#this is related to that fic series

[velvetrambles]

Although the sands of time have gone and torn us apart

[todayisafridaynight]

og

[missmisnomer]

When you're recommending something you really, REALLY like to someone and being IncrediblyNormal™ doesn't work out, so you have to resort to being ALittleUnhinged™ to get the point across.

🍋💥👍 @turtleinsoup

[anxiousapplepie]

tear dream vibes tear dream vibes tear dream vibes~

[my-world-my-stories]

Ideal dates for your Yautja partner 101

- Finding a bone pile and scavenge for cool stuff like tiny skulls, fangs and claws (feathers and cool shiny rocks count). Your partner collection of cool trinkets will thank you for it.

- Camping trip. Just a perfect excuse for your alien partner to show off how good of a provider they are by giving you fresh food and fending off other beasts that get too close to the camp. The views are quite stunning. And the smashing in the tent.

- Foraging in the woods. Anything can go, from picking mushroom, to flowers and berries. Just make sure they don't try to eat every mushroom they come across so they can test if they're poisonous or not.

- How to properly clean and dispose of the bodies of your enemies. This one is very self explanatory.

[gothamite-rambler]

Stephanie: I hate my dad.

Jason: I said "Hey." And you responded with that.

Stephanie shrugged, crossing her arms.

Stephanie: Screw him, he sucks.

Jason shrugged, deciding to continue the conversation.

Jason: I'll bite, what's one issue you have with him?

Stephanie: That man went from game show host to criminal. I could've had Alex Trebek, but I got the game show version of the Riddler! Like how was I dealt such a bad hand in life?!

Jason (lighting a marijuana rolled joint): Stephanie, I don't want to downplay your issues, but your mom isn't a criminal or insane, she's Catholic, but like the less annoying ones. You work for Batman, he pays you monthly to risk your life which you enjoy and you became a Robin and then Spoiler to spite your dad... Also you're a blonde white girl. That last part is privileged based.

Stephanie (stumped): I... Okay, but my boyfriend dumped me!

Jason: You're friends with him now!

Stephanie: It still stings! I like Bernard too, but like... We could be a throuple!

Jason chuckled dryly taking a long drag from his joint.

Jason: Let's ask him, Tim?

Tim had been sitting in a lounge chair minding his own business and drinking coffee.

Tim: I told you it's not you, it's me and I meant it.

Stephanie: And I told you, you were one of the few boyfriends who didn't take something important from me!

Jason (chuckling): Like the one who stole your car keys and crashed the car into a Starbucks?

Stephanie: Don't remind me. That's not even how you protest a company! And why do they usually steal my car?!

Stephanie's shoulders slumped as she groaned. Jason rolled his eyes while patting Stephanie's shoulder in a half-supporting manner.

[marigoldwriter]

WHERE ARE THE FANFICS!?!?!?!?!?!? FOR ALL THAT IS MOST SACRED, WHERE ARE THE FANFICS?!?!?!?!?!?! It could even be an alternative universe, but please make fanfics!

[aquaquadrant]

Title: poor language

Warnings: Shipping (Ethubs, past Impdubs, kissing), session 4 spoilers, references to past seasons

~*~

“You know, Impulse came with me to kill the dragon.”

Bdubs says it casually as he slides off his horse. They’ve officially ended the session, but a few players are still hanging around, catching up on the session’s chaotic events before heading back to their respective worlds. So naturally, he had to stop by Etho’s place to gloat some more about his legendary accomplishment.

Etho, doing some last minute work on his chicken farm, doesn’t look over at Bdubs’s arrival. “Oh, yeah?”

(‘You know, our old thing- if things come down to it, we don’t betray each other.’)

“Yeah.” Bdubs ties his horse to one of the fence posts of Etho’s sheep pen. “Yes, he did, he- it was me, him, and Pearl first before those other- those sneak- snipers, freaking kill-stealers came in after, of course. But Impulse, he- you know, he couldn’t actually kill anything this session so he was just helpin’ out, shooting th- the uh… end crystals… moral support…”

Etho nods, his back still turned to Bdubs. “Good, good.”

“Yes…” Bdubs clears his throat. He puts as much admiration into his voice as humanly possible. “He did amazing.”

(‘Guess what? Impulse and I are in love.’)

“I’m sure he did,” Etho replies, his tone perfectly, infuriatingly neutral.

Irritation flickers through Bdubs. He pauses for a second, working his jaw. “Eeugh- you know it was my task, right?” he presses. “I ha- my hard task, most impossible task in’a world, kill the ender dragon in the life series…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Finally, Etho climbs out of the chicken hole, dusting his hands off. “I- I kinda figured, ‘cause you know, you were pushing real hard for it…”

“Uh huh.” Scowling, Bdubs puts his hands on his hips. “Well- thanks a lot, then, for the help!”

(‘You could’ve went for me, and you chose not to.’)

Etho’s grinning behind his mask. “What, you expect me to fight a dragon just to help you out?” he asks teasingly.

(‘You clearly don’t know how Etho works.’)

Bdubs’s voice dies in his throat. He swallows, glancing alway. “No,” he lies. “No, I don’t…”

“Gotta play smart in these games, you know?” Etho puts his hands in his pockets, walking over. “Going to the end, uh, it just doesn’t make logical sense. Like, especially if it’s not even my task.”

(‘Etho, I feel like if this whole thing falls apart, alliances and stuff- it’ll still be you and me. We’ll still stick together.’)

“Right,” Bdubs murmurs sullenly. He folds his arms. “Right, right, right, of course.”

Etho comes to a stop in front of him. “So like, why else would I go?”

“Why else, right…” Bdubs echoes. His chest feels tight all of a sudden.

(‘He’s a survivor, that’s all he does.’)

Etho sighs. “What- what’re you doing, Bdubs? Why are you here?”

Bdubs’s heart jolts. “Uh- jeeze, can’t I just stop by to chat?” he demands, throwing his arms up. “Goodness sakes!”

Etho tilts his head. “Well yeah, sure, but you’re always here,” he points out. “Like, since day one you’ve just been finding reasons to come over here…”

(‘Where’s your boyfriend, Bdubs?’)

Bdubs feels his face heat up. “Oh, would you- maybe I come over to see Cleo, did- did you think of that?”

“Cleo’s not here right now,” Etho says evenly.

“Ah hah…” Bdubs rubs the back of his neck. “Well, that’s- yes, yes, okay, you’re right. So what?”

“So, if you wanna be around me so bad, why didn’t you team with me at the start?” Etho asks, taking a step forward. “Why’d you go join up with the Mounders?”

(‘The first thing I wanted to do was… well, yes, of course! Of course, team up with you, yes.’)

“Uh…” Bdubs takes a step back. “I mean, I didn’t- things happen, you know, organically, and- and I didn’t really… I had to build a- a house, upside-down house, other people started buildin’ around me while you- you ran off into the middle’a nowhere!”

(‘Etho has no loyalty to you. He’s just immediately teamed up with the next guy that’s come along.’)

“I think we both know why.” Etho starts walking forward again, forcing Bdubs to take equivalent steps back. “We’ve known each other a long time, Bdubs. We’ve got other worlds outside of these games, where we can spend time together without all the uh, the manipulation and deception and killing.”

Bdubs’s back suddenly hits a tree- he has nowhere else to go. His heartbeat pounds in his ears. “Uh, yeah? And…?”

Etho shrugs, looming over Bdubs. “But that’s just part of the game. So like, we can make all the promises we want, but uh, we both know that sometimes… things don’t end well. So maybe it’s better to keep our distance this time. That way it’ll hurt less, when it happens, and we won’t ruin what we have outside of the game.”

(‘I have a strong feeling we’re not gonna be friends at the end of this.’)

“So that’s it?” Bdubs challenges, indignation rising inside him. “Just- just avoid me, so you don’t feel bad if you turn ‘round and stab me in the back, huh?”

(‘You know I would never kill you, Bdubs.’)

Etho’s eyes flash. “You wanna know why I didn’t go to the end for you, Bdubs?” He leans in. “Cause I don’t have to prove anything to you.”

“Oh, is that a fact?” Bdubs breathes incredulously, staring back up at Etho. “You know what I think? I think you’re just scared. Not of the dragon, sure enough, but of what it’d mean t’go fight it for me.”

(‘I gave him the courage! He was scared.’)

Etho’s expression betrays nothing. “You think so, huh?”

“Yeah!” Bdubs puffs out his chest, a fierce grin spreading across his face. “Impulse didn’t care, as a matter of fact he was happy to do it!”

(‘Now, is this a happy marriage?’)

“Yeah?” Etho’s voice is dangerously soft, almost playful. “Then why aren’t you at his base right now?”

Bdubs deflates again. He should’ve known better than to try and make Etho feel threatened by his history with Impulse. They both know their connection goes deeper than that, than a single season of bound hearts and souls.

(‘Um… I want Etho.’)

“Okay, okay,” he says sheepishly, face burning, “you got me. In fact, I think Impulse- he was already planning on goin’ before I was, not even to help me out specifically.” He shakes his head. “Sheesh! I was just- is it too much to ask for a- a little attention?”

(‘Why can’t you be normal about Etho?’)

Etho hums noncommittally. He braces a forearm against the tree above Bdubs’s head, leaning in so their faces are mere inches apart. “You’ve got my attention now.”

Despite the tension, Bdubs huffs a laugh. “So much for- for keepin’ your distance, huh?” he jokes, reaching a hand up to tug Etho’s mask down.

This time, he can see Etho smile. “Well, we’re not technically playing the game right now. Session’s over.”

“Good point,” Bdubs chuckles, tilting his head up to meet Etho’s lips.

He knows this doesn’t come easy to Etho. He doesn’t have the same boldness as Bdubs when it comes to love, doesn’t throw his entire self into it with reckless abandon. He’s more cautious than that- always has been. He shelters his heart behind his aloof nature, his uninvested ‘easy-going’ attitude, and he wraps his words up in clever metaphors and the guise of amusement- lest anything he say be taken seriously as a weapon to wound him. So words aren’t always enough to convey what he really feels.

But they don’t need words for this.

Bdubs is well-versed in the dialect of Etho’s hands, the way they grip his waist to pull him closer. He’s memorized the divots that Etho’s scar has left in his lips, the way it feels against his own. He knows the slant of Etho’s jaw beneath his fingertips, the way his head tilts and shoulders bow to accommodate their difference in height. Every movement, every touch, every breath between them is part of their own unspoken language, communicating everything Etho’s left unsaid in his own unique way- and Bdubs remembers why he never should’ve doubted.

(‘He loves me. He cares. He does.’)

~*~

[404-art-found]

Hi it's come to my attention that not everyone who likes Buddy has read the fic series that spawned it? If I had a nickel every time I saw someone who either hasn't read the fic series or didn't know there was a fic series about it, I'd have 3 nickels, which is too many nickels

This is its origin story! How it met its crew! Trials and tribulations! It's 26k words worth of Buddy stories! So if you like Buddy please make sure you read the fic series that has its story and heart in it. please. please. pl

Also I've written other Lethal Company fanfic and do plan to write more so. Reminder I have an AO3 and I Write Things

[nellasbookplanet]

This is so funny I was watching this video on the topic of reylo fanfic-turned-traditionally-published-novels (it's a good video, watch it for a frank yet non-judgemental take on the topic) and in curiosity dug out this fanlore list of fics-turned-novels and found multiple novels on it that I've read, enjoyed (one in the last couple of months!) and fully didn't catch the fanfic roots of.

Really highlights the silliness of people who proudly proclaim their unerring ability to pinpoint whether a story started out as fic or not (and then proceed to point out various books completely unrelated to fandom simply because the author has written fic before, such as the locked tomb series or red white and royal blue), or who loudly state the assumed poor quality of said books despite themselves having read non of them.

[wanderingmind867]

Honestly, Octavian feels relatable. In his own way, he's really relatable. The implication from hazel that he has no friends that he didn't bribe into being his friend… that hurts. I don't know if it's nearly as depressing as me (a person who's turning 20 in February with no friends besides my dad), but it's probably pretty close.

Also, Octavian clearly has hyperfixations on roman history and on prophecies and auguries. He's clearly passionate about what he does, he took the earliest opportunity when percy meets him to begin discussing his famous namesake, the great Gaius Octavius, Augustus Caesar. He's just relatable. Way Moreso than Luke was. I can actually see elements of myself in Octavian, the same way I can see elements of myself in characters like Leo, Tyson, Piper, Nico, Grover, etc.

Speaking of roman history, Augustus Caesar lived to be an old man. Octavian dies when he's like 18 or 19, max. If that isn't irony of the worst sort, i don't know what is. Poor Octavian deserved better and Luke deserved worse. If Luke at least got redemption in death, Octavian should've gotten the same treatment.

[mx-myth]

Okay so I've had some meta thoughts about Laurence's amnesia and how it relates to his relationship with Tharkay sitting in my drafts for like over a year now so I figured I'd finally clean it up and post it. Heads up it's really long.

Laurence finally consciously realises that he loves Tharkay (or is in love with him, whatever nuance you'd like) after "knew him, and knew himself." But at this point he's completely in pieces as a person (more on this next paragraph). Post-amnesia, he's an entirely different man. Pre-Temeraire Laurence is the harshest, strictest version both of and with himself. He follows the rules to the letter, basically takes Temeraire only out of duty in the beginning, and even keeps the promise between him and Edith despite there being no formal arrangement at all. Post-Temeraire but pre-amnesia Laurence has softened. He's putting less emphasis on the rules and more on his morals (see: treason). He has more leeway but still carries that honor/duty/order with himself.

Which is why post-amnesia Laurence is the version of himself that discovers that he loves Tharkay. In the wake of losing his memories and then regaining them he's lost and unmoored. Both of his past selves are so different and therefore so distant. They're both true but it's too jarring for him - especially in his current circumstances, much less the overall war - so Laurence becomes a new person. This is Laurence at his most vulnerable, his most unguarded, who smiles more often now because he doesn't really know that he didn't smile that much before. He has two major tethers to his personhood: Temeraire and Tharkay (I hesitate to say only tethers, simply because Laurence's life isn't that small, but repeatedly these two are the ones who have had the biggest impact on his life, who have kept him going). Obviously he loves Temeraire, he's never going to stop loving Temeraire, he just isn't capable of it, but seeing Temeraire didn't bring back his memories (I can't imagine how Temeraire must have felt, meeting a version of Laurence who had never met him). Laurence loves Temeraire in the most unconditional, selfless way - to be very Greek about it, his philia. But I think when he finally comprehends how Tharkay was the catalyst behind this radical change of his self he dives into his memories again and goes over them in excruciating detail (and he was definitely doing that already, but now he's doing it with a lens exclusively focused on Tharkay). At some point he comes to the realisation that Tharkay loves him, and that he loves him, and that he's been unconsciously shoving it down every time it's surfaced (past-Laurence was saying no homo while actively homo-ing). And with the benefit of being an new version of the same person (and also some hindsight, finally), this Laurence says, I've committed treason. My country sees me as a traitor but they still need me to serve them as a tool. I lost myself once in a war (see: "what are you doing?") that's still being fought. Time is short and there's no guarantee I won't lose my memories again, that I will still be the person I am right now. What do I have to lose?

(And on some level, this Laurence thinks, what can stop me?)

He begins giving to Tharkay what Tharkay always had given to him. His acts of devotions start small (relative to Tharkay's; transporting too many ferals is obviously a little outside of what Laurence can feasibly do). He cares for Tharkay once he wakes ("have you noticed the top of your head appears likely to come off?"), he helps him eat and drink, he massages his hands once they heal, he stays with him through the nightmares that come to haunt him. And he continues doing these little things for Tharkay, hoping that he understands (he's willing to wait, Tharkay waited for him after all, and Laurence doesn't want to push him, especially as he's healing). But I think the act that hits Tharkay like, oh, it's different this time is when Laurence bargains his freedom to Napoleon. I feel like that carries unspeakable meaning for Tharkay, who was ostracized growing up and ended up never having a "permanent" home since he travelled so much. I can't imagine that he hasn't been in a similar situation before, but he's probably always been expected to weasel his way out of it without any outside help. He's trained himself out of expecting someone to help him, to care enough about him to save him. Yet part of the man who turned to treason simply so the dragons of France wouldn't die in pain lives on in this Laurence. Pre-Temeraire Laurence is rules and post-Temeraire pre-amnesia Laurence is morals, but post-amnesia Laurence is all heart. There was never a way he was going to leave Tharkay behind.

So Tharkay starts watching him. He watches Laurence continue to devote himself to him, again and again. He brings him his coat on cold days. When it rains and their scars ache he curls around his hands and rubs lotion into them. When he goes into town he always brings Tharkay back a little gift. He starts growing vegetables in the garden and he learns how to cook non-wartime foods and how to knit (because he is a man forged by war and what does one even do during peacetime when one's dragon is busy reforming the government, anyway?) and suddenly he's providing for Tharkay like never before. He looked away for one moment and suddenly Laurence's prescence and all that he does has made the manor a home.

Yet Tharkay, for years, has told himself so many times that Laurence is off-limits, untouchable, that he can love him but that there's no chance that Laurence will love him back. The only way he can love Laurence is silently, nearly from afar, and so he tried to do that. But he can't just stand by and so every time he finds himself committing a deux ex Tharkay (see: ferals, again). He understands that there's some shit Laurence needs to learn himself (and god is this series very good about character development for Laurence) but he's not going to do nothing when the man in about to die. For him it's about caring and providing for Laurence even if he doesn't know it. He learns to content himself with the knowledge that, even if nothing comes of it, he can still be by Laurence's side.

But then the amnesia plot happens (which he only learns of after all of it goes down) and suddenly there is a half-stranger wearing the skin of the man he loves (loved, he tells himself) looking at him with those familiar blue eyes filled with a completely unfamiliar emotion. He's relieved that Laurence remembers but he's said that his Laurence is gone that he's even thinking of it like that (Tharkay has a lot of anger, both at himself and others and the world). Laurence is right in front of him, he's not gone at all, but he's gone in a way that matters. But also this new Laurence is by his side all the time. He's feeding him and helping him drink and dress and he sleeps on the floor by his bedside. Tharkay is so confused because this has to be some kind of fantasy dream he's having. He must still be in the cave (and it's believable that he is, because he returns there every night in his dreams). But he isn't and he has to struggle to come to terms with this new Laurence.

So every time Laurence does something even remotely nice he hyper-analyses it and rationalizes it to himself. He deludes himself into thinking that this is normal for Laurence now. It's normal for Laurence to fuss and hen over him now; it's normal for him to smile at him with that emotion written plainly on his face that Tharkay still hasn't (refuses) to decipher. And he does this well into post-canon.

For that reason he only gets with the program when Laurence has to leave the manor (leave home) for a long while (probably with Temeraire) and suddenly Tharkay is all alone in this huge manor. He's wearing the socks Laurence knitted for him and eating food Laurence grew and walking into rooms and seeing little parts of him scattered everywhere. There's a novel he's reading left on the table by the chair he prefers in the library. There's a cookbook in the kitchen in which he's bookmarked recipes he thinks he might like. Tharkay finds a handwritten list of things they need to buy in town left out for him. He left his pillows on Tharkay's bed because he knows he likes sleeping with a ton of pillows (and they smell like him, and Tharkay pretends he doesn't bury his face in him, that he doesn't miss him while he's gone). When Tharkay wakes up in the morning he makes two cups of tea and waits for Laurence to come in from talking with Temeraire before remembering that neither of them are here (home). He expects Laurence to appear in the evenings to ask if he wants to go on a walk through the grounds with him (and he always ends up saying yes). Tharkay learns that the manor is too big for one man who has always been a little too lonely in his life.

So until Laurence returns home he plots and plans and agonizes. After a week once Laurence has come home (and the first thing he had said to him was welcome home, and Laurence had beamed at him, and it was so unbelievably natural to say it) Tharkay begins his attempts at reciprocating. He wakes up earlier so that he can brew Laurence tea so he can take it out to sit with Temeraire. He says that he cooked some of the recipes from Laurence's cookbook and insists on making them for Laurence (he had to figure out his system of marking which recipes were Laurence's favourites). He gifts him a sturdy, functional, and beautifully crafted knife to wear around the house for daily use; he specifically makes sure the knife is up to Temeraire's standards. In fact, Tharkay talks to Temeraire about everything, and Temeraire tells him, with no minced words while completely drawing his own conclusions, that it's very nice that Tharkay is asking him for his blessing, but does he really need it at this point? Haven't they been courting long enough? He's always approved of Tharkay, because he makes Laurence happy.

That's how Tharkay realises he and Laurence have been dancing around each other like shy birds, both of them subtly showing off but not making the first move. And maybe he realises that Laurence is thinking how he used to think - that it's okay as long as he can be by his side, that he doesn't need his love reciprocated (it's a very long chain of Tharkay loving Laurence, Laurence knowing Tharkay loves him and loving him back, and Tharkay loving Laurence and knowing he knows he loves him and loves him back). And of course Tharkay wasn't going to make the first move back then, and if Laurence hasn't by now, then maybe he should borrow some of Temeraire's courage.

It's something small. The words come later, given how action-forward both Laurence and Tharkay are. They don't even need words. Maybe Tharkay takes Laurence's hand during dinner and intertwines their fingers, maybe he touches Laurence's cheek after he's braided his hair as their eyes meet in the mirror, maybe as they pack away the port and piquet he kisses him good night. Whatever it is, they look at each other and simply know. Tharkay sees Laurence slowly start to smile, a huge one that spreads across his entire face, one that he's only seen on Laurence when he thinks he's alone with Temeraire. He seems to brighten, almost radiating light.

For his part, Laurence reciprocates. He squeezes Tharkay's hand, he turns his cheek into Tharkay's touch, he pulls him in for another kiss. He watches as something seems to drop from Tharkay, something that he hadn't even known he was carrying. He becomes loose and relaxed, his body language more open as he looks at Laurence with one of his little smiles, a bit of shyness that he's never seen before evident on his face. He tells Tharkay that he's the most beautiful person he's ever seen.

[scarefox]

It is actually great being still stuck in Pit Babe mode but also having "This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans" now. It's like watching an AU fanfic 😅

[gothamite-rambler]

Walking in on your ex-boyfriend and friend during sexy times

Stephanie knocked on the front door of Dick's apartment, excited for pizza and movie night. She jumped when Tim opened the door.

Stephanie (stammering): Hey, man! I forgot you’d be here—of course you’re here, and thank goodness you're clothed! You’re always dressed when we talk, right? Right! Just passing by!

With her pointer finger raised, Stephanie confidently pushed past a bewildered Tim. Dick and Barbara observed the entire exchange, feigning interest in setting up for movie night. Meanwhile, Duke and Cass sat together on the couch, Duke holding a bowl of popcorn, his curiosity piqued as he noticed the tension beginning to build.

Stephanie (nervously avoiding Tim’s gaze): D- Richard! Barbara! Hi, everyone! It’s so great to be here with all of you! Duke, Cass, you’re here too! Look at us, all in one room and fully clothed!

Taking a seat in the lounge chair, Stephanie sat as far away from Tim as possible, still stubbornly avoiding eye contact with the embarrassed young man.

Cass (about to state the obvious): Um—

Duke (interrupting with a grin): Nah, let it play out.

Dick (confused by Stephanie's antics): Why did she call me Richard?

Barbara: It’s your name, but I think it’s linked to our blushing Robin over there.

Tim, silent as he returned to the couch, let out a moan of embarrassment that made Stephanie cringe.

Stephanie (shaking her head): If you could kindly refrain from making any moaning sounds in my vicinity from now on, that’d be great.

Tim: Stephanie, we need to talk about what happened last night.

Stephanie (nervous smile): Nope! Don’t want to think about it. My mind is actively blocking out what I saw!

Tim (exasperated): But you’ve seen me—

Stephanie (shouting): Not like that!

Barbara chuckled as she rolled into the living room with a bowl of popcorn, shooting Stephanie a knowing smile.

Barbara: Believe me, I’ve been there too.

Stephanie: No, you haven’t, because we’re not discussing it!

Tim: Not my fault you can't send someone a text first.

Huffing and crossing her arms, Stephanie finally broke her silence.

Stephanie: We're doing this? Cool. Next time, lock your bedroom door when you’re being intimate with your boyfriend!

Tim’s eyes went wide, and he covered his mouth as his face turned crimson. Dick gasped and dropped the bowl of popcorn.

Dick (shocked): Wait, you walked in on him having sex with Bernard?

Duke (clapping his hands, delighted): Bingo! There we go! I love it!

Barbara: So, are you going to clean that up, Richard?

With a groan, Dick trudged back to the kitchen for a broom and dustpan. Meanwhile, Stephanie glared at Tim, arms still crossed.

Stephanie: Well, now everyone knows! That’s what you get for being late to patrol!

Tim’s left eye twitched as he sprang to his feet and tossed a sofa pillow at Stephanie. It smacked her right in the face, causing her to growl in frustration.

Tim (defensively): It’s my apartment! You could’ve called or texted me that you were going to pick the lock and barge in!

Stephanie: I did! How was I supposed to know your phone was on silent and you’d be deep in kama sutra moves?!

Duke munched on the popcorn, reveling in the spectacle as if he were watching an episode of Maury. Cass quietly observed the exchange, equally entertained but doing her best to conceal her amusement.

Tim: You can’t shift the blame onto me! I told you I might be late; you could’ve handled the mission by yourself—it’s just the Penguin!

Stephanie: You were fifty minutes late, and it wasn’t only the Penguin! You should’ve answered your phone! Instead of playing sexy jazz that was loud enough to not hear a knock or door turn or DOOR OPENING! My virgin eyes didn’t need to see that! WHO HAS SEX WITH THE LIGHTS ON!

Tim: Oh, please! We’ve had sex before, and the lights being on with Bernard means I love sex with him because... I’m not going to lie you're not as good as Bernard!

Duke: Oooh, you gonna take that Stephanie?

Stephanie’s face flushed a deep red as she stood up, letting out a curse word she typically avoided. But in this moment, her anger boiled over.

Stephanie: Bitch! My sex was amazing! I was a goddess in the bedroom, and just to be clear, I’m not throwing shade at whatever magical moment you two were having! But you were the one who was inexperienced! Seriously, how were you struggling to find the G-spot so many times?!

Duke (instigating): Tim, you going to take that? Couldn't be me.

Cass sighed amused.

Stephanie (con't): Seriously, I did NOT need that mental picture! So when you hear a knock at your bedroom door, how about a little heads-up? Just a friendly reminder that you being in a “compromising situation” is best communicated loud and clear!

Barbara nodded knowingly as Dick scooped up the popcorn.

Dick: If you say anything, I’m dumping this popcorn on your head.

Barbara: I’m definitely thinking it, don’t worry.

Rolling his eyes, Dick returned to the kitchen.

Tim: You weren’t exactly sending smoke signals over there! I was new, you were new—basically, we were both on the same “What the heck is happening?” train! Bernard and I shouldn’t be the subjects of a courtroom drama just because you didn’t push that door open a crack and say, “Hey, we really need to wrap this up!” You didn’t have to come flying in like Kramer on a caffeine high!

Stephanie paced around the living room trying to not curse again as Tim sat back down, grumbling under his breath.

Cass: Just to chime in, I assumed she walked in on you naked or something—she told me about it, but I didn’t expect the… full details.

Tim knocked the popcorn out of chuckling Duke’s hand, but the man only laughed at the new information.

Tim (angry): You told Cass?!

Stephanie: I only said I walked in while you were unclothed! And you screamed at innocent me when it's not that ha- difficult to let it be known when you're fricking your boyfriend! Seriously, what is it with you and D- Richard and not locking doors?!

Duke laughed, picking up the popcorn scattered on his lap, while Cass shook her head with a smile. Barbara and Dick munched on the popcorn from their bowl, thoroughly entertained by the bickering former couple turned friends.

Barbara: It’s odd seeing this from an outside perspective.

Dick (grinning while eating popcorn): I know, right? We don't even need to watch a movie.

[theredengineapologist]

Most other TTTEblr users: *makes their Humanized!Thomas have a normal last name like "Awdry" or "Billinton"*

My Thomas: *attempts to make his full legal name be Thomas The Tankengine*

[almayver]

alma <3 i'm once again bursting into your ask box but your reblog on the tiny puppy phum ask made an idea bloom in me.

you said that puppy phum would also be attached to scents (fuck yes he would) especially fangs, and about him borrowing some clothes from his brother for comfort.

what if he still does it to this day? university student phum often steals some of his brother's big sweaters or even tasty cardigans when he needs a constant reminder of comfort around him.

thing is, once he meets peem and their back and forth starts, peem starts to notice that it isn't only phum's scent on him sometimes. there's another one mixed in there. he starts to recognize it as fang's once he gets to know phum's brother better.

it's an endearing little detail, the fact that fang shares his clothes with phum often enough. but once peem and phum start dating, there is this little nugget of insecurity and maybe even unreasonable jealousy because phum is still borrowing from fang, and has never really asked peem for his clothes

(this circles back to the ask about peem jealous that i sent you, it seems)

peem knows it is unreasonable, because fang is phum's brother, first of all, and a longer comfort in his life, a steadier one. but it still doesn't deter his feelings, you know? he doesn't comment about it, because he would never tell phum from where he should get his comfort.

but maybe he starts forgetting more sweaters and button-ups and jackets at phum's place. maybe he nuzzles along the collar of his own shirt sometimes, right in front of phum, to plant a non-verbal suggestion here and there.

the first time he comes to phum's and finds his boyfriend in one of peem's forgotten (not really) sweaters, peem starts purring in such an uncontrollable manner that he blushes from head to toe. phum is startled, a little confused but giggly anyway because peem tugs him and tucks him under his arm and gives him lazy, pleased little kisses and yea, he must have done something right. that's all he needs to know.

you got me rambling about clothes-sharing, alma

Cole, light of my life. YES. We should always be rambling about clothes-sharing actually. Although I fear it all comes back to omegaverse too

Imagine if Fang and Phum have a system or something to make sure Phum always has something that has Fang's smell. Something they developed since they were tiny and they keep now maybe more for force of habit than actual need but it's still a nice comfort.

Also always will love some jealous Peem of course. But I raise you something that I actually think happens in the book where the first times that he meets Fang he doesn't actually know that Phum and Fang are brothers. Cue the jealousy, and fully believing they are dating or something, but he doesn't want to feel like this because !!! Because he doesn't even like Phum as a friend why the fuck does that smell bother him so much, why would he care that he has a boyfriend that is so pretty and fancy and smart and not like Peem.

Of course once Tan reveals that Fang is his boyfriend Peem is like ???? And turns to Phum and he is just sitting there unbothered actually kind of smiling fondly and he turns to Peem and just does the confused puppy head turn. And Peem is like "wait you knew about them?" And Phum is like "duh yeah of course I know who my brother is dating"

"...your BROTHER?"

Phum, and Fang, will eventually tease him to death about it.

Also to make it sad for some reason what popped up in my head is that Phum doesn't ask for Peem's clothes or use them outside of the apartment because he is scared of seeming too clingy and needy, even though Peem's smell is what calms him the most

Or maybe he thinks that Peem wouldn't want people to notice that Phum is wearing Peem's clothes. Because insecurities and thinking he is not good enough you know?

I seriously love this hybrid au so much. Thanks for sharing it 🖤🖤