#therefore whoever wins must be the good guy

[arcticdementor]

Trial by Combat

Why is it that, for so many people I encounter, between the situations of:

A political system/ideology is tried at length, and eventually collapses primarily due to it's own internal problems and unworkability

A political system/ideology is tried… and is almost immediately defeated in a war against a foe with significant geographic advantages and a technological and economic "head start"

they consider the latter to "disprove" the political system/ideology much more thoroughly than the former? And that, while they won't say it explicitly — and will make exceptions in a few specific cases (based on political alignments) — they hold a general belief that we can know who the "right side" in any war is based on them being the side that won.

Whatever happened to "wars don't decide who is right, only who is left"?

[colourstreakgryffin]

Alright I have one last request until I'm done for the day😭 alright so for some reason I'm not attracted to Gojo, he's pretty sure, but he's more best friend material for me. So.. I was thinking (Platonic!🤍)Yandere! Gojo vs. (Romantic!💗)yandere! naoya with reader whose like kind of an asshole and like very feminist riot grrrl-y! Thank you for your time!! 💗💗

I'm done for the day I swear😭(i love ur work sm I'm sorry it it feels like I'm overbearing-)

-💗💗 anon

Hmm. Okay, this is interesting, let’s see how it goes. I am overbeared, it’s fine. I’m surprised you like Naoya, he’s a misogynistic asshole

Platonic! Yandere! Gojo Satoru vs Romantic! Yandere! Zen'in Naoya

This all happened because Zen'in had his eyes on you for a little while, and Gojo was trying to be a good best friend and defend you from picking the wrong husband. Zen'in is not safe in the slightest with his anti-feminist mindset, therefore, Gojo must dispose of him so he is dearest best friend can be safe once again

The intense obsession the two share, based around you, begun when their rivalry started to catch fire. You didn’t want to notice it but with how blaring those two are in fights, it’s like trying to watch a puppy run at oncoming traffic

Gojo firmly believes Zen'in pursuing you is dangerous and could harm you, so he tries to keep you away from him and there is no way to fight back from the ‘honoured one’. Gojo can drag you around all he wants, your protests are barley heard as he thinks of the best way to chase Zen'in away

It’s a fight constantly and you’re getting tired of it as it happens everyday. Gojo intervening when Zen'in tries to hit on you and gets into a massive argument over you. It goes the same way as they both are equally possessive and protective over you and your safety in this cursed spirit-invested world

They are very toxic, for sure, throwing stuff at each other and throwing insults after insults. Gojo doesn’t care about anything he has to but keep you safe from the wrong man of choice. Zen'in would fight Gojo for you and your hand in marriage but he knows he can’t win, so he needs to use more dirty means to win

You’re a tough woman who wants to be independent so you come off as rude and you’re a hardcore feminist. Both the guy trying to pursue you and your best friend idolise these traits about you like you’re some goddess from above and neither could see you as different

Gojo and Zen'in simply adore you, rather it be in different lights or not. Both want you to be apart of their lives and both don’t want to lose you, hence why they fight with each other so vigorously to ensure they can be in your presence undivided and unshackled. They need you at this point, it’s getting worse

Gojo is trapped in the delusion where you’re in danger when he sees how Naoya wants your heart. He may not love you romantically but his possessive nature with you stems around keeping you as his dear friend forever, and he, for sure, won’t let some misogynistic asscrack take you away from him

Zen'in is smart enough to not try properly fight Gojo. Gojo will completely annihilate him so he simply decides to use his manipulative skills to the test and try trick you into avoiding Gojo

Though, Gojo does not like that and will try emotionally manipulate you back into liking him and try talk you out of spending time with Zen'in. It’s a whole lot of back and forward of manipulation on both parties’ ends

It’s a big bloody mess of disaster. One’s who fighting for your love, and one’s who fighting to make sure your heart isn’t broken

You have to pick one of them eventually. Whoever you pick will be the one who has what he wanted from the beginning, though, not siding with Gojo is a huge risk with how powerful he is. His Yandere-shifted mind can make him easily destroy the whole world out of anger and betrayal over you

“Yeah! Yeah! I know, you can do whatever you want but he is not safe, that Zen'in. He hates women! Why would you want him as a husband when he’ll treat you bad! I know I’m not saint of a friend but I won’t treat you so bad! Stay with me! I’ll do the best I can to be a amazing friend for you!”

“Don’t believe, Gojo. My love, I don’t think of you like I think of normal women. You’re special, magnificent, beautiful. You’re a man’s dream and I’d be damned to let you go. I can promise you that a marriage with me is a lot more appealing than a mere friendship with that white haired porcupine”

[drpoisonoaky]

Sometimes supergirl has a random thought that has to be shared with a specific person.

[Thought 1]

[On a rooftop with nightwing looking at some criminals]

Kara: Do you realize you can say “have a nice day” without problems but when you say “enjoy the next 24 hours” sounds threatening.

Nightwing: THE FUCK SHE’S DOING HERE

Babs: and if you use seconds instead of hours sounds even more threatening like “enjoy the next 1440 seconds”.

Kara: Exactly! Well good luck and good night *kiss her in the forehead and flew away*

Dick: I-

Babs: Shh they’re moving.

[Thought 2]

[Inside the clock tower with Steph]

Babs: Steph you have to be more caref-

Kara: A coconut has hair. A coconut has milk. A coconut has flesh. Therefore, a coconut is a mammal.

Steph: WHERE DID SHE CAME FROM?!

Babs: A coconut is a fruit babe.

Steph: THAT’S NORMAL TO YOU?!

Kara: Your logic is no fun but you are pretty so *kiss her in her left cheeck* bye *fly away*

Steph: that wa-

Babs: cause if you aren’t more careful I’m going to call Cass.

Steph: WHY DO YOU CONTINUE LECTURING ME AS IF NOTHING HAS HAPPENED

[Thought 3]

[Inside the clock tower with Dinah]

Dinah: There were like 10 guys at least but she came and fight al-

Kara: Do you realized that poems that don't rhyme are just really weird sentences that make people feel awkward?

Babs: Maybe you can write one and use it instead of fighting.

Kara: Oooh I’m going to do that *kiss her in her temple* see you tomorrow night *flies away*

Dinah:

Babs: and what happened next?

Dinah: I guess birds of a feather flock together.

[Thought 4]

[At the batcave helping Bruce]

Bruce: I’m trying to enter but-

Kara: Do you realise your lap only exists when you sit down? When you stand up its not a lap anymore.

Babs: That’s a good one.

Kara: The accessibility of this place is awful btw.

Bruce: Are you done?

Kara: Geez you didn’t even flinch.

Bruce: I’m part of the justice league. They always show up like that.

Kara: …okay I guess. Well *kiss babs on the nose* see ya!

Bruce: as I was saying-

[Thought 5]

Riddle: Riddle me this Wh-

Kara: Pizzas are circles cut into triangles put into squares. It feels over geometric.

Riddle: shit shit shit I cannot win a super-

Babs: Mmm now i’m kinda hungry. Can you hit him to end this sooner so we can get some pizza?

Kara: Your treat?

Babs: Of course.

[Thought 6]

[With Harley on a rooftop]

Harley: And then this guy came-

Kara: I bet the person that invented popcorn must have been really surprised.

Harley: FUCK YOU YOU NEARLY KILL ME YOU S-

Babs: I hope they didn’t have any cardiac pathologies.

Kara: Right? I’m gonna get some *kiss babs on the top of her head* bye!

Harley: Men I love popcorns.

Babs: So…

Harley: I’m sorry bratgirl but I don’t remember what I was telling you before the blondie.

[Thought 7]

[On the clock tower with cass]

Babs: When will you perform? I want to see you again, I miss watching you dance.

Kara: Someone could be stopping time, then unstopping it, and we wouldn't know.

Babs: I think that violates every law of physics.

Cass: They have to feel quite alone.

Kara: True. My powers are better. *kiss babs in her right cheek* Nice to see you Cass!

Cass: She’s nice.

Cass: In two weeks.

Babs: I’ll be there.

[Thought 0]

Kara: Babs, can I ask you something?

Babs: Always.

Kara: Can I fly wherever you are every time I have like a stupid thought and tell you and then go back?

Babs: Like a message.

Kara: Well yeah but faster and forcing you to read it.

Babs: mmm

Kara: A random thought, a kiss, and scaring the hell out of whoever you are at the time, what do you say?

Babs: If you do it more than 15 times in a week, the dinner on date night is on you.

Kara: Deal!

[incorrect-jojolands-quotes]

Chapter 16 Yap Session: Let's Get Real (Estate)

Some people were wondering how signing the land away is going to help (or hurt) Jodio and his gang.

Other Yaps (To Be Updated as I Go): 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

In America, the 5th amendment is generally known as the right to protect one from self-incrimination and the right to a trial. It also is known as the right to not have your private property seized by the government.

However, there are two cases where the government can take your property away. Today, we're going to talk about forfeiture.

Forfeiture happens when the government takes property because it is linked to a crime. Whether it resulted in a crime or a crime takes place on it, the government claims it must be taken without compensation. To start this process, the government must have evidence that this is the case and send a notice to the owner. The owner will then file a claim and both sides will do their own investigations on the matter before everything is taken to court.

It is the jury that determines whether the government is in the right to take the land or not. During the trial, the government can order further restrictions on the land but it's only when the court sides with them in the end that they can take the land and become its new owner. The previous owner can continue to appeal or negotiate with the government directly to buy back their land, but the government remains the new owner once the court finalizes their decision. However, if the forfeiture is later found to be unjust or unlawful, the former owner might be entitled to compensation or restitution. Given Congressman White's assistant mentioning there is a lack of evidence that would warrant the sign-off, Howler can argue that they were wrongly convicted and therefore keep their land. Even if the government wins the court case, Howler can continue to appeal as much as their budget allows.

Now, when a government becomes a land's new owner, they can do one of three things:

turn the land into public property.

lease the land to someone else.

auction off the land to the highest bidder.

The last means that anyone with the money can simply buy the land and become its new owner. If the trial is successful for the government, they can sell off the land to the highest offer, and it then becomes Jodio's team (or Meryl Mei's) job to provide it. Seems like a good thing for the gang.

But wait... that's assuming the government is going to auction the land off after they do what they want with it. ANYONE with the money can simply buy the land. Jodio's team will have to compete with other corporations and entities who may have more money to throw and bid. Not only that, Howler themselves can try to buy back their land or have someone bid for them. Remember that Howler still has 47 land deeds and are still valued at 50 billion dollars. Certainly, they have the money to fight in court and then some to buy their land back if the trial fails. Not only that, this is them doing things LEGALLY to get their land back. We know they have Stand Users and they won't hesitate to act unethically.

Not only that, the land was seized because Congressman White alleged Howler was conducting illegal activities on the land. Whoever becomes the new owner of the land regardless will have the government eying them and public opinion taking interest. Whatever Meryl Mei plans on doing will be put under scrutiny and neither she or Jodio's gang will be able to do what they want without worrying about other eyes on them while they work.

Anyways, let me know what y'all think. How do you guys think the land ownership situation will fare for the gang?

[neoprowl]

Deltanium vs Chi: Race

[chima realm, speedor race]

Kagetsu: *inspecting custom made speedor* ... can't believe these things are made of rocks

Laval: hey these are more than just a bunch of rocks, they were carved from the stones of mount cavora itself while the wheels are part of chima's nature

Kagetsu: ...so basically...I have to be stuck to the ground the whole time

Laval: uh...not sure what you mean by that...but this is how vehicals wo—...what are you doing?

Kagetsu: *serching inner jacket pockets* ....you'll see *pulls out black deltanium crystal* Cheshire, catch! *Tosses crystal up*

Kuro chehsire(true form): GLADLY! *Swallows crystal*

Laval: wha-!? DID HE JUST SWALLOW THAT WHOLE!?

Kuro Cheshire: *changes into a cycle* impressive I know

Laval: ...HUH!?

Kagetsu: *hops on* say hello to...ワンダーサイクル

Laval: ..wha...

[at the starting line]

Equila: what's this!? It is unlike any speedor ever seen in chima

Worriz: huh? What's with the goofy little speedor? Can your world not anything better looking!? Pfft hahahaha!

Kuro Cheshire(Wondercycle): unlike most felids I bite back, unless your offering to be cat chow then I suggest you mind your tounge...before I do

Worriz: WHAT THE!? *Nearly falls off*

*beep! Beep! Ding!*

Equila: And their off...all but the strange cat one however *gets closer* excuse me uh...whoever you are, why have you not started? The race is already on

Kagetsu: ...call me Ace...and I'm giving them a running start, our speed is maddening

Equila: well mr. Ace...one other question...what type of speedor is this?

Kagetsu: hm? Speedor?

Kuro cheshire(wondercycle): I assure you I am no piece of mountain rubble, now master I believe it is time we made like a gamble

Kagetsu: good, cause I'm betting on black today

Equila: wha-?

[FWOOSH]

Equila: WOAH! THAT WAS SUCH A FAST START I WAS ALMOST SENT FLYING!

[up ahead]

Worriz: heh, kid made a big mistake giving us a head start!

Eris: I dunno...something feels unnatural about that speedor if his

Cragger: you mean other than that thing talking!?

Laval: guys...that thing isn't just a cycle..I saw what happened and-

Kagetsu: yo

Laval/cragger/worriz: HOW DID YOU CATCH UP SO FAST!?

Eris: and what's with the giant cat head on your ride?

Worriz: WHO EVEN LET YOU DRIVE!?

Kagetsu: ...chehsire...lets finish this race already, go wild

Kuro Cheshire(wondercycle wild): like a wild cat, let my claws tear through this race

[FWOOSH]

[hours later]

Kagetsu: ...hm...looks like I won

Longtooth: uh...what should we do king Lagravis

Leonidas: he might have won but it wasn't with a speedor

Lagravis: ..hmm...even so, he won without any of his tricks (to Kagetsu) ace, you have won the great speedor race...granted without a speedor, therefore you have won the golden chi

Kagetsu: ...*touches golden chi*

Golden chi: *slowly turns purple*

Kagetsu: *removes hand* that's a little

Lagravis: off yes...maybe try with your organic hand

Kagetsu: I wouldn't count on it...however *takes golden chi* there is one thing I'd want *uses golden chi to make a giant fruit cake* nice

Lagravis: uh...I can't say this is a surprise to be honest

Kuro Cheshire(plush form): no matter what he wins, you must remember, his fangs hunger for the only thing he can taste, Kuhuhuhu

Chi vs Deltanium

[Chima realm, lion temple]

Kagetsu looking at the pool of chi: ....hm...I wonder *takes off shirt*

Laval walking in: uh...ace, what are you—

Kagetsu: *opens chest panel and rips out heart* uuugh *dies and drops heart into pool of chi*

Laval(panicked): AH! *Reaches in and accidentally puts chi in Kagetsu's chest* ...uh oh

Kagetsu(dead): ....*open robotic eye flickers weakly*

Laval: did that do anything?

Kagetsu(slowly waking up): ....uugh...what happened?

Laval: Never mind that! What were you trying to do, and what was that purple chi that came out of your chest!?

Kagetsu(voice rapsy): you mean the deltanium crystal?

Laval: del...what? Also what's wrong with your voice?

Kagetsu: *reaching in* oh...well your...chi...or whatever...must not be...compatible...with my...robotic systems...so my....voice is...a little...ugly...my left side is numb...and I'm blind....in the right eye *pulls out heart from pool* here it is...also...currently...only...my organic...sides...are...working...so you'll...have to...put my heart...back in *holds heart in mouth*

Laval: wait what!?

Kagetsu: good luck *rips chi out of chest and dies...again*

Laval(confused): uh...well...okay...I guess...umm *places deltanium heart back in*

Kagetsu: *wakes up* .....thanks

[mephinomaly]

[TL] Wonderful/Chapter 3

Location: Garden

Hinata: The sun is so nice and warm~! I wanna bask in its rays, but I’ve got so many things I need to do.

Shinobu: It’s because a lot of things have suddenly taken shape all at once~

The stage set was flashy, and the opening ceremony performance had exceptionally good vibes.

Mika: Us five’ll also be takin’ part in Hibiki-senpai’s magic flower show.

I think what I learnt during the lessons can be put to my best ability at the show ♪

Hiiro: Another thing. The introduction of Easter related cooking, going to activities, standing on each stage…

I’m happy that I was allowed to take part in so many things during the Fes!

Wataru: Fufufu, I’m extremely busy thanks to everyone’s reprimanding. Please, continue to work your hardest and remain lively until the end.

—That being said, today allow me to give you all something too ☆

Shinobu: Uwaah, it’s time for Hibiki-dono’s chocolate!

If you think about, it has become the norm for us to eat chocolate from Hibiki-dono everyday~

Mika: Seems like chocolate has a lot of different benefits. Even if there’s actually no actual connection, I still feel like eating it will make me work super hard today too.

Hinata: I’ve been trying to finish my collection of colourful foil~♪ So, could I have the red one today?

Wataru: Most certainly. Look to the palm of my hand–

Hiiro: Huh? But there’s nothing in it, Wataru-senpai.

Wataru: Oopsies…? So it seems that today’s chocolate has escaped my grasp.

It seems that the spring weather is tempting you all to a game of hide-and-seek. What mischievous chocolates, hm~?

I believe that they’re hidden in the garden, so why don’t you all split up and look for them?

Mika: So this is an egg hunt? Nfufu, this is very Easter-y.

Hinata: We’re all excited to get started, but will you be joining us, Hibiki-senpai?

Wataru: Yes, as I know where it’s hidden. Also, today you're looking for one piece of chocolate.

Hiiro: What’s the grand prize?

Wataru: Whoever finds it will… Actually, nevermind. I shall reveal it once we find the chocolate ☆

You’ve got 10 minutes. Well then, let’s begin…☆

Time: 10 minutes later

Hinata: …Uhh. Did you guys find the egg-shaped chocolate?

Shinobu: Fumu? You’re holding a chocolate…shaped like a rabbit?

Wataru: Congratulations! The Easter Bunny chocolate that Hinata-kun is holding is today’s winning piece ☆

Hinata: I don’t really know how, but I’m happy I won! Thank you very much ♪

Wataru: As you found the correct chocolate, your prize is that you’re now this unit’s leader…☆

Hinata: Ehh~. I’m the leader…?

Wait, nonono! I can’t be the leader just because I found the right one! That’s weird!

Besides, you didn’t participate in the hunt, right?

If this was how you were going to decide who the leader was, why did you exclude yourself before we even began…

Wataru: I suppose it’s a little devious for me to have done that. But there was always the possibility that no one would find the rabbit, therefore I wasn’t completely excluded.

Being the oldest here is quite enough. I also felt that I would fit the role of mentor better rather than leader.

Hinata: But, being the leader of an important shuffle unit…

Is it alright for me to be the leader just because I found the bunny?

Mika: Umm…I think Hinata-kun would be fit for the job? I wouldn’t wanna do it myself, but Hinata-kun could.

It came up when I was talkin’ ‘bout costumes with Anzu-chan.

I was able to paint Easter eggs, and those were put on display…

Hinata-kun must have heard what we were talkin’ ‘bout at school, ‘n told Anzu-chan ‘bout it.

Hinata: Well, that’s only because I happened to have consulted Anzu-san about it beforehand…

Wataru: Though, you’ve been consulting rather than talking. Have you been working towards the Easter Fes this whole time, Hinata-kun?

Shinobu: You asked everyone here to form a shuffle unit, and you said that you wanted Hibiki-dono to join.

Hinata-kun has set everything in motion since the beginning. I also think there is no one more qualified to be leader than you ♪

Hiiro: Umu. I am glad that Hinata-kun was the one who discovered the Easter bunny.

As the leader of our unit, I want you to rally us together!

Hinata: I-I couldn’t? Wouldn’t that be kinda embarrassing…?

Wataru: Fufufu, is that so? Hinata-kun, please relish in that feeling of indescribable embarrassment ♪

Hinata: Hnnng, what’s that supposed to mean?

I became the leader of 2wink because I’m the older brother. This is the first time it’s been decided not based on something like that.

So it’s pretty embarrassing, right? Going from two people to five is a big jump, so is it even okay for me to…?

Wataru: We don’t have any concerns. It’s a 100%, completely unanimous result, Hinata-kun ♪

Well then, would our leader like to give a few words of inspiration?

Hinata: Ah. So you guys want a few words of inspiration? Sure thing…!

Shinobu: ...♪

Mika: ...♪

Hinata: …Ehh~. This has all happened quite suddenly, but I’m Hinata Aoi, leader of this shuffle unit.

Nonetheless, Hibiki-senpai has been guiding us up until now. Each of you have been working really hard.

We’ve all grown as friends. We share the same feelings as we’ve been on this journey together.

Though I’m the leader now, nothing will change, and I hope we all continue to get along and have fun until the last day of the Fes.

However, you’ve all entrusted me as leader, so I must meet your expectations. I think we need to strengthen our bond, so that we can become an even better unit.

Hiiro: ...☆

Wataru: ...☆

Hinata: For both the shuffle unit, and for the Easter Fes. Let’s put the strength of us five together so this is a huge success…☆

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[cyaneyesullivan]

listening to WAP and having thoughts...

i took my interest off petekey for a while to focus on other stuff, but everytime i listen to Fall Out Boy, the wonder and amazement spark back immediately... i’m still completely blown away (among other things) by how much Pete must’ve liked (loved) Mikey to keep up with it for so long -- or how much he feels in general. and even if the songs aren’t about Mikey (i have discussed this briefly), it doesn’t change the fact that Pete is absolutely tormented by his own emotions. it’s kind of fascinating.

with that being said, i’m in the mood to list off all the suspicious lyrics ever written by Pete that makes me go “damn, Mikey really did a disgusting number on him” or like, “poor Pete man”

disclaimer: again, these lyrics, let alone songs, might not be about Mikey, but i choose to believe so. i have to satisfy my fixation and bedazzlement on the fact that petekey highkey happened in the summer of 05. 

i’m only including my favorite songs or i’ll be here all night.

italic = my favorite lines

in no particular order:

Bishops Knife Trick (a LOT to unpack in this one): - And I’m living out of time, eternal heatstroke - Spiritual revolt from the waist down - To the places that we never should have left - I’ve got a feeling inside that I can’t domesticate, it doesn’t want to live in a cage, a feeling that I can’t housebreak - And I’m yours, ‘til the earth starts to crumble and the heavens roll away - I’m struggling to exist with you, and without you - I’m sifting through the sand, sand, sand, sand, looking for pieces of broken hourglass - Trying to get it all back, put it back together, as if the time had never passed - I know I should walk away, know I should walk away - But I just want to let you break my brain - And I can’t seem to get a grip - No, no matter how I live with it

Heaven’s Gate (some interesting elements here that describe Pete’s all-consuming yet destructive love) - If there were any more left of me, I’d give it to you (this one is just a personal favorite, not particularly related to Mikey) - Go out in the world, start over again and again, as many times as you can - ‘Cause everything else is a substitute for your love - I’ve got dreams of my own, but I want to make yours come true (another personal favorite lol) - You’re the one habit I just can’t kick

The Last Of The Real Ones (i adore this song but it leaves a lot of space for vague interpretation, so I’ll just list off my favorite lyrics that give me goosebumps when I think they’re meant for Mikey) - You are the sun and I am just the planets, spinning around you - You were too good to be true, gold plated, but what’s inside you? - I know this whole damn city thinks it needs you but not as much as I do, as much as I do - I wonder if your therapist knows everything about me - That ultra-kind of love you never walk away from - I am a collapsing star with tunnel vision, but only for you - My head is stripped just like a screw that’s been tightened too many times, when I think of you - Just tell me, tell me, tell me I, I am the only one, even if it’s not true, even if it’s not true

Just One Yesterday (oh my lord, this one lmao -- honestly the whole song has this odd vibe that it’s a pointed jab at Mikey) - Anything you say can and will be held against, so only say my name - I’d trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday (any notion that suggests Pete is obsessed with the past is a win) - I want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way - I don’t have the right name or the right looks, but I have twice the heart (i just feel like maybe he’s implying he’s not a girl and that does not please no-homo Mikey) - If I spilled my guts, the world would never look at you the same way (lol) - And now I’m here to give you all my love - So I can watch your face as I take it all away

Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet (my ultimate favorite of FOB. unbeatable. i had to put it here if only to honor it) --> i talked about it before -- there are no obvious marks of petekey here, but i made a post on it in the past

Immortals (lolol) - I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass (hourglass, time, past, bottom half, Pete is still waiting for Mikey, blabla) - I try to picture me without you but I can’t - ‘Cause we could be immortals, immortals, just not for long, for long - And live with me forever now, pull the black out curtains down (blocking public exposure?) - I’m still comparing your past to my future - It might your wound but, they’re my sutures (Pete’s heartbreak = big inspiration that keeps him writing lyrics therefore having a career?)

Centuries (obviously) - Some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold - But you will remember me, remember me for centuries (they must have done super crazy shit back in 05) - And just one mistake, is all it will take, we’ll go down in history (presumably, their story must be so nuts it will end up in a massive gossip explosion) - Mummified my teenage dreams (his songs lol) - No it’s nothing wrong with me, the kids are all wrong, the story’s all off, heavy metal broke my heart - Bruises on your thighs like my fingerprints - Cause I-I am the opposite of amnesia (notable, since there is concrete evidence of their ‘lovestruck summer’ in the form of a million of his lyrics) - You look so pretty but you’re gone so soon - We’ve been here forever, and here’s the frozen proof (again, his lyrics, photographs, dramas, tweets etc)

Irresistible (honestly, the whole song lmao) - Mon cheri (i’m only putting this one down because, little story: i didn’t know about petekey when i first listened to this song, and i’m french, and when i heard this for the first time i was like, wtf, people keep wanting to use french words and end up using them wrong. well, oops. maybe the use this time wasn’t as faulty as i thought)

HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON’T - I neve really feel a thing, I was kind of too froze - You were the only one, that even kind of came close - I took too many hits off this memory (memory = joint? lmao) - Another day goes by (without Mikey?) - So hold me tight, or don’t (basically, settle or fade) - Oh no, no, no this isn’t how our story ends - I got too high again when I realized I can’t not be with you or be just your friend - I love you to death but I just can’t, I just can’t pretend, we were lovers first - Confidants but never friends, were we ever friends? (interesting point since they never really had a lasting friendship. it’s a well known fact they helped each other with their own monsters (so, confidants), but after the whole summer fiasco, their friendship was at best on and off, and even then, there’s a lot of mourning on Pete’s end. poor guy) - ‘Cause I’m past the limits, the distance between us, it sharpens me like a knife

Jet Pack Blues - I’m the last one that you’ll ever remember - And I’m trying to find my peace of mind - She’s in a long black coat tonight (someone, in a significant night, has been in a long black coat too) - Did you ever love her? Do you know? Or did you never want to be alone? (notable, Pete is questioning whether or not his ‘love’ could stem from loneliness, because this shit happens way too often than should be) - Don’t you remember how we used to split a drink? It never matted what it was - I think our hands were just that close, the sweetness never lasted, no Novocaine (i like this one in particular because it just seems to suggest that Pete will never be finished with this, and will haunt Mikey forever, either to get revenge for being left behind or relive that one unforgettable summer) - I will always land on you like a sucker punch (omg lmao) - I am your worst, I am your worst nightmare - If you knew, knew what the bluebirds sing at you, you would never sing along - Because they took our love and they filled it up, filled it up with novocaine and now I’m just numb - I don’t feel a thing for you (sure) - I’m just a problem that doesn’t wanna be solved - I feel like a photo that’s been overexposed (i wonder if it’s because of all the junk he posted on livejournal) that concludes it! of course, there are so many more obvious songs, like Fourth of July and Bang the Doldrums, but i don’t love those songs, so i didn’t include them. and side note, the lyrics hit that much harder when Patrick is the damn singer and makes everything hurt. but i’ll rant about that in another post, maybe.

(it doesn’t really matter who sees this or doesn’t -- i just wanted to put this out somewhere. petekey will forever be so interesting. the impact Mikey (or whoever Pete wrote about) had on Pete is just unbelievable to me.)

end.

[endlich-allein]

Promo "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" (2009), Christoph "Doom" Schneider  — Interview by Philip Lageat, 16-11-2009, Nantes (Rock Hard #94)

Rock Hard : With six studio albums in the bag, it must be more and more difficult to establish a setlist. How do you deal with that ?

Christoph "Doom" Schneider : Strangely enough, we take our heads less at this level than in the studio. I am therefore going to surprise you by telling you that this is done as simply and naturally as possible, since we ultimately proceed in a very democratic way : each of us draws up a list of our favorite titles. We then compare the desideratas of each... and the majority wins, provided however that the songs chosen fit well into the show. We did it this time around and it worked really well, since we shared an identical opinion on many songs. Personally, I find that we have found a good balance between old songs and new songs. We play a lot of songs from our last album, Liebe Ist Für Alle Da, which suits me well because I admit that I was fed up with some old titles. I was almost sickened by playing them. So we discarded them, otherwise I think we would have quickly become jaded of the new show. So we had to be careful what we choose, because, given the special effects that we deploy on stage, it is quite difficult for us, after the fact, to make big changes in the setlist. It is that each of us must know precisely what to do, and where it must be, during each song : a misstep, a second of inattention, and you are toasted like a peanut ! (laughs) Anyway, a setlist usually follows you during a whole tour and I'm happy with it which, as I said, seems to me to be a happy medium, a pretty harmonious balance, between old and new songs.

RH : Twenty years ago almost to the day, on November 9, 1989, we witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall. As an East German, do you remember this historic moment ?

Christoph : Yes, I was in town. In the middle of the night, I heard the radio announcing that people were destroying the Wall. It must be said that, for a few days already, the rumor had swelled that this was going to happen. But I stayed home because quite frankly, I couldn't believe it ! (laughs) It wasn't until a day or two later that I crossed the Wall for the first time to go west. At the risk of disappointing, I was therefore not one of those people we saw on TV riding the Wall and destroying it with a pickax or hammer. I remember I was of course delighted, but the shock was such that it took me a while to adjust to this new life : during the first two or three years, I had the feeling of not being able to be part of nothing and of everything at the same time, to evolve in a space of total freedom. To tell the truth, it was an extraordinary period ! In East Berlin, it was chaos. We squatted in houses where we organized huge parties... (smile) There were no rules and a sweet scent of anarchy hung in the air. Musically, we all continued to play with our respective bands and for a while it didn't go so badly. Until we realized that the situation had changed dramatically and that these bands belonged to a period from now on bygone, were from another age. We felt that the time had come to start a new adventure by creating another group. The foundations of Rammstein were laid... From the start, we defined what our sound should be. Very quickly we figured out that even if we rehearse hard, we would never be able to sound like an American band. That's why we tried to create something unique, which really looks like us.

RH : Do you remember the first concert you saw in the West ?

Christoph : It probably must have been an unknown punk band. But the first big gig I attended was a Red Hot Chili Peppers show at a tiny club. In 1990, it seems to me. They were not as popular then as they are today and did not perform in large venues yet. Before this concert, I had never heard of it. It was a Californian who was squatting at my house who told me that it was a good group and offered to go see it. When I think about it, I wonder what she and I could say to each other, since I couldn't get a word of English ! (laughs) Anyway, we went to this concert and I took a huge slap. Never before have I seen something so exciting ! This is an evening that I will never forget...

RH : Despite multiple internal friction, Rammstein has always kept the same line-up. How do you explain this stability ?

Christoph : Rammstein is only worth the sum of his individualities and their uniqueness. If one of us left, or whoever, we wouldn't be dealing with the same group. Rammstein would no longer be. So, it's true, there were tensions between us during the recording of the last album (see previous interview), but that's how Rammstein works. I believe in these guys... And then we always had a fight every time we set foot in the studio, and that, for any album. It's just that, when we were younger, we were able to find common ground faster because we were less stubborn and had less ego. Maybe we are too stressed out today when we work together, because we know it is going to be a long and painful process. And that, we find it more and more difficult to bear it. But for me that's a good thing, because these tensions are a blessing, in that they sharpen our creativity. Without them we would not achieve exciting results. We only yell at each other over simple taste issues : "I like it, why don't you like it too?". It's just that sometimes we tend to forget about it and take things too personal. At my level, I now tend not to want to impose my point of view if the majority does not think like me. Others, on the contrary, do not get along with age and refuse to give up even the smallest square inch of land (laughs). Hence endless heated discussions. Not to mention that the producer also has an opinion and that we therefore have to juggle the desires of seven people. You should know that for the most of us no longer get along with the producer (Editor's note: the Swede Jacob Hellner who has so far produced all of Rammstein's albums) in terms of choices and tastes. We have not changed, not evolved one iota. We are still able to develop this stupid energy in order to provoke, and I like that because some people expect us to mature with age, that we become more "adult". And here we are shooting a porn clip (Editor's note: allusion to the video for the single "Pussy") ! (laughs) We're still the same kids who, twenty years ago, were overflowing with youthful enthusiasm : "That's going to be a blast. So what are we waiting for ?"

RH : To conclude, do you really sell this box containing Six dildos that we could see on the Net ?

Christoph : (Visibly embarrassed) I have no answer to that question. I think this is more of a joke than a reality... And then who would buy this anyway ? (laughs)

© P.R. Brown (2009)

[binniesthighs]

hello stranger | reader x changbin |

a/n: we are getting to the “height” of the conflict, therefore the angst is gonna start amping up-just as a reminder! This fic talks about self worth and healing from past trauma so please read what makes you comfy! In this chapter, the majority is implied, but still, please read the warnings ahead of time :) 

Part 4 

Pairing: self insert, female reader x seo changbin, female reader x han jisung 

Genre: strangers to lovers, fluff, smut, angst 

Tags: (of this part) college au, rapper!changbin, rapper!jisung, establishedfwb!jisung, artist!reader, explicit language, fluffy growing feelings, mentions of food, hello yes I just wanna give this changbin a huuuuge hug 

CWs: implications/discussion of past toxic realtionship, implications of negative self-worth and self-sabotage 

Word count: 4.8k 

Chapters: 

PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5

Popcorn flew into the air in slow motion and approximately four hundred multicolored skittles scattered the floor like the shattering of glass. 

“Yes...yes...FUCK YES!!” 

Felix launched his small body into the air with a victorious screech, turning his controller into a projectile. The clump of black plastic thumped into the torn up corduroy couch missing Chan’s arm by millimeters. 

“HOW TO YOU LIKE THAT?? WOOOO!!” 

Your friend took a victory lap around the tiny living room that was a mess of winter coats and boots with melted snow dripping to the hardwood floor. 

“Felixxxxx, you made a mess!” Chan sighed out deeply and solemnly at the array of rainbow colored candies on the floor. 

“I never win. You gotta admit the way that I finished that off was extra disrespectful. DID YOU SEE the way that I down-B’d you to pieces??? That was fuckin’ awesome.” 

“Good job ‘lix.” You pulled a Twizzler by your teeth and dished out a little wink for him. 

“Hey! I haven’t been playing for nearly as long as you two have. I see this as a complete win.” 

“Well, Chan and I were at each others throats the whole time, so, we kinda killed ourselves off for you.” 

“I still won!!” 

“Alright, alright, good job.” Both you and Chan took turns patting his poofy blond hair. 

“Ahhh our Lix’ is finally growing up.” Chan sighed, mockingly looking out in the distance to some far away place. “But...now you’ve gotta clean this up. Lucky you’re the one that paid for the Skittles, not me.” 

In his fit of happiness Felix didn’t even care about getting down on his hands and knees to pick up the pieces like Cinderella. 

Chan took a gulp of his electric green Monster. “Feels nice to have you back around here Y/n. It feels like it’s kind of been a while.” 

“Mm, it has. You know how it goes, stuff gets busy and all that.” 

“~And she’s been hanging out with someone else~” Felix’s words came out in a cutesy little song. 

“You have?” 

You slapped Felix right upside the head to which he whimpered out with a much more dramatic “owww” than was warranted. 

It was likely a mistake that the two of you had kept Changbin a secret from Chan. Chan basically idolized him, and you felt that it was best not to...complicate things. Every other hour Chan would bring up one of Changbin’s songs, talking about him as if he was some kind of lyrical genius. He had half a plan to meet him at the last show, but had gotten too shy and pulled you both before he could get second thoughts. 

For it to be so easy for you...it felt somehow unfair. 

It was definitely a mistake. 

“Who? Jisung?” Chan rolled his eyes a bit like he always would when spoke of that boy.

“No...” Your voice became small, then you shot deathly glares at Felix who tucked his tail in between his legs. 

“Chan...”

Felix’s eyes widened to full moons once he had realized what you were about to do. You curled yourself up into a ball slightly, sweaty hands grasping at your controller. 

“Its...Changbin.” 

“CHANGBIN?” Chan shot upright from his seat. “Changbin?? Are we talking about the same Changbin?? Changbin-from-the-show-Changbin??” 

“Yes.” You steadied your thumping chest. 

“When did that happen??” Chan turned his body towards Felix who cowered into the mess of Skittles. “Did you know about this?” 

Felix made a little grunt that could have sounded like either a “yes” or a “no”-- it was likely his safest bet. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“Because I knew it would be kinda...like this...” 

Your eldest friend sat back down his his palm firmly slapped against his forehead. “Sorry, I’m just having a hard time piecing this all together.” 

“It happened after the show that one day. I was walking home and I fell and got kind of scraped up, then he took me back to his place...” 

Simply bringing that night back up again sent you spinning into your pool of memories: and they had a particular tendency to make you just as flustered as the night when they had first occurred. There were dozens of little things about him that had stuck with you, even if you wouldn’t admit it out loud. 

There was that stupidly confident smirk of his, that little scar on his chin, how his fingers looked in those silver rings, his hooded grey-black eyes, those faint little stretch marks on the backs of his arms, and the way that his Adam’s apple would bounce when you kissed into his neck. 

“Well? Chan’s voice snapped you back. “Does that mean...you aren’t seeing Jisung anymore?” 

“...Jisung?” 

His name hadn’t occupied your thoughts for weeks, and you hadn’t taken much notice of it. There were unread text messages from him that had fallen to the bottom of you message list, and missed calls that you hadn’t returned. Creeping inside of you was a sick and sticky feeling: the kind that you pushed deep down inside yourself to the place where things would get forgotten. 

You didn’t know what you wanted from Jisung. 

It wasn’t the way that he would kiss you roughly and needily, or how he would take greedy hands to every inch of your body. It wasn’t how he would fill praises into your ears or shake a little when he would finish himself off on your belly.  Months ago, it would be all you could think of, then immediately forget after it had happened. That was what made it easy. 

Changbin wasn’t easy. He wouldn’t give himself up entirely to you just because he could. He made you earn him, and he made you seek him. 

You belonged to neither of them. 

In your lap, your hands trembled with a memory of long ago: snowflakes in your hands burning with the cold and your throat scratched from all the yelling. 

“Y/n?” Chan softened. 

 A sob had caught in your throat which you swallowed down with effort. “I-I’m still seeing Jisung.” 

“Wait, you’re seeing both of them?” Felix popped up from the floor. “You didn’t tell either of them?” 

“I don’t need to. I’m not tied down to either of them.” You had said it as confidently as you could, almost like you needed to convince yourself. 

Both of your best friends eyes carefully held yours. 

“Doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t tell them.” Felix nodded. 

Chan nodded too in agreeance. 

“But we’re just fucking around?? Its not like I’m cheating on anyone.” 

“Y/n, you’re missing the point.” 

“What? Don’t I have the right to sleep with whoever the hell I want to? Don’t you think that it’s kind of backwards that I should keep everyone in the loop when I’m just--why would I--” 

Chan’s hand snuck over to yours which had started shaking even more violently on your leg; you hadn’t even noticed. The sobs that you had held in your chest started to overflow, bubbling and spewing from your surface. They felt choked in your throat, and then burned hot tears in your eyes. Both of your friends got to work, scooting in right next to you and sandwiching you between their arms. 

“You don't have to be afraid.” Felix whispered softly. He smoothed his hand down your back. 

“I-I’m not.” You clenched the words between your teeth. “Why-why are you guys drilling me like this??” You squirmed a bit between them. 

Chan hushed, “We’re not.” 

“Then why does it feel--” 

“--You're doing it again.” Felix simply sighed, and rocked the three of your bodies to the tune of your messy sobs. 

Chan let out little “shhh” sounds. “Stop digging yourself in that hole Y/n. You know that you’re doing it. Its more than just messing around.” 

A tangible and thick silence held the air where your two closest friends held onto you tightly, almost like you would slip away. You fucking hated them for reading you as well as they did, but you also fucking loved them for being as good at it as they were. Being sandwiched like this with them was all too familiar. They had also done it on that same night: the night when your world had collapsed. That night you had been so weak you could barely hold back. 

“It’s not gonna happen again.” Chan said at last. “I know that you must think about it all the time, and I’m so sorry that you do. You’re never gonna be stuck in that alley alone again.” 

Felix quickly added, “We’ll be there--even if it does--which it won’t.” 

“Stop dragging yourself through it okay? I know it’s easier said than done.” Chan took his black sweater sleeve to dab at your tears. 

You were completely engulfed in your friends love, the unconditional kind: the kind that would part the seas and walk through flames for you. You don’t know how you could have forgotten how it had been there. 

“Maybe its one of them or the other, but, I think you should tell them. You don’t deserve to tear yourself up like this over it all. It’s not good for you, or for them.” Felix laughed a little. “We’re not blind you know.” 

Fat, thick sniffles clogged up your nose. Your subconscious and consciousness mudded behind your eyes and those memories of both boys: Changbin and Jisung became indistinguishable. You had sought them out for different reasons, but you hadn’t known why. Now, it was all becoming clearer. 

“You like him don’t you?” Felix took his turn dabbing at your eyes too. “I can tell.” 

“N-no...” 

Felix didn’t even need to say who “he” was for you to understand. 

“No?” 

“I just...go see him sometimes.” 

You would. You would see him, think of him, call all the little things about him to your memory: that scar on his chin and the faint stretch marks on his arms. 

Snot dripped down your nose and over your quivering lips and you didn’t even care. 

That voice rang in your ears just as you had remembered it on that night when he had dragged you out there, alone, furious. You didn’t even know what you had done wrong. 

"I don’t want it to happen again.” 

The words tore from your lips freely, finally. The fear that you had held so deep inside, the fear that would plague your every other thought. The fear that kept you from answering questions or giving answers. The fear that brought your feet to Jisung’s doorstep and the fear that kissed away words on Changbin’s lips. A massive weight like heavy metal chains that had wrapped around your body started to loosen. 

“How are you going to let yourself have a chance at something good if you don’t try, right?” Chan and Felix exchanged hopeful little smiles. 

Felix patted your hair to fix where you had frizzed it between them. “You know what you need to do.” 

╚ ——————————————— ╝

[11:18] 

changbin: this friday? yeah, I don’t think that I have anything else going on. 

its been a little while.

everything okay? 

...

i’m sorry if i overstepped that night

you just looked 

...

fuck 

 you’ve got me thinking of you all the time 

╚ ——————————————— ╝

Snow fell on your walk to class. It was the same early morning one that you shared with Minho. These days, the two of you had seemed to have gotten much closer. Even though you hadn’t been over in nearly a week, Minho still talked to you as if he saw you there every day. He would complain about little things such as how the rest of his roommates would leave dishes in the sink or socks randomly on the floor. 

What the two of you didn’t talk about much was Changbin. There was some unspoken understanding now that the two of you had promised. He didn’t want to know much and you didn’t want to tell him; and it stayed that way. It was odd now considering that you had been quiet before so he couldn’t hear. 

Admittedly, that did give you a chuckle or two from time to time. 

Today, the snowflakes gathered in clumps and hugged each other while they floated down the the ground where they would melt instantly. This was the kind of snow that wouldn’t stick around. For this, you were grateful. In the first week of February, you had just enough of winter and longed for the green grasses that would peek from the melting white. 

The tip of your nose and ears were warm as you marched onward with eyes squinted from the flakes that would get caught in them. In some ways, you were thankful. During the lectures, you would often prefer watching the blanket of white dancing in the windows behind the professors head. 

Something you still had to learn however, was picking the right shoes. Your toes were frozen in the same canvas shoes that Changbin had scolded you for wearing. You pulled out your phone the check the time: eleven minutes early. It was somewhat of a personal best. 

You smiled with a little pride, missing the body mass that was walking right past you and collided with your shoulder. 

“Oh! Sorry, I’m so sorry, I was--Jisung?” 

“Y/n?? Holy shit--” 

Heartbeats rang in your ears and you felt as if you could hear the very blood pumping in your veins. 

“I-I’m late for class, I gotta--” 

“--No wait!” Rather than looking angry as you expected, that wide smile of his spread across his rosy cheeks. “I’m just glad that I ran into you.” 

“Jisung, really, I need to go--” 

His gloved hand reached out for your arm. “I’ve been trying to reach you but I think something must’ve gone wrong with your phone. How are you doing?” 

“How am I doing?” 

“Yeah, I was kinda worried, it was like you dropped off the face of the earth.” 

You clawed your arm away. “I’ve been fine.” 

Jisung sucked at his teeth, “Listen, after your class, can we talk? I borrowed my roommates car--I can drive us back to my place--” 

“--That’s what you want to do? Talk?” The simmering anxiety that washed over you turned into irate heat. 

“Yeah?” 

“No its not.” 

You slung your shoulder bag high up your arm, and walked on. 

“Stop stop stop.” Jisung threw his body in front of your path. “What’s been going on with you? Hm? Did something happen? What is it? Your-uh art or something? You still do that right?” 

Jisung had seen your paintings decorating the walls of your bedroom and the sketches that piled up on your desk next to colored pencils tied up together by rubber bands. He had seen them, but he had never looked. 

“Why the hell do you care so much?” 

“Baby--” He scuffed after your determined steps towards the business building. “Listen, I-I missed you okay?” Jisung yelled into the winter air: “I missed you. Alright?” 

“Jisung, it wasn’t me that you missed.” 

He stammered, and huffed up those puffy cheeks of his. In one final attempt, he approached you carefully with those cute brown eyes that you would often let slip into your daydreams. He reached out for your cold hand and took it in his. Had it been several months ago, you would have killed for him to hold your hand like that. 

“I’ve been doing some thinking lately, especially when I hadn’t heard from you. I just...got this feeling like had done something wrong and I couldn’t figure out what the hell it was. Now, I know that I did. I...don’t like seeing you mad like this. Tell me what it is? I wanna see you at my show next week. I just want things to go back to the way that they were.” 

The way that things were. 

The way that things were was simplier. Easier. Just like he was. Jisung didn’t ask questions and Jisung didn’t take you out to noodle places just because he he felt like it. 

The way that things were would have been easier and his hand did feel pleasantly warm in yours like you had imagined. 

“I have to get to class Jisung.” 

╚ ——————————————— ╝

On that Friday evening when you marched up to the front door of Changbin’s apartment building, he stood hooded under the tin awning turned to rust brown with age. He huffed out a little under the dinky light of the old building, but as far as you could see, his cheeks and nose had blushed with pink. You wouldn’t have pegged him it for it, but he had draped a thick black scarf around his neck in the same place where he would usually display that thick silver chain. As soon as you locked eyes, he gave you a little wave with knees bouncing. 

“Shouldn’t you be inside?” Your breath vaporized into thin, white, visible droplets in the air.  

“I thought that I could meet you out here rather than have you wait in the cold. I realized I did that last time.” 

“Oh. Uh-thank you...I guess.” 

Changbin cracked out a little smile, then announced, “Come on, let’s get going.” 

“Get going? Get going where? Did you want to get noodles again?” 

He chuckled, then stepped out into the lightly falling snow. It tangled up in his curling locks and got caught in the fabric of his scarf. “Hm-no. Not this time.” 

Changbin looked over at you with his stormy grey eyes, something that hadn’t come to you as easily as before. Something in him had changed since you had first met him when he was standing on that stage as if it was the edge of the world. Before, you had felt as if you were drowning in the way that he carried himself, or the way that his gaze would bear down at you as if to test your strength. The aura that you once thought to be crushing had now turned into something much softer. 

“You coming or are you just gonna stand there?” 

One of his hands which he had tucked into his parka coat wiggled out to beckon you behind him. 

“Come on. Take it.” 

“Wh--” 

Changbin made the choice for you then shoved both of your hands into his pocket. “It’ll be warmer this way.” 

You scoffed at the gesture: it was the oldest trick in the book. “Really? Is it?” 

In the cramped pocket filled with lint, his thumb rubbed up against yours. You obliged, and he tugged you close to him with each and every finger interlaced between yours.  

“See? Feels better now doesn’t it?” 

Flecks of salt crunched under both of your shoes when you turned the corner lit by a single streetlight. Both of the fabric of your coats squeaked standing this close to eachother. His scarf was pulled up all the way to his chin, and his hair bopped with each and every step that he took. 

“You’re not going to tell me at all?” 

“Can’t you just let this happen? I’m trying to surprise you, damn...” 

“...Surprise? What...?” 

Changbin lead the two of you past another corner to a much busier street in the nighttime: it was bustling with cars and taxi’s and it was lined with little shops on each side that leaked out tantalizing smells. 

“Are we getting food here?” 

“Quit asking questions.” 

Two more blocks, and Changbin’s hand tugged at you all the way down the stairs to the subway where he used his own card to swipe you both in. Down there the sides of the walls were dirtied with old newspapers and cigarette butts, and the walls were of an aquamarine blue hue. 

“The subway? We can’t be going too far...right?” 

Still, he said nothing while he brought you right over the the waiting area, and the two of you stood amongst the businessmen in their best shirts stained with food smears and beer splatters as well as the nurses still in their scrubs after a long day. 

“I said stop to asking questions.” His sentence trailed with a bit of an edge. “Here, stay close.” 

A group of particularly raucous businessmen fell all over each other in a little pod closest to you and Changbin. It was as if it was instinctual for him the way that he wrapped his arm around your shoulder to pull you in to his chest where you stood on the subway deck. A dank smell of wet coats and the sweating bodies under them wove to the air once you had entered and mingled with the rest of the passengers. It was rush hour, and the capacity of the subway was near limit, so no seats could be found. You had to bury your face partially into that scarf of his as he held onto one of the straps dangling from the ceiling of the car. Both of your arms wrapped around him in a type of hug as you clung to his frame to keep your balance.

“Only a few more stops,” He assured you. 

The lull of the car drew a heavy and sleepy film over your eyes, and you found yourself nuzzling into his warmth and clinging to the fabric of his coat just a bit tighter. You had never guessed, but there was an odd sense of intimacy about holding on to one person on a speeding train in a crowd of people. 

“This one.” Changbin nudged you lightly, then pushed a few bodies out of your way bodyguard-style at the stop. “Watch your step.” 

He swept your hand back up into his, then he led the both of you to the staircase and the sound of the city that was much louder and obvious than it was at the stop by his home. His smug smirk only grew the higher and higher that you ascended. 

“Now are you going to tell me?” 

“You’re horrible with surprises. Changbin nudged you with his elbow. “I’m never surprising you again.” 

The skin of your cheeks were once more assaulted with the bite of the winter, and it took you several moments to figure out where he had taken you. 

“Look over to your left.” 

Just past a hectic intersection, there was the soft glow of lights: the first ones that you could see were yellow-white, and they were all tangled up in the branches of tree branches: making them appear as if the leaves had never fallen, but were instead replaced by these luminescent ones. You looked further past them to the entire park which was illuminated by similar string lights of all kinds of different colors: green and red, blue, pink and orange. Every single tree in the park was decorated with them, and they shone upon the area in a rainbow of colors. 

“Christmas lights?” 

“The last ones that they take down I think.”  

“I mean...I wasn’t expecting...this” You gestured to the sea of lights before you. 

The stoplight across the street blinked on to the little “walk” symbol. 

Confident as ever, Changbin didn’t falter. “Let’s go.” 

╚ ——————————————— ╝

You followed after Changbin under the canopy of spiny winter fingers and the lights that were spotted in between them. The passageway of the park was lined with benches on the side of the path and little groups of families, friends and couples each passed pointing out at the whole display. Christmas had been long gone, but somehow it still existed here in this little corner and the joviality it held with it. 

He motioned for you to sit and brushed off the remnants of snow caked on the wood. 

“I’ve got one more surprise for you.” 

“I thought you said that you weren’t going to surprise me anymore?” 

“Well, you’re in luck because I planned this one already.” 

From his pocket he took out what looked like a thin aluminum container with hinges on the side. The metal was cold in your hands when you popped it open and inside was a small sketchbook with dotted paper and a set of double-sided colored pencils.

“I thought...you said something about colors the other day and how you liked them so I thought you would like it here with all the lights and maybe you could draw it? If you want?” 

“Changbin...” 

The wooden pencils were of a waxy quality; likely the kind that you could get at a corner store but that wasn’t nearly what mattered the most. 

“Thank you. I mean it. I’ll draw something.” 

Your heart always skipped a beat the second that you brought your pencil to the paper, and this was no exception. Across from you, there was another bench, identical to the one you sat on, and behind it, was a tree wrapped in pink lights. You set to work quickly, copying the picture as best as you could, not even caring for the little mistakes you could make. Changbin watched you from your shoulder, but you had barely taken notice. Once you had finished, you scribbled your signature at the bottom habitually. 

“Here, I want you to have it.” You tore out the page. “It’s a thank you.” 

He turned it over in his hand, then lightly brushed his fingertips over the way that you and woven the tree branches together and how it looked like the bench was dipped in the symphony of multi-colored lights. Beyond the tree line, you had drawn a few of the skyscrapers crowning the scene which he traced over too. 

“Wow...um, thank you.” He hid his tiny grin after shoving it in his pocket. 

Together you both sat, saying nothing, but rather taking in the scene together just as you had done at the noodle shop. It was peaceful simply existing next to another human being like this. 

Your knuckles cracked in your lap while you recalled Chan and Felix’s urgings looking over at Changbin while he too wondered around himself. 

Its not good for you. Or for them. 

The man next to you rose, “Do you want to walk around a bit more? Or--”

“--Changbin...I need to tell you something.” 

“What is it?” Under the pink glow of the string lights, his skin appeared softer. 

“There’s something--I haven’t told you something and...you deserve to know.” 

“Know...what?” 

His head titled, examining the way that your face had fallen and became twisted up in the words on your tongue. He reached out to hold both of your cold-bitten cheeks in his hands, rubbing his thumbs to soothe you. You thought to yourself, there was something oddly intimate about standing out in the open with him like this: bearing yourself as such for the whole world to see, and how the tip of your nose rubbed up against his. 

The words stung in your throat with a pain like acid. 

“During this time when we were...there was also-I was also--” 

“--I know what you’re going to stay and I want you to stop.” 

“What?” 

Changbin scoffed. "I should have guessed anyway but, it’s not my place either since we never really said exactly what this is.” 

Your voice wavered, “I’m sorry. I’ll understand--” your arms fell to your sides. “--if you don’t want to--” 

“--I said stop. Do you need me to say it again? I don’t own you or any dumb shit like that, and you don’t owe me anything either. But, I appreciate the honesty though.” Changbin pulled your forehead to rest against his, exhaling out visible breaths. “What are you going to do now?” 

Just as he had done before, he reached down, all the way down your arms to wrap them around his waist. 

“I-I don’t know. But--I do know that, being around you is...different and--” You sniffled, “--I don’t want to give that up yet.” 

“Okay then. 

You held your eyes closed, but you could hear his one and only smirk in his words. 

“I wouldn’t mind sticking around either--but--you know what this means then?” 

“What’s that?” 

“You’re coming to my show next week.” 

“Ugh, fine. I’ll go.” 

Both of your breathless giggles filled the space between you both. 

Your chest shook with a sigh, the kind that had been trapped, or maybe just held in for too long. 

His lips were cold under the array of twinkling lights, and he delved himself into you carefully with his focus on nothing other than you. The way that he kissed you was terrifyingly beautiful: as if you were the way that each of the colors from the lines you sketched intersected and became one with the other. The heat of skin and the tip of his tongue filled your mouth with his promises that he had been composing for you since he had met you, and you could finally hear it for the first time. He had never changed the way in which he had done it from that first night.

He kissed you like he loved you, and maybe he really did.  

[bagadew]

The Great Ace Attorney Playthrough: The Adventure of the Great Departure (Part 1)

So it’s finally here, The Great Ace Attorney! I know practically nothing about this game, except that it’s a) set in Victorian London, b) has the themes of racism and xenophobia you’d expect from a game where you play a Japanese immigrant in Victorian London, and c) features Herlock Sholmes the himbo detective! (Also I think there might be a cereal killer plot, but I’m not too sure.)

Right away I’m being given a lot of very useful information regarding the historical setting for this game. Unfortunately I’m unable to fully process it because two seconds in and I’ve already been accused of murder!

Oh Ace Attorney how I’ve missed you.

Hello Kazuma! I like the way your headband billows even though there’s no wind, and I hope you have a much longer and fuller life than my last Ace Attorney mentor.

Ok so it seems like we’re both students at the same university, but Kazuma is the protégé golden boy, who’s about to be sent abroad because he’s just That Good. Fortunately I (Ryunosuke) am his beloved best friend, and will therefore be allowed to tag along (which is a really damn good job because I’m the one front and centre of the box).

Say what you will about incredible aura, but I’m pretty sure Kazuma’s just set up some sort of fan mechanism under there.

Hello Pink Lady from the box!

As a seasoned Ace Attorney player I am immediately suspicious of anyone from the first case who isn’t a main character. I’m watching you professor!

Ok so from what I can gather from our exchange the Professor Mikotoba is the forensics pathology professor at the university (I wonder if his daughter, or whoever the pink lady is, will be our Ema Skye), and if Kazuma the golden boy takes our case an loses he won’t get to go fulfill his dream of studying abroad.

Frankly, from all their idealistic chatter about jolly old Britain, I feel like these boys might be in for a bit of a rude awakening once they actually make it to London. And I’m not sure Ryunosuke, with all his beautiful naïve innocence, is going to do too well.

And speaking of beautiful naïve innocence...

No Ryunosuke! Don’t agree to things like that!

I’m beginning to suspect Ryunosuke’s just being used as bait for Kazuma. Like someone out there really doesn’t want Kazuma to go abroad for some reason, and so they’re using his less good best friend to trap him in the country.

Oh Ryunosuke...

In all my years playing Ace Attorney I have never been more torn by a suggestion box. On one hand, the first time I play an Ace Attorney game, I try and play it in the way it should be played. And so, even though this is an UNBELIEVABLY STUPID DECISION, I feel like Ryunosuke, a man who doesn’t seem to have the words ‘Set Up’ in his dictionary, would not even hesitate to bellow I do because Professor Mikiller told him to.

On the other hand this is an UNBELIEVABLY STUPID DECISION and Kazuma should clearly be in charge.

Ok, I’ve decided I’m going to press it (partly because I think the game might punish me if I don’t) but I will have my head in my hands as I do so.

See Kazuma agrees with me.

Oh fuck, the victims John Watson Wilson!!!

Ok, so I’m re-evaluating my assumption that I (Ryunosuke) was simply bait for Kazuma, it looks like I was instead the poor expendable mug who can be pinned with causing an international incident. Is it bad that I feel like I’ve been promoted?

My god, everyone must have had a heart attack when Kazuma the Golden Boy stepped up to defend me. No wonder they didn’t want him involved!

Ok let’s bring out Professor Mikotoba the witness, so he can explain how he’s played us like a damn fiddle-

WHO THE HELL IS THAT!?!

I would like to take this opportunity to apologies to Professor Mikotoba, who is I can only assume a beloved recurring character. I’m very sorry sir but I did not see you on the box. Yes I understand that, as someone who’s favorite character is Gumshoe, this was no excuse. Please forgive me.

Side note though: Satoru’s whole *hacks up blood* ‘It’s nothing, this just happens sometimes, please ignore it and continue’ thing is the most relatable thing I’ve seen so far. As someone with a chest condition whose lungs sometimes just bleed, this is literally the response you develop. I know this guys probably a murderer and that’s probably Crime Related Blood, but for now the two of us understand each other.

Ok, so from that cross examination we’ve got one mysterious lady the waiter says he never saw, one unwillingly received Buisness card from Satoru Hosonaga, and one coughing fit my lungs started after watching Satoru wheezing away.

WHAT IS THIS!!??!!

MORE WITNESSES!!??!!

ON A FIRST CASE??!!!

DO THE SACRED LAWS OF FIRST ACE ATTORNEY CASES MEAN NOTHING TO THIS GAME!?!??

This is a neat mechanic though, and one I’ve been hoping would make it to a cannon Ace Attorney game since the Professor Layton crossover. It seems like we’re just sticking to standard testimony listening for now, rather than checking between reactions, but I’m very happy to see it’s return.

GET HIS ASS KAZUMA!!!

(Kazuma’s quickly becoming my favourite, it’s a lot of fun to have the Edgeworth over your side of the courtroom for once)

Ok, so Kazuma (who’s name my iPad now autocorrects into all caps) has shown me how to examine evidence, meaning that if I had, shall we say, a receipt with the word Maya written on it, I could turn it over to see what was written on the other side.

So, while I now know that Dr Watson Wilson wasn’t able to have tucked into that big juicy steak behind him, I just want to check that business card Satoru was so unhappy to give away...

Interesting...

I don’t know what this means, but it sure is interesting...

Now back to slamming an old man with a stolen coin (that was probably taken by the penniless guy next to him)

I’m not sure how he’s managed it, but Auchi has somehow become the most slapable of the Pains.

GET THEIR ASS RYUNOSUKE!!!

(I like how his desk slam’s changed as he gets more confident)

DAMN STRAIGHT WE’D TAKE ON THE GOVERNMENT!!!

So there’s been a coverup! Well that explains the detective posing as a waiter, but it still leaves a huge question mark over the identity of the woman in question. Other than possibly Satoru, who I can’t see as having any reason to dress up, I don’t feel like any of the current witnesses could fit the bill. Whoever she is, though, it must be someone who’s involvement could cause more problems if she was found out, which would mean that she’s either someone with a lot of political influence in Japan, or she’s someone who followed the good Dr from England (and might well have a lot of influence there).

Either way I’m beginning to suspect that, in great break from Ace Attorney tradition, NONE OF THE WITNESSES COMMITTED THE CRIME!!! (Or at least not this one.)

Don’t worry Kazuma, I turned the receipt business card over this time!

Screenshots don’t do this justice.

I don’t know what makes this better, Ryunosuke’s cheerful mile wide supposition, or the speed at which Satoru cut him off.

...are they Satoru? Are they really?

At this point I would apologies to Satoru Hosonaga, however I feel like he might have been using me as the scape goat for this murder, so I’m going to say that I’m not sorry. (We still have a weird blood related understanding though, and for that reason I am not as hostile as I might have been)

Yeah, that’s fair Ryunosuke.

WAIT WHAT!?!

Oh, it’s just a flash back gunshot. I thought someone had just whipped out a gun and shot the detective before he could say another word!

Oh dear, this goes all the way to the top doesn’t it?

Poor Ryunosuke though, he’s not even made it to the stinky rainy streets of London and already his illusions about justice are being shattered. Given that this is effectively the prologue case, I dread to see what comes next.

HELL YEAH JUGE, WERE GETTING THE KILLER LADS!!!

SATURO HOSONAGA YOU’RE BACK ON THE CHRISTMAS CARD LIST (but on thin ice)

‘So it won’t be a problem?’ Ryunosuke, weren’t you listening, it’s going to be a massive problem! Fortunately everyone else in this courtroom has just decided that you know what fuck the government actually, and so we’re doing it anyway!

Hosonaga’s trying really hard to win me back over folks, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t working.

I like this hardass judge! I’ll send him a Christmas card too.

MADE IT TO THE FIRST HALF!

[turtletimewriting]

The Beginnings of an Adventure

Summary: Well... it would be cheating to just tell you what’s happening.

Note: I have no idea if this will work. I really hope it does! I’d love for it to! Asks and responses in general will make this entire thing work! Feel free to say anything! 

This is based on Fluffomatic’s Tickle Forest!!!

The next update will be in (maximum) 5 days.

.

Patton was squeaking as he paced, something that was as adorable as it was annoying. “Are you all ready yet!” Patton called as he bounced at the staircase. 

“One second! Are you lot bringing your fireproof stuff or not?” Virgil called back.

“Nah, if Roman is with him then I doubt it’ll be anything too horrific,” Patton squeaked.

“You underestimate how persuasive Remus can be when he truly wants to be,” Janus shuddered but he was also smiling. It had been years since Remus had been this excited for a project and it was refreshing to see. Remus and Roman had been conspiring for the last two weeks before revealing it all today. 

Everyone in the mindscape had woken up to a note on their desks that after dinner to then join them in the imagination for a ‘special quest’. Everyone was looking forward to it but Logan would never admit that he was the most excited. It had been awhile since the mindscape had anything interesting happen. Patton did have a ler mood a few days ago but he only went after Roman and then didn’t even really attack that much. And that was the most amount of fun the mindscape had. Other than that, the week had been a very typical week with nothing to do or look forward to. Just plain boring routine.

Once they were all prepared, they all took off to Roman’s room. His was the least traumatic way into the imagination (thanks ‘The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe’). Typically, the imagination was default a small medieval village bustling with people who would all sing praise to a strange mysterious prince who would help them. Predictable but then again that was Roman. 

It opened up to a field with no village in sight. Only a dusty path carved in the middle of the grass and a wood off in the distance. The other’s all mumbled nervously but Logan felt himself prick up. A mystery huh. “We’ll walk along the path. Knowing them both, we’ll know what we need to look for when we see it,” Logan spoke confidently and marched off with determination. 

They walked along the path until it came to a divide in the path. Oh and of course the giant platform surrounded by jets of fire with Roman and Remus sitting on thrones. 

“Greetings Peasants!” Roman and Remus both cried with their arms flung up. The fire jets burst higher and now flickered beautiful greens and reds. Subtle.

“Heya guys! What’s going on here?” Patton smiled wider and ran up to their platform. 

“Peasants?” Virgil mumbled but Janus just shrugged at him. He could’ve called them worse. 

“We’ve got a challenge for you!” Remus proclaimed while trying to twirl his moustache. It wasn’t really long enough yet to be doing that.

“A challenge that should not be taken lightly. It will test you to your limits. It will define who is strong and who is merely a fool. This challenge shall not baby you but rather it will celebrate in your struggles an-”

“What’s the challenge Roman?” Logan interrupted with a wince. He would later claim it was to stop their rambling but everyone could see that Logan was practically vibrating with excitement. It makes sense for Logic to be in need of something interesting and needed solving. 

“It’s been too calm. You all need a good laugh and a little bit of panic. And what better way to invoke such emotions,” Remus lunged to talk over Roman.

“A little bit of panic!” Virgil yelped.

“Than a good tickling!” Remus bellowed. 

There was a moment of confused silence before Patton’s squeal pierced through them, “OOH! That sounds fun! So are you guys in a lee mood or...” Patton smiled and wiggled his fingers threateningly. 

“Oh, dear foolish PatPat. It will not be that easy,” Remus taunted.

“We have designed an entire tickle forest. Nay! A tickle world filled with animals and plants that would adore to get ahold of your ticklish little selves!” Roman finished without hesitation.

“Your challenge is to get through the lands and reach a prize that lays at the end of the journey. You’ll be able to find clues along your path to help you unlock your prize as it is hidden under lock,” Remus laughed evilly. 

“Each team will be given a map. And you must all spend the night in the forest. Whoever reaches the prize first wins!” Roman declared.

They stood on the platform panting from excitement before staring at them all expectantly. Patton was practically jumping to get going. Logan felt his cheeks still burning and he hoped that everyone was assuming it was from the tickling fact and not that he was that starved for something new that he was excited to go through a tickle forest. 

“Wait? It’s whoever reaches the prize first? Then what’s stopping us from not sleeping and beating the other team who is?” Janus frowned. Roman and Remus both opened their mouths to respond before clamping them shut, their shoulders sinking in synch. 

“Uh...” Remus mumbled.

“How about this. You must sleep 8 hours in the tickly lands,” Patton blushed at a particular word but continued, “Therefore everyone is on equal footing.”

“Yeah, okay, I’m up for that!” Roman shrugged.

“Wait what teams?” Virgil frowned.

“Yeah, let’s do the teams next! Right so the team leaders are...” Remus paused and they whispered to each other before smiling wide, “Patton and Logan!”

“Me?” Logan stammered, trying hard to make everyone believe that he was screaming in joy at that. He made a fantastic leader! Good decision, Creativities. 

They snapped dramatically and they both appeared beside them on the platform. Janus sarcastically clapped and Virgil kept trying to adjust his hoodie to hide his blush. 

“Now each of you should pick one teammate each! But remember! This is a challenge. You might want to go with who’ll do better rather than who you like more!” Roman nudged Logan obnoxiously to which he rolled his eyes at. 

“So do you wanna go first Lo?” Patton offered, a bright grin placed firmly on his face. Logan smirked. He had this ‘locked down’ as the youth would say.

“Oh Patton, you better chose first. As Logic, I will obviously succeed at this challenge of survival and remaining stoic. I should give you a chance. You pick first,” Logan said calmly despite Remus obnoxiously oohing in the middle of his speech. Janus and Virgil both raised a brow.

Whatever, he would prove them all wrong. 

Patton giggled at Logan’s enthusiasm. He wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

A tickly adventure... and he had to chose a teammate. Who should he chose? Vote...

Patton partners with:

Janus, so Logan partners with Virgil

Virgil, so Logan partners with Janus

More information about the adventurers below:

Characters:

Logan

Intelligence: 10/10

Caution: 2/10

Sensitivity: 6/10

Strengths: Loves a mystery, smart, logical.

Weaknesses: in love with Virgil, hard tickles, cocky.

Patton

Intelligence: 6/10

Caution: 4/10

Sensitivity: 4/10

Strengths: Strong, caring, excitable. 

Weaknesses: Quick into a ler/lee mood, cute things, tickle games.

Virgil

Intelligence: 4/10

Caution: 10/10

Sensitivity: 8/10

Strengths: Observant, follows the rules, caring.

Weaknesses: in love with Logan, flustered easily, feathers.

Janus

Intelligence: 8/10

Caution: 5/10

Sensitivity: 7/10

Strengths: Quick witted, questions the rules, snek.

Weaknesses: Raspberries, the cold, overconfident.

CAREFUL WHO YOU CHOSE. YOUR CHOICES MATTER.

[the-golden-ghost]

#4 under Fluff, with characters of your choice?

Okay so this didn’t really end up being fluff but it sure is... something. ^^

I hope you like it anyway!

~

“Is everyone ready?” Lupin stood in front of the chalkboard where the rules of the game were written out as followed:

Proper seduction only. No bribery or threats. We are gentlemen foremost!

Except Fujiko who is of course a lady

Any responses MUST be returned by the opposite party or it doesn’t count

Cheek kisses do not count

Kisses with tongue count double but only if returned by the opposite party

Whoever wins gets a kiss from Fujiko

If Fujiko wins she gets a kiss from Goemon

If Jigen wins he can just kiss whoever he wants

OKAY FINE winner gets 500$ you guys SUCK

Speaking of sucki

Jigen gets an automatic pentalty for erasing my board unauthorized

All right by popular demand kissing ONLY but you guys are all wimps

The game ends at midnight sharp. Good luck to all!

“I still think this is the dumbest idea for a game you’ve come up with yet,” Jigen said. He, Goemon, and Fujiko were situated on the couch, arguing about the rules. “And that’s saying something, when you consider you invented Shotgun Scrabble.”

“Yeah, well, you agreed to play it, didn’t you?”

“Besides the point, this just seems like your excuse to try and get with Pops, which if that’s your game, why not just... I dunno, ask him on a date?” Jigen shrugged. “Why bring us into it?”

“Where’s the fun in that? The challenge? The thrill?” Lupin asked.

“There is also the problem that Jigen and I are at a serious disadvantage,” Goemon said. “You and Fujiko have much more... practice in this area than we do, and...”

“Are you calling me a prude, Goemon?” Jigen asked, grinning.

“Not only that, he’s saying Lupin and I are sluts!” Fujiko laughed. Goemon blushed and started to protest, but she she continued. “Oh come on, Goemon, it’s not like it takes that much practice. I just wish we could have picked our own targets instead of all having to go for the same one.”

“Especially Zenigata,” Goemon grumbled.

“Well, you guys don’t have to play, but whoever forfeits has to put up the prize money,” Lupin said. “So it’s your choice...”

~

Once the game was on and the team had split up to go their separate ways, Lupin set his plan into motion. Which really wasn’t all that hard. All he had to do was stand outside the interpol bureau and loudly plan to steal a runabout, at which point Zenigata recognized his voice and came running.

Oh, sure, Lupin had to pretend to try and make a hasty exit, but allowing himself to be caught and put in the seat of Zenigata’s cruiser was short work. Now the fun could begin.

Curled up in the backseat, Lupin stretched luxuriously as well as the handcuffs would allow. “Will you please hold me, Pops? It’s been a day.”

“The only place I’m going to be holding you is in a maximum security cell!” Zenigata exclaimed. “There’s no way out of this one, Lupin, and don’t you forget it!”

“Don’t you think it’s a little convenient, though?” Lupin said. “You finding me like this? I mean, come on, old man, how long have we known each other?”

“Long enough for you to be a thorn in my side. But don’t you worry, I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of. Watched round the clock, even!”

“Don’t you think it was a little... too easy?”

Zenigata paused as he took that in. “...All right, what are you planning? That runabout was just a ruse, wasn’t it? Where are your partners?”

“Oh, don’t worry about them,” Lupin said gently. “Let’s talk about us. We’ve worked together a long time, Pops. I guess you could even say we... need each other, somehow.”

“What... what are you talking about?” Zenigata said, glaring suspiciously through the rearview mirror. “I know this is some plot!”

“You’re right, old man, it is. But it’s not the usual business. See, I’m a master thief. I know how to take what I want. But even a master thief can get his heart stolen... and that’s when he has to admit defeat. And you may be a man of the law, but after all this time, I just can’t keep away. So consider yourself a brilliant man - you’re a much better thief than I am.”

Zenigata was silent.

“What do you say, Pops? Don’t leave me hanging like this, you’ll kill me!”

“I say,” Zenigata said after a pause. “That you’re going up the river, Lupin.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that!” Lupin said. “After I confessed my love?! How can you be so heartless, man? How can you reject me? I gave myself up for you!” Desperate, he started to climb into the front seat. “Just give me a chance! I promise I’ll be the best thing that’s ever happened to you!”

“Hey - watch it! Stay back there!” Zenigata tried to shove Lupin back and hold the wheel at the same time, but as they struggled together the car veered, swerved dangerously, and met its stop when it crashed against a lightpost.

Lupin looked up from where he’d been thrown to the floor of the backseat and slipped out of his cuffs. “Pops? Pops, speak to me! Are you okay, old man?”

“Lupin... you bastard...” Zenigata mumbled, dazed from where he’d hit his head against the wheel. “I’ve got you. Don’t you dare go anywhere.”

“Don’t worry Pops, I’ll call an ambulance. You’ll be fine in a few minutes. And don’t forget what I said! I’ll be waiting for you!” He dashed off, blowing a kiss in Zenigata’s direction. It wouldn’t count, but it was a nice gesture.

~

“Well,” Lupin said when he’d re-entered the hideout. “I admit defeat. All that effort and Pops didn’t even give me one lousy smooch. What’s with him, anyway? He doesn’t recognize a good thing when he sees it?”

“It’s okay, man,” Jigen said. “He didn’t kiss any of us either. Guess we’re just not that appealing.”

“Speak for yourself,” Fujiko replied. “Maybe if you all weren’t such amateurs.”

“What?” Lupin said. “How did you even get to him? I put him in the hospital with a concussion after my first try! There was no going back from that...”

“It’s amazing what a competent nurse can get away with,” Fujiko replied. “And you should know by now I can pass for one of the best.”

“Do you get points taken away for almost killing him? Because you should,” Goemon said.

“No, I don’t, because it’s not written on the board where the rules are, so therefore - JIGEN CUT THAT OUT.”

Lupin went over to chase Jigen away from the board and erase “Rule 14: Lupin loses and has to pay us all for making us do this” off. “And I didn’t “almost kill” him. He’ll be fine, anyway.”

“I still want my money,” Fujiko said.

“I think we should play Shotgun Scrabble again next time. It’s less of a hazard.” Goemon added.

[imagineofallkindsxxx]

Eternal Flame- Kol Mikaelson 3/?

Chapter 1- You're the Hybrid?

Summary: Singing. Thats all what Alexandra Gilbert has cared about since she was young and all she would care about until she met him.

With Alexandra fighting vampires, werewolves an all between she may do a thing she vowed never to do, fall in love.

And to think it all started with a walk in the woods...

The room was pitch black I could barely see what's in front of me my fingers getting clipped and cut on the item in my hands. Finally, it was fixed but then the worst thing happened. The door opened.

The room was filled with light from the lights on the ceiling of the room and all of the hard work we created was useless now with all the neatly placed mouse traps springing open making me question the reason of everything. I looked up and saw an alarmed looking Matt Donovan making me feel even more depressed, wondering what I ever did to deserve this.

"Oh come on! Seriously?!? Do you know how long this took for us to set all this up?!?" Caroline yelled at the blonde footballer essentially expressing my thoughts out loud.

"Forgot about senior prank night?" Tyler Lockwood asked his best friend.

"Clearly." he replied seeming confused by the whole ordeal that has been tradition since well ever.

"How could you forget We've only been waiting for this since freshman year!" Caroline once again yelled and not gonna lie I agree with her until last year all of us had been dying for us to prank the teachers following the footsteps of those before us trying to outdo them.

"Yeah, Matt if I'm doing this, you're doing this" Elena chipped in

"Doing what? Having fun what a travesty" I sassed rolling my eyes at my sister "Lord give me strength." I whispered so no one but Caroline would hear me throwing me a glare where I just shrugged innocently. I mean it's not my fault that Elena became boring when dumb and dumber came along.

"I'm surprised any of you are doing this" Matt said, what are we supposed to do just stand around and worry about what might happen? Feel guilty about the deaths we've caused? If we do that, we'll miss college.

"Caroline's making us." Bonnie piped up

"Not making me. To be perfectly honest I'm enjoying myself" I shrug attempting to fix a mouse trap not making eye contact with anyone but still managing to make Caroline to smile at me.

"We're about to be seniors. These are memories that will stay with us forever, and if we don't..." she trailed off still trying to be positive compared to the rest of us.

"And if we don't create memories now, then what's the point of it all?" My sister finished for her best friend making Caroline deflate at the tone of her voice making me feel like snapping at her again but for sake of Caroline I decided to focus on her more than my annoyance or Elena.

"Go ahead make fun, I don't care" She replied, obviously lying to us, hurt how the majority of her friends are making fun of an idea to get all of our mind of the supernatural by doing normal things a teen would enjoy. I wasn't the only one seeing how upset Caroline was with her boyfriend saying.

"You're all lame. And I've got ten more classes to prank." I decided to pitch in after he announced his leave.

"Yeah, I'm meeting my boys in the chem lab, we're 'doing something awesome to Jones' according to Jamie anyway" a small smirk on my face "See you losers later" winking at Caroline.

When out of the class I headed along the hall to get to the class seeing Tyler giving some students instructions "Seems like Caroline's rubbing off on you Ty" a small smile on my face, instead of verbally responding he just rolled his eyes playfully continuing to give instructions.

I kept on wondering down the dark and quiet hallway feeling creeped out. All of a sudden I heard a slamming of a door making me feel more aware of my surroundings ready to run in case of any well unusual people out there

"Who's there?" I shouted out on instinct before realising what a stupid move that was. Well done Alex if they didn't know you were here they do now my subconscious reminded me, I slowly walked towards the noise until I heard from behind me.

"Boo!" I turned around and punched whoever it was on instinct "Fucking hell Andie!" the mysterious 'creature' yelled making me realise it was just Mark then hearing laughter behind him making me see he isn't alone but thing one and two were here as well.

"Jesus Andie remind me never to get in a fight with you" Sam managed out before James saying "Yeah next boxing match I'm putting my money on you"

I give them an unimpressed look "oh you mean all 10 cent you know seeing as though the last time you bet you lost 100 dollars" casting up how he bet on the Dolphins winning the super bowl losing 100 dollars in the process. "And you. carry on way you're acting and we'll be getting in a fight quite soon" I told James.

"Not a word." was all I said to Mark knowing a sarcastic comment was coming causing him roll his eyes. "Right gents what class are we supposed to be pranking?" before following a still grinning James to the chemistry lab belonging to Mr Jones' the hatred between him and Jamie running deep with the detentions and destruction in the past 3 years.

"Of course it would be Jones. Your obsession with each other is genuinely unhealthy." Sam remarked with an eye roll.

"Gotta agree with Sammy on that Jame" Mark seconded with me making a noise of agreement while looking through the bag he brought with him finding confetti, superglue, a large cut out of about 8 feet cut out of the periodic table and purple paint?

"Yeah well, I could say same for you and Kayleigh Jackson." referring to the rivalry between Kayleigh a kind blonde braniac who was on the cheer squad and honestly the only girl in this school I would trust with my life. Her and Sam had a rivalry which stemmed from how Kayleigh fought over a red crayon with him in kindergarten ever since they fight over the most stupid things, from what colour nitrogen mixed with sulphuric acid to whose cake was better in home economics, honestly, it's just became a way of life.

"Right before we start fighting about whose rivalry is worse let's get on with the prank?" I suggested with the back up from my blue-eyed best friend.

"So, you want to superglue the periodic table coloured in purple his least favourite colour" I started before Sam butted in

"How do you know his least favourite colour exactly?"

"I have my ways you have yours" Jesus this is hard work but I tried to continue "Then rig up this contraption when he opens his door tomorrow, he'll have confetti fallen on him?"

"and superglue" he added

I stared at him for a few seconds before saying "Sounds good. I'll get started on the confetti and super glue"

We all joked and tried our best to prank Mr Jones to the best of our ability and not just because of the hated between a certain drummer and the teacher himself. After we did that, we walked to the next class Mr Curtis our favourite music teacher but before we could begin, we were interrupted by Harry from my political studies class coming in and telling all of us

"Hate to break it guys but we've been busted, teacher saw us pranking the gym hall." he told us with a sympathetic smile. once he told us this, we all groaned and complained

"That's shit"

"You're joking!"

"No. That aint right."

"Jesus Christ. Why is god against me?"

"Don't shoot the messenger guys." Harry replied with his hand up in surrender walking out of the class.

Mark sighed "Well this is shit."

"I know fucking hate this" James agreed shaking his head. I swear I saw a tear in his brown eye.

"What can we do gents? We're caught. Just think of Mr Jones face tomorrow that's all you have to think about to get through the day" I told them trying to show them a silver lining to this horrible end of a great night.

"Yeah, doesn't make it any better." The drummer moaned "Do any of you need a ride?"

"Yeah, that'd be great"

"Yes, please my man" the two other males answered the brunette.

"Can't sorry boys, have to go home with my sister. Sorry" I declined

"Good luck, Alex" Mark said somewhat making it sound sarcastic making me throw a pencil at him as he raced out the classroom.

"See ya tomorrow my girl"

"Adios gorgeous" the other two more sensible- at that moment- boys said. I waved them good bye before we walked out of the class going in opposite directions with them heading out to the parking lot and me like an idiot going through all the school looking for my sister. Texting her asking where she was.

"She better not have left me" I muttered before opening the doors to enter the Gym hall.

"Alex! get out of here!" was all I heard looking up from my phone seeing an unusual scene in front of me to say the least. An empty hall with the exception of my sister, chad from Miss Golds class and Dana the girl who co-organised the whole prank night with Caroline and a man in his 20's? next to Elena seeming to be talking to her.

For once it looked like my sister had the right so I turned and bolted towards the doors only to be stopped by the same man that was conversing with the doppelganger.

""Now, now love. Who may you be?" He said in a nice posh British accent looking into my eyes therefore me being able to understand I'm being compelled.

"Someone on vervain." I snarked back "Try an eat me and it'll be like drinking acid, or so I've been told." I told him acting innocent at the old. he rolls his eyes as though expecting the sarcasm. Stefan must have told him everything about the entirety of the school.

This dick of a vampire gripped my am tightly and threw me onto the ground.

"Jesus be a bit gentler. Love." adding a bit more English mannerisms sarcastically where he just smirked back. Asshole.

"Alex! Are you okay?" My sister asks worried for my safety. I looked around my surroundings once more seeing Dana keeping her leg up wobbling every now and kind of like she's being controlled.

"Been better, been worse." I replied to my sister getting up "What's wrong with Dana and Chad?" I asked the brunette doppelganger; she opened her mouth but before she could reply the mysterious and freak of a vampire answered for her.

"Well love I compelled them. You seem to know what that means?" I glared at him thinking of any wooded objects that would kill the vampire in front of me there's a pencil you stole from Sam in your back pocket use that but before I could I heard my sister ask the vampire.

"Where's Stefan? What did you do to him?"

"Stefan's on a bit of a time out" What? Stefans with that psycho hybrid? Oh my days... before anything else was said I gave out a little laugh

"You're the hybrid? the scary murderous sociopath everyone is talking about? you look like an old man with dire need of a new war-" but before I could finish, he ran towards me pushing me against the back wall threatening to kill me in a chokehold.

"That may be so but I can break your neck with a single flick." he said with a murderous tone and eyes that look like he wanted to kill me but couldn't?

"Duly noted." I managed to get out before hearing him laugh in my face letting me go and fall to the floor with a crash.

"Now what is your name sweetheart?" but before I could reply Bonnie and Matt open the doors and enter the huge hall

"Bonnie, get out of here!" My sister yelled

"Go, Bon, Leave!" I shouted along with her well attempted to shout. But in a blink of an eye the hybrid was in front of the Bennett witch, now this is a fight I would like to see. On Bonnies side of course.

"Ah I was wondering when you'd show up. Now we can get started."

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

A/N: thought I'd end it like that cause I want to do two chapters an episode maybe. Therfore warning to readers itll be a while until you meet Kol however there will be bits and pieces which relate to Kol but not going to say anything else.

Let me know what you think and if I can do anything to improve my future writing or this chapter.

Also Ashleigh is a REALLY good friend of hers, her best girl friend.

Thank you for reading lovelies xxx

[currentfandomkick]

Marinette did Not sign up for this part 5

so, this happened. i would feel bad, but the characters hijacked this story after chapter 1 and i’m just along for the ride and checking that words makes sense.

First part here Previous Here ao3 Here

--

“Hey Alya, you haven’t been getting more hits on your blog from Gotham lately, have you?” Marinette asked.

Alya rolled her eyes as honestly, could her bestie be any less obvious? She could see the “new” necklace. The one that only shows up when Multimouse is on call. Honestly—why is it everyone keeps thinking she doesn’t know who’s who? She’s the Fox—Illusions and Truth are her bread and butter.

“Now that you mention it,” Alya pulled up her latest stats. “Yes. The whole site—jeez these guys must have just found out and want the scoop from the best source in Paris,” Alya preened.

Marinette acted… different after she got that answer. Moved in on herself. Alya could feel the attempt at a cover-up before she even asked.

“Hey, is something up?”

“Nothing! Nothing is up, why would something be up! Ha, that’s a good one Alya!”

Ah, the miraculous-related tic was in full swing then. Marinette isn’t exactly the most in-the-know miraculous user, and the Mouse is always taken back after its been used. She could be forgiven for assuming Alya, the expert in all things Miraculous second only to the Original duo and their boss, would not know that something was going on in a certain spotted heroine’s life, and it was all hands on deck.

“Okay,” Alya switched to her theory notes, “Any new names to add to the ‘would not be surprised if they were Hawkmoth’ list?” Marinette is a goldmine on this topic, and while miraculous adjacent, definitely able to ease the whole ‘not in control’ and helpless feelings this situation was probably stirring in her girl. She knew it was for herself atleast.

Marinette perked up with a familiar ‘I know what you will say, but lets do this anyway’ type of sly smile. “Okay, so we do agree that it has to be someone that knows Gabriel’s schedule and doesn’t want to interfere with it for the most part, right?”

“Well,” Alya wasn’t letting this hunch go anytime soon, no matter what LB and Chat said about evidence against. She knew she was onto something with it, and for all she knew, some miraculous magic could be interfering. “I still say it could be him and Natalie taking turns, but that doesn’t rule them both out.”

Marinette shot Alya a look, of the ‘I strongly disagree, but feel it is futile to remind you why’ variety.

“I’m kidding, your boss isn’t Hawkmoth, I know… He’d totally have better designs for akumas if he was.”

Marinette leaned forward conspiratorially. “You should have seen him tear into the Bubbler one when I brought it up as an example of horrible design. His face was perfect!”

Alya would love to imagine the many, many ways to torment Gabriel after what she and Nino have come to understand about the man from their friends. Ranging from negligent and uninvolved control freak at best to manipulative, victim-blaming, and abusive POS. If Adrien and Marinette were a little less attached (re: not pedestalling the man so much), then she could get them to see the truth and they could go over the pair’s options to get them both away from his BS and make the man pay for the all the crap he put Adrien through, and was starting to put Marinette through. Why else would the girl be running herself ragged—especially the past week—if the man wasn’t a demanding asshole boss?

“That’s great, next time, get a pic or vid and share the love.”

“I will, so I met another one of his suppliers and…” Alya began to take vicious notes, glad for Marinette’s attention to detail on these things. It made looking for possible Hawkmoths much easier on her and Max—yes she knows who Pegasus and Cowboy are, Markov in a hat is still Markov in a hat. It was a wonder that no one else noticed.

Alya grinned when she saw Trixx peek out of her hiding place, a wide smile that reminded her exactly why Alya could catch everyone’s identity while her friends still hadn’t put together she’s Rena; a Fox casts illusions. To do that well, you have to learn to seek and see the truth, and get your evidence. And Alya? Is a damn good fox.

----------

Tim hates his stupid insane list of designers. He managed to knock of half by using his own damn filters, thank you very much for dominant genes from the Wayne side that could be seen visually. It knocked out a good chunk (about two thousand out of five thousand) on hair alone. He decided he would let it keep running for those that linked their socials to their psueds and aliases.

The problem was the handful (about ten) that didn’t. He’d have to meet them in person, used his glasses to get pictures, and run those against social media posts in Paris to find out who these more private designers were—all to find out if they really are in the right age range, and if their natural features do put them in the ‘likely a Wayne’ category for Wayne dominant traits (and those possible given Bruce’s own DNA makeup, which he doesn’t know Tim has. Hey, he’s the Robin that Gets Shit Done, never said he was the polite one. That’s Dick’s job, not his.)

---------

Adrien hates not having Plagg with him. Not that Tikki isn’t great and all! Really! Just… he misses him and his stinky cheese, okay?

“Adrien,” Natalie knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Natalie entered the doorway, but no further. “When is Marinette free for consultations next? we have a high end client who would like to commission her as soon as possible.”

“Give me a minute…” Adrien checked his ‘overseeing Marinette’ schedule on his phone. “Uh, she has walk-ins around four until five tomorrow.”

“Excellent. Will she be at her home or the studio Gabriel has provided for consultations?” By her tone, he could tell which Natalie and Father would prefer.

“Let me check with her.”

“See that you do.”

Adrien sent a lipstick, X arm lady, and house emoji to Marinette.

In a minute she sent back a thumbs up and apartment building emoji.

“Studio it is.”

Natalie nodded. “Excellent choice. I will let them know to be there at four ten, given Marinette’s… difficulty arriving on time.”

Adrien grimaced a bit on that as yeah… no longer having a Danger sense meant her punctuality was… not very good.  “Are they speaking to Marinette or MDC?”

He’d need to know if he should just pick her up or not. MDC didn’t have to get picked up—designers to celebrities are allowed to be late and can blame it on getting caught up in a few details on a commission design for a walk-in consultation. Marinette was tied to the Gabriel Brand and needed to reflect that, therefore, be there on time and ready.

“Marinette for now, though they expressed an interest in MDC as a budding designer, and they are well within the MDC price range,” Natalie hinted.

Adrien kept the hiss growing in the back of throat quiet. Marinette chooses who MDC works with, not his Father.

--------

Stephanie is both delighted and upset when she sees Cass. As its Cass—she probably figured it out already damn it!—but its Cass and she missed her since she left a few months back for a mission and got caught up in the Chinese crime scene again.

“Hey Cass!”

Cass grinned when she saw Steph and made her way over.

“Found her!”

Stephanie was gutted. She really wanted to win, just this once, at a detective thing. You know, be the normal one that managed to out-do the prodigies and geniuses. Not to be again. “Oh, that’s great. Where is the baby bat?”

Cass shook her head. “Not her, Soup Girl.”

Stephanie opened and shut her mouth. Then lit up as she still has a chance! “Oh, right—right! You said you wanted to meet her a while back.”

Cass nodded. “Her family is nice.”

“Did you talk to her or…”

Cass shook her head. “Busy.”

“Ah.” That made sense. “Well, uh, still competing?”

Cass raised an eyebrow. That was a yes.

“Maybe we should work on helping her on the hero side of things together, you know, so we don’t freak her out when we all swarm her place. Make the whole thing a bit less…”

“Dramatic.”

Stephanie nodded. It would help ease the girl into the family, and keep Cass on that case instead of finding Baby Bat for a bit. Win-Win for Stephanie and Baby Bat.

-------------

Chatte Noire really, really hates dealing with akumas. She's built for strategy, to see tricky parts and work out how to make them safer for the team and minimize risk. She is not made to be Chatte Noire. Yet here she is, in an akuma attack, trying to play the role of a Black Cat—identify and destroy threats to the team. Problem is, she lacks Chat Noir's heightened ability to sense danger. In fact, she lacks it completely--and she knows the team isn't happy.

The attack is taking longer than it would if she was Ladybug. This would be over if she had just managed to keep her big mouth shut and not talked to Aquaman. Then the Justice League wouldn’t be involved. Then the whole promise to Murder Robin would not be broken and Paris would already be saved for the day instead of dealing with another Sandboy attack going on well into the night, with a cure that won’t be able to handle fatigue, energy renewal or relax the body for sleep post ‘I’m scared out of my mind’ fear.

She made sure to avoid this Sandboy’s attacks and she would save whoever got caught. Her Cataclysms may not be as strong as Chat’s (his do make the whole thing go away) but she is just as quick on her feet and just as good at getting civilians out of danger.

“Chatte!”

“On it Buggaboy! And not yet!”

It was too off for the Lucky Charm. They’d need Viperion, and he was stuck underwater with Aquaman trying to get him out at the moment. Until then, she just had to minimize damage, keep civilians away from their nightmares hunting them down, and keep moving and planning and work everything out while playing bodyguard for the team at Cha—At Mr. Bug’s call.

She hopes things turn out okay.

Then she sees a bat symbol and the world vanishes.

----------

Red Hood blinked when he saw some girl running around on rooftops in… Isn’t Chat Noir supposed to be the cat one? Where the hell is Ladybug—and why is some guy in her place? Shit, did the baby bat lose her miraculous or was it stolen? Damnit, now he has to steal it back for her!

“Okay, how did LB get hit when she isn’t even here?” The fox girl groaned as she dodged another attack. “Aren’t these guys supposed to go after who’s scared of them?”

The bee girl rolled her eyes. “More than just Ladybug can be terrified of the bats. They’re the Ghosts, remember?”

“Hey, can we argue about fears and who has rights to them some other time?” fake ladybug asked, flinching and moving closer to the Turtle guy. “Uh, Chatte, that way!”

Cat girl—Chatte— said something he didn’t catch and grabbed a kid stuck in a mob and bounce out.

“I—” the boy threw his hands up. “We’re screwed. She really, really isn’t getting the whole Cat thing.”

Red Hood pulled out his guns, checking that the darts were loaded and aiming for Spots.

“Chatte---guy with a gun!”

This time cat girl managed to look over and froze. She started… hyperventilating? Shit—kid’s having an attack.  

Red Hood lowered his gun and made sure to get closer to her---seeing as the other heroes—Dragon girl, Monkey boy and Snake Guy were busy with the bee and fox girls trying to circle some kid on a pillow. No clue where the other kid in black was, but the cat girl losing it? that was his current focus.

“Kid, come on, breathe.”

“Oh my—” the kid looked at him like he was the threat. “Fuck, no—I shouldn’t have talked back to---shit. Shit, now I’m gonna—”

“VOYAGE!”

Just like that, Red Hood was dropped into Gotham harbor. Jason didn’t even get to look around to see what happened. He did manage to tread water and work out which was to go to get to shore.

“Oracle!”

“Jesus Hood—sending Robin to your location. What happened?”

“Some kids stole baby bats’ jewels, some akuma attack, the actual cat thief was hyperventilating and then I end up here.”

“Oh, B is not going to like this.”

“I already don’t like it.” Batman growled out over comms. “Did someone say voyage?”

Red Hood wracked his somewhat waterlogged brain. “In French, yes.”

“One of the local heroes.” Jason could feel Bruce’s annoyance. “Why were you in Paris.”

“Well,” Red Hood kept swimming to shore. “When you find out a long lost bat is in life threatening danger, one must locate and meet this possible winner of the ‘avoided having crappy parents raise me’ lottery to give a well-earned ‘congrats, you’re a well-adjusted person in a family of crimefighter! Mazel tav.”

“Hood.” Robin began on a private channel. “We need to talk.”

“Gotta go B, life to live, baby bat to find.”

“Red Hood!”

“Bye!” Red Hood climbed out of the harbor, finding his baby brother on his motorcycle that was definitely not Bruce-Approved.

“What’s up buttercup, didja miss me?”

Robin scowled at him. “Of course not, the world is more peaceful without the drivel that falls out of your mouth.”

Red Hood snorted. “Yeah, and that’s why you hide in my room all the time.”

Robin refused to make eye contact, shoving Red Hood onto his bike. “Is it true, did my sister lose her miraculous?”

“Unless she’s B and Catwoman’s lovechild and she decided to embrace it.”

Robin was quiet on the way to the cave. “…how long would it take to get the pilot to return and take me to Paris?”

“…you’d make it there around their in time for dessert.”

Robin frowned. “that’s not soon enough.”

“Closest you’ll get. And don’t’ think you’re going alone.”

Robin frowned. “I am not exposing my sister to you.”

“She’s our sister first of all,” Red Hood corrected. “and second of all, I have a bet to win, and I’m behind thanks to this portal guy. So I’m coming.”

Robin rolled his eyes. “Only if you get past Father and Alfred.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

Robin smirked as they pulled into the Batcave.

“Father, I believe Red Hood needs your full attention given he was in the harbor for so long, and we all know how cold they are this time of year.”

Jason decided Damian was by and far his least favorite sibling in that moment. “Wait, B, no, look—no signs of hypothermia, no shaking, just need to change and—”

“I will check and ensure you don’t develop it with Alfred on standby.”

Jason glared at Damian, already stripping from his Robin gear with that self-satisfied smirk. “Traitor!”

“I simply want what is best for my siblings, how is that wrong?”

----------

I hope this gave you all a good idea of what’s going to happen next… I do love the Batfam and all, but some of their approaches here… no good and need to have that hit over their head.

And if I’m screwing up ladybats characterization, feel free to let me know so I can fix it---going off what I could find from DC fans and lore but I also do not know these characters inside and out, and want to do them justice.

OH and for anytime i refrence princess Justice, got a refrence for you now! picture the one made by @tinymelonbug right here with the only (maybe?) change being that below the cut it is cut off as a romper: Here 

TAGS:

@heldtogetherbysafetypins @laurcad123 @raisuke06 @chaosace @jeminiikrystal @toodaloo-kangaroo @kris-pines04

[mercurryblack]

Chapter 6: Rudyard

Day six: the investigation fruitlessly continues.

❃❃❃

“Any luck today?” Yuen asked.

After six fruitless days of combing over Berilo’s house and garden, LLAC had once again returned to the usual meeting place. By that time, Yuen, Rudyard and Sardion were already waiting for them, and the sun was inching down past the horizon.

Lillian shook her head in disappointment. “Nothing. We searched the house from roof to basement as usual, but we didn’t find anything that wasn’t already marked or mentioned in the initial report.” She informed them.

“Yeah, same here.” Cait added. Under their breath, they grumbled; “This is so not cool at all.”

The search of the garden on the first day had been under pleasant weather, but that was the only upside that they recalled— most of that day had just consisted of crawling around underneath the plants and staring at every inch of grass and dirt for footprints. Consistently, the highlight of each passing day seemed to be their short lunch break.

Sardion sighed. “We’re in the same boat, then. Nothing turned up for us, either— I guess we’ve hit a dead end.” Yaara’s house, in comparison had been spick and span, just like how she organized it. Like Berilo’s, a blood spatter marked the area where she had died, but the house was in better shape than his— the door was still on its hinges, with no sign of lockpicking.

“So, what are we going to do next, Detective?” inquired Rudyard. Despite his annoyance at the lack of any new leads, he managed to keep his tone calm.

Yuen raised a hand to her temple, exhaling heavily. “For now, we should head back to my office. I’m sure the lot of you are hungry, I have some food stashed there. We can talk over a nice meal.” she answered.

Sardion raised an eyebrow. “You keep food in your office, too?”

“Ah, just some Dr. Piper and a few packs of Simple Wok instant noodles,” Yuen replied. “…Er, lots of Simple Wok instant noodles, to be honest.”

***

Yuen prepared some water for the instant noodles on a hot plate, as the group sat huddled in the small space.

“Sorry that this is all I have. Whenever us detectives need to stay for the night, cup ramen and soda become our nectar and ambrosia.” She said, sounding a bit embarrassed.

Rudyard laughed, giving Sardion a gentle nudge in the arm. “It’s alright, detective. Truth be told, it makes me remember when I was back in the academy. Sardion, Berilo and I used to sneak boxes of these from the cafeteria to our rooms every once in a while, so that we could have late-night snacks every time we needed to stay up to finish our written assignments.”

“Oh gods, yeah, I remember that.” Sardion said. “And you remember that time Yaara yelled at all of us because we pulled an all-nighter and made the entire room smell like broth? She said if we had just eaten enough at dinnertime like ‘normal people’, we wouldn’t be hungry and therefore wouldn’t stink up the dorm. She was right, of course, but that never stopped us from doing it again and again.” He started laughing along with Rudyard.

“Man, we should try that out, Hattie.” Cait suggested. “Knowing ol’ Branwen, there’s no way that he’ll let me off of that paper just for this assignment, so we might as well have something to eat.”

“Yeah!” Hattie agreed. “We can eat whenever we want!”

Sardion adopted a comically authoritative demeanor. “Hey, hey, bad idea. Don’t do it. And if you ignore me and get caught, don’t tell Lionheart we did it too at our time there. But, if you pull it off and don’t get caught, then you gotta tell us how you did it.”

Rudyard shook his head, grinning. “Man, we must’ve done it ‘til the day we graduated. That grouchy old lady who worked there would always wonder why some of their food was lost, but we never got the blame for it.” He clicked his fingers “Say, you remember the time Hidalgo and Gin found her stash of chocolate pudding and took as much as they could carry?”

“The Great Pudding Robbery of ‘56. How could I ever forget—?”

This time, it was Lillian’s turn to interject. “Wait, Hidalgo? As in Hidalgo Ferrante?”

Sardion turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, he was one of our pals in the academy. You know him?”

“Sort of.” Lillian replied. “I mean, I’m dating his daughter right now.” She explained, her cheeks reddening slightly.

“Wait, no kidding?” Sardion’s eyes widened. Turning to Rudyard, he mouthed ’did you know?’

“Yeah, her name’s Rosario.” Rudyard continued. “Talks about her all the time. Showed me a picture of her once, too— she’s definitely her old man’s daughter, has his eyes.”

As he spoke, Yuen sat down with them, placing the pot of now-boiling water in the middle and gesturing to the box of cup ramen. “Okay, grab whatever flavor of noodles you want. And before we continue with the nostalgia and all that, we should first discuss what we want to do next.”

“But… we still haven’t really found anything. How are we supposed to know our next move?” Amaryllis asked.

“Well, it’s not like we can just sit here until something else happens.” answered Yuen.

“Actually, they could stand to do so.” Sardion suggested, indicating LLAC with a nod of his head. “Not for long, but just half a day should suffice. We need to have clear heads, and that goes double for you, Detective— you’ve been pulling all-nighters trying to connect the dots on that corkboard. We all deserve a moment’s rest before we try facing the problem head-on.” he suggested.

Rudyard pensively nodded. “Sardion and I can carry our own independent investigations during then. We’ll try and reconvene with you in the evening, Detective, and LLAC can join us the next morning. The last couple of days have been a whirlwind, and while I’ve no intention of stopping my search for the killer, I don’t want us to burn out— or you guys, for that matter.”

After a moment’s pause, Yuen nodded in agreement. “Alright, team, you kids get tomorrow off starting at noon, and you two get the morning to make your own inroads. But when we all get back, we immediately pick up from where we left off, agreed?” She remarked.

“Agreed!” LLAC responded in unison.

***

“You know, despite all the preservatives, this stuff isn’t half bad.” Lillian said, shoveling a hunk of chicken-flavored noodles into her mouth. “I can see why people would get addicted to it.”

Yuen laughed. “What, don’t tell me you never ate this growing up? Not even once?”

Amaryllis shook her head as she followed her sister’s example, holding up a cup of beef-flavored noodles. “Aunt Izzy was always pretty strict about what we ate. Sure, we had breakfast cereal and juice and the occasional sweets, but that was pretty much it. Said that we had to follow a good diet, and that taste was one of the first things Huntresses sacrificed in the field.” She slurped some of the broth. “Hope I never have to find out what she meant by that.”

“Mmmllpphh... uhh knww whuhh duhs’ lhhk,” Cait said through a mouthful of noodles. “Than’th fuhh th’ muhhll.”

Yuen nodded. “No problem, kid. Eat up, you need it.”

“RRURRRRRP!” Their conversation was interrupted by a loud burp from Hattie. “Ah, ‘scuse me.” She said sheepishly

“Hah! I’ll have whatever she’s having!” Sardion laughed, countering her with a slightly louder belch of his own.

He barely even finished before the petite girl grinningly returned the favor with an even louder eructation.

“Are you… perhaps challenging me, Miss Lazuli?” Sardion inquired, his face turning comically stony as he repressed the urge to snicker.

Hattie smirked, holding up an unopened soda can. “Mayb—b—buUUUURRRRUUUPPPP!”

“Oh, for the love of…” Lillian groaned at the childish antics of the two. “Okay, saying it right now; I’m not being the judge this time.”

***

“Okay, you two, you know the rules. Whoever burps the longest wins, brownie points for whoever starts the loudest,” Amaryllis recited, holding up the timer on her Scroll, her finger raised just above the screen. “Ready.”

Sardion and Hattie each snapped open a can of soda, looking each other dead in the eye as they did so.

“I must let you know, Miss Lazuli, that I was the burp-off champion of Haven Academy in my time.” boasted Sardion.

“That was a long time ago, old dude. Now, it’s my time to shine.” Hattie shot back.

“Set.”

Both of them raised the metal edges of the cans to their lips, still maintaining their locked gaze.

“Last chance to back out, kiddo.” Sardion said, in a taunting voice.

Hattie didn’t reply, but narrowed her eyes and gave Sardion a thumbs-down.

“Go, Sardion.” Rudyard cheered halfheartedly yet amusedly, who sat on the couch watching the game.

“Get him, Hattie!” Cait crowed.

“Begin!”

Glup, glup, glup, glup. Both Hattie and Sardion began swigging down their cans in one long draught, their eyes beginning to water against the drink’s stinging carbonation. Within the span of a few seconds, they had poured every last drop down their throats, only for their cheeks to pouch as the carbon dioxide came rushing back up their gullets.

“Aaaaaaand… go!”

(For the reader’s own sake, this ridiculous match has been abridged by the author, who apologizes for this shameless, childish, and blatantly filler chapter. If you wish for a much funnier burping match, please follow this link.)

“And… time!” Amaryllis turned off her Scroll’s timer as Hattie and Sardion’s burps died down at the same time. “Geez! Thirteen seconds, not bad.” She remarked, swiping on her CCCT browser. “Says here that the world record’s over forty, apparently.”

“Which one had that time?” Hattie asked, wiping her chin with the crook of her elbow.

“Both of you, actually. Tie.” Amaryllis said, lifting her gaze.

Without missing a beat, Hattie grabbed another can of Dr. Piper and thrust it at Sardion. “AGAIN!”

***

While they continued with their childish contest, Cait, Lillian, and Rudyard were busy talking about some of their older missions. Cait found the pair’s recollection of the Kumoyuri assignment far more interesting than the day’s work, and found the part where Lillian had gotten dunked in mud wildly funny.

Personally, they didn’t find their extracurricular Grimm-hunting work to be as interesting, but Rudyard still politely listened nonetheless. Lillian, having been there along with Cait, only half-listened to them as she poured water into another cup of noodles.

“Oh, man. So there we were, looking right in the eye the largest Boarbatusk I’ve ever seen in my whole life. It huffed, and it puffed, it almost blew us away, but we still weren’t scared!” Cait exclaimed, gesturing with their hands to the best of their ability. “Thing is, it was pretty simple once we got down its attack pattern. Charge, turn around, charge, turn around, snort, repeat. Fourth pass around, Hattie managed to chop off its tusks with Whirligig… uh, her saw-gun thingamabob.” They continued, snapping their fingers as they tried to recall the exact name.

“Whirling Dervish.” Lillian said.

“Yeah, that, thanks Lilly.” Cait said, nodding. “Well, as I was saying, she cut off its tusks and got its face pretty good, and I shouted, ‘Guess you’re just a “Boarba” now!’” They sniggered for a moment at their own joke. “You wanna know why I called it that?”

Rudyard chuckled, bracing for the terrible pun he knew was incoming. “No, I have no earthly idea. Why?”

“Because it lost its tusks. Gettit? Boarba? No ‘tusk’? Cut its tusks off?” Cait grinned, acting as if the wordplay had been anything resembling clever.

“Oooof.” Rudyard groaned, shaking his head despite the grin on his own face. “Bad one.”

“I know, right? I should get an award for my combat banter. S’not as easy as everyone thinks it is.”

“Ignore them.” Lillian said, rolling her eyes.

Rudyard leaned back, taking a helping of his own noodles. Despite his inner tension, the pain he still had in his heart, he felt relaxed and eased by LLAC’s company. It felt nice for all of them to gather like one big family, even facing the stark reality of the next day to come. It would take far more than one good night to heal, but watching his protégé and her team… it filled him with determination.

It gave him strength and determination, seeing the new generation take the reins the old had once held. More importantly, it gave him hope.

[raspberryfanfics]

neji and his proof of masculinity—nejiweek day 2

i.

Well, it’s made pretty obvious that Neji Hyuga is a boy when he’s born.

Must I elaborate how his mother and father and doctor could tell the sex of a naked baby? 

But yes. 

At thirty-seven seconds old, Neji is most definitely a male.

ii.

It isn’t that obvious but obvious enough that Neji Hyuga is a boy when he doesn't take kunoichi classes. Why would a boy take kunoichi classes? Though it isn’t as obvious as a naked baby, no one is going to check. 

Whoever brave enough to check, you have my respect, though no one did in the end.

We’ll just assume that he is a male.

iii.

No, Maito Gai and Rock Lee do not check if Neji Hyuga is a boy when they go to the urinals. 

That’s just wrong.

Why would someone without manly assets do business in a urinal?

If you ask me, it would be pretty ballsy.

Yet if you really think about it, there’s a slight possibility—

It’s a lot easier to assume that Neji is male.

iv.

Here’s the thing: Tenten usually doesn’t do taijutsu with Neji Hyuga alone.

But contrary to popular belief, she is quite good at it, enough to hold against him for an hour.

Tenten’s tight shirt makes it quite obvious that she’s female, therefore she is not educated in the unwritten and unspoken code of the male species. Obviously, she doesn’t know what exactly a kick in the crotch feels like. She just knew it is painful.

It isn’t that she thought Neji was a girl, but she isn’t so convinced he was a boy either.

So in the middle of their taijutsu spar, she decided to kill two birds with one stone. She would be able to find out how much of a male he really is, and if he is, win the spar.

It is safe to say that she won the spar and that the body rolling on the ground trying not to scream is definitely a male.

v.

When Hinata Hyuga is looking for her sister and instead walked into a room with Neji Hyuga and Hiashi Hyuga, she nearly passed out.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty sure she would have passed out it if weren’t for the fact that if she did, she’d likely wake up in front of male anatomy books.

Yes, Hiashi was giving Neji “the talk”. 

Yes, there were condoms and bananas.

If Neji isn’t a male, we should be very concerned about why he was receiving “the talk” for guys.

vi.

Because Sakura Haruno is a doctor, it is normal for her to have seen parts of the anatomy that most people aren’t comfortable with showing. 

At fifteen years old, she is the only one of Nej Hyuga’s friends other than his teammates to have seen his manly assets, and it would stay that way for a while. 

She isn’t going to judge what gender he identified as, but he sure is of male sex.

vii.

Obviously at some point, Naruto Uzumaki is going to doubt if Neji Hyuga is a male who had sexual attractions. 

Maybe it is clear that he is cisgender, but as far as they were concerned, he is appearing to be asexual. 

When asked, Neji shook his head and said he is heterosexual. 

Did Naruto believe him? 

You’d be a fool to think he did.

Especially when no one really believed he had hormones either. 

It started to get hopeless when every sexy no jutsu didn’t give him a nosebleed but obviously, Naruto Uzumaki didn’t give up!

When he turned into a sexy and naked Tenten, that most definitely proved that Neji had very “male” hormones and was most definitely not asexual.

viii.

Well, when Rock Lee pissed off Neji Hyuga to the extent that he would chase him shirtless around the village, the hoard of fangirls getting heart-eyes made him pretty obviously male. 

Oh yea, and Tenten wouldn’t admit getting a nosebleed when she was about to scream at the two but received an eyeful of chiseled abs. 

ix.

On the note of Tenten once more, when they started dating, Gai gave Neji a man-to-man talk.

Lee did too.

Neji is a male, but on very very rare occasions, he wished not.

x.

The last absolute proof of Neji Hyuga being a male was that fact that his newborn child with Tenten had pale eyes and glare that scared even him. There was no way that she could have had a surrogate with Byakugan genes and the infamous death stare, so it was undoubtedly his. No one had a doubt in the first place.

But let’s be real here.

No one really doubted he was a male.

I think that if you did, many would be disappointed in you. 

It’s just entertaining to make fun of his masculinity