#i love when fics feel like a movie

[theogbadbitch]

“You do not have to lie and beg. This is your home.” He stated.” He always clocking her pleaseeee😭

“You’re going first because you’re a man.” Magnolia retorted, a little fed up with the man’s observant nature. “ I love how sassy she is with him 😭

“I have a feeling you just made that up.” LMAOOSGGH

“He was still looking down at the woman that he could see perfectly fine in the dark room, questioning her sudden attachment to him, and as well as why he wanted to smile at the feeling her cheek squeezed against his arm.”🌚

“Dev simply watched her, head tilted with the chest in his hands. “You are…odd.” He stated, referencing the words she’d said to him before. “ 😭😭😭😭what a pair

“He then waked closer behind her, placing his hands under her armpits and lifted her up with ease. “ the casual displays of strength >>>>

“He had barely thought about it—just reacted. And the sensation of holding her, even for that brief moment, lingered in his hands like an imprint.” Oh?🌚

“Dev glanced up. “Really?” He asked with wide and hopeful eyes, a small smile on his lips, the first one Magnolia had never seen out of him.” Cutie patootie omg🥹

“I think you’re changing in a way I can’t explain, but I’m not sure if it’s you or just me and I don’t know if it’s my fault or yours.” Hmmm I wonder if being around him is making her energy different or something?

“Whatever it was, it wasn’t harming her. Not yet. But he’d keep an eye on it.” Interesting…

I’m obsessed with this fic it just feels so refreshing 😭 like a 2000s romcom that you get on dvd and wear out idk how to describe it chile

I am now requesting the cosmos crash land me a 6’3 green eyed gentle giant into my back yard!

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - Dev-Em x Black!OC

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 - in which Magnolia and Dev spend their first night together as roomies. Although the tension between them is rising, and things aren’t exactly as they may seem on the surface, each with a secret twisting at the knot in their stomach. But who will crack first?

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - grief, death, family, fear of the dark, angst if you close your eyes, protectiveness(??) Mama Magnolia taking cause if Sugarplum Dev. Papa Dev if you squint.

𝐉𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 - HEAVILY UNEDITED!!! I just wanted to get this out to you guys before university for more rough then it already it. It’s currently 12:19am…idk even know if this chapter makes any sense, or it’s it readable, I’m extremely tired. I hope you guys like it. I might delete it tomorrow morning so…we’ll see. Sorry for any spelling errors and grammar mistakes!!

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 - 10,001+

The drive home was quiet, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. They were cooking down from the soft buzz of a perfect evening. Magnolia kept sneaking glances at Dev through the rearview mirror, same as she was on her way to the clinic—half-expecting him to disappear like some fever dream. She was still getting used to his presence, even though she took his unexpected arrival pretty well. She still could not get over that a human being fell from the sky and landed on her property of all places, survived and was now sitting next to her, abled bodied.

But there Dev remained in her sight, his posture straight within the passenger seat, his gaze tracking the trees whipping past, the soft sound of The O’Jays playing over the radio.

By the time they pulled into her driveway, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long, creeping shadows across the front porch. Magnolia turned off the engine and exhaled. "Alright. Let’s get you settled in." She said, looking over at him with a soft smile before hopping out of the truck.

Dev followed her out, stretching his tall frame. His eyes flickered up towards the sky, something Magnolia noticed when she didn’t hear his boots thudding close behind her as usual. And she didn’t know why it was something she noticed about him so quickly, but she shook it off as she looked back him.

His gaze was focused on the evening sky, like he was taking mental notes of the stars. His expression was unreadable, but there was something about the way his brows furrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line, that made her hesitate to speak. She followed his gaze toward the gradient sky, dotted with subtle stars just beginning to flicker to life. To her, it was just another evening—peaceful, familiar. But to him? She wondered what he saw when he looked up there. Was he trying to find home? Or was he realizing, all over again, that it was gone?

She swallowed, suddenly feeling intrusive for watching him so closely. Instead, she turned turned on her heels to head for the porch, her shoes making nice against the gravel, which snapped him out of his trance. She fiddled with the keys to the home as she listens the soft steps of the large man come closer.

The house was warm, carrying the scent of pine and something faintly sweet—probably the lavender incenses she kept stuck in the walls of her home. “It’s time we settle you in, honey.” The girl hummed as, just as the familiar soft bell of Mufasa hit her ears, the orange cat round the corner with a small meow. Magnolia smiled down at the sight of her fur compassion, bending down to pet him while Dev closed the door. “Isn’t that right, my little baby. We gotta settle in our new roomie.” She said as scratched behind his ears. Mufasa purred at her touch, Dev just standing behind her as he watched her okay with the cat.

She then stood up from playing with the animal and looked over at him, meeting his usually intense gaze that seemed to always be on her whenever she looked over at him. “You can wait down here while I got try to find you some more clothes to wear.” She said, her southern dialect thick but soft. “Make yourself comfortable, okay?” She said, giving a lousy gesture to large archway that led to the living room to their left. She didn’t want for a response from him before moving up the stairs that were place right outside of the living room doorway.

Dev watched her until she was out of his sight. He paused near her door, contemplating his next moves within her home. He then began to copy the moves he saw her door, coming out of his shoes and setting them in the rack by the door. He then took off the large coat jacket that was given to him, that he only slid into when night began to fall upon them after leaving the diner, and hung it on the rack she got it from.

While he was situating himself downstairs, Magnolia was rummaging through her clothes to find more for Dev. She gathered a few large shirts and pound shirts for him, ones she usually wore to be lazy in. But these were no clothes for a man to go out in, and even if he didn’t, they sure as hell weren’t clothes for enough for a man to work in.

She stood from her wooden dressers with a sigh, holding all of the old clothes in her arms as she thought of where to get some durable cloths for the large man downstairs. She wasn’t too keen on going to buy him some, considering she has not a single clue as so how long he would be rooming with her. And then she thought of it, there was in place where she could get some clothes that would fit him, she just was t all too sure if she wanted travel there. Not alone, at least.

“Dev?” She called out before blinding down the stairs. She didn’t get a verbal reply, only a deep hum when she way at the center of the steps. “Would you be a darlin’ an—.” She stopped once she made it down the stairs and stopped at the sight in her living room. Dev sat on the couch, the remote in his hands as he curiously flickered through channels with Mufasa curled in his lap. The man was obviously tense, his normally straight posture a little rigid and his hands were up and away from the pet ,as if he didn’t want to touch it. Magnolia furrowed her brows at the pair, easing her way into the cozy living space. “What is going on here?” She asked with small amusement, sitting the small amount of clothes she had on the empty space available on the couch. The sight of the tense man and comfortable cat was cute, especially since Mufasa hated all people, even her sometimes.

“I do not know.” Dev said, his eyes trained on the large screen that showed random strangers living their life. His brows twitched subtly in confusion, concerned for the unknowingly surveyed individuals. “He just…got comfortable after I sat down. And he stepped on this thing which turned on…that.” He explained, hesitantly gesturing towards the television. Magnolia followed his eyes, looking at the characters of ‘A Different World’ on the screen.

She blinked. Then blinked again, struggling to come up with an explanation for the obviously confused man. “Okay…uh, forget that for now.” She said, letting out a small laugh before taking the remote from his hand and turn the TV off. Dev frowned slightly, watching the screen go black before looking at the device she took from him and sat if the coffee table. “Would you be a darlin’ and come help me look for some clothes for you up in the attic?” She asked sweetly, putting on her best polite smile as she looked down at the large man on her sofa. Dev blinked at her, catching her convincing tactic in slight intrigue.

“Okay.” He said.

Magnolia gaped a little, smiling down at him. “Really?” She asked, receiving a simple nod. “Yes.” He said. He then looked down at the cat in his lap before looking back at he, Magnolia catching the hint and moving the unfamiliar animal to him from his vicinity. Dev then stood once he was free of the weight, looking down at Magnolia, who gave the sleepy cat a forehead kiss. “You do not have to lie and beg. This is your home.” He stated. And Magnolia’s snapped towards him, bros scrunched at his audacious claim.

“Excuse me? I was not lyin’ and beggin’.” She sassed at him, her twang hitting more.

“Well, you aren’t telling the whole truth.” Dev stated. This caused Magnolia to scoff, not because of his false claims, it was because he was right. She didn’t want to go to the attic because it was dark and there was no telling would critter could be lurking up there. Or worst, spiders. As much time as she spent outdoors, catering to her plants and catching fish, she hated bugs. Hated them all with a burning passion, even lady bugs.

She also didn’t want to go into the room full of old memories and retrieve the very box that was so hard to put away.

“And how would you know that, Dev?” She asked, launch the sleeping cat down to place her hands on her hips, that spot being on top of the cloths she sat down. Dev blinked down at her, sensing her rising attitude during to her hostility at being caught. But he just slightly tilted his head as he gave her a quick once over. “You do that little smile where you show your bottom teeth.” He stated, causing her to blink at his genuine answer. Her slightly ticked expression slowly drifted away, looking up at him. “You did it in the care unit. That’s why I said you’re bad.” He continued to explain his observation, referring to the small moment in the hall they shared as Leroy led them to an examination room. He then moved past her, going to where she came from upstairs, not really know what an “attic” even was.

Magnolia simply scoffed at him again, following after the man the she knew had no idea where he was. “Whatever.” She grabbed under her teeth, all the way at the bottom of the stairs, but Dev heard her loud and clear. He stood in the hall at the top, watching as she stomped her way up to him and then grabbed a stool to pull the string of the attic ladder down. The old wood and rusty metal cogs creaked as the door opened and the ladder fell down.

Dev and Magnolia both leaned to look up into the open space, though their faces held totally different expressions. Dev looked into the dark hole that was now in her roof with pure curiosity, blinking up at the ceiling he could see clearly. He could see everything—the worn wooden beams, the dust hanging in the air, the old trunks and forgotten relics of the past. Magnolia, on the other hand, had her brows furrowed in worry, biting at the inside of her cheek as she tried to fight back a scared whine. She couldn’t see a damn thing up there, and her body tensed with unease.

Dev then looked down at her, not sure on what was supposed to be done now that the door was open. He saw her face, the tip of her brows almost touching from how deep her frown was. He saw her teeth peek from the corner of her lips for a quick second, practically chewing on her win flesh as her eyes bounded around the dark space she couldn’t even see into from her position. “Okay.” She sighed, being her hands together in an almost pleading motion. “You go first.” She said, sparing him a barely noticeable glance before looking back up into the attic.

It then clicked for him.

“Oh, I see now.” He murmured, though the woman’s terrified eyes didn’t move to look his way. “You’re scarred.” He continued, looking down at her.

“I am not.” She snapped, though she still never made eye contact with him as her hands held themselves, as if soothing herself.

“Then why am I going first?” He questioned, his tone calm and ever curious, genuinely wonder what her fear was. He looked back up into the attic, squinting to see if he could find anything that would cause such a reaction within her. “I don’t see anything that could be causing you such discomfort.” He stated.

“You’re going first because you’re a man.” Magnolia retorted, a little fed up with the man’s observant nature. Though she could admit, she was being a little harsh, but Dev had no clue on actual earth customs yet so she was going to use that to her advantage. “Things are different on Earth, Dev, men do dirty work, that’s, like, a law.” She sassed, crossing her arms as she looked up at him, finally meeting his now grey eyes. The icy color was oddly inviting, instantly enveloping her with this calmness, one he seemed to always vary. She blinked, lashes fluttering as she tried to stop herself from getting lost in his stormy eyes.

Dev blinked as well, though his was out of blatant suspension, his eyes slightly squinting as he looked her up and down.

“I have a feeling you just made that up.”

“Well I somehow believe you’re the one that’s scared to go into the dark and spooky attic.” She hissed, not even thinking of what she was saying anymore. She just wanted nothing more for this all to be over with and this long conversation at the entrance of the place she deeded the most wasn’t speeding it up. Hell, she even contemplated leaving the man there to do it himself, or just ditch the whole idea of getting him clothes in the first place. He didn’t need them, not like he was going anywhere.

But she still wasn’t about to buy him a damn thing when perfectly good clothes were in her hating.

Dev, feeling challenged, simply frowned at her before making his way up the ladder silently, Magnolia watching his legs disappear into the ashes and thump against her ceiling. “Do, what now?” The man questioned, his voice e traveling through the hollow and thin space before bellowing down to her.

And in that moment, she dreaded her folks for being wise and frugal shoppers so she didn’t have to build the courage to climb up there when could just go buy them. She trudged over to the ladder, standing directly in front of the old wood as she looked up into the square hole. She then decided to just go for it before she talked herself out of it.

Magnolia swallowed hard, gripping the sides of the ladder as she hesitated at the top, the wood creaking under her weight. Her head then perked into the high room, and the attic was vast. Or at least, it felt vast—an endless stretch of dark space filled with dust, forgotten things, and possibly creatures she wanted no part of.

Dev stood just a few feet away, his figure barely illuminated by the faint light spilling in from hallway below. He wasn’t paying her much mind, scanning the attic with quiet curiosity, but that didn’t matter. Magnolia knew exactly what was lurking in the shadows: nothing good. Or, so, that’s what she convinced herself to believe. But her feelings were true, nothing good could be lurking in the dark and the fear of the unknown and unexpected was jawing at her.

She sucked in a breath and forced herself to step onto the attic floor. The air was musty, and the room was filled with old trunks and dust-covered boxes. The wood groaned beneath her weight, and she swore she heard something scurry in the distance, causing her body lock up immediately.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope.

Before she could stop herself, she let out a small yell and latched onto the closest solid thing—Dev’s arm.

He barely moved at the sudden contact, only tilting his head down at her in silent observation, then a blink. Magnolia didn’t dare look up at him, she couldn’t see in the dark and she was far too focused on steadying her breath and keeping her feet planted in case something decided to crawl up her leg.

“You’re holding me,” Dev stated plainly, though there was a hit of questioning in his voice, one that Magnolia didn’t hear in her fear induced state. He was still looking down at the woman that he could see perfectly fine in the dark room, questioning her sudden attachment to him, and as well as why he wanted to smile at the feeling her cheek squinted against his arm.

“No shit, Sherlock.” The woman hissed, but not the same venom in her voice as it was down stairs, a small whine underlining the statement as her eyes bounced around the dark room. Her contact with the large man next to her being her only sense of comfort and grounding.

He blinked. “I do not know who that is, but that is not me.” He stated firmly, ticked off at the random name he was just given by the odd woman gripped onto him. But what about any of these past few hours were normal? He thought to himself.

Magnolia let out a sharp breath, realizing she still had a death grip on him. But letting go meant facing the attic alone and in the dark, and that wasn’t happening anytime soon.

Dev tilted his was down some more to get a good look at her face, his eyes catching her unfocused ones as they dated around the same space. He furrowed his brows in genuine worry, looking around the room for what she seemed so scared about, but saw nothing but different types of boxes and old furniture.

“If you are afraid, you should have said so.” He stated, his voice soft but firm in his claim.

She coffed, forcing herself to straighten. “I ain’t afraid.” She said, not even looking up at him to talk since she knew she wouldn’t be able to see if face while she placed her hand on her hips.

Dev arched a single brow, his eyes flicking to her white-knuckled grip on his arm, and then back up at her. She didn’t even have to look at his face to know he didn’t believe a word out of her mouth, casing her to sigh.

Magnolia hesitated—then begrudgingly loosened her hold. But she didn’t let go completely. Instead, she slid her hand down, curling her fingers around his wrist like it was just for balance, the appendage still large in her hands. Dev hummed in acknowledgment at her silent complacent and admittance, and thankfully, he didn’t press her further. Instead, he turned his attention back to the attic, completely unbothered by whatever had her like she is now.

Magnolia sighed, glancing around. This was gonna be a long night.

“Can you just, uh, find the string hanging from the ceiling and pull it, please?” She questioned, her voice now soft. Dev completed immediately, taking orders like a true soldier as he subconsciously folded his hands so his fingers could brush against hers, that were wrapped around his wrist. He looked around the space before catching sight of the hanging string. He walked over, making sure to be easy and gentle with the essentially blind woman as he led the way.

He pulled the string, turning the light on, however, the string was pulled out, as well as the electronics attached to the lights, wires coming out of the wall while the string fell limp in his hands. She was now able to see things somewhat clearly, though the dim yellow light didn’t catch highlight the full room, and the now swinging light didn’t help much.

“It broke.” Dev said, holding up the string.

Magnolia groaned, her grip on Dev tightening instinctively as she took the dusty, lost excuse for a pull mechanism into her hands. “Of course it did.” She huffed, glaring at the dangling string like it had personally wronged her. “Old damn house.” She muttered agitated.

Dev observed the broken light mechanism that lightly swayed in front of him, then looked back at Magnolia, his expression unreadable. “Shall I attempt to fix it?” He questioned.

Magnolia looked up at him, her brows furrowed. “You know how to fix lights?” She asked, blinking in confusion at the sudden exchange of information.

He tilted his head slightly, considering. “No.” He stated. “I just feel bad.” He said, pursing his lips at her. Magnolia sighed, shaking her head as fight a small smile at her sheer naivety. “Don’t bother. I’ll try to get someone to deal with it later.” She swallowed, straightening up despite the nagging fear still clinging to her nerves. “Just… help me find those clothes. They’re in a chest with the name Eugene engraved on it.” She said. She then looked down before slowly letting go of his wrist, not even being to look at him once their contact was broken, not wanting to deal with the tension it would create.

Dev nodded, stepping forward with a quiet confidence that made Magnolia both envious and annoyed. He moved like the dark they were just en trapped in meant nothing to him, like it wasn’t swallowing them whole.

Meanwhile, she was still fighting the urge to book it back down the ladder in the dimly lit area.

It was long before their searching ended in success, Dev announcing that he found it. “Is this what you seek?” Dev asked. Magnolia turned, then watched in shock as the man effortlessly lifted the packed chest, moving it over to an empty side of the room so she could pop it open. “Woah.” The girl said, easing her way over once Dev stood to his full height again. “I knew you were strong, ya know, considering your build and all, but I didn’t know you were that strong.” She said, letting out an awkward laugh and looking at his body in the grey shirt that fit him sort of tight, eyeing his large muscles. She then she cleared her throat before quickly bending to unlatch the trunk.“But yeah… This should be a bunch of my dad’s old stuff in there.” She mumbled.

“I am strong, but that thing felt empty.” Dev stated. Magnolia only opened the crate,,pupping the lid to reveal the chest paced to the brim with clothes. "These should do.” She muttered, holding up some of the article of clothing while Dev stood there slightly perplexed. That chest felt weightless to him, a mere feeling against the touch of his skin as he held it. But it now appeared to be packed full. He blinked, wanting nothing more than to rule this all up to Earth and its weird habits, but Dev was no idiot. He knew that didn’t make any sense it bothered him that he couldn’t figure it out.

"I’ll get these washed up for you.” He was snapped out of his thoughts at Magnolia voice, looking down to see her snapping the chest tight. "And while I’m at it, I’ll even run you a nice bath. You’re probably still achin’ from that fall…Maybe, I don’t know.” She quickly stated as she stood up from the floor.

“Will they fit?” He asked, referring to the clothes in the crate as she stepped away from the box.

Magnolia hummed in contemplation as she gave him a once-over, taking in his broad frame. “…Might be a tight squeeze.” She shrugged, tilting her head at him. Dev nodded, seemingly unbothered. “Tight squeeze.” He echoed, as if making a mental note.

Magnolia shook her head with a small smile at him before placing her hands on her hips and walking away. “Alright, that should do. Now, grab the crate and let’s go before I start hearing things that aren’t there.” She said, already direct above the hole in the floor fire she ended the sentence.

Dev glanced at her after effortlessly lifting up the chest, curiosity flickering in his stormy eyes. “You already believe something is here.” He stated.

She shivered at the way he said it, like he could sense something she couldn’t. Like he was leaving her point all along, when he was just using proper English. She squinted at him calling her out once again.

“…Shut up and get down the ladder.” She simply hissed before decking the ladder, making sure nothing had a chance to grab her from the shadows.

Dev complied to her demands without protest, descending first with the clothes in tow since they wouldn’t fit with the width in his hands. Magnolia quirked a brow as she watched him come down the steps with the chest held in one hand. It was an excellent display of strength, and he didn’t seem to be breaking a sweat, but it did seem like an extreme feat for any man.

Though, Dev was too average to begin with, considering…

The second her feet hit the ground, she let out a deep breath, relief washing over her. “Never again.” She muttered under her breath, placing a hand over her running heart as she closed her eyes.

Dev simply watched her, head tilted with the chest in his hands. “You are…odd.” He stated, referencing the words she’d said to him before.

Magnolia rolled her eyes. “And you’re about to be wearing my dad’s jeans, so I guess we’re both suffering from something weird.” She said. “And let’s not forget how you got here.” She said, giving him an exaggerated once over as she crossed her arms.

Dev considered this, then nodded. “Fair trade.”

She sighed, but there was a small smile on her lips. Maybe having an alien crash-land in her backyard wouldn’t be all bad. As weird as it was. And if she ever uttered those words to another living being, she’d either be put down or sent somewhere sedated. But it was a little cool, especially now having someone to talk to that could actually eroding with words rather than a ‘meow’.

Magnolia led Dev back down the stairs, his presence behind her almost too quiet for a man his size, but the soft creak of the wood beneath his steps confirmed he was there. The crate of clothes sat effortlessly in his grasp, though she barely paid it any mind—her thoughts were elsewhere.

The moment her feet hit the living room rug, she flicked on the TV and let the familiar sounds of A Different World fill the space. The laugh track, the banter between Whitley and Dwayne—it was all routine, predictable. Safe.

Dev was instantly hooked, settling into his now designated at the far end of the green couch, an intense focus that made the woman grin softly. He barely acknowledged her when she muttered about washing the clothes and getting his bath ready. She didn’t expect him to—he was too busy absorbing the show, his stormy eyes locked onto the screen as if trying to decipher some hidden message in the sitcom. Did he know what a sitcom was? Maybe that was why he was so intrigued,

She slipped away, carrying a handful of the clothes in a hamper toward the laundry room attached to the back of her kitchen. Her movements were calm, steady. Her hands didn’t shake, her breath remained even. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling everything that had clawed at her in that cramped, dark space upstairs. With her now being out of his sight, almost if her body sense it, it felt like a weight was placed upon her.

Magnolia had always hated that room.

The smell of dust and aged wood clung to her like something alive, sinking into her skin, into her lungs. She dressed the blank space, the darkness a thick blanket of everything she never wanted to face again. The stillness of it, the way the air seemed too thick—it had felt like a tomb. Like a grave full of things she wasn’t ready to lay to rest.

Her father’s old things. As well as his mother’s.

It should’ve been easier by now. People always said time softened the sharp edges of grief, made it easier to carry. But Magnolia knew the truth—time didn’t heal, it just buried. It packed things away in trunks and crates, left them in attics and basements, let them gather dust until one day, someone like her had to open them again.

Her fingers tightened around a flannel shirt before she forced herself to toss it into the machine.

She didn’t cry. She didn’t even sigh. She just loaded the clothes, turned on the washer, and let it run.

She then moved to the bathroom, walking up the stairs to the one located at the end of the hall, near her room. She set the water to just the right warmth, a little on the hotter side in order to serve its purpose for his aches. She then grabbed a towel, scooped some epsom salt into the water grabbed ab extra bar of soap for him. She went through the motions like second nature. If she kept moving, kept working, she wouldn’t have to think about it too hard.

Wouldn’t have to think about how quiet the house had become over the years.

Wouldn’t have to think about all the voices that had once filled her grandmother’s old home—her father’s deep drawl, her mother’s softer lilt, the sound of laughter over home-cooked meals.

Wouldn’t have to think about how much emptier it felt now, despite Dev’s heavy presence in the next room.

She swallowed, gripping the edge of the basin tub as she steadied herself.

This wasn’t the time to linger in ghosts.

She took a breath, then released it slowly before turning off the water.

By the time she walked back into the living room, she had on a small, easy smile. A mask, but one that fit well.

“Alright, sassy bottom, your bath’s ready.” She said, crossing her arms as she looked at the man on her couch, entrapped in the television. Dev barely tore his gaze from the TV, murmuring, “What is a Whitley?” before finally acknowledging her. Magnolia just huffed a small laugh, shaking her head.

“C’mon, Dwayne. You can solve the mysteries of the 90s after you get cleaned up, we still got diner to make.” She said. Dev nodded, though he cast a longing glance back at the screen before standing. "Thank you." He said, his blue gaze intense as he looked down at her, walking over. Magnolia waved him off like it wasn’t a big deal, but her stomach fluttered at the softness in his tone. "It’s all fine. Take your time." She said softly, and then watched him go, arms crossed loosely over her chest, and for the first time that night, she let herself accept a small, strange truth—

Maybe, just maybe, this house wouldn’t feel so empty for a little while longer.

And now, with him in bath, she could get started on diner. She took the salmon out of the freezer, running it under some warm water to let it defrost. She hissed at herself, knowing she should’ve taken it out earlier, but she was too preoccupied with the new to earth human she now existed with. She shrugged before placing the vaccines seal fish into a bowl of cold water and placing it in the microwave to defrost, not carrying about anything else but speeding up the process. She’ll think of the consequences later.

She didn’t even change into proper clothing before she put on her rain boots and walked into her backyard, lit up by the fair lights she had hanging outside. She dug up the small red potatoes she grew, placing them in whicker basket she grabbed from her back porch, choosing it ignore the giant crater she still had on the right side of her lawn. She brought those veggies in to wash off while the fish continued to unthaw. She wanted those cooking asking with the fish, so she waited a few minutes before taking the fish out. She cleaned and season her fish and was about to start cutting her potatoes into small chunks when she heard the sound of that soft bell.

She looked up to, seeing Mufasa sitting outside of the kitchen arch. He let out a small ‘meow’ when they made eye contact, as if speaking to her. Magnolia took in a small gasp, emailing I’ve at him. “Look at you, following the rules and not coming into my kitchen.” She grinned. “I would give you some fish but it’s cooking right now so you’ll have to wait for your salmon dinner from the pantry.” She said, placing another piece of fish into the small drop of olive oil that was in the hot pan.

She then wiped her hands on a dish towel and walked over to the doorway, leaning against the paining and sliding down until her bottom hit the floor, regarding the fluffy orange cat sitting just outside the threshold. Mufasa flicked his tail lazily, eyes half-lidded as if unimpressed by her amusement.

“I guess you can be trained, mister.” She teased, crossing her arms as she grinned at the feline.

Another small, unimpressed meow.

She smirked, shaking her head before glancing back toward the stove. She had two more pieces of salmon seasoned, waiting to be cooked, and the potatoes needed chopping. But for just a second, she allowed herself to linger, watching Mufasa as he watched her. She tried hard everyday but to be a crazy cat intent, but her grumpy boy made that hard with every waking moment. Even though he seemed like an old man, fed up with her every time she opened her mouth, she knew the love they had for one another was deep.

He had always been a quiet sort of companion. Independent but ever-present, slipping in and out of the house like a ghost who refused to be exorcised. Magnolia had never minded—she preferred it, actually. Mufasa didn’t demand anything from her. Didn’t ask questions. Didn’t press into things she wasn’t ready to say. He was just there, a warm presence in an otherwise empty home.

Empty until now.

Her gaze flickered toward the upstairs hallway that she could somewhat see from her space at the kitchen entrance next to the foyer. Her ear couldn’t pick up on anything from the far bathroom, but his presence was felt. She just started as Mufasa watched her, the girl wondering if he was undoubtedly trying to make sense of whatever foreign human ritual she had just subjected him to with no explanation. The thought made her lips twitch in amusement, but the feeling was brief. She really hoped he knew what a bath was.

For years, it had just been her and Mufasa. A quiet house. A quiet life.

Now, there was someone else.

Mufasa meowed again, softer this time, as if sensing the shift in her mood. Magnolia sighed, looking down at him as he waked closer and rubbed his fur against her clothes legs.

“I know.” She murmured. “It’s weird, huh? There’s a man here. An actual person.”

The cat only blinked as it softly purred, unbothered.

Magnolia let out a breath before straightening up as she stood. “Alright, I gotta finish dinner before the new houseguest comes running.” She said, more to herself than him.

Mufasa took this as his cue to saunter off, tail high, as if he had already lost interest in whatever Magnolia was dealing with. She watched him go before turning back to her task, flipping the piece of fish in the pan over before adding another to the skillet. Weird or not, Dev was here. And for the first time in a long time, Magnolia wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about that.

After that, the dryer beeped. She walked over, only taking out something she knew the man could wear now since she didn’t have time to do the rest. A fresh shirt and shirts, even a clean pair of undies, in her hands, she walked up the stairs and to the bathroom door. Giving the white painted wood a few soft knock before she spoke. “Uh, I got you sine fresh clothes.” She said. It was silent for a moment before Dev spoke. “Okay.” Was all he said, causing the girl to wince, feeling like she was bagging him while he was trying to relax. “I’ll j-just leave these right here. Out here, by the door.” She said awkwardly, placing the clean clothes in the floor outside of the bathroom and then scurrying away.

Dev, in the other hand, was trying to understand why the hell he could not only hear the conversation she just had with Mufasa’s from all the way downstairs, but why he heard a heartbeat that was his think quickly in his ears.

A few minutes later, she was halfway done with the food when she realized she didn’t have enough potatoes. So she quickly slipped in her booth, that was on the back porch, and went to pick some more.

She went out in the garden, knelt in the dirt and placing the vegetables in her shirt since she was moving too fast to grab her basket that was about twelve feet away.

The night air was cool, the scent of damp earth and growing things soothing her nerves. The breeze was drifting over her skin at a constant pace, lightly blowing her hair and smooth her sticky body from the hot kitchen she just left. She looked up when she heard footsteps from the porch, seeing Dev’s large figure in her back door.

"You’re... harvesting?" Dev’s voice sounded closer than it was as he stepped more out onto the porch, filled with quiet curiosity as he watched the girl pick a few more potatoes. He had passed the cooking food on his way out here, hearing her steady breaths as she worked frantically but was internally calm, something he could hear now, it seemed. He was now dressed in a shirt muscle suit and black shorts, no socks or anything for him yet, but he didn’t seem to mind. He actually seems more than comfortable the way he was, hands placed into the gym short pockets.

Magnolia glanced up, smiling. "Pickin’ some extra potatoes for dinner. Thought they’d go nice with the salmon." She said, dusting off the small round veggie and placing it makeshift sack—her shirt. "I don’t usually do it like this.” She state with a nervous laugh as she stood up to walk past him. “Ever had fresh-picked before?" She asked as she struggled to come out of her garden boots. Dev was a bit to respond, but stopped as she watched the women struggle. He then waked closer behind her, placing his hands under her armpits and lifted her up with ease.

Magnolia’s eyes widened as she unexpectedly became weightless. She blinked, still hooding her shirt up to carry those extra potatoes, and the thought of her food cooking was the only that got her to quickly kick off her boots while she had the chance. One the rubbed shies were off, she turned to the man behind her, an unexplainable look in her face.

Dev looked down at her, his hands still hovering near her sides, as if ready to catch her again. Magnolia’s heart thumped harder than she cared to admit.

“That was—” She paused, searching for the right word.

“Efficient,” Dev supplied, deadpan.

Magnolia narrowed her eyes. “I was gonna say unnecessary.” He seems to really know how to bring the nasty attitude out of her, even if it wasn’t 100% all of the time. Dev simply tilted his head, clearly not understanding. “You were struggling.” He pointed out with a shrug.

Magnolia huffed, adjusting her grip on her shirt full of potatoes. “I had it under control.” She stated.

He then studied her for a moment, his gaze intense as he thought. She never really liked helped, unless she asked. And based off the way she asked earlier, she definitely didn’t like that either. But Dev knew that type of keen he was, and that sort of attitude was only never going to cut it. So he just nodded, stepping back slightly. “Noted.” He stated.

She stared at him, lips pressing together. She didn’t think it wood end that soon. She had known the man only hire and she knew that he wasn’t one to back down so easily, and now she felt mad for constantly giving him attitude. “Okay.” She said softly, her big eyes looking up at him.

Dev simply nodded, looking down at her with his it eyes. "And no,” He admitted. "We had... food, but not like this." He stated, referring to her previous question.

Magnolia wasn’t sure what to make of that, but she nodded. "Well, you’re in for a treat." She grinned, hoping to bring back the lively mood they always had before tiring to take her way to check on her food. Dev stayed where he was for a moment, his mind processing what just happened. He wasn’t sure why he had helped her so quickly. He had barely thought about it—just reacted. And the sensation of holding her, even for that brief moment, lingered in his hands like an imprint.

He then followed her inside, observing as she quickly added the last piece of fish into the skillet before taking it the other piece. She then turned to the sink, washing and chopping the potatoes.

Dev watched her work, his sharp eyes following the rhythm of her hands as she chopped the potatoes with practiced ease. The scent of the cooking salmon filled the kitchen, warm and rich, and something about it—about this—felt oddly grounding.

His gaze flickered from the sizzling pan to her hands, his head tilting slightly as he asked, "How do you know when it’s ready?"

She chuckled, stirring the fish. "You just do. Takes practice."

Magnolia, for her part, tried not to focus too much on the fact that Dev was still hovering nearby, his presence far too solid for her to ignore. She snuck a glance at him, noting the way he stood—relaxed but attentive, his arms loosely crossed behind his back, like he was taking everything in.

“You gonna keep watchin’ me cook, or you wanna help?” She asked, raising a brow.

Dev blinked, as if the idea hadn’t occurred to him. “What would I do?”

Magnolia gestured toward the potatoes. “Here, dry these off.” She handed him a towel, waiting to see if he’d fumble the task.

He didn’t. He took the towel, picked up a handful of the wet chunks, and carefully patted them dry, his large hands surprisingly precise for someone who probably never had to do something so… ordinary.

Magnolia hummed in approval. “Not bad.” She said with a grin and a small shrug.

Dev glanced up. “Really?” He asked with wide and hopeful eyes, a small smile on his lips, the first one Magnolia had never seen out of him. “Yeah.” She said, her smile enlarging as she watched him grin for himself, an odd sense of proudness settling over her.

He considered that for a moment, then shrugged. “Thanks.”

It was then diner between them, Magnolia giving Dev more potatoes to fry while she alternated between cooking the fish and the vegetables. She glanced up at him before decking to speak again. “Ya know.” She said, catching his attention. “You’re real good at pickin’ me up like I weigh nothin’.” She muttered. “Not too sure how I feel about that. Since you’re living in my house and all.” She said, wanting to catch his reaction in order to plane her next move around what to do with a man with strength that profound.

Dev blinked, then glanced down at his own hands as if surprised by his own strength. “You do weigh something.” He assured her, almost as if he thought that would help.

Magnolia let out a short laugh, shaking her head. “That ain’t exactly comfortin’.” She grinned.

He was quiet for a beat before asking, “Would it help if I pretended you were heavy?”

That caught her off guard. Magnolia squinted at him, trying to tell if he was joking. His expression was unreadable, but something about the way he stood—so still, so patient—told her he was completely serious. She then huffed out a laugh, shaking her head as she flipped the fish. “That might just make it worse.” She admitted, giving him a side glance. “Like you tryna spare my feelings or somethin’.”

Dev frowned, considering this. “That’s not my intent.” He assured her, his mind racing with all the new details she was discovering of himself in her home. First the unexplainable strength, then the sight, and now the hearing. Her gaze made it seem like she knew if it already, but he didn’t want risk it and scare her, hell, they’re both still terrified firm the crash.

Magnolia smirked. “I know, I’m just messin’ with you.”

He seemed to relax at that, though his gaze lingered on her for a second longer before he returned to drying the potatoes, though his hearing tuned in again, catching the steady rhythm of her heartbeat as she moved inside. It was stronger now, more pronounced.

Different.

Something about her was changing, too.

Dev kept his expression neutral, but his mind was already running through possibilities. His senses had been sharp since arriving on Earth—tuned into every unfamiliar sound, scent, and movement—but Magnolia was the only thing that seemed to be shifting in real time. Her heartbeat, her breathing, even the subtle changes in her scent.

Was it the crash? Was it him?

He didn’t know, and that unsettled him more than he’d like to admit.

Magnolia, unaware of his inner turmoil, grabbed a fork and poked at the fish. “Almost done.” She murmured, mostly to herself. She then turned to check on Dev and found him already staring at her, his expression unreadable. But this was something she had gotten used to in the day that they’ve known each other.

She still frowned, however, tilting her head at him. “You good?” She asked, taking a small step towards him. Dev blinked, her soft voice running in his ears and snapping him out of his thoughts. He just nodded, but she wasn’t convinced.

“You sure?” She pressed, narrowing her eyes slightly. “You look like you just seen a ghost.” Her eyes then widen, looking at him. “Did you see a ghost? In the attic or in here? What did it look like? Do you even know what a ghost is? Or maybe you’re sick. Oh my, I should call uncle Leroy again, huh?” She rushed out, begging to panic with an onslaught of unanswered questions. She tried to move to go get her phone but was caught by Dev, his hands in her side of her shoulders as he tried to calm her down. He was quick to hold up a hand, stopping her mid-ramble with wide eyes. “No ghosts.” He assured her, his voice calm but firm. “And I’m not sick.” He stated, trying not to dwell on what the hell a ghost was.

Magnolia studied him with large eyes that shined under the lights in the kitchen, clearly not convinced. “You hesitated.” She accuse me with a pout.

Dev sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was just thinking.” He admitted softly, his eyes flicking from her face.

“About what?”

He paused. He couldn’t exactly tell her “I think you’re changing in a way I can’t explain, but I’m not sure if it’s you or just me and I don’t know if it’s my fault or yours.” Instead, he opted for something very vague but still truthful. “You.”

Magnolia blinked, eye widening some, but for a different reason. She was now thrown off. “Me?” She questioned softly, trying not to freak out about the way her heart skipped at his words.

He nodded, watching her closely. “You said you feel fine, but… are you sure? No headaches? No dizziness? No… unusual sensations?”

Magnolia frowned, her face heating up. She was now looking at herself, checking her arms as if expecting to see something out of place. “I mean, now that you mention it, my left pinky toe’s been achin’ a little—”

Dev exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Magnolia.” He said firmly, causing the woman to snap her moth shut as she looked up at her. He didn’t drop the serious look, making her let out a small sigh. “I’m fine, Dev.” She said, softer this time. “What’s this really about? This caused him to hesitate, meeting her gaze. She was sharp—smarter than she let on. He could either keep deflecting, or he could tell her just enough to make her cautious.

“I just…think you should’ve gotten a check up at Leroy’s too.” He said Sidney, but able to meet her eyes. And Magnolia felt her heart clench at the sheer adorableness this large grown man exuded, causing her to poke out her button lip as she looked at him. “Awww, are you worried about me, sugarplum?” She asked in a high pitched vice, moving her hand up to cup his cheek and make him look her in the eyes. Dev rolled his eye at her, he didn’t speak or move in protest to her soft grip on his face.

Dev stood still, his eyes narrowing slightly at the playful teasing in her voice, but there was no mistaking the sincerity in his gaze. He didn’t flinch from her touch, even though he wasn’t used to such casual affection, especially not from someone who, just moments ago, had been on the defensive.

Magnolia’s teasing grin softened as she continued to hold his gaze, still cupping his cheek gently. “You know, I can take care of myself.” She said softly, her tone changing just slightly as she looked into his eyes, sensing the worry beneath his casual stance. When she got no response, she squinted at him, shaking his face in her hand.“I said I feel fine.” She said. “A little tired, maybe, but that’s ‘cause somebody crashed into my yard and threw my whole week off.”

Dev huffed through his nose, a sound dangerously close to amusement. “I did apologize.” He stated, his lips slightly puckered due to her hand still hold her cheeks in between her finger and her thumb. “It’s not like I want to land here.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Magnolia waved him off with a boop to his nose, moving to platte the fish and vegetables. “You’re still on thin ice.” She playfully threatened. There was then a long pause before she spoke again. Though, this time she wasn’t looking up at him, and her voice was so soft he probably wouldn’t have been able to hear her if it wasn’t for his newfound trait. “But I appreciate you caring.” She said softly before glancing his way.

Dev didn’t know how to respond to that, and for a moment, he simply let the silence hang between them. It felt different. The way she was looking at him—like he wasn’t just the guy who had come crashing into her life, but someone who mattered. Started to matter in their little amount of time together. Someone who was starting to understand her.

He cleared his throat, finally breaking the quiet. “Just… don’t ignore stuff that could be important, okay?” He said, his voice gruff but with an undercurrent of concern. “It’s not about whether you can take care of yourself. It’s about what happens if something happens when you don’t see it coming.” He stated with a firm nod. Magnolia blinked, a hint of confusion in her gaze. And for the first time in a while, her usual confident smirk faltered slightly. She hadn’t expected this kind of vulnerability from him. And yet, here it was.

“Alright, honeybunch.” She said, her voice quieter now but still playful. “I’ll take that under advisement.”

“And if anything does feel off… you’ll tell me, right?”

Magnolia studied him for a long moment before nodding. “Yes, Dev” She said. “I’ll tell you.” Her tie was beginning to become tired, having enough of his contact questioning. “You’re worse than me when you landed in my yard, Papa Bear.” She said, seeing him a small smiled She wasn’t sure why she was making that promise to begin with. Maybe it was the way his usually unreadable face seemed to soften just a little, or the way his eyes searched hers like he needed her to say it.

Either way, she’d keep her word.

Dev watched her for a moment longer, his mind still lingering on the change he was sensing. Whatever it was, it wasn’t harming her. Not yet. But he’d keep an eye on it.

On her.

Dinner was quiet but comfortable. Not much to be said after an oddly heavy conversation they had at the stove only moments ago. Magnolia watched out of the corner of her eye as Dev took slow, thoughtful bites, his brow furrowing slightly like he was committing each flavor to memory. She couldn’t help but smile to herself as she noticed the way Dev savored each bite. She didn’t say anything at first, just letting the comfortable silence stretch between them, but a part of her felt proud.

After a few more moments of him chewing slowly, as if weighing each flavor, Dev looked up at her. “This…this is really good.” He said, his voice low and sincere. “I didn’t expect it to be like this.”

Magnolia’s grin widened, the playful edge returning to her voice. “You didn’t think I could cook?” She teased, lifting her glass of water for a sip.

Dev raised an eyebrow, almost looking a little defensive. “I didn’t say that.” He paused, his eyes flicking down to his plate for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “I remember you said you love cooking. That’s what you die for work.” He said before looking back to at her, catching her eyes. Magnolia, though she didn’t show it, was happy to hear that he remembered, nodding her head at him. “Yea.” She said with a small smile. “I do love cooking. But, I enjoy being more.” She stated.

“Why do you enjoy cooking so much?” He asks with a tilt of his head, causing Magnolia to subconsciously mimic him as she looked him in the eyes, answering his question. “Well, sugarplum, there’s something satisfying about making sure the people you care about have a full belly.” She grinned, jarring out a small laugh.

Dev blinked, as if taken off guard by her words, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. His gaze softened slightly, a small shift in his expression as he seemed to be processing something. Magnolia didn’t push, letting the quiet linger as the warmth of the meal and their conversation settled around them. It wasn’t often that Dev opened up in such a way, and even though it was a small moment, it meant something.

The comfortable silence stretched on, and Dev finally broke it again. “Well, I might just have to let you cook for me more often.” He flashed a grin, his playful side returning. “I eat a lot, if you haven’t noticed by now.” He said, caring the woman to laugh as she looked down at his plate that was practically empty, a few scarce potatoes and broccoli stems with a small chunk of his second piece of salmon. “Oh, trust me, honey, I know.” She grinned, causing the pair to laugh. And every time it happened, Magnolia tried not to get lost in his adorable smile that made his eye squint. Every time he grinned, it was like seeing it for the first time. And she pretty sure this was the first time.

Her heart did a small flutter when he caught her gaze with that quiet confidence of his. She quickly busied herself by adjusting her napkin in her lap to avoid getting too lost in the moment. “I might have to double up on the portions next time.” She chuckled.

Dev grinned. “I wouldn’t complain about that.” He replied, his voice low but with a teasing edge. He set down his fork and leaned back slightly, eyeing her with a hint of appreciation in his expression.

Magnolia met his gaze, the atmosphere between them shifting into something a bit warmer, more intimate. “Well,” She said, breaking the silence with a softer tone, “if you’re sticking around, I might just get used to cooking actual meal instead of baked goods all day.” She shrugged.

The way Dev looked at her—so effortlessly relaxed but with that underlying intensity—caught her off guard. She didn’t even know if she was seeing it correctly, his bright eyes making everything so confusing for her as she tried not to get lost in them everyone she looked his way.

The thought that she could provide him with a space like this, where there was no need to worry about anything but the here and now, made her chest tighten a little with emotion she hadn’t expected.

Dev leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing something more private. “I’d like that.” He said simply. “Trying your baked goods all the time.” He said, causing her to let out a small laugh. Her smile then softened. She didn’t want to say it aloud—didn’t even want to think it—but a part of her slightly hoped that things between them were quietly changing. That this could be a new beginning. For the both do them.

“Well.” She said, standing up to clear their plates, “I’m gonna hold you to that.” She gave him a look over her shoulder, the grin still tugging at the corners of her lips. “You better be ready to eat even more next time.”

Dev chuckled and sat back, his arms folded across his chest, watching her with an expression that was a little too hard to read—his usual guarded demeanor softened just enough to make her feel like there was more to him than met the eye.

“I’m ready.” He said simply, his voice barely above a whisper. And that was enough for Magnolia.

After dinner, Magnolia led Dev down the hall to the “guest” room—a space much larger than her own, though the reasons behind it were hers alone to keep. The room felt inviting, warmed by the soft glow of the heater she had turned on earlier for when he existed the bath, and the thick quilts on the bed promised comfort against the cool night air.

“This is yours for now.” She said, her voice gentle as she gestured toward the room. “I hope it’s comfortable enough. Probably can’t compete with yours back home.” She stated with a shrug before softly curing and shaking her head. “Sorry.” She apologized with a purse on her lips, looking over at the tall man.

Dev stepped inside, pausing for a moment to take it all in. The cozy atmosphere seemed to put him at ease, but his attention shifted back to her, his gaze steady. “You’ve done more for me than I can repay.” He said quietly, sincerity laced in his words. “I won’t ever forget it, Magnolia.” And there it was, he used her name again. And she swore she almost collapsed under his gaze and shake her names caused within her firm his tongue. Her chest tightened, a flutter in her heart that caught her off guard. She leaned against the doorframe, her smile soft but warm. “Get some rest, Dev.” She said, her tone reassuring, not wanting to linger on the heaviness of his gratitude.

She left him there, her footsteps light as she made her way back to her own room. And all throughout the south bath if her own. All though your getting dressed. Ann until she she slipped under the covers, she couldn’t help but think the stillness of the house felt different. She couldn’t quite silence the thoughts swirling in her mind, nor the sense of quiet comfort that crept in knowing Dev was just across the hall. She listened for the faint sound of movement, the soft rustle of sheets, and the steady presence that seemed to have settled into her home. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to soothe her, to make the night feel less lonely.

@kneelarmhstrung @winorlosetogether @joshuafatubaee

@becauseimswagman1 @nubiagurlIl @gwenda-fav

@susanhill @slvt4her @cryotrain @fakxmbj @wayytoocooll @brattyfics @brownskin-bratz @alonahh

@kaylalb @blackpinup22 @xjjawsomex @borednblk @trash-panda-xoxo

[saintvainglorious]

Fics I Enjoyed in January - DC Comics Fic Rec List Part 2

I am still neck-deep in DC fandom this month and the fics have been so so good. Unlike last time, I am too tired to write mini summaries/reviews, so I'm going to feature my favorite quote from each fic instead.

My first DC Comics fic rec list is here!

Floor Plans by @oh-mother-of-darkness (Teen & Up, 1k, 2016) “I really didn’t want to die,” he finished. “I was kind of hoping if I laid here long enough, I would remember what that felt like.”

Losing two brothers in six months takes an emotional toll.

almost right by @bitimdrake (Teen & Up, 3k, 2020) He desperately wishes that he didn’t know what Dick’s cheekbone feels like under a gauntleted fist.

Bruce sucks in a breath, hand raising to fix the cowl. Dick flinches back.

but more with love by @danishsweethearts (Teen & Up, 3k, 2022) Dick wakes up one morning, groggy from a dream that he thinks might’ve been about the circus and also about his favourite car and also about how lonely he is, and realizes that he can’t remember what his mother’s voice sounds like anymore.

O Robin, Robin, wherefore art thou Robin?

The Mechanics of a Hug by @sohotthateveryonedied (General Audiences, 4k, 2017) “You know… that crushing sense of depression? Like,” Dick chews his lip. “It’s. A physical weight. Makes it hard to breathe?” “Yeah,” Tim says, soft. He smiles, wryly. “I sort of hoped you didn’t, though.”

“So,” Tim ventures. “It's… what, a cuddle pollen?” Bruce just shrugs. “Something like that.”

No Pain, All Gain by @sohotthateveryonedied (General Audiences, 1k, 2020) Tim’s eyes go even wider. “You stole my organs?” “Technically,” Jason chimes in, “the doctors stole your organs. We just gave them permission.”

Bruce checks Tim’s IV. “Are you in any pain? Do you need more morphine?” Tim’s pupils are so wide that only the faintest ring of blue can be seen. He watches Bruce the way a five-year-old watches cartoons. “I’m all good, B-dog. All Gucci, like we cool teens say." His words are slurred almost beyond recognition, but Tim doesn’t seem to notice or care. "I could fight Superman right now.”

The Wind Sits in the Shoulder of Your Sail by @birdchildsnest (Teen & Up, 7k, 2020) “Oh my god. Bruce. I can’t even tell if you’re serious. When everybody finally eats the rich—they’re going to eat you first.”

At least, back then, Tim had barely been a teenager. He could almost forgive his own volatility. And he’d been smart enough (scared enough?) not to tell Jack that he didn’t need him. What was his excuse now? Bruce was his dad (at least, in the legal sense), but (surprise, surprise) it turned out that Tim wasn’t any better at being a son. Or Tim and Bruce still have some things to sort through after the adoption.

I Left My Conscience On Your Front Doorstep by @dustorange (Teen & Up, 21k, 2022) He doesn’t want to be loved if being loved is like this.

"I think I'm leaving," Dick whispers. "I think I'm not coming back."

bad boys bad boys (whatcha gonna do) ♫ by @drakefeathers (Teen & Up, 20k, 2014) "They live their lives thinking they can charge through the city with the right to hurt and kill and destroy as many lives as they want. And they do it all without a shred of remorse." “But—” Damian begins, brow furrowed in confusion. “Isn’t that like you?”

a Jason and Damian as Batman and Robin AU!! featuring a bunch of graffiti, a rival dynamic duo, and Cat Jason (a cat named Jason).

The Biggest Mistake by @oh-mother-of-darkness (General Audiences, 1k, 2016) “I could ground him anyway, if it would make you feel better.” “He only said it because I called him ‘a garbage can so ineffective it actually became garbage.’”

"You know what really needs to be addressed? Bruce's truly terrible treatment of Damian." -Me, on a daily basis

been a number and a name by @wynterstars (Teen & Up, 35k, 2023) “Turns out if you just say ‘spacetime’ until people’s eyes glaze over they don’t really question anything you say. Also, somehow nobody expects me to be able to actually do enough math to explain it.”

On a field trip, Robin has a close encounter with the newest super in Metropolis, only to discover the hard way that Superboy secretly works for Lex Luthor. They agree to work together on a plan to free Superboy from Luthor’s hold, but Robin isn’t sure how far he can trust him—and his developing feelings only make things more complicated.

clean it like you mean it by @wynterstars (Teen & Up, 70k, 2024) "Wait, ugh, you're not my dead dad, right? If I'm getting a dying vision of my dead dad I want a do-over because he suuuuucked."

When Gotham's crooks have to scrub down their lairs, who do they call? Jason Todd, Gotham's first and only underworld crime scene cleaning specialist. He's spent his life dodging the Bat, but after a chance encounter he saves Robin's life. Tim Drake finds himself drawn to the conflicted rogue, and soon Jason becomes Robin's street informant. But they can only stay on opposite sides of the law for so long before something breaks.

3:16 by @wufflesvetinari (Teen & Up, 70k (WIP), 2023) “Try to decouple one thing from the other. I’m proud of you, but ice cream isn’t my grand statement about whether you’ve been good or bad today. Good things are good. Happiness is precious. Sometimes you just want caramel chocolate chip.”

The knife pushes thin along Dick’s carotid artery, cupping the indent between neck and jawline—forcing him to angle his chin. The metal is warm, pulled with execution speed from under Damian’s pillow. “Okay,” Dick says quietly, tracking the intricacies of his own heartbeat—counting the space between breaths. “Guess I did need a shave.” (With faltering steps, Dick and Damian become Batman and Robin.)

wolf-king of rome by @mysterycitrus (Not Rated, 25k, 2024) “You go after Joker, but you don’t kill him, because it’s not about the Joker dying, it’s about Bruce breaking his code for you. It’s about Bruce loving you enough to change himself for the worse. It’s about your idea of grieving.”

Jason doesn’t fear Dick Grayson. Fear itself has changed shape for him, since his return from the Pit - it tastes of dirt in his mouth, of drowning, of fire and blood and laughter, more than a tangible face. Still, he’d be stupid not to be cautious. Dick liked playing on an uneven field, and would do anything to keep him off balance, so he just had to stay focused. That’s the nature of the armistice, both waiting for the other to make a move. It’s like balancing on the head of a pin.

Declensions by @dustorange (Teen & Up, 13k, 2018) “Do not tell them your name. Do as I did to survive. I lied. I have always lied. Make one up. Do not let them have you. Say your name is…is…is…Richard Grayson. Or something. They are going to steal you; do not give them anything to steal.”

“My father,” Dick says, “worked the rope. It cut him. His hands were never clean.”

Passiontide by @bigdvmnhero (Teen & Up, 5k, 2025) Despite its faults, the day had tried to be good. He felt young, like someone's son.

On the 96th day Bruce didn't call, Dick remembered their old game. Three things he knew: 1) In three months, it would be Dick's death anniversary; 2) Bruce was still missing his check-ins; 3) Here Dick was, persisting. Imagine the things I'd survive, Dick thought distantly, if I loved Bruce less. Or: Agent 37 and his various crises of faith, on Day 277 at Spyral, Day 150, and Day -0.

the time you won your town the race by @silverwhittlingknife (Teen & Up, 4k (WIP), 2022) Tim. Tim is Dick’s. Death sharpens, clarifies these things. Who will receive the body, decide on the funeral, receive condolences, make all the decisions that matter. No one has questioned it, not even Tim’s friends. There’s a terrible clarity about death. If Dick said, let’s burn everything he owned, Alfred would do it.

He doesn’t know exactly what Tim would say. But he knows what Tim would do. Tim dies. Dick doesn’t take death for an answer. A Red Robin 12 AU.

door, opening by @cowboysorceror (Mature, 70k (WIP), 2024) Dick, with the keys to every locked door Jason has ever tried to open, tucked inside the cradle of his skull; all of that, snuffed out like a candle.

It’s barely audible, but he knows what he heard. A short, four-note whistle, chirping down – E, C#, then jumping up to A, F#, a little trill on the finish. He waits a moment, head turned slightly towards the dim shapes of storage containers between him and the ramp, eyes straining against the blackness. Long, stretching seconds. There it is again. His gloved hand, prickling with cold, closes into a fist. It’s a wood thrush. A small North American songbird that doesn’t sing at night, doesn’t live in the city. He knows what it means. It means hold, steady, not yet. It means wait for me, I’m behind you.

[sunsetsandsunshine]

~ 𝙸 𝚜𝚙𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚎𝚢𝚎… ~

❤️👻💜👻🧡👻❤️👻💜👻🧡

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚𝚃𝙸𝙲𝙺𝙻𝙴𝚃𝙾𝙱𝙴𝚁 𝙳𝙰𝚈 𝟷𝟹: 𝙲𝙰𝚁 𝚁𝙸𝙳𝙴˚*•✩•̩̩͙*＊·̩̩̥͙

𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝙵𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜: 𝟷,𝟾𝟺𝟻

𝙻𝚎𝚎: 𝚁𝚊𝚙𝚑 🐢❤️

𝙻𝚎𝚛’𝚜: 𝙳𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚎 🐢💜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚢 🐢🧡

𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: 𝚁𝚊𝚙𝚑, 𝙳𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚌𝚊𝚛 𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝙳𝚊𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝙻𝚎𝚘 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚍𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙰𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚕 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝…𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎…

(𝙰/𝙽: 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢: 𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚐𝚞𝚢! 𝚃*𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚔/𝙽𝚂𝙵𝚆 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚜 𝙳𝙽𝙸!!!)

𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜: 𝙲𝚞𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚓𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚍𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚜 👁️👄👁️…

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚖𝚍𝚗𝚍𝚑𝚜𝚓𝚓𝚜˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

“Are we there yet?” Mikey whined loudly. 

“Uh…no?” His immediate older brother said, sighing impatiently. 

“…Are we there yet now?” Mikey whined louder. 

“No, Mike.” Donnie huffed through his palm as he rested his cheek on his hand, effortlessly playing his Nintendo Switch as he started to drown out his younger brother’s consistent complaining and restlessness. 

Which…you would think he got used to by now. 

The orange cladded turtle let out a short grunt loudly and dramatically, dragging his hands down his face, “Are we there yet now—?”

“Mikey, I swear to God if you ask that question one more damn time I will not hesitate to open the car door and throw you into ongoing traffic.” Raph growled lowly at the youngest. 

“Boys…be nice to each other, please…” Splinter exclaimed from the front seat as he drove. 

“But Dad! Mikey’s being annoying!” The tallest turtle moaned and groaned as he sunk in the middle seat.

“When is he not?” Donatello mumbled under his breath. 

“Boys…” The rat said warningly. 

“…Sorry, Dad…” The teenager’s grumbled collectively as they glared at one another. 

The rodent father sighed, plugging his phone into the car unit as he stopped on a red light. “…Why don’t we listen to some Podcasts on the radio?” He offered, trying to find something that his boys would enjoy that didn’t involve ripping each of their tails off.

“Yohou listen to podcasts?” The purple banded teenager exclaimed curiously as he took off his headphones. 

“Of course!” Splinter announced proudly, “I’ve been listening to this one that Spy-itify recommended me…it’s really good and well thought out!”

“It’s…It’s…'Spotify', Dad…” The hazelnut eyed teen corrected. 

“That’s what I said; 'Spy-itify'.” The father said simply, causing Raph to facepalm and stuff his face right back into his phone.

“What’s the podcast about?” Michelangelo asked as he leaned his head on the closed window as Splinter started to drive again once more.  

“It’s about this man talking about nature…it’s extremely interesting; I think you three will enjoy it.” The charcoal eyed rat explained. 

“Huh…sounds cool enough.” Donnie snickered, “What’s the guy’s name? Like, the one who mainly talks in the podcast and stuff.”

“Zach Green.” The rat said. 

“He sounds like a drug dealer…” Raphael mumbled under his breath, earning some small snickers from his younger brother’s as their Dad started to play the podcast in the vehicle. 

A guy, most likely 'Zach Green', started singing as there was a ukulele playing in the background…

…And he sang…

…And sang…

…And. SANG.

And the three teenager’s wouldn’t have minded if the dude sounded…y'know, good! 

But he didn’t sound good. 

At all. 

“Grass is green~! The green is the grass~! The grass is the green and the green itself is greeeen~!” The speaker’s sung as the three teenagers collectively sighed as the Podcast continued to play amongst them. 

“…How about we play 'I spy' instead of listening to Shaggy get high?” Mikey suggested as his Dad hummed along to the tune…

Poor soul probably knew this song from heart…

“Anything but this.” Donnie agreed. 

“Best idea I’ve heard all day.” The second oldest murmured, crossing his arms as he looked at the youngest expectantly, “Well? You gonna say 'I spy' or what?”

“Let a guy think for a moment!” Mikey shrieked, “Okay, okay, okay…I spy with my little eye—”

“—More like pink eye.” The turtle with glasses giggled under his breath, trying to cover it as a cough as he saw his younger brother side-eyeing him. “Y'know, Dee…we could really go.” The orange banded teenager glared.

“Bet. Catch me outside. 3:30 on the dot.” The purple cladded mutant threatened. 

“Bet.” The youngest repeated. 

Donatello raised an unamused brow, “I already said 'bet' you phrase snatcher!” 

“You don’t own the word 'bet', you four-eyed freak!”

“God— 'BET' YOURSELVES!” Raphael snapped, taking a deep breath as he pinched the bridge of his snout, “I swear to literally anything and everything holy I am completely envying the fact that Leo doesn’t have to suffer in this freaking hell-hole with me.”

The second oldest leaned forward and tapped his Dad’s shoulder, “Speaking of which…how come Leo got to study with April while I—”

“We.” Donnie corrected swiftly. 

“—I had to stay with these two excuses for mutants, Dad?” Raphael continued, frowning deeper as his Dad became unresponsive and became completely entranced by the radio, “Dad? Dad? Dad? Daddy? Father? Dad— aaaaand you have your 'I’m locked in to this music' face…gotchu...” The tallest turtle huffed as he sat back down in the middle seat.

“As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted.” The youngest huffed, “I spy something…grey/gray.”

“Grey/Gray? Grey/Gray as in ashy? Ashy as in you?” Donnie smirked, his smirk turning to a smug grin as the orange banded teen glared back at him with a mix of disdain and pure disgust.  

“Donnie, I swear—”

“Is it the car seat?” Raph muttered, dying in complete humiliation about the fact that this was his onlysource of entertainment. 

Michelangelo shook his head, crossing his arms as he leaned back on the seat, “Nope. Try again.” 

“Is it…Dad’s fur?” The turtle with glasses guessed.

“Nooooooope!” The smallest mutant dragged out, sticking his tongue out at the second youngest causing Raph to just sigh, slumping in the chair further.

This car ride was going to be his 13 Reasons Why…

“Okay…seriously, though. Raph-Taff, what’s up?” Mikey asked carefully, looking over his older brother’s stiff and utterly overall unhappy demeanor. 

The second oldest just grunted, glancing away and his frown drooping as he locked eyes with his immediate younger brother, “You can tell us anything.” Donnie assured.

“Well…not everything. Almost everything. Semi-everything.” The genius clarified, “Buuuut you get the point…”

“No, no Ihi really really dohon’t...” The red banded teen grimaced. 

“What Egghead Humpty Dumpty is trying to say is that you can tell us what’s bothering you. You haven’t been your usual…let’s just say 'Sarcastic Sappy Self'.” The hazel eyed teen confirmed, biting back a chuckle as he saw his purple themed brother gasp in offense. 

“I just needa get out of here…” Raphael emphasized, rubbing his temples like he’s seen centuries worth of knowledge, “School was rough. School is annoying. Kids are annoying. Y'all are annoying— no offense.”

“None taken.” The two youngest said in sync.

“And I just need to distress…” Said the older turtle, going on his phone only to be met with a completely pitch black screen, “And my phone is dead. Yip dee doo da fuckin' day…” He cursed. 

Mikey rubbed his chin in thought, leaning on the inside door hand rest, “I have an idea for that, actually. Just trust me.”

“'I have an idea' and 'just trust me'…two words I never want to hear come out of your mouth ever again.” Donatello insisted almost immediatelty. 

“Shut up.” The smallest mutant exclaimed to his immediate older brother, inhaling and exhaling loudly before continuing, “Okay…so I spy with my little eye—“

“Seriously?” The elder mutant deadpanned. 

“Trust me, I said!!!” The younger shouted once more to try and get his point across, “I spy something…black.” 

“…Black?” The second youngest asked, tilting his head. 

“Black.” Mikey confirmed.

“Ohooo…black.” Donatello snapped his fingers, nodding as he relaxed in his seat. 

“Black!” Michelangelo beamed as Raphael looked around in confusion, wondering if his younger brother’s were going to elaborate on this whole 'black' nonsense or if they were just going to communicate via gibberish. 

The red banded teen scratched his head in confusion, “…What is happening…?”

The youngest gave his red cladded older brother a knowing look, causing the red cladded mutant in question to just simply sigh longly, “Right riiiight…trust. I got it…”

“Uhhh…” Raphael hummed, looking around the car for something…well, black; as his little brother’s so veeeeery clearly stated. 

The chocolate eyed teen raised an uncertain eye ridge, pointing at his own black sweatshirt that he was wearing. 

The purple and orange duo nodded, “See? Black!” Donnie grinned, poking his older brother’s sides and causing his older brother in question to shriek loudly and try to cover his middles, wiggling his way over more to Michelangelo. 

Whiiiiiich…was a first. 

“Yeah! Black!” The smallest mutant smirked cheeringly, prodding the other side of the black sweatshirt wearing boy, “You got it?”

“Ihihi gohohot ihihat I-Ihi gahat ihat!!” Raph said immiediatley, kicking his legs on the car floor as he pushed on the other two’s shoulder’s. “Ehhhhh…I don’t think you do…” The young genius teased lightly. 

“Dohon’t a-act smahart with me yohou l-lihittle shIHIT NO!! Mihikey nonononohoh!” He said as he saw Mikey wiggling his fingers near his neck, causing him to try and hide his face in Donnie’s shoulder, swatting the youngest away. 

“D'aww~! Hey, big bro! Need a hug~?” The scientist said innocently, wrapping the taller in a hug as the shortest of the three skittered and scratched the red banded mutant’s shell lightly; almost barelytouching it. 

The red banded mutant in question wheezed loudly, banging his fists on the car seat whilst his legs stomped up and down, “Wohohoah! Mr. Deflating Balloon Man— yohou okay?” Mikey teased, making sure to trace the patterns on his elder brother’s shell in a very veeeery mean manner. 

“Are you boys alright back there?” Splinter asked, getting out of his trance as the podcast soon and finally ended. 

“We’re fine!” Donnie beamed, wiggling his fingers into the crooks of the chocolate eyed teen’s neck right beside him, “Right, Raph?”

Raph squealed loudly with laughter, not answering.

Well…not answering in word form, perhaps.

The Father rolled his eyes fondly at his son's, looking away from the rearview mirror and focusing back on the road. 

“See!? He agrees.” The youngest beamed, “We’re perfectly fine and dandy, Dadio.”

“'Fine and dandy?'” Donnie repeated in amusement, causing the orange banded teen to almost laugh as loudly as Raph currently was.

Key word: Almost. 

“Fine and dandy.” Michelangelo confirmed, kneading his hot-headed brother’s hips and sides as the taller leaped like a drunk frog, “STAHAHOP!! HIC LEHEHET HIC HIC GOHOHOH!!!” 

“People are gonna think we’re beating you up or something by the way you’re squirming, bud.” The purple banded turtle joked, letting go of the taller teenager as the smaller teenager spidered his fingers all over his tummy.

“MIHIHIHIKEY!!!” The older wailed, pushing the other’s hands away as they slowly but surely stopped. 

The two youngest’s giggled, fist bumping each other for successfully turning Raph’s frown upside down. 

Splinter drove into the O’Neil’s driveway as Leo walked out of the front door to the apartment, waving his goodbyes to April as he got into the car. 

The eldest sat in the front seat, buckling up as their Dad drove to their home.

The blue banded teenager let out a small snort, looking towards the back to see his immediate younger brother’s face the exact same shade as his own bandana, “Jeeheez..whahat dihid I miss?” 

“I daha— hic don’t wanna tahalk ahabohout it…” Raph grumbled, his beet red blush deepening on his face as Donnie and Mikey snickered slightly, giving each other one last fist bump of victory. 

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚𝙵𝙸𝙽˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙ 

(𝙿.𝚂.: 𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚌, 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐!!!)

[tennessoui]

did my annual christmas love actually rewatch and emma thompson's line to alan rickman after she confronts him for cheating on her and he says "i've been such a fool" and she says 'but you've made the life i lead look foolish too"

made me think of how i imagine obi-wan would feel if anakin came clean about his marriage to him while still carrying on pretending to be a jedi while flagrantly disregarding aspects of the code that obi-wan has personally always struggled and pushed himself to adhere to despite the heartache it's given him -- meanwhile anakin sees no problem being both a jedi and married/attached

[skitskatdacat63]

This is my personal crossover event of the century

[mrpenguinpants]

Omg you're back again hello 👀 how have you been????

Big mood on the "man I wish this author would finish their fic" LOL I've been rereading my own wiring recently and going wtf. Where's the rest of it?

For a limited time only babyyy

But I've been good. Extremely busy but it's okay, the pto is worth it. That's what I keep telling myself at least :) but how are you??? Is anything interesting happening? New developments perhaps 👀

The funny thing is that I've actually been talking with a few mutuals, and they've all told me that they recently went back to re-read their drafts. Maybe it's something in the air or we're all feeling a bit nostalgic? Or because everyone is on break since it's summer.

[robylovi]

Thinking abt that catradora ‘While You Were Sleeping’ AU fic I read that was so good it got me to watch the movie only for it to feel exactly like when you watch a movie based off a book you read and feel incredibly disappointed even though the fic clearly didn’t come first ??

[mariyekos]

If no one's got me while hitting walls in my writing, the Berserk Golden Age Arc OST's got me.

Shoutout to the perfect ambiance created by the Berserk Golden Age Arc OST, especially Descent, for helping me get back into the flow of things for certain fics. Sometimes you just need to listen to Get In The Zone in a way that most normal music can't get you.

[llycaons]

every few months I feel like making a post like 'physical weakness or disability isn't a character flaw to be fixed in fanon 😭 its not inherently feminist for women to simply punch good! making jyl a powerful fighter but affording her no inner life, opinions, personal goals, desires, or internal conflict is doing her a greater disservice than incorporating her physical weakness and her knowledge of her own status as aspects of a fully fleshed out character living in a particular setting and interacting with other characters.'

[reineyday]

Writing Patterns (Tag Game)

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

tagged by @conartisthaiji thanks lyz!!!! 🥰🥰

"Say, do you know that really cute girl with short hair in Class 1-5?" Yaku asks as they change into their gym clothes in an empty classroom.

Today is a life-changing day for Kuroo Tetsurou, and that is because today, he almost gets hit by a car.

Ichigo sees Grimmjow before he feels the arrancar’s reiatsu.

It's a beautiful night in the spring, and the sakura trees at the back of the Uzui Estate are blooming, their pink colour muted in the night, but their petals still as soft as they float in the wind.

Yaku zones out a little as he looks across the gym at Kuroo and Kenma.

The Cross Guild is fighting the Straw Hats and Buggy actually has them on the ropes.

"Draw the short end of the stick, did you?" Mihawk asks dryly from where he's kneeling on a raised execution platform in front of this island's marine base.

Mihawk looks beautiful, looking up at the snow quietly falling around them and bringing a hush over the cold winter night.

Mihawk is taking a nap by a railing in a corner of the Red Force's main deck, hat hiding his face from the sun, when he feels a weight press into his stomach.

Shanks is stupidly early to his Calculus 1 class, and cursing Rayleigh’s name.

hmmm. seems like i generally like to start either with an action, or with situating the character(s). i would also like to think they all set the tone and/or establish the mood, as that's generally my goal with opening statements. hopefully from these statements you can guess at what the fics' vibes are at the start of their stories. i'm apparently also never vague or coy about who's in the story lol no mysterious opening lines for me.

interesting exercise!! tagging @lesbiansanemi @e-milieeee @erinyra @giurochedadomani @allbluedepths @backwardshirt @ihni no pressure tho!!! :))

[midnightfangz]

There's something about silly cafe AUs that soothes my soul so much

[desperatecheesecubes]

Every time I see a post making fun of people being afraid to get into comics I think about how when I was first getting into comics I thought it would be fun to read Infinite Crisis because it was a HUGE event and it would give me an idea of what a whole slew of runs and characters were like. I made a post about some panel pretty early into the event (I think it was a build up comic that wasn't even officially part of the Road To Infinite Crisis so EARLY early) and some blog I didn't know made fun of me for not knowing the greater context of the panel I was commenting on. And while I was naively typing up a quick little 'ah sorry I'm new to comics and didn't know that. Thanks for the context!' they had gone through my blog and started doing the same for a bunch of other comics I'd read, and then mocked me for reading IC when I clearly new so little about comics.

Now, obviously, that behavior is ridiculous, and I just blocked them, but it did stick with me. It was one of my earliest interactions with comic fandom and I never forgot it. Most of the people I've intereacted with have been lovely. Even when I have gotten comic cannon wrong corrections are normally very kind. But not all of them are, and the ones who aren't are so vocal about it.

So i actually don't think it's the comics themselves that make getting into comics an unappealing prospect.

[thosetwofirefighters]

find the word challenge

rules: share snippets of your work containing each of the words the previous poster selected for you (optional addition: if you can't find the word in your WIPs, or you simply don't have any WIPs, you can just write a sentence around the word)

thanks @the-likesofus for the tag!! very excited to see how many of these words I've used...

my words are: quiet, hold, cover, first, together, and small. unsurprisingly, my fake dating au (currently sitting at almost 30k words like it has been for the past few months...) has all of these words multiple times lol <3

quiet

Buck’s phone rings, and he pulls it out of his pocket, his hands shaking when he reads Bobby’s contact name. He answers before he can even register it. “Pops?” His voice is quiet and terrified.

hold

Hearing footsteps from his spot on the couch, Buck tenses as Nathan comes up the stairs. It’s been so long, but Buck can still recognize the man’s footfalls. He lets out a breath he’d been subconsciously holding when Nathan finally appears and moves towards one of the armchairs across from him instead of the couch.

cover

“Jurassic Park!” Chris yells, and Buck has to cover his ears against the sound, the kid’s excitement causing him to be louder than usual. “Please, Dad, I know it’s kind of scary, but they just put it back on Netflix, and I’ve seen it before! Plus, I’m ten now, I won’t have nightmares!”

first

“I don’t want you to get hurt again,” Eddie says, meeting Buck’s gaze. His eyes are soft and despite his words, they shine with support, and Buck thinks—not for the first time—how lucky he is to have a best friend like Eddie.

together

Nathan’s study abroad had been nearly over when Buck brought up the idea of him going to Los Angeles to fight fires and help people. Nate had just nodded before taking Buck’s hand and kissing him, saying he’d buy the plane tickets in the morning. Buck had assumed they’d be going back together to be together.

small

Eddie glares at Chim when he insists on playing with the station’s small Hildy gadget that they keep in the kitchen. They mostly use it to play music, but Chimney takes the opportunity to ask her a bunch of questions throughout the day and only stops when Eddie threatens to run her over with a fire truck after Chimney starts asking her questions about the 118 themselves.

words for people I tag: home, care, love, make, and dream

no pressure tagging @mooshkat @jacksadventuresinwriting @ty-in-bedlam @lilbuddie <3

[moinsbienquekaworu]

How have I been in fandom for - going on 8 years (?) and not gotten into fanvids before?? All the association I could have been making.... All the memories.... All the composition and clever editing....

[allisonreader]

This is where I currently am with my rewrite of Tales Of A Frozen Sailor. Just right at the beginning essentially. No one knows who Jesse Hudson actually is, but soon some new information is soon to come to light.

[heymacy]

hi macy :) I read about your personal experience with finding yourself too invested in the gallavich fandom to the point of feeling upset about it and I have to say... that happened to me too. the compulsory need to engage even when there's no good feeling at the end of it, the constantly thinking about it to the detriment of other activities... I don't know if it's maybe because shameless and gallavich deal with heavy topics, or just one of the ways online engagement and hyperfixations can evolve, but I felt so much better once I removed myself from it, able to find joy in numerous other activities, and fandoms too! just wanted to share this - the fact that I had the same experience - and wanted to say I'm glad you're doing better now :)

hello my love! thank you for reaching out! i'm very glad that you were able to find solidarity in what i shared. re: heavy topics - i know that for myself, not being faced with content regarding my own disease on a daily basis has been a nice change of pace for me. i haven't felt as consumed by it since i took a step back. i think sometimes the content we engage with colors our real-world experiences and that was definitely the case for me. i've never been a casual viewer of media or a casual enjoyer of things so it doesn't surprise me that what happened to me, happened. i love having the capacity now to enjoy other things - and hey, i still engage with fandom here and there! i'm loving RWRB content right now (i have just a tiny bit of brain rot regarding those two) along with some jane austen adaptations and other such things! media is beautiful and transformative and i love putting stickers on the scrapbook that is my blog! thank you for your kind words - i'm glad i'm doing better now, too. it feels good. it feels healthy and normal. and i really hope everyone can find a balance if they're feeling off-kilter. also, i love you. did you know that? thank you for popping in 💛 feel free to do it any time you please, i'm always hanging around somewhere!