#i thought it would be interesting to see a more neutral relationship between danny and damian

[thatrandomsarahchick]

@justafanwarrior tags

Bruce is absolutely pulling all of his training not to react right now. "Damian! Is this one of your friends from when you lived with your mother's side of the family, then? You should have told me, we could have reconnected you two do much sooner!"

Damian: *suddenly realises that he's in trouble, as he forgot to mention to his father about his brother*

All Plans Fly Out the Window

There’ve been quite a few long lost twins Damian and Danny meeting at galas, right? All very cute, happy, relaxed, etc.. Well what if we add a little twist?

——————————————————

Vlad Masters.

A very suspicious figure that only in the last few years rose to wealth and power from almost thin air. Companies that were doing decent simply handing over the keys. No court has ever been able to prove foul play, all judges siding with Masters even when counter mind control measures were in place.

Any evidence or stories implicating Masters were either retracted or removed with great speed.

Bruce did not want another Lex Luther to deal with, and yet he first needs evidence. All of his computers were tightly secured with little connection to the Internet, and the ones that were refusing to be hacked. (“It’s almost as if it’s… alive, B.”)

Therefore, while risky, a more hands-on approach was needed.

Tim and Bruce were to stay in the spotlight, keep Masters eyes on them. While Damian would sneak away and snoop under the pretense of, “being bored”.

However, all of this went out the window when Masters introduced his godson, Daniel Fenton who when shaking their hands said in the League of Assassins dialect in a pleasant tone,

“What the **** are you doing here?”

[strvngcrs]

『 adam brody. forty. cis male. he/him. 』 oh heavens, is that DANIEL ABRAMS from FAIR LANE i see roaming around mapleview? minnie may’s always calling them -BROODING & -EVASIVE. i happen to think they’re not that bad! they’re a pretty cool HORROR AUTHOR and every time i’ve seen them, they’ve always been +DEBONAIR & +ELOQUENT. i hope i see them around again! 

classically rolls in ridiculously late bc i forgot i had to work last night & then proceeded to sleep in today wooo !!  good afternoon ghouls, it’s ya girl maia, finally here to deliver the definition of hot mess with good intentions.

GENERAL

FULL NAME.    daniel elijah abrams.

NICKNAMES.    dan, danny.

AGE & BIRTHDATE.    40 years old ; may 4, 1980.

GENDER & PRONOUNS.    cis male ; he/him.

ORIENTATION.    heterosexual.

MARITAL STATUS.    estranged.

RELIGION.    jewish ( non-practicing ).

OCCUPATION.    horror author.

INSPIRATION.     bill denbrough ( it ), donnie darko ( donnie darko ), lucas scott ( one tree hill ), stephen king.

PHYSICAL

HAIR COLOUR.    black.

EYE COLOUR.    dark brown.

BUILD.    athletic.

MARKS.     freckles scarcely spread across his entire body.

TATTOOS.    none.

PIERCINGS.    none.

HEIGHT.    5'11".

FACECLAIM.    adam brody.

PERSONALITY

ZODIAC.    taurus.

ALIGNMENT.    chaotic neutral.

HOGWARTS.    ravenclaw.

LABEL.    the arcane.

POSITIVE TRAITS.    cheeky, debonair, driven, eloquent, resilient, solicitous.

NEGATIVE TRAITS.    brooding, evasive, inquisitive, sarcastic, stoic, stubborn.

HOBBIES.    smokes like a chimney while writing until he forgets what day of the week it is, dabbles in hunting & fishing (thanks @ his dad), labels all crime / thriller genres as ‘predictable’ but continues to watch them, obsesses over & relentlessly criticizes his own work, drinks heavily & passionately plays moonlight sonata or fur elise as if he’s betoven’s disciple.

BACKGROUND

PLACE OF BIRTH.    california.

CURRENT RESIDENCE.    mapleview, north carolina.

NATIONALITY.    american.

ETHNICITY.    ashkenazi jewish.

PARENTS.   judith miller & mr abrams.

SIBLINGS.    mia miller.

BIRTH ORDER.    eldest.

CHILDREN.    penelope abrams.

EDUCATION.     university of california, los angeles; bachelor of arts in english.

LANGUAGES.    english, some spanish & french.

HISTORY

EARLY LIFE.    born to THE judith miller and some newspaper editor, daniel was raised by the latter and notoriously abandoned by the former. well, not completely abandoned - there’s an old shoebox containing a few letters as proof - but that was the only source of communication in their otherwise absent relationship. while little danny boy didn’t fully understand why he couldn’t see his mother, he sought out an alternative solution by watching her movies. his father wasn’t aware, at first, and dan created this extravagant fantasy of the person he thought she was based on the roles she played. however, once papa abrams found out his son was watching these movies (which were probably not fit for children in the first place lmao oop), he begrudgingly revealed the bitter truth. being forced to come to terms with the fact that his own mother willingly abandoned him with his father, daniel didn’t fully understand what it meant; he couldn’t properly process why. the hurt of absent mother was expressed more out of anger, feeling as though there must have been something wrong with him. there were fewer and fewer letters sent to judith until he gave up altogether and thus, dan’s out of control behavior was born.

TEENAGE FEVER.    SUICIDE MENTION TW.  he struggled in school. his emotions betrayed him. instead of relishing a happy childhood, daniel found himself pushing everyone away, getting into fights, sneaking out late at night to run around the city streets with his friends and get into all sorts of trouble with them. he couldn’t count on his hands how many times the police picked him up and brought him to his dad’s doorstep. it only got worse once one of his best friends was found dead, written off as a suicide, though it didn’t add up in dan’s eyes and seemed so much more sinister. the young man was nearly deemed to be a lost cause, until he discovered his passion for writing. 

        ��                         language arts or literature was the last thing anyone would ever think to group with daniel abrams. but his english teacher noticed how well he could articulate his thoughts and feelings on paper, and submitted one of his pieces to a writing contest, which earned dan the win and a cash prize. bewildered by a talent he hadn’t even realized was in him, daniel embraced it. he started writing in a journal ( which he kept safely tucked away beneath the mattress of his bed ), documenting every feeling and thought as a way to express his emotions in a more productive manner. this talent earned him a full ride scholarship to ucla with a major in literature and plans of diving into some sort or creative writing career or perhaps becoming an english teacher, to follow in the footsteps of his high school teacher who he came to idolize.

                                  mere days into his freshman year, however, his high school sweetheart showed up in the middle of the night at his dorm with a positive pregnancy test. it was then the chaotic world as he knew it turned a new leaf, revealing a silver lining in the form of their daughter, penelope, who daniel hadn’t a clue, just yet, would save him. and so a shotgun wedding was quickly planned around the pair, both families either completely supportive or in utter disbelief. it was quick, it was cheap(ish), and it was stressful as all heck. but they were young, and in love, and were looking forward to starting a family together, despite it being a little earlier than initially planned.

“ADULT”HOOD.    fast forward five years, and they’re signing divorce papers. fortunately, it wasn’t messy. the two had simply grown apart as they matured in their respective ways, and remaining together was only causing a rift to develop between the two. the last thing they wanted, for the sake of their daughter, was built up resentment to tear the little family apart. his wife, who daniel initially thought to be the love of his life, blossomed into an absolute goddess; she was ambitious and knew exactly what she wanted. daniel, on the other hand, was still somewhat caught up in his ‘bad boy’ habits of drinking excessively and his career was still pretty up in the air. the two just didn’t compliment each others’ lifestyles anymore.

                                   daniel moved out but remained in california, settling for a bachelor’s apartment where he was able to have penelope every weekend. during this time, he finally cracked down and worked on finishing a novel he’d started years prior. within a year, he found a publisher who took interest in his grotesque works, and by the time daniel was twenty seven, his first bestseller hit the shelves, changing his life for the better with the ability to provide for his daughter without stress of landing another odd job ever again.

                                   as his fame increased, so did his desire to slink back into the shadows away from the limelight. at first, he enjoyed the wholesome book signings by day and grungy celebratory benders by night. but it grew old pretty fast and he certainly didn’t want to end up as another washed up shmuck. so, on a whim, daniel decided to move out of california completely, removing himself from the toxic lifestyle he’d grown accustomed to and shacking up on a beautiful piece of land in the rocky mountains of north carolina. the serenity and scenery certainly aided in his inspiration, as well as his unacknowledged lowkey addictions slowly being rehabilitated from his bloodstream.

OLD YELLER.    now, in his utmost prime at forty years old, he’s written numerous cult classics, a few of which have successful movie adaptations. he was lucky enough to land himself in a second marriage, though.... that one is now deteriorating as well because he literally doesn’t know how to maintain a healthy relationship. he received full custody of his daughter when she was sixteen, under the unfortunate circumstance of her mother’s untimely death. although they’d been separated for nearly twenty years, daniel was still very much affected by the loss, more so empathetically for penelope. he’s still hooked on the drink, though he’s definitely calmed down quite a bit from when he was a young buck. basically a messy, depressy old soul who uses sarcasm to deflect his true feelings.

CONNECTIONS

ESTRANGED WIFE.    first marriage was a bust, and the second is turning out to be no better. they haven’t hit rock bottom just yet, in his opinion (which would be finalizing a divorce lmao), and he’s unsure if they should work things out or not but also really.......doesn’t wanna go through the process of another divorce. plus he likes her and deep down adores their bickering. the reason(s) why things started falling apart between them can be discussed of course. lowkey debating on whippin this up as a big official wc but.... if anybody already here would like to snag it, i would 100% mclove it.

COLLABORATORS.    literally anyone he’s worked with over the years, whether they be fellow authors, publishers/publicists, journalists, screenplay writers, etc. yeehooo the possibilities are endless !!

FOLLOWERS.    anyone hooked on his books, whether devout fans from his early beginnings or people who newly discovered his fictional writings.

FORMER CLASSMATES.    could be from high school or university, but he was in california for the better part of his life aka not a mapleview native. former friends to foes & anything in between. dan’s that one kid who spiked the punch bowl at all the dances and years later probably snuck in party favors to snort off the bathroom sink during their high school reunion lmao whew !!

ANYTHING.    literally anything. i’m my groggy state of mind on my lack of creativity rn so please, i’m beggin. if daniel can enrich your characters’ lives in any way, shape, or form, hit me up and we’ll hatch a plan.

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Off on a nautical adventure!

We're sailing the Stone Glass Seas, exploring uncharted territory and enjoying the breeze. Rocky and Chrissie are here with some friends to go on a sailing adventure where they happened to run into Gulliver. So they made a stop at the camp and invited us campers to tag along because the more, the merrier!

It feels like forever since Rocky went sailing, which seems surprising since that's his thing. But with him and Lex busy with Talia and now Kessa, sailing has taken kind of a backseat. Of course, Rocky showed us pics of baby Kessa - who is adorable - and Talia, who's walking and talking now. As for Rocky and Lex's wedding, they're aiming for next year - preferably before baby number three comes along, they joke.

Now that Rocky and Lex are out of the newborn stage and have fully adjusted to two babies, they finally have some time to themselves. Chrissie's been helping out a lot as well as serving as sort of a peacemaker between Rocky and their uncle. It's not that they don't get along, it's just that McMann's the old fashioned type so the fact that his bisexual nephew's in a relationship with an enby and they have two kids while unmarried is kinda hard for him to wrap his head around. He does like Lex though and is actively making an effort not to misgender them and such, so at least there's that.

Joining them is Emma with her nieces and nephew. Emma just made the move to Cityburg about a month ago to move in with her brother and his kids. Despite working her ass off for six years in college, Emma was down on her luck, forced to live off her parents. When they told her that they were gonna kick her out, Danny stepped in, which they weren't too happy about. The kids are all for it as Emma's the favorite (and only) aunt and Danny could really use the help.

Margie, Rusty, and Linda like having Emma around and she likes being with them. Danny's a nightclub entertainer at the Cocktail Cabana who occasionally travels so he's not home all the time. Things haven't been easy since his husband and eldest daughter passed away last year, forcing Margie to take over as caretaker as well as housekeeper. While Emma and Margie have always gotten along like sisters, there has been some undercurrents as to who runs things around the house.

When the twins invited Emma to go sailing, she suggested bringing the kids along since Danny will be traveling that week and the kids are off from school. Emma also hopes to work things out with Margie, who she thinks has forgotten how to be a teenager. Now that we've been out on the sea for a couple days, I can see what she means. We all feel bad for Margie as she was forced to grow up quickly and as a result, she also became protective of her family.

Rusty and Linda are up to their own mischievous ways as usual, always keeping Emma and Margie on their toes. Sherry's presence is sorely missed - she was more than just Margie's partner in crime, she was also the ringleader of the Amos-Thomas siblings. A part of me had hoped that Sherry would make a miraculous recovery, but as time went on, all hopes of that diminished.

On a side note, Sherry would've turned sixteen last week - and the month before would've been Terry's birthday. So that's another reason why Emma decided to take the kids along - to give them a distraction so they won't be at each other's throats. And it's definitely been helping, especially for Rusty and Linda, who are having a great time right now. I think it's working for Emma and Margie too - or at least Emma can talk to her without feeling like she's walking on eggshells. I hope things work out for them.

While on our way to Wavy Shores, we ran into Gulliver, making his round trips as usual. Along with the usual treats he brings back, he also has some passengers tagging along. Through his travels, Gulliver often runs into villagers - most who I've never met before - and sometimes they join him on his voyage, later joining us at the camp. I'm pretty sure Gulliver talks up about the camp but I'm not complaining - the more, the merrier! So not only we got treats and maps, but also new friends to look forward to when we get back.

Wavy Shores definitely lives up to its name. Dixie first came across this place by accident and became mesmerized by the landscape. Given her stories about the shores, Rocky had to see it for himself. In fact, a good number of the places on the itinerary - aside from uncharted territory we plan on exploring - were places Dixie have been to. Rocky's been living the dream spending a lot of time with Dixie as she's basically a role model for him, the one who taught him how to sail. It's cute seeing his eyes light up whenever he talks about Dixie!

Everything in Wavy Shores is, well, wavy. Even the sky looks like a blend of wavy colors, contrasting with the sand dunes, the rocks, and the deep blue sea. It's so fascinating to look at - nature is amazing!

To the southwest is Polka Dot Leaf, a floating island known for its coral castle ruins. The exact location is a bit tricky to pinpoint because the island tends to shift due to the rough waters. We lucked out as around this time of year the seas are much calmer so it's all smooth sailing from there - I'd hate to get stuck in the middle of a storm.

The reason why it's called Polka Dot Leaf is because from above that's what the island looks like. It's one of those places that nature is slowly reclaiming, overgrown with seaweed brambles and seabloom blossoms. Walking into a coral castle ruin feels surreal, like I'm expecting the room to transform into another world.

What happened to the island's inhabitants remain a mystery, which adds to the appeal and mystique. Bedrooms with unmade beds, a kitchen sink full of chipped dishes, a desk full of yellowed papers covered in scribbles, a basket of laundry waiting to be folded - all of that, frozen in time. So many untold stories left behind.

To the east lies Summer Grove, a rainforest that is home to many rare butterflies. I've never seen so many colorful butterflies at once! All those colors and shapes - it's amazing to witness! Not to mention how majestic the butterflies are, fluttering about against a sea of green. We also enjoyed the tropical fruits and swimming at the lagoon. The weather was incredibly warm, but not overly humid or hot - which I'm grateful for or else I wouldn't have been able to appreciate the scenery as much and that would be a huge shame.

Then north we went through the Pearl Breeze Current to the idyllic mountains of Quill. Sailing through the Pearl Breeze is no easy feat as the current can be quite tricky to navigate, especially if you're not an experienced sailor. We were on the edge of our seats in our life jackets, holding our breaths while Rocky braved the waters. It was rough, but we made it!

A couple hours later we made it to the mountains and checked into a hotel for a well deserved rest. It's a good thing we weren't too far from land because I wasn't sure how much longer I could handle being at sea after the ordeal with the Pearl Breeze. Aside from a bad headache, an early rest did the trick along with some aspirin and a cool wet cloth.

The next day we went hiking in the mountains, where we came across a cave full of paintings and little iridescent crystals. Exploring the cave was a lot of fun, especially for the kids. Margie and Chrissie put their Chickadee Scout skills to use by guiding us through the tunnels, leading us to an old fountain covered in gothic roses. At first we thought the fountain was broken, until Rusty noticed that the overgrown foliage had blocked something. After a lot of tugging and pulling, a huge burst of water came out, soaking all of us. It was like the fountain came to life, showering us with crystal clear water and gothic rose petals.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped by a shop to change into some dry clothes. Everything looked so nice that it was hard to choose what to wear! Lately I've been into muted neutrals and florals and the store just happened to cater to my interests. Eventually I settled on a dusky pink floral dress with a maroon cardigan and then splurged on a lacy white blouse paired with a brown floral skirt. And then after that we browsed some other shops before grabbing dinner and heading back to the hotel.

Westward bound we headed to Greenaway, an archipelago known for its rare and unusual gems. At the center of the island is the famous volcano, a marvelous sight to see according to many adventurers. Rocky and Chrissie's uncle visited there about thirty years ago, witnessing an eruption when the village he was staying at was forced to evacuate. Since then that part of the island has been abandoned, though as of last year part of the outskirts is no longer restricted to the public.

Chrissie was hoping to find the house McMann rented along with some stuff he had to leave behind. It was long shot, especially since most of the area's buried in volcanic ash, but we figured that it wouldn't hurt to take a look - as long as it's safe. So we did, and as expected, we couldn't get too far because the entire village's pretty much gone. But we were able to figure out the area where McMann stayed based on the lamppost that served as a landmark - one of the few things that wasn't entirely buried in ash or destroyed in the eruption. It's eerie, looking at the remains of what was once a busy place.

Now we're sailing north, to Sunstone Caves. According to Dixie, the island's a floating desert in the middle of nowhere. It's a long ride - at least three days - so we have to be prepared for anything. While out on sea, especially with no landmarks to spot or keep us on track, time can stretch and bend in unpredictable ways. Luckily we're well stocked with supplies and good company so that'll make the time go by smoothly.

Being out here surrounded by sea and sky, it makes me feel so small. Compared to the sea, I'm a tiny little speck floating about. There's so much of the world around me, so much that I don't know about - it's something that keeps me going. The fact that there's so much to see, to explore, to experience - sometimes you get lucky and suddenly all these far off places you've never dreamed of seeing are within your grasp.

[peterstanslizzie]

Re-watching Lizzie Mcguire: Episode 1.4 (Pool Party)

The Actual First Episode

A classic Lizzie Mcguire episode

- For some strange reason, this episode was considered episode #4 and the fourth episode to air even though the production code for this episode is '101′. Meaning that chronologically, this is episode #1 and probably the series pilot. It’s no wonder that all the kids look a lot younger here than in other episodes.

- That being said, let’s begin my episode recap. Lizzie is running through an obstacle course during P.E. class and she’s having a miserable time; I can definitely relate. Side note: Coach Kelly is played by Dot Marie Jones, who also played Coach Beiste on the hit Fox television series, Glee.

- Cartoon Lizzie, who is Lizzie’s conscience gives us a brief commentary on the different social circles in her gym class and she describes herself as someone who doesn’t fit in any category. I can also relate to her in that aspect just because during high school, I didn’t fit into any sort of clique. And that’s fine because having multiple interests and friends from different walks of life was beneficial to me.

Introducing Lizzie’s BFFs and Classmates

This is so pure, I love it

- Babies! They look so young here for real. Miranda is first introduced as Lizzie’s best friend and they basically confide in each others secrets. But more about Miranda later on.

Gordo is so cute but extremely wise for his age

- Lizzie knew Gordo since she was a day out of her mom’s womb. She describes him as “smart, funny, creative and right about everything”. That’s our Gordo for sure.

Kate looks quite different here and it’s not because of the face she’s pulling

- Kate Sanders, as you all know is Lizzie’s frenemy but former best friend because she hit puberty and became popular because of that. I kinda need more info on how that happened. Did the other girls suddenly look up to her? Or did Kate suddenly develop a lot of confidence and a mean attitude to pair?

Danny Kessler was more visible at the start of the series. I wonder what happened?

- I believe Danny was meant to play a larger part in the show; However, his character just kind of faded into the background later on only to be somewhat replaced by Ethan Craft, who is a far better character in my opinion. He serves the purpose of being the hottest boy in school who girls go gaga for and that’s about it really. Danny invites Lizzie and Miranda to a pool party on Saturday and they lose their minds from the invitation. 

The Mcguire Household

Lizzie vs Dad and Matt lol. Jo as referee.

- I found this scene, which introduces us to Lizzie’s parents and brother to be a little chaotic; Lizzie tells her family that she’s been invited by the ‘hunk-in-training’ of the school to a party. We also get mentions of spit-swapping and strip poker as well as her dad thinking she has been kissing Danny and having second thoughts on allowing her to go to this party.

- Well, Lizzie doesn’t have to worry about it because she can’t go either way because her Nana’s 80th birthday party falls on the same day. Lizzie gets mad and storms off. I’m guessing her Nana lives out of town and so, it isn’t possible to go to her birthday party and also come back for Danny’s party on the same day.

Miranda’s Betrayal

- Lizzie vents to Miranda and Gordo about not being able to make it to Danny Kessler’s pool party and because of that, being the best friend Miranda is supposed to be, she tells Lizzie that she too won’t be attending his party either in order to show her support for Lizzie.

Side note: Knowing that this episode was written by Terri Minsky, I made the connection that Gordo’s parents who are shrinks is similar to Andi Mack Cyrus’s parents and step-parents being therapists too.

- Kate approaches Miranda and asks her a favor to ask her mom to draw some fake, temporary tattoos on her and her friends for the upcoming party. Miranda accepts and agrees to hang out with Kate after school, which pretty much means she’s re-attending the party and hence, betraying Lizzie in the process.

Miranda is disliked by most fans because of instances like this

- I honestly cannot be too hard on Miranda because she’s only 13 and everyone at school keeps talking about the pool party. Plus, she has a crush on Danny. So, I can’t fault her for ditching Lizzie but she could have at least asked Kate if Lizzie could come along to her house.

- However, I didn’t like how Lizzie was sitting by herself in the same school bus as Miranda and Kate and Miranda did not bother to ask her to sit with them. Even if Kate isn’t willing to let her, she should definitely stand her ground. Poor Lizzie has to sit with this one kid who proudly picks his nose and flicks it.

“Eww! Ya Nasty!” *in Raven Baxter’s voice

Obligation vs Being Forced to do things

- Jo Mcguire is on the phone talking to someone about trying to get out of volunteering to write for a newsletter. Lizzie overhears this and confronts her mom for being hypocritical as she is forcing Lizzie to attend her Nana’s birthday party whilst she herself is trying to come up with an excuse to get out of doing something else.

- I get what Lizzie means; how is it okay for her mom to make excuses while she can’t? Well, Jo is an adult, so excuses are something that she is able to make and bear the responsibilities that come out of it. Lizzie is still a kid and I believe that her old grandma’s birthday is more important than some middle school party.

Heart to Heart

- After Lizzie confines herself in her room, Jo deploys her husband, Sam to try to get Lizzie to open up by asking him to use a simple yet complicated technique known as the ‘hairbrush routine’, which is making an excuse to look for something in the room and proceed to talk about a neutral topic and only engage with the questioning at hand when she makes eye contact and speaks in full sentences. Lol, that’s a mouthful.

- Luckily, we did get this beautiful moment in the end:

Give me some tissues :(

Gordo is the Man

This is some good acting imo

- Can we first talk about that long stare between Lizzie and Miranda in the hallway when Miranda, Kate and her crew were walking past Lizzie by her locker? Their expressions were so believable; I can almost read the dialog between their faces alone.

- Lizzie complains to Gordo and accuses Miranda for being a hypocrite but Gordo tells Lizzie that she shouldn’t be mad at her because the party was something Miranda really wanted to go to.

- Ughh, it’s hard. The position Miranda was put in is so difficult. It’s either she doesn’t go to the party to show her loyalty or she does go and have the best time of her life but risk having her friend hate her because of it. Either way, I think Lizzie shouldn’t be mad at Miranda regardless. There are plenty more episodes for that in the future.

- Gordo delivers the final blow when he says that he wasn’t even invited to the party and that pretty much cancels out all of Lizzie’s arguments.

Another cute Lizzie x Gordo moment

Lizzie makes up with her Mom and Miranda

- Jo enters Lizzie’s room and tells her that her Nana is going to Las Vegas to play poker and so, Lizzie is free to go to the pool party. What a grandma haha! I’m happy they hugged it out. I don’t like Lizzie being mad at her mom.

- Lizzie decided to skip the party (good for her!) and she and Gordo played in the backyard and made art by dipping a huge piece of cloth in some color dye to create a really cool effect.

- Miranda unexpectedly shows up at Lizzie’s backyard after leaving the pool party and turns out, she had a bad time because Kate’s ankle swelled up from the tattoo and she had to sit with her in the locker room. She also admits being a bad friend to Lizzie for blowing her off.

- Lizzie doesn’t hold any grudge and she and Miranda are back to being besties!

Overall Thoughts

- There was a lot to talk about in this episode from Lizzie’s relationship woes with her best friend to her feeling like her opinions and thoughts are not seen as valid by her family. I do think that for how Lizzie was so upset at Miranda, she kinda forgave her too easily. But I don’t think I would want to see them continue to not be on speaking terms for more than 1 episode.

- I am glad that there was no unnecessary sub-plot involving Matt and Sam in this episode. His story-lines are really a hit or miss to me. I prefer the ones where his relationship with his friends and family are tested as well as when he faced situations that gave him character development. I don’t like the goofy, comic-relief ones like last episode’s cooking fiasco.

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

The Drunken Lie

Hello!  By popular demand, this is a sequel to ‘The Sober Truth’.  T rating.

Thank you for reading!

--

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Ellie rolled her eyes, following Hardy up the path to his front door as they bickered.  She’d entirely lost the thread of the ‘discussion’, more focused on disagreeing with him for the sake of riling him up.  While once it would have been for the enjoyment she got from listening to him rant and rave in that Scottish accent, now it served a...  better purpose.

She licked her lips.

“All I’m saying is,” he snarled, yanking open his sliding door, “don’t make promises I have no intention or interest in keeping!  Just because you’ve got a bleeding heart-”

Hardy cut himself off, staring inside the door at his house, and she frowned.  Leaning to the side she peeked around him, smiling even as her heart fell, their plans evaporating into smoke.  “Daisy!  What’re you doing here?”

Nudging her stunned partner out of the way she bustled inside, greeting the girl with a well-received warm hug.  The teenager had cut and dyed her hair since the last time she’d been back to Broadchurch, and Ellie admired the short, straight, fluorescent pink hair.  “This looks lovely!”

“Thanks, Ellie,” Daisy grinned, raising a curious eyebrow at her father.  “I’m trying not to be insulted by how disappointed you are to see me, Dad.”

“Of course I’m happy to see you,” he recovered, hugging her close and shooting Ellie an apologetic look when his daughter couldn’t see.  “But, erm, why are you here?”

He led her to the couch, Ellie dithering in the doorway, unwilling to interrupt but sorry to lose, among other things, her dinner date.

“I… needed a favor.  From both of you,” Daisy added, when Ellie moved to leave.

“Anything,” she promised, perching on the arm of the chair while Hardy settled next to his daughter.

Hardy shot her an exasperated look of warning, before turning his gaze on the teenager.  “Are you in trouble?  Or… trouble?”

“What?  No!  And, no!  Dad!  Jeez,” Daisy complained, crossing her arms and glaring at him.  “Come on!”

“I just… wasn’t expecting you.  What’s going on?”

The teenager took a deep breath, tucking her hair behind her ears.  “Um, remember how Mum’s getting married?”

“Yes,” he said shortly, and Ellie nodded in agreement, biting her lip to hide a smile.  She honestly couldn’t care less about Tess’s impending wedding, but the initial news had been what had pushed her and Hardy together – for that, she’d like to thank her.  Maybe.

Well, probably not.

“So, I’m supposed to be in the wedding, give her away, whatever.”

“Okay?”

Daisy fidgeted with a ring on her middle finger, turning the band and sliding it off and on.  “Well, I just found out why they’re getting married.”  She gave them both a significant look, one Ellie caught and understood immediately, shaking her head with a soft sigh.  She could hardly judge though; it was the same reason her own marriage had come to be.

“Why’s that?”

Poor, clueless bloke, Ellie snorted, and he glanced between the women, confused, while they shared an eye-roll.

“She’s pregnant.”  Daisy broke it gently, and Ellie watched his expression carefully only to see the confusion clear, with no hint of longing or regret.

“That’s nice,” he said neutrally.

His daughter shook her head, pink hair bouncing with the movement.  “Not really – I sort of flipped out on her.  Turns out it’s made her introspective, wants to ‘heal the wounds of the past’, so this new kid can… I dunno, have a place in my life or something.  That’s what she wants at least.”

A gnawing feeling started low in Ellie’s gut as she realized what the favor was likely to be, and already wondering how she would keep Hardy from losing his mind.

“What d’you need with us, then?  An excuse not to go?”  He didn’t seem to have gotten it yet.

Daisy shook her head slowly.  “I, uh, told her I refused to go if you weren’t there.”

There it is.

“And?”  Hardy’s expression turned thunderous, steam practically coming out of his ears and making Ellie wince.

“She called my bluff,” she said miserably.  “Said ‘fine, whatever, he can come – though he’ll be at the farthest table.’  And I said… well, I told her that you wouldn’t come without your fiancée,” Daisy’s voice trailed off, and she offered her father a tentative smile.

“My fiancée?”

Ellie groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Daisy had the good sense to look ashamed.  “I didn’t think she’d go for it, I was trying to be unreasonable!”

“Well, tell her you’ve thought about it and you’re a big girl, you don’t need Dad there with you.”  Hardy was unsympathetic, though Ellie noticed he steadfastly refused to look at her, focusing on his daughter a bit too intently to be genuine.

“I can’t do that!  Dad, please?”

“Is that how I’m involved?” Ellie asked, trying to divert Daisy’s attention away from her father for a moment so he could rein in his anger.  “You said that I was…”

Daisy nodded.  “Sorry, I know it’s not like that between you, but… it would really mean a lot.  If nothing else, it’s a free night away, and they’re doing it all posh.  You won’t know anyone but us, and you’ll never see any of them again.”

“I know them all!”

She waved dismissively, not even glancing back at him.  “This isn’t about you.  Chloe’ll be there too, but she already knows about the ruse so that’s not a problem.  Please?  Don’t make me go alone.”

Ellie sighed, but was unable to deny pleading eyes.  “All right.  When is it?”

Daisy winced.  “This Saturday.”

It was Thursday evening.  Hardy looked ready to have a stroke.

“Daisy!”

-

In the end, it was easier to sneak away than they'd first feared.  They already had the weekend off, and if her vague explanation led her father to assume it was a work trip, so much the better.

They left the office at three on Friday, Ellie behind the wheel as they headed northeast.  Despite the last time having been a good five years earlier, the drive to Sandbrook was almost like muscle memory.  Of course, she thought, checking on Daisy in the backseat via the rearview mirror, this is a much different trip.

It was funny, how much had changed.  Then, Hardy had been terribly ill and downtrodden, borderline hopeless, and Ellie's rage had been about the only thing she could feel.

Now Hardy was healthy, his daughter's love doing as much for his heart as the pacemaker.  Ellie… she had found peace, had moved on.  Joe rarely plagued her dreams, and she looked forward now, not back.  The man beside her had quite a bit to do with that, even before they had started their relationship a few weeks earlier.

"I know you're not thrilled about this," Ellie said quietly, double checking the mirror to make sure Daisy was distracted with her earbuds and smartphone, "but consider how this is good."

"What good could possibly come from this?" her partner grumbled from the passenger seat, turning his head to do his own check on his daughter.  It hadn’t been discussed, but Ellie was a detective – it was clear enough that he hadn’t shared his new relationship status with the teenager, one who was already upset enough about her mother’s remarriage.

She hummed.  "For one, we actually get to spend the entire night together.  And not just 'cause we're stuck at work.  In a bed and everything."

Hardy's eyebrows rose as he considered that.  "True.  First time."  He swept his eyes over her, sparking a low burn of desire to flood her belly.

"Free cake.  I looked the place they're having it up - easily £150 a plate."

His expression fell to a scowl and he went back to staring out the window.  After a minute he said softly, "You realize basically everyone at this wedding will know who I am, right?"

She did, but tried for levity anyway.  "Someone certainly thinks a lot of himself."

"They'll all know about the case, and the affair, and how clueless I was about both," he ignored her.  "How my incompetence let not one, but two child-killers escape justice."

"We got the Ashworths, and Ricky Gillespie.  They'll all rot in prison for decades."

He smiled sardonically.  "Most of the guests will be friends and co-workers.  They'll all know about- Danny."

Ellie's breath caught - she hadn't even considered that possibility.  Then she rallied. "Well, if they're gossiping about me then they're too busy to talk about you," she shrugged, knowing her would-be casual air wasn't fooling him.

"Miller-"

“We’re a team,” she cut him off firmly.  “Who cares what people you haven’t seen in seven years think of you.  And remember, we’re here for Daisy, to make this easier on her.  So no matter what happens, we will focus on her.  Hang the rest of them.”

When he didn’t answer she glanced in his direction, wondering if she’d somehow over stepped, only to find him gazing lovingly at her.

“What?”

“Sometimes you know exactly the right thing to say,” Hardy murmured, reaching out to brush his fingertips against her cheek and over her ear.  “You’re right – this is for her.”

“And the free hotel room.”

“Aye, and that.”  His expression lightened, turning teasing and a bit naughty.  “You, me, two nights alone… anything can happen.”

Ellie laughed softly.  “I hope you know I have high expectations.”

“Me too.”

They shared a promising grin, and despite his daughter in the backseat not knowing about their deepening relationship she felt free.  Free to be coy and flirty, to bask in her new relationship.  To feel like a woman, instead of just the exhausted mother/daughter/employee rut she’d been in.  To wear a pretty dress, and touch her lover boyfriend significant other in public, be seen together.

She pressed a little heavier on the gas pedal, pushing the car forward.  She couldn’t wait.

-

“Really, Daisy, it’s fine,” Ellie promised, as they stood in the doorway to Ellie and Hardy’s room.  “You should be in your room closer to the rest of the wedding party.  We’ll be fine.”

“But won’t it be awkward sharing a room?” Daisy hissed, keeping her voice low as she looked around for other potential guests.

Hardy let out an annoyed sigh.  “Daiz, we’re adults.  It’s fine.  You have stuff to do with the wedding.  We will see you in the morning, yeah?”

The girl nodded slowly, biting her lip.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes!” they said in chorus, Ellie trying to rein in her delight at being so close to being alone with her boyfriend in a room with a bed.  And a lock.  “I promise,” she said more moderately, hoping she didn’t look at happy as she felt.  “Now, run along.  Your mum’s waiting.”

“Breakfast is until ten.  See you then,” Daisy said reluctantly, trudging back towards the lift.  Her room was a floor up and farther down the hall, near the rest of the wedding party, while Ellie and Hardy’s was as far from Tess and Daisy’s as they could discreetly manage.

They waited until the doors closed on her to enter the room, setting their bags down by the wall and surveying the single king bed.

“Such a shame they couldn’t get us those double beds,” she smirked, crossing her arms and turning to him.  “However will we cope?”

“We’re adults, I’m sure we can share it in an adult manner,” Hardy’s eyes twinkled, and he pulled her close, their arms wrapping around each other.  “Hi.”

“Hello.”

He kissed her leisurely, the promise of the night to come making her blood sing.  “We’re finally alone,” he husked out, hands smoothing along her side.  “What do you want to do?  Dinner?  We could get a drink?”

Ellie was hardly a passive participant, and she hummed, starting on the buttons of his shirt.  “I could use a nap.”

“Oh?”  He moved backwards towards the bed, working on the buttons of her own blouse.  “I could… cuddle you to sleep, if you like.”

She laughed, letting his shirt hang open in favor of opening his belt.  “You can something me to sleep, all right.”

It was a long time before they made it out of the room in search of dinner.

-

Ellie’s eyes snapped open, and she inhaled sharply to find a nose a hair’s breadth away from her own.

“Sorry,” Hardy whispered, thumb drawing soothing arcs on her skin when she automatically tensed.  “Did I wake you?”

She carefully shrugged one shoulder, relaxing into the mattress.  Daylight was starting to peek through gaps in the curtains, offering just enough light to see his face.  He looked peaceful, and happy, and Ellie let a shy smile grow across her face. She was happy too, was happy to wake up next to him, and couldn’t help herself.

“I love you.”

It took a moment for his expression to brighten further, a beaming smile spreading across his face.  “Aye?”

Ellie nodded, chuckling softly.  “Yes.”

Hardy leaned forward, kissing her, and she rolled quite willingly to her back, tugging him atop her.  Though he’d already said the words the day they became a couple, she’d held back, pretended not to be sure.

Of course, it wasn’t so much a pretension as a protection, but when she allowed the walls around her heart to crumble, she had to quietly admit to herself that she did, in fact, love him.

She’d spent the last fortnight trying to figure out how to say it, when to say it.  This hadn’t been what she’d envisioned, had hoped they’d both be dressed at a minimum, but lying there, with him, waking up in his arms…

She couldn’t wait any longer.

“I love you too,” he whispered joyfully, peppering kisses across her face.  “Truly.”

“I love you,” Ellie repeated for the simple pleasure of doing so, running her hands over his back and sides, reveling in the feel of him against her.  “So much.”

They missed breakfast.

-

Ellie nodded, working hard to keep her polite smile as the woman she was talking to wittered on about her children, or her dog, or something – she’d long since tuned her out.  Hardy had left her alone at the table twenty minutes before to fetch drinks from the bar, and within a minute this woman had claimed his seat and started talking her ear off.

“Sorry, how do you know the couple?” she interrupted, mentally willing Hardy to return as quickly as possible.

“Oh, I work with them,” the woman tucked away an errant curl, grinning widely.  “Known them for years. Knew her ex-husband, too, he was our DI.”

“Ah.”  That caught Ellie’s attention, and she narrowed her eyes.  She was certainly used to people insulting Hardy, had said her fair share behind his back during the first investigation, but felt a stronger-than-normal need to defend him.  “Is that so?”

The woman nodded sagely.  “Bit of a wanker.  Well, more than a bit.  Dave’s a much nicer bloke, if you ask me.”

Ellie pursed her lips, trying to choose her words carefully.  “He had an affair with a married woman, while married himself.  Not sure he’d top my list.”  Quite the opposite.

“Well, apparently Hardy’s got quite the type.”  She leaned closer before looking around quite obviously, lowering her voice to whisper, “I heard he moved to a little village on the coast and had an affair with a married DS down there.  From what I’ve heard, he’s even marrying her.  Can you imagine?”

“I’m certain you don’t have all the facts,” Ellie said coolly, reminding herself sternly Don’t embarrass Daisy and Hardy.  Don’t ruin this.

“Apparently he framed the woman’s husband for murder!  I always knew he was an arse, but that’s a bit extreme, don’tcha think?”

Ellie had enough, rising abruptly to her feet and snatching her purse.  “For your information,” she started quietly, meeting the woman’s gaze head on, “Alec Hardy is easily the most noble, caring, principled man I’ve ever met.  He is an excellent detective, entirely dedicated to bringing about justice through the courts.  I am very proud to call myself his partner, and am very much looking forward to the day I call him husband.  Now piss off.”

Spinning around with the intent of stalking away from the table, she walked right into Hardy’s chest.

“Oh, fuck,” she muttered as he steadied her, glancing up at him with wide eyes.  “How much of that did you hear?”

“Eh, basically none of it,” Hardy shrugged, eyes twinkling madly.

“None?”

“Maybe just a bit,” he whispered, one hand settling on her hip as the other cradled her head, mindful of her fancy hairdo she’d spent a solid twenty minutes lecturing him on not messing up.

A small smile spread across her face, as the memory of the woman’s cattiness melted away and she focus on him.  “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He kissed her then, the kind of kiss that leaves no room for interpretation, dipping her slightly.  If she had been capable of thinking in the moment, she’d have thought something along the lines of the newlyweds didn’t kiss like this earlier.

They broke apart, panting slightly, and without another word Hardy took her hand and led her towards the exit.

Daisy stood between them and the doors, eyes so wide she must have seen the kiss, and Ellie flushed.

Hardy, however, barely blinked, just flashing his daughter a smile on the way past.  “See you in the morning.”

They pushed through the doors into the hallway, eyes meeting before they immediately burst into laughter.  Wrapping their arms around each other they headed for the lift, still chuckling.

“So…” he started pseudo-casually as the doors opened, “‘looking forward to the day I call him husband’?  Mrs. Miller I’m positively scandalized.”

Ellie hit the button for their floor, before turning to grin up at him.

“If that scandalizes you, you’re not ready for our wedding night.”

[dragon-temeraire]

Stiles: "In twenty years, I will be Lydia's second husband." Lydia: "What will happen to the first?" (obviously Jackson) Stiles: "Nothing." (Poly AU)

I just realized I accidentally changed your prompt a tiny bit, oops! Hope you like this poly fluff! (On AO3)

He knows he probably shouldn’t say it. It’s late, and he’stired, and it’s been a nice evening with two people he really cares about. Heprobably shouldn’t mess that up.

He says it anyway.

“You know, in twenty years, I will be Lydia’s secondhusband,” he says grandly.

“What’s going to happen to her first husband?” Jackson askssuspiciously.

“Nothing,” Stiles says, smiling. “Maybe by then you’ll likeme as much as she does.”

He makes his escape from their apartment after that, managingto catch the perplexed look on Jackson’s face before he’s out the door.

The whole drive home, he wonders if Lydia will be mad thathe put his intentions out there. But he’s been pining for them for years, andhe just wanted both of them to be clear on exactlywhere he stood.

And if they tell him they’re not interested, he can starttrying to move on.

He hopes he doesn’t have to, though.

 *

 The fact that Lydia hasn’t called or texted him since thatnight is very telling. Clearly, he’s in some trouble, and Jackson’s probablyfreaked out. But he’s not sure what she’s going to do about it, either.

Still, he’s busy studying for mid-terms, so he tries to putit out of his mind and not stress too much. He can’t afford to fail a class,and what happens with Jackson and Lydia is out of his hands now, anyway. He hasto let it go.

Then, late Friday night, just when he’s just thinking aboutdragging himself to bed, there’s a noise at his apartment door. It’s less of aknock and more of a thump, and Stilesfeels a tingle of unease.  

Either it’s a terrible burglar, or—

Jackson nearly falls in on him when he yanks the door open.And even if he hadn’t slurred out, “Hi, Stiles,” the smell of alcohol alonewould have clued him in on Jackson’s drunkenness.

“Hey,” Stiles grits out, looking up and down the hallway forsigns of anyone else out there—like Lydia—before wedging his shoulder underJackson’s arm and dragging him inside. He manages to keep Jackson from endingup on the floor, and gets him seated on the couch despite Jackson’s lack ofcooperation.

When he’s sure Jackson is going to stay there, he goes to shut and lock the front door. “You’re not ateenager anymore, Jackson,” he says on his way back. “I thought you were donegetting drunk like this.”

“I’m twenty-three, I’m not that old,” Jackson protests. “Buttonight, I—I was just thinking about you.” He tips his head back against thecouch, sighs. “You and Lydia together, really.” His eyes flick briefly Stiles’direction. “She talks about you, you know. A lot.”

Stiles sits down tentatively next to Jackson. “I don’t thinkyou have anything to worry about,” he says lightly, patting Jackson’s thigh.“And I didn’t intend to drive you to drink with my little confession, either.”

But Jackson continues, undeterred. “She likes you. She likedbeing with you, even though it wasonly supposed to be,” he waves his hand dramatically, nearly hitting Stiles inthe face, “a little casual fling, or whatever. I know she’d take you back, andI—”

Stiles waits for the rest of that sentence, but it doesn’tcome. “Jackson, you know I’m not trying to break up your relationship, right?”he asks, trying to be reassuring, but he can’t help thinking I’m just trying to wedge my way into it.“And I gave you a twenty-year head start, man. Fair warning and everything.Besides, you guys aren’t even married yet. So you really don’t have to worry, especially because you don’t even likeme—”

“I do, though,” Jackson interrupts, sitting up straight andtrying to look stern, before promptly slumping down against Stiles. “That’s theproblem,” he mutters, lips brushing against Stiles’ neck. “I do like you, andso does Lydia, so there’s no real reason for us not to—but I don’t know what I’m doing, Stiles. I’ve never beenwith a guy before.”

“What, really?” Stiles blurts. “Not even Danny?”

“Turns out I’m really nothis type,” Jackson slurs, then nuzzles deeper against Stiles’ neck. “You’rereally comfy. I want to stay here.”

Stiles has to fight his grin. “I’ll take that as acompliment,” he says, then mutters to himself, “But are you really into me, oris that just the alcohol talking?” He doesn’t want to get his hopes up toomuch.

“’Course I meant it,” Jackson grumbles, and it makes Stilesstartle. He’d thought Jackson had fallen asleep. “So you should really cut backon that, uh, twenty year plan.” Then he snuggles back in and goes quiet andlimp, letting out a contented sigh.

Stiles indulges himself for a few moments, running hisfingers through Jackson’s hair and kissing his cheek before wiggling out fromunder him. He makes sure Jackson is in a comfortable position, and leaves abottle of water for him before grabbing his phone.

“Your drunk boyfriend is here,” he says, as soon as Lydiaanswers.

“I know,” she says, sounding a little smug. “We had drinksat Hop Scotch tonight.”

“But you hate that place,” Stiles objects.

“I do, but it’s right across the street from yourapartment,” she explains, and Stiles begins to understand her scheme. “Ifigured if you really were interested in being with us, you should at least geta taste of Jackson at his worst.”

“I went to high school with him, I’ve seen him at hisworst,” Stiles says wryly. “Besides, he wasn’t that bad tonight, just kind ofcuddly and honest.”

“Really?” Lydia says, sounding genuinely surprised. “He’smore comfortable with you than I thought he’d be. Maybe he does have a crush on you.”

“I have no doubt,” Stiles says, grinning. “He just cameright out and told me. And he seemed okay with the idea of all of usbecoming…something together.” Then he has to fight back a yawn. It’s way toolate to be having this conversation.

“Maybe we should all get together and talk about that,”Lydia says thoughtfully.

“Tomorrow. When we’re all sober and rested,” Stiles saysfirmly.

“Of course. Have a good night,” Lydia says. “And by the way,Jackson likes to be kissed in the morning, it helps him wake up.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Stiles says neutrally.

Lydia makes a little noise of confirmation, then hangs up.

Stiles stares at his phone for a long moment, his brainsleepily trying to process the idea that he might get everything he’s beenwanting, before he gives up and heads for bed.

 *

 He wakes up at some point in the night to the sensation ofhis bed moving, and blinks his eyes open to find a dark shape lifting up hiscovers.

“It’s just me,” Jackson says, sliding in next to him.“Thanks for the water, I feel a lot better. I was just getting kind of cold outthere.”

Stiles winces, realizing he could have left Jackson with ablanket. Jackson’s minty fresh breath wafts over him as he settles in close,meaning he found the spare toothbrush Stiles left out for him. He idly wondersif he should move to the couch, butthen Jackson makes a soft, content noise as he snuggles up against Stiles’side, and Stiles suddenly can’t bring himself to go anywhere.

He doesn’t expect to be able to sleep with Jackson’sunfamiliar weight pressed against him, but to his surprise he drifts right off.

 *

 Jackson is still asleep when Stiles wakes in the morning, sohe cautiously eases out from under him and heads for the kitchen. He’s halfwaythrough a cup of coffee when Jackson takes the chair next to him, scootingclose enough to drape himself across Stiles’ back, cheek nuzzling against hisshoulder.

“You really are comfy,” Jackson says in a half-asleep sortof way.

“Apparently,” Stiles says mildly, setting his mug down onthe table. He dips his head and turns just far enough to be able to catchJackson’s lips with his own.

Jackson makes a pleased sound, sitting up a littlestraighter. By the third kiss he’s looking far more awake, and Stiles is verymuch enjoying the soft contact of Jackson’s lips. He could do this all morning.

“I see you took my advice,” Lydia says smugly, and Stilesstartles hard.

He’d forgotten he’d given her a key to his apartment,because she’s never used it. She’s been waiting for the opportune moment,apparently.

“Um, yeah,” Stiles says, watching Lydia pull out a chair andsit across from them, looking as beautiful and composed as ever.

She clearly hadn’t had much to drink last night, unlikeJackson.

“You boys have a nice night?” she asks sweetly, and lookspointedly at Jackson.

When Stiles glances his way, he’s surprised to see a blushon Jackson’s cheeks. He’d never really imagined Jackson to be the blushingtype. Especially because they hadn’t done anythingexcept some cuddling and sleepy morning kissing.

“I did,” Jackson says, clearing his throat awkwardly. “It wasreally nice.”

“Good,” Lydia says, folding her hands together as she looksat them both seriously. “Jackson, would you like to date Stiles?”

Jackson’s eyes dart between him and Lydia, like it’s somesort of test. “Yeah,” he says firmly. “I would.”

Lydia nods. “And I’m very sure Stiles would like to date you. I already know he’d like to dateme,” she says, smirking.

Stiles can’t argue with any of that. And apparently, neithercan Jackson.

“So, that’s settled,” Lydia says with the ruthlessconfidence Stiles so admires. “Stiles, I think you should spend the rest of theweekend with us at our apartment. It can be a trial run. We can see how we allfit together.”

Stiles is definitely not going to turn down a weekend withher and Jackson, especially when he’s pretty sure things will go well. Andright now, the promise of a possibility is all he needs.

“I’ll pack a bag,” he says, and doesn’t miss the way Jacksonand Lydia both smile.

[ghostcrows]

Skee Possum Ghostcrows’s analysis of the film Lady Bird which i watched in my english class and want to talk about to someone starts Now. nobody asked and i delivered ;)

it’s not like i think it was super groundbreaking or anything but it just made me think. films that make you go hmm

will tag as long post but i am not putting it under a cut sorry

first i’ll talk about things i didn’t like because i like to end on positive notes

cons:

- very straight. very heterosexual. there’s a gay guy in it and he’s actually treated fairly well, though we don’t delve deep into his story, but watching lady bird go to town on guys was an unpleasant experience that luckily the screen being too dark saved me from the worst of

i understand WHY they did it, it’s a coming of age sort of story, she’s learning and leaning into her sexuality, that’s fine, but i’m hopelessly heterophobic so i can’t help but detract points for this

- the ending was way too abrupt....i didn’t expect to see lady bird’s entire life story unfold but i feel like we needed at least a scene or two more to end on a note that didn’t feel so lacking...i kind of get it though like not everything is perfect loose-ends tied and we don’t get to see everything all the time but...it felt lacking.

- i don’t like that she went back to using the name christine. maybe it’s just the transed in me but i thought her asserting this name, this identity that she carved for herself, was really cool, and i can see how it might be considered her being “ashamed” of her name or her trying to be someone she isn’t, but....it was clearly special to her. it just. it would have been more powerful, i think, to me at least, for her to keep the name lady bird. it’s an interesting name

- speaking of her name, we never really get to know why she goes by lady bird. maybe i missed something, but i don’t think we do. i would have liked to know what significance that name had to her. maybe it was like, the dream of flying far away like a bird, that sort of thing, how birds symbolize freedom and all that. maybe that’s part of why she went back, when she realized her town wasn’t all bad. but still. just personally i think she shouldn’t have gone back to christine

neutral things:

- it was kind of weird how she was talking to that guy at a party about not believing in god. i kind of got the impression that the catholic church had made her disillusioned. it’s not necessarily bad that she still had faith (or seemed to based on that conversation), it’s just strange. maybe that was to show how she was thinking back on and regretting being so cold to her surroundings? still.

- not so 2000′s it’s sickeningly in your face but it was just 2000′s enough lmao. like, the bell bottom jeans and the flip phones and just the all around vibe...yeah

- i felt kind of bad watching lady bird leave julie to try and get in with jenna and kyle and their crowd. she didn’t seem like the type to do something like that. i can kind of understand though, peer pressure and all. and she went back in the end, so she did learn her lesson, which is good

- sometimes she would start to make a point to her mom or the church like she was stickin it to em, like the abortion assembly, but then she swerved and ended it weird. like she had us in the first half i’m not gonna lie lmfao

good things/noteworthy things:

- i thought the shots were pretty good. i mean, i don’t know a lot about the technical aspects of film (despite spending two years of high school in AVTF) but it just looked good, the colors looked good, they made sacramento look really gorgeous. which really made you ask, why does she hate it here of all places? “wrong side of the tracks” my ass...

but see, i can still understand that. i think that, when you find yourself in a bad position in life, when you’re going through a rough time, you tend to lash out on your surroundings. i did that myself with my own hometown. sometimes i still do. i think it’s a boring, stagnant place and on my worst days i think it’s a literal hellhole. but it’s not, really. i’m the hellhole. the hellhole is me. and that’s why it was a shock for her when she went to new york and kind of just did the same reckless things she was doing before. it doesn’t matter where you go, you can’t escape your problems just by moving to a different place. you can’t leave your brain in your hometown and fly a hundred miles away and be happy. you have to work on you first. a change of scenery might help but ultimately, you gotta fix you

- i found it contradictory to me in that it was really relatable while also being pretty unrelatable. when i look at lady bird as a character, i see myself. but not all of myself. not even myself as i am now. more like a piece of myself. a piece thats still in me but that largely got left behind in high school. which makes sense bc thats where she is during the course of the film

i found it relatable in just, the ways they showed the audience the experience of being an adolescent afab person. not completely, but in a lot of ways. i saw my ninth and tenth grade cis girl self a lot. 

what was unrelatable was mostly the way that while i sat around and daydreamed about being this rebellious teenager sticking it to the world, she actually went out and did it. it’s like seeing an image of who i might have been, had i acted out on my desires. and i’m not saying i wish i had done that or that i’m glad i didn’t. it’s just an observation more than anything. it’s like, my wild girl self if she had “flourished” (if you can call it that, and yeah she wasnt TOTALLY wild but like. the amount of wild, the amount of fun and rebellious that i’d wanted to be then)

- the way they talk about sex is very real, which i like. it’s funny and not too prudish or too vulgar (though i dont really have standards for too vulgar lmao). that was just cool

- i’m glad that danny was a character. yeah he was just a side dude and they didn’t touch on him being gay in depth but they didn’t really need to? like. i’m just glad it was the way it was. he didn’t die or get punished or have everyone turn against him, he just upset lady bird because he was pretty much cheating and her feelings for him had been more real than his for her. she tried to use it as an insult briefly but i don’t think it was out of real animosity, just being hurt because she’d felt betrayed. and when he broke down and cried and she stood there and held him that almost made me tear up in class oops

- this is a big huge one. the way lady bird and her mother’s relationship operated was so. SO fucking resonant with me. and i wish it wasn’t. it’s like looking in a mirror and hating what you see. i’m glad i saw it, but i hate that it’s true to me too. y’know?

the way her mother is constantly overly criticizing and making comments towards her and lady bird tries to defend herself or come back at her, the way she subtly (or overtly) suggests that lady bird will never amount to anything great and she should just settle for mediocrity

the way her mom refuses to speak to her when she’s begging her to just say something, anything to her

the way her mom acts when she takes her to the airport

the way she shames her for being financially dependent on her and assumes that she’s ungrateful when she’s just. frustrated with the situation (i understand why her mom feels that way, i understand why MY mom feels that way. but you still can’t make your kid feel like shit for costing so much to raise when they didn’t ask to be born lmao...) the scene where she says “give me a number. give me a number so when i get rich i’ll pay you back and more and never have to speak to you again” and her mom’s reply that she’ll probably never get that far? that was so real it KILLED me. that was EXACTLY something that would happen between me and my mom

and oh . ohhhhhh my god. when she’s in the changing rooms and her mom can’t come up with a nice thing to say about her dresses...and lady bird says “do you like me”

“lady bird, i love you”

“yeah....but...do you like me.”

and her mom had nothing to say

that was PAINFUL. PAINFUL...because that’s...the way i feel with my mom too

- the way that financial stress can bring emotional turmoil to an entire family was really resonant as well, which ties into that last part. i could understand her parents’ struggles and sympathize with them, but i still leaned towards siding with lady bird because while yeah she was kind of extra sometimes, and she tried to act like she was one of the rich kids bc she was ashamed, and i get how that would hurt her parents....overall she was just. frustrated with the situation. frustrated with her relationship with her mother, frustrated with her school, afraid she might not get where she wants to be, CONSTANTLY discouraged by her family and told to aim lower....whatsa girl ta do yknow?

- i loved that lady bird went to prom with julie. it was really sweet. and it’s a reach and a half but bisexual lady bird confirmed

- i think ultimately its good that she kind of realized, oh...yknow...maybe its not the town i hated. i think i actually quite like my hometown. it was just my situation. and there’s a lot about sacramento that i can appreciate. i think that was good. BUT i don’t think it should end with her going back and settling just because she made that realization. you can come to that conclusion that maybe things weren’t so bad with the place you lived, without giving up completely and moving back home. i don’t like the implication that she was wrong to want more, wrong to change her name, wrong to try and carve a place and a name for herself in the world. i don’t like the idea that her family was right all along. and it doesn’t end outright saying that, it ends super abruptly and is up to interpretation, but i really like to think she made it in new york. or at least that she made it somewhere. and that maybe her relationship with her mom got better with time. it’s what i hope for me and my mom too

and i think that’s it. thanks for listening if you liked this video smash that like button smash that subscribe button and hit the little bell so you never miss a notification. until next time!

[resurgence-rp]

Under the cut you can check out all the players that have been accepted for their roles. Congratulations! Please take a look at the instructions at the bottom of the page. For those who haven’t been accepted this time around, don’t be discouraged! Send me a message if you want more feedback on your application and I would love for you to re-apply in the future! Congratulations again to all of you and Welcome to RESURGENCE!

✦ Roman, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Heath Arlington & Cormac Newman. You chose two characters that are practically opposites, and yet you managed to bring them both to life. I was completely in love with both your applications! For Heath, I absolutely adored the way you developed the parallels between Cerberus and the underworld, and how much the club means to them. And for Cormac my favourite thing is definitely his identity crisis of sorts, and how he’s trying to solve it actually making it the topic of his thesis. I think there’s so much potential here and I can’t wait to start seeing them in action! Great job! (fcs: finn wittrock, thomas doherty)

✦ Marie, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Elena Lima & Pietro da Costa. Elena and Pietro are trouble in such different ways, but also in the best way. Elena with her almost naivety when it comes to romance, and her need for attention; and then Pietro, this reformed devastatingly charming surfer who’s out to break all of our hearts. It’s not easy to write two apps for two major gods like Aphrodite and Poseidon - but you managed to do it wonderfully! I can’t wait to start writing with you, and see what’s going to happen with them. Amazing job! (fcs: bianca santos, marlon teixeira)

✦ Shannon, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Valentine Wyght. I absolutely loved Valentine’s family history, and how much that impacted on his personality. How is rebellious ways started as a way of trying to belong, and the search for a place he could finally called home basically still follows him around. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen to him now that he’s back and he’s clearly seeing things from a different perspective. Is the bad boy attitude over for good? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Amazing job! (fc: sean teale)

✦ Harleigh, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Rhiannon Hébert. A champion returns! Lawful evil Rhiannon? Sign me up! One of the most interesting things about Hera as a goddess is how grey her morals are. Sometimes she’s a hero, sometimes she’s an icon, and others she appears like a true villain. I think your app for Rhiannon reflects just that. It’s hard to portray such a morally grey character in a modern setting, but you did a wonderful job, and I can’t wait to see the queen of Mount Wells in action! Drama is assured! (fc: paulina singer)

✦ Kiki, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Dorian Winslow. One of the things I love the most about Dorian is that he’s such a wild card. The way he’s written, mixed with the Dionysus’ soul component pretty much allows you to go anywhere with him. You saw this change, and took advantage from it flawlessly. From his passion for art, to his predilection for social media, to his commitment when it comes to equality; there’s a lot of potential there and i can’t wait to see him in action! Great job! (fc: avan jogia)

✦ Nat, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Naia Guerrero. What a lovely and refreshing application this was! I’m so glad that Naia is here to complete our trio! I love how determined she is, how passionate she is, her relationship with the ocean since the beginning, how her parents’ divorce affected her, and how she balances partying and having fun with starting her own life project. I think there’s so much potential there, for both development and drama, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her. Wonderful job! (fc: bruna marquezine)

✦ Kat, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Vera Whittemore. I love love love how much thought you put into this application. You just need to read your occupation section to realise you’ve planned everything in Vera’s life to the T, and that’s absolutely amazing to see. You’ve managed to take the info in the skeleton, and give it your own twist, turning Vera into a complex character I’m so eager to see grow here. I can’t wait to write with you and see her in action. Congratulations! (fc: dominique provost-chalkley)

✦ Izzy, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Edith Pratt. There’s a Clover, and also an Edith, and I couldn’t be happier we got our terrible duo complete from the very beginning! I love the extra quotes you added to the app, but my favourite part were definitely the headcanons. The ones about her relationship with her mum in particular. I feel like you managed to keep the “villain” aspect of Edith but at the same time you made her realistic, and that was amazing to read. I can’t wait to see what she brings to the table! (fc: sky ferreira)

✦ Nella, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Nina Campbell & Thea Crawford. When I saw your apps for these characters, my first thought was that it was going to be difficult not to make them similar. Even though their stories and backgrounds are completely different, it would be easy to fall for that trap. However, you avoided it completely! You gave Nina a very defined personality, and you wrote a very misguided one for Thea, which I believe was key for both interpretations. I can’t wait to see what kind of situations they’ll both go through now that they’re making changes in their lives. Great job!  (fc: naomi scott, sofia carson)

✦ Dani, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Tristan Santiago. Finally a Tristan! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw your application. I absolutely loved how detailed it was. Tristan’s relationship with his family, everything to do with his biological father, and his reaction to this sudden fame he has gained after what happened - everything is so well thought and beautifully written that I could go on and on about all the parts I enjoyed while I was reading it. I can’t wait to write with you and see Tristan develop! Wonderful job! (fc: diego boneta)

✦ Mia, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Dera McClery. I absolutely love Dera. I think she’s one of the most interesting characters of this roleplay, and I’m so glad she has found such a passionate roleplayer to bring her to life. My favourite part of your app were definitely the headcanons. You managed to combine fundamental traits of her character with little things that also paint a perfect picture of who Dera McClery is. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her and her abilities! Congratulations! (fc: saoirse ronan)

✦ Chloe, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Amdeus Minett. We have all of our love gods with us and I couldn’t be happier about that! Pretty much like Eros and Aphrodite themselves, Amadeus and Elena paint such a different picture of what love means, and I’m eager to see how that develops. I love how passionate he is about his art and how his creations seem to be the only true love he can keep (and let me tell you, I also appreciate that you went into so much detail about his art preference). There’s a ton of potential, and I can’t wait to see Amadeus grow as a character! Amazing job! (fc: joe keery)

✦ Caitlin, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of David Arevalos. A starving artist that works as a barista - I read that bit and I was already in love. David is simply adorable, and your application was a pleasure to read. I love his sensitivity, the way he thinks about art, and his interest in divination was such a good addition! Honestly all I could think while I read the app was that I want him as a best friend, please. I can’t wait to see him in action, and all that he’s going to bring to the rp! Congratulations!  (fc: tyler posey)

✦ Morgan, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Preston Carver. I was dying for a Preston! He’s definitely one of my favourite characters (maybe because I’m a gamer who plays D&D as well). I love that he’s the go to guy whenever someone is having computer problems (the text to his mum killed me), and on a more serious note, I really enjoyed how you balanced his gamer past with his present - how he enjoys interacting with people and how his personality comes alive when he’s on stream. Also I play a rogue, so much appreciated. Great job!   (fc: alberto rosende)

✦ Jane, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Zachary Bailey. I was so relieved when your application came because I was afraid we were going to start without our king of Mount Wells himself! Your interpretation of Zac is basically all that I would except in a modern Zeus, and more. Occupation: rockstar? Depending on his father’s money? Trying to drag his friends around towards every crazy scheme he comes up with? Just flawless. And to conclude, the text messages made me laugh out loud. Amazing job! (fc: michael b. jordan)

✦ Spooky, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Katrin Moreno (soul of Hecate). I love love the whole idea of Katrin. Their relationship with their parents, their grandmother, how they leaned on their friends, the fact that their background was so different from the usual one you’d find in Mount Wells - and yet they persevered and turned that into something magical; honestly I was hooked from the very beginning. I truly believe they will be a fantastic addition to the roleplay, and I can’t wait to see them in action! Congratulations! (fc: danny noriega/adore delano)

✦ Emma, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Clover Wald. This was such a difficult decision! Both applications had very good and different interpretations of Clover. Ultimately what swayed me was the amazing balance of her neutral evil nature. I enjoy a character who isn’t afraid to do morally grey stuff and is proud of it - and that’s exactly what Clover is about. There’s so much potential in her, and honestly I can’t wait to see how exactly she’ll shake things up. Wonderful job! (fc: courtney eaton)

✦ Aaliyah, you’ve been accepted to play the roles of Layla Dunn. Layla is completely and absolutely adorable. I love the fact that she’s very rational and practical, but she’s also got some pluck in her. I also find really interesting that she’s participating in the Science fair to possibly gain some perspective on what to do after she graduates. I feel that was a great way of giving your own interpretation and twist to the info in the skeleton! On a side note, the bit about Pottermore was fantastic; and I’m also addicted to Color Switch. Great job! (fc: jessica sula)

This is what you need to do next:

Follow EVERYONE

Track all of the tags (found HERE)

Make your character account send it in within 24 hours

Open up your askbox

If for any reason you need more time to get your account in, don’t hesitate to message me so I can keep your role open! If I don’t get a message from you then I will assume you’re no longer interested in keeping your spot. Once you send your account, you’ll be provided with the necessary links and we can get started! And of course; HAVE FUN!

[terraclae]

Disturbance

lore pings: @yuushanoah-fr @cityofinoue @rasvimhia

A bit of a brief chapter today. It's mostly dialogue heavy but I feel like it was needed between Kassa and Arodan at the moment. 

'Dan.' Arodan had barely made his way up the stairs and he already was being spoken to again. This however wasn't Carmen's melodic voice or the booming timbre of Balam's, but the more nasal sound of Kassa. He slowly turned and found them standing behind him in a for their standards humble outfit. 'Do you have some time to spare?'

'I kind of was planning to get ready for bed.' Arodan started. He swallowed harshly before he continued. 'Is it urgent?'

'If I told you it wasn't you wouldn't come along.' Kassa said, their heavy eyelids barely hiding the red glow of their eyes in the dark. They spun on their heel and walked off. 'Follow me.'

He didn't intend to follow them but his curiosity acted faster than his reason. Arodan followed Kassa down the hall and soon he found them by their room, waiting by the open door. 'What's this about?'

'Broken things.' Kassa said, downcast. He could name a few things that would have gotten Kassa down but didn't intend to assume. All he intended was to be careful since he had not started trusting Kassa again. 'Don't stand there slack jawed. Come in.'

'... Fine.' Hopefully this is not a trap in some way, Arodan thought. He held his breath and entered. All the windows were open and Arodan only now noticed Kassa had taken a long cloth and hung it as a curtain in front of the door. Currently it was rolled up above it. The room was otherwise pretty devoid of personal baggage, save some fabrics. 'So-'

'Don't close the door behind you darling, but tug that curtain above your head alright?' Kassa interrupted Arodan, not meeting his eye. The came to sit cross legged by the pillows on the bed and pat in front of them. 'Give this room some air.'

'Right. Okay.' He pulled the cloth above him and it elegantly unwound to hang in front of the door. 'Aren't you wary of being overheard?'

'Well, what do you think I want to talk about?' Kassa sat upright and tilted their head. 'Are you expecting blackmail, a proposal for theft or arson, laundry scams? Hon, you know that is not the sort of person I am.'

'You know exactly why I'm wary of you.' Arodan grunted. He hesitantly sat on the foot of the bed in front of Kassa. 'Yeah, you have new gloves, what's different about the ones you wore first?'

'They're magical. Carmen took an old pair and magically imbued them with anti-Shade magic Sachi knew.' They waved their hands besides their head for emphasis, a bored yet annoyed look on their face. 'Look, Danny, these are also welded to my hands. I can't take them off, only Carmen, Sachi and Balam can by way of magical incantation.'

'And they will give me the same answer if I ask them?'

'I'm surprised you haven't asked already, but yes.'

That seemed that for the moment. No, he still did not trust Kassa on their word, but if it was true he at least had nothing to fear. 'Okay. What did you want to talk about?'

'How are you doing?'

'... How… How am I doing?' Arodan blinked a few times, then gestured at himself. 'You want to know how I'm doing? Why?'

'Because we are in a way still allies darling.' Kassa leant on their hand and looked at him in sideways glances. 'I've made a mistake. You're allowed to kill me for it. Is it not okay to ask about how your day was then?'

'I don't trust you, that doesn't mean I want you dead.' Arodan quickly responded. A hard look from Kassa brought him back to answering his question. 'I'm fine though. Saw town today, I met some people.'

'What did you see in town?'

'... Well… This city seems to be divided in neighborhoods who all have populations consisting of one specific flight each. Plague dragons stick to each other, as do water dragons. I've seen lightning dragons living in Water's quarter however, so it depends.' Arodan started, summing up the logical details first. Kassa was listening intently. 'This city was not built for dragons, but for two legged folk. There's people here that don't even know how to shift, did you know that?'

'I've heard of it.' Kassa responded quietly. Their eyes fluttered shut for just a moment. 'Are you going back?'

'Perhaps? I've met interesting people there and it would be rude not to at least stop by once more.' He looked over Kassa who sat hunched on their bed. '... Are you okay?'

'Well, that's a first to hear.' Kassa hummed, perking up. 'I could be doing better, but I could also be doing worse. It's a win-win really.' They waved their hand idly. 'Why ask?'

'... I don't know.' Arodan's gaze drifted off to elsewhere in the room so he didn't have to meet Kassa's eye. 'Back on the boat you said that after all of this, after all the Shade was purged from us, you intended to die. Did you mean that?'

'I keep a lot of secrets but yes, I meant that.'

'Why?'

Kassa shrugged, and then it seemed their turn to be too hesitant to look at Arodan. 'I mentioned I have a difficult relationship to the Shade. It's the one thing that gives me true power over those like me but it also might drive me mad someday. I don't intend to see the day that happens.' They said, rubbing their hands. 'You know, I came from a small town, from a very humble family. Living day after day is a blessing because that's just how it is in this world.'

'Then why not purge yourself from it?' Arodan asked. 'There's people out there that can, people trained in purging Shade.'

'Then you'd have to cut off my hands. Thing is, when I bartered with the being that gave me my Shade they stated there would always be some sort of repercussion. In my case that was that my Shade would be fully ingrained in my hands.' Kassa held up their hands and wiggled their fingers. 'It's odd. These gave me my talent for sewing and control, but it is the most awful thing about me.'

'Are you sure it isn't your secrecy?'

'Always sharp.' Kassa snickered and continued. 'I hate it, and I love it. Without my hands, no one will have me. What a dilemma huh?'

'And you intend to help us all still?' Arodan asked, tilting his head.

'Of course. I'll help you. Said you were a good egg, didn't I?'

'Good egg, huh?' Murmured Arodan, mostly to himself. 'Why do you think no one would have you without hands Kassa? Who are you really?'

'That's a good question. Who am I?'

'Stop being cryptic.'

'But I like being cryptic!' Kassa exclaimed, a big grin on their face. They threw their hands up in an unknowing fashion. 'Again, where I come from it was very much kill or be killed. That did not always mean people wanted to see blood, sometimes that meant stealing ideas, stealing possessions, whatever to further yourself. It's not a secure life to live but that's how it is in this world sometimes. I left that place because of that sentiment, I wanted more. So here we are.'

'How did Balam find you then?' Arodan dared to ask. Kassa responded first with a long sigh. They then stretched, like maybe a cat would which was odd to see at the very least.

'He did not find me. I found him by chance, when he was younger, more mischievous than he is now. Waldemar was king back then and he did not like-' Kassa raised their hands and curled their fingers to communicate quotation marks. '-my type. Fair enough, I was a con artist at that time with longer hair, different pronouns, but it is still hurtful thinking about it. What made me change was Balam.' Kassa lowered and folded their hands pensively. 'We used to play a lot of pranks back then, some involved stealing things. Balam made me return them but we laughed about it nonetheless. I don't know what it was about him but I didn't feel like leaving his side anymore at some point.'

'That's up to you.' Arodan stretched too but he could not mimic Kassa's particular movements. 'This once home of yours, was it a bad place?'

'No.' Kassa said, with no doubt to their answer. 'There are those that look out for you too even if they don't have a lot to spare because their sentiment is that an eye for an eye will not keep us happy, just breathing for another day. Plague folk are tough and introverted sometimes, that doesn't make all of them cruel.' Kassa smiled, red eyes glimmering with a fondness for a memory Arodan would not get to know about. 'There's those that embrace pack structures and that's what keeps us happy. It's what I ended up doing it seems, shame I near destroyed it.'

'You're still here. No one's dead or anything.' Arodan lay down idly, allowing himself to relax. 'I don't think I mind it anymore you nearly killed me on Paramo's bunker, but that is because we have bigger things to focus on.' He met their stare, fiercely so. 'That doesn't make you forgiven or that I'm not keeping my eye on you, but it just means we are back on neutral terms.'

'Just that one eye? I'm honored.' Kassa flatly responded. Arodan shot them a glare and Kassa only could grin looking at him. 'Neutral terms works for me darling. Does that mean I get to make you an apron now?'

'No, because I don't need one. Why did you make those for Dmitri and Balam anyway? Did you guys talk?'

'I talked for quite some time with Balam, very much like we are now. We talked things past, present and future, and even now we are somehow alike.' Kassa hummed. They averted their eyes then, towards the piles of fabrics. 'I'd rather keep that between him and me, but you know what? I'm glad we did. It felt like how things used to be. Then Marlowe was all "Oh, you sew?" and gave me his wife's old collection of fabrics and I made Balam an apron while we talked some more.' Kassa laughed softly to themselves, a blush deepening the red color of their skin. 'I wonder why I'm the way I am.'

'Again, I can't tell you that.' Arodan sat up and he found himself reaching for Kassa. His hand hovered on a distance when he remembered he probably shouldn't touch Kassa if his own Shade could perhaps act up and he would see something he wasn't supposed to see. 'I just know you need to be the best version of yourself, or something like that.'

'Thanks Dan.' Kassa said. Their eyes flitted to his hand for the briefest moment, then back to his face. They particularly were focusing on his eyepatch now. 'You know, Caer wouldn't even give this a second thought… But Stratus knows how to make artificial limbs and organs.'

'Wait, what?' Arodan blinked a few eyes in response and his hand flew up to his eyepatch. '... Does that actually work? It doesn't kill the wearer right?'

'As far as I know they have working examples.' Kassa stroked their chin and focused more deeply on Arodan's bad eye. 'Interested?'

'Well… I have adjusted to living with just one eye for a while, but it'd be nice to look people in the eye properly, or see more depth again.' He rubbed his eye, and it stung just slightly. 'How do I know this would be safe and could I even afford this?'

'Oh, they're dang expensive. But Balam's friends with Odin so you can always ask him.'

'But Odin didn't want to help us immediately.'

'He's a businessman, that's just the way it is. Back in the old days he had more time to drop everything to come help out but now he doesn't. These are volatile times we live in.' Kassa responded, more bluntly than before. 'Look, he might just ask you about your eye. I know this because-' Kassa pulled a letter from underneath their pillow. '-we have been invited to a gala of sorts in a week's time. The others know this too and I suspect that's when we get to hear what will be Odin's decision.'

'A gala? A week? Really?' Arodan said, baffled. He pinched his nose and took a deep breath so he wouldn't start speaking too loudly. 'All of us?'

'All of us.'

'I'm not a party person. Is it mandatory?' Arodan had a difficult look on his face as he said this, his brow locked in a deep frown that near made a crevasse in the middle of his head. Kassa nodded silently and defeated he slipped from the bed onto his feet. 'Okay, fine then. And I should expect to be questioned about my eye?'

'Yes, that's what I'm getting at. What color suit do you want?'

'Do dark blue or whatever you think suits me because I am not going to doubt your knowledge on fashion.' Arodan held up his hands and started to back out of the room. 'I should go though. It's getting late and I'm sure Atlas is waiting for me.'

'Yes, yes, go to your sweetheart.' Kassa waved at him and smiled. 'All I wanted to do is ask about what color suit you wanted, so that's enough for me.'

Arodan stopped in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder. 'Then why all the preamble?'

'Because I felt like it.' Kassa rolled around and gestured for Arodan to leave. 'Night Danny.'

Arodan stepped into the dark hallway and made sure the curtain covered the doorway neatly. On that note he took his leave, towards his and Atlas' room. Occasionally he heard snores, other times he heard stumbling around and he wondered who was up at this hour, who it could be. The sounds in the distance had to be patrons of the adjoining establishment sneaking through the courtyard. He arrived at his room with a wandering thought of what exactly he had spoken of with Kassa and what he felt about it. To be fair, he didn't know what to think.

The door quietly opened and Arodan slipped inside. Atlas already was asleep, wrapped in the blankets of the bed and Arodan didn't feel the particular drive to pull them from his grasp. He took the easy way and pulled a new one from the closet, laying it out next to Atlas.

'You okay?'

Arodan perked up, his hands on the lining of his shirt. He took it off before answering Atlas who was watching him with golden eyes from his moon illuminated spot on the bed. 'I am, it's just been a long day. We can talk about it tomorrow if you're tired.'

'Hm, sure.' Atlas murmured, wiggling himself deeper into his blankets. 'Come here though, I missed you today.'

'Yeah, I'm on my way.' Arodan said, a giggle escaping him. He set his bag down next to the bed, slipped out of his pants and crept close to Atlas who pulled him right into his blanket pile. Whatever it was he was thinking of, it fled him and soon he was fast asleep in a dreamless sleep.

[artificialqueens]

Never Too Old Chapter 7 (Biadore) - China

AN: Okay so the next chapter might take a while, but I hope you guys will be patient enough for it. Enjoy this chapter!

December 13, 2016 11:53 AM

The four friends have spent the past few days with Matthew, Michael and Jerick. They attended all of Michael’s burlesque shows and the seven have spent their free days in spas and other recreation areas Shane could suggest. It was a relief that they got to fit all their activities in three days, even if Roy had to suffer a horrible hang over on the first day.

Roy and Danny told Shane about them being together, and Shane finally told Roy about the truth with him and Dan. Danny was right, Roy gave a judgmental comment at first but assured Shane that he was okay with it. Roy was in no place to judge Shane anyway, he knew better than to act like a parent to Shane because if Roy was his parent he would already abandon Shane.

The four arrived in Denver, Colorado that morning. Luckily, Jerick offered that they stay at his apartment in Edgewater. Before they left, Jerick gave them the directions to the place. Dan checked the paper he gave them and started driving them to the location.

“That bitch is from Seattle but why does he have an apartment in Denver?” Roy said from the back of the car. Danny was leaning on his shoulder and chuckled at his partner.

“Because he bought it for his sister, but since she’s not home for the week, we’re basically house sitting. Remember? Jerick said that.” Danny replied, poking Roy’s nose and giving it a small kiss after. Roy couldn’t help but blush at how adorable Danny was being.

“God it’s so weird seeing you two being all lovey and shit.” Shane interrupted looking back at them. Danny just flipped him off and the three were laughing after. “Really though, I’m glad you two are together. I feel like a lot of people were hoping for it to happen.”

“I’m one of them.” Dan said, smiling at himself while he was driving, they were minutes away from the apartment. Roy scoffed and Danny gave him a look, Roy immediately smiled at him.

“I know Matthew isn’t one of them.” Danny said, playing with his long hair. Roy looked at Danny and gave a frown.

“What do you mean? I know he asked me all of that but it’s not like he’s against it.” Roy said. “Matthew is just really like that.”

“Someone’s defensive.” Shane said, he smirked at Roy and stuck his tongue out. Before Roy could respond, the car came to a stop. They were parked in front of a tall building, the streets looked clean and there wasn’t so much noise. They started to understand why Jerick got that apartment for his sister, it was safe.

The four stepped out of the car, Roy and Dan were the ones getting the bags again while the other two immediately went inside the apartment building. They reached the elevator and waited for their partners. The four stepped in the lift and Shane pressed the button of their floor. It was a nice apartment building, Roy was slightly disappointed that his apartment building wasn’t as good as the one they were in. But he’s not surprised, getting an apartment in New York was a take it or leave it situation. He just wishes they had an elevator that worked properly and doesn’t pause for thirty seconds every after five floors.  

They arrived at the room, Shane used the key Jerick gave and unlocked it. The room was bright, very clean as well. Shane was very happy to see that the room was tidy it was like the apartment was fit for his lifestyle. They all entered the apartment, Danny and Shane hurried to check out the bathroom while Roy and Dan brought the bags inside and sat down by the sofa, Roy noticed a small note on the coffee table and picked it up.

“My brother told me you guys were visiting, I kept the place tidy for you guys. I’ll be back the day after you leave. P.S. I’m a big fan of Bianca del Rio so please enjoy.”

“Well you have a fan.” Dan said, hovering over Roy to read the note as well.

“That’s really sweet of her.” Roy chuckled, he placed the note in his back pocket for personal keeping. “We better leave this place spotless for her then.”

Danny and Shane came back outside and giggled to each other. They were excited to stay the few days here. Shane claimed the extra room for him and Dan, they immediately went inside to settle down. Roy dragged him and Danny’s bags into the main bedroom and settled everything on the floor. It seemed to be the room Jerick uses when he visits his sister, there were a lot of mannequins and wig stands, it felt familiar for Roy and Danny so it wouldn’t be a problem for either both of them.

Danny creeped behind Roy and hugged him tight, he laid soft kisses on his nape which made Roy smile. Roy grabbed him and turned him around. He pressed his lips hard on Danny’s, it took Danny by surprise and kissed him back. It was still there, the electricity between them, running through his body and it felt like all the nerves in his body came to life. Danny could kiss Roy any time of any day, his lips were like a drug and he wanted more of it.

There was so much about Roy that Danny couldn’t resist, like the way his eyes stared at his, there was this gaze that Roy would give him and he would usually get so lost in them he wouldn’t know what to do anymore. There were times he would look at Roy and he would know what Roy was feeling, even if he was covering it up, Danny could still tell. Yet, they were beautiful to him; even if Roy would deny that fact.

Roy pulled back from the deep kiss and smiled at Danny. “You seem like you’re in a good mood.” He said while brushing Danny’s hair behind his ear. The younger man ran his hands through Roy’s shoulders and smiled back at him.

“Well I’m just happy to be with you.” Danny replied, looking straight in Roy’s eyes. Roy raised his eyebrows and felt his heart warm up.

“I am too.” Roy said.

“Really?”

Roy looked straight at Danny’s green eyes, he cupped his cheek with one hand and kissed his lips gently. He teared away from him again and smiled. “Yes I am. I’m more than lucky to be with you.”

Danny felt his heart flutter at that moment. He could feel that Roy was more confident about their relationship, and this was something for both of them. Roy wasn’t scared and Danny was more true to his feelings. Danny knows that there is still something bothering him, but he was determined to make Roy forget the insecurities he had and see that Danny wanted him for him.

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December 14, 2016 9:42 PM

Shane and Dan were out again for that night, the four already spent quality time at another zoo Shane wanted to visit so the couple wanted alone time. Danny and Roy were at the living room, lounging on the couch and watching the movies Jerick left around.

The two were cuddled on the couch, Danny was leaning on Roy’s chest while he was lying on his back. They were both watching the movie “Elvira, Mistress of the Night”, since Aaron wouldn’t stop bugging them to watch it. They invited Shane and Dan to watch with them, but Roy knows that Shane wasn’t into these kinds of movies. If it’s a movie with gore and ghosts, he’s not interested. Shane admits that he doesn’t hate the genre, he doesn’t get a good feeling every time he watches them so he rather watch something else. He told Roy and Dan to watch it for him and explain the movie when they get back.

Roy and Danny were very intrigued by the movie, but it wasn’t a long one, within minutes they have already reached the credits. Danny had an unsatisfied face, he liked the story but he thought it was cut short. Roy gave a neutral comment about the movie, but he gets why Aaron loved it. Elvira was his idol and she’s a inspiration for Aaron with his drag aesthetic.

Danny sat up and stretched a bit, giving little grunts. Roy watched him and felt his lips curl into a smile, he wrapped Danny’s waist with his arm and pulled him in for a small kiss on his cheek. Danny blushed at the contact. He stood up and faced Roy.

“I’m gonna wash up.” Danny said, he didn’t wait for a response from Roy and immediately head inside their room. Roy stood up and turned off the TV and electric fan. He looked over at the door and remember that Dan had the key so they don’t have to wait up and open for the couple. Roy was happy that Shane was being serious with someone. After being friends with Shane, he understands how he is as a person, especially with dating. Shane and Danny are gender fluid so they wouldn’t mind hooking up with whoever. But as years go by, Roy starts to get a bit concerned for Shane. It was okay to switch different scenes but sometimes Roy would worry about how Shane would see himself. But now that he’s been with Dan, things have changed for Shane and Roy liked it.

Roy stayed a bit longer in the living room, cleaning up the mess him and Danny made while watching the movie. He picked up all the candy wrappers and threw them in the trash along with the pizza box Danny wouldn’t stop hugging. He was kind of relieved Danny decided to wash up since his shirt was filled with sauce stains from the pizza and Roy could swear he saw a potato chip or two in Danny’s hair.

Even if Danny was really messy at least he tries clean up after himself, Roy could see that Danny was still courteous. He wasn’t a slob or anything, he just loved to eat and he’s really lazy. It was forgivable for Roy since Danny makes up for his bad habits. Roy finally finished cleaning up, he double-checked the living room and when he saw there was nothing else to clean up he decided to follow Danny. He opened the door and the scent of Danny’s soap started wafting in the air. Roy smiled at himself and climbed on the bed, he loved the smell of Danny; the clean Danny. He decided to grab his phone and check his social media to see what’s been going on.

He was scrolling through his feed and then realizing that he hasn’t really missed out on anything. Yet he sees comments on his photos that his fans are asking when is his next tour. He doesn’t really want to think of that yet, since he’s gonna get back to that once they get back to New York.

Shane and Roy agreed that they would travel back to New York together with Dan after the New Year’s. Roy has asked Danny if he wanted to come along but he couldn’t give an answer yet since he might want to spend more time with his mom and siblings. Roy told him there was no pressure in deciding but if he wants to join them on the travel back, he’s welcome to. Roy wanted to spend more time with Danny, but he knows better to ask Danny to choose him over his family.

He heard Danny turn on the shower, and was slightly relieved that he was gonna take a bath. Roy has already freshened up, it was a routine for him that if he can take a bath right after dinner, he would. Luckily they had dinner exactly at 6:30 PM, so he took the liberty to take a bath ahead of Danny.

Roy was still scrolling through his phone, he was going through the photos they took during the past few days. He couldn’t help but stare at this one photo of him and Danny. It was a candid photo, Shane probably sneaked a shot when they weren’t looking. It was him holding Danny’s hand while walking ahead of the other couple. It seemed like a cliché thing but for Roy, it was romantic, it made him feel excited about it. He liked holding Danny’s hand, he hated to admit that Danny was taller and had longer fingers than him but it was obvious that Roy was more dominant. Roy tries to compensate his lack in height with his personality, it sounds sad but it does make him feel better.

Roy heard Danny turn off the shower, he couldn’t wait for Danny to come out and cuddle with him. He leaned on the headboard of the bed and kept scrolling through the photos.

Roy heard the bathroom door open and decided to place his phone at the side, the moment he looks up his heart almost stopped. He sees Danny leaning on the doorway of the bathroom, his wavy hair was resting on his shoulders, he was only in a torn up shirt and boxers but to Roy he was gorgeous. Roy gulped hard at the sight, he could feel the gaze Danny was giving him. Danny slowly walked towards the bed and climbed on top of Roy, he straddled him and grabbed his face.

“I think I’m ready Roy.” Danny whispered into Roy’s ear. Roy shuddered at the sound of his voice, it was sexy and irresistible. Roy looked up at Danny’s green eyes and his sight trailed to the plump lips in front of him. Danny slowly grazed his tongue over his upper lip, Roy could feel himself get hard with the sight.

Danny got impatient, his lips crashed onto Roy’s. The kiss was intense yet intimate, Danny slithered his tongue into Roy’s mouth, massaging it with his. Roy’s hands lingered inside Danny’s shirt, his fingers softly caressing his back and his hands slowly shifted towards his stomach.

Roy could feel Danny moan in between their kiss, Roy decided to be more dominant and take charge of the kiss. He pulled himself closer to Danny, he could feel Danny’s body slowly sinking into Roy. He grabbed the younger man and shifted their positions; Danny was under Roy again, their lips still locked on each other. Roy uses his knee to separate Danny’s legs so he could be in between. Roy made sure his crotch would grind onto Danny’s, already feeling his hardness.

Danny pulled away from the kiss, he couldn’t help but moan from the feeling. He knew Roy was already ready, without hesitation Danny pulled Roy’s shirt over his head and threw it away. He started pressing his lips on Roy’s collar bone, and slowly going to his broad shoulders. Roy was breathing heavy, the feeling of Danny’s lips on his body was so new for him. It was tickling him but at the same time it was really turning him on, he could already feel himself get tighter in his shorts.

Roy dipped his head onto Danny’s neck, dropping kisses and nipping on it. Danny’s hand started clutching on Roy’s head, and the other already digging his nails on Roy’s back.

“Roy… please don’t tease.” Danny moaned, Roy couldn’t resist the sound of his voice. He grabbed the hem of Danny’s boxers and slowly pulled them down, discarding the boxers away from them. Danny let out a sharp breath when he felt Roy’s skin brush on his, Roy lifted up Danny’s shirt and started laying soft kisses on his chest. His lips started to lower to his stomach, his hands lingered over Danny’s thighs and gently grabbed his member and slowly pressed it.

Danny’s eyes shot open, the feeling of Roy’s hand on his sensitive spot was so new to him and he has never felt this wave of pleasure ever. He has been with other men, and even slept with his fans since he’s a person who believes in free love. But having this intimate moment with Roy was something different. It isn’t the first time he’s been in bed with someone he fell in love with, but it was Roy, Danny has been pining for him as long as he could remember. He has imagined being with Roy like this but he couldn’t think that it would happen. The taste of his lips and the way he was touching his body was too surreal for Danny. He couldn’t stop the pang of pleasure in his stomach, he wanted Roy, and he wanted to be one with him already.

Roy could feel Danny’s hands on his crotch area and his fingers slowly tugging the hem of his shorts. Roy allowed him to pull them down, he was practically naked at this point but he didn’t mind. He repositioned himself, he let Danny’s legs hug his waist and pressed himself closer to Danny.

Danny paused and placed his hands on Roy’s chest, he could feel Roy’s heart beating fast under his palms. He couldn’t help but blush at him, he had to pull away for a bit to reach his wallet and retrieved two packets. Roy realizing what they were, made his heart beating faster than before.

He watched Danny biting the condom packet open and gently sliding it on him. Danny started pressing his lips on Roy’s bare chest again while opening the pack of lube. Roy decided to help him out and lubricate himself. The two paused for a bit, they were both looking at each other’s eyes. Roy dropped his lips again on Danny’s and gently pulled away, his forehead leaning on Danny’s.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Danny asked. Roy immediately nodded, he felt Danny’s hands caressing his cheeks and his lips breaking into a smile. “Good, cause I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” Danny said before pulling him close into another kiss.

Danny guided Roy, they both released a deep breath when Roy was completely inside him. Danny was clutching on to Roy and their bodies pressed close to each other. It was complete pleasure for the both of them, the level of intimacy was overwhelming and it was a feeling they never would have imagined experiencing. This was something Roy wouldn’t think Danny would be willing to do with him, but he could feel that Danny wants this. He was starting to understand that what he was thinking before was just fear. Sex will be sex, but making love with someone made more sense to Roy.

Roy began to move inside of him and Danny’s breathing got heavier, he grabbed Roy’s face and kept kissing his lips. He was letting out moans in between, his legs hugging Roy more and pulling him closer, making Roy go deeper inside him. Roy could feel Danny moving as well, their eyes locked onto each other. He could feel their movements get more intense, Roy’s breathing was faster and he could feel himself come close to his climax. He stared back at Danny, their rhythm was in sync and he felt Danny’s mesmerizing gaze.

Danny started moaning louder as Roy moved his hips faster, he kept whispering to Roy to keep going. Roy’s mind went blank at that moment, all he could see and feel was Danny and he admitted that it was the best feeling ever. Danny’s fingers dug deep on Roy’s back as he felt his climax and it didn’t take long for Roy to follow.

Roy fell beside Danny, both of them were trying to catch their breaths. Danny immediately cuddling to Roy, for some reason he felt scared. He wasn’t so sure why but he wanted to know how Roy felt about it because for sure he himself wanted it. Danny felt a slight relief when he felt Roy’s arm wrap around him, he placed his hand on his chest and crept even closer. Roy could feel Danny getting closer, he brushed Danny’s hair away from his face and kissed his forehead gently.

“That was honestly amazing.” Roy whispered to Danny, his lips still pressed on his forehead. Danny immediately lifted his head, a bit shocked with how Roy thinks of it. Danny grabbed his face and kissed him hard again. They drifted off in their own world of intimacy, they shifted positions and decided to do it all over again.

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December 15, 2016 2:59 AM

The night has passed, Roy was finally asleep. Danny felt bad he got him all tired out from all the love making they did. He was still awake though, it was an amazing night for both of them and it was too good to be true for him. He’s finally made love with Roy and he couldn’t ask for more.

Danny was leaning on the headboard, Roy was clinging on to him this time. He could feel the even breaths of Roy on his chest and his legs intertwined with his. Danny was happy at the sight, seeing the man he loved safe in his arms this time.

The turn of events was something Danny did not expect, he did want to sleep with Roy but he wasn’t thinking about how Roy felt about it. But knowing that Roy said it was amazing made his heart melt. Danny could feel his connection getting stronger with him. Danny hopes that their relationship will get better because of the new stage they’ve stepped on.

Danny could feel his heart overflow with Roy at that moment. His attraction to the older man started years back and the way he wanted to be with him was strong in his head. The times he’s been wanting Roy to return the feelings he has for him, it was rewarding for Danny to be perseverant about it. Even if he’s been with several people, it was always different when it comes to Roy. He knew that Roy has been with other people as well; it was hard enough for him to know that Roy was already dating Jason when he started liking him. It wasn’t overwhelming for him when the two broke up, but it was a happy moment for Danny when Roy decided to take a chance with him.

He could see himself love Roy for a long time, and he knows it was a risky thing for him. But to Danny love was something you’d sacrifice yourself for. He was more on emotions than rational thinking, that even if he knows it’s not good for him, he would still do it because he loves it. With his past relationships, he has gotten his heart broken several times and he’s still forgave them because he knows that it’s better to be a kind person. It was a blessing and curse for Danny to have a heart like that, his mom would always tell him that. She admires how loving Danny could be but it scared her as well that people would take advantage of that. Danny loves his mom for loving him that way but he knows he can handle it.

The fear of Roy deciding to leave him was still there. Like he knew that Roy was taking this chance but at the same time he wanted to run away from it. But he didn’t want that to matter, he wanted to show Roy that he could be loved and that maybe he would change his mind. When he’s alone with his thoughts, he looks at Roy and constantly begs him to take a chance on things between them. He wants to love Roy, completely.

But time will tell with what life has to give them, they may be destined to be together but if one gives up then it may be doomed in the end. Danny was brave enough to face it and he will fight for what he feels but it really is up to Roy.

Danny finally decided to close his eyes and drift off to sleep. His hands were still caressing Roy’s back, he needed to feel Roy as much as he can, while he can. He didn’t want Roy to leave or slip away. He wanted him. He needed him and boy, did he love him.

[gokailyger84]

Had another idea for an AU.  A NinjaShipParty Amnesia AU

Brian and Dan have been dating each other for nearly a year.  

Brian has been such a loving patient boyfriend to Dan, that he wants to give Brian something special for their anniversary.  

They had kept the physical side to their relationship somewhat light, due to going slow for Dan's comfort.  Usually only make outs and heavy petting would occur between them.  Though on rare occasions Brian would give Dan the best handjob or blowjob of his life.  

Dan feels comfortable enough to take the next step.  He wants to try anal sex with Brian.  

While he is still hesitant with receiving, Brian had assured him that he has no problem bottoming for him and if that's all he ever wants between them that it's fine.  

Dan wonders how he ended up with such an amazing best friend and boyfriend.

Dan has the day all planned out. He and Brian will go to the science museum, pick up a light lunch, head to a local theater to see a battle of the bands contest and head back to Dan's place, where they'll fix dinner together and Dan will suggest taking that next step with Brian.

Dan's waiting for Brian outside the science center when he gets a phone call.  

It's a nurse telling him that Brian had been in an accident and this was the first number in his emergency contacts.  

Dan could feel his stomach drop.  He manages to stay calm enough to find out what hospital Brian is in.  

He then calls Arin, who rushes over because Dan is on the edge of a panic attack and he can't trust himself to drive.  

Arin drives them over to the hospital and Suzy and Barry are already there, both each hugging Dan.

They find out that Brian had been hit on the passenger side by a person running a red light.  His SUV was crushed in on itself.  The jaws of life had to be used to get him out.  Brian suffered from a broken right leg, several broken ribs and a severe concussion and is in a temporary coma.

Dan is in hysterics, the others having to calm him down despite being shaken themselves.  

Everyone is sitting in the waiting room.  Eventually, Holly, Ross and Mark come by to show their support.  

Over the next couple of weeks, they all take turns, rotating being at the hospital.  Except for Dan.  He never leaves.  Arin brings him a change of clothes and he showers at the hospital.  Dan is hardly eating and is near inconsolable.  

One day, Brian wakes up and Dan is allowed to see him.  Dan is so happy to see Brian awake and on the road to recovery.  

In his excitement he kisses Brian, who looks at him in shock and confusion.  

It turns out that Brian has selective amnesia.  Different parts of his memory are missing.  Among them are his memories of being in a relationship with Dan.  

Dan is upset that Brian doesn't remember what was between them.  He only remembers his friendship with Dan and not the past year of them growing closer and more intimate with each other.  

Brian is soon released from the hospital a week later.  His memory hasn't returned and the doctor says it could be temporary or permanent.  

Dan offers to help Brian at his home since his mobility is still limited due to his healing ribs and leg.  

It's a pretty rough time for Dan.  He is the only one who knows that he and Brian were together.  Dan had asked Brian if they could keep their relationship secret as he wasn't comfortable coming out yet.  

Dan feels alone.  He can't comfort Brian the way he wants because of the amnesia and he has no one to talk to since they weren't out to their friends.

Brian is noticing something off with Dan.  As if he's holding something back. He can't help but wonder why Dan would often reached out to him, only to retreat.  And the moments where he stands just a little closer than usual and the longing look in his eyes.

Brian gets his answer when he's going through his phone, trying to make sure he doesn't repeat any social media posts due to his memory loss.  

He finds several pictures of himself and Dan.  They are really close in the pics.  Not like their usual selfies for the NSP instagram. These were more real and private.  They were even kissing in a couple of them.  He found a video of him teasing Dan, calling him the best boyfriend in the world.

When Dan came over the next day, Brian closely watched his behavior. Seeing if what he discovered really was linked to the odd happenings.  

He ends up confronting Dan.

"Hey, Danny?"  

Dan looked over his shoulder from his position in front of the stove, where he's fixing them dinner.

"What's up, Bri?"  He asked.

Brian stayed silent for a few seconds, tapping his fingers on the table he's currently sitting at.  

"I had found some… interesting pictures in my phone."

Dan's body stiffened.  Brian noticed.

"Um, what uh, what kind of pictures."  He asked, trying and failing to sound neutral.

Brian's lips set into a firm line.

"I think you know."  He said.  Dan remained silent.

"Why didn't you tell me?"  Brian asked, not bothering to hide the hurt and confusion in his voice.

Dan shrugged turning around and facing his partner.

"What was I supposed to say?  Hey, Brian.  Glad you're okay.  By the way, I know you don't remember but we've been dating for a year and it would be great if we could celebrate, cause I really miss being able to touch and kiss you."

Brian just stared at him.  He could clearly hear the frustration in Dan's voice.  As if he's kept this all bottled up since the accident.  Brian frowned.

"No one else knew about our relationship."  He stated.  

Dan didn't answer.  It wasn't a question.  Brian may not remember their relationship but he still knows Dan and how he deals with things.

It was already surprising to Brian that Dan was able to get past his sexuality barriers and give Brian, of all people, a chance to be with him.

"I'm sorry."  

Dan looked at Brian in shock.  He walked over and bent down, hugging the older man.

"Brian, none of this is your fault.  I'll get over this.  You're still my best friend.  I can adapt."

Brian shook his head against Dan's shoulder.

"You shouldn't have to.  I know you, Danny.  You took a huge risk being with me, in more ways then one.  And from what I can tell, we were doing great."  Brian's hands clenched into fists. 

"How could I forget all of it."  

Dan pulled back and gently cupped Brian's cheek.  His eyes full of care and love.  Brian looked away.  

"The Danny I remember would never look at me in such a way.  I thought I had given up on having my feelings returned."

Dan paused, gently turning Brian's head back towards him.  

"Things change, Brian.  I changed."  Dan then gave him a wide grin.  "Deciding to date you, has honestly been one of the best decisions of my life."  

Dan knelt down onto the floor, looking up and meeting Brian's, still troubled, eyes.

"I know you don't remember but I do love you.  As my best friend and as my boyfriend."  

Brian's face scrunched up, as if in pain.

"I wish I remembered.  I want to remember.  Remember us."

Dan placed his hands over Brian's.

"You may not ever remember, Brian."  Dan then hesitated, his hands tightening around Brian's.  

"But if you want to create new memories.  Memories with me…". Dan trailed off, his eyes dropping to their joined hands.

"Danny."  Brian said. 

He waited for Dan to look back up.  A small smile formed on his lips.

"I'd loved to create new memories with you."  He said, leaning forward and lightly pressing his lips against Dan's.  

Dan felt his own smile form as he returned the kiss.

"I look forward to it."

[justafanwarrior]

Danny kept a tight smile on his lips, it was taking all of his training not to react further.

While he was happy Damian had gotten out, he didn't care much more for him. Their mother had kept them apart, only allowing them to remain together until they were 3 and their training actually started.

They were never allowed to be in the same base unless for a single monthly spar. They didn't know each other and Danny didn't really want to change that.

Jazz was enough. He only needed her as a sibling.

The issue was that Vlad was bound to notice how similar Damian and him looked. Yes, Danny was a bit paler, his eyes rounder, his cheekbones sharper and his jaw a bit squarer but Damian and him still looked very much like each other. And Danny also looked like Bruce, it was only luck that Jack shared a lot of his biological father's attributs. But Vlad was not stupid.

Danny nodded and smiled when needed but the boy remained in deep thoughts. It was probable that his twin would still remember the hand signals used in missions yet could he risk Vlad's suspicion ?

The man was already annoyed from Youngblood's latest quest that ended up damaging his manor yesterday, his fuse was much shorter than usual.

Worse, Vlad had also recently mentionned needing Danny for something, after the torture and the cloning among many other unsavory things done to him, he didn't want to risk it, didn't want to possibly risk Ellie or one of his ghost friends either. He wouldn't put it past the man.

Danny wanted to ask for help but he didn't think he could.

All Plans Fly Out the Window

There’ve been quite a few long lost twins Damian and Danny meeting at galas, right? All very cute, happy, relaxed, etc.. Well what if we add a little twist?

——————————————————

Vlad Masters.

A very suspicious figure that only in the last few years rose to wealth and power from almost thin air. Companies that were doing decent simply handing over the keys. No court has ever been able to prove foul play, all judges siding with Masters even when counter mind control measures were in place.

Any evidence or stories implicating Masters were either retracted or removed with great speed.

Bruce did not want another Lex Luther to deal with, and yet he first needs evidence. All of his computers were tightly secured with little connection to the Internet, and the ones that were refusing to be hacked. (“It’s almost as if it’s… alive, B.”)

Therefore, while risky, a more hands-on approach was needed.

Tim and Bruce were to stay in the spotlight, keep Masters eyes on them. While Damian would sneak away and snoop under the pretense of, “being bored”.

However, all of this went out the window when Masters introduced his godson, Daniel Fenton who when shaking their hands said in the League of Assassins dialect in a pleasant tone,

“What the **** are you doing here?”