#i stole the he/hmm joke from someone

[hangingslothcentral]

I was pretty used to my characters getting she/her-ed throughout Spirit Box Radio's production, but I really didn't think it'd still be happening now. Going to start every episode with the characters getting up and saying their pronouns.

If you're wondering:

The Apprentice - he/him Sir - he/hmm

[embarasseddragon234]

Broken Headache Hat Au

Thinkin' about Journey to the West, but where the headache hat just Does Not Work for some reason. Luckily(or unluckily) for our favorite monk, Wukong decides he's funny, but naive, and thus in need of protection.

So now Tripitaka's got a murder monkey following him around.

you'd think this would lead to a LOT more murders, but Wukong realizes pretty quickly that the monk has a pretty nervous disposition, and limits the murders only to (what he deems) necessary

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

The Best Friend Showdown

Season four had many, many flaws. One of the big ones was the Rena Rouge vs Chat Noir conflict where Ladybug starts relying on Alya more and more, basically using her to replace Master Fu. We get a sense that Chat Noir feels inferior to Rena Rouge because of this change, but it’s never directly addressed. The most we get is this conversation from Hack-San:

Ladybug: I'm really sorry, Cat Noir. I should've told you. I mean, if I found out that you told someone about your secret identity, I'd... probably be upset, too. I'm really sorry I hurt your feelings. Cat Noir: You didn't hurt my feelings. You did everything right. 

Which is actually a really weird bit of dialogue because - as far as I can tell - nothing in the episode revealed that Scarabella knew Ladybug's identity. She hands out miraculous all the time and no one knows who she really is. Why would this time be different? Ladybug could just show up in costume, explain what's up, and then hand off the earrings while using yet another miraculous.

Anyway, the Rena Rouge vs Chat Noir conflict is “resolved” by Rena Rouge being outed again (and I guess that matters this time), leading her to give up her miraculous so that Gabriel can’t steal it away, which of course leads Gabriel to steal it away and fully disempower Ladybug’s larger team, leaving Chat Noir her only teammate.

How satisfying! This is such good, character-driven story telling!

It’s not. This is plot contrivances to the max with no meaningful character beats, but we’re not here to talk about that. We’re here to do one of my favorite things: gush about a relevant Kim Possible episode! Today’s topic is episode 12 of season one: Pain King vs. Cleopatra, the episode that introduces Kim’s female BFF, Monique!

This was a bit of a shocker for me because I didn’t realize that Kim and Monique weren’t pre-series friends. Turns out that, much like Alya, Monique is a new girl, which isn’t a bad call. This was a nice way to delay Monique’s introduction for a few episodes so that the writers could focus on establishing Kim’s relationship with other key members of the cast like her partner, Ron. Spacing out your intros is the way to go whenever you can pull it off as it’s a kindness to your audience that keeps them from feeling overwhelmed, making it more likely that they’ll remember your cast.

The other, more important similarity between Alya and Monique is that, when Kim’s hero partner and life-long friend finds out about Monique, he is less than thrilled:

Kim: I barely got to see them. Right after I hooked up with Monique, the museum was robbed by some glowing-headed animal guy. Ron: Oh, that's nice. Ron: Wait a minute, who's Monique? Kim New friend, really great. Anyway, the thief stole an enchanted ancient talisman. Ron: Whoa, whoa, back up! How can I not know about a new friend? Kim: I met her at Club Banana, then again at the museum before I chased the glowing robber. Ron: So what's she like? Kim: The robber? Ron: The friend, Kim, the "new friend".

Throughout the episode, Kim and Monique continue to bond without Ron, leaving Ron feeling left out:

Ron: Seein' a pattern here, Rufus: Kim does her thing, I do my thing, and pretty soon - we're doing different things.

Which leads him to get a little territorial:

Kim Ron! What are you doing here? Ron: Can I dine with my best friend and her new friend? Kim: Uuh, Ron, Monique, and vice versa. Ron: Bearclaw? Monique: No, thanks, I'm vegetarian. Ron: Uhm, I'm pretty sure it's imitation bear? Kim: She's joking, Ron. Ron: Good one, hahaha, ha, good one. So, did Kim tell you that I'm her sidekick? Cause that role is definitely taken by me. Monique: Riiiight. Well, in... you know I better get to class. Later, Kim. Um, n-nice meeting you, Ron. Ron: Likewise, I'm sure! Kim: What is your problem? You're acting really weird. Ron: Well, let's see. You went to the museum with Monique, not me. Monique was with you this morning, not me. Hmm, pattern? Kim: Yeah. You. Weird. Ron: No, we're drifting apart because you're excluding me. Kim: I am not excluding you. It's just that you and Monique are... different.

Noticing some similarities to Miraculous here?

So how does Kim Possible resolve this conflict?

Well, the plot of this episode resolves around Kim Possible’s version of professional wrestling, the GWA. There’s a competition going on that Kim has no interest in watching (mood), but when Kim mentions the GWA to Monique:

Monique: Why didn't you bring [Ron] along? Kim: Unless someone put a waiter in a headlock, this is definitely not Ron's scene. Besides, he had a date with "Steel Toe". Monique: He scored tickets to Mayhem in Middleton? The GWA rocks! Kim: What?

It turns out that Monique and Ron have a shared interest! Multiple shared interests, in fact! Interests that Kim does not share:

Monique: You know, I still can't believe you met Pain King and Steel Toe. Ron: I can't believe you're into wrestling. Kim: I can't believe I know either one of you.

By the end of the episode, the conflict is resolved not with Kim having to pick a BFF or with Monique somehow being demoted, but by showing that this didn’t need to be a conflict at all. Kim can have multiple close friends that she shares different interests with without any of those friends being lesser. Those friends can, in turn, have their own friendships that don’t always involve her.

It’s a genuinely lovely resolution that makes me love this little friend group because it now has added complexity. Monique and Ron are friends in their own right! Kim is not the center of the universe in spite of her main character status!

I also love that Kim isn’t vilified for having other friends or portrayed as constantly leaving Ron out of things that he'd want to do in favor of Monique. Ron genuinely would not enjoy most of the things that the girls love to do together. At the same time, Ron’s feeling aren’t treated as totally irrational either and Kim even admits to ditching him. It’s a genuine, complex conflict that is super common when someone enters a new relationship be it platonic or romantic.

Obviously Kim Possible’s version of this conflict feels far less complex than Miraculous’ because Kim Possible understood that Ron should be Kim’s one-and-only partner, so his position was really never threatened. Monique does not want to be an action hero and is never given the sort narrative weight that elevates her to Ron’s level or higher, but that doesn't matter. The basic lesson here is still relevant and super important for the intended audience of both of these shows.

There did not need to be a Rena Rouge vs Chat Noir conflict that never got properly resolved. Miraculous could have made these two friends and no, Scarabella doesn't count because Chat Noir has no idea that Scarabella is Rena Rouge/Furtive. Their relationship ended at the end of Hack-San. He didn't even know that Rena Furtive was a thing until she was in the process of being benched and that's the problem.

Kim Possible is not a team show, Miraculous is, and yet Kim Possible has better team dynamics than Miraculous. Monique could have joined Kim's team at the end of Pain King vs. Cleopatra and it would have felt natural because both Kim and Ron had welcomed Monique and formed a genuine bond with her. This is a true friend group that Miraculous can only dream of even though they've been adding new superheroes since season two.

We're going into a season with a full, massive team and yet that team has no established dynamics on the hero side. It's not a functional team! None of these characters have meaningful relationships with each other as heroes save for Alya and Nino since they know each other’s secret identities. The only relationships Miraculous cares about are the various romances and everyone's relationship to Marinette and everyone suffers for it.

The show would not have been harmed by Rena Rouge, Chat Noir, and Ladybug being a team. It was the thing I kept think after watching the Kim Possible episode. Since the team is the end game, why aren't we seeing them? It would have been so nice to have Hack-San end with Ladybug introducing Chat Noir to Rena Furtive instead of a nonsense discussion about an issue the episode didn't even address.

[sugdenlovesdingle]

TK and Carlos meet Tommy and Buck for the first time since the crossover episode

I'm not that good with crossovers but I hope you like it

---

"So you met them fighting wildfires here in Texas? When we live in the wildfire state?" Tommy asked as they drove through down town Austin.

Buck shrugged.

"It was pretty bad. They needed all the help they could get." he quickly glanced at Tommy "Hen and TK's captain actually went missing. Their helicopter crashed. We stole a fire truck to rescue them."

"You seem to do a lot of that, don't you? I'm kind of hurt you've never stolen one for me." Tommy teased.

"Next time I steal a truck, I promise it'll be for you." Evan vowed and held up two fingers. "Scout's honour."

Tommy laughed.

"That doesn't count if you were never actually a boyscout."

"How do you know I was never a scout? I had a lot of hobbies as a kid."

"Hmm. I know. But Maddie would have shown me the pictures by now if you had."

Evan tilted his head in his direction to signal he had a point.

"I'm sure you would have been adorable in the uniform." Tommy told him and brushed a kiss over the knuckles of Evan's hand he was holding.

"Damn right I would have!" he joked as he pulled into a free parking space near an apartment building. "Ok this should be it." He double checked the address as they walked up to the front door. He was excited to meet up with TK again but also slightly nervous. "We've kept in touch via insta and text and stuff." he told Tommy. "But I've never actually met his husband. I was supposed to go to their wedding... but then I got struck by lightning."

"Which seems like a valid reason to skip a wedding." Tommy said, taking his hand. "But you are the most accident prone person I know. Even if you were a cat your nine lives would be close to running out by now." he joked.

Just as Evan was about to ring the doorbell, someone called out his name behind them.

They turned around and saw a guy of around Evan's age in some kind of uniform walk up to them, with a large Bernese Mountain Dog happily following behind.

"TK! Hey! Good to see you, man." Tommy hung back as Evan let go of his hand to hug his friend. "Are we early?" he gestured at TK's uniform.

"No, don't worry about it, it's fine. I just took Buttercup out for a walk first before we went up."

"Is he yours?" Tommy asked, scratching the dog behind its ears as it sniffed his pockets.

"My dad's. But he's away visiting family for a couple of days so he stays with us." TK explained. "And you must be Buck's hot pilot."

Tommy laughed and shook TK's hand while Evan's face turned an adorable shade of pink.

"Just Tommy is fine." He said and turned to Evan. "Just how many people have you told about me as the hot pilot?"

"I...Well... I just... I mean... Y-you are a hot pilot." Evan stammered.

"Hey, I get it." TK said, patting his shoulder. "I married a cowboy and a cop in one. A very hot one too."

They followed TK into the building and they took the lift up to their floor.

"Carlos is making ropa vieja from his grandmother's recipe. He's planned a whole three course meal."

"You didn't have to go through all of this trouble for us." Evan said but TK waved his comment away before opening a sliding door. "It's fine. He loves to cook. Babe, I ran into Buck and Tommy downstairs."

An attractive man Tommy recognised from the pictures Evan had shown him, came to greet them at the door. He kissed TK and unclipped the dog's leash before turning to Buck and Tommy.

"Hey guys, come on in. I'm Carlos, TK's husband. Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you. Both of you."

"I might have called TK for advice when I was freaking out before our first date." Evan explained.

"And looking at you two now, it was pretty good advice." TK pointed out and ushered them further into the loft.

The place was nice. Stylish yet homey at the same time. TK quickly changed out of his uniform while Buttercup decided Tommy was his new favourite person in the world and draped himself over his lap, and Evan ended up helping Carlos in the kitchen.

"Just push him away if he bothers you." TK gestured to the dog staring lovingly at Tommy while he pet him. "He can get a little clingy."

"It's fine, I don't mind. Our neighbours had a Saint Bernard when I was a kid, I was always over at their place to play with it. This one brings back memories, don't you buddy?" he directed the last part at Buttercup before glancing around the loft again, eyes landing on a large terrarium. "What's in there?" he asked and TK's eyes lit up.

"That. is Lou. Louis the second. He's our lizard. Well... bearded dragon." TK stood up and opened the terrarium, moving a few things around, and lifting a lizard up out of it. "Carlos bought him for me, even though he's scared of him."

"I'm not scared of Lou. I just didn't want a wild flesh eating lizard loose in our apartment."

"I feel like there's a story there." Tommy prompted.

"Carlos is overreacting." TK insisted but didn't elaborate."Lou is actually really friendly and smart. And he likes Buttercup."

"And Buttercup was scared of him the first time they met." Carlos added.

Tommy listened to TK talk about the bearded dragon and made a mental note to look into where and how to possibly get one in LA. He'd have to talk to Evan about it but he had a feeling he'd be on board.

They spent the rest of the night swapping work stories while enjoying their dinner, and making plans for the rest of Buck and Tommy's time in Austin.

"I'll text you the details for that club I mentioned. You can meet the rest of our friends." TK promised Buck as he and Carlos walked him and Tommy to the door.

"And we'll meet in the park at noon tomorrow for the yoga class. I have an extra mat if you need it." Carlos told Tommy. The two had discovered a mutual love for yoga and agreed to go to Carlos' regular class together.

"And we can sit back and enjoy the view." TK said, bumping his shoulder against Buck's. "I'll bring virgin mojitos."

[strong-with-the-sarcasm]

Revenant!Jazz thoughts Pt.2

Continuing from this post

This time, I’m thinking about Vlad and his reaction to all this. In the show he doesn’t particularly seem to care about Jazz in any way, probably because of his hyper focus on Danny and Maddie. I doubt he’s registered Jazz as a threat of any kind, much less to him.

If Danny winds up Bat-dopted, Jason or classic “Bruce stole another one” and the news catches wind of the new Wayne, Vlad would be livid. Danny is supposed to be his son afterall, doesn’t matter that it was Maddie who severely wounded her own son.

In the midst of Rogues dropping like flies, Jazz sets a trap for Vlad by baiting him with Danny. Her brother is never in danger, not with her around and certainly not with the bat family lurking nearby, but Vlad cannot help himself- he tries to kidnap Danny by overshadowing the adoptive parent. Jazz allows it to happen only until Vlad takes Danny out of the public eye, then straight up punches Vlad out of the person he’s overshadowing, sucking him up into a thermos she stole from the GIW and throwing it into an abyss.

Wouldn’t someone recognize Jazz then?

Beyond the walking dead look that came free with reanimating, Jazz walks, talks and looks completely different then she was in life. Memories shape us and without most of hers Jazz wouldn’t be quite the same anymore. Where she once walked with a relaxed gait and a calm demeanor, as a Revenant Jazz masters the murder strut, because that’s pretty much the only thought going through her head on a constant loop….Other than ‘make Danny Safe’ of course.

Who killed Jazz? (Asked by @someonebored0100 )

Originally I was thinking it would be either the Fenton parents in the GAV or the GIW, but then a delicious angst idea popped into my head….

Batman chasing down Joker led to him slamming into Jazz’s car, which resulted in her death and a new son for him to care for….

Batman says nothing when he brings in Danny, marks down Jazz’s death as a murder and does not go out as Batman again for a week.

Was Jazz autopsied?

Thee death rate in Gotham must be higher than any other city in the world, so the coroners embody (pun not intended) the phrase “overworked and underpaid”.

So no, she wasn’t autopsied, but they did make record of the punctured artery and removed the shrapnel by request of Batman for testing.

What happened after Jazz’s body disappeared from the Crematorium?

Bruce Wayne paid for the cremation personally, so it’s understandable the mortician would be Panicking at the very likely notion that someone stole a dead body paid to be cremated and sealed into an urn by Bruce Fucking Wayne.

If the mortician cremates an unclaimed body and slaps the wrong name on it, we’ll, add it to the list of morally questionable things he’s done as a mortician in a Gotham.

Thoughts about Jason’s reaction to a true Revenant?

Her veiny visage, with the broken sclera and eyes that seem to absorb light and give none back, horrifies Jason to the bone. Did he look like that when he dug himself out of his grave? Did the Pits actually do him a favor? It makes him wanna puke just thinking about how accurate his zombie jokes could have been… then makes him swear to stop telling those same jokes because clearly he’s no longer one of the walking dead if he looks better than this dead woman who looks just… horrifying.

Though once Jazz kills the Joker in the same way the clown killed Jason, he seeks out the Revenant and after doing some digging… swears to do whatever he can for her.

If this is Dad!Jason, then he’s very upset for Danny and Jazz’s tragic history.

No hardcover pairing this time?

Maybe? Doubtful, but it could happen. I don’t think it should though.

Does Jazz have a vigilante persona in this one?

Hmm, not exactly. She’s not tying to hide anything, definitely not her less than living appearance. She wears boots, a canvas jacket, jeans and gun holsters with hair that looks like a drunk toddler attacked it with dull scissors.

She doesn’t save anyone, not directly, but ending the rogues that killed so many earns her the name “Reaper” and it sticks.

What’s Danny’s reaction to all this?

We all know about the dark timeline that resulted from The Ultimate Enemy, Dan.

The Fenton parents are still hunting him down, Sam and Tucker are trying to move to Gotham, he’s been adopted by a Kevlar-clad billionaire furry who acts like a himbo with way too much ease for it to be all an act. He’s got a home that’s not an active threat to his afterlife and the food is the farthest thing from radioactive.

(Alfred Pennyworth nearly had a heart attack at the mere thought of a child eating radioactive food and that a piece of toast on his plate was a punishment.)

But… Jazz is dead.

It’s true that they hadn’t had the best relationship for the last few years, especially after his accident, but Jazz had become his rock. Sam and Tucker were his best friends, but they had no real idea what it was like to grow up a Fenton. Sure they had some context clues (was the giant portal entrance with the on-button inside not a giant warning sign?), but Jazz had kept him alive even as a kid herself.

She worked herself to the bone to make sure he had food to eat, some hours to sleep at night, and a shoulder for him to put some of the burden on her as Phantom. In the end, she hurt their parents to get him out of the lab and away from them.

She had died trying to get him to safety.

He’d seen her car, the wreck, the blood, the still radioactive substance he called his blood… he sat in the driver’s seat and cried for his sister- he wanted Jazz to tease him and call him ‘little brother’ again.

Sure, he had Cass now and several brothers, but nothing could ever replace Jazz.

It’s the thought that Jazz would be upset with him that keeps Danny from turning by his grief into a ghostly wail, to wreck everything and everyone.

Then he meets the Reaper. And he knows.

“Little Brother.”

/////////////////////////

What about the ending for Jazz you talked about?

That’s gonna be in another post, this one was getting long enough as is.

[elryuse]

Hey can I ask for yandere xiaoting ?

Devil In Disguise

YANDERE XIAOTING X MALE READER

Xiaoting, a vision of flawless beauty sculpted by stylists and fueled by caffeine, pushed open the familiar door of her favorite cafe. The air, thick with the aroma of roasted coffee beans, was a welcome escape from the sterility of her practice studio. But today, the enticing scent was overshadowed by a different kind of allure.

Behind the counter stood a boy with hair the color of dark chocolate that seemed to absorb the warm light filtering through the window. His eyes, a deep brown that held a warmth that sent a shiver down her spine, were focused intently on the espresso machine. He was handsome, yes, undeniably so, but it was his smile – genuine, unburdened by the pressures of fame that she carried like a second skin – that truly captivated her.

"Can I get you something?" he asked, his voice a pleasant baritone that rumbled in a way that made her knees weak.

"Hmm," Xiaoting purred, leaning against the counter. Her stage persona, a mix of icy cool and smoldering sensuality, came naturally. It was a shield, a carefully crafted armor that protected her from the emotional onslaught of constant scrutiny. Here, though, in this tiny cafe with its worn wooden tables and mismatched mugs, it felt heavy. "Idk.. Surprise me."

He chuckled, a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine once more. "Coming right up," he said, his smile widening. As he worked, she stole glances, memorizing the way his brow furrowed in concentration as he steamed the milk, the way his fingers danced across the espresso machine with a practiced ease. Finally, he slid a steaming cup towards her, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Here you go," he said, his voice warm and inviting. "Hope it surprises you pleasantly."

"I'm sure it will," Xiaoting said, her voice a husky murmur. "By the way, I'm Xiaoting."

He smiled, his name tag reading "Y/n. Nice to meet you, Xiaoting. So, what brings a beautiful girl like you to my humble cafe?"

The question was simple, but it sent a jolt through her. Rarely did people see beyond the mask she wore for the cameras. An idea, delicious and dangerous, sparked in her mind.

"Just looking for a little escape," she said, her voice tinged with a calculated vulnerability. They talked for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was only a stolen half-hour between customers. She learned about his dreams of becoming a musician, his love for classic novels that she'd only ever seen adapted into movies, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed at a particularly bad joke she told. It was intoxicating, this taste of normalcy, of genuine connection.

But as she went to leave, her heart plummeted.

"Hey," Y/n called. "I don't usually ask this, but…" He fumbled in his pocket, pulling out a napkin. "Would you like to keep in touch?"

A thrill shot through her. This was better than she could have hoped for. But then, a girl, blonde and bubbly, linked arms with Y/n, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Hey babe, sorry I'm late!"

Xiaoting's smile froze, the warmth in her replaced by a chilling emptiness that spread through her like ice. "Girlfriend?" she croaked, her voice devoid of its usual playful lilt.

Y/n's face fell. "Oh, right. This is…" His eyes darted between them, confusion etched on his face. "This is Xiaoting, and…"

"No need to introduce me," Xiaoting cut in, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness that tasted like ash in her mouth. It was a performance, a carefully crafted mask once more, but this time, it was fueled by something far more potent than practiced charm. "It's lovely to meet you. Y/n tells me wonderful things about you."

The lie flowed effortlessly, a seed planted in the fertile ground of the girl's insecurities. Later, alone in her luxurious apartment, the mask shattered. Rage contorted her face, a terrifying transformation that would send shivers down the spine of anyone who witnessed it. A mere pop star, a nobody, dared to have someone she desired? The thought was an insult, a challenge to her carefully constructed world.

The following days were a blur of activity. Xiaoting, the master manipulator with a team of loyal and discreet individuals at her beck and call, orchestrated a flawless plan. A carefully placed photo, an anonymous tip to the tabloids that fueled the ever-hungry gossip machine, and a manufactured public meltdown on Y/n's girlfriend's part did the trick. Days later, Y/n, heartbroken and confused, found himself sitting across from Xiaoting in her opulent apartment, a stark contrast to the cozy cafe.

Y/n stared at Xiaoting, his eyes red-rimmed and puffy. Tears had carved glistening tracks through the caked-on makeup his ex had insisted on before their "emotional" break-up video.

"It's all a lie, isn't it?" he rasped, his voice raw with betrayal. "The cheating, the whole thing."

Xiaoting, perched on a plush velvet sofa, her designer dress impeccably styled, reached out and squeezed his hand. Her touch, usually electric, felt cold and calculating. "Oh, Y/n," she cooed, her voice dripping with manufactured sympathy. "Don't listen to the media vultures. They just want to create drama."

Her practiced smile didn't reach her eyes. Y/n, however, blinded by grief and the subtle shift in her demeanor, clung to her words like a lifeline.

"She seemed so genuine in the video," he mumbled, his voice thick with despair. "She even had… proof."

A flicker of triumph passed through Xiaoting's eyes, masked by a concerned frown. "Proof that can be easily fabricated, darling," she purred. "You know how these things work."

Y/n nodded numbly, his mind reeling. Xiaoting leaned in, her voice a seductive whisper. "You deserve better, Y/n. Someone who will cherish you, who understands you. Someone like me."

He looked up, his gaze searching hers. In that moment, a flicker of something dark, something possessive, glinted in her eyes. But Y/n, lost in his emotional turmoil, missed it.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," he whispered, defeated.

Xiaoting's smile bloomed, genuine this time. "Then believe in me," she said, her voice laced with a dangerous possessiveness. "Believe that I can make you happy."

And in that vulnerable state, Y/n did. Blinded by the illusion of comfort and the toxic sweetness of her words, he allowed himself to fall into her carefully constructed web.

Days turned into weeks, then months. Xiaoting, the idol with a seemingly perfect life, became his haven. But the haven was a gilded cage, its bars disguised as luxury and affection.

His phone calls with friends became "intrusions into their healing." His attempts to pursue music, his long-held dream, were dismissed as "unrealistic distractions." The outside world became a blur, filtered through Xiaoting's carefully curated narrative.

One evening, amidst a candlelit dinner, Xiaoting casually mentioned a camera crew arriving the next day to film a "day in the life" segment.

Y/n froze, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "A camera crew? Here?"

Xiaoting, all innocence, feigned surprise. "Oh honey, didn't I mention? It's a surprise! They want to showcase our beautiful love story."

His unease morphed into terror. The manufactured reality she'd created suffocated him. But before he could protest, she reached for his hand, her grip a vice.

"Don't worry, darling," she purred, her voice laced with a chilling sweetness. "It'll be perfect. After all, the whole world deserves to see how happy we are, right?"

Y/n's pleas were drowned out by the manufactured sweetness of her voice. Trapped in her gilded cage, his future stretched before him, not a haven of love, but a prison built on lies and a terrifying obsession.

The camera crew bustled around the apartment, their presence a suffocating weight on Y/n's chest. Every stolen glance at Xiaoting confirmed his growing suspicion. Her smile, practiced for countless interviews, seemed strained around the edges. Her eyes, usually sparkling with manufactured cheer, held a glint of something manic.

As they filmed their "candid" interactions, Y/n fumbled for words. Xiaoting, ever the professional, filled the silence with fabricated anecdotes about their whirlwind romance, peppered with possessiveness disguised as affection.

Later, after the crew departed, the air grew thick with a suffocating tension. Y/n, his hands clammy with unease, finally found his voice.

"Xiaoting," he started, his voice barely a whisper. "It felt… staged. Everything."

Xiaoting's smile faltered for a brief moment, then reappeared, wider and somehow colder. "Staged? How silly, darling. It was just a little awkwardness, that's all."

He wasn't convinced. The way she'd hovered over him, her touch lingering a beat too long, the way her gaze flickered to the phone whenever it buzzed – it all screamed control.

"Can I… can I call my friends sometime?" Y/n asked, his voice small.

A flicker of annoyance crossed Xiaoting's face, quickly masked. "Oh, honey, you know how the media is. They'd twist anything into a story. We wouldn't want them to paint a wrong picture of our perfect relationship, would we?"

Y/n swallowed the retort that rose in his throat. He felt a growing sense of isolation, a gnawing loneliness that her constant presence couldn't fill.

Days blurred into weeks. Phone calls became a distant memory, replaced by Xiaoting's curated schedule of "romantic outings" and "couple interviews." He was a prop in her meticulously crafted narrative, his own dreams and desires pushed further and further out of reach.

One night, while Xiaoting slept, Y/n stumbled upon her phone. A morbid curiosity gnawed at him. He knew it was wrong, but the need to understand his situation overpowered his conscience.

His breath hitched as he saw text messages exchanged with a private number. The messages were cold, calculating, filled with instructions about manipulating interviews and maintaining their "perfect" facade.

But what truly sent chills down his spine was the final message: "Target successfully isolated. Phase two: public declaration."

Y/n's blood ran cold. He wasn't Xiaoting's lover; he was a pawn in a twisted game orchestrated by a woman consumed by a possessive obsession. Fear, sharp and primal, clawed at his throat.

He knew then that he had to escape. But how? Xiaoting controlled everything – his access to the outside world, his finances, even his reputation.

He spent the next few days formulating a plan, a desperate gamble fuelled by a newfound strength. He started subtly leaving messages for his old bandmate on social media, hidden in plain sight within innocuous comments. He pretended to be enthusiastic about Xiaoting's upcoming album release, subtly planting seeds of doubt about their relationship in interviews.

The night before the album release party, Y/n finally made his move. He waited until Xiaoting fell asleep, then packed a small bag with essentials. He knew she'd wake up soon, so he had to be quick.

He tiptoed towards the door, his heart hammering in his chest. Just as he grasped the knob, a cold voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Going somewhere, darling?" Xiaoting stood there, her eyes blazing with a terrifying fury.

Y/n's mouth went dry. "Xiaoting, I… I just need some air."

"No," she said, her voice a steely whisper. "You're not going anywhere. You belong to me now."

Y/n knew then that reasoning was futile. He had to fight his way out. He lunged for the door, but Xiaoting was faster. She grabbed his arm, her grip surprisingly strong.

A struggle ensued, desperate and brutal. Y/n, fueled by a surge of adrenaline, managed to break free and sprint towards the window. He threw it open, the cool night air a welcome shock.

"Y/n don't!!" Xiaoting screamed, her voice laced with a chilling desperation.

He didn't look back. He scrambled onto the fire escape, adrenaline masking the fear threatening to consume him. He descended quickly, ignoring the burn in his legs, until he reached the ground and melted into the night.

He knew this was just the beginning. Xiaoting wouldn't give up easily. But for the first time in months, he felt a flicker of hope. He was free, and he would do He sprinted through the deserted streets, the rhythmic pounding of his feet the only sound in the night. Glancing back every few seconds, his heart hammered a frantic tattoo against his ribs. He didn't see Xiaoting, but the chilling memory of her desperate plea sent shivers down his spine.

Reaching his old friend's apartment, he pounded on the door with shaking hands. Relief flooded him when the familiar face of his bandmate, Mark, appeared. But before Y/n could explain, a car screeched to a halt outside, its headlights momentarily blinding him.

"Y/n!" Mark gasped, pulling him back inside just as the apartment door splintered. Xiaoting, her face contorted with rage, stormed in, a gaggle of security guards flanking her.

"There you are!" she hissed, her voice laced with venom.

Y/n's frantic pleas for help fell on deaf ears. The security guards, well-versed in the art of celebrity wrangling, subdued him with practiced ease. Mark, powerless against the tide, could only watch in horror.

Back in the gilded cage, Xiaoting's rage had morphed into a chilling calm. Gone was the facade of the loving girlfriend. Y/n sat across from her, his wrists bound with silk scarves, the very picture of a dethroned king.

"You shouldn't have tried to leave," Xiaoting said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Now, things will have to change."

A cold dread filled Y/n. He knew then that escape was no longer an option. Xiaoting wouldn't simply lock him away; she would control him. His career, his reputation, his very identity – all would become pawns in her twisted game.

The following days were a blur of media manipulation. Xiaoting, the heartbroken victim, spun a tale of a troubled boyfriend on the verge of a breakdown. Public sympathy flowed freely, further isolating Y/n.

He was allowed to keep his phone, but under constant surveillance. His band, ostracized and pressured by Xiaoting's powerful team, reluctantly distanced themselves. The world he once knew crumbled around him.

Weeks turned into months. Y/n became a ghost of his former self, a talented musician reduced to a silent shadow beside the ever-smiling Xiaoting. He was forced to participate in interviews, his every word carefully scripted.

One day, during a live performance, a flicker of defiance sparked in his eyes. As Xiaoting launched into a love song, he reached for the microphone, his voice hoarse but resolute.

"This isn't real," he rasped, the words catching in his throat. "She's keeping me prisoner."

The music screeched to a halt. Shock rippled through the audience. Security guards rushed the stage before Y/n could utter another word.

But the damage was done. The carefully crafted facade had a gaping hole. Whispers turned into accusations. Public opinion shifted, a seed of doubt planted.

Xiaoting, however, remained unfazed. Public scrutiny was a game she knew how to play. She painted Y/n as delusional, a victim of his own mental breakdown. Her carefully calculated tears and veiled threats of self-harm swayed the narrative back in her favor.

Y/n, isolated and silenced once more, sank deeper into despair. He knew he might never truly escape Xiaoting's grasp. She had woven a web of control so intricate, so pervasive, that it had become his reality.

The story ended not with a dramatic escape or a heroic rescue, but with a slow, suffocating descent. Y/n remained a prisoner, not behind bars, but within the gilded cage of a twisted obsession, his music and his dreams forever silenced by the chilling melody of Xiaoting's love song.

[nor-4]

Ok but..... Enemies to lovers with Mike 👀

Hey guys finally got my rest from the hell week I'm ready to write now:3 nyways will make pt2 of this!!

Pairings - Mike Schmidt ft. Reader

"Oh so you are applying for that position?" Steve said as he looked over mike's documents, "But it's already taken, you can be janitor if you want." he joked as mike only looked at him with no reaction.

"Hmm.. Well maybe both of you can be guards if you wanted." he stated again as mike nodded in agreement, "okay sounds good." mike said as both of them stood up to shake hands as he leaved the room feeling angry about the person who took the job first as steve was hesitant to give mike the job.

He opened the door of the place as he already knew you were there as he saw a car outside the place.

"Who the fuck are you?" You asked as you hands are on your hips as if you are someones mother with their child coming home late at night, "Oh you are the person who stole my job." mike spat back as he walk away through the room where he should work.

"Hey I'm talking to you!" You yelled turning at him who just slam the door shut shaking his head, "I'm tired of this shit." he thought as he sat down at the chair as the wheels move a bit sighing at the sight of you from the cctv seeing you using your phone on work.

"This girl istg.." he whispered seeing you already watched the video that is named after him with a tape as he put it again because of his curiosity.

As the video glitched he didn't even finished the video as you entered the room, "Boo you are seriously using that vest.." You looked at him out of judgment well you didn't use yours because it didn't match your outfit.

"you are not taking this back?" Mike asked as he looked at the badge from the vest, "No, it looks goofy you can keep that." you said as you pushed his hands that contains the badge into him.

You looked at him on shock as you rushed on the table getting your things, "You didn't touch my bag didn't you?" You asked as you hugged the bag close to you.

"No i wouldn't, why would i? Crazy woman" mike sighed as you put your jacket at the floor before putting your favorite hand bag.

It didn't take much long for mike to notice on how you care of your belongings other than things that didn't match your outfit. Maybe he will like you after all your sassiness.

"I'm guessing your name is mike?" You asked as you stood up from where you are sitting, "Isn't it obvious?" Mike gave your attitude back to you.

"Fucking asshole." You scoffed before leaving the room as mike just laughed at you.

Maybe this job isn't really bad as he think it is? Looking at your hand bag really reminds him of your attitude, your outfit really fits your attitude on him.

[fuzzysocksstuff]

Leo has been the leader since day one

Alright, I haven't seen this conversation yet, but I can't be the only one who's noticed this. This isn't my usual post- not that I post often- but art is WIP.

~aannnnyyway~

Leo has been the (back seat) leader of the Mad Dogs since day one.

Mobile users, RIP no seriously, you are digging your own grave

In the first two episodes he shows his potential, he thinks ahead, guides the team, makes astute observations, shows his knowledge of his team (including himself), and makes his own plans (even if Raph has made a plan, he almost always has his own).

I'll go through the first two episodes chronologically.

First is Mystic Mayhem.

-This is a good example of understanding himself-

Leo: So . . . You guys from Jersey?

Mikey: Really Leo?

Leo: What? I can't make a joke in the middle of the craziest thing ever? That's how I cope.

-Leo stops his brothers and forces them to think ahead-

Mikey: Should we just ask him for it?

Leo: And what do we say when he asks us why we want it? That we need to go after our best friend, who disappeared into a wall after our priceless weapons were destroyed by mystical jogger guys?

-Not only is Leo showing how well he knows his dad, he executes his own plan when Raph's first plan fails, without asking his brothers first-

Raph: How'd you get that?

Leo: You know he always passes out after milk and cake.

-Now, this example is a debatable one, yes it shows his understanding of Raph, but it may also just be to shown to establish relationships in general since this was the first episode-

Donnie: A few hours ago I would have called this foolish and impossible. Now I just call it foolish.

Mikey: Say what you want Donnie. Raph'll pull is off 'cause if he doesn't, we'll loose our best friend forever.

Leo: Mikey, don't say that. You know he chokes under pressure.

Donnie: Leo, he's even more self-conscious when you talk about it.

-Here, while happy to see April again, he keeps the team on the task that got them in the hidden city in the first place. It can be argued if this was on purpose or not; but it still showcases his natural ability to lead-

Donnie: According to my calculations, we are in a tertiary-metaverse.

April: Actually, I've been doing some exploring, and we're in a hidden city deep under New York!

Leo: So where's the dog thingy?

-There are even subtle moments where Leo takes the lead; after Donnie takes out Draxum's robot with his tech, Leo is the only one talking to Draxum directly for the team. This is another debatable example, you could say Leo is just being the face man here, but I'd like to include it-

Draxum: Accidently impressive. With a little bit of training you can be formidable as I hoped.

Leo: Okay, well, great, and since you're surrendering. . .

Draxum: Baron Draxum does not surrender.

Leo: Okay, well, when he gets here we'll deal with him. . . oh, ho, ho, I see. You're doing that whole "sinister talking in the third person" thing.

-Here, he is the only one to once again question Raph's decision, and present his own idea instead-

Raph: We just defeated a boss villain. We're heroes. We deserve a name like Mad Dogs.

Leo: Mad dogs? You don't think something like Mutant Ninja Turtle Teens or. . .I don't know. Maybe - we'll keep brain storming.

The very next episode has soooo many parallels to the movie.

Origami Tsunami.

The dialog is long on this one and, despite the humor, throughout this scene Leo guides his brothers to the best mission for their skill level.

Mikey: Yo, Leo, we're gonna be heroes!

Leo: Okay, what's the plan? Solve the city's rat problem?

Splinter: Hey now. I am standing right here.

Raph: Pfft, no way. We're crime fighters!

Donnie: Okay, check this out. The Spine Breaking Bandit!

Raph: Yeah. Go big or go home!

Leo: Yeah, go home in a stretcher. What else you got?

Donnie: Hmm, well this one's kind of lame. Someone stole paper from a delivery truck.

Leo: Not on my watch! This is exactly the kind of junior level mischief we can put an end to.

-Leo then hypes his brothers up for this mission-

Raph: Really? That'll make us heroes? But it's only paper.

Leo: It's only paper. I'm so sorry. Donnie, what did he say? Did he say it's only paper?

Donnie: Yup.

Leo: Did he say it's only paper?

Donnie: Yes, he did.

Leo: Okay! That's what they all say. You think the road to hero town is paved in real crime? No! It's paved with the tears of the poor paper man. And who helps that guy? I'll tell you who; we are who!

Raph, Mikey, and Donnie: Yes!

-When Raph's first plan fails, and he sees how discouraged his brothers get...-

Donnie: Uh, quick question. Did we seriously get schooled by paper thieves?

Raph: I didn't swoop like a boss. I swoop like a noob.

Mikey: Man, this seemed like a really cool idea until we didn't succeed at it.

-...so, Leo gives a "hero" speech, like he does in the movie. Although this motiving speech needs some help, he still tries-

Leo: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Where'd my brothers go? Mikey, where's your. . .legendary optimism? Raph, where's your, ya know, your go-getter attitude? And Donnie, where's your. . . your thing, your - emotionless passion?

Donnie: Here.

Leo: We can still catch these lame old paper crooks and be heroes!

-In continuing this scene, we see the Leo make and execute his own plan, now that Raph's impulsive plan has failed-

Donnie: Yeah, that's gonna be hard. This was the last paper store in town.

Leo: Hmm. . . or was it?

Donnie: Yeah, I. . .I literally just said that.

-Again he takes the lead talking to the foot clan first (could just be that he's a face man here, but nonetheless)-

Leo: Okay twerp. . . and surprisingly big man. It's four against two. So what you say we just call it a day, right?

-Leo uses his observations to guide the team, here when the foot are making their origami soldiers, Leo realizes taking out the paper ninjas isn't a solution-

Leo: We're getting no where fighting these guys. We gotta take out the source.

-After Raph ~properly~ uses his ninpo for the first time, Leo again uses his surroundings to find a solution, in doing so he shows both guiding his team, and astute observations-

Leo: Hm. Mikey, the sprinklers!

-Even at the end of the second episode, they look to Leo for reassurance and support-

Mikey: So. . .does this count as a win?

Leo: Well, I don't know. Let's think about it. Did the bad guys get their big supply of paper? Uh, no. Did they build their army of soilders? No. No they didn't. Are they otherwise Thwarted, and we unscathed?

Raph, Donnie, and Mikey: Yes!

Leo: Hero mission accomplished, my friends!

Alright.

First off, if you've made it this far, thanks for attending my not even close to life changing ted talk. I hope you have enjoyed my rant.

In conclusion,

Leo has the potential to lead, just prefers to do as little work as possible. He almost always passes resonsibility onto someone else, however when he has no other choice but to lead he does it well without realizing it. There are many other subtle examples sprinkled throughout season 1 and 2.

I have more thoughts on this, but this post is already the height of the empire state building.

Class Dismissed.

[haddonfieldwhore]

late nights - nick jones

nick jones (house of wax) x fem!reader

word count: 845

warnings: a few uses of ma’am, lying to law enforcement, mention of a stolen car, mention of violence, nsfw hinted/themes? idk, langauge

@visceravalentines

a scraping sound outside your window nearly pulled you from your sleeping state, but i wasn’t quite enough to wake you. instead, your eyes snapped open to the feeling of a hand over your mouth, and you stared up and the man crouched above you in your bed, the cold breeze of the midnight air prickling against your skin through the open window.

“shh shh shhh it’s me,” nick hushed as he slowly removed his hand from your mouth. you sighed as he kissed you softly, rolling your eyes as your heart rate slowed back down to its normal speed.

“jesus, nick. you scared me,” you said, turning towards him as he laid down next to you in bed. “you know there’s this thing called the front door-“

“well where’s the fun it that?” he smiled mischievously, kissing you again, deeper this time, his teeth nibbling at your bottom lip. rolling on top of you, his hands landed on your hips, fingertips sliding underneath your top. “is this my shirt?” he asked, lips travelling up the column of your throat.

“what if i tell you it’s some other guys?”

“i’d tell you that you’re a bad liar.” he kissed your lips again, before a knock at the front door interrupted the two of you. “oh also- i’m not here.” you slapped his chest as he rolled off of you, letting you get up to answer the door. you hurried down the stairs and opened the door to be met by the beam from a flashlight in your eyes.

“ow- watch where you shine that thing,” you said looking away as the police officer on your doorstep lowered the light. you flipped the switch for the porch light, and let your eyes adjust.

“sorry ma’am. how are you tonight?” the officer who’s badge read “norris” asked.

“i was fine before someone started knocking on my door in the middle of the night. most people are asleep at this time you know?” you rubbed your eyes before wrapping your arms around yourself to try to keep warm.

“i’m sorry ma’am.we’re looking for a certain individual by the name of nick jones. have you seen or heard from him lately?” he asked, and you silently wondered what your boyfriend had done now to have the cops knocking on your door.

“no, i haven’t. is he… dangerous?” you asked, putting on a scared face; it usually worked to throw off suspicion, at least in your experience. this was not exactly the first time you had lied to the cops to protect nick, but the first time he had been hiding in your room when you’d done it.

“there’s nothing to worry about ma’am. just checking the with anyone who we think might have heard something, that’s all. we’ll protect you.” he said, his eyes trailing up your bare legs in your pyjama shorts.

“thank you officer. if i hear anything you’ll be the first to know,” you fake smiled, shutting the door with a sigh once he was down the driveway. just as you relaxed, nicks fingertips dug into your ribs and you nearly shrieked. his hand covered your mouth to stop any sound from coming out, and was quickly replaced with his own lips on yours. you kissed him back as he dragged you back up the stairs and to your bedroom.

“what do you think baby, am i dangerous?” he teased, his hips pressing against yours as he hovered over top of you in your bed.

“hmm very,” you hummed as you bit the skin under his jaw gently, soothing the area with your tongue after, causing nick to groan slightly. “what did you do this time idiot?”

“just stole a car for a few minutes, no biggie,” he laughed, and you hit him upside the head with your pillow.

“i’d you go to jail i’m not waiting around for you, jackass.”

“sure you’re not.”

“whatever. you owe me,”

“yes ma’am.”

“i swear to god if he called me ma’am one more time-“

“want me to kick his ass?” nick joked, but you knew he would’ve actually done it if you asked. instead you just rolled your eyes, poking his chest with your finger. nick kissed you once more, deeper this time, but slower, as if to show you how much he appreciated you in a way he couldn’t express with words.

“thank you. how ‘bout make it up to you?” he smirked, his thumbs hooking under the waistband of your shorts and beginning to pull them down as he lips ground yours again. you smiled into the kiss before he slid his tongue past your lips. his large hands dragged your shorts down your legs, and he trailed kisses from your hip bones down to your knees as he went.

“nick-“ your breath hitched as the cold air hit your exposed skin, his kisses sending tingles up your spine.

“relax- i’ll be gentle,” he smirked, pressing a kiss to your inner thigh as he stared up at you.

“and you said i was a bad liar.”

[ltash]

I knew you were standing there, Miss Nora," Ghost said, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"If you're not comfortable showing your face, I won't come there," Nora replied.

"No problem," Ghost replied nonchalantly.

Nora moved closer to him, standing beside him as she stole glances at his face. She noted the lightness and fullness of his lips, a small scar adorning his upper lip, and a cut on his eyebrow. His sharp jawline was accentuated by a bit of stubble, and as he crushed the cigarette beneath his foot and rolled the balaclava down, Nora couldn't help but admire the glimpse of his features.

"You're pretty Lieutenant and your brown eyes, so rare among Brits." Nora blurted out.

Nora's bold declaration hung in the air, punctuated by Ghost's laughter. His chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm as he processed her words.

"You're joking, right?" he finally said, disbelief evident in his tone.

"Not at all," Nora replied, her sincerity clear.

"Nobody has said this ever to me," Ghost chuckled softly.

"Yeah, but now someone has," Nora insisted. "I noticed you were shutting me out, Ghost."

"No-" he began, but Nora cut him off.

"Yes, I noticed it," she asserted.

"I usually don't talk much," Ghost explained in his husky monotone British voice.

"But I noticed you talk to Soap a lot," Nora countered.

"Hmm, he's an exception," Ghost admitted.

"And what about me? Who am I? An exception or a distraction?" Nora pressed.

Ghost was momentarily caught off guard by her question. "A distraction, maybe," he replied cautiously.

"Then make me an exception," Nora challenged, her determination evident in her voice.

Ghost watched as Nora walked away, her words lingering in the air like an unspoken challenge. He turned to look at her retreating figure, his brown hooded eyes reflecting a sense of weariness, as if he hadn't slept in days.

[rendy-a]

Congratulations on your 500 followers! Hope you'll grow more!

Can I request, where MC ask a dance to Silver? i choose romantic!

With the Chapter 7 stuff going on in the JP server, I've been having more Silver thoughts lately. Ah, he is such a devoted son and conscientious knight. A very charming prince for our consideration.

What were they talking about?  You couldn’t stand the suspense.  Silver and a student from another academy were talking in the distance and you were filled with dread over the topic.  What if they were asking him to the dance?  What if you’d missed your chance to ask him yourself?  Then you sigh, admitting to yourself that you weren’t exactly jumping at the opportunity.  It would serve you right if some rival came up and stole him from you.

Oh!  Their conversation appeared over as your ‘rival’ was departing.  You couldn’t take the mystery and stood up from the bench and jogged across the lawn to meet up with Silver.  He was calmly talking to a bird under a tree as you reached him.  “Getting the morning report?” you joked as you nodded to the bird.  Silver’s gentle expression didn’t quite reach the level of a smile, but you knew that was how he was feeling.  “Something like that,” he replied.  “So, what’s the news?” you asked him.  “The weather is changing, it will be time to migrate soon,” Silver replied as a matter of fact.  You sighed and rolled your eyes, “No, what did that student want?  It’s not every day that a student from Night Raven gets approached by the other students.” 

“They were just asking me to the dance,” Silver answered.  Oh.  OH!  You turned your face away for a moment to compose yourself before asking, “So, what did you say?”  He seemed unbothered by your invasive question as he continued to stroke the downy fluff adorning the head of his bird friend, “I declined.”  Your shoulders relaxed and you let out a breath you hadn’t been aware you were holding.  “Is that so?” you ask, hoping the relief isn’t too obvious in your voice.  “Hmm,” Silver hums in agreement, “I think it just wasn’t the right one for me.”  You turn to look him in the eye and after a moment agree, “Yeah, I think so too.  You’ve got to wait for someone who truly deserves you.” 

You continue to gaze into his eyes silently.  The moment stretches until Silver sighs and turns his gaze back to his bird friend, “I’m sorry little one but I must return to my duties now.”  Then he assists the bird into flight with a gentle toss of his hand.  He nods to you, and you wave casually as he departs.  Crisis averted, for now.  The cramping worry takes hold of you again and you look longingly at Silver’s departing figure.  If only you had the courage to ask him.

The next time you ran into Silver, you nearly ran into him literally.  You turned a corner around a building and there he was.  You stopped short and quietly backtracked around the corner.  He wasn’t alone.  His back was to you and another student was flushed as they looked at their feet, confessing.  There was something about this looming dance that brought out the courage in students, well most students.  You felt like such a coward as you listened to this other person say the things to Silver that you wished you could say.  You imagined yourself saying those things to him and your heartbeat faster.  It was almost shocking when you heard his refusal.  You were crushed for a moment until you came back to your senses and remembered that this refusal wasn’t for you. 

You leaned back into the wall, hoping you had stayed quiet enough not to be noticed.  You knew it had to be horribly embarrassing to be turned down by your crush and you didn’t want to add to their misery.  Now that they were rejected, you found it in your heart to be sympathetic for them.  After the former rival departed, you could hear Silver on the other side of the wall, waiting.  You wondered for a moment what he could be waiting for before you realized it was you.  Of course, he’d noticed your arrival.  Situational awareness was a part of his strict training.  You wanted to join him then, but you couldn’t, not knowing how you’d be unable to say what you really wanted to say.  After a short wait, Silver made a resigned sigh and left.  You let your head fall against the wall and wondered, when would it be time for you to find your courage?

It was the early morning hours just before dawn.  You’d been trying to fall back asleep for a while and failing miserably.  Finally, you decided you’d be better off just staying up.  So, you got out of bed and crept quietly past Grim, careful not to make too much noise.  Then, you’d sat in the quiet darkness for a few minutes trying to find something to occupy yourself with that wouldn’t wake your companion.  You finally recalled Jack telling you once that he loved morning runs.  The air was cooler, and you got to see the sun rise as you finished, it was built in motivation.  So, despite not being that into morning exercise, you decided to head out for a mild jog. 

The sky was lighting up, the barest hint of red creeping along the horizon like a gentle blush.  That was when you saw him.  His pale hair seemed to glow against the early morning sky, making him seem as radiant as the fading moon.  The thought made you smile and, even with the great distance, Silver must have noticed as he returned your cheer with a wave.  You felt a hint of nerves creep up on you as the handsome knight sped up to join you on the path.  You awkwardly swept your hand over your hair and greeted him.  “I didn’t know you liked morning training, Prefect.”  You grimaced a bit, “It’s not my usual thing but I guess it’s nice to change things up sometimes.” 

There was a moment of silence then and finally you broke it by asking if Silver would like to join you for a walk.  “Sure,” he replied calmly, “I’m basically finished with my run now anyway.”  You walked side by side back toward Ramshackle.  Sometimes having short conversations but other times letting a comfortable silence fall.  You let yourself fall into a meditative state, enjoying the beginnings of the day with your favorite person by your side.  You must have been staring thought because Silver suddenly turns to look into your eyes and smiles a gentle smile.  Owing to how rare his smiles are, the tiny gesture takes your breath away. 

 “What are you looking at?” Silver asks quietly.  “The sky,” you replied shyly, “it reminds me of your eyes.  Beautiful.”  His eyes widen a bit and you match the expression, hearing in your head how it sounded.  “I mean the sky!  The sky is beautiful!  Not you.  I mean you are too!  I’m not saying you aren’t just..just…ah…”  Then you cringe and hide your face behind your hand, succumbing to the embarrassment.  “Thank you,” Silver says in a tone that seems unaffected by your what you’ve just said or the reaction you were having.  It gave you the courage to look out between your fingers cautiously. 

“Sorry I’m so awkward,” you reply meekly.  He smiles softly and takes the loose hand you have at your side, rubbing soothing circles on the back with his thumb.  “Its ok, I can wait.”  You drop your hand from your face and lean forward to rest your forehead on his chest, “I know but I can’t keep you waiting forever.”  He places a hand on your back, pulling you in closer, “Then don’t.”  It was such a simplistic answer, but it reminded you so of Silver.  “Hey,” you mumble into his chest, “will you go to the dance with me?”  A gentle squeeze accompanies the reply, “I thought you’d never ask.”  You smiled into his chest and allowed your arms to circle his steady form. 

That’s how you greeted the dawn, standing comfortably in his arms.  It was a new day heralded by the gentle aurora in the sky.  Beautiful as it was, it was nothing compared to the promise you found in his aurora eyes.  A promise that spoke of new beginnings; ones that you’d experience together. Starting with this dance, which you now looked forward to, like the start of a new journey.

[anxietygremlin7]

Mission 'Disco Inferno'

“You did not.” Impulse’s eyes open wide, staring into the box.

“Oh I so did!”

“Oh my god.” His eyes flick between Skizz and the continents of the box.

Skizz giggles, smile wide on his face.

“Why do you have a box full of disco balls?!”

1.7k words

—

Hello there! Welcome to a fic that definitely isn't just one big Dad Joke!

The song/inspiration for this fic, if you didn't catch it, is 'Disco Inferno' by the Trammps! You should listen to it if you don't know the song, it's pretty fire (all puns always intended).

No but seriously, I've seen some amazing fics/comics with Superhero AU's so now I've brainrotted my own. This is just a oneshot from the universe my mind is cooking up. I want to try and write more in this universe!

Info that needs to be explained? Not much I think, just that Tango is a Vigilante who has the Alius 'Inferno'. Neither Skizz nor Impulse are Supers (If you get that reference, I love you, if not, It's the term used for people with powers who are either a Villain or a Hero in the move 'The Incredibles' (I stole the term cause I like it and it's easy)) though they do have powers (to be revealed later as they're not crucial to this fic).

Anyways, hope you enjoy! :)

Ao3 link if you prefer:

—

“Impulse! Dipple-Dop!” Someone whisper-shouts in his ear. Impulse just groans and rolls over, it is far too early for any of Skizz’s shenanigans.

“...too early,” he mutters, burying his head in a pillow. Skizz just pokes his shoulder.

Impulse ignores him, Skizz would go away eventually, right? 

He knows better, Skizz would not be going anywhere until he got what he wanted. The hand poking Impulse’s shoulder started to shake him.

“C’mon! Get up!” Impulse felt like a father and not in a ‘aww kids are cute’ way but in a ‘get this demon child away from me’ way. He stuck an arm out in some attempt to shove Skizz, which failed and only resulted in Skizz grabbing his arm and yanking.

You see, falling from two feet off a very comfortable surface onto a very decidedly not comfortable surface, would be a shock for anyone. So it was no surprise when Impulse shouted upon impact with the hardwood floor.

“Ow!”

“Shush!” Skizz drops to his knees and shoots his hand out over Impulse’s mouth, “You can’t wake up Tango!”

“Hm mh hmm hmmhmm hmm.”

“Huh?” Impulse just looks between Skizz and the hand covering his mouth, eyebrows raised. “Oh right!” Skizz huffs a laugh, taking his hand off of Impulse’s mouth.

“So what’s your master plan,” Impulse sounds just as tired and annoyed as he feels. He loves living with his two best friends but when one of them wakes you up at 7 in the morning, you’re bound to have regrets.

“It’s not even that early, man!” Skizz is still smiling, seemingly enjoying Impulse’s great pain and suffering of being in his early twenties and awake before noon.

“Skizz, the sun hasn’t risen yet. Neither of us should be awake,” Impulse groans, flopping back down onto the floor.

“Come on! Come on! We need to prank Tango-Top!” Skizz pulls Impulse’s arm, dragging him up to stand.

“How do you have so much energy, did we not literally go to sleep like four hours ago?” 

“This is far more important than a Rocket League tournament!” Skizz is still whisper-shouting, yanking on Impulse’s arm to pull him out of his room.

“Okay, so what’re we doing to Tango?” Impulse gives in, he knows that there is no way he can fight against Skizz for those couple of hours of sleep. Skizz’s eyes light up, as he drags Impulse 

into his room. 

“Mission ‘Disco Inferno’!”

“Huh?”

“Okay-okay-okay-okay, so you know how Tango told us he’s like a Super Villain or something?”

“Vigilante-”

“Whatever. But like his name is Inferno, yeah?”

“Yeah?”

“You know what has historically always gone with infernos?”

“Uh…you’re gonna need to clue me in on this one, buddy.”

“Discos!”

“What?”

“Discos! Like, ‘Disco Inferno’, the song, you know?”

“The song from the 70’s? The really old song?”

“Oh shush, you. But I had an idea!” Skizz drags a box out from under his bed, “Come see!”

Impulse walks over, kneeling on the floor next to Skizz who opens the top of the box to reveal what's inside.

“You did not.” Impulse’s eyes open wide, staring into the box.

“Oh I so did!”

“Oh my god.” His eyes flick between Skizz and the continents of the box.

Skizz giggles, smile wide on his face.

“Why do you have a box full of disco balls?!”

“Because, Dipple-Dop, we, as the best friends of a Super Villain-”

“-Vigilante-”

“-have a job to do! Mission ‘Disco Inferno’ must be completed!” Skizz finishes with a flourish of his hands and more giggles.

“Tango is going to kill you.”

“Correction, Tango is going to kill us!”

Impulse shakes his head, a small smile on his face. Leave it to Skizz to come up with the most stupid prank on Earth.

“You can’t get out of this one, homie-buddy!” Skizz picks up the box, standing up and practically bounding out of the room.

With another shake of his head and a fond scoff, Impulse grabs a forgotten roll of duct-tape from Skizz’s desk and follows him out into the hallway. There’s no way he’s missing out on this prank.

Skizz, definitely over-dramatically, tip-toes towards Tango’s door. The box is absurdly large in his arms, somewhat blocking his face, making for a very funny image that Impulse struggles not to laugh at.

“You do realize that Tango could sleep through the literal end of the world, right?” 

“Shush!” Skizz turns to ‘glare’ at Impulse from behind the box, his smile and the laugh in his voice remove all of the intimidation he was aiming for. Skizz then walks up to the door, practically running into it, and he pauses.

“I got it,” Impulse says with a laugh, reaching past Skizz’s full arms to turn the door handle.

Tango’s room is dark and quiet and Impulse almost misses his own warm bed and dark quiet room. Skizz shuffles into the room, gently setting the box down on the floor. Impulse follows him, closing the door behind them. Tango’s bed is in the far corner of the room and Tango is rolled away from the door, buried in blankets, he’s not waking up anytime soon.

Skizz motions Impulse to come over, bright smile visible even in the low light of the room. “You hand me disco balls, I tape them to the ceiling?” Skizz whispers, leaning into Impulse’s ear. He nods, handing the duct-tape to Skizz, and reaching into the box for the first disco ball. A grin settles across Impulse’s face as he hands the disco ball to an equally grinning Skizz.

They work out a rhythm. Grab, hand, tape, move. Grab, hand, tape, move. This process continues for what must be nearly 50 mid-sized disco balls, they almost run out of ceiling space. It takes a surprisingly long amount of time, probably because the two of them completely panic at any slight movement from Tango.

By the time all of the disco balls have been hung, and Impulse and Skizz have nearly jumped out of their skins for the thirtieth time, it's almost eight in the morning. The two pranksters quietly sneak their way out of Tango’s room, taking the empty box and depleted roll of duct-tape with them.

“That was epic, bro!” Skizz whisper-shouts. They high-five, both grinning.

“And now we wait.”

“And now we wait,” Skizz agrees.

—

After another hour goes by of Impulse and Skizz entertaining themselves, Skizz speaks, “I think it’s time.”

“For what?” Impulse looks up from his laptop.

“Phase two,” Skizz stands, placing his hands on his hips and tilting his chin up, looking like an absolute goof.

“Phase two,” Impulse just looks at him, holding back a laugh.

“Phase two of mission ‘Disco Inferno’ aka, the best part of the whole plan!”

“And what would the second phase of mission ‘Disco Inferno’ be?”

“Ripping open Tango’s curtain and blasting ‘Disco Inferno’ at full volume through my speaker of course!” And Skizz looks far too proud of himself.

“Oh boy, here we go,” Impulse finally lets his facade crack, a smile spreading across his face. Skizz runs back to his room, probably to grab his speaker. Impulse closes his laptop and stands up from the couch, yawning as he waits.

“Okay-okay-okay, let’s do this!” Skizz rushes past Impulse, speaker in one hand, phone in the other. Impulse just smiles and follows at a much more relaxed pace.

“Alright, so,” Skizz starts, leaning towards Impulse as they stand outside of Tango’s door, “We go in, you go to the curtains and on the count of three, you yank ‘em open and I blast the song, got it?”

“Got it!” Impulse fake salutes, causing Skizz to huff a laugh.

“Here we go,” Skizz reaches out to open the door and then realizes that both of his hands are full, yet again.

“I got it, dummy,” Impulse says, laughter in his voice. Skizz just grumbles something about being a completely capable person as Impulse creeps the door open.

They rush to their spots and Impulse nods at Skizz once he’s in position.

“Okay,” Skizz whispers, “Three…Two…One…Disco time baby!”

Impulse rips the curtains open, it’s a matter of luck that they don’t rip off the rail.

Skizz blasts ‘Disco Inferno’ through his speaker.

And Tango shoots up in bed.

“Gah!” 

Tango looks panicked for a second before he looks between Impulse and Skizz.

“Ugh, why the hell do I live with you two idiots!” And slams his face back down into a pillow.

Impulse and Skizz just laugh, trying and failing to sing along to the song as they dance through the room.

The disco balls reflect the morning light, speckling the walls with bright white squares.

Tango groans again, trying to cover his ears.

“C’mon Top! It’s your song!” Skizz shouts over the music, running over to Tango’s bed. Impulse follows him.

“It’s not a song, it’s a war crime,” Tango mutter’s into the pillow, refusing to lift his head.

“You know you love it!” Impulse adds, poking Tango’s back.

Tango rolls over, glaring at the two of them. The pranksters just laugh, doubling over onto each other.

“Ugh! I did not get enough sleep for this!” Tango bemoans, dragging his hands down his face.

Impulse and Skizz just laugh harder.

“And why all the disco balls! This doesn’t even make any sense!”

“Oh come on, buddy! You named yourself ‘Inferno’, you had to have known this would happen!” Skizz exclaims, standing back upright to look at Tango.

“Seriously, ‘Disco Inferno’? What are you, twelve?” If looks could kill, let’s just say Tango might have a hard time paying rent for such a large and empty apartment.

Speaking of this being an apartment, Skizz seems to come back to himself a bit and turns the song down. Pranks are great but they’re not so great when they get you in trouble with your Landlord.

Impulse continues to cackle, still doubled over with his laughter.

“Oh come on,” Tango groans, “How can you find this funny?!”

Impulse can’t say anything through his laughter, not that he has a reasonable excuse for why this is so funny anyway.

“Top, you have to admit that this is maybe just a little bit funny!” Skizz slaps Impulse on the back, still laughing himself.

“I guess this is what I get for trusting my friends!” Tango grumbles, “You two’re cleaning this up by the way.”

Skizz ignores Tango’s comment, instead turning to Impulse who’s still folded in half with laughter. Skizz giggles at Impulse’s laughing and pulls him up by the shoulder.

“Mission ‘Disco Inferno’ success!”

—

Hello again! Hopefully you enjoyed that because I had fun with my Dad Joke ;)

As I said at the start, this is a universe I want to expand upon (I already have another one-shot almost done and plenty more ideas)! So if you liked this, keep an eye out for those!

Anyways, thanks for reading, see ya when I see ya! :)

[sushis-wild-imagination]

One Call Away (Seungcheol x reader)

Summary: Y/n is sick and cheol, her best friend, is always only a call away.

Part of Over a Decade Series Seventeen Masterlist <3 -----

Seungcheol was getting ready to go on his date with Ji-ah when he got a call. He was fiddling with the button on his sleeve when his phone rang. 

When he picked up the call, it was your voice, barely audible, sounding tired and sick. 

“Yah, are you okay?” 

”I’m not, this fever won’t go down” 

Seungcheol rushed to your apartment under his right after he could cut the call. He knew the passcode to your flat like you did to his. He just walked in.

“Yah, y/n, are you alive?” He jokes walking into your bedroom.

You were horribly sick, the color drained from your face. 

“You look like a corpse” he says sitting next to you on the bed. He tries to sit you up but your body was limp, you had no energy and felt very warm to touch. 

“You’re burning up” he spots a thermometer next to your bed on the night stand and quickly grabs it to check your temperature while resting you on his chest so you don’t fall back down. 

“I’ve been like this all day” you somehow blurt out. Your body was hurting, you just wanted to pass out. 

“Let’s get you to a hospital” he was worried, he really didn’t know if it was just a fever or something more serious. 

He ran around the house to stuff some snacks, a water bottle and a hoodie in a backpack. He spots an old hoodie of his that you stole for himself if it gets cold. He somehow holds you up against him taking you to the elevator and helps you get you into his car. You were leaning on him, you had no energy to even sit up right by yourself. He puts on the seatbelt and fixes your seat to lean back so you’re comfortable.

He was constantly rubbing your arm to keep you warm while he drove. 

“Do you need a hoodie?” He asks but doesn’t wait for you to respond. Instead just digs in the backpack he packed for you and puts the hoodie on you at a red light. 

There was nothing else on his mind. He needed to know you’re okay. 

“Are you awake? Are you feeling okay” he asks touching your forehead again to check how warm you were. 

All you could say is a ‘hmm’ 

When you reach the hospital, they put you on an IV and a paracetamol. His hand never left yours. He was really freaked out by all this. They still didn’t know what caused the fever. 

He was now bent on the side of your bed with his head on the bed, getting tired and sleepy, one hand holding yours tightly, while you sleep. 

Seungcheol rang his mom first, his mom was always his go to when he felt freaked out. 

“I’m at the hospital” 

“Why why why? Are you hurt?” His mom’s concerned voice says over the phone. 

“I’m okay, it’s y/n, she’s sick, the doctors haven’t told me what's wrong yet, I’m getting nervous” 

“Is it a fever?”

“Yeah, she has been like this all day, I don’t even know what meds she took to tell the doctor”

“They’ll figure it out, trust the doctors, she’ll be okay, fevers are normal, the weather must be changing there too, these things effect your body” his mother rationalizes. You always need someone to knock these facts into you when you’re freaking out. Talking to his mom really helped him. 

He hung up and sighed. He looked up at you to check if you were awake. By the time the doctor had come in. 

“Miss. L/n is alright, it was just a really high fever, we do suspect dengue,we’ll just get a blood test done to make sure its not” the doctor explains and cheol nods.

“Thank you” 

“Do you happen to know what meds she took before getting here?”

“I don’t Doctor, I will let you know if I find out”

“Very well” 

Cheol immediately called Dokyeom, your co-worker and one of your work friends. 

“Yes hyung”

“Did y/n take some meds at work today? She has had a fever all day, and she said she took some meds at work before she left, do you know what they were?” Seungcheol asks Dokyeom in a rush. 

“Ah, right, yes she did, she had a horrid fever, I practically had to push her out of the building to go back home” 

“What did she take?” 

“The meds in the first aid kit at the office so I’m guessing a paracetamol” 

“Okay, thanks” 

“Is she doing okay? You sound stressed” 

“Im at the hospital with her right now the fever hasn’t broken” 

“Do you need me to come by?” 

“No, it's alright, we’re okay, its late” 

“What did the doctor say?” 

“They're running a few tests” he responded and also checked her body putting the back of his hand on your neck. He sighed in relief, the fever broke. 

“Okay, let me know if you need help hyung, I’ll come by” 

“Yes, I will,” he says. 

“Ah, one more thing, I don’t think she’ll come into work, can you inform them? Im not sure of the process at your work so just letting you know instead” he says remembering right on time. 

Cheol was relieved your fever finally broke. 

A nurse came by and stuck a needle in you to draw blood, you were asleep and probably didn’t even feel it but Cheol’s grip on your free hand tightened.

He hears your phone ring, it was your mother this time. Cheols mother possibly told her too. 

Before he could even say hello, her mother started speaking. 

“Is she okay? I heard you’re at the hospital?” 

“We are, she’s alright mother, they’re running a few tests, I think we’ll get to go home in the morning” 

“That’s a relief, should I come visit for a few days?” she asks over the phone clearly worried for her only daughter. 

“No, no it's not that serious, I just spoke to the doctors, she’ll be alright by the morning” 

“Thank you for taking care of her” 

“I know she would do the same for me” he deflects your mother’s thanks politely.

“Get her to talk to me once she’s okay” she says and both of them say goodbyes and hang up. 

He notices a notification from a certain guy with a message that said goodnight with a heart emoji. His heart sunk. His mind was cloud with thoughts of if you’re seeing someone. 

Shit. 

Ji-ah. 

He had completely forgotten about his girlfriend. She was going to be so pissed. They had plans of going to a restaurant to celebrate their 100th day. 

Seungcheol exhales loudly, rubbing his face. He decided he’ll just deal with it tomorrow. He was too tired to justify himself. He was getting sleepy, he just put his head down on the bed to get a power nap. It was going to kill his back when he woke up but there was no other option. All this while still subconsciously holding your hand. 

A few hours later your eyes flutter open, you had passed out, the last thing you remember was Seungcheol getting you out of a car. You felt a lot better now though. Your energy was almost back. 

You see him slouched over on the bed and your hands feel sweaty.

You realize he has had a death grip on your hand. You pat his head with your free hand. 

“Cheol,” you call softly trying not to startle him. 

“Hmm” he wakes up with a jerk almost immediately. 

His swollen face makes you smile. 

“Are you feeling better?” he says sitting up and immediately hissing. His sleeping posture really screwed up his back. 

“I am” you nod. “Thanks for bringing me here” 

“You would’ve done the same for me plus I’m only a call away” he smiles back. 

“Is that my hoodie?” you ask. 

“No, its MY hoodie, the one you stole from me”

[swallowtailed]

palisade 51 / finalisade pt. 6

this episode was so fun?? good vibes, good jokes, i had a great time

everyone chiming in with what they’re doing during clem’s attack felt like a bit of blue channel crew vibes again. cori wrote fic about leap…… also every time janine makes something spookier it is so good. petition for janine to hold spookier forever

clem and gur: the mirroring of their first death scene worked really well here. highlights their shared history as abandoned followers of perennial—they’re still caught in a time loop, but they’re alone inside it.

you know whose body probably also fell into the sea? figure

extremely funny future visions in this episode. clem seeing herself get unceremoniously murked by everyone in mbreak, brnine imagining running away with gucci cause she’s being mean to them… it’s truly the perfect kind of mechanic to put on divine cycle characters. and it’s messyyyyyyyyyyy

i was a little disappointed that future got taken down because i was so enjoying having it around causing problems. so imagine my excitement when JESSET STOLE IT. a revolutionary who sees that they’re compromising and wants to do better… and decided to put the imperial war machine inside his heart to achieve that… and now he has the divine future, which can show him his dreams and spur him on, or torment him with visions of failure… and gur is there… god i can’t wait. this is so exciting

ooh is this jesset’s entrance as black centurion. or for the initialism, what are other relevant adjectives that start with j… hmm. joyless centurion

also jesset is such an interesting foil to levi. veteran vs new recruit, mbreak vs mirage, both up-and-coming leaders, both driven to take action because they know they can be doing more & better

thisbe scene…. i love her. she’s under the chimera’s wing…

pleased that nideo has been driven back from the moon. that was a “take something that isn’t yours” from like the stellar combustor era

really interesting to have the chimeric cadent come in. there’s something there about thisbe asking the tomb & guardian of divines to help her communicate with wakeful. (falling asleep/waking up, respectively.) palisade as a season has been insistent on the necessity of living with & in & alongside death. the divines in the garden of fidelity were tortured in the dark for centuries and still lived on… the chimeric cadent understands intimately what death means to both divines and mortals (being composed of both, and very long-lived, and a tomb)… i mean, the chimeric cadent sort of gets it, right? maybe the most out of anyone? and anyway they get [gestures at the aforementioned themes of palisade]. 

god i am so hoping that partial palisade comes back onscreen before the end of the season. maybe he and wakeful can figure something out. wakeful planet palisade... i am thinking about it

anyway speaking of wakeful that levi scene was so fun. delightful to meet so many faces, especially limitless welkin. love that all it takes is someone going “hey people can just help, look, i’ll go first” and levi convinces wakeful to help rebuild palisade. reminds me of cori telling perennial that she’s gonna win this time.

really exploding the social roles of divines in this finale and i am so glad that we got here

parti mentioned!!!!! the best radio host on palisade!!!!!!!!!!!! unfortunately loose lips do sink ships but hey what can you do

[iamindebt]

Dussekar is an enegmatic and strange character, shrouded in mystery

[LONG POST INCOMING] [[like its massive]]

1st off, tell me if he EVER, at all , ONCE actively helps you

Chapter 1, Otempes does most of it

Chapter 2, Wiscara tags alongside you to take her scissors back and beats up herbrother ro do so

Chapter 3 you just go with Otempes, but THIS is when you meet Dussekar

Chapter 4 is primarily a solo mission, with Wiscara telling you where to go

Chapter 5 everyone tags along, EXCEPT Dussekar (put a pin in that for me)

Chapter 6, Tucker (who does not need to help) convinces you to take a more active approach instead of waiting for a problem to occur and then solving it (see chapters 1, 2, and 4)

Chapter 7 Base cleph and Otempes solve this, you coming along because Claire told you too.

Chapter 8 EVERYONE gets involved

...yeah hes not the defenition of a "team player".

2nd, Dussekar is just some guy, just some guy that got what he wanted because of a likely meaningless task

3rd, he seems to be apathetic or blatantly NOT CARE about scriptliss despite saying that he does. (put a note about the "apathetic part")

(from chapter 4)

D: ...So you have no idea who released you?

S: N-no... I couldnt see behind me because my entire body was chained... I have no idea who cut the chains either

(Dussekar glances to the paper ball chained to scriptliss's ankle)

D: Hmm... well it seems they missed a chain. And the clamp is tightly secured. Does it hurt to walk?

S: N-n-no... *sniff*

D: Whats the matter?

S: It's just that *sniff* You knew i was chained up... Didnt you?

D: Well... not quite. I heard some rumors. I knew your general whereabouts, but i had no idea you were actually chained up...

D: Im sorry for not going to check up on you sooner. I figured that, wherever you were, you'd be fine on your own.

S: But *sniff* Thats how we lost 1x1x1x1 to the void, too. You assumed that he was safe enough on his own...

D: Hey, can we change the subject? The protagonist is right over there.

S: Oh, hi! Didn't see you over there, Protagonist. Were're just chill out here. Isn't that right Dussekar?

D: Absolutely frigid.

S: Hah! What a Dussekar. Always cracking jokes.

(Nice save)

D: (Shhhh. Put a lid on it.)

This shows us a lot about the characters. Dussekar knew about rumors, meaning he forgot or didnt care to check on Scriptliss, who was IN HIS. WASTEBASKET.

Scriptliss does actually bring this up in their conversation (see red text), instead of confronting this or apologising for it, he changes the subject, focusing on protag.

Once scriptliss notices this he seems a lot more extroverted and friendly from his demeanor not even 5 seconds ago. Most likely scriptliss does not want anyone to find out what happened in pr2 but he does bring up some very good points.

There was no reason Dussekar should not have been able to check in on Scriptliss. Hes immortal, Dussekars immortal, his wastebasket is RIGHT THERE.

(seriously buddy, you cant spend 5 minutes to attempt to reconcile with you only remaining friend? he seems very willing now)

4th

(i would rewrite lanter and dussekars entire conversation but thats like rewriting the bloody bee movie script)

L: ...Are you even listening to yourself? You sound more like a tyrant than the god who you vanquished centuries ago. Just because someone stole your precious little plaything doesn't mean you have to fight so hard to get it back

D: The plotbook isnt a "plaything" its the reality we live in.

L: You truly are no different then the ancient gods who fought to protect everything they ruled over. Have you ever considered that Antagon might just be repeating your own history?

D: well, if you disagree with his actions as much as you disagree with mine, Why dont you go stop him yourself?!

L: Thats not the point. The point is, You need to see your actions from a different perspective before you draw definitive conclusions on people

D: Im well aware of how my actions affect others. I don't need anyone reminding me what the consequences of my actions are. I know exactly what ive done.

L: Alright then. What are you finally gonna do when you finally catch antagon? Surely your not going to send him to banland, are you? Hes just a kid, you know. Until recently, hes been living with his mother. What are you going to do then?

D: ...........

L: Hes just a younger version of you. Are you going to lash out at him when you finally get the plot book back?

D: ..............

L: Well?

idk man dussekar definitely looked like he was considering it. Its bad for antagon because hes a CHILD but its worse for scriptliss because hes immortal. like c'mon dude this is greek mythology levels of punishment.

why did he not try to revive tretone or tess,

major L moment right there

TLDR:

Dussekar as a character seems to show that he does not care about his old friend and has no issues with sending anyone he disagrees with to infinity jail.

it gets better after apologising about screaming at antagon and talking to scriptliss though :thumbs_up:

[broadwaybalogna]

Zutara Last Five Years AU (pt. 3/12)

Read part two here

-

Katara looked over her shoulder to the figure that was slowly approaching her.

“Zuko,” she breathed, slightly surprised that he had actually come to see her.

He took a few more steps before sitting down beside her, overlooking the ocean that was in front of the pier they both sat on. He looked back over to her, a wide smile stretching across her face.

“What’s that for?”

“I’m just happy you’re here,” she took his hand in hers and held it tightly, “I miss you.”

Zuko nodded. His duties of fire lord had taken over a large portion of his life. He looked down, eyes settling on the new dress she wore. Blue fabrics gently wrapping around her figure.

“Where’s that from?”

“I stole it,” she smirked.

Zuko’s face contorted into that of surprise and disbelief.

“I’m joking,” she laughed, “someone from the Northern Water Tribe sent it. It makes me look like Yue.”

Zuko laughed again. His hand covered his mouth.

Katara sighed and her eyes found Zuko’s.

“What is it?”

She took a deep breath, “I think we’re going to be okay.”

Zuko’s face contorted into some kind of confusion before settling down. He nodded again and let out a slight ‘mhm’.

“I mean- we’ll have to try harder. Maybe be a little more flexible?” She nudged Zuko, “what we have is special, just as it was five years ago. I mean- look at you, you’re here, and so am I. I love that.”

Zuko took a long moment to think. Silence overwhelmed the two of them. Katara spoke again.

“I think the water tribes will really like what I’ve come up with.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, im pretty sure it doesn’t suck like the other laws I tried to pass.” She rolled her eyes, then focused back on Zuko. He let out a small chuckle and he smiled.

Yeah, they were fine.

Katara and Zuko both knew they still had a ways to go. Their relationship was bumpy.

“I-“ Katara finally started, “I think we both know that things have been rocky. We can both see where things could’ve been better,” she mumbled the last part to herself, but she still expected Zuko could hear it. “I’ll- you know I’ll own when I’m wrong or make a mistake, right? I mean, with everything we’ve gone through, we can only get stronger.” Zuko didn’t change his expression much. “So let’s try again and just keep going. One step at a time, hmm?”

Zuko nodded and looked back out at the ocean for a few moments. Katara followed in suit. Then, he stood up.

“I’ve got to go. They’re having another party and I have to- well, you know…”

“I-“ Katara cut herself off. “I didn’t know you had to leave so soon. I thought we’d have more time.”

“I’m sorry. You can come if you want-“

“No, whatever. If you have to do it then you have to do it. And you have to. It’s fine. We can talk more tonight.”

Zuko’s lips pinched together in a tight smile as he began walking back.

Katara looked back at the ocean. She could feel tears begin to well up in her eyes.

She turned back to Zuko who was no more than a few meters away from her.

“You know what drives me nuts, Zuko?”

“What?”

“We could be here, together, spending time, and you’re going to choose someone else to be with.”

“Katara, you know I’m not-“

“Yes you are!”

“Don’t talk like this-“

“It’s exactly what you’re doing! You can be here with me, or there with them. And as usual, you pick them.”

“Katara you know I-“

“No Zuko, you do NOT have to go to another party.”

“If I could just-“

“You could be with ME instead, your WIFE, on her fucking birthday. Or you could, god forbid, even help me fix fire nation ties with the Water Tribes.”

“I…” Zuko stopped himself this time.

“And I know, it must drive you crazy that you can’t hang around with your other little girlfriends-“

“They are not-! It’s strictly political, I don’t ‘hang around’ anyone! God, Katara, you’re being dramatic-”

“I’m not!”

“-and overbearing.”

“No, I’m not! This is exactly my point! You can’t spend a single day that’s not about you!”

“Katara you and I both know that’s not true.”

“Nothing but you! ‘Oh look how amazing Fire Lord Zuko is’ and ‘He’s so cute’ and ‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ It’s all about you!”

A long pause. She took a deep breath.

“And I-” Katara was breathing so heavily. Her chest felt like it was pulsing out of her body. She could barely control herself as tears spilled from her eyes and back onto the pier. Zuko stood there, no less than a meter away now, looking at her. Just…

Standing there.

“I swear to Tui and La and I will never understand how you can just stand there.. watching me cry-

-and not do anything.”