#they could have a secret love child or could genuinely hate each other

[angevvine]

not sure how to articulate this but i’ll try my best

honestly one of the best parts of npmd/ hatchet field in general is the potential for dynamics

like every character is so fun and charming that u could basically mix and match them however and it always works

prolly most obviously is the idea of jon matteson’s characters being a family, the idea of them all at thanksgiving is brill, but why stop there?

like i could just put names in a generator and every result has dozens of scenarios and possible dynamics

they could hate each other or be madly in love and either way be in character

[alienzil]

Okay so I saw this post and you know the types of fics where adult Danny moves to Gotham and winds up emotionally adopting one or more of bat kids or accidentally coparenting with Bruce (with or without a relationship between them)? I had the thought, what if Danny parented the bat kids but he started doing it out of spite?

Like, Danny moves to Gotham and runs into Batman and Robin one night while out for a late night flight and drops down to the rooftop to say hi.

Bruce sees this 5'6" twink that looks like a stiff breeze could knock him over and is so obviously new in town and thinks Gotham is going to eat him alive, he needs to leave before he gets killed.

Batman: Looming menacingly and in his deepest scariest Batman voice, "Leave. Metas aren't allowed in Gotham."

Danny: Offend! Excuse?! Who does this guy think he is?! 😡 Danny was trying to be polite here! "First of all, I'm not a meta. Second of all, rude much?!"

Batman: Does scariest bat glare. "Leave." Swoops off into the night.

Robin (Damian): "My father is correct. You should leave the city for your own safety."

Danny sees this tiny vigilante child with fierce expression and a sword and is just like awww, so cute! 😍 Then he noticed Robin had a small cut on his arm and his inner gremlin activates. If the rude flying furry can't take care of his own kid properly, Danny will do it better!

He bandages up Damian's arm, gives him a cookie and teaches him a neat sword trick before sending him on his way with a hug telling him he needs his sleep.

Danny goes out of his way to run into the bat kids and be the absolute best dad.

He takes Nightwing flying and throws him in the air so Nightwing can do all the fanciest acrobatic tricks.

He tracks down Red Hood and starts a book club with him (Danny may or may not have used his connection with Ghost Writer to get ahold of some rare books).

He eats waffles with Spoiler and trys out weird topping combinations that make them both make faces and laugh.

He makes new gadgets for Red Robin but carefully breaks them just a little bit and takes them to the teen so they can fix them together (it's enrichment!). He always insists RR keep them as a reward.

He follows Signal around during the day invisibly, making faces and doing tricks only Signal can see (he made him laugh in front of the police at a crime scene twice!).

All of the kids get his attention and love and Danny smugly thinks how Batman must be absolutely seething about his kids bonding with Danny and Batman missing out on all of it.

Danny started it out of spite but he does wind up genuinely loving the bat kids.

Batman definetly hates it when the kids are bonding with Danny and is extremely jealous (sulky Batman brooding in his cave about it).

Bruce's repeated attempts to intimidate Danny into leaving Gotham don't work and him telling his kids to stay away from Danny had zero effect (the terrible children don't listen to him at all).

So Bruce starts spending more time with the kids to compete against Danny. The bat kids love it and (little gremlins that they are) use the two of them against each other constantly.

Bruce:"Sorry Tim, I can't make it to your photography exhibit this weekend, there's a meeting with the Justice League."

Tim:"Oh that's fine... I'll just ask Danny to come." 😏

Bruce: Narrows his eyes and grits his teeth, "Actually, the Justice League needs to have contingencies in place to manage without my input. This would be a good time to test their capabilities. I'll skip the meeting and come to your exhibit."

With both of them competing to spend more time with the kids it leads to the two of them spending time with each other to be around the kids more.

After Damian catches a terrible flu bug, Danny spends an entire weekend at the manor babying him. This is when Bruce finds out Danny has known their secret identities for months and tries to get mad about it but Alfred puts his foot down, raises a judgmental eyebrow in Bruce's direction that puts a stop to that nonsense and sets up Danny with his own room in the family wing.

Eventually, Danny gets to the point where he spends most of his nights at the manor and he and Bruce consult each other on all major household decisions.

The whole family is at the manor one morning including Danny. Bruce has a meeting at WE and he and Danny are absently discussing their plans for the day at the breakfast table.

Bruce: " The meeting should take most of the morning and then I have paperwork this afternoon and a scheduled walk through on one of the new engineering projects. I probably won't be done by the time school let's out. Can you pick up Damian today?"

Danny: "That shouldn't be a problem. Would you mind swinging by the bookstore on the way home and getting my preorder? Jay and I just finished rereading the first book and we were wanting to start the second tonight before you all go on patrol. I'd rather not try to make it to the bookstore in school rush hour traffic"

Bruce: "Sure."

Stephanie watches Danny reach out and absently straighten Bruce's tie as they both get up to leave. Bruce grabs Danny's coffee thermos and hands it to him while they walk out the door.

Stephanie: "Sooo, bets on how long until they realize they're basically married?"

[averagewriter-inthedark]

To Be Loved is To Be Seen 👑 | Gladiator II Imagine

My Masterlists

Characters & Pairings: Emperor Geta x Empress!reader

Content Warnings: fluff, mentions of violence and insinuated murder. morally ambiguous reader (They match each other's freak), slight NSFW—MDNI 18+, mentions of pregnancy, soft!Geta, historical refences and mythology (not completely accurate to the timeline) | female!reader (she/her) no use of Y/n | wc: 3.6k

Requested 📨 yes/no (rules for requests)

Premise: On the evening of their son's first name day, the Imperial couple of Rome find solace and comfort in the rare moment their afforded when keeping the order of the Empire on their shoulders. Basking in the genuine softness that is only reserved for each other, away from the preying eyes of their court who constantly test their patience and bring upon the wrath of Mars and Venus.

Note: my love for Joseph Quinn has returned full force and it makes me hate Stanger Things again for killing Eddie off.

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

Under the stars and Gods of the Roman night sky, the Empress stood on the balcony of the Royal chambers overlooking the beautiful city. A symphony of music and chatter from the people below, filling the streets as torches light the pathways and far beyond. The Colosseum, the battleground for Rome’s gladiators, once consumed by spectators to witness the blood and glory of her fighters now remained silent and steadfast as the day’s celebration came to an end. 

And the Empress, adorning in the comfort of her nightwear and robes, held the celebrations honoree in her arms. Pius Septimus Caius. The one-year-old Caesar, heir apparent to the Roman Empire, stared up at his mother with wide eyes full of wonder. Reaching up with a chubby hand to grasp her hair, freed from its braids, pins, and curls. 

“One day, this will all be yours,” she declared, adjusting the child so he was perched on her elbow, leaning his entire weight onto her side. Her mouth pressed to his head as she cradled him, “Everything the night touches, and what the sun shines upon when Sol comes to claim the sky from Nox, belongs to us.” Tiny fingers play with the seam of her robe, the young heir fixated on the gold detail. 

Down below the Empress heard cheers erupt, peering to find citizens by the gates of the palace dancing and waving to the ruler. “Blessed be the Caesar on his first natalicium!” “Empress, may the Gods bestow great fortune to you and his Grace!”

Grinning, she raised her hand, fingers cupped to wave at the crowd, who grew in size--all vying to catch a glimpse of the Empress and Caesar before they retreated into the chambers. The balcony stood high off the ground and yards away from the streets, but the guards stood firmly with their weapons ready for any threat. Caius mimicked his mother. Arm moving up and down, igniting more cheer from their subjects.

“And when you’re older,” her voice dropped an octave, despite no soul in proximity. A menacing shift in tone all while the smile remained on her face. “Your father and I will teach you the ways of ruling this great empire with an iron fist and the secrets to prevailing without bringing destruction onto yourself. Where the people of Rome shall adore you, worship the ground you walk on, and stay loyal to you even when their hearts scream at them to run.”

Giving one last wave and shielding the boy from the cool breeze, the Empress retreats inside, the smile dropping to a dubious smirk, reflected in the way her eyes seem to darken now she is away from prying eyes. “You’re too young to understand, my dear Caius, the lengths your father, uncle, and I have gone to keep the favor of the people while hiding the truth of certain matters they surely would spread fire to the streets if they discovered.” Her chuckle echoes with the sound of the doors shutting. Sealing the chambers from the outside world. 

“Gods be damned, the lengths I went to secure my position could bring upon ruin.” The bodies of the Senator and his daughter, who plotted to usurp her betrothal to the Emperor, now rotted to bone and dust beneath the Colosseum. “Not to mention the lengths your father went to ensure my hand.” At the bottom of the sea laid the box containing the man her father initially betrothed her to. Who’s life was forfeit the moment Geta laid eyes upon the woman he vowed would be his Empress. 

And any and all Concubines knew not to dare breach the boundaries of the Imperial couple. Certain actions and intimacies were reserved for each other. 

Do not kiss the Emperor or the Empress on thy lips.

The Emperor takes pleasure, he does not give. Only to her.

The Empress does not lay below, she remains above. Except for him.

The Emperor does not allow anyone on top of him, only her.

The Empress takes no seed but his. He releases in no one, but her. 

The one time a brave soul attempted, ended with their passage to the Underworld. 

Pulling back the duvet, the Empress settled into her side of the bed. Back pressed against the headboard and Caius tucked in her lap, she lit the candles on the nightstand for more the light the flames of the fireplace were unable to reach. 

“Let me tell you a little story, my son, of the love between two Gods that is not so far from your father and I. Mars and Venus.” Eyes full of intrigued, the boy babbled in approval and snuggled closer into her embrace. Warmth of the duvet and fire hugging him alongside her skin. “The tale goes like,” she began hoarsely, “there was once a beautiful Goddess. More beautiful than any Goddess in Mount Olympus and the lands below, who held the bounds of love like no other. Venus. And every man, God and mortal, wanted Venus to be theirs. But she was married to Vulcan, the blacksmith God, who relished in being the one to have secured her hand by the order of her father, Caelus.” 

The Empress’s jaw tightened, tone hardening at the last sentence as she thought of her father and former betrothed. The Senator twice her age whom her father agreed to marry her too once she reached marriage potential. Sentencing her to a life where the home he built would be her own personal prison. Hidden away from the likes of preying men, but would show her off as a prized gift from the Gods when he desired satisfaction from his peers.

Gods be damned he’d be her husband. She would’ve slit his throat on their marriage bed the night of the wedding. But alas, Mars rescued her. 

“Venus spent every waking moment planning to rid Caelus from her life. Leaving Mount Olympus to live among the mortals. Drown herself in the sea. Poison him little by little until his body could no longer put up a fight.” The Empress had been so lost in her rising anger, staring at the flames of the fire, that she forgot what she was talking about. It wasn’t until hands brushed her cheek, and she glanced away to find her son tilting his head, wondering why she stopped the story.

“But one day while attending a feast, just when the Goddess believed all hope was lost, she was visited by Mars, the God of War.” Caius’ awed expression made her smirk, falling to a whisper, “and in that moment Venus knew her prayers had been answered.”

The smooth surface of the pillar beneath her finger guided her with each step, the column the only thing between the two as they circled each other. Eyes locked, drawing out the voices of the guests in the dining hall yards away. Leaving them the only two, standing on the balcony as they welcomed the cool night breeze and allowed Nox to be their only witness to the instant connection they both met the others gaze.  

“You should not be without your guards, my Imperator. Tis a foolish thing to do when so many souls occupy your home.”

“Sounds as though you have plans to strike me down, my Lady.” His smirk indicated he did not feel threatened at all by her. Continuing to circle the pillar, he moved at the same pace as though not to lose sight of her face. Her entire being beckoning him like a siren luring their prey. 

“Oh no,” she purred, lips curling up to match his smirk. Sending heat up his spine as the air around them shifted. “I wouldn’t dare dream of striking the likes of you down. 

“No?” came his mock, like he didn’t believe her. “Is that not why you lured me out here?”

“Who said I lured you?”

“Ah, so it was luck you betted on that I’d follow you.” Geta suddenly stopped and turned to intercept her, the woman nearly running into his chest. But she made no sound of surprise, expecting him to eventually end their dance around the pillar. 

The moonlight shined against her eyes, mimicking the twinkle of the stars above. “I did not have to bet on luck. You’ve been waiting the whole night to have me alone.” 

Geta’s expression shifted to a mix of intrigue and lust, mesmerized by her confidence of speaking so freeling in front of him, knowing he’s killed men who’ve dared to do the same. “Is that so, my Lady? Care to enlighten me what assured you I’d leave the company of my guests to follow you into the night alone without my guards.”

Leaning closer, enough for him to feel the heat radiating off her body, she lifted a finger to trace the image of Mars on his golden chest plate. Smooth metal beneath her fingertip. 

“I’ve felt your eyes trail me the moment I stepped through those doors,” she spoke into the night, never straying her intense gaze from him. “You may be good at masking your thoughts, my Emperor, in front of your subjects and Senators. But when that man introduced me as his intended….” her head tilted, challenging him to reject the claim about to leave her lips. “You appeared rather displeased.”

Geta’s hand came up to her arm, trailing up until it reached her neck to cup her jaw, rather rough yet she showed no trace of fear. In fact, she appeared aroused. It enticed him.

“Any man would when they are in the presence of Venus herself.”

“I’m flattered by your kind words, my Emperor. And if I may, being in your presence feels as though I've been visited by Mars.”

“Does that frighten you?” He questioned.

“On the contrary, I’m pleased,” she didn’t hesitate, making his grin widen. 

“And like Venus, Vulcan has claimed you as his own.”

“He has not claimed me and never will.”

“You intend to kill him then? Before your wedding?” A trace of surprise laced his tone, but more so amusement.

Once again, she challenged him with her eyes, hand coming up to his own on her neck, “Would that please you, my Emperor.”

Geta’s eyes were as dark as hers, the tension between the two thickening as their goals of the night since the feast started finally came together. She was in his arms, and he was wrapped around her finger. 

He brought his head to hers, leaving his mouth roughly centimeters from hers, giving her the promise she prayed to the Gods in the image of Mars himself. 

“Very much so, but leave him to me, my Lady, I rather enjoy removing those standing in the way of what I want. And what I want, is you,” Their lips brushed together, sealing the vow in a single kiss, “Swear yourself to me, and I shall free you from him. You will be my Empress.” 

“Mars and Venus loved in the shadows until they finally could show the world they belonged together. Vulcan was indisposed, thanks to Mars,” The Empress’ finger was grasped, Caius attempting to take her ring that caught his attention. It made her grin, letting the boy take her hand to inspect the jewelry. “And Venus made sure the maidens and Goddess alike knew better than to tempt Mars with their seduction,” voice dropping to a murmur, she added with a smirk, “those who dared were removed with ease.”

A squeal left Caius when he was suddenly lifted in the air, waving his arms rapidly as giggles echoed against the walls of the chambers. The Empress stared up with adoration, “and born from Venus and Mars’ love was their son, Cupid. The winged God of affection.” 

Caught up in the moment, the little prince giggling as his mother continued to hold in the air as though he was flying, the Empress did not hear the chamber doors opening. The troubled expression on Geta’s face wondering why his son wasn’t in the nursery vanished upon his eyes landing on the scene before him. A sudden warmth filled his veins hearing Caius’ laughter, followed by the view of a beaming smile on his wife. 

“Make no mistake, Cupid was as clever and mischievous as his parents. They say that when struck by his golden arrow, one is gifted with uncontrollable desire. But when he sends his arrow tipped with lead, they flee with great aversion.” Returning the boy back down, the Empress nuzzles her nose against his. Giggles still falling from his mouth he nearly drowns her voice out, but Geta manages to hear her. “And let us not forget dear Cupid was known to steal honey straight from the hives of bees. The sweetness too tempting to resist.” 

The Empress swore she saw Caius’ brown eyes light up at the mention of honey. For he, too, loved the golden liquid. Especially when infused with bread or cookies. 

Geta, who’d been watching from a distance fondly, finally made his appearance known, “and when Cupid’s stung by the bees he’s stolen from,” the Empress does not even flinch by the sudden intrusion. Having felt her husband’s eyes on them when he entered the chamber. 

She turns Caius in her arms as her gaze shifts to Geta’s, smirking at the sight of him strolling to his side of the bed, robes clasping his figure and leaving nothing to the imagination. The light of the candles illuminated his gorgeous face, the vision of Mars, her Mars. 

Caius reaches out to his father. Escaping the Empress’ hold when Geta settles onto the mattress. Letting his son fall into his arms while he continued, “he ran to his mother Venus claiming no creature that small should bring upon such pain. But Venus did not consol the young God like he hoped, no…” Geta’s eyes fixed on his wife, who met his gaze, their expressions full of delight. “She reminded Cupid how he was not so different from the bee’s. He was small, like them, and he delivered the sting of love.” 

Of course, Caius was too young to understand the extent of his parents' stories. Just one year old and yet to speak his first words to the world. But he was captivated nonetheless, eyes big with awe and wonder. 

“Poetic justice at best,” The Empress whispered, smirk never faltering as she leaned closer, her lavender aroma filling his nostrils. Leaving little room between the two now that Caius laid claim to sitting on Geta’s chest. The Emperor held him upright with one hand under his armpit and the other on his side. 

“You gave me a fright, wife,” Geta remarked, tauntingly. “I went to the nursery, and imagine my surprise when I looked in my son’s cradle to find it was empty. Then I heard the guards chattering about how the front gates were flooded by citizens shouting their desire to see the Empress and Caesar.”

  Chuckling, the Empress returned his playful smile, “My apologies, husband. Caius and I were enjoying the view of Rome at night Nox has blessed us with. I was showing him what will be his one day.” 

Geta lifts a brow, “already preparing him for the throne? My dear, I thought you’d wait at least until his second name day.” 

A hand lightly taps his shoulder in offense, though it does no damage and Geta simply laughs at the action. Caius, the bold prince, reaches his chubby arm to swat at his mother as to protect his father, making the two gasp with grins etched on their visage. 

“Such loyalty, my son!” Geta lifts him up, causing giggles to erupt. “I shall dismiss my Praetorian guards and make you my sworn protector. No man shall harm the Emperors of Rome so long as the mighty Septimus Caius is by their side.” 

Laughter echoes along the walls of the Royal chamber that any passersby outside, servant or guard, stopped momentarily on their journey just to hear the joyous sound of their Caesar. Geta brought his son back down only to bestow soft kisses against his soft cheek. The Empress gazing upon the scene with deep reverence. 

Moments like these were rare. With the state of the Empire constantly on the shoulders of Geta and his brother and the Empress maintaining their facade of benevolent rulers to the public as to keep their favor, finding time to be a family proved rather difficult than they intended. Caius often got the attention of one parent at a time during busy days. Either Geta tucking him in at night before bed after a days worth of politics and scheming, or the Empress bringing the boy alongside when attending her duties. Hardly allowing the servants to care for him. Going as far as to refuse the wet-nurse when she birthed the child to feed him from her own breast. 

An action that appalled the Senate and ladies of the court, but garnered the affection of Rome’s people. 

Caius' laughter settled, the boy nuzzling into Geta’s chest as his mother brought her hand to caress his cheek. Lulling him to sleep. “Tis unfair you know,” she spoke softly, though Geta recognized the mischief in her eyes. “I held him in my womb for nine moons and he betrays me by having all your features and no trace of mine.” 

Melted chocolate for eyes, hair reddish golden like the setting sun, and skin light as peaches from their garden trees, Caius was the spitting image of his father. He had plump lips and freckles adorning his tiny face. The only attribute he took from his mother was her nose. Other than that, he could be mistaken for the offspring of a concubine had the servants not attended the Empress first hand during her labors and subsequently the birth. 

A chuckle left Geta’s lips, stroking his son’s hair as said matching eyes fluttered shut to find slumber. “He might have the likes of me physically, but rest assured wife, he’ll take on after you in every other way.”

“How so?”

“He’ll have your ambition,” he drawled, looking down at his son. “Your assertiveness and confidence. He’ll know to love no one but his family, and to remain loyal to them above all else. He’ll know how to sniff out traitors.” Geta’s voice is serene, his attention now toward his wife. “No one will ever deceive him. He will be the greatest ruler Rome has ever seen. All because he has you as his mother.” Tears pricked in her eyes, heart full of love and feeling butterflies in her stomach by his words. 

Hand coming to his cheek, the Empress pressed her forehead against his temple, her voice featherlike against his ear, “and with you as his father, he’ll prevail. He’ll know how to be a fearless emperor, a doting father, and devoted husband. And maybe…” she trailed off, biting her lip as a smile threatened to grace her face. “A loving brother as well.”

The air caught in the back of Geta’s throat. Eyes wide and moving down her figure to follow her free hand trailing to cradle her stomach. “Are you…you’re certain?” The Empress confirmed his suspicion, kissing his lips as the lone tear fell from her eye. 

“Yes, my love.” she whispers against his lips with a slight nod, careful to not wake the sleeping prince. “I have not bled in two moons. You’ve blessed me again with the honor of carrying your child.” 

Overcome with emotion, Geta carefully sits up, holding Caius against his chest as he pulls his wife up as well to crash his mouth against hers. The passion filled kiss made her head spin, enough to make her fall had his one arm not wrapped around her waist to keep her upright. The kiss was wet, sloppy. Full of love, full of devotion. A kiss actors at the theater could never accurately portray. As the feelings behind it are what truly brings it to life.

Pulling away after a minute, flustered and consumed with lust, Geta holds her gently by the neck, forehead pressed against her own. “The Gods have granted me you, my Venus, and I cannot thank them enough for the gift you’ve given me. Our son, and the child in your womb. I need not anything else in this world but you and our children.”

Cupping his cheeks in her hands, she uttered, “I love you, Geta,” kissing him again with the same amount of passion as before, which he met feverishly.

When they pulled apart once more, Geta let his lips trail to her forehead before leaning back to announce, “I’m going to escort our little prince back to the nursery. I’ll only be a moment.” Adjusting his body, Geta lifted himself off the bed, a sleeping Caius pressed tightly to his chest. The soft patter of his footsteps headed for the chamber door, his wife watching him depart. However when he was about to open the door, Geta stopped and turned back to face her, a lewd smile painting his features. 

“When I return, you shall take your place on top of me,” arousal flooded the Empress, his order producing the wetness between her thighs on command as it always did. Igniting the fire boiling within her stomach. Geta licked his lips, blood rushing to his groin by the predatory glint in her eyes. “Then I’ll have you under me after I’ve feasted upon your cunt. We have much to celebrate tonight.” 

“Much to celebrate indeed….” Sinking back into the cushions of the bed while teasing the opening of her robes, the Empress sighed in content. Pleasure forming at what’s to come in the next five minutes. “I’ll be waiting.”

[sergeant-angels-trashcan]

Bestie I NEED to hear your thoughts about Harley and Bruce possibly being secret twins 👀👀👀👀👀

Been thinking about this for WEEKS i fear!!!! This came right as 'rona dragged me down I'm sorry this took so long!!!

I don't know or care about how secret twins happens, what happens in the bedroom of Thomas and Martha and Alfred Pennywayne is NONE of my business unless they invite me which is fine btw

since they're fraternal twins they COULD TECHNICALLY have different dads. am I saying Alfred is Harley's bio dad perhaps and the clown is going to have empty space where his head used to be but I digress. This explains SO MUCH I feel but also we should in no way think that the parents know this. They don't know nor care because THAT IS THEIR BABIESSS. it would probably be Bruce and Harley finding out when they're forty or something because someone needs a kidney. They purposefully forget the information. They don't need it.

And as insufferable as Thomas is with Baby Brucie can you IMAGINE how AWFUL he would be as a Girl Dad tm. I am thinking of your "if you detain one you detain both I KNOW MY RIGHTS" post but with two children!!. Also Thomas would be THEEE cattiest mfer amongst the other dance moms. My god Alfred and Martha would never know peace. Also a million zillion pictures of each parent konked out while holding 2 sleeping toddlers, THINK on it I beseech thee it's so cute. (But then, Thomas accidentally saving/kidnapping Harley from the park and Bruce and Harley INSISTING they are identical twins. Everyone is like no you really aren't until Thomas gives them the most murderous look known to man over their tiny heads. VERY funny when Jason and Cass also do this)

Maybe Harley was very very sickly as a baby and they kept her a secret to keep the press away. I can see family not talking about Martha's pregnancy AT ALL particularly if it was high risk in any way like she would be visibly pregnant due any day and someone would ask her if she was excited about the baby and she would deadass say 'what baby'.

The ideal scenario the Pennywaynes have for their offspring is that they keep the bambini hidden. as far as the press knows one day 18 year olds pop up outside the Wayne Manor as fully formed scions to the empire. You've never heard of them before? GOOD. That was the point.

Also the DRAMA, the ANGST, I think this makes sense with Bruce's weird dynamic with the Joker (though this could work with just siblings ig)?

Bruce doesn't want to kill the person his twin loves because it would hurt his twin, who HE loves. And killing the Joker could result in Harley hating him! Bruce trying so hard to be supportive for Harley and just be there for her so when she finally decides to leave the Joker she knows Bruce has her back.

Bruce knowing all the stuff about what support systems do that helps and hurts victims of intimate partner violence so he's always playing this balancing act of what he feels like he can say/do about him before it affects Harley. And it being his self given job to stop the Joker from doing HIS self given job. If he helps Gotham he hurts Harley. If he tries to help Harley, he hurts Gotham (does very interesting things to the brainworms when thinking about Jason's murder! about why Bruce feels like he can't or shouldn't go after the Joker--because he's proven he will kill a child and use their mother to get them, that is not a man above using his partner to hurt his nemesis!!! and that would be a whole thing for Bruce, he doesn't act because he's genuinely terrified, worried that if he fails he'll lose harley too

idk if the Joker would know about Harley and Bruce being related or Bruce being Batman but I could see this being the turning point for how Harley views the Joker. Like, she'd been going over to the Manor to help Jason talk through his feelings every month for years. Would it have mattered if the Joker knew he was her nephew?)

Also makes the weird sexual tension Bats has with the Joker even weirder if he IS aware of their relationship. He'd be so gross about it. Yes the Joker wants the Wayne twins. He flirts with them in front of the other to piss them off, mostly Harley. Would highkey lie and say Bruce was flirting with him to drive a wedge between Bruce and Harley oh my god I went such a not fun direction with this

Identical twins could be very funny if they were separated at birth no i do not know why they would be separated just roll with me. the one that does not transition is like "why do you have a picture of me as a kid this is creepy what do you mean that's you' . Everyone at college is like ha ha you two look like you could be related! You do the same icky face when you eat pineapple. They dOn'T sEe iT

Maybe she was kidnapped (by like a very young deathstroke or something idk) and SOMEhow Oswald Cobblepot winds up with this feral toddler in his possession. A goon made a terrible life choice perhaps? And Ozzie is just an up and coming crime lord, still settling into the family business, how tf is he supposed to know the Waynes are missing THIS child? if he knew don't you think he'd be extorting people??? I think they could have some very fun and adorable Stacker Pentecost and Mako Mori vibes this man has NO idea how to raise a child but by god!! He will do it right!!! Literally nobody knows about her, he would have people killed for suspecting her existence.

But also take your daughter to work day??!? Harley yelling at incompetent goons in a sweet baby voice. Ozzie is SO PROUD of her, he wouldn't have minded her going into the family business but she's going to be a doctor!! He is just a proud papa!!! Fearsome crime lord The Penguin with sparkle pink nail polish and bows stuck to his head having a tea party with Lil Harley.

I think this is ALSO interesting with the Joker!! I would love if the only reason his dumb ass wasn't taken out the moment he stepped foot in Gotham was because he's Harley's Boyfriend. The only thing stopping the rogues from turning on him is that Harley likes him!! Is he the Gotham version of a crypto-finance bro?

What if it's an older Harley who is kidnapped? Like post Thomas and Martha shooting. It's part of what cements Bruce's notoriety as the Last Wayne. (Everyone asks if he can sense her through their Twin Bond and he gets sooooo mad that's not a real thing!!!! He feels so guilty because if that was a real thing, shouldn't he be able to find her? Shouldn't he know????)

Cut to Batman and Joker in a showdown and there is Harley and Bats CAN'T STOP STARING?!??? why does she seem so familiar? The Joker notices of course and starts saying some very crass things but the IMPORTANT part is that at some point Harley mentions not minding beating up on Batman because she once had a baby brother who was terrified of bats, so she's doing this for him!!! And Bruce is like wait I once had an older sister and I'M afraid of bats?!?!

Harley looks at him REALLY HARD and all of the sudden she's screaming "BABY B????" and roundhouse kicking the Joker into some metal oil drums. NOBODY beats up her baby brother!!!!

The rogues go fucking insane

(the age thing. Harley is technically a day older than Bruce. She was born at 11:50 PM and he was born at 12:05 AM. They make older sibling/younger sibling jokes all the time and think they are very funny. The Batkids would disagree)

[ahotknife]

declan clearly knows but keeps his thoughts on specifically ONLY this topic to himself for some reason (another thing i’ll have to digress about because Come On…) — would love to hear you digress about it bc I also see it. When I did my huge TRC/TD3 reread this year, that part in the dream thieves where Ronan throws his leg over Adam’s in the car and Declan has that facial reaction actually made me stop and think. When I had first read it centuries ago, I had always figured it had to do with the dreaming and that opinion was enforced by Declan’s POV in his CDTH chapters. However, the CDTH chapters also gave me new perspective about how it’s possible Declan could always Tell that it would be Adam for Ronan. In a way they are introduced as a unit (Declan and Adam being on the phone at the beginning of TRB vs when Gansey needs a battery and Ronan doesn’t want ANYWHERE near that conversation plus the goldmine of Adam’s first pov in TRB at Monmouth). Wrt dream thieves, despite their differences at this time in the series, siblings know siblings and I feel like he definitely was able to tell that Ronan had something more than platonic feelings for Adam. Maybe before Ronan even knew himself. He’s super distrusting of Adam from the beginning till CDTH (given we ignore the events of MI and GW). Even when it’s mentioned that Adam is every bit in love with Ronan as Ronan is with him and Declan can SEE it with his own eyes. This could also be talked about with Kavinsky but my hands will fall off if I type any more rn.

I don’t even know if this makes any sense bc i’ve been driving for like 5 hours straight today and I’m about to pass the fuck out but I just love hearing peoples opinions on this. Also at one point my phone tried to correct Dec to Sex so i think that’s a sign to write that Decladam no love you were teasing.

obsessed with your brain ty for asking. this is probably just going to be me pontificating about declan and adam but we’ll get there eventually

re: the scene with ronan’s leg in the car, i think declan’s reaction somewhat actually kind of IS because of the dreaming… declan mentions in CDTH that he considers adam a liability, he doesn’t like that adam knows family secrets/business, he knows adam lords so much power over his brother that he could either manipulate or destroy him (we know adam won’t, but declan’s brain is broken and he assumes everyone will leave in a spectacular, devastating manner). declan was, essentially, very badly treated by niall (argue with the wall, nothing declan experienced as a child was normal or correct) and is so genuinely terrified of anyone knowing what ronan is or what ronan can do that he would rather lock ronan up rapunzel style than encourage ronan to form bonds or build trust or share secrets with any other living person outside of the lynch family web/sphere. i think he also really dislikes adam for other more simple, real-world reasons: he thinks adam is trailer trash, he thinks ronan should/could do better, he recognizes that adam is keeping big secrets of his own and just doesn’t care to clean up his mess after he breaks ronan’s heart.

adam and declan are extremely similar, purposefully, in a way that is impossible to ignore. in the way that jordan and ronan are paralleled, adam and declan are constantly drawn in comparison to each other. self recognition through the other, and you hate what you see. adam also understands declan, even though he strongly dislikes him and this sometimes taints his judgement/perception; he wants to be declan, he wants to eat declan, he wants to wear declan’s skin and fuck declan’s girlfriend and possess whatever money/power/influence/confidence that declan has. in TD3 we see declan turning to adam for advice, because adam has become an expert in a field declan cannot master: ronan. adam also understands and enjoys something declan has never bothered to indulge himself with: magic. adam fills the dominant role in his relationship with ronan, and he does the same for declan, sometimes, too: in TRC he is shown running point between ronan and declan and enforcing ronan’s boundaries for him because declan refuses to recognize ronan’s limits; in TD3 adam is often the bearer of bad news and the voice of reason, much to declan’s chagrin. adam’s also a foil for mor, but that’s got nothing to do with the fact i think declan’s a little homophobic and a little bitchy and a little classist.

i think declan keeps his mouth shut about ronan’s sexuality for a few reasons. 1 being that it didn’t serve his character for maggie to make him outright hateful, but she did give us little glimpses into his distaste for it. 2 being that he’s got so many other things to hate ronan for or to argue with ronan about it would be fruitless to be like “and you’re gay now, too?” 3 since ronan was born (made? manifested?), declan has been trying to keep him alive. in TRC he needs ronan to listen to him, because he’s trying to keep ronan safe, and if he starts picking on ronan for things other than being an alcoholic suicidal failure then he might as well just start sizing coffins: ronan COULD show up to class, ronan COULD behave better, ronan COULD follow the law, ronan can NOT stop himself from being gay, and he can NOT stop himself from dreaming. i THINK (and i may be wrong) declan only really tags on ronan for things ronan could change, or things that would put him in danger. that said, i think it’s kind of unrealistic that he doesn’t pick on ronan for this, and he might “offscreen”: a third party observes that declan looks displeased by ronan’s physical proximity to a boy he knows he likes; but i think declan also interprets any sort of intimacy or closeness as a type of danger or threat. his brain is a bag of cats. by wanting someone, by trusting someone, ronan puts himself in danger. declan thinks of women as disposable (he does, he sucks, sorry about it) because the woman who raised him was a facsimile of a person, designed to obey, and she was unable to nurture or fulfill declan emotionally. my theory is that if ronan had a woman, declan assumes ronan would treat her the way declan treats his women: like an accessory. ronan, though, is a different animal, and i think during the series we see declan come to terms with this, even if he really dislikes it at first and thinks ronan is stupid for letting adam in when adam clearly has his own thing going on.

i also think ronan and declan do genuinely dislike each other. throughout TRC they genuinely hate each other and do not get along at all. they love each other, but that is not enough, most of the time. declan would hate anything ronan did. ronan makes fun of declan for his sexuality, because he finds it overt and distasteful. we aren’t explicitly shown in canon that this is a two way street, but listen… it’s definitely an argument they had. it just wasn’t shown because it didn’t serve the larger narrative, which is fine. there ain’t no way declan’s not a tiny reaganite, there ain’t no way he doesn’t have his thoughts and opinions. these are rich white boys from virginia in the early 2010s, for christ sake. but it’s also sort of a case of “oh i don’t hate my brother because he’s gay, i hate my brother for a dozen other reasons. he just also happens to be gay” <- guy who would definitely prefer it if his brother would just find a nice girl to settle down with and subsequently ignore just like their daddy did to their pseudomommy

i don’t even know if this answered your question. i just started thinking about declan and then i blacked out. did we learn something? did we solve the riddle? who knows. i have to stop because this is insanely long. the decladam fic is at 3k btw so we’ll see if i ever finish it

[zukomysweetbabyboy]

This may be a controversial opinion but I'm glad that Azula was the prodigy firebender and not Zuko not just because Aang stumbling upon the prodigies of all the elements is unrealistic and feels cheaper but it was so essential to both Zuko and Azula's character arcs.

I mean, it’s no secret that Azula's character arc did not get the attention that she deserved. But from what we did get, we know that she put a lot (and I mean A LOT) of her self worth in her firebending which isn't surprising because she idolized Ozai and he was fucking useless without bending and, specifically, in being better than Zuko. Azula was the best firebender in the world and inheriting an entire kingdom at FOURTEEN years old. From her father, she was taught that she was safe as long as she was better than Zuko ("You can't treat me like this! You can't treat me like Zuko!"). This meant being sneaky (staying behind in the throne room while Azulon talked to Ozai), being emotionless (teasing Zuko about his grandfather literally ordering his father to kill him - what the fuck baby Azula), being tactful (knowing the answer to the question Ozai asked in the throne room & only speaking in turn), being perfect ("Almost isn't good enough!"), and most importantly: being the best firebender (mastering advanced forms as a child, blue firebending, etc.). She was taught from her mother that these things made her a monster ("My own mother thought I was a monster - she was right of course", "What is wrong with that child"). She was smart enough to know that she couldn’t have the acceptance from both parents, but acceptance from Ozai meant being safe and acceptance from Ursa meant being loved, and to Azula being safe was more important.

This is where the difference between Zuko and Azula starts. Where Azula is all head (being safe > being loved), Zuko is all heart. Zuko didn't understand why his father hated him or why Azula was cold. He was genuine in his love and in his hurt and in his anger. He wasn't good at being the perfect prince, so he couldn't gain acceptance from his father (he couldn't be safe) but he clung to his mother (preferring her company even to Mai and Ty Lee and Azula, who were his age). He internalized what she said in the throne room about his struggling making him strong, and we see him repeat that sentiment throughout the show. Zuko's sense of identity comes from his persistence whereas Azula's comes from her perfection and both of these ideals are trauma responses. It's obvious that it's not healthy for Azula to base her identity around being perfect and It's no wonder she cracked by the end of the series although that should have been handled SO MUCH better - WHERE is the buildup she deserved, Bryke. But it is also not healthy for Zuko to base his identity around struggle, even though this flaw doesn't drive him insane like Azula's perfection and in a fucked up sort of way it is productive to him being a great Fire Lord. Zuko's character arc is well done (maybe the most well done character arc ever, actually) but he finishes the show with a lot of growth left to do.

tldr: Both of their characters relied on Azula being a prodigy and Zuko not being. Azula is all head and Zuko is all heart and their parents pitted them against each other.

p.s. I have SO many thoughts about their dynamic and how canon could have been tweaked just a little bit to make it so beautiful and tragic and compelling, but that will have to be a different post. Also all of the quotes are from memory so if they're wrong oops.

[tbgkaru-woh]

hi hi hi!!! since last time u asked for hcs or ideas, and i couldn't come up with any in the moment, I AM HERE TO SHARE (mine) AND ASK UR OPINIONS ON XIANXUAN (WWX X JZX) NOW... 😩

dont even get me started, personally for me, its HARD TO NOT ship two men who have punched each other for at least once in their life. AND WHEN THEY BOTH ACTUALLY HV CONSIDERATION FOR EO DEEP DOWN LIKE from hating each other's guts to punching each other's face to competing to an extent (over one girl literally) to actually having no hard feelings for each other to having consideration deep down for each other to believing in each other (to love the girl genuinely) to wwx accidentally and unintentionally killing jzx to mourning over his death and blaming himself for all of it to living again and taking care of his child...😩 i...ok half of the grief came bcs of shijie but ONE CAN IMAGINE AAAAH.

im sorry for making this long, help. (honestly ure the first ever acc i have found shipping them in one of ur arts so i HAVE to rant omg)

i love their dynamic sm, somehow i want wwx to top jzx at any fucking cost. WHY ?! because he wanna prove he's better and better and BETTER than this fucking peacock and he wanna crush his attitude so bad like...and jzx just tryna keep up with him and this fucker is back with new tricks to put him where he belongs. then ends up putting him under himself. oMG. help. im crazy. bye.

SJSHSKSK MY GOD. looks like im gonna go on a brainrot.

They were some of the most obvious to me too only to find no one talking about them, I guess the whole WangXian tunnel-vision and Jin Zixuan not having a fandom will do that to a dynamic.

I just hoped in canon they'd have...more. I wanted to see their arc, I wanted them to fight side by side, wanted to see Zixuan defend Wei Wuxian in front of the gossipy pricks and his word mattering to them, wanted to see Wei Wuxian punch someone for Jin Zixuan, instead of punching him for Yanli.

Straight Zixuan is also extremely boring to me and him secretly crushing on the brothers, maybe even popping a boner while wwx gets REAL CLOSE to him during a fight and needing to leave RIGHT NOW... He'll be a good bridge between the two, he's quiet, arrogant and loyal to duty as Jiang Cheng is, but wwx is what he wished he could be like in certain aspects, not to say that with their constant teasing and play-fights, some truths will come out sooner rather than later.

And when it comes to smut I love to imagine that something that starts as a hate fuck with neither backing down but both their inexperience starts showing but unlike jzx who's more honestly embarrassed about it, wwx has this fake confidence and "need-to-take-cate-of" impulse that turn it into something a bit clumsy but respectful and with a genuine goal of the other enjoying it. Maybe wwx can keep it as their secret,as jzx parades himself around like the straight guy people think he is afterwards.

[cogentsummoner]

Omg I absolutely love the little drabble you wrote! I’d love to hear you ramble about Avery and the oc

thank you so much for enabling me god bless

oh i should preface this whole thing with a big old trigger warning for pregnancy and miscarriage talk

alright so! let's start with the oc. her name is saffron elwood, and she was college sweethearts with toshi. they both knew they were going to break up at graduation, so they both were very much focused on the now together. like, this was all they were going to get with each other, so they should make the most of it.

saffron called toshinori "toshi" obviously and toshi called her "saffy". they were DISGUSTINGLY cutesy. my sincerest apologies to dave for having to put up with the both of them.

anyways. they were great together, but like they knew was going to happen, they broke up at graduation and toshi went home. little did either of them know at the time- saffron was pregnant. when she found out, she was torn- of course she was still keeping in touch with toshi, they might've broken up but not because of any real conflict between them. but they had just broken up because toshi was afraid she'd get hurt because of him. and she didn't want him to think she was trying to guilt him into coming back, nor did she want him to give up or put his dreams on hold for her.

so... she didn't tell him. she was torn on what to do her whole pregnancy. dave and his then-girlfriend (who would later become his wife) helped her out tremendously as emotional support, though dave really, really hated how she wasn't telling toshi about this.

her baby was going to be a girl, and saffron had decided on the name "anna" for her, kind of a little nod to toshi's mentor/mother figure, nana. and in the end, saffron had resolved to tell toshi about her pregnancy. then she found out she'd miscarried at 7 months.

to say saffron was devastated would be an understatement. saffron was so, SO ready and excited to be a mother, with or without toshi in her life. she dealt with a lot of grief, depression and self loathing in the wake of her miscarriage, and that self loathing led her to never telling toshi after all. she felt this was her burden to carry, since she blamed herself and her body for anna's death.

during this time, saffron met the man who would become her husband. i have not named him so if anyone's got suggestions, im all ears. her relationship with him helped her through the worst of it, and they got married. toshi attended the wedding and pretended like his heart wasn't breaking. after this, toshi and saffron do start to drift apart. by the time mha begins, they haven't spoken in 10 years.

i should preface this part with the fact that saffron and her husband were genuinely happy in the beginning and everything im about to say takes place over like. years and years.

anyways. saffron and her husband tried many, many times to have kids. saffron miscarried every time, and it took a toll on her. but her husband kept insisting that this time it would work out, this time their child would make it, just...not really accepting that saffron did not want to try anymore. she'd rather adopt children than put herself through this pain and guilt over and over again. her husband had this really weird thing about their kids being their biological children, though- every time she brought up adoption, he'd shoot it down. she ended up getting her tubes tied in secret so she could never get pregnant and suffer through that loss again.

saffron had been thrown into a pretty deep depression because of all of this, and ended up going to therapy and being prescribed depression meds. she slowly started to get better- this is the part she always stresses when she tells this story (which isn't often). she was getting better. but her depression meds made her gain weight, and suddenly her husband wouldn't touch her anymore. wouldn't look at her the way he used to. he'd assure her that of course he still loved her, of course he still found her sexy.

but it still didn't surprise her all that much when she found him in bed with another woman.

so, saffron got her ass out of there. she divorced him, cut all ties with him, even as he begged and pleaded for her to take him back.

and the day her divorce was finalized, saffron started the paperwork on adopting a child. she had wanted to be a mother for years, and goddamnit, she was going to be one.

obviously, avery turned out to be that kid. she was 8 years old when saffron adopted her, and had given up on being adopted, because avery was quirkless.

( a nasty byproduct of quirked society is that kids with good quirks get adopted more often than kids with weak quirks. kids who are quirkless seldom get adopted at all )

however, it took very little time to saffron to decide to adopt her- not out of any sense of pity, but because she could just feel in her bones that she and avery were meant to be family.

avery is in the same year as izuku & co, and she very much likes to give off tough, cool girl vibes. she played hockey back in the states (and is desperately trying to get a team set up at ua), and is currently throwing herself into computer studies and learning programming and stuff. see, avery never planned on going to ua for the hero course, because the hero course wouldn't teach her what she wanted to learn. the kind of hero she wants to be is someone like oracle, from dc comics. a cool hacker with all the intel, who can direct the flow of battle even though she's far from it physically.

anyways, avery wants to go to ua, so saffron and avery move to japan before avery's last year in middle school. guess which middle school she goes to for that third year. guess.

of course avery attaches herself to izuku immediately- besides her godsister melissa, he's the only other quirkless kid she's met. avery also has a strong sense of justice and no qualms about getting into fights with bullies, even if it does give her mother a headache.

it's through avery's friendship with izuku that saffron and toshi finally reconnect, and eventually rekindle their relationship. as saffron tells him later, "you have no idea... you're so easy to love, toshi."

OH ALSO LAST THING but saffron's quirk is Mend: she can undo a specific amount of time on an object, which frequently just looks like fixing or cleaning something.

[lovemyromance]

"Well, Elain is kind and gentle and sociable. She deserves to be with a courtier like Lucien who has ties to all the courts 😡"

I've seen this argument pop up recently. So Lucien has ties to all the courts..? Okay... how? Walk with me:

Night Court: Current Emissary? I think? Not really sure what his job entails but at least this mate lives here. Although SJM does make it clear he does not live in the night court so-

~does not currently live there~

Spring Court: He lived there with Tamlin but now avoids him. So/

~does not currently live there or step foot there~

Autumn: Originally born in Autumn Court

~does not currently live there or step foot there~

Day Court: Obviously we all know he is Helion & LoA's secret love child, but neither Lucien nor Helion knows that right now. So I don't think Lucien is spending a lot of time at that court if he doesn't know the truth of his parentage yet. So-

~does not currently live there or step foot there~

Dawn Court: I think Lucien mentioned he had a friend from Dawn Court? Is that the "tie tot he court"? Either way

~does not currently live there~

Summer Court: I'm blanking on this one but how is he connected to the Summer Court? Can't think of anything to tie him to that court so-

~does not currently live there or step foot there~

Winter Court: genuinely cannot think of a single reason he is tied to the Winter Court. So-

~does not currently live there or step foot there~

Is that all 7? Did I cover all his ties to the courts? Aka his ties to maybe 4 (if I'm being generous)?

Either way, the point is despite having all these so called connections to all the courts, Lucien is currently living in the Human Lands. With Vassa. And Jurian. In his mate's, ex-fiancé's Manor (which is honestly a power move lmao but still).

Ties to all... home to none?

Which is why I am genuinely confused how people could read Elain being at home in the night court, making friends, being with her sisters, glowing with health - and say "No 😡 she needs to be where Lucien is because she's sociable and they can travel to all the courts"

You're gonna make her uproot her life, leave her home to go live in her ex-fiancé's manor with a mate she doesn't want and far away from her friends and the sisters she just started rebuilding her relationship with?

For what?

To travel the world with her swashbuckling handsome roguish lord who will sweep her off her feet with his romantic notions of "is she even worth fighting for tho?" and "I'm going to go move across the world to avoid her"

And truly, I'm not trying to hate on Lucien. But I think people are imagining a different version of him than what he is actually written as in the books. He was actually my favorite character in ACOTAR, but he's been on a steady decline since ACOMAF and practically nonexistent by ACOSF. He does deserve to be happy, but they all do.

And I don't think that Elucien can find that happiness together. Not when they didn't choose each other in the first place. Not when there are other people they clearly want to choose instead.

[please-help-this-little-lesbian]

So I want to talk about The Bane/Pearlpelt, because his story is not going the direction I expected at all, and I have a lot of thoughts on it.

So when Gregor didn't kill Pearlpelt in book 2 I was like great good for him. I figured The Bane would grow up and we would see that Gregor and Nerissa were right, and The Bane would grow up to be a normal rat and everyone was freaking out for nothing. But this was not the case at all. But Suzanne Collins has taken this plotline in an entirely different direction. Instead, The Bane has grown up to be a violent, power-hungry, naive menace to society. I honestly didn't expect this at all given the anti-war themes of the books, but I do think it's interesting. Now, I'm only on chapter 4 of The Marks of Secret, so I don't know how this story ends yet. But I would like to share my thoughts on why I feel the Bane turned out like this. I think Ripred deliberately neglected The Bane, and now he's suffering the consequences for it.

When we first meet Pearlpelt, he's a sullen, angsty teenager. Gregor describes him as "an oversized, bullied child” (Collins, 24). This is pretty typical of any teenager. Pearlpelt also holds a particular hatred for Ripred, who has, despite his failings, been his primary caretaker. Also normal for your average caretaker. However, The Bane says of Ripred that he “‘hates me!’” (24). He says he humiliates him and treats him like a prisoner. Ripred argues that he has not abused the Bane, and reveals to Gregor that Pearlpelt has gotten in dangerous fights with other rats, (accidentally) killed his friend, and then proceeded to cannibalize his body to destroy the evidence (25). Pearlpelt has also fallen under the influence of other rats, who are trying to groom him into becoming king of the rats, and presumably overthrowing the humans (21-25). Ripred claims that he "got him too late” (28), and that the only option is to kill him so he doesn't become an even bigger threat. But I disagree. Ripred was not too late for Pearlpelt, he simply didn't bother to take proper care of him, and now he's trying to cover up his mistake.

One of the first things Gregor notes of Ripred's attitude toward The Bane is that he is being particularly cruel to him. He even asks Ripred to “lay off him” (24). Ripred does indeed humiliate him, making fun of his name (20), insult him (22), goad him (23), dismiss his feelings (24), and I would argue even emasculates him saying “‘King indeed! Do you really think anyone will take orders from someone who sucks on his tail?’” (26). He treats Pearlpelt like crap, and that’s when he’s around him. The Bane also reveals that he was mainly raised by a rat named Razor, which Ripred dismisses saying he spared his life, kept him fed, and protected him from the plague (24). This is a very common tactic of abusers, attempting to guilt their victims by bringing up all the positive things they’ve done for them.

Look, I love Ripred. He’s my morally gray dilf king, and I understand that being an asshole is just part of his personality. But he is genuinely abusing Pearlpelt right now, and it’s not okay. And, more importantly, his behavior is directly responsible for The Bane’s behavior. And that’s not even counting all the shit that happened before Ripred.

Ripred tells Gregor that Pearlpelt’s father killed his siblings so he wouldn’t have to compete for food, abused him and his mother, AND Pearlpelt witnessed his parents kill each other (28-29). That would fuck anybody up. We know Ripred has a soft side and he's capable of showing it. We also know he knows when it is and isn't okay to push people. Yet he doesn't apply this to The Bane. I understand that he got dropped on him out of nowhere, but he could have at least tried.

Again, I'm only on chapter 4. For all I know Suzzane may have Ripred take responsibility (nobody tell me). But right now, this is my assessment of the situation, and I'm really disappointed in Ripred.

[menlove]

Heeey! I need some help from the mclennon truthers community... And I love your blog, so I'll just leave the ask here :)

I was just lurking on the internet and found very strong opinions about rpf and just mclennon in general. and now I feel so upset... like i get it, they have been on the public eye for so long and every little part of their lives was used by the press to cause controversy. It must be tiring. And I know they are real people, and they have families, and children, and grandchildren, etc.

But at the same time is like I am SO sure they had something. Idk if it was something physical or whatever, but as a queer person, I know what it feels like to be in this homoerotic friendship and to deal with all the feelings and thoughts about sexuality and gender. IT WAS THE BLOODY 60S!!! ofc being in love or feeling attracted to your friend/partner/coworker/closest friend would be like insane, dangerous, and scary. And they have left so many secret hints for each other on their songs for example... And as you have said before, if one of them were a woman, people would absolutely say that they were fucking or had something going on.

So I am conflicted now about enjoying being a mclennon truther :( Is it weird to feel so attached to people who could be my grandparents?

Also I can't talk about it with friends bc they hate the Beatles or hate any rpf in general (or make fun of people who read on ao3)...

I just would like to hear some people's thoughts on this. I feel like this community is so small and frowned upon

I totally get you and that's a huge part of why I stopped taking abt the beatles & pretending like I thought they were an embarrassing guilty pleasure

but the thing is I genuinely think it's partially an age thing. like not to assume or anything & sorry if I'm mistaken but idk I feel like. for me personally and a lot of people around my age or even up to like 35 for The Realization Moment........ there truly comes a point where you stop giving a shit. like you eventually cycle around to the blissful cringeful carefree attitude of a child.

we spend so so much time worrying about how other people view us and our interests and our hobbies that we forget that we're supposed to have interests born out of joy, not anxiety

ANYWAY. tl;dr fuck em, be cringe, enjoy it, we love you!

[cyllres]

Devil | JJK x Makima! Reader

Chapter 03

Having a body is weird. Your soul does not feel any emotions but your body does.

It sweats profusely when stuck in a situation where your body seems uncomfortable. For one instance, you walked inside a classroom with your brother, Yuuji. It was a small school and both of you are fairly new. You catch yourself shifting your weight from one foot to the other, an unconscious rhythm that you can’t quite stop. The room feels smaller than it should, the walls inching closer with every passing moment. It's almost as if you could suffocate in it.

Sometimes your body feels energetic every time you and Yuuji play. You remember those moments vividly, the way your heart races with excitement as soon as you step outside. The sun seems to shine a little brighter, the air feels crisp, your laughter echoes in the open spaces. There's a lightness in your step, a kind of buoyant energy that lifts you off the ground as you run. Every game, every shared secret, and every mischievous adventure with Yuuji brings a sense of freedom and invincibility.

Your brother's presence is a comforting constant, his enthusiasm infectious. Whether you're racing each other to the big oak tree or pretending to be explorers discovering new worlds, there's a spark that ignites within you. It's a feeling that makes the mundane magical, turning ordinary afternoons into treasured memories. The way you both get lost in the moment, forgetting the world around you, fills you with a sense of completeness and contentment.

Even now, thinking back to those times, you can almost feel that familiar rush of warmth spread through your chest. It’s a sensation that starts deep inside and radiates outward, making everything around you seem more vibrant and alive.

And the most hated experience you had with this body was the bitterness you felt everytime your grandfather scolds you. The dull pain in your chest, it's almost as if, it's as painful as the way you died. You understand that it's fear that's pulling him to act that way. But you couldn't help but feel bitter.

Sometimes you stupidly ask yourself. Why can't you be love the way he loves Yuuji. After all this body belongs to his granddaughter doesn't it?

For so long, you've wondered how it feels to have a family. How it feels to be loved as a child, to be taken care of. Wasn't that your main goal from the start? For so long you've always yearned for something like a family. As the Control Devil you are incapable of forming equal and meaningful relationships. You don't know who to trust and in return, no one really trusts you. Isn't it ironic, the first time you have an actual family, tied by blood ends up like this. A mom and a dad nowhere to be found and a grandfather that is scared of you.

Perhaps it is anger that you're feeling because of the unfairness? Or maybe sadness? You never know; you never felt emotions as Makima. The complexities of human emotions confused you, each one a tangled mess that you can't quite unravel. They swirl within you, a maelstrom of conflicting feelings that you can't seem to grasp.

At the end of the day, you could not help but envy your body; it feels. Maybe without you in possession of it, Y/n would be loved. After all, Y/n as Y/n is easier to love, rather than Y/n as Makima. The thought lingers, a bitter pill that you swallow every day, a constant reminder of your own flaws.

Of course, you'd never allow yourself to get controlled by your own body. You refuse to show genuine discomfort, fear, sadness or anger.

"Nii-chan." You called out your brother making him hum as he continued walking home, pulling you with him.

"Hmm? Imouto-chan?" He glances back at you, his smile warm and reassuring, a beacon of light in your otherwise dark world. His hand, firmly gripping yours, grounds you, tethering you to the present, and for a moment, the chaos within you settles.

"Do you think Ojii-san will ever like me as much as he likes you?" The question slips out before you can stop it, a soft whisper that carries the weight of your curiosity.

Yuuji stops walking and turns to face you fully, his expression shifting from curiosity to concern. He looks up a bit, thinking, then went back looking at you, his hand never leaving yours.

"Why would you think that, N/n-chan? Ojii-san loves both of us," he says gently, his eyes earnest and sincere.

"It just feels different. He always seems happier with you. When he looks at me... it’s like he’s seeing someone else." You paused. "Do you see someone else when you look at me Nii-chan?"

Yuuji's brow furrows as he tries to understand. "Every time I look at you, I only see my favourite twin." He reassured. "Maybe he's just worried about you. He might not show it the same way, but I’m sure he cares."

You nodded. Yuuji pulls you into a hug, his warmth enveloping you, offering a fleeting sense of security. For a moment, you allow yourself to relax into his embrace, savoring the rare comfort it brings.

As you continue walking home, the streets gradually darken with the setting sun, Yuuji starts talking about the game you’ll play tomorrow. His excitement is infectious, momentarily lifting the heaviness from your heart. You nod along, smiling at his enthusiasm, but the questions and doubts still gnaw at the back of your mind.

-

Kape?

[a-tale-of-legends]

Amsonia Mahina things cause I was thinking about her last night cause I love my little moon baby.

• Surprise, Surprise. The night sky calms her. It became a welcomed presence more and more as she adjusts into her new life in Alola.

• This is especially so when she starts to sneak out at night. The night sky is freeing in a way. She gets to go around doing whatever - go for walks, fly in the sky with Nebby or Arty, practice the powers she has- anything she wants without the pressure of being "the first", or with fear that her temper may get the best of her. All of her secrets are kept between herself, her pokemon, and the moon in the sky.

• "where's Amsonia?" " At the Battle Tree" "Again?" "Yeaaaah, Mrs. Jamison had her tight"

• Ever since coming to Alola, Ames wanted to present herself as someone who doesn't hide. Someone who doesn't fear. She did that in Kanto. She wanted to be someone who does the protecting- hence why she's as protective as she is. But as time goes on I do think that instinct to simply run and ride grows a little stronger. Fight or flight, you know? The urge to simply hide in the shadows,to be small so no one can find you. She hates it when she feels that way.

• Amsonia's ability to talk to pokemon was something she never fully told anyone. It wasn't until Hau wonders out loud one day " you know, I wonder what they're talking about" and then Amsonia types out word for word what one of his pokemon are saying. Hau, who honestly can't think of any reason to not believe Ames, she usually pretty serious about things, just stares at her phone in shock. " Wha- Could you have talked to pokemon this whole time?!" Amsonia only shrugs " AMSONIA!"

• I love Amsonia's and Red's relationship. Red looked at Ames and went "...?" ( Translation: Is anyone gonna be a pseudo father/older brother figure to this stray cat of a child?") And didn't wait for an answer despite Kukui and Guzma being right there. I genuinely do think they Get each other though. Ames likes to bother him and Blue when she's bored ( or upset and doesn't want to bother her mom).

[melonbear51]

Lasombra concepts

I got your ask @iamthegodof but for some reason Tumblr won’t let me answer it normally so here we are lol. So, I know I say this about all the clans, but the Lasombra are just *chef's kiss.* Their vibes, their disciplines, their history are just top tier. Complete side note: the song/spoken-word poem "Want" by Recoil just SCREAMS Lasombra and I highly encourage you to check it out if you want to get into the headspace of one before a roleplay sesh or just want to jam out. But you didn't want song recs or opinions, you wanted ideas, so here they are! 1. We all know the Ventrue and Lasombra are antagonistic towards each other, to say the least. Imagine a pair of feuding vamps, one of each clan, who decide to truly test which clan is superior. As such, they target a pair of identical twins, the Lasombra siring one and the Ventrue siring the other. The twins are then encouraged to rise in vampire society, gain power, and generally become better and stronger than their sibling. By any means they see fit. I feel like playing the Lasombra twin in this scenario could be incredibly interesting, as they could either genuinely love their sibling and not want to participate in this charade, or resent and hate their sibling and fully give in to the ruthlessness of their bloodline at their sire's urging. Plus, the dynamics with their sire are just a breeding ground for interesting (and pretty unhealthy) interactions. 2.  A famous classical musician whose performances have a strict "no photographs or recordings allowed" policy.  They refuse to release albums or recordings, stating that performance art is best live, and that mechanical reproductions suck the soul out of art. This, of course, is a complete crock of bullshit and the musician is actually a Lasombra trying to make sure their bane doesn't get them caught by the Second Inquisition. Thanks to their retinue of security ghouls who diligently keep an eye on crowds and venues, they haven't run into too many issues, but the stress this causes them is doing nothing for their mental health and is making them begin to hate that which once gave them joy. 3. A Lasombra who specializes in corporate espionage. Need a competitor's newest prototype to glitch right before an important press event? They've got you covered. Need trade secrets or information on an upcoming acquisition or deal? They'll seduce the right employee and get the information out of them one way or another. The paycheck and the vitae are great, but the enjoyment they get out of it? Priceless. 4. A Lasombra who practices the Japanese art of Kintsugi, both to make a living and because they find it therapeutic. After all, much like the broken pottery, they've mended and come back stronger and, in their opinion, more beautiful. For a darker spin on this otherwise wholesome concept, have them really enjoy sabotaging others' lives and unlives to see "how much more beauty and strength can be achieved through adversity." 5. A Lasombra fledgling abandoned after the embrace, who, after a turbulent adjustment period, seems to be finding their way and who enjoys learning more about their bloodline from sympathetic clanmates and older vampires willing to educate them.  What this fledgling doesn't know is that their sire is a VERY old vampire who abandoned them to truly test the "survival of the fittest," sink-or-swim mentality of the clan. This vampire has been watching them from the shadows, and will only reveal themselves if they think their childe worthy of their presence. 6.  A Lasombra who leads a religious congregation at a college's local church/temple/mosque/[INSERT PLACEOF WORSHIP HERE]. Holding prayer meetings and other extracurriculars complete with vitae-spiked refreshments , the Lasombra has slowly been ghouling a sizeable section of the congregation, providing them with an ample herd to drink from and young, impressionable minds to mold as they see fit. 7. A Lasombra neonate who presented their staked sire to the Camarilla in order to join the sect. Initially happy to have a modicum of safety, they've become tired of their treatment from the Ivory Tower and plagued by guilt. Recently they have begun to consort with the Hecata in order to learn the secrets of Necromancy so they may see their sire once more. 8. A Lasombra grief counselor who actually engineered the deaths of their patient's loved ones and who is slowly indoctrinating them into the nihilistic views of the Cult of Shalim. Thanks again for engaging with my ideas and interacting with me! If you'd like to tip me (though you are under no obligation to do so) you can do so with this ko-fi link: https://ko-fi.com/melonbear51 Hope you enjoy these!

[lol-jackles]

https://www.tumblr.com/lol-jackles/731390752226148352/li-1-i-revisited-a-former-favorite-tag-of-mine

How do you think Jensen might be feeling in relation to Jared (or about himself) now that TW failed? If it was a way fir him to be "good enough" for Jared …

Also, I know you’ve been asked this before, so I won’t ask you to weigh in on whether J2 are still real friends. I think they still consider each other friends, but probably more in an extended family way, where you care and have shared history but don’t really talk overly often. Of course, Jared often mentions on interviews or at cons that he and Jensen were just texting "the other day," but for me that could mean anything from yesterday to three weeks ago, so I don’t see it as proof they talk all the time.

Anyway, my other questions was based off the fact that Jared and Jensen are getting increasingly more sentimental, or at least nostalgic, telling stories about back in the early days of SPN at cons during panels and their M&G. Do you think they play-up on their old memories because they don’t have many good new shared experiences to talk about, or do you think now that they haven’t worked together for a few years, they are truly starting to miss it and each other as cast mates? Or a secret third option where they are just trying to stir up fan nostalgia (even though J2 fans live that shit 24 anyway), and telling stories is easier than dodging strike-breaking questions?

Jensen probably self-soothed that The Winchester failure is mainly due to a combination of the SPN spinoff curse and bad timing due to Zaslav's reign of terror, burst of the streaming bubble, and the WGA-SAG strike. As for his post TW relations with Jared, my pet theory of psychology is there are two motivators of human behavior - love and fear. Codependency is where love and fear get messed up between it, sometimes fear gets disguised as love in that they fear that unless they control others, they will not do what they need them to do in order to feel loved. And it is attracted to those who “need saving” through control of their behavior. So kids, study your fears, lean to control or dismiss them as necessary. Set the people in your life free from you control.

To answer your other question... First, time and distance sanitize memories and paper over issues in their friendship. The thing about friendship is a lot of red flags are tolerated that is not tolerated in marriages. My friends can be late, or bad with money, or have significant differences of opinion on a variety of issues, because if it gets too bad, I can just not hang out with them anymore. But with life partners you have to trust and rely on them 100%, because there’s so much more at stake - buy property together, comingle finances, raise a child or bunch of cats or both, so you can't ignore the red flags.

Second, shared experiences are the basis for many deep and casual relationships rather than actual compatibility. It's why we still go to high school reunions because nobody else in the world knows what you’ve experienced other than your classmates, even if you hated them back in the day. Or thought you hated them. Again, time and distance sanitize many things and you and the kid you never talked to in high school are reminiscing and laughing together over nostalgia. So it's not surprising that Jared and Jensen have some nostalgia for the SPN days because it was 15 years of high school. So the answer to your question is option #2.

Third, in general, men don’t have many male genuine friends.  I hated the movie I love you, man because it was too familiar - Paul Rudd’s character doesn’t have male friends to be his best man for his upcoming wedding so he goes out looking for one. So even though Jared and Jensen’s friendship is more on the codependency level, it’s still more than what most actors could have in the industry. Aso, it's easier for Jared to be the bigger person because he’s currently in much better position: a lead actor who is able to film in the city of his choice.  Very, very few lead actors can demand to work in their referable city of choice and even then, the best they can ask for is L.A or N.Y.C.  David Duchovny got X-Files production moved from Vancouver to L.A and he still left the show.

[daebakreviews]

Love Next Door

Choi Seung-Hyo and Bae Seok-Ryu have been inseparable since childhood, but when Seok-Ryu returns to Korea after years in the United States, Seung-Hyo begins to realize his deeper feelings for her.

There will be spoilers so only read if you have seen the show!

When this show was announced, I was really excited. I'm a fan of Jung Hae-In, who plays Choi Seung-Hyo, and I was eager to see him in another romance series. While much of Love Next Door was enjoyable, it did have some major issues.

The biggest problem is that Choi Seung-Hyo and Bae Seok-Ryu, played by Jung So-Min, are not a good couple. They’re manipulative and, at times, toxic to each other. Choi Seung-Hyo could see that Bae Seok-Ryu was going through a lot, yet he still pressured her to confess her feelings for him. At times, it felt like she didn’t even want to be with him.

When her fiancé came from the United States to Korea to win her back, she seemed open to it at first. But then Choi Seung-Hyo made her feel guilty for having those feelings. In the end, it was a relief that she didn’t end up with her fiancé, especially when you learn the real reason she called off the wedding, but Choi Seung-Hyo handled the situation like a child.

Once they started dating, Choi Seung-Hyo moved way too fast for her comfort. She wanted to keep the relationship secret, which was valid, but he rushed to propose to her—right after she had just ended a long relationship with Song Hyeon-Jun and barely agreed to start dating him. Why would he ask her to marry him so soon?

And don’t even get me started on Bae Seok-Ryu’s mother. Her relationship with her family is terrible, she constantly makes Seok-Ryu feel awful, and even when Seok-Ryu figures out what she wants in life, her mother still doesn't support her.

All that said, the acting was good, but the writing was painfully bad at times. There are so many toxic relationships in this show that it was hard to watch. I did love Jung Mo-Eum and Kang Dan-Ho’s relationship—they were adorable and seemed to genuinely love each other.

I really hated the ending too. While I’m glad Bae Seok-Ryu ended up pursuing what she loves, the show closes with them arguing about their house, which made it feel like their relationship was doomed anyway. That’s not a great way to end it.

Love Next Door is on Netflix if you decide to watch it.