#but they definitely needed at least another act as well to fix some of the pacing issues

[theknightlywolfe]

This is an interesting idea. Jayce the council leader with Caitlyn as his sheriff would work well for the post memorial attack. They already showed a scene with Ambessa testing him and that could have continued as she played different cards with different councilors while Mel tries to outmaneuver and neutralize her. It also makes sense then that Caitlyn would even be allowed to officially launch a strike team into Zaun. Its one thing to use her family name and influence to put together a strike team, its another entirely to declare her family the ultimate authority in where Enforcers go so she can do it herself whether the council approves or not. (Also we could see more of the growth of Caitlyn and Vi's relationship with the extra time we had lost so the split hits us harder and the rebound with Maddie makes more sense when they happen instead of the time from start to end being like an hour.)

We could have then had a bit of a schism between Jayce and Mel as they focus on their respective self-imposed tasks. Jayce ruling and worrying about Viktor and Mel sabotaging her mother's schemes and them both arguing over the creation of the hexweapons. Still friendly but everything else cools, which would explain the subdued reunion when they both get back. Then Viktor wakes up and leaves and Jayce throws himself fully into ruling. So when Heimerdinger brings Ekko in Jayce sleeping in his lab may have started because of Viktor but continues because he needs to stay close to deal with emergencies. Black Rose attacks Ambessa and Mel starts to poke at that story to have evidence to get her mother out of the literal halls of Piltover power. They also deal with the effect it has to lose the head of the merchants, because that was a major player in Piltover gone and it is going to have an effect. Maybe Jayce orders Caitlyn to focus the Enforcers on the investigation and leave the check points to the Noxians, which would explain why they end up such a major part of the "police" efforts.

Then the three disappear at the hexgate and there actually is a full on power vacuum that needs filling. Mel responding to that and trying to prepare for the move she knows her mother is about to make and then gets taken by the Black Rose. Because one then the other happens it is easier to point the finger at Zaun and David Bowie Salo being one of the last original councilors expects to step in.

And Ambessa, who has been studying/keeping an eye on Caitlyn via Maddie as well as training her in combat, choosing Caitlyn doesn't come from a single off handed comment but an actual analysis. And so many people responding positively would actually make sense. Yeah, she didnt get Jinx but in her time as Sheriff Jinx stopped attacking Piltover so she must have managed something. She is also seen to have managed to integrate Noxian troops with the Enforcers to strengthen the bridges and set up the check points. (I never understood why everyone not Loris jumped at the chance to promote her, she's 20 something and was a glorified traffic cop because her mother didn't want her at risk). And having her train with Ambessa as part of that integration under Jayce's order also makes her "I know!" moment make more sense. Yes she knows Ambessa was trying to manipulate her, but she was under orders from Jayce both to learn from and keep an eye on Ambessa so she couldn't walk away or argue too much.

And season 2 ends with martial law in Piltover and Caitlyn being made the military ruler. (We also would have had time to see more of the Chem Barons and the rise of Jinxters and Jinx and Isha and Jinx and Sevika in s2 as well as Vi's descent into drunken brawler.)

Start season 3 showing that Ambessa used the chaos of the transition to move her people more prominently into the check points and council security. Because it made no sense that Noxians almost completely replaced Enforcers in the show. And now Caitlyn has been dealing with unwillingly being pushed into filling the role of leader of Piltover where Jayce had been, she is resentful of the manipulations she knows Ambessa has been trying, and she is frustrated by Noxians pushing out her people. But now as leader she is too busy to do anything about it just keeping Piltover going, and they have time to show us that, and Ambessa's consolidation of power as General replacing the Sheriff also makes more sense.

It also makes more sense that she had been doing research on things like who Singed is as part of her campaign to get rid of Shimmer. She would have had the time and resources as Sheriff that as ruler it made no sense for her to spend time on. Her mistrust of Ambessa enough to follow her after the attack on the prison and find where Singed was also would make sense to the audience, because we saw her only tolerate Ambessa at Jayce's orders. The use of excusively Noxians to get Warwick works because we've had a chance to see them being moved into place rather than them suddenly being everywhere instead of the Enforcers.

And in contrast to Caitlyn's descent into frustration with gaining power and losing choices Vi and Jinx reuniting for Vander and working through their issues with each other provides a positive foil for the start of the season. Then when Vi and Caitlyn meet again Caitlyn turning on Ambessa makes sense as does them trusting each other for this plan. We also might understand Caitlyn having some sympathy for Jinx, having watched her too thrust into a situation where she did things because of the disappearance of a sibling and experienced having a powerful, manipulative force step in in the moment of her grief trying to turn her into something else.

It also means that Jayce returning and assuming he can just call on the great Houses of Piltover and convince them to go to war isn't pure arrogance. Last time he was there he was their ruler, not a man who tried to quit the council and then hid from his duties. Also the wide range of hexweapons in the final battle aren't a head scratcher. As ruler he would have been able to order their production based on the work he'd done for Caitlyn's team and their placement around the capitol building. Because it made no sense watching Ambessa sacrifice scientists trying to figure out Hextech just for the final battle to have like two days to prep from his return and somehow have giant Hextech powered defensive turrets ready to go.

And the sudden return of the Enforcers also would have made more sense as Caitlyn would return to being Sheriff and could focus on moving her people back into the jobs the Noxians had pushed them out of and preparing for the attack. I have no idea who did the work in the show because Jayce was trying to take over the council to get them to prepare while snap inventing and building hextech weapons, and Caitlyn wasn't shown to be involved with that at all and seemed to end up demoted to strike team captain again. She sure as heck wasn't coordinating the defenses in the battle (nor was Jayce for that matter and they didn't seem to appoint either a General or Sheriff, people just manned a spot and fought without a central command). The only person available in the show is Mel, who very well might have the training, but she wasn't shown actually doing it. (Honestly Maddie commanding the strike team in the fight while Caitlyn as Sheriff coordinated defenses would have made so much more sense and given her betrayal an extra edge because she'd earned a command just to sell her own team out.)

Yeah, Jayce being leader and Caitlyn being Sheriff for a large chunk of the storylines, along with at least an extra act but ideally an extra season, would have made a lot of things make more sense than what we were shown in s2.

The thing that bugs me most about Caitlyn's arc is how obviously she was forced into the position Jayce had been set up to fill.

Jayce was the de facto head of the council that Sheriff Marcus (keep that in mind) reported directly to for city security.

He was the Golden Boy, Man of Progress, beloved by everyone in Piltover for the invention of Hextech! Charismatic! Handsome!

They didn't NEED martial law. After Jayce emerged unscathed from the terrorist attack, most of the council dead, Piltover would have been falling over itself to give him sole authority regardless of him wanting to quit the council right before the attack.

And Jayce should have been beside himself with rage! Jinx turned his invention, his dream, into a weapon that nearly killed him and the two people he loves most! Mel and Viktor, at the same time! She ruined his peace deal! (And killed Silco, but for some reason Cait and Vi never tell anyone about that)

But nope. He's just sad, and tries to talk Caitlyn down from wanting to kill Jinx.... Like wtf!! Where did his passion go?? His recklessness? Caitlyn got it all.

Let's say he's still reeling after killing the kid in his shimmer raid and fearing the consequences of violent intervention. Fine. But then there is the attack at the memorial. Now it's bigger than Jinx, and his entire city is threatened.

Picture the end of episode 1, with the council gathering in the basement after the memorial attack and it is JAYCE marching in to announce the strike team, with Caitlyn and Vi beside him, with their shiny Hextech weapons.

They didn't need to give Caitlyn political power. She could have become Sheriff under Jayce! She would have had nearly the EXACT same scenes. She doesn't get a single moment where she acts like a political leader in Act 2 anyway!

We never see her do anything the sheriff wouldn't do, which tells me this was a late change to cram all the remaining story into one season, to every character's detriment. If Caitlyn had just been following Jayce's orders until running into Vi, her flip would not have felt so jarring.

She loves Jayce as an older brother, she's grieving her mother, she and Jayce could have BOTH been manipulated by Ambessa. Let Caitlyn be at the forefront of all the awful shit she's ORDERED to do, instead of ordering it HERSELF.

By giving her ultimate authority instead, the few clipped scenes of her redemption, her "I know" and letting Jinx go free are nowhere near enough to get the audience back on her side. As evidenced by how many people hated her arc this season.

[mountkennedie]

Late Nights

Edward Cullen x reader

Summary: you have a cozy night with edward

warnings: none

A.N. this quickly became one of my favorite fics ever written

"Edward?" You asked. Currently you splayed out horizontally on your bed on a cool fall day. The sweater you were wearing provided you an extra dose of comfort to the general energy of the room. Edward, your boyfriend, was laid parallel to you. His dark blue sweater matched yours. The color coordinating plaid fleece pajamas were also a nice touch on the pair of you. It was something cute you've always wanted to do, couple twinning. And Edward was willing to do whatever to make you happy.

"Yes?" He maintained a easy going smile while looking at you. You had been rereading A Wrinkle In Time. An easy read of course, but always put your mind at peace. Edward didn't have a book to read or really anything to pass time. He says he is perfectly content in your company, but you still wonder what he would be doing had you not been here. Probably pressing those same piano keys in infinite rhythms until disturbed.

"What is your favorite color?" A very innocent question. But what is the harm in that? The both of you have shared some crushing memories and experiences, you may as well know the mundane as well.

His smile grew and his eyebrows knitted. "Blue. Why do you ask?" He didn't have a genuine serious undertone behind the question. He was always trying to learn the way you were. Being unable to read your mind made you a puzzle he reveled in attempting to crack. Every time he would expect you to act in a certain way, you gave him a surprise in return.

"I was curious," you turn on your side and face him. Edward being Edward, he mirrors you. "You seem like a lover of blue. But I could also see a deep green. Like forest green," your voice was kept quiet. The wind looting the leaves can still be heard as you speak. You didn't need to speak so soft, your family was away for the night. You could scream for all that mattered, however keeping a small vocal presence felt appropriate. Anything louder than a calm word would be disturbing the peace of the environment.

His face pinched up for a moment, but then returned to his normal expression. "I fell out of love for green a long while ago. Blue is so rarely seen here, at least in the sky," he finished that quip with a cheesy smile. "Blue being rare has given itself a new place of importance," his eyes glanced down to your sweater then back into you, "in my heart."

Your bodies both hanged off different ends of the bed, luckily your heads were in the same placement. So when you lifted your hand to rest on his cheek, it wasn't a far reach. Your thumb brushed the cool skin, Edwards eyes never left yours for a moment. The golden iris' were filled with adoration. His hand came to rest on yours. The chill adding to the comfort he was already bestowing.

"What do you think mine is?" You whispered.

"Purple, for sure," he answered without even thinking. And of course he was right.

"Asking Alice counts as cheating," he leaned into your hand and chuckled. The kiss he left on the palm made you smile a little harder than you already had been.

"I didn't cheat," he spoke into your hand. "Everywhere we go shopping, your eyes are drawn to the same three colors. Green, black and purple, with a special affinity for purple. Oh and you wear a lot of purple in the pictures of you on your family's mantle."

"Am I that easy to read?" He pressed another kiss to your palm. He shook his head lightly at your comment.

"If only," he joked. After his joke the wind picked up outside, this time accompanied by a steady flow of rain. You sat up and looked at him, he copied you once again.

"If you ran home fast enough, how wet would you be? Would you even get wet?" He listened to your questions while helping fix your hair that had flattened due to laying down.

"Well I would get wet regardless. Probably not too bad but definitely damp." He finished his work and pulled you close to him so your entire body faced him. "And is this your way of kicking me out?" He chuckled again at his smart remark.

"It is very thoughtful that you worry on the safety of a hundred year old vampire." He placed a kiss to your eyelid, "I'd be sure not to run too fast. And I am fully comfortable staying in for the night. But," his voice matched your previous tone, "you must sleep tonight. I want 8 full hours."

"No you are staying." You threw your arms over his shoulders, your faces a few inches apart. "I don't want you outside, especially running in this weather. The roads are slippery," your tone changed to one more serious.

"I was going to sleep!" you argued. "...once I finished the next chapter of my book," you hoped the small smile you sent him would win him over.

"Of the book you've reread numerous times?" You didn't respond, only looked at him and shrugged. "Fine," he always gave in to you. "At least let me read it to you."

You smiled and got comfortable under your covers. You pulled back your comforter for him to join you underneath. He smiled and shook his head. But still wanting to do whatever makes you happy, climbed in. You clung onto his arm, he responded by kissing your head. You were convinced he read the book in a soft, quiet voice on purpose. Because no matter how strong your will to finish the chapter, you still were whisked away into sleep.

[atinylittlepain]

crying at night thinking about protective!joel getting angry when he finds out that you’ve started getting close to another man living in the boston QZ. and tess calling him out on his jealousy and obvious attraction to you.

tess to the rescue -- tesscue if you will

Looking

Joel Miller x f!reader

joel miller masterlist

He doesn't like the way she flirts with all their customers. But he's not jealous. No, definitely not jealous.

warnings | 18+ canon-typical violence, smutty implications, sexual harassment

.............................

“Since when is she running deals for us?” “Since all the feds like customer service with a smile.”

“Tess.”

“Is there a problem, Joel?” He grunts, taking one more look at her, the easy smile she’s giving the guard as she flicks some of her hair out of her eyes. He knows her well enough to know she’s putting on a show for this guy, and it makes his blood boil. Tess steps in front of him, blocking his view.

“Hey, is there a problem?” She enunciates each word slowly and clearly, obvious irritation in her voice. He shakes his head with a huff.

“No– no problem. Just don’t come to me when she gets herself killed by one of these fucking guards.” He shoves off the brick wall he had been leaning against, trudging off toward their apartment, not bothering to glance over to where she’s still playing it up to the guy. 

He tells himself that the only reason he’s pissed is that he still doesn’t trust her, the new addition to his and Tess’ smuggling operation, and he doesn’t want her pocketing pay behind their backs. But as the weeks go by of this new set-up, it becomes clear that he doesn’t need to worry about that. Whatever extra sweetness the FEDRA guards throw into their trades with her, she’s sure to share it with him and Tess. It had taken every ounce of his willpower not to laugh in elation when she brought home a bag of coffee the other day, offering it to him with the same smile she was giving to all their customers. Joel has no reason to be so pissed, so cold to her, at least no reason that he’d like to consider. Tess, however, seems to think otherwise.

“You keep staring like that and you’re gonna burn a hole through the back of her head.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tess snorts, nudging his shoulder with hers where they’re standing a bit further down the alley, both of them watching her finish another deal with another guard. 

“Joel, we’ve been partners for what– five years now? In all that time I’ve never seen the look you get when you’re looking at her so maybe cut the bullshit, yeah? Because she thinks that you hate her.” He scoffs, toeing his boots into the cracked asphalt.

“Don’t hate her– I just– don’t like the way she acts– with these boys. She’s gonna get herself– I don’t know– jesus–  will you just drop it?” Tess puts her hands up as if in surrender, a smirk that’s all too smug for Joel’s taste stamped across her face as she shuffles out of the alley. He settles back against the wall with a sigh, keeping his eyes fixed on her and the guard. How long does it take to trade some fucking pills?

She’s good at what she does, Joel will give her that, letting out breathy giggles as the guard smiles at her, running her hand down his forearm before waggling her fingers at him as she turns to leave, the bright facade she had been using immediately falling away as she looks to Joel with a firm but subtle nod. He presses off the wall as she falls into step beside him, both of them weaving through the crowded streets of the QZ back to the apartment building. She lives a door down from him, their proximity was what had originally drawn her into their business, but most of her time is spent in his apartment now, working out new deals and supply chains with Tess. 

“Extra ration cards on top of the agreed on payment. And a date. But I’m not sharing that perk with you, Miller.” He huffs at her teasing, keeping his eyes focused on counting out the cards as he slumps down onto the musty sofa in his apartment. Tess is nowhere to be found, most likely off running some sort of scheme elsewhere in the QZ. 

“Hardly call that a perk, darlin. Don’t know why you even entertain those boys. Ain’t nothing but trouble.” She sighs, tilting her head to rest on her shoulder as she looks at him.

“Those boys happen to have A-one access to any and all supplies you could possibly want. You can scowl all you want, Miller, but it pays to be on their good side.” 

“Well then, when’s this date of yours?” 

“Tonight, don’t wait up, Miller.” He scoffs, muttering a low “wouldn’t dream of it” as she’s already walking out the door.

…

“Joel, what the fuck are you doing? You’ve been standing at that window all night.” His head whips around, grimacing at Tess before he promptly goes back to scouring the darkened streets outside his window.

“It’s late. She should be home by now.” Tess scoffs.

“Oh please. You just don’t want to consider that maybe she’s not home because she’s getting laid right now. I say good for her, getting some action and some more supplies in one fell swoop.” Joel doesn’t like the sound of that at all, Tess’ words moving him away from the window to grab his jacket and head for the front door. 

“What’re you doing now?” He glances at her over his shoulder, already halfway out the door.

“I’m glad you think this is funny, really. But I don’t. I’m going to look for her.” He closes the door before he can hear Tess’ exasperated exclamation.

“Fucking lovesick fool.”

…

He’s not sure where he should be looking, quickly realizing how stupid this is. It’s past curfew, so he sticks to the alleyways, ducking under the bright lights of the patrol cars whenever they roll by. He makes it a few blocks away from their apartment building before the reality of how foolish he’s being sets in. Just as he’s getting ready to turn heel back home, his ears prick to a shuffling sound coming from deeper down the alley. He moves toward the sound, sliding along one of the walls of the alley to stay in the shadows. His stomach twists when he hears a voice.

“C’mon, baby. You were so friendly this afternoon. Just let me have a little peek, huh?” Her voice answers, clearly laced with a strained distress.

“Just- just stop. It’s past curfew, what if we get caught?” The man laughs, and it takes everything in Joel not to sprint down the alley and take him out right then.

“You don’t gotta worry about getting caught when you’re with me. I run these streets. Now I suggest you quit being a little bitch and give me what I want.” He finally catches sight of them, dim figures in the outer reaches of a lone streetlamp. The man has her cornered up against the wall of the alley, his hands tugging at her clothes as she tries to push him off.

Joel moves before he can think, and in the blink of an eye, he has the man on the ground, bringing his fist down again and again as rage washes over him. The only thing that finally stops his blind rampage is a firm hand on his shoulder. He takes a shuddering breath, looking down at the man’s now pummeled face, a mess of blood, before looking over his shoulder to meet her watery gaze.

“We need to leave before someone comes looking, c’mon.” Neither of them speak as they hustle through alleys to get back to the apartment, but she holds Joel’s bloodied hand the whole way, tugging him out of his anger-induced haze.

…

“You came looking for me.” Her voice is a faint murmur as she keeps her gaze focused on his hand, daubing at his split knuckles with a damp rag in the bathroom of his apartment. He’s trying not to think too hard about the way she’s kneeling between his legs where he’s sitting on the lip of the bathtub, but his breath still catches when she finally looks up at him.

“I did.”

“Why?” 

“I was worried about you.”

“What? Joel, you don’t even like me.” He swallows thickly and she huffs at his silence, getting back to work at cleaning his busted hand.

“That’s not true.” Her hands still and she looks up at him again.

“It isn’t?” He shakes his head.

“No, it’s not. I– I like you, I do. What I don’t like is how you act with all those boys. It just– it makes me– fuck, it makes me nervous.” She sits back, fully looking at him, her brows raised in surprise.

“You? Nervous?” He huffs, not missing the crooked ghost of a smirk that spreads over her face.

“Those boys are no good, darlin. It may seem like a game to you– swiping a few extra ration cards here and there with a bat of your eyes– but I’ve seen what they’re capable of. That’s why I went looking for you– because the thought of something– of him– I couldn’t–” His rambles die in his throat when she places her palm on his thigh.

“Thank you, Joel. For– helping me tonight. You were right, at least about this one.” Her eyes fall and Joel feels worry kicking back up in his chest, bringing his hand to her jaw and coaxing her to look at him.

“He didn’t try anything else, did he? Are you– are you alright?” She sighs, but nods, her cheek pressing lightly into his palm.

“I’m fine. Got there just in time, Miller.” His shoulders slump in relief.

“I don’t want you doing deals anymore.” She opens her mouth to protest, but he presses on.

“We do just fine without all the extras. If they want pills so bad they can go through me. Tess has some new connections on the border of Vermont, could use your help mapping a route, I’m guessing. But no more of that cute shit, alright?” She grins, and he immediately regrets that last bit.

“So what I’m hearing is, you like me and you think I’m cute.” He immediately takes his hand away from her face as she laughs, her eyes crinkling up at his grumbling expression.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to tease–”

“Oh, I think you do, darlin.” That makes her laugh again and Joel has to fight off his own crooked smile. She sighs, taking one more look at his knuckles before standing and tilting her head as she looks at him.

“That’s the best I can do for your hand–” Joel’s breath stutters when she bends over, resting a hand on his shoulder as she brings her lips to his good ear.

“And for the record, I like you too, Miller.” He swallows hard before speaking, worried that his voice might give away more than he’d like it to.

“You do?” She pulls away only slightly, looking him right in the eye as she nods.

“Call me crazy, but I like ‘em a little mean.” It happens so fast, he thinks he’s been electrocuted by the bright zap of her lips smacking a kiss to his cheek. She’s already out the door when he brings his palm to where her lips just were. 

Maybe Tess was right.

[greenglowinspooks]

(DCxDP) The obligations of a rogue versus those of a parent (pt. 2)

—

Tw: N/A

Will be crossposted to AO3 eventually

(Pt. 1 here) - (Pt. 3 here)

(Masterlist/subscription post)

—

It was a beautiful morning. Somehow, against all odds, the sun was shining through the thick smog perpetually covering Gotham.

And Danny hated it.

He was in pain, he was exhausted, he was grieving, and all he wanted to do was sleep for at least a week.

In an act of celestial mockery, the sun shone regardless.

After around twenty minutes of tossing and turning in bed, trying to get back to sleep, Danny gave up and pried himself out of bed.

He stumbled through the hallway and into the living room, staring openly at every splash of color he saw in the small apartment. He hadn’t forgotten what color looked like in the time he was in the lab, but it was comforting to see.

Someone cleared their throat. Danny whipped his head around, eyes falling on a scrawny, gangly man sitting down in a worn armchair, hunched over a laptop. He was looking at him with a dull, bored expression.

Right. Scarecrow.

His escape.

The chase.

His mom.

“You look a lot less terrifying without the mask,” Danny blurted out, slapping his hand over his mouth. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t call my normal appearance frightening,” Scarecrow hummed, focusing his attention back onto the laptop, “that’s what the costume is for, after all.”

“Oh.”

After a brief moment of excruciating silence, Scarecrow spoke.

“You any good with computers, Danny? Hacking, and all that?”

Danny jolted. Scarecrow needed his help with something! This was great! Now, he’d have more of a reason not to get rid of him!

“Oh, uh, yeah! Not as good as my friend Tucker, but I think I’m pretty good.”

“And you’re familiar with the GiW’s systems specifically,” Scarecrow continued, beckoning him over. Danny complied, shuffling over awkwardly. “Right?”

“Well, I guess? My friends and I got into their stuff a couple of times before they…”

“Wonderful,” Scarecrow said, standing up with a stretch. He shoved the laptop into Danny’s hands and gestured for him to sit down on the couch. “Then you can hack into their system and extract whatever files you can find.”

Danny stared at the man like he’d lost his mind. He looked back at him expectantly.

Danny sat down.

“Yeah, I-I can do that. Tuck and I built a back door into their system ages ago,” he said, checking the screen. It was clear that for all the skills that Scarecrow had, hacking was definitely not one of them. “But, uh, don’t you have someone else that usually does this sort of thing for you? Not that I’m complaining!”

Scarecrow scowled, and Danny felt his heart fall into his ass.

“Usually, I do,” Scarecrow huffed, “but I chose to leave my most recent job with the Penguin early, so now there’s no way that he or Eddie will help me with anything until I make it up to them somehow.”

“Oh,” Danny said.

He had no clue whatsoever who Eddie was.

Danny got to work quickly, hoping that if he ignored the gangly man, he would leave him be. Luckily, he did just that, leaving to go work on something in another room.

Danny checked the laptop’s security before continuing Scarecrow’s progress, making sure that the GiW wouldn’t be able to grab their location.

It was…threateningly good. Whoever Eddie was, he had somehow crammed the functionality of a top-of-the-line PC into a tiny, beat-up old laptop. It almost reminded Danny of Tucker and his terrifying competence with his PDA.

Tucker.

Amity park.

Home.

Danny snapped himself out of his thoughts, tabbing back into the application Scarecrow had up and began to work his magic.

He had near full access to the entire GiW database within half an hour.

Mumbling out a quick thank-you to Tucker, he called Scarecrow over to appraise his work.

“Fixed up some food for you while you worked,” the rogue said, handing him a bowl of oatmeal, taking the laptop into his lap as he did so, “didn’t know how well you could eat, considering you’re recovering from… surgery, so I decided to stay on the safe side.”

Danny had no clue what this guy’s deal was.

He definitely did not tear up at the first genuine thoughtfulness he encountered in weeks, and he did not look away as he ate so that Scarecrow couldn’t see his face.

At least Scarecrow was too focused on the laptop to notice or care.

Or, maybe, he was just mercifully ignoring him.

Either way, Danny ate slowly, not wanting to make himself sick. He allowed himself to absentmindedly look around the room for the first time, taking everything in.

It was strangely homey. The space was filled with warm browns and yellows, a few splashes of color on the wall in the form of (obviously gifted) paintings. There was a beat-up bookshelf against the wall, clearly second-hand, filled to the brim with psychology books. On every available surface there was a different colored candle, all at different stages of use, clearly collected over the course of years.

Danny knew that the man next to him was a crazed, murderous criminal, but his home was oddly reminiscent of Jazz.

He was not about to cry.

“Danny,” Scarecrow hummed, snapping him out of his spiraling, “can you explain this to me?”

He looked over. The rogue was pointing to a new report, seemingly posted only a few hours ago.

Nodding, he took the computer into his lap, pouring over the contents.

He read the report again.

And again.

And again.

Danny swore loudly, crumpling like a wet paper bag, head in his hands.

“What?”

“It’s…” he swore again, glancing back at the laptop, “they…since you became liminal from synthetic ectoplasm, when we’re within about 500 meters of one another, our ectoplasm signatures resonate, and they can’t track us with any of their technology.”

“How is that a bad thing?”

“If we’re not that close to each other, they can track us down from anywhere in the world.”

Scarecrow went dead quiet. After what felt like the single longest minute of Danny’s life, he let out a truly exasperated sigh, slumping over in his seat.

“Yeah, me too,” Danny mumbled, utterly miserable.

“…I’ll have to move my plans back a little,” Scarecrow sighed, “I can’t drag an injured child with me when I attack the Gotham GiW base, you’ll just get in the way.”

“Oh come on,” Danny whined, “I can take care of myself just fine. Besides, Batman brings kids with him to do dangerous stuff all the time, and he’s fine!”

“Might I remind you that the second Robin died violently,” Scarecrow snapped, “and that Batman most likely has more traumatic brain injuries than all of the Gotham rogues combined. That really isn’t the winning argument you think it is.”

Danny paused, trying to think up some way to win the argument. Then, he realized what he had ignored before.

“Wait, Scarecrow, you’re gonna attack the GiW?”

“That’s the plan,” he nodded, “and call me Dr. Crane. I’m only Scarecrow when I’m in the mask.”

But,” Danny sputtered, “Sca—uh, Dr. Crane—that’s insane! The weapons they’ve got- they’ll rip you apart!”

“Not my first time,” Crane said, making Danny wince. ���Besides, I have plenty of experience avoiding gunfire. I’ll live.”

“You…” Danny was silent for a while, trying to think of something to say, “fine, but you have to take me with you wherever you go. As soon as they see either of us on their radars, they’ll hunt us down.”

Dr. Crane sighed.

“…Fine. I need some time to plan anyways. Now, you’re going to help me download these files, properly format them, and send them out.”

“…Why?”

“Well, some of the other rogues might appreciate the heads up, and I’d quite like them to be indebted to me. Besides, I still need to pay back the Penguin for ditching him, and he loves knowing things that other people don’t.”

Danny paused.

“That’s an awful idea, no offense. If any of the rogues know our weaknesses, they—”

“Danny, we’re censoring everything. The only things they need to know about are the GiW specifically, and any sort of laws surrounding them.”

Danny snorted.

“You care about laws now?”

“Yes, because if we get taken to Arkham, they’ll hand us off to the GiW the moment they ask, and it’ll be completely legal.”

Oh. Danny had honestly forgotten that Arkham was an option.

“…Ok. I’ll help you. Who are we telling?”

“I don’t think you really need to know,” Dr. Crane said, the faintest shadow of an amused look on his face, “but I’ll humor you for now. We’re sending the files out to the Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy via Harley Quinn, Two-Face, and Red Hood.”

Danny nodded. He could live with that.

“Alright, then let’s get to work.”

—

[trippinsorrows]

10 things + part two

authors note: wasn't expecting so many of you to be interested in this! but, you were, and now here we are! 😅 there will definitely be a final part 3 to this, btw.

words: 3.1k

part one

gif belongs to @romanreigns

warnings: angst, argument between parent and child, things get a tad bit physical....

Nova has always enjoyed and cherished Roman being home. For a lot of reasons. Many of them obvious, like the fact that he’s her husband, the man she loves, the man she wants to be around. Or even just the relief that comes with having another adult in the home to help out with the girls while she works. 

So him having time off work the past few months really has made a difference. For her. For their marriage. And especially for his relationship with their young daughters.

If only the same could be said for his relationship with their firstborn.

Which is exactly what she plans to tackle when he walks back in the room after putting the girls down for bed.

“How many stories did they sucker out of you?”

Roman chuckles at the first question he’s hit with as soon as he returns from bedtime duties. “Only three this time.”

She smiles, watching him close the door and walk over to where she sits on her knees in the middle of the bed. “Park must have worn them out.”

He makes a sound, starting to eye her up and down. Nova knows that look. Knows it far too well. It’s the same look that most likely led to both her pregnancies with their middle and youngest. “Speaking of wearing out…..”

She rolls her eyes when he reaches for her chin, lifting her head. “We need to talk.”

“Not gonna lie, not really in the mood for talking. Not with this little piece you got on….” He gestures to the thin sleep dress that shows off her breast and hardened nipples that are stretched against the cotton. 

“Too bad.” She ignores him, patting the spot beside her. “Come on.”

The scowl on his face is comical, similar to any of the kids when they’ve just been told something they don’t want to hear. “It better be important.”

“It is,” she promises. One of the most important things in his life. 

Roman looks at her, gaze shifting into something suspicious. “You pregnant?”

She rolls her eyes. “No, Roman, I’m not pregnant.” Nova taps her upper forearm. “Remember? We made sure that doesn’t happen again. At least not without being planned.” He looks both relieved and torn. Relatable. Neither of them necessarily want any more children, but they also wouldn’t be upset if it happened. “Besides, we need to focus on the ones we have. Starting with Junior.”

And instantly, she knows she’s lost his interest. “Not this again—”

“Yes, this again.” She stresses, borderline irritated that he’s irritated that she wants to discuss his abysmal relationship with their firstborn. “He’s your son, Roman. You need to fix your relationship with him.”

“Nova, we both know that boy doesn't want anything to do with me.”

She shakes her head. “That’s not true.”

He runs his hands through his hair, expressing 100% disagreement. “He acts like he hates me or something.”

Though it’s said with surface level irritation, Nova knows her husband well. Has known him since they were teenagers, so it’s relatively easy for her to see through his facade. His statement holds a lot of hurt.

A lot of pain.

“He doesn’t, baby,” she comforts, reaching to push back some of his hair. He has it down, free and wavy just how she prefers it. “He’s just—-he……he feels like he can’t talk to you.”

Roman is quick to object. “He doesn’t want to talk to me.”

“No, he doesn’t want to talk to you if you’re not going to listen to him, and you don’t sometimes, Roman.”

Nova loves her husband as much as she’s certain he loves her, but he can be hard headed and stubborn. Borderline arrogant, especially when he believes he’s right. A hard person to deal with. At times, at least.

She watches the way Roman’s shoulders relax a bit as he lets down some of his walls, admitting, “I just don’t want him to make the same mistakes I did.”

Nova moves and hugs him from behind, chin on his shoulder. “I get that, babe, but he’s going to make mistakes, regardless, because he’s a kid. That’s how they learn.”

“But, why should I just sit here and watch my son go down the same road I did if I can avoid it?”

And herein lies the main issue from what Nova has been able to see. The vastly different stances the two men in her life have regarding one of their futures. RJ wants to enter the NFL draft next year, wants to get started on his career now rather than later. Believes that’s the best route for him. Roman, however, wants his son to finish school and then declare for the draft. 

To avoid having the tough experiences Roman had in not getting drafted and being added and cut from team to team, putting the family in financial difficulties because of inconsistent income. Roman couldn’t even provide for his family at that time, a devastating feeling for anyone, let alone a man.

RJ, clearly, is in a different boat. Regardless, with no college degree, Roman didn’t have much to lean back on. He doesn’t want that for his son.

If only Junior saw it that way.  

“Because you can’t make him do anything he doesn’t want to do.” She sighs, sharing her own thoughts. “I don’t disagree with you, Roman. I think he should stay and finish school and then enter the draft too, but I can’t make that decision for him, and neither can you.”

“So we just let him make bad decisions? Is that what you’re saying?” She closes her eyes. Here they go. “Fuck that. I know you like to be his friend, but you’re not, Nova. You’re his mother, and you need to act like it.”

“Excuse me?” She moves away, removing her arms from around him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means you don’t like confrontation, so you avoid it by any means, even if it means upholding his bad behavior.”

Nova doesn’t really get angry or let things affect her much. Unless it comes to her family. To her kids. And Roman happens to be picking at that soft spot. “No, you don’t get to do that. You don’t get to make it seem like I’m a bad mother for supporting our son.”

He rolls his eyes. “Not everything needs to be supported.”

“And not everything needs to be judged either.” She shakes her head, climbing off the bed. “This is the shit I’m talking about. It’s like I can’t even talk to you anymore.” Nova heads for their bathroom, already over this conversation. She loves Roman, but sometimes, she can’t stand him.

And this is gradually turning into one of those times. 

Roman is hot on her heels, standing in the doorway as she starts to pull out her skincare items. “See, you’re proving my point. You’re walking away.”

She turns to him, explaining boldly. “I’m walking away because I don’t want to argue with you. I’m tired of that, and you should be too, which is why I’m trying to get you to make peace with your only son.”

Of course, he continues playing the victim, going along with his swan song. “Why should I have to do it? Why should I have to apologize for looking out for him? For being his father?”

“He doesn’t see it that way, Roman. He sees it as you being controlling.”

“No, he just doesn’t want anyone telling him what to do.”

Nova scoffs, grabbing her face cream, twisting off the cap. “Wonder where he gets that from.”

She doesn’t have to be looking at him to know he’s scowling. “He’s not a little boy anymore. You need to stop fucking babying him all the time.”

At that, her head snaps in his direction. “Excuse me?” Again, poking the bear. “I don’t baby him. I make myself available for him emotionally. Lord knows, you don’t.”

“He doesn’t want me—”

Nova slams the jar down on the counter, turning to him. “What does he want, Roman? Huh?” She places one hand on the counter and the other on her hip. “When’s the last time you even asked him?”

He looks away, jaw clenched, and she knows she’s got him. Knows that he has no retort for that. Not a good one, at least. 

“You know what, I’m done asking you to do shit.” She steps toward him, all of the weight and stress of this situation evident in both her expression and voice. “I’m telling you to make things right with our son.”

Nova takes his hands in hers. “I love you, but I love our children more.” She swallows, emotion betraying her, eyes watering. “And if it ever came to it where it’s between them and you….I choose them every time.”

—--------

“We need to talk.”

Nova is barely back in the kitchen after getting the girls down for bed when the smile is easily wiped off her previously happy face. She glances over at her husband and then her son, both standing on separate sides of the kitchen island. She can tell RJ was about to head out, clearly uninterested in staying beyond his attendance for Sunday family dinner.

A part of her wants to cut in, wants to suggest that maybe they do this another time. Maybe over lunch between the two of them. Someplace where they’re less likely to have an epic blowout.

But, it’s too late.

RJ visibly tenses at Roman’s statement. An obvious reaction given the fact that rarely do good things follow those four infamous words. 

“About?” 

“You still planning to enter the draft?”

RJ shrugs. “Yeah.”

Roman is quiet for a second, stroking his beard. “You know that’s stupid, right?”

Nova closes her eyes. Such a great start. “Roman.”

RJ, however, just smiles and crosses his arms. “Of course, you think it’s stupid. Not like anyone else can have a good idea if it didn’t come from you.”

Roman ignores that, instead suggesting, “you need to finish school first. Get your degree.”

“Why?” RJ’s nose is turned up in disgust. “We all know I’m locked in to be a first round pick.”

“That’s what you think. It’s not guaranteed.” Roman objects, advising, “don’t get too cocky.”

At that, RJ looks like he wants to laugh. “You’re telling me that?” He scoffs. “You’re the last one to talk.”

“Junior.” Nova scolds, now standing almost directly next to Roman. “I think what your dad is trying to say—”

“How much longer you think I’m gonna keep putting up with your disrespectful ass mouth, huh?” Roman cuts her off, and Nova finds herself reaching over to grab his hand. His tone alone tells her his anger is spiking, and that’s never a good thing. Especially right now. “Keep it up.”

And the situation is only made worse when Junior starts to laugh. Nova closes her eyes. This is not what she meant when she told Roman to make things right.

He’s doing the exact opposite. 

Roman’s nose is flared, his voice tight as he he asks, “what’s so fucking funny?”

“You.” RJ doesn’t hesitate to answer, hands flat on the granite as he leans over the island. “How all of a sudden you wanna be my dad. How you all of a sudden wanna act like you care about me. Act like you care about my future. Act like you didn’t miss almost, if not all, of my games when I was growing up.”

Nova’s stomach is starting to twist and knot. “RJ—”

But, he only continues. Pain and anger meshing and forming into a dangerous combination. “Mama was there. Every game. You weren’t.” Nova glances over at Roman and sees the same mix of feelings from their son in him. “You weren’t there for me then, so you don’t get to be there for me now.” 

Closing her eyes, she does her best to quickly try to figure out what’s the best thing to say. To try to defuse this situation that’s clearly much deeper than she could have ever realized. 

But, Roman is faster. “You act like I was this piece of shit dad who was never around at all.” And just like with her son, she sees and hears it with the senior of the two. Anger and hurt. And pride. “I had to work to provide for you and your mother. You don’t get to throw that shit in my face when you’re older and use it to play the victim.”

Neither. Neither of them clearly know how to communicate without slinging mud. Without sharing how they feel minus the petty jabs and cheap shots. 

RJ only scoffs, seemingly unbothered. “Whatever.”

Roman leans his head back and rolls his shoulder. “RJ, I’m telling you right now, you leave school early and shit doesn’t work out, I’m cutting you off.”

Nova would have loved to have seen her son’s reaction to that, but she’s too busy looking at her husband with all the shock instead. They never discussed that. And she’s pissed off that he would even bring it up without even consulting her about it.

“Roman, you’re being—”

He ignores her, continuing to direct his warning to their son. “You wanna act grown. You can deal with whatever those consequences are.”

RJ shakes his head, Nova finally looking over at him. She can see it. So much hurt. “So what, I don’t do what you want, and I don’t get to be your son anymore?”

Roman snaps, raising his voice. “You don’t want to be my son now, so what fucking difference does it make?” 

“Roman!” She can’t believe he would say that, can’t believe he could ever fix his mouth to express such a thing to his own flesh and blood. It turns her stomach a little bit. Truly. “Don’t say—”

“It’s alright, mama. That’s who he is. It’s who he’s always been.” The betrayal is seeping through as RJ directs his comment toward her instead of Roman who only continues to look with that same combination of heavy emotions. “I don’t even know why you're still with him” Nova is already at a loss for words at how bad this has gotten, but nothing could have prepared her for what he says next. “Should have left his ass the minute you found out he cheated on you.”

Silence.

Nova’s gaze switches to Roman who seems just as taken back as she feels. How RJ is aware of this, she has no idea. Nor does she know just how much he knows about what really occurred and the complexity of the situation. But, that’s neither here nor there. Because she’s got a whole other issue to handle that’s created with Roman’s next statement. 

“Get the hell out of my house.”

Her eyes snap shut again. 

Shit.

She reaches for his arm. “Roman….”

“No!” He snaps. At her. At RJ. At the situation as a whole that’s reached a higher level of disaster than she could have ever anticipated. “He thinks he knows every fucking thing. Wants to be a man. So let him be a fucking man!”

This is not what their son needs. Far from it. “Roman!”

“Naw, he’s right, mama! I don’t need him!” Her attention switches to her son, who much like his father, is doing a damn good job hiding his hurt at this entire thing. Hiding the open, gaping emotional wound. “I can take care of myself!”

“So do it!” Roman continues, completely honed in on his emotions instead of the logic Nova is trying to desperately instill and impart on them both right now. “Get your own fucking car! Pay your own fucking tuition!” 

“I will!” He yells back. “Acting like this your house when everybody knows mama was the one taking care of your broke ass and everything else until your career kicked off!”

“RJ! That is enough.” All of this has gone too far. “I know you’re upset, but he’s still your fath—”

“He’s nothing to me!” Nova feels like she’s in some sort of simulated reality. One where every single one of her worst fears comes to life and haunts her. Or, maybe that would be more enjoyable than this. “He’s just a narcissistic ass—”

Nova has never had fast reflexes. Ever. Two left feet, poor hand eye coordination. The whole nine yards, but there’s nothing slow about the way in which she jumps in front of Roman who starts to lunge toward their son with nothing good in mind.

Nothing good at all.

“No!” She shouts, hands on his chest, knowing that it’s certainly not her strength restraining him. It’s the fact that he clearly doesn’t want to hurt her. “Roman, no! Please!”

“Let him go! Let him do it!”

“RJ! Shut up now!” Nova snaps, directing some of her own simmering anger to her son. She feels for him, sees the hurt hiding behind the anger, but enough is enough. He’s out of line. 

“Why?” He continues. And Nova is really starting to wonder if he took something, because this is not the son she knows. The child she raised. She never taught or allowed him to be this disrespectful. “You know I’m right! Even uncle Jey said it! Dad is a bit—”

Nova is barely able to process what’s happening until she’s stumbling to the side, Roman having bypassed her. She’s only able to see the moment he shoves RJ who stumbles and falls back, just not on the ground. 

No. A single, small cry pierces the air and causes all three of them to pause, even if for the briefest second.

“Mommy!” Arabella’s cry of pain is slightly muffled under RJ’s heavy body as he quickly moves to roll off his little sister whose face is turned up in pain, her arms reaching out for a source of comfort.

Roman looks devastated. RJ is mortified, and Nova can only rush over to her daughter, quickly lifting and holding her, gently cradling her head as Bella cries into her.

“Mom, I’m sor—”

“No!” Nova snaps. Enough. She’s just had enough. “Both of you get the hell out of my house!”

Roman swallows and steps forward, eyes focused on Bella’s little body as she sobs into Nova’s neck. “Bella—”

“I said I want you out!” She reaffirms, stepping toward her son whose anger has melted away into a stirring pot of guilt. “You come back when you find your goddamn brain.” Angling her body toward her husband, to the man she’s spent so much of her formative years and life with, feeling for the first time in a long time, nothing but disgust. “And you?” Nova is almost certain she feels the moment her heart breaks as she says those infamous words. “Don’t come back at all.”

[hxney-lemcn]

non-request Idia thought of the Day:

Consider hieght difference.

OUR BOY BE TALL!! Easily being able to duck under his arm or get into small spaces to fix tech because you're small.

being absolutely done with a situation (Dorm head meeting?), walking over to Idia, and promptly zipping yourself up in his jacket. while he's still in it. He doesn't know what to do. he's just standing there with another person in his jacket with him. WHAT BUTTON DOES HE PRESS FOR THIS HE DOESNT KNOW-- Not even your head is out, the jacket is zipped all the way up.

Also sweater paws for that one hit K.O. to Idia.

ALSO SHORT BUT STRONK- IMAGINE BEING SMALL AND ADORABLE BUT YOU JUST PICK IDIA'S SKYSCRAPER ASS UP LIKE NOTHING. "Hi Cater, Need Idia. Bye." Straight just yoinking him and leaving. Why did you need him? Parallel play reasons obviously.

Idia is 6 ft (183 cm) tall, and he never really thought about his height. Why would he? He barely leaves his room, if anything, he wishes he was smaller so he could blend into a crowd better.

And then you come along. It doesn't matter how much shorter you are, whether its only an inch or a foot, he notices that your shorter.

It would be so funny if you try to kabedon him, if you're really short you gotta stand up on your tippy toes. Instant K.O. Idia is gone, deceased. He finds it both adorable and lowkey hot and he secretly wishes you do it again.

If he tries to get you back...he dies of embarrassment if you slip under his arm. HE WAS TRYING TO DO THE THING! AND YOU JUST- YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT! (give him a little kiss to make up for your teasing).

He is crumbling at any sign of affection (even more so if its public). You zipping yourself in his hoodie? Or just slipping it over your head as well. Sharing a hoodie while he's still in it...yeah he's a jittery mess. You're heat seeping into him, your hair tickling his skin, you look so peaceful with your head against his chest and arms around his torso...if your in a private setting he watches you with a blush. He can't get over the fact that you're real and you choose him. If you're in public his hood is over his head and he's trying to act cool but his bright pink cheeks and tips of his hair clearly give away his true feelings.

It would be absolutely comical for short but strong reader to pick up Idia. Oh my gosh and if people are around...yeah he's floundering (ik I keep saying that but lets be real...he can barely handle a normal social situation lmao). To be fair, if you can lift over 140lbs (63kg) you can probably carry him (he is thin so I'm assuming we are a similar weight and I added some lbs cus he's taller than me). This is probs your way of getting him out of a situation he doesn't want to be in (any social one 💀).

Cater is trying to be buddy buddy with Idia, wanting to finally have at least one friend from Ignihyde. Idia looks like he wants to be literally anywhere else. So you decide to step in, pick up Idia, and tell Cater that y'all had plans. Idia is holding onto you for dear life, Cater is eating it up (this is now added to his gossip folder and he definitely got photos of you carrying Idia). After the panic wears off, Idia is impressed. Who knew you had so much muscle? Totally not another reason for him to simp for you.

[rosaeh]

writer!jason x actress!reader

kind of la la land au

words = ~ 1.800

Being Bruce Wayne's son, Jason should not have any trouble publishing his book. Hypothetically. But Jason wants his book to be published because it's his, not because it's Bruce Wayne's son's.

But he is really starting to consider this idea when his manuscript is denied for the fourth time. He does not understand what he is doing wrong. He truly thought his first manuscript was good. Flawless even. He graduated from the literature course of Gotham University with honours, meaning he knows to write. He does.

So why on Earth is he sitting with his head in his hands, the refusal email displayed on his laptop's screen ?

Being Gotham's daughter certainly did not help you in improving your acting skills. Or it seems to be what the people at the audition thought, at least. Working at a dinner since you were 17 in order to pay for your acting class, you know what making sacrifice means, what being hard-working means. And you certainly know your acting skills are good. Excellent even. You do your best to be in character, learning about them, taking notes, acting as if it were you.

Which is why you do not understand why the phone has not rung yet, as you are waiting for the call that could start your career.

He needs to change his mind. And even if he does not want to, he will -he also has to- go to this gala Bruce is hosting. Being with his siblings might soothe him. Being in an event that pisses him off even more than those stupid publishers, will definitely make him forget about it, even if it's just for a night.

So he finds himself standing awkwardly near a table on which rest a feast, a champagne glass in hand. He looks into the void, reminiscing about his book. Being at this gala did not actually help, because for once -once- no one is trying to bother him tonight, and his siblings are all caught up with someone. God, for once, he wished someone will talk his ear off about anything.

Crying in your bed tonight because of the rejection you feel within your bones, was not an option. You had promised your friend Esme you would work with her tonight as a waitress because she was afraid to go on her own among the socialite. You did not have the heart to tell her no one would pay mind to either of you, being only little people at their feet. So you had agreed.

Now here you are, pacing through this room, a plate full of champagne on your flat hand, hoping -praying- you won't drop it. A man even tried to put a tip in the pocket on your heart as if you were some kind of stripper for him to look at.

He needs another drink. If now one was going to make him forget about the book, then he will do it himself.

Barely even looking, he reached for a glass a waitress is offering. Rude. He looks up quickly to thank the person, knowing how shitty working amount socialite was. Hell, even just being around them was a pain.

As he was about to speak up, he looked at the woman and found himself scanning her face, feeling like he had seen her before. He still worded his gratefulness, "Thank you." he breathed out as he tried to figure where he has seen her before.

You were about to turn around and keep on pacing when the man's voice stops you.

"I feel like I've seen you before." he said, gaze fixed on you.

And you felt your cheeks getting hot and surely red as well. -Not only because this man is undeniably handsome, and you feel like a bug under is scrutinising green eyes.- But really because you know what he meant. You had been scared anyone would bring this up tonight, but the knowledge that no one would actually talk to you won out on the fear.

And here he is.

"Must've been someone else, surely." a polite smile is on your face, trying to play the perfect waitress. After all, playing pretend is what you do for a living, or at least try to.

His brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed, and your smile felt more awkward than anything now. It is as if he could see right through you, which made you feel even worse about your acting skills. You really should not have come tonight.

But, obviously, he had to figure it out.

"I saw your face on a poster, in the metro. The ads for-"

Jason decided to cut himself off because now she really looked mortified that he was talking to her, and he did not even notice since he was so focused on figuring out who she was.

The woman's cheeks were crimson, and now he felt bad.

"I'm sorry, I- Shouldn't have brought that up, you- Please, keep on going with...serving." Great. Now he felt even worse because he was so awkward as if he had never talked to another human being before that, and he was sure he made her feel worse by extension as well.

He dared meet her eyes again, and he was struck. -Not only because she is gorgeous, and that he was so set on trying to find her face in his memory to notice.- But really because she seemed less creeped out now. As if seeing him makes a fool of himself appeased her. Also because the woman's focus was now on him, and as if she were reading his mind, she said :

"There's no problem, really. It's okay." She offered a soft smile, that appeased him too.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable." He apologised again.

"You didn't, it's alright, I promise. And… I am, indeed, the girl from the whitening toothpaste." She sighted, as if the mention of the ads itself was a curse upon her.

You had no choice but to accept this ad, really. Because when you don't get any audition nor roles, and that you need to eat, you take anything. And honestly, at first, it did not bother you. It was just a simple ad, a picture of you holding the toothpaste in your hands with a bright smile. Easy. But they had to whiten your teeth.

And you can tell he remembered, because his lips were pressed in a thin line as if he was holding himself from grinning, God, maybe even laughing.

You knew you would not be able to take it if a man so handsome -and a socialite at that- laughed at you. You would just have to bury yourself 6 feet under.

"I'm not-" he cracks a chuckle, "I'm not laughing at you."

But you knew for sure this was a lie and knew you should feel ashamed, perhaps, but you do not. Because you felt like he was actually telling the truth, and was not laughing at you.

"What are you laughing for, then?

"My brother bought it, and his teeth were so white we could see 'em in the dark." He fully laughed now at the memory, and you were in awe at how gracious he made laughing seems.

You cannot help but crack a grin at his words.

"Thank God, I didn't actually have to use it."

He saw her smile before. A few times, when he would walk in the metro, the posters plastered on the dirty walls. But for some reason, seeing it for real was, actually, breathtaking. Like, breathtaking. Jason even stopped laughing at Dick's expense, to admire her smile. He hoped it did not come off as staring because he wanted to keep doing it.

"Are you telling me this was a misleading ad? Your teeth were not that white?" He smirked now, feeling weirdly more comfortable.

She scoffed, mouth agape, pretending to be offended. "I would never participate in that kind of masquerade."

He was amused. Actually amused, and the thought of his manuscript, of everything he had to change about it for the fourth time. But of course, fate was not on Jason's side -or so he thought- and a man approached the both of them. He said her name, and Jason kept repeating it in his mind, as if to carve it there.

"You can't speak to the guests, you have to work."

Her eyes widen, and she was red again, apologising throughfully to the man -whom she called Max- and turned her heels, not even daring to spare Jason a last glance.

And of course now that she was gone, someone came to talk to him. He should not have prayed for that before, he should have known it would come at him and bite him back.

There is a feeling of soreness in your arm for holding stuff all night long, but it was finally over. Max kinda scolded you for speaking with the socialite, but acted as if he felt bad for it and acted friendly again. You wondered if he was flirting with you. You were almost certain he was, but it was so badly handled that the doubt lingered.

It did not linger much longer, though, when he proposed to drive you home. And Esme was nowhere to be found. No excuse for you to avoid it, no matter how hard you tried to. You insisted on taking the cab, and he reminded you of how dangerous Gotham was. As if you didn't grow up in Crime Alley. You know how dangerous it is. But you are still testing your odds.

"It's really not necessary, Max. I'll be fine."

Max opened his mouth to argue with you furthermore, when you saw your light in the dark, your way out of this situation. The guest you talked to, and from afar you can now see how good his suit looked on him.

Not taking any chance to let this timing go to waste, you quickly cut off Max.

"Actually, someone's already driving me home." And with that you called him out, until his green eyes -that you were so grateful to see- were on you. "I'm here !"

He furrowed his brow in the exact same way he did when you two talked, and you cannot help but think it is cute. The man seemed to examine you, and when his eyes landed on Max, he finally understood what the look on your face meant. He nodded is head, telling you to come, and you obliged, thanking whatever deities were watching over you.

She quickly walked over to him, as if she was eager to come to him. As if. She was eager to get away from the other guy. Still, Jason felt a twitch in his stomach at the smile she wore on her face.

"My hero." She breathed out when she stopped right in front of him.

His gaze rested on her face for a moment longer, before he blurted out. "Jason."

She furrowed her brows as he suddenly speaked up, but the smile remained on her face. "Jason?"

God, his name on her lips.

"-Yes, I'm no hero. Just Jason."

considering writing this as a series tbh but i'll see i guess

[gotham-daydreams]

Honestly, in a situation like not [] where they aren't willing to physically hurt the reader but psychologically mess with them? It's fucked but at the same time I have too good of an imagination. When it comes to neglect there's so many aspects of it that could happen and even if I'm pissed I could keep my mouth shut to the point I feel numb.

I mean they can't change you or break you if you just stay in your own head after all? Lil stories in your head to keep you busy, unholy amount of hours spent sleeping. I don't care if I waste away if it means not having to deal with people who won't even listen or admit that it's gonna take time to undo trauma and won't take the proper steps to undo it.

They take things up a notch and limit food or start doing things that prevent you from sleeping? Do it, at least the hat man will be a better friend. Can't break what's not there, the batfam always has this mindset that so long as they get their way that they would do what's necessary but that's entirely because they are all too selfish to actually really respect how you feel. And no amount of bugging me or yelling at me or trying to get a rise out of me will change the fact I can just slip into my mind and ignore it all.

The only way I'd ever stop being in my head and not even wasting time on them is if they actually tried to be genuine in fixing things and admit they fucked up and are doing it out of guilt. Either put down your pride or stay with a reader who will gladly stay tucked away in the crevice of their brain in an imaginary field of flowers with whatever lil character they make to enjoy the time in their head <3

Anyways I love your series and can't wait for more!! Please take care and hydrate!!!

I do agree! Especially in this scenario where they’re way more unwilling to physically hurt the reader, because... well, they want to hear your music! Like a little songbird, just tucked away from the public eye, just for them to hear you sing...

It'll definitely get on their nerves, and some will probably crumble under the pressure - but those that don't aren't actually the ones you should be worried about. I mean, of course they'll try to do everything else they can, and at that point - its a contest of willpower and to see who can outlast the other (and spoiler, most of them will definitely lose), but some are definitely more stubborn than others. After all, their 'love' is spawned out of guilt, obligation, and a messy mix of things that's turned into this ugly beast of a thing they see as love - if you aren't willing to take it, then that's fine, but you definitely aren't getting anything until you do.

Though, again, at some point the time and treatment definitely begins to effect them too. And that’s... not good, especially when some of them are known for their resolve, will, and general ability to withstand so much crap despite not even being superhuman (even if in all honesty, compared to the average guy, they may as well be). Them being insane does not help with that fact.

They'll begin to consider things they wouldn't have even thought of before out of sheer desperation and need. They'll think about it, plan it out a little, and before they even know it - they're losing hours of sleep trying to find ways to actually execute it. Hell - some may even act impulsively, and just flat out do it without giving it a second thought. Because they can't. They can't think. They can't sleep. Not without you - not after another month, another week, another day, another hour, another second without you.

They need it. Need you. Need your warmth, your presence - to feel like they're doing something right, even when its so wrong. Even if they've left you damaged beyond repair, some still want to feel like they can fix you, put you back together... and what better way to feed that delusion then to hold you in their arms? To do all of these things with you... even if you're not mentally there?

At that point, they'd sacrifice never being able to hear your music from you to get that. To have that fabricated connection. They'd give up that one thing that's been keeping them from harming you physically, and go all out.

[Which... descriptions of losing limbs, and general gore under the cut, it's not pretty but not super detailed either? Yes, it's towards the reader. Yes the reader is awake. There is no cut away, but some dancing around using some phrases repeatedly. Consider yourself warned and advised. Even if it's just descriptions - the family isn't playing nice.]

Maybe they'd start small... just a leg, maybe two, not even a foot- your legs from the knee down are going indefinitely. Maybe even the whole thing if certain people do it impulsively, and aren't thinking - aside from the fact that they need you close, but they just have to get these things out of the way. To lessen your struggle, to reassure themselves you won't run, of course - after all, you can't run if they just... take away that option, right? It's for the best, they'd tell themselves, they need to do this. They have to. You gave them no other choice- and now... now they had to make a tough choice. They have to do this.

If it's done impulsively, it's messy. I guess not having a lot of experience cutting off limbs or disabling someone isn't going to make things easier, who knew, am I right? Taking lives (for some of them), and beating people up is one thing, but cutting off arms and legs? It's weird to think about until you're the one doing it, and in a frenzy no less.

Some of the more impulsive ones you really have to look out for, because if they do it then it is painful, and that is no exaggeration. As much as they're thinking about you, they also aren't at the same time - at least not you in the present as they're doing the removal. You'll pass out from pain, or just the visceral sight right before you witness your leg getting torn off. Real messy stuff. It's not subtle at all, they barely hide it - if they even try to allow you that luxury. If anything, you see too much of it. Either way, you're out like a light, and left with whatever you saw as nothing is left to the imagination. Unless your fucked up mind makes it worse, to which- a lot is left to the imagination as that nightmare of a scene is messed with and mixed in your head like a toddler left in the kitchen.

Of course, the family will take care of the messy outcome, and get you to another room and everything (after all, they have one too many spar ones), but, well, that won't change the reality of the situation, will it? Hell, get one of the more rough ones pissed off or just do something one of the more impulsive ones doesn't like, and you'll lose your arms, and depends on who does it - you'll lose them just as you lost your legs, and you'll get to watch... before you pass out, of course.

Maybe they'll get you things to help, like robotic limbs and such, though its not that great and doesn't make things easier. Not even a little. They'll be able to control everything you do, essentially, down to what you can even touch or interact with.

You'll feel more trapped then you ever have before, as even your body, every limb attached to your torso is theirs. Theirs to control. To mess with, and just like before, they'll take it away if you do something that makes them upset.

They'll leave you more than just defenseless.

[werywrenniethoughts]

Help Wanted 2: Lets Talk About Sun (Spoilers for Help Wanted 2!)

Okay,

I've had some time to digest Help Wanted 2. What a freaking roller coaster. I'm assuming you all have played/watched/seen Help Wanted 2, so be advised if you haven't seen everything we have access to so far, I'll be bringing it up.

One thing I'll say upfront is its nice to know Sun and Moon ARE older like I theorized. They're tied to the Fall Festival which took place in 1970 per one of the prize collector posters and the fact they deal with the carousel. I think Steel Wool also tried to point out and confirm Moon is patient zero for....I guess I should say Vanny's influence in the PizzaPlex. He's definitely the favorite to be pitted against us. I'm STILL losing my mind over the Princess Quest Ending.

So, the DCA fandom has been all across the board, ranging from "I love sassy Sun" to "Sun is SO mean. This ruins my headcannon." I don't think it really does. At least, it doesn't have to.

Our first encounter with Sun in front of us is Arts and Crafts. This minigame is located in the world we eventually learn is AR. We also are clearly a new FazBear hire. Sun is definitely sassy, and let's face it, VERY critical of what he defines as a mistake. BUT the flip side of that coin is he is still nice when you do the art correctly. He calls you friend, he wants to help you. If the player eats the crafts, he loses his mind. It's because he's worrying for the player due to the effects eating the crafts will have on them, ie: "That is how you get ulcers!". (By far, MY FAVORITE line of Sun's btw. Kellen stated that line and the indigestion line were both improved btw- genius.) He still doesn't want Moon to get you, he doesn't want to get in trouble. The one threat is after you've been hitting him several times and you've outright pissed him off. (I personally, think the "I should turn off the lights myself" was a drama king being a drama king.) Then we take the mask off. We see everything destroyed and Sun acts like the Sun we've always known. "I'm perfectly fine where I am. It's better this way. It's safer this way." "Keep the generator on. Without it I won't be able to help you." He's the same as he's always been. We've just seen a new layer.

What we ultimately have to come to terms with, is that Sun is a control freak and a perfectionist. He thinks he "has" to be. He doesn't want you to move from your craft table so he can watch you like a hawk. Do the job you are assigned. Get in, get out. Do the art HIS way, and follow HIS rules. If you don't, bad things can happen. Bad things HAVE happened. Another explanation could also be that maybe he isn't as free of the glitch trap virus as we thought? He can be sassy, he can be brutally honest, he can be concerned for us, for children, and his own darkness can rear its head, all at the same time.

Steel Wool could also be trying to slam into our faces that Sun is incomplete. He is one-half of a whole. He has good intentions, he means well at his core, but he cannot stop, regroup, and act rather than react. He gets stressed, and can't cope and adjust. Instead, he demands control back when he feels like he's about to lose it. Moon is calm, calculating, and logical. It's why they need to be whole and why Sun is so grateful to Cassie when she fixes them to become Eclipse. As Eclipse, they both find the parts of themselves they've so desperately needed.

[miyukisu]

SFW Alphabet | Miyuki Kazuya .ᐟ

❤︎ | Get to know Miyuki Kazuya from A to Z~ (3.8k wc)

a/n - it's kazuya day! of course, i had to do something for the bestest best boi of all. this is super self-indulgent btw and not proofread lol.

[A] Affection He's not sure how to show it or how to handle it. The idea seems foreign to him, so it definitely takes some time for him to warm up to it. Kazuya won't mind little displays of affection, especially at the beginning of the relationship. In fact, he would appreciate taking a slow pace. It's basically like a whole new world opening up to him; he's both hesitant and willing to feel more of it. While he does accept affection slowly, it takes longer for him to show his. In many ways, his kind of affection comes in the form of cooking you food, making plenty of inside jokes with you, and spending his free time around your presence.

However, he realizes how liberating it is after initiating the hug or the kiss himself. He discovers how good it feels to express his admiration through words. By no means was it immediate, but he definitely gets to point that he can be conventionally affectionate when the moment is intimate.

[B] Bonding Kazuya enjoys doing anything as long as it involves you. He wouldn't really be with someone he wouldn't have fun with doing anything and everything in the first place. But he does have favorite activities, of course. When he's with you, he would prefer something more laidback like chatting over some food or even cooking together. But he's also fine with something more high energy like working out together or playing catch. Though you do often find yourselves silently hanging out like reading your own stuff beside each other or sleeping together.

Due to his independent nature, he needs some time by himself too. There's a good balance between bonding and me time.

[C] Comfort Honestly, he might not be the best at this as well—unless we're talking about seeking comfort in asking for practical advice. Kazuya grew up to be self-sufficient. If he was going through things, he most likely handled it on his own—probably ignoring his feelings by busying himself. So when it came to comforting another person, he was at a loss. On the bright side, he's insanely good at reading people, especially you. He reads you like an open book and can tell when there's a shift in your mood.

He might not know exactly what to do, but he knows when it's time to take things seriously. At least, he'd ask what's wrong and offer to listen. He does feel bad that listening is all he can do. But no words come out of his mouth. Although, further into the relationship, he'll be confident enough to finally give comforting words that he knows would help you.

[D] Domestic He's the definition of domestic bliss—malewife even. He knows how to cook, do household chores, and basic repairs. Kazuya isn't a clean freak, but he keeps his space neat and clean at all times. After all, he can only relax in a place where dust isn't building up constantly. He's the type to fix his bed first thing in the morning, to cook meals for you, have general cleaning sessions every Sunday, and so on. Sometimes this side of him surprises people because he doesn't really look the part. Though you quickly grow accustomed to it because this is essentially his love language—acts of service.

Speaking of acts of service, it's something he'd like to receive back. You have his years of independence to thank for that. Kazuya simply finds that this is the highest form of love—doing things for the other person purely because you want to do it for their wellbeing.

[E] Endearment Kazuya cringes at the thought of it, especially before getting into a relationship. He's definitely the type to hear other couples do it and silently judge them for it. But his perspective changes when he does get into a relationship himself. It takes a while to grow on him, but he doesn't mind being called "baby", "babe", or "love" every once in a while. But he's adamant to call you by your name. Maybe, he'll start calling you a shortened version of your name or some sort of word play on it. Then, that pretty much becomes your term of endearment.

That is... unless he finds something annoying like calling you "pouty" because you pout a lot when he teases you.

[F] Friendship Most likely it wasn't an instant friendship. It was more of an enemies-turned-best friends kind of thing because Kazuya is easy to be frenemies with. He can be so annoying with his teasing sometimes because he knows where to take a jab at you. There were definitely moments when he went overboard without knowing. Although, he was mature enough to hear you out and... half-heartedly apologize. But that is where the friendship sprung. It was a lot of banter and barely any moments of seriousness. But oddly enough, he became close to you regardless which is no easy feat.

Kazuya is the kind of best friend to laugh at you first if you trip before helping you up. He's the kind of friend that might judge you a bit when you tell him your problems, but he'll try to understand you and offer practical advice.

[G] Gifts Kazuya isn't big on gifts. He doesn't seek to receive any nor does he get the need to give them out unless there is a special occasion. However, if you do surprise him with one or get him a certain item he has been eyeing for some time, he'll be so happy. Kazuya's a pretty grateful person in general. Even if he's indifferent to gift-giving, he does come across things that remind him of you. He gets the urge to buy it for you or make it for you. Sometimes he pushes through with it, but sometimes he shrugs it off. No particular reason; he just thinks there are plenty more ways to show you that he values you.

As a practical person, he hardly considers getting something expensive too. He'd rather put thought and effort into the gift instead of money. Kazuya definitely likes getting you useful things or food. He doesn't say it, but his favorite gift that he got from you is a box full of love letters.

[H] Hugs You know he likes hugging, but of course, he won't say it outright. Early in the relationship, he draped his arm across your shoulders often. It eventually progressed into full on bear hugs (he hugs tightly to make sure he annoys you). He likes to creep up from behind, enveloping you with his larger frame and lifting you up sometimes. Kazuya particularly likes how he towers over you and how your smaller arms try to reciprocate his tenderness.

KAZUYA IS A CUDDLEBUG. But never point that out because he'll explode. As you might've guessed though, he's a fan of spooning with him as the big spoon. He unconsciously nuzzles his chin into the top of your head which you always call him out for. Although, he isn't opposed to resting his head on top of your chest every once in a while. He falls asleep in under a minute hearing the steady lull of your heart and feeling your fingers massaging his scalp.

[I] I Love You A lot of importance is put into this simple sentence. He doesn't just throw it around for anyone. Besides, for the longest time, he hadn't even thought about it because he believes that his actions speak for itself. Most likely you'd be the one to say those three words first. And it gives him courage to say it (though he would appear flustered). Perhaps the first time he actually says it solemnly and with his whole heart in it was in the middle of such a mundane activity with each other. He was lying in bed, beside you and staring at your face. All at once, several realizations hit him: how you've been with him through thick and thin, how you handle a pain in the ass like him, and how you were the first to say "I love you."

He'd be staring and all of a sudden he mutters those words with a small smile. It takes you by surprise and you ask him to repeat it. He does, but he'll somehow tease you about your reaction, turning the tables on you again. (He says it in very intimate moments and you swear it feels like the first time each time.)

[J] Jealousy He trusts you, but he doesn’t trust other people. Nevertheless, he isn’t one to jump to conclusions. He’ll try to rationalize his feelings first before letting it become jealousy. Besides, he doesn’t want to appear like a controlling type. But if a time comes when another person crosses a boundary of his—or God forbid, your boundaries—a switch flips in him. He is not afraid to speak up and be blunt. Oh the other person got hurt or offended? Good. He meant that. Rarely does he ever show off, but if some side character decides that they have a chance—Kazuya has to put them in their place.

When it comes to him though… it’s expected that people stare at Kazuya for too long or make advances on him. Everyone knows he’s attractive and now you have to deal with it. The only caveat to it is that he doesn’t give a shit. They can stare all they want, but he never gives them the time of day.

[K] Kisses Surprise, but he probably initiated the first kiss. It was awkward, but memorable for the both of you. Ever since then, he mostly gave you quick pecks or kisses that littered your face. Making out usually leads to something else, so that’s reserved for a specific time. Anyway, he loves giving forehead kisses (it’s the easiest given the difference in height). He’d swiftly lean down and plant a kiss before smiling at you. He also does this thing where he grabs your jaw—squishing your cheeks and forcing you into a pout—then kisses you on the lips or cheek. The squishing part is essential apparently.

He likes to ask for kisses in cheeky ways, often mixing it with his usual teasing. “I’m leaving. Don’t I get a farewell kiss?” Or, “I’ll do it if you give me 5 kisses~”

[L] Little Ones He’s okay with kids… kind of. Kazuya is definitely the kind of guy who’d smile and wave at a child staring at him on the train. But as soon as the child starts laughing—he’ll make a weird face, almost taunting the kid. The fella’s smile drops and starts crying. He’ll poke fun at children—he doesn’t discriminate when it comes to (friendly?) jokes. But that’s the extent that he’s willing to go when it involves children. If someone asks him to babysit—he’s outta there. At best, they’ll play catch, but that’s it. He’s not gonna hang out with little runts for more than 5 minutes (his words).

Would he want children? Maybe. He thinks it would depend on his situation at the time and who he’s with. He’s fine with having some or none at all. Though he would prefer having just 2.

[M] Mornings Kazuya wakes up early in the morning—earlier than you, for sure. But even then, he’ll make sure to cuddle you first before getting up. In fact, it’s the only time he chooses to be gentle when caging you in his arms as he doesn’t want to wake you up. Carefully, he’ll try to pepper your face with kisses—snapping a photo in between to show you once you wake up. After that, he’s off; he likes to take his quiet time in the morning to go out for a run or exercise. If by any chance you’re still asleep, he’ll quickly whip up some breakfast and make you coffee just the way you like it. He gets lonely after that so he practically pounces on you in bed (after showering, of course) to wake you up.

On most days, his schedule is quite hectic, leaving him with little time to be with you. So on the days when he gets to be around your presence, he’d like to slow the pace—savor the moment, so to speak. Maybe after breakfast you two would just lounge around on the couch and talk about random things until responsibilities start calling (or if you’re lucky, perhaps lunch).

[N] Nights His night routine is probably more fixed compared to his morning and it typically begins after his evening training. He likes to start with food before anything and he eats the MOST at this time of day. He will scarf down everything—even the leftovers on your plate. After that is just standard stuff—showering, skincare, prepping for bed. Though breezes through all of them, so he’s left with an hour or two before his designated bed time (11 PM). You’d have to ask him to relax with you or else that man will still do something productive like observing match results or something.

Kazuya also forces you to sleep early. Sometimes he starts sounding like a fussy parent when he begins to list the reasons why a fucked up sleep schedule will bite you in the ass. If you don’t listen—he’ll just have to tackle you in bed and keep you in his arms so you have no other choice but to sleep.

[O] Open This is a tough one… But as you might have guessed, Kazuya isn’t the type to open up at all. Although, you can’t really blame him for being more comfortable in relying on himself. Even as you’d offer to listen, he’s more inclined to stick with what he’s used to. It was especially difficult in the first year or so of your relationship. You started to understand him a bit more after learning about his past (like how he was bullied as a kid or how he didn’t grow up in the best household). But still—there were times when it felt like he was pushing you out, treating you like an enemy of sorts.

There was definitely a falling out at some point. But his view changes drastically after you still come through for him. If he’s at his lowest—then this was precisely the time you should be there for him. It takes a while for him to build the kind of trust where he can tell you what’s weighing on his heart. He’ll try to push away his inhibitions little by little. But communication is something you constantly work on throughout the years.

[P] Patience He’s such a patient person. That is, when it comes to anger. If something or someone is being unreasonable or stupid—best believe he’s going to make another passive aggressive remark to let people know that this shit ain’t it. But his irritation is not to be confused with anger. After all, Kazuya rarely feels intense emotions, let alone, anger. He’s fine if someone tries to offend him; he’ll just laugh it off and say something worse. But if someone purposefully hurts something or someone near and dear to him—he won’t be afraid to get physical. He’s not proud of it though, but it happens. He’s incredibly protective of you as well, so he’s not above anything when it comes to defending you.

Interestingly, one of the first signs people noticed that he likes you was his endless patience for you. Sure, he still made wisecracks at you, but he was truly patient in serious times with you. He could never ever be pissed off at you at all.

[Q] Quizzes If there was a game show about you, he’d be the grand winner without a sweat. He knows you like the back of his hand; Kazuya probably knows you better than you do. It’s no surprise really. If he can remember every little quirk and mannerism of his teammates and opponents—he sure as hell can remember everything and anything about you. It’s even more impressive how he has no need for calendars or reminders—he just knows by heart. His excellent memory is to be blamed whenever he brings you up with his friends. Can you blame him for thinking about you all the time?

He simply feels that being remembered like this is another great display of love. He’d be grateful if you remembered things about him just as well.

[R] Remember Is he only supposed to choose one? He can’t though. For him, all of your firsts together were the most memorable moments for him—kind of like milestones that he mentally takes note of. When he’s bored, he replays those scenes in his head (in full detail and perfect dialogue too) and it makes him smile inwardly.

But if he reaaally had to choose just one—maybe when you surprised him with a little party with just the two of you to celebrate a major win of his. It was totally unexpected for him and the lengths you went to make sure it was perfect made him want to tear up. He probably won’t cry, but it’s the thought that counts, you know?

[S] Security VERY PROTECTIVE OF YOU—but is very subtle about it too. Normally he’s chill and laidback. He really is! But there are times when his protective switch turns on and he becomes more snappy. Even you’re not safe from the attitude of this man sometimes. He’s not a fan of PDA, but if he feels that someone is trying something funny—he’s suddenly draping his arm over you and pressing a kiss to your cheek. You ask him what’s wrong but he merely shrugs. (Not above shooting the other person a dirty glare). He’ll also be in a bad mood because of it.

Funny thing is—there are moments where he acts like an overbearing parent. He’ll remind you to do this, to avoid that, to be careful, and so on. If you do something irresponsible, it stresses him out and he’ll fly into a rant about how careless you can be (he’s not mad, but he just hasn’t felt worry like that in a loooong time.)

[T] Try Everything he does for you is done with effort. But, in true Miyuki fashion, he plays it cool—you don’t have to know how he scrambled to get this perfect date sorted. He might look suave and effortless with his actions, but he’s secretly an overthinker when it comes to these kinds of things. He’s sure he would know what kind of dates you like or what types of gifts you want to receive, but he still doubts himself when the time actually comes. After all, his happiness is your happiness as well.

Besides, he’s not the type to half-ass things. He’s aware that he’s not exactly the best at romance, so certain efforts need to be made if it’s for the right person.

[U] Ugly His bluntness and arrogance can be something you can overlook through time, especially since he’s more mellow with you. But perhaps the one thing you can’t get over is how he pushes people away even if you both know he needs the help. He already has a tough time divulging his feelings and talking about problems. But then he also distances himself when things go south. Maybe it’s because he knows his mouth goes off at times or maybe it’s because he knows he should be handling these things alone. It takes a lot of time to get through to him.

However, his words do become a point of contention too at times. He speaks his mind when be feels like it and it hits a chord sometimes. Sure, with friends or teammates, he can be loose with his tongue. But it takes a while for him to realize that he has to be more careful with potentially offensive remarks to his significant other.

[V] Vanity Well… he’s not vain at all. Have you seen how he dresses up? But in all seriousness—he couldn’t care less about his clothes. Clothes are just clothes—they serve to cover you up and that’s it. He might as well be comfortable while he’s at it. Kazuya’s probably not even aware of how attractive he is that he can get away with it. Surely he has heard people call him so, but he shrugs it off as a fluke because people are disillusioned that he’s some hotshot baseball player.

But maybe he’ll start trying out specific styles or think about his wardrobe once he gets into a relationship. But he will always return to his roots (because dressing up too well is a hassle).

[W] Whole He used to think that people should feel “whole” with themselves before getting into any serious relationship. But that entire perspective gets flipped on itself because why is he always missing you badly when you’re apart? Even though he’s highly independent, he can’t deny in himself that he would still think about you frequently. You’d probably still be the first to cave. But Kazuya still thinks you’re his other half. When it comes to baseball, he can lead others just fine. But outside of it, he feels like you open up more of the world to him.

A friend of his told him once how you complemented him (the friend actually meant it in a way that it’s because he’s mean and you’re nice, kinda). But he interprets it differently and it bolsters his love for you basically.

[X] Xtra (I have too many extra headcanons, so… this post)

[Y] Yucks He hates people who are all bark and no bite. If you’re gonna talk big, then you have to have something to show for it. In the same vein, he dislikes people who jump to conclusions and flap their lips like they know everything. Those kinds of people piss him off beyond belief. And while it is difficult to make him angry at someone, it’s fairly easy for him to be annoyed.

He also hates people who are disorganized, especially if their irresponsibility affects others. In relation to that—people who can’t commit to promises immediately get a bad rep in his book. Even worse if it’s something simple like arriving on time at a certain meeting.

[Z] Zzz Kazuya gets sleepy easily because he has a fixed bedtime that he follows religiously. Of course, the eye mask is non-negotiable. The room has to be pitch black and absolutely silent for him to get a good night’s rest. He’s a light sleeper, so he’d appreciate some peace and quiet if he were to sleep in the same room (or bed) with someone else. He barely moves in his sleep and he sleeps on his back. You don’t have to worry about him being a blanket hog.

However, he’s particular about cuddling while sleeping—in that he would hate to cuddle while sleeping. Not because he doesn’t want to hold you, but it’s tough. You move a bit in his arms—he wakes up. That restricts you too. It’s just a hassle. He feels that sleeping beside each other is enough

©miyukisu do not repost/reupload/translate any of my works on other platforms

╰ author's note GIRL YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE SAYING ALL THAT OML

[cherriesncinnamon]

stress reliever / spencer reid x fem!reader

synopsis: your fellow profiler at the bau is stressed over a case. shoulders tight and room empty, you decide to relieve some of his tension.

warnings/tags: stressed spencer, grinding, blowjob, fem!reader.

word count: 1.1k.

a/n: tell me why this is literally the first thing i've written in a nearly year?! i've been so busy but i've missed this. rewatching criminal minds for the third time so thought i should treat myself to a lil spence smut.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

"I just don't understand what I'm missing." Spencer announces, clutching his hair in his fists as he slumps down on a chair.

"Neither do any of us. This UnSub loves puzzles, clearly he's really good at them, too." I reassure. SSA Spencer Reid hates when he cannot figure something out. Not because he has a weak ego, but because he really should know.

"God, my head is killing me." He says, rubbing his temples gently with his thumb and forefinger.

"Probably because we've been up for over 24 hours. Hotch and the rest won't be back for at least another hour, a nap couldn't hurt." I suggest, tucking my knees up to my chest in my chair, preparing to drift off in under a minute.

"No. No, I have to figure out some of this, even just a little bit. We can't let this son-of-a-bitch roam free for another second." He picks himself up and looks at the board again, eyes squinting at the words until they're unintelligible.

I show up behind him, taking a look at the board for the fiftieth time that day to see if a few minutes away from it had altered my ability to solve the puzzles. It hadn't. I rest my hands on Spencer's shoulders, and he jolts at my touch. His muscles are tensed and knotted.

"Jesus, Spence. You need to lie down. We know better than anyone that stress does not make our jobs any easier." I urge, slowly massaging his shoulders in an empathetic way. Spencer shakes his head, turning to face me.

"Sleep will not relieve this stress." He replies, gaze fixed. He sighs deeply, looking down at me as if he's waiting for me to provide a solution I definitely don't have. If anyone has the mental equipment to solve this case, it's Spencer Reid.

I guide him over to a chair, sitting beside him. I take a swig of my cold tea and rest my head on my knees. He stares at me with those big brown eyes that are usually full of life - well, in Spencer's kind of way - that are now deadened and hollow. I rest my hand on his and he squeezes mine back with a smile.

This is the first time I'm seeing him smile in days. I look eagerly at his lips, not hesitating to reach out and kiss him. He, of course, kisses back, gripping the side of my face tightly.

There's always been a mutual attraction between the two of us, but neither have ever even thought of acting on it. Derek loves to call us Romeo and Juliet. I laugh; Spencer doesn't get the joke.

I pull his hair through my hands, tugging gently at his roots as our kiss intensifies. I'm so glad he cut that mane, swapping it out for something much better.

I feel myself drifting off to a blissful state when Spencer pulls away abruptly, leaving my lips alone. He grimaces at me, clearly fighting some internal demons I can't see. I know he's not the romantic type, so I'm not sure why I thought it would be a good idea. We don't exchange any words for a few seconds until he gives in and reaches into me. I refuse his kiss.

"Do you really want this, Spence?" I ask, to his contemplation. He thinks for a minute, breath heavily paced. I look down at the bulge in his pants, pulsating through the fabric.

"Well, it sure looks like it." I joke with a harmless laugh. Spencer sighs at me, covering himself with both of his hands. I take his wrist and remove it, lightly stroking him with my palm, much to his pleasure. He tips his head back in the chair from my slight touch, grinding his hips into my hand, eager for more.

Feeling brave, I push Spencer's chair out from under the table, making enough room for me to straddle his lap, placing myself on top of his clothed bulge. Spencer doesn't know where to look, his eyes pacing from my eyes, to my lips, to my breasts, and to my waist. I take his hands and place them on my hips for support.

He's hard against my crotch, so hard that I can tell he won't be able to hold on for long. I play on this, beginning to grind myself against him at a painfully slow pace. He moans out, licking his lips that are dry from his breathlessness. I run my fingers through the front of his hair, pushing the strands out of his face while starting to move faster.

Spencer's hands squeeze my hips, pushing me down further onto his length that is desperate for a release. His eyes alternate between open and closed, unsure whether to admire me or savour the sensation.

"Does that feel good?" I pry, peppering kisses on his supple neck. Spencer can barely mumble a mhm as he groans out more and more. I sense his closeness and remove myself, sliding down to under the table.

"What are you doing? Why'd you stop?" Spencer begs, sitting up in his chair. Looking up, I smile at him, making my way towards his zipper.

I unzip his pants and break the waistband of his black boxers, watching in arousal at his cock spring free. His tip is glazed in pre-cum, veins spiralled around his length, begging to be relieved. I'm shocked at his size, to be honest. I had always thought he would fit the stereotypes of geniuses, assumed that he was compensating for something with his intelligent. But clearly, he just hasn't had the opportunity to show anyone what he can do.

Without waiting a second longer, I lick his sensitive tip then take him into my slick mouth, observing his chest heave inhumanly fast as I move up and down his member, making sure to cover every single inch. Spencer rests his hand on the top of head, stroking my hair softly.

"God." He whispers, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and gripping the armrest of his chair. I use my free hand to stroke the delicate skin of his abdomen, sending goosebumps across his entire body. I can feel him pulsating in my mouth, so close to climax that it has to be uncomfortable.

I remove my mouth, now using both hands to jerk him. The wetness makes my hands glide on his cock, welcoming his finish.

Finishing on my blouse, Spencer takes a minute to catch his breath. He swiftly wipes himself with a tissue from the table, tucking his still half-hard length away.

"Feel better?" I ask, walking towards the door to wander to my office change my blouse before the team arrives.

"Much better."

[usernameforaboredcat]

OPLA “Ruined” Sanji And There’s No Fixing It

Look, Ik the title says a lot BUT this needs to be said, because I’m tired of acting like this isn’t a problem that’s been on my mind since the first season dropped

Omfg another essay about Sanji? YES SHUT UP!!

Now before some of y’all come at me, I love Sanji, okay? I love my handsome goofy ah Jiji just as much as any other fan girl of this slutty waist idiot.

But in the One Piece Live Action there’s two things they happen that make me think that they don’t really care or know how to write Sanji as well as Oda and some fan fic girlies.

Now I know two isn’t a lot to say that he’s been “ruined” but like…hear me out.

Sanji & Nami

As much Sanji may flirt with various different women throughout the series, it’s obvious that he has his main girl, that being our lovely navigator Nami.

First tiny nit pick, in the anime Sanji first noticed her because of her laugh. In the live action it was a sarcastic joke. Something like that just doesn’t sit right with me, I don’t know why.

My MAIN problem is…they don’t talk. In the anime Nami and Sanji has a few one on one conversations along with responding to each other and talking to each other, spending a fair amount of time together to at least get a general idea of each other’s personalities, especially Sanji himself.

But in the live action…THEY TALK ONCE! ONCE!! WHEN THEY FIRST MEET AND WHEN NAMI IS RUNNING TO ZORO AND USOPP OUTSIDE ARLONG PARK AND SANJI HAS HIS ARMS OUT CALLING “NAMI! 😃” LIKE A CHUMP!

SHE DOESNT KNOW HIM!

Nami abandoned the only friends she was able to make to keep them safe (Luffy, Usopp & Zoro) and upon them coming to help her and Luffy take down the reason for her trauma, some guy she’s talked to literally once is the most excited to see her? No shit she ran straight past Sanji to hug Zoro and Usopp SHE DOESNT KNOW SANJ!

Yes they’ve been in the same room as each other, like Nami standing off to the side while Luffy and Sanji are talking, or Nami and Zoro talking with Sanji standing off to the side, but not directly. They couldn’t add in them talking at least once? Nami had more chemistry with Luffy, Usopp, and especially Zoro than she did with Sanji.

I really hope they have more one on one moments next season, cause so far it’s making Sanji REALLY creepy.

And now…

The worst offender

Sanji & Zeff

Done terribly.

You wanna know WHY I say this?

Compare anime Sanji leaving Zeff vs Live Action Sanji leaving Zeff.

Anime Sanji got on his hands and knees, face down ass up, bowed to Zeff and thanked him for taking care of him and putting up with him. And in Asian culture, how low you bow shows how much you truly respect that person. A very cute, heartfelt scene in my opinion.

Live Action Sanji? Got into an argument with Zeff and stormed off and joined Luffy…

Bro…

BRO!!

FOR REAL?!

They went out of their way to have a cute little moment where Sanji and Luffy bonded in the fact that “my father figure loose a limb to save my life” but couldn’t give Sanji and Zeff a proper goodbye.

Why does this matter?

Because you expect me to believe the same man who stormed off over an argument to be a pirate is the same guy who will “eventually” abandon the Straw Hats to go be with his abusive birth family and marry a women he’s never met?

Live Action Sanji could never.

He’d think that Zeff can handle himself or Germa/Big Mom Pirates won’t find them (I’m not definitely saying this I’m just saying something along those lines)

I just don’t see Live Action Sanji making that type of sacrifice.

Personally I don’t think the Live Action will even make it to WholeCake, I can explain on a different post why I think the Live Action will only make it to maybe Enies Lobby, but this post isn’t about that.

Look, I know that there are parts in the LA where Sanji does SAY he’s grateful for what Zeff has done for him, but I’m a big far of the “Show Don’t Tell” method.

Do I think there IS a way to fix this? At the moment, I’m not sure. It’s super easy for them to fix Nami and Sanjis relationship because they’re main characters and crew mates, but Sanji and Zeffs relationship is gone and dusted and won’t even BE relevant till technically Zou, where Sanji makes the choice to leave the Straw Hats to keep them AND Zeff and the others at the Baratie safe.

From behind the scenes footage for Season 2 they did show that they’ll be adding the Anime filler cooking contest that Sanji enters, MAYBE he could have flashbacks? The prize is an Elephant Tuna, a fish Sanji is seen cooking with in the first season, it’s the dish Zeff makes him throw out that Luffy ends up eating. Maybe Sanji could have a flashback to when Zeff is teaching him how to prepare it cause it’s one of those fish that needs special prep, and Sanji smiles to himself and mutters a “thank you Zeff” under his breath or something.

Just something small to show that he’s grateful, it’s all I ask.

Conclusion

I don’t know.

Personally, if I had to rank all the LA Straw Hats in a tier list based on how they are compared to their Anime selves, Sanji would be at the bottom of the tier.

But personally, none of them are really that high for me. (Maybe it’s because I just love the Anime so much and the Live Action no matter how hard they try will be perfect)

That’s all I have to say.

If you agree or disagree, tell the comments, I won’t argue back, I just wanna state how I feel. OR you can tell me that I’m an idiot and they can fix it or that I misread the scenes.

I know during Sanjis introduction period they had a lot going on with the Navy subplot, Mihawks introduction, Namis betrayal, Zoros fight against Mihawk, and a lot of other things.

All I ask for is one minute of screen time where Sanji gives a proper goodbye and thank you to Zeff, the absolute goat.

See ya, love y’all.

[yuikomorii]

// I’m making this post, as a result of seeing way too much hate and misinfo regarding every character. Nobody stops anyone from voicing their opinion but the need to degrade a character, while providing BAD reasons or stating incorrect/out-of-context facts about them only for the sake of internet validation, is such a loser move.

We’re all in this fandom to have fun and even if you have something negative to say about a character you don’t like, keep it to yourself or in private with your friends.

Ayato:

“I don’t like Ayato, he’s overrated”, omg you’re just sooo different! Definitely not like other girls/guys!

Everyone is allowed to dislike whatever they want but if Ayato is your least/one of your least favorite DL characters, then your opinion ISN’T valid. This is a franchise full of abusive characters and he’s literally the most heroic love interest. Why would you hate the hero…?

“He’s dumb and annoying”, says the person who spends their time insulting FICTIONAL characters. 1) Japanese fans like dumb characters, since they come off as endearing; 2) Ayato outdid everyone throughout the routes.

He did more good than all of his brothers and saying that X, Y or Z deserves the main role more, is fake fan behavior because at this point you’re just setting up your favs.

Kanato:

No, you’re not cool for calling him ugly. It’s okay if you’re not into that type of characters but his design is not bad at all.

“He had no development”, he does in CL. It’s not major but it can still be visible.

The whole Teddy thing might be annoying to some of you, but his fans get why he acts that way. Let’s not forget that he is a victim of neglect.

Yes, he was sexually exploited too. Don’t forget this x2.

Laito:

“I hate Laito so much, he was so cruel in HDB 😢”; stop living in the past and move on already.

His development shouldn’t be overlooked only because your opinion about him was formed on something that came out more than 10 years ago.

He’s still the most fascinating DL character and I get that he might make some of you feel uncomfortable but don’t project your triggers on a character that’s merely made after a trope.

Shu:

No, it’s not Shu’s fault for the way Reiji acted. Envy is never a good reason to hurt someone.

“Shu roasts the heroine the most!”, I get that it’s rude but his insults are actually funny?? A bunch of people will like him for being brutally honest or a jerk because it’s literally a game for players with masochistic fantasies. They WANT to be roasted by good-looking men. That’s the point.

“Shu is lazy and stupid, he’s the only one who failed his school year”, genuine question: If you were an immortal creature that doesn’t need food or sleep to survive, would you still care about grades? Besides, he’s really smart.

“Shu doesn’t care about Yuma, he just feels guilty”, in LE he sacrificed himself for him and reincarnated merely because he wished to meet Yuma again and get on well with him in another life—

Reiji:

“He hurt Shu and Yuma”, well yeah but he was shown plenty of times regretting it and trying to fix things. Stop reminding this to Reiji stans because that conflict is already closed.

“He is so mean in other routes”, obviously?? If you don’t teach him how to love, he won’t suddenly act nice towards anyone.

Without him Yui would fail her tests and the Sakamaki household would be in chaos.

Subaru:

“W-What do you mean baby Tsundere is not soft innocent virgin boy? 🥺”; he has never been like that, that’s how YOU perceived him. Stop acting so shocked every time Subaru does something bad because he’s still a vampire after all??

Also, why are so many people reducing his character to Kou and/or Yui—? He’s much more than that and has his own interests, struggles, likes, dislikes, and so on.

“He’s irrelevant”; Diabolik Lovers has 13 love interests, they can’t make everyone extremely important to the general plot. Just enjoy a character as it is, it’s not that hard.

Ruki:

The cat jokes were funny when the Meow Meow Vampire art came out but MOVE ON. I hate that scene and Ruki was in the wrong but come on now, that’s not even the worst thing he has done and MB happened in 2013.

I understand not liking Ruki as a person, because he’s mostly not a good one, but this doesn’t mean he’s not a good character.

“Ruki deserved what happened to him in the past because he was cruel towards everyone”; while I agree that Karma hit him, I wouldn’t say any child really deserves to go through that. He was just a spoiled brat, who most likely wasn’t taught by his parents about modesty or kindness.

Kou:

“He was so cruel in MB 😣”, and HE HAD DEVELOPMENT! He’s not the same anymore, nobody is.

“He overreacts”, sometimes he’s not in the wrong and has all rights to be angry.

Kou isn’t afraid of going against Ruki, even if he’s the brother he admires the most, as long as he knows that what Ruki is doing isn’t good.

Yuma:

“He beat Yui up in the MB bad ending!😡😡”, it’s a bad ending for a reason, lol.

Pretty reminder that Yuma always tries to help others with Kou and Azusa, and was even willing to save the ghouls in LE.

“Yuma doesn’t care about Shu”, did we play the same game or…?

Azusa:

“Azusa is so horrible, he threw Teddy in the fire!”; and he only did it to save Yui, it was not intentional.

While not all his actions are good, keep in mind that he never means any harm and is overall such a sweet guy.

“He is too clingy”; I know that might not be everyone’s cup of tea but is it really worth hating a character just for wanting affection?

The Tsukinamis and Kino:

“They were too easy to defeat in DF!”; Dark Fate wasn’t entirely about them to begin with. Most routes focused on the boys’ internal struggles with their trauma and how to move past it.

“Kino is sometimes mean for the sake of being mean”; it’s almost as if he’s the ✨villain✨

It’s dumb questioning the morals of characters supposed to have an antagonistic role.

“Kino hurt Ayato in LE”; out of all characters who have wronged Ayato, at least Kino felt bad and wanted to apologize.

Yui:

“She’s dumb and ugly”; Japanese fans literally love her for being an idiot because it wouldn’t be fun to see the heroine being the best at everything or not making mistakes at all. Plus, her design is definitely not ugly.

Stop creating your own version of Yui in your head and ending up disappointed when she doesn’t act the way you expect her to. No, Yui is not OOC for liking being bitten, having a low learning ability or saying things she shouldn’t in the wrong moments. Nobody is perfect and everyone has their own kinks and flaws.

“She’s too innocent”; she’s not?? If you really want to see her thirsty, go play Ayato’s routes, especially the heaven scenarios.

“She’s weak”, she’s the opposite. Yui is one of the most mentally strong DL characters.

I can’t understand people who hate on heroines when they’re present in all routes and are the most positive characters.

[skaruresonic]

The common rebuttal to "this reads like fanfic (derogatory)" is "read better fanfic," which is true in certain cases, but on the other hand, there is some grain of truth to the idea that you can tell when someone's primary mode of literary analysis is fanfic instead of... well... literally anything else. It's okay to like or even prefer fanfic, but if you want to take your craft seriously you also need to read books, dude. Published books will teach you a lot of stuff fanfic doesn't, like proper dialogue formatting and how to introduce your reader to unfamiliar characters. Even the crappiest book (well, if it's not After or 50 Shades, which started off as fanfic to begin with lol) will have been subjected to some sort of editing process to ensure at least the appearance of proper grammar. That's not a guarantee with your average fanfic, and hence why you can't always take all your writing cues from fanfic because it's "so much better" than commercially published original fiction or whatever. Frankly, fic writers tend to peddle some absolutist and downright bad takes sometimes. "Said is dead" is a terrible rule, though not because said is invisible and a perfectly serviceable tag; that's just part of it. Dialogue tags are a garnish, not a main dish that can be swapped out for more ostentatious words. If your characters murmur and mutter instead of simply saying stuff, your readers are going to wonder why nobody speaks up. "'I'm explaining some very plot-important shit right now lol,' she elaborated," likewise, is a form of telling. Instead of letting the reader extrapolate that "she elaborated" via the contents of the dialogue itself, you're telling them what to think about it. And that's why it's distracting: your authorial hand is showing. Writing is an act of camouflage. You, as the writer, need to make your presence as invisible as possible so as to not intrude on the reader's suspension of disbelief. That's the driving reason behind "show, don't tell." And overall, everyone could stand to cut down on the frequency of their dialogue tags anyway. Not every exchange needs "he said" or "she whispered" attached as long as you establish who is doing the talking before the exchange. Some people will complain of confusion if you go on for too long without a dialogue tag, and that definitely is a risk, but at some point you also need to resist the temptation of holding the reader's hand. If they can't follow a conversation between two people, chances are they weren't meeting you halfway and paying that much attention in the first place. In fact, you don't even necessarily need action beats in between every piece of dialogue, as Tumblr writing advice posts will often suggest as a fix. Pruning things often cleans them up just fine.

Another fanfic-influenced trend in writing is, I guess, beige prose? A heavy focus on internal narration with lots of telling. It's not a style I can concretely describe, but every time I click on a non-mutual's writing, I feel like it always has, like. This "samey" voice to it. There's no real attempt to experiment and use unique or provocative language, or even imagery half the time. It's almost a dry recital of narration that doesn't leave much room for subtext. I see this style most often in fanfic where you can meander and wax poetic about how the characters feel without ever really getting around to the plot. And it's like. DO something.

Other tells that the author is taking their cues from fanfic mores rather than books: >>too much minute description of eyes, especially their color and their movement >>doesn't leave much room for subtext (has a character speak their every thought aloud instead of letting the reader infer what they're thinking via action or implication) >>too much stage action ("X looked at Y. Y moved to push their seat in. X took a deep breath and stepped toward Y with a determined look on his face. 'We need to talk,' he said.") >>tells instead of shows, even when the example is about showing instead of telling ("he clenched his teeth in agony" instead of just "he clenched his teeth") >>has improper dialogue tag formatting, especially with putting full stops where there should be commas ("'Lol and lmao.' she said" instead of "'Lol and lmao,' she said." This one drives me up a wall) >>uses too many dialogue tags >>"em dashes, semi-colons and commas, my beloved" - I get the appeal but full stops are your friends. Too much alternate punctuation makes your writing seem stilted and choppy. >>"he's all tousled brown hair and hard muscle" and "she's all smiles and long legs." This turn of phrase is so cliche, it drives me up a wall. Find less trite ways of describing your characters pls. >>"X released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding" >>every fucking Hot Guy ever is described as lean and sinewy >>sobbing. why is everyone sobbing. some restraint, pls >>Tumblr in general tends to think a truism counts as good writing if you make the most melodramatic statement possible (bonus: if it's written in a faux-archaic way), garnish it with a hint of egotism, and toss in allusions to the Christian God, afterlife, or death. ("I will stare God in the face and walk backwards into hell," "What is a god to a nonbeliever?") It's indicative of emotional immaturity imo, that every emotional truth need be expressed That Intensely in order to resonate with people. >>pushes the "Oh." moment as the pinnacle of Romantic Epiphany >>Therapy Speak dialogue. why is this emotionally constipated forty-something man who drinks himself stupid every morning to escape gruesome war memories speaking about his trauma like a clinical psychologist >>"this well-established kuudere should Show More Emoshun. I want him to break down crying on his love interest's shoulder from all his repressed trauma" - I am begging u. stop >>"why don't the characters just talk to each other?" "why can't we have healthy relationships?" I don't know, maybe because fiction is not supposed to be a model for reality and perfect communication makes for boring drama?

>>improperly using actions as dialogue tags ("'Looks like we're going hunting,' he grinned") >>why is everyone muttering and murmuring. speak up >>too many adverbs, especially "weakly" and "shakily." use stronger verbs. ("trembled" instead of "shook weakly") >>too many epithets ("the younger man" or "the brunette detective") >>too many filter words ("he felt," "she thought," "I remembered")

>>no, Tumblr, first-person POV is not the devil; you're just using way too many filter words (see above) and not enough sentence variation to make it flow well enough. First-person POV is an actually pretty good POV (not just for unreliable and self-aware narrators) if you know what you're doing and a lot of fun crafting an engaging character voice. Tumblr's hatred of first-person baffles me, and all I can think is you would only hate it if your only frame of reference was, like, My Immortal. Have you tried reading A Book? First-person POV is just another tool in your toolbox, and like all tools, it can be used properly or improperly. But it's not inherently a marker of bad writing. The disdain surrounding it strikes me as about as sensical as making fun of the concept of characters. Oh, your work has characters in it? Ew, I automatically click off a fic if it has characters in it. like what.

[nenekaru]

pure-hearted (suo x gn!reader)

wc: 617

an: honestly, i just needed to get out a quick word vomit of suo. there really isn't much going on in here. i just needed a quick destress lol 🤭

Was Suo Hayato kind?

He wasn't sure.

Kindness manifested in many ways; the definition of kindness was each to their own. To be kind would be doing things that were “morally good”, saying kind words to soothe a soul, and offering comfort and guidance to those who needed it. These were merely some examples on how to be kind.

Then, by that definition, Suo Hayato was kind. He always supported his Class 1-1 in their endeavors. He lended an ear to those who needed it, assisted Sakura in his duties as a captain, and trained Nirei to fight.

Here's another question: Was Suo Hayato pure-hearted?

Ah, he can confidently answer this one. The answer was no. He really didn't have a pure heart.

For Suo, to have a pure heart is to have an untainted soul. Then, to have an untainted soul was to hold no ulterior motives.

Quite frankly, he already failed that.

Anyone can act kind, but not everyone can be pure-hearted. Even an act of kindness, as virtuous as it was, can hold malicious intent or ulterior motives. That was the truth of the world he lived in— everyone used each other for their own gains under the guise of morality.

He was no exception to that.

There were a few times he acted out of kindness to get what he wanted. It was ridiculously simple, really. Flash a sweet smile, reach out a hand, offer assistance, ensure they owe you for your assistance, then reap the rewards later on.

Was it kindness? Yes. Was it morally correct? Debatable.

But that was just how he was. That was just how he lived.

Granted, Suo wasn't always like this. There were many times he was kind out of the goodness of his heart. Please don't mistake him for a villainous, manipulative snake, because he wasn't. At least, he'd like to think he wasn't.

Anyway, what was the point of this entire little monologue?

You. It was you.

Let him elaborate a little more, will you?

To be specific, he knew he wasn't the most pure-hearted, and his kindness was sometimes tainted by ulterior motives, but— he wanted to try being pure-hearted for you. He wanted to devote himself wholly and fully to you.

For you, he wished to hold no ulterior motives, he just simply wanted to love you.

“Let me hold that for you,” he would say with a kind smile as he outstretched his hand.

“Stay still. Let me fix your hair,” he would say as his nimble fingers threaded through the strands of your hair, brushing it back in place.

“I'll treat you today. Help yourself,” he would say as he helped you settle down in your seat at the restaurant you like.

These little acts of service were his way of showing how much he loved you. It was fine if you didn't pick up on his subtle hints of his feelings. What mattered more was the fact that he could see you smile brightly.

That smile of yours was enough.

“Hayato,” you called out his name, “thanks for treating me kindly. I always appreciate it. You don't really have to do all of these things but—”

“I know I don't have to,” he smoothly interjected. “But I want to. I want to treat you well.”

And he meant every word.

Suo Hayato was by no means perfect. He wasn't pure-hearted. He hoped that he did a good job at making you happy, that is.

If it meant seeing this smile again and again, then Suo will continue being kind and pure-hearted just for you.

But at this moment, seeing your soft smile, Suo's heart swelled with warmth, joy, and love.

[maskedemerald]

Weaving Webs CH1

It is time for @invisobang ! I wrote a fic and the wonderful @pricklenettle did some fantastic art that you'll see embedded through out the fic!

You can check out the fic here or on AO3!

If you like this consider dropping us both a follow!

Warnings: Body horror, manipulation, Spectra is her own content warning, Burns, Spider - for like 2 chapters then it goes away.

The Fenton parents were there when the accident happened, they saw Danny die in an act of sabotage. Now they’re just trying to go on with the strange ghost that is all that's left of Danny. While their old college friend is wondering where the subjects of his revenge are.

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Chapter One - The Accident

The metal panel came free with a few plinks of screws onto the floor making Danny cringe. He knew he’d be the one scrounging around on the floor looking for them later. His Dad grinned not at all phased by the extra work he was creating. Danny leaned over to look and was fairly certain on catching sight of the tangled mess of cables that this was his Dad’s work.

“Alright Danno, I need you to get your small hands in there. Diagnostics say some of the wires didn’t get plugged in right,” he explained with a little chuckle at his own mistake, “I’d fix it but now the paneling’s on I don’t fit.”

“Got it, know which ones?” Danny asked, eyeing the mess.

“Nope, some of the red ones? Some of the greens too. Just give them all a little extra push!” His Dad said before bounding off out of the portal frame to work on some other part of it.

Danny sighed and rolled his eyes, typical Dad. He used a finger to pull aside a bunch of wires to see the circuit board behind but the wires pulled others and obscured it. He huffed a little, the visor of his white hazmat suit fogging up a little before it faded. He was going to have to fix the cable management if he was going to make any progress.

As Danny picked his way through the tangled chaos of unlabeled cables he couldn’t help but be reminded of a spider web. Every few moves of his hand he had to untangle himself Just to get another wire out of the tangle and neatly with the others of its colour. He had to hope that the colours had some kind of system. Even if they didn’t at least they’d be able to see the board.

“Jack? Did you change this setting?” he heard from out in the lab.

“Um nope, well maybe,” he could almost hear his Dad’s awkward shrug.

There was the clacking of keys, “that’s a bit odd.”

“Huummm, maybe if we change that bit. That should get it, right?”

A spark darted from the connected wire as he disconnected it from the board and he swiftly pulled back his hands. Even with the hazmat he wasn't going to risk it. It might not be the vibrant colours of his parents’ ones but that didn’t mean it was more professionally made. His Dad made each of them by hand. Said they needed a bit more oomph to deal with ectoplasm. He wasn’t sure how effective it would really be.

“Mom? The powers on!” He called out to them.

It wasn't meant to be. His dad had said it was off. Either he forgot, not impossible. Or something was wrong with the power system. If that was the case they'd have to shut it all down. It would be months more work before they'd be ready. Danny couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed at that thought. He didn’t believe it would really work but he wanted it to. Wanted it for his parents. Wanted it for the hours he'd poured in as a way to learn engineering.

“What? No it’s not,” his Mom replied confused, “none of the systems are reporting that.”

“I unplugged it, I definitely unplugged it. Where’s that cable?” His Dad insisted.

“What the… Danny! Move now!” His Mom yelled.

Danny startled and backed away from the panel. There was a high pitched whine building behind him. He scrambled forward, his heavy bulky hazmat boots catching on themselves and every cable. There was a loud hiss and the safety shield started to descend. The power wasn’t just on, the portal was activating.

“Shit, no, not yet,” his Mom cursed, her hands practically slamming across the keys, “Jack pull the emergency breaker!”

“On it!”

He stumbled trying to crouch enough to pass under the descending shield. His head bounced in the helmet as he hit the floor. He winced and his head spun. It took a moment too long for him to get his bearings and start moving. He crawled as fast as he could, racing against the descending shield. He pulled back his hand just as the shield descended, the tips of his glove caught between reinforced glass and the metal tiled floor. He pulled it free with some effort, the fingers tearing.

“Breaker’s not stopping it Mads!”

Danny pulled himself up leaning against the glass. He flinched back as his Dad slammed the Fenton Anti Creep Stick into the reinforced glass with an echoing bang. His Mom was at the console frantically trying to get control of the machine.

He could feel a tingle as the charge in the air increased, his hair standing on end. An ominous warning that the Hazmat was no longer sealed. Electric sparks darted from metal surface to metal surface. The growing green glow that was building behind him reflected in the safety glass that trapped him there. The air grew a strange hot cold. There was a crackle like lightning and then he was engulfed in burning cold green.

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