#everyone is running away

[refried-ghost]

Maybe he really was weak.

He'd put in his all, after all. He could cry injustice all he wanted, but it was just the way of the world wasn't it? And Skoodge, like he'd seen Zim do so many times, simply denied it. Unable to accept reality. Unable to fall in line. Unable to stay out of sight.

He done everything right. Everything a irken should do. Became everything an irken should reach for. But nothing could change the fact that he was short and ugly. He'd never accepted the unspoken rule that shorters weren't meant to be seen.

Nothing could rebuild their burnt bridges.

And he should have known that by now. He did know that now. But he should have sooner. He was too weak to face reality.

His antenna shifted uncomfortably in the hood. Eventually they ended up peeking out the front of it. A thick cloud cover had moved in quickly since he'd left Zim's base.

Normally he'd be terrified of being this exposed, but he just couldn't muster up the energy to care.

A pleasant smell he couldn't quite place began to waft through the streets. He kicked tiny pebbles on the pavement.

Skoodge couldn't go back. He'd decided to go to earth, to Zim, but still couldn't face the Irken. And honestly he just was lost.

A light breeze caught dandelion seeds.

He always had direction. Always had a goal. Had someone to prove himself to.

He took in little things as he stopped on the street corner. The broken slabs underfoot, the chunks of greenery in front of each dwelling, each with a different height of grass or mixture of plants, bird feeders, trees, fences, excited or cautious small creatures, telephone poles, stop lights and street signs.

It was nothing like Irk. In some ways it reminded him of Blorch. A sick feeling stirred in his gut.

There was a sting in his antenna which made him wince. He grabbed the appendage and gingerly checked it.

It was lightly steaming. He frowned and released it.

What was he now? What was he supposed to do? Did his life mean anything?

Would- would he be returned to the collective after his death?

What a morbid thought.

Little sprinkles of wetness began to color the concrete in front of him. Vaguely he heard shouting in the distance. A familiar voice. Skoodge bit his lip and crossed the street.

"GIR get back here!"

A giggle came in response.

Skoodge quickened his pace. They were heading back to the base from the looks of it. That meant he was in for a long walk back to the woods where he'd hid his ship.

Zim let out a pained hiss. The robot ran laughing acrossed the street. Skoodge looked back to see him pulling himself back up off the ground. His skin was sizzling? It was kinda hard to tell from this distance.

"Stupid earth rain," he grumbled wiping off his uniform. "I'm going home GIR! Put your suit back on!" He used his PAK leg to chuck it at the robot.

GIR goes from giggling to hitting the ground. He lets out a quiet oof. Zim quickly runs off. GIR jumps back into a stand, tossing the suit into the grass.

Skoodge began to walk away again as the robot caught sight of him.

"Hey!"

He ignored it.

"Where ya going? WHERE YA GOING?!"

Oh, wow, GIR was nothing like Champ. He sorta knew that alread, but... He shoved his hands into the pocket and kept his head down. Quiet metallic thuds hurried behind him.

The sprinkling died off just as slowly as it began.

"Ooo," GIR veered into the grass.

Skoodge relaxes a bit. He walked and walked. More checked out of his surroundings then before. A mental map popped into his head as he thought about the path he'd first taken to the base.

He jumped when something tugged on his hoodie. Fear shooting through him. Before he knew it he'd turned making eye contact with the culprit. A frowning SIR looked back at him.

"Why are you so sad?"

Skoodge couldn't speak. He took a breath shutting his eyes. Then looked back at the robot with a small smile. "I'm not sad. I'm fine."

GIR looked at him suspiciously. "Hmmmmm." He brightened up, lifting a hand full of dandelions to the Irken. "Here! Cheer up!"

Tears, which seemed to be assaulting him far more often now, prickled his eyes. His mouth gaped unsure of what to say. Hesitantly he reached towards the outstretched gift, but pulled his hand back.

GIR stood up, grabbed his hand, and placed the weeds in them. He giggled.

"I- Thanks... Thank you GIR."

[refriedrambles]

Purple was a little sad when Red got the new ocular implants. He'd thrown out all his old clothes and anything else that matched the old ones.

He was worried Red would do the same to guns he customized, so Purple put them in his own room and cleared a space to rework them again. (The transition from this paragraph to the next reads weird)

But Red was beyond thrilled with them. Absolutely giddy about them. They took a while to be made. Longer to find a point in his schedule to have them swapped in. Purple kept his thoughts to himself.

In his new red and black armor, he laid his head back on Purple's lap. One of the biggest smile he'd ever seen on his face.

"Pur," his fingers grazed under Purple's chins, "how do I look?" A little sing song in his voice.

"Tall, dark and handsome," he said poking one of his black shoulder pieces. "Very handsome."

"I know I am."

He looked a little surprised. Then smiled down at him again. "Well, well. Look at you Mr. Confident."

"Pfft," Red gave him a dismissive little hand motion. Just barely grazing his neck again. Purple pulled back just at tiny bit a faint blush dusting his cheeks. "You say that like, I'm not usually." He paused, smiled fading for a second, "You're not saying I'm not usually, right?"

[watchingwisteria]

listen there really was just something about how in the book, snow’s 3-page descent from hesitant lover boy to deluded mfer happens entirely in his mind. lucy gray gives him no indication whatsoever that she suspects him, that she’s going to leave or betray him. he’s just sitting quietly in the cabin waiting for her to return when that seed of calculated suspicion, which he has needed to survive the capitol, takes a hold of him and chokes the life out of any goodness left inside him. it really drives home your terror as a reader that “oh my god did he kill her? did she escape? what happened to her? why would he even think that?” in a way that when the movie had to adjust for visualization it lost some of that holy shit this guy has lost it emphasis.

[tomboxed]

jesus christ could you get any gayer

[sakuravalelp]

The Dance Academy isn't a gang- DC X DP Prompt

Inspired by this prompt

Clockwork suggests to Danny, who's been the king of the infinite realms for 6 years now, that he should take sometime off in a mortal realm. He doesn't feel like going back to his own dimension (you choose the reason), so Clockwork suggest another dimension where he thinks Danny might have fun.

Danny investigates the dimension, and finds it is a dimension where some humans, who are called meta-humans, develop powers, mostly during their childhood. Danny knows how tiring and alienating it is to grow with powers that one have to hide. He wishes to give this kids a safe space to experiment with their powers, but not as a weapon, just as part of themself.

He chooses to create a dance academy, because dancing is something in which you use your body and express yourself. It would be an excellent way to encourage this kids to use their powers while enjoying themself. He decides to open the dance academy in Gotham, were it seems metas may feel more pressure to keep themself hidden. With his ability to see and feel the differences in soul it's easy to identify metas, so he starts scouting kids for the academy.

Of course convincing the kids that it's just a a dance academy that wants to create a save space for metas, instead is of a trafficking ring, is difficult. But once he gets the first couple kids in, slowly more come too.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Bruce is worried about the new possible meta gang that it's forming on Gotham, and sends Duke undercover.

It's hasn't been long since Duke joined the bats, and this is his first official undercover mission. He's excited at the start, feeling proud that he's been trusted with an independent job, but then he finds out that the "gang" it's just a dance academy. He's a little disappointed, thinking that this job is more of a probation thing than anything, since there isn't anything suspicious.

The bats tell him to stay in the dance academy, because maybe the dance thing is just a cover up and they'll reveal their real motives when he's actually accepted in the group. And Duke takes it as them wanting him to have a meta support system. See? He's learning to understand how the bats show love to each other!

Duke finds himself enjoying being in a dance group. It's a lot of fun. Danny it's fantastic, he has a lot of powers and isn't scare to show them. Which makes everyone in the group feel so much safer to use their own.

Danny encourages them to integrate their powers in their dance. It's freeing. Their powers are treated as a normal part of them, and not as this exotic ability that has to be controlled. It's such a safe space that all of them have gotten used to using their powers for day to day stuff when in the dance studio. It all feels so casual because no one bats an eye to it. There's no talk about how they should try to do things "normally," or limit their use of their power.

Danny: "Why would you? That's your normal, and this place is safe for you to just be you."

Duke realizes a bit late that the bats were actually suspicious of the group, and that his placement there wasn't really a probation. He's glad to know he was actually trusted with a job, but, he had really thought that every time they had asked about his day with the group was because they were interested in how he was doing. That they were showing love and interest in him in that evasive ways the bats did, and it kinda suck to know it wasn't the case. It also meant that he had to confront their family in their clear meta-discrimination.

"Would you have been so suspicious if it wasn't a meta group? No. Other than them all being metas there wasn't anything off. No proof of fights, no proof of robberies, no proof of trafficking, nothing.

There's no proof of anything other than a group of teens dancing, and you know that because you checked it out before sending me.

Like, I don't blame you for checking it, I'm not naive, but you were so sure it was a gang, just because they were metas. That's fucked up guys."

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Why are you running?

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[keferon]

…..I should be working rn but one of the songs in my playlist hit harder than usual so

[theoldkyokodied]

One wedding and three funerals

Background paintings under the cut

[hellsitegenetics]

Hey so. Uh. I'm sorry for your loss. In the tumblr bracket. i voted for you

honestly it's kind of an honor to lose to such an og-- especially by such a small margin! feels a little crazy that so many people know who i am, you know?

(the vote isn't fully over by the way, you can check it out here)

[decarbry]

heroes always stop

[syn0vial]

i appreciate that in the boba fett expanded universe canon, we have multiple moments from multiple authors that boil down to "despite his reputation/appearance, boba fett is not fearless, and is in fact doing his level best right now to walk calmly away from this objectively terrifying situation rather than breaking into a fucking sprint in the opposite direction"

[refried-ghost]

Everyone had left.

Well everyone that could. Skoodge remained thankful for Computer's seeming disinterest and had been kicking around the idea of repairing his more neglected parts. He'd ask first of course. But he hadn't mustered the motivation to talk to anyone else yet. Not- not after everything.

He took a shaky breath and focused on the vent cover infront of him.

He didn't want to... To keep wasting away like he had been for the past few weeks.

It clattered to the ground in his moment of brooding.

"Sorry," he whispered nearly inaudibly.

"Whatever."

After returning the cover to it's place Skoodge made his way up to the surface. He swiped a couple of things from the fridge knowing they wouldn't be missed and settled in the living room.

Earthen food was good. Not great. But so much better then the things he was force to eat on Blorch. Their was pang of regret and frustration. Why'd he have to go through everything he'd ordered from Foodcourtia? He'd ordered so much planning to save it for a while. A little treat to remind him of the home he'd never return to. But instead he'd done something he'd only ever done once or twice before.

He binged. His cruiser now littered with the discarded wrappers in it hiding spot. None of it was left. And he didn't have the coding or equipment to make anything similar.

The room brightened suddenly stirring Skoodge from his mind. Nothing was out of place. No one appeared. No new sounds. He glance to the window. A bird whistled it's song.

Earth was interesting. From what little of it he'd seen. He felt a tug.

"Hey, Computer," he began hesitantly.

"What?" Exasperation was clear in it's voice.

"Could you help me with a disguise?"

"Can't you do that yourself?"

"I don't have that kinda equipment anymore..." He thought for a moment. "I mean I could steal some clothes but..."

The machine sighed. A metal tendril whipped out out the ceil dropping something on his head.

"It's got a hood," it stated. The ex invader uncovered his face. It was a grey piece of fabric. Stained much like his uniform, despite his repeated efforts to remove it. He looked up to the ceiling a slight bitterness swirling within.

"Thanks."

[refriedrambles]

"Zim?" That stupid voice called softly. He sat beside him. "A rough day, huh?"

Zim glared at him, before melting back to sorrow.

"Okay, okay. I probably shouldn't have said that. That's on me." A mug clinked against the floor. Skoodge carefully slid it over, steam rising in faint plumes. "We made some hot chocolate," he held an unopened tiny packet of colorful marshmallows out for him. "They're making one's with cereal themes now."

Zim stared for a minute. Then tore them from his hand and let them drop into the mug.

Skoodge smiled at him, carefully pulling his hand back.

He looked at his own and blew on it. Zim hissed at the heat, but forced it down anyway.

"Oh boy. Maybe I should've waited for them to cool off before bringing them over," he said wincing. He took a drink of his own.

Zim slammed his empty mug down.

"That was quick. Are you hungry? GIR made cupcakes."

Zim looked at him. Skoodge took another sip, maintaining eye contact. Zim looked at the mug. Skoodge followed his gaze to it, then looked back up to him. Slowly holding it out. After some hesitation Zim plucked it from his hands. Skoodge watched him take a small sip. Then fiddles with his gloves.

After a while, "welp," he slapped his knee as he struggled up. "I'll bring the cupcakes down." He picked up the empty mug. "Take your time, Zim. Scars fade." He smiled softly before turning away.

[strwbrryfire]

now i'm the one going ahead

from little women (1994)

[breesperez139]

Dc x Dp Prompt #2

Danny loved his life. After his reveal to Jack and Maddie as a half ghost went right, everything started falling into place.

Vlad stopped his insane schemes once his parents were set loose on him. Sure he’s still mayor but he funds the town, keeps them protected from unwanted visitors, and is no longer trying to kidnap/adopt/clone Danny anymore.

Speaking of clones, Ellie was officially adopted into the family. She didn’t live with them full time with her obsession being freedom, but at least she has a home to return to now.

Dan was also adopted into the family. He is still on probation but turns out having their adopted family again (and as many ghost fruits as he wants) helped ease the rage. That’s not to mention Dan’s and Skulker’s bi-weekly figh- errr meetups.

Well at least there’s been no property destruction since he’s been crowned. After he and his rogues began scheduling their own meetups, his grades started going up again. So while he may never become an astronaut like he always dreamed of, he could still go up to space and see the stars whenever he wanted to.

Sure, being king wasn’t exactly what he wanted in life (or death) but he could protect his ghosts and liminals better this way. And considering his entire town is either ghost or liminal, it was just easier to protect them from the GIW and the government in general with a crown on his head.

Besides being king isn’t all bad either. He’s rich now meaning they won’t be racked up in college debt, he has cool artifacts that were gifted to the ghost king over the millennia that were left untouched but he’s not about to return them (they were gifts to the ghost king, practically funeral gifts like flowers but more rare and expensive), and he has crazy powerful Ancients as friends/family/mentors/protectors. He’s still a baby in ghost years and a minor in human years so he’s not expected to do much either way.

Life was going great, especially after Amity Park adopted ghost etiquette and ecto-infused food and beverages.

So why the Ancients are the Justice League of all people standing outside his front door with the Batman looking thoroughly freaked out the moment he opened the door? He hasn’t said anything yet either!! Stupid fucking government heroes.

[mugentakeda]

boiling rock fun