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sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee · 10 months ago

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Can we get Riddler's reaction to SO coming home with an injured animal, maybe with a side of 'no, we are not keeping it' but they end up keeping it anyway?

"We are not keeping the damn thing-" Riddler Party x S/O

Oh this is something I'm very familiar with LMAO. I tried to include a variety of animals here.

Not to be lame or a square or w/e but as a general reminder, if you ever find injured wildlife, please contact your local shelters or animal control. These are fantasy scenarios and in most cases- wildlife is either better left alone, you will need strict temporary guidance or they need to be taken care of by professionals. In many places, you need a license to care and keep undomesticated animals.

TW: animal harm and abuse, mentions of dog fighting, medical procedures

Gotham

It all happens so quickly one day when the pair are driving in Gotham. His S/O notices what looks like a small brown bundle in the middle of the road and panics for Edward to stop. Before he can really get an explanation, they're shouting over their shoulder about a turtle, taking off their jacket. Then he's the one panicking as he watches them stop traffic to scoop up the animal.

The painted turtle has a huge crack in it's shell and a hurt leg. Not knowing what to do, they take it to a vet to see if anything can be done. Surgery, a fiberglass covering... A free sexing to determine the turtle is otherwise a healthy girl. Edward is already devouring the informational packet given to him in the waiting room. A lot he already knew but, well, it pays to learn more!

He's probably one of the few riddlers that doesn't actually say "no we can't keep it." There might be a brief moment where he questions his S/O if they even want a turtle- for the most part it's kind of... fascinating? They keep visiting the turtle in the hospital before she's released and he asks so very many questions about care and what they've been doing for her-

Before it's even been officially decided she's coming home and not being released back out, he's getting a tank ready. Heat lamps, a UVA/UVB light, pond, a dock for basking. A very strange amount of decorations related to questions marks and his special interests that you might not expect decor for.

This turtle won the lottery. She gets a very fancy omnivore diet with vitamin and mineral supplements. He even ends up cultivating species appropriate plants in the tank for her to enjoy and snack on occasionally. She's never bothered much other than the routine tank cleanings. Edward just likes watching her and watching his S/O gush over how pretty she is.

If anyone asks to pick her up, he will give a speech on how actually, human contact stresses them out so if you could never ask again, he'd appreciate it. He intends on her making it many more decades despite not having any clue how old she is now.

Penguin is going to hear so many fun facts about turtles now. Oswald might consider trying to murder him... again.

60s

A baby bird that fell from it's nest. He watched as his S/O tried and failed to reintroduce the bird back to it's mother. He even helped them weave a fake nest and put it up in the tree to see if their parents would take the babe back. To no avail. He was prepared to comfort his love if the little thing passed on.

Yet he watched his S/O roll up their sleeves and start making a nest of their own. A heat lamp that was originally used for one of Edward's plots, now for the chick. He insisted they could probably find someone to take care of it. He's certain he could light a cigarette in a public place and get Batman's attention if they wanted a more heroic figure for the job. With a sidekick named Robin, surely he has a thing for lost little birds.

Birds aren't really his thing, you see. Not part of the gimmick. He has nothing against them, love, but... perhaps Penguin? Still no, huh? The determination of his S/O is rather inspiring, even if it goes against his own wishes. Feedings every few hours, changing papers and blankets. Checking the crop. He noticed the collection of bird care books from Gotham Library.

He starts feeling more affection for the thing once it grows fluff. As his S/O gently holds his hand out to teach the bird to step up. There's something endearing about all of it. How passionate they are. How could he truly say no? It's when the feathers appear and the soft cries begin that they confirm they have a little mourning dove.

In devotion to his partner and their new animal child, he sets up a bird cage and perches himself. Reads the same care books, albeit in half the time. Once the time is right, he even builds an outdoor cage to allow the bird fresh air and stimulation that is safe from predators.

While he doesn't appreciate the mess the bird leaves, he doesn't mind the shoulder buddy. It does, however, make him slightly less intimidating towards Batman, as if he needed anything to help with that.

Zero Year

His S/O had a habit of bringing home animals. They had some... special certification, he wasn't paying terribly much attention to what- What it meant was that after they moved in together, there would occasionally be a small furred or feathered creature in the spare room off his workshop that needed to be bottle fed. He wasn't sure how he felt about the habit. It was something he almost admired. Wanting to care for something small and weak. Yet it was a vulnerability he could see being taken advantage of.

Good thing he's such a pleasant and non-needy personality that doesn't need all his S/O's attention! He lived with it. Perhaps he was better for it. Personal growth... even if at moments he felt jealous and despised it. He supposed they needed a hobby of their own considering how his "hobby" was so all-consuming.

Then they brought home the red fox. A fur-farm rescue. Nowhere else to go, they said. Edward tried to put his foot down. How would they even care for it? A fox... Ridiculous! He also knows it can't be tossed back out into the wild. It would die. His stubbornness holds even as he watches his partner cut their hands open on wire fencing to make an enclosure.

It isn't until they ask him, truly ask him, if he hates that they save animals. Seeing the pain in their eyes and sensing the possibility that they might even leave- he makes a decision. No amount of avoiding annoyances is worth losing the one person he truly trusts in this life. He builds an outdoor enclosure with catch doors and even sits down with the thing.

Winning him over was as simple as the vixen stealing his screwdriver and laughing at him as she played keep away. He was irritated with her, at first, yet as he caught her and all she wanted was pets and affection... He supposed it was also cute the way she would hoard boiled eggs out of his hand. Alright, maybe, just maybe- Maybe she could stay. Only out of his good will.

He gets to a point where she'll sit in his lap while he trims her nails and brushes her fur. His S/O can do the yucky medical stuff she hates, this is his time.

BTAS

It was a kitten that set his life upside down. His partner, his darling beloved, found it abandoned and hypothermic in a box after a storm. No indication of mother or another human coming to find it. His eyes weren't even open. A little tuxedo that mewled for any kind of nourishment and warmth. Edward was ready to call Selina to come pick it up- until he remembered she was currently incarcerated by Batman for a diamond heist.

It wasn't his bathroom being overtaken as a quarantine zone that made him upset. It wasn't even the alarm that went off every two hours for feedings, even in the middle of the night. No, it was how exhausted and emotionally tired his S/O looked after two days of taking care of him. When he said they were not, could not keep the cat, his partner insisted on doing everything themselves.

He was regretting it, to say the least. At 3am, while he was working, he could hear the alarm going... and his S/O snoring through it. With a sigh, he turned it off and began to prepare the formula. He went through the steps in his mind as he had seen his partner do for the past week and a half. Feed, burp, stimulate for the bathroom, make sure he's warm. Then he got in there and found a creature shouting and demanding to be fed and loved now.

Putting the kitten on his chest, watching his ears wiggle and feeling the tiniest muffins being made on his chest... that was the moment he fell in love. In that instant, he understood. This little sootball that looked like lint that exploded in the dryer- he was worth the hardship.

After that, Edward took on the nightshift for his partner. A few more weeks and their schedules could get back to normal. Ish. And their fancy well dressed man could be released into the rest of the house to cause chaos galore. Kitten energy is a bit too much for Edward, but he adjusts.

Telltale

When his S/O had stumbled into his workplace, bloodied and holding a blanket close to their chest, he feared the worst. He was prepared to dismember whoever had done this to his partner- and then they mentioned it wasn't their blood. Irritating, yet relief flooded his system.

He cleared a nearby table and watched as his S/O unraveled a bleeding, wounded dog. Struggling to breathe. Whining. A prong collar embedded into its neck. In the haze of panic, he extrapolates that his partner found it thrown away like trash in an alley. Even in this state he could make out the bite marks of other dogs on her body. Dog fighting.

Yet the mottled colored mutt seemed disinterested in attacking, even in this vulnerable state. Had she already given up? He was prepared to euthanize her himself until his partner looked at him with wet eyes asking if there was anything he could do. A tired sigh.

He knew some people with the proper equipment. Yet even as he contacted them, he insisted the two of them were not keeping the dog. He would help take care of the dog. Then they would figure out where she could go.

This lasted until one night in the lab as he sat at his desk, he felt a heavy head lay on his leg. As he looked down, there she was, staring up at him- tail wagging. Even after everything they'd put her through... she was putting all her trust and affection in a human. He would never admit it, but it reminded him of himself in some small way towards his S/O. Finding that love after pain atop of pain.

He stopped mentioning getting rid of the dog. Insists no one else will want a former fighting dog, so she might as well stay. It has nothing to do with how she cuddles between her "parents" on the couch. That she'll fetch things for her master with a dopey pleased look. And of course not because she gets accustomed to waking Eddie when he's experiencing night terrors associated with his past. Lowkey she's his emotional support dog and he's her emotional support human and his S/O gets to watch that relationship bloom.

Arkham

Despite Edward's lack of care towards the many strays in Gotham, his S/O seemed rather enamored with them. He comments that they should leave feeding the mangy things to Selina. Yet, he doesn't stop them. Then there was one cat in the neighborhood that wouldn't escape either of their notice. A mean feral that wouldn't let anyone near it. He'd wait for everyone else to eat food before picking off scraps.

He thought it was sort of charming how his S/O asked him for a trap to catch the beast. He asked them why they'd bother. It would appear the creature had gotten an eye injury, likely from fighting. He'd never expected them to actually catch the beast, no matter how genius his craftsmanship on the trap. And yet...

One eye enucleation and spay surgery later, his next question was when they were going to release the cat back out. Or call catwoman to deal with it. As his S/O told him neither would be happening, he began to try to put his foot down. No, never. You will not be keeping him. If they'd really wanted a pet, he could make one! Not this... possible mixed breed of a wild cat with a domestic one.

Fortunately they had a small spare room they could clear out for a kennel to allow the cat some comfort while he healed. Edward would listen as his partner going into the room and cooing. Followed by hissing and "no... No, c'mon-" and more bargaining. He shook his head. What were they expecting? You can't just bring a creature like that back with that kind of hate.

It isn't until one night when he's working that he hears... a meowing. It's strained and croaking. He goes to inspect the room and seen the one eyed cat staring up at him. A soft meow. Then a head bonk on the cage bars. Yet as he knelt down, the cat reared back and hissed.

Over the next week, he would visit the cat with his S/O. He noticed this scraggly, scarred cat looking up at them. Hissing less and less. Hesitantly approaching until his S/O was able to touch his head. Then they heard it for the first time: his purr. It was then Edward knew he was not going to be able to get rid of this ugly as sin cat.

The cat absolutely chose his S/O as his person, but that doesn't leave out Edward. The cat likes sleeping on some of his machinery when it's warm. Jumping on his shoulders when he falls asleep at his desk. Edward finds himself petting deep into his now-soft fur when he's stressed.

Selina will give him so much shit about this cat. Forever.

Batman 2022/Nashton

His S/O found the little creature after a dog had gotten hold it. A possum joey without a mother anywhere in sight. A few calls later, a wildlife shelter visit and lots of stress and worrying, they were told the possum was going to live... But not in the wild. There was enough damage to its body that even after healing, he might not be able to defend himself properly.

Edward tried to reason why it should stay with someone else. They'd have better care. They'd become an education ambassador, maybe! He... It's so tiny and fragile, and that makes him so nervous.

Edward is projecting a lot of feelings onto this little thing that mostly wants to hiss and cling to his sweatshirt. He'll just fuck it up, you know. The problem that arises is too many rehabbers in the area are full up. There might not be any space for the little guy- Faced with the possibility of euthanasia, Edward's S/O looks at him with dewy eyes.

How can he say no to that face? And the face of, he supposes, their newest companion. After faking some paperwork and certifications, they are bringing home a small possum.

Over time, he ends up relating a lot to the possum considering their reputation. They're just scavengers! They can't even get rabies! Yet everyone just seems to hate them for being born. He knows what that's like...

He does so much research on dietary needs since possums require such a variety of care. Protein, proper phosphorous levels, fruits and veggies. He really likes feeding him cooked chicken hearts out of his hand. Since they walk so much in the night, he makes an exercise wheel for the little guy to use. Builds climbing walls and poles for him to hang from if he wants. His S/O gets to help hammer nails in!

Sometimes Edward's S/O is looking for the possum and asks Edward... only to see a little black and white head poke out from his hoodie. The two of them know they won't have the possum for long (in the wild, they only live around three years!), but he's kind of used to shorter lifespans with his rats.

He's going to make sure the years they have, though, are going to be enriching and full of happiness.

#gotham riddler #60s riddler #zero year riddler #capulo riddler #btas riddler #telltale riddler #arkham riddler #batman 2022 riddler #riddler #foxwriting

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finnitesimal · 1 year ago

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Ordem Paranormal Quarantena fucking knocked it out of the park it was insane Im grappling with so much I'm so insanely tired

There was a funny bit I was thinking of around the whole second bit where I was going Carol you hallmark protagonist fuck

Because first of all her name. that was the main part it's on the same level as Noel and Nick and Holly but there were also certain aspects of her character that in my delirious mind reminded me of the hypocrisy and drama of the typical independent business lady in a christmas movie as well as the I-can-do-no-wrong mindset of a romantic fantasy shoujo romance protagonist

And I thought. Man. There was a very clear path this story couldve taken with these characters and setting if it were not roleplay.

(note: not talking about the ccs or the actual characters but the Tropes the characters fall into and Could've been in generic science fiction horror)

A plucky new scientist with dreams to make a difference in an evil monster-ridden world and prove her skills despite being underestimated and looked down on by her friends and colleagues, and her direct senior with whom she has a negative relationship with due to his demonstrated lack of practical skill but mysterious higher connections to the board and therefore is ranked higher while she falls behind. She has moments of butting heads with him before the disaster breaks out in the facility and she has to struggle to stay alive and hidden until she's rescued by that same suddenly impressive senior with whom there's multiple tight spaces to be stuck with and convenient makeovers and sudden cold they have to share body warmth for. It's overWhelmingly easy to guess the plot

The plot in which None of the gang are mentioned. Because in this hypothetical B-list horror romance, they don't exist as people, but plot devices and tropes

They're there to provide funny moments and emotional weight as well as conflict to the overdone plot.

You have Luis, tank, everyman strongman with a soft heart and unclear but dangerous living conditions (poor). Probably the backup boyfriend in case the thing with Mikael doesn't work out, ends up sacrificing his life to save her due to some completely preventable situation cause she was too stubborn to listen, and gets a future project (maybe even a baby) named after him.

You have Jeffrey, funnyman, scapegoat, coward with zero friends and terrible priorities, multiple jobs (poor). Kind of useless, constantly infuriating and taking up space and meddling with things he doesn't know Anything about when she could've made a solution if he'd handed it over and dies to the zombies for the crime of irritating our protag.

Diego, hippie allegory, lives out of his backpack he literally calls his home, his life (poor) and has herbs (weedhead) that she'd try to be Fixing and eventually succeed in 'reforming' and sending him back to school due to her natural disposition in helping those in need.

You have Lucie, finally another girl, unfortunately in both horror and tropey romance, we Hate any other woman besides our all-powerful and beloved protagonist, so she's the nerd archetype but not the cute, efficient way our protag is nerdy but in the weirdo unnecessarily jargon-filled and Unappealing (unattractive) way. She dies the same way in the movie.

Benito was Made to be hated. It's the sly evil smirk and sunglasses and a beanie with the unprofessional labcoat and talking about things he doesn't understand like he does and taking her accomplishments and mocking her life as a scientist fighting to save the world and how he always seems to be looking down at her and definitely wouldve been the one to hide an infection and endanger the group he's the character whose death you're Meant to starting cheering for when he's dragged kicking and screaming onto the rusty laden, jagged roof and played with and pounced on till his insides squeeze out of him like toothpaste

Mattias was there so our protagonist could have her badass "I'm not like you I won't take a life because you're a coward" speech before he turns and nearly gets the group

Emi and Anderson were there so we could have a real man-to-man fatherly conversation about what it means to protect the ones you love and to pass on the torch as 'Leader' before he succumbs to the virus and begs to die before he hurts his girl, and so they could have wholesome pseudo-parenthood with a confused but reasonable child who absolutely understands that they're doing the right thing because they're the good guys and calls Carol mom when she's in danger near the end

It could've been a zombie survival plot about two arguably well-off individuals facing the consequences of a project they still believe could change the world and their tag-along group of meatshields to throw at the problem until their glorious melancholy escape where they're hailed as heroes for containing and eventually completing their groundbreaking research

and a horrific experience for a group of people who just wanted to make an easy few bucks till the next paycheck. They could've split those 50 dolalrs and jumped each other in the parking lot they didn't need to go through all that

Carol is driven, she's serious, she's ambitious and believes in the good that her research (the team's research) will bring and she's surrounded by people who don't understand that they're the good guys and are trying to find fault in her So she's willing to make sacrifices so she's willing to take it upon herself to decide who the team needs more she doesn't care if she dies as long as the world knows she saved it she needs to hear anything and everything people say in case it's about her or something she might care about it she's got braided hair and easily breakable glasses

Mikael is keeping things to himself to preserve his level of control over the situation because who knows what these guys are really like and he Saved them by telling them everything they need to know and they repay him by chopping his arm off? they're ungrateful and unserious So he kept himself safe while they had numbers and clues on their side They Managed Didn't They? Aren't they alive right now? they don't understand how important it is that he lives no one understands how important it is that Nidere lives he's got stylish curly hair and a fitted turtleneck

They both have a need to be heroes in a sense, to matter in the grand scheme of things they need to be at the forefront they need to be the ones who saved Everyone. Everybody is Only Alive because of THEM.

It's just really fascinating to me how. A different perspective of things kind of switches their roles as protagonists and cannon fodder

#late night thoughts on it #ordem paranormal quarentena #qpq spoilers #jeffrey bacon is my final girl

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collidescopeeyes · 7 months ago

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HCs of pyke with an otherwise super competent f!reader (established or not! choose your spice flavor)—smart, beautiful, talented craftswoman, honest, SWEET SOMEHOW, IN BILGEWATER. the whole nine yards

plot twist? he finds out she can do everything, EXCEPT SWIM. what insanity ensues at this revelation

Pyke finding out his talented S/O can't swim

What do you mean you can't swim?? Say that again, he must've misheard you. You live in BILGEWATER, the island city that's 60% water and 40% rotting planks, the place where ‘he couldn't swim' is a euphemism for drowning someone, what do you fuckin MEAN you can't SWIM, if you trip and fall off the docks that's just it for you?? You just have to hope someone fishes you out out of the goodness of their heart?? In Bilgewater??? He just stares at you in silent incomprehension for almost a full minute, like Pyke.exe has fully stopped responding. He doesn't even remember learning to swim, he thought that was just something you just learned automatically, like walking or climbing. That being said he doesn't want you to feel bad about not knowing, what if you're from one of those weird ass places like Shurima that doesn't really have water? He just. How. What. How. Lowkey he's freaking out, he's always trusted you to know how to handle yourself but he had no idea you were in so much danger from something as simple as an unstable walkway or some drunkard walking into you too close to the waters edge. Bilgewater doesn't even have railings 90% of the time.

Once he puts his brain back in his head, he announces that he's teaching you, and he's not taking no for an answer, this is about your safety goddamn it. But then he realizes he has no idea how to teach swimming, he just does it; I mean, he doesn't even need to breathe anymore. And he doesn't trust some random stranger with a scenario where your life is at risk (he's catastrophizing, plus he wants to be the one to teach you, but he's not gonna admit that). His only solution is to do something insane like finding someone to teach him to swim so he can teach you–probably Illaoi, she still owes him one after the Ruined King incident. You will literally never learn that this happened, everyone involved is sworn to secrecy under very real pain of death.

When it comes to actually teaching you, you're in good hands; he's patient and goes at your pace and he can point out where you're having trouble and what might work better, though he knows you're a quick learner and he's confident you'll pick it up easily enough. He brought you to one of Bilgewaters more secluded beaches–admittedly bc this cove is frequented with flesh eating sea monsters but he had a word with them already--so you can take as much time to practice as you need. Only problem is that he keeps getting distracted–whether your swimwear is practical shorts and a tank top or some of Bilgewaters more Miss Fortune-esque productions, you're very close and sometimes he has to hold you up so you don't drown while he's explaining something and he's Struggling ok. He manages to stay on task for approximately long enough to teach you the basics of Not Drowning, and then all bets are off ❤️

#league of legends x reader #league x reader #leauge of legends #reader fic #x reader #f!reader #reader #pyke lol #pyke x reader

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meekmedea · 5 months ago

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i was thinking about aut viam invendiam aut and how clemmie wakes up in the hospital thinking the scales have returned - but what if that’s exactly what happened?

she goes back from post second rebellion back to eighteen, but it’s after the snake bites. she finds herself back in the section where they kept her hidden away from the other students, where no one visited her. the hunger games haven’t started yet, but the tributes are already in the capitol. but first things first, clemmie is getting the heck out of there - she’s not sick with the flu, and she’s lived for too long to simply take what gaul is doing lying down.

maybe she goes to felix and nia? they don’t need to know about the time travel - the scales marring her skin are more than enough to make them furious on her behalf. and she has a chance to do things better with reaper, even if she’s been sent back too late to save arachne or avoid the rainbow snakes.

or maybe she goes to her parents - endymion is not going to be happy about being told what had happened to her. and how does she interact with coriolanus?

Ahhh!!!! This is like super cool!! I love it so much. I feel like both ideas have so, so much potential :)

Oh, I agree, she definitely wouldn't be hanging around the hospital any longer than she has to.

For plot reasons, maybe she comes back the day she'd snuck out to find Coriolanus. I imagine security must have been more lax that day with the Arena having exploded and all.

This time, she definitely doesn't make the mistake of stopping by Coriolanus' room.

Scenario 1: Felix & Nia

Even if they aren't as close as they once were, that doesn't really matter when your friend shows you the scales that are now growing on her.

It's not the flu, that much they agree on.

It's an unanimous decision to smuggle her out. Even if they haven't heard the story. All they know is their friend is in danger and someone has lied to them about her being 'sick'.

I think the situation would be rather bit similar to The Ides of March - definitely not letting Clemmie out of their sight. Agreement that the snake bite is a major punishment for a white lie. Possible Gaul confrontation with Felix using his name to turn the doctor away.

Clemmie might be a lot more open to using what happened to her to her advantage - rather than just keeping it under wraps between Felix & Nia.

Unsure if she'd tell her parents.

Definitely a meeting between Coriolanus and Clemmie of some sort.

2 possible ways their confrontation could go:

Clemmie plays the long game. She 'understands' he tried to visit - they remain friends (in Coriolanus' mind). All the while, she's plotting something, anything to get the tributes out. She's seen the future, she knows the games cannot go on. If she cannot stop this one, at the very least she'll try to save Reaper.

Clemmie calls him out - we're told she's well-liked by faculty, staff, students. She uses that against him. Clemmie has known him long enough to know what makes him tick, and once he does, she twists the situation in a sympathetic light to her. (She doesn't necessarily even have to mention the snake bite. It can be a lie that she makes up.) Nobody is feeling bad for Coriolanus. Not even the tributes (then again, most don't like him to start.) This one has more potential to save the other tributes.

Knowing the trio they probably manage to stir up some sort of chaos (simply by existing as a trio) to get the tributes to live (+ possibly ending the games) - this is the reason why their friendship drifted apart over the years. It was TOO much chaos haha

ALT: If the games still go on and she hasn't been able to get the tributes out yet, a possible (but very crazy) way she attempts to help Reaper survive -> Remember the snakes? Assuming it's the same snake tank that she put her hand in, they know her scent. Reaper doesn't understand why she gives him her scarf and makes him swear he'll wear it at all times - he does so anyway.

~~~~

Scenario 2: Endymion Dovecote

More scheming in this one + perhaps an explanation as to why Coriolanus didn't want Clemmie as an enemy.

Clemmie doesn't bother with her classmates and directly runs out of the hospital. Assuming she's got her book bag with her + uniform, she changes. Otherwise, she might steal a change of clothes from somewhere (scrubs?)

A facemask to hide her condition – there are plenty around. If she's wearing scrubs, people likely don't give her a second glance.

Ends up home without being caught and scare her parents with her appearance & her explanation.

There might be a few twists to the story of why she exactly agreed to lie about writing it, but who's going to know? It's really Coryo's words against hers. And needless to say, her parents will take her side over his.

Having come back from post-2nd rebellion to 18 - Clemmie needs immediate change, not something gradual like if she went back age 8.

Her parents are beyond pissed that this happened under Gaul's watch.

You don't survive a rebellion with your family intact without a few secrets / tricks up your sleeve... I wouldn't be surprised if Endymion has a few favours owed to him.

Endymion doesn't even bother with Gaul, he goes straight to President Ravinstill about this matter.

A similar conversation to the one in between Felix & Pres. Ravinstill fallaces sunt rerum species but with Endymion instead of Felix- Pres. Ravinstill agrees that this 'incident' was definitely a step too far (esp. for a white lie) but his hands are sort of tied. Gaul is too important of an ally for him to just let go.

Endymion remains frustrated and angry at this. "An apology will not make my daughter whole." - Endymion

Depending on Hector Dovecote's existence and importance to him, Pres. Ravinstill's frustration with Gaul varies. Dealing with the Capitol elite is ALWAYS a political headache. Don't even get him started on the Arena explosion and dead/hurt mentor count so far.

Casca Highbottom may or may not have gained an ally in despising Coriolanus.

Endymion may or may not be a vindictive man when his child is the one in harm. Very cutthroat.

Coriolanus is NOT going to be having a good time.

Casca is probably itching to use this to get Coriolanus expelled, but then he'd have to explain things to colleagues and Endymion doesn't want his daughter's matter aired out. So Casca goes with the next best thing, he finds some vague excuse to give yet another demerit to Coriolanus.

Probably like: "Another demerit due to your failure in reporting what happened and putting your classmate in danger."

(Just one more and this kid will be expelled! - Casca is just waiting for the next slip up)

And if the faculty asks about the demerit, he explains it in a way that paints Coriolanus in an unflattering light, it's toeing the truth and just enough that nobody speaks in defence of Coriolanus.

Doesn't even matter if the games continue or not. Do you guys remember the bills and notice of eviction that the Snows had in TBOSAS? I can see Endymion speeding up the whole process so they get evicted a lot quicker.

Of course, you can't trace anything back to Endymion. All he's doing is nudging things along. Speed up the bureaucratic process.

The Snow name is an old one, but all there is left nowadays is an aging Grandma'am who's not always in touch with reality, Tigris and Snow. Not much political power to worry about.

~~~~

And because you know me...

Reaper - a blurb that could take place before Clemmie escapes + finds Endymion

There's only two peacekeepers around. And one of them is too nervous to shoot. But as tempting it is to run, it would mean leaving Dill behind and he can't. Reaper's considering the merits of running with Dill when he makes eye contact with a girl huddled in the shadows. She looks familiar, but from where? Then it hits him. It's his mentor, the one who hadn't shown up today. Probably for the best considering the explosion, but now that he's really looking at her, Reaper is wondering if that's still the case. It's the way she presses herself into the shadows, the fear in her eyes that has him pretending that he can't see her. He shifts ever so slightly so nobody else can see her either. As he and the others are herded into van and back into he enclosure, he can only pray that she remains undiscovered.

~~~~

Oh dear this got a little long...but I hope you enjoyed!

#time travelling clemmie but she doesn't get a clean slate (physically) to start with #revenge #clemensia dovecote #felix ravinstill #iphigenia moss #endymion dovecote #<- oc - clemmie's father #reaper ash

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sugarlesswriting · 1 year ago

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I always knew that Gotham War was going to be stupid because Selina's plans of stealing from the rich has flaws and Bruce has his whole Zurr still lingering in his mindscape thing, but like goodness. So after I read the first two issues of the Gotham War event I'm wondering if I'm the only one who noticed this

Now this might just be me grasping at straws to try and make their ooc moments seem in character but why would Barbra correct herself? We know from Batman/Catwoman Gotham Wars Issue 1 that Bruce said that he turned off his comms, but did that include monitoring? Also, why would Bruce take out his suits monitoring but still keep the tracker in there? For plot relevance yes, it makes sense but this is delulu town and I'm making up excuses.

I feel like some readers are looking at the ooc moments and going well that doesn't make sense, which fair because girl same, but I got to this sentence and was like Oracle babe why did you correct yourself? Why did you feed intel to Jason knowing that he is working with Selina?

UNLESS

They know that they are being monitored. It's been weeks since Bruce got into his coma, right? (I refuse to say he was just sleeping because that's not how sleeping works) So what if something happened during that time that has them acting like this? Because I simply refuse that all of the batfam drank dumb bitch juice for breakfast 8 weeks straight. Again let us be delusional for a bit longer.

They know that whoever is working the bigger game here wants Batman to be alone, to be at his weakest, so they play that part.

Whoever is watching them now knows that Batman is going off the deep end, he can't be helped because who knows what he'll do next, and they are going to help Selina if she asks. This gives the unknown watcher the thought that he won't have backup when he needs it.

We already know that they're being watched by The Riddler

But I refuse to believe that they're being like that because of the Riddler, like he's good villain, don't get me wrong but it just seems too easy for it to be him.

Hell they aren't the only ones being watched I mean even the villains are being secretive

Of course the villains are going to be meeting each other in secret but we are indulging on the idea that even they know something bigger is in Gotham and watching their own every move. Could they be talking about Batman? Maybe. But they also could be talking about an unknown being.

I know this is just a theory that probably isn't true but I can't live through another Civil War 2 type of hero vs hero. I didn't like it when it was Avengers vs X-men, (even though Scott was in the right #Cyclopswasright), or the many times when heroes had to fight against each other to create sales. On a side note wouldn't it be funny if this just tanked? Like I'm not going to buy anymore because to me it's a waste of money.

Anyway, I know that they're doing this to go back to the status quo of Batman and Robin being the only heroes in Gotham and that the Joker (boring) is going to be back and it'll be like the good old days of the crime duo fighting together. I mean who can't wait to read the amazing villain known as Shush (She-Hush)? Joking aside I'm sure it'll be good but dear god that villain name.

Anyways the only good thing about Gotham War was this banger of a line.

I don't know which one wrote Batman's line, Howard or Zdarsky but it was the greatest thing that I read so far. 10/10 made me laugh and was able to foget how bad the premise to this whole war was.

#batman #Oracle #Jason Todd #Redhood #Tim Drake #Robin #Gotham Wars #aka Catwoman and Batmans divorce is now everyone else's problem #which so iconic of them #dc comics #nightwing #dick would have stopped this #tim would also have stopped this #cass would have bodied batman lets be real #sadly everyone got dumb and weak for the plot

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dogshit-enchantment · 6 months ago

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okay i was joking about writing an essay about Cid and while i don't have the brain power or time to do all that, i will expound my thoughts on his relationship with Shera. They're coworkers, first and foremost. She's a rocket scientist assigned by Shinra to stay in Rocket Town and help with the space program. Why exactly she lives with Cid is ??? I don't know if it's ever explained or if its just a matter of them being roommates. Regardless.

I will state that it is wrong that Cid yells at her, but in the same instance I will also say that she herself is also in the wrong for what she did. She's supposed to be a professional in charge of checking equipment and making sure it's all working as it should, and when she notices a problem she doesn't say anything. She doesn't tell anyone and get the launch delayed, she doesn't tell Cid so he can stall for time, she instead decides 'yeah I don't care if I die' and silently continues working while within the blast zone. The scene of the launch gets translated as "Are you trying to make me a murderer, Shera?!" because that's how Cid assumes it to be: She is trying to commit suicide by his fucking hand. That would make anyone fucking pissed off. Imagine having to live with someone who tried to get you to tie their fucking noose. Yeah, he probably shouldn't be yelling at her and it's shitty that he does and they should talk it out, but how realistic is that? They don't have therapists at Shinra, and they sure as hell don't have therapists in the boonies. Cid copes by chain smoking and holding onto hope that the one thing that almost destroyed both of their lives will still come to fruition. And it does, and Shera is still fucking there, and it come full circle with the oxygen tank exploding and almost fucking killing him. Her failure to alert others almost cost Shera her life and almost cost Cid his life on two fucking occasions. Neither of them are blameless, and even the small "sorry" when he's trapped under shrapnel is monumental. He knows he's being too much, but what the fuck else is he gonna do?

Clearly they make amends and become better friends considering in Advent Children he names his newest ship after her and in DoC apparently they get married??? (I don't agree with that one but its at least something to show that he did finally make it to the other side of like, all that)

Cid went through the trauma of almost killing his fucking coworker/roommate/friend because she wouldn't speak up, lashes out because of that trauma and the fact that her inaction cost everyone on that team the hope of space, not just himself. He's flawed and he's aggressive, but he comes around, he makes the effort, and most of all he cares, whether the people around him want him to or not.

Shera is not entirely blameless and Cid is not off the hook by any means, they both got issues and they both need therapy but alas, they are video game characters and this is all just bullet points to make the plot go forward.

me, a liar: I'm not gonna write an essay about Cid >proceeds to write a mini essay about him instead of doing whatever the fuck else i was doing with my day

#rambling #cid highwind #i love him a lot but hes not without his faults #but tbh i think that just makes him more relatable #like ive yelled at my coworkers for way less serious shit yknow #like hes a dickhead yeah but i wouldnt say hes an abuser

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babygirldabi · 2 years ago

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Runaway Part 3

CW: This part is NOT smut, sorry to all my lovely horndogs, but I needed to throw some plot in there at some point, murder, guns, weapons in general, some sexual harrassment, a little teeny tiny bit of fluff, I think that's it. Fair warning I didn't do a ton of editing bc this took a lot of brain space THAT I DO NOT HAVE THIS WEEK, Definitely working on a Part 4 and probably 5 because I know where I wanna go with this now. As always, thanks for reading.

Remember that I will tag you if you want to be notified about new chapters!

Tags: @kierewrites (because you left SUCH A NICE COMMENT LAST TIME), @blahblahblahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Likes and reblogs are always appreciated <3

Part 3

As you wake up, Dabi sits on the edge of the bed and goes over the plan with you.

It’s a simple transport; the Doctor needs the League to pick up some mysterious package and deliver it to his own personal Headquarters; something about strengthening the League’s Nomus. Dabi doesn’t share the details, and you don’t ask. The less you know the better.

“We have two vehicles, Spinner is gonna drive us, Toga, Twice and Compress will serve as the distraction in the other car, and you and I are going to handle the actual delivery.” He smiles as your eyes widen at this bit of information.

“That’s- uh, kind of a really big test for a first mission, isn’t it?” You stutter, feeling overwhelmed. Dabi watches you squirm and smiles wider.

“You and I have strong Quirks. If it comes down to fighting, Shig wants the strongest ones around the actual package to protect it." He doesn't mention that he specifically asked Shig to let him work with you directly. "You’ll be fine.”

"Why are we doing this during the day?" You inquire. "Isn't nighttime easier?"

"During the day there's more traffic. It's easier to blend in, follow the daily commute," Dabi explains. "We're less likely to get noticed if we're just part of the crowd." You nod. It makes sense.

“Is Shigaraki coming?” You turn and rifle through the clothes that Toga has lent you, trying to find something nondescript, forgettable.

“No. We don’t want him near this one in case something goes wrong.” He doesn’t sound concerned. “Wear the black jeans and the black tank top,” Dabi orders, rising from the bed to glance down at the stack with you. “Nothing flashy.”

“Of course,” you murmur, picking up the specific items and turning towards the bed to dress.

“You’ll have a hat and a mask, too, to hide your face. We don’t want anyone recognizing the latest ex-Hero hanging out with the League.” Dabi turns towards the door. “meet me at the bar when you’re ready. I’m gonna go check in with the others.” He doesn’t bother to wait for an answer, just leaves.

You scowl as you dress. For all his attentions last night, Dabi is back to being cold. He’s also being helpful, you muse, but it’s not the same. Last night you were the remedy for his nightmares, the distraction that grounded him. Today, you’re just the new hire. You finish pulling on the clothes and check your reflection in the mirror. You look like any regular civilian; forgettable, vague. Exactly what I want to be. You scowl at your reflection, then turn on your heel and head towards the main room.

Dabi is leaning against the bar, head leaned close to Spinner’s as they trace the route on a large map and mutter together. Toga skips over to take your hand, beaming. “Happy first mission!” She crows, practically dancing with excitement. “How do you feel?”

You can’t help but smile at her as she swings your hands gently together. “I'm fine. A little nervous,” you admit, and in your peripheral you see Dabi’s blue eyes flash up to your face before settling down to the map again.

“Don’t be nervous, this is routine,” Twice advises, before his left eye starts promptly twitching. “We’re so screwed!”

“Ignore him. He’s jumpy before missions," Toga giggles, then releases your hand to go stand by Dabi’s shoulder. “Compress is getting the car. We should be ready in a couple minutes.”

“Alright. Rookie’s with me and Spinner. Toga, you, Twice and Compress will be driving the distraction vehicle. Stay close to us and don’t fall behind until it's time to split off. Everybody look fuckin’ sharp.”

Thirty seconds later, the sound of an engine running approaches headquarters. A faint beeping prompts you and the rest of the group out the door, single file.

Just outside, in the late morning sun, a shiny red sports car twinkles, idling by the sidewalk. Compress waves from the driver's seat. Twice nods to you and Dabi and climbs into the car. Toga hangs back for a quick second to squeeze your hand. “You’re gonna be fine,” she whispers, then skips towards the car. As her door swings shut, you swallow hard and turn to look up at Dabi, who’s scanning the streets coolly.

“Where did Spinner go-?” You start to ask, just as a big, gray, nondescript van pulls up, goes around the sports car, and parallel parks just in front of it.

“There’s our ride,” Dabi responds vaguely, then jerks his head in the direction of the van. “C’mon.” He walks briskly, not waiting for you to keep up. You scurry after him. Suddenly, he stops and turns, causing you to almost bump into his back. “Oh-here.” He digs into the large pocket of his coat and withdraws a plain black facemask and a blue baseball cap. “Put these on.”

You obey swiftly, tucking your long hair behind your ears and arranging the rest of your disguise carefully. When you’re done, you look back up at him.

“Good?” You ask.

“Good.” There’s something strange in Dabi’s voice, some feeling you can’t quite decipher, before he breaks away and turns back to the van. “Hurry up. We ain’t got all day, doll.”

You roll your eyes but follow him, letting him open up the back door to the van and climbing in, settling down in the spacious second row. Dabi slams the door behind you and goes around, jumping into the passenger seat.

Spinner is waiting, eyes focused, his claws clenched on the steering wheel.

“Good to go, Lizard,” Dabi drawls, throwing his feet up on the dash. “Let’s get this over with.”

You watch the route carefully as Spinner drives, several blocks up, two rights, one left, and across a bridge to the other side of the city. The drive doesn’t talk long, maybe twenty minutes, half an hour, before you pull up to the gates of an industrial park. The guard at the gate waits for Spinner to roll down his window, looking bored.

“What’s your business here?” He demands, but even his voice is listless, flat.

“We’re here to make a delivery to the Doctor,” Spinner responds sharply. “You gonna let us in, or what?”

The guard’s eyes widen and he seems to jump to life. “Oh yes-yes, sir!” His hand slaps a button, causing the gates to creak open. “Apologies. You know where to go-?”

“Yeah, we got it,” Spinner bites, and the van drives through the gates seamlessly.

Dabi has been staring out the windshield the whole time, lost in thought, but as Spinner navigates the van through the industrial park, he turns to look at you. “How ya feelin’, Rookie?” His smirk is wide.

Your chin jerks up in defiance. “I’m fine,” you snap back, causing his smile to spread wider. “Good girl,” he mouths at you, and your cheeks heat up as he turns to face forward again.

Cocky bastard.

The van stops in front of a huge, gray warehouse. Spinner throws the van in park and jumps out, Dabi following suit without a word. You scramble across the seat to jump out the side door and catch up with them. You glance over your shoulder, surprised to see that the sports car carrying the others is nowhere to be seen. “Where’s everyone else?” You wonder out loud.

Dabi strolls on, not bothering to turn around as he answers you. “They’re doing what they’re supposed to do; being a distraction.”

Spinner coughs a laugh and you decide you’d rather not know what the other half of the team is doing right now.

A man is waiting on the side of the warehouse, a baggy black hoodie covering most of his features. He shuffles forward, hands in pockets as your small trio approaches him.

“You with the League?” he mutters, keeping his face down except to chance an occasional glance up.

“Yeah. Sorry, we didn’t bring our business cards,” Dabi bites out, causing the man to shuffle his feet. “Is the package ready or not? We don’t exactly have time to chit chat.”

“Yes sir. Here.” The man pulls a flat package out of his pocket- no bigger than a large jewelry box, and hands it off to Dabi. “Does the Doctor need anything else from us?”

“We’ll be in touch.” Dabi flashes a vaguely threatening smile before turning on his heel and leading you back to the van. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the man glance curiously up at you before returning his gaze to the pavement.

You do your best to walk coolly back to the van after Spinner and Dabi, fully aware that your heart is thumping so loudly in your chest that you’re concerned the others might hear it. For a second, you have to take a step back and take a look at your current life; you are committing crime with the League of Villains. This is not where you thought you’d end up. Oddly enough, you’re more comfortable with this crowd than you ever were as a Hero, even on patrols. The thought sticks with you as your climb back into the van and settle into the same seat as before. Dabi shuts his door and glances back at you.

“See, not bad. Halfway done.”

“Yeah,” you mutter, buckling and leaning back in your seat.

“You did good keeping your cool,” Spinner remarks, as the van chugs back to life and he shifts into drive. “Not bad for an ex-Hero.”

You blink in surprise; this might be the first time Spinner’s actually spoken to you. “Oh. Thanks.”

Spinner chooses to ignore this and go back to silence, which is fine. Dabi gives you one last look before turning forward himself. In the silence, you gaze out the window and watch as you depart the industrial back and get back on the road.

The Doctor’s headquarters are a bit of a longer drive; about an hour outside of the city. You watch as the urban settings change into suburban ones; sidewalks and payphones changing to trees and small family homes, before the van moves further into the outskirts of suburbia and heads up a small mountain road. After a couple bumpy miles, you pull up to a plain, nondescript house; a very heavily guarded one. Villains of all shapes and sizes stand at every inch of the perimeter; some smoking, some talking amongst themselves, some playing cards. All stand to attention as the van pulls up, shuffling their weapons or flexing their muscles intimidatingly. One of them, heavily muscled and holding a weapon- is that a fucking machine gun?- approaches the van first, right at the top of the drive. He holds his hand out, motioning for Spinner to pull to a stop, and then approaches the window.

“Name and business,” he says brusquely, the minute the window is down. Dabi leans across Spinner to answer just as brusquely. “We’re with the League, here to make a delivery to the doctor, on Shigaraki’s orders.”

The villain steps back to mutter something into the earpiece he’s wearing. He waits a second, listening, then nods. “Proceed. Park to the left.”

Spinner drives the van the remainder of the way up the drive, parking in the designated spot to the left of the house. You follow Dabi and Spinner out of the vehicle silently, ignoring the chills that go through you as you glance around and see that every Villain in the yard is watching your group with narrowed eyes and scowls. One of them steps forward, indicating that he’s an escort. “You can follow me.”

Dabi leads the group behind the escort, glancing back at you. You fall into step behind Spinner, keeping your eyes straight forward as you walk.

As it turns out, the house is set up like a business; you walk through the front door to the waiting room, where a receptionist sits behind a glass cubicle- probably bullet proof, you muse, as the door swings shut behind you. The escort stands off to the side as Dabi approaches the glass. The receptionist looks up, smiling brightly after her eyes travel up and down Dabi’s body. “Can I help you?” She chirps, annoyingly perky.

Dabi doesn’t smile back. “Here to see the Doctor. I’ve got a delivery.”

The receptionist nods, tapping rapidly on her keyboard and skimming the computer screen. “Ah, there you are- you’re with the League?”

“Yep.”

“Alright. Just one minute.” The receptionist picks up the phone, punching a few buttons, then waits as the other end presumably rings. You watch her eyes light up as whoever’s on the other end answers. “Doctor, the League is here with something for you. Shall I bring it back?”

She listens again, then nods. “Understood, sir.” Hanging up, she looks back up at Dabi. “The Doctor would like to see you directly. If you’ll just follow me-” She stands up to scurry around and open a locked door beside the window.

You follow Dabi and Spinner through the door, but at the last second, the receptionist grabs your wrist, holding you back. Instinctively, you go to jerk away, but her hold only tightens. Confused, you glance at her.

Her smile is candy-sweet, the opposite of the vice-like grip she has on your wrist. “Sorry, dear. The Doctor asked for Dabi and Spinner specifically. You’ll have to wait out here.”

Panicking, you look at Dabi, who has stopped beside Spinner and is watching this all go down. You watch as he considers all of this, then looks at you. “Stay here. We’ll be right back.”

You swallow hard, dread creeping up your throat at the thought of sitting in this waiting room, alone with strangers- Villains you don’t know- without the people you’re comfortable with. You nod anyway, wanting to show Dabi that you can follow orders, and allow the receptionist to tug you back into the waiting room.

She smiles again, a fake sweet smile. “You can sit down, dear. I’m sure it won’t be long.” With that, she slams the door in your face.

Rejected, you turn and head back into the corner of the office with the chairs, sinking into one and turning your gaze to your lap. Your legs are pressed tightly together, betraying your attempt to hide your anxiety, and your fists are balled against your knees, the knuckles turning white. You flex your hands, forcing them to smooth out, and cross your legs, glancing around furtively. The escort is still standing by the door, hands wrapped around his weapon, observing you watchfully. The receptionist has returned to her work, typing rapidly away at her keyboard, a self-satisfied smirk resting at corners of her mouth. In front of you is a low table with stacks of magazines on it.

What is this, a Doctor’s office? You think, before realizing that, technically, it is. With a sigh you reach forward, grabbing the first magazine you reach and opening it in your lap, just to have something to do. You pay no attention to the articles or pictures as you flip through, your eyes glazed over as your anxiety gets worse with each passing second your accomplices aren’t back.

What the hell could they possibly be doing back there? What is taking so long?

Oh, god. What if something went wrong?

You get stuck on this horrifying thought, trying your best to keep a casual look on your face as your mind goes a million miles an hour, trying to figure out how to escape if you get stuck here. A loud voice makes you jump.

“And who do we have here?” Another large man, one that you didn’t notice coming inside because your brain was having an anxiety spiral, plops down in the chair next to you, eyeing you like a meal.

“I-I’m with the League,” you say shortly, avoiding eye contact as you rifle busily through the magazine in your lap.

“Never seen a League Member who wasn’t welcome back to see the Doctor.” The man lets out a loud, booming laugh. You barely manage to keep from jumping out of your skin. “You new or somethin’?”

“Yeah. A new recruit.”

“Interesting. A new recruit that we haven’t heard of yet. Usually Shigaraki tells the Doctor everything, as soon as it happens.” He scratches his scruff lazily. “Why are you wearin’ all that? Everybody out there thinks you’re real cute, only we can’t see your face.” Unbelievably, his hand reaches out as if to pull your mask down. You recoil sharply, slapping his hand away.

“Don’t touch me!” Your voice comes out strong, biting. The man looks surprised, and then perturbed. Desperately, you glance around the room for backup; the secretary is ignoring the situation, probably used to this Villain harassing guests, while the escort stands by the door, watching in amusement. You're not gonna find any help here, you realize.

“Apparently you don’t know the rules around here, sweetheart. When you’re on our property, we’re in charge.” His voice is loud, threatening. “Take this shit off.”

A small struggle ensues; you go to slap the man's hand again and he seizes your wrist in a bruising hold, lifting you out of your chair. You struggle to get free, spitting curses and insults at him, while he attempts to hold you with one hand and pull your mask down with the other, crooning, "c'mon, sweetheart, don't be like that- just a peek- Ouch! You little fuckin' bitch-" as you punch him in the ear as hard as you could with your free hand. He drops you almost immediately and you fall to the floor with an oof, glaring up at him as he rubs his ear in annoyance and leans down to seize you again. "You little fucking cunt-"

“If you touch our rookie one more time, I’m gonna burn you to fucking bits.” The relief that runs through you at the sound of Dabi’s voice is embarrassing. You whip around from your place on the floor to see him and Spinner standing in front of you. Dabi’s eyes gleam wickedly.

The Villian scoffs, standing up to flex his muscles at Dabi. He’s at least six inches taller and smirks down at him threateningly.

“You wanna take me on, you fuckin’ punk? You tryin’ to threaten me?”

“Oh, it’s not a threat,” Dabi smiles. “It’s a promise. You don’t fucking touch her.” He turns to you. “We’re done here. Let’s go.”

Scrambling up from the floor in relief, you try not to make your fear too obvious as you hurry around the edge of the wooden table and go right to Dabi’s side. He takes your arm, leading you outside in front of the escort, Spinner following silently behind you.

Dabi all but pulls you to the van, throwing the door open. “Get in and stay in. Lock the door,” he says hurriedly, under his breath, and you don’t understand until after he slams the door shut and turns to face the Villain who has followed you outside, his weapon cocked and pointing at Dabi as he storms towards him. Horrified, you slam your hand down on the lock button. You can’t hear what he’s yelling at Dabi, but whatever it is gets cut short as Dabi lifts a palm and blasts him with a nonstop wave of blue fire. You jump in your seat and shriek as you watch the Villain try to run, screaming all the while, before collapsing to the ground, blue flames still licking at his skin. The other Villains around the yard watch in fury and horror before trying to rush forward. Spinner reaches Dabi’s side, both of them tensed to fight.

“Hold on, hold on,” you hear from around the building, before an old, short man comes around the corner, hands in the air. He takes in the scene; his charred and smoking former employee, his enraged guards, and Dabi and Spinner, tensed by the van.

“Everything alright?” the old man asks cheerfully, as if everything is normal. “Sorry, Doc. It couldn’t be avoided,” Dabi answers him, still tensed.

Oh, so this is the Doctor.

The Doctor considers this before shrugging. “That one was giving me some trouble, anyway. Apologies for the hubbub, Dabi. On your way. Give Shigaraki my best.”

“Will do,” Dabi answers casually now, dropping his arms and strolling around the side of the van as Spinner quickly gets into the driver’s seat. As the door opens, you hear the Doctor addressing the other guards in the yard. “Stand down. Back to work, unless you want to join your friend here.”

Neither Dabi or Spinner even look at you until the van is safely down the driveway and speeding back along the main road. You’re too scared to speak, still shaking and trying to pretend that you’re not. You think you might be in shock- even as a Hero, witnessing murders was a rare and unfortunate thing. It makes you all too aware of the situation you’re in, how badly it can turn, what could happen to you if you disobey the League.

It’s fucking terrifying.

About a mile down the road, Dabi finally turns to look at you. “Are you okay?” He asks, in the same gentle voice he usually saves for Toga. Spinner picks up on this, glancing at him, wide-eyed, before turning back to the road. Dabi’s eyes don’t leave yours as you scramble for an answer.

“Not really,” You finally croak, squeezing your hands together. Dabi reaches back and tucks a loose hair behind your ear.

“I’m sorry it happened like that.” That’s all he says, giving you one last sober look before turning back to the front seat.

“Thank you,” You finally say. Dabi nods, still facing forward. Spinner’s eyes dart from Dabi to you in the rearview mirror, but he stays silent, focusing on the drive. Following their lead, you turn back to the window, staring blankly at the scenery for the next hour before the streets become familiar again.

When the van pulls up the headquarters, you’re surprised to see that the sports car is also already back. As you open the front door, Toga rushes out and hugs you. “Welcome back! How did it go?”

“Uh-” you glance at Dabi behind you, Spinner just over his shoulder. “It was-”

“It was fine. Y/n did good.” Dabi doesn’t bother taking his coat or boots off, heading directly up the stairs. “I need to go check in with Shig. Then we’ll figure dinner out.” He glances at you. “Drink some water,” he instructs, before clomping up the stairs to Shig’s room.

You stare after him, then notice that Toga is staring at you.

“He killed someone in front of you. Right?”

You gape at her, allowing her to take your hand and lead you to the couch. “How did you know?”

“Because the first time he did it in front of me, I went into shock and he made me drink water for like, twenty minutes after I came out of it.” She smiles, a little sadly. “It’s scary.”

“Yeah,” is all you can think to say. Toga thinks for a minute and then jumps up, shaking her head. “Anyway, I’ll get you some water and then you can tell me everything about your first mission!”

You spend the next forty minutes recounting everything to Toga, who’s curled up next to you on the couch, as you slowly sip your water. Eventually you feel more grounded, more present, between the water and the warmth of the room, the comfort of the couch. Toga listens, wide-eyed, beaming and nodding as you finish explaining the day's events. “Except for the murder part, it sounds like a really good first mission,” she says bluntly, and to your surprise, a giggle escapes your mouth. She looks at you in surprise as you begin to laugh harder.

“What?”

“‘Except for the murder part.’” You’re wheezing now, tilting off the couch at the surreality of the day. Toga can’t help but join in, the two of you collapsing on each other in a fit of hysterical giggles.

That’s how Dabi finds you as he descends the stairs; you and Toga clinging to each other and laughing so hard that you both have tears rolling down your faces. Something in his chest swells. He’s never heard you laugh before, he realizes. Your laugh is sweet and bubbly, and he wants to hear more of it, but there’s business to be done.

“Y/n.” You glance up, brushing the tears from your cheeks as you look at him. “Shig wants to see you upstairs.”

Oh, Jesus. You glance at Toga, who looks equally nervous and excited, and nudges you off the couch. You stand and join Dabi at the stairs, following him up. He leads you down a short hallway, knocking on one of the bedroom doors. “Shig. I’ve got y/n.”

“Come in,” Shig calls from behind the door. You tense, not knowing what to expect, but when the door swings open, Shig is seated in a beanbag chair, focusing on a video game.

You internally breathe a sigh of relief. Okay, so maybe you’re not about to get whacked.

“Shig. Focus.” Dabi sounds exasperated. Shigaraki hits the pause button before standing and turning to face you.

“Dabi says you did well on the mission.”

You swallow hard. “I tried.”

“It was your first one. It didn’t need to be perfect. I’m interested in your story, y/n. From Hero to Villain in three days.” His eyes narrow at you, his head tilting slightly. “You really want to do this?”

You take a deep breath, gazing at the floor as you try to gather your thoughts neatly. “Being a Hero didn’t do anything for me. It’s only now that I’ve started working with you all that i realize how fucked up the Hero Commision is. I was a child. I was being trained to be a soldier. THey don’t care about your well-being. They don’t care about your health. They just want your Quirk power. That’s not a society I want for anyone, anymore. So, if working with the League can help shake the system a little bit, I’m here to help.” You chance a look up at him. “Let me help.” It comes out as a plea, soft and sincere. Shigaraki stares at you for a few long seconds, and then nods.

“Welcome to the League, y/n.”

#dabi x reader #dabi smut #touya x you #dabi x you #mha smut #mha fanfiction

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boxfullaturtles · 2 years ago

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What is your kingdoms heart au

Please I wanna know info dump everything to me pls

Hee hee hee! Okay!!!! So!

Originally I just wanted to do character designs and Keyblade designs 'cause I love doing that stuff. But then I got Too Into It. As you do.

Raph, Leo, Donnie, Mikey, and April (and Casey Junior when he shows up) are all Keybearers in training. Dunno who's training them, because it's not Splinter. Actually played with the idea of the boys losing Splinter to Darkness but dunno if I wanna do that to them,, >> I'm still working on the profiles for Raph, Donnie, April, and Casey.

Anyway! They're all in training, learning how to work as a team, properly wield their Keyblades, use magic, the power of the Heart and all that jazz. They pop around to different worlds to expand their minds and be heroes and everything. I don't have a solid plot or anything, just vague ideas and snapshots of moments.

Like Casey Jr comes from future where their World fell to the Darkness--specifically the Krang. The Krang command legions of Heartless on top of the body horror shit they already do, so they're double the danger. In Casey's timeline, everyone fell one by one. Donnie went first, then Leo, then Raph, then April. Mikey was the only one left. Time travel in Kingdom Hearts is funky and has some weird rules about only being able to travel along your own timeline or something. But screw that. Mikey's a badass mage. He sacrifices his own heart to tear open a portal and send Casey back in time to stop the Krang invasion and the spread of Darkness.

And then I just got little ideas like, Donnie built the Turtle Tank Gummi Ship (and its Teenie Ships, the Shell Hogs). He has a space entirely to himself in the Gummi Garage that Chip and Dale just kind of gave him. He...tolerates them, at the most. Donnie's also got a lab in KH AU, but absolutely NO ONE is allowed in it. If he locks it, not even a Keyblade can open that baby up. He doesn't let anyone in there and he's extremely protective of whatever it is he works on. The others do eventually find out what he's doing and it's not...great. They'd be angry with him were it not for how they find out.

Leo doesn't actually get his Portal Chopped ability until after they stop the Krang invasion. I dunno how those events played out, probably drastically different from the movie lol, but I'm feeling the kind of "end of KH1, I will lock myself in the Realm of Darkness to spare my friends" kind of thing? Buuuuttt while he does think being able to wield two Keyblades is boss as fuck, he does not like Before the Fall. So he doesn't use Portal Chopped a lot. Maybe he should get over himself a bit.

I also like to think about them going to Disney Town and making an absolute menace of themselves. Mikey gets himself sick eating too much ice cream, Leo keeps trying to sneak into Disney Castle, Donnie probably pisses off the wrong people, Raph's gotten too excited about something and broken a few things OR he chases after Leo and they get into a friendly spat and cause a huge mess. April gave up trying to wrangle them a long time ago, she just watches the descent into madness with tired resignation.

KH Leo is extremely competitive and if something's got a score or record, he's got to beat it. He will absolutely be number one in everything on every world. It drives everyone else nuts.

So yeah it's just bits and bobs and ideas floating around. Mostly KH AU exists for me to play with designs. I love Keyblade design so much like holy shit it's so cool

#kh rise au

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nearestend · 3 months ago

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oc ideas that i have been sitting on for awhile but don't know if i want to do yet ... all of these could work for affiliated ocs, just saying. if someone wants to do that.

tom ?? idk, i've just been calling him tom

he's like ... either a bank robber or con artist but i think he has some type of powers too. maybe precognition or something similar

it's something like a family business with his uncle and his cousin (i named her phoebe but that could change). his cousin probably has powers too, not sure about the uncle yet

in terms of like, The Vibes? it's from dusk till dawn inspired, but only the season one stuff before it gets crazy and plot twisty. worth noting that i like the concept of that show more than i like the actual execution

also that one movie called push from like 2009 and it was set in hong kong and there were super powers. i don't remember much about this movie because i haven't seen it in ages and don't want to google right now but i was very much in love with it at the time it was released. mostly because i had a very normal heterosexual interest in d.akota f.anning when i was a kid. yeah idk not the plot but the vibes of that

the actress who i haven't named yet

she was an up and coming stage actress at some point, still young and fresh in her career. very talented and beloved but not quite a household name. probably also a little bit delusional in thinking she was way cooler and more popular than she actually was though

the thing is ... she is dead. the actual events surrounding that might not matter so much because she doesn't have any recollection of it. she died in a hotel and now haunts the building. hotel guests have often reported hearing her singing at night

time period in which she's from might be ambiguous but i like her being a little bit old timey, classic glamour

i figure this would be a fun one to do because any interactions could be between her and either hotel staff or guests

also doesn't have a name yet so i'm calling this one vampy for now

like ... a gen z vampire

was chronically online and whatnot, but can no longer post selfies or videos due to vampires not being able to capture on camera. devastated about it

i really picture this one as an affiliated character with an older vampire as their sire. not centuries old, but possibly from the 60s or 70s, so it's a bit retro while still somewhat modern. some cultural and generational clashing us to be expected

horror comedy vibes because that's sort of my favourite genre at the moment

it turns out i haven't given any of these guys names (except tom). i thought i did

some dude (gender tbd) who can breathe perfectly underwater, but needs some type of specialized mask to survive on land.

possibly mute due to the mask they have to wear. communicates by either writing things down or gesturing and is learning sign languages

power to control liquids of any kind, so they can like ... make a car explode by controlling the gasoline in the tank

the beekeeper

literally a beekeeper. wholesome, cheerful. sells honey at farmers markets

can also control and weaponize bees to attack and is immune to their stings

literally chuck from p.ushing d.aisies but intensified

#ooc : official snoopy enthusiast.#hey remember when i just wouldn't make new ocs until i had their entire life story planned out #what happened to that #now i do this

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enigmasong · 2 years ago

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And, again, we have to consider what kind of pressure Oda might be under when it comes to being able to present gender non-conforming.

Shueisha, by all means, seems a fairly conservative company. They clearly don't let female characters in the Shonen Jump publishing to act out of certain perimeters, like being in heavy combat against male characters (and how many of their girl lead stories are action pieces, hmm?). And they also clearly want that sweet, suspiciously sticky incel otaku yen, so any character with big naturals have to be sexualized and feminized to sell those pillow cases.

Just look at how Oda's fem characters went from fairly balanced figures in the early series to cartoonishly boobish with waist lines he can't be bothered to keep consistent. (He broke his drawing pattern for them into a two-step system - does that really sound he cares about drawing them that way?)

This would go doubly for trans characters. TransFems get mocking depictions and TransMasc get their gender nonconformity erased because transphobia is just as much part of the conservative makeup of Japan as it is over here in the west.

It's highly possible (and I'd say downright likely) that Oda had to depict the kama the way he did because that's the only way he was allowed to put trans rep in at all.

The give and take is actually pretty visible: the New Kama of Impel Down are actually a pretty Utopian vision of gender presentation where people were able to fully present wherever on the scale they wanted without judgement while the Old Kama of Peach Island were presented as borderline monsters.

And that gets further contrasted in the anime where the Old Kama, while still having to chase down an unwilling Sanji to follow manga plot, got to be shown as more fleshed out people who feared transphobic backlash, jumped to conclusions, and were able to see through Sanji's masc performative bullshit.

Likewise, Oda shows TransMasc Yamato in the male bath and TransFem OKiku in the female bath, then later, Yamato gets shown in a traditionally female outfit and context and in a cover with other 'girls' that Kiku is notably absent from.

Not to necessarily say Oda didn't want to make those that way (forced intent from others doesn't mean no intent on a single person's part [but it doesn't also mean that person shares the viewpoint on it that the others do]), but that Oiran Yamato practically screams anime figure merch design and the merch licenses would definitely far prefer to present the boob haver as 'woman' because, again, suspiciously sticker incel otaku yen.

Similar for today's chapter cover: Nami has to wear bikini tops a lot because boobs sells (again, not saying that Oda doesn't necessarily want to put her in them - I mean I low key think it, but I'm not actually saying it). Yamato has boobs, Yamato must be used to move issues - Kiku doesn't have boobs, Kiku cannot be shown in public like that.

(I've got a strong feeling that the only reason Oda was able to get away with Kiku so easily was because of the way traditional Japanese women clothing views slimness as its beauty standard and, as such, she's able to pass as a 'natural' woman and sell fetishized figures still.)

And it's also noticeable that, in today's cover, all the characters are wearing t-shirts and tank tops and not bikinis. The thing nearly all the other summer time covers have the female characters in.

Again, we can't say definitively how much of a willing or unwilling agent Oda-san is in this and we probably won't get to know until that distant day when he's no longer under contract with and say whatever shit about Shueisha he wants, but reading between the lines in the story he's written, I'm willing to bet on the answer being 'not as willing as he pretends to be'.

Oda-san is one of the more head-strong mangakas, but even he's beholden to the bureaucratic publishing system and he still has to sacrifice some things he wants to do to insure others that will be pushed back against can still make it to print.

#one piece #op logs #eiichiro oda #oda eiichiro

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voidsdamned · 5 months ago

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Wicked Natures - The Ghoul/OC (Female Character) Chapter Eleven

Summary: Bounty hunters are frequent customers at Mulholland's Saloon, and Rue's taken quite a shine to one gunslinger in particular: a cantankerous, old Ghoul in a tattered duster. Witness her unabashedly lust after him in all his irradiated glory (as we are all currently doing), as well as navigate the precarious relationship she unfortunately has with local law enforcement.

Minors, do not interact.

Content Warnings: descriptions of violence, mentions of prostitution, the usual swearing.

Enjoy.

Chapter Eleven: Golden Opportunity

Drunk. High. Maybe both. Deck Craven is not himself when Rue meets him and his boys -Lucky and two she doesn’t know that she’s ever seen before– at the end of the drive. His eyes are glazed in the lowlight of the lantern he carries, and he doesn’t seem as firm on his feet. His body moves with the mild, night breeze.

When she bounds up to him, the first thing he does is pull her into a firm hug –not one of his usual light touches– and his hand travels up through her hair, netting. Rue goes statue still, her soul and breath leaving her body. This is new. New and terrible and unwelcome. Horrifying when he buries his face in her hair and sniffs. Rue’s ninety-percent certain he looses the softest of groans.

Rue wants to evaporate, to hurl, but the best she can do is pretend it didn’t happen and hope it never happens again. And it really better not. She draws closer and closer to the end of her tolerance, her sanity, and she needs both a little bit longer. But they -she- won't last if this is how he's going to be. If this isn't a one-off caused by him being off his ass on something.

She casually attempts to pull herself from the hug, but Deck doesn’t allow for that. His hold on her shifts, becoming an arm draped casually over her shoulder, and he guides her along like that, smiling down at her and asking her how her day was.

The touch is like thorns against her skin, but Rue grits her teeth and bears it. Smiles away as she tells him a skewed version of events that leaves out the Ghoul. All the while, her brain plots out various murder scenarios to help her cope.

Rue has tried to kill Deck Craven three times –well, four, if she counts the night Lucky spilled the beans, but she doesn't like to. That was a catastrophe, a complete failure. Deck wasn't anywhere around, but Louie Redd was; and he, unfortunately, bears a great resemblance to the sheriff. Rue's rampaging brain had her trying to strangle the innocent man, and after... well, Rue doesn't know what happened after, but Len Thomas told her he fished her out of a water tank that night. Hal confirmed it later. Rue pretends it didn't happen.

Her official first attempt happened a few weeks later. After convincing Doc Nguyen she needed Med-X for recurring migraines, Rue saved up enough doses to kill a man twice Deck’s size. When he came to dinner one night, Rue laced his food and his drink. She gave him every drop, and then she watched in barely-contained rage as he kept laughing and talking and walking around. He went home in probably better spirits than he arrived, and Rue wanted to spit fire.

Her second attempt was... dumb. She caught a nightstalker (which took a lot of raw meat and cooing), released it in his house, and spent the next month feeling guilty and stupid because of how many holes got pumped into the poor thing that never stood a chance. She should have realized that from the get-go.

Her third attempt was simple. Straightforward. A knife in hand, she flung herself at him and tried to slit his throat from ear-to-ear, not caring what happened to her if she failed. And she did fail. Molly tackled her, knocked her lights out, and the whole incident was written off as her having another fit.

After that, Rue stopped. People were paying too much attention to her, reporting her every move to Deck, and the way they started treating her…. She could tell people were wary, waiting for her to snap. They’d speak gentle to her or not at all, and Deck became so much more smothering. Ridiculous. It took weeks of pristine, good girl behaviour to convince him to give her, her pocketknife back, and Rue's been playing the part since. Because she realized her revenge would have to wait for something... perfect.

A golden opportunity.

Tonight would be if Deck’s goons weren’t here. He’s off his a-game, leaning heavy on her, and Rue can imagine slipping her pocketknife from her bag and taking it to his neck. To his eyes. Mouth. Ears. She’d take it to every inch of skin. She’d cut off his dick and balls and shove them in his mouth and leave his desecrated body to the coyotes and scorpions. She’d rough herself up, too. Roll in the dirt. Give herself a few cuts. She’d arrive in Dust breathless and bloodied, a tale of rabid wildlife and a valiant sheriff who gave her a chance to run falling from her lips.

But with the dick and balls in his mouth….

Rue has to rethink how she would eviscerate him.

“So, it was just you, Mrs. Ira Jean, and her wife all day?” the sheriff asks, head knocking against hers, drawing her from bloody imaginations.

Rue forces out a chipper, “Yep! And the dogs, chickens, and brahmin.”

“Huh, coulda sworn I saw you by the fence with someone….”

Rue's heart stutter-stops, but she's gotten really good at fibbing. She's quick with it. “You did! That was Paulie.”

The man essentially draping himself over her stiffens. His voice is a tight question, “Paulie?”

“Yeah, he’s a scarecrow. I was playin’ him a song on my fancy, new guitar.”

The tension immediately melts out of the man, but Rue’s heart takes a moment longer to beat normally again. Her brain won't stop buzzing, though. It stays on high alert, even when the sheriff laughs, his head knocking against Rue's once more.

“You oughta play me a song,” he murmurs, voice all soft and hopeful. "Imma much better crowd than a scarecrow."

“’Course I will.” Though, Rue would rather slit her own throat. “But maybe we make it back to town first? I’d hate to draw any critters in.”

The sheriff finally draws himself upright, drags himself off Rue with a shoulder squeeze. He shoots her a starry-eyed smile that she’d love to see bloody and carved open. “That’s probably a good idea.”

She smiles back. “I have those sometimes.”

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For the first time in months, Rue is right on time for her shift at Mulholland’s, and only because she’s so goddamn excited to show Hal and Lara her new, most-prized possession. She already has the guitar in hand, fingers flying across the strings when she bursts through the saloon’s double doors. The sound of The World We Knew fills the empty space and causes the man behind the bar to jerk upright.

His complete surprise fast melts into an easy grin that goes dreamy the more she plays. His fingers thrum against the bar in time to the music, and when she plays out the final notes, he gives her a small round of applause and a, “Damn. You’re good.”

Rue tries and fails to be humble, her smile and the, “Fuck yeah I am,” coming across as incredibly cocky.

Hal shakes his head at her, and then cocks a curious brow. “You just picked that song at random, or did ya know I like Sinatra?”

“Oh, I know. Ya play that big-band station every time we’re slow,” Rue says, matter-of-fact. “And ya always know all the words.”

“He’s just got a… romance about him?” Hal tries to explain. “Most everything he sings got some kinda lovin’ or longin’ to it, and honestly, I’m a sap for that shit.”

Rue tips her head, adjusting the guitar so that it rests against her back. She leans into the bar. “Nothin’ wrong with that. Kitty Kallen makes me feel all sappy, and more often than not, I’m gonna cry if I hear Nat King Cole.”

Hal sighs, a longing sound as he drapes against the bar. “God, he gets me, too….” He shakes his head again, perhaps at himself. “You have a good time yesterday?”

Rue nods too much. “The best time. I got to bottle feed babies. Mrs. Rosa lemme name all her chickens –she made the tastiest dinner I’ve ever had. It was flank steak and peppers and rice and spicy. And I found this guitar, and Mrs. Ira Jean lemme keep it. Its name is Baby Destiny ‘cause it used to belong to Baby Destiny.” She pulls in a breath, flattening herself over the bar top and looking up at Hal with a sun-shaming smile. “Thank ya so much for walkin’ me out –for helpin’ me convince Deck. Next time ya wanna duck out for some cozyin’ up, I won’t even ask for muffins.”

The barkeep’s bemused grin fades with an intense rolls of his eyes. “I dunno if I can even get away with that anymore. Thinkin’ Lucky must’ve snitched on me. Deck gave me a talkin’ to ‘bout ‘abandonin’ my post’.” Hal snorts, derisive. “Comin’ at me with that military shit. This ain’t the fuckin’ Brotherhood. …It’s been years since I seen a vertibird, but I fuckin’ wish one of ‘em would pass by here. I’d flag ‘em down and let ‘em know we got a whole unit of their piece of shit deserters lordin’ over the place.”

Rue’s bolt upright, eyes wide around as the moon. “Deck’s Brotherhood?”

Hal cocks his head. “Ya didn’t know?”

She shakes her head furiously, curls fanning all about her. “But that explains so much.”

The barkeep’s grin is wicked, the glint in his eyes conspiratorial. His voice lowers several octaves for him to reveal, “He’s also fuckin’ blitzed on Med-X eighty-five-percent of the time.”

“That also explains so much.” Rue sinks back down, hands drumming on the bar. She speaks quietly, too. “Got any dirt on Adel?”

Hal looks to the rafters, brows scrunching in thought. “It’s not really dirt, but….” He eventually comes out with a, “She moans when she pees –like an old man with a fucked-up prostate.”

Rue snorts, the sound blooming into a cackle. “And how do ya know that?”

“Molly told me.” He tips his chin. “Now you gimme somethin’ good.”

“I dunno that I got anything good….” Rue hums to herself, mentally going through her stores of shit she’s overheard that won’t get her in too much trouble when it inevitably gets back around. Any of it could be bad, honestly. Even the little stuff like Tam seeing Ms. Mayberry on the side or how she’s heard that Wade Betts is a chicken fucker. “Oh, I think Billy Tate has a crush on ya. Is that good?”

A spark of interest goes off in the barkeep’s coal eyes. “Uh-huh.” His lips twist impishly. “That’s real good to hear.”

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Lara is next on Rue’s list of people to show off to, and she has just the song picked out for the honey-eyed brunette already –one of her favourites: Little Things Mean a Lot. But when Rue opens Lara’s door, her hands still just before she can go to string picking.

The brunette is slumped over her vanity, face buried in her arms and the softest of sniffling coming from her.

Rue burns at the sight and sound, immediately closing the door behind her and locking it for good measure. She crosses the floor quickly, guitar going across her back and her knees to the floor beside Lara’s chair. She places a hand on Lara’s leg; the brunette jolts, head snapping to look down at Rue with red, puffy eyes that glisten horribly.

“I can get whoever gotcha,” Rue offers, smile gentle. “Just tell me who and gimme a lil' time.”

Lara’s lips wobble, and before Rue can blink, the brunette’s thrown her arms around her neck to hug her tightly. “It’s everything, Rue!” Her voice breaks, hitches. “Warner’s headin’ out Monday, and it sounds like he won’t be back for months. And I wanna go with him, but my fuckin’ contract! There’s still so much on it! I can’t pay Adel what she’s figured up in time! And… and… and, Rue, I don’t have a single customer tonight. I haven’t had more than one or two all week, and I think it’s on real purpose. Like Adel don’t even want me tryin’ to make the money in time.”

Lara squeezes so tight Rue can barely breathe. Rue squeezes back just as earnest, raging internally. She can’t stand the way Lara shakes, how hot her tears are as they soak through her blouse. And to hear what Adel’s doing? Rue’s damn sure it is on purpose, and it's got her wanting to tear the viper's throat out with her teeth.

But there’s one thing that sticks in Rue’s head, something weird and she hasn’t heard of before. She asks Lara, “They made ya sign a contract to work here?”

The brunette stiffens, and she slowly releases Rue from her death-grip hug. But her arms stay on Rue’s shoulders, fisted in her blouse. Her honey eyes leak fat tears. She looks away, ashamed. “Daddy couldn’t pay his debts. He made a deal with Deck that I’d work here ‘til it was paid off….” Lara releases one of Rue’s shoulders and shakily drags the heel of her hand against her eyes. “But I swear, that man must’ve been rackin’ up more the entire time I’ve been here. There ain’t no way I still owe seven hundred caps on a two-thousand cap debt -even with the cost of the room bein' deducted from my pay. I been here for three years.”

Rue’s vision goes red, her voice that deathly kind of quiet. “Eladio fuckin’ sold you?”

“I-I went along with it,” Lara’s voice breaks again, and she begins to smooth Rue's hair, as if sensing the rage boiling up. “I wanted to help. I-It was the only way I could think of to help.”

Rue pulls in a deep, deep breath. Her eyes close, mind focusing on those hair pats that are ridiculously soothing. She exhales slowly, telling herself to be angry later and to focus on Lara. She pops to her feet and reaches for brunette, pulling the sobbing girl into her side where she pets and coos and assures her that everything is going to be okay.

Rue’s going to make it okay. Lara’s leaving with Warner on Monday, and no one’s stopping her.

“How much do ya have?”

“Two-hundred and fifty-two,” Lara sobs.

“Warner got anything?"

“Two hundred of that is Warner’s.” Lara does a lot of sniffing. “The rest he has, has to go to the trip. They ain’t payin’ him ‘til we get to the Hub.”

Rue accepts that with a nod. She might have four hundred after what she gave to Artie. She’ll have to go home and count it, and then she’ll have to work her ass off this weekend –charm the asses of everyone– to make up the difference. She’ll be flat broke after, but…. It’s worth it to her. Lara’s worth all the moons and stars to her.

She kisses Lara’s hair before reaching for a brush on the vanity and taking it to the brunette locks. She carefully, slowly, begins to work it through Lara’s hair from the ends up. “Here’s how we’re gonna do it,” she says quietly, smiling at the shaking girl in the mirror. “I’m gonna bring you a sack of caps. You’re not gonna fight with me ‘bout it. You’re gonna take it, and you’re not gonna mention it to no one –not even Warner. You’re gonna be distraught and miserable for the rest of the weekend, and come Monday mornin’, you’re gonna go to Adel’s office, sit down and count ‘em out right in front of her, and then you’re gonna leave. No matter what she tries to say, ya leave. Understand?”

Lara’s eyes are wide around as dinner plates, her mouth moving like it wants to say something, but she just can’t get it out. Rue watches the honey-eyed girl’s throat bob. Her mouth shuts. She nods.

“And anything ya got that ya wanna take with ya, sneak it to me. She’s likely not gonna give you a chance to grab any of your things.”

Lara immediately goes scrambling for something in her vanity, popping out a false bottom in one of the drawers. She pulls out a bundle of letters tied off with twine and a necklace that looks like it’s made of coyote teeth and a little, yellow, desert flower trapped in resin.

Rue opens up her bag for Lara to place the belongings in. “T-These are real important to me. They’re all I need other than some clothes -I’ll give ya the clothes tomorrow. Is that okay?”

“Perfectly,” Rue assures, resuming her methodical brushing out of Lara’s hair before she begins on a pretty braid that starts at the crown of her head. She moves on from the topic. It’s settled in her mind, and it’s not wise to keep talking about it. “Can I tell ya ‘bout Mrs. Ira Jean’s?”

Lara, teary-eyed and smile watery, nods. “’Course ya can.”

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The number of caps in Rue’s glass jar is a little less than she thought, but with how busy the saloon has been, pulling together the missing caps for Lara is fairly easy. Rue does as she always does but turns her sweetness and charm up to an eleven, making tables howl with laughter; and though she doesn’t normally flirt with any of her patrons, she does throw in a few winks that might end up biting her in the ass later. But she doesn’t care. She’s going to get Lara out of Mulholland’s –out of Dust.

By Sunday night, Rue has everything she needs and a little extra. And while she would like to slip that little extra to Lara, Rue remembers she actually does have to eat and live and such. She pockets the excess and sneaks the remaining funds to the brunette. They don’t talk about their plans as they make the hand off. Rue only winks and leaves for the night.

It is a sleepless night. Her brain is too active, plagued by a mix of worry and excitement. Rue ends up not sleeping a wink and sitting on her front porch where she passes the hours by tracing the shape of the Big Dipper and coming up with those of her own. When the stars fade and dawn comes on, she snatches up Lara’s rucksack and heads into town where Rue finds the caravan the brunette’s meant to leave with making ready in the town square.

It’s a large caravan, the biggest Rue's ever seen in Dust: five carts full up, each drawn by a team of two brahmin. Every cart has two drivers and at least one guard assigned to it, and the weathered wood is stamped with an unfamiliar logo: a red-and-white sort of swooshing that reads as, "Crimson Caravan." Rue has heard of them before, but this is her first time actually seeing them. They don't normally come out as far as Dust, and it makes her wonder if the small town is on the up-and-up with such a big name stopping in.

Everyone is making ready, checking harnesses and that loads are secure. There is a lot of chatter, a lot of energy in the air, but there is an outlier: a very quiet and sullen man that stands taller and broader than the rest. His black-haired head is always turning to look over his shoulder –back the way Mulholland’s is– and when Rue finally catches sight of his face, she sees he wears the saddest of expressions.

Her brain vaguely recognizes him as Warner. He’s come into Mulholland’s often enough, but she’s never really served him. He’s always been an upstairs patron, only ever there to see Lara.

She really hopes he’s not the one that doesn’t wash his dick, but his personal hygiene seems fine enough. His hair is brushed and his clothes kept enough. Shirt tucked in. Boots clean. He looks like he washes his dick, and he looks like he can take care of Lara with the muscley build and the .357 repeater on his back.

Rue marches right up to him, offering a hand and a smile. “My name’s Rue.”

It takes the boy a moment to realize she’s even there –that she had spoken to him– but eventually, he drags his gaze from behind him to look down at her in brow-scrunched confusion. “Uh… er… Warner.” He takes her hand and shakes it, and then gives a little jolt, gaze snapping up from their conjoined hands. His green eyes are questioning, hopeful. “Wait? Rue? You work with Lara, don’tcha?”

“Not anymore,” Rue says with a wink, shrugging off the bag she’s held onto over the weekend. She hands it over to Warner. “You take care of her, yeah? I think she’s real special, and I’ll hurt ya bodily if I ever find out ya didn’t do right by her.”

Warner nods excessively, taking the bag from her carefully and shouldering it. And shit, Rue didn’t think anyone could beat Hal at puppy-dog eyes, but Lara’s beaux pulls out the glossiest, roundest of eye expressions. “She’s comin’, huh? Really?”

“Sure is.” Rue peers down the street, spying a familiar figure marching briskly towards them.

Warner looks back, and he takes off without a moment’s hesitation, sprinting full tilt down the street to scoop Lara off her feet and spin her ‘round and ‘round. Rue watches him pepper her laughing, crying face with kisses, and then he just holds her. Long and tightly until they come apart, both red in the eyes.

They come walking back Rue’s way hand-in-hand, Lara pulling away to then run at Rue. She opens her arms wide to accept the love barreling her way and only just manages to keep them up right when Lara connects with her.

Giggling and squeezing, Lara tells her, “Adel pitched a fit. She tried to say I couldn’t leave yet, I had to wait for someone to fill my spot, but she couldn’t show me where it said that in my contract. And then she started shoutin’ and throwin’ shit, and I just told her she had her seven hundred caps and she could suck my dick.” There’s a victorious smugness infecting Lara’s tone. “But you were right, she wouldn’t let me set foot back in my room. She chased me out with a bat!”

Rue can imagine the fit, the look of rage upon Adel’s face, and it warms her very soul. “I’m real proud of ya. Fuck. I wish I coulda seen her.”

Lara pulls back from the hug; Rue lets her go. “I’m sure she’ll still be plenty ornery when ya go in tonight.”

Rue gives a devilish grin. “I’m gonna see if I can work her into a heart attack.”

The brunette matches her smile, but it dims. Lara swallows thickly, and her honey eyes well up all over again. “Hey, I’m gonna… I’m gonna miss you lots. You’re… you’re one of the best people I know.” Lara draws in her wobbling lips. “And I don’t know how I’m ever gonna repay ya for this.”

Rue’s throat goes tight, and her eyes sting. But she can’t cry. She doesn’t know if she’ll be able to stop herself if she starts up. She knows her smile goes all watery, and she can certainly hear how her voice wavers, but she doesn’t give the tears a vote. “I’m gonna miss the hell outta you, Lara. You’re the only one ‘round here that plays pretend with me. I… I’ve really liked knowin’ ya.”

Tears slip free to race down Lara’s sweet face, and she engulfs Rue once more, hugging her fiercely. Like she doesn’t want to let go. For a moment, Rue doesn’t want her to. She doesn’t want Lara to leave Dust, and the urge to cry makes it hard for her to breathe.

“Maybe when we come back through,” Lara forces out in a tight, wet voice, “you can come with us?”

Rue buries her face in Lara’s shoulder. She forces everything down and away. She blinks and blinks and breathes, and when everything is nice and tucked away under an unreadable smile, she pulls back and promises, “I’m gonna come find ya for myself, and I’ll be your awkward third wheel ‘til ya get sick of me.”

#the ghoul #cooper howard #fallout #fallout the series #fallout 2024 #fallout tv series

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