#thomas writes

[bitter-goodbyes]

Something's up with Starscream

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62255593

Starscream was loud.

It was a very well known fact about him. One of the first things anyone notices, ready. He was loud with his declarations of treachery against Megatron, he always did everything as dramatically as possible, and he was the most annoying Decepticon many had ever met.

This is why, when a couple solar cycles ago, he changed, Thundercracker was worried.

Or: Starscream and Soundwave swapped personalities due to something in Shockwave's lab!! It sucks that that isn't wide spread knowledge among those on the Nemesis...

Based on the comics by the wonderful @zorangezest

[steddieonmywaywardson]

Haunted

Here’s my first ever Stranger Things fic! It’s for @thefreakandthehair ‘s Spicy Six Fanworks Challenge and was inspired by @strangersteddierthings idea of a haunted Steve. Hope everyone enjoys! 

Steve is haunted. 

It all started back in 1983 with Barb’s death. 

He hasn’t used the pool since that fateful night. He’d glanced out of the window back then, when he’d been upstairs with Nancy, to see Barb sitting out there all alone. He remembers closing the curtains on her and not giving her a second thought.

 If only he had. 

Since his parents are never home these days, the pool has been sitting unused until the water has mostly evaporated. The tiles are cracked and there’s a layer of green scum sitting on the bottom of it. The ugly brown water stains around the sides look like weeping wounds. If his parents had taken the time to go out into the backyard and check on it, they would’ve had it fixed. 

Steve kind of likes the way it looks. Something even uglier happened to Barb there. He sees her at the pool all the time even though he never goes down there. He sees her face from the window. Smiling at her latest report card, shaking her head fondly at him, shyly trying not to stare at that kid from the school band she had a crush on, or teasing Nancy. All of those Barbs are down there and Steve thinks that’s where she’ll be forever. 

There’s no relief for him in the house. It’s haunted by a different type of memory entirely. Everywhere he goes he sees his parents. His father adjusting one of his silk ties in the mirror above the fireplace, his mother’s expensive heels clacking on the polished parquet flooring. He smells his Dad’s cologne in the bathroom, his Mom’s face cream in their bedroom. They’re here, they’re always here and yet they’re never here.

Chicago. New York. Paris. Italy. Japan. He loses track. 

People expect him to hate his parents. To resent how much they’ve been away. But he doesn’t. Not all of the ghosts are bad. No, there are different ghosts that float around the Harrington house. Sometimes a smell or a sound will bring them back. Sometimes unexpectedly. 

Dustin chews on a peppermint when Steve hosts Hellfire. It’s Christmas and Steve’s Dad is dressed in a full Santa outfit although the graying beard hangs loose. He’s giving a hearty ‘ho-ho-ho’ as he hands over a sackfull of toys while his grandmother’s candy cane cookies bake in the oven and his Mom hums her favorite Christmas Carols. 

Eleven’s party poppers to celebrate her birthday.  They’re his party poppers as his Mom arranges paper plates printed with dinosaurs on the massive dining room table. His father wobbles on a ladder as he hangs balloons and streamers. His grandfather picks him up so he can touch the ceiling and pretend he’s flying like Peter Pan. 

Sometimes, Steve haunts himself. When he applies for the job at Family Video or goes to the library to sneak a look at college brochures. He looks up and sees King Steve staring at him in his reflection. Sneering at him. Perfect King Steve in his preppy polo shirts and immaculately ironed chinos. Not a single hair out of place. Underneath those clothes Steve knows his body is perfect too. No scars or blemishes. He doesn’t have to hide in sweaters or layers. 

He looks away when King Steve starts to laugh at him. 

Steve grabs his jacket, suddenly unable to bear being in the house alone any longer. His ghosts try to follow him but he slams the front door on them all. He hurries down the path and out into the street. Shoving his hands deep into the pockets of the thin jacket he strides down the streets. 

For a while, as usual, he feels safe. They can’t get to him here. Not Barb. Not his parents. Not even King Steve who only ever shows up, ironically, in reflections. 

Maybe the ghosts can’t get him. But the demon can. 

Because even in the darkened streets of Hawkins, he’s haunted. And it’s the worst of them all. He would take all of his ghosts combined forever if it could vanish the demon. 

Eddie Munson.

He’s everywhere. His voice. His image. The smell of his body odor as he’s forced to hide from the people who want him dead. He walks beside Steve, but this isn’t the carefree theatrical Eddie who stands on cafeteria tables. 

This Eddie is haunted too.

His Hellfire t-shirt is stained, saturated with the sickly reddish-brown of his spilt blood. Through the tears in his jeans, he can see open wounds. The demon smiles and a cut across his cheek splits open, fresh blood spilling over into his mouth. He grimaces and Steve can smell the acrid stench of vomit. 

Steve runs.

And runs.

 He doesn’t know where he’s going until he almost goes over the edge. He skids in the mud, realizing he’s standing atop the large hill that overlooks the Hawkins Salvage Yard. His heart is pounding wildly in his chest and his limbs feel shaky as he tries to level out his breathing. 

He’s not sure exactly how long he stays there. But it’s long enough that the sun starts to rise. It casts a soothing glow over the piles of discarded cars. The sky lights up with soft pinks and oranges. 

“Huh. I don’t think I knew this part of town existed. It’s beautiful.”

Steve turns around and he’s there. Not King Steve. Not the demon Eddie. The real one. He’s wrapped up in a leather jacket against the early morning breeze. He smiles at Steve and it’s just like the sunrise. It stretches the pink scar across his cheek. 

“Bad night?” Eddie continues as he stands beside Steve and admires the lit up salvage yard below them. 

“Something like that,” Steve answers. He doesn’t talk about the hauntings. Everyone he knows, Eddie included, has their own ghosts to deal with. 

“Yeah, I know about that,” is Eddie’s quiet reply. Steve feels a motion to his left, he looks down and Eddie’s hand is reaching out. He’s wearing all of his favorite silver rings and his black nail polish is chipped. 

Steve takes his hand and the two of them watch the sunrise together. 

[windybluebelles]

Yknow when you meet someone who has the same accent/speech patterns as you in a place where you weren’t expecting them to, and you both start just repeating eachother and getting gradually more excited?

Yeah, I need that with Steph, Jason and Duke, kids who grew up in lower class Gotham where there is very distinctive accents between upper class people and people who grew up in the Narrows or Park row. Just, imagine:

Jason, walking into the Batcave: Ayup.

Dick: Hiya!

Tim: hi

Bruce: Hm

Damian: Hello.

Steph: Ayup!

Jason:

Steph: *not paying attention*

Jason: 😧

Jason: Ayup?

Steph: *snapping head up* Ayup?????

Jason: *excitement* Ayup Stephanie!

Steph: AYUP JASON!

Jason: AYYYYYYYYYUP

Duke: *entering the cave* Ayup gang

Steph: 😮🫣

Jason: 😧🥳

Steph: AYUP DUKE

Jason: AYUP LAD AYUP

Duke: *confusion, surprise, joy* …Ayup?

S + J: AYUP

Duke: AYUP

just repeating till their all stood in a circle muttering.

Everyone else is just staring in concern

[mournfulroses]

Dylan Thomas, from a letter featured in The Selected Letters of Dylan Thomas

[mx-pastelwriting]

Saving My Fanfiction Work

First. Side note: This post was only intended to give resources to fanfiction writers and enjoyers. My talk on recent political events was a context/reasoning on why I made this post. Also I’ve had to add more information to this post over time due to people’s confusion in my comments. Explaining it was to make sure that this post didn’t come off as out of the blue for my followers and this community. Which is fanfiction.

Also, why I made this post was from people asking if they could download my fanfiction because of the recent political events in America hence why I named it “saving my fanfiction work” and added my context. So this was also a post to tell people that liked my fanfiction they could download it as long as it was for their personal collection. I merely just wanted to list resources to people who wanted to download fanfiction and don’t know where to start or don’t have the immediate resources. I’m not here to fear-monger. I am just giving resources and the reasoning on why I’m giving them along with urging people to look into those information/recent events as staying aware is important. I respect everybody who’s given their opinion and yes, some of my grammar in this post is not adequate as this post was merely made for giving/stating resources.

Lastly, I will no longer update this post with comments as I’ve said my peace, nor will I pay attention to the notifications as they are muted. As my page is for fanfiction not politics. Thank you for the people in this community who share this post for the resources see you around the tags! Stay safe friends!!✨ Remember I love you! And you are loved!💛

-

Due to the recent events in the United States. To clarify the recent events being Trump becoming president of the United States, Project 2025 more than likely going to be integrated. If you are not familiar with Project 2025 I urge you to look it up.

Along with the KOSA bill that has many problems and it has passed the senate now needing the finally vote in the house, which both are majority red. Go here to learn more on why it needs to be stopped and how you can. This is another component that will harm our communities. Go to: stopkosa.com

With all of its harmful plans some of the plans are to take down/restrict internet sites that have LGBTQ+ communities that means communities like the fan-fiction communities/sites in the United States.

I am only giving resources to those inside and out of the US in case they banned sites that hold fan-fiction. Better safe than sorry.

Being that I live in the US the possibly of mine and many others Fanfiction has the possibly of being in danger. Therefore I'm giving you recourses. (I'm not leaving or stopping my writing, I'm here for the fight!)

For those wanting to save my fanfiction, I give you permission to download them off of AO3 and to be used for your personal collection. Meaning, your eyes only. To clarify I’m saying this as others have asked if they could download my fanfic so for those who would like to you can.

If you do not know how to download them many others on online have tutorials on how to download them and add them to our phone libraries.

Here are some links to tutorials:

Downloading Fanfic

Adding to Iphone & Android Library

Adding to Kindle Library - Video on How (On TikTok)

Adding Book Covers (At the bottom) - Good EPUB Cover Changer (I use this)

Types of Files and What they mean

Please stay safe out there! Remember to follow the rules below.

DO NOT share the downloaded file anywhere online.

DO NOT repost the downloaded file under your name.

Fanfiction is protected under copyright law when plagiarism is involved. If you plagiarize my work, either a piece or whole in any language, I will take legal action. Inspiration or the same idea does NOT apply to this, only word-for-word plagiarism in any language.

♥ mx-pastelwriting does not consent to their fanfiction being copied, copied & credited, translated, used in videos and/or audios, screenshotted, used in AI, or reposted on any other platform without permission.

♥ mx-pastelwriting does give consent to "reblog," sharing links to direct work, and being in recommend lists.

Please stay safe out there friends! I love you so much! Know that there will always people that love you and in for the fight to make sure you are loved!

And here are some resources in case you don’t feel okay! Resources here

[frownyalfred]

Batfamily fics where Martha and Thomas come back from the dead and have the uncomfortable realization that while they’re technically part of Bruce’s family, they’re not a part of the Batfamily, and that that distinction is critical despite appearing otherwise…and that Alfred is part of both but they aren’t…I eat that kind of fic up with a spoon.

[bats-and-the-birds]

The Batkids on being mistaken as Bruce's biological children.

Look, the Batkids have all been forced into various social gatherings, and enough of them share vague features with Bruce that some of the older members among Gotham's old money, or the younger ones that are out of the loop, sometimes mix up the facts.

Dick gets it from the very beginning. Old women pinch his cheeks, still tan from a life outside of Gotham's gloom, and tell him, Such a sweet little boy, and just like your father at your age. His hair used to stick up just like yours. Dick didn't like it at all. He bit the first person that told him he had Bruce's eyes, and stomped on the foot of an old politician that told him, With your father's height, I thought you'd be taller by now.

He laughs it off as an adult, but sometimes, it still eats at him. People still tell him that they thought he'd eventually be as tall as Bruce, or that he should be thankful for his inherited jaw line. It's not the comparison to Bruce that bothers him anymore, or even being mistaken as his son, but rather, the fact that he sometimes struggles to remember exactly where his features actually came from; parental faces turning fuzzy in his distant memory.

Jason thinks it's funny, the first time it happens. Mostly because it's his nose of all things. Your nose is bent, grumbled the old man sitting across from him at the gala, Just like your father's. Tough luck on the genetics. The man didn't realize the bent noses were because they'd both been broken in the past. Jason spent days after studying Bruce's face, trying to figure out if their noses really bent in the same way, and eventually came to the conclusion that, yeah, they really did. From that point on, each time either of them broke their nose, Jason would distantly think, Ah, damn, there goes the family resemblance.

As an adult, Jason takes care to make sure people don't often seen his face. The hood does a pretty good job of that. Besides, he doesn't move in circles where the mistake could be made anymore. Still, sometimes he looks in the mirror at the bump in his nose and thinks, Family resemblance. Yeah, right.

It happens less with Tim. Anyone that made the mistake with Jason and Dick also remembered Jack and Janet Drake. It's not until he's almost an adult that a new hire at Wayne Industries, some kid from out of town, sees him and Bruce in the office together and remarks, Oh, you two furrow your eyebrows in the same way when you think. My mom says that my dad and I do that too. We inherited it from my grandpa. Tim feels unsettled all day and makes a conscious effort to not to furrow his eyebrows anymore.

There's no mistake to make with Damian. At least, not the same one that can be made with the others. He's the blood son, and he's a perfect mix between Bruce and Talia. Of course, there's the well-meaning, if confused, adults that assume he's adopted like the others. He corrects them, swiftly, and sometimes aggressively.

There is one incident. It happens while Bruce is gone, after he's been staying with Grayson for a few months. He knew, of course, that people thought that Grayson looked like Bruce. He could even see the similarities. Superficially, of course. However, he never considered that Grayson looking like his father also meant that Grayson looked like him. Not until an old woman leaned over to him at a gala and said, You look just like your father when Mister Wayne first brought him out to these things. The hair, that disgruntled little frown. He hated these parties too. Couldn't ever sit still. Gosh, I really can't believe it's been long enough that he has a child of his own. It took Damian a while to realize what happened, and even then, he couldn't bring himself to tell her that he wasn't actually Grayson's son, or that he and Grayson weren't actually that far apart in age. He felt strangely guilty the rest of the night, and he never dared to tell Grayson about it.

It happened to Steph exactly once. Really, she doesn't look like Bruce at all. It was a man with exceptionally thick glasses, who actually told her that she reminded him of Martha Wayne. She's pretty sure he was just trying to be nice. She tries to forget about it. She never tells Bruce.

You have his eyes, is what Duke gets. Which confuses him, because, uh, no, he doesn't. Not even close like Dick's. He says as much to the woman that said it to him, and she squints her eyes at him and responds, No, you definitely do. Not in the shape or the color, but you look at things the same way he does. Duke thinks about that sometimes, and he swings back and forth between being annoyed and weirdly proud that he apparently looked at the world like Batman did.

People tell Cass that she has his smile. She beams with pride at that. After all, she learned it from him. She studied, closely, the way his mouth ticked up at the corners, both while he stretched the dazzling, fake smile across his face for the public, and the genuine, gentle smiles that he gave her while he helped tie her hair back or slip on her mask, and now she could replicate them both perfectly. She didn't like the fake one, but she knew it was necessary.

[shyjusticewarrior]

Cass: *recording*

Steph, holding microphone: Who do you prefer Bruce be with, Selina or Talia?

Dick: Selina.

Jason: They're both too good for him.

Tim: Selina has threatened to kick my ass, but the guys Talia raised have kicked my ass. Selina also brings Bruce more work-life balance.

Tim: Mostly I just want Bruce to stay out of my love life.

Steph: Real.

Duke: Jefferson Pierce, so he'll stay away from my mom.

Dick: We can do that? In that case, Clark.

Steph: What about you, Damian?

Damian: Tt. Either way he'll be obnoxious.

Jason: Damian knows what's up.

[callmeizukunotdeku]

Bruce comes back from the dead and wants to make things better. Bruce comes back from the dead and Tim was the one who brought him back, so it's obviously Tim who'll know best how to help him reconnect with everyone.

It's Tim who should give him advice on how to bond with Dick. Dick has always been his idol, after all. Tim would know best how to bring him back, and he does. He gives good advice and the two of them begin to get closer.

So Bruce asks about Jason, too. Asks about how to bring his son back into the fold and Tim wished for a brief and brutal moment that it weren't so obvious who the favorite was.

Tim told Bruce to give Jason his space, to loosen his rules, and make it clear that no matter what the Red Hood did, no matter what the Batman believed in, Jason was always welcome. Bruce would always want him.

It worked. Bruce wasn't surprised. Tim was a special sort of bitter.

Bruce asked again for Damian and Tim had to push down his anger. "That boy tried to kill me," Tim wanted to say. "I hate him and I want you to hate him too so that I can remember a time when we had something in common," Tim didn't say, but he got close.

He instead told Bruce how Damian liked art and animals and loved hearing stories of the wonders of Batman.

He told Bruce just how much Damian loved being Robin. Told Bruce to tell Damian what a good Robin he was.

God bless or maybe damn him, but he did and it worked and Tim wanted to start screaming and clawing at something because that would have never worked if Tim tried it and it wouldn't have stopped Damian from cutting his line--something Bruce did not and would never know about.

Bruce asked about Babs. How should he make sure she knew that she was a part of the family? That they loved her and not just for the work she did?

He asked about Steph. How should he make sure she knew that she was more important than his rules and that, if something else should go wrong, she didn't need to run away?

He asked about Duke. He never got the chance to get to know him before leaving--not as well as he wanted to, at least. How should he let him know that he was just as much a son as everyone else? That, whether or not his parents woke up, he'd always be welcome?

He asked about Cass. How should he show her that he loves her even though he has nothing to teach her? How can he convey how much he cares about her, his first daughter?

Bruce gets brought back from time and he makes things better. He brings his family back together by following Tim's advice.

And Tim?

Tim brings his dad back from the dead and Bruce changes, becomes a better father.

Bruce changes, but not everything can.

That, Tim thinks, is why Bruce never calls Tim his son.

[bitter-goodbyes]

What’s Going on with Soundwave???

https://archiveofourown.org/works/ 62280430

If there was one thing Rumble loved to do, it was to cause chaos wherever he could with Frenzy. It was always a good time, making Grounder’s fall over anything and everything, smudging the polish on particularly vain Seekers, randomly attacking anyone in the vicinity. And the best part? Soundwave basically always lets them get away with anything. Well, truthfully, it was more of most every Decepticon being at least mildly scared of him that let them do whatever with no consequences. The only mech they couldn’t go after was Megatron himself!

It was even better when Soundwave decided to lie to others about their pranks, because no one would ever think Soundwave was lying. He never joined in directly, though, too dedicated to being the sole reason this faction ran so smoothly.

All of this to say, when Soundwave started acting off, he had a front row seat to all of it.

Or: Starscream and Soundwave swapped personalities due to something in Shockwave's lab!! It sucks that that isn't wide spread knowledge among those on the Nemesis... now with 100% more Soundwave!!!

Once again based on the lovely comics by @zorangezest !!!! Please check them out!!!! :D

[thehopefulquotes]

Someone you haven’t even met yet is wondering what it’d be like to know someone like you.

Iain Thomas

[bonefanatic]

"Careful", you snag the boy's shirt before he can step into the road. The boy's head snaps away from his phone and towards you.

He looks pissed but you watch his face shift into a blank sort of stare.

"Sorry-", you release the grip on his shirt, shifting the carrier on your hip, "you should pay more attention when you're this close to the road."

You offer him a weak smile and he blinks up at you, then turns and scurries across the road, focused back onto his phone. Sighing, you adjust baby carrier and begin walking again.

The walk isn't a horrible one, ten minutes is nothing on the half hour walk it takes you to get to work. It's just a little more difficult with a awkward sized baby carrier.

Typically you'd take the train, but you need to get to the grocery store before it gets dark. The air is already chilly but the forecast calls for snow and the baby doesn't need that.

-

The store is a little warmer when you step inside and you even manage to snag a buggy.

The store is relatively quiet and you find what you need to...except for the box of baby rice towards the back on a shelf you can't reach.

You groan softly, glancing at the snoozing babe. She loves those...

You stand on your very tiptoes, grabbing at air. Then, a hand reaches up and grabs them. You turn, about to ask them for the box, when the man passes the box to you.

"Here, you looked like you needed help." He holds the box out with one hand, running his fingers through his black hair with the other.

You blink curiously at him, then take the box.

"Thank you so much, hon." You grin, placing the item in your cart and hurrying to check out.

-

The walk is still cold, despite the sun barely starting to set. You shiver, somehow managing to carry the groceries and the baby carrier at the same time.

About half a mile from your apartment, you bump into a chest. Dropping a few bags and praying the eggs aren't in them.

"Sorry about that", a masculine voice mumbles above you. You tilt your head up to meet the eyes of a boy a little younger than the one who helped you before. He tilts his head, a tuft of white hair hanging in his eyes.

"Would you like some help?" He starts grabbing the dropped bags before you can answer. He makes a gesture for you to lead the way.

"I'm Jason, by the way. We live in the same complex."

You swear you've never seen him before, but maybe that's just you.

-

That night, groceries put away and a baby snuggled happily against your chest, you lay in bed.

Oblivious to several pairs of eyes watching you and the bickering from the rooftops above.

"Ummi spoke to me today, with the baby!" Damian speaks.

"Yeah, well I helped ma with her groceries!" Jason gives him a playful shove.

"Well, the baby smiled at me!" Dick jabs a thumb at his chest triumphantly.

"All of you hush!" Tim speaks up, crouched next to Duke, eyes focused on a familiar window.

Bruce looms nearby, caught up his daydream where he's the sweater wrapped so tightly around you. Someday.

Someday sooner than you think.

[bruciemilf]

Normal regular people should slowly plant themselves into the Wayne clan.

There’s this busboy that works with uncle TJ. Dick learns his name is Mikey when he stops by the restaurant. He hasn’t been since Bruce took him when he was 10.

the Bat has no idea the prodigal son returned to the nest. So Mikey’s suddenly babysitting a strange vigilante with the horsepower of 4 drunk girls in an Uber.

“It’s just so fucking frustrating because I WANT to be here but he doesn’t TELL me he wants me here! I want him to want me! I want him to say ‘hey, by the way, you’re my son, you’re always welcome here, I know you get lonely!’ But he doesn’t! He doesn’t! I miss Jason. This sandwich is so good. Thanks cousin.”

Mikey, who’s been working there for about a week, stares at the 300 dollar tip for a straight 30 minutes, wondering who Jason is.

From then on, the flock multiplies.

POV you’re cousin Mikey and Red Hood just walks in while you’re closing, covered in blood, and Spoiler’s leg is broken but she really wants a meatball sub, Signal asks why they upped the prices on the pizza, Orphan stares and nods her head and oh my god that’s an 8 year old with a sword:

[geeky-nightphilosopher]

Okay, but Bruce Wayne knows the handwriting of everyone he cares about. From Alfred and Babs curls to Damian's neat and carefully printed letters. Bruce also knows that all of his kids have learned to forge their siblings' (and his) handwriting. To the point where it's pure perfection. (He would frown, but he's very impressed they all know each other's handwriting and how much pressure they use.)

HOWEVER, I raise you all;

Anytime the Bats are in a particular mood, they forge a siblings' handwriting. It started with Jason and Dick, after Jason broke a few windows and made apology letter 'written,' by Dick. And Bruce bought it- but Dick was confused when he saw it because he wasn't there.

And then it spirals from there.

Now, the Bat's can forge anybody handwriting. Any of them. From Clark Kent's to Lex Luthor. It get's so ridiculous that they start having competitions at a team's respective base, leaving notes in the leaders' handwriting.

'Oh, Jason wants ice cream? Okay.'

Except Jason hasn't seen the Outlaws for two months because he's dealing with a drug bust.

'Tim wants mint tea today? Odd. But okay.'

Tim immediately spits out the tea asking why he would get the monstrosity.

The best is when Dick gaslights the JL with posts- its. It's Bruce's handwriting on the fridge and on notes. The team thinks he's talking to himself.

And Bruce? He's just very tired of it.

[gothamite-rambler]

Duke meeting Talia for the first time

Duke (in his Signal suit): Whoa! You're Talia?!

Talia (stepping out of the shadows, her jade eyes striking in the dim light): You know my name? That’s good.

Duke: Daaaaamn! You are hot!

Bruce burst into laughter, catching everyone off guard. Talia’s eyes widened as her usual frigid demeanor shifted to one of surprise.

Talia: What?

Duke: I’m sorry, it’s just—respectfully—you’re stunning! You were with Bruce? No way! Where’s your mother? There’s no way someone as gorgeous and young as you could be with him. Your mom must’ve done the dirty tango with that guy!

Ra's (raising an eyebrow, clenched jaw): The dirty tango?

Talia (placing a hand on her flawless cheek): I… um, I’m Damian’s mother, and yes, I was with Bruce. I haven’t been complimented like that since him.

Bruce laughed even harder, much to Ra's annoyance and Talia's irritation.

Duke: Ignore him. You could be a model or actress; you’ve got that commanding aura that could shoot a diplomat down.

Talia (flattered and grinning): I have shot down a diplomat. Thank you! Damian, your brother-friend is so sweet.

Damian walked over to Duke, glaring at his brother and teammate. His brows were furrowed as he tapped his foot angrily.

Duke: What? I’ve never seen her up close before! The way you all described her, I thought she’d be an old crone or something like her father.

Ra's (enraged): I’m not a real demon! Just get out and don’t spray me with that water bottle!

Duke (walking away, shaking his head): I can't with this man.

Damian grumbled, crossing his arms as his mother hugged him.

Talia: Calm down, Dami.

[mournfulroses]

Dylan Thomas, from a letter featured in "The Selected Letters of Dylan Thomas,"