and dust smeared on his cheek with a wide grin.

“What are you doing over here swiss” he asked. His voice was a little cold without it meaning to be. He wasn’t exactly supposed to talk to the workers. His dad always told him to leave them alone. He wanted them to work, not chat, besides he’s heard the banter from inside the barn and the conversations were something he didn’t want rain around. Rain always thought it was a bit dumb, but he would listen in respect for the rules anyways.

“Well it turns out I work here” Swiss laughed. Rain glared at him for his dumb answer. He was cute in a handsome way. Locs pulled back into a bun with a bright smile. “Thought you knew that rain, especially since you knew my name”

Rain shouldn’t be looking this hard at him. Quickly he turned to reach for a different apple, feeling pleased when it came off easily into the palm of his hand.

“Of course I knew your name, but I meant why are you in my space”

“Boss asked me to make sure you were picking the right ones. Said the Mrs gets real particular about her fruit” Swiss walked to stand next to the tree, studying the apples before grabbing one and throwing it into the basket.

“I appreciate it but I don’t need the help. You can go back to whatever you were doing” rain moved the basket to the arm furthest away from Swiss. He had gathered a couple, enough to tide his mother over for a day or two. Swiss gave a low whistle before moving off of the tree and walking back towards the barn.

“Well if you ever do need my help, you know where to find me”

Rain didn’t respond. He just continued his walk back to the house with his basket. He didn’t talk to anyone that often, only speaking to mountain when he needed something off a high shelf. He was sweet, one of the favorites along with cirrus, always helpful and hardworking. His dad didn’t speak much of Swiss, must be because he stays out of trouble. If his dad was talking about any of his employees it was only if they were stellar workers or trouble makers like Dew. But Swiss? Never came up often.

He was thinking about him a little too much. The stubble on his chin and the way he had his flannel sleeves rolled up and-

Rain had to stop. This was madness. A two second interaction and now he has to act like he’s losing his mind. Maybe he was just stir crazy, being home from college was lonely and now he had to behave like he’s never had a friend in his life.

He threw the basket on the table with a call to his mom before heading back outside. He was sure there was more to do, and it was always safer to ask instead of getting a lecture.

The barn door was heavy, probably easy for everyone who was conditioned for it but for rain it always made him struggle. He tried not to be in there often, it smelled weird and there was always someone in it which rain tried to avoid, but he didn’t see his father in the field, so he had to assume he was in there.

“Need some help?” Swiss grabbed right above rains hand on the handle, giving it a good yank to help the process.

“I don’t need your help. Didn’t we already discuss this?” rain crossed his arms in front of him, giving Swiss a look.

“Then I apologize, assumed you just came over here because you missed me”

There was a pull in rains stomach. Again, stupid. He tried to ignore it and place blame on just being lonely as he did earlier. Sure Swiss was handsome but he felt annoyed by his presence more than anything, as he did with most people.

“Nope, just a coincidence. Looking for my father if you would excuse me” rain gave a peek inside before turning on his heel.

“Left for a bit, took mountain into town I believe. Should be back soon. You’re more than welcome to sit with me and wait on him” Swiss gave him a wide polite smile.

“I’ll pass.” Rain shoved the door closed while Swiss watched him struggle, and walked back to the house.

The small behaviors start to become a bad habit that rain swears up and down is not on purpose. He’s always just coincidentally in the barn when Swiss walks in to get more feed, or is grabbing a piece of equipment that Swiss somehow needs the one right next to it. Every interaction ends with a dumb comment about how often he’s around and rain feeling like he’s going crazy once again.

“Don’t have to be embarrassed, I think it’s cute how you always want to be around me” Swiss teased, hoisting a bag of feed over his shoulder.

“It’s just a coincidence.” Rain rolled his eyes “don’t get an ego”

The wind gets colder as they head deeper into October. A shift in the light warm summer sun into the orange chill of fall. Swiss never changes, not that rain had been paying attention, but he wore mostly the same things every day. Jeans and some random worn t shirt. Surely great to work in but with the weather he always wondered how he was holding up. Hell, rain wore sweaters even when it was 70 outside, let alone when it’s now dropping into the 50s.

Swiss always takes his breaks in the loft of the barn. Old hay and a couple lanterns, the small amount of rising heat made it more comfortable.

Before rain left the house for the day he grabbed an old sweatshirt from the laundry, something his dad won’t miss. Even if Swiss gets on his nerves he at least has the decency to not want to watch him freeze.

Swiss gave him a wave when he walked into the barn, tilting his head as rain climbed up the ladder to stand next to him.

“Here, you looked cold” rain threw the sweatshirt at him before turning to get back down.

“No wait, you came all this way, sit with me for a while”

Rain shouldn’t. If he was caught they’d both be in trouble. But Swiss has two apples and a nice smile and even after the past month of trying to avoid him, it’s hard to say no to such an offer. Just a couple minutes, it can’t hurt.

“Your mothers right. The apples always taste better ripe right off the tree. You could wait and have them inside but I swear it’s not the same” Swiss said, taking another bite.

“Are you allowed to be stealing produce sir? We use that to afford your paycheck”

Swiss gives him a laugh, looking at him. He never took too much time to study him before, always being shoved away and told to leave the premises. He was cute, messy hair and a sweater a size too big. Boyish charm to the farmers son.

Swiss slices another piece of the apple with his pocket knife and pops it into his mouth. Rain watches his hands, a little too fixated on the veins and tendons that move with the blade.

“Well, you can keep a secret can’t you?”

“Only if you let me taste whatever you’re talking about”

There was a pause. Both just taking in each other. Sure they had seen each plenty before but it was different this time, something more casual to the interaction that put rain at ease.

Swiss leans forward, waiting for a hint of hesitation before placing his lips on rains. They slot together with little effort as rain gives a small gasp at the surprise. Swiss was right, it does taste sweeter, the juice still lingering as he kisses rain.

Rain can’t help but to melt, he leans forward much more desperately than he should while his brain works on autopilot from the touch. He let’s Swiss place a hand on his cheek and play with the bit of hair on the nape of his neck before his brain can catch up to him and realize this is wrong. He’s not supposed to be doing this, he shouldn’t even be up there with him and god he should’ve known it was a mistake to even play this stupid game to begin with.

Abruptly Swiss is pushed away. Rains cheeks are flushed, his lips a pretty shade of pink and he’s breathing heavily. He stared at him for a second before shoving the sweatshirt into Swiss’ hands and scrambling to get up and move towards the ladder. It’s his first kiss. Rain had his first kiss and barely even knows this guy and he doesn’t know what to make of any of it. Embarrassment floods his face as he makes his way back to the house. He can’t tell Swiss that, he can’t blame his fumbling on the fact that he’s a sheltered loser after playing cat and mouse for a month.

Swiss’ head spins. Rain kissed him back, that has to mean something right? He stayed, he let him move towards him and he kissed him back. Even worse the fact that he has to assume it’s the first time rains ever done anything like that. He’s sheltered and clumsy and Swiss feels a little bad doing that to him, but the feeling is shoved aside by the need to do it over and over again.

There’s a selfish feeling that bubbles up inside of him. He wants to be all of his first, claim them as his. He’s greedy and he knows that and it’s scary because Swiss has never felt something like this.

[gwen-pierce]

“Gwendolyn.”

Her father snapped at her as she pushed her fork around her plate, not really eating the food. There was nothing wrong with the meal but she wasn’t hungry and nothing really tasted good anyway. “Hm?” She mumbled, lifting her head from the pea she had been staring at to catch Gregory Pierce’s irritated gaze. Gwen hadn’t even wanted to come to dinner at her father’s but he had been insisting to do a “family” housewarming ever since he had moved Brooke in. London had given her the chance to delay the inevitable but she had been home for nearly a week now and had run out of excuses to avoid it. “Brooke asked if you went to the National History Museum while you were in London.” He said without hiding the irritation in his voice. “For the third time.” His gaze shot daggers at his daughter across the table and if it were any other day she might have apologized. Plastered on a smile and feigned interest in the conversation with the woman who was closer to a peer than a stepmother in age. Gwen didn’t have it in her, though. Not today, though, and probably not tomorrow or the next day.  “No.” Was all she said in reply, dropping her gaze back down to her plate and seemingly very interested in mixing her vegetables in with her mashed potatoes. “You’ve barely eaten anything.” Brooke noted with a frown, jumping to the conclusion that it had everything to do with her skills in the kitchen and nothing to do with the fact that the version of Gwen that sat at the table was a shallow husk of the woman who had left for London. “Can I fix you something else?” She added eagerly, looking to Greg for some sort of approval or praise. “No.” Gwen said again, this time her voice was a little softer. Looking up from her plate again she let her gaze move between her father’s steel gaze and Brooke’s hopeful one. She offered the latter a gentle smile as she mustered up all the strength she could to put on the vibrant mask they both were used to seeing from her. “I’m just not feeling well. Jet lag still and I think maybe I picked something up on the flight home.” Her answer turned her father’s expression from annoyed to concerned as his limited paternal instincts took over in a laughable attempt to help. “Should I get you some soup? Maybe call a doctor?” He looked at Brooke for assistance, as if the twenty something had a maternal bone in her body. Gwen immediately shook her head at both of them. “I just need some rest. Can we raincheck dessert?” Gwen asked with a mournful look on her face as if missing this meal was the worst thing to happen to her. It wasn’t a hard expression to conjure considering the weight in her chest. The real reason she felt like absolute shit. They both agreed and within the next half hour, Gwen was loaded into a car and on her way back to her own apartment. She pulled her phone out of her bag with every intention to mindlessly scroll Tik Tok until she got there so she wouldn’t think about it. About what happened in London. About him. By the time she made it to her apartment she had written out a simple text in their thread. I’m sorry I took off like I did. I miss you and I was wrong. I am yours. Call me. The words stared back up at her from the screen as her thumb hovered over the send button. The car stopped in front of her building and the driver rounded the vehicle to open the door for her. Quickly she wiped away the tears that had escaped her eyes and she deleted not only the text she had typed. Not just the thread either. She had gone to Nik’s contact and deleted it completely from her phone. Taking the driver’s hand, she got out of the car and made her way back up to her apartment before breaking down completely. 

[stars-tonight]

This is @shxtodxroki here for our match-up exchange, I’m just sending this on anon since that blog isn’t my main blog :>

Name: Bee

Age: 19

Pronouns: She/her

Gender for Matches: I would be happy being paired with any gender, and I’d like a romantic match-up please!

Appearance (brief): Bright pink hair, 5’7” with green eyes. I tend to prefer more cute, pastel and/or feminine styles, but I also like to mix things up sometimes and try different styles especially anything cozy

Personality: Introvert, I love spending time with the people I care about but I also need at least a little bit of alone time each day just to decompress and relax. I have pretty bad anxiety, so I tend to overthink and I’m frequently stressed even if I don’t show it, and even about small things that most people don’t even think about. I’m also super awkward and shy especially when I first meet people especially since I sometimes struggle to read social situations, I’m really not the type to initiate conversations much at first and I even struggle with initiating physical affection with someone I’m close to. Once I feel safe and close with someone I tend to ramble quite a lot about my interests or just topics I’ve dived into recently, and I think I’m a pretty good listener as well! :) I try my best to generally be a friendly person and look out for others, and I tend to avoid conflict unless someone I love is being hurt. My worst trait is probably my procrastination. I’m currently in college and studying to hopefully become an either an ELA or sociology professor, not totally sure yet. I really love learning about things I find interesting/important and getting to share what I learn with people :] 

Qualities in a Partner: Confidence/willingness to initiate since it’s something I struggle with, someone who’s patient and willing to listen when I’m having a hard time (and I’m more than happy to do the same in return) and someone honest and loyal. Since I’m very anxious, I’d prefer someone who’s open with their affection with me! They don’t have to make it super obvious in public or anything though:) 

Ideal Date: Something simple like going out for coffee/a sweet treat and then maybe a walk, where I wouldn’t get too anxious and we could talk and get to know each other!

Love Languages: Gifts and physical touch for giving (I love getting to see people’s reactions when I get them gifts I know they’ll love) and physical touch and words of affirmation for receiving.

Interests/Hobbies: Horror or mystery movies/media. (My favorite movie is Knives Out), reading and writing too, anime/manga (my favorite anime is Yuri on Ice) a few kinds of video games like visual novels (especially spooky ones), games like Danganronpa or “cozy games” like Minecraft or Stardew Valley! I play the cello and do theater (backstage work) I really enjoy all kinds of music. Trying to learn how to play DnD, and I really enjoy collecting things even when I lose interest! (As in, even after I stop fixating on an interest so much and switch over to a new one, I never get rid of the merch because it still brings me joy and reminds me of how important that thing was to me :> ) I like anything that makes me emotional/when media can make me feel things, and I’m a big crier since I tend to get emotional pretty easily :]

Sorry this is so long, I tend to ramble on and have trouble condensing things lol but I hope this is enough, and thank you so much again for agreeing to this exchange! I’m excited to see what you think :)

headcanons

🥛 i think i've written before that suga is an ambivert?

🥛 i will stand by that

🥛 he'd be happy to make the first move! may take a while before he plucks up the courage though

🥛 is the type to send you love letters

🥛 secret admirer from afar trope

🥛 when he confesses, it's with a bright blush on his cheeks and a huge bouquet of your favorite flowers

🥛 suga is pretty easygoing and tends to be a mediator (until he gets worked up or excited about something)

🥛 once he gets fired up he can ramble on for a bit

🥛 suga is definitely not a big pda guy but wouldn't withhold physical affection in private

🥛 i think he'd love to receive gifts from people

🥛 not in a materialistic way of course

🥛 but rather he likes seeing what people come up with and it makes him feel very appreciated and thought of

🥛 especially because his students post-timeskip will probably all give him cute things for teacher appreciation day

🥛 (let's be honest suga is probably going to win teacher of the year at his school every year)

🥛 praising and taking care of you just comes very naturally to him

🥛 also since he's an elementary school teacher post-timeskip he's definitely used to dealing with all sorts of people

🥛 since he teaches younger kids, suga will learn how to communicate and encourage in a gentle manner

🥛 i think even pre-timeskip he'd be a good listener and would give great advice

🥛 also really good at encouraging or reassuring you when you feel stressed out

🥛 he's very observant, especially with the people he cares about

🥛 suga doesn't strike me as a video games person but if he was to play a game, it'd definitely be a cozy game

🥛 something he does before bed if that makes sense

🥛 if he's up to it he'd read a bit before bed

🥛 sometimes though he's super tired after work and just wants to curl up with you to play a game or watch anime with you

🥛 since he's definitely an anime fan

🥛 he loves listening to you play the cello because it helps him relax

runner up for you was suna rintarō!

A/N: there you go bee, i hope you like it! thank you for agreeing to do this exchange with me 🫶 also off topic but i wish i could play the cello, it looks SO COOL (i played violin and piano)

[the-cat-at-the-theatre-door]

"Looks like neither of us could sleep" for Gus and Demeter

"Looks like neither of us could sleep, eh?"

Demeter startles at the new voice in the dawnlight, tail bristling. Though it wasn't entirely uncommon to find other cats straggling around the clearing after the Ball had concluded, she hadn't expected somecat to approach her; most kept decidedly to themselves after an evening spent in such close proximity, and, frankly, Demeter had been counting on it while she got her bearings about her, trying to loosen the tightening that had settled in her lungs.

The scent that trails just behind the comment diffuses her initial flash of fear quickly, but her nerves persist in their scraping away at the lining of her stomach, prickling unpleasantly under her skin.

"Oh, hello Gus," Demeter greets politely in spite of herself, instinctually standing and holding her paws before her. "What are you doing out here? I figured you'd have gone back to the theatre."

"You would have been correct, but that walk gets longer every year," Gus grumbles, waving at her to sit back down, the end of his sentence hitching as he slowly settles himself nearby. "And my granddaughter is a very good host. Though -" He winces as he rolls his shoulder back. "Her little bed is not the best option for an old tom like me."

Demeter half smiles at the picture that conjures in her head. "Jellylorum didn't put you up?"

"Oh, of course she did," Gus snorts, faux offense written across his muzzle in spades; the idea that his own daughter wouldn't over accommodate in every way - for her own flesh and blood no less - imagine that. "Etcetera is very persuasive."

The two cats fall back into a companionable silence. Or at least companionable from Gus' end; he seems satisfied enough with where he ended. Demeter - meanwhile - tucks herself back in her own thoughts, watching as the baker down the street hauls his supplies inside to begin the morning preparations anew; he'd been waiting for his delivery for an hour. She resists the urge to tangle the fur by her ear in a knot.

"Would you like me to ask why you're out here on your own?" Gus prompts eventually, following her line of sight. "You've a new one at home, haven't you? Full house now?"

It is, in its own way, surprising that Gus remembers that much of her goings on, though he'd pointedly avoided Sillabub's name. Jellylorum had told them day-to-day - even hour-to-hour - was wildly different for him, so perhaps she shouldn't be surprised; she must have caught him in a good something or other - at least about as good as they were wont to get.

"No?" Gus asks when she doesn't respond, after a perfectly timed beat. "Then none of my business."

Demeter worries the inside of her lip in her teeth. She feels the sudden desire to slip her tongue between them instead and allow the conversation to fizzle out. 

However…

"I just felt…"

"Smothered?" the older tom ventures, unprompted.

Demeter, taken aback at the forthright statement, pauses. Considers…nods.

Gus hums, settling his chin on his paws. "Very common, you know, especially around this time."

The comfort was simple and direct, but it did very little by way of making any headway in the tangled net of her thoughts. Though the effort certainly should be appreciated - and it was - Demeter tugs at her claws, guilt unassuaged.

It is a long time before Gus speaks again, seemingly having fallen asleep. The exact goal - she would have hoped - of getting out in the first place.

"Change is a rather troublesome beast," he murmurs, opening a single, yellowed eye to look at her. "You get used to doing things a certain way, then they're different."

Demeter pulls her knees to her chest, listening to the pivot curiously.

"I remember sleeping all on my own for years and years," he continues, shaking his head. "And then suddenly there was another cat in my bed and kittens kicking me in the ribs, and I thought: 'What has become of me - how ever did I get here?'"

Demeter holds herself very still, as though any movement would knock the tom off his trail of thought. "But you get used to that change after a time - wonder how you possibly could have been without it."

Gus sighs; a forlorn sound that whistled past his teeth. "Then, someday, they change again, and again, and again, and you're slower to keep up. Think maybe you won't be able to this time, but you manage."

"At some point, things change once more, but you're too old and too set in your latest way to be comfortable. But it happens whether you like it or not. And that," Gus concludes, looking as though he were merely commenting on the weather, but there was something heavy trailing behind his words. He yawns, and pointedly rolls his shoulder again. "Is the way we stay. Though often, you've forgotten where it is you left off."

Demeter carefully pieces together what she believes the old tom is attempting to explain to her; wonders if he was explaining anything to her consciously at all, or if he'd forgotten why he'd started in the first place, and she'd fallen into the trap of projecting onto him.

When Gus sits up to look at her directly, gaze intent somewhere behind the milky white of his cataract, she finds the latter thought fade into the back of her mind. "Sometimes, you just need a moment to remember. They'll wait for you." 

The theatre cat says no more to her that evening, returning contentedly back to his own world as though he'd never spoken to begin with.

Demeter continues to stare after where the baker has disappeared, feeling the cool air of the morning sting in her eyes as her shoulders begin to lift.

Send me a sentence and I’ll fill at least five more in after it for a little mini-fic.

[gctchell]

@xluciifer asked: 🤔 for all of your muses :]

FOR  EVERY   🤔  I’LL  POST  A  HEADCANON  ABOUT  OUR  MUSES.  ADD  A  +  FOR  A  SEXCANON. // ��𝖈𝖈𝖊𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌

w/ 𝕷𝖎𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖍;

🎶 Calling from the shore to a distant star You've been drawn out, but you have not gone far I can see you still, glowing in the dark Hear my heart calling to you now, Calling for it's other part Come to me, come to me soon, Come to me like the tides to the moon 🎶

Depression is self-destructive and isolating, it's your brain boxing you in and closing you off from the entire world, numbing from what's good and what you love. You know this, you've written about Lucifer's depression before and how it has eroded his relationship with others. Lilith, however, remained constant and did not let it get in their way - she knew what was going on with her husband, and she made the effort to pull him out from where he shelves himself away with a song.

Her voice is her signature power. She has incredible influence in the emotional category - she can incite a rebellion, she can quell a mob, she can call to her husband who has sunken so deep inside of himself that he's almost hard to reach, so out of touch with reality he is distant in the eyes. Lilith's voice cuts through that, it swims through the murk and it latches onto him and pulls him, for the time being, into a lightened state of mind, that heaviness lifted by the melodic beams she sets in place. She is not a cure, but she is a remedy to break him from that deep mental fog, and an anchor to keep him in the moment and present. A lighthouse in the dark. He gets a pep back in his step for a time, alleviated.

It's difficult to balance a husband with depression, a child, and an entire Realm, so he is not always swimming in her song. But, when Lilith comes home and she realizes he has not moved from where she last left him, she sings.

It empowers him, as well. In such a desolate state, she is helping him lift and rise up from beneath the weight. She's helping him, for the time being, take back his life. She calls to him to come to her, offering him the rope to pull him up while he pulls himself along. There's so much power in being able to rise yourself with depression, you just need the help.

w/ 𝒩𝒾𝒻𝒻𝓉𝓎;

Niffty is a pest, plain and simple, and she is a persistent pest. Niffty and Lucifer do not know when it started (it was Lucifer, but he doesn't recall and frankly neither does she, it's vague and they don't care to bother with the small details like that), but they both just clicked in a 'I need to troll the absolute hell out of you' manner almost from the first moment they saw one another. Just the vibes they noticed from one another set them off and they've been at it ever since.

They're a weird amicable-rival situation. There's no actual bad blood between them, it's just impish energy pinging off one another and finding an outlet in just getting at the other in such stupid, petty ways. He trips her with his cane, she lunges out of vents in the floor to bite his ankle, he puts a spell on her to let him know when she's approaching, she doesn't know about it and maneuvers in her own way to avoid it, catching him by surprise when she comes flying out of a potted plant..

In the weirdest way, they could consider the other a friend. Nothing they'd admit out loud, but it's there in their heart of hearts. Matters help that Niffty is actually a very good ally to Charlie and fights by her side to help defend her dreams, so bonus points for being a friend of his baby.

w/ 𝔖𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔞;

They're both losers, baby, losers goddamn baby.

I mentioned it in one of our conversations, but I can see them building a bond off of being awkward at parenting. They love the hell out of their kids and want to do right by them, but they just keep stumbling. They first met during a particularly heavy winter storm that took over Pride, both wandering the park of the city as Stella had chosen to go ice skating (she thrives in the cold). Lucifer decided to join her, and they just sort of hit it off from there.

She respects the man because of course she does, she is royalty beneath him in the latter and her allegiance is sworn to him, and that helps matters. Cordial, but they get to a point of speaking quite openly to one another. They're such awkward personalities that meet at the right time in the right circumstances, and build from there.

He's also managed to fluster her once and he keeps that memory in his pocket. Who doesn't want to remember making a pretty bird blush?

w/ 𝒞𝒶𝓇𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶 𝒞𝒶𝓇𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒;

If it were not for outside introduction, they could have spent the good portion of eternity not intermingling in the slightest. Carmilla sticks to her business and Lucifer sticks to his. However, now that they are aware of one another, Lucifer pokes around curiously in the holy weapons business and it's a little like a kid in a candy store. "What's that? Ooh, THAT'S got to hurt, huh? You really built this fucked up thing? That's terrrrrrrible, haha."

The curiosity is on a shallow level, intense intrigue before it begins to fizzle out, but he becomes more invested when she offers to do a commission for him. They sit down and figure out the sort of weapon he would want, and she goes to work making it.

He's the King, he can get anything made for him at any time - he has weapons made specific for the Morningstar lineage (see: Charlie's shield and pitchfork, I'm sure). However, this is going to be his first holy weapon, and that has him kind of excited.

[swaps55]

Finally finished Fugue last night. Going into it, I didn't know what to expect. How can I possibly get excited about that Next Chapter button knowing Sam Shepard wont be there? But the story you've written in spite of that is so engaging, emotional and absolutely necessary. I needed to see Kaidan grow outside of Sam's influence to develop a stronger appreciation for his character. The way the narrative culminates in a Sharjila-adjacent scenerio (including stakes-raising characterization of would-be victims) that offers Kaidan an opportunity to trust his strengths, then REWARDS him for it? Amazing!

Thank you for writing it.

I have one question. Joker's perspective was sorely missed (tho I'm sure its exclusion was no accident). I was wondering if you could tell us about his point of view, particularly in regard to the night he invited Kaidan to the bar. Why did he do that?

THANK YOU!

Fugue was an extremely important story to me to write for a lot of reasons, but Kaidan having the chance to come into his own and discover his strengths was a big one. I fiercely missed Sam every step of the way, and the way he haunts the fic is in no small part because I needed him to be there in some way, just like Kaidan did.

As for Joker's perspective, I almost didn't include that scene at the bar. I wasn't sure if the story needed it, but I had circled back to Tali, Liara, and Garrus, and I didn't love leaving Kaidan and Joker's fractured friendship out in the wind.

The simple answer as to why Joker wasn't more involved in Fugue is because it is very much Kaidan's story - and Joker simply didn't factor into this part of it. His own journey after Alchera is very independent of Kaidan's, so detouring to Joker's POV was ultimately telling a different story. Conversely, exploring Hackett and Liara were part of Kaidan's narrative, because their decisions and actions had direct or indirect impacts on him.

Why did Joker invite Kaidan to that bar? Probably for a couple of reasons. A few people have wondered if Joker was going to tell Kaidan he'd been approached by Cerberus, which is entirely possible. It's also possible he suspected Kaidan is who spoke up for him and helped him avoid a court martial, and thought maybe it was a peace offering.

But ultimately, I think that on the first anniversary of the Normandy's destruction he just...didn't want to be alone. All the people he would have wanted for company were either dead or not available (Dr. Chakwas would have been his first choice, but she was on Mars), and I think, when you're grieving something you can't get back, the allure of reaching out to someone you used to be close to would be a powerful one - especially when you don't really have anyone else to go to.

I very deliberately had Dr. Chakwas tell Kaidan at the beginning of Fugue that "Lieutenant Moreau does not make friends easily, but he has found one in you," because the notion that their friendship runs much deeper than it appears - even to either of them - felt very important to me, given what was coming. The fracturing and eventual repair of that friendship is something I have always wanted to explore.

I think Joker knew that meeting would be a disaster, but he asked for it anyway because part of him was desperate for it not to be.

[elshells]

Writeblr Positivity Tag

Tagged by @mariahwritesstuff and @writernopal for this amazing tag! Their posts are here and here.

I'm going to leave this as an open tag because I'm very behind on these and want to avoid spamming people with tags. XD

Blank list of questions below the cut for convenient copy/pasting!

1. What motivates you to write?

I love telling stories! There's something so exhilarating and heartwarming about sharing my ideas with others and seeing how much they enjoy them. Plus, it isn't until I write something down that it feels real. When it's all thoughts in my head, it's like I'm keeping a secret, but once I start writing, I'm putting myself out there!

2. A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

Ooh, it's actually so hard to choose a favorite (which I guess isn't a bad problem to have)! But here's a snippet I really like from chapter 9 of Agent Ace:

They were several stories in the air. Cars drove below as tiny specks on the street, contrasted by the towering buildings surrounding them on all sides. The sky was a burnt orange, casting light down on the city and setting the glass windows ablaze. Holding her breath, Sophia crawled out further, grabbing the edge of the window to pull herself out onto the tiny ledge suspended above the ground. She stood up tall and lifted her head to the sky as the sunlight warmed her skin, washing away the feeling of a cold, dingy cell. A heavy wind buffeted her face, tossing her ponytail behind her and causing her eyes to water. But she loved it. Being up this high, seeing the city sprawled out beneath her, gave her strength. She was graceful and weightless, like if she tried to jump, she'd fly. For the first time in a long time, she felt like Ace again.

3. Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them and what are they like?

Aww, I love them all so much for different reasons! But if I have to choose one, I think Jade is the one who truly makes me feel good. She's the kind of person I want to be (and am afraid will never be), and while I prefer to avoid writing characters based on real people I know, she still reminds me of a lot of my best friends, so it's just so hard for me not to love her!

4. What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

I love getting lost in the story as I'm writing it. Whether it's a fight scene or a romantic scene or just a simple conversation between two characters, I love when I get pulled into the scene and I can visualize everything, from the emotions to all five of the senses.

5. What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

Imagery! I'm a very visual person, so I tend to describe settings, characters, etc. in a lot of detail. It's something that I unfortunately hold back on sometimes because I'm afraid of getting carried away. I also love writing dialogue, which is weird because that was my bane when I first started writing. But over time, it's started to come more naturally, and I've figured out how to craft different voices.

6. What is something in the writeblr community is most enjoyable?

The interactions! I haven't been on Tumblr that long, but I feel like I've already made some great connections through asks and tag games. Everyone is so genuine and supportive, we make each other and our works feel seen!

7. A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

I write all of my stories in Google Docs (Garamond, my love!), and before I post a new chapter, I like to run it through Hemingway editor. It helps you know if you overuse adverbs (which I do haha) and how many sentences are written in the passive voice. It's a nice final step to polish the writing before I set the chapter loose into the world

8. A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

I adore the city of Harmont in Agent Ace. When I first started writing the story, I used a real city as the setting, but as dove deeper into the realm of sci-fi and I started establishing the Watch and the Guard, I decided that a fictional city gave me more freedom, and allowed me to explore a world that was still similar to ours, with some extra details that made it so much more interesting. Of course, Harmont is still heavily influenced by my own surroundings, but the written lore runs deep, and to date, it's the second most ambitious setting I've ever created (the first is still in development)!

9. What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

I'll preface this by saying that I'm far from qualified to give writing advice to anyone (even to myself), but I think the best thing you can do is to go easy on yourself. Even if you don't make a certain word count or even if you don't write at all, there are so many real-life factors that make it hard to write. Short attention spans, mental illness, exhaustion from work, self-doubt—I could go on. But there's no point in beating yourself up. If you can't summon even one word onto the page, walk away and let your mind wander. Listen to music, watch a funny video, stare off into space, anything as long as you're distracted. Then come back to your story. Even if you're not ready to go back to the computer, think about the scene you want to write. Visualize it if you can, or just imagine what you want to happen step by step. Once you figure out each beat you want to hit, you can go from there.

10. Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters

@bitchin-beskar is the one who convinced me to join Tumblr! She's the most supportive force in my life, and I love her to death!! If you're into Star Wars, Marvel, and Call of Duty, she's written some amazing fanfic (and some smut!) and I would highly recommend checking her out.

Also a massive thank you to @writernopal, @sam-glade and @captain-kraken! You all have given me, my characters and my stories so much love, support, and hype since I wound up here, through your wonderful asks and tag games, and I'm so grateful to have you in my bubble! Each of you are fantastic writers and I can't wait to get lost in the worlds you create!! 💕

1. What motivates you to write?

2. A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

3. Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them and what are they like?

4. What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

5. What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

6. What is something in the writeblr community is most enjoyable?

7. A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

8. A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

9. What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

10. Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters

[nocturnal-impala]

I recently found out that FakirxAhiru is supposedly not "canon" because they didn't end with a confession of love or a kiss, and many consider their relationship just friendship or even brother and sister, which surprised me a lot… Since to me it was so OBVIOUSLY canon, every action and interaction between them was sweet and romantic <3, that just because it's not "specified" isn't considered "canon" anymore, it looks silly. I mean, do fans really think that Ahiru admitting that she wasn't in love with Mitho while she kept having moments with Fakir was it a fluke by the creators? And the "I'll always be with you no matter what happens"?? THAT'S A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL NO WAY YOU SEE IT

(Sorry if I sound aggressive, it's just that they frustrate me)

((And yes, I am aware that romance between human and duck is bestiality, I simply imagine their relationship as a asexual relationship, simply enjoying what they have as human and duck…))

(((WHICH IS VERY LITTLE, for which I am so grateful to Zwei<3<3<3<3)))

I mean, I'm super in favor of giving importance to platonic relationships of just friendship, but I didn't get that impression with Fakir and Ahiru<3 (And least siblings lol). I also saw a video of a girl who ship Rue with Ahiru, which is not bad, but ironically I did see those two only as friends (Or just rivals from the few interactions they had in the anime), as LGBT person I love LGBT relationships, but I like that they make more sense and that they don't just ship characters because they look cute together (But yes, my headcanon is that Ahiru is bisexual XD (And maybe Fakir too, all those scenes between him and Mitho they are very queerbaiting LOL))

Ironically, I like Mitho, but it is true that it is very poorly written or could have been developed better, over the years I have seen a huge number of "unemotional" characters that manage to show individual characteristics or make you understand why others characters would give so much for them, but Mitho is simple and purely flat lol, although I have grown fond of how easily he gets into fights when everything is avoided if he listened to Fakir to stay in his room LMAO

P.S: By the way, if you want to make the conversation public, I don't mind

Technically fakiru is not canon as their love is not confirmed. But it's heavily implied so you could call it semi-canon. If the supposed 3rd season happened, I'm positive they would had ended up together. People see things differently. I think Ahiru and Mytho have sibling-vibes more than romance-vibes.

Most ships are fan made and not canon. Fans want something to happen, so they see ”evidence” of that in everywhere (even when it's not there).

I don't concider Fakir's words as a marriage proposal. Like neko-sensei, he could had just said will you marry me if he wanted to propose. Given their age and friend zone status, it sounds out of place too. I see it more as a promise to not leave Ahirur alone even if she's a duck: she doesn't need to stay as a human for him to care for her. Ahiru is afraid of abandoment because ”she's just a duck” no one would pay attention to.

In anime, bestiality is highly controversial. We see all kinds of romantic matches in media, including vampires, werevolves, demons, youkai, mazoku, devils, angels, zombies, spirits, deities, dead people, witches, wizards, people who turn into animals or other forms, monsters, aliens and so on. That's just the way it is. If someone wants to complain about the ”unrealistics” don't pay attention to them. There's no point in arguing with someone whose mind is set to reasoning fiction with the laws of nature.

I'm not into LGBT stuff and sometimes I'm confused why people go back to old series and start giving sexual orientations to the characters. I don't see sexuality as a topic you need to bring up so much. Everyone can love each other, but most of the time gay ships are just fantasies made up by the fans and queerbaites are exactly that; baites to lure you think there's something when there really isn't. It's part of the fanservice, and if people find joy in it then why not.

Mytho can be sweet or annoying. He's the gary-stu and everything is resolved around him. But he's so plain and neutral you can't really hate him. When anyone of the cast starts to take distance to Mytho they actually become more interesting and individual. As the fullfledges prince he's much more interesting.

[sunskate]

Lolo and Nik Golden Skate interview pt 2:

Q: compared to the Olympic season when you scrapped the FD, was it more comforting to have the same underpinning for the entire (2022-23) season [bc they kept the same program]?

N: it's like when you have pieces of clothing that you bought but you don't wear because you realize they're not super comfortable [that first FD from the Beijing season] could have been a masterpiece at a different time or a different approach, but for whatever reason they couldn't give it what it needed to be received well -- whether it was the mental space they were in- it's really stressful to change programs mid-season, to feel they couldn't make it the way they wanted. so last season, having belief in the programs that they're good content and good programs made it less stressful. in general, any programs that the skaters believe in will be good, so "it's really about us as performers, we really have to believe in what we do"

Q: you earned personal best scores at 4CC and Worlds - were those goals of yours, do you crunch numbers-

L: i personally don't crunch numbers. we sometimes have lessons with Patrice where he loves to bring numbers in. He (Nik)'s a big numbers guy. when they talk together, i just let them talk, i get lost into numbers, i get too in my head, and i need to get and stay in my body. i need to trust-- if i do what i need to do, i'll get the points i want. and it is very simple. we still discuss about it - you're going to lose 5 points if you do this, you're going to lose 5 points if you do that, you're going to gain 5 points if this-- we know it -- ice dance, it's the details...

N: the conversation to me is interesting. i have the same kind of brain for points that Patrice has, so maybe when i'm coaching i'll engage in those conversations. but when i'm skating, you're right, i'm not out there calculating anything. but if you're a team getting mostly +3's and you're against a team that's getting half +4's, you're 6 points behind. total. which is huge. that's the difference between 4th and 1st place almost. in one program. so. there are some things that you cannot do if you want a +4 or +5. it's written in the rules, capped at a +3 - so those things [emphatically] you have to pay attention to - at the beginning of the season, but it's 2nd nature [by the time you're] working towards Worlds and you know stuff is working, you've got the scores, then it's like she said, you have to go out, you have to perform, you're not thinking about it, you know inside your body that when you do it the way you want to do it, you're going to get the scores that you want to get

Q: so avoid tripping on your skirt

Lolo and Nik laugh: exactly!

Q: did the skirt haunt you?

N: it haunted her, it didn't haunt me, because i knew it was never going to happen again

L: didn't haunt me, i would say no. was i angry about the fact that it happened in the moment, yes

Q: did you figure out a different way?

L: we figured out a way to bring it forward in the wind

N: it's an extra layer of complexity

L: it brought an extra layer of complexity to the program, but it brought so much more to the program to have a skirt like that, that it was worth taking the risk. good thing it happened at Nationals, so we worked on it with Marie so that it was good for the next competitions

N: we had people saying costume malfunctions aren't worth it, but i was completely thinking different about it. we're wearing costumes that should complement the program or do something *for* it. i knew we had to do it because - in france all these girls were running up to her and saying omg i've never seen someone who can skate like that with a skirt, it's like a 3rd person you're dancing with and you're using it - when you do a program like that, you need to do it- there's no cutting 12 inches off the skirt- that's the skirt you need for that program and it worked perfectly. are we ever going to have a skirt like that again? i don't think so

[guiltyofbitchcraft]

So Action Comics #1050 came out this week, and I'm genuinely excited to see what this new era of Superfam has in store. How they handled Clark and Jon getting their secret identities back made a lot more sense than anything I guessed at. But there is one thing about it that made me raise an eyebrow. Well...not specifically the plot but something Bruce says in reaction to the new development, and in turn how Clark responds to it.

So... this exchange bugs me. Not necessarily because I think its absolutely untrue but it does feel confusing, unearned and lacking nuance.

This was something that was getting a decent amount of focus in the comics around this time, especially since the public had picture evidence of Lois kissing Superman. Lois and Clark even had a conversation about it in the Lois Lane mini

For starters, way back when Clark revealed his identity during the Bendis run, it was heavily implied that his secret's effect on Lois and her character was one of the reasons he did it. Like Clark and Lois are historically really bad at avoiding PDA when Clark is all suped up; which has led to rumors and speculation that Lois is having an affair. Of course, the public doesn't know that she's cheating on her husband...with her husband.

So yeah Clark isn't thrilled about it, Lois is too busy to really focus on it, plus she's used to the double standard. But the general public not fully appreciating Lois Lane for the work she does and just focusing on her connection to Superman is nothing new.

Secondly, I just don't buy Clark saying they didn't expect that to happen. Look at this scene from the Superman: Heroes special

This isn't a perfect scene. Bendis seems to completely forget that them getting caught kissing in public was something that Clark was very aware about and that they had discussed it (admittedly the discussion was in a mini written by Greg Rucka, not him so I'll take it easy on him for now. But he was the one who wrote about the kiss and the picture). But it is clear that this is something they have thought a lot about and discussed. Clark warns her that this is going to greatly impact their marriage but Lois knows the risks and tells him to go for it anyways. So Clark saying that his public identity's effect on how the public views his wife is a surprise? That doesn't really seem to track.

I can understand Bruce saying what he did, he's not going to know about the intimate conversations Clark and Lois have in private, but Clark should've given some push back on that statement instead of just accepting it as a simple truth.

Lastly, (and this is probably the most nitpicky point in a nitpicky post about 2 panels) this line of dialogue bugs me because since Superman's identity was exposed, Lois has really not gotten that much focus. More specifically, the effects of Clark's decision on her life and public persona have not really had much focus. Now I'm by no means saying she's not been an important part of Superman comics since then, she's absolutely been present. But being present and being the focus are not the same thing. After Clark's identity was exposed there were definitely plot seeds placed that could have developed into us seeing the effects of this new normal on Lois but we really didn't ever see them reach fruition. We basically new she was writing a book, and we knew she received a lot of mail from people around the world asking for help (once again, from Superman: Heroes)

After Bendis' run ended Phillip Kennedy Johnson took over Action Comics. His run has been something I have been thoroughly enjoying but due to the plot taking Clark off world, Lois has not really had much presence. She's a consistent supporting character in Jon's comic but again, presence is not focus.

Now I really liked this detail...but we never saw it go anywhere. If I recall correctly this is both the first and the last time this massive pile of letters is brought up. But despite it's lack of importance on the canon it does just so happen to imply that Lois was not simply "reduced to being the wife of Superman."

But I still really feel that despite the briefness of this scene, it rang hollow. Definitely a misstep.

Which is why I feel Bruce's comment and Clark's response is just not an earned one from the writing team. We've really seen no evidence that the public has just started viewing Lois as Superman's wife. But we've also seen very little evidence that the public hasn't. This clearly hasn't been a point or priority for the comics to prove, so we have to take Bruce's words at face value. But considering the comics haven't taken the time to focus on Lois...do the writers really get to blame the fictional public for not focusing on Lois?

It's obviously a lot more complicated than focus on Lois = good and no focus on Lois = bad (although I am always going to be excited when Lois' gets attention). PKJ's run has been fantastic and, despite Lois' lack of attention, I do get the impression that he understands how important she is the Superman mythos. To his credit, and the rest of the writers working on Superfam comics, it does seem like Lois is going to get more focus in the Dawn of DC era. Powergirl also looks like she'll be getting more attention too. And I'm truly excited for that. I don't have the highest hopes in DC has a whole right now but I am really looking forward to the Superfam titles.

[fussyspace]

Word count: ~70,300

Cover: A neat cover with a pretty palette, this one gives the right vibes while staying quite simple. It has something to do with planets, it has a colonisation attempt (possibly failed) and it's probably funny. Did I completely blank the fact that it was part of a series until I got to the end and wondered? Why yes, yes I did.

Blurb: 'They needed some help. They woke up the wrong guy. 'The colony ship, Odyssey Earth, is on a 17-year voyage across the galaxy to a new home. And Jordan Booth is exactly where he wanted to be – tucked up in hypersleep, with nothing to worry about until planetfall. 'However, Captain Juno Washington has other ideas. She’s got a quirky ship’s AI, Reeves, and a crew of loners and oddballs, but what she doesn’t have is anyone to look out for the Odyssey Earth’s six ship-born teenagers. 'When Jordan is revived and given the job, he’s far from happy about it. Then again, nor are the kids. Tight-knit, whip-smart, resilient – the last thing they need is a chaperone, and they make sure he knows it. 'After an unexpected change of course, everyone needs to join forces if they’re going to survive. But Jordan is out of his comfort zone – and the teenagers are in no mood to listen. Still, if they pull together and stop squabbling, they might all just make it. 'Yeah, right. Good luck with that.'

I do love the premise of Orphan Planet, and had I come across its blurb in the wild, I may have been tempted to give it a read for the novelty. (I'll be honest, the only thing putting me off would have been the prospect of encountering teenage drama, which I avoid like the plague, but thankfully the usual cringe was not present here.)

Vote to continue at 30%: Yes

Content: In my reviews, I often commit the sin of forgetting to note down all the things I like about a book and ending up with an embarrassingly long list of complaints even when I liked it. The fact that this review is quite short, then, should serve as an indication of how much I enjoyed it (or perhaps more accurately, how inoffensive I found it).

This was a pretty easy read, with light humour here and there and an interesting opening with the main character preparing to go on a colony ship. I found the fact that it switched back and forth between times at the beginning of chapters annoying at first, but settled into it. It was sometimes a bit reminiscent of William Shatner in its use of commas, and missed a few semi-colons, but was otherwise well written.

I was very amused, when it reached the part where the teacher got defrosted, to find out that the shipborn kids he would be looking after existed because the birth control didn't work and none of the mission-essential crew had the time (or necessarily skills) to look after them. The situation tickled me. And the series of videos from their old teacher that introduced them was quite poignant. It was one of those things that, on the surface, look like they should be an info dump, and probably are, but they work well.

Those videos formed a sort of primer for getting to know the kids, both for the teacher and for me as a reader. Admittedly it could be difficult at times. There were a lot of conversations where many people spoke without speech tags. Giving the benefit of the doubt, I think it was to show that the teacher didn't yet know which kid was which, or to consolidate all their speech into 'the noise of the group in general'. I found it a little annoying. I was also confused in places where question marks got used for rhetorical questions and I had to do a double take.

Spoilers for the last part of the book below.

When they accidentally landed on the wrong planet and had to trek across its surface in search of rescue, everything really came alive. The character interactions were great, and I loved seeing the little family (sarcastic AI included) forming. I did find it a little sad, as well, though, with no prospect of a rescue in sight, and therefore only the outlook of drawn-out deaths. I found myself wishing there had been some last-minute glimmer of hope in the final lines. When I discovered there was a sequel, I found my wish answered, of course, and the ending wasn't quite so sad. But on its own, it certainly gave that bittersweet impression.

Overall, Orphan Planet is an enjoyable read with great characters. While it doesn't do anything wildly out-there or leave a massive impression, I definitely recommend it.