#he really wants to change something for the better
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
clockwayswrites · 2 days ago
Text
The Birdritch's Nest part 25
masterpost
“That is a lot of plants,” Jason said. He swept his eyes over the space as he slipped his lock picks back into their little pouch.
“He has a botanist friend, apparently, and she keeps giving him plants,” Dick explained as he squeezed past Jason and into the apartment.
“Why are you here again?”
“Because I have a car which is better to carry all of Danny’s stuff in than your bike,” Dick explained. He went over to the wall of plants in front of the windowed corner and squinted down at something on his phone.
Jason pulled out his own phone to glance at what Tim had sent. “You say ‘all Danny’s stuff’ like the list was long. The guy hasn’t exactly been demanding.”
“The ‘guy’ expects to actually go home in a few days,” Dick pointed out.
“And is an adult and so can, you know, actually go home,” Jason retorted.
“Damian’s attached.”
“…I concede to your point,” Jason said once that thought sunk in. “Double the clothing asked for?”
“Basically. Make sure that he has a weeks worth, Alfred can always do laundry,” Dick said before letting out a little noise of triumph and doing something over by the plants. “There, watering system turned on.”
“Congratulations, you’re a genius,” Jason drawled. “Now go get his medication gathered up and snoop a little while you’re at it.”
“I thought we weren’t supposed to be snooping,” Dick, words a teasing sing-song as he passed by.
Jason flicked him off. “Like you wouldn’t anyways. I just want to know what you find.”
“Only if you tell me what you find in the bedroom.”
“Deal.”
The bedroom was almost startlingly normal after the plant filled living main room. It didn’t look like Danny really spent much time in it beyond sleeping. The bed was absentmindedly fixed, a black down comforter over pale blue sheets. There was a paperback on the nightstand next to a lamp and a pocket sized notebook with a pen clipped onto the bent and battered cover.
It was the first thing that Jason picked up.
The notebook was obviously where Danny made notes when he was already settled in bed. As Jason flipped through the pages there was everything from to-do lists to invention ideas to… a lot of thought about wings. Jason turned the notebook in his hands. That page wasn’t in English. The language felt like it was on the tip of Jason’s tongue but he just couldn’t get it out.
Maybe some sort of dialect?
Jason couldn’t actually read it, but there was enough to piece together from similarities that tugged on his memory. Enough to understand it was about the wings. Something about the process of change? Aging?
“Hey Jay?” Dick interrupted, scattering Jason’s thoughts. “Can you read the label on these bottles? There’s some serious printing issues happening, I can’t even tell what language it’s in.”
The pill bottle felt oddly cold in Jason’s hand when he took it from Dick, but maybe the bathroom just had shit heating in this place. It would be just like Gotham builders to mess that up.
“Oh, that’s the same thing Danny is writing in here,” Jason said passing the notebook to Dick. “It’s something about wings and getting old, I think, but I can’t really read it.”
“Read it? I don’t even know what it is. Gives me a headache just to look at it,” Dick grumbled as he flipped through the notebook. “The whole bird thing has really been on his mind, hasn’t it?”
Jason gave a little huff. “Do you blame him? The guy has wings now. It would be on my mind too.”
“Yeah… guess I really can’t,” Dick said and snapped a picture of the page with the unknown writing to send to the group chat. “Any idea what it is?”
“Nope. It’s like it’s a distant dialect or that it uses some of the same alphabet of something I learned some of once. Like how Chinese and Japanese use some of the same characters, you know?” Jason explained as he opened the side table drawer and then quickly closed it again. That was more than he needed to know about Danny. “Maybe something from when I was catatonic in the league, who knows. There were a lot of languages in that place.”
“Cass or Damian might now it then,” Dick said as he eyed the drawer Jason had now moved away from.
“Don’t, trust me,” Jason said. “Did you get the medications you needed to grab?”
“Yeah, they’re in the bag. Just a standard bathroom, really. Though he keeps his toothbrush in this old mug with a hero I don’t recognize on it, someone called Phantom.”
“Doesn’t ring a bell, but it sure sounds like a hero name. Add it to the list,” Jason said as he started on gathering up the requested clothing and extra enough to last a week. “Check the closet to see if there are any shits in there that work around wings.”
Jason rolled his eyes as Dick threw the closet doors open dramatically and focused on his task. Jeans, sweatpants, underwear, what he guessed was pajamas were all added to the bag.
“So, nothing that looks like it was made for wings,” Dick said and tossed some normal shirts and a few sweaters into the bag. Jason sighed and folded them neatly. “Maybe he hasn’t had time to find any yet? It hasn’t been that long since the bird thing and seems it all started there. Or maybe he’s just always home when he’s had then?”
“Better let Alfred know then. He’ll want to get something as soon as possible.”
“Yeah, good point,” Dick agreed.
While Dick stepped out of the bedroom to call Alfred, Jason took the time to double check the list. It really was pretty basic. Jason didn’t know if Danny was just trying to not be demanding or if the guy didn’t need much, but Jason went ahead and put the bedside paperback and notebook in the bad too. Jason slung the duffel bag Dick had brought over his shoulder (he totally could have ridden his bike like this) and took a little bit of time to snoop through Danny’s bookcase while Dick finished the call. Sci-fi, horror, old text books, and a ton of notebooks filled the shelf with knickknacks and a few figures. Jason at least had to give Danny points for having some of the sci-fi classics, even if the range of works was pretty limited.
“Okay, Alfred is on it,” Dick said. “Anything else we need to do?”
“Nah, I think we’re good,” Jason said. Something made him not want to look through the notebooks, like they had already done enough snooping. It was an odd feeling. “Let’s get going, I’m hungry for whatever dinner is.”
“You’re always hungry,” Dick said.
Jason shrugged rather than dealing with how true that statement was. “I’m a growing boy.”
“You’re a trash pit.”
“Yeah, you want to go there, cereal boy?”
“Leave my cereal out of it!”
---
AN: I do love writing Dick & Jason so much. Can you tell I have an older brother? Also sorry for the mistakes I'm sure are abounding. Guess who turns out to be anemic? This critter! Maybe getting that fixed will help...
679 notes · View notes
heartlesscorpse · 1 day ago
Text
Life w/ Mr Crawling!
A QUICK WARNING BEFORE YOU READ: This is following after the Blissful Love Life ending, if you don’t want spoilers I suggest scrolling! — Anyways moving on from that, I FINALLY got the fucking motivation to put something out after how many months, (yay!) Starting off with my new horror game fixation :)))) Finally got my brain juices going, and I thank Homicipher for this. This is probably going to be me posting abt it for a while. BUT it gave me the motivation to write stuff at least. If you also noticed I changed the formatting a little with my hcs and I think I like it better this way w/o the bulleted list, so Imma def keep this.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
⭑.ᐟ — Ever since you’ve escaped the other world with Mr. Crawling, you had some small difficulties in getting back in the swing of things. You no longer had to worry about your safety, check over the shoulders for any monsters, you had your normal life back now.
⭑.ᐟ — And this time you had Mr Crawling to share it with! :D
⭑.ᐟ — When you first brought Mr Crawling home with you, man was absolutely ecstatic and he immediately went exploring around the house while you fixed him some food to eat.
⭑.ᐟ — Mr Crawling really liked your place, it felt cozy and warm, it had you too of course, and it was so much more welcoming and nicer in appearance compared to his world. Plus there was a lot of new stuff he hasn’t seen before.
⭑.ᐟ — It was a nice change not having the house to yourself anymore, Mr Crawling made the place a little more lively with his presence, following you around the house like a lost puppy, occasionally asking a few questions.
⭑.ᐟ — You showed him many things, movies, books, and lots of other things. He even had his first shower too!
⭑.ᐟ — You even tried teaching him basic words in your language such as “hello”, “goodbye”, “thank you”, or “please”. While Mr Crawling was having a hard time getting a gist of them, he still tried his best. <3
⭑.ᐟ — With your old life back it also meant you had to pick up your job/college again too.
⭑.ᐟ — Mr Crawling was never fond when you left the house for this long, so he mostly sat around at the front door waiting for your return.
⭑.ᐟ — Then upon your arrival it’s extra cuddles tonight to make up for loss time. He’s sad that you left him alone for this long :((
⭑.ᐟ — On the bright side however he likes going on grocery runs with you! Since nobody else could see him, it wouldn’t bring any unwanted attention. Of course with Mr Crawling’s babbling as he followed you into the aisles, you brought headphones/airpods with you so people didn’t think you were insane for talking to yourself.
⭑.ᐟ — Mr Crawling in general is very happy you let him tag along with you leaving his world, he couldn’t be any happier getting to stay by your side. And his love for you grew as well! :)
⭑.ᐟ — The first time he tried saying something in your language was “I love you” to show his gratitude. Though it sounded a bit butchered for a first attempt, the sentiment still meant a lot to you and it was a step towards somewhere to say the least.
Tumblr media
485 notes · View notes
sleepingdiaryzzz · 1 day ago
Text
Yandere batfamily x neglected reader
Tumblr media
From the moment you were ten, you had sought their attention like a moth drawn to a flame. But the flame was always too hot, always too far away, and with every desperate attempt to get close, they burned you. You had been a shadow in their world, hovering at the edges of their lives, wanting, needing. Needing. That word, so simple, yet it had been the curse of your existence. You needed them. You needed their time, their care, their love. But they never saw you, never acknowledged the pit of loneliness that gnawed at you every time you begged to be included.
They had brushed you aside, every single time.
The family, your family, was never really yours.
It started when you were just a kid. “Not now, kid,” they would say. Or “Go play somewhere else.” Every time you tried to insert yourself into their lives, they shoved you away, like a toy they’d grown tired of. They didn’t need you. Not when there were bigger things at stake. Not when Gotham was drowning in its own darkness, when the Batcave was filled with the hum of machinery and the rush of adrenaline.
You were just a distraction.
You were nothing.
The words didn’t change as you grew older. They only got sharper.
When you were twelve, you tried again—this time with more subtlety. You offered to help, to be something, anything that would make them notice you. I can be useful, I promise. But no. No, they couldn’t have you tagging along. Not when there were more important things to do, more important people to be with. You were only a child.
By the time you turned fifteen, the bitter reality had set in. You weren’t wanted. You weren’t needed. They were a family—their family—and you? You were the outcast, the inconvenience they only tolerated because they had no choice. They didn’t want you, but they had to keep you around. The occasional glance from Tim, a brief acknowledgment from Dick—enough to keep the illusion of familial love alive, but never enough to make you feel like you mattered.
It wasn’t just Bruce anymore. He had become an empty figure in your life, a distant authority figure who only spoke when there was something to be done. Do this. Do that. Don’t ask questions. That was how you learned to live under his roof—like a shadow. Like a nothing.
There were moments when you thought you might be able to break through. When you thought maybe—just maybe—they would see you for who you were, someone who could stand beside them, shoulder to shoulder, not as a burden but as a part of the family.
But those moments were fleeting. They were crumbs, pieces of hope that you clung to like a starving animal, only for them to be yanked away, leaving you empty once again.
By the time you turned sixteen, you no longer asked. No longer begged. You had learned that your needs were nothing but noise to them. So, you stayed quiet, retreating into the corners of their lives. You were there, but invisible. A ghost that haunted the edges of their family but was never invited to sit at the table.
But it wasn’t just the coldness that broke you. No. It was the sharpness of their words.
The day it all ended—the day your last shred of hope died—had come like a storm.
You were seventeen when you finally broke. You had asked, yet again, for something so simple. You wanted to hang out, to spend the evening together, just for once. No work. No patrols. Just them. Just family. But Dick—always so perfect, so composed—snapped.
“Stop nagging, goddammit!” His voice was low, but the venom was there. The venom that cut deeper than any blade. “I don’t have time for this. You’re not a kid anymore. You should know better.”
And it was in that moment, when the words hit you like fists to your chest, that you knew. It was over. They will never care about you.
No more pleading. No more silence. You were done.
You wanted to scream, to break down and tell him how it felt to always be ignored, to always be pushed aside. But you didn’t. You couldn’t. All you could do was stare at him, the person you had once looked up to, the brother who had made you feel like you belonged. And now? Now he hated you. He resented you. You were just a thorn in his side, something he couldn’t wait to get rid of.
The Batfamily didn’t need you. They didn’t even want you. You were just a memory in the background of their perfect little world.
And so, you left.
You packed your things and left Gotham without a second thought. You didn’t care anymore. You didn’t care about them. You didn’t care about the lies you had told yourself for years, that someday they would come to love you. No. You were done.
You found a small apartment in a city far, far away. The rent was cheap. The food was okay. It didn’t matter. For the first time in years, you felt a strange kind of peace. No more begging. No more hoping for something that was never going to come.
But the peace didn’t last long. It never does.
Months passed, and the Batfamily went on without you. It wasn’t like you expected them to notice, but they did. They always did.
It started slowly at first. A message from Bruce, terse and businesslike, asking how you were. A phone call from Dick, his voice hesitant, full of uncertainty. Tim sent an email—just a few lines, but still. He’d written “We miss you.”
You didn’t respond. The first few days, you let it sit there, those words ringing in your ears. We miss you. The words came so easily now, but where had they been all those years? You stared at the screen, a hollow laugh escaping your lips. Miss you? They had pushed you aside when you needed them most. They had ignored you, told you to shut up, told you to go away.
Now they missed you?
You threw your phone across the room and sat down, gripping your hair, letting the quiet take you over.
It wasn’t until the second month that they started to call. At first, it was Tim—his voice softer than it had been in years, like a penitent ghost, when he called you.
“Please… just talk to us. We’re… we’re worried about you.”
You didn’t pick up.
Then, Dick. His voice cracked when he asked if you were okay. Just talk to us. How many times had you told them that? How many times had you begged? And now, they were begging you? You felt the rage swell inside you, the bitterness of those years threatening to break you apart.
And that was when they came.
It wasn’t just a phone call. It wasn’t just messages anymore. They came looking for you.
Nightwing was the first. He showed up at your door, standing there in his familiar suit, but his smile was tight, his eyes uncertain.
“Please,” he said, voice barely above a whisper. “We just want to talk.”
You stared at him, the same person who had once smiled at you like you meant the world to him. And now? Now he looked like a stranger. Someone who didn’t know who you were. And maybe, in a way, he didn’t.
“Why?” you asked, your voice rough from months of silence. “Why now? Where were you when I needed you?”
The guilt in his eyes only deepened. “We were wrong,” he said, the words fragile, like he was afraid they would break if spoken too loudly. “We… we miss you.”
The anger rose in your chest. They missed you?
The words sounded so hollow. What good was their love now?
They all came. One by one, each member of the family arrived at your door, apologizing, begging for forgiveness, for your attention, your love.
But it was too late.
They had pushed you away for too long, and now you could feel it: the suffocating weight of their regret, the twisting hunger of their need.
They needed you. They needed you so badly. They would never let you go again.
It wasn’t just about family anymore. It wasn’t just about reconciliation. Now, it was about possession.
And the family would do whatever it took to keep you close—no matter the cost.
Gotham had never felt farther away, yet the shadows of the family loomed larger than ever.
You weren’t sure if you were ready to go back, to reopen that door. But deep down, you knew one thing.
They would never let you leave again.
And now?
Now, they were willing to do anything to make sure of it.
Tumblr media
(A/n: no part 2 becuz it's a one shot 😸)
502 notes · View notes
roboticchibitan · 3 days ago
Text
Not a job (I am disabled) but I also have a story. I'm a Tibetan Buddhist and my teacher is a Tibetan refugee and he's been a monk for 48 years. He's 65. He lived alone in a cave for five years. He holds some conservative views about things like marriage (in the sense of arranged marriages often being more successful and therefore better than "love marriages," not in the sense of "same sex marriage bad") and how children should be disciplined. So I was nervous to come out to him as nonbinary.
I visited him a few weeks ago and made a remark about wanting to be a monk in my next life and he said "well you never know what will happen. It could happen in this life." I told him that was true as I've already decided I'll become a monk if something happens to my gf. I then said something along the lines of "I guess technically I'd be a nun... I'm kind of somewhere between a monk and a nun though." And then I was internally like "will he think anything of that? Maybe I shouldn't have said that."
But he responded really positively! He told me about how being trans wasn't a thing in Tibet but now they've had their first trans person transition from being a monk to being a nun and that she's very popular. Then he told me about Indian hijras and asked me some questions. He very excitedly said "you're teaching me so much today" like three times.
He asked me if third genders are legally recognized here for things like official documents and I told him that federally I didn't think so but that our state does. And he told me that India recently recognized third genders legally and that "people should just accept it because it is the reality now."
I haven't heard him use any pronouns for me yet but I know he'll try his best to respect them. English is his third language so I don't really mind if he makes mistakes cuz I sure don't speak more than one language and I still make mistakes when someone I've known my entire life changes their pronouns.
Lots of people have open hearts. The haters are just loud.
I started a new remote job last week, and I'm the only genderqueer person at the company (and the first person who uses neo pronouns that anyone on my team has ever met, apparently).
So far:
Manager carefully wrote down spelling and pronunciation of my pronouns and told everyone on the team to respect them.
Coworker apologized privately for misgendering me (I hadn't told her yet) and said she will practice.
Guy on another team valiantly tried to use my pronouns and ended up saying something like zirzs-zhizz (I DM'd him and thanked him for trying and linked him to a practice site).
Teammate told me he has written out my pronouns and how to use them in a sentence and literally taped it to his monitor so he can practice.
Teammate also referred to me as compañere after I linked to a comic about gender-neutral endings in Spanish (whole team except me + 1 other person speaks Spanish as first language and they held all meetings in Spanish before the two of us started).
I am so stoked that people are actually trying. 💜🤍💚
49K notes · View notes
aplaceinme · 20 hours ago
Text
“I’m just saying… there’s a reason why people say ‘three times it’s a charm’ Evan.”
“And I’m just saying I don’t want to risk it, Tommy,” Evan huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.
“C’mon, what could possibly happen?” Tommy insists. 
“Hmmm…let me think… oh, yeah, I got it! Given our track record, we break up for good,” Evan says exasperated. 
“That won’t happen again, Evan. We’ve talked things out. Everything has been laid out on the table. We are better than ever,” Tommy says softly, walking up to Evan and tenderly cupping his cheeks, “We are good! Nothing bad will happen, I promise.” 
Evan tries to resist, his pout really pronounced but he can’t fight the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 
“Fine! Fine! We will go and have dinner at Miceli’s again,” Evan relents, throwing his arms up in the air. “But if things go south again, it will be all your fault, ok?” 
Tommy leans in and kisses him softly, letting the kiss linger a little. “Ok, if something happens, it will be my fault.”
Evan goes to his bedroom to change his clothes, all the while angrily muttering, “Thousand of places in L.A. to go but no! We have to go back to that place… all because the pizza is good… fuck that place.”
“Did you say something?” Tommy asks, trying not to laugh at Evan’s adorableness. 
“Nothing… except… We are not getting spumoni, Tommy!” Evan yells from his bedroom.
Head thrown back in laughter, Tommy sits down in one of the barstools to wait for him to be finished. “Fine but, again, everything will be alright, love.”
“Yeah, yeah, you keep saying that! But you know what else people say? Famous last words! That’s what they say,” Evan says before closing the bathroom room. 
Nodding, Tommy quietly says under his breath as if trying to convince himself, “It will be alright.” 
“Will you stop muttering? We are here, and everything has been ok so far, right?” 
“Yeah, so far,” Evan says stubbornly. At Tommy’s raised eyebrow, his shoulders relax. “Sorry, sorry. You’re right! Everything is fine. We are together and everything is fine.”
Tommy holds Evan’s hand across the table and intertwines their fingers. “Exactly.” 
“I’m just glad we aren’t going to the movies after this. I think they also bring bad luck to us,” Evan teases, though he also seems to be serious. 
Wanting to tease him back, Tommy says, “Actually, I saw that they are playing this movie that I wanted to check out…”
“Do not even think about it! Not tonight at least,” Evan points at Tommy seriously. 
“Alright, alright, no movies tonight,” Tommy laughs. “We will just go straight to my place then… find something else to entertain us with.” 
“I’m sure we will,” Evan says with a smirk. 
“Oh my God! I think he’s choking! Somebody help us!” 
Tommy and Evan look over at the table from where the scream came and, after sharing a small glance and a nod, they get up and run over. 
“Move over, make room, make room, we are firefighters,” Evan says loudly, reaching the patient first. 
As Evan starts doing the Heimlich maneuver, Tommy reassures the family and makes sure they give Evan room to work. 
After a couple of agonizing seconds, the man spits out the food and everyone at the restaurant releases a breath of relief and they start to clap.  
Tommy moves over and helps Evan to sit the man down as they start to assess him, asking him if he is feeling alright or if he would rather they call an ambulance. 
Once the man reassures them that he is ok and thanks Evan profusely, they start to walk back to their table. 
“Glad that turned out o-” Evan starts to say but a scream interrupts him. 
“What now?” Tommy asks. 
“Fire in the kitchen!” Someone screams. 
It takes two seconds for chaos to reign. People start to scream and run desperately, pushing tables, chairs, and everything out of their way. 
While Evan calls 911 and starts helping people out of the restaurant, Tommy runs up to the kitchen.
Grabbing a fire extinguisher, Tommy tries to put the fire out, but it’s not enough. The fire is spreading fast, so he just makes sure that no one else is inside the kitchen and then runs outside. 
“Tommy, Tommy,” Evan calls to him and hugs him as soon as he is within reach. 
“Everyone out?” Tommy asks him, quickly looking Evan over to make sure he isn’t hurt. 
“Yeah, I got everyone out and the firefighters should be here any minute now.” 
“Good, good, that’s good!” Tommy says in relief, his adrenaline starting to recede. 
Tommy and Evan are standing a few meters away from the restaurant, watching as station 56 put the fire out. The fire spread out so much that the restaurant is absolutely destroyed, Tommy doubts the owners could salvage anything from inside. 
“What is it? I can see you looking at me,” Tommy asks, turning to look at Evan. 
Evan gestures wildly at the restaurant and looks at him incredulously. 
“What?” Tommy plays dumb. 
“What? What?” Evan yelps. “Oh, I don’t know… maybe the fact that the restaurant is literally destroyed. Third’s time a charm, my ass!” 
“Technically, I was right, Evan.” 
“Wha- How?” Evan sputters. 
“Well, nothing bad happened to us. We are ok, there hasn’t been any misunderstanding, no one has confessed anything from their past… we are ok, just like I said we will be,” Tommy reasons.
Evan shakes his head and chuckles, “I can’t believe you! You’re so…” 
“Evan…” Tommy starts but gets interrupted. 
“I love you,” Evan says. 
Tommy does a double take, not expecting that. “What?”
“I love you,” Evan repeats, shrugging his shoulders. 
“This is the first time you’re saying that,” Tommy says, bewildered. 
“I know.” 
“I… I- I…” Tommy looks around them, in disbelief that Evan could love him. 
“You don’t have to say it if you do-”
“I love you too. Of course, I love you,” Tommy tells him quickly, not wanting Evan to doubt it for even one second. 
“Yeah?” Evan beams at him. 
“Yes,” Tommy nods and leans in to kiss him, not caring about the fire, firefighters, bystanders, or anything else. 
Once they part for air, Tommy asks him, “Should we get going? They seem to have everything under control.” 
Evan nods, and they slowly start to walk to where Tommy had parked his truck, with Tommy’s arm around Evan’s waist. 
“Since no one got hurt, I feel ok with admitting that I’m kinda happy that the restaurant went up in flames,” Evan whispers as if it is a secret. 
Tommy chuckles, “Yeah, me too.” 
When they are near the truck, Tommy jokes, “So, what about that movie then?” 
Evan playfully hits him on the shoulder but laughs. “I believe someone said something about finding something to entertained us with at their place?”
“Let’s go then,” Tommy says with a smirk, walking faster towards his truck. 
254 notes · View notes
kyri45 · 3 days ago
Text
✨ShadowPeach Bio Parents Bio AU Q&A! 21/11✨
Tumblr media
Welcome to the Q&A! A space where I can answer related or similar question about the Shadowpeach Bio Parents AU! If you submitted your ask anonimously, then you’ll have to check the whole post if it’s answered here, if it’s not, worry not! Your asks might have been used for a future comic or just in the queue~
Anonimo ha chiesto: Hi! Would Macaque kidnap Wukong again? I read your comic, the last page, where Macaque is the kidnapping expert. And I'm very curious about it. Anyway, I love your comics! You are awesome.
Haha I don't think they really need it unless they want to do a "traditional wedding courtnapping" but it would be pretty odd since they kind of already live togehter.
Anonimo ha chiesto: I know this is definitely a LONG ways away, but, imagine: Wukong and Macaque playing the newlyweds game. What questions? What answers? Who’s asking the questions? Who’s getting the most right?
I wont list all the lesson but I think Macaque would get most of them right just because Wukong never really changed a lot during the years, while Macaque went through different stages of his life, and and he has new hobbies and tastes.
Anonimo ha chiesto: Will mk have a nightmare about LBD? If yes Then we will have some angst with fluffy monkeys family moments!!!
Oh he has. He has many. Most of them he has while he is at pigsy's.
Anonimo ha chiesto: Can you please shows up a flashback backstory on how MK/Wukong discovered/found out/came out as trans?? 🙏🙏🙏 Banana sundae with chocolate sauce, rainbow sprinkles, THREE cherries, and a super-deluxe one-and-only Monkie King™️ collectible spoon???
Anonimo ha chiesto: will we see any past Shadowpeach?? I’m interested to see how you frame their dynamic back 5en.
Hahah maybe in the future, I'll see
Anonimo ha chiesto: Can we get Wukong telling dad jokes? Please, I’m begging i want to see MK laughing and Macaque just being so disappointed with Wukong yet so smitten. I want to see more Monkey family domestic blissss. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I don't have my dad jokes book here but man give Macaque an award for the patience he has with these two children
@goofybearclown ha chiesto: Hi :3 Just wanted to say I love your shadowpeach and cotl AU!!! I didn't notice you made both at first but when I did I was like "waow :0". Tbh your works are in my top 3 series on Tumblr! @fenikzia ha chiesto: I love your LMK comic so much, I look forward to reading the new additions to it when they come out every other day,and reading your comic just makes my day better. Even if it hasn't updated a particular day, I make sure to go back and reread the newest part.Keep doing what you're doing and make sure to take breaks! @skye-minecraftyt-blog ha chiesto: You! I like you! Your Bio parents Lmk au always makes me extremely happy and I regularly reread it. ((o(^∇^)o)) Just wanted to say it @blazeandsilver ha chiesto: Hello, I just wanted to say your artwork is absolutely stunning, it makes my day whenever I see that you posted something new to the BioParents comic. Please keep up the good work and be sure to take some time for yourself, you’re important too.
AWWWWWW THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE!!
Anonimo ha chiesto: Hihi shadowpeach au question: You mentioned in the latest comic that Mac is more lean and skinny than Wukong. Will we ever see the full extent of that?? ALSO I ADORE YOUR ART OMG ❤️❤️
A fully naked Macaque you say? Maybe.... who knows....
Anonimo ha chiesto: I come to defend Wukong acting like a man looking at a victorian lady ankles, he hasn’t seen his (ex) husband’s fur in centuries. And he probably hasn’t socialize in years either besides MK and the gang. Romantically he is stunned right? I doubt he has even looked at anyone besides Macaque anyways…
Honestly I like to think that Macaque was the only being in all the universe that was eer able to make him flustered
@mochalikesdrawing ha chiesto: So I got a question, will we ever get to see kaiju MK again?
I have a scene post AU I would like to draw. Maybe.
Anonimo ha chiesto: Ignoring all the angst because it is crushing my soul /pos, I'm lowkey convinced that Macaque knows Wukong feels some kind of way about him because he can hear his heartbeat go crazy at certain moments and isn't dumb, but just isn't calling Wukong on it because he's still trying to sort his own feelings first. BUT ONCE HE DOES OH BOY-
Hahah Macaque knows perfectly well Wukong is down for him. In the meantime Wukong is alwasy afraid he's just imagining things bc he's dense af.
Anonimo ha chiesto: Do you think Wukong and macaque would be cuddling and macaque would be watching something scary and Wukong would be trying to not pay attention to it because he hates scary stuff or would it be the other way around?
yess
@ep2nd ha chiesto: In your shadowpeach bio parents au, if MK and Wukong were created by Nuwa, with Nuwa using Macaque and Wukong as a base, has anyone wondered who created Macaque? And does Macaque himself knows?
Wait Nuwa created Wukong? If that's so I think then all the 5 monkeys were made by her, for some reason.
@boonalina ha chiesto: Sooo what exactly is the courtnapping process like? Is it just a simple "I'm gonna pick you up and carry you away" or is it an entire ceremony? Does someone have to lure the person into place? For example, Mei bringing Redson over to a secluded spot so that Mk can "courtnap" him? (Side note: I've been in this fandom for around two years now, and this comic is what made me find out about courtnapping lol)
I "think" anything that can be counted as like a sneak attack that takes them out of guard and brings them to the designated courtnapped room can be considered as courtnapping technically.
Anonimo ha chiesto: ... Hey so your shadow peach bio parent AU is better way better than season five. WOAH, WHO SAID THAT!! (no but seriously it is like a sitcom I tune on ever so often. Much love 🫶)
Haha thank you! That's a HUGE statement!
Anonimo ha chiesto: I wonder if MK has any unique attributes/abilities as a living mass of celestial material?
He's such a cocktail ofdifferent energies I wouldn't be surprised he is able to glow in the dark.
@cjtuy ha chiesto: I do have a question it's mainly about pigsy and tang when and how long have they been together as a couple and did both of them find mk are they married ?
They have been together for almost a year, but I don't think they are married, but maybe that could happen in the future??? But yeah MK found out a little after season 5 that they are together, that was also the same time he started calling Tang "Papa"
Anonimo ha chiesto: Has macaque added any personal items to the house? Like is he moved in? Have Wukong and macaque improved or changed anything else besides making the bed bigger?
Yes he did! Half of his belongins are in FFM, althought he's a little more minimalistic than Wukong. He also have been bothering Wukong to death so that he can finally organize his stuff (and they were roomates
Anonimo ha chiesto: I feel like if they were to play Minecraft or something macaque would be the base mom. He would be the only one to remember to farm food to not starve. The others would probably forget all the time that hunger is a thing in game. Wukong or Mk: oh dang does anyone have food I'm starving Macaque: (always brings extra for this reason) "sighs" yes
AH!
Anonimo ha chiesto: Remember the Minor Scale episode, from season 2? Where MK learn how to shrink himself? And there’s also the final episode of that season where MK just grow very big to try to fight LBD. I just love that part of his power and I have seen very little people showing it. Like, sometimes that power can show up when the poor boy is experiencing overwhelming emotions that can’t be contained anymore, or pure exhaustion. For example, Having many responsibility can lead to a lot of stress and exhaustion and at some point MK just can’t do more and just become tiny, not able to do more. On the opposite, maybe he experience trauma again through a nightmare (like about azure for example) and the emotional burden is to much and he just becomes big because of that. You see my vision? I love sizeshifting base on emotions :)
Aww and i love emotion-based powers, they are just so easy to play around.
Anonimo ha chiesto: Tbh the show should let macaque have a motorcycle. Wukong gets to be passenger princess
Yesss
Anonimo ha chiesto: as we get into the colder months i like to imagine MK’s first winter coat and he’s all super fluffy and warm
Cool for the monkey parents, bad for pigsy and all the hair in the restaurant from sheeding.
Anonimo ha chiesto: I think it would be so funny if MKs rock hadn't been cracked and he'd been raised on FFM by wukong. If the same thing happens in the show macaque planning to take mks powers thinking he's just Wukongs student but then while macaque and MK are training. Since macaque is so close he notices his ears. (Being raised by a monkey he gets his form sooner) suddenly putting everything on hold busting into FFM and is like WUKONG WTF
There's a fic on AO3 about it it's A Son of Two Dads
@cheese-hommo ha chiesto: Hii, fiesta I want to say I love how you draw and everything, it just looks so cool and beautiful. Now, with the last chapter of Monkey parents Au and so, with the acknowledgement of the demon etiquette and else, DBK and Wukong really misunderstand the comfort scene for a confession? Or something more? It was just so funny seeing the two of them getting so embarrassed at the end 🙂‍↕️
Ah, 2 young demons in their true forms so close to each other, blushing? Scandalous.
Anonimo ha chiesto: I've seen Mk is his Lego merch- he gots a tooth gap- so does this MK have one or did he get it filled?
Wait that was a tooth gap??? I though it was like, a detail of the smile
Anonimo ha chiesto: 🎤 what is your official (if any) opinion on Ink MK? (as a character, plot device, literary parallel, what have you)
It's ok. I personally believe "shadow" version of one character with their own fears and doubts is a clique a little bit too much used. But they give a lot of angst.
Anonimo ha chiesto: Thoughts on Macaque knowing either Japanese or Korean due to him liking anime.
I'll give you one better. Macaque always traveled to Japan pretty frequently during the centuries. Then became a weeb
Anonimo ha chiesto: Maybe it's just me but Wukong looks a bit thicker each time, is it because his fur's thickening or is he getting chubbier ??????? Anyway luv ur art
Both.
266 notes · View notes
bucktommyscones · 3 days ago
Text
Post 8x5 fic because Lou said so. (Not really, but kind of.) This got a little hornier than I'm sure we would have gotten, but you know, when in Rome. Also, isn't it great how the season ended with this ep? What an awfully short season. Oh well.
"No."
Tommy can't see him from where he's navigating them back to Evan's place, but he just knows he's pouting. After nearly six months, his Evan senses are always tingling.
"Oh come on," Evan whines. "Just pull over into an overlook or something. Bet I can get you off in no time."
Tommy snorts a laugh. "I'm sorry, is that supposed to make me want to do it? I thought you had a better sense of my abilities than that, Boil Boy."
Evan considers this and Tommy can see his grin out of his peripheral vision. He should look ridiculous with those damn things on his face, but he looks like an adorable brat, which is as per usual these days.
"Okay, that didn't come out right."
"No one's coming any time soon," Tommy says, turning on his signal to change lanes.
Evan snickers. "Fine, fine. No public sex for us. I get it. Can I get you out of that suit and get your dick in my mouth when we get to my place?"
Tommy reaches over and pinches his thigh, gratified when Evan jumps a little.
"Hey! Rude."
"Why are you so horny all of a sudden?"
"All of a sudden? I thought you knew me by now, Tommy."
Tommy laughs again. "Okay, okay."
"Besides," Evan says, and if Tommy isn't mistaken, his voice sounds...hesitant? "I just want to thank you. You know, for driving three hours from home to go to a dead outlaw's funeral."
Tommy feels himself melt. "You don't have to thank me. I enjoyed it."
"You did?" Evan sounds surprised.
"Seeing you in your element all cute and earnest? Getting to spend time with you? I'll do it any time."
Evan runs a hand through the hair on the back of Tommy's head, affectionate and warm. He loves it when Evan does that.
"How can you possibly think I'm cute right now?" Evan wonders and this is not the first time he's asked.
"I always think you're cute. Even when you're gross."
Evan's laugh is infectious and Tommy laughs with him. He leans forward in his seat and smacks a kiss to Tommy's cheek. "I like you, Tommy Kinard."
"I like you too, Evan Buckley," Tommy says. "Chinese on the way home?"
"Sounds good," Evan confirms. "Wanna make out on the couch and watch a movie? Then I can get your dick in my mouth?"
Tommy grins because watching a movie always turns into something else. "You're on."
tag list:
@desert--moonchild @sazzynatural, @multishippinghussy, @mmso-notlikethat, @esendoran
@sunnywithachanceofbi, @sleepywinchesters, @buck-up-buckley, @manifestingchaoticvibes, @corvid-cryptidd
@lbltpsmspenguin, @theotherbuckley, @cliophilyra, @actuallyitsellie, @thecarrott
@talktonytome, @misstommykinard, @the-omniscient-narrator, @bobbinsnash, @a-mel0n
@hyperfocusthusly, @mayorjack, @marvelousbuckley, @swagmaster9k
@byunbuckjunmy, @rutathenurse, @sluttytommykinard, @bidisasterevankinard
198 notes · View notes
crazyvik97rpg · 1 day ago
Text
William did his best to reassure Sebastian. He was disheartened, truly, just wanted everything back to normal in an instant. Passing out like that just proved he wasn’t completely healthy yet, even though it probably was because of low blood sugar, still, this never happened to him before! He was just upset about the whole situation to be honest.
The food, however, did its fair share to lift his mood – both their moods. And William did too. Away from unpleasant topics, he started explaining what kind of things they would do on Monday. That Sebastian could finally cuddle all the kitties again, that William would cook him everything he wanted. It made Sebastian look forward to Monday indeed – a little bit of normalcy.
„This will be great, love, I know“, he smiled softly and reached over to grab William’s hand, lace their fingers for a moment, „Thank you“, and he looked at him with those loving, soft eyes. They had snacked on the sweets already, delicious blueberry muffins and their other food was gone as well. Sebastian only sipped last bits of orange juice. It was nice spending time out of his hospital room for a change, even though he couldn’t really walk much on his own. This day was still already so much better.
„Before we go back to my room…do you want to explore the hospital a little? I was never here before, I‘m curious. What do you say?“, Sebastian asked then, a smirk kn his lips – it was a fairly big hospital and maybe just driving around here would be fun. Maybe they‘d find a vending machine and get some coffee, something like that. „I just don’t want to go back to bed just yet…“, he sighed a little, although he was smirking.
For I have sinned...
The principal cleared his throat, eyes scanning the notes that he had wrote down before this meeting. It already lasted an hour, and the teachers gathered in the faculty room were becoming restless and bored. But indeed there were some things to discuss, with the concert that the senior class was supposed to perform at the end of the semester, and with recent staff changes. 
William glanced down at his watch, sighing softly. His class was starting in 15 minutes, so at least, whether the meeting will be done soon or not, he will get to excuse himself. He looked out of the window, his mind wandering. Principal’s voice turned into white noise in the background. It was a pleasant day, late summer. But William was looking forward to a slightly cooler weather. Wearing all black could really be bothersome at times. 
“And lastly, I am pleased to announce that we have finally found replacement for the violin teacher. Dear Mr Tanaka, may he rest in peace, was with us for so many years that I’ve been concerned we won’t be able to find someone as good as to fill this position.” the principal spoke. “But Mr… Michaelis, was highly recommended to me, and he indeed has impressive references. He will be starting this week, so please welcome him warmly once he will arrive. Ah yes… about that. He will arrive today at noon, I need someone to pick him up from the train station and bring over for the tour around the school. Any volunteers?” 
William was barely listening, and definitely not paying much attention. He glanced at his watch again, and saw that it was time to leave, as his class was about to start. He raised his hand to excuse himself, and little did he know, he just volunteered.
“Father William! Excellent!” the principal exclaimed. “Just don’t be late, the train arrives at noon.”
“Train…?” William questioned, raising his brow. He had a feeling he was missing something…
***
Right after the meeting, William had to run for the class, so he had little time to clarify what exactly he had volunteered for. He was a piano teacher in this Music Academy, but also he served as a priest in local church. Well respected, and rather liked. So when he later found out it was about the new violin teacher, he didn’t refuse. Who, other than himself, would be a better choice to introduce a newcome to their community?
So even though he raised his hand by accident, he accepted this fate.
After classes, at noon, William took a taxi and drove to the train station, to pick up their new teacher. Wearing black trousers, and a black shirt with a thin tie, was absolutely dreadful in this weather, so William quickly found shelter under the roof of the station platform, that provided some shade.
The train had just arrived. William had no idea how Mr Michaelis looked like, but he figured he will just look for someone carrying a violin case with them. 
He was in for a bit surprise.
@crazyvik97
15K notes · View notes
jungshookz · 2 days ago
Text
teeny tidbits: jungkook gets hurt during practice and the only thing y/n has in her backpack are miffy bandaids 
Tumblr media
➺ pairing; quarterback!jungkook x librarian!y/n
➺ genre; university!au!!! sfw!! soft soft fluff!! jungkook and y/n are so fond of each other wowowow it actually makes me physically nauseous please get a ROOM
➺ wordcount; 1k
»»————- ♥ ————-««
“ow!” jungkook hisses, wincing as you dab against the scrape on his arm with a cotton ball that’s been drenched in a generous amount of warm water, “ow…”
“sorry, i know…” you mutter, trying your best to be as gentle as possible as you reduce your pressure (you were already going feather light but jungkook has always been a big baby with cuts and scrapes) and toss the soiled cotton ball aside before reaching for another one in the big plastic bag, “i can’t believe you guys don’t have a proper first-aid kit.” 
“it’s taehyung’s fault, coach asked him to restock it and apparently he completely forgot.” jungkook snorts, glancing down at the rusty tin box sitting on the counter next to him - you managed to find it after about fifteen minutes of searching the changing rooms but you were more than disappointed when you opened the rusty old box to find practically nothing but dust 
but if this were a real emergency, jungkook would be bleeding out on the ground and all you’d have to try to save your boyfriend is a single q-tip and one dried out packet of rubbing alcohol
luckily, you always carry a mini first aid kit with you in your backpack - last winter you slipped on a rogue patch of ice and ended up falling to the ground, your poor books sliding across the sidewalk and your palms all scraped up and bloody, so ever since then, you’ve been carrying your little pouch with you in case of emergencies 
gauze, bandaids, cotton balls, surgical tape, and some hard candies - you have it all!! 
“explain to me again what the hell you guys were trying to do out there?”
“taehyung said that when one sense goes dark, the other ones become way stronger and we wanted to test that theory out-“ 
“so you did this on purpose-“ you pause, your eyebrows knitting together in confusion, “you blindfolded yourself and ran around the football field on purpose.” 
“i thought i had better instincts than this!” jungkook gestures to himself, his kneecaps all scraped up along with a few scratches on his arms, “and my head hurts…” 
watching jungkook run into the goal post full force would’ve been comical if it weren’t for the fact that that was literally what happened - he ran full force into a damn goal post and thank god he was wearing a helmet otherwise he probably would’ve knocked himself clean out
“i don’t wanna study anymore.” jennie huffs, leaning back against the benches behind you guys as she props her elbows up on them, “can’t we do something else to pass the time while they’re practicing?” 
“i don’t wanna study anymore either, but weirdly enough this is the only time i can really concentrate.” you shrug, keeping your eyes on your laptop as your fingers continue to dance across your keyboard, “is this the only google presentation the professor shared with us this week? i swear there’s another one-“ 
“all you care about are google presentations and taking notes-“
“it’s coming up to finals season, of course all i care about are google presentations and taking notes-“ 
KONK!
“oh, shit-!“ you look up when you hear taehyung’s loud laugh travel over to where you’re sitting, your eyes squinting slightly when you notice that jungkook on the ground, “wait, that was kinda sick, actually, we should do that again-“”
“aw, gross!” jungkook gets up from the ground and shakes himself off and that’s when you notice crimson smeared across his legs as he hobbles towards your general direction, taehyung trailing behind him, “yuck, there’s dirt and shit in my cuts-“
“oh my god, jungkook!” you slap your laptop shut and set it aside, grabbing your backpack and practically sprinting down the steps, “are you okay?! what the hell happened?!” 
and that’s how you ended up here - patching up your idiot boyfriend with nothing but miffy bandaids because that’s all the store was selling (it was miffy or hello kitty, and you’ve always loved miffy) - and you’ve practically used up the entire pack at this point 
“i just think that you have to think about whether or not an idea sounds stupid before deciding to do it.” you huff, tossing another soiled cotton ball into the bin before peeling open the thin wrapper for the bandaid
“well, how am i supposed to know if an idea is stupid or not?”
“you didn’t think blindfolding yourself and running around a football field was stupid?”
“no, i thought it was an innovative training technique that’s been undiscovered by coaches in the world of football!” jungkook perks up, sticking a finger up into the air before shutting his eyes so that you can tend to the little scratch above his eyebrow 
you settle in between his legs from where he’s sitting up on the counter and he instinctively reaches down to place both his hands a little above your waist before giving you a squeeze, “thank you, by the way.” he says softly, and you can’t help help but smile before leaning forward to press a little kiss to the corner of his mouth 
“you’re welcome. i’m gonna need a new box of miffy bandaids because you literally used up the entire thing.” you can’t help but frown as you place the last one on his brow bone, “on the bright side, you look really cute with miffy bandaids, so i don’t regret giving them all to you. but you seriously have to stop trying to kill yourself during practice.” 
“i’m more of a hello kitty guy, to be so real.” jungkook opens his eyes, leaning down to give you a quick kiss before pulling away, “and you worry too much about me.”
“you worry too little!” 
🎙️ ask y/n what kind of candy is in her first-aid pouch (talk to my characters!) 
📚 why not explore the rest of the library while you're here? (go say hi to yoongi and y/n in la vie en bonsai, they miss you!) 
💫 or perhaps you want something shorter to read? (drabbles and mini series!)
🌟 or something even shorter? (teeny tidbits like this!) 
273 notes · View notes
maxarchive · 1 day ago
Text
Listen to the full interview here.
Now, just as the championship was starting to get to a really tense point around Austin, there was this big controversy about driving ethics between you and Lando. The drivers had a big conversation with the FIA after that race about the guidelines and it felt in some ways that it was a consequence of what had happened in Austin. How did you feel about that? Did you ever feel like they were singling you out?
You know, honestly, I don't, even if they would have done or did, I, first of all, I don't care because I drive to what I think is possible and what is allowed in the rules. And if the rules are written like that, I will use the rules. I'm just not the type of person that I think, if that would have happened to me the other way around, you know. There is then other people commenting on, other drivers commenting on that were not involved in that whatever incident or whatever you call it. I don't think I would have been the person then to complain so hard because I would just think to myself that, okay, if that's the rules, that's how we do it instead of screaming that we need to change the rules. Because the problem is, if you make less rules and then something happens, then they will start screaming for more rules. Now we have the rules, maybe not perfect, but it will never be perfect. Because if we get to a certain rule set, there will be another incident where someone is not happy about and then they start screaming that the rules are not correct again. It's the same in football. If there's a foul and there are some clear rules about certain things, it's not always that the right decision is made on it, or is it a penalty given or not? Or was it offside or not? That's why you can never, at the end of the day, do it right. Do I think that consistency in the penalties can be better? Yes, for sure. But that only comes with, I think, stewards that are paid, you know, professional stewards. Not that I think that the stewards that we have right now, you know, they're doing their very best to what they have, you know, but I do think that, you know, in a sport like this, like you see in other sports as well, that when you have a paid board of stewards, I think it just works way better.
You said something very interesting there about the rules that you were always driving to the rules. And that's the fundamental point. I think no one said in Austin or thought that you'd done anything against the rules. But there was this particular kind of defense, you know, the kind of race to the apex, trying to be ahead and all the rest of it that people are talking about now. Do you think that just taking a step back from that particular incident, do you feel that that's the right way to go racing? Would you choose to do it that way if those weren't the rules? How would you like to do it?
Like I grew up with go-karting, where it's not about who is ahead of the apex or not. I think every driver is anyway a little bit different. I remember from go-karting as well with some, you just knew that if you went around the outside, you could hang it around the outside. And with some others, you couldn't because they would push you off. And I think you need a little bit more freedom on that. Because when... When it's that clear rule that you need to be ahead or alongside fully to the apex, you will create other issues with that, right?
So would you naturally want to give someone room on the outside on the exit if you were racing?
Well, me personally, I don't race like that.
You don't... What, sorry, what do you mean?
Well, it's like when I... So when I race with someone, I would... Well, he will not be able to overtake me around the outside.
Okay. Why?
Because that's how I grew up racing.
Okay. So you always think it's okay to go to the edge of the track and force someone off?
Yes, but I've raced against other people in go-karting that would give me space. You know, it's like, it's just a driver-related thing, that some drivers are just a bit more passive, you know, in racing. And that's just how they are. And some I know that even in F1 I can't hang it around the outside because they will push me off. It's just, it's like a bit more of like a racing, I would say, instinct.
So I think if you were to play the devil's advocate, how would someone ever overtake you? Because you will always go to the inside to defend.
It depends on the track layout. I think the main problem is that when you have so much tarmac on the outside, you, even if you lock up a little bit, you just run a little bit wide. But on old-school tracks, you normally never really have these kind of issues because it just doesn't happen because people are a little bit more tentative on the brakes. Also, the guy that is trying to overtake knows that if he makes a mistake and locks up, he's in the gravel and his race is done. You know, so that's what I think is the problem is the track layout is letting us do these kind of, like, you then have questions with some moves. Where if you go to, like, Suzuka or even Red Bull Ring in turn four, the downhill right-hander, where sometimes, you know, it's very rare that there is any, like, question mark move that has been done there because if you make a mistake and you brake too late, you go off in the gravel and you're penalized anyway. And I think we have to try and go back to these kind of things that when a driver goes off the track, there's a harsher penalty with just natural, like, track limits.
So you would never give someone in the outside room on the exit of the corner if you were racing?
Well, that's just normally the case, yeah.
Yeah, okay, cool.
And, of course, when the track is naturally the limit with the gravel being there, then no one even want to go around the outside because they know that. So you then try to go for a cutback or, you know, set yourself up in a different way.
170 notes · View notes
rokkit-story-time · 18 hours ago
Text
"L-look, I just... I wanted to chill out for a few days, yeah? Cats are a good form for that!"
I nodded slowly as I kept petting. The slow, gentle strokes along his fur seemed to be helping. "And now you've forgotten... how your power works?"
"No!" It was less a shout and more a whine. I decided to assume it was the cat body changing the quality of the voice. "I... I don't have a 'default' or anything, you know? I don't just 'shift back' to my original self, I actively turn *into* it each time. A-and now I'm..." They tuck their nose between their paws. "...I can't picture what I looked like clearly enough to change..."
Oh. "I have some pictures of us from a year or two back. Would that help?"
He looked up at me and blinked, then lowered his head back onto the couch. "Yeah... yeah that should be enough to go off of. Now all the panic feels a little silly..."
I didn't reach for my wallet right away. "I mean, you couldn't have known when I'd come over."
"Yeah, I guess, but even if it was a little uncanny, I could've turned back into something with hands and sent you a message asking..."
"...so why didn't you?" There was something else here. I could feel it. So I started nudging. "And before you say you were panicking too much, you've been silent for *days*. That doesn't seem like a short-term lapse in judgement."
"W-well, I was still enjoying being a cat up until yesterday!" The protest was weak; there *was* something else going on. "A-and..."
"And... you didn't want to change back?" I offered.
"No! M-maybe?" They tensed like they wanted to flee, but slowly relaxed again under my continued reassuring scritches. "I want to change back into a *human* again, b-but..."
I looked at them with a smile and nodded. "But...?"
They looked at me, then shifted to rest their chin on my leg. "...remember last year? At that club event?"
They paused, so I nodded and continued for them. "I wanted a possible hookup and you decided the discount was worth it, so we ditched the faux-het-couple routine by you turning into a girl." I tried to keep any smugness out of my encouraging smile. They were different that night, and no amount of excuses had made me forget just how.
"W-well, I, um... th-that was the first time I'd ever done that." They refused to look at me, but I nodded anyway. "But it... w-wasn't the last? I-I mean, it was the last in... in public..."
They seemed to have trouble continuing, so I offered another nudge. "...but sometimes you'd do it again in private...?"
"...yeah. I... I tried out different looks and body types. A few of them I really liked. And sometimes, I... I caught myself wishing I could wear a look all the time. While going about my life, you know?"
"...why can't you~?"
They raised their head, and even the cat features managed to look utterly incredulous. "What, do you want me to out myself as a shifter!? Or are you suggesting I fake my own death or something?"
I couldn't help but laugh as I shook my head. "Nothing that dramatic! C'mon, you can be subtle. Call up a therapist, talk about your feelings a bit, get a prescription for some new medication..."
"...so like... actually transition...?"
I nodded. "If that's how you feel, then yeah." My smile widened as I scritched under their chin for a moment. "In case it wasn't clear, I'm here for you and will always support you fully. And I say you should do what feels right!"
"M-maybe. But that whole plan feels, I dunno... a little disingenuous?"
"So you can pass better than most and won't actually need any HRT or any surgery. Does that change who you want to be?"
She laid there for a long moment before responding. "...no..."
I nodded, still alternating between head scritches and long pets down her body. "...have a name in mind~?"
"...Coral..."
"Damn, you picked a pretty one~" I flopped back against the couch. "You've really been thinking about this ever since that night at the club, huh?"
"...yeah..." She was silent for a few more moments before speaking up again. "...sorry. I... I should've talked to you about it before now. I kept meaning to! But there was always some excuse I'd give myself, and then I wouldn't be able to speak up, and..."
I just nodded. "I get it. Kind of a shame, though... I could've asked you out waaay sooner."
"You... what!?" Watching the cat body language take over as she suddenly leapt up and backwards made it *really* hard not to laugh, but I held it down.
"Well yeah, remember how I kept saying I wanted to make sure I only left with the cutest girl at the club? Well, the cutest girl at the club that night was *you*. But I couldn't just say, 'hey you should turn yourself into a girl more so we can date' or anything. Glad I didn't too, or I wouldn't get the chance to see what other cute looks you've grown attached to~"
"Y-yeah, I-I guess you're right!" The panic in Coral's voice was similar to when I'd first gotten there, but somehow much more gay this time. "I uhhh, I should probably go change then!"
I patted my pocket as she dashed for the stairs. "Need that picture~?"
She stopped. "...no. Not right now, at least." She looked back at me with what I could only assume was the cat version of an emotional smile. It was *adorable*. "Thank you~"
I just nodded again as she turned and zoomed up the stairs, excited to see what she might look like when she came back down.
Your friend, a shapeshifter (a secret you've kept since childhood) hasn't answered your texts in days, so you head to their home. Upon arriving, you find that they're in the middle of an existential crisis; they can't remember how to turn back into their original, human form.
3K notes · View notes
taojjang · 2 days ago
Text
riize when you're on your period ✮⋆˙
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
pairing: bf!riize x fem!reader, genre: fluff (tiny bit of crack idk), warnings: menstrual cycle, blood, medication
Tumblr media
♡⸝⸝ how he'd spoil you rotten during that time of the month
shotaro . . .
◦ oh how sweet he'd be :(
◦ taro is always the sweetest to you, treating you like a princess every waking moment of your life.
◦ but when you're on your period, he does everything in his power to lift your spirits and make you feel better.
◦ he wouldn't shy away from buying your feminine hygiene products! a real man, we love to see it!
◦ he'd be at your house every day, calling you beforehand to ask if you need him to get something for you.
◦ even if you say no, he'll never arrive empty-handed. he'll bring your favorite ice cream and maybe even a new teddy bear!
★ - "i'm sorry you're having a tough time, honey... is there anything i can do for you?"
eunseok . . .
◦ not a single day goes by where eunseok isn't spoiling you, waiting for your every request
◦ nothing changes during this time of the month; your caring boyfriend still stopping at nothing to make your life as easy as it can be.
◦ the only difference is that he'd never leave your side for even a second.
◦ he'd be sat beside you stroking your hair, occasionally checking to see if you're in pain or need anything from him.
◦ in the morning he'd ask you what you feel like eating so he can plan out today's meals, always ensuring his baby is happy and well-fed </3
◦ once he notices even a small wince from you, he wastes no time, rushing to grab a hot pack and leaving soothing kisses on your forehead.
★ - "i know it hurts, darling, i'm sorry. i'll take care of it, i promise."
sungchan . . .
◦ your cuddle buddy!
◦ whenever it's that time of the month, really all he wants to do is scoop you up in his arms and hug all of the pain away :( ... which conveniently works!
◦ when you're experiencing cramps, sungchan is always beside you, gently rubbing your tummy. he holds you delicately in his arms as if you'd shatter with too rough of a touch.
◦ his large, warm hands work wonders for your minor cramps and he knows that, so he never stays far from you in case you need him.
◦ but when your cramps are intense, sungchan always feels so sad and helpless :( he frantically researches remedies while you curl up in his lap, crying against his chest.
◦ he wipes your tears and kisses their trails, trying his best to soothe you in any way possible.
★ - "i'm so sorry, princess... the medicine should be kicking in any second now. should we try to take a nap?"
wonbin . . .
◦ a clueless cutie (・・ ) ?
◦ he'd be helplessly sitting beside you, too scared to touch you in fears of hurting you even more.
◦ nevertheless, he'd still be layering you with blankets and googling how to help his suffering gf (he's a loser and you love him!)
◦ in the end, he asks you to tell him whatever it is that you need, but all you want is cuddles and snacks :( so ofc he delivers!
◦ he'd order a bunch of your favorite snacks and find a good movie to watch
◦ would put on a comedy but laughing hurts your stomach so you watch a sappy romance instead, aaaand now he's stuck wiping your tears while you ugly cry over some cliche movie...!
★ - "you're such a crybaby. come here, let me kiss you."
seunghan . . .
◦ the way he treats you when you're on your period alone is already grounds for marriage
◦ seunghan would cater to your every need— buying your hygiene products, running errands, completing house chores, shit maybe even doing homework for you
◦ he just can't see his baby in pain :(
◦ the second you're leaning over in pain, he's running over to hug you probably with tears in his eyes
◦ every little flinch and he's asking if you need to go to the hospital
◦ he's the most caring boy in the world and he'd do anything for you <3
★ - "i'm sorry it hurts so much, angel... but i'm so proud of you, you know that?"
sohee . . .
◦ sohee would wear a stoic and confident act, but the poor boy is just a confused, scared, anxious little dude...
◦ he would be less clingy than the other members but would still travel lengths to make you feel better.
◦ sohee would work on lifting your spirits! he'd love to pick up food from your favorite restaurant and eat with you :3
◦ he'd do anything to make you smile— often ordering frozen yogurt at 2am and watching naruto until sunrise
◦ he knows how excruciating your menstrual cycle is, so he does everything in his power to make you happy even if its just for a split second.
◦ he's just your little ball of sunshine <3
★ - "i know it hurts, pretty girl... how about i order froyo? would that take your mind off of it..?"
anton . . .
◦ GOD SAVE THIS POOR BOY
◦ he is just about as emotionally drained as you are...
◦ every time you'd whine in pain, he'd hold you close to him and cry with you, constantly whispering apologies and comforting words.
◦ he goes out to buy your hygiene products but probably ends up calling you to tell him which one to buy... poor boy is super shy but he reminds himself it's for your girlfriend!
◦ he probably asks you questions about your period so he can become more prepared and knowledgeable, but you're not in the mood to talk so you end up cuddling instead (◡﹏◡)
◦ you lie cuddled up against his chest as he strokes your hair with one hand and rests the other on your lower back, soaking in each others' presence.
★ - "you're so admirable, my love. you're doing so well."
Tumblr media
144 notes · View notes
local-lamppost · 1 day ago
Text
Act 3 Thoughts
Watched Wicked, came home, waited 20 minutes, binged Act 3. I do not recommend this lifestyle. Anyway...
I was so satisfied with where we ended up, but I would have also appreciated about 20 minutes to an hour more. It felt like some beats were skipped over, they wanted to get to specific endings and didn't have the time to wrap them up as neatly as I would've liked.
Maddie is a good example. She's a plant for Ambessa, okay but when and why did she become one? She couldn't have been one before Cait being named commander and when we next see her she's pushing for Cait to take power back from Ambessa. Did Ambessa just message her right after Cait and Vi started working together again as like a "the woman you love's actual love is back in the picture, you can either wallow or get revenge with me", but also made a smarmy remark about Cait 'at least being warm' or something. We didn't need to absolve Cait or villainize Maddie for their 'relationship' because they didn't even have a relationship-just a coping mechanism for Cait, similar to Vi's drinking. At best it was all unnecessary and at worst a waste of time.
Away from that, I want to focus on some good.
I am officially a JayVik shipper now. Them disappearing into a void together, encircled with each other, after Viktor spend however long within timelines/multiverses in hopes of finding a Jayce able to bring him back to his humanity? Come on, they needed to kiss. Especially after Jayce and Mel's low key break up. Honestly we were denied the three of them working together, because they would have been unstoppable.
Speaking of Mel, I love her. I love her design, her powers, her matricide, her taking command of Ambessa's armies, etc. I wish we could have seen more of her adapting to her new powers, finding peace with what she now is. There could have been a cool interaction with Viktor over how Arcane power has changed them both for better and worse.
I don't think Mel's story is done. With other characters, I can see them coming in for future story arcs as like, cameos or background details, but if the next LoL story is in Noxus I fully expect Mel to be a major player again.
Back to Jayce. I like Jayce, that could be my Arcane hot take, and I definitely want to write something more in depth on him. On all the characters really. For now, I'll just say that his determination to destroy everything he has built, because the only creation worth saving is his relationship with Viktor is just... glorious.
Viktor was amazing. I love Viktor in the lore, and they took his traits from the lore and amped them up to eleven. His body being destroyed and rebuilt, the process of which has chipped away his humanity and mutilated his dreams. He lives up to his own quote: "In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good. We have to make it right."
Ekko is a character I never realize I miss. That sounds mean, it probably is, but I am never the less so happy to see him every time. It's like finding the missing piece you didn't even know was lost: that is Ekko to me. His mini adventure in the parallel universe was adorable. Us getting to see what could've been alongside learning what matters most to Ekko, him getting a taste of a near perfect life and still choosing to return to his own time. That's why Ekko is the true hero of this story.
In terms of Jinx, I'll just say I'm not a hundred percent sure she's dead. The airship leaving at the end followed by her scribbled sign off, plus not getting a dead body shot. It was definitely left open ended. Her looking to do something good, to not mess up, alongside her fear of not wanting to try again because she is just tired of failure, of being a Jinx, was too real in many ways. I will go in depth on her at a later date.
Caitlyn's arc is going to be argued about, no question. It needed more time (see the start of this long post) to make her point of her anger burning away, of it not being sustainable, hit harder. I would have made her realize what her anger was doing to Vi, have Jinx point out that they really are acting the same in their treatment of Vi, and use the whole Ambessa was literally stoking the fires of her hatred to help fit what time they had left. Honestly just have Cait learn Ambessa was the one behind the memorial attack, that would be a much better way to explain her anger diminishing enough to look beyond her own hurt to realize and take account of her mistakes.
Vi, as usual, needed more screen time. Not necessarily because her story would've been helped by it like in act two, but just because I wanted her to have more time to enjoy her life. I went into act three with the sole hope that Vi would have a nice day, only for her to loose everything again. The only people she has left are Cait and Ekko, and god help anyone who tries something against those too now. Her ending being the chance to finally rest, to lean on someone else, was beautiful. She is my favorite character and please let her have only good things in the future, she was traumatized in almost every scene this season please-
Nobody tell Vi that in a universe where she died young everyone else ended up living. It would destroy her.
Vi and Cait relationship was great. I wouldn't say it was rushed in act three, because it felt like it was where it should be for a final batch of episodes, if that makes sense. It felt like the set up was Cait being genuinely remorseful and Vi just wanting someone in her life who wanted her in return. It helps that they have great chemistry and that when given the chance they fit so neatly together. I think Jinx encouraging Vi to be with Cait is what sold it to me. Jinx realizing how much Vi has given/sacrificed and giving her blessing for her sister to be happy with someone she disapproves of; not to mention Cait pulling the guards from their posts to give Vi the chance to actually meet Jinx in order to have that conversation. All in all, it comes down to Vi's "I don't care" because that's really all there is too it for them. Vi is done being miserable and Cait makes her happy, vice versa. Cait is someone Vi can rely on, Vi is someone Cait can find strength in.
Spitfire round:
Sevika being made a councilor
Every single one of Mel, Cait, and Jayce's designs were 10/10s
Vi not being given an actual uniform, just armor and the gloves
Jinx cutting her hair further to match Vi
Ekko getting his crystal sword/bats
Heimerdinger dying after living a life where he could make his city something to be proud of
I was fully expecting Vander and Silco to kiss in that one shot
Everything with Benzo
Loris' name being said
Vi humming the song and the song being their mother's lullaby
Viktor being held within the Herald
Sky leaving so Viktor was free to bring Jayce to his space mind palace
Caitlyn's rifle never surviving
Fishman McBlue being the only one of Cait's soldiers to stick to his guns and stay loyal
Sevika and Shoola side eyeing each other
Vander and little Vi and Powder with the bunny
The bunny being a passenger on Jinx's balloon
Singed's messed up family getting a happy ending
114 notes · View notes
bloggerspam · 5 hours ago
Text
Steph's new year resolution is to spend actual time with Val.
First step: Val's phone number.
Asking Jason will be a bust. He's Val's boss, a good one, so Steph won't even bother asking when she knows he won't divulge employee information like that.
That leaves asking Val herself, or passing a note along with Jason.
She trusts Jason, she does. He's leagues better than if Steph were to ask Dick, or even Tim.
She'd rather get made fun of, in that loving way Jason does, than be smothered and inundated with questions and screams the way Dick and Tim do.
But Jason is a good boss, and Steph's grown up with too many Bats to know what the normal boundary is between employee and employer.
So, obviously, she stalks Jason at work in her free time to see if Val works any of those shifts to ask her herself.
She hits money on the third day.
"Val!" Steph saunters over with a wide smile. "I haven't seen you since Riddler took you away."
"Hey, Steph." Val looks so cute when she's flustered, "Yeah, sorry about that."
Val's working on a car, in that delicious coverall grease monkey look, doing a simple oil change. Steph perches herself delicately on the side, so as to not be in the way.
"I'm just glad you're okay," Steph pouts, "It's dangerous to go towards the Rogues, you know."
"Oh, well…" Val laughs nervously, smudging more grease when she rubs at the back of her neck "Y'know, Amity Parkers are just built different I guess."
"I have no doubt that you…handled yourself just fine," Steph placates, leaning forward a bit to run a finger down Val's well muscled biceps, "but I would feel so much better if you played by Gotham rules…"
Val does that nervous little laugh again, breathy, and gods does Steph want to ruin her.
"I can try," Val bites her lip, "But with friends like Danny…"
Steph giggles. "He's a trouble magnet huh?"
"You have no idea." Val smiles helplessly, and they get caught like that for a long moment.
Val's eyes skip back and forth between hers, even flicking to Steph's lips for a scant second, making Steph's heart skip a million beats.
But then Val coughs, breaking eye contact to reach under the hood to do…something. Steph's too busy mourning the death of a moment to really figure it out.
But Steph is nothing if not persistent.
"So, hey, speaking of friends…" Steph clears her throat, "You go to Gotham U, right?"
"Yeah," Val confirms, flicking a glance over at her as she shuts the car hood, "Early education major."
Steph pauses. Because what are the chances? "No way."
Val hunches her shoulders up, "I know, doesn't really suit me but—"
"No!" Steph frantically interrupts, "That's not what I meant, it's just, I'm a human development major!"
Val stares at her, uncomprehending, which is fair. Steph smiles helplessly as she explains, "I want to be an special education teacher, for teens with learning disabilities."
Val blinks. "…How have we not seen each other on campus?"
"I have a night job, so I take a lot of my classes online." Steph explains, "The ones I do have to go in person for are late afternoon classes, usually Wednesdays."
"Ah." Val nods in understanding, "I take mostly morning classes, and afternoon shifts here at the shop."
"Like ships in the night," Steph smiles ruefully, "Or bikes in the afternoon, I guess."
Val laughs, voice a yummy timbre that brings a little shiver down her spine. There's a rasp to her, and her accent makes everything sound so much nicer.
"That means this will work out." Steph gets them back on track, feeling all sorts of nervous.
"What will?" Val wipes her hands on a rag, tossing it over her shoulder as she leans on the car next to her.
"I wanted to see if you wanted to study together some time," Steph bats her eyelashes, "With my schedule being the way it is, it's kind of hard for me to make friends…"
"S-sure, yeah, sounds great." Val stutters, patting her pockets for her phone, only to realize she's in her coveralls. "Ah…"
"Just dictate it to me, and I'll text you so you'll have mine." Steph giggles, pulling out her phone and creating the new contact as Val gives her the info.
"And hey, maybe we could spar some too," Steph eyes Val's biceps, remembering the little brawl she and Danny had and licking her lips, "It's one of my new years resolutions to keep fit."
"I'm not an easy opponent y'know." Val smirks, looking Steph up and down and sparking shivers with her gaze.
"Trust me," Steph mutters as she sends of a winky face text, "I know."
(Val, without Steph's knowledge, doesn't realize it's flirting flirting.
She just thinks it's Steph's personality, being flirty with the winky face.
Sam bangs her head on her desk when Val texts her so.)
===
Danny is visiting on Valentines Day, in protest to the holiday itself.
Danny's always kind of hated holidays in general, now that Val thinks about it.
Tucker says it's leftover trauma from the school bullying, Sam says it's because his parents are assholes about them. Val just thinks Danny hates capitalism.
It could be all of the above, honestly.
The point is, it's Valentine's Day and Danny has just texted her that he's on his way to Gotham to hang out with her, and Val's not sure if this means Jay's done something wrong or not.
Val has been talking to her friends on almost a daily basis, but Danny's been tight-lipped about his friendship with Jay.
After Christmas Break, after the phone number exchange, Team "Get that D in Danny" thought it was a done deal.
Jay was a straight forward kind of guy, and Danny's never been shy about flirting.
Surely, something should have happened, right?
But Val wasn't really present when Danny and Sam were sort of dating, and Val was in the relationship with Danny, so she doesn't actually know how Danny is when he's dating someone.
She's been taking her cues from Tucker, who says that Danny isn't really the "my girlfriend/boyfriend" type. Danny's always referred to Sam and Val, in their respective relationships, by their names.
But then again, everyone in Amity Park knew each other, and ghosts hardly ever care about such mortal statuses. (Ignoring Johnny and Kitty, whose whole shtick is their relationship. That's a whole different can of worms.)
The point is, Val is suffering. Team "Get that D in Danny" is suffering.
And she needs to know if she has to beat up her boss for Danny or not.
Jay's been Fort Knox about the whole thing too, and it's getting irritating.
"Danny's coming to pick me up." Val finally says at the end of her shift, glaring up at her boss. "What did you do?"
Jay, wide eyed and covered in grease, drops the washer fluid in his hands on his (thankfully) steel-toed boot.
"Danny's what—" Jay lunges for his jacket, draped over his workstation, frantically pulling up his phone and— "I gotta go."
She then watches her boss, resident Crime Lord, Billionaire baby Jason Peters Todd-Wayne, book it to the back rooms.
What the fuck?
Ten minutes later, Jay comes back out, freshly showered and in clean, fitted clothes. He's even got a red rose from…somewhere.
Val reiterates: What the fuck?
"Danny hates red roses." Val says, confusion laced through her entire fucking being. They look too much like blood blossoms for any of the Amity Parkers to have any sort of affection for the flower. "He doesn't like red flowers in general."
Jay immediately tosses it into a nearby oil catch tray, looking like he might even set it on fire, if he could just find a match…
"Okay, seriously," Val puts her hands on her hips, "What the fuck is going on? Was that an apology rose?"
"What?" Jay whips his head towards her, "No!"
"Gods," Val throws her hands up in exasperation, "Are y'all dating or what? Danny's been weirdly adamant y'all are just hangin' out but I see you in here, moonin' and what not."
Her accent is getting worse in her agitation and she really hates it, which turns into a vicious cycle.
"We're not dating." Jay finally admits, sitting heavily down on one of the stools by his workstation. "But I am wooing him."
There's a long beat of silence.
"Pardon?" Val's voice is flat, disbelieving. "You're what?"
"Wooing." Jason juts his chin out, "We've done a couple of face time hang outs, streamed movies together and stuff. But it just never seemed the right time to ask him for a visit, or for me to go visit him."
"What's that got to do with anything?" Val tries to soften her voice. Red Hood, resident crime lord and bad ass, is a romantic. Huh.
"I wanted to ask him in person." Jay mumbles, "Important stuff's for in person conversations."
"In this day and age?" Val asks unthinkingly. "I doubt Danny would care."
They both know he'd probably say yes.
"Yeah, but Danny's been…he's been looking into schools to transfer to," Jay looks down at his hands, "Didn't want to influence the choices."
Danny had come out to this parents about Phantom just last month. It was a development everyone was not only extremely thankful for, but still getting used to.
The Fentons, as expected, were fully supportive. They turned a dime, burned their research metaphorically and literally to 'start over from an unbigoted perspective.'
Jazz has been thoroughly enjoying the family therapy sessions.
Schedules were created, to lessen Danny's load, and better safety locks were made to mitigate the necessity of those patrols in the first place.
Overall, Danny's been sleeping more, less stressed, and happy as a clam, if a little embarrassed by his parent's smothering love and support.
Val had thought that maybe Jay was a big part of that too, romantically speaking. Clearly, she was only half right.
"Danny loves Gotham." Val starts, carefully picking her words. Because it's true, he loves it more than she does. "He likes how weird and crazy it is, and Gotham U's engineering program is one of the best in the nation."
It would have to be, with how often things need to be reconstructed around here.
"The pizza's great too," Danny's voice suddenly cuts in from behind her, "Not to mention the company."
Val twirls around, hearing the clatter of Jay jumping up suddenly and banging his hip on his worktable with a pained hiss.
"How long have you be standing there?" Jay squeaks as he rubs his hip, face burning.
"Not long, since Val said I love Gotham. Which I do." Danny tilts his head with a confused smile. "Why? Gossiping about me?"
"We were talking about your choices in transfer." Val quickly covers, as much fun as it would be to just call both of them out, Val's not that mean. "Didn't want to accidentally influence the choice or anythin', y'know."
"Last time I checked you were looking into Star City, right?" Jay quickly adds, shooting Val a grateful look.
"Yep." Danny grins, popping the 'p' obnoxiously, "They've got a pretty comprehensive scholarship, but it's about the same as Gotham's, and honestly, Gotham's in my top two choices—"
"Gotham's a top choice?" Jay cuts in, confused but sounding a little…hopeful, "Nobody ever…I mean, even I know Gotham's crazy…"
"Gotham's a lot like Amity Park," Danny shrugs, before looking away with alarmingly red ears, "Just bigger, more goth. Plus, y'know, you and Val are here…not to mention the rogues here are way more fun than Amity's ghostly menagerie…"
"Are you sure you don't mean the vigilantes?" Val smirks, sensing an opportunity. "Or maybe a certain vigilante?"
"Mmm…nope." Danny feigns thinking hard about it. "I definitely meant the rogues."
"Uh huh…" Val drags out, "Nothing at all to do with your third place hall pass pick."
"Hall pass pick?" Hook, line, and sinker. Jay tilts his head. "What's that?"
"It's a list of celebrities monogamous couples will allow their significant other to sleep with and not count as cheating." Val innocently explains, gleefully watching Danny squirm. "It was mostly a joke, but me and Danny had one when we were dating."
"And heroes and vigilantes are basically celebrities," Jay follows the line of thought, before his eyes get a little gleam to them, "Which Bat does Danny have a celeb crush on?"
"No-one!" Danny hastily answers. Val wonders what Jay would do to his siblings if Danny did have a celeb crush on them.
"Red Hood." Val smiles with all her fucking pearly whites. "Danny likes bad boys."
Danny makes a noise like a tea kettle. "Don't judge me!!!"
To Val, Jay looks like he doesn't know whether to be flattered, or concerned.
To Danny, he must look thoroughly confused.
"Listen," Danny tries to explain himself, "Have you seen those thigh holsters???"
Jay chokes. Val laughs her fucking ass off.
(The three of them get pizza afterward.
Val missed her opportunity to leave them to it, and has to sit there and watch Jason stare at Danny making porno noises at how good the pizza is.
She texts Steph about how much she hates Valentine's Day because of it.
Until, of course, Steph joins in and she hates it a little less.)
===
Easter break, and Steph is bored out of her god damn mind.
She texts Cass first, then Babs, but one's in dance practice and the other's working a shift at the library.
Naturally, she texts Val next, sending over a selfie of her pouting and sad, with an appropriately dramatic lovelorn caption.
She gets back a picture of Sam, Tucker, and Danny fighting each other on a couch, controllers in hand with a glow reflecting against their faces in a dark, but massive looking room.
"Back home in the trenches," Steph reads aloud, sighing and lovesick.
They've been texting back and forth for the past month now, and honestly? Steph considers them dating.
The problem is, even when Steph says "it's a date!" Val just…doesn't seem to get it.
Steph would call it a straight girl move, if she didn't know 100% that Val at least thinks Steph's sexy af.
Or, at least, really wants to kiss her, if the way the other girl stares at Steph's lips is anything to go by.
And Val stares a lot.
But she always pulls back with a nervous laugh, as if Steph is the one rejecting her.
It's very frustrating, but Steph has learned that Val doesn't actually have a lot of experience with girls, so she might just be…shy.
But! At least they've been on study dates, and sparring dates, and one time they even got froyo!
Steph's been trying really hard to be patient.
It's not really working.
There's another ding! It's Cass, telling her to come over to Wayne Manor. The Batkids are having a sudden movie marathon.
She has a lot of fun with her family, watching terrible horror movies and throwing popcorn at all the stupid people doing stupid things. She sends Val a selfie of her cuddling up with Cass and Damian, of Dick and Jason dumping buckets of popcorn on each other, of Tim and Duke taking god damn notes.
It's even more fun when Val sends pictures back. Of Sam sitting on Tucker and Danny laughing so hard he's fallen off the sofa. There's a selfie of Val and Sam painting the boy's nails in bright neon green color, and a selfie of the group in matching ghost themed pajamas, what looks like Wallace and Gromit playing on the big screen behind them. A picture where Danny and Tucker are snoring, cuddling each other very intimately, with Sam in the background doing a little peace sign.
Steph's buried under Tim's legs and Dick's arms now, hardly able to send a selfie of her face with the way it's covered in limbs, but she manages it.
Val sends one back, in a darkened room where Sam is watching some movie next to the sleeping boys. Val's sleepy smile and half lidded gaze warms her up from the inside.
It's a great night, all in all.
She dreams of soft kisses, warm cuddles, and B grade horror movie kiss scenes with a smile on her face, she's sure of it.
(Steph wakes up to someone rudely tearing off the blanket she was sharing with Cass and loudly announcing it's breakfast.
She throws a pillow at Damian for it, who scoffs and dodges her 'paltry attempt.' Her head hurts from all the sugar she consumed last night, and there's an ache in her back from sleeping on the floor.
Val sent her a good morning text and rumpled selfie that features a soft smile, and Tucker two steps away from spilling pancakes all over Val.
Steph eats breakfast with such a wide smile, Duke asks if she won the lottery or something.)
===
It's looking to be a very hot summer in Gotham, if April is anything to go by.
Isn't April supposed to be full of showers? They had an abrupt chill last week due to Mr. Freeze, but since then it's been hot and Val is suffering.
But Danny has come 'round to visit, and it gives her the energy she needs to get through the day so she can hang out with them over the weekend. Danny's always run cold, and Val's never been shy of siphoning off that chill in the summertime.
Val didn't have a shift today, so Danny picked her up from school and they've decided that pancakes and waffles are in order.
It's 2pm on a Thursday, but that hardly even matters.
What matters is that Danny is wrong and waffles are clearly more superior than pancakes.
"You can throw pancakes like a frisbee, what are you even saying," Danny rolls his eyes as they cut through an alley to get the Denny's, "Waffles are way too crunchy."
"I want to look inside your head and see what delusion is playing 24/7," Val shoots back, "Why would a food need to be used as a frisbee to be superior, first of all, and second of all, the texture is not crunchy."
"The inside of my head is just like any other human," Danny scoffs, "It's been tested and everything. Plus, if you can't use your food item as a frisbee in order to quell the sausage rebellion, is it even worth having as food?"
Val squints her friend for a moment, even going so far as to pause her walking. Danny, after another moment, stops with her but does not meet her eyes.
She smacks the back of his head.
"Ow! What the fuck Val! Just because I'm right!"
"No joking about tests." Val growls, waiting until Danny shows the appropriate amount of regret, before swiftly getting back on topic, "Besides. Waffles are sturdier, and the shape can still be used as a frisbee against sausage rebellions."
Danny takes a breath for the admonishment, centering himself from bad memories. He thinks on her latter statement, nodding reluctantly. "Textures still shit though."
Val groans, continuing their way through the alley, "The texture is so that syrup has places to be, syrup on pancakes just slides off—"
"Hands up!" Just in front of them, a man is brandishing a knife in one hand, with the other reaching palm up, "Give me your wallets and nobody gets hurt."
Val internally scoffs, making eye contact with a gleeful Danny. He's been involved in more Rogue incidents than Val has, and he doesn't even live here.
"Aw, c'mon man," Danny simpers, hands in his pockets and shoulders scrunching up, "Can't you see we're just poor college students just trying to get to Denny's?"
"And you and your girl can go along your merry way," The mugger rasps, "after you give me your wallets. You can take the date home."
Val and Danny simultaneously make an uck sound.
"Been there," Danny grins, ruefully.
"Done that." Val rolls her eyes.
"Got the scars and everything to prove it!" Danny chirps, showing his lichtenberg scars even though they're irrelevant.
Val smacks him upside the head again, but Danny doesn't even flinch. Stupid halfa-biology.
"Just give me the money!" The mugger loses his patience, pulling out a gun. Ugh.
"And why don't you give me a break," A modulated voice says from above, before something large drops down and breaks the mugger's arm.
"Hah! Break, that's a good one." Danny laughs.
Red Hood freezes, before groaning with that modulated voice. "Nobody tell Nightwing. I'd never live it down."
Val bites her lip, wondering if Nightwing is Dick Grayson, the asshole cop who arrested her and Danny a couple months ago. Dude was not subtle in the interrogation of his sibling's new friends, and kept riffing with Danny using puns.
Val hates the guy on that principle alone, so it won't be hard.
"Lips are sealed, Bo—ahem—ig guy." Val really has to figure out the best time to let her boss know that she knows.
"Thanks for saving us, Red Hood, sir." Danny smiles at Hood, shy-like. "I didn't think we'd see you again after…"
"That thing with Riddler?" Even through the modulator is apparent Hood is smiling. "I thought you were finding trouble on purpose, but maybe trouble just likes to find you?"
Val's gotta hand it to him, Jay's a good actor. But as someone who knows who he is? It's clear that Hood is relishing the attention. Finding out your crime lord persona is a top choice must have outweighed the confusion of a crime lord persona being a top choice.
"Either way, it's no problem. Punks shouldn't be muggin' in my territory anyway." Hood peacocks his way into a casual leaning pose, and it's funny as all hell.
"Oh!" Danny looks around, "I didn't realize we were already in Crime Alley?"
"The one Denny's in Gotham is in Crime Alley," Val sighs, "I told you this."
"I thought we established that I don't listen to you." Danny retorts, "That's why we broke up."
"We broke up because of your clear preference for dick, Danny." Val drawls.
Hood chokes.
"This is bullying," Danny jokes, ears bright red from Val no doubt embarrassing him in front of his favorite vigilante, "And you have no leg to stand on, with the way you were drooling after Kate Winslet."
"Most of your hall pass picks were men," Val reminds him, and because she's nothing if not an opportunist, "Speaking of which—-what's it like to be texting one of them almost every day?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Danny sniffs, trying to pull Val through the alley, "Why do you keep bringing up my hall pass picks anyway?"
"Everyday?" Hood's voice, even modulated, sounds jealous. He's probably wondering if Danny's been texting the other top two choices above him.
"Yeah, everyday." Val confirms, much to Danny's dismay.
"Val!" Danny hisses as Hood leans a little closer. "Shut up."
Danny's probably thinking she might embarrass him by mentioning that Red Hood is Danny's third place pick. If only he knew.
"My boss is his fourth place pick." Val grins, as Danny slumps in relief. If only he knew!
She watches intently as Hood freezes, hand going to a pocket that isn't there, almost like he wants to immediately text someone. He seems to settle for a slow drawl, "S'that so. Small world. You work for a vigilante I know or something?"
Damn good actor, but not subtle enough for someone whose looking. He's definitely warring with a bunch of different emotions, and even through the helmet she can tell.
He wants to know why his civilian identity is fourth, when his crime lord persona is third.
"O-KAY!" Danny yells, pulling her more forcefully, "That's enough of oversharing with a crime lord who doesn't know us and clearly has other things to do. Thank you again Mr. Hood, big fan, love your work, the 8 heads was inspired really—"
Val cackles all the way through the alley, watching as Hood grapples away in a daze.
When they sit down at Denny's, Danny gets a text from Jay that makes him mumble into his menu.
"Why does he want to know my top two hall pass picks? I'm not even in a relationship!"
Val tosses a jam packet at his head.
(Steph texts her afterward, asking about Val's Hall Pass picks.
Val texts her no comment.
Somehow, Jay finds out, which leads to Danny finding out.
Danny texts Steph that Kate Winslet, Amanda Seyfried, and Black Canary were her top 3.
When Steph texts All Blondes, huh? Val lunges at Danny right there in the Denny's.
They get kicked out, and are summarily banned from the establishment.)
===
Gotham is muggy in May.
Steph hates how sticky it makes her skin feel, how lethargic her body gets, and most of all, she hates how her she stupidly made her Spoiler uniform have a lower face mask.
She's definitely going to get pimples, and it's going to suck.
The bright side is that she's best friends with not just one, but two Wayne kids.
This means that she can enjoy the Wayne Manor indoor pool with the other Batkids for most of the summer day until patrol time.
It's good to have connections.
She's relaxing with Babs and Tim on the lounge chairs, and whilst normally she would join in on the watergun fight the other batboys and Cass have going on, she's just too tired.
It's been a long first week of summer, especially with that Mad Hatter case she and Cass broke two days ago.
Mad Hatter cases always gave her the heebie jeebies, considering her own blonde hair and blue eyes.
So: chilling at the pool. Val comes back next week, with a bonus Danny in tow to start the process of finding an apartment for both of them to share, and Steph's not the only one excited about it.
Jason's been over the god damn moon.
Her phone buzzes with two incoming texts, but before Steph can even reach over to grab it, a loud thump! startles all vigilantes to whip up towards the sound.
Jason has tripped over a lounge chair, ass over kettle, groaning.
Amidst the laughter, Steph gets another buzz, so she checks her phone. It's two discord messages from Val.
valerino: Phantoms dog has invaded sams pool valerino: D's really excited about it 🙄
The last text is a photo of Danny, shirtless, getting absolutely slobbered on by a glowing green dog. Holy shit. Wait a second.
stephieeee: uhm???? green dog????? stephieeee: did u send this pic to Jason too? valerino: Yeah, long story short, hes a ghost dog. Hes cool though. And what? No, why? stephieeee: cuz he just ate shit tripping on a lounge chair stephieeee: right after u sent that pic valerino: Lol danny sent a selfie i think. We're taking a break from a water fight tucker started to play with cujo stephieeee: lolllllll stephieeee: that tracks stephieeee: we had a water gun fight too stephieeee: but i sat out with the girlies stephieeee: the heat is just stephieeee: Too Much valerino: Lol danny just showed me the pic he sent. Its a thirst trap, and he didnt even know valerino sent an image
The picture of of a shirtless Danny, with abs, holding up a see through, green dog. His arm muscles glisten in the lighting as he smiles a beaming smile, teeth white and gleaming, with his face smooshed up against the dog's stretchy, pudgy little face. It's adorable and all kind of rippling muscle-y. Boy is lean, mean, and looking good in his NASA swimming trunks, even to Steph.
stephieeee: OMGGGGG stephieeee: hes actually RIPPED??? stephieeee: also i love cujo so much? he's adorable???? valerino: Hes stronger than he looks, remember? lol and yeah, cujos a real sweetheart
Steph honks out a laugh so loud it echoes even amidst the clamour of Jason being chased around for his phone. Babs hums an intrigued note, but Steph simply smiles at her and flaps a hand at where Dick has Jason in a headlock, whilst Damian grabs the phone and attempts to hack into it.
Steph decides to take a picture of the rowdy group, Jason with his really red face, Duke and Harper jeering at the photo with Dick. Damian had gotten bored once he saw it was just a picture from his so-called 'paramour.'
stephieeee: the fam is never letting him live this down stephieeee: plssssss stephieeee: Jason is so down bad its embarrraasssssiinnngggg
Satisfied, Steph decides to get up and grab some of the iced tea Alfred left for them earlier. She's taking a much deserved sip to soothe her throat when she her phone buzzes twice more.
valerino has sent an image valerino: Danny is embarrassed as all hell, his face is SO red!
It's a selfie of Val laughing with her whole body, sort of cut off as Danny scrambles to get a shirt on. He's alarmingly red, looking like he's tripped in his haste to get the Red Hood themed shirt on, but Steph can't focus on that.
She focuses on Val, wet in a bikini top and daisy dukes.
Steph chokes on her tea and falls into the pool, cup and phone and all.
At least, Steph thinks as she recovers from her almost death-by-bikini-pic fall, my phone is bat certified and waterproof.
She takes another quick look at the photo, before she dunks herself in once more, just to cool her flaming cheeks down.
Tim'll fish her out, if only to see what happened.
Until then, the water feels great.
(Val and Danny get a series of photos after, from an unknown number that claims to be Jay's brother Tim.
One of Jay and Steph red faced and commiserating with each other. They're clearly talking about something, hands gesturing at what looks like Jay's phone.
One of Steph in a simple purple bikini emerging from the pool glorious and slicking back her hair out of her face, eyes half open, looking sultry as she catches sight of the camera.
One of a shirtless Jay getting shot by multiple streams of water, one arm up and laughing and smiling, handsome and joyous.
One of Jason, toppled over a lounge chair with his hands covering his clearly red face.
One of Steph with only her eyes above the water, cheeks and neck so red you can still see them even submerged.
Val and Danny practically faint. Sam and Tucker have to write their thank you texts for them.)
===
"I might be dying." Val groans from where she's sprawled on the floor of the new apartment she and Danny are sharing for their duration of Sophomore year.
It's a nice place, for the Narrows. Big living room, two bedrooms, a nice bathroom that heats up in only a couple minutes. The kitchen isn't anything fancy, just a stove top and a microwave, but Val and Danny don't have the capability of cooking up fancy stuff anyway.
Val's stuff was packed up easy, not hard to do when a college dorm room doesn't really allow for a lot of stuff in the first place. Though she did have Tucker bring up Huntress stuff, as well as some of the packed up clothes she didn't get to bring up the first time she moved now that's she's got the room.
Danny doesn't have that many belongings, per say, He's minimalist, in that way.
But he has a lot of stuff for his workshop. Since they don't' have a third bedroom, most the living room's going to be dedicated to it. There's a big rolling table with drawers under it for storage that can be pushed to the side so Val can practice her katas, and an industrial tarp they can throw over it to use it as a dinner table if need be.
Danny, like his parents, likes to spread out whenever he's working on something.
Unlike his parents, however, he's paranoid about contamination, and always puts everything back in its place when he's done.
He's been burned too many times to not be.
Plus, Val can use his stuff to do maintenance on her hoverboard.
They like to be efficient and practical about things.
The point is, she, Danny, Tucker and Sam have spent most of the day lugging up heavy cardboard boxes and furniture that is heavy and sometimes metal.
"I said I might be dying!" Val reiterates into the silence of the now cardboard filled room.
"We heard you to the first time." Sam drawls as she walks into the living room with a cup of water from the kitchen. "I don't even know why you're whining."
"Yeah, Danny did most of the heavy lifting," Tucker chimes in as he trails in behind Sam with a box of pizza. She hands it over to Val as she sits up from her sweaty sprawl.
Val rolls her eyes, because that is inherently untrue. "It's June, it's hot, and most of us did heavy labor."
"No, no. Tucker's got a point," Danny cuts in, lugging the last box of what looks like a bunch of a tools. "I did, in fact, bring up all the furniture, and the bulk of the community stuff."
He sets it down with the rest of his workshop stuff, dusting his hands and adopting a stupid pose where he flexes his arm muscles. Val gulps down her water in disgust.
"And Val and I brought up all the clothes and bedroom stuff," Sam scoffs, "Tuck got a couple boxes of all that electronic crap."
"And none of us have halfa strength to make it easy." Val points a finger threateningly at Danny, who puts his hands up in surrender. "Hard. Labor."
They sit in a circle around the pizza and shoot the shit—making the same old banter that never gets old, making grandiose travel plans that may or may not ever leave the group chat.
About how Sam's set to intern at the Daily Planet, finally about to work with her hero Lois Lane. How she hates how shiny and modern Metropolis is. How Wes has this crazy theory that dorky, clumsy, always going to the bathroom Clark Kent is Superman. How Sam believes him 100%, but won't ever tell him because she thinks it's funny.
How Tuck has this suspicion that the Flash is affiliated with Star Labs, somehow. That the tech in there seems out of this world almost, inter-dimensional in the way ecto-tech can be, but on a different frequency. How his dorm-mate is definitely some kind of meta, maybe even a time traveler, with the way he keeps using words like crash and mode in weird ways. But he's a great roommate, so Tuck minds his business.
And then, of course, the conversation ends up to their love lives.
Sam's got this enby in one of her journalism classes that keeps talking circles around her and Sam's this close to hate fucking them about it.
Tuck's been flirting it up with the girls, per usual, but there's a girl whose been trying real hard to pick up what he's putting down, and he's not actually sure if he wants that.
That conversation goes on a tangent about asexuality and aromanticism, but it'll have to be tabled until after Tucker has time to really…research the idea.
"I'm telling you, Val," Tuck changes the subject, "Steph is definitely into you."
"All the spars? Study dates?" Danny adds in, "Hasn't she been taking you on those ice cream dates too?"
"First of all, it's froyo," Val corrects haughtily, "Second of all that's all friend stuff. I did all that stuff with you guys, and I'll be doing them with you once the new semester starts."
"Third of all," Sam continues, "You have no leg to stand on, Mr. can't play doomed tonight guys," Her impression of Danny is nasally, and horribly wrong, but it's too funny to not laugh at, "I'm gonna watch a movie with Jason on discord!"
"That's—that's different." Danny sputters.
"Dude sends you food on a weekly basis because you said you forget to eat sometimes," Tucker says reluctantly, "And sends you letters."
"Letters???" Sam says indignantly, "You didn't tell me about any letters!"
"Since when has he been sending you letters??" Val asks, grabbing Danny's collar and shaking him when he mumbles and doesn't answer them clearly.
"Since January!" Danny finally yells, grabbing her hands and pulling them off, "They're just, they're not—they're nice! He's being nice. I told him I missed getting letters, and…"
Tucker, Sam and Val all groan in unison.
"He's been wooing you for half a year and you didn't even notice??" Val shrieks, into the ceiling. The ceiling is unsympathetic, but Sam and Tucker are.
"You've basically been dating Steph for half a year and you didn't notice!" Danny's voice is high pitched, his ears are red, and he's screeching with his hands on his face as he falls back and rolls all over the ground.
"You're both useless." Sam intones, "This could be solved by texting them."
"I can't just text her." Val says hotly, at the same time Danny says "Important conversations are not for texts!"
"Gods, you're perfect for him," Val mumbles under her breath, remembering Jay's very same fucking words all those months ago.
"Relationships are all about open communication, y'all." Tucker says in a wise tone.
They all stare at him. He makes a face, shrugging. "Fair enough. Carry on being useless."
"You really think he likes me?" Danny says, in a small voice through his fingers. He's not looking at any of them, and is curled up on the floor. "You think he's been…wooing me?"
"Danny…." Sam shakes her head, reaching over to pat him on the shoulder. "The man has been trying his damnedest to make this whole thing romantic for you, hasn't he?"
"You've been having virtual breakfasts together, haven't you?" Tucker softly adds in, scooching over to pat Danny on the head.
Val rolls herself over to Danny's other side, the three of them surrounding him and patting him in some way. He reaches over, snags on Val's shirt sleeve.
"I'll text him," Danny's voice trembles, "But only if you text Steph."
Val opens her mouth to argue, but shuts it at Danny's pleading eyes. She sighs.
Tucker hands Danny his phone, and they draft about a million texts before they collectively settle. Movie and a dinner, just the two of them. Easy.
"Here goes nothing…" Danny takes a deep breath, before pressing send. He laughs nervously, before straight up chucking his phone at Sam, who catches it.
"I'm going to obsessively check my phone until he answers so let's work on your text instea—" A buzz interrupts him, all four heads swinging towards the phone in Sam's hand.
Her eyes widen, mouth gaping. Danny rolls over, leans to see—
"…Oh." Danny's face crumples. "I guess…I guess that's a no, then."
"Danny…" Tucker reaches for him, but Danny shakes his head and stands up.
"I gotta…I gotta get my room set up. Thanks for all the help guys, I—" He cuts himself off, voice going small and hurt, "I guess he got tired of waiting?"
He bites his lip. Val doesn't know what to say. None of them do.
He goes to his room, and Val never sends that text to Steph.
(Red Hood gets a text message from Danny asking Jason if he'd like to catch a movie together.
There's a follow up text where Danny asks if maybe Jason would like to get dinner afterward too, just the two of them.
Red Hood is in the middle of Nanda Parbat, stealing his stupid brother's no longer missing spleen back from the creep who tried to clone him.
Red Hood has bloody gloves, and has three ninja assassins stalking him.
Red Hood texts back a "can't." but nothing to follow up, not without getting a knife to the neck.
He manages to get back home, toss the spleen back at his brother, and fall into a dead sleep 18 hours later.
When Jason wakes up another 10 hours after that, it's to an abundance of messages from his friends and family. Only one is important.
dannywithawhy: ok.
Jason falls out of bed.)
Mechanic!Val AU, but make it gay and sapphic.
ya'll can thank the HH discord for this one. Specifically the menace known as @clockwayswrites (and @impyssadobsessions for the art that inspired the damn thing)
Dead on Main and with some future Val/Steph >)
also @belfry-ghost did a doodle for this AU and everyone should go love on his art. Val's so unf.
===
Val’s pretty sure her new boss Jay is actually a crime lord.
She’s pretty sure he’s The Crime Lord, actually. She’s like, 98% sure she works for Red Hood now, and she’s low key mad about it. She squints at the man now, with his white streak and almost imperceptible green sheen to his eyes. 
The problem is that Val did perceive it. Because she used to date a guy whose baby blue eyes changed ever so slightly in the same way. Thinking about Danny makes her even madder.
To be clear, she’s not mad about Red Hood himself. 
She’s just mad that, of all the mechanic shops in all of Crime Alley, she just had to work for her ex-boyfriend’s third place Hall Pass pick. It also makes her miss her friends way more, and Val is hardly what one would call a well-adjusted woman, so she’s mad about it.
She huffs as she lifts the hood of the second car she’s working on today. Being a mechanic wasn’t really on the docket for Val’s life goals, nor was being in Gotham, but she got a full ticket ride on Wayne Foundation scholarships, and honestly? 
Gotham is Amity Park Lite: Gargoyles and Furries Edition. 
Between a full ride to Gotham U and being stuck at Elmerton Community College? The choice was easy. 
So here she is, working for the resident Crime Lord in his civvies. 
Jay pays good, teaches her what she needs to know, and bonus: he sometimes helps with her English Literature class. He’s flexible on hours, and she’s even got rudimentary insurance. 
All in All?  It could be worse—she could still be working for Vlad, after all. 
It's the little things.
536 notes · View notes
inkdrinkerworld · 21 hours ago
Text
Migraine
Aaron helps you with your migraine. wc: 532 cw: fluff
part two of this blurb
Tumblr media
Aaron’s immediately perturbed as he passes your office and smells chamomile rather than peppermint coming from your diffuser.
It’s basically Christmas at this point, and given your job you choose to celebrate as early as you can.
It’s not like you’re not allowed to change the scent, it just immediately strikes him as odd because you’d never.
There isn’t any soft hum of music coming from your office either.
Aaron knows something is off but he has case file reports to review and Strauss is on his ass. He’ll check on you before lunch.
Lunch rolls around and you’re still in your office, the door and blinds closed tightly.
Before he can really realise what he’s doing, Aaron knocks on the door and pushes it open.
Your office is shrouded in darkness, the lights off, your screens dim as you sit with shades on.
You’re facing your laptop, but you move slowly; like sticky treacle dripping from a spoon.
“Y/n?” You turn to him, a little frazzled but you hiss all the while.
“Sorry Hotch, I know this might not be work appropriate but I’m working.”
Your words are urgent even if slow, Aaron frowns.
“Migraine?” His words are whispers, soft and sweet.
You hum and feel the vibration course straight through the right side of your head.
Aaron coos at the way you grimace.
“I don’t mean this condescendingly, have you been drinking water?”
You manage a little laugh and Aaron frowns.
He’s sure that has caused the migraine to pulse. “I suffer with them chronically. It’s not every day but it’s most days. Today’s little beast is just worse than I’ve had them in a minute.”
He nods.
“Is there anything I can do?”
You push the sunglasses up your nose. Even with the migraine you’re sure he’d see the way your pupils melt into pools of adoration at his question.
“I don’t think so, my medicine should kick in soon.”
“What about tea?”
You can tell he wants to be useful, especially when your palm cradles your temple as you twist a little more to face him.
“Chamomile, please. Or peppermint.”
Aaron nods, “I’ll be right back.”
He shuts your door so it’s hard to hear him as he moves further into the bullpen.
You make Aaron out just enough;
“Are you sure, Spencer?”
Spencer chuckles, “Yes I’m sure. Cashews, almonds, cantaloupe. You can even try pears.”
“Anderson,” You hear him call and then Aaron mumbles something else.
When he comes to you with a steaming cup of peppermint tea, you note that he also has a plate of all the foods Spencer had mentioned.
“They’re high in magnesium.” Aaron explains carefully, allowing himself a moment to card some hair behind your ear to distract from the blush that blooms under his chin at your coo.
“Thank you Hotch.”
You sound wistful and dreamy, you ignore him and the tender way he strokes your ear a little while more as you take a sip of your tea.
“Let me know if you need to go home. Sleep may be better than any of this.”
You lean into his touch before he pulls away, “You’ve helped plenty already.”
100 notes · View notes
vaguely-concerned · 3 days ago
Text
walking through lucanis' mind prison. the tam lin of it all
#his mind keeps changing forms and you just have to show him you won't let go of him#it doesn't even really matter what you say to him just that you're consistently there to say it. your voice is a comfort. im in pain#I'm having so many feelings about like... rook can't be here. because of all things in the world rook means 'safe'. what if I exploded#what if I just shattered into a thousand pieces and was swept away by the wind actually#'it's better that I stay here than risk losing you' is such pitch perfect trauma logic. freeze logic specifically#on some level he seems to think he keeps rook safe like. existentially. by staying here#it's heartbreaking child magical thinking that makes me wonder like. has he basically been in a place like this inside#ever since his parents died? before that? the ossuary is just new set dressing the underlying logic is OLD. and very very sad to me#'I keep everyone safe by staying here'#(and then the perfect hilarity of having an actual demon be like 'ROOK. YOU TALK TO HIM HE NEVER LISTENS TO ME'#tfw your inner demon gets worried enough to stage an intervention and get you therapy whether you want it or not lmao)#dragon age#dragon age spoilers#dragon age: the veilguard spoilers#dragon age: the veilguard#rook x lucanis#lucanis dellamorte#rookanis#rye staying mostly in gentle professional mode for this one b/c this is literally his training#('I may not be batting a hundred at being a person but I DO know how to deal with fade shenanigans! not to worry I've got you')#except in that last part with the illario mind ghost where he roundaboutly admits 'I need you I don't know how to do this without you'#in rye speak that is very big it's like. third base of his soul or something. we do not ask for things for ourselves in this house#(because we already know we will not receive anyway so that sounds both humiliating and ultimately pointless. no thank you!)#and yet. the things we'll admit for love#the feeling that some of the things varric did for rye immediately post-exile rye is paying forward with lucanis now. don't look at me
35 notes · View notes