#except my best buddy roy

[gildedlead]

All of the Wayne kids’ favorite Leaguers: True and Real and Accurate

Dick: Wonder Woman! Bear with me. Please. I think Superman was his favorite BEFORE he met Clark. Once he learned how big of a dork he was, the magic was sort of lost, doubly so when Clark became his unofficial stepdad. Diana? She stayed cool. Not to mention that in his Robin days, she often humored whatever hare-brained impulses he’d get. Please picture Batman’s bewildered expression when he finds Dick dangling from the Watchtower light fixture he specifically designed to be impossible for him to reach. Diana just, -shrug- “He said please.” You threw him Diana. You threw that child. She’d probably still throw him if he asked nicely, hell, she’d probably do it even before he has to ask. It’s ‘Boy Wonder’, not ‘Boy Bat’.

Jason: Black Canary. ‘Wonder Woman is Jason’s fav’ believers PLEASE hear me out. I think that Diana is Jason’s favorite in a ‘celebrity crush’ way, but Dinah is Jason’s favorite in a ‘cool aunt’ way. He met her unofficially at the Watchtower, but actually started hanging out with her thanks to Roy. They both like motorcycles and kicking ass, plus Young Justice having Canary as a therapist melds well with my vision of her helping Jason heal. And I think she’s used to yelling at Bruce on Oliver’s behalf, so it’s no big to do it on Jason’s too.

Tim: The Flash! If Dinah is the cool aunt, Barry is the cool uncle. Guy that shows up at the function with all the best snacks. He might eat half of them himself but damn if he didn’t bring them. In all seriousness, Tim saw pretty great merit in knowing a forensics guy that he can basically talk to anytime he’s stumped with a case without having to go through the “sorry to wake you” song and dance. Barry occasionally gets unhinged texts that are in the vein of “hey can you go about ten minutes back in time and tell past me about _____”. They’re usually pretty low stakes but sometimes there’s just a “got stabbed, do-over?” jumpscare sprinkled in. Bruce will never ever get shit from Barry about kid troubles. That man is a saint in Flash’s eyes.

Cass: Captain Marvel. She didn’t like him at all during their first meeting. For a person that’s good at reading body language, I imagine that seeing genuinely childish behavior on a grown man would be giving some crazy mixed signals. Once she learns that his powers are magic in origin rather than being alien or meta, her mind opens up a little more to the possibility that his exterior appearance might not be indicative of his actual identity. Cass guesses his age by their next proper meeting and makes it her business to keep an eye on him, always asking Bruce about him after he returns from League missions. Your honor, that 7’5” brick wall Champion of Magic is actually just Cass’ little buddy. She’s gonna get him some ice cream or something.

Steph: Green Lantern. Hal and Barry are like uncles, except if Barry is the cool one, Hal is the cringe one. Lucky for Hal, being a boyfailure is a good way to amuse Steph. Those two are gonna spend hours arguing with Bruce just for the hell of it, backing each other up on completely incorrect claims (Steph does it because it’s funny, Hal does it because he believes her). He does get bonus points for bringing her cool space snacks whenever he comes back from trips off-world. One of her favorite foods is a sort of hi-chew/gum thing from some other planet in Sector 2418 that doesn’t dissolve or lose its flavor, even after chewing it for days on end.

Damian: Aquaman. He’s a king. Like, an actual king. And he can communicate with fish. Arthur heard about Damian’s temper from the rest of the Leaguers and straight up does not believe it because every time he’s spoken to Damian, it’s been “hello your majesty can you introduce me to an octopus I have a few questions for it”. This one’s short. But I feel it speaks for itself.

Duke: Superman. Clark was NOT told about Signal taking up the day shift in Gotham until he was flying in to compare notes (read: flirt), with Bruce and met Duke when they both went to intercept a carjacking. Clark tries to be responsible like “I feel obligated to let you know that Batman doesn’t take kindly to metas in his city”, only for Duke to point at the big ol bat on his chest. After that, Duke usually intercepts Big Blue’s flight path anytime he comes into Gotham and the two just kind of hang out and shoot the shit while he does his patrol. Duke is also a little bit stoked to be regularly hanging out with The Superman, but even after the awe wears off, he can’t help but still think of Clark as just a cool, friendly guy. He gets someone to share the airspace with, Clark gets a bat he can stay in the sun with, it’s a win/win all around. Congrats Clark, you got one.

[stardancerluv]

The Past Follows Like a Shadow

Part Eight

Summary: Gator and reader visits the past.

Notes/Warnings: Implied bullying, mention of the tire iron moment referenced in the show, angst, implied post sexual activity.

❤️s feedback & reblogs are appreciated!

“I told you, I’d get you into bed.” A soft chuckle came from him.

You glanced back at him from where you rested your cheek on his chest.

“I didn’t doubt it.”

He chuckled, his arm was draped lazily around you, his fingertips grazed lazy patterns on your hip.

Silence laid over the two of you, as you heard him take a pull on his vape.

“My life took a turn after that night.” His voice barely above a whisper.

You pressed your lips together. “We don’t need to discuss it.”

You truly did not want to. A strong sense to flee over came you. His finger grasped your hip, stilling your urge to resist. They dug into you.

“No you need to listen. By the time I was strong enough to reach out, you had run clear out of town. I barely caught sight of the dust clouds in your wake.”

“After you became a winner. I couldn’t stay around any longer.”

Now it was him you felt still. His grip grew firmer, you bit the inside of your cheek, so you didn’t gasp discomfort caused.

“This is exactly why you have to listen.”

He paused taking a pull on his vape.

“Overnight, the chores on ranch increased and he chose a fitness routine with one of his military buddies. Except a few I had already stashed away, he removed the books from my room.”

A chill came over you.

“With the leverage he had, I got onto the teams at school. I sucked as an athlete.” A chuckle came from him.

You glanced back at him. He looked grim.

“So the fights began, I wasn’t horrible.”

He paused, to take a pull on his vape. You shifted and rested on your elbow. He pushed himself back so his back was against the headboard.

“One day a bunch feeling tougher as group, ganged up on me like the old days and broke my leg. I got benched and Roy was beyond pissed.”

Your insides were churning. He had always seemed so much happier better off without you.

“I had recovered from my broken leg, when the final straw happened. I fixing up my pick up truck. I knew best to not stick around and try and make friends. They hated me, they hated and feared Roy.”

He paused to pull once on his vape.

“This guy the size of a good wardrobe; drove to the edge of the ranch’s driveway.”

He glanced down at you, you couldn’t read his eyes.

“I will never forget how I heard the crunch of his shoes on on gravel before everything slowed down and the violence that would come, accelerated.”

He pressed his lips together.

“I had only passed him a glance from where I was under the hood of the pickup. I had a few hours of peace; Roy wasn’t going to be home till late and Karen was getting the twins fitted for their christenings. I’d let him shoot his insults my way and then he could turn around and drive away.”

“That’s not what happened.” You managed to whisper.

“Nope. He slammed his hand onto the hood, startling me and the insults began pouring from his damn mouth.”

He took another pull from his vape. The smell of it fought with the scent of him or even the aftermath of the two of you. You noticed, it was like calming agent for him.

“I hit my the back of my head on the hood. Chuckles soon replaced the insults. And when I reached for whatever was closest to me, your name came from his lips.”

Your brow furrowed.

“And I don’t know it woke me up a d reminded of us, what we had what we had become and I lost it.”

A tear escaped one of your eyes, it had already been almost a year at that point. You had packed your backpack and left shortly after the story reached you. But it had sounded completely different.

“Oh, don’t cry.”

Shifting, the bed creaked under the two of you as he reached over and brushed the tear aside.

Distantly, you knew that hand that just comforted you was the one he used to hold that tire iron. You nodded and looked at him from under your lashes.

A smirk curled his lips.

“After Karen’s father got rid of the tire iron,” He continued. “He and Roy made all the right phone calls and all who knew happened are all stilled zipped up about it. And they never bothered me again.”

He chuckled. “Even Roy laid off me for a bit.”

“Good.”

You don’t know who moved first whether it was yourself or him. But once against you were against his chest and he had an arm around him. You knew deep down, if Nadine had never disappeared that would have never happened. Heck, the two of you could actually have ended up together.

********

Sunlight danced on your eyelids making you stir. Realizing, you were against a pillow and not him made you press your face deeper into the pillow. Sure now you knew more but what did that truly get you.

The sudden buzzing of your phone on your nightstand made you flinch. Blindly, you reached for it.

Blinking, it read YOUR GATOR.

It made you giggle despite waking up to him gone making you sour.

“I see you added yourself to my phone.”

His chuckle filled your ear but then it was cut short. “I did.”

You heard him say something garbled.

“Listen, we had a tragedy at the department. That’s why I left. I’ll call you later.”

“Alright.” You barely answered and he cut the call.

@keerygal @delikaitxx

[bvckandeddie]

Tumblr Fandom: A Year in Review 2023

i was tagged by @captain-hen, thank you! 🥰

i was tempted to skip the top five blorbos/fandoms/pairings section because let's be honest, it's really only been buck and eddie for the entire year, but i do have other interests even if i'm not as involved in them as i am in buddie. so enjoy learning more about my ao3 history, i guess? 😂

top 5 blorbos:

evan "buck" buckley (9-1-1)

eddie diaz (9-1-1)

roy kent (ted lasso)

clint barton (marvel)

billy butcher (the boys) (i literally started watching this show two weeks ago but y'know what? i'm adding it. butcher is just so blorbo shaped.)

top 5 fandoms:

9-1-1

avatar: the last airbender (for anyone who doesn't know, my atla sideblog is @zukkababey!)

marvel

ted lasso

teen wolf

top 5 pairings:

evan buckley/eddie diaz (9-1-1)

roy kent/jamie tartt (ted lasso)

clint barton/bucky barnes (marvel)

arthur/eames (inception)

billy butcher/hughie campbell (the boys)

shoutout to some new friends:

i've talked to so many new people this year who have really made me feel included in the 9-1-1 fandom, namely @devirnis, @colonoscopys, @shitouttabuck, @housewifebuck, @eddiebabygirldiaz, @vampbuckley and @buck2eddie. i love seeing you all in my notifications, and so many of you have been so encouraging, especially during my writing drought that's been persisting for months. y'all are great 🥹🫶

shoutout to some old friends:

i'm kinda new here but @eddiediaaz, i'm pretty sure you were my first ever 9-1-1 mutual that i talked to and you really made me feel so so welcome in the fandom when i posted my first buddie fic back in 2022. i will always be grateful for that and you!!! ❤️

favourite creation you posted this year:

it's definitely gotta be what a heart can do. i love dad buck so much, i had such a fun time writing it, and i think it's some of my best storytelling. it makes me really happy that so many people have read and enjoyed it!

favourite creation posted by someone else this year:

THIS VIDEO by @butchdiaz. holy fucking shit. i'm sure everyone reading this has already seen it, but ohhhhh my god. this video rearranged my molecules. i can't listen to ceilings without thinking about it. the way you edited it to match so many important buddie moments, it genuinely makes me feel so insane. i re-watched it last night and i'm still vibrating just thinking about it.

people who brightened your year:

so many people!!! @negansmiith made a graphic for hurt locker that basically made my whole year! it is saved in my camera roll and i look back on it frequently. 🥰 @housewifebuck made a beautiful hat that i am genuinely obsessed with. check out their shop!!! anyone who has ever read my silly tags on a post i reblogged and dm'd me to chat about it—i love you.

anyone else you'd like to mention:

everyone who has read my fics or commented on them telling me your thoughts, thank you. seriously. just know that when i read your comment(s), i was twirling my hair and kicking my feet back and forth and squealing and smiling so hard my cheeks started to hurt. every single comment made 2023 that much brighter.

five of your favourite authors this year:

@gayhoediaz - every time i get an email that you've posted a buddie fic, i know that i have a bedtime story for that night. i know it's gonna be a good one, every single time.

@devirnis - i read your fic about buck and eddie ring shopping and getting caught up in a robbery and i've never looked back. i've read so many of your fics this year (and tbh, thank god i still have more to read) and i'm looking forward to reading all the ones that you have in the works!!!

@colonoscopys - i’m pretty sure that i binged basically all of your fics this year and i don’t regret a single thing (except maybe going through them too fast). god, i love your writing.

@rewritetheending - gosh the way you’re able to get to the heart of emotions and describe them in a way that puts an ache in my chest makes me want to claw the ground until my fingernails break off. my fave fic of yours is still while we do what lovers do and i know it wasn’t posted in 2023 but i needed to shout it out here because goddddddd. i still think about it all the time.

@letmetellyouaboutmyfeels - i enjoyed reading your halloween fics this year so much, particularly your dark buddie au. sometimes you just gotta imagine your wholesome, already in love blorbos be absolutely unhinged and crazy about each other, and that’s perfectly normal. i actually remember looking for a dark buddie fic when i first joined the fandom and there were none, so i’m glad my wish was fulfilled, especially when it was done so damn well.

five of your favourite artists/gifmakers/podficcers/etc. this year:

@try-set-me-on-fire - you could have gone under fave authors too, but i fucking love your art style. i don't know art terms so forgive me, but something about the messiness and abstractness scratches this itch deep in my brain and they evoke such unnameable feelings that want to burst out of my ribcage. ugh!!!!!! if you sold prints i'd be checking out in two seconds flat.

@butchdiaz - i know i already waxed poetic about your ceilings edit, but i love your edits/gifs too, particularly this one. it's so simple but so beautiful and fucking devastating. the gif aspect is subtle but intentional (buck fading to black and white while the blood stays red?????? KILL ME!). i'd eat your gifs if i could.

@shitouttabuck - you could go under fave authors too (hello i love you like a dog fic) but i wanted to shout you out here because you are so fucking funny. every single edit you post makes me giggle out loud. tbh i didn't even realize they were all from you until i started scrolling through your edit tag looking for this post. i can't get over it. i literally laughed at it AGAIN when i found it.

@eddiediaaz - you are constantly feeding the 911 fandom. you make so many gifsets on so many different sideblogs that i'm sure no one actually knows how many gifs you're constantly making. and every single one is so goddamn good??? and they're so creative. like this one??? there are so many things going on, i can't even fathom how the hell you did it. gifmakers are magic, i swear.

@iinryer - YOUR ART FUELS ME. your style is so *clenches fist* fucking cool. the lines are simple but they still look like the characters?? i admire that so, so much because i know if i ever tried that they'd look so wonky, lol. i think about juice box chim all the damn time and i don't know where i've been lately but this one with buck and chris??? it's so soft and sweet and vulnerable, with the way buck is holding him and chris is nestled. GOD. everything you make is gold.

three (+1) things you're looking forward to in 2024:

getting my masters degree!

getting a job, maybe???

posting more buddie fic 👀

+ season 7 of 911, obviously.

i’m sure i’ve missed some people inadvertently but this was really fun to do! at this time of year, with the short days and cold weather (at least for some of us), i think we could all do with a little bit of joy and a brighter day. i really love this fandom and i'm so grateful to be a part of it!

tagging everyone i mentioned in this post, if you haven’t already done it and want to participate! ❤️

[littlebeelife]

Daily J2 Breakdown

Day 6

This interview has my whole heart.

"We’re best friends, period. He’s my best friend for life. I don’t think it’s that remarkable, but it’s definitely special."

***

Supernatural siblings

WE ARE BROTHERS FOR LIFE, SUPERNATURAL HUNKS JARED PADALECKI AND JENSEN ACKLES TELL T2 Priyanka Roy What Would You Tell Jared And Jensen If You Met Them? Tell T2@abp.in   Published 19.10.13, 12:00 AM

Through nine seasons, the Winchester brothers — Dean and Sam — have battled demons, busted metaphysical myths and redefined chills and thrills on the small screen. In an email chat, Jared Padalecki (who plays Sam) and Jensen Ackles (who plays Dean) tell t2 about the show (Season 9 currently airs Monday to Thursday at 8pm on AXN) that’s made them a household name across the world.

When you were first approached to play brothers who bust ghosts and hunt down devils, did you ever think that Supernatural would become the show it is today?

Jared Padalecki: We’re one of the longest running shows on television! When I turned 31 (on July 19 this year), I remember thinking, ‘Wow… I’m 31 and this is my ninth season. This is a third of my life!’ It’s pretty amazing. I feel that what we’re doing this season could go on for however long the writers, and the fans, want to keep it going. We’ve opened so many doors and we didn’t close any... we didn’t kill this or stop that, we just left it so that we can do anything. What the writers have chosen to do is so awesome. I want to strangle them because I’m really excited about it — but I’m not allowed to tell you anything more at this stage. My hands are tied.

How does Season 9 carry the drama forward?

Jared: Season Nine is really cool! I’m more excited about shooting this season than any other season of Supernatural. I was really excited when I read the first five scripts and I think they are the best five episodes I’ve ever read, including Season One. As an actor, and as a fan of the show, I’m really excited about it. I am certain that the fans are going to think the storyline is badass this season. And I’m really hoping that they like my choices as an actor when they see what happens.

At the end of last year, Sam was not getting better. Well, this storyline will explain how Sam gets better. Dean says, ‘Hey buddy, stop the trials and you’re not going to die.’ And so Sam does stop the trials, but clearly he does not get better. We know that at some point between then and the second episode of Season Nine, he gets better and you’ll find out why immediately.

How much of Sam is Jared and how much of Dean is Jensen?

Jared: I grew up with Sam — I started the show when I was 22. I even met my wife (Genevieve Cortese who played Ruby) on this show. In fact, now I try to find similarities between the character and my own personality.

Jensen Ackles: The longer we become these characters, go through so much on and off, we get a greater clarity about ourselves. Now I know the clear differences between Dean and me. The only exception being that we look exactly alike!

What’s been the most challenging bit about playing Sam and Dean?

Jensen: I’d say... just I think, the emotional toll that he has sometimes where he doesn’t think that he is of value, that he isn’t equal to the people that he surrounds himself with. He’ll put other people first before himself. He’s very quick to sacrifice himself, and that’s difficult. I think it’s also a noble trade. 

Jared: And I feel Sam is very pensive and he’s very fastidious when he’s trying to get a task done. And Jared’s like that. I read instruction booklets, I really do... when I get something, I can’t buy something and just go like, ‘Oh, I’ll figure it out.’ I read and re-read it and I try and really figure everything out. And I like that... Sam kind of takes that approach. And I guess before I started acting, I was going to be an engineer, and maybe that’s what it comes from, just that kind of break everything down to put it all back together, reverse engineering or whatever. However, sometimes I feel like I wish Sam would make a hard decision.

Do you believe in the supernatural?

Jensen: I wouldn’t call myself superstitious, but I do suspect there’s more between heaven and earth... even hell. I’m open for spiritual experiences, although I haven’t needed any salt yet to ward off evil spirits from my home!

Jared: I firmly believe that things happen for a reason. That may sound melodramatic, but I don’t believe coincidence exists. And I also believe we’re not the only living creatures in this universe.

Which have been your favourite moments on the show so far?

Jensen: My favourite moment is when the brothers made a commitment to each other in the church. This is a commitment that they’re going to check in with each other... that they are going to remain partners and stay on the same track and not be like, ‘You go do this while I go and do that, and we’ll all try to solve the world our own way.’

Is there anything you would want to change about Dean and Sam?

Jared: There’s a term we use, to “man up” — “man up and get the job done”. Sam ends up making a decision, but I don’t think he takes a stand. There’s a small difference, and I wish he’d take a stand sometimes.

You guys have been sharing screen space through nine seasons. What kind of a dynamic do you share off screen?

Jensen: That’s almost impossible to explain. Nine months a year we’re stuck with each other literally 24 hours a day, seven days a week because we’re working on the show. Even doing stuff for ourselves in between isn’t possible. We’re constantly together. And even when we’re not actually working together during the nine months, or the other three months out of the year for that matter, we always find ourselves choosing to hang out and be together. But what I’m saying is, if you compare our relationship with Dean and Sam’s relationship on the show, there is a huge difference. Jared never drives me up the wall.We can talk to each other about anything.

Whenever we’ve fought, it’s been for each other! Like, I’ll do or say something and he will too and the other one might not like it, but in the end we’re doing it to help or protect them and it’s never against him. I think we do have that loyalty and I can honestly say you know, I’d trust my life with this guy and I guess in relevance to Dean for Sam, I would jump in front of a bullet for him any day and never think twice.

Jared: And the best part about Jensen and my relationship is it’s gonna be that way when we’re on the show and not. I mean, unfortunately for him, he’s stuck with me for life now and that’s important. But look, brothers and sisters, for that matter, sometimes fight. Or worse... they can’t get along at all. Between Jensen and me there have never been any issues and I think that’s rather special.

Jensen: We’re best friends, period. He’s my best friend for life. I don’t think it’s that remarkable, but it’s definitely special.

Are you aware that you have a huge fan following in India?

Jared: I was so surprised when I was informed that we have a huge fan following in India. Until recently, I had no idea that the show was even airing in India! It feels so good to know we have fans across the continent.

Jensen: I had no idea either. Jared and I both found out about it together! We are dying to come to India... it would be amazing.

What’s the craziest thing a fan has done for you?

Jared: The people will come up and be like, ‘Oh, my gosh! I saw an episode where this happened and it made me think of this time when I saw this.’ And you’re like: ‘What did you do? Get the salt?’ So the fans are pretty funny. The fans of the show are certainly. They’re not casual fans. People, if they know the show, they know the show, which is nice. It’s wonderful to have such a dedicated audience and a loyal following. It’s become part of the show and we’ve made episodes about our fans. So that’s fun, and they certainly share their stories with us.

Source: telegraphindia.com - October 19th 2013, written by Priyanka Roy

[bonerot19]

What's goin on with Jason and the Defenders fic, buddy? ;)

this answer is for @darlingatlas as well, who asked:

"I see that you have a WIP of Jason + Defenders. Is it going to be comicverse Defenders or the TV show? And who is Jason likely to be closest to in the line up? (Was gonna ask about the Avengers WIP but someone beat me to it, so I'll go with another one of my favorite Marvel groups)"

this is based on the TV shows! I haven't really read their respective comics unfortunately!

essentially, Roy Harper moves to Hell's Kitchen with Lian (for reasons I have yet to decide) and is buddies with Matt Murdoch and, by extension, Frank Castle and Jessica Jones (the iron fist show doesn't exist to me 🥰)

One day, Jason is fucking around in New York and gets hurt and knows Roy's apartment is nearby and plans on just, like, raiding his first aid kit. except he's more fucked up than he thought and also he forgot about Harper's fucking kid, oops.

Lian calls her daddy, Roy has to deal with his best friend's little brother and Matt comes along to spectate. they have to call Claire to make sure Jason doesn't die. there's a whole plot about taking down some traffickers too. lots of Lian being funny and a little shit.

I just want the defenders to adopt Jason, is the thing. like, oh your stupid dad thinks you're too brutal? what an ass, come hang out with us it'll be fine

[fanficfanattic]

"I wish you would write a fic where...

You are a great walloped of feelings and I would love to see something that explores platonically the Amsterdam bike training scene- like from Jamie, being able to be the person who gets to teach and help someone else, and from Roy, actually letting his guard down and letting someone help him with something.

Obviously you do not have to if you aren’t feeling it. I also realize that is an incredibly specific ask, so really anything that marches along the platonically walloped feelings path would be amazing. If its for a gift fic

If you feel like this isn’t the one for a gift fic, then consider this just me popping in to say hi buddy! You’re talented! You deserve to have a lovely day!

I didn’t want to wait once I finished it even though this is a holiday gift! To @readwing with love! 💜💜💜 And a special thanks to @jamietarttdodododododo for the cheerleading and reassurance!

Jamie can’t help but remember the first time he was in Amsterdam. His father saying it was time he taught him “how to be a man, Jamie.” And he tries to think about the second time he was there instead, with Mummy, and the both of them doing their best to fill him up with different knowledge instead.

The entire time he’s running with Roy, that’s what he’s doing. Spouting every fact he can think of, letting what they pass inspire another one. And then another one. All he has to do is run and talk about anything distracting.

It doesn’t occur to him that Roy might ask how he knows so much. That he has to answer or Roy will pick at him until he does. For the longest time the only armor he had was being a prick. He’d done so much to remove it for the people he cares about, for his team, for his own benefit.

But here in Amsterdam, where he had both the worst and best trips of his life? The armor comes up easily. He lies, like a prick, and he says it as pricky as he can, and the worrying thing is that Roy doesn’t say anything about it. He doesn’t see through Jamie at all. He doesn’t see Jamie.

Then he realizes that means Roy is distracted. By what, he doesn’t know but he should have clocked that immediately when Roy nabbed him from the team. Roy’s favorite way to work off frustration is by vaguely torturing him.

And Jamie knows that, and he doesn’t mind really. He’s had a lifetime of coaches barking at him. This way, with Roy, has felt like it was actually for a purpose. Most of the time it was making him a better player. But if the purpose is also making Roy feel better? He actively wants that.

Unfortunately, with Prick Mode activated, he doesn’t think twice about howling with laughter at Roy’s admission. Then he hears about his grandfather, and remembers Roy was the only other one who really sacrificed something important at the ghost cleansing, so the guilt sets in.

But now he knows what to do with guilt. He knows how to make amends. And more than that he wants to, of his own accord, rather than feeling like his hand is forced. He wants to make it right with Roy, right for Roy, and show him that it was safe for him to trust Jamie with that pocket of vulnerability.

He decides the best thing would be to honor the memory of Roy’s grandad. If Roy thought not learning was disrespectful, than they could feed two birds with one scone. He’ll teach Roy how to ride this bike, say thanks to a man he’d never met but who’d helped make his best friend into the man he is today, and apologize to the man himself. Okay, so sue him, they’re feeding three birds with the one scone.

Except…except it’s four. Because he finds that teaching Roy to ride a bike does more to distract him from the memories than learning did last time he was here. It pulls his focus and his energy. And it actually makes even more sense when he stops to think about it. Because that’s what Roy has done ever since he started training Jamie. Took everything that made Jamie who he was and directed it right where it needed to go.

Which is why, after he’d successfully avoided it all night, he found himself telling Roy the truth about Amsterdam. Roy told Jamie about his grandfather, so Jamie told Roy about his dad, and Jamie taught Roy to ride a bike…and Roy taught him that it was okay to admit that something bad had happened to him. That even if he doesn’t have the language for it yet…he doesn’t have to hide that it happened.

They were just two friends, riding bikes in the dark, telling each other secrets the way they should have both been able to do when they were actual children. Telling each other things that worried them even though they were unrelated to football. They found a magic castle windmill, and got punchy from staying up past their bedtimes, and though they would deny it only a month later; let down their guards enough to become best friends.

[she-karev]

Adventures in Babysitting and Singing (Alex Karev’s Sister Babysits Harriet Avery)

Age Rating: 12+

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

AN: So after all the angst and the family drama I decided to do a little fun chapter. Here Amber is gonna sing due to Liz Gillies being an underrated singer who deserves more recognition. The gif above is Amber's outfit at Joe's during karaoke.

Summary: Amber is tasked with babysitting Harriet Kepner-Avery and struggles throughout the day.

Words: 6254

I walk by Vik Roy in the lockers after getting my scrubs from the laundry to get started on my next shift. It’s day 13 and I am still learning the ropes of this place. You would think the directory would be extremely helpful, but it might as well be in Mandarin, and I only took ASL for my language requirement in pre-med. I open the locker and put my backpack inside when Vik opens his stupid mouth for some reason.

“You missed karaoke night last night Barbie.” I ignore his smug voice, “You should’ve seen me play that sexy little number Dream On. I think you would’ve begged to come home with me.” I feel him staring at my body after I take my white top off exposing me in my black lace trim bra, “And boy that would’ve been the best 40 minutes of my life.”

I snort at him, “40 minutes? Bitch please you’ll be lucky to last 40 seconds and that’s with performance enhancers.” The interns chuckle at my comment and Roy is persistent.

“Is that a challenge?” He grins at me.

Helm groans from across the room and comes to my defense, “Boundaries Vik you’ve heard of them, right? Have you not seen the news at all over the past year?”

I scoff at her and put my top on, “Helm I can handle myself and Vik think up new flirting techniques or the closest relationship you’ll have is with your hand.”

Vik chuckles and closes in on me, “Well maybe seeing me sing like an angel tonight will make you want to see what else this hand can do.”

Helm rolls her eyes, “The only reason your so cocky is because nobody else sings.”

“Yeah, and even if I did hear you sing there is no demon demented enough to possess me and want to take advantage of you and the 15 seconds your hardly capable of giving.” Roy rolls his eyes and is blocking my way, “Now get out of my way chunk!” I push him against the lockers to get him out of my way causing him to yell out in pain. I walk past him and wash my hands next to Helm. Suddenly we all get a page at once, I look and am elated that there is a massive car crash on the bridge.

Helm smiles, “Oh my god a massive trauma, I’m scrubbing in!”

“Not if I get there first!” I push Helm behind me and run out as fast as I can to the pit. All of the other interns fall behind because I’m the only one who’s athletic. Except for Casey Parker, his military training ties with me as we run side by side and arrive at the pit quickly grabbing gowns and gloves.

“I would be pissed I’m not the only intern here but I’ll give you props for keeping up.” I admit to Casey as I put the yellow gown on.

“Same. Where did you run like that? Track?”

“No I was an outside hitter for my volleyball team in catholic school there was a lot of cardio.”

Casey looks at me surprised, “I didn’t know you went to catholic school.”

I tie the strings on my back, “Good you shouldn’t know it.” I say it with venom.

Casey looks at me amused, “I get it. Your so mysterious and tough but I think deep down inside that hard shell is a big softie.”

I put my gloves on, “Think whatever you want buddy but I’m gonna get to scrub in before any of you losers do.”

“You were probably a girl scout and sold the cookies outside a grocery store in fourth grade.” Casey theorizes as the interns finally catch up and gown up.

 “Ha! Jokes on you I skipped fourth grade and ninth and I finished premed in three years.” I chuckled smugly.

“Maybe you’re just more annoying than tough.” Casey says as we wait for an attending to come. We hear a baby cooing behind us and look to see April Kepner approaching us holding her daughter Harriet in her arm.

I stand back, “Oh um Dr. Kepner good morning I didn’t know it was bring your child to work day I would’ve requested a day off.”

April looks at all of us and groans, “Well the daycare wouldn’t take her because she has a fever and they can’t admit her unless she’s fever free for 24 hours. Dr. Avery has a big surgery coming up so I need one of you to watch Harriet and make sure she’s happy and healthy. Who’s the lucky intern?” I look at her in shock and the others take a step back and single me out as the prime candidate, “She-Karev it’s your lucky day!”

My eyes widen in horror, “No, no, no Dr. Kepner I strongly advice against that ask anybody here I am the least maternal person of all, ask them! Guys help me out!” The interns stay quiet though and I don’t blame them. Just then the ambulance arrives with the sirens blaring and the baby cries. Kepner puts the crying baby in my arms and I automatically hold her by her armpits still processing.

“Okay monitor her temp.” Kepner gives me instructions that I listen to even though my stress has risen above a ten, “If it gets above 101, give her a teaspoon of acetaminophen and give her fluids. She needs milk in ten minutes bottle is in the bag you got this Karev.” Kepner plops the baby bag on the floor and rushes out to the bay.

“Have fun babysitting Barbie!” I hear Roy yell out as I look at this baby in front of me in horror as she continues to cry. I put her in a football position, bend down, grab the bag and head out groaning at what my day has suddenly turned into.

An Hour Later

I sit in a chair at the nurse’s station trying to feed Harriet but she won’t take the bottle. She just keeps crying and wiggling in my arms and people are looking at me like I’m a bad parent. I try to put the bottle in her mouth so she can latch but she won’t do it and it is frustrating me.

“Please, please eat I am begging you.” Harriet cries harder, “Oh god come on it’s milk from your mom straight from the breast you should love this come on man give me a break.”

“Well this is a scary sight.” I swing my chair around to find Alex and Jo looking at me with pity, “Whats Harriet doing with you?” Jo asks, “She doesn’t look like she’s having fun and neither are you.”

The baby keeps crying and I think a vein is popping out of my forehead, “She has a fever, daycare isn’t admitting her and Kepner stuck me with her brat. Now I think this baby is starving herself so she can die and her parents will fire me. Don’t do me like that Harriet come on!” I try to feed her again but Harriet won’t let me and her fussiness escalates to screaming and my eyes widen at the volume this kid is achieving. Alex stands in front of me.

“Okay come on let Uncle Alex take you away from the mean lady.” Alex takes the baby from my arms and takes the bottle. Almost immediately Harriet stops crying and takes the bottle Alex puts in her mouth to my shock.

Jo looks at us back and forth perplexed by how differently we handle the baby, “Are you sure you two are related?”

“What did you do?” I ask my brother as he rocks Harriet.

“Nothing. Maybe it’s just you.”

I furrow my eyes in question, “What do you mean maybe it’s me? I tried exactly what you did and that Chestburster was screaming at me.”

“Chestburster?” Jo asks.

Alex chuckles, “It’s a creature from Alien the one that burst out of that guy’s chest and killed him.”

“Well, I think that’s your answer on why she doesn’t like you.” Jo looks at me in dark amusement.

Alex moves toward me and I back up, “Whoa what are you doing?”

“I have a surgery in an hour and I need to map out the plan for the patient’s parents. This Chestburster is your problem now.”

I panic and try to sway him, “I’ll pay you to take her off my hands please I am begging you.”

“You’re an intern you couldn’t afford me, here.” Alex puts Harriet in my arms and she cries again and I whimper, “Don’t freak out so much babies can tell and then they freak out too.”

I look at him annoyed, “Can’t I just dip my finger in whiskey and put it in her mouth?”

“You do know that baby is an Avery, right? So, her entire family will come after you and sue you for everything your worth if you ply her with alcohol.” I groan at Alex being right, “I gotta go.”

Alex leaves me to take care of the crying baby and I look to Jo in desperation but she catches on, “No.” She then walks away and I lean back trying to rock the baby against me to calm her down.

Later

I sit on the single bed cross legged in front of Harriet who is also on the bed playing with her teething ring. After getting her fever down she started to calm down thank God. I was able to feed her a whole bottle and now I’m just watching her teeth on a rubber ring. It’s like Disneyland to her but to me it’s just watching a baby grind her toothless mouth against something. I sigh and look at her bored.

“So do you know any good jokes?” Harriet looks at me oblivious of what I asked, “I just figured some of the other kids at daycare told you some that are exclusive among toddlers. I probably wouldn’t get the joke anyway given how you can’t even make a knowledgeable sound let alone say knock knock.” I can’t believe my source of communication at the moment is a 1-year-old. I check my phone to see if Dr. Kepner or Avery paged me to bring her to them, “Well looks like your stuck with me a while longer kid, sorry.” Harriet stops teething and makes an unknown face and wince at me. I raise my eyebrows, “What is it? What’s that face for?” I catch a funky smell and I pause. I take another sniff and gag as I realize why she made that face, “Oh god!”

I immediately stand up and grab Harriet by her armpits so I don’t have her stinky diaper anywhere near me. I breathe through my mouth and try to open the door but I’m busy holding the baby and I don’t want to put her down as I see her diaper is leaking through her pants. I knock on the door with my foot and yell out, “Help! Someone open this door, this kid needs a diaper change!”

The door opens and Andrew comes in amused by the sight and laughs at my expense before closing the door.

"Fun day?" Andrew asks with a grin that pisses me off.

“Shut up and help me she’s leaking!”

“I got her give her to me.” Andrew takes the baby from me and goes to the single bed to lay her down by her bag, “Hello bambina does somebody need a change?” Andrew smiles as he starts to change Harriet’s diaper.

My eyes water at the fumes as I stand behind him as he kneels down in front of the bed, “Oh god it smells so bad.”

Andrew chuckles, “Yeah I think you broke Amber here Harriet.” I glare at him even when he does a baby voice for Harriet who giggles, “Who knew all it took was a leaking diaper from a very cute baby to break that Fort Knox of a woman. Yeah, you did Harriet.” Andrew laughs at Harriet’s giggle, and I marvel at how he’s so good with this baby.

I sigh, “How is everybody better than me with babies?”

Andrew looks at me curious, “You never babysat before? Or had friends with kids?”

“No.” I admit softly.

Andrew chuckles lightly while he wipes Harriet's bottom, “Oh that explains a lot. And I heard about the scene from this morning the nurses were close to calling the cops on you. Can you pass me a diaper?”

I look at him frustrated and dig in the bag to hand him the diaper, “Don’t patronize me you know just because I have breasts doesn’t mean I’m maternal at the first sight of a baby DeLuca.”

“Okay I’m sorry I was just saying there’s an underlying factor here at why you're not bonding with Harriet that’s all.”

“I may look it, but I am not Stacey from The Babysitter’s Club.”

Andrew raises an eyebrow as he finishes changing Harriet, “I didn’t think you read those books. I figured you for a Goosebumps kid.”

“Oh, I was but I finished the whole series and got bored.”

Andrew grins and focuses on Harriet, “Okay little lady let’s go for a ride!” Andrew lifts Harriet up and lifts her in the air like a rocket. She giggles and grins at him I roll my eyes at her that DeLuca catches as he set's Harriet down in a hip hold, “Come on you could take a note from Stacey and just relax around her babies can tell when your stressed and they get stressed too.”

I groan, “You sound like Alex.” Andrew laughs as he rocks the baby up and down, “Don’t laugh at me DeLuca nothing in my life has prepped me for this, Malcolm in the Middle had better parents than me.”

“Okay you make a good point. If you find it hard to relax just sing to the baby that works every time look.” Andrew starts to sing in Italian, and I don’t know the words, but I’m entranced at that gorgeous Italian man singing and so is the baby. He sings for a few moments and stops, “My sister used to sing that to me when I would have trouble falling asleep.”

I am still gawking at him, “What is wrong with you? Tell me now because no living person should be this perfect.” Andrew chuckles and he gets an alert from his phone ending this sweet moment.

“I’m about to tell you, I have to go the pit is overcrowded. Here take the baby.”

I give him my best puppy eyes and whine, “Please stay I am so bad at this and you’re hot and Italian and you can sing she loves you and she hates me. If you leave, we're gonna kill each other.” I say that last one in a serious tone to explain the gravity of my situation.

“I can’t stay I’m a resident and I don’t need a write up.” He gives me the baby and turns to leave.

I need to pull out the big guns, “If you stay, I’ll do that thing with my tongue you like so much.”

Andrew stops and turns raising an eyebrow, “Amber-”

“Twice. Three times!” I’m so desperate I’ll let him call the shots all night if it means getting this kid off my back.

Andrew’s eyes widen at the suggestion but he remains strong, “As much as I want to negotiate sexual propositions in front of a baby, I have to pass and save lives. Just remember what I said when in doubt belt a song out.” Andrew kisses me quickly and leaves the room.

I look at the bundle of terror in my arms and frown, “I don’t suppose you could do me a solid and not cry the rest of the day?” As if she heard me and wants to defy me she starts to cry and I freak out, “Oh no. No, no it’s okay the sexy Italian is gone but you still got me that’s something right?” Harriet starts to cry harder and I look around and find the teething ring, “Here do you want to teeth some more? Will that make you feel better?” I try to put it in her mouth, but she yells, and I keep it away from her, “No? Okay no teething got it.”

I bounce up and down with Harriet’s head over my shoulder to try to calm her down and she finally stops crying. I exhale in relief until I hear a gargled sound come out of Harriet and I feel a wet sensation along my shoulder blades. I stop bouncing and take a deep breath, so I don’t freak out about baby vomit on me.

The baby cries again and all I want to do is put her on the bed and get myself new scrubs but if I did that I would be arrested for child endangerment. I move her to a football position so I don’t get more throw up on me and try to soothe her.

“Shhh. Come on I fed you, I changed you, I patted you and now I have your lunch on me what else can I do?” Harriet keeps crying and I pat her back, “Okay you and I need to come to an understanding here. I am not a baby person until today I never even held an infant and you seem to sense that hence why you like everybody except me. And it’s pretty clear that you are just a baby and you can’t tell me what you want so here’s what I’m gonna do.” Harriet keeps crying as I explain, “I am gonna take that handsome man’s advice and sing to you if it will get you to stop crying and I walk out of here with my sanity intact. But if you tell anyone what I did in this room I will make your life miserable when you become an intern here and I'm your attending. Okay give me a second, I’m a little rusty.”

I clear my throat and take a sip of Harriet’s apple juice before starting with a song I practiced in front of a mirror for five months. I rack my brain to remember the lyrics to Hopelessly Devoted To You and start, “Guess mine is not the first heart broken, my eyes are not the first to cry.” I sing Olivia Newton-John over Harriet’s cries, “I’m not the first to know there’s just no getting over you. I know I’m just a fool who’s willing to sit around and wait for you.” It’s starting to work because Harriet is calming down and looking at me transfixed like she did with DeLuca causing me to smile and pause, “Yeah you like that huh? Well, your gonna love the chorus.” I sing the rest of the song praying the walls and doors are thick enough so no one can hear me.

Later

Casey stands outside the room grinning as he hears a muffled Amber inside the room singing Greased Lightning from Grease. He was just walking down the hall to do scut when he heard a familiar voice through the door. He opened the door a creak and saw it was Amber sitting on the bed singing There are Worse Things I Could Do to Harriet in bed while holding and feeding her. He almost gave himself away because the sight was too shocking to take but he just closed the door before he could be caught. Now he’s been standing outside for 15 minutes listening to Amber singing like an angel in scrubs. Helm and Schmitt find him and look at him confused and approach him.

Helm starts, “What are you-”

“Shh! You’ll give me away.” Casey says in a hushed tone confusing them more.

“Why are we whispering?” Schmitt whispers as Dahlia comes up to them joining the crowd.

“Hey, what’s-”

“Shh!” Dahlia’s eyes widen at Casey trying to keep them quiet, “Listen.” They all press their ears against the door and listen to Amber singing the bridge. It takes them a minute until they recognize the voice.

“No!” Helm exclaims causing the others to shush her.

“Is it really her?” Dahlia asks in disbelief, “I mean it could be another intern Amber saddled the baby with.”

Schmitt shakes his head still in shock, “No I think it’s her it’s her voice she’s just not using it to threaten us.”

“I checked and it is her.” Casey confirms with a smile causing the others to chuckle lightly, “You should’ve heard her sing Summer Night it was like Olivia Newton-John transported in that room.”

“Oh my god this is the best thing ever.” Dahlia says with a squeak.

Casey chuckles, “I know right? I told her she was a softie on the inside and now it’s coming out inside that room.” Casey presses his ear against the door, “And now she’s singing Beauty School Dropout.” They all press their ears to the door pushing each other for a better audio.

Dahlia’s eyes shoot up as she hears Amber singing, “She’s actually pretty good.”

Schmitt agrees, “She’s not just good she sounds like an angel.”

“Even though she has a demon’s personality.” Helm groans, “She’s beautiful, she has a hot bod, she’s related to Karev, and she can sing. I would find her attractive if it wasn’t annoying.”

Casey nods, “Same.” They all stand there listening for a few moments until Andrew spots them by the door.

“What are you all doing?” They get startled and get away from the door trying to look normal.

Schmitt panics, “U-Um we were just um-”

“Heading to the pit to deal with the overflow?” Andrew asks sternly and they comply, running in the other direction to the ER.

Andrew walks down the hall and moves to open the door until he hears singing through the door freezing him in place. He puts his ear against the door and hears Amber singing to the baby. He grins at Amber taking his advice and opens the door finding Amber on the floor singing to the baby while she plays with a toy.

Amber stops and clears her throat as soon as she saw the door open, “Hey I finally got her to calm down. We argued a bit and there was some vomit, but we came to an understanding and now we’re girlfriends right Harriet?” Amber tries to act casual and DeLuca nods with a knowing grin causing Amber to close her eyes in despair, “How much did you hear?”

“Just ‘missed your midterms and flunked shampoo’ that was it.” Andrew chuckles and sits next to Amber on the floor, “I see my advice worked.”

Amber chuckles, “Yeah I had to sing Summer Night three times just to get her to hold still while I changed her.”

Andrew laughs, “Man I wish you paged me I could’ve been your Danny.”

“You do remind me a little of Danny.” Amber gives the teething ring to Harriet, “And if you ever tell anyone what you heard today I will never let you see me naked again.”

Andrew chuckles, “You know your better at this than you give yourself credit for. I mean I was afraid to leave you here alone but look at you Stacey.”

Amber groans at the state of her, “Yeah I’m sweaty, I’m covered in vomit, and I think I smell like feces.”

“You do I just didn’t want to bring it up.” Andrew grins and puts his arm around Amber’s shoulder drawing her towards him as they watch the baby.

"I should probably tell you she vomited on my back that you're putting your arm around." Amber informs him causing him to groan in disgust as he sees it rubbed off on his bare arm. She laughs at him while he rubs his arm with the baby wipes, "Harriet you just became my favorite person right now."

Andrew looks at her in amused offense, "Oh you think that's funny?"

"I think it's hilarious I'm not the only one covered in puke right now." Amber states with a chuckle causing Andrew to grin and dangle the used wipe in front of her face causing her to back away in fear, "No get that thing away from me or I will call the police." Andrew laughs at her reaction and throws the wipe away.

"It looks like you don't need me to babysit anymore. Are you good to watch her the rest of the day Stacey?"

Amber grins at him, "Yeah don't worry I got about four musicals to introduce Harriet to. I'll let you know if I'm doing a duet you can go now Danny." Andrew chuckles and leaves the room. Amber exhales exhausted and turned to Harriet who looks at her with a pleading face, "All right kid have you ever heard Cats?"

That Night

I enter the locker room carrying Harriet against my hip with the baby bag slung over my shoulder. I’m tired and my throat is a little sore from all the singing but as long as it got Harriet to keep quiet, I would sing Spice Girl’s if she wanted. I sit on the bench exhaling in exhaustion as I hold the baby. I notice something is wrong in the atmosphere and look to find Helm, Schmitt, Parker and Qadri stealing glances at me and grinning.

I furrow my eyebrows and ask, “What?”

Helm shakes her head as she opens her locker, “Nothing.”

“We’re just getting ready to leave She-Karev that’s all.” Parker nonchalantly chimes in and I look at him confused but I go back to the baby in my arms dangling the teething ring above her playing with her.

“Summer loving had me a blast.” I freeze as I hear Parker singing under him breathe and Dahlia follows.

“Summer loving happened so fast.” I look up to find them both smiling as they sing mocking me and I keep a blank face.

“I met a girl crazy for me.” Casey sings louder with Helm and Schmitt snickering.

“Met a boy cute as can be.” I put the teething ring away and am frustrated there’s a baby in my arms stopping me from hitting these guys. Casey and Dahlia laugh and perform a duet.

“Summer days drifting away, to-ah! Oh the summer nights.”

Schmitt and Helm join in, “Well-a, well-a, well-a huh.” I glare at all of them.

“You have no idea how lucky you all are that there’s a child in my arms because you wouldn’t make it past the second verse.” After the threat I reach for the diaper bag and wipe the drool off Harriet’s mouth while the others laugh.

“When I accused you of being soft I thought you read an EE Cummings poem at your graduation and cried I didn’t think you memorized the whole Grease soundtrack.” Casey says with a laugh and I throw the baby wipes at him that he protects himself from.

Dahlia grins at me, “How did you get so good? I heard you and you sound like a pop star. Were you in choir?”

“Did you audition for Broadway when you were in New York?” Schmitt asks seriously.

“No glee! you were a gleek weren’t you?” Helm asks with joy and I roll my eyes as I stand up when the baby gets fussy.

Casey calls out, “Oh come on Karev we’re just messing with you don’t storm out.”

“I’m not storming out.” I say as I pace back and forth, “Harriet likes it when I’m moving although I wish she would like it when I break your faces off.”

Casey chuckles, “Come on we already caught you singing Olivia Newton-John tell us the story of how you got into singing.”

Dahlia turns and gives me her full attention, “Oh yeah come on we want the story come on tell us please!”

“Please!” Helm begs from her spot and I see Schmitt listening too.

I groan as I pace the small room, “Fine but this is the only time you will ever hear about my past, got it?” They all nod eagerly and I continue, “My counselor recommended a creative after school program so I could better my chances of getting a scholarship. I looked and…I signed up for theater club.” The group widened their eyes and chuckled, “One year we did Grease and I was cast as Sandy. And I was good.”

“I knew it!” Casey smiles, “I knew you were a big softie.”

“As soon as this child is out of my arms and in the comfort of her home, I will make your lives hell.” I hiss with a glare.

Casey shrugs and still grins, “No you won’t your too sensitive.”

Jackson Avery comes in and is surprised to find me with Harriet, “Ah She-Karev when Kepner told me she handed Harriet off to Karev I assumed your brother but he wouldn’t be at her disposal.”

I exhale in relief, “Okay this Chestburster is all yours.” I gladly handed him the baby.

“Hey sweetheart.” Jackson coos at Harriet, “Did you give the new intern a hard time today?”

I shake my head, “No she was pretty easy.” I lie to cover my struggle, “I fed her an hour ago and we just hung out nothing much.”

Jackson chuckles, “She gave you hell didn’t she.”

“Big time.” I say bluntly and Jackson nods confirming his suspicions, “Dr. Avery I know your my boss and so is Dr. Kepner and your mother is the overlord and you could destroy my career and kill me and get away with it. But in the future I do not babysit I am not Stacey from The Babysitter’s Club.”

Jackson raises an eyebrow at me and the other’s look at me confused, “Duly noted She-Karev, good night.” Avery leaves us and I turn to the group who look at me with doe eyes. I know their gonna ask me something.

“Just ask.”

“Please beat Vik at karaoke tonight.” Helm begs with praying hands.

“No!”

Dahlia groans, “Come on you know you want to give that snooty douche a kick in the ass. You just can’t do it physically or you’d get arrested.”

Schmitt nods, “He did harass you this morning that didn’t piss you off?”

“Of course it does but I’ve gotten use to it as a woman who looks the way I do.” I head to my locker and take my stinky top off and gag and the stain, “Remind me to tell cleaning services to burn this shirt. And no I am not going to sing in front of everyone just to emasculate that guy. I have dignity and I have a reputation to uphold.”

“You had a reputation.” Casey clarifies, “And that tough reputation was replaced by a theater loving nerd who reads kids books in her free time.” I growl under my breath for mentioning The Babysitter’s Club.

“It’s out now She-Karev and we’re gonna tell people and it will spread around like an STD.” Helm says with pride.

I look at her in disgust, “Why did you use a sexually transmitted disease as an example? You could’ve used wildfire you freak.” I put my clothes on and try to ignore them as they beg, “You know I could get my brother to assign you guys B-Team for spreading an embarrassing secret about me.”

Schmitt’s eyes widen, “Uh maybe we should find somebody else to do this, nurse Taylor hums pretty good.”

“Shut up Glasses.” Helm snaps and turns to me, “A nurse or an orderly heard you these walls are too thin I think the remodeling forgot to soundproof. The point is we need a singer to crush Vik and your our best shot.”

“We would do it but we don’t have your voice and Roy is subpar at best so you can take him.” Dahlia makes a praying hands, “Please what will it take for you to say yes and do this big favor for us?”

I am buttoning my jeans when an idea pops into my head and I look at them mischievous, “You really want to know?”

Schmitt get’s scared, “I think we made a mistake here.”

“No.” Casey persists though, “Name your price so you can sing your beautiful voice tonight and we’ll do it.”

I slam my locker and stand face to face with the four of them who look scared but stand strong, “Fine if I do this for you guys then you four rotate on every rectal exam I’m assigned to for the next two months.”

“Done!” Helm is the first to agree and the others nod grinning to my shock.

“Wow you guys really want me to do this.” I say surprised, “Fine if it’ll get me to eat lunch during work I’ll do it.” They cheer at my compliance.

Casey quickly slams his locker, “Grab your purse and let’s go to karaoke night!” I groan and sling my purse as the others practically drag me to Joe’s.

Later

I’m sitting in a small table drinking beer and eating nuts as I watch Vik on the small stage singing Maniac by Michael Sembello. He’s barely holding the notes and he’s never heard of singing from your diaphragm but he acts like he’s Sinatra.

I roll my eyes at the display and see DeLuca from the bar giving me a wink. I keep my grin to myself and I discretely text him, ‘not in front of them. Later at your place.’ I send it to him and he reads it and raises an eyebrow at me before typing. I get a text that says, ‘is the tongue thing still on the table?’ I inhale before texting, ‘well talk when there aren’t people who can see us making sex eyes’ I add a side eye emoji and hit send. He reads it and licks his lips in anticipation before turning his back away from my direction. I put my phone down and look at Vik on stage making an ass of himself.

Helm obviously saw me and asks, “Who were you texting?”

“None of your business.” I snap and she retreats. Vik finally stops singing and the audience scatters applause, I clap and yell out, “Yeah we’re clapping because it’s over.” Helm laughs and Vik rolls his eyes as he takes his seat at our table and the bar owner takes the stage.

“All right next up on karaoke night is a last minute entry, lets give a warm welcome to Amber Karev!” The audience cheers and I stand up before Vik makes a snide comment.

“Don’t choke.”

“Choke on the nuts.” I step onto the stage and browse through the selection and choose a song I’ve sung in the shower multiple times. The song starts and I sing the first verse, “Now that she's back in the atmosphere with drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey.” As soon as I finish the verse the audience cheers and claps except for Vik who looks at me in shock at this surprise twist. I smile at owning that douche and continue the song, “She acts like summer and walks like rain reminds me that there's a-time to change, hey, hey Since the return of her stay on the moon she listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey, hey, hey.”

I see Vik shaking his head dissatisfied with me winning so far and he sips his beer. I look at Andrew gazing at me from the bar clearly enamored as well. I finish the rest of the song flawlessly and the audience cheer loudly and even bang the table. I chuckle, set the mic down and sit back at the table where Vik is still peeved.

“Happy now?” I ask them.

Parker laughs, “This was worth the rectals.”

Dahlia nods, “Same.”

Levi groans, “Can I back out of the deal please?”

“No were rotating and you’re taking the first.”

“Which is tomorrow I might tell you.” I chuckle and sip my beer.

“You all suck.” Roy says with a frown that makes me glad I agreed to do this. I sit around them for the first time feeling like their peers instead of acquaintances except for Roy he can go to hell. I feel someone touch my shoulder and I’m worried it’s DeLuca but it’s some frat guy in his looking at me like I’m a meal.

“Hey there what are you drinking?” I brush his hand off my leg and try to ignore him, “Maybe I can buy you another.”

“No thanks I’m gonna call it a night and go home.”

“Is that an invite?” The guy grins at me and I groan in disgust and Helm rolls her eyes annoyed as well, “I saw your little performance and I thought a night of relaxing would be good for that magic throat of yours. Is it magic in just singing or other things as well?”

The interns except Roy come to my aid, “Okay I think it’s time for you to leave buddy she doesn’t want to go with you so be a man and take the rejection.” I look at Casey in appreciation before speaking for myself.

“Yeah and I’m taken at the moment and he wouldn’t like you harassing me very much.” They look at me in shock over telling this guy I was seeing someone.

“Wait what is this? Who is the guy Karev?” Roy asks.

“Yeah who is the guy and where is he to defend your honor little lady?” The frat guy is persistent.

“Is there a problem here?” DeLuca overheard this and he’s come to protect me. I find it both barbaric and touching, “Karev?”

I clear my throat and speak casually, “No thank you Dr. DeLuca I am more than capable of taking care of myself and this asshole.”

The guy chuckles, “Oh come on baby I’m just having fun.” He puts his hand on my shoulder and I immediately react by grabbing his wrist and put him in an arm lock with his body against the table, “Ow, ow, ow!”

Casey looks on in shock and exclaims, "Damn!" The others look on in shock as I hold him down spraining his wrist.

“What the hell is your problem lady?!”

“You are!” I yell out and see Andrew looking at my self defense technique in quiet shock, “Now get out of my sight and keep your hands to yourself. The next woman you harass might have a gun.” I bring him back up and push him away roughly. He walks away and stand there looking at DeLuca who looks at me with an impressed grin.

“I guess you can take care of yourself. Have a good night, Dr. Karev.”

“Good night Dr. DeLuca.” I say with the same level of professionalism he used and he leaves us.

I sit back down sipping my beer as the others gape at me, “Oh yeah did I not mention that I traded theater for boxing?” I say with a grin at their horrified expressions as their renewed fear of me reignites my pleasure.

“…Yeah, I was wrong your just a terrifying force of nature with a good voice.” Casey admits in defeat. I clink my glass with his and sip my beer in satisfaction over how my hellish day ended.

[thatsadroleplayer]

Roleplay information

About me!

Kia Ora! My name is Roman. I am genderfluid and use any pronouns. I enjoy roleplaying, of course, writing, art, reading and a whole bunch of other new stuff. I am open to friends outside of roleplaying, if that is something you'd want. I am from New Zealand! This is just a post about information when it comes to roleplaying that I find important!

Fandoms

(This will go in order of current hyperfixations, etc, although that is subject to change and will be edited when necessary)

The last of us (will base it more around the show but I've also seen playthroughs of both games)

9-1-1

Criminal minds

Sanders sides

Stranger things

Marvel

DC

Buddy daddies

Banana fish

Sk8

Characters

(This will go in order of favourites to least favourites to play as, if the character isn't listed but is a main character in the show it means I likely won't play them)

The last of us

Ellie Williams

Joel Miller

9-1-1

Eddie Diaz

Evan Buckley

Bobby Nash-Grant

Maddie Buckley

Christopher Diaz

Athena Grant-Nash

Hen Wilson

May Grant

Chim Han

Criminal minds

Spencer Reid

Emily Prentiss

Penelope Garcia

Jennifer Jareau

Derek Morgan

Tara Lewis

David Rossi

Aaron Hotchner

Sanders sides

Roman

Patton

Virgil

Janus

Logan

Remus

Stranger things

Steve Harrington

Eddie Munson

Robin Buckley

Max Mayfield

Eleven/El/Jane

Will Byers

Lucas Sinclair

Marvel

Peter Parker

Yelena Belova

Clint Barton

Kate Bishop

Natasha Romanoff

America Chavez

Bucky Barnes

Bruce Banner

Tony Stark

Wade Wilson

Steve Rogers

DC

Jason Todd

Dick Grayson

Tim Drake

Damian Wayne

Wally West

Roy Harper

Donna Troy

Garth

Kon Kent

Jon Kent

Bruce Wayne

Clark Kent

Diana Prince

Buddy Daddies

Kazuki Kurusu

Rei Suwa

Miri Unasaka

Kyutaro Kugi

Banana fish

Yut Lung Lee

Ash Lynx

Shorter Wong

Sing Soo-Ling

Eiji Okumura

Blanca

Sk8

Tadashi Kikuchi

Kaoru Sakurayashiki (Cherry)

Kojiro Nanjo (Joe)

Reki Kyan

Langa Hasegawa

Miya Chinen

Rules

Do not spam me, I have to sleep, go to school, spend time with friends, etc. If I do not respond within twelve hours, then you are welcome to begin to send me reminders.

I will only rp NSFW if it is something the roleplay is leading up to, I will not do a lot of it and it cannot be the main point of the roleplay.

Do not take control of my characters, if you want something to happen then you can speak tome about it and we can figure it out together.

Respect my boundaries, if I tell you something makes me uncomfortable or I don't want to do it do not push me.

My dms are open! If you have ideas and want to do them with me feel free to reach out! I am open to trying other fandoms other than what I have listed, so feel free to suggest things. If I don't know the fandom/haven't finished whatever it is then I will let you know. If is your decision from there whether you wish to continue or find someone better suited.

Communicate with me! I will not know what is going on if you don't communicate. If there's a scene you want to do, if you have to be offline for a while, etc don't be afraid to talk to me! I will do the same.

I welcome any and all identity headcanons except if you make gay characters straight. I often headcanon characters as trans myself.

I am open to ship suggestions, I will tell you if it makes me uncomfortable but if you suggest an obviously problematic ship I will simply block you.

I prefer long responses, but I will try my best to match whatever length you use.

I will not play abusive characters if they are a main character. If they're a side character that is fine, but if they are a main character I won't do it.

I do not have triggers but if you're going to include something that could be triggering please warn me first, it makes me uncomfortable when those kinds of things are suddenly sprung on me.

If you do not follow these rules you will be given a max of three warnings before I will just block you and/or stop replying.

If you think any of this fits you feel free to reach out! Whether you have an idea already or would like to come up with one together!

[alysongills]

Maximize Affiliate Your Income with Powerful Data Insights

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Introduction

Hey there, let's talk about something that's become quite the buzzword in the digital landscape: affiliate marketing. If you're not already in on this, it's a way to earn money online by promoting other people's products and earning a commission on every sale. I mean, what's not to love? In today's fast-paced digital world, having data-driven insights is like finding the Holy Grail for optimizing your affiliate marketing campaigns. Not only can it help you target the right audience, but it can also maximize your earnings. Speaking from personal experience, understanding the numbers behind what we do can truly revolutionize our approach. Quick Recommendation: New to Affiliate Marketing? Check out John Thornhill's Ambassador Program to learn more. Already Established? Partner with John to promote a funnel worth up to £3893 in commissions.

Key Takeaways

- Data-driven insights can significantly enhance your affiliate marketing strategies. - Key metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates provide crucial information. - Using top-notch analytics tools will streamline your data analysis process. - Personalizing marketing efforts based on data can exponentially increase engagement. - Stay compliant with data privacy regulations to avoid any legal hiccups.

The Role of Data in Modern Affiliate Marketing

Data as a Game-Changer Let's face it, folks—think of data as your secret weapon. Back in the day, marketers relied on instinct, gut feelings, and a sprinkle of luck. But now, data transforms those old-school methods, offering precision that can turn your side hustle into a full-time gig. If you harness the power of data, you're not just playing the game—you're changing it. Types of Data Utilized in Affiliate Marketing Alright, so what kind of data are we talking about? First off, there's consumer behavior data. Who's clicking? Who's buying? Then, we’ve got traffic sources—like where your clicks are coming from. Finally, conversion rates and a pinch of sales data can make all the difference. Trust me, the more you know, the better you can tweak your strategies.

Understanding Key Metrics and KPIs

Traffic Metrics One of the first things you wanna do is keep an eye on your click-through rates (CTR) and unique visitors. Every click matters, and oh boy, do you wanna know where they're coming from. It’s like a treasure hunt, except the treasure is data, and the map is your analytics tool. Monitoring CTR can give you the lowdown on how engaging your ads are. Conversion Metrics Next up, let's talk conversion. This is where the magic happens. Tracking conversion rates, sales data, and Return on Investment (ROI) will give you a crystal-clear picture of what's working. If your conversion rates are high, you know you're hitting the jackpot. And if not? Well, time to switch gears and try a different tactic.

Tools and Technologies for Data Collection and Analysis

Analytics Platforms If you’re serious about diving deep into data, then you’ll need the right tools. Platforms like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and HubSpot are your best buddies here. Google Analytics, for instance, can help track metrics like real-time traffic, user behavior, and conversion paths. Meanwhile, SEMrush and HubSpot offer advanced features for competitive analysis and detailed insights into traffic sources and more. Affiliate-Specific Tools Now, if you want something designed specifically for affiliate marketing, check out tools like Post Affiliate Pro and Affise. These platforms are tailor-made for managing affiliate programs, tracking clicks, conversions, and much more. They offer a plethora of features to optimize your campaigns. I once enhanced my earnings by 40% just by leveraging the insights these tools provided!

Strategies for Implementing Data-Driven Insights

Personalizing Marketing Efforts So, you've gathered all this data. Now what? It's time to personalize. Segment your audience based on their behavior and preferences. Use data to tailor your marketing messages, emails, and promotions. I found that personalization can make people feel special, like you’ve rolled out a red carpet just for them. And guess what? They respond. Kids' birthdays? Use that data! Seasonal preferences? All there! Optimizing Ad Placements and Creatives Remember that time when I thought my ad was perfect, but it flopped? Yeah, been there, done that. With data, you don't have to guess. Use it to figure out which ads and placements perform the best. Maybe your audience loves quirky headlines, or perhaps they're more visual. The data will tell you. Optimize your creatives based on performance metrics, and you’re golden.

Challenges and Considerations

Data Privacy and Compliance In today’s world, you can’t afford to ignore data privacy regulations. Whether it’s GDPR in Europe or CCPA in California, complying with these laws is non-negotiable. Make sure you're transparent with your audience about how their data is being used. It’s not just about following the law; it's about building trust. Data Quality and Accuracy Lastly, ensuring data quality and accuracy is crucial. Incorrect or outdated data can lead you astray. Always verify your data sources and regularly clean your database. Think of it like tending to your garden—pull out the weeds to let the beautiful flowers bloom.

#image_title

Understanding Key Metrics and KPIs

Traffic Metrics

One of the first things you wanna do is keep an eye on your Click-Through Rates (CTR) and Unique Visitors. Every click matters, and oh boy, do you wanna know where they're coming from. It’s like a treasure hunt, except the treasure is data, and the map is your analytics tool. Monitoring CTR can give you the lowdown on how engaging your ads are. - CTR: How often people click on your affiliate link compared to how many saw it. - Unique Visitors: The number of distinct individuals visiting your site. Tracking these metrics ensures you’re not shooting in the dark. Consistently analyzing this data gives you a good grip on what’s driving traffic and what isn’t. Trust me, it’s like having a GPS instead of just hoping for the best.

Conversion Metrics

Next up, let's talk conversion. This is where the magic happens. Tracking Conversion Rates, Sales Data, and Return on Investment (ROI) will give you a crystal-clear picture of what's working. If your conversion rates are high, you know you're hitting the jackpot. And if not? Well, time to switch gears and try a different tactic. - Conversion Rates: The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action. - Sales Data: Actual sales numbers which show the effectiveness of your efforts. - ROI: The revenue generated versus the cost of your marketing efforts. Understanding these metrics means knowing precisely when and where your efforts are paying off. It's not just about driving traffic; it's about making sure that traffic converts.

Tools and Technologies for Data Collection and Analysis

Analytics Platforms

If you’re serious about diving deep into data, then you’ll need the right tools. Platforms like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and HubSpot are your best buddies here. Google Analytics, for instance, can help track metrics like real-time traffic, user behavior, and conversion paths. Meanwhile, SEMrush and HubSpot offer advanced features for competitive analysis and detailed insights into traffic sources and more. - Google Analytics: Track real-time performance and user behavior on your site. - SEMrush: Deep dive into competitive analysis and keyword strategies. - HubSpot: Comprehensive tool for holistic marketing insights. Once you get a grip on these tools, they become second nature. It's like upgrading from a basic phone to a smartphone—you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them!

Affiliate-Specific Tools

Now, if you want something designed specifically for affiliate marketing, check out tools like Post Affiliate Pro and Affise. These platforms are tailor-made for managing affiliate programs, tracking clicks, conversions, and much more. They offer a plethora of features to optimize your campaigns. - Post Affiliate Pro: Comprehensive affiliate tracking solution with advanced features. - Affise: Powerful performance marketing tool for maximizing campaigns. Plus, don’t forget other handy tools like ThirstyAffiliates or Tapfiliate. I once enhanced my earnings by 40% just by leveraging the insights these tools provided! Quick Recommendation: New to Affiliate Marketing? Check out John Thornhill's Ambassador Program to learn more. Already Established? Partner with John to promote a funnel worth up to £3893 in commissions.

Strategies for Implementing Data-Driven Insights

Personalizing Marketing Efforts

So, you've gathered all this data. Now what? It's time to personalize. Segment your audience based on their behavior and preferences. Use data to tailor your marketing messages, emails, and promotions. I found that personalization can make people feel special, like you’ve rolled out a red carpet just for them. And guess what? They respond. Kids' birthdays? Use that data! Seasonal preferences? All there! - Audience Segmentation: Dividing your audience into groups based on behavior and preferences. - Tailoring Messages: Creating customized messages for each segment. Imagine knowing exactly what your audience wants and giving it to them—before they even ask! It’s all in the data, my friend.

Optimizing Ad Placements and Creatives

Remember that time when I thought my ad was perfect, but it flopped? Yeah, been there, done that. With data, you don't have to guess. Use it to figure out which ads and placements perform the best. Maybe your audience loves quirky headlines, or perhaps they're more visual. The data will tell you. Optimize your creatives based on performance metrics, and you’re golden. - A/B Testing: Conducting experiments to determine the best ad versions. - Performance Metrics: Data-driven insights on what’s working and what’s not. Mistakes happen, but they’re data too. Learn, adapt, and keep optimizing. Before you know it, your campaigns will become as irresistible as your favorite TV binge.

Challenges and Considerations

Data Privacy and Compliance

In today’s world, you can’t afford to ignore data privacy regulations. Whether it’s GDPR in Europe or CCPA in California, complying with these laws is non-negotiable. Make sure you're transparent with your audience about how their data is being used. It’s not just about following the law; it's about building trust. - GDPR: Ensure compliance with European data protection laws. - CCPA: Follow California’s consumer privacy regulations. Remember, respecting your audience’s data is like keeping a secret—it’s all about trust. Once you have it, the sky’s the limit.

Data Quality and Accuracy

Lastly, ensuring data quality and accuracy is crucial. Incorrect or outdated data can lead you astray. Always verify your data sources and regularly clean your database. Think of it like tending to your garden—pull out the weeds to let the beautiful flowers bloom. - Data Integrity: Ensuring your data is accurate and up-to-date. - Maintaining Accuracy: Regularly check and clean your data sources. There's nothing worse than basing your decisions on faulty data. It's like using a map with the wrong coordinates. Trust me, you don't want to end up lost.

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Actionable Steps to Leverage Data-Driven Insights

Setting Clear Objectives and Goals Alright, let’s get down to brass tacks. First things first, define measurable goals. Are you looking to increase click-through rates (CTR), grow your email list, or boost sales conversions? Knowing your desired outcome is like having a treasure map—it tells you where to dig. - Align goals with business objectives: Think of it as syncing the beats of your favorite jam. Harmony helps. - Measurable goals: "Increase sales by 20% in three months" beats "sell more" any day. Take, for instance, the time I aimed to double my blog's affiliate income by year-end. It wasn't just a wish—it was a clearly outlined strategy aligned with my bigger dream of financial freedom. Regular Monitoring and Analysis You know that saying, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry?” Not if you're constantly monitoring and analyzing your data. Regular check-ins are crucial. - Continuous data monitoring: It's like checking the weather before a picnic—better safe than soggy. - Tools and methods: Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and DataBox are your trusty tools here. Consider the case where a beauty brand saw a 30% increase in conversions just by switching their focus after regular performance reviews. It’s not magic, it’s data! Adapting and Iterating Campaigns Flexibility isn't just for yoga. Adapting and iterating your campaigns based on insights can make all the difference. - Using insights: Think of insights as your GPS. When it tells you to “recalculate,” listen! - Importance of flexibility: Don’t be rigid; adaptability is key. I remember tweaking my affiliate links several times over a month. Did it pay off? Heck, yes! My click-through rates soared by 25%, all thanks to minor but smart changes.

Future Trends in Data-Driven Affiliate Marketing

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning The future is now, peeps! AI and machine learning are no longer just sci-fi fantasies. They’re transforming how we approach affiliate marketing. - Predicting consumer behavior: Imagine knowing what your audience wants before they do. AI makes that possible. - Smarter audience targeting: Machine learning helps in sending the right message at the right time. Brands already use AI to tailor ads precisely to user preferences. What's next? AI-driven customer service that's practically psychic. Buckle up! Blockchain for Transparency and Trust Say goodbye to shady dealings! Blockchain is bringing a new level of transparency to affiliate marketing. Blockchain is a digital system for recording information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to change, hack, or cheat. Each piece of information is stored in a "block," and these blocks are linked together in a "chain." This technology is used for secure transactions, like cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin), and can also track and verify data in various industries. It is decentralized, meaning no single person or group has control, making it more secure and transparent. Blockchain is like a digital ledger that everyone can trust - Enhancing transparency: No more smoke and mirrors—everything's out in the open. - Tracking and payments: Secure and transparent. Two words that should make any marketer's heart sing. I recently read about a campaign where blockchain ensured zero disputes over affiliate payouts. Future implications? This tech might soon become as standard as spellcheck. Quick Recommendation: New to Affiliate Marketing? Check out John Thornhill's Ambassador Program to learn more. Already Established? Partner with John to promote a funnel worth up to £3893 in commissions.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

To wrap it all up, leveraging data-driven insights is no longer optional; it's essential. Whether it's setting clear goals, regular monitoring, or adapting campaigns, data is your friend. So, why wait? Dive into your data and let it guide you to affiliate success! Ready to get started? Check out this comprehensive guide on data-driven marketing and another resource on affiliate marketing strategies.

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FAQs

What is the best way to start using data-driven insights in affiliate marketing? Start by defining clear objectives, regularly monitor your performance, and be ready to adapt your campaigns based on what the data tells you. Which tools are essential for data analysis? Google Analytics, SEMrush, HubSpot, and affiliate-specific tools like Post Affiliate Pro and Affise are highly effective. How often should I review my data? Regularly—preferably weekly or monthly. Being consistent helps you understand trends and make timely adjustments. What are the main benefits of using AI in affiliate marketing? Apart from smarter audience targeting, AI can predict consumer behaviors and personalize marketing strategies much more effectively. Can blockchain really make a difference in affiliate marketing? Absolutely! Blockchain can provide unmatched transparency and security, making tracking and payments more reliable. How can I ensure data privacy and compliance? Stay updated with regulations like GDPR and CCPA, and always be transparent about how you handle your audience's data. What should I do if my campaigns aren't performing well? Analyze the data to find weak spots, make necessary tweaks, and stay flexible. Iterations based on data can turn things around.   Read the full article

[j2memories]

Telegraph India article (October 19th 2013)

Supernatural siblings

WE ARE BROTHERS FOR LIFE, SUPERNATURAL HUNKS JARED PADALECKI AND JENSEN ACKLES TELL T2 Priyanka Roy What Would You Tell Jared And Jensen If You Met Them? Tell T2@abp.in   Published 19.10.13, 12:00 AM

Through nine seasons, the Winchester brothers — Dean and Sam — have battled demons, busted metaphysical myths and redefined chills and thrills on the small screen. In an email chat, Jared Padalecki (who plays Sam) and Jensen Ackles (who plays Dean) tell t2 about the show (Season 9 currently airs Monday to Thursday at 8pm on AXN) that’s made them a household name across the world.

When you were first approached to play brothers who bust ghosts and hunt down devils, did you ever think that Supernatural would become the show it is today?

Jared Padalecki: We’re one of the longest running shows on television! When I turned 31 (on July 19 this year), I remember thinking, ‘Wow… I’m 31 and this is my ninth season. This is a third of my life!’ It’s pretty amazing. I feel that what we’re doing this season could go on for however long the writers, and the fans, want to keep it going. We’ve opened so many doors and we didn’t close any... we didn’t kill this or stop that, we just left it so that we can do anything. What the writers have chosen to do is so awesome. I want to strangle them because I’m really excited about it — but I’m not allowed to tell you anything more at this stage. My hands are tied.

How does Season 9 carry the drama forward?

Jared: Season Nine is really cool! I’m more excited about shooting this season than any other season of Supernatural. I was really excited when I read the first five scripts and I think they are the best five episodes I’ve ever read, including Season One. As an actor, and as a fan of the show, I’m really excited about it. I am certain that the fans are going to think the storyline is badass this season. And I’m really hoping that they like my choices as an actor when they see what happens.

At the end of last year, Sam was not getting better. Well, this storyline will explain how Sam gets better. Dean says, ‘Hey buddy, stop the trials and you’re not going to die.’ And so Sam does stop the trials, but clearly he does not get better. We know that at some point between then and the second episode of Season Nine, he gets better and you’ll find out why immediately.

How much of Sam is Jared and how much of Dean is Jensen?

Jared: I grew up with Sam — I started the show when I was 22. I even met my wife (Genevieve Cortese who played Ruby) on this show. In fact, now I try to find similarities between the character and my own personality.

Jensen Ackles: The longer we become these characters, go through so much on and off, we get a greater clarity about ourselves. Now I know the clear differences between Dean and me. The only exception being that we look exactly alike!

What’s been the most challenging bit about playing Sam and Dean?

Jensen: I’d say... just I think, the emotional toll that he has sometimes where he doesn’t think that he is of value, that he isn’t equal to the people that he surrounds himself with. He’ll put other people first before himself. He’s very quick to sacrifice himself, and that’s difficult. I think it’s also a noble trade. 

Jared: And I feel Sam is very pensive and he’s very fastidious when he’s trying to get a task done. And Jared’s like that. I read instruction booklets, I really do... when I get something, I can’t buy something and just go like, ‘Oh, I’ll figure it out.’ I read and re-read it and I try and really figure everything out. And I like that... Sam kind of takes that approach. And I guess before I started acting, I was going to be an engineer, and maybe that’s what it comes from, just that kind of break everything down to put it all back together, reverse engineering or whatever. However, sometimes I feel like I wish Sam would make a hard decision.

Do you believe in the supernatural?

Jensen: I wouldn’t call myself superstitious, but I do suspect there’s more between heaven and earth... even hell. I’m open for spiritual experiences, although I haven’t needed any salt yet to ward off evil spirits from my home!

Jared: I firmly believe that things happen for a reason. That may sound melodramatic, but I don’t believe coincidence exists. And I also believe we’re not the only living creatures in this universe.

Which have been your favourite moments on the show so far?

Jensen: My favourite moment is when the brothers made a commitment to each other in the church. This is a commitment that they’re going to check in with each other... that they are going to remain partners and stay on the same track and not be like, ‘You go do this while I go and do that, and we’ll all try to solve the world our own way.’

Is there anything you would want to change about Dean and Sam?

Jared: There’s a term we use, to “man up” — “man up and get the job done”. Sam ends up making a decision, but I don’t think he takes a stand. There’s a small difference, and I wish he’d take a stand sometimes.

You guys have been sharing screen space through nine seasons. What kind of a dynamic do you share off screen?

Jensen: That’s almost impossible to explain. Nine months a year we’re stuck with each other literally 24 hours a day, seven days a week because we’re working on the show. Even doing stuff for ourselves in between isn’t possible. We’re constantly together. And even when we’re not actually working together during the nine months, or the other three months out of the year for that matter, we always find ourselves choosing to hang out and be together. But what I’m saying is, if you compare our relationship with Dean and Sam’s relationship on the show, there is a huge difference. Jared never drives me up the wall.We can talk to each other about anything.

Whenever we’ve fought, it’s been for each other! Like, I’ll do or say something and he will too and the other one might not like it, but in the end we’re doing it to help or protect them and it’s never against him. I think we do have that loyalty and I can honestly say you know, I’d trust my life with this guy and I guess in relevance to Dean for Sam, I would jump in front of a bullet for him any day and never think twice.

Jared: And the best part about Jensen and my relationship is it’s gonna be that way when we’re on the show and not. I mean, unfortunately for him, he’s stuck with me for life now and that’s important. But look, brothers and sisters, for that matter, sometimes fight. Or worse... they can’t get along at all. Between Jensen and me there have never been any issues and I think that’s rather special.

Jensen: We’re best friends, period. He’s my best friend for life. I don’t think it’s that remarkable, but it’s definitely special.

Are you aware that you have a huge fan following in India?

Jared: I was so surprised when I was informed that we have a huge fan following in India. Until recently, I had no idea that the show was even airing in India! It feels so good to know we have fans across the continent.

Jensen: I had no idea either. Jared and I both found out about it together! We are dying to come to India... it would be amazing.

What’s the craziest thing a fan has done for you?

Jared: The people will come up and be like, ‘Oh, my gosh! I saw an episode where this happened and it made me think of this time when I saw this.’ And you’re like: ‘What did you do? Get the salt?’ So the fans are pretty funny. The fans of the show are certainly. They’re not casual fans. People, if they know the show, they know the show, which is nice. It’s wonderful to have such a dedicated audience and a loyal following. It’s become part of the show and we’ve made episodes about our fans. So that’s fun, and they certainly share their stories with us.

Source: telegraphindia.com - October 19th 2013, written by Priyanka Roy

Link to the article

[sillysadduck]

honestly i'd love to hear ur headcanons about the dhmis teachers ::::D

HELLO FRIEND! Ughh I'm so mad I couldn't answer this ask before but tumblr genuinely wouldn't even let me open it at first:( I think I posted about that issue- I was also offline for a few days but im back <:D

IM SO GLAD YOU ASKED♡♡

These are my hcs for the og teachers, if you want to see the ones I have for my human AU too let me know :)

general hc for all of them: all of them dislike kids, except for Steak, and some of them suck at interacting with them.

Paige/Sketchbook:

-Their voice sounds a bit uninterested and annoyed in the first episode and I think they genuinely were.

-Got scared when things got weird. They weren't expecting all of that to happen.

-They're friends with almost all of the other teachers. They get along the best with Tony. They're a bit scared of Steak tho.

-They actually don't know shit about art, they just pretend to know💫

-They love to annoy Tony, they find it funny when he gets mad at them.

-They draw on themselves.

-They don't like using their legs most of the time, but they can. As seen in episode 6 they're just little black sticks like their arms.

Shrignold:

-More of a general hc but he worships the Malcom statue as a representation of the actual Malcom. Malcom is actually something among the lines of a God so he can't be seen or touched in reality.

-He has internalized homophobia, but he's gay himself. He just wouldn't act on it, it's against his beliefs.

-He's actually really good with kids. Thats how he got Yellow's "Special One" to join his cult.

-Doesn't mean he likes them, but he's an amazing manipulator.

-He will preach to anyone and I mean ANYONE, I do think he genuinely convinced Paige and Tony to join him by just talking with them.

-He's not aware of some of the creepy members of his cult (furry boy I'm looking at you) but he doesn't care either.

Tony:

-I actually posted a doodle of this but he hangs himself on the wall and behaves like an actual inanimate clock when he's mad at someone 💫

-That someone is Paige 80% of the time bc theyre annoying

-ANGER ISSUES

-Autistic!!

-He has no patience, asking him a question is like asking your dad to teach you math. He will yell, slam his hands against the table, get frustrated a hundred times and then he will apologize only if he feels like it.

-Not a good teacher at all, but he's good at keeping normal conversations. Just don't ask him any deep questions.

-The others don't understand him. Everyone considers him hard to deal with because of his short temper. He gets along the best with Paige and Colin.

Colin:

-Also autistic bc how could he not be

-Actually knows the darkest parts of the "digital world"/internet but just like in a common computer you won't get easy access to those.

-He was Roy's computer! He's a fairly old computer, Roy stopped using him when he became glitchy and only brought him back for the show.

-Is super slow most of the time, using him as an actual computer is frustrating.

-Yellow can use him to play old computer games tho, and he will if given a chance.

-Gets mad at Red preferring Laptop because Laptop is not glitchy, it makes him feel replaced and frustrated.

-Scared of bugs, no joke intended

Steak/Lamp chop:

-Literal BBQ dad

-The other teachers find him intimidating bc bro is huge.

-Spinach Can and Bread Boy are like his kids! And Fridge is always by his side, nobody knows if they're in love or just buddies.

-He doesn't speak to any of the other teachers or the main trio most of the time, he's happy with the healthy gang and feels like he doesn't need more than them.

-Spinach really looks up to him, they never leave his side. Steak will carry them everywhere and tell them bad jokes.

-Yellow wants to be picked up by him all the time, he doesn't find him scary, he just saw he's tall and now he wants up.

Larry/Lamp:

-Man was DRUNK while he was singing about dreams.

-Can't form coherent thoughts, ever.

-Shrignold loves to be around him bc he always listens. Truth is he's always kind of lost inside his own brain so that makes him a good listener.

-He's really strong physically but he's not aware of it, Yellow was really hurt when he grabbed him by the arm.

-He will fall asleep anywhere and anytime. He doesn't even care.

-He uses Colin as Google by asking him lots and lots of questions.

-No one can stand to be around him when he gets philosophical. And I mean no one. Not even Yellow. His philosophical questions don't even make any sense.

Bonus main trio hcs:

-Yellow is autistic and has ADHD :)

-He loves to be picked up!

-ofc he's a puppet but I hc him to be somewhere between 4 and 8 instead of being 48😃 bc... [SPOILER AHEAD] no way he went from being 38 to being 48 the same day on wakey wakey.

-Red is also autistic.

-He learned Yellow will stop crying if he carries him. So he does.

-Sometimes he'll sleep on his bed with him too if that means he can help him sleep better.

-Duck reads bedtime stories for Yellow.

-If he's talking too much Red will pick him up by the scruff of his neck as a kitten as a sweet and silent way of telling him to please please please shut up.

-He has a short temper, just like Tony.

This got super long I'm sooo sorry I just love talking about them </3

[sigurdjarlson]

Okay, so i'm constantly having a dream where Greg's addiction to drugs is developing (like muuuuuuch worse than you think, he tried out heroin and stuff) and I'm extremely curious of how tom rection would look like??

You been reading my mind? I’ve been infatuated with the idea of Greg absolutely spiraling via drugs for a while now. Whether it’s partying with Kendall that got him there or just the result of him casually doing it and becoming more and more reliant on it to feel something, to feel good.

(Nic Braun when will I stop being haunted by your quotes “nothing feels good to Greg. Everything feels bad all the time.” And “Greg never feels safe”)

I’ll push aside Kenstar Gregco party boy au thoughts and see what I can do with where we left off in canon

And while I don’t think that’s probably where they’re going in s4 it would be an interesting and painful route. This life isn’t making him happy, not really. I think he’s fixated on the moments where he is and more so the possibility that one day, if he gets high up enough on the ladder..he will be?

(Which we just have to look at his cousins to know life at the top is empty, devoid of meaning and devoid of love because there’s no room for it there. It twists and perverts love and everything else along with it.

And I think what Greg needs to be happy is love except I think he’s given up on that in regards to his family. And he probably should. The Roys aren’t capable of being the kind of family he needs. They don’t give a fuck about him frankly and he knows that now.

But anyway yes I could see him breaking down more and more even though on a surface level it looks like he’s living the life.

And he doesn’t understand why he’s unhappy but like most things Greg just tries to push what bothers him away/not think about it.

And what “better” way to feel better, if only for a little while? We know he went to Roman for coke because he was anxious. That’s not the best sign? It’s bad enough he’s asking at all but he’s not doing it recreationally here he’s using it as a coping mechanism. And that kind of behavior? Could potentially easily spiral out of control

Especially if his mother has addiction issues like some people have suggested (would really give a lot of weight to his “I don’t do white drugs!” And then him doing them and continuing to do so)

And he has Tom but he doesn’t have Tom. Not in the way he wants him.

And Tom would notice something is off but Greg would deny the fuck out of it.

And the first time some guy he goes home with suggests a speedball he says yes. Sounds fucking great. Except heroin is so much more addictive than coke.

It feels great. The come down not so much but the high? He feels alive for the the first time in a long fucking time since working at Waystar.

And he starts avoiding Tom. Hanging out with other people. It fucking hurts at first but it doesn’t take Tom long to realize there’s something very wrong with Greg.

And Greg’s i’ll just try it this one time becomes maybe one more time…and then I’ll only do it sometimes. And so on…

And Tom notices he’s thinner. Antsy, jumpy, irritable, and seems to bounce between not sleeping at all and falling asleep at his desk.

It’s really not hard to put the pieces together. He knows he’s been partying harder. Tom has done coke before he knows how to have a good time. It’s just..he’s maybe starting to wonder if it’s going too far? Maybe that’s not all he’s fucking doing?

And he finds out because Tom is too nosy to not find out.

Tom? Tom would flip the fuck out. Because now he really knows he’s on a Kendall level spiral if not worse because Kendall still manages to be slightly functional. What the fuck is Greg thinking? He’s going to end up dead.

All he can think about is that all the while he’s been fucking shooting up and snorting whatever he can get he could have easily ended up dead.

Would Tom even fucking know at first? If he overdosed would his new buddies (strangers) even drop him off at a hospital or would they dump him somewhere to die in a ditch somewhere? And then he just seemingly disappears until someone finds his fucking body? Would anyone but Tom even care if he did?

And he’s got horrible thoughts of walking into his apartment and finding him dead with a needle sticking out of his arm.

And he can’t stop thinking about how it can still happen if this doesn’t stop.

Actually..it’s really its not a question of if it will happen but rather when if he continues like this.

Greg looks broken when he calls him on it, looking so thin and ragged, more broken than he’s ever seen him. He wants to scream at him, he wants to fucking cry because he let it get this far and he wants to take Greg somewhere far away from this fucking life. Because it’s literally fucking killing him.

Greg just buries his face in his chest and sobs as he finally breaks, “I wish I was…home. I wanna go home.” He doesn’t know where home is. It’s not with his mom anymore. He can’t face her. His grandfather would be more disgusted with him then ever.

It’s sure as fuck not here at Waystar or with the Roys. He doesn’t even recognize himself in the mirror anymore.

And with Tom holding him close, holding him so tightly it’s almost as if he’s trying to physically keep him from falling apart completely, he thinks maybe home is Tom. The one person who’s always looked after him.

And maybe that’s a start.

[thestupidhelmet]

What are the pros and cons of each season, excluding season 8 which we all know never happened?

This is a subjective opinion, of course, and it won't be a comprehensive list. That would take me too long. 😅

Season 1

Pros:

The American '70s milieu being part and parcel of the show's stories and characterization rather than being background element.

Eric and Donna's playful relationship and its development into romance.

Red being less of a hardass, his love for Eric being obvious despite Red's general toughness toward him, and Red's higher tolerance -- and even enjoyment -- of Eric's friends and Jackie.

The development of Jackie and Donna's friendship.

Hyde's complete characterization overhaul in "Prom Night' (1x19)

Kelso showing loyalty to Eric in "Grandma's Dead" (1x23) and other moments where he actually seems to be a friend to Eric and Hyde rather than solely a selfish, self-interested dillhole.

Kelso being a math and tech prodigy.

Jackie not being a stereotype "dumb cheerleader" but someone who cared about her studies, did homework on Saturday nights, and got As on her essays.

Laurie, in the first two-thirds of season 1, being depicted as smart academically, savvy socially, and not interested in Kelso at all. She was an overall more complex character until the writers used her as the show's main antagonist.

Fez being characterized as naive and trying to fit in with his American friends; he didn't know how far to push a joke and often pushed it too far in an attempt to acclimate to a new culture. Because of this, he said some disturbing things, but he came by them innocently. It wasn't due to being a boundary-invading perv (as he later became).

Fez's insight and friendship with Hyde.

Red and Kitty being in love and continuing to have the hots for each other -- and only each other. Goes against the cliched TV longtime-marriage that's lost its passion.

Cons:

Hyde's characterization before "Prom Night" (1x19) / His very problematic and disturbing pursuit of Donna romantically / sexually.

The major character shift in Laurie as a mischief maker and sower of chaos, screwing up other people's relationships for her own amusement and pleasure.

The episode order being shuffled by Fox and the premature time jump to 1977, which confused the true story arc of season 1.

"A New Hope" (1x20) being the original season 1 finale, leaving Eric and Donna's relationship uncertain. A huge conflict occurs between them in this episode, intended to the cliffhanger for the audience to ponder over the summer -- are Eric and Donna breaking up? -- which is promptly forgotten as if it never happened in the episodes that followed.

The mixed messages of "Eric's Buddy" (1x11). It's a combo of "Gay is okay!" and "Gay panic for laughs!"

Season 2

Pros:

The storytelling, in general, is very on point. It puts character (and character development) first and lets plot and humor arise naturally from it.

The character development (e.g., Red being out of work and Kitty supporting him emotionally and family financially, Hyde becoming compassionate toward and protective of Jackie, Eric and Donna working through their relationship issues and growing from them, etc.)

This is my favorite season of the series, and the two above points, I believe, cover all the pros (again, if were to make a comprehensive list, it would be way too long)

Cons:

Kelso's characterization shift. He goes from being a semi-louse who has (some) loyalty to other people to a full-on, selfish, self-entitled dillhole.

Laurie essentially raping Kelso.

Fez's Nice Guy syndrome toward Jackie

The American '70s milieu fading into the background

Red losing a good portion of his softness; becoming a less balanced character

Season 3

Pros:

More good storytelling and character / character-relationship development. Even if that development isn't always pleasant, it's organic.

Cons:

Jackie's invasion of Hyde's boundaries played for laughs (even though Donna does call her on it, which is a pro).

The show not acknowledging (through Jackie, Hyde, and other characters) the huge arc between Jackie and Hyde during season 2 and the first third of season 3 -- with the exception of "Ice Shack" (3x10), as if it never happened.

Kelso invading Donna's boundaries in "Roller Disco" (3x05)

Season 4

Pros:

The good storytelling and character / character-relationship development continues -- but not for the whole season.

Fez's characterization and relationship with Rhonda.

The unintentional but never-the-less present moments of bonding and closeness between Jackie and Hyde.

Bob and Joanne's relationship

Cons:

The destruction of Fez's character at the end of the season.

Kelso's growth of the end of S3 and first half of S4 being erased and replaced by an even worse version of Kelso.

One of the main reasons Donna and Eric breakup at the end of S3 is so she can experience independence; but she jumps deeply into a monogamous relationship (on her end) with Casey Kelso halfway into the season.

Jackie and Hyde's S2-S3 relationship dynamic getting no acknowledgment; their relationship getting no direct, obvious development at all.

Season 5

Pros:

Eric and Donna reconcile romantically.

Jackie and Hyde's romantic relationship begins.

Many good episodes (but not all).

Kitty getting a story arc focused on her.

Laurie's character development.

Cons:

Eric and Donna not dealing with what broke them up. Eric saying, "Forget about all that stuff," is the writers' way of saying that to the audience so they could move onto the engagement storyline. It's not good storytelling. At least one episode (if not more) were needed for Eric and Donna to deal with their issues from season 3.

Jackie and Hyde's romantic relationship being disconnected completely from their S2-S3 relationship.

A somewhat pathological passive-aggressiveness being added to Hyde's character

Hyde's character being manipulated to serve plot and create the cliffhanger at the end of season 5. The writers were aware this is what they were doing and acknowledged it through an exchange Hyde has with Roy before Hyde chooses not to confront Jackie and learn -- which is what he actually would have done -- and, instead, "retaliates" for the perceived injury Jackie gave him, which also serves as his passive-aggressive way to break up with her.

Hyde putting his fear of losing Jackie above Jackie's pain and feelings of betrayal once he admits his transgression with the nurse.

Hyde acting like Jackie pitting him and Kelso against each other for one night in a competition for her affection is equal to the injury he causes her by sleeping with someone else (out of insecure assumptions, a lack of trust, and an unwillingness to give Jackie the benefit of the doubt).

Fez's behavior growing more and more disturbing (e.g., hiding under Donna's bed to masturbate while Donna and Jackie sleep).

The beginning of the end of Red's true and consistent characterization, toward Kitty specifically. The start of him becoming a cliched, put-upon sitcom husband, whose wife is a cause of misery more often than joy.

Season 6

Pros:

Some very well-written, well-characterized episodes (particularly for Jackie/Hyde and Brooke/Kelso).

Kelso's character growth and story arc with Brooke.

Cons:

Kitty becoming a certified alcoholic.

Red continuing his downward spiral into a cliched, put-upon sitcom husband.

Hyde's transgression against Jackie in season 5 never being mentioned. Hyde acts like the injured party in the first few episodes of season 6, and the show writes his and Jackie's issues as if they're both equally to blame when Hyde is the one who bears one-hundred percent of the responsibility for their breakup.

No true development between Donna and Eric. Their storylines are rehashed from earlier seasons.

Eric and Donna unnecessarily setting a wedding date instead of remaining engaged, only for neither of them actually feeling ready to get married by the end of the season.

The show's first filler episode "Young Man Blues" (6x09), which does nothing to further the overall plot of season 6 or develop the characters.

The total mishandling of Pam Burkhart's storyline. This includes Hyde acting completely contrary to how seasons 1-5 Hyde would have (i.e. being pissed at Pam on Jackie's behalf, wanting to support her rather than feeling it's a burden, feeling protective of her, etc.) It also includes Jackie and Donna's potential for friendship development due to their shared parental situation being wasted.

Fez's continuing to devovle into a punchline, a punchline-giver, and someone who commits inappropriate behavior toward his female friends.

Laurie's recast causing the writers to scrap the originally intended storyline for her as an individual (i.e. continued character growth) and for her and Fez's relationship.

Season 7

Pros:

A few funny episodes.

A few decently-characterized episodes.

The introduction of W.B. and Angie.

Cons:

Red changing from someone utterly devoted to Kitty, feeling romantic and sexual passion only for her, to someone who not only finds other women attractive but seeks out their attention -- and generally (though not always) acts like being married to Kitty is a hardship instead of a blessing.

Wasting the potential of W.B. and Angie's characters. Focusing on Angie's relationship with Kelso rather than with Hyde. Not exploring Hyde and W.B.'s relationship deeply.

Jackie and Hyde's unnecessary breakups. They're caused by a rehashed conflict that was resolved in "Do You Think Its Alright (6x18)" and were likely meant to lead up to a "dramatic" series finale outcome where Hyde finally fully commits to Jackie by proposing to her.

Separating Eric from Hyde, Kelso, and Fez is many storylines and keeping most of his storylines between him, Donna, and his parents.

Fez remaining stagnant as a character.

Most of Kelso's growth being -- yet again -- erased.

Brooke and Betsy's absence.

Another post of mine you might find interesting is: What I Think Is Each Character’s Best Season of the Series (Exclusding Season 8), Character-Wise and Why.

[copperpieceharlot]

Bud I’m sorry to swing into your inbox uninvited like this but my soul is having an OOTS renaissance thanks to your content in the tag and did you say Leverage AU

haha holy SHIT this got Long. but yes. i’ve been. Thinking. (also literally Never feel like you have to apologize for sending me messages. i was Hoping someone would ask me about this. now i have an Excuse to share EVERYTHING ive written abt it :3)

Obviously, Roy is the leader/brains of the outfit. He grew up having some Strong Opinions abt what’s Legal versus what’s Right due to tragic backstory involving the death of his little brother which was definitely SOMEONE’S fault for negligence but since there technically wasn’t any illegal behavior, there were no consequences for it. Also he’s still angry at his dad bc he thinks his dad is also partly culpable (and also also just a dick). He’s the Moral Backbone of the team (alongside Durkon, more on that later) in basically the same way Nate was in og Leverage. He’s actually not the best at figuring out what people want (that’s Haley and, shockingly, occasionally Elan), but once he has that info, he is the absolute best at figuring out the ideal plan of attack to use in any given case.

Haley is still a thief. I mean she maps to Parker almost PERFECTLY. Her dad was a thief & a conman, her mom wasn’t but knew about it and mostly accepted it, but she died tragically in a mugging gone wrong or smth, which made Ian crank the paranoia WAY up and taught Haley to do the same in the name of “safety”. Let’s keep the “Ian is in Trouble and Haley needs money, Fast” which is why she signs on to the first job in the first place. She’s less acrobatic than Parker, tending towards finding (or making) weak spots in security, but she can still make a tumble check when she needs to.

Elan is the grifter who is somehow an Idiot but also not???? It baffles everyone. When he’s playing a part for a con, he’s FLAWLESS, but then the rest of the time he’s just. No Thoughts Head Empty. He probably gets lured in initially because he’s decided to try his hand at being part of a full team, rather than the two-man cons he’s been running that invariably end w his partner conning him as well and stealing half of his take. Also he likes the idea of being Crime Friends. He’s that tweet where it’s like, Roy: “after the heist is over, we split up and never communicate again” / Elan: [about to unveil his Crime Buddies Forever Friendship Quilt Puppets]: “never?”

Vaarsuvius is the hacker/gadget person. They have a Vaguely Snobby Yet Unidentifiable accent, dyed(?) purple hair (nobody has ever seen their roots) and nobody knows who they “really” are or where they came from, but they’re good at what they do so everyone just accepts the mystery. They probably got suckered into the team by their initial employer (who I’ll get to Eventually, lol) framing it as a challenge to their intellect, like, “oh, I see, you’re not smart enough to make this team work for you...” to which they were like Fucking Watch Me and also melted his computer. Anyways. They are joined (digitally) by their Intrepid Friend And Co-Conspirator (his words, not theirs), a fellow hacker known only as Blackwing, or, on certain forums, Blackwing_Bird. (In the first season, V only occasionally references him when saying they’re “calling in extra help” or smth for a particularly complex hack job. He starts showing up a little more in s2 and eventually by the start of s4 is a regular & established presence, but only appears as actions in a computer interface or output.) Elan is convinced he’s an AI, Belkar doesn’t think he actually exists, Haley pretends she doesn’t think he exists, and Durkon and Roy try not to think about it too hard, as long as B and V still get the job done.

Belkar is the hitter. He is on the team bc their initial employer got him out of jail for it. He doesn’t have a tragic backstory, he just likes doing violent crimes. As the series progresses, he grows some empathy & stuff, but really only for people who actually deserve it. Assholes still get decked. It’s all very touching. (Also he has dwarfism caused by achondroplasia. It doesn’t actually bother him and is useful in fights bc his opponents frequently have no fucking clue how to approach him, but he likes Pretending to take offense at stupid things just to see how far he can go with it.)

Aaaand last but not least, Durkon is the least involved member of the team. He’s actually a career criminal and Roy’s mentor, and wasn’t a member of the initial team that [redacted, I’ll tell you later, PROMISE] put together for a couple of reasons, the main one being that he’s Officially retired in order to spend more time with his family, which consists of his mom, his friend (not girlfriend) Hilgya, baby Kudzu, and a truly stunning number of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Roy frequently calls or visits him for advice and he Occasionally shows up to help out on local jobs, but generally he avoids doing crime if he can (as part of a deal with Hilgya, who is also a career criminal; basically, they’ve both cut back on the crime in order to provide a more stable home environment for Kudzu. But sometimes, you gotta do a little crime, and in those cases, Sigdi enjoys spending time w her grandson.)

NOW. THE BIG REVEAL YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. Who got the team together in the first place?!

The answer: Lord Shojo (or whatever Normal Person Name you want to assign him). Now this is where it gets tricky: he had them do a thing that they thought was good, THEN they thought it was BAD, but then when they confronted him he revealed that it Appearing to be bad was actually a test of character and would they consider working as basically internal investigators for him? But then he had a heart attack, so, rip. But THEN it turned out that he’d left them a bunch of money anyway and they were all feeling kind of Inspired so they formed the Order of the Stick, LLC (which, no, i am not coming up with a new name, actually, because I just don’t care. someone else can come up w a justification for that name, tho, i’m sure it’s possible). Also Miko was there and was unhappy abt their actions, and also their general existence.

Moving on. Villains!

Redcloak is the Sterling replacement, because that DEEPLY amuses me.

Xykon is a season-long main villain, probably one that Redcloak finds himself working for but then “teams up with” (read: blackmails) the Order to bring him down bc even Redcloak finds Xykon distasteful. That’s season 3, let’s say.

Tarquin is another season villain, say season 2. Nale probably shows up pretty early in s1, actually, as another recurring antagonist like Sterling but uh. Less good at it. Anyways the s2 final 3 eps deal with them (accidentally) discovering that Tarquin runs some Evil Empire Company, then trying to outplay him and take him down. Idk if Nale still dies in this version tbh.

Tsukiko is a one-off s1 villain who returns briefly in s4 alongside Miko, who has gone well and truly off the rails.

Season 1 finale has to do w Roy finally getting Vengeance for his little brother.

The vampire squad is the s4 finale villain who do smth terrible to Durkon and then get the Mother Of All Revenge served up to them by the Order.

I envision the show as being 5 seasons (like og Leverage) but I’m not going to sketch out s5 because I think it should be based off whatever happens in the current story arc, possibly involving some legacy of the OotSquiggle.

Other stuff!

The Order of the Squiggle is a legendary criminal team from the 60s who stole a BUNCH of famous shit & then proceeded to legendarily implode. This has no bearing on the plot I’ve sketched out, I just think it’s fun.

The Sapphire Guard members should probably be reworked as FBI. I don’t care about most of them but I do think that Lien and O-Chul could be like, FBI agents who Choose to look the other way while the Order does their very-much-not-legal-but-still-fair Justice Crime, and maybe even help them out on occasion.

So, the Final season-by-season outline, based on everything I’ve written so far:

s1 e1: getting the team together, doing a con for Shojo, then at the end he dies and the gang is like “dang what now?" and intend to split up except then they Don’t.

mid-s1: Nale shows up and tries to trick the Order, but then gets beat like a drum.

late s1: Tsukiko is an underling of the Villain Of The Week, winds up in police custody. But She’ll Be Back.

s1 finale: Roy’s Vengeance: The Vengeaning. also we meet Redcloak as an antagonist.

s2 e1: the truth abt Haley’s father comes out

early s2: The Two Live Crews Job but it’s the Order vs the Linear Guild and the Linear Guild ARE all bad guys.

mid-s2: Redcloak returns. ugh.

late s2: the sapphire guard FBI makes its first appearance, hello O-Chul and Lien.

s2 pre-finale: once again they’re in conflict w Nale over smth, he spends the whole episodes making Cryptic Remarks, they basically beat him (like a drum!) but then the stinger at the end is that Tarquin reveals himself and Elan is like “Dad?!”, roll credits.

s2 finale, part 1: Elan is hanging out w Tarquin bc he’s DEEP in Denial, the Rest of the team tries to take Tarquin down, but it doesn’t work.

s2 finale, part 2: Elan finally gets a clue and they manage to beat Tarquin. still haven’t decided if Nale dies or not, but I’m leaning towards yes. also they rescue Haley’s dad.

s3 e1: fuck dude idk.

early s3: Redcloak shows up, AGAIN, everyone groans. he has blackmail on them, he wants them to take Xykon down.

mid s3: The Rashomon Job but it’s about stealing the Talisman of Dorukan and it turns out that Nale was there too (“oh!” Elan says. “I was wondering why I looked so weird in all those mirrors! But it wasn’t my reflection, it was Nale’s!” “Sweetie, that wasn’t Nale’s reflection,” says Haley. “Huh,” says Elan, “so the mirrors were broken?”, cue eye rolling from everyone else.), and the Successful thief was Hilgya, who’d nabbed it from the owner before it even went on display.

s3 finale: they beat Xykon, actually factually, because he deserves to get his ass Thoroughly kicked, even if only in AU form. Lien and O-Chul are there, so are some other less helpful FBI people. There’s a bit where O-Chul Exact Wordses his way out of telling his superiors about the Order’s less legal activities without technically lying. King shit.

s4 e1: doesn’t really matter. maybe smth to do w some legacy of Tarquin’s company to set up the drama w Malack & Durkon later.

early s4: Durkon gets SENT TO PRISON. Malack approaches the Order abt this because sure they have Different Ethics but they’re still Friends. (Roy is surprised and a little hurt that he’s never heard of Malack, but he ignores that in favor of Let’s Get Whatever Fuckers Did This To Our Friend.)

immediately after that: Miko and Tsukiko return as a Team, preventing the Order from working on the Durkon situation

mid s4: Redcloak makes another unexpected & unwelcome appearance but he’s maybe a little less of a dick? the Order collaborates with Malack & his Crime Buddies (hello, Vector Legion) to pull one over on him tho, because “less of a dick” does not mean “a pleasant or decent person”, and also he was mean abt Durkon being in jail, so he totally deserved it. he still gets whatever he wanted tho, just takes a blow to his pride. also prevents the Order from helping Durkon. they’re having a LOT of setbacks wonder why that could be, not to make sure the season fills its whole length or anything, no sirree

s4 finale: something something taking down the organization, headed by Hel (yes that’s her real name), which framed Durkon for their Big Crime. Durkon goes free and Extra Firmly retires, For Good, He Swears, but says he “met someone new” who might be an asset.

s5 e1: minrah joins the team! and the episode is set in like, somewhere really snowy. that’s all i got.

the rest of s5: don’t know, don’t care, it’s open-ended until the comic finishes up.

[miss-choco-chips]

YJ College au: Zatara

Zachary Zatara is both a myth and their housemate.

In which Bart has a cryptic-buddy, Tim is stressed because cute boy insists on being annoying, and everyone else just rolls with it.

Tagging @animemangasoul and @marudny-robot cause I know you guys like this au

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As usual after pulling an all-week-er (he had left the ‘nighters well behind at this point), Tim was up late that saturday. The window had been left open last night, so a soft streak of sunlight wamed his bed, waking him up slowly and peacefully. Yeah, he would have liked a few more hours, but sunbathing in his sheets for a while wasn’t all that bad either. What would make this half-awake-half-dreaming experience would be some chill music.

Muddled mind made, he rolled in his bed, hand patting the mattress for his phone, squinting his eyes open when he hit something different instead.

He found himself to be almost nose to nose with a dark haired, grey eyed boy.

Tim started that fine morning screaming himself hoarse.

-.-.-.-.-

Sitting at the kitchen’s table, getting everything ready for a late sunday breakfast, Kon raised his head when he heard the strong sound of a scream, followed by… yeah, that was a body hitting the ground. It was unmistakable, in this house. 

“Oh, hey guys”, he called to the attention of the rest of his housemates, all in equals states of zombie-ness, with not as good hearing as his. “Zachary is here.”

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

“The fuck, Zach? My bed? Did you HAVE to crash on my bed? Why are you even here?”

Tim, four coffee cups after his pseudo heart attack half an hour ago, was ready to face the day and their intruder.

“Dude I live here as well, you know. Also your bed is literally the softest thing I ever slept on, you rich bastard. Learn to share.”

“I’ll buy you your own fucking mattress if you swear to never crawl on my bed uninvited again.”

The boy’s eyebrows rose, suggestively. “What was that about an invitation?”

Distressed and not feeling awake enough (he was still two cups away from that) to deal with bi thoughts this early in the morning, he turned his most helpless look to Conner.

Because he was the best friend ever, he threw a pillow to Zachary. And because he was a suck up to anyone who brought him food, Bart intercepted the hit and gratefully accepted the candy bag he got in thanks.

“But actually, Zat, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Berlin?” interjected Cassie, her own tea (the heathen) cup warming her hands as she cuddled with Cissie and Greta on the couch, legs in each other’s laps and generally being the cutest shit ever.

Anita, not very keen on that kind of sweet love, had been wrestling with Slobo for control over the remote for the last fifteen minutes. Miguel was keeping count on their hits for them, though it was mostly assured he would rig the whole thing up to whoever had bribed him better before the fight.

Tim just wanted to go back to sleep in his sun-warmed bed.

“C’mon guys, keep up”, moaned Bart, candy bag half empty already, “he was there two weeks ago. He had an exam yesterday so he came back last monday.”

“...come again?”

“I’ve been room-hopping ever since, though none of you seemed to mind. Until I disturbed sleeping beauty over here, at least.”

Miguel’s eyes left the fight to squint suspiciously at them. “We weren’t aware you were doing that. Where did you sleep? How didn’t we notice?”

“I'ma mystery. I also move around a lot when sleeping so I probably ended up under someone’s bed after crashing from studying. Oh, Anita, if you were wondering, your purple bra is under Cissie’s bed.”

Anita slowly let go of the grip she had on Slobo’s neck. Her eyes shone something dangerous. Cissie, the one who was apparently hosting the boy all along, also stood up and frowned.

“How do you even know that bra is mine!!”

“What the fuck were you doing under my bed, you bastard!”

Tim sipped his coffee, bitterly. “At least he was under it, and not sharing it.”

Kon patted his back.

-.-.-.-.-..- 

“I swear, Jay, he thrives on making me lose my shit. He just… comes and goes whenever, leaving no proof he was ever there, or acting like he was always around. Drives me nuts. I’m not sure he even attends classes, and I only know he actually has a right to enter our house because his rent money always appears on the kitchen table a day before its due. He doesn’t even have a room, why does he even pay? To have an excuse to scare the shit out of the rest of us. Except Bart. The little shit lives for our suffering.”

Jason arches an eyebrow, sipping his beer as he carefully examines his brother. Tim looked less tired than the last time they saw each other, and the modifications done by his psychiatrist had done wonders to the shadows in his eyes. But he seemed somehow… frazzled.

“And he was just there when you woke up?”

“His nose was touching mine.”

“I bet your little bi heart couldn't take that, huh? Is he cute? Maybe you invited him to share your bed the night before and just don’t remember. You know how you get after a week of disregarding your general wellbeing.”

“Oh, shush you. I take care of myself. When was the last time you went to your check in with Patricia?”

Jason scratched the back of his neck, averting his eyes. “I missed one session, because I have exams too you know? But I’m up to date with Silvio, and we are working on slowly easing me off the medication.” He noticed the way Tim looked at his drink, expression screaming bullshit, and he scowled in response. “Fuck off, it’s alcohol-free. Kori and Artemis would have my head if they caught me mixing my dosage with anything stronger than tea, and I can’t deal with Biz and Roy’s disappointed eyes.” 

Tim thought of the last time he refused to see his therapist, and the look in everyone’s  (specially Kon’s) eyes, and had to agree. Having friends sucked when one wanted to wallow in self destructive conducts.

“Whatever, all I’m saying is, he’s not cute enough for me to forgive his weirdness. You know the people I roll with, so this is saying a lot. And I would remember inviting him to my bed, if anything for the mortification of it. I’m also…”

The ring of the doorbell distracted them both of whatever Tim was gonna say next. Waving his brother off, Jason got up to pay for their pizza.

When he returned to his living room, Tim was no longer alone.

“Who the fuck are you?” He exclaimed, eyes going back to the hallway at his back, then again at the black haired, grey eyed kid sitting next to Tim. “And how did you get in? We are on the sixth floor and I was just at the only door I have.”

Tim raised his eyes at him, and he seemed equal parts resigned and frazzled. ‘Told ya’, he seemed to say.

“Yo, the food’s finally here. I’m starving. The name’s Zachary Zatarra, by the way. Tim’s friend and housemate.”

“Allegedly” mumbled the other under his breath, earning himself a smile and pat on the back. “Don’t question it, Jay. He’ll be gone after a while when none of us are paying attention. Just let it be.”

“But while I’m here”, the other boy continued, grinning devilishly as he looked at Tim and then Jason, “instead of questioning how did I get in, what about I tell you all about your lil bro’s crush? It 's adorable.”

Tim raised an eyebrow “I don’t have a crush on anyone.”

“Like I said, adorable. He’s so oblivious, it’s precious.”

Decision made, Jason left the pizzas at the coffee table and went to fetch a soda for their guest. Gossip, especially about his siblings, was the best way to gain his immediate cooperation. And he could always force the answers about Zatara out of Bart; the brat was terrified of him.

-.-.-.-.-.-

“Hey, who has to cook tonight? Because I’m craving chicken nuggets.”

Cassie raised her eyes from her magazine, tapping a finger against her chin.

“Uhm… Zach, I think?”

Miguel nodded. “Okay, thanks, where can I find him to suggest my dinner idea?”

Cissie, legs on Cassie’s lap, dropped her head over the couch’s armrest. “Ask Tim? Wasn’t he crashing with him this week?”

That same moment, said boy entered the room, shaking his head. “No, he was sharing with Anita and Cassie.”

“No, he wasn’t… Slobo?”

“Not with us either”, denied Miguel, sharing a look with his roommate to confirm just in case.

“Conner?”

“Didn’t Bart say yesterday he was driving him to the airport?”

“Wait, he left the country again?”

“More importantly, can Bart drive?”

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

When Tim came back home from class, Damian was in his living room. Using a laptop. Sitting side by side with Zatarra.

This couldn't be good.

“Hey, Timbo, welcome back.”

“Drake.”

Not uttering a single word, Tim turned around and walked out of there. Sleeping on a park bench seemed like a preferable choice, compared to finding out exactly why the two banes of his life were sitting together. It was healthier, good for his peace of mind.

Something something self care? His therapist would be so proud.

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

“Hey dude.”

“Zatara. Your presence here disrupts my room’s feng shui. Please remove yourself from the premises.”

“This disaster zone is the farthest thing from armonious. If anything, I’m improving it.”

Tim raised his eyes from the computer screen. He could always kick the other man out, but that would require leaving the nest he made out of blankets and snacks on his bed. Perhaps a more civilized option would be better. Besides, as boundary-less as the dude was, he didn’t step into the room, just remaining on the doorstep, so whatever he was here for, he most likely needed Tim’s willful compliance.

“If I listen to what you have to say, will you leave?”

Zatara smiled angelically, like butter wouldn’t melt on his mouth, but the look behind his eyes was nothing short of devious. “That’s actually what I came to speak with you about. I have a show…”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“A magic show. Dude, you do know I’m a magician, right?”

Tim didn’t, in fact, know that, besides baseless suppositions about his disappearing-and-appearing abilities. But he had an all knowing facade to maintain, so he grunted in acknowledgement.

“Right, so, I have a show scheduled for tomorrow, but I took Bart out to dinner yesterday so I’m all dried up, and I need to buy a plane ticket asap.”

“Are you asking me for a loan?” he inquired, incredulous. As a general rule, all their housemates refrained from that. Something about not wanting to take advantage of their billionaire friend…

“No, no. I’m offering you a…. service.”

“Look, Zach, no offense? But you ain’t cute enough for me to stoop that low and pay for the… pleasure of your company. I can just give you the money and you pay me back whenever, dude.”

“No! I didn’t mean it like that! You wish I was offering something  of the sort” he laughed, arms crossed and side leaning against the doorframe, chest and arm muscles perfectly visible. Tim kept his eyes carefully above neck-level. No need to give any weakness away.

“Then?”

“I know you love me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t make you miserable, right?”

“That is correct, yes.”

“Are you familiar with the ‘Buy my silence, $8.000 a month’ meme? Then get ready for a ‘pay for my absence’, my good bitch. I thought maybe you’d like...”

“Sold. I buy it. Take my credit card and go, be free, roam the world. Just get out of my room and fucking text once in a while so I know you’re alive.”

[siremasterlawrence]

Breaking A Titan: Dick Grayson V Roy Harper.

Part 1

I laugh a bit watching my marionette go to work Connor smiles floating off the Tower ground, and jets out of the Tower for my own particular mission to which he is to happy to obey. Just than than the doorfor the elevator opens revealing Nightwing Aka Dick Grayson, his body shifts out of control vibrating in and out of control not aware of my manipulation. Dick Grayson eyes turn emerald green with envy out of control, and Super flys out of range diving in to grab him rising off the ceiling his his eyes are projecting green light in to Dick’s.

Superboy drops him flying off to complete the mission his mind mindless of any form of thinking, and he is fully surrendering to my every desire. “Yes, My Dear Sire The Master Lawrence thank you for breaking me free my own misery of creation built on my nightmares. I live to serve only you who shall command my every desire to do only what you need.” Dick says calm, cool and relaxed to do exactly whatever I order him to do. He smiles undress himself at my order to see why this man’s body has to offer me.

“Shall I show my moves in preparation for the three way fight between such heavy weights as me Nightwing, Superboy and that Roy Harper.” Dick Grayson suggest garbling his fighting staff he flips through a arrangement of moves, and he smiles at my excitement for his performance though I am more interested in that sexy nude bod going from one stance to another. My hard cock rises in anticipation for the fight of the century for me anyway. “Sire, Master Lawrence the man of my dreams, I am on the hunt for Roy Harper, and I can’t wait for you to fuck me...” he says sighing when Dick cuts him off.

Part 2

Roy Harper is awestruck when Superboy lands on the ground causing the ground quakes, Roy backs up at seeing the anger in his eyes growing in the world of heat ray vision, and Ray quickly grabs the trunk hit its up as its life he grabs his arrow basket.“Hey Connor El, what’s going on with you?I received a distress call from The Tower is everything ok? Answer me don’t hold back speak idiot.” Roy says angrily moving the basket on to his back pressing a button switching the arrow set, and quickly arms then prep his arrow for attack.

Before he can throw his arrow out of his bow a large taser like talon stem stick hits with the right and the the left sending him down to the floor. “Sorry buddy, but you are coming with us weather you like it out freak, and you will be at the bequest of my Master whether you like it or not or use the quiver. Roy’s quiver is at it launching on to the nearest building he rushes up ready to stand at stance, and Roy regroups he is at odds regaining his composure he tries to check out his competition. Unfortunately, for him Nightwing and Superboy are out of the way.

Roy Harper freaks out dashing across the roof from one rooftop to another he is smoking with excitement, and yes even though he is in danger he lands on the last one before he is cornered. “Are you guys looking out for me? “ Roy calls shooting a line down to the street below he used his quiver to slide down the line to the road below. “That bastard will not win this night I promise you.” Dick swears jumping off the roof, and Super fly’s off flowing him.

Part 3

“Leave it to me Superboy, I will make him wish he never fights with me again punk ass bitch. I am Nightwing former side kick and the first Robin have trained with the best of the best Batman himself no one is better at hunting than me.” Superboy sighs at thy long winded speech Dick gives him.Dick rolls his eyes jumping off the roof to the car below distracting his asshole of a ex partner in crime. “Surrender now or feel the taste of sweet defeat.” Nightwing is on a trip with such confidence in himself.

“Such bravado will only get you so far Duck Grayson, wannabe Batman right? In no way am I ever given up to the likes of you and whoever you are working for you loser.” Roy utters digging his feet in to the ground he shoots in the air back flipping with his quiver he five hours counted clock wise. Landing down as Dick blocks them at one hits him in the face goes tumbling down. He rolls over on to the grass he fell on the street again.

The Arsenal former Red Arrow follows up multiple arrows surrounding him like tape at a corps scene. Nightwing fear erupts explodes sending him flying high off the ground he descends a few miles down the road. Superboy swoops in saving from the ground flying him off to recuperate while the the guys go off, and Conner enrages his anger soars in to the sky going after Roy. Connor El landing shakily ground he disrupts the flow of thing as the ground has cracked.

Superboy breaks through the area tackling the best former friend Connor El beating him down. “You hurt my brother you shall pay due to my father Master Lawrence’s will.” Superboy wails grabbing him he threw him far in to the sky miles away from sight. Superboy flys after him grabbing his underarms tightly holding him up he floats upward, and beat hugs him to stare him straight in the eyes. “Master Lawrence your father commands you to return to him.” Superboy forces his new brother to except.“Yes Brother” he replies.

The end.

Superboy