#this fish has seriously grown on me

[evilwriter37]

Rare pics of Leviathan just chilling! Usually he likes to zoom!

Oh, and he may actually be a female bichir. Or he’s a male who hasn’t grown into his tail fins yet. Hard to say.

[spellwell]

secrets - dick grayson

dick grayson x reader one shot

fluff; sfw

warnings; none. characters may be out of character, this is my first time writing for them and I haven’t seen young justice in a while. Not edited well lol

universe: young justice

summary; Dick likes you, and you like Dick, it’s obvious. The only people that don’t seem in on it, are the both of you, the rest of young justice seems to have a plan to fix that.

By this point, you and the group of now nearly young adults have gotten quite close, you could even say they are like family. Every member seems to have their own very special relationship with you that has grown over time and nothing has quite as much value as that. Your relationship with Dick how ever, is probably the closest connection you’ve ever had. From the very start you took to him, finding his humor and opinions fit just right with your own, and everyone else has seemed to notice that as well. M’gann has always pushed the idea of you and Dick being more than friends, which you’ve admitted liking the idea of. Alas, your nerves have created a large pool of anxiety to sit at the bottom of your stomach at the simple idea of conveying your feelings to him.

“He obviously likes you back, in love even!”

“You’re nervous for no reason, what if someone else comes along? Don’t you want to secure him?”

“If you don’t tell him me and Conner will!”

“Oh come on y/n, why don’t you believe me?! He totally wants you!”

You’ve heard it all really, her begs and pleads, trying to reason with you to just gain the courage and tell him. Little does she know, it isn’t that easy and over time she’s seemed to give up. You’re not sure why you have such a hard time believing he would feel the same way, Dick is just so special and the chance that he doesn’t feel that way can’t be taken.

Other than that, everyone is very open and honest with each other, maybe even too open some times. That’s why their behavior’s have been… odd the past few days. Whispering, huddling, and glances to the side have made you question if there’s something wrong, but when you’ve asked they all say everything is fine and not to worry. Little did you know, they had a plan to fix this on-going back and forth between you and Dick.

“I actually can’t stand you, quit winning!” Aqua-lads laughing could be heard over Wally’s moaning and groaning. “Maybe if you were better at this game, you’d win.” Mg’ann walks over to you with a sheepish grin, motioning with her head over to the boys arguing on the couch. “How many times have they played this game today?” She asks, causing you to sigh and shrug your shoulders. “Today, you mean in the last week? Kid’s never going to win.” You both laugh and walk over to the couch, standing behind it to watch the boys start their new match. You could care less about the game, but watching Wally squirm always makes you laugh.

Conner makes his way into the room after a while of watching them argue, after Wally of course loses again. “Won’t you go a little easier on me dude, seriously it’s not even fun any more!” Conner throws his arm around the Martian next to you, rolling his eyes at the childish behavior. “You still wouldn’t win, if it’s not fun anymore how could you keep playing it? I could hear you shrieking from my room.” Wally whips around and shoots Conner a deadly look, one that seemed to not phase the super boy. “Oh yeah? You try beating this fish freak then!” Conner gives his girl friend a small peck on the cheek before hopping the back of the couch and taking a seat next to the boys. They began a new game and started at it, tension filling the room. “I don’t wanna be in here when Conner wins.” You said, walking off with a chuckle. Your best friend follows behind you, both of you heading back to the kitchen to snack on the grapes you’ve been picking at for the last hour.

Days like this, no missions, no jobs to do, tend to bore you all but the boys arguing always make the days go by faster.

The base announces that Robin has finally arrived, making you sigh in relief that there’d be someone to break it up when Wally finally loses his mind. “What did I miss?” His voice rings through the kitchen, making you smile. You turn to see him, his usual comfortable get up that he wears when he’s not actively Robin. “A whole lot of nothing.” You sigh out as he walks over and pops a grape in his mouth. You had gotten the green ones because you know they are his favorite, “green, my favorite.” He grins, walking over to the couch after stealing a few more. “Robin!” Wally yells with a grin, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his best friend arriving. “You’re here! They’ve been kicking my ass 1v1, you gotta jump in!” Dick takes no time hopping on the couch and grabbing a controller making you roll your eyes. All these boys do are play games in their free time, or spar with eachother when they are tired of that.

A few hours later, they decided they had enough of the silly games and wanted to eat. Being the good team mate and friend that you are, you decided to cook them something, feeling extra nice. They all sat on the couch, chatting and giggling while you slave away in the kitchen. You were left with your thoughts and the sound of bacon sizzling on the pan until Dick appeared behind you, watching the bacon cook. “Hey.” You nearly jump out of your skin, turning to see a chuckling Robin. “Scare you?” He said with a smirk, a gleam shining from his iconic sunglasses. You roll your eyes and softly smack him across the arm, “no.” He chuckles to himself again, grabbing the tongs from the counter and flipping a few pieces on the pan that needed it. “You can go sit down if you want, y/n.” A small blush threatens to crawl onto your cheeks, but your pride won’t let it. Dick is the only one that ever offers to help you cook, and you’ve always found that so sweet. “No, we can do it together.” You said, smiling up at him which he quickly returns.

As the bacon cooks and you listen to Dick talk about his day before arriving, you notice the racket from earlier had subsided… too much. From the kitchen, you look over to eye your friends on the couch who seem to be whispering like they have been for the last week. What on earth? Why do they keep doing that? Since when do we keep secrets? You decide to ignore it and focus back on what Dick is saying, along with the food that he just finished up. “Come get it!” He yells from beside you, turning off the stove and walking the pan over to the table. You find yourself forgetting the whispering, and instead begin to think about how sweet Dick truly is to you and the rest of the team, but especially you. Wally comes rushing in, everyone else following behind. “Thanks Rob.” He says with a grin before sitting down to munch and crunch. Everyone else takes a seat, including you. “Don’t thank me, thank y/n.” Dick said with a sheepish smile, taking a seat across from you and Wally.

Kid smirks to himself, leaning over and giving you a small peck on the cheek. “Thanks, y/n.” This is the first time he’s ever done something so flirtatious with you, besides his usual boyish humor. A small blush does creep onto your cheeks this time, a gulp attempting to swallow your confusion. “Yeah, no problem.” Dick seems to eye Wally, like he was also confused on why he did that but it was left at that, dinner commencing.

After everyone talked and ate, you decided that sitting and watching a movie would be fun and relaxing. The movie carried on normally, how any watch fest with the team would until Wally’s arm seemed to drape over your shoulder loosely half way through the movie. To be honest, you didn’t even notice it at first, until you felt him scoot a little closer on the couch. That was when you felt the weight of his arm, even a little tug to get you closer. Just like the behavior at the table this confused you, and flustered you at the same time. The feelings you have for Dick have never been something you’ve had for Wally, and you never thought he liked you like that either. You felt a pair of eyes staring into your forehead, which by investigation was Dick, who had a look on his face at what you assumed was the arm around you. No body else looked over or said anything, like this was normal and the movie is just that good, which it’s really not. You also let the arm thing slide, that was until about ten minutes later, you feel Kid’s hand begin to rub circles onto your upper arm. “Wally? What are you doing?” You ask calmly, scooting away a tad and glancing his direction. “Yeah Wally, what are you doing?” Dick’s voice comes from the other side of the couch, laced with irritation. “Oh I’m sorry y/n, am I not allowed to touch you?” Wally asks, softly, ignoring Robin. You go to open your mouth and respond but another voice cuts you off. “No. You’re not.” Dick’s voice sounds even darker than before, a look of disgust on his face. Wally’s lips turn into a smug smirk, his arm leaving your shoulder. “You’re not y/n, why not let her answer?” He says, now turning to you. Everyone’s eyes seem to be on you, some looks of intrigue like they want to know the answer and others just enjoying the show it seems. “Her answer is no.” Dick responds again before you can speak, but it isn’t like you knew what to say. Dick stands up and walks over, taking a quick seat on the other side of you. “What’s your sudden interest in y/n, huh? What makes you think she’d want you?” Wally smirks at him, that usual snarky little face he gets when he knows he has started something. “Why do you care so much, Rob? Jealous?” The idea of him being jealous makes a blush appear on your cheeks for the second time tonight. He tuts his lips at Wally’s question and sits back, arms crossed. “No.” This makes your heart ache a bit, but you decide to sit back and watch the screen again, happy to see everyone else finished with that conversation and do the same.

-

That night had ended, and the next day comes, starting like most days, until it got later and someone was missing. The night before everyone had decided to sleep there, but you watched as Dick left early, not saying a word to anyone. You know him well and this is very much unlike him, but no body seemed to bring it up.

After worrying about it all day, the base announces that Robin has arrived, making everyone who is currently sitting on the couch, look over in the direction he’s expected from. He comes in, seeming a bit more like himself as he starts talking to everyone about something Bruce was telling him this morning.

Wally had been normal all day, no incidents happening like yesterday, which makes you even more confused about the whole thing.

“Do you want to cook again, or are we ordering food?” M’gann asks, clearly having food on the brain. “Let’s give this babe a break and order something.” Wally says, motioning over to you. Babe? Why is he flirting with you? You go to tell him to knock it off honestly, you don’t get why he’s flirting with you, but M’gann and Conner interrupt, going on about what to order. You notice Dick go quiet after this, as do you. Wally’s hand comes down and rests on your knee, your eyes quickly darting down to it. Another pair of eyes seem to do the same, Dick’s eyes. He gets that same expression as he did last night, but this time he also looks… sad? Before you can move his hand, which you were about to do, Dick quickly stands up, but only you seemed to notice. His fist quickly made contact with Wally’s face, making him fall back into the couch. It was so quick, and it definitely caught everyone’s attention. “Hey!” Wally yells as he presses his hand to his own face, which was probably on fire. “You fucking knew!” Dick yelled, fists clenched. “You’ve always known how I feel about y/n and you have the nerve to go after her- in front of me!” Your face goes into shock, completely taken aback by what he said. “How dare you.” He says very seriously, but sadness laced his words. Before anyone could speak he storms off, in the direction of the room he stays in when he’s here. The room goes silent, eyes all quickly darting away from eachother. “I’m sorry, I set this up, I didn’t know he would get so upset.” M’gann finally spoke, making everyone look in her direction. “He wants to kill me.” Wally sighed, shoulders falling in defeat. You feel very confused and now borderline frustrated, finally you speak. “What’s going on?” You say, tone confused but firm. “What did you do?” You say, looking at M’gann. “It wasn’t just her, we planned it. We wanted one of you to confess your feelings so we set it up to make Rob jealous and confess, we didn’t know he would freak out on him.” Conner said from next to her, a guilty look painting all their faces. This has all been so confusing it just now hits you that, Dick likes you back.

“You have to go talk to him, I’ll take the beating for it later.” Wally says with a small side ways grin, making you sigh, a flustered feeling coating your stomach. “Okay…” You said softly, going to stand and walk in the direction he went.

You took your sweet time, feeling nervous, what do you say? A solid knock on his door is all you have the courage to do, but he doesn’t respond. You stand there for a moment, frozen in fear before you build up the courage to do it again. “What.” Is all you hear, flat and hurt. “Can I come in, Rob?” You say softly, hand on the door. It stays quiet before you hear a shuffle and the door open. You push your way in softly, seeing his figure stand next to the door, closing it behind you. “Do you really want Wally?” He asks, in a point blank tone, an expression you’ve never seen on his face. Your eyes widen in surprise, an answer stuttering out. “What? No.” You could tell from his eyes that he actually cried a bit, making you feel worse. “He- he didn’t mean it! It was just to get one of us to admit we like eachother.” His eyes now widened, picking up on the fact that you just admitted to feeling the same way he did the whole time. “So you don’t want him?” He asks, face softening much more than before. You shake your head, twiddling your fingers down at your waist, “no, I want you.” His eyes seemed to light up instantly, a grin appearing against his will.

“Yeah?” He said, a grin also quickly appearing on you as well. “Yeah.” It seemed like he’d never make a move, nervousness still covering his face so you move in closer and grab his jaw, gently placing a kiss on his lips. It doesn’t take but a second for you both to melt into each other, his hands coming to hold your waist. He pulls at you to come closer, a hum of satisfaction leaving his lips. This led to some more long awaited kissing, both of you clearly relieved to finally have what you’ve always wanted. He pulls away eventually, looking down at you with admiration in his eyes and swollen lips.

“I totally knew you’d want me and not a guy who sucks at video games.”

- end

thanks for reading, if you enjoy this please leave a request for more or any other interaction you’d like.

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love, spell.

[antebunny]

a cuckoo in the nest

(part three. for @authenticaussie whose comments on parts 1 & 2 inspired me to write this. i might actually finish writing the whole thing now hehe).

Premise: fae!Tim AU where Tim's parents gave him to the fae when he was nine. Now he's twelve, part fae, and trying to escape the Unseelie Queen. He strikes a bargain: if he can make every member of the Wayne family love him by the end of summer, he can leave. If not, he must stay with the Unseelie Queen forever.

Meanwhile, Bruce strikes his own bargain with her: he gets Jason back, safe and sound. In return he takes in this creature of her choosing, which resembles a human boy. Of course he won't let it hurt his family, but he'll play along for Jason's sake.

[part one] [part two]

~

“What the fuck, Bruce?” 

When Bruce’s eldest bursts into his study he knows it’s going to be a long afternoon. Dick has spent much more time around Wayne Manor since he brought Jason back, but he and Bruce haven’t spoken much one-on-one. So Dick approaching him now means he’s ready to fight.

Dick waits for the doors to slam closed behind him before he demands: “Why didn’t you tell us that Tim’s our neighbor?”

Bruce sighs and gestures for Dick to take a seat in the green velvet lacquer chair across from his desk. “What are you talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb,” Dick rages, “I know you knew that Tim used to be our neighbor before his shit parents gave him away. You didn’t think this was relevant information for the rest of us?”

Usually Bruce is pretty good at figuring out what line of thought Dick is racing after like the world’s largest bunny rabbit. He’s not subtle and in fact is usually openly cheerful about it. In this case, however, Bruce struggles to connect the fae in his house with anyone living in Bristol. He mentally sifts through all the information stored in his brain about the current and past Bristol residents (very paltry, compared to his database on the most effective acids and poisons) and finally comes up with Jack and Janet Drake, of Drake Industries. They’d had a son of approximately the right age of the fae–or what the fae appears to be. 

Bruce reminds himself that just because the fae looks and acts like a human child doesn’t mean it is anything even remotely human. Like the Unseelie Queen it will exploit every weakness and loophole it can find in the bargain if Bruce lets it. That said, he is reluctantly impressed by the fae’s acting. Of course, the fae says and does things that are transparently unusual for a human child, but given that the fae is not a human at all, it’s doing a rather convincing job of pretending to be one. More than pretending, it attempts to stir sympathy and protective feelings from the other members of Bruce’s family through its lost little boy act. Worst of all, it’s working on them. 

“Tim…Drake,” Bruce ventures. 

Dick rolls his eyes explosively (quite the feat for anyone but Dick, for whom it is a natural talent). “Yes,” he huffs. “At least with Jason you told us you fished him out of a dumpster. Tim you just dropped him here without a word. I mean I’m trying to include him and stuff but…you aren’t exactly making it easy, B.”

Even though Dick is mad at him, Bruce can’t help the creeping feeling of fondness. It’s been a while since Dick sat in that chair, and Bruce had nearly forgotten how he sprawls, half-noodle, half-boy, into any container he’s put into. Dick has a way of being laidback and looking comfortable everywhere, even at galas where he is distinctly uncomfortable. In Bruce’s office, he looks right at home. When Dick was younger, he used to insist on sitting in the chair even though his feet dangled half a foot off the ground, determined to be grown-up and taken seriously. Now he overflows, draping himself over and around an old wooden chair that no longer fits him. 

The memories remind Bruce exactly of what exactly is at stake here. It’s no longer just Jason. Dick, Alfred, even Barbara who is spiritually his, and the mantle of Batman depend upon Bruce winning this battle with the fae. 

Unfortunately, the Unseelie Queen’s bargain with Bruce has trapped him in an awful cycle. In order to protect Jason, he must act as if this fae is a regular human boy. But in order to protect his whole family, he must not only keep an eye on the fae but also convince them to be on their guard around it. 

“It is not easy,” Bruce enunciates carefully. 

Dick rolls his eyes again. “Boys, you have a new little brother, his name is Tim Drake, I acquired him through dubious and doubtless wacky magical means. Boom. How hard was that?”

It is deeply distressing to Bruce that the fae has convinced Dick that it is Tim Drake. A lucky coincidence, perhaps, that the real Drake boy is approximately the right age? But why him, out of all the boys in Gotham? Bruce doesn’t believe in coincidences. He’ll have to look into that. 

But first, he must rid Dick of his delusion. He has refrained from interfering with any of the fae’s interactions with his children of Alfred so far, terrified that he might jeopardize Jason’s life. Now the fae goes too far. Nevertheless, Bruce has faith in his children, in his brilliant, clever, caring boys. They’ll figure the fae out.

“It is not easy,” Bruce repeats. “It is…impossible.”

“Impossible to say what? His name? Where you got him?” Dick’s eyebrows knit together when Bruce stays silent. “B. What type of magical means?”

Bruce sits ramrod straight. He places both palms flat on the desk, brushing aside some old papers on WE finance reports. Stares right into Dick’s eyes. And says nothing.

“Ohhhhhhhh.” Dick leans back in his chair, fingers laced behind his head. “I see what you’re saying. Or what you’re not saying. I’m picking up what you’re putting down.” He waggles a finger at Bruce, frown replaced with his typical cheeky smile. “Don’t worry B, me and Babs are on the case. We’ll figure this out for you no prob.”

“Hnnnnn,” Bruce says neutrally.

“Hehe, I knew you couldn’t suck that much at communicating.” Dick springs up and leaves the office whistling what seems to be birdsong, in a much better mood than when he entered.

As soon as the doors close again, Bruce sinks into his chair with a deep sigh. Dick knows something is awry. He’ll get Barbara, perhaps his friends on the Titans, and definitely Jason whenever he finds out, to solve the mystery for Bruce. He has faith in them. He taught Dick everything that he knows, and Dick is plenty innovative on his own. If nothing else, his establishment as Nightwing has proven that he can roll with the best of the best. Bruce is unbearably proud of his kid. Now he just hopes it is enough.

Bruce is nearly certain he did nothing to imply that the fae is not human. Perhaps he implied that the fae was “acquired,” as Dick put it, through magical means, but that by no means implies that the fae itself is not human. It isn’t, of course, but that is for Dick to find out through no suggestion or help on Bruce’s part. 

He knows that Dick will agree with his decision to bargain their safety for Jason’s safe return. The only person he suspects might disagree is Jason himself. Already he can picture Jason lecturing him if and when he finds out: accusing Bruce of doing it for himself, of being unbearably selfish, of forcing Jason to bear a responsibility he never asked for. And Bruce will bear it all because it’s all true. He saw a way to have his son back without having to break his moral code and he seized it. Jason can call it self-serving and hate Bruce all he wants, because Bruce would do it again in a heartbeat. 

-

“So, Timmy,” Dick says casually, “are you a metahuman or what?”

Barbara, Dick and Tim are in the middle of a near-empty Staples when Dick pops out with his invasive question. They’re shopping for school supplies, since come fall Tim will need to go to school. Bruce has registered him, through a combination of fake and real forms, for Gotham Academy. Tim’s memories of school were his first to go from Before, when he was purely human. Needless to say he’s not looking forward to school again. But he’ll be going with Jason, and maybe they can talk about it even though they’ll be three grades apart. He’ll get to know kids his age who will learn his name and never think twice about using it. Anything that makes Tim more human is a good thing, in his book. 

“Dick, for the love of God,” Barbara groans. She casts a quick look around the Staples. Luckily, no one is around to hear. 

Sometimes she wonders how she got caught up in not one but two school shopping trips for Dick’s little brothers. No less than eight employees and customers at the various stores they’ve stopped at have given them strange looks, no doubt thinking that Dick and Barbara are a tragically young couple to have a kid Tim’s age. She isn’t sure who would be most embarrassed if she corrected them, so she said nothing.

The truth, that Barbara is a freshman in college taking her high school boyfriend’s new kid brother shopping, potentially sounds stranger. Add in the part where they’re trying to acclimate the kid to human society, and Barbara’s certain she’d be kicked out of the store.

“What?” Dick protests. “I have a deal with B. C’mon Timmy, you don’t want your favorite big brother to lose to the big bad B, do you?”

“A deal?” Tim warbles.

“Yeah,” Dick persists doggedly. He still hasn’t figured out what triggers Tim, so for now he continues until Tim comes to some internal resolution. “He doesn’t think I can figure it out. C’mon Tim, my ego’s on the line here.”

Tim stares at the blue spiral notebook in his hands. Both Dick and Barbara lean in, anticipatory, as he turns it over and over. Despite Barbara’s reservations about Dick’s timing and bluntness, she’s also desperately curious about where the new kid comes from. All he has been able to tell her so far is that Bruce seems to have sworn some kind of oath not to talk about the details.

“You don’t have to tell us,” Barbara adds, only a little reluctantly. “But you know, no matter if you’re an alien or a cyborg or a sentient piece of mud, you’re a part of the family, right?” She gestures in a wide circle, to encapsulate the absurdity of their situation. 

Two first-year college students, arms full of Ticonderoga pencils, notebooks, binders, rulers, calculators and the like, all for a not-quite-human twelve-year-old boy. Jason insisted on getting his own trip, which really made Barbara feel like she and Dick really were parents with two kids competing to be the favorite. Jason also strong-armed Barbara into agreeing to a Dragon Ball Z marathon next weekend. She really doesn’t know how she’ll explain that one to her new college friends. They already think she’s a bit strange for still dating her high school boyfriend. 

“I’m not…I made a bargain,” Tim whispers. He trusts them, even though he grips that notebook so tightly it folds over. Weeks ago he gave Dick and Jason his true name and they have never used it to make him do something he doesn’t want to do. Surely, if he can trust them not to use his name against him, he can trust them with this. 

“With who?” Barbara asks immediately.

“About…?” Dick prompts at the same time.

Tim ponders over the phrasing until words lose their meaning. There really is no safe way to explain that he made a deal with the Unseelie Queen to secure their undying affection in exchange for his freedom, is there? No matter how he says it, he’ll be outed as the emotionally manipulative little infiltrator that he is. In the end, all Tim can do is shake his head. “If I win my bargain I’ll be fully human,” he evades.

“Oookay.” Dick attempts to fit this piece of information into his catalogue of Timmy facts. So far it includes “used to be Timothy Drake, age nine” and “my parents handed me over as part of a mysterious deal” and “I’m not fully human (anymore???)” and “Bruce can’t talk about where he found me” and now “I made a bargain with my own humanity.” It’s not making any goddamn sense. Dick has some amount of pride in his skills as a detective, and Tim’s situation is pretty thoroughly destroying it. The only through-line he’s found is an awful lot of bargains and deals. Which perhaps explains Tim’s overreaction to Dick saying he made a deal. Whoops. 

“But you know,” Barbara jumps in again, “you don’t have to be fully hu–”

“I want to be,” Tim cries. “I want it back. I will be–”

Someone clears their throat. At the end of the notebooks aisle, a Staples employee points at the analog clock on the western wall. It’s rather unhelpful as a visual signal, since only Barbara can read it.

“It’s almost closing time,” the employee explains delicately. They look anywhere but Tim’s teary face or Barbara and Dick holding hands. 

-

“Mr. Wayne,” Tim says bravely, “can we talk, sir?”

School starts in a couple of weeks. Tim is running out of summer, but he has Alfred, Dick, Jason and Barbara firmly on his side. Last week Jason taught him how to make frijoles and tried to get him to read Jane Austen. Neither attempt succeeded, but the intent was there. Dick tried to teach him parkour, which went much better. His one remaining problem is that Batman still does not want him at all. 

So he corners Batman when the man’s alone with one solid plan of action, a heart full of hope, and two shaking knees. 

Batman stares down at him suspiciously. “Yes.” 

He turns away abruptly and Tim hurries to keep up with his long strides. After so long in the human realm, he no longer have the floatiness they once did. By the time Batman makes it to his office, Tim is panting. His feet hurt. He worries and waits in the corner as Batman shuts the doors, shutters the windows, and manually activates enough security measures to shock Harry Houdini. Is he in trouble? He hasn’t even done anything yet. 

Wordlessly, Batman gestures for him to take a seat. “What is it.”

Tim collapses into the chair. His feet dangle half a foot in the air. “I would like to make a deal.”

“No.”

“Please, Mr. Wayne.” Tim can’t cry yet, he hasn’t made his proposal. “I–I think–”

“I said no–”

“I’m offering information!” Tim says quickly. His hands, driven to distraction by all his stress, twist into pattern after pattern in his lap. “I can tell you what I can do and how the fae work.”

Batman is a regular human who operates in a world of gods and monsters. He works with the most powerful superheroes. He leads the best of the best. In order to do that he plans. He needs information, and there’s only one area where Tim knows more than him. 

Batman’s eyes narrow. “And what do you want in return?”

The same love and affection he gives so freely to Dick and Jason. But Tim knows better than to ask for that. That’s why he’s proposing this deal in the first place. He can’t trick Batman into loving him the same way he tricked the others, but maybe he can offer his services. Maybe if Tim is useful enough, good enough, that will be enough for Tim to get to stay. So instead:

“A Nikon D850,” Tim answers. “It’s a camera, sir. For nighttime photography.”

For a tortuously long moment, Batman just stares at him with that dark, unreadable expression. There isn’t a hint of emotion, much less affection, in his eyes. Tim’s hands flap around loudly. He jams them under his thighs to quiet them. 

“Done,” Batman says tonelessly. “Now tell me everything you know. And,” he adds, voice dropping to a growl, “I will know if you’re lying.”

Despite his promises to himself, something hot stings Tim’s eyes and tickles the back of his throat. He’s not sure if Batman has magic powers, but he doesn’t doubt the threat for a second. 

“Right,” Tim acknowledges, only a half-step from crying. “Well. I was born Tim Drake. When–”

“I know you purport to be Timothy Drake.”

Tim’s shoulders hitch. Batman’s interruption cuts, paper-cut-like, into his thin skin. One wrong word from flinching, one quarter step from crying. 

Batman pins him to the chair with cold eyes. “I already said I will know if you’re lying. Try again.”

It’s so unfair that Tim almost bursts into tears just from frustration. Just because his parents sold away his right to be Timothy Drake doesn’t mean that he wasn’t born human. But he knows better than to argue with Batman, so he takes his second chance and changes the subject. 

“Yessir. Sorry, sir. I can teach you how to find fairy circles,” Tim offers. “The trick is not to look for something out of place. ‘One may enter the realm of the fae wherever the–”

“–Wherever the wild and mundane meet,” Batman interrupts, voice so flat he sounds bored. Unspoken is the order: tell me something I don’t already know.

Tim had forgotten that Batman journeyed to the fae realm by himself. It isn’t as though he stumbled upon a fairy circle by accident and decided to strike up a deal with the Unseelie Queen. He must have researched how to locate fairy circles by himself. He’s Batman. What in the world can Tim possibly tell him that he doesn’t already know?

“I can tell you about the abilities of the fae in the human realm,” Tim suggests, nearly despairing. “We can commune with plants. We are more in tune with the weather. We can, um, float a little. Sometimes. I think I can also make people not notice me. It’s like a veil on people’s senses. Like I’m always in their per-fory–per-fi-fory–periphery vision–”

“You can also make plants grow a little fast,” Batman interrupts for the third time. “You sometimes cause video footage of you to corrupt. You attract the loyalty of animals, both wild and domesticated.” His lip curls. “You are a superb actor.”

Somehow Tim doesn’t feel complimented. The underlying dark tone to Batman’s observations is I told you I was watching you. But it is the lip curl, a small, nearly intangible action, that finally breaks Tim, not a word or even anything serious. Just the slight hint of a sneer on Batman’s face even though the Unseelie Queen has accustomed Tim to far worse condescension and Batman isn’t even wrong to judge him. Hasn’t he tricked the rest of Batman’s family into loving him with his acting?  

Tim squeezes his eyes shut. A tear escapes and leaves a cold trail on his cheek as it snakes its way to his chin. He fights the urge to vomit. “I can teach you how to use a fae’s true name against them,” he whispers.

When he opens his eyes, Batman is watching him cry with a blank, apathetic face.

“To test that,” Mr. Wayne says slowly, “I’ll need to use yours.”

All at once Tim is struck by the childish desire to close his eyes and wish himself into a world where Batman never looks at him like a dangerous, evil, life-sucking parasite. Wants so dearly to deny the existence of this world where he must replace the Unseelie Queen with his hero. But Batman demands it must be so. Declares that Tim has no other use. So Tim trembles and shakes and falls apart in that oversized lacquer chair until he’s cried his little heart out, but in the end he gives Batman what he wants.  

“I understand, sir,” Tim says miserably. 

It won’t be forever, Tim vows to himself. If Mr. Wayne accepts him, if Tim is allowed to stay, then one day he will be fully human again. One day his name will hold no power over him than it would over any human. Mr. Wayne doesn’t want to use it like the Unseelie Queen does anyways, he just wants to verify Tim’s honesty, which is fair because Tim has done nothing but lie since arriving to Wayne Manor. 

Even though it feels awfully cruel. 

Tim scrambles through his memories to recall how it was explained to him. “A fae is under the thrall of whomsoever can speak their true name.” Then he struggles to verbalize what it actually feels like to have your name used against you. “But the effects–they’re temporary. It’s like…a rubber band. You can pull it into a shape but the moment you stop it instantly snaps back. And if you use it again and again and again then it works less and less and less.”

“Fae names suffer from diminishing returns.” Mr. Wayne looks just the tiniest bit amused. At least he’s not interrupting Tim this time.

Tim has no idea what that means, but he nods anyways. “And it is easier to command that which is easily given. The…effect is…quicker.”

When the Unseelie Queen says dance then Tim is swaying before his body can communicate with his head, but when she says won’t you stay with me forever, Timothy Jackson Drake? then Tim digs his heels in and refuses. You can be the prince of my Unseelie Court, little one. Drink the blood of stars, dance with the mad and the lost, and serve at my feet forevermore. Tim shudders and shoves the memory away firmly. It won’t ever come true. Tim won’t let it.

Tim straightens to the fullest height offered by the giant chair, acting for all the world as if he is making a business deal with an equal. “You may use Timothy Drake,” he offers primly. “Though it doesn’t work very well on me.”

“But of course.” Bruce assumes that this is because Timothy Drake is the assumed name of a fae who refuses to give Bruce its true name. He cannot say he blames it. “Stand up, Timothy Drake.”

Tim pushes the chair back and stands. He blinks. Feeling return to his legs as pinpricks of sensations. He sits back down. 

For the first time, Mr. Wayne’s gaze breaks away from Tim. He casts about his office in search of a command which Tim would be reluctant to do yet doesn’t break Batman’s moral code. Tim, who had begun to recover his nerve, starts to tremble again. Mr. Wayne received the information of fae’s true names positively, so Tim became more confident. Now he worries that Mr. Wayne received it too positively. Where is his line? What wouldn’t he order Tim to do, if he could? 

“Come here, Timothy Drake,” Mr. Wayne commands finally. 

Tim’s legs move of their own accord again. They carry him around Mr. Wayne desk until he stands before the man. He may be a liar but he is not so good that naked terror isn’t written plainly on his face. He keeps his hands behind his back and lets them twist around and around out of sight.

“Now,” Mr. Wayne says. “Timothy Drake. Take a step to the left. Right. Spin. Sit. Up. Right. Left. Left. Jump. Down.”

The rapid volley of commands ends with Tim flat on his stomach, chin stinging fiercely from its introduction to the floor. His body interpreted down as fall on your face for him. He gets back to his feet unsteadily and waits for more. 

“Take this batarang.” Mr. Wayne pulls it out of one of the desk’s many secret compartments. “Timothy Drake. Cut my hand.”

Tim lurches, batarang between his fingers, for one heart-stopping moment, towards Mr. Wayne’s outstretched hand before he gets himself back under control. Batman watches just as unemotionally as before as the batarang nears his unprotected palm, as Tim wars with himself.

“I don’t want to,” Tim pleads. “Please, Mr. Wayne.” His hand shakes violently. “Please don’t make me.”

“Stop.”

The batarang clatters to the floor. Mr. Wayne leans back in his chair, unaffected. Tim staggers back to his own chair, cheeks stained anew with hot tears. 

“It feels like someone altering who you are.” Tim offers this truth in a last, desperate appeal to make Mr. Wayne understand. “It’s like someone possessing you. I know it’s not very powerful, Mr. Wayne, but–it hurts. It–”

Mr. Wayne raises a hand. “Enough.” His voice is just as gravely as before, but it feels a little more gentle. “I believe you.”

The next morning, a Nikon D850 appears in Tim’s bedroom. He leaves it on his nightstand. In a week he’ll pick it up and head to the streets where he first found Batman and Robin. But for now, the sight fills him with dread. 

[gildedlead]

All of the Wayne kids’ favorite Leaguers: True and Real and Accurate

Dick: Wonder Woman! Bear with me. Please. I think Superman was his favorite BEFORE he met Clark. Once he learned how big of a dork he was, the magic was sort of lost, doubly so when Clark became his unofficial stepdad. Diana? She stayed cool. Not to mention that in his Robin days, she often humored whatever hare-brained impulses he’d get. Please picture Batman’s bewildered expression when he finds Dick dangling from the Watchtower light fixture he specifically designed to be impossible for him to reach. Diana just, -shrug- “He said please.” You threw him Diana. You threw that child. She’d probably still throw him if he asked nicely, hell, she’d probably do it even before he has to ask. It’s ‘Boy Wonder’, not ‘Boy Bat’.

Jason: Black Canary. ‘Wonder Woman is Jason’s fav’ believers PLEASE hear me out. I think that Diana is Jason’s favorite in a ‘celebrity crush’ way, but Dinah is Jason’s favorite in a ‘cool aunt’ way. He met her unofficially at the Watchtower, but actually started hanging out with her thanks to Roy. They both like motorcycles and kicking ass, plus Young Justice having Canary as a therapist melds well with my vision of her helping Jason heal. And I think she’s used to yelling at Bruce on Oliver’s behalf, so it’s no big to do it on Jason’s too.

Tim: The Flash! If Dinah is the cool aunt, Barry is the cool uncle. Guy that shows up at the function with all the best snacks. He might eat half of them himself but damn if he didn’t bring them. In all seriousness, Tim saw pretty great merit in knowing a forensics guy that he can basically talk to anytime he’s stumped with a case without having to go through the “sorry to wake you” song and dance. Barry occasionally gets unhinged texts that are in the vein of “hey can you go about ten minutes back in time and tell past me about _____”. They’re usually pretty low stakes but sometimes there’s just a “got stabbed, do-over?” jumpscare sprinkled in. Bruce will never ever get shit from Barry about kid troubles. That man is a saint in Flash’s eyes.

Cass: Captain Marvel. She didn’t like him at all during their first meeting. For a person that’s good at reading body language, I imagine that seeing genuinely childish behavior on a grown man would be giving some crazy mixed signals. Once she learns that his powers are magic in origin rather than being alien or meta, her mind opens up a little more to the possibility that his exterior appearance might not be indicative of his actual identity. Cass guesses his age by their next proper meeting and makes it her business to keep an eye on him, always asking Bruce about him after he returns from League missions. Your honor, that 7’5” brick wall Champion of Magic is actually just Cass’ little buddy. She’s gonna get him some ice cream or something.

Steph: Green Lantern. Hal and Barry are like uncles, except if Barry is the cool one, Hal is the cringe one. Lucky for Hal, being a boyfailure is a good way to amuse Steph. Those two are gonna spend hours arguing with Bruce just for the hell of it, backing each other up on completely incorrect claims (Steph does it because it’s funny, Hal does it because he believes her). He does get bonus points for bringing her cool space snacks whenever he comes back from trips off-world. One of her favorite foods is a sort of hi-chew/gum thing from some other planet in Sector 2418 that doesn’t dissolve or lose its flavor, even after chewing it for days on end.

Damian: Aquaman. He’s a king. Like, an actual king. And he can communicate with fish. Arthur heard about Damian’s temper from the rest of the Leaguers and straight up does not believe it because every time he’s spoken to Damian, it’s been “hello your majesty can you introduce me to an octopus I have a few questions for it”. This one’s short. But I feel it speaks for itself.

Duke: Superman. Clark was NOT told about Signal taking up the day shift in Gotham until he was flying in to compare notes (read: flirt), with Bruce and met Duke when they both went to intercept a carjacking. Clark tries to be responsible like “I feel obligated to let you know that Batman doesn’t take kindly to metas in his city”, only for Duke to point at the big ol bat on his chest. After that, Duke usually intercepts Big Blue’s flight path anytime he comes into Gotham and the two just kind of hang out and shoot the shit while he does his patrol. Duke is also a little bit stoked to be regularly hanging out with The Superman, but even after the awe wears off, he can’t help but still think of Clark as just a cool, friendly guy. He gets someone to share the airspace with, Clark gets a bat he can stay in the sun with, it’s a win/win all around. Congrats Clark, you got one.

[missy-wholesome16]

Ok small rant about Mouthwashing

The abysmal interpretations of Anya make me CRAZY, but specifically the notion that the fandoms made of "if Anya told Daisuke" or "Is Anya told Swansea". We don't know the canon ages of any of the characters but we can assume due to dialogue that Daisuke is probably at least 18, Anya is probably in her late 20 to early 30s due to her flunking out of medical school multiple times. (We can assume Jimmy is around the same age) Curly is probably a little older so maybe mid 30s due to his dialogue about being with pony express for a while and climbing the corporate ladder and all that, and Swansea has full grown kids so he's probably 60-70 years old.

Now a lot of people make the joke that Anya should have told anyone else but curly. But let's use our critical thinking for a moment guys, Anya obviously doesn't want the baby, she doesn't want to give birth on a spaceship, she definitely doesn't want to have Jimmy's baby, so imagine if she told Swansea. We don't know for sure how'd he react but we know that he's probably traditional, so he'd probably try and convince Anya to keep the baby. For Daisuke, realistically what in the world is Daisuke supposed to do? He's an 18 year old boy doing an internship his mom made him do, do you seriously believe Anya's going to tell this literally child about what Jimmy did to her??

The point of Anya telling CURLY is that curly is the Caption, the one in charge, the only one with the actual ability and power to do anything, And he didn't. His inaction was the only thing that truly set the events of mouthwashing into motion. Curly himself even says in the mouthwashing dlc of "How Fish Is Made" that he got Jimmy the job. He let him onto the ship, he didn't stop him from hurting anyone, he let Jimmy walk into the control room and he didn't do anything about jimmy till the absolute last moment and he failed.

In my opinion, jimmy Is the main villain, but curly is no better than him, enabling and allowing Jimmy to run rampant and hurt his team mates (WHICH MIGHT I ADD Anya and Swansea have worked for pony express WITH CURLY AS THEIR CAPTAIN on multiple shipments!!!!!! Curly has probably known Anya and Swansea longer than Jimmy!!!!!)

Anyway the media literacy of this fandom makes me incredibly angry please go back to highschool English ❤️.

[bluejeanstrash]

this to me is peak boyfriend seungcheol. it’s escaping to the mountains for the weekend to spend some quiet quality time together. 

it’s sitting by the water where seungcheol has been trying to fish for an hour, occasionally getting excited that he’s caught something only for it to swim away. you’re sitting on one of those foldable camping chairs writing in your journal. you take a moment to look up at him and god, he’s beautiful. 

his hair is all fluffy and tousled by the wind, clothes fluttering with every gust, and there’s the soft morning sun which seems to be glowing just on him. he feels you looking at him as he turns around and smiles. it's that smile that makes you feel all warm and mushy - the one where his eyes crinkle slightly and he looks especially kind.

you wave at him and he waves back, and just as he’s about to turn back around he notices something ‘are you cold?’ he asks seeing how you’re sitting. you tell him you’re fine but he knows you’re not. you've been freezing for the past 20 minutes, too lazy to get up and do something about it.

immediately, seungcheol drops his fishing rod and does a half-jog towards the car to get you a blanket. ‘i’m fine! seriously!’ you try to stop him but he waves off your protests and hurries to the car, returning with a thick cozy blanket and some hot packs. he warms them up, giving you some before wrapping the blanket tight around you, making sure you’re all bundled up and toasty. after ensuring no cold wind can get through, he pulls your beanie down to cover your ears properly.

and then he takes a step back to admire how cuddly you look.

‘wait, i have to take a picture of this’ he pulls out his phone as you pose for him - smiling wide, your fingers in a peace sign. ‘so cuteeee’ he squeals, smiling at his screen fondly. ‘wow, my girlfriend is seriously cute’ you see him change his wallpaper.

you ask if he’s having better luck with fishing and he pouts, complaining to you about all the hurdles he’s facing - how the fish are being mean to him, how they're just eating the bait and swimming away, and how he caught one so easily last time. ‘seriously, it was this huge’ he shows you with his hands.

you pat the chair beside you ‘why don’t you take a break and try again later?’

‘should i?’ he takes a seat, holding his knees and groaning like an old man as he sits. it was a habit of his that you had really grown to love. ‘what are you writing?’ he points at your journal.

‘um, nothing in particular. just about life in general - this trip, stuff like that’ he nods attentively and a second later asks ‘am i in it?’ it’s endearing how hopeful he sounds.

‘mmmm, that’s a secret’ you whisper playfully, making him laugh.

‘come on, tell meee’ he pokes you over the blanket.

‘i can’t just tell you. you have to unlock the secret’ you tease. 

some whiny noises later he asks ‘okay, how do i unlock it?’ 

‘with a kiss’ you pucker your lips at him as a faint pink flush spreads across his cheeks.

‘ay! you just want to kiss me!’ 

despite his complaints, he leans forward giving you a sweet kiss and as you pull away he pouts ‘one more’ before going in for another peck. 

‘so?’

‘yeah, you’re in it’ you confess.

‘really?’ he smiles, his feet tapping the ground happily. you chuckle at his cuteness before looking back to the view in front of you.

‘it's really so beautiful here' you say as he hums in agreement.

‘but-’ he turns to you dramatically ‘-not as beautiful as you’ you both look at each for a second, cringing, before you burst out laughing. the sounds of laughter melt into a comfortable silence as he grabs your hand, intertwining his fingers in yours. you lean into him, resting your head on his shoulder.

it’s just the whistle of the wind, the rustle of leaves, sounds of slow-moving water, and birds chirping. and you feel so safe and happy that it’s almost overwhelming. seungcheol lets out a soft sigh as his shoulders drop, his body relaxing under you. 

‘i’m so happy right now’ he says quietly - not to you or to anyone in particular, but just into existence. 

you hold his hand tighter as he squeezes yours, bending to kiss the top of your head. as you both sit there in silence, you shut your eyes, trying to live in this moment forever.

[angofwords]

12 Ships of 2025: January

I thought a fun little exercise this year would be to share twelve couples I love to ship and tell folks a little bit why I love them so much! Some are going to be canon ships, but some exist only in the fevered brains of fans like me. Others are kinda in-between. Like, maybe canon? If you squint?

I'm going to start with the most obvious to anyone who knows me even a little: Ash Lynx and Eiji Okumura from Banana Fish!

These two. What can I even say? I've been a fan of these two since 2002, when I first got my hands on Akemi Yoshida's manga. Since MAPPA's anime version of the series in 2018, the fandom has only grown, so there are now lots of folks who share in the AshEiji love.

Are they canonical? That depends on who you ask, but most folks will say yes. Probably. Almost certainly.

What makes it tricky is that, even though they kiss once and the manga artbook is full of romantic images like this, within the storyline, their relationship is much more platonic. Like, deeply intertwined, soulmate-y, seriously obsessed with each other, but also platonic. ish. There have been debates across the internet about how to interpret these two.

Ash is a bad-boy type (the literal boss of a street gang and the heir to a crime boss in New York) who is able to show his soft side when Eiji's nearby. Eiji is more of a boy-next-door (a photographer's assistant from Japan who gets thrown into Ash's life by being in the wrong place at the wrong time), unremarkable on the surface but with a steadfast, iron core. They totally complete each other an are stronger together, which is good because this series throws so much truly awful shit at them.

If you haven't read or watched Banana Fish, proceed with caution. It's an old school tragedy and wildly dangerous for sensitive souls. Most readers/viewers end up in one of two ways--scarred for life or hooked forever. (I'm sure there's overlap for the more masochistic of our tribe!) But if you love a good heartbreak and think you can roll with the punches, I recommend it wholeheartedly. It's been my favorite for over twenty years, after all.

12 Ships February

[headcannonsbutwrittenbyasnake]

Some of My Genshin Impact mains (current and past) but as cat personalities I've seen and lived with

Xiao

The "Unhand me Fool! I Will Paint the wa- Oh hey, This is nice."

Violence is his love language <3

Was probably found in a trash can alone and feral

SMALL, like mistaken as a kitten despite being full grown small, with sleek black fur and yellow eyes. If it wasn't for the small bits of green on the tips of his tail and ears he would blend in with the shadows

Again- feral, but a ride or die once you get his trust

You don't need a guard dog with him around

Actually you don't need anyone around!!!!(he's jealous)

God forbid you're talking on the phone around him

He won't do anything to you, he just stares

If he's asleep around you, and you leave while he's still asleep and he wakes up- he panics

Where are you?? Did you just up and leave? Did he do something bad in his sleep? He just panics until you come back

"Xiao what's the matter? Did something spook you?" "Meow meow!" (You came back! You do still love me!)

Seriously he kinda has attachment issues... if it's just the two of you living together. With the other cats. He's... fine with them, doesn't really trust them at first

Decides Razor and Albedo makes good company

Is on okay terms with Kokomi and Tighnari,

With Wanderer and Al-haitham, it's on sight

They'll play nice if you're around, but one you leave the house, it's go time

After the fight, it doesn't really matters who wins, they just need to make sure you don't find out.

Kokomi and Tighnari fix their fur and make sure the house is in order while the winner sits in the window, waiting for you to come home, and the loser sulks.

Razor

The "I'm Totally a Cat, Trust me!"

A scruffy, medium-sized, light grey cat, not a kitten but also not full grown. Kinda in that awkward cat phase

Probably found by someone's pet dog

Dog just took a look at scruffy little Razor and thought "Alright you're mine," but the dogs owner is, conventional, allergic to cats

So now he's yours :D

Can't really meow. Kinda just squeaks and/or howls

He just doesn't cat

Doesn't like tall places, takes bits of water instead of just dipping his tongue in, likes playing in water and mud, forgets to clean himself constantly, and just all-around is bad at being a cat

Is fine with being alone for a few hours, but he can't sleep alone. He needs so be with you or on you to sleep

Isn't violent or aggressive to humans or other animals in the slightest, but with bugs and mice. Well they don't last long in your house

Loves living with other cats

Even if Xiao at first hissed at him or Wanderer smacked him on the noggin, he just keeps trying to be their friend

It worked with Xiao, jury's still out on Wanderer

Tighnari's teaching him how to be a cat and Kokomi and Albedo are making sure his fur keeps clean and nice looking

Other than that he's just happy to have more friends in the house

Kokomi

The "Tiny and Cute, but Beats the Neighborhood Dogs Daily."

Menace to society

A medium-to-small sized cat with sleek light pink fur, fading into a light powdery blue at her paws, her ears, and the tip of her tail

Could be a show cat if she wasn't so much of a trickster

She isn't mean, just smart. Waaaay too smart

Likes going outside and luring dogs into her traps

Again nothing mean or life threatening, just kinda funny

Like luring them over puddles that are deeper then they look, or taunting them to lunge at her only to watch them face-plant into a glass door or scaring them with their reflection

Doesn't trick you, you're her favorite human!

Not really a snuggle cat, but likes laying on you and having the occasional head scratches

Over all, a pretty good, mostly normal cat

I say mostly because if she sees any water, she wants in it

Sink full of soapy water? She doesn't care, let her swim. A bathtub of warm water? Ah her favorite. A fish tank with no cover? Well the fish are luck she doesn't see them as prey! A whole swimming pool? Sign her up, she's swimming laps!

If you have a cup of water and aren't paying attention, she's going to stick her paws into it. Not to drink, just to swish around

Flat out leads the other cats like an army

Oh? The mice are trying to invade thier land? Alright, Razor go get Xiao and Wanderer

Outside of the mouse turf wars, or other threats to tge house, she doesn't really interact with them much

Wanderer

The "Appears out of Nowhere Just to Watch you Scream, (you Swear he's Laughing.)"

Roughly the same size as Xiao, but less malnourished

Literally just the cat in his story quest (or was it in the Archon quest, I can't remember.)

Was left at a cat shelter and considered un-adoptable, but you said fuck it and took him home

Has little dog syndrome despite being a cat

You swear he teleports

You turn around for one second, then turn back, and he's there

Snickers when you jump, and pouts when you catch him off guard

Be careful when you pet him, he tends to get overwhelmed easily.

And then he bites

Not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to leave a mark

After a while though he gets more comfortable with it

The type of cat to sleep on your face

Also very picky about food and what water

Only drinks ice water (spoiled brat)

Has an ongoing rivalry with Xiao

They often see who can catch the most 'invaders' (i.e. the mice, bugs, and other pest)

While he might seem like he hates the other cats, he's the first one to jump into the fray for them

Did once absolutely decimate a dog because it was chasing Kokomi (he didn't know the chase was part of her plan)

Albedo

The "Hey I found this, I want to keep it." And also "What are you doing? Where are you going? What are you eating?"

A medium sized, kinda fluffy, blonde cat with bright blue eyes. Also has a strange marking on his neck, kinda like a scar

Just kinda walks in through a open window one day, and stayed

Nosy real fucking nosy.

A shopping bag- What's in it? Oh you bought a new backpack- let's see if he can fit in it! On the phone? With who?

A leash cat

Please let him explore around, he's so curious

Will bring you LIVE mice- just don't scream or else he will panic and drop it

Will also bring you other things too

Rocks, feathers, bottle caps, a kitten, twigs

Wait a kitten?

Yep, he brought home a little blonde kitten with red eyes. I think you can guess who it is...

He is now her parental unit.

He tries to keep her out of trouble, but it's kinda hard.

Him and Klee have accidentally broken something on multiple occasions

They both sit in the corner ashamed of themselves

Albedo is not really a 'cuddle' cat

Or a 'people' cat (atleast people who aren't you)

If you have guest over, he'll just watch

Not with a mean or angry look, just looking

Him and Tighnari are planing something, you don't know what it is, and it's suspicious

(The plan is just how to wrangle in Wanderer when you're gone)

Al-haitham

The "Please for the love of God don't ask me to do anything other than the bare minimum."

A large, fluffy, grey cat. Has a little spot of green on his chest

Such a pretty cat, but has such an awful attitude

Well that is to anyone but you

Doesn't catch mice or bugs, doesn't do much of anything

He just want to lay in the sun and nap

Gets grumpy if anyone wakes him

Doesn't like Xiao because he tried to get him to do things (Xiao thinks he's a freeloader)

Hides from Razor because he keeps trying to play with him

You know that video of the cat just letting the automatic toy hit them in the face- yeah that Al-haitham

Just wants to do nothing with you

He's laying on your lap whether you like it or not

Don't try to stand up, he'll just dig his nails in

Read to him, he might look like he's napping but he's listening to everything you say

The type of cat to meow if you talk to him

"What do you think? This or that?" "Mreow,"

Shockingly, will use cat beds

Also likes to sleep in clean laundry, that you just folded

The reason you need to now check the dryer before you put wet clothes in

You know those cat who like to lay in the most uncomfortable position? Yeah that's Al-haitham

Tighnari

The "I Have a Schedule and you Will Stick to it!"

A medium sized cat with fluffy dark, nearly black, green fur that has spots of light green around his ears and tail.

He has large ears and a bushy tail, honestly might just be a cat-like fox, but it's hard to tell

You will wake up at 6am on the dot or else

The 'else' is just him screaming at the top of his lungs

Can probably read the clock

He has a routine: Wake up, breakfast, pest hunting, lunch, nap #1, cuddle time, dinner, run around like the devil himself is coming to finally collect your soul, nap #2, stop Xiao and Wanderer from killing each other, more cuddling, make the human get ready for bed, make sure everyone is in bed, then go to bed.

The only reason there is some semblance of order in this house

Like seriously if it wasn't for him, the other would have found a way to burn the house down

Breaks up any fights, stops the others from getting into to much trouble, and making sure Razor keeps his fur clean

Strangly protective of any plants around the house

The only time he'll out right hiss and swip at the others

No Razor! You can't dig around the plant pots, you'll kill them! No, don't eat the leaves!

[randomprose]

“What are you doing?”

Guan Shan doesn’t pause as he drops a piece of stir fried carrot on He Tian’s bowl.

“Feeding you, you ungrateful dick.” Guan Shan says over a mouthful of sweet and sour fish. And then, just to prove his point, he also picks up a slice of mushroom and deposits it on top of He Tian’s rice. “Eat up.” 

“What am I a rabbit?” He Tian grouses as he picks at the different vegetables Guan Shan kept on piling at his bowl over the course of dinner. There’s not even any meat in it. “I don’t remember being a vegetarian.”

“Oh, believe me. I know you’re not.”

He Tian makes a face at the greens on his bowl which Guan Shan pointedly ignores. Beside them, Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi are fighting over the last piece of shrimp. On both ends of the table sit Qiu-ge and He Cheng quietly eating and the only ones exercising proper dining etiquette. 

Zhan Zheng Xi snags the last piece of shrimp but willingly relinquishes at Jian Yi’s pout. Qiu-ge rolls his eyes at the exchange as he reaches between them for another slice of pork feet.

They weren’t supposed to be part of dinner. The whole affair was supposed to be just for two. He Tian got a new place downtown and asked (read: demanded, made) Guan Shan come over and cook them a housewarming dinner. Ten minutes into Guan Shan bossing around He Tian to cut vegetables, the doorbell rang because somehow Jian Yi found out and wanted a free meal as usual. He bodied his way in with Zhan Zheng Xi in tow because where Jian Yi goes he goes. 

He Cheng and Qiu-ge arrived just as they were setting the table. He Tian had hit Jian Yi over the head for being a blabber mouth and didn’t want to let them in, but Qiu-ge muttered something about a burned house and a flooded bedroom as he pushed He Tian aside. He never did forget that incident the one (and only) time he bought them dinner. At least they brought dessert and wine. The good expensive kind. 

Guan Shan just thanked all fuck he followed his gut and made enough food to feed more than four.

He moves to put a piece of bok choy on He Tian’s bowl but his chopsticks get intercepted. He looks up and meets He Tian’s eyes. 

Stop. Don’t you dare.

His hand moves and drops it on the bowl anyway, delicately balancing it amidst the rice and all the other vegetables He Tian has moved around and still refuses to eat.

I dare.

“Fuck, Guan Shan. If you insists on shoving a balanced meal down my throat at least put some meat in it too.”

“Fine,” Guan Shang sighs muttering ‘picky eater, fucking child’ under his breath. “There.”

He puts a piece of chicken breast on He Tian’s bowl. Steamed. No Sauce. White meat.

He Tian sends him an annoyed smile. The glint in his eyes tells Guan Shan he’s about to try his patience some more and do something stupid.

“I’ll eat the vegetables if you feed them to me, darling~.”

He Tian says this with a sugary smile not caring if He Cheng is literally on the same table and witnessing his brother acting shamelessly. His tone is lilting with the pet name as an annoyingly cloying cherry on top, all meant to embarrass Guan Shan, he knows, but years of being exposed to He Tian’s shamlessness has somewhat immuned him to his antics. Somewhat.

This is one of those times. Guan Shan takes food and nutrition very seriously. 

“Fine.” Guan Shan picks up the piece of bok choy and puts it near He Tian’s mouth. “Open up.”

He Tian rears back as he looks at the piece of vegetable like it personally offended him. Then he looks at Guan Shan, nonchalantly but expectantly holding up his chopsticks as if feeding a child, and glares.

“Mo Guan Shan.” A warning.

“He Tian.” A challenge.

The table has grown silent as everyone watches the exchange. He Cheng sips at his wine and continues to eat, acting like he doesn’t care and pretending the scene in front of him doesn't interest him, but He Tian knows he’s waiting as well. No one has ever succeeded in making him eat his vegetables. Not the baby sitters, not the maids, not He Cheng, not even their own mother.

He Tian’s glare intensifies, feeling like a cornered animal. There’s oyster sauce dripping down the bok choy’s stem. He tries to convey a promise of wicked retribution to try and scare Guan Shan into backing down but he just meets He Tian's glare with a look that says 'If you don't eat your vegetables I will never cook for you again. Ever.' 

And He Tian can say he doesn’t care. It’s just food after all and he's got the money to eat good food whenever the fuck he wants if he feels like it. But the truth is it’s a real threat because he’s always really liked Guan Shang’s food. His cooking has truly elevated ever since he started apprenticing under a chef that own’s a famous family restaurant at Dongcheng. He’s saving up money to go to culinary school next year. Get proper professional training and get certified. When that happens, Guan Shan’s food is gonna be stupidly hella good and if He Tian doesn’t yield now Guan Shan will surely make good with his threat. He'll probably still cook for Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi just to spite him and He Tian really doesn’t want that.

So He Tian opens his mouth and lets Guan Shan feed him his stupid vegetables. 

Beside them, He Cheng stifles a smile through his wine glass. ‘Whipped’ his eyes taunts and He Tian glares at him acidly through his mouthful of bokchoy. 

Later, when the table has been cleared and they’ve all had dessert, He Cheng gets a call and he and Qiu-ge excuse themselves to leave. He Tian walks them to the door, anticipating an order or a job assignment. There usually is something whenever He Cheng gets a call that requires him to leave immediately.

“Nice wife you got there,” He Cheng comments as he puts on his coat.

A teasing instead of an order.

It catches He Tian off-guard. His eyes stray to where Guan Shan is making Jian Yi do the dishes while Zhan Zheng Xi cleans the pots and pans. He’s got a plain white apron on and a towel drying a plate Jian Yi has finished washing. He makes him redo it when he deems it not clean enough. The kettle sounds off and Guan Shan goes to turn it off. There’s three mugs with instant coffee on the counter and one with a teabag of green tea for Jian Yi.

And suddenly, He Tian is hit with the word. Wife. Guan Shan will blow his top off if he finds out he’s being referred to as such so He Tian thinks of another word. Husband. The word hits him like a freight train, heady with the images it implies. 

Fuck. He Tian will gladly be called the wife if he gets to call Mo Guan Shan his husband.

“He’s uh—Huh. Hm. Yeah. That’s—He’s…Yeah.”

He Cheng follows Qiu-ge out the door. He lights up a cigarette, shaking his head at his brother and thinks, 'Whipped'.

[fleetways]

OKAY! It’s time for the Chimera Baby Lore Post!!

🌼 How did you come up with the OC's name?

In both a meta and non-meta sense, Chimera Baby’s name is probably the most notable part about them. The name Chimera Baby is a reference to m-flo and LiSA’s Tripod Baby, ft in the game Shadow the Hedgehog. For over 6 months that was her official non-official name, as I couldn’t decide on a name for her. I received over 15 name suggestions, but in July I ran a poll at which point she was dubbed Mira!

As it turns out, Mira happens to be the name of a binary star system. Two stars in a dance doomed to end in supernova—rather fitting for a chimera character, wouldn’t you say? I like to imagine Shadow was the one to name Mira something meaningful and space-themed like that, meanwhile Sonic named the other child something totally arbitrary (“His name is Mochi because he's white lol”)

On that note, I’ve also decided Sonic calls Mira “Chili” exclusively, because its silly and he would. So Mira, Chimera Baby, CB, and Chili are all names she goes by!

🌸 How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

I like to depict them anywhere from baby to teenager, but in their most recent incarnation I’d say they’re somewhere between 15-17

💖 Do they have any love interest(s)?

At the moment no. She’s generally too aloof and off putting for anyone to approach her with romantic intent, but maybe in the future….

🍓What is their favorite food?

Strawberries and Triangle Chao Fruit

⭐️ What do they do for a living?

💥 Do they have any hobbies?

Besides combat training, CB enjoys the occasional outdoor activity. Sometimes her friends goad her into a game of soccer (which she is an absolute beast at), but she generally prefers solo sports such as archery, rock climbing, or hiking. Sometimes her brother convinces her to fish with him, but she finds it pretty boring (but would never turn him down)

💃 What do they do best?

Mira excels at hand-to-hand combat. As the reigning champion of Chao Karate, Mira takes their martial arts training very seriously. They also possess exemplary control over chaos energy, and incorporates this into their technique. While they may not be as fast as their fathers, they make up for it with not just raw power, but an extremely disciplined technique.

Her skills also happen to make her an amazing breakdancer, but she’ll break your face if you ask her to demonstrate.

☀️ What is one of your OC's best memories?

A tie between making her baby brother laugh for the first time and the time she drew first blood for the first time in a fight with Shadow

🌧️ What is one of your OC's worst memories?

The aftermath of almost drowning as a child after she saved a chao friend.

✍️ Is their current design the first one?

For the most part—I did redesign their shoes because originally they were rocking some McDonalds drip.

💡What originally inspired the OC?

This post i made ^^

Basically its a mix of me poking fun at the phenomena of Sonadow fan-children all looking kinda similar, and this plush reminding me of actual chimerism in animals and wanting to create a character with that characteristic! Over the months my ironic love for her has grown into genuine fondness—so while she remains primarily as a parody, she’s also a character I’m having fun exploring concepts with <3 Much like both Shadow and Sonic the Hedgehog, you can take her as seriously or not seriously as you wish!

👾 What genre do they belong in?

PS1-era graphics Jet Set Radio game

🏳️‍🌈 What is your OC's gender identity and sexuality?

Non-binary and trans (you decide what direction). And she’s bisexual bc i love bisexuals <3

🍃How many sibling does your OC have?

One little brother Mochi—he is a perfect angel who is also her closest friend. She adores him, but you wouldn’t know from seeing them interact.

⚠️ What is the OC's relationship w/their parents like?

So I mentioned that Mira was reared in a chao garden, where her dads basically only visited once every couple days if not longer (Sonic and Shadow are not very attentive parents, go figure). However, this was honestly a perfectly fine arrangement as I headcanon mobian children don’t need the same level of parental contact as human children (Hell, Cream is kind of an outlier FOR having a present parental figure in her life).

That being said, I imagine Shadow spent more time with her when she was really young before stepping away, which made her really latch onto Shadow more than Sonic during that time. Especially seeing as Sonic is the most laissez-faire parent ever but simultaneously was the type to abandon her on a floating platform in midair with a trail of badniks so she can learn how to homing attack.

Much like her father before her, her latent Black Arms genes have caused her to develop a burning desire to destroy Shadow—a fact that Shadow seems strangely indifferent about. While this fact has pretty much wrecked their previous relationship, there are circumstances where Mira will put aside her goal and work with Shadow against a common enemy or towards a common objective (of course, this doesn’t stop her from trying to stab him in the back during these operations).

Her relationship with Sonic has remained mostly the same, with Sonic treating her much more like a friend or little sister than a daughter. They have lunch together at least once a month, and usually she’ll go to him for advice on any social interaction matter—conversations that have become much more frequent now that she’s begun to make friends.

💗 What do you like most about the OC?

I think I popped off with her design—chimerism is such an interesting concept and I loved balancing her two sets of genes without making it seem too busy. I also love her dynamic of trying to kill Shadow and how you would think her growing up in chao garden basically alone would have contributed to that, but that's not the case at all she’s just like that <3

‼️ Who is your OC's arch-nemesis or rival?

Shadow the Hedgehog is her self-proclaimed nemesis, but she makes a fair share of enemies and rivals wherever she goes due to her punch-first-ask-questions-later attitude. One notable rival is another OC of mine named Sauvik the Badger—another cold and brooding anti-hero much like her. Sauvik and Mochi are something of a team, but being a protective big sister she wants him to stay away from her brother. This generally leads to a fight that Mochi is inevitably forced to break up.

⏰ How long have you had the OC?

She was created in January of 2023!

—

That’s all! Feel free to ask any other questions and remember to vote for her here!

@sonic-oc-showdown

[shroomyifiy]

Kinda late but episode 15 dropped

Hi guys, I just finished watching the episode :)

Spoilers for Chapter 2, Episode 15 Below!

I CALLED IT!!!

I fucking called it baby, wooo!! (rip Ace stans, it really was Aceover for you all)

Man, what a wild ride this has been. I will miss Ace, but man, he was great this episode, and this chapter as a whole. And if he was going to die, this was the perfect time to do so.

Alright, breakdown time!

How much stuff did Shroomy get right?

A surprising amount, actually! Tbf, it was all kinda obvious when looking at it, but still.

-Ace took the tape (I called it being grabbed possibly for first aid, and also murder attempt, although I said to kill Nico)

-Ace isn’t as stupid as everyone thought (Man, that one was personal. Intelligence is pretty subjective in all honesty, and I stand by the ‘no one is truly dumb’ in DRDT, everyone here is equally stupid /j)

-Ace figured the murder method out later (No but seriously, no one would know by looking around for ~5 minutes. Maybe Charles but he would be out of commission at the sight of blood so no)

-Ace tied Arei’s hands because he was able to fight back (Self explanatory; I did like how Teruko calls him out for having fought back, so he would know to tie her wrists)

-Ace was trying to frame Nico (This one was obvious, but it at least explains the fish)

-Ball of clothes to get rope up and broken lights (I didn’t figure out the slingshot, but otherwise was spot on. To the person who first figured it out, kudos for your massive brain)

-Ace being sneaky and eavesdropping (yeah 👍 we been knew this, but hey it was relevant)

I think that’s all I directly called out. This is not me bragging or anything, but I was cool seeing my thoughts come true (even if body placements were not relevant to the ace murder scene, rip)

Moving on to my favorite section~

Thematics and Parallels

God, yknow, I think this is just going to become my thing atp. What can I say? As a writer, I do love some silly themes and parallels

But anyways I was right about this!!! The Ace-Arei and Ace-Teruko parallels were not the ramblings of a crazy person! They meant something!!

Ace wanting to change, but not having the strength to do so is tragic. God he is so tragic, everyone is in this cast, it’s why I love them all.

I’ll probably end up making a whole separate post about the parallels after episode 16 drops, just for completion sake. I want to have all the cards available for that, yknow?

But man, Teruko being both sympathetic to Ace about his injury but also trying desperately to get him to defend himself is so sad. Like girl completely understands, they are besties your honor.

And by god the VAs blew it out of the park!!! Man, next week is going to be something, huh?

Back on topic

Look, I get a lot of people are sad to see Ace go, as they wanted to see him grow. Unfortunately, this is a death game, and people with amazing potential are always killed off.

In fact, it’s kinda a running trend in drdt (goes to show how good the writing is, even if you personally disagree with it)

Xander, who could have been an amazing support and leader to the group, defending justice and the innocent

Min, a smart girl who also could have been a good support character and grow to see more to life than just studying

Arei, who could have become good friends (girlfriends) with Eden, who could have become a better person like she wanted to

Ace, who could have grown to be more brave and make more connections, who could have survived despite all odds against him

It’s tragic that any of them had to die so soon. It’s tragic that none of them got to survive the killing game. It’s tragic any of them are here to start with.

But, someone has to die. It’s a death game after all, not everyone can survive. Some characters and potential arcs have to be sacrificed to tell the story you want to tell.

And isn’t it ironic that both the killers so far (Min and Ace) killed because of their fear of death?

Min, who came across Xander over Teruko’s body, was scared and panicked because she thought he would kill her too.

Ace, who no one liked and who was almost murdered, knowing that someone else would likely try again.

Min, who cried and denied it was her, even when caught red handed. Ace, who gave up after he was truly backed into a corner. Two people, pleading for their lives because, by god, they want to live.

It’s actually something so interesting about drdt, because MonoTV’s motives have nothing to do with it. Everyone is just scared of dying, which is really realistic for this situation. Of course more people are going to kill because they don’t want to die.

(wait did I just start making Min-Ace parallels? Oh goddammit)

Overall thoughts (for now anyways)

I loved this episode, it was basically the highlight of my horrible day. I’m excited to see where the story goes from here, and I cannot wait for the bonus episodes for Arei and Ace.

I know a lot of people were not as happy with the conclusion of the case, understandable if your favorite was Ace. But I do have to remind everyone to be respectful about writing choices drdtdev has made. You may not like it, but they know the story they want to tell more than any of us do. And oh boy, does this story seem like a good one.

This was kinda short, and less analytical, but guys I am actually really fucking tired. I’ve been up for way too long and got like, 2 hours of sleep.

Expect me to do another post soon. Idk when, but probably before next Friday.

I have so much I want to say because ahhhhh, I love this series!!!!

Feel free to leave your thoughts here as well!

Bye for now, have a wonderful day!

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

Hello- so, despite the obvious sorrow over losing our beloved fish dad, I have a few things to say:

First of all, this was actually the first lore that made me cry. Something so special about these seemingly silly on the surface minecraft stories is the fact that- well, they're not silly. at all.

I myself have issues with my father. Getting to hear Morgan be so positive and loving towards his children, even complimenting their work, how much they've grown- that means so much more than any simple "I love you". Because it has weight. You can tell Morgan truly cares by the way he listens. His concerns, his outpouring of love.

Additionally, we wouldn't have Morgan without his kids, of course.

Faye is a character I adore so much. Ocie mentioned the bit of struggle that Faye has within her, Undiagnosed ADHD. Faye's more aggressive in her love, but it fits her so well. She's silly and playful but she cares. And she knows when things are meant to be taken more seriously. That, and knowing that, demonstrates the depth within Faye herself- and she's such a wonderful character

I also hold Theo in my little hands- he's a serious character, and his struggles, though not the same as mine, have helped me work through those which are mine far easier. Tendencies of anger, debating what my own gender is, etc- his own journey with learning how love works, one I'm going through right now with my boyfriend.

Overall, this is my long-winded way of saying:

Thank you, Heyhay, Ocie, and Connor, for telling this story. It's been amazing.

And I can't wait to see what is left for the seablings with these last few weeks

[brainlessrot]

Ranking NRC dorms on how much I would trust and like their cooking -

fair warning: I've skipped like most culinary croucible events and forgot 90% of the ones i played, so this is all based on my subjective reading of their vibes and the limited canon knowledge i could gather in my brain

Contents: As the title says +individual characters ranked

Characters: All dorms + students and teachers

1. Scarabia

do i even need to explain this one??

One of the first episodes in their chapter was literally cooking with jamil

I LOVE middle eastern food. give me hummus and some pita bread and im set for life.

Pre scarabia arc jamil would be a dangerous choice, but post chapter? im gonna be knocking on his door with bribes so that he gives me any extra food he made 🙏

not kalim tho, yall stay safe

(also wrote this while at Agrabah's cafe in disney land, so my opinion might be skewed)

Continues under this cut!!

2. Octavinelle

Mans whole bussiness is food

if im paying for it i better be getting something good

but would NEVER try to ask any of them to cook for me (for free obv) bc i dont think that would end well (for me)

Jade?? mixing mushrooms he found somewhere

Floyd? forgets and goes somewhere, now the kitchen is burnt

Azul? nuh huh 💀 i aint seeling my soul for some toast

theyre like, Norwegian/italian i think?? and idk much about Norwegian cuisine but like italian is soooo good 🤞

3. Heartslabyul

Only for the sweets (i might not trust trey but i have a sweet tooth)

I dont mind tea, but they better not bring out their British cuisine out

If i see any fish n chips im evaporating from that table (lies, free food is free food)

i wanna go to an unbirthday party 😔

riddle would cook something too healthy and would count my calorie intake 💀

ace or deuce? id better be getting ready to get intoxication

cater... i just dont see him cooking

4. Pomefiore

listen... theyre mostly rich pampered boys, so would they even be cooking?

i dont trust the source of Rook's food

epel would only give me apple based foods (tasty, but gets boring after a while)

Vil would probably give me those weird natural green smoothies AND I DONT WANT THAT 🤬

+ i dont like french people (jk)

5. Ighnihyde

listen

HEAR ME OUT

ik theyre all nerds and all they eat is instant ramen

BUT GREEK FOOD.

all for that greek yogurt 😩

idia doesn't know how to cook except for instant foods which i dont mind (he gets favourite character treatment)

ortho,,, questionable. He has access to the internet (aka infinite recipes) but would it taste good? hes like 10

6. Savanaclaw

sweaty men.

i should just leave it at that ngl

leona? rich ahh man (a GROWN man at that!! 20 whole years of age!!!) and he probably doesn't even know how to fry an egg

ruggie? no way he gives me anything good for free 😭

Jack is the only one i would trust, but man probably also drinks protein shakes and those sad chicken breast and rice meals.

7. Diasomnia

no thank you

i like my soul staying where it is.

i dont trust their magical food

lillia is not even my last choice if im ever hungry, he aint a choice AT ALL

Malleus... he probably doesn't know how to physically cook?? sure he can bibidi babidi boop me some food like the giant fairy godmother he is, but i want something real man 😔

Sebek... protein shake man...

Silver MUST know how to cook (living with lillia would be imposible if not) so if i HAD to, I would go to him, but i dont want him to fall asleep and faceplant on my food 😭

+ Characters Ranked in tiers! (students and teachers)

The best, five star Michelin food:

Jamil, Trey, Trein

You could be happy eating:

Vil, Epel, Floyd, Silver, Azul, Ruggie, Crewel

Its food:

Jack, Cater, idia (if making instant ramen) Ortho, Sam

its... food?:

Rook (seriously, where did he get that?), Jade, Ace, Deuce, Malleus (the food is uncorporeal), Sebek, Vargas

dubious taste, would rather not:

Riddle, Kalim, Leona (its just a slab of uncooked meat), Idia (if trying to cook real food)

call 911 BEFORE eating please:

Lillia, Grim, Crowley

[madsworld15]

Just Know I Learned to Hide it Well Part 4 <the end of the first half of this fic> (Brian/Justin WIP)

Thank you to everyone who has been following this fic and commenting or liking the posts. This marks the end of the first half of the fic. The second half will be from Justin's POV. Hope you enjoy the last bit of Brian's POV.

After leaving Justin, I considered going to work after all, but ultimately, I needed time to really think things through. I vaguely wondered if I would be able to spend time with Gus if I approached Lindsay about it. So, I headed over to her and Mel’s place. I wasn’t sure if she was working today, but I remembered that she didn’t typically work on Mondays. She had wanted to be sure that at least one day during the week, she was home with Gus. Pulling up in front of the munchers’ house, I recognized the car Lindsay used in the driveway. 

I got out of the Jeep and tentatively walked up the front walk. I wasn’t one to approach Lindsay for time with my son. Usually, I let her determine when and where I would see the young boy. But, now that I knew I had cancer, I felt I needed to make up for lost time. So, I rang the doorbell and made sure my features were nonchalant and carefree. Lindsay would clock anything else as quickly as a bunny if I didn’t hide it well. And, considering I barely knew what to say to myself about today’s appointment, I wasn’t ready to talk about it with her.

“Brian?! What are you doing here?” Lindsay answered the door with a look of shock, shortly taking over.

“I got off a bit early today and wanted to see Gus. I hope that’s okay.” I shrugged and nervously rubbed my hand across my mouth.

“I’m always okay with you seeing him.” Lindsay smiled at me and moved aside so I could enter the home. “Gussy! Look who came to see you!”

A little boy with dark hair came barrelling from the front room with big plastic blocks in each of his hands. He smiled up at me and squealed excitedly. He dropped the two blocks and threw his arms up to be picked up.

“Woah. When did you become a grown-up?” I teased the little boy. 

He stuck his tongue out and laughed, “I’m only free, Daddy!” He held up three fingers with a bit of a struggle.

I laughed. “Got it. Well, you definitely grew a few inches since I last saw you.”

“Trains?” Gus asked, his eyes focused on me with a seriousness I didn’t know was possible in small children while his right hand was extended to point toward Mel and Linds’ sitting room a few feet away.

“He wants you to play trains with him, " Lindsay said as if I were so clueless about kids that I couldn’t piece it together on my own.

“Really? I had no idea.” I snarked at Lindsay as I walked my son to his toy train and gently placed him on the floor before getting down on the carpet with him.

Once Gus and I were immersed in the joys of watching a train go round and round on the tracks, Lindsay sat down on the couch nearby. She watched us play for a bit before her nature took over and demanded that she fill the silence with words.

“So, why are you really here?” Lindsay was fishing, and I wasn’t going to give in that easily.

“Can’t I want to see my son on a random Monday?” I shrugged, moving one of the tracks so that the train would derail. The action caused Gus to fall over in a fit of giggles.

“DADDY! AGAIN! AGAIN!” Gus finally screamed, begging for the train to crash again.

“You can, but you don’t.” Lindsay pointed out. She handed me a few more tracks to add to the current circle. 

One of the pieces had a mountain over it, creating a tunnel for the train to go through. I looked at our current setup and contemplated where to put the pieces. Gus silently took one of them from me and tried to shove it onto one of the detached ends. He got frustrated when it didn’t work, so I had to help him turn the piece around so the holes lined up. 

“Well, after I lost my job at Vanguard and started Kinnetik, I started to realize that I wanted to have a bit more time with him.” I shrugged as if what I had just said wasn’t earth-shattering. 

“So, instead of calling me this weekend to arrange something you take off early, which you never do, by the way, and drop by unannounced. What if I’d had plans with Gus outside of the home today?” Lindsay was still attempting to fish for the real answer, but I wasn’t so easily tricked. After all, I had known her for almost two decades at this point.

“If you had, I would’ve gone back to work or home and tried again another time.” I smiled up at her with a knowing look in my eyes. “There’s nothing more to tell, so stop fishing.”

“I’m just concerned, that’s all.” Lindsay shrugged. Then she stood up and put on her hostess's face. “Would you like something to drink?”

I knew she was trying to make up for her busybody attitude, so I decided to let her off the hook. She wouldn’t be pushing me for information anymore, at least until I was ready to talk. As annoying as Lindsay could be, I was grateful that, unlike Mikey, she knew when to back off.

“Just some water. Thanks.” I turned my attention back to Gus, who had abandoned his train in favor of the big, plastic, colorful blocks. Now, he was building what looked like a giant wall. So, I handed him a block, but he shook his head, dropped it, and grabbed a blue one instead.

“Daddy, that’s the wrong color.” He said, still focused on his wall. So, instead of interacting, I fell backward against the wall and just watched his creativity flow. 

As I watched him put each block precisely where he wanted it, I was amazed by him. Here was a three-year-old child with a vision and creative mind better than any adult I knew—well, except for Justin. As that thought crossed my mind, I considered whether or not I should offer Justin a position in my art department. Based on his mood the last few weeks, I was certain he might reject me just on principle.

Lindsay returned to the sitting room with a glass of water for me and a coffee for her. She looked me over, looked at Gus playing independently, and then sucked in her lips. I could tell she wanted to ask me something, so I rolled my eyes and put her out of her misery.

“What?” I raised my eyebrow and forced her to meet my gaze.

“You seem distant.” Lindsay’s observation wasn’t just an observation. It was an accusation. One where she expected me to respond appropriately.

I sighed and rubbed my hand over my eyes and the bridge of my nose. I didn’t want to open up about my cancer, but maybe talking through my concerns about Justin with her would get her to back off.

“I was just thinking about whether I should ask Justin to join my art department at Kinnetik or not.” From the look on her face, I knew she would have quite a lot to say about this. 

Good. Keep her miles away from the subject of my health.

“Brian, are you sure that’s advised?” Lindsay worried her lip and interlocked and tore apart her fingers repeatedly in concern.

“What do you mean?” I took a sip of the water just to give myself something to do.

“Well, he hasn’t even graduated with a degree yet. Besides, the men and women in your art department have all slaved away under your guidance for years between Vanguard and Kinnetik. I just worry that they’ll become resentful.” It was Lindsay’s turn to raise her eyebrow at me.

“I didn’t say I would offer him head of the department. I just think he could add a bit of something fresh to my campaigns.” I knew I wasn’t thinking with the business side of my heart, but honestly, in the face of everything else, it felt right.

“Also, don’t you think offering him a job will push him further away from you again? We remember that he left you for Ethan because you wouldn’t give him the things he needed. But he once told me that he also did it to prove he could make it on his own. That he didn’t need his older, more successful boyfriend to solve all his problems. Maybe let him make his own way for a change.”

Lindsay’s words dug deep. I knew she was right, but damn, did it hurt to hear it. I wanted to be closer to him, so I thought adding him to my employee roster would allow that. However, Lindsay made a good point by indicating that it could do the exact opposite of what I intended. My mind swirled into a mess of thoughts about cancer, Justin, and how desperately I wanted a future with him but how determined he seemed to keep me at arm's length.

We continued our visit without digging too deeply into either of our psyches. Instead, Lindsay and I centered our further conversations on her job, my job, Gus, and her relationship with Mel. As much as I gave Mel a lot of grief, I had always felt Lindsay fell for her because she was the female lesbian version of me, the person Lindsay could never let go of.

Before I knew it, a few hours had passed, and Mel was walking through the front door. She was on the phone at first but quickly hung up. I handed Gus another block, one of the only ones left, and watched as my best friend and her partner exchanged a kiss. While I was outwardly scoffing at their display of affection, my mind turned to Justin, and whether or not he would come to the loft tonight or not.

“Dusty is hosting a brunch on Sunday with Marie, Carol, Tina, and Katherine. She was inviting us, and I told her we would go. Brian, you’re welcome to come too.” Mel winked at Lindsay and smirked at me. 

I gagged before I replied, “Spend Sunday morning with a bunch of munchers? I’d rather die. Besides, Justin and I might have plans.”

Lindsay leaned over and covered Gus’s ears, “Would those plans involve staying in bed all day?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I waggled my tongue between my teeth at the two women before me. “As fun as this is, I should go. Let you guys get dinner or whatever.”

I rolled until I was able to get up off the floor with grace and not accidentally knock my son on the head. I knew if I didn’t hurry and get out, Lindsay would drag me into dinner with them.

“Oh Brian,” Lindsay sighed and gave me her WASPiest pout, “Stay for dinner. You should really eat more. You look too skinny.”

“Can it, Linds. I have dinner plans.” I gave her a forced smile. 

“The Liberty Diner is not dinner plans.” She rolled her eyes and looked to Mel for backup, who raised her hands in a “not getting involved” gesture.

“It is when my partner is working a shift for Deb.” I dropped my eye contact with Lindsay or Melanie and chose to focus on Gus once more.

“Oh! How is Deb doing?” Lindsay switched gears quickly. 

“Wouldn’t know. She’s still mad at me. But Justin went in on his day off because she wasn’t working, so I guess that accounts for something.” I shrugged. I hoped Lindsay wouldn’t pick up on the fact that I might’ve talked to Justin in the middle of the day.

I made my exit before I could get any more of Lindsay’s incoming third degree. Despite telling Mel and Linds that I would be headed over to the Liberty Diner, I actually went home. Today had been more than I had anticipated. The idea of being around other people right now seemed like a nightmare.

Inside my loft, I could hide away from the truth. I could drink some Jim Beam or smoke a joint, or both, and simply set my mind free. I looked toward the fridge as the high took over. For a brief moment, I thought of the food Justin had put there over the weekend. I should cook something, but the heaviness of the weed on my brain prevented me from making any real effort. Instead, I dragged my feet over to the bed. In one hand, I loosely held my joint. In the other, I carried a shot of Beam.

Laying on top of the covers, my mind wandered to the appointment earlier today. I thought of how Justin knew the right things to do and say to keep my head on straight. A pang of guilt hit my stomach as I also remembered how I had snapped at him unnecessarily. Despite being more willing to admit he was my partner, I still clammed up when it came to actual productive communication. It boggled my mind why he stayed with me. I wasn’t exactly the best person to him 8 times out of 10. 

Just before 10 p.m., my door slid open, and without even getting up, I knew it was Justin. I couldn’t stop the smile on my face at the thought that he’d decided to come home instead of going back to Daphne’s like I’d asked him to earlier. He moved about the loft as quiet as a mouse. I didn’t acknowledge that I knew he was there until I heard the fridge open and then close soon after. Then, there was the distinct sound of him rustling through my cookware. My heart ached to be with him despite not wanting to eat.

“Hey,” Justin mumbled as I sat down on the other side of the island as he continued to cook. “You want any?”

I looked at the pan and saw a mix of vegetables and steak. It was tempting, but I needed to stick to my no-eating-after-7 p.m. rule, so I shook my head.

“Nah. I’m good.” I took the final sip of my shot of Beam.

Justin moved about the kitchen, cooking, for a minute before he responded, his back to me.

“I see you dug into your emergency weed stash.” He threw over his shoulder. I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.

“The voices were very loud.” I shrugged. Justin contemplated what I said for a moment before he turned around. His face was filled with concern; it broke my heart.

“Thinking about today?” Justin turned off the stove and moved around to stand between my legs. His gaze felt comforting as it looked me over while his hands worked their way up and down my torso.

I kissed him gently on the lips and nodded without a word. “That and I saw Lindsay and Gus this afternoon.”

Justin leaned back, his eyes searching my face. I knew he wanted to ask a million questions but wouldn’t if he felt I wasn’t open to it. He placed his hand on my cheek and rubbed his thumb there.

“Did you already go back on your insistence that no one else knows?” He asked, his voice taking on that quiet, warm quality he saved, especially for me when I was most vulnerable.

“No. Though she certainly tried.” I smirked, but there was no heat behind it. “I wanted to spend time with Gus, all things considered.” I shrugged and stood up. I needed space from his comforting touch.

“Why the sudden shift toward fatherhood?” Justin asked, going back to the food he’d temporarily stopped cooking.

I didn’t answer him. The truth hung between us like a thick cloud. We needed to discuss what we had ahead of us with this biopsy and beyond. But I couldn’t bring myself to start it. My thoughts turned to how much different I would be after all this. Regardless of the outcome, I was losing a ball. Despite what the doctor said, I was certain my sex drive would be affected. After all, Dr. Sanjay didn’t know, nor did he need to, that I was the Stud of Liberty Avenue. Nothing was more famous in this godforsaken burg than my ability to always perform. Even if I cut myself back to just Justin, I could already feel the tendrils of frustration attaching to my brain, making it impossible for me to imagine enjoying Justin touching me in any kind of sexual way.

But, of course, I decided to fall in love with the one person in the universe who called me out on my bullshit. Justin never let me fall too far into my head without him right there tittering in my ear. So, I might have walked away from the kitchen area to instead plop myself down on the couch, but about ten minutes later, I was joined by Justin with his bowl of cooked meat and veggies. I gave him a sideways glance in the hopes he would just drop the subject entirely, but instead of giving me space, he sat right next to me and tucked his legs up behind him. It was a half-cuddle, and he knew it would get me to talk. Instead of doing what he hoped, I stole his fork from him, though I suspect he didn’t try very hard to prevent it, and snagged a bite of the delicious-smelling food.

“I thought you said you didn’t want any?” Justin chuckled, took the fork back from me, and devoured his own bite.

“Decided to see if it was any good.” I shrugged and took the fork for another bite.

As I was chewing it, I realized that this was exactly what Justin had planned. He filled the bowl clear up to the top; a normal amount for him was quite a bit less. Then, he’d made sure to sit up against me so that I would smell the food and be tempted to eat. Did Lindsay talk to him about my refusal to eat dinner with them? Or is he just that good at reading me?

“On my break today, I took time to look over the documents Dr. Sanjay gave us.” Justin started tentatively.

I sighed and rolled my eyes before I moved myself ever so slightly so that he was no longer leaning on me.

“Brian, I know you want to bury your head in the sand. You want to be angry, but you also don’t want to be angry at the one person who knows. You want all these things, but that’s just not possible.” Justin reached out and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Fuck off.” I snapped at him. Then, I stormed off toward the bedroom, being sure to make as much noise as possible. 

By the time I reached the bedroom, I turned around and saw that he hadn’t moved an inch. Justin was just sitting there, eating food as if I hadn’t just done any of that, which pissed me off even more.

“Why the fuck are you still here? I DON’T NEED SOMEONE TO HOLD MY FUCKING HAND! You’re better off dating someone young, beautiful, and not riddled with fucking cancer! I’m not the man you met. I can’t even think about sex right now because when I do, I remember that soon I’ll have a fucking piece of plastic where my BALL SHOULD BE!” I wasn’t really yelling at him, more to the universe. But a part of me hoped something I said would strike a chord and cause him to walk away.

Justin just continued to eat. After I heaved a few rounds of breaths and became more frustrated at his nonchalance, he stood up and faced me. Justin put the bowl of food down on the table and then walked closer to where I stood in the shadows.

He placed a hand on my shoulder, and despite my anger and fear begging me to shove him off, I couldn’t get my mind and heart to comply. Fuck. 

“You done?” Justin gave me a stern look.

I breathed a few more times and decided I wasn’t. I desperately needed to throw something or break something or accomplish both in one fell swoop. Just as I decided I was going to find something, Justin handed me the alarm clock and cocked his eyebrow. He was challenging me to do exactly what I’d been thinking of.

With one strong grunt, I wound my right arm back and aimed the clock at the pillar just beyond Justin’s back. I missed by a long shot, but it still felt good to hear the loud crash and then subsequent crunch as the clock broke into a million pieces all over the floor.

I sighed and then collapsed on the bed. I could feel tears pooling in my eyes, but I was stubbornly forcing myself to stop them from spilling over. Without a word, Justin joined me and wrapped me up in his arms. The room fell silent for several minutes. In fact, I was on the verge of soothing myself to sleep when Justin broke the silence.

“I remember right after my bashing; I’d get so frustrated at how unfair life felt that I would rip up drawings and paintings, throw my easel across the room, and one time, I even shoved my mom. It’s okay to be mad. This whole situation sucks. Just don’t try to force me out. It won’t work.” He leaned up and looked me in the eyes. Then he placed a kiss on my cheek, and we both fell asleep.

—-

Two days later, Justin and I were in the bathroom trying to make ourselves look our best for Vic’s service. I had been late to work yesterday thanks to the mishap with the alarm clock, but during my lunch, a new clock mysteriously made its way onto my desk. One look at Cynthia told me that Justin had contacted her and asked her to purchase one for me.

Now, we were on time, but if either of us spent any more time in front of the mirror, we ran the risk of being late. I nudged Justin’s shoulder and motioned my head silently toward the door. He nodded and ran his hand through his hair one more time to style it a bit. Now wasn’t the time to tell him, but I thought he was sexy as hell in the secondhand suit he’d borrowed from Ted. 

I left him to finish and went in search of my keys. The night before, I’d been so tired from all the stress running through my body that I’d practically collapsed on the bed and fell asleep. After searching for a few minutes with no luck, I looked up to holler at Justin.

“Justin! Have you seen –” I cut off when Justin appeared, holding my keys. He placed a kiss on my cheek as he passed by me to grab his peacoat.

“You dropped them by the sink last night when you got home. I picked them up and put them next to your side of the bed.” He smirked and shook his head.

“How’d you know…” I couldn’t even finish my question, still in awe that this man knew me better than I ever gave him permission to.

“Come on, Brian, I’ve been around you for almost four years. I like to think I know you pretty well.” Justin approached and stopped just in front of me.

“Please don’t mention anything about my cancer today.” I placed my hand on Justin’s cheek and gazed at him fondly.

“I promised you I wouldn’t tell anyone until you were ready,” Justin reassured me with a quick peck on my lips. 

We left shortly after that. Despite our best efforts, we were still cutting things very close. So, instead of meeting at Deb’s beforehand, like we’d planned, we just met the gang at the gravesite. A part of me was actually relieved we’d taken so long because it helped me avoid awkward conversations. 

The service was harder on me than my father’s had been three years prior. Vic had always been understanding and kind to me, even when I was a little shit teenager. In fact, one year, I swiped some money from my mom’s purse and took a bus to the city to see him. He took me to my first-ever gay club and protected me from doing anything that was too dangerous. Vic was the one who taught me I should always use a condom, no matter who I was with. As the non-denominational person of the cloth droned on and on about Vic’s character, my thoughts wandered to the young blond next to me. Justin looked sideways at me and silently slipped his hand into mine. 

On his other side stood his mother, Jen, wearing a beautiful but plain black dress with a string of pearls. I always forget how connected Jen was to Vic, thanks to her friendship with Debbie. My thoughts turn to that first night I took Justin home with me. Back then, I never could imagine this young blond twink would end up changing the direction of my life, let alone his mother becoming completely intertwined with my world. I glanced down at the ground as the family started to eulogize our favorite elder. I tucked my lips behind my teeth, trying to hide the smile that inched across my face as I thought about how being with Justin gave me a loving partner and a caring mother for the price of one. 

Then, we were asked to place our roses on the casket, and we slowly filed away from Vic for the last time. Justin and I walked on either side of Jen as we all trudged back to our cars to head over to Deb’s for food. I knew Deb was still upset with me for what I’d said a few days ago, but I also knew she wouldn’t prevent me from being at her home today. Besides, I didn’t feel like saying much of anything today. My cancer was at the forefront of my thoughts with every step I took. Never before had I felt so vulnerable regarding death.

Jen broke the silence between us, stating, “I can’t believe he’s gone. And so quickly.”

I wanted to agree with her and comment on how terrifying and real death now felt, but that would raise questions, so instead, I went with a tried and true Kinneyism. 

“It’s better to go out when you’re young in a blaze of glory than to end up some diseased old queen.” 

Jen reached out and placed a hand on my back, between my shoulder blades. I paused for a moment and made eye contact with her. Much like her son, Jen was extremely perceptive, and something about how she looked at me now told me she had surmised that something was up with me. Christ, if I don’t tell her, then she’ll make assumptions and probably talk them over with Debbie, and by noon tomorrow, it’ll be all over Liberty Avenue.

“You might feel differently if it were you,” Justin spoke up, breaking the silence. I looked at him, and he gave me a small, forced smile. Justin knew how I was really feeling right now, but he was giving my walls validation.

I glanced around and saw that everyone else was preoccupied with their own little conversations. I bit my lip and contemplated revealing my news to Jen. But her voice beat me to the punch, and I lost my nerve all over again.

“Well, at least he didn’t get sick and linger.” Fucking Christ. How was this woman seriously saying the one thing I was afraid of right now?

At that moment, we arrived at our cars. Which, ironically, were parked next to one another. Jen gave me a pointed look as if daring me to truly speak my mind. I glanced over at Justin, who shrugged and silently told me the ball was in my court. I rubbed my hand across my mouth. My gaze swept the area, looking for the gossipy queens I called friends. I didn’t need anyone overhearing what I was about to say.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders before addressing Jen. “Mother Taylor, there’s something I should tell you. But you have to promise to keep it to yourself. I’m not quite ready for everyone else to know this yet.” 

I paused to build up my nerve again. Jen spoke up, “I figured you had something more on your mind than grief as we stood there listening to the service. You were definitely distracted.”

I gave a jerky nod. “On Monday, I went to see an oncologist. There’s a 97% chance that the lump we found is testicular cancer.” Justin moved towards me and wrapped his arm around my lower back. I relished the comfort it provided.

“Oh, Brian. Honey.” Jen sighed and looked at me, tears already bubbling up in her eyes. “When will you know for sure?”

“I haven’t heard from Johns Hopkins yet about when they’ll want to perform the surgery, but whenever that happens is when I’ll know.” I shrugged, both against the cold and the uncomfortableness of this conversation.

Jen stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me in a hug, effectively dislodging Justin. I belatedly allow my arms to embrace her back. Just as she tucks her chin over my shoulder, I hear her whisper ever so softly, “It’s going to be alright.”

Then, just as quickly as the conversation had started, it was over. I waved her off to her own car with a word of thanks and a promise to see her soon at the house.

On the drive over to Deb’s, Justin’s hand found mine and gripped it tight. We didn’t speak at first, but soon, the air shifted, and I could tell Justin was itching to say something. But I also knew he wouldn’t bother me without permission first. I decided to put him out of his misery.

“Out with it,” I stated without looking his way. My gaze remained steady on the road ahead.

Justin hemmed and hawed a bit before he finally spoke. “I’m proud of you for telling my mom. Though I am a bit surprised that she’s the first one you told.”

I thought through how I was going to explain my reasoning. I was grateful that Justin had always been considerate and patient in emotionally centered conversations. I sighed and then explained myself.

“I could tell during the service she suspected something was up. I’ve lived with you long enough to recognize the signs that a Taylor is being overly perceptive. Besides, telling her is easier than telling anyone else. I can trust the two of you to keep things close to your chest.”

“Yeah, Michael, Ted, and Emmett are the worst gossips in all of Pittsburgh. Which makes Debbie their queen, considering how fast she can get the word out.” Justin squeezed my hand. “I completely understand. Especially when we don’t know anything for sure yet.”

I nodded without saying a single word. Our silence built up once more, only this time, it wasn’t awkward or thick. It was like a warm blanket of comfort. I knew I could get through this meal ahead because I had Justin and Jen’s steady, reliable support.

As I turned the Jeep onto Deb’s street, I chanced a glance over to Justin. He was staring out the window with his grief and depression all over his face. I thought about how I needed to be sure I had everything in line in case we did end up in a worst-case scenario regarding my cancer. I thought back to when Emmett had lost George and all the pain and suffering he went through because George left him an inheritance, but his family refused to honor it. I knew I would never have that problem with our family. However, I still wanted to be sure that all my possessions and assets were properly prepared should I die unexpectedly. I needed to talk to Mel. 

I had always thought cramming the lot of us into Deb’s house for Sunday dinner was hard enough. That had nothing on how claustrophobic I felt walking into her home today. My chest grew tight, and my palms started to sweat. Justin rubbed his hand along my back, encouraging me to step further into the house. I saw Mel was alone in the kitchen, so I made a beeline for her.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Mel.” I quipped, grabbing a plastic cup and filling it with water. She was indulging in some sweets out of the judging eye of her wife.

“You just said that because it rhymes, didn’t you?” She rolled her eyes and popped a finger sandwich into her mouth.

“Nah. Just popped in my head, so I said it.” I shrugged. I grabbed a couple of crackers and some cheese.

As I slowly ate the items I had chosen, Mel finished up hers and then turned her full attention to me.

“What do you want?” Her hands were on her hips, and her eyebrow was quirked in suspicion.

I coughed on a cracker that got caught in my throat. Once the hacking was done, I gave her a piercing look. 

“What? I can’t decide to come into the kitchen to be away from everyone?”

“No! You’re Brian Kinney. The belle of the ball. You always seek to be the center of attention.” Mel was a lion when it came to calling people out. No wonder she made a kickass lawyer.

“Only at Babylon.” I quipped, grabbing a few carrots this time. I silently thanked Debbie for providing vegetables for Ben and me so we didn’t feel obligated to stand around without food on a plate.

“My mistake.” Mel waved her hand around and rolled her eyes. “So, tell me why, instead of ignoring me or snarking at me, you chose instead to be nice. What do you need?”

“Your help and your discretion,” I finally admitted.

Mel squinted her eyes and did a full visual assessment of my body. I knew she was looking for any sign that I was ill or pulling her leg. It was clear the woman didn’t fully trust me, and, to be honest, I didn’t blame her.

“I would like to get a will drafted up.” I bit my lip and waited anxiously for her to reply.

Mel took her time mulling over my request before she placed a hand on my shoulder, her eyes filled with concern. It wasn’t a typical response from her toward me. Suddenly, I started to worry that she would start asking questions that I couldn’t lie about answering because it’s her job to suss out liars.

“I won’t ask why. That’s your own business. But I will tell you that what you need is an estate planning lawyer. That way, your will is drafted properly, leaving no wiggle room for interpretation. They’ll also be able to ensure your will is all-encompassing and complete.” She squeezed my shoulder.

“I appreciate that.” I sighed.

“I’ll email you tomorrow with the name of the guy Linds and I used for our will after Gus was born. He’s fantastic and works fast.”

“Thank you.” I looked her in the eyes to prove how seriously grateful I was for her help. Then, I surprised us both by wrapping her up in a hug.

“Let me guess, you’re planning to leave Kinnetik to Justin?” I knew Mel was fishing and teasing me at the same time.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” I smirked, winked, and then departed from the kitchen. 

Pretty soon, I found myself in the living room, squeezed onto the couch between Justin and his mom. I surreptitiously snaked my arm behind Justin, lessening the already limited space between us. He turned slightly and planted a kiss on my temple. Deb and Jen were too embroiled in a candid story about Vic to notice, but I did see Michael glaring at us. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I knew it was only a matter of time before Michael gave some excuse to drag me away from Justin and confront me.

Sure enough, moments later, Michael stood in front of me, tears in his eyes, asking if I would like to go outside for a smoke. Justin nudged me in support of me following Michael.

“Go. He’s your best friend, and it looks like he needs you right now,” Justin whispered into my ear. “Then, we can take our leave.”

“Thank god.” I exhaled and muttered under my breath at the same time. I leaned over and kissed his cheek before trudging toward the back porch for a smoke I really shouldn’t partake in.

Once I stepped outside, I hunched my shoulders and pulled my coat tighter around my body. I looked at Michael, noticing that he wasn’t smoking a cigarette. Instead, he was smoking a joint. He saw me approach and extended his hand out to me so I could take the weed. I declined, mostly because my stomach was fighting some unknown battle that made it twist and turn.

Michael wouldn’t give up. He pushed the joint into my face. I took a whiff of the fumes, and suddenly, that battle won, and I leaned over to vomit. After I was done, I stood back up and wiped the back of my hand across my mouth.

“Got anything to drink?” I asked, looking over at my best friend.

Michael shook his head and put out the joint. He then turned to me, the concerned puppy dog look he was famous for plastered all over his face.

“What just happened?” Michael reached out and gently squeezed my bicep. I rolled my eyes in response.

“What? Never seen vomit before, Mikey? I would think with Ben and the littlest hustler’s HIV, you have.” I knew he didn’t deserve my snark, but honestly, my head was starting to hurt, and all I wanted to do was go home.

“You never get sick,” Michael argued, ignoring my jab at his wife and child.

“Correction, I never let others see me when I’m sick.” I gave him a pointed look. As my best friend, he knew I never wanted to seem weak or sick, so I would sometimes disappear for a few days.

“But if you are sick, then why’d you come to the funeral?” Mikey’s concern only grew the longer we talked.

“Honestly, I felt much better when I woke up this morning. I assumed I’d had a typical 48-hour bug, but then you shoved the joint in my face, and my stomach didn’t like that.” I shrugged after orchestrating the best lie I could spin at a moment’s notice.

“You let Justin see you sick?” Mikey responded, having wanted to bring up Justin ages ago.

“Well, he’s my partner, isn’t he? I’d imagine you let Ben see you sick.” I shrugged. “Besides, I couldn’t avoid it when I woke up on Monday morning and immediately rushed to the bathroom. Justin had spent the night, so of course, he heard it all happen.” I didn’t mention that when I vomited on Monday, it was from nerves, nothing else.

“About that. How can you trust that he won’t leave you again?” Michael’s faux concern was stifling. I wanted so badly to escape back into the house, collect Justin, and then leave entirely.

“How is my relationship any of your business? I don’t tell you how you and Ben should conduct yourselves.” I tried to keep my annoyance out of my voice, but I failed miserably.

“Brian Kinney doesn’t do relationships.” 

“Why don’t you get some new material? I didn’t realize starting back up with Justin would bring your jealousy from three years ago back with a vengeance.” I moved to go back into the house, but Michael grabbed my arm to stop me.

“I’m sorry. I just want to be sure he doesn’t break your heart again.” Michael’s eyes were bulged out, beseeching me to take his advice.

“I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself. Now, thank you for your concern, but it’s misplaced.” I shrug out of his grasp and make my way back inside.

I had hoped that a simple return to the living room would yield fruitful in my quest to make a quick exit, but the minute I reappeared, Lindsay called out to me.

“Bri, glad to see you could get away from the office for this.” There was a level of malice behind her words that I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I looked at her, completely confused. Before she could respond, Michael reentered the room and shoved a glass of water in my hand.

“It’s just that every time I’ve tried to call you in the last few weeks, Cynthia has told me you’re in a meeting or talking to a client. It seems like business is booming.” She gave me a sickly, sweet smile. Something was definitely up.

Justin snorted from his position slightly behind me. Then, he shocked me by standing up and responding to her before I could come up with the right words.

“That’s his go-to when he doesn’t want to be bothered by people who call him during the day about frivolous things that could easily wait until after hours or on the weekend.” His hand landed between my shoulder blades.

“Well, Gus has been asking to see you more. But, I guess that’s the way you want it.” Linds’ tone shifted into her fake guilt trip that I’d had to endure more times than I could count.

“Fuck off, Lindsay. Every time I turn around, you change the rules for me. First, you didn’t want me to have any say in his life, and then you complained I wasn’t helping enough. Then, you told me to back off again because I wasn’t legally his father, so I did. Now you’re trying to guilt trip me about a situation that you created.” I tried my best to keep my frustration in check, but between Michael’s jabs at Justin and Lindsay’s overbearing routine, I was done.

Justin scratched my back in a way that only he knew calmed me down. I loved the gentle yet tingly sensation his fingers provided. And now, it was keeping me from storming out of the house in anger.

“Is this really the time to be worrying about this, Lindsay?” Justin spoke up. “We’re here to mourn the passing of Vic.”

Suddenly, my headache caused my vision to swim. I staggered backward and practically fell onto the couch. Jen looked at me in concern, but I waved my hand to reassure her.

“Sorry, I must be hungry. I haven’t really eaten all day.” I looked at Justin, and he nodded before heading over to the kitchen.

Moments later, he was back with a plate of food. “Here, try to eat some of this.”

Then, he turned to the room at large, whose eyes were all on me. “I think he’s also tired. Brian’s been under the weather for the last few days. It’s finally catching up to him. Once he’s eaten, we will head home.”

I truly loved him, my savior. Without even knowing what I had told Michael outside, Justin validated my lie and gave us both the out we desperately needed. I patted his knee as soon as he was situated next to me on the couch. He leaned over and whispered into my ear.

“You look a bit tired, and your skin is ghostly white.” Fuck.

Within the hour, we were back in the loft. The moment Justin closed the door behind us, I trudged toward the bed, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep. Justin didn’t follow me. Instead, he picked up my home phone and dialed a number.

“Hey, Cyn. Brian’s actually going to take the rest of the day. I know he’s been in and out a lot lately, but he’s under the weather, and the funeral didn’t help things.” 

At that point, I stopped listening and let my body drift off into dreamland. My final thought was to take off my shirt and tie, but I didn’t have the energy for that. So, instead, I snuggled deeper into my mattress and fell asleep.

Hours later, I woke up to find the loft was comfortably quiet. Once I got out of bed, I saw Justin using my computer at my desk. He was a student, after all, so I figured he was simply emailing one of his professors. I slowly walked the length of the loft to stand behind him. I leaned over, draping my arms over his shoulders, and placed a kiss on the spot just below his ear that he always reacted favorably to.

Justin reached back and placed his hand on my head. He then slightly turned his face so that we could kiss on the lips. Then, he hummed and pushed the chair back a bit so he could turn and face me completely.

“You ready to explain what happened back there?” Justin gave me a plaintive look.

“Honestly, I’m not even sure. I was feeling claustrophobic when we first arrived. Then, Mikey dragged me outside to complain to me about how he felt I wasn’t protecting myself enough from your imminent departure from my life. During this whole exchange, he shoved a joint in my face, which caused me to vomit. I must not have fully recovered before Lindsay started digging her claws in, too.” I rubbed my face, attempting to scrub all the sleep fog from my brain.

“Do you think it’s the cancer?” Justin looked overly concerned as if he was about to burst into tears at a moment’s notice.

I shook my head. “I think it’s the stress. The uncertainty has been eating me up since you discovered the lump. Monday’s appointment barely helped.”

Justin was about to respond when a ding sounded from the computer, and he swiveled back to check who had emailed him. Instead of giving him his privacy, I leaned over and read the email over his shoulder. It was a simple message about some fundraiser Justin had agreed to speak at. I glanced down the page to the signature and found myself shocked. My partner was talking with Senator Diane Baxter, the same senator who had helped him with his homophobic high school a few weeks before his bashing.

“I didn’t know you still talked to the Senator,” I muttered, leaning into his body for the comfort and warmth it provided.

“She first contacted me after the bashing, telling me she saw the news and hoped I was doing okay considering. From there, we’ve kept up a regular correspondence. Most of the time, it’s just a quick check-in. However, last week, she contacted me to ask about this rally she was organizing, which she hoped I would speak about. I told her I would think about it. Now, she’s really trying to get me to agree.” Justin shrugged.

“I think you should do it.” I kissed him and then moved toward the kitchen for some guava juice. Now that my stomach had settled, I was willing to drink my favorite juice.

“What if your surgery interferes?” Justin responded, following me into the kitchen.

“I think you should do it,” I repeated, non-verbally telling him I would be fine if he couldn’t escort me to my biopsy.

“Brian, I wouldn’t be able to properly focus on a speech if I knew you were in surgery hundreds of miles away.” Justin rubbed my arms as he raked his gaze up and down my body.

“I’ll be fine.” I shrugged. I didn’t want him to give up this opportunity, even if I wanted him to also be with me.

“Besides, she wants me to talk about my bashing. I’m not sure I’m the best person to talk about it, considering I still don’t remember most of that night.” He looked into my eyes, searching for validation.

“Honestly, be glad you can’t remember. You don’t know how many times I wake up from a nightmare with the smell of blood and car fumes in my nose. I thought you were going to die.” The last bit of confession was something I had always kept close to my chest, never revealing it to anyone aside from Michael since he experienced it firsthand.

“Can I ask you a serious question, and you promise not to give me any lip about it?” Justin looked so uncertain that I had to make sure he could walk away from this conversation reassured.

“Of course. Ask me anything.” I moved my hand to cradle the back of his head, my eyes making contact with his.

“What would’ve happened to you if I had died that night?” 

His words knocked the breath right out of my chest. He sure wasn’t messing around. I knew he wanted me to be honest, but a big part of me was still terrified to even go down that trail of what-ifs. They weren’t relevant anymore because he had woken up; he had eventually recovered.

I moved to the table and sat down. Justin followed me soon after. Then, once we were both facing one another, Justin’s hands over mine, I spoke up.

“Honestly, I try not to think about it.” I paused as my racing thoughts refused to slow down.

“It’s obviously a non-issue now. I’m right here, I’m alive, and I’m fine. You can tell me.”

“I wouldn’t have known how to go on. I would’ve spent the rest of my life blaming myself for what happened to you. I don’t think I would still be the Brian everyone knows and loves. Not that I would have admitted any of this to anyone.” I stared at our joined hands, unable to keep eye contact with him. Especially with my chest wide open and on display.

“You know, when I woke up in the hospital, unable to remember my prom night, the only thing I wanted was to see your face. But you never came. And when I was finally released, I got so mad at my mom for convincing you to stay away.” Justin whispered so softly I wondered if he’d actually said anything at all.

“I did.” I blurted out before I could catch myself. Aside from Jen, no one had ever known that I had spent every night at Justin’s bedside. “I never told anyone, but I spent every night watching you sleep. It kept the panic at bay and allowed me to be functional enough that people weren’t too overly concerned about it.”

“You did?” Justin looked at me incredulously. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I’m telling you now.” I quipped, forcing myself to smile at him.

“That’s fair. I didn’t exactly make it easy to trust that I would fully appreciate the impact of such a statement.” Justin shrugged and smiled back at me.

“Now, instead of worrying about how I’d be if you were gone, I worry about what will happen to you if, for some reason, this cancer spreads through me like it did with my dad.” I pulled my hands out from under Justin’s so I could press down on my eyelids.

“I’ll be okay. Fuck I’ll be heartbroken, but eventually I’ll be okay.” Justin attempted to reassure me. “Will I probably have a hard time functioning at first? Absolutely, but I’m not alone in this. I will always have others to lean on.”

“Maybe I should tell the rest of the family before my surgery. After all, anything could happen. I could have a bad reaction to the anesthesia.” I started to pace the open space of my loft. 

During one of my passes, I noticed there was a flashing 1 on the answering machine. I pressed the play button and listened to the unfamiliar voice tell me about my upcoming surgery.

“Hello, Mr. Kinney. This is Ruth with Dr. Rabinowitz. He has an opening on his calendar to perform your biopsy next Friday. Please call me back as soon as you get this to confirm. My direct line is 410-455-6787. I look forward to your call. Have a pleasant day.”

I looked up and made eye contact with Justin once again. “Well, that settles that. Next Friday.” My voice drifted off toward the end of my statement as my worries came crawling back to the surface.

I picked up the phone and dialed Ruth’s number. She answered on the second ring.

“Dr. Rabinowitz, this is Ruth.” Her voice was calm but cheerful.

“Hello, Ruth. This is Brian Kinney. You called me about my biopsy surgery. I just wanted to confirm that date works well for me.”

Justin walked over, wrapped his arm around my waist, and laid his head on my shoulder for comfort and strength. 

“That’s wonderful. Your surgery will start at 8:30 am. We ask that you arrive at the hospital an hour early to give us enough time to check you in and get you prepped. Also, no food or drinks up to 12 hours before your surgery.”

I nodded along as she spoke. My free hand wrapped around Justin’s waist, pulling him in tighter against my side. “Understood. I will see you then.”

As soon as I hung up, Justin was silently begging me for more information.

I gave him a hug and we stood there embracing each other, the sound of the world outside my windows the only noise breaking our silence. Being in Justin’s arms put my mind at ease and allowed me to breathe easier, knowing no matter what, I had him to lean on. That was a feeling as foreign to me as heterosexual relationships. After all, my parents made it very clear to me from an early age that I could only rely on myself during the good, the bad, and the difficult times. But loving Justin made me realize I could lean on him.

“My surgery is next Friday at 8:30 am. I have to be at the hospital an hour before, and I can’t eat or drink anything for 12 hours prior.” I finally muttered, my mouth against the crook of his neck.

Justin kissed my forehead. Then, he squeezed me even tighter against his body. “If you want to tell the family before your surgery, I’ll back your play. But I’m certain this surgery will go smoothly, giving you plenty of time to tell everyone on your own terms.”

It was then I decided that Justin and I would go to Baltimore without anyone knowing the true nature of our trip. Then, when we got back, I would inform Cynthia and Ted. As my Assistant and my CFO they would need to know that I’d be taking some time off here and there as I dealt with the radiation treatments. It also helped to know that if something did happen to me in surgery, Justin would have his mother to lean on without having to explain anything.

[lunatic-pudge]

The Great Swedish Fish Disaster

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Scout has a crush on Sniper and wants to help him with his Swedish Fish addiction) (Crack fic)

I'm not much of a character x character type of person. But this was a request and it was fuuny so who am I to say no to this. Please enjoy this mess. And yeah, it kinda ends abruptly, oops.

Requested by Gojifan1962

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sniper was an interesting man to say the least. He was a man who took his job seriously. Someone who would sit in one specific position for hours on end, just to get the one perfect shot. But yet, at the same time, he'd piss in jars, filling them to them brim and throwing them at unsuspecting victims. Cackling at them afterwards, mocking the poor piss-soaked person who was just trying to go about their day.

Sniper was such a strange man, and that's what Scout loved about him. He loved how polarizing Sniper was. But there was one problem though.

Sniper was an addict.

No, it wasn't to drugs or alcohol, he was smarter than that. No, it was something to much, much worse.

Swedish Fish.

Everywhere Sniper went, he had a pack of Swedish Fish with him. All of Sniper's little hiding spots, there were packs of Swedish Fish just waiting for him. And the worst place was his camper van. The man had two whole cabinets just dedicated to the red gummies! It was neverending.

It worried Scout. Though he was scared to admit it, he loved Sniper. He cared about the Aussie very much. So it worried him to see his beloved friend constantly munching on those damned fish. How had Sniper not grown sick of them yet? It was ridiculous. 

So here sat Scout in the rec room, thinking. Pyro sat beside him, scribbling away at their drawing. Scout tried to not pay too much attention to it, due to how graphic the drawing was. It was a strange mixture of cute and morbid. Scout needed help, and he figured it wouldn't hurt to ask the pyromaniac for some help.

"Hey, Py, you got a moment?"

"Hmm?" Pyro looked up from their drawing to Scout, head tilted in curiosity.

"I need some help. You ever notice how Sniper is always eating Swedish Fish?"

Pyro nodded.

"I think it's getting outta hand. I wanna help him get get off the stuff, but I don't really know how to." Scout sighed, shaking his head. Looking over to the other merc, hoping they'd offer something useful.

Pyro hummed, thinking for a moment before an idea came to mind. They got up, urging Scout to do the same. Taking the young merc's hand, Pyro mumbled out their little idea while walking out of the rec room.

~~

"Alright, I'll bite, where we going, mate?" Sniper asked, sitting blindfolded in the backseat of a car he was led to by Scout and Pyro. He knew this couldn't be good, when those two paired up disaster was always just around the corner.

"You'll see soon, Snipes. Just hang on a bit" Scout said, turning to look over at Pyro with a smirk. Scout was quite surprised when he found out Pyro could drive, though when asked about their license, Scout was just met with a blank and unnerving stare.

Scout was excited, he was finally gonna be able to help his crush kick his-

His thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the familiar sound of crinkling. That very familiar crinkling noise.

Whipping his head around, Scout stared in horror at Sniper.

"Snipes! What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Sniper said while casually popping a Swedish Fish in his mouth.

Scout stared blankly for a second before reaching over and snatching the bag from him. Sniper let out a screech, offended that his beloved candy was taken from him.

Sniper blindly reached forward, trying to find locate where Scout was. "Give it back, dickhead!"

"No" Scout moved away from Sniper's grabbing hands. "You don't need these, Sniper!"

"Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can't have?"

"I'm trying to do what's best for you!"

"I swear to God, mate, if you don't give those back I'll-"

"Hmph hmph!" Pyro said, pulling in to park at their destination.

Sniper ripped the blindfold off and stared at the building, reading the name of it.

"Rehab?"

"Yeah, that's right" Scout started, "Sniper, you have a problem, and Pyro and I feel like the best way to squash this is to put you in rehab"

Sniper stared at Scout absolutely dumbfounded, "Mate, I don't have no addiction. I don't need no rehab. Besides, this is for people addicted to drugs and alcohol, not fuckin' candy."

"Yeah, whatever. Keep denying it all you want, that isn't gonna change anything. If you keep fighting this, I'll have Pyro tie you up, right, Py?" Scout looked over to Pyro who proceeded to hold up a scary amount of rope.

Sniper gave it, not wanting to deal with Pyro's wrath. The three proceeded to leave the car and enter the building, walking up to the receptionist desk. Sniper could already tell something bad was going to happen. Scout walks up to the desk, leaning against it, trying to look cool.

The receptionist looks up and smile gently, "Hello! How may I help you?"

"Hey, toots, I'm here to check my friend in. He's, like, a super addict and needs some serious help."

"Well, that's what we're here for. What is it that he's addicted to?"

"Swedish Fish." Scout proclaimed

...

"Excuse me?" The nurse looked at Scout, confused as to if she heard him correctly. "Did you say 'Swedish Fish'?"

"Yeah, I did. He's so crazy addicted to them. We keep finding him eating them, and even had to take them from him before we even came here!" Scout throw his hands around, throwing up the dramatics.

The nurse became flabbergasted. "Sir, I'm sorry, but this is a place to rehabilitate from drugs and alcohol. Not candy. That's something we cannot help with."

Scout looked at the woman, appalled. How could she refuse them like that? His beloved Sniper had a crippling addiction and needed help! And she was just going to turn them away? It was unacceptable. Slamming his hands on the desk, Scout started to argue with the woman. "This is outrageous! My best friend is in dire need of help and you're just gonna turn us away?"

"Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave or I will call the cops." The nurse warns.

"Do it! I dare you. They're gonna be on my side anyways since you think it's okay to deny an addict for help!"

~~

Standing outside of the rehab facility, Sniper and Pyro stood and watched as Scout resisted getting into the police officer's car. Scout screamed and thrashed, going on about how his friend needs help and how he was being unlawfully arrested.

A different officer stood by Sniper and Pyro, he had been questioning the two about the stuff Scout was spouting and about the runner himself as well.

"Is... Is you friend always like this?" The officer asks Sniper.

"Nah, sir, this is rather uncharacteristic of him." Sniper mused, starting to realize that yeah, Scout had been acting strange recently. Sniper had never been one to question things but now here he was, outside of a rehab facility, watching his coworker getting arrested after trying to check him in for liking Swedish Fish. Sniper huffed and shook his head. Scout is Scout. He's just being the young goober he's always been.

Sniper walked up to the cop car Scout was residing it. He asked the officer if he could talk to Scout. The cop allowed it, rolling his window down so the two could speak. Scout was happy to see his Sniper. He wish that Sniper would rip the car door open, pick him up bridal style, and whisk him away from this crazy place.

"Snipes! Dude, you gotta help me get outta here! What they're doing isn't right. I was just trying to help you!" Scout cried, giving Sniper his best puppy eyes to convince the Aussie to help him.

"Mate, you beat three officers unconscious and tried to steal one's car. You're too far gone for me to help."

"But Snipes! Please! There's a reason I did all of this." Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Scout continued, " Sniper, there's something I wanna tell you. I lov-"

"Wait, you got something behind you ear." Reaching through the bars, Sniper reached behind Scout's ear, causing the runner's breath to get caught in his throat and a blush blossmed on his face. He looked up at Sniper, mesmerized by the Aussie's rugged features. Oh how Scout wanted to kiss this man.

Scout's thoughts got cut off when Sniper pulled his hand back, revealing a Swedish Fish held in between his fingers. That caused Scout to get mad. "Are you freaking kidding me? Get rid of that right now!"

"If you say so." Sniper said, popping the gummy in his mouth with a smile.

"No! Don't eat it!"

"Too late, mate."

Scout groaned, mad that Sniper was essentially able to get the last laugh in. Before he could continue, Sniper spoke again.

"You know, think I'm gonna go back to the base and have and have an Adam Sandler marathon with Pyro."

"You're STILL obsessed with Adam Sandler? God, when do you quit, Snipes?" Scout yelled, not wanting to rememeber those dark times.

Sniper started to walk away, "See ya when you get out of jail!"

[edelweiss123]

(Posting this in case Disney starts delving the sticky pits of tumblr for plot ideas because I accidentally Goncharov-ed my niece with "spoilers" for Frozen 3 and now I need it to happen the way I said it would because I'm like 90% sure my plot is better anyway.)

So, my nieces (6, 3) were drawing Frozen Characters with their Frozen crayons, as one does, and asked me who my favorite character was. I have never watched either movie the whole way through, but know all the Lore from my local, very dedicated tiny Elsa cosplayer.

"Oh, I like Gooblaf" I say and they laugh.

"No, but who really?" I act shocked.

"You don't remember the part with Gooblaf? But that's (Grandpa's) favorite too!" I make eye contact across the room with my father, the man who taught me the art of Committing to the Bit. The girls ask him.

"Oh yeah, my favorite is Gooblaf". Younger niece starts adding Gooblaf to her drawing, but 6yr old isn't buying it. She has watched both films 278 times. She *is* Elsa as far as she is concerned.

"Gooblaf isn't a real character," she insists.

And I could have let it end there.

But I didn't.

Instead, I remembered:

"Oh that's right! Gooblaf is from Frozen 3, so of course you don't remember!" She perks up.

"What? How do you know what happens? Did you see it? It's already out?!"

"Oh yeah they gave out tickets for a preview"

"Can I get a ticket?!"

"Oh, uh, no, they only gave some adults tickets so they could watch and make sure it would be good for their kids."

"Awwwwww...."

"...But I can tell you about what I remember!"

I only intended to give her a vague summary but this Superfan wanted *details*. So then the story kept getting more and more fleshed out as we went back and forth.

"Frozen 3 is about the secret *third* sister, uhh.... Jorien!"

"And what powers does *she* have? Why is she secret?" And so on. Younger niece interrupts to show me her drawing of Gooblaf. It is a circle with a face.

"How did you know what Gooblaf looks like?" I ask her seriously.

"No way," says older niece.

"No, that's really how he looks: he was supposed to be a snowball but he got too big and he rolls around instead of walking."

And of course, I tell them the rest. How Jorien the secret sister has *water powers* because while the King and Queen were on their last voyage they had a *baby*, and when the storm sank the ship she landed in the water and magic turned her into a mermaid to save her! But she's only *part* mermaid see, so when she's dry she's human. And she's taken in by other mermaids... and because she was just a baby, she doesn't know about her sisters!

So after Frozen 2 the kingdom needs money for repairs, so they start fishing a lot more to sell the extra fish. But then there are lots of bad thunderstorms and boats keep getting destroyed, and it turns out it's Jorien! The merpeople don't have enough fish to eat and she's trying to help them!

And it was at the point that the 6yr old started drawing Jorien and asking what color she was that I realized what I had wrought. This is the same child who, when she asked me what "yes" in spanish was side-eyed my "Si" and walked to the next room to ask Alexa. Her hunger for more Frozen content had won against her natural skepticism, and now I can only hope that the "real" plot somehow manages to top mine in 3 years.

Maybe she'll have grown out of Frozen by then.

Or maybe she'll have a 5th Elsa dress.