#i just wanted them to have a good future so they can work on their flaws together and be a happy healthy pair 🤲🤲🤲🤲

[vettelsvee]

SÍ... ESTAMOS SALIENDO | Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri x Pérez!Reader

SUMMARY: Scared of everyone to find out, Y/N Pérez and Oscar Piastri decide to hide their relationship from everyone until Checo starts wondering how Piastri learnt to speak Spanish so good... and specially why he has a Mexican accent ↳ REQUESTED BY ANON: Maybe one were she is checos daughter and they hide their relationship from him. And also maybe she teaches oscar some Spanish. At the end they end up telling checo about their relationship

WORD COUNT: 2399

WARNINGS: Use of Spanish. Important to say that even Spanish is my mother tongue, I may have some mistakes because it is Mexican Spanish and I don't know much about it, so I had to do some research. Otherwise, mentions of unwanted pregnancy, unprotected sex, drugs and alcohol

TAGLIST: @hc-dutch @raavadakedavra @coffeedestroyingperson @evey-kuznetskova @bowielovesyou @chaoswithus @isotopemylove @iceman-kazansky @gwginnyweasley @formula1-motogpfan @myescapefromthislife @regalbanshee [in case you wanna be tagged just tell me so i can add you!]

VEE'S NOTES: Not writing related but I’m obsessed with a K-Drama I started watching yesterday and I just wanna write Come What May series since the main characters’ personalities are the same as Seb and Y/N (Di in case you read the OC Version) there lmao. Anyways, missed a lot writing about Oscar (I definitely will be writing about him more as he's my second fave on the current grid) and this one got me so happy with how it turned out! Hope you like it as well, and remember that I'd love to see your comments <3 ↳ MAKE YOUR REQUESTS | LET'S TALK! | JANUARY UPDATE CALENDAR

© VETTELSVEE (2025). please, do not steal, copy or translate my works. thanks for reading!

“What if you taught me some Spanish?”

“Sorry, what did you just say?”

“That's it, Y/N. Teach me some Spanish.”

You, completely absorbed in looking at the pictures you had taken during the date you had with your boyfriend that same day, lifted your gaze from your phone and raised an eyebrow, fully taken aback by Oscar's proposal.

“Spanish? You? You already speak English! English is the only language that matters to you all…”

Oscar shrugged, nervously playing with the steering wheel. At that moment, he reconsidered what he had said, unsure now, and realized that maybe it had been a somewhat strange proposal on his part.

“I just want to understand you when you talk to your dad or your family. I know no one knows we’re together yet, but sometimes when you do video calls with them, I feel a bit lost. I also feel like sometimes you talk about me, and I’d like to know if I should worry,” he confessed, glancing at you from the corner of his eye.

“And why do you assume we talk about you, huh?”

“Well, because you always look at me out of the corner of your eye when you do.”

You couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked with that unnecessary concern.

“Why do you have to be so chismoso?” You said, making Oscar give you a little tap on the shoulder. That just made you laugh more. “Alright, alright, fine! But I warn you in advance: if you laugh at me speaking Spanish or don’t take me seriously, I’ll break up with you.”

What started as a completely random proposal, with little prospect of a future or sense at first, eventually became one of your favorite routines. You took advantage of every moment together to practice, always hiding it from Checo or any member of the Pérez family when you were in the paddock. Moreover, whenever you were in your respective countries, you would watch Mexican movies and TV shows, and also some in their original version with English subtitles. You even started sending each other the occasional message in Spanish, thanks to the Australian’s initiative.

Oscar seemed to have, in your eyes, a natural talent for languages. Not only did he manage to learn greetings and basic words in less than a week, but after a month, he was already making the effort to use your Mexican accent and even incorporating words that seemed exclusive to your family’s vocabulary.

And that was exactly what, a few months later, turned into a real nightmare for the secrecy with which you kept your relationship.

While no one knew you were together as a couple, Oscar and you pretended to be just friends when you were in public. That’s why it was completely normal for Checo Pérez to see his daughter with the Australian, having coffee and chatting animatedly after a press conference.

“¡Buenos días, Checo!” Oscar said in almost perfect Spanish. “¿Cómo va, papá?”

You, hearing that last word, spat out the little coffee you had left in your mouth and opened your eyes, completely surprised. Checo, however, made a face and a frown, questioning his daughter’s friend.

“What did you say?” You asked, though you knew perfectly well that what your boyfriend had just said was something you hadn’t taught him, and he’d probably heard it from you.

“Well… ¿Cómo va, papá?” the guy repeated innocently. “Did I say it right?”

“Papá?” repeated the Red Bull driver, even more shocked. “Do you even know what that means, kid?”

“It’s an expression, right? Isn’t it like saying buddy?”

Checo stared at him for a few seconds that felt like an eternity to Oscar. Then, he turned his gaze to you, who was pretending to fiddle with your phone to avoid having to face an awkward conversation about why your secret boyfriend had just said that.

“¿Te importaría decirme por qué Oscar habla como tú?” Pérez asked quickly in Spanish, clearly aiming for Oscar not to understand.

“He doesn’t talk like me!” You quickly replied in English. “Oscar has been practicing Spanish, and well… he wants to fit in better so he’s trying. Duolingo isn’t the best app for learning, so he’s been watching YouTube videos... Right, Osc?”

The guy nodded, but that didn’t convince Checo. Still, he didn’t say anything else and, instead, coldly said goodbye to you both.

As soon as he was far enough away not to hear you, you turned to Oscar and started shaking him:

“Of all the things you could say, you call him papá?!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose, babe!” He rushed to reply, feeling bad for you. “I’ve heard it so many times that, well… I just said it without thinking. I honestly didn’t think it was anything bad.”

You huffed, knowing that it wasn’t Oscar’s fault or his curiosity and interest in learning your mother tongue, but yours for not setting boundaries or explaining the meaning of each word, as well as the context in which it should be used or who it was addressed to.

From that moment on, your father started paying more attention. He was an expert in discretion, but you knew him well enough to realize that, since the incident with Oscar, he had become much more alert and interested in you both, especially looking for clear signs that would confirm his suspicions that his daughter was dating one of the newest additions to the grid.

Unfortunately for you and Oscar, the Mexican didn’t need to investigate much, and he only did so for a month to confirm his theories.

During one of the briefings with all the drivers, Checo heard Oscar mumbling an “Órale, wey” followed by some insults in Spanish that you had made up when it had gotten pretty late and everyone was eager to return to their hotel. Also, instead of saying “sorry,” he let out a “¿mande?” which wouldn’t have been strange if he hadn’t continued speaking in English, as if nothing had happened.

You and Oscar seemed unaware of all your slip-ups; on the contrary, feeling like you weren’t arousing anyone’s suspicion, you lowered your guard. Displays of affection in public, though still cautious, became more frequent, especially when Checo wasn’t near you. Or at least, that’s what you thought.

The back of the McLaren garage, just a few meters away from Red Bull’s, as expected, wasn’t the most suitable place.

“We should go somewhere else,” you said softly while nervously fiddling with the collar of your boyfriend's shirt, who had his arm around your waist.

“Why? This place is perfect,” Oscar replied, unconcerned.

“Yeah, sure, perfect for my dad to catch us,” you muttered. “If he already suspects and looks like that doll from the red light, green light game on Squid Game, analyzing us so much to jump on us as soon as he catches us… imagine if he finds us. He’ll kill us, I swear.”

“Come on, Y/N, just try to relax. We’ve got it all under control. Seriously, there’s nothing to worry about, mi amor.”

You blushed at the compliment he had given you in Spanish, and couldn’t help but plant a chaste kiss on his lips, even though everything inside you felt chaotic.

“If you’re trying to convince me that everything’s fine by speaking to me in Spanish, just know that you’re doing it perfectly,” you declared. “But don’t forget, that doesn’t mean I don’t feel a tremendous anxiety and keep thinking that we’re literally one step away from getting caught. Do you know what he could do if he finds out that you and I… that?” You asked hesitantly.

“Is he going to give us a lecture on how we have to stay professional whenever we’re in public? Or is he going to tell me he’ll kill me if I even think about getting you pregnant?”

“He’ll probably make you come home to have lunch with my family and only speak Spanish,” you tried not to laugh but couldn’t help yourself. “And trust me, you don’t want to be in that position because you’ll have all my aunts, and there are quite a few of them, right next to you, asking you some very uncomfortable questions.”

“Then we’ll have to tell him as soon as possible so he can prepare. How about I tell him that I’m absolutely and completely in love with his daughter?”

You shot him a glare, panic flooding your insides at the thought of that happening.

“No, don’t you dare do that, Osc, and especially not here. You have no idea how my dad would react if…”

“Why not?” He interrupted. Then, he stopped, and after a few seconds that felt like an eternity to you, he seemed to finally find the courage to speak: “I could tell him something like… ¡Señor Pérez, estoy saliendo con su hija porque además de ser la mejor mujer de este mundo, me hace la persona más feliz del mundo!”

You couldn’t help but laugh, filled with emotion inside at Oscar’s sweet yet innocent declaration of love aloud.

However, a cough behind you made you snap back to reality.

“Can I know what you’re doing with my daughter, Piastri?”

You both slowly turned around. There, standing before you, was Checo, arms crossed, with a very unfriendly look on his face. You swore that if Oscar walked out of there alive and without a reprimand from your overprotective father, he could do whatever he wanted for the rest of the year.

“Well…” Oscar began, his confidence suddenly disappearing.

“Esto no es lo que parece, te lo juro,” you said in Spanish, trying to calm your father, even though you knew your attempts would be in vain.

“Oh, really?” Checo asked, raising an eyebrow, knowing you were both lying. “Then, what explanation do you have for this kid shouting to the four winds in almost perfect Spanish that he’s in love with you? At least that’s what I understood, if my Spanish doesn’t fail me.”

You were about to reply, but instead, Oscar gently took you by the wrist and stepped forward, surprisingly confident.

“Checo, I’m not playing around. Okay, I was joking about that, but not about what it means… like…” Piastri explained slowly, nerves eating at him as he couldn’t bring himself to look Checo in the face. “Your daughter matters to me, well, like… you know, like a boyfriend cares for his girlfriend.”

Checo tried not to laugh at the declaration of love from the man who had just confirmed he was his son-in-law and did his best to maintain the protective fatherly composure, thinking no guy would ever be good enough for his daughter.

“So you care about my daughter… You, one of my coworkers, a twenty-three-year-old kid, care about my eldest daughter enough to believe you can have a relationship with her…”

“It’s not that I believe it, it’s that I know I do.”

Not only you and Checo were surprised by the boy’s words, but Oscar himself too. He regretted it immediately, but before he could apologize to Checo, the man stepped forward, raising a hand and staring at him:

“So… are you two dating or not?”

“Yes, for almost six months now,” you answered, feeling a knot in your stomach, but much less pressure now that your father knew the truth.

Checo sighed, running a hand over his face as he tried to process the news his daughter, his little girl, had just told him. The girl he knew ever since she was born and now he had to imagine her spending, if not the rest of her life, at least part of it, with another man.

“And why didn’t you tell me before?” Checo asked, his voice tinged with disappointment but also some understanding. “Don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I knew you would react badly,” you answered, frustrated. “I trust you, and I know you want to protect me from any guy who could make me feel bad, but you have to understand that I’m twenty years old, and whether you like it or not, I’m not a little girl anymore.”

Checo looked at you and then turned his gaze to Oscar, who had his head down. Besides his nerves being pretty evident, so was his willingness to face any kind of dispute or reprimand from him just to stay with you.

That made Checo feel a bit bad, though it also gave him some relief seeing that the Australian was truly concerned and, why not say it, in love, willing to do anything for his little Y/N.

Finally, he let out a small sigh, trying to calm himself. He repeated your words over and over in his mind before saying anything else because if you had never disappointed him in your life, then he didn’t want to disappoint you just because you were in love.

I’m not a little girl anymore.

“Checo…” Piastri spoke, but Checo raised a finger, silencing him instantly.

“I’m only going to say this once: you better not hurt my daughter, or I’ll hurt you when I kick you off the track or crash into you accidentally. Is that clear?”

Oscar swallowed hard, feeling that Checo wasn’t joking.

“Understood…”

“And as for you,” Checo now spoke to you, completely stunned, “don’t think this is over. Your mother, you, and I will have a conversation about this and several other topics when we get home.”

Unprotected wild sex, alcohol, and drugs, for sure, you thought, forcing a smile to try to hide your worry.

“Now go on and keep loving each other, but be careful where and how you do it. I don’t want to be a grandfather just yet.”

With those words, Checo left, leaving you both.

“Well… now he knows. Finally,” Oscar said, letting out a sigh of relief.

“I told you he was intense. Do you believe me now?”

“Of course, mi amor,” the Australian replied, taking your hand and heading to your room in the McLaren motorhome, so, as Checo had said, you wouldn’t become grandparents just yet. “Your dad scared me, but I’m not going to lie to you, he gave me enough motivation to beat him in every race from now on.”

[realcleverscience]

@departmentofsnideremarks

Thank you for the thoughtful response. I'll try to be thoughtful in my response in turn:

Luddites - you're right. I didn't frame that history as accurately as I should have. That said, I believe my point remains about their opposition to the machines based on concern of its economic impact toward them under their employment system. Put another way, like you said, they weren't against machines but rather the economic impact it was having on them by being displaced (i.e. now one didn't need skilled weavers; even children could help operate the machines). Again, this is analogous to AI, where much of the furor against it has been about its economic impact to individual workers. e.g. the hollywood strike you mentioned. It's not that actors *can't* work, but that film studios might not need their skills/expertise. I believe this mirrors a point I often make which is that technologies are not inherently good or bad, but that it depends on how its used, and that most of the complaints about AI are not about the tech itself, but its implementation under a capitalist system. In other words, I think most of the "ai issues" are really issues with our capitalist system.

"The biggest issue, at least to me, is that the neural network is a black box" - I don't necessarily see this as an issue on the consumer end as it's somewhat analogous to the black box of human cognition as well. I'd also add that lots of companies are working on this specific issue. As just one obvious example: openAI's latest models show its researchers (and to a lesser extent, the public) *how* it's thinking. So yeah, this is something of an issue for now, but not an inherent, permanent, road-stopping obstacle.

"Let's talk about its application in the medical field..." - I don't think providing examples of AIs that suck proves that all AIs suck or that they will forever suck. Yes, some AIs are not good. And yes, some of them are promoted by ignorant and/or unscrupulous capitalists. But the same is true in the domain of human business as well. Some products suck. Some businesses are unethical. That's not an inherent issue with AI. Furthermore, there are already tons of examples of AIs helping individuals with medical problems as well as advancing the medical field in general. E.g. alphafold has increased our knowledge of proteins by 1,000x and is already advancing many medical breakthroughs. Or consider the role AI played in quickly discovering covid vaccines.

"The problem, then, is that people are too ready and willing to trust AI as some sort of impartial arbiter of truth, despite very real and sometimes unknowable (without extensive research and testing) biases in its training data." - Sure, but a) AIs are improving daily. Error rates are dropping, as are hallucinations, while reasoning abilities are growing, etc. etc. b) more fundamentally, that's a problem (for now) with some humans. Some people will believe anything someone says no matter how insane (*cough*trump*cough*), some will believe anything they hear on the radio or facebook or even in a book. This reminds me of an article I read some years ago that investigated whether internet access made people smarter or dumber. They concluded that it made smart people smarter and dumb people dumber. So I do think there's some human accountability here. That said, I also expect AI accuracy to exceed human accuracy in pretty much all domains in the near future. But I also agree that people need to be told and remember that AI is not infallible.

"People aren't asking for it. People don't want it. Companies and those who create these algorithms want people to use it so that they can make their money back." - The only reason microsoft, google, openai, and a thousand other companies are doing this is to try to catch up to existing and expected public demand. Furthermore, if the AIs suck (as they sometimes do), people won't use them. The company loses money on a failed project and consumers move on to better products. This is pretty much how businesses innovate in general. And again, if the public doesn't want it, and doesn't use it, then it will go away. But it's not, bc people DO want AI tools - just not the crappy ones.

"Theranos was a medical diagnostic fraud to the tune of $700 million..." - you provided an example of unscrupulous capitalists cheating people, being caught, and them going to jail. I don't see the problem.

"Can you hold an algorithm accountable for a misdiagnosis the way you can for a doctor?" - There is a TON of work being done right now on all of these legal issues. As just one example: Waymo has self-driving cars in some areas. They assume responsibility if the car/ai crashes due to a failure on their part. The same is true with AI in healthcare and other fields. This is an active area of research and development. But in short, it seems likely that in most situations, if the user did nothing wrong, that AI companies (or companies that are using AI) would be held responsible for flaws in their system (similar to how they're responsible for other product flaws).

"Perhaps you could say that these are a failing of our legal system, not of the AI itself, but I'd argue it's the companies who are exploiting the grey areas in our legal system for profit, regardless of the detriment it may be having to our society as a whole, which is what this image is really meant to argue against." These are three different issues: a - failing legal system: I think our legal system is a bit of a joke, but that's been the case long before AI. in terms of AI, I think our legal systems are slowly catching up, but I think there's always a bit of a legal lag when fundamentally new techs are created. b - the ai itself: AI is still an extremely young field. I'm not at all surprised that new AI systems may sometimes suck. But I don't think they'll stay that way, esp as we've already seen AI systems that excel at specific tasks, and increasingly, AIs that excel at many general tasks. c - "companies who are exploiting..." - This, to me, is the real issue: capitalism. if you want to complain about unethical companies pushing products that suck or are unsafe etc, I'm right there with you. that said, I don't think AIs value is built on legal loopholes. Even if we had extremely strict laws about AI it would still retain almost all its value bc it offers an economically useful resource: scalable intelligence (and potentially even super-intelligence).

"I'm not saying that there is no value in "AI" now or in the future. But the technology, as it exists now, is not ready for the widespread commercial applications" - I generally agree with this! AI is still young. But, it is improving at a remarkable pace. E.g. Early 2024, the best AIs scored like 5% on the ARC test; by the end of 2024, O3 scored around 80%! So even if we all agree that AI is not yet ready for general commercial use, the question becomes: when will it be? I expect that within 5 years the bulk of the earlier mentioned issues will be resolved to at least human-level performance (if not much better). So what of AI then? What of AI once we fully solve the black box, the biases, the accuracy, the common sense, legal, and other issues? This is part of why I suggested that people don't just say "ai bad" but target specific issues - namely, that I think those specific issues are being addressed and are extremely likely to be overcome in the very near future. So what then? Will the people complaining about AI today be ok with AI then? I suspect it will depend entirely on its economic impact on individuals. If we don't have something like a UBI and other systems in place to support people (and perhaps transition us to a post-labor society), then I expect a lot more "luddite" resistance and hatred. But if the gains from AI are shared equitably and sustainably, then I think it will be largely welcomed. tl;dr: AI is young and dumb but will quickly mature to safe commercial use. Some unscrupulous capitalists are pushing unsafe, "dumb" ai products. Whether AI will devastate or help the ecosystem and economy and individuals is not dependent on the AI but our legal and economic systems (i.e. how we vote).

[incomplete-leclerc]

　𝗔𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝟭 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗗.　formula one · #f1

　　　the f1 grid drivers' favourite ways to show affection.

genres : fluff ... established relationships ... f1 grid x reader (lando norris, kimi antonelli, charles leclerc, carlos sainz, oscar piastri, ollie bearman included).　word count : 1.2k (around 200 per driver).　warnings : kissing in carlos' ... just cute fluff ... not proofread.　 note : these are finally done yay!! super happy to be posting this, and hopefully more headcanons otw soon.　　　( masterlist )　( taglist )

　𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗦 · 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗔𝗜𝗥

You love tousling Lando’s curls, taking any chance you can to mess up his hair. But he loves to do it in return and it eventually became your love language. Always calling each other funny names like idiot, muppet, moron, or dummy, but it all comes from a place of affection, and you’ve grown quite attached to the names.

Lando also loves trying to style your hair, whether it’s short or long, he figures he can do something with it. He can successfully do a ponytail, and you’ve tried to teach him braiding to… limited success. But what he does love is hair accessories (bows, clips, ribbons, headbands, anything he can get his hands on). But, of course, you turn the tables on him eventually and he ends up with pink hair clips all over his dark curls which look both adorable and silly. He might say he doesn’t like them, but deep down, he would let you have full reign over his hair again just to see the excited smile on your face and contagious giggles. 

After tough races or when you’re both tired, playing with Lando’s hair makes him super drowsy, and he’ll often fall asleep on your lap. You let him doze off whenever he wants, but not before snapping a few cute pictures of him for future teasing.

　𝗞𝗜𝗠𝗜 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜 · 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦

Kimi needs to hold your hand whenever possible. Needs seems like an exaggeration, and indeed, Ollie ruthlessly teases him whenever it gets mentioned, but no other word quite describes it perfectly. Whenever there is an opportunity to clasp his hand with yours, he takes it.

When you get up to go out the door, his hand leads you outside. When you’re standing in line to get food, his thumb traces your knuckles. Before he gets into his car for a race, he gives your hand one last little squeeze for good luck. It became more than just a mere gesture over the years. It’s his habit now. Kimi holds your hand so often that it feels wrong when he doesn’t have the option.He loves the feeling of your soft skin, the fact that it keeps you two close but not too close. He can keep it on the downlow as well, hidden away from cameras, and it still works when he has his helmet on (which is where kisses fall short). It’s the perfect mix of romantic and subtle. When he needs comfort, he already has your touch, and when he feels extra affectionate, he can press a small kiss to the back of your hand. Hand holding is Kimi’s way to show affection.

　𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗖 · 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗘

Charles loves your face. He loves to look at it, hold it, kiss it, see it scrunch up in annoyance or melt with a look of love because of him. And there’s something so gentle and careful in the way he cradles your jaw or brushes his thumb over your cheek. It has butterflies swarming to your stomach at the sight of his smile. You can tell he adores every feature of you, watching his green eyes study your face so lovingly, because it’s his favourite thing to look at. Sometimes Charles swears he could drown in your eyes because of how beautiful they are. I just can’t look away from you, mon ange.

He’ll press kisses to your forehead, or lead your face closer to his so he can give you a kiss on the lips. It is usually only during quiet intimate moments, after a long day, or during a romantic date, that you both get completely lost in each other’s eyes, finding some sense of calm by getting lost in the way he looks at you. There’s overflowing love in each look and gaze, and only the sweetest words would fall from his lips during these moments.

　𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗢𝗦 𝗦𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗭 · 𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗦

Some would save romantic kisses on the lips for a special moment, but not Carlos. He will make up any excuse to kiss you every hour of the day. And he quite literally does. Every moment calls for a kiss from Carlos, whether it was a race win, waking up in the morning, before a meal, during his morning coffee— he really finds excuses at any time of the day.

He doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of the taste of your lips, and he really hopes he never does. Because that would be tragic as far as he’s concerned. 

There have been multiple times when he showed up to work with lipstick smudged on the side of his lips that he never noticed (he likes to interrupt you when you do your makeup). You rarely tell him when it happens because you think it’s funnier to send him off oblivious. 

He likes all the romantic moments between you two, but especially when he gets lost in a kiss, holding you gently in his arms, sometimes swaying back and forth. The laughter in between kisses and touches that speak a million silent words. Those are the moments that Carlos adores and thinks back to often whenever he daydreams.

　𝗢𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥 𝗣𝗜𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜 · 𝗙𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗦

Oscar shows his affection in the way his eyes are always on you; in the way he is always listening to whatever you have to say like it’s the most important thing, even if it was a silly comment that didn’t matter; in the way there is always a smile playing on his lips as he watches you do anything. 

His attentiveness speaks for itself. Perhaps he isn’t the most overly romantic person. He likes things to be simple. But you could never doubt how much he cares, because it’s clear every single day.He really doesn’t think he’s that obvious with how much he is endeared by you, but practically everyone else can tell by how much Oscar stares. If you follow his line of sight, it’ll almost always lead to you, and even you tease him about this. Not like anything would stop him, though. He’s just too fond of you, and you love the genuine smiles that can always be found plastered on his face. People say Oscar doesn’t show much emotion, but with you, he can’t help but let the happiness and affection that he feels show on his face.

　𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗡 · 𝗛𝗨𝗚𝗦

Fitting to his name, Ollie likes to give you bear hugs at least once a day. After winning a race, he’ll come running and scoop you up in his arms, lifting you off your feet at times. Hugs that sway back and forth and knock the breath out of you— those are the kinds he adores.

Although he’s very good at being gentle, his excitement manifests itself into his hold on you, and he sometimes forgets exactly how strong he is. But you love how he gets swept away with the emotions of it and though you might shriek in shock at times, you trust Ollie with your life. He would never drop you. 

On a calmer day with less adrenaline, he likes back hugs, following you around the house attached like a koala. He’s quite clingy, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. His schedule forces him away from you often enough that you savour the moments you get with him to just be close and romantic. The regularity of you missing him only feeds your affection whenever you are together, and over time, the feeling of being in Ollie’s arms becomes more familiar than home to you.

[ice-man-goes-bwoah]

Match maker||Franco colapinto x fem!norris!reader

Summary — Lando takes Franco under his wing and sets him up with his sister

Word count— 2826

A/n another one form my old account

“You did what?!” You asked your brother Lando who stood on the other side of the kitchen bar scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Invited Franco over for dinner,” Lando repeated.

“I get that but why? And why to my apartment?” You asked, looking at him.

“Because I want the guy to know that he has a friend. F1 is lonely sometimes and your apartment is more homey than mine” Lando said as a matter of fact.

“Lando my apartment is a mess, look at the state of the place,” you said gesturing around the apartment.

Lando looked around your apartment looking for the so-called mess. The only thing he saw was the cat toys striding all over the floor and a couple of yellow dying leaves on one of your plants. Raising an eyebrow he looked at you skeptically holding up a finger as if he was saying one second.

You watched as he picked up the cat toys and tossed them into the basket before turning his attention to prune your plant gently taking off the yellow leaves.

“They're all clean,” Lando said, smiling proud of himself.

You couldn't help but smile and roll your eyes, "you didn't have to do that, you know?" you say, crossing your arms as he returned the gardening scissors to their place in the kitchen drawer.

"I know but now Franco won't see any mess, problem solved," he said with a grin, clearly proud of his work.

You shook your head gently, "you're a mess sometimes, you know that?" you teased, sticking your tongue out at him, gently swatting his arm.

Lando laughed good-naturedly, "hey, I'm just trying to help," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. He leaned against the kitchen counter and looked at you with a smile.

"But, thanks for letting me have Franco over," he said, his tone suddenly more serious, "I just want to make sure he feels less lonely around here, you know?

“F1 life can be pretty isolating at times," he said, running a hand through his messy hair. You felt a wave of empathy towards Lando, knowing that the F1 life wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. The constant traveling, media scrutiny, and being surrounded by people yet often feeling alone wasn't a piece of cake.

“I completely understand,” you said gently, moving to lean next to him against the kitchen counter. "I'm happy to have you guys over, just maybe a bit more notice next time?" you teased, nudging him playfully with your elbow.

Lando chuckled, "I promise to give you a heads-up in the future," he said, holding up a hand as if he was swearing.

A silence fell for a moment before Lando glanced at you, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"So tell me, you're single right? Do you mind if I play matchmaker for you tonight?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

You felt a mixture of surprise and amusement wash over you.

"Lando, are you serious?" you asked, trying to hold back a smile.

Lando just shrugged, "What can I say? I love playing matchmaker. Besides, I think you and Franco would get along great," he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Also what should I make for dinner?” You asked Lando.

“Ooh Make your Chicken Parmesan and my life is yours,” Lando says dramatically falling on the floor. Lando scrambled off the floor, a wide grin on his face.

"You're a goddess" he declared, exaggeratingly bowing down to you.

"Now if only Franco is as easily pleased as me" he teased, wagging his eyebrows. You shook your head, trying to hide a smile. "Lando, will you shut up and help me cook?"

He laughed and saluted you. "Aye, aye captain," he said, pushing himself off the floor.

As you both moved to the kitchen and started prepping the ingredients, Lando couldn't help but keep bringing up the thought of you and Franco together.

"You know, Franco is a nice guy," Lando said, chopping away at a pile of garlic "I think you two would get along great," he said, his eyes never leaving the chopping board.

You hummed in response, stirring the marinara sauce.

Lando glanced up at you with a smirk. "He's single too, you know" he teased, clearly enjoying this a little too much. You shot Lando a stern look, trying to suppress a smile. "Lando, I know you like to play matchmaker but slow down a bit, will you?"

Lando feigned surprise, a hand coming to his mouth in mock shock. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said innocently, going back to chopping the garlic.

You rolled your eyes at his act. "You're the worst," you said, shaking your head.

Lando chuckled, "But you love me"

You couldn't deny that. You did love him, as annoying as he could be at times. But you weren't about to give him that satisfaction.

"Sometimes," you said with a grin, shaking your head.

Just then, the buzzer for the front door rang throughout the apartment - signaling that Franco was there. Lando's face lit up, like a kid on Christmas morning. "I'll get the door," Lando said quickly, jumping up from the counter before you had the chance to respond.

"Lando, wait-" you called out, but he was already rushing out of the kitchen.

Sighing, you tried to refocus on the marinara sauce. But the thought of meeting Franco for the first time started to make your nerves flutter.

Lando quickly crossed the living room and opened the front door. Franco stood there with a smile, holding a bottle of red wine in his hand.

"Hey mate, glad you could make it," Lando said, stepping aside to let him in.

Franco stepped through the door, his eyes immediately taking in your apartment. "Wow, this is a nice place, thanks for having me," he said, handing Lando the bottle of wine.

"Ah, thanks for bringing the wine," Lando said, taking the bottle in his hands and studying the label.

"And no problem, my friend," he said, giving his shoulder a firm pat.

You picked that moment to stroll into the living room, curiosity getting the better of you. At the sight of you, Franco gave a charming smile.

"Hello there," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down your spine for some reason. You offered him a warm smile in return, trying to ignore the way your heart skipped a beat at his words.

"Hi, I'm (Y/N)" you said, holding out a hand.

Franco took your hand in his own, giving it a gentle shake. His hand was warm and firm against your own, and you found yourself blushing a bit at the contact.

"Franco," he said, his smile still in place. Lando watched the interaction, his smirk growing wider. Lando cleared his throat, breaking the moment.

"Come on, let's head into the kitchen, (Y/N) just about finished preparing dinner," he said, gesturing to the kitchen.

Franco gave you one more smile before following Lando into the kitchen. You stayed a step behind them, taking a deep breath to calm your nerves.

As you entered the kitchen, you went back to stirring the marinara sauce. Lando started to pour some of the wine into three glasses, handing one to you and one to Franco.

As the three of you drank and joked around with casual small talk, you found yourself getting more comfortable in Franco's presence. He was polite, witty, and had a smile that could melt even the iciest of hearts.

When it came time to eat, the three of you sat around your kitchen table, laughing and enjoying the delicious chicken parmesan.

As you all talked, you realized that Lando was suspiciously quiet - watching you and Franco intently, the ghost of a smirk on his lips.

Lando continued to silently observe you and Franco, occasionally chuckling to himself. You noticed this and shot him a few pointed looks, trying to signal for him to behave.

But Lando just smiled innocently, sipping his wine.

Meanwhile, you and Franco continued chatting, discovering mutual interests, and sharing stories. The conversation was easy and natural, and you found yourself genuinely enjoying his company.

As the meal came to a close, the conversation started to die down. Lando set down his fork and leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Well, that was bloody fantastic," he said, patting his stomach.

Franco nodded in agreement, also leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, best chicken parmesan I’ve ever had," he said, looking over at you with a grateful smile.

You felt a blush rise in your cheeks at the compliment. "Oh, it's nothing really" you said, waving a dismissive hand.

Lando smirked into his wine glass, watching you two interact. He was enjoying this far too much.

"Nonsense, it was absolutely fantastic" Franco said, his eyes never leaving yours.

Suddenly, Lando cleared his throat, interrupting the moment.

"You know, (Y/N). Franco here is single" he said, feigning innocence. You tensed up at Lando's words. Here we go.

Franco coughed awkwardly, his cheeks tinged a light pink.

You sent Lando a sharp glare, warning him to back off. Which also resulted in you kicking Lando in the shin underneath the table. Lando winced in pain, "Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing his shin as he shot you a betrayed look.

Franco chuckled beside you, clearly enjoying your playful banter. "Sorry," you said to Lando, not sounding at all sorry. Lando just grumbled something under his breath as he continued to rub his shin.

Glancing at Franco, you found he was looking right back at you, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Hey, I’m just trying to help you guys out" Lando said, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

Franco shook his head, "It's alright, I think it's quite funny actually" he said, glancing between you and Lando. You chuckled, mentally cursing Lando for his attempts at match-making.

“You’ll have to forgive him, he’s a bit of a meddler” you said, giving Lando a pointed look. Lando let out a huff of protest, "I’m not a meddler, I prefer the term matchmaker".

You rolled your eyes at his comment, shaking your head. "More like a pain in the ass" you muttered. Franco chuckled beside you, clearly amused by your banter.

Lando clutched his chest in mock offense, "I'm hurt. Really hurt." You just rolled your eyes again, used to Lando's melodrama. “Well would you look at the time I should be going” Lando said looking at his bare wrist as he got up sprinting to the door.

“You’re not even wearing your watch!” You called out to him. Lando ignored your comment and quickly made his way to the door in a few long strides.

"Bye guys, have fun!" he called out over his shoulder before exiting the apartment. The door slid shut behind him, leaving you alone with Franco.

You let out a sigh, shaking your head. "That boy, I swear he never knows when to stop" you said, rolling your eyes.

Franco chuckled, looking over at you. "He seems like a fun guy" he said.

You shook your head, "Yeah, fun and a massive pain in the ass" you replied, a smile tugging at your lips. The two of you stood silently for a moment, the weight of Lando's words hanging in the air.

Trying to break the tension, you cleared your throat. "Well, would you like some more wine?" you asked, gesturing to the bottle on the table.

Franco smiled warmly and nodded. "Yeah, why not" he said, holding out his glass for you to refill it. You poured the red liquid into his glass, your hands slightly shaking with nerves.

As you refilled your own glass, you snuck a glance at Franco, taking in his sharp jaw and kind eyes.

God, he really was handsome. You quickly averted your gaze, mentally scolding yourself for ogling him like that.

As you set down the bottle, you decided to break the silence.

"So, Lando mentioned you’re single?" you asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. As soon as the words left your mouth, you mentally smacked yourself. Of course you would ask that.

Franco let out a chuckle, his eyes flashing with amusement.

"Yeah, I'm single" he said simply, swirling the wine in his glass.

A silence fell over the two of you for a moment, the only sound being the ticking of the clock on the wall.

You fidgeted with the hem of your shirt, not knowing what to say next.

Franco glanced up at you, his gaze suddenly intense. "And you? Are you single?" he asked, his voice low. You felt your breath hitch in your throat as you met his gaze.

"Y-yeah, I’m single" you manage to squeak out, your voice betraying your nerves.

Franco nodded in response, his eyes studying your face intently. The tension in the air was suddenly thick enough to cut with a knife.

Despite your nerves, there was something about the way he was looking at you that made your stomach flutter.

The air was charged with a tension you couldn’t fully understand, and it made it hard to focus on anything except his gaze.

After a few moments of silence, Franco cleared his throat. “Can I…ask you something?”

Franco took a sip of his wine before continuing, his eyes never leaving you.

"Did Lando set us up?" he asked bluntly.

You were taken aback by his bluntness, but after a moment of surprise wore off, you chuckled.

"Yes, he did" you admitted sheepishly. Franco chuckled as well, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“I had a feeling he was up to something” he said, his voice low. “But I wasn’t expecting him to be quite so…forward”

You nodded, a smile on your face. “Lando can be a little reckless at times” you said, shaking your head fondly. “Clearly” Franco said, his tone amused.

He stared at you for a few moments, his eyes boring into you. You fidgeted nervously, unsure of what to say or do next.

Finally, he spoke again, his voice quieter than before. “Can I tell you something?”

Your heart rate picked up speed as you swallowed heavily. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead" you said, bracing yourself. Franco took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving yours.

"I actually..." he trailed off, suddenly looking nervous.

Your heart was pounding in your chest as you waited for him to continue, holding your breath. "I...I actually find you very attractive" he said in a rush, his cheeks turning a light tint of pink.

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, your mind suddenly going blank. Did he just say what you thought he said?

"I, uh..." you mumbled, your mind scrambling to come up with a response.

Franco chuckled, sensing your surprise. He ran a hand through his hair, looking suddenly sheepish.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to blurt that out like that” he said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

You shook your head, still trying to process what he had just said.

"No, no, it's alright" you finally managed to say, your voice shaky. "I, uh...I find you attractive too" you admitted quietly, feeling your cheeks flush.

“Would you like to go out sometime soon with me?” Franco asked nervously.

Your heart thumped in your chest as Franco's words hung in the air. He wanted to go out with you.

"Yes" you said, without hesitation. "I'd love to"

A smile slowly spread across Franco's face. "Really?" he asked, looking pleasantly surprised.

"Yes, really" you laughed, the nerves finally gone.

Franco's smile widened, his eyes sparkling. "Great" he replied, the relief evident in his voice. "How about this Friday? I'll pick you up at 8?"

Your heart fluttered at his suggestion. "That sounds perfect" you said, a smile on your face.

Franco let out a sigh of relief. "Great, it's a date" he said, looking genuinely excited. The two of you continued talking for a while longer, the previous tension replaced by a lighthearted chatter.

Eventually, Franco looked down at his watch and winced. "It's almost midnight, I should probably head home" he said, reluctantly standing up from his chair.

You stood up as well, feeling a pang of disappointment at the thought of him leaving. But you knew he was right - it was getting late.

“Yeah, I guess it is pretty late” you said, glancing down at your own watch.

Franco gathered his jacket and slung it over his shoulder. You walked him to the front door.

As you opened the door, Franco turned to face you. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he was hesitating.

Finally, he spoke up. "Tonight was really nice" he said, his voice softer than before.

You smiled, feeling your heart flutter. "Yeah, it was" you agreed, holding his gaze.

[serahadmoni]

A Case for Bodhi Durran

Criminally underused and oft-sidelined, Bodhi Durran deserves…more. More attention. More consideration. More love. While plenty of fanon exists surrounding his character - including presuppositions of what his life was like before the apostasy, what his dreams for the future were before the Rider’s Quadrant -  for this commentary I will try to focus primarily on the text and evidentiary proof of his virtues. So, let's talk about how Bodhi Durran...

Is Loyal

“When you have a hundred and seven scars on your back, then you get to make the fucking decisions, Ciaran,” Bodhi snarls

I feel like all the Marked Ones who populate Xaden's inner circle have loyalty written indelibly on their hearts - loyalty to not only Tyrrendor, but specifically to Xaden. They understand the sacrifice he made then and the sacrifices he continues to make for them. Even when being loyal to Xaden means hauling dead bodies out of his not-girlfriend’s room at two in the morning. Or making clandestine smuggling runs . Or continuing to manage the operation in Xaden’s absence when the Navarrian leadership has begun to catch wise. Or when you take pains to ensure he’s left to his grief on the anniversary of his father’s death. Even when they sometimes butt heads over specifics, Bodhi ultimately defers to Xaden, because he…

Is Dutiful

[Xaden] dips his chin toward our wing, and two riders—Garrick and Bodhi—break formation, then climb the steps to stand behind Xaden, their hands at their sides.  “As it was a matter of life and death, I personally executed six of the would-be murderers, as witnessed by Flame Section Leader Garrick Tavis and Tail Section Executive Officer Bodhi Durran.

Again, all the Marked Ones display this quality in spades. Even if they don’t always agree with the methods Xaden uses, they will forever carry out their duty, his orders. Liam represents the ultimate expression of this quality, but the way Bodhi protects Violet in Xaden’s absence, even going so far as to risk his own reputation and command by constantly moving flight maneuvers to protect her is an undeniable expression of his sense of duty.

“You saved every single one of us here, cousin,” Bodhi says. “And we’re thankful. Now, I’d like to do what we’ve trained for, and if it means I don’t go home, then I guess my soul will be commended to Malek. I wouldn’t mind seeing my mother anyway.”

This speaks for itself. Both in the language of duty and loyalty, which only serves to accentuate the fact Bodhi…

Is Supportive

“You’re our best fighter,” a second-year near Xaden counters with a quick grin.

Though he and Garrick (and Violet) share in this responsibility to some extent, I still think in a lot of ways Bodhi is Xaden’s ultimate hype man. Mostly because he understands Xaden so deeply and as such is well aware how much Xaden needs it sometimes. He’s present for Xaden in difficulty. Willing to advocate for him, stand up for him even against the other Marked Ones as he does after Resson.

Bodhi grins, flashing a smile that looks exactly like my aunt’s used to. “Good to see you up and about, Sorrengail.” Then he smacks me on the shoulder as he walks off, looking back over his shoulder. “I’ll fetch the backup plan. Good luck.”

But it’s not just Xaden he supports…

When the Assembly wants nothing more than to toss Violet in a cell, he lends his voice to the arguments for her loyalty, her integrity: 

She fought at our side at Resson.” Bodhi tenses as his voice rises as well.

AND

In another, quieter moment, which speaks not only to his naturally supportive nature but also how well he can read others needs: 

“It’s a lost magic,” Bodhi says softly, appearing at my side. He rubs his thumb over his newly mended, scarless palm. “Maybe there’s a reason this stone never worked. It might be broken.”

He can tell how thoroughly the failed attempt at raising the wards shatters Violet’s self-confidence and even though he doesn’t know her as well as Xaden, he understands she needs reassurance, offering it freely. He also supports Violet in her burnout and when she’s crazed after hearing Xaden was injured. 

Bodhi Durran is a man who desperately wants everyone to be okay. Actively. Daily. Trying to not only keep everyone alive, but sane and grounded, because Bodhi…

Is Brilliant

The distraction Bodhi engineered in the flight field bought us time to meet without teachers noticing, but not much, especially considering that Devera, Kaori, Carr, and Emetterio are among those on campus still.

Personally, I would love to know what he threw together with zero notice that managed to keep the instructors busy long enough for Dain to call the quadrant to formation and Xaden (coughVioletcough) to issue his invitation. My guess, there were explosives of some sort involved.

Also, when they are climbing the Cliffs of Dralor with the fliers and the wyvern attack, he puts together what it means that the wyvern felt the pulse of the Aretian hatching grounds being reactivated before pretty much anyone else. He understands the wyvern will have relayed to their masters that the fliers and Aretian riders joined forces and the implications of such a report.

“I… uh… think we’re going to have to make some modifications on that harness,” Bodhi remarks as Andarna struggles to maintain her balance. “That’s going to take a few hours.”

Without drifting into the land of fanon, it’s hard to elaborate on this point except to highlight that Bodhi has the skills and know-how to modify an elaborately designed one-of-a-kind dragon harness. Were I to drift into fanon, I would shout from the rooftops that he’s the engineer of the group - the one that made sure Violet’s daggers would work for her, who consulted with Xaden on the prototype and modifications to Violet’s saddle, who also helped design and proof Andarna’s harness. Where Xaden may be the ideas-man in these areas, Bodhi executes. He’s the one who fixes their pocket watches when they won’t keep time or helps troubleshoot why the damn trigger on that crossbow sticks when any of the Marked Ones can’t figure it out for themselves. Ultimately, Bodhi wants to help in a tangible way because he...

Is Protective

In this, I feel it’s best to just let Bodhi speak for himself. 

When Varrish confronts Violet on the flight field before her first trip to Samara.

“You may leave, Cadet Durran,” Varrish says.  Bodhi moves closer to my side, and the male lieutenant takes a step closer as well, the mage lights catching the signet patch—fire wielding—on his uniform. “As Cadet Sorrengail’s section leader, I am the next in her chain of command. And as Article Four, Section Two of the Codex states, her discipline falls to her chain of command before being brought to cadre. I would be negligent in my duty were I to leave her in potential possession of… whatever it is you’re looking for.”

When Varrish pushes Violet to near burnout.

Bodhi’s warm brown face appears in front of mine. “Fuck.” He tugs the edges of the blanket closed around me. “This is because of Andarna?”  “Yes.”  Bodhi’s eyes widen. … “I’ll handle it,” Bodhi promises, capturing my gaze. “This won’t happen to you again.”

When Dain Aetos calls Violet to the mat because he’s pissed off that she won’t talk to him.

“You shouldn’t do this!” Bodhi shouts as he runs at us, skidding to a stop next to me. Imogen isn’t far behind. Ah, she’d run to find the closest person to Xaden possible. Makes sense. “She’s in a fucking sling, Aetos.”  “Last time I checked, you’re a section leader.” Dain narrows his eyes on Bodhi. “And your cousin isn’t her wingleader anymore. I am.”  The muscles in Bodhi’s neck bulge. “Xaden’s going to fucking kill him,” he whispers.

There are plenty of other instances where he protects others. Notably, when he steps in front of Carr to counter his signet as they are leaving Basgiath. And I’m certain there are hundreds of instances we don’t see since we are in Violet’s POV through the series. None of which detracts from the fact that Bodhi…

Is Principled

At the beginning of Fourth Wing, upon returning from a standard weapons run, he pushes Xaden and Garrick both, insisting: 

“There has to be something more we can do,” Bodhi argues, looking to Xaden, his voice low…

And then again at the end of the book, when the cadets are faced with a decision to fight alongside the fliers to save the Pormoish civilians or flee for Eltuval, he’s the first to insist they help. Even coming into conflict with Xaden’s more measured approach to the impossible dilemma Col. Aetos has enforced upon them. 

“How many people live in Resson?” Bodhi asks.  “More than three hundred,” Imogen answers as another boom cracks through the valley. “That’s the post they do the yearly trades at.”  “Then let’s get down there.” Bodhi turns and Xaden steps back, blocking his path with an outstretched hand. “You’re kidding me, right?”  “We have no idea what we’re walking into.” Xaden’s tone reminds me of that first day after Parapet. He’s in full command mode.  “So we should just stand here while civilians die?” Bodhi questions, and I tense. We all do, watching Xaden. 

As much as I love Xaden, and I do. I believe equipping the drifts with weapons is a means to an end for him. They are the thin, brown and feathered line between the venin and Tyrrendor. He wants to continue helping them, but I don’t believe - other than from an abstract “we don’t condemn innocents to death” perspective - he’s overly concerned with the preservation of individual Poromish lives. Bodhi, for better or worse, appears to be invested in the preservation of life in general. A grounded, guiding principle that thankfully he values because Bodhi…

Is Powerful

He sighs. “Yeah. Second time someone tried to jump me in the bathing chamber this week.”  My eyes widen as my heart hammers in my chest. “Are you okay?”  He has the gall to grin. “I completely eviscerated some asshole out of Second Wing while naked and only got a bruise. I’m fine.” 

I mean, besides the litany of weapons certification patches Violet observes early in Fourth Wing, Bodhi is just as skilled in unarmed hand-to-hand. While he’s never described as “on-par” with Xaden (since Xaden spars with Garrick almost exclusively unless he’s trying to make a point), Bodhi clearly knows how to handle himself. In the buff. With no weapons. And accruing no serious injuries. 

Which doesn’t even touch his signet…

“What have you done?” Carr shouts, running for us, his wispy hair flying in all directions as he lifts his hands. “You’ll end us all, over who? People you’ve never met? I won’t allow it!”  “Bodhi!” Xaden orders as Carr reaches Third Wing. Fire erupts from Carr’s hands, streaming toward the dais, and my stomach drops. Time seems to slow as Bodhi steps forward and twists his hand like he’s turning a dial. The fire dies, extinguishing like it was never there and leaving Carr staring at his hands.  “You taught us well, Professor,” Bodhi says, holding his hand in place. “Maybe a little too well.”  Damn.  “He can counter signets,” Xaden tells me.  Well, that’s fucking terrifying.

And though people have questioned Brennan's assessment: 

“By our best calculations,” Brennan says, rubbing his hands together to keep warm, “the six most powerful riders currently in Aretia are Xaden, Felix, Suri, Bodhi, Violet, and me.”

When you consider the potential of his signet…

Yes, he extinguishes Carr’s flames without blinking. But he can also smother Xaden’s shadows. Dispel Violet’s lightning. Destroy Mira’s wards. Keep Brennan from mending. He could have calmed Lilith’s storms. And while it seems like largely a defensive signet, there are offensive elements to it as well. Such as - and I’m not saying this would happen - he could remain completely invisible to Melgren, even without the benefit of three other Marked Ones. If such a thing were in the cards, he would be able to easily assassinate Melgren, undetected. 

And that’s if we don’t consider what, if any, mind signets he can counter. Can he reverse Imogen’s memory wipe? Or merely prevent her from performing one? Can he fool a truthsayer by offering them nothing to read? Based on the text, it appears Xaden is unable to read his intentions. Which would imply he’s impervious to not only inntinsics, but memory readers and erasers, truthsayers, etc. 

Considering we don’t know precisely how his signet works, it’s difficult to say for certain where the boundaries lie. Is it only as Xaden says, “He can counter signets?” Or is he interrupting the channel between dragon and rider entirely?  Which would have far more wide-reaching implications since he could theoretically also break the channel between gryphons and their fliers as well as venin and the earth.

Just like we really don’t have all the information about Violet’s “pure power” signet, we don’t have nearly enough hard information about Bodhi’s to say for certain where the potential expression of it may end.

Despite his physical and magical prowess, though, Bodhi…

Is Pragmatic

“I liked it better when we just delivered the weapons,” Bodhi mutters.

As principled, honorable, loyal, and dutiful as he is…same. He wants to help, but it’s hard. And dangerous. And running weapons is easier. I don’t blame him at all. 

His pragmatism is reflected in the text a hundred different ways, but it’s also simply stated by both him and Violet. 

“And I thought you were the most reasonable of the group.” I sigh. “Look, if I can help, then maybe we can prevent what I’m assuming are… supply runs.” Talking in code is ridiculous, but anyone could be listening. “Give me a job.”  “Oh, I am the most reasonable in the group.” He flashes a grin, leaning back on his heels. “I also don’t have a death wish. Survive second year and strengthen your shields, Sorrengail. That’s your job.” 

He is a man who gets things done. Which is not to say he’s not in touch with his emotions. But he understands the balance between necessity and diplomacy. Not that he’s a staid, stoic mission only guy either, because Bodhi…

Is Quick-Witted

“Hey, I hate to interrupt what’s obviously a moment,” Bodhi whispers loudly from my left. “But that was the last bell, so that’s our cue to get this nightmare started.”

AND

Bodhi wrinkles his nose.  “What?”  “You smell like dragon ass.”  “Fuck off.” I chance a whiff and can’t argue.  “I’m using your room.”  “I would consider it a personal favor.” I extend my middle finger and head toward his room.

Much as I appreciate and adore Bodhi’s quick wit, I could also write volumes about how his dry, sarcastic sense of humor operates as a defense mechanism. A lens through which he can deal with the intensity of his circumstances and the impact of these weighty decisions they are all making.

Like Xaden himself says, Bodhi always lightens the mood. To help himself deal? Yes. But (like Ridoc) also because he can tell everyone desperately needs it, a virtue that serves him well because he…

Is A Leader

”Shouldn’t you all be in Battle Brief?” Bodhi asks, his voice booming as he comes up behind us. One look sends the other squads scurrying for the door. 

Though a lot of space on the page has been given to Xaden, Rhiannon, and Violet’s obvious leadership qualities, Bodhi sprang from the same genetic line as Xaden. While the expression of the Riorson magnetism may be tempered by his natural demeanor, he possesses the same it-factor as Fen. Were I to lay bets, I expect his mother was similarly charismatic and it was expressed in her much the way it is in Bodhi.

“…Flame Section has the unique honor of being completely intact.” Brennan looks down at Bodhi. “Durran, you brought every single cadet. I guess that would make you the Iron Section.”

He inspired such loyalty from his section, they all defected. For so many reasons, including those already expressed above, I believe Bodhi to be a servant leader. Servant leadership rests on three pillars:  compassion, character, and competence. All of which Bodhi has in spades. He would not run a section the way Garrick did. Or the way Xaden ran his wing. Not that there was anything wrong with either of those philosophies necessarily. But he would pull with his squads, encourage them, equip them, support them, and push them gently to be their best. He would need to make certain they’re ready to face what he did in Resson, but he would do it with a deft, deliberate, more delicate hand than I think Xaden is willing or able to extend, because Bodhi Durran…

Is A Caretaker

So much of what has already been outlined above also represents an expression of this quality. From him helping Garrick protect Xaden’s solitude on the anniversary of Fen’s death. To him stepping between Aaric and Xaden when they start throwing barbs about Alic (which is also pragmatism, because hey, there’s a job to do). To him waiting with Xaden in the hall while Violet cleans up after Resson. He takes care of people both physically: 

“Whoa!” Bodhi throws up one hand, the other clutching his rucksack. “I don’t want you to freeze to death on the flight there.” He yanks his flight jacket out of his pack and hands it to me.

Bodhi helps Aaric out of his [disguise], careful with his blistered hands.  … “That’s a rebound burn,” Bodhi says. “It will clear up overnight if treated.”

”And tell Bodhi to track down whatever antidote she and the rest of her squad need.”

And emotionally, which leads me to the fact Bodhi…

Is Emotionally Attuned

An hour later, I’m bathed and impatient as I wait outside my room in a fresh set of leathers with Bodhi, who’s doing his best to lighten my mood just like he always does.

Bodhi reads people. Easily. He understands what Xaden’s saying without it being said . After Resson, he knows what Xaden needs from them - not questions, not reason, just action. He knows that Violet and Imogen need to run. And even when he can’t contradict Xaden’s orders, I believe he sympathizes with Violet’s driving need to do something to help, because it’s a drive he shares. Later, he knows not to carry Violet back to the quadrant after her burnout. And he’s the one that follows her into the courtyard to offer his jacket because he can see the panic plain as day. Just as he can see her disappointment when the wards fail. He can feel Xaden’s rage and terror as Violet lays comatose and poisoned (not that Xaden is overly subtle about it). 

On top of all of that, Bodhi…

Is Beautiful

He’s handsome, with tawny brown skin crowned by a cloud of black curls and a litany of patches on what I can see of his uniform under his cloak. His features are close enough to Xaden’s that they might be related. Cousins, maybe?

…Bodhi has the same bronzed skin and strong brow line, but his features aren’t as angular as Xaden’s, and his eyes are a lighter shade of brown. He looks like a softer, more approachable version of his older cousin...

Even Violet, who only has eyes for Xaden, recognizes how attractive he is. Yet, as fair and fine the wrapping, I would heartily declare his character fairer still.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of his virtues - he's also humble, adaptable, a peacemaker, a good listener, infinitely capable, empathetic, and hyperaware of how he should conduct himself in a given situation - I think the case for Bodhi Durran has been made.

(originally compiled for the Onyx Storm countdown days at the RQ Discord)

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Outside the Lines 6

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, obsessive compulsive behaviour, kidnapping, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Reader has her routine and her fellow patient gets in the way of those.

Character: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, (lumberjack AU)

Note: I am tryn rotate through fics and such. Thanks for all your patience.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

Love you all. Take care. 💖

You put away the last of the dishes. The smell of bacon hangs in the air as your stomach mulches the few bites you managed to swallow. You're trying but it's very hard to get used to it all. Dr. Makira always says change is difficult. 

Everything is just new and strange and confusing to you. Not just the walls you don't know but the men within them. You know that Steve is a hero and Bucky too, but you really don't know them. 

"Hey, sweetheart," Steve startles you as he enters behind you. "Looks good in here. Good job cleaning up." 

"Yes, sir, er, Captain," you correct yourself as you face him, looking down to keep between the borders. 

"Bucky just went to go get that label maker so it'll be just me and you for a bit," he nears the island and leans his elbows on it. Even as he curls his shoulders forward, he seems inconquerably large. "Do you want to do something fun?" 

"Fun? Oh, do you have books... Captain?" You tug on your ear three times and mouth the last word again. 

"Um, maybe later I'll dig some out. I was thinking we could play a game." 

"Play a game? Like, er, go fish?" You ask. 

"Yeah, how about... battleship?" 

"Battleship? I've never played that." 

"No? I thought it was really popular," he says. "Guess we can learn together." 

"Okay, I can do that, but uh... Captain? Don't I have other chores? Laundry?" You wonder. 

"Later," he assures you as he comes around the counter. He offers his hand. "You earned some fun." 

"Yes, Captain. I'm trying real hard, don't you know?" 

"I know it, sweetheart. I see it." He takes your hand and tugs you across the tile. You teeter and squeal as you arch your feet and walk on your toes to keep from crossing the lines. 

He brings you into the front room and points to the couch. You dutifully go ahead and sit in the middle. He goes to the standing cabinet at the wall and opens the doors. He takes out a box and nears. He sits beside you, close enough to touch you. 

He lifts the lid off and reveals a cluster of small pegs; red and white. They're all mixed up. It makes you feel itchy. You reach and take a handful and start dividing them by colour. He doesn't stop you. 

Instead, he takes out the boards and opens them like cases. There are grids marked with numbers and letters. 

"Alright, so, we can't look at each others' boards," he grabs the instruction booklet and scatters the pegs. You continue to sort through them. "Sweetheart, are you listening?" 

"Oh, yes, uh..." you keep your handful of pegs and pluck up a cushion, "I'll sit on the floor." 

"You don't have to, we can move the chair." 

"It's okay," you hurried circle the table and drop the cushion. You sit on your legs and keep sorting the pegs. You don't like that there mixed up. 

"So, you put your ships on the board wherever you want. I do the same thing. And then we guess where the other put theirs," he explains. "The red, you use to mark hits on your ships and the white, you mark up on this," he points to the verticle board, "your hits and misses too. The white are misses." 

"Hm, okay," you say as you keep the red and white pegs from rolling into each other. 

"Here are your ships," he takes out a handful of the little plastic boats. 

"Thank you, Captain." 

"Good girl," he praises again and you look up at him over your board. 

"Am I good?" 

"Of course," he smiles. 

You take the boats and line them up by size; smallest to biggest across the top row. That's nice and tidy. Steve takes longer to finish his. 

He looks up with a pinch between his brows, "you ready?" 

You nod. 

"You first," he says. 

"Me? What do I do?" 

"Guess. So you can look at your board and guess where you think I put my ships. So like... E4, and if you hit, I'll tell you. You can put red if you do. If you hit every spot on a ship, then you sunk my battleship." 

"Oh, right, right," you say. "Um, er..." you look on the board. "G2?" 

He glances down, "miss." 

You take a white peg and mark the space. He hums before he makes a guess. 

"I9," he says. 

"Miss," you chime then check the board, "hmmm, C4." 

"Nope," he puts a peg in where he missed. The board looks tiny in his large hands. "B2?" 

You shift and check the board, "hit." You pout and takes a red peg. "A8?" 

"Miss," he replies. You mark it. 

"B3?" He says. 

"Hit. Erm, D2?" 

"Miss. What about... B1?" 

You blink. All your ships are together. Oops. 

"Hit." 

Your next guess is a miss too. Then he hits. He sinks the smallest ship with A1. 

"Oh, I lost a boat," you say. 

"It's not over until you lose them all," he says. "How about we add some extra fun?" 

"Um, what?" You ask. 

"We could make it more interested. How about, each time we sink a ship, we... give the other person a kiss." 

You squeak, "what?" 

"Yeah, it'll be nice," he goads. 

"But... but..." you chew your lip as he stares at your mouth. 

"Just a peck, sweetheart," he purrs. 

"Mmm, but, mmm, I don't know." 

"Come on," he pleads. "It's just a kiss." 

"I... I..." you stare at him. It must be a part of the plan. You're not very good at being close to others. Touching is tough but you've been working to move past those things. "Okay." 

"So... I sunk your ship," he taunts with a playful tilt of his head. 

"Um, right," you push yourself up with the table. You reluctantly traipse around and wring your hands together.  

He offers his cheek and taps it. You bend and hover just before it. You quickly peck, his beard tickling you, then retreat, ducking to hide behind the board. 

"Oh, your lips are soft," he says. 

"Thank you, Captain," your voice comes out in a whisper. 

"Your go," he prompts. 

"Oh, uh... E9." 

"Hit," he says. 

"Oh!" you grab a red peg. 

"Good job," he returns and gives a thoughtful hum. "Mmmm, C3?" 

You mutter, "hit." 

"Alright," he comments with a hint of surprise. He probably didn't expect so many together. Did he figure it out? 

"E10?" 

"Miss. B3?" 

You groan. He knows! You could move it. No, you wouldn't be able to do it without moving the whole board. 

"You sunk another," you utter. 

"Ooh, other cheek?" He wonders hopefully. 

Your face is on fire. You stand up and go around the other side of the table. You stare at his flannel shirt. You can't bare to look him in the eye. You bend and plant another kiss, one he leans into until your lips smush on his cheek. 

You recoil and once more resume your place on the cushion. He purrs again. 

"You're go," he urges. 

You guess randomly. You forget to check where you hit. It's another miss. You don't even want to sink his ships. The kissing is too much. 

Several back and forths and a third ship goes down. You feel like crying. You didn't really think about the rules before you put the ships on the board. You're so stupid. 

"Come here," Steve cooes. 

You get up, slouching shyly as you approach. You bend to kiss his cheek but he surprises you as he turns and you meet his lips instead. His hand catches the back of your head before you can react. 

He smothers you, locking you in place, and you push on his chest. You whine as his tongue slides over your lips. You don't like that. 

He lets you go and you stumble back, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand. 

"What's wrong?" He asks. 

"Captain, I... I'm not used to it. I never... I'm sorry," you stop and sway on the other side of the table. 

"Ah, sweetheart, of course, it's alright. The more you do it, the better it'll be." He coaxes. 

"Oh, okay," you get back to your knees. "F9?" 

"Shoot! You hit. Sink." 

"Huh?" You flinch at the last word, "really?" 

"Got the small one," he says as he gets up. "My turn to pay my dues." 

"Oh, that's... that's-- You don't have to." 

"Fair is fair," he reaches for you, latching onto your upper arm to force you up.  

You stand knowing that resistance is not an option. Not only is he stronger, but you want to be good. You want to get better. That's all you've ever wanted.  

He guides you to face him and you tremble. It's much more intimidating like this. He cups your chin as he gazes down at you. You gulp. 

He bends and your body goes rigid. He tilts your head and presses his mouth to yours. The tip of his tongue flicks along the crease of your lips but he doesn't persist. He parts with a pleased drone. 

"See, we both win," he says. 

You pull away and sit. Your scalp is on fire. You don't know how much more you can handle. Dr. Makira always said change shouldn't come all at once. 

He clears his throat and sits again. He grins over his board before he refocuses. He rubs his chin as his thinks. His blue irises glimmer. 

"D1." 

Yep. You figured. 

"Hit." 

It isn't difficult for him to go down the ship. Hit. Hit. Hit. 

He wins again. 

"Steve-- Captain," you say as fidget. "I don't think-- I can't." 

"Aw, sweetheart, you already did it. You're so good." 

"But... er, I'm... I don't know." 

"Here," he waves you up and shifts over on the couch.  

You flick your lashes and stand. You go to him as he extends his arms. He puts his hands on your hips and draws you between his knees. 

"I just think you need to slow down. You're not taking your time," he says.  "So, just go at your own pace," he brings his hands up to frame your face, pushing your hair back, rubbing your cheekbones with his thumbs. "Alright, I'm yours, sweetheart." 

He closes his eyes and puckers expectantly. You stare back. He's being nice, you think. He's not angry. He hasn't hurt you. You'd like to keep it that way. 

You gather your courage and lean in. You put your hands on his shoulders and close your eyes just before your lips meet. His beard tickles you again as his hands stretch around your head. 

He holds his lips to yours and gently opens his mouth. He pokes with his tongue and you twitch. He keeps you in place. You surrender to his diligent effort and let him in. 

He tilts his head as he invades your mouth. You garble around him and clutch the seam of his shirt. You feel his muscles beneath. He's stronger than you, remember that. 

When he finally pulls away, you're woozy. He lets his hand fall down your neck and he feels along the top of your dress. As his speaks, his voice scrapes in his throat. 

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He asks. 

[xotyx]

Okay sure rosekiller have the most insane sex, obviously, but they’re also absolutely ruling at aftercare. The activities, as listed on Wikipedia under “common aftercare practices” (don’t ask why I was there) are:

Cuddling, aka getting as close to your partner as physically possible without actually climbing inside their body - Barty would absolutely love this. He needs his face buried in Evan’s chest while he lazily sucks bruises in and his entire body is covered by a blanket so he can pretend he’s a wild animal being somewhere cozy for the first time

Rehydration and snacks - they have so much food. Evan picks out half of it (healthy things with good vitamins and nutrients to force some good food into Barty for once and prevent either of them from dropping (I don’t know if that works, don’t come for me)) and Barty picks the other half (all his favourite junk food, necessary because, in his words, “having food I like makes the aftercare more effective”)

Addressing minor injuries - more something they’d need to do than something that I think they’d really really like, but you can’t tell me they wouldn’t both be morbidly curious about what kind of thing causes what kind of injuries

Sleeping together - Barty would always be absolutely fucking exhausted after scenes. Just because Evan pushes him so hard all the time (he’s a brat and it’s the consequences of his own actions). And Evan would adore watching him sleep after he fucked the daylights out of him (creep)

Watching a movie - they are watching shitty horror movies and Barty is laughing at the bad acting and plot and Evan is explaining how the murderer could have improved and why they definitely should have gotten caught

Recounting the scene -basically this is just Evan getting Barty’s feedback so he can put it into a spreadsheet. Also this is maybe just Evan filling out his spreadsheet. They talk about it in great detail so Evan can make sure he didn’t miss anything, and Barty gets all worked up again thinking about it

Kissing or slow sex - please see activities four and six

Words of affirmation - Evan who is a good evil scientist and wants to make sure he gives the rat (Barty) cheese (praise) when he gets to the end of the maze (finishes the scene) so he’ll want to participate in similar things in the future. Barty who never received praise as a child and is absolutely starved for it now and soaking up every single thing Evan tells him about how good he was and how proud he is

Massage - honestly Evan just wants an excuse to poke and prod at bodies/muscles, and if that helps Barty feel better after an especially taxing scene he guesses that’s a bonus

In conclusion, Evan and Barty are the best at aftercare. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

[obeymeluv]

Octavinelle w a Southern!Reader? A lot of the pet names and the common phrases are pretty affectionate and soft, so I think seeing the more composed bunch get exposed to such a sweet reader would be cute!

Before we begin, two notes: 1) I will also be playing with the creature traits of the Octo Trio as I see fit. 2) I personally call the three "Corelians" because they're from the Coral Sea. I am from the South so hopefully I answer this to your liking, haha. Sweet is a loaded term to me. Sweet is both the first taste of wispy cotton candy dissolving on your tongue and the sugar-coated demise of 'Oh my god, this is so good! I should really stop. Ah, fuck it. I'll deal with it later,' knowing you're going to complain about the miserable overload in an hour. If you have any kind of serving/retail/waitressing experience (especially in the south), you'll also know that 'sweet' is kill them with kindness and scream in the walk-in when you can't kill them for real. As for the Octo Trio? Have some random blurbs :)

Two of Azul's three hearts are sent cartwheeling and quivering when you so much as look at him! He doesn't know what to do with you! You're...you're so nice! In truth, he doesn't get you because he can't seen an ulterior motive or an end game. Part of the reason he can't understand you is because there IS NO END GAME. How does that work? He doesn't understand it. The only thing he understands is that your many ludicrous pet names make him writhe and wiggle and question the efficacy of that damnable lander potion! Surely they wouldn't cheap out on quality and compromise the future of a bright, young entrepreneur, right? He can mock them all he wants, his face smushed into his hand, but it doesn't stop his cheeks from reddening. You made him disgustingly warm inside and he has to use short words before the ink starts to pool in his mouth (the tweels noticed that and take great joy in it). "Yes, they're all so terrible. Terrible enough to make you rant," Jade muses as they settle into a brief respite with tea before opening the Mostro Lounge for the afternoon. "Frequently." "More like say 'em in the mirror as a pep-talk," Floyd boots the door open with a mocking laugh, gold eye shining as he flops down on the couch. He effortlessly catches the spill, much like he'll flip an omelet without looking, and keeps his eyes trained on Azul like the prey he is. Azul felt the heat rise in his cheeks and his chest. His feet untangled themselves subconsciously as his reduced limb-brains tried to figure out which one was close enough to bop Floyd. Jade leaned forward and pressed the cup handle against his palm to quash the punching instinct and remind the limb it was full. He snorted, adjusting his glasses with his free hand. "Isn't that right, sugar dumplin'?" Floyd flashed a toothy smile at him as Jade stuck an empty pen in his mouth to stop him from drooling ink into his tea. Floyd knew that one was his favorite.

---

The Corelian-Land Exchange Program prepared him for a lot of unique human experiences but didn't prepare Floyd for you. But that's to be expected because there is no chapter on 'dimensional strangers' in the curriculum. He's constantly having to remind himself of things like less resistance on land so the fights are in his favor. Or that he's not as fluid when he turns and those pinky thingies hurt like a BITCH and he doesn't see why he can't just cut it off because it HOOKS ON EVERY FUCKING THING. He also has to remind himself that hunting instincts are rude here. You don't stalk people, you meet them. But you're just so nice and bob along! It almost seems wrong not to keep an eye on you, what with how small you are. That's what he tells himself, anyways. He doesn't know quite how to describe it but your sweet words are funny with their little dips and drawls. They call him like something shiny and give him this burst of energy that makes him want to fling his long limbs out and twirl like a whirlpool. You can tell when he needs encouragement and aren't afraid to clamp up and be cold when he doesn't deserve any coddling. You call yourself a southerner and he's not quite sure what you mean because you have no home here and no one knows what direction your home is in. You and the apple-toting Guppy are a lot alike but Floyd doesn't get the same kind of feelings out of following him or plopping an arm down on his head. Matter of fact, the last time he plopped an arm down on Guppy's head, Guppy put him between some tree roots with a fancy shoulder toss Beta Fish taught 'im.

But when he does it to you? It's always different--just like him. Some days it's linking your elbows together and joking that he's stuck with you now. Other days you just wrap an arm around his middle and hug him for a few seconds where his cold-blood self squirms in the warm casing being incubated by you. On the rare and very amusing occasion that you aren't in the mood when his arm touches your head, you give him a warning smile before nipping at him. It doesn't hurt, honestly. Hardly enough to feel through fabric. Nothing at all to a Corelian predator. Cute for trying, though. He doesn't dare tell you that his blood can make humans sick.

Floyd just leans down and grins at you, ignoring the bit of fabric in your teeth, and whispers 'My turn,' just enough to show you all his glistening, pointy teeth. You always let go and he always bites air, but his legs are damn near knotting themselves together in glee at the thought of you letting him mark you for real. You scurry down the hall as Jade weaves himself between the students, following the scent of his many emotions. Landers had a theory about twins being connected; that's one of the first things he learned about them. Jade didn't see the whole scene but seems to know enough.

"Morays are opportunistic cowards at best, my dear brother. Don't feel bad." Jade gives him a closed-lip and a closed-eyed smile. And just like that, like when they were elvers, he and his brother are tangled and biting.

----

Jade knows it's a baser instinct to keep an eye on someone not like him. Not only from a safety standpoint but in the vein of him being the perceived threat to your...benign. He can't help but laugh and see you as soft when you're trying to hide your ragged gasps for breath as he turns to observe your footing on the incline. He was more comfortable in his lander form now and thought this would be an easier trail for you to navigate, coming from a foreign land and all.

Perhaps he was wrong.

But still, to see you struggle and flush, to see your hair come undone just a touch as you begin to glisten is quite a sight. It reminds him all over again that you're human like these landers on Sage's Island but you're not one of these landers, exactly.

You're the only one of your kind. The rarest of rare specimen.

You push up the incline, fixing your hair as you breeze past, and excitedly point to a patch of greens Ruggie told you about before. They are edible and coming home with you! You know how to prepare them!

Something ugly and gnashing wells up in Jade. Makes him want to suck the little Savanaclaw mongrel up in his pharyngeal jaws but he doesn't have them in this form.

Mmm, but he's thinking about the wrong jaws, isn't he? A bit rude to be thinking about his. It's best to put nutrition in yours. Yes, yes, that's very good. Jade's smile almost twitches as his back spasms where one of his more active fins would be. "Greens are a bit of an insult compared to the bounty of the Mostro," he lets you slide down the incline with barely a pull as he grinds his walking stick into said patch of greens. "Though no less important. Come, I'll even make you tea." "But what about the hike? It's only been, like, thirty minutes!" Most of that was waiting on you to traverse the terrain, but still! Jade didn't even have a single mushroom to show for it! Jade prides himself on his composure and quick wit. Here lately he's been applauding himself for holding onto all of it--any of it--around you. You have no magic but seem to do something akin to his signature spell. "There's more moisture in the air," he grips his walking stick and surprises even himself with the smooth stumble of his words, "there's rain coming. I can smell it." That did sound plausible to your lander self. He could see you contemplating it. Was it really going to rain? Who knew. The weather on Sage's Island was as unique as it's occupants. Your relent is reluctant but Jade pays that no mind as he stamps down an errant root and taps your foot politely away from it. "What a gentleman!" you tease, kind needling almost costing you a face full of green leaf from a bent tree. He chuckles as you bat the leaves from your face in a fit of self-preservation.

The flailing really is quite adorable.

You huff at his laugh and stomp almost petulantly after him to the flat and familiar of Sage's Island, the impressive point of the college a mere smear in the distance. After a near twenty minute walk, you change generously in Mostro Lounge's bathrooms (as in: Floyd annoys Azul enough to keep him unaware) and clean up enough to meet dress code, cramming your hiking things under the table. Floyd catches you, you both know. He knows the deal. What you don't know is that he waits for you to bat your eyes at him like you'll inevitably do and he revels in it. Mostly because his mushroom-huffing brother doesn't know what to do when you do that, but he thinks your eyes are pretty too. Jade coughs into his hand.

When that doesn't get the desired result, he gently turns you into your side of the booth and seats himself. There's a bristling only known between brothers and those who have a territorial bone in them. Floyd smirks and checks his brother's fingers for signs of webbing or claws. "What're ya havin'?" Jade lets you order first, of course. He orders next, not even bothering to grab a menu Floyd didn't offer. "And for drinks?" "That's supposed to be first, brother dear." Jade smiles. "Actually, appetizers first." he snorts. "I'll be making her some tea, actually." Jade excuses himself and walks in-step with his brother to the kitchen. "Makin' time for tea but no time for truth, heh?" Floyd's eyes are suddenly sharp and Jade growls. Jade realizes this is an unsafe situation as there are many knives around them. He's just as keen with a pot if it's all the same. The thought crosses his mind. "Gonna feed her before ya confess? Seems I'm not the only one who does things out of order, huh?" "I am providing." Jade hisses, opening his mouth wide.

"Best remember to provide some dish pit time because you owe me." Floyd taunts. "I covered your tail and got your little lander love a table!" In that moment, Floyd doesn't know why he turned his back. It felt good, maybe? Felt right for the moment? All he knew is that one hand full of menus didn't do anything against a hefty grab to the back of his neck as he was almost shoved into the hot water part of said dish pit. "How much time would you like?" Jade mused, bracing one arm against the other as he leaned his weight into his brother.

"Ah shut up and go make your leaf juice!" Floyd tries to nip him as he wriggles beneath his brother, only one set of shoes fit for the kitchen. Satisfied, Jade relents. It may cost him somewhere down the line but in this moment he's happy. Happy and put together and providing. Just for you.

[jungkooktarot]

Jungkook as a boyfriend + his love languages | tarot reading

(I got multiple requests about this topic so I couldn’t answer a specific ask. Enjoy)

Almost every time Jungkook has been a boyfriend, he have struggled with the theme of balance. We all know he is extremely career oriented, and his job takes up too much space in his life. He can’t find the right balance of maintaining his love life & professional life at the same time. It’s all or nothing for him. The thing he likes to do is to give his entire attention to his career, and then when he catches a break, moves it all to his relationship. Which is something unfortunately not many of his past partners were understanding of. He was constantly asked to make a choice between his partner or his job, to sacrifice. And since he’s extremely passionate about his job, plus the fact that these relationships weren’t the most marriage material, he thought it’s not worth it to lose his job for a relationship with an uncertain future. Thus that’s a big reason he had to end most of his ex relationships.

Especially in the past, he used to struggle with people pleasing tendencies. He’s the type to give and give until he loses himself. I didn’t expect this reading to be too personal like this but honestly, I can say he didn’t have the best experiences in love, yet. He often felt lonely in his relationships, like nobody can actually get him, his core self, or accept him fully. It always felt like there’s a wall between him and his partners. All these heartbreaks made him grow thicker skin. It’s like in the past he was a puppy, looking to be loved by anyone. Now he is more assertive with his boundaries. He learned to say no and be clear about what he wants or doesn’t want. At least more than before. He needs his alone time every now and then. He has a tendency to lose interest fast, especially if things aren’t going the way he fantasized about. Even though I don’t think he’s the type to initiate the breakup. He just lets the other person feel like it’s best to call it quits.

I’d say his best relationships were the ones least serious. Where they went with the flow, were friends before anything, enjoyed the vibes, and when these vibes died, they ended things peacefully, with no hard feelings.

———

One of his love languages is definitely gift giving. spending on his partner. taking them to restaurants, shopping, et cetera. not just his relationships but in general. he gets a boost seeing others happy with things he bought with the money he worked to earn. It’s almost an ego thing too? – he also loves quality time. staying and watching movies with home cooked meals. going on a picnic. et cetera. he also loves making his partner feel nice about themselves. so he’d compliment them a lot. and he’s a good listener too. – another thing he’s big on is physical touch; however, it’s not just like that. I’m strongly getting that he looks for a strong emotional connection first. I really believe that somewhat he’s a demisexual. He isn’t what boys typically are (horny dogs) and he doesn’t get off to someone he isn’t emotionally connected to. I dare say he’s the type to wait until marriage too. Not saying he’s a virgin (who knows though) but at least he’s a celibate. He loves making the first time special and marriage is perfect for that.

[youruinedmylifebynotbeingreal]

Something about Soren not being able to initially believe that Terry is complimenting him breaks me.

We don’t see him get compliments too often in the show. Especially in Arc 1, he’s belittled by Viren more often than not. Yes, he acts cocky and confident. He knows he’s super strong and great at most tasks associated with being a Crownguard (whether he thinks he’s actually a good Crownguard is a whole other mini essay, but I digress). But that’s all more like a task, something easily measured objectively. And it’s something totally different to be told that you’re good at those things by the people around you, or to be complimented on other things about yourself.

The biggest instances I can think of include:

Corvus calling Soren the mastermind of the plan to get Ezran out of Katolis. Soren immediately makes a joke out of it.

Ezran: you’re the best Crownguard a king could ask for. *hugs him* Soren: *cue shocked silence, followed by literally running away from the situation*

Everybody laughing at his comedy routine (not exactly a direct compliment, but similar in nature in my opinion). He actually accepts this pretty well, but it’s also something he’s been rehearsing and is proud of and is expecting a good reaction to. He even says thank you to the crowd.

“Well, if your sword is as sharp as your wit, then the young king is in good hands.” “Wow, but, thank you. Uh, dragons are SO nice.” He gets super sheepish about this and then in turn compliments dragons. One of the few times he’s okay at accepting a compliment, yet he still turns it around to make it about others.

“Soren, you’re amazing!” “Smort Longpocket is amazing.” Deflecting. Enough said.

“A good man with a big heart.” He gets so overwhelmed he can’t even verbally respond and just has to hug Corvus.

And now. The big/most complicated/messiest one. Viren in season 6. “Oh, you’ve grown so much. You’re so strong, so true to your heart. Your good heart. Somehow… you found the right path, in spite of everything I’ve done. I’m so proud of you.” “What are you trying to do?… Stop it! Just - just stop it! I know who you are. You’re dangerous. Everything you’re telling me is… is some kind of lie! And I’m not going to let you manipulate me again!” “It isn’t a lie, son, please.” There is so much to unpack here, but I want to focus on two big things: Viren compliments both his heart (aka Corvus’s compliment) and his strength (aka Terry’s future compliment). Soren’s gut instinct is to believe that Viren is lying. No deflecting, no avoiding the compliment. Straight up accusing him of more manipulation. Which is completely fair, when that’s all he’s ever known from Viren. So what does that mean for Corvus’s compliment, when it so closely echoes something Viren says? Was he lying, too? But it’s Corvus. He would never. So, of course, this would lead to some Big Feelings Time. (We Were Born the in the Valley/ Of the Dead and the Wicked on AO3 delves into this topic a bit and I think about it SO often. Of course, season 7 adds even more to the idea.)

*If there are other examples please remind me! I’d love to work them into my thoughts.*

Anyway, back to my point. He doesn’t seem to accept compliments very well and doesn’t know how to react to them a lot of the time. From resorting to physical affection, making a joke, or deflecting the compliment, Soren just does not seem to know how to handle people being nice to him. Because, ya know, childhood trauma and a father that was emotionally abusive. He’s used to lies and manipulation and any “compliments” having an ulterior motive.

So here comes Terry. Someone who has also been a bad guy. Who is trying to reform. Soren sees a lot of himself in him (peep the whole speech about abandoning Claudia).

And… he’s nice? And kind? And doesn’t seem evil? But of course, Soren is apprehensive and expects the worst, unsure if people can truly change.

“No, I don’t trust him. Nobody is this charming and, and nice. Nuh-uh.”

This is both an insult and a compliment, yet Terry just takes it in stride, not even hesitating:

“Thanks! You seem great too. Very strong and very, uh, loyal.”

A compliment for Soren? Echoing something Viren said? Oh, that must mean it’s manipulation.

“Ah-ah, I know this trick. You’re just buttering me up.”

I’m pretty sure the last time “buttering something up” was mentioned in canon was likely season 2 (if I’m wrong please somebody correct me), when Soren and Claudia are attempting to get Callum and Ezran back to Katolis. And it includes Soren straight up lying to them. “I know this trick” because he recognizes it, he was raised with it, he has used it before.

Now, we never see Soren’s eyes shift. But in the background he’s sure to see Corvus looking at him encouragingly. Corvus, who somehow has so much hope even in the darkest of times and believes in the best of everyone. Who knows people can change for the better because he’s seen it happen. With Soren. (@stuck-in-jelly made a GREAT post about Corvus and his optimism the other day. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it and it inspired this bit of analysis.)

“But thank you. I kind of needed to hear that today.”

Soren relents. He accepts the compliment. He admits that he needs support, which we know is difficult for him. After he says thank you, the screen cuts to Corvus looking at Soren like he puts the stars in the sky every night.

I like to think that Corvus helped him talk through some of those thoughts and struggles he had after his conversations with Viren. We know they share a lot with each other.

Overall, throughout the series Soren has not been great at receiving compliments. But it seems like he’s got people around him trying to help him see how great he genuinely is. Hopefully in Arc 3 Soren gets ALL OF THE COMPLIMENTS and actually believes them, too.

[lcb-oil]

Hi! I just wanted to say I really love how you characterize Donqui in your fics, they're all so wonderful to read and feel so true to her + other Sinners' characters!! Do you have any fun don headcanons or thoughts about her character that you'd like to share? No worries if not, and thank you so much for your writing!! ❤️

Hi, and thanks for the ask!

I’m so super excited with the response to my fics, I wasn’t sure how they would land with others since I haven’t really written very much before. There isn’t too much Gen Limbus Company fic out there on the whole, so I set up this little project to fill that gap at least a bit.

Staying as true to the characters as I’m capable of is one of my primary goals, so it gives me so much energy to hear that it feels on target!

For the most part I hope to show my headcannons through my stories so I can give them lots of context.

But this is Tumblr — so I shouldn’t miss out on a chance to have some fun and dive in, right?!

I’d like to share some of my broader thoughts on Don Quixote and why I find her so interesting, but I have a whole lot I need to type up so that’ll take a little time.

Until then, if it’s interesting I’ll share my story notes on a theme I keep coming back to -

Don Quixote and Food

(Full Canto VII spoilers under the cut, of course!)

Don Quixote and Blood

My interpretation from the game is that Don Quixote can go without human blood essentially 100% of the time thanks to the strength of her dream filling the emotional gap. Other speculation from there:

Don Quixote thinks that drinking blood is generally morally wrong and would not casually do it for fun or personal satisfaction. I think she would do it when required to survive, and to have the strength needed to protect those she cares for.

Maybe she would need it to recover from a major injury, but Dante can fix that! So that’s not a major cause of concern for her.

Since hardblood arts are literally made from blood, feeding on blood is needed to continue to employ them. I imagine that some stored blood is lost over time when hardblood arts are used, even though it is mostly reabsorbed.

Experiencing different things, especially novel things, reduces her desire for blood dramatically as it provides emotional enrichment and aligns with her dream of adventure. Faust and Dante keep in mind that exposing Don Quixote to new sights and activities creates an actual direct impact on her wellbeing. This is key to managing her properly!

She currently has a practical mindset about the fact that she fundamentally needs blood to live after the events of La Manchaland.

Her finding a way to contextualize this in a non-self-hating way was the inspiration for Provided Supplies.

In that fic she interprets the way the other sinners feel about her need for blood negatively since that’s the most reasonable expectation of humans - even though that is not what they are trying to communicate with their actions!

Her high level of self discipline and emotional fulfillment makes it possible for her to drink a relatively small amount of blood, like the donated blood in Provided Supplies, and not go wild as other bloodfiends might.

I think a lot about how she will approach and understand other bloodfiends in the future, who may not have the same strength to bridge the gap for blood the way she can...

In early Canto VII, we saw oblivionized Don Quixote (ironically) express a “just don’t drink blood, that’s pathetic, get good” attitude towards the starving bloodfiends that were attacking humans.

After her experience in Canto VII, and seeing the suffering of her withered family members, she certainly won’t think that “just don’t drink blood” is a reasonable solution for all bloodfiend kind. But what can be done? Hmm.

I would like to explore this in some upcoming works.

Not being aware of the difference of individual needs, or not treating it seriously, was a primary flaw of Dad Quixote — and one that she has inherited in interesting ways! We can still see hints of this in her behavior, I think.

I cannot stop thinking about the fact that Project Moon threw in the fact that Rocinante doesn’t suppress the desire for blood. WHAT!?

The implications of this are simply too interesting! Therefore, I have to think that:

Without her memories, oblivion Don Quixote implicitly assumed that everyone has an innate craving to drink blood just like she does.

Why wouldn’t they?

But properly civilized people (and especially noble Fixers) don’t express such thoughts and impulses.

(I think humanity owes Bari a solid for this one…)

Bloodfiends and Sense of Taste

In my stories bloodfiends can eat other foods without negative consequences - but they can’t taste them in the same way humans can and don’t get any energy or nourishment from it.

Most bloodfiends would not bother eating human food since there’s no point.

Don Quixote views eating with the other sinners as a key bonding activity with her companions, so she would not agree that there is no point! She eats every meal with them without complaint regardless of if it does anything for her or not. This idea was the inspiration point for Proper Food.

Most foods taste like nothing or close to nothing, but there are some exceptions.

Only those not informed about bloodfiends would think they can’t taste anything at all, although that is most people in the City.

I’d like to write about those exceptions in the future!

In some parts of the story we see oblivionized Don Quixote commenting on the taste of things, which might seem to go against this headcannon.

No problem! In my stories, the oblivionized Don Quixote’s experiences come from two ideas:

Amnesia Don Quixote can’t properly taste anything, but she doesn’t know that she can’t. She had no idea that her senses could be altered to begin with. When others commented on foods at the start of the journey, she did her best to understand and go with the flow of what others seem to say - learning on the fly.

She had a powerful longing to be included in this group experience that she can’t quite grasp, so she throws herself fully into trying her best at it! Taste all that random stuff as best you can, Don Quixote! Bite those abnormalities!

In The Taste Test I had present day Don Quixote refer to her tasting endeavors as “tasting from the heart”. This is what I was trying to get at with that line, haha.

In Proper Food, I imagined that Dad Quixote would have learned a playbook of food-related adjectives that he’s actively learning to use to fit in with humans during their adventure - so Our Don Quixote would have subconsciously picked up on this goal.

Fun to imagine: Dad Quixote and Sancho inadvertently eat a super spicy pepper that no one would ever consider eating whole — seeds and all. They can’t tell the difference and Dad Quixote complements it like any other food.

Manchegan food must be really, really, really spicy, onlookers think to themselves…

———

Anyway, I hope you found some of this interesting!

I’ll write more about Don Quixote in general in the future.

(I will use the tag #lcb-oil-table-talk when posting about my headcannons / story notes in the future.)

...and of course, thank you for reading!

[xtarmanderx]

Double amnesia! Is Abby going be addressed at all again? Or make an appearance? Or maybe a phone call from one of them?

I honestly hadn’t even considered it until you asked this question!! And I’m so glad you did because you gave me an idea to write the section where I’d just started to get stuck. So thank you!

-

Losing memories is without a doubt the worst part of amnesia, but no one else considers how hard it is to learn how to use technology that’s completely foreign to you. Tommy must have been good at this once, but now he’s fumbling through his phone trying to understand how it works. Facial recognition has been a blessing, he’s not sure he’d ever be able to crack a password in his current state, and at least some of the icons are familiar to him. It still takes a couple of minutes to find Abby’s name and then a couple minutes more to build up the courage to call.

It rings twice and then, “Hello?”

“Abby?” Wetness rapidly fills his eyes and his breath stutters out of him.

“Give me just a second.” She tells him. He hears her quietly tell someone she’s moving to the living room, the shuffle and slide of sheets on skin, and then she sighs against his ear. “I was wondering if you were going to call me. Can’t sleep either?” She guesses.

“How did you know?” He rolls onto his back, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“Buck had the same problem. We were texting earlier.”

“You hate texting.” He murmurs.

“I do. I’ve gotten better about it over the years though. So have you.”

“Guess they really can teach old dogs new tricks.” He says, earning a soft laugh from her. His heart clenches in his chest. “I miss you.”

“No you don’t.” There’s no malice in her voice, but he still feels like he’s been struck. “You think you do, but you don’t. Just like Buck doesn’t really miss me either.”

“He’s too genuine to lie about that.” Tommy corrects immediately.

“Yeah, he’s a good one. Good for you,” she tells him. “Why did you really call me, Tommy?”

“Because I don’t know anyone else.” He snaps out. She doesn’t rise to the bait and he exhales slowly. “Sorry. I just…this is too much for me.”

“Tommy-“

“In my head, I just bought a ring for you. I’m committing the rest of my life to you and you’re not here.”

“But you never really loved me, sweetheart. Not the way a man should love a woman if he wants to be with her. You never did.” Her tone is still soft and tears run down his cheeks. “You’re lying to yourself right now and you were back then, too. You told me that you stayed with me because it’s what your father expected of you. You let that man rule your life for so long. Him, your old fire captain, your drill sergeants, you let everyone else dictate how your life was supposed to go. You need to stop listening to those voices, Tommy. They never did you any good.”

Tommy doesn’t say anything for a while. There’s a storm brewing in his chest and he rubs the heel of his palm against it, wishing he could chase it away. Because deep down, he’s always known who he was. He still can’t think the word, terrified of what it means for him, but his future self had obviously accepted it at some point with open arms. And it pisses him off. He thought people only had to fight that kind of battle once, but now he has to do it a second time and how the hell is he supposed to win when he can’t remember doing so the first time? It feels like the odds are stacked against him.

“He scares me,” he admits.

[conchoronzon]

heya, so…my stepdad’s been going to the gym recently, and he’s showing very noticeable results in a short amount of time, and I’m happy for him! But i can’t help to be a little bit suspiscious.

he’s had around 7 gym bros already, and he claims that they all just either stopped going to the gym or rearranged a different schedule, since he hasn’t seen them since, but every time one disappears he keeps getting bigger.

my dad clearly enjoys it, but I’m concerned now that step-dad’s inviting me to go to the gym with him, and I’m worried that i’ll find out where his other gym bros went.

You’re an expert on preds, so…should i be worried?

No, you shouldn't be worried at all!

I mean, yes, of course your step-dad is going to use you as a protein boost for his workouts. You've already figured that out. Your dad might think you're innocent and in the dark about it all, but your step-dad knows you're smart. He can see you blush and stare at his muscles and gut.

All three of you know what's going to happen. You'll workout with him for a little bit. He'll push you a bit beyond your limits. The workout will get to your head, and so will his sweat. He'll say something about wanting to shower at home, and on the ride back, you'll get blasted with his scent. By the time he parks, you'll be nose deep in his gym shorts, drooling over his bulge. He'll ruffle your hair and convince you to get inside. And that's when he's going to fuck you. And maybe you'll wonder outloud if this is wrong. He's your step-dad. Isn't this taboo? Won't your dad be hurt? But as he's filling your hole, balls slapping your ass, he'll let you know it's all natural and good. Everyone would understand. After all, you're supposed to tenderize your meat.

Then, once he's cum inside you, he'll ask if you're ready to make his hot bod even hotter. He needs more protein. And even if you have a bright future ahead of you, you both know you were really meant to be food. You were born prey. If someone's going to digest you into a goopy soup, shouldn't it be your step-dad and not some random hookup?

And you're going to agree.

And he's going to eat you. You'll cum as he swallows your waist.

Then, once you're settled on his waist, he's going to call your dad. Your old man is going to cuddle the big squirming gut that contains you, and they're going to flirt the rest of the day. Your dad is going to hump his husband's stomach as it works on melting you down. They'll both tease you about how you're meat, a meal, a good little prey slut, a future dump in the making. They'll say soon you'll have two homes: your step-dad's muscles and the sewers.

The acids will start to claim you. You'll get all soft and malleable. Does it hurt? Who knows? It feels good, because it's right. Because this is how it was always meant to be. You were born to get tanked and churned.

And then you'll drift off.

So! Coming from the expert on preds: Is your step-dad going to eat you? Yes. Should you be worried? Not at all. You'll love it.

[lullabyalikpoptarot]

Jungkook's Love Reading

Disclaimer: None of this is fact. This is my interpretation of the cards and messages I get, all alleged.

Okay, wanted to get to his love reading first, since he seems to be the most romantic one of the group. I see a bit of romantic energy here, but not as overwhelming as I thought it would be.

Now, he is showing me a lot more passionate energy more so than romantic. He starts with Cardinal and the Sag card. I just see this as him wanting to explore his options and explore new things when it comes to his love life. There is a sense of freedom he may feel regarding his love life. A need for a spark or to try something new.

He would like someone that will spark his interest. I can see with this Sag card and the Star card, he feels hopeful and optimistic when it comes to love, or love brings him hope. I see him being very optimistic when it comes to love and relationships, as we all know.

I see him wanting to show strength and courage for his partner, maybe he has a desire to win over someone. I see him having his sights set on someone, not sure they are dating, but there is someone he seems to be interested in. He might be trying to fight for their affection or show some sort of strength for her. Because I can see with this Queen card and the Queen of Swords, this woman or feminine energy is a bit of a bad ass, pretty tough, not the most vulnerable or emotional, so he may try to show a tough appearance to appease this person.

I can see him daydreaming of this person, thinking of date nights together, maybe they have dated, but not seeing that, more so wishful thinking on his part. With this King of Wands, this energy is big D energy, someone very determined and passionate about getting what he wants. He is bold and courageous. He is showing a spontaneous and carefree energy but can also be creative when it comes to relationships and dating and maybe how to pursue someone. I did hear, he can be a freak, I am putting it in, like why did I get that message lol laying it all out there. I can see a desire on his end to have this person and may do whatever it takes to stand out and get their attention.

With this 3 of Pentacles, I wonder if he works with this person, are they in the industry as well. I can also see him enticing this person and telling them, hey we would work well together or be a good team. I see him not being shy on how he feels and doing what it takes to get this person's attention. The song Attention by Charlie Puth just popped up in my head lol

I see him wanting to be a good partner to this person, a stable force, someone they can count on, and maybe he tries to display that. I can also see this as maybe things are stagnant and not much is going on right now, which makes sense he is still in the Military. But I see him wanting to build a future with this QOS energy here. I say, this person is more an intellectual, a bit cold and mysterious. This person may interest him, because of their allure and mystery, like he wants to know more about this person.

So, with the exchanging gifts, he could be giving this person gifts, maybe trying to shower them with gifts, maybe they are doing the same. Maybe they are exchanging things, talking, texting another. I see him offering something to her, I will say her, because that is what I keep hearing and feeling. I say they may be both in a place of giving and receiving right now.

Now, this crown chakra reversed is interesting to me. It seems he isn't very aligned or connected to higher messages. Or the sense of knowing we all have. This intuitive sense we have when it comes to things in life. Like a lack of awareness, maybe things he should be aware of he is missing. I asked for some clarification on this of course, I got the knight of pentacles, 2 of cups and 7 of wands. I feel this is someone he works with or will work with or collaborate with, anyway. I guess this is saying he may miss the clues that the right person is right in front of him, okay this is taking me somewhere else, but I see him making a gesture, maybe offer, could be money, or a career opportunity, this makes no sense by the way. But I also get that he might need to learn to take his time to find the right person and to understand that there will be challenges that come with being with this person, maybe there is a lack of awareness there of that. Sorry, that last card was hard to understand.

This is what I got for now, that was a bit of a ride he took me on, can't expect anything less from him, he always takes me on a journey. I always have fun reading for him. Anyway, I do plan to revisit these love readings in the future for my faves, if I find the reading enticing and want to see what more of what is going on, but this is it for now. I had fun with this one.

[goo34ter]

As I dive deeper and deeper into the Jaivik lore , I realize I simply cannot hold my thoughts in any longer. pt1

I think its truly fascinating how you can see both an extremely brotherly love and romantic love between both Jayce and viktor. On one hand you can clearly see that they have a level of respect for one another because they have found someone who understands their drive and almost obsession with discovery and helping others, along with an admiration and attraction towards each other because they have finally met someone who's at their level. Their level of passion, knowledge, and perseverance. Which leads to this deep connection that you often find once in a lifetime, they click insanely well because they understand each other, utilizing this fact to create a solid bond they can rely on. On the other hand we see that perhaps this attraction has more romantic undertones, not only because they place eachother on a high pedestal of reverence but because they've found their better half. Jayce and Viktor are almost complete opposites of each other and because of this they work so well together. Where Jayce has grown up comfortable, surrounded with people willing to help lead him to success and has had access to a higher level of education, Viktor has had to build himself up alone with little help. He's from Zuan and possesses a poor hand dealt in life, taking the first thing offered rather than looking for something better. 

The way they attract patrons for support is another opposite, while Jayce has been able to gain the support of the Kiraman’s it is more emotionally driven and related, we can observe this through his relationship with Caitlyn alone, where he is this brotherly figure to her meaning he has been accepted into their family not just a smart mind to invest in for future gain. Another good example is when Jayce goes around making deals with the council leaders at the music theater in season one. Here we get flashes of each council member that agrees with the proposition being put forth, When we get to caitlyn’s mother he kisses her hand, it shows his gratitude towards her but also this deep respect, because by this point she has forgiven for his “personal study” incident and has been a reliable ally in his corner on the council despite this. He's an extremely charismatic and emotionally driven, wanting to share magic with the world because it saved his mother. Viktor on the other hand, although from what we know is little, I believe his patron may have been Hiemerdinger, at least that is how he made it to the academy in the first place. Again in season one when Heimerdinger seeks out Viktor to console him about the unfortunate news regarding his health, Hiemerdinger reminisces on when he first met Viktor and how he was impressed with his knowledge and capabilities. I'm sure being a person from the undercity that also possesses a disability does not make becoming popular in Piltover very easy, which leads us to realizing that one of the only ways Viktor was going to gain support was through his knowledge and achievements alone, and not relaying on building buddy buddy relationships with houses. Although he is sassy and always has quick remarks we really only see them when he is in a position of power or with someone he knows won't become offended or pose a threat to his success. Viktor likes to rely on reason and is extremely driven by the desire to help much like Jayce, however it stems more from his knowledge about what could be done and what is needed. He seeks to help others because he knows how to help and knows how the conditions could improve. 

This does not mean VIktor is emotionally inept of unavailable, he is expressive and doesn't truly try to hide his facial tells, however he rarely tries to allows his emotions to steer his thoughts (because that's jayce’s job). Viktor solely wants to create for the sole purpose of helping and improving lives, while Jayce allows himself to be emotionally driven by the projects. Jayce is able to get on Viktor’s level because he posses the knowledge, viktor is able to get on Jayces level because he understands the importance of passion, using his understanding for his passion of development and discovery to understand the passion of connecting with people and emotional drive. 

[bonewaryreblogs]

I know it's very soon after my last post, but I think I've mostly got a working timeline

There are more specifics I could get into, but I tried to limit the info in this particular timeline to what's super important and identifiable. Like, I have a whole other post I could make about the Justice Society of America and how it led to the creation of the Justice League, or how Amity Park was founded and by whom, but trying to put it all here would be too cumbersome.

My main sources for general info is whatever I can find on the DC Fandom Wiki, as well as my experiences watching various DCAU media growing up and my favorite Batman show, The Batman from 2004 (good god, I didn't realize it was that old). I tried to fit Young Justice in here too, but it actually conflicts with the first two timelines more than I thought it would, so I might just use it for story ideas for after Danny gets adopted. The Wayne Family Adventures webtoon mostly just supplied the template for how I want them to end up by the time Danny enters the picture, leaving the "how did we get here" up to me, which this timeline hopes to solve.

Also, I couldn't find a good source for it, but supposedly Danny Phantom might have taken place in 2014? Which would've been the future for when it came out in 2004. I considered going with that, but ultimately I decided that DP happens in 2004, taking Danny about a year to establish himself before he gets adopted by 2005.

A big part of why I made this timeline in the first place was to make sure I know how old everyone is when things happen, which is why I put their ages everywhere.

1920s - Martha Clark and Jonathan Kent are born sometime in this decade.

1939 - Alfred Pennyworth is born.

1940 - James “Jim” Corrigan (30) “died” and became the Spectre with Aztar, the Vengeance of God. The Justice Society of America is formed, though they are sometimes called the All-Star Squadron when working with those not formally inducted as members of the JSA (including those with and without superpowers).

1952 - The Kents (~30s) are told they cannot have children biologically. Shortly thereafter, they find the Kryptonian baby Kal-El, rename him Clark Kent after Martha’s maiden name, and adopt him as their own son.

1957 - Alfred (18) joins the British military.

1960 - Bruce Wayne is born. Vlad Masters is born.

1961 - Jack Fenton is born. (Google says his birthday is October 2, 1971, but that would make him like 10 when the Ghost Portal Prototype fails, so I’m just gonna set it back an extra decade lol)

1963 - Maddison Elliot is born. (Google says her birthday is March 16, 1973, so same deal as Jack)

1964 - After many misadventures in England, Alfred (25) takes over as the Wayne Family’s butler from his late father. (Bruce 4)

1968 - 8 year old Bruce’s parents are killed. (Alfred 29)

1970 - After 2 years of flailing, Bruce (10) decides to travel the world and learn martial arts, among other things.

1971 - Barbra Gordon is born.

1974 - Dick Greyson is born.

1977 - Jason Todd is born. Superman (25) debuts in Metropolis, inspiring Bruce (17) to change his plans to become a superhero rather than a crime boss. Obviously there were other superheroes around at this time, but none gripped Bruce like Superman did. He will never, ever admit this.

1978 - Superman (26) is quickly inducted into the Justice Society of America.

1980 - Stephanie Brown is born. Cassandra Cain is born. Bruce (20) returns to Gotham and starts his career as Batman. He begins cutting through red tape to regain control of Wayne Enterprises. Meanwhile, Vlad (20), Jack (19), and Maddie (17) are all at the University of Wisconsin and build the prototype Ghost Portal, which fails catastrophically, causing several important chain reactions; Vlad is blasted with Lazarus Water, the Ghost Zone comes into existence, Vlad falls ill, Amity Park’s Lazarus Pit dries up, Pariah enters the Ghost Zone and declares himself Ghost King, etc.

1981 - Tim Drake is born. Disenchanted with the JSA, Superman (29) starts figuring out how to create his own, international superhero team.

1982 - Bruce (22) adopts Dick Greyson (8) after his parents die publicly.

1983 - Vlad (23) discovers he has “ghost powers” and starts figuring out how to use them. Dick (9) discovers Bruce’s (23) secret and Bruce begins training him.

1984 - Bruce (24) finally lets Dick (10) join him on the streets as Robin. Batman and Superman (32) meet for the first time (which plays out similar to how they meet in “The Batman”).

1985 - Bruce takes over Wayne Enterprises just in time for his 25th birthday. With the company secured, Bruce no longer has to prove himself as responsible and plays up his image as a playboy philanthropist to throw off rumors that ditzy but well-meaning Brucie Wayne couldn’t possibly be the dark and brooding Batman.

1986 - Superman (34) approaches Bruce (26) with his plan for the Justice League, hoping Wayne Enterprise would agree to be the “secret” benefactor. Bruce says he’ll think about it. Barbra Gordon (15) takes the name Batgirl for the first time. (Alfred 47, Bruce 26, Dick 12)

1988 - Jasmine Fenton is born. Cass (8) kills someone for the first time, is horrified, and runs away from her assassin father.

1989 - Duke Thomas is born.

1990 - Daniel Fenton is born.

1991 - Jason Todd (14) tries to steal the Batmobile’s tires after his father is sentenced to prison time, putting him on Batman’s radar. (Alfred 52, Bruce 31, Dick 17, Barbra 20)

1992 - Dick (18) decides to strike out on his own as Nightwing. Jason Todd (15) catches the eye of Talia Al Ghul. Shortly after, Jason’s (step-)mom dies of a drug overdose while his father is still in prison so Bruce adopts him, making Jason the second Robin.

1993 - With Nightwing (19) established and able to take over many of Batman’s (33) responsibilities in Gotham, Bruce asks Clark Kent (41) if he’s still interested in his Justice League idea, which he’s now had 7 more years to refine. Global threats had become more common (which threatened Gotham vicariously and he wasn’t confidant he could take them on by himself) and the JSA had become too entangled with the USA government for anyone’s liking. Now was prime pickings for upcoming talent that had grown up with the idea of superheroes as a necessary force in the world that could see the limitations of government funded (and therefore government controlled) superhero teams.

1994 - Stephanie Brown (14) became Spoiler to “spoil” her father’s criminal career as Cluemaster. After his capture and imprisonment, Bruce (34) “convinced” Spoiler to “retire”, though Barbra (23) kept in contact, as did Dick (21) and Jason (17) to a lesser extent. Steph continued to train on her own, planning to rejoin the hero scene when she was a bit older. The Justice League debuts, led by Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, along with half a dozen other members, though their ranks would quickly expand.

1995 - Jason dies at 18. Talia Al Ghul seduces the grieving Bruce (35) to get Jason’s body, accidentally-on-purpose getting pregnant along the way. Jason had unfortunately been dead for a few months by then; however, he was too angry and stubborn for his spirit to move on, which allowed him to be revived via Lazarus Pit. He still came back pretty zombified, though, so Talia used magic to help restore the connection between his mind/soul and his body, and had him train with the League of Assassins to keep him sharp. Part of Bruce’s grief spiral was to throw himself into Justice League work. (Alfred 56, Dick 21, Barbra 24)

1996 - Bruce (36) is spiraling from his loss when Tim Drake (15) basically forces himself onto Batman as the third Robin.

1997 - Cassandra Cain (17) arrives in Gotham, trying to keep a low profile but couldn’t help but save Commissioner Gordon from her assassin father, putting her on Batman’s (37) radar. After Barbra (26) is paralyzed and forced to retire as Batgirl, she asked Bruce to offer Cass the title in her stead, taking on the role of “man in the chair” with the name Oracle. Barbra also pressures pretty much everyone to train with Steph (17), since she can’t anymore.

1998 - Jason (21) returns to Gotham as the Red Hood. (Alfred 59, Bruce 38, Dick 24, Barbra 27, Tim 17, Cass 18)

1999 - Cass (19) takes on the name Black Bat, giving the title Batgirl to Steph (19) as she (re)makes her superhero debut.

2000 - Settling into more of an anti-hero role after getting rid of (most of) his hatred for Bruce for not avenging him, Jason (23) has turned his sights on Crime Alley, doing whatever he feels is necessary to make it safer for the families (but especially the kids) that are forced to live there. He unknowingly is fulfilling Bruce’s original plan of becoming a crime boss and dissecting Gotham’s crime problem from the inside out. (Alfred 61, Bruce 40, Dick 26, Barbra 29, Tim 19, Cass 20, Steph 20)

2001 - I’m going to modify his story, but Duke Thomas (12) ends up on Bruce’s radar.

2004 - Danny Fenton (14) has an accident that gives him “ghost powers”. (Vlad 44, Jack 43, Maddie 41, Jazz 16)

2005 - Damian Wayne (10) becomes the fourth Robin, pushing Tim (24) to move out and become Red Robin instead. (Alfred 66, Bruce 45, Dick 31, Barbra 34, Cass 25, Jason 28, Steph 25, Duke 16, Danny 15, Jazz 17)

-

Damian’s first, big, world-ending crisis is barely a month or two after his arrival, when Cris Allen enlists the Batclan to help him fight Pariah Dark and they join Danny Phantom’s resistance.

I haven’t quite decided what will happen next but Batman figures out Danny isn’t fully dead like the rest of the inhabitants of the Ghost Zone and looks into it after Pariah is defeated. From here, I want it to take less than a year for Danny to be in Bruce’s custody. Duke (at 16) is recruited around the same time as Danny (still 15), so both of them begin training together. I’m sure Bruce wouldn’t mind pulling some strings to get Jazz (17) into a college in Gotham, potentially getting her to study under Barbra/Oracle.