#villain found family

[helpmeimblorboing]

Terrifying terror cult ? Well, yes, but also immensely awkward found family. Also everyone is sure that the leaders are fucking, but no one’s quite sure which pairing it is, or if it’s all three of them. At once

The sheer amount of possessiveness between the three of them is enough to offset the Earth’s rotation, which certainly doesn’t help matters

Their adorably murderous daughter - and also technically lieutenant - has walked in on them fucking at least three times. She refuses to specify who was fucking who

[beybuniki]

happy bday, tomura :)

[cremateyourlife]

"All For One, give Shigaraki back. His friends are waiting for him"

[gradelstuff]

"Thank you for your hard work" illustration from My Hero Academia animator Anna Yamaguchi.

[diamondzart]

I needed to calm myself down. Drew my boys again. As always, my favorite type of sketches with them: Nefario holding the little rabid gremlin above the ground 😆

[flamingpudding]

Fictober23 Prompt: 27 - "I don't know if they will accept this."

Fandom: DPxDC

Rating: T

Warnings: -

A/N: Started writing this yesterday and finished it during lunch break today. So I decided to take a break tomorrow and post this early :D

Danny nervously poked his scrambled eggs as he sunk just a little lower in his chair. His eyes flicked back and forth between all of his new siblings that were currently in a heated discussion not noticing his slow withdrawal from the discussion and acting like he really didn't want to get noticed by them.

"Have you seen Mister Freeze's new sidekick? The white haired one that's probably a Meta with ice powers?"

"You mean Wraith?"

"Wait, I thought the kid was Ivy's sidekick? He helped blow up a facility last week!"

"No, no, no, no! Isn't he with Scarecrow?! I am sure he accidentally screwed up with the Fear Gas ten days ago so no one go harmed! But Scarecrow screamed at him that being new to the job wasn't an excuse."

"Didn't he help Catwoman steal two artifacts a couple days ago? One of them wasn't cat themed though I am pretty sure he was with her that time…"

"Wasn't he also the kid that was with Joker the last time he broke out? You know the white haired kid that was forced to assist him and tripped him right into his own trap and made the whole arrest a lot easier and quicker than usually?"

"It's like the kid switches who's sidekick he is every week…"

"Maybe he is interning with villains before breaking off to do his own thing? We better keep an eye on him."

Danny sank just a little bit lower in his chair and avoided looking at Alfred. Of course Danny knew about his new family's night time jobs, well day time in Duke's case, but when they had asked him if he wanted to take part in it he had declined. They didn't know about his second form, they only thought of him as a Meta with ghost powers that just escaped a horrible situation and now wanted a quiet and somewhat normal life. So they had accepted his decline in going into hero work, especially Alfred and Bruce appeared to be most relieved and happy about that decision at first.

But what Danny hadn't told them was that he might have declined going back into hero work, that didn't mean he would stay completely out of that side of his new family's life. The half ghost hadn't planned on it but it had all started with him accidentally coming across Poison Ivy. She reminded him of Sam in her values, so before his brain was able to catch up Danny asked if she wanted help blowing a facility that was pumping toxic waste into the water. Years of helping Sam with organizing activist protests did that to his brain.

One thing led to another and somehow Danny found himself more often than he liked in his phantom form acting as a sidekick or assistant to the rogues this family was fighting. In a way Danny felt like he was now more of an anti-hero than a hero, still fulfilling his obsession of protecting by finding creative ways to foil the rogues' plans if they get too dangerous or murderous but not really doing the whole righteous hero stick either.

Plus by working with Mister Freeze and Scarecrow at times he also gets to fully live out the mad scientist side of his brain. With them especially he gets to create whatever his weird wired brain could come up with, though, he did 'accidentally' leave behind USBs or papers with his inventions for Tim to find at the crime scenes.

What his new brother did with them was none of his business. If the Bats and Birds suddenly had new equipment in their arsenal that looked eerily similar to his inventions than that was that.

The problem was… his new family probably wouldn't like or accept that kind of turn of events. They were righteous and defenders of justice with moral codes and standards, Danny wasn't sure he could fulfill at the moment. Watching his new siblings arguing back and forth about Wraith, his new anti-hero alias Selina, Harley and Ivy had come up with, made his stomach sink every morning. In fact Danny was getting more and more scared with the passing days that his new family would kick him out the moment they learned about it just like his former parents had done.

He wished he had Jazz's contact to talk this over with her, but because of his situation Bruce found it better to wait a little longer before he could safely reach out to her. Maybe he could ask if Harley could talk with him instead.

A cup of tea was placed before him and Danny's head snapped up (when had he started to look down?) to find Alfred smiling calmly at him. "Master Daniel, I believe a nice cup of tea will help calm down your nerves."

"Thanks." Danny mumbled his hands cupping the cup and letting the warmth of it seep over his hands into his arms to comfort his nerves. He took a sip, eyes going wide for a moment before he looked over to Alfred who was currently taking away Tim's third cup of unfinished coffee while the other was distracted with the ongoing discussion. The old man gave him a knowing smile and Danny couldn't help the small grateful one that formed on its own, though he also couldn't help the slight feeling that Alfred knew what was frazzling Danny's nerves so much.

"Jason, maybe you can get into contact with Wraith?"

"Why the fuck should I?"

"You have a different reputation than us as Red Hood. He might be more willing to talk with you, to figure out his motives and such."

Danny choked on his tea, hurriedly placing the cup back on the table before pounding his own chest in a desperate attempt to get any tea that went down the airpipe out.

"Danny! Are you okay?" Dick was instantly on him, worried older brother vibes and all that.

He wheezed before breathing in relief once he stopped coughing, giving the oldest a barely hearable "I'm fine."

"<tt> Try not to die stupidly like this, Fenton." Damian clicked his tongue and Danny gave him a toothy grin.

"I am already half dead." He heard Jason snort. While the family thought Danny was just a Meta with ghost-like powers. Danny had explained his accident to them and how he died and revived with powers through it when they asked him why he was insisting through jokes that he was half dead. Jason and Dick were the only ones who really enjoyed his death related jokes and puns, the others were more worried about his mental state.

"Leave the death jokes to Todd, Fenton."

"Oh come on, don't ghost me like that! My jokes are just as much to die for then his are!"

"Fenton."

Danny just laughed, while the previous discussion made him fear for the future, he still loved the family he had gotten added into by sheer luck. He had come to quickly love them all and felt like his own weirdness fit perfectly into theirs. It truly made him hope that he could stay with them for a long time and maybe even add Jazz into the picture as well once his whole situation was more secured and Bruce would allow him to contact her and his friends.

Later that day Danny was in the library reading a book on Molecular Structure of the human biology and how it can mutate depending on external influence, as a preparation for his next endeavor as Wraith with Killer Croc, when he felt tapping on his shoulder.

Turning his head slightly Danny startled finding Cassandra in his personal space sitting next to him with a mirthful smile. She gave him a small wave as a greeting before sitting back a little, apparently satisfied with the fact that she sort of scared him there a little.

"Hey Cass." He smiled, putting one of the many bookmarks, Jason had distributed and stored away everywhere in an effort to stop his siblings from creating dog ears in books, on the page he was on before closing the book in his hands.

"You worry too much, relax." She signed with a reassuring smile once Danny had turned his full attention on her. Confused, the half ghost on the other hand tilted his head, puzzled about what Cass was going on about. He did feel rather relaxed right now.

"You being Wraith." Wide eyed Danny hurried to cover Cassandra's hands, like one would cover another's mouth if they blurred out a secret. His eyes hurriedly darted around in their surroundings but aside from the shelves filled with books Danny couldn't see nor sense anyone that might listen in on them.

Cass was shaking in silent laughter as Danny nervously turned back to look at her. "How…"

Slowly she freed her hands from his and patted them comfortingly before beginning to sign again, smiling knowingly. "I saw. Your body language is the same."

"I…" How was he going to explain this? He had gotten found out, was Cass going to tell him to leave now? Was this the end of his new found family life? It came sooner than he anticipated. Blankly he stared at his hands that uselessly lay in his lap on the book cover, one hand slowly moving to nervously trace unseen patterns on the books spine.

Danny did not see how Cass frowned at that action, all mirth gone from her smiles. She did not like her brother was drawing into himself, doubt and fear started to radiate from his body language and Cassander didn't like that even more. She moved a little closer, so that she would have an easier time to reach Danny and poked his cheek mercilessly until her little brother looked back up at her.

"No need to explain." She actually spoke instead of sign just to show Danny how serious she was. "It's fine. Funny even. Like Selina."

"But…" A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed, trying to find the right words. Cass waited patiently for him. "Mom and Dad… my former parents… they didn't accept me as a ghost hero…"

Cassandra nodded but didn't sign nor say anything, seeing that there was more her newest little brother wanted to say but still trying to find the right words for. It was something she could relate to. Unable to find the right words, hadn't she been through that before too. She lay a comforting hand down on Danny's shoulder, once more waiting patiently.

"I… I don't know if they will accept this… this turn of events. Especially in this family. You all are taking the Hero route and I…" Danny swallowed once more. "I can stop, I can change. I just don't… I don't want to lose another family…"

Before Danny knew what was happening he was enveloped in a warm hug, he blinked several times before realizing that Cass was hugging him tightly. He was held like this for a while before she drew back from him, poking him once more to make him look at her once more.

"No need. Don't stop." She spoke her voice, soft and smoothing while smiling at him brightly.

"But…" She shook her head, silencing whatever Danny wanted to say before giving him a mischievous smile, her hands letting go of his shoulder so sign her next words. "You are not hurting anyone, you keep them from killing, from being too dangerous to civilians, not really breaking any big laws. You help us in your own law breaking way. Like Jason does."

"I am not as good as him…" Danny mumbled still unsure but Cass only smiled fondly ruffling her little brother's hair.

"You started to smile more since you became Wraith." She flat out told him, causing Danny to look up at her stunned and she laughed silently. "Keep going. If you go too far, I will be there to pull you back."

"You're like Jazz…" Danny mumbled, finally with a little smile on his face and Cass returned it with a satisfying one of her own before pulling him in for another hug, he returned this time.

That night, Orphan watched happily how her little brother laughed carefree and freer than he had in a month sitting on Killer Croc shoulders, testing out his newest invention while the rogue was trying to get him off, unsuccessfully so far. Her other brothers surrounded the two and tried to figure out what was going on since Wraith was supposed to be their rogues gallery sidekick and not challenge them like that.

She laughed even when suddenly out of nowhere a USB-Stick hit Red Robin in the face. Obviously she had caught Wraith flinging it in his direction, but she was not about to tell them that. Orphan would let them figure that out on their own, meanwhile she was going to enjoy watching her newest little brother smile and laugh while being the chaos gremlin she had seen in him from day one as he was messing with the rogues as well as vigilantes / heroes of Gotham.

[bythepen98]

Doodles || Hawks

Loosely based on "A Gilded Cage is Still a Cage" by @cuspidgoddess (great work! I enjoyed it)

[Long; tldr at the bottom] Thoughts while I drew this, and disclaimer: I'm no author, just someone who can't shut up sometimes when inspired

Family LoV and complicated relationship with the HPSC. Not quite bashing like in the fic, but still shady and contributed to Keigo's lack of self-worth and tendency to keep a tight leash on his more mutant instincts until Tokoyami and the league encouraged him out of it.

Dabi spoils him and calls him pretty bird. At this point, it's a dabihawks headcanon that I'm sticking to.

searched google: "do hawks mate for life?" Answer: if conditions allow, then yes. OKAY THEN. Noted

It's hard to say what the future will hold what with Keigo's life being a complete mess, but he's willing to latch on to Dabi for as long as he's allowed to. Forever, preferably. If the way he melts into putty under Dabi's hands instead of flinching away from it is any indication. Tokoyami being the first person he allowed himself giving physical affection to and that was more of a paternal connection than the fluttery feeling he gets whenever he thinks of Dabi's blue, blue eyes.

Been enchanted with him since the early days when they've first met and Dabi finally looked at him with a less wary/hostile gaze. When the moonlight glinted onto his staples just right (blame his bird fueled fascination with shiny things), and the low, albeit sarcastic croon of acknowledgement from the man, he was completely gone. The chirp -with a pathetically pinning lilt to it- that rose out of him in response was embarrassing but worth it when it made Dabi chuckle.

He'd totally understand if Dabi woke up one day and decided he was more trouble than it was worth though. No, really. He'd probably cry and hopefully not pluck too many of his feathers again out of stress but he'll live. He's made of sterner stuff, been trained to handle sterner stuff. It's fine.

His handlers have always commented on how troublesome he was when they thought he couldn't hear him. The league told him they were lying though, that he was perfect just as he is and, obvious and ironic circumstances aside, made a great hero, but surely there was a kernel of truth to it? Not all of it could be lies.

Someday, he doesn't know when, but someday for sure, the growing affection he can see in Dabi's eyes will fade away and would be laced with annoyance the way some of the few, nicer handlers had during his brief time with them training pre-debut. It's inevitable.

Maybe Dabi would get annoyed with his constant chirping, trills and whistles. Maybe he'll get tired of seeing his bedroom cluttered with trinkets Keigo would collect, his closet with a significant amount of clothes missing and said clothes occupying the bed, arranged in a way that soothed Keigo's brain but probably disgruntled and looked like a mess to Dabi even if he didn't show it. Maybe he'll get tired of lugging him around and then tell him to use his legs or wings when both are perfectly functioning and aren't there for decoration. Keigo just can't help that he likes being carried around sometimes. Dabi indulges it but surely, he'll eventually reach his limit? Maybe he'll scratch Dabi's sensitive skin by accident too many times with his talons and stupid inability to NOT grip on things whenever he's excited or stressed and get a face full of flames for it. Honestly, he's surprised it hasn't happened yet considering how the man acts with other people.

Dabi's gentleness with him? Probably a fluke that wouldn't last. He figures he just looks too pathetic to get angry at. He figures the rest of the league view him similarly too and indulges him the same way one would indulge a stray, enough to feed it and keep it warm a few times but will ultimately move on to live their lives. Never mind that he's there to "spy" on them when he's doing a trash job at it. They probably already know but indulge him anyway out of pity. Whatever it is, Keigo is still grateful with the attentiveness and care they've showed him so far but will back away once he sees that he's overstayed his welcome.

At least he still has Tokoyami by his side who looks up to him and sees him like an older brother, maybe even a parent. Enhanced because of the mutant bird traits they share and the loneliness Tokoyami would see hidden underneath Keigo's smile.

Sometimes Tokoyami is swept up by Keigo's cheerful public persona when they're both out patrolling the streets and being bombarded by people, admittedly gets annoyed by it when sweet, doting Keigo turns into Hawks and makes him run after the hero like the early days of his internship when they weren't as close and misunderstandings were everywhere. But then he'd remember the sad tilt to his expression and the crushing hug before leaving with a red feather tucked into his pocket whenever they have to separate at any length of time. His own loneliness at not having anyone to welcome him back home making his and Dark Shadow's heart hurt.

Tokoyami still doesn't know what to make of Keigo's relationship with the league, dreads the aftermath of it all really if it turns sour (Dark Shadow is more optimistic than him and calls him out for his paranoia), but he'll always be in Keigo's corner. Just give him a few more years and he'll be strong enough to protect Keigo against any villain or hspc-shaped threats on his own and from the shadows, although he'll grudgingly allow Dabi to get a few hits in since it seems like he'll be a more permanent fixture in their life if the man has anything to say about it.

tldr: ooc fluff, LoV as family. not quite HPSC bashing but close, Birdbros, or in this au, more of a parental connection between Keigo and Tokoyami because *instincts*. Google says that hawks mate for life if the condition allows it and Keigo just so happened to find said mate in Dabi, a Dabi who spoils him, calls him pretty and likes to run his fingers through his feathers. HOWEVER, Keigo is sad, insecure and blind to the idea that whatever he has with Dabi (and the league) will last and will continue to latch on to them until he feels like it's no longer welcomed. -insert unreliable narrator angst fest here- Jokes on him because Dabi would gladly burn the whole world for him if he asked but is curbing the idea because Keigo still wants to save people and his pseudo son Tokoyami is a fledgling hero. Dabi's youngest brother is also a fledging hero but he'd really like not to think about that too much.

[hufflepuffwritingstuff2]

Forced Family

A Hero x Villain series I'll be working on! Thank you to @stillnotserious for the idea!

Part 1

Hero turned when they heard the familiar click of Villain’s boots on the rooftop concrete.

“Took you long enough,” Hero said with a smirk, “were you out fighting other heroes?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Villain said, “you know you’re the only crime-fighter for me.”

Hero and Villain closed the distance between each other and embraced. Hero breathed in Villain’s familiar scent and relaxed in their hold. Their warm body soothed Hero’s naturally cold form. Who said fire and ice couldn’t mix?

“So what did you call me here for?” Hero asked.

“I want you to meet someone,” Villain said.

Villain turned Hero around so they could see a figure descend on the rooftop. Hero held in a gasp but couldn’t stop their eyes from growing wide as Supervillain approached them.

“Hello, Hero,” Supervillain said warmly, “Villain’s told me an awful lot about you.”

“…H-hi,” Hero stammered.

“Hero, this is my parent figure,” Villain explained, “they took me in when no one else would.”

Supervillain strode closer. Hero felt themselves shrinking back into Villain’s chest. Villain chuckled and put a comforting hand on Hero’s shoulder.

“There’s no need to be afraid,” Supervillain continued, “I’m not here to hurt you. Quite the opposite in fact.”

“The… the opposite?” Hero asked.

“Mhm. I’m here to bring you home as the newest member of the family.”

Wait what? Hero was just about to ask what Supervillain meant when they felt it. A prick in their neck, and the warm, comforting hand on their shoulder becoming far too hot and restricting. Hero tried to break free from Villain’s grip, but Villain turned them around and held them close.

“V-V’lin,” Hero slurred.

“Shhh, it’s alright,” Villain said, rubbing their hand up and down Hero’s back, “I knew you wouldn’t agree to this so we had to go about it another way.”

Hero’s knees buckled, Villain now being the only thing holding them up. Their vision went blurry. Hero blinked to clear it but the more they did so the harder it was to keep their eyes open. The world, which was already spinning, tilted on its axis as Villain maneuvered them into a bridal carry. Hero’s head lolled of its own accord into Villain’s chest.

“Let… leggo…”

“And leave you here on the rooftop?” Supervillain laughed, “don’t be ridiculous.”

“Don’t be scared,” Villain said soothingly, “just go to sleep. That’s it.”

Hero’s eyes fluttered shut, heavy as lead. Their thoughts turned to scrambled nonsense while they felt a gentle rocking sensation. Their breathing grew deep as the drug sucked them down. The last thing they heard was Villain’s voice.

“Welcome to the family, Hero.”

Part 2

ko-fi

tags: @mythixmagic @infinityshadows @fishtale88 @thelazywitchphotographer @the-beasts-have-arrived @princessofonwardsworld @surplus-of-sarcasm

[rawr-mortgage]

i'm curious, who else in Crown apart from Harrison and Roger has existing family members that are still alive? i'm assuming both parents aren't aware of Crown's existence as an organization under the employ of the queen for their own protection, but do they at least know that their sons are Cursed to a certain extent? iirc Harrison's mother lives in the countryside, while Roger's dad still works as a doctor in London.

does Harrison visit his mother sometimes? if she doesn't know about her son's curse, does she at least know his friends from work, like Liam whom he finds troublesome but lovable and that they often visit teahouses together, or Will, whom he describes as charismatic, a natural leader, and someone he really enjoys playing chess with?

could she be the reason for Harrison's massive sweet tooth, fostering his love of desserts from a young age due to being a masterful baker? did she watch young Harry plow through the cookie jar in a single sitting enough times that they started hiding it in the cupboards where he couldn't reach but being the smart and resourceful kid he is, little Harry always managed to find and get his hands on the precious cookie trove no matter how many times they changed its hiding place? did the success of hunting them down and solving homemade mysteries made the cookies taste sweeter to little Harry? has she caught him red-handed before and just sighed, shaking her head in exasperation before patting her son's hair, saying he even takes after his father in being a glutton for desserts?

when he does visit, i bet she sends him home with enough freshly baked cookies to share with his friends from work :3

me making myself emotional while writing this:

[nagitosstolenhand]

its the same picture

[resident-arthur-and-jude-kisser]

Melancholia

A/N: It's been months since the last time I wrote something so quick. Thank you to @judejazza for encouraging me to start this blog, I hope this fic lives up to your expectations.

Since becoming the Fairytale Keeper for Crown you had been too busy to think. After choosing to stay on as Fairytale Keeper after the month you were required to stay and beginning your relationship with Jude, things began to settle. At first, you were caught up in the bliss of your newfound relationship with Jude, unconventional as it was. After a few months though, you began to feel the bone deep exhaustion that was a sign of an impending episode. You’d had episodes since you were a child, periods of exhaustion and emptiness that made you feel as though you’d never feel happy again. Even the smallest of tasks became a monumental task when you were in one and you became a shell of your normal self. It also made your ever-present anxiety worse. While you had mentioned your anxiety to Jude in passing, he was the only person you’d ever told, you had never brought up your episodes. You had hoped, as blissfully happy as you were with him, that they had gone and wouldn’t return. After all, you hadn’t had an episode in months even before joining Crown as their Fairytale Keeper and you hadn’t had one since.

Unfortunately, it appeared they were back. You weren’t sure if you should mention it. You didn’t want to worry your new-found family or your partner when there wasn’t anything they could do about it. And there was a nagging fear that if you told anyone you’d be shipped off to an asylum somewhere. It was irrational, you knew. William, who was all about personal freedom and indulging in ones’ desires, would never allow you to be put anywhere against your will. And, even if he would, Jude would never allow you to be taken away from him. If you wanted to stay with him, he’d fight tooth and nail to keep you there. The irrational fear had stemmed from a friend of yours with something similar to your episodes being diagnosed with hysteria by a doctor and unceremoniously shipped off to an asylum. You hadn’t seen her since, and you were aware that many people never leave asylums once they’re committed. You’d already not wanted to mention it before that, but now you kept your episodes completely to yourself, out of fear.

Despite recognizing the symptoms, you tried your best to continue on as usual. You were a bit more sluggish as exhaustion weighed you down. The person who would’ve been most likely to notice, Jude, had been so busy with work recently that he’d barely been present, so you’d been able to slip under his, usually impeccable, sense for when something was wrong with you. Eventually, it began to get more difficult to hide that something was off with you. Unsurprisingly, it was the two of the most observant members of Crown, Liam and Harrison, who brought it up first.

“Is something wrong? You’ve seemed strange as of late,” Liam asked, a hint of concern in his eyes.

“I’m fine, thank you for asking,” you replied with a warm smile. You didn’t want Liam to think he had somehow messed up by asking after you. It wasn’t his fault you didn’t want to tell them about your episodes.

Harrison narrowed his eyes suspiciously, still unconvinced. You knew you’d have to be careful with how you worded things if he asked after you. After all, deliberately avoiding eye contact would practically confirm that something was wrong and he’d know you’re lying if he looked in your eyes.

“Are you certain? You have seemed quite odd for several days now.” There was the question you’d expected Harrison to ask.

“I’ve just been exhausted for the last several days,” You replied. This wasn’t a lie. You had been exhausted down to your bones since the episode began. You had just neglected to mention the cause of the exhaustion.

“Perhaps you should go see Roger. You could be falling ill,” Liam remarked, his concern clearly growing.

“I wouldn’t want to trouble Roger when I’m not ill,” you answered immediately. “I’ll just retire to my room and rest for the afternoon. That’s likely what Roger would tell me to do. In any case my head is throbbing with an awful headache that I should like to sleep off.”

That wasn’t a lie either, your head was throbbing. Perhaps due to the crushing emptiness you felt or, perhaps, the bone deep exhaustion. In any case, you weren’t convincingly behaving as you normally would and retiring to your room for the afternoon would give you an excuse to avoid everyone.

You quickly took your leave and made your way up to your room, locking the door behind you. You usually slept in Jude’s room with him, but he wasn’t home right now and you wanted to be alone. You knew if you laid down in the bed the two of you shared you’d start crying and never be able to stop. And if anyone heard you sobbing, they'd worry and that was the last thing you wanted. You still kept some of your things in this room, things that didn’t fit in Jude’s room. You made quick work of removing yourself from your day dress and underclothes and putting on a nightgown. You were exhausted and just wished to sleep. You climbed beneath the cool sheets and drifted into oblivion.

For the first time in two weeks Jude Jazza was going to make it back to Crown Castle in time to have supper with you and the rest of the members of Crown. He had been busy with his company lately which cut down on the time he was able to spend with you. Lately, it seemed, he only got an hour with you before bed each day. Though he would never admit it to you, he’d missed you and he was looking forward to seeing you this evening. The busy period hadn’t quite subsided, but it was slowing enough that he’d have time to spend with you. He and Ellis exited the carriage and made their way inside and to the dining room where the members of Crown were having dinner.

He scanned the room for you and was confused to have come up empty. Where were you? For a moment all of the worst case scenarios flashed through his mind. Had you been hurt somewhere or taken away because of your association with him? He forced himself to use reason, if you had been taken or harmed there wouldn’t be such a normal atmosphere in the room. You must be somewhere. You’d probably be here any moment.

Harrison, having noticed Jude scanning the room for you, spoke up. “If you’re wondering where she is, she’s up in her room. She retired up there this afternoon with a headache and no one has seen her since.”

“Harry and Liam sent me up to check on her headache earlier, but the door was locked and she didn’t answer when I knocked,” Roger added.

“I see,” he replied, masking his disappointment at your absence.

As he sat down to eat his supper, he got lost in thoughts of you. He had fallen in love with you against his will, believing love to be a curse. To some level he still believed that it was. You had slowly eroded his walls and made your way into his heart and it had softened him, if minutely. His love for you was a poison that he downed every day, willing to succumb to the euphoria you offered again and again, so long as you’d allow him to continue to partake in your sickly sweet temptation. A poison that softened and weakened him, but brought him such ecstasy that he couldn’t bear to stop drinking it. In turn you bathed in his ocean of sin and he was terrified that one day the sheer depth of his sins would fill your lungs and drown you, but, try as he might, he couldn’t convince you to cease your bathing in them. He had long since given up trying, content to keep you with him, so long as that is where you wished to remain.

In what felt like the time between one blink and the next, he finished his supper and excused himself from the table. He made his way up to your room, thinking it odd that you’d choose to take your rest in your room and not his, the one that the two of you shared. He knocked on the door and waited a few moments and knocked again when he received no answer.

“Princess, are ya up?” he called through the door.

Upon receiving no response, he gave up and walked to his room. He’d just have to see you tomorrow. He wasn’t going to wake you if you had retired early because something ailed you. He was loath to sleep without you as he’d become accustomed to having you at his side as he slept, but he would have to make due without you. He spent some time reading leisurely before going to bed for the night.

You awoke mid-morning the next day, having slept through supper the previous night and breakfast the next morning. Despite this, you were still too exhausted to summon up the energy to get out of bed. You figured it wouldn’t particularly matter if you got up as there was nothing pressing for you to accomplish and you honestly just wanted to rot in your bed. You didn’t want to get up and you didn’t want to do anything so you simply laid beneath the covers and attempted to relax. It felt wrong to be here away from Jude’s room, lying beneath sheets that didn’t smell like him, but the effort it would take to move down the hall to his room felt monumental. So you just stayed in your bed with your eyes closed, not quite asleep and not quite awake.

Distantly you would hear people knocking at your door and calling out to you, concern apparent in their voices. First William came by and called through your door to you.

“Robin, you missed out on breakfast and your door is locked. I’ll leave your breakfast out here for you to eat when you awaken.”

Then, a while later Harrison and Liam came knocking at your door. “Your food is still out here. I didn’t sense you lying about your headache yesterday, but if it’s more than that you really ought to go see Roger.”

“I hope you’re fine and just taking a little rest. You’ve always worked hard for Crown since becoming our Fairytale Keeper. If you need anything you can rely on us, I promise I won’t mess it up,” Liam added. 

Shortly, after that Alfons and Elbert stopped by. They didn’t call out to you, but you could hear their conversation through the door.

“She still hasn’t been out to collect her food. Victor won’t be pleased about that. He sent us by to check, but there’s been no sign of her since yesterday,” Alfons remarked.

“Perhaps she’s not hungry. I rarely am,” Elbert responded.

“Not everyone eats the way you do, Lord Elbert. Most people require three full meals a day to function and it’s odd for her to have missed two meals now.” A hint of concern wormed it’s way into Alfons’ voice at the thought.

“We ought to go and inform Victor, I suppose,” Elbert said forlornly.

You could tell from their conversation and tone of voice that they were worried about you, but you were too tired to care. You had hit the point in your episode where you felt like an empty shell, hollowed out and unable to feel anything, but a crushing emptiness. You knew that despite how long you had slept, you probably still looked exhausted and likely would until this episode was over. You dozed for a while until you were pulled out of it by a knock at the door, right around when Crown would eat their second meal of the day.

“Little Robin, it’s time for you to come out and eat. If your stomach hurts then I can try to find something light, but I insist that you come out and eat something.” And there was Victor. It was only a matter of time before the self-proclaimed mother and father of Crown came looking for you, especially if Alfons and Elbert’s conversation was anything to go by. He was trying to keep up his usual upbeat tone, but there was very clear worry in his voice. You felt awful for worrying him, but at this point moving felt impossible. You couldn’t even call out to him because of how dry your throat was from nearly a full day of silence. You knew when you didn’t answer he would eventually leave, but at this point it was clear that the Crown probably believed you to be ill with something. It was likely that you would be hearing from Roger before too long. And, sure enough, not long after the afternoon meal would’ve wrapped up, Roger pounded on the door. 

“Lil lady, open up. I’m here to check you over. Doctor’s orders,” he boomed, knocking so hard it rattled the door. You just layed there, staring off into space, eyes seeing but not processing anything, barely present in your body anymore at this point. “Damn it. Open the door. Jude’s gonna kill us if something’s wrong with you and we’re all worried about you too. Just open the damn door!”

Eventually, he left and you drifted off back into your vegetative state half-way between sleeping and waking. You remained that way for several more hours. As it hit late afternoon, you heard a soft knock on the door and a voice that you didn’t expect, saying something even more unexpected.

“It’s Ellis. Jude sent me back ahead of him. He’ll be back soon. Everyone told me what’s going on. Please come out and let Roger look you over. It would make everyone happy if you would. We’re all worried about you. Jude’s going to make you come get checked over regardless, so you should just do it now,” he pleaded.

Usually, the news that Jude would be back earlier than usual, especially with as little as you’d seen him as of late, would’ve filled you with elation. Today, all you felt was the persistent hollowness that had haunted you for days and a crushing sense of despair. The irrational fear that had kept you from telling anybody before it had hit this point was gone in the face of the sea of hopelessness threatening to drown you beneath its waves. There was no reason for you to feel this way, and yet, you did. You felt so devoid of life that even the tears you could feel built up wouldn’t fall and if not for the rise and fall of your chest, you’d believe yourself a corpse.

Eventually, Ellis stopped attempting to get you to open your door and left you alone. You turned on your side to face the wall, barely registering anything around you. It didn’t even feel like you were in your body and you couldn’t tell if that was a blessing or a curse. After some time of staring blankly at the wall, you heard footsteps approaching, and you knew. It was Jude. 

This was confirmed when you heard several loud knocks at your door followed by his voice. “Princess,” he barked. “Yer gonna open this door and let me in, or I’m gonna hafta break it down.”

You didn’t move at first, too fatigued and filled with ennui to care about the door. And then the door shuddered as Jude started throwing his weight against the door again and again. That, finally, startled the part of your brain that really didn’t want to cause Victor extra problems into actions. You dragged yourself out of the bed and across the floor on shaky legs and opened the door. 

You watched as Jude took in your bedraggled appearance and shaking legs with barely concealed concern. That concern grew when your shaking legs chose that moment to give out on you causing you to sink to the floor. You must be a pitiful sight to him, as much of a wreck as you probably looked. 

“Oh Princess,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft and gentle. “What am I going to do with ya?”

He scooped you up off the floor and took you to his room, the room you two shared. He laid you down on the bed, more gently than he’d ever been with anyone else. He settled down next to you on the bed and pulled you into his arms, running his fingers through your house. At his gentle treatment and the familiar comforting feel of the room, the dam broke and tears began streaming down your face. 

“What happened Princess? What’s wrong?” 

“I just feel so helpless and hopeless and empty. I d-don’t want to be here or anywhere. E-Everything is just too much,” you stuttered out, nearly incoherent from your sobs.

“You shoulda told me. I woulda tried to help,” he murmured.

“You’ve been so busy. I didn’t want to disturb you for something you can’t even fix.” The sobs shuddered through your body as you took big gasping breaths. 

“I woulda made time. Ya don’t know it wouldn’t help if ya won’t even let me try. I’d do anything for ya, if it meant I never had to see ya like this again.”

“I thought you like seeing me upset.”

“It’s no fun unless it’s me making ya look upset. Not like this. Not when ya won’t even eat or leave yer room.”

“Sadist,” you snorted wetly.

“If ya feel like this again, come to me. Ya won’t bother me,” he said seriously.

“But, I don’t wanna bother you and…” you trailed off.

“And, what?” he coaxed, impossibly gentle.

“And I’m scared that if people see me like this I’ll get locked up in an asylum. I already feel like I’m going mad as it is,” you answered hesitantly.

“If anyone tries to take ya from me against yer will they’ll hafta go through me first,” he said darkly. “And the rest of Crown too. Much as dislike this lot, they wouldn’t let anything happen to ya either. Yer allowed to have bad days or weeks. None of us want ya to keep it bottled up. It’s not healthy and eventually you’ll break.”

You sniffled, tears finally slowing, and looked up at him. You found him staring at you, nothing but honesty and love in his gaze. You found yourself clinging onto him, returning the embrace he’d had you wrapped up in as you finally managed to stop crying. 

“Thank you Jude,” you murmured against his chest.

“Ya don’t have to thank me. It wouldn’t be right to let my princess cry without comfort,” he grumbled.

You knew that you’d likely continue to have episodes and that this one wasn’t over yet, but it would be easier from now on with the support of Jude and the rest of the family that you’d found in Crown. You would never have to suffer alone again.

[takingasterix]

Fanart for The Divide Between Autumn and Spring by sareyen, because I am absolutely obsessed with this fic! I love love love Su Xiyan and Shen Yuan being friends (and of course Zhuzhi-lang is there too!) (Sorry, I know it says that she's barely showing!! I didn't reference the actual scene at all until I needed the words D:)

[divno]

Run past the rivers, run past all the light

Feel it crashing and burning, till it all collides

Strike a match, lit the fire, shining up the sky

As it all comes down again to the sound

The souund of the wind is whispering in your head

Can you feel it coming back?

Through the warmth, through the cold, keep running till we're there

We're coming home now

- Home by Dotan

[piosplayhouse]

Scum Villain is actually a found family novel because Shen Qingqiu is Luo Binghe's adoptive mom, dad, and husband

[chaotic-orphan]

Hi, hope you’re having a nice day!! Love your writing :) Could you please continue heroic betrayal if you’re planning to?? Not to rush you or anything, it’s just got me slightly hooked oops! Thank you!! :)

HEROIC BETRAYAL (6)

Part one here

Continued from here

This part has had so many drafts, so so many, because I couldn’t get Supervillain right at all, and today? For some reason! It all just flowed! So you are in luck! It’s the paddy’s day weekend, struck gold! Enjoy!

*~*~*~*~*

They walked in a tense silence that made Hero squirm. The two of them were always chatting, or having banter back and forth. When they fell into a silence it was an easy one that never felt awkward or uncomfortable. Now, with Flynn marching Hero up a set of stairs, it felt as if they were two strangers. As if Flynn was actually a Villain.

He is, a voice sniped in the back of Hero’s mind. Flynn is a villain. The lie was his Hero façade.

Hero kept their guard up as they stepped through the door at the top of the stairs. Hero expected to be greeted with the view of a warehouse, or some top secret villain base. Maybe something from the movies, or an equal to the Hero tower HQ.

Instead, their gaze found a house. Hero frowned, wanting to turn their head and comment on it to Flynn but they didn’t. They refused. Flynn didn’t deserve their comments or thoughts on anything anymore.

“Through here,” said Flynn, pulling Hero to the right. Hero caught only a glance of the framed pictures hanging on the wall, of Flynn and Villain as children and a man and woman smiling in the picture above them. Hero swallowed.

Were they in Flynn’s childhood home this entire time?

It’s not what Hero expected at all. It was clean, almost pristinely so with wooden oak floors and a warm, homely feel to it. Clean and yet lived in.

Hero closed their lips, and just let Flynn guide them through another door into a dining room. Hero’s brows raised to the ceiling, looking at Flynn in question before they could help it.

Flynn curled his top lip inward, his tell for when he was embarrassed. “Supervillain insisted,” he said by way of explanation and brought Hero to the end of the table. It sat six people, two chairs on each end and two on both sides.

Flynn pulled out Hero’s chair and quirked his lips at them. “Can I trust you not to do something stupid?”

“You can always stop me if I do,” Hero replied sweetly, sugared smile not quite meeting their eyes.

Flynn’s smile was cold in return. “I can. Or Villain, whichever is quicker.”

Hero felt that cruel pang of betrayal bloom in their heart like a rose’s thorns wrapped thick around it. Hero didn’t reply to that, they just sat down on the chair lifting their handcuffed hands onto the wooden table and let Flynn push in their chair.

Flynn sat beside them, on their right. Hero could have laughed at the horribleness of it all. Flynn sat on Hero’s right because after endless sparring they had both realised it was Hero’s weaker hand. If Hero was going to do something stupid, going for their right hand side would be easier to subdue than their left.

How had they not seen the warning signs? How had they not realised that Flynn was working against them this entire time?

Hero trusted them. They thought if the world ever went to shit, or turned against them, Hero could turn to Flynn and still find a home in him.

Now all their trust was twisted against them mercilessly, and Flynn was a stranger who could smile at them with a bloodied face — and possibly broken nose — and threaten to have the person who broke it hurt them more.

Hero heard movement and voices behind the two doors in front of them, different than the door that Flynn and Hero entered the room through. There was a lively bustling of movement and then a man in his late thirties, early forties walked through the doors with a wide friendly smile holding two plates of something.

He had wavy brown hair, slightly overgrown around the edges, some strands tucked behind his ears Hero noticed. His eyes were sea-coloured, somewhere between green and blue, but shining with a happiness that Hero didn’t expect of Supervillain.

Then it hit Hero that they were staring at Supervillain. The Supervillain! Hero’s nemesis, their foe— the man who was always one step ahead of Hero. Hero glanced at Flynn, almost mutinously before Supervillain drew Hero’s attention back to them.

Supervillain set a plate of food in front of Hero with a big smile, then walked around Hero and placed one in front of Flynn. It was what looked like roast chicken and green beans and roast potatoes. Hero stared down at it, their mouth watering slightly and a gnawing yearning in their gut for food.

How long had they been here? Overnight at least because it was day time at the moment. Hero looked at Flynn. Flynn glanced at Hero then to Hero’s plate and dragged it over to him.

“Hey—”

“Relax, I’m just cutting up your chicken. You’re not getting a knife.”

Hero waited, watching Flynn cut up the food. Then they sat back against their chair, eyes going to the doors to see Supervillain was gone. Flynn pushed Hero’s plate back in front of them. Then Supervillain came through again followed closely by Villain, a shadow like fist holding something that was dropped in front of Hero. It smacked against the table lightly with a bounce and Hero realised it was a plastic fork.

Everyone else had proper utensils.

Hero waited until Supervillain and Villain sat down before speaking. “If you think I’m eating this, you’re dumber than I thought.”

Supervillain’s smile didn’t dim. “As you like it, Hero. Though, if I drugged you with the chicken or the vegetables I would have drugged us all.”

Hero didn’t move to grab the fork, no matter how much their stomach wanted them to. Flynn grabbed Hero’s plate, “we can swap if you like.”

Hero’s head snapped to him. “And how do I know this wasn’t all some planned ploy?”

“You don’t,” said Flynn honestly, meeting Hero’s gaze earnestly. Hero had to look away before they cried. Stupid fucking Flynn.

“If I may,” said Supervillain, his voice smooth and steady, drawing Hero’s gaze. “If I wanted to starve you, I wouldn’t have plated you up a meal. I would have handcuffed you to the chair and let you smell the food and watch us eat.”

Hero swallowed, gaze hardening into a glare as Supervillain tilted his head and shrugged lightly. “However, if you don’t want to eat I won’t force you.”

Hero sat back stubbornly, eyes not leaving Supervillain as he tucked into his divine smelling meal.

“Flynn said you wanted to talk to me.”

“I do,” Supervillain replied. “As soon as we have eaten. It’s bad for the stomach to mix work and pleasure.”

Hero blinked at him, then stared back at their plate. The steam was still rising from it, begging for Hero to eat it. Hero swallowed again, finally reaching for the fork that was discarded in front of their plate.

Nobody at the table made any remarks as Hero took their first bite of chicken. They didn’t even feel eyes on them as they ate, and with every bite the possibility of the food being drugged became less and less important as they filled the hole in their stomach.

All too soon their plate was empty and Hero set their fork back on the plate, sitting back in their seat, satisfied. Supervillain smiled at them from across the table.

“Well?”

Hero swallowed. “Really good.”

Supervillain’s smile beamed at them. “Good. Flynn, would you and Villain mind cleaning up?”

Flynn’s eyes went between Hero and Supervillain, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Supervillain looked at him. It stifled the words in his throat and he nodded and gathered his and Hero’s plate. “Sure.”

Villain did the same with their and Supervillain’s plate. “Thank you. We shouldn’t be long.”

Flynn cast one last look over his shoulder at Hero, eyebrows drawing together in a frown. Then the double doors shut on both of them and it was just Hero and Supervillain alone.

Hero’s chest got tighter at the realisation. How many times had they longed to get to sit down with Supervillain and pick his brain on his strategies and plans? How long had they wanted to know his motivations behind it all? What the bigger picture was…

Now, Hero wanted to be anywhere but here.

Supervillain leaned forward, elbows resting on the table hands folded in front of him. “Flynn tells me you’re a fan of mine.”

Hero scoffed and looked away. “I’d hardly call myself a fan.”

“Of course,” he replied pleasantly. “A hero would never admire a villain after all.”

“That’s in the job description.”

“Tell me, did you ever admire Flynn?”

Hero’s eyes snapped back to Supervillain. His smile was less pleasant now, more shrewd. Intelligent, inquisitive, intimidating— his eyes narrowed in curiosity, the corners of his lips still quirked into a smile.

“I guess it doesn’t matter anymore, does it? He was always a Villain.”

“Yes. However, that is not what I asked you.” Supervillain said lightly, not letting Hero off the hook. Hero swallowed in reply. “Did you ever admire Flynn?”

“Yes,” said Hero patiently. They couldn’t lose their cool now, they had to match Supervillain’s relaxed demeanour. “He was my partner. Obviously I admired him.”

Supervillain let out a breath. “Tut, tut, Hero. He’s a villain. How can a Hero ever admire a Villain?”

“If you want to get into some philosophical debate I’d rather Villain bash my nose against the bars of my cell again.”

Supervillain’s lips pursed. “If you like.”

The words ran like cold water down Hero’s spine. “However,” he continued, “I’d rather pick your brain before Villain rips it from your skull.”

Hero swallowed the lump that was rising in their throat. How can he be so nonchalant about telling Hero that he had no reservations about Villain killing them? It isn’t anything like Hero thought he would be.

“You wouldn’t let them,” said Hero licking their lips, making an effort not to make a face at the taste of salt and iron of dried blood dancing along their tastebuds.

Supervillain’s smile was pleasant. “No?”

“No,” Hero echoed then swallowed. “Even if you did let Villain hurt me or torture me, or whatever, you wouldn’t let them kill me. You’d rather draw it out slowly.”

Supervillain raised his hands, elbows on the table and intertwined his fingers, resting his chin on them as he stared at Hero. His sea green eyes looked stormy now, the twisting murky colour piercing through Hero’s soul. His smile was anything but friendly now.

Now, he looked like Supervillain, like Hero expected him to be. Confident, perspicacious, formidable. This was the opponent Hero had been playing alongside across the city for months now. Hero noticed their heart beating faster in their chest.

“And you say you’re not a fan,” Supervillain said, a perceptible knowing coating every smooth syllable.

“I’m not a fan of you hurting people. Killing people.”

“And yet it’s all you heroes ever seem to respond to.” Hero’s retort died in their throat. “If it takes violence to goad you out of your precious hero tower, then I will resort to violence.”

Goading? What goading? Hero’s brows furrowed down over their eyes, shadowing them slightly as their mind ran over Supervillain’s words.

“Hmm,” Supervillain hummed fondly. “Flynn said you have a look when you’re trying to solve a riddle, this must be it.”

“I don’t have a look,” Hero spat, ignoring the blush that coloured their cheeks.

“Of course you do, dear Hero. We all do. That’s why in poker you have to learn to mask your tells.”

“Are we playing poker, Supervillain?”

“No, hardly. Though I’d wager I could win your money as easy as it took me to tank that developmental property on seventh.”

Hero hope their glare was burning a hole through Supervillain’s skull until they realised they were playing right into his hands and dissolving. Hero licked their lips and leaned forward in their chair too, hands clasped on the table in front of them.

“This wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, was it? You wanted me to follow Villain. You wanted them to catch me,” Hero said. Them was much easier than saying Flynn out loud.

Supervillain smiled appraisingly. “Yes.”

“And bring me here to meet you.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Supervillain’s eyes flashed, something glinting within them. “Because Hero, I’ve wanted to meet you as much as you’ve wanted to meet me.”

Hero held up their cuffed hands. “Couldn’t have done it more civilly?”

“Oh please,” Supervillain scoffed, resting his palms flat on the table and pushing his chair back. Hero’s heartbeat quickened as Supervillain stood up and started making his way slowly, predatorily slowly, towards Hero like a cat playing with a mouse. Hero wanted to not move, to not show him the effect he had on Hero, but their body didn’t get the message. The closer Supervillain came to Hero the more they shrunk back into the chair, hands braced on the table ready to spring to their feet and — and then what?

Supervillain stopped beside Hero’s chair, one hand on the back of it, the other hooking a finger around the small length of chain that kept Hero’s wrists locked together. He pulled it up, Hero’s arms going with it involuntarily until Supervillain held Hero’s arms up high over their head.

Hero grit their teeth as their shoulders strained from their sitting position.

“We both knew one of us would have to be in chains for us to be able to chat,” said Supervillain tilting his head. All friendliness had melted from his face leaving a cold grin and hungry eyes feasting off the sight of Hero at his table. “I just decided it wasn’t going to be me.”

Hero tugged their arms down suddenly but they may as well not have for the lot of good it did them. Supervillain leaned down, his face close to Hero’s as he grinned.

“You should have struck first, little Hero. Then maybe the roles would be reversed, but as of right now—” Supervillain’s eyes darkened. “I control the board.”

*~*~*~*~*

Continued here

Orphanage roll-call (lmk if you wanna be added or removed): @xenlust @books-are-everything @micechomper @shywhumpauthor @aarika-merrill

[ghostlythefuckingghost]

Writing prompt

I want a disastrous and chaotic found family with Hero x Villain:

An adult Hero who has underlying traumas that they refuse to admit and acknowledge. They are so tried from fighting. They literally running on coffee, fear, and stress. Probably have white hairs and eye bags.

The small group of sidekicks who wants to be trains as an heroes but too chaotic and “share a single braincell” . Trying fight the villains but they only known how to self-defend themselves from Hero’s teaching because Hero doesn’t want them to suffer from a hero job. Hero has to stop them from going in danger or acting like an heroes. Probably calls Hero, “mom” and villain “dad”.

An adult Villain who has strong mortal code against children. They were suspect that Hero is putting these Sidekicks in danger, but only to realize that Sidekicks aren’t actually sidekicks and Hero is trying to protect them. Going easy on the kids during the fight before Hero drag them away from the fight. Probably falls in love with Hero.