#meta do be kicking my ass right now!

[raytoebiter]

viv. kick me (written work)

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It's 4:37PM when the harsh beams of sunlight finally mellow down to a mere soft glow that blankets the whole interior in a delicate color. It's also 4:37PM when you finally reach the café and the bell chimes emit a pleasant noise you're accustomed to.

“Oh, dear [Name]!” A voice laced with so much delight greets you, and you can only return it with a grin of your own, “how was school today?”

You slipped the snoopy slippers on, already dragging yourself over to your grandma whose arms are prepared wide and open for the hug that you've always looked forward to.

It never fails to soothe the tension in your shoulders when she rubs a particular spot.

“School was fine,” you sighed absentmindedly.

“'Is that so? Speaking of school, where's your friend?”

Your gut squirms in annoyance, frowning at the way her eyes spark up so childishly despite being adorned with wrinkles.

Friend, my ass.

Irked, a groan left your lips, “he’s probably gonna be here soon.”

The word, ‘soon’ sounds so bitter in your mouth. You just fought with the guy earlier at morning classes because–who the fuck even throws a dildo at someone's face!?

Your face burns, unaware of your grandmother chuckling in satisfaction until she's already pulling you near to the counter, “I'll make you hot chocolate, and after this, you can turn the sign over.”

Okay, do not think about Scaramouche. Do not think.

You gulped, urging the damn Incident away from your weary mind, “swiss miss?”

She grinned with a blink, “of course! Now, hurry up and sit! you’re gonna have a long day today, missy.”

Save me, you clench your jaw, god, save me from this 6-Hour-Shitshow..

Sighing, you deliberately and slowly place the phone back to the counter, head tilting abnormally to peek at the entrance of the café—and there he is. All in his glory, the Almighty Twink-A-Fuck.

You gulp. Deep breaths. Step. Walk. Step.

“Hey,” you half-assedly smile, lightly knocking onto one of the square windows on the door.

His hair bounces when he perks up from his phone, imperceptible widened eyes catching onto yours before it shifts to those narrowed eyes you're more accustomed to.

“Why the fuck are your doors locked.” Not a question. You shrug, already reaching out to the lock.

“Cats often get in here because they know how to open doors,” a pseudo smile reaches your lips, sweetness lacing your voice, “and ‘sides, I forgot you were coming.”

Scaramouche rolls his eyes. A bell chime fills the silence, and you step over to the side as he enters.

A bright shine catches your peripheral as Scaramouche enters into the café without a care in the world, and holy–

Is that a fucking porsche!?

You abruptly whip your head to Scaramouche—who seems way too busy absorbing the interior of your café as if the asshole hasn't already been here a week ago—before whipping it back to the Shiny Glamorous Porsche. Because, what the fuck.

Okay, listen. You're not exactly an expert in The Damn Art of Cars but a Porsche had been on your wish list for years. God forbid the amount of times you've ratted off of your grandmother's ears as a child about how much you've salivated over damn metas and engines. At this point, you'd probably rather fuck a vehicle than a perso–

—A gasp. Then, horror. Absolute horror dawning in those indigo eyes. And.. and mirth? The fuck–

“You do realize you just said those outloud, right,” he deadpanned, voice tinted with indifference and amusement. Like what you said was the most appropriate thing. I mean, then again, you've said far worse things, but god–in the café? Where your dearest grandmother is quite literally just meters above your head? And could potentially hear you despite the thick hardwood floors?

That thought sends electricity to your body.

Pathetically, you sputtered, alternating between defending yourself, telling him to shut up because your grandmother is literally just upstairs and reasoning that, hey, can't you just let a girl nerd out? Only to end up giving him the Fuck-You finger when not even a coherent sentence ended up leaving your lips after a mere 3 minutes of full on panicking.

..Yeah, get that, motherfucker.

“Okay,” he drawls facetiously, after seconds of radio silence, “So, you want to fuck my car. Cool. My car's cool too.”

I swear I will haunt this asshole to death when I become a ghost.

“Shut up! Shut up, shut up. I don't want to hear it. Shut up.” resigned, your hand points to a double boiler, as he lets his gaze unceremoniously follow it.

Again, he snorts at the quaint sound of water boiling.

Then, he turns back to you with a sneer and a knowing lint in those fucking goddamn eyes, “well, whatever. I'll be in your care then, fruitcake.”

–

“Number 12 on the counter, please!”

Okay. So, even though you thought the Twink Fucker implied to be an absolute nuisance roughly three hours ago, he's actually surprisingly decent in the field. He knows how to do a few latte art, can brew an Americano correctly at least, and is mildly, overall experienced at it.

And admittedly, the way he moves around the area would what you call a fucking graceful dance shitshow. Listen, you're not one to exaggerate, but hell if you don't admit that the asshole frankly looks like he's dancing around while brewing damn espressos.

(You can feel bile gathering up in your esophagus when you ponder more over the damn poise he has.)

Presently, it's been three hours since the shift had started, and you've done nothing but scrutinising the Twink-Ass with keen eyes as your grandmother had given you the task to.

And embarrassingly enough, it seems you're not the only one, guessing with how much habitués has been ogling the mysterious new face at the counter. You're pretty sure that neither of them has the balls to ask, considering they linger quite a bit longer in favor of inspecting the asshole’s face instead of asking for his damn number.

However, as time ticked by, an old lady whom you recognize as that one lady who sells adult toys on a sidewalk manages the balls to ask. However, when she does ask, she doesn't ask the asshole. No, no, she comes to you. With the most expectant shine in her eyes and a girl’s name rolling off of her tongue.

And you, who have decided to be the kindest, offer the old lady 10 numbers with a note that you managed to write behind Scaramouche’s back, “tell your granddaughter to spam his phone; he likes those things in a woman,” followed by a wink. It's clear she's a bit perplexed, but she nods anyway.

That's revenge for the fucking dildo, asshole.

Four hours pass, and the café finally settles down as the end of the shift steadily approaches. And it's then that Scaramouche finally and unfortunately breaks the streak of not talking to you for four hours straight.

He approaches with the same pseudo smile he offers to the customers and with a patronising tone, he asks, “so? how’d I do?”

Absolute dogshit. I don't want you here.

“I’ll send my feedback to grandma later,” you sardonically smiled, avoiding the question as you tilt your head to the short stack of papers on the rickety table.

His attention flitted between you and the paper all the while having his lips pursed into that smile before dropping his facade and clicking his tongue.

“What? Don't tell me you were expecting flattery,” you snorted.

In return, he grimaced, “ew, god, no. I don't consider your flattery to be worthy enough to brood over.”

Your brows raised, “careful, now. your job is quite literally in my hands right now.”

The grimace only deepened before it twisted to a scowl, “I'll just find a new one if you ever do fire me from here.”

“As if anyone would ever accept your nasty ass.”

“Your nanny did.”

“That's ‘cause she doesn't know what you're like in school.”

Incredulity coursed through his features before chuckling, the sound itself bitter, “you sound like someone that I really fucking hate.”

“You do hate me,” you answered, simple and true. Not that you were ever bothered by it; you hated him too.

Then, in a fleeting moment, his gaze flickered to you, a confused glimmer in them as his brows raised the slightest bit as he reluctantly replied, “no, I fucking don't?”

The fuck?

Your stomach twisted, feeling the familiar sting in the back of your throat, “what?”

“Not as much as I hate that someone, anyway,” his voice silent yet so full of resentment before a newly complacent tone replaces it, “Also, I dislike you, asswipe.”

Oh, okay. You frowned. What's the difference? Did the word, ‘hate’ have a much deeper meaning? Weren't they just the same?

“..Well, I hate you,” you don't miss the way his face dropped to a deadpan, “that one's really obvious.”

“Yeah,” he rolled his eyes, leaning against the counter with an elbow propped on one of the sturdy machines, “really fucking obvious.”

This time, you respond with a glare.

In return, you get a disgusting tongue stuck out to you before he annoyingly decides to spare you the time and gazes off somewhere to the distance instead–blissfully ignoring your glares of daggers and muttered profanities.

Of course the peace doesn't last long.

"What's up with you and fucking Porsches anyway?"

A sigh, "please just shut up."

Then surprisingly, he does shut up. He did scoff though. Your gaze moved to the clock just right above the entrance.

9:47PM. Two hours left before your bedtime. You could wait it out and send the asshole home. But then again.. maybe you could overwork the asshole.

Under the guise of reluctance, you break the silence, “I’ll go clean up. We’ll switch from here, and then you can go home after.”

His head snapped to you, slightly tilted, “switch?”

“Yeah, switch. You go help grandma upstairs and I'll take care of the stuff from here. And, I'm pretty sure the pastries will be here at around..” you shot a glance at the clock again, noting the time, “twelve minutes from now, so off you go.”

As if contemplating, he narrowed his eyes before a smirk tugged at his lips and he tauntly drawls, “sure, whatever you say, fruitcake.”

A vein throbs in your temple. You could handle other names like dumbass, ass-kisser (???), fuckwipe, dickwad and other things you'd prefer not thinking about but this? It.. just sounds so..

“..Annoying. Fucking annoying.”

He rolls his eyes with a snort, already turning on his heels and heading to the staff room, “tell me something that's new, asswipe.”

"Back door's the exit for the staff here, by the way!"

The door clicked to a close, and you briefly wondered if he heard you or not.

..Well, nevertheless, you hope he wakes up with the most fucked up body ache known to mankind.

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|| previous episode - next episode. ||

───〃★tunes of your heartbeat masterlist

synopsis: in which your fate somehow gets entangled into a messy jumble between punk music in cozy cafés, intense rivalry, cherished yakults, parallelograms and quantum physics, competitions in contests and rainy days. or in other words; the universe seems to fucking hate your guts for whatever reason and decided to curse your love life with your awful crass emo twink-a-fuck rival. the question is; did the curse work?

taglist (50/50): @toekissers , @raineyun @localscarasimp , @potteraep , @shutingstar , @feiherp , @scaraenthusiast1 @dazqa , @wraithisd3adinside , @x-hihihi-x , @court-jester-stuff , @automaticpatroltragedy , @lalalaloveallmydays , @trulyylee , @jayzioxx , @featuredtofu @kazemiya @help-whatdoimakemyusername , @skyoverkill1 @phoenix-eclipses , @anqelkoz , @miyakomari @saechiro @franaby , @swivi , @vixialuvs , @heusalettle @kunikissr @yomishen @mywillt0live , @baldrapunzel @jiminscarmex @sushitushi, @liuaneee , @shynsgore , @mechanicalbeat1 , @marivaudages , @okukura , @azzumei @lucid1tty @iloveescara @usagiarchive @kyouzki @theunhingedmf @kangyeonie @mi2ukiss @bubblebellaz @eternallykira-143 @lumiicch

• featured song - nothing's gonna change my love for you by george benson

authors' notes - i tried my best in writing scara as VAGUE as fucking possible while also keeping the brandname of him being a fake idgafer💜 also you know those people who tries so hard to wink but just can't? i imagined that with [name]'s grandma and i just fucking cackled at the image lmfao

p.s - if u don't know the meaning of the song scara had on the last pic then i suggest u do a google search😋😋😋 gonna be a big ass foreshadowing

(ask to be added or removed)

[purple-goo-writes]

OMFG MY BRAIN JUST HAD THE BEST THOUGHT

PHANTOM BEING THE JL'S PROBLEM CHILD/FIRST PROTÉGÉ

like okay okay hear me out.

Danny is just starting out as Phantom when the JL is getting kicked off. This is like maybe six years before Batman even takes on Robin or something idk. But just the JL just formed they are busting their asses off getting Meta Rights when they find the Anti-Eco acts and this leads them to Phantom. Cause you know for shit that the League isn't gonna let those acts stay. Nope that shit gotta go especially so they can get Meta Rights.

One things leads to another

And somehow this leds to them all mentoring this sassy dead teen.

And Danny finds himself with a bunch of mentors and as basically the JLs test protégé. You know he is going to start a blog too as Phantom called My Life as Teen Vigilante. Which also helps said mentors down the line when more teen heroes pop up.

But also the fucking shenanigans!!!

--

Batman: Drop it

Danny: *puts kryptonite in mouth*

Batman: Damn it Danny!

Danny: *running as chews faster!*

---

Flash: Hey buddy I'm here to check-whatcha got there?

Danny: *wearing the crown of rage and star cape whilst sipping a smoothie* A smoothie

Flash: *rapidly reading through Amity News* What happened whilst we were in space?!

Danny: *slurpsss*

Flash: HOW DID NO ONE NOTICE A WHOLE TOWN DISAPPEARING?!

Danny: *big slurp*

Danny: And I'm ghost king now

Flash: YOU'RE WHAT?!

--

Canary: *trying to help danny with new powers*

JL member watching: sooo what power di he get now?

Batman: *headache brewing* he can now level a city with his voice

--

Danny getting ice powers: I am going to cause so may problems with this

Danny nearly freezing to death and causing the JL to freak out: Hello consequences to my actions

Que Batman ad Flash interrogating their ice villains on controlling ice powers cause Some How There Wasn't An Ice Hero Yet!

--

Dan Happens

Danny: Fuck what was Bats plan for evil future self?

Danny: Oh right *pulls out Fenton phone* Call Dad number 5

Batman: you forgot what rhe contingency plan for this was didn't you?

Or alternatively

Dan Happens

JL shows up after case they were off world: What happened?!

Danny: *laying exhausted in crater* Boy Do I Have A Story For You!

So on.

By the time most get their protégés, they've already had a test run with Danny, who likes to claim that he is each protégés big brother for it. The Kids love their Big Brother Danny...the JL doesn't love the new shenanigans Danny gets into with them.

In his defense, they left him unsupervised with said kids.

[igotanidea]

Shower: J.T x fem!reader

Request: from the prompt list: "for sparring to turn into sex "+ "I told you to be quiet" + "they're gonna catch us" with Jason.

@parkjammys I'm sorry in advance, I know this is probably not what you had in mind, but I just couldn;t fight the urge to play and twist those prompts a bit.

Warnings: SMUT MINORS DNI!

A/N: It's written in the Ego!verse and can be read as a next part to Growing up

***

„You got rusty” Jason smirked, while looking at Y/N’s workout simulation 

„Well, I’ve been in a cast for almost two months thanks to your older brother.” She scoffed brushing hair off her forehead. As if she didn’t know it took a heavy toll on her physique. She was panting after a beginner level program and absolutely hated it. It was like a cheek.

“It was NOT my fault!” Dick objected overhearing the conversation

“That’s just some poor explanation, Y/N” Todd mocked, making her clench her fists. “And you are not going to get back to shape and get cleared for the field if you keep it so easy.”

“Why don’t you cut your girl some slack, Todd? Even if she’s not capable of kicking your ass she can always go full meta on you.“ Tim muttered from the corner, too busy to look their direction while punching a dummy, but still not dropping the opportunity to torment his older brother.

“Oh, I am fully capable of kicking his ass.” Y/N panted “Right here, right now.”

“Is that a dare?” Jason lifted the corner of his mouth, his eyes glistening predator-like, eyeing her like a prey.

“Are you chickening out?” she pouted and tilted her head “scared of a girl, Red Hood?”

“Aren’t you scared of getting humiliated in front of the whole family?” he retorted taking a step forward her

“Do you want me to go full Ego on you?” he mimicked his movement and at the moment they were just standing in front of each other, inches away, their bodies almost touching while the other members of the family stopped their own workouts and focused on watching.

“Wouldn’t you like that, princess.” He whispered leaning over her, his hot breath on her face “I got some many thoughts in my head….”

“Do you two need a room?” Dick’s voice chimed in and brought them both back to reality. It’s been a moment since they were intimate (once again, the stupid cast!) and all they needed was a spark to forget all the surroundings and get lost in each other. But the audience was definitely not needed and upon Grayson’s words they practically recoiled from each other.

“Yeah.” Jason scratched his neck awkwardly “give me a room to pin her down.”

“Wouldn’t you like that” she laughed and it made him blush a bit. Shit. He would like that, but not with his sibling around.

“If you’re so smart and bold why don’t you go at me without using your little mind games?” he hissed clenching his fist. Fuck, he wanted her and if he didn’t start blowing the steam off that very second it would start to show.

“Promise not to go easy on me, Todd?” she spun around taking a stance on the fighting mat, facing him with that arcane look. He nodded, swallowing hard. “Then it’s a deal.”

“Wait!” Stephanie yelled “I’m opening the bets! 10 bucks on Y/N!”

“10 bucks?!” Y/N scoffed “so little faith in me, Steph! That’s pretty offending!”

“That’s all I have, y/n/n/, don’t let me down.” The blonde blew a kiss her friends direction and grinned.

“Ready you two?” Grayson rubbed his hand acting like a judge on the ring “set. Go!”

Neither Jason nor Y/N moved in the slightest. They knew each other too well to take  any sudden action, instead focusing on eyeing each other, calculating every gesture. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity she took tiniest step forward and the real fight burst out.  

Y/N took a slide and before Jason with his tank build realized what was happening she was behind him, punching his shoulder blades and making him fall forward a bit, but still not enough to cause him to fully loose the balance.

“Backstabbing, princess?” he smirked turning to face her and throwing a punch which she blocked easily, grabbing his arm and twisting it, causing him to groan.

“Go Y/N!” Steph yelled happily and that sudden exclaim distracted her giving Jason opportunity to put his other arm around her waist and lift her in the air.

“Let go off me!” she yelled, kicking her feet desperately, hoping to reach his knee or calf, which she knew were more sensitive and prone to injury than any other part of his body, but failed at that, instead ending up being held like a unruly kid, arms pinned to her sides. “Damn it!”

“Giving up already?”

“You wish!” Y/N was quick to come up with contingencies and not only because Steph was now literally biting her nails watching the scene unravelling in front of her eyes. Since it was impossible to use her hands, Y/N swung her legs in the way Dick taught her and not without effort wrapped them around Jason’s neck ending up on his shoulders, strangling him, cutting the air supply, waiting for the familiar patting on her thigh – sign of surrender. 

“Aren’t you a bit too cocky, Ego?” he hissed, trying to throw her from his back, squeezing the ankle of her freshly healed leg making her yelp in pain and loosen the grip.

A mistake which made her end up on the floor, almost losing the battle.

“That hurt you bastard!” she cried out, real tears showing in her eyes.

“I’m not falling for that love” he went forth and in a blink of an eye pressed her to the wall. Their chest touching, moving up and down frantically due to the heavy breath. Was it just because of the fighting?”

“Jason….” she whined, trying to push him away.

“Don’t play dirty.” He whispered into her ear

“ME?” she faked innocence “you are clearly the one happy to have me so close, don’t you, baby?” AUCH!” the girl screamed when he pushed her even more into the wall, his eyes absolutely dark “your family is watching….”

Fuck.

He let go for just a second and it was enough for her to use that against him. In the end he was the one who ended up on the mattress, on his back with Y/N straddling his hips and hands on his chest pinning him down and …. Well…. Feeling something there.

“You think you won?”

“I…” she didn’t get to finish the sentence when he flipped her over, hovering over, his  bodyweight not letting her to get up. “Fuck….” She muttered

“You?” Jason muttered, pressing his body closer to her, whispering in her ear, making her hot and needy and all red. “I can do that….”

“Could you please stop?” Damian muttered, rolling his eyes “why is it so hard to stay professional? It’s just freaking disgusting.”

“So, seems like I won.” Todd grinned, getting up, too proud of himself about making Y/N a flustered mess on the floor.

“I hate you, Todd.” She brushed off his hand which he offered to help her up. “You almost broke my leg again!”

“You know I would never do that. Not to you, Y/N. But Riddler’s goons wouldn’t have any seconds thoughts. You need to be ready for that. “ she turned away from him, angry “Hey.” He put a hand on her shoulder and spun her around “don’t be mad at me, baby….. You know I can’t handle that.”

“Y/N!” Cass called from behind. She was the one who was watching the scene most carefully from all the siblings. Therefore she noticed the slight limp and bruising on Y/N’s ankle and had to make sure her friend was good to go “Leg?”

“I’m fine, Cass.” She sighed deeply “Sorry for making you lose the bet, Steph. Great job, Jason, congratulations, I guess.” She raised on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek briefly.

Probably last thing he needed, since instead of making him calm down the fight with her, feeling her body underneath him while pinning her down did exactly the opposite. And the feeling of her soft lips on his face only fueled him more. He needed her. He wanted her. It’s been too long since he had her.

“You did well, Y/N” Dick patted her shoulder as he walked past him “I think we all had enough for today.  Let’s just hit the showers.”

“Sure….”

Y/N moved towards the bathroom, adjacent to the training room. She knew Jason never meant to hurt her, but once he got into his Red Hood mode, he was oblivious to his own strength. And while fighting she was his opponent, not his girlfriend. And she wanted him to not go easy on her.

But still, it was painful and single unwanted tear flew down her cheek.

She wiped it off, angrily and slowly started taking off her sweaty workout clothes. But before any of them could actually hit the floor,  she felt hands wrapping around her from behind and let out a gasp struggling against the grip.

“Sh!” one palm covered her mouth silencing her in an instance “it’s me, baby. It’s just me.”

“Jace!” she whispered-yelled turning around to face him “what the hell are you…..?” she cut off, her eyes widening and wandering all over him. He was naked. Absolutely naked. And absolutely horny. Ready for action and the sight of him being so hard for her made her let out a moan.

“see anything you like?” he smirked so full of himself.

“Jace….” She whined, wrapping arms around his neck immediately pulling him to a kiss, pressing herself close to him.

Of course, she wanted and needed him too. Maybe even more than he needed her.

“Fuck, I missed you.” he gasped, hands wondering all over her curves, not able to satiate of the feeling of her so close, being so vulnerable in his embrace, so submissive to his every action and movement "I missed you so bad, baby.” Those calloused palms dived under the hem of her sport bra, painfully slowly lifting it up, forcing her to put her arms up and let go of him for a moment. Too long moment for her liking as the second that piece of material was gone she clung to him like a magnet.

“Mmmm.” She whined, feeling his lips on her neck, nibbling softly on the sensitive skin and massaging her breasts, pinching slightly on the pebbled nipples.

“You gotta keep quiet baby.” He smirked, now playing with the hem of her panties, caressing so close to where she needed him “Thin walls. Do you want everyone to hear you?”

“Hmmm.” She muttered mockingly taking a step back entering into the shower cabin, getting rid of her panties herself, completely exposed and motioning for him to follow “Hear us, baby. You’re not exactly the quiet type either. Come get me….” The girl whispered turning the water on, the broad stream dampening her whole body and hair.

She was never hotter.

Those lust-blown eyes, slightly reddened cheeks, plump and kiss-swollen lips …. Her body was practically screaming to him, so ready for more. She was looking at him with that sexy, lustful, seductive expression. All for his taking. With one stride he was next to her, pressing her whole body to his. Closer, closer, closer. And yet still not close enough. Her soft and silky skin, her every curve, all for him and he was not going to oppose to that gift in front of him. Passion and love consumed them both, hot water and the fogged bathroom  creating the steamy atmosphere only added to those feelings an fueled them.  

 “Baby…. Don’t stop, please, fuck, don’t stop” her hands found a way to his hair, tangling in the soft strands and pulling gently, pressing his head and mouth to her skin. “I want more.”

“Did I hurt you?” he suddenly pulled back looking into her eyes “is your leg all right?”

“It hurts….” She whined, pouting and reciprocating his gaze with the saddest, softest expression almost begging him to take care of her. In a very specific way.

“How can I make it better?” he whispered, heavily, resuming nibbling on her neck, causing another whine to slip past her lips.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing…. be … be soft with me today.” She begged “be gentle, baby…. It’s been so long, I forgot how you feel.”

“I’ll remind you. “

“How will you remind me?” she gasped when he bit on her collarbone, hickey already forming, her core throbbing and feeling so neglected, aching.

“I’ll kiss every part  of your perfect body. I’ll make you feel so good baby. I’ll get you high. Let me.”

“Take me, Jace” she moaned clawing on his broad back, his muscles tensing and flexing due to her ministration “now. Please, baby, please, I need you. I need you so bad.” she almost cried, all the sensations overwhelming her.

“Are you sure? Like you said, it’s been a while. Can you really take it?”

“Yes, yes please…. please Jason, please, please.” Tears started falling down her cheeks, masked by the streams of water on her face and he was quick to kiss all that pain away, lips brushing over her jaw and neck, nose rubbing nose before he captured her lips again. She wanted him to be gentle and he was going to comply. Just showing her all the love he had, without words, purely by action.

 “I missed this.” he whispered tracing a pattern up her inner thigh, causing her to spread her legs slightly “I missed being with you like this. Away from everyone, just us.”

“Mhmmm.” She shuddered when his fingers found their destination “Just us, baby. You and me. I’m all yours.”

“And I’m yours. Tell me how to please you princess. Tell me what you need. Tell me how you need. I want to know all your little fantasies.”

“No fantasies. Not today.” She shook her head “Not here. I want it simple. Just lift me and don’t let me slip.”

“I won’t” he promised quickly catching up what, how and where she needed, grabbing backs of her thighs and wrapping them around his waist, pressing her into the wall for support, one hand on her back, the other in her hair, massaging gently, tilting her head to get access to more of her skin.

“IT’S COLD!”she let out an involuntary scream taking them both by surprise.

“SH!!” he silenced her again “I told you to be quiet! They are gonna catch us!”

“Do you really think they haven’t realized you sneaked in here the second the training session was over? Please….” She rolled eyes “besides, do you really care? Come on, you have me in the palm of your hand, baby.” She wrapped her arms tighter around him, moving slightly up and down to create any friction and make him take some action. Much to her delight it got her a groan from the back of his throat and she shuddered at that sound “I’m quite the catch, don’t you think? And you can do what you wish with that” her seductive whisper In his ear seemed to finally spur him on.

“The best.” He responded pushing  in. Fighting the urge to just go all in with one thrust, but remembering what she asked him for. And instantly getting the reminder when she writhed with some discomfort, nails digging into his back. He loved that sweet pain, but was still mindful that it indicated that she was pushing past her limits.

“I won’t hurt you.” He whispered, rubbing her back reassuringly, trying to help her relax.

“I know…” she hissed feeling him push another couple inches in “I told you, it’s been….. a moment since we …..  and …. Mmmm.” The slightest frown appeared on her face and her mouth hung open for a while whilst her body started getting a memo of how good it was to have Jason inside her. How perfectly aligned they were. “Jace…..” she gasped out, already wanting and needing more.

“I can stop if you want.”

“Don’t lie to me, Jason. We both know you can’t stop at this point. And I can take it. I promise, I can take it. I want you whole. In me. Now.” she arched her back, trying to take in more of his shaft .

“You have me. I….” he hesitated. Words were still hard, but he felt the urge to say them. To assure her, that what he felt was true and that he cared for her.  “I love you baby. So fucking much.” His lips found hers once more and he bottomed out with one more push swallowing her scream as her pussy fluttered around his digits so deliciously. She was right, he didn’t really care about his family overhearing them going at it, damn, he was fucking proud and bragging about being the one to make her feel good enough to scream (suck that, Grayson). But that little sucker knew that forcing her to keep her mouth shut would result in her clawing on his back again. And he wanted that. She was all his. Her body, her mind, her soul, her screams and moans, her actions.

Everything.

Jason Todd was one selfish and possessive bastard.

But still caring.

“Jace…” she panted when he finally let her lips go, allowing her to take a breath. Not that she was capable of breathing while having him like this.

“You’re good? Can I…..?”

“Just…. Just a second….” She wriggled her hips, adjusting to the stretch, causing him to groan.

“If you keep doing that I’m going to lose it.” He warned, squeezing her butt cheek.

“Oh, I am being tormented here. Forced, used, attacked from behind, abused.” She mocked tearily “poor little me.”

“Forced, baby? Abused? I can’t really see you opposing very actively.”

“Just move you little shit.” She laughed lightly, patting on his shoulder, urging him to start thrusting. And he did. Slowly, carefully. It was easy to get lost in her, but this time he was not going to rush that intimacy. They had all the time in the world. Eternity to worship each other. The external world might as well stop existing and explode and they would be perfectly happy just moving in that sensual, intimate pace, holding onto each other. Living in the bubble they created from their passion and love.

“I….” she whined, throwing her head back, resting it on the tiles and feeling the fire forming in her belly. At this point, her body was on fire and she didn’t care whether the wall was cold or not “I missed this too, Jason. Fuck, you feel so good.”

“I know….” he mumbled using the opportunity to kiss the exposed column of her throat moving towards her nipples, swirling his tongue around them, licking all the water droplets gathered there making her moan loudly “I’m fucking perfect for you.”

“Jace…..” she started moving against him, chasing her own high. She never knew that slow, soft loving could be so much better and more fulfilling than the rough, fast pace he usually set

“Hm?”

“Please…..”

“Please what?”

“Don’t stop loving me…. Just…. don’t …. ” shit, she was so close.

“I could never, baby. Just want to make you feel good.” He took a step forward, pressing her further into the wall and adjusting the grip on her back, making sure she would not slip.

“You are, but …. More. Please. Please, baby, please, oh, god” he didn’t pick up the pace but started moving harder on her almost making her snap “yes…yes, Jace, yes, baby.” She was no so loud there was not a chance those sounds didn’t echo through the whole manor. Most probably reaching not only the youngest but Alfred and Bruce as well.

Oh, well, that’s really (not) a shame.

“I thought I told you to be quiet, princess?”

“Fuck! Fuck! I don’t care! AH! Jason! Jace, baby, yes! Yes! Fuck! Please! God, baby, don’t …. So close…. Mmmm…”  

“You’re gonna come for me, baby? Right now? Can you be a good girl and cum on my cock?”

“JA…..” he didn’t give her even the slightest chance to scream his whole name, pressing his mouth on her swallowing the other part of it, feeling her body shudder and shake in his arms.

She was so fragile, so vulnerable, so sensitive and so overstimulated that even when he himself came, she was still clinging onto him. Not wanting to let go. Wanting him to stay, to hold her like that, to shower (pun intended) her with aftercare, attention, affection. She just needed him close. Not in a physical way, but emotional. And if he were to pull out and get out of this freaking bathroom, out in the world, forced to face it, she would lose that part of him. She wasn’t ready to let go of her emotional Jason. Not yet.

“Stay.” She begged looking straight into his eyes. “Please, stay.”

“Baby….” He kissed her forehead, slowly dropping her to her feet, hands secured on her waist, making sure her shaky legs wouldn’t give up on her,  holding her close.

“I don’t want to go there….”

“Now you scared they heard?”

“It’s not that… I…. I need you.Not the one you are with your siblings. The you¸ you are only for me” she brushed her lips over his slowly, gently “please…”

“I know. And I’m not leaving you. How could I?” he pecked her lips “but we can’t stay here forever.”

“Why?” she whined, hiding face in his chest and massaging his back “It’s nice and warm and spacious….”

“Don’t you think someone will take interest in why the water in this particular shower keeps running for hours non-stop?”

“hours, huh?” she smirked, licking her lips. She was so damn ready for round two.

“I bet it would be Alfred. Do you really want that?”

“No.” she looked down, suddenly ashamed by the thought of the family butler being a witness to their workout and forcing them out alongside with making them clean the bathroom of everything they may leave behind.

Jason kissed her temple briefly and reached behind him to grab a towel and wrap her in it, slowly helping her dry herself, smile never leaving his lips. She was looking so tiny and adorable like this. In her post-coital bliss. He wanted to remember that relaxed, peaceful look on her beautiful face.

Only when they both were dressed properly and somewhat presentable they dared to take a peek through the door, making sure no one was around. As fast as lighting and as quiet as the mouses they rushed to Y/N’s room, ready for cuddling and a movie marathon, but much to their surprise they had an unwanted guest waiting for them there.

‘You are both disgusting.” Damian hissed

“And you are here cause you wanted to say it to our faces?”

“Yes. Just letting you know. Oh, and… Y/N. You should know you actually made Steph win a bet.”

“What?” she asked in confusion, brows furrowing

“There was another. Between Brown and Grayson. She bet we would hear you. Grayson had more faith in your self-control. And he’s angry about losing. Good luck talking to him about it.”

“Oh, damn it….” Y/N whined, hiding face in hands, turning red.

“What was it that you said when I told you they are going to hear?” Jason tapped his chin “oh, right, I don’t care. Well, don’t you now?”

[waitmyturtles]

Gelboys, Episode 4: What’s Old Is New Again Is Kicking My Ass In Such Good Ways

[Another appropriate title to this post could be: Sad Boys (Bois?) Are Eternal, which, oh yes, they are.]

(h/t @my-rose-tinted-glasses)

I was half-liveblogging to @lurkingshan while I was watching this episode late yesterday, asking and begging Shan, WE ALL COLLECTIVELY GET WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE, RIGHT?!?!5555583737474 🤣🤣😭😭😭😭

The eternal trap of embarrassing yourself for a love that’s almost impossible to call your own, is what I was first reeling about.

The fact that Baabin voluntarily left the concert of his dreams to chase after his one-sided love of Fou4mod is what got me this week in my nostalgic feels. When I was a young lass — how many hang-outs and adventures did I miss with my friends because I was chasing after a dillweed. So many.

Do I regret missing those moments with my homies? Some, yes. Not all of them, though.

I don’t regret having the experiences I had in my teens and twenties — because, stereotypically, they made me who I am today. Chasing after assholes taught me that chasing after assholes was an activity that didn’t pay off, emotionally and even financially (ha, yes, seriously — Baabin spent dough on those tickets).

What we’re seeing in this show is the process of Fou4mod and Baabin laying down the bricks of their life experiences, creating moments in their lives that their future selves will learn from by way of how they want to experience happiness AFTER the tumult that we’re watching them go through now. We, as the audience, are observers to the youth that we know these young guys will grow out of before they know what hit them.

Besides all of what Baabin went through in this episode — ESPECIALLY during that INCREDIBLE confessional crescendo and decrescendo — I am also just SO obsessed with the story of Fou4mod and Chian crossing a significant line of youthful experience in the photo booth.

In a case of the director himself getting real macro and meta, look at Boss Naruebet Kuno showing us what’s old is new again, again.

(what’s up my girl @shortpplfedup) (h/t to the legendary @liyazaki!)

All of these scenes, from 2021’s I Told Sunset About You, to today’s Gelboys (actually set in 2022, tee-hee), sit in the space of young high schoolers contemplating the whens and the hows of how they will cross lines with the people they are attracted to at these moments.

This goes for Baabin, too. He ultimately can’t decide to cross the line of confessing to Fou4mod, leaving him alone, staring and tearing up at a picture of the goddess Lisa, in multiple stages of regret.

From Teh and Oh-aew to Fou4mod and Chian — these young men are negotiating their lines of intimacy and engagement, for what might be the first time in their lives. I absolutely love that this is a theme that Boss has returned to in his work. Instead of giving us a fantasy high school romance, Boss gives us ITSAY and Gelboys, two shows that sit in a more raw and real place of teenagers being messy because….they don’t know anything else but the messiness they’re in now. It takes a whole lot of life experience to have love and sex with someone that can be on the calmer and more copacetic side.

I am just kicking up my heels with this experience of watching teenagers grow up in intimacy through Boss’s work. He’s not shying away from depicting the very real pain and confusion of these experiences. I channeled Baabin fully from my past experiences during this episode. No matter the technology and distractions these young people have in Gelboys, the confusion, the pain, and the hyperbolic joy of unrequited love or first sex remains constant, consistent, and eternal for every generation of humanity — and I love that Gelboys is using a very loud drill, louder over the sound of Spotify playlists and Siam Square concerts, to make that point.

[shhhsupertopsecret]

Family of Detectives - Roy Harper (1)

an: I am back from the dead. Unfortunately, I am a college student and school is kicking my ass :( I also don't have a beta reader and I'm kind of an idiot -sorry for any grammatical errors

wc: 1774

You were not supposed to know Roy Harper. That’s not exactly it. You were not supposed to be close with Roy Harper. He was, at some point of your life, your oldest brother’s best friend. Even after that falling out, he couldn’t be shook off and he was now your other brother’s best friend. That’s all he was supposed to be to you. Unfortunately, he was also your long-time boyfriend. And (miraculously) no one knew. 

  No one told you Roy was coming to the Manor. Why would they? You were actually freaking the fuck out. You had kept your interaction with Roy in front of your brothers to an ABSOLUTE minimum. You were friendly, sure, but emphasis on ‘friend’. There was an out-of-city meta causing trouble in Gotham. It was supposed to be a quick two man job for Jason and Roy, but somehow the situation has expanded to include basically your whole family. Roy would be staying in the manor for an extended amount of time. And he was bringing Lian, who you were never supposed to have met. How. Fun. 

You were tense from the moment that he crossed the threshold. Fortunately, hiding out in the drawing room worked. For a little while at least. It was Lian’s weekend with Oliver and Dinah and they were dropping her off the next day, so you would have time to prepare for that particular fiasco. You sat, curled up on one of the plush sofas. You were reading or at least trying to. You must have read one page three times over - not comprehend a single thing. You were startled by a gloved hand coming to rest on the back of the sofa, right next to your head. 

“Are you ignoring me?” You didn’t need to turn around to know who that was. You whipped around and wacked him with a tasseled pillow. 

“Yes I am! Much like you are supposed to be doing!” He overemphasized as he looked over his shoulders. 

“Last I checked, we are the only people up here.” He leaned down, cradling your face in one of his hands. God, you really missed him. It was hard to sneak around, especially when you know for a fact there are security cameras all over the city. He couldn’t keep coming up with reasons to be in Gotham and you couldn’t keep coming up with reasons to leave. In a moment of weakened judgement, you let him kiss you. You propped yourself up on your knees and pulled him against you. His other hand came to rest on the small of your back. Your fingers came up to tangle in his hair. You pulled away wisely (you knew where this would go), albeit reluctantly. 

“Hi, baby. I missed you.” His thumb swiped over the top of your cheek. You laughed and hid your face in his chest. 

“I missed you, too. I just wish I knew you were coming. You are a lot calmer under pressure than I am!” He laughed gently. You could feel the rumble in his chest. 

“Come on, it’s a little exciting sneaking around.” You looked up at him, exasperated.

“We are sneaking around so my highly trained brothers do not punch you in the face. I like your teeth where they are.” 

“Aww, that’s so sweet.” You swatted him on the chest. 

“Which room did they put you in?” 

“Third room in the west wing.”

“Spend some time with me tonight?” You pressed your palms against his chest.  

“Do you even have to ask?” He leaned down to join your lip again before- 

“Roy!” Jason hollered from down the hall, definitely standing at the entrance of the cave. Roy tilted his head back and groaned. It would be an appealing sight if your brother wasn’t waiting three rooms down. 

“Go.” You pressed a kiss to his jaw and sent him on his way. 

Everything would be fine, right?

It’s actually been very easy to ignore your boyfriend as he has been firmly in your family’s clutches. A win, but at what cost? If it was painful to be in two separate cities, it was down right torturous to have him so close and not being able to do a thing about it. You knew that you would have to tell your family eventually. You guess you were scared at the beginning because of Roy’s rapscallion nature that Dick and Jason have gotten plenty first hand experience with. You weren’t around for the hard times when Dick and Roy were teenagers, but Roy had told you plenty about it. You trusted him implicitly. Now, it had been too long and you knew that they were not going to be pleased about being kept in the dark. But he and Lian feel like your forever.  

That night definitely made you feel like a teenager…and a bit of an idiot. You smuggled your big dumb boyfriend into your room. It felt so stupid, Dick and Jason didn’t even live there anymore! You were stalking around your own house! All was forgiven when you got to lay your head on Roy’s chest. The arm he had curled around you traced shapes up and down your back.

“We have to tell them. I’m not ashamed of you and I want to be with you. Like actually be with you. I don’t want to have to find excuses to see you. I want Lian to come visit whenever she wants. I-” You groaned into his chest. You had the Wayne trait of emotional constipation, but you were trying. 

“I know, babe. I just don’t want to cause any trouble for you. We both know how your brothers are. It feels like I’m…betraying them or something. And I know Lian misses you. She’s always asking about you.” That made you smile. The love you have for that little is unreal. 

“Since when are you afraid of causing trouble?” You peered up at him through your lashes. His nose crinkled when he laughed. His hand came to rest on the side of your face. 

“It can’t be now. The manor will become a warzone.” 

“When this job is done, we tell them. Then whatever fallout it brings, we deal with it together.” You leaned your face into his hand. 

“Okay. Together.”

When Lian finally arrived, you beat Alfred to the door. That was only because you were haunting the doorway. 

“Y/N!” You swept Lian up into a bear hug. No one was around and you were never any good at resisting her. 

“Lian! I missed you so much, kiddo! Did you have fun this weekend?” She nodded her little head ferociously. She went on one of the winding little kid rants about what she had done with Ollie and Dinah. It was very cute. You relieved Ollie of his babysitting activities and bid him a farewell. 

 “Should we go get your dad?”

“Yeah!”

“Let’s go!” You saddled her on your hip and made your way to the entrance to the Cave. You figured everyone could use a well-deserved break. 

“Guess who’s here?” The sound of your voice cut through the Cave. All of the men gathered around the table cut their heads towards you. You could see some of the stress come off of Roy’s shoulders. Lian wiggled in your arms, ushering you closer to her father.  

“Hey, baby girl. Were you good this weekend?” She flopped unceremoniously out of your arms towards Roy. He picked her up with an exaggerated groan, like she weighed a ton, and she dissolved into giggles. 

“I am always good!” She defended with a smile. From the corner of your eye, you could see Dick tilt his head at you. Everyone made their way over to where you and Roy stood with Lian. No one could resist Lian. Jason frequently told Roy that he only visited for her and he could care less if he was there. As soon as Dick got close to you, you could see the ever-so-slightly puzzled glance he cast at you. 

“Weird that Lian was cuddled up to you, she’s usually very wary of strangers.” Oh shit, he was right. When you first met her, it took forever for her to warm up to you. How were you going to explain that away? 

“Oh, we’ve met before. At Jay’s place.” It was the most solid lie you could think of that quickly. It would have to do for now. 

“Right…okay.” You hoped that Dick’s pause was out of understanding more than suspicion. He must have let it go in favor of fawning over her. They all took turns giving her hugs and playing airplane. It was a very cute and slightly comical sight. Jason was still half in his Red Hood ensemble. Thank god, the helmet was off. 

After everyone had had sufficient break time, you took Lian’s hand. 

“Do you want to go color?” She let out an enthusiastic little “oooo” and followed you upstairs.

You were thankful for nightfall as you had run out of ways of entertaining a child about thirty minutes ago. Roy came up to put her to bed. When you went to leave the guest room, she called for you to come back. 

“Can you both tuck me in?” You wanted to squeeze her little face. She was so cute.

“Of course, sweetheart. Do you want a story tonight?” She looked at you like she couldn’t have thought of a sillier question. You indulged her, sitting on the edge of the bed. 

“Princess and the Frog?” She nodded her head in approval. You played the role of the Princess (with a terrible fake British accent, really Alfred would be ashamed) and Roy was the Frog. He took his role very seriously, puckering his lips comically as he awaited his kiss. You pushed his face away, much to the delight and entertainment of Lian. When her giggles had ceased, you tucked her in extra tight, smoothing a hand over her hair. Her little eyes were lidded as she fought sleep. 

“Good night.”

“Good night, baby.” Roy leaned down and kissed her forehead. She finally stopped trying to fight and let sleep take her. You looked over at Roy, but he was already looking at you. He took your hand and pulled you up from your bedside seat. 

“I wish you were with us every night.” His arms wound around your waist, pulling you against him. 

“Soon. When we have everything figured out. Now, we only have a few hours before they come looking for you…” You detached from him, pulling him to the door by your interlocked hands.  

[ineffably-human]

Nandor's better to Guillermo than I remember from my initial watch. It's still regressive (and it was starting to head that way in 4x10 too, so maybe this just continues from there), he still has times he's thoughtless and dismissive. But he's the one advocating the others listen, and that they do nice things for Guillermo. He's noticed something is wrong just like Laszlo, he just comes to a different conclusion. He listens to an offhand remark from Guillermo that wasn't even directed at him, just to get him a present.

Any shittiness he's engaging in comes from the very idea of Guillermo being a vampire. (The way Nandor brings that up to the others almost feels like he's been floating the idea in his head, which is a whole other thing; I'll see if I'm right with more episodes I guess and we'll take it at face value for now.) And aside from not wanting that to happen because it would change things, maybe lead to Guillermo leaving, etc it's laughable to him right now for the same reasons it would have been laughable to him in season 1 or 2. Guillermo is a little more assertive than in those years, but he's completely returned to the familiar role. He's reacting to Nandor with fear, more than he did even then.

Guillermo's big attitude change came with being a slayer, and now he seems to have forgotten that completely to the point that he doesn't even consider it as one of the reasons the transformation hasn't worked. He wasn't ready, he was in pain, this isn't how he imagined it (insert @cookinguptales's excellent meta on how it's all a big metaphor for virginity loss). And right now he doesn't know what his body is doing, and he's walking around consumed with guilt and imposter syndrome. Becoming a vampire is making him forget other real, important parts of who he is.

I think it's very easy for the vampires to regress - because of time, stagnation, etc - to an earlier point. Guillermo's regression is just as rapid-fire but it's from trauma. His intense desire to not want to talk about it, to wait over two weeks before the camera crew wears him down enough. To try and describe the turning as sexier and more intense and life-changing than it was, only to be jump-scared by Nandor and reminded that what he did was a (fully justified) betrayal. Has he forgotten that if Nandor really did want to kill him, Guillermo's kicked his ass without his now-perfect vision, and has killed dozens of vampires at a time? Or is the thought of hurting Nandor and fracturing that relationship the thing that hurts far worse here?

I'm a little insane about how, while in the process of going behind Nandor's back, while he's right about to get the thing he's ostensibly attached to Nandor for, he's insisting that Nandor will eventually do right by him and really truly cares about him. So much that Derek again asks Guillermo if he's sure about this.

Even more than the love search stuff Nandor dealt with over two seasons, all of this seems tailor-made to address the big unspoken questions of their relationship. What does Guillermo hope to gain as a vampire? How much of that involves his feelings for Nandor? What matters most to Nandor when it's Guillermo vs his own pride, especially if there were a real threat of losing him? Can they actually find their way to eternity together, and what does that look like when they do?

Which is to say, it's absolutely happening this season. And shit's going to get insane on the way.

[vyainide]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤbelieve in my weight / don't look backㅤ౨ৎㅤ3.5k

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ2024 ©1864RERUNS

synopsis. in his own stubborn, odd, and easily mis–interpreted way, zoro cares for you— enough to force his way through the gates of hell to have the weight of your being to sober him up.

warning(s). nsfw, afab! reader, starts off with zoro trying to kill you whoops, little bit of violence, oral (f! recieving), ? characterisation of zoro, zoro's swords are referred to with she/her pronouns, half proof–read (i'm going to sleep)

from vyon. don't perceive me, zoro is so fucking hard to write for no absolute reason. nearly gave up many times but managed to claw my way through out of pure spite; it's not my best work but i'm so sick of having to look at it in my drafts so it's being released, seriously as sexy as this guy is, fuck his ass. i refuse to write for him again. i wish i had enough patience to tie in eurydice and orpheus into this more but maybe i'll keep that in for next time.

do not repost / copy / translate.

You've made an odd habit of counting beats whenever Zoro trains with his swords. The rhythm changes depending on how many swords he choses to wield— it's something resembling a leaf gently falling to the earth after a gentle brush of air when both hands are tightened around a singular hilt, attentive with the way the blade runs against the air, unnecessary swings forsaken. It's systematic, a beat of one through eight as you share a delicacy worked from Sanji's hands with Luffy, feigning ignorance at the fact that Luffy's stretching his arm out to swipe at your food. With two, the earth shakes a little. He forces you into a faster tempo, you've no time to idly brush crumbs away from your lap nor care for Luffy taking more than half as Zoro splutters out different strokes against a canvas at a simultaneous rate, the air marked black as his blades tore through atoms.

At three, you're scrambling to keep up with him.

Your skin burns where Chopper's delicate hooves had struggled to work a bandage over, from your stomach, all the way up to the neck, it stretches down the length of your right arm and splits five ways to wrap around hardened fingers but doesn't touch the left side that itches where Zoro's blade skims. Your right arm nearly folds in half, failing to support your weight as the world shifts on its axis, your hair brushes against Sunny's deck and Zoro's frown turned upside down unnaturally.

You're unjustly stuck between appreciating his form when he's engaged and detesting how natural each swing falls upon you; Wado Ichimonji trails after like the shadow of your movement, unrelenting as it chased every ministration you make much like its cruel owner when he's got you held stubborn between his arms. You feel Zoro's unwavering eyes stern on everything that makes you up as all three swords keep up with your staggered agility; Sunny's deck creaked under your unstoppable tempo, marking the steps you both take like an ancient ritual that'll take shape eons away to call upon rain for harvest.

Zoro's blade runs heavy, each fall of his chest is followed by the threat of another sword slipping through your skin with ease; you move an inch, he'll force a mile through tiring bones to chase.

You realised something after Enma staggered after your scent, your sweat dripped down the blade as he straightened her up after a few locks of your hair shed down to the deck. "You're distracted," you managed to speak, dodging pants and heaves that locked up your lungs.

Zoro grunted. Sandai Kitetsu comes for you this time, you angled your foot so you could reach out to kick at his wrist without running the risk of the blade catching into your skin. She wavers in his hand for a mere second before his fingers tightened around the hilt even harder— you wouldn't be surprised if his palms were raw right now. Each stab, swing, slash becomes an invitation extended. Alluring you forward as the sun dawned down on all three blades, liquid as it ran down the sharpened metal and hooked around the crossguard and spilled over to pool at his wrist. The attraction that is Zoro and all three swords against you provokes you blind to crawl towards him, making you grimace; he beckons to you like a magnet, knowing the curve of your spine settles nicely in his ribs as your limbs shuddered against his beating heart.

He sternly creates a promise as he dances around you, your partner alternates between all three cursed blades but never does it becomes Zoro; keeping you at arm's length despite filling every burning nerve wrapped finely with bandages with desiring distaste, you wondered what his goal was here as you realised that you hadn't quite managed to get a good look at Zoro in the few hours you've spent wearing down the wood on the open deck.

Luffy's voice hits the air at the same time Zoro forces your head to swim with an awkward dodge, dots blur into your vision and you stumbled; a hand pressed against your temple to work the knots of a beginning ache away. The cheerful shout's tone follows the curve of the slide that takes you down to the lawn deck and a recognisable shadow casts over your face, seconds later, Luffy is cheering happily as he's flying across the air— resembling the path of Zoro's swords in his own manner— with a hand on his straw hat to keep it from flying. The shadow shortens as Luffy's arm loosened back to its original length.

The air that Zoro had worked to an intrusive stench takes its own form as Luffy graces it with his light presence; he keeps his back towards the sea on the figurehead as he idly crossed his legs and arms, head tilting as he looked at both yours and Zoro's form. "What're you doin'?"

"Training," Zoro answered, settling his swords back into their scabbards. The movement calls to the sudden session's end and you finally fall back, sprawled out on the deck as your chest rose and fell in time with the waves running against Sunny's hull. Your head feels as though you're still moving and clouds blur unnaturally into the reddening sky.

You hear Luffy hum and can imagine him reaching up a hand to grasp his chin, a dramatic frown playing at his lips as he pretended to think hardly about it. "Chopper said you needed to rest though," he aims this at you.

You think up a response in your head to defend yourself, pinning the blame onto Zoro, who'd barged into the infirmary and forced you out onto the open deck without a word but your mouth is dry and your jaw is heavy so you groan, turning your head away from the direction of Luffy's voice. An ache runs through your side like Zoro had managed to work one of his swords through you and the blade shattered still stuck in your skin, taking up a life of its own as it wormed through flesh and settled into the marrow, drinking up your life.

Your left hand crawls to your side, wrapping your fingers around the flesh of your side just below your chest and against your ribs, holding it down like you could ease the feeling by kneading the flesh. Zoro's silence is unnerving, you wondered how you managed to piss him enough for him to force you into training with him when you were still a recovering patient.

Chopper screaming your name reminds you that he'd expected you to stay within the infirmary— if you see him later, you'll tell him that you didn't expect to leave either. Dots gather into your vision, carved from Zoro's swords as they shake together, tightening into globs of blackened galaxies. "Zo." You didn't think the call of his name travelled from your brain to your lips but he recognises it regardless; you feel his weight creaking on Sunny's deck and a shadow dresses over the miniature starlight in your view. "M'gonna sleep."

He hummed, shifting his swords at his hip to accommodate you as an arm slivered underneath your thighs and the other curls around your side. Zoro's hand throbbed over the flesh of your thighs, you feel the pattern of curves from Sandai Kitetsu's hilt pressed into exposed flesh from his palms. His hands burn warmer than any part of your body, you recognised the tears of his lips that you could trace Wado Ichimonji's hilt from. Before you succumb to sleep, you manage to say something else. "Make sure t' let Chopper look at yer hands." His right hand taps against your rib, you nod your head, placated, before it falls onto his shoulder and everything eases into a slow silence. You managed to wave the hand thrown over his shoulder at your captain and get a lilted 'bye' in response.

Dreams have been foreign to you since you joined the Strawhats, though you're not certain that you could accurately recall the dreary shutter of memory that came pre–Strawhats either. Your memories have been washed away from beneath your skin from time spent under the stubborn sun you call a captain and any notable dream that stubbornly stuck to your skin from those unclean days were stained by his first mate. You remembered Zoro in each one. He stays dogged, chained to figures that you've wrongly painted in romantic hues of budding pink before you knew of his existence.

The infirmary stinks of medicine, chemicals and more familiarly, it smells of Chopper. The blanket weighs heavy on your chest and when you rise to allow the material from you, you realised that there were two blankets thrown over your form, as if to shackle you down. The image of your doctor throwing a weighted blanket over you is funnier than it should be, especially when armed with the fictional reason you've managed to claw together.

You turned your head when you managed to lean up against the wall the head of the bed is resting against, Sandai Kitetsu greets you. She's propped up against the side of the bed, her end caught between the bed and the table beside it to keep her up. The blade seems to purr when you reached out, bandaged fingers wrapping around the hilt— you find that it's similar to holding Zoro's hand, rough against your own palm with the sudden threat that hangs heavy of knowing this could hurt you if it wanted but it's warm enough to make you content, to make you trust enough to know otherwise. You pick up the blade and place it over your lap, studying the scabbard with light touches, nails tickling over leather. A problem child, you remembered in Zoro's voice.

The door creaks open. You snap your head up too quickly, hissing as you squeezed your eyes tight, lowering your head back down.

Steps close in on you and Sandai Kitetsu is lifted from your grasp; she's settled down on the chair by your bed and then her two sisters follow. "Move over." Zoro lifts the two blankets, urging you to move with tightened eyebrows and lips tugged into an annoyed frown.

You shuffled over, nearly falling from your own bed as Zoro forces his width into the bed; his hand catches onto your hips before he manages to push you off and he pulls you up to rest on his side.

"Sanji managed to piss you off, didn't he?" You placed an elbow by his head, bending your arm up to hold the side of your face in your hands. Your other hand is light on Zoro's furrowing features, pressing down on artificial wrinkles with your thumb and smoothing them out; the lay of tanned skin is pliant under one of your measly fingers, dulling under a mere stroke. He gives you a sigh that answers your question and shuffles closer, nudging you with his shoulder.

His arm looped through the triangle you've carved into the space with your right arm and your head, his hand falls onto the back of your head and he pushes your face down into the crook of his neck. "He gave me shit for forcin' you out of bed." You hit your fist against the side of his face and pushed yourself back up. Your chest lays on his, legs tangled together— it's more uncomfortable than intimate with how broad Zoro's grown to be.

"Do you regret it?"

Curt, seemingly cold; "no, I'd do it again."

You hummed, placing your head down onto his chest; Zoro's hand falls on your head, brushing your hair away from his chin and tucked his head down to tap his jaw against your head. "You upset?"

Without hesitation, "no." Not with him atleast, not for forcing you up to train with him from morning to the late hours of the afternoon even though your skin was still charred aching and weak from a run–in with a vice–admiral. Contrary to popular belief, Zoro's thinking is simple as can be; as strange as it was, Zoro making you fight him was his own way of caring or coping, you've yet to decide. "Nami got hurt." You muttered, turning your head to hide, your nose lays flat against his skin, oxygen fails to sliver through the gaps and breathing becomes a little hard.

"The witch can take care of herself," Zoro pats your waist, urging you to turn your head. The clear breath of oxygen you take burns as it runs through your body; the cold tingles Zoro's skin where it parts with your mouth, each ministration reminds him that you're strong, you're here, he doesn't have to keep his eyes on you all the time to make sure you'll live another day. You managed to keep up with him for nearly five hours; wounded, slow, staggered, your skin never met a single one of his blades. You'll be fine.

You don't reply, still dejected at your failure to look after your own crewmates whilst the monster trio were elsewhere; there's a semblance of understanding that's long taken root in your mind, shared with Nami and Usopp. The fact is that you're strong enough at any given moment in an odd crowd of civilians but there's still a terrifying gap that'll never be bridged between you and people like Zoro, Luffy, Jinbei.

"You can train with me," he offers, his hand beginning to run up and down your side; his thumb carves the path that his fingers trail after, Zoro moves languidly, quicker than his swords. Fingers hook underneath your shirt and dig through your bandages. Zoro's face scrunches up, "after you recover— that shitty cook." He trailed off, teeth clenched.

"I think your weights will kill me." You humourlessly reply, swatting his fingers from out under your bandages.

"You just need enough strength to protect the people you care about." He doesn't try sliding his fingers past the layer to get to your skin again but the pressure of his palm intensifies, as if to make up for the fact that there's something in the way of what he wants.

You turned your head up after a moment, your chin resting below his collarbone. "And you, what about you?"

His eyes flickered down to you, head tilting and eyebrow raised. "No, never."

"Are you saying I'll never be strong enough to protect you?"

He shifts, pulling you with him. You slide one of your legs over his waist to the other side, straightening up as you leaned back to rest your bottom on his waist; he pushed himself up slightly, leaning his shoulders against the wall. "I'll never be weak enough to force you into that position."

"But what if—"

"No."

You're starting to get personally offended, face scrunching up dramatically to question his ways. His hands fall onto your hips, they're idle for a second, thumb crossing the line of bandages and skin before his middle finger slips into the belt loop of your jeans and he slides you up his lap, stabilising you with his hands on your ass. There's no room to argue with Zoro as he ducks his head down and intrudes into your mouth, his tongue easing away any rebuttal you've been pondering over. You decide to give him another win, tilting your head and smoothing your hands over his shoulders to the back of his neck. Your fingers are barely touching the sides of his neck but he shivers, giving you an apology with a groan for shutting you up so harshly.

Knowing your limits, your hands don't fall down to Zoro's back. You've noticed that he's not a fan of any unnecessary, calculated touches along the broad expanse of his clear back— it's a shame with how often he trains shirtless, sweat falling from short strands of green, messy hair and catches on his spine, dribbling down the hollow river that separates his two muscled sides. Whether he's aware of it or not, he likes holding your hands when he fucks up into you, likes having your nails dig into the back of his hand and carve indents between knuckles. You notice how he grimaces at first after, when his hands curl around the curve of his sword, only for an amused smirk to start playing at his lips when he nods his head down to find the culprit of sudden pain.

Your fingers turn upwards, settling into strands of hair and splitting apart knotted ends as Zoro wrapped an arm around your waist, keeping you against him and his other hand trails up to your face. He didn't listen to you, if Chopper had seen how he'd managed to wreck his hands from his tight grip on Enma or Sandai Kitetsu, he'd have forced a salve onto Zoro and then wrapped it up carefully. Instead, cracked skin tickles against your cheek. There's something childish about the moment, reminiscent of having to keep a door cracked open in the bedroom of your parent's home, keeping quiet as the sound of fabric shuffling takes place, the sounds of life still moving on despite the time stilling for you. His lips are dry and you taste Wado Ichimonji's ito on his mouth, the diamond shaped pattern creates a strange design of cracks that you have to swipe your tongue over to ease the tickling.

It doesn't take much to convince you out of your trousers, to settle yourself on his face— it's a nice change of pace when you're always going out of your way to argue against him for fun. Your knees hollow craters into the pillow as you leaned your head against the wall, scrambling for something to hold onto. There's a ferocity in Zoro's servitude that leaves you whimpering, thighs tightening around his head so harshly that it makes his ears pop— he's unwavering, stubborn, tireless as warm hands clenched around the meat of your thighs.

The weight of your entirety on his face, your thighs keeping his arms' movement minimal, locking his bent arms under your weight as your toes catch the bed covers, pulling and wrinkling the material keeps Zoro sober. He's so eager with tenacious force that he starts tasting his leftover spit before he gets to taste you. It doesn't become much of a problem though because you want him just as much as he wants you so it's easy to get that taste he's taken such a nasty liking to. Zoro just has to crane his neck up, allow the space for an unyielding ache to settle, press his lips against your clit a few times, toying at it with his tongue before you're dripping on his chin.

It's hard to imagine you elsewhere when you're so stern in existence on him like this. A particular curl of his tongue makes you squeal around his name, thighs quivering beside his head and Zoro realises. He doesn't think it matters where you go. If you've been granted to him— if he's learnt how to live at your feet, chasing after every breath you've rewritten in your lungs— how would it be acceptable to not turn the world inside out if you're gone? May it be hell, purgatory, what could stop Zoro from slaughtering what ever force that's keeping you from sitting on his face so prettily, calling his name like he's your personal God? There's no feat of superhuman strength that wouldn't shatter through Zoro's bones if it gets him to you.

A groan from Zoro invades your skin, stuttering up all the way thirty–three bones of your spine and makes a home at your neck. You toss your head back, a shuddering breath snapped against the steady, heated air swimming around the room. His name falls from your lips again, there's nothing else to say when Zoro's mouth falls on you and he grunts, his response is always so minimal— too far engaged with eating you out like he's chasing after his own high.

There's no headboard to the infirmary beds so you're left to claw at the wall, leaning forward to scramble something with uncertain stability on the bed; you tightened your fingers around the edge of the bed as you folded over, your waist hitting against his head slightly. Zoro's hand manages to push past your thighs confining him and drags up your skin under your shirt, his nail draws a soft line across your stomach that has the skin trembling as a whine falls from your lips. There's no ulterior motive behind it other than to connect another part of him to you, he leaves your skin burning in his wake as he retracts his hand and offers it for you to hold onto.

The last orgasm you're eased through, shaking your head and blood dripping down Zoro's arms from where your nails have worked down the skin, stratching and digging— Zoro knows you'll never be far away enough from him for him to not give chase. As long as there's a remnant of you somewhere carried in the wind, he'll follow. It's not like Luffy will stand in his way either.

[in1-nutshell]

Can I request a dcpool buddy whose in season 2 of young justice and nothing about them has changed expect them being brutal as usual in combat and jokes while still being his crazy usual self who loves driving people and new recruits insane and the leaguer as well and who knows developing his own teams of killing machine who fight crimes and kick ass.

DCpool has returned!

Hope you enjoy!

DCpool in Season 2

SFW, Platonic, Mention of injuries, Hinted Familial, Mutant reader

YJ

Shortly after the League was found after being missing for 16 hours, DCpool had casually mentioned about going solo soon.

Something that had taken the entire team off guard.

DC makes sure to clarify that this was something they had been thinking about for a while.

It might be something they need after all of what happened.

There isn’t much the others could do, so they helped him get situated.

DCpool is in front of the Zeta Tube with his bags ready. The team is standing by his side. M’gann gives him yet another hug. M’gann: “Are you sure you have to go?” DCpool hugs her back. DCpool: “Oh c’mon M’gann. You’re acting like I’m leaving forever. I’ll still be around.” DCpool finishes the hug before pulling out some burner phones and passing them to the team. Connor: “What are these for?” DCpool: “Just a way you can get a hold of me. If you guys ever need an extra hand in something, I’m just a phone call away.” Robin: “I could find you faster.” DCpool ruffles his hair. Robin swats it affectionately. DCpool: “I know you can, but I am not going to be waking up at 3 in the morning to see you eating my food.” Artemis: “That would be Wally.” Wally: “Hey—You know what that’s accurate.” DCpool laughs before giving everyone one last hug. Kaldur: “You will be missed my friend. May your journey be safe.” DCpool: “Speaking like I go looking for trouble Nemo? Don’t worry about me! See ya later or whenever the author decides to put me back in the team!”

DCpool was scares to find after he left the cave.

Staying true to his word as to stay on a low profile and only coming when needed.

So far, the only person who seemed to have tags on him was Dick.

DC was the first one he called after moving to Bludhaven after the fight with Bruce.

DC had originally gone to Gotham afterwards to stick it to the Bat, but plans of vengeance changed after meeting someone.

Someone by the name of Jason Todd.

Any of Batman’s ‘No Meta human rule’ means nothing to DCpool when it comes to Dick and Jason.

He would eventually give DCpool a free pass into the city after Jason…

DCpool climbs up Jason’s room. DCpool: “Hey Jay, you know that burner phone only for emergencies, right? I don’t think a plant funeral counts.” Jason: “But you always said that if I needed to hide the body to always call you first.” DCpool crosses his arms. DCpool: “You’re really twisting my arm on this one kiddo.” Jason: “I just need to get rid of it before Bruce finds out.” DCpool: “… Give me 5 minutes to dig the hole, I have a shovel in the car.” Bruce kicks down the door. Jason jumps up in surprise, holding a dead plant. DC immediately tosses Jason over his shoulder and jumps out the window. DCpool: “FREEDOM!” DCpool is running on the lawn with a laughing Jason in his arms. Bruce is grabbing an emergency grappling hook and swinging down to catch them. Bruce: “DCpool! Give me my son back!” DCpool: “No! He’s my son now! I just need to get the Batadoption papers you have and sign Dick and Jay as my kids!” Bruce: “DCPOOL!” Meanwhile in Bludhaven… Dick: “…Something just happened… and I don’t know how to feel about it…”

Timeskip to season 2…

DCpool came back to the team in an unexpected way.

He would have eventually come back, but someone sped up the progress.

Thanks to one time traveling speedster, Bart Allen.

The speedster had been messing around with this weird looking thing that was in Wally’s bag.

Most of the old team had decided to do a reunion and were talking about boring mission things.

Unbeknownst to him, he accidentally pressed the silent SOS button.

It was 1 in the morning where DCpool was when he received the SOS.

He immediately puts the suit on and goes to Wally’s last known location.

Good news for him, its in the cave.

Getting into the cave was the easy part… besides accidentally setting off the caves new silent alarm.

The team is spread out and ready to face whatever intruder came in. Tim is with Cassie, Jaime, Lagan and Bart. Bart: “I still don’t know why I can’t just go speeding around and nab the guy. It’ll be done in less than a minute!” Jaime shushes him. Jaime: “Not with your ankle like that.” Cassie: “Shh! I think I hear something.” All the teens stand on guard ready to face the corner. Lagan: “I’m ready when you are Robin.” Tim looks over before he gets a foot to the stomach and sent onto his back. A sword is pointed straight at his face. Cassie, Jaime, Lagan and Bart: “Robin!” Tim looks up at his attacker… a very familiar attacker… Tim: “DC?” DCpool squints before lowering his sword. DCpool: “Timbers? What in the—Oh I know that high caffeine smell from anywhere!” DC helps Tim onto his feet before giving him a noogie. DCpool: “It’s been forever! How’s everything in old dark and broody Gotham?” Tim: “DC! We’ve talked about this!” DC just laughs before turning to the new teens. DC: “Huh?” Tim: “DCpool, meet Wondergirl, Blue Beetle, Lagoon Boy and Impulse. We are some of the new recruits to the Young Justice.” DCpool: “Good to know, but I’m kinda looking for Walls right now. I got an SOS on the burner and…” The senior team rounds the corner. Team: “DC!” DCpool: “You’re alive!” DCpool launches himself at the closest person, which just so happened to be M’gann. La’gan: “M’gann! Let my girlfriend go land lover!” DC’s neck turns so quickly at M’gann in his arms and Connor. DCpool: “…What in the name of Magneto’s helmet happened when I left!?”

After the surprising reunion, DCpool makes it clear that he would be staying to help the new recruits out.

Plus, he wanted to know what these new heroes had.

The recruits were not prepared for the storm known as DCpool.

…Well, Tim had some preparations.

He was more exposed to DC’s strange methods and often acted like a mini translator to the others.

Though that didn’t stop the other from expressing their distaste to the senior team members.

All complaints that could be summed down to one sentence.

That’s how he shows he cares.

The others aren’t convinced… until a certain event that happened on the Watch Tower.

Random new Leaguer: “Do we really need a bunch of children running around doing our jobs? I mean, look at them! They are messing up more than the villains and giving us more work than—” SHINK! CLANK! A knife was lodged right beside the Leaguers head. DCpool is glaring at him with another knife in his hand. DCpool: “Talk about my team like that again, I Dare You.” Random Leaguer: “How dare YOU even think on pulling that stunt! Do you know who I am!?” DCpool: “No. Who are you?” Random Leaguer: “I’m—” DCpool looks down, like they were searching for something on the floor. Random Leaguer: “Umm?” DCpool: “Don’t worry, I’m just looking for who cares. Hmm… There seems that one here does. Not even the Author wanted to give you a proper name, how sad.” Random Leaguer: “Now you listen—” DCpool: “No. You listen here!” DCpool steps to the Leaguer until he has cornered them. DCpool: “Talk like that about my team again and that knife will permanently replace your sternum. Got that?”

That talk was supposed to be an in-Watch Tower incident.

Too bad Batman filmed the entire thing and sent it to Nightwing.

The team saw it.

DCpool is a bit surprised seeing how much the new recruits started acting towards him, but doen’t ask many questions.

Much like the old team, DCpool is quite protective of this team as well.

He is not going to let anything happen to them as long as he is there.

No matter what kind of injury they have to recover from.

Speaking of injuries, the first time he got injured badly in front of the new team, it was certainly a day.

DCpool had just been torn in half by a huge icicle. Cassie: “DC!” The new recruits surround the body of the red vigilante. Jaime: “No…” Bart: “This can’t… But…” Tim looks sick. Dcpool’s lenses widen a bit. DCpool: “Ow… this is going to hurt in the morning. Oh. Hey kids—” Recruits: “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” DCpool: “Calm down. Can someone pass me my legs, I kinda can’t feel them right now.” Back at the cave… Tim is sitting with Nightwing. Tim: “How do you work with this guy?” Nightwing has several flashbacks to the team and his personal adventures with DCpool. Nightwing: “You’ll get used to it eventually.”

[coldflasher]

still thinking about my post from the other day about eobard making barry the flash about a decade earlier, when he's still a teenager, so he'd be easier to manipulate. and then obviously i started thinking about where len would be in this scenario because i'm unwell and i have permanent leonard snart brainrot :)

assuming barry's 13 in this AU and we're sticking with the same age gap, len would be around 30... so then i started thinking about how different the dynamic would be, with a lonely barry who's being increasingly isolated by eobard, right in the thick of the most tumultous time in his relationship with joe, because he's always sneaking off and coming back all busted up and lying his head off and acting all cagey and exploding with temper every five minutes---except while joe thinks he's just a traumatized kid acting out and having a hard time at school, really he's off every night being "trained" by eobard and then being pitted against fully grown adult metas... though i do think i'd make at least some of them the same age as barry if only because imagine the ANGST of barry getting his powers, thinking he finally has one up on his bullies, and then the other kids at school start turning into metas as well.

i'm thinking specifically of tony woodward—all the pain and frustration and humiliation that twenty-five-year-old barry felt facing up against his childhood bully, now with powers... imagine that, except he's still at school, still stuck in the thick of it with this kid who's made his life hell, except now his bully has superpowers, and so any fantasies barry might have had about kicking his ass now he's the flash and is more powerful than any of the kids at school could imagine? well, forget it, because tony's STILL bigger and stronger than him and now he's now kicking barry's ass outside of school too

anyway i'm getting sidetracked. my point is i was thinking about moody teenage barry and an older len who's faced up against the flash, thinking there's a new player in town, only to discover that the flash is some scrawny punk kid with no one in his corner, and all the adults in his life are failing him, ESPECIALLY this creep eobard thawne who's "mentoring" him. len takes a very dim view of anyone who's getting a kid mixed up in the criminal world, considering his own father did it to him, AND he's just getting skeevy vibes off eobard anyway because he's an adult and better equipped to see through eobard's manipulations, unlike barry, who's doing the infuriating teenage thing of thinking he's sooo mature for his age and knows what he's doing and is not gonna listen to anyone who's trying to warn him that this whole thing is super sketchy and he's falling victim to a predator, but unfortunately he's not gonna realize it until he's a decade or so older and his frontal lobe develops---

and so we have this (platonic bc barry's like 13/14, though barry probably has a lil unrequited crush) coldflash dynamic with them kinda being friends bc len's somehow inadvertently ended up a mentor/support system for this fucked up, scrappy, little meta kid because god knows no one else is looking out for him, and anyway here's a small snippet of what my brain's doing (unedited but whatever we're just having fun and god knows i can't start another insane sprawling AU right now as much as i've been violently chewing on this idea all day, soooo)

Barry picked at the splintered wood on the table. “Eobard makes me feel kinda weird sometimes.”

Len watched him out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t like the sound of that. “Weird how?”

Barry shrugged his birdlike shoulders.

For a moment, Len focused on the map laid out in front of him, considering his next move. When it came to locks, carefully getting them to open up was his specialty. When it came to people, not so much.

He decided to be blunt. “He touch you?”

Barry’s mouth popped open, outrage and disgust mingling together. “No!” he protested, his voice cracking a little. Immediately, his mouth snapped shut, jaw jutting out mulishly, and he glared at Len. “Not like that.”

Len scrutinized him. He was pretty satisfied it was an honest answer. The kid wasn’t a bad liar, given time to prepare, but he sucked at improv; put him on the spot and he crumbled in seconds.

“He’s just… intense, that’s all. About my powers.”

Somehow Len doubted that was all he was intense about. Clearly something about this Eobard creep was making the kid’s spidey senses tingle, and probably for good reason. Len knew his type—there were plenty like him in prison, doing time for their proclivities. And plenty more on the outside who were better at hiding it. Just because the guy hadn’t put his hands on the kid so far didn’t mean he hadn’t thought about it.

“You thought about talking to someone?” Len asked. “An adult?”

Barry gave him a withering look like only a teenager could, then looked him insolently up and down, like he was missing something very obvious. Len gave him a similarly derisive look right back, one with over a decade of extra power behind it, just to show him how it was done. “I meant an authority figure.”

“You mean like a shrink?” Barry scoffed—which was pretty similar to what Len’s response would have been if anyone had made that suggestion to him. “Pretty sure Joe’s insurance wouldn’t cover another one. And we’d have to go out of state. I’ve seen every shrink in the city and they all think I’m crazy.”

“Your Dad, then.” Not that Len believed a guy who murdered his wife was exactly a stellar role model, and clearly Henry Allen was no stranger to manipulation himself, to have the kid so staunchly convinced he hadn’t done it when it had happened right in front of him—but having a father in prison had its perks. Len’s own father wasn’t exactly father of the year, but even he’d have called in a few favours from Iron Heights if he caught wind of some creep sniffing around his kid, if only on principle.

“I’m not allowed to see him,” Barry muttered.

The dark look in his eye told Len that there was little use in suggesting he told Joe. Clearly, they still weren’t getting along.

[wantednuzlocke]

Alright, wow a whopping 100% of y'all voted to see some retrospectives on my Orre Nuzlocke Comic so alright. Let's do this. Kicking off with the prologue.

Meta Stuff

So first of all, I am not one of the OG fans of Game Cube Pokémon games. I actually missed out on that timeline, mainly due to not owning a Game Cube. That said, the ads from back then hadn't gone unnoticed by child me. And I was obsessed with the idea that there was a 3D pokémon adventure game out there and I never got to play it.

Through a freaky chain of coincidences I eventually got a Game Cube by complete chance at a random thrift store I visited on a whim. And by the time I got my hands on a copy of Pokémon Colosseum, I had already dipped my toes quite a bit into comic making, though mainly through a different type of community that wasn't Pokémon related.

Despite my extreme curiosity about the game as a kid, I never actually looked up let's plays or walkthroughs of any kind to sate it. So it was going to be a whole blind experience for me. And my dumb ass figured I could make a nuzlocke out of it to spice things up.

So... Yeah... I dove in blind... I recorded it as well in case I would make an impulse decision to make a comic out of it. And I sure as hell took the impulse. But this was a comic before the current Wanted! was in the works. This one was actually an uncolored long-form comic. And the entire prologue was compressed into a singular page.

This run was going to be a lot more silly, and also a lot less labor intensive. I usually didn't go with coloring as it meant I would have to draw backgrounds... You might see what I mean once I get to the retrospectives of other chapters.

Game Talk

In order to better work with the source material I did some research and paid close attention to dialogue... Except, since we're just talking prologue here, there isn't really much dialogue to begin with. But there sure as hell is a whole lot of action.

The cutscene starts off with a semi-upbeat kind of music in the background as we pan over the deserts, until we hit the Snagem Hideout, where the music immediately turns sour. Like, clearly these guys we're seeing right now are not good people. And then BOOM the base blows up. Enter the protagonist going over to steal a snag machine before making a run for it on his motorcycle with his two dogs. He then presses a button to make the base blow up a SECOND TIME.

Plot Planning and Comic development

I think based on the first version of Wanted! it seems I originally hadn't planned for Yume to be part of Team Snagem, but actually just went in and went ahead to steal the snag machine.

Definitely one trend I stuck to was both versions of Wanted! have only one explosion in it. Which has mainly to do with the fact that I kind of prefer subtlety. And... Considering Wes is technically a Team Snagem member. He deadass could've just walked in casually and taken the snag machine without anyone batting an eye and THEN blow up the base, since it was remote controlled anyway. But no, he had to immediately alert everyone of the fact that he was going to backstab them by blowing up the base TWICE. But this is my comic. In which I replaced Wes with my own OC, so I could handle the plot MY WAY.

Tbh I feel like a lot of the games events were in many ways progressing the plot through... Well... Your enemies being conveniently incompetent at their jobs. And the moment I had started digging through the details after the fact in my recordings... Well... I figured a fun way to tackle this nuzlocke was to have a OC protagonist pointing out the stupidity whenever it occurred.

Like yes, one of her personality traits is that she can't help but point out the flaws in others vocally when they do make mistakes she feels are stupid. Though she also knows it often falls upon deaf ears. So she's just kinda given up at this point and more often than not, with how much Orre is in shambles, the mistakes don't matter either. No one is going to stop these criminals from doing their thing. Even if they made stupid mistakes. And nobody learns when there are no consequences.

Also, looking back at the prologue, I had NO IDEA how TINY the Team Snagem crew actually was. I pictured it as a pretty big criminal organization, just like Cipher was. But turns out it's literally just 6 guys, and Gonzap. And here I was, painstakingly making unique designs, expecting to not have to reuse the same ones too often. But by some freak-miracle I drew like 6 designs in the prologue anyway, so... I guess... Everyone was there... Save for one particular individual, but we'll talk about him some other time. ówo;;

And now you're probably thinking: "Hey Yume, why did you reboot Wanted! from the beginning?". Good question, the harddisk of my computer with all my gameplay footage on it died. Along with the notes I had. So there was no reference material left to continue the comic and I basically would've had to start over. And I also hadn't touched my original save file in so long it wasn't actually motivating to continue playing with it. So I shut down the file somewhere around the Cipher Lab and started over from the beginning.

I know this still technically doesn't answer the question of why I didn't just continue with the comic but using the new game file details, as all there really was was the start of Phenac City and not much else. But long story short, I had been rolling into Original Character Tournamentss for a while and been hitting a comic burnout. Specifically on the fact that I made a lot of hastily drawn, low visual quality comics. Rolling out 20 to 30 comic pages on a 2 month deadline schedule for the past few years was getting to me in a way that made me think comic making isn't something I liked doing. I wasn't entirely happy with the work I delivered as it often had to be compressed with how many details I work out in scripting phase, and there was barely any time to really make things look nice.

So Wanted! was basically going to be my "take it easy and release when it's done, no need to compress plot let's go do everything I always wanted to do with a comic." kind of cooling down project. No schedules, No stress, just taking time to draw well. So i figured the best way to start out was to make a clean slate. I managed to draw a whopping... two pages. Before completely losing steam and passion for the project. Page three had been sitting in my files half-finished for almost a whole year. Part of that was me just not looking forward to pouring the amount of effort I initially put into it. Part of it was the fact that the file was sitting on my obnoxiously slow laptop, while I generally had a desktop on hand for drawing. And for the longest time I couldn't be arsed to transfer the file through the cloud so I could work on it on my desktop. So basically, if you were surprised by the sudden drop in quality after the first two pages into the third one... Here is your answer to what the heck happened. ~

Additionally I was invited by someone else to team up with them for another OCT. Which made me drop all my personal projects so I could focus on that instead. Around that point I had expected that project would eventually just perish like all my other comic projects did.

But when my laptop was on its very last legs, I transferred the entire storage of that laptop onto my main computer, and the brainworms were gnawing at me again to continue my work. I had the gameplay notes to start with, I had all the recordings from that second nuzlocke playthrough. And the push to give it one last shot sent me back into trying again, but this time, more focus on plot, less focus on making it look perfect. Using a generous deadline schedule to at least have a steady flow of pages and enough fire under my ass to keep me going. And before I knew it, the prologue was completed and released. And even though I went on a vacation shortly after that prologue, I actually came back to work on it and since then never had a hiatus again.

But yeah other than that. I hadn't played the post game for Pokémon Colosseum at this time yet. And finding source material on this online is uh... Quite a challenge. So I had no hecking clue what the original snag machines before the one Wes wore looked like. So I just kinda imagined this giant factory machine that uses a massive generator for power, and basically mass-produced snag balls for Team Snagem to use. But turns out the original snag machine literally was a vending machine on wheels with arms. What the fuck? XD

All things considered, it's a miracle I even managed to work on this comic at all. Considering this was also the window of time in which I rolled into the Final Fantasy 14 rabbit hole, and that game had me in a death-grip. But at the time I was in a community that focused on getting comic stuff done daily, by spending at least 30 minutes daily to work on anything comic related. And it really helped me keep a routine and not fall too deep in the FFXIV addiction at the time.

That's all I got for this retrospective on the prologue. Until next time owo/

[icedragonlizard]

DMK and Daroach friendship headcanons

I headcanon these two being close buds. Heck, I'd actually even go as far as to consider them these two shadowy bozos to be best friends.

Dark Meta Knight doesn't have a lot of friends in my headcanons... he's really only friends with Kirby and the rest of wave 2, as he couldn't care less about the rest of the dream friends. But he's grown to be quite endeared to Daroach. And Daroach genuinely thinks that DMK is the coolest person in existence. These two are literally bros.

They met during Star Allies. Even when they first met, they... were already drawn to each other? Daroach was very intrigued to meet a shadier counterpart of Meta Knight, and figured that he'd go and hang around with the guy. Fortunately for him, that ended up working, as DMK ended up being drawn to the vibes and style that Daroach had, something he didn't do for most of the other star allies.

When the star allies split up into groups, these two were in the same group alongside Adeleine and Ribbon. Wave 2 as a whole was a group adventuring together during a lot of the time in Star Allies' events.

DMK and Daroach enjoyed kicking the asses of the cult's forces together. Daroach was generous enough to give elemental powers to DMK's sword on many occasions, beating up enemies in new ways.

They both also protected Adeleine and Ribbon from the cult's forces.

The wave 2 quartet bonded more closely after Star Allies, as they had a fun road-trip together (wave 1 also had a fun road-trip together, as did wave 3). Adeleine and Ribbon were already besties before Star Allies, but the road-trip made Daroach and DMK become besties.

Post-SA, Daroach and DMK visit each other regularly. DMK has set up a dimensional mirror somewhere in Sacred Square that Daroach uses to get to the mirror world to visit him. The first few times DMK attempted to vacation on Popstar, Daroach was the guy that helped show him around on the planet, and the squeaks' hideout is the place that DMK resorts to whenever he sleeps in Popstar on vacations.

The entire squeak squad likes DMK. They think he's the most badass dude ever. They ask him to show off by destroying random things.

What friendly activities do DMK and Daroach to together? Many things, in fact. Daroach has dragged DMK out of his comfort zone to do fun stuff. The things they do together include board games, truth-or-dare games, drinking beer, and some mischief during nighttime.

When Daroach visits the mirror world, DMK joins him in robberies in random places there. It's just some stupid fun they have together.

Daroach knows that DMK is still devoted to Dark Mind, but that doesn't really bother him all that much. He's able to keep DMK in check from going too far in nefarious plans with Dark Mind, even.

Overall, these are shadowy partners doing shadowy stuff.

Adeleine and Ribbon also come by sometimes to hang out with them.

Another big thing is that Daroach puts in effort to increase DMK's sense of humor, which was rather low at first. Daroach keeps cracking bunches of bad jokes. DMK at times can't admit but have dumb giggles to some of those terrible jokes every now and then.

They're also just about always right beside one another during star ally meetings that happen four times a year. This is partially because DMK is unpopular in the group and is prone to getting into fights with some of the other star allies. Daroach sticks right beside him to be emotional support and to help ensure that he doesn't get into fights.

The statement of DMK being rather unpopular in star ally gatherings is not an exaggeration, by the way. He fails miserably at getting along with the other ex-villains, with Daroach being the sole exception.

Dark Meta Knight does not at all get along with Marx, Taranza, Susie and Magolor. He despises all four of them. He's very prone to getting into fights with any of those four by just simply being nearby them.

And he doesn't really get along that well with the mage sisters either. He doesn't necessarily hate them as much as Marx + Wave 3 as they don't quite bother him as much, but he still doesn't care about them.

This means that overall, DMK has a rather poor track record in how he interacts with most of the other ex-villain dream friends. But Daroach is the pure exception to that. DMK and Daroach are buddies.

Daroach knows and understands that certain people do not like DMK, but that doesn't deter him. He himself thinks that the guy is super cool regardless, and he's not trying to get everyone to like the guy. He understands that DMK has moral issues, but he still sees the good in him and lets him know that he's appreciated. He believes in him.

Despite DMK being rather detached, he genuinely really likes Daroach. DMK really likes his fellow wave 2ers, but Daroach can be considered his best friend. He's let his guard down around Daroach.

And so that basically sums up the friendship of these dark dudes.

Yeah. I know that I portray Dark Meta Knight to have poor relationships with certain other dream friends, but he and Daroach are genuine pals. Although it's a little funny how much they differ in personality, as Daroach is very chill and laidback while DMK is bad-tempered and brutal. But Daroach is very easily capable of putting up with assholes, in my opinion. He's got all the patience in the world.

See y'all on the next one.

[moonmacabre01]

Meta Knight for the ask thing, please! He's my comfort character, I gotta know!

ah, meta knight. My one braincell latched onto him the first time I played Star Allies and now he's just a part of my life ^^

Sexuality hc: Gay and demiace. Demiace bc I make all my favorites some form of asexual, gay because HAVE YOU SEEN HIM.

otp: Metadede all the way baybee. They make me insane in a fun way. "Sworn Partners" shut uupppp <333 If they kiss on screen in a future game it'll still be less gay than Kirby Fighters 2.

brotp: Literally all of the Meta Knights. They are his friends and they love him and he loves them. Don't get me started on this because I will ramble for ages I love them so so much. ALSO. BANDEE. I love the parallels between them. They're father and son to me, and I think Meta's the one who best understands Bandee's desire to get stronger.

notp: Metasusie. Like, even without into the whole colonizer/colonized aspect of it, I just . . . don't think they could ever go farther than being acquaintances. Have you that "We will never be friends comic" that I can't find right now. That's their relationship to me.

first hc that pops into my head: SEVERE caffeine addict. He'll drink six cups of (extraordinarily sweet)coffee in a day and be falling asleep by evening because he usually has seven. It scares people.

favorite line: That line from the end of ROMK- "You are all about to perish, do as you please (I'm sorry . . .)" -Like. Holy Shit. How am I supposed to be normal about this. That's guilt, baby! He's guilty for leading his crew to what looks to be their deaths! He may put on a cool, apathic mask(sic), but underneath that he cares DEEPLY and this proves it. I'm insane.

one way I relate to this character: I too have a deep-seated love for both chocolate and medieval weaponry.

thing that gives me secondhand embarrassment: Genuinely can't think of anything- wait no the start of Amazing Mirror does it. Imagine getting your ass kicked by an uberemo version of you couldn't be me(it would, in fact, be me)

Cinnamon roll or problematic fav: I don't think either of these fit him. He's too universally loved for the second and the first is just flanderization. Yesn't

[experiment14-12]

I'm just gonna go on a rant real quick, on

Why 2021 - 2024 are the Worst Years of my Life

TRIGGER WARNING: May contain references of violence, and illness. The reader's discretion is advised.

Ever since March 13th of 2020, about 4 years ago, the world has gone downhill because of the fear of death. The Coronavirus ruined everything. I'll give you my rundown.

In 2020, COVID kicked everyone's ass. The USA was quarantined for two weeks. Toilet paper was vanishing left and right. Everyone stayed home for what seemed like forever.

In 2021, Friday Night Funkin' became the hot new thing. I made two new blogs. I met @oogaboogaspookyman for the first time, and his actions will forever change how I see things, for the better. My boyfriend moved away to another state, so we had to part ways. My negligent sister (she was living with me, my brother and my mom at the time) whom I will call Jessica, has finally moved out of our house. Things were going great for the first 10 months, but then December 5th came. My mom was diagnosed with COVID. Now, WE had to stay home for 2 MORE weeks. My narcissistic sister (who only had 1 kid at the time) whom I will call Karen, stayed with us. Everyone was trapped in their rooms. I had my own, my brother had HIS own, my sister and her son shared one, my mom had her own, you know the drill. It was kind of cool, staying home for 2 weeks, finally having my own room after a decade of sharing one with at least one of my brothers. It felt like I could do anything without anyone looking. We were quarantined, so why not? Once the quarantine was lifted, it was already Christmastime, and we only had a week to shop. After the quarantine was lifted, I felt my first case of derealization. Words cannot describe how awful it felt. Everything was blurry, but... not blurry... at the same time. It felt like everything was shifting, but not moving. I remembered myself standing in my room, feeling really weirded out and scared that everything was losing its form. Then, it stopped. I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.

In 2022, Sonic.EXE became popular again. I finally got a Meta Quest 2 VR headset. Karen officially moved in with us. That was her first mistake. She should've just stayed with my drunk-as-all-hell dad who lived next door. I was introduced to Ori and the Blind Forest. I loved it. It became my favorite game. Then, what clicked in my head, verified me as... a furry. That just made matters worse. People at school made fun of/bullied me for being an "EwW fUrRy WhY dOn't YoU cHoOsE a DiFfErEnT pAtH???" I became more violent as time went on. Why are people like this? Why do people call someone out for the stupidest reasons?

In 2023, I was invited to the dark side of the moon. New peeps in the world (and my house) so my two sisters, Karen, and another who I will call Georgia, had kids. Georgia and her boyfriend were driven out of their house by roaches, so they moved with us. Both of my sisters became greedy little shit stains. Now, we have 3 maggots running around the house. I suffered through my second case of derealization. This time, I'm sharing a room with my brother yet again. I hate it. But, I'm sure glad I have a Wii again. My hyperfixation is now Night in the Woods again. We went camping. It was fun. It was... fine...

Now, 2 months ago, my aunt, who I will call Dorothy, passed away due to an overdose. This rocked me to my core. Rest in peace, aunt Dorothy. The house, in shambles. My sanity, running low. Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 came out. I now have a new hyperfixation: the Smiling Critters. Things were not looking good.

It is now March 4th, 2024. I feel like absolute shit. I have too many assignments and projects to catch up on. My life is becoming more and more similar to Mae Borowski's.

I now know how @thelonelyfeline feels.

My life is starting to become the vibes of this song.

[aid-worker-sya]

Secrets of the Quality or the Schedule Release; or, Secrets of the Go Do Random Events; or, Secrets of The Commander's Really Weird Couple Of Months; or, Secrets of Is Peitha Still Hot Or Boring Now (or something like that)

hi i'm not too active in gw2 tumblr (i gotta fix that i just gotta follow more of you on main) but y'know i've been playing gw2 since beta with a few years-long breaks and this is the first time i was playing an expansion on launch so i thought i at least wanted to share my thoughts.

my tl;dr is that there was some good and some bad but i think i'd prefer an entire expansion up front or it in like two updates and then an epilogue like WLB was for Cantha despite my extraordinarily negative feelings feelings on Gyala Delve and that all of this should've been like Part 1 of a new Wizard Saga.

i don't think we'll ever have a very complete consensus, because GW2's fanbase has been historically divided on almost everything since launch. the dragons, Dragon's Watch, BRAHAM, almost everything on this game has been a love-or-hate since that fateful day back in 2012. and from what i've noticed throughout the years, tumblr is usually more positive of GW2's story updates more than other websites, so i'm pretty curious about what went right and also wrong too. so i really wanted to give as a long time player my feelings on all this, bc it was... interesting. both for good and bad.

and perhaps biggest of all: a common criticism countless GW2 players have had since: the idea the Commander is not really the main protagonist because they're always serving as the champion or second-in-command to someone else, something i've historically disagreed even before Traehearne's rewrite but now i'm a bit more "hmm" about. also why the fuck wasn't this like a Wizard Saga of like 2-3 expansions.

it was certainly a mixed bag, i don't agree with people saying it was the worst thing ever, as far as i'm concerned What Lies Beneath was this game's absolute fucking rock bottom in recent memory and SOTO was nowhere near as bad as that and i want to punch something every time any daily or weekly even mentions Gyala Delve (although i'm still going to appreciate WLB as an epilogue and talk about that later). think i'm gonna start with the good immediate thoughts first

i think the initial release was very good. the new maps and metas were fun, as were the maps being larger than most of the previous expansion maps to make up. the new characters were interesting: although there wasn't really enough time to develop them the same way Dragon's Watch had been for years. it was especially great seeing Zojja as a major character which is why i'm so sad she stopped being relevant after the initial release. i think it would've been better if they wanted this expansion to be like... idk, the Wizard Saga to be built up over a period of like three expansions. it would've been nice to see these characters actually build up over a period of time. make Eparch the final confrontation over a period of three years

like, at first, i fully expected this to be like this. they refer to everything before 2023 as the Dragon Saga. i thought this was going to be a shorter saga of like, 2-3 expansions with a much more concrete goal and narrative direction. we fight alongside the Wizards for a few expansions until Eparch's final defeat and then onto the next grand adventure that would take several years to complete

but ultimately, we just kinda accidentally fell into a big adventure bored out of our skulls after our crystal dragon jesus daughter went into hibernation. we stumbled into something, kicked some ass, and now it's over and we're probably getting another expansion in a couple of months. so i guess... that's the future of GW2. after the grand Dragon Saga, the Commander gets into all sorts of weird little shenanigans that determines Tyria's future and then fucks off to do the next thing no more sagas, just these like, weird singular adventures the Commander has.

the end result is that everyone is severely underdeveloped. there are some fun characters, and i've been joking with my gw2 friends "WE FINALLY HAVE AN INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIP AFTER THEY BAILED ON BRAHAM AND ROX!!!" but like. i liked them. they were cool. i actually really like the Wizards. which is why i'm so bummed it's just over and the epilogue of SOTO it seems set up we're not really gonna do anything for it. i love Frode having a very complicated relationship with the Spirits and how Worm appears to be like... borderline actively malicious compared to most Spirits. i fucking love R'tchikk and Gladium's entire interaction and an unconventional relationship between species and really want to see more interactions. Dagda as one of the last Jotun that truly remember their glory days. so it's so sad to me that like, all these really interesting characters just have their story ended with this. i hope i'm wrong and i see them, but fuck. it's like. i started caring about them, then the next three updates came out and now it's over. dammit.

i also agree the demons are like. they're human society. they're just Regular People no different than Kryta specifically. now i love playing humans in games where you can play multiple races: but like, something that i love about gw2 is how each race has it's own feel, y'know? the humans are a traditional european-style monarchy. the asura are literally an entire race of mad scientists that have a Council so they don't just immediately nuke themselves in a science experiment and their society revolves around research. the charr are an outright stratocracy where the military and government is one and the same and this was explored in IBS where this allowed an insane fascist to rally immense power before IBS went to shit. and the sylvari are literally a new race figuring out WHAT their deal is and haven't quite nailed it down yet

i do not mind at all the kryptis are like not just a hive mind or blue and orange mentality. but i do agree that it is... disappointing that they don't have their own... let's say flavor of society. they're basically just humans but they look weird and live in a weird place. Nayos doesn't appear to be a realm literally made of dreams: it's just the name. the plot of this expansion was mostly like LWS3 but this time we're helping the guerilla rebels instead of fighting them.

idk how to feel about Peitha. it was really fun in the initial release when she was this weird voice in our head we weren't sure if we could trust her or not but she was the enemy of our enemy so she was our friend (for now). but like the demons, she wasn't... complex. she was a very normal stock character for this kind of story. maybe not as heroic or nice as most, but the true good ruler that things will be better if we put on the throne. she' snot bad, but like. she's a dime in a dozen character ultimately. she's the generic good guy we gotta put on the throne and eparch is the generic bad guy we gotta dethrone.

also it was really dicky of them to intentional try to sell the idea of expanded weapon proficiencies and the elite skill weapon unlock for all as like. being part of the base game. you know they worded it like it was part of the base game but you can't do it without SOTO. it's a little bit of a moot point, but it's frustrating.

and i don't know what to ultimately feel now that it's over. because it's over when it feels like it should be beginning. i feel like this episode should have ended with Eparch like... consuming the entirety of Nayos before fleeing deeper into the Mists and the beginning of the journey to find him and defeat him. the kingdom that Peitha wanted to save completely annihilated and the looming concern that much like Kralkatorrik he might become a multiverse destroying threat. i feel like The Midnight King shouldn't have ben the end of the conflict: it should have been the ending of Part 1 of the conflict. like...........

idk. if it was just meant to be this singular adventure: i think i would've liked the entire expansion up front and then an epilogue of WLB to put the final nails on the coffins, and also give time to flesh out everyone else in epilogue stuff and side stories too. but as much as i would've preferred that over this release schedule i feel like. this should have been Part 1. all of this should have been Part 1 of a Saga with this being our first battle against the Midnight King before we after a series of Wizard adventures, tracking him down, and growing stronger finally confront him.

you know there's always been, since GW2's launch, this complaint a lot of people have had with GW2. a lot of people feel like they're never really "the main character" like in GW1. i think at least part of this was rooted in how deeply unpopular Traehearne was in the initial release before they revoiced and rewrote like all of his dialogue. people felt like after the Order Arc that the Commander was kind of relegated to being the support for the actual protagonist. while i feel this opinion has died down since release, i've seen it a lot throughout the years too. a lot of people felt this way when we learned Aurene was basically crystal dragon jesus christ and we were her champion to set the world right. IBS was pretty clear from early on that this conflict would ultimately be resolved by Braham, the norn of prophecy: and it was. the Commander has a tendency to help other people reach their prophesized destinies while they themselves are a person born without particular grand destiny, just someone who was in the right place in the right time and went on to do truly spectacular things (there is a single dialogue in the Hall of Monuments that implies it might be possible the GW1 protagonist was reincarnated as the Commander, but this has never been touched on) and i've... actually come to like it. but this time.

i feel like this time was the only time i've felt it. like. we didn't need to be here. this could have even been Zojja's sidestory. Zojja's big chance to be the hero. we didn't really do that much beyond more of the heavy lifting. we barely did anything substantial beyond hitting things. hell, during the very last battle, we don't even get to speak to Eparch at all. Peitha does 100% of the talking. why was i here? i would've preferred watching like... a netflix cartoon special series about Zojja doing this. why was i here other than the fact i just sorta fell into it??? speaking of which, disappointed Zojja lost all relevance after the initial release. i really wish she was like, fighting by our side the entire time. maybe she doesn't become a Wizard until the very end after doubting it the whole time... like, she's an asura. she's an inventor and innovator. imagine her helping weaken Eparch using a groundbreaking new development in the Wizard's unchanging magic using asuran technology that destroys Eparch's seemingly invincible shield or something and opening the way for the Commander to finish him off.

idk.

i really felt like a side character this time. i didn't see a good reason the Commander is the one saving the day other than awkwardly falling into the plot, and i feel like it could've been resolved by others. and i feel like this could've been resolved by this being just the first part of a grand new adventure, and just like that fateful day over 12 years ago in-universe the Commander was just in the right place at the right time which lead to them saving the world once more. this time... idk. we didn't even get a chance to talk to Eparch. we're just called Wayfinder and Peitha's Champ and do some musclework. hell, we're not even really the Wizard's champion, they basically treat us as a glorified initiate.

idk... it's just. weird, y'know?

i had a lot of fun in the first release, not so much the rest. now i'm thinking of just... what could've been. anyone else feel the same?

(i was gonna go on a larger tangent but i'm tired so "do x events to advance the plot" fuck you fuck you fuck you i HATE this so much)

[fangirlwriting-stories]

Have Some Meta Thoughts I'm Having About Avatar and That One Time Toph and Katara Went to the Spa and Why I Actually Don't Hate It

Because this is my blog and I do what want *nods firmly to self*

Still gonna put it under a cut though because it's gonna get long

Okay, so, I'm rewatching Avatar right now just for fun, and I just got to Tales of Ba Sing Se, and now I'm having a lot of thoughts about this plotline. Normally I'm not a huge fan of the "girls day out at the spa because we're surrounded by boys all the time and need to do some girly things" kind of plotline. Instinctually, I prefer the way Amphibia did it when Anne tries to take Polly to the spa, where Polly still isn't a fan of the spa by the end of the episode and it's revealed the two boys, Sprig and Hop Pop, like the spa a lot more. But I actually really like the way Avatar did this plotline in Tales of Ba Sing Se, enough that other than the obvious Iroh choice, it's my favorite of the stories in the episodes, and I'm gonna go over why.

First of all, and I think this helps a lot overall, Avatar has a lot of episodes where it goes into the idea of girls not having to like all girly things and that they can fight and kick ass at it too. No one who tries to put down Toph or Katara because they're girls (or for any other reason for that matter) is going to last very long. That's actually proven near the end of the mini story when they mess up those girls who make fun of them, and that helps it too.

But I actually really like the spa parts, even more than the "beat up the jerks" part. I like that Toph ends up enjoying it, despite being unsure at first. I like that Katara is okay with Toph's own way of messing around and having fun, like when she makes the alien face by earthbending the mud. I like that they both use their bending to relax in a sauna. And I actually really like that at the end, Toph says she had fun and is enjoying feeling girly. Because actually, I've had those days too.

In case whoever's reading this doesn't know, I identify as what I tend to call a nonbinary woman. I feel fully like a nonbinary person and fully like a woman at the same time, most of the time. (Don't ask me how that works, I don't fully understand it either, it's just how I feel.) I didn't feel super connected to my "girl" identity growing up. I actually look pride in being a "tomboy" a lot of the time. But I still had days where, for one reason or another, I wanted to lean into it. Times when I was a kid and wanted to wear a dress just for the heck of it, or paint my nails, or wear something sparkly and pink. Sometimes the novelty of it was fun, or I wanted to feel connected to that "girl" part of myself that felt either out of reach or unimportant most of the time.

And for that reason, I see a lot of myself in Toph in this story. She comes across to me as wanting to connect with her oft-intentionally-neglected femininity, and I like that that's something she gets to do without being any less of a badass or any less Toph. That's a mistake made by a lot of people who write strong female characters, making the character look down on femininity as a whole. But to parrot what's said by Suki a season earlier, Toph is a badass, but she's a girl too. She can be both.

The other part I really like is how Katara comforts her after they get rid of the jerkish assholes who just want to put them both down. Katara starts with "Those girls don't know what they're talking about," and then Toph responds that one of the good things about being blind is that she's never worried about appearances and doesn't care what she looks like and isn't looking for anyone's approval. But despite that, it's obvious to both Katara the audience that it did get to her. Because of course it did! When you're cautiously exploring a neglected (intentionally or not) part of your identity, that's often a vulnerable place to be in. And if someone then insults you for that very thing you're exploring, it hurts like a bitch.

But Katara doesn't acknowledge her tears or keep going with how wrong the girls were, she instead turns it back on Toph's strong points: "That's what I really admire about you, Toph. You're so strong, and confident." She turns it onto things that they both know Toph is, and tells Toph she admires that about her. And then to top it all off, she validates the things that Toph was enjoying before: "And I know it doesn't matter, but... you're really pretty."

Honestly, that line makes me tear up every time. Because that's Katara validating the very thing that Toph was insecure about. Toph's "I don't care what I look like and I can be confident in that," responded to with, "I admire that about you, and also, if you ever do want to feel pretty, know that you are." And the inner little girl me just melts.

I love this plotline because it doesn't move away from Katara and Toph's characters to let them be stereotypically girly, it explores how Katara and Toph would be stereotypically girly, and then validates them in being allowed to do that.

And I'm really glad I got this episode as a kid, because now on days that I do feel like painting my nails or wearing a dress, I can go into it knowing that it doesn't take away from me in any way. And that's just a really nice, really validating message to hear. And I'm glad Avatar took the time to say it.

[empressofthesunwriter]

Retribution

Umeko's life revolves around three important things: her grandmother, her cat Ima, and avenging her father's murder. Forming lifelong bonds and even battling gods was never part of the plan, nor was falling in love.

Kamoshida Part 2

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(*)

Umeko leaned against the building in the little alleyway, her arms crossed, waiting for Sakamoto and Amamiya to return from the Meta-Verse.

She had some questions and assumed the boys had a few for her as well. That’s why she waited.

Finally, the two boys appeared.

Sakamoto looked ready to collapse, while Amamiya remained as cool as a cucumber.

“Took you boys long enough,” she said, raising an eyebrow.

“Ah, Sugihara, you really waited!” gasped Sakamoto, trying to catch his breath.

Wordlessly, Umeko handed him her water bottle, which he drank eagerly, thanking her gratefully.

"Sugihara-san," Amamiya said as he turned to her. "I feel you didn't just wait for us to check on you."

This made Umeko smile slightly.

Amamiya was both smart and observant—typical of a Wild Card.

"You’re right. We three need to talk," she replied. "You both are clearly only alive because Morgana, the cat, helped you. The Meta-Vers is dangerous for new Persona Users."

Sakamoto finished drinking and handed her back the water bottle with a grateful nod.

"Oh, right! You mentioned you’ve been doing this longer than us," Sakamoto reminded her.

"Yes, that's true, but first, what were you doing in Kamoshida's Palace?"

Together, the boys explained how they discovered Kamoshida's abuse of his volleyball players and how Sakamoto memorized their faces so they could speak to them in real life and finally get that pathetic excuse for a teacher fired.

Umeko closed her eyes and shook her head, feeling guilt gnawing at her.

"I knew about the rumours, but you seeing this all, is proof enough. And here I just wanted to kick the bastard's ass for my own selfish desires."

"The guy in a black mask?", said Amamiya, which made Umeko nod.

"Exactly. He is the reason I came to Kamoshida Palace. My real target."

That's when all their stomachs made loud grumbling noises.

"Oh yeah, I haven't eaten since lunch.", mumbled Sakamot, touching his stomach.

"Maybe we should talk more while we eat?", suggested Umeko.

She was quite farmish too.

"Oh awesome idea, I know a place, just follow me guys!"

That's how the three found themselves in the Gyudon Restaurant on Central Street.

"So let me get this straight.", began Umeko placing her chopsticks down for a moment. "You two really wanna go up to the hurt members of the volleyball team and ask them about the abuse?"

Sakamoto slurped his noodles and nodded.

"Yeah, after what we have seen we can't just do nothing."

"Not that I don't agree with you, but abuse victims rarely admitted to the abuse.", worried Umeko.

"We can't just let this slip.", said Amamiya. "Kamoshida is dangerous."

"And shitty!"

"Sakamoto I am still eating!"

"Ups sorry, Sugihara."

"What about you Sugihara, will you help us?", asked Amamiya, looking at her with these beautiful grey eyes.

"Yeah, you can talk to the girls on the team, they would be more comfortable talking with another girl I am sure!", added Sakamoto.

Thoughtful Umeko crossed her arms before she said: "Let's make a deal then. I help you, and you guys help me in the Meta-Vers. In three we can punch out the answers I seek from the Shadow-Kamoshida."

"Mmh, I don't have a problem with that, and you?", turned Sakamoto to Amamiya.

The black-haired boy gave just a nod.

"Thanks guys."

"So now, you gotta tell me why you hunt this Black Mask and you what's up with all the rumours that are spreading."

Oh dear, could Umeko really tell the boys her story? She felt clammy all of a sudden and tears prickled her eyes.

Thankful Amamiya seemed to sense it and started his tale.

Why he was now in Tokyo and why he had a criminal record.

Umeko and Sakamoto both got angry on his behalf.

What an utter bastard must you be to first force yourself on a woman and then sue the teenager, who wanted to help the woman, for assault?!

Then Sakamoto told about what Kamoshida did to him, breaking his leg and making it so that the track and field team got cancelled.

Gosh, these were only sad stories.

But they gave Umeko the courage to tell her own.

She gripped tight her glass and began: "I was born and lived in Paris, France with my father. My mother sadly died when I was two. I barely remember her. It was always just Papa and me. My Papa was a Persona User in his youth and still possessed the power in adulthood. He taught me how to use the power of Personas. Since I was six he took me to Palaces to loot them and we even managed to change people for the better. Then a year and a half ago we heard in Japan about the psychotic breakouts. This could only be the work of another Persona-User. So we came to Tokyo to investigate...in one Palace we met the guy with the Black Mask. His power...it's scary! Papa...Papa sacrificed himself so I could escape, but he died. Since then I have lived with my Grandma and searched for the Black Mask to get my revenge."

Her vision was blurry and Umeko barely saw how Ren handed her a tissues.

With a sniff, she thanked him and cleaned her wet face.

"Damn Sugihara... Umeko I am so sorry.", said Ryuji patting awkward her back.

This made her smile a bit.

At least he tried.

Ren reached for one of her hands and squeezed it in comfort.

In her stomach butterflies flew and she felt a soft blush on her cheeks.

Where he touched her, she formally burned...she had forgotten what a wonderful feeling it was.

"We will help you, Umeko. We will find the killer of your father.", promised Ren.

"Thanks, guys, really, I owe you one."

"Nah, you don't.", disagreed Ryuji. "We three a kinda alike, we fit nowhere."

"So it seems.", agreed Umeko.

Ren simply nodded.

"Then let us stick together not just for revenge but as friends!"

"Friends, I never had a lot of friends..."

"Me neither, Ren..."

"Then it's settled, we three against the world."

This made both Ren and Umeko laugh before the girl choked on her laugh...she heard a voice in her head.

Papa only ever spoke in theory of it, he only knew it because the Wildcard of his team had told him that, but it was without a doubt an Arcana Bond.

I am thou... Thou art I...

Thou hast acquired a new vow...

It shall become the wings of rebellion

That breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Fool Persona

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall lead to freedom and new power...

Did she make a bond with the Fool, with Ren? She who wasn't a Wildcard? But why?

Meanwhile, Ren heard in his head the Arcana Bond for the Chariot, Ryuji, before another one formed.

I am thou... Thou art I...

Thou hast acquired a new vow...

It shall become the wings of rebellion

That breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Requiem Persona

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

shall lead to freedom and new power...

(*)

With a cigarette in her mouth, Umeko sat by her open window, Ima on her lap.

She inhaled the smoke deeply before letting it out in little puffs.

The pink-haired girl knew it was not good for her health to smoke, but she hadn't managed to quit.

Something always prevents her from doing so.

A bad breakup, doing badly in school, and now the worst, the death of her beloved father..Umeko just couldn't go without a smoke these days.

Especially today was tiring again.

She just didn't understand how she got an Arcana with Ren.

What was the good in it?

He was the Wild Card, the Trickster, of their generation, he needed her Arcana to grow.

So why did she get his?

Dear Kami, she wished she knew how to contact Igor and Lavenza.

It had to be the doing of the master of the Velvet Room, it was the only explanation she came up with, but she hadn't seen a door to the Velvet Room in ages and since she wasn't the Trickster she doubted she could contact them.

Well, sooner or later Ren would open a new door to the Velvet Room, she had just to wait for now.

Waiting was terrible.

Annoyed she stumped her cigarette

She should go to bed.

Tomorrow was not only the volleyball rally, she and the guys had to interrogate Kamoshida abuse victims to get proof of the abuse.

Another long day awaited her.

Umeko picked a yawing Ima up and together they got under the covers of her bed.

(*)

A butterfly flies around Umeko.

A familiar voice spoke to her.

"He needs your help, like you need his, together you can win this unjust game."

Lavenza?

"Please, if my voice reaches you, you must take action. Strengthen the bond with each other and we may avoid the end of time."

Wait what?!

"I'm so, so tired...please Holder of the Requiem Arcana, please help him and save us."

Lavenza! Wait this all doesn't make sense!

The Butterfly vanished...

(*)

"Hey, Umeko, are you with us?", Ryuji whispered loudly to her.

Confused, the pink-haired girl blinked.

Oh right, they were in the gymnasium, watching a volleyball match: teachers versus students.

In reality, it was just a spectacle for Kamoshida to boost his ego.

She was sitting in the middle of the boys on the floor, trying to focus on the game.

But her mind kept drifting back to the strange dream she had last night.

She craved a cigarette right now to calm her nerves, but she never smoked in school. It was too risky.

So she got out some bubblegum and chewed on it.

It helped a bit.

"Sorry, Ryuji, I was just lost in thoughts.", she mumbled to the blond.

Both boys gave her worried looks.

Then it happened.

Kamoshida, the giant jerk, spiked the ball straight into poor Mishima's face, causing him to fall to the ground.

The sorry excuse for a teacher dared to act worried for Mishima, calling for a nurse, but once Mishima was taken care of, he returned to playing as if nothing had happened.

The pink-haired girl felt the urge to confront this pathetic excuse for a teacher directly.

It was strange how her emotions were returning, even the more aggressive ones.

Did it have something to do with having now an Arcana?

Anyway, Umeko could think about it later.

She and the boys discussed what they should do next near the vending machines.

Ryuji remembered a guy from her and Ren's class getting treated like a slave in Kamoshida Palace, so it would be best to start with him.

Their first interrogation for the day was a failure.

The boy refused to talk to them.

Sadly it was a trend that moved on even after they split up to cover more ground.

Umeko tried really her best to get the girls in the volleyball team to talk, however, they were scared.

Deadly scared.

Whatever Kamoshida did to them, he had them under his thumb.

In their new group chat the three told how no one got somebody to spill the beans, but Ren had a lead.

Well, better than nothing.

So they decide to meet again in the courtyard with vending machines.

The girl was the last to arrive and only got half of Ann's discussion with Ren and Ryuji.

"-If you found out what he’s been doin’ behind your back, you’d dump him right away.", shoot Ryuji at Ann.

"Behind my back…?", repeated the blond beauty confused. "What’s that supposed to mean…?"

"You wouldn’t get it."

"Anyway, people are already talking about you two. I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but no one’s gonna help you. I’m warning you, just in case. That’s all."

Ann turned to walk away when she saw Umeko.

"Umeko-San are in this too?"

"Ann-San, please, just let me and the boys here do our thing...and have an eye on Shiho-San."

Dropping the name of her best friend made Ann raise her arm and hold her hand against her mouth.

"Shiho..?"

Umeko just nodded and gave her shoulder a pat. With this, Ann left them confused and worried.

"Wow, she was ready to tear us apart but with you, she was all friendly.", pointed Ryuji out.

"We are kind of friends.", explained Umeko. "When I transferred here Ann-San and Shiho-San were the only ones who were nice to me. We respect each other."

"Huh...guess makes sense."

Then Ren asked where Ryuji knew Ann from, since they were in different classes, and the bleached blond told them they once were in the same Middle School.

"Anyways, that’s not what we’re here to talk about. I had no luck on my end.", said Ryuji. "What about you Umeko and Ren? Did anything like someone’s name turn up?"

While the girl shook her head, Ren told them how he heard from the first-grade volleyball member how a guy named Mishima got special coaching.

"Mishima-San? He is in our class and always covered in bruises.", remember Umeko.

"Let’s go talk to him before he leaves then."

Ren and Umeko agreed with Ryuji and they caught Mishima on his way out of school.

Sadly he wouldn't talk either and it got worse when Kamoshida appeared and practically demanded from Mishima to go to practice.

When Kamoshida left, after treating Ren and Ryuji, Mishima confessed quietly how there was no point in uncovering the abuse.

Everybody knew!

The school, the parents!

No one cared!

The three were shocked.

After Mishima left, Ren asked what they should do now.

Ryuji wanted to talk to the volleyball team members again, but it had to wait until tomorrow.

"Guys, I'm pretty sure we will get the same results.", disagreed Umeko with crossed arms. "I think we need to do a change of heart!"

Stupified the boys repeated a change of heart, which made Umeko hush them.

"It's too late today, I will explain tomorrow. We have to go home now."

(*)

In her room, Umeko grabbed a wooden trunk from her closet.

This was where she and Papa kept their infiltration tools and medicine. She was glad she hadn’t gotten rid of it; now it would be useful for infiltrating Kamoshida’s Palace with Ren and Ryuji.

The two newbies needed upgraded weapons, protection, and medicine, and she doubted they had these already.

Carefully, she checked her fake copies of Smith & Wesson handguns. They were two beautiful pieces, coloured white with red roses.

She had missed her two girls: Ava and Mia.

After ensuring they still worked, she pulled her gorgeous stiletto out from its sheath.

The handle was also decorated with red roses, and its colours were white and gold.

Umeko had named her stiletto Rosabella, as its origins were in Renaissance Italy.

It felt strange to touch and check her weapons again.

Anticipation began to build inside her, reminding her that she was a Phantom Thief through and through.

She had missed the adrenaline kick from infiltrating a Palace.

The pink-haired girl hoped she wouldn’t forget her two main goals: to ask Shadow Kamoshida about the Black Mask and then to take his treasure. However, she felt more confident knowing she had Ren and Ryuji to teach the ways of the Phantom Thieves, and she hoped they would remember.

Umeko checked the other weapons in the trunk, deciding which would fit the boys, and packed the medicine before calling it a night.

Ima was already in bed, waiting for her.

Feeling a bit lighter at heart, Umeko cuddled up to her cat.

She was ready for tomorrow.

All she hoped was that the boys would be ready too and wouldn’t get freaked out when she told them what could happen if a change of heart wasn’t done correctly.

But that concern was for tomorrow.

Soon she fell asleep and no strange dreams haunted her this time.

(*)

Yeah, I invented a Arcana XD

Hope it's okay.

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