#so thanks for the opportunity

[timptoe]

Ticking Like A

For @hatboyexchange 2023, I got to write for the amazing @vesperfloyd about Vega, Joker, and PTSD. Trigger warnings for PTSD, flashbacks, and sucky childhoods, but it’s okay in the end, thanks to our favorite hatboy. Read the whole thing on Ao3.

——

The silence chafes.

The Presidium itself isn’t silent. Their table overlooks the Relay Monument, a popular spot for tourists, diplomats, traders, refugees. He can hear the edges of hushed conversations and shouts of laughter and thundering footsteps. Even with his back to the mezzanine, he can feel the volume of the crowds that pass by on their way to some distraction or other. The constant thrum of noise behind them makes the silence at the table even more stark.

James shifts uncomfortably in his chair, arms folded.

The artificial sunlight glitters off of the reflecting pool in a way that almost reminds him of home. It’s been years since he’s been on a real beach, at least not without a hardsuit and an ammo block. He thought about going home once while he was stationed in Vancouver, but he never made the time. Too late now.

Instead, he tries to calm himself using the refracted light of the pool, imagining sand under his toes, surf filling his ears, water as far as he can see. He could almost believe he’s there, if not for the cacophony around him. Or the sideways-queasy feeling that builds in his stomach the longer he looks at the water. He wants to lose himself in the shapes made by the gentle lapping of the waves around the base of the monument. But he can’t.

He just can’t.

Joker, meanwhile, takes a sip of his drink, looking out over the view, cool as a goddamn cucumber.

James shifts again, his own drink untouched. “Do you, uh, want me to talk about it?” he says, voice low.

Joker shrugs, taking another sip of his drink, not looking his way. “Up to you, Vega. Don’t need to if you don’t want to.”

James scowls into the middle distance. By all rights, Joker should be furious. Yelling. Confining him to the Normandy. Bare minimum, he should be lecturing James the way his abuela used to when he’d disappointed her. But he’s not. He’s just…sitting there.

So James just sits there, too.

Uncomfortably.

The breeze from the recirculated air feels cool on his skin. Not like home, but there’s no tinge of the smoke he smelled in the days after the Cerberus attack, either. Just pure, clean air, stinging the exposed cuts on his knuckles like antiseptic.

He looks down to see his hands curled into tight fists on the tabletop. He makes a conscious, concerted effort to relax them.

He looks up at Joker again, who hasn’t moved since the last time he looked at him. Thirty seconds ago.

James sighs roughly, rubbing his closely-shaved scalp with one hand, wincing a bit in pain. “Look, man, I don’t know what to say.”

Joker sips his drink calmly. “I didn’t ask you to say anything.”

“Come on, comodín, you can’t—“

“Vega.” Joker cuts him off, finally looking over at him for the first time since they sat down. “You don’t have to talk to me.” He takes a sip of his drink, cocking his head slightly, thinking. “But—“

“No, man, don’t—“

“—but you should talk to someone. Probably.”

James blows his breath out in frustration. “I know.”

“Want me to call Cortez?”

“No,” James says quickly, firmly. “Esteban would just, you know…” He gestures inarticulately. “He’d blow it out of proportion.”

Joker raises an eyebrow over his half-empty glass. “You trashed a club.”

“Well, I mean…you know what I mean,” James says lamely.

Joker just cocks his head slightly to the side and goes back to looking out over the Presidium.

They sit like that for another moment, James shifting uncomfortably every few seconds, Joker lounging with preternatural serenity.

“You don’t have to sit with me,” James says when he finally can’t take it anymore. “I’m fine. I’ll…be fine.”

“I do, actually,” Joker responds calmly. “Terms of your release per Bailey. Someone in an ‘official role’ has to watch you for the rest of our leave. And with Shepard off doing who the hell knows what with Aria T’Loak, you’re stuck with me.”

James looks back down at his hands, tips of his ears burning with shame. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“Don’t be,” Joker says lightly. “You got me out of doing paperwork.”

James ducks his head further down, hunching in on himself.

“Vega.” James looks back up to see Joker frowning at him. “It was a joke.”

James tries to smile. Really, he does. But whatever happens on his face only makes Joker frown harder. Which makes James feel even worse.

“We should, uh…we should probably just go back the the ship, huh,” James says, defeat thick in his voice.

“Is that what you want to do?”

James wipes his hands on his pants, trying to dry off the sweat. He avoids Joker’s calm gaze. Truth is, he doesn’t want to go back. He’ll have to talk to Steve if he goes back, and that’s…he’s not ready to talk. About what happened. Not yet. But it doesn’t seem right to take up Joker’s time just to avoid—

“How ‘bout a walk?”

James blinks, jerking his head back over to Joker at the interruption. The pilot just looks at him, head slightly cocked again.

“C’mon, let’s go for a walk,” Joker says easily, finishing his drink and standing up.

James looks up at the pilot. “Uh, sure, if you want.”

Joker grabs his crutches from where they rest on the railing and nods over the side. “Down along the reflecting pool?”

James looks over the mezzanine railing, the queasy feeling returning as he looks over the water.

Joker continues, “Or down through the wards?”

“The wards,” James says quickly.

Joker just nods and starts crutching off, James following closely behind.

Read the rest on Ao3.

[miothle]

Windtrace in Fontaine🍃

[pillow-boi]

Day 4: kings 👑

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The indescribable tension between an overworked and underpaid smut writer, and his biggest fan hater.

(for @frummpets)

[anna-scribbles]

world’s normalest family wishes you a happy halloween!

bonus:

[hinamie]

every so often i have to relearn how to draw yuuji or he starts fighting me

[all-too-unwell-13]

i need to stop being reminded that the seven are canonically very awkward around each other and hardly talk at all.

let me live in my sunshine rainbow world where they're all friends, are each other's 'found family,' where hazel, piper, and annabeth are best friends, where leo, jason, frank, and percy are like brothers, where jason and piper never existed, where hazel and piper were actually friends (that they should've been), and leo and percy are the most sarcastic and funny people you've ever met (and they make each other even funnier)!!!!!

[kimtaegis]

FRI(END)S for @thv-hyung ♡

[sainz100]

2024 Brazilian GP | x

[bluerasbunny]

hi daycare attendants,,,,, can you draw me a picture

bit of an inflated ego you've got there, sun

...at least he's having fun? guess both of them like drawing the outdoors!

[800-dick-pics]

Help Me Get a Service Dog to Live a Better Life!!!

I have been waiting for years for and an opportunity like what I have just been given. I have been researching service dogs extensively for years, and now I have an opportunity to get a prospect for one…… but in 2 WEEKS! I need help funding the cost of the puppy as well as the flight ($2500 approx) to get across the country. While this has been on short notice please know that this has not been a rash impulse choice, this all has been in the making for sometime now, and there is already a dog picked out that is perfect for my needs. My community is ready and willing to support me through this process of training a service dog and think it could be one of the best things for my health.

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$2,600 GOAL!!!!!!!

CA: $sleepyhen

VN: wildwotko

Dm for Paypl

[beaulesbian]

Shanks vs. Kid, episode 1112 ||| Roger vs. Oden, episode 965

Divine Departure!

insp by @wyvernslovecake 's tags!

[serendippertyy]

I’m looking at your my little pony art with my little cousin right now, she says your drawings are better than real mlp lol (she has politely requested the cutie mark crusaders)

awwe this is so sweet !! 😭💕💕 tell her I said thank you and here's some horsies for her 🥰

[mblue-art]

You made Killer such a cute little sad boy omg I am screaming. Please hug him or something, or trap him under a content little kitty idk but he needs it.

I love your art, it's so soft, sweet, warm, and cozy. Like marshmallows in warm hot cocoa <3

awe, ur sweet anon, thank u i appreciate this very much <333

belated cuddles from a kibby and his crush!! for the birthday boy! (napping at the coziest corner at ccino's 😎)

<< 🎯

[cordiallyfuturedwight]

i really wanna, wanna, wanna just dance ♡

for @senor-hoberto 🌷| cr. 0613data

[tubbietommo]

They both reached for the gun 🏆