#give me the science? the realization that oh wait no this is BAD bad? the graphs? the maps?

[apocalypticseagull]

My dumb little nerdy heart loves to see disaster type movies that have a science-y part behind it and things that could potentially happen to earth

[kiss-me-muchoo]

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝? || 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Summary_ living the most perfect relationship turned out to be a sharp pain, your boyfriend Reed Richards was married and you didn’t knew, but thankfully, after the storm comes a rainbow.

Warnings_ age gap (not specified, but reader is in uni), ANGST, ANGST, implied smut, retro references, I hate home-wreckers but this is for the plot, DO NOT romaticize this shit irl.

Notes_ I HAVE A REASON TO ADD THE JOE QUINN TAG, PLEASE READ JOHNNY STORM LOVERS, and listen to how did it end?, please please please and Be My Baby with this, worth it.

♪ ♫ Pedro playlist | Reed + Johnny playlist ✰ Index (+ fics here)

𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ 𓆇𓆸⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ 𓆇𓆸⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ 𓆇𓆸

The subway was awfully quiet yet at full capacity. You assumed everyone was minding their business as usual, but you thanked them because you could perfectly hear the radio of an elderly man playing “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes, and it made you smile.

Reed loved when you casually hummed and danced to the song as you cooked.

Oh, you were so in love.

It was at the beginning of your third semester of university when you met him. Being so introverted made it sweet and easy when you stepped into the wrong classroom, expecting an art class. Reed Richards, the physics professor let you know you were not in advanced sculpting class. He was so enchanted by your beehive hairstyle matching purple skirt and top, with a lilac sweater that had tiny embedded jewels.

He went to look after you that afternoon, learning you were at least past your teenage years and that you were not a science person like him.

And the rest was history, after months of having casual dates, he visited you often, and even met your parents. You loved him.

Reed was extremely smart. Always brings you the right gifts although you never ask him for anything. Always suggesting the best places to have dinner. It was like he had everything perfectly measured to make you happy.

I'll make you happy, baby,

just wait and see

For every kiss you give me,

I'll give you three.

Your stop was next and you enjoyed the rest of the song as you savored the feeling of being in love.

Walking through the streets you realized you had nothing else to do for the rest of the week regarding academic stuff. You also were expecting to arrive before the sunset at your home to start dinner. Reed was coming and your parents were going to join you two too.

For a moment you don’t think you’ve ever been this happy before.

-

Your dad opened a bottle of wine when you heard a knock on the door and that had you already blushing. You placed more raspberries and sliced lemon pieces on top of the cake you started as soon as you arrived home.

Reed greeted your parents and they welcomed him kindly.

“Our girl is in the kitchen,” your dad said.

“On my way to her,” you giggled, hearing his footsteps.

Immediately his hands came to lock around your waist. Which startled you but soon made you laugh.

“Hello, my love,” he said kissing your cheeks from behind.

“Reed! I’m trying to finish the cake” Giggling and trying to get away from him, he made you spin around before pulling closer and finally plastering a big kiss on your lips.

You melt into his touch in a second.

“Too bad I have more appetite for kissing my girl” you gently pushed him, returning to finish the cake.

“Don’t be like that… I put my heart in this one” Reed got closer, admiring your cooking skills. He then moved his eyes to appreciate you. His smile grew as his heart started beating faster.

“You sing, you dance, you sculpt, cook and bake. Darling, you’re perfect!”

“Kiss me again and I might believe it, baby” his silly smile made you chuckle, accepting his embrace and another kiss. It took you by surprise when gently pinned you against the counter, making you let out a gasp after feeling his manhood brushing your inner thigh.

“Are we still up for dinner?” Your mother called, peeking through the door of the doorframe of the kitchen.

“Yes. Sorry, Mom” you apologized feeling a sudden sense of embarrassment. Reed let you go, immediately helping you to grab some plates.

“We’ll continue this in the studio, darling” his hand reached out and gave you a soft spank in the ass, making your eyes wide open.

“Reed!”

“I said what I said, dear”

You would never deny his touch. The way the mere brush of the tip of his fingers could set you on fire and he perfectly knew the spots to make your body burn. So you just smiled naughtily. When he turned to see you again, you gained the courage to show him the outline of your shiny mint underwear that was lying under your dress.

“You’re killing me, y/n”

“After dinner, you can do everything to stop me”

His face was priceless, he blushed and looked adorable being so.

“How does it feel this summer without teaching?” You heard your father asking Reed after you gently pushed him out of the kitchen.

Between the laughs of your family and boyfriend, and the soft music playing in the background, you feel very happy.

…

“Reed…” you moaned his name as you watched his face under the hem of your dress. His lips were constantly licking your wet folds and had you biting your own hand to prevent louder moans.

“Darling… you are so pretty moaning like that for me” his hands snaked through your ass to the back of your knees, opening your legs even wider.

You were so close, your eyes closed in advance and you grasped at his hair harder.

yes, yes, yes, oh!… oh no.

His watch oddly beeped. The bubble of pleasure exploded, leaving only ashes of what had been the lust.

“I gotta go…” you frowned.

“What?… Why?”

“A friend. From work… he has a deadline for professors, I promised I would send him some of my archives to save him time,” he said and it only made you frown more.

“Can’t you send him the archives at least after making me reach an orgasm?”

“I’m sorry, baby. I’ll pick you up tomorrow to have breakfast at your favorite place. Then we can have some fun time in my car” he attempted to soothe your worries but it clearly didn’t work.

“Oh… okay, Reed”

He kissed your forehead before squeezing your hand and finally leaving.

The bitter taste of uncertainty hit you. And before you could even prevent it, you were distrusting Reed.

The next morning, while he talked about how lovely you looked and how great was his breakfast, you barely paid attention. While he took your body to the backseat of his car, more than pleasure you felt uncertainty again.

And no matter how much you tried to ignore it, you didn’t believe Reed.

…

It’s all in the past three weeks later. Everything went back to normal, dates were perfect again, and sex was pure gold again. You had no complaints about your relationship with your much older boyfriend.

Even better when he announced he got tickets to see The Beatles on Saturday.

You got your hair straightened. A black turtleneck dress, red seen-through tights, and matching red heels.

Your eyeliner was more perfect than ever. And Reed came to pick you up with a huge bouquet of flowers.

“How did you get the tickets, love?” you asked as he drove.

“Oh, I have a friend who works in the media. A dating show has its target audience set…”

You wonder what show he meant. There were some popular shows on the TV airing at the time. That’s long short story when you notice Reed had been watching you.

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just that I love the sight of you…” his words made you blush. Much more when he leaned to give you a quick kiss that you enjoyed as if it was the last. His beard tickled you and only made you smile more.

“I don’t want to die without seeing The Beatles, Reed” He started laughing and soon you followed with a giggle.

He pulled into a parking lot, and you already felt excited, seeing the crowds making line to go inside the venue, waiting for the concert to begin.

“Oh, I’m so excited!” You squealed, hurrying to apply some more lipstick before getting out of the car.

“Honey, you don’t need more makeup, you already look gorgeous,” Reed said.

“But it’s your favorite color” he looked, noticing it was indeed his favorite color, crimson red.

“Damn right… it is my favorite color” Both of you laughed as you started walking outside of the parking lot.

He placed his arm around your shoulders but soon you remember.

“Wait!… I forgot my coat” Reed hands you the car keys and you go back.

The last sun's rays hit the car when you open the backseat door. You leaned to grab your coat, but a shimmery item caught your attention.

Locked under the passenger seat, you struggle to grab the object, not being able to see just guided by the touch.

First, you felt a paper and a harder one, like a card. Then, with your pinky fingers, you felt a cold rounded object.

Your heart pounded as you fished the object with your pinky fingers.

An ID from the NASA that belonged to a woman, named Susan Richards aka Sue Storm. She was older, but extremely pretty; blonde, blue eyes, perfect nose, perfect hair, just some years younger than Reed.

A picture of your boyfriend with the same woman of the ID, both looking at the camera, her hand gently placed against his chest, a big diamond in a ring also positing for the picture.

And the ring. The solid proof of your sudden question.

“Darling, Why are you taking so long?”

“You are married?” You asked, handing him the golden wedding band with one hand and slamming the door of his car with the other.

“Darling…” he tried to reason, but you are enraged, red face and watered eyes.

“Why am I even questioning? Of course, you are married, Reed!” your hand dropped the picture and ID, and his attempts to calm you failed.

You can’t even process what is happening, you are just being consumed by the anger caused by his betrayal.

“We were going through a rough phase. And then I met you. I- I don’t even know what I’m doing right now” he admitted, sighing, accepting he was an asshole and a loser.

“AS IF I CARE!… YOU LIED TO ME!”

“Let me talk and explain, y/n”

You let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose, trying to keep the tears from falling. Your head started pounding, your body welcoming the stress.

“No. Don’t call me again, don’t get close to my university on campus. Just… don’t you ever try to come back into my life again.” he called your name plenty of times, and you heard his footsteps following you, but after leaving the parking lot of the restaurant, he stopped.

After a good time trying to prevent the tears, you started crying. You loudly sobbed, ignoring the few people you encountered while crossing the streets of the vivid city.

By the time you are seated in the subway once again, you don’t realize you have walked more than five blocks. You could only think about Reed.

Every moment with him felt genuine. He was kind, attentive, romantic, and… honest.

Never gave a sign to make you believe you couldn’t trust him, more like the contrary. And that was the worst part.

Maybe you just loved him so hard that it made you blind to see that his love was a lie.

…

The phone rang every day. You never answered. A month passed and you avoided the rest of your life on the beaches of Florida.

Your parents believed Reed took advantage of his P.H. D out of the city, so it was better to break up. But they could bear seeing their poor daughter going through some breakdown.

And when you came back to the city, the neighbor told you your ex-boyfriend had sent flower bouquets during your vacation, not knowing you were out.

It only made you feel worse. Questioning How could you have missed the signs of him being married?. And now that the damage was done. Did the wife know? Did Reed ever love you?

If he couldn’t be faithful to his wife, certainly not to you.

But those thoughts are the kind of thing that makes you go out with one eye covered in purple eyeshadow and the other in bright orange. Mismatched socks and disheveled hair. Some girls laugh at you when you enter a cafeteria but you honestly don’t give a damn. You just want a sandwich.

After paying, you’re once again daydreaming with overthinking about Reed. Without realizing a man had stood beside you.

“Hey... I saw the girls over there laugh but… I like the way you styled yourself” You turn to see the stranger.

“I’m so lost in the head, I did something bad that I didn’t even realize what I was choosing” you admitted, moving to grab some dressing and napkins while waiting for your order.

“Well, it must been really bad, with all due respect.”

“It was…”

“Is it too bad that I’m curious to know?” He asked and you shook your head, sighing.

“I was dating a married man and I didn’t know,” you said looking down, too embarrassed to look at the guy in the eye.

“It’s not your fault if you didn’t know” it took you by surprise.

“I know. But it pains me so much because it thought it was… real.” a lady called your name, letting you know your order was ready.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be telling my problems to strangers. Thanks for listening, have a great day” you said, walking away to grab your sandwich.

“Wait!” The man called you.

“I don’t mind hearing. My brother-in-law always says I’m an asshole but I can actually listen to people. If you had no plans… We could have lunch together” he revealed, making you smile gently.

“I was going to take this home and eat alone. So yes, we could have lunch together…” you finally analyzed him. Definitely closer to your age than your failed previous relationship. He was blonde and had kind eyes, that no matter what you wouldn’t trust at all after what happened with Reed. But this man seemed sweet, slightly cheeky, and too much extroverted, but you liked it.

“I didn’t catch your name before,” he said.

“I’m y/n…”

“Johnny… Johnny Storm” You remember it was the same name as Reed’s wife. But you can’t think this man had something to do with them. You can’t live continuing with mixing Reed with every step you took.

“I like your jacket”

“Thanks. I almost set it on fire this morning” You didn’t think he was saying it for real, so you laugh.

And oh, how much things changed after that.

…

Five months later, in the peak of autumn, Johnny and you celebrated your first month together. And accidentally you discovered he had some… abilities regarding fire.

Soon later, he was convinced you had to meet his family, so you agreed.

But when his sister opened the door, your face went pale. The woman in the ID you found in Reed’s car greeted you along Ben Grimm and soon you encountered with the cause of your endless midnights in sorrow.

Reed Richards looked the same. Wearing his usual clothes, the grey hairs above his ears, a charming smile, and an intellectual vocabulary.

Acting like strangers, he greeted you, pretending he never met you, never kissed you, never touched you.

Reed just slipped from you, but you weren’t afraid to walk away, just truly and messily hurt. Then you met Johnny, magically disappearing the weight of your broken heart. Even so, while walking inside the house, talking to the wife of your ex-boyfriend, you felt his eyes on you.

Reed was merely shocked, not knowing anything about you in months, then suddenly walking into his home as Johnny’s new girlfriend. He was horrified, but then he realized that he was no better than his brother-in-law. Reed always thought Johnny was an asshole for cheating on girls and being condescending. But you had truly changed him. Johnny followed you like a lost puppy, Reed questioned if you were a witch. And he accepted he wasn’t over you.

“How on earth did this happen?” Reed asked you in a brief moment of privacy.

“I don’t know, but I think I’m falling in love with him, Mr. Fantastic” you whispered in his ear. Reed saw how your eyes briefly glowed and he feared you, but more than fear, he felt panic about you completely forgetting about him.

As you walked inside the kitchen, following the conversation with Ben and Sue, Reed was witness of how you dropped a picture of his wedding with Sue, without touching it.

“What was that?” The blonde woman asked.

“A picture, the frame hit the ground very hard” Reed calmed her, but he grabbed the item, noticing how it left some of your strange energy. He would take that frame to run some tests and discover what the hell were you hiding.

Reed entered the kitchen finally, and saw how Johnny kissed your temple, his hand on the small of your back to lead you towards the table to have dinner. You weren’t lying, you were falling in love with Johnny, but you thought back at Reed, and couldn’t comprehend how did it end?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

taglist: @raiyna-rred

Idk, I’m just excited for this movieeeeeee

[moonstruckme]

feels odd being a marauder fan asking for tasm Peter content but i couldnt help myself <//3 if ur still taking requests id love to see ur take on Peter and the art students meet cute (or not so cute meeting) I always wondered how two vastly different people would even meet lol

Thanks for requesting gorgeous!

cw: mention of animal cruelty (not present in the story)

tasm!Peter Parker x artist!reader ♡ 831 words

Peter wonders if he should put on his mask. 

He’s not really sure what the protocol is for non-mutant criminal activity that makes its way into his daily life. But he’d only been trying to lock up the lab for the night, and there you are, spray painting all over the glass panes dividing the workspaces. 

“Hey!” He decides to forgo the mask when you direct your can scary close to a container of samples. “Don’t do that, you’ll ruin them.” 

You turn slowly, tense all over. It’s a look Peter’s not unfamiliar with; fight and flight are warring in your nervous system. You’ve been caught. 

“No one’s still supposed to be here,” you say, voice muffled slightly by the painter’s mask covering your nose and mouth. 

A laugh bubbles out of him. “Oh, my bad. Sorry—actually, since I’m clearly the one breaking the rules, I’ll just go.” 

You remain frozen in place, seemingly waiting to see if he’s actually joking or not. Peter’s not sure what to do. He can’t just…let you continue to destroy the lab, but calling the cops has never been his MO. He crosses his arms and leans back against a table, doing his best to look in control. 

“What are you even doing?” he asks. 

“It’s…” You look around you as if you’d forgotten, to the glass now dripping gorily with red paint. “It’s about animal cruelty. It’s a protest. Do you have any idea,” you say, your voice picking up conviction as you speak, “how many animals die in these labs every day?” 

Peter blinks. “Not really.” It feels shitty to say, but it’s not like he’s around for every class and project that happens here every day; something like that would be impossible to keep track of. 

Your eyes flash. “Too many.”

“So, what?” He looks around, at the red dribbling down the glass panes—blood, that’s what it is—and your paint-spritzed overalls. “You make some maintenance worker have to clean this up tomorrow morning, and then the science department will decide to stop?” 

Your eyebrows bunch. You hadn’t thought of that. “I just want to bring attention to it,” you say. “I’ll come back and clean up if I need to, but I just—I think it’s important that people see it. That they can’t just keep ignoring it.” 

Peter frowns, bending to pick up one of the paint canisters stacked neatly by a backpack. He gives it a little shake, and this one’s still full, the pile it came from larger than the matching one of used-up cans by your feet. Your eyes track his movements, too smart to try and take it from him but attentive nonetheless. You’re watching him with this flaming intensity. There’s something quietly passionate about you, like you’re burning with an energy that would be almost frightening if it didn’t seem so heartfelt. 

“You realize there’s cameras all over this place, right?” he asks. “You could get kicked out of school. This is vandalism.” 

You don’t flinch. “It’s uncommissioned public art.” 

“You think they’ll see it that way?” 

You sigh heavily, and Peter wishes he could see what was going on behind that mask so he’d know what you were thinking. Thankfully for him, your eyes are expressive enough. They narrow as you cross your arms, jutting out a hip. 

“So what, are you going to go and tell someone?” 

Peter sizes you up. He can relate to feeling like you need to work outside of the system to get something done. To being sick of going to the proper authorities after being told too many times that while they really do care, they won’t do anything about it.

“How about this,” he says. “You let me stay here and make sure you don’t damage any of the equipment, and I won’t rat you out.” He might even scrub the camera footage once you go. But he’s still figuring you out, so he doesn’t want to make promises. 

“Deal,” you say immediately. If you’re surprised at his bargain, you don’t show it, only shaking the paint canister in your hand and starting to spray another layer of paint onto the glass. Your brows pinch slightly as you work, evidence of an assiduous concentration Peter is familiar with. 

He makes himself comfy in a rolling chair, sitting back to watch you work. “We actually do some really important stuff here, you know.” 

“I’m sure you do,” you say without pausing. “It’s not like I blame everyone you personally. I get that the research helps people, but, I mean, at what cost?” 

Peter shrugs. It’s a good point. “True. It’s a lot worse for animals in the big labs. We’re small-scale because we’re funded by the school, and we’re also responsible for reporting to the higher-ups.” 

“I know.” Your eyes flit to him, less wary than before. “But I don’t have access to one of the big labs. Change has to start somewhere, right?” 

You can certainly agree on that. 

[guessimjoiningthespidermanfandom]

Hey! For your Miles requests, I'd love to read about what it might be like for the reader to watch Miles transfer to Visions if they both went to Brooklyn Middle together.

Not This Time

Miles Morales x fem!reader

Miles Morales x black!reader

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: none

Requested: yes

A/N: GUYS PARTICIPATE IN MY 300 FOLLOWER SPECIAL PLEASE also hope you guys enjoy electro because I had to make something up.

300 Follower Special <3

Masterlist

“You’re not gonna forget me right?” You wondered. 

It was the last week of summer and you were clinging to the last few days you had left with Miles. Sitting on his building’s rooftop you stared down at the Brooklyn you’ve known your whole life. You and Miles were the fastest of friends since your first day at Brooklyn Middle you genuinely couldn’t imagine not seeing him every day. You were still proud of him, however. Getting into Visions was a pretty big deal. 

“Why would you ask me that?” He glanced at you offended. 

You simply shrugged, pulling your knees up to your chest. “I dunno, you’ll go and make new friends and I won’t be so important anymore,” 

“No,” He shook his head, turning to face you. “That would never happen,” 

You looked back at him, maintaining eye contact. 

 “I’d never forget you,” He promised. 

The first week of freshman year was finally over. It wasn’t as bad as your middle school teachers tried to make it seem, you’d made a couple of new friends, and none of your teachers were mean.

Realizing you hadn’t spoken to Miles yet today you pulled your phone out to message him. 

you: how was your first week? 

miles: my science teacher was on my ass but my roommates not bad

miles: he doesn’t talk much 

you: i told you, you’d be fine

you: wanna go the end show w/me tonight in golconda

you: it’s at 7 

miles: im sorry I cant :( too much hw 

you: oh no don’t worry maybe next time

Putting your phone back down on your desk with a huff you tried not to feel disappointed. There would be other opportunities to hang out. It’s not like this was the end of your friendship. 

The excuses and cancellations only grew in numbers. Soon you’d gone from seeing Miles every day to barely holding a virtual conversation once a week. 

You weren’t going to sit around and wait for the crumbs of attention Miles was willing to give you. This would not be a one-sided relationship, you had too much self-respect for that. 

But just because you weren’t actively talking doesn’t mean you didn’t care. You’d just care from afar. 

—————-

You weren’t one to watch the news but the TV was open to Channel 12 when you made it home from running errands. Placing your grocery bags on the couch something compelled you to tune in. 

Seeing PDNY cars surrounding a crazed man wielding what looked to be lightning bolts sent you into a state of controlled panic. You practically sped to Miles’s apartment to check on Mr. Morales. 

He wasn’t there when you got to the apartment but Rio informed you he was okay and she’d just spoken to him on the phone.  

Letting out a sigh of relief you relaxed your shoulders. Slumping to sit down next to her on the couch she gave you a once-over 

“You’ve grown so much since I last saw you. How’s high school?” She asked, now getting a better look at you. 

“It’s definitely different,”

“We’ve missed you around here, Miles has been acting so different lately, he’s not my little boy anymore,” She sighed wistfully. 

“I miss you guys too,” You pouted.

 You didn’t want to get emotional but you really did miss your second family. And you weren’t trying to take it personally but Miles avoiding you truly hurt. “It’s so weird not seeing Miles anymore,” 

“Seeing him a couple times a week must be very different from every day,”

A couple times a week? You hadn’t seen him at all this month. Even if you were pissed at him you didn’t want him in trouble so you just agreed. 

“Yeah, I’m still not used to it.” 

You weren’t leaving until you saw for yourself that Mr. Morales was okay. Your stubbornness and unwillingness to take things as you’re told kept you from being able to fully believe Mrs. Morales’s promise of her husband’s safety. Anything could’ve happened between their phone call and now. 

Waiting on the couch listening to Mrs. Morales talk about work and her conniving coworkers. You felt the most at peace as you’ve had in a while. 

The peace didn’t last long as Miles came bursting through the front door adorning his red and black jacket with oversized sweats and his backpack slung over his shoulder. Mrs. Morales immediately stood up and moved towards him, the picture of concern. 

“Mijo, what’s wrong, what are you doing here it’s a school night?” 

Instead of answering her he just threw himself into her arms and wilted into her chest. 

From your place on the couch, you couldn’t hear the muffled conversation or anything at all, which only amplified your worry. 

“What happened? What’s wrong?” You found yourself calling out standing from your spot on the sofa. 

The sound of your voice snapped him out of his reprieve. Miles pulled his head from the crook of his mother's neck. He let his eyes roam over you attempting to assess if you were real or not. 

Once he decided his eyes weren’t deceiving him he practically launched himself into your arms. 

You stumbled back with the force of his weight and despite your anger and confusion, you hugged him back. 

Evidently, something was wrong but he wasn’t going to talk about it anytime soon. You tried to hold out and let him feel his emotions but- 

“Miles,” You wheezed out into his chest. “Can’t breathe.”

He released you the slightest bit but didn’t let you go. 

“Sorry,” He muttered to the top of your head. “Missed you so much,” 

“Missed you too,” 

As much as you loved Mrs. Morales, she was a chismosa and every conversation was not for her ears. 

“Let’s go outside,” You suggested grabbing his arm to pull you with him. 

You hadn’t made the climb to the water tower in a while and you weren’t as fit as you were a month ago. Trying to hide it out of embarrassment you switched the topic. 

“You cold?” You asked panting as you found your footing. 

“What?” He questioned looking down at himself.

 As if he just discovered the zip-up he was wearing he answered. “Oh! Yeah, yeah it’s really chilly out here,” 

Even without the years of knowing Miles under your belt, you would’ve known he was lying but you didn’t feel like starting an argument the first time you saw him in a while so you just dropped it. 

The two of you easily fell back into the swing of things as if there were never any distance between the two of you. You were glad to be talking again, now knowing his issue wasn’t due to anything you’d done. 

He was catching you up on everything you’d missed in his life when he went ghost on you, but he still wasn’t hinting at what was bothering him. He was using you as an alibi and not even telling you, it was so unlike him. 

Even his mom noticed a change in his behavior so why wouldn’t he just talk to you? You had to bring it up or you’d regret it once you’d gotten home. 

“You know you can tell me anything right?” 

He hummed in acknowledgment.

 You should be furious he’d ghosted you for so long. And now he won’t even talk to you? but looking at him now he looked so upset and broken you couldn’t feel anything besides concern. 

“Miles please, tell me what’s going on,” You begged. “We tell each other everything,” It was true you even told him when you had started your first period the summer before 7th grade. You never felt the need to hide anything from each other. So why start now? What happened between the start of high school to now to make him stop trusting you? 

“Is it me? Can you just not tell me?” You attempted to rationalize his behavior. 

“It’s not you,” He promised. 

“So then talk to me please,” You whined. 

“I can’t tell you. Not this time,” 

The last person to learn he was Spider-Man died. In the same month, he watched Spider-Man and his uncle die in right front of him. All his other friends left him and maybe it was selfish but you were the only one he had left. He refused to lose you or have you look at him differently. Maybe telling you would lift some of the burden of having a secret identity as just a child, but he couldn’t risk it. Not this time. Not with you.

©guessimjoiningthespidermanfandom

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

AHHH I’M LITERALLY IN GRAD SCHOOL FOR LIBRARY SCIENCE AND LOVE LIBRARIAN BUCK AUs 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖

I saw the Eddie moves in with Buck plot bunny and have been waiting to find a fic exploring it! Glad that you’re writing it!🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️🛏️

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 I’m so excited!

AH YAY! SORRY IF I MAKE MISTAKES!

129 for 📖:

---

“Usually goes better for both of us.”

Another warm smile indicates that this was, again, the right thing to say.

“Well, thanks again, uh,” he looks at Buck’s name tag. “Evan.”

“Ah, everyone calls me Buck,” Buck tells him. 

“Eddie,” Edmundo - Eddie - says. “Thank you, Buck.”

Buck nods. “Any time.”

Eddie joins his son, and they come back a few minutes later with a considerable stack of books. 

“Is this too many?” Chris asks.

“Definitely not,” Buck smiles, before checking them out. 

As they leave, Buck finds himself looking forward to the next time they come back. 

ii. 

It takes longer than expected to see them again. And when he does, the circumstances aren’t fantastic. At least, not for Eddie.

Christopher’s books are more than a week overdue by the time Eddie and his son come back. It’s clear from the look on both their faces as they walk into the library, that Christopher has no idea and Eddie is all too aware. Before they even approach the desk, Eddie whispers something to Christopher, who then heads off for the stacks. Buck gets the feeling Eddie is expecting an awkward conversation, and doesn’t want his son to overhear.

And Buck gets it. It’s sort of not a great first impression, as far as librarian-patron relationships go. What Eddie doesn’t realize, though, is that Buck doesn’t make it a habit to judge when someone returns their books. He sort of hates overdue fines, as a rule. People have all sorts of things going on, and creating a barrier to literacy doesn’t seem constructive. Buck was never going to give him a hard time.

Regardless, Eddie seems frazzled. Like, maybe there is something more than the books bothering him. There’s a tired expression in his eyes that indicates more than a lack of sleep.

“Hi, Eddie,” Buck smiles at him as Eddie approaches the front desk with Christopher’s stack of books in hand. “How are things?”

“Okay,” Eddie sighs. “First, I’m impressed that you remember my name. Second, I know. Okay? I know this looks terrible. I am so sorry.”

“What looks terrible?” Buck asks. He wants to act like it’s really nothing of note. 

“The books are nine days overdue,” Eddie says. “I get it. Bad precedent when it’s our first time borrowing.”

“Oh, hey. It happens…”

“No! Look, I’m not a guy to make excuses. Really. But I’m working twenty-four hour shifts for the first time, and my Abuela usually watches him, but she broke her hip, and it’s just me, and…”

He seems one sentence away from cracking. 

“Eddie,” Buck says, firmly but kindly. “It’s really not a big deal. I’m going to waive the fines, okay?”

“What? No, I can afford it,” Eddie looks momentarily affronted. “It’s not that, okay!”

“Whoa, no. That’s not what I mean!” Buck assures him. “I mean, I get it. Shit happens. I don’t agree with fines anyway. I’ll waive them and call it an error in the system, between you and I.”

“Oh,” Eddie deflates a little. “I… Uh, thank you. Are you supposed to curse?”

“No,” Buck says. “Or waive fines.”

That gets a small little snort of laughter out of Eddie.

“Are you going to get in trouble?” Eddie asks.

“For cursing?” Buck is purposely obtuse. 

Eddie rolls his eyes. “For waiving the fines.”

Buck shakes his head. “Nope. My supervisor is a Marxist. I’m fond of her.”

Eddie takes a deep, steadying breath. “Okay. Thank you, man. I really appreciate you being so nice.”

“It’s all good,” Buck assures him. “You’re having trouble finding childcare?”

Eddie nods. “It’s not as simple as sticking him in daycare, you know? He has different needs than the other kids. And I have benefits. A good job, and I’m ex-military. But sorting through everything… God, you don’t need to hear this. This really isn’t like me, I swear.”

Oh, he’s not the first parent to unload on Buck. Maybe it’s that Buck is friendly. Maybe it’s that he’s good with the kids. Maybe it’s that he’s entirely removed from their lives and in an occupation associated with being quiet. He’s not actually very quiet, as far as personalities go. Regardless, people end up trusting Buck with their woes. He doesn’t mind it. He likes feeling helpful. Even if, usually, he’s not. 

Today, though… He might be?

Buck reaches into a desk drawer and pulls out a flier. Then he grabs a pen and begins writing on it. 

“Here,” Buck slides him the flier.

“Uh, what’s this?” Eddie asks. 

“A list of afterschool and weekend programs we run with city funding,” Buck explains. “Plus the number of someone who might be able to help you.”

“Someone?”

“Her name is Carla,” Buck says. “She was very helpful when my ex was having trouble caring for her sick mother. She’s organized and she knows her stuff.”

Eddie nods, reading over the page. “This is really kind. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Buck shrugs. “Well, maybe mention the referral to Carla. It’s been too long since she brought me any baked goods.”

Eddie smiles. “Alright. Brownie referral fee?”

“Even better - lemon squares.” 

“I do really appreciate it though,” Eddie says. 

Buck can tell. That’s why he’s happy to do it. 

---

96 for 🛏️:

---

 But he’s blushing.Trying to muffle a smile with a large bite of kale salad. Like he liked that. Interesting. Was it the touch or was it being cared for? Buck’s brain collects all the available data like a computer scanner. How can he replicate it? How can he make the reaction stronger?

So it gets worse.

After dinner, he experiments. 

They’re about to sit down and watch a game and Buck tries it again. He rests a hand over the bear skin of Eddie’s forearm and says:

“You look a little chilly. Can I grab you a sweater?”

The AC in the building is sort of intense, and Eddie’s arms are dotted with goosebumps.

Eddie looks at Buck’s hand on his arm.

“I can walk up the stairs and grab one,” Eddie mumbles, cheeks reddening again.

“Don’t worry,” Buck says. “I can.”

“Buck,” Eddie protests, his hand on the opposite arm to the one Buck is touching raises to cover Buck’s. “I’m okay. I’ll grab my own sweater.”

But his hand lingers on top of Buck’s for a second before he goes. So that’s it, then. Not being cared for, which was what Buck thought. The touch. Interesting. Is he feeling lonely and touch starved, maybe? Since his break up with Marisol and Chris leaving?

Well, hey. They’re pretty comfortable with each other. If Buck can help, he will. He’ll just be touchier than usual with Eddie. But not, like, to a point where lines are crossed. He does have a boyfriend, after all.

When Eddie comes back down, wearing an old, beige-colored high-necked zip up that Buck doesn’t think he’s seen before, Buck once again does another impulsive thing he doesn’t really intend on. He compliments him.

“That looks great on you, Eddie.”

Eddie stops, and looks down at himself. 

“This?”

“Yeah!” Buck says, realizing that’s not the kind of thing he says a lot. Despite thinking about it semi-frequently. “It’s a good… Uh, shade. And, uh, neckline?”

“It’s kind of old,” Eddie says. “From my Dad’s golf club. I, uh, I cleaned out my closet entirely and found it in the back. So…”

“It’s nice,” Buck nods. “You should wear it more.”

And then it happens. The blush. The smile. So subtle, yet Buck notices. 

Okay. He gets it now. Buck understands. Eddie just needs to feel good about himself. The gentle touches. The compliments. Hell, even being cared for to an extent. Eddie has been through the fucking wringer lately, and if he needs some comfort? A little gentleness? Of course Buck can provide. 

“Thank you, Buck,” Eddie mumbles. 

“‘Course,” Buck replies easily. He pats the empty seat of his comfiest armchair, reserving the less comfortable one for himself. “Come on. Game’s about to start.”

🛏️

The boundary is torn away like this.

A few more small compliments from Buck. 

“You were so smooth on that rope rescue today, Eddie. Kind of looked like an action star.”

“Your hair looks good this length, I think. Were you thinking of longer? That would look good, too.”

“You always call the plays before they happen. That’s impressive as hell, man.”

He focuses on that. Never brings up the elephant in the room of what today is. 

Then there are more little touches. Peppered into regular activities. Clapping his shoulder while handing him another beer. Poking his side when making a joke. Anything to make the contact that clearly Eddie is responding to. 

And it works. It works, it works, it works. Because Eddie stops staring miserably at his phone. He stops waiting for a call that isn’t coming. He stops sitting in his guilt and self-loathing and starts actually being present. 

By the end of the sixth inning, they’re sitting on the floor, side by side, shoulders touching. Buck’s not sure how they got here or who initiated, but it happened. And Eddie is smiling. Eddie is smiling, so what else really matters? 

[thetomorrowshow]

pulled over

empires superpowers au masterlist (not up to date)

takes place about a year after the end of ‘poisoned rats’.

cw: mentions of police, past abuse

~

He’s thinking about going back to school, honestly. He’s not sure what sort of career he’d expected to get with a degree in architecture—hopefully one where he got to plan cool buildings, but that clearly hadn’t worked out too well in his favor. And while he’d still like to do that—his sketchbooks are filled with designs of gothic-inspired houses and improbable city buildings—it’s an unpredictable enough job that he’s not sure what sort of hours it would be or if someone is even hiring.

Not to mention, he has money. He gets a pension from the city (an excessive amount, in his opinion), so he doesn’t really need a second job. Which is why he’s been thinking more about going back to school. More of something to fill his free time, really.

He’s not sure what degree he’d be looking for—computer science? Theatre?—and he’s just scrolling through the course options at ECU when he hears the jingling of keys in the door.

Usually when Jimmy enters the house, he calls for the cats and coos at them both, before planting a kiss on Scott’s cheek on his way to get down the box of Dreamies.

Today, the door shuts without any fanfare. The cats come running anyway, of course, and Scott opens up the tab for the glassblowing major before he registers that Jimmy hasn’t said anything yet.

He looks up. Jimmy is sitting on the floor, holding Norman close to his chest. His shoulders are shaking.

Scott’s up and headed over before he can even think about it. Once he does think, though, he realizes that Jimmy is on the floor and he is standing and with what seems to be a poor emotional state, that could trigger a flashback very easily.

He drops to the floor six or eight feet away from Jimmy, scoots along until he’s close enough to touch. Jimmy doesn’t react except to bury his face into Norman’s side, the cat letting out a quiet mrow? at the action.

“Jimmy? What’s going on?”

Jimmy sighs, and when he pulls away from Norman, his eyes are red. “I—I got pulled over,” he says, his voice cracking. “The left taillight is out, by the way.”

“Oh, baby. . . .” Scott wrings his hands, holds one out. “Good for me to hug you?”

Surprisingly, Jimmy nods, then places Norman down on the floor and lunges into Scott’s arms. Scott rocks back onto his heels, unsteady for a moment, before finding his balance and wrapping his arms around Jimmy.

“Did he ticket you?” Scott asks after a moment. Jimmy shakes his head.

“It was just—it was scary. I—I almost had to pull over again, m-my hands were shaking so bad after.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay to be scared.”

“I’m a grown man, Scott.” An angry tear slips from the corner of Jimmy’s eye, his eyebrows drawn in shame. “I shouldn’t be—I can’t be scared of the police. I just saw the—the stupid stick thing on his belt and—and the way he talked—”

“Most people are afraid of cops, dear,” Scott tells him, kissing him lightly on the forehead. “It sucks. Cops suck. I need to give Shelby a call, get her to really push for that reform. . . .”

Jimmy snuggles closer into Scott, awkwardly kicks off his shoes. Norman wraps around Scott’s legs, tilts his head up at the two of them.

“Wanna move to the couch? Your cat’s confused and I bet your knees hurt,” Scott suggests. Jimmy gasps and coos at Norman.

“Aw, hey, pet! I haven’t given you your treat yet, huh?”

Then he blinks. The smile on his face falters for just a moment. It’s quickly pasted back on, and when Scott tries to ask what’s up, he waves him off.

Jimmy stands shakily and slowly, tests his balance before following Norman and Elle to the kitchen. Scott waits until he returns, guides him to the sofa.

“How was work otherwise?” Scott asks.

Jimmy shakes himself. “Um, fine,” he says, leaning his head on Scott’s shoulder. “It’s—I don’t know how to describe it, Scott. It’s still a miracle every day.”

“Just working?”

Jimmy lets out a shaky sigh-laugh. “Yeah. Getting to put my hands in an engine and not have it burst into flame. It’s just . . . I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.”

The conversation falls into silence then, and Jimmy starts trembling again, so Scott searches for something, anything to say.

“Um, Joel said that you and a couple of friends are hanging out this weekend?”

“Right!” Jimmy brightens. “We’re heading out to that soccer field across from the middle school on the east side? Four or five of us are gonna kick a ball around for a while.”

“Anyone I know?”

Jimmy shrugs. “One of the guys from work, probably. I think fWhip said something about wanting to come? And one of Joel’s friends. Just a group who likes soccer.”

Scott frowns. “I thought Joel and fWhip hated each other.”

“They’re making up so they can team up against you,” Jimmy admits. “With their powers combined and all that.”

“I—what?” Scott sputters. “Is that why Joel was so obnoxious yesterday? He’s actively working with the enemy?”

Jimmy laughs. “fWhip’s not the enemy, he’s a vigilante. And yeah, they want to have a bit of a rivalry with you.”

Well, if anything it’ll be a fun bit of publicity. But Scott won’t take this lying down.

For the rest of the evening, they turn on whatever sitcom is airing and devise ways for Scott to strike back and not be made a fool of.

And when they go to bed, Jimmy’s shoulders have relaxed a bit, and Scott can breathe easier knowing that his boyfriend feels safe.

[istadris]

Hello!

Ok, so...if it wasn't a problem, do you have something you would like to share about "Accidental Ghost King Luigi"?

I saw that you mentioned it and it really caught my attention, a lot of thoughts came up when I finished Luigi's Mansion 3 and I love expanding them.

So most of the ideas were discussed here, but I can scrounge up some more.

TL;DR for this AU : E.Gadd passes away, leaving in his will everything he owns to Luigi, who is now probably the richest man in the mushroom kingdom between the estates, the cash and the employees, living or not. (Spoilers alert : once Luigi realizes exactly how much he owns, he freaks out so much he hides under his blanket for several hours, with Mario patting the bundle and occasionally slipping snacks under it).

Then once he calms down enough, he wants to give everything away but it turns out to not be that simple, explains the Toad in charge of giving the will to Luigi:

"What if I DON'T want all of this ??"

"I don't know about the ready money or the coffee shop, but by all ghost and Boo laws, you are the rightful master of these places that you earned through Right of Conquest until someone else comes to dethrone you."

And it turns out, yes, by beating King Boo three times, on his haunting ground, with the last time being a direct challenge to Luigi and his kin, Luigi effectively conquered him, with all of his ghosts and Boos. And King Boo was a very powerful ghost. Luigi is now King Luigi.

"Why was E.Gadd even the owner of these places then, he wasn't the one chasing ghosts there !"

"Oh, he wasn't the actual owner of anything: before the dark moon incident, the ghosts were not agressive and let him play around, and afterwards, he acted as your steward to maintain your domains in your absence"

"Wait, is that why King Boo keeps coming after me ? Not just by revenge?"

"Oh yes, definitely, you dethroned him three times, that's a bad number for a spirit."

Peach, who has to deal regularly with a king ruling over a place where 90% of roaylty dealings involve kidnapping : "oh, Luigi dear..."

Except E.Gadd comes back. As a ghost. And he's still obsessed with science, but now without any of these pesky mortal ethics or boundaries. To the point his experiences go from "eyebrow-raising in the methods but ultimately for the greater good" to "mad scientist except this one is perfectly aware of what his potential enemies can do and acts accordingly."

At first he seems relatively reasonable...until Luigi refuses to give him back Gooigi AND the rest of the ghosts, too. Maybe he has grown fond of his new "subjects", or maybe he senses giving E.Gadd full control of the ghosts is a bad idea.

"My boy, do you think you could use my own creations against me ? I know them better inside out than you can ever do !!"

E.Gadd doesn't take it well.

E.Gadd is now very curious and vindicative towards this meddling new Ghost King who dares to get in the way of his research.

E.Gadd issues a challenge. And by challenge we mean that he takes possession of Luigi's territories. Probably kidnaps Mario & co, AND Polterpup (he knows how to capture ghosts, and he knows how helpful the ghost pup is to Luigi). Oh, and he steals and breaks all existing Poltergusts.

Now Luigi is stuck in a dangerous place with a mad ghost after him, unarmed, alone...except for King Boo, still stuck in his container, that he managed to grab on the way out of the laboratory.

King Boo is angry at Luigi for stealing his title, but he certainly isn't going to let the professor beat HIS nemesis!! What will the rest of the spectral community say if the one who defeated him loses his new title so fast?? Luigi isn't sure about the logic behind this reasoning, but he'll take any help he can get.

So now it's the team up of the century, and by that I mean King Boo snarking and loudly complaining from his container, asking again and again to be let out, while Luigi tries to survive and to keep KB inside the container (he has enough on his plate, he doesn't want another mad ghost after him); all while KB actually guides Luigi through the mysteries of ghosts and spectres, as well as the intricacies of the Ghost King title. But even after King Boo manages to get out of the container at some point, he still sticks by Luigi. You can guess why.

A Very Important Plot Point: King Boo gets frustrated by how much time Luigi takes and decides to shove some spectral power in him to level the field.

That's a fun surprise : King Boo's spectral essence boosts up Luigi's Thunderhand (that he had stopped using due to how taxing it was on his body; but now the Boo power helps circumventing this energy tax). KB acts as the new "source" and makes it way more potent, especially given his own affinity with lightning.

"Isn't that cheating ?"

"Have you even MET ME ??? Here, have some of my power, it should AT LEAST give you a boost so you won't die right after touching a gho-"

*huge thunderbolt crashing on the house frizzing everything electrical device*

"....WHAT WAS THAT"

"Uh....it never did that before."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN "IT NEVER DID THAT BEFORE ?? YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME YOU HAD LATENT MAGICAL ABILITIES!!?? WHY DID YOU NEVER USE THEM AGAINST ME !!!???"

Later, when they manage to free Mario, KB eyes Mario suspiciously for a loooong moment as both brothers look in hope.

Then he shrugs : "Nah, not gonna happen"

"What?? Why ??"

"It's more fun if Luigi gets my power, he's my nemesis. Just ask Bowser to lend you fire powers next time you see him"

"That's ridiculous, with everything at stake..."

"More seriously, you are NOT my nemesis. You did NOT deal with my powers as intimately as Luigi did"

"Don't put it that way please"

"Even if I wanted to provide you power, Mario is much weaker to my powers, he wouldn't be able to harness them."

[tobiasdrake]

Guess I'll wrap things up in town and head to the re-sleepover.

Okay, last time I was here, I weirded out this child. This time, I'm gonna TRY. HARDER.

Jackpot. Children love puns about their favorite thing. Now this small child of no clear importance thinks I'm cool.

That is very important to me.

I don't know why.

FROG SPELL

Nyeh heh heh heh heh! I have discovered the cheat code to being popular with kids. It's frogs. The cheat code is frogs.

Now if only I could extend that popularity to adults.

And my teammates.

And now. We have. THE FLOWER. Aggggggggh the flower. So much pressure. Hmm. Maybe I can bribe Bonbon into not hating me.

HEY HALF-PINT, PRESENT FOR YOU

Because I'm trying to improve our team's cohesion and the friction that exists between you and me is basically our only interpersonal conflict. Consider this an olive branch.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and call this one "Mission Failed" since I'm pretty sure I just made things awkward and weird. There might not be a way to bury the hatchet with this kid. They're under a lot of stress.

I just want to know who keeps breaking the bread. I was specifically watching for it and it still crept up on me. I blinked for one second - Well, okay, I had a brief chat with my Lemonfriend about ignoring all of you but that's beside the point - and then there was just this hideous CRACK and the bread was ripped in half.

How!? WHEN!? WHO!?

You could just tell me now and then I'll know it so when I die and you've un-told it to me I can spare you the embarrassment of telling me.

Then again maybe we should keep it on the down-low to avoid making my Lemonfriend jealous. I'm sure they're listening in on every word we say. They're clingy and stalkerish like that.

Wow. We're back here again already. In my defense, I DID check for traps. I very briefly skimmed each pillar so I'm pretty sure there has to be some sort of complex--

Well. Okay then.

I now realize that the cause of my death was, in fact, that I suck at my job. Cool.

I would make a remark here about "going to crawl under a rock and die" but the boulder has a sense for ironic timing so it's best not to chance it. Let's just flick this stupid switch and move on.

Done. Mistake unmade. No longer have I died a clown. DO YOU HEAR THAT, LEMONFRIEND!? I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY NOT DIED.

BOOM, nothing to worry about now. It should be smooth sailing from here. Let's go commit regicide with extreme prejudice.

Cutlery is an interesting subject matter, actually. There's a lot of differentiation in individual sizes, shapes, and compositions of individual cutlery that contribute to a variety of different meal experiences. Even chopsticks come in many different forms.

But this would fall under the category of etiquette. I'm not quite sure if Madame Odile's field of expertise falls into that wheelhouse. Though I could see it....

Hey, give me some credit. You know how hard it is to cheat gratuitously under four different sets of watchful eyes?

You call it cheating. I call it speed practice. That's the kind of manual dexterity that lets me throw signs so fast.

Well that's fucking dangerous. THANKS FOR JUST BRINGING IT UP NOW, BONNIE. What if I slipped on that?

<.<

>.>

What... if I slipped on that....

Zero hesitation. FOR SCIENCE!

YES

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Okay. We have proven that my lemon drop powers will still bring me back in time even if I'm frozen in time. This is a very useful piece of information to establish, so it's good to get that out of the way before we meet the King while the risk is still....

...

...while the risk is still....

...

Oh. Wait. That could have been really bad for me. If that didn't work then--

LET'S NOT THINK ABOUT THAT HAHAHA I'm sure my Lemonfriend wouldn't have left me strander there. It's fine. The important thing is that I now know my ability to loop is immutable even by time.

This is what PROGRESS looks like. >:D

[wroteclassicaly]

I can't get that library gif set you reblogged out of my head. Like sir bang me against the table in a secret library room

I can definitely imagine it now.

A/N: Language, NSFW, smut, creampie, vaginal fingering, mentions of masturbation, sex in public, all kinds of filth and brain thot rot.

You’ve been passing notes back and forth all day, needing Steve, needing him to need you. The last one seems to get his attention more than any of the rest.

~*~

Stevie…?

I have to confess that I broke one of our rules today. Couldn’t wait until we had to study for the science exam tonight. Just needed something to hold me over. I tried my own fingers again, but they weren’t as good as yours. I came though, and I decided to taste it this time. Fuck, baby, it wasn’t bad. Can’t wait for you to have your turn.

Xoxo

And you’d pressed your frosted lips to seal the enveloped spiral sheet, happily sated for the moment. It was only when Steve caught you around the elbow during sixth period, waiting for the corridor to empty before dragging you into the library, your ass ramming into the wooden table, lamps shaking from the pressure—that you realized the extent of your little love letter.

“You know how hard it was to talk about the fucking civil war with a raging boner in history class?”

“I can see it was hard.” You gulp around your observation of his bulge, nestled beneath tight denim washed jeans.

His thumb finds your chin, the pad resting just on your lower lip and pulling. He steps closer, his breath hot and smelling like his secret courtyard cigarette, the mints he pops after to cover the scent, and the glass bottle of Coke that he keeps in his locker to sip on during passing.

“Spread your legs and take off your panties.”

A sporadic thump echoes in your guts, making you gasp. “But the librarian—“

“Is eating her lunch way up front. We’re all the way back here.” He tuts at your hesitation.

“What? You couldn’t help yourself when you snuck off to touch my pussy, could you?”

“I didn’t mean-“

“Oh, I know exactly what you meant, honey,” he says, briefly breaking with a low rapped rasp in his gravelly tone. “tell me, where’d you do it at?”

“Steve…”

“I asked you—“ His mouth finds the shell of your ear, hot breath caressing the shell, stimulating your nipples beneath the cotton of your bra. “—where. did. you. do. it.?”

“In the girl’s bathroom.”

His teeth find your lobe, tugging gently. “Oh yeah? Did you ride your hand, back against the stall? Maybe you propped a foot up on the toilet seat? Or did you sit down so you could spread those legs a little more?”

You moan with a gaped mouth, reaching for his watch covered wrist and squeezing. You don’t argue anymore. He filters a hand beneath the backs of your thighs as you lift, hand tucking into the fabric of your underwear, his other hand sliding along your leg, helping part your limbs to attach to the soaked silk, assisting you in getting it off. You want to bury your face into his shoulder when the string of how much you’re turned on connects from you to the crotch of your panties. Steve rubs his fingers through it, before he pockets your garment in his jeans, stepping back into place and undoing his own pants.

“I can’t wait anymore, baby. And it’s all your fault—“ He clutches onto your hand and presses it into the table beside your left thigh, his other hand stroking along your neck. “—M’ gonna cover your mouth now, and I’m gonna fuck you, honey. And no one will know what’s going on back here but us.”

When you agree and he’s already taking himself through your wetness, the shiny slick visible in lamplight, across the table, your spare hand finds his shoulder and clenches as he pushes inside, giving you a few seconds to adjust, whispering in your ear, your stutters coming off as little bursts of air against his palm that’s hovering over your lips.

“It’s okay. I know, I know, sweetheart. Give it a second, like always.” He pulls his hand away to slide between your legs and rub at your clit, his mouth finding yours as he begins a rhythm.

It gets loud, audible even over his big hand clasped over your mouth. When you can’t take it, you’re squeezing his waist, hand pulling and running through his hair, fingers on your left side still interlocked, he starts to falter, eyes wide, forehead resting against yours. “Shit, honey. Fuck, baby. You’re soaking my cock for me, what a good fucking girl you are.”

It’ll be a mess if he pulls out, so you fall back onto your elbows, letting him hike your legs around his waist, his hands finding purchase on the table, one spreading your cunt open to rub your clit in time with the rhythmic movements and the creaking of the table. He cums seconds before you, an apologetic whimper where you have to reach out and cover his mouth, the vibrations undoing your own orgasm. He fucks you through it, palm back over your mouth until you stop trembling and can speak without whimpering. He nuzzles you, stroking your shaking thighs. “You okay?”

“So glad I passed you that note, Steve.”

“Take that as a yes then?”

When he helps you off the table and leads you out with your fingers laced and his cum warm and inside you, dangerously close to dripping down your thighs, that’s his perfect payback.

[bunny-dr34ms]

youth is a storm - bffs!g.suguru g.satoru i.shoko x f!reader

summary. one night you see a picture of your high school friends and you think back to your youth as you reminisce how wonderfully catastrophic it was

w.c. 2985

cw/ tw; fem!reader, angst, underage drinking and smoking, irresponsible students, family issues, neglect, bully kind of,

features; g.satoru, g.suguru, i.shoko

an; i hope you guys enjoy this !! i think the trio in their youth must've been fun &lt;3

You love bad ideas.

And no one knows that better than your 3 best friends who were always part of each reckless plan. That's why the 4 of you are getting wasted on the beach. Tonight's scheme is a last hurrah before you officially say goodbye to your high school days.

"I'm so glad I have you guys with me." You giggled after you took another swig from some fruity beer. "Let's be friends forever!" Suguru chuckled behind you, turning his hand to take a deep inhale of his cigarette. He sat on a plastic chair with you in his lap, his arm hanging lazily behind him. The boy barely fit in the chair with how large he was so he had his legs spread wide and had you lean against him.

"Yeah yeah whatever you say sweet thing." Satoru chimed in waving his hand around, a blunt sticking loosely in his fingers. He was manspreading in a similar chair next to you with dark glasses hanging on the bridge of his nose. The way his blue eyes drooped and the way his words slurred told you he was starting to feel it.

Shoko sat under Satoru and had her head resting against his leg, her hand reaching for the lighter as she lit another cigarette. "The school must be glad to get the lot of you out." All of you couldn't help but laugh as 4 years of memories flooded your minds. It really would be nice to stay friends with all of them.

4 misfits that didn't fit in, even now with each other. Satoru and Suguru were basketball jocks who cared for nothing but themselves. Shoko was one of the smartest people in school, even with her hobby of cigarettes and beers. Then there was you. A ditzy cheerleader that would wreak havoc wherever you went. The sound of ocean waves was soothing in the background and you closed your eyes and began to think back.

You first met them in the first month of freshman year, under the bleachers during late hours in front of the school. You just came back from an away game and didn't want to go home so you took the time to smoke a cigarette. Unfortunately, you realized you finished your pack before the game and sighed in defeat looking at the empty box with save for your hello kitty lighter.

All of a sudden, you hear muttering and loud whispers a couple feet away from you. You walk a little closer, trying to stay in the shadows so you didn't get caught for eavesdropping. "Are the both of you idiots? You bring blunts without a lighter?" "It was Satoru. My job was just getting the goods." "You- Stop blaming it on me like you didn't lose your lighter." "Oh? So where's yours?" "In your fucking mom's hou-" "Wait shut the fuck up- I think someone's here."

It went silent and you become hyperaware of yourself. Unknowingly, you kept moving closer and closer to hear what they were saying. Your hot pink glitter lighter that you pressed against your chest with both hands reflected the light back which got you caught.

"Hey. If you let us borrow your lighter, I'll give you one."

Your upperclassmen stepped out of the shadows. There was three of them and the girl was offering a box of Marlboro Reds that only had one stick left. There was already one in her lips, her expression nonchalant with dark circles under her eyes. You know her as one of the geniuses of the school who's won a couple awards for science.

Behind her were two infamous basketball jocks known for their looks and immense skill. They looked at you with strained expressions. You heard how they weren't fond of people they didn't know. They glance at the lighter clutched in your hand and their expression changes slightly for the better. The boy you know as Satoru leaned forward with a smile and said, "You heard her. Let us use your lighter and you get a free cig!"

You think about and nod gratefully while you hand her the lighter. You would've gave it to them even if they didn't give something back anyway. "Really!? You're a life saver Ieiri!" All you knew about them was their name and somethings about what they did. Shoko was that she was a total science nerd and wanted to be a doctor. Satoru was a rich tease that became has a talent for anything he did. Suguru was a ladies man with brains, brawn, and money. You knew the three of them but you didn't think they'd all be in one group. "How'd you know I smoke though?"

“Under the bleachers was a popular smoke spot for students and teachers alike but it's not like you can tell who smoked what when.”

You watch as the boy pull out blunts from a tin to light up with your lighter. Satoru catches you staring and smirks with the roll between his lips. Embarrassed, you can't help but blush and look away. "Ha! You think you're sneaky when you smoke a couple feet away from me? Plus only cheer girls like you smoke Pianissimo." Shoko laughs as she hands you your lighter so you could light yours up. You almost cough at the bitterness but you choke it down before exhaling out grey.

"What? Red too strong for you?"

"As if."

There was a haughty tone in your voice but rasp contradicted your claim. Now even more embarrassed, you tugged your bow and tousled your hair, feeling your scalp tingle from the release of the tight pony tail. You combed your hair as you looked at the girl next to you who tapped the ashes from the her cigarette. "Sooo..Why are you here at school?"

Shoko shrugged inhaling through the cigarette and exhaling her answer. "Studying." Your tilted head and confused look was enough question for her. "Can't study at home. I can't focus there so I sneak around and stay at school."

You continue to stare at her and nod. You knew how that felt. To not want to go home, or rather the house where only chaos ensued. "I don't wanna go home either." You whispered, not taking your eyes off Shoko. "Umm..if you don't mind me asking. Why do you smoke such strong stuff? It's not like it's cheaper or anything." Red is actually way more expensive and hard to get as a student. Even as you asked your question, you couldn't stop your eyes from wandering to the two boys smoking weed. You thought you had it bad, but these guys are on a whole different level. A sudden wave of sadness sends a sharp ache in your heart. Were they like you? Hiding away in the night to find an escape from what was supposed to be a home? Did they also try to smother every emotion they felt in an attempt to be at least wanted?

The brown haired girl hummed her eyes closing for a second. "Anything not as strong as Red doesn't do anything for me anymore." She finally turns to meet your gaze. To her you look like a barely kept together mess. You hair and make up being pulled together with the tidiness of your cheer uniform. But your eyes, round eyes full of emotion and empathy. Something about your eyes makes her want to say more. "I smoke and drink because it's all my parents ever do. I tried it and I get it now."

"So? What's your deal?" She leans against the pole to her side allowing her to face you. Now you look away. "My mom has a scumbag husband. My dad has a cheating wife." It's not the most tragic story ever but both of your parents are so wrapped up in each other, they forget you exist. Or that you exist as their daughter and not their personal trauma dumpster.

Satoru looks at you from the corners of his eyes. He sees just how lonely you truly are because he can understand. in a way. He can understand how hard it is to be so devastatingly lonely even after working to get attention from everyone but the people you need it from the most. So that's when Satoru decides that you are worthy to be one of them.

He stares and stares until you turn and make eye contact with him. "You know, my parents hardly ever see me. They just tell me to make an appearance once in a while when their friends are over to show me off like I'm some prize they won." Satoru begins to ramble about his parents. He goes on and on about how they're always at work and no matter what he did they'd never spare him a glance. No matter how long he studied or what grades he got, nothing could win them over.

All you could do was sit there stunned and watch as Satoru explained wildly with his hands and expressions. When he comes to a close he looks deep into you and says, "I know what it's like, to be lonely but not alone." The sudden change of tone made your breath catch in your throat.

Suguru sighs and you realize he's been sitting there silently as Satoru went into detail of his life. He must've had to hear it a couple times already. He fixes his hair awkwardly and sighs again, "That's Satoru's way of making you feel better." You nod and you wonder if you're supposed to say thank you or ask if he's alright or tell him he's strong for growing through it all. Suguru cuts through your thoughts before you could say anything.

"I'm a little like that too.. My family is too focused on business to pay attention to me. They think I'm already a lost cause and they put everything else into my older brother. Not that I care much anyway."

A few moments of silence pass, the only sound being the four of you blowing smoke into the night. It was comfortable. Once the sticks burn away to nothing you smile at Shoko, the the two boys.

Has there been anywhere you’ve felt so safe? Or so at ease? Or so at peace with yourself? You turn to the and smile, your arms pressed a little awkwardly into your side.

“Can we..be friends?"

Shoko laughs quietly.

"Shoko. Call me Shoko."

“Hey if you call her Shoko you’d have to call me Satoru!”

“As if she’s calling you Satoru. She’ll call me Suguru before that happens.”

That night ended with a conversation that you so needed. Over cigarettes and blunts, you finally found friends you could cry to without judgement and they’d found someone that truly lightened the weight on their heart.

Ever since then, you and them were inseparable. Classmates whispered and gave the four of you odd glances but no one cared. You didn't need your fake cheer friends anyways. Shoko, Satoru, and Suguru were enough. Suguru held you while you cried. Shoko knew what you smoked and what you drank. Satoru listened as you blabbered on and on about what your mom did or what you dad said. You were enough too. You always went with Shoko on her late night studies and library runs. You always saw through Satoru and made him feel safe to spill whatever he needed to you. You kept Suguru company every time he needed to take hit late at night from stress.

They needed you as much as you needed them

And from then on, it was the four of you against the world. You stared at the picture in your hand with a soft smile. Those really were the times. So many bad decisions and mistakes were made but you were happy. Every night was hectic and you remember crying almost every day. The worst memories you had were fighting with your friends just to make up a couple days later. Underage drinking and smoking definitely caught up to you so you quit in college with just a few drinks here and there. Satoru quit with you actually. The stability of college was hard to adjust to but you worked hard because it was a chance given to you by Satoru and Suguru. There was no chance of getting into such a prestigious college with your record without their help. To be fair, those two were there by your side when you stole from small convenient stores and violated multiple property rules. Shoko was often busy with actually studying so whenever you had a terrible idea to execute, you'd find those two. They'd do anything with you and for you. You had a bit of a crush on the both of them back then and you'd like to think they liked you too. You couldn't help it with how they flirted with you and were so overprotective of you. You'll never admit it but if one of them asked you out now, you'd say yes. Your youth was a tornado of emotions and experiences that you wouldn't trade for the world. It was heartache and joy and liberating in all the ways it counted. It was your friends and your torn apart family. It was going to school late and leaving early. It was cramming to pass and skipping practice. It was lying on rooftops late at night with smoke and booze. It was running in the rain and yelling into thunder and laughing at lightning. Your youth was a storm.

It's been almost 7-8 years since then. Now you're all adults working on your own separate careers. Satoru and Suguru have been handling their own branches of their respective family businesses. Shoko has become one of the best surgeons in the prefecture. There's just you left.

Since then you've always thought about what you really wanted to do. You've wandered and dabbled in everything but nothing seemed to appeal you. Plus, you're not the same girl you were in high school anymore. You can't just run away from things you don't want to face. The world isn't as forgiving or as colorful anymore. Dark, lonely nights like tonight would still seem to glow back then. Not anymore, it seems. As of now, you work a nice modeling job for cosmetics. You were always pretty to look at and once you finally started investing in your face, modeling offers just came to you. You go around and take a few pictures for ads and magazines every once in a while. It pays well and it's comfortable. Parts of you still crave the rush of running around town late at night, drunk or high or both. The other part is grateful for the life you have now. You get to wear expensive clothes and drink expensive champagne in a expensive home. Younger you would look at the you now with stars in her eyes, you think. Leaning against the railing of your balcony in your apartment flat, you stare out into the night. The city below you was still bustling with life and bright colors. You take another sip of the fruity alcohol in your hand. Each sip makes your heart beat a little faster.

And your view of the city is pretty. The doorbell rings and you hear the door click open. "Y/n? You in there?" "Hey let me in first." "Shut up and just hold this." "No- what the fuck why would I hold it?" "Oh my god can both of you shut it? Y/n? You there?" The chorus of fighting and yelling of familiar voices makes your smile widen. You walk to greet them and their arguing takes a pause when they see your expression. They weren't used to your silence or the smile that came it with it. "What's wrong?" Shoko speaks first as she walks to you, her hands reaching for yours. Satoru and Suguru push through the door together and join you with curious and confused faces. It's been a good week or two since you've all gathered like this. Conflicting schedules and just being worn out kept you guys from meeting any sooner but tonight you suddenly texted them asking to see them. Seeing all of them now, worried for you and here for you because you asked made you want to cry. These are the people you grew with. The people who you cried and laughed with. These are the people who are always by your side no matter what happens. They are your home. You can't help but pull them into a hug. Your face was probably red and hot from alcohol. The room felt like it was swaying under your feet as you took a deep breath. Their arms wrapped around you tightly and you closed your eyes. The picture and your drink sat on a small table on your balcony. Your smiling and carefree faces with arms wrapped around each other was immortalized in that photo. You're no longer the girl in that picture and your friends have changed too. But that's okay. You'll continue to grow with these people by your side. It's fine to live in the moment as adults too right? "Y/n?" Satoru calls out your name, pulling you out of your thoughts. You pull away from them and you realize you're teary eyed. Yeah, you're all adults now and your youth is far behind you. It's okay though. Life is different but you still have them. You'll continue to walk through each moment together. You wipe your tears and Suguru rubs your back to comfort you. "Y/n..did something happen? Is that why you called us here today?" You shake you head with a smile and when you look back up at them, you swear for a minute you can see their high school selves stare back at you. Or maybe it was the alcohol. Either way, it was them here. That's all that matters. "It's nothing. I just missed you guys. That's all."

[szagaloree]

Eywa’s gift from hell pt.2

Contains: angst/fluff/language

EGFH bookmarks: Chapters

After two days of showing them around the forest, they were at hells gate with spider, once I came in quaritch was already in there, “just got with us, or I’ll have to give you to the white coats,” Quaritch said, I grabbed my mask and go in, spider’s eyes go wide, “do not acknowledge me, pretend you do not know me,” I said sternly, he gulped, “what is a boy like you doing out there?” I ask, he didn’t answer “I got his under control,” quaritch said, “for somebody who was willing to kill kids before you died sure as hell good with them,” I said sarcastically, I huff leaning up “he’s not gonna big to be tested on anyways he’s not a damn animal,” I said “how is he able to survive out there?” one of the so call asks “he’ll tell when he’s ready, that’s a child! Not no science experiment not your property,” i snarled.

After a while quaritch ends up coming across lorks room, it was wide cracked open but you can see her doing a side braid Mohawk, the rest of her hair left out, wavy black texture, hair down to her butt, she word a army green crop juss below her breast, with block shorts that hugged her curves so well, she looked intimidating, a women who can hold her own in a war, almost like the man need her more then she need the man. Quaritch didn’t realize he was staring at her till his eyes met her through the mirror, she stood stopped at her hair staring back through the mirror in confusion and annoyance, he walks away.

Spider runs to her room, “nyema!” He hugs her, nyema hugs him back “oh thank eywa, look… you have to listen… you do not know me okay, if they know I know you, it’s going to blow my cover,” she said he nods “okay” he answers “I’ll make sure they don’t hurt you okay?” He nodded, she taps his arm and stood up. “Did Jake leave like I told him to?” She ask he shakes his head “I don’t know, I believe so,” he says, she sighed, things got hectic yesterday when quaritch came across Jake’s kids, luckily I got there fast enough to make him release them but he took spider.

“I gotta go meet up with him, stay here and just take play dumb, don’t fall for whatever they tell you,” she said, he nods She leaves flying on her ikran to a secret area, she lands and jumps off of her ikran, she looks around but was quickly stopped as the neytiri had her arrows drew back including neteyam “woah woahhh!” She lifts her hands up in confusion, “wait that’s nyema,” neteyam says sighing in relief, “jesus, you would think it wouldn’t be me,” she joked neteyam smiled running to hug her, “ahh look at you, growin up strong like your stubborn father,” she smirks, neytiri smiled softly “I see you” I hand gestured and hug her “I’m sorry, if I was there sooner, these idiots just don’t fucking listen,” she huffs, neytiri shakes her head “I’m just glad you were able to get them out safely,” she says, “auntie nene!” Tuk runs jumping into nyema’s arms “oh my gosh tuk, my little tuk tuk,” nyema squeals, “oh you’re growing,” she smiled kissing her cheek, “auntie ny!” Lo’ak and kiri shouted attacking her with hugs knocking her down “jesus! Y’all are growing to fast!” Nyema giggles.

Jake smiled, “we missed you!” Kiri giggles, “I know, I miss you too,” she sighed she stands up, “hey jarhead, got good and bad new which one ya want first?” Nyema asks, “it’s already been a bad day so go on with the bad one,” he said, “they got spider but the good news is he’s safe, he’s going to be in my care, I am in most command, quaritch ain’t no colonel nomo.. he’s dummy, a clone, a puppet so… he’s under my command, he knows I’ll kill him and the rest of those demons dead if they try anything,” she says, he sighs in relief “that’s good,” he picks up tuk, “but I want to tell you now, they are going to be hunting you, now that quaritch knows you’re here and alive, he’s going to hunt you, for his little so call revenge.. I’ll hold him off but I feel he’s going to do something slick so I suggest for extra safety if shit goes down pack up and go… and I mean now, it doesn’t have to be temporary but, it’s till I can get them off your ass,” nyema says, neytiri frowns “no! We can’t leave,” neytiri said.

“Neytiri I know this is your home and I do not want to take that away from you but if Quaritch or the people find you, it’s all hell again, you’re children are at risk, please just listen to me it’s not temporary, me and Jake both know.. these things have to happen if you want your kids safe, I want my nieces and nephews safe to, tuk doesn’t need to see what war is like at this age, just please reconsider, I can only give you a few days because of the executive executes the order to hunt you guys it’s done I cant control that,” she said, Jake nods sighing “I know.. do what you gotta do, you can only do so much while staying undercover if they find out about nyema they can kill you,” he said, she sighed “yep” she huffs “alright kids give me one last hug-aye!” She laughs when they tackle her to the ground “y’all are going to stop tackling me down like this,” she huffs, tuk giggles “are you coming back?” She asks “when I get the chance tuktuk, you boys protect your sisters and your mother and keep your dumbass father from fucking shit up,” She says, Jake rolls his eyes “funny” he said she chuckles in laughter getting on her ikran “byeee!” Tuk waves nyema waves back.

Nyema walks down the hall, “having a midnight fly” quaritch says, nyema slows down glaring at quaritch, “go walk a dog or something,” she spat, he chuckled “fiesty little kitty” she draw her gun pointing it at him, he lifts his hands up “woah there, clam down ain’t nobody tryna hurt ya,” he said, “don’t call me kitty,” she hissed. He chuckles “easy, I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he says, she pulls her gun away huffing, “I’d say we both want the same thing,” he says I shake my head “no! We don’t! I was brought back to life to after I was killed, you don’t see me going back to get revenge, it’s because of what I deserved! You all deserve! These people need to be left alone, Pandora needs to be left alone not treated like your dead ass planet!” She scoffed, “I am not here for whatever y’all got, I’m trying to better my life not loose it again,” she said sternly then walks away he huffs shaking his head.

The next day Quaritch did the dumbest thing he could do, get spider to teach him, spider said no so he decided to come up with a new plan, get him to get me to teach him. He felt if spider was able to get her to say yes, he wouldn’t have to deal with her already trying to slit his throat,. Spider walks into my room, “nyema! I wanna ask you something,” he says sitting on the bed, “what is it?” I ask putting my gun belt on. “Can you teach quaritch-teach him what?” I cut him off already not liking the question, he bites his lip but continues “just teach him the beauty of eywa, umm maybe how to ride the ikrans,” he said, “no” I responded instantly he pouts, “ oh come on nyema, please,” he begs, “I’m not dumb spider, no I am not teaching that demon anything no,” he says, he grabs the bracelet I gasp chasing after him “hey spider give it back now!” I said “I won’t give it back unless you teach him,” he says, “spider I am not playing with you, give it back now!” I hissed, I kept chasing him around the room till I caught him and got the bracelet but it was taken out of my hand I gasp turning my head and it was quaritch “well.. a mighty fine bracelet you got,” he smirks looking at it “give it back!” I said “you help me or I’ll snap this bracelet into pieces,” he threatens “give me my bracelet back Quaritch now!” I yelled but he only glared at me, “give it back please-no that’s my daughter’s bracelet it’s the only one I have left of her give it back!” I yelled trying to get it out of his hand but it ended up getting hooked on a hanger and it broke, my heart sank deep “oh no” spider gasps.

I begin to cry, “Quaritch what did you do?!” Spider shouted “that’s my daughter’s bracelet you bitch!” I yell kneeing him in the crotch, I shoved him out “get out!” I said spider ends up leaving out of fear he was going to get yelled and I slammed the door locking it with tears in my eyes as I broke down.

Later that night, I got back to my room sniffled from crying. The last thing of my daughter is gone and broken, once I reached my room man’s opened it I took off my gun belt and hang it up. I lock my door, and took my shoes over and nearly got undressed when I notice something on the bed. It was the bracelet fixed?! I quickly picked it up and it was fixed like it never was before, but who fixed it?

To be continued…

[lynnbanks]

Quinn meets ivy

Little backstory

Luke and Ivy met when he was 14 and she was 13

Ivy had graduated school at the age of 12; she had been accepted into a lot of different schools but her mother didn't want to send her halfway across America at that age so Michigan was the compromise not that she had a choice at 12; you can beat an hour flight plus there was a professor there that she had already know most of her life and her mom was happy enough with that.

While she was there she majored in cognitive science her love for learning had always been very strong she read any and every book on any topic in the world, learned languages, and studied cultures and different instruments going to college had opened up a whole new world and she was beyond excited to get out of her town and home life and start a new one

And that she had. She had only been in Michigan three months before she ran into her first hiccup. The professor who had agreed to be her means of transportation till she could drive on her own or find other ways of getting around that wasn’t her bike had to stay late for some meetings with all the educators.

And that is how she found herself sitting inside of the rink where the Michigan wolverines practiced trying to escape the heat of the late August day it hadn’t been the weather more so the sun and the dizziness that always seemed to follow her that had urged her to find a place to wait out the rest of the meeting.

Not 15 minutes later she looked up to see a boy who was covered in sweat and looked in need of a good night's rest and a bottle of anxiety meds; came up to ask if she was okay and still a little Caught up in the dark under eyes on the boy in front of her she hadn’t realized how bad she was shaking. “I’m- yes sorry I am just waiting for my ride” he still had a look of concern “Aren’t you a little young to be here by yourself?” Oh right yes, she was still just a kid; she forgot that sometimes “Um maybe but I am smart enough to be a freshman in college at the age of 13 but not drive a car so I am a little out of luck in that department.” She laughed at herself and the boy in front of her smiled “Right I heard we had a little genius walk around campus it’s nice to meet you I’m Quinn” he said reaching out to give her a fist bump. A little weird but then again he was just a boy and that had intrigued her. She wanted to get to know this guy's brain “ I'm y/n nice to meet you” she said reaching her fist out to return the fist bump.

“ Well I'm about to head home I don't mind giving you a ride,” he said lt with a small smile, and being the Genesis she accepted a ride from a stranger “That would be great I appreciate it”

On the car ride to the small apartment, her mom had set up for her Quinn asked how she liked school and Michigan “I am enjoying my classes, as for Michigan I haven't done anything other than go to class and study at the library maybe when my siblings come to visit we will do some sightseeing. I don't get out much on my own.” Quinn didn't seem to like that answer “Well we should change that my family and I were going to go bowling tonight you should come; they are closer in age than we are you guys will get along great. If you want of course.” he says to look away for the road to read my reaction.

“That is very sweet of you but I wouldn't want to intrude on your family night” and be for I could say any more he cut in and said, “You won't my mom would probably like to not be the only girl for once. I have been away from home like you have and I know that it is nice to have something outside of work or school; I don't want to pressure you or anything but I think you will have fun.” I shake off the stinging in my eyes at the sweet gesture since moving here I have never been this lonely I thought I hid it well but apparently Quinn saw right through that.

“If it isn't an imposition that sounds like fun thank you for being so kind to me.” Quinn smiled and said, “Great it will be a lot of fun!

Not proofread I am having a lot more fun writing than I thought. Let me know what y'all think

[abbygrabska]

The Lazarus Experiment

The Doctor told me he was dropping Martha off, so I decided to stay in my room. 

I know for a fact something’s gonna change in the next five minutes.

I was right, because the Doctor opens my door and says, “Change of plans, we’re going to an event, get changed, formal attire.”

He then closes the door.

I nod to myself, going to my bathroom and taking a quick shower before doing my hair and makeup.

I go into my closet, which luckily the Tardis controls.

There’s a pink dress and a pair of white kitten heels, “My favorite pair.”

The Doctor and Martha are waiting for me in the console room.

They turn at my footsteps, both looking awestruck.

“Well, how do I look?” I ask.

“Gorgeous.” Martha smiles.

“Ethereal.” The Doctor grins.

I grin at both of them, “Well, let's go then.” We walk down the street.

The Doctor is fussing with the cuffs of his dress shirt, “Oh, black tie. Whenever I wear this, something bad always happens.” “I think that’s just you.” I laugh, “Besides. It suits you. In a James Bond kinda way.”

“James Bond?” He grins, “Really?”

I giggle as we approach the impressive entrance to Lazarus Laboratories. Inside the main reception room, guests are mingling. Dominating the room is a large white round cabinet surrounded by four pillars with a slight curve at the top.

The Doctor takes some hors-d’oeuvres from a passing tray, “Oh, look, they’ve got nibbles! I love nibbles!” He tosses one whole into his mouth.

Someone I assume Martha knows walks over, “Hello.” “Tish.” The two hug.

“You look great. So, what do you think? Impressive, isn’t it?” Martha nods, “Very.” “And two nights out in a row for you, that’s dangerously close to a social life.” Tish teases.

“You might, actually. Keep an eye out for photographers. And mum, she’s coming too, even dragging Leo along with her.”

Martha looks gobsmacked, “Leo in black tie? That I must see.” Tish glances at me and the Doctor.

“This is the Doctor, and Abby.” Martha introduces.

The Doctor shakes her hand, “Hello.” “Are they with you?” Tish asks.

“Yeah.” “But they’re not on the list, how did they get in?” I smile, linking hands with Martha, “I’m her plus one, and the Doctor is on the list, just under a different name.” She furrows her brow, looking between me and Martha, before it clicks, “Oh! Good for you, Martha.”

“So, do you know what the professor’s going to be doing tonight? That looks like it might be a sonic microfield manipulator.”

“He’s a science geek. I should’ve known. Gotta get back to work now. I’ll catch up with you later.” Tish leaves to mingle.

“Science geek? What does that mean?” He frowns, before realizing that I am holding Martha’s hand, “What’re you doing that for?”

“It means you are obsessively enthusiastic about it. And as for this,” I lift mine and Martha’s hand, “I figured I’m more Martha’s type than you are.” I grin at him.

He nods, frowning slightly.

Someone calls Martha’s name. She turns and looks at the woman as if she hasn’t seen her in years.

“Mum!” She gives her a big hug.

“Oh. all right, what’s the occasion?” Her mother asks.

“What do you mean? I’m just pleased to see you, that’s all.” “You saw me last night.”

“I know. I just… miss you. You’re looking good, Leo.”

“Yeah. if anyone ask me to fetch ‘em a drink, I’ll swing at ‘em.” Martha’s mother seems to notice the Doctor and I.

“You disappeared last night.” “I… just went home.” “On your own?”

I smile, wrapping an arm around Martha’s waist, “Hello, you must be Martha’s mom. I’m Abby, and this is Doctor John Smith.”

“How’d you know Martha?” Her mother asks.

“Well, this is our third date, and her and John are doing some work together.”

“Date?” Her mother’s eyebrows raise.

Our conversation is cut short, as there is a tapping on glass.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I’m going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you’ll awake to a world which will be changed forever.” Lazarus enters the cabinet.

Two technicians start the machinery from a bank of instruments behind the cabinet. There is a high-pitched whir and a bright blue light as the four pillars begin to spin individually creating an energy field. They then begin to rotate around the cabinet, going faster and faster. A warning klaxon goes off.

“Something’s wrong. It’s overloading.”

The technicians try to stop it, but some of the panels explode, sending off sparks. The Doctor jumps over the low desk and aims his sonic screwdriver at the controls.

“Somebody stop him! Get him away from those controls!” “If this thing goes off, it’ll take the whole building with it. Is that what you want?” The Doctor pulls one of the main wires that connect to the cabinet and it slowly stops spinning.

Martha and I run to the door.

“Get it open!”

We open the door and watch, as through the smoke, Lazarus emerges looking 40 years younger. Photographers snap away as we look on amazed.

Lazarus touches his face, realizing it worked. He steps completely out and stands before his machine, “Ladies and gentlemen, I am Richard Lazarus. I am 76 years old and I am reborn!” He holds his arms up in triumph as everyone claps.

People take the opportunity to have their photos taken with Lazarus.

Martha and I watch the Doctor study the machine. “It can’t be the same guy. It’s impossible. It must be a trick.” Martha says. “Oh, it’s not a trick. I wish it were.”

“What just happened, then?” I ask.

“He just changed what it means to be human.”

We walk up just as Richard starts shoveling food into his mouth.

“Richard!” Lady Thaw chastises.

“I’m famished.”

“Energy deficient. Always happens with this kind of process.” The Doctor says.

“You speak as if you see this every day, Mr…” “Doctor. And, well, no, not every day, but I have some experience in this kind of transformation.”

“That’s not possible.” 

“Using hypersonic sound waves to create a state of resonance. That’s… that’s inspired.” “You understand the theory, then.” “Enough to know you couldn’t possibly have allowed for all the variables.”

“No experiment is entirely without risk.” “That thing nearly exploded. You might as well have stepped into a blender.” “You’re not qualified to comment.”

“If I hadn’t of stopped it, it would’ve exploded.”

“Then I thank you, Doctor. But that’s a simple engineering issue. What happened inside the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen. No more, no less.”

“You’ve got no way of knowing that until you’ve run the proper tests.” I tell him.

Lazarus laughs, “Look at me! You can see what happened. I’m all the proof you need.” “This device will be properly certified before we start to operate commercially.” Lady Thaw smiles.

“Commercially?! You are joking. That’ll cause chaos.” Martha laughs.

“Not chaos. Change. A chance for humanity to evolve, to improve.” “This isn’t about improving. It’s about you and your customers living a little longer.” “Not a little longer, Doctor. A lot longer. Perhaps indefinitely.”

“Richard, we have things to discuss. Upstairs.” Lady Thaw walks away.

Lazarus goes to follow her, “Goodbye, Doctor. In a few years, you’ll look back and laugh at how wrong you are.” He reaches out and takes Martha’s hand, kissing the back of it before leaving.

“Ooh, he’s out of his depth. No idea of the damage he might have done.” The Doctor groans.

“So, what do we do now?” I ask.

“Now… well, this building must be full of laboratories. I say we do our own tests.” Martha looks at her hand, “Lucky I’ve just collected a DNA sample then, isn’t it?” “Oh, Martha Jones, you’re a star.”

We end up in an empty lab, looking at the results of the DNA test on a computer screen.

“Amazing.” “What?” I ask.

“Lazarus’s DNA.” “I can’t see anything different.” Martha says.

“Look at it!” The image on the screen flickers.

“Oh, my god! Did that just change? But it can’t have!” I gasp. “But it did.”

“It’s impossible.” “And that’s two impossible things we’ve seen tonight. Don’t you love it when that happens?”

“That means Lazarus has changed his own molecular patterns.” Martha says. “Hypersonic sound waves to destabilize the cell structure then a mutagenic program to manipulate the coding in the protein strands. Basically, he hacked into his own genes and instructed them to rejuvenate.” He explains. “But they’re still mutating now.” I realize.

“‘Cause he missed something. Something in his DNA has been activated and won’t let him stabilize. Something that’s trying to change him.” “Change him into what?” I ask. “I dunno, but I think we need to find out.” “That woman said they were going upstairs.”

“Let’s go!”

We step out of the lift and into Lazarus’s office. The Doctor turns on the lights.

“This is his office, all right.” I say. “So, where is he?” The Doctor asks.

“Dunno. Let’s try back at the re…ception.” Sticking out from behind the desk, I spot a pair of skeletal bones, wearing high heels. We rush over to see the desiccated remains of a woman.

“Is that Lady Thaw?” Martha asks. “Used to be. Now it’s just a shell. Had all the life energy drained out. Like squeezing the juice out of an orange.”

“Lazarus.” “Could be.” “So he’s changed already?” I ask. “Not necessarily. You saw the DNA. it was fluctuating. The process must demand energy. This might not have been enough.” “So he might do this again?” Martha asks.

“Hmm.”

We dash back to the lifts.

We arrive back at reception.

“I can’t see him.” “He can’t be far. Keep looking.” The Doctor walks off. “Hey, you all right, Martha? I think mum wants to talk to you.” “Have you seen Lazarus anywhere?” Martha asks.

“Yeah. He was getting cozy with Tish a couple of minutes ago.” The Doctor joins us moments later. “With Tish?!” “Ah, Abby.” “Where did they go?” “Upstairs I think, why?”

“Abby…” The Doctor rushes past, spilling her drink.

I look at her apologetically, “Sorry.” I pass her a napkin before running after him.

We arrive back at Lazarus’s office. “Where are they?” The Doctor takes out his sonic screwdriver, “Fluctuating DNA will give off an energy signature. I might be able to pick it up.” he holds his sonic out at arm’s length and slowly turns in a circle. Its beeping increases.

“Got him.” “Where?”

He points at the ceiling. “But this is the top floor! The roof!”

We run for the stairs.

“‘Between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the act…” “Falls the shadow.’”

Lazarus turns to see us.

“So the mysterious Doctor knows his Eliot. I’m impressed.” “Martha, what are you doing here?”

“Tish, get away from him.” “What? Don’t tell me what to do.” “I wouldn’t have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus, what with you being busy defying the laws of nature and all.” “You’re right, Doctor. One lifetime’s been too short for me to do everything I’d like. How much more would I get done in two or three or four?”

“Doesn’t work like that.” I shake my head, “Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It’s not the time that matters; it’s the person.” “But if it’s the right person, what a gift that would be.”

“Or what a curse. Look at what you’ve done to yourself.”

“Who are you to judge me?” 

“Tish, come here.” I ask. She walks over to us, “You have to spoil everything, don’t you? Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find a fault.” “Tish, he’s a monster!” Martha says. “I know the age thing’s a bit freaky, but it works for Catherine Zeta-Jones.”

At the sound of growling, Tish slowly turns her head and we all see Lazarus.

He looks like a cross between a human skeleton and a scorpion. He rears up.

“Run!”

We all race inside and the Doctor seals the lock with his sonic screwdriver. Martha presses the call button for the lift, “You okay?” “I was gonna snog him.”

Sirens begin to go off and a computerized warning comes over the PA.

“What’s happening?” I ask. “Uh, an intrusion. It triggers a security lockdown. Kills most of the power. Stops the lifts. Seals the exits.” “Great, he must be breaking through the door. Now, stairs anyone?” We all run down the stairs.

There’s a crashing noise, “He’s inside!”

“Haven’t got much time!”

We enter the reception.

“Tish! Is there another way out of here?”

“There’s an exit in the corner, but it’ll be locked now.”

The Doctor tosses his sonic to me, “Setting 54. Hurry.”

I rush off, followed by Martha and Tish.

Glass shatters and Lazarus appears on the landing above before leaping down to the reception floor.

I open the door just as everyone runs for the exits.

“Over here! This way! Everyone downstairs now! Hurry!” We run over to Leo.

“Martha.” “C’mon, stay with me.” Martha and I take her mother and Leo to safety.

“What’s the Doctor doing?” Tish asks.

“He’s buying us time.” I say. Martha examines her brother, “Leo, look at me. Let me see your eyes.” She speak to her mother, “He’s got a concussion, you’ll need to help him downstairs.” She goes to an ice bucket and puts some ice in a napkin, which she then gives to her mother, “This’ll keep the swelling down. Go! I’ll be right behind you! Tish, move! We need to get out of here!”

The partygoers are running down the stairs to the main entrance but the doors are locked.

“We can’t get out! We’re trapped!”

I spot a desk and slide over the top and check the panel layout before using the sonic. The power comes back on, the doors open and everyone escapes.

I run back up the stairs.

I stop in my tracks at the sound of an explosion, Martha joining me shortly after, running into the Doctor as we reach a corner.

“What are you doing here?” He asks.

“Returning this.” I hold out his sonic screwdriver, “Thought you might need it.” “How did you…?” “Explosion? Definitely you.” “I blasted Lazarus.” “Did you kill him?” Martha asks.

Lazarus comes crashing down the hall.

“More sort of annoyed him, I’d say.”

We run around and end up back in the reception room.

“What now? We’ve just gone ‘round in a circle!” Lazarus bursts in and the Doctor heads for the device.

“We can’t lead him outside. Come on, get in.” We all hide in the device where we are pressed together like sardines.

“Are we hiding?” Martha asks.

“No, he knows we’re here. But this is his masterpiece. I’m betting he won’t destroy it, not even to get at us.” “But we’re trapped!”

“Well, yeah, that’s a slight problem.” “You mean you don’t have a plan?” “Yes, the plan was to get inside here!” 

“Then what?” “Well… Then I’d come up with another plan.”

“In your own time, then.” The Doctor accidentally gropes me before grabbing his sonic screwdriver, “Here we are.” “What’re you gonna do with that?”

The Doctor slides down slowly to the floor and pops open a panel, “Improvise.” “I still don’t understand where that thing came from. Is it alien?” “No, for once it’s strictly human in origin.” He uses his sonic screwdriver on the wires attached to the panel.

“Human? How can it be human?” I ask. “Probably from dormant genes in Lazarus’s DNA. The energy field in this thing must have reactivated them. And it looks like they’re becoming dominant.” “So, it’s a throwback.” “So it’s some option that evolution rejected for us millions of years ago, but the potential is still there? Locked away in our genes, until Lazarus unlocked it by mistake?” I ask. The Doctor continues to work on the wires. “It’s like Pandora’s box.” Martha says.

“Exactly. Nice shoes, by the way.” A blue light fills the capsule.

“Doctor, did he just turn it on?” I ask.

“Yep.” The machine begins to spin. “I don’t want to hurry you, but…” Martha worries.

“I know, I know. Nearly done.” “What’re you doing?”

“Trying to set the capsule to reflect energy rather than receive it.” “Will that kill him?” I ask.

��When he transforms, he’s three times his size, cellular triplication, so he’s spreading himself thin.” “We’re gonna end up like him!” “Just one more!” The Doctor pulls a wire.

The Doctor opens the door and steps out, Martha and I right behind him.

“I thought we were gonna go through the blender then.” Martha admits. “Really shouldn’t take that long to reverse the polarity. I must be a bit out of practice.”

Lazarus is lying in his human form, naked, on the floor.

“Oh God. He seems so… human again. It’s kind of pitiful.”

“Eliot saw that, too. ‘This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper.’”

Medical services, come to take the body, carrying it out on a gurney in a bag. We watch from the steps.

The first to see us is Tish, “She’s here. Oh, she’s all right.” She hugs Martha. Martha’s mum slaps the Doctor on the face, “Keep away from my daughter.” “Mum! What are you doing?” The Doctor puts his hand on his cheek, “All their mothers, every time.” “Not mine. Though to be fair, I don’t want you meeting her at all.”

“He is dangerous! I’ve been told things.” “What are you talking about?”

Mrs. Jones takes Martha by the shoulders, “Look around you! Nothing but death and destruction!”

“This isn’t his fault. He saved us, all of us!”

“It was Tish who invited everyone to this in the first place. I’d say technically, it’s her fault.” Tish elbows Leo in the side.

There’s a crash. The Doctor and I look at Martha before running off.

We run down the street where we see the ambulance, the doors open and the medics merely husks.

“Lazarus, back from the dead. Should’ve known, really.” The Doctor takes out his sonic screwdriver and searches for Lazarus like he did earlier. “Where’s he gone?” I ask.

“That way. The church.” “Cathedral. It’s Southwark Cathedral. He told me.” Tish informs us.

We proceed up the nave inside the cathedral, the Doctor in the very front with his sonic held out in front of him.

“Do you think he’s in here?” Martha asks. “Where would you go if you were looking for sanctuary?” I retort.

We move forward through the empty cathedral to the open space behind the altar and underneath the bell tower. 

Lazarus is sitting there, gasping, a red blanket from the ambulance wrapped around him, “I came here before. A lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat there, just a child… the sound of planes and bombs outside.” “The Blitz.” “You’ve read about it.” “I was there.” “You’re too young.” Lazarus scoffs.

“So are you.” Lazarus laughs, but it soon turns to gasps of pain as he fights the mutation, “In the morning, the fires had died, and I was still alive. I swore I’d never face death like that again.”

The Doctor walks around Lazarus slowly, looking up at the bell tower.

I watch, knowing he’s planning something.

“So defenseless. I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it.”

“That’s what you were trying to do today.” “That’s what I did do today.”

“What about the other people who died?”

“They were nothing. I changed the course of history.” “Any of them might have done, too. You think history’s only made with equations? Facing death is a part of being human. You can’t change that.” “No, Doctor. Avoiding death. That’s being human. It’s our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fiber of being. I’m doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I’ve simply been more… successful.” Lazarus groans in pain as his body tries to change. “Look at yourself! You’re mutating! You’ve no control over it! You call that a success?”

“I call it progress. I’m more now than I was. More than just an ordinary man.” “There’s no such thing as an ordinary man.”

“He’s gonna change again at any minute.” I whisper.

“I know. If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I’ve an idea that might work.”

“Up there?” I ask.

He nods.

“You’re so sentimental, Doctor. Maybe you are older than you look.”

“I’m old enough to know that a longer life isn’t always a better one. In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle. Tired of losing everyone that matters to you. Tired of watching everything turn to dust.” The Doctor squats beside Lazarus, “If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you end up alone.”

“That’s a price worth paying.” “Is it?”

“I will feed soon.” “I’m not gonna let that happen.”

“You’ve not been able to stop me so far.” I walk up behind Lazarus, “Leave him, Lazarus! He’s old and bitter. Thought you had a taste for fresher meat.” He snarls and chases after me.

Martha and Tish run with me.

“Doctor! The tower!”

We run up the narrow spiral staircase that leads to the upper level.

We hear screaming.

“Did you hear that?” Tish asks.

“He’s changed again. We’ve got to lead him up.” “Abby?!” I peer out of one of the archways on the upper level, “Doctor!” “Take him to the top, the very top of the bell tower, d’you hear me?!” I nod, “Then what?” “Abby, come on!” Tish grabs my arm.

We run off.

We arrive at the top of the bell tower, which is a circular walkway with wooden rails.

“There’s nowhere to go! We’re trapped!” Tish exclaims.

“This is where he said to bring him.” I say. “All right, so we’re not trapped. We’re bait.”

“He knows what he’s doing. We have to trust him.” Martha tells her.

We hear a hiss, “Ladies.” Lazarus enters, blocking the only doorway.

“Stay behind me. If he takes me, make a run for it. Head down the stairs, you should have enough time.” I tell them.

“But…” Martha attempts to protest.

“Just do it!”

Lazarus attacks, swinging his tail down.

We all scream.

Lazarus knocks away part of the wall.

I get hit by his tail and fall over, clinging to the edge.

“Abby!” 

Lazarus leaps across to stand over me. “Hold on! Get away from her!” Martha screams. Tish and Martha hold their heads in agony as the sound waves from the organ resonate in the tight space. Lazarus begins to writhe.

I try to hold on. Lazarus topples over the edge and falls to the floor below.

I’m about to fall when hands grab my arms.

“We’ve got you. Hold on!” “Abby?!”

The two sisters pull me back onto the walkway.

“I’m okay! We’re all okay!” I cry, hugging them, “Thank you.” “It’s your Doctor you should be thanking.” “Told you he’d think of something.” I sniffle.

“He cut it a bit fine there, didn’t he?” “He always does. It’s more fun that way.” I laugh.

We come down the stairs.

The Doctor runs to us and pulls me into a kiss, “Never do that again.”

Tish seems confused, “I thought—” She looks to her sister. 

Martha shakes her head.

We stand in front of the Tardis in Martha’s flat.

“Something else that just kinda escalated, then.”

“I can see a pattern developing. You should take more care in the future. And the past, and whatever other time period you find yourself in.” Martha smiles.

“It’s good fun, though, isn’t it?” I grin. “Yeah.”

“So, what d’you say, one more trip?” The Doctor asks.

“No. sorry.”

“What do you mean? I thought you liked it.”

“I do, but I can’t go on like this. ‘One more trip.’ It’s not fair.”

“What’re you talking about?” “I don’t want to just be a passenger anymore. Someone you take along for a treat. If that’s how you still see me, well, I’d rather stay here.”

“Okay, then. If that’s what you want.” “Right. But we’ve already said goodbye once today, so it’s really best if you just go.” She walks away from the Tardis, keeping her back to it.

I laugh, “Martha, sweetie. He said okay.” “Sorry?”

I nod my head at the Tardis.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!” Martha hugs us and laughs.

“Well, you were never really just a passenger, were you?”

[bigskydreaming]

That last reblog has me now contemplating.

What if to mess with his shiny new little brother, but like....gently....when they first started hanging out Dick told Jason a couple of slight falsehoods as umm. A training exercise. That’s it. It was about helping Jason get up to speed with his information gathering skills and also his bullshit detection. So in the interest of being helpful and A Good Big Brother, Obviously....Dick sowed a few.....less-than-entirely-factual details about the more fantastical elements of their lives. The stuff that isn’t common or public knowledge to most of the DC Earth. And then he just.....waited to see how long it took Jason to realize Dick had fed him a handful of straight up lies when briefing him about All Things Superhero.

Look, it was for Science. That’s Dick’s story and he’s sticking to it.

Thus, for the first couple months of their new sibling relationship, Dick had Jason convinced that Atlanteans were actually aliens who landed here thousands of years ago, speedsters can run so fast they can travel back in time, and Superman once accidentally let out a burp so forceful it created a shockwave that shattered every glass in a quarter mile radius so whenever he starts to look....gassy....your best course of action is to hit the deck. Don’t even hesitate for a second, just dive to the ground and grab some floor until he’s got it back under control. And oh yeah, Diana has her Lasso of Truth, but Donna’s version of truth-related powers is that she can sense when people are up to no good....only, the way this manifests for her is she suddenly registers a distinct bad smell in her vicinity, alerting her that bullshit is afoot.

“You’re kidding,” Jason said flatly. “You expect me to believe that Donna can literally smell bullshit?”

Dick just raised an eyebrow. “Like that’s somehow less plausible than Gar being able to change into any kind of animal but only in shades of green? And oh yeah, speaking of green, Green Lanterns can do just about anything with their rings....except protect themselves from yellow paint? I don’t make the rules, Jace. The truth is sometimes superpowers aren’t super-glamorous and not everything related to magic or gods or other planets is as....sophisticated...as we presume. I mean, its not like these things exist just to match up to our expectations for them. Why should alien civilizations or the rules of magic be influenced by whether or not our society would find something weird or ridiculous?”

Jason chewed his lower lip contemplatively. He lacked an official bullshit detecting power himself, but he did have good instincts. Unfortunately for him, his shiny new big brother gave good Lying-to-your-face Face.

“Plus, if you really think about it, it does make a kind of sense,” Dick continued to explain helpfully. But only according to certain specific interpretations of ‘helpfully’ that actually mean ‘like a liar.’ “Our brains are constantly translating all kinds of input and stimuli into shapes or patterns we can actually process in a way that means something to us. So we can make use of that information. This is just the same thing. Donna’s power takes however many variables are involved in registering something as false or something she needs to be wary of...and just condenses it into a simple ‘red alert’ indicator that takes all that abstract, ephemeral data and makes it something actionable. Something she can actually do something with. Her power - or how her brain perceives it - just didn’t actually consult her or give her a choice of notification settings, because why would it?”

“I guess that makes sense,” Jason begrudgingly agreed, with a frown that suggested this particular ‘truth’ Offended his sensibilities.

“I mean, you can ask Donna to explain it herself if you want,” Dick said with a shrug. “Just a heads-up though....she’s not really a fan of how that power works either. Its not exactly a superpower anyone wants to be known for, and she’s heard allllll the jokes about it by now. Roy, Wally and I were perhaps....not the most sensitive when we were younger and she was honing that particular skillset? Though in our defense, I maintain that most of our jokes were hilarious. But anyway, just saying. If you wanna bring it up with her directly, go right ahead! Its definitely one of her favorite topics and Amazons are for sure known for how well they handle being self-conscious.”

And that’s the story of the three months Jason spent convinced that Atlanteans were from another planet, confusing the hell out of Garth with his occasional references to ‘your homeworld’ and his numerous questions about all the Atlantean Green Lanterns that he for some reason seemed convinced the Green Lantern Corps must obviously have a long history of.

And its also why Jason spent those same three months getting wide-eyed and nervous any time he noticed Donna’s nose so much as twitch when he was around. Which it did a lot more often than usual, thanks to how often Dick got horseradish to go with whatever he was having for lunch, knowing full well that Donna can not stand the smell of horseradish. (Dick’s actually not a fan either, and he hates how it tastes, but he’s not afraid to Suffer for the sake of Shenanigans. Its a fundamental part of the Robin experience and persona, after all.)

But it was the Donna thing that gave Dick away, ultimately. No matter how hard he tried to keep a lid on how entertaining he now found the sight of Donna’s occasional nose twitch...even a Batkid poker face can’t keep an empath and telepath from finding this a mystery worth untangling after the tenth time it happens.

(Not that Lilith or Raven are gonna apologize for prying any time soon. They had an obligation as his friends and teammates to investigate when he’s acting bizarre, y’see. What if its because he was brainwashed again? “We’re intrusive because we love,” Lilith insists with zero shame. Raven clarifies: “I was intrusive because she was already doing it so there seemed no point not to.” Lilith points out that this could also be construed as a sign of strong leadership potential. Dick glowers. Lilith waves a hand dismissively. “We can circle back to that later. That’s fine.”)

Anyway, the truth came out at last, Jason cites this as the Moral Justification for every single time and way he was a pain in the ass to Dick in the years to come, and Donna - who was Not Amused - gave a pointed sniff and called bullshit when Dick tried to claim this was an important Bonding Opportunity for he and Jason, wherein they became brothers ‘for real’ instead of just via Bruce. “There are intricate sibling rituals to be observed,” Dick insisted. “I did my research! We had so much time to make up for, I had to speedrun through my shenanigans to get us all caught up! Would I have done all this if I didn’t care?”

Every Titan in the room, familiar with the lengths he’d gone to when messing with Rogues and randos as Robin and thus distinctly unimpressed: Yes. Absolutely. One hundred percent.

Dick foraged on heroically. “Regardless! That’s not the case here, as all of this was clearly done in the name of brotherhood and bonding! We’ll laugh about this someday, you’ll see!”

Ten years later, after Jason’s returned as the Red Hood and reintegrated with the Batfamily to varying degrees, enough so that he accompanies Dick and the rest of the OG Titans on a mission where they’re ambushed, captured and trapped in a supervillain dungeon they’re now trying to escape...

Dick: Definitely kicking myself for not seeing that ambush coming. Where’s a bullshit-sniffing power when you really need it, huh?

Jason: Still not laughing yet.

Dick: Oh come on!

As far as the rest goes, Jason does get a kick out of the speedsters discovering that actually, they can run fast enough to travel through time. He’s like, despite your best efforts you accidentally got one right. And Dick’s all ‘was it an accident or did I actually know or have strong suspicions all along’....but Jason shuts that down. “Nope. Not giving you this one. Try it with someone else.”

However, that still left one last card in play, long after everyone - even Dick and Jason themselves - had all but forgotten about it.

See, every Batkid knows that the best lies contain elements of truth. And that’s why Dick only peppered in his fake trivia very, very sparingly amidst a massive info-dump of actually accurate and useful info he gave Jason about all that stuff, way back when.

So despite the handful of things Dick had told him that Jason eventually discovered to be untrue...the vast majority of it did check out.

Which means even once he did catch on to Dick’s game....that didn’t change his acceptance of the stuff that had turned out to be true or verified by others. But in the end, there was only one little fib that slipped under the radar. Because the scenario it was based on just never happened to come up until long after Jason had returned....and thus Jason never had reason to put much thought into actually questioning whether or not it was true. Not until long after he’d stopped scrutinizing stuff Dick had told him, in search of possible ‘traps.’

And THAT is the story of how Jason - on one of the rare occasions that he joined the Titans and Justice League for an all-hands-on-deck kinda teamup - just happened to be in the right wrong place at the right wrong time to notice Superman suddenly start to look queasy after trying some alien cuisine....

And without a second thought, Jason just instinctively dove for the floor. With this followed by Clark letting out an extremely normal-sounding burp and a sheepish apology.

Everyone else, staring at the infamous Red Hood ducking for cover because Clark had a moment of indigestion: umm. wut

Dick, staring wide-eyed at his brother and trying not to laugh: Oh shit. I totally forgot all about that.

Jason, almost conversationally, while climbing to his feet and stalking ominously towards his big bro: Hey can you believe that after all the shit we’ve been through and all the times we’ve fought over like...actual life and death stuff, THIS is the thing I’m actually gonna kill you for?

Dick, backing away, hands raised placatingly: Hey, c’mon now, Jace, we called a truce about all this ages ago, remember? It was a much younger, dumber me who did all that in the first place, y’know? You’re better than this!

Jason: I’m really not.

Dick: Well then can I just take this opportunity to mention again how sorry I am for any creative embellishments I might have once come up with, in the mistaken belief that I was honoring important traditions of brotherhood, and....

Jason: Hey, where’s Donna? Can anyone see if her nose is twitching?

Donna and the rest of the Titans, blatantly amused and offering no explanation to the very confused Justice League: Oh, bullshit absolutely detected. In the interests of Truth and Justice, you should totally proceed.

Dick, jabbing his finger at his teammates before dashing for the door: Betrayal! J’accuse!

Donna, shrugging: Sorry, Rob. Justice demands impartiality. Our hands are tied.

Jason, running out the door and down the hallway in pursuit of his fleeing brother: Yeah you better run! I’ve waited ten fucking years to get back at you for this shit. Where you going anyway, bro? I thought you wanted to laugh about this someday!

Dick (offscreen): I regret nothing! It was all worth it! You should have seen your face!

Jason (offscreen): You couldn’t even see my face, idiot! I’m wearing my fucking helmet!

Dick (offscreen): Semantics! If something’s funny enough, you can sense what someone’s face probably looks like! If you know, you know!

Jason (offscreen): Oh yeah, go ahead and make up some more shit, Grayson, that’s definitely the right way to go here!

Batman, looking to the Titans and waving his hand at...whatever all that is offscreen: Explain.

Roy: Hey don’t look at us. You’re the one who made them brothers. This is on you.

Batman: What does that even mean.

Lilith: If you know, you know. Dick’s right about that much at least.

The Titans all nod like an actual, self-evident truth was just expressed. Bruce pinches the bridge of his nose, and starts muttering under his breath.

“You need to encourage Dick to seek out and make like-minded friends, Alfred said. It’ll be good for him, he said. Its what he needs and definitely not the point everything starts to go downhill.”

Lilith picks it up loud and clear, because of course she does, and incidentally, the smug, obnoxious know-it-all teenage psychic who started hanging out with Dick when they were teenagers has absolutely nothing to do with Bruce’s profound dislike of telepaths, nooooo, that would be ridiculous and irrational, to bear a grudge against everyone with a particular skillset because one of your son’s childhood friends was a royal pain in the -

Lilith: Oh, that’s adorable. He thinks we’re the reason Dick’s so profoundly weird and inexplicable.

The Titans, in unison: LOL.

Roy: The self-deluding, it is strong in that family.

Bruce is suddenly extra glad he’s wearing a cowl that hides what is definitely not a pout but might be mistaken for one by the uninformed thus its better to just dodge that issue entirely. He crosses his arms and stares down the collection of his eldest son’s friends, whom he has been unfairly plagued by since most of them were pre-pubescent little demons. Literally no one has suffered like he has.

“I don’t like you,” he informs them officiously. Not sulkily. Officiously.

Several of them snort. There’s a couple giggles. An eye roll from Roy. An aborted response hastily turns into Wally coughing into his hand. Blatant dismissal from Victor, his attention clearly on whatever he’s browsing online. Three varying shades of raised eyebrows: unflappable bemusement from the sorceress, patronizing amusement from the psychic, naked incredulity from Donna. Garth gazing off into an empty corner which he has on very good authority is basically the Atlantean version of the middle finger.

“Yeah, no shit,” Roy drawls, apparently on behalf of the whole group.

Ugh, they’re just. The worst. Why couldn’t Clark have had a kid Dick’s age so he never had to go looking elsewhere for socialization? That’s it. Clearly this was all Clark’s fault. He can’t believe he never realized that before.

Dammit Clark.

[galaxae]

if youre still doing the ocverse ask game, 3 and 19? 🥺

ougghhh i so totally still am. i'm mainly fixated on my stupid ass video game idea (working title is gods don't bleed but i want to change it bc it doesn't fit as well anymore)

forgive me if this is incoherent, my boyfriend dislocated his knee so i have to care for him, and work has been terrible and burned me out, so i'm definitely leaving some stuff out of my answers :(, but whatever!!

3.) any recurring images/elements?

absolutely yes. lots of imagery of plants and animals, for one. fire vs. ice too, yes i know it's a very commonly used trope but i like playing around with those two things, especially when i get to kinda subvert expectations with them. similarly with light vs. dark. and also colors vs black and white, both in terms of morality and in terms of actual visuals

19.) describe the sillies you think about but that dont go in the story.

in my mind, charity and fabian (the first two playable characters, and close friends) are exes. it's probably not going to be canonized, but it's also not going to be explicitly denied, so...

their first date was incredibly awkward, by the way. fabian was an ignorant rich kid who loved to pry and stick his nose in others' business and not let up until he knew everything about a situation, while charity was freshly in the "my mom and i were homeless, got taken in by a man, and then that man turned out to be very very bad so we had to flee the state and come to this small piece of shit town where no one realizes how privileged they are, and this all sucks, and i don't want to talk about it" mindset. they were also both 14-15 which is the worst age to be. they broke up so fast after this but now they've got a really solid friendship going a few years later, and charity has a different (cooler) partner

also, so many silly bits of dialogue that... i'm not sure they'll go into the game at all, or if they do, whether they'll just be optional bits. but some favorites include (formatted sorta like they would be in my script document):

KIMBERLY: Oh, hey, Fabián, you're in French 2 with me next semester. JAMAL: Wh... what? People actually take French? I thought that was a myth. FABIÁN: Well, I already know Spanish since everyone on my mom's side and, like, half of my dad's side speaks it. So I thought taking Spanish would be way too easy. CHARITY: You stupid son of a bitch. That's exactly why you should take Spanish.

ACE: Holy shit, I just got stung by a bee! FABIÁN: Are you ok??? Ace pulls the stinger out of their face ACE: LOOK! It's still pumping venom! That's so cool! CHARITY: What the fuck is wrong with you? ACE: What's wrong with you? Lookit!

JAMAL: Hey. Kimbie. KIMBERLY: Don't call me that, please. What is it? JAMAL: Spell ICUP. KIMBERLY: "ICUP?" JAMAL: Spell it. KIMBERLY: That's not a real word. Fake words don't have spellings. JAMAL: Can you at least try? KIMBERLY: Oh. Wait. I see. I-K-U-P. JAMAL: ... KIMBERLY: Does that suffice? Jamal looks as though he's about to cry. [Later that same day] JAMAL: Hey, uh, hey Kimbi-- Kimberly. Is it just me, or is your outfit kind of, uh, "updog?" KIMBERLY: What? JAMAL: Your outfit's kind of "updog." KIMBERLY: What does "updog" mean? JAMAL: ........Can you........... rephrase that, please? KIMBERLY: ? No. JAMAL: :/

also, there's a period of time when kimberly is in 9th grade where she gets really intensely into astrology. specifically so that she can Know A Lot About A Thing that other people don't know as much about. she'll see someone doing something, walk up to them and be like "what are you, an aries venus?" and when they don't understand the reference she'll be like "never mind :)" and feel smart. she no longer does this in the game because she realizes that's so cringe. and she has OTHER science to do, dammit!! (like proving the Weird Kid at school is a literal alien)

another fun fact: kimberly (resident genius) and jamal (who does not give a shit about academics) play chess together one time and jamal wins because kimberly is so perplexed by his newbie moves that she doesn't know how to respond to them.

oh... i didnt realize i had this many sillies... cool :)

yall are encouraged to send more asks if you want i love these blorbos

[emeraldart]

We need more swap AUs with Willow as the human so I made one myself. Everyone stays the same but Willow and Luz switch places. The first episode is under the cut — it’s pretty long. I’ll probably be doing comics and and other random eps later!

Willow Park sat in the principal’s office, crossing her arms. Principal Hal briefly addresses her parents. She blew some dyed blue-green hair from her eyes, eyeing her science project wearily. So what if her robot malfunctioned? This wouldn’t have happened if she just got to study botany as she’d wanted. 

“Mr. Parks, your daughter’s project went disastrously wrong. Again,” Principal Hal said, bluntly, “Her grades have been slipping lately. I fear that if her grades don’t improve, we’ll have to send her to summer school.”

“That seems awfully drastic,” Papa defended.

“I don’t know, Gil, we do want her to succeed in life,” Dad countered.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Willow declared. 

“This is the first of many incidents, Willow,” Papa said, “I think you should really consider this.”

Before she knew it, Willow was staring outside her house, waiting for the bus to summer school. She fiddled with her small cactus. She took her plants everywhere with her, despite her fathers protests that botany wouldn’t open nearly as many opportunities. 

“Don’t worry, Will,” Dad comforted, “You’ll be so busy learning mechanics… and doing math, the time will fly by!”

“But I don’t like any of that stuff!” Willow protested. “I like working on my garden and being outside!”

“This is all so you get better opportunities,” Papa said, “You’ll make so many friends, but you have to try and let this gardening stuff go.”

“Ok…”

Willow threw away her cactus, frowning. Her dads left and she immediately started to dig through the trash for her beloved plant. It was gone. Willow looked up, spotting a small owl holding the little pot in its mouth. Owls weren’t supposed to be out during the day… and they definitely didn’t fish plants out of the trash. She chased it, following it through the old shack near her house through an odd door with an eye on it.

“Get back here you adorable little owl!” 

Willow paused when she realized she was in a tent. She fingered a strange blue plant. She’d seen weird plants before, but never like this. She was snapped out of her thoughts by a voice.

“Finally, you’re back.” 

Willow peered through the flaps of the tent, seeing a strange, old lady. She had gray hair and gold eyes. Her skin was so pale it was practically white. 

“Now, let’s see what we got here.”

The owl flies to the top of her large stick, and the lady spun it around. The owl turned to wood. Willow held back a gasp, readying herself. For what, she was not sure. 

The lady took out a phone. “Garbage.” She took out a ring. “Garbage.” She took out some brilliantly shiny chalice. “Garbage.” 

She took out some joke glasses with springs. “Now this…” The lady put them on. “This will make me rich!”

Willow gasps quietly as the woman grabbed her plant.

“This… eh, I don’t really have a use for this,” the lady gestured to throw out the plant.

Willow ran in and grabbed it, nervously mumbling an apology before making a break for it. She pulled the flap of the tent aside, running up to the weird door. It proceeds to fold up, disappearing into a small briefcase. Willow turned around, facing her strange pursuer.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she threatened.

Willow held in a shriek and dove under the tent. She skidded to a stop as she found herself at the edge of a cliff. Dragons flew through the air. Giant bugs functioned as buses. Disgustingly fascinating beasts roamed. Willow screamed.

“This… this is a dream, right?” she laughed, nervously. A fairy flew up next to her. “Oh… uh, nice fairy…”

“Give me your skin!” the fairy cried.

Willow yelped and swatted the fairy to the floor, flinching.

“Am I dead? I’m dead, aren’t I? This is the bad place then, I guess,” Willow rambled.

“You wish,” the same woman from before grabs Willow’s shoulder and drags her back to the tent, sitting her down on a stool. Willow clenched her fists, ready to fight back if she had to.

“I’m just here for my plant. Please, don’t eat my skin. And if you try… you’ll uh, regret it!” Willow threatened or at least tried to. 

“Eat you? Why would I eat… a potential customer?” Willow tilted her head, confused. 

“Can I offer you a human foot filled with holes?” she took out a green croc. “A bar of green human candy? Oh, oh! How about this black shadow box that reflects only sadness?” She grabbed a bar of deodorant, followed by an old-fashioned television. 

Willow laughed. “It can do waaaay more than that.”

She looked around the table before finding some batteries. She took the television from the lady and placed the batteries in, turning it on. An old exercise video starts playing. A crowd immediately gathered. People started to bid higher and higher amounts of money for it, asking unusual questions. 

“What did you say your name was?” the woman asked.

“...Willow, Willow Park,” Willow told her, hesitantly.

“Well, Willow, that was pretty clever… for a human,” the woman said.

“For a human?”

“Oh, dear child,” she began, removing her bandanna to reveal two pointy ears. “I’m not like you.” She jumped onto the table. “I’m Eda the Owl Lady, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles!” 

“A witch?” Willow asked.

“I am respected, feared-” she continued before she was cut off by a masked stranger smashing the T.V.

“Busted!” the guard said, as customers started to scatter. “Eda the Owl Lady, you are wanted for misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors.” Willow gasped. “You are hereby ordered to come with me to the Conformatoruium! 

Eda freed her arm. “Will you guys quit following me around? I haven’t done squat.”

The guard ignored her. “And you’re coming too,” he grabbed Willow, who yelped, “for fraternizing with a criminal.” 

“Hey!” Willow flailed around, uselessly. 

“Oh, all right, all right, you win,” Eda conceded. “Just let me get my stuff.”

She rummaged under the table, grabbing the staff from earlier. She swung the staff, hitting the guard. He hit the floor with a thud. Eda spun the staff, making all the contents of her stand float before drifting into a bundle on her staff. Willow shakily got up.

“Whoops, can’t forget this.” Eda pulled a key out of her hair, pressing a button. The door-turned-briefcase vanishes. 

“Follow me, human.” 

Willow ran after her. “This is crazy! I’m gonna die here!” 

“Ha! I won’t let them hurt you,” Eda said, cocky. “A human like you is more valuable to me alive than dead.” 

“Are you trying to be suspicious? I can’t believe-” Willow yelled as Eda cheered, pulling them both onto the staff and taking off. 

The guard ran in, seconds too late. “You won't get away with this, Owl Lady! Yeah, all right. You did. You got away with it. She got away with it, everybody! Typical.”

Eda flew through the skies, Willow keeping her eyes screwed shut.

“You can open your eyes now, human.” 

Willow gasped when she saw they were flying. “Okay, it’s just a flying staff, some monsters, and a witch. That’s a normal Earth thing.” 

Eda laughed. “This is the Boiling Isles. Every myth you humans have is caused by a little of our world leaking into yours.” 

Creatures flew by, including a strange lion with the head of a pigeon. Willow vaguely recognized it as a griffin from folklore, although more grotesque. It proceeded to breathe out a stream of living spiders, falling from the sky.

“Eww…” Willow murmured. 

“Yep. Griffins, vampires, giraffes-” Eda listed before Willow cut her off.

“Giraffes?” 

“Oh yeah, we banished those guys. Bunch of freaks.” 

Eda landed the staff and jumped off. Her hand remained. It moved, causing Willow to jump off the staff in shock. 

“Oops,” she said, screwing it back on, “That happens sometimes.” 

“Well… this has been, uh, interesting,” Willow said. “But I really have to get going. Mind helping me get back home?” 

“Only if you help me first,” Eda chuckled. “Ah, now come along, human.” 

Willow gasped as a peculiar house came into view. Owls flew around, laughing. She didn’t know owls could do that. The house itself was reasonably tall, with a tower and a large window resembling an eye. 

“I won’t have to fight off any guards, will I?” Willow worried. 

“Nope. My house has a state-of-the-art defense system.” 

A strange… owl… sits on the door, tilting its head. It was round with large eyes. 

“Hoot-hoot! Password, please!” it (he?) bellowed. 

Eda poked his eyes, making him shout.

“We got no time for this, Hooty. Let us in,” Eda grumbled. 

“All right, all right! Geez! You have let me have any fun! Ow! Hoot!” Hooty complained. 

Hooty opened his mouth to encompass the door. Willow winced as they walked in, although fascinated.

“Welcome to…” Eda snapped her fingers, “the Owl House!”

The candles lit up and Willow looked around in wonder. 

“Where I hide away from the pressures of modern life. Also the cops. Also ex-boyfriends.” 

“I really respect that,” Willow said, “So do you live here all alone?” 

“Actually,” Eda replied, “I have a roommate.” 

A shadow loomed from the hall. “Who dares intrude upon I, the King of Demons?” The creature stepped out to reveal a small, dog-like creature with a skull on his head. He squeaked a rubber duck. Willow scooped him up.

“You’re so cute! Eda, who’s this little cutie?” Willow cooed. 

“I’m not cute!” King whined. “Eda, who is this monster?” 

Eda pulled Willow away from King. “Oh, this is Willow, the human. She’s here to help us with our little… situation.”

“Oh, hooray!” King cheered. 

“Wait. I definitely don’t like the sound of whatever your situation is. I just want to get home,” Willow said. 

“Just… let me explain,” Eda sighed. “King was once a mighty king of demons, until his Crown of Power was stolen, and became… this.” Willow cooed at King again. “The crown is being held by the evil Warden Wrath and locked away behind a magical force field only a human can break through. A human like you. If you help us retrieve his crown, we’ll send you back to your realm. So whaddya say?” 

“It doesn’t seem like I’m being given a choice here,” Willow grumbled. 

“Nope. We got no time to lose,” Eda grabbed Willow’s arm and they walked off.

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere super fun!” 

The group found themselves at an ominous building, lightning crackling around them. A selection of wanted posters covered the wall as the group stared up at the castle-like structure. 

“The Conformatorium. A place for those considered unsuitable for society,” Eda deadpanned. 

Willow peeled Eda’s wanted poster off the wall. “Woah. These guys really are after you, huh?”

“Yep. But we’re never caught because we’re too slippery,” Eda said with a wink.

“Try to catch me when I’m covered in grease. I’m a squirmy little fella. You and I will sneak up to the top of the tower, where they’re keeping my crown,” King squealed.

“And I’m gonna make sure the Warden’s distracted,” Eda added. 

“I didn’t bring a disguise,” Willow said.

“Eh, I don’t think you’ll need one,” Eda reassured her. “Just punch anyone that gives you trouble.”

“You get me, Eda, you get me.” 

Eda slammed her staff onto the ground, creating a disk that lifted them up. “Hang on tight. See you guys at the top of the tower!”

The disk floated up to the window, letting Willow and King reach the inside of the tower. The duo moved through the hall, eyes catching the cells.

“Hey, lady, how’d you get out of your cell?” a prisoner asked. 

“Oh, um, I’m not a criminal,” Willow replied. 

“Neither are we,” the prisoner grumbled. “The stupid warden likes to lock up people who don’t fit in. Like, I write fanfics of food falling in love. I like food, I like love… Just let me write about it!” 

“I’m here because I like eating my own eyes,” another prisoner added. 

“We are agents of fwee expwession! They will never siwence us!” a small prisoner cried.

“Yeah, she’s really into conspiracy theories,” the first prisoner groaned. 

“The world is a simulation! We are but playthings for a higher being!” 

“That’s… that’s not right. You guys just… want to be yourselves. Like me,” Willow murmured. 

Willow was briefly distracted by some footsteps, running into a cell and pulling the bars in front of her. She covered her mouth as a man, the Warden, she assumed, thundered in. His emotionless mask met the prisoners. 

“I can hear you,” he said. “Just what are you fools whispering about?” He picked up Eda’s fallen poster. “Ah, the Owl Lady.” The Warden’s arm warped into a hammer, slamming into Willow’s cell. “I’ll get my hands on her soon enough.” 

He briefly glanced into Willow’s cell, where she held King protectively. The small prisoner shouted defiantly, causing the Warden to open to cell and grab her. 

“Let this be a lesson to all of you. There’s no place for you in society if you can’t fit in.”

Willow waited as he stomped away, before clambering out of the cell. She approached the other prisoners. 

“I can still get you guys out… at least,” she smiled, weakly, opening their cells. “Good luck!” 

Willow ran off, reaching Eda. She flew through the halls on her staff. She told Willow the Warden was distracted. Willow grew uneasy at the thought of him torturing the prisoner she failed to rescue. They eventually reached a large door labeled “Contraband.” King eagerly ran up to the door, cheering about power. Eda laughed at his antics.

“Why are they locked up here? They’re just being themselves…” Willow said, more to herself than Eda. 

She snapped out of her thoughts to find King attempting and failing to break through a glimmering barrier. Willow took a breath before walking into the pillar, finding piles of confiscated junk. At the top, she saw a glowing crown. She winced. That couldn’t be it… Willow groaned as King eagerly grabbed for the Burger Queen crown.

“That crown doesn’t give him any powers, does it?” 

“Uh, no. Oh, look at us Willow. King and I don’t have much in this world, we only have each other. So if that dumb crown is important to him, it’s important to me. Besides, us weirdos have to stick together.”

Willow got caught off guard by the comment. She was used to avoiding her weirdness in an attempt to keep her grades up and keep bullies away. She always kept her head down. 

“Well, we owe you one. Let’s get out of here before the Warden finds out and loses his head.”

The Warden stormed in. “Too late.” 

With a sharp swing, he cut off Eda’s head. It fell into Willow’s arms, who shrieked in shock. 

“Ow. I hate it when that happens.” Willow fought the urge to retch. 

“Normally I’d question this but…” Willow groaned, “This really isn’t the weirdest thing to happen today.”

The Warden proceeded to give a speech to Eda, ending with… asking her out? Willow commented on the misogyny of holding someone hostage to ask them out. Wrath grabbed her, yelling to stay out of it. Guess he didn’t appreciate social justice. Willow wriggled to get free as Eda spit in his face. Taking the opportunity, Willow grabbed Eda’s staff and slammed it over the Warden. She grabbed Eda’s head and bolted. Eda’s body freed King and they all climbed onto the staff.

“How does this work exactly?”

“Gun it, magic stick!” Eda commanded. 

Wrath gave chase as they flew through the halls. Willow reached out and pulled as many levers as she could freeing the prisoners. Wrath’s tentacle-like arms got closer, and they all fell to the ground outside the Conformatorium. Willow tried to help but they waved her off, telling her to return to the human realm. She found the prisoners from before, but they had no desire to escape. 

“Don’t you get it?” Willow asked, “It doesn’t matter if you’re weird, or unconventional, or just do things differently. Sometimes success is being happy, not just doing what you’re supposed to be doing.” 

“Why are you helping us?”

“Because us weirdos have to stick together,” Willow cheered, “And no one should be punished for who they are!” 

The Warden had Eda and King cornered. Willow and the other prisoners tackled him, Willow using Eda’s staff in an attempt to knock him unconscious. The prisoners tied his tentacle arms together, rendering his attacks useless. Humiliated, he ran, and Willow cheered. 

They flew back to the Owl House, where, as promised, Eda got the door ready. King and Eda waved goodbye, and Willow looked at them wistfully. A magical world was right here. Summer school was back home. 

“I don’t know,” Willow began. “My dads want me to be happy, but I don’t want to keep learning stupid engineers. I want to study plants and learn how to help them grow. This place is full of magic to do stuff like that here.”

“What exactly are you proposing, kid?” Eda asked.

“I want to stay and become a witch, like you.”

“That’s ridiculous, humans can’t become witches,” Eda smirked.

“There’s a first time for everything.”

King climbed onto Eda’s shoulders. “Let her stay! She can make us snacks.” 

“All right. I could use some help keeping this goofball out of the cupboards,” Eda conceded. “I can teach you anything about spells or whatever plant nerd stuff if you work for me.”

“Deal.”

So Willow found herself getting ready for bed in the Owl House. Her sleeping bad uncurled fully as she hit the ground and yawned. Her phone buzzed. 

Dad: How’s summer camp?

Papa: Are you having fun?

Willow looked up, to where King had entered the room.

“Your sleep cocoon looks fluffy,” he said, awkwardly. Willow patted it, gesturing him to come to sit. He curled into a little ball next to her. She smiled warmly.

Willow: I think I’m gonna like it here.