#robyn jr

[musicals-and-mushrooms]

the shakespeare code really is the david tennant episode ever. hes the doctor. he talks to shakespeare. harry potter references. goes to a mental hospital. atrocious and oblivious with feelings.

[orchideous-nox]

hi 🤭🤭 i'm hear to ask for your fave rosekiller recs

hiii ahhh okay rosekiller thinking cap on. I had an ask a couple of weeks ago which had some specific criteria, so outside of those ones and obviously my own but I'm not going to be an asshole and link all my own fics, the immediate fics that come to mind:

show me those pretty white jaws by 214lilacsky/ @honeybcj

Any of @futurequibblerjournalist's Rosekiller one-shots that aren't already on that list (like outside of being besties, I just love his Rosekiller).

I included most of my favourites in that first ask that I linked, but my mind is completely blank. Funnily enough, and this will surprise some people, I don't read much Rosekiller because I'm very specific with their characterisation and dynamic when I read them.

[rvxen]

"ALL QUEER LOVE No. 1"

Recontextualized public domain image

Procreate on iPad Air

True Grit Texture Supply and RetroSupply Co. brushes and textures

2024

haven't hand-lettered in a while, whew!

thankfully it was approved by the Cosmic Code Collective and is allowed to see print!

A preemptive Happy Pride Month to you all

[femmefataleart]

Robyn Hood by Ron Leary Jr

[saveme-storybrooke-potc]

Georgie: My stomach hurts. Zelena: What did you eat? Georgie: Some mints that were in Robyn's room. Liam ii: Robyn! Robyn: What's going on? Liam ii: Georgie took some of your mints and they made him sick. Robyn: What mints? Georgie: The ones in the little tin in your coat pocket under the bed. Robyn: Oh! Those mints. They were probably just stale. How many did you take? Georgie: 5, Monday through Friday. Liam ii: What do you mean Monday through Friday? Georgie: They were all on a wheel. She had about a month's worth.

[hannahhook7744]

Zeliam kids moodboards;

Robyn Margot Johanna Mills-Locksley-Jones the 2nd, the 8 year old daughter of Zelena Mills and Robin Locksley. Adoptive daughter of Liam Jones the 2nd. She is the oldest of her siblings and an adventurous, magic welding, heroic archer.

Macon Dorian Mills-Olympian-Jones, the 6 year old son of Zelena Mills and Hades. Adoptive son of Liam Jones the 2nd. He is a magic welding, baking, dancing smart alec with an affinity for hats.

George "Georgie" Brennan Mills-Jones, the 3 year old son of Zelena Mills and Liam Jones the 2nd. He is a slightly spoiled, clingy, monkey loving, envy striken boy who loves his family very much. This is @saveme-storybrooke-potc 's oc.

Hayden "Hadie" Prometheus Mills-Olympian-Jones, the 6 month old son of Hades and an unknown woman. Adoptive son of Zelena Mills and Liam Jones the 2nd. He is a loving, playful, curious demigod who can't quite control his powers yet.

[lobbycards]

Conquest of the Earth, Mexican lobby card. 1980

[raebaekaedae]

Volume One, Episode Fifteen: “Bond”

Series: SCWR Rating: PG-13 (Foul Language, Violence against Fantasy Monsters, Violence) Summary: (5,190 words) “In part two of the thrilling finale, an unforeseen bond just might be the edge Hadrian and Blue need to save themselves. With one bleeding out and the other severely injured, it’s going to take a miracle to get out alive...”

Read on Wattpad

The sound of his desperate scream echoed back at him. He felt the ground beneath himself shake as tiny particles vibrated and bounced near his feet. Suddenly, the air in front of him shifted into waves. Blue was thrown forward onto her stomach with a start as the deafening sound beat into her back. With only his voice, Haddy managed to push the grimm back as they had to dig into the ground with their claws to keep from flying away.

Ollie...?

He had no idea what was happening, but he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip. Haddy continued his scream, taking a few hesitant steps forward before breaking into a full-blown sprint. He felt his aura priming as he charged ahead. His lungs were on fire, his ears bled, but he kept up his sonic attack. He couldn't hear the scratching of claws on dirt as the Beowolves and their Alpha were suddenly thrown from their desperate attempts to stay grounded.

The creatures of grimm were flung back into their cage as they slammed into the wall with a painful crack of concrete. The door could no longer hold as it crashed down, trapping the beasts inside. Haddy was starting to see double, unable to breathe as his voice slowly dimmed and returned to normal. He fell to his hands and knees, gasping in desperate breaths as he tried to regain what little composure he had.

He wasn't sure if his eardrums had ruptured, but for the first time since he and Blue were flung into the arena, it was silent and he was left grappling with the ghost of his past.

She was at his side in an instant, skidding down and placing her good hand on his back. It didn't burn. As his chest rose and fell in jagged motions, he reached behind him and ran a hand down his spine... it was healed; scarred, but healed. That was when he felt a punch to the gut as his aura began to drain away, seeping off of him in waves.

"What was that??" Blue asked in disbelief, well, that answered the question of whether or not his ears were busted, "H-How did you--?"

She was cut off when an irritated yell tore their attention back up to the stands. Many of the patrons who'd paid to see their fight to the death had fled. Haddy witnessed the true extent of his sonic scream as cracks crept up the concrete walls, dislodging the chain fence trapping them, and into the stone bleachers. People who had been sitting within the range of the blast were doubled over, holding their ears as they cried and shouted.

Diana Gae was furious. Her golden eyes flashed with rage as she yelled down, "YOU!" He knew that she was talking to him. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Hadrian used his forearm to wipe some of the sweat from his brow as he shakily stood in defiance. He puffed out his chest as he pointed up at her and declared, "You haven't won! You will never win! So long as I breathe and stand; I will never allow you to take another life!"

She glared down at him with a mix of anger, disgust, and a hint of what looked like concern before she grabbed a remote from one of her goons and jammed her finger into every button. Suddenly, metallic screeching echoed around the pair as all of the remaining cages began to open.

Antagonizing the bad guy... great idea, Hads.

He glanced down at Blue as he extended an arm out to try to block her– futilely since there would be grimm coming from all directions. Her breathing was labored, arm shaking and hanging limply as blood ran down her shoulder and pooled at her feet. Haddy could see her blue eyes trembling, but she just held on tighter to the shield as she pushed her back into his.

The husky loaded his remaining dust shot into his sling as a cacophony of harsh growls and shrieks tore through the arena. Four or five grimm-laden cages remained, and he could already see several of the monsters trying to claw their way out to get to them... they could probably smell how anxious he and Blue were.

A trumpeting screech tore his attention away as a Megoliath gored its metallic cage door and flung it open. Haddy quickly jumped in front of Blue as he flung the fire capsule at the elephantine grimm. It exploded and rained down embers as it struck the masked scale plates of the Megoliath's face. It was momentarily stunned before it shook off the smoke and set its crimson eyes on the students.

Angry steam burst from its trunk as it charged. Haddy had a shitty hatchet and an empty sling, to say that the odds were not in his favor was an understatement. He could already feel the last bits of his aura draining away. However, he took a confident step forward as he took in a deep breath before he let out a gut-wrenching howl in hopes of activating Ollie's semblance once again.

He yelled until his voice was hoarse and a lightheaded embrace threatened to make him pass out; but, nothing happened. He could feel the ground shaking with each pound of the mammoth's feet. He always wondered how something so large and lumbering could move so damn fast. All he could do as it came closer and closer was draw his wooden hatchet and pray to the Brothers for a miracle.

It never slowed down as it raised its tusks up high, its eyes glinting in the setting sun's dying light– wait, the sun?

A force of nature landed with a resounding crater, kicking up dust and debris as he stopped the Megoliath's charge with nothing more than the energy of his entrance. Not even a moment later, a rush of wind came crashing down around them, nearly throwing Blue and Haddy to the ground as chunks of the high ceiling rained down from a hole that had been punched straight through the rock.

Haddy could only watch as the mammoth backpedaled a pace and the dust started to clear, revealing a pair of outstretched wings and fluffy, blue hair.

Fynch half-turned his head back to the pair as he pulled his sword from his crater and forced a small smile, "Sorry for the wait, Snowball... but, I'm here now."

The husky let out a shaky breath as he unsteadily smiled, "F-Fynch!?"

He'd almost forgotten what relief felt like.

The brief reprieve was cut short as several of the other cages were thrown open and the Megoliath shook off its shock. Before the students could even open their mouths to say anything, Fynch had already swung his greatsword around and closed the distance between himself and the elephantine grimm. With one swift swing, he took out the front legs of the Megoliath, causing it to fall to the ground with a shrill shriek. He didn't hesitate as he adjusted the large blade in his hand and whipped it up, severing the grimm's head from its body before it hit the arena floor.

He looked up to see Hadrian already turning himself between an approaching flock of Nevermore and the younger girl. With a smirk, the Hunstman raised an arm towards the pair and activated his semblance with a vacuuming whirlwind of air. The students hardly had any time to react as they were suddenly pulled towards him. He unfurled his wings and jumped into the air, clearing both Haddy and the girl easily as he let loose a flurry of furious slashes and stabs into the grimm.

The husky watched in awe as an explosion of black feathers rained down from the experienced swordsman, harmlessly showering both him and Blue. As Fynch unclipped his sword, allowing it to fall in half into two separate weapons connected with a thick chain, he turned back to Haddy and said, "You'd better get outta here. There's a landing pad on the lower levels..." he paused to swing into a Boarbatusk, before adding, "Don't worry about the other students, they're safe. I'll take care of Gae."

He briefly wondered how Fynch knew the name of their abductor, but given the direness of the entire situation, it wasn't hard to believe that Monroe and the R's had come clean about how they'd been spending their free time. Haddy grabbed Blue's hand, making sure not to hurt her, as he smiled and started to run with her towards the trapdoor that had brought them here in the first place.

The buckled walls of their copper prison had been blown away by his sonic scream along with some of the dirt obscuring the trapdoor. Haddy used his tail to wipe away the rest of the dust and knelt down to examine their escape. It was flush with the floor, hinges hidden on the underside of the floor, but there was a small space between the doors that he might be able to pry open.

Hadrian tried to get a grip with his nails, but couldn't manage to slip his fingers between the slot. He thought about trying to pry it open with the wooden blade of the hatchet, but there was no way that it was going to fit. Blue winced as she pulled her hand free and reached around behind her, taking the training dagger from her tattered belt. She handed it over quickly before she brought her palm up to try to quell the pain radiating from her torn torso.

With a deft swing, the husky easily placed the blade between the doors and pried it open. There was about a twenty-foot drop down into the dark hallway. He spared one last glance back at Fynch, watching him easily slash his way through the hoard of grimm, before he turned his head up to the announcer's box. Unsurprisingly, Diana Gae was nowhere in sight. Haddy nodded to Blue before jumping down into the shadows.

As he landed with bent knees, he felt a burst of pain run up one of his legs. He stood up straight and scanned the area. There wasn't anyone around, thankfully. A moment later, he turned his head back up to the arena and motioned for Blue to follow. The frilly skirt of her dress fluttered as she dropped down. The husky caught her before she hit the ground.

"Hey!"

The pair whipped around just in time to see one of the brutish guards rounding the corner, raising his shotgun. Haddy froze, Blue's arm tightening around his shoulder. The brute kept his gun trained on them, motioning with the barrel for the husky to put the girl down. Hesitantly and slowly, Hadrian lowered the younger student down so that she could stand on her own.

"Hands where I can see 'em," the armored man ordered, "and turn around."

The blue-haired teen glanced up at her elder briefly. Haddy hesitated but forced a smile and nodded as started to slowly raise his hands, open-palmed to his shoulders, and turned around to face away from the brute. Blue followed his lead, doing the same. Once they had their backs to him, he hummed out an approval.

"On your knees," he ordered.

Blue, again, looked to Hadrian for confirmation. He subtly nodded and she lowered herself down onto her knees. However, the husky took a deep breath and stayed put. The man motioned with his gun, even though neither of the students could see.

"I said, on your knees, boy!" the brute nearly shouted.

Haddy didn't say a word, closing his eyes as he focused on listening to the quiet shifts. Angrily, the brute started to stomp forward, hands tightening on his gun as he continued to shout at the husky to follow his demands. However, the dark-haired faunus wasn't paying attention to that. He listened carefully, waiting until the man was directly behind him. The thick smell of sweat getting ever closer.

As soon as the armored brute pushed the cold, metal muzzle into Haddy's exposed back, he reacted. In an instant, his eyes flew open as he whipped around, pushing the barrel of the gun towards the wall just before the explosion of gunpowder and lead tore through his ears. He knew that Blue had fallen back and yelped in surprise, but he couldn't apologize just yet.

Haddy used what little time he had left in his sneak attack to take his other arm and bring his elbow down onto the brute's hands. He shouted in surprise, but that momentary ease was all the husky needed to disarm him and flip the shotgun around in his arms. He aimed the gun at the chest of the armored man and took a good few steps back as the brute stared at him in disbelief.

"I have some questions, and you're gonna answer them, deal?" Hadrian asked, motioning for Blue to get up and stand behind him.

She quickly scampered up and ducked behind his back, holding onto her bleeding wounds. In the back of his mind, Haddy knew that she probably wasn't going to last much longer if she kept losing blood at the rate she was now... the only reason she was still up and moving was pure adrenaline. His first priority was getting her out of here; he'd just have to trust Fynch and the other Huntsmen to gather intel.

As Haddy opened his mouth to ask the quickest way to the landing pad, the brute jumped at him. In that brief moment, only one thought crossed his mind; by the Brothers, I hope that this bastard's armor is bullet-proof.

He pulled the trigger back to the guard and expected the kick of an explosion, but was instead met with the soft click of an empty chamber. The husky hardly had any time to even widen his eyes before he was tackled to the ground, the air from his lungs shooting out of his mouth and the empty gun clattering to the side. Hadrian shouted in surprise just before a fist found itself colliding with his jaw.

Stars exploded across his vision as he threw his arms up to protect his head. He was pinned down with this armored asshole straddling his torso, raising another closed hand to strike him again. Before he got the chance, Blue had grabbed his wrist and was desperately trying to pin it with her good arm. She didn't get the chance as the man threw her back violently into the wall, causing her to yelp.

That was the last thing he was going to take. Hadrian growled as he nearly screamed in anger, flinging his legs up as he wrapped them around the brute's neck. He linked his ankles together and jerked his feet back, hurling the man back with a surprised shout. Haddy just barely had enough time to get to his feet as the brute scrambled up.

The husky raised his fists defensively, protecting his head and neck as he swayed and watched the armored man's movements. Gae's goon threw a mean hook towards Hadrian's jaw, only giving him seconds to react, ducking just as the man's fist flew over his head. The dark-haired faunus tried to retaliate with a kick but was met with a solid mass of muscle that probably bruised his shin more than the man's.

Haddy couldn't pull his leg back before the brute had grabbed his ankle and was flinging him at the wall. His back slammed into the stone, cracking it as he felt several of his ribs creak. The husky crumbled to the floor, gasping as he feebly tried to catch his breath. The man brought his boot back to kick the snot out of him.

The Huntsman-in-training barely had time to raise his arms in an attempt to shield himself as the steel-toed sole slammed into his chest. Suddenly, his aura sparked to life as his nose was flooded with memories of earthy polish. The man screamed in pain as his boot connected with Haddy's torso, grabbing onto his knee as he heard a painful crunch of bone-on-bone snapping.

That's Tadashi's semblance... Riposte. He'd just countered the attack and delivered it back full force without even trying.

He didn't have any more time to think about it as the brute glowered down at him with flames in his eyes. He looked as if he was about to retaliate before there was a meaty slap and the armored man lurched forward. A brief moment passed before his brown eyes rolled up and he fell limply to the floor, only giving Haddy a short window to avoid being crushed beneath his weight.

Hadrian looked up to see Blue using the discarded shotgun like a club, struggling to hold it up before it dropped to the ground and she fell to one knee, gripping onto her injured arm. The husky quickly scampered up to her, gingerly lifting her hand to examine the wound as she winced and whined.

It didn't look good. The tears in her skin were so deep that he could see her shattered collarbone beneath the weeping blood. She wasn't crying, but he could tell by the pained twist on her face that she really wanted to.

"C'mon, kid..." Haddy soothed, lifting her up into his arms so that she could rest her wounds, "Let's get outta here."

They walked in stealthy silence down the halls, every once in a while pausing to take a whiff or listen for enemies.

As Haddy peeked around a corner and tried to decide if he wanted to go left or right, he felt Blue shift. He turned back to her as she whispered through clenched teeth, "H... How did you do that? With your semblance?"

He paused, before he quietly admitted, "Honestly, Blue... I... don't know."

"That was... Echo and Riposte..." she commented softly.

His eyes widened as he looked to her. She weakly smiled, "Ms. Ombre's and Bēju-senpai's semblances..."

"Yeah..." Haddy drew out quietly, "... but, how'd you know that?"

"Because... Team Solitude... you're what inspired me to become a Huntress..." she admitted with a slight tinge of embarrassed blush.

As the husky stared at her without a word, Blue quietly explained, "You probably don't remember, but when you and your brother left Mantle, you inspired a lot of faunus. I used to wait by the post office every Saturday just for the chance to read about how you both were doing. I watched as you both excelled to the top of your class and showed those stuck-up Atlesian elites that us faunus didn't need some 'Outreach Program' to become great Huntsmen and Huntresses...

"And then... you saved my life..."

She paused as she fondly smiled, "I was volunteering at the clinic with your mom when the Ice Fever broke out. I was fine for a while, but... well, I ended up catching it towards the end... Dr. Thompkins says that I wouldn't have survived another night without the cure that you and Solitude got to us... me and so many other people..."

He listened with wide eyes and a slightly slack jaw. After a long moment, he breathlessly replied, "Blue..."

"Y'know..." she continued, "Cliff, my brother, used to say all the time that Huntsmen weren't worth anything. That they'd never protect the little people down in Mantle like they would Atlas... but, you guys managed to inspire even his sour heart... and, honestly, I think that's the greatest thing I could have ever asked for."

For a moment, the beagle looked as if she was going to continue, but instead, she sucked in a sharp breath as she grabbed onto her bleeding shoulder. Haddy sighed with a soft smile, "C'mon... we can talk about it later... after we get that arm looked at..."

As he stood up straighter and peeked around the corner to make sure it was clear again, Blue quietly asked, "Do you... do you even know where we're supposed to go?"

"I'm never lost," he lied with a confident smile, trying to ease her worries.

Hadrian stepped around the corner and started to creep towards the hallway to the left. He got maybe two steps before he felt the air shift. The husky leaned back just as a flash of silver and royal purple sliced into the wall in front of him. A small metal playing card with a crescent emblem blocked his path.

Before he could look back into the dark from where they'd come, another few cards came flying at them. Haddy scrambled back, the blue-haired Atlesian student gripping tightly onto his shoulders as he backpedaled down the opposite hallway, avoiding the onslaught. He could hear the soft patter of footsteps following behind them, but he never saw anyone when he looked back.

The pair ran down the halls, Haddy feeling his semblance kick in as he slid around a corner. He swore he heard a soft curse as he sped up, but he was too busy trying to dodge flying cards. It was a little weird, because they weren't a constant threat, only occasionally coming at him when he tried to duck behind corners.

"Look!" Blue motioned with her head towards the end of the hall.

There was a large door with a sign that read "Landing Bay Two". He nodded to her, before steeling himself and speeding up to throw his shoulder into the door, throwing it open.

He glanced back down the hall and saw a brief flash of color as someone called out, "Wait! Kid! Don't!"

Haddy didn't have time to register whether he was being played or if this splash of color was actually trying to help him because he skidded into the open bay of an airbus garage. There weren't any planes, but there was one with the Beacon emblem landing at the entrance; a wide-open cavern that lead out into the mountains where the sun was setting behind the horizon...

And they weren't alone.

Tens of goons and brutes turned to look at the pair as they came crashing through the door. Everyone stared at one another for a moment, each startled in a different way, before Haddy took off towards the airbus. He heard angry shouts as he activated his semblance with his rapidly draining aura and sped off.

His lungs were killing him as his legs burned, but he pushed on. Haddy didn't dare look back as he focused on getting Blue out of here. Just as he felt himself weakening, he felt one last push. Suddenly, he took in a desperate deep breath as his mind danced in the freshly fallen snow of his memory; fresh caramel gracing his nose with a beautifully pleasant reminder.

"HADDY!"

For a moment, he thought Leo had called out to him, but as he looked up he nearly cried. Cascade was leaning out of the plane, reaching out for him as Robyn helped another injured Huntsman into the cab, Ryder securing Gene with bandages and gauze. They all looked up at him. The blonde's hair was whipping around, but he could see that relieved smile crinkling her nose as she screamed for him.

That was when the ship jerked, its engines roaring. It was getting ready to take off. He watched as Robyn whipped around and yelled something unintelligible at the pilot, to no avail. Haddy could feel himself tiring. They weren't going to make it if he didn't do something drastic.

"Have you worked on a landing strategy?" he asked suddenly, looking down at Blue.

The blue-eyed girl looked up at him between taking ragged, pained breaths and hastily nodded. As he sprinted towards the airship with her in his arms, Hadrian looked back to see the hoard of goons gaining on them.

He turned back to Blue and swallowed hard before nodding, "Okay. I'm going to throw you then."

"But," she replied, with tears forming in the corners of her eyes, "What about you?"

"Don't worry, kiddo," he smiled with a wink, "I'll make it."

She hesitated, still looking up at him with her big, blue eyes before she briefly nodded. Hadrian smiled and looked back towards their escape. They were only about one-hundred feet or so from the airship, but the baddies were gaining ground quicker than he could run while carrying Blue. If he could make sure that she got to the ship, he could use his semblance to speed himself up. He was too exhausted to use it on both of them at once, so this was the only option.

His eyes landed on the dark-skinned faunus as he shouted, his voice cracking, "RyDE-R!"

His scaled friend's head swung to attention. With a deep breath, Haddy yelled, "Blue Bird! Catch!"

That was Hadrian's and Robyn's recently minted special move, so he knew that Ryder would know what to do. Expectantly, the armadillo briefly nodded and hunkered down into a defensive position. The husky faunus looked down at his blue-haired charge. She'd been so strong for so long, but he watched as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. He smiled to her and took her uninjured hand in his. She looked up at him, and with a sniffle, gave her affirmation.

In an instant, Hadrian skidded to a halt, activating his semblance through one of his feet as he used the other to pivot. Using Blue's momentum, he gripped onto her wrist tightly as he swung her around in an arch twice. As she crested the last time, he let her go and sent her flying with a strength he'd never used before towards their escape. She didn't yell or scream, but when she landed in Ryder's arms, he could tell that she was whimpering.

With a brief smile, he took a few ragged breaths and just relaxed for a fraction of a moment. However, as he snapped back to reality, he activated what was left of his semblance and sped off towards his escape. He watched as Ryder handed Blue off to another student– probably Lambert, one of Gene's 'friends'– and kneeled down at the edge of the ship, reaching out for him to jump up and grab hold.

The airship started to ascend as he drew ever closer.

But, he was gonna make it. As his eyes ran across Ryder's hopeful face, he felt a grin creeping onto his face. He caught sight of Cadie and Robyn behind him, holding him steady by his overall straps as he leaned as far out of the ship as he could, with smiles of their own. As he neared the edge of the cliff, he pushed off into the air just as his aura reached its limit and shattered, extending his hand out to reach for his home.

His fingertips reached ever closer to Ryder's as the scaled faunus leaned out even further, threatening to fall out. He was so exhausted, but he didn't really give a damn right now.

A sharp pain momentarily stung the back of Hadrian's neck. In the brief moment he had, he didn't think much of it. However, a surging shock raced through his entire body. He couldn't control himself as a scream pooled in his gut and cut off before it was anything more than a strangled gurgle. His muscles tensed as his chest arched and arms grew stiff. The pain was so immense. As his eyes rolled towards the back of his skull and his vision grew darker, he was forced to watch as his team's happy expressions turned to horror and they screamed out for him.

He hit the pavement of the hangar with a hard thud that he couldn't even feel over the electricity coursing through his nerves. He tumbled twice and skidded to the edge of the cliffside, nearly toppling over before he came to a limp, twitching stop on his side at the end. Suddenly, just as soon as it had appeared, the pain vanished and left him shell-shocked. Hadrian couldn't help but yelp and whine as he took a few shaky breaths and weakly pushed up on one elbow.

As his senses groggily came back to him, Hadrian looked up to see the approaching hoard already upon him. They had surrounded him, blocking all escape except a plummet to the bottom of the ravine below. The brutes parted and revealed the smoking gun that had struck him in the back of the head. The magenta-haired temptress smirked as she holstered the stun gun and looked down at Haddy like a wolf hungry for an injured rabbit.

That was when he saw the translucent wings connected to Gae's back... well, wing would be a better analysis. She was a faunus...?

The airship was already moving off to leave, he could still hear his teammates' screams for him over the roar of the engines. In that brief moment, he decided that he wasn't going to let this bitch of a woman take another friend from them. Before she even had time to order her forces to take him, Hadrian rolled backwards, allowing himself to fall towards the bottom of the craggy basin.

He felt the air rush from his lungs as the wind whipped past him, tearing the remnants of his shirt to shreds. He twisted around, spreading out his arms and legs to try to slow his descent. He had to have faith. His heart pounded against his chest wall as the ground came ever closer to him.

That was when he heard the deafening boom of thunder. He didn't need to look back to know what was happening. He felt the shock wave push him further downward just before Robyn latched onto him, wrapping her arms around his chest and legs around his waist. In an instant, a tornado of wind hurled them back into the sky, only tens of feet above the rocky crags. The pair shot through the air as they hurtled past the hangar. However, that was about as far as they got before the redhead's surge faded away. They crested their ascent and floated for just a moment before returning to their freefall.

Haddy reached around and wrapped an arm under Robyn's shoulders as he extended his hand towards the creamsicle clouds above. A thick, steel line whipped around and latched around his wrist. He only had a moment to grab the base of the wire before it ripped his arm out of its socket, but he managed. Both he and Robyn jerked as the line pulled taut. The airship burst into the sky, escaping Ataxia Arena as Haddy and Robyn were whipped around by the sheer winds.

Slowly, Cadie pulled them in, straining as she reeled in the line. As the pair came close enough, Ryder reached out and grabbed onto them, desperately pulling them into the chassis and into his lap.

The team was suddenly engulfed in a group hug that none of them seemed to initiate, but no one didn't seem to mind. As they sat there, they were jolted as the sobbing, blue-haired student threw herself into Haddy's back.

With a shaky smile, he reached around and ruffled her hair, confidently saying, "See...? Told you I'd... make it back in one piece..."

[smashpages]

Out this week: Final Gamble #1 (Band of Bards, $4.99):

This tells the story of an MMA fighter and a gambling addict who both lose a poker match and end up prisoners of The Mercury Society, a cadre of rich people who make them fight for their lives. What jumped out at me was that it’s drawn by Jorge Santiago, Jr., who you might remember from his work on Spencer & Locke, who teams with writer Robyn Singer. 

See what other comics and graphic novels will arrive in shops this week.

[milfjagger]

posting this on its own as well :) template and idea from @trollmaiden and full guide/sources under cut

"La Belle Dame sans Merci” by Henry Meynell Rheam

by Ayami Kojima 

“The Fairy Lovers” by Theodor Richard Edward von Holst 

Gnomes from the novel The Little Grey Men, written and illustrated by “BB” (Denys Watkins-Pitchford)

Nyform Norwegian troll

“Little Red Mischief” by Amy Brown

Faery from “The Hallow” dir. Corin Hardy, SFX by John Nolan

Ariel from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, illustrated by Jane Ray

The Beast from Over The Garden Wall, created by Patrick McHale

“Morgan Le Fay” by Clive Hicks-Jenkins

Unicorn foal sculpture by SovaeArt https://www.deviantart.com/indigo-ocean/gallery

Faery from Good Faeries, Bad Faeries by Brian Froud

“Dusk” by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

Honeythorn Gump from “Legend” dir. Ridley Scott

Oona from “Legend” dir. Ridley Scott

Flora, Fauna and Merryweather from “Sleeping Beauty”, art direction by Eyvind Earle

Bilbo Baggins from a Dutch edition of JRR Tolkein’s The Hobbit, illustrated by Kees Kelfkens(?)

Selkie depicted on a Faroese stamp

Chortlebones from Bella Sara, illustrated by Lynn Hogan

Huldra from the game “Year Walk” 

The Sprite from Fantasia 2000, segment directed by Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi

and 23 Costume designs for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Robert Courtneidge

As above

Tinker Bell from Peter Pan (2003) dir. PJ Hogan

Hoggle from Labyrinth, designed by Brian Froud and created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop

Mr Tumnus from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe dir. Andrew Adamson

Tom Bombadil from JRR Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings, illustrated by Tim Hildebrandt

The Green Man (source unclear)

Illustration for Terry Pratchett’s The Wee Free Men by Robyn Haley

Truffle from Adventure Quest

 Littlest Pet Shop fairy

Woodland Furby made by me :) Please do not call him cursed

The Psammead from the BBC’s TV adaptation of E Nesbitt's Five Children and It, dir. Marilyn Fox

Thranduil, King of the Wood Elves from The Hobbit, dir. Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass

Nøkken by John Bauer

Gizmo from Gremlins dir. Joe Dante, creature design by Chris Walas

Gollum from JRR Tolkein’s The Hobbit, illustrated by Tove Jansson

Soot Sprite from Spirited Away dir. Hayao Miyazaki

Gonk

“The Junk Lady” from Labyrinth; concept art by Brian Froud

Domovoi by Vladimir Chernickov

Falkor from The Neverending Story dir. Wolfgang Petersen, creature design by Patrick Woodroffe

Cherry Fairy from Webkinz

Titania from Vertigo Comics, illustrated by Matt Dixon

Wind Drifter, My Little Pony G1

[musicals-and-mushrooms]

I love your idea so much but also i literally spent my whole day thinking abt this and heres what i came up with

Callum is jeremy he joined because claudia but he still falls for rayla

Terry also joined for claudia and is michael and he relates to michael a lot and he is besties with callum

Soren plays jake he was dragged into theatre by claudia and he gets weirded out every time he does a scene with his sister but he still has a lot of fun with it (it happens in theatre in a production of 13 i was in brett and kendra were brother and sister😭)

Corvus is usually a band kid but soren dragged him along and he gets cast as the squip hes incredible and instead of jeremy saying "you look like keanu reeves" he says "you look like daveed diggs"

Karim is rich ok hear me out first of all i dont care what his canon height is hes short and he only got in because janai is directing but then he keeps acting like he knows better than her and tries to take over (if you have anyone else for rich so i can just have karim as asst. director for this plotline that would be great)

Nyx plays chloe and she has so much fun going over the top with it but she doesnt show up to half of the rehearsals no explanation

Astrid plays brooke she does the makeup for most of the cast and breaks character a lot in rehearsal because she cant stop lsughing about her character

Rayla is jenna and is really annoyed how shes literally the only female character that has no romance with jeremy but her and callum still get together (but also i think she would be a good stage manager)

Harrow might show up to be jeremys dad/adults, otherwise im not really sure

Production wise janai is the director shes trying her best and karim is not helping at all

Kosmo is either stage manager or does tech hes very bossy but he knows everything

Amaya helps as stage crew by moving stuff around backstage when she does a bow on closing night janai signals for everyone to do the hand wave (deaf version of applause) (sorry if it sounds weird i cant remember the right word for it)

Ethari helps with props and set building

Runaan is very annoyed with all of this and hates theatre OR he plays jeremys dad i have yet to decide

claudia dragonprince should not be going through the horrors she should be playing christine canigula in a community theatre production of be more chill

[rvxen]

inking done for a page for the story that's going into ALL QUEER LOVE No. 1, my queer cosplay romance comic! not sure which page yet, as I'm creating this comic in the "Mighty Marvel Manter" by drawing the panels and then filling in the script later. I have the basic beats for the 8-12 page story in my head and am searching the endless stack of public domain romance comics for layouts that will either help move the narrative along or at the very least, be really fun to draw.

i've also marked where the lettering will go, which i'll definitely be doing thru Illustrator bc i'm on a bit of a personal deadline to get the comic inked and lettered and printed by the beginning of December. I'm just excited that i'm drawing narrative pages again, first time in about two years!

GLAM! BANG! POW! the race is on!

[names-for-alters]

Hello one and all, alters and headmates! I am Charlie! I like to make lists! I also hoard names! Are you looking for a name? GREAT! You can send an ask and request a specific aesthetic or origin of name, or you can look at my list!

With that said…

…Cracks knuckles…

Findo Tach Tails Flicker Tracer Kat Iris Blu Brick Arlo Sammy Artie Finn Stein Aleksandr Vora Olive Luna Nyx Cyrus Qrow Orian Cello Onyx Skye Grim Opal Dawn Azure Fish Bones Poppy Bronze Eggs Sparky Specs Snickers Trout Navi Bingo Chili Bandit Stripe Busker Socks Brandy Frisky Winston Lucky Chucky Bently Judo Rusty Max Honey Indie Calypso Striker Merle Moxxie Vex Ant Bugger Bee Spider Tails Hook Indigo Amber Coco Coral Scarlet Ivory Jade Ruby Emerald Chuck Loden Copper Hamelin Neo Shepard Cinnamon Visor Macalister Soul Hack Hiccup Flynn Rider Astrid Jay Raven Robyn Bolt Dagger Viper Tracer Cornwall Flock Sapphire Crystal Ghost Mochi Trick Catra Rose Raven Flip Chani Racket Red Crimson Dragon Runt Scotch Tellie Gator Croc Crow Goat Duck Creeper Kuma Jet Jeep Draco Poppy Sombra Raine Squish Spike Blaze Ender Drake Sandy MK PJ DJ CJ MJ King Creak Shadow Clay Dusty Miles Dart Willow Antonius Husk Moth Cypher Jin Yin Yang Daisy Gray / Grey Alistair Halo Angel Cake Fennec Fox Null Lull Bastion Lucky Sun Star Cosmo Tweety Vox Nerys Sonic Bark Birch Oak Cherry Blossom Peaches Velvet Shell Coffee Valley Fang Moot Redpath Pudding X V Jr Ether Fig Trunk Joy Frogger Snowflake Snowball Snow Jumper Racket Flare Vendetta Loonie Coin Six Eleven Tropica Stelina Mojave Ink Sud Fender Zero Pollen Wysteria Page Ozias Rex Tortch Buck Nickel Stripe Lynch Tramp Wolf Pup Tank Jhariah Kharma Zenith Sparrow Prism Lemon Mune Lamb Pyke Diamond Parker Graves Fizz Nugget Melody Tink Blight Fangless Ambress Vulture Eclipse Luka Bangle Constance Constantine Sommar Babble Clank Bobble Chipper Aidan Slate Tin Twire Zephyr Silver Misty Faunus Atlas Birdie Brook Cedar Chip Coal Daisy Ember Faye Fate Fern Flint Harmony Helios Ivy Junx Kit Lyria Phoebe Piper Lady Beacon Elos Rumble Ida Cross Zed Scootie Smidge Clauger Happy Sonny Hath Soldier River Song Clawtor Videl Legen Onen Chunk Reid Pop Cobra Cash Clover Saris Volante Donna Belladonna Gale Chopper Morphias Vidia Loft Kape Levi Licker Howl Dustin Newt Creek Breezy Polaris Blight Archer Sirius Warren Dream Goon Cookie Ranger Amity Jericho Viggo Besko Asra Alice Olaf Mossfeld Issic Missy Rascal Creasy Nonya Hex Pita Miguel Manuel Rayburn Daisy Dash Lucky Becky Steele Cylo Featherstone Kingston Netherfield Reacher Saltburn Quick Rubble Dust Brimstone Humble Ado Grover Norvanos Leshy Blade Cooper Calcium

Leo

Leonardo

Lebony

Silver

Linzier

Pearl

blackberry

Tatin

Bud

Raphael

Pebble

Mina

Linda

Oolong

Daeo/Dayo/Dao

Inco

Ketlyn

Risa

Ines

Lora

Flock

Lux

Rix

Reah

Destinty

Bet

Ange

Krixa

Lalien

Gloom

Bug

Rozy

Mars

Screech

Jenny

Robert

Patrick

Pierre Rosemary

Henderson

Mayfield

Sinclair

Sullivan

Hart

Solace

Daughtler

Stoll

Gatlin

Yearwood

Amos

Graves

Rothschild

Halley

Spektor

Presley

Redd

Blackwood

Notvletti

Valerie

Milo

Marian

Lychee

Aiden

Nova

Vel

Bel

Yuri

Puro

Pluto

Ramona

Angel

Nada

Shen

Mog

Hania

Udge

Kinetic

Kikos Wathel

Dupa

Sierre

Jimor

Teddy

coc

Scara

River

Shade

Foenem

Duck

Emily

Toast

Reunna

Ichigo

Rae

Sonic

MoonL

Lennus

cabaran

Marto

Leveer

Granite

Tongle

Gavril

Luella

Malachite

Leonard

[darkpeacemusic]

ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕪𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕒 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤: 𝔽𝕦𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤

Jeff the Killer - Jeffrey "Jeff" Alan Dan Woods

Homicidal Liu - Liuis "Liu" Victoria Woods

Sully - Sullivan "Sully" Akira Woods

Randy - Randall "Randy" Allen Warren

Keith - Keith Harvey Davis-Green

Troy - Troy John Green

Ben Drowned - Benjamin "Ben" Scott Lawman

Jane - Jane Todd Richardson-Vaughn

Mary - Mary Annabelle Vaughn

Ticci Toby - Tobias "Toby" Erin Rogers

Masky - Timothy "Tim" Buck Wright

Hoodie - Brian Hunter Thomas

Skully - Jay Gabriel Merrick

Kate the Chaser - Kate Eleanor Milens-Hayes

Charlie - Charles Matheson Jr.

Laughing Jack - Laughing Jack in a Box

Eyeless Jack - Jackson "Jack" Nicky Nyras

Slenderman - Simon (middle and last name unknown) (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Splendorman - Jim (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Trenderman - Beau (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Tenderman - Cedric (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Sally - Sally Maryam Dawn (formerly Williams)

Dr Smiley - Azerael Jesse Smiley

Nurse Ann - Annie "Ann" Lusen Mia

Nina - Nina Selene Hopkins

Candy Pop - Unknown

Candy Cane - Unknown

April Fools - Unknown

Jason the Toymaker - Jason Caleb Meyer

The Puppeteer - Jonathan Cole Blake

Clockwork - Natalie Priscilla Ouellette

Rouge - Heather Bridget Marshall

Wilson - Wilson Liam Marshall (neé Jones)

Zalgo - Z͠a̛'l͘ga̶t҉ot̡h

Queen Blackheart (oc) - Elizabeth Cindy Phillips (name prior to death)

Lazari - Lazari Natalie Swann

Stripes - Eloise Sarah Bellarose (name prior to her death)

Nathan - Nathan Maxwell Lux

Bloody Painter - Helen Delilah Otis

Kagekao - Unknown

Laughing Jill - Laughing Jill in a Box

Sadie - Sadie Marie Bennett

Hobo Heart - Unknown

Cat Hunter - Rodrigo Milo Ortiz

Chris the Revenant - Christine "Chris" Wendy Meyers

X-Virus - Cody Larkin Drake

Dollmaker - Erina Jezebel Kerenzalys

Frankie the Undead - Frankie Hades Asher (his real name prior to his death)

Judge Angels - Dina Angela Clark

Lifeless Lucy - Lucy Ava Jones

Lost Silver - Ethan Kin Fuji (his real name before his death)

Glitchy Red - Red (his real name remains a mystery)

Strangled Red - Steven Garrett Stoughton

Dr. Locklear - Evander Agnar Locklear

Lulu - Lucille "Lulu" Tiffany Greatfeil

Killing Kate - Katherine "Kate" Evelyn Knight

Screaming Dawn (oc) - Dawn Evelyn Woods

Will Grossman - William "Will" Gordon Grossman

Lulling Lauren - Lauren Robyn Ross (neé Evans)

CR - Carl Morton Ross

Emra - Emra Amelia Blake (neé Albridge)

Zero - Alice Marie Jackson

Slendrina - Charlotte (first name prior to death/experimentation)

Lily - Lily May Kennett

Nightmare Ally - Adeline "Ally" Ashley Abendroth

Zachary the Proxy - Zachary Julius Gibson

Oliver - Oliver Gorgon Henderson

Alex Kralie - Alexander "Alex" Joseph Kralie

Amy - Amy Callie Walters

Jessica - Jessica Ellie Locke

Seth - Seth Apollo Reid-Wilson (neé Wilson)

Sarah - Sarah Cassie Reid-Wilson (neé Ried)

Third Base - Richard "Doby" Vincent Doggers

Vailly - Vailly Suki Evans

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

Queer Books November 2023

🌈 Good afternoon, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!

❤️ The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl by Emily Riesbeck 🧡 Heading North by Holly M. Wendt 💛 The Wisdom of Bug by Alyson Root 💚 Trick Shot by Kayla Grosse 💙 A Holly Jolly Christmas by Emily Wright 💜 Outdrawn by Deanna Grey ❤️ Yours Celestially by Al Hess 🧡 The Christmas Memory by Barbara Winkes 💛 Violet Moon by Mel E. Lemon 💙 The Santa Pageant by Lillian Barry 💜 Only for the Holidays by Shannon O’Connor 🌈 Homestead for the Holidays by Wren Taylor

❤️ You Can Count on Me by Fae Quin 🧡 No One Left But You by Tash McAdam 💛 The Worst Thing of All is the Light by José Luis Serrano, Lawrence Schimel 💚 Today Tonight Forever by Madeline Kay Sneed 💙 Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt 💜 Emmett by L. C. Rosen ❤️ Finding My Elf by David Valdes 🧡 Tonight, I Burn by Katharine J. Adams 💛 Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng 💙 Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree 💜 A Power Unbound by Freya Marske 🌈 We Are the Crisis by Cadwell Turnbull

❤️ The Manor House Governess by C.A. Castle 🧡 You Owe Me One, Universe by Chad Lucas 💛 Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen by Sarah James 💚 Skip!: A Graphic Novel by Rebecca Burgess 💙 Something About Her by Clementine Taylor 💜 Touching the Art by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore ❤️ A Nearby Country Called Love by Salar Abdoh 🧡 Normporn: Queer Viewers and the TV That Soothes Us by Karen Tongson 💛 Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost by Esme Symes-Smith 💙 The Order of the Banshee by Robyn Singer 💜 Once Upon My Dads’ Divorce by Seamus Kirst, Noémie Gionet Landry 🌈 Forsooth by Jimmy Matejek-Morris

❤️ A Common Bond by T.M. Kuta 🧡 Risk the Fall by Riley Hart 💛 Just a Little Snack by Yah-Yah Scholfield 💚 Home for the Holidays by Erin Zak 💙 NeurodiVeRse by MJ James 💜 Dark Heir (Dark Rise #2) by C.S. Pacat ❤️ sub/Dom by Rab Green 🧡 Bitten by the Bond by Elaine White 💛 Heir to Frost and Storm by Ben Alderson 💙 The Sea of Stars by Gwenhyver 💜 Bad Beat by L.M. Bennett 🌈 Idol Moves by K.T. Salvo

❤️ Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa 🧡 In the Pines by Mariah Stillbrook 💛 The Crimson Fortress (The Ivory Key #2) by Akshaya Raman 💚 Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison 💙 Megumi & Tsugumi, Vol. 4 by Mitsuru Si 💜 Pritty by Keith F. Miller Jr. ❤️ Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid 🧡 An Atlas to Forever by Krystina Rivers 💛 Come Find Me in the Midnight Sun by Bailey Bridgewater 💙 Bait and Witch by Clifford Mae Henderson 💜 Shadow Baron by Davinia Evans 🌈 Day by Michael Cunningham

❤️ Livingston Girls by Briana Morgan 🧡 Delay of the Game by Ari Baran 💛 The Nanny with the Nice List by K. Sterling 💚 A Talent Ignited by Suzanne Lenoir 💙 A Kiss of the Siren’s Song by E.A.M. Trofimenkoff 💜 Rivals for Love by Ali Vali ❤️ Whiskey & Wine by Kelly Fireside, Tana Fireside 🧡 Buried Secrets by Sheri Lewis Wohl 💛 Ride with Me by Jenna Jarvis 💙 Living for You by Jenny Frame 💜 Death on the Water by CJ Birch 🌈 Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles

❤️ Vicarious by Chloe Spencer 🧡 Sapling’s Depths by Spencer Rose 💛 That French Summer by Sienna Waters 💚 System Overload by Saxon James 💙 King of Death by Lily Mayne 💜 Warts and All by Ashley Bennett ❤️ Principle Decisions by Thea Belmont 🧡 The Best Mistake by Emily O’Beirne 💛 Sugar and Ice by Eule Grey 💙 Until The Blood Runs Dry by MC Johnson 💜 Splinter : A Diverse Sleepy Hollow Retelling by Jasper Hyde 🌈 The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q by Felicia Davin

❤️ The Queer Girl is Going to be Okay by Dale Walls 🧡 Til Death Do Us Bard by Rose Black 💛 Leverage by E.J. Noyes 💚 Alice Sadie Celine by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright 💙 Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon 💜 Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher ❤️ To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn 🧡 Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa 💛 For Never & Always by Helena Greer 💙 A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sally Hawley 💜 Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 8 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù 🌈 A Carol for Karol by Ann Roberts

[buthowboutno]

Every once in a while I’ll remember how Casey Jr greeted sweetums like an old friend or someone similar, and now I’m just wondering if sweetums was an uncle/auntie figure to him, and if he’s ever told anyone else about how they (probably) would have been married to donnie

*looks at the snippet i just traumatized my kofi supporters with and looks back*

well, uh

you see

.....

it's been a long hiatus, might as well just show y'all (BLAME @raccoon-robyn FOR THIS. MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE BAD FUTURE REVEAL)

--

“I presume your night with Cassandra went well,” Donnie said, elbows deep in another SHELLDON drone. A few years ago it would’ve been unheard of to retrieve them after the Kraang shot them down. Nowadays, the Rebellion was scrounging for parts anywhere they could get them. 

You squinted at him and handed him a 5/16th’s wrench, “We were on lookout, Dee-dee, it’s not like we were off to the Bahamas.” 

Donnie rolled his eyes and took the wrench from you, “I didn’t know that lookout entailed making out against the walls of the compound.”

You paused, taking in Donnie’s body language. Everything about him read neutral, but you knew him better than that. He was your best friend for Christ’s sake. You knew all of his tells. Everything from the set of his jaw to the way he gripped the wrench told you what you needed to know about that statement.

“I don’t see how it's any of your business,” you replied coolly.

“You’re threatening the safety–”

“That’s not what you’re mad about and you know it,” you cut him off, “And I thought we agreed to stop having this conversation.”

Donnie huffed at you, “I am your commander, it is my duty to know when you are off task.”

“Fifteen minute breaks are mandatory for late night surveillance,” you argued, “You’re the one that put that policy in place.”

“You are expected to stay vigilant at all times, regardless of being on a break.”

“You just wish it was you pressing me against the wall,” you said flatly. You stared Donnie in the eyes, not faltering once while you took his wrench and exchanged it for a flathead screwdriver. Even while fighting, the two of you were never any less in sync.

The both of you had been… fighting a lot more recently.

“That’s not even remotely related to this conversation,” Donnie said, tearing his eyes from yours. You didn’t miss the blush peeking out under his mask, despite how nonchalant he was acting.

“That is the conversation, Donatello,” you said, running your hand through your hair. They came out dirtier than they started with how saturated your hair was with grease and motor oil, “You said you didn’t love me, I’m trying to move the fuck on.”

“That’s not–” Donnie cut himself off with a groan, pulling his arms out of the machinery. He breathed in deeply, moving his hands to his sides, “That’s not what I said.”

“Remind me, then,” you said as you crossed your arms in between you, “Remind me about all the responsibilities and tasks and the goddamn rebellion that has to come first. Remind me how your big-headed importance keeps you from being with me.”

“Because it does! This, all of this–” Donnie gestured to the shop around you, filled to the brim with machinery and future projects the two of you only hoped to have the parts for, “is bigger than us, sweetums. I don’t see how–”

“Do not ‘sweetums’ me right now, Don,” you cut him off. You balled your hands up into fists and sighed, “I don’t… understand why you’re so dead set on making yourself a martyr, but that doesn’t mean I have to be, too.”

“I’m not–” Donnie cut himself off with a growl, gripping the inner edge of the drone’s plating. Once, when you were younger, Donnie had crushed a sheet of titanium with his bare hands just to win a bet against you. You wondered if the drone would bear the same marks after you and Donnie were done fighting.

The two of you stood there in silence, glowering at each other with matching expressions. 

In the decade and a half that you and Donnie had worked together, you had only lost a stand-off twice. The two of you had enough stubbornness for the entire resistance, but your will to be a shit just barely surpassed Donnie’s.

As per usual, Donnie broke first.

Not as per usual, you saw tears start to form at the corners of Donnie’s eyes.

“I can’t,” Donnie croaked out. 

The small victory you won was quickly pushed out of mind when you realized how close he was to tears. You felt yourself soften then, immediately reaching out to grab Donnie up into your arms. Your hands fisted into his dirty tank top and you bit the inside of your cheek as you tried to squash the guilt of your chest.

There was too much to cry about, these days. You didn’t want to be one of Donnie’s reasons.

“I can’t,” he repeated, letting out a shaky sigh as he tugged you close to his plastron, “If I… let myself love you, then everything else be fucking damned.”

“Dee…”

“If I let myself love you and something happened to you? I would tear the whole world apart to get you back,” Donnie said, his hands grabbing at the back of your shirt in a desperate act to hold onto you tighter. The teenage Donatello you first met would barely high-five you. The Donnie you had in your arms now held you like his life depended on it, “But I can’t. I have my brothers, the entire damn resistance counting on me. I don’t– I can’t afford to have you.”

“I know, Don, I know,” you said, squeezing him within your arms, “I’m being a dick about this.”

Donnie sighed, “It doesn’t mean it’s any easier to see you with someone else, though.”

“Would it make you feel better if I told you it was a one-time thing?” you asked, “Cass and I talked this morning, we agreed that it wouldn’t happen again.”

“Then why did you do it?” Donnie asked, the hurt still evident in his voice. 

You’d allow that, you decided.

You shrugged against him, feeling shy now, “She was there, I guess. Cas is a fucking smokeshow, don’t get me wrong, but… she’s not you.”

You put your hand to Donnie’s face and wiped away a tear that had managed to fall. Donnie leaned into your hand, a rare show of vulnerability you haven’t seen in, well, years. The two of you rarely shared this much physical affection beyond squeezing onto the workshop cot together when it got too late to head back to the sleeping quarters.

“I love you,” you said plainly, going back in for the hug and tucking your face against his chest. He stiffened the way he always did when you said those three words, but you kept trudging on, “And I’m sorry I keep pushing you like this. I just… I wish that we didn’t have to meet in the fucking apocalypse. I wish we had at least a few months together in the normal world before the Kraang decided to screw things up for us.”

“You have no idea,” Donnie said. He rested his cheek on the top of your head, “I would’ve liked to take you for a movie.”

“I would have pegged you as a bowling alley first date type of guy,” you replied, bringing a hand up to grab at his neck. Just to hold. Just to feel the texture of his scales beneath your fingers Just to know the two of you were as okay as you were ever going to be, “Show off your skills and spend the entire night trying to get me to stroke your ego.”

Donnie snorted, grabbing your hand from his neck and pressing his mouth against your palm. 

It wasn't even a kiss, really, but it had your heart clenching in a way that you hadn't felt in years. The tears that formed in the corner of your eyes finally fell down your cheeks as you softly hiccupped.

Donnie churred soothingly and wiped them away with a gentle care that he reserved for you, only for you. The two of you sat there in silence again, not wanting to move away but not having an excuse to keep holding each other like that.

You coughed in your hand, making the first step to let Donnie go. His hands reluctantly let go of your shirt and the two of you stood awkwardly in the middle of the workshop and refused to make eye contact with each other.

“So,” you said, breaking the silence first for the third time in fifteen years, “we’re not in love.”

“That’s not–”

“That’s the only decision,” you said resolutely, “Agonizing over each other is as big of a distraction as being in love, so we can’t do either.”

Donnie opened his mouth and closed it. He spent one, two moments looking intently at your face before sighing with a shake of his head, “I suppose you’re right.”

“I always am,” you said with a humor you didn’t feel. You wiped a hand over your face, no doubt getting more grease all over your skin, “Anyways… the drone? Still gotta finish installing the navigation system.”

Donnie nodded, accepting the wrench you handed him.

In another life, you could have had this. 

The thought of it had granted you many sleepless nights. What would the world be like with a Donatello that didn’t have to hold you at an arm’s length? Where you could have met him at some mundane coffee shop instead of a last minute rescue from Metro Tower? Maybe even a world where even the tiniest exchange of touch didn’t have to mean so damn much.

(You’d like to have your arm back, if anything else.)

You returned the soft smile Donnie gave you when you already had the soldering iron ready and a brush full of flux ready to assist him.

You supposed that Donnie was worth it, regardless of how you got to have him.