#both twins are growing so much but neither are aware of the other doing this.

[ancha-aus]

Omg hell yeah pre-story dream!

Very first thing. I LOVE how much of a brat Dream is!

Just the vibe about Dream in here is that he is just. Not amused by having to interact with people. He isn't happy but he knows he has to do it.

And how he uses his aura to make people feel more comfortable. Just to make it easier for himself. and to make sure to keep things calm.

Hell even about Ichor returning in one piece. It wasn't about how it would be sad to lose a life. it wouldn't be about how much pain Eclipse and the kids would be in. Dream was jsut thinking about how annoying it would be to lose two good soldiers.

Just his mind set is FASCINATING to me.

Also. I see that moment. where eclipse is uneasy about drema being near. Do i see some backstory about Eclipse remembering Nim just grabbing skeletons left right and center? Eclipse would have lived through that period of time. Ichor would to!

okay. on that note. Steel and Copper are two amazing names Eclipse. Ichor is 100% right about picking those.

Anyway back to Dream. the fact that the only thing on Dream's mind was finding Blue. gEtting to him and spending time wiht him. Hell the whole time he was talking with others not once did he think of other people like the mattered. Not like Blue.

Which. BTW! DREAM!! Can you be more obivous?! Getitng your artist friend to paint a whole painting of you in a throne with Blue by your side?! Like my dude! You are not subtle. No wonder people think you are married. you straight up did one of those cliche royal paintings of the king and queen but instead put your loyal knight in it. My dude.

I also LOVE the detail that Ink just can't seem to draw/paint Nightmare right. I imagine it is becuase he never met nightmare. Ink can only paint him in the way that dream describes him or other people talk about him. but that isn't the way for ink to know nightmare enough to do him justice in a painting. In short. I think ink CAN'T paint Nightmare because he doens't know nightmare. Ink needs to know a person to be able to paint them and do them justice. he can't do that with nightmare. and so dream doenst get the feeling that it is nightmare. (sidenote. do you think that ink has small portraits of his friends? like very tiny portraits? So when cross disappears he sometimes just checks all the paintings and finds the person missing.)

Okay back to dream and blue. Blue practising bow and arrow! because ddream wanted to fight together?! That is so sweet! He puts in so much work and effort just to surprise dream adn dream feeling all wamr and fuzzy and he is honestly surprsied. because in his eyes blue is perfect so he never even wanted to imply that blue has to fight somewhere else. The way dream wants blue to fight with what he LIKES best. Not even is best with but what he WANTS! IT is amazing to see Dream here, selfish and a brat and the center of his own universe, be so invested in Blue and wanting the world for him. It is amazing! And I love it so so so much!

And blue jsut wanting to do something for dream! <3 my poor heart.

okay! The BALL! Dream send a group to spy on one of nightmare's parties for his knights!! (also. Love the detail that you added that spies just tend to disappear (menaing nightmare letting them go and living a life) and blue telling drema they NEED to stop while drema just wants to keep sending people.) And the fact that they don't know killer's name. just that he is a murderer and has the tiger mask. the fact ichor said "the tiger" was stalking around the area is AMAZING! I also love the nod that ichor could FEEL dust's imencely powerful magic. Just there.

And dream! Dream's panic and clear love for his brother. even if dream is a brat and spoiled and honestly boarderline narcisitc at the moment. He LOVES his brother. He is so worried and so confused as to how this happened. Becaus ehis brother is smart and he should know better!

and then when blue reassured dream that he could do it. how dream focussed on blue. that BLUE could do it. because Blue makes him see things he never saw before. So it ANYONE can do that it is blue. and i love that so so so much.

It is beautiful!

New Age au (A Day at Dream's)

Hey y'all! This is another pre-story Drabble, this time from Dream's perspective! Exiled prince doing his best to interact with the populous and do his daily tasks! This was mainly just an attempt from me to get back into writing for this au, and ofc, fleshing out Dream! Hope y'all enjoy!

(Who do I normally tag? @ancha-aus @papiliovolens @mutzelputz I believe? Welcome back y'all!)

The morning was warm, something that Dream had to be grateful for. Ever since the incident, it seemed like he was faced with far more cloudy days than sunny ones, even in the midst of summer. The winters froze so harshly that trees would splinter at the branch, limbs cracking like cannon shots in the nights. The spring was full of awful thunder storms that spewed lightning and wrought floods, and the fall was constantly welcoming wind storms that threw around the rotten remains of plants all about. Even Blue had to admit that the weather was much worse here than his home kingdom, after the first year they’d spent at the very border of Orchard. 

Summers were hit and miss, either clinging to the traces of those awful storms, making everything sticky and humid, or beginning the dry season. This morning, as far as Dream could tell, might’ve finally been the start of a dry season. The garden didn’t seem to be swamped, it didn’t seem to be wilted either. The plants always seemed to know when rain was coming, because their leaves would downturn. After so many years, Dream made it a habit to glance out one of the back windows to make sure he knew just what to expect from the day.

Buttoning his over-cloak, he found himself lingering at the window for a second. He knew he’d have to talk with a returning scouting party later in the afternoon, their most survived thus far, but beyond that there wasn’t much else. Go about the camp, see if he could boost morale, maybe get in a training session with Blue…

Speaking of Blue, his loyal knight was seemingly nowhere to be found. 

Dream took a moment, crossing the quaint living room of their cabin to squint at the sky. Hmm, already past midday. He had been up rather late last night, night terrors plaguing him as they often did nowadays. He must’ve slept in, Blue had always been an early riser. Up just before the sun, back to bed late in the evening. Dream was pretty sure the only days he hadn’t seen Blue out on a morning jog were those that he asked the other to stick around. For safety, for planning, for breakfast… If he knew Blue well enough, which he liked to think he did, Blue was probably out right about now helping the supply carts unload to the outer tents. They always came in on the 2nd of every month, and the calendar marked it as such. Bless Blue for keeping such good track of affairs. 

The prince was practiced as he pulled on his remaining accessories. His archery gloves, which carried up to his elbows, and the thick leather boots gifted to him by a cobbler in the closest village. The boots were durable and comfortable, and while they weren’t the morst appealing at first, Blue had suggested that they find someone to embroider them with Dream’s symbol, the sun. They’d done so, asking one of the refugees they’d taken in if she could, and now they felt much more homey. Of course, it’d been several years now and they were looking worse for wear, but he’d grown a bit sentimental. 

These things were his, and he could keep them as long as he liked. No one here cared if they were mud-stained and threadbare in a few places, they were always looking at his face, after all. 

The moment they were buckled securely, Dream took the chance to stroll towards the door and push outside. 

Just as his plants suggested, the air was warm and dry, something which was deeply familiar to him, and admittedly placed him into a much warmer mood. Especially because, with the good weather, folks had gone about and placed their tapestries outside again. Banners and hanging pieces, all adorned with the shapes of the sun, in bright yellows, striking orange, and even some with that familiar pink accent. Usually, when it rained or snowed, they’d place the expensive and valuable symbols inside for safety, but with the warm air it felt only right that he could once again see his colors flying. 

It reminded him why he was doing all this. He had to regain power, to usurp his brother. Free him from whoever was whispering lies into his ears. Be crowned and see his sun in place of the moons which had infected every inch of the capital and many cities beyond. Though, for now, this was good enough. His own little paradise. 

The walk int the campsite proper was a little ways out from the cabin, a slightly thinner trail through a thin set of trees. Enough that he could see the camp, but the camp wasn’t directly connected to his little house, he needed his privacy every once in a while. 

From even the short walk away he could hear that the camp must’ve been bustling. Warm weather tended to make all of his people more active, it was familiar and welcoming, and rife with time to finish tasks like chores, or playing games, or, even better yet, training. Here there was no dedicated guard like back home, but the militia was very involved in wanting to learn combat, and Blue was certainly a good motivator for them. The clashing of steel and grunting of labored movements was one of several clue-ins that he’d have to stop by the little patch of dirt they used as a training arena of sorts. Off to the side of camp, with a few benches, a shed to store practice weapons, and several targets for aiming practice. Nothing fancy, but certainly enough for these people to learn. 

The prince could hardly help himself as he stepped into the camp proper and slipped that way. 

Each step passed colorful tents, heavy canvas died different colors by whoever most often occupied them. Some tenets were larger, housing the folks who stayed here as their home, run out of whatever village or city drove them off. Others were smaller, filled with supplies or individual tents for guests, dedicated to their returns. 

Dream passed Inl’s tent and smiled to himself in the silence. The inside fo the tent was piled high with half-finished paintings and splattered all over with different pigments. Paint was an expensive commodity, but Ink always seemed to know just how to make the brightest pigments out of the most random objects, plants and rocks and leaves he found on the ground, it was magical. The only thing he’d ever finished when he stayed at the camp for that brief while was the painting which Dream had practically begged him for, a royal portrait, or sorts. Dream sat atop a throne, Blue stood beside him at perfect attention, holding the sun-themed banner. It had been perfect, and it was another of Dream’s prized possessions. After that, Ink hadn’t had the focus to do any of the other paintings he started, but many of them were about tails of Dream’s usurpment, tails of tragedy told to him by the people, made in rough color splashes or with a big chunk of white at a corner where he lost his focus and moved on. Dream had gone inside once to make sure Ink hadn’t left anything behind before he left, but decided it felt lifeless and cold without the artist inside.And besides, Ink could never quite draw Nightmare right. Even though he’d drawn Dream perfectly, and they were identical twins, something always felt off about those pieces. 

The brief moment thinking about the artist fled. He was surely off killing some corrupt noble right about now for his own corrupt pay, and it was frankly none of Dream’s business so long as Ink wasn’t after his own people. 

His boots carried lightly over the soft grass, trodden down by the constant walking about camp. Light green and pretty, his heels sunk into soft soil beneath like some sort of bog, but it didn’t bother him a bit. If he had his way, the sun would stay out all day and dry up the ground a bit, make it more even and solid. Easier to walk over, less likely to slip into. 

To just his luck, only a few people spotted him in passing, waving or calling out to him, and a smile and a wave of recognition was all they needed to move on with their days. His aura must’ve been getting stronger, because he could only taste the ambient contentment from the entire camp as he wandered his way towards his destination. 

And, soon enough, it was upon him. That little patch of ground where the sounds had been coming from. Where the magic of monsters and the energy of humans were all alight with passion and focus. It was a wonder they all stayed so committed. Though, Dream had learned fairly quickly that people like these, who worked in farms, or crafts, making their money day to day, would work harder than any other person he’d ever met. Plus, it wasn’t nearly as hard for them to train as others. These very people could wrangle a steer with their bare hands, so all they needed was the fine-tuning and weapon training, none of the strenght building which usually took so long. 

That was probably why, now, they were as adept as they were with their weapons. Swords and halberds and morning stars and hammers, all of them clashed with another weapon or a practice dummy. Of course, there were only about 10 people out and about at the moment, but a few others sat on the sidelines. 

There was a brief moment where he was simply stood there. Something about combat, the thrill of the sounds and the movements and the force behind each swing, it was all mesmerising to him. He’d always been a natural with long-range weapons, and they were the only ones his mother ever approved of him using. Staying out of the direct line of fire, attacking from far away, that was what would protect his physical body, and his image. If he was struck in a fight, then people would look poorly upon him. Of course, if he’d become King he could’ve done anything. Could’ve learned the sword, or even daggers, and gotten up close and personal. Seen the flurry of emotions fly through his opponents eyes even before he tasted them. No mother to tell him no, no babysitter, nothing. Just him and the battle. 

Alas, here he is, still using his arrows, and still not using close-combat weaponry, unlike the training warriors before him. In fact, he was pretty positive he was one of the only people who actually used the arrow range, even if he didn’t need to anymore. Shots were engrained into his mind, muscle memory practically as easy as sleeping. Maybe easier, actually. 

Regardless, he found himself forcing his eyelights past the forms of the fighting parties, and instead skimmed for Blue. Dream didn’t want to interact with the merchants today, but he knew Blue’s next stop would most likely be here. He couldn’t ever pass up as great a day as this to practice.

“Prince Dream!” The call for him was loud and excited, and a hot rush of child-like wonder burned through his focus as he stood waiting. 

His eyelights shot over, catching sight of a monster he knew should be familiar to him. There very very few people who brought their little ones to the camp, for safety reasons mostly, and those who did often had very subdued children, ones who rarely spoke or played or caused trouble. This child was entirely different. Dream always knew they were nearby, because children’s emotions were far more potent. Adult emotions felt like a warm bath, while children’s joy, for example, was like someone had splashed hot tea onto his lap. Not painful, but far more striking. 

The tyke who rushed towards him now was giggling in high-pitched squeals and stared at him with two bright orange eyelights, beig and round. He was a little skeleton, maybe four, who had white bones with splotches of a greyish hue splattered across his face and hands. Today he was wearing a little white and yellow tunic which had obviously taken some falls into the grass since he put it on that morning.

“Copper, what did we say about running with the practice blade?” Another voice called out, this one deeper and far more familiar to Dream.

The little one, who Dream now spotted was carrying a dulled wooden dagger in one of his clumsy hands, bolted past Dream’s legs, only to pivot and rush in circles around him with an energy unmatched and giggles that were unrivaled in joy. HE was obviously getting enjoyment out of causing mischief for his guardian. 

Dream’s gaze traveled away from Copper with his smile in-tact, not getting a look at the adult whom he knew he knew. Eclipse, one of Copper’s two parents. He was also a skeleton, older than Dream by at least a decade, and much taller with broader shoulders. His bones were a perfect white, his face a bit long, and his eyelights a simple white. He was wearing a tunic not unlike his son, but adorned with all sorts of belts and a heavy fur wrapped around his shoulders despite the heat. It was a dark brown, his partner’s prized pelt. 

Of course, he should’ve expected to see Eclipse sometime today. He’d been eagerly awaiting his partner’s return from the mission. They’d be back tonight.

“Eclipse, how have you been?” Dream asked courteously, drawing his eyes back to Copper with a plan rapidly forming. 

Eclipse came to a halt beside him, at least an arm’s length away, and sighed a fond sigh. “I am faring well, all considered. Since Ichor went off for this mission, Copper’s been insisting that he has to learn to fight so he can protect us.” Eclipse said. “I apologize for his antics, he’s insisted that he start training right away.”

Eclipse sounded humored, but Dream could feel the tiredness seeping from his shoulders. A tension that was surely weighing on him. For a moment, it had entirely slipped his mind, but a glance confirmed his suspicion. Ichor and Eclipse had been away from camp fro a few weeks, about four months back. They’d had a soulling, and now it sat bundled in Eclipse’s arms, quiet and content, probably sleeping. Something warmed Dream’s heart, knowing that this little skelton was under the impression that he could defend his father and little sibling. 

Dream chuckled under his breath and gave a genuine grin, letting a small burst of positivity wave away from his core, pushing back a bit of Eclipse’s worry along with it. 

“No need to be sorry, I was eager to train when I was young too.” Dream confided, but before Eclipse could give a response, Dream crouched and shot his arms out, catching Copper under the arms and practically tossing him up into the air. He was obviously taken by surprise, because he shrieked with glee and stared at Dream with his big eyelights and the biggest smile. He looked a lot like his other parent, Dream realized. 

Copper giggled and Dream held him aloft. Copper hardly weighed anything, and it was a little cute how he kicked his muddy little boots in the open air as Dream held him aloft. He was entirely unbothered by his capture, and the energy obviously had yet to fade. 

“So, you want to be big and strong to protect your father and little sibling?” Dream asked to Copper, making a mock serious face, obviously exaggerated and playful. 

Copper gasped and nodded rapidly, excitedly brandishing his little wooden dagger. “Papa gave me dis! I stab any bad guys!” He insisted excitedly, swishing it around wildly in his little hand, arm limited to his side by the way Dream was holding him. 

Now this was an excited little fellow. Very cute and lively. Dream wondered if he ad this much energy, rushing ahead of his twin to get out into the courtyard and run around, climb the trees when their babysitter wasn’t looking. Nightmare sometimes wrestled with him, he missed those days. 

“Well, I thin you have the makings to be a brave warrior!” Dream encouraged, Copper wriggling happily in his grip, “Just remember, your papa and father want to keep you safe too, so listen to them, alright? That’s how you can get to be just as strong as them.” 

This was met by Copper’s nodding yet again, “So, don’t go running with that dangerous blade, alright? You might accidentally stab a not-bad guy.” Dream added, to which Copper gasped.

The little boy pulled one of his hands to cover up his mouth with wide eyes, shaking his head vigorously. “I won’t stab a not-bad guy! Only bad bad guys!” He insisted. 

Dream just shook his head and tutted, “I know, I know, but accidents happen! My friend Ink, he fights with knives sometimes, and he tripped and almost stabbed someone right in the eye once!” Dream exclaimed, and closed his right socket dramatically. 

This seemed to make Copper hold back a growing smile, and instead his expression was something almost close to a pout. His best attempt at a serious face, Dream had to imagine. Copper nodded one singular, forceful, nod this time. Some sort fo silent pledge not to run with his dagger anymore. 

Dream smiled at him, “Good, good! First step to becoming a strong warrior, listen to your parents.” he insisted, before lowering Copper down with a smooth motion. 

The kid giggled again as Dream rustled the top of his skull, and Copper made careful steps towards his dad, an obvious attempt at suddenly being responsible with the harmless wooden blade. Dream was a little proud, usually he did much worse with kids, had to resort to his magic. Maybe Blue was rubbing off on him after all.

“You really are a miracle-worker, my Prince.” Eclipse said softly, reaching one of his own hands down to gently caress the top of Copper’s skull. He nuzzled into his father’s leg and hugged it, attention distracted by watching the other fight not far off from them. 

Dream didn’t deny it, and instead just slunk a bit closer. He peered down at the babybones wrapped in Eclipse’s arm, held snug in place by a sling. It was pearly white just like its brother, but had a slightly longer face with pronounced cheekbones. Dream couldn’t help but notice the tension return to Eclipse’s emotions. 

“What’s their name, have you two decided yet? I’m sorry I wasn’t able to check in with you sooner.” Dream asked.

Eclipse seemed unbothered when Dream lifted a hand and gently brushed it against the babybone’s skull. It didn’t stir, didn’t even seem to register the contact. 

“His name is Steel.” Eclipse answered softly, “I told Ichor we wouldn’t be naming any more after metal alloys, but I can never say no to him. Steel’s eyelights are a beautiful shade of metallic silver, it was just too fitting.” Eclipse muttered. “And please, don’t trouble yourself with it. We are well aware of how busy you have been.” 

Eclipse gently bounced his arm a bit, and the babybones curled a bit closer to his chest, burying into the fur cloak draped over Eclipse’s shoulders. He seemed a bit more at ease as the little one gave a little smile in his sleep.

“Handsome name, Ichor has good taste I’m afraid.” Dream teased, eliciting a smale laugh from Eclipse.

“Do you think he’ll make it home safe, my prince?” Eclipse suddenly asked. 

Dream blinked in surprise, looking up to Eclipse. The other skeleton still had his eyes on the babybones tucked against his chest, but Dream had a feeling he was being watched nonetheless.

“You mean Ichor?” He asked, and to a hum of confirmation, he tilted his head with a grin, “I’m sure he’ll come home safe and sound. Blue’s been sure to send him on non-combat missions, and with plenty of back-up and supplies. We both know that he has a family waiting for him here, we wouldn’t send him anywhere dangerous.” 

That was a lie. Dream didn’t have any qualms about it. He just knew it was a lie. Every mission was dangerous, could turn to combat, and might end in death. Every person here, as much as Blue tried to deny, was expendable. They were part of a cause, they had to be. Of course, Dream would never put children in danger, but Ichor, just like every other person here, came willingly looking to help. He volunteered his family for this willingly. 

Of course, that isn’t what people like to hear. So, he’ll tell him things he’s heard Blue say. Blue was so kind-hearted, a softie. The moment he heard Ichor and Eclipse were having another soulling he’d re-assigned all their missions and work, and even after they’d both recovered, after Ichor was no longer carrying, he sent the guy on the easier missions. Blue didn’t want to split a family. 

Eclipse sighed, almost with relief, at Dream’s words. “Thank you, my Prince. I suppose I’m just worried over nothing. I’ve been known to do such silly things.” Eclipse relented, and smiled. It was tired, but much happier than before. Dream’s aura must’ve finally gotten to him. Broken down those worries. 

“Anytime, Eclipse. I suppose I’ll see you at their return tonight?” Dream voiced, though he knew the answer. Of course he’d be there. 

Eclipse only took a few more moments, wishing Dream a good rest of the day, before he ushered his son foreward and off elsewhere. Dream waved goodbye to them until they passed a corner, and he internally sighed in relief as he turned back to his original goal. 

Dream moved closer by a few paces and plopped himself down onto one of the benches, one side left empty by someone who had just rushed onto the field. He summoned his bow to his hands and fiddled with the string, and ill-disguised attempt at seeming busy as he just watched the proceeding spars. 

So many people stopped him daily around camp, often simply wanting to chat and catch up on their lives. Eclipse’s new babybones was, thankfully, the most exciting piece of news in the last few months, but before that was a wedding between a bunny monster and a hare monster, before that was the death of someone’s spouse and a subsequent burial, before that siblings reunited, they all had their own stories and things to keep track of. Dream found it trivial, but unfortunately, everyone expected him to now these things, remember them, keep track and ask when they met outside of business times. If he wanted these people to stay, he needed to know. 

His only grace was that Blue was very talented in chatting. Where Dream could rouse crowds and battalions, Blue thrived in a setting of just one or two, and somehow knew just about everything about everyone. They’d talk over dinner, about what they did while split up doing their duties. Dream would tell him about the state of the garden, or the new map he managed to draw up with the cartographer, while blue would tell him all the latest menial news. Crushes, holiday plans, when new people were coming in, all of it. He was always so happy, that Dream simply learned to remember it through him. Shockingly an easy feat. 

The clanging of swords and the heat were both a welcome comfort, Dream was soaking in the sun like some sort of lizard on its rock.

Dream just hoped he wouldn’t eat his words later. Blue had sent ichor and a few others on a mission to simply attend the latest ball, and annual celebration for one of his brother’s elite knights. The Criminal, he thought, the one with the tiger mask. Killer. The parties hadn’t had conflict in the four years they’d been running, and Dream was pretty sure ichor wouldn’t go missing. Yet, anyone they sent directly to the capital had a habit of not returning. Blue had forbade him from sending more spies that way, and had only agreed to send a small party because the ball was meant to be open to the public, so they wouldn’t be technically intruding or trespassing. Along with that, Ichor wasn’t directly affiliated with their cause. Eclipse, up until now, was usually the one more familiar with intel-work. Ichor had always been more focused on welfare and support. So, Ichor couldn’t be recognized. ‘

Dream would just have a lot of explaining to do if his promise went awry. Grieving souls were never easy, especially those who had children in tow. They often loved the hardest, and fell shortly after their beloved. Frankly, Dream didn’t want to lose two promising members of the rebellion, or be left with their children in the worst case scenario.

The prince sighed to himself. Blue would scold him for thinking like this. Maybe he should worry less about the return party and more about his own training. He couldn’t risk getting rusty now. 

-     -

Dream was aware the range was a bit out of his sight from where he’d wandered off to get a drink of water, but when he returned, he hadn’t expected to find an arrow embed itself into the block he was passing beside. 

He jumped a bit with the force of the heavy thunk and almost choked on his own breath when he spotted exactly who was actually training with a bow of all things. 

Across the range, looking wide-eyed and surprised, was Blue! He had their heavy long-bow clutched in his right hand, an arrow hanging to his side y his left, and a whole slew of arrows leaned against the fence behind him, the kind with thin, piercing points that could tear through armor. Dream had never been more baffled, amused, and amazed all in one. Why was Blue training archery?

“Dream! Hey!” Blue called out, and he sounded a bit awkward. 

Dream took a moment to examine the arrow which had pieced the block of hay they were using as a target. It had entirely missed the circle, actually passing itself at an odd angle through he side, the point poking out from the other end haphazardly. That must’ve used a lot of force if nothing else. 

Actually, it seemed Blue might’s been making some progress. Dream had been gone for almost half an hour, caught up in talk with one of the new refugees, welcoming them to the camp. That had given his knight plenty of time to try more than enough shots. Dream spotted now the several arrows which had dug themselves into the dirt, all at a downward falling angle as through Blue had been aiming for the dirt. Then, beyond the hay bale, he could see that several trees in the woods beyond had arrows embedded in them. He didn’t know how he’d missed them, honestly. 

Dream circled back and gripped one which had dug into a pine tree’s skinny trunk, and tugged with all his might. He nearly stumbled, and the end of the arrow seemed to have sap coating it, like blood of the tree itself. 

Dream actually laughed as he finally approached his knight, the arrow in-hand. 

“If you wanted syrup so badly, we could’ve asked for some on the resupply.” Dream joked.

He tapped the shaft of the arrow to the top of Blue’s skull, and the knight sheepishly ducked away from the sticky feeling, the arrow moving with him for a moment before springing away. Blue’s eyelights didn’t evade Dream’s, but Dream couldn’t help but notice the embarrassment becoming far more potent from his friend. 

“Ah, yes, you see…” Blue started, before pausing, “I had no intention of harming the flora.” Blue said, though it seemed a bit half-hearted. 

Blue rubbed at his skull as he lowered the long-bow from his front, down to his side. It was a huge weapon, with a string practically made of metal. Dream didn’t usually bother with the long-bows, sticking to the normal bows, or in desperate situations, crossbows. It took way too much power to shoot a longbow for his liking, limited movement. Usually people on horses used them. Dream couldn’t see the light leave someone’s eye from atop a finicky horse. 

“It was a good shot, even if you didn’t mean to hit the poor tree, Blue.” Dream amended. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass Blue, it was obvious the mood was tanking with Dream’s ill-timed jokes. “Can I ask why you’re trying out the long-bow today?” 

The feeling of Blue’s pride washing over Dream like a comforting blanket as the other seemed to get a second wind. He puffed his chest and lifted the bow right in front of him again. 

“The Magnificent Blue has actually been learning to shoot for some time! The smaller ones that you use are not very cooperative, but this large one does well!” The explained proudly, “It was meant to be a surprise, but I would not lie to you!” 

He seemed largely unbothered by the fact that this secret of his had just been broken wide open. Though, Dream had to imagine this had been going on for a while now. The last time Dream had seen Blue attempt to shoot an arrow, it had narrowly avoided breaking their window in the back garden. They still had a notch in the wall on the back porch, because Dream begged Blue not to fill it in. He’d laughed so hard, and back then he’d needed a good-

“Wait, why was it going to be a surprise?” Dream asked curiously, raising a brow to watch Blue.

The knight laughed loudly, “Because! The plan was to get very very good at it, and then join you for a practice one day and show you! I know you are very talented with lond-range weapons, and if I were too, then I could fight beside you without placing you in danger! You mentioned it once, a while back.” Blue explained as though it was the simplest thing in the world. 

Dream felt a little something in his chest shift to the left as he processed what Blue was referencing. He had mentioned that. Back when they had to scare off some bandits during their trip here, before they found the cottage. He wished Blue hadn’t had to charge in while Dream sat up in a tree and shot at them. Dream had wanted to be in the fray, but… Blue thought he wanted them both to be long range fighters? So they could stay close? 

That was up there with some of the most heartwarming things Blue had ever done for Dream. Trust him, there were a LOT of heartwarming things Blue had done. This was surely, however, in the top 15. 

“Oh, that’s kind of you.” Dream said gently, 

In his distraction, Blue had knocked another arrow and lifted it up. Lined it. Drew the string back. Released. 

The heavy string cut through the air with a vocal slapping noise, and both skeletons watched idly as the arrow arced through the air and just hardly skimmed the top of the hay bail, chunking into the ground somewhere behind it instead. There was a moment of Blue letting out a breath and calmly lowering the bow before he grinned again at Dream. His expression was so concentrated not two moments before. 

“You know that I would do anything for you, Dream. Besides, using a bow is rather fun! I was unaware of how careful you have to be while firing, and setting it up, and aiming.” He listed off with a laugh. 

Now the bow was back at Blue’s side, and Dream was even a bit impressed with his bow etiquette. It wasn’t pressed to the first at his side, he wasn’t fidgeting and bending it, even his motions before he hadn’t dared to dryfire with it. He wondered if Blue had picked it up from him, or if he’d sought out advice from another bowman somewhere. Either way.

“I never meant to discourage you from using your hammer, Blue. I know you’re the happiest while fighting with it.” Dream said earnestly, “But if you wish to continue working with the long-bow, I’m sure I could give you a few pointers.” 

At the enthused expression he received from his knight, Dream grinned, “And then maybe you could teach me to use a hammer. Or, maybe a morning star? They always seemed to have a fitting name.” Dream teased, but Blue seemed even more delighted by the thought.

“That sounds great! We should start now!” Blue agreed, and readied his bow again. 

Dream was a bit startled, but couldn’t bring himself to deny the enthusiasm. After all, he’d been hoping to train with Blue today anyways. 

He watched again as Blue lined up his shot, but this time, he actually watched carefully. He moved behind Blue, and immediately saw a smidge of problem. 

“Here, lift your elbow a bit higher.” He instructed, He stepped forward and set his hand under Blue’d elbow, the one which was pulling his arrow back. He shifted under the touch and stopped right where Dream stopped nudging. Immediately his posture looked a lot better, and his aim seemed more sure. 

“Try pointing a bit further to the right, you’re leaning left.” He added on, and saw Blue squint a bit harder at his target, before repositioning his aim, shifting his feet along with it before Dream could say anything. 

Then, when Dream gave the commend to release, Blue sent the arrow flying. 

This time, it whistled as it shot and struck the bail right at the top ring of the target, almost dead center. Blue whooped an excitement, and Dream hummed. He could’ve sworn that would’ve hit the bullseye…

Without much through, Dream summoned his own bow and took aim from Blue’s side. His night went quiet, watching intently, and Dream let loose his arrow with less than half the preparation time, hardly a thought. Just as he’d expected of Blue’s, the arrow pierced the center of the ring flawlessly, though it didn’t sink in nearly as deep. His brow furrowed as the stared at the target. Why hadn’t Blue’s shot done that?

Sure, the bow was heavier, the arrow too, but the fundamentals should’ve been the same. The golden arrow and landed below the other one, why was that?

“Dream?” Blue’s voice cut through his thoughts.

Dream blinked at Blue, and Blue stared back at him, seeming mildly worried.

“My apologies, could you try hitting my arrow? I’ll spot you again.” Dream requested, and Blue just nodded and prepared himself again. 

This time, Blue automatically placed his elbow up and turned himself to the right. Dream didn’t even need to do more than a little nudge to his arm to encourage a slight but more movement to the right. Blue should strike this perfectly.

The arrow flew, beautifully with a bit of a spin, and… Lodged a few inches to the left of the target. He was aiming right! How-

Ohhhhhh.

“That was great, Blue! You had everything but an extra set of eyes to direct you, good work!” Dream praised.

Now Blue celebrated properly, wrapping his arms around Dream’s sides in a heavy hug. A familiar one that Dream returned, as he realized how silly he had been for a moment. His arrows weren’t affected by the wind. Blue’s weren’t magic, so of course the air would throw them off course! For a brief, horrifying, moment he worried he’d somehow stumbled in his directions. It was just the wind. 

Blue's hug was tight and affectionate, and very very welcome. Dream savored it, returning it tightly, until Blue released him and raised the bow once more. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to train until the caravan arrived in a few hours.

-    -    

Poor choices. He didn’t make many, but he wasn’t going to try and claim that training right up until the arrival was a good call. All he was expected to do was welcome them back, and then listen toIchor recount any important information they’d picked up on, but still. He didn’t enjoy being all grimy and sweaty and middy was the best look or the most comfortable. His only solace was that Blue was equally messay, so he didn’t feel too out of place.

Ask they approached the path into camp, they saw that the light of a lantern was glowing just a bit down the way, and there alone the road stood the sentinels for the night, and Eclipse. 

Eclipse still wore that same tunic as before, though it had gained a grass stain along the bottom hem, no doubt from Copper breaking off at a full sprint at some point during the day. The skeleton himself was without his children, and when Blue greeted him and asked, it turned out he’d left them with someone named Jodie. One of the humans, he believed, a kind elderly woman here with her adult son. Eclipse looked exhausted, but Dream could tell is must’ve been from building worry. Nim help him and make sure that Ichor returns on that cart in one piece.

They stood there together in the quiet, and when the carriage pulled to a stop before them, Dream counted as each person hopped off and stood at attention before himself and Blue. One, two, three, for, five, six, seven… Eight. Ichor must’ve been looking to give his partner a soul-attack, because he was the last of the party to jump off the back of the cart, a thick bag slung over his back and his grin wide and stupid as ever.

Dream acted like he didn’t notice as Eclipse bowled into Ichor’s side, nearly tripping the both of them over and into the grass. Technically, procedure was that Dream would be the first to hear any of them speak, as they could’ve been keeping secrets. However, he knew better than to get between lover birds. That was more of a headache than it was worth. 

Only when the two were done and Eclipse gave Ichor a swift peck on the forehead did Dream usher everyone into the debriefing tent to discuss their findings.

“You’re saying he’s bringing in new knights?” Dream questioned.

Everyone had been explaining their stories, but it seemed that Ichor had managed to get the closest. Hear the most. A servant had tripped over him and spilled a red wine on his suit, so he followed them back to the servants halls to get it cleaned up. Because he was so amicable, the maids weren’t very quiet and told him exciting news. Two more knights being trained.

Ichor had asked more, as much as he dared, but all he could get was that one of them was straight out of the dungeon, and the other one was burly and definitely a foreigner. Some sort of hired body, they swore. It’d be fall when the next party was rumored to be happening. 

Dream hated to hear such a thing. The first criminal was enough, but this second one? And then another? Dream couldn’t fathom what sorts of horrible plans were being fed into his twin’s mind, what horrid plans they were going to enact, criminals and thugs running the country by his brother’s side? 

He sighed a bit, resting a hand against his chin. 

“Did you see my twin at all?” He asked then, to the group.

Ichor was the only one to nod, and Dream gestured to him. 

“The guy was just as guarded as ya said. The Tiger kept circling back up to the balcony where he was hanging, but the stairs were all blocked off by guards, and some other folks were sitting up there with him. Magic on one of ‘em was strong.” Ichor explained, and Dream squinted as the torchlight glinted off of the skeleton’s single gold tooth. Now his pelt had been returned to him, and he looked perfectly barbaric, like the first day Dream had seen him. 

“Mm, unfortunate. My brother is smart, he wouldn’t spare any detail in his protection, I suppose.” Dream muttered, before simply nodding. “Thank you, all. I’m sure you’ve had a tiring past few nights. Go to your tents and rest up, I’ll call upon you if I need to speak with you again sometime later in the week.” 

He didn’t really want to dismiss them, but it was obvious half of them had gotten drunk off their asses within the first five minutes of being at the party. Ichor was really the only one with any good information, and even then, it was extremely limited. Of course, Dream had to be grateful that Nightmare must’ve been slipping with controlling the tittering tongues of his servants, it saved him the trouble of having to wait any longer for information. 

Nightmare adding new, dangerous, knights was not ideal, 

He watched as the party slowly filtered out, some stumbling, some half-awake, and even Ichor yawning as he ducked out of the tent. The only one who didn’t immediately flee was Blue, who sat for a few minutes longer before popping to his feet, gathering the notes strewn across the table, and helping Dream to his feet. 

Together, they left the tent and moved back to the cottage. By now it was far into the night, and Dream could see the stars out. The moon, a thin crescent, seemed to mock him as he took careful steps in the darkness of the path.  At least he’d gotten to enjoy the remaining sun the day had gifted him. 

When they entered the cottage, Dream groaned and moved immediately for the couch. He could try to sleep, but he knew Blue still had to do his nightly routine, and he wouldn't be able to rest with the new information that had been provided. 

“We’ll figure it out.” Blue said unprompted from across the main room. 

His friend was organizing the papers from tonight into a nice little box where they kept all the notes for their plans, and when he placed it back on the shelf, he moved over to the dummy in the corner of the room where he always hung his armor. Every night. 

“I know we will, it’s just…” Ough, he couldn’t say it! This was so infuriating! Every scout who managed to come back only brought him worse and worse news. 

“Do you know, or are you just saying that? Because I know that I know we can figure this out! Two monsters can’t make the difference in a coup!” Blue stated matter-of-factly as he undid the buckles on his chest plate and lifted it up onto its rightful spot. Next followed the boots and Dream watched him. The prince was practically deflated on the cushions of the old couch, a pillow quickly tugged into this arms. 

He was right. Dream knew it, he usually was after all. Still. It wasn’t the fighting that worried him. No, he and Blue alone could probably beat up whatever petty criminals were cabhorting with his twin. It was just… 

“I do. I just- I- I don’t know how my twin could be so stupid!” He exclaimed, practically burying his skull into the pillow, bringing his knees up to his chest, practically curling into a ball. “He was meant to be my advisor, he was the clever one. How could he resort to killers and hired mercenaries. After all those classes he used to tell me about, all the lessons he had to go to, how could he decide to take this path?” He said, hoping his voice was muffled by the cushion.

Unfortunately, like most items in this cottage, it seemed to be cheap and only decorative. No muffling capabilities in sight. He heard Blue sigh, and for a few minutes, the only noise was Blue removing the rest of his armor. 

When it faded, he strained to listen, and caught the floorboards creaking ever so gently under the weight of his friend’s approach. Then there was a pause, and then a weight on Dream’s skull. It trailed heavily down his neck and to his shoulders, before repeating itself. A soothing motion, one that Dream resisted for a moment. 

“I never got to meet him, but I do know you! I think we can definitely knock some sense back into him.” Blue reassured him, and this time Dream listened. 

Blue was right, after all. Blue had been able to knock sense into Dream. If anyone could bring Nightmare back to his senses, it would be Blue. 

He let the skeleton keep doing that comforting motion against his skull for a few more minutes, savoring the contact, before he sighed heavily and shrugged. Blue retracted his hand, and was watching Dream with a soft smile when the prince finally lifted his head. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, before Dream smiled back. 

They both really needed to get some rest. 

[impish-baby]

I love your writing so much!!!!!!! OMG you are so talented

Anyway, how would the twins react to the kidnapping ask for HIWTHI?

Also, which character in the Yan! Family is the most aware of their yandere behavior?

-🌙

Ahh, I'm glad you liked it!!

If Jack wasn't already suffering from intense older sibling guilt, he definitely is now. Doesn't matter how you were taken, under what circumstance, his mind is finding a way for it to be his fault. Especially if it happened because reader was wondering the street or something similar. He.. he should've done more. If you had felt comfortable enough to go to him and theo, this wouldn't have happened!

You don't think you've ever seen anyone cry so much, but the man is constantly weeping. He can barely bear to look at you, and it's even worse if you're hurt. Jack forces himself though, it's the least he can do because every scratch and bruise is his fault, he deserves to suffer with that fact.

Theo will not outwardly show it, but they're being eaten alive with the same guilt. You have a shadow that follows you everywhere now, a silent protector. They treat you like you're made of porcelain, tenderly bandaging any injuries and snapping at Jaiden if they think he's being too rough with you.

It's actually funny that you asked who was the most aware in this ask as well, because it's the twins!

Jack and Theo have been painfully aware for a while that neither of them have the healthiest mindset or behaviors. The twins are very dependent on each other already, being apart for work or school being the biggest struggle they've had to deal with. They acknowledge it isn't necessarily healthy, but neither of them are in a space where they're going to get help for their issues! So its not a shock when they start to have a growing obsession with reader, if anything they both might feed into it. (I.e. they are both trying to rationalize and excuse it)

You had been neglected for so long, don't you need all the care you can get? They're only doing what should have been done since the start, making up for past mistakes.

[corrodedcoffins-blog]

Lake House Days

jack hughes x teen mom!reader

note: i love writing little kid dialogue

word count: 1.3k

Bringing the twins anywhere was hard, but having to fly and a long drive to the lake house, was a big trip for the kids. And a very long day for Y/n. All that along with meeting new people, well she knew Jack’s parents, and his brothers, and she met Trevor once. But this would be the first time Jack’s family (minus Luke) and friends were meeting her kids. What if they didn’t like their son dating someone with kids, of course they did know, but knowing and seeing were different things. 

“Love, you okay?” Jack’s soothing voice broke Y/n out of her anxious thoughts, just like he always does.

“Yeah, just a little nervous.” “About what?” The man gives his girlfriend's thigh a gentle and reassuring squeeze, from where said hand had been resting since they got in the car. Y/n checked over her shoulder, seeing the twins sleeping soundly, Abby’s head leaning on her brother’s shoulder, smiling Y/n turned her attention back to her boyfriend.

“Just of everyone meeting the twins… Your parents and Quinn meeting the twins.” The woman admits, her voice low, more aware of her sleeping children now. 

“They are going to love them, they love kids and my family loved you when you met for the first time.” Jack assured her, making a quick glance taking in her reaction before returning his eyes to the road and continuing, “Abby and Eli charm anyone they meet, without them charming me, I would have never talked to you.” “Shut up.” The woman says, smiling. 

“Well I hope you got the last of your nerves out because we’re here.” Jack says, pulling into the long driveway of the beautiful and large lake house. Putting the car in park among the impressive number of cars already here, and turning to face the younger girl.

“Ready?” “As I’ll ever be.”

As Y/n slowly tried to wake up the twins, Jack unpacked the car, in the end neither child was ready to wake just yet, leading to Y/n carrying Abby and Jack carrying Eli. The door opened before Jack could open it himself, the image of Quinn in their sights. 

“Hey- oh hi.” the man says more quietly after realising the sleepiness in both the twins' faces.”Hey Quinny.” Jack greets his brother, doing the usual bro hug guys to, as well as he could with Eli in his arms. “We’re gonna put these two in their room, then we’ll come down and see everyone.”

Jack and Y/n walk down the stairs after Y/n finally got Eli settled. “Hi Y/n!” Ellen says seeing the couple coming down and bringing Y/n into a tight hug, “Hi Ellen!” “Where are Eli and Abby?” truthfully Y/n never thought Ellen or any of Jack’s family would care to know her children, and it was never anything they had done, in actuality they have done everything to disprove that notion. But with years of dating as a single mother it was more common than not that any partner's family wouldn’t want anything to do with her babies. “They're both napping, they've had a long day already.” “Oh of course! Believe me I know.” 

-

Spending the past hour without the twins and just getting to know Jack’s family and friends better first, had done a lot to ease her anxiety that this time would in fact be different. Y/n and Ellen talked all about how fast your kids grow, Y/n didn’t really have mom friends so it was refreshing to talk about her kids with someone that could relate. This along with Ellen telling many child Jack stories, much to the man’s dismay. 

“Mommy?” A quiet, sleepy voice mumbled rubbing his eye with one hand and his sister’s in the other, the young girl’s own other hand holding her most prized possession, her blanky. 

“Hi huns! You’re up?” Her rhetorical question causes the girl to nod her head, while jumping into her mom’s lap. Eli walked over to lean his arms on her arm rest, and his head on her chest. “Ready to meet everyone?” The twins’ mother whispered, while most people surrounding the fire were watching. Both 5 year olds nodding their heads, Y/n continues, “This is Ellen and Jim, they’re Jack’s parents.” The woman says, directing their attention to her right where Ellen and Jim sat. Both children mumble a quiet ‘Hi’ back. “And that’s Quinn, Jack’s other brother.” The same routine continued on, the two successfully convinced all that they were shy. Until Eli walked up to Trevor and sat on his lap, mischief must detect mischief, but Abby stuck to sitting with her mom. Scoping out who here will be her best friend. 

-

“Hun, I need to put sunscreen on you.” Y/n said, trying to reason with her son. She already got Abby ready, Abby was only difficult getting ready if she had a reason to be, Eli however was difficult just because it was fun.

“No!” “Baby, if you don’t put this on you’re gonna get burnt just like Lia did last summer remember? She could barely move, do you want that to happen to you.” “No..” The boy mumbled, accepting defeat and lifting his arm for his mom. “Thank you.”

“Jacka, what we doing today?” Abby was going through a phase of adding ‘a’ to random words in her sentences leading to her giving Jack the new nickname. While the young girl was letting Jack put on her shoes, the man answered her question excitedly and lifting the girl off the bed and onto the floor, “Going on the lake today!” “On boat?” “Yes ‘on boat’.” “Momma we going on boat” She repeated for her mom, even though the woman was a foot away from her and already heard it. “Maybe, hunny. Not for sure. Okay! You’re both ready, how ‘bout you guys go downstairs and help Ellen with snacks?” “Okayyy!” “Okay-a!” Both children yell, running out of the room.

Once they were excited, Jack pushed the bedroom door closed and walked over to his girlfriend. In the time that they’ve been dating, when the twins are around you take any time alone together you can get. Leaning down only slightly Jack gently presses his lips to Y/n’s, her immediately kissing him back. Her hands went around his neck, his own resting on her lower back just above her ass.

Breaking apart Y/n whispers against his mouth, “Okay, ready?” “Yep” he says, stealing a quick peck before exiting the room himself.

-

“I spy… Something invisible.” Eli announces, turning from looking all around him to looking at Trevor and Cole. “What’s invisible?” the taller boy asked, he’d been taking the game pretty seriously and Eli just threw a curveball at him. “Dude, I don’t know!” Before the two could embarrass themselves, Eli stepped in, “The air!!!” “Oh! Duh!” “Good one, man!”

This was too complex for Eli’s brain but he often latched onto male figures in his life; of course he had Lia’s dad but he didn’t see him often, so not having one for himself, he loved Jack and his friends, they gave him what he didn't have. 

Y/n was watching the three play eye spy from her spot on Jack’s lap. And checking over at Ellen and Abby playing ‘Go Fisha’ as Abby calls it. After a moment of Jack not having her full attention, he brings his right hand from the woman’s lower back to rub her upper thigh, grabbing her attention once again.

“You okay?” “Yeah.” Y/n says, a smile from ear to ear spreading across her face. She is so happy. Having Jack, and people besides herself and the people she considers family (Lia and her parents) caring about the twins I was something she wasn’t sure she would ever feel. Last night even, Y/n put the kids to bed and Eli asked her if Jack was going to be their dad, it almost made her cry on the spot. But what did make her cry happy tears was that her answer, not that she spoke it to Eli, was closer to a ‘yes’ than a ‘no’.

“Yeah, I’m really happy.”

~taglist~

@yabbadabbawhosposts @mallory78 @fulla02 @mostellasm

[ideas-left-unwritten]

So this would have been one of my (many) superpower fics, because I love superhero aus too much.

So, in this au, Phil and Kristin are both retired vigilantes (superheroes aren't exactly legal - or, at least, fighting crime with superpowers isn't legal) who settled down to have a family. Here, they only have two sons, Techno and Wilbur. Phil's power is making things wither just through his touch, and Kristin is a necromancer.

The twins don't show any signs of powers for a long time, so Phil and Kristin basically give up. That is, until one day, the twins are separated.

Kristin is driving Techno to the doctor's, for a checkup he really doesn't want to go to. And then, suddenly, he isn't in the car, he's on the side of the road. He teleported out. At the same time, back in the house, Phil nearly knocks something over, and Wilbur instinctively reaches out from across the room, and it stops mid air. Of course, the twins immediately want to be vigilantes, and eventually twist their parent's arms and get them to agree to train them. The only thing is, both Phil and Kristin come to the conclusion that the other wouldn't agree with what they're doing, and both decide to keep this from each other.

So, we have Techno, who has teleportation and can make portals, and Wilbur, who has telekinesis. They also have a little bonus power with Wilbur having really good spatial awareness and Techno with heightened reaction speeds. Kristin knows about Techno's powers, Phil knows about Wilbur's, and neither party knows about the other. Oh, and an important thing is that superpowers don't work properly on close family members, so Techno can't teleport out of Wilbur's grip, he'll teleport with Wilbur, and Wilbur can't use his telekinesis directly on Techno. Mumza also wouldn't be able to bring them back from the dead, which worries her a little bit.

Of course, the twins become vigilantes without knowing the other even has powers in the first place. Techno, taught by 'death isn't permanent' Kristin, is a bit more violent, and willing to kill people if necessary, where as Wilbur won't. But they keep running into each other, and Wilbur grows a bit annoyed that the guy who can literally teleport keeps beating him to crime scenes. They start a friendly rivalry, and even team up on a few things, despite disagreements on how to handle some situations. I also had an idea that Wilbur call himself 'Aeolus' and Techno would just be 'The Blade'. Not by choice - he actually had a cool name thought out (Iapetos) but turns out when you carry a large sword and don't literally tell people your name like Wilbur does, they just call you 'The Blade'. It infuriates him that he can't use his cool name, but Blade is kind of badass anyway.

One day, in the house, Techno and Wilbur are squabbling over something and nearly break something, but Wilbur stops it from falling. Techno pieces two and two together and runs to go and secretly portal to tell Mumza. Now, the whole family knows about Wilbur's powers.

From there, the dynamic changes a little bit. Blade doesn't ask Aeolus for help as much, and starts overextending, being overprotective and making sure Aeolus doesn't get hurt, despite him being able to handle himself in a fight. And this frustrates Wilbur to no end. He confronts the Blade about it, and challenges him to a fight to prove that he 's not useless. Techno doesn't even use his powers, and still wins the fight. He uses this as justification for his actions.

More frustrated than ever, Wilbur decides to fight with Techno the civilian, taking him out into the forest for a sparring match. Now, Techno knows that if he fights back, in his normal style at least, Wilbur will know it's him. So he handicaps himself the entire fight, and consequently gets thrown around quite a bit. It's not that Wilbur is trying to hurt him, but has a lot of pent-up anger that he takes out on Techno by proxy of him not being able to do it to the Blade. And now, Techno is really scrambling, and unfortunately, Wilbur is just not letting up. At one point, he grabs a large boulder and throws it at Techno, and it just doesn't stop - or at least it looks that way - and Techno, on instinct, teleports out of the way, thinking he'll be crushed otherwise. He lands a few metres away, staring wide-eyed at the rock hovering inches away from where he was before. Wilbur had no intention of hurting him.

Techno meets Wilbur's eyes for a moment, sees a flash of realisation and hurt, and then he reacts. The fight is now really on.

Techno keeps on the defensive, and Wilbur starts actually trying to hurt him (it doesn't work because Techno is really good at this whole superpower thing) but Techno is still able to easily subdue him. Wilbur breaks down, Techno apologises, and they sort of make up. It'll take a little more time to fully heal of course.

And then, from there, the two vigilantes become a team. Phil and Kristin have Talks with one another, and they settle into their new normal, with both twins using their powers pretty freely in the house. And life is good.

[jacky-rubou]

Planning to write an essay on the limited Ford and Mabel bonding in the show and well, I thought of approaching you if you have any pointers. Especially dispelling any misconceptions by the fandom whether Ford overlooked Mabel or the bond she shared with her brother.

I think the main misconception I see is that Ford didn't care about Mabel at all in comparison to Dipper. Or, in some ridiculously extreme cases, that he hates her.

People forget that Mabel was the first twin he interacted with, and it was largely positive. Ford laughed and said he liked her when she stated that his six fingered handshake was one finger friendlier than normal.

The Last Mabelcorn being the episode where Ford interacted with Mabel the most gives a big insight into how he feels about her. First, he agreed with Mabel when she stated she was probably the most pure of heart in the room (i forget the exact phrasing but same difference). He trusted her with the unicorn mission, even knowing that the unicorns were difficult. And last of all, he directly tells her that she is a good person without even knowing the struggle she went through with her morality moments prior.

Dipper and Mabel vs The Future is contentious in this regard, fans often using it as proof that Ford doesn't care about Mabel just because he asked Dipper to stay in Gravity Falls. But honestly, Ford cared enough to observe Mabel's social skills with the pizza delivery guy, plus probably witnessing plenty of instances of Mabel handling herself without Dipper's help. He genuinely believed that Mabel could handle being without her brother outside of the summers.

Plus, it isn't like Mabel was forthright about her feelings about leaving Gravity Falls and growing up until she blew up at the end of the episode. Obviously there are things to be said about Ford taking Dipper on as an apprenticeship being a good or a bad idea depending on who you ask, but Ford didn't know how badly Mabel would take it. He thought he was doing Dipper a favor by giving him a head start on his studies and, as I previously mentioned, that Mabel would be fine at home. That the two could reach a compromise if needed.

Ford isn't perfect though, he does tend to project himself onto Dipper after finding out how similar he thinks he is to him. That might've affected how often he spends with either twin or how he saw their bond, but to say that he doesn't care about Mabel at all is simply misguided. He cares about them both so much. His traumatic experience with his own twin just tainted how he saw the twins' bond being something that could be potentially suffocating. He does sorta have a point though, Dipper and Mabel can't force each other to stay glued at the hip forever or it could potentially stifle their individual dreams if handled badly. But that's just my 'controversial' opinion right there i guess, so take it with a grain of salt if you wish.

And besides, if we were gonna get upset at Ford for favoring Dipper over Mabel, you might as well also get upset at Stan for favoring Mabel over Dipper in some honestly worse ways than Ford ever did to Mabel. Stan literally projected his father's abusive ways onto Dipper and justified being hard on him with 'toughening him up'. Not to mention how he made Dipper the butt of his jokes so often it drove Dipper to seek out time with Ford over him because Ford never made fun of him like that. Obviously Stan does care about Dipper too, but the double standards in this fandom when it comes to how the grunkles treat the twins is honestly flabbergasting. Neither grunkle is perfect in how they handle the twins, neither are 'better' in their methods, and I think that's the point.

it doesn't help that Ford doesn't get a lot of screentime compared to Stan, as i'm sure you're already aware.

anyway, if you have any more questions, feel free to let me know. hope this was a good insight into all this Ford and Mabel business.

[alwritey-aphrodite]

hihi! i absolutely adore your tbosbas writing and i was wondering if you had any other ideas for covey!reader/ district 12!reader and sejanus? i have no specific scenario i just love the way you write them! I hope you have a great day :))

This took me forever and a half but I hope you enjoy! As always, this is dedicated to the love of my life and my secret twin @beybaldes

There’s a special side of you that not many people have ever seen, with the exception of the Covey. In the words of Lucy Gray, you have a laugh and a smile that could replace the sun. The more comfortable you get with someone, the more that classic Covey attitude starts to show itself, and you’re teasing and laughing and drinking with the rest of your cousins in the blink of an eye.

For the most part, Sejanus has cherished the brief moments where your true inner self shines through and you feel comfortable enough to tease him with an easy smile until your shyness gets the better of you and you hide your grin. He’s smitten with you, and no matter how shy or how bold you are, he’s in awe of you all the time.

Now, though, waiting with Lucy Gray and Coriolanus for you to finish altering Maude Ivory’s dress, he can’t keep the smile off his face as the sound of your voice carries through the crack in the door.

“If you keep movin’, I’m gonna keep sticking you,” you tell the younger girl, and even without seeing your face, Sejanus can hear the grin in your voice. There’s a squeal, followed by the sound of your giggles and the slamming shut of a chest. Soon after, Maude Ivory emerges in a newly fitting dress with a scowl on her typically sunny face.

“Don’t let her near you with needles,” the girl warns Sejanus before stalking off, despite Lucy Gray’s attempts to get her to do a twirl in her new outfit.

“Quit moping and sit still next time!” You call out to Maude Ivory as you leave your little workroom, the smile on your face only growing when you finally notice Sejanus.

It almost makes him blush, just that slightest indication that you’re happy to see him enough to send him reeling.

“Do you boys ever work?” You ask, a playful smile growing on your face, your delighted teasing enough to send Sejanus to an early grave.

“Not as much as you’d think,” Coryo answers, well aware that his friend has most likely lost the ability to speak the moment he saw you.

“Oh, we could put you to work,” you tell him with a wink, making the rest of your little group chuckle, even as Lucy Gray nods in agreement.

Before a tiny inkling of jealousy even gets the chance to bloom, you’re looking to Sejanus and your playful smile has melted into something softer, something sweeter that sends his head spinning. The two of you head outside to your little forest path, wanting to give Lucy Gray and Coryo some privacy and soak up the fleeting sunshine as you do. Your hands swing while you walk, brushing against Sejanus’s every few steps, both of you wanting to grab hold but neither quite sure how to make a move.

A few minutes later, you come to a fallen tree that’s in the perfect spot, sunlight streaming through the canopy of leaves like the alcove was made just for you. It’s silent, the only sounds the rustling of the trees and the animals scurrying around, neither of you quite sure what to say or how to say it.

“You make me nervous, Sejanus,” you confess to the forest floor, much too scared to look into those deep, trusting eyes of his. He panics, terrified that he’s said or done something awful and determined to make things right even without knowing the problem. Floundering for words, he sets a hand on your knee, sending shivers and flames through your body.

“You’re just so perfect I never know how to act around you,” this time you turn to look at him after you’re done speaking, watching as the terror in his eyes melts into something softer. He’s unable to speak, some unnamed emotion squeezing his throat and cutting off the connection between his brain and his tongue, but he doesn’t need to say anything because you already know, just from looking. You turn back towards the ground, leaning forward just enough to pick a handful of the flowers you had seen in all your staring earlier.

The conversation veers towards something lighter, childhood memories and favorite foods, even as your statements hang in the air like the dust motes dancing in the sunshine, and your nimble fingers thread together the flower stems in the same practiced movements of your needle and thread. You could do it without looking, but you think you might combust if you look at Sejanus for too long so you keep your head bent towards your work as you talk.

After a while, you tie together the ends of the chain, creating a perfect loop, before turning and placing the circle of flowers onto the top of Sejanus’s shorn head, your fingers gentle as they brushed against the soft remains of his curls. Neither of you say anything, but neither of you need to, and now Sejanus is the one turning away, unable to look at you as his heart threatens to explode right then and there.

[jonathan-samuel-smith]

Reaching The Other Side - a JonDami fanfic

Tags: Jonathan Samuel Kent/Damian Wayne, Jonathan Samuel Kent, Damian Wayne, Childhood Sweethearts, One Shot, established relationship

Word count: 875

Day 1 of @jonkentweek!

I had a thought one night, what if Damian and Jon were dating before Jon got aged up, how would that change his return?

Read On AO3 OR on Tumblr under the cut!

"Hey Dami? How long do you think you'll love me for?" Jon said, asking a rather mature question for an eleven year old boy. They were both very mature children, forced into being that way. Like Damian only let himself be childish around Jon, Jon only let himself act mature in front of Damian.

"I don't think I could stop if I wanted to." Damian said. Other people would be dismissive or worried, but not Damian. Damian took anything Jon wanted to give him.

"Then… forever?" Jon asked, fidgeting with the blanket on his lap.

"If you'll have me." Damian said, his face blank; a tell he had that showed how much he feared rejection.

"I will! I don't think you could do anything that would make me love you any less. Isn't that a scary thought?"

"I feel the same."

Damian and Jon were laying toe to head opposite each other on the twin loft bed, though they had both propped themselves up to look one another in the eye. Jon's eyes were shining with moonlight. Plastic stars glowed overhead. Sometimes in meditation Damian would visit this place, and moments like these. Times he felt safe, for once.

"Does it scare you?"

Damian shook his head. "You're not scary, Jon."

"Well neither are you! I just… I dunno… I don't think I've ever felt that before. I'd follow you anywhere. Places that scare me alone don't seem so bad with you. But I don't know where you'll take me, and I might get lost…"

Damian grabbed Jon's hand. "I'll find you. Always. I promise."

"I believe you."

+-+

Jon used to love how big space was. From before he knew he was an alien, he wanted to visit the stars. When he actually got to… well, it was kind of ironic he'd ever wanted to go in the first place, considering.

He missed Damian. Like, a lot. Jor-el had told him that he was a man by kryptonian standards, had promised him answers to questions there really is no answer to, but that we all look for as self aware beings. And Jon wanted to grow up faster, because he worried that Damian would notice how much more immature he was and leave him behind. He should've listened when they said to be careful what you wished for.

Jor El was crazy, and wouldn't let him go home.

Two years since he'd last seen his boyfriend. What was he doing right now? Was he looking for him? By now missing home, family, Damian, Kathy, was a constant companion. Jon wondered if Damian had moved on. He didn't seem the type, but it had been a long time, and they were young. Damian would be sixteen.

Jon didn't know if it was fair or just but he decided he would be mad at Damian if he wasn't looking, if he found someone else. Getting mad at Damian was something he'd been good at, once upon a time.

-+-

When the wormhole took him, he thought he'd come home. But that hope was dashed on the igneous rocks in the volcanic prison Ultraman kept him in. By now, Jon was sure of it; nobody would come for him. He'd have to find his way home on his own.

He broke out of the volcano, riding an eruption. He hid from Ultraman, doing the right thing when he could. He snuck into the crime syndicate headquarters. And then his grandfather found him. It wasn't a happy reunion.

But he got home. He saw his parents first, because he needed his dad's help. His dad needed his help. He got invited to live in the future. And he still hadn't seen Damian!

On the way to the Manor, he saw a huge blue explosion. He saw Damian nearby with his telescopic vision.

"I thought that explosion might be you."

Damian whipped around when the unfamiliar voice spoke his name. "Who-"

"It's me, Damian. It's real. Take it in."

Damian shook his head and threw a batarang. It bounced off ineffectually. Jon had a deep scar on his cheek. Damian's eyes caught on it. "Wwwwhhhat happened?!"

"It's a long story."

"Gold Kryptonite? Kryptonian puberty?"

"No. Why does everyone ask that? I went to space, it took me years to get back, I'm back, and I'm going to hug you now."

"No! Do not hug me."

"Too late." Jon said as he engulfed Robin in his arms. And well, Jon still hugged like he used to, just bigger.

"You're so tall!" Damian flipped out of his hold. "No. No! You can't be taller and older! This is a trick! You're leviathan!"

"OR, I went to space, it took me years to get back, I'm back!"

Damian's face crumpled. "Did you– miss me?"

"Only all the time."

"You made it back to me, Habibi. You did that. Be proud of yourself."

"Heh, thanks…"

"How old are you now?"

"I lost track of time for a while, but I think I'm about seventeen."

Damian sighed. "Our age gap is reversed, then. It could be worse."

"Ever practical, Damian."

"Speaking of practical, I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

"Not even for the bathroom?"

Damian gave Jon an unimpressed glare.

[free-for-all-fics]

Quick Random Superman thoughts/prompt things after watching Superman and Superman II. (Listen, I love Henry Cavill but Christopher Reeve was also incredibly handsome and I feel like he’s being slept on. But these can work for any version of Superman.)

1. Martha and Jonathan Kent were just driving along down the country road in Kansas when some sort of explosion in a nearby empty field caused their car to get a flat tire and veer off the road. Upon investigating the strange object that left a charred path in its wake, the couple discovered a boy and a girl, naked as the day they were born, climbing out from the crater, lifting their arms triumphantly with smiles on their faces. Martha and Jonathan wrapped the matching red and blue fabric they found in the strange object around your waists to cover your lower halves up. While Jonathan worked on replacing the flat tire, Martha marveled at the two of you.

“All these years, as happy as we’ve been…how I’ve prayed the good lord see fit to give us a child. And now here’s two. A boy and a girl.” She was ecstatic when you and the boy both hugged her, wrapping your arms around her neck and waist.

“Now the first thing we’ve got to do when we get home is find out who that boy and girl’s proper family is.”

“They haven’t got any. Not around here, anyway.”

“Martha, are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?”

“We could say they’re the twins of my cousin in North Dakota. And just now orphaned.”

“Oh, Martha.”

“Jonathan, they’re only babies.”

“Martha… Now, you saw how we found them. Martha Clark Kent, are you listening to what I’m saying?”

Though neither she nor Jonathan could know for sure, they had a feeling you were brother and sister, possibly even twins, if your resemblance in the eyes, face, or hair color was anything to go by. Or the superhuman strength when you both lifted their truck as if it was nothing more than a paperweight after the car jack slipped and gave out. That could’ve given it away too. And so the couple adopted you both, giving you the earth names of Clark and Y/N and raising you as their son and daughter. Your new birthday was the day they found you.

What would growing up with your alien brother and human parents be like? Your human father always used to say you were both brought to Earth for a reason. When you were both eighteen and lost him to a heart attack, you went all the way to the North Pole where you weren’t cold at all, where you discovered the living hologram of your biological father, Jor-El, who explained who you both were and answered any other questions you had. What would your human life be while Clark uses eyeglasses and a job as a reporter at the Daily Planet to disguise himself? How would you and Clark cover for each other when your secret identities almost get exposed, like when Lois throws herself into the rushing water to try to prove Clark is Superman? When she discovers she was right all along after she sees he has no burn on his hand from the fireplace, he’d have no choice but to come clean, not just about himself, but about you too and tell her yes, you’re his biological sister and yes, you’re the other superhero that’s been seen flying around with him. When he and Lois are forming their romance and going on dates, especially in the Fortress of Solitude, your brother doesn’t need to tell you twice. He doesn’t even need to tell you once. You make yourself scarce while he and Lois get intimate. You have much better things to do than awkwardly be around and act as a third wheel.

2. You’re either a citizen of Atlantis or Talokan. Either way, you live deep in the sea but somehow find yourself falling in love with Superman, the last son of Krypton, an alien from outer space, whether you’re aware of it or not. Maybe you met him as Clark Kent first. “A bird may love a fish, but where would they live?” story. A good ol’ “They’re from different worlds and can’t be together…or can they?” romance. You maybe use technology or some sort of powerful object to grant Clark the ability to breathe underwater so he can see your home. For a man (alien?) of such incredible powers, he can still drown. Uh oh if your brother is Arthur Curry/Aquaman and he finds out you’re dating Superman, especially before joining the Justice league. Not because of what he can do to Clark/Kal-El, but what Clark/Kal-El can do to him. Arthur grabbed Bruce by the collar and shoved him against a wall, but Bruce is just an ordinary human. Or you’re Namor’s daughter or sister and don’t have blue skin like the Talokanil so both you and Clark thought the other was human (surprisingly easy to hide your pointed ears with a hat and/or long thick hair and your winged ankles with the right kind of socks and shoes.) But oh no when you each discover the other isn’t human after all. You’re a mutant, he’s an alien. But maybe a match between the two of you could be used to form an alliance between earth and sea and possibly even space even though Krypton has been destroyed?

3. Sorta The Last Of Us inspired: You’re Clark Kent’s/Kal-El’s biological daughter. You’re not the result of some heinous science experiment involving cloning or stealing his DNA or anything of the sort. You were born normally, but during a dangerous situation in which Lois was under extreme stress and, for whatever reason, she had no other option but to give birth alone and cut the umbilical cord herself with a shard of green Kryptonite since it was the only sharp object around. You have inherited all your father’s powers just like your brothers Conner and Jonathan, but you’re immune to most, if not all types of kryptonite. Not just the green variety. Red, Gold, Yellow, Black... It doesn’t weaken or have any effect on you and you can’t be killed with it. You have no reaction to it at all. To you, it’s just a glowing rock. Pretty, but… Scientists are baffled and want to experiment on you to learn more, but no way in hell would your family let that happen. Over their dead bodies. Supervillains are eager to find out what your weakness is, if you even have one, but the villains are also a little terrified of you since they usually rely so heavily on Kryptonite and don’t really have a plan B yet for taking you down specifically without it.

4. In Superman II, Clark/Kal-El is shown to have the ability to give Lois a kiss that inexplicably erases all her memory of him ever being Superman. However this kiss works, what if he uses it on you to his advantage so he can further manipulate/gaslight you? Like a dark fic sorta thing where he can just devolve the relationship whenever he wants to go back by taking away whatever memories of yours he doesn’t like. He can’t put false memories in, but if you ever get too close to discovering the truth or finding out something about him he doesn’t want you to know, he can just kiss you and make it go away. He can alter your reality to a degree. In a softer note, he could use this ability to take away any painful or traumatic memories that you don’t want because they’re proving to be detrimental to your emotional, mental, or physical health and causing you tons of pain and anguish.

5. Platinum Kryptonite was used on you, an ordinary human, and now you have powers permanently and can’t get rid of them. You tried to many times, but none of your attempts worked. Not even when you entered the crystal chamber that harnessed the rays of the red sun of Krypton in the Fortress of Solitude. Whether Clark/Kal-El used the platinum Kryptonite on you because he’s soft!dark/dark and wanted you to be more like him under some delusion of being able to keep you with him forever by making you an outcast among the humans, or you were experimented on by a villain, either way, Clark/Kal-El may be the only person who can help you. The only person you can go to. But even with powers, you’re not as powerful as he is. You’ll never match the power or strength of a full-blooded Kryptonian.

6. Lilo and Stitch inspired: You went to the pet store to pick out a new friend, but when you went to the kennel in the back, there were no animals in there. It was so empty you could hear your voice echoing. Unbeknownst to you, all the other dogs were cowering above you, clinging to the top of the cages or the support beams of the roof. Then you turned around and suddenly, there was a white dog sitting at attention! You weren’t sure if he was a Labrador Retriever, a plain white Dalmatian, or a White Shepherd, but he was a handsome boy.

“Uh…hi.”

Then he started to levitate in the air! Wow!! A flying dog!! You were so amazed you didn’t even care about the melted kennel you passed by, even though the metal was still sizzling. That must’ve been where he escaped from.

“Oh yes, mhm, all our dogs are adoptable. EXCEPT THAT ONE! This one was dead this morning!”

“It was dead this morning?”

“Well, we thought it was dead. It was hit by a truck!”

“I like him! C’mere, boy!”

“Wouldn’t you like a different dog? We have better dogs, dear.”

“Not better than him! He can fly!”

“Dogs can’t fly.”

“He did.”

“Does it have to be this dog?”

“Yes, he’s good. I can tell.”

“You’ll have to think of a name for him.”

“His name is…Skip.”

“No, that’s not a real name…in…Iceland…but here it’s a good name! Skip it is. And there’s a two dollar license fee.”

And that’s how you got your new best friend! He had been living with you for months and you loved him so much! He was the best boy! The bestest boy! He was very smart, learned all these cool tricks and commands with ease. You had some accidents involving his heat vision or flying, but nothing major! Nothing was broken or damaged that couldn’t be fixed or replaced. And hey, he was invulnerable to most things and had accelerated healing abilities, so you didn’t need to worry about vet bills! You were so happy, but suddenly Superman showed up on your doorstep asking you to give him his dog, Krypto, back. He would’ve come for him sooner, but he was sorta…dead. What??? It’s a long story. Too long. He’s very grateful to you for taking good care of him and keeping him safe while he was dead, but now he wants him back. But…but he’s your dog! And his name is Skip! You adopted him, you named him, you have a stamped certificate proving you own him, he has a shiny new license he proudly wears around his neck with the name you gave him, and you’ve been giving him love and treats and walks for all this time. You’ve grown attached, and it looks like…Krypto? (Such an odd name after you’ve been calling him Skip for so long) has too because, despite his excitement at seeing Superman, which proves to you Superman is telling the truth (he always tells the truth), he still whines and stubbornly refuses to move away from you when his master whistles and tries to command him to come. He wraps his tail around you and looks at you with those big puppy eyes of his. Well…shit. What are you and Superman supposed to do now? Share the dog?

7. You’re Bucky Barnes’ sister and are put on cat-sitting and house-sitting duty while your brother is on a mission. You love Alpine and she loves you just as much as your brother. Your boyfriend, Clark, who you know is Superman, comes over with his dog, Krypto. You were a little nervous about them meeting at first because Krypto is a super dog and Alpine is just an ordinary house cat, but they become instant best friends once they get the chance to sniff each other and check each other’s vibe and pass the vibe check. Two sweet babies with white fur ready to play together and fight crime! Alpine is just a normal cat, but you and Clark like to joke that in her head she’s a superhero. She’s not so much startled by Krypto flying and shooting lasers from his eyes, just confused and curious like “What the heck? How are you doing that? Weirdo.” She clings to his back as he flies around, but enjoys it. She likes being tall. You send video of the shenanigans to your brother knowing that he’s gonna run his hand over his face exasperatingly with a smile on his face. But it’s cute, dammit!! And hey, Kryto’s laser eyes didn’t set the curtains on fire this time!

8. 101 Dalmatians inspired: You and Clark Kent meet in a dog park when his dog, Krypto, plays with your female dog. Unbeknownst to you, he’s Superman/Kal-El, the last son of Krypton and an alien, and Krypto is a super dog. Clark has a nifty piece of technology installed in one of his dog’s collars, something to neutralize all his superpowers. (Maybe even Krypto has an alternate common dog name so it’s really convincing just how Average and Mundane both Clark and his dog are). Your dog and Krypto seem to be attached at the hip, only playing and spending time with each other from the moment they meet. They’re both sad when you and Clark part ways. Every subsequent time you meet at the dog park, your dogs end up playing matchmakers between you and Clark. Krypto purposely pulls Clark towards you then wraps his leash around yours and Clark’s knees and lower legs, which tangles you together and causes you to bump into each other’s chests. You put your hands on Clark’s chest to push yourself away from him, but that doesn’t help much and you both end up losing your footing and stumbling. Your dog tries to save you by grabbing the back of your shirt with her teeth, but that only causes your shirt to tear as you fall together in a nearby pond or lake. Krypto feels bad and sheepishly grabs your purse for you with what’s his attempt at a smile, but Clark gives him a look as he takes it from the dog’s teeth and wraps his coat around your shoulders before handing it to you. Not that it helps since it’s just as soaked as the rest of you. You note that Clark’s glasses are all fogged up from the water. You both take out handkerchiefs at the same time, but share a laugh when you realize they’re also soaked. Clark invites you to come back to his place to dry off and have dinner with him as a form of apology for his dog’s behavior. He has some clothes you can borrow. You accept. Krypto goes from being sad and embarrassed to one happy boy!! His plan worked!! He shares a loving look with your dog. About a year and a half later, you and Clark have been dating for a while and your dog is pregnant. The puppies are so cute but then one starts flying while another shoots tiny red lasers out of its eyes. Uh oh. Guess Clark has no choice but to reveal to you his identity as Kal-El/Superman and Krypto’s identity as a Superdog.

9. Suddenly and randomly remembered Christopher Reeve played the Prince in Faerie Tale Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty so going back to the magical Superman kiss thing, what about an AU where Clark/Kal-El is a Prince, but you don’t know this because he and his squire switch and pretend to be the other, or you only know him as Clark Kent? He comes to earth in search of a bride, not because he needs a queen to rule with him (Krypton has been destroyed, so there’s nothing and nobody to rule over anymore), but because, as an alien, time works differently for him and his lifespan is much longer than that of a normal human’s. He wants a companion, and has the technology or other means to make the human of his choosing have an extended lifespan like his. Maybe you’re just an ordinary human who doesn’t know Clark is Superman or maybe you’re an alien princess that’s the last of your kind from a different planet that was also destroyed. (Though, are you and Kal-El still technically royalty even if there’s no planet to sovereign over?) Maybe instead of a literal sleep spell, you’re the victim of a spell/brainwashing a supervillain put on you similar to Bucky when he was the Winter Soldier. Instead of making you forget, Kal-El’s kiss helps you to “wake up” and remember who you are, and who he is to you.

OR

You’re Princess of Asgard and Loki and Thor’s beloved sister (Whether you’re Loki’s biological sister and half-Jotun or Thor’s biological sister is up to you). Whether or not you know this and are raised in Asgard from birth, or are whisked away to Midgard for your safety and raised as a human after a sleeping death curse gets placed on you when you’re a baby, is up to you.

For a platonic version, maybe you’re coincidentally found by Martha and Jonathan Kent around the same time they found Clark, so you’re raised as his sister but you both realize you have great powers, though they’re very different. You come with Clark to the North Pole but, if you’re half-Jotun, you turn blue, your eyes become red, and don’t get cold. You ask Jor-El who you are. Possessing a vast knowledge that spans thousands of years, he tells you that, based on your human-like stature but your blue skin, red eyes, and imperviousness to cold, you must be half-Jotun and come from a planet called Jotunheim, which still exists, though he doesn’t know who your parents are or if you have any living blood family. The curse hits before you fall in love with anyone, and Clark/Kal-El and even your brothers Thor and Loki believe you to be dead. Your adoptive brother teams up with Justice League and/or the Avengers to defeat the bad guys. At your funeral, Clark says goodbye by giving you a kiss on the forehead. You wake up in your casket, which scares the living hell out of everyone. Holy shit, they thought you were dead! The curse only said a kiss of true love would break it. It never said anything about the true love having to be romantic. Somehow along the way you realize Loki is your blood brother when he also turns blue with red eyes and you’re both ecstatic! You have three very cool and protective and loving brothers who are all willing to do almost anything for you.

For the romantic route, maybe you meet Clark Kent on Earth and fall in love but then the curse strikes and Clark believes you dead until your brothers show up and explain who you are and that supervillains somehow found where you are and are after you now. Asgard isn’t an option, but your brothers have to bring you someplace for your protection, so Clark takes them to the Fortress of Solitude in the North Pole. After the bad guys are defeated, Clark saves you with his kiss. (For spiciness, what if you have celebratory sex in the Fortress of Solitude? Clark/Kal-El has a massive bed in there. Even though the colors of the blankets makes it look like tin foil, a bed is a bed, and it can get very cold since it’s in the North Pole. Best way to warm up is to share body heat and exercise and what better way to do both than sex?) He later formally comes to Asgard and presents himself as Kal-El, the last son of Krypton, and kneels before your mother and father, Odin and Frigga, and asks them to let him marry you. This might be the moment you discover he’s Superman and an alien. If you’re aware of your Asgardian heritage from the beginning, maybe you’re deeply saddened and believe you and Clark can’t be together because you’ll live for thousands of years while he’ll live less than a century. Maybe you try to acquire one of Idunn’s golden apples for him, but then he reveals to you he’s a Kryptonian and has the same lifespan as you. Time was measured differently on Krypton than it is on earth.

Maybe there’s a bit of a soulmate AU within the AU, where you lucid dream that you’re in each other’s dreams or you lucid dream of each other.

“Oh, it is my dream. And yet more lovely than I dreamed. Had not the journey been so long, and the dangers so great, and the hazards so many, I…I wouldn’t have believed such beauty could crown my enterprise. And yet for all the time and the hazards and the peril, you’re too beautiful, you’re too pure, you’re too good. Do I dare to wake you to reality? And my dream become real. Or am I dreaming now?”

“What kept you?”

I love fairytale AUs so much and you can’t tell me Clark/Kal-El wouldn’t be fit the bill for it.

[unsiredtribrid]

nothing against him personally because he seems chill but i cannot stand aria's delivery of his lines and landon is so grating to me

also it just gave me the ick that he told hope if she changed her mind about being with him that he wouldn't stop working to make her change it back

this whole speech is weird. because he goes on about how he wants hope to lie to him if she has to because she's the big protector of the school (putting her on a pedestal but unlike with the twins, he only seems to do it to eventually tear her down from it) and he even tells her that it's 'his job' to bust his ass to make sure he's someone she wants to confide in... and it's like... first off, none of this matters because his character is always giving lip service and then not sticking with it. he doesn't really mean any of this, he's going to switch up on her in a couple episodes if not sooner

and hope isn't infallible, no. he's allowed to be mad about her lying about seylah. but i don't understand the weird monologue when it literally amounts to nothing krjgjgj like. just let the characters be how they are and stop trying to sprinkle in a monologue to make it seem like it's something bigger than it is

landon is NOT someone who works hard at something and sticks with it, he's someone that runs when he thinks he has to. they should've leaned into the survivalist angle more like how they did with katherine or something (not make him evil or an antagonist, but just... be more aware of what his tendencies are and the potential problems they might cause with the other characters). it feels like landon doesn't get much real pushback from anyone. even when the characters doubted him in the spider episode, he got to lash out at them for it in like two separate monologues and it ended in him turning it on hope and making HER feel bad, somehow. and then even when they make hope upset with him it's supposed to be framed as her pining and longing after him... i hate it. the only time her anger felt real was when she pulled the death spell out but that didn't go anywhere and he didn't even know about it, so? to his face he only ever gets the hope that's angsting after him

also, another tangent about his monologue by the fireplace. yes, trust is earned, but hope doesn't ever end up feeling like landon is 'strong' enough to make her stop worrying about him. all she does is worry about his safety (she has abandonment issues) and she feels like she can't feel comfortable and safe enough to open up to him with secrets. she only just started dating him last episode and this entire episode she has not once seemed happy about it. she just stresses over his safety constantly and argues with him. the relationship is awful and if hope isn't the kind of person that can swing that kind of fear (of being with someone she feels she can't protect) then! just have her character realize that and make them break up and grow from it 😭😭😭 they had both characters clinging to something that neither character was built to cling to. does that make sense? like it's just so irritating to watch

[kusin-tisdag]

Munch-Delgato

Evie Delgato (32) - Lucas Munch (39)

Just about to start their own family, these two lovebirds have decided to move back to Evie's childhood area; Brindleton Bay.

Hopefully they'll both do good in their careers to support their growing family. And as a Brindleton girl; Evie wants a dog too!

Lucas Munch

Lucas grew up as the youngest of the Munch-household. Already as a young child he knew - he never wanted to be like his brothers. Gunther, constantly in his books and never out in the world or Wolfgang - never at home and always in trouble.

Sure, Lucas mourned his older brother leaving them (Lucas was only 14 when Wolfgang ran away) but all in all he doesn’t reflect much on his upbringing anymore.

He moved out, started studying Fine Arts at Britechester, where he met and fell in love with Evie.

Now, he is hoping to open up a gallery here in Brindleton, and perhaps sell some of his arts. He's also going to set up an online shop, because he is well aware there aren't that many customers here in Brindelton Bay.

But most of all, he is excited to become a father!

Evie Delgato

Evie grew up as the youngest too. Her household might not have had as much chaos as Lucas’ but it was full of life! Evie grew up surrounded by animals, and loved it! Just like her mother, Evie wanted to help those in need. However, she decided to become a doctor and so she applied to Foxbury to study biology.

She and Lucas say they met at university. What they mean is that they ended up at the local bar and began arguing over which was the best school - only to realize neither really cared about that, but rather about each other.

Getting degrees and finding jobs has since graduation been their sole focus, and luckily they managed to find a nice house in Evie’s childhood town of Brindleton Bay! And, as luck would have it - they are now expecting their first child! or well - children, as it turns out Evie is pregnant with twins!

[melis-writes]

How about this for a request…

Sonny and Victoria fake their deaths and run off together

In this AU perhaps neither have children and are only married? Or maybe the twins are still really young so Victoria decides to run away with them too? Maybe Michael has been having affairs? But Victoria and Sonny decide that their love and need for each other is just so powerful and important to let it be lessened

I knew this one was coming one way or another. 🥴 The Victonny run aways… How about a little bit of everything mentioned added to this prompt?! 😳

“It’s easier than you think, baby,” Sonny murmurs, stroking your hair gently. “But once it’s done, we can’t go back. We can’t be here, we can’t be seen, and we can’t stay in the country. We’d have to leave for good.”

“I don’t care,” you whisper against Sonny’s chest—curled up to your lover’s body. “I already know if we tried to make it work here, we could never live.” Your eyes meet with Sonny’s, “it would just be paranoia controlling our lives. I know we’d have to go far, far away. I always knew that.”

Sonny tilts your chin up, pecking a gentle kiss over your lips. “But it doesn’t have to be that bad, sweetheart. We’re only giving up familiarity for each other and I’m more than willing to do that.” Sonny squeezes both of your hands in his, “are you with me?”

“I am,” tears begin to pool in your eyes as your throat tightens. “But how would we ever do it? Where would we go?”

“Just leave that all to me, baby,” Sonny rests his forehead against yours. “I’ve got it all handled, don’t you worry. We’re gonna get the hell out of here, we’ll take the twins, and we won’t look back. Nobody will look for us because we’ll be dead.”

A person of your reputation faking your death came to being nearly impossible, let alone done so with the twins and Sonny meaning both your babies and your brother-in-law died.

It can’t be done separately or too close back to back, so the deaths of all four of you had to be faked at the same time in a way that wouldn’t raise suspicion or investigation.

Sonny knows there’ll need to be some sort of evidence that can prove the death so you and him aren’t hunted down for the rest of your lives, but he also knows your plan must be foolproof to get away with in the first place.

‘Nothing ever comes easy. Nothing.’ You’d face the wall, sleeping on your side so you wouldn’t have to face Michael or the truth of your crumbling marriage.

It didn’t matter to you after all whether Michael knew or not that you were aware he was having “harmless” little affairs here and there with woman after woman.

You were only grateful he had so much work to do that business kept Michael distracted; Michael could never say you were acting cold or distant simply because he never had enough time to spend with you to come to such a conclusion.

Still so as not to raise any suspicions, you and Sonny avoided too much contact with each other during the last few weeks before you’d flee the United States for good.

“We’ll make plans to see Don Molinari in California,” Sonny’s fingers rubbed against your gold wedding band to Michael—more than insistent to see it off and replaced with his. “It’ll have to be weeks away and confirmed. I’ll get into contact with the Don so he has reason to see us first.”

Naturally, this would seal your fate. You’d neither be able to return to the United States or Sicily again but rather continuing your life in a small town within Venice on the other end of Italy would come to define you and the upbringing of the twins.

“We’ll make the trip by car without any bodyguards,” Sonny began to understand the plan was growing more and more difficult with each mention, but refused to back down. “We’ll leave unnoticed so that nobody questions whose accompanying us, but also that Michael and the others know we’ll be travelling to see Don Molinari.”

Sonny had already bought and secured a little villa in Venice; nothing grandiose or over the top luxurious as to become an eyesore or bring attention to the two of you, but a perfect home to raise the twins and children of your own with Sonny someday.

“We’ll make it to the border where my contact will meet us to take us to the airport,” Sonny’s fingers slowly began to coax the wedding band off of your ring finger. “And we’ll have the car blown to shreds. They’ll think we were assassinated by Don Molinari’s men or that our rivals secured our locations and came to us first. It’ll look like a massacre.”

You’re more than fine with giving up the notion of living a life as luxurious as you do in Lake Tahoe.

All of it loses meaning when you can’t do so with the man you truly love, and the life you’ve been craving to live with Sonny and the twins in Venice almost overwhelms you with emotion from just how desperate you are to get away from it all and start a new life.

“They’ll also find out then and there that the twins also ‘died’,” Sonny slides your wedding band off your finger. “Michael and the others will spend weeks against Don Molinari or whomever else they suspect to—” he rolls his eyes, gesturing away, “avenge our ‘deaths’ and that’ll buy us time—”

“Sonny—” You interrupt, swallowing hard and on the verge of tears. “A-and if it doesn’t work? If we can’t get away in time—”

“Then we’ll die,” Sonny states out flatly, unmoved by the reality of what will truly happen if all goes wrong. “And we’ll die together but I’m not staying here like a prisoner anymore, Vic. Either the two of us are gonna go out there and be together or we’ll die and watch it escape out of our hands.” Sonny glances off to the side, giving out a small sigh. “But it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“What do you mean?” You blink back tears. “Of course it does.”

“We’ll still be together,” Sonny gazes into your eyes, “if not in this life, then the next, Vic. That’s just how it is.”

Death—how the concept seems so poetic to you now knowing love is bound within it.

Still, it’s all the more preferable than waking up in the morning in the arms of a man you no longer love or even loved at all; pretending to be someone else, feigning happiness and being promised a lifetime of misery with your children.

“Then that’s the risk I’m willing to take,” you whisper back, nodding frantically. “Please, Sonny, let’s go. Please. I can’t take it here anymore.”

Nothing could possibly matter more.

The news of you and Sonny’s ‘deaths’ was all the more amplified over the media for weeks once the realization struck that the twins were also killed.

Sonny and you slipped out of the United States without a trace, immediately on the next flight to Venice with false names and in economy class with everyone else so as not to draw attention to yourselves.

The news hit Michael first who suspected a planned assassination, thinking of it to be done by the Molinari family especially since you and the twins were involved.

It promised nothing but a bloody mafia war ahead—a complete insult and sense of hatred towards the Corleones to not only kill the Don’s wife but his heirs as well.

In reality, you and the twins couldn’t possibly be more safe. Every mile that you flew closer to Venice, the more you felt your heart yearn for a taste of freedom and this new life.

You could care less what others may say about you behind your back—whether they call you selfish or foolish to take the twins with you on a ‘business trip’ or anything else because you were no longer Mrs. Michael Corleone—the woman trapped between the love she was withering away in versus the one she wanted to be in.

In Venice, you were free.

“I’ve never seen you like this, baby,” Sonny playfully nuzzles your neck, embracing you from behind it. “I thought it would take you a little while to settle in but nah, look at you, huh? Look at you.”

“Sonny—” You let out a breathy giggle, feeling your new husband’s hands over your growing baby bump.

“Just teasin’, baby,” Sonny grins, giving your cheek a wet kiss. “I just love seeing you happy like this, that’s all.”

“Dada!” Little Niccolo exclaims, rushing up to the two of you on the balcony.

“Oh no, little guy,” Sonny’s quick to lean down and scoop up the rushing toddler. “We’re not gonna be running on the balcony, even if you get this excited to see your mama.”

Beaming happily, you lean over and smooch both of Niccolo’s cheeks—holding him in your arms. “He’ll finally have a chance to play with the neighbor’s children—go to school, live like a normal kid.”

“It’s what he needs,” Sonny chuckles quietly. “It’s what we all need.”

Sonny takes your hand in his, rubbing his thumb over it before squinting his eyes towards the afternoon sun warming over his skin. “All of it was worth it. All of it, baby.”

“I don’t even think about it anymore,” you embrace your husband tightly, gazing out the balcony view towards the sea with a blabbering Niccolo in your arms. “I haven’t for weeks.”

“Nobody’s looking for us anymore,” Sonny nods, kissing the top of you and Niccolo’s heads. “But all I can think of is how we should have done this a long time ago, baby.”

[aajjks]

TC!dad!JK

you giggle when jungkook peppers your neck with kisses. your hands reach up to run your fingers through his dark, long locks of hair as he continues to kiss you along your neck down to your shoulder blades. jungkook pulls down the strap of your silk nightgown to kiss your bare shoulder and travels back up to your neck. if your husband keeps this up, you may give him another child despite him complaining earlier about wanting another one.

“of course i’ve missed you. did you miss me?” you ask jungkook who comes back up to kiss your lips.

“i thought we reached our goal of seven kids? i’m guessing your lucky number went from seven to, hmmm…ten? you want to deal with five angsty teens and three more whiney children?” you joke because by the time your children grow up, jinseoul and ae-cha would be adults and hopefully they’ll have a family and kingdom of their own.

you’re still surprised jungkook even finds you attractive anymore. you’re a 40 year old woman now whose breasts aren’t as soft as they used to be and your stomach is covered in stretch marks, especially your thick thighs. as you aged, so did your body and you’re aware that neither of you are as young as you used to be but here’s jungkook still fit and toned while you’re noticeably thicker.

with jinseoul and ae-cha, you didn’t gain as much weight but by the time areum and jawon came around, that’s when you started noticing the obvious changed in and on your body.

“i should lose weight first. maybe when i drop back to 135, we can have another child”

~🫧

“ I think my lucky number will keep on going up and up because whenever I look at you- you drive me insane.” He confesses, he has a little embarrassed to have so many children with you, but… why should he be ashamed? He loves you and you love him and you’re just irresistible.

How are you so beautiful at 40 after having seven children? It is a mystery, but he will never know the answer, not that he mind because he still loves your body just the way it is- and when you mention dropping your weight, it bugs him a little because do you think that you’re not perfect?

“Yn… why do you want to lose weight? I think you’re perfect.” He’s caressing the skin of your stomach, mumbling into your shoulder, “and I missed you so much.. you’re always on my mind.”

“I love you and this body of yours- gave me 9 children yn. You’re so sexy and perfect- I can never get enough of you.”

You should know that, and this is his first night with you after four months so of course he’s going to be a little clingy, it feels so good for him to have you in his arms, every day, he thankful because he gets to hold you.

“Well yn… I can’t wait whenever you’re ready. Just let me know.”

Of course it’s your body and you’ll have to carry the children- his duty will be done very soon and you will be the one to deal with his consequences. He knows that each and every one of your pregnancies weren’t easy on you.

Heck, you almost died when you gave birth to your twin boys… he still misses them to this day, but… he doesn’t bring them up often.

Jungkook just takes in your scent and he’s holding your body so tightly, and soon you’re both asleep, tangled with each other’s bodies.

____

It’s a new day, but it is a little colder here for some reason, but Jungkook has always loved winter, the season always resonates with him for some reason.

And before you could wake up, he was out of the chamber but not before he kissed you on your forehead, and after he was done, cuddling your body to his satisfaction, he’s getting dressed up so he can meet with jisung. Jungkook wore a red robe today, bathed, so his mind would be a little clearer.

And now he is sitting in his office with jisung present. “Tell me- you mentioned you wanted to tell me something yesterday, but then my daughters came.” Jungkook crosses his arms, his PI looks very nervous, and he looks almost a little uncomfortable.

What could he want to tell him because it was just yesterday when he ordered him to gather information on the Choi’s? He couldn’t be that fast.

“Well, go on.”

[ogdencollegerp]

ANYONE COULD BE BLAMED.                       EVEN THE PROUD ELITE.

ABOUT THIS SKELETON: A picture perfect family - THE GOLDEN GIRL and THE PROUD ELITE, both able to charm any crowd they are in. Many would think that they were the Morrison twins with how close they are. But no - Greer is just the eldest, a perfect daughter, and The Proud Elite is the apple of his parent’s eyes. Is there pressure on both of their shoulders ?? Of course, but they handle it well. Or appear to. And they have each other, which has to help. Right ??

MEET EDWARD MORRISON.

{ HARRIS DICKINSON, 20, MALE, HE/HIM } Is that EDWARD MORRISON? A SOPHOMORE originally from MANHATTAN, they decided to come to Ogden College to study COMPUTER SCIENCE. They’re THE PROUD ELITE on campus, but even they could get blamed for Greer’s disappearance. 

HOW THEY EMBODY THEIR TROPE: The linen shirts, the tailored suits and the cashmere sweaters attest to his love of all things fine and luxurious. Edward is the stereotypical Barbie of northeastern rich men: his favorite sport is skiing; he loves a good glass of premium aged scotch; and his go-to Holiday getaway is quick trip to Europe. All this privilege makes him a little out of touch with reality. Sometimes he just doesn’t get the so-called “small pleasures of life”. And all this luxury at his full disposal might make him appear a little too self-assured. He doesn’t do it out of malice or hatred of the less privileged, though, he just loves his life too much not to be all-in in it…  

RELATIONSHIP WITH GREER: Most of his life, Greer was like a best friend inside of their home. Someone with whom he shared most of his fondest memories, like summers in the Hamptons, Christmases in the Alps, and Halloweens at Disney World. Yet, when you grow up in a Succession-esque household, there are certain unspoken rules about loyalty and camaraderie. Siblinghood was always a game – fun, for the most part, but competitive and always marred by the inevitable awareness that there was always a great deal at stake and that one could end up finding himself on the losing side. Luckily, for most of their lives, the unfavorite gracefully assumed that position – which neither he, nor Greer ever questioned. But Edward knew that there boundaries to his relationship to the golden girl, there were secrets to be kept from her, lies to be told to appease her, because he knew – as his twin did – that Greer would gladly throw any of them under a bus coming in at full speed if she knew that would expand her advantage in their parents’ rankings.

[dramatisperscnae]

About TJ Hammond

Thomas James Hammond had a fairly normal childhood, for the eldest of twins born to a pair of professional - and fairly successful - politicians. He was an outgoing, gregarious child often up to some sort of mischief when he wasn't attending to his schoolwork or his music lessons. None of that changed even when his father became president, moving the family into the White House - and the focus of the press - when he was 8.

The focus of a nation on his family - and thus him - did start wearing on the boy after a while, though; his mother tried to shelter both TJ and his brother Douglas as best she could, but stories about their vacations, their schoolwork, even their hobbies still found their way into newspapers and tabloids all across the nation. Still, it didn't become a major problem until TJ hit puberty.

He'd known, in the way children do, that he liked boys more than girls. As a small child it was easy to write off as boyish antics, something he'd grow out of with time. But he didn't. Instead TJ found himself quietly admiring some of the boys in his class, forcing himself to keep his attractions secret; if anyone found out there would be hell to pay, not only from his peers but from an entire nation. Even so, there was one boy in particular that caught his eye, a boy TJ couldn't help but sneak glances at in the locker room after PE.

Jacob Daniels wasn't from an important family; his family wasn't even involved in politics. He simply happened to share the same school as the President's sons. He also happened to share TJ's attraction. The two were fourteen when their eyes finally met, each catching the other staring. Naturally both looked away immediately, but that was the start of what would become as clandestine a relationship as they could manage.

For a while they managed fairly well, with illicit meetings in tucked-away corners. Neither could afford to be open with what they were; Jacob's parents were devoutly religious, while the entire nation would be in an uproar if TJ's sexuality was discovered. Secrecy was of the utmost importance. It might even have stayed that way, had it not been for a daring photographer eager for a story on one of the Hammond family.

On the final day of school before summer break in 1997 TJ and Jacob slipped away from the ceremonies for some privacy, neither one aware they were being followed. The resulting photographs earned that photographer a heft paycheck, and the two boys a shattered world. Suddenly they were both hounded at every step by reporters eager to verify their relationship. Letters poured in, a few supportive but most full of vitriol and hate. Talking heads and public figures across the nation went on the air to discuss the fact that apparently the President's oldest son was gay.

Jacob's parents reacted instantly, forbidding any contact with TJ at all. TJ never did find out fully what happened after that, exactly how fully Jacob got hit with the consequences; the next time he saw Jacob it was as part of another headline that didn't even bother naming him. 'Hammond Son's Boyfriend Found Dead'. Jacob had hanged himself, the hatred from the public and the pressure from his parents proving too much for him to take.

It was the day of the funeral that TJ took his first true steps toward addiction. There had been the occasional illicit cigarette or joint when someone had managed to smuggle them into school, and he'd had a taste of two of alcohol from his parents - and his grandmother - at social functions, but after Jacob's death TJ just wanted to forget. To not be him for even just five minutes. He started drinking, stealing from the family liquor cabinet at first and then finding ways to get his own.

Thinking it would be better for him to start over in a new environment, his parents enrolled him in a boarding school that autumn. It backfired. Away from his family and anyone who might have noticed the signs, TJ spiralled downward. Alcohol gave way to marijuana, which gave way to stronger drugs in turn. With the entire nation aware of his sexuality he also experienced bullying, getting into several fights with other students and even simply people on the street.

That trend would continue the rest of his schooling career, and get him kicked out of two boarding schools - he managed to graduate from the third - and two colleges before he simply gave up on academia. He had a trust fund thanks to his parents' success; it was enough to rent an apartment and get by on. There were attempts by his family to get him into rehab, and some of them even seemed to work, but without fail a few months went by and TJ was using again.

It wasn't until he met Sean Reeves, Republican senator from Ohio, that his life seemed to start turning around. With his mother now Secretary of State after her failed presidential bid TJ could stop concering himself with the press as much and start seriously trying to pull his life together. Sean seemed perfect to help with that. Smart, funny, sweet, caring, and handsome to boot, it didn't take long for TJ to fall head over heels for the man. There was just one small problem.

Sean Reeves was married. To a woman. And had two children. But a clandestine affair wasn't exactly anything new to TJ; among his addictions, sex had become another way to forget his troubles as well as score a hit. Sean, though, was different. With Sean there was a connection TJ hadn't felt since Jacob. He honestly believed they had a bond, that Sean loved him back, that once Sean's term in the Senate was over he'd leave his wife and they could be together.

He was wrong. Somehow news of their affair got out. It was used to blackmail Sean into changing his vote on a bill the Democrats were trying to push through Congress. TJ's mother, once made aware of this, told him to break it off, but he refused. He needn't have bothered; Sean did it for him. The words that came out of Sean's mouth that night are still seared across TJ's soul. It was just sex. I felt disgusted. It was all right if I closed my eyes.

The breakup came barely a week before Christmas. Two days before Christmas Eve, TJ's grief and pain spiked as he watched an interview with Sean regarding the bill. The man mentioned his two children and TJ's heart, already broken, shattered. His mother found him later that evening, barely alive and fading fast from carbon monoxide poisoning.

The failed suicide attempt sent TJ into yet another tailspin, one he only pulled out of with the introduction of a business opportunity: a nightclub in D.C., of which he would be part-owner. He could have something to be proud of, something that was his, something that wouldn't be an abject failure like the rest of his life; all he needed was a little help from his family.

Unfortunately, none of them were willing to give it to him. $100,000 was a lot of money, and it was generally thought he'd simply spend it on scoring his next hit rather than the business he was trying to start. Even his grandmother, with whom he was close, had little faith in him. Only his brother was willing to loan him the money, and that only after TJ turned up at his apartment at one in the morning, desperate and with nowhere else to go.

TJ threw himself into the project, trying to go straight and actually succeeding for the most part as the nightclub - called The Dome for its incredible view of the Capitol Dome from the patio - began to take shape. Finally things seemed to be looking up. He could do this and finally not be the black sheep son he'd been since he was fifteen. Things were going great, right up until opening night.

He'd planned the outing carefully, set up a buffet for those of his family who needed to eat earlier than 10 p.m., only to be told flatly by his father that the man wasn't going. That TJ opening a nightclub was ridiculous. That was the first slap in the face. The second came when his chaperone accidentally let slip - while trying to prove that TJ had put genuine effort into this by rattling names off the guest list - that he'd invited Sean Reeves. That set his mother off, thinking he'd started seeing the man again even after what had happened.

That was the last straw. TJ snapped, simply telling his entire family to stay home, and stalked out to the club. The grand opening was in full swing, going perfectly, but his heart wasn't in it. And seeing Sean's name on one of the VIP badges only made it worse. That was the night he fell off the wagon, hard. Not only that, he took his chaperone with him, convincing Gunner to join him in a hit. He got so wrapped up in it, so intent on chasing that high, that he overdosed; the next thing TJ knew, he was in a hospital with his mother sitting at his bedside.

That was nearly three years ago; in the time since TJ has seen his brother get married, his mother run for president [again; and win this time] and his club become a true success. The same can't quite be said for him, but he's working on it. Sort of.

[missionoffruition]

I Just Needed Fruit

My dad came into town for Thanksgiving weekend. Whenever he comes down from North Idaho, he stays with me. It's great - he gets to spend time with his grandson. Being able to see their connection actually helps me in reframing the relationship (or lack) we had when I was little.

My dad is definitely the best example I've seen of changing for the better. He had to hit his version of rock-bottom to realize that he was standing in his own way of healthier relationships. But ever since he decided to actively pursue a more meaningful life by reflecting on recurring issues, and then learning how to show up for people (including himself), I've seen a much, much better person.

We have a relationship now that is a complete 180 from what it was for so many years. He shows up for me now before I even have to ask. That's something I needed from him as a child that I never got, and I'm happy I have given him the opportunity to make amends. It would have been miserable for the both of us to continue on in life, avoiding one another and carrying our own pains from our relationship.

Carrying painful memories is not something we have to do. I think part of life's journey is learning that. I don't know why we store pain, but we do. And then it becomes work to try and rid ourselves of it. When we do carry painful memories with us through life, they start to weigh us down. When we're down, every single thing we do (aware of it or not) is affected.

The #1 reason I journal is to help myself.

It helps me to pull thoughts and feelings out of my head and put them in front of me. It is soothing in the moment and it gives me an opportunity to come back, re-read something that I offloaded in the heat of the moment, and to ultimately pinpoint and recognize what the fuck was going on in me. It's very validating once you've gotten past the first few journaling "sessions". It helps me to understand myself. It helps me to see motives I might have been hiding from myself (we all do it, don't think you're immune). And it's been putting a lot of my memories, experiences, and conceptualizations that I've formed of people into check. It's wild. And it's okay.

Soooo anyways, we cruised into the grocery store tonight. Dad, Hayden, me.

We stopped in to get Hayden some fruit. As we turned the corner into the produce area, boom. I nearly smacked faces with my brother.

Let me tell you about surreal.

I think we were all in shock. It was a weird, unemotional yet riveting experience for me. I'm sure it made my dad's heart swell. And I have no clue what my brother thought. His face was deadpan, but I have a feeling he was in borderline heart-attack mode.

Some backstory: my brother completely isolated himself from our family. He started doing this more than 10 years ago. It started with our grandparents. And then our dad. Then his best friend. Then Mom. His wife. Then me. Then his son. Then his twin. Literally every close relationship he's ever had.

My dad hasn't had contact with him in 7 years. It's been two for me. My dad and I both experienced heart-breaking, traumatic, and unexpected exits from him. Everyone has, to be frank.

Imagine growing up with someone your entire life - having the same friends, going to the same schools, riding bikes together on warm weeknights - and then one day (what feels like out of the blue for you) they decide to tell you that you mean absolutely nothing to them, and then they cut you off. Super healthy, yeah. Feels great on the receiving end, even though we know their actions have way more to do with their internal struggles than with anyone else.

I watched my dad and brother have their first exchange in years tonight. My dad was blown away at the sight of Jared. He waltzed up, gave him a hug, and asked to reconcile because he missed his son. Jared actually said, "Yeah, okay. I have your number still. I'll call."

He looked over at me once. Neither of us said anything to each other. He saw Hayden and went, "Woooow, that's Hayden! So big!"

I felt nothing, seeing him. I kept waiting for some type of emotion to emerge - maybe a tear, maybe anger, maybe even excitement to say hello, but no. I felt flat. Indifferent. Part of something surreal.

I know now that I felt nothing in that moment as a result of hitting my "freeze" zone. You should Google: "Fight, Flight, Freeze, & Fawn." There's two stress responses that our educators left out in school. All of them are defense mechanisms deployed by your nervous system.

As I recall that fleeting moment from tonight's grocery store run, I feel the sadness now. I don't know if it's his, or mine.

I also forgot to grab the fruit at the store.

[currentfandomkick]

Is it bad i want Damian to see Danny in a fight against Spectra where she actively exploits every insecurity Danny has—he’s neither living nor dead, he’s been rejected by blood and the family that ‘chose’ him as part of him is the very thing they hunt and torture to study.

He may try to help ghosts, but he is still the child of their enemy.

He may try to help humans, but they reject him for every time he’s proven to be as weak and useless as the humans he was half raised and rejected by.

That even his twin resented his existence. That the only three people that liked both sides of him, Jazz, Sam, and Tucker) would leave him in the dust soon as how long can he manage to pass as living? How much longer until he may as well be fully dead as they all die and he remains helplessly between?

Face it little freak, you were born to be left alone, never loved like the brother who was chosen by your blood every time. That he will never be anyone’s choice once they see the truth.

Meanwhile Danny was fully aware Damian is jealous of his powers and wanted to snap at Damian for it but doesn’t. He’s not allowed to as a powered person. As one of the few ghosts/liminals the public sees and can interact with.

Danny is not allowed to show his fear. His resentment of always being rejected. Of being left behind and only accepted in parts and pieces by what he can do for others.

He’s been wondering if Sam only stuck around after his powers because of the heroics or her misplaced guilt the first time she killed him. He did blame the second time on her and she acknowledged it. Was that why she stayed?

Tucker is his best friend. But he’s not going to pretend that then growing apart isn’t a fear of his. Tucker joking that Danny is who he trusts to drag him back to himself whenever his past life’s… power madness returns stings deeper than it should some days.

Jazz wanted a brother but may as well have raised him some days. How long until she cuts him off for being too needy when she’s only two years older than him. How long until she’s tired of his real attitude?

And Damian catching a number of snippets of this fight and having to reconcile a reality he hadn’t considered: Danny’s situation isn’t unlike Superman’s when it comes to the public, but he has no community or support to lean on when he began. It was become stronger and better and a paragon or a fate worse than death.

Phantom is Danny’s ‘customer service’ self now.

And Danny gets to hear in depth how badly Damian thinks of himself and how naturally Danny would have been Robin.

Danny snapping he never would have been Robin or a vigilante period if that had ever been an option, because he never wanted to fight anyone. He just wanted to be a normal kid and study the stars. Combat training was required by his adoptive parents. As was weapon training. He hated hurting people and avoids it where he can as he hates it being a weapon of last resort, and always had.

So Damian’s idea of Danny fitting into Robin? Does get chipped a bit. Danny never would have been Robin if being a civilian was an option.

And Damian gaining an awareness of how privileged it is to have as much training and how large his support in the hero world is, (something he was somewhat aware of) and the fact he doesn’t have to question if Father would ‘vivisect him’ for telling him of gaining powers.

But also? Let Damian be pissed with all his power, skill and ease as a theoretical Robin, Danny would chose to never be one.

Let them resent each other for factors outside of their control, have them confront each other’s reality (Damian never fitting the mold of Robin, always feeling like he has to repent for being born and raised an Al Ghul, constant culture shock, never feeling enough, constant miscommunication in and out of family, knowing/feeling like his father would never choose him, ect.,)

And twist the knife of them having a degree of understanding but that not soothing the jealousy at all, as Damian is jealous more of Danny’s personality and skill than his powers, and Danny is jealous that Damian has the support of a family who (clumsily) cares about him and can actually die.

Al Ghul twin ramblings

Something really interesting about the dpxdc crossovers that have Danny and Damian as twins that I've never seen anyone talk about is the bit of mirroring imagery going on there.

Like, Danny is literally everything that the Wayne family, consciously or unconsciously, would give Damian grief for not being.

He's better socialized, easy to get along with, has the snappy banter and peppy attitude Robin was known for as well as a quick wit that helps him figure out clever ways to deal with difficult situations.

Damian has better training and the attitude rich socialites would expect from a child of a wealthy family, but he's not going to be able to fake the ease and friendliness of his predecessors for a long time, if ever. He's certainly made Robin his own, but he's never going to match up to the picture everyone has in their head of what Robin is supposed to be like.

Does Damian ever think about this? How, if their positions were swapped and Danny had been sent to their Father and he had been cast out to the Fentons, Danny might have taken to the mantle of Robin so much easier than he had?

and if that's true, could Damian say the same? Would he have been able to protect Amity Park while balancing school and a social life, all while keeping himself in check and only using non-lethal force?

Would he have even made it that far, or would he have run away at the first opportunity?

Would he have even been able to survive the accident Danny went through, or would he have burned to a crisp instead?