#the cheetah people seem interesting

[2boldlyqueer]

i'm trying to get work done but there's this panic attack that i'm beating back that's creeping around, pls stop

[hxney-lemcn]

When You Nerd Out (Biology Edition) — Overblots x gn! reader

summery: the overblots find out you're more of a nerd than they realized...

tw: mentions of bugs (not really but I digress), mentions of arachnids (literally just the name of one lol), mentions of reptiles (idk maybe people are scared of them), mentions of snakes.

a/n: a reptile show is happening soon and I've been looking into so many reptiles/invertebrates/amphibians I had to get this out of my system somehow. What better way then to ramble to fictional characters? (Help me)

wc: 1.2k (~180 per character)

Master List

❥ Riddle Roseheart

When Riddle first met you, you were downtrodden, having just been thrown into a new world filled with magic and flair that yours didn’t. Your grades weren’t the best (but far from the worst), and you always seemed tired no matter what. So when your eyes lit up when he showed you the flamingo and hedgehog cages/pens he was surprised at the amount of facts that spilled from your lips. From how flamingos get their color to how hedgehogs are carnivores. Or how you could even ramble on about flowers and plants, like how tea garden roses are the most short lived species. From then on, Riddle would come to you for even the smallest of things. Did you want to feed the animals with him? This rose bush is wilting, are there any tips to bring it back? Do you know the meaning behind the colors of roses? No particular reason for that last question…just don’t question the bouquet of white and red roses mixed with baby’s breath that show up on your doorstep the next day.

❥ Leona Kingscholar

It was hard not to notice when you seemed to be on the brink of exploding. How you’d stare at awe in Leona’s presence, as you should. But your eyes would always wander to his ears, teeth, tail, nails. It got to a point that he felt like you were mentally dissecting him. It was his downfall to growl out a short “what”, as you started to pile on questions to the beastman prince. “Are your nails sharper than a humans?”, “How much better can you hear?”, “Does your tail help you balance?” All Leona could do was stare at you with boredom. Who knew his herbivore was a nerd? He supposes he could humor you for a little bit. Press his sharp nails lightly into your skin, a teasing smile as he asks if you’d like a test. Perhaps a nibble to show you how well his canines work? It all goes awry when you start taking interest in other beastmen, who cares about the cheetah or leopard bestmen when you have a lion prince right here?

❥ Azul Ashengrotto

Azul never thought twice about where he’s come from. He’s seen many kinds of merpeople, many kinds of fish or crustaceans or sharks. But he knew land dwellers didn’t have that, which is why he has the giant aquarium in his lounge. He got used to the awed expressions as well, more focused on swindling the poor souls. So when your jaw dropped and how you clearly restrained yourself from running up to the giant aquarium, Azul felt giddy. He could offer you something most couldn’t. He’d watch as you’d point out a fish or ray that you saw and explain how much you loved the color or how magnificent it looked. When you brought up how smart you thought octopi are, it was over. His heart couldn’t take it. You know he was an octopus merperson right? You were basically complimenting him without realizing it. He couldn’t get over how you stared in wonder at the blue ringed octopus that was waving back at you. And oh sevens you were giggling at it? He wasn’t getting jealous over another octopus, no way…

❥ Jamil Viper

Jamil noticed the excited look in your eyes when you learned his last name was Viper, but nothing had happened at the time. It wasn’t until Kalim had you rambling about animals did Jamil realize just how much you seemed to love snakes. How you named your favorite in a heartbeat to how you scrutinized the ones you looked into as pets. It wasn’t until Kalim started to offer to buy you all those snakes and more did he have to step in. Yet Jamil felt flustered when your gaze landed on him, your eyes that had been filled with fondness while rambling about snakes had only seemed to get brighter when looking at him. Reluctantly, Jamil let you drag him to a reptile show, something Kalim had pushed him to do. For his own sanity, Jamil ignored the giant pouch of money Kalim tried to stealthily hand you, instead, focusing on your awed expression at the variety of animals. He couldn’t help but watch the snakes in awe with you, and when you asked him if he wanted to help you set up an enclosure for one…who was he to say no?

❥ Vil Schoenheit

Vil is a busy man. With photo and movie shoots to interviews to taking care of himself, there isn’t much time to stop and smell the roses. But with you, he tries to make time, and it's like a breath of fresh air every time. It was nice to sit outside and bask in the sun (with sunscreen of course) and talk with you. Something had clearly caught your eye when you dropped from the bench to scoop something off the ground. Vil thought he knew you well enough…apparently not. He hadn’t expected to see you shove a rolly polly, pill bug, potato bug, whatever you want to call them into his face…okay maybe he’s exaggerating. You held the little thing far enough away that it wasn’t all too startling. He swore he never saw you so excited about something, or how you rambled that they weren’t bugs, but crustaceans that live on land. The way you gently held the critter to how fondly you looked at the curled up thing made Vil’s heart flutter. You always seemed to find beauty in things most would shudder at. How odd.

❥ Idia Shroud

Idia had no idea how you managed, but you had convinced him to get a plant. You had called it a zz plant, and thought it would be perfect to liven his room up as it didn’t need direct sunlight. He watched the plant as it sat next to a grow light, it needed something since he didn’t have any windows. The dark purple leaves were pretty, you were right. As much as he tried to keep up with watering, he would forget, but Ortho seemed to have it covered. When little leaves started sprouting, Idia felt proud, a weird feeling he wasn’t used to. When you came over and saw how well it was doing you beamed. That stupid fluttery feeling filled him as you praised him, not to mention it mixing with feeling proud. Not a good combo, as now he was thinking of asking you if there’s any other plant you may recommend, just to get you rambling once more about different plants that could thrive in his little cave of a room.

❥ Malleus Draconia

Although Malleus loves to hear your voice, you always seem content to hear him ramble. The way your eyes watched intently, trying to find what he was pointing out on a gargoyle, or how you’d ask questions about the differences of a gargoyle and grotesque. At first, he was concerned when you gasped, had you gotten hurt somehow? Yet he found you excitedly pointing out a house gecko that stood near the gargoyle he was talking about. He watched you in awe as your eyes glittered, and how you were basically jumping up and down. Then you started going on about geckos, reptiles, and all sorts of odd things people keep as pets. The way you basically swooned at the thought of owning a crested gecko or a crocodile skink, Malleus was ready to hand you all the money you needed. He is the best and worst, as he’ll never tell you no and fund your hobby till your heart’s content. Just make sure to pay attention to him too, yeah? Unlike skinks or tarantula’s, he likes your affection. Plus, he’s the best reptile of them all, no? He’d gladly show you his dragon form.

[lis-likes-fics]

The Sound of His Voice

Pairings: Spencer Reid x agent!Reader Word Count: 3k words Warnings: Descriptions of crime scenes/vague gore, mentions of death and murder, standard Criminal Minds stuff, fluff otherwise... A/N: I started watching CM a while ago and now I can't stop so enjoy this. There will be more, I dunno when. (Should I be working on my months-in-progress-wips? Yes, I absolutely should. Am I? Mostly. I'm trying my best)

Morgan rubs his temple, digging his fingers into the side of his forehead as he shakes his head. Tapping his pen on the desk, he tosses down his file. “But here's what I don't get,” he says, drawing the attention of the rest of the team. “If the unsub thinks of his victims as prey, even going as far as to torture the victim, why go through all the trouble of tucking them into bed?”

Hotch looks back at the picture in his own hands, where he had been analyzing the scene for the hundredth time in search of something he missed the first hundred. He shrugs, “Tucking them in can usually indicate signs of remorse.”

JJ motions to the pictures. “Yeah, but look at this guy. Does this look remorseful to you?”

You lift a shoulder, leaning back in your seat and crossing your arms. “Could be a second unsub.”

You are a relatively new addition to the team. It was your fifth case with them, but they already treated you like part of the team, like family. It was easy to sink into the ebb and flow of everything, especially when they trust your skills and instincts and let you know when you're doing something wrong so you know not to do it again.

But this case was difficult. Your unsub had a strange profile: an organized, white male, with surgical experience and the MO reminiscent of a cat. He kills men and women alike, and the only connection between his victims have been their smaller statures.

The age range itself was too wide, though there was a slight reoccurrence of ages between 25 and 35. But it was still too wide, either way, not enough to work with.

He ties up and tortures them before finally ending their lives with strangulation. He uses his bare hands to get the job done, which makes him a sexual sadist. As if that wasn't enough, he carves out the victim’s heart after death and takes it as a trophy.

He shows plenty of psychopathic characteristics, but he also fits the profile of a sociopath, so it's hard to make anything stick. His MO suggests a lack of empathy and guilt, but the bed-tucking… You always lose him with the bed-tucking…

Morgan shakes his head a little, humming. “But we already ruled out multiple unsubs,” he says. You nod gently. “Besides, if this guy is mimicking the hunting habits of a cat, he would hunt alone, wouldn't he?”

Reid’s head perks up. He points a pen in Morgan's direction as he shakes his head. “Actually, no.” He licks his lips, and he's grabbed your attention like a siren to a sailor. “It's a very common misconception that cats are loners, but it's untrue. Cats prefer the companionship of others just as much as a human being would.”

You lean toward him a bit across the table, watching him as he speaks, his hands moving to illustrate his words as he does. “People often think, because of their aloof nature, that they like to be left alone or actually despise the presence of other people, including their owners or other cats—which is why people believe them to be low maintenance creatures. But they are just as social as, say, a dog. Actually, it's interesting, big cats like lions, or sometimes even cheetahs, hunt in packs to take down larger prey. Domestic cats–”

“Reid,” Morgan interrupts, making a cutting motion with his hand to his neck.

Your eyes turn back to Spencer, who seems to retreat in on himself a bit as he gives an apologetic smile and a small nod. “Sorry,” he says, pulling his lips in a wide smile.

You set a hand on the table, shaking your head. “No, keep going. That was interesting.”

Spencer looks at you with these eyes that seem to shine. Your heart feels fonder, warmer, at the sight of him.

“We really don't have time to go through all of this,” Hotch says, his tone final.

“I mean,” you continue. Since joining the team, you've grown a certain affinity toward Spencer and his genius mind. Every time he's gone on his tangents, you've become enchanted by the words coming out of his mouth like he's put some sort of spell over you. You lift a shoulder, gesturing toward him. “If this guy is basing his MO off the hunting patterns of cats, we should…know everything we need to know about them, right?”

Hotch looks at you, his face hard and unreadable. You're unsure if he's considering your proposal or just trying to intimidate you. But then he sighs, his crossed arms loosening a little as he turns to Spencer.

“Reid?”

Spencer looks between you and Hotch, relenting hesitantly as he starts off slow. “Well…I was going to say domestic cats are solitary hunters but sociable creatures.” He picks up his normal speed once more, “They can be very affectionate, especially toward their owners and other cats within their households. They're also one of the only types of cats who play with their prey before killing them, which could be a reason this unsub tortures his victims so extensively in his murders.”

“Wait…” Prentiss says, catching all of your attentions. “You said ‘affectionate toward their owners’.”

“Yeah,” Spencer nods.

She waves her hands gently, “How do cats show affection for their owners?”

Spencer shrugs, “Um, bunting, purring, some scratch, sometimes they leave offerings, like dead rodents, around the house–”

“Right there!” Prentiss exclaims. “They leave offerings.”

You sit up, “The hearts.”

Hotch’s dark brows furrow. “You're saying this unsub is taking the hearts as an offering to someone else?”

Spencer thinks over that, nodding. “It's possible.”

JJ sighs. “But that still doesn't explain why we wouldn't have identified a second unsub earlier.”

Spencer holds out a hand, pointing with his pen. “Actually, it could. You see, cats also have the tendency to mimic the people they hold affection for. We might not have noticed a second MO because the submissive unsub may be mimicking the dominant one.”

“Or learning from him,” Morgan says.

“Learning?” Hotch asks.

Morgan glances around, “Well, if we're sticking so close to this cat thing, older cats often nurture the young and teach them to hunt.” He shrugs, “We could be looking at…brothers? Older and younger?”

“Or lovers,” JJ suggests. She points to a picture, the image of a chest carefully carved open to reveal a missing heart. “If the hearts are offerings, it could be a Valentine.”

“And the bed-tucking?” you ask.

Hotch picks up the picture of one of the victims, “safely” and securely tucked into bed…put to sleep. “Well, if the hearts are offerings for a lover, this unsub is sentimental. He could feel some type of sympathy or guilt for the victim and want to ‘put them to sleep’ after the torture.” He studies the image, a flash of unease behind his eyes that you know all too well. He sets it down.

“Okay, so how do we find them?” Prentiss asks, clicking her pen before setting it down to begin a definitive course of action.

Spencer points to yet another picture. “Look at these injuries. These incisions are surgical,” he clarifies. “So the dominant is a doctor or a—a veterinarian, which can be implied through his intimate knowledge of cats’ behaviors.”

“And the submissive might work under him as a nurse or an assistant,” you continue, adding on to his clever insight. He glances over at you, smiling almost giddily at your understanding.

Hotch turns to Morgan. “Do you think that's enough to work with?”

Morgan thinks for a moment, his shrug melding into a nod as he turns back to Hotch. “To fit in with the rest of the profile,” he hums, “I'd say so.”

“Okay.” Hotch nods firmly. “We'll present the profile ASAP. Morgan, get Garcia to search for any vets in the area with any records of assault charges.” He says this all while taking long strides toward the door, his red tie bouncing slightly with his movements.

Prentiss follows him with her gaze as he exits. “You think the unsub is aggressive?”

He turns briefly. “Look at the bruising on the neck. The torture alone is an indicator of anger and frustration, but the way the victim was strangled suggests force. Much more than necessary just to crush a windpipe. He's an organized killer with a lot of rage. If he moves more along the lines of a sociopath, our best guess is he's had some kind of trouble with the law at some point in his life,” he concludes. Glancing aside, he speaks again, a little more firmly. “Morgan.”

“On it,” he says, his phone already ready to contact Garcia on speed dial.

“And Reid,” Hotch says, focusing his hard stare on the younger agent.

He stiffens, straightening his back and awaiting his response. “Yes?”

There's a pause as Hotch examines him silently. With a single nod, he says, “Good work.”

He glances at you. A nod.

You nod back.

Hotch leaves in a hurry, and your gaze immediately and instinctively flicks to Spencer. He smiles at you, turning away as though he was shyly hiding that same smile.

~

There were two unsubs: a surgical veterinarian and his nurse. You caught them just in time, just as that knife was gleaming in the golden light of the lamps swinging above the three bodies down in the basement of the submissive unsub’s house.

And now you soared 40,000 feet above the ground with another killer put away for good.

Everyone's in their own spirit, placing you across the aisle from JJ and Spencer in their own booths, a crochet set in your lap as you continue one of your projects. Emily's eyes linger on JJ, watching the crease of her brow as she studies case files.

“What are you thinking about?” she asks, setting her book to the side to shift her attention. Derek darts his eyes up from his own book, lifting his brow as he does it.

JJ looks up, breathing in and lifting her shoulder in a half shrug. “I don't know about you,” she says, “but I know that if I got an actual human heart on Valentine's Day, me and my alleged partner would have some serious issues.”

Snorts and chuckles lift from multiple places among the seats, heads shaking and attentions shifting back to their own activities.

But as soon as you hear the first lilt of Spencer's voice, like clockwork, you're a fish on a hook.

“Actually,” he begins, “if we were set back thousands of years, that would not be a very unusual occurrence.” He licks his lips quickly, “You see, Valentine's Day’s origins actually go back to a festival called Lupercal, or Lupercalia. The festival was in itself a very violent and sexually charged affair that lasted roughly three days—from the 13th to the 15th—set in Rome. Its traditions were carried out in two separate locations, firstly–”

“Alright,” JJ rises to her feet, her eyes wide in annoyance as she closes her case file in a large announcement to Spencer. “I'm getting coffee. Do you want anything?”

Spencer purses his lips, that same wide, apologetic grin covering his face as he leans back in his seat and shakes his head. “Uh, no. All good here.”

She nods, turning to walk away, “Great.”

You watch JJ leave, your eyes fall back upon Spencer, who's pulling his book back into his palms to turn his focus back on the pages. His eyes flit over the words at lightning speed, absorbing the information and moving to the next.

Taking your crochet set in your hands, you stand and plop down in JJ’s old spot. Spencer's eyes darts up to you, glancing between you and his book as you set your stuff down and readjust your yarn.

Beginning again, you nod toward him. “You were saying?”

Spencer, his eyes wide and confused and his lips parted in wonder and his cheeks a little pink, stares at you. After remembering he had to respond, he sputters in an attempt to.

“Uh, it's-it's really not that…interesting,” he mumbles, trailing off at the end as he sets his book down, his fingertips pressing against the edge of the desk between the both of you.

“Well,” you look up at him, setting your elbow on the table and tucking your first underneath your chin, “I was very interested.”

His Adam's apple bobs when he swallows. His lips form the word before it comes out of his mouth. “You were?”

You nod, “Mhm.”

Looking at him for a moment—just looking at him for a moment—you take in the pretty sight of his bewildered expression, fascination and confusion and excitement crossing his face in a flurry of emotion.

You move your elbow from the table and pick up your hook, nodding toward him before training your eyes on your work again as you await his words. “Firstly?” you prompt.

Scrambling to organize his thoughts, Spencer nods. As the words form in his brain, he smiles as he thrusts himself into another rant, speaking a little softer so as not to aggravate the rest of the team.

“Well, firstly, the uh— The-the first location was in a cave called Lupercus—named after the Roman fertility god that the celebration was dedicated to—and the second is a public meeting place called the Comitium.”

You tilt your head toward him, smiling a little. “Like the word ‘committee’.”

“Exactly like the word ‘committee’,” he beams.

Your attention, as hard as you tried to split it, becomes entirely caught up in Spencer as you forget about your project and focus your gaze entirely on him. You set your arms on the table separating you and watch as he speaks, your smile definitely too love-sick to be a hint anymore. He seems to lean in closer.

“So how did Lupercalia become Valentine's Day?” you wonder aloud.

“Well,” he starts, prompting a larger grin from you, “in the late 5th century A.D., Pope Gelasius I eliminated it and declared February 14th a day to celebrate the martyrdom of Saint Valentine instead—although it's highly unlikely he intended the day to commemorate love and passion as it is celebrated now. In fact, some modern biblical scholars warn Christians not to celebrate Valentine's Day at all, due to its Pagan roots and rituals.”

You hum, your eyes taking glances at the stretch of his skin over his fingers and the way they move when he speaks.

“Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?” you ask gently, speaking slowly.

His hands fall back down to his lap, and he shakes his head as he straightens his posture a bit. “Well…I don't usually have anyone to celebrate it with, so… No, not really.”

Feeling the shyness slipping into your veins, you set your hands on the table and let your fingers slowly inch toward him, staring at them inside of his eyes. You don't want to see the rejection if it lives there, in his eyes.

You speak slowly, emphasizing every syllable. “Would you like to have someone to celebrate it with?”

He swallows thickly, letting one hand lift onto the table, still close to him but building up courage to maybe meet you in the middle. “Like…” he clears his throat quietly. “Like you?”

You offer a right smile, finally flicking your eyes up to meet his and feeling giddy at the light blush on his cheeks, the nervous wideness of his gaze. “I promise no actual hearts.”

You watch him, and again…his eyes, his Adam's apple, his cheeks, his lips. “Uh…yeah,” he stutters. “Yeah, sure. I'll be your…your Valentine.”

You smile, a wide smile that splits your face in two. Spencer's own grin follows suit. Looking past you, he catches the eyes of Derek, who smirks and offers a cheesy thumbs up, proud of him for securing you as he did.

His gaze falls back to you when you begin to speak, your voice just as song-ish to him as his is to you. You're both equally as infatuated as the other. “You know,” you trail off slowly, “supposedly, Saint Valentine might be so commonly associated with our day of love because there are rumors that he used to perform secret weddings against the wishes of the authorities in the third century.”

He nods slowly, his brows furrowed slightly. “Yes, that's right…” Licking his bottom lip, he speaks again. “You already knew all that stuff about Lupercalia, didn't you?”

You smile, your face squished a bit as you raise your hands and close your thumb and forefinger close together. “Maybe a little,” you whisper. But then you shrug and just keep looking at him. “But I like listening to you talk.”

Spencer suddenly doesn't think you're real, but he isn't about to question it if you aren't. There's someone who enjoys his tangents. He isn't going to jeopardize that.

“Oh,” is all he says.

With your crocheting long forgotten, you lean forward on the table and give him every ounce of attention in your mind. With a fond smile on your lips and a twinkle in your eye, you rest your chin on your folded hands. “You should tell me about…” you pause, thinking, before you smile curls even more, “bees.”

His brows lift as he nods. “Okay, well,” he starts, “did you know the first civilization to practice widespread, organized beekeeping was the Ancient Egyptians, who began beekeeping around 2,500 BCE?”

Your brows lift in fascination. You shake your head, “No, I didn't.”

His smile grows. “Well…”

For the remainder of the flight, Spencer talks and talks and talks, his voice quiet and meant solely for you as he talks about whatever you want: bees and wine and marbles and Halloween. He keeps smiling at you, as you keep smiling at him. Somewhere along the way, he officially asks you on a date, and you both get off the jet together to get a cup of coffee.

You love the way he talks.

Criminal Minds taglist: ... Tag yourself here...

[sunderwight]

Not to theorize on Arcane with only three episodes left to go or anything, but I do think that there's a reason why the scenes we get of Viktor where he's actually acting like his old self, with Sky also acting reasonably human, are in some kind of theater of the mind/magical space/etc, rather than just Viktor in-person talking to Hallucination Sky in his shimmer dome or something.

Like, think about it. The first few scenes we have of Viktor post-cocoon, he sees Sky as a hallucination in physical reality, and it's disjointed and an obvious sign that something has gone Wrong. It's creepy, and weird. He's got one foot in physical reality and one somewhere else (and it's styled very differently from Jinx's hallucinations, too, which handily indicates that this is not the same sort of thing).

But then, after Jayce returns and we see that Viktor has established his cult, his personality seems to be entirely contained within this otherworldly space. He can perceive reality, but it's no longer overlapping. He has become somewhat quarantined from himself, with Sky there as well, acting way more like "herself" than she did as a hallucination before but also essentially chaperoning Viktor's consciousness. Like a golden retriever put in with a zoo cheetah to keep it calm.

What's interesting is that, internal Viktor is pretty much the usual Viktor he's been since S1, more or less. Like, that's definitely Viktor, who worries about Jayce and focuses on complex problems and wants to help people. But in-person Viktor is weirder. He's not a completely different guy by any means, but he doesn't emote the way that the internal Viktor does, and he says more weird shit in weird tones. Based on the decisions he ultimately makes, I think the internal Viktor is still calling the shots -- but I also think that he's increasingly on his way out.

He's been disconnected from his own physical reality by several degrees, observing it more than interacting with it. And though he sees that there's another influence on Jayce, there are heavy hints (such as Sky appearing right when he says that) that he's in the same boat. But because the process is happening gradually, and is happening within him, he can't recognize it. Every time he tries to, he is presented with a new distraction, or discussion, or there is a reassuring concession that seems to validate that he's still in control. Plus it's probably just difficult to perceive because it does seem to be basing a lot of its outlook on things off of his own. How do you discern the "wrongness" in something when it's the same flavor of wrong that you yourself tend to be?

It's difficult from the outside to definitively say whether this is just Viktor undergoing some funky character development, or if Viktor's another victim of something else. Maybe Viktor's just sequestering his own humanity a bit? Maybe it's all just intended to depict how he navigates through magical energy?

But I think another big indication that it's not just Viktor, is Salo. When Jayce comes back and asks if Salo's still in there after Viktor talks through him, Salo just calmly reasserts himself, and acts as if the idea that he's being forcefully subjugated is absurd. He's not being attacked or imprisoned, he's just engaged in a willing partnership with a benevolent power. If we didn't know what he was like before, or if the old Salo had been a very calm and altruistic individual to being with, it might even be convincing. But the disconnect is way more obvious here because the character we met in past episodes is way further removed from the serene cultist we see Jayce smash with his big hammer. We know that even a grateful Salo is not the kind of person who is going to put on a beige tunic, forgo his many vices and fancy parties, and join a commune just to thank his benefactor. No matter how happy he was to have his legs back, it would only be because it got him his life back -- he wouldn't want to regain his mobility just to up and abandon that life.

Outwardly it would seem that the thing that has subverted Salo's will is Viktor. But if Viktor is also being gradually quarantined, if the same thing is happening to him, then that further implies that another will is at play. One that is disguising itself as Viktor, or if you will as an evolution of Viktor.

Okay and now to actually theorized I guess -- I think that this might be where Singed's assertions about Warwick/Vander being a necessary component of Viktor's evolution will come into play. Because Viktor himself is not going to sacrifice a man to achieve that, but whatever else is part of Viktor does want to evolve. And then it just so happens that Jayce comes out of nowhere, ostensibly being controlled or influenced by something else, and shoots Viktor dead. At which point it seems like the human part of Viktor goes out, and the Machine Evolution guy fully supplants him.

Yeah, I kind of think that Jayce did do a bad thing, but that the twist will be that when he touched the arcane, "Viktor" showed him a vision or gave him some kind of time travel-y experience that convinced him he had to go back and destroy him, so that Jayce would unwittingly kill the only thing holding it back before Viktor finished helping Vander, probably ran out of juice and died in the process, and quietly took this thing out with him. It would, unfortunately, be very on-brand for Jayce to take a decisive and violent action to try and prevent catastrophe, only to unintentionally make it worse. This show on the whole has stuck to the idea that shooting your big flashy magic weapon at a thing is a great way to make a complicated problem much much worse.

I'm not sure they'd break the pattern for this one.

[batbabydamian]

The Boy Wonder #2 by Juni Ba rambling about Gotham's fearsome hunter

added Jason to this issue's collage since it was mainly from his perspective!

ramble for issue #1 here!

starting with the cover again, but now in contrast to the first:

Dick and Barbara are presented as statues in the bg for the first cover where they’re established heroes in a secure time in their lives, and Damian is obviously the highlight! For #2's cover, the autumn leaves motif returns, but this time featuring Jason!! Apparently, Damian isn’t the only one to go through a “season of change” in this series, as Jason takes his own steps forward by the end of this story 🥺 also the literal layers on Jason - his angry Red Hood helmet and the beaten down Robin head...

The issue opens with Joe the robber and his hostage "Merle"! The glasses feels like a giveaway that this is Carrie(??) narrating Damian's story, so the final issue could end with her perspective for where Damian currently is in his journey as Robin and where she plays a part.

Jason as the "hunter" of this fairytale is such a cool concept, especially upon his introduction pages!! He's surrounded by his recent "prey" with a nice contrast of their fancy jackets, pinstripe pants, and dress shoes to Jason's own tattered hoodie, pants, and sneakers.

Just like the past issue (or just Ba's work in general lol), THE BACKGROUNDS ARE SO LOVINGLY DRAWN. Makes Jason's stroll through inner Gotham so enjoyable from the bustling activity of the people, shop signs, and advertising to the quieter area of the cemetery. It's so lived in, especially feels like each citizen in the bg has a story to tell!

some bits of interest to me: is that scaly lil arm reaching for the rat supposed to be Croc LOL; just neat visual of old Joker posters leering over Jason; the name of the cemetery a nod to Kevin Conroy? and from T. Wayne - Thomas Wayne?

Despite showing how much of an intimidating and hardened exterior the Red Hood has, there's plenty of suggestion that he has soft edges! from his act of revenge for a beloved member of the community, his familiarity with the people even greeting him, and down to his chocobar...

might be my overthinking but the layers of that close up shot of the chocobar really got me 😭 it's like such a piece of innocence when seen in his scarred hand, especially when "Wayne Sweets" is visible - is it more emphasis of Jason clinging to a safer time and Bruce Wayne himself?? or is this brand just his favorite lil treat

EITHER WAY, incredibly funny to me Jason seems to hide it once Damian shows up

Seeing Ba's storyboards has me even more curious about his process with O'Halloran - like, it's a small detail but the traffic light in the foreground being red! added emphasis on the red theme this issue, or a warning for these two to Stop heading into a trap? ANYWAY DAMIAN HESITANTLY ASKING ABOUT HIS MOTHER I'M THROWING UP AWWGH

also love critically acclaimed animated film "The Cheetah King" haha! ALTHOUGH, Jason's story does line up with Simba's - a lost prince that feels like he's failed his father. Even believed to be dead for a period of time lol

Rok the demon's design is so slick!! Seems to take after a peacock with how fanciful he is, plus his tail details in his other form! A dapper demon definitely ready for the gala!

A GLIMPSE OF BA'S HEAVIER ACTION ART!! THE POUNCE!! the Robins being entirely made up of motion lines, even the details for Jason's helmet; and i'm always a sucker for those light streaks from the eyes!! THE PUNCH!! the quick panel of Jason's fist before arcing into that POW!!

and i say a glimpse, because in just the two other books i've read from Ba so far, he draws so much more action. lil Monkey Meat promo BUT LOOK!! have i mentioned how much i love his sfx lettering...that "AAAH" getting motion lines when closer to the camera...crazy...

dropping another small element from one of his books, Djeliya! just a really cool visual of casting magic!!

I love this sequence leading up to the Joker vision! The shapely flames that dwindle into the shape of TEARS!! We don't get the extent of how deeply the Joker affected Jason until this moment and the man is terrified.

First thing Damian does after getting shot is insult Jason, DAMIAN IS SO FUNNY. Also absolutely love the wiggly woggly lines of EVERYTHING in this panel.

Considering what Damian said earlier: "We both know you'd rather not have to explain your failure to father if anything happens to me that you could have prevented." As if Jason didn't already feel like a failure before this!! of course he'd turn into jiggling jelly realizing what he's done.

After 27 pages of a narrow-eyed Red Hood, including an early tease of him about to take off the helmet for his snack, this full page of Jason unmasking himself is such a heavy reveal. Adding the aching piece of dialogue?? BRUTAL

Damian responds in kind to the vulnerability with his own confession and something Jason really needed to hear after burdening himself for so long with the idea of being a failure.

After Damian leaves, the camera pulls back to show The Door in the dark of the room. Damian quite literally presents Jason a window of opportunity to face his past, and it goes so hard. Just like the buildup of frowning mask-to-face reveal, Jason's few expressions have mostly looked sad. So the shadowed eyes before the glare of determination makes this quiet moment feel extra epic!! also reminiscent of the Red Hood mask he wears!!

Beyond the door of Jason's "past life" is complete darkness. Jason has been hoping for Batman to pull him out of it (as further suggested by the newspaper clippings), but in the final page, the door is leaking light!! Jason finds his own way forward :')

The first issue introduces the Robins with specific labels, and so far the narrative either delves deeper into those claims or challenges it. Damian is unimpressed by "kind and brave" Dick and even forms some kind of rivalry. By the end, Damian’s learned how those simple traits are essential to becoming the person and hero Dick has become and gains a newfound respect for him.

#2 deviates from #1 by following “brash and rageful” Jason's perspective! Damian is under pressure from the legacies of all the Robins before him, and even if he relates to Jason the most there's still tension. This time around, while Damian does learn what lies behind the mask, he's the one to impart some knowledge to his fellow Robin.

ending ramble with a panel of the small beans

"Look Damian, everything the light touches is our kingdom."

TBH this ramble took forever to start because after reading Djeliya and Monkey Meat, i was so floored by how much MORE Ba has to offer. Everything i raved about from the first issue of The Boy Wonder...Ba's done it all in his previous work and MORE SO?? on top of writing, whimsical paneling and lettering, fun action scenes, deliberate coloring, kickass character designs and worldbuilding... the man does it all?? 😭

Monkey Meat 🐒

Djeliya: A West African Fantasy Epic ✌️

Mobilis: My Life with Captain Nemo

The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber

i may save the last two books for after The Boy Wonder ends because imagining the end of the series makes me so sad LOLL orz i may cave just because Mobilis is a pleasantly giant book...praying for DC to give the collected edition of The Boy Wonder this treatment...his pages are brimming with energy they deserve to be blown up with an oversized printing 😭

[yois2aki]

੭୧ chishiya with a reader who likes gift giving... . ۫

chishiya shuntaro x gn!reader (requested)

— warnings: fluff, ooc chishiya, beach arc, love confession, shy chishiya ohhh....

— summary: your gift giving and weird fact telling habit seemed to catch chishiya's attention. that was until it got too much to him.

— word count: 1.3k

people could tell you had a habit of collecting things that caught your interest in the most random occurrences. the motive had never been elucidated, as you wouldn't mind the others staring.

coming home from games tired and exhausted was part of your weekly routine. sometimes, you would refuse to take the car back to the beach just to breathe some air and later walk back by yourself.

it was unusual for you to come back empty-handed. during your time in the borderlands, you found out that gift giving was a pretty easy way for you to show your affection towards others. and even though sometimes you'd look at a pretty rock and mention it to kuina, or tell mira a random fact you heard about some time back in the real world, nothing compared to the surprises you'd prepare, chishiya.

you have noticed, way before even getting close to him, that he does not seem to get fazed by anything. if he complimented you, that'd be a reason for your sleep to be slightly better than the other nights.

knowing that about him, you made it your daily goal to try and steal a reaction from him. from the littlest things, like telling him all about how you learned that cheetahs don't roar but instead meow and purr. to more thoughtful stuff, like gifting him a personally handmade butterfly origami you spent an hour trying to figure out.

chishiya didn't understand the point of all this effort you took to catch him by surprise. why you were so devoted to making him seem happier. he had lost interest in life a long time ago. so why did he look forward to your every day's information?

"it's for you," you said, handing him a roughly made bouquet of red, white, and yellow flowers you plucked from a garden. "i don't have a place to keep them, and you seem like a much more responsible person for treating flowers."

chishiya knew that wasn't the real reasoning behind it, since your little presents and surprises every day had already become something he expected. he took the poorly made bouquet in his hands, which didn't really look like a bouquet, just a bunch of flowers gathered around.

he kept his eyes on them for a while, almost becoming philosophical from looking at them. he seemed to recognize this kind of plant; however, his memory betrayed him.

"these flowers are called chrysanthemus," you started, biting your lip in apprehension, in case he thought the idea of gifting him a bouquet was stupid. "or simply mums, or chrysanths."

chishiya didn't really know what to say. every single gift you had given him so far were simple things he found amusing but didn't pay much attention to. however, for some reason, being gifted a bouquet seemed to make his heart throb a little faster. he couldn't help but imagine the scenario in his head. you, contently plucking the flowers out of their natural spot and wrapping them together, thinking of him while doing so.

if he were with you at that moment, he probably wouldn't have minded it as much as he does now. instead complaining about the fact you're disturbing the eco system and urging you to leave the plants be. but he couldn't bring himself to be upset with you right now, not while you were so shyly giving him a bouquet of flowers.

"did you know these are native to east asia?" you commented, and he started listening intently. "however, the center of diversity is in china. i was quite lucky to find them."

chishiya felt like he should say something. perhaps a snarky remark on how you really gave yourself the need to study flowers well enough to recognize them, or maybe a lighter response like a simple thank you and a smile. but no coherent sentences could be formed in his mind, let alone out of his mouth.

at this point, he felt like even the flowers were judging him, given how silent the whole room felt. chishiya knew of the habit of giving others plants, obviously, but he had never even been on the giving end. how was he supposed to react to the receiving one?

it's necessary to mention that he also felt foolish. normally, it's the more serious person on both ends that gives the bouquet, as a way to show their appreciation towards the other if the physical touch or the words of affirmation are too tough. not the other way around.

"i also heard that the white variant of this species means truth, the yellow one means slighted love, and the red one means—" you suddenly stopped your words, your eyes opening like you had just seen a ghost, your line of thinking interrupting itself without your demanding.

"chishiya," you couldn't help but stand still, trying to make sure what you were seeing was true. the rosy tint present on his cheeks is getting more perceptible by the second. "are you blushing?"

he could only turn his head to the side in an attempt to avoid your attention. if he had the ability to sense others's feelings, he would be certain of the biggest smile on your face without even looking. this was definitely the largest process you had made so far, ever since you started this habit of yours. pride filled your chest as you finally realized you were the one capable of teasing him and getting revenge for all the times he made you feel like an idiot.

"why are you so shy?" you asked with a present smirk on your face. your voice alone was a sign you were smiling, not going easy on the teasing. "it's just flowers; have you never been given some?"

"shut up." chishiya managed to mumble out, seemingly not caring about whether you heard it or not.

he turned around, still with the flowers in hand, standing in an awkward position as he tried to remember who he even was and what he was doing here. he suddenly stared at an empty jar on his desk, his movements returning to usual as he seemed to have calmed down a bit, away from your gaze.

"hey!" you scurried after him, the smile unable to leave your face as your mind repeated the image of chishiya shuntaro speechless for once. "i wasn't done; don't run away!"

he ignored your protests, grabbing the handle with strength and almost kicking the bathroom door open, seemingly using anger to cope with the embarrassment he just presented you with. you could only imagine what was going on inside his mind. probably a ton of insulting words running towards him for looking like an idiot once in his life.

he filled the jar with water to a certain point, shoving the flowers inside it, and left the bathroom as he threw the item back on his desk.

"there you go," he began. back to that sharp tone of voice he normally uses, he still refused to turn around and look at you. "your plants are safe and sound."

"you still shouldn't have plucked them out of a garden." he sourly informed. you wondered if he was trying to save the littlest bit of dignity he had left on his soul; unfortunately, you were feeling quite mean that night.

"they were so pretty, though!" you whined out, your hands sitting at your hips. "oh, by the way..."

"the red variant of the chrysanths means i love you." you said with that devious voice again. the only thing that changed in chishiya's posture was the red tint of the flowers, now matching the color present on the tips of his ears.

— n/a: KANDKSJFKEJFNSJDN THIS WAS SO CUTEEEE!! i love writing shy chishiya or stupid chishiya in love he's such a loser....... (i say about a man who's 13 times smarter than me) :cc it's quite sad i have to get a bit outside his character to make it better but i still loved writing this. i hope you guys like it as much!!!

[thelesbianthespianposts]

Rating superhero/villain dynamics on how gay they are

Batman/Joker:

do i even have to say it. Usually they have a pretty one sided thing with Joker being high-key obsessed with him but Batman has no interest in that at all. Way overhyped imo. bonus points for the Lego Batman Movie 7/10

Superman/Lex Luthor

despite many factors and the fact they have a son together, there’s not a lot of tension. Plus Lex gives major homophobic vibes, (he’d make pride lexcorp merch while backing don’t say gay bills)

2/10 for kon

Green Lantern(Hal Jordan)/Sinestro

oh my god. They have the whole friends to enemies thing that you could swap for lovers to enemies so easily. The worst exes you’ve ever seen. I think they’re actually a couple in some comics (prolly an AU). That one episode of DC Super Hero Girls (the new one) where Hal fights both Sinestro and Carol and they’re said to be on the same level. good shit

10/10

Wonder Woman/Cheetah

it depends on the comic. Sometimes they’re very flirty and suggestive and other times they’re tearing each other’s clothes off bc the male author thought it’d be hot. I think that goes for a lot of woman/woman dynamics in comics tho. I honestly don’t get sometimes why they’re fighting bc they seem to have a lot in common.

6/10 they should just date

Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson

Jesus Christ guys wtf are y’all doing. They have the funniest dynamic in all of DC comics. Old ass ‘nam vet picks fight with 15 year old who he blames his son’s death on. While I adore the 2003 teen titans show, they got the dynamic so wrong. Their dynamic only becomes homoerotic once Dick is an adult. They have profound respect for each other but they also fucking hate each other. They’re enemies, they’re friends, they’re co-parents, they’re the least mentally stable people you’ve even seen.

20/10 unparalleled

[angelskills]

can we please have a college au! Suguru who takes interest in a girl from a different department and he keeps trying to find her and talk more but she doesnt let it? Or disappears for weeks together untul he next sees her?

a/n: omg this is so creative?! i haven't tried writing a suguru fanfic ever, so this will be a challenge, and i love challenges :D, thank you so much for the request! if you want something else, pls lmk, also thank you sm for 200+ likes on my last post, also, i kind of switch the names between geto and suguru, and gojo and satoru. this may not be the best fanfic but if you want something else, pls pls request, i want to write something that you actually want :)) !

Out of Reach

warnings: pw/p(p0rn with plot), tipsy sex, he doesnt pull out (birth control dw), clit stimulation, p in v, vaginal fingering

credits: @hopelesslygaysstuff for the 18+ header

characters: you, Shoko, gojo, geto,

intro: geto notices you for the first time in the library while he is with his friends

Geto had his eyes on you for a long, long time. But, you never noticed. He always tried to find you around campus and talk to you. But, he never could. Geto first noticed you at the library when he was with Gojo. You happened to be with Shoko, who is one of his close friends.

Something about you really stood out to him. He never really knew why, but he took an interest in you. He is lazy, but he would chase you around the campus to try and catch up to you, but it never really worked out. You both had different majors, meaning you would be in different departments. He majored in humanities while you majored in computer science.

Geto thought about you all day long, he didn't want to but couldn't stop thinking about you. You were pretty, with a cute smile, and you were smart. How did Geto know? Well, he may or may not have texted Shoko about you. He lays in bed every night, hoping to get the chance to talk to you one day.

That man was so happy. He actually started smiling when Shoko told him you would be at Gojo's party in his apartment. He was excited to finally be able to have a proper conversation with you that doesn't have him running around campus, slipping like 10 times to catch up to you. Who knows why he was so crazy about you?

It was finally Friday night. Geto always hangs out at Gojo's house and helps prepare the drinks and food whenever there is a party. Geto was yapping on and on about you and how it's so hard to talk to you as he was laying out the plastic plates on the table and ordering the food. Gojo was so annoyed with that man, "Just get her number and text her, dude."

Geto seems like an overall confident person, but when it came to you, he was nervous, he didn't wanna make a weird first impression. "You don't get it." He sighed, sitting on the sofa, "You think she might like me?"

"No, fuck no." Gojo laughed, "You're scared to even approach her, pussy."

"I try to catch up to her."

"Try harder."

Geto rolled his eyes and cussed under his breath. But, it was the truth. He was trying, of course. But whenever he caught up to you, he would chicken out and just, not.

Gojo heard a knock on his door. They both looked at each other and looked at the clock, it wasn't time for the party yet.

Well, guess it was.

He opened the door and saw a bunch of his classmates and friends just come in with bottles of vodka and tequila. Screaming and singing. More and more people came in. You could say almost the entirety of the college students were there, except you and Shoko. G

Geto was in a corner while Gojo had girls all over him. He kept on texting Shoko and spamming her to get here faster.

Meanwhile you and Shoko...

"Hurry up, Y/N, please!" Shoko whined, lying down on the couch, replying to Geto's text.

"Sorry, wait!" You yelled from the bathroom, applying mascara on your lashes.

You wore a cheetah print top with flared jeans and a rhinestone belt. You brushed your hair, thinking about the party, obviously you know Gojo, he's really popular afterall. He was always with this guy. Tall, muscular, and he looked tired all the time. You finally finished getting ready, putting on your necklace and earrings and stepped out of the bathroom.

Shoko complimented you and you guys took a few pictures together. You both put on your shoes and legit rushed out. Trying to find a cab to get to Gojo's place. You were excited, because this was your first ever party, especially in college. Even though you're a sophomore, you avoided parties a lot because you focused on your grades too much. After becoming friends with Shoko, you let loose a bit and finally agreed to go to a party.

Shoko was talking about Geto as you both got in the cab and you couldn't recognize his name. She showed you a picture and you finally realized that was the Geto Shoko was always talking about. You couldn't even deny it, that man was fine, but you didn't say anything.

After a while of asking Shoko for more pictures of Geto and staring at his pictures as if he were the most beautiful man ever, you finally reached Gojo's place. You and Shoko got out of the car, and you were out here taking deep breaths because you were nervous about the party. As you both walked towards Gojo's door, Shoko was reassuring you that everything would be fine and parties weren't that big of a deal.

The door was open, damn. That man was really fearless.

You walked in with Shoko, astounded by how big Gojo's apartment really was. Geto noticed you and Shoko, letting out a sigh of relief because truly, he was worried sick thinking YOU(not Shoko) got in an accident and died. He finished his glass of beer and started walking towards you. Then, Shoko dragged you off to somewhere else, giving you a tour of Gojo's apartment. Geto clenched his fists, muttering out a bunch of fuck you's to Shoko.

Geto finally managed to catch up to you and Shoko, finding you guys hanging with Satoru. You looked at Geto, finally realizing that man was even finer in real life. You gave him a warm smile, before turning back to Gojo.

Geto's face nearly turned red. Did you just smile at him? He couldn't believe it.

"Hear me out, let's play beer pong." Satoru smirked, setting up the plastic cups. It was an upside-down triangle laid on the table.

You looked at Shoko, nodded, and helped pour the beer into the plastic.

You guys played beer pong for a while, switching some of the cups with beer and then tequila and vodka.

Satoru and Shoko were drunk as fuck and out like a light, you and Geto were only a bit tipsy because you both were actually good at the game and meanwhile, Gojo and Shoko sucked ass with their angles.

It was like, 3 a.m., and Satoru and Shoko were still out. You and Geto were sitting on the couch, talking and he confessed about how he always chased you around campus and tried to talk to you, but he always chickened out. You laughed at that, but on the inside, you were screaming. A man, like him, took an interest, in YOU? You talked about how you kept begging Shoko for pictures of him because you thought he was so cute.

There was some tension between you two. You both basically just confessed your feelings at this point. You laughed it out, trying your best not to create awkwardness between you two.

But, he didn't care. Whether it was awkward or not, all he cared was being there with you. Just you being present makes him happy.

He put his hand on your cheek, getting closer to your face, making sure you're comfortable before pulling you into a deep kiss.

You didn't know how it got to this point. From you and Geto laughing at each other, to a bit of making out, and then to you being carried to the guest bed.

He placed you on the bed gently, pulling you into a kiss as his fingers ran down your chest to your waistband, slowly pulling your jeans off. Your heart was beating out of your chest. All of this happened in a flash. He slid your top up so your bra would be exposed. You could feel the dampness in your panties from just seeing him like this. He kissed down your neck to your stomach. His hand slid under your panties, slowly rubbing small circles on your clit. You bucked your hips, trying to squirm away but his hand on your waist kept you in place.

He inserted a finger inside you, catching you off guard. You arched your back slightly, your body squirming as you let out noises. To him, your voice was like a melody, let alone noises. He wanted to get more out of you. He slid another finger in, your wetness making it easier for him. His fingers were so thick, you were almost scared about what his dick would feel like. His fingers curled right against your g-spot, you let out a loud moan, your toes curling as you gripped his shoulder, "S-suguru..." you whimpered. He swore he almost came in his pants after hearing you whimper his name like that. He pulled out his fingers, sliding your panties off.

He inserted his fingers right back inside of your hole. Stretching you out to make you prepared. You gulped as you shut your eyes, moaning as his fingers hit your sweet spot every time he pulled his fingers in and out. He unzipped his pants with his free hand, pulling down his boxers and lining his member to your entrance.

You almost screamed when you saw how long it was. You weren't even sure if it could fit or not. "Say the safeword when you want me to stop, green." He said as he slid his length inside of you, trying his best to be gentle but your pussy felt so good around his dick, he had to hold himself back from cumming right there.

You moaned, "Hngh... s-suguru... please...". He looked you in the eyes, "Please what?" He smirked, his fingers crawled to your clit.

You buried your head in his shoulder, "S-start moving, please." you gulped, you felt so full you thought you would just pass out if he started moving. From this moment on, he loved seeing you be shy in bed, he thought it was so cute especially since it was, you.

His hand grabbed your waist to keep you in place as he started thrusting inside of you. His free hand rubbed small fast circles on your clit, making your eyes roll back from the overwhelming pleasure. His dick hitting your sweet spot and him rubbing your clit at the same time.

"T-too much, too much!" You whined, throwing your back as you felt your orgasm coming. Your hands wrapped around Suguru's neck. It was almost impossible to keep yourself quiet and you were almost screaming but he wasn't complaining at all.

Within minutes, you milked his cock, creating a ring around it. Your pussy clenched around Suguru's cock, "H-holy shit", he groaned. Your toes curled as he sped up his pace, his thick cock kissing your cervix with each thrusts. After a few moments, he filled you with his cum to the brim, painting your walls white as thick ropes of cum spurted out.

He pulled out as he collapsed onto you, but making sure he doesn't put all of his weight. You put your hand on his cheek, smiling before giving him a kiss.

After a few moments, he picked you up to carry you to the shower, helping you clean up.

The very next day, you couldn't even walk.

[delirious-donna]

Ghosts of the Past [Extra Drabble]

story summary: Your best friend lets you crash at her place over the spring break since you have nowhere else to go. Little did you know that it isn't actually her place. Instead, it belongs to a tall (grumpy) hot guy who finds you in his apartment–her brother.

an: I decided that it would be cute to write a section from the POV of the couple that Kento and reader meet in the museum. I’ve grown very fond of this couple and I hope you’ll enjoy this extra little piece of the story.

warning: none, SFW, fluff and humour

Series Masterlist

The museum was full of its usual hustle and bustle, even more so given the holidays, and it was a pleasure to be a part of the hubbub.

Felicity scanned the crowds with a keen eye, smiling at the energetic children—some more rambunctious than others—accompanied by parents trying to corral them into some semblance of order. She well remembered when her own brood were this age, and the hours spent in this much-loved building keeping them amused during school holidays.

A hand slipped into hers, more familiar than any other and Felicity squeezed the fingers of her beloved husband, glancing at him with a love that had never diminished even after all these years together. She counted her blessings for having met her soulmate so young, and for the family they had raised, as well as the fun and laughter they continued to share.

The pair perused the museum that they knew like the back of their hand, winding through the galleries and stopping to spot new artefacts and displays. This was still one of their favourite pastimes, there was always a discovery to make and even on days when it felt like they had seen everything the museum had to offer, there was always people watching to fall back on.

Much to Howard’s feigned disapproval, Felicity adored watching people. Since their children had grown up and flown the nest to build their own families it had become a ritual of sorts to indulge her social curiosities in public places such as these. There was something special about witnessing the complexities of real human relationships that scratched the itch far more than any TV drama or soap opera ever could. Friendships blooming over shared interests, young minds being educated through fun interactive education, families finding their feet with the addition of children in tow, tired parents happy to see their kids entertained to give them a moment of peace, and best of all, romance blossoming in the most unlikely places and ways.

Today was no different, with new delights to be found in every room, but it wasn’t until they neared the new photography exhibition did Felicity feel the buzz of excitement that often signalled a special find.

“You’re like a bloodhound, Flic,” Howard chuckled with a playful roll of his eyes. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and secured his wife’s arm through his own.

“Pfft, nonsense. I’m simply drawn to where the universe wants me to be.” She didn’t believe the sentiment, but she’d be damned to admit he was right after all these decades together.

The pair admired a large mural of a cheetah made up of hundreds of thousands of tiny black-and-white images until her attention was drawn to the room by their left. There were only two occupants, a young man slowly edging around the room and an equally young woman resting on the leather seat in the middle.

Felicity watched whilst the young woman never took her eyes off the man perusing the photos on the wall. Her gaze was intent but there was a softness that infused her features with what appeared to be fondness. Perhaps even attraction? The young man, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to being the focus of the woman. His posture was stiff, hands clasped behind his back with a slight rock on the balls of his feet when something interested him.

If this wasn’t a budding romance, she’d eat her hat. Felicity tugged gently at the cuff of Howard’s shirt sleeve, nodding her head in the direction of the young couple and was met with a sigh of resignation.

“Leave them be,” he hissed, though there was no heat to his tone. Despite the words, he too began to watch as the young woman moved towards the man and started to speak. They were too far away to hear the conversation, but it was obvious after a moment that it wasn’t going well.

The couple watched on whilst the woman’s expression turned to shock then irritation. Whatever the man was saying, it wasn’t going over well, and when she strode off to the other side of the room, Howard could only feel sympathy for the young man. He looked genuinely perplexed, a hand scratching at the back of his neck as if the skin prickled from the exchange.

Felicity leaned into her husband to speak close to his ear. “Doesn’t that remind you of anyone?” She chuckled, turning twinkling eyes up at him and he felt a swell of love wash through him. It did remind him of someone, himself, and the young woman would be Felicity, his Flic.

“He looks as baffled as I felt back then. You always seemed to be mad at me for something I didn’t even realise was wrong,” Howard admitted with a shake of his head.

“I was, though it hardly matters now. The only thing that truly matters is how he deals with it… will he turn on his heel or will he try to resolve the issue?”

It was obvious that the wheels inside the young man’s head were turning at an astonishing rate, but he wasn’t moving, and Felicity’s shoulders slumped sadly.

“Give him a moment,” Howard chastised, pointing towards the man’s hand. “Don’t you see how he wishes to reach for her?”

He was right. The man’s hand was stretching, reaching as if what he wanted was just out of reach. It dropped as quickly as it happened, but only because he took the tentative steps to move alongside his object of affection.

“I always reached out for you, just as he did for her. Maybe they’ll make it,” he whispered co-conspiratorially.

“He’s confused, darling. I don’t think he quite knows what he wants, only that he doesn’t have it yet. Come on,” she said, moving them towards the young couple.

The woman was near yelling, yet the man simply looked on in confusion. So badly she wished to grab them both by the ear and turn them to face one another. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife and it was like stepping into a memory of her past, familiar and amusing. Back then, it had been far from funny but with the advantage of hindsight and a lot more life experience, she could view it for what it was.

“Oh, Howard, look there. Doesn’t that bring back memories?” Felicity called loudly, pleased when the pair jumped in surprise at being interrupted. They jerked apart like naughty children, and it only strengthened her belief that they both wanted something more than their current situation.

“They say that couples shouldn’t bicker, especially in public,” she said with a slight laugh. “But don’t listen to such rubbish. Howard and I used to snipe at each other regularly, and we’ve been married thirty-five years.”

The look of utter shock on their faces, especially the woman, was worth it. Along with the stammered explanations that it wasn’t what it seemed, that they weren’t a couple. So that was where the problem lay. Felicity wondered if it was down to one party in particular, and her gaze strayed to the young man.

A quick assessment painted a detailed picture. Young, handsome, successful, affluent given the timepiece on his wrist but maybe too invested in his work? She couldn’t blame him; society expected all youngsters these days to chase after unrealistic dreams. A career wasn’t the only thing that mattered in life, and from the expression he wore, he wasn’t as happy as he made out. A nudge in the right direction might do the trick. It would be a shame to see a bright young woman slip through his fingers simply because he was scared to try to make it work.

“My dear, when you’ve been around as long as we have, you start to trust what your gut tells you. I won’t say anything else except to offer this one piece of advice. Don’t go to bed angry, and don’t wait to go after what you truly want.”

Felicity offered a kindly smile at the young man, his jaw slack at the offered wisdom. She patted the woman’s arm once more as Howard led her away, but only after he offered his own incline of the head at the man. There was compassion in his eyes, and she knew that it felt like he was staring at his younger self at that moment. She knew that because it was the same for her, a ghost of the past come to remind them both where they started and how far they had come.

“Do you think they’ll make it?” Felicity asked once they were well out of earshot.

Howard sighed, turning his head back for a moment before replying. “If he’s anything like me then he’ll do whatever it takes to make it work.”

“You old softie…”

Taglist: @actuallysaiyan @pseudowho @desiray562 @bloombb @markleeisdabestdrug @kentoslvt @threezzyo @themossiestchick @thejujvtsupost @ratmilk14 @levin4nami @sweetpo1son @dabislilbaby @fandomsfanficsfantasize @hotvinimon @ryomance @justmanu @w-emma-fil @orikuu @sutaagaaru @venjrnjrbhrr19

[bloodplague]

Hi💕💕💕 Could you please make some general hc about toby like his habits and his routine please?

Send hugs ad kisses!

I also wanted to say that i love your content :)

Ticci Toby - Headcanons

AHH THANK YOU SO MUCH!! And Ilysm for requesting that, seriously!! <333 and OF COURSE!

I'm trying to be as realistic & canon as possible with those headcanons, there's a lot to say about Toby anyway! :]

Headcanons:

Toby does not remember his past canonically, due to his amnesia. So, he is not a grumpy or constantly depressed person. He can be very talktive around people he likes due to his ADHD and mania episodes which both cause hyperactivity. (Bipolar contains mania)

Toby doesn't really care about people that aren't his fond ones. At all. He will only care about someone or at least show a tiny bit of interest if the person looks beautiful or seems interesting in any way. I think that because he once wanted to keep a woman alive who, in his words, looked beautiful. Of course he changed his mind after she pissed him off, but yes, he wanted to see if she deserved to live and gave her a chance.

He loves playing Mario Cart with BEN, as he finds a strange comfort in it. That is because he used to play Video games in his childhood with either his sister or the neighbor kid.

If he smokes, he starts violently coughing like an seizing camel.

He loves wearing sweatpants and turtlenecks when he's in the mansion. He doesn't usually change his clothes when he's going to bed and just sleeps in what he is wearing. For missions, he simply throws a hoodie over the turtleneck and puts on some jeans with a belt for his hatchets. Nothing super special. -- ((My AU has the Creepypasta mansion thing, yes. I at least have my own logical explanation for why and hhh so yeah,))

Toby forgets his things basically everywhere, no matter if it are his goggles, his mouthguard, his hatchets, etc... Mainly due to his amnesia, but also because of his schizophrenia. Schizophrenia causes disorganized speech and thoughts at times, so he might jump from topic to topic.

He doesn't really listen when people talk to him or at leasts struggles with it. It's hard to talk about something he cares about. If he doesn't care, he will simply not listen. IF he cares and tries to listen, he will get distracted super easily. After he asked a question, his attention might be gone already once you start speaking.

Toby is not rude but sassy. He's not praticularly mean to people but will get sassy when given the chance since he's a jerk.

His favorite animals are raccoons, owls, cheetahs and moths.

He has a weird obsession with fire. He loves committing arson.

Toby has a lot of damage in his room because he throws his hatchets at the figures he sees due to his schizophrenia.

Toby constantly wears his gloves or bandages to cover up the wounds on his hands. He only lets specific people like EJ check on his hands or Nurse Ann, so they can just roughly patch him up. Otherwhise, he keeps them hidden to not seem vulnerable.

This man has an EXTREME fear of abandonment. Once he gets close to someone, he will be clingy af, orrr suddenly cold af.

Toby doesn't get along with most people, usually sticking around Cody(X-Virus), Eyeless Jack and Kate. Those are his best friends.

His favorite artists are: Mother Mother, Get Scared, Insane Clown Posse, My Chemical Romance, Nirvana, Three Days Grace, Radiohead, Salvia Palth, Linkin Park, Panic! At The Disco, Alex G, Crystal Castles, Mitski, The Neighbourhood, Coldplay, Mindless Self Indulgence, Melanie Martinez, Pastle Ghost and Billie Eilish.

When he finds dead animals like raccoons, he will pick them up and pet them, all fascinated. He might even hug and squeeze it to somehow get comfort from it. The comfort he didn't recieve and needs.

Toby can go from super confident to super insecure very fast.

Toby loves touching things to feel real. If he's feeling surreal, he will start touching things or taste things to feel real.

He struggles with sleeping, but once he actually is asleep, he usually has disturbing nightmares. As soon as Toby wakes up, he either remembers them and has a panic attack OR he will feel uncomfortable for a reason he can't recall and will avoid sleeping as much as possible.

He's emotionally detached, but tbh, he's a real INFP (Personality type).

Habits:

Honestly, he sometimes tries watching porn to feel something. Due to his mania episodes, he tends to be hypersexual. (Again, he's bipolar which causes mania, and mania can cause hypersexuality.)

Tobias keeps chewing the flesh around his fingers, biting the skin on hips lips and pulling on his hair.

When he's nervous, he will fidget with his hands or clothes a LOT, or keep something like a leaf in his hand so he can just play with it instead of harming himself.

If he's pissed, he starts grinding his teeth to focus on the noise and the feeling instead of the anger he's feeling.

Toby sometimes drinks alcohol to just go completely numb, even emotionally. He uses it to escape the pain he's feeling mentally, as soon as he gets his flashbacks.

Routine: His routine might be a little difficult to explain? But I'll try for sure! I hope I'm not getting the commission wrong, if I do, let me know and I will redo this!

When Toby wakes up, the first thing he does is check where he is. He usually skips breakfast or forgets it, but IF he doesn't forget it, he will just devour a toast or something simple like that. When he doesn't have a mission to do, he will just do the most random stuff like go for a walk, play video games, listen to music, etc. Toby doesn't have a specific routine, he just does what he feels like doing. One thing is sure tho: Toby listens to music every day. No matter how many songs, no matter what song. He must listen to at least one song to feel comfortable and connected to reality. Music gives him comfort and he enjoys listening to it, so he listens to music every day. Sometimes he even plays e-guitar! :] He won't do anything special other than killing, listening to music or talking to himself the whole day. As soon as the stars become visible, Toby goes outside to observe them, spending his time by thinking and having conversations with himself. He doesn't usually sleep anyway, so he spends a lot of time caught in his thoughts. Toby usually drinks a lot of energy drinks to not collapse, even tho his hyperactivity usually keeps him awake.

When this insomnaic finally decides to sleep, he places his hatchets somewhere where he can find them again. After making sure his weapons are on their place, he will just straight up jump into bed to pass out. Changing clothes, brushing his teeth or anything related to that isn't a thing Toby likes. I feel like sometimes Toby would plan on meeting people like Kate or Cody behind the mansion to drink a little and smoke, but bro would just straight up forget about it and go to bed like nothing is bothering his life, completely forgetting about the things he planned. Maybe he at least gets a peaceful sleep... or something.

Sorry if it's not THAT much, after finishing the habits and headcanons my brain just stopped working and had no clue what to continue with when it comes to routines. Again, thank you so much for requesting this!! <3

[mirikitakato]

[Translation] Shylock Initial SSR Card Story: Sweet Honey Mixed with Wine

I'm surprised this card hasn't been translated. I guess it's interesting to look back at the characters when the story just started years ago, considering the coming anime!

Characters: Shylock, Murr, Chloe, Akira

P/s: My main objective for now is to translate Shylock's cards, but sometimes Murr's cards if I have them. I would love translating Owen's cards for sure, but his card stories' motif tend to be the same so I hardly find them interesting to translate.

Card Story: Sweet Honey Mixed with Wine

Episode 1

Akira: Hm? The two people coming over there are...

Murr: Ah, Sage!

Chloe: Good evening, Sage.

Akira: Good evening, Murr, Chloe. Where’re you going?

Chloe: Murr and I are going to play poker. We're heading to the lounge now.

Murr: What about ya, Sage? Join us for some fun!

Akira: Is it okay if I do? I don't want to be a bother.

Murr: Not at all! Don't worry about it!

Chloe: Yeah, come on, Sage! It's more fun with more people!

Akira: Haha. Well, since it's getting late, I'll just join you for a little while.

[In the lounge]

Murr: Yay, I won!

Chloe: Eh!? Murr again!? How many times has this happened?

Akira: Uhm... Pretty sure it has been...

Murr: 12 consecutive wins!

Chloe: T-t-twelve!? That many? Maybe we're just bad at poker...

Akira: Hmm...It's not that we're weak...

Chloe:...It's just that Murr is too strong... Even by chance, could he really keep winning like this? ...Maybe he's a cheater*...?

Murr: Cheetah? Who's a cheetah? What do you mean?

Akira: Well, I guess he acts like a cat…so calling him a cheetah is not wrong?

Chloe: Wait, what do you mean by that?

Shylock: I couldn't help but notice some lively conversation. Would you mind terribly sharing what brings such joy at this hour?

Chloe: Oh...Shylock! What perfect timing!

Shylock: Oh, what a warm welcome. What's the matter?

Chloe: Actually, we're playing poker, and I can't seem to win against Murr at all...

Shylock: —I see. So, you think Murr is cheating somehow.

Chloe: Uhm... It's just that he's so good...

Shylock: Murr's usual behavior is quite erratic, so it's understandable that you would think that... But for the sake of his honor, let's make this clear. He's not cheating. He's simply very good.

Murr: Hey, so who's this cheetah anyway?

Shylock:...Even though he's a bit quirky, he's a genius when it comes to games. Not just cards, but chess too. To beat him, you'll need natural talent, a sharp mind, and extraordinary effort. He's that formidable of an opponent.

Chloe: I see... He really is that strong... Sorry for doubting you, Murr.

Murr: Yay! I got a compliment!

Chloe: ...So that means I'll never beat Murr, will I...?

Akira: But even if you can't win, it was a lot of fun. Playing with you guys.

Chloe: Sage...!

Murr: Hey, Shylock, why don't you join us too!

Shylock: ...You still haven't learned to read the room, have you, Murr? I'll pass this time. It's getting late.

Murr: Aw! Why? ...Oh, I see! You're scared to lose to me!

Shylock: Hoh?

Chloe: Wait... Did Shylock's face just tick there for a second?

Akira: Uhm, the room temperature also suddenly dropped...

Shylock: ...You're quite the eloquent speaker, Murr. If you're asking for punishment, I'll be happy to oblige…

*Note: The Japanese word for cheating is ikasama, but Murr heard it as ika-sama, which means Sir Squid, lol. That’s why he keeps asking who is ika-sama. Akira also continues it by saying “if he is a squid, then he is not human, so it makes sense he is good.” (no Akira you are not making any sense). Everything confuses poor Chloe. I just change the joke to something easier to understand.

Episode 2

Akira: I'm so sorry for having you walk me to my room. Thank you.

Shylock: No problem at all. I was in the mood for conversation rather than talking to myself. Speaking of which, you're quite the night owl, aren't you, Sage? I'm sure you would have kept going if I hadn't called it a night.

Akira:….Uhm, yes. I got a little carried away.

Shylock: Murr and Chloe are wizards, they can handle a little sleep deprivation. You, on the other hand, are a delicate human being.

Akira: …Y-yes. I'll be careful. (...In the end, Shylock didn't take up Murr's offer.) (Was he just trying to get me to leave, or was it like Murr said…?)

Shylock: Sage, will you be able to sleep well tonight?

Akira: Oh, um. I'd like to say yes, but I'm still a bit wired from the poker game earlier. I might have trouble sleeping.

Shylock: Fufu. Very honest of you. As a reward, I'll give you some medicine to help you sleep well. ...But only if you allow me to make a little detour.

[Shylock's room]

Shylock: Please, don't be shy. Make yourself at home.

Akira: Sorry for the intrusion... (In the end, I followed him as I was told, but...) (What could the sleeping medicine be? Hopefully not something too bitter...)

Shylock: ...Fufu, you look uneasy. Are you perhaps feeling nervous?

Akira: Eh...?

Shylock: A helpless, lost fawn...That's how you appear to me. You are truly innocent. …I'm in trouble now. When you make such an adorable face, I want to teach you.

Akira: Eh…teach me what...?

Shylock: ...Dangerous, risqué, and licentious love...things most wouldn't dare teach. What do you say, Sage? Aren't you tempted to learn?

Episode 3

Akira: ..........Um, no, I...

Shylock: Fufu. Such a charming person. Please wait here for a moment. And don't try to run away.

Akira: (.........He finally let go of me. Even if he was just teasing me, it was bad for my heart...)

Shylock: I kept you waiting. Here you go.

Akira: It smells sweet and nice…. Is this...wine?

Shylock: It's mulled wine. It looks like red wine, but it has almost no alcohol. Since it tastes good, I think you'll find it easy to drink.

Akira: Thank you. Oh, are you drinking the same thing, Shylock? But isn’t this non-alcoholic?

Shylock: Yes. I usually wrap myself in a blanket of intoxication and fall asleep at night...But tonight, you will be my companion. So, I'll skip the alcohol. Now, cheers.

Akira: (...Wow, his mannerisms are so sexy…) (He looks like a painting just by drinking wine…)

Shylock: What's the matter? The aroma is good, but you can't taste it without using your tongue.

Akira: Y-yes! I'll have some. Delicious!

Shylock: I’m glad it seems to suit your taste.

Akira: It's really easy to drink. It's so mellow. (Is it because of the wine? My body is gradually getting warmer…)

Shylock: Are you getting sleepy? Fufu. Your eyes are a little hazy...

Akira: Thanks to you, it seems to be working well. (Shylock's voice is so gentle…The tense atmosphere between him and Murr earlier now seems like a lie) Um...Shylock, you are close with Murr, right?

Shylock: Of course, we’re friends.

Akira: (I see…I'm relieved...)

Shylock: However, I also hate him and find him lovingly detestable. After all, he's a bad boy.

Akira: I-is he…

Shylock: Yes, very much so.

Akira: ....

Shylock: Sage, your hand has stopped. I still have more refills, so please enjoy them to your heart's content.

Akira: ….T-thanks. (I guess I shouldn't ask too much about this topic.)

Card Episode: The Engraved One

Akira: The chosen wizard crest is on your left chest, right?

Shylock: Yes. Would you like to see it again? If you wish, Sage, I can open my collar right away.

Akira: No, no! That's fine. (I feel like he's sexually harassing me...) When you're chosen as a Sage’s wizard, the crest appears, right? Were you surprised at first, Shylock?

Shylock: Yes, I was. I had heard stories about the chosen wizards and their crests, but…When the crest appeared on my body, I was disgusted.

Akira: Disgusted... As expected, it was a role you didn't want to be chosen for…

Shylock: No. It's not the role, but the crest. Isn't it unpleasant to have a crest that you don't even like appear on your body without your permission?

Akira: Ah! So that’s why…

Shylock: I liked my body, so I wasn't happy for a while. But over time, I accepted it, and eventually, it became my favorite. Isn't it sexy to have a crest over your heart?

Akira: It’s sexy…

Shylock: Would you like to see it again then?

Akira: N-no! Thanks!

Shylock: Fufu, how cute.

---- Home-screen line ----

“Even the best performance of madness pales in comparison to the real thing, don’t you think?”

[thevindicativevordan]

Comics this week ?

Action Comics #1076 - I’m out. I can’t justify buying a weekly series that I’m not enjoying, the cost is too high. Waid delivers at least one good character beat an issue, for Clark anyway, but his plots are terrible. Henry simply doesn’t have enough time to make the art look good. Waid’s Kenan/Kon voices are seriously off-kilter, although Kon becoming Space Emperor of the Khunds is the first interesting direction for him since his return. I continue to enjoy the Kara backup but hopefully I can get a trade of it somewhere. What a disappointment this turned out to be from Waid, serious possibility that LDoLL is the final Superman story from him I buy. I genuinely believe that the election shredding his belief in Silver Age storytelling conventions might be the best thing that has ever happened to him as a writer. It’s time for him to evolve or retire.

World’s Finest #33 - Almost dropped this too but I’m holding off to see if that Jimmy story next issue can hold my interest.

Jenny Sparks #4 - I liked it. Glad Jenny got shocked when Carla actually killed Ronald, she’s been fairly smug and cynical about everything and that can get annoying if it’s never undermined. I’d say contrasting Obama bragging about how killing Bin Laden makes Western civilization safer with Jenny setting up one of the CEOs responsible for causing the Great Recession which basically destroyed millennials chances of upward mobility and revealed the hollowness of American capitalism is pretty heavy handed… except people seem to think King is writing an America Fuck Yeah story so maybe it’s not heavy handed ENOUGH. The point being that the methods of Obama, and Jenny who previously shared them, wherein you kill the “bastards” and use violence to make the world better is completely worthless when the world you’re aiming to protect is rotting from within.

Wonder Woman #15 - For a run that didn’t plan to use the WGs at all initially, King has done more than anyone else in recent memory to make me like them. Diana trusting Cheetah enough to interrogate someone did feel like a stretch, I dunno if I buy that she’d be that quick to trust Barbara to hold back. Great issue, and I loved the backup with Steve. I really am eager to see more of a deep dive into him as a character.

Ultimate Spider-Man #11 - Read this first and it’s probably why I’m harsh on Waid because this might be the platonic ideal of a Spider-Man issue. Perfect mix of superhero action and organic drama. Spidey gets to snark back at the civs who give him grief, show how much he’s grown as a hero via taking down a bunch of henchmen single-handedly, and when he loses it’s not because of incompetence or “Parker Luck”, but because Peter is too compassionate for his own good and doesn’t want to hurt the brainwashed people. Even gets some respect from the villains with Negative immediately recognizing that Spidey is someone he can’t control.

Meanwhile on the drama side, MJ reveals she’s freaking out beneath her mask of calm because seeing Peter arrive home all beaten and bloody hammers how serious the stakes are. Peter and MJ get a heart to heart conversation where they talk about their concerns like adults, and then they get horny because they love each other! With Ben at the end we get the reveal that he knows Peter is Spider-Man, and Ben again drives home how serious the danger is by asking Peter if he’s ready to die, which Peter answers in the negative. It’s great stuff! It’s Hickman deftly predicting every complaint people might have about this slow burn and responding accordingly! The first year of USM has been “the good times”, but now as we enter the second year the story is setting up Spidey for a fall. Someone is going to die, that much is clear, only question is who. Ben is the obvious choice, he even thinks it will be himself based on his talk with Peter, but right now I think it’s going to be Jonah who bites it.

[blainesebastian]

time away (ccg universe)

words: 1,791 ship: austin butler x reader summary: (anon request) “they take a family trip to *Disney World and Luci gets lost while austin and ccg argue about a new role he accepted without talking to her about it” warnings: none notes: doing my best out here ya’ll idk lol enjoy xxx tag list: @killerqueenfan, @karamelcoveredolicity, @elizabethrosecresswell, @gigisworldsstuff, @stylespresleyhearted

It’s supposed to be a family vacation, one of the first you’ve taken to a place that’s a bit more hectic than the beach. You’re not complaining, you love Disney World, have loved it since you were a kid—so sharing all of this with Luci is one of your top ‘to-do’s.

Luci’s been handling the long park hours well, got her face painted with cheetah print at Animal Kingdom, found all the hidden Remy statues in Epcot, insisted on far too many Mickey Ice Cream bars in Hollywood Studios. She loves Magic Kingdom the best, especially when she’s dressed as a princess and you find that putting her in a dress that matches Cinderella or Belle makes you want to cry.

There’s something that reaches deep into your chest and squeezes at being here with Austin, at sharing this with him, at watching Luci hand him a Mickey balloon or putting Mickey ears on his head. At having him hold her sleeping body as you all walk out of the park or take the bus back to the resort. Makes you fall a little bit more in love with him—as if that were at all possible.

It’s been wonderful so far, more than you could have ever asked for.

And then Austin mentions he’s interested in a film that will take him across the country—he’s already said yes. To a movie he’s never spoken about before.

You kinda stare at him, your hand halfway into a popcorn bucket shaped like a Cinderella’s castle as you take a small break from walking around Magic Kingdom.

“Mama popcorn,” Luci pouts from standing between you and Austin, tugging on your shirt.

You’re trying not to distract yourself from what he’s telling you, glancing down at Luci and lowering the popcorn bucket that’s attached to your shoulder by a strap. You just feel—there are so many overwhelming and conflicting emotions. You’re undeniably happy for him, have always been incredibly supportive of his endeavors and have rarely questioned him about logistics. You get how crazy it can get; you’ve dipped your toes into the industry yourself.

But you’re also…confused and frustrated because it’s very unlike Austin to accept something without talking to you first.

“What do you mean you ‘agreed to it’ already—last time I checked, we lived in New York, not LA.” And alright, there’s really no need to be petty about geography but, you’re really having a hard time with processing this ‘across the country’ thing.

It’s not like Austin hasn’t done longer trips before to distant places, it’s the ‘untold’ part sitting uncomfortably in your chest, pushing your ribcage apart.

He takes in a short breath, his jaw working a moment as he chews on words, selecting them carefully, “I know. This was a last-minute swap—filming was supposed to be on the East Coast but then,” Austin trails off, shaking his head, looking out towards the crowd of people in the park. You can tell as he takes a moment that it’s convoluted, nothing is as it seems. “Got pushed to LA to fit some setting requirements?”

His voice is a little less sure as he talks, almost like he might regret it? But it doesn’t change the fact that he has agreed—that he’s doing this, with or without your support. You know it’s not always that simple, painting situations black and white is dangerous, it lives in a world of gray. Austin didn’t make this decision flippantly, regardless of how much it stings to hear it.

But you don’t understand how this is going to work—you can’t go with him, you can’t uproot Luci like that, but the alternative is what? Months at a time where he’s gone? You know this is all part of it, as an actor, but you’re also much more used to planning something out together. Not jumping in after him.

You know your reaction is based on fear alone, you don’t like the feeling of things slipping through your fingers.

“I might be involved with a project at the end of the month,” You tell your husband, his eyes slightly widening in two-fold because—for one, he’s happy for you, but on the other hand, it’s a factor that he hadn’t considered. Both of you being busy.

“I didn’t know.”

And you let out a snap of a laugh because, “Yeah, that sucks, doesn’t it?”

The muscle in Austin’s jaw works, “Y/N.”

“I was finalizing things with my agent; I was going to tell you when we got back from our trip.” Which…you hate that it feels slightly ruined, you’re gonna have to stop being dramatic. You get can it back to that perfect place, right?

You shake your head, hating that you feel flares of annoyance lick at your nerve endings when none of these conversations should be happening now, on vacation. You take a deep breath, pushing down emotions, focusing on having a good day with Luci—

Glancing down, you go to run a hand through her hair, and freeze. A hiccup of fear instantly settling in your throat because—Luci is gone. She's...not standing between you and your husband anymore. You look up, this frantic feeling building in your chest as you do a quick sweep around you but she's not here, she's not anywhere.

Your hand instantly comes down on Austin's wrist, squeezing hard, "Austin."

It takes a second for Austin to spring into action, gently taking your hand and squeezing as he moves, eyes alert as he takes in the crowd. He starts calling for her, his voice calm and collected and…honestly, he’s stronger than you are, because you don’t think you can open up your mouth without emotion choking your windpipe.

You’re not gonna cry, because that’s not going to help anything, but you definitely feel tears well in your eyes because how could you be so selfish in what you were arguing with Austin about that you didn’t even take the time to hold account of your daughter?

Deep down you’re aware you can’t blame yourself, that neither of you were paying attention, that Luci felt safe standing between your bodies.

There are so many people everywhere and your heart jumps into your throat and Austin’s voice sounds too far away when he says ‘don’t worry, we’ll find her’ because every worst possible scenario is dancing through your head right now.

And ten minutes feel like hours and Austin is tugging you towards a Help Desk to talk to someone when—

“Mommeee.”

You turn sharply at the voice because you know it like the back of your hand and a large gasp of air tumbles into your lungs as you take four steps forward and take Luci out of a cast member’s arms. You don’t really realize how hard you’re crying, in relief but also mixed with too many other emotions, until Austin comes up beside you and turns you both into his chest. He wraps an arm around you, keeping you close,

“Thank you.” Austin tells the woman, running a hand along your back.

“Oh of course, saw her wander into the shop and after a few questions, figured she was lost. Super polite though, even though the tears.”

She gives you both a small smile before walking through the shop doors and you only pull back when you feel Austin gently cup both sides of your head. He presses a kiss to your forehead, looking down at Luci. You sniffle, getting a better look at her—you can tell she’s been crying too, pink cheeks and wet eyelashes, and the cast member must have bought her a stuffed Mickey because she’s clutching it against her chest.

You shake your head, too overwhelmed to talk. Austin draws in a breath, brushing Luci’s hair out of her face—he’s not angry, but his voice is firm,

“Luci, what have we talked about before? We do not wander off like that, not without mommy or daddy.”

Luci kind of babbles as she talks, clearly the experience wasn’t too great for her either, she’s shaken regardless of being found by a nice woman and bought a Mickey stuffed animal. She seems to know that she messed up and upset her parents, along with giving herself a fright.

You let out a shuddering breath, trying to calm yourself down, running your hands over Luci’s hair and kissing her cheeks, “Please don’t scare us like that again, okay baby?”

“Okay mommeee.” Luci mumbles, “No thank you.”

You can’t help but let out a laugh, running a hand over your face. “Right.” Austin smiles, cupping your cheek to run his thumb along the bone there before drawing you both close.

--

It’s quiet on the Disney transportation bus ride back to the resort. Dark out, the bus packed, Austin seated against the window with a sleeping Luci on his chest and an arm wrapped around you, your head resting on his shoulder. You know that both of you could arrange a personalized SUV, take you from place to place as you do at home but…there’s something so normal about all this that you crave.

Austin shifts against his seat, a soft sigh leaving your nose as you tuck your face against his neck. He tilts his head down, brushing his lips along the spot near your ear,

“You alright?” He asks, pressing a kiss there.

You swallow, nodding, quiet for a few moments more. There’s still leftover adrenaline leaving your body, making you feel slightly shaky. You reach out and touch Luci’s leg, running your thumb over her calf in a calming motion for yourself, assuring that you found her, that she’s okay.

“M’sorry about before,” Austin says after a moment—and God, none of that even feels like it matters right now, but you appreciate that he’s trying. “Everythin’ happened so fast but…you’re right, I should have talked to you about it first.”

You close your eyes, breathing him in, “We’ll figure it out,” You pull back just a little, tilt your face up so you can take a look at his face. It’s dark in the bus but there’s the flicker of orange streetlamps, the light of the moon outside.

And you know that’s so much of a larger issue, so many things at play in terms of Austin’s obligations and your own commitments, but it’s the point of the matter, isn’t it? That you’ll both slow down and have that conversation? Come to a conclusion together. Might not specifically work out this time, you know that, but…

You give him a soft smile, comforted by the closeness of your family—regardless, this is how you know deep down, that whatever happens, it’ll be okay.

[lepurcinus]

In more Xf ideas. Don't you find it interesting to handle a concept where animals think of/remember/miss an extinct animal? Whether it went extinct recently or in more ancient times.

And not in that sense where suddenly a wolf says "ah yes mammoths existed a long time ago but humans made them extinct bad humans". But in a context where they REALLY are confused or don't have a clear idea about that animal or why it disappeared.

Using Watership Down as an example (because it never fails). In the stories the rabbits tell throughout the book we are told about a character named King Darzin and his people, of which we are never told or given a clear idea about what species of animal they are. In these stories we see that they have a somewhat antagonistic relationship with the rabbits and get into trouble with them a couple of times.

The last time we are told of these we are told that their people were chased by the Owsla of the black rabbit and that they disappeared, causing the rabbits to eventually forget what animals they were or what they looked like.

Well, far from imagining what animal they would be. In a Reddit AMA Richard Adams said he imagined King Darzin's people as a type of beaver. Once you think about it you form the puzzle.

By the time Watership Down was written and it happens. Beavers (which were a native species in the UK) had been extinct for centuries, hunted to their end by humans.

In that sense, beavers in ancient times coexisted with rabbits and probably competed with them for terrain, food, etc. (I'm not sure how true this is in reality but in the WD universe it seems to be). Eventually the beavers went extinct, leaving the rabbits to wonder what happened to them having simply disappeared without a trace. The humans made them extinct but the rabbits have no idea about it nor should they know, so they attributed such an act to Inle and the beavers remained in their memory in the form of stories that would eventually be lost in detail until the version we heard.

And with that I thought of for example:

A story involving pronghorn, these animals evolved to have great speed and this was because in a past time they coexisted with the American Cheetah, an animal that will eventually become extinct leaving the pronghorn with an adaptation for a predator that no longer exists.

So what if the pronghorn have stored in story form the memory of the American cheetah? They don't remember it for exactly what animal it was. But if they do remember that terrible predator that made their ancestors acquire great speed, they may even attribute to it a mystical status as a kind of divine beast or monster along with that something that gave them their "gift."

Think of that potential. It could also serve for more recently existing species such as those on islands.

[reel-fear]

Happy Disability Pride Month! Please don't support SCAVENGER ON THE WIND

CW for body horror, disturbing imagery and paranoia triggers below!

I know a lot of people are probably excited about this MAP

It's one that came out recently and got a lot of views fairly quickly. However, as you can see it features body horror and disturbing imagery in its thumbnail.

This is dangerous and not okay for multiple reasons. For one. Warrior Cats is a series for children, children are not good at handling disturbing imagery nor body horror. It could give them nightmares, stress, or even trauma in the worst cases. See stuff like Smile HD and other shock horror using children's media that is luckily now commonly frowned upon.

That's not to say all horror using children's media is unethical just that it 1. Should come with a prominent warning that it is not for kids and 2. Shouldn't feature shocking content in the thumbnail as anyone who could be triggered or disturbed by that content can't prevent YouTube from showing it to them. This video breaks both rules.

This is the only warning the MAP has. It mentions nothing specific that could actually trigger someone and doesn't even bother to label itself as not something kids should consume. This warning has all the usefulness of opening a game that tells you "This Game Contains Scenes". I'm sure many of you are thinking it could just be a simple and easy-to-fix mistake...

However, the host is not interested in fixing any of this despite people politely pointing out these exact problems. Which I will show soon.

Another important thing is that generally making horror content should always be done with caution. You shouldn't include anything too graphic or disturbing in your thumbnail and oftentimes it's preferred you keep it very tame. Doing otherwise could cause people with particular triggers to have a horrible reaction to them.

Sadly disabled people are already really ignored and stepped over in a lot of horror communities, analogue horror is sadly a very prominent one. People with physical disabilities are often tagged as "Body Horror" with no consideration to how hurtful that label could be to them and sometimes even used as disturbing images to jumpscare you in stuff like games inspired by Mandela Catalogue.

the mentally ill are only treated worse both by fans of horror and by horror content itself. This treatment actively contributes to their discrimination in real life, which is why it's so important to listen to them on topics like this. Sadly it doesn't seem like this host cares for them at all.

This extremely defensive and immature post was made in response to these incredibly polite and kind comments.

These people were:

Super polite

Offered solutions to this problem.

Were just trying to prevent harm coming from people who might find the content in this MAP disturbing.

The replies they received were none of the above. Funky and Erlkremling [A prominent horror WC artist] both dismissed these concerns with Erlkremling being particularly rude to them.

This is dangerous but most of all shows an extreme lack of care or regard to those who suffer from mental disorders.

I myself tried to point this out, only to get even crueler comments from the host and Erlkremling.

This is to put bluntly, fucking cruel to those who suffer from these problems. Why is it that when Cheetah Z has flashing lights that could harm people it's a problem but saying 'don't put disturbing imagery in your THUMBNAILS which nobody can prevent from being shoved into their dash' it's too far to compare them?? This is so blatantly treating mentally ill folks like their issues, their struggles, THEIR SAFETY FOR FUCKS SAKE, is less important than their 'actually disabled' counterparts.

They are literally admitting this is a problem, that other popular horror medias in this fandom suffer this problem. But instead of seeing that and saying "oh my god, I'm contributing to a running problem of ableism in this fandom I should stop." They're saying "Well if those other people ALSO think a png is more important than disabled people's safety surely I'm in the right!"

The absolutely apathy towards the suffering of disabled people has genuinely brought me to tears just thinking of the way they replied to me. THIS IS OVER A PNG, A THUMBNAIL THEY COULD TAKE JUST A FEW HOURS TO REDRAW, that fucking image to them is more important than the safety of disabled folks. Happy fucking disability pride month to you too btw.

To put it bluntly, if you see this situation for the upsetting awful mess it is I would highly suggest not supporting this MAP and letting the participants know what kind of behavior they are associating themselves with.

Here's a link with all the map parts, tell the participants what kind of behavior they are encouraging by taking part in this project.

Here's the og map call, tell the host how unacceptable and cruel this treatment of the mentally ill is.

Sadly unless there is a big backlash, it's very unlikely any of these creators will care about those they have affected. I honestly can't even describe how horrible all the things they have implied in these comments is.

To try and argue some people are just 'too mentally ill' to belong in internet spaces is HORRIBLE, they want people they deem 'too disabled' to simply NOT EXIST in online spaces. This is literally them fully admitting some disabled people simply don't belong in public spaces, don't deserve to be heard in online discussions and are simply not as important as other disabled folks when it comes to making things accessible for them.

I've been genuinely losing sleep over this at times, neurotypical people just have no idea how stressful, how upsetting and how hurtful it can be to know you're considered 'lesser' than other 'actually disabled' folks. To be trampled and spoken over, spoken to like you're NOTHING on these issues. So please from the pleas of a disabled artist in this space.

Please, Please reblog and spread this, on this month above all else we should be focused on stopping this kind of behavior.

Just because it's a consistent issue in this fandom doesn't make it okay to spread it even more. In fact I am inviting anyone reading this, if you see gore, body horror and general disturbing imagery in a thumbnail please inform the uploader of the real damage it can do to the mentally ill. Sadly, I put off posting this for a long time, because I didn't think anyone would listen or care unless I did it this month.

That's just a sad reality for a lot of mentally ill folks, in online spaces we're silenced. We just have to live with that a lot of the time, but I'm not gonna let this slide on a month dedicated to people like me and those who behavior like this hurts. Neither should you.

[harloqui]

Shifting Safety Tips

I now have enough experience with shifting to make a list on the dangers of the outdoors! This isn't everything you could encounter, but this is a pretty good basics list for anybody wondering about the dangers of being out in nature as a shifter (or even as a human!)

This list isn't supposed to make you anxious or paranoid by any means, but is supposed to warn you about the potential dangers outside and how to handle them. The chances that you'll get lost or stuck out in the wild are small, but it's good to know what to do if something like that were to happen.

▪︎Tell people where you'll be.

Don't go out in secret. You don't have to tell people not in the know, but you shouldn't be sneaking out without telling anybody where you'll be. If something were to happen to you you'd want someone to alert the authorities early and fast, and sneaking out without telling anybody works against you. Tell a shifter friend, tell a human friend you'll be exploring X area, but regardless of who you tell let someone know where you'll be.

▪︎Take note of your surroundings.

When outdoors and in an isolated area, try to make a mental note of where you are and who's around you. Don't tune everything out, especially when you're exploring a new area for the first time. Pay special attention to odd parts of the landscape that stick out - if you get lost you can use these things to help you get back to where you started.

It can help to learn about the native plants and wildlife in your area. You don't need to become an expert (unless you want to) but knowing about what is growing all around you can help you navigate your surroundings with ease. This information can be useful even on quick journeys, and help you identify when you're near dangerous animals, plants or landscapes.

Avoid suspicious individuals. Some people have bad intentions in isolated areas. If someone appears to be acting a little too interested in you for no apparent reason, appears to be coyly following you or seems to be trying to herd or lure you someplace, head back to an area with people and get out of there.

▪︎Carry backup.

It can be dangerous in heavily forested, isolated or wooded areas, especially if you're a visible minority. When traversing these areas you should always have some sort of backup defense or weapon, just in case. This may seem silly, because if you're a shifter shifting should be enough to stop someone... but you don't want to only rely on shifting to protect you. After all, a human can still overtake most animals provided they have the right weapons.

This also goes for tools and necessities. Bring a backup charger for your phone if you're going to be out most of the day. Bring food and snacks if you're trekking somewhere new. Keep a swiss army knife on hand. You don't need to pack like you're going to climb mountains, but you should have the appropriate backup supplies should something go wrong that day.

▪︎When in the forests as a human, wear orange.

Animal hunters (such as trophy and food hunters) often camouflage themselves within the surroundings, which can put you at risk if you're also sneaking around the area. When shifting in a hunter-filled area, wear something orange (whether a collar, bandana, or a vest) so hunters can see you and avoid you. Even if you look like an animal, an orange piece of clothing surrounding you will let them know that you're associated with humans in some way and shouldn't be killed.

You can follow this rule as an animal, but note that it may look odd depending on what you are and where you live - a wolf with orange on won't attract much attention in Canada, but a cheetah might, and may get reported as a possibly escaped exotic pet. Be careful with how you go about this while physically shifted.

▪︎When stuck, call for help.

Got stuck in a trap? Lost and need assistance? If you can, call for help. If you have your phone on hand, use it. If not, call out for someone or wait for someone to come and find you.

When lost you should try to stick to a particular area until help arrives. Don't go wandering off when people could be searching for you- you could be delaying your chances of being found. Make a shelter out of whatever is available to you, and be particular about what you eat, if you eat anything wild. Meat should be properly cleaned and cooked well to reduce the chances of food poisoning or parasites, and you should only eat plants you know for sure won't poison you.

If shifting to catch food, be very careful about how you do it. Remember, animals often get hurt or injured when hunting, so if you must hunt choose weak prey. Try to avoid carrion unless necessary, as that also caries a risk of disease. If you must scavenge, look for something recently killed. If you're grazing, make sure to pick flora that seems healthy - many places that seem clean can be teeming with all sorts of pathogens or human chemicals, and some plants may be toxic to shifters.

If you're not too lost or must wander off, use your animal senses to help you find civilization. Odd, out of place smells or sounds may be indicative of industries or people being nearby. Don't disregard human pollution - if you see more bottles, trash, or discolored water near one place than another, that is a good sign that humans frequent that area, and by following the trash trail you can get back to society.

Lastly, if you are lost don't stress out. Stress can weaken your immune system and ruin your motivation to escape your situation. Don't focus on the negatives, keep a positive attitude and take things one step at a time.

I hope these tips can help any shifters nervous about exploring the outdoors, or wondering how to survive if they need to. Stay safe out there!