#ooh stunning

[tangerinecherrygal]

these are my girls

fire and blood

forgot to mention here, but this is inspired by ‘primrose and feather’ by alphonse mucha!!!

[angie-words]

I've taken annual leave from work this week and did you know you can actually get things done when you aren't exhausted?! /s

Anyway, on top of getting some life laundry sorted, I went to London for a bimble about. Highly recommend visiting Café in the Crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields - good vibes, good coffee, and a beautiful brass rubbing section, where one skeleton in particular looked very pleased about the whole thing 😏 (yes I am incredibly immature):

EDIT because I'm a forgetful twit: thanks to @ines2925 for suggesting the pairing for no. 8!

previous meme dump

next meme dump

[sketchy-tour]

✨DANDY COMMISSION APPRECIATION POST✨

Of course, being commissions I bought, none of these lovely beautiful pieces are by me. Credits (in order) @frillsand @weevmo @lanlishiba @parrotparfait @kandavers

I am!! GONNA attempt to gush about all these pieces without devolving into keysmashes or screams but like. A. AA. AAA. I was gonna say "yall have no idea how annoying I am about Dandy" but honestly you do. You all do because I shake my silly puppet oc around CONSTANTLY.

ANYWAY I JUST!!! AUGH! ALL OF THEM MAKE ME SO HAPPY!!! The fact I get to see Dandy in art styles I love and adore around the fandom fills me with a joy I cannot even DESCRIBE to you!! OOH I JUST!!! I love them. I love these pieces. I stare at them all the time and now I'm rattling them all around at you guys!!!!! LOOK!!! LOOK AT THESE LOVELY LOVELY PIECES RN AND CHECK OUT THE ARTISTS!!!!!

[m-kyunie]

marching forward through the Gates of Hell

[thatfriendlyanon]

gifts from God:

a navy blue bed-frame

a matching blue rug with an ornate pattern

a bridesmaid's dress that fits me perfectly & makes me feel beautiful

a bouquet of tulips

a fresh rose fallen on the side of the road

maroon converse, in my size & great condition

frames to house pictures that are dear to my heart

[6em4k]

[Love Pawsona]

"...What the fuck?"

[mondstalgia]

saying goodbye to Ai Di and welcoming new era DianDian

[domistique]

https://www.tumblr.com/abdicant/721316677864849408/looks-like-they-listened-d?source=share CHARBIE !!!! <3

CHARBIE!!!!

one of my favourite charlie arts...... i fantasize about him in a photoshoot with these on

[loadinghollows]

You know where she wants it..💦🤍💦

[silverselfshippingchaos]

(clenches fist so hard) I'M SO NORMAL ABOUT HIM IN THE MASK I SWEAR I PROMISE I'M NOT INTO THIS

[sadlazzle]

had to post some pics of rochelle cause she’s so beautiful n im in love. all the accessories look wonderful, the outfit looks twice as good in person. the only ‘complaint’ i kind of hav is her hair, which is .. well it could be better is all im saying. all in all she’s beautiful tho, and the hair isn’t something that can’t be fixed with a lil bit of work. also idk if u can see it but on the right side on the box art Roux is in the window sitting behind her !! that’s adorable

[anistarrose]

[ID: art of Eda from The Owl House in her Season 1 design. She's grinning confidently and holding her staff, gesturing with her other palm. Her hair billows behind her. It's a moonlit night, with a forest and a starry sky in the background. End ID.]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[leclercsainzz]

COOL FOR THE SUMMER

PAIRINGS: drew starkey x fem!reader

TYPE: social media au

A/N: their summer fling slowly turned into a deep and genuine connection, as they realized they couldn’t bear to be apart from each other

yourusername

liked by drewstarkey, hichasestokes and 799,972 others

yourusername: when in doubt, photo dump(:

tagged: @drewstarkey @madelyncline

view 7,736 comments

user: when in doubt, post drew starkey

user: MY MAN MY MAN MY MAN (drew starkey)

madelyncline: mom, i made it to the photo dump!

madelyncline: body so tea the british are coming 🫦

madisonbaileybabe: damn— im speechless 😍

user: drew is soooooo fine oml

austinnorth55: cutie 😘 @drewstarkey

↳ hichasestokes: more like HOT

↳ user: they’re just like me frfr

user: soooooo are you and drew dating or?!?!?

↳ user: girl— they’re just friends

↳ user: “friends” okay

user: MARRY ME??!? OMG 😩

user: i’m confused on whether they’re dating or not

user: BODY OMG

user: i get it, drew, i do

user: ma’am, i have feelings for you

user: she stays feeding us with the drew content

user: YN & DREW TOGETHER DURING THE SUMMER BREAK?

user: so ya’ll fucking or what?

↳ user: straight to the point, i like it 🤣

drewstarkey: who’s that fine man in the third post?

↳ yourusername: 🤷🏻‍♀️ just some weirdo i met

↳ user: so you admit he’s fine?!!?? 😏

user: how lucky of drew who gets to worship her bodyyyy

user: body goals

carlaciagrant: woah— she’s hot!!! 🥵

user: mother is mothering once again

user: body-ody frr

user: LORD PLEASE, PUT ME IN DREW’S SHOES 🙏🏼

user: the hottest girL ever, i swear

user: wowzers 🫦

yourusername

liked by jonathandavissofficial, drewstarkey and 801,028 others

yourusername: hot girl summer

view 5,927 comments

user: GIRL— thE last post?!?!?

user: that better be drew 🙂‍↕️

user: drew is definitely the one taking these pics 😉

madelyncline: did mamacita get her margarita?

↳ yourusername: she did;)

user: i looked at her post and sighed

user: that looks like drew’s hands, no?!??

user: drew and her DEFINITELY fuck

↳ user: i just know they fuck good!

↳ yourusername: we’re just friends

↳ user: LMAO “just friends”

carlaciagrant: SEXYY 😍

↳ yourusername: right back at you 💗

user: excuse me?!!!? the last post?!!? yn?!? what is this?!!?

user: @drewstarkey you lucky son of a bitch

user: the definition of mamacita is literally yn

user: his hand is under her hoodie?!!? HELLO?!!?

↳ user: i noticed it toOO 😭

rudeth: that last post? keep it pg, please

↳ user: LMAO

kelseaballerini: stunning girl

↳ yourusername: 🫶🏼 love yaaa

user: girl— is that drew?

fionapaloma: hottie

↳ yourusername: mwah 💋

user: ooh to be yn

drewstarkey: stunning

comment has been deleted

drewstarkey: you got lit, huh?

user: praying that is drew’s hand 🙏🏼

user: body goals fr—

user: yndrew nation rise up

hichasestokes: “friends” they say

comment has been deleted

user: idk if i wanna be her or date her

↳ user: i wanna be drew

drewstarkey

liked by yourusername, madelyncline and 819,937 others

drewstarkey: 🎭

view 5,849 comments

user: CHOKE ME OMG—

user: BUZZCUT?!? DREW GOT A BUZZCUT?!? 🫦

user: he just got 10x more fine with that buzzcut

user: is that yn in the third post?!??

user: HE REMEMBERED HIS PASSWORD 😭

user: um? the cake?!? hello?!? SAME

rudeth: i made that cake with extra love ;)

↳ drewstarkey: 🙂‍↕️

user: nOt rudy baking the cake omg

user: is that yn in the bed?!!?

user: biceps omg— 😍

user: the things i would do to have his hands wrapped around me

user: getting the buzzcut was THE BEST decision ever omg

user: if you zoom in on the third post, it’s literally yn

madelyncline: buzz 🐝

yourusername: thanks for cropping me out on the first post(:

↳ drewstarkey: this isn’t about you, darling

↳ user: DARLING OMG?!!??

↳ user: “we’re only friends” my ass 🙄

user: my man finally remembered he had an account

user: joseph andrew starkey 👅

user: babe, come home! the kids miss you

user: yn getting that everyday omgggg 😩

hichasestokes: ooh wow 😍

user: chill— my girl is on this app

user: everyone wake up! drew posted

user: that’s literally yn, no? there’s no way they’re “just friends”

user: he called yn, “darling” sbsolslandndssksodn

user: he can choke me till i pass out with those biceps 🥰

user: need him bibically

jonathandavissofficial: 🤩

user: getting that buzzcut was the best thing you could ever do

user: @yourusername lucky mf, i fear 😭

↳ user: she fr bagged my man

user: the man of my dreams

user: HOT

user: i need to touch grass omg makslspa

yourusername

liked by carlaciagrant, austinnorth55 and 837,026 others

yourusername: 🇮🇹

view 4,836 comments

madelyncline: my girlfriend

↳ yourusername: hii babyyy;)

madelyncline: SEXc 🫦

user: so that girl on twitter wasn’t lying

↳ user: what girl?

↳ user: this girl on twitter tweeted that yn & drew were in italy

user: MOTHER 😍

user: tHAT’S LITERALLY THE RESTAURANT OMG @user

↳ user: I STILL CANT BELIEVE WE WERE SOO CLOSE TO THEM

↳ user: so you’re the lucky girl huh? 😭

user: that’s definitely drew in the corner of the fifth slide

madisonbaileybabe: ooh lala mamacita 🙂‍↕️

↳ yourusername: te amo 🫦

see translation: i love you

drewstarkey: stunner

↳ yourusername: 😘

↳ user: i am NOT normal about this omG— ajdjsksnsns

↳ user: “friends” yea right

↳ user: they’re definitely dating

↳ user: biTch omg???!??

madisonbeer: gorgeous girl!

user: do you ever not look good?!?

rudeth: wow, you’re fancy, huh?

user: babes, you’re literally so hot

user: alexa— how to be drew starkey?

carlaciagrant: my god, you’re sooo fine

↳ yourusername: are we about to kiss rn 🙂‍↔️

user: feed = blessed

user: yes yes yes yes! 😍

user: i wanna be drew so badly omg

user: drop that white boy and come my way 😩

hichasestokes: where was my invite?

user: girllll 😍

user: wishing i was drew

user: hottie alert

imessage

chase — yn

imessage

madelyn — drew

yourusername

liked by kendalljenner, drewstarkey and 844,829 others

yourusername: tomfoolery

tagged: @madelyncline

view 5,528 comments

user: born to be her man, forced to be her fan 😭

user: please, drew is so lucky

user: stunning!

madelyncline: i love yaa, girlfriend 😘

madelyncline: HOTTTT

drewstarkey: pretty lady

↳ yourusername: 🙂‍↕️

↳ user: PARENTS OMG

user: okay bodyyy

user: ur perfect

user: so are her and drew together?

↳ user: YES

↳ user: no lol

↳ user: nothing has been confirmed so 🤷🏻‍♀️

user: OBSESSED with you omgg 😍

leahkateb: gorgg

↳ yourusername: noo, that’s youuu 🫶🏼

user: when you bless our feed >>

user: 😍 soooo stunning, i swear

user: body so tea

madisonbaileybabe: the hottest :3

user: yn, give me one chance

user: are we just going to ignore drew’s comment?

madisonbeer: hello, pretty girl 😍

user: mother

user: @drewstarkey give me my wife back 😭

user: you have the prettiest smile ever

user: yndrew who? we only ynmadelyn

user: her man is definitely the lucky one

user: what’s the deal between you and drew?? 🤔

user: i think we can all agree that drew took these pics

user: in love with youuu 😩

drewstarkey

liked by madelyncline, rudeth and 823,017 others

drewstarkey: 😼

view 5,037 comments

nick_v_cirillo: 😍 wow

↳ user: yn’s biggest competition has arrived

| liked by yourusername

user: gUYS— she likes my comment kmsbdjsns

↳ user: what comment?!!? 🤔

↳ user: the onE with nick being her biggest competition

user: hey baby daddy

user: Is THAT YN?!??

user: yn?!?!!?? 👀

user: the laSt slide 😭

user: HE’S BACKKKK

user: THE white boy of my entire life 😩

user: smash

user: @yourusername oooh girl, you’re sooo lucky 😭

user: “just friends” my ass

madelyncline: are you cheating on me:( @yourusername

↳ yourusername: NEVER, my love

user: the second photo has me going FERAL 😍

user: bitch— that’s literally yn in the last slide anskdndn

user: i’m so confused 😭 are him and yn together or???

user: question of the century tbh

hichasestokes: sexy

user: sexiest man alive, i swear 😍

yourusername: hot 🫦

↳ user: girl?!!???

↳ user: this confirms they’re together right?

user: the way he’s holding her 😭😭😭

user: i just wanna be one of your girls

user: he’s so fine omg 😍

user: oooh to be yn

user: the last post, i can’t—

user: drew starkey, my man

user: making the second slide my wallpaper

user: thats the loml

user: drew starkey, the man that you are 🫦

user: i NEED him sooooo bad

user: ON MY KNEES 🧎🏻‍♀️

user: yn, you lucky bitch 😭

austinnorth55: 🤩

imessage

yourusername

liked by rudeth, madisonbaileybabe and 875,940 others

yourusername: life lately with my favorite guy drew starkey 💋

view 5,937 comments

user: oMG OMG OMG

user: i just fell on my knees in walmart 😭

user: friends or???

jonathandavissofficial: oh? 😏

user: what— UH SINE WHEN?!!?

madelyncline: YAYYYYYYYYY

user: i thought they were just friends?!??? 🤔

↳ yourusername: we are haha

user: the fourth slide, hello???!?

drewstarkey: pretty girl 😘

↳ yourusername: 🫶🏼 ilyyy

user: wait— are you guys dating or???

↳ yourusername: just friends lol

↳ user: i’m confused, hold on— 😭 what?

user: “friends” LMAO

user: i love how she’s trolling everyone with the whole “friends” bs

hichasestokes: the hottest pair of besties

📌 pinned

user: friends who fuck, maybe

carlaciagrant: love you both!!

austinnorth55: your best friends hot;)

↳ yourusername: sooooo hot

user: baby girl, i’m genuinely confused 😭 are ya’ll together or?

↳ yourusername: he’s actually the loml

user: bItch the FOURTH SLIde????

user: wait, so they’re together together??

↳ yourusername: 🙂‍↕️ yuppp

↳ user: oMg oMG SHE CONFIRMED IT

user: MOM AND DAD 😍

user: tHEY’rE TOGETHER, IT’s cONFIRMED

leahkateb: hottie

↳ yourusername: besitos xx 😘

see translation: kisses

user: WE FINALLY GOT YNDREW 😭

user: about time, omg

user: theY’re so hot together

user: SCREAMING OMG

user: OMG OMG OMG AKANSLDLSBDKDKFJ

user: the second and fourth slide 😭

user: took my man just like that

user: it’s over for us yn girlies

nick_v_cirillo: ❤️

drewstarkey

liked by yourusername, hichasestokes and 885,836 others

drewstarkey: fun times with my favorite girl yn ln 🫶🏼

view 5,736 comments

user: its official, they’re together 😭

yourusername: hiii babyy

↳ drewstarkey: come give me a kiss;)

yourusername: SEXc 😍

user: the text message

user: confirmed obx cast is yndrew’s children

user: YES YES YES YES

user: i feel so single 😭

user: we’ve lost him, girlies

hichasestokes: hey dad 👋🏼

↳ drewstarkey: hi son

user: drew really bagged the baddest girl ever 😭 iktr

| liked by drewstarkey

madisonbaileybabe: my favs! 🥰

user: his sneaky link turned into his girlfriend 😔

madelyncline: my parents 🫶🏼

jonathandavissofficial: much love for you both

user: can ya’ll adopt me too, please?

user: @nick_v_ cirillo they took your man

user: they’re so hot 🫦

user: all aboard the yndrew train

user: we get it, you’re taken 😭

user: ooh you lucky girl @yourusername

user: i love when hot people date

user: FINALLY OMG

user: about time

user: yn’s sooooo gorgeous 😍

user: idk who’s luckier him or her

user: friends or dating??

user: its official anskkssn, they’re dating 🥳

user: thank goD he remembered his insta password

user: this man is sooooo fine 🫦

| liked by yourusername

user: i love them together omg 😭

user: they make such a beautiful couple, i swear 😩

user: mom and dad

user: their babies are gonna turn out cute

user: my family 🥺

user: hottest couple ever

user: yndrew nation rise!!!

user: he’s hot, she’s hot, they make a hot couple 🤤

user: SCREAMING OMG

user: it was about time omg ajajaksndnd

[dcxdpdabbles]

DCxDP fic Idea: A little bit of Home

One day, out of the blue, J'onn J'onzz asks if he could celebrate a Martian holiday. He hadn't before, seeing as the pain of losing his people and his home was too fresh, but he missed the holidays of Mars. He felt that if he didn't try to bring back some of his celebrations, then they, too, would be lost to death.

His teammates were happy to celebrate with him; they were touched by his sharing this part of his culture. J'onn explained that all they had to do was bring a childhood food item to feast on. He explains that on Mars, recipes were passed down for generations, and having the ancestral food of friends and family was the second most crucial part of his holiday.

They are then left stunned when he admits that the feast is traditionally held that same night, but he had been too nervous to mention it beforehand. He allows them to change their minds, but no one dares to.

Heroes pour out of the Watch Tower, racing home to begin cooking, and the Martian is told that as soon as they have something, they will return in time for the meal.

No one mentions the tears gathering on the smiling Martian's face. Nor do they say that his humanoid form falls away to his proper form, a rare occasion to witness.

J'onn then starts decorating the Watch Tower as the Justice League members work on what they will each bring.

He places a lot of shimmering rocks in patterns on the ground. They weave and curl through the hallways as members are careful with no stepping on them. He then has Batman help him find different minerals that change the color of sand used in gorgeous art portraits of each member. (The man was more than capable of sending him information while helping Alfred bake cookies)

It took a bit of flying around the world, but he was able to return to the tower a few hours later with all-natural colored sand. (Thank goodness for the teleportation technology Bruce installed)

By then, a few heroes had returned, each carrying a food or drink container.

Those he forms in the cafeteria where the feast will be held. A crowd of heroes stands around, oohing and ahhing, as J'onn uses his telekinesis to move the sands and create all of them simultaneously, putting on a show.

He is singing hauntingly beautiful songs while hanging colorful drapes around the walls in the last few hours leading up to the feast. No one could understand the words, but everyone agreed that J'onn had an incredible voice.

Clark, arriving with three Kent apple pies, smiles. "He sang that at my house on Christmas Day."

J'onn informed everyone that the event would be formal wear- and everyone showed up dressed to the nines. Heroes who still hid their secret identity- like Batman- had arrived in their costumes, but they had added bowties or some other little accessories to make it formal.

Seeing Nightwing fix the tophat on Batman's head while Red Hood was dressed in a lovely suit, forgoing his usual helmet for a red half mask, was..... enlightening.

A few drinks were served while people walked around admiring the sand painting that J'onn had made. He depicted not only the heroes but also multiple parts of the world, then a section of their best missions, and finally, paintings of good memories they had all shared.

It was like a walkable photoalbum.

Spirits were high as members enjoyed themselves, smiling at the memories and chatting with friends in the few peaceful times of their crazy lives. No one could hold in the gasp when J'onn finished getting ready and arrived at the party. He had painted himself in different shades of blue, beaming in pride at the praise for his cultural markings.

He asked everyone to sit, standing to pray in his native tongue. A few heroes bowed their heads, and others merely sat comfortably, waiting for the Martian to finish.

He picked up his cup, raising it high in the air with his hand

"Friends," J'onn started, voicing, choked up with emotion. "I thank you all for joining me today. It means the world to me that you come here to celebrate the King's Feast. May Phantom watch over you all and freeze all your enemies!"

His cup floats out of his hand, turning to the side so the water can fall out and take the shape of a strange D. J'onn bowes his head, crossing his arms and muttering more prayers.

John Constantine, who had been attempting to sneak bites from the steak and kidney he brought, drops his fork. He stares in absolute shock at the flouting water symbol above the martian before Zatanna slaps him on the shoulder. "Don't be rude!"

He points one shaking finger at the Martian, turning to her with a pale face. "The Martians worship King Phantom!?"

She blinks. "Who's that?"

John moves his jaw, but no words leave his mouth as J'onn finishes his last prayer. He then holds up a plate proudly, explaining what it is and why he chose it to share. He encourages every hero to do the same, so voices fill the air one by one as they present their offering and the memory attached to it.

No one pays much mind to the blond British man desperately drawing wards on the ground using his green-colored chalk. When asked what her husband was doing, Zatanna shrugs helplessly.

Likewise, no one notices some of the plates mysteriously lose some of their contents. The food appears on Earth in the room of a very excited Halfa, who feeds on the foods and the emotions weaved into the meals.

J'onn later claims that this Great One Day felt like King Phantom was slightly closer than usual.

[kinslayer-sapphire]

Eastern Roman Empire Flair! 🥳🤩

Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, the First of Her Name and her consort Prince Daemon Targaryen by the talented @danae-darthnoire who is an absolute gem and incredible to work with. Thank you for the birthday present, darling!

[keferon]

Chapter 3 of Blurr’s storyline in Mecha AU!

Previous chapter

“Speaking of Mechs.” continues Blurr, ”That thing's evacuation system sucks. What if you were stunned by the fall? What if something short-circuits and starts a fire???”

Swindle just clenches the glass in his hands. Feels the cold moisture of condensation dripping down onto his fingers.

“Then I'd burn.” he doesn't say

Under the cut⤵️

——————————————————

It's Swindle's birthday.

He thinks it is.

He's pretty sure.

Since he was taken into the program, it's always hard to tell. It's like time flows differently here. He had a calendar, but Brawl put it somewhere a while ago and then forgot where it was. And they're not allowed to have phones yet. Though Swindle assumes Onslaught managed to steal one from someone anyway.

Shit. Where's the calendar?

Swindle remembers the date, but can't remember the month.

There's a strange static tingling sensation in the back of his head. If he turns his head too fast, it'll grow into an unpleasant pricking pain.

The last time in the lab was disgusting.

He can't remember what month it is. He's not even sure why it bothers him so much. Not that birthdays mean anything within the walls of the program.

He stops in the middle of the living room and looks around with a meticulous eye. He's already checked the beds, desk, and nightstands...hah.

“Hey have any of you seen my calendar?”

Vortex, sitting on top of the bunk bed shakes the ash off his cigarette right down into Blast Off's lap.

“Nope.”

“TEX YOU'RE LITTERING ON MY BED.”

“I could have ..torn it up” offers Brawl from across the room.

Swindle turns on his heels and angrily rests his arms at his sides.

“You tore it?”

“I might have,” Brawl scratches the back of his head.

Swindle pinches the bridge of his nose

That's fine. Not that he cares that much. Not that any celebration at all would save the crappy day.

He has some new “experimental” medical procedure scheduled for later, which generally means suffering. Or if he's lucky, some critter will attack the city and instead of squirming on the slab, he'll have to go cuddle with huge nasty beasts. Which is slightly better than the actual procedures. He'd like that to happen. If only his head would also stop buzzing....

“Happy birthday to me” Swindle thinks, sticking his Mech hand under the plates of a particularly ugly monster and pulling something disgustingly oozing green blood out of there. He can see the faces of the random gawkers who didn't have time to evacuate. Ooh, some of them got that nasty stuff on their faces. Swindle has no time to feel sorry for them.

The monster did attack, but it's entirely possible that this monster ended the last meager supply of luck Swindle had. Because somewhere. Something. In his head begins to hurt again and the world in front of his eyes begins to slowly blur and..

ahh FUCK….

The monster grabs him knocks him to the ground and Swindle can literally feel in his bones that something's wrong, but the data from his Mech doesn't give him any useful information. Which isn't that uncommon. These things are glitchy as hell and aren't designed to recognize anything but the most basic popular malfunctions.

The word “error” shines mockingly in his face. Blurring in his eyes and reflecting in red on his uniform.

Error, error, what the hell is this error. He needs to know what's wrong so he doesn't accidentally kill himself, but all this bucket offers him is oops. You're in trouble teeheee~

He can hear the sound of Blast Off's giant cannon in the distance. And the loud rumble where Vortex and Onslaught are trying to get out of the ring of monsters.

His Mech is unresponsive. His damn machine refuses to move and Swindle isn't quite sure if it's the Mech that's the problem, because his head feels like a piece of raw rotten meat and maybe the error meant that what's broken is him.

The monster leans over him, trying to rip off whatever it can rip off and thank god this thing apparently isn't smart enough to realize that the Mech is controlled from the head because it's aiming straight for his chest.

He needs to get out. If he can't get this thing to move, he needs to get the fuck out of it before the alien gets him.

He manages to open the emergency hatch and quietly slip out and ohhhh the world is spinning, this is not bloody good.

He manages to take a few steps before a loud B A N G comes from somewhere above and IS THAT A TRAIN???? Who in their right mind would think of using a fucking train as a throwing weapon???? Is that Brawl? It's got to be Brawl. Oh, Swindle is so gonna kill him.

Because (sadly) in addition to the monster, the train and Swindle, there's also physics involved in this circus.

So while the monster is effectively brought to rest and knocked sideways with a hole in it’s head, the train stops its forward motion and starts its downward motion.

Right onto Swindle's head.

He just has time to think that dying from a train falling out of the sky is a pretty creative death. His legs are shaking, his head is buzzing and he only manages to take half a sluggish step in an attempt to avoid the inevitable when a loud “MOVE” comes to his ears and something yanks him to the side.

The tug sends fire down his spine and head. The ensuing landing reverberates with pain in his shoulder and sides. He barely has time to process the first two sensations until a moment later he hears a rumble so deafening that he thinks his eardrums are about to burst.

Swindle props himself up on his elbows and hisses in pain as the movement causes the back of his head to sting.

“Ah I'll fuckin' kill him...”

A voice comes above him

“Ouw dude. You okay?”

There's.. Some teenager hovering over him. And behind him is lying...the wrecked train...right where Swindle himself was standing a second ago.

The strange teen frowns worriedly and pulls Swindle upright and drags him somewhere else

“Come on, it's best not to be in the open during monster attacks”

“Ah” thinks Swindle ”right. Without Mech you're a pathetic tiny piece of chop begging to be stomped on by Brawl.”

He tries to focus on balance so he doesn't hang too much on this kid.

They find the nearest unlocked door, which turns out to be the entrance to an underground bar.

“So” says the stranger, letting go of Swindle and shaking the dust off his hair ” You're a pilot! That's so cool, but you're kinda small for a pilot.”

Swindle sighs sullenly.

“I'll let you have that one comment about my height because you helped me, but next time you're dead.”

“Helped? I saved your ass.”

“Helped a lot” says Swindle grudgingly. “Thanks.”

The teen laughs and climbs into the bar. It's a mess everywhere, people clearly evacuated in a hurry and threw everything in haste.

“What's your name? Oh, or, wait. Do you guys use code names? I've heard pilots call each other by call signs, but half the time those call signs sound so dumb, I don't see how they can respond to that.”

He waits for the kid to cut off his flow of words to take a breath. Man, what a chatty boy.

“You can call me Swindle.”

“Kay” the kid pulls out a couple glasses ”I'm Blurr. Would you like something Swindle? I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty good at mixing cocktails.”

Swindle looks around the room suspiciously. The bar, even though it's underground, looks pretty good. Too good, in fact. The place is clearly not for the poor.

He walks over to the bar and climbs onto a bar stool. There's no one else in here but them, but the electricity is on so he doesn't doubt for a second that they're being filmed by a security camera right now. Maybe a few even.

Blurr throws him an expectant look.

Swindle pretends to go through his pockets. As if there could be money in them out of nowhere. Then he makes a comically confused face and spreads his hands.

“Oh, no, I think I left my millions at home. What's the cheapest thing you have?”

Blurr snorts.

“Ice is free.”

“I'll take the ice then” nods Swindle.

There is a loud rumbling sound above them. It must be Vortex having fun again bouncing on the aliens that have fallen to the ground, crushing their heads.

Swindle is just. He takes off his helmet, takes a glass of ice and presses it to his head enjoying the way the nasty buzzing recedes.

Blurr waits for the rumbling to recede before speaking again.

“But really. You're a pilot but...uh. Are you even old enough to drink?”

Swindle sends him his best grumpy look. It's not exactly a joke about his height, but it's damn close.

“Are you old enough to pour?”

“Sure,” says Blurr too fast for it to be true. If Swindle had to guess, he'd say the guy in front of him is no older than seventeen. The tattered jeans and the T-shirt with the F1 logo printed on it definitely don't help. And, hey, those headphones look very expensive. So do the sneakers. Kid's clearly from a wealthy family.

Blurr pulls out a bottle of syrup from somewhere and pours it straight into his mouth. Doesn't miss, which is amusing. Doesn't wince, which is frankly impressive. Swindle feels the unbearable sweetness just looking at him.

It suddenly hits him

“Hey, do you have a phone?”

“Sure,” Blurr pours himself more syrup. Swindle twitches.

“What's the day today?”

Blurr's mouth is full of an unimaginable amount of sugar, so he just pulls out his phone and turns its screen toward Swindle and oh...oh. He was wrong about the date. And the month, too. It's not his birthday. His birthday was a week ago...

Does that mean he must be nineteen now? Yeah, that makes him nineteen.

Blurr takes the phone back and slips it into his pocket.

“Your face looks funny.”

“I just realized it's my birthday today,” smiles Swindle.

“Oooooooohh~~~” rejoices Blurr ”Congratulations! It's kind of poetic that you almost died just today. Can you imagine how funny the numbers on your tombstone would have looked.”

Swindle chokes on air.

“That's certainly a very appropriate comment, thank you...”

“Sorry haha said without thinking.” Blurr reaches under the counter again and pulls out a bottle from there “Hey, they have more syrups!”

There's another loud rumble from upstairs.

Blurr presses his head into his shoulders and stares up at the ceiling as if hoping to see something through it.

Swindle puts his elbows and head on the tabletop

“Don't worry, it's just Brawl.”

Blurr doesn't take his eyes off the ceiling

“ You can tell that by the sound of falling concrete?”

Swindle lazily dangles his feet. The chair is high and even the toes of his shoes don't reach the floor.

“Brawl is the loudest. And the heaviest, too. He's always crashing into everything, throwing things and breaking things too. You can hear him a mile away.”

He pauses to listen

“And that kch-ooooooooomm is Blast Off's cannon. It's some super rare experimentally advanced one, so it sounds like something out of a space movie. He couldn't stop bragging about it for half a year when he got it.”

Blurr chuckles and leans his elbows on the counter, relaxing.

“ And this...uh...what's this?”

“That's Vortex, he's our local lunatic. Best not to listen too much to what he does, it's almost always disgusting in ways you would never even consider.”

Blurr makes a disgruntled face and is silent for a couple minutes.

“It's weird hearing you call them by their names. I mean, I kind of always knew Mechs were run by people but you guys are never seen, so most of the time it's just.. Huge robots and huge monsters. You know what I mean. I was actually surprised when I saw you get out of that Mech.”

Swindle just nods. Because, what else is there to add.

“Speaking of Mechs.” continues Blurr, ”That thing's evacuation system sucks. What if you were stunned by the fall? What if something short-circuits and starts a fire???”.

Swindle just clenches the glass in his hands. Feels the cold moisture of condensation dripping down onto his fingers

“Then I'd burn.” he doesn't say

Blurr doesn't seem to notice his glum mood

“Oh, hey. If it's no secret, why did you go into piloting in the first place?”

Because he had no choice? He can't answer that, that information isn't for civilians.

Because he didn't know what he was getting into until it was too late? That's not vague enough either.

Because he was up to his neck in debt and barely into college before a smiling man showed up on his doorstep and offered him good money if he agreed to a couple tests...?

“I had to do it for the people.” Swindle decides to repeat a line of propaganda.

“Ohhhh.... That's...a good reason. The monsters are disgusting, of course. But the reason is cool.”

Swindle just. Holds his glass of melting ice, listens to Blurr's mutterings, and enjoys the peace. This random teenager is not his superior or colleague and has nothing to do with the organization at all. Swindle doesn't have to remember to salute or follow orders or fear being reported to his superiors.

He can just. Be.

Just him and his free ice and his saved for free life.

That's. Sweet.

Blurr's drinking syrup again.

...and a little disgusting.

—————————-

Brawl jumps out of bed, hits his head on a shelf hanging on the wall and drops everything on it onto Blast Off's head

“Swindle!!!” yells Brawl.

“Why are these books sticky???” shrieks Blast Off.

“You don't wanna know~” giggles Vortex.

Swindle sighs.

“You're alive!!!” ignores Blast Off Brawl's complaints. And a second later runs up and pulls Swindle off the floor in a crushing bear hug.

Behind them, Blast Off, with his face wrinkled in disgust, gathers all the dropped books back onto the shelf.

Swindle wheezes pathetically and slaps Brawl's arm with his palm, either to reciprocate the gesture or to beg for mercy

“Br...khaaaaah...Brawl I can't breathh.”

“OH. I'm uh. Here. Wait.”

Brawl puts him back on the floor and runs back to the shelf.

Onslaught, who has peeked into the room, puts a hand on Swindle's shoulder

“You've been gone a long time. Boss said you tried to escape.”

His tone isn't judgmental. And not pressuring. Not even questioning, but Swindle knows Onslaught wants more information. Swindle clutches a piece of napkin with a phone number in his pocket and smiles weakly.

“I've found a...friend? I think?”

Onslaught nods. In a manner that only he knows how to do. Not giving an opinion, not encouraging or condemning. Just taking in the information. Swindle admires him for that.

Behind them, Brawl pulls some piece of paper out from under the books that have just been put away and drops them again

“FUCK!” yells Blast Off. Vortex just starts hooting like a hyena.

“Hey Swindle I found the calendar!” yells Brawl waving the paper.

Swindle frowns in surprise.

“It's a different calendar...”

“I found you a new one.” nods Brawl.

“...Why...is it...it's torn in half?”

“It had stupid flowers drawn on it, so I ripped them off. And I accidentally ripped off more than I needed.”

“Ah,” says Swindle, clutching the calendar, ”That's...Thanks. I forgive you for losing the previous one.”

Behind them, Blast Off is trying to strangle Vortex with a jacket.

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

Blurr waves his arms happily like a hyperactive windmill.

“Swindle!!!”

Swindle smiles and adjusts his glasses

“Your party can be seen from across city.”

“I know~~” primps Blurr “Are you hungry? There was a snack table around here somewhere.”

“I didn't bring any money.” lies Swindle.

“Hey man, it's a party. Help yourself, it's free.”

“Оh.” Swindle's mood instantly brightens. “All right, then.”

“You look terrible” Blurr decides to share.

Swindle, busy shoveling food into his pockets, nods.

“I've had a rough week. Actually, it'd be cool if you didn't tell anyone you saw me here. I'm kind of not supposed to be here.”

He doesn't elaborate.

Blurr is a civilian. In his mind, a rough week is rude people or an exam or bad weather. Swindle's bad week is strap marks on his wrists and double vision. It's nausea from injections and sleepless nights because Vortex won't stop screaming in his sleep.

Blurr doesn't know that. With him, Swindle can pretend to be somewhat normal.

-----------

“Heeeeey“ says Blurr ‘I haven't seen you in a long time~"

“That” thinks Swindle ”is a pretty standard phrase for both of them.

Blurr looks older. Taller too. He was taller than Swindle before, but now that difference is starting to look almost comical. He's also flaunting a cast on his arm.

“Did you get hurt?”

“Didn't make a turn at training” waves Blurr off “It's no big deal. Wanna go find something to eat?”

Blurr is always trying to feed him, Swindle notices over time. Offers him drinks or snacks or whatever.

“ I like your uh..cap?”

“I got a promotion” Swindle smiles proudly “Me and the guys were made a special group...actually you're not allowed to know more than that, so you'll have to take my word for it when I say we are officially cool.”

He purposely adjusts his cap by the brim so Blurr can get a good look at it.

Blurr makes a delighted sound. Something between a “wow” and a giggle. He generally makes a lot of sounds all the time. Tapping his fingers on every hard surface, stomping in place like he's always late for something, laughing, whistling, clicking his tongue. A human orchestra.

__________

Onslaught sits down next to Swindle and clutches his hands in his lap in front of him. This makes the bed legs squeak pitifully. Onslaught has grown surprisingly large. He can almost rival Brawl in height already. Most people find that intimidating, but Swindle just thinks Onslaught is like a wall. A big, solid concrete wall that's so good to hide behind.

“Be careful with what you tell this guy.”

“Don't worry” says Swindle ”He's not the type of friend you tell secrets to. He's just a fun dude who's great to hang out with.”

Onslaught hums.

“And who feeds you for free.”

“If that's how you're trying to ask me to share, you're not doing a very good job.”

Vortex snaps his fingers as he walks past them

“Hey Swindler, the lab is closed for today. It's your day off.”

“Wha...”

Onslaught tilts his head.

“Vortex. What did you do?”

“I spat in their dna sample vault” proudly proclaims Vortex “and didn't tell them exactly where.”

-----———————-

Blurr frowns.

“Hey...are you okay?”

“No” thinks Swindle.

“My friend died” he says instead.

He's not okay. He feels like an animal caught in a beartrap, trying to chew off its own paw to get free.

Except the trap is closed around Swindle's head and it's not a body part he can afford to lose.

There's been a lot of talk. Even more rumors. Swindle listened but tried not to believe.

And then one of pilots, Shockwave… was taken to the lab and brought back a different damn man and it felt like Swindle had the rug pulled out from under his feet with hot coals underneath.

Because Swindle's boss, with his stupid, rehearsed smile, started writing reports about how “human personality flaws are something that can be fixed. That challenging behavior is something that can be repaired with tools.

Blurr freezes.

“Who?”

“Vortex.”

Because of course it's Vortex. Talented but difficult to handle. Powerful but uncontrollable.

They wanted a pilot who would be a beast on the battlefield and a loyal dog on base. And who else would be a more ideal test subject than him?

Vortex was being very rude that day, even by Vortex standards. Yelling and swearing and throwing things around. Kept saying that no shitty lab could make him “a fucking puppet.”

Scratching the stitches on his head until he started leaving a trail of blood behind him.

He went on a mission.

And never came back.

The reports said it was all the monsters' fault. That Vortex was unstable. That the accident had nothing to do with the new technology. But it was nevertheless suspended.

Swindle is both bitter and amused by this. Vortex would eat the same monsters for breakfast any other day. The bastard was unkillable.

“Oh my god” says Blurr “I'm so sorry to hear that.”

He says something else. Probably comforting. About how Vortex died protecting people, maybe. About Vortex being a hero.

“Vortex,” thinks Swindle, ”loved life. He loved adrenaline and danger and pain and thrill and fear, but he never wanted to die. They did something to him. Something that made him go over the edge.”

Vortex got his head in the trap and ripped it off to escape it.

Swindle knows him and the others are next. And knows that no one but themselves can help them.

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

Blast Off seems...very quiet. He could never stop complaining about Vortex before. Yelling about the garbage. Resenting the unmade bed and the cigarette ashes.

Vortex's bed remains unmade.

Blast Off regularly cleans everything up, but never wipes away the little circles of ash from the places where Vortex used to put out cigarettes on the furniture.

Onslaught puts his hand on Swindle's shoulder and squeezes. Not hard. Just enough for Swindle to register the gesture as important.

Standing nearby, Blast Off lights a cigarette and leans on Onslaught.

“Ons told me about your plan. I want to join in.”

“What kind of plan? Can I get involved?” inquires Brawl.

Onslaught sighs.

“Repeat after me - I don't know, they don't tell me anything.”

“I don't know, they don't tell me anything.”

“Good job” nods Onslaught “From now on, every time they ask you any - listen. Any! Question about us, you will answer them with this phrase.”

“Got it,” grins Brawl.

Swindle smiles.

“Gentlemen, it's time to violate all that is written, and rewrite all that is violated.”

__________________

Blurr lazily takes his eyes off the phone. He's wearing a racing suit and tons of hairspray. He's shiny and gleaming like a fine collectible figurine that should be on the shelf of an expensive exhibit. He's also bored.

“Sorry buddy, the interview is long over, if you have any questions you'll have to pay for the session.”

Swindle smiles.

“How about one tiny little question?”

Blurr makes funny big eyes.

“SWINDLE!!! I haven't seen you in a thousand years! You...oh I didn't recognize you haha sorry. Nice coat. You quit being a pilot?”

Swindle proudly adjusts his glasses. He's wearing a brand-new, ironed shirt that's exactly his size. Nice neat tie, expensive coat. Swindle isn't surprised Blurr didn't recognize him immediately. Sometimes he looks in the mirror and doesn't recognize himself. After all those years of wearing the pilot's uniform, he felt almost attached to it. And yet here he is.

“You could say I moved.” he winks snarkily, “Up. All the Mechs you see on the streets now are my Mechs~”

Blurr completely forgets about his phone.

“REALLY?? Oh man congrats to you!”

“Thanks” nods Swindle ”You want something to drink? I'm buying.”

———————-

Onslaught adjusts his tie. It's still, years later, a little strange to see him in a uniform instead of a pilot's suit.

“You do realize it's going to be hard to find a person like that, right? We need someone famous enough to be effective and dumb enough to want to save mankind instead of sunbathing on a yacht.”

Swindle adjusts his glasses and leans back in his chair.

Someone outgoing so they can quickly befriend all the right people. Handsome enough to have their face printed on a poster. Smart just enough not to say too much. And not associated with Mecha program so they can't be accused of trying to get promoted through their acquaintances.

Someone who already has everything but still willing to put themselves at risk for the cause.

“You know, I think I have a possible candidate.”