#highest compliments robin can give

[witchcraftandburialdirt]

crystal ball for yone, either base or sb verse first impressions on appearance ? :)c

Put a 🔮 to hear what my muse’s first thoughts were about your muse.

Base Verse What an interesting plethora of color...a beautiful headpiece, I think? Well...maybe it isn't...I do sense something ominous lurking beneath it all, I can tell that this person is no longer what they were in life. A distortion, a...revival! Yes...that would put them in a similar position to myself. How quaint. There is also a peculiar ringing coming from the items around his waist as well...something wicked. The bird doesn't seem particularly happy either--it is feasible that this man(?) could harm it. Would that mean he would also wish to harm me? I suppose I will find out in time.

Although...his voice does sound like one to tell stories that I would be eager to hear, rich like honey, crackling like fire.

___________________________________________

Spirit Blossom Verse Oh Spirit of Reflection, you are still in pain, I see...even now, even after your journey, the desire to be with your brother again creeps up when you least expect it. The gentle caress of the wind brings that day up over and over, doesn't it? And how does one approach another with the offer of help in such a situation? What parts of ourselves can we give to pull at until we are but thread to stitch the wounds closed? Would it even be enough? I wish to speak to them but...I cannot, not until they approach me and are ready. I hope, soon, that you will find peace in the tragedies of the past, Spirit.

[autisticrosewilson]

It's not that I hate fanon or that I think fanon is inherently less intelligent or morally wrong, but a LOT of fanon is based in racism, misogyny, and classism that I feel like a lot of you accept without question.

WHY is Duke (Daredevil, son of a god, has never once allowed himself to be defined by anyone's actions but his own) relegated to a background role, only characterized by reacting to the whims of other bats?

Why is Babs - Birds of Prey leader and backbone of the hero society, tells Bruce to fuck off and die 4 times a day and is constantly ruining her relationships by being biased and unhinged - Gotham bound, the mature responsible mom of the group who never argues with Bruce and never gets in trouble?

Why is Dick, both a tactical genius and master manipulator, a himbo only appreciated for his sex appeal? Especially when he is both Romani (group of people demonized and condemned as hypersexual by their nature alone) and an SA victim.

WHY is Damian "feral" and "uncivilized" despite being raised as a literal prince? Half of you treat him like a sociopath with no hope of redemption for an unfunny three second joke and the other half of you go full throttle into Bruce's white savior bullshit so that Damian can be "redeemed". Y'know when you're not villainizing Talia and acting like Dick is his other parent, actually.

WHY is Stephanie - extremely intelligent detective who can't stand Bruce and has a living mother she loves - lumped in as another member of the Batfam, a blonde ditz who only cares about prank wars and emotionally supporting Tim?

WHY is Cass - intelligent, a grown adult, suicidal perfectionist - emotionally intelligent, primarily existing to support the characters around her, immediately accepting of everyone she meets regardless of her own morals?

Why is Bruce the golden standard? Enough so that though everyone in the fandom could agree that he's an emotionally unstable wreck, being considered "the most like him" is seen as a compliment and not the HIGHEST insult? Everyone would agree if I said that Bruce purposely self sabotages his relationship half the time and the other half he simply does things without caring about the emotional impact it will have on people because he has to be the smartest in the room, but if I said that makes him a shit partner and emotionally abusive parent the fandom would bend over backwards to argue with me.

Why is Tim "the best Robin" when Dick Grayson invented the mantle, it is impossible for someone to embody the spirit of Robin better than him because he made it and he created what being Robin means. Maybe Tim is the best in Bruce's eyes, but what Robin means and who has the right to give it over was a significant thing they argued about. Tim the high school drop out, and yet also somehow the smartest? Tim "the most like Bruce" except no he's not, that's Cass. Poor neglected, abused, victimized little Timmy (the rich boy at the elite boarding school with loving albeit busy parents and almost every instance of him being victimized by another character has either been racist bullshit - The Al Ghuls and Rose Wilson- or a complete 180 for the character that made no sense when examined through the lens of prior characterization - Jason for instance.)

Almost every fanon trope that gets passed around like gospel seems to deliberately push POC characters and women into the background and strip them of interesting complex traits and stories, usually for the purpose of fitting them all into bite sized incorrect quote character types and uncomplicated narrative roles that are not only completely divergent from canon, but primarily exist to prop up the two rich white boys.

Also the insistence that Bruce, a 20 year old at the time, should actually be excused for how much he mentally and emotionally fucked Dick up because really they're more like siblings! While deciding that Dick at the same age was actually the perfect candidate to be Damian's new parent/guardian...have you lost the fucking plot you don't even make sense to yourselves.

Okay I lied at the beginning, I do hate fanon. You guys are so uncritical about the media you consume it is BEYOND just letting people enjoy things and have fun. I guess it's one thing if you KNOW this stuff isn't canon and UNDERSTAND why these tropes are problematic and you engage with it as such, it's fine read and write what you want, but just spreading the same nonsense around and parading it around as "better than canon" (version of the character so bland and boring you've somehow made the old white men at DC look like geniuses in the art of representation) is just infuriating.

[differentpostrebel]

Lost and Found: A Pirate’s Promise

Chapter 10: Navigating the Unknown: Destination Punk Hazard 

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 (Here)

AN: Chapter 10 is finally here! Im not gonna lie Im inspired to continue to write more so Chapter 11 might get dropped early today! This is a relatively short chapter. But its needed for the plot. Like always the chapters are all linked! And without further ado, heres chapter 10. 

Y/N is an established pirate and a formidable warrior, with the third highest bounty in the Straw Hat crew. She's not just another member; her strength and skills have earned her a respected spot among the crew.

Sanji, our favorite lovesick cook, falls head over heels for Y/N almost immediately. True to his nature, he tries every trick in the book to catch her attention, from cooking her favorite meals to showering her with compliments. On the other hand, Y/N may have a small crush on Sanji, but she’s cautious and focused on her goals as a pirate.

As the story progresses, that small crush gradually blossoms into something more profound, but their journey together won't be easy. With the chaos of the New World looming, the dangers they face will test their bond and loyalty to each other. Will their love be strong enough to survive the trials ahead, or will the perils of their pirate life tear them apart?

Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster filled with angst, action, and a dash of romance. I'm thrilled to take you on this adventure with Y/N, Sanji, and the rest of the Straw Hat crew!

Word Count: 2.8K

Sanji x Y/N, OP X Reader, Sanji x Reader

Chapter 10: Navigating the Unknown: Destination Punk Hazard 

Our journey to Fishman Island was both rewarding and crucial, as we uncovered key information that will shape our adventure ahead. The island faced a major upheaval as an anti-human faction of fishmen, led by Hordy Jones, ignited a rebellion to stop cooperation between merfolk and humans. Fortunately, Luffy managed to defeat Hordy, and we took down the New Fishman Pirates, restoring peace to the island.

Robin discovered a crucial Poneglyph that revealed the tale of Joy Boy and his ancient promise to the royal family of Fishman Island. It also spoke of Poseidon, an ancient weapon, which turned out to be none other than Princess Shirahoshi herself, possessing the incredible power to command the Sea Kings.

After the dust settled, Luffy offered Jimbei a spot in our crew, but Jimbei declined, explaining his need to first sever ties with the Big Mom. Meanwhile, the rebellion had caused significant damage, including the destruction of the candy factory, which left Fishman Island unable to fulfill its monthly candy quota to Big Mom. In response, Luffy stepped in to protect the island from her wrath. When Big Mom herself made contact, Luffy boldly declared, "I'm ready to kick your ass!" and hung up the transponder snail with confidence. I placed a hand on his shoulder and told him, "This is going to be a good fight, Captain."

After freeing Fishman Island from Hordy’s grip, Neptune and the royal family threw us a grand celebratory banquet. But, I know what some of you are wondering—what about me and Sanji? Well, the truth is, Sanji didn't exactly live up to his promise. Not only did he flirt with almost every mermaid in sight, but he also went as far as turning to stone for the Princess herself!

Sanji was pulling his usual stunts on all the women, completely forgetting the promise he made to me. I had to pull him aside and tell him, "Sanji, it's clear you can't control yourself. Maybe it's better if we just stay friends instead of being in a relationship."

Sanji, of course, wasn't thrilled with that idea. He looked at me, his eyes wide with shock. "But Y/N, I— I can change! Please, just give me another chance."

I sighed, trying to keep my voice calm. "Sanji, it's not about changing who you are. But if you can prove to me that you can control yourself, that you can keep your promises... then maybe, just maybe, I'll give you another chance."

Sanji's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. "You mean it, Y/N? I'll do whatever it takes, I swear."

I nodded, though there was a part of me that remained cautious. "Actions speak louder than words, Sanji. Show me that you can keep your word, and we'll see where things go."

Sanji opened his mouth to say something else but I could tell this decision weighed heavily on him.

Now, as we set sail for Punk Hazard, I find myself sitting with Zoro, sharing some sake and venting about what happened with Sanji.

"I just don’t get it, Zoro," I say, taking a swig from my cup. "He promised, you know? But then he went right back to his old ways like it didn’t mean anything."

Zoro smirks, his eyes sharp as he refills our cups. "That's just how the cook is. Can't keep his nose out of trouble, especially when it comes to women. But if you ask me, you’re better off not getting tangled up in all that."

I nod, appreciating his straightforwardness. "Yeah, maybe you're right. Just feels like a mess, you know?"

Zoro takes a long sip, his gaze shifting to the horizon. "Stick to what matters—fighting and getting stronger. Everything else is just noise. Besides, you deserve someone who won’t make you feel like an idiot, Y/N."

His words hit me harder than I expected, leaving me momentarily speechless. I looked at him, but he just stared ahead, as if what he said was the most obvious thing in the world.

I let his words settle in, the truth of them resonating deeply. Maybe he was right. Maybe I did deserve better—someone who wouldn't make me second-guess myself, someone who wouldn't break promises. I stayed quiet, just letting what Zoro said stay with me as we sailed onward toward whatever challenges awaited us at Punk Hazard.

Just then, I overhear Nami on the other end of the ship, her voice tinged with concern as she talks to Franky. “There’s something seriously wrong about this place. The fish are dead!” she says, her tone rising with alarm. “They’re all bone!”

Brook, ever the optimist, chimes in with his usual humor. “And what’s wrong with that, hmmm?” He laughs, his skeletal form perfectly matching the description. The absurdity of the situation makes me chuckle, and I was about to take another sip of the sake when a distressing sound interrupts us—a cry of someone in distress.

“You guys, check this out!” Luffy’s voice echoes through the hall, filled with curiosity. “Looks like the transponder snail picked up a signal,” says Sanji, who had just walked in. He notices me entering with Zoro beside me and quickly looks away, his earlier bravado deflated.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” Luffy asks the transponder snail, already itching to take action. “Should I pick it up and see if they need help?”

“Wait, Luffy,” Robin interjects, her voice calm but firm. “This is often a trick used by the Navy to lure pirates. Once you pick up, they can pinpoint your signal and launch a surprise attack.”

But, in true Luffy fashion, he doesn’t hesitate. Before anyone can stop him, he picks up the call, leaving all of us stunned. “My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I’m going to be King of the Pirates!” he declares with unwavering determination.

Usopp and Nami immediately smack him on the head, yelling in unison, “Don’t tell them all that!”

The voice on the other end of the transponder snail is weak and filled with desperation. “Someone help! Please, it’s cold! We need Boss! My friends are getting cut down! One after another! The Samurai is going to kill us!”

“Where are you?” Luffy demands, his concern evident as he grips the snail tighter.

“Please, hurry! We’re on the island… Punk Hazard,” the voice continues, before it ends in a chilling scream, followed by the sickening sound of gurgling blood.

The room falls silent as we all process what we just heard. I exchange a glance with Zoro, my heart racing.

Luffy, now hanging up the call, says with a grin, "Hmm, sounds like trouble is brewing out there."

Usopp’s face pales as he waves his hands frantically. "What do you mean, trouble?! He’s dead! That scream... it wasn't acting!"

Robin crosses her arms, her expression calm yet cautious. "Maybe he was acting, and this could be a trap. The Navy isn’t above using desperate measures to catch pirates."

"Whatever it is, it doesn't seem good," I add, glancing at the group. The uneasy atmosphere is palpable as we all look towards the flames rising from the distant island, the seawater connected to an icy landscape. The contrast is eerie, foreboding.

"The guy mentioned Punk Hazard," Franky speaks up, his mechanical eye zooming in on the island. "You think this is the place?"

Robin nods, her gaze fixed on the distant shore. "Most definitely. Those transponder snails have limited range, so it’s likely we’re close."

“Let’s fight through the fire and help him!” Luffy cheers, already fired up for the challenge ahead.

I glance around, seeing the worry etched on everyone’s faces. The unknown is always the scariest part, but Luffy’s infectious energy makes it hard not to feel a bit braver. Despite the fear in the air, Luffy just laughs, confident as ever, as we approach the ominous island of Punk Hazard.

But as we near the island, none of us could have known that another enemy was also making their way to Punk Hazard

Marine G-5: 

“My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I’m going to be King of the Pirates!” “Dont tell him that!” “Were on the island.. Punk Hazard!! We dont have much time left!” 

Tashigi’s eyes widened as she recognized the voice. “That’s Luffy!” she exclaimed, her hand tightening on the hilt of her sword.

“Punk Hazard, huh?” Vice-Admiral Smoker muttered, looking down at his log pose. His face was serious, but there was a flicker of something close to satisfaction in his eyes. “Damn, not the most ideal place, but at least we know where the Straw Hats ended up.”

He paused, thinking back to the recent events. “Makes sense, considering the battle at Fishman Island. But the real question is: did they answer that call for help, or did they move on?”

Tashigi looked up at him, awaiting orders. Smoker’s expression hardened as he made his decision. “Tashigi, set course for Punk Hazard.” 

Smoker turned to his men, his voice booming with authority. “Alright, men! Get ready—we’re heading to Punk Hazard!

Back to the Thousand Sunny: 

Sanji lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly as he addressed the group. "So… how many of us are going to the island? We don’t know what we’re dealing with, so some of us should stay and guard the ship."

Luffy, always eager for adventure, turned to Franky. "Franky, I need the Mini Merry!"

Franky gave a thumbs up, grinning. "Gotcha, Luffy!"

Nami, however, wasn’t having it. "Are you crazy?! You aren’t going alone!"

“I agree with Nami,” you chimed in, giving Luffy a concerned look. “You can’t go by yourself, Luffy.”

Luffy, unbothered, looked around and caught your eye. “You want to come, Y/N? That’s fine with me.”

Before you could answer, Sanji cut in, his tone sharper than usual. "No!" Everyone turned to look at him, surprised by his outburst. He quickly cleared his throat, trying to play it off. "I mean, if we let Captain Belly Warmer over here"—he pointed at Zoro—"go with Luffy, they’d be lost for days."

Zoro shot Sanji a glare. "What did you say, Curly-brow? At least I’m not some lovesick cook who can’t focus when there’s a pretty face around!"

Sanji’s eyebrow twitched in irritation. "Oh yeah? Say that again, Mosshead, and I’ll kick you all the way to the island myself!"

The two of them started bickering, getting right in each other’s faces, neither one willing to back down. It was the usual heated exchange, with insults flying back and forth as if it was a sport.

Nami, rolling her eyes, decided to put an end to the chaos. "I knew it would come to this. Everybody, draw straws!"

With that, she pulled out a bundle of straws, each with a single red line on one of them. Everyone gathered around, drawing their straws one by one. You pulled yours out and looked at it—no red line.

"Man, I really wanted to go too," you pouted, disappointed.

Zoro smirked, leaning back with his arms crossed. "You’re going to miss out on the fun!"

Robin, standing nearby, gave a small, mysterious smile. "This should be fun indeed," she said, her eyes glinting with curiosity and amusement.

Usopp, on the other hand, looked like he was already regretting his luck, holding the straw with the red line. "Why is it always me?!" he groaned, clearly not as excited about the upcoming adventure as the others.

Luffy, completely unfazed by the tension and excitement, just laughed. "Alright, let’s go! Adventure awaits!"

As the Mini Merry was prepared, the crew made their final checks, each one gearing up for whatever awaited them on Punk Hazard. You waved them goodbye, a mix of excitement and concern in your expression. "Good luck out there! And try not to die!"

Nami nodded in agreement, her usual worry showing through. "Yeah, don’t do anything reckless!"

Chopper chimed in, waving both of his tiny hooves. "Be careful! And make sure to come back in one piece!"

Franky, with his usual enthusiasm, gave them a hearty thumbs-up. "You guys got this! Just remember, the Mini Merry is SUPER, so take care of her!"

Brook, ever the optimist, added with a laugh, "Come back alive, everyone! Yohohoho!"

And Sanji, standing beside you, looked back at the departing Mini Merry with a soft smile. "Goodbye, everyone. Stay safe out there!

As the Mini Merry began to disappear into the flames, you could feel the heat intensifying, and your cropped shirt was starting to cling uncomfortably to your skin. Turning to Nami, you asked, "Do you have anything cooler to wear? It’s getting pretty hot out here."

Nami glanced at you with a knowing smirk. "Yes, I do. Come with me!"

Sanji, who had been nearby, looked over with an enthusiastic grin. "Sanji, can you get us something cool to drink?" you requested.

Sanji swooned dramatically. "Of course, ladies! I’ll whip up something refreshing!" He headed toward the kitchen with his usual flair.

Nami led you to her room, where she handed you a light blue mini corset that left little to the imagination. You hesitated for a moment but then put it on, feeling the coolness of the fabric against your skin. You decided to stick with your skirt and ankle boots, opting to create a tight ponytail to keep your hair from sticking to your sweaty neck.

When you and Nami reappeared in the common area, Sanji emerged from the kitchen with a tray of drinks. His eyes widened as he saw you in the new attire, and he stopped mid-sentence. "Ladies, I bring you a nice cool, delicious—" He trailed off, clearly taken aback by your appearance.

Nami chuckled softly beside you. "Looks like Sanji’s lost his words."

Sanji quickly regained his composure, though his cheeks were slightly flushed. "Uh, right, right. Here are the drinks! They should help you cool off."

You took the offered drink, trying to ignore the heat on your cheeks from both the weather and the attention. "Thanks, Sanji. This is just what we needed."

As you and Nami shared a drink with Chopper, the conversation shifted to the unusual clouds in the sky.

"You guys see that?" Nami asked, her gaze fixed upwards.

Chopper squinted. "I don’t see anything."

"Yeah, what about the clouds?" you chimed in, your curiosity piqued. "Something seems off."

Just then, a strange, chemical smell hit you, causing you to wrinkle your nose. "You guys smell that?" you asked, struggling to stay conscious.

"Yeah, it's making me a bit sleepy," Chopper admitted, his voice growing drowsy.

Before you could react further, your vision started to blur, and you felt an overwhelming wave of fatigue. You crumpled to the ground, unable to keep your eyes open. Sanji tried to reach you, but soon he, along with Brook, Franky, Nami, and Chopper, were all succumbing to the same mysterious force.

As darkness closed in, you caught a glimpse of men in suits with hazmat gloves and masks approaching. One of them crouched down beside you and spoke softly, "Master, we found the intruders. We are taking them to the base now."

With those final words echoing in your ears, you felt the last vestiges of consciousness slip away, and the world faded into darkness.

.

.

.

.

We have now entered Punk Hazard!!! Sanji and Y/N decided to not pursue anything after Fishman island. But don't you guys worry our favorite lovesick cook will redeem himself! I have faith! Gotta trust the process! But the upcoming chapters will be cooking! Once we hit Whole Cake Island along with Wano!! Ohh the plans that I have! But for now Sanji has to prove himself! And Zoro coming in with advice like that (Hmmm wonder why?! heheheh) I'm actually going to start on chapter 11 tonight because I'm on a roll with these chapters. Who knows there might be a surprise drop tonight also… Thank you guys for following along! Along with sharing, liking and interacting! I hope you guys are enjoying it as much as I love writing it!. The next chapter tho (we have a few surprise guests) ;) again all is fair in love and war…

[whilereadingandwalking]

Babel by R.F. Kuang is an extraordinary book that will likely haunt me for a satisfying amount of time. When his family dies of disease in Canton, Robin Swift is brought to England by his benefactor, Professor Lovell. He's promised that if he studies hard and succeeds at the illustrious Babel, he can survive, belong, and thrive. But once at Babel, despite adoring the place, he's exposed to its truths—a world of microaggression, racism, sexism, and elitism, a university that is also a business. The silver-working done at Babel runs the empire—an empire that is colonizing and exploiting "lesser" cultures around the world. When the Hermes Society gets in touch—a radical group trying to break Babel and undermine its influence—he begins to find himself torn between the life he was promised and a need to fight against the underpinnings of empire, as the threat of a war over opium rises on the horizon. It is an excellent book about elitism and higher education. If Kuang didn't so perfectly capture the joys, the toil, and the friendships formed by these kinds of campuses, by the discoveries and hard work of academia, she wouldn't be able to expose its underlying horrors and lay bare its issues: the way the life of the mind risks creating a bubble through which students and academics fail to see the world around them, fail to see the way that intellectual thought has real-world consequences. A bubble that fosters an arrogance and righteousness that can break paths to solidarity with labor, human rights, and more. Kuang's magic system of silver-working is brilliant and absolutely fascinating, rooted in the idea of untranslatability. To keep their silver-work innovating, to maintain empire, Babel needs foreign language—and it also needs it to stay foreign, or the magic will suffer. Their technology depends on enforced scarcity and a system in which only the privileged "exceptional" foreigners can succeed, and then only within the empire's own system. How long can you avoid the things that you'd rather leave unsaid? That you'd prefer not to see? Is it so wrong to not challenge the institutions around you because you want to survive? And who has the privilege of maintaining the fantasy of Babel—of living in it without double consciousness pulling them apart at the seams? It was hard to put this one down. It's a slow build, so it might not be everyone's cup of tea. But the combination of dark academia, historical fiction, and fantasy was compelling. I felt a need to explain the magical system to my partner because it was so intricately original and fascinating. The questions it asks about successful protest and revolution are challenging and real. The small jokes—periodic roasting of Percy Shelley in the footnotes, for example, or poking fun at colonizers' often ridiculous gaps in knowledge—were fun. Most of all, the memorable characters and friendships carried the text forward. It's a rare book that I feel is allowed its 545 pages to get the job done, which is one of the highest compliments I can give.

I need to add here a response to some white reviewers have been angry at Letty's portrayal. (Minor spoilers ahead for those concerned.)

I found Letty extremely realistic and complex. She is a white British woman who has fought to be at Babel and who doesn't understand the stakes, who feels attacked when the empire is challenged because it means first acknowledging her own privilege, something that's difficult for her to do when she's always felt discriminated against as a woman, and second, disavowing a world she's believed in and wanted to be a part of all her life. She is often naive when it comes to the racism her fellow students encounter, and about what it will take to forge change.

I daresay we all know several Letty's, white liberals who are all about change until the moment protests actually get disruptive to their own day-to-day. I actually found her portrayal very empathetic, as Kuang picks apart Letty's 'origin story' the same as her fellow students. Letty is defensive of her friends and wants, always, to understand. It's clear that she tries, often, even if things don't seem to get through to her. She's willing to stand by her friends—it's just that increasingly, that solidarity grates against her dreams of her future and her concept of her own survival.

For those arguing that all white characters in this book were villainized, without giving outright spoilers, there are actually white characters within the Hermes Society as well as a white character who is integral to the climax of the novel, so I easily dismiss the idea that all white people are somehow automatically villains.

Content warnings for death, physical and emotional abuse, Sinophobia/xenophobia/racism, racist language and violence, classism, suicidal ideation/suicide, body horror, and torture.

[mutable-manifestation]

The premise, to me, screams "Dani was his first go at making the clone a baby to start with, and seeing baby Dani hit the paternal instincts (and maybe even Family Obsession) so hard it jumpstarted his redemption arc.

Just a few weeks of caring for Dani in has him apologizing to Danny and asking to start over - something Danny reluctantly grants. Alongside a laundry list of demands - like regular updates about Dani & how she's doing & milestones and stuff. Because like. It's his clone actually, thanks very much. A little baby clone twin sister, separated by years.

Vlad never moves to Amity Park, preferring to keep a healthy headstart distance between himself and Jack and Maddie. Physically at least.

Now that he has a half-ghost child, he actually puts some energy into dulling their crazy, rather than egging them on in attempt to one-up Danny by making them inconvenience him for whatever reason.

He has to be subtle, of course, expressing an interest in getting Involved in paranormal studies again.

Of course, it doesn't even take much effort to be subtle. He just has to push for actual science. Like. "Perhaps it would be best to refocus efforts on observational study given the difficulty of catching specimens?"

Then it's just a matter of going over the data and pointing out all the ways in which it seems that dead people really are still just people.

Vlad's a convincing guy when he's not being unbearable, and with Dani dulling the edges of his loneliness his compliments to Maddie are much rarer and tend to be far less creepy.

He's even been nice to Jack! Without visibly gritting his teeth and relying on the man's obliviousness to carry them through.

So things are going well.

Except that Dani keeps trying to destabilize.

It is by the grace of duplicates alone that Vlad gets any sleep - it's not that her episodes are frequent but they're irregular. Vlad won't be able to rest if she's unwatched until he manages to put a stop to the issue.

He moves to one of his hotels in Gotham the day she first destabilizes - it's the city with second-highest level of ambient ecto after Amity Park, which should help Dani and allow him to keep his "just-in-case" head start for running from Jack and Maddie.

Thankfully it's not a month after Dani's creation that Danny meets Frostbite, and the yeti agreed to take a look at her as soon as he can bring her (and there might've been some Big Emotions from the yetis about "something-something-mirror of the Great One" but Danny is Not Mentioning That)

So now Vlad finds himself, 2 hours before the planned visit at the Far Frozen, standing beside Daniel and staring at an empty crib.

"Uh, maybe one of your duplicates went to give her a bottle?"

"Daniel," Vlad begins, voice deadly calm. "I only went to lock everything up. I was gone for 2 minutes. There are no duplicates."

~~~

Bruce and Damian are in the batmobile heading back to the batcave, baby held carefully in Damian's lap, the rest of the family teasing him about inheriting Bruce's bad habits, when, with a crackle of harsh static, every electronic device in Gotham - including their secure, isolated comms channels - lights up with the face and/or voice of Vlad Masters.

"Hello, citizens of Gotham, my name is Vlad Masters and I would like to start off by apologizing for interrupting your evening, to whatever extent the interruption may take. You see, I have a message for Batman and Robin."

The sun has long since set, but the sky brightens considerably as almost everyone in the city wakes up, flicking on lights and either anxiously wondering what new disaster was about to go down or exasperatedly unplugging devices and removing batteries.

For their part, Batman and Robin sit in silence, destination unchanged but listening carefully in the off-chance of a confession - or any other information they can work with to learn yet more. Instead-

"While you managed to loop quite a few cameras, you did not get them all. It was incredibly easy to uncover who it was that Stole My Daughter!" On a passing screen, they could see the way his face, as well as his voice, transformed into a snarl at the last bit.

The man had surprisingly long canines, and the various bats quickly added "Vampire" and "Meta" to their mental roulette wheels of "what could be the deal with Vlad Masters."

Another screen further ahead showed how he forcibly smoothed his expression into a mere icy scowl.

"It has been precisely 15 minutes since you first broke into my home, so I will give you 15 more - exactly 15 more - to return her to me."

And then he steps back, and a glowing meta in a black-and-white hazmat suit appears out of thin air to float beside him, picking up seamlessly where he'd left off.

"Or else the GIW will get a long, hard look at what their lives would be like if I really was a menace to them."

His Lazarus-green eyes go brighter, and he raises a Lazarus-green-glowing hand to point at the camera. Then there is a flash, and the broadcast stops.

# Dcu x Dp 193

Batman and Robin had broken into Vlad Masters Hotel because they found something that was extremely similar to Lazarus water as Damian looks around he ends up in the bed room where he finds a crib that has a sleeping baby in it underneath the crib he finds injections filled with Lazarus water and comes to the conclusion that he is experimenting on this baby. Damian decides that he needs to take her when he leave.

After creating Dani Vlads decided not to age her up and raise her himself. Vlad is using ecto injection keep her stable until he find a permanent solution.

[fandomwriterstuff]

To be the object of one’s affection

Steve harrington x fem!reader

2k words

fluff all fluff

Part 2 of to love and be loved

There’s nothing sweeter than my baby

I’d never want once from the cherry tree

Cause my baby’s sweet as can be

She give me toothaches just from kissing me

Steve wondered what got him through the day before he met you. It wasn’t even Friday yet and every day you came in to chat with him. Every day your presence, or just the mere thought of you, helped him get through his work with a smile on his face.

When he woke up and thought about how he was a deadbeat former popular kid with a shitty part time job, he thought about how he wouldn’t have had a chance with you otherwise. He thought about your sweet smiles directed only at him, your scent wafting through the stale air of Family Video, your worn sneakers slapping on the ground (a sound he’d memorized at this point). Everything about you helped get him through the day.

Especially when his former high school friends came through to get movies and he had to keep up a stilted conversation with them. He knew they were talking behind his back and he didn’t want to care. He didn’t want it to affect him. But then again… maybe he didn’t deserve the chance you were giving him. His thoughts turned sour and dark. Maybe you were wrong to like him, maybe he wasn’t worth it.

But then you would walk in (finally Friday, and he had the early shift), and you would smile that pretty smile at him. He was resting his chin in his hand when you walked in and he sighed at the paperwork he was looking at before he heard the telltale sound of your shoes coming up to the counter.

“Hey, handsome,” your voice was soft, more timid than usual, and Steve looked up to see you. He was struck, he always was when he saw you. Your hair was perfect, not a stray piece out of place even in the summer humidity. Your clothes perfectly complimented your complexion and your eyes glittered like stars on a cloudless night. The sight of you nearly brought him to his knees, and he thought to himself: how have I attracted the attention of this goddess?

“Hey pretty girl,” Steve moved away from his paperwork to lean his elbows on the counter and bring himself closer to you. You mirrored him, elbows leaning on the counter and noses only a few inches apart. “What brings you into Family Video today?” He asked, gazing over at you with nothing but affection in his eyes.

“Just came to see you,” you breathed the words and his brittle heart nearly melted at the thought that you’d come to see him every day this week. “And make sure we’re still on for tonight.”

“Definitely,” Steve murmured, fingers itching to grasp yours. They were only a few centimeters away. He indulged himself a little, letting his thumb brush over your knuckles before pulling away to stand at his full height. “I would never miss out on a date with a girl as pretty and kind as you,” you flushed under his attention, eyelashes kissing your cheeks as you looked down, and he felt a soft sort of pride. He wanted to make you feel wanted, to tell you how pretty and smart and kind you were. He wanted you to know he held you in the highest possible regard.

“Then I’ll see you later,” you beamed at him and blew him a kiss. Before you turned around he mimed catching it and tucking it into his pocket for later. He was rewarded with your giggles and a little wave before you left him alone again.

“That was adorable. I want to throw up,” Robin fake gagged as she walked through the door for the afternoon shift.

Steve scoffed and stuck his tongue out at his best friend before going back to the paperwork in front of him.

“You’re just jealous because I have a date and you’re still pining,” he teased and Robin whacked him on the arm with a tape.

“Rude.” She was only answered with Steve’s laughs, nothing could ruin this day for him.

When he picked you up, you’d changed from before and this time you had a shiny lipgloss on. The night was warm but he knew it would get cool later, which was why he was wearing a light jacket (to give it to you later when the night air chilled your skin).

“You look beautiful,” Steve was trying to ignore his nerves, but once you were both in the car and he was sitting next to the most beautiful creature on the earth… well he couldn’t be blamed for feeling nervous. You were just so good.

“Thank you, Steve,” you ran your hands down your skirt-clad thighs and knotted your fingers together. In an instant he realized that maybe you were just as nervous as him. “You look as handsome as ever,” your words were quiet and Steve smiled over at you before pulling out and making his way to the ice cream parlour.

He let you pick the music from his collection of tapes and (though his heart was pounding against his rib cage) he reached over with his free hand to link his fingers with yours. It had been quite some time since Steve held hands with a girl and his heart was warmed by the feeling of you squeezing his hand in excitement when you arrived.

You got the same thing as him: vanilla soft serve with rainbow sprinkles, claiming you had to try his favorite in order to see if it was really better than movies.

“Movie starts at dusk, maybe we should head over?” Steve wondered aloud, licking his ice cream thoughtfully as the two of you sat across from each other on one of those shitty wooden bench tables.

“You won’t mind eating ice cream in your car?” You asked, and he shook his head.

“I wouldn’t want to miss the beginning of the movie,” he smiled and nodded towards his car. “Come on, I have napkins in the glove compartment, just in case.”

You smiled and bounced over to his car, the whole ride very carefully eating your ice cream and trying not to drip it anywhere. It was endearing, Steve thought as he ate his one-handed while driving.

“I love Indiana Jones,” you admitted once you’d parked and Steve had set a little blanket on the grass and the two of you were seated shoulder to shoulder. Were it colder, the two of you would have stayed in the car but without the center console in the way, Steve could be as close as he wanted. That meant he could brush his fingers down your arm and sit comfortably with his arm around your waist.

“I’ve only seen the first one,” Steve spoke quietly, not wanting to be louder than the movie audio. You gasped dramatically, and Steve chuckled at your antics.

“You’re going to love Temple of Doom. It’s a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. And I hear they’re going to film a third!” You were so excited that Steve couldn’t help but feel the same. He did really enjoy the adventures of Indiana Jones, and the action and adventure were tempered by romance and history. A great combo for a date.

When the movie started you scooted closer to him and rested your head on his shoulder, though Steve’s heart could barely take it. It was rabbit-fast as the heat of your body mixed with his, your perfume filling his nose. The fabric of your shirt was soft under his fingers, and Steve absentmindedly drew patterns over it as the movie played on.

His time to shine came when the intermission between movies started and you excused yourself to use the restroom. He sipped on the soda you’d been sharing, and when you came back there was a slight breeze.

Sitting back down beside Steve, you rubbed your hands up and down your goosebumped arms.

“Probably should have planned for the weather, huh?” You asked with a self-deprecating smile.

“Here,” Steve shrugged out of his now-warm jacket and helped you slide your arms into the sleeves. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt underneath so he wouldn’t be cold either. “Better?” He asked, and you got caught staring into his eyes, pleased with the soft adoration you saw there.

“Much,” you snuggled into the warmth, inhaling the scent of him and tucking yourself back into his side. It would be a few minutes until the second film started and you filled it with small talk, asking Steve about his friends and work and what he’d been up to since high school other than scooping ice cream and selling movies. Steve answered each of your questions, full of wonder at the fact that you seemed to actually care about what he was saying.

The arm that was wrapped around your shoulders reached up to brush a strand of hair behind your ear and Steve’s heart stuttered when you looked up at him, the moonlight illuminating your glowing skin.

“Steve, are you going to kiss me, or not?” You asked, trying to be mischievous, but the words came out breathy and soft.

“Only if you want me to,” he leaned in, nose barely brushing against yours and fingers cupping your jaw, the gentle pressure making your eyes flutter shut.

“I would like that,” you whispered and without any more hesitation, Steve’s lips were on yours. He was a gentle and giving kisser, you thought, though not at all tentative. He knew what he was doing. In the minutes that passed, with the cover of his car protecting you from prying eyes, Steve kissed you senseless. He was a fast learner and picked up on what you liked most and what had your lips parting and cheeks reddening. He twirled a strand of your hair around his finger as he leaned back and smiled at you. You were slow to open your eyes, having just been on the receiving end of Steve’s skillful kisses and gentle hands.

“Wow,” you breathed once you’d blinked a few times and caught your breath.

“I could kiss you all day,” Steve murmured with heavy-lidded eyes. He brushed his thumb over the curve of your jaw and got lost in your eyes.

“I would let you,” you replied, timid but happy. “But you have to pay attention to Temple of Doom since you’ve never seen it,” you giggled and Steve pouted.

“But we’ve just kissed for the first time and it was magical and I want to do it some more,” he pleaded with soft eyes, but you only smiled and tucked yourself back into his side.

“The movie is starting, Steve. Better pay attention. There will be a quiz,” you joked and he chuckled. Though you quieted when he wrapped his arm around you again and pressed a kiss to the side of your head. You were a little shocked but very pleased with how touchy and sweet Steve was, and couldn’t have imagined your first date going any better.

Steve’s heart finally stopped pounding and he relaxed a few minutes into the second movie, finding himself engaged and interested in what was happening on the screen. Though part of his attention was always on you: fingers drawing shapes on your waist or pressing kisses to the side of your head or squeezing you when something scary or gross happened on screen.

“Steve?” Your voice was soft as the two of you packed up and you fell into the passenger seat with a yawn.

He hummed a response as he buckled up and looked over at you.

Your eyes were a little glazed over with fatigue but you had a happy curve to your lips that hold him you’d enjoyed his company.

“I’d like to go out with you again,” you reached over to hold his hand and smiled up at him. And honestly how was he supposed to resist falling for you when you looked so angelic?

“I would love to take you out again,” he replied, excited at the prospect of having someone caring and thoughtful in his life. Someone who listened to him. Someone who respected him. Someone like you.

[softsnzstuff]

Omg that post about the matching sweaters and matching colds with them!!! Imagine the young adults throwing an ugly sweater holiday party and Steve and Eddie both go even tho they’ve got head colds. Sure they’d probably feel better if they spent the day in bed, but they’re not too bad that they can’t see their friends (though they’ll likely fuss over each other a little bit the whole time)

I am definitely feeling the christmassy mood tonight and I loved this idea sooooo much. Please enjoy!!! 🤍KB

*****

Robin ran to open the door as soon as she heard the knock. The bells on her sweater jingled loudly with every step. She swung open the door to reheat Steve and Eddie. Steve had a sweater with Jesus in a Baby Bjorn, and Eddie was dressed in all white AS Jesus, with a birthday party hat on.

“Now the-”

“HAESSSH!”

“Now the party can start.” Eddie finished, patting Steve on the shoulder as he sniffled. “Buckley, your sweater is hideous, and that is the highest compliment I can bestow upon you.”

She chuckled as Eddie let himself in, sneaking past her to go find Nancy and the snacks.

“Bless you!” Robin chimed at Steve, ushering him in. “You okay?”

Steve coughed lightly against his sleeve, nodding towards Eddie. “Yeah, snfsnff Eddie just gave me his cold.”

“You two are so predictable.”

***

As the night went on, Steve found that he had lost Eddie somewhere. When he went back inside, he wandered towards the kitchen to find that Eddie had already busted into the spiked peppermint drink Nancy made. Cup in one hand, he reached out for his partner.

“Mmm Steve, C’mere you gotta try this.”

Steve raised an eyebrow, teasing, “Last time I trusted those words you got me sick.”

Eddie blushed, feeling guilty. “Sorry. Hope you don’t feel too bad.”

“I’m fine.” Steve countered, “How are you feeling?”

Steve wasn’t buying Eddie’s whole ‘I’m fine’ act in the slightest. They were both wary about the ugly sweater party, but they also both really wanted to go. Steve reached out to try and touch Eddie’s forehead but the older of the two slapped the hand away.

“Stop it, I’m hih fine!” Eddie turned around, buckling at the waist, “h’eTCHew! iiKSHi’yue! EKSHuhew!”

“Fine huh?” Steve asked again, hands on his hips.

“Oh shut up, Rudolph.” Eddie sniffled against his wrist as Nancy walked by again. “Sorry Nance, I think Steve and I are gonna head home.”

“Aw that’s too bad! We’re just about to do white elephant.” She exclaimed.

“Yeah sorry,” Steve added, “I think this cold has finally got the better of us.”

Nancy nodded, giving them both a hug before they headed out to find Robin and say goodbye.

They’d only lasted a few hours at the party, but all either of them really wanted was to be back in bed.

[lady-literature]

Teen Titans

i had no ideas for Texting yesterday so i made today’s prompt longer instead

@maribatmarch-2k21​​ | find more here

She and Adrien are fourteen years old when Master Fu sends them to join the Teen Titans.

There’s precious little for them back in Paris. Only good friends whose paths through life have deviated from their own. She and Adrien keep in touch with their old team, but it’s not the same as having them at their side.

Marinette misses them like an ache.

But Beast Boy was persistent and Starfire was friendly and Robin was so similar to her it’s like looking in a mirror sometimes—it wasn’t long at all before the Titans started to feel like a family, like something that could be called home. The Titans were the brothers and sisters of her heart just as much as they were in arms.

But then, a little over a year after they've settled in, Red X shows up and Marinette is suddenly reminded of all the times Alya had complained about her many siblings.

“You know,” Chat says to the Titans at large, “this is the fourth run-in with Red X in a row, that he’s hit on Ladybug.”

Ladybug’s face is already in her hands. “Oh, Kwami. Not this again.”

“I’m just saying-”

“But what if you didn’t?” she interrupts. “What if we just didn’t do that?”

“-that Red X is definitely crushing on you!”

“You gotta admit, Spots.” Beast Boy slings an arm around Chat’s shoulders, a matching expression of glee blooming across his face. “He does seem to have a soft spot for you. I can practically see the heart eyes he’s making through that mask.”

“Absolutely not,” she insists. “You stop this right now, Red X has not and will not ever ‘make heart eyes’ at me.”

Starfire tilts her head, finger at her chin as she thinks. “But he flirts with you an awful lot, does he not? He just now called you ‘bewitching’ and ‘fiery’, both of which are compliments, yes?”

“Don’t forget all the poetry her recites!” Chat adds.

Starfire nods, even though Ladybug knows she doesn’t quite understand Earth poetry nor its connotations. “So does that not mean he likes you in the romantic way?”

“No, it doesn’t,” Ladybug says the same time Chat and Beast Boy chorus, “Yes!”

Starfire blinks. “I am confused.”

“Red X is hitting on Ladybug,” Cyborg leans over to explain, “And she doesn’t want to admit she likes it because he’s technically a villain.”

The sound she makes is distinctly inhuman. Had it been anyone but the Titans next to her, she’s sure it would’ve sent them running. But it was the Titans, so they only find her distress amusing.

Even Raven has the ghost of a smile hovering at her lips, which is practically her equivalent of the manic grin Chat and Beast Boy are sporting.

“Are we talking about the same person?” she exclaims, arms flung out like she’s expecting an answer from the universe itself. “The thief who’s put our lives in danger multiple times? Whose morals are questionable at best and destructively self-serving at worst?”

“We never said your taste in men was good, LB,” Raven quips flatly.

“Damn,” Beast Boy exclaims, drawing out the word to several syllables and extending his hand for a high-five—which Raven ignores. He shrugs and high-fives Chat instead. “She’s right though.”

“I do not like him,” she all but growls at her soon-to-be ex-friends.

“I think the lady doth protest too much,” Chat stage whispers to Beast Boy who nods sagely.

She turns to Robin, who’s been silent thus far and has… complex feelings about Red X, both from his own time in the suit and its new owner. If anyone was going to be on her side, it would be him. Or, if not her side, he at least wouldn’t tease her about fictional flirtations.

She gives him the most pitiful look she can manage, begging him to take mercy on her.

“Well,” he starts, “you wouldn’t be the first hero I know to fall for a thief.”

Her expression abruptly sours. If looks could kill, Robin would be dead ten times over with each way more brutal than the last.

“I hate all of you,” she says decisively, shrugging Chat off with ease since he’s too busy laughing to resist her properly. “You guys are the worst.”

“Nooo!” he yells after her through his giggling, “Bugaboo, come back!”

“Don’t leave us for Red X!” Beast Boy shouts dramatically, “Please, we’ll treat you better, we promise!”

She flips them off over her shoulder and promises to herself that she’ll never complain about Alya’s grossing anymore when they facetime. Siblings are the worst.

(She also, unfortunately, wouldn’t trade them for the world.)

***

BONUS:

Marinette finds flowers on her desk every Friday. Giant bouquets of red and black and white, signed only with a simple ‘X’ as if she hadn’t already known who it was from.

Logically, she knows this is a problem. It means Red X has a way past the Tower’s security system, that there’s a hole in their security and it’s being exploited on a regular basis which is dangerous-

But today she finds camellia blossoms and tulips by her window, Tikki already nuzzling at the largest bloom, and Marinette is not worried or scared. Red X can get in whenever he wants, has access to their home at all times, and instead of attacking or stealing something important, he leaves her flowers.

(She’s checked. Thoroughly. Multiple times.)

Perhaps she should tell her teammates, but she knows how they would act, what they would say. She has no desire to deal with their teasing and thinly veiled insinuations. They’d be unbearable if they knew Red X was doing something so conventionally romantic—and worse still if they knew how long she’d been hiding it.

If they’re going to overreact no matter what, it won’t hurt to keep it a secret for just a little longer, would it?

Marinette raises a camellia blossom to her nose and sighs.

Later, she thinks. I’ll tell them later.

***

BONUS BONUS:

It’s unfortunate Marinette had forgotten that not all things worth being stolen can be bought or sold.

Red X is a thief of the highest caliber and just because he hasn’t stolen something yet, does not mean he isn’t trying to. He is indeed seeking to steal something from the Titans, but it is not weapons or jewelry he’s after. Rather, the great Red X, has his sights on something far more precious.

He is seeking to steal a heart.

(It’s only fair, he thinks, considering she stole his first.)

[do-angels-dream-of-starry-seas]

ANOTHER EPISODE IDEA FELLAS!!!!

So the Revenge docks in the Republic of Pirates, stocking up and getting the inside scoop on all the latest in the piracy community, and Stede hears some men talking about how intimidating the Gentleman Pirate is. Flattered, he goes over to take in the compliment, but the men just look to each other confused and are like "uh, who are you?"

"Why, the Gentleman Pirate you've heard about!"

"No you're not, you don't look anything like him" and one of the guys hold up a wanted poster for The Gentleman Pirate. Well, Stede thinks, this doesn't look anything like him at all, look darling they even wrote down the wrong name!

"That's cause it's talking about Samuel Bellamy, love"

So then the crew finds out Bellamy is trying to take on the Gentleman Pirate name, Lucius telling Stede imitation is considered the highest form of flattery you know. This calms down Stede slightly, but he complains to Ed some more about this man and how he might want to have a word with him ("Yes love you are the original polite menace now can we please go to sleep").

Well luckily for them, another ship pulls up to Nassau: The Whydah Gally

The Revenge goes to talk to the copycat (played by Harvey Guillen) and while initially him and Stede exchange pleasantries, things start to go south as they have a little gentleman roast battle.

The crew: *clapping and hollering whenever Stede insults Bellamy*

Olu: Do you have any idea what they're saying?

Frenchie: Not really but I think Captain's winning.

Ed, head empty only love: Whoo, you go babe!

Eventually Bellamy just gives up and orders his men to fight them, escaping and taking off with Lucius, Roach, Izzy and Ed

Bellamy's ship runs into another pirate ship then, seemingly working together with him. Maybe we get a funny scene where the others notice Bellamy's interest in Izzy and tells him to flirt his ass off so they can escape (Lucius: tries to gesture talking Izzy: YOU HAVE A NICE THROAT! Bellamy: ?! Izzy: i mean voice, where it comes out of your throat, how you throat makes it sound like... yeah. Bellamy in his head: well i can't not degrade him now).

Bellamy catches on, Ed is all like "you know my hubby will hunt you down and tear you apart right?"

"I know"

"Cause he can be fucking scary with a - excuse me?"

"This other captain thinks he's a dud, but I know better. Why do you think I want his title and took you from him?"

And thus he explains he's actually working against this pirate by planning to lure the Revenge over promising to turn them in to The Navy and split the reward, so Bellamy can attack them and steal their shit. Maybe this pirate stole this from a poor town or something and Bellamy wants to return it.

But of course, this goes south when Stede shows up all angry and hot and shit and ends up putting two and two together that Bellamy only kidnapped Ed to lure him in, thus revealing Bellamy's betrayal to the other pirate captain.

Now everyone is locked in the brig and Stede and Bellamy decide to settle their rivalry and work together as gentlemen. Cue some elaborate fuckery/play that makes the guard let them out and they seize the captain's ship.

The Revenge accompanies Bellamy to this town to return their items, and Bellamy relents The Gentleman Pirate title to Stede, admitting his just wants a cool title so he can be remembered as something cool. Stede understands and tells him to just let it find you, creating an allyship that will definitely be useful later in the season I bet.

Also Bellamy flirts with Izzy, causing him to short-circuit

(And then one of the kids in the town gifts his favorite book to Bellamy as thanks: Robin Hood and His Merry Men)

[angrelysimpping]

It’s Eden hours my guys

(implied non/dub con bc of how you guys meet and that's it, I think)

Big and Strong! Can easily lift their partner! Would probably carry you around bridal style if you asked and Eden had high love. With low love Eden would still carry you, but by slinging you over their shoulder instead (touch their butt, do it)

Size kink. Likes how big they are compared to their partner. Makes them feel both powerful and protective of you at the same time

Knows how to mimic bird calls v well. Will sometimes "talk" to the birds. Did it more often before they met you

Insecure about their looks. They know that living out in the woods has come at the cost of not being able to polish their appearance. Their skin is rough and scarred. Their hair is often knotted and tangled. They're self-conscious about how muscular they are, how off-putting it might look. Please reassure Eden that they are not unattractive

On that note, I think Eden would be excited to do skincare stuff with you. Sensitive skin though. All this time in the woods has made Eden’s skin unused to anything heavily processed. Might have to search for a while for something that won't irritate their skin

Not the best cook but certainly not the worst. They’re not bad because they don’t know what they’re doing, no, they’re bad because they know maybe five recipes and everything else they’re winging 

When you go into town for longer periods of time, Eden will sleep less. They can’t rest now that they have a partner and said partner is now gone. Their bed seems too big without you in it and it smells too much like you for them to ignore the loneliness. They’ll sit outside their cabin instead of sleeping, listening for the sounds of you coming through the woods, for a scream for help, for anything that might indicate you're on your way back to them

Feel like Eden could be the most open to a poly relationship. They’re lonely, after all. Robin is a prime candidate. Great Hawk and Black Wolf are no-goes. Kylar is a maybe. Neither would like how possessive of you the other is. Would have to work something out where Kylar starts to see Eden as not a threat in taking you away from them

Mostly smells like fire smoke and their natural scent

Has a sweet tooth that they don't often indulge 

Doesn't like the wolf pack, sees them as a danger and as competition for resources 

Would be conflicted if you had the wolf transformation. Doesn't know how you transformed but it can't have been good. Yet, Eden can’t help that you're so damn cute with your tail and ears! If you're ever in trouble with Eden, giving them puppy eyes is 10x more effective with flattened ears and a tail tucked between your legs. Would be their favorite transformation 

Blushes at romantic things. Sex? Nothing. Hold their hand? Blush. Dirty talk? Stone cold. Give them flowers? Blushy mess

Praise kink praise kink praise kink

Compliment their appearance, say you feel safe with them, tell them how good of a protector they are will have Eden horny faster than telling them how good they fuck you, thought that will work too

Motherfucker is always horny, probably the highest sex drive in the game. Would go for multiple rounds if they had time...

Doesn't have the time for multiple rounds, being self-sufficient and living off the grid is very time-consuming! Settles for multiple quickies through the day, quickies galore 

Didn’t have a lot of friends growing up, one of the reasons why it was so easy for them to forsake living in town. Is a bit awkward forming relationships now. You’re probably going to be one of Eden’s closest friends, ever

Wasn’t a virgin when you guys met but def wasn’t that well experienced. They're living alone in the woods, a place people avoid. You might have to educate them on a few things, aftercare probably being one

Would be interested in predator/prey play. Already hunted you down and fucked you once, isn't opposed to doing it again 

Did not realize they were Into That when they first put a collar on you. Was doing it just to keep you with them but damn if it doesn't also turn them on

Part of their weekly supply run includes lube, you cannot tell me otherwise

Hasn’t totally forgotten how to use technology but it's pretty damn close. They will be awkward as hell trying to use a keyboard or telephone 

Would be over the moon if you gave them pictures of the two of you together

Get a polaroid camera and see how fast Eden is to start taking lewd pictures of you. They need something to keep them company when you're in town! They will go through film so damn fast. Keeps every photo they take, no matter how bad it comes out. Mixed bag on lewd and non-lewd photos. In between photos of you having sex and posing nude for Eden, there are photos of you: cooking in the kitchen, sewing by the fireplace, sleeping in your shared bed, and beaming at Eden from the garden with streaks of dirt on your face

Kinda into the idea of public sex. Doesn’t want other people to see you naked though, so you guys would have to be sneaky. While Eden will normally be all about making you scream their name, they will choke you or force their fingers in your mouth to keep you quiet. Is it effective? Not exactly, but it gives Eden a feeling of security

Most of their knowledge comes from books. Into learning new things. Be wary of those romance novels though, they’ll give Eden some ideas that aren’t exactly practical for real life

Hands are large, rough, and heavily scarred. Often dry but they don’t indulge in buying lotion regularly, only in the winter to keep their hands from cracking. But if you bought them lotion? Would be skeptical at first. They don’t need it, so why did you get it? Rub it on their hands and see how fast they change their tune

Hand-making Eden anything will make their heart melt. Though, they are not likely to tell you how much they love it. You'll be able to figure it out if you pay attention. If it's something wearable, Eden will always wear it whenever they can. If it's an item for the cabin, it will either be the most used item or one put on a high shelf where it's safe and everyone can see it

Has a nice singing voice, though they rarely sing 

Their body temperature runs hot. They are your personal furnace during the winter

Sleeps like a rock. Will drop off and wake up suddenly (and often horny), very rarely will they have sleepy in-between states

Will wake up and lounge in bed for a moment, especially if you're curled up next to them. Will just bask in the luxury of being in a warm bed, safe in the woods, with their adorable partner next to them 

[dementedspeedster]

I'm sorry to message you as a personal blog, but I also love your Thad portrayal! I check in here every so often and it always makes me laugh or think or even process some emotion. Okay I'm done *scuttles away*

Accepting || How's My Portrayal || @brown-little-robin

//Oh, no I don't mind personal blogs interacting with this blog at all! So feel free to any time! I love talking to people ooc and ic on this blog so feel free to! (You can also find me on my personal blog if you'd like to talk there as well).

And! *Drags you back over here* Thank you so much!! I'm glad to bring you some enjoyment with this blog! (Truly one of the highest compliments you can give me. I love that I can bring out some sort of enjoyment or emotional response in people with my writing, so thank you so much!) I have a lot of fun writing Thad, answering any questions/stuff that's directed at him, or just bringing some thoughts I have about him to the table. And if you or anyone ever wants to talk about Thad my inbox is open all of the time!

[witchcraftandburialdirt]

🔥 ccccccccccccccc:

Send “🔥?” and my muse will admit whether they find your muse attractive or not.

"The...The leader of the Order of Shadow? Do you think me mad?"

The question almost causes a laugh to erupt from Robin, instead, a light and airy chuckle leaves him as he brings his hand up to quietly fiddle with one of the chalky curls upon his head. Although...he does think about the roughness of the man, the low rumble of his voice, how his bite perfectly matches his bark, that alone was admirable. How when Noxus invaded, Ionians crumbled and he rose to take control of the situation...The Mage muses for a moment. Hm.

"I would need to interact with him more, and peel off that blood encrusted mask. I do enjoy those who take initiative, and I'm sure we could have a very compelling conversation. However...he's quite a handsome voice."

[alexiessan]

Never alone - Chapter Six - Soulmate AU

AO3

Previous - Here - Next

Master List

I’ve been playing Animal Crossing New Horizons non stop ever since its release. I’m completely addicted to this game.

If you want to share your Switch code or Island code (is that how it’s called in english?) with me, PM me, I would be very happy to visit your islands! I still can’t modify my island though, and I plan to destroy everything to start from zero haha.

Anyway, with this game, I have to remind myself that I have a story to write, and here is chapter 6!

They didn’t stay as late this time, and Marinette was grateful for it. As much as she wanted to spend time with Robin, she wanted to catch a little bit of sleep, but also have a talk with Tikki.

The kwami would not be pleased that her secret was out.

The designer let out a sigh after she bid goodbye to Robin. She wasn’t in the mood for one of Tikki’s lecture about her secret identity, she had enough of those for a lifetime if she were to be honest.

But she would feel guilty if she didn’t tell the tiny god about this new development, so there was no delaying it.

Taking the purse where the kwami of luck was sleeping in, she locked herself inside the bathroom, careful to not make any noise that could wake Alya up.

“Tikki, wake up!” she yell-whispered.

Tikki stirred for a little bit, blinking at her holder.

“Marinette? You’re back from your outing with Robin?” she whispered in return.

“Yeah, but something happened.”

This woke the little god at once.

“Wha-”

“Ssssh! Not so loud, you’re going to wake Alya up!”

They both looked at the bathroom’s door, as if the reporter was going to appear before them.

“Tikki, you’re not going to be happy, but Robin, along with his teammates know my identity. And Chat’s too.”

Tikki froze.

“How the hell is that possible?”

The bluenette explained what Robin had told her earlier.

“Of course, technology…” Tikki sighed. “I hate technology. Magic has not mixed well with it ever since it was invented. But for it to work, they must have one hell of a software. It’s normally easy to fool facial recognition by hiding a little bit of your face, so they must have a really powerful software.”

The god of creation looked at Marinette directly in the eyes, smiling softly.

“I’m not mad at you. I know that I’ve always been lecturing you about your identity and your duty as Ladybug, but this is not your fault. It’s not ideal, but at least it’s your soulmate and not some random people… And maybe they could help with the situation with Hawkmoth!” she concluded, excited.

“About that, they did call the JLE but were rejected…”

“So it’s only down to the two of you then…”

Speaking of Chat Noir…

“Oh no… Tikki, how is Chat Noir going to take it? That someone knows my identity and that it’s not him!”

Tikki’s face became grim.

“Are you going to tell him? I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”

“He’s my partner, of course I have to tell him!”

Tikki sighed.

“Look, Marinette. Chat Noir has been doing better ever since you had this serious conversation with him. He takes his job seriously, he stopped flirting and joking… But he still loves you. I’m afraid that if you tell him, he will take it hard and go back to the way he was before…”

“I get what you’re saying, but I trust Chat. I don’t think it will happen. Anyway, I won’t see him for another two weeks, it will give me time to find a way to bring it up to him.”

Marinette fell silent.

“I will also have to tell him that I found my soulmate…”

Tikki smiled sadly.

“And he’s still convinced that the two of you are soulmates.”

The Eurasian girl sighed.

“We’ll cross that bridge later. We should go to bed for now, Tikki.”

The little god flew to her holder’s cheek, placing a small kiss there.

“I’m very proud of you, Marinette. I know you were scared about talking to me, but don’t forget that I am, and always will be, proud of you.”

The teenage girl smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Tikki. That means a lot.”

The rest of the week was incredible. Gotham, while not as bright as Paris was, was a beautiful city with a lot of History. They had a lot to visit and each location gave Marinette so much inspiration.

The class has been worried about going to the city with the highest crime rate in the world, but they have been lucky so far. One of the locations they have been visiting has been attacked, but they had left twenty minutes before that.

The class caught sight of several of the vigilantes, to everyone’s delight.

“I wish I could get an interview with them…” complained Alya one day.

Adrien laughed.

“I don’t think they are as accessible as Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

“I’m still optimistic that I can get one by the end of the trip!”

“Keep dreaming, Alya.” winked Kim who has been hovering behind them.

Marinette smiled, watching her friends bickering. She didn’t feel Rose coming at her side.

“You’ve been oddly happy these days, Mari.”

The blonde looked at her, a knowing look and a slight smirk on her face.

The dark-haired girl smiled, holding her sketchbook up.

“Of course! Gotham has so many Victorian and Gothic buildings, it’s beautiful! It gave me many ideas for future designs!”

The knowing look and smirk disappeared to give way to a beaming smile.

“Really?! Can I see?”

Marinette handed her her sketchbook, relieved. She swore that Rose had a radar of some sort and could feel love from miles away.

Not that she was in love with Robin yet, but she had to admit that she did like him a bit and enjoyed spending time with him.

She couldn’t wait to see him tonight.

After days of telling him things about her and vice versa, they began talking about everything and nothing.

She didn’t remember how they got to talk about seemingly bad people changing for the better.

“I don’t think it’s possible.” said Robin.

“You think a bad person will always stay bad? That they won’t ever realize that what they’ve been doing was wrong?”

The vigilante nodded.

“Well, I don’t agree with you. I think people can change, it’s just that some of them need a push.”

He looked at her, waiting for her to develop her thought.

“For example, my classmate, Lila. When she was first transferred into our class, she was always lying. Telling people what they wanted to hear to make friends. Eventually, my class realized she was lying and she stopped. See? She was really mean, and she’s still a bit mean, but she changed!”

Robin scoffed.

“You’re really naive if you think that.”

The girl frowned.

“How so?” she asked, not offended by his rudeness.

“That girl didn’t stop lying because she realized that it was wrong. She stopped lying because it wasn’t interesting for her to do so anymore. She lost her public, your classmates knew to take everything she said with a grain of salt, so why keep lying? The day she will switch class or meet new people, she will start lying again.”

Alright, she could see his point, but it was a bit pessimistic in her opinion.

“You’re right. Maybe that’s the case. But maybe not. Even if I don’t like Lila, I want to the best in her, and I really hope that she changed.”

She nudged his arm with her shoulder, smiling at him.

“I’ll let you be the pessimistic one, but be prepared for my optimism!”

She took the sketchbook that laid beside her.

“Anyway! We got our last day of touring today before we all begin our internships tomorrow, and I got really inspired for an outfit. I would like your opinion.”

She handed him the sketchbook.

“You’re doing an internship at Wayne Enterprises, right? In what sector?” he asked as he took the sketchbook from her.

“Yeah… I’m doing it in business management. I want to have my own line one day, and for that, I have to start a business, and thus, know how to run one. I’ll be shadowing the co-CEO, Timothy Drake.” she smiled.

Robin choked. Tim didn’t say anything about that.

“The co-CEO, really?”

“Yeah, I know. I was really surprised too. It seems very unusual too.”

And it was. But Robin suspected that Bruce and Tim arranged it that way because Marinette was Ladybug and they wanted to keep an eye on her, make sure that she wasn’t overwhelmed with her duty as Ladybug and her life as a civilian.

Maybe the Agreste boy was shadowing Tim too, as he was Chat Noir. Then again, maybe not. Ladybug was the obvious leader, as much as they claimed they were a team of equals.

He would have to ask Tim about that and have a serious talk with him about not being weird with Marinette.

He got along very well with her as Robin and he didn’t want his brother to ruin it for Damian.

He opened the sketchbook, stunned by the designs.

“You’re very talented.” he said as he turned the pages.

“Oh, thank you.”

He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. She was blushing, looking at anything but him.

She was very modest or not used to compliments, he observed.

He arrived at the last page of drawings, where a very detailed sketch of a man outfit laid.

“I really like this outfit.” he pointed to her.

The fashion designer smiled.

“Actually, I was thinking of you for this outfit.”

Robin looked at her, surprised.

“If you don’t mind, before I go back to Paris, I would like to get your measurements. I would like to make it for you.”

A small smile appeared on his face. That would be nice.

“I will give you a safe address to send it, then. I’ll give you my measurements tomorrow. Thank you, Marinette.”

His soulmate beamed and he fought the blush that was making its way on his face. He hoped she wouldn’t see how red his ears were.

“You’re welcome!”

The smile quickly disappeared though, and she now looked nervous.

“Is something wrong?”

He decided that he didn’t like seeing her like this.

“There is also something that I wanted to ask you.”

He raised an eyebrow and she looked even more nervous. Damn, wrong move.

“You can ask me anything, you know.”

He hoped that it would calm her a little. He wanted her to be at ease with him, to not be scared of asking him anything.

“Ah, two things, actually. The first one is, I would like to introduce you to Tikki.”

He began to protest.

“Ah, no! Don’t worry. She’s not a classmate or anything. She’s not even human. She’s a being that gives me my powers as Ladybug, and since you know my identity, she would like to meet you. She’s been giving us time alone until now, but she still would like to meet one of the only people knowing about my identity. And probably give you a little lecture too, knowing her.”

Robin sighed, relieved. For a second he was scared that she told one of her friends about him. He should have known better.

“Alright then, I’ll meet her. What’s the other thing?”

Marinette’s nervousness came back as she wrung her fingers.

“It’s a bit more delicate… You see, I’ve been thinking about how I will go back to Paris at the end of next week and I don’t know when we’ll see each other again… So I was wondering if… If you had a secure phone number or mail address so we can keep contact…”

The vigilante smiled fondly. In a bold move, he ruffled her hair.

“There’s no need to be so nervous. I’ve been thinking about it and my phone is one of the most secure you can find, so I don’t worry about giving you my number. I’ve been meaning to give it to you by the end of your trip.”

He, Tim and Barbara had made sure that no one would ever be able to hack their phones.

The blue-eyed girl pouted, trying to style her hair back to the way before he messed it up.

She was cute, he thought fondly.

She smiled at him after processing what she said.

“Great, then! We’ll be able to call each other then! Will video calls be ok as well?”

He nodded. “As long as you send a text beforehand to make sure I’m in costume.”

“Oh, yes, of course!”

He watched as she looked at the horizon.

“I’ll be sad though. I’ll be back in Paris and you won’t be there.”

He could feel his cheeks warming.

“We’re not there yet. And we still have a good week in each other’s company.”

After seeing Marinette every day for two weeks, Robin knew it would be difficult to readjust to life without her.

It was as if she’s been in his life for far longer.

“Come on, it’s getting late. You’ve got your first day of internship tomorrow, you want to make a good impression, right? Looking like a zombie tomorrow will have the opposite effect.”

And he wanted to catch Tim tonight to have a talk about his behavior for tomorrow.

The French girl playfully hit his arm at his zombie comment, but still smiled at him.

He swore that one day he would go blind because of her smiles.

Tag list: 

@bigpicklebananatree​ @animegirlweeb​ @crazylittlemunchkin​ @northernbluetongue​ @cutechip​ @justafanwarrior​ @iloontjeboontje​ @resignedcatservant @maribat-is-lifeblood @i-like-fairytail-and-stuff @toodaloo-kangaroo @mikantsume @dast218 @amayakans @zestyzealot

[thinger-strang]

no one dies and everyone's gay au

Nancy finds Barb when she gets stuck in the Upside Down when she's in the forest with Jonathan (don't ask me about the logistics) and so Steve ends up finding Jonathan and Barb in Nancy's room? And he's confused because at first he'd just seen Jon and thought Nancy was cheating but then he saw Barb walk into the room? (traumatic sleepover time! except Jon stays on the ground and Barb and Nance cuddle on the bed bc they're best friends and BARB WAS MISSING FOR LIKE TWO DAYS I THINK? she deserves snugs)

But Tommy and Carol started talking about how Nancy was probably sleeping with both, everyone knew Barb was the biggest d*ke in Hawkins, Nancy probably got curious about the other side!

He doesn't necessarily agree but still doesn't stop Tommy from spray painting the theater (because Nancy still lied to him? Lying generally meant there was something? going on? idk Steve's just confused and a little hurt rn)

The rest of the season goes pretty much the same, Barb's just there trying to not die and trying to help the Gang™ find Will and fight this bitch ass demogorgon (I don't think she's really be part of the Nancy and Jonathan luring it to the house and fighting it, she'd help with set up and the plan but I think she'd fuck right off when it comes down to facing it, she's had enough monsters for one life time thx)

But she'd so wanna help get Will out so she's there with Joyce and everyone talking to El while she's in the bath finding Will and talking Hop and Joyce about the Upside Down

(and she's been to the hospital, she didn't get a face sucking monster thing so she recovered quicker? idk don't ask logistics again lmao)

But she and Will end up getting along and sometimes when she's hanging out with Nancy and the party comes over she'll say hi to Will and like ruffle his hair

(also I want a little scene after the big monster hunting trip scene where a) Nancy and Jonathan explain everything to Steve and b) where Steve sees Barb again and pulls her into the biggest hug and starts like apologizing for not paying attention that night and for letting her get taken and even though she assured him it wasn't his fault he still feels guilty about it, it was his house, he should have helped her bandage her hand or something? idk but this right here is the beginning of the Barb/Steve friendship and the start of the "fall of King Steve")

cue s2

and so the four get really close, Jonathan and Steve are actually friends (idk what s2 was pulling but they're friends) and Barb talks to Nancy about Steve and Jonathan and Nancy ends up breaking up with Steve way earlier (bc you know none of that drama would have happened if Barb was there so)

But they're all still good friends, Steve's cool about the break up, and Nancy and Jonathan get together but it's not like right after? so it's all chill and they all went through a dramatic experience together so they remain close knit yeah

and Barb eventually comes out to them (everyone's supportive obviously) and Steve's is ready to throw down with anyone for her

cue Billy

the four of them are sizing up the new guy, Nancy doesn't really care, Jonathan thinks his hair is a little ridiculous (which I mean, that first day? when he steps out of the Camaro? yeah it was a lil rough), Barb can see right through his macho bullshit, and Steve? has a little bi meltdown. bc this kid has definitely had boy crushes before and knows he likes both (kid listens to queen of course he knew he was bi lmao)

blah blah blah s2 happens, Barb, Steve, and Billy have the same English class and Billys generally quiet during school, kinda stand-off-ish, only really bugs people during gym/basketball, but he literally sits in the back and does absolutely nothing during class and still somehow has the highest grade

(FUCK him and Barb get paired for a project and she fucking calls him out? like she's just like you're gay I'm lesbian you can cut the crap around me and they become...not friends? but they have solidarity, they're cool)

and I'm a slut for this trope but BILLY FIGHTS DEMODOGS WITH THEM lmao he hears Max sneak out and follows her and finds her in the junkyard armouring up a bus with fucking Harrington and a couple of nerds? and like the sun is setting and he needs to get Max home so he's like "Maxine! I don't know what the fuck this is and I don't fucking care, we gotta go!" and the four are like yelling at him to either leave or get in the bus! and he's so confused, I'm not here to play games Max! and Steve's running out of the bus with a FUCKING NAIL BAT WHAT THE FUCK HARRINGTON? And Steve's like behind you! and swings at a demodog. Billy has a borderline panic attack before he finds like a fender or exhaust pipe or whatever and starts swinging too

the dogs run away and Billy rounds onto Steve like what the living shit was that? and Steve has to explain everything with Dustin and Lucas interrupting and Max shrugging and trying to understand too? it's a mess

s2 continues with Billy and with HOPPER NOT BEING ABLE TO STAND HIM bc he's caught him speeding and underage drinking and shit and Billy's nervous as hell around cops which makes him mouthy and ITS A MESS

they're all at Joyce's (Barb's there too bc Will's possessed and they need to check up on her too? and she's concerned for Will anyway yeah she's in this too) and El shows up and Steve and Billy are just like what? another one? who the fuck? like Steve heard about her but this isn't a tiny child without hair??? idk it's funny

BILLY WITH AN AXE IN THE TUNNELS

(obviously Steve isn't passed out and the kids don't drive the car, it's Billy's awful impulse control that leads to them going into the tunnels)

okay I couldn't decide where to put Barb here? so I left her with Steve and Billy to babysit and she ends up in the tunnels too? and she's def handling it better than the boys are fuck yeah

Steve has his bat and is in front and Billy found an axe in the pile of shit from the Byers' shed and he pulls up the end

it's awesome

yada yada Steve and Billy end up becoming weirdly good friends by the end and he's good with him and Barb, idk about Nance and Jon but eh

s3 now

Billy ends up getting two jobs; lifeguard and cook at Benny's (bc he's alive too, fight me bitches this is the ultimate fix it) and Barb ends up working as a waitress there too (and working together builds the weirdest bonds so they are besties now)

everything in s3 is pretty much the same but with diner scenes too? and like all the Hawkins moms swarm Benny's too and leave lipstick stains on their kitchen tips and "send my compliments to the chef *wink*"

Billy eats it up but Barb can tell he also kinda hates it bc he's barely 18 and not even remotely into women and it makes him super uncomfortable but publicly he "loves" it (he starts wearing tank tops to the pool and tries to hide out in the kitchen but it really doesn't work)

he still gets caught up with the mind flayer but it's not bc he's about to sleep with Karen bc ew, idk why he's driving out by the warehouse idk maybe he's out on a drive bc he can't sleep yeah

anyway he gets caught up but like he knows, or kind of knows, what this is and calls in sick to both jobs and talks to Hopper bc WHAT THE FUCK isn't the gate closed? I got face fucked my an interdimensional monster so unless you know where the fuck that came from?? and they deal with it earlier (most of the shit still happens but it's less...messy? like Hop and Joyce are more involved in the Billy shit and Steve knows about it?)

Steve still gets caught up with the Russians (I don't think he'd have a chance to tell anyone (specifically Hopper) bc he finds out about Billy then the elevator stuff happens like right after and yada yada)

so for most of the season it's them trying to actually help Billy! and they end up saving a lot of people? (specifically Heather bc she was really nice to Billy and I want he to live fight me it's my au)

but enough people get melted and shit that starcourt still get destroyed blah blah blah!

but Billy makes it and so does Hop and Alexie (no one dies au) and they all end up doing the thing in the mall like they did in the shed with Will? like breaking Billy out? Barb talks about working at the diner and their secret and Steve talks about them hanging out and playing basketball and the tunnels and Max talks about Billy buying her a new board and them scream-singing along to ACDC in the Camaro and the kids mention him giving them rides and shit and yeah! El talks about his mom and that's it! Joyce and Hop close the gate while Billy's holding the one arm (he doesn't get stabbed in the chest, as cool as that scar would be, no...but he gets some on his hands and upper arms and his sides?)

(also Billy's drinking like bleach rn so they try and reverse that as much as possible while he's possessed so that he has a better recovery later bc no! chlorine is not good for you! and Billy tries so hard to not drink it but sometimes he can't fucking stop? idk but he has a support system now!)

and Robin came out to Steve and Steve comes out to her too? like kinda? he alludes to it vaguely bc he's so not ready to be out to anyone FUCK

And Billy comes out to Steve (he was planning on doing it earlier that summer but shit happened)

and Robin becomes friends with everyone (ITS ROBIN X BARB HOURS BITCHES)

(OKAY small like side shit? Benny and Hopper have known each other for years and Benny's like one of the only registered foster parents on Hawkins so he ends up fostering a lot of wayward kids while Hop figures out legal stuff (he hasn't adopted anyone yet but him and his husband (yeah Benny's gay deal with it) really want to? they just haven't yet, all the kids they take care of end up in their care temporarily) BUT Hop finds out about Billy and Max's home life (I know a lot of people write that Neil wouldn't hit Max but...nah son not how that works? idk but he needs to get them out? and Neil's bad to Susan too (he's the worst to Billy but still bad to Max and Susan) anyway Hop helps Susan leave Neil (it takes a while and Billy and Max end up with Benny for a little bit while the divorce is going down and all the legal shit yeah it's safer out of the house rn) long story short Billy ends up staying with Benny after everything and ends up getting adopted (they're like we know you're 18 and you don't need a guardian but if you want we can be your dads? and Billys like yeah sure that'd be nice and yeah) Hop ends up being a weird like uncle figure? idk like I said him and Benny are close and they both adopted kids so yeah? and Billy ends up considering El his little sister and he still visits Max and Susan and yeah?)

ANYWAY everything kind of calms down, Hop and Joyce get together (I just realized I forgot about Bob so...idk I guess this isn't an everyone survives au? no no that's weird um idk him and Joyce end up breaking up idk why) but yeah Hop and Joyce get together and like it's kind of fast but they've been in love for a long time so it's kind of fine? like idk but yeah

Barb and Robin get together (ITS FUCKING CUTE they go to aquariums and have paint dates where they sit on some old sheets and paint while listening to Robin's records ITS CUTE!)

STEVE COMES OUT TO EVERYONE! he definitely cries bc fuck he was scared! bc he likes both and he wasn't sure if that was a thing or whatever for a while and Billy's like oh yeah, like David Bowie or Freddie Mercury? and that's when Steve's cries bc oh thank God you guys get it and you're cool with it oh fuck and YEAH

UM Max is bi too, Will comes out as gay (listen I know none of this is like 80's realistic but everyone's gay and alive and happy, fuck off)

Um it takes forever for Billy and Steve to get together, it's awful. like Barb and Robin have to deal with their pining and shit? and like Robin hears about it from Steve at work and Barb hears about it from Billy at the diner and they put their knowledge together and make a Plan ™

it's like elaborate and dramatic (shut up they're all like 18-19) and shit? BUT LMAO okay one day they're all hanging out at Steve's (bc I've also hopped aboard the neglectful parents train sorry) and idk Steve and Billy are there before Robin and Barb are so the girls walk in on them arguing over whatever and like Billy's talking really fast and Steve's talking with his hands and idk what it's about but Billy ends up yelling that he loves him BUT THEY KEEP ARGUING FOR LIKE A SOLID MINUTE AFTER THAT BEFORE IT HITS THEM and Steve gets all quiet and is just like you love me? and Billy doesn't fucking know what to do?? he's like bright red and frozen and Robin and Barb are by the door trying to not like break the spell (bc it's been months guys) and Billy's like of course I do asshole and Robin thinks Steve's about to have a panic attack but he like rushes forward and cups Billy's face and kisses him senseless and it's like the best thing Robin and Barb have ever seen

and they're resting their foreheads together, Steve's still holding Billy's face and Billy has his hands on Steve's chest it's really tender but Robin's like yeah congrats and shit but you guys ruined our Plan™! and she gives them a long ass rundown of their elaborate scheme and Steve and Billy are like still touching and bumping into each other as they listen and Barb interrupts and says that this was better and Robin rolls her eyes but agrees

and they're watching a movie or whatever, cuddling in their respective couples and Steve fucking jumps up randomly and rounds on Billy like hey woah fuck I love you too, I didn't say that earlier! and Billy's looking up at him like yeah I know that asshole and yeah

[gothamincarnate]

[ @awolxsiblings ]

-- Jason Todd is an absolute lightweight. Dad drank, and Bruce doesn't. He's had what, two beers?

He's flopped over half in her lap. One hand is lifted, playing with her hair. "I like you a lot." Sounds like a lovesick teenager but fuck it. "You helped me find something besides Batman." He grins, cheeks red and eyes half closed. "You're badass and you would have made a bitchin' Robin." It's about the highest compliment he can give.

[fullmetalscullyy]

The Heiress and The Thief - Part 1

happy birthday @koabos!!! this one is for you 💖

part 2 | part 3

entire work on ao3

Summary: Everyone has the name of their soulmate tattooed on their wrist. It appears slowly over time, but by their fifth birthday the strong, black letters become a mark which can guide someone their whole life to find the other half of their soul.

Rated: M

Words: 3748

Stealing from the rich was always a doddle. Roy grinned to himself as he heard the commotion he had left in his wake. The enraged calls, the befuddled questions, the shouts demanding answers. He vaulted over a very expensive looking mahogany desk with no regard for whatever lay upon it. If he had bothered to look, he would have seen they were expenses reports, the amounts far exceeding anything he could ever hope to earn in his lifetime.

It was probably better he didn’t look.

As he rounded a corner towards the window of his escape, Roy skidded to a halt.

Shit.

There was someone who was standing between him and his escape, and it wasn’t his blonde-haired partner for the night. A girl? No, even from behind she looked older than a girl. A young woman. Her short, blonde hair caught in moonlight streaming through the open window, the cold, winter breeze ruffling her locks, her fringe shifting so Roy briefly saw her face.

She turned to the right – to face the direction of the commotion – and Roy’s breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful.

“Elizabeth!” a man hollered from somewhere in the mansion. “Ge in here, now!”

The woman flinched at the tone, sighing softly, unaware there was a young man watching her every move, enraptured by her beauty in the moonlight. Sensing eyes on her, she turned to peer down the gloomy hallway, freezing mid step, like a deer caught in the path of a fast-moving carriage.

“Riza!”

She jumped in fright after being momentarily distracted by the stranger, eyes turning worriedly towards that voice, before snapping back to face the intruder in her home. Although concerned by the fact that a possible family member of the man he’d robbed had caught Roy red handed, his stomach sunk for an entirely other reason.

Riza was the name that was tattooed on his wrist.

“Who – Who are you?” she whispered. There was no fear in her voice. It was controlled with a hint of bewilderment.

Something stirred within him upon finding out her name – and the fact that it matched the name tattooed on him.

Could this be her?

Riza wasn’t a common name, certainly not in Amestris. Believe him, Roy had done his research. He’d yet to come across another woman who held that name. Not to mention the fact that there was a tightening of his chest, a flutter in his stomach, and a voice in his head screaming that this woman before him was The One.

Shit.

“I won’t ask again,” she warned, planting one foot slightly behind her, as if ready to fight Roy if need be. “Who are you?”

The way she spoke… This was a woman of status, clearly, so probably the daughter of Berthold Hawkeye. Judging by the house she lived in, she and her family were on the highest rung of society. The butler patrolling the floor below them as Roy and Havoc had scoped the place out confirmed that. The two doormen in expertly crafted and beautiful uniforms standing by the main entrance to the manor also confirmed that.

It was so large it didn’t even have a front door, just a main entrance. They had checked, discovering doors on every cardinal side of the property. Obviously having one door and walking around a manor this size was too taxing for the rich.

Not to mention the two-mile-long driveway to said main entrance, lined with expertly trimmed trees without a leaf out of place. Roy had muttered to his partner that the square shaped trees looked stupid as hell, and Havoc snorted in response before agreeing with him.

The rich were strange creatures.

Roy swallowed.

He didn’t belong in this world, even if this woman was his soul mate. He was well off, but not in the ways polite society would approve of. His Aunt ran a brothel in the centre of the city – which was very popular and very successful, thank you very much – and Roy had grown up there, making his way in the world by pouring drinks and acting as the muscle should anyone get too handsy or rowdy.

This Riza wouldn’t want to be a part of that. Roy knew that for sure.

“Sir –”

“Mustang,” he blurted out, forgoing the use of his first name. If she knew his real name, then Roy didn’t want to deal with the fallout of having supposedly the other half of his soul turn his nose up at him. Too many people had already done that to him in his life. “The name’s Mustang.”

“And what are you doing in my home?” she demanded.

He liked to think of himself as a Robin Hood type hero. He took from those who already had too much, and were too tight with their cash, to give to those who needed it most. He sold whatever expensive looking thing he could get his hands on – most of the time his targets were so rich they didn’t even notice their belongings were gone – and distributed the money between the orphans in the city with the help of his Aunt. He had been nicknamed “Big Brother”, and while that was incredibly cute, he wished he didn’t have to do it in the first place.

No one else would care for those orphans. It was the least Roy could do as an orphan himself.

Before Madame Christmas – his paternal Aunt – had found him, Roy had lied and stole to make his way on the streets for two years. The result? He had tried to steal food from his Aunt’s kitchen, causing the woman to do a double take as a snarling twelve-year-old Roy wriggled in one of her bodyguard’s grip, demanding to be let go. The Madame had just chuckled in disbelief, ordered him to be dropped. Before Roy could run, she had him by his dirty collar, ordering him to go wash up for dinner. And that was the end of his time on the streets.

“If I told you the truth, you wouldn’t be very happy about it,” he smirked, relaxing his stance to show he thought he was in control here. Hopefully that would put this heiress on edge. In truth his eyes flicked towards the window as he mentally calculated his next nearest exit from the plans Hughes had gotten a hold of the other night.

“Try me.”

Surprised by her words and confident tone, Roy shrugged and decided to indulge her as he leaned against the wall casually, hooking one ankle over the back of the other. “I stole something from your father, and I don’t think he’s very happy about it.” Roy took a step forward, noting how the woman tensed. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind –”

He was cut off by another roar, her father calling her name once more. It even made goose flesh rise on Roy’s flesh. He raised an eyebrow at her reaction, noticing the slight hint of fear on her face.

Then the footsteps began to sound closer.

He needed to go. He needed to go now.

Roy strode towards the window but was stopped by a restraining hand on his chest. Riza, eyes wide and expression earnest, shook her head frantically and grabbed his hand. Opening his mouth to protest, Riza shushed him as loudly as she dared. A hidden doorway opened to their left, revealing a cupboard space with two shelves above head height, both holding two stacks of white towels.

It was also big enough to hide two people.

Riza tugged him inside.

Well, just big enough for two people, if said two people’s bodies were pressed against each other dangerously closely, their breaths mingling together in the dim space.

Shit…

She was too close. It was wreaking havoc on his mind.

Tilting his chin downwards, Roy almost bumped it against her head. He had to tilt his whole head to the side to avoid colliding with her own if he wanted to look up or down. His eyes met hers, questioning her with his expression and his eyes, asking exactly why she had pulled them into here to hide.

Riza shook her head, lifting a finger atop her lips to indicate he should remain quiet.

Unfortunately, said hand brushed against his abdomen and Roy’s intake of breath was incredibly noticeable in the cramped space.

Before he had a chance to react to that with embarrassment, a shadow passed by a tiny slit in the doorway, revealing a bearded man with long, blonde hair storming passed, followed by two other men. One was average height with short, cropped black hair. The other was of similar height, but slimmer build, his black hair also short while sporting ridiculous looking moustache.

“Sir, if I may –”

“No, you may not, Marco,” the blonde man growled as they passed through the hallway. “I want security in there now and I want my documents found.”

The noise of their conversation trailed off as they moved through the mansion. Barely daring to breathe – partly in fear of being discovered, the other in fear of inhaling this woman’s’ tantalising aroma – Roy waited for her to make the first move.

That was a mistake because for Riza to move she had to press her body hard against his, a hand braced on his chest, to reach for the handle, something Roy stupidly realised had been on his side all along. Again, he held his breath, closing his eyes against the image and sensations against his body. They were squeezed shut, blocking out the smell of her hair and perfume which complimented each other nicely. Some of her short hair brushed against his cheek. His knees shook.

This soulmate stuff was bullshit and he hated it.

As soon as Roy piled out he put as much distance between them as possible. He made a beeline for his initial escape route, desperate to get out of here and away from her.

“Wait –” she whispered, and Roy turned around. He cursed himself, unable to stop the movements. Whatever bond they shared apparently had control over him right now and this was not what he needed. “What did you take?”

“That doesn’t concern you, my lady,” Roy replied, voice strained from their brief spell in that cupboard.

Riza’s expression softened, a lovely smile gracing her features. “Well, I hope it brings him hell.”

Roy blinked in surprise, that reply wholly unexpected.

“Riza!” her father screamed again, voice breaking with his anger.

Roy feared what would await her, should she finally approach her father. He wanted to stay, felt an inexplicable urge to remain here to protect her from the raging man. From his tone in the way he called for her, it would be nothing good.

But he couldn’t get caught. He was a good thief, but that was something the Madame made abundantly clear to all her staff, even if Roy was her own flesh and blood.

If they got caught, they held no affiliation to the Madame whatsoever. They were working towards a better world, to give those who struggled most in poverty a chance at a better life, but if they were found out, those in power and those who had the most to lose – the rich and famous – would put an end to their operation.

Turning away was hard as he sprinted for the open window. He nimbly climbed out, taking a deep breath of the cold night air to try and clear his head.

“My name is Riza,” she called softly out the window as Roy deftly descended the tree.

Oh, he knew her name all right. He knew because it had been tattooed on his skin for the last twenty-seven years of his life. Since he was two years old.

He knew, because he felt the lingering feeling of her hand brushing against his abdomen in that closet, had revelled in the closeness they had shared while his soul sung, happy to have finally found its missing piece.

Too bad she would never want to be a part of his world, and he would never be permitted into hers.

Roy chuckled humourlessly to himself as he broke into a sprint, hoping the strenuous exercise would burn all thoughts of the woman he was leaving behind.

It didn’t work.

*          *          *

“What’s got your underwear in a bunch?” Hughes demanded from Roy’s left, piling his plate high with mashed potatoes, topping it off with gravy. Havoc sat to his right, oblivious to Roy’s mood because there was now food in front of him.

“Nothing.”

Hughes snorted. “I beg to differ.”

“It’s nothing,” Roy ground out, picking at his own food.

“Roy,” the Madame barked. Other people at the table jumped at the sudden rise in volume, but Roy was used to it now. “Stop playing with your food and eat it. I didn’t spend hours cooking just for you to stab at it,” she glared. “And elbows off the table.”

Sighing, Roy removed his head from leaning against his closed fist. His arm thumped heavily into his lap as he lifted a forkful of roast beef to his mouth. After tonight his appetite was completely gone.

“We need to go back to that Hawkeye house,” Hughes stated. “We –”

Roy’s stomach sank, the knot in it twisting painfully, but Hughes was cut off.

“No business talk at the table,” the Madame barked, glaring at Hughes, who shrivelled underneath it. “This is family time.”

“Yes ma’am,” Havoc muttered under his breath. Hughes snorted loudly and even Roy cracked a smile.

“Care to share with the rest of the class, Jean Havoc?” Christmas asked evenly.

Boy, he’s in trouble now.

“No, ma’am,” he replied, all sass gone from his tone.

“I didn’t think so,” she sniffed.

Chatter around their large table picked up once the scolding was over. The bar was closed tonight, it was a Monday and they never had anyone in for food on a Monday evening, so the Madame dubbed this day as family dinner night years ago. Maes Hughes and Jean Havoc weren’t technically family, but they were like brothers to Roy and that was enough for his Aunt. Others around their table included the ginger, portly man Heymans Breda, the tall, greying Vato Falman, and the young, fresh faced, new to their game, Kain Fuery. The Hughes family was also fully present, Gracia Hughes sitting next to the Madame and chatting away happily while Elicia Hughes ate her food without complaint all by herself – something she was very proud of. Every so often she would look over at her father and “Uncle Roy” and beam, the epitome of pride. The only thing that would draw a smile from Roy was the sight of Elicia kicking her feet in her high chair happily as she laughed to herself.

Other members around the table were the woman who worked for the Madame. She was an expert in dealing with information, and these woman – Roy’s “sisters”, they had dubbed themselves while he was growing up – were also experts in their chosen skill set. Roy was proud of each and every one of them for all they had done with their lives and the skills and knowledge they had obtained. They were orphans and outcasts, or woman who’d had some run in with the law – the Madame had managed to wrangle them out of those situations somehow and Roy wasn’t sure he wanted to know how – but they had taken the second chance offered to them with eager hearts and made something of themselves. That was all the Madame asked of those she took under her wing; respect the chance they had been given and in turn work your ass off to make something of yourself. They were all good people and Roy couldn’t have asked for a better family to surround himself with.

After dinner they retired to the lounge while the Madame and some of the girls entered the bar to work for the evening. Conversation turned towards their work from a few hours ago, and Roy felt that knot in his stomach tighten again unpleasantly.

Regardless of whether or not work pulled Roy back to that home, he knew he would return. He felt a terrible pull back to that woman and no matter how much he tried to squash it down and force it out of his mind, there was no stopping it. It was akin to a burning thirst and would only be satisfied when he was in her company again.

Finding his soulmate wasn’t going as he had imagined it would.

Secondly, he wanted to know she was okay after hearing the way her father called for her. And, finally, Roy wanted to know why she’d done it. Why had she helped him hide? Why had she wished hell upon her own father?

Another part of him wondered if Riza felt anything similar. She didn’t know his real name, and some people say the connection doesn’t fully form until the person’s name is known, but did she feel this pull towards him?

Only one way to find out.

“Roy,” Hughes barked, brow furrowed as he stared at his oldest friend. “Have you heard anything I’ve just said?”

“No,” he replied truthfully. “Sorry.”

“What is up with you?” Hughes asked, frustrated, and understandably so.

“Noth –”

“Bullshit,” Havoc piped up, his own expression mirroring Hughes’.

Whoops.

Roy sighed heavily, deciding now was a good a time as ever. If he wanted to go back and see her – not that he should, he just knew she wouldn’t want to be associated with the likes of him – he would need his friend’s help and they deserved to know why they were risking their necks to help him.

He rolled up his sleeve and revealed the tattoo on his wrist. Both men peered at the black letters, failing to see the significance of the word.

“Riza? And?” Hughes asked. “You’ve had that for years.”

“Wait…” Havoc began, trailing off as he wracked his brain. No doubt going back to the meeting they’d had yesterday when Breda revealed the mansion’s plans and informed them of the people residing there.

Berthold Hawkeye and his daughter, Riza.

Roy had glazed over the names, more focussed on the blueprints than anything else. After all, the people weren’t important. What was important was the package he was being sent in to retrieve.

Not that he knew the contents, that was for the Madame’s eyes only.

Now it came rushing back unpleasantly like a bucket of cold water being poured over his head.

“As in, Riza Hawkeye?” Havoc stated into the silent room. “The heiress?” Roy nodded, pulling his sleeve back over that cursed tattoo.

Hughes chuckled while Havoc whistled lowly. “Oh boy. You’re in trouble,” Hughes commented.

“Don’t you think I know that?” Roy snapped, rounding on his friend. He stood and strode over to the liquor cabinet, roughly pulling a decanter of whisky from within. He took two shots, trying to get rid of this ache in his chest with the burn.

It didn’t work.

“So,” Hughes began casually standing from his chair and stretching. “We’re going back?”

Roy didn’t expect Hughes to say that. “What?”

“We’re going back,” he replied, arms lowering back to his side as he straightened. Roy laughed in disbelief. Hughes was speaking as if that course of action was obvious.

“No.”

“Uh, yes we are,” Hughes reassured him. “Right, Havoc?”

“Hell yeah.”

Hughes was all right, he had met his soulmate years ago. Over time the black writing on his wrist had turned to gold, same with Gracia’s. Havoc still hadn’t met his yet, the name Rebecca a constant reminder of the woman he was trying to find.

“And why would an heiress want to associate herself with the likes of us?”

Havoc scoffed. “Speak for yourself,” he muttered under his breath.

“We’re thieves,” Roy reminded them. “We stole from her father,” he added, neglecting to mention how she didn’t seem to care and genuinely encouraged Roy to take said item. “Why would we be welcome?”

“You’re her soulmate.”

“Polite society wouldn’t see it that way.”

“Who gives a fuck about polite society?” Havoc asked, lighting up a cigarette. “If anything, you would be doing this woman a favour, saving her from that lot.”

“We won’t know until we talk to her, so we’re going back,” Hughes added, clapping Roy on the back cheerily. He grunted at the painful impact, the whisky in his glass almost spilling.

“We’re not,” Roy bit out. A lie.

“We are. Or, Havoc and I can go back without you if you want to wallow in “what ifs” and “this will never happens”.” Hughes waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “We can talk to the fine young lady and reveal your secret.”

“No thank you,” Roy cut in immediately, pressing the whisky glass into a laughing Hughes’ hands as he began to pace.

Was he really considering this? Of course, there was a massive chance she may not approve of him. Not that Roy cared what other people thought of him – living on the streets burned that nonsense out of him years ago – but the thought of the other half of his soul rejecting him may sting a little.

Okay, a lot.

And he couldn’t get out of his head how she had encouraged him and didn’t seem fazed by the fact he was stealing from her. She obviously knew he was a thief. He had admitted that, but she didn’t recoil.

Instead she pulled him into a very close quarters hiding spot and waited with bated breath while her raging father passed by, motioning for him to be silent.

That damned hiding spot. His abdomen still tingled from her touch hours ago. He could still smell her shampoo.

She had helped him.

Fuck.

He really was in trouble.

“Mustang,” Havoc called to him, pulling him from his thoughts. Both his friends were standing in between the seating area, watching Roy as he moved. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

“You’re both soulmates. She won’t turn you away.”

“We’ll see about that,” Roy muttered, sighing. He nodded in agreement to this crazy plan, causing both his friends to grin and share a look.

“Our baby boy is growing up,” Hughes sniffed, wiping at a “tear” as he reached to ruffle Roy’s hair.

“Shut it, Hughes,” Roy growled, ducking and leaving the room to the sound of their laughter.