#she has the power the canaries have and she can carry it out with an immediacy that they cannot!

[britcision]

My brain keeps giving me the dumbest half-baked Mithrun thoughts and I’m fucking loving it he’s so self contained

—————

Brain: wait the Canaries’ whole thing is that they’re each super specialized in their field of magic Solely For Dungeon and Mithrun is the teleportation specialist, why did they fly-

Me: his fucking sense of direction. He’d kill them both and can’t be trusted. Now QUICK, who the fuck made them the scroll?

Mithrun’s got a homework duty of making matching scroll sets on his downtime

OR

They’re standard Canary gear - Mithrun just doesn’t carry his squad’s because he doesn’t care

OR

They had to go tell another squad they lost their fucking captain please can we borrow your teleporter

————

Brain: man when you think about it “I wish I hadn’t joined the Canaries” is an incredibly basic wish compared to Thistle’s whole mess

Me: This is probably why the demon decided he was a weak ass bitch and spat him out unfinished when it couldn’t gather enough power from him to go critical

(And was murdered by Milsiril and co, wonder what they were doing for 5 years while Mithrun was the dungeon lord. Hopefully they left and came back with reinforcements… they were the same squad)

—————

For bonus points: Mithrun’s family is known for silver hair and eyes, which his older brother lacks.

Mithrun is definitively his mother’s child, and has those traits. He’s the bastard, so he could not have gotten them from his brother’s father.

3 options in ascending order of unhingedness:

1) it’s the mother’s side that are known for the silver hair and eyes. Unlikely, unless the father carried his older brother since assuming infidelity means it must be the sire in question, not the parent who carried the baby.

It’s harder to fake who a baby came out of, he’d be “swapped at birth”, not a bastard

2) Mithrun’s mother cheated with a member of her husband’s family (known for their hair and eyes). More likely, best option, the normal one.

3) both sides of the family are known for silver hair and eyes. Charitably, this is a fun coincidence. Uncharitably, they’re European royalty (prone to marrying cousins)

Statistically speaking 2 is probably the one but there’s mileage to get real fucked up and frankly, precedent among nobility for 3

——————

Also, Fleki likes to do drugs and use her magic in her off hours and the convicts can’t use magic without their warden’s permission

(wording unspecific but the direct quote until I get the official translation is “the convicts are unable to use magic without permission from their warden”, singular - each warden gets two specific convicts, which would imply that only that warden can give them permission

It’s not unreasonable to assume their captain or other wardens on the same team could give them permission if their warden dies, so that’s my head canon but it cannot be supported definitively by the text)

The point being:

Fleki’s texting someone for permission to go flying after she gets high and the boring version is Mithrun’s given her blanket permission to use her magic how she wants one time and it doesn’t need reupping

(Also possible that since familiar stuff isn’t specifically combat magic, she’s on a longer leash than Cithis or Lycion - but she can still fuck people up as needed)

The fun version is Fleki texting Pattadol at whatever hour she’s successfully acquired her shrooms and just bugging her until Pattadol gives in and tells her to go for it

——————

This is what my brain does at 3am instead of sleeping so like enjoy that

It’s possible my ADHD meds aren’t working as well as I thought tbh

[halfmoth-halfman]

MOTH

You have outdone yourself !!! Reading designer dress rn has me alll riled up (in the best of ways). Like your writing rejuvenates my soul. I literally felt my heart beating while I read it and reading what canary said at the end 😌😌😌 literally felt like the end of a trilogy but like part one of the movie. And what’s next to come is part 2.

It’s still clear that canary still Carries hurt from what happened and that it will take time but what I liked the most about the ending was the fact that it made me realize that , there is still no outright reaction towards price. We see her worry here and there but also the fact that she is still mad at price. What she said to price was not lashing out to him , asking him why he did the things he did, nor explain all the stuff she went through. What she did was say what SHE wanted/demanded, not for price or anyone else but for herself.

God I love this series so much 💚 thank you !!!

this is so sweet omg and very similar to how i feel writing it sometimes tbh like i def hype myself up just thinking about canary's revenge arc LOL

canary is def still hurt from her time with makarov, and i think she doesn't even realize how much has really stuck with her yet. she kind of has that internal battle where she knows she doesn't trust him and is hurt by his betrayal, but she's still worried about him being at shepherd's mercy

but then they reunite and this powerful man is quite literally on his knees waiting for her to give him orders, and she pushes all of that to the side because she knows what she wants and what she wants is revenge. and if price is going to help her get it, she can hold back her hurt for just a little bit. not forever, of course because he has to grovel a least a little bit more tho ;)

thank you so much reading omg 💜

[funky-fox-fics]

You keep an hourglass, you do, filled to brimming with gold and white and black sands alike. It’s made of the finest mahogany, the glass a polished amber. At the top, you write in Latin: memento mori. Remember you must die. What an ironic name for a deathless person.

“The road to destruction,” mother Babel murmurs behind her knitting, “immortality is. I told you not to practice it, dear.”

“It’s fine,” you say. “I have a—you can’t even destroy this one. I don’t see why you’re making such a fuss about it.”

Mother Babel hems and haws. She stares at you, cataract-clouded eyes piercing with intensity. “There is a time to live, and a time to die,” she rasps. “Don’t remove the end of your story.”

“But there is nothing else after the end!” you cry. “How could anyone want that?”

“Peace will come, and you shall find that staying alive forever will bring more harm than good.” Her scarf is fastened with a glittering brooch of scarlet and gold, blood and beauty both.

“Besides,” you tell her, “if I do want to undo this—which I won’t—I can. It’s not like it’s permanent.”

“And how can you be so sure?” she asks, voice wheezy. She coughs.

“Because,” you say simply, “I am confident. Is that a bad thing?”

“Foolish,” she argues, “and utterly senseless. I don’t want you to drown under the weight of agelessness. No immortal man can ever dream of being on the same level as his mortal companions, no matter how selfless he is.”

“Babel,” you say. “It’ll be fine. You’re worrisome, anyway.”

Mother Babel narrows her eyes, knits, blinks but once. “It is your fault,” she says finally, in the terse way that means that she’ll pretend she’s deaf if you press.

You rub your finger over the hourglass that will never run out. Your sand speck is black, like the ashy beaches of New Embros. You’ve always longed to go there, but Mother Sodom has never let you. Instead, you still dwell in Lotus Grove. Maybe with your invincibility, you can explore New Embros—maybe even Khoski Highlands!

“Then that’s fine,” you say, and can barely hide the smugness in it. “Then that’s fine.”

—

You travel around with your hourglass. The Timer, you say, delighting all the fanciful and astounding the logical. Most think to put theirs in something such as a box, or a pearl. When you tell them it is a sand grain, not the hourglass itself, that hides your eternal soul—well. The name of Sandskeeper becomes your title, and just as well your legacy.

You are revered through Enso. Embrosian merchants clamor to know you, while Khoskian thieves whisper about your cleverness. You are mot the first to immortalize yourself, but certainly the smartest. You carry your life on a necklace. You cannot die.

Despite Babel’s concerns, you are sure; you are the most powerful person to have ever lived.

And then the hourglass breaks.

—

“Now, now,” says the dark-skinned woman. “Elli, be careful around the Sandskeeper’s necklace.”

“I will,” says the girl in a wheedly voice. You quite dislike her, but the woman is a notable priest who hopes to become immortal, just as you are. She holds a simple canary feather, golden and bright as the sun.

“Now,” you say, “it is very common nowadays to immortalize yourself.” This part is always required by law, but you hate it. “Do you truly wish to embark on such a journey of agelessness, so that neither man nor animal can strike you down?”

The woman is eager, nodding. “Of course.”

You run a hand over your hourglass, and take it off. The glass in tarnished; perhaps you need to replace it. It would be the first time you’d ever done so. A nice change of pace, you think. Three hundred years have hardly beautified the hourglass.

You begin to explain the arduous process of necromancy, putting the hourglass aside. You do not notice the sly hand that deftly swipes the hourglass from behind you. The mother is too focused on your explanation, teasing her very spirit into the feather. She hisses in pain as she does. Most people do.

“Now,” you begin, reaching over to your hourglass and not taking your eyes off the woman, “you want to—“

You grab empty air.

You pause. “You want to…” you begin again, twisting about yourself. “You want to… where is it?” A bolt of panic shoots through you. “Where is it?”

The mother’s eyes grow panicked at your worry. “Somewhere around here,” she says in a soothing voice, one done well by motherhood. “I’m sure of it.”

“It’s gone,” you gasp. “God, it’s gone. Where could it be?”

“I don’t know,” the mother says worriedly. “I don’t know. Let’s search the village. You had it with you when you came here, yes?”

“Of course I did,” you snap bitterly. “I left it alone for narry a second, it shouldn’t have—“

Footsteps pitter-patter outside the walls. They are frantic, frenzied, quick like a rabbit’s.

“Jordan?” the mother breathes, glancing out the window. “But why is he here? Unless—he is not carrying your hourglass.”

“I am not blind,” you bite. “Nor stupid.”

Before either of you can say anymore, the boy bursts in, tears glittering on his cheeks. He gasps for breath between sobs.

“Jordan?” the mother frets. “What is it?”

The boy chokes on tears. “Don’t kill me, Sandskeeper,” he says in a trembling voice.

“We shall see whether that becomes true,” you say firmly. “Why would I kill you?”

The boy turns to you, hazel eyes wide with disposable mortality. His lips and hands alike tremble. You pity him.

“Elli broke your hourglass,” he breathes.

For a moment, complete silence comes of your shock. Your hourglass. Broken. Liar, you want to call him, but he cries in a too-truthful way. Your soul is gone in a sea of sand, the speck assimilated into dust. Your breath, like his, is quick in your lungs.

Fury takes you over in your stillness, and your dagger—tipped with heart-stopping poison—comes to your hands. You yell, a primal and terrible thing, and stab the boy in his chest. A quick, far too merciful death.

There is barely any blood. His breath and tears stop suddenly, and he goes limp in the woman’s arms. You wrench out the dagger and, ah, there’s the blood. You stare at him, trembling, vengeance unsatisfied.

The woman begins to shriek, and so you do her the favor of letting her pass with a strike to the throat. Her cry dies with her, and now there are two corpses in the cottage. What an unpleasant scene. You stare, fury like bile in your throat, and do not register the two dead bodies except as payback, except as revenge.

“I should have asked the boy where Elli was,” you say in a menacingly quiet voice, but there is no one to hear it.

You sheath your dagger again and stride briskly to the neighboring house. You throw open the door and bark, “Where is the one known as Elli?”

“Tiana!” screams a man. “How dare you kill Tiana and Jordan!”

“Where is Elli?” you demand.

“Bring them both back!”

“Where is Elli?”

“She went to play a few streets away,” says a young girl, perhaps as young as Elli herself—eleven or so, maybe a mature ten-year-old.

“In which direction?” you ask.

She jabs her finger out the window. “Left, straight, right, right,” she breathes, face pale. The man has run to the back room for a weapon, most likely, or perhaps to tell the townsfolk. You will be done with Elli before he can do anything.

You depart, and follow the girl’s instructions. Left, straight, right… As you round the final right, you glimpse a gaggle of girls, crowded around a certain spot in the streets.

“Let me through,” you growl as you near them.

They part wordlessly, and you stand over the ruins of what you are. The sand is all scattered across the road, indistinct, mixed with shards of glass. You stare, and stare, and stare as anger and hatred and fury build up in your chest.

“Where is Elli,” you say in a snarl.

“She’s, um—“ says a girl with bright blue eyes. “I’m pretty sure she went over to the priest’s, after she broke it. Something about confessing your sins?” She swallows.

You cannot take it anymore. You scream and turn on the girls, swinging your knife. Your dagger strikes three, including the helpful one, and you throw it at a fleeing girl. Four have gotten away. The three are spasming, trembling on the ground, writhing in the throes of death, screaming and gurgling and coughing air that won’t make it in.

You retrieve the dagger from the fourth girl, who wears a beaded necklace that spells out K-I-N-D-N-E-S-S. You sigh. “Poor thing,” you say remorselessly, and the weight of the dagger is good in your hand.

Pity. The three girls’ pretty pink dresses are stained with dark red. What a tragedy. You sheath the dagger again, careful to not prick yourself. That would go quite badly, seeing as you do not know where your own soul is.

You go to stand back over the sand. Nothing is quelled. Your spirit hungers for more-more-more, blood and death and gasping gasping gasping.

Elli is next, you know this.

You run.

—

You find Elli outside of a common house. She nibbles on a piece of bark-brown bread.

“Elli,” you say, smoothing out your clothes. “Elli.”

Elli jumps with a scream. You consider killing her now, in return for breaking your hourglass. No—cat and mouse is the best way to play this game.

“Y-yes?” she stammers, pressing her back to the wall. “Sandskeeper?”

In a fluid motion, you take out an unpoisoned dagger made of finest gold—your show dagger, the one not meant to kill—and press it against her neck.

“If you scream,” you say in a low voice, “you will die.”

“I’m sorry!” she sobs, shaking against the blade. “I didn’t mean to! I didn’t mean to break your hourglass! Don’t kill me, please!”

“Shut it,” you hiss. She does. “I killed your mother, your friends, Jordan. Do you want to know why?”

She inhales sharply, and it’s clear the only thing keeping her from wailing is the knife against her neck. “No, sir.”

“To torture you before I finally killed you,” you lie. “No one gets away with wronging the Sandskeeper. Do you understand?”

Elli’s eyes dart everywhere—the house, the street, the sky, the sides. There is nowhere for her to run. “Yes,” she says meekly. “I understand.”

“Good,” you say, and slit her throat.

You wear gloves of black silk, so you place those on her hands and stab her corpse a few more times for good measure. She screams, her throat coated with blood, but you do not particularly care. Vengeance is sweet, like sugar, like a refreshing drink of water.

(And—)

(And—)

Then, before you can relish in your vengeance, in the freedom of revenge, you stop.

You cannot breathe. Your heart does not beat. Your thoughts stop abruptly, and just before your brain stops working, you glimpse your flesh, and the briefest shock flashes through you before you can feel no more.

Your blood and skin and flesh… have turned to glass.

—

Sylvia strides into the temple. She is adorned in all black, eyes dark and determined. The temple is silent, save for the click of her shoes on the floor.

“Madam Sylvia,” says the priest as she walks up to him.

“And you are…?”

“Oleg.” The man stands and bows shortly. “Daughter of Magdalene?”

“Indeed,” says Sylvia. “Is the Sandskeeper dead?”

“…yes,” says the priest after some hesitation. “I’m sorry for your—“

“Good riddance,” Sylvia says. “Is that all? I needn’t have dressed up for something as fortunate as this.”

“Do not speak ill of the dead, no matter how sinful in life!” exclaims Oleg.

“That is your tradition, not mine,” Sylvia tells him. “I can say whatever I’d like about them, thank you very much. They were a terrible, terrible person, always so susceptible to rage and violence and pride. I do wish they had gone out without so much bloodshed…” She sighs. “But I knew their end would not be a peaceful one. How did you finally kill them?”

“One of Elli’s friends—she’s the one who broke the hourglass, Elli was—was in possession of a flame charm from the fire swallowers of New Embros. She managed to set all the road ablaze, and her friend put it all out once news of the Sandskeeper’s death came to them.”

“Clever,” Sylvia says. “And they—transformed into a glass statue, am I correct?”

“You are. We could not bury it.” The priest tugs on his robe. “We plan to exhibit it in our museum, along with the dead’s names and graves. With your permission, of course.”

“Do so,” she says, laughing like a hen. “I would love to see the Sandskeeper on display. Suits them right.”

The priest settles onto a stone bench. “Then we need a name for the exhibit. I was thinking of The Elli Massacre, but perhaps something like The Murders Of The Sandskeeper or The Shattered Hourglass would be more relevant?”

Sylvia considers, rocking back on her heels. She glances all about, smiles, laughs at a realization. She dusts herself off.

“What is it?” asks the priest curiously, leaning in. “Did you think of something?”

Sylvia laughs again and adjusts her red-and-gold brooch on her neck. “I did.”

“What?”

“The Memento Mori Massacre.” She grins like a cat at the priest. “It’s rather fitting, isn’t it?”

Storing your soul in a single grain of sand seemed like a good idea for immortality, until you actually had to keep track of it.

[readymades2002]

wrt to that post you made on dunmeshi and marcille's wish - it feels very much like she's oversimplifying the prejudice she's aiming to solve imo, which is well established in the text (especially with how half-foots, ogres, and so-called "demi-humans" like kobolds and orcs are treated). she's wrapping up her personal fears and rather unique experiences as a half-elf with her idealism and over-ambition to create a nice easy "solution" for the world's problems, without giving anyone else a say in whether that's the solution they want. laois is very right to call her out for forcing such change onto people without consultation. hell, people in the room are vocally opposed to the idea. in her arrogance, she's falling into the same prejudice she's trying to fix - of COURSE everyone wants to live as long as marcille, why wouldn't they, isn't it more desirable and better to live as long as possible? i think combined with the world-building, her proposal comes across similarly to the sort of 'assimilation not liberation' activism that comes from privileged people not letting the marginalised speak for their wants and needs. for me, it'd be like the equivalent of wishing that everyone would speak common - and in the process, not considering how that might devalue other languages that come with history, culture etc. marcille devalues a half-foots 50 years of life by insisting they must all long for 1000

this is a really really brilliant take! i hadn't even put together marcille calling thistle on "elves always assume everyone wants to be like them" while doing the same thing! the power of dungeon master (for this specific dungeon at least, i think mithrun's goals are different in a way) is wrapped up in someone believing they can do what's best for everyone, which, when handling it alone, always comes with the asterisk of believing they Know what's best for everyone. and of COURSE that goes perfectly with the position of elves in this world, because that kind of...i don't have a great vocabulary when talking about these dynamics so i'm sorry if i word it clumsily but that kind of Paternal?? the. the thing where someone sees other cultures as less developed than they are and thus in need of protection and guidance. that bullshit! that's what elves in dunmeshi do all the time as a class so thistle and marcille continuing to do that as individuals is an extension of that

the comparison to assimilation activism is one i wouldn't have thought of! that's really interesting! marcille using her proximity to elven...ness...to perpetuate the same behavior the canaries do feels like it works with that really well to me? that very..."girlboss" move, where she's proving that even a half-elf can do the same things that elves do. something to that effect? that makes a lot of sense. that's really good. her solution being to simply bring everyone into the fold of Being Like An Elf and exercising power Like An Elf and not to think about why it is so important to her that everyone is Like An Elf or why the balance of power should remain in a place that is only accessible to people that are Like Elves. hmmm. this thought is still baking in my head i think. i’m gonna leave it in the oven a bit longer and see if i come out with something edible lol

what you said about marcille devaluing other lifespans is so interesting, too. she doesn't wish for a shorter lifespan, she wants everyone else's to be longer. i guess if you're expecting to live that long then cutting it off by hundreds of years would be kind of scary, but extending a lifespan by that long is ALSO scary! she's oversimplifying things, like you said, wrapping it up in the idea that a longer lifespan would fix it, when it wouldn't. it would help her in her experience with her lifespan, but she's just not thinking about what it means for anyone else and what could possibly be bad about it. and then she doesn't listen when people are upset or just so unable to CONCEPTUALIZE what she means that they laugh it off! its like. aghhh i don't wanna say its like reviving falin, where she did whatever she needed to to reach the solution she wanted without thinking of the consequences, but it also is a LITTLE BIT like that? maybe its more like throwing a pot of boiling water without checking that there isn't an undine around. she does what's convenient for her, she has all the time in the world* and rushes anyway, and she misses a lot in the process. or, really, she ignores a lot in the process. if she just works hard enough she can make it work for her, right?

(*she's going after falin with some urgency of course. i can't think of a better way to put this thought rn ^_^;;)

[early2000smovieimagines]

Meeting and Dating Ron Weasley

(Not my gif)(Requested by anonymous)

- Technically, you and Ron didn’t meet until fourth year but the redheaded boy had been in love with you since the moment he saw you, which was during first year at the magical school. 

- While he was certainly too shy to approach you, he did do quite a bit of staring and talking to Harry about you; though he tried to pretend as though he couldn’t care less every time he realized how in love he sounded. 

- So fourth year comes around and he’s still just as infatuated with you; and just as emotionally stunted about it, as ever. But then, it happens.  

“Hey Ginny.” 

- You waved at the redheaded girl as you passed with a few of your friends, causing her older brother to stare at her as though she’d suddenly sprouted another head. 

“How do you know y/n y/l/n?!” Ron immediately asked after you were far away enough not to hear. 

- He spent the rest of their walk questioning her as to how she knew you and how you met and if you were close and blah, blah, blah. Ginny only got him to lay off after she started teasing him for being in love with you, but even then he still sent a few hesitant questions her way, all the while insisting he wasn’t all that interested. 

- Ginny is very pleased with her newfound power. It was like the cat who got the canary the first time she brought you over and introduced you to her blushing brother. Ron could have killed her yet “kissed” her at the same time; not literally.

- Even though you now know each other and are on friendlier terms, he’s still nervous and awkward around you. He’s always messing up his words, stuttering, tripping over things, staring, etc. He’s awful with women if you weren’t aware.

- And yet, you still seem to like him, and over time he does start to relax, even though he still has his moments.

- Ron never actually asks you out, you just sort of have a silent agreement. You start to spend more alone time together, you don’t date anyone else, you share awkward yet almost tender moments, etc. Your relationship status is later solidified with a; long awaited, kiss and a kiss alone.

- Ron is very much so a spontaneous “I’m just gonna kiss her and deal with the consequences later” type of person. He’s bad at expressing his feelings with words so he’ll do it with his actions, and he’ll do it quickly before he has the chance to stop himself; usually after a surge of emotions.

- So, in typical Ron fashion, he heard some guy mention how he was thinking about asking you out, and realized that you never did establish that the two of you were an item. He immediately started to think about how much he’d hate to see you with another guy and how much he cared about you.

- Because of that, he was quite distracted when he finally saw you again. He fidgeted and seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as you walked together but just as you were thinking about saying something to him, he turned and laid one on you.

- Although you were a bit flustered and certainly very surprised, you kissed back and smiled at him as the two of you pulled away.

“I’ve been waiting to do that.” He admitted, his less confident personality returning as a blush creeped its way onto his cheeks.

- It’s in that moment that you’ve realized that you’ve fallen in love with a dork. A wonderful, beautiful dork.

- Though it tends to make him flustered, Ron is definitely a fan of pda. In the beginning of your relationship, he’s a bit defensive about it, like when his friends chuckle at you kissing his cheek or make faces at him while he’s got his arm wrapped around you, but he learns to ignore it and just brush them off. 

- Handholding. 

- Leaning your head on his shoulder. Perhaps it’s because it’s you initiating a type of affection or because it shows that you’re comfortable with him, but either way, he loves it. 

- Hugs. That’s all this boy wants. Just wrap your arms around him and let him hold you close goddamnit!

- You giving him kisses on the cheek; or anywhere else? Unparalleled. Never stop. 

- Abrupt, passionate kisses. 

- Snogging. He’s certainly a bit clumsy at first but you don’t mind; you probably are too. 

- He has a few select terms of endearment that he likes to use: darling, sweetheart, woman, my girlfriend. He doesn’t mind pet names but please stick to a simple “babe” or “honey” and not something like “won won” (shudders). 

- Ron sleeps on his back most of the time so you’ll just usually lay your head on his chest while he wraps his arms around you. That being said, he isn’t particular about the position, and since he has a habit of snoring, you may want to try spooning. 

- Do you know how long he’s waited to brush your hair behind your ear or wipe something off your face? That little action is so important to him and even he doesn’t really know why.

- Bridal carrying and piggyback rides. Ron’s a strong boy and he likes showing it off, and feeling you holding onto him.

- Getting your food stolen.

- Playing chess. 

- Dates at Hogsmeade. Sometimes the two of you just wander around and get yourselves a little privacy from every bodies prying eyes; and third wheeling.

- Going to the three broomsticks. If Ginny is there, he will immediately ask to leave and you oftentimes find it too amusing to be annoyed.

- Obviously, Ron doesn’t have a ton of pocket money so the two of you don’t do anything too expensive. A lot of your dates consist of roaming around the castle and the grounds together, finding somewhere to sit and just enjoying each other’s company.

- Sitting in the courtyard together.

- Cheering Harry on at Quidditch together and later cheering him, Ginny and Harry on with Hermione.

- Exaggerated stories. He’s always trying to impress you and make himself or what he’s done seem cooler than it really is.

- You’re constantly making jabs at each other and lovingly laughing at the other person. How can you not tease him for being in love with Viktor Krum, it’s the only way you can make yourself feel better about his obsession.

- You can practically see the hearts in his eyes when you laugh. He loves seeing and hearing it so much.

- Compliments and flattery. Is it so you’ll do his homework? Is it genuine? The world may never know.

- Making sure he actually does his work and does it well. He would be lost without you.

- You and Hermione talking about your mutual struggles with the boys. Ron and Harry watch from afar, agreeing that your little gathering makes them nervous and wondering what you’re saying.

- He likes when you try to teach him things, it gives him an excuse to be close to and watch you.

- He’s always encouraging you and reassuring you that you’ll do great and that you can do it. He’s so sure of you that you almost feel sure of yourself.

- Although he tries to not let you know just how much he is, he’s very impressed and proud of you at just about any given moment. He’s never met someone as amazing as you.

- Sometimes he surprises you with just how much he listens. Oftentimes at random, he’ll mention something that you once said and surprise you with just how much he’s taken to remembering; sometimes purely because it came out of your mouth.

- He’s always a bit speechless when you give him a gift. Once he’s over the shock, he’ll give you a “bloody hell, thank you” and a kiss on the cheek.

- Ron’s taken on Voldemort and countless other dangers and yet you’ll still have to be the one to kill the spiders in your relationship.

- Showing him muggle stuff. Oh Godric, the amount of time his father spent asking you about the muggle world when you first visited....

- Spending summers at the burrow and writing to each other; even though he teasingly pretends that he won’t.

- Ron is the youngest Weasley boy and Molly’s a momma bear so expect to be sweetly scrutinized and then made into a part of the family.

- The twins and Ginny teasing the two of you; though they do tease him more when they’re alone with him.

- You should probably apologize to Harry I’m advance because this boy never shuts up about you to him.

- Lightly touching and checking on each other’s injuries. He’s very gentle with you when you’re hurt, he treats you like you’re made of glass.

- Ron has always sort of felt like he was second best to Harry and most of his brothers so he loves when you pay special attention to him. Listening to his stories, praising him, having eyes only for him, it all makes him feel so much better about himself.

- Trying to help him smooth things over with people; especially when it comes to Harry and Hermione. It’s awkward to not be able to talk to them because your boyfriend keeps you right by his side so you try to fix things as soon as possible.

- As we all know, Ron is an incredibly jealous person and when he gets jealous, he can get a bit nasty. He’ll most likely interrupt you and make you choose between him or the guy, wanting you to prove that he’s more important to you than them by going with him. 

- Afterwards, he insults the person he’s jealous of, maybe accidentally somewhat insulting you in the process, and tries his best to make you think the other person is a git. 

- Ron is constantly jumping to defend your honor and is always ready to fight someone to do it. He may act like an ass to you at times but he really does love you and your safety is his top priority. Nothing is going to mess with his girlfriend. 

- The two of you have quite a few fights, all of them varying in intensity. Ron isn’t good at expressing his feelings so that’s usually what leads to fighting: him just not being able to communicate properly. Sometimes you have quick, hushed arguments, leaning in close to each others faces. Other times, you’ll be having loud and harsh ones filled with insinuations and insults you don’t mean. 

- You usually give each other space, whether it’s out of respect or because you both refuse to speak to the other one first depends on the situation. He asks Harry how long he thinks you’ll stay mad at him and oftentimes asks the boy to talk to you for him, mainly to see if you’re still mad. His apologies are stilted but he does give them and knowing how he is, you usually accept them. 

- There aren’t a ton of I love you’s in your relationship, given how awkward he is most of the time; particularly when you’re younger, but he will occasionally blurt it out without thinking. 

“Bloody hell,” he’ll say in awe. “Godric I love you.”

- While times certainly get tough in the future, he’s been in love with you since he was eleven and there’s no sign of it stopping any time soon. You’ll stick by each others sides and when the dust settles, you’ll start to build that life he’s been fantasizing about. 

[canary3d-obsessed]

Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 25, part one

(Masterpost) (Other Canary Stuff)

Warning: Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!

Holy crap, Episode 25! We’re halfway through! *Cue Bon Jovi*

Hunt Invitation

After taking a nice long break to watch Word of Honor pick lotus pods, Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli return to stressing over the shitshow that is the post-Sunshot cultivation world. Jin Zixuan has come to invite them to the Phoenix Mountain Hunt, with a special invitation from his mother to Jiang Yanli. Jiang Cheng reacts to this in a mature and reasonable manner, while Wei Wuxian...doesn't.

On the surface, Jiang Cheng has matured in recent months; much more than Wei Wuxian, with his secret burdens, has. But it's only on the surface, as we'll see later in the episode, when Jiang Cheng's insecurity will take the reins.

Jin Zixuan is adorably pleased by Jiang Yanli's acceptance of the invitation. Wei Wuxian is less pleased, but sort of tries to suck it up. 

Jin Zixuan kind of undercuts the romance of his errand by asking Wei Wuxian for the Yin tiger amulet as soon as Jiang Yanli is out of earshot. 

As always, Jin Zixuan makes an impression by being the best Jin currently in existence, but the Jins are terrible. JZX is working to advance his dad's ambitions, and as such he is currently Wei Wuxian's enemy.  

(more after the cut)

Opening Ceremonies

There's a bunch of cultivators arranged for the opening ceremony. Later someone will say that this is more than 5 thousand people. Ok, sure.

As I've said before, it's best to think of it like a theatre production and assume the other 4,900 people are offstage or, you know, painted on the backdrop.  

The young lead cultivators from the four main clans are standing together. Nie Huaisang is trying out some new body armor.

The clan leaders are seated up on the stage, along with Jin Furen and Jiang Yanli. Unfortunately Jin Furen doesn't seem to have a personal name that I can discover. Her title Fūrén ( 夫人)  means she's the primary wife of the head of the family, according to this excellent meta. 

So “Madame Jin” is a decent translation...if you're French?  I feel like instead of English subtitles including borrowed words from French (”Marquis” in NIH), Greek (”Water of Lethe” in WOH), and other European languages, we could try borrowing Chinese words instead. Jin Zixuan's mom is titled, not named, Jin Furen. Since we don’t know her actual name, I'll call her that and abbreviate it JFR.

Wei Wuxian's childishness continues at the opening of the hunt, as does Jiang Yanli's encouragement of his childishness. I know she's had a rough couple of years, and it's understandable to want to baby her little brother out of a sense of nostalgia. But it's not good for him, and she shouldn't do it; she should encourage him to be more mature, just as she does with Jiang Cheng.

War Crimes Contest

Jin Guangyao says they're going to have an archery competition, and they're going to liven it up by endangering some prisoners. These prisoners are Wens in Wen cultivator uniforms, meaning they're not the noncombatants that were being hunted down earlier. But they’re still helpless people in chains. 

There are three different reactions when the Wen prisoners are brought out.  All the Jins are pleased, or neutral. All of the Jiangs, including Wei Wuxian, are upset.

The Nies and the Lans, what we see of them, are a little shocked, but not obviously upset. Based on those reactions, it seems like this is a maneuver that in-world is considered shocking and cruel, but not necessarily unethical or immoral.  Shocking, cruel displays of power are pretty normal in this world; remember when Wen Chao lit a Lan cultivator on fire just to say hello, and nobody complained? 

This whole scenario, of course, has been designed to provoke Wei Wuxian. One major goal of this event, and the whole reason for wanting Wei Wuxian to come,  is to get the Yin Tiger amulet.  Making him lose his shit in front of 100 5000 cultivators is a good step toward compelling him to hand the amulet over.  

We see Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli both signaling Wei Wuxian to keep it together, and he takes a step back and tries to chill.  

Meanwhile, Jin Zixuan seems annoyed by all this, and goes to take a shot at it, making it clear from his demeanor that this is easy and JGY is making a show of nothing. 

He hovers in the air and makes a perfect shot, pleasing most of the crowd and impressing Jiang Yanli. 

Then his cousin Jin Zixun taunts the crowd, challenging anyone to do better.  This presents a bit of a problem for Wei Wuxian. For the sake of the Wen prisoners, Wei Wuxian should just take this taunting and let the contest end, if no-one else is willing to take a shot. But for the sake of the Jiang Clan’s status, and his continued control of the Yin Tiger amulet, he needs to put the Jins in their place.  

Every Day is Blindfold Day

This moral dilemma is resolved with an abrupt tonal shift, where the humanitarian concerns of all parties seem to vanish. Wei Wuxian flirts embarrassingly with Lan Wangji and then goes as far over the top in besting Jin Zixuan as it's possible to go.

The flirting hits differently, incidentally, when you edit Jiang Cheng's annoyed reaction out of it: 

Lan Wangji doesn't seem embarrassed by Wei Wuxian's request, despite it happening in front of 100 5000 of their fellow cultivators. He looks Wei Wuxian straight in the eye for longer than necessary before turning away; it’s not exactly stern disapproval. We’ll get very used to this look, in Wei Wuxian’s second life. 

Fortunately, Wei Wuxian carries a blindfold with him wherever he goes, (gifset here), and he is such a good cultivator he can hit 5 parallel targets simultaneously without even holding his bow straight or tightening the string.

(OP fixed the angle of the bow for this gif, which is why everyone is standing on a hill in the background).

Everyone is pleased by this shot except Jins Guangyao and Zixun; even the Jin cultivators are clapping, and Madame Jin is presumably this happy any time Jin Guangyao’s plans go wrong.

With that they start the hunt. Jin Zixun challenges Wei Wuxian to do the whole hunt blindfolded. Wei Wuxian agrees, but the censorship committee said no, apparently, so we don’t get to see that.

Flute Hunting

We do get to see Wei Wuxian luring monsters into his nets by being too sexy for his robe, too sexy for his robe, and playing the flute.  

We also get to see Jiang cultivators looking puzzled while random monster roars happen in the woods around them. We do not get to see any monsters, which is probably just as well.

Jiang Cheng is annoyed and concerned, muttering "I told you not to overdo it" which means he didn't, you know, tell Wei Wuxian NOT to do this, just not to do it quite so well. Jiang Cheng knows what Wei Wuxian’s abilities are and he is making use of him, as he should, but he doesn’t have the courage of his convictions. 

Tree Confession

Wei Wuxian sees Lan Wangji and starts to say hi, but then he has a desaturated flashback to Lan Xichen telling him to back off, so he stops himself.  But then Lan Wangji comes over to talk to him.

Lan Wangji starts off talking to him about his latest anti-resentment musical discoveries, and Wei Wuxian pushes back, even calling him Lan Wangji, but gently.  Wei Wuxian asks "who am I to you?" and Lan Wangji turns the question right back at him, then waits a looooooong time, eyes downcast, while Wei Wuxian thinks of a serious answer.

Wei Wuxian says "I used to treat you as my zhījǐ" --which, as we’ve discussed before, is variously translated soulmate, confidant, intimate friend--with a strong meaning of "the person who truly knows me." Lan Wangji says "I still am." Coming from Lan Wangji, who NEVER says how he feels about Wei Wuxian or about anything, really, this sounds a lot like a confession of love. 

It definitely takes the form, visually, of a love confession, as Lan Wangji speaks, then gazes at Wei Wuxian while he waits for a reply.  Wei Wuxian's reply is this:

I don't think Wei Wuxian is oblivious (I'm speaking strictly of CQL, not MZDS, as always with these posts; they are different works). I think he loves Lan Wangji back, and knows it. But Chenqing and everything it represents are between them.

Lan Wangji is quite literally NOT his zhījǐ any more, because he doesn't truly know Wei Wuxian right now. He loves him desperately, but he doesn't know about his core, and hasn't accepted his cultivation method.  So Wei Wuxian answers his confession by showing him Chenqing, effectively declining to accept his still-conditional love.

Snake Measuring

Next we get terrible hetero courtship in the form of Jin Zixuan finding snake discharge on the ground and talking to Jiang Yanli about comparative snake measuring. Seriously: that is the actual conversation that they are having.

Jin Zixuan boasts for a bit, and then awkwardly tries to ask Jiang Yanli on a date. When she turns him down he gets mad, because he's a typical heterosexual dude even though he's secretly a delightful person...very, very secretly. Jiang Yanli, for her part, can't string a fucking sentence together to save her life whenever he's around, so she's not helping their mutual understanding. 

Lan Wangji attempts to hold Wei Wuxian back from beating Jin Zixuan’s ass yet again, but eventually JYL wants to leave, JZX tells her to wait, and WWX intervenes. Why doesn't Jiang Yanli have a maid or Jiang cultivator with her while she's on a date, incidentally? These kids are confused about whether they're doing feudal patriarchy or whether they're doing modern social life.

Jin vs. Jiang

Wei Wuxian jumps in between Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan, which JZX objects to. Jin Zixuan has no fucking business objecting and Wei Wuxian is 100% right, at this point. As soon as WWX shows up JZX should hand her off to her Shidi, bow, and leave her the fuck alone. Instead, he draws his sword on Wei Wuxian, and kind of on Jiang Yanli since she's right behind Wei Wuxian.  Fortunately, Lan Wangji blocks him. 

This instantly blows up into a Jiang-Jin Clan conflict, with Jiang Cheng unfortunately absent since he let his unmarried sister go off in the woods alone with the son of the Cultivaton world's most famous lecher. It looks like it’s a personal conflict, but since Jin Zixuan already told Wei Wuxian directly that Jin Guangshan wants his amulet, any arguments between them are part of a larger power struggle. 

Cousin Jin Zixun comes running up to start shit. Wei Wuxian pretends--I am SURE he's pretending--not to know who he is. The dude hassles Wei Wuxian every time he sees him; Wei Wuxian is a troll, and right now CJXZ is butting in to something that doesn't concern him. Rather than argue, Wei Wuxian insults him by telling him he’s not memorable.

Jin Furen shows up with several maids and cultivator dudes in tow, which is the proper way for a highborn woman to wander around in the woods. She also brings Clan Leader Yao, because if it's Wei Wuxian Blaming Hours, Yao is going to be there.  

I initially found the deep friendship between superhot Yi Zuyuan and dumpy Jin Furen implausible, but then I remembered that my lifelong bestie is a smokin' hot redhead with impeccable fashion sense, while I am a roly-poly nerd.  Friends don’t always match. Also, Jin Furen's actress, Hu Xiaoting, looks like this: 

...so she is actually hot in real life. Not as hot as Zhang Jingtong (who plays Yu Ziyuan) but literally nobody is as hot as Zhang Jingtong. Don't @ me, you know I'm right.

This is a heck of a long scene, so we’ll pick it up in part two! 

Soundtrack: Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Writing prompt: Newly-divorced, cold-hearted CEO Yu Ziyuan buys an apartment next door to newly-divorced, warm-hearted pastry chef ...uhh let's call her Jin Dàngāo (蛋糕), sure. She can name her business after herself. 

They discover their daughter & son are in the same college class, and so they meet up over coffee....several times...trying to matchmake their hopeless, hapless kids, while bonding over their own terrible (former) taste in husbands. Who will Cupid strike first, the kids or the moms?

[roofcatfanart]

Virtual Reality Au

Ok so this is a superbat au bc fuck you I like it. Anyway, simply jotting down ideas. I was inspired A Game You Can’t Win by NightFoilage so go check it out.

So this au takes place in a no powers universe but set in thee future so more furutistic stuff like holograms, underwater cities, and the ability for same sex couples to produce children by combining DNA. Clark worked in Metropolis with Louis at the Daily Planet while Bruce operates as a funder of Gotham charities and Wayne Industries. Clark and Louis were previously married but then came to the decision that they were not what each other needed but still stayed friends. They were married for about 12 years. Bruce and Selina were engage but after an accident talked to one another and admitted that they were better off as friends. The bat kids call her aunt Selina.

Now, Clark and Bruce have been playing video games together for about 20 years, 5 years together and 15 with the other league members. They all have their own lives but are fairly tight knit. Now, they haven’t met up in real life or told each other their names because they all think of each other as civilians while they all work in dangerous fields.

Diana is an ambassador and princess for her island country which she rules with her mother and aunt.

Arthur (Jason Mamoa bc he is the only valid aquaman, he made aquaman COOL)  is the heir for the throne to Atlantis working with his mother to rule and keep the peace.

Barry works as one of the countries top forensic scientists, having helped solve several high case murders and crimes.

Hal worked as a Air Force pilot before working with Green Lantern peace corps to maintain peace between nations.

John was a marine who joined the Green Lantern Corps and is often paired with Hal in game and irl.

Shayera was a double agent working to expose a terrorist group. She and John are married :3

J’oan works as a therapist for all lot of people, specifically higher profitable people (not anyone in the league).

Black Canary works as a bodyguard, is vibing with Oliver.

Ollie works in the same vain as Bruce but instead works as an investigator and aid to his city as well as a business partner to Bruce.

Clark is Louis partner editor and ex-Husband which puts a target on his back from everyone she’s exposed.

Bruce is Bruce minus Batman but in video game.

God I made this is much more complicated than it needed to be and like half of this is background stuff. Anyway carrying on!

So! The League has been playing games together for years, anything from Resident Evil to Minecraft to Among us. They are a fairly small group of content creators, mostly recording their games or doing charity streams. They trade off on editing so that its not on one person.

Then Dynamic Creation released. (yes is DC no im not being Lazy wdym)

Dynamic Creation is a virtual reality game based in a world with superheros and Villains. To take from NightFoilage’s story there are three classes players can take being civilians, heroes or villains. With realistic A.I. and amazing worlds to explore, it is one of the most looked forwarded to games that year.

So the league picks up the game, agreeing to go off on their own to explore and level up until they are at the level to make an alliance. They each have their own series of what they do as characters while still making join content about other games.

Now, the kicker?

Not a single one of the kids knows that their parent/guardian play video games or are League members. Which leads to interesting shenanigans when the kids make accounts trying to meet up with the league members.

Jason and Damian get into a fight about wether or not Batman would favor them, Dick trying to impress Batman, Tim donating money to earn his favor etc.

Bruce isn’t sure how to feel and mentions that they really seem to like Batman and they somehow got to taking about how Superman and Batman would be a cool couple. (Bruce is only barely not showing any emberessment on his face

The League was understandably laughing their asses off.

So we are focused on Bruce and Clark’s journey through DC and them trying to figure out if the other likes them back (Spoiler they’ve been crushing for a long while)

While all this is going on, there is a plot by Lex luthor to take over DC and use it for less than legal things and he uses henchmen (think ready player One where its a race to win the oasis but instead its Luthor trying to sabotage in game via sixers)

Now regarding Conner and Jon, Clark and Louis knew Lex Luthor, Clark knew him from smallvile while Louis knew him from her journalism. Lex had an obsession with the both of them and was constantly trying to be in their lives intimate (this is bc he’s a fucking creep literally nothing else). So when they got married he took their DNA (idk how just go with it) and made Conner. After Connor started to look alot like Clark he made Jon who looked like Louis. Neither Clark or Louis knew about this nor Conner and Jon so up until Conner was 15. His class took a genetics test for his science class and his results come back not as the son of Lex Luthor but as Clark and Louis.

Now young justice is a group as well as the titans with Jason and the outlaws a thing. Connor doesn’t know what to do, specifically since Lex isn’t exactly a good person, and he has Jon tested too just in-case he is Luthor’s bio-son. He isn’t so Connor went to his friends about what to do. He contacts Clark and asks to meet up for an interview while Tim does a background check on Clark.

They meet up, Connor drops the bombshell. Clark is surprised which Connor shows the DNA tests and his dono's files. Clark is also unsuprised at the fact that Luthor did this considering he and Louis have a restraining order against Luthor. Clark is conserned about Connor being raise by Luthor and then Connor mentions Jon which makes Clark even more worried so after they finish that up he asks Connor if he’s fine with Clark telling Louis. Connor agrees and Clark calls Louis who is currently working on the story of the Amazon-Atlantis- United Nations treaty.

They talk ad contact Connor and Jon again asking if they want to get too know them. So they do, Luthor finds out then tries to use the boys to get close to Clark. That goes horibble and Connor blackmails Luthor into letting them stay with Clark bc now he realizes that Luthor was a horrible person.

So the start of the fic is the first day of DC and the league growing while Clark and Bruce flutter around each other and about a yyear in deside to date, but no revealing their names admitting to each other that they are worried about their lives being dangorous.

Adventually everyone meets up at DynamicCon, which is held two years after the start of the fic. All the kids meet up and its the spiderman meme for the adults when it clicked in Barry’s head and he hugged Bruce.

Exestancal crisis for the kids though and the adults are enjoying it.

Luthor puts his plan into motion and all the league and kids deafened the game alongside other players, with Tim, Victor and Bruce ending Luthor’s reign by giving his systems a virus that breaks the connection to the game.

Happy ending :)

[heavenlyeros]

All this recent lore seemingly pointing us to draw the connection between Umun’arath’s corruption and Saladin slowly falling to the darkness himself is driving me crazy. Is Xivu Arath whispering dark temptations to our favourite angry warmonger? We don’t know, but it sure seems like it. And then, of course, we have the emotional rollercoaster that Osiris has been going through. Naturally, I can’t help but look (respectfully) at these two arrogant and extremely competent men 👀 They have both spent a very long time with only themselves, and they are both acutely aware that they are good, so it’s no surprise they’ve built fortresses around themselves - and blinded themselves in the process, too. It’s been exciting and terrifying hearing these two grow to respect each other over the past few weeks, but while Crow sways Amanda to acceptance... I was not quite expecting Osiris to be swayed to Saladin’s views. He was always quite firmly in the middle, for what’s logical for the greater good if nothing else, and it makes sense, but it hurts. And that exchange where Osiris confirms his support were Saladin to split from the Vanguard and go against their wishes? Sign me the f up.

I wrote a thing about this, of course: my interpretation of what’s been going on in Osiris’ brilliant, idiotic bird brain. Warnings for angsty O14, Sagira, and general sadness. This is only how I see it (hint hint please come scream about lore with me whether you think the same or different), shaped in part by some amazing lore people in the community (check out r/destinylore and also tumblr user homosiris’ essay on Osiris if you haven’t because dayum, that’s some good shit that echoes my angsty feelings just right): 

Picture this: you wake up one day from your forever-slumber with no memory of who you were before. The little drone who appears to have brought you back - your ghost - explains that the Traveller has gifted you with Light. You have infinite questions. You might not precisely remember the world you came from, but you know it has changed. Everywhere you go is a battle: the hive, the fallen, even your own kind - war lords versus iron lords. You find out that not many were given this gift. There is no other logical option, of course, but to keep fighting these battles to protect those who cannot. You don't understand, but every day answers a new question, and you have faith that the machine god in the sky must have chosen you for a reason. Years pass, outright wars, the weight of leadership. Your questions take different shape. Reason chips away at blind faith. You realise, one day, that the only gift your people have been given is the gift of war - that the Light's gift for you was to be a warrior. Endlessly. Your questions make others uncomfortable. Eventually you are exiled. Your student, your colleagues, your friends - they don't stick up for you. But you've been bearing the gift of dying to protect others forever. You must carry on. And despite all of your doubts and all of your anger, the Traveller's shackles, your ghost, your little light - she sticks by you. She never stops supporting you. She is your dearest friend. The two of you spend what feels like an eternity in the corridors of time. Not lost, but always searching. You make echoes, countless reflections of yourself, but for centuries upon centuries the only voices you ever hear are Sagira's, and your own. No one reaches out. They did not listen before, and they will not now. You carry on fighting in your isolation, forever seeking an answer to the most frightening of questions - how do you stop the end of everything you hold dear, the annihilation of your people? The few who paid some mind to your so called "prophecies" are little more than fanatics. It lends you little credibility. You are not only an exile, you are a pariah; you are alone and that extends beyond the simulated limitlessness of the infinite forest. You would not admit to it, but you are lonely, too. Time changes you. Confined within these confluxes, doubt takes roots, and you realise your mistakes. No one ever came to apologise to you. But more painfully than that - you have no one to apologise to. Would they give you the chance, if you were to return? Would they even be there at all? Or would everything you failed to prevent have crushed them into nothingness? You must fight on. Time also makes you powerful. You were always amongst the very best, but in the forest you hone your skills into the closest thing your kind has had to godhood. If nothing else, you have faith in yourself. If no one else, you will prevail. Something changes, one day. In the blink of an eye you are lost in the inevitability of the vex's machinations. You lose Sagira, too, for her own good, maybe for good. No matter; you must fight on, you must continue in your mission before the calamity has time to sink in. But another Guardian shows up. They carry the fight where you couldn't. They bring with them Ikora, too, and she seems willing to listen. She invites you to come back - come home. But what you did get back was your little light, and a million more timelines to explore, infinite new questions, and you know there will be no place for you in the City that threw you out. You have become invincible, and with that invincibility comes the wisdom of knowing where you cannot take another blow. You have spent eternity preventing untold histories repeating outside the realm of your control. You have grown skilled at not repeating history. Amongst the people who left you behind - whom you left behind, a little voice that might not always be Sagira's nags in the back of your mind - was the one that you loved most. You would never say, you would never risk it. So when you find out that he did not abandon you at all, but has come on a crusade to get you back -- you don't know what to feel. Joy. Horror. Love. Fear. Only, you don't know what you fear most. And suddenly it feels like your whole life's work has come to exactly this moment. It is now your turn to get him back. It strikes you, all at once, the suffocating loneliness you have endured. The tether to your sanity that was your clear purpose. It terrifies you, the hurt Saint has been subjected to. It terrifies you, too, the purpose that has kept him fighting. You don't know what to make of it. But in the end, you don't have to. You don't succeed. You wouldn't ever let your countless failings eat at you, but this failure is like a dagger through your chest. It is the Guardian, once again, who recovers Saint. Time is funny and cunning like that. You know where to find him. You know you would be welcome back, too, but time has made you see open arms as little more than a cage, a trap waiting to close in on your lungs and crush them. The guilt, most of all, cannot be reasoned with. Saint is good. Saint represents every ounce of Light you wouldn't believe in but cannot help still having faith in, even after all this time. Saint would not see in you the hate that you do. You cannot put him through that. Saint deserves the world, and even in your egotistical confidence you know that you are not it. So you must fight on. For the world that Saint deserves. Sagira, of course, is as always by your side. You don't know how it happens. One moment you are a fury of light in its every shape, and the next you are alone. Truly alone. You had accepted time has finally come for you. You were ready to die. Not... not this. But you must carry on fighting. You have nothing else left. It is once again the Guardian who saves you - this time because you asked. Not to save yourself, but to avenge her. Days and weeks and months pass and all you can do is drown in the fight. You must do it for those you love, so you do not lose any more, even if they will not have you back. The fight takes a different form now, but it is still a fight. You are confined to the City. The place that exiled you, now become prison. All because you dared ask the questions that terrified them! And you paid dearly for it. You are heartbroken and tired and underneath it all you are angry - an anger that bubbles pleasantly to overtake all of the pain. You must not give in to it. You are invincible. This, too, time will heal. So you tell yourself you fight because of love. Your love for the people, your love for this prison-City, your love for Saint. You catch glimpses of people looking at you with pity and it fills you with rage. You cannot escape this anger. It keeps you fighting because you are so, so exhausted, and there is no place for you to rest your head. You have made your loneliness into a way of life. You do not need their pity. You will prevail, as you always have. Sagira might be gone, but you will learn to carry on. You always have, you will prevail. You will fight for those who are hurt - you will not fight just to hurt those who hurt you. That is how it's meant to be. And you are always right. You are the Vanguard Commander's advisor now. It feels like a mockery - the mighty phoenix, now little more than a flightless canary in a gilded cage. You remind yourself these people care about you. That after all this time, and after all of your perceived wrongs, they have taken you back. You remind yourself it is them you fight for, any way you can. It is a slow road back up now that you cannot fly, but you will make it out. You will come out soaring. Victorious. You know it is true; you are always right. You work alongside Lord Saladin. He carries the same exhaustion you are all too familiar with less gracefully than you do. You see him be consumed by countless traumas, you see him for what he is - a shellshocked veteran flailing in resemblance of fight, clinging desperately to a place he used to have in a world that has moved on. He doesn't sleep, doesn't care for himself, his living quarters are a mess. You almost pity him, but you have to stop yourself to laugh at just how similar you are. Saladin is past forgiving. Saladin is past compromise. He has let the hate consume him, make him blind - but in his anger you see him come alive with a fire you know you shall never again harness. Perhaps Saladin is right. Perhaps you were wrong. Perhaps the only way to not give up is to give in.

[vivianweasley]

Pride and Prejudice (Chapter 5)

Summary: Your father is Lucius Malfoy’s cousin, and after the war, it was really difficult for you to find a job because of your last name. So your mother and Mrs. Weasley came up with a crazy idea. A fake marriage between you and Fred Weasley. 

In this chapter: It’s already the last month of your fake marriage. Is all of this really going to end?

Pairing: Fred Weasley X Malfoy!Fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, misunderstanding, insecurity, mean relatives, reader being jealous?

Word Count: 2.5k

A/N: I apologize for not updating for so long cuz I was feeling burnt out. And I apologize in advance for this chapter, but since it’s Pride and Prejudice themed, I had to include a part like this afghjldfk Also, I may or may not named one of the characters after a Pride and Prejudice character:)

Pictures are from Pinterest. Credit goes to the original owners.

Please do NOT repost or translate my work on any platform! Thank you! Reblogs and comments are always welcome:)

Pride and Prejudice Series Masterlist

Sometimes you would wonder what would it be like if you and Fred were friends when you were still in Hogwarts. And as your mind wandered through these imaginary scenarios, you would also daydream about what would it be like if you went to the Yule Ball with him. But regardless, just being in this moment, dancing with him to your favorite love song, was magical enough.

You were invited to Fred’s cousin’s wedding, along with the other Weasleys. Playing the character of Fred’s wife for almost eleven months now made you a regular guest to all kinds of the Weasley family gatherings. 

As the music played and the guests joining the bride and groom on the dance floor, you and Fred decided to join, too. 

“I’m definitely playing this song at my own wedding!” you were excited when your favorite love song started playing.

“And I’m definitely play something livelier,” Fred smiled as he commented.

“Glad we’re not having the same wedding then,” you glared at him, trying hard not to step on his foot. “I have a feeling our idea of an ideal wedding would be completely different.”

“So what is your ideal wedding?” Fred asked. You looked up at him and realized he looked sincere. 

“I haven’t really thought about it, but a small wedding with my close family and friends would be nice,” you answered. You left out one detail. All you could think of now was what would it be like if you could really marry Fred. But of course, you wouldn’t tell him that, “I’m assuming yours would be something more exciting.” 

“Of course!” If you paid attention, you would notice the blush climbing up on Fred’s cheeks, but you were too flustered by your own daydreams. 

“Let me guess, someone would probably turn into a canary.”

“Very likely,” he replied while twirling you around with the music, “and that someone is probably you!”

You laughed as you twirled. You weren’t paying close attention to your steps, and your right foot tripped your left foot. But you landed in Fred’s arm.

You looked up at him as your heartbeat started to pick up. Your lips were only inches away now that you could already feel his breath brushing lightly against your lips. 

You didn’t know how long has passed as you two both froze on the spot. Just a little bit closer and your lips would be pressing together. You never knew you wanted this kiss so desperately until now, and the fact that this was already the last month of your one-year marriage contract made it worse. You would be lying if you say you have never fantasized about Fred reciprocating your feelings, and this fake marriage could turn into a real one by the end of the year. 

“Fred?” A voice interrupted this moment and your daydream.

Fred pulled away awkwardly with the blush still tainting his cheeks. “Mrs. Collins? Maureen?”  You turned and saw the owner of the voice was an older woman and beside her was a beautiful younger woman, who’s about your age.

“Freddie! I haven’t seen you in ages!” Mrs. Collins pulled Fred into a hug, and when she finally let go of him, her eyes turned to look at you.

“Oh, Mrs. Collins, this is Y/N.”

You put on a polite smile and held out your hand, “Hi, I’m Y/N-”

“Malfoy!” she cut you off, without acknowledging your hand, “I’ve heard that Freddie married a Malfoy. How interesting! How did you two meet?”

The way she said “Malfoy” and her question stung you. From past experiences, you knew this conversation is probably not going to end well. “Our parents are actually old friends, so we met when we were still little,” you answered, hands fidgeting and not looking at Mrs. Collins.

“What a coincidence! Cause Maureen and Fred have also known each other since they were kids, isn’t that right, Freddie?”

“Yea,” Fred smiled, not noticing how your expression froze in an awkward state, “Oh, Y/N, this is Maureen. We used to be friends when we were kids until she transferred to Beauxbatons.”

“Hey, it wasn’t like I had a choice!” She slapped on Fred’s arm, causing Fred to laugh while pretending to be hurt.

Watching them interact so naturally, you suddenly felt like you were interrupting something. A horrible feeling crept up in your mind. What if there’s already someone in Fred’s life, yet you still forced him to sign this stupid marriage contract?

“And Maureen’s an interior designer now! So if your little shop needs a makeover, I’m sure Maureen’s willing to help,” Mrs. Collins suggested. Her tone and expression all reminded you of your mum when she tried to set you and Fred up.

“Oh right! Fred,” Mrs. Collins continued, “come say hi to the rest of the family! I’m sure they all missed you a lot.”

“I would love to, but Y/N...” Fred looked at you. You couldn’t figure out what his expression meant? Was this an excuse because he didn’t want to go? Or did he want to go?

You didn’t know why insecurity started to cloud your brain. Growing up, you always thought you’re proud most of the time, but this was not the case when it comes to your last name. You knew you shouldn’t feel ashamed of it. The history and crime this name carried have nothing to do with you. And you knew feeling ashamed of it gives it power over you, but all you could do was retreating to your shell whenever someone brought up your last name.

So your final decision was, “It’s okay, you can go. I’ll go find Ginny.”

“Great!” Mrs. Collins started dragging Fred to her family’s table. Fred was still looking at you, but then you heard Mrs. Collins say, “Don’t worry about Y/N! I know she probably wouldn’t want anything to do with our sort of people, anyway.”

Your stomach sank. What did she mean by “our sort of people”? And more importantly, what did being your sort of people imply?

A few months ago, you thought changing your last name by marriage could solve everything. But the cruel fact was that it changed nothing.

And maybe it was your insecurity talking, but how could Fred not say anything when Mrs. Collins made such a comment? Did he not understand what she meant? Or did he...agree with her?

After they disappeared in the crowd, you immediately apparate back to the apartment like you were fleeing a monster from your nightmare. That was the only logical move you could think of at that time.

~

“Fred,” you kicked off your heels after you got back to the apartment from work and began rambling on about your day, “you won’t believe what happened today. I-” But the words choked in your throat when you saw another person in the kitchen. You recognized it was Maureen Collins from the wedding a week ago. 

You thought you already forgot about what Mrs. Collins said to you at the wedding, but those words immediately rushed back when you saw Maureen again.

“Oh, Y/N, you’re back!” Fred exclaimed, and he noticed the box in your hand, “Is that my favorite pie!”

“Yea, I didn’t know...” It was supposed to be a surprise, but now it just felt extra when it seemed like they were already cooking a meal.

“Oh, Y/N, I’m sorry we didn’t tell you earlier. This was really last-minute,” Maureen explained.

“Yea, Maureen was here to help with the makeover of the shop, and it’s almost dinner time when we were done, so we thought-”

“No worries,” you cut Fred off before he could finish with the explanation. You didn’t like the way he sounded. It almost made you feel like you were a party pooper. 

“We can just eat the pie tomorrow!” You tried to put on a smile when you shoved the pie into the fridge.

“Brilliant! All sorted now! Y/N, come help! Dinner would be ready faster if we had three people cooking.”

“Yea,” Maureen chuckled, “Fred was just talking about the first time you two tried to cook together. It must be difficult having to cook with an absolute idiot, let alone being forced to live with him for one year.”

Your heart sank. Fred told her that the marriage is fake? According to your contract, he shouldn’t have told anyone, unless...

Watching Maureen cooking and laughing with Fred, your mind just couldn’t shake off the images of her living here and being his real wife. You had to admit that you didn’t like these images, but why should you care if someone else is going to live here instead of you. Your mum forced you to live here anyway, and now you could finally go home.

Home. You sighed as the image of home appeared in your mind. And you finally admitted that for the past few months, you also considered this apartment your home.

But you put on the contract yourself stating that you both could date whoever you like during this fake marriage, and you had no business in interfering with Fred and Maureen’s relationship now.

So you picked up your jacket again, “Actually, I’m having dinner with my friend tonight-”

“But I thought you were planning to eat at home,” Fred pointed at the fridge, referring to the pie.

“Oh, that’s for tomorrow,” you lied, even though you knew your excuses didn’t match with what you just said a few minutes ago. You panicked, so you proceeded to say something that you never thought you would say, “Plus, I need to give you two space.” You even said it with a wink, covering for the fact that you panicked, and you just rushed out the door before anyone could say anything. 

~

You went back to your parents’ house for the night and only returned to the apartment the next morning. Knowing the exact time when Fred would usually go downstairs to the joke shop, you successfully apparated into the apartment without bumping into anyone. You just wanted to avoid seeing him.

You decided to start packing up. There are only less than two weeks left, and you didn’t want to occupy other people’s home for longer than you needed. Your pride demanded a graceful exit.

You knew it would be much easier and quicker if you used magic. Just by a flick of your wand, everything would be packed. It would be so clean like you’ve never been here before, but somehow, you just wanted to take your time with it.

And it was until you started packing when you realized how attached you were to this little apartment. One year wasn’t that long, just like what you said at the beginning of all this, but every corner of this apartment had trails of you living here and your memories.

It was just a contract, you tried to convince yourself, and now the time’s up. But it still pained you to remove your every trail. You realized you were not only removing your existence from this apartment but also Fred Weasley’s life. 

“Y/N?” You were so busy going down memory lane that you didn’t notice the series of footsteps coming upstairs. You turned and saw Fred, who looked very confused now as he glanced around and saw the packed boxes. “What are you doing?”

“Just packing up,” you tried to say it as indifferently as possible, “there are only two weeks left, so I thought I should probably start moving my stuff away.”

“Oh,” Fred paused for a moment before the corners of his mouth twitched into an awkward smile, “guess you’re finally free.”

“Yea, and so are you,” you tried to force a laugh, maybe he’s always waiting for this moment, the moment that he’s finally free, “I’ll move back to my parents’ house this week so that the divorce would look more realistic.”

His mouth opened, and you could tell that he was trying to say something. And for a second, you thought maybe he’s trying to think of a way to stop you. To say that he didn’t want you to leave.

But all he said was, “Okay.”

~

It was only around 6:30 am when you woke up. There were too many things on your mind that you couldn’t even enjoy staying asleep at ease. It was your last night here, after all.

Fred was still asleep with both his arm and leg on top of you. He’s an obnoxious sleeper, but you didn’t mind. 

You snuggled closer to him as your mind went through the nights that he comforted you when you couldn’t sleep, the sleepless nights that you would chat and laugh with so much ease, and the mornings when you woke with your limbs tangled together. It all felt like a dream, and maybe now it’s time to wake up. 

But before you do that, before you had to exit from his life, you just wanted to stay in this moment and stay in his arms for a little longer. You closed your eyes as you took in that familiar cinnamon scent and his cologne. Let’s just dream for a little longer.

~

Fred woke up with the other side of the bed empty. In a haze of sleepiness, he thought you just went to the bathroom. You would always come back to bed and try to squeeze in a few minutes of sleep before finally getting up and getting ready. But you didn’t come back today.

In fact, the apartment was awfully quiet today. He couldn't hear your footsteps rushing in and out of the bedroom to get ready for work. And he didn't hear you yelling things like "Did you see my keys?" or "FRED! Where did my apple juice go??"

Fred got up and tried to search for you in the living room, only to realize that most of your stuff was already gone. He collapsed on the nearby couch, not sure if he was still tired or feeling empty that you were gone.

How could you just walk away so easily? How could you just pull away from all of this almost like nothing ever happened? More importantly, how could you tease him about Maureen like it didn’t matter at all to you? And here he thought you two had great chemistry.

But without that and the contract of being fake husband and wife, Fred was confident that he could say you became friends. Even if you didn’t, at least you were roommates for a year, and that should induce some sort of emotion too.

But no, you just walked away, and all he could do was just getting used to not having you in his life anymore.

(to be continued.)

~

series taglist: @ifilosemyselfagain @theweasleytwinsgirl @bookworm06 @unabashedbookscollector @txtdreamss @sagittarius-flowerchild  @rsheridan @ovrwd @anywherebuthere @allaroundaddict @jeminila @secretsofageek @magical-spit @freddieweasleyswife @lilypad-55449 @hufflepuffzutara @honey-honey-5644 @kyloren-peterparker @treblebeth @kyloren-peterparker @fred-sux @rodrickmalfoy @liliputbahn @its-yasbxtch @daydreamgirl8​ @305weasley​ @awritingtree​  (message me if you want to be added or removed!)

(General taglist in reblogged post cuz it can’t fit in one post)

Taglist Form

[jadagul]

Yeah, exactly.

A cape is someone who goes out and does supers plots. Once you are doing weird vigilante shenanigans or themed crimes, you're a cape.

Now thematically, most capes have superpowers and most superpowered characters are capes. (Though this is partly for narrative focus reasons: you don't tell a lot of story about non-cape parahumans.)

But even if you have no superpowers, if you put on a costume and either rob people or foil robberies, you're a cape. If you're participating in the cape scene, then you're a cape.

One thing Worm does is it tries to explain why capes == parahumans. There aren't any non-parahuman capes in Worm. (And this is backed up by giving an explanation for how classic "mundane" characters are parahumans, generally with some variant of Thinker or Tinker powers or both.) And one of our early interludes is talking about Rogues, who are parahumans who aren't capes. But we see that breaks down really fast—in the original Canary interlude, where she's getting supervillain treatment despite not playing in the cape scene, and later on where it seems pretty common for Rogues to get roped into Endbringer fights. (And into cape shenanigans more generally.)

Justice Wing, with the stories I was talking about in the other post, has much more of a line there. Both the heroes and the villains are invested in maintaining space for non-cape parahumans (and there are a few who recur throughout various parts of the series).

And it also has an in-universe explanation for why non-parahumans can keep up in the cape game: "discipline" superexpression allows characters to achieve "mundane" superhuman feats through training. (E.g. there's a character who is explicitly non-parahuman, but does not miss any shot they take with a thrown or fired weapon. Their explanation for this is "I don't get why you would shoot somewhere other than the target??") And the ability to do this is (basically) unique to humanity for [metaplot technobabble] reasons, which explains why Earth has the unique relationship to super-advanced extraterrestrial civilizations you see in a lot of comic book stuff.

But yeah, if you're a failed standup comedian whose big break is ruined by the Flash, and you sue him or something, you're a norm. But if your response is to try to get revenge on the Flash with a bunch of dumb clown-themed gadgets—you're a cape now.

Now there's arguably space for: there are crimes that aren't cape crimes. If you rob a bank in a normal way, like three dudes run in with guns and balaclavas and empty out the cash registers, you're a bank robber. (Though you might get stopped by a cape and then you're at least involved in cape shit.) But if you rob a bank while wearing themed costumes and carry the money off in giant bags with dollar bill signs printed on them, you're a cape. And if you pull off a convoluted Oceans Eleven heist, then in cape media that also makes you a cape.

This page from Astro City: The Dark Age is an example of Kurt Busiek noticing the same thing I was noticing yesterday about the difficulty of keeping Everyman characters actual everymen if they're also going to get actually involved in the plot, and making that tension part of the thematic spine; they might start as the children of hapless, nameless civilians gunned down in the by the villain of some other guy's four-color adventure, but turning into the kinds of guys who can actually do something in retaliation turns you into, well, capes. Unless you maintain sufficient anonymity through the whole thing that nobody manages to make you as someone in need of a cape identity, unless you manage to ultimately detatch yourself from the runaround and fuck off to retire in Baja.

@jadagul related to what you were saying with the other post.

[thefledglingdm]

Umm can I request directors commentary for literally any Leopika fic you’ve written??? Love your stuff!

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

ahhahaha thank you so much! yes, absolutely! this is going to be long, because i have decided to do that scene in light of my life, pain of my ass. beware LONG BULLSHIT and spoilers below the cut!

ok to set the scene. i was TERRIFIED to write this part. because this is the climax, you know? we've had 150k words of build-up and emotional tension to this scene. while this has been a romantic story, this is the actual climax of the story. we've spent all this time in kurapika's head as he's dealt with his anxiety, his need for control, his fear of letting go. how he's changed as he's opened up his heart and his life to people outside. and finally he's actually working through all of his emotions and the progress he's made out loud, in front of everyone. and because he forgot about giving his speech until like five minutes before (sorry, kp), he is forced to speak from the heart.

For five agonizing seconds, Kurapika stood alone in the middle of a silent room. Above him, the string lights coalesced into a single shared point of soft white light that illuminated his space.

i so wish this could be adapted to, like, netflix or made into a movie. i put so much into this imagery. the play on light? the cinnamon topography? *chef's kiss* yes please netflix CALL ME.

Everyone in his life was staring at him expectantly, Pairo and Altair and Gon and Killua and Nanika and Alluka and Kalluto and his parents. And approximately a hundred other people on top of that, extended family on both sides, industry insiders, coworkers. All staring at him and waiting for him to say something amazing and powerful and deep about love and what did Kurapika know about love, anyway? He was a thirty-two year old trans man so terrified of his own emotions, so paralyzed by his fear of loss, that he did not figure out he was in love with his best friend until three weeks ago.

this is me screwing the knife in deeper for poor kurapika, sorry. this is so incredibly horrifying for a person with anxiety, as someone with anxiety. behold, the terrifying ordeal of being known.

Five seconds. Kurapika finally found Leorio standing near the back, leaning against the bar. He wondered if Leorio picked the same spot where they sat together the very first time they came here on purpose. Leorio sent him a wink and a thumbs-up.

the terrifying ordeal of being known and being so, so loved anyway. it was great to write in a way that showed leorio realized he was in love with kurapika first (indeed, realized that kurapika was in love with him before kurapika knew himself), because these little interactions shows so much how leorio is inviting and allowing kurapika to come to him on his own time. and supporting him the whole way, because they are friends!!!!

Breathe, Kurapika thought. Just breathe. It’s going to be okay.

this statement was not supposed to be a running theme/motif, but i'm super glad it did! i wrote it as a one-off line for melody, but then i was like, hang on, that's kinda good? every other time i write i'm like, hey, you could make a theme out of this!

“Um,” Kurapika started, his voice cracking. Christ, he sounded seventeen again. He cleared his throat.

my friends told me about how their voices changed and dropped on T. any trans person is stronger and more powerful than any us marine.

“For those of you who may not know, I’m Pairo’s brother. Kurapika. His older one, just to be clear.”

this is definitely something that has happened like a hundred times.

There was a smattering of chuckles around the room. He twisted to look at Pairo. “I’ve known Pairo since he was a toddler dragging a ragged, threadbare T-Rex plushie around behind him. I was there when he read his first chapter book on his own – Dino Hunter, of course – because he came bursting into my room at two o’clock in the morning to tell me about it.” Another round of laughter. “I was there when he got his first notebook, when he won his first writing contest, when he was published in his first magazine. I was the first person he told about liking boys instead of girls. I’ve watched him grow and learn and fall in love. And now Altair is part of our family, too.”

pairo and kurapika's lives as brothers were amazing. dino hunter is a reference to the book they both read in the manga that led to kurapika wanting to leave the kurta and explore the world.

i also thought that writing fit pairo well because it's a pretty accessible career for his eyes. he could type, he could enhance the screen and font when he needed, and he could do talk-to-type. one day i want to write a side-story of when pairo and altair met, because i have it perfectly formulated in my head and it's adorable.

Kurapika took a deep breath, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. He confessed, “To be perfectly honest, I was scared when Pairo asked me to do this, because I’ve run out of things to teach him. He’s run on ahead of me in life. Settled down, moved in with his boyfriend – now husband, congratulations on that by the way – and gotten married, while I’m perpetually single and living alone in my loft apartment with an absolutely spoiled monster of a cat. Stop laughing, that wasn’t supposed to be a joke.”

emperor the cat was also not intended to be a character. i came up with him like, right before i started writing the chapter.

i think it was hard for kurapika to watch his brother fall in love and move on ahead in life. even if he was genuinely happy for them both. i had a conversation with a coworker a few months ago where we both talked about how we feel like we are "behind," even though we're both very accomplished. she felt like she was "behind" because i have a master's degree; i felt like i was "behind" because she was happily married and already had a child on the way (who is here and beautiful and perfect). and i imagine kurapika wondered if he was falling behind or missing something when he saw his brother succeed in love and business without really trying.

but there's no competition at all, of course. the world spins on, and we grow and change and find our place in our own time. there's no race.

The room quieted again. Kurapika went on, his eyes flicking over the crowd. He was starting to smile, too, now.

he's starting to realize this is okay, he's not going to mess up, he may actually have something worthwhile to say or share. he's getting more comfortable in all this.

“But I’m also a wedding planner – I know, ironic – and I’ve learned a lot about love from my clients. So if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to share some of those lessons now.”

No one from the back shouted at him to shut the fuck up, that he didn’t have a single clue what he was talking about, so he thought he was safe to carry on.

how funny would that have been??? like, it would have been fucked-up and humiliating, but in any other situation?? hilarious. just killua looking like that dude in mean girls being like HE DOESN'T EVEN GO HERE except it's like HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT LOVE IS.

He thought back to Light of My Life’s various couples, musing over their own rocky paths to the altar and the beautiful, fractured glimpses into their lives they gifted Kurapika and his team. What did they teach him? What did they teach his heart, that terrifying, terrified lump of meat frantically beating in his chest?

More than you think, his heart seemed to be telling him. Trust me; I will guide you through this. Trust me, trust me, trust me.

*"listen to your heart" plays in the background*

also like. trusting oneself and your perceptions and your feelings and your heart is so necessary. it's an important part of healing. and being honest with yourself and your feelings is part of a foundation for all healthy relationships, i think.

also i really like writing alliteratively. the play on words with "terrifying, terrified" was. inspired? terrifying, because kurapika for a long time feared his own heart and feelings, viewing them as a loss of control; and terrified, because his heart is afraid, too. and they are taking this leap together!

And Kurapika explained: “Love isn’t just found in eloquent professions or grand, romantic gestures. It’s supporting each other through your lowest, worst moments and coming out the other side stronger for it. It’s standing together, hand in hand, against the world. It’s in looking at someone simply existing in the world and seeing them as they are: good, beautiful, strong, intelligent, kind. It’s in your communication and your foundation and trusting that all good things will come together in time. It’s in the family that you build together. It’s in the work you each put in to get through the hard times. Together.”

me: yeah uh-huh jj you really did summarize the fic so far.

this is also where i started being sappy and thinking about love. friendly and romantic love. the love i've seen in my friends, the love i feel myself in my relationships.

There. That’s what his clients taught him. Menchi and Buhara; Morena and Theta; Pokkle and Ponzu; Knov and Morel; Knuckle and Shoot; Canary and Amane. But so many more people showed him what love was. He pictured Pairo and Altair on his couch, laughing at him and judging him and helping him put his own puzzle-piece heart together into something cohesive and beautiful. He smiled at his brothers and saw the way they were clutching each others hands, mouths beaming and eyes dewy.

they LOVE their brother so MUCH. their view of the outside looking in for the past year, watching kurapika fall in love, go soft, be happier than they've ever seen him.

He told them, “It’s in the way you can communicate in gestures and looks, and sometimes, without looking at all. It’s in banter and private jokes and finishing each other’s sentences. It’s in casual touches and... pouring their coffee before your own.”

my coffee is never as good as when my partner makes it. my honey-lemon tea is never as good as it is when my partner makes it. my jokes are never as funny as they are when my partner and i finish each other's sentences, build off of each other's quips. we can communicate across rooms with nothing but a look. these little signs of love are everywhere and expressed in so many tiny ways. these examples here are between people in romantic relationships, but these apply to platonic friendships as well.

His eyes swept the room and found Killua and Gon. Gon had his camera hefted onto one shoulder, and Killua stood behind him, arms around his waist and chin on his shoulder. “It’s on the first day you wake up and realize the way you look at the world has changed. The way you open your hands and your heart and give what you have, simply for the joy of being received.”

to love? transcendent. to be loved? incandescent. to love and know that it is valued and cherished and requited?

and this was a callback to killua talking about, of course, how he fell in love with gon like melting ice. like sinking into a bath. and this was also a quieter callback to how gon fell in love. because it wasn't just that he had/has so much love to give, but because for the first time in his life, he got to see it truly received. accepted.

Kurapika saw Killua’s breath catch and Gon’s hand flex over the fingers interlaced over his middle. Heedless of their surroundings and of the running camera, Gon twisted to kiss Killua on the mouth.

SMOOCHES ahahaha!

He turned his head back to Leorio. The man had not moved; indeed, he looked like he was nailed to the floor. His eyes were so intense as they watched him that Kurapika was almost surprised he had not yet burst into flame. Kurapika said, “It’s in the moment you see someone you’ve never met before, but you look at them and just know, to your core, that this is really going to be something.”

leorio realizing something is happening here. something huge is about to happen, is about to change. and he's trying so hard not to dare to hope it might be good. it might be everything.

A chorus of oohs went around the room. Even from this distance Kurapika saw the way Leorio’s face went red, and he ducked his chin, looking bashful and embarrassed.

leorio: holy shit holy shit holy SHIT IT'S HAPPENINGGGG

How was I such a fool before, Kurapika wondered, How was I so blind, so willfully ignorant and oblivious. How did it take me so long to realize you were talking about me. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. I’m sorry I made you wait for so long.

this is important because it's not just kurapika realizing and accepting his feelings for leorio. this is kurapika's version of realizing that leorio feels the same for him. leorio is in love with him, too. and he's wondering how it was possible he was so scared and blind for so long. he fears he may have hurt leorio by holding off on this for so long, so he wants to be brave, take the leap, and see what they could be.

Kurapika did not want this man to wait another second. He did not want Leorio to spend another moment trapped in this limbo. So he confessed in the middle of a silent room in front of over a hundred people, “It's the first time you hear them laugh, and your entire world’s axis shifts beneath your feet.”

i remember the first time i met my partner. i remember the first time i looked at them and felt my world shift a little to the right. i remember falling in love and thinking that this one was unlike all the others. it was warm, golden, comforting.

Kurapika watched the confused frown on Leorio’s face when he heard that, amused by the almost puppyish tilt to his head as he considered it. He knew the moment Leorio realized what he meant when his eyes blew wide, amazed and awed and achingly soft. His lips parted.

gOD he is so CUTE. he's like oh hmm huh what does that mean

and then he remembers

i promise, he's not a huge dickwad!

and leorio laughing at gon's accidental gaffe and his sweet earnestness. and kurapika walking in. leorio realizing kurapika wanted to know him before they ever even met.

Kurapika made himself turn away from the arresting sight. “One of my favorite venues lately was the Roseview Ballroom downtown. Among its many beautiful, gaudy attractions are its murals depicting scenes from Shakespeare’s plays all across the ceiling. One is a famous quote from Twelfth Night: ‘journeys end in lovers meeting, every wise man’s son doth know.’ But the more I think about it, the less I agree.”

i'm such a WHORE for shakespeare, as any readers of mine will know. check out my modern college adaptation of much ado about nothing.

He turned to meet Pairo’s eyes again, repeating, “‘Journeys end in lovers meeting.’ But nothing is ending here. It’s just changing.”

life does not end when we start relationships! or when they end! or when we move, change jobs, graduate, go to school, drop out of school. happy endings in stories still aren't endings. the greatest constant in life is change.

“Because what I’ve learned in this job, Pairo and Altair, what nugget of wisdom I have to give you, is this. Love is looking at a world that can be terrifying, cold, capricious, and indifferent, and finding the person whose hand you want to hold through it all anyway. Because you want every laugh, every tear, every wrinkle, every spark of joy. Love is life’s greatest leap of faith, because you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. But you know exactly who you want to spend all those tomorrows with.”

me finishing this: dammit i just wrote out my wedding vows.

Kurapika looked around the room again. At Gon and Killua; at Kalluto, Nanika, and Alluka; at his parents; at his brothers. At Leorio.

He concluded, “So you simply breathe. And you trust it will be okay.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when Kurapika dropped the microphone.

DAMN ME TOO THIS SHIT WAS GOOD TF?????? sorry my writing has peaked here.

[oh-for-fic-sake]

Trophy Chapter Eleven

Masterlist

You try thinking for yourself and Daddy isn't to pleased and its going to end in tears.

Warnings: Adult Situations 18+, Smut, Angst, DDLG, DOM/SUB, Punishment, Spanking, Tawse, Crop, Ass play, Pacifier gag, Wetting, Wedgie, Toys, Humiliation, Overstimulation? and finally FLUFF cos we all need a bit of a cuddle after this shit.

A/N: So I am super nervous about this one...More so than anything I've done before just because of the wetting but it is what it is I've warned you all so read at your own peril. And this is long hence why I couldn't have it in the last chapter lol I hope this makes up for the last one though... I hope you all enjoy

Taglist:  @havenoffandoms​ @aphrodites-punch​ @charlieferret​ @thatgirly81​ @two-unbeatable-beaters​ @fitnees-motivation-2020​ @viking-raider​ @iloveyouyen​ @black-ninja-blade​ @strangerliaa​ @sofiebstar​ @thefangirlsblog​ @thatdamncutegirl

You fidgeted in the seat as Luke sat there smugly, he was pleased you had decided to come. Just a few more weeks and he would be free! free from that tyrannical mad man! no. He couldn't get to excited yet, weeks...It would be at least two before they drag him in to court and you'd sing on the stand! you'd come clean letting them know just how terrible it was to be kidnapped, to be forced into becoming a sex slave for Henry! God! Luke was so giddy he could taste the freedom...And maybe, just maybe if some of Henry's empire was left standing he could take the reigns himself. He looked over to you, you were quiet and different like you were on a mission it was slightly unnerving. You were angry and scared and confused... He could tell but there was a calm that he had only seen on Henry, he must have rubbed off on you...In more ways then one. Unable to take it anymore he broke the silence trying to dig for info. "You holding up there Princess?" you growled clenching her hands into fists still facing forward gulping, you looked wound tight ready to burst. Excellent. Hopefully you'd burst into tears as soon as they got there! what a show that would be! you come running in as a damsel in distress hell if that happened you'd be put into witness protection and he wont see you until the trial! he flinched as you snapped him out of his thoughts snipping at him in a tight angry voice, like a little hell cat hissing at him. "Don't! do not call me princess ever!" "Okay okay I'm sorry...That was thoughtless of me... I suppose you don't like that name huh?  I don't blame you though what he put you through and all" you turned to him rolling your eyes at him. Really? but once he started he couldn't seem to stop, unable to shut him self up. "Not-not that I'd ever understand what he has done to you..We hear it but... We try to stay away-" "Then your complaisant in it? you knew but never helped...You know what it's like? You ever think what it feels like to have someone use you? Play with your body like a fucking toy?...To force themselves on to it? into it? no, no you don't, you try not to don't you? You would rather just turn a blind eye and ignore the screaming girl up in the bed room...You run and hide away like a coward" your words were cold and bit into him, there was an animosity there that he had yet to see in a female was this it? the famed 'girl power' that reared its head in the most dire of circumstances...Shit you were holding up to well,all previous thoughts of a simpering damsel died at your sharp tone...Like ice picks cold and biting, he had to know what you were going to say before he got there to come up with some bullshit excuses. He moved uncomfortably at your words...They hit a little to close to home. "..You decided what your going to tell them?" You gave a tight smile he had no idea what you were about to do, that you'd already figured him out, the man new nothing of subtlety...He was nothing like Henry, he was trying to be but...No there was only one king in this city and he was currently being questioned, you turned to him again and nodded wanting to placate him for the time being. "Yes I have...Do you have the bail money...I don't want to be here to long" "Well that depends of what you tell, them-"you interrupted him he was to be quite frank doing your fucking head in and you needed to focus anything you said today was going to have to be perfect and vague, You shook your head tutting and looked at him exasperated. "I don't have much to say I won't be in there long" you moved your head looking out the window as the building passed you by you had to hold your nerve in there. Had to tell them what you wanted them to know...Nothing else, nothing more. Go in a quick statement and get out with Henry... And when he gets angry; which he will your going to drop Luke in the shit you've had enough of the lies. "Look I can-We can help each other if you'd just tell me what your going to say-" you growled out in annoyance and finally snapped at him. "Could you shut up? for two minuets?  just two fucking minuets?! fuck sake I'm going to deal with it okay..Just don't wanna wind up dead okay just ...Drop it" He got the message and kept his mouth shut the rest of the way not making a sound as he pulled up at the station you got out before Luke could stop you on a mission. You entered and made your way yo the front desk. "I'm here for Cavill are they done yet?" Luke staggered up behind you trying to figure out just what the fuck was going on. Why had you asked about Henry? Wasn't you about to throw him in the shit? you were supposed to throw him under the bus and set Luke free...Or was this cover to get an interview or something?The officer blinked looking to you then Luke before continuing in a bored tone. "And...Who are you exactly?" you steeled yourself trying to be more than you were, wanting to be taken seriously as an adult and...It had been a while since you had that, it was a little daunting. "His girlfriend and this is our driver...What's his bail?" The officer looked at you frowning then to the screen she began typing away giving you sidelong glances as if she knew you. a few moments later she turned back to you. "Err well nothing...Mr Cavill hasn't formally been charged he is still in questioning" you nodded and leaned forward slightly that didn't make sense Luke said? Oh shit!fuck fuck fuck! You should have just stayed home! You faltered realizing just how gullible youd been, if he wasn't arrested then that means the police really didn't have anything on him, you didn't need to make a statement to help Henry out! You quickly decided you needed to get out of here. Try to go wait in the car or something. "When will he be done? its been hours " The woman at the desk shook her head "I'm afraid I can't discuss that with you-" you nodded gojng to walk back out side but Luke gripped your arm in a tight grip, he would not let you walk out of here not when he was so close to getting his way! "I thought you wanted to give a statement about last night you are a witness...I'm sure they would like to here your account of what happened y/n" you swore panicked and tried wriggling out of his grasp but no i was too late. The officer blinked at Luke then to you slowly seemingly remembering something and pointed to you her face lighting up. "Wait Y/n? Your y/n y/l/n?" You frowned at her unsure how she knew who you were but nodded slowly uneasy you looked to Luke who just smiled at you. "Yes how did you?" She nodded to the missing persons board you were there dead center, that hadn't been there previously did they know? "I? What?" The officer got up walking around to your side she looked smug like the cat that got the canary as she came to a stop before you clasping your hands in hers. "We definitely need to take a statement from you, follow me" Luke gave a hard shove making you fall in step behind the officer, you glared back at him but he just stood there stuffing his hands in his pockets he looked pleased with himself as you sent one final glance over your shoulder as you were taken into a room alone with an officer. They would break you, you’d squeal, Henry would go inside and he would be free and take a decent retirement for Henry's stash!

Henry chuckled as he sat there refusing to answer the questions choosing to invoke his right to remain silent...He'd been here hours but he knew they cant keep him long. They have nothing, absolutely nothing on him! they never do. Stephan was mentioned so he knew that little twat was the one behind it..most likely pressing charges, or trying to press charges on him. nothing would come of it he wasn't there he was at home. "Did you have any contact with Stephan last night?" "No comment" was the droll from the bored man. "You did you were seen having an altercation with him last night at your restaurant...a miss Y/L/N was there to" that got his attention the officer smirked as Henry sat up now meaning business, but Henry stopped himself and smirked at the cunt infront of him. "No comment" "...did you know she has been reported as missing for nearly five months Mr Cavill?" "You fucking leave her out of it!" the officer smirked "So you do talk Mr Cavill...you know shes going to need to be questioned Stephan named her as an accomplice...did she know about this incident Mr Cavill?" Henry growled low and leand forward glaring angrily at the officer who flinched back suddenly not feeling so safe in his uniform.Good he shouldn't "No comment" "What is your relationship with miss Y/L/N?" "No comment" "Ah right that’s a shame... She said that your her boyfriend...Should I go tell her you wont even own up to that? it’d only take a moment...Shes giving a statement in the room over" "Bullshit she's at home" "Home? Your home because she isn't at hers" fuck Henry snarled at the little man trying to play a big game...officer rook by his tag...Officer Rook was going to have a nasty fall after all this. Henry's face must have said it all as something else was wrote down then looked up again smirking and carried on.

"So a missing woman you have no ties to is living in your home and calls you her boyfriend?" "Your tricks wont work on me shes at home" a sly smiled crept across officer Rooks face, he knew something Henry didn't and Henry wasn't happy. "Oh no your driver brought her here..Been in that room for just under twenty minuets...I wonder how much faith you have in her" Henry jumped up swearing loudly "Fuck you!" the officer smiled at him "Right well that’s all we needed today Mr Cavill your free to go we will be in touch" Henry was quick to stalk out of the room wanting to get to Luke asap he stopped short as you were escorted out of the room next to him a female officer patting your shoulder. "That’s all miss Y/L/N thank you for your cooperation..We will be in touch if we need anything else" Henry froze his blood ran cold as he watched you move away from the officer you turned and lit up.You little Bitch

You were escorted into a room sitting down with another woman a kind looking woman. She was down giving a convincing smile but you didn't buy it they wanted you to throw Henry under the bus. She offered you a drink but you refused and took a seat instead. "Now..Miss y/l/n we are going to just ask you some questions today about last night? Okay? And if...If there is anything anything at all that you want to let us know we will listen...We have...Ways to keep you safe...Okay?" You nodded deciding it'd be best to play meek little woman for the time being. "Right did you see Stephan last night?" wow she wasn't wasting any time was she? you nodded no point in beating around the bush you wanted this over. "Yes I did" she moved shuffling her papers getting ready for some juicey info no doubt. "Can you tell me about that? What happened?" "He came to the restaurant...Must have followed us there wanted me to take him back, groveling really I said no" she nodded writing down your answer "And by us you mean you and?" "Henry..Me and Henry were having a date night somehow Stephan found out and got in, he wanted me to go back to him...He is my ex and can't move on...He was escorted out after I told him to leave...I don't want to see her again" she hummed writing down everything you said. "So Henry is your boyfriend?" and here we go, twisting the topic trying to find out as much on Henry, last nights incident a ruse to get you in here, just as you expected. You fluttered your lashes like a woman in love, excited and happy you didn't want her to know you knew what she was up to. "Yes! we have been together for a few months...Its serious..Think he might be the one! But Stephan is bitter over it, he doesn't like Henry would do and say anything to split us apart...Stephan and I ended on a bad note" she nodded fraighning a sympathetic look she didn't really give a fuck she wanted dirt on Henry. "A difficult break up?" you shook your head at her this was not going to fall on you! "Sudden...I he had been lying to me and using me I found out and left he wasn't happy...He followed me about scared me then one day he saw me with Henry and I was happy and he got worse" she quickly scribbled down a few more sentences. "And you said you'd been with Henry for a few months...Does that have anything to do with your disappearance?" You faltered heart pounding away did you? Should you? Your mouth went dry.This was it...the moment you could...you frowned should you do it? You came here to get him out, you had no real reason to protect him or give him loyalty.? Accept you loved him...Did you? Was it real this time....There was a painful jab that hit your chest when you thought about never seeing the beautiful man again, it was fleeting but it solidified our resolve. As you opened your mouth to answer she spoke quickly trying to sway your decision. She moved placing a hand on yours on the desk. "Y/n? Are you okay? You can tell me...We can help you" you blinked and slipped your hand back and down into your lap. "No I'm fine I-I was hiding from Stephan... I knew he wouldn't stop bugging me, looking for me and Henry he offered me a place to stay and I've been there ever since we...We fell in love and that was it..." you took a deep breath she didn't believe you but she couldn't discredit you. "So you live with Mr Cavill consensually? Of your own free will?" "Yes I do...I love him..." her face went tight and twitched she wasn't happy. She quickly changed her tone sounding a little snippy with you. "And why now? Why come out here now?" "Because Stephan is trying to ruin my happiness... As far as he is concerned if he can't have me no one can...I'm not sure what he is accusing Henry of...But he didn't do it he was with me all night" she perked up at that looking at you intently "All night? are you sure that he didn't slip away? For ten? fifteen minuets?" you shook you head at her giggling a little. "No he didn't, I'm never left alone when we play" she faltered not understanding what you meant. Good, this will make for an awkward conversation that she will want to end. "Play?"  you smiled blushing a little at her and shifted in your seat. "We have a particular interests... But I can tell you he was with me last night...We had a very intense night" that made her even more confused...And you thought you were being pretty clear so shes either innocent or just fucking dumb! "I don't understand? I'm afraid we need more then that...We need a reason" You looked around the room sighing fuck, fuck fuck! Your gaze traveled back to her your eyes squinted she was pissing you off. "I err...Its embarrassing" you went silent for a few moments looking to your lap picking at your skirt your confidence draining did they need to know...but it was the truth. "Everything is confidential? Right...just-just you and me no one else?" She lightened up sitting a little straighter in her seat thinking you’d changed your mind and was about to tell all.

"Yes, yes of course no one, not even Mr Cavill will know what has been said in here, this is a safe space for you y/n I promise" you blinked and let out a breath "Henry and I we...are into kinky sex...Bdsm...We had a very long and intense BDSM session last night Henry doesn't leave the room when I'm tied up incase things go wrong that's how I know he didn't do anything we were at it most of the night" you watched the woman flush as you spelled it all out for her and make her embarrassed you smirked a little happy that she now felt just as uncomfortable as you did. You knew that face though, she was picturing him naked...You can't blame her for getting all flustered your daddy was a fine specimen~ "So he didn't leave the room?" you bit your lip to stop your giggles when she spoke trying to salvage herself and be professional and finish the interveiw. But instead of making her squirm any more then she obviously was you spoke. "No he didn't" "Not even after you fell asleep? How can you be sure?"" wow this bitch was persistent! You stopped for a moment pausing...Why are you so sure? How could you know for certain that he didn't leave? think! think! she smirked leaning back thinking she had you but suddenly there was an idea out of nowhere and you blurted it out...This will fucking show her! "He fell asleep with his cock in me...Henry is...Large as I'm sure you can imagine...If he had pulled out I'd have woken up.....Now is that all?" You sat smug as she stuttered over her words shaking her head and swallowed dryly. Thats it bitch suck it up Daddy is coming home. "Err yes... Well just to clarify you and Henry were together all night .And you disappeared because you had a bad break up with Stephan and felt unsafe...Y ou moved in with Mr Cavill; of your own free will, and this Stephan has been looking for you,  he found you last night and tried to reconcile?" You nodded as she read back the basics "And you refused him then Mr Cavill had him escorted out?" "No security escorted him out, it was reservation only and he was causing a scene then me and Henry finished our meal and went home where we both stayed all night can I go now?" She nodded placing her pen down "Right... You may need to testify in court if Henry does get charged, or new evidence comes to light" you smiled and nodded to her she was trying to get a reaction...Anything to use you'd give her nothing! She sighed scrunching her face sourly before speaking "I will take you off the missing persons list as well" you stood thanking her as she escorted you out of the room. You followed and looked down the hall at the sound of foot steps seeing a brooding Henry stalking towards you from the next room. Your face lit up as you saw him and the two officers in the hall watched tryingnto notice any little strange details. But you ignored them both.

Henry! he was okay! You smiled turning to him and ran he looked angry but in that moment you didn't care you were just happy to see your daddy unharmed...Not that you thought the police would touch him but you had your doubts. He returned your hug stiffly rubbing your back tucking into into the crook of your neck and whispered harshly in your ear "What the fuck are you doing here little girl?" You pulled back ignoring his anger for a second knowing the officers were still watching you closely. "Shut up and kiss me" you lunged forward catching him by surprise he quickly played along moving his lips against yours moaning kissing you deep putting on a show for the police... It worked as they cringed looking away. You pulled back slowly and gasped whispering quietly. "Are you alright?" "I'm fucking livid! You are in so much trouble you have no idea whats in store for you little girl now move it!" You gasped looking up at him hurt why was he mad? Did he think you’d betrayed him? "Your..I thought you'd be happy to see me daddy... I came to help" he frowned and began walking down the hall ushering you out of the exit. "I didn't need your fucking help! I needed your obedience...You've made it worse no doubt! Just be quiet you've done enough!" You whined as he marched you to the car opening the door for you letting you climb in, you turned to him as he went to shut the door. "H-Henry please I was-" he raise a hand pointing a shaking finger at you trying to curb his anger and slapped a hand harshly on the roof of the car hissing at you. "Enough! ....E-fucking-nough!  Not a word!...You hear me?! not a single fucking peep! I'm so angry with you!" You flinched leaning back looking like a kicked puppy, why wont he listen? Why isn't he giving you a chance to explain? You had to try you moved looking up blinking away the tears blurring your eyes. "But daddy-?" He growled and leaned into the car pushing you to sit properly shoving and twisting you to face forward showing restraint he didn't want to hurt you yet. "What did I just say? Not a word! I don't want to hear a peep out of you! Not a whine whimper or sigh! You will wait until daddy wants to talk to you and not a second before!" You whimpered looking down trembling your bones shaking under the force of your fear ,he slammed the car door with an angry grunt and stalked around the back of the land rover getting in sitting next to you. He shut the door bringing a hand up to his face rubbing the bridge of his nose with a sigh he had a head ache coming. He cast you a severe look "Stop it...Little one stop your sniveling you know I wanted you at home....Put your seat belt on...Put it on now!" you ignored him to upset to really register what he said you just shivered replaying his dark angry tone controlled...Barely had you fucked up? you squeaked as he swore and lean’t across you tugging the seat belt and clipped it in harshly "Put your fucking seat belt on and stop fucking crying!" he moved tilting your head to face him, you jerked back at the cold fury lurking in his eyes. "Just wait until we get home!" you whined and quickly covered your mouth in panic not meaning to make a sound you were trying to e a good girl but it was hard when you felt so put out.

The ride home was quiet you glared out of the window feeling put out. You just wanted to help. Henry sat next to you his fist at his side on the seat you turned feeling more upset by the second. You shuffled forward to him but he didn't look at you just glowered out the window. You looked down, you shouldn't have let Luke get to you, you sniffled wiping at your eyes in vain as tears began to fall. Henry tutted at you as you cried quietly.Luke finally pulled into the garage and got out he looked back noticing that neither of you were moving. "Drop the keys and fuck off out..Everyone I want the house to myself now get fucked!" Luke sighed and nodded dropping the keys on the back seat between you and left quickly without a word. You both sat there in silence for a few seconds you were to afraid to move and Henry was to angry. He was fuming you, how? How could you go in there and tell them anything? Did you? was he wrong about you? He loved you so much, had he been blind sided? He spared you a glance it broke his heart seeing you so upset but, he was just to angry with you. He wanted to know what was said. The flicked his gaze over to where Luke had disappeared to. That was another question, the officer said Luke had brought you there. So just what the fuck was he playing at? Had you and Luke settled your differences to frame him? Or was there something more... Did you like Luke? Was he fucking you behind Henry’s back? All these thoughts raced around his head making him angrier by the second. He couldn't stand it anymore. Henry’s dark voice made you jump when he finally spoke "You embarrassed yourself today and you embarrassed me...I'm very disappointed in you and very very angry" You froze as he said this looking to him, even in this intimidating state  you couldn't help admire him, he was just to perfect to handsome and strong. His jaw twitched flexing the muscles in his shoulders and neck, his eyes had become a dark royal blue fury blurring the normally bright irises. You took a deep breath before trying to do some damage control. "I-I'm sorry I just thought-" Henry snapped his head to you and sneered menacingly, he looked like a bully like a cruel man...He looked like a mob boss all cold and fierce. "You thought what? That I needed you? That you had to come and save me? They had nothing until you opened you stupid fucking mouth!" You flinched whimpering shrinking back into your shoulders you couldn't find any words that could help calm him down but nothing you thought of would help. "I-I didn't mean to... I'm sorry" "You fucking better be little girl! Let me make something abundantly clear to you...Last night was wonderful! A step in the right direction....But nothing has fucking changed...Absolutely nothing you are not my equal! You are not even fucking close, your a baby girl, my a pet, my little fuck toy! And you have got a hell of a long way to go before I think of you as anything more then that...You just want to hope that these charges are dropped!" His word hit you hard, the most spiteful thing he'd ever said to you. You gulped trying to brush off the hurtful comments, telling yourself they were said in anger. But the damage was done, it felt like a hot poker jammed in your windpipe hitting you with a crushing force...Nothing had changed? Last night this morning? It had meant everything to you and...Nothing to him just another game, just another round in this whole shit fest you hiccuped through your quiet sobs. "Daddy I just wanted-" he growled at you flexing his fingers as he snapped at you again throwing his arms out in anger slapping the leather of the seats. "Oh I know what you wanted and for your sake I hope you fucking chickened out or you have got hell to pay!" you looked to him wide eyed did he really think you'd rat him out? that you'd leave the station with him if you'd told them everything? "I didn't tell them about...I just said last night you were with me and that Stephan came to the restaurant..That’s all" "That’s all you better have said little girl! You better be telling the truth and trust me I will have a copy of your statement by the end of the week and if your lying things are going to get very very unpleasant for you... So if I was you I'd think long and hard about what you need to tell daddy" you blinked up at him trembling his voice was tight and firm, low he had that terrifying calm and collected anger...You-almost felt impersonal...It sounded like when he spoke to Fletcher, even though he called you by your pet name you felt like you'd stopped being his little girl and was now just business, something he had to put up with, rather then something he cherished. The thought of losing him despite lying for him made you cry harder you still tried keeping your sobs quiet wanting to still be his good girl, he told you to be quiet and you couldn't even do that! You just felt so bad. He was angry so so angry your stomach twisted you were scared, scared of what he was going to do when you get upstairs, scared of what the police would do if they would try to use you against him? But most of all you were scared that in some stupid miscalculation you'd just destroyed the relationship you had with this awfully addictive man. You panicked apart of you debating whether you should run but you stayed looking down ready to face what ever Henry was going to throw at you this time however you felt like you deserved it...You'd take anything he through at you and once his anger had settled and you proved how sorry you was you could explain, what you said why you were there...Tell him about Luke and how he had tricked you and put you on the spot. After that all you could do was hope he would believe you. You'd be his good girl until he forgave you....If he ever did. "Now go wait in the office daddy has to get a few things...Wait in the corner hands on your head" you trembled again and moved slowly unbuckling the seat belt, you gave him one last pleading look but he wasn't looking at you instead he was fiddling with the car keys luck had left on the seat. You were distraught he really wasn't even going to let you explain? He was just going to punish you? You jumped out of the car then ran up the stairs into the house crying your heart out as you realized that maybe you truly meant nothing to him? that this man who you fell in love with was just toying with you and was going to throw you away once he was bored.

You cried the entire time standing in the corner your hands twisting the sleeves of Henry's sweater nervously as you had them placed on the top of your head, one slipped down occasionally to wipe your face. You were on edge terrified...What if he getting the ginger out again? the thought made you bottom clench painfully.... What if he had something worse? you shuddered at the thought was there worse? you shook the trembles making you panic and struggle to keep your breathing steady hiccuping and freaking out but you stayed standing as still as you could, you wanted to be good, you'd take everything he decided you needed then...Then what? would things be as good as they was this morning? Even though it wasn't real and he didn't mean it... Another wave of tears started and you coughed wiping your eyes and nose not wanting to be a snotty mess when he came up here. Thankfully or... Regrettably? You wasn't alone too long maybe twenty minutes or so Henry came into the office, you didn't peek you didn't want to. You heard a few items being moved and closed your eyes pressing you forehead to the wall sobbing louder. Henry turned snapping his fingers at you in warning. "Hey!...That’s enough you knew what you'd get...Now stop your pathetic crying you don't have a reason to yet little girl..." you took a deep shaking gasp biting your lip trying to curb your almost hysterical crying long high whines still crept front you against your will. You heard rattling and something being spread out over the sofa and something like a pot being place on the hard wood floor. He was calm it seemed ,well he wasn't slamming things. It wasn’t long before he came up behind you you shook knees knocking as he stood right close, his thighs skimming your ass you took a deep breath closing your eyes you dared not even breath! Henry shushed you moving your hair back combing it with his fingers gently until it was all behind you then pulled it into a ponytail still hushing you. The soft words and slow fingers did nothing to calm you, it made you anxious he was preparing you for something. "Hush now...Calm down pet, that’’s it good girl...Now you know daddy doesn't like to hurt you...No no no he doesn't but when you are naughty; and you have been very naughty he has to correct you...doesn't he pet?" The words were slow and collected a deep voice made deeper by his mood it was a tone that commanded obedience and the power to sway ones opinion with clever words. You jumped whimpering when he moved his hands from your now secure hair drawing faint lines down your back placing his large palm to your lower back then drew his hand down to the hem of his sweater that drowned you. "Today you will learn to mind me~ learn that when I put you somewhere,  when I tell you to stay you will stay there until I call you or collect you." He bite his lip at your tremble as much as he hated scaring you and much as he knew what he was about to do would most likely set you back a week or so he couldn't help be aroused by our fear. It did delicious things to you, your whole body trembled goosebumps rose across the plains of your soft supple skin and your breathing became shallow, labored whines and mewls wrapped up in each soft pant...And your eyes stunning beautiful and deep made lighter when all glassy wet with tears. As much as he would love to see them right now he needed you to obey to prove yourself, be his good little baby. He needed to know he could trust you. He also needed prove a point. "You are a pretty little thing like this, so sweet and innocent...Naive, but very very stupid much like a doll pretty to look at but nothing behind the eyes" His words were a baritone growl but what frightened you was you sounded like a thing...Not a person, he had always called you baby girl, little one..Pet but never, he had never objectified you like that before you were never just a thing. Never a doll, dolls were objects, things they were lifeless.The word coiled tight digging its way into your chest biting and ripping making you sob and panic. "Did you think daddy would let this go?..." he moved pulling the sweater higher drawing out gosebumps as he went, you were naked below no vests or bra...You didn't need them you were meant to be indoors all day. He growled when you didn't answer and tugged the sweater harshly slipping it through your fingers and dumped it carelessly on the floor. He grabbed your neck making you squeak and shake your head but fought the urge to grab him moving your hands back into position, planted firmly on your crown fingers interlocked and digging into each other. His fingers dug into your neck slowly cutting off your airway. He moved his face closer grunting in your ear a viscous whisper the words sharp and taunting. "Answer me princess! Did you think I'd let your naughtiness go? That I'd fucking let you get away with being such a back stabbing little cunt!?" You yelped as he shook you harshly you had to shift your feet to keep from tripping over your feet as his brute strength almost pulled you off your feet. But hearing a pet name did make you feel better not much but you were almost sure he wasn't going to kill you, which in your eyes became a real possibility when he sent everyone away. "No-o! No da-daddy I DIDN'T-I..I DONT DADDY PLEASE I'M SORRY PLEASE I DIDNT TELL THEM I SWEAR! PLEASE DONT-" you curled down sobbing louder fighting the urge to move, to turn and clutch at him all you wanted was in that moment was him. For him to reassure you, but what you got was biting words as he snapped at you. "Enough! Your getting what you deserve! Think you can best me do you? Well daddy has ways of keeping his little girl in line! You are mine! You hear me? Mine your mind body and soul belong you me!" In his rant he had released your neck all but ripped your skirt off and froze snarling. You did to knowing he had seen the panties you'd stupidly forgot to kick off when you came up here. "What are those?..." you went to twist to look at him but he snapped his fingers at you with a growl making you snap back up straight looking at the wall. Henry shook his head, had you been allowed to look at him you’d have seen his blue eyes blazing with disbelief and glee? Like he was happy he had another thing to punish you for. Despite what he said about not wanting to punish you he did, in his mind there was nothing better then punishing a naughty pet. He licked his bottom lip and pointed at the thin cotton, then snapped his head up? When he didn't say anything more you did turn tilting your head around and down to peek at the offending undies. "No don't fucking look at me! I asked you a question! Get your nose in the corner! What are these?" He moved a hand to sit on your covered ass and pinched the fabric you hissed as he caught a tiny bit of skin and whined jumping forward. "I..D-daddy please! I'm sorry" you jumped when he moved swiftly landing a hot slap to your bottom more followed heating your cheeks quickly making you squirm and jump trying to stand still yet wanting to throw yourself tighter into the corner to escape his palm. The tutted at your twisting hips and grabbed them in bot hands jolting you back to stand straight. "Keep your ass still! Now what are they? Hmm because they look like a pair of big girl panties on a little baby!...now what are they? You better start talking little girl!" He gave a few more strikes to your tender bottom then smoothed his hand over the cheeks smiling at the pink marks that frames the tiny undies, you bounced on your tip toes hissing and yipping at the light burn.

"P-panties! P-PANTIES I'M SORRY!please please daddy I'm sorry daddy" he tutted at you and pulled the elastic around one of the leg holes and plucked it stretching it letting it snap back making you yelp louder as it left a strip on your already sore bottom. He smiled at the cute sound. He wasn't to angry now,  he hadn't been since he took a quick breather in your bedroom but he was annoyed in fact he was having fun. He wouldn't be touching you if he was truly angry but you didn't seem to know that, and you didn't need to know either your fear would make his punishment sink in. "And what the fuck are they doing concealing that little cunt from me? Huh? What have I said about them?" His voice was almost teasing daring you to play up ,to ignore him and answer him. He plucked at them again letting it snap back painfully in the same spot as before making the tiny red welt raise throbbing. "I'm n-not allo-wed th-them o-on daddy" you shook trying to catch your beath your ass already alight and stinging the nerves warmed by his impossibly hard palm. "That’s right but if you want them on? fine you get to fucking keep them on!" He moved forward quicker than you could react fisting his hand in the back of the panties and pulled them high. You screamed moving your hands to the wall in front of you trying to stabilize  yourself. You screeched high and loud as he lifted you up by them, your weight falling into the gusset the undies crushing painfully on your cunt slipping violently between your lips then went back. It hurt as the thin cotton disappeared up between your cheeks stinging and burning your insides from the friction. You felt like you were going to be split in half when he tugged higher your toes just skimming the floor but couldn't take any of your weight. "No-daddy please stop-it hurt's daddy!" He clicked his tongue and moved his hand that held your panties side to side rubbing on your little pucker making it throb painfully, you wasn't sure what was worse the panties crushing your mound and clit or the burn of your panties rubbing the sensitive skin on the inside of your cheeks. "Kick off your shoes" you obeyed hoping he would let you down afterwards, quickly flicking the shoes off but he didn't let you down he held you there making you wince and cry out in pain panting and hissing through your teeth fat tears streamed from your squinted eyes. "This is what happens, daddy doesn't want to have to go over this with you again, if he does I will hang you up by them on the coat pegs in the foyer for everyone to see a naughty baby's cunny get its just deserts" he threatened in a deep voice sending chills down your spine. You nodded agreeing to anything if it will make him set you down. You panted taking deep breaths between your whines and pleas slapping at the wall. Trying to stop your feet from scrabbling around for purchase, each movement made your weight rock on the uncomfortable hold he had. Henry smirked and lowered you slowly and sighed at he let your feet got back to the floor he held your panties taught still. "You will not wear these again without permission if you do I'm going display you and then give you the injection and you will have no need to have any panties at all ever understand?" You nodded crying into your hands just thankful you wasn't still being held up by your ass.

Henry smiled and let go, good now that was out of the way he could move on. He captured your hands at they crept back to peel the cotton from its wedgie position he slapped them just clipping your hands with his fingers creating a swift sting. "Leave it you wanted them on remember now face me and keep those hands on your head" you turned whimpering hands back on your head. Your stomach dropp at what he was holding, an adult pacifier locking into the center of a long lilac piece of leather. You cringed shaking your head as him whining. "Nooo! no ple-please daddy I'm not-I'm not a baby please!?" He just tilted his head at you as if to say 'really?' And moved forward holding the nub at your mouth the kept your mouth shut tight but he just huffed at your reluctance.

"Open or I will open it for you, you need to be reminded that your not a big girl...But you don't want to be a little girl either it seems so now you are a baby; my baby now open your mouth" you mewled and opened up a tiny bit not really sure you wanted to see how he'd open it for you. "Good girl~ You see daddy has decided you have spoken quiet enough for one day pet he doesn't want to hear you~" Henry smiled a wicked grin nodding to you and forced the large nuk into your mouth he chuckled watching you cringe as you got your first taste of the rubber, he chose this particular  pacifier because of its size, large with an orthopedic tip that flattened out. It would pin your tongue down keeping your voice muffled and you'd sound just like a cute little baby girl! He gave a lopsided grin as he secured the gag around the back of your head watching you carefully as you eyes widened, ah there it was you really were getting a taste now. But the other plus with the tips size was it held quite a lot of fluid. You’d find in a few moments that the tip wasn't meant to be a murky golden color oh no.

That was the watered down vinegar and bitter lemon mix, not strong enough to burn your tongue but it tasted vile and the pin prick hole on the bottom would drip feed the concoction onto your taste buds, a fitting punishment for a tattle tale he thought.

"You will learn to keep your mouth shut after this pet" You pouted around the rubber in your mouth unused to the feel of your tongue being so restricted. Your eyes snapped open as you could taste something, sour and bitter it was...disgusting you whined shaking your head and gagged again as the bitter taste got worse you moved your tongue trying to escape the awful taste but soon found it was coming from the trapped rubber teet....It was being drip fed into your mouth coating your tongue. You spat trying to spit it out but is was to late as Henry had made sure it was firmly wedged between your teeth. "There she is just a little baby...A little naughty baby now go kneel on the sofa and put your head on the seat...Off you go... go on shoo" You cringed as he patted your bottom as the waddled slowly making your way over to the leather suite. It was slow going taking baby steps as each step made your ass and pussy rub against the trapped cotton. Henry didn't seem to mind trailing behind you probably admiring the view.

The journey was painful and pleasant all in one confusing messy of sensations, the thin fabric had slipped either side of your clit and pinned it tight to your pubic bone your steps made it move, the undies massaging the little bud from either side. By the time you got to the sofa you wasn't sure if the throbbing was from pain or not. You whined uncomfortably as you got into position slowly praying that he couldn't see the slight we spot you knew you left on the cotton, your pussy weeping slowly becoming needy. You tipped your head placing your forehead on the seat and looked at your legs. You squeaked as he came over and spread your knees so you could see him standing there just behind you. You whimpered embarrassed by having your undies still stuck so far up your hiney bending over had just made the material press tighter on your pussy your clit felt bruised throbbing and alive. Through the pain and humiliation you felt it, your arousal body coming to life under his harsh treatment. The beginnings of humiliation on a completely different level, you bit your lip trying to will away the sensations but it was hard. You turned your face to the side and wept. "Aww whats wrong little one I thought you wanted them on? You want daddy to take them off now baby girl?" He smoothed his hands over your back as he taunted you pulling at the loose fabric that hung over your lower back. "I-it hur-tss daddy! I'm my...Its ssore daddy Pl-pleasse take them off daddy pleasse" you begged around the bitter plastic in you mouth you flushed as your words came out distorted like a baby you had a lissp and just like a baby you were dribbling all over your chin you tried sucking it up but it just made more of the disgusting taste from the paci seep into your mouth closing your eyes as you wept quietly into the leather sofa "Aww baby whats sore? Your little clit? Hmm is it pinching? Or is your pucker thats sore?" You bit your paci and nodded squirming and pressing back trying to ease the tension. "B-BO-FTH DADDY! BOFTH...it's ss-sore pleasse pleasse! I don't like it!" He smirked and moved his hands over your back then down chuckling as he went. You grimaced as he pried apart your cheeks whistling low running his thumbs along the inner skin of your cheeks making you whine your holes twitching. Your pussy muscles coiling around itself empty and unsatisfied you groaned feeling another small rush of arousal coat the cloth stuffed against the wanton hole. "Ah ah! No chewing your pacifier~ if that nub comes off my little baby might swallow it and choke.....Now lets see about these panties....Oh my they have gone quite high haven't they baby?... Panties aren't as good an idea as you thought? Are they my little love?.... But no, daddy will not take them off yet. Your going to get your spanking with them right wear they are and when I do finally pull them off trust me you'll wish they were there to protect your little pucker." You sobbed shaking slapping at the leather weakly tears dripping down your face joining the spittal that covered your cheeks smearing around the guard of the pacifier. You peaked through your legs as he moved stepping back releasing your cheeks letting them snap back into place you hissed the action made the cotton move again clenching tight in instinct trying to push away the discomfort. Henry moved the few feet over the room to the implements he had brought down, he had chosen the most severe your punishment wouldn't be long, he could easily split skin with some of these. No it wouldn't be long but it would be effective, you will learn that pain is not the worse of punishments no, now humiliation that was a very effective tool. And to top it off he wasn't going to restrain you, you would hold position or he would start again. He smirked picking up his first choice, a tawse. Painful and biting it left deep red welts that lasted days you'd be a very sore baby. He would have to be careful no more then ten he ha decided this implement was very unforgiving and with the others he planned to use today he didn't want to over do it. You quivered staying as still as you could knowing that anything  you did out of turn would make him even angrier. You held your shuddering breaths cringing as you almost blew bubbles in your own saliva as he approched...What is that? What the fuck is that!? You almost jumped up when he stopped a breah away from you, the long strip was tucked out of sight but you knew what you saw that was a strap or-or a belt!

Henry could feel your panic and placed the tawse on your bare back letting you take a few guesses at what it was. You trembled panting panicking he frowned, he wanted you on edge, frightened not panicked and nearly passing out. He sighed and picked deciding it was best to ease some of your worries he moved it up letting it fall with a resounding slap on the leather by your side

"Look...Now this~ is your tawse but daddy will be calling it your strap, it stings and has a very nasty bite...you will get ten and then we will move on daddy has a few things he wants to make clear in this little correction, not everything is fixed with a spanking." You whimpered shifting as you turned to look at the long implement of your own doom. It was long about fourteen the fifteen inches long, about six of them was a flat sturdy handle the rest well, it was a strap long and flexible made of durable old leather. Despite looking old it was well maintained shiny like it had been oiled recently. The strap itself was two inches wide a small long v cut from the tip down to the handle, it'd swing faster. You couldn't explain the dread as he picked it up quickly looking between your legs seeing him ready himself.

"Count...You can do that cant you baby? Count to ten that’s how many daddy wants to give you... but its really up to you, being the big girl you tried to be daddy will let you decide....If you move-If you can't hold still then daddy will start all over~ So I should hope you do stay still as daddy doesn't want to be here all evening remember no biting that paci either~" you squirmed shuddering with new cries terrified.

You heard the movement, the swish as the strap cut through the air. Then he slap it was loud and sounded viscous...almost as viscous as it felt. You rocked forward and screamed high around the rubber the hit had been high on your rump and most hit the panties that gave no protection what so ever.

"Count Baby what was that?" You heaved deep breaths in shock of jus how bad that stung.

"One! It-I daddy I can’t pleassse Itss bad!" You sobbed digging your nails into the lather suite moving side to side.

"I’m sure it is but baby I can see your wet little pussy~ so it cant be to bad can it my love now ready? Daddy wants this over with, you have this and one more spanking and if your god daddy will make you feel better afterwards now straighten up the next few will be faster" you groaned catching your breath barely as he moved striking you in three quick consecutive slaps each lower then the one before. You called out the numbers two three and four screaming and bucking rocking wanting to get away but didn't want to start over, your cheek hotter than ever, the burn was extreme. You could feel the welts rise in an almost pins and needles tingle that remained. You kicked your foot up and through your hands back.

"No nonono DADDY PLEASSSEE I CANT STOP PLEASE" he simply moved your hands away.

"Well don't do the crime if you can't do the time...haha well that applies to you anyway...Now put those hands down...Now little one....In fact place them under your head...That’s it like that if I hit your fingers I could break one now you stay right there!"you whimpered putting your hands under your forehead as he waited he tugged the panties up a little more ad smiled

"Oh baby? Look a little wet spot? Are you excited? Its very cute that even when I’m spanking your naughty little bottom you still want me~" you whined as he peppered another four strikes up and down the legnth of your ass and thighs the same stinging lighting a fire on your skin.

"Noo Da-ddYYY SSTOP!" You cried harder almost choking on the pacifier. Humiliated that your pussy clenched with each hit making you cringe knowing he was looking, you could feel his eyes on it. You wailed as loud as you could with the rubber teet in your mouth every movement and sound making your mouth flood with the nasty taste that was still dribbling out onto your tongue making you cough as it went down your throat forcing you to swallow and suckle more out a nasty cycle. Henry grunted as you got louder kicking your feet before screaming as he landed another harder strike.

"Stop that noise this instant!! Honestly screaming the house down because you ended up having a well earned spanking....You know to damn well deserve it little one!" Henry's scold made you quiet down more out of fear of making him start again then actual obedience. "Two more than we are done with your strap... The final two fell and you sobbed into the leather below you adding to the puddle of dribble and tears that had formed already. He sighed rubbing your back moving his hand down to your still wedged undies and tugged slowly you sighed in relief as he pulled the trapped cotton from your ass quickly threading your legs out of the cotton with ease.

"Thank you, thank you daddy!" You sobbed Henry hissed a breath looking at your blistered ass the welts were bright and thin littering you ass in clean sweeps he could count the number of strikes he had dealt. He pressed a palm you them. You leand forward trying to rock away but he didn't let you instead rubbed softly barely grazing the strikes. "Tch Shh shh I know little one you are being a good girl... That’s it love all done see daddy hasn't got your strap now he put it away~....So so brave, brave little baby girl....But you need to learn your not Your not all grown up are you? Say it...come on tell daddy" you flushed at his words but moved to look up at him. He had nothing in his hand he moved to stand behind the sofa letting you sit up on your knees to see him.

"I'm a-a little gi-girl...A bad litt-le girl daddy!-I'm bad! I'm sorry!" He chuckled at the despair in your voice he moved forward kissing your head wiping at your tears he smiled when you moved nuzzling him sweetly trying to savor the affection. "No baby no your not bad...you were naughty and your nearly all finished...But daddy is happy that you understand your not grown up...Your not a big girl... you are a horny little one though whats all this?~" You shivered as he moved around you again holding out his hand glistening from the arousal on them. You flushed at him and moved your face away whining he chuckled wiling the fingers on your back and stepped away. "We will deal with that after this baby girl now spread your legs a bit wider...Come on now don't play up now when we are soo close to finishing my love...That’s it good girl I promise you behave just a little while longer and daddy will help with your little tingles" you flushed at the matter of fact way he had blurted it out. You spread your legs and not a few seconds later his hand appeared placing a small decorative bronze pot under your spread aching legs.

"Da-daddy? Whats? What are you-" you frowned as he disappeared from behind you making his way around the sofa as he spoke.

"Shh love this is just incase you make a mess you'll see now hold still you'll get ten on your little pucker and that's all your spankies out of the way and then we can move on, daddy will give you a little reward for being such a sweet baby and doing as your told and you can tell daddy exactly how you betrayed him~" you looked up at him over the back of the sofa blinking at him then frowned not sure you heard him, he was going to strike your actual asshole? He couldn't mean it could he? You shifted your eye to the long slim crop knowing he definitely meant it. You panicked as shifted starting to plead with him not wanting to go through something that sounded to painful. "NO NO PLE-PLEASE DA-DADDY I DONT WANT- I'D NEVER-" You jolted but he was ready quick to capture your jaw and pull you towards him and the back off the sofa straddling the bronze pot. "Oh no little one...Daddy has to know to teach you a lesson because daddy loves you...He loves his little one so much...And because I love you I have to teach you these hard lessons...Its for your own good" You moved back but he moved holding your jaw lightly moving tucking the tip of his thumb under the pacifier sheild running over your wet lip pressing up ton the tiny sliver of teet you whined as he action squirted the last few drops of the nasty mixture from it onto your tongue he smiled and shushed you. "That's it baby I know...I know its scary but I'm not going to be to hard on you..I promise just this then your punishment is over and you can have a reward for being such a good girl...Does that sound nice yeah?...Yes I know and we can get this icky paci out and clean you up" You moaned pitifully nodding resigning yourself to his final punishment praying he kept his word and wouldn't hit you as hard as he had with the tawse you don't think you could stand it

"That’s it good girl stay down...Your being so good, such a good girl just ten baby girl and you wont have to count...That’s it back down stay still"you crouched down he wasted no time swinging the crop making the end flick across your ass just clipping he tight ring of muscle, you could tel it was more of a wrist flick than a full blown swing but it was enough. You jolted up again trying to close your legs but couldn't with the bowl sat between them. Henry sighed capturing the back of your neck and pressed down keeping you bent your head on the back of the seat.

"Stay still love nine more...Just nine then its all over" you shook your head at him heaving deep breaths groaning and mewling as your ass burned that was torture you never realize just how tender it could be you felt the ring of muscle contracting against the sting that lingered.

"Now now you asked for this~ you disobeyed your daddy...I did warn you last time I had gone easy on you this time you are not as lucky now nine more" he moved quickly flicking the crop across your pucker then moved making it curl around to your front. You whined bucking away terror struck you as you quickly felt the need to go  realizing suddenly why he had placed the bowl under you, it wasn't a bowl it was a chamber pot, you shook as he struck the same way again making that terrible feeling grow you couldn't even protest. A harder strike landed just on your pucker then another even harder well placed strike. You cringed trying desperately to hold it but it was difficult each strike made you buck and tense your stomach contracting placing more pressure on your bladder. One final vicious sounding snap of the crop was all it took you cried out sobbing loudly as you began peeing into the pot below you.

Henry stopped at the sound mission accomplished. He wanted to show you how much of a little girl you really were, to humiliate you and show you just how small you were and how much control he could have over you if he wanted. He grinned looking down as you sobbed embarrassed and heart broken he moved tilting your head up to face him, eye contact was key here you couldn't forget he was here watching listening he shook his head tutting. "Oh whats this? Oh I thought you were daddy’s big girl? I thought you wanted to be a big girl from the way you went and spoke to those officers....Daddy thought his little girl was all grown up! And could handle her spanking?....But no your not a big girl are you? Big girls don't wet themselves" you cried out in pain and humiliation as once the trickle started you couldn't stop, you cringed looking down as your peed into the small chamber pot he had tucked below you. You squinted your eyes shut trying to remove yourself wanting to ignore your surroundings but it was hard you could hear your humiliation as you continued to empty your bladder into the pot. Henry smiled at your discomfort he knew this would happen, fuck he planned for it to happen many subs couldn't handle there bladders when struck so precise on their little pucker's... Especially on their firs asshole whipping. "Oh baby look you must really needed to go? no self control at all huh baby...Maybe your not a little girl? maybe you are a baby?" you pouted and whined shaking your head and gagged again as the bitter taste was still being drip fed into your mouth coating your tongue this was something altogether different just knowing he saw you peeing was mortifying a punishment in itself, you cried out pitifully. "See! Your just a silly little baby can't even ask to use the potty~ such an embarrassing little girl!...Hold on daddy has some we wipes to clean up his little one stay" you shuddered sniffling in and whining when you left him come back behind you taking away the now quater full chamber pot. You hissed as he moved a cool wet wipe over your folds but he didn't top there moving up and down cleaning your arousal from your labia making sure to be thorough. "Oh sweety that was only seven! But you did have an accident so daddy will let you off the other three... wouldn't want you to wet yourself again would we?" You sniffled ashamed nodding as he Continued to wipe around your privates then threw the wipes away out of sight. And walked back behind his desk taking a seat deciding to give you a few moments smiling when you stayed perfectly still. A good obedient girl who knew her place, waiting for him to give the okay for you to move. As it should be.

Henry twisted in the seat staring at your down turned head the way you curled up on the sofa embarrassed and heartbroken you were a very sorry little girl as you should be!. He rolled his fingers flexing them leaning his elbow on the desk watching your body shudder from the shock of his rough punishment...A part of him...A very cruel sinister part wanted to leave you there alone in your despair to deal with the aftermath by yourself. Make you beg him, realize you needed not just his love and his comfort  but also his permission...But he couldn't, he loved you despite what you'd done, despite how hard you'd just made things he couldn't leave you alone in this state no self respecting daddy forgoes aftercare not even for the worst offenses.Sighing he rounded his desk pouring himself a scotch he felt better but was still on edge. Once the crystal tumbler was half full he walked to the leather sofa placing it on the table beside it stepping over the chamber pot he'd covered and left by the desk out of sight. You shivered and whined hoarsely as he shifted you ,you wriggled wanting to be left alone but he wouldn't let you.You wept sorrowfully as he patted your bottom again and tipped you up sitting on the sofa beside you quickly seating you on his thick thighs you hissed at the friction of your welts on his soft trousers hiccuping. He tilted you bak a little one arm around your back holding one of your arms drawing small circles on your skin pulling goosebumps. One hand unbuckled the pacifier letting it fall to the floor and he wiped across your mouth cleaning you up with his disguarded sweater you'd been wearing. "Shush...That's it such a good girl its all over now all over love now can daddy have a peek? I know I caught your little pussy my love let me see....Come on baby girl open up... That’s it good baby" you let him pry your thighs apart the hand that was on your arm now holding your still quivering thigh. You blushed and whined when he lowered his head to look. Henry bit his lip he really had caught you, no wonder you were squirming and crying as you were. You were red and swollen, the hood of your clit supported a red outline of the crop. There was no cuts or grazes though which was good he moved his fingers prodding at you. Despite your wailing you had found some pleasure in the ordeal...He would have to explore this little masochistic side of yours at a later date for now he would reward your good behavior. "Not to bad darling, its not to bad a little pink but its hard to see around all your mess! Look huh? Your reward wont take long love" you shook your head trying to clamp your legs shut having had just about enough. He chuckled as you tried fighting his hold. "No no! Now come on baby...you earned it being so good for daddy and taking your punishment like a good little girl!" He maneuvered you holding you open you panted at him as you felt the cool air on both holes again. Your pussy was alive  twitching trying to find something to latch on to. You jolted when his other hand moved to you clit holding a standalone rabbit ear clit simulator,  it was tucked in his hand snugly. "No no ple-PLEASE IT'S SOOOORREE no no no no! I can’t da-daddy pleas i want a nap no nooo" he shook his head ignoring you and smiled placing the soft rubber to your erect throbbing clit and pressed it on you bucked yelping not realizing just how aroused you were it must have been lost in the stinging and heat! Only now just noticing the state you were in horny, hot, sweaty and panting. You rocked against his hand as he held the small powerful device a tight on you.He chuckled again kissing at your neck as you through your head back one hand fisted in his shirt the other on the wist prying you open for him. You whined curling up as he clicked it up a notch and made just the tips graze the tender hood of your clit. "AhAH NO-DADDY FUCK PLEASE fuckfuckfcuk NO IT HURTS DADDY TAKE IT OFF! IM NOT NOO!" You panted harder moaning letting your head fall back looking up at him moaning trying not to buck or grind as it hurt your stinging ass. "Thats a lot of adult words for such a sweet baby~" he taunted and began running the ears across your folds moving so you don't have to. He twisted his hand managing to somehow plunge three fingers in to you and balance the toy his thumb poised at the button.You grunted gasping mouth agape looking at him pitifully trying to chase your end that was building. You loved and hated the feeling all at once. His finger moved in individual rhythms twisting and curling this way and that stretching you. Drawing patterns on your insides avoiding that one spot he knew you needed him, you mewled quietly as he lowered his head mouth just above yours staring at your glazed eyes as he growled working your pussy for all its worth. He opened his mouth and laughed breathing you in.

"Come on love~ so good be a good girl and cum I know you want to~" you moaned and moved tucking your head in the crook of his neck as your walls clenched wanting to keep him inside as all costs. Your indies felt like they were being treated to a Pampering as his finger pads stroked them making your nerves buzz under his perfected ministrations. You mewled loudly into his eck as he finally relented twirling his fingers inside you rubbing your spot harshly forcing you to tighten around him you yelped and twitched curling your abdomen as you trembled his finger moving firmer and firmer circling and tapping as he thrusted into you the sloppy sounds made you flush and whine again gasping as your body shuddered uncontrollably you could feel it. Just with in your grasp! Our insides were hot and wet twisting around his fingers as they moved faster slapping the vibrator against your clit with each deep determined thrust.

"Ah AH AH FUCK-YES PLEASSSEE-I DADDY!?" you fisted your hands in shirt turning to clutch at him bucking trying to ride his fingers. Your ass burned and your insides twitched. You grinded faster grunting at him when he flicked the vibrator higher that was it! You burst comming undone on a loud moaming and withering. "DADDY!~ AH FUCK FUUUCK PLEASE DADDY UGH YES ITS -so good so-thank you thank you daddy I’m sorry! Im sorry I didn’t it wasn’t-" Henry just held you removing his now drenched fingers, youd cum hard. He could feel your body go slak cagainst him s oothing your hair back kissing your cheek and neck.

"Thats it my precious girl~...my good baby , perfect little one its all done....thats it all done my love so good" you wept into him eve rything catching up to you you hugged his neck breathing him in just hopeing he now forgave you, calmed down enough to listen not that you thought you could say much you were just to messed up. He held you for what felt like hours rocking and shushing you.

"I-Im sorry but I really didn’t tell on you daddy...I really didnt i wouldnt...I love it here...even when you...do this i feel good after...better" Henry held his breath for a few seconds and smiled. He kissed your head and wiped your tear stained face.

"Do-do you forgive me daddy?" Henry took a deep breath and didnt answer that made your heart clench your tears coming back how you had any left to cry was a mystery to you. You placed your hands over your face and sobbed. He didnt he still hated you, he would find out what you said and throw you out you just knew it!. Henry noticed his mistake to late as you broke down in his lap again, he moved to pull your hands away from your face but you jerked shrugging him off. He frowned and pulled this time using his strength removing your hands his blood ran cold at your devestated face. You struggled to make him releas you but he didnt only held you tighted "Now now little one shh its okay...i do forgive you i love you -hey enough of that don't be so stubborn...Daddy forgives you will make it better...Shh shh you took your punishment very well...Now come up sit up for daddy" you wept not believing him as he tilted you cradling you to him. You grabbed his shirt crying harder hiccupping still a sorry mess your body throbbed you were exhausted and your nerves were shot. And your mouth still had that vile bitter taste. "D-Daddy I'm-I'm sorry so-o sorry daddy please- don't leave! Dont throw me out please i dont i want tobe here with you! I didn't he told me to! He-he pushed me...told them I knew!" you babbled still frantic trying to calm down Henry rose a brow "What baby zIm not...is that what this is about oh honey im not going anywhere and im not getting rid of you love.....okay? Your here with me and everything is all better but i need you to tell me exactly what happened Who pushed you baby? Hey hey shush thats it baby doll who told you- what did they tell you?" You sniffled loo,ing at him for a few seconds and took some deep breaths still jnsure of where you stood but you had to talk, to help him you could fix this, you could. "L-Luke...He he sai-d that you needed m-me...That I wa-as going to prison with you!" Henry growled and you flinched away again but he was quick to console you stroking your hair you were still shivering and trembling...probably getting cold now. He moved pulling a small fluffy throw he kept in here for you and wrapped it around your shoulders concealing you completly in the heavy blanket. He rubbed your arm lightly trying to encourage you. He moved his drink to your lips. "Come on a small sip...Thats it good girl..haha oh I know its strong huh? shh thats it now daddy needs you to tell him what Luke said to you princess" you looked up at him and shook your head as another wave of tears started and you tuccked into him leaning your weight on him resting your head at his heart letting the soft thumping sooth you. "Hey hey its okay little one...You can tell daddy...Daddy isn't mad anymore he just wants to know what was said...You can do it your such a good baby...I need to know were you plotting against me?" You looked up at him through your tears shocked and gasping your heart shattered at the broken look on his face cracking his gaze was so defeated another wave of panic washed over you.No he can't you have to tell him! tears fell as you shook your head. "I-I didnt! I swear daddy I didn't say anything! They wanted me to make a statment..She recognized me! Luke told her daddy! I didn't have a choice-" Henry growled moving the drink to his mouth taking a long sip the plced it on the side table with a soft thump. Yhen with a loud intact of breath he began speaking irritated and exasperated. "And you know what? He wouldn't have if you'd been here at home like daddy told you! would he baby? noo you wouldnt have been in this situation now if you'd just been a good girl!" You wriggled back whimpering quivering at his dissapointed tone feeling scared and small. You clutched at him worried he was starting to get all wound up at you again. "Now..What else happened now that your calmed down I can make sense of it all" he lifted you perching you on his knees, for a second he smiled at you naked and quivering wrapped in the throw, your red tears stained face and guilty pouting expression made you look the part of a very well punished little girl. He moved his hands across you gently rubbing you trying to ease your tight acheing muscles. "I-I Luke..he said I'd need to be there!" Henry frowned "What did he say love? I don't think you'd fall for just that" "Af-after they took you away...Said you were going to prison...That I'd go to prison to....he said that they had something big and-and that I needed to make a statement, tell them about Stephan last night or you'd be put away...And-and to pay bail money!" He hummed tucking your hair behind your ears and froze moving his fingertips down your jaw lightly frowning. Bail money? "Bail money? baby I didn't need bail..They I wasn't arrested my sweet girl" "I didn't know that till he got me there! I didn't-please daddy he made me! He said I didn't have a choice! That you were arrested and if I didn't come pay the money I'd never see you again!..He scared me! he was mean! He called me names to making me cry- a-a sexy doll and slut! and-and when I was upset he started saying I'd go to prison to cos I'm your girlfreind! thats all that's why I came there! He said I had to...To save you!...That you needed me..."Henry eyed you carefully and tilted your face up again you were determined to avoid his gaze and he didn't like it. But then again he didn't like the fact he had jumped the gun and wailed on you before hearing you out you either. Yes he stood by his punishment....Well some of it you should have stayed here. But maybe you didn't deserve such humiliation, it was a god send you were now telling him everything after what he had just put you through. He motioned for you to continue wanting you to explain. "He-he wanted me to...Tell them...About how I got here...He didn't say it...But thats what he meant...and then he told the police i wanted to tell on you..i didnt i realized then and just wanted to wait in the car...Luke pushed me to go with her to that room" Henry hummed he believed you it wasnt hard, Luke wanted a way out, and the man didn't like you one bit hed have no qualms about sacrificing you to save his own skin. But it was risky pinning all his hopes on you and fucking stupid did he really think you wouldn't tell your daddy what luke had been up to? could Luke really be that stupid? Henry cursed watching the tears fall from your eyes and you trembled. "Please-please daddy you have to belive me I'd never- I don't want to leave...I don't want you to leave me daddy please..." though pitiful as your pleas did sound sincere henry felt a deep pit forming in his stomach. he had just put you through hell, he made you fucking piss yourself! and used the most painfull of his arsenal. He felt like a right cunt!

"Shh Shh it's alright baby...Daddy believes you daddy believes you baby girl....He frightened you into going in? So Luke's trying to set me up now? Along with Stephan heh... You sure your not going to join them pet?" He meant it as a joke but your reaction was instant You shook your head holding your tender neck smoothing your cool fingers over it. "No...Stephan wants me to go down to...Luke said he is bitter...Stephan knows I slept with you last night" you mumbled slowly wanting hims to believe you, you needed him to believe you, to understand you were helping him! He looked up confused he began rubbing the back of your neck his warm palm helping eamse. the pain his other hand rose and scratched your scalp slowly letting you move your head angling it to get his hand where you wanted it at the side of your head.   "What was that love?" you hummed twisting your head again as his strong fingers massaged your scalp harder in slow circles making your tension headache fade. You licked your lips before starting to explain to him what had been said. "Luke told me Stephan knows about us..That he was angry when they dropped him off..Was really mad- should I not have known daddy?" Henry cursed and chuckled shaking his head fucking unbelievable. You flinched as Henry moved collecting you in his arms again holding you tight kissing your head breathing you in.Henry was quickly starting piece everything together, it wasn't Stephan... Well not really it was Luke manipulating everone trying to play in a kings game!.  Your whimperes pulled him out of his thoughts and he spoke soothing you. "No it isn't that....Babygirl I just I know whats going on Luke told him about us...Luke provoked Stephan and You... He was using you both...He was counting on you telling them everything...I?- did you? Tell them everything?" you cringed at how uncertified he sounded he small his voice ended up being, it made you feel uncomfortable. You shook your head smileing at him shyly. "No-no daddy I didn't, I said that Stephan came to the restaurant, that he is an ex who can't get over me and has a grudge against you...And that I didn't go missing I found out Stephan was using me to left cos I was scared of him and you offered me a place to stay...And...And that I-I'm in love with you.." Henry blinked sighing flopping back into the seat with a sigh maybe you did help him then. If you could both make it out to be a jealous ex lover it'd explain your sudden disappearance and why Stephan was so determined to pin this on him. "Anything else? I need to know" you twiddled your fingers at him and nodded feeling slightly embarassed but you knew he had to know...It's just...how was he going to handle you telling the police about your sex life? you flushed just remebering it, it had been so fast you hadn't really tought about the fact they now knew that you got tied up and spanked. Henry furrowed his brows at you as he watched you go pink...What the fuck had you said? "Th-they want me to testify... About Stephan....They took the statement about what happened last night...And after that she- the lady tried to say you'd have done..What ever they think you did, once we got home I said you couldn't have cos...Well you never leave me alone in a scene...She didn't understand so I had to tell her...A-About the err BDSM thingy... She carried on saying youd have left when i was asleep and ...I had to say something...So I told her...I said that you couldn't have slipped away during the night cos err... well i kind of said you slept erm in-inside me so...I'd know if you...yeah" Henry grunted trying to bite back a chuckle as you flushed brighter. "Cockwarming? Thanks for that....How'd you even? Do you? Do you want to try that baby doll? Want daddy to keep you full all night?" you flushed brighter he chuckled relaxing feeling much better he didn't think you had dropped him in it..Not yet anyway but he would have to keep you on a very short leash they would take this to court its the closest they have come to getting him. he sighed into your hair kissing your head again, you hadn't handed him in, and Luke... Yes it made sense Luke would have known that he didn't need bail but you wouldn't, it would make sense to you you didn't know any better. Just that alone made him believe you. He moved forward making you squeak and hold him tight as he heaved you up in to his arms and stood moving the blanket to cover your form and keep you warm then made for the bedroom wanting to give you a shower and put you down for a bed. An early night was what you needed now after a day like today.

Henry smiled looking at you curled up in the bed, you'd been good letting him take control and look after you. You'd only whimpered when he was washing you as he moved across your swollen bruises and welts he'd left across you. He felt guilty but what's done is done.  He can't take it back no matter how much he wanted to, he tried making it up to you by lathering each and every mark with kisses as he massaged lotion into your damp skin afterwards, being careful to rub away your tension it was that; that had sent you off to sleep and somehow he had dressed you in fussy pajamas and tucked you in whilst you were in a deep sleep. He was happy even in his guilt, he would admit he jumped the gun but he now had a new target.

One that had no idea he was coming for him, one who had a very high price to pay, no one upset his baby girl, no one scared her. He couldn't tell if he was more angry over the fact Henry himself had missed the signs or if he was angry over the fact he had taken it out on his little girl before letting her explain.

Once he was sure you'd be safe and sound up here he moved to the side whistling in a high pitch through the house hearing the tapping of claws. Kal climbed the stairs panting happily making him smile at the bear. "Kal come on you lazy boy time to earn your keep...In" he motioned the dog to enter the bedroom with a flick of his head, the akita followed Henry's instructions and entered the room then turned to look at him as if to say 'now what?' Henry reached out ruffling his ears and scratched the dogs muzzle before moving cupping Kals chin making him look at him. "Now you look after your mother....You keep her safe boy understand?...Good now go give her snuggles she needs a bear hug" kal gave a quiet 'boof' then got up and pounce onto the bed curling up between you and the door making Henry grin before closing the door. Once in the hall he took a breath and locked the door, no one was getting in tonight. He did one final check making sure his knife and gun were both concealed once satisfied he pulled the tight fitting suit jacket around his abdomen and fastened the button then began walking,  his polished shoes echoing off the floor he tried to be well dressed when being out on business, he pulled his phone from his pocket as he made his way down the stairs. "Hello Liam how would you like a promotion? oh you would? great meet me down at Pearls..Bring Luke...Oh your there already? enjoying the new girls I take it?...Theres no need to thank me...And Luke's there to? Excellent Keep him there I will be with you very shortly!" he hung up grinning tonight was going to be very smooth and clean by the sounds of it. It was time to take care of a rat.

[peppersonironi]

12, 21, 19

(Is this late? Oops. Sorry!)

12: Favourite character to write about this year

Stephanie Brown, easy. She's my spirit animal, so I might be doing a touch of projecting, but I honestly don't care. She's just pure chaos in the best way. Some of my favourite lines that I've written are for her. Such as:

"What's up bitches? I brought donuts!"

"My waffles await!"

"FEAR ME!"

"Welcome to Steph’s Glitter Bomb Palace, Where Snitches get Stitches™! So don’t tell Bruce or I’ll sic Jason on you."

She's also the character I've gotten the most comments on. People really seen to enjoy how I write her!

A close second would be Duke Thomas. Bliss, a fic I wrote for the 2020 Duke Week, was one of my favourites! Or maybe Damian? His dialogue just comes easy to me.

21: Most memorable comment/review

the batfamily exist:

everyone: is,,is that allowed?

On Code Orange (Batfam/Young Justice Crossover)

*Or*

I have wanted to read a DCU/MCU crossover for a VERY long time. This story is such a delight. Your characterisation (and for me an introduction to The Signal) was fascinating in the extreme. I loved the game playing and the fact that I could watch (open-mouthed) as Bruce Wayne enjoyed childlike fun with his children and Alfred(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) was the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake. I look forward to your updates in a way that you wouldn't believe.

On Batfam/Avengers Crossover

19: Any new fics to start next year

Oh boy. So many. You know what? Here's a list. It'll be good to get these ideas out. Plus, you guys can tell me what you'd rather see first!

Gen/just Batfam

Crack fic based off this piece of dialogue (came from a convo between my sister and I): Tim reached forward and poked Duke's face. "You're right!" He exclaimed. "You really *do* squish like a block of wood!" Duke Centric.

Based on THIS Incorrect Quotes. Talia moves into the Manor because she's sick of Ra's. Featuring a bunch of good mom!Talia.

Based off THIS Incorrect Quotes. Jason runs for President as Red Hood. I have so many ideas! This'll be really fun.

Loosely based on THIS post. It explores Jason and Cassandra's relationship, and how it evolves.

Duke Thomas Big Bang Fic (can't say much, but it'll be great!)

Platonic (need to be certain you understand that. There were some misconceptions w/ my Discord server) Slow Burn between Tim and Damian. At the beginning the absolutely despise each other. But over time they realise their own insecurities, and how they don't actually hate the other. And by the end they fully admit and embrace their being brothers.

Reverse Robins with Damian as the oldest (I made THIS post talking about it a while back. But I've highly revised it.)

Reverse Robins with Duke as the oldest (I wrote THIS fic, but I think I want to change this into a series!)

Cassandra as Batman. Stephanie as Catwoman. Carrie Kelley as Robin.

5 Times Bette Kane was the mastermind behind the batkids' pranks without Bruce's knowledge, and 1 Time her brilliance was brought to light.

5 Times Duke thought that he couldn't possibly get any more siblings and 1 Time he met the cousins (AKA: Duke meets the extended family)

Birdflash

Birdflash in the JL/JLU universe (based off that one hexagon by @novaviis ! Super fun!). The league is inviting potential members to the Watchtower one day. Except Wally wasn't there during the choosing of said members. So he's completely shocked when his husband Nightwing shows up. They have to act like they don't know each other, which basically involves Dick flirting his butt off with Wally, Wally trying desperately to remain professional, Bruce digging in the corner, the rest of the League in varying degrees of disapproval and confusion (at least a couple have seen Wally's wedding ring. So that adds a while 'nother layer).

Young Justice soulmate au. Dick, and eventually everyone else, knows that Wally is his soulmate. Wally is oblivious. Lots of pining and angst in this one. Slow burn to an extent (depends on how long I make it). But definitely a happy fluffy ending in sight!

Batfam Meets Young Justice

THIS fic.

Duke gets yeeted into the YJ universe, and promptly passes out. He wakes up in the Watchtower, and breaks out of the confinement the Team has set up for him. Pulls shenanigans (some unwittingly) and used his powers. The Team and JL are confused, and panicking. Because this guy keeps muttering things about the Batfam. And he has a bat on his chest.

The Team break into some ancient temple after getting info on a new Supervillian plot. They find purple clothed woman draped across a throne. She talks, and they panic, as she knows all their secret identities. The only one who isn't, is Tim. He looks bored. Alternatively: Steph needs Tim's credit card to take his sister out on a date, and absolutely refuses to text.

While the Team is on a mission to stop Lady Shiva, a dimensional portal opens up and spits out a strange Robin (Damian) and what seemed to be a female Batman (Cass as Black Bat). This new dynamic due promptly defeats Lady Shiva and all the goons. The Team is freaked out, and 'apprehends' the dimensional anomalies, bringing them back to the Watchtower. Where the due promptly break and and start chaos. Featuring "Toxic" by Britney Spears. I will not explain why.

The Watchtower gets a sudden emergency message from the Batcave. They accept, to find a stranger calling himself Signal panicking about Robin being missing. They all look at Tim, who ignores them, and says that he doesn't know where Robin is. Some naming shenanigans occur.

(Not sure if this fits here, oh well) Set in Season One, Bruce is tired of Clark's attitude towards Superboy, and adopts the clone himself. Not sure how far this'll go, but at least goes through Dick's time as Robin. (Based on THIS Tumblr post)

(Also iffy on placement) a continuation of one (not sure which? Probably Damian as older) Reverse Robins fics. It's a retelling of Season One of YJ, with Dick as Robin. Nightwing (Damian) feels protective of his brother, and so takes on the role Black Canary had in the show, training the Team. But as time goes on, he ends up being more of a big brother to the group. Cameos from the rest of the Batfam as well! And an Identity Reveal (including finding out Dick and Dami are brothers) at the end!

Batfam Meets the Justice League

Cass takes over being Batman for a bit, because Bruce was an idiot and broke his leg. This happens to line up with when the Justice League reach out to the Dark Knight, in order to extend an invitation to the league. They eventually meet Bruce as Batman, and are confused as to why he is so tall. And male.

Joyfire

Lian accidentally reveals her three parents' relationship by calling Bruce 'grandpa' over dinner.

Museum Heist

THIS fic

Operation: Seduce Nightwing. Based on a post for an ATLA ot3, Wally and Artemis realise silumaneously “Hey, we kinda have the hots for Dick” and decide together to see if he likes them back. Which involves a heck ton of over the top flirting, and shenanigans. The Team is sighing on the sidelines at their idiocy. Dick is internally combusting and thinking “Do they like me back? I’’m not sure.” 

5 times Dick and Wally fought over being the middle spoon, and one time Artemis had had enough.

Set in Season 3 (but ignores some canon), Bart is kidnapped by some mad scientist obsessed with the Speed Force. The Team mobilizes, and gets Bart back from the evil base. But when they get there, they find Wally West freed from the Speed Force. He and Artemis reunite, and everyone is happy. They prepare to leave. Then the Pick-up Squad arrive in the bioship, and Dick gets out. Everyone is expecting Dick to give Wally a hug, because hey, he's his best friend! What they weren't expecting was him to run forward and pull the speedster into a passionate kiss. They go back to the Watchtower, and some more stuff happens.

Soulmate AU where the first thing your soulmate says to you after they fall in love with you is tattooed on your body.

Post Season Two Get Together. Starts with Artemis living with Dick as opposed to Will. Might be Slow Burn? (They come pretty close to kissing) Eventually Wally comes back. Arty and Wally are back together. They both live in the same house as Dick, for convenience. Then some more Slow Burn happens. Maybe some Birdflash moments. Arty tells Wally she kinda had a thing for Dick. Wally admits the same. Maybe a touch more Slow Burn. They Eventually get together.

Batlantern

AU where Bruce met Hal back when he first came back to Gotham. Fic goes through how their relationship evolves over the years (up until current time, when Damian is 13). I'm considering a relationship reveal with the Justice League.

Hal's interactions with Bruce's kids.

Green Lantern Corp acting protective of Hal when Bruce comes to Oa. This was an ask that I got, and I'm holding off on writing it till I get as much into on the GL's as possible, as all I know if their characterization comes from that animated series, and Guy Gardener's (Hilarious!) parts on Young Justice.

Marvel

Like 3 different versions of the Peter Parker Field Trip to Stark Tower Trope.

2-part Crossover with the Batfam (they exist in the same universe), where the Avengers go to a Wayne Gala, and interact with the family. The second chapter involves them heading out the next night to try and contact Batman.

THIS fic.

[malibvnghts]

@houseofalastair​  /  cont.

Smiling, scarlet hues glide over his face, trailing their way lazily to the decorative piece adorning the column of his neck. Lingering there like a lover’s whisper. “Is that what you told yourself when our beloved king throttled you?” Beautiful as she is vicious is the creature on the other side of the gilded cage. The bars, laced with silver, are too narrow to squeeze through, but plenty wide for grasping hands to reach out. Hence the elevated step inside the room. A warning not to get too close to the preening canary.

“Or,” her nightgown sighs over her legs, trailing across the cold floor behind her as she comes closer, “were you referring to my own circumstances? To my pretty little prison in this lonely little tower?” Beyond her, pale moonlight was spilling through the single window at the opposite end of the room, heavy velvet curtains drawn back, the bars so tightly gridded over the pane that not even a mouse could squeeze through. Coming to a stop she peers down at him from her elevated position at the very edge of the barrier. A hint of canine flashing in the curling of her lips. “Surely you didn’t come all the way up here just to spew the obscure proverbs of some dead devout?”

            her words dig but shallowly in his heart  ,  knowing she  ,  perhaps  ,  had the intention of eliciting a reaction from  him  .  she should know that this tired mage lacks the energy to react negatively  ,  something that’s been drained from him several years prior  .  hands tucked within the sleeves of his robes  ,  head tilted to look at the female in the tower above . . . too far for her arms to reach but not too far for them to have a conversation  .  he can see why the vile king has taken such a liking to this one . . . she is of a different species and beautiful  .               taking a daring step closer  ,  not that she can harm him  ,  “  no  ,  i came to gaze upon the woman rumored to have more freedom than i  ,  ”  fumio says in a gentle tone  ,  so much so it’s as if a breeze could carry away his words  .  “  one that’s not bound so vilely and if given a chance  ,  may flee from this gilded cage she’s set into  ,  ”  fumio says  .  he may have a castle of his own and wander the grounds freely  ,  but that also meant he had to answer the becks and calls of his new liege and service him in ways that sullied his spirit  .             had he his full capabilities  ,  he would have attempted to free this dangerous beauty . . . no one should suffer the way he has  ,  but even if he had his abilities . . . he’d have run away the moment he could  .  without his blade and his powers  ,  he’s a bird with clipped wings  .

[virgil-writes]

ash & soot

Long before the Winters come into play, a monster stalks the Forbidden Forest that surrounds the Village. Karl Heisenberg is sent to investigate, and heads deeper into darkness to find his prey, a thorn on his side and someone just like him. (Heisenberg x OC)

on AO3: chapter one | chapter two | chapter three | chapter four | chapter five | chapter six | chapter seven (ao3 only) | chapter eight | chapter nine | chapter ten | chapter eleven | chapter twelve | chapter thirteen (ao3 only, smut)

chapter 12 - cabin fever

SFW, around 5K words.

chapter 13 - liebchen (ao3 only, smut)

The sheets underneath him were worn but comfortable, ancient-looking in design but well taken care of. The bed frame is barely there, mattress a well-placed lattice away from being on the floor. He can’t remember the last time he’s been on a bed, the last time he’d laid his body down at all, for any reason. His back complains every other second, not because of the comfort of the bedding, but because it had gone without for so long. A wonderfully comfortable blanket covers him up to the hips, the soft mattress almost makes him feel like he is floating. Fuck, he really missed having a proper bed now.

He inspects himself carefully, still not fully convinced this is not a fever-induced hallucination. His hand is where it should be, and so is his leg, and every other part of his body that he recalled having before. There are half a dozen new scars that he can count, all healed over perfectly like they’d opened years ago instead of hours, forming a map of stories he would rather not tell. He is shirtless but is wearing pants now, his trench coat and hat nowhere to be found. He pushes the blanket aside to find the damn woolen slippers waiting for him on a woven rug. It doesn’t take him long to realize where he is, but nothing resembles her, no personal belongings on the nightstand, no desk or mirror or even a dresser. It looked as if the room was rarely visited, kept clean but empty, and he wondered if sleep was a foreign concept to her, too.

Hesitant, tentative movements take him down the ladder and into the living room, and he expects to find her hard at work at something or another, humming a tune while she cooks, petting the goat and telling it asinine, cutesy things in a soft voice. But the house is silent and she is nowhere to be found, the dog sits in front of the closed front door and watches his every move. It is not aggressive but watchful, like it had been given the task of keeping an eye on the ailing man and alerting his owner in case anything was amiss.

“I’m fine, fleabag.” He laughs at the dog and gets a huff in response, an acknowledgment, and the shepherd moves from its post at the door to give him passage if he so desires. Heisenberg gives it a well deserved pat on the head as it passes by, tail wagging hesitantly as it tried to make friends with him. He is glad to be alone - if anyone ever used this against him, he would deny it.

A plate awaits him at the dinner table, and despite his intentions of running out of there before she could see him again, breakfast is an offer he cannot bring himself to refuse. Bread and jam, a robust omelet served with sprinkles of cheese and herbs. He can almost see the aroma the coffee has left behind, and finds the pot on the side of the wood stove, cup and saucer set for him nearby.

He eats slowly and in silence, chews thoroughly before swallowing, as if he fears some abrupt movement would rip reality apart and throw him back into the pit of suffering he found himself in the night before. There is no blood, no pain; no sign of the madness he had come so close to drowning in. He is safe and comfortable, there is good food in his belly and a warm hearth to keep the cold at bay. His problems are far and cannot catch him, and maybe if he keeps stalling to finish breakfast he can stay in this bliss forever. The world is quiet outside, and so are his thoughts, for once in his life.

A shirt and sweater are neatly folded and arranged as to call attention on the couch, no doubt to replace his blood-stained, ragged trench coat. He feels naked without it, he muses as he pulls the moss-colored shirt over his head, and it feels awkward not to wear the hat and the glasses. It would be unpleasant if she were to catch him now, free of his usual regalia; he felt that she would see right through him, stare deep into his eyes and find out all he had worked so hard to hide.

He did not feel like Karl Heisenberg, Lord of the Village, powerful mutant capable of unspeakable acts of violence. He was… Karl, middle-aged immortal man who enjoyed tinkering, was a big fan of meat an potatoes and didn’t know what to do when he had time to waste in his hands. Karl, of German origin but Romanian by birth, come from a long line of miners and steel workers. People of few words and fewer luxuries, hardy of constitution and blunt to a fault. He had been content to be those things and nothing more, to carry on what the Heisenbergs had done for centuries, until life dumped him on his head and led him to where he is today.

But not today, because maybe just today he can forget, and let his gracious host distract him with her mystery and the delicate curves of her buttocks. Perhaps tomorrow he would go back to treating her like a tool he would use and discard, but today she would be none the wiser, and neither would he. The fresh air of the mountain and distance from the cramped confines of the factory would do him good, he decided, help reinvigorate his spirit and refresh his ideas, spark some inspiration. And if not, well, the food was excellent and she was easy on the eyes.

A pair of boots that didn’t belong to him were by the door, just the right size to fit him. He had walked all the way up barefoot, he remembers, but he would very much like to know how she seemed to have everything that he needed readily available. Was she clairvoyant alongside being a healer? Did she bleed money that she could buy information on him from the Duke and the apparel to go with it? He opened the door to find her outside, looking like the cat that ate the canary, a couple meters away from the gate that separated her plot of land from the heart of the forest. She had just emerged from amongst the trees, heavy coat over her shoulders and leather boots to keep the ice off her feet. Her hands were free, no basket for foraging or firewood in her arms. No sign of a knife or any other kind of weapon, but judging by the look on her face, he could swear she had just committed murder. Her eyes told him she would not speak of it.

“Good morning, pumpkin,” he began, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, at least trying to fish an explanation out of her. Instead she pretended to forget the suspicious circumstances and focused on him instead, her face lighting up at the sight of him up and about, like she didn’t expect to see him anytime soon. Had it been that bad?

“Good morning, my lord. Are you well?” Shame and madness aside, he thought, things were going swimmingly. “I hope the accommodations were to your liking.” Once again with the pleasantries, with the caring for what he thought of her hospitality. Did she get a kick out of being so kind? That was the most foolish thing he had ever heard. He tried to come up with a witty response that would catch her off guard, but the night had been long and there was too much tiredness swamping his mind, and all he got was honesty:

“Quite. Hadn’t slept in a bed in decades.” As if to validate his words, he stretched and grunted in approval, pains he did not even realize he’d had gone like magic.

“Well, it remains at your disposal,” was her response as she chuckled, wiping her hands on the embroidered apron before gesturing an invitation. There was dirt on her palms. “It may not be much, but it’ll give you a good night’s rest.” She motioned for him to follow, something he would grow accustomed to.

“You know,” he began, following her into the shed, accepting the shallow basket she handed him. “I bet it’d be even better if you were there with me.” She hummed in approval, a smile as devious as his on her face. The damn woman would always catch him off guard; Heisenberg was not used to being flirted with, words thrown about only half-seriously, only to make the villagers blush and Alcina mad. He had never followed up on any of it, because it was always meant to annoy, and the fact that she not only took him seriously but fired back pulled the rug right from under him. And boy did he like it.

They laughed but spoke no more of it, tension like static in the air, both fully aware the joke had more than a few nuggets of truth to it. A dozen different scenarios ran through his mind, on ways he could take her, mark her, ruin her. Inside the shed, behind the stables, propped on the porch railing. Standing, face pressed against the floor, legs tightly wrapped around his waist. She smirked as she passed by him, smirked like she could tell every image that went through his mind. Smirked like she knew he would not do any of it, that his flirting was just a front and he had never found the courage to take the plunge, not even once. Her wink was the cherry on the cake, the challenge that made his cheeks flush at just the right moment so that she wouldn’t see it.

The morning was spent tending to the animals and the garden, and she instructed him on how to feed the chickens and keep the tiny goat happy. Its name was Prince and it demanded to be treated like royalty, lest the puny humans faced his wrath and for now adorable headbutts. The thing followed him around the whole time, demanded his attention when he collected the eggs from the coop, when he let the horse out of the stable to let it stretch its legs. Only when the weather took a turn for the worse did it scurry off to hide in the pens with its mom, settling down on a nice and dry bundle of hay.

He was put in charge of firewood while she tended the garden. The innuendos were kept to a minimum, but the static never left, and he felt her eyes heavy on him as he brought the axe down, muscles flexing and veins showing on his forearms with the effort. Maybe he ought to do more housework around her, and she’d come around and do his bidding without hesitation.

When the wind blew away his hat, Heisenberg realized there would be no going back to the factory unless he hurried. The storm had been mounting for days now, but he had never been one to pay much attention to the tells of weather; he rarely left his hideout, and with the factory being mostly underground, he would be trapped inside for a few days at best. He had perhaps half an hour for a journey that would take him one or two under such bad weather, and he would have to be lucky for the bridge to hold if it got too bad. She wasted little time paying attention to his inner turmoil, and went about securing the animals instead, making sure they had food, water and a warm place to spend the night. Snow was falling fast by the time she was done, and she ushered him in when he’d stood there too long, snow coming up to his shins already. They brushed off as much as they could on the porch before heading inside, water dripping down their shoulders. There was a long pause as they both watched the storm come down through the living room window, a knowing silence that the day would be long, and the night longer, and neither would be leaving that cabin for at least the next day.

“Well, it seems the bed is yours for the night again, my lord,” were her words as she bolted the door, a hint of joy in her voice. He imagined it was a lonely existence, secluded in the mountains and feared by all, not part of any community and especially not theirs. She always seemed so happy to see him, to see another human whose first instinct wasn’t to attack her. He would pity her if he cared, if his existence wasn’t equally as lonesome, if he hadn’t fashioned it to be exactly what he wished. He’d never needed anyone yapping about everything and nothing in his ears, interrupting his work and diverting his attention from what really mattered. Alcina was insane to have taken in the girls, really; children sounded like an exhausting chore that never ended. He never understood why she always looked so content in spite of it all. His mother always told him one day he would understand, he would want to keep someone close, and then he would want someone else just like them to cherish and love, to teach and share the good and bad moments. He would turn a hundred soon and never quite felt like it; maybe in another hundred years?

His only answer was a lopsided smile, tired and sad, and he tried to brace for the barrage of questions and comments that were certain to come. She was trapped inside her living space with the stranger who emerged from the guts of the forest, come from a village rife with death, where he was sovereign save for Mother dearest. He was the favorite son and the most powerful, gifted with strength and wits and influence and power. Those he could not talk down he could easily buy out, and those he could not buy out he could easily destroy. He was a fabled recluse and rumors ran rampant of the work he’d conduct in his factory, of treasures he kept deep underground. It would be a long day, the first in forever that he would spend so close to another breathing, talking human, and he did not know what to expect aside from a lot of chit-chat and a mounting headache. Surely she would like to know all about him, now that he couldn’t run away from her. Surely she would pry into his motives, pepper in questions about his siblings and the village. A thousand smug answers he conjured in his mind, each snappier than the other, every retort a question thrown back at her. It was only fair, of course; she had thrown much at him, bits and pieces of improbabilities that he couldn’t put together, and if she intended on digging deep, he would do the same.

To his surprise, all she did was leave her boots behind next to him and proceed to ignore him, going about her daily life like he was of no consequence. He found himself stunned, rooted in front of the door with a puzzled expression on his face. She looked at him as if to say well, this is it, make yourself at home and enjoy the day, and once again the domesticity of it all broke him more than words could ever have. He felt weird as he reached for the papers he had brought with him the night before, tucked next to the myriad of books on her shelf. They remained silent when he took a seat at the table and pushed open the schematics to get a better look at them, the potted plant centerpiece serving as a paper weight so he could work properly.

First, she dusted the shelves, reorganized her herb cabinet and found a place for his hat. The curtains were drawn and she took a peek outside, checking on the pens and the stable to make sure the animals would have a comfortable enough day. Then she bound off to a corner of the living room, producing a basket with threads and fabric, yarn and needles that she brought over to the couch. She sat cross-legged, close to the fire, and only spared him a brief glance before tending to her needlework. He felt weird as he reached for the papers he had brought with him the night before, tucked next to the myriad of books on her shelf. They remained silent when he took a seat at the table and pushed open the schematics to get a better look at them, the potted plant centerpiece serving as a paper weight so he could work properly. The first few minutes were nerve-racking, his paranoia telling him he would look away and find her peering curiously over his shoulder, trying to steal away his secrets to use against him as leverage. He read the same words again and again only to realize he hadn’t understood them, eyes turning to her every minute to make sure she still hadn’t moved. She caught him eventually, eyebrow raised in his direction as she tried to make sense of the situation, mouth turning into an “oh” as she jumped off the couch and stood on the tips of her toes to reach the very top of the bookshelf. A minute later and she had brought him a candle and holder, a half-empty box of matches in her other hand. She stood at the other end of the table and pushed it in his direction, still not curious regarding his work, but figuring that, even in daylight, the cabin was dark and he likely was not used to doing things by candlelight. It took him a moment to process and bring the light closer, shocked as he was to see that she intended to leave him to his own devices but cared about his comfort.

The hours were a blur then, when he convinced himself she would not surprise him, and his suspicions were correct; a change of environment had done wonders for his creativity, solutions jumping at him paper after paper, a multitude of new projects and ideas for him to try once he was back at the factory. He can’t remember the last time he had been so productive, the last time he had folded everything in and told himself he was done for the day, because he had done more than enough. She had brought him tea and bread at some point and he had eaten absentmindedly, crumbs and drops of jam staining the papers, but he could not bring himself to care. After tea she had brought him coffee, and then a jug of water, and while he felt a bit like a caged animal being fed periodically, it did wonders to keep his work flowing.

Night had already fallen when he finally took a break, got up to stretch his legs and look around to see just what she had been doing this whole time. Her crafts basket was back in its place, a sock taking shape on the needles. A book abandoned where she was sitting instead, the little witch nowhere near it. Instead she was busy preparing dinner, swaying her hips to a tune but quiet as a mouse, like she was going out of her way to give him peace and quiet. He appreciated it, try as he might to deny it, how she cared without meddling, made herself present but not intruding.

Maybe he should hire her to be his assistant, help him organize the half-done office he had begun building on the upper floors of the factory. She certainly would be great at helping him keep his affairs in order - and by that he meant she would keep him fed, mostly, the one thing he kept forgetting to do and that always set him back. He could provide her with something better than this, surely, her very own quarters with modern wonders such as electricity and proper plumbing, a bathroom of her own, maybe even a fridge. Had she ever seen a fridge before? He imagined she would decorate the place with all manner of silly things that would only serve to gather dust, knickknacks and wreaths and woven things, and that it would smell of flowers and fresh-baked bread. Her responsibilities would include housekeeping and Heisenkeeping - organizing his papers so he wouldn’t lose them, keeping track of all of the family meetings he had to attend, dealing with the Duke for supplies so he wouldn’t have to. He’d reward her handsomely, give her days off, be a good employer unlike his parents had been. Not a bad plan, if he did say so himself.

He had only forgotten to factor in that she was, still, a powerful, self-described blood witch. He had been entertaining himself with the thoughts of having her around as he watched her prepare dinner; she’d gone hunting in the morning, he realized, two hares hanging upside down from an iron ring. She took one down to place it at the cutting board, its insides clean but pelt still intact. He had no doubt she would be skilled at skinning it; when one lives as long as she has with no contact with the outside world, such skills are necessary for survival. What he did not expect was the way she’d go about it: a firm hand grabbed a handful of fur, gave it a gentle twist and pulled, effortlessly, the entire thing coming off in her hand, no cuts and no tears, neck and head and all. He could see the knife from where he was sitting, placed blade down into the ceramic jug.

Heisenberg bent forward to see better when she did it the second time around, and it was as unexplainable and horrifying as the first. Gross but humane, like she simply coaxed the skin to slide right off the flesh. If the thing had been alive, he imagined it would have been quite painful, a whole human suit in her hand and living flesh left behind. The thought almost makes him gag, a disgusted sound escaping his lips and making her realize she’s not alone. She slowly turns to face him with a sheepish smile, like a child caught red-handed. “Pretend you didn’t see that?” She offers, but he shakes his head no. Not in a million years he would forget the sheer brutality of it. He waits but she doesn’t explain it, goes back to making dinner like nothing had happened.

“Could you do that to something… Bigger, darling?” He approaches her slowly, like a predator carefully stalking its prey, though he feels far from a position of power at the moment. She nods her head yes. “Like, say, a good ole’ human?” He whispers in her ear, a shiver running down her spine at the sudden intrusion and hot breath against her skin, flirting his go-to attempt at getting back the reigns of any situation.

“Want me to test it on you, my lord?” She quips in the same whisper tone, and he is wise enough to back off for now.

“Think I’ll pass.” Before he can run back to his seat, she hands him the smaller, bone-bladed knife and pushes a bowl of potatoes towards him, the sudden motion startling him and eliciting a chuckle out of her. Looks like he’ll have to earn his keep. For a while they work shoulder to shoulder in peaceful silence, save for his grunts of frustration at not being able to peel a potato successfully. It’s been a long time. “You ought to show me what you can do one of these days. I’m awful curious.” She considers it for a second, head moving left and right, knife following the movement.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” and she doesn’t mean metal bending and knife juggling, he knows. He can’t think of a reason why she would want to see him, truly see him, monstrous appearance and all, but if that’s the price to pay, he’ll gladly do it. It would be good for his ego, too, that priceless look on her face as he shifts into the stuff of nightmares.

There are no more gruesome sneak peeks for the night and soon the stew is ready, he helps set the table and she finds a bottle of wine she’d stashed away for a rainy day. She explains over dinner that he was quite feverish when he arrived, and it’s a wonder he made it through the night. He truly was sturdy, no ifs or buts about it, she said in appreciation. There were cuts and bruises all over him, all shapes and sizes, like he’d fallen through glass. Did he have an accident at the factory? There was genuine concern in her voice, though they both knew that she knew better.

His curiosity gets the better of him and he experiments with a few questions, each answer leaving him further in the dark. How old was she? Somewhere around a hundred and thirty. She remembers being old enough to read around 1902, when she saw the date on a newspaper she fished out of the gutter, but beyond that time was either a blur or she’d been too young to remember. Where did she come from? Not a clue, but she’s been around: she’s seen Italian castles, been to centuries old British pubs. She’s seen the Brandenburg Gate and visited Chateau de Versailles. She’s bathed in the beautiful waters of the Greek coast, made a pilgrimage to the volcanic beaches of Iceland. She’s never made it past the ocean to the Americas or down to the warmer climates of Africa, but time has never been an issue, and she figures she’ll get to it eventually. He asks her why all the wandering, is someone after her? Her breath hitches and her eyes lower, shoulders slump, a deep breath before the replies. Something like that, and he understands maybe it’s best if he doesn’t push.

They returned to the topic of his feverish display once dinner was over, with her cautioning that he had been lucky this time around, lucky that she was home, lucky that he even made it across the bridge and found his way home. Home, her use of the word is deliberate and strokes something warm and fuzzy within him. Disgusting. There was the matter of the shard, he took a sit on the couch as she reached into a drawer to pull out a bundle of clean cloth, and he feigns confusion when she unwraps it to reveal a piece of metal shaped similar to an arrowhead. He recognized it, the shavings of a project he had worked on… Maybe a year ago? It’d been sticking out through his ribs when he arrived, she said, and it looked anything but recent; infection had taken around it, skin red and swollen. She could see that it was agonizingly painful - had he not noticed it at all?

“Ah, so that’s what it was.” He blurted without really meaning to, a humorless chuckle that left her confused. “I’d been feeling this weird poke in my ribs for the longest time - thought I’d broken something.” He shrugs and she nods, clearly aware of their peculiar situations, perhaps now beginning to comprehend just how many layers of fucked up he was made of. “You’re a miracle worker, doll.” His fingers instinctively trace over the spot where the shard had been, nothing there but a scar that had healed remarkably well. “How can I ever repay you?”

Money, gems, jewelry? She didn’t strike him as the materialistic kind. No, she was all about the meaningful gestures, the showing of kindness. There were a few ways he could think of showing his appreciation - slamming her body against the wall to press a hard kiss on her lips, a nice, firm tug on her hair as he nibbled on her neck. Or maybe something softer if she was so inclined, more romantic even, like a well-placed, resounding slap on her ass cheek. “I’ll be sure to think of something, my lord.” Was the answer she gave, though he was sure she meant something else entirely judging by the way she let her coat slide off to reveal her bare shoulders as she set about getting ready for bed. Her hands gathered more and more of her skirt until it’d reached the middle of her thighs, delicate lace adorning the band of her stockings, tiny suspenders disappearing from sight but serving to peak his curiosity. She undid the hooks that kept it in place, fingers threatening to roll the garment down agonizingly slow. Instead she turned to look at her enraptured audience, the pose propping her ass up and so close to his hands. He had thought it had all been an act, carefully orchestrated to put him on edge, but the gasp of surprise she let out told him otherwise. “I am so sorry, my lord.” She quickly let go of it all and stood up straight, a flush running across her face. “I am not used to having visitors.”

“You needn’t stop on account of little ole’ me, darling.” He is quick to say, rich laughter that filled the room with mischief. Heisenberg sprawls further onto the couch, legs parting like an invitation. Best seat in the house, in the whole village even. “I did enjoy it.”

When it was time to say goodnight, he kept his composure and even helped her move one of the pillows and blanket down the ladder. If his mother were alive she would chastise him for not being a gentleman, for not refusing vehemently to let her sleep on an uncomfortable couch instead of her own bed. But the day was over and so were the pleasantries, and he would have to take the time to cleanse her off his mind, ease himself back into his usual mindset. She was impossibly alluring, impossibly annoying, impossibly loving. There was no figuring her out and it seemed there would be no delving deeper in. Playtime was over and it was back to work tomorrow as soon as she storm had passed. He needed to shed away her kindness before it managed to ooze under his skin, but she had no intention of making it any easier on him.

“Here you go,” Heisenberg had no time to stand on ceremony, shoved the pillow in her direction and flashed her a smile to keep up appearances, mind wandering somewhere else, somewhere where he did not care about her. It was better this way. “Good night, sweetheart.”

Even though he tried, he never truly reached that fabled place where she was of no importance. Not that he would ever acknowledge it.

[mischiefandspirits]

Exploration

Sequel to Odd One Out

Alternate title: Five times the batkids' teammates didn't realize they have powers and one time their family already knew?

At the request of etherealizt on AO3

One ~ Oracle

Barbara sighed as she sunk further into the water, blowing a few bubbles away from her nose.

She was having a night of rest and relaxation. She’d told the Birds she was taking the night off and had threatened all the other bats with eternal rickrolling if any of them interrupted. The soft music Dinah had recommended was playing from her phone’s speakers on the counter and the lights were dimmed. She was trying out the strawberry and grapefruit bubble bar Carrie had made and had finally opened the rosé Bruce had gifted her when she’d moved into the Clock Tower. An Alfred-made meal was warming in the oven, courtesy of Jason paying her back a favor. After her bath, she’d eat dinner then watch some of the movies on Dick’s Babs Needs to See This!!!! playlist before heading to bed early.

It was meant to be a nice quiet night.

Which meant that whoever had decided to call her not ten minutes after she had lowered herself into the water and gotten comfortable was going to have some very annoying problems with their technology for the next week.

She gave the phone a good long glare before laying her head back and closing her eyes.

“This better be good,” she growled once she’d connected to her cell and answered the call on speakerphone.

“I know, I know, I’m so sorry,” Mari said quickly. “It’s just… we went on this mission -- just a quick in and out thing, or it was supposed to be -- and we thought we wouldn’t need your help, but we kind of do and now it’s too late to back out.”

Barbara sighed. “I was taking a bath.”

About five thousand miles away, Vixen flinched and looked at her fellow Birds. She mouthed, She’s taking a bath.

Canary flinched as well while Katana and Huntress shared a look and Question shifted guiltily. All five women had stayed at the Clock Tower before so they knew how Oracle preferred to take showers because of how arduous it was for her to get into the bath, even with the bath lift.

The times she actually got to take a bath were to be treasured.

“Shoot, I mean, we’ll handle it.”

“I’d hope you wouldn’t have called me if you could handle it,” Oracle joked.

“No. I mean, yeah, we didn’t interrupt your night lightly, but we’ll figure something out. We don’t want to ruin your b-”

“It’s fine. I’m already logging into my system. What are we looking at?”

She’s already logging in? But that means... Vixen slumped back against the wall she’d been standing in front of as she realized Oracle must have started getting out before she’d even picked up the phone. They’d ruined her night the moment Vixen had pressed call. Well, no reason to waste even more of her night.

The mission went fast with Oracle’s help and the team was out in just under half an hour. They all gave their thanks and apologized again for interrupting her night, but she waved it away before signing off.

“I still feel bad about ruining her bath. Maybe we should get her something to make up for it,” Dinah said as they were on their way home.

“Maybe we didn’t. She got on pretty quickly. She might have just had a tablet near the bath,” Helena suggested.

Renee shook her head. “She had too many things going at once. She couldn’t have managed it all with just one device.”

Tatsu smirked and chuckled, “Even the great Oracle could not handle such limitations. We'll all chip in to show our thanks.”

Back in Gotham, Barbara sunk a little further into the water with a pleased moan.

While it was a headache to manage an entire mission remotely, it was worth it to remain wrapped in the warm water and fruity scents. Thankfully it was just a short one this time, but maybe next time she’ll ask Tim to cover her in case of another emergency.

She started the music on her phone again then reached out to dry off her hand so she could finally grab her wine and start her night of relaxation.

Two ~ Nightwing

Green Arrow frowned as he watched the goon in the interview room. He, Batman, Hawkwoman, Flash, and Cyborg had picked the guy up the day before while trying to locate an experimental power core that had been stolen from S.T.A.R. Labs. They’d tracked the core to a shipping yard, but lost it there. Most of the yard’s crew were clean, but the manager was clearly on the take and knew something.

The only problem was that he wouldn’t talk.

They’d tried intimidation, logic, bribery, and charisma, but nothing had worked. Since Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter were off-world and Zatanna was unreachable (something about alternate dimensions and a tiefling warlock’s pet eldritch book-dogs), that meant the lasso of truth, mind reading, and truth spells were out.

“There has to be some way we can get him to talk,” Vic said from where he was sitting on the floor next to Wally.

“I could get him to talk,” Shayera muttered, thumbing one of the spikes on her mace.

“No,” Bruce objected as he walked up.

“We’re running out of time.”

“I know, which is why I called for help.”

“Help?” Oliver asked.

“Me.”

Shayera and Oliver jumped and spun around to see Nightwing standing behind them, a wide impish grin on his face.

Fricking ninja bats!

“Oh heck yes!” Wally cheered before bending over in a coughing fit as he choked on the bite of sandwich that had been in his mouth, Vic patting his back.

Dick winked at his friends and looked through the two-way mirror. “Double-R filled me in. This is the guy giving you trouble?”

Bruce grunted.

“I think I’ll be able to take him,” Dick said, walking over to lean against his father. “I’m going to need to borrow Robin for a few days after this, though.”

Oliver swore he could see Bruce’s eyebrow raise beneath the cowl. “For a mission or fun?”

“I need someone small to help with an infiltration… and Jump Wildlife Park has a new Snakes of the Outback exhibit.”

Sighing, Bruce shook his head. “Robin’s benched for the next week, as I’m sure you know. He’s not getting out of it. You can take Catgirl if Catwoman doesn’t need her. I’ll allow a trip to the zoo, however.”

“I’ll take it.” Dick shot him finger guns as he backed towards the door. He then spun around on his heel, high-fived the now standing Wally and Vic, and skipped into the interrogation room. He dropped into the chair across the table from the goon, leaning it back so he could rest his feet on the table. “Hi, there, I’m Nightwing.”

The goon glared at him.

“No introductions then, alright. I’ll make this quick since I’m sure you want to get out of here and I’m currently in a game of hide-and-seek with some of the other bats and I’m not about to lose because B’s having an off day. You tell me what I want to know and I won't have to make you.”

The goon snorted. “Am I really supposed to be scared by that?”

Dick shrugged. “If I wanted to scare you I’d break your fingers. We can try that if you want.”

“The winged chick already offered and it didn’t scare me then either.” The man looked Nightwing over then gave a grin that Oliver was sure set off Batman’s dad mode, even if the man hadn’t responded in any visible way. “You’re welcome to try, though. At least you’re prettier than that bitch.”

Oliver grabbed Shayera’s shoulder when she stepped forward and Vic placed himself between her and the door without looking away from the mirror.

Dick hummed then dropped his legs. The chair fell back onto all fours and he followed the motion so he was leaning against the table, elbows on top with his hand clasped together to create a V that his chin rested on. “You think I’m pretty?”

Oliver blinked and focused his attention on Dick. His voice sounded… different. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was. It just sounded… nice.

Distantly, he was aware there was another voice talking as well.

What was it about Dick’s voice?

Suddenly Dick was standing up and patting the goon on the shoulder. “Thanks, you’ve been a big help.”

The goon nodded, blinking up at Dick in a daze.

Dick skipped back out of the room. “You got everything you need then?”

Did they? Crud, Oliver had zoned out of the entire interrogation. Bats was definitely going to tear him a new one.

Bruce grunted and Dick smiled. “You’re welcome. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get lost before Batgirl bribes my location out of Double-R.”

And with that, the younger Bat was booking it down the hall.

“I’m going to write up a report on the interrogation. Review the footage and meet up in conference hall F so we can plan our next move,” Bruce said before marching off.

There was a moment of silence then Shayera asked, “What the hell was that?”

Vic rolled his eyes and Wally nodded, “It’s always a little distracting, we know.”

“Speak for yourself,” Vic snorted, elbowing the speedster. “The Titans call it Wing’s Milk and Honey voice. He barely ever uses it, but when he does, he always manages to get the information we need out of whoever we’re interrogating. It’s freaky.”

“It’s awesome. Just wish he’d talk to me in that voice.”

Vic glared at Wally. “I did not need to hear that.”

The speedster snickered.

“Did any of you catch what the goon in there actually said?” Oliver asked reluctantly and was relieved when both Shayera and Wally shook their heads.

Vic made a so-so motion. “I know he said he was working for Luthor and the core got moved to a warehouse just outside Metropolis, but the rest kind of got lost. Dick’s…”

“Distracting?” Wally suggested and Vic elbowed him again.

“Just listen to the recording. It gets easier the more you hear it. Kind of,” Vic suggested.

“Standard Milk and Honey protocol,” Wally said with a nod. “Dick’s just too charismatic for his own good.”

Before anything else could be said, Dick’s affronted yelp came echoing down the hall.

“At least when it’s not one of his siblings.”

Three ~ Red Robin and Batgirl

The Young Justice team had just gotten back from a mission. Bart, Kon, Jaime, and Tim were all resting in the lounge. Artemis had retreated to her room while Cassie and Kara had had to head home. Stephanie had been hanging out with the boys, but had disappeared a few minutes in.

Kon was asleep on the couch with his head resting on Tim’s lap. Tim, meanwhile, was working on a report, his laptop on the couch’s arm so as not to disturb Kon. Jaime was sitting on the coffee table in front of them and playing a video game on the main screen. Bart was curled up in an armchair off to the side, working through his post-mission meal.

A cymbal-banging monkey toy sitting on the shelves behind Bart slid forward a little.

The speedster turned at the noise and blinked at the unfamiliar toy. He shrugged it off and turned back to his food.

The monkey slid a little closer.

Bart turned around and frowned at the toy. He stared at it for a moment then slowly turned back around.

A minute went by, then the toy slid noticeably closer.

Bart spun around, jumping out of his seat and pointing at the toy. “I knew it!”

Tim and Jaime both turned to him, but the Kryptonian-strength earplugs did their job and Kon didn’t wake.

“What are you yelling about?” Tim asked.

“The monkey, it’s moving!”

Both boys looked between the monkey and their friend.

“You’re crazy,” Jaime said, turning back to his game.

“It is!”

“Did you see it move?” Tim asked.

“Well, no, but it’s not in the same spot!”

“Your eyes are probably just playing tricks on you. Maybe your blood sugar’s low or something. You haven’t eaten much yet,” the vigilante suggested before going back to his report.

“Like you’re one to talk about not eating,” Bart muttered as he grabbed his chair and turned it to face the self. “It moved! I’ll prove it!”

Bart didn’t take his eyes off the monkey for the next five minutes, even as he continued to eat.

Then his shadow reached out and tapped him on the shoulder before quickly returning to its proper place on the back of the chair.

He looked up and scowled when he didn’t see anyone. He returned his focus to the shelf, only to find himself nose to nose with the monkey just as it started banging its cymbals.

Bart bolted from the room, screaming about calling someone to come deal with the possessed toy.

Jaime glanced up, then shook his head and resumed playing his game.

A few seconds later Stephanie walked in, her magic bracelet on her wrist, and high-fived Tim.

Four ~ Black Bat and Signal

“Hey, Halo. Don’t turn on the lights.”

Violet paused in the doorway of the pitch-black warehouse, hand on the light switch. “Signal?”

“BB and I are here too,” Lia called.

“Looker? Why are you three sitting around in the dark?” ey called as ey carefully tried to make eir way towards the group by sound and memory.

“Looker and Signal are playing poker. The lights are off so Signal can’t cheat with his vision,” Cass explained.

“And yet the kid’s still cheating,” Lia huffed.

“I am not!” Duke said in an offended voice.

“How are you guys reading the cards?” Violet asked as eir hands finally touched the card table ey hoped the three were using for eir game. “And who’s sitting where?”

A hand came from eir left and brushed against eir arm. “I’m here. BB is next to me and Sig’s across from her. There’s a free seat across from me if you want to sit with us until BL gets here. Also, we’re using cards with braille. I can see the pictures and Sig can read braille so we’re all good.”

“You can read braille?”

“Batman.”

“Yeah, okay, that makes sense.” Violet slipped around the table and reached around until eir hand found the chair. As ey sat down, ey asked, “Is Signal even old enough to play?”

“Does this look like a casino? Who cares? It’s not like I’m sneaking him alcohol or cigarettes or anything,” Lia scoffed.

“Nightwing let me try a sip of beer once. It was awful,” Duke said.

She snorted. “Big Bro probably gave you the shi-bad stuff to scare you off.”

“You know, I patrol Gotham. I’ve heard all the swears before.”

“I am not getting caught swearing in front of Batman’s baby, thanks.”

“Robin and Catgirl are both younger than me!”

“CG is the Cat’s baby and Rob’s an assassin lovechild. You are the Bat's baby.”

Suddenly the room flooded with light, earning hisses, groans, and curses from the quartet.

“Why are you four playing cards in the dark?” Jefferson asked and the four saw him walking up to the table once they’d blinked the stars out of their eyes.

Violet could also now see that Cass was leaning against Lia with one of her arms stretched over the table to hold hands with her brother. The two let go, however, at their leader’s approach and Cass sat up. All three were suited up like Violet, though Cass’s mask was sitting on the table.

“We were playing cards," Lia said. "The dark was supposed to keep the kid from cheating. It didn’t work.”

“Whatever you say,” Duke snorted, gathering up his winnings. He sorted through it, then gave half to Cass.

“Why does she get half?”

Duke shrugged and Cass smiled. “Family helps each other out.”

Lia looked confused while Violet nodded slowly.

Jefferson just sighed. “Right… Well, get this cleaned up then we can discuss tonight’s mission.”

Five ~ Robin and Catgirl

Jon smiled at Goliath as he stroked the dragon bat’s ear. “Who’s the bestest dragon bat? You are! Yes, you are!”

“Bestest is not a word, Kent. Don’t teach Goliath bad grammar,” Damian tutted from where he was brushing Alfred the Cat.

“Gee Damian! How come your dad lets you get so many cool pets?” Kathy asked from where she was laying on Bat-Cow’s back. “I mean, the cow, dog, and cat are normal, -”

“Normal for farm girls, at least,” Colin chirped from where he was scratching Titus’s belly.

“- but the dragon bat’s insane! And now you’ve got a tiger too! Is there anything your dad won’t let you have?”

“Tiger?” Jon, Colin, and Damian all asked and Kathy pointed off to the side where Maya was slowly approaching the Malayan tiger cub that was stretched out on a large pillow and watching the girl through half-lidded eyes.

“That’s Kelley,” Damian said blankly.

“Aw, you named her after your sister?” Jon said, grinning widely at his best friend.

His best friend scowled at him in return. “She is not my sister.”

“I mean, your dad married her mom. That kind of makes her your sister,” Colin shot back and the scowl was turned on him.

“Does she accept pets or am I about to get my arm ripped off?” Maya asked softly as she sidestepped a little closer to the tiger in a crouch.

“Why would you wait this long to ask?” Kathy huffed.

“Kelley couldn’t rip your arm off if she wanted to,” Damian scoffed and turned back to his brushing.

Like she could understand him, the tiger’s head whipped towards him and she bared her teeth. With a low growl, she shifted onto her feet. Alfred realized what was happening as the tiger started bounding towards the bird-themed vigilante and jumped off Damian’s lap just before he was crushed under a juvenile tiger.

“Get off me! Get off me right now or I will skin you and use your pelt as a rug!” Damian snarled.

Jon considered helping his friend, but the tiger wasn’t doing anything more than licking his hair now that she had him pinned. After a quick use of x-ray vision proved that Damian didn’t actually have any weapons on him for once, Jon decided to leave the older boy to his pet and focus back on Goliath.

“KELLEY!”

“You’re the bestest dragon bat in the world, aren’t you? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!”

Plus One ~ Jason

Bruce scowled as he typed away at the computer.

The mission was supposed to be an easy one. Just a quick in and out. But they had gotten just one wrong piece of misinformation and now most of Bruce’s children were lying in the Batcave boasting some form of injury.

Worst of all, Bruce hadn’t been there. He and Selina had been on a date night across the city at the insistence of all the children.

The father paused in his typing to glance around the cave.

Carrie was lying on her pillow in tiger form. Either Tim or Duke had managed to slip a cone around her neck since the last time he’d checked on the kids. Considering the lack of shouting, snarling, growling, or baby roars, Bruce was assuming she was humoring the cone for now. Normally he’d make the boys take it off since it impaired her vision too much for comfort in the cave, but she wouldn’t be running around for a few days and the cone would remind her not to lick at her stitches, something she occasionally forgot while in tiger form.

Speaking of the boys, Bruce could see the cocoon of shadows Tim had wrapped them in on one of the larger infirmary cots. The shadows were meant to help with Tim’s concussion while providing Duke with the darkness he needed to get to sleep. A flaw with Duke’s powers was that it was hard for him to get to sleep in anything but the darkest of rooms, especially after an adrenaline-heavy mission got his photosensitivity at its peak. Normally they’d send him up to rest in his room since Bruce had installed special black-out windows for just this occasion, but Alfred wanted him to remain hooked up to an EKG machine overnight due to an electrical shock he’d received during the mission.

Dick and Damian were on the training mats, though Bruce only knew the former because of the thin, whip-like tail poking out from the mass of feathers to wrap gently around Dick’s leg brace. Otherwise, his youngest was completely hidden within his eldest's wings, bundled up against Dick’s chest to keep the boy from attempting to “train” his recently relocated shoulder “back to form.”

Stephanie was nowhere to be seen, though Damian assured them she’d returned home with the group and the occasional nudging of Bruce’s mug towards the edge of the desk confirmed it. Her bracelet sat next to Bruce, the focusing stone in need of replacement. Thankfully he’d thought ahead and had extras on hand so he’d just need to bring the bracelet to a jeweler friend in the morning to have it set properly.

Cass was curled up in one chair at the meeting table with her legs resting on another as she nibbled at a sandwich with one hand and held an ice pack to her bruised ribs with the other. Her eyes had been closed and she’d looked half-asleep when he’d first looked, but as the sound of a motorcycle reached them through the tunnels, her head perked up.

Bruce turned as his second-eldest arrived. Jason parked the bike and climbed off before pulling his helmet off and looking around. He whistled.

“How’d your mission with the Outlaws go?” Bruce asked.

“Better than the mission these idiots went on, apparently.”

“We got some faulty information. You hurt?”

“Nah. Kory, Artemis, and Biz got to have all the fun this time. Roy and I played sniper. What’s -”

Jason cut off as a black form leaped onto his back. Cass quickly wrapped her arms and legs around him before he could toss her off. Nuzzling into his neck, she cooed, “Big brother!”

“Hey, do I look like a horse!” He huffed, tugging at her arms and legs. Suddenly there was a bird in his place, with a plump body and long legs and neck. He flapped his wings and shook, but Cass had anticipated the change and shifted her grip to compensate.

Bruce smiled at the two, knowing Jason was just putting on a show of being annoyed. It was obvious by the fact he didn’t simply change into pure flames so she’d have nothing to hold onto and the way the feathers around Cass’s chest were alight, the flames rising up to brush against where the ice pack had been resting before.

Phoenixes couldn’t actually heal as some stories stated, but their flames could promote healing and ward off infection. Most importantly, though, they could soothe pains. And despite all his huffing and puffing, Jason hated seeing the people he cared about in pain.

The young man gave one last gentle shake before hissing and stomping off to his and Dick’s nest. He lowered himself down and Cass rolled off his back. She moved around to his front and leaned against the edge of the nest while he draped his neck over her chest. As she began to carefully brush her fingers through the burning feathers on his neck, the feathers on his back lit up once more. From where he was, Bruce could just barely see the faint traces of Stephanie’s face in the flames.

At the same time, Carrie yawned and carefully climbed to her feet before shuffling over and into the nest. She nudged the cone into Jason’s side until he stretched out a wing for her to curl up under.

A moment later, the shadows rose on Jason’s other side and he draped his other wing over them with a click.

Smiling at his children’s antics, Bruce double-checked that Tim had left the shadows open for the EKG machine’s wires then went back to his report.

By the time he looked up again a half-hour later, the ball of near-black feathers had relocated to under Jason's fantail and phoenix flames were covering the whole nest in soothing warmth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cookie to anyone who actually gets the book-dog reference at the beginning of Dick's part because I've been spending too much time on Youtube.

Funny story about Halo: I was looking up different characters that have been on the Outsiders team to put with Duke and Cass since I accidentally put Katana with the Birds before realizing she's the only other member of their team besides Black Lightning and didn't want her to show up in two parts (I've decided she runs with both teams in this universe). I decided on Looker because she seemed cool then was reading up on Halo. I remembered the character from clips of Young Justice animated and thought they were cool. I wasn't too surprised to see the original character didn't wear a hijab, but I was surprised that Wikipedia uses they/them pronouns for the part talking about YJA's Halo post becoming Halo. I thought the character was nonbinary until I checked the YJA wiki for something and saw it uses only she/her pronouns. I'm pretty sure that means Wikipedia's just being weird, but I decided to make Halo bigender anyways so she uses she/ey pronouns in this universe.