#not yet but there will be severe middle child drama

[thirdrootwriting]

Brother of my Brother (Infinite Crisis - Bad End) pt1

I am sorry if the timeline events of Infinite Crisis here are a bit wonky. Also we are going with Nightwing run version of Jason and Dick's first meeting, bc that one's my favorite.

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.

The world nearly ended, it does that sometimes. A great, physics-defying colliding of universes and cosmic god-beings that required every sucker that's ever donned spandex -and occasionally some semi-willing, saner rouges- to put their noses to the grindstone , kick some ass, and maybe fart out a few inspirational speeches if you were the friendly paragon type like Superman, the Flashes, or darling Nightwing.

Jason's involvement in the whole thing had been minimal. He'd busted up some of the weird-ass robot things that preceded the main event, spared a whole goddamn sympathetic wince for the poor bastards that had to fight Superman's evil alt-universe son, and knocked around a couple of wannabe thugs that thought Bludhaven getting nuked was a chance to start getting cute with some profiteering or trafficking on his turf in nearby Gotham.

Not too helpful, cause Jason wasn't one of those fools wearing spandex anymore. (He had actual pants now, imagine that!). Not too unhelpful, cause he was a fool choosing to live in Gotham, and he'd prefer his city to not be a radioactive wasteland trashed by robots and mad Kryptonians and his universe not to be melted or unwritten or whatever cosmic bullshit the villain de jour had planned.

Eventually, the dust had settled. Heroes had run back to their claimed cities, the JLA fucked off back to space, and the various tech whizzes had actually started bothering to lock down or shut off the emergency channels they'd thrown together to call out the all hands on deck situation, making it a lot harder for those that weren't exactly invited to the party to listen in.

Leaning back onto his ratty but comfortable couch, in an apartment that edges closer to housing rather than a safehouse, Jason is now instead idly trawling through the official responses published by the JLA, the Titans, and a couple of the more put-together, public facing heroes.

He's not a bad hacker, far better than most, but Jason really only gives a fuck about information relating to Gotham and its vigilantes. (And well, formerly Bludhaven. Sucks to suck, circus boy, looks like even the great Nightwing fails sometimes). There's no way Oracle doesn't have anything Bat-related on lockdown already, and Jason's not fool enough to tangle with her in her home court like that.

He scratches his neck.

Nah, he'd rather not have cop-girl turned surveillance-woman rat out his location or get in his systems cause he'd gotten curious and poked his digital nose into whatever terse, control freak communications Batman was sending to the League and his little solider boys. Jason could just paint a general picture reading between the lines of official, publicly available reports, and then investigate through other, more in-person means after. Shake some people down, break into government offices that sort of thing.

Well, first off, it seemed his snobby little replacement was going to be in Gotham for a while. There's a short, despondent little announcement from knock-off Robin's knock-off Titans that due to the tragic loss of Superboy in the recent crisis, Young Justice would be suspending activity.

It's followed by a short but clumsily sincere little memorial piece about Kon-El, like that's supposed to make up for the fact he's dead, like just posting a couple of cheesy pictures of cook-outs and daylight missions and blubbering out a few sentimental sentences about how kind and heroic the deceased was enough to make up for his violent death.

Jason scratches his neck again. His nails are cut almost to the quick so they don’t catch his skin, don't draw blood, don’t really get rid of the itch.

Batman's more of a problem, as always. He'd never deign to give anything as mundane as a public statement, of course, but the JLA has an actual PR team and a constant need to maintain an image of transparency in front of the general public and its many trigger-happy governments. They've put out a handy list of various commendations being given, memorials being held, and ongoing efforts of various heroes to help with the after effects of the tragedy

Jason idly opens the memorials tab for some rubber-necking after he's finished investigating. He doesn't even bother glancing at the award ceremonies page (no Bat would fucking ever).

Little mention of Batman in any of the rebuilding projects or various JLA committees on preventing this horrible tragedy from ever occurring again . (Even though they all knew something similar would happen in another couple of years, cause the universe  tries to off itself on damn schedule these days).

Jason sighs. Nary a sign of the Bat on anything from the JLA, and the various social pages and gossip rags of Gotham were mostly empty of their favorite drunken fool, Bruce Wayne.

If Jason was lucky (and he never was), the Bat was on some short, international mission that would be finished up before the Red Hood's even had time to finish shaking down air traffic control for their records of Batplane sightings.  If he's unlucky, the old man's on one of his long-term out of the city projects or stupid self-discovery journeys that seemed to mostly involve screwing morally grey spies and assassins.

If he's supremely unlucky, though, Batman's fucked off to space or some alternate dimension to do this this, that, and the other cause he's similar to Jason in at least one regard. Occasionally they had to give a shit about the stability of the universe and the fate of the world, cause that's what Gotham is sitting on.

Uggh, it better not be that last one. Shaking down or threatening a Flash or Lantern would be a goddamn pain and require a fuck-ton of planning (steal some shit from Freeze? Lure the space cop into a sulphur mine? Might just be easier breaking into the Batcave.)

Jason rolls his shoulders face twitching into a grimace. He hasn't decided what he wants to do or say or whatever the next time he sees Batman, but he does know he wants it on his fucking terms. He's never gonna have a moment's peace if he doesn’t' figure out where Batman's lurking.

Shit, worst comes to worst he'll beat the Bat's location out of his shiny new Robin or prod it outta Nightwing who's almost certainly an emotional wreck now that Shithaven's radioactive rubble.

…. Maybe the Red Hood will even buy Nightwing a beer instead of greeting him with a gunshot outta consideration for his loss next they meet. Might be worth it so that Jason can see pretty, perfect Dick Grayson floundering in failure like the rest of the mortal world regularly had too, the prick.

Feeling a bit calmer, Jason settles back into a sprawl and starts casually perusing the JLA's page of memorial announcements for people he might've met with Batman or Dick. He idly scrolls down the page, stopping once in a while to search engine a name that rings absolutely no bells on the off chance it’s a rebranding instead of new-blood or a  total no-name. After all he very much doubts any mid-to-late twenties men are going around calling themselves Aqualad, or fucking Speedy.

Near the bottom of the alphabetically organized page is a blue hyperlink that reads 'Nightwing'.

Jason blinks. Clenches and unclenches his left hand. That's … a weird fucking way to list a memorial for the city of Bludhaven.

He knows a lot of the old core Leaguers like to fawn over Robin Number 1, Superman especially, and that Nightwing's probably the only non-exploded, halfway decent person left willing to admit association  with Shithaven, Gotham's poorer, dirtier little sister-city, but still. Not super tactful.

Jason stares at electric blue of the hyperlink for another couple of seconds, then clicks on it.

'The public memorial for the hero known as Nightwing will be held at 5pm on October 24th on the public access field in front of Titian's Tower. A beloved figure of the hero community, founding member of the Titians, and known associate of Batman, Superman, and many other long time Justice League members …'

The word 'Robin' does not appear once on the entire page, Jason notes hysterically. Like every two-bit thug with half a brain cell left after Batman's regular beatings and Gothamite still sane enough to parse a newspaper don't know that the little, grinning dare-devil child mad enough to take on the night in Gotham armed with nothing but pixie boots and a smile, good enough to not just fucking survive that but stay laughing and kind, like they don't all know he grew up into their migratory bluebird who would swoop between the brighter, outside world and their resident shithole city, returning to the nest to help beat down their rouges, remind Batman to act like a freaking human being, and teasingly rescue little Robins that got in over their heads. Perfect, lucky, Dick Grayson, Gotham's little songbird that got to grow up and stretch his wings.

Jason numbly realizes he's started to chuckle, an ugly smile pulling at the corners of his lips.

A hideous cackling monologue that never really shuts up in the back of his memories laughs and laughs about dead birds, about Batman's failures. The sentences are impossible to fully parse, every other word punctuated by a crack of pain or an ugly giggle.

A soft, sharp, croon in his recently resurrected ears, as Talia-of-his-memory whispers, "Family and love are just pretty, useless words until they've been proven in blood and sacrifice."

Jason hurls the laptop across the room, shattering the bright screen displaying its memorial message against the wall then stalks off to grab his helmet. He needs to see for himself if this is, if Nightwing is . . .

. . . If it is true, he needs to know who. Needs to know badly, insistently, itchingly cause Jason really fucking doubts whatever JLA fuck that wrote the page, or Titan hanger-on that organized that memorial actually loved Richard Grayson that way his brother deserved.

He sure as hell knows their father won't.

------------------------------------------

Six years ago

The first time Jason met his predecessor? (maybe his brother?) went  . . . . alright.

Sure Jason's flubbed the gauntlet test thing that Bruce'd set up, Nightwing dancing circles about him with his fancy flips. Then that had been followed by the older teen basically dragging him about the whole city like a scruffed kitten as they'd raced through the streets to save Alfred dressed as Two-Face.

 On the other hand, they'd basically raced the length of the whole city, bus-surfing and peeping into warehouses, and ended up fighting with some sewer-croc monster to save Alfred dressed as Two-Face cause Batman had flubbed his whole secret test thing worse. Jason had come out of that whole mess not looking too bad in comparison and gotten the official go-ahead to be Robin from both Batman and the original.

He'd parted ways with Dick kinda amicably. Dick had given him his original Robin suit (which was actually pretty cool) and his phone number to call in case Batman was being a 'stoic, immovable, grump' (actually a bit tempting to use cause  Bruce had been snit over his car crash injuries). Jason in turn had passed over the new Nightwing suit Alfred had sewn up and repeated his challenge that he was gonna be even better as Robin so Dick'd better watch out (he'd gotten a raised eyebrow  and a sigh again).

Not bad or anything. No hitting, no screaming (at him anyway, he's fairly certain Nightwing and Batman had it out behind his back at some point). No angry demands about who let a grubby, homeless kid have Robin's costume.

Still, Jason felt like Nightwing was just humoring him, and it rankled. Worse, was he knew why. In contrast to Jason's rather lackluster first night as Robin, Batman had shown him clips of Nightwing's Gotham debut right before he sent him out to catch him, and really those said it all.

A smiling young man in midnight blue and bright gold on a playful rampage through Gotham's darkness, a grinning Batgirl in tow. He knocks out street thugs with a showy, graceful kick on one screen, raids the Iceburg Lounge and talks down to Pengiun with an grinning, effusive, confidence on another, and on the final screen on the bottom right breaks into Arkham to play a prank on the fucking Joker, the clown's angry threats near drowned out by his fearless, undaunted laughter as he slips away.

"This is Nightwing" says Batman. "He'll be your test."

"That's Robin." Realizes Jason. "He's what I've got to live up to."

[ak319]

Weird Yan Cousin x reader (Platonic)

//Warnings: Mentions of prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, weird behaviour but not incest, gore)

Your life had taken such a twisted turn for the worse this year, leaving you wondering if you were cursed. First, your parents died tragically in a fire that destroyed their home. Then, you found out your partner had been unfaithful. Since you shared an apartment, you had to move out, but they stayed, and the two of you were still arguing about selling it to split the money.

As if that wasn’t enough, you lost your job just three days after the breakup--allegedly for poor performance, which was completely untrue. None of this was your fault, yet everything seemed to be spiralling out of control. You were teetering on the edge when you received a strange phone call.

It was from someone claiming to be a distant cousin, Nova Salem. The name struck a chord--she was from your father’s side, the daughter of your uncle Ralph. But you had never met her or any of that side of the family. Your father had severed ties with them long ago. Ralph was only his half-brother, born from your second grandfather, Edmund Salem, whom you’d also never met.

Her sudden call made you feel uneasy, but you were desperate for help, and she offered it without hesitation. Pushing aside all the questions swirling in your mind--about your family dynamics, her abrupt contact, and the series of unfortunate events that felt like a row of dominoes crashing--you packed your bag. The next day, Nova's chauffeuse, Robyn, picked you up from your friend's place.

Robyn was an odd one, giving you mostly one-word, cryptic answers to anything you asked. What really threw you, though, was the route she took. You’d assumed Nova lived somewhere in the city, but Robyn just kept driving... and driving.

Now, here you were, standing in front of a massive estate in the middle of nowhere. You nearly jumped out of your skin when Robyn suddenly spoke from behind you.

"Let's get you inside, ma'am." Robyn's voice cut through the eerie silence as you gripped the strap of your bag, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Um, are you sure this is--"

"Yes, it's the Salem estate."

You glanced around, trying to keep your nerves in check. It could easily pass as a horror movie set, noting the distant tree line, the stormy skies, and the endless dirt road behind. Was this even the right choice? Panic started to creep in. What if she's not my cousin and just stalked my family tree to lure me here?! I am so stupid!

"Welcome, cousin."

Your eyes snapped forward to see a tall figure standing in the entrance, finally registering. Nova, no doubt. She stood taller than you, with short, thick black hair neatly styled, wearing a black turtleneck beneath a long cloak-like robe, paired with black pants...and bare feet?

Before you could even react, she closed the distance and pulled you into a tight hug, muffling your greeting and leaving you a bit breathless from the unexpected embrace.

"I can't believe you're finally here! You see this, Robyn?!" Nova exclaimed, her large hand gripping your head and shaking it playfully. "My little sister is here at last!"

Robyn merely nodded and silently took your other suitcase inside, leaving just the two of you.

"S-sister?" you stammered, taken aback. Her eyes gleamed even brighter, if that was possible, the intensity in her gaze at odds with her composed appearance.

"Indeed, my soror," she affirmed, her hands now firmly grasping your shoulders. "I never got the chance to feel the love of siblings, and with all the family drama and stuff, I was always left out. I never had the chance to have any real connection with family. You’re the only cousin I have."

Her words tugged at your heart, though you couldn’t shake the underlying suspicion.

"No other cousins at all?" you asked, cautiously.

"Nope. My mother was an only child. Anyway, let's get you inside." Nova kept her hold on you, gently steering you toward the entrance. Just before stepping in, she paused, making sure you took off your shoes in the porch. "Enter humbly," she said with a strange conviction. "We are born of the earth, and to the earth, we will return. It’s only right that we honour our origin, for soil should never fear soil."

What? The statement left you puzzled, but you decided to go along with it, stepping inside the dimly lit hallway.

Candles? Really?

"Um, why are the lights off?" you asked, your voice slightly shaky.

"Electricity? Oh, I forgot--you’re a city girl," Nova replied, her tone almost teasing. "I'll ask Robyn to have the switch on for your room--the fan, the lights---but the rest of the house operates without it."

"Why, though? In this day and age? Like, nothing at all?"

Instead of answering, she simply let out a low, eerie chuckle, leaving your nervous laugh hanging awkwardly in the heavy air.

"Let me show you your room." Nova's voice echoed down the dimly lit corridor, where candle flames flickered against the walls, casting long, dancing shadows. The mansion’s interior had an unmistakably gothic feel, with dark wood panelling, high arched ceilings and classic, aged furnishings. The air was thick with an old-world charm as if you had stepped into a place frozen in time. The paintings on the walls, though faded with age, exuded an eerie beauty, depicting somber figures mostly of a woman--always the same portrait of her--and forgotten landscapes

You stepped inside the room, expecting more of the same gloomy charm, only to freeze in disbelief.

What the hell is going on?

"Why is it… all… pink?" you asked, blinking at the sight before you. The walls were plastered with Barbie stickers that looked as vintage as the rest of the house. The bed was oversized and covered in frilly pink bedding, surrounded by plush toys that had seen better days.

"Isn't this what girls love?" Nova said with a wide, innocent smile. "Like little sisters?"

You spun around, trying to process everything. "Hold up. I just met you for the first time ever, so can you please stop calling me your little sister? We're cousins and barely even know each other." Your voice rose as you gestured at the pink explosion around you. "Also, do you think I’m 12?!" The moment the words left your mouth, you felt a pang of regret. Nova’s smile faded, and she looked taken aback. Guilt set in as you realized how harshly you had reacted. She had offered you a place to stay during a rough time. Maybe you could have been more understanding and patient, especially considering she provided you with a bed and a roof over your head.

"Oh my God..." For Nova, that was the most adorable thing she had ever witnessed.

"Um... I--"

"ROBYN! ROBYN!" Nova’s voice cut through the air, making you back away nervously. Her gaze remained fixed on you as she continued to shout.

"Yes, ma'am? How may I assist you?"

"(Y/n)..." Nova grabbed Robyn by the collar, shaking her with surprising force. "My sister--sorry, soon-to-be sister--just had her first tantrum! All thanks to you, Robyn, you absolute genius!"

What in the world--is she being excited or just passive-aggressive? You couldn’t tell.

"It’s okay! I mean, I like it... It’s good."

"You do? You don’t want another room?"

"Um, if... it’s available th--"

"No, it isn’t."

"...this is it then... I guess."

"Robyn, get the food ready. My cousin needs her evening nourishment."

"Aye."

They left you standing in the room, utterly dumbfounded. Everything about this day--and about her--was making you feel dizzy. The way she carries herself, the way she speaks--it’s all becoming a blur. Something in your heart warns that this is going to be a nightmare.

But at least you’re not in some serial killer’s clutches, as you feared before entering. Being an only child and living in such a large mansion might have messed with her mental health, but you hoped it hadn’t gotten worse than this.

The sudden flicker of the lights jolted you from your thoughts, making your soul feel like it had left your body. The room’s colour was now painfully vivid, almost too much to bear. Honestly, the dim glow of the candles was easier on the eyes.

You soon found yourself dining with Nova in the grand dining hall, the two of you beginning to learn about each other. Mostly, you listened to her recounting her adventures. It was impressive how many languages she knew and the places she had visited, though she seemed completely oblivious to modern slang and anything related to media, which you found a bit amusing.

"Anthropologist, huh? Isn't it boring?"

"Boring?" She cackled, her laughter echoing through the vast room. "Absolutely not! I get to travel, explore, and find fascinating things." Judging by the eclectic items scattered around the room, she was certainly telling the truth.

"You seem to have a fondness for skulls."

"Oh! Haha! Aren't they so symbolic in their own way? They are empty, yet their hollow eyes seem to gaze into the essence of mortality itself. Each one holds the silent echoes of a life once lived, a reminder of our own fleeting existence and the stories that we leave behind."

"Are they real?"

"I leave that to the admirer to decide. What do you think?"

"Fake or maybe both, judging by how much you’ve explored."

"You think I’d bring skulls from my adventures?"

"Umm..."

Her laugh interrupted you again. "You’re so naive, (Y/N)."

Just as I suspected.

"Anyway, what about your love life?"

"I don't feel attracted to the idea of being subjected to bodily fluids, particularly in moments of passion. " You felt your appetite slip away.

That’s a rather...unique way to say you’re asexual and single...?

"Cool. But doesn’t it get lonely here?"

"Loneliness isn’t something I mind. Besides, I’m not alone--I have Robyn and now you. A little-"

"Cousin."

"Indeed, a little cousin." You picked up your phone and then realized something. "Oh, I need the Wi-Fi password."

"Sorry, but that might not be possible."

"What?! Don’t tell me you don’t use Wi-Fi! That’s atrocious."

"You see, this technology that the youth have become so attached to has many malevolent effects. I cannot let you be subjected to that."

"What do you mean?! I need to find a job! And how do you do your own work?" Her calm demeanour remained unshaken as Robyn appeared behind you, slamming a newspaper down in front of you. The suddenness startled you. What is it with these people and their jump scares?

"This is today’s paper and your source for finding work."

"Are you kidding me? I need Wi-Fi for my job. I do half of my work online!"

"I’ll need to observe the signs this week. If they are favorable, you might get access. Farewell, cousin. Have a good sleep. Robyn, please escort her to her chambers." You clenched your jaw as she walked away. "WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! WHAT SIGNS?! SO YOU DO HAVE WI-FI?!"

God, what is going on? Is this a fever dream?

You were absolutely enraged in the following days. Apparently, the signs were negative, which meant you were stuck with no FUCKING Wi-Fi!

"Maybe the signs will be positive next month."

Whatever that means. In the meantime, you faced a series of bizarre occurrences that only deepened the unsettling feeling about your stay here and made you question reality. Despite her insistence on not using electricity, the candles lit themselves as if by some hidden mechanism. You were certain she used Wi-Fi--how else would she manage her research and extensive travels?

Her behavior was equally bewildering. She walked barefoot, even in the muddy grass outside during the rain, and would spend hours out there.

Some events left you sleepless for nights.

You once saw her talking to a pillar in the lawn from your bedroom window at night. At first, you thought she might be on a call, but no. She was facing the pillar the entire time. And then there was the incident where she literally smelled your... period.

"Eat this," she said, offering you a bowl of literal pickles. You swatted it away.

"What the fuck, dude?!"

"It’s to relieve menstrual pains. Although not scientifically proven, it is a good remedy."

"I’m fine. AND HOW THE FUCK DID YOU DO IT AGAIN?!"

"Just a matter of having good senses."

In the evenings, she always visited you for tea, bringing her two black hounds along. Despite your protests, she continued to bring them inside. You hated how they always seemed to sniff under the bed, her dark, void-like eyes trained on them as if she wanted them to find something.

Wouldn't want her cousin hiding something, would she? Perhaps thinking she could slip away, unnoticed, back to her old life?

Due to the lack of Wi-Fi, you spent most of your time reading books and exploring the mansion, trying out the strange array of activities Nova had set up for you. She instructed Robyn to teach you various skills like shooting, wrestling, and knife throwing....? You enjoyed it though but yes, you were shocked to discover that Robyn wasn’t just a driver, chef, or butler but seemed to be some sort of retired hitwoman. She never confirmed nor spoke about herself, adding to the mystery.

Despite the chaos and strangeness, you found yourself adapting to this bizarre new routine, almost treating it like a vacation and unexpectedly lifting you out of your depression.

You tried finding jobs but with no success. Every time you found a promising ad, something mysteriously went wrong with the car. It always seemed to break down, as if on cue. The phone in the estate barely worked, with your friend's voice garbled into unintelligible fragments or the call cutting off entirely before you could get a full sentence in. It was as if the house itself refused to let any connection to the outside world slip through.

One day, you had had enough of watching Nova work on her COMPUTER in her study while you languished in boredom.

"Look, I appreciate your hospitality, but it seems I’ve actually found a job, and it's time for me to-"

"You haven’t," Nova said, her voice smooth but chilling as she stepped closer, her face half-hidden in the shadows. "Don’t lie. I despise liars."

"Nova, I’ve had enough of this. I’m sorry, but living here is overwhelming with all the bizarre restrictions, the eerie silence, and the lack of contact with anyone! I can’t stay here. I need to go out and find a job! I didn’t come here to live permanently."

"And you think you have a say in that, cousin?"

"Wha-" Before you could finish, a cloth soaked in a strong, suffocating chemical was pressed against your face. The world around you blurred and faded as you struggled to breathe, slipping into unconsciousness.

"You are not going anywhere, Duif." (dove, in Dutch)

You woke up to the unsettling sound of floorboards creaking and the ominous clinking of metal against metal. Your body felt unnervingly cold, and you soon realized you were bound to a chair with ropes.

"Awake, (Y/N)?" Nova's voice, as smooth and chilling as velvet, made your blood run cold. You shivered uncontrollably as you saw her standing a few feet away. Robyn was in another corner, methodically sharpening a row of gleaming knives.

God, no. This can't be happening...

"Please... Nova, what is happening?! THIS ISN'T FUNNY! Please!" You didn’t care that you were pleading and sobbing in front of this lunatic. Fear clutched at your heart, twisting it painfully. You regretted everything that had led you to this point. You’d already lost your parents, your partner, your job--was your life now slipping through your fingers as well?

"Shush. Don't be scared. I just want you to listen to me. And carefully." Nova said as she grabbed a stool and sat in front of you. Where are we even? Is this some hidden room? Your eyes darted around frantically, taking in the grim surroundings, chains hanging from the bloody walls, a nailed coffin standing ominously in the corner, a table cluttered with various torture tools that Robyn stood beside, and, bizarrely, a fucking jacuzzi in the corner.

"Listen, it's time I tell you the things you need to know. About me, this family and even yours. You see (Y/N), my father, Ralph Salem, he wasn't a good man. He was involved in all types of bad things. Especially regarding...women. I was a teen when I found out he was involved in trafficking girls, the reason he fucked around with lots of women and... young girls, simultaneously abusing my mother mentally and physically. When he caught her leaving with me, he killed her... in front of me. Imagine that, I couldn't do anything." She paused with a dry scoff, "You have seen that pillar right? The devil buried her under it. I couldn't stand it. I wanted to die but he kept me alive because I was his heir, with his fucking disgusting blood inside of me. So I waited, I became the perfect heir for him only so that I could kill him in the most brutal way...which I did," You whimpered at her dark chuckle as she wiped your tears.

"Do you know where you come in?" Nova's voice was icy as she continued. "I began researching you the moment I discovered your existence. I wanted some form of familial love, even after I convinced myself I didn’t need anyone." Abruptly, she rose and moved to Robyn, taking a freshly sharpened knife from her hands.

"Guess what I found? Your parents were my father's business partners at one point. You see these skeletons here?" She gestured to the grim collection. "These are the people I hunt, (Y/N)--the ones my father worked with, those entangled in this... industry. And I continue hunting them. So I did to your parents what I did to all of them. Robyn, show her."

The butler pulled a lever, causing a hidden closet to open. Inside, the bodies of your parents were revealed--half burned, half slashed, with their limbs gone, only torsos-making you scream in horror.

"The bodies at the crime scene weren’t theirs. I used my connections to save them for you--along with another surprise," Nova said, her voice dripping with cold satisfaction as she slid the door open further. There, your partner’s corpse was revealed, grotesquely nailed to the wall like a butterfly, their chest open and hollow, blood eagle...which Nova once told you about. Without warning, you threw up to the side, your legs trembling uncontrollably. You could barely breathe, each gulp of air shallow and shaky, and you felt the world closing in. Please just let this be a nightmare. Wake up (Y/n), wake up!

"Did I mention that I eliminate bad partners too? How could I let them live after what they did to my dear...cousin?" She stepped closer, the knife gleaming in her hand. You shook your head desperately, unable to form coherent words. With a swift motion, she cut the ropes binding you, forcing you to stand. Her gaze was fierce, unyielding.

"You, however , were innocent, unaware of your parent's past. So from now on, you are a Salem. You will live here, as you are meant to." Her gaze darkened. "This is your place, your family. And I won’t have you trying to run away."

You slammed the trunk door shut and turned to Nova, who was meticulously removing her gloves.

"He was quite the noisy one," she remarked with a nod. "Indeed, sestra. Though you did a commendable job tracking him, little nerd. Now, let’s head back. My favourite part awaits in the mansion."

Ah, yes, it was Wednesday--skinning day.

From a software engineer to an assistant to a serial killer cousin with an intriguing butler, you found yourself strangely enthralled by this new life.

‘I want this world to be rid of those like my father, who mirror him in even the slightest way, together with you, my dear cousin.’

(AN: I realised that Nova might have put her own childhood plushies in the reader's room, which tugs my heart😭my baby)

[the1975attheirverybest]

Malaysia, July 21st, 2023

DISCLAIMER: Here is the requested piece in support of the boys' decision today. I decided it needed to be a one shot cuz I couldn't do it justice in just a few words. I've based the conversations in this piece on similar things Matty has said about gender. GENDER AND SEXUALITY ARE NOT THE SAME THING, THOUGH. So, if any of it comes off in bad faith, erroneous, or in any way harmful, its not my intention to do so, and PLEASE feel free to let me know INSTANTLY!

Warning: nothing. but idk how i feel about the writing quality given that it was written on the spot. I mean, I'm not necessarily aiming for ART here. just an appreciation for today and a gesture of support to LGBTQ+ Fans everywhere.

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She could feel her phone buzzing in her pocket all throughout her 3 pm meeting. It was distracting, but not necessarily out of the ordinary. With time zone differences, it wasn't unusual for Matty to be texting her while she was at work, asleep in the middle of the night, or early in the morning before her coffee. Even when she'd finally wrapped up her meeting and left the conference room, the messages on screen weren't cause for concern. Receiving texts from her friends and colleagues like "omg your boyfriend," "Matty sure loves the drama, lol." and "PUT A LEASH ON HIM HES INSANE" just came with the territory of being Matty's partner. She didn't mind it at all. In fact, sometimes she found it funny.

She scrolled past several texts from her friends, spotting Denise's name "two countries now. Bets on which one's next?' with several confusing emojis. she frowned, her heart sinking slightly. Was this more serious than a regular Matty rant? a fan kiss? a polarizing meme? with apprehension, she reluctantly checked the news, whispering "oh fuck," under her breath when she saw the headlines.

She tossed her laptop and meeting notes at her desk, rushing outside as quickly as possible, and scrolling through her call log to find Matty's number. She clicked the elevator button, willing it to arrive faster by repeating "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon." knowing that it wouldn't help, she still gave into the urge to click the button repeatedly and curse when the elevator failed to bend to her will. Finally, she decided to just take the fire exit, using the stairs instead.

She clicked Matty's name on her screen as she made it down the stairs, bringing the phone to her ears.

An overly cheerful female robotic voice announced in her ear that "The number you have dialed is disconnected."

"fuck. fuck. fuck. fuck. fuckkkk!"

she paused in the middle of the staircase, leaning against the wall and attempting to calm her mind with several deep breaths. She knew the only person who could help her right now would be Denise.

***

"No, I get that, but- like- so, you haven't heard from him directly?" she bit her lower lip.

"Not yet, no. But I wouldn't worry about it, love. this isn't his first foreign government ban, you know." Denise giggled, sounding as proud as a mother of a child who just learned to take their first steps. "doesn't that sound impressive? He's like a less secretive James Bond."

Impressive wasn't exactly her first thought, but she knew that if Matty is safe right now, he's probably impressed with himself. The thought made her crack a smile. "Knowing Matty, he'd probably say that he'd love to be a super secret spy who gets pussy, but he's anti government espionage, so he can't be James Bond."

***

All she could really do in the moment was send a barrage of messages that covered the entire spectrum of human emotions: from expressing concern for Matty's safety, to accusing him of messing with her heart, to begging him to give her a sign that he's alright, she found herself unable to think about anything else for the rest of the afternoon.

Just as she'd walked through the door of their shared home, she nearly jumped out of her skin at the feeling of her phone vibrating in her hand.

Matty: Call rn? ❤️

She instantly hit the "Video Call" icon on her FaceTime screen.

The line rang once, twice, and then "yo!!" Matty attempted to greet her before being interrupted by someone off-screen. She could faintly tell that it was Ross. "No, no. I'm just on FaceTime with her- yeah- it's fine....sorry, Darlin.' I'm just-"

"Next time you plan a government rebellion give me a courtesy warning in advance, will you??" she interrupted him. All the feelings and worries she'd been attempting to repress came pouring out of her. "I had no idea where you were for, like, all day. And- why was your phone turned off, anyway! We have a deal. You promised-"

"oi! it wasn't off! Breathe, baby. It wasn't off. Just...no reception at the venue, and then at the airport. Breathe! I love you, yeah? I'm fine. Look. Look at me, I'm fine. I promise.' He flashed her that boyish smile of his and cut through the haze of spiraling thoughts in her mind. Finally, she looked directly into his eyes on screen, smiling at him.

"Hi! There she is." He giggled.

"So, where are you now? is everyone with you? are you all safe?"

"Airport. Yeah, we're all good. They've just got us in some room while they process some documents or some shit. I don't know. I don't care." She watched him walk over to the other side of the room and take a seat on an uncomfortable leather couch.

"Is everyone else with you as well? Ross okay? the band? Polly and Gabi?"

Matty smiled at her insistent questioning. "We're all here. let's do a head count, shall we?" He hit the "Flip Camera" button so she was no longer seeing him, but had a view of the rest of the room. "Here's George, sleepy as always. John's playin' a game on his phone. Say 'hi' John...over here we have Hann. right next to the trash, where he belongs....Here's Ross. Jamie's here I promise, he's just looking for a toilet. Say 'hello' to Polly, who's on the hunt for granola or some hippie shit." Matty giggled when Polly brushed the hair out of her eyesight to give him a look. "And last but by no means least" He cover the camera lens for a dramatic reveal, "it's Gabi! see? everyone's here and we're all okay. Happy?" He turned the camera back to him, returning to his spot on the couch.

"...for the time being." She couldn't help but break character and laugh when she saw him roll his eyes. "Seriously, though, I'm proud of you.'

"but?"

"there's no but!' She rebutted a bit too eagerly.

"I know you. There's a 'but.' Let me hear it. Go on."

"I had just wondered if....maybe it would've been safer for everyone if you guys just pulled out....you know?"

"Pulled out of the lineup, you mean? like just not done the show?" Matty's demeanor shifted. He straightened his posture, taking a deep breath and running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, you could've returned the money. Made some kind of....statement about how, after learning of the governments laws, you found it morally repugnant, and refuse to perform there. Safer for you guys, the fans, and less costly."

Matty always respected and valued her opinion, but he was also always honest with her. "I suppose it would- I suppose it would've been but thats not the point." He could feel his bandmates eyes shift towards him. They were all invested in the conversation now. "Because then they'd have just replaced us. Found another artist to perform that slot and our so-called 'stance' wouldn't have done anything. Maybe lasted 5 seconds online, and then everyone would have moved on. The point here wasn't to morally congratulate ourselves or make ourselves feel good. It's about actually doing something. sometimes discomfort is necessary."

She could do nothing but smile, in awe of him. Their relationship meant a lot to both of them, but one of her favorite things about it was that she never had a chance to forget why she fell in love with Matty in the first place. "That's why I'm proud of you." she simply stated.

"well don't be."

"Matty, stop that. I kn-"

"No because I'm not ACTUALLY gay. I'm not ACTUALLY Malaysian. Okay? I get to make out with my mate, make a little speech, and then jet set, off to some other country by the time that everyone's made him home from the show. And- sure, I'll get banned, but my job and my life is entirely unaffected. I'll go on doing what I do, it's no skin off my back. Why be proud of ME? hmmm? there are people, activists, all over the world, who ARE gay, ARE outcasts, ARE fighting for their rights. How about we pay attention to them instead? you know what I mean?"

George got up from his seat to retrieve a water bottle from one of the bags, patting Matty on the shoulder and mumbling "exactly." as he passed by.

"why'd you do it then?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, I'm everyone's favorite villain at the moment. Lots of eyes on me. Figured I'd make it mean something."

"all things considered, you happy?"

She saw a smile flash across his face as he considered her question. "Yeah," he nodded slowly as he made up his mind 'Yeah, I checked online and....seems like fans made it out okay, so...yeah, I'm happy." He looked into her eyes through the camera. "I do miss you, though."

"I miss you, too. Oh, speaking of which! Put Ross on the phone, would you?"

Matty smiled knowingly and handed the phone over to Ross. "You deal with this one. I'm out."

Ross's face lit up, ready for the challenge. 'Hey, mate!"

"Ross, I want you to know; message received. Loud and clear. You make out with MY boyfriend? In front of the whole world? AND you do it for a good cause? I see you, mate. I get it. This ain't over, though. I'll be the better kisser in the end."

[kitthepurplepotato]

Chapter 17 (The End) - Forever and after.

Summary: Aizawa sensei shares his thoughts with his old class. Y/N decides on her hero name. Steven the pigeon reveals their big secret.

This is the last official chapter of this series. (except the extra I’ll eventually post.) This potato is really emotional.

Warnings: There is one really small sex scene in there but there is a warning by the beginning and a note at the end! Otherwise, swear words.

First Chapter Master List

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“Problem child.” The sensei, whose name is Aizawa by the way, Katsuki’s old homeroom teacher - sighs dramatically as he pinches his nose to calm himself. “I’m really sorry for my language, but what the actual fuck was that?!”

The whole gang gawks.

You heard it right; the whole gang is here to listen to the evaluation.

It’s actually quite cute; Midoriya, Todoroki and you are sitting in the middle of the battlefield while the others are scattered around the sides, basically having a picnic while they are listening to their old sensei’s wise words. They have brownies. Like fuck them, how dare they eat that shit in front of you?! It’s not like you can just go over and have a few in the middle of the sensei’s speech!

Katsuki somehow senses your inner turmoil; he’s also sitting on the side but he’s sitting quite close to you, close enough to cheekily hand you a beautiful piece, a chunky one full of chocolate bits. You look at him like he’s the fucking savior of the whole world and he can barely conceal his beautiful smile as he looks at you sneakily taking a bite of the desert while Aizawa speaks.

“Sensei, I…” Midoriya starts to mutter right away, completely ashamed of himself but Aizawa doesn’t let him finish his sentence.

“I know this wasn’t a serious fight. I know there was nothing at stake for you. But I also know that not being able to keep your feelings at bay was one of your biggest flaws when you were just a student and seeing you make such a mistake even if it’s just mock battle is really concerning.” He sighs and moves towards Todoroki. “On the other hand, I am absolutely impressed with you, Todoroki. If someone had all the right to loose their composure during this fight, it was you, yet you turned your trauma upside down and made it into a challenge, you broke out of your cage and finished the job. Not a lot of people can do that. Well done.”

“Sorry to interrupt and I know I have no right to ask this, but… what have I done exactly?” You ask Todoroki sheepishly. For your surprise, he answers you with a straight poker face.

“My older brother was born with a body that was sensitive to fire. He burned to death in a forest due to his own quirk when he was a kid then came back to life a few years after, killed several people out of spite, almost killed my whole family and now he’s rotting in Tartarus.”

“How did she not know that?” Present Mic chimes in from the side, still chewing on a piece of brownie.

“She’s a foreigner, why would she fucking know that?!” Katsuki comes to your rescue but gets shushed by Kirishima.

“Once the war was over no one even talked about that shit anymore. They had better things to do, like… rebuilding the whole fucking country. Staying alive without a roof above their heads. The Todoroki drama was the least of their concern.” Mina also chimes in.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… make you go through that. And I would never do such a cruel thing to you on purpose, I hope you know that.”

Instead of answering, Todoroki gives you a small smile and as you said before, Pro Hero Shouto is a real treasure of a man underneath his resting bitch face.

“Now back to Y/N… I really don’t know what to say.” Aizawa ignores the emotional mood and goes back to the topic at hand. “You are a power to recon with anyway but you are also clever, quick and efficient. If that’s not enough you also have a kind heart; you stopped in the middle of the fight and changed your strategy to keep the battle less emotionally straining on the other person. That could have been a big disadvantage but you still came out victorious. If you can do at least 10% of what you just did today, you are more than capable to fight alongside our top heroes. Actually, they should be happy to have you because with you in your team, they’ll be indestructible. You can take any roles in a team, support, front, back, healing… you are a wild card, Y/N.”

“Now you just need to choose a new, cool hero name!” Mina looks at you with a proud smile. “Or you can keep your original one! That’s cool too!”

“Nah, fuck my old persona.” You smile, deep in thought. “I know what I want to be called.”

“You have a name already?” Katsuki scoots closer to you. “What is it?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” You look into your boyfriend’s eyes lovingly. “I’m The Menace.”

~•💥•~

Warning: cheeky sexy time (really short)

“The Menace?! Really?!” Katsuki thrusts into you relentlessly. “That’s my nickname for you. Mine.”

“If this is suppose to be a punishment, you are doing a really shitty job… oh my god, Katsuki!” You almost scream as he finds that perfect spot and pounds into it several more times. You see stars. Literally. Oh fuck, this is amazing.

“I’ll… uhm… ahh, fuck, just like that… tell everyone it’s your… katshmf… idea. Jesus, I love you.”

All it takes after this is one of Katsuki’s childish giggles right by your ear; you come with Katsuki’s name on your lips, for the third time today.

“Yeah, tell everyone you are mine. Let them all be jealous. Jesus I’ll never get bored of your stupid face when you look all blissed out like that. Fuck, I’m… ahhh…”

“Did you just come from my stupid blissed out face? Again?” You giggle as Katsuki falls on your chest like a sack of potatoes.

“It works every time.”

Cheekiness over!

~•💥•~

“Fucking hell, Steven!” Katsuki yells on a Sunday morning. It’s barely 6AM. “What is this mess?!”

Katsuki has been a bit aggravated by his “flatmate” for the last few days. He’s been bringing all kind of random shit to Katsuki’s balcony and spent a lot of time hiding inside his little house. He doesn’t look sick or anything, so there is nothing to worry about but somehow, Steven’s laziness really irks him.

“Katsuki, shut the fuck up, it’s too soon for your annoying whining!” You yell back, just as loud because… well… yelling at each other kinda became your love language in the past few weeks. Oh, also! You are officially living at Katsuki’s place now. You had a little bit of a fight about how much furniture you can bring over because Katsuki is an absolute maniac when it comes to cleanliness and minimalism but eventually you managed to compromise with him to be able to have enough space for your stuff without making the flat look too lived in.

“Come and take a fucking look and tell me I’m overreacting!” You can see Katsuki pointing at the bird house dramatically with both arms through the window and you can’t help but laugh at how adorable he is sometimes.

“Okay, okay, I’m coming!” You giggle to yourself as you begrudgingly leave the warm bed to investigate the situation.

Indeed, there are twigs poking out of the opening of the bird house. There are some leaves as well, all scattered without any kind of logic behind them, leaving the place look messy and untidy and we all know Katsuki hates both of these things with passion.

Okay, you can kinda understand that though; this mess makes no sense at all . It’s just a few sticks thrown into the hole. He certainly can do better.

“Get out, you lazy fuck, I’ll clean the shit out of this house. I can not, I repeat, I can NOT live in the same building as this mess. No.”

While you are certain Steven can not understand human language and he’s quite used to Katsuki’s yelling at this point, once Katsuki touches a single twig in the house Steven makes a terrified noise that makes Katsuki jump back a few steps. For your surprise, Steven doesn’t try to leave the house at all; he’s laying on the twigs, trying to cover as much of it as he can with his little body.

“The fuck?!”

“I’ll use x-ray vision.” You mumble with a serious face and the whole situation feels like a mission now. Katsuki is silent, nudging you to do your thing, concentrating on the house as though he could also see through it if he tries hard enough. And maybe… he can.

“Don’t freak out.” You mumble under your nose and concentrate on Katsuki; he jumps back another few steps as his vision changes into an X-ray one. “How…?!”

“Quirk sharing. I just came up with it.” You grin at him and the amount of adoration on the blond’s face says more than a thousand words.

“I’ll marry the shit out of you one day.” Is all Katsuki says as he comes closer to Steven’s home to investigate it in detail. “There is something roundish under him. Looks like…”

Haha, uhm, wait a fucking minute.

“Katsuki, that a fucking egg. And if you look through Steven’s body with my quirk… there is another one on the way out.”

This… is a groundbreaking revelation.

Why?

Because even though Steven was a part of this family for more than a year, none of you realized that Steven… is actually a girl.

“We are grandparents, Y/N. What the fuck. And Steven is a fucking girl.”

Katsuki looks broken. Genuinely fucking broken.

“Okay, honey, let’s go back to bed.” You tap the blond’s back a few times supportively as you usher him away from the poor pigeon. “Let him… I mean her… finish her thing.”

“I should have had a sex talk with her.” Katsuki mutters under his nose. “It’s my fault. I’m a terrible father.”

“She’s a fucking pigeon, Kats.”

“Should we call her Stephanie now?”

Oh boy.

“I genuinely don’t think she’ll mind being called Steven.” You sigh as you pull the covers over his shivering body.

“Calling her on her deadname is really fucking rude. Even I know that.”

You have no heart to tell him off again, so you just sigh and cuddle up next to him; Katsuki puts his arms around you and pulls you close right away, basking in the warmth your bodies generate together.

“Sure, honey. Let’s call her Stephanie.”

Katsuki called over all his friends over for a “baby shower” that day. The confusion on their faces when Katsuki led them to the bird house was worth every penny.

~•💥•~

“I’m so glad to finally have a chance to interview you, pro hero Menace!” The interviewer, Misaki, says with a smile. Katsuki’s office is set up with several lights and cameras now. There is also a microphone hanging in the air right above you. This is it. Your first ever interview in Japan. Damn. ”It has been a few weeks since you started working alongside our top heroes but this is the first time you actually agreed to do an interview. Was there a reason behind that?”

“Uhm… yeah.” You mumble with a shy smile. “I wanted people to respect me for my work and not for my personal traits as I do feel like there are a lot of heroes being over-idolized or misinterpreted and judged because of their character. We also live in a world where looks and certain family names mean more than the work behind the person and I did not want to be a hero like that.”

You can see Katsuki smiling proudly by the door as you continue your rambling. It has been ages since you did an interview and needless to say you are extremely scared to say something inappropriate but Katsuki made sure the place you say yes to is the most trustworthy one in the country.

“That’s… true.” She admits sheepishly. ”I know you can’t say too much about about your quirk for obvious reasons and I also got the memo that you would not like to talk about your past so I’m not going to lie, I had a hard time coming up with appropriate questions so I asked the public! The most asked question was about your hero name.”

“Oh, yes.” You giggle as you make an eye contact with your boyfriend. “The name itself isn’t too hero-like, I’m aware of it, and I would really like to say that there is a deep meaning behind it like being a nuisance to all the villains as they can’t escape from me yaadayaada but the truth is… The Menace is a nickname my partner used to call me before we got together. I wanted to use this name because I wouldn’t be a hero right now if it’s not for him. I wanted him to be a part of my brand in some way.”

You can see the utter surprise on the lady’s face and you can’t help the grin blooming on your face as she asks her next question.

“Uhm… wow. That’s really… cute? Is it okay if I ask what kind of person is he? Or she?”

“Hmm…” You give the lady another manic grin. You can’t wait to see her face when you drop a name. Oh my god, this will be hilarious. “He’s… really caring, super sweet, always by my side. He comes off as really abrasive at the first glance, but behind all the fake rudeness he’s just… the perfect, loving boyfriend kinda guy.” You are quite sure your whole face looks lovesick as fuck right now, but hell if you care. Katsuki’s face is so hot you could cook an egg on it. You are a little bit disappointed that you can’t try that out. “He makes me a caramel latte every morning even though he hates sweet stuff. He’s an amazing cook. He’s handsome. Good at everything. Kicks an ass with such confidence I want to kiss him after every mission and to be honest? I do kiss him after every mission.” You giggle with a red face. The lady is blushing vehemently but she can’t hide the little smile on her face.

“You are really lucky! I want to have that too!” She sighs. “The other frequent question was… you work really closely with Dynamight and Red Riot. How close are you to the two? I can see both of them lurking in the hallway, so I guess that’s an answer itself but…” Misaki mutters, scratching her head shyly.

“Red Riot is one of my best friends. He also helps me a lot with training and we have dinners together at my place. And that guy there…” You point at the blonde poking his head into the office - You don’t need to tell him to come in because he knows what you want anyway. He plops his little butt down next to you, arms stretching behind you on the sofa flirtatiously. The lady blushes right away.

“… is the guy who first called her a Menace.” Katsuki grins, his face right in your personal space.

“… is the love of my life. And an asshole. That’s what he is.” You leave a tiny peck on your boyfriend’s lips who can’t help but beam under your praise. The lady chokes on her saliva. You are quite sure this is the the first time anyone have ever seen Katsuki smiling and you are quite sure the internet will be full of screenshots by tomorrow because Katsuki is a handsome guy even when he’s grumpy but when he smiles… he looks downright sinful.

“So to everyone who’s watching this thinking about approaching her in any way… don’t. Unless you want to die.”

“Katsuki…” You giggle and suddenly, Misaki jumps off her chair and starts walking in circles.

“Oh my god, I’m totally gonna get promoted. Oh my god, this is happening. Oh my god, they are so fucking cute why can’t I have what they have, I’ll die alone with my five cats.”

“Would you like a tea, miss?” Eijirou comes in with a tray full of different tea types. “I know, it’s a lot to take in but… let’s finish this interview, yeah? We have a meeting in 15 minutes.” He smiles, barely concealing his shit eating grin as he stares at the dumbstruck, distressed lady.

“We also have a pet, you know. Her name is Stephanie. Her name was Steven before but then we realized he’s a she…”

“Yes.” Katsuki adds. “We also have two grandchildren from her. They are fucking ugly but we love them. I named them Deku and Shouto because they look the same.”

“No, their name is Deku and Kacchan because you were an ugly fucking baby like them.” You retort angrily. “We had a deal, Katsuki!”

“Fuck your deal! And I wasn’t ugly! I was just… done with life!”

“You were one day old!” You yell and needless to say the interview never gets properly finished.

The next day, the media is full of your banter and pictures of Katsuki smiling. There are memes and fan arts all over the internet and the world got a little bit more brighter as people had something to talk about, other than villain fights or evil deeds.

You were the topic of the month until Todoroki and Midoriya came out to the public. Katsuki will never forgive them for “shitting on his parade.”

You have no idea how you ended up here; if someone would have told you a year ago that you’ll be laying in Katsuki’s bed sharing a plate of fruits while you talk about your future after a successful mission, you would have laughed in their face.

You back in business?

You living with Katsuki, arguing over things only married people do?

Katsuki looking at you with nothing but love and fondness, walls down and vulnerable as he mumbles about his plans and secret dreams?

But somehow… Being here right now, basking in the after-glow of your cheeky deeds just a few minutes ago… it all makes sense now.

You ending up in Katsuki’s agency was the work of fate.

“Kats?” You mumble into your boyfriend’s chest as you nibble on a grape, half asleep in his arms.

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

Katsuki looks at you with those bright, happy eyes, a tiny smile decorating his handsome face as he pulls you even closer.

“No shit. Me too.”

The End.

Extra:

“Oi, Menace!” Katsuki randomly speaks up while changing into his hero suit.

Hmm… that peach is really juicy in that tight underwear. Damn.

“Oi, what.”

“You can literally do whatever you want, right…” Katsuki mumbles and you look at him questioningly - that’s really fucking random, but okay.

“Well… I can do almost everything, yes.” You answer.

“Uhum… so technically… can you go back to that other dimension you went into last year?”

Wow, you’ve never thought about that before.

“Technically… yes? I think?”

“Can you… bring people with you?”

You know where this is going and fuck if you are not excited.

“Wanna go on an adventure, baby?” You grin like a madman and you get the same grin back from him.

“With you? Always.”

-> Click here for the extra chapter!

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Potato Ramble:

- Can we talk about the fact that somehow, in Katsuki’s head Steven is a trans pigeon? Because I found that really funny and sweet. Also, Katsuki is clearly a supporter and I love that for him.

- Oh my god, I want to cry. This story will forever be one of my favorites. I still remember the day I wrote the first chapter - I had no plans to finish it or to post it, I was just sitting on the train, on my way to London and I had this random idea so I wrote it down but I laughed so much after reading it through the day after that I decided to post it, hoping I’ll have enough ideas for it to make it into a series. Well, needless to say, I did have a shit load of ideas and honestly, half of them weren’t even used in this story. I’m not going to tell you what they were because eventually, I want to use them in my other series and I don’t wanna spoil the fun, but… yeah.

It was a few weeks ago that I started to feel like it’s time to say goodbye to this series; I had so many stories in my head and not being able to write them out because I had to post something else every week was making me really frustrated, plus this story had so many chapters already and I felt like you guys were also ready to move on from it. So yeah, it hurts like hell but I’m also really excited to have time to write something new!

- Speaking about new stuff; there is a new Katsuki x Reader on the way! It’s about to ex-lovers finding their way back to each other after being forced to worked together again. It’s a deeper story with less gag but please give it a try when the first chapter comes out! I want to make it half funny and half really serious so there is something for everyone. It will be a few weeks before I actually start posting that one but it’s on the way! I have five chapters written already!

- If you don’t wanna say goodbye to this story yet, there is an extra coming soon (1 or 2 chapters) + a Kirishima x Reader spin-off which will be between 5-10 chapters. If you want to be added to the taglist for the Kirishima one just send me a comment! I’ll probably start posting that after I’m done with the extra! Or before? Well, it depends on you guys, if you want to have the first chapter out as a teaser, just let me know and I’ll post that first (you’ll need to wait a whole month for the next chapter though), then the extra. It depends on you 💜

- Thank you for reading this story and commenting! I wouldn’t have finished this if it’s not for you, guys! I’m so thankful for all the support and I really hope I’ll see you soon! Love you 💜

- Also, thank you, Tag List Folks!!! Seeing the list grow overtime made me so happy and so motivated it’s downright ridiculous. 💥🥹

@sixxze @iwannahaveaprettyaesthetic @hanatsuki-hime @cloroxisadelectabletreat @cheesenmax @coffeent @smolsleepybat @therealpotatobish @qardasngan @canarystwin @unofficialmuilover @nanamomo1 @mikestuffffs @p4ndawrites @yao-ai @porusuniverse 💜💜💜💜

[respectthepetty]

Hey Petty! I love reading your colour-analysis posts a lotttt and recently came across your posts about DFF. Started watching it because of you and it's soo good! So, I noticed you're starting to suspect White. But come on, isn't he literally named "White"?! I really don't see him being mixed up in all the drama like the others. My bet's on him being the last girl standing (like many others ig). What's your take on it??

I love color symbolism, but maybe it’s because I played Clue too much as a child, I actually don’t trust anyone in this show. White has proven several times to be as pure and innocent as his name, but . . . is he too good to be true?

The biggest reason I want White to not be so innocent in all of this is because this is traumatizing. If White truly had no idea what he was in for, this boy will need a good therapist and to stay hydrated the rest of his life. So by me thinking something is up with him, it helps me cope with the idea that maybe he isn’t being traumatized, but actually in on the traumatizing.

And then, there are the other reasons:

The Tumblr detectives have stated that White is rich. Possibly richer than Por. He went to a private school, not the ones the boys went to.

Yet Tee tells him that he will treat them to the US to see Jin when he has enough money.

I’m not one to question power dynamics in a relationship, but it’s odd because the OST makes it seem like White approached Tee first, as if Rich Boy White initiated this relationship with older Tee . . . without knowing anything about him.

We still have yet to get backstory on White. He is dating Tee. That’s it! The music video showed us more scenes from them, so how did they end up falling in love in an arcade?

He is resourceful. He plugged in the walkie-talkies. He found the video and a gun. He cries when screamed at. But is he using those tears as another resource? If white women weaponize their tears, why can’t White?

And who does he turn those tears against the most? Tee!

I believed White wasn’t New because I could not imagine Non’s brother actively dating (and fucking) his brother’s bully, but why is White dating Tee? Tee had some people convinced he was a good guy in the first episode, but NOT ME! Once he said that White was being disobedient, I was ready to push him off that terrace, but The Hand got to him first.

As Fluke pointed out, it’s strange White didn’t know about Uncle Joe. It kind of makes sense to not know about family members since even Tee’s friends didn’t really know about the uncle, but this rich boy doesn’t know his boyfriend of over two years had an uncle (regardless of the money laundering) ESPECIALLY because Tee’s ass was always at that gambling hall. Tee openly showed he is not the type to just let his boyfriend be alone, so how did Tee explain not being near White every second of every day?

White wasn’t supposed to be on this trip, but he begged Tee to let him come. Tee apologized for this, but White put on a smile and said all was well. White wants to be with Tee, and he seems to want Tee to be with him, right in the middle of the action.

So either White is a metaphorical angel sent from heaven who can endure even the worst tragedies or he is a biblical angel sent to punish these boys, specifically Tee, for their crimes.

Either way, he is an angel

who will survive!

[eighthdoctor]

In quel'dorei relationships where secondary partners are normal would it be a major faux pas to date someone of higher status than your primary partner?

SO sorry for how long this took, first I had to ponder it, then I started a response and tumblr ate it. then I forgot about it then I had a crisis about delays over it, then...

anyway.

with the understanding that the ideal relationship has never been the majority relationship in any society, and that there's more to it than just "24/7 D/s"--

yes.

or rather, yes if you weren't given permission.

there's a lot of potential ways this dynamic could shake out and it depends highly on the status of those involved. most of the fun spice will be up in the higher ranks so let's create some drama.

Elf A is a middle-ranked Farstrider from a landed but not titled family (the gentry, think Mr Darcy); Elf B is her partner and dominant, a second-child in a noble family, not the heir but certainly someone of influence and wealth. and Elf C is Vereesa Windrunner ;) aka definitively high-ranked politically, if not possessing comparable military rank (yet).

Elf D is a greengrocer, Elf E is of similar social status to Elf B (omitting several thousand words on the intricacies of dominance that conclude to B is dominant to E but only barely).

the resulting outcomes are this:

B doms A without anyone caring. this is a stable, long term relationship.

B and E have an on-again-off-again Thing that sometimes involves A as a third but doesn't always. A is close enough in rank to be consulted on this and if it was a dealbreaker for her she'd be gone; she isn't so it's not.

A and D can have a Thing of any level of seriousness and intimacy with B's permission. B doesn't need to be present for any A-D interactions nor does she need to be involved with D herself, but A is her submissive and A should seek her clearance before involving herself in any other relationships.

these are all normal permutations and nobody would blink.

there are LOTS of possible ways to arrange A, B, and Vereesa and some of them are Very Scandalous:

B loans A out to Vereesa, and/or B and Vereesa mutually dom A, and/or A and B and Vereesa form a triad. these are all fine.

Vereesa swoops in and starts dating A without talking to B first; this is poaching and there's going to be A Lot Of Drama About It and possibly a duel between Vereesa and B. the story of the season.

A starts seeing Vereesa without telling B, and without Vereesa knowing that she's involved with B. this is highly, highly likely to kill A's career (and depending on how bad the ensuing argument gets, possibly just kill A). minor scandal because nobody worth caring about did anything.

A meets Vereesa, likes Vereesa; A and B mutually break up; A starts seeing Vereesa. no drama here, but quite a lot of gossip if Vereesa then loans A back to B.

A likes Vereesa, but doesn't want to break up with B. B and Vereesa come to a mutually beneficial time-share on A. B and Vereesa aren't involved with each other. this is mildly scandalous but the story is quickly supplanted by literally anything Vereesa's sisters do.

I hope this is clear as mud.

[squadrah]

Been thinking about this, but which members of La Squadra would be childfree(have almost or completely no interest in having children) and which would like to have a family(if given the chance)? And how big of a family?

Not my forte, but I'll do my best!

Risotto: He strikes me as the type that, given the chance, would have settled down to continue his family's business and had at least one child. I headcanon that he was an only child because being a large baby, the pregnancy and birth was quite difficult and his parents decided not to risk another one. If he faced the same risk with his first child, he would stop at one to spare his partner, but if size was not an issue, he would be content to have several children.

Formaggio: On paper, he is definitely childfree, and had probably bailed on relationships with partners who either started entertaining the idea of having children together, or were too relaxed about contraceptives. He's too independent and carefree to actually want children of his own, and yet if he had to babysit, he would find that he's actually quite good with children, and from there it might not be out of the question with the right partner to have some.

Prosciutto: He is fully capable of being a provider and mentor to children, but having any of his own is not a priority to him in the slightest, and he would not be enticed to make any in order to start a family. Children would have to happen to him in the form of say, becoming acquainted with a worthy child who is up for adoption, or an unexpected pregnancy popping up with a partner that he is firmly committed to. Would definitely draw the line at two.

Pesci: He thinks children are fine and it must be nice to have a family, but he is too self-conscious about passing down his genes and doubts his own ability to take on such a huge responsibility and be a good parent whether his child turns out typical or not, so he tends to play it safe and never really think about it. It would take a very capable and confident partner for him to risk it, and even just one child would be quite nerve wrecking for him to handle.

Ghiaccio: He is in a similar boat to Pesci, but he is much more firmly childfree on account of having his hands full just trying to manage his own temper and energy in a constructive manner. He's also in the camp of "why bring more children onto this bitch of an earth" so he would equally scoff at any of the others expressing interest. I tend to headcanon him as asexual on top of everything else, so the idea of having sex to have children would be quite repulsive to him.

Melone: He is more chill about the idea than the others in the sense that with his disabilities, children are mostly out of the question, but if he managed to have one, he would probably be excited... at least until said child entered their defiant phase, at which point he would start wondering why he ever thought this would be a good idea. He's basically the reverse of Formaggio: on paper children sound good, and then they say no to him once and he's done forever.

Illuso: His opinions are mixed. As a middle child from a numerous family, he knows first hand how messy children can be, and he's not exactly in the right place mentally or emotionally to start a family. On the other hand, he loves drama and would probably get a kick out of observing his own children have blowouts, as long as he didn't have to deal with any of it. Three would be plenty, and he fantasizes about them tearing each other apart over the inheritance.

Sorbet: Absolutely agrees with Ghiaccio about it being cruel to bring more children into life's great shit show, and his frugal nature also rejects the idea on financial grounds. He is probably the most normal about being childfree - you will not find him having arguments either for or against, and if pressed, he will dismiss any attempts with it being a personal preference and his choice. The most he could tolerate is being an uncle, as long as the child liked plants and opera.

Gelato: He, on the other hand, loves children, and not just the idea of them one way or another. To him they are as precious as kittens and puppies are to most people, and he really enjoys their company because kids are very honest and also little freaks with unique ideas and views. If he could, he would have a gaggle about him at all times, but he is also one of the worst enablers ever, so it's probably a good thing that he can't go out and start a family of his own.

[animatorweirdo]

Imagine your feanorian family reacting to you courting someone

(Another headcanon for little nerdanel’s adopted daugher collection. I hope you like it. This is oc x reader by the way, meet Melo)

Requested by @eunoiaastralwings

Warnings: none really, some goofy crushing, pining, family fluff, protective brothers, and finally some courting and a reaction from the family. 

-------------------------------------------------------------

-Your family was famous and known for their misdeed in the past regarding the kin slaying and the silmarils. The wounds were still there, but after several years of peace– things had significantly calmed down, and you could live more peacefully without anyone seeking a fight. 

-People did still talk badly about your brothers and father. You did not like it, but since there was nothing you could do about it– you learned to ignore them and continue your passion for painting. 

-You had grown into a beautiful young elleth, and your skills and paintings allowed you to become quite famous among people. 

-Your techniques sometimes were considered a hazard since you had a tendency to throw paint and make a mess, but the outcome of your paintings would even make the proudest of elves captivated by their beauty and clean work. The balance of colors, strokes, and even the soul put into them had made people spread the word, and you almost got a new commission every week. 

-It got you busy, but you didn’t mind since you could spend more time painting and being in your world of colors than dealing with drama and people who only sought trouble. It was like a dance to you when you threw paint onto the white canvas and started working with the brush, creating each paint stroke with grace as you often hummed music in your mind. 

-Music was one of your inspirations. It helps you concentrate and keep your mind active as you paint. You even sometimes had Maglor play for you as you worked, but you have often listened to what you hear in your mind. It makes you lose yourself in thoughts, like today when you had a visitor. 

-Melo was one of the low-class elves from the Vanyar with a Noldor heritage. He had a rough beginning ever since the kin slaying took place– and his father, among many, left with the host that left for Middle Earth. He was just a little child back then, and it had been hard for his loving mother since he was part Noldor. 

-People had shunned him for it like they shunned every Noldor that remained in Aman back then. It wasn’t easy being a low classed elf, especially being half Noldor despite looking like every Vanyar. 

-Things had calmed down, and he had managed to build a balanced life for himself and his mother as a scribe. 

-He wanted to give his mother a gift, so when he saw some of your works displayed in the homes of lords and people above him. He was impressed and captivated, so he sought you out in hopes you would take a commission from him. 

-He knew about your family like everyone else, but your story always made him curious since you were adopted into the family by Nerdanel and have accepted your seven brothers and father despite the truth about them being kinslayers.

- He was nervous when he first walked through the hallways. You were technically a princess while he was just a scribe, and there were rumors about how you were just as mad as the rest of your family, but he didn’t believe such a thing until he heard strange banging sounds.

-He found his way to your workplace and witnessed as you were throwing paint buckets at a white canvas with force, each bucket creating a loud bang and a huge mess with paint. 

-He was confused and almost believed the rumors to be true– till you took out your paintbrush and began painting the messed canvas with deep focus while humming a melody he had not heard before. 

-Melo was baffled yet captivated by your way of working, and he couldn't help but watch as you blended the colors and soon painted a beautiful landscape with animals and flowers. He did not know how long he had been watching, but you were shortly done with the painting and standing in front of it with an approving gaze. 

-You stood silent for a moment before finally speaking, acknowledging his presence. 

-” Well…are you just going to stand there or say something?” You questioned him with a smile as he broke from his thoughts and spluttered incoherent words in embarrassment. 

-Melo was nervous when you were now giving your attention to him, but he managed to collect himself to explain his visit and see if you would take a commission to make a portrait of his mother as a gift for her. 

-He was prepared for rejection since he heard people used to pay for your work, and he was not wealthy enough to pay for anything worth your skills. He was surprised when you just laughed and explained you used to sell your work because you and your mother used to be struggling, but now that you were well off, you paint for a price that is usually cheap and sometimes even free. 

-His commission and wish for a canvas size were moderate, so he didn’t need to pay you. 

-He felt a bit embarrassed for believing an old rumor, but he was relieved and liked how casual you were for royalty. 

-You found his little embarrassed antics kinda adorable and found his shyness rather endearing that you couldn’t help but tease him just a little. 

-You ended up talking a bit more as you accepted his commission, and he handed you a picture of his mother. You took a look at his mother and told him you found her rather beautiful, which made him blush a little. 

-He was also a bit flustered when he realized he had been rambling about things while you had been listening to him this whole time and apologized for boring you. You laughed and told him you didn’t mind because you found his rambling adorable. 

-The encounter was short lives as he had to return to work, so you bid him farewell and promised to inform him when the painting would be ready. 

-It was such an intriguing meeting, and there was something special about him because you couldn’t stop thinking about him. 

-You were disappointed because you thought you would not see him again till the painting was ready, and you would have to bid him goodbye, but it changed when you joined a meeting with your family and found him standing in the corner documenting. 

-You were rather happy to see him again, so you couldn’t help but walk over to talk to him. 

-Melo was startled when you greeted him, but he returned the greeting, and you both talked throughout the meeting. You apologized that you couldn't start his commission early because you had several pre-ordered commissions, which would take time before you could begin his. He assured he didn’t mind and that he would gladly wait. 

-Time passed fast because before you knew it– the meeting was already over, and Melo was panicking because he was supposed to write everything down, yet he got caught talking with you. Having empty pages was never a good thing in his line of work.  

-His supervisor was pretty angry and scolded Melo for slacking, so you interfered and took the blame since it was you– who disrupted his work, so you convinced them to be lenient and leave Melo only with a strict warning not to do it again. 

-Melo thanked you for your help and then asked next time that you don’t come to talk to him when he was working, so he won’t get into trouble again. You only laughed and promised to avoid that in the future before you heard your family calling you, and you bid him farewell for now.

-He bid you farewell as well– then you both returned to your own things. 

-Melo was honestly surprised to see you again and how eager you were to talk to him. He did enjoy it and was surprised you took the blame and helped him out of trouble instead of leaving him alone to deal with it. Not many people would do that, so he was grateful. 

-He couldn’t stop thinking about you since you were so much kinder than how people made you out to be. 

-It was the same for you as you couldn't stop thinking about him again. You wanted to hear him talk and see that adorable smile again. He was running through your mind so much that you couldn't properly focus on painting commissions, so you decided to go out and buy more paint from the market. 

-When you saw him in the market holding a basket and going through some food stalls, you got excited and almost ran up to him to greet him. 

-Melo was surprised but equally pleased to see you again, so you both talked throughout the day, going from stall to stall. You talked about your passions and interest in work and shared some drama. 

-Time passed fast once again, and you returned home in a happy mood. Apparently, you were in such a good mood that your mother noticed right away and asked you about it, which you didn’t mind sharing. 

-Nerdanel chuckled and explained how it sounded like you had a crush on your new little friend. 

-You didn’t think about it at first, but when you started seeing Melo more often at the market and observed how you felt after them. You started considering it because you decided to paint a portrait of him from your memory once. 

-It was a good portrait, but you felt unsatisfied because you wanted to make it properly where he modeled for you. 

-You decided to confirm it by asking Maglor since he knew a lot about romance, and when he explained how being in love worked, it hit you pretty hard, and you got excited by the realization. 

-You thanked Maglor for his help and decided to barge into Maedhros’s room to tell you about your discovery. He was startled and almost spilled his drink on the book he was reading, but he listened as you rambled about your crush and asked him to keep it a secret from the rest of your brothers. He promised to keep quiet and wished you good luck trying to win the ellon’s heart. 

-You then went to find your mother and asked for advice on how to win someone’s heart. 

-Nerdanel was prepared for it since you spoke about Melo for the first time, so she made you sit down and gave you a brief lecture on how to charm someone. She even gave you old tips on how she used to flirt with Feanor, who used to be nervous around her back when they were courting.

-You almost laughed at it because you couldn't imagine someone like your father being nervous. You and your mother giggled so much that Feanor came to check on you to see what was so funny since he heard you from a hallway. 

-You left him outside the matter and started planning how to charm Melo’s heart. 

-You met with Melo as usual since you were now good friends, but this time you threw in the conversation couple of hints and pick-up lines which left him incredibly flustered. 

-You decided to help him buy stuff when he didn’t have enough money and always refused when he tried to offer to repay you. 

-You became a bit touchy as well since you liked touching and holding his incredibly soft hands, but you were always careful not to overwhelm him and apologized whenever he noticed, telling him your hands slipped. Even though; it was on purpose. 

-You even used an excuse to meet his mother for better details for the portrait. You called her even more beautiful than in the picture, leaving Melo even more flustered but happy that you thought so well of his mother since your father had a history of thinking lowly of the Vanyar. 

-You sometimes even see each other in events and meetings, and while you promised not to disturb him when he was working, you sometimes threw in some words and lines which would leave him blushing for the rest of the day. 

-Melo was confused by your change in behavior and how bold you had become with him. He didn’t mind– though, because he kinda liked it even though he probably shouldn’t. He did try to figure out the meaning of things and gifts you started giving him. 

-You started inviting him to your painting room, allowing him to watch as you painted, and even allowing him to try to paint something. He felt a bit embarrassed because his painting skills were on a beginner's level, and nothing compares to yours, even though you assured him his paintings were great and adorable. 

-Then, one day, when Melo was waiting for you. He found a couple of portraits you had made of him in a corner, and he couldn't help but stare in wonder and with a red face because he now knew the meaning behind your strange actions.

-You froze, caught red-handed as you watched him look at the portraits you made of him. You did not mean for him to see them yet, so you felt embarrassed and hoped you didn’t cross the line this time. 

-When Melo asked about them, you mustered the courage to explain and confess your feelings here and then and how he had been your inspiration lately. 

-You were prepared for rejection, but you were ecstatic when Melo confessed he felt the same ever since you started seeing each other. He just didn’t have to courage to confess his feelings because you were a princess, and he was someone from a lower class. 

-You were happy and explained it didn’t matter if he was a lower classed elf. He stole your heart, and now you wanted to see if you could have his. 

-He accepted your proposal with a gleeful smile, and you two officially started courting. 

-You were over the moon and couldn’t help but tell your mother that you have succeeded in winning your ellon’s heart. 

-Nerdanel was happy for you and told you to bring him over when you felt ready.

-You were excited and started to leave the house more often and come back late, which caught the rest of your family’s attention as they began to get suspicious. 

-Your mother and Maedhros already knew about it. Maglor guessed it some time ago and was okay with it. Caranthir already knew as well since he saw how you always went to Melo whenever you had the chance and sometimes stared at the Vanyar with a stupidly in-love face. 

-Now, Celegorm and the twins were the ones who only started to notice and started to observe your outgoings more. 

-They even went far to spy on you when you went on a date with Melo, watching from the distance as you laughed and shared kisses with the strange ellon they had not seen before. 

-Since they were more protective than the rest of your family, they had plans in mind on how to confront you and your new supposed lover. Luckily you were already familiar with their antics after living with them for a long time, so you managed to avoid them and keep Melo safe from their shenanigans. 

-They tried to expose you by asking about it during dinner, but you decided to make it a game and play dumb by asking which Vanyar they were talking about since you met a lot of Vanyars during the day. The game went on as they tried to make you speak about Melo. Half of the family was laughing at this point since they already knew. 

-You finally decided to give mercy and told them about Melo. 

-Celegorm and the twins felt betrayed that you tried to make them feel stupid and almost demanded to know if Melo was worthy of you. You assured them Melo wasn’t a lecher who would try to take advantage of you because you were the one who chased after him, and he was easy to fluster. He was your adorable little book nerd. 

-Celegorm still said along with the twins that they would keep a close eye on him, which you did not mind unless they attempted anything funny with your lover. 

-Feanor was okay with your courtship since it was your life, and he trusted you knew what you were doing. You appreciated it since it showed he had come a long way from the prideful elf he used to be. However, he did say he’ll do something if Melo ever decided to break your heart, which you kept in mind. 

-Curufin didn’t really care, but he promised to keep an eye on Celegorm if he ever caught him planning on doing something out of line. 

-You were happy with your family’s approval and even brought Melo to meet them when he felt ready to meet them since you met his mother already, who loved the painting you did for her. 

-Melo was nervous, but he got along just fine with your mother and oldest brothers, who were friendly to him and talked about stuff. Celegorm and the twins did try to intimidate him, so you kept a careful watch on them. 

-You were happy as Melo got comfortable with your family. You even brought him to meet your favorite cousins, who were delighted to meet him. 

-You enjoyed your courtship blissfully. But, no one knew that you were already planning to ask Melo to marry you and what the wedding would look like, but you kept those plans to yourself because who knows how big of a heart attack Celegorm and the twins would have if you suddenly announced an engagement, so for now you kept quiet about it.

Taglist: @heilith

[keen-li]

MY FALLEN CUPID | KTH | 01

> after finding him in front of your door, you decide to help taehyung and have no further thoughts about it. Until you discover what he is and the secrets he's keeping. Your life is about to change but you're not sure it's what you're expecting.

> warnings: -none yet-

~~~

You're on your way home from your night shift at the hospital, you've had a busy night, your feet are sore and all you want to do is rest. You've thinking about snuggling into your bed all day but especially in the taxi ride home.

You're walking in hallway only few metres to your apartment, when you stop in your tracks noticing a man laying on the ground inches from your door. You hesitate to approach fearing what might happen, you really didn't need this drama.

Maybe he's one of your neighbours You're not familiar with that had a bad night, it's not like you know everyone anyway.

You slowly approach him not letting fear rule, the main reason is cause you want to get some rest.

You cautiously approach him taking in his appearance. He looks to have a fit body concluding from what his red see through shirt allows you to see. Something else catches your eye,wings,you squint trying to get a good look but he's laying on his back. It must been a costume night gone wrong.

You gently and quietly ask if the man is okay, but he's unresponsive. As you move even closer and hover over him you're startled by the flutter of his wings. You begin to question what the actual heck is going on.

You use your foot to shake the man but he's still unresponsive.

Is this some joke . You think to yourself. You're starting to get really scared. You giggle to yourself "what a wonderful way to end an exhausting night"

There isn't anyone in the hallway at the moment, makes sense cause its really late at night, so you decide to go out and try to call someone else for help.

You knock on your neighbours door, who you're kind of friends with, but there is no response.you knock on his door a little more but you stop, deciding he must be really asleep and not wanting to not disturb him or any of your other neighbours with you banging and calling out.

You decide to drag the man into your home,not so smart, and help him from there. You drag him in leaving a trail of blood from the door. You make a mental note to clean that up before someone thinks otherwise.

You lay the man gently on the floor, he's still seems to be past out. You stand over him for a moment trying to gather your thoughts. You walk over to your cupboard and grab the first aid kit and start taking care of his wounds.

The wounds on his front aren't that severe, wondering where the blood is coming from you turn him over to see. You're taken back when you see the large wound on his wings as though someone tried to rip them off. Your frightened, this can't be a costume. Your hands are shaky as you try your best to stop the bleeding, clean it and bandage it.

You were honestly too kind, you're family reminded you of this every single time. 'You're gonna be a push over you know' your mother would tell you as a child. It didn't bother you that much, you loved helping people and caring for them, and maybe that's why you decided to become a nurse.

And in terms of being a push over, people in high school and middle school would definitely pick on you and not wanting to validate your mother and family you kept those experiences to yourself. It definitely affected, leading you to be a very isolated and private person. In college you barely had friends, only scraping heys and hellos with people you interacted with during your day.

You got used to it though. But it definitely doesn't bring you any happiness. And working at the hospital forces you out of your circle in terms of interacting with colleagues.

When you're done bandaging him you don't know what to do next, so you panick and just cover him with a blanket. He's still breathing normally so him being dead is out of question. You didn't want to call an ambulance because you wanted to wait till he wakes up and ask him about his wings. His wounds weren't deadly anyways.

When you stand your body reminds you of how tired you are. You walk to the bathroom and take a shower you can't even take the bath you wanted to cause your mind couldn't stop bothering you about the situation you've found yourself in.

Even as you lay in your bed  you can't stop thinking about it, you think to yourself about what will happen if he wakes up or if he doesn't. What if he's a criminal and the sort.

But before you realise it your thoughts usher you to sleep.

You sharply open you eyes to the shining sun.Before you have time to think about anything you remember the situation at hand. And you also forgot to clean the blood. The fear of someone seeing the blood pulls your feet to the kitchen. You rush out your bedroom to the kitchen as though the house was on fire.

This situation even haunted you in your sleep/dream, you tossed and turned in your sleep not having the beauty sleep you planned on.

As you rush into the kitchen your eyes land on the spot you left the man,your met with nothing.

The blood trail gone, the messy first aid kit you left, cleaned and packed. It's as though no-one was there.

You rub your eyes hoping you're not going crazy.

You decide to check the hall for anything, maybe he left, you think you to  yourself.

As you're checking the hallway in a panic, you were looking for this man like a needle in a hay stack, you had to because you involved yourself in this man's safety the minute you decided to help him.

As you're searching you notice your neighbour, jungkook,  coming in and heading to his apartment. He notices the distressed and lost look on your face and body language.

"Hey y/n, you good?" he chuckles at your stressed face, " you looking for something?" His tone turns into a more concerned one.

"Oh hey, you haven't happened to pass by or see a man with white hair in a red shirt by any chance" jungkook seems taken back by your question, but you seem serious so he doesn't want to joke around or ask questions.

"No I haven't " you suddenly burst out a chuckle and slap your forehead. "I must be going crazy huh?" You ask more to yourself.

Jungkook wants to ask further but he chooses not to.

"By the way, where were you out last night? I was knocking on your door like a manic and got no answer" you smile at him and he returns the smile trying to create a comfortable environment.

"Oh, I was at my girlfriend's place, it was her birthday so yeah" he giggles awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, seemingly in some kind of pain. "Did you need something?"

You shake your head, "Oh no, I handled it " You lie maybe you shouldn't tell him. Handled it? Jungkook questions but doesn't pry but simply nods in acknowledgement.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend" you say taking jungkook aback.

He rubs his neck again, "yeah, cause you and I don't talk much" he he says not in a rude way, but you nod in agreement.

"is your neck okay?" You ask concerned

"Oh that, i think I slept in a bad position. But I'll be fine"

"Okay then, you can tell me when you need anything",he nods ,"you dont have a neighbour who's a nurse for nothing" you laugh saying it jokingly, and jungkook seems to find it funny too and laughs back.

"It was nice talking to you"

Before jungkook could say anything both your eyes are pulled to the man standing in your door way.

He's standing there like he's the one who pays the rent. He seems to be feeling okay.

"Oh my gosh" you rush and push him into your apartment. You shut the door immediately leaving no room for final goodbyes with jungkook.

Jungkook is left there wondering what just happened and who that shirtless guy was in your doorway, was it the guy you were looking for.

You immediately close the door and turn your attention to the man standing in front of you.

"Where the heck were you? Why am I even asking?"

"You freaking scared me, you can't just show your face to everyone, you weirdo, people talk you know" You say angrily.

"What happened to the blood and to the kitc- uhhhh" you hold your head feeling a sharp headache coming.

"Relax" this is the first time hearing his voice and you can't help but think about how low  it is, but you aren't able to think about that right now.

You take in a breath to collect yourself before asking "what I should be asking is, who are you?"

The man is silent trying to find a way to tell you. "I'm taehyung" he says it like you were supposed to know.

You're silent for a moment try to collect your words.

"Taehyung?"You ask and he nods in confirmation.

"Taehyung do me a favour and turn around" your calm and slowly approach him. He's confused by your request and your notice. Your tone definitely concerns him on what you're gonna do.

"Turn around" he complys.

"Now taehyung I'm sure you can't just be taehyung, right? Cause WHAT ARE THESE?" you suddenly burst out pulling his wings. He yells from the painful feeling of you pulling his wings and pulls away from you.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU WOMAN!" he says rubbing the part where you had pulled.

You stand there awkwardly staring at your open hands with  feathers in it. You scream and shake them off your hands.  But his reaction concerns you.You thought they would just fall off and reveal to you that your crazy for thinking they were real. But now you're just confused.

"ARE YOU INSANE, HUH?" He yells at you, but you're too confused to hear him.

" Oh my gosh...are they real?" You ask still shocked and concern, your tone is now low and soft in disbelief.

"What do you mean are they real, look at them" he says flapping them in a showing off manner. Your mouth is hanging open at this point.

This must be some realistic kind of special effects or you're gonna lose your mind.

"Wait, what? They're real?" You grab your head and start pacing the room.

" I must be losing my mind, I must be losing my mind." You keep on chanting that to yourself.

Taehyung concerned puts his hand on your shoulder "are you ok-"

"You stay away from me!" You yell at him, slapping his hand off your shoulder.

"So what are you some kind of cosplayer or angel" you question, the frustration of confusion is getting to you.

"Cosplayer?" He scoffs

"I am taehyung, the forth generation of cupids and set to be the next cupio"

"What the heck is a cupio?" Your tone sounds very frustrated.

"It's the leader of all cupids, don't you know that" he on the other hand doesn't seem to be bothered.

"Obviously I don't "  you pace  around a little slower trying to think.

"What are you even doing here anyways, aren't you  supposed to be up there" you wave your hands pointing up.

"You must be the stupid kind of human" he whispers to himself but you definitely heard him.

"Excuse me?"

Taehyung's face drops and hesitates to answer. You stare at him waiting on an answer.

"I was sent here to complete my task in order to become a cupio" he really must take you as a joke, you think to yourself

His answer doesn't seem to satisfy you "But that doesn't explain me finding you passed out and bleeding in front of my door"

"You do seem to have a lot of questions" he ignores your question and walks away towards your laundry room.

"Did you clean up the kitchen and blood" you follow behind him.

"Yeah, thought it was the least i could do"

"Anyway the reason I was looking for you, was to help with this machine." Taehyung says pointing to your washing machine.

You follow him to your laundry room. "I can't seem to turn it on."

You stare at him. "What are you even trying to do" you ask.

"I'm trying to get my clothes and your blanket clean"

You stare at his bloody shirt and your bloody blanket.

"Did you use my blanket to clean the blood" you sat staring at him deadpan.

He nods "what else could i have used" he says not one bit concerned.

You scoff grabbing the clothes from his hands and placing them in the washer.

"Wait put these in too" he says before you turn it on handing you his pants.

You turn to ask if he's being serious, but when you do you're taken aback by the man in front of you.

At first he was shirtless but now he's in his birthday suit. He's standing there like it's nothing.

" you've got to be kiddingme" You sigh and he looks at you confused. You turn the washer on and turn to leave.

You feel taehyung walking behind you and without turning around you point to the towel on the hanger.

"Put that on while you wait for your clothes." You walk out

"What's wrong to with the way I am?" He whispers staring down at himself.

°°

"Here are your clothes ." You toss him his clothes and he puts on his pants. You're staring at his wings and lost in how beautiful they actually are. He just got out from the shower so you can't help but admire his wet skin. He catches you looking and smirks.

"If you want to touch them all you have to do is ask" he says buttoning his pants.

"I'm not interested" you say turning your eyes away awkwardly,he chuckles at you. "Speaking of your wings what are you gonna do about them?" He raises his brow at you.

"I mean you dont want people seeing them do you?"

"Ah, you're right" he thinks about it for a bit and has not idea of how to hide them. He doesn't need people knowing what he is so he has to find a solution.

"I have and idea" you say walking to your drawers and pulling out duct tape. He looks at you confused.

"It's duct tape. Sit down" he has no choice cause you force him to sit down anyways.

You start to tape down his wings wrapping the tape around his torso. After successfully taping them down you step back admiring your work.

"You know if I didn't know any better I would think you're staring at my abs" he smirks.

You roll your eyes ignoring him. "How do the wings feel?"

He stretches and tests the strength of the duct tape. "I think you plan on keeping me here forever, I can't use them at all."

"good, now try it on your shirt"

He tries on his shirt but you could still see imprint, that would make people question. So you decide to give him one of your hoodies.

"Try this" he tries it and its big enough to fit him and hide his wings.

"Where did you find such a large hoodie" he questions, and the questions turns your face gloomy, which doesn't go unnoticed by him.

"From my ex boyfriend" you say bitterly. And he hums in response not wanting to touch on the subject.

"Anyway I have to get ready for work, hope you will be okay with staying here alone."

"I think I'll be fine" he says unsurely. You chuckle and get ready for work.

°°

Even though you left taehyung with instructions and explanations of what he could do and could not do, you still felt  a little worried. You don't know if he would be able to be alone. And without knowing worry had seeped into your face.

"Are you okay y/n" the voice of your co-worker snaps you out of what you were thinking of.

"Oh hey nina," you chuckle at yourself "I'm okay, just tired" you continue to put on your scrubs.

"I get you, this week has been hectic, can't wait for my break" She says doing a little dance while putting her scrubs on

"Lucky you, I don't have time to even think of going on a break" You pause "I need the money so bad."

"Aww, I feel bad for you, you need a break. Maybe next week we should go out" the thought of going out and relaxing atleast for one night,which you haven't done in a while, makes you smile.

"That sounds like a good idea."

°°

"You have to be kidding me, how can the mother pay her to leave her son. They love each other, let them be" taehyung exclaims at the screen.

"But she wants to arrange a marriage for him with another woman, ridiculous." He stuffs his mouth with some popcorn.

"He's already in love with her why not let them get married and save yourself the trouble" he expresses passionately. After you explained to him and showed him how to watch any show, taehyung has been  hooked to watching TV.

He's so drawn into the TV that he doesn't hear the door bell ring. When it rings for the third time he hears it and goes to check who's behind the interruption of his show.

It's jungkook.

" y/n I came..." he notices taehyung at the door and his demeanour changes.

"Where's y/n?" He asks sharply.

"She's at work" taehyung says Reading his face and noticing his change in attitude.

"I forgot she had a night shift" jungkook says to himself.

"Do you need something?" Taehyung says cutting jungkook's thoughts off.

"No just tell her I stopped by" Taehyung nods but before Jungkook walks away he turns and asks.

"Who are you? Haven't seen you around here before" he asks sternly.

"I'm y/n's boyfriend" he says shocking jungkook "I'm visiting from out of town" Taehyung could see jungkook's face and body had tense up.

"Oh okay, any way dont forget to tell her I stopped by" jungkook says gloomy and walks back into his apartment.

"Tsk" Taehyung stands there watching him walk away.

[emblazons]

hi!

i read the tags you wrote about millie in a post yesterday (i think you deleted the post because i cant find it now) and i just wanted to say im glad theres someone who shares similar thoughts as me. i love millie but i cant even say anything on twitter without her toxic stans accusing me of misogyny and insulting her intelligence, even though thats not my intention.

if byler is canon, how do you think she’ll feel about it? im asking because your perspective is interesting! i think shes going to take it a bit personally because she strongly relates to her character and wants el to be on the same path as her (like getting married young). its understandable though, considering her upbringing.

!! I actually took it off my blog because the other day I resolved the issue of my tags not archiving—but when it got resolved, my blog ended up square in the middle as “top blogs” with the full mlvn name tag because I hadn’t been abbreviating their ship in the tag I used before ☠️ that said, I changed the tag to “anti mlvn” so I could keep myself out of mlvn corners, but a lot of the recent posts that I kept under the old tag are gone or private until tumblr tracks the change—hence the missing post!

Still...me and that tag rant was giving “why would you say something so controversial, yet so brave” for sure (lmao), though I certainly meant it less as a comment on her life decisions themselves and more a "I can tell by the decisions you make as a creator, producer of other films, and in general that you are not The Duffer Brother's target audience, but a lot of your fans can't" kind of way...which is still controversial in several corners of this fandom for sure. 😭

the rest of this answer under the cut because it got long lol

Like, yes, she does play a principal character in the show, but playing a character does not mean the character is modeled to you as a person—just look at Emilia Clarke playing Daenerys Targaryen, Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal Lecter, or even Rachel McAdams playing Regina George lmao.

Despite playing El since she was a child, as Millie has come into adulthood it's become clearer that she is very different from El—and that The Duffers aren't creating Eleven's arc with Millie's own "coming of age" in mind. Her choices to create things like Enola Holmes, Damsel, and even Nineteen Steps (her new book) showing up as sharp contrasts to not only the women in Stranger Things, but in all of The Duffer's upcoming work on Death Note, The Talisman and The Boroughs prove that well enough, which would be zero problem at all...if a lot of her fans didn't conflate Millie with El is as a character.

To your point though...I honestly don't think Millie is going to be all that personally upset if El ends up single and Byler happens—she's already made clear that she loves El, but is ready to move on and tell other stories and that she would have written the story as a high school drama if she was in control of the direction of the plot (while pointing out that she's not the one in control of it) lol.

Even what she said recently in an widely published and official Seventeen interview shows that she's really just here to finish the story and move on with her career—that she's ready for her role as El (and the drama I'm 10000% sure comes with that) to be done:

At least to me, all of that makes it seem like she is a level-headed young woman who can handle her character not being aligned with how she would live her own life—and will, when the time comes.

That said: imo the real problem is that fans of MBB are confusing Millie's own "I can be young, strong and still have a man" creative and life choices with El's "I am overcoming the bounds men have put on me to become strong by myself" storyline, which only becomes an issue when Millie jokes about things like mlvn getting married—

—and (by nature of being an influential celebrity) ends up with fans who mistake Millie's headcanons (because...honestly that's what they are) based on what she enjoys in fiction as what The Duffers are writing & planning for the ending of Stranger Things.

Basically: as an actress, it's literally MBB's job to bring life to stories that don't necessarily reflect her own values or desires, and she knows it—but because she's been playing the character on people's screens so long (and from a young age) a lot of fans have issues separating the woman from the fiction and recognizing that (as Adam Driver once said) it's not Millie's job to have a feeling about or even agree with who El is as a person—it's her job to bring El & The Duffer's vision to life, even if her life informs how she plays the role.

None of that is particularly Millie's fault (though she, like Noah sometimes, adds fuel to fandom fire with the jokes she makes lmao), though it does get irritating to navigate when you're constantly subjected to arguments rooted in nothing but headcanons when trying to make sense of The Duffer's work itself lmao.

TL;DR - Mills joking about El and Mike getting married feels the same as someone here putting their headcanon out into the world about married & domestic Byler—only, because she's the face of Eleven + has now gotten engaged young herself, people misinterpret her own "cute headcanons" as canonical fact, leaving people who love the actual canon + who enjoy the 'style of womanhood' the Duffers write to arguing with people who misunderstand the actual characters.

Millie is a woman whose had a complicated relationship with celebrity and fame since she was a very young girl, and she has certainly made different decisions than I have (and likes different fiction than I do)—but that has nothing to do with her intelligence or ability to respond gracefully to the character she's played since 12 turning out differently than she would have imagined it if she had written El herself. If and when Byler happens, I'm sure she will meet the reality of it with respect and consideration, even if her fans (and hardcore fans of mlvn) don't lmao.

Hopefully that explains it (and doesn't get me shot for saying lmao). But thanks for the ask!

[sydneyofalltrades]

I’ve been listening to my playlist for several hours and now I feel ready to write something about it hehe 😉

Moni took a deep breath. She could do this. Hopefully.

7 o’clock was just around the corner and she was fidgeting with her hair, her clothes. Noel was trying to get her makeup set but she was too jittery.

“Mo-Mo, I’m never gonna get this done if you keep fighting.”

“I’m not fighting! I’m just so nervous. What if I say something wrong? What if he stood me up? What if-?”

“What if you actually have a good time and he asks for a second date? Ever thought of that,” Noel asked. Moni paused. She hadn’t.

“See? Women worry too much.”

Moni smacked him. “Rude!”

“Okay, okay! Do you want me to finish this or are you going to keep abusing me?”

Five minutes later, Moni was sitting on the porch, waiting for Mason. It was a couple minutes to 7 and she was anxious.

“Hey!”

A car pulled up into the driveway and Moni saw Mason’s massive smile.

“Mason!”

She ran over to his car. “You came,” she said relieved.

“Of course,” Mason said, “I wouldn’t miss spending time with you for anything.”

Moni felt her cheeks burn, but got into the car and smiled.

“So? What’re we doing?”

Mason smiled and it made Moni’s insides flip.

“I figured we’d just go out for dessert and drive around town. You’re still new here, right?”

Moni nodded. She still hadn’t been around the whole Uranium City just yet.

“I like dessert. I like exploring. Sounds fun!”

“So.. ice cream?”

“Yes please!”

They laughed and drove off to get their ice cream. Mason ordered vanilla and caramel and Moni ordered chocolate and strawberry.

“You are so basic,” Mason teased.

“Says the man who orders vanilla,” Moni retorted.

Mason clutched his heart. “Ack, you broke my delicate heart.”

Moni rolled her eyes and laughed. “Come on, you drama queen. You’re acting like my brother.”

Driving through the city, Mason gave Moni a small tour of the place.

“And there’s the Blackwood Cafe. I think you know it, though, you hang out with Connie.”

“Mhm. She took me there and I met her parents.”

Moni looked out at her home. So much different than Paris, cozy and quiet.

“Wait, stop!”

Mason slammed the brakes. “What?”

Moni got out of the car and stood in the street.

“It’s raining!” She danced in the rain, her bangs stuck to her forehead, laughing like a child.

Mason got out of the car and began dancing with her, the two of them erratically dancing in the middle of the empty street.

He took her hands and they both spun around in the storm. Laughing and dancing, feeling nothing but peace.

Moni hugged him tightly. “Thank you,” she said happily, “This is amazing. I’ve never had such a great time.”

Mason smiled. “Hey, it’s nice to see your smile. I’m happy I could make you happy tonight, Moni.”

Moni grabbed his face and kissed him. In the pouring rain, late at night, in simple, quiet Uranium City.

Then realized that she was kissing him.

“Oh, shit,” she said, pulling away and taking a step back. Mason took her hand.

“You’re alright. I’ve been meaning to tell you. I really like you and that kiss kinda confirmed it.”

Moni turned scarlet. “Oh, damn. Uh, I didn’t mean to kiss you. I just- I had a crush on you for a while now and it was something I really wanted to do and-“

Mason pulled her by her waist and kissed her. And for once, she let her guard down. It felt incredible.

“You need to stop worrying, you silly goose,” he said with a smile. Moni grinned.

“Alright, alright.”

And they continued their dancing, their jokes, their peace. When the time came for Moni to come home, she held onto Mason’s hand the car ride home.

“Tonight was amazing,” she said with a smile.

“It really was.”

Climbing out of the car, Moni ran over to Mason’s window.

“You think we can have another date next Friday,” she asked. He nodded excitedly.

“Yes, of course!”

Moni smiled and kissed him. “See you then, Mason.”

He grinned. “See you then, Moni.”

She skipped back home and watched his car drive off. Grinning like a kid, she opened the front door and saw Noel watching TV. She went to the freezer and pulled out the vanilla ice cream tub.

“Hey, Mon! Have a good time?”

Moni turned bright red. “It was fantastic.”

[maddie-grove]

Little Book Review: YA/Children's Literature Round-Up (May-December 2022)

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (1983): Leigh Botts keeps up a years-long correspondence with children's author Mr. Henshaw, which becomes an important outlet after his parents divorce and he has to move to a new town with his mother. This is the book that won Beverly Cleary the Newberry Award, and frankly it's like when Leonardo DiCaprio won Best Actor for The Revenant instead of The Wolf of Wall Street. Cleary was a legend, but she excelled most at lower-stakes childhood (and sometimes adolescent) drama, like being bad at cursive, not owning enough cashmere sweaters, or (at worst) worrying because your father lost his job. This is still a sweet, sensitive problem novel, yet I feel like Judy Blume or Betsy Byars would've pushed it to the next level.

The Snow Angel by Suzanne Weyn (1996): In the eighth volume of a middle-grade series about four girls who are friends with angels, rich girl Molly is devastated when her boyfriend dumps her for hippie-dippy Christina. She distances herself from her loved ones, almost relapses in her recovery from anorexia, and ignores the gigantic snow-angel-turned-tourist-trap on her other friend Ashley's horse farm. Luckily, her dad just brought a catatonic Irish boy into their house! Can Molly help herself by helping him? I bought this book for a dime because it looked completely ridiculous, and it delivered on that front. I really didn't like any of the girls except for Molly, and with her it was mostly just the sympathy I'd have for any troubled teenager.

The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney (1881): In a small New England town, widowed Mrs. Pepper and her five kids (Ben, Polly, Joel, Davie, and Phronsie) must work hard to keep their spirits up in the face of grinding poverty, measles, and monkey-related shenanigans. I made several gos at reading this book as a child, but always lost steam after the Peppers made friends with the wealthy King family. Little Emily was right on the money, because this classic is just not very good, especially after the rich folks start helping out. It's beyond treacly and only a few of the episodic chapters have a good amount of tension. Polly's almost-going-blind-from-measles-and-eldest-daughter-syndrome arc is still great, though.

Afternoon of the Elves by Janet Taylor Lisle (1989): Sheltered fourth-grader Hillary forms an unlikely friendship with her neighbor, outcast sixth-grader Sara-Kate, after the older girl claims to have elves in her backyard. I had to read this book for school in fourth grade and I did not like it. I felt like it was trying to lure me in with something fun (magic, miniatures), only to never deliver and hit me with the actual sad topic (poverty and mental illness of a parent) instead. I stand by my elementary-school opinion. The good version of this novel is Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn (if you want to read about an average girl befriending the class outcast before losing her to Social Services) or Lucie Babbidge's House by Sylvia Cassedy (if you want to read about a troubled girl getting lost in the arguably magical miniatures sauce).

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher (2008): Working at a meatpacking plant to support her arthritic widowed mother and little sister in early-1940s Chicago, pretty, scrappy teenager Ruby Jelinski takes a chance and becomes a dime-a-dance girl at the recommendation of a handsome neighborhood hoodlum. I read this book at some point in high school and vaguely remembered liking it, but this time I was blown away. Fletcher packs a mind-bogging amount of character development and historical detail into a fast-paced story that ventures into some unexpected territory. It's maybe one of the best historical novels I've ever read.

Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary (1967): Nine-year-old twins Mitch and Amy don't always get along, but, if an outsider messes with one of them, he better be prepared for double trouble. Class bully Alan Hibbler learns this to his sorrow. This is the kind of cute slice-of-life story that was right in Cleary's wheelhouse, although it's not her most memorable. There are lots of sweet moments between the twins; for example, Amy gets Mitch an exciting book from the library when he's sick because she senses it'll help him with his reading struggles, and Mitch goes to bat for her when the dreaded Alan spits in her hair. I do think it would've been ideal if Mitch had also done something to help Amy with multiplication, for the symmetry. Also, I can't believe I missed the beginning-of-the-late-1960s California setting. These are some Joan Didion babies.

Cleopatra: Daughter of the Nile by Kristiana Gregory (1999): Her older sister wants to kill her, her father is a severe alcoholic, and she's stuck living in Rome with a bunch of gross old men who don't take her seriously, but teenage Cleopatra doesn't let that keep her from learning and adapting. This is one of the Royal Diaries I didn't read as a kid, and I really enjoyed the characterization of Cleopatra, who's resilient, clever, curious, and conflicted about her thorny family relationships.

(The Snow Angel, The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, and Cleopatra: Daughter of the Nile were all first-time reads; the rest were rereads.)

[biographygen]

Bessie Carter Biography, Height, Age, Family, Boyfriend and Net Worth

Bessie Carter born October 25, 1993 is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Prudence Featherington in the Netflix series Bridgerton, Evie Wilcox in the BBC television series Howards End (2017) and Violet Woodhouse in the ITV television series Beecham House (2019). Her most recent role was in the 2024 National Theatre revival of Dear Octopus. Full NameBessie Beatrice CarterNet Worth$42.5 BillionDate Of Birth25 October 1993Age31 YearsGenderFemaleHeight5 Feet 10 Inches

Bessie Carter Biography/Life Story

Bessie Carter was born on October 25, 1993, and is 31 years old as of 2024. She was born and raised in an upper-middle-class family from Westminster, London, England. She is a British national and a Christian. Bessie Carter received her primary education at Francis Holland School in London and later attended Camden School for Girls to complete her undergraduate degree program. After a year, she enrolled in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she earned her graduate degree in 2006. She had a strong desire to act since she was a child; she auditioned for drama school and began professional training at a young age. Full NameBessie Beatrice CarterProfessionActress and ModelPhysical Height Eye Color Hair Color 5 Feet 10 Inches Blue BrownWeight56 KGDate Of Birth25 October 1993Age31 YearsNet Worth$42.5 BillionNationalityBritishHometownWestminster, LondonBirthplaceWestminster, London, EnglandReligionChristianHigh SchoolFrancis Holland School, London, England, UK Camden School for Girls, London, England, UKCollegeGuildhall School of Music & Drama, London, England, UKEducation QualificationGraduateZodiac SignScorpioCurrently Live InWestminsterYears Active2006 – PresentMarital StatusUnmarriedParents Name: Father Mother Jim CarterImelda StauntonBrother Sister---BoyfriendSam Phillips Leonie Benesch

Bessie Carter Net Worth

Bessie Carter, aka Bessie Beatrice Carter, is an English actress and model. Bessie Carter's total assets is estimated to be $42.5 billion in 2024. Her breakthrough came with her roles as "Evie Wilcox" in the British television series "Howards End" and "Prudence Featherington" in the web TV series "Bridgerton". She has played memorable roles in a number of successful films, including "Les Miserables." She has also worked as a theatre artist in several productions. She has established professional Instagram and Facebook accounts and has a large number of fan followers.

Bessie Carter Height & Weight

She is about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs around 56 kg. She has long, shiny brown curly hair and stunning blue eyes. Bessie Carter is a gorgeous beautiful girl with a charming personality. She has a stunning, hot, and curvaceous figure with appealing body measurements.

Bessie Carter Family

Bessie Carter’s parents are Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton. Bessie Carter’s father’s name is Jim Carter who is an actor by profession. Bessie Carter’s mother’s name is Imelda Staunton who is an Actress by profession.

Bessie Carter Status

Bessie Carter is unmarried. She is a lesbian and is in a relationship with Leonie Benesch, a professional actress.

Bessie Carter Boyfriend

Sam Phillips Sam and Bessie were spotted on a stroll in Sussex, and PDA-filled photos are now making the rounds. The two were photographed wearing athleisure. Sam dressed in a brown t-shirt and track pants, while Bessie wore an oversized hoodie and leggings. Sam and Bessie appeared together on several occasions prior to Bridgerton Season 3. They walked the red carpet for the premiere of A Little Life. They later attended the premieres of Wonka and The Crown, where they were joined by Bessie's mother, Imelda Staunton. The couple has yet to comment on their relationship.

Bessie Carter Career

Bessie Carter made her acting debut in 2007 as Margaret Godman in the television series "Cranford" alongside her parents. In 2012, she accepted a role as a Ensemble Factory Woman and performed a portion of the song ,At the End of the Day in the Oscar-winning musical film Les Miserables," in which she worked alongside many big stars such as Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and others. She began her career in theatre in 2015, playing Marion in the stage drama. The Secret Rapture at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her other theatrical credits include Lull, King Lear, Baskerville, and All My Sons.

Also Read: - Marin Ireland Biography, Height, Age, Family, Boyfriend and Net Worth - Keanu Reeves Biography, Height, Age, Family, Girlfriend and Net Worth Read the full article

[gravesendstories]

Gravesend Chronicles #5: Nuns, Public School, and Obscenities

Until I was in the middle of 5th grade, I attended the “prestigious” private, catholic grammar school, St. Francis of Assisi, in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn. Most of the teachers there were nuns, and they were often mean and brutal. They had no qualms taking a “problem child" (like me) to task with a wooden ruler, a yard stick, or by some novel use of the school's hardwood floors. Sometimes a nun would simply knock you sideways with the back of her hand. Any and all such instruments of torture were employed to instill obedience and conformity.

One of the nuns had a particularly harsh punishment for misbehavior: she'd send you to the back of the room and force you to kneel directly onto your hands on the above-mentioned hardwood floor — that is, kneeling with your knees on top of your hands, knuckles to the floor. This is what those few of us who weren’t so conformist would be subjected to. Try this sometime for even a few seconds and see how it feels. If you dared to move until the prescribed time of punishment had been met, you'd suffer even harsher punishment. Because of this, the entire student body was quietly terrified and super-restrained in their behavior at all times, for fear of undergoing one form or another of this corporal punishment.

When I finally transferred out of Catholic Hell to a more typical New York City public school, P.S. 177, at the corner of Avenue P and Dahill Road in Gravesend, there were several things I needed to get used to in this switch. For starters, the students had a more relaxed attitude about their behavior. Unlike at St. Francis, they weren’t terrified of their teachers. There were no nuns at P.S. 177. And what a relief that was. The teachers had a completely different mindset. Some of them were actually nice. (By contrast, a "nice" nun at St. Francis was virtually unheard- of.)

On one of my first days in this new environment, I was in the schoolyard at lunch break, where all the faces were new to me. Seeing how the kids here behaved was a shock. One of them was a loudmouth, every other word that came out of his mouth was some colorful obscenity. I listened to this in amazement and said to someone, “he’s going to get in trouble, isn’t he scared of the teachers? Because in Catholic school this wouldn't fly, and punishment for cursing would be severe. I was told, with a chuckle “nah, no one’s gonna do anything. What are you talking about anyway?”

Having spent five years in parochial grammar school made me think the world conformed to this strict code of behavior. But when I was introduced to a less cloistered environment, I realized things were very different. There was more “drama” in public school: Fights took place almost every day. Obscenities were commonplace. One kid liked to throw chairs out the window into the schoolyard when the teacher had her back to the class. The students here would act out in all sorts of ways.

Like Suzy, who was in my fifth-grade class. Suzy was a petite, pretty brunette with a ponytail. She wore colorful miniskirts and white go-go boots. To understand where she was coming from, you need to know that whenever our teacher left the classroom, it was pure pandemonium.

On one of these occasions, Suzy wanted some attention. She jumped onto the teacher’s desk, hiked up her skirt and pulled down her panties, revealing everything. Then she stood there, smiling beatifically, waiting. She waited until the whole class stopped its chaotic thrashing and reveled in the fact that she'd hypnotized every horny, dumbfounded little guy in the room. This happened within probably six seconds, and yet from that moment on, for weeks, it was all the boys in the class could talk about.

Suzy repeated this performance on at least one other occasion, but not long after, she up and diѕsappeared, and was never seen again. No one knew what happened to her, or why she left.

After Suzy was gone, Lori moved into center stage at P.S. 177. Unlike Suzy, Lori was not particularly attractive: She was mousy, chubby, with frizzy hair and a large round face. She had no girlfriends but somehow had lots of boyfriends -- or so it appeared.

Lori, you see, was not going to have a good time in school in any normal or traditional fashion. Friendship didn't come easy for Lori, so she simply bought her friends, hence, only boys. Where she got the money for this, we didn't know, but she'd ask boys to go fetch some item for her at the local stationary/hobby shop -- a place called “Carnival” -- or food from Luciano’s Pizzeria, just a block away.

Lori might want a toy, school supplies, or some sugary snack, any of which she could have easily gotten herself. She would pay boys handsomely to do this, often quite a sum considering we were all a bunch of nine-and ten-year-olds. So it went for a good half of the school-year, with several boys, myself included. We served as her hired errand boys. It became routine to approach Lori and see if she wanted something, so we could make a few dollars. Even when she *didn’t* want anything, she'd come up with something, just to get boys scurrying around her.

Of course, in time, the teachers, the principal, the parents all began asking questions. We were upfront about everything: These were just transactions, always initiated by Lori. We got paid for doing her a favor. We thought nothing of it, we'd done no wrong. The teachers, and Lori’s mother in particular, didn't quite see eye-to-eye with this view. She believed the boys had somehow coerced her daughter into these transactions. Worse, Lori denied ever having asked for favors and instead said that we'd pressured her into these exchanges. This was totally false. Lori was trying to save face in front of her mother as well as the rest of the school.

The whole operation was finally shut down. There were no more “favors” for money, and Lori spent some time away from school. When she returned, no mention was made of the previous activity. The boys were reprimanded, but mildly; after all, what did we really know about "transactions" at the age of ten?

Lori finished out her days in fifth grade with the rest of us, but the whispers and speculation about her never ended. Everyone in class looked at her as some sort of freak, especially since she had shifted blame away from herself and onto almost every boy in the class.

If Lori had been isolated before, she was now in exile. The following year she transferred to another school and was never seen again. Lori’s extreme need for companionship -- the kind that made others dependent on, or subservient to her -- this was a valuable lesson in childhood development. It took me a few years to realize just how sad Lori's life was -- at least as it was when we were all in the fifth grade.

(Much thanks to Watchpocket for great editing.)

[percontaion-points]

5 Survive chapters 35 & 36

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Click here for the rest of the series!

Chapter 35

She didn’t move, hands still raised. Red had known Oliver all her life, but she didn’t know this version of him, the person the red dot had turned him into, pushing him to the farthest point. But it must have always been there, somewhere inside, this Oliver. Dormant, waiting until he was needed.

Boom, there it is. 

This behaviour didn’t come out of nowhere. 

“I’m not working with the sniper, Oliver,” Red snapped back. “I’m the witness, they’re here to kill me.”

Considering how certain they were that the secret was the death of Jack… Why don’t they simply fucking ask Mr. Sniper if Red being a witness to a mafia hit is the secret he’s after?

Red stood, in this RV, in her underwear and socks, and she looked up at the others. She wasn’t ashamed to be standing here in her underwear. Red knew real shame and this wasn’t it.

Red proceeds to talk about the survivor’s guilt following her mum’s death.

But the problem is that in this situation, being held at knife-point and forced to undress… The shame of the situation here doesn’t and shouldn’t belong to Red. It’s 100% on Oliver, for forcing this literal CHILD to do all of this. Simply because he’s become paranoid and unhinged. 

He bundled the iPhones up in one hand and walked over, passing them to Maddy.

SPONSORED BY iPhone!

It’s funny because up until this point, they’d simply been “a cell phone”. No brands whatsoever. They’d talked about networks like AT&T and Sprint… But my own network piggybacks off from AT&T without me actually BEING with AT&T. 

“You don’t have to!” Red yelled back. “Just because Oliv—” 

Oliver turned on her, brandishing the knife. “She’s made up her mind, Red, stop trying to manipulate her!”

Pot. Kettle. Black. 

“Go on,” Oliver whispered, guiding her forward. Maddy stopped. 

Chapter 35 summary: At knife-point, Oliver forces Red to undress, and then Maddy puts on what Red had been wearing. There is a brief interlude where Simon brought her other clothes first. But there’s also a moment where Red is in her underwear, standing in front of everybody, being held at knife-point… So I’m not quite sure what the point even was. 

Anyway, after Maddy changes, Oliver goes so far as to start hacking off his sister’s hair because it’s longer than Red’s is. Then there’s a long section where literally everybody tries to convince Maddy that this is the stupidest idea of Oliver’s yet. 

She goes outside, and for a moment, they think that this could actually work. Then the gun goes off. Because were you seriously expecting anything else?

Chapter 36

“Could have severed the femoral artery, I’m not sure.”

You would know because then Maddy would have almost instantly died. If not within seconds, then in the 15 minutes that it took Red to get Maddy inside. 

Static. Red’s breath snagged in her throat. Interference. 

Chapter 36 summary: They’re stunned that Maddy actually got shot at. Then a little relieved when they hear Maddy screaming outside. Red knows that she has to be the one to go out and get her, so she goes. Maddy was shot in the leg, but she’s losing a lot of blood really quickly. 

It takes ages for Red to even convince Maddy that she needs to get up and move. It’s a lot like every war drama that you’ve ever read/watched. But eventually, Red gets Maddy to the door, where Arthur and Reyna help get Maddy in and on the ground of the RV. 

Oliver wants to know why the sniper somehow clocked Maddy, but didn’t shoot at Red. But Reyna tells him to shut the fuck up for once. Reyna starts to issue orders, what with her being in medical-slash-nursing school. 

For lack of anything better to do, Red starts to cycle through the walkie-talkie channels again. There, she happens upon the crew working to fix the cell tower (It’s now 5 AM, and the perfect time for that.) 

However, in the middle of Red trying to call for help, Arthur reaches over and smashes the walkie-talkie. 

[heecyon]

𝐂𝐄𝐎𝐬 & 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 with enhypen 02z

▪︎ synopsis: a group of brothers, all CEOs of different company branches founded by their family are now being forced by their grandfather to give him an heir.

▪︎ warnings: mentions/allusions to sex, (accidental or planned) pregnancy, heavy suggestive themes (no smut), mentions of alcohol, severe angst, hospitals, mentions of surgery. more tba

▪︎ release date; backburner; park jongseong (released on dec. 7, 2022)

—three different stories inspired by three different songs from the singer NIKI.

▪︎ misc: one,

taglist (open): @iloveoceaneyess @abdiitcryy @chimajeyn @sjakewrld @loves0ft @duolingofanaccount @ufoundme @sunghoons-mole @tobiosbbyghorl @dasa3040 @monkeybabyzz @snowysung @wonyofanclub @prdxinvade @dearhee @sunshine-skz

pairing: ceo!park jongseong x brother's best friend!fem!reader

genre: arranged/forced marriage, accidental pregnancy, brother's best friend/best friend's brother, slight age gap (reader's 22 and jay's 24), drama, angst, fluff and kinda second chance love.

word count: volume one (14k+), volume two (25k+)

story settled one year before sunghoon's and jake's

summary: Just a year ago, you were forced to marry Park Jongseong, CEO of the Southern Branch, part of the vary famous Park Enterprises. It was all for the sake of your family, a marriage for the benefit of gaining more traction as a company. Jongseong was attentive, caring, sometimes even sweet, but your relationship was more about sex than it was about the marriage itself. At some point, everything got bad, and it was just mere sexual intimacy that anything else, and just when you were close to ending things...you found out you were pregnant.

status: FINISHED!

teaser here

volume one | volume two

drabbles

pairing: ceo!park sunghoon x coffee shop owner!fem!reader

genre: one night stand, fake relationship, strangers to lovers, comedy, angst, fluff and accidental pregnancy.

word count: estimated 9k to 12k

story settled after jay's and before jake's

summary: Park Sunghoon was done with his grandfather begging for an heir. Being the CEO of the Northern Branch, Sunghoon wasn't ready for a relationship just yet and neither was he ready to have a baby. So, after being arranged a blind date, he meets you, and soon convinces you to run away with him far away from your dates, as you were arranged a blind date as well with a different guy. And after a night of talking, flirting and alcohol, you both ended up in an hotel bed. Being attracted to an stranger wasn't in your plans, but soon everything goes to hell when you discover that you are pregnant with sunghoon's child.

status: writing...

teaser here

full volume

drabbles

pairing: ceo!shim jaeyun x childhood best friend!fem!reader

genre: childhood best friends to lovers, planned pregnancy, angst, fluff, and slight age gap (reader's 23 and jake's 25),

word count: estimated 7k to 8k

story settled after jay's and sunghoon's

summary: Ever since you were six years old, Jake had been your very best friend, your parents being best friends had a lot to do, but also the fact that you were both the middle child of the family. Years later, Jake is the CEO of the Western Branch and soon asked to have an heir to follow the family business as soon heir of Jake's branch. Being in a complete state of desperation, Jake bluntly asks you to have his child...the fact that you agreed instantly was surprising to him.

status: planning...

teaser here

full volume

# drabbles

• starboy: a prequel

summary: before your deal started, jake had actually tried to kiss you once. but the starboy was not in the best state of mind. the blame? alcohol.