#clarke x j!clarke

[belfry-ghost]

can y'all believe i drew a fully rendered hades (game) style phantom yesterday and then followed it up with this

edit: hades art in question

[wwprice1]

10 great Marvel covers for August!

[thesocietalmisfit]

This is my Roman Empire

[straightbaittournament]

may the best bait win! propaganda under the cut:

bellamy and clarke:

They start off as a rivals-to-lovers kind of arc, the actors are married and have a kid in addition to (allegedly) being friends with benefits in the early seasons They have multiple intense romantic moments even while they're with other people, the actors were told to play them romantically and have spoken up about it, and are now married, they once won a "sexiest moment" award despite it just being him pushing her hair back, they get married in the books, they constantly tell each other that they need each other, and call themselves "the head and the heart"

they get married in the books the actors were told to play them romantically for seven years, but in the final season, clarke KILLS bellamy because the showrunner hated his teen girl fanbase. they also had multiple almost-love confessions, and constantly said things like "i need you" and called themselves "the head and the heart"

"m/f pairs who have some kind of weird fucking thing going on that is never explicitly named platonic or romantic" "couples whose romance is teased but never confirmed as such" No matter how much the showrunner tries to deny it, it was quite obvious from the beginning that Clarke and Bellamy were supposed to end up together. But then Clexa happened, and the massive backlash to Lexa's death (understandable) pretty much killed any chance they could manifest that romance. I'm okay with that, because it allows Bellarke a complexity that most straight pairings don't have. But the chemistry, and the chemistry was strong - so strong that the actors got married!

They're canon in the books the show is based on, and their plot seemed like it would be a slow burn enemies to friends to lovers, but the producer actively made fun of fans for shipping it and ended the series with clarke killing bellamy.

janeway and chakotay:

Janeway is the Captain of a Starfleet ship lost so far from home it will take decades to reach. Chakotay is the Captain of a Maquis (rebel) ship also lost there. They decide to work together to get home and combine their crews when the Maquis ship is destroyed, and Chakotay becomes her second-in-command. Because of the seriousness of the situation, Janeway feels that she cannot afford the distraction of a romance and so they never get together. They have NO personal space and look longingly at each other quite often and one episode has them forced to abandon ship potentially forever and they live together in a little house and he builds her a bathtub because she complains about not having one and they share a romantically charged massage where he tells her a made up story about a warrior and the woman who inspired him which he openly admits is made up and actually about them. Also he holds her while she cries about their chance of going back to the ship being destroyed. In a different episode she “dies” and he cradled her body while weeping about it. They also have candlelit dinners regularly and she lent him a copy of the book her ex-fiancé gave her, and every time the show conspires to make one temporarily unaware of the other, they flirt hardcore. An episode designed to show how they wouldn’t work as a couple only makes more people ship them. Also a young version of Janeway meets older Chakotay via time travel and asks him if they’re together in the future despite her being engaged at that point. He declined to answer directly.

they have a lot of Tension thruout the series & a very deep relationship, but Janeway has someone waiting for her back home & Chakotay ends up in a romance plot with another person in the last season (that I personally felt came from out of nowhere but whatever) I rooted for them! I rooted for a str8 couple! I did not care that Janeway had someone waiting for her back home even tho I usually do! but I did not care! they deserved to fuck!

[okmcintyre]

[daria1611]

okay but watching Sarge stabbing May hurt. Like i know that it’s not Phil but just seeing him stab her when I know they are soulmates hurt. I just felt my heart breaking into millions of pieces plus May’s my favorite character… damn it. 6x12

[thealanomaly]

Clark Kent (RWBY) in the style of Ben 10: Omniverse.

(Character model used: Young Max Tennyson)

[thaoworra]

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association recently released the poems that made it to the finalist stage for consideration for the 2024 Rhysling Awards for Short and Long Speculative Poems of the year. Congratulations to all of the nominees! This will be the 46th year these awards have been conferred!

Short Poems (50 finalists)

Attn: Prime Real Estate Opportunity!, Emily Ruth Verona, Under Her Eye: A Women in Horror Poetry Collection Volume II

The Beauty of Monsters, Angela Liu, Small Wonders 1

The Blight of Kezia, Patricia Gomes, HWA Poetry Showcase X

The Day We All Died, A Little, Lisa Timpf, Radon 5

Deadweight, Jack Cooper, Propel 7

Dear Mars, Susan L. Lin, The Sprawl Mag 1.2

Dispatches from the Dragon's Den, Mary Soon Lee, Star*Line 46.2

Dr. Jekyll, West Ambrose, Thin Veil Press December

First Eclipse: Chang-O and the Jade Hare, Emily Jiang, Uncanny 53

Five of Cups Considers Forgiveness, Ali Trotta, The Deadlands 31

Gods of the Garden, Steven Withrow, Spectral Realms 19

The Goth Girls' Gun Gang, Marisca Pichette, The Dread Machine 3.2

Guiding Star, Tim Jones, Remains to be Told: Dark Tales of Aotearoa, ed. Lee Murray (Clan Destine Press)

Hallucinations Gifted to Me by Heatstroke, Morgan L. Ventura, Banshee 15

hemiplegic migraine as willing human sacrifice, Ennis Rook Bashe, Eternal Haunted Summer Winter Solstice

Hi! I am your Cortical Update!, Mahaila Smith, Star*Line 46.3

How to Make the Animal Perfect?, Linda D. Addison, Weird Tales 100

I Dreamt They Cast a Trans Girl to Give Birth to the Demon, Jennessa Hester, HAD October

Invasive, Marcie Lynn Tentchoff, Polar Starlight 9

kan-da-ka, Nadaa Hussein, Apparition Lit 23

Language as a Form of Breath, Angel Leal, Apparition Lit October

The Lantern of September, Scott Couturier, Spectral Realms 19

Let Us Dream, Myna Chang, Small Wonders 3

The Magician's Foundling, Angel Leal, Heartlines Spec 2

The Man with the Stone Flute, Joshua St. Claire, Abyss & Apex 87

Mass-Market Affair, Casey Aimer, Star*Line 46.4

Mom's Surprise, Francis W. Alexander, Tales from the Moonlit Path June

A Murder of Crows, Alicia Hilton, Ice Queen 11

No One Now Remembers, Geoffrey Landis, Fantasy and Science Fiction Nov./Dec.

orion conquers the sky, Maria Zoccula, On Spec 33.2

Pines in the Wind, Karen Greenbaum-Maya, The Beautiful Leaves (Bamboo Dart Press)

The Poet Responds to an Invitation from the AI on the Moon, T.D. Walker, Radon Journal 5

A Prayer for the Surviving, Marisca Pichette, Haven Speculative 9

Pre-Nuptial, F. J. Bergmann, The Vampiricon (Mind's Eye Publications)

The Problem of Pain, Anna Cates, Eye on the Telescope 49

The Return of the Sauceress, F. J. Bergmann, The Flying Saucer Poetry Review February

Sea Change, David C. Kopaska-Merkel and Ann K. Schwader, Scifaikuest May

Seed of Power, Linda D. Addison, The Book of Witches ed. Jonathan Strahan (Harper Collins)

Sleeping Beauties, Carina Bissett, HWA Poetry Showcase X

Solar Punks, J. D. Harlock, The Dread Machine 3.1

Song of the Last Hour, Samuel A. Betiku, The Deadlands 22

Sphinx, Mary Soon Lee, Asimov's September/October

Storm Watchers (a drabbun), Terrie Leigh Relf, Space & Time

Sunflower Astronaut, Charlie Espinosa, Strange Horizons July

Three Hearts as One, G. O. Clark, Asimov's May/June

Troy, Carolyn Clink, Polar Starlight 12

Twenty-Fifth Wedding Anniversary, John Grey, Medusa's Kitchen September

Under World, Jacqueline West, Carmina Magazine September

Walking in the Starry World, John Philip Johnson, Orion's Belt May

Whispers in Ink, Angela Yuriko Smith, Whispers from Beyond (Crystal Lake Publishing)

Long Poems (25 finalists)

Archivist of a Lost World, Gerri Leen, Eccentric Orbits 4

As the witch burns, Marisca Pichette, Fantasy 87

Brigid the Poet, Adele Gardner, Eternal Haunted Summer Summer Solstice

Coding a Demi-griot (An Olivian Measure), Armoni “Monihymn” Boone, Fiyah 26

Cradling Fish, Laura Ma, Strange Horizons May

Dream Visions, Melissa Ridley Elmes, Eccentric Orbits 4

Eight Dwarfs on Planet X, Avra Margariti, Radon Journal 3

The Giants of Kandahar, Anna Cates, Abyss & Apex 88

How to Haunt a Northern Lake, Lora Gray, Uncanny 55

Impostor Syndrome, Robert Borski, Dreams and Nightmares 124

The Incessant Rain, Rhiannon Owens, Evermore 3

Interrogation About A Monster During Sleep Paralysis, Angela Liu, Strange Horizons November

Little Brown Changeling, Lauren Scharhag, Aphelion 283

A Mere Million Miles from Earth, John C. Mannone, Altered Reality April

Pilot, Akua Lezli Hope, Black Joy Unbound eds. Stephanie Andrea Allen & Lauren Cherelle (BLF Press)

Protocol, Jamie Simpher, Small Wonders 5

Sleep Dragon, Herb Kauderer, The Book of Sleep (Written Image Press)

Slow Dreaming, Herb Kauderer, The Book of Sleep (Written Image Press)

St. Sebastian Goes To Confession, West Ambrose, Mouthfeel 1

Value Measure, Joseph Halden and Rhonda Parrish, Dreams and Nightmares 125

A Weather of My Own Making, Nnadi Samuel, Silver Blade 56

Welcoming the New Girl, Beth Cato, Penumbric October

What You Find at the Center, Elizabeth R McClellan, Haven Spec Magazine 12

The Witch Makes Her To-Do List, Theodora Goss, Uncanny 50

The Year It Changed, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Star*Line 46.4

Voting for the Rhysling Award begins July 1; a link to the ballot will be sent with the Rhysling Anthology, as well as with the July issue of Star*Line. More information on the Rhysling Award can be found here.

[kryptokent]

clark kent (smallville) x male reader

before clark meets up with you for a coffee date, his mother makes an unusual discovery in the laundry basket.

warnings/content: lead up to smut but fade to black, established relationship, you know about his powers, bisexual clark :3

word count: 1.7k

also on ao3!

dinosaur boxers

“Hm,” Martha murmurs, rifling through the laundry basket and grabbing at an item. “I’ve never seen these before.”

“What is it, Martha?” Jonathan asks, peering over that morning’s newspaper. 

She turns around and holds up a pair of boxers. “These aren’t yours, are they?”

Jonathan raises an eyebrow at the design. “No. Must be Clark’s.” He shakes his head with a huff of laughter and turns back to the newspaper. “Although I can’t imagine him wearing that.”

“I dunno. I didn’t buy these for him.”

Chuckling to himself, Jonathan folds the paper and places it on the table, standing up to make his way over to her. “Martha, Clark is 18. I’m sure he’s old enough to buy his own underwear by now.”

“Well, yeah, but he…” She starts, trailing off. Instead, she gives him an embarrassed smile. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“When am I ever wrong?” He smirks, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Making his way back to the kitchen table, he grabs his jacket and shrugs it on. “Speaking of Clark, where is that–”

“You were speaking about me?” Clark asks, bounding down the stairs with a grin. “Good things, I hope.”

“We were just talking about this mystery underwear your mom found.”

Clark tilts his head and turns to his mother, the smile slipping off his face immediately at the sight. She waves the boxers, still holding them in front of her chest, and asks, “These yours?”

“Uh, y-yes,” Clark manages to get out through a cough. Martha’s eyebrows knit together and Jonathan turns back to face him with his eyebrows reaching his hairline. Clark clears his throat and smiles again. “Yes. Of course they’re mine, mom, who else’s would they be?”

She takes that as an acceptable answer and shrugs, dropping them back into the basket. “Just didn't think dinosaur-themed boxers were your thing.”

His face heats up. “Trying something new. Anyways, gotta go.” He’s out the door before anyone else can say anything.

Staring at the door in confusion, Jonathan shakes his head. “That was weird, wasn’t it?”

“Definitely. Think he’s hiding something?”

He thinks for a moment. “That he really likes dinosaurs.”

Outside, Clark takes a few deep breaths to calm himself. That was close, he thinks, before shooting off toward the Talon. He comes to a stop at the back alley, glancing around to make sure no one's nearby to notice him, and makes his way to the front of the building. To his surprise, you’re already standing at the corner behind a dumpster and he almost jumps out of his skin.

“Jesus, you scared me!”

“Sorry,” you laugh, waiting for him to catch his breath. “I know you like to come this way.”

“Do you now?” Clark laughs, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to your lips. He pulls away, searches the area, finds no one, and presses his lips back to yours. The height difference makes his chest swell with joy and he pulls you closer, wrapping his arms around your lower back. Between kisses, he mutters, “You'll never guess what my parents found earlier.”

“What’d they find?”

Clark pulls away and leans against the wall with a smug look. “Your boxers.”

“What?”

“Mhm.” Pushing off the wall, he gently grabs your arm and leads you toward the entrance of the Talon. “You must have left them there last time you were… over. I figure you took mine instead when you rushed out.”

You take a shaky breath. “Do they suspect anything?”

“You mean do they suspect we’re dating? No, doesn’t seem like it.”

“That’s good,” you reply as you take a seat closest to the door. “I guess you still don’t wanna tell anyone?”

Clark gives you an awkward smile as he sits opposite you and leans in close. “I just don’t know how they’ll react,” he says, voice hushed. “I mean, I know they’ll accept me, but…”

“You’re just not ready to announce you have a boyfriend.”

He looks around quickly, worrying that someone would overhear. “Exactly.”

Your hand twitches, and to Clark it looks as if you’re  about to reach for his hand but have second thoughts. He wants to reach out for you in return, hold your hand with no fear, but he stops himself. “That’s okay,” you smile, a small smile at first before it turns into a loving grin that lights him up like the Fourth of July. “I completely understand. As long as you’re happy, yeah?”

“I am happy.” Clark bumps his foot against yours under the table with a sweet smile. “You make me happy.”

Your grin widens “You make me happy too, Clark.”

He smirks and glances around. “Why don’t we get outta here?”

“Thought you wanted coffee.”

He shrugs. “Coffee can wait.” He stands and brushes a hand over your shoulder casually as he passes you, beckoning you to follow him.

“And this can’t?” You laugh, following outside and back down the alley. “What have you got planned?”

“Something fun,” he grins, looking around before taking you into his arms. “May I?”

“You may.”

Clark’s lips find your cheek. “Hold on.” He waits until you’re in his arms before speeding off, running faster than the speed of light. He runs and runs and runs until he makes it back to the farm, entering the barn and slowing down.

“We’re at the barn,” you state.

“Mhm.”

You smirk at him. “And what do you plan to do here?”

“Well…” he trails off, looking you up and down with his own flustered smile. “Whatever you want. But first, I’ll be back in a minute.”

He speeds off, leaving you standing alone. You shake your head with a laugh at his abrupt exit and make your way upstairs. By the time you’re flopping onto the couch and picking up a book from the table, Clark returns holding two coffees. 

“You couldn’t have gotten them before we left?” You ask, chuckling. 

“I didn’t think.”

“Do you ever?”

Clark rolls his eyes and hands you a cup, gently pushing your legs aside so he can sit next to you. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever, wise guy.” He takes a sip of his coffee and smiles. “I figured we could have our coffee date here. In private. Where no one can see us.”

“That is what private means, Clark.”

He huffs out a laugh. “I can never catch a break with you, can I?”

“Only when I’m dead.”

“Well I hope that’s not soon,” he whispers, leaning in close and looking deep into your eyes. His breath fans your cheek. Leaning closer, he presses a few soft kisses from your lips toward your cheekbone, and he smiles, before pulling back and taking another sip of his drink. “Now I can kiss you whenever I want.”

You giggle at that. “Alright, loverboy. You sure your parents won’t come up here?”

“They’re both out doing their own things. We’re all alone up here.”

“Alone, huh?”

Clark flushes red. “Mhm.”

“Well maybe I can get my boxers back then?”

“Oh…” He glances away. “Yeah, uh, sure. I can go get them for you.”

You roll your eyes in amusement and laugh, leaning forward to press a kiss to his burning cheek. “I mean, Clark, that you'll have to take these ones off first.”

His breath catches in his throat and his wide eyes find yours. “Wh– I– Oh. Oh, heh, yeah. Yeah.”

“You’re so cute,” you laugh, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “But it looks like you might explode if I say anything else like that. Let’s just enjoy this coffee first.”

He nods eagerly, making you laugh even more. “Sure. Yeah. It’s nice coffee. Really nice.”

You shuffle closer so that you’re curling into him, head on his firm chest. His strong arm instinctively wraps around you, pulling you closer, and he drops a kiss to the top of your head. “I’m glad we’re together, Clark.”

“Me too. If you hadn’t flirted with me on that day we met, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”

“Still chasing after girls that already have boyfriends, I bet. And blissfully unaware you could have been chasing after the boyfriends, too.”

He laughs and you can feel the vibrations of it against your cheek. “I’d have figured it out!” You glance up and raise an eyebrow and he gives you a cheeky smile. “Eventually.”

Pressing your lips to his, you smile. “I’m glad I helped you out.”

“Me too.”

The kiss deepens and you can feel rather than see Clark leaning forward to place his coffee on the table behind you. His hand slides up your arm and takes your cup too, placing it beside his. You chuckle against his lips as he pulls you into his lap. “Thought you were enjoying your coffee.”

“I was,” he shrugs, trailing kisses down to your jaw. “But I’ll definitely enjoy this more.”

You tilt your head to give him more access to your neck. “What happened to my cute flustered farm boy?”

Clark pulls back to smirk and there’s a playful glint in his beautiful blue eyes. “You talk too much,” he says, more of a loving statement than an insult. Pushing you against the soft pillows of the couch, he hovers over you confidently. “I guess I need to shut you up.”

You laugh and tug at the hem of his shirt before lifting it up and over his head. “And you need to give me my boxers back.”

He rolls his eyes “What did I just say, mister?”

“I don’t know,” you shrug, eyes stuck to his toned torso. No matter how many times you’ve seen him shirtless, the beauty of him still amazes you. “Wasn’t listening. Was a bit distracted.”

He chuckles and dips back down to trail kisses from your lips to your neck, sliding his hands under your shirt and over your burning skin. “Guess I gotta help you with that.”

“And my bo–”

“And your boxers, I know, I know.” You share a sweet laugh and he removes your shirt, smiling down at you. “You're so beautiful. So, so beautiful.”

“Says you.”

He gives you his usual boyish grin and gives you a sweet kiss. “I do say so.”

It’s safe to say the coffee grows cold a while before the two of you are done.

[whoopsyeahokay]

Alphabet Soup

summary: prompt fill. the journey of a clandestine love affair at several stages because Wally Clark craves what he can't have and refuses to keep his hands to himself. and you live for it.

(AN: this'll be a multiple-oneshots deal—out of order—with daily additions until it's complete.)

🛎️prompt - Wally Clark NSFW alphabet.

pairing: Wally Clark x fem!reader

warnings: smut. AU - modern setting. romanticized toxic behavior. grey!Wally Clark. cheating. egregious use of the word 'baby'.

bon reading, frens

___________________________🧿

Alphabet Soup - P

P is for the personalized pleasure Wally loves to dote on you. He's a giver like that. What makes you happy makes him happy and he never holds back once he has you alone. Wants to treat his pretty little passenger princess right.

And, damn, he can't hold back when it comes to you. Has to stop at Starbucks and grab your favorite drink before he parks up the street, away from prying eyes. There's a gift in the backseat; something that caught his eye at the mall on Tuesday when he and the boys went to the arcade. Spent his whole paycheck from Reggie's Auto Repair on it without regret.

He can't wait to see you in it. Can't wait to get his hands and mouth all over you, eat you out through the lace, grip the ribbon in a tight fist to deepen the curve of your spine as he fucks in to you.

You make such a beautiful picture under him.

Wally waits, leaning on the hood of his dad's convertible, and greets you with a lopsided smile when you finally sashay up to him, gorgeous, draped in chiffon his favorite color. He drags you into him with his hands on your ass and pins you against him so you'll never get away. Kisses you deep and dirty until he has to stop before he bends you over the nose of the car and treats your neighbors to a show.

He parts with a sweet peck to your lips, opens the door for you, and winks when you notice your drink in the cup holder.

Forty minutes later, Wally's got one hand on the wheel, the other two-fingers deep inside you, pumping tempo to the music as the car charges down a country backroad. Wind whipping your hair, mouth open in pleasure as you pant for more, oh God, Wally, don't stop.

"S'that good, baby?" He says, slow, dark with promise, "Like it when I get you wet like that?"

He's hard, excited for the reward he's planned for himself after he makes you cum. Park in the trees near Castor Lake, tear open the crotch of those cute, baby-doll briefs you opted for, and sink into you from below as he sits like a king in the driver's seat.

And then he'll dress you up, wrap you in the violet lace and ribbon he bought for you, and play out every fantasy he had when he slipped the cashier his credit card.

🧿___________________________

also available on AO3!

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

[quindread]

THE COTTAGECORE MARI AU PROMPT THAT NOBODY ASKED FOR

Pairing: Daminette (edit: they’re like 19/20 in this, post high-school)

Rating: It has mature themes, you have been warned. But it’s pretty tame at the same time. Violence + Sexual Themes

________________

Mari is diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety disorder after she quite literally removed her beloved city’s supervillain (and her dear partner’s parent) from the plane of existence. Like she removes the suffering from the minds of all of Paris and has Gabriel written off in a car accident a year after his wife’s disappearance. Only her Court (Adrien, Kagami, Zoe, Alix, Max) and the Order remembers. Mari and Adrien decide not to pursue a relationship. They’re both healing and are decidedly better off friends - siblings in everything but blood.

Lila, who was not punished due to her not really being a miraculous holder and upsetting the balance, continues to slander Mari. Her class isn’t hostile but has no desire to interact with the “new and mean Marinette” Lila was painting her to be. It’s still a huge betrayal given the fact that Mari was supportive and very generous to these people.

So here’s how her new housing arrangement works: have you ever wondered how Gina can afford to travel around the world without a job? Yeah, I think she came from money. Like, old money - real estate old money to be precise. Passive income and such. Hearing about her Fairy’s situation, she offers an unused property at the countryside of Metropolis.

Marinette’s therapist and parents approve of her vacationing there for the summer when they realize that her stressors and triggers where all environmental. So off our girl goes!

Note: She does not have the mother box with her anymore, just Tikki, Plagg, and Kaalki. (She does have unrestricted access to it as the Grand Guardian though - she trains with the Order once a week in Tibet until she doesn’t)

Mari is aware of the Supers and was relieved that the Kwamis don’t show up in x-ray visions and with the fear of them eavesdropping she learns FSL to communicate with them.

The townhouse and the verdure around the property inspires Mari to start a garden. The quiet oddly soothes her and when she feels lonely she goes into town or the nearby farmer’s market where she charms the locals. She meets the Kents - they love her! Martha enjoys baking with her. Lois uncovers her identity as Jagged and Clara Nightingale’s exclusive (and reclusive) designer - they bond over fashion trends and the gossip surrounding the industry. Clark and Jon were another story.

She figures them out having sensed the same soul in Superman and Superboy in this father-and-son duo. They x-ray her as a precaution and finds the mysterious cracks and evidence of past injuries that should have killed her. There’s a very anti-climatic reveal that Martha and Lois are not privy to with respect to Marinette’s wishes.

At least one Kent would be in her home during the day. The Kwamis are free to roam around when it was Clark and/or Jon visiting. She ends up bonding with Jon who also grew up too fast (metaphorically and literally).

She ends up extending her stay in Metropolis indefinitely. Her parents also decided to open a branch of their patisserie there which Mari managed. They visit her as often as they could.

Mari was dismayed to find that no, Metropolis had no schools with both a fashion and business degree - that’s how she ends up in Gotham University.

Jon tells Mari about a Damian - a friend of his.

J: He’s…. uh… he has a big heart.

M: …

J: He’s a bit of an asshole(?)

M: Ah.

Mari meets Damian who reminds her of Kagami - antisocial and proper. They share a few business classes and are both members of the art club.

Mari is still this ball of anxiousness and has only allowed Mia “Maps” Mizoguchi and Katherine Karlo into her life, the former she learned was close to Damian - she didn’t mind when she and the girls met up with Damian, he was quiet, honest, and minded his own business. Through their hangouts Damian finds out about the friendship between Jon and Mari.

He’s hesitant to befriend her at first due to the conflicting rumors about her: due to her timid personality she had a split reputation. One side called her sweet, shy, and kind. While the other calling her arrogant, high-maintenance, and rude. He soon finds out that the latter half were spread by cliques who’s offer of friendship she declined and men she rejected. He was glad that he relented to Maps’ insistent invitations - she was a decent person to hang out with and it didn’t hurt that she was pleasing to the eye. (She also enjoyed sharing her vegetarian salads with him - he starts appreciating it more when he learns that she picks the vegetables straight from the garden she grows.)

As her luck would have it, a robbery unfolds at one of their favorite coffee spots. Mari and Damian - who were both pretending to be civ - try to find a way to protect their friends. The robbers recognizes Damian as a Wayne and takes him and another GU(a school for rich and affluent people’s children) kid - Marinette - who had stood in front of her friends.

They’re gagged, blindfolded, and carted off to who knows where. Damian discreetly activates a distress signal and the bats spur into action. Mari, aware that she was sturdier than Damian, draws the men’s attention to her (she purposely pisses them off and gets beaten up when they start to pester Damian).

M: [removes her gag somehow] Really? A ski mask? And in black? How boring can you get?

*Damian shaking his head furiously in the background*

Kidnapper(KN): Shut up, girlie!

M: You know I always wondered how Kidnappers could have a secret a warehouse as a hideout. It’s not like you can afford the rent—

KN: Are you trying to get yourself killed?

M: You’re backed up by some politician aren’t you?

KN: H-How the fuck did this bitch know?

M: There’s literally a stack of campaign papers behind you.

KN: Wha—

M: That’s some shit graphic design by the way. I’ve seen grade schoolers that can do better.

KN: [points a gun at her] Shut up or I’ll blow your brains out.

M: You wouldn’t.

KN: The fuck do you know—

M: You need me alive to get ransom from my parents.

KN: …Nobody said you had to be in one piece though.

M: Touché—[get slapped hard]

*Damian basically starts convulsing in the background*

M: …Damn. You punch like a cunt—[And the kidnappers basically start to rough her up]

The bats arrive in five minutes and it’s Red Hood that finds them first. He sees these mf’s beating up a woman and goes ballistic(pun intended). Red Robin and Spoiler has to forcibly restrain him when he starts to use his fist instead of his guns.

M: [bleeding and bruised] And that’s how you deck someone, you amateurs.

D: [who was released by Black Bat is confused, mad at himself, and in awe] You blithering idiot! Why the fuck would you aggravate our captors like that?

M: [delirious] It was either you or me Damian. Can’t have your pretty face damaged now, can we?

D: [Is floored and very concerned] And what of yours?

M: … dun worry—my assets are…elsewhere… [passes out from the pain]

D: …

Later, his family would tease him about the flirting when he isn’t all sensitive about the incident.

Winter break comes, most of the Batfam visits the Kents(they have a penthouse/some ridiculous property in Metropolis) as a tradition. The Kents went to visit Gotham and stayed at the manor last year.

(Batfam who went: Bruce, Dick, Jason, Steph, Cass, and Damian)

They visit Mari too. Dick and Steph are absolutely thrilled about her cottagecore lifestyle. So much so that they match her aesthetic and begin helping out in the garden - they send pictures to Alfred who request they bring back fresh produce.

Jon and Jason plot to get Damian and Mari together. Unbeknownst to them that Damian was already resolute on courting Mari like the decorous man that he was - he didn’t know what he was doing but Mari’s flush when he initiates flirting tells him he’s doing okay.

Because of his childhood, Damian was never the type to be touchy but imagine his shock when he finds out that one of his more prominent love languages was physical touch. He realizes he’s touch-starved almost immediately when Mari starts giving him small touches like a hand against his bicep, she had a fondness for touching his hair which never failed to deliver a shiver down his spine, and hugs from her are comforting - she felt like home.

Meanwhile Mari does not have any idea how she survived the early stages of Damian’s advances. He was blunt and did not pull his words with insults but it apparently translated to him being verbally open with his affections.

M: I always wanted to be the Knitting Fairy while growing up.

D: Does it not please you that you became a garden fairy instead?

M: Huh, that doesn’t sound so bad.

D: Well, you certainly look the part.

M: [turns into the same shade as the poppy beside her]

And then when the tension between them became more prominent he wasn’t shy with dropping innuendos too.

M: [open’s the door for Damian, haggard from lifting sacks of garden soil] Oh, I didn’t know you were coming so early. I’m a bit of a mess. Sorry.

D: [Tilts his head] You say that as if I wouldn’t appreciate you sweaty and tousled after a rigorous activity.

M: [self-combusts]

And when the touching began?

M: Damian, what color do you think looks better with this shade of blue?

D: [places a hand on her side while looking over her shoulder] I think the a more neutral cream would do.

M: [stops functioning]

Their first kiss?

Pulled straight out of a book that Marinette only read in the privacy of her bedroom.

They’re teasing each other, it evolves to a game of cat and mouse with Damian skillfully evading her. She corners him by turning on some of her sprinkles. He gets wet, growls in the way he would in Mari’s dreams, and pulls of his shirt. She’s too distracted by the hard planes of his stomach to notice him prowling towards her like a beast moving to claim his prey. He picks her off the ground with ease - he’s a foot taller than her - and takes her to the sprinklers.

(I’m going to write this part out properly, maybe to inspire myself or a potential adopter of this prompt)

“Nononono!” Marinette shrieks as the first round of water splashes her. She writhes but Damian had her arms held down her sides.

“All is fair in love and war, Ya Amar.” She ignores the endearment in favor of closing her eyes as the sprinkles rotate in their direction again. But she knows what it means. Ya Amar. My moon. His moon. The water had nothing on the chill that ran down her spine

The water stars seeping into her intimates and she’s soberly aware that the light fabric of her dress would betray her. It doesn’t take long for Damian to discover that fact, he releases a strangle sound. She opens her eyes, he snaps his eyes from where he was clearly looking at her chest. He scrambles to drop her.

“Shit— I’m sorry. This was not my intention—“ he starts but she’s faster. Her now free arms grasps his shoulders and without a second thought, she drops her lips to meet his. Damian inhales sharply and he tilts his head, temporarily breaking the kiss before raising her higher and pulling her by the back of neck - he kisses her with hunger and passion that has Marinette melting further against his chest.

She wraps her legs around his back and he moves to tightly grasp both the back of her thighs. She would worry about bruises later when she didn’t have Damian’s tongue caressing her own. He drops them to the ground and Marinette does not release her hold over his waist. She whines against his lips when she feels the consequences of their activity.

His hands start wandering as he greedily collects and files the sounds that leaves her lips. He begins to trail kisses down her neck to the neckline of her dress that now clung to her body like a second skin giving him his first peek at the maddening shape of her body. And just when he trails a finger against the underside of her breast a loud noise pulls them apart.

Jason finds them and the sight in Mari’s garden has him dropping the shovel he was asked to bring over.

J: Fuck! No, don’t stop! Hell—I’ll leave—I didn’t see shit!

D: [moving to cover Marinette who covered her face in embarrassment] Fuck off, Todd!

J: I’m sorry! [slams the door shot]

D: Tt.

J: [shouts from inside the house] Use protection!

D: Todd!

They started officially dating that day and Jason had no reservations in sharing that he definitely cockblocked his little brother much to Mari and Damian’s horror.

Both keeps the PDA to minimum in school but it was very clear how amorous they where in “private”. There is a table in the art hall that Mari can’t quite look at without blushing to her roots.

She finds out he’s Robin after her first encounter with his alter-ego. He confesses his past when she confronts him. There’s fear of abandonment in his eyes when he gazes at her after his spiel but she kisses his worries and doubts away. She even goes to show her appreciation for his years of service to Gotham.

Her reveal happens when she unceremoniously drops a vial in Jason’s hand claiming that it would remedy the effects of the Lazarus pits with continuous use - it was completed after a year in the making.

Cardinal joins the Batfam occasionally as part of Batman’s contingency plans. They respect her choice as a retired super-soldier and try to keep her out of the business which she appreciates. She is officially initiated as a member of Justice League Dark as an informant/magic specialist and a wildcard.

Years later, she legally inherits the property from Gina when she and Damian get engaged. Damian moves in with her and she lives her cottage life all while being a reclusive designer that comes out once in a while for fashion week.

FIN

AN:

Maybe there’s a Lila take down somewhere but I don’t have the energy to write her at all. We all know its Damian and Tim that makes sure she never sets a foot in high society ever again.

Ig add some details about learning to healthily cope with her anxiety disorder under the guidance and love of her found family? (I have a similar illness but me and my therapist are still figuring it out so I have little idea how to write this) Her PTSD does not need further discussion (miss ma’am had to kill someone) but her anxiety disorder stems from the fact the she’s a person who’s in charge of world-ending powers - everyone and even yourself can become untrustworthy. She starts to get nervous from misreading body languages and everyone is suddenly out to get her.

[joshleyson]

a deeper well.

On this exact day 5 years ago, I was in this same location ensconced by the towering mountains with an overlooking view of a calm, seemingly waveless ocean in the pre-summer blistering heat in San Antonio, Zambales. This time I get to come back with my OG friends slash Zamboanga childhood homies, my friend Karen Blaise who's now based in Clark, Pampanga, and my CPA Lawyer friend Abegail from Dumaguete. After countless discussions of reunions and "travel goals" with some of the important people that we know, and 99% of those plans that never came to fruition, we decided that we would make this outdoor camp happen, and thank God we finally made it happen.

I felt like that 2D1N camping trip was surprisingly one of the longest weekends I had this year. Having to disconnect from our phones for a while because the camping site had no service was the perfect setting for us to reminisce about our adolescent and high school classic moments and teenage angst and how those unforgettable stories from our past (and sometimes politically incorrect moments lol) shaped the people we are today professionally and personally. We had a great time recounting all the crazy stories we had more than a decade ago, planned future travels, played frisbee in the middle of the night, and went hiking after sunrise breathing the cold pre-summer wind overlooking the almost CGI-looking mountains in Zambales. My belief of having this type of "disconnecting" was further reinforced from this trip that, as much as I want so much social interaction with a lot of people, I also like to be alone with the few people I truly trust, and that being alone doesn't have to be lonely and solitude is actually a good thing.

☾

Being on the road while listening to Kacey Musgrave's Deeper Well album (shoutout to Track 6 Sway as my favorite track off the record) revealed so many truths about my current situation and the things I'm dealing with in my personal life, both good and bad, and how I strive to find peace in accepting the pain and the lessons it has taught me, and that I've already arrived in my final destination on some certain aspects of my relationships especially with the people that I love, and that I need to move on. 

My Saturn has returned. 

J

February, 2024 | Nagsasa, San Antonio, Zambales

(Photos were shot using Fujifilm Simpleace 35 mm camera + FUJIFILM X-T100)

Stream Kacey Musgrave’s Deeper Well on Spotify and Apple Music.

Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: joshleyson

[letsgetrowdy43]

for adam fantilli x hughes sister can you do luke finding out about them and being pissed

Luke finds out—

Au Masterlist!!

Luke had been completely oblivious to your and Adam's relationship up until World Juniors.

It was actually comical, to the point that most of the team knew, and he stayed unaware

No one other than him and Dylan was left out of the know (let's be so real, Dylan is even more clueless than Lu)

The two of you portrayed yourselves as simply platonic.

Luke sensed some sort of tension between Adam and you but thought that it wasn't something to worry over.

When in reality your relationship consisted of fleeting stares and friendly touches in front of him but was filled with sickly sweet romance behind closed doors

Adam was such a sweetheart though, he understood the dilemma with your relationship and still wanted to try (the payoff was *chefs kiss*)

And every warm smile or gentle kiss was so worth the struggle of hiding it from your brother.

You had told Quinn a few weeks after your guy's first kiss

He was the only Hughes family member that you trusted to not tell another soul, and he kept his promise

World Juniors had been literal torture, you were struggling to juggle your double life

With trying to keep the other Umich players (bitches) on the USA team from telling your brother

And being so close to Adam at all times but not being allowed to speak or associate with him was even worse.

Jim had been the first to clue in after you had asked to attend one of the Canada games (specifically the one where Adam scored his first goal of the tournament) with him

Your father had been watching as your breath hitched the moment you saw him gain possession of the puck, biting back a loud celebration as the puck hit the back of the net.

Jimmy gave you a knowing look as he watched you glance over to him, wanting to see if he had caught the slip-up.

"I've always liked Adam" "he's really sweet to me" "that's all I ask for" and that's where the conversation ended, never brought up again.

Jack and Ellen were next to see it all, Team USA and Canada had both been staying in the same hotel (the universe was just teasing you at this point)

The three of you had decided to explore the Halifax waterfront (If ever in town do this, I love downtown Halifax!!)

While leaving the lobby you quite literally ran into Team Canada, a quick apology leaving your mouth as you looked up to see Brandt Clarke, a laugh leaving his mouth at the panic in your eyes

That's when you caught the eyes of Adam whose face was now a bright shade of pink, a smile on his lips as the two of you hugged shortly

You slowly glanced at his appearance, clad in his game-day suit you smiled, "you look very handsome" you spoke quietly before leaving to join your brother and mother once again

Jack had a smug look on his face as he watched your return, a grin on your face before you met Jack's suggestive stare, "you and Fants?"

Ellen was over the moon

The two of them had an obscene amount of questions about the two of you (which obviously you spilled your entire guts to your mother cause she's literally your best friend and you've been bottling this up)

Luke was last to find out, team USA had won bronze, and their heads still hung high even if it wasn't the outcome they had wished

The Umich boys decided to go and watch the gold medal game in support of Adam, the six of you (consisting of You, Rut, Dylan, Gavin, Seamus, and Luke) in the stands as you watched Canada take home the gold.

The cheers were deafening in the barn as the boys celebrated their win

The six of you decided to go down to where the Fantilli family sat, right in front of the glass, a grin on your face as your boyfriend skated over to see his family.

You guys made short eye contact through the glass, his adrenaline high as he winked at you while signing the jersey of the girl standing next to you

Luke's brows furrowed as he watched the two of you communicate through stares (eye-fucking as he would call it)

His jaw dropped as he pulled you away from the celebrating group, his blood boiling as he made it outside of the arena

"You're sleeping with him?" "I have no idea what your talking about Luke" "this has to be a joke" he scoffed before walking away from you

Luke left the arena by himself, taking your parent's rental car and leaving you to find your own ride back to the hotel (the Duke's being the sweethearts they are gave you a lift after you lied about Luke's absence)

You showed back up to the hotel room to find the entire Hughes family sitting tensely on the beds

"They all knew, I can't believe you" he spat as you stood defenceless in the doorframe of the room.

"I'm sorry" you croaked as you looked around the room at your other family members who stared awkwardly at you

"I need to take a walk" he pushed past you as you watched him leave the room fuming.

A frown worked its way to your face as Quinn pulled you into his chest, "I'm fine" you said fighting his touch as he placed a kiss on the crown of your head, "it's fine really" tears staring as you stood there and just shook.

[mamaestapa]

Man or Superman?|| Jamie Drysdale x reader

•pairing: Jamie Drysdale x reader

•summary: You and Jamie dress up as Clark Kent and Lana Lang from Smallville for the Ducks annual Halloween party

•warnings: talks of alcohol consumption and lots of fluff<3

Halloween 2023

"Jamie baby!" you called from the entryway of your shared home, "you and Trev almost ready?" You applied some more lip gloss to your lips in the mirror on the wall next to the staircase as you waited to hear your boyfriends response.

"Yeah, we'll be down in a minute."

You smiled at your reflection in the mirror as you fluffed up your hair a bit more. You heard heavy footsteps pounding down the stairs, signaling that your boyfriend and his best friend were finished getting ready. Even though Jamie doesn't live with him anymore, he and Trevor are still inseparable. Your smile widened as you saw Jamie's reflection appear in the mirror next to yours. You turned around and took in the full costume your boyfriend was wearing. He looked perfect, but in your eyes, Jamie always looked perfect.

"Look at you," you crooned, "you make a perfect Clark Kent."

Jamie blushed at your words as a wide grin pulled at his lips. He walked up to you and wrapped his arms around your waist, gently pulling you into him. "Thank you," he said sweetly, "you make a perfect Lois Lane."

"Lana Lang."

"Lana Lang!" Jamie corrected, his blush deepening as he realized he said the wrong name. He couldn't believe he got the characters name wrong again. He grimaced slightly, softly mumbling "sorry" under his breath. You shook your head and chuckled softly at how flustered Jamie was.

"It's alright J," you reassured, "you'll get it by the end of the night." You said with a wink, making Jamie smile sweetly. You got up on your tip toes and pressed a soft kiss to his smooth cheek before you pulled away from him to put your boots on.

This year for Halloween, you and Jamie were dressed up as Clark Kent and Lana Lang from the 2000's tv show Smallville. The two of you binged the show about teenage Clark Kent during Jamie's recovery from shoulder surgery last season. You both fell in love with the show, watching too many episodes in one night for many weeks straight. While you binged the show, you constantly told Jamie that he resembled teenage Clark--which never failed to make the boy blush. So since you thought he looked like Clark, you decided that dressing up as Clark Kent and his love interest during his teenage years, Lana Lang, would be perfect for Halloween this year.

You tried to get Trevor to dress up as Lex Luthor, but he refused. He says it's because you and Jamie deserve to do a couples costume this year, but you think it's really because he just doesn't want to wear a bald cap.

So instead Trevor is going as a Ghostbuster again, this time with Mason McTavish and not Jamie, leaving you and Jamie by yourselves in your couples costume. Which neither of you are complaining about at all. It's a nice change to get to do a costume theme with just the two of you for once.

Once you zipped up your black boots, you followed Jamie into the kitchen to grab your purse. Trevor walked into the kitchen shortly after the two of you, grabbing a water bottle from off the counter. He looked at the two of you with raised eyebrows as he took a generous gulp of water. He wiped water off of his lip and pointed at Jamie.

"Dude, you really do look like Clark."

"Thanks bud."

Trevor gave a curt nod as he turned his attention to you. He wolf whistled as he his eyes trailed up your body, "You make a good Lana, Y/n/n."

You shook your head, rolling your eyes playfully at Trevor as the sound of his infectious laughter filled the room. "Shut up, Z. But thanks, J thinks so too."

Trevor wiggled his eyebrows at Jamie as he leaned agaisnt the kitchen counter. He let out a dramatic sigh as he did so. "So what are you Jimmy, man or superman?" Trevor teased Jamie, a playful smirk on his face as he eyed his best friend. Jamie chuckled in response, shaking his head at Trevor as he replied, "I haven't really figured it out yet."

"Hey," you said, shooting Trevor a look of feigned hurt, "you stole my line." Trevor just stuck his tongue out at you as pushed himself off the counter and grabbed the keys to his bronco. He twirled the set of keys in his hand, walking toward the front door of yours and Jamie's house.

"Come on lovers, don't wanna be late!" Trevor called from over his shoulder as he walked out of your home. Jamie put his hand on the small of your back, chuckling to himself as as he led you to the front door and out of the house.

"Trev," you said cautiously as you walked toward his car, "should you be driving if your going to be drinking?"

"Don't worry about me princess, Smallville here said he'd be DD."

"Smallville?" You and Jamie both asked at the same time, both your brows raised in amusement. "Yup," Trevor said, popping the "p", "that's my new nickname for him."

"You know," you began, "you should've dressed up as Lois Lane. We could've had a little love triangle going on." You teased, reaching out to poke Trevor's shoulder as he backed out of your driveway.

"Ha," he laughed, "you wish."

Jamie shook his head, "I disagree, I think Lex would've been better. I'd love to see Z in a bald cap."

"Shut up, or you're walking to this party."

post by jamie.drysdale

liked by trevorzegras, yourusername, and 20,009 others

tagged: @trevorzegras @masonmctavish23 @yourusername

jamie.drysdale- 👻->🦸🏻‍♂️

comments:

trevorzegras- ok smallville

yourusername- So, what are you? Man or Superman?🤔

jamie.drysdale- @yourusername I haven't really figured it out yet😉

anahiemducks- this years costume>>>>

user1- SOMEBODY SAVEEE MEEE

masonmctavish23- Clana and yourshipname 🔛🔝

_quinnhughes- I was promised Trev would be in a bald cap. I'm so disappointed.

nhl- It's a bird! It's a plane! Oh wait, it's just Jamie Drysdale.

trevorzegras- @_quinnhughes idk who promised you that

user2- Z as Lex Luthor would have been THE BEST. we were robbed😭

_quinnhughes- @user2 Agreed.

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post by yourusername

liked by jamie.drysdale, jackhughes_, and 25,880 others

tagged: @jamie.drysdale

yourusername- you are my purpose, you're everything🤍 (iykyk;)

comments:

yourusername- the smallville costumes were a success!! except for the part where trevor refused to dress as lex luthor... -pinned comment

jamie.drysdale- I love you. Thanks for saving me a dance❤️

yourusername- @jamie.drysdale I love you more, smallville ;)

jackhughes_ - Oh we need to see Z as Lex

trevorzegras- @jackhughes_ no we don't.

user6- THIS IS TOO SWEET.

jamie.drysdale- @jackhughes_ @trevorzegras next year😉

trevorzegras- hottest clark kent i ever did see

anaheimducks- Alexa, play "Everything" by Lifehouse

kristinkreuk- Oh I love this!! You make a beautiful Lana❤️

colecaufield- Such a good show. but @trevorzegras I'm so disappointed in you.

jamie.drysdale- @colecaufield wouldn't he have made a great Lois Lane?

_quinnhughes- Omg Trevor as Lois is even better.

trevorzegras- !?!

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hey loves!!

just a cute little month late halloween fic for all my jamie drysdale girlies🥰

i’ve been watching smallville recently, and it could be just me…but hear me out. if you don’t think too much and if you squint, jamie kind of looks like tom welling as clark kent!! i see it, but i could be crazy lol. they’re both super cute though ;))

thank you again for all of the love and support!! it means so much to me. you’re all the BEST🤍🤍

[topguncortez]

The Origin of Honeybee

pairing: Robert "Bob" Floyd x Female Reader (OC: Bea Clark) word count: 3.5k warnings: angsty, smutty, language, teen pregnancy, religious trauma themes Bob & Bea Masterlist | Opposites Attract Masterlist

It was a fairy tale love story. The two high school sweethearts who were never seen apart. But, it had started before that fateful day in junior year when Bob found the bravery to ask you out officially. He knew you were going to be his from the first day you walked into his father’s 5th grade classroom. You had started the school year late, beginning in October. Your mom had taken over for a teacher who decided to quit during the school year. Mr. Floyd had introduced you to his class, and Bob couldn’t take his eyes off you. 

You were mesmerizing, your eyes hidden behind a pair of blue glasses, your hair in pigtails which you had fought your mom on saying that they made you seem too little kiddish, and the most noticeable, a bright pink cast on your right arm. You had taken the only open seat, right next to Bob, by his father’s desk. You two didn’t say anything, paying attention to the math lesson his dad was teaching. It wasn’t until you went to lunch, you sat at the only empty table, opening your purple lunch box and pulling out the PB&J your dad had packed. Bob walked over to you, you looked up at him,

“Can I sit with you?” He asked shyly and you nodded. He sat across from you, opening his Superman lunch box. The two of you sat in silence for a couple moments, eating your home lunches until Bob spoke up. 

“I’m Bobby,” Bob introduced himself softly.

“Beatrice, but everyone calls me Bea,” You said.

“What happened to your arm?” He asked.

“Fell off a four wheeler at my grandma’s house,” You said wiggling your fingers, “They had to put a metal rod in,”

“Are you serious?” Bob asked, his blue eyes wide. 

“So serious,” You said with a smile. The two of you didn’t separate for the rest of the day, getting to know one another. At the end of the day, Bob walked over to you, he didn’t say anything but held up a black magic marker. You nodded and held out your casted arm, and in very scribbly handwriting Bob wrote his name.

— — — 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 — — — 

It was from that point on, the two of you were inseparable. No one ever saw Bob without Bea, and vice versa. They had moved on from playdates after school, to begging parents and older siblings to take them to the roller rink, to sneaking sips of alcohol at Bob’s older brother Ben’s legendary bon fires. You were lucky to have someone by your side to battle that awkward first of high school, where everyone was starting to change, but they never seemed to change. The only change was that Bob’s father had died your freshman year. You sat by his side the whole time during the funeral, holding his hand and occasionally wiping a tear from his face. 

“Have you been asked to homecoming?” Ben asked you, as he sat on the couch in the Floyd family basement. 

You shrugged, you were shy, no one had noticed you outside of your friends. You had gotten braces over the summer, and were constantly checking the wires on your teeth in the screen of your phone. You had also started the joyous life of being a woman. Puberty had hit both you and Bob. You guys had now started to move into that awkward phase of life, where you were trying to figure out what was happening and if you found someone else attractive or if it was just the newly released hormones.

“Well since it’s your first homecoming, I’ll take you. . . and Bob.” Ben said and glared at his younger brother who was setting up his model train set. 

Bob was thankful that Ben had asked you to go with both of them. It made it easier for him to suppress his feelings a little longer. The only person who he confided in about how he felt was Ben. Bob wasn’t jealous of your relationship with his brother, your and Ben’s relationship was brother-sister. You constantly butt heads but would make up with a joke or buying the other food. Ben had purposely ditched the two of you at Homecoming to dance with Megan Stevens, making you and Bob have to not only talk to each other alone, but dance with each other too.

Freshman year fall faded into the summer, and the boys were busy working on the ranch. You hardly saw the two of them unless you were helping their mother Elizabeth cook dinner, or they needed your help with something. While Bob was sweating in the sun every day, you tried out for the cheer team and made it. You had fallen in love with the varsity quarterback, Logan Brooks, and had decided to join the cheer team. You got your braces off and had figured out a good hair care routine. Your new found confidence was radiant, and the boys could see it.

Much to Bob’s dismay, you had started to slip away from him, spending more time with your new cheer friends and boyfriend. Bob had fought his shyness and stood next to his older brother in the front row of the stands during every football game. Ben knew that Bob didn’t care much about the team, but was there to watch your bright smile as you cheered along the side lines. 

“I don’t even understand football,” Bob said.

“It's easy,” Ben said, explaining the game to him, but Bob absent mindedly nodded along, his eyes looking at you cheering in front of him. 

“If you don’t ask Bea to prom this year, I’m gonna ask her,” Ben said, snapping Bob out of his daze.

“What? Why would you do that? And what makes you think she won’t go with Logan?” Bob said.

“Cause Logan’s eyes aren’t staring at Bea’s ass right now,” Ben said and pointed towards the quarterback, who’s eyes were looking at another girl. 

Bob grimaced and frowned. He saw the way you smiled and hugged Logan’s sweaty frame as he walked off the field after winning. Bob also saw the way Logan was looking at another girl from the other team, as you talked to him about how good he did during the game.

— — — 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 — — — 

“I don’t even know what I did wrong?” You cried, rubbing your nose with a crumbled up Kleenex. Ben was standing in the doorway to his and Bob’s room, as you sat on Bob’s bed. Some sad song was playing on the record player and Bob was handing you more Kleenex. 

Logan had started to be secretive and distant. He was constantly on his phone, hiding it from you. The nicknames and PDA had stopped, and so did most of the daily conversations between the two of you. It wasn’t until you went to deliver him some cookies for his birthday that you had spotted the white BMW in the driveway. He opened the door, shirtless and light bruises covered his abs and collar bone. He didn’t even have to say anything, but you knew. Logan had called out to you as you threw the cookie dish at his car and flipped him off walking away.

“We should go egg his house,” Ben said, “Or go all Carrie Underwood with a Louisville slugger,”

“Ben,” Bob said and shook his head no, “He’s an idiot, honeybee.” The nickname that Elizabeth had given her years ago fell so easily from Bob’s lips, “He didn’t even realize how lucky he was to have you,” You looked up at Bob, those E/C that he had fallen in love with wet with tears. He sat next to you on your bed, his arm thrown around you, while Sam sat in your beanbag chair, “You want to watch a movie?”

“Tommy Boy?” You asked, it was your favorite movie, you could almost quote it word for word.

“Well, thank you both for the invite but I gotta go pick up Olivia for our date,” Ben said, winking at his younger brother. Ben came and kissed your forehead, “It’ll all be okay, Bea. But if you wake up and see my face on the front page for egging or slashing a hole in all four tires, it was for a good cause,”

You laughed at the boy and Bob said goodbye to his brother. You two settled in, watching the movie. At some point in time you had both fallen asleep, but when you woke up, Bob’s arms were wrapped around your waist and your head was on his chest. It was then that you realized that you were falling in love with your best friend.

— — — 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 — — — 

There was an obvious shift between the two of you. Everyone could see it, Bob’s siblings, Ben, your parents, Bob’s mom. It was just a matter of time until you two could see it. You both felt the love you had for each other, but both were too stubborn and scared to act on it. It wasn’t until you brought home another boy that Bob knew his window of opportunity was closing. So while you were walking around, pacing the basement floor ranting about whatever his name was, Bob stood up.

“Bea, he doesn’t deserve you. None of them do,” Bob said, “Does he even know your favorite flower? Or what color do you prefer of your favorite flower?”

“No but-“

“It’s orange roses,” Bob said, “You said you hate the cliche white and red, that you prefer orange but will settle for yellow. You fell in love with them when your grandma accidentally planted an orange rose bush when she got sick with dementia. She tried to dig them up, but your grandpa told her that they were unique and beautiful just like she was. You said that was the moment you believed in true love.”

You looked at Bob, his honey brown eyes staring into yours. Your body moved quicker than your brain, and you grabbed his face, connecting your lips together. He grabbed your hips, pulling you into him as you both melted into the kiss. It was like time stopped, and fireworks exploded behind you.

“Ah!” Ben yelled, opening the basement door, “Mom! It’s happening!” He smiled and ran over to go get his mom, leaving the two teens who now had deep red blushes across their cheeks.

— — — 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 — — — 

You and Bob seemed to be even closer than ever before. Like always, where anyone saw Bob, you were surely to follow. When they told their friends that they had finally started dating, everyone let out a sigh in relief followed by a “finally”. It seemed as though you and Bob were the only ones who were oblivious to the love that you both had for each other. 

Prom was supposed to be the most important night of a young girl's life, but you were absolutely terrified. You had been hyper fixating on your dress and thinking of all the things that can go wrong when you put it on. Your mother did your hair, deciding to curl it and leave it down. Your dress was black, you went for simple (partially because it was what you could afford). Bob was just as nervous as you as he sat on your couch, your dad staring him down. He held onto the plastic box with your corsage with all his might. He was sure that he was sweating through the rental tux. The moment he heard your mother come down the stairs and he stood up, his blue eyes going wide. 

“My god, honeybee,” Bob sighed out and your father glared at him. Bob walked from the couch over to the bottom of the stairs and held his hand out for you. You smiled and took his hand, “You’re gorgeous.” 

“Thank you,” You said, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, “You clean up nicely.” 

“Oh, Bea, be nice to that boy,” Your mom said, “Get close for pictures!” 

You probably took a thousand pictures in front of your fireplace. Your face was hurting from smiling so much. Bob had spent all morning cleaning his truck so you didn’t get your dress dirty. He helped you get into the old Ford, making sure that no part of the dress would get stuck in the door. Your mom smiled fondly at the two of you as you drove off. 

“They’re going to get married someday,” Your dad muttered and looked at his wife, “He looks at her the way I look at you.” 

“I know,” Your mom said and kissed her husband. 

You and Bob danced until your feet hurt and he ended up carrying you in his arms back to his truck at the end of the night. There was too much excitement in the air to just go home and go to sleep, so instead, Bob drove you out to the old Oak tree in the middle of his family’s ranch. The night was clear and you could see all of the stars from where you laid in the back of his truck. He put a blanket down so you wouldn’t dirty your dress and you would be somewhat comfortable. 

Though stargazing only lasted so long, and soon enough you were in a heated make out session in the back of Bob’s truck. His hands were grazing all over your body as if he couldn’t get enough of you. Your hands tugged on his long locks, his curls curling a bit under his ears. You loved his longer hair, you thought it made him look perfectly older. 

“Bob,” You moaned as he kissed your neck. 

“Yeah?” He asked, grinding his hips into yours. 

“Make me yours,” You said barely above a whisper. Bob pulled away from you and looked at you. 

“Are-are you sure?” He asked, caressing your cheek, “We don’t have to do anything just cause it’s prom night. Hell, that’s such a dumb-” You cut him off by kissing him. 

“Bobby,” You said, holding his jaw with your hand, “Make me yours.” 

“Don’t gotta tell me twice, honeybee,” Bob said, his voice a bit raspy as he leaned back in and kissed you. You guys fell into a frenzy of roaming hands and kisses, stripping each other of your clothes. You guys looked at each other, having to see each other naked and being intimate for the first time. You laid under Bob, eyes roaming all over his body, “You are even more perfect than I imagined,”

“You imagined me?” You smirked and Bob blushed.

“Once or twice,” He said and leaned in to kiss you, “Do you want to do this?” He asked you again, his blue eyes full of love.

“Make me yours, Bobby.”

— — — 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 🌼🐝 — — — 

You had been sicker than a dog for nearly three weeks. Bob was starting to worry when you missed yet another day of school, but you were just too weak to even climb out of bed. He had gathered your homework and planned on stopping by to give it to you after school. But the frantic text from you had him rushing into the parking lot and speeding to get to you. 

You were sitting on the couch in tears when he arrived, your mother and father sitting across from you. Bob felt like he just walked into the middle of an intervention, the air was thick with tension. He called out for you, but you shook your head and your father stood up from his chair. 

“Robert Floyd,” Your father’s voice was gruff and all Bob could do was nod, “You got my little girl pregnant?” Bob’s head snapped to you and you seemed to be crying harder than before. 

“I’m so sorry,” You cried and Bob looked back at your dad and nodded. Your mom let out a gasp and left the room quickly, not being able to look at you any longer. 

Your father ran a hand down his face and then put his hands on his hips. His eyes looked at you, “Get out of my house, Beatrice.” 

“Daddy,” You stood up from the couch.

“Wait, Mr. Clark-” 

“You disobeyed the bible!” Your father’s voice was loud and rattled you to your core. Bob watched as you began shaking like a leaf in the wind, “I will not have a sinner and a bastard child under my roof! Look what you did to your mother!” Your dad pointed to the direction your mother went crying, “Gather your things, and get out of my house.” 

Your father stormed out of the room, leaving you and Bob alone. Bob quickly rushed to your side and wrapped you up in his arms. You held onto him tightly, afraid he might disappear on you. Sobs racked your body as Bob tried to shush your tears. 

“Shh, honeybee, breathe,” Bob said, rubbing your back. He couldn’t help the tears welling up in his eyes at the sound of your cries. He wasn’t 100% sure what was going on other than the fact that you were possibly pregnant and your parents had just kicked you out. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” You said and Bob pulled back from you. He gently held your face in his hands and wiped your tears away with his thumb, “I didn’t mean for this to happen, Bobby, you have to believe-” 

“I’m not blaming you for anything,” Bob shook his head, “Is what your dad said true? You’re pregnant?” 

You nodded and sniffled, “I haven’t been feeling good for weeks, and I missed my period. I drove to Davis to the drug store and got a pregnancy test and it came back positive. I’m sorry.” 

“Hey, quit apologizing, alright,” Bob said and kissed your forehead, “We’re gonna get through this, together. I’m not leaving you.” 

“What about the Navy? Bob, you have been dreaming of that since you were a kid.” One of  the first things Bob had told you back in the fifth grade, while you dangling upside down from the monkey bars was that he wanted to join the Navy. His dad had been in for a couple years to pay off his student debt, and he loved it. Bob had grown up watching air shows in Virginia beach during the Fourth of July. 

“I’ll figure it out. Whatever you want,” Bob said, and took both your hands in his, “You and this baby are my future, okay,” You nodded and bit your lip as brand new tears threatened to spill. 

“I have no place to go,” You cried and Bob shook his head. 

“Yes you do,” He said, “What do you need? I’ll go get it.” You rattled off a couple items that you can think of off the top of your head and Bob ran up to your room and packed you a bag. Your parents were hiding in the kitchen, far away from you and Bob. They must’ve really been ashamed of you if they couldn’t even say anything as Bob guided you out to his truck. 

The ride to the Floyd ranch was painfully silent. You looked out the window the whole time, resting your hand on your stomach. Bob would steal glances over at you every once in a while. You had stopped crying which was a plus, but your cheeks and nose were still red. When you pulled up in front of the old farmhouse, Bob jogged around to your side of the truck and helped you out. He held your hand the whole time as you walked into the house, the smell of dinner hitting both of your noses. You both could hear Elizabeth Floyd yelling at her younger kids, and the squeals of children running around. 

“Allison Floyd, if you don’t stop messing with your sister!” Elizabeth’s voice was firm as you and Bob walked into the kitchen. She took one look at you and knew what was going on. Call it a mother’s intuition. 

“She needs a place to stay. . . for a while,” Bob said and Elizabeth nodded. 

“You can take Benny’s room down in the basement,” Elizabeth said. You nodded and took your bag from Bob’s hands and made your way down to the familiar room that the eldest Floyd child once inhabited. When you were out of ear shot, Elizabeth looked at her son, “Her parents found out?” 

“Yeah,” Bob said, placing his hands on the back of the chair in front of him, “Kicked her out. I didn’t even know until I got there”

“And what are you gonna do? You gonna step up?” 

Bob nodded, “Of course. That’s my baby. I’m not gonna leave her high and dry. I’ll do whatever she wants to do.” 

“You better not, Robert Floyd. I raised you better than that. Now,” Elizabeth said and walked over to the pantry. Bob watched her a bit confused until she walked out with a sleeve of saltine crackers and a ginger ale, “Go give these to her. Poor girl looks like she hasn’t kept anything down in days.” 

Bob nodded again and took the items from his mom’s hands, “How did you know?”  

Elizabeth sighed, “Cause I had that same look on my face when we told your grandparents I was pregnant with Ben. Now go on, no time for questions.” 

“Thank you,” Bob said and went downstairs to find you.

[usafphantom2]

The SR 71 was at least 60 years ahead of its time.

The question was …is the SR 71 a product of its time? (Time frame would be late 1950s to 1966.)

Former U-2 technician Damien Leimback wrote; the following *In my opinion, this man is brilliant.*

He Disagrees with the question that the SR 71 was a product of its time.

I disagree because of the technologies that had to be invented or perfected in order for the plane to work that did not exist before the types (I include the A-12 here) introduction.

Here are some examples……

Using titanium in such massive amounts was unheard of in an aircraft; most of it is sourced from the Soviet Union through shell companies. New fabrication methods and new titanium alloys had to be created to build the plane.

Corrugated panels that expanded without changing shape were used in a novel way, as well as new types of glass for the windscreen and new ways of fusing it to the frame without the use of glue (that would melt under high temps) were used.

The fuel was routed through the leading edges of the wings to keep them cool and also to preheat the fuel for a better burn, novel approaches used for the first time on this plane.

The fuel itself was a custom blend and had a radioactive isotope added to it that allowed the ionization to scatter Radar waves in the high atmosphere. C-50 was used to secure the contract for the CIA. it was also called panther pi%s

Oils and lubricants had to be custom blended for the aircraft in order to function at the high and low temp extremes the plane would encounter.

The David Clark company built a pressure suit for the pilots, as the one the U-2 pilots wore was insufficient. The U-2 pilots later adopted the same suit.

The tires had aluminum mixed with latex in order to withstand the temps that would be encountered in the wheel wells during flight.

The J-58 engine was a hybrid of the turbo jet and ramjet, and MOST EFFICIENT at Mach 3.2, unheard of anywhere before or since.

And this is just a small sampling of the technologies that had to be invented or perfected in order for this plane to work. No one else was capable of flying anything like it in the 1960’s and its performance has yet to be matched today, almost 60 years later. If that's not ahead of its time, I don't know what is.

Posted by Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X