#obviously he family isn’t going to approve of this and that’s his biggest fear.

[starlight-vee]

TW: Body checking, insecurity

Yea I love chubby Alejandro you guys!!!

(He is not okay)

[brainrawt]

Jordayla Proposal 5x20 - my (early) thoughts

I was not prepared for the proposal to be Jordan and Layla’s! That wasn’t what I had wanted for them. Jordan had a very long teen marriage plot, in which the show made it clear the whole time that it was a bad idea, even when Jordan was up for it. Getting married at 17: bad idea, wrong, shouldn’t happen; Getting married at 19: good idea (???) What, from the characters’ perspective, not ours, is different? I’ve been thinking about this all week lol, and I’m almost there, but I actually wish the show would explicitly tell me.

Obviously what moved me was Layla’s joy! I can’t get over it. She has opened herself to Jordan completely. There is no fear, she loves and trusts him enough to do something crazy with him. Layla wants someone to stay, and this is the biggest commitment ever, he will stay quite literally until death does them apart. She was missing a family for so long, and now she has one of her own. Not only does Layla feel that it’s a good idea, she believes it! In s3, she couldn’t bear to see Jordan go along with his plans with Simone because it wasn’t his path, and she speaks up, even when she had no stakes. If she thought they couldn’t or shouldn't get married, she would’ve said no. Saying yes is just so fresh for Layla’s character and exactly what I dreamed to see. 

Jordan saying “When I'm with you, I feel like I'm home.” is everything, given his entire life was uprooted recently. He chased an identity in his father, he was always uncertain and insecure, but now he feels at home. “You know who else makes a great pair? Jordan and Layla (…) Hashtag couple goals” - Cute moment but these are real reflections! He thinks they’re compatible, they were able to help their friends. He thinks of Layla as family already, she’s Liv’s sister and Laura’s bonus baby. 

Liv described Jordan: “He’s impulsive, he does things without thinking.” Yes, he is impulsive and he has still matured greatly. I have loved Jordan’s personal arc, and I don’t think he has to lose his character traits to be ‘complete’, nor do I think he needs to be ‘complete’ to get married. I see a lot of Joey/Pacey in Jordan/Layla and there’s a quote from them that goes: “Part of his recklessness is that he’s constantly surprising me and part of his rashness is that he’s intensely passionate.” This quote has never left me and I think it suits Jordayla well. These things about them can be true and make their love great. In a way, I think his decision is commemorative of his dad, but not because it's some product of his trauma. After a tortuous, life-long journey, Jordan and Billy ended in a good place, and football wasn’t their sticking point. They bonded over Jordan’s love and happiness with Layla. Jordan was robbed of more of those conversations but he knew Billy would’ve encouraged him. “Tell Layla she has my approval”, that’s what he’s doing. Maybe his father son prophecy isn’t to be a NFL QB, maybe it’s to embrace the love of his life. 

Jordan and Layla honestly do give me the vibes of a couple that would get married young. I have nothing against young marriage. I love young love in all its sweet, endearing, naive, full force, unprecedented glory. I just can’t stand when its young people trying to be grown ups lol. But in the proposal, Jordan and Layla seem so young and I LOVE it. From Layla's pigtails to the way they’re not super dressed up. They’re not at a bar or a record label event. How giddy they both are, Layla is giggling and gasping the entire time, and Jordan is just bustling around nervously. She lights up at the pretty ring and is excited to put it on, and they can’t get their hands off each other. Beyond obsessed at how he hugs her first, again so sweet and youthful, and a reminder that they are best friends! It’s like he wanted to share his joy with his best friend before he wanted to kiss his fiance, you know?! In general, they are very much a young couple in the way they flirt, get each other flustered, gossip, fight and make up, talk about each other to their friends, giggle and say hi. It's adorable and refreshing to the show, and the scene captured it well. I find the unbridled youngness of their love SO romantic and I like that the writers embraced it. I like that Jordan isn't pretending to be sensible, and I find it hilarious that he splurged on a ring and wanted to assure her before she answered that she deserved a fancy proposal with fireworks. Come on she’s a Material Gworl - they both are. And adorably well-suited, given that Layla is also a Wedding Girl! She knew what wedding dress she wanted like 10 years ago, and Jordan is absolutely a Groomzilla. Good for them, they enjoy weddings and they can have a great one together. It’s not something dutiful, it's not something otherly, it's something great and all theirs!

In developing their relationship, they’ve barrelled through it all. They could not love each other or want to be together, more. People say they haven’t been tested – just because you pass a test it doesn't mean you weren’t tested. Jordayla’s challenges have not been typical either, no break ups or other love interests etc, so it's cool that the next step for them is them figuring out marriage. It's not that they're going to just get whisked away this second and pop out babies. 

They have so much love to share. I love that throughout the hardship of Billy’s death, their love brought some love and light to their friends and family. Their relationship was the only thing that made Olivia smile, their coming out dinner allowed everyone to joke around and be happy for them. They were the light in those dark times. They have so much more love to give each other and everyone else! Asher said at his first wedding (lol) that Jordan was the glue for their friendship, I still believe this and putting this wedding at the centre of their vortex is good for everyone I think.

I enjoyed how it played out on-screen, your suspicions grew throughout the episode and yet none of us actually knew it was Jordan. So fun! I love how the scene cuts from Jaymee saying “...then who was the ring for?” to Jordan proposing. The immediate buzz from seeing them, and such an intimate moment, it was just gorg. It reminded me of 5x04 when their “I’m glad we slowed things down” scene cuts to them in bed. I know some people would’ve liked to see these events unfold but to me the gag of it all is just too good. The first watch experience is too perfect. They have other great slow rewatchable scenes like 5x03, 5x14 etc so there’s a great balance and I wouldn’t trade any of them. 

From a story perspective, I am excited about the potential of this. I think it will speed up our timeline. If we’re fazing out the adult stories now, I’d much rather see this! Definitely want to see all the character-focused stories, their bachelor(ette) parties, in-law scenes, all sorts of things. I’m excited to hear Layla’s voice re: their relationship. We did once in the Homecoming scene telling Simone that Jordan stayed, I want more!

The whole engagement is so unexpected and exciting that it gives me butterflies. I have no choice but to get on board because how is it that this same ship still gives me butterflies?! I felt this way in their “What are we?” era at the end of last season and yet again now in their engaged era. I don’t know how this will play out, but if it was up to me, they wouldn’t get married until late in the season, especially given that there’s likely more seasons to come. I want seeing them up there, having made it from the proposal to the altar, to feel suuuper earned. I hope they stay this fresh and exciting. I do get bored when ships get too far into being the “parent couple” so I hope I don’t live to see that day with my beloved Jordayla. I know the proposal is for a reason, the writers have a vision. By showing them at better and worse (5x11 onwards), in sickness and health (5x18), the build up was stunning and this couple has never failed me before.

[prof-peach]

if fans wanted to include peach in stuff they write, would that be okay? and how would they write peach's personality? aside from "FIGHT ME" anyway, i think that much is a given lol. i only really write the anime characters 'cause that's what i know, but it sounds like it'd be kinda fun to try making a version of ash that fits into this blog's universe! nerf'd Obviously, but i think she'd probably appreciate how hands-on he gets when training his pokemon!

Ok, I get a lot of these messages, and I often hear folks wanting to throw peach into their stories and comics and writings, and I will always simply ask that if it’s published online publicly, to be linked to it so I can snoop and enjoy the content too. If someone asks about her in your work, let them know about the blog I guess? But literally I love that people take this stuff, these characters and stories, and make new stuff with it. No ones making money off my work here? So where’s the issue? Go for it buddy, knock yourself out, I’m all for it.

For you, and all the others out there who want to add peach, and other characters to your world building, I will give you a detailed rundown of the main lot, and how they behave, what they do, how they function. You can use that, use bits, or use none of it, I do not mind at all. If you’re creating something, you’re in control, not me.

So, peach doesn’t actually fight people as much as you’d think. She’s very aware most cannot and do not want to do that, and so she likes to keep to herself with regards to that aspect of her life, she doesn’t ask to spar with people, or even bring it up at all, but people ask her all the time, even if they clearly would lose or become hurt should she miscalculate during the fight. She looks at people like they usually create problems, and often has a somewhat reserved nature to other humans. You have to work quite hard to get anything more than formalities out of her. She will dead-pan handle people with blunt and very to-the-point statements, aid whenever possible, but very quickly get back to handling the Pokemon she so carefully tends. Her focus is clear, she’s all about hard work, her very small select family, and the Pokemon.

Her brutal, loud and brash personality only comes out with friends, family, difficult humans, OR any Pokemon. She will joke and laugh and play with Pokemon, but clam up around humans, maintaining tight body language and generally will be a little cold by regular standards. She does however have some weaknesses in this emotionless shield she puts up. When peach was young she was always angry, which swung so fast to sadness, back and forth. Her teenage years it just got worse and worse, it was crippling at points. She is to this day, full of fire and rage, even sadness, but now she has learnt to control it, to use it. When she sees that in others, it’s familiar, and she is pushed to drop the front, and be very real with the person. Underdogs I suppose, people who get bad reps, but deserve the same as everyone else. She can’t ignore it.

Once you start to pry open her personality, you’ll find she’s a lot more laid back and fun than originally appeared, you just have to work hard to find that side of her. She will meme reference, can’t dance to save her life, loves her coffee, and can be caught in quiet contemplation while gardening. This hobby is her calmest, and often is why she can stay so level headed when her quiet rage boils up again. Without time outside she will become grouchy, a little snippy, and lethargic. Will not go in the ocean for any reason other than life or death, is fine with ponds and rivers, or water at wading height. Likes the rain.

With regards to her training others, they usually have to tolerate her somewhat strict nature. She is a little....unforgiving, holds a grudge if you make a lot of mistakes, and has no tolerance for ignorance in the age of information that we all live in. In previous posts I’ve mentioned she’s only recently selected two students, after many years of testing kids who want to learn from her. Hundred tried out, only two have ever been approved. How she teaches is very fast paced, be prepared to get some scrapes and bruises, she will test your physical and emotional tolerances with intense tasks, carefully watching students like a hawk. Bad posture in your stance? She’ll be the first to tell you to sort it out. Not hearing your Pokemon partner? Right, now you spend the day without using words trying to communicate, let’s see how you like not being listened to.

This is a woman who has spent her life saying very little, and watching everything, she watches Pokemon and can see an issue from a mile off, and in battles, her observations are why she can react fast, and chose effective strategy to avoid damage and achieve results. Don’t let her body fool you, her strongest asset is analysing, watching, planning. Those skills have over the years transferred to people too. As a student, mistakes don’t go unnoticed with this professor.

Her methods are harsh but fair, and should you prove yourself, she will protect you with her life.

Because of her disinterest in kids and lots of noise, she does pass the training of students on to the other staff members whenever possible. Grey takes on the lions share of battle lessons, he is far calmer, more open and friendly, with patience for people, and an empathy that peach sometimes struggles to have. When you go through a lot of harsh training, and difficult events, it’s hard to change how you feel or think, with peach, well, she’s been through it. Most do not come out the other end in one piece, but she did, and it made her strong. You may think I mean strong like buff and big, and yeah sure she is, but I mean it mentally more than anything. Peach will not quit. She has learnt to destroy the boundaries that stop people getting hurt, gone is the fear that freezes you in your tracks, that feeling that you’ll pass out if you go one more step. She’s learnt to ignore it.

This means she’s a little forgetful at how it is to be normal, to be vulnerable and soft and squishy like students so usually are.

She has her issues, but for the most part, visitors get a laugh, a smile, a calm assertive confidence, and facts. She will indulge those who have genuine interest, or show a connection with nature, an understanding of the balance that needs to be struck for everyone to live well together.

Despite her many flaws, she’s fiercely protective, and will go above and beyond to defend the island, it’s staff, the Pokemon and the visitors. Injustice is her biggest gripe, along with littering, and she doesn’t stand by quietly if something happens that seems unfair.

You will not see her without Valka, her vulpix, close by. That Pokemon doesn’t like to be touched by strangers, at all, and will run the second someone comes at her with that intent. Peach will scold you for pushing yourself onto her, should you persistently try to get close to pet Val. They are in sync, if peach is sad, Val is sad, if Val is stressed, peach is stressed, and so on. They are inherently connected, it’s just been that long, the psychic bridge between them has been built, and reinforced over the years.

The only other Pokemon who follows her so endlessly is Booker, a teddiursa who’s pretty rough looking. He quietly trots behind, grouchy and stoic, they fight closely together a lot. He lost his mom a long time ago to poachers, and peach took him in, and changed her whole life for him. Not many people know, but Booker was the reason she left the rangers, changed career, and got so strong. Will tolerate people petting him but isn’t keen at all, grumbles a lot and tries to move away.

You may also need to know about the others, for the sake of writing, she here a few more bits that may be important to you, or others wanting to do this.

Grey is very tall, very burly, composed, tells bad dad jokes, is a bit of a goof if allowed to be. If he sees a pun, he’ll say it. Can’t help himself. Very nice guy to work with, good at keeping people calm and grounded. Pokemon are drawn to him like a moth to a flame, he gives off warm energy, and has inhuman amounts of patience. If you wrong his family however, he will snap back.

He grew up in the city, loves to swim and hike and cycle, can snowboard, is really sporty. A total brain box with held items, and boosting stats. He will explore many paths, to make sure visitors and students get the information they need, in a way that can be remembered and retained for later. Is a huge guy, but will get on the floor to play with a tiny Pokemon. Treats big “meaner” looking species like babies, very good with all pokemon.

His free time is spent either tinkering, swimming, or trimming his bonsai trees. This guy stares at screens a lot, so appreciates time away from them. Peach built him his own little greenhouse for his trees and tools, which he keeps clean and loves dearly.

His methods as a teacher are built around fun and games, he makes hard work easier to do by distracting trainers from the difficult bits, and focusing in on something more interesting or compelling.

His most commonly seen Pokemon would be a houndoom, Saxon, old battle veteran, retired now to herding and being a good boy. Very gentle, loves a pet.

Pari, now a fully fledged nurse, often oversees the labs front desk and pokecentre features, such as healing pokemon, and informing trainers who come to visit. Her skills with eggs and hatchlings is high, she’s great with younger Pokemon, and hands out good advice to trainers a lot. She’s not a fighter, never was, but can find any file, any study, any book, and any refrence you may need. A true bookworm, loves her romance novels, chat shows and upbeat celebrity gossip mags. Will cry at a lot of stuff, be it sad or happy.

She’s got a seriously upbeat personality, but if caught off guard or shocked, she gets a little flustered. Too much chaos will overwhelm her, but usually she’s on top of things. The years spent on the island have made her better at maintaining composure in emergencies. With lots of siblings, she’s very competent with others, and has a good ability to disarm cagey people with her jolly nature. Because of this, she can sometimes gain information from trainers that some of the more harsh professors may not have access to. Charming is a word for it.

Her partners are an eevee, and a happiny. They are quite sweet and well adjusted, the eevee gets a bit bouncy if you get it too excited.

[no-reply95]

It’s nice to think that John was aware of Jim hitting Paul, especially because that would suggest a level of trust in John and Paul’s early relationship if Paul was comfortable enough to offload his family troubles on an outsider like John.

I must admit however that I never interpreted John’s comments in that way, so let’s have a look at what John did say in the 1971 St Regis interview:

“Paul always wanted the home life, you see. He liked it with daddy and the brother . . . and obviously missed his mother. And his dad was the whole thing. Just simple things: he wouldn't go against his dad and wear drainpipe trousers. And his dad was always trying to get me out of the group behind me back”

Just to provide context to the above statement from John, the above quote is in response to a question about whether there had always been big differences between John and Paul, so the fact that John’s first thought is to bring up the importance of family is really interesting, especially in the context of the break up of the band and the break down of his relationship with Paul.

John appears to be lamenting the fact that Paul’s father, Jim, had such an influence on him, he was “the whole thing”. Paul wouldn’t go against his father, even though Jim wanted John out of the group. So how did John feel about Paul’s devotion to someone who was determined to see him out of the band and out of his son’s life? Let’s return to the the interview:

“So Paul was always like that. And I was always saying, "Face up to your dad, tell him to fuck off. He can't hit you. You can kill him [laughs], he's an old man." I used to say, "Don't take that shit off him… “He treated Paul like a child all the time, cut his hair and telling him what to wear, at seventeen, eighteen.”

We know that John prided himself on being a rebel from an early age. Not only does it appear that John was an anathema to authority he also wanted Paul to push against the biggest authority in his life at that time, Jim. In the context of trying to get Paul to stand up to his dad and to shake off his influence, John seems to be recounting how he sized up the challenge that Jim would pose, if Paul did stand up to him: “He can’t hit you. You can kill him, he’s an old man” to me these comments seem to be John’s attempts at highlighting how little resistance Jim could/would pose were Paul to stand up for himself, Paul is the younger stronger man so in a physical fight, he would undoubtably win and yet we’re aware now that Jim did hit Paul and that was something that Paul resented and probably does resent to this day. I don’t think John would have made such blazé comments (or literally laugh) about Paul’s obvious physical dominance over Jim if he was aware of the difficulty and relief Paul experienced when he did finally stand up to Jim after being hit one too many times. Paul finally standing up to Jim was such a watershed moment in his life and if John was aware of Paul being hit, he probably also would have known what a big deal it was for Paul to stand up to his dad, so I don’t think John (even in 1971) would be downplaying how monumental that was and I do think his comments here are coming from a place of ignorance on Paul’s home situation but that’s, of course, open for interpretation. As I mentioned before, this part of the interview was meant to be an explanation of how John and Paul were so different, what does Jim have to do with that? Let’s now return to the interview:

“But Paul would always give in to his dad. His dad told him to get a job, he fucking dropped the group and started working on the fucking lorries, saying, "I need a steady career." We couldn't believe it… “So I told him on the phone, "Either come or you're out." So he had to make a decision between me and his dad then, and in the end he chose me”

John’s early clashes with Jim, I think, are really instructive for understanding the parameters of John and Paul’s relationship, the stressors on their relationship and it’s ultimate breakdown. John needed to be the central figure in his friends’ lives, he needed to be the most loved, the most important, the most influential he needed to be the preeminent force and his relationship with Paul was no different. However, with Jim and more widely Paul’s family, being of the utmost importance in Paul’s life, John’s need to be the most important person to Paul was under threat. I think John’s need to be the most important person in his closest friends’ lives came a lot from his background of not being prioritised by his parents, of never quite getting the unconditional love and approval he craved from Mimi so where else could he get that love and approval he craved? From his friends, from his gang and importantly from Paul. However, what this anecdote from John shows is that, even at the earliest stages of the band’s history, John backed himself to always be chosen by Paul over his family and he backed himself to the degree that he would put the band on the line to test Paul’s loyalty, if Paul chose him over his family in 1961 he would do so again in 1969 right? It’s also interesting that John took Paul ceding to Jim and taking a job as him “dropping the group” even though Paul never quit and continued playing with the group whilst managing his new workload, perhaps suggesting that John had a tendency to overreact when he felt that Paul’s priorities were changing and he seemed less committed to him the group. Then there’s also the use of “we” in “We couldn’t believe it”. It’s possible that John is referring to George and Pete here, but if Paul was still showing up and playing with the group, what would George and Pete have had had to fear? Maybe Paul isn’t the only one who sometimes uses “we” to mask his insecurities… Let’s return to the interview for a final time:

“So it was always the family thing, you see. If Jane [Asher] was to have a career, then that's not going to be a cozy family, is it? All the other girls were just groupies mainly. And with Linda not only did he have a ready-made family, but she knows what he wants, obviously, and has given it to him. The complete family life. He's in Scotland. He told me he doesn't like English cities anymore. So that's how it is.”

So, ultimately in John’s mind it appears that the main sticking point was that Paul would always want the family life, the family life that he lost when his mother died, the family life that Jane, at that time, was reluctant to give him, the family life that John could never give him but that Linda could and did provide. Now that it was again a choice between Allen Klein (backed by John, George and Ringo) and the Eastmans (Paul’s new family) Paul again made his choice but this time it wasn’t John but the family life, that had always posed the biggest threat to John, that won out. I think Joshua Wolf Shenk made a lot of great points in his book “Powers of Two” about creative partnerships, one of his most impactful was that Jim was to John what Stu was to Paul, an obstacle to the strengthening of their friendship. A lot of authors have (correctly) drawn the link between Stu and Yoko as creating a wedge in John and Paul’s relationship but how many have drawn the link between Jim and Linda as the entrance of Linda on the scene was just as impactful and, looking at the way John spoke about Linda and her marriage to Paul (that John and Yoko predicted time and again would be short lived), it’s clear that John, maybe more than anyone, knew just how big Linda’s impact was on Paul and on the break up of not just the Beatles but also John and Paul’s relationship.

[i-am-ironic]

The time that Dick dragged Marinette and Damian to the police because damian was nice to someone.

The title is a bit of an over simplification but it got the most votes and i think its funny. This probably isn't what you were expecting but damian wasn't expecting it ether so here we go!

Part 2

*********************

Damian was not having a good day. It had started out fine. He had gone to Wayne Enterprises to look over some paperwork and was planning on introducing his long time girlfriend to his family later that day. As he was headed back home he saw a flower shop, it had been a while since he had gotten marinette anything after work so he decided to stop and get her a bouquet.

He picked out a beautiful set of flowers, with lilys and some yellow flower he didn't know the name of.

But, as he was walking down the sidewalk toward his car a woman stopped him and said, "would you mind holding this for me? Just for a second?"

Now usually he would say no but marinette had been telling him he needed to be nicer to people so he said, "yes, just hurry."

He soon learned he should not have said that.

The woman handed him a bundle. Right before sprinting back to the flower shop and around the corner.

Damian's first though was 'well crap. This is a bundle of dr*gs isn't it?'

He carefully stated to unrap the bundle so he wouldn't disrupt what ever was in there. He didn't want any of it on him and he didn't want to touch any of it.

Well it wasn't dr*gs.

When he removed the blanket from the top of the bundle he found a face. The eyes were closed and the little pink mouth was open. Soft black hair was poking out from the edge of the blanket.

This was a baby.

He was just handed a baby on the sidewalk.

The baby was asleep.

He didn't know what to do. He couldn't process what just happened. So he did what any logical man would do. He walked to his car, and got in it. Then he realized he couldn't drive anywhere with the baby so he got out of the car and started walking back to his apartment.

He must have looked pretty strange walking down the street with flowers in one hand and a baby in the other. He was still wearing the suit from the office and he was a Wayne. As the youngest of the Wayne's and only blood son he was pretty recognizable by the public.

When he finally reached the apartment the first thing he said after walking in the door was, "Marinette I'm never going to be nice to anyone again."

"Why babe?" Marinette called from the kitchen where she was cooking something for dinner. "What's wrong? Oh you brought me flowers how kind!" She grabbed the flowers turning on her heal to go put them in some water.

"Mari, im sure what ever you are cooking will be great," he said, she knew that today was his day to cook but they would have to talk about her overworking herself later, "I need some help over here."

"Why? What happened........." she saw the baby but then put her head in her hand before saying, " Damian Wayne is that a baby?"

"It is and I don't know what to do, and we don't have milk or diapers, or clothes, or....... Marinette? Are you okay?"

"Just give me a minute, I wasn't expecting my boyfriend to come home with a baby today." She stood there for a second before shaking her head and looking back up at damian. "OK so we have a baby. I guess we should see if he or she needs to be changed before we go to the store."

"We don't have any diapers." Damien added helpfully.

Marinette took the baby and walked to the living room as she said, "okay so go to the kitchen and get a towel and while you are in there turn off the stove."

As damian looked for a towel he heard marinette yell from the other room, "its a girl!"

After the 'diaper' situation was taken care of the two of them just stared at each other and the baby between them. She had woken up. She had the biggest blue eyes ether of them had ever seen. She couldn't be more then a month or two old. But she wasn't crying. She just looked around.

"Okay, so," mari started, "how about you tell me how you acquired a baby girl, in the car to the store."

"Yeah, about that, um, you see I didn't have a car seat so I just kind of walked here from the flower shop."

"Of course you did. It's fine we can walk, ill hold the baby if you promise to carry all the stuff we buy."

"Deal." He could carry all the things they would need, plus it would give him a great excuse to show off.

"So.... are you going to tell me where you got this baby?"

"Well, pretty much i went to get you flowers and as I was leaving a lady asked me to hold something for her and I remembered how you told me to be nicer to people so I agreed and then she took off running and I saw the baby and brought her home."

"So a lady just handed you a baby and ran, dang. You are aware no one is going to believe you right?" Mari said still trying to process everything.

"Yes I'm aware. Anyway we can't keep calling her 'the baby' we have to give her a name."

"Any ideas?"

"Marry."

"Kate."

"Emma."

"We are not naming her emma. What about Adélie?"

"How about Martha?"

"After your grandmother? That would be a good middle name." She paused for a moment, "I know Gabrielle, Gabby for short."

"Gabrielle Martha Dupan-chang al Ghul Wayne, poor kid has such a long name." Damien laughed.

"We might not be able to keep her dames, then what?"

"First we are going to get clothes, diapers, clean blankets and some formula. Then we can go to the police and file a report for fear for the safety of a child. The fact that she was just handed to me on the street should be enough evidence, they should give us custody until everything goes through. In the mean time we can try to get approved to foster her and maybe even adopt."

"One step at a time."

By this point the two of them had reached the store. (Im imagining like a Walmart or Target type of store) They made a bee line for the baby section. Neither of them had any idea what to look for and they didn't want to call any more attention to themselves then they already had. After all this was Damian Wayne walking into a store with a girl no one knew, and a baby, who had a dish towel wrapped around her waist. Needless to say people were staring.

Marinette picked out three outfits, a pastel purple dress, a green onesie and a blue onesie. Then they got some bottles and pacifiers before heading over to the diaper section. Neither of them expected to see Dick Grayson-Wayne walk around the corner as they were trying to figure out how many diapers a baby really needed for a few days.

The shock on Dick's face was worth all the questions he was inevitably going to ask. First he looked at his brother, then marinette, then the baby products damian was holding, and finally the baby in marinette's arms. He closed his mouth that had been hanging open and nodded, walking over to the three of them.

"Im not going to ask about the dress," he said Indicating the baby clothes marinette had handed damian " or the girl, and frankly I'm too scared to ask about the baby, but are you still coming to dinner tonight?"

"We don't know yet." Obviously annoyed Damian looked between his brother and marinette, "we didn't expect to have a baby this morning, so the plan has changed."

"What do you mean you didn't expect to have a baby? If you're girlfriend is pregnant then you are going to have a baby! That's usually how that works. Honestly Damian!" Then he seemed to remember all the days of school Damian had missed because of Robin dutys, "oh no. Damian when you were in high school did you miss the class called-"

"Im going to stop you right there," Marinette finally cut in "um, you see this isn't, exactly,our baby."

"And to the police we go!" Dick said dragging them out of the store barely letting them pay for their stuff. When ever ether of them tried to speak he would shush them and say they should tell it to the judge.

Did he honestly think they had stolen a baby? Well, to be fair, that's pretty much what Bruce did to Jason soooo....... and he had just met marinette and didn't know what kind of person she was. But they were planning on going to the police after the store anyway so this actually worked out.

Once they arrived marinette went to the bathroom with Gabby to change her diaper and put on some of the clothes. Damian and Dick went to Commissioner Gordon so Damian could explain the situation.

Marinette walked in right as damian was finishing the story, " And Dick saw us in the picking out a bottle and he asked about the baby and when I told him she wasn't our he dragged us here."

"So what your telling me is that you want to keep the baby until and unless the parent or gardien comes forward?" Commissioner Gordon looked quite surprised, "Damien you are so young, you don't need a baby that isn't your responsibility, and what does your girlfriend think about all of this?"

"I agree with damian," the three men looked up at Marinette holding baby Gabrielle, they had been so caught up in their talk they hadn't noticed her walk in, "i know what foster care is like, one of my roommate was in the system and she barely mad it out alive, it's been years but she still has nightmares and calls me in the middle of the night. Ha," her laugh was humorless and cold, "we bonded over our trama. I wont let this sweet little girl go through that when I can stop it."

Dick had slight tears in his eyes he remembered life before Bruce adopted him. There weren't many good memories. "I think they should keep her. If anything goes wrong they have the whole family to help, and no one should have to wonder where they are going to sleep that night."

"If you all are that determined then i'll start the paperwork. But," he said stopping the smile that had started to form on the new parents faces, "you will both have to agree to give her up if we end up finding her legal gardien, before you officially adopt her. After you adopt her she is yours and no one can take her back."

Marinette and Damian hugged making sure not to squish Gabrielle. They went back to the store, while Dick told the rest of the family Damian and his girlfriend would be a little bit late, and they had a surprise for everyone.

Damian walked in front of marinette as they entered the house.

Alfred the butler was there to great them, "good evening Master Damian and you must be miss mar-" the shock on Alfred's face was evident as he stared at Damian's tiny girlfriend holding a baby's car seat. "Is-is that?"

"Alfred could you please tell my family to gather in the living room we will be up in my room until then so they won't see the 'surprise'." He put emphasis on the word 'surprise' gesturing at the car seat.

Alfred nodded and smiled mischievously. Damian lead marinette to his room were they left all the baby stuff. When you have a baby you have to travel with a ridiculous amount of stuff.

When Alfred came back to get them he started at the baby girl, "what is her name?" He asked softly so he wouldn't wake her.

"Gabrielle Martha dupan-chang al Ghul Wayne." Damian answered just as softly.

"How old is she?"

"We aren't sure, we when to the doctor earlier today after we finished at the store and he said she was about two months old."

Alfred looked quite confused but knew they would explain once they got to the living room with the rest of the family.

Damian walked in first to block marinette and the baby from his family's view. The room was packed, there was Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim, Cass, Stephanie, and Barbara, not to mention Selina Kyle Alfred and Duke. When they had said the WHOLE family wanted to meet Damien's girlfriend they ment the whole family. When Damien sat down and they saw Marinette and Gabrielle, and i am not exaggerating when I say, all hell broke lose.

In the chaos it was hard to hear what specific people were saying but someone said, "i knew it wasn't like you to want us to meet your girlfriend now it all makes sense!" And "Well Bruce, at least he knows about his kid." There was also lots of swearing probably by Jason. Tim chugged an entire pot of coffee. Only Bruce was silent. He started at the them and waited for the room to quiet down.

"Damien, would you like to explain yourself?"

"Well this is all marinette's fault if you think about it."

Marinette looked offended as she responded "it is not my fault! You were the one who took a random baby home!"

"YOU KIDDNAPED A BABY!!!" Jason cut in.

"I mean its kinda the opposite of kidnapping if you think about it."

"I did not kidnap Gabrielle, she was handed to me on the street and I didn't know what to do so I took her home."

"Oh my God!" At this point everyone was confused. "What do you mean she was handed to you on the street?"

"Well i was walking out of the flower shop and a lady came up to me and asked if I would hold something for her and I said yes, so she gave me something and took off running. I looked down and there was a baby. I took her home and then marinette and I went to the store to get her some stuff. That was when we saw Dick. When he found out Gabrielle wasn't our baby he took us to the police i explained everything to them and we are going to keep her until her guardians can be found. If they don't find anyone we are going to keep her."

"What a story." Tim said. "Well that clears that up let's eat."

They continued talking late into the night about all the things that would have to change. But all things considered it went pretty well.

When the little family got home marinette went through the blankets Gabrielle had been wrapped in and found a letter.

"Dear Mr. Wayne,

This is my daughter, I don't have the money to take care of her, please give her a good life I don't know what will happen if she is put in the foster care system and I don't want to think about it. If you decide to keep her I will sign over all parental rights to you, I just ask that you give her the life that I couldn't, and that you let me see her on holidays. My name is Amanda Jones you can find me if you want to or just let me be. tell her I love her but I couldn't keep her. I love her so much."

She would have to give this to the police in the morning. But for now she had to get some sleep before Gabrielle woke up.

***************

This took forever to write but here it is i hope everyone likes it and thank you to everyone who voted on the name for this. I'm not entirely happy with how it turned out but its not bad, and I don't think it's going to get any better.

(Part 2)

@wannajointhecrabcult

@corabeth11

@i-wanna-be-a-ninja

@animegirlweeb

@spyofthenightcourt

[guardianspirits13]

Natsuo Headcanons- Part 2!

Part 1 wasn’t too popular but I’m not going to sit on this goldmine of Natsuo content sitting in my notes 😤

He's actually very protective of Shouto, there aren't many times when it's visible, but he wishes he had been there more

Whenever he's at home he keeps a close eye on Shouto to make sure Endeavor hasn't been training him or abusing him otherwise

He's not gonna repeat the same mistakes he made with Touya, he's determined to be a good big brother and build a relationship with Shouto

He wants a normal family just as much as Fuyumi, but as long as Touya's missing they'll never be truly together

Asexual Natsuo, anyone?

He takes psychology classes and gains a much broader perspective on his family dynamic

Oh and he's also quirkless

You know he's the family disappointment (of course until Touya returns), he used to doubt Endeavor would willingly acknowledge him because of the shame it would bring to him

In Endeavor's eyes quirkless people are the weakest, so you could imagine the disappointment when Natsuo was just. A normal kid.

Also you'd better guess it's difficult living in a world where you and your family's abuser is publicly praised

Natsuo has one friend who is an Endeavor fan, and it's a rocky relationship

See Endeavor's name isn't common knowledge because most people could care less, but it's out there if you're desparate enough to know

Case in point Natsuo regularly deflects suspicion because "Todoroki is a common name, it's not a big deal"

But while Natsuo actively denies being related to Endeavor, he's not gonna lie about Shouto being his brother. It doesn't take much to put two and two together

He has the last (and only) photo with all of his siblings before Touya died as the lockscreen on his phone

He's super supportive of Shouto, and he recognizes the mental strength it takes for him to work with Endeavor in a professional environment. He personally can't be in the same room as Endeavor for more than a few minutes, but praises Shouto's maturity in that sense

Again he's trying really hard to build a relationship with Shouto, most of it is encouraging him from afar

You can bet he was yelling at the screen for the sports festival, he knows how much Shouto hates his fire side but you can bet he's a little miffed at Bakugou for knocking him out, until of course Bakugou saved his life but that's beside the point

He actually enjoys cooking, yeah he's not the best at it but he's being compared to the g o d d e s s that is Fuyumi

Anyone's cooking would taste bad next to hers

And you know as much as he hates Endeavor he still seeks his approval

So he'll never admit it but it definitely hurt him when Endeavor made some offhand comments about his cooking and he doesn't enjoy it as much anymore because it's just another way he's a failure

He still bakes tho

Definitely the person who makes friends by bringing baked goods to every event

You can bet his friend group is awesome as well, they're all super supportive of each other

They're the sort of kids who cash in for pizza parties and movie marathons in the lounge room

He doesn't drink and doesn't really intend to once he's of age either- Endeavor wasn't exactly an alcoholic but there have been enough 'incidents' as it is that he made up his mind a while ago

He's on academic scholarship; he wasn't too keen on asking Endeavor to sign all his college forms so he applied for scholarships out of spite

Yes, he does a lot of things out of spite but it's gotten him to where he is today so he's not complaining

In the rare event that he's pissed at someone other than Endeavor, he becomes very passive-aggressive

But like, in a way that his professors can't penalize him

He'll take advantage of any loophole in an assignment and end up doing the opposite of what was asked, except the final product is so well crafted nobody can really discredit him

Yeah I'm getting oddly specific but you can't blame me for projecting onto him

Okay back to basics

His favorite color is (obviously) blue

Purple is a close second

Naturally he's biased against red

I wanna say he's a dog person, but because he wasn't around animals much as a kid he actually prefers fish

He has a fish tank on his desk to keep him company while he studies

Sleep schedule? Who's she?

On that note he drinks. So much coffee. He'll get a triple shot of espresso at 6pm

His fears are more abstract, than anything...There are a lot of specific moments in his childhood that he can draw on, so his biggest fear is probably that Endeavor will lose control again and hurt one of his siblings

Like he already lived through his worst fear when he lost Touya, and he doubts anything can hurt more than that

(There was no way of knowing that Touya being alive again was a close contender, trying to murder Shouto and all)

Part 1 here

That’s all for now, again feel free to add on and reblog if you want a part three ;)

[inkweaver22-blr]

Welcome to chapter nine! This one was meant to just be another filler with one of my own AU’s, but Tang just had to be introspective and have a moment of character growth. Hope you enjoy!

EDIT: This chapter has been edited to include some new info dropped on the same day I originally posted this! More info in the End Notes!

AO3 Link

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Scattered Cicadas - Chapter Nine: Rocks and Roles

Tang knows how to act. That doesn't mean he likes to play every part.

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Tang liked to think of himself as a decent actor, at least back in the original timeline. He had been part of the theater class in high school and telling stories required a bit of a dramatic flair if you wanted to keep your audience entertained. Convincing Pigsy he was a popular food critic hadn’t been too hard back then.

The many cycles he had been through had certainly helped polish his skill into a genuine talent. That one time where he and everyone else had been professional actors playing the roles of themselves from the original timeline as part of a show had especially allowed him to hone himself to a greater degree than before.

Being stuck jumping through time had practically made it a necessity.

It wasn’t that Tang enjoyed what was essentially lying to his family. It was more for their protection. He had almost broken the “No Interference” rule a few times when he hadn’t properly reacted to events that, while shocking or upsetting to his family, were simply part of his routine by now. He couldn’t allow the repetitive nature of the cycles to make him slip up and potentially cause more harm by being confronted by his lack of surprise or fear.

So he acted. He gasped at all the right moments or screamed in fear when in danger. Every laugh, every sigh of exasperation, every freak out over something related to Wukong was perfectly performed so as to not to raise suspicion. So long as the proper reaction occurred in response to the correct effect, everything went smoothly.

It wasn’t too hard or taxing as he never needed to fake his enjoyment of being around his family. Luckily for him, he also didn’t have to act exactly as he had been in the original timeline, or he may have gone insane from the monotony of it.

The cycles where his background was entirely rewritten were blessings in disguise, really. They were new. Fresh experiences for Tang to have and not have to work as hard to realistically react to.

He treated them like a method acting exercise. The new memories as part of Tang’s new backstory was the motivation for the ‘character’ he was playing. He didn’t have to fully adhere to them, but they certainly helped him play the role provided to him for the cycle.

He still disliked playing the villain however.

It happened a few times before already. The most notable had been when Zhu Bajie was in the role of Sun Wukong as MK’s mentor.

Tang shuddered at the memory of that timeline.

Saying that version of him had been unhinged was severely downplaying the many atrocities he had performed on both himself and others. Committing suicide to erase his name from the books of the dead, killing demons to absorb their lifeforce, and cutting open his own chest to manually insert the gem holding that lifeforce into himself for power were simply the tamer actions he had committed.

He supposed that heartbreak, jealousy, and internalized insecurities could drive even the most benign people to madness so long as they properly justified their actions to themselves.

It had been the first time in quite a while that Tang seriously considered intentionally breaking the interference rule and just running off to live in solitude for the entire cycle. Getting “redeemed” had been one of the most difficult things he had tried to pull off.

Tang dodged a swipe from the Monkey King’s staff as he was brought back into the present.

He was the villain once again this cycle. Luckily though, he was much less of a threat to his family this time around.

He was replacing Red Son as the demon child of Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan.

Tang, Son of the Earth.

He wasn’t the only one who was switched around. Pigsy, who went by Bajie, was a human who had become Wukong’s successor. MK was a boar demon who ran the noodle shop. Red Son was a scientist and engineer who frequented the restaurant.

It was almost an opposite reflection of the cycle he had just been musing about.

“You’ll have to do better than that, noodle boy,” Tang taunted as he swung his arms to pull chunks of stone from the ground, his hands and the Earth he controlled both glowing with a golden-yellow light.

He supposed that it made sense for him to have some sort of elemental power if he was this timeline’s Red Son. Earth fit as he had certainly mellowed out over the course of the cycles, becoming more focused and self assured. His original self would have most certainly been associated with air with how flighty he had been.

Tang made sure to keep his full concentration as he attacked Bajie. Earth may be the element of the sturdy, but it had the potential to be much more volatile than fire. It was easy to let loose and cause a catastrophic earthquake. It took precision to control smaller pieces of rock without causing too much collateral damage.

Bajie batted away the earthen projectiles with ease and rushed into an opening Tang had intentionally left. He had to do his best to not rely on the fighting skills he had from previous cycles and use only what his memories knew when playing a villain. Otherwise he’d easily beat the fledgling hero and that certainly would be treated as interfering.

Tang winced as the staff connected with his ribs and sent him flying. He coughed as he pulled himself up, holding his injured side as he glared at the now smirking Bajie.

“How’s that for better!”

“This isn’t over,” Tang cried out dramatically. He activated his powers, this time summoning a whirlwind of sand to teleport away.

Another scene as the villain successfully played out.

----------

Tang sat in his workshop, calculating the specific size of a rune circle he would need.

It seemed that similarly to how Red Son was a genius that incorporated magic into science, this version of Tang was one who incorporated science into magic. Not a big distinction, but important in how the process worked. It still took an impressive amount of knowledge on both subjects to work them together in the end.

Setting his pen down to take a break, Tang looked around as he stretched. He caught his reflection in a nearby piece of metal machinery he had been fiddling with and examined himself once again.

He didn’t look too different from his human self, his face remaining the same. His hair was now a dark brown with yellow highlights and his glasses were much smaller. The biggest difference were the bull horns sticking out of the side of his head.

He didn’t mind them too much, but having to give up any pull over shirt for button downs was a hassle.

Looking at his horns lead the demon scholar to think about his parents in this timeline.

Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan.

Tang frowned as he recalled the less than comforting welcome he had received after returning from his defeat. The disapproving dismissal from his father and scathing taunts from his mother had been demoralizing. It would have hurt more if he hadn't had the years of time jumping behind him.

If this was how Red Son was commonly treated, it was no wonder he worked hard in everything he did just to gain a scrap of approval and praise.

And yet he knew they loved each other. The moments he noticed didn’t happen often, but he could tell that his parents held some affection for him, and he obviously cared for them. He just didn’t understand why they acted so cruelly to one another.

Was it a demon thing? Were they afraid that by showing their love they were showing weakness?

That was certainly possible, but Tang disagreed with the sentiment. He had been through enough cycles to see that love made one stronger. It wasn’t the weakness their enemies thought it was.

Tang was already planning on becoming redeemed in this cycle. It hurt to think his parents would disown him, but what if that didn’t have to happen?

He thought about that one specific cycle and how he had become so twisted. All of it could have been avoided had his past self simply let go of his long held beliefs and went with Bajie.

Now he just had to make two powerful demons do just that.

Tang was an amazing actor.

He also had many years of watching the people around him and knew most of them almost better than they knew themselves.

His current parents were no exception.

He could see the potential for a loving and healthy family, buried just beneath the surface.

It would take some work, but he was sure he could unearth it and polish that potential until it shined.

With renewed energy, Tang pulled out a blank scroll and began planning.

He had a family to save.

----------

Welcome to what I’m calling the Noodle Swap AU! It is named that way because the only change is that the pairs that make up the two most popular noodle ships (SpicyNoodles and FreeNoodles) swap places!

Shout out to @winterpower98 for their amazing Actor AU and Dad Swap AU mentioned in this chapter! Go check them out!

Yes, yes, I know I’ve basically made Tang here Terra from Teen Titans. Most people would give him Air as an element, but 1) we already have an Air user in Princess Iron Fan and 2) Tang has changed quite a bit since the start of this Time Hopping experience, as he states himself in the chapter.

I do genuinely believe there’s a loving family hidden somewhere underneath all the cruelty the DBK crew throw at each other. It’s already been hinted that Red Son will get a redemption arc in the show, but I want one for his parents too.

That’s all for now! See you in the next chapter!

:IMPORTANT EDIT!!!!:

There's been a few paragraphs changed and added to include the new canon lore for Tang in the Dad Swap AU! Go check out @kitkat1003's absolutely ASTOUNDING work, When the Tide Pulls Away and the Earth Sharpens to Steel! It is INCREDIBLE and if it was finished, you'd absolutely know there would be an entire chapter dedicated to it here.

[californiannostalgia]

Tangled the Series Character Analysis: Childhood Trauma POV

I can't believe Tangled the Series really created two incredible antivillains and threw them in direct contrast with the pre-existing golden couple. I love what the showrunners did with the main quartet, so I made a very subjective analysis post about it from a Childhood Trauma POV. (Spoilers, obviously.)

The Boys

The series' focus is on Rapunzel, and by association her direct opposite, Cassandra, so the boys get comparatively less screen time. But it doesn't take long to figure out that Varian is meant to be a parallel for Eugene—these are two people dealing with the absence of parental guardians, struggling to reconcile the lives they previously had with their changing ideals in relation to a less-than-perfect Father Figure.

They both respond to the helpless state of being young, alone, and powerless by trying to take back power in any way they can. Eugene reinvented himself and buried his desires for a family. Varian throws in everything he has into recovering what he lost, because he's a child and the best solution he can think of is to return to the familiar safety of his father's presence. A significant portion of his desperation is fueled by fear of his father’s disapproval, because as much as Quirin loves Varian, he wasn’t the dependable voice of support. Varian needs approval from outside sources, which was also Flynn Rider’s purpose in life, once upon a time. (Again, parallels.) 

Throughout the series, the boys' relationship with each other transforms from exasperated incomprehension to easy understanding. The process is hastened as Eugene lets himself realize he cares a lot about troubled kids who remind him of himself. He becomes aware that children should not be required to survive on their own like he and Lance had. Spurred on by his significant other's love and encouragement, Eugene is able to acknowledge the adverse affects of his childhood on his life and start moving on. His extending a ready hand to Varian is his process of healing. Though Eugene's first priority will always be Rapunzel, he truly wants to save Varian from the uncontrollable volatility of risky decisions because he knows that downward spiral intimately.

Of course, there is a difference between thieving from the rich and planning the destruction of a kingdom. We'll get to that later.

The Girls

Rapunzel and Cassandra are the biggest driving forces of narrative power in the show, and they are survivors of child abuse. Every one of the main quartet has Parent Issues, but Rapunzel takes the crown (figuratively speaking) with this one. She was kidnapped and groomed into a life-giving doll, and she was only able to escape her abusive adoptive mother through incredibly traumatizing means. For Cassandra, it was neglect, and even her loving adoptive father couldn't leviate the scars left on her childhood mind.

They're a classic case of Golden Child vs. Scapegoat, which is a common case seen in siblings raised by Narcissistic parents. When one child is "favored" more than the other, the kids experience vastly different childhoods, resulting in resentment that stems from their inability to understand each other. Rapunzel and Cassandra are both jealous of what the other had—Rapunzel wants Cassandra's casual, practiced ease with freedom and personal agency, while Cassandra wants the attention and respect that Rapunzel is given by the status of her birth. Because they're unwilling to speak candidly about the unique hardships of their childhood, what results is a series of miscommunications that put a strain on their friendship.

Cassandra and Rapunzel both want the other in their lives, but how they attempt to make that connection is very different. Cassandra wants to be a helpful, essential force in Rapunzel's life. Unfortunately, Rapunzel has been raised on the idea that when push comes to shove, no one will help her survive. Cassandra interprets Rapunzel's desire for independence as Rapunzel scorning the connection that Cassandra is attempting to create. Add in some manipulation from an ancient evil, and Cassandra decides she is done exhausting her emotions for Rapunzel.

Rapunzel, on the other hand, wants absolute honesty in her relationships. Gothel raised her on lies, so she spurns deception. But Cassandra knows the merits of protecting herself by holding her opinions in, which is where the misunderstandings occur. Rapunzel cannot trust someone who isn't completely forthright with her. She's tired of dealing with liars, and she grows afraid that Cassandra will cause her the same pain as Gothel did. But the thing is, Cassandra is not Gothel, and Rapunzel loved Gothel. She couldn't save Gothel, but maybe she can save Cassandra. It's not too late.

Rapunzel doesn't know when to give up on Cassandra because she is aware that she and Cassandra are similar people. Giving up on Cassandra would feel too much like giving up on her own hopes for a happy life. Rapunzel can't let Cassandra be unhappy. This princess cares too much, loves too hard. She never learned how to write people off because you can't survive a childhood like hers with that much cheer if you don't hang onto your optimism like a goddamn lifeline.

This is Rapunzel’s method of taking back power for herself: saving others. Rapunzel could have been Cassandra. Rapunzel is trying to believe she herself is worth saving—therefore, Cassandra must be worth saving as well. Rapunzel's significant other is giving her a stable source of love and support, but without a proper resolution to Cassandra's struggles—a final proof that despite Gothel's influence, they can both be happy—Rapunzel would feel incomplete.

The Golden Couple

At the end of the day, Rapunzel and Eugene are fundamentally good people. If it comes down to it, they would be unable to sacrifice the world for their own desires. (Eugene's thievery doesn't count as an expression of true desire because it was literally his method of survival. An expression of true, selfish desire for him might've been something like manipulation and abduction for the purposes of making people stay, but Eugene is not Gothel and he would never do that to anyone in a million years.) (On a side note, Rapunzel's selfish desire might've manifested in the abandonment of all duties and personal connections in favor of eternal exploration, or revenge towards a kingdom that failed to save her, or a thorough destruction of authority figures—but she loves people too much and would never be able to forsake her family.)

Life threw a lot of rocks at them, but these two came through it marginally well-adjusted. They affirmed their love for each other in a violent, unforgettable manner, which makes it easier for them to trust in each other's affection. Eugene would've been okay with never finding his biological father, just as Rapunzel had been okay with her biological parents' inability to protect her. They have no wish to punish the world for what they suffered. They’re content with who they are. They're just glad they made it, that they're finally allowed to love someone without being afraid. They're each other's saving grace.

The Antivillains

This is the difference between Hero and Antivillain: Cassandra and Varian are willing to punish the world for what happened to them. There’s a very faint line between justified retaliation and venting. In their desperation and anger, they cross the line, and they’re unable to stop themselves once they get going. Unlike the Golden Couple, Cassandra and Varian refuse to settle. They want what is owed. 

Also, they really, really hate themselves. (This is important.)

Varian believes Quirin is the ultimate source of affirmation. The fact that he lost his father by way of his own dangerous experiment, coupled with the fact that no one prioritizes his call for help in the face of national disaster, is enough to make him feel isolated from the world. Though he is burdened with a growing sense of remorse for his deeds, he doesn’t stop resorting to drastic, harmful measures to get his father back until he is forcefully stopped by betrayal from his allies. He finally makes the full transition from “antagonist” to “protagonist” when Rapunzel risks herself to save Quirin from the rocks. If Quirin could not be saved, there’s a possibility Varian might have stayed an antagonist, unenthusiastic though he may have been in his villainous role. As long as Quirin is trapped in those rocks, Varian remains the villain who put him there.

With Quirin safe, Varian allows himself to take huge steps in healing. He slowly rediscovers his self-worth, one that is separate from Quirin’s approval. Rapunzel—and by extension, Eugene—play the friendly, supportive role to Varian’s ingenuity, helping him along in his quest for self-acceptance. Varian still has trouble working through the heavily ingrained self-hatred, but he recovers enough confidence in his own judgment that he takes Eugene’s warning to heart and is able to install a safety device in his father’s helmet, just in case.

This is the Varian who meets Cassandra in the Tower that once belonged to Gothel. At this point in time, Cassandra has been manipulated into thinking of herself as weak and unimportant in comparison to Rapunzel. Her adoptive father, much like Quirin, was too gruff to be vocal with approvals. Her efforts have not been met with successes. She feels like a failure, and she hates feeling like a failure. This is Cassandra’s method of taking back power: by turning herself into someone unforgettable. If she can make something of herself, she’ll finally be able to prove Gothel wrong. She can be just as special as Rapunzel, if she’s given the chance. She wants that chance.

Similar to Varian, Cassandra doesn’t stop her downward spiral until her supposed ally and mentor betrays her and forcefully takes her power away. Only when there are no options left does she allow herself to admit that she was wrong. She is then rewarded for her honesty with Rapunzel’s love and trust. Armed with a new confidence, the sisters vanquish the evil together in an epic showdown that will long be remembered. Cassandra finally gets her dramatic hero’s tale.

Rapunzel and Eugene have an internal compass that lets them make snap decisions. They don’t have the healthiest self-esteem, but they can at least stand by what they think is right. Comparatively speaking, Cassandra and Varian have terrible self-esteem. They don’t trust their own judgment and are heavily influenced by outside forces. Without the constant barrage of trust and affection from Rapunzel, who is akin to a blazing sun when it comes to personal loyalty, these antivillains might never have reached their redemptive ending. They wouldn’t have been able to let go of their twisted priorities without outside influence. Can’t blame them for it, though.

It’s no surprise that Cassandra and Varian are relatable to many people. Who wouldn’t want to reclaim what was taken from them during childhood? (Of course, the problem occurs when you start hurting others to reclaim what you lost.) Their journey is a different kind of vulnerable from Rapunzel and Eugene’s journey, and it’s extraordinary in its detail. This show is essentially a long exploration of the various ways a parent can mess you up and the coping methods of kids who want to become more than their past, which is totally up my alley of expertise. I’m grateful I got to watch them grow taller than their trauma.

Finally, here’s a parting gif of Lance, because I love him and he’s a well-adjusted ray of sunshine. We all wish we could be as mentally stable as Lance—the main quartet included.

[twinkluffy]

Hero society analysis (for the future)

Hi, after reading the chapter 300 of my hero academia manga I thought it was interesting to make a revision of what we know about how the hero society was built and its apparent downfall. So we are going to review 1) Vigilantes era, 2) quirk’s regulation and pro heroes, 3) the construction of the symbol of peace, 4) the destruction of the symbol of peace and 5) the future of hero society + me rambling about said future.

This is of course my reading of the events transpiring so far in the manga. I will try to keep spoilers at minimum, but there would be a few if you don’t read the manga.

1) Vigilantes era

With the manifestation of quirks, criminals with these newfound superpowers made use of it for evil-doing. Ordinary civilians with their own powers gathered to stop those criminals and bring order to society, that is how Vigilantes were born. All for one became a symbol of society unity in this period of time, making use of his own quirk he removed the quirk from those who didn’t want it and gave it to those who wanted to have superpowers. Obviously this wasn’t a selfless act on his part, he was gathering loyal followers for his goal and ruled Japan from the shadows.

At some point, one for all opposed to what all for one was doing, he saw through those “selfless action”, fought and passed his quirk to the second torchbearer.

The police force moved to prioritize leadership and to maintain the status quo, and decided to no use quirks as weapons.

2) Quirk’s regulation and pro heroes

The pro hero system started on Rhode Island in America under the "Rhode Island New State Statute". 189 Vigilantes were affected by this statute, with only 7 being accepted as official Heroes. Quirk usage has been restricted by the law, that is why groups as the meta liberation army were formed, they believed that the free use of their superhuman abilities should be a basic human right and not only a privilege for heroes.

Depending on their performance, pro heroes have the potential to receive government pay, along with fame and glory. This govt. pay, fame and glory is important, a lot of heroes aren’t into the heroic world because they think it is the best for the world, but mostly because it pays good.

3) The construction of the symbol of peace

At some point, quirkless Toshinori Yagi met the 7th OFA torchbearer: Nana Shimura, when the world was still in chaos with criminals rampaging through the streets and citizens had no one to believe.

Toshi wanted to create a new age of harmony, where this chaotic age of crime was left behind and everyone can have a future to laugh and live together. Toshinori wanted to be that pillar, this symbol of peace for everyone, for the civilians, for other heroes and even for the criminals, for them to see what is waiting if they make a wrong move.

Nana chose Toshinori as his successor, making him the 8th torchbearer of one for all. His body was already strong so he could use this power at it 100% and his training was to learn how to fight properly. Nana died in his fight against afo to make sure that Toshinori and Gran torino escaped safely. This caused a big impact on Toshinori, who thought about Nana as his own mother. Torino recommended him to travel to the united states and continue with his training there, while at the same time being safe of the threat that afo was for him as the eight torchbearer.

From here on onwards I don't think it is necessary to make a list of the heroic things Yagi did to be recognized as the symbol of peace, but we need to talk about what he almost unconsciously constructed as the symbol of peace in the civilians and his fellow heroes eyes. A hero that is always with a smile on his face, charismatic, devoted to the point that he didn’t have any personal time, selfless, indestructible, unwavering, always the winner no matter who he fought, no matter what happened all might’s would always be there to protect everyone. He took all the burden of Japan's safety on his shoulders, reducing the criminal activity to around the 5%.

(I don’t want to sound like Izuku Midoriya is ghost-writing this post, but damn if i don’t tear up thinking about Toshinori carrying that weight on his shoulders alone for so many years)

And this is the central problem of what is going on now in the bnhaverse, the archetype of the symbol of peace that all might create, those are such big shoes to fill and at this point no one can. He became an unreachable pillar, even other heroes acknowledge the pressure of being the #1 that they let all might carry alone, this pressure that he didn’t waver to carry even when he was badly injured.

Toshi in his effort to make a better world unconsciously make everyone dependable of him or what he constructed as the symbol of peace. His fight against AFO marks the beginning of the end of the hero society as we know, the slow collapse of the unreacheable pillar of the symbol of peace.

4) The destruction of the symbol of peace

This “destruction” of the symbol of peace isn’t something new, small blow after small blow villains has been working towards this one goal. As readers we could be expectators of this fall, villain after villain, of small actions becoming bolder. Small fries, solo workers and leagues, villains have been gathering, seeing the cracks on the pillar of Japan's best hero and trying their shot.

But after AFO imprisonment and all might’s career end, they have become even bolder. The hero society is weaker than ever, because All might was the biggest threat to the villains

The symbol of peace that all might carefully constructed can’t be imitated. Endeavor and the rest of the heroes couldn’t even start to fill the spot of All might legacy.

I’m not saying that heroes aren’t doing their best to prevent the fall of the status quo of society till this moment, i’m saying that civilians and even the press don’t let the heroes do their work. There is so much fear in the population and the villains know this, every villainous act helps them and makes the civilians lose their faith in the heroes.

We see this shortly after Endeavor takes the spot of the #1 and fight against that high gamma nomu:

a)The collective trauma of what happened to all might. The fight was recorded by the press, everyone saw the horrible face of the world's biggest criminal and the hero everyone loved ending his career to ensure their safety. Even when this was about Endeavor risking his life to save everyone, as the #1 should, they only can think about All might.

b) This second panel is the same as the previous one, we can see again the lost faith in the symbol of peace. Endeavor is risking his life to protect the city, probably in a way different from what all might approach to fighting villains was, but this also says a lot about this fourth point: there isn’t a sense of safety in the population. They saw their symbol of peace fall, why would be this former #2 any different?, this man who never could take the #1 spot from all might at his best.

And the last blow to the title of the symbol of peace took was Dabi exposing everything Endeavor did to his family in his desire to be the #1. Dude, the timing of all this was beautifully executed, it exposed and proved the reasons of the failing hero system that the league of villains preach about. This speech made everyone think about the dichotomy of “heroes and villains”, after this there isn’t just black and white, good and bad, there are grey areas mingling, there are heroes that in their personal life act as villains and the population is starting to see the flaws in the system.

5)The future of hero society (spoilers of chapter 300)

This fight against the league and MLA marks the end of hero society as we know it, first because it make clear to civilians that heroes aren’t invincible and that their safety isn’t guaranteed anymore and second it make other heroes that were safe behind the shadow of the symbol of peace, know that dark times are approaching and they jobs are riskier than ever.

We have to remember that being a hero is a job option for anyone with a quirk useful enough to combat, not everyone is doing this job because they have a hero heart. In this moment, with shit hitting the fan in the hero society, the good pay, fame and glory isn’t worth to being killed. Hence a lot of pro heros quitting the job, and also a lot of heroes died in the fight against the league; that’s causing a big impact in the structure of japan’s hero society.

The police can’t fight against quirks as well as heroes can (they don’t use quirks as weapons) and they are already busy trying to arrest the people who escaped from the different prisons, civilians are buying (hero) support items to protect themselves because a lot of hero agencies have closed.

Endeavor, who is supposed to be the #1 hero, is broken to the core after having a physical proof in the form of dabi of what his ambition caused. We have seen other characters showing a kind of support to Endeavor, seeing a change in him, but this isn’t going to be enough to gain the civilians approval.

On another topic, I think Vigilantes are going to appear again, of course they never disappeared, but in this moment the public image of them wouldn’t be that bad in civilians eyes. Of course the hero association is going to be against it.

The UA kids have gone through lots of things in their short time being students and having their provisional hero license, but we have also seen their hearts, every one of them being ready to put their life on the line if that is what it takes to save lives. This last fight was the hardest they had to face, they suffered the loss of a dear teacher (Kayama), watched their friends hurting/destroying their bodies fighting and having a first line seat to see the collapse of this hero society that they were so eager to partake in.

This can a) boost them to train harder to be a good hero or b) make them retire early and discard their dream. I personally think that of what we have seen of them, the first is the most logical option, but also they are kids and their parents make the legal decisions for them and after seeing how heroes are handling things, they couldn’t entrust their kids to UA anymore.

Talking about kids, the craziest one of the bunch, Izuku, said something in chapters prior that amazed me and made me love him even more. He said that Shigaraki's face looked like he needed to be saved. We don’t know if afo used someone else before in the way he is using shigaraki to gain power and become a “demon lord”, but if that was the case, you think that any of the previous torchbearers even thought about saving their destined rival?. This is what makes Izuku so different that even the first one for all user, all for one little brother, acknowledges his worth.

So at this point the question we can make ourselves is, what is gonna happen now? Personally and this absolutely my reading of the possible turns of events: i think the hero system is going to be re-constructed, which isn’t going to be easy, but those UA kids would make sure of it somehow. There isn’t going to be a next symbol of peace.

I know you guys are thinking that the next symbol of peace should be izuku, because he is the only one who can fight against shigaraki, has the same vision of heroics that all might and in chapter one we learn that he is narrating the history of how he became a great hero / the greatest hero(i know there are a lot of different translation to this), but looking at what i have writing so long, putting the pressure of japan’s safety in the shoulders of only one person is what dragged the hero society to this point and izuku is smart enough to know that too.

Sorry for this long ramble tho and any typos, when i get excited it's gets harder to translate the words to english my mind hahaha

PS: I feel like we are going to have a time skip after Izuku wakes up.

[zeetasposts]

Hey ! I would like to request a headcanon please !! ✨💕💕 how would Nobunaga, Shingen, Masamune (and if you want kenshin) react when they know that MC is worried about whether she will be able to marry or even be in a relationship with them because she is a foreigner and perhaps his people want someone of the same nationality (since in Sengoku period people in japan were even more traditional and try to preserve the lineage) thank you !! 💖❤️💕✨

Heheh thanx so much for this request, dear! Sidenote i was too lazy to do research cause ive been playing Mitsuhide’s route lol, so if some pieces seem off thats probs why! I hope you enjoy it! In my mind these boys would marry MC regardless of what the people think and would basically tell anyone who has a problem with you to go to hell. But thats just my opinion anyway! ^0^ Much like this whole HC is lol. Hope ya enjoy it <3

HC: Nobunaga, Shingen, Masamune and Kenshin react to Marrying Foreign MC

Nobunaga

The two of you had been friends for a loooooong time now, and both of you were harboring feelings for the other

One day you finally built up the courage to confess, it was during your game of go

“Hey Nobunaga if I win this game of go, I’m going to claim and conquer your heart.”

He looked up and smirked at you “Alright then fireball but if I win then you are to be my girlfriend”

You had never taken the game so seriously in your life before, you put your all into winning that game

And believe it or not you WON, you had to rub your eyes as you stared at the board in disbelief

You were so happy you ran outside and shouted at the top of your lungs “I have defeated Nobunaga and he is now mine”. Mind you whispered that last part

The start to your relationship was tough, the Oda clan members were not happy about their lord taking a foreigner as a lover

They would especially send disapproving glances your way during banquets, lucky the warlords loved you to bits and 100% supported your relationship

One day in particular, some daimyos daughter was throwing so much shade at you for being a foreigner. Saying that you don’t belong here and that she should be with Nobu instead of you blah blah blah.

And if things couldn’t get any worse most of the Oda clan members were in attendance backing the prissy high lady

Nobunaga lost his shit at that moment; he had fought so long and hard to be head of the clan. He had killed his own brother for crying out loud, and even his own mother wanted to kill him. 

He was not going to let anyone tell him what he can or can’t do, especially not from the people who wouldn’t hesitate to backstab him at the first opening to rise in station and come into power

He stood up and in his most commanding voice proclaimed that you were the love of his life and that you were the only woman he would ever love. This whole speech ended off with him walking up to you and asking your hand in marriage

The Clan members and some allies of his were not happy, that is when Mitsuhide stated that he should let the people of  Azuchi decide who is to be the next woman worthy of being their queen and standing beside their beloved ruler Nobunaga. 

Nobunaga was a bit reluctant but agreed to it either way.

Needless to say, Mitsuhide always had his ears on the ground, and he knew the towns and farm people absolutely adored you. And after gathering the people in the courtyard, the dispute was settled and the true queen of Azuchi, was chosen. 

Nobunaga couldn’t be happier, he was practically jumping for joy

You couldn’t help but cry from happiness at the warm welcoming and approval you receive from the townspeople of Azuchi. Never again was your position questioned among the rest of the clan members.

Shingen

This playboy would spend each night in the arms of a new woman

That is until he fell in love with you

His people thought it was just a simple fling like all the woman that had come before you

But soon the realized Shingen was starting to get serious about you

They really tried to hate you for being a foreigner, cause they wanted to preserve the lineage 

But they couldn’t bring it over themselves, especially considering Yuki also loved you so much

Yuki had told everyone what you had done for them and for Shingen.

It was thanks to you that their beloved leader was healed of his illness

And it was thanks to you that they were able to go back to their homeland peacefully

Plus, you were such a warm, friendly person and everyone that spoke to you couldn’t help but love you

Sit down Yuki this isn’t witchcraft it’s just your charming personality 

If anything, they had more of a problem with you being an Oda princess rather than a foreigner

But like I said regardless they all saw you as an angel or a goddess, pure and radiant, and definitely someone who would have their best interests at heart.

TBH his clan members were all too happy the Tiger was thinking about setting down cause these guys have been pestering him for an heir and Shingen ain’t getting any younger 

You worked hard to earn their respect and trust

When Shingen publicly asked you to marry him in front of all his people you were a little stressed that someone would have a problem with you. Shingen could see the reluctance in your eyes, so he looked around and said:

“Who here has a problem or concern with me marrying my dearest Goddess over here”. Absolute silence fell. You couldn’t help but smile and accept his proposal.

That night you realized just how loved you were by his people as every second person had hugged a welcomed you to the family.

Masamune

You and Masamune had been together for a while now, and the boy was starting to get serious

He really loved you and couldn’t picture anyone else who could stand by his side and rule the date clan with him quite like you 

He made the two of you a yummo dinner and proposed. You loved this one eye dragon so much, so you instantly accepted

That night before you fell asleep you tuned around in Masamune’s arms to stare up at him

Your mind was being overactive with what-if scenarios, you really loved Masamune, but you knew his clan and people would not be pleased by the news of him marrying a foreigner

Not just that but you had seen him receive many marriage requests over the years, and there was one in particular that his clan was pushing him to accept

Masamune could see all the questions swirling in your eyes, he simply bent down and kissed your nose, forehead and then pulled you closer to him

He told you that he didn’t care what anyone else thought and that the two of you would take it one day at a time

Needless to say, Masamune’s people loved you, you had visited Masamune’s home many times and spent lots of time getting to know everyone. You were one of those genuinely friendly people who cared about people

It’s one of the traits that attracted Masamune to you, you didn’t care if someone was rich or poor you treated them equality

No no, the problem came with the higher-ups, they didn’t trust you, and they didn’t deem you worthy. After all, what did you know about history or tradition, you were just some random foreigner. 

When Masamune announced that you were his fiancé; they just said No, like they completely rejected the whole idea. Not only that, but they brought some other random princess out and told him that she would be better suited for him.

Luckily Masamune is a stubborn man, so he just ignored their “suggestions.” But like I said, the clan members and a few smaller date clan allies were not having it.

You went back home alone to Azuchi after the meeting with the date clan, leaving Masamune there to deal with them. You were honestly so upset, what was supposed to be a happy announcement turned into the worst day of your life.

Little did they know you and Nobunaga were very good friends, like you would pop into his room for tea at random times friend. The cry on his shoulder about the backlash of Masamune announcing his intention to marry you, kind of friends. 

And it just so happened that Nobunaga was one of their biggest allies along with Ieyasu, and let be real attending all the banquets got you in good with both of their clan members and if anything they were trying to convince you to marry those two idiots instead of Masamune. So, to say you were backed by two other powerful clans would be an understatement.

Nobunaga listened as you cried about everything that had been said, then he gave you a big wide smile and said: “Come fireball, let’s go scare the shit out of them to make you feel better.”

You Nobunaga and Ieyasu rode to Masamune’s home the next day, they burst into the council room doors, and saw that Masamune was still arguing with everyone over your marriage.

All heads were turned to Nobunaga as he stood by the door with Ieyasu and swiftly proclaimed that you were not just some foreigner but a princess of the Oda forces and if they have a problem with Masamune wanting to wed his sister then he would end the alliance right there and invade.

Ieyasu nodded in agreement 

Hehe you definitely had a smug look on your face, both Ieyasu and Nobunaga had claimed you as their dearest sister, not just that but Nobunaga had pulled out a letter from Kenshin and Shingen in which both also gave you their backing.

Kenshin’s letter obviously being very threatening and saying he would have no probs with allying with Nobunaga and going to war with them for refusing you lol.

Looks like you have some friends in powerful places

Lol those clan boys never questioned you or threatened you again. If anything, they blessed your marriage and stayed faaaaar away from you. They definitely didn’t want to get on your bad side

Kenshin

Kenshin had found his Goddess, of war, his soulmate, the and only woman who would ever hold his heart and soul

It was well known that you were the only woman that Kenshin looked at, the feared woman-hating Kenshin disliked all women but one.

And that would be you

If anything when Kenshin announced that he was going to marry you people were more surprised than anything else

Everyone honestly loved you, mostly they loved that fact that you were the only one who calmed Kenshin the hell down

His clan was overjoyed that he had finally found a life partner

They were honestly just starting to accept the fact that Kenshin would have no heirs

One night while cuddling with Kenshin, you voiced your concerns about not being accepted by his people because you were a foreigner

Kenshin legit looked you in the eyes and said if anyone dares oppose your marriage to him, or utter one bad thing about you he wouldn’t hesitate to kill them

Like he was pulled away from someone he loved in the past, but now it was different, now he had power. He would kill anyone that dare stood in his way! He will not lose the love of his life to anyone

Kenshin nuzzled into your neck and reassured you and then proceeded to pepper you with kisses, he loved you so much

And as if overhearing the whole conversation all of a sudden, the whole bunny army came into the room and joined in on the cuddles

Kenshin couldn’t help but laugh at the silly creatures “And love, you forget you command a whole vicious army of your own. I am sure the bunnies would not hesitate to stand up to anyone who tries to hurt their goddess”. As if agreeing with Kenshin the bunnies started nuzzling the two of you.

All your worries and anxiety were short-lived as when Kenshin made the official announcement, everyone was overjoyed. No one really cared that you were a foreigner, plus no one felt like having their head detached from their shoulders

And if that wasn’t enough, at the banquet celebrating your engagement, the bunnies all attended in celebration with the people, some of the bun buns would sit on your lap staring down anyone who might have worn the slightest frown towards you. These bunnies would not hesitate to attack anyone who made would make you sad just like their master. 

Hehehe this is probs not my best work but here it is anyways! <3

[smilepal]

👹🍊 🏀 🐟 ❤ :3c

Character ask meme for @billlybutcher ☺️

👹--How does you OC act around different people and how does their personality change to match the environment they’re in? How do they act with: friends, family, strangers, children or their lover(s)?

Hiro's personality/how he comes off is very dependent on who he's around. He takes pride in being adaptable to most situations, and being able to keep up a mask, or have people perceive him a certain way. It's easy to act--put on a show, let people see what you want them to see. This, in combination with a lack of fear, and the ability to be charming, at least with his mouth shut--has allowed him to bullshit his way out of situations he maybe shouldn't have been able to. If it seems like you're supposed to be there, and you know what you're doing, you can usually get away with quite a bit? He's quick to put on a front around strangers, depending on what he wants from them. Clients will usually perceive him as someone who's there to get the job done, quickly and without a whole lot of bullshit. He's to the point, often to the extent of being a bit abrupt/and wants to get the whole ordeal over with so he can get paid. If he wants something/is off-work though, he can be pretty charming--especially in the right context/if someone's caught his eye. He's still pretty direct in that regard, albeit less abrasive. He still has a mouth on him though, and that never changes much.

With friends he tends to let his guard down a bit, if they're very close to him--and with family as well. He still holds back a bit though, and it's something he still struggles with sometimes even if he has gotten better over time. Close friends/family are treated to a rare glimpse of a softer side, one that is strangely sentimental, and remembers the tiny details about people--a favorite flower, or song they like--stuff that makes them happy. He's a little hesitant around children, and honestly they scare him a bit. They're small, and have so much energy, and are just all over the place and he's the one to look back at their guardians for help. Despite this, he tries to be nice to them and makes a genuine effort not to seem too scary, and just hopes that none of them think he makes a good role model--something he hasn't been entirely successful with. With his lovers/people who've managed to get beyond the initial instinct to keep people at a distance (at least emotionally) he's a very dedicated, loyal partner. He might not always know how to convey something verbally, or get tripped up and have it come out less gracefully than he'd like, but he's not afraid to show affection through actions and gestures, and is always trying to find new ways to do so--whether that's spending quality time with them, or finding out how to cook their favorite meal for them.

🍊--Does your OC have any triggers? Why do these things trigger them? What are they like when triggered and how do they calm down after?

Hiro has a couple, not that he'd ever be forthcoming about that to others, or honestly, to himself. He's very reliant on his senses, and being deprived of any of them is something that deeply unsettles him/can push him into a spiral if it goes too far--the sense of being unmoored or untethered is enough to make him panic, especially if it's deliberate. He...doesn't do great with feeling helpless, and being cut off from his senses just amplifies that. Even in day-to-day life, he doesn't like complete silence. Being alone with his thoughts is something he genuinely tries to avoid, and dead silence exacerbates it. He tries to maintain at least some small level of background noise--usually the bustle of Night City/ambient sounds are enough, but if he's at home or driving, he likes to have the radio on in the background or music playing quietly.

In general, Hiro rarely lets his guard down, always keeping an eye out, both for his own safety and for others--and if someone manages to take him by surprise, even if it's on accident, he usually doesn't respond great. At the very best, he's fairly defensive or prickly/and if they're not someone he cares about maintaining a relationship with/if was done maliciously there could be a fight. His fight or flight response is strong, and it's just determined by how much he values a relationship. If there's a way out, he'll take it rather than risk an argument, but if pushed far enough, he'd snap at someone, loved one or not. That would usually take deliberate goading on their part though--usually by prying into his business more closely than he'd like or trying to get answers out of him he isn't comfortable giving.

Hiro takes a while to calm down/wind himself down after. He responds pretty strongly, and tries to remove himself from the situation as fast as possible. Typically if it’s really bad, he’s not going to want to talk about it and might just disappear for a bit—he’ll either get on his bike and go for a ride, or go clubbing/dancing. If it’s bad, and he feels like he can’t be around people, he might go spar with a training bag, and try to get some of his agitation out that way. Most of his coping skills are typically very physical—and all things considered, usually fairly healthy outlets. He tries to wear himself out enough that he doesn’t have to think very hard, or just surround himself with so much noise/stimulation he literally can’t focus on anything else.

🏀--Does your OC have any skills that people wouldn’t expect them to have? Do they have a hobby or pass time that others would consider strange or weird? How did they learn this particular skill or pick up this hobby?

Hiro is a surprisingly talented baker. He obviously never had much time for it before he left the Tyger Claws, or the opportunity to do something he’d consider so frivolous, but he picked it up from Mama Welles after he met Jackie. For the fact that he’s still pretty nervous cooking, he’s actually a decent baker, and enjoys how much he can tune everything else out while he’s doing it. He rarely bakes for himself, seeing it as something that isn’t necessarily worth the cost of supplies/the time commitment, but if there was even an inkling that someone else would appreciate it—they’d be quick to find some sort of homemade treat waiting for them when they least expect it—and as he’d be quick to point out—he looks damn cute in an apron. Most of his hobbies are pretty normal—dancing, boxing, rock climbing, and usually fairly physical. He’s been dancing for a long time, but the boxing he picked up from Jackie/Viktor, and the rock climbing from Victory. He also loves to race bikes and this is a definitely a hold-over from his TC days. It’s not necessarily a weird hobby, but people usually don’t expect him to like clothing/shopping as much as he does—and it’s usually where a lot of his extra income disappears to (well that and expensive stuff for his hair.)

🐟--What was your OC like as a baby? What were they like as a child? A teenager? An adult? How do you think they’ll develop ten years into their future? Twenty years? Will they live to old age?

Hiro was a really quiet child—and desperate for any sort of guidance/attention. His role models growing up weren’t good ones, and they definitely used this as an opportunity to manipulate him. He was very approval-seeking, and would take that wherever he could find it, even if meant trusting people he probably shouldn’t have. Granted, he didn’t know much better, but the lesson stuck with him, and it left him a much warier adult. Hiro was a god-awful shit as a teenager. He was still in the Tyger Claws at the time, and there was a lot of repressed anger/trauma there with almost zero outlets. There are a few relationships he maintains from before he cut ties with TC, but they are few and far between, Judy and Viktor being the biggest ones—and even those went through rocky periods.

Ten years into the future, it really depends if he can stay clear of the gangs or not. The likelihood of him allying himself with a corporation is slim to none, but enough bad choices/impulsive decisions might still lead him down a not-so-good path. Twenty years—he’d either be the healthiest he’s ever been, with strong relationships with others, and a circle of people he’s truly grown to trust, or what he absolutely used to dread/fear becoming. It all depends on whether he puts personal relationships/growth over what’s easier for him/seems to come a little too easily, and lets himself get consumed by the darker side of Night City. Regardless, he’d probably survive to old age—honestly out of sheer spite. He’s always been driven by survival/keeping himself alive, and would honestly do so even if only to outlive his enemies. Even into older age though, he’d still try to keep himself sharp. Whatever the case, the likelihood of a peaceful retirement somewhere seems far-fetched. He’d still manage to find his way into the middle of things, even if only unintentionally.

❤️--What inspired you to make this OC? How long have you had them? How have they changed in the time you’ve been developing them?

Oh boy, I’ll try not to get too long-winded with this. Hiro started as an OC for an unnamed futuristic story—probably about two-ish years ago? I’d just seen Bladerunner (as well as the more recent sequel) for the first time, and I’d never gotten too deeply into the genre before. But I realized I wanted to create a character that would fit into one one these universes—someone scrappy, a survivor at heart, and who wasn’t afraid to risk his own safety for his found family. He didn’t have a lot of depth when I first created him (although the name stuck—he was always Hiro, and it never felt right changing it). He initially was a lot less sympathetic, and honestly—even aggravated me a bit. I tried to create a character that was a little more balanced, and someone who had flaws but wasn’t completely unlikeable, and who’s impulsive actions led to actual, lasting consequences. His initial character (even before I fit him into the CP universe) began as a sort of android, who could almost, but not quite pass as human. He still has fairly extensive cybernetics, and relies on them heavily, but not as much as he had previously.

Even when I was first developing him as a Cyberpunk OC, he was more focused on guns/ranged weapons/stealth. It was only after playing cyberpunk, that my play-style began to influence his character and he became much more strength/melee based. And honestly? I’m really happy he did. He’s not my usual type of character, at least in that regard and it’s been fun leaning into it—and making him this character who’d rather punch first and think later. (Also not at all influenced by the fact that I’m impatient as hell and net hacking/stealth just takes so long.) He developed along-side Vic, and her character really helped me to realize how Hiro would interact with other characters—especially ones who have such different backstories/upbringing, and the process of creating him, and being able to bounce ideas off someone else (“hey wouldn’t it be cool if this happened?”) was a huge part in inspiring me, and was so helpful, having someone to respond to that character and provide their own feedback (and vice-versa). Also honestly, Hiro was created after a long period of me not being super creative/artistically motivated. It was the middle of COVID and I was so fucking bored, and not doing much outside of work and classes. So he was an amazing creative outlet for me—helped to get me to start writing again, and eventually led me to tumblr/discord and a lot of really fantastic people, and the sort of community I’d needed.

Wow, uh sorry this got so long. But man, thanks for asking--was really, really fun 😍💖

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #356

“i’m just a painting that’s still wet: if you touch me, i’ll be smeared, you’ll be stained, stained for the rest of your life”

Have you ever used emotional blackmail to get your own way? WOW, no. What a starter. Has anybody ever used emotional blackmail on you? Not to my memory. Who did you last worry about and why? Honestly? Myself. My physical health just isn't very good right now. When are you next at work? Do you enjoy your work? N/A When was the last time you ate/drank something gross just to be polite? I'm not sure; I'm honestly very, very bad at this. I struggle big time hiding if I don't like something. Last time you heard a growl, who or what did it come from? My stomach. When did you last make up a baby’s bottle? Never. Do you have a mouse for your laptop? (Assuming you have a laptop) I use a mouse. I'm not a big trackpad fan. Do you have the right time set on your microwave? Yeah. What is your most expensive bill? I don't have any bills that I pay myself, because I can't. Do you have a big yard? No. Is there someone you would love to punch right now? Myself lol. Does the water in your shower take a long time to get warm? Yeah, it does. Song playing? I have "Leave A Scar" by Marilyn Manson on. Are you tired? I'm always tired. If you had the power to instantly transform someone’s life (for the better), who would you choose to use this on? My mom. Her entire life has been so fucking unfair, and she doesn't deserve it whatsoever. Just one day of her being perfectly happy would make my entire life. You wake up to a ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Your family is safe, but most of your city is zombified. You need weapons and various other supplies. What is your first general course of action? I seriously cannot even begin to imagine what I would do besides panic and be one of the first to die, honestly. If a family member (or boyfriend/girlfriend, if you have one) happened to be infected by one of these undead creatures, how would you go about dealing with that situation? It would tear me to shreds, but shoot them in the head to hopefully prevent them from turning. I couldn't let them suffer. Does someone’s view on homosexuality affect how you feel about them in any way? Sure as hell does. How about someone’s view on religion? This one depends on what their beliefs entail and to what intensity. If you were paralyzed from the neck down, would you still want to continue living? Why or why not? NO. NO. NO. This is seriously one of my biggest fears. Just fucking kill me. That sounds like very legitimate torture to me. Has any medication you’ve taken ever made you sick? How so? Three, to my memory. When I started Latuda, it made me throw up semi-frequently, BUT its effectiveness made me stay on it. My body eventually adjusted. The same thing happened with my current mood stabilizer, Vraylar. I was also on another, Trintellix I think, and that one did nothing but consistently make me puke, so I stopped it. Would you ever consider being a foster parent? No. Would you rather drink alone or with friends? With friends. Do you have too much time on your hands? WAY too much time. And yet I do nothing productive with it. Have you ever thought about hurting someone? Not seriously, no. Do you thank people for helping you? Always. Have you ever seen a zebra up close? Yeah, a few. Do you freak out if you see blood? Nah, it doesn't bother me. Have you ever complained to a manager about anything? What was it? No. Are there any songs that make you feel angry inside when you hear them? "Eternally Yours" by Motionless In White makes me feel that, among a thousand other emotions that are way too strong for me to handle, so I just don't listen to it. Have you ever been in a building that was on fire? YIKES, no. Are you in an argument with anyone right now? No. Have you ever written a poem for someone? Numerous times. Who’s the last person who cussed you out in anger? I think only my grandmother has done that. Who is the person you are closest to that you’ve meet online? Sara. (: Have you friended your parents on FB? I have my mom on there, but Dad doesn't have a FB. Where do you go out to eat for a special occasion? It depends on what we're in the mood for and what the occasion is. When someone sneezes, do you say “Bless you,” or “God Bless you?” Just "bless you." Have you ever seen the movie A Walk to Remember? Cliche or worth watching? Yeah, it's a wonderful movie. Do you live in a house, apartment, or another type of arrangement? House. Are you one of those people who like to spell out numbers? Grammatically speaking, any number below ten should be spelled out. I obviously spell out "ten," but w/e. Did you or do you still have a Furby? Was/is it annoying? I did as a kid. It didn't annoy me then, but as an adult I know they're creepy as shit lol. What's one event your town has that you don’t like to participate in? I don’t participate in any town events. Are any of your siblings married? What are their spouse’s names? Yeah. There's Nick, Josh, and Franky. Do you know how to sew? What's your favorite thing to sew? No. Have you ever owned a turtle? Did it ever bite you when you owned it? It's so awful looking back on, but my sisters and I kept a box turtle that wondered into our yard once as kids. No proper husbandry or anything; it was just in the kiddie pool. Thankfully, we were smart enough to not actually keep it forever (or rather, until it probably died from improper care); we wound up releasing it into the pond near our house, from which we assume it came from. Do you have Photoshop? If so, how often a day do you use it? I do; it comes with the Adobe photography bundle I have. I definitely don't use it daily, or even weekly. Has your school ever had a lockdown? If so, for what reason exactly? No, only drills. Do you enjoy it when your school has drills? (ex/fire or tornado drill?) I didn't, no, because I didn't like imagining the real situation. Do you watch any shows that you know your parents wouldn’t approve of? I'm an adult, for one. But anyway, I've never watched shows they'd have a problem with. If you have any pets, how would you describe their personalities? The cat, Roman: very, very affectionate, boisterous, demanding, playful, smart as fuck, and shy when it comes to strangers. The snake, Venus: curious, chill, and a bit timid. Do you have any friends that own a private lake? Not to my knowledge. Do you have a drone? No. Who is your favorite comedian? It was John Pinette, but following his death, probably Gabriel Iglesias. Where were you the last time you stayed in a hotel? I think at a dance competition? Do you know anyone with Crohn’s disease? Yeah. Out of all of the shows, movies, and books you love, who is your OTP (one true pairing)? Probably Spyro and Cynder from The Legend of Spyro trilogy. I love them. But I honestly don't have like, intense OTP feelings for any fictional characters? No real reasons, I just don't. Rhett and Link are my *true* OTP haha, but I didn't know if they counted since they're obviously real. Have you ever written a fanfiction? Did people actually like it? Nah. Have you ever liked playing dollmakers or online dress-up games? OH MY GOD my little sister and I would do that together ALL the time. Have you ever sent any celeb fan mail? No. Have you ever gotten a serious injury at school? What happened? No. Do your pets follow you when you walk around the house? Oh yes, he's my shadow. What was the very first social media site you signed up for? Myspace. Are you the type of person who knows exactly what they want in life? I mean, I know what I want, I just don't know if it's achievable for me. Do you have commitment issues? Nope. If you were to start a business, what kind would it be? I'd love to have like my own facility for boudoir photography. I've only shot boudoir once, but it immediately became a passion because of how empowering it was for my then-friend. I could go on a real ramble as to why I love it. What’s something you’ve done that sounds too crazy to be true? Been to psychiatric hospitals like six times. I honestly did lose count. Are there any flowers planted outside your house? No. What was the last thing you drank? Water. Truly incredible, I know. What’s the weirdest decoration you’ve seen in someone else’s home? *shrug* Did you have your own bathroom when you were growing up? No. Does anyone in your family smoke? My dad and his wife. What’s an opinion you find impossible to take seriously? That dinosaurs never existed. What was the very first election you voted in? This past one, actually. Do you feel positive and optimistic about your future? I don't want to think about this. What exes do you still associate with? Just Sara and Girt. Who told you they loved you last? My mom. Your worst enemy? I don't say I have any enemies. People who don't like me or I don't like them, but "enemy" isn't the proper word. What was your last dream about? Ugh. What a fucking question to ask, considering what I dreamt last night. I had both a nightmare and a normal dream; in the nightmare, I was sucked up into a tornado and carried away, and it felt so, so real. I was terrified. The dream is more vague in my memory, but I know I was at Jason's house (which wasn't actually his house) and his mom was still alive. I was hanging out with her and just chatting. It made me wake up in a really somber mood. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital? Psych hospitals, yes. Have you ever built a snowman? Yeah. What is your favorite milkshake flavor? Chocolate. Do you have any scars? I have a lot, but most are from negligible instances that just won't go away for some reason. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature, what new animal would you create? Putting all impossibilities aside as well as any potential health repercussions, maybe a meerkat and an opossum? Just in general a meerkat with a marsupial tail would be SO cute. Plus imagine the pattern. What is the most unusual conversation you’ve ever had? Oh I don't know. Can you do any accents other than your own? I can pull off a really convincing British one. Do you sing in the shower? Or do anything unusual in the shower? Explain. No. I just get clean, get out. I've always hated showering (the process anyway, I obviously enjoy feeling clean), so I get my business done adequately and then I'm done. Do you believe in aliens? Eh, maybe. It does seem pretty questionable to believe NOTHING else can exist in an infinite space. I doubt they're little green men, though. What do you think about babies? WAY too much work and WAY too much responsibility. Keeping another life safe, healthy, happy... the idea alone is terrifying. No thanks.

[yinyangswings]

Hello! New Anon here. If it's alright, can I ask for but can I ask for reaction/response headcanons for the L&L retainers (and Alain/Helena) discovering an actual child of the Witch Queen? Bonus points for MC's and WQ's reactions.

Sure thing Anon!!

General

The kid was sent away to a remote village in the Human realm by the WQ when they were a small child.

Their nanny wasn’t a kind one, only agreeing to her orders out of fear of the Witch Queen. She takes her fear and frustration out on the kid, and usually the kid fends for themselves.

The nanny still talks about their mother to them, but they’re not sure if the Nanny is lying or not

The villagers are cautious about them and usually treat them with suspicion and anger.

One day the child awakens to find that  Nanny gone, and people of the village talking about visitors from the Wolfson castle.

They go to see who it is, and are accidentally pushed directly in front of the visitors. And looks up and sees a woman that looks how Nanny always described Mama looking...but that isn’t Mama...

Main Character

MC is beyond stunned as she stares at the tiny child who is looking at her with wide expectant eyes. 

Inwardly she’s screaming and panicking because oh my god this is a child, and they’re calling her ‘Mama’

And she knows full well who she looks like...so that could only mean...

And that means that the WQ had a kid. During a war. Would that make her this kid’s mother as well?

Well this certainly adds some complications into the mix

Witch Queen

Honestly when the WQ hears about the fact her child is still alive, she’s surprised. Clearly Wolfson is slipping if he missed her child living in a village in his realm.

And clearly he’s far too soft for not ridding the world of the offspring of the Witch Queen. Better for her.

She makes plans to reclaim her child again. By any means necessary

August Falke 

The child is a four year old boy. He’s quite quiet and shy.

August is stunned and horrified.

This likely means that the WQ was pregnant when they fought. He probably battled against her directly when she was pregnant.

The more he stews over it, the angrier he gets. This is a CHILD. The amount of danger the WQ had put an innocent child through for her own gain is great. The anger towards the boy’s mother just grows

MC and him, with Reiner’s approval, take the child in to watch over him. The boy is attached to MC because she looks so much like what Nanny had said his mother looked like.

She definitely seems nice like a mother is supposed to be, he thinks

He’s incredibly shy, but doesn’t mind August. He doesn’t know what to make of the knight, because he always looks angry.

It takes MC telling him that for August realizes the kid thinks he’s going to hurt him. 

He relaxes a little and acts more like he is with Heloise than a soldier.

The boy bonds with August when they realize the kid loves horses.They should have figured it out, they found him in the stables, in a horse stall. Of course he at least felt comfortable with the horses

August’s family loves him. Initially Bayard is a little suspicious of the kid, but warms up to him. He follows Asta around like a little duckling, and Heloise finds it adorable.

In the final battle, they have the boy stay with the Falke family, as he’s safer there with August’s family

August and MC decide to look over and raise the boy away from his mother’s influence

Saerys 

The child is a six year old girl. She’s very shy and always looking down. She barely speaks due to harassment suffered by the villagers. 

Being taken to the castle is...surprising to the girl. She’s more stunned about this place than anything. She had somewhat expected them sending her back to the WQ’s castle or killing her.

That’s what the Nanny told her at least. Yeah, that doesn’t really go over well when she mentions that off-handedly.

Saerys is a bit conflicted about the girl, but he never takes his anger of the girl’s mother out on her. He begins to suspect that those who had raised her in secret for these years did.

He does get a little jealous about the little girl following MC like a duckling, but eventually the girl begins to wander around on her own.

She’s protective of him surprisingly. 

She’s also really surprised with Chicago and is so curious about everything. Saerys and MC are surprised to see her asking a lot of questions about Chicago. It’s the most she ever talked about

The demon souls do not like her initially, because she’s the child of the one who killed the demon race. Eventually they are nicer, but they still are wary of her.

Altea Bellerose 

The child is a five year old boy. One word...energetic. 

Altea checks and makes sure this isn’t a trick made by the WQ with non-invasive spells. He meanwhile talks the entire time she’s checking him

He runs around all over the place because he’s curious and excited because this place is so different from the village he had been living in. 

And there are a lot more places to hide in in the castle

This causes many times where they’re hunting for the kid as he’s found some other nook to hide in.

He also asks a lot of questions, to the point where it’s incessant. Altea takes it with flying colors. MC can barely keep up.

She decides if he gains abilities like his mother, she will train him. She refuses to let the WQ’s evil corrupt her son as well.

Her parents do not take seeing the kid well. Especially when they find out about his lineage. They had stayed out of the previous war, and now their daughter has brought the WQ’s spawn to their doorstep.

Altea is incredibly angry with them over what they say to him and about him. At least Lionel likes him

MC and Altea watch over the boy as he grows up. Him gaining magical abilities excites Altea who decides to train him.

So much mayhem in pranks. So much...

Reiner Wolfson 

The child is a four year old girl. She’s a very sweet girl, who is curious about things around her, but tends to be shy. In the beginning she’s shyer than normal due to everyone in the village ostracizing her.

Reiner is stunned by the little girl. Surprised that no one, not any of his spies or anyone informed him of the child. Stunned by the fact that the WQ had conceived a child during the war.

And angry that the WQ endangered and abandoned the child

He basically adopts her, even though some of the retainers initially object, because this could be a trick. MC is supportive, because that girl looks so alone

MC doesn’t voice who could also possibly be the father, because that she believes would hurt Reiner way more

When she starts coming out of her shell is when she begins to get curious about everything around her.

She still tries to keep her questioning to a minimum...Nanny didn’t really like her asking questions all the time.

Meeting her mother for the first time is startling. How MC acts is so different from WQ...and she finds that she’s frightened.by her mother. 

MC is protective of the girl as is Reiner. When they are sent to Chicago, she wasn’t with them and they both worry tremendously about her wellbeing (especially Reiner when he remembers). It’s even worse when they get back and find out she’s being held by the generals in the castle. Thankfully Ryland has been protecting her the best he can.

It’s a very joyous reunion when the three are reunited

Many nobles object with her being around Reiner when he’s declared King. MC might not be the WQ, but the girl is of the witch’s blood. 

It doesn’t go over well when they suggest she be sent away.

The girl might not have had the best parents, but Reiner’s going to make sure that she’s not raised alone and under suspicion.  

Iseul Idreis 

The child is a seven year old girl. She’s incredibly mature and self-sufficient for her age. Nanny didn’t really care about her, so she had to learn to take care of herself.

It doesn’t stop her from confusing MC with the WQ

Iseul is understandably hesitant to take on the girl as his ward. The political upheaval of taking care of the WQ’s daughter is

He’s also suspicious. He’s dealt with magic longer than any of his comrades, it wouldn’t stand out of reason that she was made solely as a means to infiltrate the ranks. Still...he would have thought the WQ would have employed her sooner

Reluctantly he and MC agree to look after the girl, who is just as suspicious about them as they are of her. She continues trying to do things at her own pace and taking care of herself.

Eventually they get used to each other and grow close. They’re protective of her.

Iseul worries about his mother meeting her.

However when Ishara does meet her, she’s actually rather kind to the girl, though she still is slightly suspicious of her.

She has a similar conclusion as Reiner had over the girl. She’s a child, and the girl proves herself that she’s not working in league with her mother.

She’s protective over Iris and tries to be as much of a big sister and friend as she can be

Helena Klein 

The child is a six year old boy. He acts very mature for his age but he’s still a very insecure kid

Helena is surprised as well. She can’t recall ever seeing a child

Still a quick spell and she has no doubt the boy is the WQ’s son.

100 things fly through her head, the biggest one being...WHEN.

When had this happened and where had she been? How did she miss nine months of the WQ being pregnant??

It’s something that nags on her mind for quite awhile, before MC snaps her out of it. It doesn’t matter when or where, or even who. The kid is there and obviously needs to be protected.

Helena agrees

Helena is protective of the boy, and is especially angry at how he was treated in the village. It hits a little too close to home for Helena and it takes all of MC’s attention so Helena doesn’t destroy the village with or without magic.

The boy is rather confused about what the big fuss is about him. Yeah sure he’s some son of a witch. What’s the big deal?

Helena watches the boy to make sure if he does have abilities he’ll be trained correctly. Not through pain and fear

Going to Chicago is startling for the boy because it’s so different than home.

He finds he doesn’t mind it to be honest.

He’s not as upset about Alain’s death, but he is worried about Helena and pretty much is glued to her side.

He decides to go with the two women back in Chicago. 

Alain Richter 

The child is a barely four year old girl. She’s a very curious girl and tends to get into more trouble than normal

Alain just stares at the girl, mind going about 100 miles per second.

The child the WQ told him was gone. That there had been no point in searching, is standing right in front of her.

He can’t deny it, because she looks just like the girl he knew as a child. There is no denying who this child’s mother is.

For MC that brings a whole slew of questions. Is this girl technically her daughter too?? She certainly seems to think so. Looking at Alain doesn’t answer too many questions.

Secretly she wonders if the child is the result of one of the moments of abuse between Alain and the WQ.

Alain doesn’t honestly know and that scares him more than anything.

He’s protective of the girl and MC is sure that Alain is going to wind up with more grey hairs with the amount of trouble the girl is getting into.

The girl suspects something is different about her mother when WQ is impersonating her, but can’t quite place what’s wrong. She’s scared when it’s revealed.

 The fact that the girl is with Alain and MC infuriates the WQ. MC considers it karma for everything WQ has done

She and Alain will raise the girl, and she’ll be loved, not used as a pawn

[mawritesbnha]

Hi! How are you? 👋😊 Hcs plz for Bakugo, Momo, Shinso and Shoto with a chubby fem so mybe from another country who is not a hero and being taken care of by Yamada and or Midnight and or Aizawa bc her family asked them to keep her safe and since their overprotective of her she keeps her relationship secret and they find out she is dating bc they walk in on one of their more intimate moments after they graduate UA and they go off on them bc they think it's a one night stand or smth lol hcs plz ty

So. I actually changed the request a little cause I had a hard time picturing the teachers going off like that on their student: Nemuri would honestly encourage any kind of encounter, serious or not. Shouta wouldn’t interfere, not on this matter. And Hizashi… I’m not sure. I think he wouldn’t be as comfortable with it as Nemuri and would care more than Shouta… But anyway these are their students, they’ve known them for a while, they trust them not to be jerks (you can have a one night stand and not be a jerk about it) and besides they’ve graduated from UA, they’re ‘adults’ now so it’s really none of their business…

Also, I didn’t know how to weave in the chubby and from another country part… I just don’t think it’s really relevant. But feel free to imagine their s/o however you want. I kept the fem part though cause I thought about something with Momo.

So, in the end this became headcanons about Katsuki, Momo, Hitoshi and Shouto being interrupted during an intimate moment with their fem s/o by an overprotective guardian. (you can imagine whoever you want as a guardian of course)

I hope you’ll still enjoy these darling 💖

Disclaimer : they’ve graduated, everyone is legal (I’m not going to describe the intimate moment but you know…)

Smoochies from Ma!

Katsuki

it’s not often you see Bakugo stunned and speechless

this is one of those rare times

it really takes him a minute to fully grasp what is going on

to be fair he was kinda lost in the sensation

when it finally dawns on him though, he’s internally freaking out

he knows he isn’t the perfect son-in-law type, the kind of guy you’d want your little girl to bring home

or at least he doesn’t look like it

he’s actually really serious about you and he loves you dearly (he’ll deny it if you say anything) and I do believe that, once he’s grown and a little more mature, Katsuki could really be husband material

but your guardian doesn’t know all this, they don’t know him like you do

all they see is this seemingly unstable, perpetually angry looking hedgehog taking advantage of you

Katsuki wants to clear the misunderstanding right away, not even bothering to get fully dressed (he just makes sure he’s decent)

but you actually have to step in at first just so your guardian would listen to him

he’ll stumble over his words a little (another rare sight), he just doesn’t want to mess this up, you matter too much to him, he has to make your guardian understand

you’d think he’d act all cocky like “she’s mine fuck off I don’t care if you don’t approve” but it’s just not what happens

he actually cares whether your guardian approves or not because they mean a lot to you and also they only have your best interest at heart, so he wants them to accept him

he’s ready to prove himself if need be

Momo

your guardian actually accuses her of going through a phase and using you to figure herself out

this really pains Momo

she was already mortified by the interruption

but this is different, this is questioning her love for you and she won’t accept it

she quickly covered herself, and you, to get some dignity back, before bowing deeply to your guardian

she apologises for many things : for the fact that you kept your relationship a secret, for them to have found out about it like that…

but she also (respectfully) says that she can't let them say something like that

she’d never play with you or use you in any way and she has no doubt when it comes to her feelings

she loves you, deeply, and she is very serious about your relationship

she tries to make that clear to your guardian and honestly I don’t know who wouldn’t believe this angel

Hitoshi

ohboyohboyohboyohboy

overprotective guardian?

secret relationship with that brainwashing guy?

some filthy hanky panky going on?

NOT LOOKING GOOD

this is a nightmare for Hitoshi

he understood why you wanted to keep your relationship a secret and he agreed to it (he also didn’t want people to talk shit about the two of you)

but this is what he feared: for your secret to be outed in such a disgraceful/uncontrolled manner

of course your guardian’s first and biggest concern is that none of this is consensual

I can see them actually pulling you away from Hitoshi and threatening him in some way

when they see you are not in any kind of trance they ask for your version

they refuse to talk to Shinso

which pains him greatly

at first he tries to explain himself

but when he sees them purposefully ignoring him even after you tell them that it’s alright, he didn’t do anything to you and he won’t use his quirk, he kind of retreats into himself

he gets dressed and awkwardly stands there, not wanting to just leave, he still wants to make everything right…

but your guardian lets him know that he should go, you need time to sort this out

Hitoshi will obey, for now

but, whether he is invited to or not, he’ll come back later to try and explain himself again

when your guardian finally lets him speak they have a very long and thorough conversation, going over everything that’s happened

Shinso makes his feelings and his determination to stay with you very clear

he also explains that he is used to people doubting him but that you trust him and that’s all that matters

even if they do not approve he isn’t going to give up on you unless you tell him to

but he still hopes they’ll give him a chance, if not for him then for you

cause he wants you to be the happiest you can be

Shouto

like with Momo, your guardian is afraid Shouto’s just confused/lost and ‘using’ you in a way

not the same way obviously, they fear that, because of his complicated past, Shouto craves affection but doesn’t really know how to deal with it and so has you think your feelings are mutual when he really isn’t sure about his own

Shouto understands this pretty quickly, as it is something that used to worry him

but not anymore, now he is sure that what he loves isn’t just the affection you provide, but you as a person

it bothers him that you got interrupted during such an intimate moment but I don’t think he’s really ashamed of it

you weren’t doing anything wrong, and a body is a body…

still he’d like to have a serious conversation with your guardian once he’s fully dressed again and on neutral ground (like if you were in your bedroom he’d like to talk to them in the living room or something)

he isn’t going to apologise for keeping your relationship a secret, that was your choice to make

he might apologise for the naughty stuff you were doing if it happened in their home, again not because it was wrong or anything, but because people are entitled to know what’s happening under their roof and have somewhat of a say in it

but if you were in your room then they really should have more respect for your privacy and not barge in like that (he doesn’t exactly say this out loud but your guardian gets the idea)

he’ll focus on making things clear for everyone

he loves you, he is certain of it and is very serious about your relationship

and there will be no further encounters in their home if they disapprove of it

but there will be other encounters

[musicprincess655]

Hey Itsuki!

This warning isn’t going to work at all, because I’m not actually talking to you, but it’s the only contact information I have, so it’ll have to do.

I’m coming back to Japan.

And more importantly, I’m looking at baseball teams. Most importantly, I’m looking at the BayStars.

I’m also looking at the Giants, because they made an offer and I’d be stupid not to take them up on it, right? They’re one of the biggest names, and they offered the most money. On paper, I should definitely be trying to join that team.

But the BayStars. Obviously, you play for them. You’re not the only reason I’m considering the offer. Building a team from scratch in America was hard work, but more fun than I could’ve imagined. I wouldn’t even have to do that here. You’ve done a lot, and that new manager of yours seems to have some good ideas. But you’re on the rise, or at least I think you are, and that has more appeal than I would’ve ever believed.

So yeah. This is your heads up, I guess, even if you’re not going to read this. I have to get on a plane now, so we’ll pretend I’m not a little offended that the Swallows are so pleased with Kazuya and Sawamura that they didn’t even make an offer, because come on, Sawamura isn’t that good.

Mei

Mei closes his phone, sits back, and sighs. This whole triumphant return to Japan he planned out is getting off to a bit of a rough start. He managed to make it to California just fine, but his plane across the ocean is delayed again, and he’s been sitting in the airport for three hours now. Ueda went to Japan ahead of him to start laying the groundwork for a new contract, which means Mei is here on his own, trying to find a way to pass the time.

He’s spent at least two of those three hours writing and rewriting that email to Itsuki.

It doesn’t matter, or it shouldn’t. Itsuki never responds, has probably never even opened one of his emails. Mei could’ve just said hey coming to see ur team lol and it would make no difference.

But this is different, somehow, from Mei spilling everything he feels, everything he still wants to tell Itsuki. This time, he’s affecting Itsuki’s life, the one he’s built without any input from Mei. He deserves a warning, even if he’s not going to read it, and he deserves the nicest one Mei can send him.

“Japan Airlines flight number 67 is now boarding.”

With a sigh of relief, Mei climbs to his feet, stretching out his shoulders. He’s in for a long, boring flight, and though a part of him can’t wait to touch down with a goal of permanence, most of him is nervous.

It’s not just because of Itsuki, although that’s a big part of it. Whether Mei ends up choosing the BayStars or the Giants, or another team ends up making an offer, being back in Japan will mean Mei is a lot closer to Itsuki, and it will be impossible for him to not try to make things right. He doesn’t know if Itsuki will let him, and doesn’t know how he’ll convince Itsuki to let him try.

But it’s also that Mei has been gone for the better part of a decade, and although Japan is home and will always be home, America is too. This trip is the beginning of the end of his time there, and Mei is going to miss the country that he’s made his home for all these years, the teammates and friends that have earned places in his heart, the city that, despite all its flaws, is still one of the coolest places Mei has ever lived.

And of course, there’s that fear that the Japan in his memories won’t match up to what he’s returning to. That childish fear that without looking at something, it will shift into an entirely unrecognizable thing, foreign and unknowable. Or that his memories, full of nostalgia, brimming with the rosy glow of being a high school baseball star, will be warmer than the reality.

Mei almost feels like he’s passing through a portal when he walks down the hallway to board the plane. Like this is a save point, and he won’t be able to go back once he passes through. It’s ridiculous, of course, because if he does get cold feet, he’ll be able to turn back.

But he doesn’t think he will.

For once, Mei manages to sleep on the flight. He even went to the trouble of selecting a window seat just to make sure he would have something to look at the whole time, and it doesn’t end up mattering. Mei falls asleep halfway through the first inflight movie and doesn’t wake up until the plane jars from landing. He blinks sleep out of his eyes, groggy and confused, until he realizes what happened.

All that time he was supposed to be preparing for this, and he just slept it all away.

Ueda’s waiting for him when he makes it through the twisting hallways to the front, and he gives Mei an approving nod. All that walking woke Mei up, and after sleeping for so long, it feels like Mei has caffeine soaring through his veins. He’s so awake he’s almost jittery.

“Do you have a checked bag?” Ueda asks.

“Yeah,” Mei says. “How’s it looking over here?”

“Mostly good news, so far,” Ueda says. “Negotiating with Japanese is a lot different than negotiating with Americans.”

“Unrelenting politeness?”

“I never thought I would ask for American rudeness back,” Ueda complains. “All this indirect talking around each other is exhausting.”

“I believe in you,” Mei says.

“I did manage to find a new agent for you,” Ueda says. “She seemed a little too timid for you at first, but she won’t let you get away with shit.”

That is, perhaps, the hardest part of this whole endeavor. Mei will no longer have Ueda as his agent. Ueda will be staying in America, after all, with his whole life built there, and Mei will need someone in Japan. Ueda can’t do it from across the ocean, and Mei would never ask him to move just for this.

“Ready to have me out of your hair?” Mei asks, only a little teasing. Just about any player would’ve been less high maintenance than him, and he knows Ueda’s done a lot for him over the years.

“You know, when I first met you, I thought I would be,” Ueda says. “You were like breaking into this business on hard mode.”

“Harsh.”

“But I’m not,” Ueda continues. “I’m actually really going to miss you.”

“Aw,” Mei whines to hide how touched he really is. “I’ll miss you too.”

“Talia says you’re always welcome to visit,” Ueda says. “And what she means is, she expects you to visit every so often.”

“How else will I turn your child against you?”

“I will revoke your uncle status, don’t test me.”

They’re out of the airport now, heading for a car that’s waiting for them. They didn’t plan anything for today, expecting Mei to be entirely wiped out from not sleeping on the flight, so Mei has an unexpected stretch of hours to kill. Once Ueda gets him settled into the hotel, he spends it wandering the streets, looking for pieces of the Tokyo he remembers. He’s much farther into the center of the city than he spent time in before, but he sees a few places he went with friends. Snickering at the memories, Mei turns back to the hotel before it gets too dark. They have a meeting bright and early with the Giants.

It’s a standard boring business meeting, and Mei only sort of pays attention. The most interesting part is his new agent. He and Ueda didn’t arrive in time to do more than hurried introductions, so Mei isn’t quite sure what to think of her yet.

Konoe An doesn’t seem like much at first. She’s pretty enough, about the same age as Mei, and not all that remarkable. After introducing herself, she’s just been quietly taking notes, letting Ueda lead the conversation. Still, if Ueda recommends her, there must be something special about her.

The best part of the day is when they let him test out the Giant’s catcher. Abe is also the captain, and he’s more than competent. Mei doesn’t have a single complaint about how they work together, and he hopes it doesn’t show that he’s waiting for something more.

“Not bad,” Konoe tells him after they’re done talking it out. “I saw your performance in the Olympics, but still, having so many different usable pitches is impressive.”

“You know about baseball,” Mei says. He’s not sure why he’s so surprised. If she’s an agent, she should know something about the sport.

“My ex was a pitcher,” she says. “He was pretty into college ball, so I was pretty into college ball.”

“What happened to him?”

“Dumped him for a catcher.”

“I like your style.”

They spend another week in Tokyo letting Mei familiarize himself with the team and talking out contract details. Mei sees his family, and his dad and sisters are overjoyed at the possibility that he might be coming back. His mom is the best, though. She’d accepted, all those years ago, that he was leaving for good, and she never expected him to return.

Then, when Mei’s anticipation and anxiety starts to peak, they make the short trip down to Yokohama.

He’s not sure how Itsuki will respond to him, and at this point, that will make or break this trip. He’ll be coming into Itsuki’s team, unannounced, and trying to find a place for himself there. At the very least, he hopes Itsuki’s coach let him know what’s coming.

Mei’s heart jumps into his throat when he sees Itsuki for the first time like a teenager with a crush. He tries to prepare himself for the disappointment he’ll feel when Itsuki looks at him coldly, like he did when they first met for the Olympics.

But it doesn’t come.

“Hello, Mei-san.” Itsuki doesn’t look thrilled to see him, but he also doesn’t look upset, and Mei counts that as a victory. Itsuki’s coach must have warned him after all.

“Hey Its…Tadano,” Mei corrects himself quickly. He doesn’t know if their old deal is still in place, but he’s willing to respect it anyway for as long as he has to.

“Ready to pitch?” Itsuki asks, holding up his mitt. Mei grins.

“Always.”

Abe of the Giants was good enough that Mei had no complaints, but now, with Itsuki, Mei has only praise. It’s nothing like their first practice for the Olympics had been. If anything, it’s closer now to how pitching felt in high school than anything else has ever been. Mei is so pleased he must be glowing.

“Much more impressive,” Konoe tells him.

“I agree,” Ueda says. “I was worried you might have the same issues as last time, but they’ll have nothing to complain about for you here.”

Mei might be thrilled beyond words that he and Itsuki can still work together, but he needs to talk to Itsuki before he can really get into contract negotiations. Unfortunately, it’s not until nearly the end of his week in Yokohama that Mei even has a chance to speak to Itsuki alone, and it involves Mei dragging Itsuki away from a practice and Ueda distracting the coach for him.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

Itsuki doesn’t look all that upset about being dragged away from practice, just curious.

“I won’t sign if you don’t want me here,” Mei says, trying to get the biggest points out in a rush.

“What?”

“I’ll go to another team if you think you don’t want to work with me,” Mei says.

“You can do what you want, Mei-san. I’m not in charge of you.”

“No, that’s not…” Mei sighs in frustration. “It was your team first. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable here. If me being here would make you feel that way, I won’t.”

Itsuki considers him very carefully, and Mei thinks he’s about to be told to leave. It wouldn’t be so bad, he supposes. He can still sign with the Giants, and he’ll be back in Tokyo, and plenty of his old friends live there, and it’s familiar and good. He could be happy there.

“It’s fine,” Itsuki says. “You could join this team. I would be fine with that.”

Mei gapes at him.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.” Itsuki rolls his eyes, and it almost feels like high school again. “What are we, teenagers? We’re both professionals, we can be on the same team.”

“We almost couldn’t,” Mei points out. “We didn’t click at all when we started the Olympics.”

“I think that gold medal proves we can work together anyway.” Itsuki considers him again, and then, slowly, raises a fist to Mei’s chest. “See you at spring training?”

Mei grins, heart in his throat, but for all the best reasons this time.

“See you.”

Later, Ueda and Konoe will go over all his options, will show him the money he could make and the deals he could secure, but Mei’s mind is already made up. He knows where he belongs now.

[originalhybridloverfics]

Olicity Dialogue Prompt: I’m Not Good Enough For You

A/N: If You are an LL fan, you probably want to skip this one. She isn't painted in the best light in this one.

The fancy dresses and suits, the champagne and classical music,  none of it was anything Felicity was accustomed to all that much. The fact that she was here now was hard to believe at times. What was even more mind-boggling was who she was here with. Oliver Queen. Starling City's most famous and notorious playboy. If you would have told her a year ago she would be attending a gala and going public with her relationship with Oliver,  she honestly would want to know what hallucinogenic drugs you've been smoking because a year ago it would have seemed so far from the realm of what was possible. The last thing she expected when she moved across the country to start her internship at QC was that she would start a relationship with Oliver Queen. A secret one at that. She had met him in his father's office of all places when she was sent upstairs because Mr. Queen had been experiencing technical difficulties with his computer. Mr. Queen had been nothing but professional and surprisingly enough, kind. However, he wasn't alone in his office. He was having lunch with his son Oliver who didn't even try to hide the fact that he was staring at her openly. Felicity ignored him for the most part only shooting him an annoyed glare twice but he seemed more amused in response than anything else. Not wanting to deal with a silverspoon playboy she had done her best to act like she couldn't feel his eyes on her. It was a relief when she finally left Mr. Queen's office. Fully believing that would be her last encounter with Oliver Queen.   She couldn't have been more wrong. He showed up at her cubicle two days later brandishing a brand new state of the art laptop that looked like a hammer had been taken to it, claiming he accidentally dropped it down a flight of stairs. Felicity didn't believe him for a moment and had no problem calling him out on his BS, telling him there were better ways to approach a girl than destroying the latest tech. Again, she thought that would be the last time she would see him. She was wrong again. Oliver showed up the next day with a cup of her favorite espresso, having apparently asked around about her wanting to ask her out. Felicity wasn't looking to be his flavor of the week and told him so but Oliver was persistent. He kept coming back. Felicity had ignored him for the most part however he started taking interest in what she was doing at work, how her week was, small things that shouldn't even matter to him. She didn't think he really cared or even listened when she talked but then he would say something that proved her wrong and gradually she started talking to him on her own without him prompting her to and the days where he brought her coffee evolved to him bringing her lunch instead and never once did he give up on asking her out. After two months Felicity agreed to one date on the condition that she didn't end up in a gossip rag. She may just be an intern but she worked her butt off to get here, it was bad enough her co-workers talked about Oliver coming to see her every day, she didn't need the entire city thinking she was climbing the company ladder so to speak by climbing the heir to QC. Oliver readily agreed to do anything she asked of him if it meant he finally got that date he been hoping for. Felicity thoroughly enjoyed herself on their date and wished she had said yes sooner. That one date turned into another and another and another and before she knew it they were secretly dating. And in the eight months, they had been dating Oliver had always let her know he would be okay with keeping their relationship a secret as long as she wanted no matter how much he wanted more. And if Felicity was being honest so did she. When his ex-girlfriend Laurel Lance started coming around it was the final push Felicity needed. She wanted all of Starling City to know her man was no longer on the market. He was hers and she was his.   Oliver had been thrilled she was ready to go public, showing his appreciation 10 times over. Oliver could be really really appreciative. Now, here they were at one of the city's biggest events, packed with Starling’s elite crowd, cameras and reporters. It was daunting but not nearly as daunting as meeting the Queen family. Robert had been welcoming, remembering her. Thea Queen was friendly enough besides one offhand comment that she didn't look like her brother's type but maybe his taste had finally improved since his last girlfriend. Oliver's mother,  Moira had been calculating at best. She didn't seem all that impressed that Felicity was from Vegas or that she now worked in IT, having finished her internship and accepted a job with QC. Moira seemed to soften though when Oliver informed her she graduated from MIT at the age of 19 with a Daul Masters degree in Applied Science and Cyber Security and had an IQ of 179. Felicity had been flattered that Oliver was so enamored with her that he felt the need to boast about her, not hiding just how proud of her he was for her accomplishments. Felicity, by the end of the night, wasn't sure why she had been so worried. She was just glad that Oliver's family seemed to approve of her. “Dance with me.” Felicity felt Oliver's fingers intertwined with hers, gently tugging her onto the dance floor. “This is nice, “ Felicity murmured, her arms looped around his neck. “Not as bad as you were anticipating?” Oliver wondered with an affectionate smile. “No,” she shook her head. “Not at all.” Oliver smiled, leaning down to press his lips softly against hers. Felicity hummed in response, arms tightening around his neck, Oliver's hands moved from her waist, cupping her face in his hands as he deepened the kiss. Felicity grasped the lapels of his suit jacket, arching up against him as their lips glided together, slowly, savoring. The flash of a camera had them reluctantly ending the kiss, Felicity looked to her left and saw a photographer on the edge of the room, her camera lens focused on them. Felicity cheeks heated and she turned back to Oliver burying her face into his clothed chest, her hands reaching beneath his jacket, fingers curling around his suspender straps. “I totally forgot we weren't alone.” She muttered and Oliver laughed. Felicity's head snapped up, glaring slightly. “I'm not seeing the humor about this.” Oliver smoothed his hands down her back, settling them on her waist as he grinned down at her. “I just really love the thought that kissing me can make everything else fall away for you.” “That's really sweet,” she smiled softly. “If we weren't currently the focus of a pap, I would be kissing you right now.” “Jessica isn't a pap. She works all the charity events my family sponsors. She's good and not someone we should be worried about.” “So, I'm not going to see a picture of us, making out on the dance floor tomorrow in the gossip rags?” Felicity challenged. “Not any picture Jessica takes tonight,” Oliver promised. Felicity nodded, deciding to take his word on it. “There you are man,” Tommy seemed to appear out of nowhere. “I need to borrow you for a few minutes.” Tommy grinned at Felicity. “I'll have him back to you in no time, Smoaky.” “Yeah, go ahead, I'll just get us some drinks.” Felicity waved him off. She had met Tommy a few weeks into her and Oliver's relationship when he walked in on them making out on Oliver’s couch. 5 minutes later and he would have been walking in on something else. Tommy was a whirlwind but she had gotten used to him popping up out of nowhere and his antics. “You look breathtaking in that dress by the way.” Tommy grinned. “Oliver’s a lucky guy.” “Yes, I am.” He leaned into her pressing his lips to her neck. “I'll be right back.” Felicity watched Oliver and Tommy cross the room and disappear into the crowd. Felicity walked up to the bar, waving the bartender over. “Hi, what can I get you?” “I know champagne is the drink of choice for events like these but you wouldn't happen to have any red wine would you?” she asked hopefully. “I do, I'll get you our finest.” “Make that two, please.” “You got it.” He filled two crystal glasses. “Enjoy.” “Thank you.” Felicity smiled, lifting a glass to her lips as she surveyed the room. “I hope you're enjoying your 15 minutes in the limelight.” Felicity turned to her right and saw Laurel Lance leaning against the bar in a purple dress that fit her perfectly, looking like she just stepped out of a magazine. “I'm sorry.” “Oh, C'mon, some lowly IT girl from QC dating the future CEO. Your intentions couldn't be more obvious.” Laurel replied with a condescending smile. Felicity’s hackles rose at the implication that she was nothing more than a gold digger. “You have no idea what you're talking about. My relationship with Oliver has nothing to do with my job or his family company.” “Your relationship,” Laurel repeated. “Even if you weren't using your body to climb the company ladder, you can't obviously believe that it's going to work out between the two of you.” “What could you possibly know about my relationship?” Felicity set her glass on the bar feeling the temptation to throw it in Laurel's face growing. “Your just Oliver's ex-girlfriend.” “The ex-girlfriend that has more history with him than you ever will. The same ex-girlfriend he always finds his way back to. I know Ollie better than anyone and it's only a matter of time before he realizes the glaringly obvious.” Felicity disliked the tone of her voice, the way she was looking down her nose at her like she thought she was something to be scraped off the bottom of her shoe. “You don't belong here. You are not good enough to be a part of his world.” Laurel's lip twisted into a sneer that was borderline smug. “And you are never going to be good enough for him.” Laurel's words cut at Felicity, exposing every fear she ever had about Oliver and her. She didn't belong in his world, she wasn't good enough. The Felicity Smoak's of the world did not end up with men like Oliver Queen. It was unthinkable. Still, she refused to let Oliver's ex see how her words struck home. “If Oliver is so attached to you and the history you share why is he with me?” Laurel features harden. “A few weeks with him is nothing.” “Try months.” Felicity corrected. Laurel's eyes widened. “Month's?” Felicity sighed. “I'm not going to stand here and fight with you. I have more self-respect than to fight over a man who has already made the choice of who he wants to be with.” She didn't wait for Laurel to respond, moving quickly through the crowd, the further she got away from the woman, the more her words echoed in her head, a harsh reminder of every fear she still had about her relationship with Oliver. She made her escape out into the empty hall, angry tears biting at the back of her eyes. She pressed her back against the wall, blinking back the tears. She didn't want to cry. It would ruin her make-up but more importantly, she didn't want to give Laurel the satisfaction of knowing she had gotten to her. She breathed deeply staring down at the marble floor however the sound of heels clicking against the floor had her eyes snapping open and she saw the photographer, Jessica, walking toward her hesitantly. Felicity was relieved to see her camera was nowhere in sight. “It's Felicity Smoak, right?” she asked. “Yes,” Felicity answered warily. “I'm Jessica Carter.” She introduced. “I know, it's probably none of my business but I saw you leave and you looked upset and I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” “Oh, I'm, no, I'm fine,” Felicity said as a hot flush of embarrassment washed over her. “Are you sure?” Jessica looked unconvinced. “Yeah, I'm sure. I mean, why wouldn’t I be?” “I didn't hear any of what was said but I did see you talking to Laurel Lance and it didn't look too pleasant,” said Jessica with an almost knowing look. “I'm not going to pry, whatever was said is between the two of you besides it isn't any of my business. I know it was probably about the only thing you two have in common. Oliver.” “Thank you for checking up on me, it was nice of you.” Felicity pushed off the wall. “If I can there is something I would like to say,” Jessica said with a kind look. “I have been to more of these events than I can even keep count,  I've seen Oliver bring all kinds of dates to these things including Laurel but I have never seen him look as happy as he did tonight when he was with you.” “Why are you telling me this?” Felicity wondered. “I just don't want you letting someone get in your head and ruining something that most people are not even fortunate enough to find.” “And what is that exactly?” Felicity had to ask. “Real love.” Jessica smiled softly. “Just try and remember that.” Felicity stared stunned, watching as the woman retreated back the way she had come. Love. That was what Jessica saw when she looked at them? When neither her or Oliver had ever said those words. Did Oliver love her? She thought so but what if she was wrong? What if Jessica was wrong? What if Laurel was right? What if it was only a matter of time before Oliver found his way back to his gorgeous ex-girlfriend? What if Oliver was only- “God, stop it with  the what ifs.” She muttered to herself. She stood straighter,  breathing deeply, steeling herself. She returned to the bar and found Oliver there, eyes scanning the crowd, searching. His eyes landed on her and he pushed from the bar immediately, his longs strides carrying him quickly to her. “Hey, where did you disappear to?” “I just needed a moment to clear my head.” His hands reached out landing on her waist. “Is everything okay?” No, it wasn't but did she tell him that? She had never lied to him before. “Not really. I think we need to talk.” Oliver winced taking a step toward her. “Those are words a guy never wants to hear from his girlfriend. It never leads to anything good,” his hands tightened on her waist Imperceptibly. “That's cause it's not,” Felicity replied, Laurel words ringing true in her mind. She didn't belong here. She didn't fit with Oliver no matter how badly she wanted to. “I don't understand. I thought things were going really well tonight.” Oliver said, his forehead creasing in honest confusion. “They were,” she looked around seeing they were drawing a crowd of onlookers including Laurel Lance. “Look, can we not do this here. People are watching.” “I don't care about them. I care about you and when something is bothering you I want you to be honest about it.” “You want me to honest? Fine.” She raised her chin higher, steeling herself.  “I don't fit here.” “Everyone loved you tonight.” Oliver protested. “More importantly you fit with me.” “Oliver,” she shook her head, strands of her hair fell out of place and grazed her cheek. “I'm not good enough for you.” Oliver's eyes hardened, his jaw clenched. “I've never-” “Stop.” Oliver’s voice was like steel. “Just stop.” He stepped forward, and grasp her elbows, tugging her even closer. “First of all, I have never heard anything further from the truth and if we were going down that road, I would be more concerned with not being good enough for you. I screw up all the time and you, your perfect.” “I'm not perfect.” Felicity denied immediately. “Your right because no one person is perfect but you are perfect for me.” “Oliver.” God, why did he have to say such beautiful words to her? He made it really hard to listen to her head and not her heart. “No, just listen to me.” Oliver pleaded. “Love is not about being good enough for someone. It's about how the person you love enriches your life, how you don't even want to think about what your future would look like without them and I'm telling you right now, I don't see a future without you. Not tomorrow, not 6 months from now. Definitely not 3 years from now.” His hands glided up her arms, laying lightly against her neck his thumb caressing the underside of her jaw. “Felicity Megan Smoak I am in love with you and you are the only woman I want to spend the rest my life with. I want everything with you.” “Oliver,” Felicity murmured, eyes shining with emotion, heart pounding in her chest in the best way. It was like his words and the love she could see shining through his eyes soothe away her fears and silenced Laurel's voice, her words in her head, eradicating her doubts. “I love you, too. More than I thought was possible.” She said quietly, wanting her words to only be for him. Oliver pulled her against him and closed the distance between their mouths, kissing her slowly, his lips glided over hers unhurried, pulling a quiet moan from the back of her throat that had him wrapping himself around her in response. Felicity grasped his shirt in her fist, pulling back barely an inch. “Let's get out of here.” Her lips brushed over his with every word she spoke. Oliver slid his hand down her arms, grasping her hand he intertwined her fingers with his own and led her out of the party without a word to anyone and Felicity followed a feeling of love washing over her.

Felicity heard the sound of her front door opening and closing, followed by approaching footsteps. She saw Oliver appear in the doorway, through the mirror she was currently standing in front of putting the finishing touches to her make-up. She wore a simple green dress. “Hey, you,” she smiled. “I'm almost ready to head to your parents for dinner.” “Take your time,” he walked closer, coming to stand behind her, scooping down to place a kiss against her neck. “I have something for you.” “Really?” Felicity turned to face him, her dress swishing at her legs. Oliver produced a white envelope. “Jessica stopped by the mansion today. She asked that I give you this. I wasn't aware the two of you actually formally met.” “We did at the gala a couple days ago.” Felicity accepted the envelope. “She was nice to me.” Oliver watched as she opened the envelope. “What is it?” Felicity pulled out a handwritten note. Felicity,  I thought you like to have this. A reminder of when it's real it's worth holding on to.

Felicity reached in and pulled out a photo and her lips parted in surprise. Oliver shifted behind her and peered over her shoulder. “Wow, that's a really good picture.” “Yeah, it is.” Felicity murmured. In the picture she had her arms around Oliver's neck, her fingers curling in the ends of his hands, Oliver’s arm was wrapped around her so completely, it looked like he was wrapping himself around her, he was staring down at her with this unguarded smile and his eyes shining with love, so much love. She turned her head to look at him. “I love you.” Oliver smiled and gently turned her in his arms. “And I love you.” He pressed his mouth to hers, silently wondering if it was too soon to ask her if she wanted to move in with him. They could find a place just for the two of them and start building their life together.

A/N: This one got longer than I intended. Honestly, I feel like this one could be turn into a multi-chapter story if I expanded on when they met, how they went from friends to lovers and all the moments leading up to the gala. I might even come back it at some point to expand on it.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this one.

Tags: @scu11y22 @almondblossomme @cainc3 @cruzrogue @1106angel @erika-amber @lageniuswannabe @hope-for-olicity @msbeccieboo @icannotbelieveiamhere