#fathers grief but can go to his father as he is and ask him to accept this version of himself and the son he is and his father rejected and

[op-sys-chaos]

Jason refuses to acknowledge that he’s THAT Jason Todd but still goes by Jason Todd and still tells people he’s from Gotham. Every time someone decides to ask if he’s Bruce Wayne’s dead kid he just says “How can I be his dead kid if I’m alive and well?”with an expression of “are you stupid??” on his face and moves past it.

Conspiracy theorists go nuts insisting he’s the dead kid, especially since they look alike. There’s all kinds of theories out there on how he could’ve come back to life.

In addition to being in remakes of B’s favorites, he also stars in zombie movies and ghost movies all the time. When asked why he goes for those roles, he tells the media it’s “for the bit” and everyone just assumes he’s referring to all the people asking if he’s B’s Jason.

Someone decided to put Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd on a show together to surprise them both and see if it’s actually Bruce’s kid. To everyone’s surprise, Jason is actually the one to yell at the media. “That is a grieving father and you want to force him to publicly talk to someone you all insist looks like his son? Is grief a joke to you? How could you do this to that man????” Bruce doesn’t even get a word in, Jason’s too busy yelling at the producers and directors and everyone in between. Bruce just quietly stares shell shocked at the camera from the moment he’s brought onto the stage, and the talk show gets canceled immediately after. No one asks if he’s Bruce’s Jason for at least two years after that.

On TikTok, Jason bounces between thirst traps and dramatic readings of his favorite parts of old novels. He also teaches people basic self defense, saying he learned it for his stunts.

Meanwhile, Tim Drake has 100% figured out that that’s the real Jason, and he decides to fuck with the internet because it’s funny. He starts an anonymous account and posts some of his pictures of Robin, saying “Jason Todd = Bruce’s dead kid? No. Jason Todd = BATMAN’S dead kid.” and other things, trying to convince people that Jason learned his self defense skills as Robin training and that’s why he’s actually so good at it. Jason thinks it’s hilarious and reposts the TikToks, leading people to now have a new theory to play with. (Jason has also definitely figured out it’s Tim because he knows that no one but the next Robin would have those images.) Thanks to the new theory, people leave Bruce alone for a while, but now Bruce is trying to figure out who’s behind Tim’s account. He doesn’t succeed.

Jason Todd should have dropped the UTRH plan and go pursue the acting career, instead. Confronting Batman? Easy and ineffective. Having your face plastered across the whole city, and intentionally picking up roles in remakes of your father's favourite movies? That is scary. That is haunting.

[stevengrantshubby]

some random musings ive been turning over since ive seen the movie (ive only seen it once at this point)

the fact that remmick only knew about the juke joint because he ate the KKK couple is so...interesting and i cant even articulate why. like yea the ppl at the juke joint were always going to be in danger (cause of the KKK who were coming in the morning) but all the vamp stuff happening to them cause of that just...i dunno! ive been thinking about it

grace and annie both being mothers (even tho annie's child had passed). theres a connection there somehow, but my brain is mush.

mary, even tho shes married to some yt guy, is still in danger by being there. i think the movie is explicitly telling us that when the KKK husband makes reference to "light-skinned niggers" and then obvi she gets turned and made into a double agent

i think the way the vampirism works in the movie is interesting cause both stack and mary seem to have genuine grief/anger when annie is killed. theres this...tension (i dont remember fully what annie said about what vampires are outside of souls being trapped in a dead body) cause yes remmick is in there too, sure. but mary and stack are also in there (as evident by the final scene with them). this makes the bo bits interesting. tho i think (or like to) part of it is remmicks desire to connect to his own ancestors and past, mixed with his victims desires to reunite with their family (but remmick's wants take precedent which is why no one just leaves him and goes to eat the town or something)

every sammie/peraline scene was cute as hell. ill never get over the "im married/happily?" exchange hehe. sammie being down to be an cheater is a great bit for him. he was so smooth with it as well. sammie is smooth when he wants to be.

i wish, i wish, i wish sammie and pearline got a song or something together.

when all the vampire stuff was happening but pearline was being kinda difficult, i think it sorta, highlights that shes not apart of the community in the same way everyone else is seems like. i think this makes her a...foil/parallel/whatever to mary in a certain way (theyre even introduced at the same time)

sammie keeping hold of his guitar, and getting it fixed, is really powerful as how he expressed himself and his musical gift that God (as per the movie imo) gave him.

interesting that both smoke and sammies father tell him to give up the guitar, but for different reasons, sammie doesnt listen to either of them

annies spiritual work (hoodoo) is pretty interesting in connection to the movies themes between connection with their/our ancestors (also id say that within the movie and the black american context christianity has been a tool of colonization and assimilation, even tho christianity has existed in africa for a long time, listen dont ask be the specific number but i think its more than a millennium, but yknow what i mean) especially cause it works and the prayer does not

very funny that remmick does his little song and dance of "oh pls help me" on the KKK couples porch but they only let him in after he flashes his gold at them. and then he tried the same trick at the juke joint. the loser cant talk his way into anywhere lol. (i also dont know much about irish mythology, spirituality, ect outside of pop culture stuff, but i feel like remmick may also tie into fae from irish myth as well as like being a vampire)

something about...smoke saying he doesnt believe in like demons, ghost, haints, things like that, he only believes in like money and power and here comes remmick, a supernatural being, with money an power

i prolly have more but these have been rotating in my head and are the ones i can mostly put into words. everything else is still a jumble and vibes.

🤔🤔🤔

[prettyboykatsuki]

NEXILIS—PREVIEW WC : 1.1k SYNOPSIS : A preview from the first chapter, coming August 26th.

Look.” You resign yourself, sighing. “I have no interest in leaving home. Truly at all. Who will take care of the farm if I leave? If you really intend to marry me and take me as your wife, make me an offer I can’t refuse.”

“I suppose things like riches and jewels bear no interest you,” The Crown Prince says. You snort.

“No, not particularly.”

Sir Midoriya cuts in. “You would have access to the royal armory. You also have equal access to His Highness' resources. If there is anything you wish to recover or provide it’s yours.”

This piques your interest. Aizawa scoffs from beside you but you ignore him.

A thought comes to you suddenly, overcome with overwhelming grief. You can feel the change in the air, in yourself - your heart feeling heavy. A pit forms in your stomach.

“I have uh,” You clear your throat so you don’t show weakness. “I’ve a brother. A different one. He was my blood brother. He…he was not executed alongside my mother and father. But we did not manage to leave together. I have no idea if he’s even alive, but,” You look at them with clarity. “I want to look for him. Or just get.. Confirmation of his death. Something.”

Midoriya looks at you with an understanding smile. “It’s no trouble. We found you. If there is record of your brother anywhere, we will be able to find him with your help - I’m sure of it.”

“Alright, then.” You pull back a little, scratching your head. “The swordsmanship. I want to be able to test my skills.” You think for a bit, before adding “I also want property that I can keep under my name in the Southern Province.”

“How good of a swordsman are you?” The Crown Prince asks. Aizawa interjects.

“She has bested me before on her own, and without magic.”

The Crown Prince raises his eyebrows at that. “If you wish to wield the sword and fight alongside me, then becoming my imperial knight is may be possible.”

“Is Sir Midoriya not your imperial knight?”

“No, my lady. Captain of Imperial Special Forces means I’m responsible for training them and taking on certain…kinds of missions. The Crown Prince has several rotating guards but finding someone trustworthy to take on the long-term position is tough,”

“We would have to test your skills first, and your duties as my wife take priority,” The Crown Prince says plainly. “But well, it seems to fit your personality better than being a noble lady.”

“You’ve insulted my womanhood twice today alone.”

He raises a brow at you. “I wasn’t aware you could feel insulted about something true.”

You scowl at him, considering the options. “Alright, then. Beats being bored. And it’ll make handle politics easier if I’m able to sit in on meetings directly to some extent.”

The Crown Prince looks surprised again. “I hadn’t considered that.”

You snort. “You come here to ask a strange woman you barely know to be your wife, but did not think of what she would actually have to do in the imperial palace. You must need my allyship more than I thought.”

The Crown Prince bristles at your words but ultimately does not reply back to them. His irritation about being teased is amusing. You laugh for the first time then.

“Don’t be so stiff, Crown Prince. We will be married soon, won’t we?” You joke, laughing to yourself again. “If you can’t handle basic wifely nagging our marriage will sooner fall apart than the empire.”

“Are you implying you are going to nag me?”

“Isn’t that a given?”

Sir Midoriya laughs again and Aizawa makes an exasperated face. “Please watch how you speak to the Crown Prince,”

“Stiff.” You reply back. You take a long breath. “I want to make regular visits back here, as well. And to hire some trained farmhands before then. But if you can fulfill all of my requests, then sure - I’ll help you.”

“That is excellent news, my lady.”

“I must ask though, Crown Prince. What will you do if you find an actual wife?”

He smirks. “That will never happen. I’ve not any interest.”

“Fine then. What will happen if I find an actual husband?”

“Also unlikely,” He starts with, making you twitch. “If you wish to file for divorce it will only be after we’ve stabilized and taken the crown,” He shrugs. “I’ll permit you to see your lover as long as it stays private, though.”

You snort. “How kind of you.”

Aizawa takes a long, resigned sigh next to you. He rubs his jaw, deep in thought before groaning a little. The room feels lighter than it did at the start of the gathering, and that relieves you.

“You’ve made this decision rather quickly.” Aizawa says, ignoring both parties adjacent to you. “Don’t you wish to think about it more?”

“No. When have you known me to do things like that?” You reply. His distress grows. A hand goes onto your shoulder, gripping it firmly.

“You will no doubt suffer greatly. It will be lonely and perilous. There is no reason for you to go.”

You stare at him as he says this, suddenly becoming aware of the way time has passed. You’ve lived alongside him for ten years, and he’s aged, though he is not exactly old. It’s uncommon for him to express such great concern for something you’ve chosen to do. The last time you’ve seen him make this face was when he came upon you ten years ago.

“I wish to find my brother and,” You affirm, and then add despite your embarrassment - lighthearted tone covering sincerity. “Well, I might as well contribute something other then wheat to the empire you seem to love so much,”

Shock flits over his expression before melting into absent fondness.

He sighs, putting a hand on your head and rubbing your head hard. You make a noise of protest. “Troublesome as ever, aren’t you girl.”

“Yes,” You say, rubbing the spot he petted aggressively “You are quite fond of problem children.”

Aizawa laughs for the first time in the entire conversation. The sincerity in his gaze makes your cheeks flush. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

“I’m very happy you’ve come to our aid, my lady. I am honored to serve you.” Sir Midoriya says. You look at him from across the table, and he’s positively beaming. A ghost of a smile crosses your features.

“We’ll see how long it takes me to regret it,” You reply, though your words are light. You turn your attention to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, I must ask - when exactly are you hoping to marry me?"

Silence falls. The Crown Prince and Sir Midoriya share a long look.

“Well, truthfully, my lady -“

“We were hoping you would return with us to the imperial palace. As in, I’d like to wed you as soon as possible.”

[bangpop91]

So even though no one asked I've decided to weigh in on the whose going to be the next captain of the 118 discourse because I have a lot of thoughts about it.

As a reminder we aren't going to know who is the captain until s9. Tim has sad as much in interviews. Everything that happens in the next two episodes is to build suspense and tension.

The way I see it, in terms of canon story telling there are three contenders for the position of captain of the 118.

Hen

Chimney

Buck

I say that because they are the three og 118 teammembers who have been there since s1.

Chimney:

Right out the gate we can eliminate Chimney.

Even though he was acting captain in s2 and as a one-off in s4 during the sniper arc in s6 he flat out said he didn't want to do it again.

He's also been very effectively set up to be the mentor figure. If we apply the concept of the Hero's Journey™️ to the 118 Chimney fills the role of mentor. He's the Gandalf, the Merlin. Think of the speech he gave Ravi in s6 and how it echoed the speech Eli gave him in Chimney Begins.

I think Chimney is going to have to have his own journey where he relearns to "hand it off".

Buck:

Buck is the next one to eliminate. He's starting to show his potential for leadership but he still isn't ready.

Once again using the hero's journey. Buck is at the beginning still. He's experienced the death of his father(figure) and now has to go through his journey that prepares him to ascend his father (figure)'s throne.

A great comparison is Carlos's journey from the season finale of s4 through out s5 of Lone Star.

I do think Buck will be the Captain of the 118 in a few years but not yet. He still has some life to live before he's ready.

Hen:

Point blank. I will be shocked and pissed if Hen isn't the captain. This is a plot thread that has been being set up since s6... Actually since Hen Begins. If suddenly Buck was captain instead of Hen it would have been like if Mateo had been promoted to captain over Judd at the end of lone star.

There is a reason the camera panned to Hen during Gerrard's speech about why he was back as interim captain.

It's my personal belief that Hen turning down the captaincy is the red herring. Its TPTB spinning time until s9 and lets the GA engage with the story and possible conflict of who is going to be the next captain. But it also gives the show a chance to let Hen explore her grief and confusion in the wake of Bobby's death.

Maybe this is me being delusional, but I don't think Captain is the end of Hen's journey. Ever since Hen begins I have genuinely believed that Hen's professional journey ends with her as the Chief of the LAFD. I have felt this way ever since she was told that she is the new face of the LAFD dring Hen begins.

Even from a production perspective I think Hen makes the most sense as Captain.

Let's say Eddie stays with the 118 at the end of s8.

With Hen promoted to Captain, Eddie can be shifted into Hen's former position of Paramedic and be Chimney's partner with Ravi shifted into Eddie's position as Buck's partner.

Now let's say Eddie also leaves at the end of s8

They don't need to worry about bringing in two new cast members. They have already laid the groundwork to move Ravi to a shift and be Buck's new partner. Then they can also bring in a probie to be the new paramedic. This allows us two new characters to explore, it opens up new stories for Chimney as well as Buck and Hen.

In my head this was a lot more articulate. But I've got a cluster migraine brewing and needed to get all this out of my head so I can focus on my other stuff.

[imperfectskeleton]

It came so quickly, the question I dreaded. I almost lost the contact. I desperately wanted to see my father’s face and listen to his words. But at the same time, I did not want to tell him that his oldest son was gone.

And there was another thing I did not want to tell him. <Elfangor,> my father said. <Is he…>

<Father. Elfangor is… he was killed.> My father looked like someone had punched him. He rocked back. I looked away. I had tried so hard not to think about Elfangor being gone. Somehow it wasn’t real til this moment. Seeing my father’s pain made me feel my own.

<Did he die well?> my father asked. The question is part of the ritual of death. It was the question he had to ask.

<He died in the service of his people, defending freedom.> I said. This was also part of the ritual.

…. <You are now the eldest son. The burden of revenge is on you. Do you know his killer?> <Yes.> <And does his killer still live?> <Yes.> <And do you, Aximili, take up the burden of avenging your brother’s death?> <Yes.>

There are a lot of good things about Ax books. I love the rituals, so lovingly crafted, so well thought out. I imagine, as much as Ax doesn’t want to die away from his parents when they’ve already lost his brother, they cannot want their baby to die. Elfangor has died twice for them.

To lose their second son so young would be so much. But the ritual, the culture, the honour and vengeance comes first, before even asking who it was that could bring down Elfangor, who had grown into a myth far away in space.

And the grief. It’s a little over a week until the 5 year anniversary of my father’s death. Nobody in my family deals with grief in a typical way, but it’s hard to set an expectation for that kind of thing.

Certainly, I am the kind of person who can hold the pain until I see other people hurting and it hits me. Especially in Ax’s circumstances. Everything has changed. He has nothing and no one familiar, processing the loss of Elfangor would be hard to do even if he was thinking about it.

To admit to it, and have responsibility come with that. Technically, as a soldier, he should have protected his brother. He had no chance, no choice, but he was still the closest living Andalite and there was nothing he could do. It’s ridiculous, survivor’s guilt. It’s also a pretty strong part of honour based vengeance.

And the Jake parallels. I know 47 is one of the most hated books in the series, but it’s the book where Jake admits he sees his brother as dead in a way that he hasn’t even with the dreams and the disaster that is 31. Jake labelling Tom’s property as not worth saving. Because knowingly looking into the eyes of the enemy over the meals they bother to have with their family has worn down the boy who was only in it for his brother.

Ax starts the series with his brother dying. Jake starts the series determined that his brother will not be lost. But by the end of the series, he counts him among the dead. Long before that, he is the only son his parents have left. He brings vengeance upon the yeerk in Tom’s head.

Tom is killed in the service of his people. His last chance at freedom taken from him. It’s the only choice. His killer dies with him. His brother, who gave the order, has to go home to his parents and a world that knows what he did. A world that agrees it’s for the greater good, when on a personal level, Jake lost the war.

And Jake’s parents, like Elfangor and Ax’s parents, don’t know what has happened to their eldest son. The thing is, as much pain as it causes them to discover what happened to him, it comes with some level of reunion. Some chance of being in the same cage in the yeerk pool. Of clinging together and hoping for the freedom Jake promised them with fury as the yeerk in Tom’s head took even more away from them. His parents were probably freed before they knew what happened on the blade ship. Given a moment of desperate hope that finally, both their sons were safe. And it’s ripped away from them. With no rituals to fall back on, no framework. Of course nobody would have a framework for a 16 year old weighing fratricide against the fate of the planet.

Ax’s internal perspective of himself as a dumb jock with an older brother he can never live up to really speaks to a parallel with Jake. Not an amazing student and notoriously clumsy, the main difference is Ax, among Andalites, is more enthusiastic and less guarded than Jake was even before the war.

Jake seems very composed and responsible even to his friends despite being a young boy who does dumb things like walking through construction sites and tiger enclosures. Ax says dumb things where the people he’s talking about can hear him.

Despite knowing about the war before the other animorphs, was allowed to be a kid for longer than the others and is having to adjust to his reality being shattered months after the fact. He could deny it when he was in the dome, and since his rescue the animorphs have: tried to get him home, starved one yeerk out of Jake, and had one of their biggest victories.

This book is about breaking the other animorphs conceptions of the war (if yeerks starve, the hosts will be free, right?) and Ax’s conception of his role in it. He’s no longer there to dip his toes in and watch while the adults do the fighting. He’s an equal, a vital part of this six man unit. He can’t stay separate from the aliens that the Yeerks are attacking if he’s going to fight alongside them.

[deadpoetsandlivinglegends]

Feel like Neil couldn’t have been any other kind of actor than one in theatre. If he was a movie actor or on social media or whatnot, it would not be the same. Theatre by nature is fleeting. Recorded mediums can be rewatched over and over, creating a time loop of sorts. We the audience can keep going back to a time when Neil is still alive. Theatre however is live and once the play is over, there is no going back except in our memories. It is much like life. We are forced to live in the moment in a theater lest we miss it altogether. It’s not that the poets choose to live in a world where Neil is dead, it’s that they must because the only other option is to die themselves. I feel like Keatings teachings could only be reflected in stage theatre because that’s the only way there can be no time loop of grief. I think dead poets society itself isn’t about overcoming the authority in your life to do what you want but rather about grief, about allowing oneself to feel grief and all one’s emotions without letting it consume you and to keep living after, to live every day in the moment lest you fall into grief and regret that will destroy you or force you into a miserable life

[atopvisenyashill]

if i did a reread of the walking dead and wrote an essay on how aegon ii and carl are doomed to be the last man standing by their narratives, and what starts out as a sort of cool & nifty super power of always surviving turns into this horrific curse where everyone they know is dying around them & sometimes it’s their fault & sometimes it’s not but either way they can’t ever stop it until they’re sitting at the ending with nothing but their lone daughter to protect but so broken they can no longer connect to her and then their story abruptly ends-

would that be like the Most stupid, nerdy thing i have ever done in my life or

[khioneee]

tap out. pt ii.

warnings. mentions of death, emotional distress, grief and loss, pregnancy.

a few years later, another tap-out ceremony arrives, but this time, the air feels different—heavier, somber. simon’s been gone for over a year, his deployment unexpectedly extended due to an incident overseas. you’d been told he couldn’t come home for a while, but that didn’t make the waiting any easier.

today, you stand among families who aren’t just here to tap out their loved ones but to say goodbye to those who didn’t make it home. tears stream down faces as loved ones gather around caskets, grieving the soldiers they’d lost. the sight fills you with a mix of dread and relief, knowing simon is still out there, waiting.

simon stands in formation, rigid as always, but he has a sense for you. before you even appear in his line of sight, he knows you’re near. but imagine his surprise when he catches a glimpse of you in his peripheral vision, a small bundle wrapped securely in your arms.

his heart hammers in his chest, quickening as he realizes what this means. his breath catches, his eyes fixed on you as you approach. you look up at him, your eyes sparkling, a knowing smile on your face as you watch the subtle changes in his expression—the slight twitch of his eyebrows, the way his breathing picks up as it dawns on him.

both of you had been trying for a baby before he left, and now, standing before him, you hold that precious life in your arms. it had been a struggle going through pregnancy without him, feeling his absence during every kick and every sleepless night. but seeing him now, looking more than ready to meet your child, all the pain fades away, replaced by a joy so profound it fills every inch of you.

‘daddy’s home,’ you whisper softly, tilting the blanket so simon can see her tiny face, fast asleep, a perfect mirror of him in miniature. she’s got his nose, his quiet strength already etched into her tiny features.

with tears in your eyes, you reach up, your hand finding his cheek, tapping him out in the gentlest of touches.

the moment your hand connects, simon moves, breaking formation as he pulls both of you into his arms, holding you close as if he’ll never let go. his voice is thick with emotion, barely a whisper as he murmurs, ‘my loves.’

you knew your husband had a reputation in the military—a man as cold and unyielding as steel, a fortress no one could break. but as he held you and your newborn in his arms, that carefully built facade cracked, revealing a vulnerable side of him that only you ever saw. the tough soldier was gone, replaced by a man whose heart lay entirely with his family.

‘do you want to hold her?’ you ask softly, watching his eyes light up with a blend of surprise and joy.

‘her?’ he whispers, voice catching on the single word, as if it’s almost too much for him to believe.

you nod, smiling through a haze of happy tears. ‘her.’

with slow, reverent movements, you pass your daughter to him, watching as she looks impossibly tiny cradled in his strong arms. simon looks down at her with a mixture of wonder and fierce protectiveness, as though he’s already memorizing every detail of her face.

as if sensing her father’s gaze, the baby yawns, a soft little sound that makes simon’s eyes shine with awe. you catch the faintest smile pulling at his lips, a rare, tender expression that he reserves only for moments like this.

he leans down, pressing his lips gently to her forehead. ‘never gonna let anything happen to you,’ he murmurs, voice thick with love and quiet promise.

while simon was lost in his quiet moment with your daughter, a loud shout cut through the air, breaking the peaceful silence.

‘is that our baby i see?!’

simon’s head snapped up, his expression immediately shifting to something harder. he turned to see soap grinning widely, practically bouncing with excitement. with a sigh, simon reached over and smacked the back of soap’s head, though his movements were careful not to jostle the sleeping baby in his arms.

‘there’s people grieving, you idiot,’ simon muttered, but soap only snickered, completely unfazed.

‘and what do you mean, ‘our’? she’s y/n’s and mine. you’re not part of this relationship, mate,’ simon added, his tone dripping with mock irritation.

but soap, undeterred, just ignored him and held out his hands, wiggling his fingers in a display of exaggerated excitement. ‘oh, come on! let me hold our child!’

simon groaned, looking down at you with a glance that seemed to ask, ‘do i really have to put up with this?’ but he couldn’t hide the tiniest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as soap’s enthusiasm filled the air around you.

reluctantly, and with another sigh, simon finally leaned over, carefully passing your daughter to soap, though not without a low, ‘if you don’t keep her calm, you’re not holding her again.’

soap just grinned, taking her into his arms as if he’d won the lottery, cradling her gently and cooing softly.

soon after, the rest of task force 141 gathered around, drawn by the excitement, each member eager to catch a glimpse of the new addition to the family.

you and simon stood to the side, watching with cautious eyes as they took turns holding her, each one adopting a careful gentleness you wouldn’t have expected from hardened soldiers.

price held her with a proud grin, murmuring something about ‘training her to be the next captain,’ while gaz made her giggle softly with his gentle cooing. even the usually reserved roach softened as he held her, a rare smile tugging at his lips.

you glanced up at simon, watching his face as he stood beside you, arms crossed in a show of casual indifference.

but you knew him too well. beneath the mask of stoicism, there was something warmer, a subtle softness in his gaze as he watched his team, his family, sharing this moment with him. this gruff, unbreakable soldier, who had once thought he’d lost everything, had found a new family among them, one that shared in his joys and sorrows alike.

reaching over, you took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. he didn’t say anything, just gave your hand a quick squeeze in return, a quiet acknowledgment. but you could see it in his eyes, that gratitude for a family he never expected to find—a family that had now become part of yours.

[terrestrialnoob]

Gut Feeling

DPXDC

Commissioner Jim Gordon meets an odd kid in the precinct.

--

“Come on, you really don’t have a way to directly contact Batman?”

Jim smiled. Kids came to the station and asked that all the time. Usually, it was just curiosity and showing them the signal was enough to get them to sign up for the Junior Police program. This one looked a little older than most, teenagers were often “too old” to believe in Batman, but again, give them a little faith now and they’ll never loose it.

“Lookin’ for the Bat, kid?” Jim asked, knowing he was about to make this kid’s –

Jim froze. The kid turned to face him and it was Bruce Wayne. Not playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne, but freshly a teenager Bruce Wayne. The Bruce Wayne who Jim had checked in on time and again from age eight until he ran off on a globetrotting trip to find himself. The little Bruce Wayne with too pale skin and dark bags under his eyes, and not enough love to make up for all the grief weighing him down. And he didn’t look like Damian either, where Bruce was obviously his father but there were distinct traits from his mother. This was a carbon copy of a boy Jim remembered vividly.

“I am.” He even sounded like teenage Bruce. All business, like he was on a mission.

“I might be able to help you, but it’ll take a while.” Jim said and the officer the kid had been talking too gave him an odd look. He waved her off and told the kid to follow him to the commissioner’s office. Normally, he’d be more dramatic, put on more of a show for the kid, but his gut told him this was different, this was important. He offered the kid a styrofoam cup of water then closed the door behind him. “So, what do you need to talk to Batman for?”

“It’s personal. I need to talk to him in person.”

Jim took a sip of coffee from his cup. “He doesn’t appreciate me calling for no reason in the middle of the day.”

“So you do have a direct line?” The kid nearly jumped out of his seat. “If he’s upset, it’ll be my fault, just call him, please.”

“Who should I say wants to talk to him?”

The kid hesitated. “He doesn’t know me, but I have to talk to him.”

Jim frowned. “What’s your name, kid?”

He swallowed and looked like he wasn’t going to answer for a moment. “Danny.”

“Danny…?” Jim wanted a last name but Danny kept quiet. Jim sighed, “He’s likely not going to show up until sundown.”

“I can wait, as long as you guarantee he’ll show.”

“And you’re not going to tell me why you need Batman?” Jim just got a glare in response. “What about one of the other heroes?”

“Only Batman, no one else can help.”

“You sure about that? Not even Superman?”

“Not unless Superman can get me in the same room as Batman.”

“Why’s it so important that you meet him in person?”

“It’s personal.”

Jim liked this less and less by the minute. “Do your parents know you’re here?”

Danny looked away but right when it looked like he wouldn’t say anything he mumbled. “They wouldn’t care anyway.”

After another moment to give the kid time to reconsider, Jim pulled out the Bat-phone. It was a normal Wayne-Tech cell phone, but Jim had been given very specific instructions on how and when to use it. The phone listed all the Gotham Vigilantes without visible numbers so they couldn’t be copied and handed out. He pressed the one for Batman.

“Stand outside, would you?” The kid gave him a look, but followed the request. Jim could see his shadow in the door’s window, not so subtle eavesdropping.

It rang a few times, and Jim sat there awkwardly with a teenager listening to his every move. Finally, a familiar voice picked up the other end of the line. “Commissioner Gordon.”

“Sorry to call you out of the blue Batman, but I’ve got a kid here who needs your help.”

“Who?”

“Says his name is Danny, that you’ve never met him but you’re the only one who can help him.”

“Why?”

“Refuses to tell me.”

“What’s your best guess, Commissioner?”

Jim looked at Danny’s shadow, it looked like he was straining his ears to try and hear what he was saying. Danny had given him almost nothing to work with. Just his name, that he’s never met Batman but needs to talk with him in person. But Jim was here because he listened to his gut. A feeling like when you see a random rock on your neighbor’s doorstep but you’d never go in without an invitation. A feeling like you know what’s in the present and are preparing your surprised face. A feeling like when you cheated on your wife and you know she knows.

“He looks like Bruce Wayne.”

A beat of silence. “What?”

“Danny looks exactly like Bruce when he was a teenager. Exactly the same.” Jim hoped Batman would get it, feel in his gut what Jim felt.

“And he wont say why he’s there?”

“No, and he demands to see you in person.”

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

“10-4.” The line cut off before Jim had finished saying it. He called Danny in again. “He’s on his way.”

Danny glared at him. “If he’s not, if you called some social worker or something, you’ll regret it.”

“I’m sure.” Jim sighed and downed the rest of his now cold coffee.

The sun hadn’t set, but only just barely. Jim ended up taking Danny up to the roof in the end after all, if only to save his window from being broken into. The kid had a red hoodie on, but he was still shivering in the autumn chill and it was just going to get colder by the minute as the sun made its way behind the horizon.

Jim checked his watch and, at exactly an hour from when he called, he acted surprised when Batman and Robin appeared out of nowhere. “Bats.”

“Commissioner.” Batman greeted but his eyes went straight for Danny. “Danny, I assume.”

“Yeah, I…” Danny hesitated, looking at Jim and Robin.

All it took was four words from Batman. “What do you need?”

The kid held out his hand with a flash drive in it. “I’m your clone. My par- The people who made me wanted to make a stronger version of you, but they got ahead of themselves. My DNA is degrading and I’ll die if I don’t get your DNA to stabilize me.”

Holy cow.

“You don’t expect us to believe that, do you?” Robin sneered at him.

“The flash drive has all the info on it. All the data about the cloning process and the, uh, relevant experiments after that.” Batman gave the kid a look. “I didn’t want to waste time on unnecessary data.”

“If what you’re saying is true, why are you here, alone? Are they working on a different solution?”

Danny’s shoulders hiked up. “I’ve been a failure for a while now, I’m not worth the resources and they’d learn more from an autopsy.”

Oof, kid. Jim looked at Batman who seemed to feel the same… if Jim was reading him right.

“So, you wont object to a DNA test?” Robin asked with a cocky head tilt, at least he was relatively easy to read.

“You can try.” Danny said, and then realized what that sounded like. “I mean I wont stop you, but my DNA degrades faster outside my body. You’ll have to take me to whatever lab you plan on using.”

“Then we will.” Batman said and jerked his head towards where they’d probably parked that ridiculous car of his. But then he looked at Jim with a nod. “Commissioner.”

“Batman.” Jim returned the nod. “You’ll tell me how things turn out, yeah?”

“I’ll give you a report.” Batman joked – Jim could tell, it was gut feeling.

[attractthecrows]

man i'd really like for revallen to encounter the ghost of his father but with his skillset it's just not likely

[apatheticsunday]

Apprentice of the Butler

AKA "Alfred Pennyworth hires an interim butler while he recuperates from a Rogue attack. Who better than adoption bait Danny Fenton?" prompt!!

Okay, so imagine Danny moves to Gotham to pursue astrophysics at Gotham-U but he's having a surprisingly difficult time keeping a job. Every time he gets hired, the place gets burned down or blown up by Rogues; it's like he's catnip for trouble. Somehow, he's always in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And Alfred Pennyworth also happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. He's at the Gotham Market Co-op, where Danny's been recently hired, and suddenly it's gassed by Scarecrow's Fear Toxin. All the employees and customers scramble to put on their gas masks, but Danny's new enough that he has no idea what's happening. He's suddenly seeing Fright Knight, Dark Pariah, and the GIW. So, he Goes Ghost, defeats all of Scarecrow's goonies, and saves the day! If only his boss would think so, too.

Uh, no. Apparently Danny's now on a Wanted List as an undocumented meta?? And his boss can't be investigated by the GCPD (he's, like, four years behind on taxes and has been dodging the IRS for longer), so he regretfully has to let Danny go. But, hey! Maybe if he becomes a documented meta, he can get hired back. Except Danny can't because the GIW can access the meta registration database and he'll be found out faster than he can leave Gotham.

So, Danny's fired again.

And Alfred "Pride & Honor" Pennyworth?? He's not gonna let the child who saved him (because Scarecrow absolutely was going to snatch the Wayne's butler, who better to take hostage than a billionaire's publicly beloved Father Figure??) possibly become homeless. It's clear the kid is a college student and is barely scraping by, probably paying way too much for room and board at Gotham-U. And... maybe his wrist hurts a bit from a fall. He's older now, it's not impossible that he'd get a sprain or a broken bone. (Plus, Alfred knows the look. The same one as Dick, Jason, Tim, even Bruce. There's an immense grief in those small shoulders, fear and loneliness.)

Cue Alfred hiring Danny on as an interim butler while he recuperates (oh, he's terribly injured, thank you so much for helping me, my boy-). And Danny can't say no. I mean, this old man got injured during the Rogue attack he was apart of! And he's asking for help! And it's also nice to have some money. And a bed and... oh, God, he's working for a billionaire frootloop. Uh-oh.

(Alfred absolutely doesn't tell Bruce about his new son apprentice. It's worth it to see Bruce's eyes glaze over as sees a black-haired teenager standing in the kitchen with Alfred, then doing a double take when he realizes it isn't Jason. And the others are banned from the kitchen, so who is this child in his house?? It's not Kon or Jon either??)

Meanwhile, Danny is actually having a great time with Mr. Pennyworth!! The older man is kind, soft-spoken, and really knows his stuff. Danny really enjoys learning how to cook, especially because none of the food comes alive to fight him. Eventually the Batfam just become used to seeing Danny in the kitchens, gardens, around the house with Alfred. He's a cute kid, always smiling and talking about his college classes. He has effortless sarcastic banter with both Damian and Jason, bonds with Tim about some kind of difficult mechanical mathematics or something, trades dad jokes with Dick. He even manages to win over Cass, Steph, Duke, and Babs.

The only one Danny doesn't truly seem to like is Bruce Wayne, although he never outright disrespects him, since he pays the bills and Danny's midwestern manners kick in. Bruce is confused and very concerned because why is this kid literally glaring daggers at him all the time?? Is he going to poison Bruce's coffee?? Danny's just trying to figure out if Bruce Wayne is a "collects vintage dentures" or "keeps teenagers locked in his basement" type of billionaire frootloop. (He'd kinda prefer the kidnapping, Danny does not want to go looking for a wine cellar and find an entire basement of old teeth.)

Bonus if Bruce tries to subtly win the boy over and Danny's just like, squinting at him, white-knuckling a frying pan and muttering, "That's exactly what someone who collects teeth would say..."

[lilliankoo]

play you like a game, boy.

antagonist jungkook x princess reader

1/8🗡️ satin ribbon.

pairing: antagonist! tribe leader jungkook x princess reader.

trope: "he's mean to everyone but worships the ground you walk on", will absolutely do anything for you, strangers to lovers.

chapter 2 link chapter 3

synopsis: he looks like an angel but is a devil- well that's what your kingdom thinks. he is also the blessed leader of tribe "lav"; even a leaf cannot move without his permission but here he was in-front of you on his knees. while the whole tribe bows to him- he only bows to you. now, there are two paths presented to you- marry him & return his love or refuse & watch him conquer your father's kingdom. power is an evil yet a tempting apple-and now its in your hands- are you going to take a bite; taste the sweet poison or will you use it to tempt others? its an evil world with evil options.. do you think you can handle him?

warnings: tbd, different for every chapter. overall, smut, age gap (jk is 25 and y/n is 23), blood, rituals!!! (not too bad but still) threats, power dynamics, use of power, tribes, tribe rituals (i made them up :p), weapons, lovesick puppy heart eyed insanely in love jk, possessive jk, slightly controlling jk (not too bad), him spoiling his princess aka you, will add more as series progress.

—————

While humming one of the lullabies she used to sing to you as a child, your mother finishes tying the pink ribbon in your hair. She reaches for the brush on the dresser and runs it through your hair one last time. She gazes at you, more like your reflection in the mirror, before placing her brush-clad hand on your shoulder. As you stare at her, your brows are furrowed, and your lips are pursed.

Your mother makes eye contact and adds, "You dread me now, but trust me, you’ll thank me later." "How can you treat your own daughter like this?" you ask her, grief heavy in your voice. Yet, for some reason, you've given up fighting. You’ve made the choice not to yell or cry about your mother's heartless decision.

Being the only daughter of the King of Mir Konvo, you truly have no other choice. Yesterday, you learned that you are being "offered" to Jeon Jungkook, the head of the Forest Tribe, who is more powerful than your father's entire empire and known as the most formidable man alive.

The Lav Forest completely encloses your kingdom of Mir Konvo. While Jeon Jungkook rules the entire Lav Forest, your father reigns over Mir Konvo, which is also known as the "heart of Lav" since it's nestled right in the middle of the forest. For hundreds of years, your kingdom and Jeon’s forest were tied by a pact—an agreement that allowed your people to use the forest trail to conduct trade with other kingdoms, with no involvement from the Jeon tribe. In exchange, the Jeon tribe requested only grains and gold as payment. This arrangement has held for years, but Jeon Jungkook, the current head of the tribe, has shattered it. He now demands your hand in marriage. If you refuse, he will seal all pathways leading to Mir Konvo, seize control of your kingdom, and assassinate your father.

The entire country is aware of the Lav Forest's goddess blessing on the Jeon tribe. Centuries ago, when an enemy tribe destroyed Lav, the Devti goddess blessed the last surviving members of the Jeon tribe, declaring that no man would ever be able to defeat or oppose them. Naturally, your father signed the treaty and began the "preparations" for your marriage out of fear.

Now, back to your question: Your mother sighs and stands before you. She holds your shoulders and whispers quietly, "Listen to me, and listen very carefully. No man can resist a woman in this world. There is a reason someone as powerful as him would want to marry you. Take advantage of this, dominate him, break him, and make it impossible for him to live without you." The venom in her words is palpable. Her jaw is clenched, and her hands are digging into your shoulders. You understand exactly what she means. You pay close attention to her words, thinking about them over and over. Looking at your frightened expression, your mother asks, "Do you understand?" You take a cautious breath and nod hesitantly in agreement.

————————————————————————

The entire palace is adorned with white flowers. The orchestra plays a light tune—the atmosphere is serene, yet tense. Everyone displays their fake contentment, but in reality, everyone is scared—even you. Your father stands near the window, looking outside. His crown is absent, and his royal mantle no longer hangs on his shoulders. From his disheveled hair to the dark circles under his eyes, it’s clear he is distressed. You walk over and stand by his side.

"What’s on your mind, Father?" you ask.

Your father sighs deeply and looks at you. "He is an evil man. Your mother is not seeing this—"

His words are abruptly cut off by your mother's voice. "I’m doing this for the safety of the kingdom! No man can defeat him. You’ll die if you stand against him!" she shouts at your father. "You’re not seeing this through my eyes. Nothing will happen to Y/N," your mother adds, maintaining eye contact with him. You stand there, confused, watching the encounter unfold between them. Your father drops his head and nods at your mother. He doesn’t speak but looks at you.

The moment is interrupted when a soldier runs in to inform your father that it’s time to leave. Another condition Jungkook proposed was that the marriage would take place in the forest lav, with only three people allowed to attend—your father, your mother, and you.

That's how you find yourself in a carriage with your parents. Your mother is impeccably dressed, while your father dresses modestly. The commute to the Lav Forest isn’t long, and within three hours, your carriage reaches the entrance gate of Lav village. You step out, and your mother quickly helps you adjust your skirts and dresses.

There’s no man in sight to receive your family. Your father scans the area, searching for any members of the Jeon tribe, but he sees no one. The atmosphere is unnervingly quiet and serene. The leaves rustle, and the wind lightly breezes through the air.

"The carriage stays here. Come," a sudden voice calls from behind you. You turn to see a man, no older than 25, dressed in leather and furs, with a spear in his left hand and long hair reaching his back. He is incredibly handsome—you can’t deny it. He looks at you, then motions for your father to follow him. You and your parents follow him into the village. The path is smooth and clear, as if it were purposefully prepared for your comfort.

After ten minutes of walking, huts and houses begin to appear. You can see people peeking at your family through their windows—some whispering, others cryptically smiling in your direction. In the distance, you see a platform surrounded by a crowd. The stage-like platform is only a few feet higher than the ground and has two chairs at its center. Some people stand on it, engaged in serious conversations, while others laugh.

You and your parents stand a few feet away, waiting for instructions. You intertwine your hand with your father’s and squeeze it.

Suddenly, the voices of people laughing and talking around you halt- everyone around you kneels, including your parents. Thats when you see the leader, your future husband, jungkook walking towards you. Out of instinct and fear, you bend your knees to bow as well. But then, someone grabs both your shoulders, forcing you to stand upright. You look up in confusion and meet his eyes. The anger is gone, replaced by something softer—love and affection. Without warning, Jungkook drops to his knees in front of you and bows. The entire village was bowing to him while he remains on his knees for you.

your just about to speak when Jungkook speaks up: "The first time I saw you, I was entranced. Seeing you made me lose sleep, and I chanted your name like a prayer. You are educated, beautiful, and I knew your father would never marry you to someone like me, i did not have any other choice, don’t hate me for this, I’m just a man in love."

Your breath hitches because you don’t know what to do. Having a powerful man like Jungkook on his knees in front of you, confessing his love, is overwhelming. Your hands shake as you reach for his shoulders, gently guiding him to his feet. Jungkook rises to his full height, towering over you.

He cradles your jaw affectionately in both hands and kisses your forehead. You’re confused and scared—confused because he isn’t as terrifying as he’s made out to be, and scared because he’s too close. You avoid his gaze and look around. Everyone is still kneeling, and you feel uncomfortable. You glance at him, then at the others still bowing. Surprisingly, he understands.

"Everyone, stand up!" he commands, and the crowd quickly rises to their feet.

He turns to you and your parents, smiling. "Shall we begin the rituals?"

————————————————————————

NEXT: chapter 2

————————————————————————

💌: yalll haiiii, yes its me, yes i deleted this fic previously, yes im posting it again. yes.

[pythonmoth]

cw: violence. torture. waterboarding. hurt/no comfort.

simon x f!reader. poly tf141. father figure price.

i haven't written in a long time. it's good to be back.

First | Next

Traitor.

That's what Price thinks as Simon and Soap drag you from the table, nearly choking on your food as they give you no time to understand what's going on.

Alarms ring in your ears as you force the piece of stale bread down your throat, trying to stand on your feet but they're taller than you, so your feet end up dangling, useless. You take a deep breath, your voice shaking as much as you are.

"What's going on? Is this some kind of sick joke?", you ask, looking at Simon, desperate to find an explanation for this other than the anger and torment in his eyes.

Simon doesn't answer. Nobody does. Soap's grip tightens, but he doesn't say anything, his expression hard.

No.

No.

You can tell they are not joking when you realize they're taking you downstairs. Sweat rolls down your face, fear creeping from the base of your neck to your toes, making you snap. You beg them to tell you what's going on, to explain why you're being dragged down there. You kick and struggle, a sob ripped deep from your chest as you start screaming, begging for a reaction. And then, pain.

Tears fill your eyes when it's Simon who hits your stomach with his fist, effectively shutting you up. You can smell the blood from past tortures mixed with bleach, and, distantly, the scent of forgotten wet rags. There's something salty in the air, and that's when you freeze, the pain in your stomach becoming nothing compared to the fear that grows in your chest.

They know you.

You've been with them for nine years. They know your fears.

"No. No. Please. Simon, Johnny— Please, please, please" you beg, sobbing as you can't do anything but go limp and heavy in their grip, doing the best you can to keep them from tying you to the chair. But it's useless.

Stars and colors dance behind your eyes as a fist connects with the side of your chin. You wonder if it would be better if they made you pass out right now. Maybe if you bite your tongue, it could—

"Gag her" Price tells them.

He's trained you for nine years.

He knows you.

You try to bite down on Johnny's fingers as he stuffs your mouth with an old rag, but it's difficult when your senses are unfocused after such a hard punch. The rag wet and disgusting, the scent and the taste making you sob again, shaking your head, your eyes big as you look at Simon.

Please.

Then a wet rag is pressed to your face. You inhale sharply as cold buckets of salty water are dropped right on your face, the cloth making it impossible for you to breathe. Salty water fills your lungs, making you choke and cough around the gagging rag.

You can hear questions, accusations, but you're paralized with fear, with pain and grief.

Grief.

They've been your friends, your family for so long. It's impossible to tell if you'll live through this. It's impossible for you to think of them as anything but monsters.

You know they usually did this with traitors, with enemies when it was necessary.

And you know they never enjoy it.

You've scolded Simon for smoking so late at night, you've had so many drinks next to him when he can't even speak. Simon often flinches awake from nightmares, startling you and then sharing quiet nights side to side.

You know this.

But then Simon hits your face again, taking the rag out of your mouth, and you can't find the love you have for him. It's expelled from your body with each hard cough, with each drop of blood falling from your nose.

"Did you not hear me?" Price demands, his arms crossed. "I'll ask one more time, then."

Smack.

Your chest is heaving, the fear so paralizing you can't even feel each punch as much as you should.

"What did you tell them?" Price continues, not looking one bit anxious for you to answer. He stands in front of you, his feet dry despite the salt burning your lungs.

"I don't know what you're talking about" you manage, looking up at Price, your eyes wide and bloodshot.

With a hard yank on your hair until your head is thrown back again, you're gagged once more, and the rag is pressed to your face. The salty water keeps on filling your lungs, unable to breathe, unable to cough around the gag.

You can't say anything. You truly don't know shit.

Hours later, when it becomes clear you won't speak, Price kicks you across the chest, hard, and the chair flips back.

You're tied up to the chair, exhausted and wet, your lungs burning with salt.

Memories of you as a child, nearly drown to death by your cousins, fill your mind. It had been a good day, until it wasn't.

Simon had held you when you told him, kissed you, and tucked you in for a good night sleep.

Johnny managed to make you crackle when you told him, patting your head, and saying your cousin had awful skills.

Now, there's nothing. Nothing but pain, and the burning in your lungs.

The door springs open, and the three men leave.

Only then do you close your eyes, passing out.

[hairmetal666]

It's Wayne that goes with him when he buys the truck. He offers to go with him. Uses one of his few days off to do it.

On the way there, it strikes Steve that his own father would never do this with him. The man hadn't even bought the Beemer himself, just sent an assistant to take care of it. And here Wayne is, driving them to a used car dealership, humming along to some old country-western song on the radio.

It takes three dealerships for them to find it, but Wayne is patient, stoic, takes careful note of the cars that catch Steve's interest. He asks the salesman if he can pop the hood, peers at the engine, kicks the tires. He asks questions Steve would never think of, about adjustments to the odometer, history of repairs, if it was in any accidents.

Steve never considered wanting a truck, doesn't think it's his style. But he's walking the lot at the third dealership, and he sees it. It's a Chevy, blue and white, a few years old. It's in good condition, but was obviously used for work.

He walks towards it.

"You like this one?" Wayne asks. If he's surprised, he doesn't show it.

"Yeah, it's--yeah," Steve nods.

Wayne does his checks, asks his questions, gives a nod of approval.

It's the first car he takes on a test drive.

He barely has it on the road before he knows it's the one. It surprises him. He always thought he was his true self in the BMW, but now--the engine has a throaty grumble to it, can feel it rumbling through his foot on the pedal, and it's--it's--perfect.

"This it?" Wayne asks as they pull back into the lot.

"Yeah, yes. It's. Yeah."

"Well, let's get to hagglin."

Wayne is, of course, an expert haggler. By the end of it, he's got a couple thousand dollars knocked off the asking price, Steve more than within budget.

They drive back to Wayne's little house on the outskirts of Hawkins, the one the government gave him, the sun just disappearing behind the horizon.

Eddie stands on the small porch, wide smile on his face.

"Wow, Wayne," he says. He wraps an arm around his uncle's shoulders. "You really did a number on him."

"It's a solid vehicle, Ed."

"Never took you for a truck man, Harrington," Eddie teases.

"Can't you see how gorgeous she is?"

Eddie raises an eyebrow, his smile not faltering. "Wow, it's true love then."

"Looks like it. Wanna come for a ride?"

There's only a second where Eddie hesitates, but then he's running inside to grab shoes, tripping on his way to the truck.

---

It happened like this:

Eddie Munson died in the Upside Down in 1986.

He's reanimated by Vecna for the final battle, a puppet to do his master's bidding.

When they win, when Vecna is dead in a pile of dessicated vines, they can't find Eddie. Scour the Upside Down for him and come up empty. They have to assume he's dead, like everything else there, kept alive only by Vecna's power. None of them want to leave without him, but the world is destabilized, they can't stay, El has to close the gates.

That night, Steve pulls the battle vest from under his bed, sobs into the blood-soaked denim, the grief from the loss just as fresh as March of '86.

He and the kids, they go visit Wayne. It becomes a regular thing.

Two weeks after the end of Vecna, Wayne calls him. He's panicked, near hysterical, nothing like the man Steve's come to know.

He goes, fast as he can, to Wayne's house. All the lights are off, the front door ajar, and he runs, clattering into the living room.

Wayne is in the recliner, face pale and strained, and on the couch--on the couch--

Eddie Munson.

His hair's lank, his skin sallow, the light in his eyes dim, but it's him. Unquestionably.

Steve does the only thing he can think of, calls Hopper. He shows up a little while later with El and Will.

"I called Owens," Hopper says.

"Why would you do that?" Steve is angry.

"Look, kid, I get it. But none of us are equipped to deal with this."

He's right, so they wait.

It doesn't take the doctor, El, and Will long to figure that Eddie is Eddie, even though his heart beats a little slow and his skin's always cold and his blood is slightly the wrong color. He's still at least 75% human, and that's enough.

Only those six people know. It's dangerous to tell anyone else when the world still thinks Eddie Munson is a serial murderer. Owens asks for time to clear his name, and they have no choice but to agree.

After two days, Steve thinks he should give Eddie and Wayne space, but as he rises to go, Eddie's hand grips his wrist. "Stay?" He asks. Steve doesn't leave.

It's hard, keeping the secret from the rest of the kids, Robin. He wants to tell her, more than anything. About how they share a bed most nights, how he's memorizing the shape of Eddie's body in a way he shouldn't, how the gentle desire turns to profound longing--but Eddie's safety is the most important thing, so Steve keeps it to himself.

---

They go out in Steve's truck almost every night, always on backroads. It's the only way Eddie can leave the house.

It's Steve's favorite thing, the only time Eddie seems truly happy. They roll the windows down, turn the music up, and whip around deserted farm roads. Sometimes, Eddie will stick his head out the window, shout out into the night.

Steve is in love with him.

He has no idea if Eddie feels the same, figures it doesn't matter. He'll harbor this flame for the rest of his life without complaint because Eddie is alive.

He thinks he's done a good job at hiding his feelings, thinks he's able to avert his gaze, hide his blush, when Eddie comes out of his room in only his boxers, thinks Eddie hasn't noticed how Steve's eyes linger when they share joints lying in the bed of the truck.

Except tonight--tonight--they're driving back home, and Eddie, he's been quiet, distant, fidgety, and now he reaches out to turn down the radio, which has Steve's stomach in a knot.

"You--Steve, you've been so great. To me and Wayne, and--you're family, you know? To us, you're--but--"

And Steve thinks this is it, that Eddie noticed, that he's being let down easy, and he wants to throw up, cry, but Eddie's still talking.

"You have a life to live, right? You're--you're 23 and you're not stuck here like me, and I know Robin is ready to go and the kids are--they're going to college soon, and you shouldn't stay here for me, I'm--"

"What?" Steve says.

"What?" Eddie echoes.

"I don't want to leave," Steve says.

"But--"

"Where you are is where I want to be."

"I'm in love with you," Eddie says. Cover his face with his hands.

Steve pulls the truck to the shoulder. His hands are shaking.

"You love me?"

"I'm sorry." His apology is muffled. "I didn't mean--I know this fucks up--"

"Eddie." He says, soft. "Look at me?"

One deep brown eye peers up at him. "Eddie, I--I'm hopelessly in love with you."

Both eyes now, mouth a bright curve. "You mean it, Harrington?"

"Fuck, can't get enough of you, Munson."

"You know, if I thought for a second anything like was possible, I would've--fuck, I would've made a move ages ago. I would've--"

"Shut-up," he whispers against Eddie's mouth. "Kiss me."

---

And later, Robin will ask if he has someone, and he'll say yes, and she'll ask, soft, "is it him?" and he'll nod, and they'll both cry.

Later, a news report, Eddie Munson's body was recovered from the bottom of Sattler Quarry, bearing the same wounds as Vecna's other victims.

Later, Chief Powell will hold a press conference, say they're looking for a man named Henry Creel, wanted on suspicion of killing his mother and sister and the aggravated assault of his father with an MO that matches the 1986 killing spree.

Later, Steve will shave Eddie's head, Eddie crying softly as the hair tumbles to the bathroom floor. Steve will kiss the tears away, one by one, say, "I know it's hard to let go. But we'll move away, to a place where people say 'you look like that guy, that Eddie Munson,' and you'll say, 'I get that a lot,' and your hair will grow back, if you want it to."

Later, they'll invite everyone to Wayne's , everyone except Dustin, busy in Boston with an internship, and Eddie will be there to welcome them.

Later, he and Eddie will take the truck, drive up to Boston. And Eddie, he'll spy Dustin first, walks up to him and says, "Pretty metal tattoos, little dude," and they'll all cry until Dustin stops to yell at them for keeping the secret.

Later, Steve and Eddie will leave MIT--Dustin screeching that they have to call him every night promptly at 8pm still ringing in their ears-- in search of their future.

[quantum1mmortality]

Captain Curly; marriage hcs <3

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Chat I know I mentioned getting back into writing for twst but the current hyperfixation is too strong rn so just bare with me I NEED to write for mouthwashing

!this is written with an AU in mind; curly still works for pony express, but there's no ship. Just a normal job. Also J***y doesn't exist.!

Tw/cw; afab!reader, mentions of pregnancy and having said baby, MANHANDLING!!!!, teasing, use of pet names, uhhh I can't think of any else

Not proofread

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Sfw

I think Curly would definitely be a family oriented person. The further you'd get into your relationship, the more he'd ask about your opinion on kids and if you'd want any in the future.

I also think Curly would be on the traditional side, too. If you said yes to having kids, he'd take that as an opportunity to show you how good of a provider he can be, and how willing he is to become a father.

When you do eventually have children, he'd be more than willing to take off work to help around the house. You just gave birth, he knows it's hard for you, so he'd make breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all three of you.

Sidenote; Curly would definitely be a good cook. He probably took culinary in highschool

If he knew Anya at the time, he'd have her babysit your children so he could take you out on dates. This happens quite often, too; probably around once or twice a month. He just wants to show how much he appreciates you and everything you've done for him and your relationship <3

He'd take you to the most expensive restaurants and tell you to order whatever you wanted, and if you're done breastfeeding, he'd order a bottle of champagne for you both.

He'd be one of those "I love my wife" husbands. Everyone at his job is so sick of hearing him talk so highly of you. It'll be someone's birthday, they'll bring a cake, and he just won't eat it. Why? "My wife could make a better cake."

After you guys got married, he couldn't stop calling you his wife. That name felt so surreal to him; like the woman of his dreams is finally his? And there's a title for that?? Of course he's going to use it constantly.

He probably also took Anya out to help him pick out a ring. And thank god he did btw because he would've gotten you a ring with the biggest diamond they had 😭😭 (sorry to all the big ring lovers in chat rn they're just not it for me)

Nsfw

Curly is a romantic. He'd want to take things slow, cherish you as much as possible, especially if it's your first time.

He wouldn't think of it as sex, he'd think of it as lovemaking; showing you his worth and how much he cares about you.

He rarely gets rough, you have to ask him to be because he just won't do it. But, he's a suck up for you, so if you want something, it's yours.

So, he'd get rough. He'd go faster than he usually does, maybe put his hand around your neck and squeeze ever so gently. But afterwards, he'd feel awful; like he was hurting you or something.

He'd apologize profusely, say he's never gonna do it again, but does it a few days later. It's like going through the five stages of grief but skipping the first four and consistently being at acceptance

He's a hand holder. Since he's an intimate person, his preferred position is missionary. He likes this position for a few reasons; he gets to see your expression if you're enjoying it or uncomfortable, he gets to kiss you, and he can hold your hand. It's one of his favorite things to do, not only because he finds it much more romantic, but he also loves how you squeeze his hand when you're getting close.

Teasing is one of the things he does best. But verbal teasing, not physical. You can hear him giggle anytime he's inside you, practically taunting you when he knows you're close. He'd say something dumb like, "aw, is princess gonna cum?" And then have a shit eating grin on his face.

Pet names are another thing he uses often. Like I said previously, he'd call you princess, but there's also other names he'd call you during the act. Love, darling, and angel are the ones he uses for you most commonly, aside from princess of course.

I saw someone else say this on here and their hcs were actually what made me want to write (I swear on my SOUL I am NOT trying to copy them 🙏🙏🙏🙏 sorry if it comes off like that) but they said Curly would be buff and I completely agree. He would be HUGE, I'm thinking 6'3-6'5, easily over 220lbs.

The manhandling would go CRAZY, you don't like a position? No issue, he'll just pick you up and put you in a different one. Can't keep your legs open while he's being a munch? As much as he enjoys the feeling of suffocating between your thighs, which believe me, he does, he can't exactly pleasure you if he's unconscious from the lack of airflow. Not a big issue, a firm hand on each leg will do the trick.

Another comment on his body alone to wrap this up; he'd definitely be muscular in his legs and especially his arms. I think his stomach would be toned, not a six pack, but toned. Maybe even a little pudge and a v line 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭

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A/N: hi guys pls send requests for curly fics plasplsplspslsplsplslsplspls I'm so thirsty for this man oh ky god I'm crynng

[jacaerysgf]

jacaerys x bethrothed!reader - grief

a.n: felt so sick after seeing the new still i needed to write smth

You were pacing in front of the door waiting for him to walk in. You had seen vermax fly over and knew he was finally back. It had been so long since you last saw him you had no clue how you were even going to react when you did.

You had no clue how he was going to react. You had not see him since he flew away from dragonstone, not before he had given you a kiss and smile promising to return shortly.

The doors suddenly hope and he walks him. The first thing you notice about him was his hair, and then you notice the confused look on his face as he glances at you then at the room full of people who look at him with pity.

“What has happened?”

It should be one of them to break the news to him, his mother or even his father but the two of them seem too distracted in their grief they were not even here to greet him.

You walk over to him and wrap you arms around him in a tight hug, he does not reciprocate it as he whispers to you asking you what has happened. You feel the way he stiffens when one of the maesters begins to speak and informs him. You pull back and stay at his side as he stares wide eyed at him, tears already glossing over his eyes. “What happened?”

You watch as he loses his composure the more and more the maester speaks. The way his breath quickens and his eyes only grow with tears. He turns away, breathing heavily out of his mouth as he grips his necklace tightly in his hands. You know being in this room with all these people is not good for him.

“All of you should leave.” You stare at the room and they all seem frozen, “GET OUT!” the room all quickly shuffles around and everyone dashes from the room. You turn your attention back to jacaerys who has bend over slightly, attempting to reach out to him but he quickly slaps your hands away.

“jace-” “It is my fault.” You shake your head though he can not see it and feel yourself also getting chocked up. “You know that is not true.”

He shakes his head and attempts to walk away from you but he stumbles and bit, you got to try and help him but he pushes you away from him. “There is nobody else to blame but me! if i had not been so foolish, to blinded i,,” He cannot continue to speak as tears continue to run down his face, the grip he has on his necklace tightens until he turns to one of the walls and lets out a loud shout as he rips it off his next and chucks it against the wall.

You quickly rush to his side as he falls to his knees and clutches his chest, when he tries to push you away this time his hands are weaker and you ignore him wrapping your arms around him. He leans against you as he sobs, his body violently shaking, his eyes tightly shut as he heaves into you chest, you can feel the tears soaking into your dress.

You rub his arms up and down and lightly rock back and forth, your own tears flow up to your eyes but you cant try now, not as you try to comfort him the best you can. You lean your mouth next to his ear and press a kiss to his temple. “It is nobody else fault other then aemonds arrogance and borros’ greed. It is not your fault my love.”

Your fingers comb your his curls as he slowly begins to settle down a little bit. You don’t know how long the two of you are sitting there on the floor, you do not care the way yours knees ache or the way your dress clings uncomfortably to your skin all that matters to you now is comforting him.

“Should we go see your mother?” He shakes his head and presses against you tightly. “How can i bare to look at her?”

“She needs you jace, just as you need her.” With your words he nods and you help him stand, he clings to you as you two walk through the empty hallways to his mothers chambers.

Before he opens the door he turns to you once more and you can see he’s clearly attempting to let out a smile but his face only contorts oddly before he sighs, “Thank you.”

You nod and give him your best smile as he turns and opens the door, shutting it quickly behind him. You walk away, fearing if you were even too close you’d be intruding on their intimate grieving time.

You finally allow yourself to cry once you enter the hall once more, walking over to the walk and picking up the pieces of his necklace in your hand, it didn't look unfixable, with some work you could repair it just as you’re sure he will be able to repair himself after this.

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perm jace taglist <3

@tyronesien @itsbookworm987 @cruelworldlana @smurfelle @ireneispunk @hxtd @venmondiese @urmomsgirlfriend1 @jacesvelaryons