#bless this little family

[kaleidoscopedrawsjpg]

Found family, gets me every fucking time

word of honor 山河令 » favorite relationships → zhou zishu, wen kexing & zhang chengling

At first, Zhang Chengling still excitedly ran over to watch them, thinking he could learn something, but afterwards he realised their fights were too fierce. Aside from learning specialties like “black tiger pulls out heart”, “monkey stealing peaches”, or something like “upending skies”, there was no value-added experience to be learnt. He then immediately lamented that no wonder they were martial arts masters, even their techniques are trimmed down to the basics. Hence, he went back to study his own martial arts orthodoxly step-by-step. 

Yet in the young man’s heart, he still held some annoyance. His shifu kept criticising that his movements were ugly, but does he himself not frequently roll around on the ground in such improper style with senior Wen?

The two top masters had completely fallen to become two top street rats, all the while unintentionally misleading a young man’s growth path.

– 天涯客 Tian Ya Ke, Extra 1

[alienaliart]

Some drawings that I made for the fanfic "Off Balance" by @mrslittletall 🩵 Read it here

I can't recommend it enough, I'm obsessed!

[star-mail]

spy x fengqing !! prompt by arachreo for @fengqingaction :D

im having a hard time drawing lately I'm sorryyy 😔

[stellas-and-tonitruses]

Everything we know about Project Apple (and, by extension, Anya's past) thus far

thought i'd compile all of that now while endo's on break Just In Case the next chapter happens to start anya's backstory (i don't Think it will but endo likes surprising us LSDFKLFS)

important disclaimer that project apple and the organization in charge of anya's experiments have not been confirmed to be related! there's evidence that they have things in common, in particular employees, but that's our only real connection between the two thus far. still! worth looking into

more under the cut!

so, starting very strongly with the very first mention of anything related to the project: anya's introduction in chapter 1

despite her being a main character, we know very little about her past at the moment, and this little blurb at the beginning makes up a very big portion of what we know.

things to note here:

as an experiment, her name was "Test Subject 007". important to note that the notation differs between her and bond: she was Test Subject 007, bond was Subject 8, no zeroes in there;

she had been made thus by accident, the phrasing itself implying quite heavily that she was just a normal child before said accident (but this is the translation! i don't know japanese so i can't cross-reference with the raws to clarify if the phrasing changes anything, but the fanbook uses the word "gained" to describe her powers too);

because her mind-reading is an unintended consequence, that means the scientists were presumably not, at least initially, trying to achieve cognitive enhancements in humans, and were instead trying to achieve something else, whatever that might've been;

she escaped from the facility and then moved from institution to institution, looking for a family.

so, crucially, through this little introduction we learn that there is an organization, government-funded or otherwise, that is or was conducting human experiments for unknown purposes. we also learn that whatever family anya had prior to being involved in the experiments is more than likely unreachable, at least as far as she knows, and so she has settled for finding a new family to take care of her instead.

in terms of the facility itself, here we see they clearly drilled it into her that she can't ever reveal her secret (and the darn plush is there too -- in the anime it's even more emphasized, as you can see in the gif i made)

through her reminiscing though, we get our very first look at the scientists that were in charge of her! they're in the gif above but here they are in the manga too. it's so interesting that the anime actually shows their eyes behind the glasses though, fascinating choice.

the insistence on world peace is important, as it explains her own personal obsession with it and shows that it's not just because of twilight's own focus on preserving the peace. i also don't think twilight ever really talks about "world peace," only about "preserving the current peace between westalis and ostania" -- anya seems to be the only one talking about WORLD peace (even in the very first scene where either of them mention it in proximity to each other in ch 1, loid says "understanding the other party is the first step towards peace" and anya's interpretation is "understanding me makes world peace?") but take this with a grain of salt because i might be wrong! going through every single mention of peace in the story just to fact check this one little trivia fact is a bit much i think so i'm not doing it JSDFKLSD

but yes

remember mr hair strand and baldy, we'll see them again. not her though, ig she wasn't in charge of bond

now, fast-forwarding to chapter 19, we finally get a name and a premise for the experiments:

"but oana," you might say, "this is talking about animals only! how do we know it's the same project as anya's, which involved human experimentation?"

i don't think it is, is the thing! i think it's related to the experiments anya was a part of, which is evidenced by the same scientists being featured in project apple too, but there's more going on that we don't know about. there wouldn't be such adamancy on keeping the two separate in every official mention of them if they were just the same thing, imo!

back to the evidence, we learn that the project, conducted and funded by the previous ostanian regime (meaning donovan's related to it one way or another, since he was prime minister), was marked by franticness and desperation -- a prime place for accidents like anya's telepathy and bond's future vision.

we also learn that the project was sacked by the new administration and that the former test subjects ended up on the black market.

(this makes it very important, imo, to learn when anya escaped the facility vs. when the project was sacked. it's clearly no longer in function, but while we've heard nothing from them thus far, i'm willing to bet the shady dealings around the desmond group are NOT related to the war, as W.I.S.E. has been led to believe, but rather to reignite project apple. that is speculation however so i'm going to refrain from theorising much on why the desmond group is focused on acquiring pharmaceutical companies!!)

ok speculation tangent over, back on track

so, that's already a decent amount of info! but moving to chapter 22, when bond is finally home, and we finally see some familiar faces

behold! baldy and mr hair strand!

and 2 other guys we don't know but will see again in another bond flashback!

that's 2 out of the 3 scientists we've seen thus far from anya's own time as subject 007, confirming that there IS a connection between anya and bond's experiments, regardless of whatever the project anya was a part of might've been named.

this is also the chapter in which we learn that bond himself was subject 8 (or, if we take it from the fanbook, subject #8. still, diff notation from anya!)

in chapter 31, we learn an interesting tiny piece of trivia. we don't get any further info on it, but it IS mentioned as something that is known by W.I.S.E.:

ostania is rumoured to have done human experimentation! and W.I.S.E., and by extension loid, are aware of that.

do i know how them knowing may be important later? not really!

the next droplet of info we get is in chapter 40. we see that project apple had collaborators that are still functioning unhindered.

of course, born industries is only rumoured to have been involved with project apple, but regardless of whether or not they actually were, the rumour itself implies that the project likely pulled scientists from various other companies' R&D departments.

(this makes the desmond group's acquisition of glooman pharmaceuticals shadier, but anyway)

as a side note, twilight is emoting so much at just his wrong assumption that bond is seeking revenge against the scientists. imagine how he's going to react when he finds out about anya JKSDFKLFSD

and now aaaaall the way in chapter 58, we see the bald guy who anya also knows, the two scientists from bond's previous flashback, and one whole new guy!

and thus ends our current knowledge of it all!

the only other thing worth discussing is anya's knowledge of classical language

but plenty people have already discussed these scenes, especially recently, so here are some links: 1 | 2 | 3

the only thing i can add is that i'm fairly certain that classical language is a lot more likely to be latin than old english, because it's a very common language to learn in school (in europe at least, and ostania is based on east germany so it makes sense to me. i learned mandatory latin in school for a few good years too, even if i wasn't that good at it lol) and because one of the most common modern usages of latin are in medicine and science, it would make sense that she'd be better at it due to exposure.

a possibility is also that the scientists would think in latin to conceal their thoughts from her, and that's how she ended up learning so much. she's not fluent in latin, she's just well acquainted and that cicumstance would explain the how.

BUT THAT'S SPECULATIONNN

also i don't think "ANIA" is an acronym, nor do i think anya's been misspelling her own name out of lack of knowledge. "ania" is a polish diminutive of anna and an alternate transcription of Аня, so i think it's far more likely that anya isn't ostanian or westalian than it is that her name comes from an acronym.

now,

TL;DR!

what we know about project apple (and the "mysterious organization"):

project apple was funded and conducted by what appears to have been donovan's regime and, from what W.I.S.E. knows, aimed to create highly intelligent animals for military purposes;

W.I.S.E. is aware that ostania is at the very least rumoured to have dabbled in human experimentation;

the project is presumably no longer on-going, though it is likely there are efforts behind the scenes to revive it;

it is rumoured but not confirmed that project apple had collaborating companies that are still functioning perfectly fine;

the same scientists who were in charge of bond were also in charge of anya, signalling that there is a very significant connection between project apple and the "mysterious organization;"

based on what they were telling anya, they were/are very focused on "world peace";

their experimentation methods include but likely aren't limited to electrocution.

and what we (vaguely) know about anya that relates to this:

she is at the youngest, 4 years old, and at the oldest, 5 nearing 6. we don't know her real age, all we know is she definitely lied about being 6;

she is very fixated on specifically world peace while twilight is focused on peace between ostania and westalis. the scientists are the very first we see talking about this, so it's likely their fault;

she is unreasonably well acquainted with classical language;

she has escaped the facility at LEAST 1 year ago;

and, one tidbit from the fanbook (page 29): "Anya has been reading minds for as long as she can remember," implying that her memory of a life before the lab is muddy at best and absent at worst.

that's all we know that i know of!!

if you got this far, thank you for reading :D hope any of this was interesting or sparked any theories >:] have a good day!

[saintvainglorious]

Fics I Enjoyed in January - DC Comics Fic Rec List Part 2

I am still neck-deep in DC fandom this month and the fics have been so so good. Unlike last time, I am too tired to write mini summaries/reviews, so I'm going to feature my favorite quote from each fic instead.

My first DC Comics fic rec list is here!

Floor Plans by @oh-mother-of-darkness (Teen & Up, 1k, 2016) “I really didn’t want to die,” he finished. “I was kind of hoping if I laid here long enough, I would remember what that felt like.”

Losing two brothers in six months takes an emotional toll.

almost right by @bitimdrake (Teen & Up, 3k, 2020) He desperately wishes that he didn’t know what Dick’s cheekbone feels like under a gauntleted fist.

Bruce sucks in a breath, hand raising to fix the cowl. Dick flinches back.

but more with love by @danishsweethearts (Teen & Up, 3k, 2022) Dick wakes up one morning, groggy from a dream that he thinks might’ve been about the circus and also about his favourite car and also about how lonely he is, and realizes that he can’t remember what his mother’s voice sounds like anymore.

O Robin, Robin, wherefore art thou Robin?

The Mechanics of a Hug by @sohotthateveryonedied (General Audiences, 4k, 2017) “You know… that crushing sense of depression? Like,” Dick chews his lip. “It’s. A physical weight. Makes it hard to breathe?” “Yeah,” Tim says, soft. He smiles, wryly. “I sort of hoped you didn’t, though.”

“So,” Tim ventures. “It's… what, a cuddle pollen?” Bruce just shrugs. “Something like that.”

No Pain, All Gain by @sohotthateveryonedied (General Audiences, 1k, 2020) Tim’s eyes go even wider. “You stole my organs?” “Technically,” Jason chimes in, “the doctors stole your organs. We just gave them permission.”

Bruce checks Tim’s IV. “Are you in any pain? Do you need more morphine?” Tim’s pupils are so wide that only the faintest ring of blue can be seen. He watches Bruce the way a five-year-old watches cartoons. “I’m all good, B-dog. All Gucci, like we cool teens say." His words are slurred almost beyond recognition, but Tim doesn’t seem to notice or care. "I could fight Superman right now.”

The Wind Sits in the Shoulder of Your Sail by @birdchildsnest (Teen & Up, 7k, 2020) “Oh my god. Bruce. I can’t even tell if you’re serious. When everybody finally eats the rich—they’re going to eat you first.”

At least, back then, Tim had barely been a teenager. He could almost forgive his own volatility. And he’d been smart enough (scared enough?) not to tell Jack that he didn’t need him. What was his excuse now? Bruce was his dad (at least, in the legal sense), but (surprise, surprise) it turned out that Tim wasn’t any better at being a son. Or Tim and Bruce still have some things to sort through after the adoption.

I Left My Conscience On Your Front Doorstep by @dustorange (Teen & Up, 21k, 2022) He doesn’t want to be loved if being loved is like this.

"I think I'm leaving," Dick whispers. "I think I'm not coming back."

bad boys bad boys (whatcha gonna do) ♫ by @drakefeathers (Teen & Up, 20k, 2014) "They live their lives thinking they can charge through the city with the right to hurt and kill and destroy as many lives as they want. And they do it all without a shred of remorse." “But—” Damian begins, brow furrowed in confusion. “Isn’t that like you?”

a Jason and Damian as Batman and Robin AU!! featuring a bunch of graffiti, a rival dynamic duo, and Cat Jason (a cat named Jason).

The Biggest Mistake by @oh-mother-of-darkness (General Audiences, 1k, 2016) “I could ground him anyway, if it would make you feel better.” “He only said it because I called him ‘a garbage can so ineffective it actually became garbage.’”

"You know what really needs to be addressed? Bruce's truly terrible treatment of Damian." -Me, on a daily basis

been a number and a name by @wynterstars (Teen & Up, 35k, 2023) “Turns out if you just say ‘spacetime’ until people’s eyes glaze over they don’t really question anything you say. Also, somehow nobody expects me to be able to actually do enough math to explain it.”

On a field trip, Robin has a close encounter with the newest super in Metropolis, only to discover the hard way that Superboy secretly works for Lex Luthor. They agree to work together on a plan to free Superboy from Luthor’s hold, but Robin isn’t sure how far he can trust him—and his developing feelings only make things more complicated.

clean it like you mean it by @wynterstars (Teen & Up, 70k, 2024) "Wait, ugh, you're not my dead dad, right? If I'm getting a dying vision of my dead dad I want a do-over because he suuuuucked."

When Gotham's crooks have to scrub down their lairs, who do they call? Jason Todd, Gotham's first and only underworld crime scene cleaning specialist. He's spent his life dodging the Bat, but after a chance encounter he saves Robin's life. Tim Drake finds himself drawn to the conflicted rogue, and soon Jason becomes Robin's street informant. But they can only stay on opposite sides of the law for so long before something breaks.

3:16 by @wufflesvetinari (Teen & Up, 70k (WIP), 2023) “Try to decouple one thing from the other. I’m proud of you, but ice cream isn’t my grand statement about whether you’ve been good or bad today. Good things are good. Happiness is precious. Sometimes you just want caramel chocolate chip.”

The knife pushes thin along Dick’s carotid artery, cupping the indent between neck and jawline—forcing him to angle his chin. The metal is warm, pulled with execution speed from under Damian’s pillow. “Okay,” Dick says quietly, tracking the intricacies of his own heartbeat—counting the space between breaths. “Guess I did need a shave.” (With faltering steps, Dick and Damian become Batman and Robin.)

wolf-king of rome by @mysterycitrus (Not Rated, 25k, 2024) “You go after Joker, but you don’t kill him, because it’s not about the Joker dying, it’s about Bruce breaking his code for you. It’s about Bruce loving you enough to change himself for the worse. It’s about your idea of grieving.”

Jason doesn’t fear Dick Grayson. Fear itself has changed shape for him, since his return from the Pit - it tastes of dirt in his mouth, of drowning, of fire and blood and laughter, more than a tangible face. Still, he’d be stupid not to be cautious. Dick liked playing on an uneven field, and would do anything to keep him off balance, so he just had to stay focused. That’s the nature of the armistice, both waiting for the other to make a move. It’s like balancing on the head of a pin.

Declensions by @dustorange (Teen & Up, 13k, 2018) “Do not tell them your name. Do as I did to survive. I lied. I have always lied. Make one up. Do not let them have you. Say your name is…is…is…Richard Grayson. Or something. They are going to steal you; do not give them anything to steal.”

“My father,” Dick says, “worked the rope. It cut him. His hands were never clean.”

Passiontide by @bigdvmnhero (Teen & Up, 5k, 2025) Despite its faults, the day had tried to be good. He felt young, like someone's son.

On the 96th day Bruce didn't call, Dick remembered their old game. Three things he knew: 1) In three months, it would be Dick's death anniversary; 2) Bruce was still missing his check-ins; 3) Here Dick was, persisting. Imagine the things I'd survive, Dick thought distantly, if I loved Bruce less. Or: Agent 37 and his various crises of faith, on Day 277 at Spyral, Day 150, and Day -0.

the time you won your town the race by @silverwhittlingknife (Teen & Up, 4k (WIP), 2022) Tim. Tim is Dick’s. Death sharpens, clarifies these things. Who will receive the body, decide on the funeral, receive condolences, make all the decisions that matter. No one has questioned it, not even Tim’s friends. There’s a terrible clarity about death. If Dick said, let’s burn everything he owned, Alfred would do it.

He doesn’t know exactly what Tim would say. But he knows what Tim would do. Tim dies. Dick doesn’t take death for an answer. A Red Robin 12 AU.

door, opening by @cowboysorceror (Mature, 70k (WIP), 2024) Dick, with the keys to every locked door Jason has ever tried to open, tucked inside the cradle of his skull; all of that, snuffed out like a candle.

It’s barely audible, but he knows what he heard. A short, four-note whistle, chirping down – E, C#, then jumping up to A, F#, a little trill on the finish. He waits a moment, head turned slightly towards the dim shapes of storage containers between him and the ramp, eyes straining against the blackness. Long, stretching seconds. There it is again. His gloved hand, prickling with cold, closes into a fist. It’s a wood thrush. A small North American songbird that doesn’t sing at night, doesn’t live in the city. He knows what it means. It means hold, steady, not yet. It means wait for me, I’m behind you.

[therealjasonx]

Absolutely no one:

Me:

[saltpepperbeard]

Hugo’s still at it 😭😭🤡🤡💜💜

[mornwrites]

Hi! Sorry if this is a bit weird but may I please ask for a platonic/ familial Xie Lian and younger sister reader? I’ve only watched the donghua so I’d prefer not to get spoilers for the novels if possible.

Thank you!

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ content - Xie Lian , Reader is from Banyue kingdom , Lowkey made the reader more gender-neutral than female whoops , Reader has no parents , Very subtle undertone of child neglect , No Triggers

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ author's note - thank you so much for the request and don't worry, it wasn't weird at all! i wish there were more fics in TGCF with sibling!reader dynamics. apologies for taking so long to write this out, but i hope it's to your satisfaction. perhaps i can make a part two or write any specific scenario if you have one in mind. :)

Xie Lian met you right after his time in the Banyue kingdom, falsifying his death and then fleeing. He'd begun wandering on his own again during this time and loneliness had slowly begun to nip at him, guilt clawing at him due to how everything had turned out. Being nothing more than a passerby in some miscellaneous village, he'd never planned on taking another kid under his wing.

You had been running through a field after a butterfly, determined to catch it and not paying attention. This led to you stumbling over a napping Xie Lian who was hidden within the tall grass, trying to catch up on some much needed rest. He was startled to say the least, but he was quick to process the situation and help you up, reassuring you that it was okay after your seemingly endless apologies.

From there it didn't take long for you to grow attached to Xie Lian, small and craving some sort of affection that you lacked with an absence of parents. He was equally lonely and in desperate need of someone to take care of to help stave off the negativity brewing within him. You left the village with him later on after a few small protests when he tried to decline, saying that you'd be better off in the place you didn't consider a home.

Anything and everything you wanted to learn was readily available. Xie Lian was happy to teach you how to read and write, encouraging you to discover the world around you. He'd ensure you would had everything you needed whether it be ink and a quill or some scroll with a story to be told. Money was never flowing very easily from his pockets, but he did just about anything he could to make sure you were fed at the end of the day.

Despite the times in which this takes place, Xie Lian thought it was important for you to be capable of self defense in case anything happened while he wasn't with you. This led to you learning the basics of sword wielding and martial arts, a force to be reckoned with regardless of the assumptions many would make about women during that time period. He definitely would do his best to make sure you didn't overwork yourself if you trained tirelessly, trying to emphasize the important of resting.

If you ever want to play with his hair Xie Lian definitely lets you, sitting there as you try a variety of hairstyles that resulted in knots half the time. He could do a simple braid or bun for your hair, but he's practically incapable of doing anything further. Even though he'd been without assistants for several decades now, he still wasn't completely used to doing certain things on his own let alone for other people. This doesn't mean he wouldn't try, though, regardless of the length of your hair.

Xie Lian definitely buys you pretty skirts and other more feminine outfits when you're little, but he'll refrain from doing so if you don't enjoy them later on. He'd definitely put little bows and ribbons in your hair, possibly get you a matching set with a doll he bought for you prior to this. Overall, I think Xie Lian does his best to set a great example for you and help prepare you for life because he knows firsthand how difficult it can be.

[pikkissis]

Little Peony!

With a little doodle of momma and daughter airplanes...

God Bless!

Bonus!

Double God Bless!

[princessanneftw]

Princess Anne and tiny bridesmaid Zara Phillips arriving at the wedding of Richard Drax and Zara Legge-Bourke at Guards Chapel on 23 May 1985

[solargeist]

Wait students protesting? Context pls?

University students are protesting on campus for Palestine, either in solidarité or to pressure their university to divest in israel's genocide on palestiniens.

the two i see often are Columbia in New York and Sorbonne in France

The students of Columbia University took over Hamilton Hall, which hasn't happened since another student protest in the 60s

The flag says "Hind's Hall" after a six year old Palestinien girl who was killed along with ambulance by israel.

[rocker-socks]

I see your Bruce adopts Billy au and raise you Diana adopts Billy while Bruce hovers on the sidelines playing godfather who has the adoption papers ready if something bad happens. Jon also gets this treatment.

[fbfh]

do you still write for jj?

ooooh not only do I write for JJ but I kiss you on both cheeks for giving me an excuse to talk about one of my favorite obscure JJ thoughts. JJ x ballerina!reader (gn so technically ballet dancer reader, but you do dance pointe and in a more feminine style in pas de deux so do with that what you will)

They thought you were a kook for the first few summers since you clearly went to school off the island. It turns out you're not, you're just a scholarship kid to whatever fancy school you go to (something that Pope LOVES to pick your brain about since he's dying for a scholarship to his dream college)

at some point or another, there's a hurricane. you end up sticking it out with the other pogues. that's when they notice how... weirdly flexible you are. especially JJ. mostly JJ. it started off small, with you stretching a little while you guys are hanging out in the aftermath since the day after a hurricane is always a free day. JJ looked away from you for like two seconds and you just fuckin... dropped into a perfect split. he's surprised by this obviously, but he's more surprised when you seamlessly shift to a split on the other side, then a center split, bending and moving with impossibly flexibility. then a moment later, you're asking him "hey can you grab my leg?" as you stand up and stretch into a scorpion/needle pose. soon you're dragging him out of the room to "help you with something else." he FULLY thinks yall are about to hook up, but instead you put on this beautiful, artsy, erratic piano music, kick off your sandals or sneakers or whatever, and begin moving like a fucking vision.

you're rambling to him while you dance like it's nothing, but his jaw is on the fucking floor.

"This is the solo I learned last semester," you chuckle while spinning like a little figurine atop a music box, or something in a snow globe, or... wherever else he's seen ballerinas in passing before.

"If I'm rusty by the time I get back, Miss Raine will kill me." you chuckle playfully.

after a few moments, you finish, posed delicately on the ground. you look up at him, your cheeks flushed, your eyes glistening with mirth.

"holy fucking shit," he exclaims, making you blush. "goddamn, princess, that-"

he trails off with a disbelieving chuckle.

"That was fuckin' incredible," he says with a breathy laugh, then nudges you playfully, looking at you more closely like he must have missed something all those times he looked at you and never saw this magical ballet fairy hiding inside you. "you've been holdin' out on me." he teases.

"okay, okay, here's where I need your help." you begin, trying not to get too distracted. you reach out and grab his wrist, holding out his left arm palm up. "I'm gonna run at you like this-"

you demonstrate, taking a step forward. his attention is locked onto you even harder from the moment you grab his arm.

"And kinda... kick my leg around," you do just that, so you're twisted around and facing away from him. he lets out a little noise of surprise. you know it must seem convoluted and ridiculous, but you really need help practicing this lift.

"I need you to wrap your arm around me like this," you say, bending forward with one leg extended behind you, the other supporting you, so your stomach rests on his bicep and his hand holds the small of your back. "And then place your other hand right on my ribcage here."

"oh, my hand will be wherever you want it, cupcake." he says, making you roll your eyes at the (only half joking) innuendo.

"okay." you say, taking a step back. "you ready?"

the first few times you walk through it together are clumsy and slow, a mess of limbs and giggles, but eventually you get it. you call your friends in to show them the bluebird lift you've been working on, even having successfully taught JJ how to lower you and do a few basic steps with you to conclude. you both get through it unscathed, and your friends reactions are very similar to JJ (with only slightly less innuendo and teasing from John B and Pope), and as JJ giggles and demands you come at him so he can lift you again, you start to see a lot of potential in him.

maybe, just maybe, you can shape that potential a little more over the summer. your ballet academy always has scholarships for boys available since they're always in demand in the performing arts. you think there might just be a chance for JJ to do a lot more lifts with you.

[leilanising]

Here are some doodles from @tmnt-fandom-family-reunion 's magma! <3

@allyheart707 (right) and @yourlocaltiredartist (left) made these beautiful artworks for me!!

[shoot-i-messed-up]

fuck it, I've been thinking about the Hal Jordan: The Guy Who Made Superman Cry Thrice epilogue again, so here's a little snippet of something I've already written. Idk if it'll make it in or if it'll be changed, but I like my characterization, so here it is CW: the lightest of allusions to Hal's rape recovery + spoilers, obvi

Because Batman was an actual douchebag, Hal was back on the JL active roster for two days before that Sunday afternoon, he was called in for the bureaucratic scourge of all superheroes everywhere: monitor duty. In his darkest moments, those three months being powerless, he came to miss all aspects of being Green Lantern, even monitor duty, but faced with the actuality of the situation, that was no longer the case. He hadn’t even been able to stop a mugger before getting stuck on monitor duty, for Christ’s sake. Batman must’ve switched his shifts out for Hal as soon as he was available. 

Hal zeta’d up to the Watchtower, grumbling to himself all the way there, but when he stepped out of the Zeta Beam tubes, he noticed that all of the lights were turned down to dim, as if to save energy on Life Support. Hal was alert now, and he flew up to the control deck. There was no one around to operate the Zeta Beam tubes, the promenade, or the control deck, not even a skeleton crew. No Martian Manhunter or Mister Terrific or anyone.

“Guys?” Hal said, voice echoing through the empty promenade. “Hellooooo? If this is a prank, it’s real unoriginal!”

With a second, a red blur rushed into his vision, and the Flash was in front of him. “Hal!” Barry said, looking harried, though thankfully uninjured at a glance. “We need you in the cafeteria ASAP.”

“What’s the sitch?” Hal said, but Barry had already sprinted to the hallway, and he called out over his shoulder, “No time to explain, just follow me!” and the red blur disappeared down the corner.

Hal sighed and flew after him. “Figures that this happens on my shift,” he muttered, though he actually would enjoy a good stress-relieving tussle right about now.

A few minutes of flying later (Hal could cross lightyears in seconds, but Batman would not be appreciative of a Hal-shaped hole in the Watchtower’s walls, so he had to be a little careful), Hal arrived at the cafeteria doors, which were firmly closed. Hal eyed the palm scanner that would open them, and because he hadn’t survived ten years of being a Green Lantern without learning something, he asked the Ring to scan the inside of the room for potential danger. Hal assumed Barry must have gotten here before him, which said something interesting about those closed doors.

“There are no potentially life-threatening dangers detected,” the Ring said, which was the first time it had spoken to him since he had enough willpower for it to work again. “However, the lights are currently turned off, which may be a hazard to beings with limited spectral ranges. Additionally, there are currently one hundred and fifty-two life forms inside the room known as the Watchtower cafeteria. Shall I give a more comprehensive analysis report?”

Hal grinned. He knew what this was. “I’m good. Thanks, Ring.”

The Ring subsided, and Hal pressed his hand to the palm scanner. He really wasn’t sure how that thing worked, especially since he and many others of the League wore gloves, but whatever, it opened to him, anyway. Hal stepped inside the dark room, and a beat later, the blinding lights turned on, and there were friendly, smiling faces everywhere he looked.

“WELCOME BACK!!” the entire one hundred and fifty-two members of the Justice League screamed.

The cafeteria of the Watchtower was usually a gray industrial room built more for function than for aesthetic, with its only concession to comfort being wooden circular tables and stools that could pass as furniture in a reasonably upscale coffee shop. Today, however, most of the tables had been pushed up against the walls to make room for a makeshift dance floor in the center of the cafeteria, and a pulsing disco ball hung just above. A garish banner draped above the windows, proclaiming CONGRATS! IT’S A BABY BOY! with the ‘baby boy’ crossed out, and replaced with squished writing of GREEN LANTERN!!! And there were balloons. Balloons everywhere, of varying sizes and occasions. There was even a giant inflatable T-Rex behind the bowl of punch; it was like some nine-year-old’s demented idea of what a birthday party should look like. Hal knew, like he knew that grass was green, that Oliver Queen had been the foremost decorator.

Barry ran up to Hal’s side with a smile, but after seeing Hal’s expression, his own flipped from cheerful to mildly offended. 

“You knew about the surprise party,” Barry accused. “How could you possibly have known? I didn’t even know until this morning!”

“Ignore Mother Hen over here, I told him not to invite the Question,” Oliver said, giving Hal a warm clap on the back with his free hand as his other held a beer. Oliver Queen, keepin’ it classy since ‘73.

“What was I supposed to do, not invite one Leaguer but invite everyone else? We aren’t third-graders, and this isn’t some elementary school birthday party.”

“Sure looks like one,” Hal said with a look at Ollie, but Oliver was just focused on Barry, gesturing with his bottle.

“Dude, I’m telling you, that nut can’t keep a secret to save his life. He saw CADMUS security tapes showing a parallel Earth Superman kill President Luthor and immediately went to confront Superman about it.”

“That’s just because he thought that was the best thing to do in that situation! Obviously, when there’s a secret that everyone wants kept under wraps like a surprise party, anyone would keep their mouth shut. Besides, he’s literally the Question, ‘secrets’ is his whole job!”

“Ah, but therein lies my point! Conspiracy theorists got loose lips by nature. The Question is a conspiracy theorist. Ergo, the Question got loose lips.” Oliver dipped into a bow, which, since he still had an arm around Hal, made him stagger, too. “I rest my case.”

“Okay solid argument, except for the fact that he doesn’t have lips in the first place,” Hal said fondly. He missed these two and their silly nonsense squabbles. “Ollie, Barry, it’s good to see you two—you know, barring my latest adventure.”

Oliver looked like he had some choice words about said latest adventure, but before he could say anything, a female voice shouted, “Green Lantern Jordan!” 

Hal turned and saw Diana was at his side too now, with a flower crown instead of her silver tiara. “As the guest of honor, it is customary that you assume your position on the throne,” Diana said, apparently 100% serious. “Come with me, I shall show you where it is.” She looped an arm through Hal’s and dragged him over to one of the corners of the room. Now that the ‘surprise’ part of the surprise party was over, the partygoers resumed their previous conversations and various activities, so they paid them little mind. However, as Hal and Diana passed through the crowd, there were a decent number of salutes along the lines of Jordan, great to have you back! and Lantern, you still owe me sixteen dollars.

“Guys, this really isn’t necessary,” Hal protested, dragging his feet. 

Barry put a hand on Hal’s shoulder, fleetingly, as if he remembered he shouldn’t touch so casually. “Hey,” said Barry, baby blue eyes full of concern, “if you feel uncomfortable with this whole shindig, I’ll have everybody cleared out before you can say ‘in a flash.’” 

“Ah, hell, I didn’t think—” Oliver said.

“I’m fine,” Hal said, which was apparently the wrong thing to say because ever-perceptive Diana said, “But is this fine?”

All three expectantly looked at Hal, awaiting his answer, Oliver with a face that gave away nothing while Barry and Diana began to slide past concern into alarmed. Hal inwardly squirmed at the attention. It’s high time you learned how to accept that kinda fussing, Clark had said once.

“Guys,” Hal temporized. “I’m not uncomfortable, really, I’m not. It’s just that the dubiously constructed ‘throne’ over there looks like it came straight out of a small town high school prom with a poorly spent budget, it’s a little much for lil’ old me.” 

Both Barry and Oliver’s eyes checked in with Diana, and Diana must have been satisfied with Hal’s answer because she said, “Lantern, you mustn’t be so humble,” and resumed dragging him to the throne. 

“Diana, c’mon,” Hal pleaded, “I don’t need to sit on a throne.”

“Make way for the returned Green Lantern! Thank you, thank you, and thank you,” Oliver said. Diana’s resumed pushiness (in both senses of the word) apparently gave Barry and Oliver the sanction to return to joviality, which showed in the way Oliver swiped a slice of pizza from a nearby partygoer and handed it to Barry as they walked. They did that act to Hal all the time, and it drove him up a wall. The Ring was evidently no match for the clever fingers of Green Arrow and the insatiable hunger of the Flash. 

“I was only gone for three months,” Hal said, looking askance at Barry Speed-Force-scarfing down the pizza.

“Almost four,” Ollie corrected.

“Really, only four?” Barry said, now the picture of innocence. “It only felt like one to me. Well, I suppose time flies when you’re having fun.” Hal reached out a hand to cuff him, but of course that was folly. Barry sped off to the refreshments table, laughing.

“I do mean it, though,” Hal insisted to Oliver and Diana. At this point, he was almost resigned to his fate. Even if he managed to escape, Diana could easily grab him again and throw him over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry—the view would be great but not worth the emasculation. “This really isn’t necessary.”

“We have gifts!” Diana chimed in.

Hal perked up. “Oh, well in that case—“

[stfrancisprayer]

DEXTER FLETCHER photographed with his older brothers STEVE FLETCHER and GRAHAM FLETCHER-COOK, circa 1989