#c; drew roy

[itsnotmourn]

aussie summer beating me up rn

[pectinpeeress]

I keep remembering Crime and Punishment quotes in the context of Riza Hawkeye and I know it makes no sense but hear me out

[toxicroyjamie]

I'm a thousand percent sure that Roy hit first in the royjamie fistfight and I've always been so surprised that so many people imagine it differently because

A) Jamie has literally never come at Roy first. In every single physical altercation they've ever had it was always Roy who went at Jamie

B) We know that Roy is much more inclined towards physical outbursts than Jamie. Jamie doesn't tear benches out of the ground or punch walls or slam doors or threaten to beat people's ass

AND

C) Jamie did almost no damage. The fact that Roy drew blood and Jamie didn't clearly says to me that Jamie was caught off guard, because if Jamie was actually on his feet ready for a fight he would've beat Roy's ass in 30 seconds EASILY

[ryuichirou]

Replies

A couple of replies, a longer one about fandom.

hadesdancehall asked:

BOKU NO RISOU NO ROI DE POISON DE WA I'M LOSING MY MIND OVER TETTERE!ROOK

YESSSSS YES YES I AM SO HAPPY YOU GET IT LOL Rook and Tettere are the same, the idea of this crossover was driving me crazy, I had to draw it. Look at him go, singing about continuously loving every single person until he finds the one…

Fun fact about this sketch: we have no idea why I drew Alte-Rose!Malleus there. It’s been a while since I drew this sketch, and I completely forgot… I guess she had to deal with this Tettere too, so it kind of fits lol

Anonymous asked:

I know you aren't really type to give information just gorgeous art. But in your last reply post you said you do traditional art and just coloured them digitally.

So I'm wondering... How do you do it!?

Because everytime I try to do that it looks so weird. I can't seem to get the colors as vibrant as I can when I'm only doing digital.

Thank you for praising my art! But Anon, I do give information :c I wrote a reply about this exact topic just a couple of days ago which is filled to the brim with links about everything in my art process + have a guide about exactly this topic.

Your colours might seem off for a number of reasons, it’s hard to tell exactly why by just guessing. It can be related to your software/display or directly to your choice of colours.

Anonymous asked:

Ryu, your dissatisfaction with Twisted Wonderland's age rating is very understandable! The game is allegedly a joseimuke game aimed at adult women, especially in light of the fact that this is a gacha game and that adults—who earn a regular income—will be the true target market. It's a little frightening that adults who play these kinds of games have to be so careful about how we express our affection for the characters lest we be labelled as predators or worse, p*dos. Making adult gamers feel bad for enjoying these "children" who are clearly meant to be adults. They're fictional, and most of them definitely don't look or act like boys their age. Some characters appear so mature; this really struck me as being university attendee coded. It's not like the ensemble is exclusively comprised of children, you know? The game revolves around attractive anime boys who are intentionally created to appear older than they actually are. Unfortunately, despite the fact that i enjoy Twisted Wonderland, it is the first fandom where i experienced Ageism in a fandom.

Trey is, if my memory serves me correctly, one of the most well-liked characters in the Japanese fandom (i remember there used to be a JP poll asking which character in Twist was the most loved). Most likely due to his personality, which again makes sense given that the majority of Twist users are grownups and Trey's portrayal of a character who, despite being a young adult, is quite mature.

Furthermore, even though I realise I'm going to sound like Idia, I detest how the "Normies" entered Nerd/Geek spaces after gaining popularity and then pretended to be uncomfortable with what they saw. You came to OUR space, dude! What did they expect?!

Anon! Sorry for replying late, and thank you! You’ve made so many very good points.

It really is an obvious joseimuke in how the game is written, how the game operates (the gacha system, like you mentioned) + even the type of merch that exists for this game. If you think about it, this is probably the best way to determine the actual target audience of any piece of media: just like Prince of Tennis is technically a classic Shonen Jump series, but all the merch they have is clearly aimed at adult women (purses, perfume, etc).

So yeah, even if that wasn’t the case, calling people predators over shipping themselves with Azul would be a bad thing to do, but in this situation especially it’s absurd to call people out for interacting with TWST pretty much the way it was indented…

What you said about the characters’ age and Trey specifically is so true. To be fair, this could be said about any joseimuke-like title with a big ensemble of boys, Prince of Tennis included. All the characters there are 12-15 years old, but god some of them look over 30.

I think it is important to keep in mind the intended age to a degree (= I dislike how the EN translation tries to dance around mentioning the boys’ age), and Twst does a good job at keeping these boys authentic when it matters, but it doesn’t mean that people won’t ship them with other characters or themselves. And no one questions it and no one finds it weird because it isn’t. It’s not that deep, it has nothing to do with how real teens look or act, this is a fantasy in people’s heads, it’s escapism, it so different and so far removed from the regular boring life it’s insane. It’s so difficult not to sound like Idia, SO I FEEL YOU ANON.  Someone called it the moe factor that some people just don’t get. So I guess it really is about people being normies sometimes lol I wish they would leave already.

[babytarttdoodoo]

for the mini fic prompt, could you do hurt/comfort where jamie hyperventilates and has a panic attack in mom city? and with keeley and roy to help him through it

Y’all really looked at the angst and h/c of the last one and went ‘yup’, huh? I love it.

Went back and forth on when in Mom City to place this but there is a good chunk of unaccounted for time in the episode where we know Jamie, Roy and Keeley were all together.

Thank you for the prompt and I hope you enjoy.

(Prompt Fill Masterpost)

—

They ended up in the hotel bar. It was hardly the most glamorous spot in the city and Jamie felt a bit like he should be doing more to show Roy and Keeley around his hometown.

The truth was, though, that he was still just bone-deep tired. He hadn’t missed the way Roy had eyed him assessingly before telling Keeley that Jamie wasn’t allowed cocktails and making a fuss about the team curfew.

Jamie was grateful for it. Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

So all three of them had retraced their steps back to the Hacienda and found a quiet corner that kept them mostly hidden from the view of other guests enjoying a nightcap. Roy had looked entirely too pleased with himself when he returned from the bar with a beer, something pink and foamy for Keeley, and a neon-coloured, sugary monstrosity of a mocktail that he set down in front of Jamie.

The umbrella in it was a nice touch.

It drew out a bout of good natured teasing that it was easy to laugh at, to fall into a familiar rhythm with, but Jamie quickly resorted to quietly sipping his glorified fruit juice while Roy and Keeley (mostly Keeley) carried on the conversation around him.

Talking seemed like so much effort, right then.

Don’t get him wrong, seeing his mum had helped loads. It always did. She never judged him for anything and always understood what he was trying to say, regardless of whatever mixed metaphors he came up with to describe the mess in his head.

Just spending a bit of time with her had settled something in his chest that felt like it had rattled loose weeks ago.

But that feeling of dread that had dogged so many of his waking hours was still pulling at the back of his mind. It was with a sort of detached fascination that Jamie noticed his fingers shaking when he reached for his glass.

“Jamie?”

“Hmm?” He startled and looked up from the table to see Roy and Keeley staring right at him, twin expressions of pinched concern on their faces. Like a weird parody of those posters in his room. “Oh, er, sorry, Keels. Miles away.”

“You should get to bed.” Roy stated, frowning but not (Jamie thought) in an angry way. “We still need you tomorrow.”

Right.

“The crowd’s gonna hate you. And the person who’s gonna be booing the loudest in the crowd is your dad.”

Jamie stood abruptly, barely noticing the screech his chair made against the floor past the white noise suddenly rushing in his ears. He did notice the way concern shifted straight to fucking alarm across the table and stumbled over an apology.

“Sorry! Sorry, I’ll just go. Upstairs.” He swallowed and it made his stomach churn. Could you sweat on the inside of your mouth? It definitely felt like it. “Need me rest, don’t I?”

Roy was already getting up too. “Fuck, Jamie, I didn’t mean…”

“Stay for a bit? We’ll walk you up.” Keeley chimed in, looking at Jamie with big, liquid eyes and shit, he couldn’t handle any more of this.

He said something, he thought, but didn’t know or care if it made sense. He just shook his head and backed away quickly, keenly aware of the eyes on him as he made a beeline for the lobby.

Jamie shouldered open the door to the stairwell without making a conscious decision to take the stairs. It probably wasn’t a good idea - the shaking in his fingers had apparently spread and it felt like pins and needles were running up his legs. Everything about how he was feeling made the plushly carpeted steps seem horribly intimidating.

In the absence of a better option, he sank down to sit on them instead, clutching onto the wall and only barely aware of the short, sharp breaths he was pulling in. His chest felt like he’d been doing Roy’s sadistic suicide runs all day.

Funny, his vision swam when he did those too.

He closed his eyes against the nausea that swamped him as if a tide of awful was rushing over his head and just tried to breathe, to focus on the sound and rhythm of air sucked into his lungs instead of anything else.

The feeling of hands on him jolted through his body like a shockwave.

“No!” He flailed his arms in an effort to get away and pressed back against the wall, looking around wildly.

“Shit, shit, sorry love.” For a terrifying second, Jamie didn’t even recognise Keeley, too confused by her sudden appearance. She was perched on the stairs too, hands snatched back against her chest to keep from reaching out again. “It’s just us. You’re okay.”

“Oi, Tartt.” Oh, Roy was there too, crouching down to his level and fixing him with a remarkably steady look. Right now, that seemed like some sort of superpower. Roy Fucking Kent, eh?

“Look at me, alright? Deep breath in.” He gestured to his own expanding ribcage and Jamie found himself following along. Copying his coach like it was the most natural thing in the world. He blew air out through pursed lips and drew it back in again. And again. And again. His eyes stayed fixed on Roy’s face, latched on to that cool, collected calm.

Slowly, the rest of the world started to filter back in and Jamie had the presence of mind to realise how ridiculous this all was. He was cowering in a corner like a scared kid while the two people he’d idolised for at least a fucking decade coddled him. His face felt wet.

He scrubbed his hands roughly over his eyes and cheeks, shifting into a more comfortable seating position and feeling his ears and neck burn with shame.

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.” Roy agreed, still watching him carefully. “Alright?”

Jamie nodded glumly then startled when Roy all but collapsed to sit on the floor below him. The calm of a moment ago had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“Jesus Christ, don’t fucking do that again.” He practically snarled the words but didn’t actually look angry. He looked… something else. “Scared the shit out of me.”

Oh.

“Oh. Sorry.” Jamie offered weakly, baffled when Roy just shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Babe.” Keeley’s voice was quiet, tentative in a way he’d never really heard from her before. He turned to see that her eyes still looked huge, set in a paler than normal face. But she smiled at him. “Can I touch you now? Is that alright?”

That sounded fucking wonderful so Jamie nodded and went easily into her arms. She was tiny but he curled up to tuck his face against her shoulder, shivering when her fingers smoothed back his hair.

“That’s it, darling. We’ve got you. You’re gonna be okay.” She went on murmuring soft, nice little things to him as the shaking slowly left Jamie’s frame and he felt like his legs might support him again.

Eventually, he cleared his throat and sat back up straight. His eyes darted between them, seeing clearly now that they both looked properly terrible.

“... don’t suppose there’s any chance we can just forget that happened?” he tried hopefully. It did at least get a snort of laughter from Roy.

“Not a fucking hope in hell, you little prick.” He stood slowly, bracing a hand on the wall, and grimaced. “Ears.”

“What?” Jamie furrowed his brow in confusion when Keeley immediately slapped her hands over her ears. It quickly curdled into guilt when Roy reached down and viciously adjusted his knee with the worst cracking, squelching sound Jamie had ever heard. “Fucking hell, old man. What the fuck did you get on the floor for?”

Roy didn’t dignify that with an answer, just held out his hands to Jamie.

“C’mon, up. We’re not staying here all night.”

Jamie almost questioned what he meant by ‘we’, but just accepted the help instead and used Roy’s strong grip to pull himself back to standing.

Keeley followed his lead unaided and wrapped herself around Jamie’s arm, clearly intent on holding him for the foreseeable future. Or maybe she just thought he needed the extra support. That was valid.

Stairs were obviously not an option now, not with Roy wincing on every other step taken to show them back out into the lobby. Nevertheless, he hovered like a bodyguard, shielding the view of them both as much as he could with his own body until they reached the lift.

Keeley disentangled a hand to stab at the call button and they all herded into the small space like some bizarre conga line.

Jamie couldn’t even find it in himself to protest. Not when Keeley was soft and warm against his side, the smell of her perfume so achingly familiar. Not when Roy put a guiding hand to the small of his back and it drifted up to grip his shoulder once they were inside.

He found his voice, though, when Roy pressed the button for the eighth floor.

“I’m on six.” His suitcase was still sitting open on the bed, he thought, unpacked and lonely.

“My room’s bigger.” Roy told him gruffly, like that was any kind of answer, and made absolutely no move to change their destination.

Confused, Jamie let himself be led along to the room that Roy was apparently staying in and shuffled across the threshold. It actually was a bit nicer than his - that hardly seemed fair.

Keeley gently tugged him over the bed and sat him down. She smoothed back his hair again and it felt so nice.

“Do you need anything? I’m going to grab some of my stuff. I can go to your room too.”

Jamie scrunched up his face. It felt like he’d missed a whole conversation at some point. 

“You’re sleeping in here.” Roy told him, tone brooking no argument and Jamie turned to him in surprise. “So we can make sure you do actually fucking sleep.”

Sure enough, Roy was turning down the bedsheets and moving his own things around. Making room.

“Oh.” Jamie considered that. The thought of spending the night alone with Roy Kent in a hotel room brought up a lot of very complicated feelings. Except, it sounded like Keeley was planning to stick around as well, didn’t it? And the idea of staying like this for the rest of the night, bracketed between them with nice words and soft touches, was more comforting than he could bear.

“Alright then.”

[kiwisfics]

Summary: Jealous Werewolf fluff. I will not apologize. Fluff.

A/N: I have... a lot of were-animal ocs so I think writing stuff like this is so fun. The parcel bomb reference is toward how Dick and S/O met in most of my Dick fics. Roy only got dragged into this because he was the first person that came to mind after Oliver. I might have started more WIPs instead of finishing old ones but... I went off the deep end with my Dick hyperfixation.

C/W: Jealousy, territorial and possessive Dick, but not necessarily in a toxic way. Protective Damian makes an appearance.

-

The pack tended to be closeknit. It was expected of packs, so the curiosity of a new person wearing the scent of the Waynes was fair. Even more so when the person wearing the scent was a human.

 The scent overwhelming the rest of the family’s was Dick Grayson’s—noticeably sweeter and less sharp than the rest of the pack’s tended to be—which drew its own attention from the attendees of the gala. A couple of the women sent her scathing looks, but she choose to ignore them. Dick and the rest of the family had all given her fair warning that some of the attendants might be annoyed over a human taking one of their own off of the market.

Dick’s scent and the fact that she was a human didn’t deter some of the men’s attention being placed on her. She ignored it just as totally as she ignored the glares, far more interested in keeping her head down and not making a scene that Bruce would need to smooth over.

Damian was hovering at her hip, flashing warning looks at anyone who came too close or stared for too long. Wolves weren’t any more dangerous than the humans of Gotham generally, but he remained vigilant regardless. Besides, wolves did tend to be territorial over their pack members, especially if it was a human being welcomed among them.

“The bodyguard act seems a little unnecessary, Dami.”

Said boy huffed in response, “You can’t be allowed to roam unattended in this den of wolves.”

“Well, I walk around the manor all the time without an escort.”

“Hey, that’s a little rude, bird.” Dick’s chin rested against her shoulder as he appeared, apparently finished with meeting his socializing quota of the night. She could practically feel the glares of the women that he’d left behind to return to her side.

“You’re literally wolves. It’s in the title.” She teased him as he tilted his head to take a not-so-subtle sniff at her neck. She didn’t acknowledge the affection until he began to nuzzle against her. “Are you seriously marking me right now? Didn’t you do a good enough job before we got here? You were doing this exact thing for thirty minutes straight.”

“A little extra never hurts. Besides, you’re starting to pick up on other packs’ scents.”

“You’re one to talk. I can practically smell the perfume of all those girls clinging onto you and I’m not even a wolf.”

“I don’t like how people are looking at you.” He mumbled the words with his face still tucked against her neck, being bold enough to nip at her pulse lightly.

She bit back a surprised squeak at the bite, “Yeah, well, I don’t like how they’re looking at you either. At least the ones staring at me have an excuse. I’m the only human here, of course they’re staring.”

Before Dick could reply, a familiar voice caught their attention, “Hey, [Name]!”

She perked up instantly, while Dick grumbled something under his breath before pulling away from her neck and standing straight. His arm wrapped around her shoulders possessively, but there was nothing unusual about that.

“Hey! What’re you doing here, Roy?”

Dick didn’t give him a chance to answer, “I didn’t know Bruce invited Ollie.”

Roy’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she had the distinct impression that there was some kind of wolfy interaction occurring beneath the two’s words. “He did, but Jason actually invited me.”

Dick huffed, the sound an obvious inclination that he was annoyed. “I didn’t know you knew [Name].”

“Met her through Jason. I didn’t know that you two were mates.”

Dick fixed the other male with a glare, teeth clenching and eyes narrowing like he’d said something offensive. [Name] had never seen him take a stance like he did now, back straight as a rod and shoulders squared to make himself bigger. If she hadn’t been so close to both of the men, she might have been worried, but, really, it was just cute to see him get so jealous over something so small, especially when he’d only moments before been drowning in the midst of a group of well-dressed women vying for his attention.

She placed her hand on his chest, turning herself against his side as she did, which gave him the opportunity to pull her even closer. “Dick, it’s-” She was cut off by an unfamiliar sound rumbling in his chest. “Are you growling?”

The question seemed to snap him out of whatever territorial mindset he’d entered and his attention was suddenly back on her, a guilty look in his eyes that reminded her of a misbehaved puppy.

“It’s okay.” She had to bite back her laugh at the look he was giving her, like he was fully convinced she was about to shove him away from her so she could make a run for it, “You didn’t scare me. And I’m not mad that you’re jealous.”

Roy snickered behind her, and she sent him a sharp side-eye. That was all it took for him to raise his hands and back away.

“I didn’t know that you knew any other wolves.” He lowered his head again to hide against her neck, more in a bid for affection than an attempt to mark her this time.

“I met him not long after the parcel bomb thing. Jason was on guard duty one night and Roy crashed the party looking for Jason. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not.” He took a breath, releasing whatever tension remained in his muscles, “You don’t have to tell me everyone you know. Don’t think that. I was just being jealous. You didn’t do anything wrong. That was all me.”

“Well, I can’t blame you. You pick up on a lot more than me, so if I’m jealous of all the girls looking at you, then I’m sure you’re way more jealous of all the guys eyeing me. Even if they’re only looking at me because I’m a human.”

“They’re not. If Damian wasn’t giving them looks that could kill, I guarantee at least half of the men staring would be trying to make a move on you.” He growled against her neck, his grip on her hips tightening.

“We can go, if you want.”

He pulled away from her to meet her eyes, “You’re sure? If you want to stay, I don’t want to be the reason you think we should-”

“Dick, I am in the most nauseating dress I’ve ever worn. If it gets me out of this dress, then I’d gladly go to work right now. I would love to spend my time with you outside of this stupid gala.” She got to her tiptoes as he stood straight and got as close to his ear as she could, careful to whisper it as low as she could with the heightened senses of the other attendants in mind, “You look better in the Nightwing suit than the tux anyway.”

If he’d had a tail at the moment, she was sure it’d be wagging.

“Then what are we waiting for? After you.” He gave a dramatic bow as he gestured to the exit.

She patted Damian on the head as she moved towards the door, “If Bruce asks, say something came up.”

Damian wrinkled his nose in disgust, “I’m not lying just so you two can go tongue-wrestle.”

“I’ll tell Alfred that I broke the vase in the living room.”

There was no hesitation, “Deal.”

“Works every time.”

[eludin-realm]

Character Name Ideas (Male)

So I've been browsing through BehindTheName (great resource!) recently and have compiled several name lists. Here are some names, A-Z, that I like. NOTE: If you want to use any of these please verify sources, meanings etc, I just used BehindTheName to browse and find all of these. Under the cut:

A: Austin, Aiden, Adam, Alex, Angus, Anthony, Archie, Argo, Ari, Aric, Arno, Atlas, August, Aurelius, Alexei, Archer, Angelo, Adric, Acarius, Achilou, Alphard, Amelian, Archander B: Bodhi, Bastian, Baz, Beau, Beck, Buck, Basil, Benny, Bentley, Blake, Bowie, Brad, Brady, Brody, Brennan, Brent, Brett, Brycen C: Cab, Cal, Caden, Cáel, Caelan, Caleb, Cameron, Chase, Carlos, Cooper, Carter, Cas, Cash, Cassian, Castiel, Cedric, Cenric, Chance, Chandler, Chaz, Chad, Chester, Chet, Chip, Christian, Cillian, Claude, Cicero, Clint, Cody, Cory, Coy, Cole, Colt, Colton, Colin, Colorado, Colum, Conan, Conrad, Conway, Connor, Cornelius, Creed, Cyneric, Cynric, Cyrano, Cyril, Cyrus, Crestian, Ceric D: Dallas, Damien, Daniel, Darach, Dash, Dax, Dayton, Denver, Derek, Des, Desmond, Devin, Dewey, Dexter, Dietrich, Dion, Dmitri, Dominic, Dorian, Douglas, Draco, Drake, Drew, Dudley, Dustin, Dusty, Dylan, Danièu E: Eadric, Evan, Ethan, Easton, Eddie, Eddy, Einar, Eli, Eilas, Eiljah, Elliott, Elton, Emanuel, Emile, Emmett, Enzo, Erik, Evander, Everett, Ezio F: Faolán, Faron, Ferlin, Felix, Fenrir, Fergus, Finley, Finlay, Finn, Finnian, Finnegan, Flint, Flip, Flynn, Florian, Forrest, Fritz G: Gage, Gabe, Grady, Grant, Gray, Grayson, Gunnar, Gunther, Galahad H: Hale, Harley, Harper, Harvey, Harry, Huey, Hugh, Hunter, Huxley I: Ian, Ianto, Ike, Inigo, Isaac, Isaias, Ivan, Ísak J: Jack, Jacob, Jake, Jason, Jasper, Jax, Jay, Jensen, Jed, Jeremy, Jeremiah, Jesse, Jett, Jimmie, Jonas, Jonas, Jonathan, Jordan, Josh, Julien, Jovian, Jun, Justin, Joseph, Joni, K: Kaden, Kai, Kale, Kane, Kaz, Keane, Keaton, Keith, Kenji, Kenneth, Kent, Kevin, Kieran, Kip, Knox, Kris, Kristian, Kyle, Kay, Kristján, Kristófer L: Lamont, Lance, Landon, Lane, Lars, László, Laurent, Layton, Leander, Leif, Leo, Leonidas, Leopold, Levi, Lewis, Louie, Liam, Liberty, Lincoln, Linc, Linus, Lionel, Logan, Loki, Lucas, Lucian, Lucio, Lucky, Luke, Luther, Lyall, Lycus, Lykos, Lyle, Lyndon, Llewellyn, Landri, Laurian, Lionç M: Major, Manny, Manuel, Marcus, Mason, Matt, Matthew, Matthias, Maverick, Maxim, Memphis, Midas, Mikko, Miles, Mitch, Mordecai, Mordred, Morgan, Macari, Maïus, Maxenci, Micolau, Miro N: Nate, Nathan, Nathaniel, Niall, Nico, Niels, Nik, Noah, Nolan, Niilo, Nikander, Novak, O: Oakley, Octavian, Odin, Orlando, Orrick, Ǫrvar, Othello, Otis, Otto, Ovid, Owain, Owen, Øyvind, Ozzie, Ollie, Oliver, Onni P: Paisley, Palmer, Percival, Percy, Perry, Peyton, Phelan, Phineas, Phoenix, Piers, Pierce, Porter, Presley, Preston, Pacian Q: Quinn, Quincy, Quintin R: Ragnar, Raiden, Ren, Rain, Rainier, Ramos, Ramsey, Ransom, Raul, Ray, Roy, Reagan, Redd, Reese, Rhys, Rhett, Reginald, Remiel, Remy, Ridge, Ridley, Ripley, Rigby, Riggs, Riley, River, Robert, Rocky, Rokas, Roman, Ronan, Ronin, Romeo, Rory, Ross, Ruairí, Rufus, Rusty, Ryder, Ryker, Rylan, Riku, Roni S: Sammie, Sammy, Samuel, Samson, Sanford, Sawyer, Scout, Seán, Seth, Sebastian, Seymour, Shane, Shaun, Shawn, Sheldon, Shiloh, Shun, Sid, Sidney, Silas, Skip, Skipper, Skyler, Slade, Spencer, Spike, Stan, Stanford, Sterling, Stevie, Stijn, Suni, Sylvan, Sylvester T: Tab, Tad, Tanner, Tate, Tennessee, Tero, Terrance, Tevin, Thatcher, Tierno, Tino, Titus, Tobias, Tony, Torin, Trace, Trent, Trenton, Trev, Trevor, Trey, Troy, Tripp, Tristan, Tucker, Turner, Tyler, Ty, Teemu U: Ulric V: Valerius, Valor, Van, Vernon, Vespasian, Vic, Victor, Vico, Vince, Vinny, Vincent W: Wade, Walker, Wallis, Wally, Walt, Wardell, Warwick, Watson, Waylon, Wayne, Wes, Wesley, Weston, Whitley, Wilder, Wiley, William, Wolfe, Wolfgang, Woody, Wulfric, Wyatt, Wynn X: Xander, Xavier Z: Zachary, Zach, Zane, Zeb, Zebediah, Zed, Zeke, Zeph, Zaccai

[solosergiohd]

Solo Sergio Battle Royale: 1992/2002/2012/2022

Rosters

Class Of 2022:

Sergio Limon Ponce

1992:

Kirby

Meta Knight

Aladdin

Jasmine

Jafar

Batman

The Joker

Cyclops

Wolverine

Magneto

Sonic

Tails

Sailor Moon

Scorpion

Sub Zero

Terry Bogard

Mai Shiranui

2002:

Sora

Stitch

Gantu

Ratchet & Clank

Kim Possible

Shego

Dr. Drakken

Numbuh 1

Father

Jimmy Neutron

Shantae

Sly Cooper

Carmelita Fox

Rikochet

The Hacker (CyberChase)

Fox McCloud

Krystal

Sceptile

Blaziken

Swampert

Gardevoir

Absol

Ty The Tasmanian Tiger

Spyro

Samus Aran

Meta Ridley

Dark Samus

Naruto Uzumaki

Saskue Uchiha

Sakura Haruno

Kakashi Hatake

Rock Lee

Spider-Man

Mega Man EXE

Roy (Fire Emblem)

Kos-Mos

Kid Muscle

Blinx

Parappa The Rapper

Bomberman

Pac-Man

Starfy

2012:

Wreck-it Ralph

Fix-it Felix Jr.

Korra

Amon

Dipper Pines/Mabel Pines

Stan Pines

Bill Cipher

Jack Frost

Leonardo

Donatello

Raphael

Michelangelo

Shredder

Merida

Pit

Dark Pit

Lucina

Chrom

Mavis Dracula

Jotaro Kujo

Dio

Kat (Gravity Rush)

Tree Rex

Bouncer

Filia

Ms. Fortune

Valentine

Maxwell (Scribblenauts)

Randy Cunningham

Zoe Trent

Chiaki Nanami

Kirito/Asuna Yuuki

Eli Shane

Juliet Sterling

Dillon

Nightmare (Soul Calibur 5)

Ruby Rose

Yang Xiao Long

Weiss Schnee

Blake Belladonna

Asura

2022:

Mr. Wolf

Diane Foxington

Pibby

Cuphead

Mugman

Ms. Chalice

The Devil

Meilin Lee

Charlie & Pim

Puss In Boots

Kitty Softpaws

Death Wolf

Meowscarada

Skeledirge

Quaquaval

Buzz Lightyear

Emperor Zurg

Krypto The Superdog

Edge (Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope)

Sash Lilac

Carol Tea

Milla Basset

Loid Forger

Yor Forger & Anya Forger

Klonoa

Audery Drew & Bendy

Gretel Grant-Gomez

Noah/Mio (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

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[that1emowitch]

Fire #7 (Jason Todd & Child!OC)

Summary:

One whole chapter dedicated to comfort, Jason finally realises that maybe, just maybe, he's not alone. ALSO JAYROY.

Rating: Teen & Up Audiences (there might be some swears and graphic descriptions of violence)

Word Count: 5915

A/N:

I got kinda carried away while writing this and ended up writing 6000 words instead of 3000 but~~ THE MORE THE MERRIER

Chapter 7: Family

"Please, Jason… I can't lose you like this." Roy’s words hung heavy in the air, carrying with them all the unsaid feelings he had held close for so long. "Man, there's so much I haven't told you. I need you to wake up... I need to tell you how much I love you."

A choked sob caught in his throat as the weight of his emotions became too much to bear. Tear-filled eyes remained fixed on Jason's still form, as if willing his friend to hear, to respond. "I love you so much, Jay... Please..."

The truth hung in the air, his admission raw and unfiltered. He wasn't sure if Jason could hear him, but he needed to say it, to let the words out into the universe. In the midst of his despair, Roy's grip on Jason's hand tightened even further, a physical manifestation of his anguish, of his plea for life to return to his beloved.

Suddenly, Roy felt his hand being squeezed back. His head snapped up as he rushed even closer to the bed. “Jason?”

“R—Roy?” Jason’s voice was scratchy and weak as his eyes struggled to focus on the redhead in front of him. “You—”

A flood of emotions surged within Roy as he leaned in, his gaze fixed on Jason's struggling form. The sight before him felt miraculous, a confirmation that his words had reached through the void. His heart overflowed with relief, love, and a yearning for the return of the man who had become an irreplaceable part of his life. "Jason," he breathed, his voice filled with emotion.

Jason's voice, though weak and raspy, was a lifeline. “You—”

Before he could finish, Roy enveloped him in a gentle hug, mindful of the injuries that marred Jason's body. "Jay…" His voice quivered with emotion, a mixture of relief and profound tenderness.

In the midst of his vulnerability, Jason's plea resonated with an underlying need. “C—Can you say it again…” His words held a hint of uncertainty, a vulnerable yearning for reassurance. He thought Roy had said it… Or maybe my stupid mind just made it up…

A rush of warmth flooded Roy's heart as he met Jason's gaze, realising that Jason had heard his confession. He hasn’t pushed me away yet. Tears welled in his eyes, a mixture of emotions dancing within them. “Jason, I love you…”

Jason's defences crumbled, tears escaping his eyes as he allowed his emotions to surface. His own vulnerability echoed Roy's, a shared moment of catharsis. “I— Y—” His voice faltered, the weight of his emotions proving difficult to articulate. Why would he love me? I’m just a fucking mess…

Roy's tender touch against Jason's cheek drew a shaky breath from him. “Jay, baby, I love you so much… Please, for fuck’s sake, don’t do something like that again, okay? You scared me… I thought I’d lose you…”

The walls around Jason's heart finally gave way, and he sobbed, releasing the pent-up pain and fear that had plagued him. Roy gently pulled him into his lap, caressing his face, letting him know it was okay to cry. Jason buried his face into his best friend’s neck. Best friend. That’s all I’ll ever be to him, won’t I?

A sudden impulse surged through Jason, compelling him to lift his head, his gaze locking onto Roy's captivating green eyes. Without overthinking, he pressed his lips against Roy's in a kiss that was both tender and passionate. He drank in the taste of his beloved's lips, each sensation an intoxicating rush that momentarily pushed away his worries. Roy's response, the reciprocation of the kiss, sent an electric jolt through him, flooding his senses with euphoria, a moment of pure and undiluted happiness.

But as swiftly as it began, the kiss was interrupted as Roy pulled away, leaving Jason disoriented and craving more. "What—" The confusion in Roy's voice matched the tumult of emotions that swirled in his eyes, reflecting a mix of surprise, curiosity, and perhaps a hint of something more.

Jason's heart raced, his cheeks flushing as he struggled to find the words to explain his actions. He wasn't used to acting on impulse, especially when it came to matters of the heart. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. Tears threatened to spill again. "I— I'm so sorry— I didn't—"

“You still like me?” Roy's piercing question cut through Jason's stammering, the raw vulnerability in the redhead's voice hitting him with the force of a punch. 

The question hung in the air, the weight of their history colouring every word. It was a question that held years of unspoken conversations, of buried emotions, and heartaches. Jason swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry, as he met Roy's gaze head-on.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself, the turmoil within him giving way to the truth he had always known but never quite said aloud. "Roy, you know it's more than just 'like', right?" His voice trembled slightly, every syllable carrying the weight of his feelings. "I've never stopped loving you."

Roy's eyes widened, his surprise evident, and Jason hurried to elaborate. "I know we agreed to stay best friends after what happened between us, and I respect that. But that doesn't mean those feelings vanished. I just— I felt like I couldn’t compare to Jade Nguyen… I knew you still loved her… I mean, she’s Lian’s mom, why wouldn’t you? I…" He trailed off, a mixture of emotions swirling in his eyes. "It hurt, Roy. It hurt more than I thought it would."

A conflicted expression clouded Roy's features, his emotions evident as he tried to process Jason's words. "Jason," he began, his voice laden with sincerity. "Why didn’t you tell me before? I didn't... I didn't mean for you to get hurt. My relationship and my feelings for Jade faded long before we even considered being together."

Jason looked down, his heart aching as he felt the surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. "I know that now," he whispered, his voice heavy with regret. "But back then... I felt like I was just your rebound, like I was disposable."

Roy's fingers reached out, gently tilting Jason's chin to meet his gaze. "You were never disposable, Jay." His voice held an earnestness that resonated deeply with Jason. "And I'm sorry for making you feel that way."

“It— It’s not just that…” Jason looked away, his gaze fixed on a distant point as he struggled to articulate the turmoil that had been brewing inside him. "I can't be what you need, Roy. I'm broken, and I've got all these scars, both inside and out." He could feel the painful lump forming in his throat, the words coming out in a rush. "And with the Pit and all… I can't risk hurting you, using you as a way to fix myself."

Roy's expression shifted from confusion to realisation, and Jason felt a pang in his chest at the understanding in Roy's eyes. "But I need you," Roy said softly, his voice laced with a mix of sadness and empathy.

Jason nodded, his throat tight as he struggled to hold back the emotions threatening to spill over. "Me too. But I can't do that to you, Roy. I—I can't let you be dragged into my mess. You keep having to do so much for me, I don’t deserve that…"

Roy's hand gently cupped Jason's chin, guiding his gaze back to him. "Jason, listen to me," he said, his voice unwavering. "You're not worthless, and you're certainly not a rebound." His thumb brushed against Jason's cheek, his touch tender. "You're the person I care about, the person I love. And I don't care about your scars or your past. I care about you, for who you are. We’re both complete messes, but we can help each other get better."

Tears welled up in Jason's eyes, and he felt a mixture of relief and fear coursing through him. "I'm just scared, Roy," he admitted, his voice cracking. "Scared of hurting you, of letting you down."

Roy's fingers wiped away a tear that had escaped Jason's eye. "Jason, we all have our fears, our insecurities. But that doesn't mean we let them define us or dictate our actions."

Jason swallowed hard, the emotions he had suppressed for so long finally breaking free. "I love you, Roy. That's why I can't do this, why I can't let myself drag you into my mess."

Roy's eyes softened, his gaze unwavering. "And I love you, Jason. Your scars, your past, they're a part of you, but they're not all of you. We face things together, Jay. That's what love is about."

Jason felt a glimmer of hope amidst the turmoil inside him. "So, you're saying... you're willing to face my mess with me?"

Roy smiled, his fingers tracing a gentle path on Jason's cheek. "I'm saying I'm willing to face anything with you, Jay."

A small smile found its way to Jason’s face. “When did you get so wise, Harper?”

A chuckle slipped through Roy’s lips, a mixture of amusement and affection evident in his eyes. “You broke up with me because you thought I didn’t actually like you, then proceeded to say we’d be better off as best friends… bro, you literally friendzoned yourself!”

Jason's lips curved into a playful grin, his gaze holding a hint of mischief. But then, without warning, he closed the gap between them and kissed Roy fiercely, a surge of newfound confidence coursing through him. It was a kiss filled with desire, a silent proclamation of emotions that had been suppressed for far too long. As he pulled away, he brushed his lips against Roy’s jaw, his eyes darkened, lust-blown with longing. “I’m not your bro.”

Roy's smirk grew wider, his heart racing as Jason's actions sent sparks of electricity through his veins. He relished in the sensation of Jason's gentle nibbles along his jawline, their closeness igniting a fiery passion between them. The intensity of their connection was undeniable, and he found himself lost in the moment, entwined with the man he had always cared for so deeply.

However, the spell was abruptly broken by an unexpected interruption. A voice pierced through the charged atmosphere, shattering their intimate cocoon and bringing them back to reality.

"Uh, if you two are done, could you come upstairs for a bit?" Tim's voice sounded from the doorway of the med bay, his tone a mix of amusement and exasperation. He cast a pointed glance at Jason's bandaged torso before adding, "And maybe wear a shirt. Nile doesn’t need to see her dad being hurt."

Roy's eyes shifted from Jason to Tim, his expression transforming to surprise. He arched an eyebrow, a silent question in his gaze. Jason's eyes widened in realisation, the truth hitting him that he hadn't yet informed Roy about adopting Nile. 

"Right, uh— See, I was going to tell you, but then all this happened, and—" He stopped himself before he rambled on too long and gathered his breath. “I found a little girl, she was all alone with no one to care for her, and she’d somehow got caught up in a meta-children trafficking business, so I adopted her so no one could hurt her again.”

A chuckle escaped Roy's lips as he gently touched Jason's cheek, his tone affectionate. "Guess we've got more than a few things to catch up on. God, we really need to work on communication."

Jason nodded, a soft smile gracing his features. "Yeah, I guess so."

Tim ascended the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the quiet of the house, leading him to Cass's room, where she and Steph sat playing with Nile. The little angel had immediately taken a liking to Cass, and had warmed up to Steph in just minutes. That wasn’t very hard, both of them were some of the most awesome people he knew, his big sister and his best friend. Plus, Nile seemed to be a glowing ball of sunshine with never-ending love to share with the world. He couldn't help but smile as he observed the trio reading a colourful picture book together.

The faint rustling behind him signalled the arrival of Jason and Roy. Tim's senses sharpened, a remnant of wariness still lingering from their past encounters. Although it’d been two years since Jason last tried to kill him, the unease hadn't entirely dissipated, even with the progress they had made.

Shrugging off the hesitation, Tim entered the room, making way for Jason and Roy to follow. He noted the subtle shifts in their dynamic; their connection seemed more profound, their emotions more openly displayed. Everyone knew they loved each other before, but now… it felt like they knew it too. I’m glad Jason found someone, even though it happens to be Dick’s ex. It was like him and Kon. He’d been such a mess before Kon came into his life. To be fair, I’m still a mess, but now we have each other.

As Jason stepped into the room, his body tensed involuntarily. The collective gaze of his companions, a mixture of concern and empathy, fixed upon him, their worry like an unspoken weight in the air. His instinctual response was to meet their gaze with a flash of anger, a protective barrier against the sympathy he perceived. They don’t need to feel sorry for me. He didn't want anyone's pity. Not now, not ever.

"Nile," his voice emerged firm and commanding, a directive that held an undercurrent of frustration. He needed to take control of the situation, to seize a semblance of autonomy amidst the chaos of his emotions. "We need to go." His gaze flickered to the young girl, who looked at him with big, innocent eyes. He didn't want her to witness his vulnerability, his moments of weakness. "We won't be any more trouble," he added, a hint of defiance colouring his words.

The room seemed to hold its breath for a moment, the tension palpable. Jason's stance was resolute, his body language a shield against the well-intentioned concern that surrounded him. He couldn't let them see him like this, couldn't bear their well-meaning but suffocating expressions.

Cass launched herself into Jason's arms, her petite form wrapping around him in a warm, affectionate embrace. Her presence felt like a sudden burst of light in the midst of his emotional turmoil. His gaze fell to her, his little sister, the one who had managed to find her place in his fractured world. Her eyes, so expressive despite her silence, fixed on his heart as she pointed to it with a sense of clarity. Her wordless declaration resonated deeply within him.

"Brother," she stated, pointing to him. "We love you," her message was short but crystal clear. Her sincerity radiated from her, a beacon of pure affection that cut through the layers of doubt and walls he had built. It was a simple affirmation, yet it bore immense weight, the weight of family, of acceptance, of belonging.

When he’d made peace with the Bats, all of them had still been extremely wary around him. I don’t blame them, honestly. But Cass… she’d always accepted him as he was. She was the only one he knew he could trust. She only likes me because she never actually saw how fucked up I am.

Jason's initial stiffness began to melt away, replaced by a hesitant but genuine response. He raised his arms, his embrace enveloping Cass in a protective cocoon. The emotions that swelled within him were almost overwhelming, a mixture of surprise, vulnerability, and a growing sense of warmth.

He wanted this. He wanted to be part of their family so bad. But some part of him just wouldn’t let him accept this. Torn between the yearning to belong and the harsh grip of his self-imposed isolation, a tempest of emotions raged within Jason's heart. His mind was a battlefield of doubt, uncertainty, and the haunting ghosts of his own mistakes.

The warmth of Cass's embrace juxtaposed against the cold walls he had built around himself. He felt the tug of her affection, a longing to surrender to the familial connection she offered, to embrace the love he so deeply desired. 

But there was a stubborn resistance, a lingering belief that his presence would only bring chaos, pain, and more scars. I’d only end up hurting everyone around me. He couldn’t risk any more people getting trauma because of his stupid Pit Terrors. He blinked back hot tears, desperate to keep up his tough exterior. He swallowed the lump in his throat, choking back the turmoil threatening to overcome him.

Blinking rapidly, he tried to quell the burning tears that welled in his eyes, refusing to let them fall. He had spent years honing his facade, crafting an image of defiance and strength, and he wasn't about to let it crumble now. The dichotomy of his inner battle played across his features, a storm of emotions flickering across his face as he struggled to maintain control. Why am I getting so emotional all of a sudden? This never used to happen before…

His gaze shifted, drawn to the scene before him. Nile, his precious daughter, laughed and played with his ‘siblings’. They surrounded her with a protective shield of camaraderie and affection. He felt a bittersweet pang in his chest, a mixture of longing and resignation.

She deserves better than me, he thought, his self-deprecation an old refrain that still echoed loudly. His vision started tinting green again. She’s better off with them… They can keep her safe… I— I’ll just end up hurting her like I hurt everyone else. 

"Jason," a familiar voice sliced through the whirlwind of his thoughts, jerking him back to the present. His connection with Cass loosened as he turned, eyes locking onto the figure in the doorway. Dick Grayson stood there, a mixture of concern and relief etched onto his features. Jason's breath caught in his throat, his heart doing a strange dance between anxiety and something he couldn't quite name.

Before he could react, Dick enveloped him in an embrace, wrapping his arms around Jason as if he could shield him from the storms that had been brewing inside. The hug was unexpected, an intrusion upon the walls Jason had so painstakingly erected. He stood stiffly, his body tense within Dick's embrace. "We were so worried!" Dick's voice was a mix of genuine concern and exasperation, a blend of emotions that left Jason grappling with his own response.

As the hug persisted, Jason's inner turmoil surged anew. He had become accustomed to isolation, to fending for himself, and this gesture felt alien, foreign in its vulnerability. He shifted slightly, his mind a tempest of conflicting emotions. The embrace was comforting yet uncomfortable, reminding him of the complexities of his relationships with this family he couldn't seem to extricate himself from.

With a sudden motion, he pulled away from Dick's hold, the abruptness a testament to his inner turmoil. His eyes bore into Dick's, a storm of emotions swirling within his gaze. Confusion, anger, and a hint of vulnerability mingled in the depths of his irises. "I don't need your sympathy, Dick," he retorted, his voice laced with defensiveness.

The hurt that flickered across Dick's expression was palpable. Jason watched as his words landed, the impact stark in the wounded look that clouded Dick's eyes. He immediately regretted his harsh tone, the sharpness of his words. The reality of the situation hung heavily between them, an unspoken history laden with pain and longing. Wait, why do I feel sorry? He’s treated me this way for years!

The room seemed to hold its breath as the silence lingered, the tension between them almost tangible. And then, Dick's lips twitched into a wry smile, a glint of mischief and hurt mingling in his gaze. "Well, you didn't have to say 'Dick' in that way," he countered, his voice tinged with a mix of humour and self-deprecation.

"We were actually worried, you know?" Tim's voice carried a quiet sincerity, a testament to the genuine concern that had been lingering in the air. He approached Jason with a softness that stood in stark contrast to the usual brashness the young man exhibited. "Look, we get it. You're hurting. Just let us help!"

Jason's steely gaze met Tim's, an unspoken challenge evident in his stance. He clung to the armour of his façade, as if it were the only thing keeping him tethered to some semblance of control. But a voice, a relentless whisper in the back of his mind, insisted otherwise.

Lies, it hissed, each word a sharp reminder of his doubts and insecurities. They're just being nice. None of them actually want you here.

His glare remained unwavering, a defence mechanism that had served him well over the years. He didn't want their pity, their sympathy. He didn't need it. He grunted dismissively, his gaze shifting to his daughter, Nile, who had been caught in the crossfire of his inner battle. "C'mon, Nile. Let's go," he urged, his tone carrying an undercurrent of urgency.

Nile's innocent gaze met his, those wide eyes filled with both curiosity and a hint of disappointment. "But Jayyy, I wanna play with Auntie Cassie!" she protested, her voice a chorus of puppy-like enthusiasm.

"We're leaving, now," he responded, the sharpness of his words betraying his inner turmoil. The faint edges of his vision seemed to ripple with a green tinge, a reminder of the unsettling chaos that often accompanied his emotions.

Yet, just as he moved to lead Nile away, a soft, gentle voice cut through the haze of his thoughts, pulling him back from the brink. "Jay, baby…" Roy's voice was a soothing balm, a whisper that echoed with care and understanding. A warm hand settled onto his back, the touch grounding him in the midst of his inner tempest. "Let's stay here for a while? Nile seems to like it here, and I wanna get to know her better…"

Jason's resolve wavered as Roy's touch and words worked their way through his defences. His glare softened, replaced by a conflicted expression. Roy's steadfast presence was like a lifeline, a reminder that not everything was as black and white as he often perceived it to be. "We can go to my apartment. You can talk there," he countered, his voice a mixture of stubbornness and vulnerability.

Roy's next words, gentle yet laden with an underlying plea, struck a chord within him. "Please, Jaybird… For me?" The redhead's eyes held a vulnerability of their own, a silent plea that bypassed the walls Jason had built around himself.

A resigned huff escaped Jason's lips as he felt the layers of his resistance slowly giving way. He couldn't resist that adorable look, those puppy eyes that held a power over him like nothing else. "Fine," he conceded, a hint of reluctant affection in his voice. He met Roy's gaze, allowing himself to linger in that gaze for a moment longer before turning his attention back to Nile. "We'll stay for one day."

As Jason's words hung in the air, he couldn't help but notice the way the room seemed to brighten, as if his simple declaration had ignited a spark of joy in each person present. He watched the array of expressions on their faces, each a testament to their genuine happiness. A flicker of wonder crept into his mind. Why are they so happy? Could it be… because they actually wanted me to stay?

But like an unwelcome shadow, the voice, that relentless whisper of doubt and fear, resurfaced with its familiar poison. Of course they didn't, it hissed with a venomous edge. They're just glad you didn't take the girl away from them. It was a reminder that his past experiences had ingrained in him — a scepticism that had become a defence mechanism.

Yet, this time, an unexpected shift occurred within him. An almost stubborn determination bloomed, and he pushed back against that voice with all his might. He silenced it, refusing to let it dampen this fragile moment of connection. For the first time in days, he shut out the voice, as fast and as firmly as he could. He consciously ignored its persistent whisper, choosing to grasp onto the possibilities that were unfolding before him.

Call him selfish, but he found himself yearning for this warmth, for this sense of belonging that he had kept at arm's length for so long. The tenderness in their eyes, the genuine concern they had shown him, it had managed to chip away at the walls he had built. For now, he wanted to bask in this newfound camaraderie, to allow himself to believe, if only for a moment, that he could be a part of something more, that he was deserving of their care.

"Yay!" Dick's joyful squeal echoed through the room, his excitement contagious. "Roy and Nile can stay with you in your own room if you want. I think Alfie's making lasagna tonight! We can have a family bonding night, make pillow forts, and—"

Tim's pragmatic interruption cut through the exuberance. "Woah. We still need to investigate about—" He lowered his voice, ensuring Nile couldn't overhear. "—Falcone."

Jason's eyebrows shot up, a mix of surprise and concern flickering across his features. "Wait, what?"

Dick stepped in to provide the necessary context. "Someone hired Falcone to find her."

That information hit Jason like a punch to the gut, a visceral reaction that ignited a blaze of anger deep within him. It must be the work of that Ma’am that Nile was so scared of. The mere thought of someone attempting to hurt the innocent child he had grown to love fueled a potent fury within him, so intense it nearly overshadowed his surroundings.

As his fists clenched at his sides, he felt the urge to lash out, to seek retribution for the harm done to Nile, to himself, and to all those who had been put in harm's way. He could feel the Pit’s presence growing stronger in the back of his mind. 

“I’m hunting that bastard down,” Jason decided, turning to leave.

"No," Cass's soft voice interjected, her gesture towards his bandaged torso speaking volumes. "Hurt. We'll go."

His frustrated exhale mingled with a reluctant nod, acknowledging her wisdom. He turned his gaze to Nile, whose innocent eyes held both uncertainty and trust. He would protect her, no matter what. As his anger simmered, he found a renewed determination. The promise he mentally made to his daughter was a vow etched in his heart. "I won't let them hurt you, Nile," he affirmed silently, his fierce devotion lending strength to his resolve.

Jason tenderly lifted his daughter into his arms, her cheerful voice ringing out with a heartwarming "HI JAY!" The sound ignited a warmth deep within him, but he masked it with a quiet response, not wanting to reveal the extent of his emotions in front of the Bats. With a half-smile, he nodded a goodbye to Cass and his 'brothers' before leading the way to his old room, signalling for Roy to follow.

As the door closed behind them, a tangible sense of relief settled over Jason, his tense shoulders finally finding some respite. With a gentle nuzzle, he let his affection for Nile shine through, then carefully set her down on the bed. Roy joined them, taking a seat beside Jason and the little girl. Nile's inquisitive gaze met Roy's uncertain one, and a silent exchange of curiosity passed between them.

"Um, right," Jason began, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Nile, this is my—uh—boyfriend, Roy. Babe, this is Nile."

Roy offered a somewhat awkward wave, a small smile gracing his features. Nile's bright eyes widened with understanding, and then she beamed a smile back at Roy. "HI ROY!"

With enthusiasm, she clambered onto Roy's lap, and he helped her up with a careful hand. Her innocent question hung in the air, pulling a soft chuckle from both adults. "What's a boyfriend?" she asked, her curiosity prompting a shared glance between the two men.

"Ah, well," Roy started, his fingers idly brushing a strand of Nile's hair behind her ear. "A boyfriend is like a really good friend, but someone you care about a whole lot more. Someone you like spending time with and doing fun things together."

Nile's eyes sparkled with interest as she processed Roy's explanation. "Like when Jay and I go to the ice cream?" she asked, her gaze shifting between the two men.

Jason nodded, a soft smile on his lips. "Ice cream shop. But exactly, sweetheart. It's like having a special person you want to share your adventures and happy moments with."

Roy chimed in with a grin. "And also someone who will be there to help and support you whenever you need it."

Nile's face lit up. "Like when Jay helps me tie my shoes?"

"That's right," Roy confirmed with a warm smile. "Just like that."

The room seemed to fill with a sense of ease as the three of them sat together on the bed, the concept of a 'boyfriend' being gently explained to the young girl. For Jason, watching the interaction between Roy and Nile brought a swell of warmth to his chest. It was a moment he hadn't imagined himself having, not so long ago when he had been drowning in his own troubles.

He really is my boyfriend again. For real this time. I just need to make sure I don’t fuck this up again.

Jason's eyes shifted to the clock on the nightstand, the red digits glaring back at him. “Holy—” he began, only to catch himself before uttering a swear word in front of Nile. “It’s 3 in the morning! You should be asleep by now!”

Nile's adorable pout was accompanied by a whine. “But I don’t wanna!”

Jason paused, thinking of how to get her to sleep without making a fuss. He didn’t want to speak too harshly and risk triggering any trauma she had from her time with her kidnappers.  He searched for the right words, a delicate balance between firmness and understanding. “Nile, sweetheart, it's really important to get enough sleep. We have a big day tomorrow, and you need to be well-rested.”

Just as he was mentally preparing for a potential standoff, Roy intervened with his characteristic charm. “Hey, how about this?” he proposed, his voice warm and inviting. “I'll read you a bedtime story, and then Jay-Jay here can sing you your favourite song. Trust me, he's got an amazing voice.”

Nile's young mind seemed to process this proposal carefully, a hint of intrigue in her eyes. “Okay!” she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

With a soft smile, Roy retrieved a picture book from Cass’s room and began to read, his voice melodic and soothing. Jason watched with a mixture of amusement and affection as Nile's eyelids drooped, her small body gradually succumbing to sleep.

As the story concluded and Roy gently closed the book, the room seemed to sigh into a tranquil hush, the stillness broken only by Nile's soft breathing. Jason's gaze shifted from Nile to Roy, the gratitude he felt for this man weighing heavy on his heart.

Breaking the comfortable silence, Jason ventured, “You must have quite a bit of experience with this kind of thing, huh?”

Roy chuckled softly. “Yeah, Lian can be quite a handful sometimes.”

The mention of Roy's daughter brought a momentary shadow to Jason's features. “You left her alone to come help me… You shouldn’t have to do that.”

Roy's brow furrowed, his expression sincere. “Baby, I love you. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. And don't worry about Lian; Dinah's looking after her right now."

In that moment, Jason felt a tangle of emotions. He nodded, his gaze softening. "I know you will be. Thanks, Roy."

Roy's smile held the promise of unwavering support. "Anytime, Jaybird."

Jason's heart ached with a mix of gratitude and guilt, a swirling blend of emotions that had become all too familiar. His fingers absentmindedly stroked Nile's hair as he gazed down at her peaceful face, his mind racing with thoughts that had plagued him for days. Jason's gaze met Roy's, a mixture of feelings passing between them. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to convey, but the stupid voices in his head kept holding him back.

Roy's gentle smile seemed to understand all the unspoken words. "You're doing great with her, you know," he whispered, his fingers tracing Nile's tiny hand.

A bittersweet smile tugged at Jason's lips. "I'm trying. But I'm still figuring things out."

"That's okay," Roy reassured him, his voice filled with warmth. "You don't have to do it alone."

Jason's throat tightened, and he nodded, unable to find the words to express the gratitude he felt. His gaze returned to Nile, watching her sleep peacefully, a feeling of protectiveness settling over him. He wasn't sure what the future held, but in that moment, surrounded by the people who cared about him, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he could find some semblance of peace and happiness once again.

Roy shifted closer to Jason, his heart racing in his chest. He had rehearsed these words countless times in his head, but now that he was actually facing Jason, his confidence wavered. He had to remind himself: be honest, be sincere. This was Jason, the man he loved, and he needed to express his feelings. It’s now or never. Don’t fuck it up.

With a deep breath, he reached out and took Jason's hand, fingers intertwining. “Look, Jay, there’s… there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a long time…”

Jason's curious eyes met Roy's emerald green gaze, and in that moment, Roy felt a rush of reassurance. He pressed on, his voice steady despite the fluttering in his chest. “I—” He stumbled over his words, the weight of vulnerability heavy in the air. “Do— Do you wanna move in together?”

The silence that followed seemed to stretch, hanging between them like an unspoken question. Roy's anxiety crept higher, gnawing at his confidence. The seconds dragged on, each one a heartbeat that echoed loudly in his ears.

“Like—” Roy's voice rushed out, his words tumbling over each other as he tried to articulate his thoughts. “Maybe— We could rent a house— like— somewhere in between Gotham and Star City— and— uh— Lian and Nile could grow up together— with us—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Jason's lips were on his, gentle and soft. The kiss caught Roy by surprise, but he quickly melted into it, feeling the warmth of Jason's affection, the answer he had been hoping for.

Breaking the kiss, Jason's voice was a quiet affirmation, a whisper of acceptance that held a world of emotions. “Of course,” he breathed, his eyes reflecting his surprise and something more. "I've never wanted anything more."

The weight of those words hung in the air, a declaration of commitment and love. Roy's heart swelled with gratitude, and he brushed his thumb over the back of Jason's hand. "I'm so lucky to have you, Jay."

Jason's lips curled into a small, genuine smile. “I'm the lucky one," he murmured, his eyes locked onto Roy's. What did I do to deserve you?

A/N

finally some comfort, for my sanity and yours.

[dipstar1489]

DHMIS Traffic Light Trio Gacha Life 2

While I will be combining both the YouTube and the TV series into one universe, I have only watched the entirety of the YouTube series, and analysis videos of the TV series since it doesn’t stream where I am. To make things less confusing, I will be referring the YouTube series as videos and the TV series as episodes.

TW, while I do not go into much detail, there is mention of an0rex!a, @bu$e, de@+h, and f0$ter c@re.

Headcanons: ⬇️

Yellow Guy

Name: David Gribbleston

Nickname: Dave

Age: 12

Ethnicity: Anglo-Celtic

Gender: Non-binary, they/he/it

Sexuality: Aroace with maybe an interest in queerplatonic relationships

Physical Disabilities: Deaf and using hearing aids

Mental Disabilities + Mental Illnesses: ADHD, Autistic, PTSD (from the later videos and majority of series), Separation Anxiety

Info: It is the only child of Roy and does not remember their mother. He naturally has brown hair, but Roy dyed both he and David’s hair blue to spite his ex and to connect with David, despite David liking his brown hair. They have been neglected and emotionally abused for a good majority of its life and believes this treatment is normal. Despite this, David has grown a distrust for Nel and Drew, Nel because they were originally a teacher (inspired by Nel’s cameo in video 6), and Drew for abandoning them.

Duck Guy

Name: Penelope Fowl (never bothered to legally change their name)

Nicknames: Penel, Pen, Nel

Age: 34

Ethnicity: Cuban, born and raised in London

Gender: FtN, Nonbinary, they/him

Sexuality: Pansexual, Aromatic

Physical Disabilities: Scoliosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Mental Disabilities + Mental Illnesses: ADHD, Autistic, PTSD (from video 2 and video 5) developing Anorexia (caused by trauma from video 5), Separation Anxiety, OCD

Info: They grew up in the foster care system since he was a young child due to them being neglected by his parents, but kept switching house until they grew out of the system without ever being adopted. Because of this, Nel never properly developed firm relationships and is in deep denial about his desire of a family, desperate for attention. Nel was originally meant to be a teacher, but they looked at both the student and the teacher scripts, making them vulnerable to the same dangers as Drew and David, and tried to stay on the teacher’s script until video 5, when he went to get the phone. Nel has grown insecure of their looks since video 4. They are somewhat afraid of David due to Nel semi-knowing what happened to him in video 5, and stays at Drew’s hip to avoid him leaving again.

Red Guy

Name: Andrew Dreads

Nicknames: Drew, Red

Age: 34

Ethnicity: British African-Caribbean

Gender: Demi-Boy, he/they, ftm(?)

Sexuality: Asexual, Homoromantic

Physical Disabilities: Osteoporosis

Mental Disabilities + Mental Illnesses: ADHD, Autistic, Separation Anxiety, PTSD

Info: Drew grew up with rather emotionally abusive parents that would dismiss and ridicule any emotion Drew and their sibling would have while the parents would whine about their own lives. He ran-away at 16 and cut off any contact with their family, but Drew grow to wonder if he made the right choice and question if their family changed after the run-away. Drew has difficulty understanding and presenting his emotions because of this. They had a dream to create a tv show since that was one of his only coping mechanisms before running away, and so when he met Roy and offered to be a producer, Drew accepted, not realizing his dream will be corrupted. Drew tried to stay with Nel and David out of regret for leaving them behind.

[satoshi-mochida]

The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell O Zemuria details characters, story, and new battle system elements

From Gematsu

Falcom has released new information and screenshots for The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell O Zemuria introducing characters Van Arkride, Agnes Claudel, and Bergard Zeman, as well as the story, settings, and new battle system elements.

Get the details below.

■ Characters

Van Arkride (voiced by Daisuke Ono)

Age: 25

“Running away or facing yourself… At the end of the day, it’s you who makes that decision.”

A young man who works as a “Spriggan,” an occupation that helps those who have lost their way between the real world and the underworld. He may be thought to have quite a pragmatic personality due to being the only one in his family alive, but he does have his own methods when making decisions. (That being said, there is a danger his resolve may waver when in the face of his favorite sweets.) Summoned by the demon lord, he was born with the diabolic core housed inside him. Following the battle against the demon lord that separated from his body, he was able to successfully seal the diabolic core in a place between worlds.

Agnes Claudel (voiced by Miku Ito)

Age: 17

“Please, Van, don’t regret keeping the most important people of your life in your heart.”

A second-year student at the renowned Aramis High School. She has a gentle and graceful demeanor, with a strong sense of determination. She begins to work part-time at the “Arkride Solutions Office” after requesting Van in the search of a Genesis—an orbment left to her by her great-grandfather. Although she has succeeded in collecting the Oct-Genesis that was scattered throughout the republic, she continues her part-time job at the Solutions Office working under Van, who she is in love with.

Bergard Zeman (voiced by Akio Otsuka)

Age: 69

“You’ve grown so much. I am thankful for my good fortune of being your master.”

Formerly a wandering priest at the Septian Church, he is a broad and muscular elder man. As a master of the Kunlun style—one of the East’s three great martial art schools—he has many disciples all across the continent. To Van, Bergard is an important master, and a person he owes a great debt to. He cares a lot about Van, who comes from a special background, and strictly mentors him, both in martial arts and in all parts of life. Following the incident at the Republic, he travelled east. On his way, he reunites with Van, and extends a helping hand.

■ Story Prologue

“In the year 120X, everything will end.” These were the words that prophesized the demise of Zemuria by C. Epstein—Father of the Orbal Revolution. As “X Day” drew closer and closer, one Orbal rocket was to be launched from the large base built on the land of Kunlun. “Can humans reach beyond the atmosphere?” “What lies at the end of the earth?” “Will the human race be able to know the truths of this ‘world’?” As the entire world turned its focus on the biggest undertaking it has ever seen since the dawn of history, many forces from many lands were assembling at a single point—a certain young Spriggan at a certain location in the independent territory of Ored, also known as the Singularity. Will the rocket pierce through to the heavens, opening up a new future for Zemuria?

■ Settings / Keywords

Operation Startaker

A large project on a national scale advanced underwater by Roy Gramheart, the 23rd President of the Republic of Calvard. Aiming for the uncharted territory of “beyond the atmosphere,” the project will launch communication satellites via Orbal rockets, with the objective to eventually send humans into space. The significance of the project is said to be in finding answers to environmental problems through surface surveillance from extremely high altitudes, as well as the creation of a new Orbal communication network via satellites.

Zech One Space Military Base

Southeast of the Republic, in the backlands of the Ishgal mountain range lies a large-scale facility built in a massive basin for the execution of Operation Startaker. Up until it was announced, the existence of this base was kept top secret, thought of as the nation’s most sensitive information.

Ored

Set in Northern Zemuria, Ored is an independent state that borders Remiferia to the west and Calvard to the south. Despite being located even further north than the northern Calvard city of Messeldam, the climate is warm, allowing the state to develop agriculture independently from a long time ago. It is known for its idyllic farmland that covers most of the state, but in recent years, foreign-affiliated capital has also made strong strides, such as how the Marduk Company’s headquarters were placed there.

The Marduk Company

A private military company (PMC) that has developed rapidly in recent years. It possesses and utilizes military gear and Orbal equipment with highly advanced technologies. Where most of these assets come from, however, is a mystery.

■ Battle System Introduction

The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki bases its battle system off that used by the its predecessor, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak, which enables seamless switching between field and command-based battles. In The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki, new “Awakening” and “B.L.T.Z. (Blitz) System” elements have been added to the battle system.

New Field Battle Element: “Awakening”

Some characters such as Van, who has the ability to change into Grendel form, and Stigma-possessing Dominions, are able to enter an “Awakened” state by using their boost gauge during field battles, allowing them to temporarily increase their fighting abilities by a considerable amount. While in this “Awakened” state, it is not just the character’s physical appearance that changes. Attack power and speed also increase, allowing you to inflict consecutive attacks to gain the upper hand over your enemies.

—Transform into the Grendel form during battle!

—Eliminate enemies swiftly with “Awakened” attack power!

New Command Battle Element: “B.L.T.Z. (Blitz) System”

During command battles, when you execute normal attacks, Crafts (moves), or Arts (magic) after obtaining the Blitz Bonus, the “B.L.T.Z. Chain / B.L.T.Z. Support” will immediately be triggered. A follow-up attack from your partner, followed by another attack from the “B.L.T.Z. Chain” effect, or an increased effectiveness of Crafts or Arts from the “B.L.T.Z. Support.” There are many ways that it can change the course of battle.

—Attacking enemies with a B.L.T.Z. Bonus.

—More follow-up attacks with a B.L.T.Z. Chain!

—Crafts / Arts during a B.L.T.Z. Bonus.

—Increased Crafts/Arts effectiveness with B.L.T.Z. Support!

★★★”B.L.T.Z. Support” is Also Useful for Heal- or Aid-type Moves!★★★ “B.L.T.Z. Support” not only enhances offensive Crafts / Arts, it is also possible to increase effectiveness of heal- and aid-type moves. Furthermore, since “B.L.T.Z. Support” is also applied when using items, even when the Crafts / Arts gauge is not filled enough, it is possible to escape dangerous situations using “B.L.T.Z. Support” to enhance item effectiveness.

The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki – Farewell O Zemuria is due out in 2024 in Japan and Asia.

View the screenshots at the gallery.

[artificialqueens]

🏳️‍🌈 Rock Hudson’s Parties, Chapter 3 (Jadore/Biadore) - Imafuckinglibra

Summary: A fresh faced young man gets off a bus in New York to move in with an estranged college friend, now a broadway star. Old flames flare up again but are potentially derailed when an older man’s temptations threaten to come between them.

Fair Warning : Nothing! This chapter is just a good time and we’re all happy and enjoying some uh…bonding time…hehe

“Who knew a C-list celebrity would have to go out THIS much,” Danny fussed into his cocktail the following Wednesday night. “Why, I’m missing I’ve Got a Secret.”

He put his glass down, examined the area around him and realized that yet again, nobody at the table had been paying attention to him. 

He felt the corners of his mouth twisting into a pout, but he knew if he let it show he’d just be giving in to those same feelings of inadequacy he did in Azusa. 

‘You’re better now,’ he reminded himself.

“I say, doll…” He tried running his fingers along Jinx's knuckles, earning a dismissive wave of her manicured hand with the cigarette between her fingers. His tone rose in frustration as he tried her again, “I SAID, Jinkx, I’m missing this week’s I’ve Got a Secret! And I heard a rumor Lana Turner is gonna be on this week to talk about her daught-“

His whining got halted by an eruption of raucous laughter from the table of cronies who’d just been ignoring him. Making snide remarks under their drunken giggles about the sort of people who follow those fanatic magazines full of false stories.

“Stop being such a girl about it,” she said, poking a sore spot. “Go fetch me another drink and I’ll make up for whatever little show you’re missing later. Deal?” she purred into his ear, giving him a peck on the cheek.

He groaned under his breath, unamused by the gaggle of girls swooning over Jinkx yet again, but he decided to swallow his pride. 

He stood up with a heavy sigh and put-upon smile, giving her hand a small kiss to feign forgiveness. “Why of course, dear. Right away.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Roy and Raja clucked in unison as he approached them by the bar, the pair like a flock of hungry vultures watching the group by the table. The only hungry vultures, it seemed, who bothered entertaining him these days, as Jinkx’s debut as Essie Whimple drew closer.

The same vultures he’d avoided like the plague before, but he’d finally settled in, finally stopped staring into the mirror trying to find what was wrong with him - mostly. He still felt a certain sense of unease around Roy specifically but he seemingly couldn’t care less anymore about, well, you know. Their little misunderstanding. 

“I say, well handled, son,”  Roy mocked. Placing a proud hand on his shoulder, his other hand clutching his dark maroon tie as if he was Jim Anderson himself. “A happy wife is a happy life, right, my boy?”

“Get bent.” Danny tried acting serious, paying no mind to Roy cackling loudly at his own joke.

“Forget Bozo here, I’ll get that drink for you while I’m back here.” Raja, who was most definitely breaking at least 3 work place rules, took Jinkx’s empty wine glass and refilled it.

“You staying a while? I heard some serious scoop on tonight’s episode of I've Got a Secret.” Roy leaned over the bar where the three of them could gossip.

“No!” Danny gasped, following suit, taking the already poured red wine originally intended for Jinkx as his own. “Is it Lana Turner?”

“What? No. It’s Walter Slezak, and I heard…Lana T-“ he interrupted himself to sneer at Danny in bewilderment. “Lana Turner? Who gave you that idea?”

Danny flashed a scowl at Raja, who was casually whistling in the opposite direction to avoid eye contact before Roy’s words sank in.

“Walter Slezak!” Raja and Danny’s eyes went wide in unison.

Raja enthusiastically slapped Danny’s hand like a giddy secretary with some juicy story about the boss. “Boy, he’s amazing. Did you catch him in Born to Kill?”

“Wasn’t he great?”

“To die for,” she swooned. “Did you see him in Lifeboat? Gave me chills for weeks - oof.” She shuddered, an imaginary shiver running down her spine.

“Like this?” Roy teased, sliding an ice cube down the exposed back of her signature gold fitted dress. 

“Fucking - piece of shit!” she hissed at him, trying to keep her voice down. Luckily the rest of the bar was too lively with music, Danny the only one close enough to actually hear her shrieks. She turned to him, growling, “If you laugh, so help me!”

“I didn’t -“ Danny tried defending himself with his hands raised, but his loud belly laughing got the better of him. Raja playfully threw the ice cube in his direction, not helping curb his amusement, making her break face too.

“Raja! There’s people waiting by the door, go take their coats!” Kameron, one of the busgirls, whistled in their direction when she passed with a tray of empty plates from the dining hall.

“Ugh.” Raja dropped her cheery disposition, slugging the last of her Chardonnay. “Coming!”

She waved another finger in their direction as a threat, muttering some more, presumably obscenities, in a language Danny couldn’t recognize, and sauntered off to go greet the newest clientele for the evening. Leaving our little protagonist and his friend at the bar alone.

This wasn’t a rare occurrence though. In fact, it had become his favorite part of the day, ever since Roy agreed to keep his little secret. Some days, he’d satisfy himself just being there to watch Roy mingle with folks. Even when he was doing his own mingling with the Broadway elites (and elite followers) by Jinkx’s side. Playing her little show poodle when she required a domestic air for an interview or meeting. 

They’d always at least manage to catch each other's eye and give a sympathetic smile.

“Gosh,” he sighed, content, noticing a hint of Roy’s dimples as he greeted a regular customer waving from another table. 

He really was so devastatingly beautiful. It was hard not to see him as the picture-perfect man, with his devil-may-care attitude and utterly fashionable taste in clothes. The catalyst for their friendly banter was that Roy would always fill him in on that night’s episodes he missed, or behind the scenes tidbits he’d heard from industry friends.

It started that very night last week, at the table while they waited for everyone to return. Roy made a joke about Danny’s hands being smaller than Katherine Hepburn’s in an attempt to lighten the mood. Clearly, he wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of questions regarding the movie star, nor the ungodly amount of fan trivia he seemed to know about her and her fellow celebrities. 

Their conversation and gossiping lasted well into the night once Jinkx’s new director left, even after they made their way over to a group of club singers so Jinkx could catch up with her former coworkers.

“Beg pardon?” Roy turned around, hearing the little escaped whisper.

“Nothing,” he smiled, innocence dripping from every pore.

“Yeah riiiiight…” Roy dragged out, eyeing him suspiciously. “You’re not playing with a full deck, are you?”

“Oh yeah?” Danny huffed, “well uh…” 

‘Dammit!’ He tried to remember any, literally any single reasonable response to his but his impulse for childish comebacks got the better of him. 

“I think somebody blew your pilot light out, Haylock.” He crossed his arms and dropped himself against the bar. Unknowingly sticking his bottom lip out in a pout.

“They did what?” Roy slapped the table. He burst out into a loud laughing fit with his hand on his chest. “My -“ 

“You’ve got splinters in the windmill of your mind!” Danny reiterated, his confidence growing every time Roy’s laugh would pick up again.

“I’m too drunk for this shit,” Roy exhaled, trying to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye.

“Well then,” Danny reached over for a new glass under the counter. “Fill her up, let’s even it out.”

“Ooooh,” Roy pursed his lips, tutting and shaking his head. “That’s not such a good idea there, partner.”

“Oh yeah? Why not? Scared I can out-drink you?”

Danny felt brave, irresponsibly brave. Like just maybe he might be able to actually turn his night around, maybe even finally see the always-put-together Roy properly hammered. No pun intended, of course.

Sure, he’d probably be late for work again in the morning, but he could always find a special way to make up for that.

Or better yet, maybe he’d have to spend the whole day ‘recovering’ with Roy. Just the two of them…

‘What am I thinking?’ he panicked when he realized what he was fantasizing about.

“Hello?” Roy tapped his index finger on Danny’s forehead. “Knock knock, your drink’s ready.”

“Right.” Danny practically inhaled the scotch Roy had given him. It burned all the way down to his stomach.

“Fucking hell -“ Roy started but another small chuckle interrupted his words. “Now who’s the one playing hockey with a warped puck?”

“What does that one even mean?” Danny giggled, already feeling his bravery being replaced by downright giddiness.

“It means, clean your own damn house before you come clean mine.” Roy stood serious. His hands against the bar as if he was waiting for Danny to come back with another retort. 

“Huh?”

Roy leaned in closer whispering, “it means you’re lucky you’re cute because you definitely ain’t smart.”

Danny’s heart shot straight up to his throat. Unsure how to process or what to say when all he could feel was his head going dizzy and his cheeks growing warm. 

He even debated another snippy comeback when suddenly, a lightbulb went off above Roy’s head. 

“Say! Lady Bunny just got a television set in her office, I could sneak you in to go watch the episode-”

Without missing a beat, Danny sprang up, ready to bolt towards the back room, only stopped by his mother’s voice in his head.

‘You need to stop getting so worked up about everything, people will think you’re some mental deficit!’

He covered his open mouth with a cough and pretended to straighten his pants.

“Well?” Roy slammed his drink down and slapped him on the flat of his back, asking, “Do you need a pistol shot or something? Go! Hurry!”

‘To hell with her,’ he stood up for himself.

And just like that, they were off, scurrying to the back office without a second thought about Jinkx, her drink, or the laughing lackeys still keeping her attention.

“Wait…No...” Roy tilted his head in confusion when a loud moan echoed from behind the big red door, just as he was about to turn the handle. “Is that…?”

“It can’t be…” Danny failed to hide a giggle. “It actually worked.”

Roy scrunched his forehead, concentrating with his ear to the door. Confirming it with a placid, “Courtney.” 

“Well yeah, and Dan.”

“Who the -'' Roy realized how loud they were speaking, changing his tone to an aggressive whisper, “Who the fuck is Dan?”

“Dan P. Donigan! My boss!” he declared, lowering his own voice too. 

“Why’s your boss banging my Courtney?” Roy asked, clearly somewhat amused by this revelation

“I needed to make up for the days I missed!”

“What?” Roy tilted his head.

“I had to make up for the day I missed with you, and…some others,” he mumbled, “and when I let it slip to Courtney she said she could soften him up for me before I apologized,” Danny clarified as if this was a reasonable answer.

“Which I’m assuming was tonight?” 

Suddenly Danny felt like he was being interrogated by a school principal. “Yes, sir…”

“Hey!” Roy prodded a finger into his chest, making him wince, his teeth snared. “Stop pimping out MY slut to your coworkers!”

“I’m not! I’m pimping out MY coworkers to your slut!” He watched Roy’s expression intently. Trying to piece together what was happening in his mind as his brows stayed contorted in anger but his lips softened into a stifled grin. 

“You two, heaven help me.” Roy gave in, rubbing his eyes. Gesturing with his head and a pat on Danny’s back towards the bar. “C'mon, I’ll make you a drink.”

Before they could reach the bar, Raja grabbed his attention while Roy rushed to make up for the orders he missed. 

“What? What’d I do?” Danny stumbled a bit thanks to how hard she yanked on his sleeve.  

“Nothin’, Jinkxy just left. She said sorry she missed you but she’s going to an after party with those little devils that follow her,” Raja casually said while gesturing with her fingers towards the bar. 

“Oh...” Danny blinked. His eyes trailed across the lounge part of the bar, examining every spot he usually found Jinkx in, but she really had left without him.

“Thank you, baby.” Raja’s voice interrupted his focused scanning. The familiar clink of the glasses on the serving tray telling him he’d been zoned out at least long enough for Raja to reach Roy, place the drink order and Roy to make it. 

“If anyone complains, tell them it took so long because we wanted to get a fresh bottle for them or some shit.” 

“Guess I’m not invited.” Danny dropped onto one of the barstools, feeling suddenly like he did in middle school when he’d get picked last in gym class.

He gazed longingly at the door like a lost puppy waiting for its owner to return to the shelter, his mood dropping nearly as low as his slumped shoulders.

“You didn’t want to go anyway,” Roy reminded him, rolling his eyes, wiping down the bar. 

He was right. But Danny was much too proud to admit it, obviously. 

“I suppose…” 

Dammit.

Roy, despite his best attempt at a hard exterior, did that thing again where he’d soften his approach whenever Danny grew wistful. 

“Forget it. I’ll make you something on the house. What’s your poison tonight?”

“You hopefully,” slipped from Danny’s mouth before his brain had time to filter it.

“What?”

“What?” He quickly coughed, trying to save what he could from the situation as if his throat was too dry to finish the sentence. Gesturing feebly to his collar. “What…ever, you can make the fastest.”

He spun around on his barstool slowly, trying to remain casual as he made eye contact with Roy, assuming he’d turn back to the bar.

Instead, he had once again caught him in a staring contest, his eyes narrowed. Clearly not buying whatever bullshit Danny was trying to sell him. 

‘God, his eyes are beautiful…’ he thought absentmindedly. 

Lost in the deep browns of his eyes he tried his best to fight against swooning, wondering if he’d pick up on it. But how could he not see it?

Roy was so focused on watching him, Danny began to feel like the last piece of turkey on Thanksgiving dinner. Surely he knew what he was doing, surely he wanted—

“That your boss?” Roy nodded his head, snapping Danny back to reality. His face was pulled in an odd confusion, as if he was trying to figure out what Courtney saw in him.

“Where?” Danny swung the stool in the direction of Bunny’s office.

“He’s smiling pretty big; if I was a betting man, I’d say you’re off the hook,” Roy started but Danny was still trying to find Dan in the wrong direction. He grabbed his head and turned him towards the entrance. “Over there you idiot!”

“Wait, is he really smiling?” he perked up, finally the right way. Just in time to catch Courtney kiss Dan goodbye before he smugly plopped his hat on his head and swagger out with all the overconfidence of a cat who just ate the canary, the cage and the goldfish for good measure.

“Atta girl, Court!” he cheered, after Dan finally walked out.

“Yep…at-ta girl.” Roy sarcastically clapped in her direction. 

“Details, all the details!” he exclaimed, waving her over.

“Yeah, come here, my little Court-esan.” Roy curled his index finger inwards, beckoning to her as if she was a rotten child walking towards a spanking. “Come tell me what you did this time.”

Although he acted pretty peeved, Danny could tell Roy didn’t mean it. In all his time there, and in all the different ways he’d heard or seen Courtney getting screwed, never once had Roy made a mean remark about it. 

In fact, he’d never seen him make any harsh (untrue) comments towards her like he often did with others. Calling a performer’s voice one night a dead ringer for ‘What can only be described as how syphilis sores feels.’

No, the two of them must’ve been old friends. It was obvious, not just by their banter and affectionate little pets but the way Roy seemed so protective over her. Like an older brother or even a father figure would be. 

He also came to the conclusion that of the three of them, SHE might’ve been the best read. It was almost impressive how she floated about between lovers and managed to carry on the most interesting conversations known to man in one breath. Only stopping to powder her nose between the two.

For all their teasing, he had to give it to her. She wasn’t a slut, she was just built that way. Good for her.

“Bunny’s gonna’ kill you, you know!” Roy put his hands on his hips.

“Why?” Courtney, who had hopped up to sit on the bar, asked. 

“Do you want a list?” Roy scoffed. “Where should we start? You were late for - stop it.” He swatted at one of her legs when she tried to wiggle her foot against his rib cage.

“Can’t we just-“

“No,” Roy shut her down.

“Fine-uh,” Courtney whined. She pulled her leg back from poking him and hooked it over her other one, making her dress lift just enough Danny swore he could see a run in her stockings. Almost as if someone’s fingernails grabbed at them. 

Danny tugged at his tight collar. The temperature in the room must’ve raised a solid 20 degrees as the likelihood of said fingernails belonging to his uptight, no-nonsense boss dawned on him. 

He originally assumed by “buttering him up,” Courtney meant maybe a little extra flirting, maybe even a kiss or some heavy petting if she was feeling extra generous.

And the office rendezvous caught him off guard, sure, but ripped tights and what looked like a hickey below her earlobe? Absolutely above and beyond service.

‘I should get her a thank you present…I wonder if she likes chocolate?’ Danny considered. Inadvertently staring at her as he tried to remember the heart shaped boxes of chocolates he passed in a window not long ago. 

“Take a picture, love.” Courtney smiled sweetly, hiking her skirt up just enough that he could admire her thighs in all their glory.

“Oh! I wasn’t…I didn’t mean…I…” Danny stuttered, looking at Roy first for help before he regained his train of thought. “Sure, if you insist.”

“See what you’ve done? Hasn’t he had a hard enough night?” Roy finally took the attention off of him.

“Oh come off it,” Courtney gave a little titter. “He’s a nice big boy, he can tell me when he’s had enough.” She patted his shoulder. “So, you want a picture, huh?”

“Well…” Danny realized it was finally his turn to speak but no words came out. Courtney’s hand slid down, curving over his collarbone before going back up. 

“Down, beast!” Roy scolded, cracking the dishcloth he had nearby against her forearm. “Stop stalling and tell me about this…” he impatiently snapped his fingers.

“Dan,” they both answered.

“Dan, right. What do we know about this guy?”

“Well, he’s 6’2”, maybe 6’4”. Works at Danny’s bank, obviously, and I think about…” Courtney pursed her lips, holding her palms facing each other out in front of her, “about this-“

“That’ll do,” Roy picked up on what she was doing.

“About uh…” She found a length she liked. “This long I reckon.”

“Ugh, I said that’ll do, Court!” Roy’s voice raised in frustration. Finally getting her attention. “Can we not have one night in this joint without you discussing your excursions?”

Danny decided this wasn’t his battle to fight so he kept his distance, hiding his muffled giggling behind his hand so the bickering pair wouldn’t catch on. 

“It’s impolite to write personal things down about other people.” She put her hands on her hips, “So if I didn’t tell you, I’d forget their pros and cons, and I can’t make that mistake again, can I?”

“This is why I don’t take you to industry parties with me,” Roy facepalmed, rubbing his tired eyes with his thumb and index finger. 

“No, you don’t take me because-“

“That’s 5.5 inches,” Danny declared with a satisfied nod. Sure in his math until he noticed the pair had stopped bickering and were looking at him in complete confusion.

“How - what?” Roy tried hiding his laughter. “Is this what you went to college for?”

“No, let him finish, this could be useful,” Courtney said in all seriousness, raising her brows in Roy’s direction, but he shook his head at her. 

“Those types of acts stopped showing publicly in the carny days, before even vaudeville thank you very much.”

“You’d know, you were there,” Danny mumbled under his breath, upset that Roy didn’t find his accurate measuring impressive.

“Oh I’m sorry, are we feeling a little testy again, Mister ‘I cried when the man stopped drawing the deer in Bambi’?” teased Roy.

“I don’t know, do we think we’re funny, Mister ‘I got rejected to be the 6th Marx brother’?” Danny challenged. Refusing to let Roy win this round. 

“Boys, boys, boys,” Courtney chimed between them, her tone more exasperated this time,  rolling her eyes. “Just whip them out already and get a ruler…or a room.” She tilted her head towards the back of the club with a smirk. “Or an office.”

“Nobody asked you.” Roy shot her a warning look, the same expression he normally gave right before he’d yell at one of the servers for screwing up. “Just get back to work, please.”

“Oh I don’t mind,” she turned to Danny with her hand on her chest. “If you guys want to, you know… “ she clicked her tongue in the back room’s direction. 

“Okay, that’s enough!” Roy shouted, pushing her off the bar top while she wasn’t looking. “Thanks for dropping in, get to steppin’, buh bye.”

Danny didn’t know whether to laugh at her falling or the way Roy was waving his towel as he continued arguing with her about fixing her make up before her next set. 

“Fine! How ‘bout next time I just put a box over my head and you can draw some lipstick on it!” Courtney yelled over her shoulder. She tried to get the last word in as she made her way to the tiny dressing room hidden behind the stage. 

“It would be an improvement!” Roy yelled back. “What the-“ 

Danny flicked one of the peanuts that had fallen out the bowl in front of him, hitting Roy square on the chin.

“Oh you son of a bitch!” Roy exclaimed when a second one hit his cheek. “Just for that, you’re buying me a drink.”

“Worth it,” Danny grinned. He swiveled around on his stool, victorious for once, watching Roy dig around in the bottles beneath them. 

“Actually, you know what I’d kill for right now? I worked on a picture with Guy Madison last year and he gave me this really terrific bottle of bourbon,” he began as he poured them each a glass of scotch. “If you ever actually come see my place, you should have a drink.”

“See your place?” Danny swallowed. 

‘Oh god what does he mean? What’s he implying?’ He started panicking. ‘We agreed it was all a misunderstanding but does he…does he actually want me now? Is this a real invitation?’

His mind was spiraling, and Roy taking his sweet time to pour each glass wasn’t helping matters. Danny wondered if he should shoot down the offer right there, but before he could make up his mind, Roy finally slid the glass his way.

“I mean, if you guys want to come over for dinner or something.”

‘Oh, of course he wasn’t talking about…me,’ Danny realized. He could feel his shoulders slump forward again in an oddly disappointed way. He couldn’t show it however, not there in front of Roy. 

“Dinner?” Danny frowned, hiding his true feelings. “You can cook?”

Roy took a sip from his drink. “Of course I can cook, what do you mean?”

“Oh yeah? And what are you gonna give us? Indigestion?”

“Fine,” Roy conceded, smacking his lips. “Or you can come by for tailoring. We really need to get you out of those shitty little Hooverville suits.” He curled his top lip, looking him over. “I’d say no offense but they really do look hideous.”

“Heeeey,” Danny whined, clutching his lapels as if they could hear the insult. “These are catalog.”

Roy stood taller and pinched a piece of his pants to show Danny the seams. “And this is custom-made by the same guy who tailors costumes for Rosalind Russell, you see my point?”

“Rosalind…Russell?” Danny’s eyes went wide, reaching for the bit he was holding to feel the texture of the higher quality fabric. 

When his hand touched Roy’s thigh he swore he could feel his breath hitch, followed by Roy’s eyes panning down, presumably also aware of how intimate the moment had unwittingly become. 

‘Shit.’ He realized he had gotten a tad too close for comfort and pulled back. 

He sat down innocently as if nothing had happened, like when you get pulled over for driving over the limit and brace yourself to compliment your way out of it. “Boy, you know you’re everything I want to be when I’m 57.”

“Why I oughta-“ Roy gasped. Pulling his best Joan Crawford impression, he leaned down close to him. “Look, so help me, I’m gonna slug you.”

“There's a name for you ladies, but it isn't used in high society...outside of a kennel,” he retorted, proud of himself for not only remembering the line from The Women but also for making Roy’s dimples deepen when he said it. 

“Try me,” Roy challenged, shooting Danny with a peanut right between the eyes.

“Ow! Danny furiously tried to rub the sore spot better on his forehead. “Hey-uh! That was a dirty trick!” he whined.

He must have looked absolutely pathetic, as Roy’s face flashed all the way from pity straight into hysterics. 

“Oh, you poor little simple thing, don’t ever change.” Roy grasped his shoulder, his laughs turning higher pitched than Danny had heard before. He wiped at his eye with the back of his hand. “God, I’d be bored without you here.”

“What?” Danny perked up, unsure if he heard that right.

“I said,” Roy’s laughter started calming down. “Oh nevermind. Forget it. I need a piss.” 

Many hours and many, many drinks later, Danny figured he had enough liquid courage in him to finally go see Roy’s apartment. Platonically, of course.

“I’m heading home soon, I was wondering if you’d like a stroll?” he asked Roy at the end of the night, when the last tipsy crowd began to trickle out.

“Sure, yeah. I’d love to, but I gotta go take inventory and lock up some stuff. Would you mind helping out?” Roy barely even looked up from writing down some numbers of reservations for the next night. As if the revelation of Danny’s intentions hadn’t hit him yet. Not that he had any intentions. Maybe.

“Counting? Please, it's my job.”

Finally, Roy lifted his head, dropping an elbow on the counter, resting his head in his hand as he looked on in astonishment. “I always forget that, I’m amazed when you bring it up.” 

“What? My job?” Danny blushed. His parents had told him a job at a bank would be respectable, but he didn’t see it, until now maybe. 

“No.” Roy laughed suddenly, dropping the act just as quick and standing up straight. “That you can count.”

‘This piece of work.’ Danny thought. He was caught off guard by his mockery but didn’t want to give Roy the satisfaction of knowing that. 

“Bang zoom, Haylock! You’re going to the moon!” he mimicked Ralph Kramden, hoping the little reference would earn at least a chuckle from the equally fanatical Roy.

“Good one,” he praised, looking up at the fist Danny still held in his face. He gave it a playful tap with his pen, his own little version of a gold star. 

‘Success.’

Thanks to that little pick-me-up, the inventory they had to do went by, as Roy noted, faster than usual, both men forgetting about the time as they waved off the last of the wait staff and performers.

“All I’m saying is, knowing her, it was a stunt.” Roy threw his hands up, his pen nearly hitting a passing waitress.

“Knowing her,” Danny blew a raspberry. “I know you think your shit don’t stink, but there’s no way you know Joan Crawford.”

“I didn’t say I know her personally,” Roy defended.

Danny, annoyed at Roy for missing the point, batted his eyelashes at him before trying again. “Fine. You know what the tabloids say about her, that’s my point! I think at the ‘46 Academy Awards, she and everyone there knew there was no way she would lose.”

“But then why wasn’t she there?” Roy slammed his fist on the table, clearly fed up with how long this conversation had gone on.

Danny however, was not prepared to give in just yet, enjoying their little argument and seeing Roy get so flustered far too much. 

“Because she’s a deeply paranoid and emotional person, who doesn’t want to show her weak side because that way people can’t use it against her the way she uses their weaknesses against them!” he finally exhaled. 

“Oh brother,” Roy rolled his eyes. “So she’s just a bitch, is your excuse?”

“Pot meet kettle.” Danny waved his hands in Roy’s direction, making his dimples deepen in that tell-tale ‘you got me’ grin he’d grown so fond of. 

“Fine,“ Roy conceded, taking another sip from his now lukewarm drink. “Ugh, this is worse than your fashion sense,” he pulled a face, scooting the drink away. “But for the record, I do know Joan Crawford, semi-personally, and she would pull a stunt like that.”

“You’re such a fucking liar,” Danny spat like an annoyed teenager. “I bet you’re just making that up again so -“

“Boys!” Courtney tottered into the storage room where they’d been counting bottles. Clearly one too many deep herself. “Have one of you still not pinned the other against the milk crates?”

“Shut up, Courtney!” they both shouted in unison, Danny not even registering what she was saying thanks to his own impeded thinking.

“Danny, my love.” She threw an arm over his shoulder, pulling him in close to not-so-subtly whisper in his ear. “Make him show you how…you know, express what he's got.”

“Shut up, Courtney,” Roy repeated.

“Make me.” She licked her lip, lunging forward to grab both of them in a big bear hug. “Actually don’t, I’m on my way out with Morgan and Kameron.”

“Yuck.” Danny scoffed under his breath, trying to pretend it didn’t turn him on just a little bit…a lotta bit…

“Crushed between all those muscles…Roy,” she turned to him, cooing, “If tonight is the night I finally go, write that I died happy on my tombstone.”

“Write it yourself!” Roy pushed her away with his elbow. “And quit distracting us. I want to go home and this idiot can barely count to 12 without getting lost.”

“Hey!”

“Listen, you little shit, you’ve been counting the same stack of tequila for 14 minutes and you still haven’t gotten past the 2nd shelf.”

“Oh?” Danny looked at the shelves. Realizing that Roy had been right, he sheepishly smiled at him with a pathetic, “Oops?”

Courtney tutted, shaking her blonde hair over her shoulders. “I guess you’ll have to teach him a lesson. I recommend a good wallop across the bum.”

“I recommend a cup of coffee and a cold shower.” Roy crossed his arms at her like a disappointed father. 

“And why would I listen to you?” she challenged, mirroring his stance even down to the way his left brow was raised. 

“Because sometimes, SOMETIMES, only once in a blue moon…I’m wrong. I can’t be wrong twice in one night, can I?”

“Is this your way of apologizing for being an ass?” Courtney asked, throwing her hands around his neck for a hug.

“Maybe,” Roy hugged her back, pulling her tightly into his arms till she stood on her tippy toes. “Do you forgive me?”

“Only if you buy me a big box of chocolates.” 

‘Definitely likes chocolates,’ Danny noted to himself.

“Deal. Now go with your little toys,” Roy let her go, “and when you’re done, drink lots of water. Love you, be safe.”

The pair exchanged quick air kisses. Danny couldn’t help himself but smile at how lovingly Roy doted over her, making sure she listened to him before he shoved her away into the waiting arms of Kameron. 

“You know,” Danny sat down in his makeshift seat, lighting them cigarettes. “You two would make a cute couple if you weren’t,” he swallowed, “you know...”

“Gee thanks.” Roy took his cigarette from him, shoving his seat away so he could count the tequila instead.

“Hey, what did Courtney mean-“ Danny tried asking about Courtney’s earlier statement about the office but Roy shushed him. 

“10, 12, 14…” Roy kept counting under his breath. His brows tightly furrowed, concentrating on every label. “16, 18…19?” He curled his top lip at the tequila bottles. 

“20.” Danny held up the bottle Roy had poured himself a drink out of when they started counting bottles. 

“Knew I kept you around for a reason,” Roy let out a relieved sigh. “20. Beautiful, done.”

Roy put the bottle back carefully onto the shelf, wrote down the number on his clipboard and hooked his pen over the sheet of paper. Finally! Their cue to hit the road.

Danny’s stomach was in knots, boozy butterflies floating about at the anticipation of more intimate alone time. The thought made him nauseous with doubt but it was too enticing to pass up, just like those enormous Ferris wheels his parents took him to when he was a little boy.

Every time he’d question his decision, he’d look to his left towards Roy for some new motivation, reminding himself that he wasn’t doing anything wrong. Just walking side by side as they’d done many a night, simply without Jinkx in the middle this time, and if he had to be honest it felt freeing. 

Liberating even. 

“Well then, who do you think should’ve won?” Roy asked, turning the corner to their block.

“Seriously? Such an easy answer,” Danny raised his shoulders in exasperation. It seemed like every time they reached the Best Actress category in their little debates Roy would scoff at his answers just to get a rise out of him, even some of the ones he, sometimes reluctantly, agreed with. “Judy Garland, obviously.”

Roy scrunched up his nose as if he was thinking over Danny’s answer before he sighed, “I don’t know-“

“Oh brother, what do you have against Judy mother-fucking Garland?” Danny interrupted him, using the same phrase Roy had used for Deborah Kerr earlier against himself.

“Grace - you asshole.” Roy fumbled over his words, hiding a proud chuckle. “Grace Kelly deserved it, I think they voted for the right bitch.“

“Well I think you’re wrong,” Danny huffed. “And I think if Courtney was here she’d agree with me.”

“Is that so?”

“And she’d call you a dickhead!” He tried his best to imitate her Australian accent but just couldn’t quite get it right, causing him to laugh at his own joke. 

“Well, well,” Roy swayed towards him, bumping their shoulders together. “Careful, someone might say the club is rubbing off on you.” 

He was right, obviously. Even Danny could feel the shift in his personality since he moved to New York just a few weeks earlier. Specifically since he started hanging out at the club with Roy and the others. 

“Would that be so bad?” he asked out loud, more to himself than anyone else truth be told.

“It would make you right more often.” 

“I am right. Judy should’ve won.”

“As much as I would like to agree with you, I can't. Why do you think she should’ve won, huh? Because she’s been around so long? Because she…” Roy gestured with over the top quotation marks, “‘overcame’ her struggles to make a good goddamn movie? Because it was an absolutely terrific movie, don't get me wrong, she damn near made me shed a tear.”

“Well…then why don’t you think she should’ve won?” Danny came to a standstill, confused by Roy’s argument. 

“Think about it.” Roy stopped walking as well, stepping back a few steps to be equal with Danny again. “Those are all amazing qualities, but you can’t just up and say ‘I did my best so I deserve the thing I want’, you have to be able to show people you’re in it for the long run, Judy isn’t that girl anymore but Grace Kelly is.”

“But she did show up!” Danny tried reasoning back. “Maybe not the way you wanted her too but she tried.”

“That’s show business for you,” Roy shrugged.

“James Mason didn’t win either, which is complete bullshit,” Danny scoffed, resuming his walking.

“That I can agree with.” 

“So…thanks for letting me hang around all night, you sure I wasn’t a bother?” Danny finally asked when they reached Roy’s apartment door. Just before they began to discuss that year’s winners.

Before he answered, Roy took the time to dig in his thick black coat’s pocket and pull out a couple of cigarettes, lighting one for each of them between his teeth. A little habit Danny had grown quite fond of him doing when he didn’t think people would notice. 

“You know, I actually had a good time. I really appreciated the help, thanks.”

“You’re very welcome, I’d do it again any- any time really.” He stumbled over his words a bit. Roy’s lips were too distracting as he took a big drag of his cigarette.

“With the amount of scotch you had, I probably don’t have to ask if you had a good time?” Roy teased, his lips twisting into a faint smile. 

Danny couldn’t help but blush, especially since Roy covered most of the drinks he ended up having. An act of kindness he appreciated; his wallet was looking a little too thin as it was tonight, with Jinkx skipping out before the tab could be paid. 

“I wish I could repay at least one or two,” he began. Feeling around in his pockets for any change he might have left.

“Yeah, I bet you do.” Roy looked up at him, halting his movements with a firm pat on the shoulder. Another habit Danny liked. At this point he started an imaginary list. 

Danny could still feel his heart racing at the contact, even one so innocent. He wondered what Roy was thinking while they looked at each other, his face illuminated only by the soft glow of the street lamps scattered about .

“You know-“ Roy inhaled, raising his hand to hold Danny’s cheek tenderly, lost in thought. 

“Hm?” Visions of them together began swirling in his mind. Glorious visions. And then - 

“Nothin’. You had some lint. Go back to your doll face, she’ll want you home when she gets in,” Roy slurred slightly. A lazy smile on his face as if the night was growing long, but he didn’t want it to end yet. “It’s getting late.”

“Oh,” he breathed. Saying he felt let down was the understatement of the year. He didn’t want to fight the issue though, hell he didn’t even know how. 

What could he say that wouldn’t ruin any progress they’d made as friends, or come out sounding just plain foolish? So he accepted his refusal and turned around to walk away back to his apartment.

‘C’mon, be a man!’ he scolded himself. Turning on his heels when he’d taken no more than 5 steps to face Roy with new self-assuredness. 

“You don’t want to invite me in for that bourbon?” he asked, raising his shoulders, the ash he’d forgotten about from his cigarette falling onto his shoes.

“I don’t think you need another drink tonight, do you?”

“Um, I….” Danny struggled to decide. So much for that confidence he had built up. 

“Exactly. So it’s probably better if I don’t and we call it a night.” Roy flashed that devilishly delicious smile. 

That smile that made his knees weak and his stomach do somersaults, even if his words made his heart drop nearly out of his body.

“Right…but -” He wanted to protest and demand a reason, feeling his blood boil like when your high school crush rejects you. 

“It’s nothing you - you hear that, right? Her stomping? God she’s loud.” Roy turned around to gesture to the source. 

Danny recognized Courtney almost immediately, her usual little skip run in those tiny dresses she wore nearly as recognizable as her accent.

“I lost my keys!” she laughed, running a little faster towards them. “And Dela’s out with her new boyfriend. Who, by the way, did I tell you his mustache is ah-mazing.”

“Where’s your dates?” Roy shrugged off her rambling. 

“Ugh, don’t get me started. Kameron got cold feet and Morgan, well, let’s just say some Scots don’t hold their liquor as well as advertised.” She blinked as if she was trying to get rid of some unpleasant memories. “I got them a taxi, they're fine.”

“Seriously,” Roy pointed to her heels when she finally reached him, already holding the apartment building’s door open for her. “Walk like a man, why don’t yah?”

“Fuck me like one,” Courtney retorted with a tease in her voice, tousling Danny’s hair, saying, “You can even bring him.”

Danny’s eyes flicked back and forth between the pair, unsure what to think. Or even what to say. Hell, even unsure if she was being serious or not. All he could see was red. 

“He’s not interested.” Roy’s focus switched to Danny. His expression was unreadable, as if he didn't even know what he was thinking. “Right?”

Danny swallowed, muttering, “…right.” 

“Goodnight, Danny,” Courtney sang, walking past Roy into his apartment building. Throwing a last little finger wave his way before taking the edge of Roy’s collar in her hand and tugging. 

“Coming, dollface,” Roy smirked, following her lead.

He stood dumbfounded. Baffled by this turn of events. The ONE time he’d made the first move and THIS is what he got for it? 

“Why that…that….” he huffed, unable to process rational thoughts he took a puff from his cigarette before throwing it on the ground. Storming off in the direction of his apartment with heavy, angry stomps. “That slut! Jezebel! That absolute…TRAMP!”

Pride Challenge Points: 2489

[pup-pee]

This is so random but I saw ur tags in the rb of an old birdflash fanart and ur energy just resonated with me and I was like I must follow this person... Anyways hello:D ur art style is so lovely I'm so glad I found this blog I am fucking insane over Wally West but also batfam and THE BARRY & WALLY FATHER SON DYNAMIC IS THE ONLY THING EVERRGGRHRHTJFJKZKSKSJFKK

Also I am staring at the tmnt in ur bio, I saw a comment recently that said that Leo & Raph are basically dick and Jason and omg I have never been the same since like WTF why are they so right....

omgomg HELLO??? u liking my tags actually means sm wtf skgjkajkgkh BUT HI YES HELLO HEY!!! TYSM 4 LIKING MY ART AS WELL OMG??? bcb cb c bc bc u points @ u u like wally i have a silly hc i drew a little bit ago

THIS GOT RLLY LONG SO IM SRRY LSKJFKSL

i will give it 2 u bc y not skjgkgALSO INCLUDES A BIT OF WALLY + BARRY WHICH IS Y I THINK HT OF IT OK

BASICALLY ITS A HC ABOUT WALLY WEARING GLASSES THEN EVENTUALLY WEARING BRACES/HEADGEAR BC LISTEN PLS HEAR ME OUT

glasses bc i just think so theres rlly no other reason just always had glasses as a kid

IGNORE THR TRASH ITS JUST HOW I DO MY SKETCHBOOKS ANYWAYS AKHFK

SO GLASSES RIGHT??! THEN HE BCAME A SPEEDSTER likekeeee preteen-ish? if im not wrong// BUT LIKE getting accelerated,,,, everything ig @ that age would b CRAZYY so i think his teeth got kinda vry fucked up((im so nice 2 the blorbos,,,i swear,,,,((dont belive me)) SO HE HAD 2 GET BRACES & HEADGEAR

he doesnt wear contacts no matter how roy or dick tries 2 convince him he doesnt want 2 use their money

he will keep taping his silly blocky glasses until they literally turn 2 ash

just take the whole sketch book page whateverrrr r rr

BUT YEAH THATS OT OTS SILLY & MEANS NOTHING BUT EVERYTHING 2 ME barrys there just listening 2 him talk bc no1 used 2 listen 2 him infodump about much b4 idk

i feel the need 2 show wally sketches but i rlly dont have that much((that isnt au related))

i think this 1 is silly anywhoo there was tmnt in this & ill brb

LITERALLY THEMM i was NKT reasy 2 draw fhem 2day omg skfjksjf they looks so ass i swear i can draw a pretty dick

jason tho??…,,,,,, uhm uhm srry pat pats

also srry u only rlly((like RLLY)) know tmnt2012 so akhfkfk

GIVE JASON A SPIKE RN((talked w/madi & jason actually needs a bearded dragon)) <- putting this hear so if i ever reread this ill know

ANYWAYS RED BLUE SIBLINGS SO TRUE ITS ACTUALLY THEM JSUT

im remembering some of the more,,,dramamtic moments of 2012 tmnt & like holy hell yeah

i gotta bring out the tmnt au again its literally mostly abiut dimentsion x bc angst but holymoly

holy moly ahhahabf my humoresuck i kinda 4got what i was writing tbh so oopsies

hey guys? what do we think of s2 -> s3? ((leo in a coma + canine)) ????? how we feelingvvvbbb jsi!!?!? im literally talking 2 myself & thid point ermmm

ANYWAYS HI I CANT BELEIVE U UR SO SILLY U READ THE TAGS AKFJFKV seey 4 my rambling :3

/e wave 2 u!!!!!

[boxscorehockey]

2024-25 Transaction Register

January 4 New York signs Emil Pieniniemi D PIT and waives Scott Perunovich D STL.

January 4 New York signs Eriks Mateiko LW WSH and waives Maxime Masse F ANA.

December 28 New York signs Jakub Dobes G MTL and releases Semyon Varlamov G NYI (LTIR).

December 26 Winged Wheel sign Vladimir Nikitin G OTT and waive Andrei Buyalski F KHL.

December 26 Winged Wheel sign Austin Burnevik F ANA and waive Ty Dellandrea F SJ.

December 26 Winged Wheel sign Linus Eriksson F FLA and waive Otto Koiuvula F Free Agent.

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December 26 Winged Wheel sign Beau Akey D EDM and waive Justin Schultz D RETIRED.

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December 11 Quebec signs Scott Wedgewood G COL and waives Carter Hart G F/A.

December 7 Buffalo signs Trent Miner G COL and waives Jack Campbell G DET.

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November 23 Squid sign Drew Helleson D ANA and waives Vladislav Gavrikov D LAK.

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November 22 New York signs Mikael Granlund F SJ and waives Jeff Skinner F EDM.

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October 17 Squid sign Bobby McMann C TOR and waive Tye Kartye F SEA.

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October 16 Squid sign Adam Boqvist D FLA and waive Ville Heinola D WPG (LTIR).

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October 16 Squid sign Georgi Merkulov F BOS and waive Arthur Kaliyev F LAK.

October 16 Squid sign Paul Cotter F NJ and waive Ryan Greene F CHC.

October 12 Winged Wheel acquire Sergei Bobrovsky G FLA from the New York Steam in exchange for the 2025 Wheel 2nd rder and Frank Nazar C/RW CHC.

Sept 15 Seattle acquires Berkly Catton F SEA from New York in exchange for Cayden Lindstrom F CBJ.

Sept 7 Quebec acquires Nikolai Kovalenko F COL and a bag of Wegmans Organic Buttery popcorn in exchange for Berkly Catton C SEA.

Sept 7 Seattle acquires the Seattle 2024 3rd (pick 11) and the New York 2025 3rd from New York in exchange for the Winged Wheel 2nd 2024 (pick #7).

August 31 Winged Wheel acquire Kirill Kaprizov F MIN and the New York Steam 12th 2024 (pick 60) in exchange for the Winged Wheel 1st 2024 (pick 2 overall) and John Gibson G ANA.

August 25 Seattle acquires Mike Matheson D MTL and the New York 6th (pick 30) in exchange for the Seattle 6th (pick 26).

August 17 Seattle acquires Joel Hofer G STL from the New York Steam in exchange for the Seattle 4th 2024 (pick #16)

July 14 Winged Wheel acquire Vladimir Tarasenko RW DET from New York in exchange for Rutger McGroarty F WPG.

July 2 Seattle acquires Jakob Chycrun D WSH from New York in exchange for the Seattle 2024 3rd (pick #11).

June 19 Quebec acquires Jacob Markstrom G NJ from the New York Steam in exchange for William Smith C SJ.

[ccandd96]

This brand-new book is the perfect thing to pick up to cap off summer! Scars Publications just released the Down in the Dirt‘s May-August 2024 issue collection book “A Library of Collaboration”! This 422-page volume is a great way to stock up on issues if you didn’t buy all of the issues making this a GREAT deal! A listing of all the contributors and titles is available at Scars online, and authors are also listed in the description now online through Amazon throughout the U.S. and Canada. They can also be ordered in the U.K., all of Europe, and even Japan and Australia!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DBDBH1HK

https://scars.tv/2024May-August-issue-collection-book/A_Library_of_Collaboration.htm

The contributors to this book (of writing and art) include A.R. Williams, Alan Ford, Alexandra Dark, Angela Carrozza, Anthony Thomas Voglino, April Fikstad, April Goodwin, Bill Tope, Binod Dawadi, Brenda Mox, Brian Beatty, Brian Connelly, Cailey Tin, Cameron D. Alexander, Camille Akers, Chitralekha Hore, Christopher Strople, Ciara M. Blecka, Clarence Allan Ebert, Clive Aaron Gill, Corey Smith, Corey Villas, Daniel de Culla, David J Tate, David Sapp, David Sowards, Debra Wilson Frank, Devin Sparkman, Dick Yaeger, Donald Reed Greenwood, Dorthy LaVern McCarthy, Doug Hawley, Douglas Young, Dr. Adyasha Acharya, Drew Marshall, DS Maolalai, Duane Anderson, Edward Michael O’Durr Supranowicz, Eleanor Leonne Bennett, Elena Botts, Eric Brown, Erik Priedkalns, George Beckerman, Gil Hoy, Greg Beckman, Hannah Ferris, Hasan Chaudhry, Helen Bird, Holly Day, Isabel G. de Diego, J. Ray Paradiso, Jackie Bayless, Jake C. Elliott, James Bates, James Nelli, Janet Kuypers, Jerry Guarino, Joan Mach, John F. McMullen, John Farquhar Young, John Grey, John Riebow, John Zedolik, Joy Myers, June Wolfman, Justine Fleming, Kassan Jahmal Kassim, Katarina Pavicic-Ivelja, Ken Weiss, Kris Green, Kyle Hemmings, Kyle Trenka, L. Sydney Abel, Latoya Kidd, Laura Bota, Lee Hammerschmidt, Madelyne Timmons, Mark Pearce, Mark Wolters, Marvin Reif, Matthew McAyeal, Megan Mealor, Michael Gigandet, Mike Rader, Mykyta Ryzhykh, Norm Hudson, Oleksandr Gorpynich, Olivia G. Benson, Olivier Schopfer, Paul Stansbury, R.T. Castleberry, Raha.M, ReLand, Richard K. Williams, Ronald Hernandez, Roseann Bauer, Rowan Tate, Roy N. Mason, Rykard Plaque, Salvatore Folisi, Sandip Saha, Sarah Das Gupta, Scott Taylor, Sean Meggeson, Shawn McMichael, Shontay Luna, Simon Kaeppeli, Steevie Karnes, Sterling Warner, Steven Grogan, Susie Gharib, Terry Sanville, Tom Ball, Toney Dimos, Tony Covatta, Vern Fein, and Westley Heine.

https://www.facebook.com/janetkuypers/posts/pfbid02X79WiLxMhVQRAjyUJdASt2iJ2LHeLrvTuYK2i1RmvSVzDMBcK7cPwCQbxzY67dkwl

[bearpillowmonster]

I decided to do a writing exercise, a bit hypothetical. Smash gets brought up as a movie all the time but all in all, who do you cut? So I made a chart and that sort of informed my story ideas.

This doesn't represent my views on the characters, just who I view as essential from a storytelling pov, if it were actually me doing it, I'd want to cameo everyone but here we are. C is Cameo, M is Main, X is obvious. I thought up that we would have to limit it to Endgame numbers which ends up being around 27 who weren't just soldiers like M'Baku, give or take, I cut it down to 25 mains and 8 cameos.

It's sloppy but I couldn't find a good tiermaker one so I just drew one up real quick. The first 12 are the originals, we can't cut any of them but some of them should be their representative of that franchise. Samus is the same person so I made her a half and half which I did later on with another character.

The first 4 cameos are from their respective worlds before their ally gets torn away, Mario, Link, Fox, etc. Petey is one of the most synonymous because of Brawl and how asinine it was that he was a playable character so he should have a little moment of just being a piranha plant. Sonic is also one of the biggest additions to the roster, while there was a lot of hype surrounding just about every one of them, Sonic might have been the most if adjusted for the state things at the time it happened. We need some villains so DeeDee, Meta Knight (transportation), Ganon should show up but be outclassed by Master Hand and whatever other villain decides to show their face.

Pikmin is a mainstay of the Nintendo brand, ROB is literally a symbol of that, Game and Watch is meant to be cute but deadly since he can't talk but neither can ROB really so maybe they can be interchangeable. Villager is another mainstay since Animal Crossing is so big now, also silent so could potentially be interchangeable but I'd rather not, also why Isabelle is there, I think he should be the one to get an actual invitation just like in the trailers. Roy is a fan favorite and a good one for the team to recruit when they feel defeated, Marth will mention of a great warrior in his land and the two team up. Little Mac is a good recruit as well, can't stack up and beat Mike Tyson so they find him and it's his chance to prove himself before his big fight. They attempt Pokemon Trainer but it fails. Pac is a wild card.

Wario is a surprise, riding on his bike, saying that he couldn't let Mario have the spotlight and jumped in the portal just a moment before closing. Mewtwo is their big ol' powerhouse and one the fans will appreciate, represents more than Pokemon but Brawl. I planned Ryu showing up at the very end to win the battle, Mewtwo and Ryu hadouken at the same time. And Link is special because we have adult Link but we also have either Toon or Young Link as well, showing that different versions of them exist and how Link learns that he can time travel. Gotta have So Happy Together be in the movie and we're in business.