#but then i also remembered i am like one of the people who are Always There. quietly
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
I am not EVERY autistic person so this probably won't be a total coverage approach, but here's what I have learned:
People like to feel that you pay attention to and remember little but important things about them. And when someone is "small-talking" with you, it is often because they either want to offer you some of that info about themselves, or they want to pearn it about you so they can "return the effort". I think of it a bit like call and response with my cats! They don't understand me, and I don't understand them, but when I walk into the kitchen each morning, Lup runs towards me excitedly making her tiny little squeaks and trills. That's kitty small-talk! Many words of all varieties just say "I love you! I missed you! I'm happy to be here with you today!"
So I answer her! Sometimes I mimic her little sounds, and other times I pretend we're gossiping like church ladies (*gasp* NO, you're KIDDING, he said THAT?? What a scandal!") But whichever I do Lup gets excited and continues her little "conversation" with me.
People are harder. I had to really take time and practice different ways of responding before I found appropriate "call and response" for small talk, but I found that there are genuinely more options than you'd think. And the same thing happened! As I learned how to "call and respond" to small talk, I found that people would excitedly approach me to have it, and gradually we got to know each other enough that the "calls" coming from both sides got less general, more tailored to our personal preferences and interests, and I didn't have to small talk as much (but when I did it wasn't as scary either)
This isn't just my personal theory either! A fair amount of research in interpersonal/social in-group dynamics suggests that "bids for attention" like small talk function in this way of call-and-response intimacy/connection building. I have found that a LOT of social etiquette gets less scary to navigate when I at least understand the function of it. It also gave me some understsnding of why people might be hurt when I visibly don't WANT to "respond" to a "call" they've made: I'm the same way about my "calls" I just use different ones! The way I feel when I ask someone "would you want to hang out with me in the kitchen while I make lunch?" (Sad, a little anxious or vulnerable, maybe hurt if they've said no to a LOT of recent calls, etc) is the same way others feel when I decline theirs! That doesn't change if it was MISSED rather than DECLINED, but it can be repaired! Ao another thing I've taken to doing is naming for people the calls I have learned I'm most likely to miss. I know I have a hard time understanding/recognizing small talk as a call to attention, so I let people know that! And generally the people I connect best with are the ones who notice I missed a call and offer me an explicit/direct opportunity to reject it before internalizing what I've done as a rejection. This isn't really an option for everyone! And while I'm always delighted when someone is compatible with me in that way, I don't get upset if they're not, and work to not take it personally as something I'm doing wrong either.
Anyway, this got rambly at the end there, but the point is, most social interactions have a FUNCTION and while being autistic frequently means that we struggle to learn and interact in these systems as they currently exist, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we don't also depend on those functions. I think it can be easy to forget that part of the "disabling" effects of social/communication symptoms in autism is how it cuts us off from systems of support, care, and human interconectedness (things we still NEED) and it can matter to our quality of life to be able to find compatible alternatives to fulfilling those functions even if the original mechanism (small talk in this case) doesn't suit us.
Being bad at small talk doesn't mean you don't need friends, but it will probably make it very hard to MAKE friends. And we each and all deserve to decide for ourselves what to do about that.
I'm trying to figure out a good way to say "you really should actually learn the basics of small talk" with sounding like I'm biased against autistic people.
27K notes
·
View notes
Text
drowning in the deepest of truths, I think I'm falling for you - choi seungcheol scenario
hellooo ~ so it's been a while... few things to address😅 i saw svt recently and i can confirm i cried hahah and second thing, a certain mr. seungcheol choi bias wrecked me so we're here. say thank u to him🤣
THIS ISTG TOOK ME SO LONG TO WRITE. if you've been here for a long time, i think it's obvious i love a good friends-to-lovers storyline. i wanna give myself a pat on the back for writing this😅hope you like it too!!
for my other svt fics, check them here
All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2025 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.
(pics not mine, credits to rightful owner)
You’ve been friends with Seungcheol for as long as you can remember. He’s the dependable guy, the one who shows up at your door with takeout when you’re upset, drives you to late-night emergencies, and threatens to "have a word" with anyone who so much as looks at you the wrong way. He’s also the same guy who will call you at 2 AM to complain about Jeonghan stealing his food or Seungkwan roasting his playlist choices.
It’s all very platonic.
At least, that’s what you keep telling yourself.
But here’s the thing—platonic friends don’t always behave the way Seungcheol does with you.
Like how he always walks closest to the road when you’re together. You thought he did that for everyone until Jeonghan once teased him about being your personal bodyguard. “What, I’m just making sure she’s safe,” he’d grumbled, cheeks faintly red. You’d laughed it off, but now every time he switches sides to keep you away from traffic, your brain unhelpfully replays Jeonghan’s teasing.
Then there’s his car. His precious car. The one you’ve seen him ban people from for spilling a drink or even breathing too close to the upholstery. Yet, somehow, you’re the only one allowed to eat fries in it without getting scolded. “Because you’re neat,” he’d explained once, though you distinctly remember dropping ketchup on the seat that one time. He cleaned it up himself and still handed you another fry.
And don’t even get started on the hand thing. He always has a hand on your back—guiding you through crowds, steadying you when you wobble on uneven ground, or just casually resting it there when you’re walking side by side.
It’s warm, reassuring, and totally not something friends think about when they’re lying in bed at night.
You tried asking him about it once. “You’re very handsy, you know.”
“Would you rather I let you trip and fall?” he’d retorted with a smirk.
“Not what I meant, but okay.”
The problem is, Seungcheol seems completely unaffected by all this. He treats you like you’re just another one of his friends, albeit one he’s particularly protective of. You’ve heard him swear up and down to Jeonghan and Seungkwan that you’re just his friend. Jeonghan, of course, doesn’t believe him.
“Right, because you hold all your ‘friends’ like they’re a national treasure,” Jeonghan had said, earning himself a withering glare.
“Shut up, Jeonghan,” Seungcheol had snapped, but his ears were noticeably pink.
Then there was Seungkwan, who once asked, “Why don’t you just marry her already? Save us all the suspense.”
“We’re friends,” Seungcheol had groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
It’s honestly infuriating. Not because you want him to admit something else (okay, maybe you do, but only a little), but because it leaves you constantly second-guessing everything.
Like when he shows up to your apartment with soup because you mentioned a scratchy throat, or when he lingers outside your building after dropping you off just to make sure you’re inside safely.
Or—your personal favorite—when he softens. That big, tough guy act he puts on with everyone else melts the second he looks at you.
His voice gets gentler, his eyes crinkle when he smiles, and he’s suddenly the kind of guy who brushes hair out of your face without a second thought.
It’s maddening.
And apparently, you’re not the only one who thinks so.
“I don’t get it,” Jeonghan says one day, while you’re all sitting at a café. “Why are you two still dancing around each other? Just confess already.”
You nearly choke on your drink. “What?! There’s nothing to confess!”
“Exactly,” Seungcheol agrees, but his jaw tightens ever so slightly
Jeonghan raises an eyebrow. “Sure. And I’m the president.”
“Jeonghan, drop it,” Seungcheol warns.
“Fine, fine.” Jeonghan smirks but doesn’t look convinced.
By the time you’re walking home together later, the conversation keeps replaying in your head. Seungcheol is quiet beside you, his hands shoved into his pockets.
“You’re awfully quiet,” you say, bumping your shoulder against his.
He glances at you, his expression unreadable. “Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“...Nothing important.”
You don’t push, but as his hand finds its familiar place on your back when you cross the street, you can’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, Jeonghan was onto something.
You knew it was going to be a long day when your boss handed you that stack of papers at 4 PM. By the time you finally wrapped up, the office was practically empty, the night sky spilling across the windows.
A quick glance at your phone confirmed what you already dreaded—you’d missed the last bus. Groaning, you stuffed your things into your bag, resigning yourself to the long walk home.
It wasn’t that bad. Just… cold, dark, and slightly creepy. You’d be fine.
Totally fine.
But when you pushed through the lobby doors and stepped outside, you stopped dead in your tracks.
There he was.
Choi Seungcheol, leaning casually against his car, arms crossed over his chest like he’d been waiting all night. His head tilted up as soon as he heard the door open, and when he saw you, that familiar, infuriatingly soft smile spread across his face.
“Finally,” he said, pushing off the car. “I thought you were going to sleep in there.”
Your mouth opened and closed a few times before you managed, “What… what are you doing here?”
“Picking you up,” he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world
“I didn’t ask you to.”
He shrugged. “Didn’t need to.”
You frowned, confused. “How did you even know I was still here?”
“Your light was on when I drove by earlier.”
“You drove by?”
He had the audacity to look sheepish. “I figured you’d miss the bus. And I didn’t want you walking home alone.”
Your heart did an annoying little flip. “I can take care of myself, you know.”
“Sure you can,” he said, completely unfazed. “But humor me, okay? Get in the car.”
You hesitated for a moment, debating whether to argue, but the cold wind nipping at your cheeks made the decision for you. “Fine,” you muttered, walking past him to the passenger door.
“Good choice,” he said, smirking as he opened the door for you.
The car was warm, smelling faintly of his cologne, and as you settled into the seat, you couldn’t help but notice the little things—how he’d adjusted the seat warmer on your side or how there was a blanket folded neatly in the backseat.
He climbed in and started the engine, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. “Hungry?”
You blinked. “What?”
“You barely eat when you’re working late,” he said. “We can grab something on the way home.”
You stared at him, baffled. “Do you do this for all your friends?”
He smirked, pulling out of the parking lot. “Do what?”
“Show up unannounced, wait in the cold, and then offer to feed them.”
“Only the ones who miss the last bus.”
Your lips twitched despite yourself. “So just me, then?”
“Just you,” he admitted, glancing at you again with a small smile.
The ride home was quiet, the hum of the engine and the city lights passing by making everything feel oddly intimate. When he finally pulled up in front of your building, you turned to him, suddenly unsure of what to say.
“Thanks for… this,” you said awkwardly, gesturing vaguely.
“Anytime,” he said easily.
As you reached for the door handle, he stopped you. “Hey.”
You turned back, and his expression had softened, the playful smirk replaced with something quieter, more sincere.
“Text me next time, okay? So I don’t have to guess.”
Your chest tightened, and you nodded, swallowing the lump in your throat. “Okay.”
You stepped out of the car, his eyes on you the entire time, and as you walked to your building, you couldn’t help but smile.
He wasn’t just a friend. Not to you, anyway. And maybe, just maybe, you weren’t just a friend to him either.
It was supposed to be a quiet night for Seungcheol. He’d gone out with some friends, had a couple of drinks, and was planning to head home early. But somehow, he ended up back at Jeonghan’s place with Seungkwan sitting cross-legged on the couch, both of them looking far too smug for his liking.
They were up to something. They were always up to something.
“So,” Jeonghan started, drawing out the word like he had all the time in the world, “guess who’s out on a date right now?”
Seungcheol barely glanced up from his phone. “I don’t know. Who?”
“You,” Seungkwan deadpanned, then snorted. “Kidding. It’s her.”
Seungcheol’s fingers froze mid-scroll. “What?”
“You know who,” Jeonghan said, raising an eyebrow.
“She’s on a date,” Seungkwan added, like he was explaining something to a toddler.
Seungcheol’s brain short-circuited for a second. “Wait. What?”
“Why are you so shocked?” Jeonghan leaned back, looking like the cat that got the cream. “She’s a grown woman. She deserves to have a little fun.”
“She’s—she’s on a date?” Seungcheol repeated, his voice louder this time
“Yes, and he’s so handsome,” Seungkwan said dramatically, clasping his hands together like he was narrating a fairytale. “Tall, charming, great hair—”
“Wait a minute. You set her up?” Seungcheol cut in, his voice sharp
“Of course,” Jeonghan said breezily. “You weren’t making a move, so we figured someone else should.”
“I’m not—” Seungcheol started, then stopped, his jaw clenching. “She doesn’t need you meddling in her life.”
“She seemed fine with it,” Jeonghan said, grinning. “Actually, she looked pretty excited.”
That sentence hit Seungcheol like a punch to the gut. You? Excited to go on a date with some random guy? The thought made his chest tighten in a way he didn’t want to think about.
“I don’t get why you care so much,” Seungkwan said, narrowing his eyes. “I mean, she’s just your friend, right?”
Seungcheol’s head snapped toward him, but he didn’t say anything, his jaw working furiously as he tried to come up with a response.
“Right?” Seungkwan pressed, leaning forward.
Jeonghan smirked. “You do seem awfully worked up for someone who’s ‘just a friend.’”
Seungcheol shot him a glare that could’ve melted steel. “She is my friend.”
“Hmm,” Jeonghan hummed, unconvinced. “Then why do you look like you’re about to track down this guy and challenge him to a duel?”
“I’m not—” Seungcheol groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “I’m just… concerned.”
“About what?” Seungkwan asked innocently.
“About her,” Seungcheol snapped. “What if he’s some creep? What if he says something to upset her? What if—”
“Oh my God,” Jeonghan interrupted, laughing. “You’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” Seungcheol said through gritted teeth.
“Then why are you gripping the couch like it insulted your ancestors?” Seungkwan asked, gesturing to Seungcheol’s white-knuckled hands.
“I’m just protective,” he argued weakly.
“Right. Protective,” Jeonghan said, rolling his eyes. “Because that totally explains the vein popping out of your forehead right now.”
Seungcheol groaned again, sinking back into the couch. He hated how transparent he was, especially to these two.
“Look,” Jeonghan said, leaning forward, his tone suddenly serious. “If you don’t want her going on dates with other guys, then maybe you should finally admit how you feel.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t even try it,” Seungkwan cut in, holding up a hand. “We all know. She’s the only person you drop everything for. The only one you talk to with that stupid soft voice. You treat her like she’s your entire world, but you’re too stubborn to say it.”
Seungcheol opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. Because they were right. They were absolutely, infuriatingly right.
“Okay, fine,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe I feel something. But what if she doesn’t feel the same?”
Jeonghan snorted. “Are you kidding me? She’s just as bad as you. She talks about you all the time, and don’t even get me started on the way she looks at you. You’re both idiots.”
Seungkwan nodded solemnly. “Big, dumb idiots.”
Seungcheol stared at them, his mind racing. Maybe it was time to stop being an idiot.
“Where’s this date happening?” he asked suddenly.
Jeonghan and Seungkwan exchanged a glance, their smirks returning.
“Why?” Jeonghan asked, feigning innocence.
Seungcheol stood, grabbing his jacket. “Because I’m about to fix this.”
“Finally,” Seungkwan muttered, shaking his head.
Jeonghan grinned. “Go get her, tiger.”
And with that, Seungcheol stormed out, determined to set things right—even if it meant crashing your date.
Meanwhile you were having a perfectly peaceful evening. The kind where the air was crisp, the stars were starting to peek out, and the banana milk you’d picked up from the convenience store was hitting just right. Strolling through your neighborhood, you took another long sip, savoring the sweetness.
And then, like something out of a drama, Seungcheol’s sleek black car zipped past you.
You blinked, nearly choking on your drink.
Was that…? No, it couldn’t be. But then the brake lights lit up, and the car slowed before making a sharp U-turn.
You stopped walking, half-expecting someone else to step out of the car. But, of course, it was Seungcheol.
He parked haphazardly by the curb and got out, looking a little disheveled, which was unusual for him. His jacket was slightly askew, and his hair looked like he’d run his hands through it one too many times.
“Hey,” he said, jogging up to you, his voice slightly breathless.
“Uh, hi?” you said, thoroughly confused. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” he countered, crossing his arms but not quite meeting your eyes.
“I’m just walking,” you replied, holding up your banana milk as if to prove your innocence. “What about you?”
He hesitated for a second too long. “I was… driving.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Driving? Around here?”
“Yeah,” he said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was… in the area.”
“In the area?” you repeated, unconvinced.
“Yes,” he said firmly, but his eyes flickered to the drink in your hand, betraying his nerves.
You decided not to press him. Seungcheol acting weird wasn’t exactly new, but something about him tonight seemed different. Like he was on edge. His jaw was tight, his shoulders tense, and he kept shifting from foot to foot like he didn’t know what to do with himself.
“You okay?” you asked softly, tilting your head.
He froze, then sighed, his shoulders relaxing just a fraction. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I’m just… stressed,” he admitted reluctantly.
“Work?” you guessed.
“Something like that,” he muttered, avoiding your gaze.
You frowned, feeling a pang of concern. Without thinking, you held out your banana milk to him, your fingers curling around the straw as you offered it up. “Here. This always makes me feel better.”
He blinked at you, caught completely off guard. “What?”
“Drink it,” you said, blinking up at him innocently. “It’ll help.”
He stared at you for a moment, his expression softening in that way that always made your heart skip a beat. “You’re sharing your banana milk with me?”
“Don’t make it weird,” you mumbled, cheeks warming.
A small smile tugged at his lips as he took the drink from you, his fingers brushing yours. He took a hesitant sip, his eyes never leaving yours, and for a moment, the world felt strangely quiet.
“Not bad,” he said, handing it back to you.
“See? Instant stress relief,” you said lightly, though your chest felt tight for reasons you didn’t want to examine too closely.
He didn’t respond right away, his gaze lingering on you in a way that made you feel uncharacteristically shy. Finally, he reached out, ruffling your hair like he used to do when you were younger. “You’re too good to me, you know that?”
You laughed softly, brushing his hand away. “Someone’s gotta take care of you.”
His smile faltered just slightly, something unspoken passing between you before he cleared his throat and stepped back. “I’ll drive you home.”
“It’s just a short walk—”
“Let me drive you,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
You didn’t fight him on it. You weren’t sure why, but Seungcheol’s strange mood tugged at something deep inside you.
As you climbed into his car and he pulled onto the road, you couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to his stress than he was letting on. And from the way his grip on the steering wheel tightened every time he glanced at you, you had a feeling he was thinking the exact same thing.
A few days later since that night. You're still wondering why Seungcheol was acting weird but you brush it off, thinking maybe he's just stressed because of work.
Now you're somewhere unfamiliar.
You sighed in frustration, staring at the unfamiliar street signs around you.
You were definitely lost.
The errand you thought would take twenty minutes had somehow turned into an hour-long disaster. To make matters worse, your phone signal had cut out just when you’d tried to pull up directions.
After wandering aimlessly for what felt like forever, your phone finally regained some service, and you immediately dialed Jeonghan’s number. He was your go-to for emergencies like this—always on his phone and annoyingly calm in situations where you were about ready to cry.
“Hello?” Jeonghan’s familiar voice answered on the first ring
“Jeonghan!” you practically wailed. “I’m lost.”
“Lost?” he echoed, sounding more amused than concerned. “Where are you?”
“I don’t know,” you groaned, scanning the street for anything remotely familiar. “I think I took a wrong turn somewhere, and then my phone lost signal, and now I have no idea where I am.”
“Okay, okay,” he said, clearly suppressing a laugh. “Relax. Describe your surroundings.”
You rattled off a description of the nearby buildings and street signs, and Jeonghan hummed thoughtfully. “Alright, I think I know where you are. Just stay put, and I’ll send someone to get you.”
“Wait—someone? Who?”
But before he could answer, the line disconnected.
Fifteen minutes later, as you sat on a bench scrolling through your now-working phone, your screen lit up with an incoming call from Seungcheol.
You hesitated for a second before answering. “Hello?”
“What the hell?” was the first thing out of his mouth, his voice a mix of irritation and concern.
“What?” you asked, confused
“Why didn’t you call me?” he demanded
You blinked. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re lost, right? Why didn’t you call me?”
“I—” You paused, feeling slightly guilty. “I figured you’d be busy with work. I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Bother me?” he repeated incredulously. “You think calling me when you’re lost is a bother?”
“I mean… kind of?” you said hesitantly. “You’re always so busy, and I didn’t want to distract you.”
There was a brief pause, and when he spoke again, his tone was softer, almost hurt. “You’re never a bother, you know that, right?”
You swallowed, suddenly feeling small. “I didn’t want to interrupt anything important.”
“You’re important,” he shot back without missing a beat.
Your heart did a funny little flip at his words, but you tried to shake it off. “Jeonghan said he’d send someone to get me,” you mumbled.
“Yeah, and that someone is me,” Seungcheol said, his voice firm. “I’m on my way.”
“Oh,” was all you managed to say.
“Stay where you are. I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said, and then the line went dead.
True to his word, Seungcheol’s car pulled up exactly ten minutes later. He got out and strode toward you, his expression a mixture of exasperation and relief.
“You okay?” he asked, his eyes scanning you for any signs of distress.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” you said sheepishly. “Sorry for making you come all the way out here.”
“Don’t apologize,” he said firmly. “Just… next time, call me first, okay? No matter what. I don’t care how busy I am.”
You nodded, feeling warmth spread through your chest at his words. “Okay. I will.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair before reaching out to flick your forehead gently. “Idiot,” he muttered, but there was no heat in his voice. “You scared me.”
You smiled up at him, clutching your phone tightly. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Always.”
And with that, he opened the car door for you, muttering something about making sure you had a proper map app installed while you slid into the passenger seat, feeling safer than you’d felt all day.
The car was quiet save for the low hum of the engine as Seungcheol drove. You sat in the passenger seat, sneaking glances at him every now and then. His brows were slightly furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line. You could tell he was still annoyed—though more at himself than at you—but the silence was starting to get to you.
“Are you really mad?” you asked softly, your voice barely above a whisper
He didn’t answer right away, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. You shifted in your seat, feeling a small pang of guilt.
“Cheol?” you tried again, a little louder this time
Finally, he glanced at you, just for a second, and that’s when he saw it—the faint pout on your lips, your eyes wide and filled with worry.
Whatever lingering annoyance he felt melted away instantly.
How could he ever stay mad at you?
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat.
In that fleeting moment, something clicked. He’d always known he cared about you, but this was different.
This was deeper.
The way his chest ached at the thought of you being lost, the way he couldn’t focus on anything else until he knew you were safe—it all made sense now.
He was in deep. Really, truly in deep.
But he kept that realization buried, locking it away for now. Because what if you didn’t feel the same? What if he ruined what you already had?
So instead of saying what was really on his mind, he shook his head and let out a small sigh. “No, I’m not mad,” he said softly, his voice losing all the sharpness from earlier.
“Really?” you asked, your pout disappearing as a hopeful smile crept onto your face.
He glanced at you again, his lips twitching into a faint smile. “Really. Just… call me next time, okay? No matter what.”
“Okay,” you said quickly, nodding.
“Good,” he said, turning his attention back to the road. But the corner of his mouth quirked up, betraying his amusement at how eager you were to ease his worries.
And as you settled back into your seat, sipping the banana milk you’d insisted on bringing with you, Seungcheol kept driving, silently grappling with the fact that you had him wrapped around your finger—and you didn’t even know it.
It’s not something you consciously think about, but Seungcheol is the first person you instinctively search for in every situation.
Whether it’s at a gathering, in a crowded room, or even during simple moments like deciding where to sit, your eyes always find him first. And it’s always easy to spot him—because, without fail, he leaves a space open beside him, like he’s silently saving it just for you.
He never says anything about it, but you’ve come to notice how it’s always you in the passenger seat of his car, you who gets the last fry from his plate, and you who he lets get away with things no one else can.
One day, after an especially long week at work, you found yourself riding home with him again. The car was quiet, save for the soft hum of the radio, and you couldn’t help but let your mind wander.
“Cheol,” you said, breaking the silence.
“Hmm?” he responded, glancing at you briefly before returning his attention to the road.
“Do you think…” You hesitated, biting your lip. “Do you think I’m taking advantage of you being such a good friend?”
He frowned slightly, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “What?”
“I mean…” You trailed off, unsure how to explain yourself. “You do so much for me. I feel like I’m always leaning on you, and maybe—”
“Stop,” he interrupted, pulling the car to a gentle stop at a red light. He turned to look at you, his expression soft but serious. “You’re not taking advantage of me.”
You opened your mouth to protest, but he reached over, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear in that way that always made your breath catch.
“I wouldn’t do any of it if I didn’t want to,” he said firmly, his voice low and steady. Then, with a small smile, he added, “Take advantage of me all you want.”
You blinked at him, startled by the sincerity in his tone. For a moment, it felt like the world outside the car had faded away, leaving only the two of you in your little bubble.
There was something in the way he said it, something in his gaze that made your chest tighten. Like he wasn’t just saying you could rely on him, but something deeper—something more.
But you didn’t push it, didn’t ask him to elaborate.
Instead, you smiled softly, feeling your cheeks warm. “Thanks, Cheol.”
He nodded, turning back to the road as the light turned green, but his fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel, as if he was trying to shake off whatever had just passed between you.
And though neither of you said it out loud, his words lingered in the air between you, unspoken but clear.
Take advantage of me all you want.
It sounded an awful lot like he was saying, I’m yours.
The music was loud, the kind that vibrated through your chest and made regular conversation impossible.
You were at yet another one of Seungkwan’s chaotic gatherings, where everyone was laughing, shouting, and dancing all at once. You were trying to tell Seungcheol something, but no matter how loud you spoke, your voice barely reached him over the noise.
Finally, with a little huff of frustration, you stepped closer to him. So close that you had to tilt your head up to meet his gaze. He raised an eyebrow at you, amused but curious, as if to ask, What’s up?
Without thinking, you stood on your tiptoes, your hand lightly gripping his arm for balance. Leaning in, you brought your lips close to his ear and whispered the words you’d been trying to say.
His reaction was immediate. You felt his hands gently rest on your waist, steadying you like it was second nature. His touch was warm, firm, and grounding in the chaos of the room.
“What?” he asked, turning his head slightly so his lips were near your ear now, his voice low enough that it sent a shiver down your spine.
You repeated yourself, barely able to focus with how close the two of you were. You could feel the heat radiating from him, smell the faint, familiar scent of his cologne.
When you pulled back just enough to look at him, you caught the small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Without breaking eye contact, he slid one of his hands down from your waist and took your hand in his.
Your breath hitched when his fingers laced with yours, his grip firm but gentle, like he wasn’t planning to let go anytime soon. His thumb brushed lightly over your knuckles, and he gave your hand a little squeeze, as if to silently say, I hear you now.
The moment stretched between you, the noise of the room fading into the background as you stared up at him. His eyes were warm, his smile soft, and for a second, you felt like the two of you were the only ones in the room.
“Better?” he asked, his voice just loud enough for you to hear.
You nodded, your cheeks warm as you managed a small smile. “Better.”
He didn’t let go of your hand for the rest of the night.
As the night wore on, you and Seungcheol gravitated toward each other like magnets. Even in the chaos of the party, you never strayed far, and he made no effort to hide how closely he kept you by his side.
At one point, you found yourself standing in front of him, tucked neatly into the protective circle of his arms. His broad frame loomed behind you, shielding your much smaller figure from the crowd. It was a natural thing, the way his arms rested lightly around your waist, his hands occasionally brushing against your sides.
You weren’t sure when you had become so glued to each other, but you didn’t mind. You felt safe there, cocooned in his warmth, the noise of the party fading into the background as you leaned into his steady presence.
Seungcheol leaned down slightly, his chin nearly brushing the top of your head as he murmured, “You okay?”
You turned your head slightly to glance back at him, your eyes meeting his. “Yeah, I’m good.”
His lips quirked into a soft smile, and he gave your waist a gentle squeeze, as if to reassure himself. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“I think I’m fine as long as I stay right here,” you replied without thinking, and you felt his chest rumble with quiet laughter behind you.
“Yeah?” he teased, his voice low and warm. “You planning to stick to me all night?”
You shrugged, your cheeks warming. “Maybe.”
His laugh softened, and you felt his arms tighten around you ever so slightly. “Good,” he said, his voice quieter this time, almost like he hadn’t meant for you to hear it.
From the other side of the room, Seungkwan and Jeonghan stood together, sipping their drinks and watching the scene unfold like it was a live drama.
Jeonghan leaned casually against the wall, a smirk dancing on his lips as his eyes flicked between you and Seungcheol. “You seeing this?” he murmured, just loud enough for Seungkwan to hear over the noise.
“Oh, I’m seeing it,” Seungkwan replied, trying his best to keep a straight face but failing miserably. His grin threatened to split his face in two as he watched Seungcheol pull you closer, his arms tightening protectively around you.
Jeonghan raised an eyebrow. “Should we—”
“Don’t even think about it,” Seungkwan interrupted, though he looked like he was barely holding himself back. “You saw the look he gave us earlier. He’ll kill us if we say anything.”
Just then, Seungcheol’s eyes flicked toward them, sharp and warning. It was a look that screamed, Don’t. You. Dare.
Jeonghan, of course, couldn’t resist a bit of mischief. He raised his glass in a mock toast, tilting his head slightly as if to say, Oh, we’ll see about that.
Seungcheol’s glare darkened, and he subtly mouthed, Don’t.
Seungkwan elbowed Jeonghan, barely stifling his laughter. “You’re gonna get us both killed.”
“Oh, come on,” Jeonghan whispered back, smirking. “It’s too good not to say something. Look at them. She’s practically in his arms, and he’s acting like she’s the only person in the room.”
“I know, but...” Seungkwan hesitated, glancing back at Seungcheol, who had now fully turned his body to shield you from the crowd. “He’s terrifying when it comes to her.”
“Exactly,” Jeonghan said, his smirk widening. “Which makes this even more fun.”
Before either of them could act on their instincts, Seungcheol shot them another glare—this one so intense that even Jeonghan momentarily reconsidered his life choices.
Seungkwan cleared his throat, straightening up. “Yeah, nope. Not worth it. I like being alive.”
Jeonghan chuckled, but even he backed off, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. We’ll let him have his moment. For now.”
But as they watched you and Seungcheol disappear into the night, Jeonghan leaned over to Seungkwan with a glint in his eye. “We’re never letting him live this down, though.”
“Oh, absolutely not,” Seungkwan agreed, grinning. “We’re just waiting for the right moment to strike.”
And with that, the two of them shared a conspiratorial laugh, already plotting how they’d tease Seungcheol later—if they lived to tell the tale.
The quiet of the car was a stark contrast to the laughter and energy of the night. It was just the two of you now, the hum of the engine and the soft rush of air outside the windows filling the space between your thoughts.
Seungcheol’s eyes were on the road, his focus steady, but there was something different in the air tonight. It felt like the perfect moment to finally ask the question that had been lingering on your mind.
"Cheol?" you said softly, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Mhm?" he replied, glancing at you briefly before returning his gaze to the road.
You hesitated for a moment, the weight of your thoughts making your chest tighten just a little. "We're not just friends, are we?" you asked, the words slipping out before you could stop them.
You had been wondering for a while now, but it felt like the right time to ask.
Seungcheol didn’t immediately respond. The car continued on its path, the sound of the engine filling the space. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, but there was a quiet, almost amused undertone to it.
"Whatever you want me to be, I'll be that," he said simply, his eyes still on the road, but there was something in his tone that made your heart skip a beat.
You blinked, processing his words. "What does that mean?" you asked, voice quieter now, trying to decipher his meaning.
"It means," he began, "if you want me to be more than a friend, then that’s what I’ll be. If you want me to be something else, I’ll be that too."
You felt your chest tighten, the air between you both thick with unspoken things.
The rest of the ride passed in comfortable silence, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that things had shifted, that the line between just friends and something more was now more blurred than ever before.
"Thanks for the ride," you said softly, unable to hold back a small smile.
Seungcheol smiled back, his gaze lingering on you for just a moment longer. "Anytime,".
The boys had decided it was time for a beach day—a full day of sun, sand, and chaos. Naturally, Seungcheol insisted you join, claiming it wouldn’t be the same without you. So here you were, walking down the sandy shore with a tote bag slung over your shoulder while the boys argued over the best spot to set up.
Jeonghan, of course, found the shadiest area and claimed it before anyone could argue, while Seungkwan bickered about who had to blow up the inflatable. Meanwhile, Seungcheol carried your beach chair and umbrella, glancing over his shoulder to make sure you were keeping up.
When everything was set up, you kicked off your sandals and ran toward the water, the cool waves splashing against your feet. The boys stayed back for a while, caught up in their own antics, until Jeonghan called out to Seungcheol.
“Hey, big guy! You’re really just going to let her wander off alone?”
Seungcheol rolled his eyes but still got up, his protective instincts kicking in almost immediately. He strolled down the beach after you, arms crossed casually over his chest, his broad shoulders drawing attention from passersby.
You were completely oblivious, laughing as you dipped your toes into the waves. That is, until a couple of guys sidled up to you, grinning and trying to make small talk.
“Hey, you here alone?” one of them asked, his tone far too confident for his own good.
“No,” you replied politely but firmly, already taking a step back.
“Come on, just a little chat—”
“Is there a problem here?”
That voice. Low, firm, and unmistakably Seungcheol’s.
The guys froze, their smiles faltering as they turned to see him standing there. His towering frame, sharp jawline, and intense gaze were enough to make them instantly reconsider their life choices.
“N-no, man, we were just—”
“Leaving,” Seungcheol finished for them, his tone leaving no room for argument.
They didn’t need to be told twice, muttering apologies as they shuffled away.
You turned to Seungcheol, your eyebrows raised. “That wasn’t necessary. I could’ve handled it.”
“I know you could’ve,” he said, his tone softening as he looked at you. “But why should you have to?”
You rolled your eyes, though you couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at your lips. “My knight in shining board shorts.”
Seungcheol chuckled, nudging your shoulder gently. “Someone’s gotta keep you out of trouble.”
The two of you made your way back to the group, where Jeonghan and Seungkwan were snickering.
“Cheol scared off some beach bros, didn’t he?” Jeonghan guessed, smirking.
“Didn’t even have to try,” Seungkwan added. “He just exists, and they run for their lives.”
Seungcheol ignored them, guiding you to your chair and handing you a bottle of water. “Drink up,” he said, his hand brushing against yours briefly.
You didn’t miss the way his touch lingered or the way his gaze softened when he looked at you. And while the boys continued to tease him relentlessly, he just sat back with a satisfied smirk, his protective streak in full swing.
By the end of the day, no one even thought about approaching you again—not when Seungcheol made it very clear, without saying a word, that you weren’t alone.
The sun was beginning its slow descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The beach was quieter now, the once-loud waves now lapping gently at the shore. Seungcheol crouched down in front of you, his back turned as he gestured for you to hop on.
“Come on, before the sun sets,” he said, glancing over his shoulder with a small grin.
“Why do I have to be the one on your back?” you teased, but you didn’t hesitate to climb on, your arms wrapping around his shoulders as his hands secured your legs.
“Because I’d crush you if it were the other way around,” he shot back, standing effortlessly with you in tow.
He started walking along the shoreline, the sand soft beneath his feet. You leaned your cheek against his, your fingers lightly tapping against his chest as you spoke.
“Did you know that sea otters hold hands while they sleep so they don’t drift apart?”
“Yeah?”
“Mhm. It’s called a raft. Isn’t that cute?”
“Almost as cute as you randomly spitting out facts,” he said with a chuckle, glancing sideways at you.
You ignored him, continuing your stream of trivia. “Oh! And dolphins have names for each other. Like, they have a specific whistle for every dolphin in their pod.”
“Do they have a whistle for their favorite dolphin?” he asked, his voice teasing.
“Obviously,” you said, squishing your cheek harder against his. “If I were a dolphin, you’d have a whistle just for me.”
“I already do,” he murmured, his words so soft that you almost didn’t catch them over the sound of the waves.
You paused for a moment, the warm breeze brushing past the two of you. Then, out of nowhere, you whispered, “I love you.”
Seungcheol froze mid-step, his breath hitching just enough for you to notice. Slowly, he turned his head to look at you, his cheek brushing against yours.
“I was hoping I’d say it first,” he said with a soft laugh, his dimples deepening as he smiled at you.
Your heart swelled at the sight, and you couldn’t help but grin back. “Guess you’re too slow, Cheol.”
“Guess so,” he replied, his voice warm and steady. Then, without putting you down, he turned to face the sunset.
“Say it again,” he said after a moment, his tone teasing but with a hint of something deeper beneath it.
“I love you,” you said, softer this time, your lips brushing against his ear as you spoke.
He let out a content sigh, his hands tightening slightly on your legs as if grounding himself in the moment.
“I love you too,” he finally said, his voice carrying all the tenderness he’d been holding back for so long.
And as the sun dipped below the horizon, you stayed there, clinging to each other, both knowing you had everything you could ever need right in that moment.
#fic#story#imagine#svt#seventeen#svt imagine#seventeen imagine#seventeen fluff#seventeen scenario#svt x y/n#svt scoups#svt seunghceol#seungcheol#scoups#scoup imagine#scoups fluff#seventeen scoups#seungcheol imagine#seungcheol fluff#seungcheol scenario#choi seungcheol
227 notes
·
View notes
Text
Who Said Money Can't Buy You Happiness?
Yan! Batfam x Princess!Reader
Special
"Mother said be good, father said be nice. That was always their advice. So be nice, [name], good, [name]. Nice, good, good nice (tighter!). What's the good of being good if everyone is blind. Always leaving you behind." Prologue: Into the Woods.
(I needed the full thing in it)
Divider Creds: @selysie and @anitalenia
This plot was inspired by @niwaart and @mimiiiiiiiiisstuff
Life is not fair, and while the rich eat like pigs the poor people eat scraps and still are charged no matter if they can afford it or not.
As a princess, I understood that.
I am labeled as the defective princess, the Imperial Princess of Gotham, [name] Wayne.
While all my siblings were intelligent and had strength, talent, and power that upstaged most people, I had none of that, I wasn't smart, actually, I was a complete dunce. I had no strength to my name and was disgracefully unable to use my magic, but I knew I had some...
I had to. Right?
My talent, probably being an embarrassment to my family name.
My mother, she also glanced at me with disgust, she made sure if I wasn't able to do anything useful I'll at least have etiquette while being useless.
I admired my mother, she was beautiful, graceful, sharp, and always upheld her image.
She sneers at me when I mess up, which is all the time, but we don't talk about that.
Oh gosh, and my siblings they were all so amazing.
Barbara held the same personality as our mother, she rose the social class fast. Too bad she doesn't talk to me, I think she would be a great person to take an example from!
Stephanie and Cassandra tagged behind Barbara. They were like those cool trios in the books.
Yes, I read books, but they don't count since they are all novels.
Damian berates me on the fact that I'm nothing like them, but it just shows he cares, doesn't it?
Dick will he coaches Damian he's the #1 Knight of our kingdom and woman all over swoon over him, he talks to me... sometimes.
Duke, well he's a gentleman we don't talk but he's nice enough to greet me.
Jason, well like those novels he'd be titled the 'bad boy' and it does in fact charm lots and lots of ladies.
Tim, it impresses me every time at how smart he is. Maybe that's why we don't have many conversations because I'm not on his level.
And my father, well, it's okay. He's the emperor of course he's busy, I can't ask for attention that would be so childish!
It's of course upsetting when they all hang out without me, but they're just letting me have more time to myself to read! If you think about it they just care about me.
I remember we went to an event, and I was alone and no one talked to me, but it's fine, that's when I met the love of my life, he was like a prince charming, I bumped into him and he caught me before I hit the floor, I swear I fell right then.
Connor Kent.
Then I found out he was in fact a prince! And I got lucky and arranged a marriage with him, he didn't seem as static, but it's okay, arranged marriages usually don't last anyway...
I don't know what took over me, but when they found this orphaned girl one day, out of nowhere, they adopted her, and that's when my life changed.
Serena.
It wasn't fair how she was the apple of everyone's eyes.
She was also clumsy and dumb, she didn't know how to use magic, just like me, but there was a fine line between us. For one I know etiquette and for two, I'm of royal blood.
But instead of also disliking her they doted on her. I let it go until Connor also started being attracted to her. I was enraged.
But kept to myself. I started writing things I felt like doing those things to her. Then slowly I started doing said things. But they were harmless! Mostly...
I always ended up getting caught every single time though.
I still did them though, I don't know I just felt like it, and then I started having dreams of this weird world, about a girl.
Her name, was just like mine, [name] [last name], and she's so cool!
It started off showing what kind of woman she was, a CEO, doctor, lawyer, but mainly an entrepreneur, I didn't know a woman could be in those fields. Also, what are some of those things?
Then those dreams.
"What a bast-, I can't with this main character! Oh and don't even get me started on the family, who wrote this?! And a poly relationship for what? Just for her to focus on one guy? That's it I'm balding. The only character I like is [name] but sometimes I wish she would just stand up for herself!"
Yes, for I found out she was just like me she also liked reading novels.
Her reactions to them were also quite funny, then one day I don't know why but I prayed to the Gods that I wanted to be just like her.
"Go hang yourself! Shitty ahh characters. Go suck a titty."
Okay, not exactly like her.
Then it was the next morning and the maids took a while to finally get me ready, I couldn't stand their murmuring about how terrible I was compared to Serena.
I wanted to rip my hair out when I heard her name.
Then I made an idiotic choice again, I shoved her while on the staircase.
Then my world went black before I woke up startled with NEW MEMORIES.
I had become [name] [last name].
But for some reason, I was smart, I knew how to manage her jobs…
5 years later
It's been, what, 5 years?
[name] was right to be cocky she had every right to be, I feel bad now that I stole her life.
[name] wherever you are I wish you the best.
I wanted to write this to show that both girls will get happy endings, and I rushed this because idk.
Anyway, thanks cuties for the interaction with my last post!
And again with the last post please give me constructive criticism!
Taglist -
@kittzu @charlenexoxo1 @bat1212 @silverklaus @sillysealsies
#platonic batfam#platonic yandere batfam#yandere batfamily#yandere batfam#yandere batfam x reader#yandere batfamily x reader#batfam x neglected reader
230 notes
·
View notes
Text
dating enhypen hyung line pro's & con's
based on tarot. i don't know these idols personally. energies are always changing. everything i state is for entertainment purposes only, alleged and NOT straight fact. pls take it with a grain of salt!
heeseung
pro's
will make you the brightest star of his life -> i can just see his life circling around pleasing you
your existence will just matter to you a lot
he's an extremely perfectionistic guy so he'll rarely feel satisfied and therefore put consistent effort into making sure he's being the best boyfriend he can be for you
he literally wouldn't live up to his own expectations towards himself and disappoint himself if he found himself being unfaithful or doing you wrong
wants to make his partners feel secure when they're with him, like he's their comfort person and safe space
sees his lovers as someone he can learn from -> wants to grow, improve and transform into his best self through dating his partners, as well as also become a source of support and help for them himself
almost like bonding through their wounds, perhaps even sharing similar past experiences so they can offer a sense of mending and healing to each other
i really don't see much of an ego here, in fact he's almost too overly modest and humble
heeseung is the type of boyfriend will dim his own light if it means you will shine, honestly
i thought of a line from stray kids' song “i am you” where changbin says “i can become darkness if it means you will become brighter” (fun fact they're both virgo venus')
has a very calming and soothing type of energy and presence in his romantic relationships
i just keep seeing him sit there with his soft gaze strictly focused on his partner's eyes all the time, gently stroking their hand and quietly humming “mhm”s while attentively listening to them talk and take in every word
very interested and curious in getting to know his partners in a detailed and thorough manner
will probably remember most things about you too, even the more trivial and simple things like.. the perfume you wore on the day you met, just things you probably wouldn't expect for him to remember
con's
his perfectionism, unrealistic standards and amplified romanticism can easily set himself up for disappointment, not only towards himself but also in regards to his lovers and his relationships
he tends to have this idealized view of love and approach his romantic connections with such high expectations that things not living up to that (which often is inevitable since relationships can't be perfect all the time) can quickly dishearten him
i also see him being contradictory in a way where he does want to grow and learn through the connection but at the same time, he can struggle with criticism and negativity
might not want to hear out your advice at times because to heeseung, it can feel like you rubbing his mistakes into his face, which he doesn't enjoy and can get afraid of
he's just really worried about messing things up
can get obsessive and overly invested in the relationship
i just see him being this lover who can suffocate his partners to a degree because he's so eager to make sure they're content and please them all the time
he reminds me of this guy i dated who had similar placements and he kept being so immensely alert and attentive to all my needs that it just felt.. overly smothering at some point (i know some people might like this though, depends on your character)
no lie, heeseung's and jungkook's energies are strikingly similar in a few ways. the idealization of romance, overthinking, immensely high standards causing quicker disappointment, issues with handling criticism due to their perfectionistic tendencies. they could relate on some levels.
heeseung seems like a good guy; i truly see his energy as one of the best in enhypen. though this could be subjective. his intentions read as pure, and coming from a selfless place.
jay
pro's
has this pleasant energy to him where being with jay feels very comfortable, cozy, warm and relaxing
a boyfriend who loves spending the more quiet and intimate times together with his partner
will love displaying this source of calm and rest for them
i see him really enjoying to cuddle under the sheets, in front of the fireplace, with lit candles, wine, soothing music, softly holding you in his arm
a very sensual and indulgent lover too, he just loves making his partners feel good in every sense of the word and wants to heighten their enjoyment
physical touch & quality time are his likely love languages
quite good at figuring out your personal boundaries and remaining respectful and mindful of not crossing them
he's the type to hold himself back in the beginning stages and stay polite but once he's got a good understanding of how deep he can push your buttons, he'll love to initiate some playful debates and arguments
dating jay can feel like you're dating your best friend
he brings a lot of happiness and laughter into the lives of his significant others
a lot of playful bickering and fun times
i just saw this scene of him strolling through the furniture store with his lover and them fighting over which colour plates they should buy for their new house lmao
another insight i constantly get for him without fail; this man genuinely loves the idea of marriage
though i don't see him being ready for it at all at this point in time, jay does enjoy the thought of a more traditional relationship and domestic life
extremely protective over his lover and their relationship
will always defend you and your name fiercely
or e.g. protectively get you to walk on the other side of him, if there's a busy road next to you
quite territorial too, jay wants his lovers to himself and is ready to fight and glare off anyone trying to access them
just heard “nothing's gonna hurt you baby, as long as you'll be with me, you'll be just fine” (song by cas)
con's
mainly focused on himself; including his own dreams, desires and wishes, especially in terms of his career, his work and his money -> i don't see him having much room for anyone else right now
might feel like letting another person into his life in a more serious and committed manner could cause an unwanted interference rather than an enrichment
i truly don't see him enjoying the thought of compromosing or being restricted by anyone right now
tbh, the energy is pretty selfish, and more surface-level here.. i currently don't see jay getting into relationships for true love, but moreso for what they can do for him
and also for what the relationship looks like; on the outside, as well as on paper
very practically minded in that sense, i am not getting an actual emotional attachment to his partners for him
definitely has his workaholic tendencies; might put himself and his career above the relationship with his significant others if he doesn't see the two aligning well
i also see jay easily getting caught up in materialism and putting too much value on superficial things like money, possessions, status, etc.
he can get a little stingy if he feels unappreciated, or the connection is too onesided (like he's constantly the one buying the gifts, preparing everything and his partner doesn't bother to do their part)
immensely stubborn and “my way or the highway”
can be quite rigid and inflexible, as well as reluctant to give in, or adapt and adjust himself to anyone
tbh, the energy was interestingly different compared to what i got from him before. though obviously, people and their preferences, habits, etc. change all the time through various experiences. which is the case especially for enhypen, since they're so young and still in the midst of maturing and developing. this non-committal “i'll do whatever i want” energy strikes me as more of a stage or phase for jay as of right now. might change within a few months, who knows.
jake
pro's
immensely flirty, romantic and charming boyfriend
naturally brings a lot of butterflies and excitement into the lives of his partners in that way
i just see him being a hugely smooth talker, making his partners blush by flattering them all the time
almost in this love-bombing way, where some people might (playfully) tell him to shut up at some point while blushing embarrassedly and he'd love that sight
comes alive in romance; loves everything it entails
being in a harmonious relationship is something he desires a lot, so there's this grateful and proud feeling of “you're literally making my dreams come true”
would maybe even tell you you're his dream
emphasis on him being immensely sweet and loving with his words, there's definitely a poetic side to him too
will not only find his home in you, but become your home (offer you a sense of warmth, familiarity and belonging)
very calming and soothing listener
everytime i read for him, spirit tells me there's something about his voice and the way he looks at you, that just has the potential to calm you down immensely
jake is someone who can go through a lot of inner turmoil himself, so he can often find himself wanting to comfort the people he's close to, especially his lovers
a lover who's very.. “don't keep it all in, talk to me, i will listen, and i will try my best to help”
he just genuinely wants to make you feel cared about
also very witty and funny though, i see him provoking and poking his lovers a lot just to get a reaction out of them
a lot of sarcasm mixed into his teasing and humor in a way that just riles you up; jake will love seeing you annoyed and find it very amusing
i do see him trying to make it up to his partners too though, like giving them a kiss and apologizing (he's a very playful push and pull type of boyfriend)
con's
likely to not be very reliable, he can often be more talk than action, and not always stick to what he preaches
can be very moody, unpredictable and overly sensitive
does want a relationship that goes deeper (i can sense jake literally craving it since he can feel empty very often) but can opt to run away as soon as he feels like it does, especially because the intimacy can scare him off
vulnerability can make him uncomfortable -> to jake, it can feel like someone has insight into his true soul and sees him for everything that he is, including the flaws and blemishes he himself deems as unlovable
easily sees his wounds, pain and insecurities as something people would judge him for, which is why he rarely allows people in that closely
just.. really desires validation, a stroke of his ego and admiration and can quickly be under the impression that his more “raw” self isn't worthy of that
i heard the lana del rey song “will you still love me, when i'm no longer young and beautiful? will you still love me, when i got nothing but my aching soul?” (again.. wow, i remember getting it for my ideal type reading too)
i see jake's insecurities and unstable self-esteem making him a person who feels offended and hurt more quickly, which can lead to him becoming sharp, offensive and cutting with his words as a defence mechanism
i heard “hurt people hurt people”
can easily feel mistrustful which can lead to forceful and controlling behavior -> can experience issues allowing you your freedom out of fear of you moving on
jake kept giving me this feeling of “i want to find a person who can make me feel like i'm at home” i just kept hearing the word “home” continuously.
random note, i also thought of australia and his mother a lot, she comes up in almost every reading for him
for the pro's, the knight of cups fell out together with the four of wands, and the way it fell gave me the image of jake (knight of cups -> scorpio sun) seeking for this feeling of belonging and arriving home (four of wands) like he finally found the person who gives him the warmth he's searching for.
two of the following cards were the star and the nine of cups which gave me.. “thank you for making my hopes and wishes become reality, thank you for staying with me.” the reading was quite moving, tbh. i didn't expect that.
apparently, he is a scorpio stellium with an aries moon in the eight house, so.. phew. yeah. makes sense. jake is a bunch of intensity and emotions wrapped into one human, literally. he feels and senses everything three times as deeply as others.
his sun does fall into his fourth house too though, which explains how closely he ties himself to his family, and the meaning of home. he really craves a safe space.
sunghoon
pro's
trustworthy, committed and loyal boyfriend (probably number one in enhypen right now) -> he just won't find much interest in other people once he's with his lover
sunghoon is picky anyway, so once he's with someone, he firmly stands behind his decision and won't be the type to just allow his impulses to ruin anything
an insight i get again and again; he likes the idea of a connection that blossoms slowly but substantially
isn't the type to rush or jump from lover to lover but moreso approaches his relationships in a mindful manner
will spend a good amount of time getting to know you thoroughly, i see him studying people quite carefully
if he decides to date you, it's because he sees you as the person for him -> not the type to put on a show or play deceitful games with his partners, he's a serious lover
puts genuine effort into making sure the relationship is based on a stable foundation of trust (very important factor for him!) and mutual feelings
meaning, he'll make sure you know you can trust him but also find ways to truly figure out whether he can trust you
the type of boyfriend who wants to grow together with his partner, go through various different cycles together and continuously deepen the connection as time goes on
i do see sunghoon believing in fate and destiny, he can be quite intuitive in that sense
i heard “tell me all your secrets” and “tell me something you've never told anyone else”
sunghoon will want to be the one special person who's allowed to know you in and out, better than anyone else
wants to enjoy this subconscious, profound and unique connection with you in that way, like no one understands you the way he does and vice versa
i especially see him wanting to be the one to know about e.g. your struggles, you might not tell everyone about
like he's your person, the one you'd trust with your life
keeps the relationship very private
i just see being in a relationship with sunghoon as this experience where, being with him can feel like you're the only two people on the world; it's very intimate
he will quite literally be tunnel-visioned on you whenever you're together and naturally make you focus on him too
though i do see him enjoying experiencing different things together with his lover, this silent but powerful connection and communication is likely to still be present, even when you're amongst a crowd
like this.. one moment of eye contact between the two of you, can already tell the other person what they're thinking and feeling, type of dynamic
con's
can have the habit of naturally holding himself back a lot and therefore store a lot of his worries inside
this man can overthink and overanalyze much more than you'd think, but many of his partners might not even figure that out since he's very good at disguising it
i keep feeling so chilly inside while reading for sunghoon, it's almost like.. once he gets to this place of overwhelming and inner stress, he often turns cold
tends to rationalize his more “negative” emotions since they can get confusing and too much for him otherwise
but he also doesn't enjoy confronting his lovers with them at all, out of fear of causing disharmony, or laying himself bare in this vulnerable or “weak” state
genuinely doesn't want to burden people, especially his significant others, with his own inner conflicts but can also have issues processing and finding healthy outlets
so he's likely to, either distract himself by focusing on his own desires and endeavors away from his significant others (like his career and work), or generally withdraw and isolate himself from them in order to somehow cope
i also see him potentially struggling to empathize and understand other people's standpoints at times
sunghoon does tend to look back at himself and reflect on his own behavior a lot, so he can get caught up in this feeling of “no but i did everything right, everything is fine, i don't understand why you'd be this way”
it's this frustration of sincerely wanting to understand you, but just not always being able to, which can result in him turning distant, stiff and detached emotionally
i also see some potential judgemental and overly picky tendencies in terms of superficial things, like appearance
maknae line coming very soon! stay tuned <3
#kpop tarot#enhypen tarot#change of plans#you're getting two separate posts#since it'd have been too long otherwise#maknae line coming in a few days!
84 notes
·
View notes
Text
Everyone saying he is overly possessive needs to see this. He is possessive.... but not to the point that he'd make the MC (you) uncomfortable.
I think in one of the phone calls, he also says that he will always wait for our permission.
He knows his obsession is not the healthiest... he is struggling with it. But he recognizes it too!
All the people hard coding him as some toxic yandere need to actually read. YES, the man does have red flags. I AM NOT DENYING THAT. And yes, I have trust issues with him. But even I, who currently isn't interested in him as an LI can see that he is a good addition to the game's lore and plot development. This is coming from a Sylus and Zayne girlie.
At the end of the day, LADS is an Otome game and even though it isn't like any Otome game before, you can and most definitely need to expect Red flag LIs. Idk if LADS is ever going to go down branching the story into individual LI routes where there would be different endings - Bad ending, good ending, neutral ending, secret endings and such, but remember when sometimes bad ending in Otome games would lead to absolutely Yandere outcomes.? Yeah, Pepperidge farm remembers. Caleb isn't even half as problematic as the other otome game men (Obey Me? Mystic messenger???).
I see a lot of people using the excuse that he failed his psych eval to say he's deranged. BRO. People can also fail these evals due to trauma, PTSD and such. And if Caleb was raised like MC and subjected to experimentation even before the explosion (which is heavily hinted and at this point, mostly confirmed), imagine how much trauma that man has stored in him...
TLDR: Is Caleb possessive of MC? Yes. Is he controlling of MC? To a certain extent when her safety is concerned. Does he disregard MCs feelings on this subject? No, he does not. Is he as deranged as y'all are making him out to be? No, he isn't.
Chill out and wait for his story to develop. He isn't going to be a green forest like Zayne or a softie, who's a little rough around the edges like Sylus. He's going to be different to cater different audiences. Not every LI needs to be likeable, that's the main reason why we have a choice between which LIs to choose.
#linarambles#love and deepspace#lads#l&ds#lnds#caleb#lnds caleb#l&ds caleb#lads caleb#caleb lads#caleb love and deepspace#caleb lnds
67 notes
·
View notes
Text
◇ SYNOPSIS ¡ — in which a girl is born, only to live in conplete and utter tragedy.
◇ WORD COUNT ¡ — 1.4K
◇ SERIES ¡ — BATFAM X FONTAINE! NEGLECTED READER
The sounds of a baby's wails plague the halls of the Wayne Manor, Richard Grayson— the adopted son of Bruce Wayne, who watches on his father's misery. His mother, well, adopted mother, has just passed away from childbirth. Her child (Name) is being held by their most trusted butler, Alfred.
Bruce holds his wife's hands as if it was his only lifeline, his screams of anguish mirror the infant’s cry for their mother. The night is filled with horrible memories, forever to be remembered.
────୨ৎ────
(Name) walks the halls quickly and quietly, afraid of the monsters that may take her if she is not careful. She opens the door to Jason's room. He was recently adopted by Bruce and was a delight to be with. Jason was her only refuge for warmth in this cold manor, although she was not oblivious to their… nightly activities.
She smiles at her brother, who just came from a mission, holding a book in her hand. “Hey bub! Do you want me to read you that one tonight?” Jason beams at you. A cute little sister to see him after he gets home? YES.
Jason lifts you to his bed, setting you near the wall to make sure you don't fall. He picks the book up and starts reading. After lulling you to sleep, Jason kisses your forehead, wishing you sweet dreams.
Jason is dead. That is what you can think about. Your father held a funeral for him to honour his memory. You hold onto his stuff. Sometimes, you sneak in his bed and sleep in it. The remnants of him were preserved in that room. You wished he could have seen you sing the songs dedicated to him on stage.
Tim came into the picture. He saw you as a weakness in the family. You could easily be kidnapped, an innocent civilian never meant to be here. But he cared for you in his own ways, how could he not? You were a bit younger than him, a cute little thing with doe eyes and chubby cheeks.
He maintained his distance, making sure not to get attached. He never really knew how to handle things like family after all. Barbara came to the manor sometimes, although you both never really had much interaction. Damian came into the picture. He was cute but a demonic thing nonetheless.
Cassandra, Stephanie, and Duke came to the family, with them being Orphan, Spoiler, and Signal. You were pretty jealous of Cass. She always seemed so… loved. You truly wanted to bond with them all.
They always spend time with each other, and heck, Dick sometimes came to the manor to spend time with Damian! He had time for everyone except you. Jason? He's avoiding you like the plague! You don't really understand why though, did you do something you weren't aware of? Tim, the boy barely interacted with you!
Damian? Nope. Barbara? Too busy for you, apparently. Cassandra? She's a bit scary, but she's fine. Stephanie? Also too busy! Your own biological father (who should definitely just be called sperm donor), ignored the fuck out of you.
You went to the beach to let out some stream. After all, can tears be seen and shed underwater? You swim to the far sea, the waves soon taking you deep. You try to reach the surface, but you can't. You breathe and— wait, breathe??
You open your eyes to unfamiliar waters, you see land and quickly swim towards it. Coughing up some water, you see two men, a flying snowball, and a very pretty lady. You feel dizzy, your eyesight is blurry, and… you lose consciousness!
You wake up, lain in soft silk sheets that definitely beat yours. You look around to see some people surrounding you. “Hello, dear. I am Furina de Fontaine, the Hydro Archon, God of—” She gets cut off by the snowball, “Just get to the point already!” she huffs in the air, kicking in frustration.
“Fine, fine!— Man in blue, My Iudex, Neuvillette. Man in black? The Duke, Wriothesly. Blondie, Lumine. Flying pet, Paimon.”
“I am not a pet!—”
Ms. Lumine— you believe, covers her mouth and takes her away with Mr. Wriothesly behind them. “Right, back to the topic, do you know this person, little one?” Mr. Iudex points to a painting, and you froze.
The painting looks hauntingly like the woman plastered on the walls of the manor— “Mom…” they both look shocked at your response, nodding at each other. “I am your grandmother, my dear. He is your grandfather. Do you think you could tell us what happened?”
“I… She's dead. She passed away after giving birth to me.” You look away. They're sure to hate you, too. Furina embraces you tightly, tears roll down her cheeks. The loss of a child is never light. Neuvillette pats her back, and you hear a light drizzle outside. It quickly becomes a turbulent storm, as Iudex weeps as well. The three of you embrace each other, unwilling to let go.
You eventually figured out how to get between the two worlds with your mother's diary. It was kept by Iudex, and not an inch of dust has reached its pages. You read about her adventures, how she ended up in Gotham, and how she decided to leave Fontaine.
“Your mother was a cheerful person. You certainly took after her the most. ”Neuvillettes's eyes softened at you. “My dear, do you truly have to return to that place? You could simply stay here—” Furina looks at you, you were an adventurer, she never really had the ability to keep you down. After all, she knew what that felt like.
“Nana, I like to explore, a trait from my mother. I have two vast worlds that allow me to see magical places. Who am I to refuse such sights?” You stuff your mouth with cake, it was your favourite flavor.
“The abyssal corrosion is taking me slowly, I believe I have enough time to explore more. That is my wish, nana.”
You smile at them, their expressions are unreadable. Neuvillette clenches his teacup, nodding at you. “If that is what you desire, then so be it my dear.” Tea time soon ends, and you return to Gotham.
You lay in your bed. ‘One last chance, then I'll stay in Fontaine forever.’ You think your performance was coming up soon. If they didn't come, then that is it.
The next few weeks were certainly nerve-wracking. On the day of the show, you get up on the stage, and do your absolute best. You sang your heart out like never before, people shed tears during your performance. They were nowhere to be seen. You should have expected this.
“Great job, (name)!” A stage designer came up to you, handing you some gifts from the crowd. You adorned a smile, pearls on your neck lit up at the lights. There are so many praises from people you don't know, yet not a single family came.
You return to the manor, quickly writing a letter to Alfred. You knew it couldn't be helped. You make your way to the beach, Alfred came home right when you left.
The letter sat on his desk, opening it shook him.
Dear Alfred,
It has truly been a delight to be with you. It is hard to simply leave you, so I leave you this letter. I hope that you may find your peace in this manor, thank you for all these years.
Truly yours,
– (Name) de Fontaine.
Alfred quickly went to the batcave, calling everyone on patrol. He accessed every camera nearby, trying to find you. Were you trying to kill yourself?
“Alfred?” Dick spoke first. The rest listened. “Ms. (Name) might be trying to kill herself, I'll try to find her.
Bruce is shook. What parent wouldn't be after hearing that. He doesn't know where to start looking, so he and Damian search the places your mother would go to.
Alfred finally finds you heading to the beach. You loved that place. “She's at xx-road, heading to xx-beach.” They all rush to the coordinates, hoping they weren't too late—
There you were, in a white dress, you could get sick in that! “Goodbye.” You start to turn to foam. They rush towards you, but they are too late. Your shawl floats to Bruce. He grabs it, trying to find a semblance of you. They'll find you soon, just wait for a bit.
You return to Fontaine, going to Palais Mermonia, munching on some pasta Furina made, as they both work.
────୨ৎ────────୨ৎ────
NOTE : Whew, so that was chapter 1! I'm loving the gradient hehehehe. (If I learn more I will become unstoppable)
#batfam x you#batman#yandere damian wayne#genshin x reader#genshin impact sagau#genshin impact#x reader#batfam#yandere batfam#Fontainian!Neglected Reader ๋࣭ ⭑๋࣭ ⭑๋࣭ ⭑࣪ ִֶָ☾.⭒𝕬 𝕱𝖆𝖊'𝖘 𝖂𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌٠࣪⭑꩜.ᐟ#batfam x reader#furina#neuvillette#writers block be hitting me with a frying pan these days#this fic was an excuse to write the last scene#yes i wanna turn to foam#i wanna be like the little mermaid with the sad ending#ooh spoilers??#foreshadowing hehehe#i want to leave them all wailing as they all reach for us#while we're turning to foam as they grab at anything#that's the life#everything is hidden in the tags#read the tags
63 notes
·
View notes
Text
the end is undeniably near (and i keep running towards it) - steve h.
(steve harrington x hopper!reader)
a part of my phoebe challenge 🎞🪐💌🕯
based on the song "i know the end" by phoebe bridgers
in which you always wanted to escape hawkins, indiana, until you didn't anymore.
or
in which the billboard said "the end is near"
content warning post season 3 (SO SPOILERS), mild cursing (maybe), ANGST like the whole time, unhealthy coping, and hawkins being hawkins, reader is an implied theater kid (im sorry not sorry)
a / n i disappeared on y’all, I’m sorry!! you know life is getting weird when i randomly return to tumblr. just dipping my toes back in the water of all this so i apologize if i am a little rusty. this is just a piece of a hopper!reader show rewrite that has been in the works for a while so if anyone likes it enough, lmk, I’d be be happy to start posting the whole thing,starting from season 1! any feedback would be awesome (and also requests cause I need inspo back). okay enjoy some angst!
No one ever got out of Hawkins, Indiana. Like the town was somehow enclosed within some heavy-duty bubble, only a few people ever got the nerves to squeeze through. Until you did, until you did the one thing you believed was impossible. You packed your bags, loaded up your car, and left hell. And you did it without a goodbye because the only way to do the impossible was without one. And deep down you knew you were a coward, even after fighting monsters and otherworldly creatures, you were a coward. You could not face what was left behind or allow yourself to acknowledge it.
And it ate away at you in a way you could have never imagined. Too busy pretending like it never crossed your mind, like Hawkins never existed in the first place. Still, it chipped at you piece by piece until the guilt of escaping Hawkins, Indiana finally caught up with you. Until one day that guilt would sneak up and trip you, sending you tumbling all the way back down a hill to only land right back at the gates of Hawkins, at its green sign, Welcome to Hawkins! That warm welcome, the warmest welcome, with its murders and second dimensions and its people. Those people. Those people who worked their way so deep into your heart before you could even realize it. So deep that leaving felt like removing deeply grown roots from a garden, so impossible, so hard to tell where they even stopped growing. You weren’t sure entirely when they grew so deep, you don’t really remember at all how they got there. When you let them? Why did you let them? After everything, you should have known better. You shouldn’t have let them.
You were fifteen when you knew you could never live in Hawkins, Indiana your whole life. It never felt real, artificial, fake. Mass-produced nuclear families and white picket fence houses and stale dead-end jobs.
And then Steve Harrington needed an extra art credit and found his way as the lead in Hawkins High’s production of Romeo and Juliet. When rehearsing turned into giving Steve girl advice and driving with him to drop off flowers. When running lines became swinging a bat of nails and finding an alien in a fridge. When the day before the play performance had turned into icing Steve's bruises on your couch as you ran lines back and forth because neither of you could sleep. When a whole group of middle schoolers sat in the front row and your dad sat center with a bouquet of flowers. They were your family. Your strange and messy family all pretending to be interested in the gibberish mess of Shakespeare on stage. Them watching with stifled laughs as Steve stumbled through lines, as the balcony scene turned into him and you having a staring contest trying to figure out whose lines were next. And though your director would have your heads later, the two of you sat giggling during intermission and had to hold the laughter again when your director asked why you didn’t have time to be memorized to perfection. Because you had all the time in the world, didn’t you?.
Unbelievable as it was, you began to question what you at fifteen had promised you would do. Because you had found more than stale every day Hawkins. You had found their odd-balls who taught you to play Dungeons and Dragons in their basement, who reminded you so much of your sister. And you had found Steve Harrington, a pretty boy with a heart of gold, who risked his life for his Juliet that night at the mall. Who held you tight when it all got too much.
When you moved back to Hawkins, Indiana, after Sara, after your parents split, you were sure life would never be the same again. You needed a fresh start, to completely reconfigure your life and pretend none of what had happened had happened. That you never had a sister, that your dad hadn’t completely changed, burrowing himself under alcohol and late shifts. That your mom wasn’t actively trying to forget and build another life over the one that had been left abandoned in that New York apartment. You were so sure you would have to move on, cut it all out the minute you graduated from high school. You were sure you had to escape on your rickety old bike right out of town.
Then things happened and somehow you found yourself again, found your father again as you sat together for your first Christmas dinner in years. Celebrating the return of the young Will Byers and the return of something else, something more, something familiar and warm. It wasn’t perfect, far from it, but it was yours. You saw your father again for the first time in years that night, Christmas Eve, sitting on the porch as light snow fell and hit your heads, bundled in warm jackets, pretending the coffee you made was not mediocre at best. The police chief and his daughter, a messy duo. And that was perfect to you.
And then things happened again and again and again and finally everything just shattered.
And you left. You did what you had always hoped to do. But you didn’t feel the pride you had thought you would feel when you dreamed it at fifteen. You weren’t heading towards a new life, you were sitting in a stuffy apartment in the city. You were stuck again at what felt like the beginning. Unable to go with the Byers, you immediately made other plans, back at the apartment you had spent so many nights trying to forget.
No one ever got out of Hawkins, Indiana. Like the town was somehow enclosed within some heavy-duty bubble, only a few people ever got the nerves to squeeze through. Until you did, until you did the one thing you believed was impossible. You packed your bags, loaded up your car, and left hell. And you did it without a goodbye because the only way to do the impossible was without one. And deep down you knew you were a coward, even after fighting monsters and otherworldly creatures, you were a coward. You could not face what was left behind or allow yourself to acknowledge it.
And it ate away at you in a way you could have never imagined or wanted to imagine. Too busy pretending like it never crossed your mind, like Hawkins never existed in the first place. Still, it chipped at you piece by piece until the guilt of escaping Hawkins, Indiana finally caught up with you. Until one day that guilt would sneak up and trip you, sending you tumbling all the way back down a hill to only land right back at the gates of Hawkins, at its green sign, Welcome to Hawkins! That warm welcome, the warmest welcome, with its murders and second dimensions and its people. Those people. Those people who worked their way so deep into your heart before you could even realize it. So deep that leaving felt like removing deeply grown roots from a garden, so impossible, so hard to tell where they even stopped growing. You weren’t sure entirely when they grew so deep, you don’t really remember at all how they got there. When you let them? Why did you let them? After everything, you should have known better. You shouldn’t have let them.
You were fifteen when you knew you could never live in Hawkins, Indiana your whole life. It never felt real, artificial, fake. Mass-produced nuclear families and white picket fence houses and stale dead-end jobs.
And then Steve Harrington needed an extra art credit and found his way as the lead in Hawkins High’s production of Romeo and Juliet. When rehearsing turned into giving Steve girl advice and driving with him to drop off flowers. When running lines became swinging a bat of nails and finding an alien in a fridge. Or jumping into a hole in the ground and lighting up never-ending tunnels of vines straight from those horror movies you used to watch with your sister. When the day before the play performance had turned into icing Steve's bruises on your couch as you ran lines back and forth because neither of you could sleep. When a whole group of middle schoolers sat in the front row and your dad sat center with a crumble bouquet of flowers. They were your family. Your strange and messy family all pretending to be interested in the gibberish mess of Shakespeare on stage. Them watching with stifled laughs as Steve stumbled through lines, as the balcony scene turned into him and you having a staring contest trying to figure out whose lines were next. And though your director would have your heads later, the two of you sat giggling during intermission and had to hold the laughter again when your director asked why you didn’t have time to be memorized to perfection. Because you had all the time in the world, didn’t you?.
Unbelievable as it was, you began to question what you at fifteen had promised you would do. Because you had found more than stale every day Hawkins, you had found their odd-balls who taught you to play Dungeons and Dragons in their basement who reminded you so much of your sister. And you had found Steve Harrington, a pretty boy with a heart of gold, who risked his life for his Juliet that night at the mall, pulling you up when you twisted your ankle running up a flight of stairs and getting you out to paramedics when it was over. Icing your ankle and holding you when it all got too much. When you watched everyone exit the mall but the only real family you felt like you had left. When the police told you your fathers body couldn’t be found, buried under ash and grime in the mall fire. That he was the hero, that he saved your lives sacrificing himself.
When you moved back to Hawkins, Indiana, after Sara, after your parents split, you were sure life would never be the same again. You needed a fresh start, to completely reconfigure your life and pretend none of what had happened had happened. That you never had a sister, that your dad hadn’t completely changed, burrowing himself under alcohol and late shifts. That your mom wasn’t actively trying to forget and build another life over the past one that had been left abandoned in that New York apartment, calling only for holidays and those important life events she was so sad she had to miss. You were so sure you would have to move on, cut it all out the minute you graduated from high school. You were sure you had to escape on your rickety old bike right out of town.
Then things happened and somehow you found yourself again, found your father again as you sat together for their first Christmas dinner in years. Celebrating the return of the young Will Byers and the return of something else, something more, something familiar and warm. It wasn’t perfect, far from it, but it was steps in a direction. You saw your father again for the first time in years that night, Christmas Eve, sitting on the porch as light snow fell and hit your heads, bundled in warm jackets, pretending the coffee you made was not mediocre at best. It wasn’t perfect, but it was something for the two of you. The police chief and his daughter, a messy duo. And that was perfect to you.
And then things happened again and again and again and finally everything just shattered.
And you left. You did what you had always hoped to do. But you didn’t feel the pride you had thought you would feel when you dreamed it at fifteen. You weren’t heading towards a new life, you were sitting in a stuffy apartment in the city. You were stuck again at what felt like the beginning. Unable to go with the Byers, you immediately made other plans, back at the apartment you had spent so many nights trying to forget.
Spring of 1986, the New York apartment was driving you insane. You felt like you might start running up the walls if you didn’t get out soon. At least that would be ten times more interesting than sitting and watching your Step-Dad watch golf—a sport you didn't understand. Seeing how bored you were, he tried to explain it, but you didn't process a single word he was saying.
You didn’t want to have something with him, you didn’t want a thing you bonded over and you especially didn’t want that thing to be golf.
You debated moving, you debated being drastic and dying your hair to make your mom upset but what good would that do other than feed the part in yourself that no longer cared, no longer wanted to care. Everything you cared about had slipped from your grasp, had disappeared, no matter how tightly you clutched it was gone.
Fuck.
You stared at the wallpaper, one you knew your mom had probably gushed over at the store and chosen. And you glanced at the patterned carpet, and the family picture you were not in. And even though they all reassured you that you were family, deep down you knew you had uprooted their whole routine. You especially saw it in your moms eyes when she looked at you a little too long, a constant reminder of what she had lost all those years ago.
You listened to the busy city traffic below the apartment and the sound of wailing sirens you had completely become ignorant of after you lived in Hawkins so long. You glanced at the kitchen, the sink with no dishes and a fridge actually filled with food that wasn’t leftover take-out, mediocre pasta you had cooked, or boxes of Eggos. And you looked at the man beside you, silent, watching golf. It was all so different.
Every day it remained that way, your mom got home from work late, your stepfather came home before you got back from school, and then Liam, your step brother would come home.
He made it all a little more bearable. The littlest but only because he reminded you of home. He reminded you of Dungeons and Dragons in Mike Wheeler's basement, and your found sister, and the party that always had you on your toes. But even you could not warm up to the boy because he would never be them. And it was unfair. It was cruel of you to make comparisons between Hawkins and New York, to allow that to shut out the only family you now had. But it was one habit you could not seem to break no matter how hard you tried.
Hawkins, Indiana was quiet, it was small. Hawkins, Indiana was both a breath of fresh air and a tightening grip that had you gasping, clawing for a second to breathe. New York was loud, so loud that the sounds of sirens and blaring car horns became only white noise in your head. It was big, not big in the welcoming and warming way. Not big in the feeling of catching sight of a friend in a crowded room. It was big in the way you could not point out a single person at school that you had seen more than once. It was big in a way similar to that of being alone in the middle of a large party. It was so big that being alone in a quiet, dark, empty room would feel the same as walking amidst the large crowds on the street.
And New York didn’t have Steve Harrington. New York didn’t have crazy kids and weird aliens, New York didn’t have Robin Buckley or Nancy Wheeler or Jonathan Byers, New York didn’t have comforting hugs from Joyce, and New York didn’t have your dad and it never would again. The thought of it was enough to make you sick, nausea filling every inch of your body, barely able to swallow down the fact. But you would swallow it down like you always did, like you did everything else.
Your mom would always tell you you could talk to her if you needed to, that no matter how long you were a part she still cared about you. But you still remember the look on her face when you had turned up at the apartment after all those years. Finally back together face to face, the only words she was able to muster was, “you grew up”.
You kept busy filling the days with nothing. On a good day Liam would show you some project he did in class that day, him seemingly the most unbothered by your move-in. And your stepdad, Bill, would ask you how school was to which you would reply fine. It was fine, it would always be just fine.
And you would stare at the phone on the wall in the kitchen. Dialing and hanging up and dialing and hanging up, hearing him pick up and then slamming the phone down, falling back into the chair at the kitchen table. Sometimes he would call back, you knew he caught on, you would just listen as the phone rang, head in your hands. You couldn’t face it, it was all too much and answering that call, hearing that voice would only throw it all back at you at once. It would knock you down and hold you there as you tried to gain control of the emotions you had locked up so tight once again. You felt sick to your stomach once again and the feeling spread, it spread all throughout your body, all the way to your fingertips and toes. For the first time in your life, you begged your body to just throw up, hoping the feelings would go along with it, until the pit in your stomach was completely washed away.
It was this sinking feeling every time you heard the phone ring and as much as you wanted to convince yourself otherwise, you weren’t sure if you would ever pick up. Maybe you would just forget about it all. But it was hard when your mind was plagued with images of creatures you could only describe as otherworldly and when every time you looked at yourself in the mirror before a shower your eyes would draw focus to the deep cut scars that littered your body. You would never truly escape Hawkins, Indiana, it was impossible, and it would follow you around until you finally gave up and went back. But you refused to allow it to have that control, until you picked up the phone…by accident.
It was late, a Saturday evening of all things. Your mother was working late that weekend, your step dad was asleep on the couch, and your step brother had abandoned his books on the table and gone to bed. And the phone kept ringing and ringing and ringing, over and over in repeated increments. One call, two minutes passed, another call, three minutes had passed, and a third call with three minutes passing and on and on and on-
“Will you turn the damn thing off!” Yelled the man on the couch, whose deep sleeping was even disturbed by your past trying to creep back in.
And it worried you, as you apologized and turned back to the phone, head aching from the noise. It worried you because every time before, the phone would ring one, maybe two times before the line went silent. But tonight, you had lost track of just how many times you had slammed the phone down to stop the ringing.
You looked up at the phone again, quiet for much too long, longer than before and RING. RING. RING.
The grunt of your step father filled the empty room and without a second thought, not wanting another lecture from your mom about not getting along with him, you reached for the phone line. Slowly placing it against your ear, you instantly pulled it back as a voice blasted through, louder than the ringing of the phone itself. “Goddammit! please pick up the phone-”
“Hey,” was all you said, it was faint and quiet in contrast, laced with guilt that had piled up from months of avoidance and pretending Hawkins didn’t exist. But it was loud enough to stop the yelling as murmurs and whispers filled the background of wherever your caller was calling from.
Your Steve Harrington, your Romeo who deserved answers. After everything you had been through he deserved something from you that you had failed to deliver.
“Oh thank god, you don’t know how happy I am to hear your voice,” and what you expected to be anger was anything but, rather the clearest sound of overwhelming relief. Relief that all came crashing down the minute he spoke his next words. “You need to get back here, like... like-“
The sound of struggling came from their end of the phone and your heart rate sped up in a panic, only realizing how tightly you were holding the phone to your ear.
Dustin’s voice quickly came through the line, a complaining Steve evident in the back, “like right now, like ASAP, like as soon as possible.”
Dustin’s voice, his tone did nothing to loosen your grip on the phone, nothing to ease your panic and you almost slammed the phone down again. Back home, back in the familiar, back to memories of people that haunted your every thought. You wondered if they had called the Byers, your sister, you wondered if she was there too.
“We can pay your bus ticket, but I can’t really explain like this and we just, we need your help,” Dustin practically cried. “We all need you. We can’t let anyone get hurt again.”
That was all you needed. Hawkins had a pull on you, a force you tried to ignore but eventually pulled you back anyways. Steve was back on the line soon after, you already scribbling a note to your mom, phone pressed against your ear by your shoulder. And when you heard his voice again your breath caught in your throat…it seemed to always do that with him.
“Steve, I-”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
“No, but, Steve I really, just…I don’t know where to start,” you tried to explain, losing any of the words you had planned to say while lying awake at night, staring at the ceiling.
“You don’t have to,” he simply said. But you knew you would, you had too many words to speak. “Just show up, just be here. We need you, even if you don’t believe me. It’s getting crazy again.”
Hawkins would never not be.
“I will be,” you reassured, really reassured. “I will be, I promise.”
And if everyone in Hawkins knew something, you never broke a promise, never. You got close sometimes, sometimes it seemed like you would, but you always met your end of the bargain. You said you would be back in Hawkins, Indiana and you would be. Setting the phone down back on it's holder with a quiet click, you jumped from your chair in the kitchen, as the wood chair quietly screeched against the floor. Open and close, open and close, the drawers in the kitchen were opening and closing until you found a tape role, cutting away a piece. Grabbing your note off the counter, you secured the piece to it and stuck it against the fridge where it would be noticed by your mom.
She would know what it meant, you knew she knew all along, that New York hadn’t been your home in a long time. That Hawkins had grown into something much deeper than you could have ever anticipated. And even then, in that kitchen, in that busy city…you knew, the end was near
#stranger things#steve harrington x reader#steve harrington#steveharrington#stranger things 4#stranger things x reader#stranger things fic#steve harrington x reader angst#angst fic#could become a series...#steve harrington angst
61 notes
·
View notes
Note
Part 2 though would you be adverse to writing the media's reaction?
And maybe the other drivers learn of their relatioship and their like 'is that all it took to get you two to stop pining after each other!?!? Should have just called the guy smh'. I'd find it even funnier if perrie (is that how its spelled?) Is just done with charles pining after both of them cause he's the one charles goes to with his woe is me bullshit, feel like max would have lando as his like 'gossip about my crushes' person and he's just done with him too.
Sorry if you don't do part two's, also awesome story love it so much.
–🍑
i can absolutely do a pt 2 peach!!
max verstappen x male!reader x charles leclerc
synopsis: it only took a few weeks for your relationship to make it to the public eye, mainly because your boyfriends can't stop yapping.
author's note: peach, i am kind of obsessed with this lestappen x male reader ideas because it's just like 😍 i have no words. it so funny and entertaining to me (trust there is dialogue in this one fr!). like always, feel free to continue to request!
you were hoping to keep things private for at least a couple of months. you should've known better. you did know better.
unfortunately for you, your boyfriends seemed to be allergic to shutting the fuck up. you weren't upset, though. in fact, you thought it was hilarious and adorable. however, charles and max didn't need to know that small tidbit of information.
you first heard that others knew of your relationship from pierre, who complained to you during the driver's parade.
"i can't believe you guys didn't tell me! charles was pining for you two for as long as i can remember! now he won't shut up about how much he loves you and how happy it is now that you guys are dating!" pierre whines, sending a teasing glare to the back of charles's head. charles was too busy yapping with carlos to notice.
"he told you now, did he?" you ask in return, a pinch in between your eyebrows. you had planned to tell everyone together, but your boyfriends tended to become mindless when they were chatting with the others.
"he told me the three of you barely fit on the bed since max takes up most of it, and how you make breakfast in the morning and how he gets the princess treatment!" pierre exclaims, sighing heavily. "it is ridiculous, truly."
the next time you found out others knew about your relationship was when you were on podium with lando and max.
"max here told me you three were together!" lando tells you in a whisper as max's eyes are trained on the race replays. the cool down room was almost quiet, save for max's comments here and there.
"of course he did," you remark quietly with a small eye roll.
"took you guys long enough," the younger man replies, nudging you with his papaya clad elbow, wiggling his eyebrows in a way that made you want to kick his shins. he was like your annoying little brother.
"you don't get to comment, mr. 'i am helplessly in love with my teammate but won't tell him'," you retort with a smirk as he blushes a bright red and laughs nervously.
"fair point," lando responds, dropping the subject entirely and taking up conversation with your boyfriend.
the next time another driver asked about your relationship with max and charles, it had been a surprise to you. lance, who you got on well with, gave you a knowing look after post-race interviews. you had gone directly to max and charles, striking up conversation while you all stood suspiciously close. closer than you normally did. you excused yourself when lance shot you that look.
"finally confessed?" lance asked as soon as you were right next to him. he was more subtle about it compared to pierre and lando. lance had been one of the people you were closest to, from the time you started the early formula series up to now.
lance knew all about your crushes on the other two. "that obvious?" you asks in return, grinning at your friend as he pats you on the back. you knew he was happy for you. "don't worry, stroll. you're still my best friend," you assure him, nudging him in the ribs. he grins and nudges you back.
the final time you heard of your own relationship was from none other than your number one nemesis: danica patrick. she addressed on sky sports, stating it was a rumor and making small, almost unnoticeable bacl handed comments.
hearing her agitating voice, you decided to pull both your boyfriends aside. you explained to them that they should go off the handles and let everyone know about their relationship during their next interviews.
most press rook this in stride. the gossip accounts all over tiktok and instagram were ablaze, the hottest topic being the three of you. of course, there was loads of hate but you could care less. you were happy and that's all that mattered.
TAGS! (if you want to be added, lmk!)
@op-81-lvr-reblogs, @koalapastries, @justaf1girl, @ghostking4m, @spoonfulofmilo
#f1 x male reader#f1 x reader#formula 1 x male reader#formula one x reader#max verstappen x male reader#max verstappen x reader#charles leclerc x male reader#charles leclerc x reader
76 notes
·
View notes
Text
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ’s ɴᴏᴛᴇ: Holy shit. Look at me starting strong with a stalker Barty… And considering I am the self-proclaimed love of his life, I thought it was fitting. Anyways, this is a concept I’d definitely love to explore in the future. Let me know what you think! ᡣ𐭩
ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ: Exploration of Stalking & Obsessive Behaviors, Mentions of Borderline Personality Disorder, Emotional Manipulation, Brief Abusive Parental Relationships
ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 657
⋆。°✩ Concept: Stalker!Barty
Alright, so, I finished reading Lights Out by Navessa Allen recently and since my mind automatically goes to everything Marauders related, I asked myself: Out of everyone in the Marauders Era, who would most be like Josh?
The only person who came to mind was, of course, none other than Barty Crouch Jr. There are several reasons for this… Let me explain.
Imagine:
Modern AU where technology becomes prevalent in everyday life, including in the wizarding community.
Barty Crouch Jr, the son of a well-known politician who favors his public image and reputation over everything else, having absolutely no online presence due to his father’s strict rules.
However, despite this, he’s drawn to muggle technology and since his father is not only emotionally absent but also neglectful, he’s essentially left to his own devices. Which gives him the perfect opportunity to explore his interest in tech (and develop an anonymous online persona—we’ll come back to this in a moment).
Canonically speaking, Barty is one of the most brilliant people in the Harry Potter series. He was sorted into Ravenclaw and received all twelve O.W.L.s. Not to mention, he was also able to live as Mad-Eye Moody under Polyjuice potion for months without being detected.
With this information in mind, it’s safe to say he would be quite skilled in the field of technology. It wouldn’t take long for him to hone his abilities.
Now, back to the anonymous online persona, I feel like it would be safe to assume that Barty would have quite the rebellious streak. He, truthfully, could not care less about his father’s reputation. However, in order to avoid the man’s wrath (because let’s be real, Bartemius Sr was most definitely an abusive piece of shit) and with the growing popularity of masked accounts online, he seizes his opportunity to participate in the trend.
This ultimately leads to him becoming one of the most popular accounts, but the attention he garnishes is nothing more than an ego boost to him. That is until someone eventually catches his eye.
Personally, I’ve always thought that it would be possible for Barty to have undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which can lead to obsessive tendencies (extending towards platonic relationships, not just romantic).
This man would also be the type to have avoidant attachment issues due to the lack of care regarding his emotional needs as a child.
So, when his attention is caught by this individual online, his thoughts are literally consumed by them.
Through the usage of technology and his vast understanding of it, the stalking would start small. With a quick search about them online he would be able to start compiling information regarding their interests, the locations they frequent, their personal relationships, etc.
Of course, this behavior would quickly escalate.
Remember, Barty has an anonymous online persona. Nobody—not even his closest friends—knows of the identity behind his masked account, so this would give him a major advantage. He would have the ability to “coincidentally” appear in the places this individual visits most often.
Which, in turn, allows him to develop a personal relationship with his victim.
Unfortunately for Barty, due to his struggles with BPD, I do believe he would find it difficult to establish a relationship with them at first. After all, he’s quite standoffish person when it comes to new people.
However, equipped with the knowledge he gained through his online stalking, he would be able to use this to his advantage to slowly gain their trust.
In my opinion, it would only be when he establishes a bond with his victim that the monitoring begins.
Perhaps he gifts them something small, such as a key chain or hair clip that actually has a tracker inside of it… Or, once he finally is invited over and places inconspicuous cameras around their home, allowing him footage from every angle.
There are honestly so many things that could be done with Barty as a stalker (and I intend to explore them all).
#⋆。°✩ badgered concepts#marauders#marauders era#marauders fanfiction#marauders era fanfiction#slytherin#slytherin skittles#slytherin emeralds#slytherin fanfiction#slytherin x reader#barty crouch x reader#barty jr#barty crouch#barty crouch jr#barty crouch jr x reader#barty crouch jr x you#stalker!barty#stalker!barty crouch#stalker!barty crouch jr#lights out#navessa allen
44 notes
·
View notes
Note
hiii scrumptious!! i miss sending u asks
can i ask for a analysis of firstkhaotung’s kisses we’ve got so far? which is your favourite and why is your favourite, we need tongueeee
Anon!!!! Why must you torture me with this ask??? 😫😫😫 (torture me more, I love talking about FK and their kisses 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️)
But, how do you expect me to choose my favourite FK kisses?? Do you know how challenging this asked was? And I can’t possibly do an analysis of all their kisses - Our Skyy 2 alone had more than 20 kisses? (I think)… I will have to write a thesis if I want to analyse every single kisses. I was this close 🤏 to binge watch all their series but alas…I have bills to pay and a fur-baby to feed.
So….instead, I think back to their kisses that sticks in my mind ? - it must make me feel something emotionally when I watched them (and that’s difficult cause FK is so damn good with their intimacy and NC scenes I had to think hard to narrow down my choices)
Without further ado, my top 5 list (list is only current as of The Heart Killers EP9):
No 5: Only Friends EP 2 smoky kiss plus Sand kissing Ray’s left hip tattoo
- Do I like people who smoke? No. But this was cinematic anyway. It was artistic (to me) and you could feel the sexual tension screaming from miles away. And when they gave in to their attraction, the chemistry was off the chart and Sand worshipping Ray’s tattoo was just pure magic 🪄
No 4: Only Friends EP 9 caravan scene (especially the soft, soft kiss Ray bestowed on Sand’s cheek after they have done their tango in bed 🤸)
- The softness of the whole scene was beautiful to watch. There was something pure and personal as we watch these 2 finally coming to terms about their feelings for each other.
No 3: Our Skyy 2 x The Eclipse bridge scene
-The whole scene had me giggling and kicking my legs in excitement. The boys kissing with the sun setting behind them was just.....😍😍😍
-And people talking about tongue involvement? - I am sure there were some tongue action here (also, tell me anon, why are people so invested in tongue-action? I mean i don't mind them but I am not going to fuss if FK's characters don't do them each time!)
No 2: The Eclipse Finale with Akk bestowing the soft pecks/kisses on Aye’s face
- I will always have a soft spot for my babies. As much as I adore all of FirstKhaotung characters, AkkAye have a special place in my heart. And because I can, I’m putting the whole video clip of the scene rather than gifs or screenshots 🥰
- There is something special about this scene where Akk was finally the one that made the first move; initiating the hug followed by the soft kisses. The awe and disbelief in Aye’s eyes before it shifted to soft delight and slight mischievous as he then reciprocate Akk’s gesture. I think we often forget that Aye is just as young and vulnerable like Akk. And to see Akk finally reaching out to Aye just made my heart melt 🫠
No 1: The Heart Killers EP 8 swing scene
-I love the whole damn thing - from the nuzzling to Kant sniffing Bison’s hair like he wants to imprint him to his soul to Kant gently biting Bison’s nose before they continued their heady make out session.
- This whole thing was just peak intimacy 👌. Nobody does it better than them. Their feelings laid bare, Kant is now free to be as disgustingly affectionate and loving like he always wanted to be. It’s just so so good. Also, let’s be honest, we know KantBison would continue to make out for hours on that swing.
Honourable mentions:
The Eclipse EP6 Akk fantasy kiss
*I remember watching this scene and thought - oh, Aye finally made the move. But then to find out it was all in Akk's mind???? It flipped the narrative and it made me realised that this was likely the first time we saw from Akk's perspective that he is stupidly horny for the irritating boy who keeps him on his toes
Only Friends EP9 angry-lust driven kiss in the music room
*This was just a good kiss because you can feel the anger from Sand but he was so in love with Ray that he can't help but give it. Ray as usual, clocked it and he pounced! And the sheer amount of lust pouring out of these 2....I cursed when Top stepped into the room
The Heart Killers Ep 9 KantBison sweet pecks in the sea
*KantBison making sweet memories to replace Kant's nightmare and phobia will hold something special to my heart (does it make sense for Kant to completely forget his fear? - not really, but I will forgive the narrative because I get my domestic KantBison!)
Plus…..
FirstKhaotung sweet kisses in My Fuel MV (because we didn’t get Alan/Gaipa or Alone/Kaitong kissing - I’m going to substitute with the clip we got from First’s MV and just think it’s Alan/Gaipa in them, ok?)
*Those jubi jubi kisses are giving me butterflies and I can't stop smiling every time I rewatch the MV!
#anon you made me go search for all these video clips so that I can turn them into gifs lol#sorry if the quality is not that great#I could have taken/insert it from other gifmakers but my tumblr is playing up and freeze each time I try to insert OTHER people gifs#So you get my terrible gif makers skills instead#anyway I hope you enjoy my selections lol#What about yours? what's your fav?#but in all honestly I love all their intimate kissing scenes#FK never fails to deliver#firstkhaotung#first kanaphan#khaotung thanawat#gifs made by me#the heart killers#only friends the series#the eclipse#My Fuel MV#asked and answered
35 notes
·
View notes
Text
Most of my systemmates are fictives and this whole piece really resonates with pretty much all of them to some degree or another.
Even those who are very close to "canon" still find it uncomfortable. One describes it as the feeling of "someone walking over your grave". Others are deeply uncomfortable with the idea that some people got together, dressed up as people they know (or even themselves!), and managed to act out events from their own lives.
You probably noticed I have not named any of them and this is for the reason of the fandom. Some of them have indeed experienced people "fangirl/boying" over them and it is always very uncomfortable to say the least. One has even mentioned a fear of engaging with people who are fans of him or the work that is so similar to his memories, for fear of appearing "too different" from the source material. It makes him feel like he cannot be himself, at least not safely.
Also we have one member of our system who formed before any of us even knew about the video game franchise that closely resembles his world. He came to us with severe amnesia and initially was excited to explore the games in the hopes it would help him remember. Unfortunately, it did. We have only played perhaps the first hour of the first game, because the memories it brought back to him were that difficult.
Lastly, a personal anecdote: I myself am also Fictionkin, a Mandalorian. I generally don't bring this up because of the current popularity of the Disney show and the reactions I get vary wildly (like all things from the Star Wars fandom unfortunately), from people wanting to fangirl/boy over me to people flat-out trying to dictate to me how I should experience this kintype. I'm also the only one in our system who actually enjoys reviewing my "source", although the more I delve into my 'type the more inconsistencies I find between it and the Disney canon. This is slowly but steadily eroding my enjoyment of the media.
Fictionfolk aren't necessarily fans of their fictional sources
by Orion Scribner, January 24, 2025
For fictionkin, fictives, fictional introjects, fictionflickerers, fictherians, and other sorts of fictionfolk and people who have experiences of deeply personal connections to fiction, one's source in fiction is not necessarily one's favorite story or something that one "vibes" with.
Many fictionfolk feel uncomfortable reading, watching, or playing their source because it feels uncanny to see their truth turned into pretend entertainment, or because the canon feels like it got things half right and half wrong, or how it portrays them. That can feel sort of like seeing something misreported on the news that you know didn't happen like that, or overhearing strangers talking about your private life. For people whose memories from another world turn out to be similar to a piece of fiction in this world, one can feel uneasy about the mystery of how that happened.
Some fictionfolk participate in the fandoms for their sources... carefully. Fans can get uncomfortably personal if you say you are one of the characters, so fictionfolk often choose not to talk about that in fandom spaces, only in alterhuman spaces. Seeing how fans reinterpret you in art and discourse can bring up all sorts of feelings. Some fictionfolk decide they won't look at their source's fandom.
There are fictionfolk who wish they didn't feel that connection to that piece of fiction. There are fictionfolk whose source is a story they always disliked or found offensive. Maybe they have a lot of thoughtful criticism, or maybe it simply feels disagreeable to them. Sometimes recognizing one's connection to fiction starts with exploring why a story bothers you so much.
There are fictionfolk who dislike the authors of their sources.
Some fictionfolk are experts on their fictional sources. There are also fictionfolk who recognized that their memories and feelings have the strongest similarity to a piece of fiction that they have had never even watched and would prefer to never watch. Or they watched just enough of it to recognize it and then "nope out" on watching the rest.
Funnily enough, it turns out that feeling a profound connection with a piece of fiction doesn't have to come along with liking the piece of fiction at all.
142 notes
·
View notes
Text
Positivity post... and a thank you.
I took this photo on a walk this other morning and intended to send it to a whole bunch of people in their Ask boxes, as a thank you for being amazing/friendly/wonderful/talented etc. And I started making a list of the people and it got above 10, then 20 and then 30, then 40.
I was like 😧 it will take me ALL WEEKEND to send everyone the personalised messages I want to send. So I am doing just one big shout out post.
🌻🌻🌻THANK YOU 🌻🌻🌻
Thank you to those who send me asks - thank you, I don't ignore them on purpose. I usually find them again weeks later and feel awful for forgetting about them. 🌻
Thank you to those of you who tag me in things - the fandom community needs this and it's lovely to see this slowly coming back. Never feel bad or hold back from tagging me - I might forget to do it, or the notification will get lost, but I appreciate it all regardless. 🌻
Thank you to those who engage with what to write weekend posts and send in requests. It helps keeps me focussed and on task - writing for others is always an added motivation. 🌻
Thank you to those who go on reading sprees, leaving a column of your username in my notifications. 🌻
Thank you for all the likes likes and reblogs and replies to posts on fics. 🌻
Thank you to those who go the extra mile and also then kudos and comment on AO3 when the fic is posted there. 🌻
Thank you for drawing fanart of my fics. It still blows me away that this is something that has even happened because HOLY SHIT. 🌻
Thank you for letting me take your ideas and turn them into long fics. 🌻
Thank you for making art and allowing people to base fics off it. 🌻
Thank you for letting me get to know some of you better and ramble at you at all hours of the day and night. 🌻
Thank you for supporting me as I got back into drawing after a 25+ year hiatus. Trying to learn something again that you used to be decent at is an entirely new level of frustration and your grace, humour and advice has been truly appreciated. 🌻
As I get older I try and remember to appreciate the smaller things in life and everything above is something that makes me smile and feel grateful. So thank you again. 🌻
Tagging the people who I was hoping to send a personalised message to this weekend. I hope this suffices instead. 🌻🌻🌻
@phisworld14 @redfurrycat @halestrom @catarina4057 @almostkeenchaos @nixie-deangel @archhis @starfata @tothepayne @celandinebergerac @erudite-raven-apollokid @crooked-jes @nimuetheseawitch @lunamazes @omletlove @mxrcusflint @philcoulson-redtapeninja @iprefervillains @k9effect @yeagrave @the-ace-with-spades @indybob @gwaihiril @beezelarts @themissingmango @jayjay-thejet-plane @bigspoonlttlespoon @film-in-my-soul @jakekazansky @xiaokuer-schmetterling @poetryandpickles @demichrising @sweetcherryflavour @daughterofscotland @flyingfightingfishy @jayjay-plus @karlmschwartz @lucyybradford @spookybibi @ultimate-shipper @dancinginlifeandpoetry @nevergettingoverit @thyknife @sleepy-hyperfixations @oneelleandaneye @needforspeed161 @torchflies @accio-lo-ki @queeredfortakeoff851 @stellarskyes @intrepidjourneys
(This isn't even an exhaustive list, but it was off the top of my head and I know I have yet to get to know some people as I slowly work my way through reading catalogues of people's fics.)
49 notes
·
View notes
Text
Wondering, vaguely, if Steph's age had any influence on how Bruce viewed/interacted with her.
She was 15 when he met her, and would have been 16-extremely-close-to-17 (I am personally a "Steph was 17" truther because the timeline doesn't actually work otherwise; I would call the 16 an error, but it's what's stated in canon, so...) when she became Robin and died. That's significantly different than Dick and Damian, who came to Bruce quite young, and even Tim and Jason, who were a little older but still not as old as Steph when they first came under Bruce's wing. (I think it's important to remember that, until adulthood, even just a couple of years can make an enormous difference in development and how a child views/interacts with adults. 16 can potentially be very different than 13.)
I imagine there must be a difference between working with a Robin who is literally a child, and one who's very nearly an adult. Particularly Steph, who had been parentified from a fairly young age and very likely felt much older than her actual years at times.
Honestly, we'll probably never know for sure because their time together as Batman and Robin was so short... and because of the other, bigger factors that influenced their relationship: namely the fact that she was disposable to him as Robin (not as in "he was okay with her dying", but as in "he was only using her as Robin to achieve a goal and wasn't at all concerned with her feelings or well-being in that respect"). And of course, her gender, because that would also have influenced how they interacted, regardless of whether either of them wanted it to or not.
More interestingly, though, is the method by which Steph became Robin. She and Tim were the only "proactive" Robins -- the ones who came to Bruce with knowledge/intent, rather than being children he chose to take in and eventually mentor (and Damian, who was raised for the mantle, but from Bruce's perspective just sort of got dropped on his doorstep). And Steph is the only Robin who had any experience operating as a vigilante prior to her time as Robin. Even before she became Spoiler, she already had knowledge and understanding of the world of masks and capes thanks to her father's shenanigans.
We know that Bruce is very stubborn and often single-minded, himself. Love him or hate him, I don't think many people would deny that he very much always expects to be the smartest and most capable person in the room. (After all, he often is.) He frequently clashes with his peers, and often refuses outside help, particularly when it comes to his own "territory".
The Robins have historically been different, because they're his. He inherently has a position of power over them due to their ages and his position as guardian/mentor/teacher. (Please note that I don't intend "position of power" to be negative in this case -- I intend it the same way that I'd say any parent or teacher is in a position of power over a child under their care.) He's the one in charge. He's the one doing the training. He's the one supplying the gear. And they're young. Psychologically, this is a very different dynamic than Batman interacting with, say, Green Arrow (using them as parallels because they are both normal human "just trained our bodies and minds to do amazing shit" heroes).
But Steph comes into this mantle as very-nearly a grown woman -- someone who has cared for her mother like a parent at times, someone who has taken responsibility for her father's crimes onto herself, someone who has had an actual literal baby and had to make the extremely adult choice about what would be best for that baby and for herself. She has never depended on Bruce Wayne for food or shelter or affection. She has never depended on him for training (he did train her for a while, and she was happy about it, but remember -- he approached her -- and when he ghosted her, she actively sought out training elsewhere, so she knows he's clearly not the only game in town). She started as Spoiler with nothing but her own homemade costume and gear she cobbled together, and she continued as Spoiler on her own in defiance of him. He definitely had power over her in a way -- that is, influencing how other Gotham vigilantes thought of her and treated her, to the point of trying to directly forbid Cass from interacting with her -- but not in the way of a father over a daughter, or an adult over a child, or even a hero over a sidekick (until she became Robin). Steph made Spoiler all by herself. And she stayed Spoiler mostly by herself, without much support (what support she did get was shaky and/or didn't last). And she came to Bruce and put herself forward as Robin, as a nearly-17-year-old who was already psychologically an adult in at least some ways.
That has to have a real impact on how they would interact. Steph is frequently described as stubborn and defiant as Robin, but she's operating as sort-of an adult with her own independence and agency in a way that the other Robins were not when they first became Robin. Meanwhile, Bruce is used to dealing with new Robins as children/fledglings. The initial Batman-and-Robin-as-partners growing pains for each of the other three Robins up until that point would have had a very, very different tone than that same growing pains period for Bruce and Steph.
Which is sort of a shame, because I think they would have eventually realized that they have a lot in common. And that even some of their differences could have actually been good for their partnership. (For instance, when Steph realized she had been chattering in his ear all night back during her first mentorship and was mortified, and Bruce basically told her it's fine, keep talking, he sort of liked it? I think he actually meant that.)
#too bad Bruce was only using her and never intended for her to stay Robin regardless#Oops did I say that out loud?#That was supposed to be inside voice#Honestly though I would kill to see an AU where Steph stayed Robin#I wouldn't want it to be reality but I'd want to read about it for a while#Stephanie Brown#Bruce Wayne
33 notes
·
View notes
Text
Indiana Quinn! Harley Goes to the Temple of Doom | Bruce Wayne/Batman x OC!Magician
Synopsis: Inspired by the Harley Quinn show, here is a quick adventure where Harley kidnaps Vivian to help her get into a cave that’s believed to have some plant treasure based on a documentary she saw (which Vivian was a guest on).
Vivian had many encounters with Harley Quinn and the Joker. Mostly as a hostage and being a victim of the man’s Joker Gas, and Batman would always come to save the day. Her relationship with the two clowns were not the best, especially when the latter was responsible for the death of Jason. She still hates him for it, and the fact he’s an evil-worshipping garbage. For Harley, it was complicated.
She remembered being a captive of Harley on one of her first runs as her own woman after breaking up with the Joker. Her whole gig then was to steal some jester jewel in the museum and it so happens, Vivian was the curator that day and she was the biggest hostage that Harley could get for a huge ransom.
Batman swooped in and saved the day, but Harley got away.
After that, Harley established herself to be some sort of antihero, who the Batfamily would run into or ask for help in certain cases.
This time… this time, Harley was… her game wasn’t exactly villainous but her way of doing it was concerning.
Vivian woke with a terrible headache. The last she remembers was heading to the cafe to get her afternoon coffee when suddenly the barista revealed to be Harley and WHACK! She was hit at the head with the woman’s mallet.
“Mornin’, Professor!” Harley greeted her. “Had a nice nap?”
“I had better ones.”
“Sorry if this ain’t some fancy-shamncy bed with silk beddin’s and feather pillows like the one you have at home.”
“We don’t use silk beddings because it’s slippery when — Harley, what is this? Why am I tied up to the bedframe with fluffy cuffs,” she did not want to think how those were used before this “and why is the room moving around — I think I’m going to be sick.”
“First off, we’re on a yacht,” Harley answered. “Second, the cuffs are so you don’t run away. Can’t let you do that.”
Vivian sighed. She could easily get out of this but with her secret on being a witch, she can’t just do that. The best she can do is send a message to Bruce about this as discreetly as she could.
“Listen, this ain’t some villainous trap that I’m doin’, okay? Would you believe me that it’s for love?”
Silence. One that was so awkward for Vivian that she couldn’t help but fill it in with a question of: “Really?”
“Yes! You see,” Harley held out her phone to show to Vivian. It was the photo of her and Ivy kissing. “It’s my and Ivy’s anniversary and I wanted to get her something really special!”
“Well, that’s nice to know, and congratulations on your anniversary… but considering this is Poison Ivy we’re talking about… isn’t a botanist a far better person to abduct for whatever you have planned – not that you should be abducting anyone – but I don’t see any connection here at all. I’m a symbologist and a historian! I teach art history to college students!”
“You see,” Harley swiped her phone and showed the video she saved. It was a documentary that Vivian was a part of that discusses the runes of Gaia’s Temple in the Mediterranean Sea. “You said here that there’s this plant life that lives in those temples that dates back to prehistoric times.”
“I didn’t, I said, it was believed that that’s where the first seed of plant life had started, that’s why people built a temple for Gaia in. And that those plants are just about a millennia old” Vivian corrected. “Can you get me out of this so we can talk comfortably?”
“Right, but that’s the thing. There are also other researchers that said that the plants there are so old that it goes back to prehistoric times,” Harley continued. “Now, here’s where you come in. Getting the plant is going to be so easy, the hard part are the things you said at timestamp 21:43.”
She played the video.
Vivian cringed at the sight of herself talking there. She hates watching herself on TV.
It was believed that the temple holds the most sacred relic to life there is. So, a tribe from the Bronze Age created this temple that would keep thieves from taking it. They would set traps and mazes before anyone could get it. And as of today, that island is believed to be the Labyrinth of Daedalus.
“Please don’t tell me this yacht is heading to Greece,” Vivian said.
“WE’RE GOING TO GREECE!”
~*~
Free from her bounds, Vivian was given some new and “sailing appropriate” clothes by Ivy. As promised, she didn’t put up a fight nor did she try to escape – not that she had a way of escape at all – and just sat there on the poolside with a margarita that was served by one of the henchmen she brought along.
It’s not like this plan was some diabolical one that would destroy the world, and besides, it won’t be long until Bruce finds out where she was and come in to save her. Better to let the Batman do it than her having to make a whole thing with her magic and try to confuse Harley that she doesn’t have magic at all. The woman is a renowned psychiatrist! She’ll figure it out!
“So, how’s marriage?” Harley asked, out of the blue and joined Vivian at the pool benches after her swim. This was a huge yacht.
“What do you want to know?” Vivian asked, pulling down the dark glasses she wore.
“How does the hubby treat you, does he give you gifts? Do you do all the laundry? How about the kids?”
Removing her glasses, Vivian faced Harley and said, “Bruce is a good man and a good husband too. He gives me gifts but not too often, only when there’s an occasion or when he finds something he knows I’ll like. It’s more than just marriage, it’s really us being good friends too. We’re partners.”
“Just like me and Ivy!” Harley sighed whimsically and laid on the bench. “You know, I thought I had that with Mr. J, but he’s really just a fucking asshole.”
“I know the feeling. I mean, I didn’t have a boyfriend as psychotic as him, but I had bad ones before Bruce. So, it’s nice to find someone who loves you and cherishes you… and while you did kidnap me and gave me a bruise on the head, I can respect what you’re doing for Poison Ivy. But where is Doctor Pamela?”
“Oh, I got her on an errand run. And I told her that I just need to finish something overseas. You know, the usual.”
“So, anniversary, you got something planned other than kidnapping me so we can Indiana Jones this temple for a goddess’ plant of life?” Vivian handed her a mimosa that one of the henchmen gave her.
“I am so glad you asked! I’ve been wanting to run this through you, considering you’re now married for a long, long time and I need your advice on how to do this right.” Harley jumped from her seat to Vivian’s and they were squished together. “I got this huge thing planned, where we have dinner in the swamp.”
“You don’t mean Swamp Thing’s swamp, right?”
“The very one! You know him?”
“Yeah, I do.” He almost killed her when she and John dropped in his swamp.
“Right, so, after a very romantic dinner, we’re gonna have a nice dance in the moonlight.”
If there is a moonlight in that swamp at all.
Harley continues, “And then I’m gonna give her my gift and she can finally create her Eden and turn Gotham back to its plant utopia!”
So, it was in the name of love and for Ivy’s plant utopia which meant killing humans and destroying Gotham City. Love and evil. Batman needs to get her out of here. Now. Where is he?
Just as she was thinking of him, the Batjet appeared right on top of the yacht, and from the pod, the big Bat himself descended and took out the henchmen that attacked him and before Harley could do anything, like bring out her red and black bat, or Bruce taking her down, Vivian whispered a spell, not too obvious, that had Harley trip and falling to the pool.
“Hello, my love,” Vivian greeted Batman with a kiss on the lips.
“You had everything under control?” Batman asked her.
“No, and yes if I wanted Harley to know about my magic, but no. Not really. Listen, just hear her out. Let’s all just sit down and talk about this for now and after that, we can go inside to talk about this.”
Batman wasn’t amused nor does he want to agree but he does and says, “Fine. We’ll hear what she has to say… you look nice.”
“Thanks, Harley picked it out for me.”
Harley resurfaced from the water, coughing, and gasping for air. “What the hell?! What just happened because I was sure I had it.”
“The wind?” Vivian shrugged. “Come on, I convinced Batman that we all sit down and talk about this.”
“But he–”
One look from Vivian and Harley was climbing out of the pool and sitting on the bench, still dripping wet from the pool water. And pouting. Sitting on the bench across her, Vivian gestured for Batman to join them but he only stood between them, ready to listen.
Vivian explained to Batman all that Harley told her, from the abduction and the plan to get the Gaia plant for Ivy, but for the part where Ivy wants to build Eden in Gotham, and after finishing off, she waited for his response.
“Do you really expect me to believe that this is all for your anniversary?” Batman questioned Harley.
“Yes! I mean, come on! Admit it, Bats, even you’ve done something like that — I mean everyone in Gotham knows you got the hots for this one,” Harley pointed at Vivian. “Why else would you come all the way here just to save her?”
“Because you abducted the Professor,” Batman pointed out.
“Whatever! The professor already said that she’s in. If you’re not, you better scram or I’ll make you!” Harley took her bat in warning.
Batman looked at Vivian and sighed. “Fine, I’ll join you in your trip. I’ll inform Robin on the change of plans.”
“And get the jet back to them?” Vivian shrugged.
Batman hummed in displeasure and turned his back to them and went to do his call.
“So, is it true?” Harley said, getting too close to Vivian. “Are you and the Bat close?”
“He’s a friend, considering he saved me before and I’ve been consulting in other cases.”
“Don’t worry, Professor, your secret is safe with me – boop!” She poked Vivian’s nose.
~ * ~
Later that night, while Harley made herself comfortable in the captain’s quarters, Vivian settled in one of the rooms in the yacht and changed to the pajamas that Harley provided for her tonight. It seems she was prepared for everything and gave her lingerie so, in her words, she could “have the night with the bat. What happens in the yacht stays in the yacht.”
“Nightwing and Robin will be on standby with the jet,” Batman said as soon as he entered the room.
“That’s a good idea. You can take off the uniform, you know, and relax a bit. I placed a spell to keep anyone from snooping or eavesdropping,” Vivian said as she brushed her hair.
“Viv, we’re still on a job.”
“I know, but it’s not like Harley has some world dominating plan.”
“Hard to believe.”
Sighing, Vivian dropped the brush and turned to face Batman to come out clean, but Bruce did notice the black, laced lingerie that she wore. “Yeah, there is some sort of world dominating part in it and it’s mostly tied up to their anniversary dinner. Harley wants to get Ivy the plant so Ivy can create Eden at Gotham. I couldn’t tell you earlier because Harley was there.”
Bruce sighed and sat on the bed in front of her. He pulled down his cowl and ran his hand down his face. “I’ll inform Tim and the others about this. I guess you don’t want to ruin their dinner.”
“Maybe there’s just something that they can do with Ivy’s lab to not trigger the plant-dominating in Gotham? Harley means well, and I don’t want her to think that we’re going against what she’s doing because of her history. If this is going to help with whatever it is she’s doing, I’ll forgive her for hitting me with the mallet,” she gestured to the bruised forehead. “And we can just get this plant and then go back to normal. Besides, I’ll admit, a yacht sailing across the ocean with mimosas is fun. I’ve been enjoying it.”
“You do know that we can do this on our own yacht, right?”
“I know… I guess I just enjoy bonding with Harley. It’s fun. Aside from the whole head bashing and kidnapping, Harley’s fun to have around, and she’s pretty sweet too. And it’s been a while since we actually did something like this, the only downside in this little “vacation” is you’re not here with me.”
Bruce reached for his earpiece and said, “I’ll be cutting off for a while. Can you handle things until tomorrow morning?”
He heard snickering at the other line. It was Dick, “I’m sure we can handle things here. I’ll have Red Robin look into Ivy tonight too. Have fun you two!”
“See you guys tomorrow, cutting you off now, Batman,” Oracle said and the comms went silent.
Getting up from the bed, Bruce removed his cape and cowl, and the belt — placing them on the vanity — then picked up Vivian from the seat.
“Since we’re practically stuck here until Quinn gets us to that temple, might as well make the best of this time.”
Vivian smiled and kissed her husband. “So, what are we going to tell Harley when she finds us leaving the room together?”
“An open relationship with the Batman?”
“How exciting,” Vivian laughed as Bruce got her on the bed and started kissing her neck. “Remember the last time we had sex on a yacht?”
“It’s been a while,” Bruce admits. “Do you miss it?”
“Very,” Vivian pulled him up to kiss his lips.
His kisses went lower and lower, from her neck to her breasts. He pulled down the lingerie just so he could kiss her every inch of the and take in one of her nipples into his mouth. Before he could go any lower, Bruce got up to remove his gauntlets and the top of his uniform. Half-naked, he went down and started kissing her inner thigh until she felt him kiss her sex, and ran a long and lingering caress with his tongue directly. When did he get her underwear off? She couldn’t remember. Each lick and kiss showed how much he’s memorized her, what gives her pleasure, what makes her moan and what would make her cum.
But he doesn’t want her to orgasm just yet, he wants this to last longer and to make her pay for making him worry when she was obviously alright, despite the bruised head.
“Fuck, Bruce,” Vivian breathed out, her hand holding his hair as he prodded his tongue inside her, then he did something unexpected. “What are you –”
He had flipped them over so she was practically sitting on his face. Embarrassed, Vivian tried to get out of that position but Bruce held her there and continued kissing her clit. She held onto the bed frame for support as she felt the knot in her stomach with how much stimulation he was giving her there.
“Bruce, come on,” Vivian panted. “You know that I feel bad when you ask me to do this.”
“You made me worry,” was all he answered and continued with his work, suckign her clit into his mouth, working it with his tongue. The feeling of it, the light touches and the teasing licks, had her arch her back and unintentionally move her hips to get more stimulation so she could reach her climax.
He knew exactly what would get her to squirm in his hold. He wedged two fingers inside her, twisting it around as he looked for the spot that had her moaning his name loudly, all the while he traced her clit with the tip of his tongue.
“Bruce, I…” Vivian whispered and held his hand. A signal that she was going to come. He growled against her sex and stops. “Why?”
Bruce flipped them over again and settled between her legs. “I might as well enjoy this, right?” He wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed into her. With one hand holding her waist and the other her wrist, Bruce thrust in fast, too fast, all the while he kissed her lips deeply.
Just like earlier, before Vivian could reach her climax, he flipped them once again, this time she was on top of him and Bruce held her by her waist, sinking her deeper, so he could have more of her.
“Ride me,” he said.
She obeys, sitting up and fixing her position, she started with slow and decadent stokes. Opening her eyes, Vivian watched as her husband watched as she fucked him there and felt him grow harder inside her. Her movements started to hasten and her descent harder, to help her, Bruce would meet her descent but that wasn’t enough. Vivian wanted to cum after he’s denied her that twice, taking his hand, she placed it between her thighs and said, “Please, my love.” He pressed down on her clit, making her moan. “Don’t stop.”
Fuck, he thought. He can’t stop now.
Sitting up, he met his wife’s lips again and bit her lip as she gasped when her climax finally came. Her eyes slid shut with pleasure, her sex clenching around him. It’s too much and this time he gave in to the overwhelming pleasure.
Bruce catching Vivian with a kiss that slowed everything and had them settle back to that bed. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, if there was any way to be closer than that.
“That was…” Vivian panted.
“A lot,” Bruce admits, still feeling himself releasing spasm after spasm inside her. “I’ve been pent up for a while now.”
“Me too… maybe we should thank Harley for giving us this break.”
“Maybe.”
Laughing, Vivian kissed her husband again and said, “You wanna go again?”
Bruce turned to her, smiling, and said, “Give me five minutes.”
~ * ~
Arriving at one of the islands of Knossos, the yacht docked at the old looking port that had the view of a temple above the mountain, Gaia’s Temple, and before that was a forest, lush, majestic, and mysterious.
“Do you smell that?” Harley took a deep breath.
“The ocean,” said Batman.
“I smell true love and it’s just up that mountain,” Harley pointed her bat at the temple atop the mountain.
“Actually, it’s something else,” Vivian stepped up, wearing the clothes that Harley provided for her, which reminded her of Evelyn O'Connell from the 1999 film, The Mummy.
“What is it?” Batman asked her.
“There’s the ocean and the forest, but there’s also a tinge of… sulfur?” She turned to Bruce, knowing what they were facing.
“You need to get your nose checked, Professor, because I ain’t smelling sulfur anywhere. Let’s go!” Harley jumped off the yacht and was marching towards the forest.
“She’s going to get herself killed,” Vivian sighed.
“Then we’ll make sure she doesn’t die,” Batman jumped down and caught her when Vivian followed him. “Here, for protection.”
“Is this your collapsible sword?”
“Yes,” Bruce answered and demonstrated it.
“Of all the things you have there, this is the coolest one there is.”
“AUGH! STOP EYE-FUCKING EACH OTHER AND LET’S GO!” Harley called out from the entrance of the forest.
“Harley! Wait, don’t go in there!” Vivian ran after her.
~ * ~
The path across the forest was supposed to be easy, Vivian has gone through the place before and got out unscathed, but this time they have been walking for hours now with Harley taking the lead and holding the map she nicked from the museum. Vivian wasn’t happy when Harley pulled out the map from her bag and recognized it.
“You took an ancient old map and glued it to an A3 paper so you can do a treasure hunt?!” Vivian exclaimed.
“I know, smart, right?” Harley smirked.
Before she could burn the forest, Batman placed a hand on Vivian’s shoulder and reminded her of their mission. Get the plant, get back to Gotham, let Harley do her anniversary surprise, and they stop Ivy.
But now, even with the map they were running in circles.
“I think this is fake,” Harley said.
“It’s not, it’s the real deal,” Vivian told her.
“How would you know?”
“Because I do… This is also the same map we copied and printed so we can go around the place when we went in for the documentary.” She took the map from Harley.
“Then how come it ain’t working?”
“Vivian,” Batman approached her. “The sulfur, was it there when you came the last time?”
“No, that’s why I was…”
“Maybe it’s doing it on purpose, to throw us off guard. Gaia is the earth, and what happens if we continue aimlessly in this forest without food or water?”
“We die, then we turn to compost and return to the earth… shit,” Vivian sighed. Holding his hand, Vivian said to him, “What’s one more person to know, right?”
Batman nodded in agreement.
“Harley, do you promise that whatever happens in this little adventure stays here?” Vivian turned to the woman watching them with a smirk on her face.
“Yeah, I promise! I won’t tell your billionaire husband that you and the Bat were going all out last night too.”
“Harley.”
“I swear!” She crossed her heart.
“Alright,” handing the map to Bruce, Vivian focused and cast the spell to open the gate. “Into the light, I command thee.” Vivian transformed out of her Evelyn O'Connell outfit to the robes of the Phoenix, her red hair glowing flames, and her eyes bright gold.
“Holy shit!” Harley exclaimed. “You-you-you got magic! You’re that Phoenix woman that I saw on TV last year, battling demons! Oh!” Her eyes turned to Batman. “So, does the Justice League have anything on work-relations? Do they allow this arrangement?”
Batman only glared at her.
“This will scare away those assholes trying to trap us here. Follow me, I know the way,” Vivian said and took the lead.
“How?” Harley asked.
“Because I can sense them up the mountain. They want us to go there.”
Following the path and the scent of monsters and hell, Vivian got them through the forest and at the foot of the mountain that had a long and steep path leading to the top.
“So, can you fly us up there?” Harley asked.
“Something I didn’t discuss in my documentary,” Vivian faced them. “This island is a sacred place. This forest is actually the Forest of Dodona, and it’s where homo magi would come for their test of power. A millennia ago, practitioners of magic would come here as a trial by fire. They would cross the forest, which we did, then climb the mountain to the top where the temple is and take a bite of whatever fruit is up there where they will have a taste of the purest and most ancient magic. The island is magical itself, and it will keep you from teleporting to cheat. It tests magic users of their skills. You still want to go through with this?”
“Hell, yeah,” Harley said.
“Thought so,” Vivian sighed. “So, stay close.”
Their ascend to the top was long and full of trials. The mountain was actually a volcano that would let out steams that were both volcanic and hallucinogenic that reminded Vivian of the Oracle of Delphi. She won’t admit it but as they ascended she would see visions around her. Her mother would appear, telling her to come down and come home with her; John would appear to, telling her to just give up on this trials; Or Lucifer, she’s encountered the Devil a couple of times, and his cocky smile would always get her.
“Come on, Viv,” Lucifer’s illusion whispered in her ear. “Come on, forget about them, this can all end now. You know what’s waiting for you up there.”
“Shut up!” Vivian threw a ball of flames at his direction, but he wasn’t there. There was just the view of the setting sun and the top of the forest.
“Whoah, there, Professor!” Harley said.
Batman climbed up to check on her. “Viv, is everything…”
“Yeah, just… you’re not seeing any visions are you?” Vivian asked.
Bruce shook his head. “No, and you? What did you see?”
“A lot… but I can push through. We’re almost to the top anyway. And trust me, this is just the beginning.”
They pushed through, climbing the mountain until they came to camp base at the first peak, just as Harley was to cheer, she fell silent when she saw what awaits them. A cave. No way up but through that cave.
“That’s the entrance to the labyrinth, and to the heart of the temple, the real work starts then,” Vivian told her as she drank from the flowing stream. “We rest for the night, then we go in tomorrow morning.”
Harley didn’t argue and said something about hunting a pigeon for dinner.
Their camping sight wasn’t the most ideal but they made due, Batman had taken off his cape and wrapped it around Vivian for her to use as a blanket tonight, and Harley was busy cooking the fish and rabbit she caught while they prepared camp.
“Here, Professor, have a bite!” Harley handed her the skewered fish.
Accepting the food, Vivian thanked her for it and dug in, and for a moment, she forgot about Harley and fed Bruce a piece. They both seem to forget because Batman scooted close to her and wrapped an arm around to give her more warmth. They only realized what they were doing and that they were not alone when Harley coughed.
“So, how long has this been going on?” Harley asked.
Vivian quickly moved away from Batman and went to eat on her own.
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. So, does the hubby know about the whole magic thing?”
“Yes,” Vivian answered.
“And he’s okay with it?”
“Yeah, he is,” Vivian kept her gaze on the ground to keep her from turning to Batman. “How about you, Dr. Quinzel?”
“What about me?”
“Tell us how you’ve been? I’ve been hearing stories that you’ve been helping out the Bats and some that are just out there.”
Harley groaned. “You helped them save the world once and people start thinking you’re a hero and have expectations! Geez! For the record, the reason why I helped them with saving the world is because I live in it and so does Ivy, and nothing more! What, you think I’m a hero too?”
Vivian shrugged. “I think you’re Harley Quinn. And you do whatever the wind tells you to do.”
“Nobody tells me what I do, Professor!”
Vivian laughed. “Why do you keep calling me Professor?”
“Because you are. Come on, just because I’m this doesn’t mean I respect you as a professor. I’ve read your works, you know, and I respect you just as I respect my Dr. Ivy.”
Vivian smiled. “I’ve also read your works too, Dr. Quinzel. You’re a good psychiatrist.”
“Thanks, but you can just call me Harley. I’m still a psychiatrist but that’s kind of like a part time thing.”
“Oh, you have a clinic?”
“Nah, just something I do with the people I work with. Bats here is even my patient!” She pointed at Batman.
“You are?” Vivian turned to him.
“I’m not,” Batman replied.
“He’s just shy.”
Later that night, as Vivian lay in Batman’s cape, she felt his strong arms wrap around her as he took his place beside her. Feeling her husband’s embrace, Vivian smiled and went back to sleep.
~ * ~
They started early the next morning, packing water and food before they went inside the labyrinth. The walls were filled with depictions of the creation of the universe as told by Greek mythology, and as they pushed through there were trials they had to face, one of which involved the brains of the Bat to help her cheat their way through a solstice calendar.
Using the light of her magic and one of Batman’s batarangs, they reflected the light to shine to the gem that serves as the key to opening the large stone gates. The doors opened and they passed through, which led them deep into the caves and up the mountain that led to more trails which each of them passed with their skills. Harley using her acrobatics, Batman with his wit and gadgets, and Vivian with her magic and knowledge in reading ancient Greek.
When they finally came to the top and at the end of the maze, they came to the final test. One that was related to Green Magic. To nature and life and death.
“Gaia is earth,” Vivian said as she read the stones and the images on it. “For this trial, we must create life.”
“You sure you’re not pregnant after the other night?” Harley asked her.
“Not like that,” Vivian groaned. “I mean… look around, there’s no soil nor water, just stone. Just like Gaia, we need to create a life form from nothing.”
“So, how do we do that? You’re the magician here,” said Harley.
Looking around, Vivian studied the environment they had. “There’s a piece of sunlight there,” she pointed to where a small ray shone.
“The sun is almost setting, we need to hurry,” said Batman.
“The Pomegranate seeds!” Vivian called for Harley. “Hurry!”
Harley spat out one of the seeds she’s been sucking on and handed it to Vivian. Now, they needed soil. Placing her hand on the ground, she started gathering the small amount of dirt she could get to create a soil pocket. Seeing what she was up to, Batman shoved himself to the wall to generate more dirt from the stone ceilings, more than enough dropped and Vivian placed the seeds inside, then with the small drop of their water, she started casting a spell to speed up the process of life.
She was the Phoenix, she should be able to bring life to that lifeless cave.
And she did. From that small dirt, a seedling sprout appeared and the doors that were closed opened to reveal an old tree atop the temple that bore a pomegranate at one of its branches.
“There it is!” Harley ran inside.
“Harley, wait!” Vivian called out to stop her but she was too late. From the ceiling a creature dropped down, a giant that towered them all. Antaeus. The giant. The son of Poseidon and Gaia.
“You dare take from Mother’s garden?” Anteus growled.
“Harley!” Vivian pulled her back with her magical force before the giant could crush her with his fists.
“I shall make you my offerings to Mother and place your skulls on the walls of her temple!” Anteus declared.
They kept evading Anteus’ attacks. Running across the place to get away. Batman tried using his gadgets to get to him, but no matter what explosive or weapon he had on hand, nothing worked. Every damage made by the giant would be healed instantly.
“Any tips, Professor?” Harley asked. “Nothing seems to work with him!”
“Anteus is son of Poseidon and Gaia… it’s Gaia that heals him! We need to get him off the ground!”
“And how do we do that?!” Harley exclaimed.
“Batman, Harley, can you immobilize him? I know how to do it,” Vivian asked the two.
“Yeah, we can!” Harley declared and jumped out, brandishing her knives and used her acrobatics to get close to the giant while dodging his attacks. Batman followed her, doing the same. The two slashed the giant at his Achilles tendon, immobilizing the giant and falling to the ground, before he could be healed, Vivian summoned the Phoenix and lifted him off the ground with her magical chains. He was heavy, put Vivian carried him with her magic to be elevated from the ground, not giving him a chance to touch one spec of soil so his mother could heal him.
“Peels, suetnA!”
The giant tried to fight it but he eventually succumbed to a deep slumber while suspended in midair.
“Whohoo! Team Harley, let’s go!” Harley cheered and went to the tree to pick a pomegranate from the tree. “Want one, Professor?”
“I’m good,” Vivian said. “Let’s just go home.”
“Do we go the same way?” Harley asked.
“No, we use the other way. We leave the same way Daedalus and Icarus did.”
“By dying?”
“By flying, Quinn,” said Batman.
“Right… so, how do we do that?”
To answer her question, Vivian pushed her off the window and jumped after her, in mid fall, she used her magic to catch them and flew them back to the beach, with Batman gliding with his cape.
~ * ~
Back in Gotham, Vivian slumped in the bathroom tub and relaxed. It has been a long weekend with the trip with Harley, then dealing with the police report at the GCPD, then insisting that she wasn’t pressing charges, then Batman and the Robins stopping Ivy from using the Pomegranate seed to create her world-dominating-Eden formula. She deserves this break.
“I got you some snacks,” Bruce entered their bathroom and showed the bowl of snacks that he prepared in the kitchen. “And your drink.”
Vivian happily accepted the glass of scotch and thanked him. “So, how are things?”
“We won’t be hearing a lot from Harley or Ivy for a while after we stop the formula from getting finished. Gordon is still confused as to why you’re not pressing charges. And we’re handling the PR about you going missing, nothing too serious. And you?”
“The Dean told me to take a little break and rest, because what I went through is a lot,” she added air quotations. “And I also met with the psychologist for the trauma-something, which I do not need but thank you… and I miss my husband.”
Bruce smiled, placing the bowl of snacks on the table beside them, he sat on the edge of the tub and said, “We had the entire weekend together.”
Vivian got out her hand from the water and reached for his thigh. “What can I say? I can’t get enough of you.”
Getting up, Bruce took off his shoes, his trousers and shirt, then joined Vivian in the tub, overflowing the water. She squealed in laughter as he had her sitting on his lap, both of them naked and close to each other.
“I can’t get enough of you too,” Bruce said and kissed her deeply. “Shall we continue what we started that night in the yacht?”
“I wasn’t aware we weren’t finished then.”
“Oh, my love, that wasn’t even half of what I wanted to do with you.”
Just as Alfred as to bring Vivian a bowl of pretzels, which he knew she liked to munch on while having a long bath in the tub, he stopped on his tracks when he saw Bruce and her in the tub, laughing and kissing.
“Oh, my,” Alfred said and quietly closed the door to give them privacy.
#fanfic#batman#dc fanfic#batman fanfiction#bruce wayne#dc universe#dc batman#dc comics#batfam#harley quinn#batman x oc
24 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hello! Been a frequenter on your page and I am I’m love with your work. I have a few questions, and I’m hoping you can re-wire the truth of Greek Mythology for me. (Cause some people…..you know) 1. Have Diomedes and Odysseus met before the Trojan War? If they didn’t, did they have general knowledge of the other at least? 2. I’ve heard that Odysseus wasn’t as physically intimidating as the others, (Agamemnon, Diomedes, etc) Is that true? Because sites and docs make Odysseus seem like he is a tiny, little man who likes to ONLY think in his tent and has everyone else do his heavylifting. Does he at least have some military experience? If you had to assign a body type for him, what actor, influencer, or singer would you say, “yeah that’s him.” 3. I know that Odysseus is, at least, in the morally gray side of the universe. Does he have his moments of “honor”, or certain people’s versions of “morally correct?” Does he have moments of selflessness, bravery, or integrity?
And some silly little questions. Since Odysseus is your favorite character, If he walked into a therapists office/physical examination/got analyzed by a classification system, when he walked out, what mental evaluation would have been made. Ex. PTSD, BPD, etc. (I searched on doctor google, and they said maybe he would be on the spectrum of ASPD.) If Odysseus was alive today, would he still be a schemer, liar, etc. Would it be tamed down? Not looking for the mental gymnastics as much?
I adore your stuff, keep on doing you. I hope to see more.
You are a frequenter to my page and you are asking me on how I feel on people drawing Odysseus as a tiny figure or whether I believe Odysseus is brave?! THE HORROR! Just kidding I am a yapper and I love analyzing that! So here we go every point at the time.
As always viewer's discretion is advised because my yapping will be non-stop!!!! XD
I remember answering that question in the past to someone else who was wondering of it. If we follow sources like Apollodorous for example, Diomedes was one of the suitors of Helen's and he was also bound under the Oath of Tyndareus. I suspect that was why Apollodorous wanted to explain as to why Diomedes was in the war to begin with. So under this version, Odysseus and Diomedes met for the first time in Sparta while both courted Helen. However I do side up more with other sources that do not include him because arguably Diomedes is the youngest or one of the youngest kings around and he would be very young to be courting Helen at that time (Even archaic paintings more often whatnot have him beard-less so that means he was in his 20s, maximum early 30s in the war when Iliad takes place, aka the final years so that means he joined when he was somewhere between 18-20 years of age). That also fits since some readings of the War of the Epigonoi in which Diomedes took part in, happened around 5 years before Troy when Diomedes was 14). As per readings Helen's courting happened 10 to 20 (as per Apollodorous extended narrative which again do not find me agreeable for! Hehe) years before Troy. Diomedes would literally be a child at that time. So I think it is more logical assumption to believe they met for the first time in Aulis at the gathering of the fleet. As for whether they knew each other by narrations, possibly. Judging on how the kings spoke to Diomedes about his father Tydeus, means that they had knowledge of him and his war with the other Seven against Thebes so yes I believe they have heard of each other but I do not think they actually met before Aulis. They are a generation apart after all!
Gosh...yeah I see it all the time and honestly I am soooo tired of it (I mean sure art is art and everyone is free to draw what they want but honestly I don't think I have ever seen something more inaccurate than people draw Odysseus like a tiny skinny guy and man ONLY STAYS IN HIS TENT?! Lol the dude was lifting the entire Trojan War if not the Epic Cycle on his back! XD I even made this post a while back:
Odysseus? Really? The guy that stood his ground against behemoth Ajax in their wrestling in the funeral games of Patroclus? (Sure when Ajax managed to take the upper hand for one second, Odysseus cheated and kicked him behind the knee but then they were wrestling again and literally neither of the two could come on top). Or Odysseus that basically made Irus, the beggar and all the suitors back off in wonder when he showed his body during his match against Irus (of whose jaw he broke with just ONE punch)? The guy whose back and thighs were so thoroughly described in the Odyssey that it became ridiculous!? Hahaha right!
Arguably his first description happens in the Iliad, which I am citing in this analysis of mine in the past:
Odysseus is described usually short or average to short of structure and then Homer proceeds to explain to us how he is wider in the shoulder and the chest than Agamemnon who was a head taller than him. He is described that he looks like a ram, as I mentioned to my analysis; an animal sturdy, proud and strong. Odysseus has arguably one of the best physiques out heroes despite his age (which makes one wonder how he was in his peak at the age of 30 or something)
As for whether he sat in his tent all day I think that if there is even one person who said that he hasn't read a single thing on Homer. Odysseus was always in the center of all action of the war. Yes, he does refrain from rushing in battle (In the Iliad for example he kept his troops away from action till it was their right moment to arrive or that he placed himself as almost for last to fight with Hector because yeah he wasn't in the mood on dying that day!) but he was always fighting to the front lines, he was always inserting himself in the events that were happening. He was taking part in secret missions such as the one we see in the Iliad (Diomedes and himself going to counter-spy the enemy field or in the Odyssey how he literally sneaks in Troy, which is linked to the Palladium of Athena heist story).
As I mention to that humorous post of mine; Odysseus literally does almost everything in the war; he was ambassador, he was settling things between kings when they had conflicts, he was fighting first line when he had to (but knew when to refrain from it to assure his safety and the safety of his men, thus suffering the bare minimum losses at war), he kept everyone together when he had to, he captured Helenus and extracted the prophecy from him, he went to get the Palladium himself, he came up with the Horse idea and he was one of the first inside the horse etc. Even in the Odyssey; he conquered Ismarus, he killed the suitors himself, he was ready to fight gods and monsters for his men etc. I think the sources speak on themselves.
Yes he does have military experience. For starters the slaves in his palace are called δμωαί which means "slave acquired at war" so most likely he did some of it himself. Two he has the bow that was given to him as a gift for offering assistance to Messina (although the exact length or nature of it is not mentioned in the Odyssey) and Penelope informs us that Odysseus faced the Taphian pirates before (when she mentions the incident of Antinous's father arriving to the palace chased after and begged Odysseus to save his life). Odysseus definitely has military experience (possibly his military successes made him also king while his father was alive, potentially Laertes recognized his son's talent and retired) but it seems that his military experience was not of a large or extended scale (for example like Diomedes) or of conquering nature (like Agamemnon or Diomedes, the first expanded the influence of his kingdom and the latter conquered Thebes, took control of Argos and regained control of his grandfather's lands for him) but they seem rather of domestic nature, such as the mutiny of the Taphians, an area close to his kingdom or offering assistance to a fellow king without getting too much into detail.
Hmm hard to say that I can find some straight out similarity to Odysseus that is a very good question.
I think though so far the greatest resemblance I could find was Christos Tsagas who played Odysseus in Iphigenia movie in 1977 whom I am mentioning here:
And here:
That was literally my moment of
3. Actually I have referred to the matter in another answer of mine:
As I mentioned to that ask of mine, I think the characterization of "morally gray" for Odysseus at least as far as Homer is concerned is not doing him full justice. Odysseus has no problem recognize right from wrong nor does he make bad decisions without thinking even if he knows is not morally correct. Yes, he oftentimes is ready to cheat (see for example the match of Ajax) and he is capable of twisting his words on certain things but he doesn't seem to be the type of person that consistently breaks the law for the loves of it (now his version on certain post-homeric sources such as the plays of Euripides who was consistently writing Odysseus negatively, or Conon, who is the oldest known version to my knowledge of the story in which he tries to backstab Diomedes) I do not see much to characterize him as such. Perhaps the alleged murder of Palamedes would be one (even if we do not know what the contribution of Odysseus was in the Epic Cycle for sure given how we only know Epic Cyle moments from scholiasts and later sources, but as I said I find it way too complicated matter to characterize him straight out as "morally gray" in general much less for Homer
However I absolutely understand what you mean.
Once again I get disappointed when people always assume that Odysseus is like the dude that would step on you to save his ass and laugh in the night about it when we have literally the lengths to which he went in the ENTIRE Odyssey which I analyze here:
Or how he went to save Diomedes in Rhapsody 11 in Iliad! He literally rushed to his assistance and gave him his chariot and stayed behind to cover his retreat. Odysseus also is named the most pious to the gods and the best when it comes to sacrifices by Zeus himself. He protects his men by literally sacrificing his own body when he was forced to accept Circe's bed and mind you he was ready to face her WITHOUT knowing how to beat her spell. Hermes just happened to be on his way. Odysseus didn't know that he would have help. He literally went towards the unknown, with just his sword at hand, to face an immortal witch without knowing what to do because he cared for his men and he was planning his way through. He was ready to fight Skylla. He also tried to test the suitors so all of them wouldn't need to die. He also scolds his wetnurse for wishing to cry out of joy upon seeing the results of the slaughter.
Even in post-homeric sources we know from Pausanias that Odysseus gave Penelope a choice whether she wanted to marry him or return to her father. So he respected her decision. In Sophocles's "Ajax" he feels sympathy for Ajax's condition and he insists upon giving him a proper burial when all other kings turned their backs on him. He also protects the body of Achilles alongside Ajax before that etc.
I think people saying Odysseus has no honor or integrity or that he is totally immoral or that he is not brave or has no selflessness simply haven't read enough of Odysseus. The entirety of the Odyssey was him trying to save what he can from his crew and placing himself in harm's way for them and protecting them with all he had.
~~~~~~~~
Hmm that is an interesting question. Quite frankly I do not think it is fair to always find disorders or syndromes to the Greek heroes and such because just because someone has certain behavioral patterns doesn't necessarily mean they need to be diagnosed just like with everyday people after all. What is more certain behavioral patterns in Greek mythology can be partially "ignored" in one way given how the ancient Greek sources also speak of pre-determined events and such so the agency of the heroes is rather blurry subject but that being said here we go.
I absolutely wouldn't say that Odysseus belongs to the Antisocial Personality Disorder spectrum. Especially when Homer is concerned. I mean as per DSM-5 ASPD in order to be diagnosed we have:
A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors, as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest. (Odysseus doesn't conform to social norms? Who is the one in charge for sacrifices? Who respects the gods to the level of not wishing to offer assistance to people at war because they break the rules Odysseus who desires to honor the customs of Xenia to the extreme? The only "social norm" he doesn't seem to be dealing with is the direct "heroic" battle and he prefers to use wits to do his bidding. Is that outside the ideal social role? Yes. Was he though encouraged or helped by Athena? The goddess that literally dictates some basic social norms? Also yes. Him not being conformed in one specific pattern is not necessarily sign of disorder otherwise everyone's uniqueness is considered a symptom XD As for the things he steals or takes I remind you the actions were encouraged by Athena or placed up by the circumstances or dictated by prophecies and ironically most of the actions happen in harsh warfare. I doubt anyone would be judged if they stole information from an enemy base to help your side. In fact Odysseus resents the idea of stealing from the cave of Polyphemus and run even if his men want to)
Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure. ("for personal profit or pleasure" is the key here. When does Odysseus lie and use aliases? When he needs to protect himself or when he needs to protect others for example with the suitors or Polyphemus. I mean who would go in a room full of men who wanna murder you, over 100 of them, and you would say "hey what's up! It is I!" or in Polyphemus? Who wouldn't lie or hide? In other cases when Odysseus hides his identity or lies about it is when he is not certain he is safe. He doesn't lie just to deceive others and get himself gain something that belongs to others -unless we count some versions created in future sources-. His aliases are usually created for some reason and let's be honest in the situations he was in, most of us would have done the same. Even in Philoctetes where he basically says that he would be a chameleon and slither himself in every situation when the situation calls for it, is also an interesting thing to imagine that we often do so as well don't we? We try to form ourselves up to a situation if we need to.)
Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead. (Impulsivity in certain cases is done by everyone. You do take impulsive decisions or do something out of impulse. In order for this to be pathologic one needs to be doing it consistently. Odysseus arguably always plans ahead. He literally planned the whole "I am nobody" trick so that just in case Polyphemus had allies with him the fake name would confuse them, which actually happpened. He also arguably created allies to both Tyndareus and himself with the Oath of Tyndareus. The fact that he didn't calculate Menelaus would use the oath to get Helen back 10 years later I am not sure if it actually counts as "inability to plan ahead". Also miscalculations to a plan can still happen for example not calculate the true magnitude of of the taking of Troy but again I doubt if that counts again as "failiure to plan ahead". Quite frankly his scheme to take Troy was a perfect success. The fact that several of his schemes turn boomerang against him might as well be seen through the spectrum of fate as well. As for certain impulsive things that he does aka reveling his name to Polyphemus one can say who wouldn't have done so if you think the extreme anxious situation that he was under; days and days of psychological torment and extreme anxiety with barely any sleep or proper food and such? Who wouldn't lose control?)
Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults. (Aggressiveness is definitely part of his persona in more ways than one. But of course that is part of multiple psychological conditions including Anxiety and Depression and of course Odysseus even in Iliad was already a 10 year war veteran which again is behavior often seen in those who have been through warfare)
Reckless disregard for safety of self or others. (Regardless of safety? Odysseus? Who is always keeping his men out of harm's way or advises them to do so? At war he gets in battle when it is the best moment for him and his men, in the Odyssey he repeatedly warns them against certain decisions etc. The fact that more often whatnot Odysseus thinks of death or has some reckless or impulsive decision is again not done consistently and we see that we have moments like that in our everyday life as well)
Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations. (Consistent irresponsibility for the man that was basically looked upon every time something bad happened to fix it? The man that always advised others to make good decisions? The man that seems the very definition of "one pays his depts" guy? I would say not. He often speaks on his emotions and mind you the fact that he managed to sustain provisions on Helios's islands and feed 40 men for an elongated amount of time while famish lasted I would say he knows how to manage his economics and such! Hahaha!)
Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another (He bawls his eyes out of remorse in the island of Phaeakes not once but TWICE when he hears a man singing about Troy. Odysseus is not void of emotion or of the essence of right or wrong and he definitely shows remorse for his actions or he knows when he has to admit it for example he knows the act of murder of the suitors was arguably wrong and yet necessary as per Athena's advise as well but again as far as Homer is concerned)
Of course bear in mind that I am no psychologist or psychiatrist so these are my interpretation as someone who is enthusiastic on psychology.
As I said above I think people making Odysseus's lies as something that consists his whole persona as if he has nothing else to offer is wrong in the first place because if one thinks the conditions he lived in he was always on his guard and worried. So even if one speaks on the lies being too many, they are not necessarily a product of ASPD. Lying is also part of others like PTSD or Depression given how many people lie out of fear or worry over something.
That being said if in modern age Odysseus was a survivor of a terrible tragedy and a war veteran on top of that then absolutely he would act on a similar basis as well as others
So instead of that I think one thing I would "diagnose" Odysseus with, again based on the homeric poems mainly would be
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
For PTSD as per DSM-5:
A. Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in one (or more) of the following ways:
Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s). (Ι mean...no need to elaborate here now do we?)
Witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others. (This speaks on its own. He has experienced both trauma at war by being hurt or chased after or under stress or he was raped and used lost and almost died multiple times or witnessed people die around him such as his fellow kings -Ajax- or his comrades)
Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent or accidental. (He literally met his mother in the underworld who told him she died of sorrow while waiting of him, he saw his comrade Elpenor and he found out he died, he heard that his wife was struggling and that his father lost his mind among others)
Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) (e.g., first responders collecting human remains: police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse). (This part is tricky because as far as the Odyssey is concerned we do not know how often Odysseus was experiencing dreams or flashbacks of what happened although arguably he was always remembering it, for example when he was mistreated by the suitors he was reminding himself to endure because he had endured worse before and he remembers Polyphemus so we can assume he definitely had some close calls with his past and dreams before or at least that he constantly thinks of them)
So as per the B section of DSM we do have the factor of reoccurring memories or dreams. As I said as far as Odyssey is concerned we do not have much on the stimuli through dreams however if I may draw the attention to one of the factors:
Recurrent Involuntary and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event(s) (Odysseus cries his eyes out once a heroic song about Troy begins to play. His memory of the war sneaks in to the point that he blows his anonymity and not only that his memory is stimulated enough to say his story and explain himself to the presented members)
As per the C part of it:
C. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by one or both of the following:
Avoidance of or efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s). (Odysseus doesn't want to reveal his identity again. When he is taken in by Nausicaa he hides who he is. He doesn't speak on himself. He avoids the subject altogether. He knows he has little to no possibility to get the help he needs without honoring the part of Xenia law that involves himself to reveal who he is and yet he is not ready to speak up)
Avoidance of or efforts to avoid external reminders (people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations) that arouse distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s). (Odysseus refuses to take part to athletic activities in Scheria. He doesn't want to blow his cover but also potentially he knows that this brings him memories from the funerary games of the army. He also knows he will always go in full force at what he does so participating would blow his cover and potentially make him reveal who he is, something he avoids)
D. Negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning or worsening after the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:
Inability to remember an important aspect of the traumatic event(s) (typically due to dissociative amnesia and not to other factors such as head injury, alcohol, or drugs). (This one doesn't apply here because Odysseus has a very sharp memory. He explains everything in detail. We also do not see him in Homer abusing alcohol or anything else -and I mean it IS an ancient text after all Homer was no psychologist)
Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted,” ‘The world is completely dangerous,” “My whole nervous system is permanently ruined”). (Odysseus often talks with regret about his decisions during his narration but he also expresses rage many times over on the events that took place. He also calls his comrades "mindless" many times over especially on events that marked his trip's outcome such as the sack of Aeolus or the cows of Helios. Of course that is only natural in one essence so it doesn't necessarily need to be a symptom but I am throwing that to the table)
Persistent, distorted cognitions about the cause or consequences of the traumatic event(s) that lead the individual to blame himself/herself or others. (Once more even though Odysseus doesn't specifically speak on cause and effect apart from the mentions we get in the Odyssey but he does seem to try and figure the root of the problem. He is also speaking negatively on himself or speaking on shameful moments of his trip also certain things like Imsarus he just mentions them. He doesn't even get to elaborate those but moments such as Charybdis or Skylla etc were thoroughly described! Or the shipwreck)
Persistent negative emotional state (e.g., fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame). (Once again explanation not needed; ashamed to be washed by maidens, fear that he might be trapped again, angry and irritated, feeling guilt. All the emotions in the Odyssey are here)
Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities. (He is not interested in showing his potential to the Phaeakes or speak of his name or heritage even when he heard the song for the first time so he might have clues that they are positively thinking towards him)
Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others. (He is a stranger, a beggar. He sits in the corner. Most of the time he is silent. He is the oddity in the room. He doesn't become the center of attention till his emotions betray him and he has to speak to the Phaeakes on who he is)
Persistent inability to experience positive emotions (e.g., inability to experience happiness, satisfaction, or loving feelings). (He is crying for seven years at the beach longing for his home. He is rarely ever pictured laughing. His feelings of distrust and anger continue and expand even to his wetnurse whom he feels he has to threaten in order to be on the safe side. He feels betrayed by the gods even as he calls out to Athena and reminds her that she didn't help him when he needed her the most)
E. Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity associated with the traumatic event(s), be ginning or worsening after the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:
Irritable behavior and angry outbursts (with little or no provocation) typically expressed as verbal or physical aggression toward people or objects. (Odysseus definitely shows irritable behavior through and through to the Iliad when he beats up Thersites to make an example out of him or when he loses control when Eurylochus hurts his ego by calling out to him for being enchanted by Circe and he basically brings up a painful memory; the Cyclops incident. Odysseus cannot take this and he is ready to literally slay his brother-in-law on the spot and he is stopped by the others)
Reckless or self-destructive behavior. (HERE is where I would put some of that recklessness we see in the Odyssey; Odysseus wishing to rescue his men no matter what; he is ready to fight a goddess with little to no plan to save the little he has left of men after his loss by the Laestrigonians, he is ready to fight Skylla for them, he provokes the suitors to see who is rotten and who is not.)
Hypervigilance. (No explanation needed here! Odysseus constantly sees enemies and reasons to distrust people. He doesn't allow his men near the sack of winds, he remains awake even to do it all by himself. He saw danger to the bay of Laestrygonians and tied his ship outside the bay -and he was proven right-, despite the fact he was in friendly company, he hides himself from the Phaeakes and he constantly tests or measures people, even his wetnurse needs to be threatened in his mind, even the loyal slave Eumeus needs to wait a bit before fully trusted to be placed within the scheme he was planning. Even when the Phaeakes were proven true to him and brought him home, when he woke up and he didn't recognize his own country, his first thought was that the Phaeakes tricked him.)
Exaggerated startle response. (He literally grabs his wetnurse by the throat when she is ready to shout. He is even threatening on top of that to make sure that she will not speak up despite his orders)
Problems with concentration. (This doesn't seem to apply here since Odysseus is hyper focused most of the time either when he tells his story or when he is planning the murder of the suitors)
Sleep disturbance (e.g., difficulty falling or staying asleep or restless sleep). (This one again is tricky since we have no clue but at the moments we see Odysseus sleeping for example during his return, we see him sleep peacefully. We do not see much on nightmares he might or might not have. Perhaps he has some but the thought of his homeland puts him at peace)
Suicidal thoughts are also common and Odysseus thought about ending his own life many times over in the Odyssey; from the moment the sack of winds was opened and he saw his home away once more till the moment he was at Calypso's isle and he was thinking of death daily.
The dude even had a syndrome named after him known as "Ulysses Syndrome" or migrant syndrome of chronic and multiple stress Basically it involves chronic stress especially for people who spent years in anxiety while moving from one place to another (to put it very roughly)
Okay please psychologists and psychiatrists do not come and have my head for this I am only doing this for fictional characters and not for real people, I am just enthusiast of psychology and not an actual psychologist so yeah...guys be gentle with me! XD
But yeah I think this whole thing on "Odysseus is a liar" as if that is his reason of existence or that he is like a pathological liar or that he doesn't have any sort of moral code I feel like it misses the whole point of the homeric hero (although some examples of post-homeric and roman sources might fit that better)
Hope this answers some of your questions dear Anon and sorry this was sooooooo long! Yeah I am normal about that guy! XD
#katerinaaqu answers#katerinaaqu analyzes#greek mythology#tagamemnon#odysseus#the odyssey#homeric poems#the iliad#odyssey#homeric epics#iliad#homers odyssey#homers iliad#homer's odyssey#homer's iliad#odysseus psychology#amature psychology#psychology of fictional characters#YEAH I AM TOTALLY NORMAL WITH THAT GUY!!!! XD XD XD#dsm 5#dsm 5 inspiration and reading
27 notes
·
View notes
Note
hello there. i am going to remain off of anon for the sake of getting the notification that this was answered.
i am questioning whether or not i am a system. i don’t experience many of the things that my one plural friend(friends?) has asked me if i experience, but i’m not sure if that can actually help me since it’s just one system’s experiences.
i am asking for help in figuring this out. i don’t think i have DID, but i’ve heard that there are other kinds of systems. i have also heard that endogenic systems are harmful to the plural community…? i’m not 100% sure why that would be though.
some of my experiences include: scratches, cuts, bruises, etc that i cannot explain; feeling like i wasn’t at a place that i was supposedly at for a majority of the day (e.g school or work); feeling like i have no memories of my own life, so bad that i can’t remember basic things such as if i took my daily meds or not (even if it was only a few minutes ago); hearing random voices in my head that don’t sound like my own; and so much more that i won’t name here.
i feel like it’s not me being a system, but i honestly have no idea. if you could help me out, that’d be much appreciated. thanks for reading this, and i hope you have a wonderful day/night :)
I'll address your primary concern in a moment, but first I want to clear something up: endogenic systems are not harmful to the plural community. "Endogenic" just means that a system was not formed due to trauma, nothing more. Exclusionists claim that endogenic systems are "harmful", "fake", or "impossible", but there is nothing substantial behind these claims; not only do endogenic systems have a basis in many cultural, spiritual, and religious practices, but many scientists who study plurality, dissociation, and/or dissociative disorders affirm or are open to the existence of endogenic systems. The majority of endogenic systems are kind, well-meaning people like anyone else, and are not out to trick others or spread misinformation (which is another common accusation against endogenic systems). They're just systems whose plurality does not originate from trauma, living their lives and sharing their stories. You're right to be suspicious of that claim you heard, because it's just needless exclusionism that most often arises from hurt people lashing out at a perceived "enemy" to feel some semblance of control, power, or justice in their life. It's a shame, really. I've met so many kind and friendly endogenic systems here on Tumblr and other places, and the plural community has always been an inclusive community!
Onto the rest of your ask.
I'm not sure what questions your friend asked, but based on your experiences, DID doesn't sound too unlikely – especially with how you describe your memory issues. However, I may have to refer you to seeing a psychiatrist or other professional about this. Even if it's not DID, these things sound like they're causing you problems that would be best handled by a professional that knows you personally. DID can be difficult to identify from the individual's perspective, which may explain why you don't feel you have DID, but I am not able to diagnose you – it's just that the things you say remind me of what I and other people with DID experience. I'd recommend seeing someone who specializes in dissociative (and possibly psychotic) disorders to see what can be done to help with the everyday issues and memory problems you're experiencing, or to at least get some answers. Bring a list of these things with you and let them know you're here to get some answers; you can tell them, "Someone I talked to said this sounded like DID, but told me I should see someone to check." ("this" being the list of events/experiences you share with them). Professionals can be hit-or-miss when it comes to these things, but in this case I think that might be the best course of action.
In the meantime, there are plenty of different kinds of systems you can learn about by looking around the community, or specific subcommunities. There's created systems, adaptive systems, spontaneous systems; multiple systems, median systems; polyconscious systems, monoconscious systems; dæmonism or tulpamancy practitioners; there are lots of different terms that people have coined to make sense of their plurality and find people like them. There's essays, articles, blog posts, zines, books, visual artworks, videos, and more. There's forums, Discord servers, Tumblr communities, Reddit subreddits, YouTube channels, Twitch channels, and more. Really, if I went on listing examples, we'd be here forever! The variety of the plural community is one of the things I love about it. Look around for what you like or what interests you, don't feel pressured to relate to or perfectly understand everything, and feel free to lurk if you don't feel like putting yourself out there.
You're right, it can be difficult to figure things out based on one system's experiences. I, too, am just one system, so I encourage you to explore at your own pace and seek a professional opinion when you're ready (and if you think it's necessary). I hope you have a wonderful day/night, too!
38 notes
·
View notes