#sorted both by severity and alphabetically

[the-red-thread-that-strangles]

I need an AU where Rei has a crisis because he meets this gremlin child and the piercing looks and cockiness radiating from this six-year-old remind him so badly of his sworn enemy he assumes Conan is Akai's illegitimate son

This causes him to question the entire timeline

He adds "absentee father" to Akai's list of crimes

[singukieee]

—my all time favourite bts fics (pt. 1) ᯓᡣ𐭩

consists of my personal favourite bts fics that I've read countless of times. including those from other platforms, such as Wattpad, AO3, and Patreon.

For some works that are cross-posted between tumblr and wp/ao3, I'd only link them to the latters bcs I find it easier to read and navigate the stories on those. but I also tagged all the authors I know are here and linked the rest so you can check their blogs out yourself!

I'll also separate this list into several parts simply because there's too many... So it'd be easier for you guys to navigate!

red means unfinished

blue means finished

🗯️ editor's note

(sorted by alphabetical order)

A Place Called Home by @agustdakasuga

Having saved your own injured hybrid, you were determined to try and help any other hybrid that crossed your path who needed saving. But being a vet in a small hospital wasn’t enough for you. You wanted to do more, you wanted to make a difference. You wanted to give them a home.

Accidental Friends by Erakun06

Meet Bangtan, international superstars, the pride of South Korea, the love and hope in the dark of many lives, the role model and celebrity crush of so many people, and a group of people you often stumble across in your day to day life. You become acquaintances, slowly become friends, and- that's it. You are in a platonic friendship with Bangtan. Let me say it again. clears throat PLATONIC. Or One day, you meet a member of Bangtan, the next day, another, and another, and another, and one day, they become a group of people you often stumble across in your life. They become your acquaintances. Then your friends. Then your source of comfort, just like they are the source of comfort of millions of people in the world. What you didn't expect is that you become the same to them. It's inevitable. You are friends.

🗯️ a theme that I don't find much of, and this one was excecuted quite neatly I'd say

Ace For Hire by tokki-maknae

Who is Ace? Besides being the deadliest hitman on the market in the underground, whose really under the hood? The answers simple, well for you at least, because you are Ace. When you're not busy blurring yourself into the background noises of school, you were making a killing in the underground, both literally and figuratively. For years now Ace has become an infamous name among the other gangs and holds the reputation of being lethal and untouchable. But that all changes after a slip up that causes you to attract the unwanted attention of one persistent seven member gang. A gang that's been dying to know, who is Ace?

🗯️ badassss

At Your Service by @untaemedqueen

In which Yn is looking for an escort to accompany her to her nightmare ex and ex best friend's wedding, only to ended up falling in love with him.

Baby (you complete us) by @purpleyoonn

Soulmates were a common occurrence, so common, in fact, that the world sought an easier way to find your other half: A bracelet that would scan your mark and match you with those who shared your mark. Within recent years, soul groups were becoming normal, and your own bracelet said you have seven matches. Or where you wear your bracelet for ten years, and finally give up the hope you would find your soul group, only for BTS to put theirs on and see what they were missing.

Back Home by AlexLorchan / @alexlwrites

Secretly, he was selfishly hoping that you didn’t age well. Dealing with a small crush was easy enough when he was young and knew next to nothing about girls, when you were just a cute albeit slightly weird girl he had a soft spot for. But he wouldn’t know what to do with himself if his feelings came back with a vengeance while you were living together. God, he would probably lock himself with Jungkook until you went away. OR The one where, after living abroad for years, you move back to Korea and your old high school friend Namjoon offers you his place to stay while you get settled, casually forgetting to mention that: a) he still had a massive crush on you. b) he lived with six other guys.

🗯️ crack fic! my fave category and this one makes me giggle in both funny way and butterfly-in-my-stomach kinda way

Beauty of Love by @imnotlauriane

When you cross eyes with your soulmate, you get flashes of memories that have yet to happen. You can't see the same memory as the other and it can be either good or bad. It's not always terrible, but a thing is for sure. No matter what you do, it will happen. But are things always what they seem to be?

Between The Bloodshed series by @agustdakasuga

🗯️ this series... I just love. plot is super neat, relationship doesn't feel forced, etc etc

❶ Between The Bloodshed

Being a freelance doctor, this was just supposed to be any other job, helping a private client and taking care of him through his recovery. But you were not expecting to get caught in something so much darker that you would have to leave your life behind and build a new one.

❷ Everything Between Us

They left you hanging, they broke your heart. You didn’t get your happily ever after. But now they’re back and they’re searching for you to make things right. Could you look past the betrayal to take them back into your life and back into your heart?

Beyond The Stage by Alysheart

Alexis was going through the days simply. She was a college student in Florida, working towards her degree. When she scored tickets to the BTS concert in Korea, she didn't hesitate. She never expected to be soulmates with the seven idols.

Bound by Blood by PurpleQueenie

In a world where vampires and humans have to co-exist, where the line between tolerance and animosity blurs, how can you ever expect to get your happily ever after when your soulmates hate your very existence?

🗯️ love all the details, the slow burn, gosh just so good

Boyfriend For Hire by @remedyx

Unsatisfied with your life was an understatement. Being under the thumb of your father can have that effect. He wanted someone capable of running the company, but you wanted to pursue your passion. Countless unwanted blind dates and the threat of losing your freedom drives you to seek help from a group of individuals you'd least expected.

Breakthrough by Alphathyx

"My dreams haunt me like past memories that never existed" The Memory Dive, an invention that allows the user to dive into anyone's memories just from the collection of their DNA. Made by Professor Kim Seokjin, he created this device for the worlds secret service to solve mysteries that the ordinary field agents are unable to. With seven agents, ranging from ex military, to a university professor, college student and even a criminal, only these seven are able to use this machine to extract memories of others. They are also the only people that know how to escape it. Discover through their eyes of uncovering the darkest truths of the world, through the minds of victims.

🗯️ this one's super neat plot with complicated and technical world, just so good

Bright Colors and Loud Soulmates by Mostmouse

You resented soulmates, the whole damn concept. It just wasn't your thing, and you couldn't help but feel jealous of those who were born without soulmates, who could see the world as it was intended to be from birth. When you run into your soulmate, you're determined to stay in your own sphere of the world. Focusing on you. But, because nothing is simple in your life, it turns out he's one of seven - better yet, your seven soulmates are the globally famous band BTS. Because why wouldn't they be? OR you learn how to let your soulmates past your carefully crafted walls, and they’re more than happy to show you what a loving and supportive relationship should look like.

🗯️ a funny and cute one! (with extra h0rny characters lol)

BTS Office CEO AU by @jiminiesfavouritecolourisblue

You work for seven CEOs who have called you into their office due to a complaint

Can't Wait To See You Again by AlexLorchan / @alexlwrites

The one where Jungkook develops a huge crush on a Youtuber he found after falling into the rabbit hole of his recommended videos. Unbeknownst to him, you were also recommended to his hyungs. Unbeknownst to you, all across the world seven idols were slowly falling in love with you.

🗯️ I just love the concept of the boys being fanboys :3

Choco Bun by @nunchiimagines

When you moved to Korea after finishing college to continue pursuing latte art and baking, the last thing you were expecting was to open up your very own coffee shop under BTS Corp, Korea’s biggest entertainment service company for idols, models, singers, and more. Thanks to your hard work, creativity, and approachable personality you managed to become friendly with some pretty big named individuals as well as up and coming talent. As exciting and fun as it was for you, you slowly began to realize how much your 7 bosses weren’t particularly fond of this, acts of jealousy, pettiness, and aggression poking through in the most unsuspecting of ways. But what could 7 big named dragons want with a little foreign bunny?

Combined Beings by @numinousher

You are bullied on a constant because korea’s beauty standards do not fit girls on the heavier side. the bullying gets worse once a ceo is attracted to you and he mentioned you to the other 6.

🗯️ minus the bullying elements, this story is like a comforting sweet cloud

Comfort by http-lostforever

Hybrids have been introduced into society for a handful of years now, the fighting for their rights is still happening but doesn't look promising. But when one girl finds a hybrid in danger she jumps at the chance to help, yet what she didn't know was how upside down her life was about to become. But a word of advice, not everything is as it seems.

Could We Be Together Someday? series by BTS_Mommy / @babyboy-bangtan

🗯️ mann Idk what to write lol. this is another one that I've re-read thousand times, bcs some of the boys started as fanboys then became clingy friends. also yn's so supportive I just lovee.

❶ By Chance

A misunderstanding gone viral puts you on BTS's radar, which leads to a series of events that finally culminate with you meeting them for the first time.

❷ The Moments in Between

As you become close friends with BTS, you begin to realize that the feelings you have for them are slowly turning into something you're not ready to deal with. Unbeknownst to you, the same is happening to them.

Crave by sweetinsanityy

The boys don't do well with being controlled, but for their group, they'll bite their tongue and put on a smile for management. Yet when you, a new little rookie, stumble upon them, they're like a pack of hungry wolves. Or, the boys are all Doms and they want you to be their perfect little sub.

Cursed Fate by PurpleQueenie

The universe has designed soulmates- someone that completes you. But what happens when you don't have one but seven? And all you want to do is run in the opposite direction when you see them...

🗯️ queenie's stories are just so good, you should check them all out! this one also has such great details and writing.

Deep Down by sleepingbearandbunny

Jae, unlike everyone else, has nothing against the hybrid species. She likes being alone, where she is safe from ridicule and her controlling father. When a group of hybrids save her from some trouble, fate brings them together once more.

🗯️ a harsh and complecated world this one, so they went through a lot together and I love that!

PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | NAVI

[steviewashere]

Steve and Eddie being teenage boys (even in their twenties, even though they technically are no longer teenagers), a list that I've been making in my head (some of them are stupid and some of them are sweet, but this is a long list, be warned):

Steve teaching Eddie how to burp the alphabet after drinking soda. He's phenomenal at it. Like...almost disgustingly so. It ends up turning into a one up competition pretty fast after that.

Eddie who knows how to drag race and takes Steve on ridiculously fast drives down empty streets at night (when Steve's had a terrible night). He steps on the gas and goes: "Weeee!!!" as they speed. (Please don't speed. It is dangerous. But for the sake of entertaining their pea brains, this is what they do.)

Eddie and Steve who have been participating in a several month long tagging game. They slap each other on the back of shoulders as hard as they possibly can before skittering off like a little goblin.

Steve and Eddie think it's soooo fucking funny to blow up condoms like balloons when they're stoned.

Steve and Eddie who get stoned and they go shop for munchies at the local grocery store, both hysterically giggling at figuring out how to be "normal" people in public. (They are failing miserably.)

Steve who makes Eddie play basketball with him sometimes. And then he purposefully tosses the ball at Eddie rather than the basket. It devolves into wresting in the grass, heads in elbows, knuckles across scalps, kicking each other in the shins.

One time, Steve falls asleep at Eddie's on the couch. And instead of being all sweet and doting, Eddie finds a marker and draws a penis on Steve's face. He gets water poured on his head the next time he falls asleep at Steve's as payback.

Steve and Eddie comforting each other through nightmares and hardships and healing injuries, both in sort of constipated, mumbled ways. Pats to the back and leaning in close to each other, resting heads on shoulders. Passing cigarettes or beers back and forth just to pass the time, not really talking. Exchanging words afterwards like, "You're a great friend," and "You're the best person I know." Because they both need that and recognize that, even outside of the petty, childish things they do to each other.

Eddie, who understands that the pool at Steve's is a sore spot, instead of prodding them to get in, he plans out a whole water balloon fight to stave off the summer heat.

Steve, who knows that music has been a source of calm for Eddie over the years, makes sure there's always a cassette that Eddie can play in case it gets too quiet.

Eddie and Steve who shit talk each other in the arcade, beating each other's high scores if only to rile the other one up.

Steve who always checks Eddie's ID before he goes into the adult only room in Family Video. Despite knowing that Eddie is definitely over the age of eighteen. Sometimes he denies Eddie entry in front of Keith just to make him pout. (He thinks it's cute.)

Eddie and Steve watching porn together, criticizing the moans the entire time because they know for sure it's fake. And on the same note of moans, Eddie who gets a call from Wayne and Steve fake moans in the background the entire time. Steve gets a call from his parents and Eddie shouts really loud in the background for Steve to pass the joint back. They just glare at each other before getting in another tag fight throughout wherever they're at.

Eddie who goes into Family Video after Steve strikes out again. Who just walks up to the counter and starts acting like one of those girls, twirling his hair and pouting his lips and blinking his eyes, making his voice high pitched. (It gets Steve to giggle instead of pout, so Eddie calls it a win.)

Eddie guzzling an entire can of Coke and then spraying it out of his nose when Steve makes him laugh too hard. Steve's never made anybody laugh that hard.

Steve and Eddie who claim it's not gay to make their boners kiss. I mean...what? Who said that?

Steve and Eddie who play-punch a little too hard when playing punch buggy on vacation.

Speaking of vacation, Steve and Eddie going to a beach over the summer. They chase each other up and down the sand. They roll off of the sand hills. Eddie buries Steve in the sand and applies sunscreen to his face as he just accepts his fate. Steve helps Eddie make a sandcastle, a secret talent of his being how structurally sound he can build one.

Steve and Eddie playing with Legos while talking shit about Family Video customers. They toss Sour Patch Kids into each other's mouths as they talk. Sometimes hitting each other in the face purposefully.

Steve and Eddie who get drunk one night and go catch a wild possum. Robin screams at them to put it back because, "No, you dinguses, that is not a cat!"

Eddie and Steve taking care of each other on bad pain days. Trying to entertain the other with stupid jokes or shitty movies or gossip.

Eddie sharing his uncle with Steve when he finds out that Mr. and Mrs. Harrington are terrible motherfuckers. Who makes sure Steve is comfortable in his home around Wayne.

Steve conspiring with Wayne to make sure that Eddie always has the best birthday parties. Because the one thing he really held onto from his King Steve years was how to throw a small get together, and how, especially, to make it extremely awesome and memorable.

Steve who gets Eddie new albums he's been eyeing for his birthday. Ones Eddie knows he'd never be able to afford on his own, always a little sullen when he looks at the price. Steve who still has access to his dad's credit card and will max it out just for Eddie to get his fill.

Eddie makes homemade things for Steve's birthday. Cards and trinkets and drawings—things Steve's old high school buddies never considered as gifts, even though they have the most impact on Steve, even though they matter the most.

Steve and Eddie who love each other, insurmountably. Despite sometimes being major buttheads to each other.

[citrineandrosmarin]

Psephoi (Greek Alphabet) Divination

AKA Grammatomancy

What is it?

So there were many forms of divination in classical Greece, and one was the drawing of lots - having a collection of some kind of tokens (sticks, stones, beans, etc.) with a certain symbol on them that one would draw by chance, and each symbol would have a certain meaning. This is a type of kleromancy.

The Greek Alphabet Oracle is such a method, whereby you draw a token that has a letter of the classical Greek alphabet. Each letter corresponds to an oracular phrase (chresmoi) that, in Greek, starts with that letter. It is also known as the Psephoi Oracle because psephoi is the word for a pebble that was used for both divination and voting purposes.

Although it seems that the right phrase was initially obtained by throwing knuckle bones (astalagoi) and adding indicated numbers for a numerical value that was associated with a letter, most people today just use pebbles/stones/etc. with the letter itself on them, much like Norse runes. This sort of divination was under the domain of Hermes and Apollo.

Where does it come from?

The stone inscriptions that are the source of this method of divination were found in public spaces across several places, most notably in Lycia. The inscriptions were rediscovered and written about by German archaeologist Johannes Nollé. Many of the different sets of inscriptions were the same or similar. One in Olympos, Lycia, had different versions of some phrases and I've included them as alternatives here.

Resources:

Omens and Oracles: Divination in Ancient Greece by Matthe Dillon, pages 272-273

The Oracles of Apollo by John Opsopaus

How Do I Make A Set?

You will need:

The psephoi (Those glass pebbles for aquariums or small stones or pebbles or lil wood discs or whatever you want to make it out of)

A marker of some sort

A container to keep them in

They're very easy to make, just write a letter of the classical Greek alphabet on each psephoi you're using. Some may look similar when rotated so make a note of those and make sure you can tell which is which. I put a small dot at the bottom like you might find on polyhedral dice.

How Do I Use The Set?

Easy!

Method 1: Put the psephoi in a container, mix them up as you ask your question and pull one out without looking. Repeat if desired.

Method 2: Put the psephoi in a container, ask your question, shake them around until one or more jump out of the container.

The Alphabet and Interpretations

*In the spirit of keeping the first letter of the phrase the same as the letter you draw, John Opsopaus in his book includes his own version of the phrase. I will include these also as Alt, and when I have altered them myself they or the word will be in italics.

**Some have alternative versions that come from the Olympos site in Lycia. They are included with a [O].

***Some of the interpretations are from Opsopaus' book, some are others' that I found, and others are my own interpretations.

Α - Alpha

"The god [Apollon] says you will do everything successfully"

Alt: All things you will achieve with good fortune

Interpretations: You'll do great! You will succeed. Projects will go well. Everything is fine. Don't doubt yourself. Complete success. Good luck. Favorable Outcome. Best outcome you can ask for.

B - Beta

"Wait a little; it is not opportune for you"

Alt: Briefly wait, the time is not right for you

Interpretations: Try another time. Now is not the right time. Wait a little and you will receive a better outcome. Be patient. With a delay, the time will be right. Timing is everything. There is a time for everything and everything has its season. It would be to your advantage to wait for the opportune moment. Wait for the perfect moment. Don't act with haste. Slow down.

[O] "You will have Tyche [Fortune] and the Pythian [Apollon] as a helper."

Alt: Both Apollon and Fortune will bring you aid

Interpretations: You will receive help, particularly prophetic help. Call on Apollon for help, he will assist you. The theoi will help you if you ask. Ask for help. You are at a critical point, but if you are fortunate, Apollo the Far-shooter will help you if you call on Him. Even with luck, the God will only assist; ultimate responsibility is yours. With proper acts and choices - and a bit of luck - you’ll be successful. You will get help as long as you put in the work. Rely on and call on the help of the gods, however it may come. Help will come from unexpected, distant or indirect sources when you need it most.

Γ - Gamma

“Gaia will give you the ripe fruit from your labors”

Alt: Gaia gives you the results of your efforts

Interpretations: You will get the results that you have worked hard for. You'll get what you have earned. You reap what you sow. Your efforts will be rewarded. You’ll get what you deserve. Anything done previously will now return a result back to you, whether good or bad. Everything that happens is a direct result of everything that was already done. Past events and actions determine future ones. Usually a good omen of success.

Δ - Delta

"Desist from dreadful deeds, so that you avoid harm."

Alt: Dodge the dreadful deeds, avoiding harm.

Interpretations: Avoid matters that are terrible, fearful, or uncanny. Beware of the excessively wonderful, skillful, or clever. Don’t commit terrible deeds. Stay away from strange circumstances and affairs. Don’t make bad choices for the sake of expediency. In these ways you may escape harm.

[O] "In customs, inopportune strength is weak"

Alt: Drive ill-timed is weak before the rules

Interpretations: Ill-timed force will be ineffective; act with precision; timing is everything. Knowing where and when to strike is more important than strength. Blind conformity to customs is spineless; overly strict adherence to rules is self-defeating. Unreasonable or undue force will defeat itself; a tyrant must fall. In all things, follow the process and protocol. Slow down, form a strategy, and work with the system. Don’t force matters. Work smarter, not harder. Be responsible, not reckless, with the power you have. Knowing where and when to strike is more important than strength.

Ε - Epsilon

"You desire to see offspring from proper marriages."

Alt: Eager art thou for right unions' fruits.

*Desire here being "Eraô" which could also be 'love' or 'are in love with'

Interpretations: You think you know what’s right. You think you know and want the results of a union or action. Reflect on what you’re hoping for. What do you think you want? How do you think you will get that? You think you know the right/best way to do things. What you think is right and successful isn’t what is actually right/fitting. We want to see the results from acceptable convergence of actions. We can only act within the boundaries of what is proper. Worry about yourself, stay in your lane and don’t meddle in the affairs of others.

Ζ - Zeta

"Flee the great storm lest you somehow be harmed"

Alt: Zealously avoid the harmful storm!

*Harmed here can also mean hindered

Interpretations: There’s a storm coming, get out of the way. Difficult and dangerous situations are coming, stay out if at all possible! Sometimes the storms just happen, but other times, we cause them. You will only be harmed or hurt by getting involved in what comes. Prepare to be hit by the storm. Avoid raging storms of any kind; save your energy for when it can be effective. Escape from the chaos or controversy. Sometimes flight is wiser than fight. Go with the flow. Don’t get involved in conflicts.

Η - Eta

"Bright Helios [Sun], who watches everything, watches you."

Alt: Helios, all-seer, watches you.

Interpretations: You can’t hide. You’ve got the spotlight on you. Act nobly and openly, and you will have spiritual blessing and protection. This is not a time to be secretive or hidden in your works. Anything in the dark will be thrust into the light. Anything secret will be revealed. Anything made in oath or promise will be enforced. Keep your promises and be genuine, and you will be cared for.

Θ - Theta

"You have the gods as assistants and defenders."

Alt: Thou hast gods as comrades and as aides.

Interpretations: You have divine assistance at hand. The theoi will aid and defend you. Call on the gods for help, and they will be there for you. Have confidence! Your deities have your back and are guiding you. You are on the right path.

[O] "You have the gods as assistants of this path."

Alt: Thou hast gods as helpers on this path.

Interpretations: You’re on the right path, under divine care. You’re on the right path, so stick to it and stay on it. This is what you are meant to be doing. Commit yourself to the inquired matter and approach, and you will have success and protection, insofar as it is possible to do so. You still have to do the work though. The gods will bless those who honor them, and help those who help themselves. Heading out on your path, remember to be grateful, appreciative and respectful.

Ι - Iota

"There is sweat, it excels more than everything."

Alt: It is through sweat that you will succeed.

Interpretations: Although you are working hard, you will accomplish everything. Hard work is the surest means of success. The oracle recommends elbow grease. Toil, work, and labor is required in order to succeed. Keep working, and success will result, no matter the cost. Just focus on the work, don’t worry about the outcome. Giving up is not an option.

Κ - Kappa

"To fight with the waves is difficult; endure, friend."

Alt: Contests with the waves are hard; endure

*'Endure' can also mean 'delay'

Interpretations: The problems of life will come and go, but will never fully go away. Either wait for the currents to be favorable, or find a way to ride them. You might be caught in a tough situation with no clear way forward. Don’t fight it; endure.  Wait when possible, persevere with care. Work with the sea rather than against it. Don’t give up; sink or swim. If you’re going through Hell, keep going.

Λ - Lambda

"Make an end of grief; hereafter expect joy."

Alt: Leave off grief, and then await delight.

Interpretations: You have grieved long enough. Although you have been sad, you will be happy soon. Stop worrying, and prepare to be pleased. Turn your attention from your pain to the things that give you joy. Pain will yield to happiness. You have been through dark times, but the sun will rise again.

[O] "The one passing on the left bodes well for everything."

Alt: Luck comes from unexpected places.

*The left is traditionally the sinister side. The left is also associated with the unconscious, lunar mind.

Interpretations: A promising sign comes from an unpromising quarter. Whatever looks bad at the start will turn out well in the end. A blessing in disguise. Or, at least, whatever ill omens there are are not intended for you. Pay attention to your intuition, dreams and expressions of your subconscious.

Μ - Mu

"You press on in vain; don’t hurry; it’s not useful."

Alt: Make no haste; in vain you press ahead.

Interpretations: Don’t keep busy at what you are doing, it’s pointless. Haste makes waste. You are rushing around and working hard, but randomly and thoughtlessly. You are putting a lot of energy into wasting time. Pressing on now will be futile; wait for a better time.

[O] "It is necessary to be weary with toil, but the change will be admirable."

Alt: Mandatory toil: the change is good.

Interpretations: Through toil and distress a change will be made for the better. Hard work will result in a good return. It is your fate to be weary with labor, but there will be a beautiful or noble transformation. You are obliged to work hard, but the change will be good. Circumstances will cause distress, but there will be a good change or exchange. Pain will force an admirable change. You will need to work hard.

Ν - Nu

"Now the fitting opportunity for everything arises"

Alt: Now springs forth the fitting time for all.

Interpretations:

Now is the suitable time for anything; the right time begins now. You are entering into a harmonious season, a time when everything is well ordered and bears fruit. An appropriate opportunity or profit is at hand; it is developing. Orderly profits are growing. The most suitable situation is now. Seize the moment; you can accomplish anything! You are entering a synchronistic period when anything is possible.

[O] "A victory-bearing gift enwreathes the oracle"

Alt: Nike’s gift enwreathes the oracle

Interpretations: Something will be given (to you, by you, or from one to another) that brings victory with it and will crown this oracle. The import seems to be that this gift will be the answer to the question asked of the oracle. So, for example, if the querent asked when something will happen, the gift is the sign that it’s immanent.

Ξ - Xi

"The seasonable fruit of Deo the golden awaits you"

Alt: Xanthic Dêô’s ripened fruit awaits.

Interpretations: The fruit that is due now is available for you. The ripe grain is yours for the cutting. The gifts of the goddess are yours for the taking. She has brought you the profits, results, or returns that are due. The goddess Dêô (a name for Demeter, the Grain Mother) has brought you some benefit, so perhaps you should accept the gift.

[O] "There is no fruit to take from a dry shoot."

Alt: Expect no fruit from withered shoots.

Interpretations: Don’t wait too long to harvest or to take your profit. You can’t get blood from a turnip; you can’t get water from a stone. Don’t polish a turd. You won't get something from nothing. Being bitter and angry is not the way to go about things. Don’t keep trying to pull water out of a well that is empty, and know when to let go. Do not expect more from something than it can give. You’re on a dead-end path. Things have failed before they’ve even begun. Better to start over from scratch or look elsewhere entirely. Stop asking questions you already know the answer to: You already have an answer. The gods may be unwilling to talk at this point, so stop bothering them.

Ο - Omicron

"There are no crops to be reaped that were not sown."

Alt: Out of sight are crops that are not sown.

Interpretations: You reap what you sow. You will get nothing because you have given nothing. If you do not work now, there will be no reward later. If you want apples, plant apple seeds. What we spread about comes back to us. What goes around comes around. You must plan ahead in order to achieve anything. There will be no return if you do not invest. What has not been created cannot be destroyed. What has not been born cannot die. Warning against laziness, procrastination, and sloth. That which was inquired about will not happen because of what was not done. A warning that you need to work and prepare for the future in order to have success.

Π - Pi

"Completing many contests, you will seize the crown"

Alt: Passing many tests, you’ll win the crown.

Interpretations: If you persist in your struggles, after many trials you will succeed. Perseverance through adversity. Keep striving and victory will come. After much competition, you will emerge the winner. Don't give up, face adversity! Persistence will give you your rewards, and do not be afraid to use your talents. Whatever rewards, station, acclaim, or prize you want, it will eventually be yours, but you have to keep fighting for it. Success may not be immediate, but a gradual process of refinement instead that leads to fulfillment of desires

Ρ - Rho

"You will go on more easily if you wait a short time"

Alt: Rest awhile; you’ll go more easily.

Interpretations: If you will hold your ground for only a short time, you will be able to proceed (more easily or with greater cooperation). You’ll live more easily if you take a break. You will go faster by waiting than by going now; on the other hand, delaying too long may provoke reckless action. By standing fast you live recklessly. By remaining where you are, you live life thoughtlessly.

Σ - Sigma

"Phoibos [Apollo] speaks plainly, 'Stay, friend.'"

Alt: “Stay, friend,” Apollo plainly says.

Interpretations: Neither advance nor retreat; wait or hold your ground, as appropriate; the best action is inaction. Don’t travel. Stay firm; don’t let yourself be swayed. The gods want to inform you to wait for more information before you make any decisions. In this time, relax, and let the signs come to you. Things will resolve on their own or get to a point where it is better to act than now. Respond only when it is appropriate to do so, which is not now.

Τ - Tau

"You will have release from the present circumstances."

Alt: Take release from present circumstance.

Interpretations: Your misfortune will come to an end. You will be given a way out of present circumstances. You are between a rock and a hard place, but you will get out. All your mishaps will come to an end. Leave present events behind. If you have been having good luck, that too may be departing.

[O?] "You will have a parting from the companions now around you."

Alt: There will be a departure from the companions now around you.

Interpretations: You will be separated from some of the people in your life. This may be an unwelcome parting from friends or a welcome release from enemies; in either case they are now around you. This may also mean a growing apart or forced separation of a person from his or her family, peers or fellow travelers on the path. Soon, people in your life might not stay the way they are. You might grow apart or distance or travel might force you away. Be wary of this, and act accordingly. Consider that 'companions' could also be interpreted as personifications (e.g. in the way Love and Strife are personified) so it could mean a change of circumstances. The people, resources, and situations you’re with now are not what you’ll always be with.

Y - Upsilon

"This wedding is not yours; do not labor in vain"

Alt: Useless toil: this wedding isn’t yours!

Interpretations: The person whom you are trying to woo will not be yours. This romance or relationship will not be permanent. Give it up. Be sensible. You have not made a good choice of someone to pursue. Do not pretend that you are interested in marriage. Don’t pursue the partnership (of any kind); you are wasting your time. The Oracle advises you to abandon some alliance or union that you have been pursuing.

[O] "The affair holds a noble undertaking."

Alt: Undertaking fine is held by deed

Interpretations: There is some issue to be resolved, or some action is under consideration; it involves high-mindedness, either in commitment, deed, or professional pursuit. The oracle may tell us that the affair is admirable due to this noble element, or that the situation may guide us to seek the appropriate noble undertaking or profession. The hero’s quest. On the other hand, the oracle may mean that the situation hinders this fine undertaking. Thus you should try to understand the situation: does it demand an excellent undertaking or impede it? Take the high road.

Φ - Phi

"Plant! For Deo will nourish everything beautifully."

Alt: Forthwith plant! For Deo fosters well.

Interpretations: Plant your crops or vegetable garden, and Demeter will make them grow well. Start your project, for the goddess will bring it to fruition. She will care for it, and it will come out very well. Plant your seeds (of any sort), and the goddess will help you to cultivate them productively.

[O] "Having done something carelessly, you will thereafter blame the gods."

Alt: Faultily you act, and blame the gods.

Interpretations: Take responsibility for your actions (or inactions); don’t blame the gods (or the universe, or fate, or society, or nature) for your own failings, for your thoughtless or careless actions. Something is going wrong, and you may be trying to blame other things than the cause of the problem. Don’t resort to pointing fingers. The Gods will help you if you do not take out your anger on them or others needlessly.

Χ - Khi

"Rejoicing, press on!’ Zeus himself says this."

Alt: "Happily press on!" says Zeus himself

Interpretations: Charge ahead! Keep working with joy in your heart. Zeus urges you forward, even commands you! Act with the confidence that you will fare well and be safe. With joy, hasten the matter or yourself forward. Lean hard on it, but stay happy.

[O] "Succeeding, wanderer, you will fulfill this golden oracle."

Alt: Happy end fulfills this golden word.

Interpretations: “Golden” may be a metaphor for rich, noble, excellent, etc. This admirable oracle will be fulfilled by you attaining your ends, or a mere chance meeting could constitute the golden event. Rejoice, you will succeed! Luck is on your side, and by mere chance, things might fall into place. The answer is positive, and you might be pleasantly surprised at all the riches that the world gives you in addition to your solution. A favorable result is indicated - but even more subtle success is at hand.

Ψ - Psi

"You have this righteous judgment from the gods."

Alt: Proper is this judgment from the gods.

Interpretations: This oracle refers to collective judgment rather than individual judgment. This implies that the majority of the gods concur in this judgment, and that this judgment is appropriate, fair, and righteous, though there is no implication that the result is that desired by the querent. Accept it and move on. Truth will be brought forwards, so be careful in your actions. The Gods are watching, and they will be fair, honest, and unforgiving to those who deserve it. This includes those who might be harming you, as well.

Ω - Omega

"If you take unripe fruit, it won’t be useful."

Alt: Otiose the fruit that’s plucked unripe.

Interpretations: If you pick your fruit too soon, you will have a bad harvest. More abstractly, too early grasping of the fruits of your labor (whether the taking is voluntary or necessary) will yield a poor return; the rewards will not be suitable for their purpose. Don’t be impatient, or the results will be inferior. Don't act rashly or hastily. Don't jump the gun. The time is not yet right to take advantage of the matter. Taking action now will lead to uselessness, worthlessness, and difficulty. At best, this letter indicated to just stay on the course and wait for the matter to develop further before inquiring again.

We're at the end now! (Phew!) I might make a google doc with the alphabet - maybe even make it so you can suggest your own interpretations or even alternative phrases for some of the more difficult ones. In the meantime I hope this has been helpful!

[phefics]

🍪nsfw alphabet for george o’malley please omg 😭🙏 the internet is severely lacking in george content & you’re so good at writing him.

(also if you don’t mind it would be cool if you did the alphabet as though george was bi or in some sort of gender neutral partner way since i’m a guy but it’s ok if you aren’t comfortable w that thank youuuu 🥺)

𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝟏𝐤 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 // omg yesss tysm for asking!!!

a: aftercare (what they’re like after sex) george honestly didn't know why aftercare was important for quite some time, but by the time he's in a stable relationship with you, he always wants to be sweet after sex, even if nothing kinky/rough happens, he's just always down to cuddle.

b: body part (their favourite body part of theirs/their partner’s) george likes his arms and his eyes, but on his partner, he loves your neck and your ass - he also likes to play with hair (regardless of length).

c: cum (anything to do with cum basically) he likes cumming inside, ideally, but would understand you not being into that, so in that case, he's content to just cum on your belly or keep it simple and do it in a condom.

d: dirty secret (a dirty secret of theirs) george isn't really sure he has one!! sex does fluster him a little bit, so i can see him finding anything out of the mainstream like a little "secret" - maybe the fact that he likes to be both dominant and submissive in bed.

e: experience (how experienced are they?) george is decently experienced, even though people think he doesn't seem so. he lost his virginity to his first college partner and is no stranger to the occasional hook-up, but he isn't very experienced when it comes to anything not-vanilla.

f: favorite position (this goes without saying) he likes being ridden, he finds you being on top really hot.

g: goofy (are they more serious/humorous?) george tries to be serious in bed, but ends up having a few silly/clumsy moments - he wants to be this smooth, sexy kinda guy but he's really just a dork.

h: hair (how well groomed are they are, etc.) i don't think george does anything special down there, he's very hygenic but doesn't go out of his way to trim up either.

i: intimacy (how they are during the moment) oh, when he's in a relationship, george gets very sappy and intimate. he wants to look at your face, hold your hand, tell you he loves you all while fucking you.

j: jack off (masturbation headcanons) before he's taken, he does it really often, i'd say whenever he gets a chance between crazy shifts, so like every other day? but when he's in a relationship, he wants to save his stamina.

k: kink (one or more of their kinks) big switch, likes to be dominant/bossy in bed sometimes, other times he'll gladly take orders. he likes dirty talk, semi-public (groping in closets and elevators, fucking while other ppl are in the house, etc), and i can even see him liking spanking, but probably only from the giving side.

l: location (favorite places to do it) he prefers a bed overall, as i think most people do, but he really likes having sex in unconventional, semi-public places. hotel rooms, parked cars, the on-call room, the kitchen...

m: motivation (what turns them on, gets them going?) honestly, when he's working, he has so little time to spend with you, his main motivation is the thought of not having time to do it again later. he gets horny for conveniance sometimes, lol, like "i had a long shift but i'm gonna be so busy the next few days, fucking now makes the most sense".

n: no (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) george isn't into being super rough, he just doesn't want to cause you any real pain, and with all his medical knowledge, he refuses to risk putting you in any harm. he also wouldn't let you tie him up, the idea just makes him uncomfortable, but he'd tie you up if you wanted.

o: oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.) loves to give and receive, is really good at giving it. genuinely goes down like a starving man.

p: pace (are they fast and rough/slow and sensual?) george likes both, it really depends on when/where/what. fast and rough is always fun, but after a shitty day, some slow, sensual, loving sex is so rewarding to him.

q: quickie (their opinions on quickies) likes them a lot, he likes the risk, the roughness, seeing how fast he can get you off.

r: risk (are they game to experiment?) i don't think george is against it, but he is probably gonna want to do research on whatever you want to do first.

s: stamina (how many rounds can they go for/long do they last?) on a relaxed day, he can go 2-3 rounds, and last a long time. after being on-call for 36 hrs? 1 round, 20 mins tops.

t: toy (do they own toys/use them? on a partner/themselves?) never owned any himself, but would be open to using them.

u: unfair (how much they like to tease) george is a bit too impatient to be a good tease, but he is extremely easy to fluster if you're the one teasing.

v: volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make) good at keeping quiet, has a very breathy moan that just sounds like he's in pure bliss.

w: wild card (a random headcanon) george doesn't like degradtion from either end, but praise?? woooooo boy.

x: x-ray (let’s see what’s going on in those pants) he's pretty average-sized (6-7 in), thick, cut.

y: yearning (how high is their sex drive?) very high sex drive, almost always ready to jump your bones.

z: zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) again, it depends on the type of day he had. if he's been busy, he's knocking tf out, but if he's chill, he'll wanna cuddle and watch a movie afterwards.

[itsabouttimex2]

Hello! Can I order a medium Syntax Yandere Alphabet with a side of small fries and a large Dr. Pepper?

(Order up! Come get y’all’s juice!)

Yandere Alphabet: Syntax

(The Let’s Start Over Mei chatbot is now up! And the link might not be working? I’m trying to figure that out.)

Authority: Do they see themselves as above their obsession?

Yes. Not to the degree that, say… Red Son or the Lady Bone Demon do, but he’s definitely got enough of an ego to at least make the idea of beings “equals” hard to achieve.

He’s not going to “subjugate” or try to “break” you, though- Syntax views you as a lesser person, not a lesser being.

Bread: Can they cook or bake? Is Y/N responsible for their own food?

I can’t really see Syntax as the sort of guy who could cook- and even if he could, I doubt that he would want to. He’s not the sort to dirty his hands directly for even a menial task- I imagine he settles for takeout most of the time- but allows you free rein to the kitchen (if one is available) and all cooking devices therein.

If you’re particularly young, cooking might be a sort of “chore” to “keep your hands busy”. (Really, it’s usually just him sending you out of a room before he one or his fellow spiders does something unsuitable for young eyes.)

Cruentus- How do they respond to Y/N being hurt, both slightly and severely?

Syntax… is not the sort that I imagine is good with blood. He just doesn’t seem the type. He’ll pull up a list of instructions for tending minor wounds- wash with mild soap and lukewarm water, pat the area dry, apply bandages, etc- and that he could manage.

For anything serious, he’s kidnapping a doctor- who will absolutely be getting implanted with spider venom and inducted once he’s done with your treatment.

Disengage- What’s their response to being ignored?

Syntax ignores you right back- and he’s much better at it than you are. He’ll just settle in for a lengthy project and happily work the days away until you crack and come crawling back for his attention.

Enclosure: Where do they keep Y/N?

Under the sewers, locked up nice and tight in a monitored room. It’s surprisingly comfy, all things considered- there’s even a few devices to keep you distracted when Syntax is out.

Facade: Are they good at hiding their true intentions?

There’s a split here- Syntax would be very good at hiding his emotions… if he didn’t like getting under your skin and toying around with your feelings. It’s not unlikely for the man to give himself away through sheer bragging- if you someone manage to miss all the cameras he’s hidden through your house, the man will start operating them to flail around just for the sake of getting your attention.

Garment: Do they take control of Y/N’s clothes?

No, he does not. Syntax might provide some warmer clothing for life in a cavernous, dripping sewer… but doesn’t see the need to outright flip your wardrobe. He does insert a miniature tracker into every last piece of clothing you have, though.

Handicap: How do they handle Y/N being or becoming disabled?

Assuming your disability is physical, Syntax will personally design your aids with his own two hands, and go out of his way to source them. He’ll also install a custom alarm reminding you to take your medicine.

Intertwine: How physical are they? Do they enjoy skinship and touch?

No. Syntax doesn’t care for physical affection of any kind- but might grow tired enough to lean his head on your shoulder here and there.

Jaunt: Are they willing to take Y/N out? Where do they go?

If you’ve been sufficiently “well-behaved”, he might risk a run to the city to scope out potential materials and pieces for his projects… after stealthing an electrified bracelet onto your wrist. You’re probably so grateful for the sun’s warmth and the city’s fresh air that you don’t even think of running, though.

Kindness: What brings out the best in this yandere?

Shared hobbies and interests- if you and Syntax like the same thing, he’ll indulge in with you- not as equals, but as something that’s quite close.

Limitation: What holds them back? Work? Family obligations? Physical weakness?

Honestly? Nothing much. Syntax’s loyalty to his queen is something he easily juggles with the surveillance he performs on you. As long as he doesn’t start to shirk his duties, she’ll allow it.

Once he kidnaps you, she’s quite strict about him performing his previous responsibilities and receiving the same results as before- and again allows Syntax to “keep” you as long as he maintains his usefulness.

Morals: What lines are they not willing to cross?

Physical harm outside of minor electric shocks- he doesn’t see the need to get violent when webbing you up with his mechanical legs is far easier and less needlessly savage. He also won’t do anything that threatens the sanctity of your limbs or fingers- Syntax hardly wants to cripple you.

Nausea: Can they tend to an illness, or would they rely on a doctor?

No joke, I think he might genuinely resort to WebMD- at least before he does anything too drastic, like kidnapping a doctor or taking you to a hospital and holding the nurses hostage.

Obcordate: What reminds them of Y/N?

Arachnoid hatchlings. Syntax sees the little spiders that scuttle the lair, and thinks of you, of how he could easily make you a hybrid like himself. Oh, and pop-up ads of pathetically adorable animals in shelters.

Pacify: How do they comfort Y/N? Do they even bother trying?

He’s… not the greatest, admittedly. Syntax will probably run through the basic checklist of “everything that could be wrong” before moving into attempting comfort. “Have you ingested enough water? Eaten a proper meal? Taken your medication?”

And then after three confirmations from you, he has to muster up the world’s most awkward hug ever because he cares just enough to not want you to cry.

Queue: Do they have something of equal or greater importance to Y/N?

The loyalty inspired by his transformation ensures that the Spider Queen will always be the most important thing to him… but his feelings towards Y/N are more real.

Redemption: Could they grow out of their obsession and make amends with Y/N?

If the spider venom were ever purged from his system and Syntax was restored to his prior form? I imagine he’d be quite remorseful of his previous actions, and wish to make amends.

Sobriquet- What nicknames do for they have for their obsession?

Kilobyte- but a particularly young Y/N might get the moniker of Bit or Nibble.

Troop: How many people do they obsess over? Is that obsession spread equally?

Syntax would only ever have one person that he’d kindap, but maybe a few points of obsession. For all others, he’ll satiate those desires through surveillance alone.

Underdog: Who‘s on the yandere’s side? Would they help out?

Goliath is willing to lend a hand in the initial capture, and the Syntax might convince Huntsman to help retrieve an escaping Y/N… but aside from that, he’s on his own.

Vocalize: How do they justify their actions?

He doesn’t- aside from justifying his spying as “keeping an eye out for potential trouble”. The Spider Queen probably realizes that it’s a load of bull, but doesn’t bother trying to stop him- Syntax is doing his job, so why should she care about what he does with one little mortal?

White Whale: Why do they pursue Y/N, exactly?

I imagine that he admires an obsession for their technological abilities, and starts planting cameras in their house to steal blueprints from them- and then gets attached and starts getting really parasocial, then jumps straight off the deep end.

Xanthous: What do they really want?

Deep, deep inside? Syntax just wants someone to sympathize with. He doesn’t realize it, but he’s putting you through the things he went through- being taken by a spider, forced to lend a hand, then forcibly transmogrified.

He might not ever understand it, but you quell the bitter loneliness inside him.

Youth: How old is Y/N in comparison to them? Younger, same age, or older?

Given he’ll mostly likely pursue some kind of “rival” in tech, you’re probably around the same age, or even a little older. Not that he wouldn’t snatch up a promising young prodigy to forcibly mentor.

Zealous: Do they pursue Y/N doggedly, or are they more laidback and casual with their approach?

Extremely casual- he won’t sweat a few judgmental gazes from his clan or the terror you suffer as you rip down his cameras again and again.

Why bother hurrying you into captivity when all of your responses are so deliciously amusing?

Author’s Choice: Would Syntax modify Y/N with his Queen’s venom?

Yes… with caution. After making a few careful adjustments to one stray arachnoid drone, Syntax will sic the scuttling machine on you. He’s carefully set the process to be much less painful for you than it was for him, but there’s no this won’t end in at least a little screaming.

But when all is said, and all is past? He’s sure that the two of you will be something at least close to family.

[terabyteturtle]

Hii! Could I request a Reina SFW alphabet? If not thats ok!! I know there isn’t much to know about her 😓

💜 Reina SFW Alphabet 💜

I'll probably have to rewrite this eventually as we get more information about her, but I did my best with what we have so far! I tried my best not to assume much of anything, but I feel like Reina would be a bit of a loner type, especially after the death of Heihachi (whom we assume she was close with). Hope you enjoy!

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Reina shows a regular amount of affection towards you; it’s neither constant nor rare. She’s very casual and doesn’t make a big deal over it. Being as clever as she is, Reina is very smooth and sly with most of her gestures. For example, you guys will just be having a conversation, and she’ll just slip an arm around your shoulders without you noticing. The only displays of affection she won’t be subtle with, though, are punches and shoulder bumps. Despite having a penchant for being smooth, Reina also enjoys playfighting as a sign of affection. If she punches you in the arm or rams into you with her shoulder, then you know she’s into you. She’ll do all of this no matter where you are. However, when it comes to hugs and kisses, those are saved for private interactions only.

B = Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Honestly, being her best friend isn’t that much different from being in a relationship with her (minus the kissing). Be prepared for tons of sarcasm and teasing galore, and anyone who talks bad about you will get a Mishima-style beatdown. Oftentimes, you’ll have to be her voice of reason and hold her back from fighting people who piss her off. This makes her mad initially, but she always ends up thanking you later. Reina doesn’t really interact with anyone aside from you; for a long time, she’s danced to the beat of her own drum and kept herself company. You’re one of the few people she actually cares about, so she always tries to take your thoughts into account and listen to what you have to say. The friendship would probably start at the Mishima Polytechnical School, with you both being students there. As mentioned before, Reina’s typically a loner, but something about you just catches her eye. One day, she’ll just start talking to you, and you’re kinda stuck with her from that point on.

C = Comfort (How do they comfort you? Are they good at it or are they kinda awkward? How do they like to be comforted?)

If you need comfort, Reina will hug you from behind and sit there for a little while, allowing you to vent if you need to. When you’re finished speaking, or you just have nothing you want to say, she’ll launch into a pep talk. Well, sort of. In these specialty speeches, Reina hypes you up but also throws in slight digs to tease you at various times. She doesn’t mean to upset you further; rather, she’s trying to make the situation more lighthearted. She wants to see you smile and build up your confidence more. Are you really gonna let those negative feelings show you who’s boss? Not on her watch, you aren’t. Is this comfort method typical? No, but it has a surprisingly high success rate, and through it, Reina shows you how awesome of a person you are. As for herself, all she needs is a great big hug. If you find that she’s feeling low, just embrace her and tell her that it will all be okay. As cliche as it sounds, it works.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Reina hasn’t really thought about settling down much. She recalls her father saying something about continuing the bloodline and passing on the legacy, but right now, she has several things on her plate that she’d rather attend to first (getting good grades and acquiring the Mishima Zaibatsu). In terms of housekeeping, Reina will help out with whatever she can, but chances are you’re gonna have to be the one to do most of it. She has a lot on her mind, so she’ll only think about keeping her little corner of the place clean, meaning everything else will be left to you unless you ask her to lend a hand. When it comes to cooking, Reina can make herself a sandwich, but she doesn’t really know how to do much else. Somehow, she’s managed to collect a ton of coupons for various local restaurants, so she’s pretty much survived off of those. If you’d like to make her food, great! If not, she’s happy to share some coupons with you.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with you, how would they do it?)

If Reina had to end it with you, the encounter is either gonna be snarky or angry. There’s no nice way to do it with her. If she’s snarky, she’ll act like it doesn’t affect her and tease you ruthlessly, saying really harsh things that’ll destroy any self-confidence that you might’ve had. Reina’s an expert on getting inside people’s heads and getting on their nerves, and by the end of the conversation, she will make you hate her. If she ends up being angry, then prepare yourself—things are gonna get ugly real quick. She’ll yell at you, insult you, and is not afraid to get up, close, and personal. Depending on how things go, she might even punch you in the face. Either way, breaking up with Reina is gonna suck.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

She hasn’t really thought much about commitment, as she has a lot of other things on her mind. Reina knows she wants to avenge her father and inherit his conglomerate, but she hasn’t really thought past that. She’s young and still has a long way to go in life, so she doesn’t see any point in rushing to make a commitment. Reina definitely wants to marry you eventually (because how on Earth could she not, you’re amazing), but right now, she just wants to take things one step at a time and wait until she’s older.

G = Gentle (How tender are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Physically, Reina’s pretty rough. She doesn’t mean to half the time—it’s just her default setting. She’ll playfully punch you sometimes, but it just means that she cares. If she didn’t, those punches would be far more brutal. If she’s feeling lazy and wants to cuddle, she’ll just kinda flop on top of you. Emotionally, she’s also rough around the edges. Since she was raised by Heihachi of all people, Reina’s inherited some of the old-school, stone-cold mentality. On top of that, she’s naturally spunky and sarcastic, always ready to make a wisecrack out of anything. If something serious is going on, however, she’ll lose her typical spunkiness and be gentler.

H = Hugs n' Cuddles (Do they like hugs/cuddles? What are they like? How often do they happen?)

She loves them! Reina will hug you from anywhere—from the front, from the side, from behind, she’ll give you hugs of any kind. As for cuddles, those just consist of her flopping on top of you and you dealing with it. She might shuffle a bit to make herself more comfortable, but for the most part, wherever she flops is wherever she ends up staying. Both of these happen regularly, and they happen way more in private than in public. Once in a while, she might give you a side hug while you’re out somewhere, but typically, Reina prefers to hug you while you’re alone together.

I = I Love You (How quickly do they tell you they love you?)

It takes her a while for her to say it like a normal person would. Reina loves being sarcastic and teasing you, and when it comes to her feelings, she’d rather voice them indirectly than saying them outright. “Life would be boring without you” and “If I didn’t have you, who else would I waste my restaurant coupons with?” are the two closest things she’s said to “I love you” thus far. Eventually, when Reina does say it, she’ll slip it in casually and you almost don’t catch it right away. She says “I love you” the same way one would say “Yo, dude”. Once you realize what Reina’s said to you, she’ll give you a smirk and a wink before pulling you into a side hug.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they're jealous?)

Reina doesn’t get jealous. Compared to herself, she doesn’t see anyone else as a threat. Could anyone spoil you with free ramen like she does? She doesn’t think so. If anything, she’ll make them jealous instead. If any brave soul tries to charm you, Reina will just tell them you’re taken. If her arm isn’t around your shoulders already, it’s going to be there now. She’ll show you off and indirectly rub it in their face that you belong to her. Reina has what they want, and she’s not going to let them take what’s hers. However, if the person persists after she’s made her point clear, that’s when she gets fired up. She’ll lose her temper and become borderline territorial, challenging the person and getting in their face. You’ll have to distract her quickly if you want to avoid a fight. If the person continues harassing you, then there’s no hope left for them, and no chance left for you to intervene; Reina’s already got her mind set on putting this person in their place.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Reina’s kisses vary depending on her mood. If she’s feeling pleasant and just hanging out, she’ll give you quick pecks. If she’s feeling tired or lazy, kisses will be slow and sloppy. Sometimes, she’ll miss her initial target and wind up kissing some other random spot. She doesn’t mind though; as long as she gets to kiss you, she’s content. If Reina’s trying to comfort you or show her love for you, they’ll be sweet and deep. Often, she enjoys tricking you into believing that she’s going to kiss your lips, only to peck your nose instead. She also loves kissing your neck, as it feels soft and sensitive. Reina loves being kissed on the cheek, as it allows her to focus her attention on multiple things while still receiving much-loved affection.

L = Little Ones (How are they around children and what are their thoughts on them?)

She thinks they can be annoying sometimes, but she doesn’t have any particular grudge against them. If the kid’s a brat, she’ll get pissed off, but if they’re nice, she might talk to them and play along with whatever they’re saying and doing for a little while. Reina’s not perfect with kids, as she has a quick temper, but if she spent more time around them, she’d become better with them. She hasn’t thought about having kids herself, since she’s still a student and has other priorities. However, she might consider it eventually, especially if you’d like to have kids in the future as well.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Most mornings typically involve the two of you getting ready for school together. She’ll wake up begrudgingly to get ready and will act grumpy throughout the early hours of the day. Reina doesn’t mean to offend you; it’s just that she’s not a morning person. It’s best not to say much until she’s started to perk up a bit, unless you want to get hit with a sharp remark that she doesn’t truly mean. Reina doesn’t mind getting the school lunch, but if you’d like to pack lunches for both of you, she’d greatly appreciate it. She only has the energy to do the bare minimum, so anything extra is beyond her reach by herself. Occasionally, you’ll go out to eat breakfast somewhere local, and from there, you guys usually take the train to school and walk from the station to the front gates together.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Reina is typically much happier and more sociable at night. You guys often study together and help each other with homework, with some nice lo-fi music playing in the background. After all of that’s done, you guys will just chill out, watch TV, cuddle, and talk about whatever comes to mind. She’ll often gossip about people she hates or vent about her least favorite classes while you sit there and listen. If you’d like to talk about something, then she’s all ears. There’s a large chance that she’ll want to go out somewhere, even if it’s a school night. This usually contributes to why she’s so tired in the morning, and you tell her this constantly, but Reina doesn’t care. Ultimately, she wants to live life to the fullest and see what the world has to offer. Since she’s been living on her own, she’s had more freedom to do what she wants with her time. Reina might mean business when it comes to certain things, but she won’t ignore a good time if presented with one.

O = Open (At what point would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or take their time with it?)

Reina enjoys being mysterious and cryptic, which mainly stems from how much she likes to mess with people. As much as she likes to toy with you, she’ll eventually start sharing things after a while. She understands that it’s annoying to keep dodging questions, especially in the manner that she does, so she’ll gradually open up about things as time passes. Reina will take her time and share secrets on her own terms and in her own way. Due to her sly, mischievous nature, it’s rare that you actually get a solemn moment with her. Usually, she ends up talking about things either matter-of-factly or sarcastically, even if it's a serious topic. If she opens up about something deeply personal, she’ll downplay it as though it weren’t incredibly important. It’ll take a bit of time, but when Reina starts talking, it’d be in your best interest to listen.

P = Patience (How patient are they?)

Generally, Reina’s got a quick temper, and it doesn’t take much to set it off. People who are quick to judge her or count her out don’t earn much patience from her. If she’s dealing with someone she’s cool with (which is rare given her loner tendencies), she’ll be more patient with them. With you, Reina tries her best, but you can tell when she gets impatient because she’ll get a little snarkier than usual, which is saying a lot referring to her.

Q = Quizzes (How much do they remember about you? Do they remember every detail or kinda forget everything?)

Reina remembers a lot about you. She’s inherited that sharp Mishima memory, which is made sharper by the fact that she still attends school and has to retain a lot of information across various subjects. Considering you’re one of the few people she deeply cares about, she’ll soak up every detail about you like a sponge.

R = Remember (What is one of the most important moments of your relationship?)

One of the most important moments in your relationship was when she told you she loved you the first time. You were so used to her sarcastic comments that whatever nice thing she did say caught you off guard, so hearing her tell you those three words, especially in such a casual manner, almost gave you whiplash. You stared at her for a moment and debated asking her to say them again. But she must’ve read your mind, because she said them again, that time a little more solemnly. You smiled, which made her heart flutter, which was a feeling that she’d never experienced before. She smirked and winked at you, pulling you into a side hug. It was a simple moment but still super sweet, and you’ll look back on it for the rest of your life.

S = Security (How protective are they and how would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Reina gets very protective, especially when you’re in an unsafe area. She’s always on her guard, keeping her eyes peeled for folks who might cause trouble for the both of you. Consider her your personal bodyguard. She doesn’t mind getting into fights if it means keeping you safe. Reina feels protected whenever you’re around her. Your presence never fails to make her feel safe. It’s gotten to the point where she can’t fully relax unless you’re there with her. Unless you’re around, she doesn’t let her walls come down.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, etc?)

Since Reina enjoys going with the flow, dates are often impulsive. You guys just go to your favorite places without thinking twice. Meanwhile, gifts have way more thought put behind them, since Reina wants to make you feel special. She wants any gift that she gives you to reflect something personal. Initially, she never really thought much about anniversaries, but as time goes on and you’re nearing your first one, Reina will start thinking of a ton of random ideas, each one grand and extravagant. She always tells you that once the Mishima Zaibatsu becomes hers, you two are going somewhere nice and getting away from it all.

U = Ugly (What are some bad habits of theirs?)

Her hot-blooded temper and cold-blooded arrogance make a deadly combo, especially for those brave enough to cross her. It can make her difficult to deal with at times, and on some days, it's like her anger is on a hair trigger. She's never taken it out on you, but you've seen her take it out on other people, and it's not pretty.

V = Values (What do they value in a partner?)

Reina values someone she can be herself around. She understands that there are a lot of people who hate her, and to them she gives a big middle finger, but it sucks not having many people to hang around. She had her dad, but he's been dead for a year now and, until you showed up, she didn't really have anyone to talk to. Reina’s had to be a loner for a while, and she's had enough of just keeping to herself. As much as she'd like to deny it, she's a human being, just like anyone else. She needs someone to vent to, to share secrets with, to love. If she just starts to hate everyone, life won't be fun. But with someone like you, it is.

W = Wedding (How are they on the big day? How do they help plan it out? Are they emotional or stoic?)

Reina would want to make it a spectacle. She wants to show off her lover and display their beautiful love for each other. By this time, she'll probably have the Mishima Zaibatsu in the palm of her hands, so she can make that happen. She's excited; there’s no doubt about that. She claims it’s not a big deal, but you can see the pleased gleam in her eyes as she helps you plan everything out. She has a hand in every aspect of the wedding—catering, decorations, themes, you name it. While you’re standing on the altar, Reina gives you this big smile that just screams with pride. She could not be more proud to have you by her side, and she can't wait for you both to rule the world together.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them)

Reina likes flicking your forehead every so often just to tease you. She loves teasing you in general, but your reaction to this gesture in particular is priceless.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they can't stand, both in a partner and in general?)

Reina doesn't like anyone who's entitled or believes that they have a right to everything. She's also not one to take to sensitive people. If you don't have a backbone, you're considered a weakling in her eyes.

Z = Zzz (What are some sleep habits of theirs?)

Reina will snore a bit, but it's never too loud and you don't have any trouble falling asleep to it. She’ll hug you as you guys fall asleep, but since she often moves in her sleep, she won't stay there throughout the night. Reina will move around, but she's never been too disruptive. There have been times however when her arm will just randomly flop on top of you, and one time, she even smacked you in the face by accident. Aside from that, though, she's not too bad. Reina typically has a lot of crazy dreams as well, so expect to hear all about them during lunch the next day.

[saltwaterandstars]

A few days ago I reblogged a post by @harrison-abbott from @oldshrewsburyian. The post contained a link to a recording of a Schubert string quintet - which was glorious. It got me thinking that I might actually have a recording of it on vinyl because when my dad died (many years ago) I inherited his classical records. I've played some favourites many times but it's years since I've gone looking through the whole lot. And on Friday, when I tried to look for the Schubert, it was impossible to find anything - the records weren't in any kind of order except for the few I play regularly. So, I decided to do something about that.

Here are all the records taken out of the sideboard where they live - a mixture of dad's classical, my classical, and mine and my husband's pop, rock, folk, jazz etc.

One of the things I found quite moving was that there were a few examples of where I'd bought a recording of a piece that I'd learned to love as a child by dad playing it, so now I have my copy and his copy. Smetana's Má Vlast is one example, and here's another:

It turns out that I don't have the Schubert string quintet, but I do have several other Schubert recordings including this one:

And here they all are, back in the sideboard - one side for classical, one side for all the other genres, both sides now in alphabetical order.

Oldshrewsburyian alluded to morseverse in her tags, and I have to say, spending the afternoon sorting through the 1970s records of someone I loved who has since died certainly made me feel a touch Lewisian!

[ch3rrywond3rland]

more eddie smut pls and make it spicy. do wtv you want go wild idc 😩🤭

u guys, bear with me, this is me trying something new. hope u enjoy!!!!!

Warnings: ....smut

NSFW alphabet

A- aftercare (what they're like after sex) :

•You guys... this man is the sleepiest after sex.

•He gets clingy, cuddly and all in between.

•If things weren't too messy, he'll just pull you into his embrace and you both will fall asleep to each other's heart beat.

•Now if it was intense... he'll make sure you're okay. Run you a bath, get food and water for you, help you clean yourself up. A gentleman.

B- body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's):

•He loves you whole tbh

•BUT if he had to pick one thing it would be your thighs.

•why, you wonder? they're just multifunctional. he loves biting them, he loves kissing them, he loves laying on them, he loves seeing them wrapped around his head.

•The man can't get enough.

•Now, his favorite body part would have to be his arms

•He doesn't really know why, but you seem to love them so he does, too.

C- cum (anything to do with cum, basically....cause we nasty):

•He's a responsible man

•That being said, he'd probably pull out most of the times.

•He LOVES, and i mean *goes absolutely feral* type of love, seeing his cum all over your stomach.

D- dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs):

•This man LOVES the risk and thrill

•...That being said, he would love to fuck you publicly, just so everyone could see who you belonged to.

•He is a tad possessive and jealous, what can I say?

•BUT, considering the above he also would never like anyone to see his girl like that, that state of yours is reserved for himself only.

E- experience (how experienced are they? do they now what they're doing?)

•This is a rockstar we're talking about...c'mon

•He has had his one night stands with several groupies, obviously.

•But it is different with you.

•Groupies were just sex, you aren't just sex. He loves you and he intends on demonstrating it in every way.

•So he does know his way around sex, but he is still learning how to put love into it. And you're more than happy to help.

F- favorite position (this goes without saying):

•He needs to see your face, 100%.

•Kinda basic, but missionary. Again, he loves seeing your face react to his dick reaching far inside you.

•Also, I feel he'd love fucking you in front of a mirror, because he is a little ass that would love for you to watch how your body reacts to him.

G- goofy (are they more serious in the moment, or more humorous?):

•I don't see him as the type to laugh or crack jokes in the middle of sex.

•He is pretty focused on you all the time, so anything funny or embarrassing that might happen will totally be drowned by his intoxication purely on the moment.

•He does enjoy teasing you, tho. I feel he'd laugh out of amusement to you, only.

•Not in a making fun of you manner, ofc. But in a cocky manner, because he is a cocky person, let's accept it.

H- hair (how well groomed are they?):

•He has always trimmed it, and he always will.

•It bothers him, and he's sure it makes your experience a hundred time better as it is, so he never let's it get too long.

I- intimacy (how are they during the moment, romantic aspects...):

•Like I mentioned before, he loves to show his love for you through everything. Including sex.

•It doesn't matter how or where it is, he likes to make sure you feel good and loved.

J- jack off (masturbation headcanon):

•He doesn't feels like he needs it. He used to do it more often before you guys got together, but now you are more than enough.

•He might do it once in a while if you two are apart.

•OR sometimes you will be living life around the house and he'll just get horny out of nowhere because he loves you that much, and then he'll be embarrassed to admit it or just knows that you're not in the mood, so he'll sort himself out.

K- kink (one or more of their kinks):

•He absolutely adores and need praising in your sex life. Both giving and receiving.

•Again, he loves teasing the shit out of you, specially when you're having a shy day.

•Leaves marks all over your body just so everyone knows who you belong to.

•AND (he's yet to bring this one up) but he would love to see you tied to his bed. He is scared he'll freak you out, so he just keeps this one to himself.

L- location (favorite places to do it):

•The bed, cause he's s basic king.

•But he's up to fucking you anywhere, tbh

•The bus tour, backstage, against a random wall, the studio, a random party's bathroom, etc.

M- motivation (what turns them on, gets them going):

•Again, you could be doing literally anything around anywhere and he will get horny all of the sudden.

•You are just to perfect for him not to.

•He does love to see you cheer for him like a fan during the shows. He is kinda narcissistic and loves to see you scream his name alongside the fangirls in the crowd.

•He also gets turned on whenever you show him how bad you want him. When you get needy and whiny for his attention, that just does it for him.

N- NO (something they wouldn't do, turn offs):

•Sharing. He would never. He is only yours and you are only his, and sharing your or his body wouldn't feel right.

•Hurting you. Even tho he can get a little kinky and aggressive when pushed enough, he will stop everything if your face or body show any signs of discomfort. Doesn't matter if you reassure you're fine, he isn't having it. It just doesn't work for him, and it is not something he would ever feel comfortable doing.

O- oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.):

•Honestly? No preference.

•He loves to see you in front of him, on your needs, ready to take him in. The way your moans come out muffled because his cock is stuffing your mouth, or how you are so eager to satisfy him.

•But, he also loves to feels your thighs squeezing against his head out of pure pleasure. His name falling from your lips and your hand grabbing his hair only to push him deeper inside you.

P- pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual?):

•Really depends on the mood.

•If tou two have been teasing each other all night, he'll make sure to satisfy quickly and several times. Doesn't even let you have a rest before he's attacking your sore pussy again and again.

•Now, if he's been missing you or just wants to feel you, he will take his time. He makes sure you feel loved and satisfied, caring for every inch of your body.

Q- quickie (their opinion on quickies rather than sex, how often, etc.):

•Lowkey loves them.

•He knows neither of you have a lot of proper time very often, so he'll take any opportunity with you.

R- risk (are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.):

•He's willing to try out anything you want.

•Unless it involves anything painful for any of you two, because he doesn't feel okay with that.

S- stamina (how many round can they go for, how long do they last):

•He either goes many rounds, short duration;

•or two looooooong rounds.

•Depends on the mood.

T- toy (do they own any? do they use them?):

•(Did they even had toys back then? idk)

•Anyways, he doesn't own any, he doesn't use any. It's probably something he wouldn't think of using, ever.

•He just feels better when it's him that makes you cum over and over again.

U- unfair (how much do they like to tease):

•He ADORES good teasing sex.

•Lives to see you underneath him, all flustered and begging for him to give you something, anything.

•Knows exactly what and how to tease you, he has mastered this art.

V- volume (how loud are they? what sounds they make?):

•The man is moaning and grunting like his life depended on it.

•He is not afraid of being loud. Like, at all.

W- wild card (random headcanon for the character):

•He loves seeing you undress for him. Don't get me wrong, he likes taking your clothes off your body...

•but there is just something about you stripping naked in front of him, about not having to do anything but watch you.

X- x-ray (let's see what's going on inside those pants, pictures or words):

•Thicker than he is longer, good 7 inches.

Y- yearning (how high is their sex drive?):

•He is ALWAYS down to fuck. Or make love, whatever you want.

•It is always somewhere in his mind, the man is obsessed with you and every inch of your body.

Z- zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards):

•Doesn't take long at all. He can be gone after 10 minutes, easily.

•Still, he waits for you to he asleep first, only wanting you to be comfortable and resting before he sleeps himself.

[mmuffncakes]

Eclectic Adventurer

After exploring through several countries, nations, and meeting hundreds of different folks of all sorts of backgrounds, Elodie has collected a few favorite pieces that she wears on the regular. Combing cultural familiarity with something new entirely, while still keeping herself comfortable to always be on the move towards her next destination.

so for the first time in my many years of playing Dead by Daylight, I've finally had the motivation and time to do the community cosmetic contest! and given that im a filthy licensed main, i decided to draw a cosmetic for the one original character i DO play often, and that is Elodie. so i designed her an outfit with relevance to her time as an explorer, archeologist, her heritage with both Madagascar and France, and even included a little nod to my own heritage with the ogham alphabet, like a little gift from me to her!

a decent amount of research went into some of the pieces in this look, but also i just wanted to give her something fun that she could wear while roaming old sites in search of her own adventure (that isnt the lab of a crazed man with her best friend)

[singukieee]

—my all time favourite bts fics (pt. 4) ᯓᡣ𐭩

consists of my personal favourite bts fics that I've read countless of times. including those from other platforms, such as Wattpad, AO3, and Patreon.

For some works that are cross-posted between tumblr and wp/ao3, I'd only link them to the latters bcs I find it easier to read and navigate the stories on those. but I also tagged all the authors I know are here and linked the rest so you can check their blogs out yourself!

I'll also separate this list into several parts simply because there's too many... So it'd be easier for you guys to navigate!

red means unfinished

blue means finished

🗯️ editor's note

(sorted by alphabetical order)

Stay by OT7oramI

Y/N and her hybrid best friend, Jin, have known each other since Jin was eight years old and came to live with Y/N and her family. Throughout the years, Y/N and Jin have grown closer but there is one major secret between them. When an injured hybrid comes into Cherry Blossom Sanctuary where they both work, the secret is revealed. What will become of the friendship between Y/N and Jin when others are added to it?

Storms of Fate by SumiSG7

A darkly forbidden Auction in the veils of night catering to the morbid appetites of the wealthy in a world of legalized slave hybrids. Results in A melody of storm uniting the fates of a powerful Heiress with 7 mysteriously seductive & deadly hybrids The dark spiralling descent into the fever of passion & longing entwining their hungers while being targeted by an unknown enemy. What will be the result of the lethal games to Anya & the hybrids caught in a velvety prison of their own cravings for each other. But slowly, the realization trickled in… All was not normal as it should be, the love they forged, was a test of devotion that was still withstanding the time since before time began…

🗯️ too freaking good... but also really dark and sometimes sweet. I don't think I've ever read an ff as well-written as this one. plot's insane too. (this is actually a whole universe with side stories that you would be told to read along the way to understand the lore, so good it's crazy that it's free)

Sweet as Honey by sugakookie98

In a time where omegas are increasingly rare, others constantly question your resistance to find a mate. No one seemed to understand that you were content to stay in your comfort zone, focusing solely on your job. However, a series of unexpected events set your quiet world into motion, making you question your outlook on life and on mating bonds.

🗯️ another Idk what to say but it's really good

The Butterfly Effect by themonsterteddy

Easily attached hybrids get adopted into a family. Lei, the protagonist, is the quietest member of the family. Follow them to explore the lovely bond developing between them.

🗯️ a super warm read <3

The Butterseries by @minniepetals

Their names alone had every men and women turning their heads and falling at their feet. successful, prestigious, handsome, rich, and untouchable to anyone that looked their way. and you? you were just an employee who worked for them. who would’ve known you meant so much more to them than you could ever imagine?

The Byeoljali series by LittleShyGirl

❶ Finding A Place

As an isolated, lonely omega raised by humans, you have little understanding of how other wolves live. When you take a promotion to become a member of the BTS staff, your world collides with the Bangtan Pack and you realise you have a lot to learn.

❷ Making A Home

Now that she's found where she belongs, follow Y/N as she learns how to truly be a part of the Bangtan Pack.

The Companion by MoonChild791

After being fired, the job of a lifetime lands in your lap. You up root your life and moved to Seoul, only to find out you'll be working with your favorite group, BTS. Slowly, you start to develop feelings for them. But that's crazy, right? You can't have feelings for all seven of them, it would never work out.....would it?

The Contract by namjuicyy

Your life is turned upside down when a contract is pushed your way. But what happens if you sign it?

The Last Lycans by RoxNotRocks

Sometimes, a fateful encounter takes the form of a bullet through the head… After years of living as a wolf, alone in the wild, Yu has no memory of her past and no idea what her true nature is. As she attempts to begin anew and discovers that her fate doesn't have to be a lonely one, her lost secret comes back to haunt her. When your past comes back with a vengeance, should you flee, or fight?

The Line Between Love and War by @purpleyoonn

Your experiences told you that soulmates were something you would never have the pleasure of having; something not given to you because of who you are, despite the soulmark that resides on your inner left wrist. During your solo trip to Los Angeles, you find out that you are more than capable, that your soulmates had been waiting for you for a long time, and would not be letting you go anytime soon.

The Little Fox by @purpleyoonn

“The idea of being free was a foreign concept. Being free meant having choices, having opportunities. Being a hybrid meant never being free.” Just as you escaped the Little Fox, a bidding house, you find yourself at war with your thoughts, not wanting to go to another shelter. You didn’t expect yourself to find a home anywhere, especially not with the men who found you, and their pack.

The Pictures That Talk by @imnotlauriane

In a world where everyone has a special ability, mine is giving life to pictures. It allows me to see what happened behind the camera, reliving the moment when it was taken, as the subject. It's something I really cherish, but it can also come with great pain, so it's to be used carefully. I look at my finger, rings of fate black and cold. And I wonder, will I ever meet my soulmates?

The Seven by chewymilkyoda

When a young 17 year old girl and her friend went to an empty mansion that is reported as 'haunted', she never knew that her life would changed when she accidentally woke up 7 dangerous vampires that has been asleep for centuries. And boy is she in for a long-ass ride of fantasy shit that she never even knew about.

The Seven Princes by wassap_its_hunter

Being known as Nyx, you never had an easy life. With the expectations of being the world's best-renowned assassin and hunter, protector of your people, and a babysitter of five children, you can't really expect to have time in your hands to relax, the world being run by werewolves, witches, vampires, mermaids and more. But now, another role has been added. After hearing the princes of the biggest empire in the world, the Asian Kingdom, say the word "mate", you're scared for what is about to come. But then again you're Nyx, one of the very few humans that survived and became known, you could take a challenge like that.

🗯️ mc is so cool and the boys are whipped. my favourite.

The Seven Red Flags of HAKON University by tinyeyecat / emi ree

Born in the hell hole of Space Port 69, Rue’s a human Omega desperate to leave the alien whore house she calls home. Defying all odds, she masquerades as an Alpha and obtains a scholarship to the Ivy League of all space institutions. HAKON University is an all-male school that trains the cream of the crop—future leaders of the galaxies. Rue's just here to graduate, pretend to have a dick and then flee into the workforce, that is until the legendary Bangtan pack sets their eyes on her. They’re the future emperors—aliens with godlike abilities that make them rulers of their species. But with excessive power comes the price of testosterone-fuelled insanity that cannot be soothed. An esper will always need his guide. They’ve been searching for a final member to quell their raging soul-an eighth to complete their pack. Millions have tried for a taste of the peak, but none have succeeded, and thousands die from their power unable to withstand the bond. Bangtan doesn’t chase their prey, they don’t have to, but this time the seven Alphas want Rue.

🗯️ it's emi ree so it's gonna be insane!

The Siren's Song by PurpleQueenie

Modern day Seoul and myths don't go along hand in hand as easily as one might think. When for centuries (Y/N) has been bound to the Ocean, serving her duty as a siren- waiting for the day when it'll finally end, who knew stumbling across seven different souls would've been the reasons she needed to start living again, feeling again- even if it meant losing herself in the process.

🗯️ this might be my ultimate fave among queenie's stories. it's just soo good. mc who became the best version of herself after meeting the boys who support her despite the villain's constant torture. also, mc is just so full of life despite the ... it's amazing, go read it!

Through Her Eyes series by Gigi_Luv_4u

❶ Through Her Eyes

In the world of soulmates, perhaps Daun is the only one who does not expect for any soulmate to come. She doesn't have the soul marks that everyone supposed to have. Not one ink on her skin, no time marks on her wrists, no glowing red strings... but why does one day, seven gorgeous men claims to be her soulmate? And these seven are none other than the greatest boy band in the world?

❷ Through Her Eyes: Eternal

Multiples puffing out to the open has been on the news, but not as often as Daun with her seven. Now, more than ever, people have made their lives more than just a curious entertainment. Snippets of their married lives have become great treasures of inspirations that the entire world would simultaneously coo. No one can't blame them with how adorable they have cultivated their marriage to an inspiring one. Not to mention with the new additional members that surely adds more life to their already dynamic universe. Or… How does a family of Multiples go through their lives?

To Be, Or Not To Be Your Omega by Anonymous

Which would be harder? To be an Omega in an Alpha's world, or to have to play Omega to a pack of Alpha's that's known across the WHOLE world? As if disguising your gender truth isn't hard enough, how many omegas can say they have seven alphas that want to claim them? That went to the trouble of drafting up an overly generous contract just to have you as their omega? Oh, why did they have to find out your truth? Maybe it won't be so bad to be theirs, even if it's only by contract? After all, they're all so handsome, and smell so good, and— Is it wrong to have your inner omega cooing at the idea that this could become more than just your Omega status being taken advantage of like it's been all over the world?

To Be, or Not To Be Your Omega REBOOT by Anonymous

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself playing Omega to not just one, but seven world-renowned Alphas? Your struggle to conceal your true gender pales in comparison to this new challenge. These Alphas want to claim you. They've gone so far as to draft an outrageously generous contract just to have you as their Omega. But as your scent betrays your truth, you're left wondering: why did they have to find out? As you contemplate your fate, you can't help but think – maybe being theirs wouldn't be so bad, even if it's just by contract? After all, they're devastatingly handsome, their scents intoxicating, and... wait, is your inner Omega actually cooing at the idea? You've spent your life seeing Omegas taken advantage of across the world. Could this be different? Could this become more than just another power play? In this story, you'll navigate a world of primal instincts, hidden truths, and unexpected desires. Are you ready to step into the shoes of an Omega on the brink of a life-changing decisions?

Trouvaille by @spookyserenades

Until The Last Star Falls by Lov3Mochi / @minniepetals

In a world where hybrids are both the hottest commodity and largely exploited, a recent shortage of hybrids nationwide due to the wealthy adopting for sport hunting dominates the news headlines. More than ever, stray hybrids are whisked off the streets and taken into shelters to meet the demand. Mistreated, neglected, forgotten – in a notoriously disreputable hybrid shelter in a pocket of downtown Boston, seven “aggressive” hybrids await their inevitable fate of being sold for sport.

After years of trying to distance herself from her mystical past and upbringing, Y/N finds herself quitting her emotionally-draining job and is forced to face past mistakes. While accompanying her friends looking to adopt a child hybrid into their newly-formed family, Y/N inadvertently finds herself face-to-face with seven hybrids doomed to die. In a spur of the moment epiphany, Y/N decides to change the course of fate for the better; though bringing seven aggressive hybrids into her life and the darkening spiritual energy of her old home is trickier to navigate than she originally thought.

🗯️ I really appreciate the length of every chapter. like, so much details put into each and every chapter, and each chapter it just gets better and better.

It was a love you knew would never make it out alive without sacrificing a part of your happiness to receive a greater happiness. but for them, you’d go to any extreme to have them again, and for you, they will always remind you each day that you are theirs and that nothing can tear you apart, not even until the last star falls.

🗯️ so freaking good! a painful journey of love, full of longing and sacrifice.

You Never Walk Alone by @agustdakasuga

You live a quiet life in your late grandfather’s cabin in the woods. You go to school just to graduate and get your diploma, not to make friends or stand out from the crowd. That was until one day, you enter your home to see a pack of wolves that need shelter.

사람 (People) by thearmyprof

You are preparing to move across the Pacific Ocean and start a new chapter in your life, when a chance meeting with a man in a coffee shop has you questioning the timing of everything in the universe. When you hit it off on your first date, little do you know that the man you’ve already fallen head over heels for is, in fact, a member of BTS.

🗯️ this story doesn't include any insane themes, but so enjoyable and heartwarming. the characters also feel human, well-written.

PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | NAVI

[yanderecrazysie]

Dabi NSFW Alphabet

Reposting because Tumblr is shit sometimes

WARNINGS: yandere themes, NSFW, mentions of non-con

A: Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Dabi isn’t really a cuddly person. He doesn’t really do anything for you after sex, except maybe kiss you a little. He’ll probably just turn over in the bed and go to sleep.

B: Body Part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His favorite body part about himself is his dick. It’s intimidating to any girl and it makes him feel good, so why not?

His favorite part about you is your cunt. He loves playing with it and fucking your pretty little pussy.

C: Cum (Anything to do with cum)

Dabi’s cum is very thick, but it’s not a huge load. It tastes average, since he doesn’t really care about his diet.

D: Dirty Secret

Dabi is addicted to porn. He can barely go a day without watching it.

E: Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Very experienced. There are plenty of girls who look past his burned body because he’s got a big dick and knows how to use it.

F: Favorite Position

Doggy style. He gets to see your nice ass jiggle and he feels in control.

G: Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc.)  

He might make a few joking comments, but he’s mostly serious.

H: Hair (How well-groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

Dabi lets his hair grow a little long, but not too bad. The hair down there is white, since he only dyed his head of hair.

I: Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect)

He’s not very romantic. He’s feral once he’s inside you, only thinking about fucking you as hard as he can.

J: Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Dabi jerks off all the time. He has a high sex drive and needs some way to relieve it.

K: Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Dabi is a sadist and he also likes the idea of stealing your virginity.

L: Location (Favorite places to do the do)

Dabi will do it anywhere, any time and he doesn’t care who’s watching. In fact, he might just send videos to his damned father.

M: Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Dabi’s cock is really sensitive. Brush against it, sit on his lap, touch it and you’re fucked (literally).

N: No (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Dabi, despite his sadism, doesn’t like blood. No period sex, no cutting you, nothing with blood at all.

O: Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Dabi prefers receiving all the way, but he will always make sure you’re nice and wet for him before he fucks you.

P: Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual?)  

He is fast and incredibly rough. He acts like he has a grudge against your poor little pussy with how hard he fucks you.

Q: Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)  

He’s more than okay with a quickie. In fact, most of the times he prefers it.

R: Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) 

Dabi won’t listen to your ideas, but he has plenty of ideas of his own.

S: Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

Dabi only goes one round usually, but that’s because he’s a little lazy when it comes to sex. He could probably go more if he tried.

T: Toys (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Dabi would put a vibrator on your clit and watch you orgasm several times, helpless to your pleasure.

U: Unfair (How much they like to tease)

He’s a tease through and through. Both verbally and physically. Grinding against your g-spot, calling you all sorts of names, etc.

V: Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Dabi’s overall kind of quiet, but his breath is labored. At the end, he lets out a loud grunt.

W: With or without consent (Non-con or consensual?)

Dabi is pretty into non-con when it comes to you. In fact, it kind of turns him on to see you cry under him.

X: X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants)

Dabi’s long and girthy, with veins up and down his sizeable cock. He’s also gotten piercings on the side and top of his dick that rub against all the right places.

Y: Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Dabi’s sex drive is insatiable. He needs you all the time, even if you’re still sore. Sometimes he’ll give you a break and watch some porn instead.

Z: ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Dabi gets a good night’s sleep, falling into unconsciousness pretty quickly. He doesn’t care if you have a sleepless night.

[longitudinalwaveme]

You're No Flash (Fictober 2024)

Day 11: “Well, that worked out great.”

“Bruce, I really can’t thank you enough for offering to keep an eye on Central City for me while Iris and I take our Gotham vacation,” Barry said as he ran around his house, throwing things into his suitcase. 

“You’re planning to patrol Gotham during your vacation. It’s only fair that I return the favor,” Bruce replied. 

“Still, I really appreciate you thinking of it. I know that you don’t like to leave Gotham.” Barry disappeared from the room, then reappeared with a huge stack of old comic books, which he placed in his suitcase. A few seconds later, Iris walked out of their shared bedroom, dragging her suitcase behind her.

“Barry, are you still packing? We have to be at the airport in ten minutes!” Barry dashed off, then returned with a jumble of shirts, jackets, pocket protectors, pants, and bow ties, which he dumped haphazardly into the suitcase before zipping it shut. 

“I’m done, I’m done!” he exclaimed. Iris laughed. 

“I’ll never understand how the Fastest Man Alive is always running late,” she said. Barry shrugged sheepishly. 

“Sorry, Iris. I just got distracted talking to Bruce. He was giving me the rundown on how to stop crime in Gotham City.” Iris frowned. 

“Have you given him the rundown on how to fight crime in Central City?” she asked. Bruce was about to say that he was fairly sure he could handle two-bit punks like the Trickster and Captain Boomerang when Barry spoke up. 

“Oh, that’s right! I knew I was forgetting something!” Barry darted off into his study, and then returned with a three-ring notebook. 

“Here it is, Bruce—the Flash’s guide to Central City’s Most Wanted. I compiled it myself,” he said proudly. 

“Thanks, Barry, but I really don’t think that I’ll—”

“Good-bye, Bruce, and good luck! Iris and I have got to run if we want to get to the airport in time,” Barry said. He grabbed his suitcase, scooped up Iris, and suddenly the two of them were gone. Bruce shook his head. He wasn’t sure he would ever entirely get accustomed to working alongside a man who could move faster than the speed of light. 

Bruce’s first instinct was to change into the Batsuit and start his patrol of Central City, but he decided that it would probably be best to read through Barry’s guide to Central City before he did, just in case. He had always had a great amount of respect for Barry’s organization, scientific mind, and dedication to justice, and he had no doubt that reading the notebook would be beneficial for Barry’s insights into the city where he lived, if for nothing else. With that in mind, he sat down in one of the Allens’ easy chairs and started flipping through the notebook. 

As Bruce had expected from a man of Barry’s logical, orderly mindset, the journal was excellently organized. The entries were sorted by both topic and alphabetical order, and Barry had even been thorough enough to include an index at the back of the notebook that would allow Bruce to easily find the information he needed on any major location in Central City, all of the important members of the city’s law enforcement, and all of the biggest criminals and criminal combines in the city.

But, as Bruce had also come to expect from Barry, the notebook was almost painfully earnest. He really believed that all the people who fought were equally dangerous and needed to be taken with equal caution, and he had written the journal accordingly. There was no other reason he could think of for Barry to have included four straight pages of detailed notes, complete with several diagrams and photographs, about a cheap hoodlum like Captain Boomerang.

Still, if Bruce had to choose between someone who was overly cautious in his record-keeping and someone who didn’t even bother to keep notes, he would take the former every single time.

After he finished reading through Barry’s notebook, Bruce got himself a cup of coffee, drank it, and then changed into the Batsuit and got ready for his first patrol in Central City. 

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

After five days and four nights of patrolling, during which Batman had stopped exactly one carjacking and had otherwise seen no crimes other than jaywalking and candy wrapper littering, Bruce was perched on the roof of a crumbling old tailor’s shop when a mirror across the street suddenly seemed to twist and warp. A few seconds later, a man in an orange-and-green costume stepped out of the mirror, iced tea in hand. Batman instantly recognized him from Barry’s notes, police records, and the files in his own Batcomputer. Samuel Joseph Scudder. The Mirror Master. 

Bruce glided down from the rooftop, cape billowing behind him, and landed in front of the criminal—who promptly dropped his drink in apparent shock. 

“Batman? I…I thought you were—that you were—” 

“A myth? A man as superstitious as you are should know that all myths have a grain of truth to them.”   

“Oh, gosh, you’re real. You’re real and you’re here and—please-don’t-eat-me!” The Batman costume had been designed to frighten criminals, but it had been a long time since he had seen a thug this spooked by it, let alone a supervillain. It was nothing to complain about, though. The more frightened Mirror Master was, the less of a threat he would be. 

Bruce heard the familiar whistling sound of a boomerang flying through the air just in time to dodge out of the way. He rolled to the right, landing on his feet just as the boomerang returned to the hand of its thrower—a small, lean man with a mass of brown hair and a look of low cunning on his face. Captain Boomerang. 

“G’day, mate!” he said. He gave a tip of his cap, and Bruce, taking advantage of his obvious overconfidence, retrieved a batarang from his utility belt and threw it at the two-bit crook.

Only for the Captain to actually manage to grab it out of the air before it hit him. Apparently, he wasn’t quite as incompetent as Bruce had initially assumed.

“Gotta say, mate, this boomerang’s a beaut. Perfectly balanced, feather-light—but hard as steel. Unless you made it yourself, you must’ve paid a pretty penny for this. Mind if I give it a whirl?” The batarang came careening back through the air, and, although Bruce was able to dodge out of the way again, the batarang hit the wall behind him with enough force that it actually embedded itself into the brick.

Doing something like that required perfect form, precision, and not a small amount of strength, and Bruce mentally chastised himself for his earlier hubris. Even if your enemy was a two-bit thug who dressed in a boomerang-print stewardess outfit and called themselves “Captain Boomerang”, it was the height of foolishness to assume they weren’t a threat. 

Mirror Master scampered over to the other criminal. 

“Digger, we’ve got to get out of here! Batman’s real, and he’s going to eat us!” Digger laughed. 

“You can walk through mirrors and tangle with the fastest man alive, and you’re afraid of a regular bloke in a bat costume?” 

“How do you know he’s a regular guy? Half the stories from Gotham say he can fly and has super strength and eats people,” the Mirror Master asked.

“Didn’t you see him throw his boomerang, mate? It didn’t move any faster than the ones I throw. If he had super-strength, it would’ve moved too fast for me to even think about catching it,” Captain Boomerang replied. 

Bruce was just about to take advantage of their conversation to disarm Captain Boomerang when a gust of wind suddenly knocked him to the ground. He looked up, and, floating about thirty feet above the ground, was a skinny man with wild black hair, holding a long golden rod. The Weather Wizard. 

“The forecast predicts stormy weather ahead for you, Batman!” he boasted. A few seconds later, a small blonde man—more a boy, really; he couldn’t be more than nineteen years old—in a huge black-and-orange cape and hideous striped clothes jogged up to the Weather Wizard. The Trickster. 

“That’s the Batman? I thought he’d be taller,” he said as he pulled out a yo-yo and began fiddling with it. From Barry’s files, Bruce knew that the Trickster’s gadgets weren’t as harmless as they appeared, but, for the moment at least, he didn’t seem intent on using this particular yo-yo as a weapon. 

In fact, none of the villains seemed particularly interested in fighting. Captain Boomerang had thrown a boomerang, and Weather Wizard had bowled him over, but neither one of them had followed up on their initial attacks. Why? 

“What’s the matter with you guys? Why aren’t you scared of him?” the Mirror Master demanded.

“Come on, Sam. We fight the Flash, who has super-speed. Batman is a normal guy with boomerangs, which basically just makes him Digger in a funny mask. And I’m not scared of Digger,” the Trickster said. Bruce pulled himself back to his feet and started calculating the best angle to use to knock the Weather Wizard’s wand out of his hand. 

“But I heard that—” Mirror Master protested. The Weather Wizard waved his hand dismissively as Bruce pulled out another batarang. 

“What? That he eats people? Even if that’s true, which I seriously doubt, he’s no match for a man who can bend the elements to his will.” Bruce released the batarang—only for it to be frozen in midair by a bright blue beam and fall to the ground. He snapped his head to his left to see a man in a parka, who was wearing a pair of blue goggles and holding a smoking purple gun. Captain Cold. Walking alongside the Captain was a giant of a man, at least six and a half feet tall and probably well over two hundred pounds, in a flameproof suit. Heat Wave. 

“What’s the Batman doin’ in Central City?” Captain Cold asked. He kept his gun trained on Bruce, but he didn’t pull the trigger. 

“Cleaning up the night,” Bruce replied. Captain Cold laughed. 

“You think you can fight all of us?” 

“I’ve faced worse odds before.” Bruce lunged forward and grabbed the Captain’s gun arm. Cold fought back, but he was clearly not a trained fighter, and it didn’t take long at all for Batman to gain control over the gun and disarm the Captain. A few seconds later, Heat Wave grabbed him from behind and pulled him off Captain Cold—-but in spite of his obvious strength, Heat Wave was clumsy and awkward, and Bruce was easily able to free himself from the man’s grip, turn around, and knock his legs out from under him. Bruce then turned his attention back to Captain Cold, and was about to punch him out when a strange melody began to play and he suddenly found himself unable to move a muscle. 

A pale, slender man with long red hair walked forward, playing a silver flute. The Pied Piper. Like the Trickster, he was shockingly young, and he was dressed in a very ragged green polka-dotted tunic. He was also accompanied by a tall, athletic-looking man in a green-and-yellow striped leotard, who was clutching a blue-and-red striped top and wearing an odd-looking mask and a self-serious expression. Roscoe Neyle Dillon, better known as the treacherous Top. 

“Good work, Piper,” Captain Cold said gruffly as he helped Heat Wave back to his feet. The Pied Piper lowered his pipe and gave a slight smile. 

“Thank you,” he said quietly. The Top walked a tight circle around Bruce, looking him up and down, and Bruce felt a strong sense of unease. Something about the way that the criminal was examining him made him feel as though he was being x-rayed. 

“So, this is Gotham City’s infamous vigilante. I must say, I’m a bit disappointed. Given your fearsome reputation, I was expecting something a bit more imposing than a man in a Halloween costume—especially after having fought the Fastest Man Alive. I’m afraid, in terms of menace, that you cannot top that,” he said coolly. 

“Do you guys think the Flash is okay?” Heat Wave asked suddenly. If Bruce had been able to turn his head, he would have stared at him in surprise. If he didn’t know better, he would have said that the criminal sounded concerned about the Flash. 

“Probably. Why?” Captain Cold replied as he picked up his cold gun. 

“Well, if he’s okay, why didn’t he come to stop us?” Heat Wave said. Up in the air, the Trickster frowned. 

“You’re right. He’s never sent in a replacement before.” 

“And we are worrying about this, why, exactly? The Flash not being here can only benefit us,” the Top asked. 

“I ain’t so sure of that. The Flash is faster, sure, but word on the street is that Batman is a whole lot tougher. The Flash don’t go around breakin’ bones, for one thing,” Captain Cold replied. 

“That’s what I’ve been saying this whole time! Batman’s dangerous, and we need to get out of here before we get eaten,” Mirror Master insisted. 

“Scudder, Batman doesn’t eat people.”

“Everyone keeps saying that, but none of you are saying how you know.” 

“ I know he doesn’t eat people ‘cause word from Gotham’s underworld is he doesn’t even kill. He might crack your skull, but he won’t snap your neck—and ain’t nobody ever seen him with a knife or a gun,” Captain Cold replied.

“Fair enough—but if word in Gotham is wrong, and we get eaten, I’m blaming you,” Mirror Master replied. He unholstered a weapon that Barry’s notes had called a “mirror gun”, which could apparently produce a wide variety of effects, from creating mirror duplicates to shooting laser beams, and pointed it at Bruce, but didn’t fire it. 

“Regardless of how brutal he is, he has no superpowers. We can fight the Flash; the Batman should pose no threat to us,” the Top insisted. 

“No powers doesn’t equal no threat. We’re livin’ proof of that,” Captain Cold replied. 

“Perhaps, but given the fact that we were able to totally immobilize him before he was able to incapacitate any of us does not give me reason to suppose that this Batman poses any significant threat to us.” 

“Hey, guys?” the Trickster said. 

“The Top’s got a point, Captain. Sure, his punches really pack a wallop—I learned that the hard way when I took that trip to Gotham last year—but as long as I stay out of his range, he can’t touch me. Not when I have the power of the weather itself on my side,” the Weather Wizard said. Bruce blinked, and realized that the hypnotic effect of the Pied Piper’s music must be wearing off.

“You mean the trip to Gotham that ended with the Batman sending you to prison?” Captain Cold asked.

“Uh, guys?” Trickster repeated. 

“Maybe he got the better of me the first time we fought…but this time, I know what to watch out for. He’ll never be able to defeat me again,” Weather Wizard insisted. 

“GUYS!” Trickster exclaimed. 

“What?” Captain Cold snapped—just as Bruce kicked the flute out of the Pied Piper’s hands. As dangerous as the other Rogues’ weapons might be, eliminating the weapon that could freeze him in place without even needing to be aimed took priority. The flute went flying into the air, and cracked in half upon hitting the ground. 

“That’s what,” Trickster said as Bruce grabbed the Pied Piper by the collar.

As Bruce stared down into the young man’s frightened face, he was very surprised to realize that he was looking into the face of someone he had met before—not on the streets, but at several high society parties. True, he was paler and gaunter than Bruce remembered him being, but after having attended dozens of soirees hosted by Rachel and Osgood Rathaway, there was no doubt in his mind that the criminal he was currently holding a foot or so off the ground was their son, Hartley. How had the scion of one of the wealthiest families in the country ended up with a gang of blue-collar criminals? 

Only years of training prevented Bruce from taking the full force of the impact as the Top suddenly spun into him at super-speed, but the shock of being rammed into by a man-sized spinning top still caused him to drop Hartley to the ground, and he only barely managed to stay standing. Barry’s notes had mentioned that the Top could spin himself at superhuman speed, but he hadn’t mentioned that when he collided with you, it would feel like getting hit by a freight train. If Bruce wasn’t lucky, he would probably end up with a broken rib from the sheer force of that blow. 

“The Flash would have avoided that attack easily,” the Top said haughtily as he tossed the top he had been holding at Bruce. Bruce managed to pull out a batarang and knock the top off its course, but then the Top spun into him again, grabbing him and slamming him into a wall. 

“And you, clearly, cannot stop us from coming out on top.” In response, Bruce drew his right leg up sharply and kneed the Top hard in the throat. The Top cried out in pain and loosened his hold, but before Bruce could land a second hit, the Top dropped him and spun out of range. A few seconds later, a boomerang hurtled at him, and, when Bruce dodged the boomerang, a yo-yo suddenly slammed into his head from above. 

“Gotcha!” Trickster exclaimed. Bruce shook his head to clear it from the impact of the blow—only for him to be knocked off his feet by another violent gust of wind. Bruce was knocked backwards—and right into a dozen Mirror Masters. Bruce jabbed his elbow into the face of the nearest one, and it shattered into glass. He spun around and slammed a fist into another Mirror Master, which also shattered. 

“The Flash could’ve smashed through all my duplicates and found the real me in seconds,” the Mirror Master said. He sounded almost disappointed, which seemed counterintuitive. Given how frightened he had been of Batman earlier, one would have expected him to simply be relieved that Bruce was having trouble finding him—but perhaps his teammates’ insistence that Batman did not, in fact, eat people had given him enough confidence to start…being disappointed that he and his criminal cohorts were winning? No, it still didn’t make sense. 

As he shattered another Mirror Master duplicate, Heat Wave shot a plume of fire through the air in Batman’s direction. Bratman managed to avoid it, but a nearby Mirror Master duplicate wasn’t so lucky, and promptly melted. 

“The Flash would’ve put out my fire before it ever reached that far,” Heat Wave said. 

“And he could’ve done it while avoiding lightning bolts from me,” Weather Wizard added. Two seconds later, a violent wind swept Bruce off of the ground, and, while he was able to roll enough when he fell to avoid any serious injury, it meant that he wasn’t able to avoid the beam from Captain Cold’s gun, which promptly froze him to the ground. 

“And that stops him cold. Come on, boys. Let’s get outta here,” Captain Cold said. 

“We’re leaving him alive?” the Top asked. 

“We leave him alive. He ain’t our enemy, and we don’t need the kind of heat that killin’ a cape would bring down on us.” 

“How is he not our enemy? He attacked us, did he not?” 

“It wasn’t personal. It was business, just like it is with the cops. We don’t kill the cops who arrest us, we don’t kill Kid Flash when he hassles us, and we ain’t gonna kill him either,” Captain Cold said firmly. 

“And it is for that very reason that the entire underworld derides us as jokes. They call us weak; say we don’t have the stomach to kill—and because of you, they’re right,” the Top snapped. Digger laughed obnoxiously. 

“Mate, I don’t know how to tell you this, but you wear green-and-yellow striped tights. They’d be laughing at you no matter what.” Captain Cold turned to glare at him, and, while the Captain was distracted, Bruce slipped a tracing device onto his costume. 

“Digger, shut up. You ain’t helping.” Captain Cold barked. Then he turned back to the Top.

“I don’t care what the underworld thinks about us. I don’t care what anyone thinks about us. What I care about is us stayin’ alive, stayin’ together, and, preferably, not gettin’ caught. We start killin’, and all three of those goals will be threatened.” 

“Only cowards let fear impede their path to greatness.” 

“And idiots who let their ambition blind ‘em to reality end up locked up for life or dead,” Captain Cold shot back. The Mirror Master started walking over to the two squabbling criminals. 

“What do you know of ambition? You’re an illiterate lowlife thug. You were born trailer trash, and you’ll die that way—but that doesn’t mean that you have to drag the rest of us down to your level.” 

“That’s rich, comin’ from a crazy, top-obsessed lunatic.” The two men were clearly on the verge of coming to blows, which made it all the more surprising when the Mirror Master stepped in between them. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Save your arguments for when we’re not in front of the superhero, please. It’s unprofessional, and it makes us look bad.”

“Who put you in charge?” Captain Cold and the Top said in unison. 

“Technically speaking, I’ve always been in charge, seeing as I formed the group and everything. I just don’t care enough to play king of the hill. But since you two have decided to have one of your stupid alpha male competitions, I’m going to have to step in to settle the argument. I don’t want to force the rest of the guys to stand around watching you two argue when we could be doing something productive—like making sure all of our gear is in order for next week’s heist,” Mirror Master replied. 

“And what, pray tell, have you decided?” the Top asked coldly. 

“In this case, I agree with Captain Cold. Batman isn’t the Flash. We don’t have any quarrel with him, so there’s no reason for us to kill him—-and, more importantly, killing would split the group. Pied Piper, Trickster, and Heat Wave don’t have it in them to kill anyone, and you know it. Besides, if we started killing people, being the Mirror Master would lose most of its fun,” the Mirror Master replied. 

“But our reputations—” 

“Will be just fine. We defeated the Batman. If anything will get us respect in the underworld, it’ll be that,” the Mirror Master replied. This seemed to mollify the Top, if only slightly.

“Yes, I suppose that is something,” he conceded. 

“See? There we go. Everybody’s happy. Now, let’s pick up Piper’s new costume from Gambi and get back to our hideout.” 

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

Bruce’s specialized bat-de-icers melted through the ice that had frozen him to the ground after about an hour. As soon as he was free, he followed the tracer he had placed on Captain Cold to a broken-down old warehouse on the docks of the river and hid himself nearby. After his disastrous first battle with the Rogues, it was abundantly clear to Bruce that he would be defeated if he charged into their hideout with all eight of them present. As such, a wiser course of action would be to wait until most of the Rogues had left the hideout, defeat the few who remained, and then lie in wait for the rest to return. 

Fortunately for him, the Weather Wizard—now in civilian clothes��left the warehouse only a few minutes after Batman arrived at the docks. He was wearing a black leather jacket, had his wild black hair styled into some semblance of order with a lot of hair gel, and had put on so much cologne that Bruce could smell it from forty yards away. 

He was met by the likely reason for the cologne—an attractive woman with long red hair—about halfway down the docks.

“Hey there, babe,” the Weather Wizard said. 

“Hello yourself, handsome,” the woman replied. The Weather Wizard showed her his weather wand, which she dutifully oohed and aahed over, boasted about how powerful he was, and completely failed to notice as she slipped her hand into his pocket and stole a credit card and at least a hundred dollars worth of bills out of his wallet. 

“How’d you like to see the city from the sky, honey?” Weather Wizard asked. 

“Oh, I’d love it!” the woman said. The Weather Wizard picked her up, waved his wand, and disappeared with her into the night sky. If there was any money left in his wallet by the time the night was over, Bruce would be very surprised. 

About thirty minutes after the Weather Wizard left on his date, Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master, and Heat Wave also left the hideout in civilian clothes. From their conversation, it was easy to tell that they were headed for a seedy local bar—although since Captain Boomerang was clearly already inebriated, he wasn’t entirely sure why they were even bothering to make the trip. Bruce wasn’t complaining, though; the faster the warehouse emptied, the more quickly he would be able to make his move. 

Another hour later, the Top walked out of the warehouse in a tuxedo, complete with a yellow-and-green striped tie and a yellow-and-green striped top hat. Bruce wasn’t sure where he was going dressed up like that, but apparently he had hired a limousine for the occasion, because he climbed into one near the end of the docks, and it then drove away with him inside. 

All but two of the Rogues were gone, and the ones who remained were the two youngest. Bruce would never have a better opportunity to defeat the Rogues than right now. With that in mind, he picked the padlock on the warehouse’s back door and slipped inside the dilapidated building. 

As Bruce made his way through the hideout, he quickly discovered that, while his enemies would often  convert the old abandoned buildings they took over into sophisticated bases with complex security systems and elaborate theming, Barry’s villains hadn’t put similar effort into fixing up the old warehouse. There was a TV shoved into one corner, a card table with four chairs, a very worn easy chair, a portable fridge, and the biggest mess that Bruce had ever seen. Beer cans, cigarette butts, money, Mark Twain novels, dirty magazines, textbooks about quantum physics, books of matches, sheet music, boomerangs, socks, mirrors, and hand puppets were strewn all over the floor, a dartboard with the Flash’s face plastered over it was hanging on one of the walls, and someone had stuck a sticky note to the portable microwave that read “Mick is not allowed to use this anymore”. In fact, the only part of the warehouse’s largest room that didn’t look like the Weather Wizard had sent a tornado through it was its right corner, which contained a clean workbench with a picture of a pretty young blonde woman and neatly organized rack of tools hanging over it, a swivel chair, a perfectly organized bookshelf that contained titles like The Fascinating History of Tops, Gyroscopes, and The Theoretical Principles Behind the Construction of Satellites, and an even larger shelf that contained nothing but hundreds of precisely-labeled, scrupulously-organized tops. Evidently, the Top possessed the hideout mindset Bruce expected from supervillains, even if his teammates did not. 

Bruce considered performing a more thorough sweep of the room to see if he could uncover any of the Rogues’ plans, but decided against it. The place was such a mess that it would likely take hours before he managed to find anything useful. Instead, he started making his way through the warehouse’s four smaller rooms, starting with the one that branched off from the main room’s south wall. This turned out to be the bathroom, which had a grimy shower, a grimy sink, an even more grimy toilet, a very well-polished mirror, a few razors, and mountains of hair and skin products. A quick examination of the last revealed that, with the exception of two bars of soap and one shampoo bottle, the Top, Weather Wizard, and Mirror Master owned all of the beauty products, and that well over 75% of the lotions and shampoos and facial creams belonged solely to Mirror Master. As a member of high society, Bruce had to maintain a reputation as a well-coiffed man, but he didn’t own even a fraction of the hair and skin products Mirror Master apparently did. 

The next room, which branched off of the north wall, had two air mattresses, one which had fire-print pajamas in a pile at the foot of it and the other of which had a faded, worn blue bathrobe and polar bear slippers lying on it, and one actual bed. The actual bed was surrounded by mirrors from every angle. There was even a hand mirror lying on top of the bed. Other than that, the room contained one snow globe with a polar bear inside, a poster of a blazing inferno, a picture of a blonde woman who looked very similar to the one in the photo over the Top’s workbench, and a closet that had been haphazardly shoved into a corner. 

The third room, which branched off the west wall, contained one bed and one mattress on the floor. The mattress on the floor was surrounded by boomerangs, rotting food, unwashed clothes, and empty beer cans. A blue cap was lying on top of the mattress, and an Australian flag was hanging from the wall next to it. The bed, which was placed right next to the opposite wall, clearly in an attempt to keep as far away as possible from the hazardous waste dump that was the mattress and its surrounding area, was right under a rather large window that provided a perfect view of the river. A huge pile of novels—many of which were by Mark Twain—was stacked on the bed, and photo of two young men, one of whom was obviously the Weather Wizard himself and the other of whom, a bespectacled young man in a lab coat, resembled him enough to be his brother, was pinned to the wall next to the window. Strewn around the bed were more novels and several different pieces of paper with phone numbers on them. A set of drawers rested at the foot of the bed, and the clothes inside all clearly belonged to the Weather Wizard. 

The final room, which branched off the east wall of the warehouse’s main room, was currently occupied. Bruce had heard the voices of the two youngest Rogues coming from it the moment he had entered the warehouse, and, given what he had found in the other rooms, it seemed safe to assume it was being used as a bedroom by the two of them and the Top. Bruce pulled out one of his batarangs and kicked the door open, prompting a gasp from the Pied Piper, who was sitting cross-legged on a cot and holding a pipe, and a shriek from the Trickster, who was holding his yo-yo and lying inside what looked like a children’s bouncy castle. He knocked the Trickster’s yo-yo out of his hands with the batarang, then managed to wrestle the pipe out of the Pied Piper’s hands before he could raise it to his lips. Pied Piper’s eyes went wide with fear, but, after a few seconds of initial surprise, the Trickster actually grinned.

“Hi, there!” he exclaimed cheerfully. Batman looked over the two supervillains, and was overwhelmed all over again by how young they looked. Neither one could possibly be much over twenty, and the Pied Piper was painfully thin. How, he wondered, had they ended up in the company of thugs and lowlives?

“The two of you seem very young to be a part of a group like this,” he said. The Trickster laughed. 

“I get that a lot. From judges, mostly. I was sixteen when I made my grand debut,” he said cheerfully. Bruce did the math. According to Barry’s notes, the Trickster had first shown up three years ago. If he had been sixteen then, he was nineteen now. 

“Wait. You’re only nineteen? Then why does Captain Cold think you’re twenty-four?” the Pied Piper asked. 

“Because I told him I was twenty-one when I first teamed up with him,” the Trickster replied. 

“You don’t need to tell me how old you are. I already know. You’re nineteen as well,” Batman said. 

“How could you possibly—”

“Because Hartley Rathaway turned sixteen three years ago,” Bruce replied. The Pied Piper’s mouth fell open. 

“You…you know? How could you possibly know? Even the Flash doesn’t know, and he’s been fighting me for months now!” 

“I make it my business to know these kinds of things.” 

“Besides, ‘Henry Darrow’ is a terrible alias. I don’t know how the other guys keep falling for it,” the Trickster added. The Pied Piper stared at him in shock. 

“You know? How long have you known?” 

“Oh, I figured it out two days after we met, once I realized that the fact that you didn’t know how to dress yourself or how to use the microwave or what a laundry machine was meant that you had to have been rich. And since the Rathaways were the only rich people in the area whose son had recently gone on a very mysterious tour of Europe, it wasn’t hard to narrow down who you probably were,” the Trickster replied. Clearly, he was more intelligent than his choice of clothing and weaponry suggested. 

“And when were you planning on telling me that you knew who I really was?” the Pied Piper asked.

“Whenever it would be the funniest.” The Pied Piper sighed wearily, then turned toward Bruce. 

“All right, so you know my little secret. I am Hartley Rathaway—but what’s that to you?” 

“Your parents are two of the richest people in the country, and, while I’ve met plenty of wealthy criminals in my day, the ones who aren’t the heads of crime families tend to stick to white-collar crime. What are you doing running around with a gang of thugs?” The Pied Piper laughed quietly. 

“My parents and I had a …...difference of opinion. The kind of difference of opinion that caused them to throw me off of the estate with no money to ‘teach me a lesson’,” the Pied Piper replied. For half a second, Bruce was surprised to hear that the Rathaways had kicked their own son out of his home. Then he remembered what Rachel and Osgood Rathaway were like, and suddenly everything made sense. 

“Where did you get the mind-controlling musical instruments?” 

“I made them. Ever since my parents paid fifteen million dollars to “fix” me, I’ve been fascinated with sound. Playing it, recording it, listening to it—and manipulating it. My parents were happy enough to take advantage of my playing, since having a son who could play the piano and the flute as well as I was taught to do was a wonderful way for them to show off, but they always dismissed my interest in manipulating it as “tinkering”, and never paid it much mind. They had no idea that I had started developing sonic technology a year before they shipped me off to a college I didn’t want to attend, or that I had actually made some pretty good progress on it by the time they threw me out,” the Pied Piper replied. 

“And how did you end up in costumed crime?” 

“My parents had made it pretty clear that they weren’t going to let me give any of my fortune away legally, so, after a month or so of selling off my technology in a desperate attempt to keep myself off the streets, I decided that I might as well do it illegally. I cut up somebody’s old shower curtains and made a makeshift costume out of them, then used my musical hypnosis to mind-control some thugs who had decided to rob businesses owned by my parents and took charge of the operations. The Flash just happened to show up before I could distribute any of the money to charity, and I went to jail—but I didn’t stay there. My parents paid someone at city hall under the table to have me released before I could go to trial, since they didn’t want anyone to know that the Pied Piper was a Rathaway, and they hadn’t had time to pay the FBI to give me a new identity yet.. As soon as I was back on the street, I—” 

“He gave away all the money he’d made selling his fancy sonic tech to a bunch of widows and orphans and soup kitchens and almost starved to death! His parents never let him anywhere near the business side of their estate, so he has no money sense,” Trickster interjected. 

“More or less. And, now that I’ve told you why I’m running around in polka-dots, why don’t you tell me why Bruce Wayne is running around in a bat costume?” the Pied Piper said. Bruce tensed. How could he possibly know? 

“Good joke, Piper. Is Veronica Vreeland Batgirl, too?” Trickster asked. 

“No, I’m serious. I didn’t notice at first, but I’ve attended enough boring soirees and business meetings where Bruce Wayne was in attendance to be able to know his voice, even if it is being electronically modulated by a speaker. It’s a pretty good auditory trick, but not good enough to fool my nanomechanical ears,” the Pied Piper replied. 

“Wait…if Bruce Wayne is Batman, that means that Dick Grayson is Robin. I thought Robin’s acrobatics looked kind of familiar on TV,” Trickster said. Bruce grabbed the Trickster and slammed him against the wall.

“What do you know about Dick Grayson?” 

“He’s a carny kid—just like me, only younger. Our paths crossed a few times on the circuit before his folks were killed,” the Trickster replied. Bruce dropped the Trickster back onto the bouncy house. Now that he thought about it, he distinctly remembered Dick enthusing about how he’d always known a talented young high wire walker would make it big. It seemed that that high wire walker had decided to go from walking on a wire to walking on air—and robbing banks. 

“If you tell anyone—” 

“Tell anyone what? It’s not like anyone would believe us if we told them that Gotham’s richest idiot was secretly the world’s greatest ninja detective,” the Trickster said. 

“Especially when the only evidence I have for you being Bruce Wayne is the fact that your voice sounds exactly like his once my hyper-advanced nanomechanical ears filter out the effects of a voice modulator. Almost no one knows I’m Hartley Rathaway, so no one would have any reason to believe I’ve heard Bruce Wayne’s voice enough times to recognize it,” the Pied Piper added. Bruce relaxed fractionally when he realized that they were right. The odds of them convincing anyone else that he was Batman were slim to none—but that didn’t mean that they might not try to take advantage of their knowledge themselves. 

“Do anything to hurt Dick, or Alfred, or anyone else that I care about, and I will make you regret it,” he snapped. 

“I don’t know about James, but I for one am not about to travel all the way to Gotham, the horrible murder capital of the world, just to get the crap kicked out of me for attacking the loved ones of a hero I don’t even care about,”  the Pied Piper said. 

“Besides, going after a hero’s loved ones is cheating. Everyone knows that,” the Trickster added. Bruce was quite sure most of his enemies wouldn’t agree with that sentiment, and wondered what sort of charmed life Barry led to have so many costumed villains who held themselves to a self-imposed set of standards. 

“You know what? We’ve been talking for the past ten minutes, and we never even thought to ask what you’re here for,” the Pied Piper said. 

“I’m here to take you in—but, given how young you two are, I’d be willing to ask the courts to show you leniency if you surrender quietly,” Bruce replied. The Trickster grinned.

“Okay! We surrender!” he said. Bruce immediately went on edge. Usually, when supervillains took him up on that offer, it meant that they had something up their sleeves. Pied Piper was apparently just as surprised as Bruce, judging by the expression on his face. 

“What do you mean, we surrender?” 

“C’mon, Piper, it’ll be a great gag! Can you imagine the look on Flashy-pants’ face when he finds out that a random guy in a Batsuit was able to bring us in faster than he could? It’ll serve him right for going away and leaving us without anyone fun to fight,” the Trickster said.

“And we’ll look like idiots for being defeated by a guy with no powers,” the Pied Piper replied. 

“I wear stripes and blue slippers, and you dress like an evil elf. Everyone thinks we’re idiots anyway, so we might as well have fun with it,” the Trickster said. 

“I don’t care. I am not surrendering without a fight just because you think it’s funny,” the Pied Piper insisted. The Trickster hopped off of his bouncy castle bed and threw an arm around Piper. 

“Well, if that’s what you really want, Piper, that’s fine. I’ll go alone—but before the Batman drags you away, I want you to say good-bye to Mr. Ducky,” the Trickster said. He pulled out a rubber duck from somewhere on his costume and waved it in front of the Pied Piper’s face. 

“James, this is not—” The Trickster squeezed the rubber duck, some gas sprayed out, and the Pied Piper slumped into unconsciousness. 

“Well, that worked out great! Good job, Mr. Ducky!” he said to the rubber duck. Then he turned to Batman. 

“Sorry about him. He’s a nice kid, really, but he doesn’t know when to quit. I didn’t want him to end up with any broken ribs because he tried to fight off a ninja,” the Trickster said apologetically. Bruce, still half-expecting a trick, handcuffed the two criminals together with his Bat-cuffs, summoned the Batmobile he had had flown to Central City shortly before he had arrived there himself, and loaded the two of them into the back seat. 

“Nice car. Did you build it yourself, or did you pay someone to make it?” Bruce ignored him and started the engine. 

“Right. I forgot. You’re the strong, silent type. That’s another reason I like the Flash better than you. He has an actual sense of humor.” As the Batmobile started to drive down the road that would take him to the headquarters of the CCPD, Bruce started to wonder if his villains were harassing Barry about how they wanted to be fighting Batman instead. He couldn’t imagine most of them doing it, and as for the one who actually might—he wouldn't wish the Joker on anyone. 

“Hey, what does this button do?”

Although, Bruce reflected as a parachute shot out from the back of the Batmobile, at least the Joker was predictable. 

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

An hour and a half after dropping the Pied Piper and the Trickster off at the CCPD, Bruce returned to the Rogues’ abandoned warehouse hideout to find the Top sitting in his swivel chair, working on something. The Weather Wizard was leaning on the wall immediately next to the desk, the weather wand clutched in one hand. From the sound of their conversation, the two of them were comparing dates. 

“You have a good night?” 

“The very best. I do so love to make Lisa happy, and nothing makes her happier than roses, fancy dinners, and jewelry,” the Top replied. 

My date was great, too. Thanks for asking,” the Weather Wizard said. The Top looked up at him in apparent confusion. 

“I did not ask. And I do not care about your dates. Half of them are with desperate, lonely women who would date anyone who pays them a compliment, and the other half are with  women who are taking advantage of your belief that you are some sort of Casanova to get money out of you,” the Top said. The Weather Wizard scowled.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Last week, you spent four thousand dollars on a necklace for a woman you’d met thirty minutes before in a bar, just because she was flirting with you and you wanted to impress her. Do you really think you’ll ever see her again?” 

“I got her phone number.” 

“You got what you think is her phone number.” 

“You’re just jealous that I get more dates than you.” 

“I only need one date. Lisa is perfection. And even if I had no date at all, I would still not be jealous of a man too stupid to realize why he has three times as many dates when he has money than he does when he’s broke. Haven’t you ever noticed that women aren’t as interested in you during the weeks when you have to beg Captain Cold or Mirror Master or Heat Wave for cash?” 

“Why do you keep track of the number of dates I have in a week?”

“You boast about them so extensively it’s hard not to,” the Top replied.

“Since we’re on the subject, when are you going to tell Captain Cold that you’re dating his sister?” Weather Wizard asked. 

“Never, if I can help it. We rub each other the wrong way enough without his overprotective older brother instincts making everything worse.” 

“You do realize he’s gonna find out eventually, right?”

“Then I will cross that bridge when I get to it. For now, I do not have to put up with him scrutinizing every move I make, and I prefer it that way,” the Top replied. The Weather Wizard smirked. 

“I guess I can’t really blame you. She’s a babe, no two ways about it—especially for someone who’s related to Len,” he said. 

“She got all of the looks in the family. And all of the manners,” the Top said as he sent a top skittering across the desk. When it reached the end of the desk, it ignited into flames for a few seconds before extinguishing itself. 

“Excellent. My flare top is working exactly as intended.” 

“You’d better not let Mick see that, or you’ll never get it away from him,” Weather Wizard commented. 

As the two criminals continued their conversation, Bruce calculated the angle that he would need to throw his batarangs at in order to knock out the Top and knock the wand out of the Weather Wizard’s hands. He had to take out both of them at once, because if not, whichever one remained standing would overwhelm him with the power of their attacks. 

Then Heat Wave came through the front door, lugging an unconscious Captain Boomerang along with him, and Bruce was forced to alter his initial plan. 

“Digger passed out, so I volunteered to take him home early,” Heat Wave explained. The Top shook his head in apparent disgust.

“I don’t know why we bother to keep that lout around,” he muttered—just as Bruce launched into action. One batarang knocked the wand out of the Weather Wizard’s hand, one went flying towards the Top, and Bruce himself hurtled towards Heat Wave and landed his fist on Heat Wave’s jaw. The Weather Wizard squawked in alarm as Heat Wave stumbled backwards and dropped Captain Boomerang. Bruce quickly followed up the initial punch with a roundhouse kick to Heat Wave’s head. Heat Wave slumped to the ground, unconscious, and Bruce was about to turn to the now-disarmed Weather Wizard when the Top slammed into him at full speed and pinned him to the wall. 

“You missed,” the Top said coldly. Bruce struggled to free himself, but it seemed the Top had learned from their earlier fight, because he was now being held in such a way that prevented him from properly leveraging his body to attack. 

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. No one tops the top. Not you, not Captain Cold, not even—” 

Suddenly, a bright red blur zipped into the room and knocked the Top to the floor. 

“The Flash?” Barry asked. There was a big smile on his face. The Top snarled as he got back to his feet.

“So you’re back, are you?” 

“Yes, I’m back—just in time to help Batman take all of you back to prison,” Barry said as he grabbed the weather wand. 

“I’m faster than lightning. Are you?” Barry waved the wand, and a bolt of lightning crashed out of the sky. It didn’t actually hit the Top, but the force of the strike was enough to knock the man backwards into the shelf full of tops, where he hit his head on one of the shelves. About a dozen tops landed on his unconscious body.

The Weather Wizard looked at the two heroes  and raised his hands. 

“I surrender, okay? Just don’t let Batman hit me. That hurts,” he said pathetically. Barry laughed.

‘I think that’s the smartest decision you’ve ever made,” he said. There was a flash of color and a rush of wind, and suddenly, Barry and all four of the criminals were gone. Barry reappeared a few seconds later.

“Thanks for helping me track the Rogues down. I’ve been trying to figure out where they were all hiding out for months,” Barry said. Bruce nodded. 

“No, thank you. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I don’t even want to think about what the Top would have done to me.” 

“No problem. You want me to run you back home to Gotham?” Bruce nodded. Barry swept him off his feet, there was a flash of light, and suddenly Bruce was back where he belonged. 

“I have no idea how you manage this place, Bruce. I was stopping so many muggers and murderers and carjackers that I barely had time to sleep—and that was before the Scarecrow showed up. I could never patrol Gotham full-time.” 

“And I’ll be leaving Central City to you from now on. I can’t even begin to understand the logic your Rogues operate under—and even if I could, your Rogues seem to take it very personally when another hero fills in for you.” 

[sleepingdeath-light]

rosie + segmented smut alphabet ; 18+

requested by ; anonymous (part of an event)

letters used ; a / i / k

masterlist(s) ; here

minors and ageless blogs do not interact

A — Aftercare

what they’re like after sex

Rosie tends to be extremely vocal and upbeat after you two have had sex — not to the same extent as she is beforehand as she’s usually at least a little out of breath, but no matter how intense your romp has been she always seems to come out of it frustratingly well put-together compared to you — which usually means that she’s the one who takes the lead for both physical aftercare and pillow talk.

Physical aftercare with Rosie tends to follow a very lineare formula with only occasional deviations when necessary: her taking a short while to check you over for any injuries that were more severe than intended, leaving to run you both a nice hot bath (complete with bubbles and a scented candle you can both agree on) once she’s certain that you’re unharmed beyond what you’d consented to beforehand, her fetching you some water and very sternly telling you to drink it, frequently popping her head back into the bedroom to see if you’ve actually done what she’s asked, going and getting some snacks for you both to share from her kitchen, sharing a bath with you (usually with plenty of teasing), and then going to bed for some well-earned casual intimacy.

Pillowtalk, meanwhile, mostly consists of lighthearted banter interspersed with praise, reassurances, and the typical sort of questions you’d expect from someone like Rosie. One moment she’s brushing your wet hair out of you face and reassuring you that you did so well for her and you’ve nothing to worry about with her, and the next her smile goes from genuine to flirty as she (lovingly) teases you for being so reactive and responsive to what she was doing to you — her teasing is very rarely outright explicit but her tone and expression get the message across clear enough on their own for you to want to bury your face in a pillow… or, alternatively, throw that same pillow in her face to get her to quiet down. She also makes a point to ask you whether you enjoyed yourself and were okay with everything she did, and welcomes any suggestions for things you want to try — she always encourages honesty above anything else and wouldn’t dream of shaming or punishing you for being open with her (of course she’s still going to tease you here and there, but you know its never done maliciously and that’s just the sort of person Rosie is).

I — Intimacy

how romantic are they?

Though Rosie is someone who is very traditional and romantic in how she approaches your relationship in general, this doesn’t always translate directly to her behaviour in the bedroom. Of course she’s still the same woman you fell in love with and she never misses the chance to praise you until you can barely stand to look her in the eyes, but there are times where she can be a bit less romantic and a bit more direct about having sex with you — usually when she’s had a particularly frustrating day or if you’ve made a point of being a brat or a tease beforehand.

K — Kink

some of their kinks

There are a vast array of different kinks that Rosie would love to incorporate into your sex life, but I’ll just list a few:

Lingerie — she’s more than willing and excited to dress up for you and has done so many many times, but the idea of you dolling yourself up just for her really just gets her hot under the collar.

Bondage — bonus points if it’s a more intricate style using materials that are both beautiful and firm, but generally speaking Rosie’s happy to have you all tied up and at her mercy no matter what’s being used to restrain you.

Knife Play — her profession has given her a fantastic and intimate understanding of the human body which means that she knows where she should and shouldn’t cut you and how deep she can go to leave a mark without causing serious harm (all skills she’s more than willing to make use of in the bedroom if ever you ask).

Dom/Sub — though she’s not opposed to play-fighting you for her dominance or you being a bit of a brat every now and then and going through the whole ‘make me listen’ routine, it goes without saying that Rosie is always going to be the dominant one in the bedroom.

Praise Kink — mainly this is about her showering you in praise and affirmations while she absolutely ravishes your body with her mouth/hands/pussy/toys, but she’s certainly never going to complain about you praising everything she is or does (it doesn’t even have to be sexual, she’ll get that same giddy grin whether you’re calling her ‘gorgeous’ and telling her how amazing she makes you feel, or salivating over her baking and offering her a string of compliments that would make any chef preen)

Marking Kink — again this is almost exclusive to her being the one to mark you as a way to claim her territory and ward off any potential suitors (she’s also equally content with more long-lasting marks, like bruises and cuts, as she is with more short-term marks, like lipstick prints on your face and neck, and will only go as far with indulging this side of herself as you allow her to)

[kanatajelly]

Yandere ABCs for Floyd leech?

yandere alphabet - floyd

floyd leech - twisted wonderland

author's note: hello~ thanks for the request! since you didn't specify which letters you wanted i just did the whole alphabet bc i love floyd hehe. hope you enjoy!

warnings: general yandere themes, unhealthy relationships, physical abuse, biting, verbal abuse/humiliation, forced isolation, mentions of murder (both others and darling), mentions of kidnapping, brief mention of mind break, brief mentions of serious injuries (dislocation and breaking a bone), suggestive themes in some parts if you squint, honestly floyd is his own warning

word count: 2616

Affection: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?

Floyd shows affection mostly through physical touch. He always has his hands on his darling in some way, even in public. His idea of physical affection comes mostly in the form of bone-crushing hugs and breath-stealing kisses, and he won’t bat an eye even if his darling tries to struggle in his grip. In private, Floyd becomes more intense, taking great pleasure in marking his darling with bites and bruises. He wants everyone to know that they’re his.

Blood: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

When it comes to dealing with people who try to get in his way, Floyd will absolutely not shy away from physical violence. He would beat them within an inch of their lives, in order to clearly send the message that neither he nor his darling are to be messed with. I think Floyd may resort to murder as well, especially if things get out of hand or if he loses control of his emotions, but it wouldn’t be his first option in dealing with people. I can also see him killing someone as a sort of “warning” towards his darling, though.

Cruelty: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?

Floyd isn’t really the nicest to his darling, especially if he’s already kidnapped them. Sure, he’d give them their basic necessities and probably won’t hurt them too badly, but there’s bound to be a lot of mocking. After all, he’s quite confident in the fact that he’s stronger than his darling, and he’s also pleased by the fact that he was able to force them to stay with him and him only; and he would convey these facts to his darling through a lot of mean-spirited teasing.

Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

I think Floyd would try to initiate kisses, hugs, and other forms of physical affection even if his darling is obviously against it. Though, I have a hard time imagining him forcing himself on his darling in a more intimate sense. There is always the chance that it may happen though: Floyd is unpredictable and emotionally volatile, and if he’s brought to a breaking point, he can do just about anything, really.

Exposed: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

Floyd generally wears his emotions on his sleeve, and that’s no different with his darling. But vulnerability is another thing entirely… I can’t see Floyd ever being outwardly vulnerable to anyone but Jade, really. I do think some vulnerability could come out if Floyd is in a particularly gloomy mood though. He would show it by being extra clingy, but also oddly quiet. If he does ever have moments of vulnerability, he would just hug his darling close and not let go for quite a long time, and he would refuse to elaborate on why he wasn’t as talkative as usual at that time.

Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

Floyd would see any attempts at fighting back as a challenge or a game. He would enjoy displaying his strength to make his darling submit. However, too much fighting and he’s annoyed. Floyd’s patience is a very thin thread, and if it is snapped, it won’t be pretty. He would be especially irritated if his darling continued being extremely defiant even after several punishments. Hasn’t he already shown them that they shouldn’t mess with him?

Game: Is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

Oh, this is absolutely a game to Floyd. Escape attempts are nothing but an opportunity to play tag with his darling… a very dangerous game of tag, that is. On some days it does irritate him though; like pretty much everything, it depends on his mood. The other case in which he wouldn’t view escape attempts as a chance to play with his darling is if they try to ask anyone else to help them in their escape. In that case, Floyd would just be plainly angry, and his jealousy and possessiveness would come out very prominently. 

Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

Being Floyd’s darling is in general not a pleasant experience. It’s almost like walking on a very thin sheet of ice; if you manage to put one tiny crack in it, you fall into the icy water below. However, it is something that one can get used to, and there are other ways to make Floyd more docile. That being said, if his darling were to set his fuse, it’d be absolute hell. When he’s angry, Floyd doesn’t have good control over his actions, so it’s not unlikely for him to critically injure or maybe even kill his darling if they get him really mad.

Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

I don’t really see Floyd as a person who thinks about the future very much at all. He knows that right now he wants to stay with his darling, but he doesn’t know anything past that. He is generally a person who just goes with whatever is more enjoyable or attractive in the present moment, so he likely wouldn’t plan out a complicated future with his darling.

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

Yes, Floyd is very very jealous. If his darling talks to or hangs out with someone other than him or the people he trusts (Jade and Azul), he immediately gets jealous of that person. At times he may even show some jealousy towards Jade or Azul, but it’s always less intense than with others. How Floyd shows his jealousy really depends on his mood - sometimes he gets very whiny and clings to his darling, refusing to let go at all; and other times he lashes out either at the other person or sometimes even his darling, expressing his envy in physical or verbal violence. Either way, Floyd’s jealousy is easily visible from the outside, and he doesn’t really try to cope with it. He prefers making sure that his darling never talks to or looks at anyone but him. That solves things well!

Kisses: How do they act around or with their darling?

Clingy. Super clingy. As I mentioned before, Floyd is very physically affectionate, even in public. He’s also very possessive of his darling and will try to monopolize their time. Those are the constants, and the rest depends on his mood. At times he can be very lovey-dovey and sweet, and at other times he can be very verbally degrading and even violent. He’s also pretty sadistic in general, though the intensity of that depends on how he’s feeling at the moment. If he’s in a pleasant mood, the sadism doesn’t come out as much, but it is still there.

Love Letters: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?

Floyd isn’t the type to overthink things or make plans on how to approach people, so I imagine he’d just walk up to his darling and get in their face. From that day on, he’s an almost constant presence around them, hovering over them like a shadow. Despite that, he wouldn’t be the type to confess too early though. It may take a little while (and a lot of help from Jade) for him to sort out his emotions and figure out how he feels about his darling. Once he’s figured that out, he confesses casually. Again, he doesn’t overthink these types of things at all. He just goes for it. Whether or not they accept doesn’t matter anyway; they’re staying whether they like it or not.

Mask: Are their true colors drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

Not really. Floyd doesn’t hide his emotions in general, so the way he acts around others doesn’t differ too much from how he acts with his darling. One thing to note, though, is that Floyd is surprisingly patient with his darling, as long as they keep him happy. It’s a bit of an overlooked fact because he can still be rather cruel to them, but he will actually accept some things from them that would immediately set him off if anyone else did it. 

Naughty: How would they punish their darling?

Punishments with Floyd are mostly physical, including but not limited to painful bruises, deep bite marks, and choking. If his darling did something really bad, he may dislocate a joint or break a bone to put them in their place. He uses verbal threats as well, but those do not hold a candle to his physical punishments.

Oppression: How many rights would they take away from their darling?

Social interaction with others is a big thing that Floyd would limit. He doesn’t want to see his darling with anyone other than him. If it’s really necessary, he’d be okay with them talking to Jade or possibly Azul, but he’d prefer for them to not interact with any others at all. Other than that, I think Floyd is rather permissive, given that his darling listens to him most of the time. His first resort to keeping his darling in check is physical punishment, so he’s pretty confident that he doesn’t really need to take away freedoms to control them. In the case that they are being especially defiant, Floyd resorts to physical isolation, locking them away in a room that only he can enter.

Patience: How patient are they with their darling?

It depends on how his darling acts. If they are either boring him or making him angry often, Floyd has little patience with them. On the other hand, as I mentioned before, Floyd is surprisingly patient with his darling if they keep him happy. Also, even though he does give them pretty harsh physical punishments if they do anything to upset him, he waits some time before giving them any permanent injuries, and he’s also unlikely to kill them unless he snaps.

Quit: If their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?

The short answer is yes, but it wouldn’t happen particularly quickly. If Floyd lost his darling and was unable to bring them back, he would be more mentally unstable for a period of at least a few months. However, eventually he’d come to terms with the fact that he won’t be able to see them again, and he’d move on. That being said, he’d never truly forget about them, and would likely get more than a little sensitive if anyone were to mention them again.

Regret: Would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling? Would they ever let their darling go?

I don’t think Floyd feels much guilt in general about his obsessive/possessive behaviour. Yes, he knows it’s not normal, but he doesn’t really care enough to feel guilt about it. He’s just doing what he feels is right, so why should he worry about it? In the same vein, Floyd would be unlikely to let his darling go in any circumstance. If he wants them, he’ll keep them with him. End of story. The only scenario I can see Floyd feeling remorse in is if he killed or badly injured his darling in a fit of rage, but that’s only if he’s been with his darling for a long time and harbours a lot of affection for them.

Stigma: What brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

It’s his personality. Floyd is a person who experiences very deep and intense emotions, and I think that also includes love and obsession. Although he would originally fall for someone due to curiosity, the thing that keeps him interested is the intense way that he feels for his darling and the strong obsessive interest he has in them.

Tears: How do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?

Screaming and crying is totally fine for Floyd, even enjoyable in some cases. He can be pretty sadistic, so seeing his darling cry or protest during punishments or intimate situations would please him. However, if his darling were to isolate themselves or become unresponsive, that’s a totally different matter. Floyd would get frustrated very quickly, and if it goes on for long enough, he may even become bored of them. And making Floyd bored isn’t a good idea, because that means he’ll be careless, which can lead to very bad things for his darling.

Unique: Would they do anything different from the classic yandere?

I think that Floyd’s unpredictability and chaotic nature make him pretty different from the classic yandere. You never know how he’s going to react to something until he does, or unless you know him really well like Jade does. This makes it that much more difficult to be the object of his affection, because his darling needs to strike a very delicate balance to keep him happy; lest they endanger themselves by setting him off.

Vice: What weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?

To be honest, I’m not really sure Floyd has any sort of easily exploitable weakness like that. However, if his darling is particularly resourceful and is able to somehow find out how to control his mood swings, they can get him into a situation where escape might be possible. Though even then it is quite unlikely, and it’d take a lot of work to achieve.

Wit’s End: Would they ever hurt their darling?

Yes. Floyd is very casual about physical violence, not bothering to control his strength when giving his darling hugs or lovebites. As mentioned before, he also uses physical pain as a method of punishment. Despite that, he does actually control himself quite a bit if he’s really attached to his darling. He wouldn’t want to inflict any critical injuries unless necessary, and I can’t see him killing them in a state where he’s in control over his emotions and actions.

Xoanon: How much would they revere or worship their darling? To what length would they go to win their darling over?

Floyd isn’t much of a worshipper-type yandere, to be honest. He also wouldn’t go very far to win his darling over. They’re staying whether they like it or not, so how they feel about him doesn’t matter that much. Floyd would still appreciate it a lot if his darling returns his feelings, but he’d let that kind of thing happen naturally.

Yearn: How long do they pine after their darling before they snap?

The short answer is that he wouldn’t wait very long, but he also wouldn’t rush it. Floyd first needs enough time to make sure his interest in darling isn’t fleeting, and after that he needs to sort out his thoughts and emotions enough to figure out what it is he feels for them. Once he’s done doing that, he doesn’t wait any longer. 

Zenith: Would they ever break their darling?

Not intentionally. Floyd sees his darling as a source of entertainment, so he’s unlikely to break them on purpose because then they’d become boring. However, there is the chance that he snaps and does something drastic enough to severely affect the mental health of his darling (something like almost killing them, for example). If that ever happens, I think there’s a possibility that he’d be rather regretful about it, and would try his best to fix the situation.

[blindvogel]

The last part of the modern AU. Kamari and Emmrich deal with the fallout of the museum incident. (And I realize that I basically wrote Varric's Angels.) Either way, this was fun.

~~~

Just a piece in the game (Part 3 of 3) (Part 1 ) (Part 2)

Thankfully they finally come to a stop in front of a dark blue door set in one of the older buildings in the area and Emmrich pulls out a ring of keys to let them both in. She follows him up a set of stairs, cursing herself that she didn’t consider adding knee-pads to her general kit - she’d definitely be in far less pain now, and then through another door. Down a neat hallway, thick carpet on the floor that swallows any noise, and then finally into a cozy living room. Under different circumstances Kamari would be curious and look around but instead her eyes fall directly on the couch positioned at a perfect angle to the fireplace, and she makes a beeline for it.  “Sorry for the lack of decorum,” she sighs as she lowers herself onto the couch, relieved to finally get off her feet.  “No need to apologize. Please make yourself comfortable.” Emmrich hovers in the middle of the room for a moment before striding off through another doorway into an adjacent room. It gives Kamari the possibility to finally take a look around. Aside from the couch and the fireplace, his living room has several floor to ceiling bookshelves that are absolutely stuffed. If she were to check, she bets they are sorted both alphabetically and by topics. A real human skull sits on the mantelpiece. It probably has a name, like Manfred or something similar. 

At that moment Emmrich returns and she notices that he has divested himself of all the jewelry she is so used to seeing him with. She somehow never considered that they would come off, and it’s strangely intimate to see his arms and fingers bare. He sits down next to her on the couch, wearing an expression that she used to call his Professional Professor face.   “Let me take care of your injuries before I ask you more questions. It’s the least I should do given- given that I’m responsible for all of them.”  Ah. The quiet self-reproach in his voice tells her that the carefully neutral look on his face is only there to hide his concern from both of them.  He gestures at her knees first and Kamari notices that she has been absently rubbing them with her hands after she sat. With a small nod she pulls up the fabric of her trouser legs until it is bunched up above her knees, revealing bruises already blooming on both of them. She’s glad she won’t be able to see what her back looks like at the moment.  Gently he turns her towards him so that he can place both hands on her knees, palms pressed carefully to her bruised skin. Emmrich’s magic isn’t uncomfortable per se but Kamari still finds herself needing a distraction from the sensation before she thinks too hard about what it is that is setting her on edge. Or focuses too much on his face, the way his lips turn or his eyes soften when he looks down at her.

“What do you want to know?” she asks. After a moment of silence, he speaks up. “Was trying to steal the Disk really the only option? Is this what you do now?”  There is no judgment in his tone, or at least not yet. Kamari can understand that this is something that bothers him to think about given what she was doing before her life trajectory changed so drastically.  “Both you and I know that a newly discovered artifact of historical importance would never come up for sale, and that security at the Necropolis really needs improvement. Sometimes there are very few options that are more palatable.”  He sighs and nods as he pulls his hands away from her knees, sitting back.  “I wish it weren’t so.” “We both do. It’s not a part of the job I enjoy.” “But the outcome justifies the means?” His face is serious now as he regards her. Kamari shrugs lightly, immediately regrets the movement and winces. “No. There is quite a gap between justification and having to do it anyway because the alternative is worse.” They look at each other for a long moment before Emmrich’s eyes crinkle when he smiles.  “I’m glad you haven’t changed in the past years either,” he echoes her words from earlier. Then he adds, “Now turn around and let me look at your back.”

She does as she’s told, conscious to reposition her whole body rather than twisting around. Emmrich carefully takes off the jacket he had draped over her shoulders earlier, and Kamari sighs and pulls her shirt over her head. It hurts and when she sees the tear and burn in the fabric now lying over her knees she’s not surprised when she hears him inhale sharply. A second later it occurs to her that it might also have something to do with the wide expanse of skin she just exposed and the urge to just sink into the floor or combust with embarrassment hits her. “Damn, I liked that shirt,” she murmurs to distract herself, and maybe hopefully also him. Emmrich doesn’t respond for a moment and Kamari has to stop herself from turning around and inadvertently hurting herself and flashing him, more than she already has. Eventually she feels his palms on her back, hesitant at first and then more firmly pressed against her skin.  “I am so sorry, Kamari. This isn’t going to be pleasant.” It definitely doesn’t hurt as much as when the Veilfire whip had hit her but she still gasps in pain before pressing her lips together firmly while the skin on her back begins to knit together. After only a brief period of time that still feels like eons she hears soft words of encouragement and praise and focuses on those, willing herself not to think of the ache in her back.

“This won’t take long, I promise. You’re doing so well. Just another moment. Almost done. So well… you’re doing so well.” Then the pain fades into discomfort and finally just the warmth of Emmrich’s hands on her back remains. She lets out a shaky breath.  “Well done, my dear.” Kamari doesn’t reply. She doesn’t know how. But he doesn’t seem to notice, thankfully, and continues on still in that same soft voice as his hands gently move to her side to lay on her bruised ribs. “I wish I could have helped instead of getting you-” “Emmrich, don’t,” she interrupts him sharply. “I’d much rather it be me than you.” Silence follows those words and equal parts of her want to see his face and are glad that she’s got her back to him.  “I’d much rather it be me than you as well. I fear we are at an impasse here.”  Oh why must he be so- so infuriatingly sweet, reminding her of what she had been sad to leave behind when she departed Nevarra.  “Close your eyes,” she says. “Pardon?” “Close your eyes, Emmrich. Please.” She lets a second pass before first turning her head, then fully turning around when she sees he has his eyes closed, hands folded in his lap. There’s a furrow in his brow and his lips are pressed together as if he’s holding back from saying something. So before she worries herself out of acting on her instinct, Kamari leans forward and wraps her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into an embrace. She feels him lock up for just a moment, hears his breath hitch. Then his arms wind around her, tentatively at first and then firmly until she’s pulled against him.

Neither of them speaks while the moment settles in around them, warm and comfortable and somehow familiar despite being new. Kamari leans her head against his and feels his chin settle on her shoulder.  “With the Disk gone you have no reason to stay any longer, am I correct?” he finally asks quietly.  She really wishes it were different but he has the right of it. It was never the plan to stay beyond a day or two at most and with her mission a failure… “I have to report back and then we’ll likely attempt to figure out what to do about the situation, if we can. I’m sorry I can’t stay.” He hums thoughtfully in response and falls silent again. As the stress of the night finally starts to drain from her body it also leaves her tired, her eyelids drooping. She should try to get a few hours of sleep if possible. Both of them should. “Can I trouble you for one of your shirts?”  He clears his throat. “Ah. Yes. Of course… my eyes are closed.” Kamari smiles as she pulls away even if he cannot see it and returns to her previous position with her back to him, pulling her ruined shirt to her chest.

“You can open them,” she lets him know and then hears him get up and walk out of the room. There is the muffled noise of a drawer being opened and then closed and then his footsteps return. She feels the brush of fabric against her shoulder and reaches over to accept it gratefully. It’s too big for her, of course. When she pulls the shirt over she has to push the sleeves up before she can close a handful of buttons to attain some form of decency.  When she stands and turns, Emmrich is a few paces away with his back to her. Ever the gentleman. A blanket is in his hands and Kamari already knows what he is about to suggest, and she is not having any of it. She crosses the distance between them in quick strides and takes the blanket from his hands before he can react. Emmrich spins around to face her as she presses the blanket to her chest and smiles. He sighs. “You’re not going to let me be a good host, are you?” he asks, a little exasperated.  “I’m not taking your bed from you.” She wouldn’t be able to sleep but he doesn’t need to know that. “You’ll still be here in the morning?” He tries to sound casual but she can tell that this is the crux of the issue. She had not realized that it had mattered this much to him. Perhaps she should have.  “I promise, Emmrich. I will see you in the morning.”  He nods and finally his lips tug into a tiny smile. “Good night, Kamari.” When he is gone back into his room, she pulls off her boots and sock and curls up on the couch. So many things happened tonight that she doesn’t even try to process them, it would keep her up until the morning. Instead she closes her eyes and focuses on her breathing like Harding had taught her and moments later she’s fast asleep.

Kamari is awoken by an insistent knocking on the apartment door and sits up, rubbing her eyes groggily as Emmrich rushes past her, in the process of throwing a robe over his pajamas as he heads for the door. Of course he wears a robe, she thinks and smiles to herself. From her position on the couch she cannot see into the hallway, which also means she cannot be seen. However she can hear voices. Two, aside from Emmrich. Police officers informing Emmrich about the break-in into the museum - and his exhibition specifically. Emmrich’s voice is too low for her to understand what he is saying but she can hear in his tone that he’s nervous.  Kamari chides herself for not preparing him for this possibility and quickly gets off the couch. He needs an intervention before the cops get suspicious.  She takes off her trousers and tousles her hair, opens enough buttons to strategically pull his shirt off a shoulder and takes a deep breath. Then she puts on a sleepy smile and pads down the corridor, sliding into the doorway next to Emmrich and wrapping an arm around his waist. 

There are indeed two officers outside his door both of whom turn to look at her and she gives them a cheeky smile.  “Is everything alright?” she asks, keeping her voice light and airy. She can practically see the thoughts in their head form as they take her in - Emmrich’s shirt and seemingly only that, her hair just enough of a mess, voice sleepy - and draw exactly the conclusion that she wants them to get to, entirely explaining Emmrich’s behavior.  “No need to worry, miss. It’s just a routine visit, we had to inform the Professor about an occurrence in the museum. We shall leave you to your morning.”  Kamari gives them the slyest smile. “Why thank you. You have a wonderful day too, officers.” They depart and Emmrich closes the door at which point she releases her hold on him and steps back.  “Sorry, I should have prepared you for that. Clearly they don’t think you are involved but I should have- Emmrich? Are you listening?” He is looking at her with a carefully blank expression and she needs a second before she catches on. “Oh. Sorry. Give me a second.”  She retreats into the living room and quickly pulls on her pants, righting the shirt and buttoning it up before pulling her hair into a loose bun. When she notes that Emmrich has followed her, she sends him another apologetic smile. 

“It’s not that I- don’t appreciate it but a word of warning next time would not go amiss so I can act the part.” He doesn’t look upset or flustered, there’s just that look again that she can’t place. Kamari shakes her head and laughs. “No, I think that went quite well.” At that he walks over to her and takes her hand in both of his, lifts it up to his lips. A kiss, pressed softly to her knuckles, then a second one as he holds her gaze with his. She feels a little bit like her spirit has just left her body, just a little faint. “Let me just get dressed. I assume you want to leave before they decide to come back after all.” She can only nod and watch him walk back into his bedroom. The many layers of Emmrich Volkarin. Kamari shakes herself into moving after a moment and finishes getting dressed herself, putting on her boots, tucking his shirt in and into place so that it looks far more intentional rather than just borrowed. By the time she has tidied up after herself - she’s a good guest, or aspires to be at least - Emmrich returns, dressed and with a carpet bag in hand. She blinks. “You- you want to come-?” Her voice doesn’t want to obey her. “I want to help. You said you’ll need to follow up on the artifact and- well, clearly you need someone to patch you up given the apparent dangers-” He doesn’t get much further into his little speech that he had clearly prepared just like the bag, as Kamari crosses the room and pulls him down by the lapels of his coat and kisses him. She should have done that sooner, should have done so many things sooner but she’s not going to waste this chance now. A heartbeat later there is a thud of the bag hitting the floor and Emmrich’s arms are around her again as he reciprocates the kiss.  She pulls away after a moment, fighting a smile in a losing battle with herself, and has to clear her throat. “Okay, let’s go then.”

She leads him in a slightly roundabout way to her hiding hole where her own bag is stashed, and where an Eluvian is waiting. His hand firmly in hers she leads him through, into a stone room and to Varric’s voice echoing in greeting from a little speaker. “Oh Rook, you’re back. And you brought help. That’s good, we need all the help that we can get. Come up. Bellara made breakfast, and we can start the briefing.” “Rook?” Emmrich looks at her quizzically. She shrugs. “In the grand scheme of things I am just a piece in the game.”