#we should be furious with the ones who set it there in the first place WAITING for one of us to turn on the other

[cosmosarcana]

Hu5h

[demonic0angel]

Maybe...Dany/Cass meet-cute?

Or, if you're ok with that maybe even Danny/Cass/Steph meet-cute?

Either way, regardless of ship, I'm picturing Danny, somewhere between 23-38 years old, being a single dad to a hyper and excitable tiny Ellie, who likes to hold his hand and drag him with her to whatever special interest catches her attention at the moment.

And that's where they meet Cass, who gets to watch as a man gets dragged to all the "girl stuff" stores by his kid, and instead of refusing, kr acting embarrassed, Danny just sighs fondly, and indulges his little girl in her insistence to see him with nails painted like hers.

Maybe they bump into Cass on the way out of the latest store, and when Cass swings by their place later on to ensure they're safe, Ellie comes running to open the window Cass was perched under, and comes to greet her.

And Cass would've liked to adopt the little tyke like Bruce did her, but if she can also snag herself the Dad, she'll be even happier.

Maybe, if you're ok with Danny/Cass/Steph (my little multi shipper heart adores these thre gremlins together) , Cass and Ellie vibe while Ellie tells her about her day, and Steph is the one who's shamelessly flirting with Danny? (Danny could do with having the classic DILF build, so steph can much more accurately call him that and watch him combust and stutter)

(Sorry if this makes little sense, it's 4 a.m and the insomny hit hard tonight 😅)

Steph whistled lowly. "Hottie alert. Ooh, he has a daughter! How cute!" She was quickly distracted by the sight of the small child wandering around under her father's watchful gaze.

"No ring," Cass said, observing the man before looking back at the small child that was toddling around.

Steph looked back at the man and pumped a fist. "Hell yeah. More daddy issues, here we come! Should we go talk to him?"

Cass snorted. "Maybe later." Both of them were in the park, bored after getting a random free day for the first time in a long time. They were sitting together, people watching and particularly focused on the father-daughter pair, one who was cute and the other who was hot.

"Don't go too far, Dani!" The man called. "I'll be sitting here!"

"Okay!" Was the very adorable reply. Steph squealed and slapped Cass' shoulder, who sighed at her girlfriend's excitement.

The small child was happily kicking at rocks on the ground when something in the distance began running towards her. Her father didn't seem to notice yet, looting through a bag for something.

Steph and Cass immediately stood up from the bench when they saw that it was an unleashed dog speeding towards the child. Its face was set in a snarl and it seemed determined to get to its target. Dani, the child, started shrieking when she finally noticed it.

Both girls instantly swooped in. Steph picked up Dani, jumping back as Cass swiftly grabbed hold on the dog's collar, yanking it back. It gave a yelp and writhed from the chokehold.

Cass let it go and glared down at it as it whimpered and whined.

"Dani!" The man screamed before running over. Steph didn't notice, distracted by the shaking child in her hands and the dog's owner, who came running towards them with a furious expression.

"How dare you! I'll call the police on you! Don't touch my dog, you—" the woman shrieked.

"Actually!" Steph snarled, as Cass came back to stand by her side. Steph handed Dani to her without a second thought and stepped in front of them. "We should call the police on you! It's against the law to let your dog run unleashed in public spaces in Gotham. And your dog almost attacked a kid!"

They argued some more but Steph was eventually able to drive her off without any recuperations. Steph clicked her tongue irritably. "What a jerk!" Steph sniffed.

Cass nodded, still holding Dani.

"Uhh."

They both turned to the father, who was standing there with a vaguely amused expression, an eyebrow raised. He lifted his hands. "Can I have my child back?"

Both Steph and Cass looked at Dani, who was contentedly sitting in the latter's arms without a single care, and started. "Oh my gosh! We're so sorry!"

Cass gingerly but quickly handed over Dani to her father. Thankfully, he was very agreeable because he just laughed before hugging his daughter tightly. He gave both Cass and Steph a grateful smile.

"Thank you so much for helping me and saving my daughter. Err, could I buy you two dinner? As thanks?" He gave a friendly and obliviously charming smile.

Cass opened her mouth to refuse out of principle and Steph immediately grabbed her arm and interrupted her, "Yes! Absolutely!"

The man beamed. "My name's Danny. This is Dani, with an I. I didn't name her, by the way, if you're asking."

Steph laughed and held on even tighter to Cass, both eying him with heavy gazes. "I'm Steph and this is Cass. I think we're going to get along swimmingly, Danny."

[sweetdispatch]

Punish me - L. Hughes

v' bakery pairing: Luke Hughes x fem!reader summary: Luke decided to punish you after misbehaving the whole day long warning: NSFW, dom!luke, spanking note: the request disappeared from my inbox but it was next on the list! taglist: @bunbunbl0gs

The age difference had never been an issue between you and Luke. You were older than him with a different point of view on life but you two get along with each other very well. It always made you laugh that work was important for both of you and that’s why everything was working great between you two. 

Despite the fact that you were the older one, Luke was the one who was dominating your dynamic in a relationship. People around you thought that it's the other way around but that was impossible when he was always towering over you. It was a natural thing between you and you didn’t see a problem in this. 

For your friends you two acted normal but behind closed doors, you were totally dependent on Luke. He was always reminding you of everything and always needed to be sure that you’re alright. It was adorable for you that he’s taking care of you. But the biggest dominance was visible in your sex life.

Luke always needed to be on top of you. Even when he let you be on top, he was setting the pace. You were his personal sex doll. He was taking out of you his every frustration and was helping you relax with nonstop overstimulation. You two know each other's bodies perfectly, know how to make the best pleasure and limits. Yours and Luke’ sex life has never been better.

Sometimes, you enjoyed being a brat and seeing how hard you can push Luke to punish you. You feel like it’s refreshing when he’s in total control. He was dominant but he was always making sure you’re alright and fine with whatever he’s doing. Although when you were acting like a brat, he only cared about putting you in your place.

Today was one of those days where you were desperate for this kind of sex. You were misbehaving on purpose just to get his reaction. Luke was sending you looks which meant that you should drop the attitude but you didn’t do anything about it. You wanted his rough side or more like, you needed his rough side. 

Whole morning you were ignoring him and his words. Luke knew you and knew that you wanted him to punish you. He didn’t want to let you win and tried to shrug it off but you were unbearable. When he left for training, you accidentally forgot to respond to his text messages and do what he asked you for before he went out. 

Luke’s blood was boiling but he knew he needed to keep it calm because you had plans for later. You two were going out for dinner with Jack and girlfriend. You put on purpose the tight, red dress that was always driving him insane. During dinner, you were touching his thigh every time accidentally touching his crotch. 

“Behave” Luke whispered into your ear and you giggled. 

This didn’t stop you. Thankfully for him, you were just sitting by the table with his brother and girlfriend waiting for the bill. The minute Luke paid, he grabbed your hands and dragged you to the car so you could return home. He didn’t say a word to you, didn’t even spare you a look. You knew that you pushed him enough to get what you wanted.

When you walked into your shared apartment, you started going towards the bedroom to hang out the coat. Before you made another step, you heard Luke.

“Stop right there” You could tell that he’s furious at you. You turned around to face him. “What’s gotten into you and that little stunt today huh? We could have had a nice day but you decided to act like a bitch. Come here” Luke ordered you. 

You obeyed and came closer to him. Luke quickly turned you around and bent you over the counter. He pulled over your dress and slipped your panties down. Your ass was bare naked in front of him. His big hand was caressing your ass cheek before the first slap landed. 

“I know that you wanted me to break and fuck you roughly. You wanted me to punish you” Another slap landed on your ass. “I’ll give you what you wanted but not how you wanted this. I’ll spank your ass till it’s red. You’ll be begging me to stop but I won’t” Luke said and spanked you again. 

His actions were repetitive. You could feel the tears escaping your eyes but you knew you put yourself in this position. You were moaning from the pain and pleasure that Luke was giving you. After a minute, he got a break and was caressing your ass. 

“I know this will make you wet and desperate for my cock but that’s all you're gonna get. I won’t fuck you today or for the rest of the week. I need to teach you a lesson. You need to earn my cock in your greedy pussy” Luke whispered into your ear and you froze. 

You didn’t predict this. You tried to apologise but Luke laughed at your desperation. He spanked you a couple more times until your ass was red like he promised. He grabbed your hair and pulled you up to face him. 

“Next time if you want to act like a brat, remember how it feels” Luke kissed you and left you standing there alone and desperate.

[koyagifs]

── 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮

pairing: seonghwa x f!reader au: 9th member | best friends to lovers | pre! poly | genre: fluff | slight angst | word count: 2.7k synopsis: how seonghwa accepted his feelings for you warning(s): hma incident from 2023, unfair treatment towards you

Seonghwa was the last member to join the poly relationship - mainly because he had such a hard time understanding his own feelings. Also doesn't help that he's the oldest and for the longest time he had always thought of you like younger sister. That was until, the boys had their own night - something they decided to do monthly to give you time away from them.

That was until one of those nights out, when Seonghwa found himself oddly restless.

The house was unusually quiet without you around. He had always appreciated these nights, thinking they were a good way to make sure you had space, but now, for some reason, he hated it. He kept glancing at the clock, checking his phone more times than he wanted to admit, and ignoring the teasing looks from the others.

"Just text her," Wooyoung finally said with a smirk. "Bet she's just as miserable without us."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes but didn't deny it. Instead, he let out a sigh and leaned back into the couch, crossing his arms. "She's probably enjoying the peace and quiet for once."

"Are you sure about that?" Yunho nudged him. "Or are you just saying that to make yourself feel better?"

He didn't have an answer for that. Not one that made sense, anyway. But when they got back home later that night and you greeted them with the warmest smile, throwing yourself into their arms like you had been waiting all night just to see them—Seonghwa felt something shift. The way his heart squeezed at the sight of you, the way he wanted to keep you close, to be the first one you ran to, the one who held you the longest.

It hit him then.

This wasn’t just familial affection. It never had been.

And maybe, just maybe, he had been denying it for far too long.

𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

you all had just gotten back from the shit show of award show - even with winning two awards. The piss poor management had left everyone furious. furious for you and the fans that were there.

The moment you all stepped into the house, the tension that had been simmering beneath the surface finally exploded.

"Fucking ridiculous," Wooyoung spat, yanking off his jacket and tossing it onto the couch. "How the hell do you mess up an entire awards show this badly?"

"Forget the show," Jongho grumbled, rubbing his temples. "The way they handled back track? Absolute trash. we had to basically scream into our mics."

San let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "And did you see how they rushed Yn off stage after we won? Like she wasn’t just as important as the rest of us?"

That set off another round of grumbles, Yeosang’s usually calm expression dark with irritation. "They’re lucky I didn’t say something right then and there."

Yunho, normally the peacekeeper, just ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "We should’ve seen it coming. The second we got there, everything was a mess. The staff didn’t know what they were doing, the timing was all over the place, and they still had the audacity to act like we should be grateful."

Your lips pressed together, the exhaustion of the night weighing heavy on your shoulders. It wasn’t just the poor management or the stress—it was the blatant disrespect. Winning two awards should have felt amazing, but instead, it was tainted by how terribly the entire event had been handled.

Seonghwa had been quiet, but when he finally spoke, his voice was razor-sharp. "We deserved better."

His words hung in the air, and for a moment, everyone just stood there, letting the frustration settle.

Then, Seonghwa sighed, walking over to you and pulling you into his arms without hesitation. "You did amazing, Yn," he murmured, his touch grounding. "No matter what happened tonight, you were incredible."

you mumbled a thanks before you headed to the bathroom, tears streaming down your face as the boys all looked at each other.

The moment you closed the bathroom door behind you, the weight of everything finally crashed down. Hot tears streamed down your face as you gripped the sink, your chest tight with frustration and exhaustion. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration, but instead, it felt like a slap in the face.

You had worked just as hard as them. Stood on that stage with them. Yet, the way they rushed you off, the way the staff barely acknowledged your presence—it stung.

A quiet knock on the door made you tense. "Yn?" Seonghwa’s voice was soft but firm, laced with concern. "Let me in."

You hesitated, quickly wiping at your face even though you knew it was pointless. After a deep breath, you unlocked the door, stepping back as he slipped inside. The second he saw your face, his expression darkened, jaw tightening.

"They really hurt you tonight, huh?" he murmured, reaching out to gently cup your cheek, his thumb brushing away the lingering tears.

You swallowed the lump in your throat. "It’s not just about me. It was all of us. We deserved better."

Seonghwa exhaled sharply, his fingers lingering against your skin. "We did," he agreed. "But they made you feel like you didn’t belong up there with us. And that?" His voice dropped lower, his tone edged with something dangerous. "That’s not okay."

You nodded your head, biting your lip from crying once again. Seonghwa heart clench as he hesitated wanting to comfort you.

It was the war raging inside him—whether he should comfort you as your friend or as something more.

For so long, he had convinced himself that his feelings for you were nothing more than protectiveness, the kind that came from being the oldest, from watching over you like he always had. But now, standing here, watching you fight back tears, knowing how much tonight had hurt you—he couldn’t lie to himself anymore.

This wasn’t just protectiveness. It never had been.

His hands twitched at his sides, torn between brushing the hair from your face or pulling you fully into his arms. If he did, it wouldn’t just be as a friend. Not anymore.

Seonghwa sucked in a slow breath, his gaze flickering over your face, reading every little tremble of your lips, the way your eyes shimmered with unshed tears. His chest ached. He wanted to be the one to hold you together, to make sure you never felt like this again.

And so, before he could overthink it any further, he made his choice.

Seonghwa reached forward, his fingers tilting your chin up so you had no choice but to meet his eyes. "You don’t have to hold it in," he murmured. "Not with me."

That was all it took for you to break. A choked sob slipped past your lips, and Seonghwa didn't hesitate this time—he pulled you in, wrapping his arms around you tightly, as if shielding you from the world itself. His grip was firm, steady, and when he whispered, "I’ve got you," you knew he meant it.

When you had your tears subsided, you pulled back. Seonghwa's voice was soft but warm, his hand gently brushing a stray tear from your cheek as he pulled back just slightly. He gave you a small, reassuring smile. "Why don't you take a nice long bath? I'll tell the boys to use the other one. I’ll make you some tea, hm?"

You sniffled, nodding slowly. The idea of being alone for a bit, letting the warmth of the bath and his kindness wash over you, sounded like exactly what you needed right now. The comfort of knowing you wouldn’t have to face the world’s chaos alone made the decision feel easier.

Seonghwa stood up and brushed his fingers over your hair one more time, his touch lingering for a second too long. "You deserve to take it easy tonight. I'll be right here when you're done."

Before Seonghwa could step out the door, your hand reached out, pulling him back just gently. His eyes widened in surprise, and when he turned to look at you, he was met with your gaze��soft and wide, a quiet vulnerability in those puppy eyes of yours.

A quiet breath caught in his throat. The way you looked at him, so earnest, made his heart ache. Whatever you were going to ask him, whatever you needed from him, Seonghwa already knew the answer. It didn’t matter.

He smiled, almost helplessly, you spoke softly.

" will you.. will you bathe with me?"

Seonghwa's breath hitched slightly at your words, the simplicity of the request taking him by surprise. For a moment, he just stared at you, unsure if he had heard you correctly. The way you asked—so quietly, so earnestly—had a weight to it, an intimacy that made his heart race.

But then, as his gaze met yours, his hesitation melted away. The sincerity in your eyes, the way you looked at him as if you trusted him completely, made it impossible to say no.

"Yn..." His voice was gentle, almost a whisper, as he took another step closer, his thumb brushing lightly across your cheek. He could feel his own pulse quickening, but he stayed grounded. "Are you sure?"

You nodded, a soft blush coloring your cheeks, but your gaze never wavered from his.

Seonghwa hesitated for just a heartbeat longer, before his smile returned, tender and understanding. "I’ll stay with you, Yn," he murmured, his voice warm, as he stepped closer. "If this is what you want, then yes."

He reached out, his fingers grazing the edge of your shirt, pausing for a brief moment, silently asking for permission. You didn’t hesitate—your small nod was all the affirmation he needed.

Slowly, he undid the buttons of his shirt, each movement deliberate, but his eyes never left yours. There was a quiet understanding between the two of you now, and even though the air was thick with unspoken feelings, Seonghwa was content to move at your pace, letting you guide this moment.

"Let’s take care of you, okay?" he whispered, his voice softer than before, as he gently led you toward the bath.

When you and seonghwa entered the bath together, Hongjoong had peaked his head in, a soft smile placed on his lips as he can see how content you look.

Hongjoong’s soft smile was almost a reflex as he stood in the doorway, his eyes immediately drawn to the peaceful scene before him. The sight of you and Seonghwa, both relaxed, your faces soft and content, made his heart flutter with warmth. He could see how at ease you both were, the weight of the night’s chaos seeming to melt away with every passing second.

He didn’t want to intrude, but he couldn’t help but admire the calm that had settled over you, the way Seonghwa’s presence seemed to bring you peace. The steam from the bath curled around the room, filling the space with the calming scent of the aromatherapy oils you’d chosen, and it was easy to tell that this was exactly what you needed—quiet, care, and a space to breathe.

Seonghwa, with his eyes closed, had his head tilted back slightly, his body relaxed against the edge of the tub, one arm resting along the side of it while the other gently rested on your shoulder. The gentle movement of his fingers along your skin was soothing, and he was fully immersed in the moment with you, not rushing, just sharing this time together.

Hearing the door click, you opened on eye to see a cup of tea. Your heart swelling at the gesture that one of your boyfriends had done.

" hwa," you mumbled.

The soft sound of your voice calling his name made Seonghwa's heart flutter. He turned his head toward you, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he saw your eyes meet his. His fingers, warm and tender, lightly traced patterns over yours as he let out a quiet hum, savoring the closeness.

As you leaned back against Seonghwa’s chest, his warmth surrounded you like a soft cocoon. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat against your back was grounding, and you couldn’t help but sigh in contentment.

" i think- i'm in love with you," you whispered, your heart thumping against your chest.

Seonghwa froze for just a heartbeat, the words hanging in the air between you two, quiet but powerful. His heart skipped a beat, the steady rhythm faltering for a moment as he processed what you had just said.

You felt it, too—the way the air shifted around you, the weight of your confession settling in the space between you. Your breath caught in your throat, unsure of what his reaction might be, but also feeling a deep, undeniable truth in your own words.

Seonghwa’s fingers tightened slightly around yours, his chest rising and falling in a deeper breath as he slowly shifted, pulling you just slightly closer to him. His voice was soft but certain, his words laced with something tender. "Yn..."

You looked up at him, anxiety beginning to bubble in your chest as you searched his expression. But then, just like that, his hand slid under your chin, lifting your face so that your eyes met. There was no hesitation in his gaze—only a depth of affection that seemed to make the world outside of this moment disappear.

"I’m in love with you, too," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

The words, the sincerity in them, made your heart swell and your breath catch. Seonghwa’s thumb brushed gently over your cheek, his touch reverent as he leaned in closer, the space between you narrowing.

"You’ve always had my heart, Yn," he added, his voice a low murmur, "I just didn’t know it until now."

The warmth of Seonghwa’s breath against your skin sent a shiver down your spine as his soft kisses trailed along your neck. Each gentle touch, each press of his lips felt like a quiet promise, as if he was marking the moment with the kind of tenderness that left you breathless.

You closed your eyes, the sensation of his presence so close to you making your heart race. His arms, strong yet gentle, enveloped you as he snuggled into your neck, his warmth a comfort you hadn’t known you needed so badly until this very moment.

.

.

.

.

extra

Wooyoung's voice, tinged with playful whine, filled the room as he dramatically threw his hands up. "And that completes our poly family! No more," he complained, his tone a mix of amusement and mock exhaustion.

Mingi couldn’t hold back his snicker, his shoulders shaking with laughter as he nudged Wooyoung playfully. "Yeah, no more, because clearly, we’ve reached the perfect number of chaos in this family," he added with a grin, his eyes glinting mischievously.

Yeosang and San, standing behind them with sly smiles on their faces, exchanged a quiet look before handing over a few won to Wooyoung and Mingi. The action seemed simple enough, but the sly grins they wore only made it more obvious what they were implying.

"You guys do know you're not the ones in charge, right?" Yeosang said with a raised eyebrow, the amusement clear in his voice.

San laughed softly, leaning in just enough for Wooyoung and Mingi to hear him. "It’s cute how you think you have the final say," he teased, his smile growing as he placed the money in their hands. "But really, we all know the real decision-makers around here."

Wooyoung pouted dramatically, clearly not liking how easily the others had caught onto his act, but the humor in his eyes couldn’t hide how fond he was of the whole dynamic. "Fine, fine, but no more additions!" he whined again, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest, though the smirk tugging at his lips betrayed his true feelings.

Mingi clapped him on the back, grinning wide. "Yeah, no more. We can’t handle any more chaos in our already perfect, 'complete' family, right, Wooyoung?" he teased, his voice dripping with sarcastic sweetness.

The group burst into laughter, their easy camaraderie filling the space as each of them knew—deep down—that the family they had created, no matter how chaotic or unpredictable, was perfect just the way it was.

[xoxochb]

Forbidden love trope with Jason grace plss

⋆·˚ ༘ * this love is difficult, but it’s real

warnings: renaissance era, I changed a bunch of things from the play because shakespeare was on something, one sexual insinuation, tons of dialogue, this honestly isn’t my best work

pairing: romeo coded! jason grace x juliet coded! reader (daughter of ares and aphrodite)

a/n: forbidden love trope? you know my literature loving ass is gonna do something romeo and juliet inspired

two households, both alike in dignity- just kidding that’s not where this is going

a crowded room, the sound of people talking around you. a banquet set up by your parents- unexpected but it’s typical for them, you assume they’re trying to set you up with another boy when they drag you to meet another prince- percy jackson wishes to take your hand in marriage and your parents agree with it. you don’t even know the man! small talk doesn’t get you places and that seems to be the only thing this boy knows

“lovely weather today” he says

you lean your head against a pillar “I suppose”

“what do you enjoy in your free time?”

“many things”

“such as…?”

he won’t give up will he?

“reading, painting, not very much”

he nods his head “I adore sword fighting, but often swimming when I’m not”

your eyes scan around the room as he continues on about his many hobbies, nothing you care about, although when you think about it you don’t care about percy himself. boys, boys, boys! all mean at this absurd party, why can’t you chose a husband on your own? your eyes stop when they meet electric blue ones, yet covered by a mask, who is this strange boy? you must get to know him!

“percy?”

“yes?”

“could I be excused for a moment? I have to use the restroom”

“yes that’s quite fine, when you get back I’ll tell you about my great adventure over mountaintops”

you give him a half-smile before rushing off. would a mysterious look be okay? or should you approach the boy immediately? yes! let him approach you first

you take a drink from a waiter and lean your back against the nearest pillar. a mysterious look will do you good in this situation

waiting, waiting… will the boy ever talk to you?

“quite a boring banquet don’t you think?”

you turn around, the blue-eyed boy stands behind the pillar, you move to the opposite side with him

“my parents want me married off to that boy” you point to percy across the room who seemingly found another woman to torture with dreadful stories

“do you want to?”

“want to what?”

“marry him?”

you shake your head “who are you?”

he hesitates “why don’t we ditch?”

“I can’t do that”

“why not?”

“my parents will be furious”

“so what? they’re busy anyways”

you sigh “only for a little while”

he takes your hand in his and you allow him to drag you outside the palace to the garden, flower filled courtesy of demeter

“what is your name?” you ask

“If I tell you will you kick me out?”

“why would I do that?”

“you’ll realize”

“so what is it?”

he removes his mask “jason grace”

oh…

“oh my gods, son of zeus! I should have known. what are you doing here? our fathers will kill us!”

“I had to see you” he takes both of your hands in his yet again

“why? what is so important that you had to risk your life?”

“I’m in love with you” he puts your hands over his heart, you feel his rapid heartbeat

“I’m sorry?”

“I’ve been pining over you for so long, I came here to ask for your hand in marriage”

“oh my gods oh my gods, we can’t marry and you know that!”

“please. In secret even would be fine”

“how the hell do you want me to secretly marry you?”

“I have a friend who will be willing to do it”

“don’t you think this is sudden?”

“would you rather marry that other boy?”

“I suppose not…”

“then will I see you tomorrow morning?”

marry the son of poseidon who shows interest in every woman, not loyal, and talks a lot, or the son of zeus who has supposedly been in love with you for years and risked his life to see you?

“meet me at my bedrooms balcony, seven sharp” you point to your balcony

“I won’t be late” he gives you a heart-stopping smile

before he runs off he places a kiss on your lips, quick but lovely. you await his next arrival

⚔️

you hate waking early in the morning. you were the one who arranged the time though and in a half an hour you would be getting married to a boy you barely knew, a handsome one though you wouldn’t complain

you followed your morning routine like usual, careful to stay silent as you assume most of your family will be asleep after the long party the previous night

should you dress fancy since it’s a wedding or casual because it’s secret? makeup or natural look? too many decisions to make! you put on a simple pink dress, nothing too much but still good enough for a wedding. a few touch ups with makeup and check the time on your wall clock 6:58 it reads. he would be here any moment. you rush to your balcony and catch sigh of the blond boy walking up to your castle

you manage to climb over the railing to grab hold of the vines to climb down, nearly impossible to do with your dress on. when you (finally) make it to the bottom you hold up your dress and run to the boy

out of breath you put your hands on your knees but not before holding up a singular finger to indicate you needed a minute

“do you run much?” asks jason

“not at all”

you go back to regular posture as your breathing slows back down “let’s get married now, shall we?”

“we shall”

you loop arms and go on your way to- wait… you don’t even know where you’re going. hope it’s not dangerous

when you arrive you see a worn down house, belonging to who? you don’t know

“the person that’s going to marry us lives in there? Is he certified?” you inquire

“I don’t think so. he’s cool though”

when you walk in the house your greeted by a hyperactive boy, assumed to be around your age

“I’ve been waiting, what took so long?” the boy says

“long walk” jason shrugs “anyways- y/n this is leo, and you already know her so…”

leo beams “great! let’s get this ceremony started!”

not much of a set up, not much of a big ceremony. It was a simple ‘say your vows then kiss let’s get this over with’ for reason one because leo was not legally certified to do this and two because you knew zeus had many eyes and took forms of exotic animals (he could be anywhere- this horrifies you)

not only was leo not certified, he additionally didn’t know how to officiate a wedding. a bunch of nonsense about love spilled from his mouth and you couldn’t find it in you to care anymore

“you may now kiss the bride! but not in front of me, please don’t do that in front of me”

you give him a concerned look. and mouth and mutter an ‘okay’ with a slow nod of your head. he was weird wasn’t he?

once you exited the house you got your chance for a kiss- to cement your marriage. however jason has other ideas

“why don’t we go to your palace to consummate our marriage?”

[witchybitchycrybaby]

Fuck me yourself, you coward

Davos Blackwood x Aeron Bracken

Warnings: none I can think of

Summary: you know how one person says "fuck you" and the other responds with "fuck me yourself, you coward"? Yep, that's it.

Words: 1k

I feel so normal about them

✨✨✨

The sun was beginning to set over the meadow at the boundary of House Blackwood and House Bracken lands, its golden rays casting shadows over the trees.

Some time ago, Davos Blackwood and Aeron Bracken had agreed to a truce. They thought it a good idea, especially since they wanted to practice their swordsmanship together before they both were knighted. These moments of peace never lasted for long, however.

The boys stood facing each other, swords drawn, the practice long forgotten as it turned into one of their usual arguments.

"We're better hunters, Blackwood," Aeron snapped, his eyes blazing with fury. "If your traps are empty, it’s because you don’t know how to set them right."

"Better hunters, my ass," Davos retorted, gripping the hilt of his sword harder until his knuckles turned white. "I’ve seen your men stumble around the woods like blind fools. Probably can’t tell a deer from a tree."

They circled each other, their words as sharp as the blades they wielded. This wasn't the first time the sword practice had turned into a verbal sparring match, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Of this they were sure.

"At least we don't come here at night to move the boundary stones. You lot must really like our Blackwood land." Davos was fuming, his voice rising dangerously.

"Your Blackwood land?" Aeron repeated in disbelief. "The stones are exactly where they should be. Maybe on top of not knowing how to set traps, you don't know how to measure properly. How you manage to keep your land is a big mystery to me." Aaron rolled his eyes and Davos saw red.

"You arrogant piece of- fuck you, Bracken!" He yelled.

Aeron, not really thinking about what he was saying, blurted out, "Fuck me yourself, you coward!"

Both boys instantly froze, the deafening silence settling between them. They could only stare and blink at each other helplessly, wide-eyed and speechless. Aeron's face drained of color for a split second before a furious crimson blush crept up his neck, spreading like wildfire. He could feel the heat even on the tips of his ears. His anger quickly drained out of him, giving place to embarrassment.

Davos, on the other hand, looked like he had just gotten the biggest treat of his existence. His lips slowly stretched into a smirk, and a mischievous glint lit up his eyes. "What was that, Bracken?"

"I-I didn't mean it like that," Aeron stammered, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. He was almost sure that the other boy could hear it too. "It was just-"

He stopped abruptly when Davos started to step closer and closer. "Oh really? Because it sure as hell sounded like an invitation to me."

Aeron took a step back, and another, somewhere along the way he dropped his sword into the grass. His breath hitched in his throat as he put his hands in front of him in a miserable attempt to stop the other boy. "I was angry! I wasn't thinking!"

But Davos only continued to close the distance between them, acting as if he didn't hear Aeron's pleas.

"No need to explain. I'm happy to oblige."

Finally, Aeron's back hit the tree, and he was trapped, unable to put some distance between him and Davos. Something in the brunet's eyes told him, that even if he ran, he would be right behind him, not letting him off the hook.

"Stop it, Blackwood. This isn't funny."

But Davos reached out, placing his hand on the tree right beside Aeron's face, trapping him in a cage. He leaned in some more, so that their faces were mere inches apart, and said in low, teasing voice, "Who's laughing?"

Aeron's heart raced. He could feel the heat radiating from the other boy's body, and his warm breath fanning his face. Aaron squeezed the bark behind his back as hard as he could. If it weren't for the support of the tree, his knees would have given out long ago.

"D-Davos, I..."

"Yes, Aeron?" He whispered.

Aeron wanted to push Davos away. He wanted to grip his hands on his tunic and just shove him off. He would storm off, not even once glancing back at the Blackwood. But his body refused to leave; worse even, he found himself leaning in slightly, drawn to the dark-haired boy. There was this pull that no matter how much he tried, he couldn't explain.

The smirk on Davos' face turned into a satisfied smile. "That's what I thought," he said and, without a second to lose, he captured Aeron's soft lips with his own.

Aeron's eyes widened in pure shock. Instead of pulling away, he found himself responding to the kiss. He moved his lips tentatively against Davos', and the boy hummed in contentment.

The kiss was a collision of teeth more than a loving embrace. It was raw and unrefined, their tongues tangling in a wild dance. They both were sure that it would leave them bruised and wanting even more of the fiery burn.

When Davos finally pulled back, his lips red, Aeron was breathless and blushing even more furiously than earlier. "That... That wasn't what I meant," he whispered weakly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Sure thing," Davos said with a wink. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, Bracken."

His hand moved to gently cup Aeron's cheek, his skin almost burning him. Aeron shuddered under his touch, accepting the fact that there was a part of him that wanted this and so much more. That despite the animosity between their families, he had been yearning for this one Blackwood.

"You know," started Davos, his eyes following his fingers caressing Aeron's cheek. "I have a feeling that this is just the beginning."

And Aeron could feel it too. His Blackwood would make sure of it.

[kangaracha]

DAYBREAK; chapter 2

---

pairing lee know x reader

genre smau, dystopia AU, angst, hurt/comfort, slowburn romance, hope/hopelessness, life goes on, ordinary life during extraordinary times

summary independant entertainment doesn't make money, everyone knows that - not dancing, not boxing. not without a company's name attached to it and the soul ripped out of it so that it can only sit on the stage bleeding. you knew you never should have agreed to get involved in his studio, that the bills would pile up and the income would run dry, that the government would come knocking telling you to shut up and sit down...but it makes him so happy, to be able to dance. it gives him a reason to stay. you don't know what you'd do without that.

taglist OPEN

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---

Your stomach rumbles at the thought of it.

Starve then. 

You opt to put your phone down rather than think about lunch, dropping it onto the top of the stereo as you turn it on, setting it to search for a radio station signal. Not that your stomach forgets, even if you turn to the windows and the bright sunlight that streams through them and try to put it out of your mind; but aching hunger is an old friend by now. It’s been so long since you’ve had a full meal, you can’t remember what it’s like to live without it.

The day is nice, at least, the weather mild and the sun warm here from behind the high, arched windows that run the length of the studio. The dust and the layers of centuries-old grime help to keep the warmth in, you think sometimes, dirt sealing up the cracks in the walls just as quickly as they spread and turning the sunlight into a kaleidoscope of yellows that stream artfully across the room. The effect works to hide the warping in the floorboards that turn the corners of your dance floor into hazards, the deep contrast of shadow and light disguising the tears and taping up of Minho’s old boxing ring on the other side of the room.

You still love this place, even for its age and its flaws. It’s quiet and it’s empty, one of the most expansive spaces you think you’ve ever stood in. Your apartment could fit in it three times over, all of the trappings of your life squeezed into a space smaller than your dance studio. You'd always thought you could live here happily with just a few small changes to one corner of the room, but this is a place strictly for business just like the apartment was strictly for living, and to act against that...

A rap on the door stops you from thinking about it any further, let alone the stretching you were just settling into; a sharp sting of knuckles against the wood that you know all too well. Your heart plunges into your stomach as you turn towards the noise, skitters sideways when the radio finally picks up a signal and blares music into the rafters; you pick it up off the floor and go to answer the door with it hidden behind your back, in case she sees it and knows how scared you are.

You hate talking to her. Kim Soyeon; not the rich man who owns the building, but the manager who reports back to him, a tall and terrifying monster playing at being a businesswoman. She lurks in the hall in her usual red heels and pressed blazer, her face pinched like she's just tasted a lemon. Great. She's even in a bad mood for you, just how you like it.

"The rent is overdue," she says without greeting or preamble, her arms crossed over her chest.

"We got your notice," you reply, gesturing towards the piece of paper that’s still taped to the door. "Minho will bring it tomorrow."

"It should be here, now," Soyeon sniffs. "If it's overdue, he should be expecting me to come and collect it first thing in the morning. Especially if you're already in here making a racket."

The money wouldn't be overdue if you stopped putting the rent up. A dark, old anger swirls in your gut, hot and furious - you slam the lid down on it, swallowing its bitter taste. "I only just got here," you promise her, your voice wavering under her cutting gaze. "I'm sorry. It's taken us the extra week to get the money, but we have it today - and we did send an email last week about it-"

"It's fine," Soyeon says, cutting across you like she can't bear to listen to you anymore. "I’ll expect it brought to my office before the end of day tomorrow."

"Thank you," you say meekly, a sentiment she doesn't return, and you close the door behind the click of her heels walking away, trapping the chaos of the world outside of your sanctuary.

"Fucking bitch," you spit to the studio at large, and then you go to choose the radio station you like, determined to rub away the dirty feeling her gaze has left on your skin.

---

Your first lesson of the day is punctual, eager to learn, and perfectly polite, as Jeongin always is.

Your new student is late, and then he is apologetic, and then he is-

Him.

He’s changed his name.

It’s been two years since the night you met him, but you’ll never forget his face - even if, by the blank look on his, he’s forgotten yours. You swallow down the fear that strikes at you fast and hard as he bows his head in apology, train your face back into the perfectly pleasant expression you'd decided to wear to answer the door, and accept his apology with all the grace of someone who isn't any the wiser on who he is. What he is. Where he comes from, and where he's been, and who he might go to visit next. 

When you invite him into the room, you try not to stare. You think maybe you get away with it, but it's hard to tell through the warm smile that paints his face and the clever light that dances in his eyes, promising intelligence. "Your name is Chan?" you ask, though you know full well that it is not.

"Yes," he lies, the word sliding easily from his tongue. "Or whatever you want to call me. I don't mind."

Funny, you don't bite back, busying yourself instead with the stereo. "Have you ever danced before?"

"Sometimes," he answers with a shrug. "I had a lot of lessons when I was a kid, but I haven't had time for...a long time." He pauses, looking at you with just the slightest tilt to his head, and then adds, "You know how it is, right?"

"Right," you say, and try not to meet his eye. Already, you know more information about him than you'd ever wanted to, and he'd known far too much about you even before he wandered in here like it was any other day and he was any other boy that had woken up and decided that he wanted to dance again. 

You try not to dwell on it, or to wonder if he remembered who you were when he booked a lesson at this studio specifically, or if this was all a coincidence in the eagerness he would have held to avoid a bigger studio or a more famous face that would have given him a second glance, held him under tighter scrutiny. It won't matter in the long run; no one ever comes back for your lessons. You just have to get through the hour and send him on his way, and pray that his face isn't currently on a list somewhere that will trace him back to you.

"We'll warm up first, and then we'll try a few things," you tell him, settling on the music you want to play in the background as you stretch. "Okay?"

The smile that presses itself to his face in response is perfectly charming, except for the black hole of dread that it opens up inside your stomach. "That's good with me," he answers. 

---

TAGLIST

@kokinu09 @rainfallingfromthesky @keepswingin @rylea08 @puppysmileseungmin

@thatonedemigodfromseoul @bokkiesplace @amyyscorner @dearly-somber @kayleefriedchicken

@realrintaro @estella-novella

[riding-the-sunset-bird]

Hello! I really love your content because it helps me understand more about the game and how much work was put into it, so thank you!

I was wondering if you could explain about a scene in Baxter's Step 4 which takes place after Scott and Jude's wedding and before Baxter explain his backstory? I have no idea what triggers the scene since one run I get the scene while another has me skip it entirely.

Thank you again!

Oh! I think I know the one you're talking about. (Also, thank you for the compliment! >///<)

You're referring to the potential chat that the MC can have with Baxter where they get to elaborate on how they felt about him leaving, yes?

Because very specific conditions need to be met first, which might be why you didn't get it on other playthroughs.

But fear not, fellow Baxter fan, for I shall guide you! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

The Step 3 Ending

First things first is how your MC feels about Baxter during the Step 3 ending. If they're upset (this can refer to being either sad or mad), then a few additional steps will need to be made to make sure the right options will pop up later, but if not, then this step can be skipped.

This amount of explaining almost definitely won't be necessary but I'm a loser who likes over-explaining things and figured that people might want to know exactly how the game is reading their choices.

Anyway, your MC will be marked as "upset" if they choose any of these options after Baxter says his goodbyes to the MC:

(if the MC was dating him)

"Hold on- why can't that be you?"

"Wait, you're dumping me?!"

"Are you… breaking up with me?"

You stared in disbelief.

(note: if any other option besides these was chosen, they can still be marked as "upset" if they then choose:)

"We don't have to date long-distance. I just wanna keep in touch."

(if the MC was not dating him)

"Take care. See you sometime."

"You're making it sound like we're never gonna see each other again."

"Hey, it's not that serious- we'll keep in touch."

You stared in confusion.

The player must also avoid these two options later on if they want to keep the MC marked as "upset":

If that was how he felt, you didn't mind. He clearly wanted to go.

If that was how he felt, you would live with it- even though it hurt…

An angry MC may also choose this during the conversation:

You were furious at his glibness!

It's not required, but opens a few more options.

Once Baxter gets to the end of the discussion and is about to leave, you'll get two different choices back-to-back. Any of these will work and you only need one from either set (so if you chose one from the first set, you don't need one from the second set and vice versa):

from the first set of options

You smiled at him. / You managed to smile at him. (depends on if You were furious at his glibness! was chosen earlier)

Tears were rolling down your cheeks.

You were smiling as tears gathered in the corners of your eyes. (if You were furious at his glibness! was not chosen earlier)

You glared at him. (if You were furious at his glibness! was chosen earlier)

You glared at him through the tears. (if You were furious at his glibness! was chosen earlier)

You couldn't keep a frown off your face.

from the second set of options

"Fine! See you never, you Victorian emo man."

"It doesn't have to be this way…"

"I'll miss you."

"Screw you, Baxter Ward." (if You were furious at his glibness! was chosen earlier)

If all of the above two sets of options are avoided, the necessary options needed for the Baxter scene won't appear later on, so either any of those need to be chosen or the MC should avoid being marked as "upset" and then choose to be upset later during...

The Step 4 Intro

Here, the player will again be given options on how the MC feels about Baxter, this time during the five years they spend apart. Choose any of these:

(if your MC was upset at Baxter; which one appears depends on the specific emotions the MC felt)

You hadn't forgiven him. Any time you remembered, you were newly angered. (available if the MC reacted angrily to Baxter at the end)

It still hurt. Any time you remembered, you were brought down. (available if the MC reacted sadly to Baxter at the end)

(if your MC wasn't upset at Baxter)

The longer he was gone, the more it frustrated you!

The longer he was gone, the more it saddened you…

You may then proceed as normal~

Texts In the Guest Room

After the MC goes to the guest room and gets the first texts from Baxter in the planning group chat, you'll be given some option on how your MC feels about seeing him again.

Either of these will do:

(if the MC is sad over Baxter)

It hurt so much because the truth was, you still wanted to be with Baxter. (only available if the MC is at Crush/Love with Baxter and not dating/at Love with Cove)

Getting to speak with him hadn't changed anything. You were just sad.

(if the MC is angry over Baxter)

It was so infuriating because the truth was, you still wanted to be with Baxter. (only available if the MC is at Crush/Love with Baxter and not dating/at Love with Cove)

Getting to speak with him hadn't changed anything. You were as mad as ever.

At that point, most things should be set up and you should be able to do as you please until the wedding.

The Wedding Conversation

You'll know that you've done everything right depending on the dialog Baxter gives after having explained himself to the MC at the end of the wedding.

If he says, "No more running away. I'll listen to whatever you have to say to me, even if it's difficult to hear." then something has gone wrong, but if he says "I'd like to listen to what's on your mind, as a true friend would, even if it's challenging. And I will explain myself as well." then everything is going as it should.

Presuming you've successfully gotten the latter dialog, you'll be given options of how the MC responds to Baxter and you'll want to choose either of these:

(if the MC is at Crush/Love with Baxter and not dating/at Love with Cove)

Yes. You should talk about that, and maybe later you could tell him what you really felt… (choose this one if you plan on having your MC confess to Baxter later on)

That was all you'd asked for, the chance to connect. And maybe you'd find out if he felt the same as you… (choose this one if you plan to have Baxter be the one to confess instead)

You were still hurting. There was no denying it. But you weren't unwilling to talk.

(if the MC is not at Crush/Love with Baxter)

It was a relief to know he was willing to hear you out, finally.

In truth, deep down, you'd already forgiven him. But you couldn't say it yet.

Maybe you couldn't decide how you felt this instant. But you could still talk.

While you were still hurting, you were okay with talking.

Finally (finally!), if all conditions have been met, you'll hear the unease music start during the drive back to Baxter's apartment and the atmosphere will be tense. The scene begins immediately afterwards.

Recap

During the Step 3 ending extension with Baxter, either don't have the MC be upset at all or have them be upset but ensure that they lean towards being sad and/or mad during the last choices.

In the Step 4 intro, have the MC still lean towards sadness/anger over the situation.

After receiving the planning group chat text from Baxter, have the MC think that they either still want to be with them even if it hurt/was infuriating, or that the meeting didn't change anything and they were still mad/sad.

Once Baxter offers to hear the MC out if they have anything further to say, do not have the MC confess nor want to become friends again right away: focus on the conversation still needing to be had.

[xx-riffraff-xx]

𓇼 ~ Forsaken Treasures of the Sea ~ 𓇼

premise; It's an anniversary. This time, you are the one who doesn't take it well. Companion piece to 'The Sea Swallowed Him Whole.' (can be read standalone, but makes more sense if you read the other piece first.)

warnings; angst, hurt/little comfort, self harm, grief, guilt, reader is put through it a little bit, symbolism, rafayel is present but kinda just lets you do your thing, vent fic a little, how it feels to grieve something you never knew.

a/n; i had this idea while sitting at work. it's not as cohesive as i'd like it to be, but it captures the feeling i needed to express so we ball.

Here’s what they don’t tell you about survivor’s guilt. 

You are on the beach this time. The sun is setting. The waves pull at your feet. Your toes dig into the soft sand. The wind tangles into your hair and ties itself in knots. It smells like ocean, like old, old water and old, old creatures and an old, old world you don’t remember. You do not know why.

Your body remembers. Your body remembers fear and rubble and thrashing currents. Your body remembers playing with young souls. Your body remembers a late night adventure to a forbidden land. Your body remembers you should be grieving. You do not know why.

You are on the beach this time. You are waiting for the sun to set. Perhaps the sun will sink into the Deep Sea and set the forgotten city alight once more. The sunset on land is different from under the water. The sun’s flames dip below the surface. You are patient. You do not know why.

A lapping wave reaches its crescendo, crashing in a wide arc against itself. Your clothes are dampened. The salt clings to your skin. You are waiting for the sun to set. You are patient. The call of the tide will draw him out once more. He cannot escape his caring, violent mother.

Here’s what they don’t tell you about survivor’s guilt: you do not have to remember what you survived to be guilty that you lived at all.

Rafayel stumbles in the sand when he sees you standing in the waves. The water has risen to your shins now. “It’s an anniversary... isn’t it?” You state. It’s not a question. Your body remembers. Rafayel hums an answer. His caring, violent mother brushes softly against his feet as he steps into the tide with you.

You are angry. You know exactly why.

You step out of the water’s pull, the dry sand outside its reach sticks to your damp skin. You wander, searching. Rafayel trails after you like a shadow. He is small, quiet, somber. You don’t belong here. This is not a place of honor. You pocket smooth shells and rocks and other forsaken treasures of the sea. An anniversary deserves a fitting gift.

A sculpture forms from your treasures. A cairn is made from the rocks you collected and adorned with shells, driftwood, and seaweed. You build it where the waves can reach it. It’s an offering. Penance. The sea may not have your bodies sewn in a sailcloth, but you make a new offering instead.

The skin of your hand gives easily to your stolen blade. Rafayel tries to stop you, Lemurian words spilling from his lips. Sticky, warm blood drips onto the statue. You barely notice the pain, anger is making your chest tight. Your uncut hand weaves its fingers between Rafayel’s. You pull him to your side, defensive and protective.

The muscles in your shoulders are tight with forgotten memories. Your edges are blurred, a water droplet blot on a perfect painting. You blend with the sea, the sea blends with you. Rafayel lets go of you to settle in next to the statue, prepared to receive what is due to him as the sea demands.

Your anger crescendos. A vengeful yell builds in your chest. It simmers in your core, clouds your head with steam, boils over down your legs and into your toes. You are yelling at your cold, violent mother in words you do not understand. It’s the mournful lament of a whale and the growl of a furious tempest. You will not take us.

You yell until your voice is hoarse. Your bloodied palm drips sluggishly into the sea. She is thirsty. She demands justice.

You are calmer now. The ballad of the storm inside you allowed the wind to steal your anger. You tear a piece of your shirt for your wound. Rafayel waits for you near the sculpture. You walk together to his home. There are salty tears in your eyes. There were lives lost here. You don’t belong here.

This is not a place of honor.

hope you enjoyed! i am processing my own type of grief through this piece, so i hope the meaning comes across. maybe will be edited and proofread more later.

[theamityelf]

the survivors watching despair disease makoto in the simulation fuck everything up. His entire behavior reminded me that byakuya played with the crime scene in ch 2 of thh. Please can we have the real world reaction to despair disease makoto of the survivors (+maybe komaru...in my heart she's home by the time the neo world takes place.)

That's amazing. You've painted a picture for me where all of the other survivors, and also Komaru, are in the pod room watching the screens, and I like that a lot.

Makoto wakes up early, the morning he first comes down with despair disease, and he walks straight out the door, visibly clammy and in his pajamas.

"Something's wrong," Komaru says.

"W-What is it?" Toko asks, immediately covering her eyes. "Did someone die?"

"No, it's Makoto. He just...woke up and left his cabin. He didn't spend forever in the bathroom, he didn't even put shoes on, and he hates walking outside barefoot ever since the thumbtack incident. Hey, what's he doing?"

"It looks like he's ringing Nanami's doorbell," Kyoko observes. "A lot."

"Maybe he had one of those memory-dreams and he knows why he's in there, now?" Aoi suggests.

"That's...not the impression I get from his expression. He almost looks like he's doing it for no reason."

Indeed, he's walked away from the door by the time she opens it to see what's going on. When she eventually returns to bed, he goes and rings the doorbell again.

"Why's he ding-dong-ditching Chiaki?" Hiro wonders.

"Um..." Alter Ego looks nervous. "It looks like something's...wrong with him."

"Well, yeah. That's what we just-"

"Quiet, Hiro," Kyoko interrupts tersely. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well," Alter Ego continues, "Junko's virus seems like it's messing with his personality somehow. It's not just him; there are two others. It seems like it all comes down to that mysterious variable I told you about yesterday. That boolean, named 'dd', set to false for everyone. Well, an hour ago it was set to true for Makoto and two others. I've been going through all references to 'dd' in the code-"

"I thought you said it wasn't referenced anywhere," Byakuya protests.

"It wasn't. In the past two hours, she added conditionals that check for whether dd is set to true at any given time, and if it is-"

"He's throwing lawn chairs into the pool," Komaru observes.

"He looks sick," Aoi says. "Like he's going to pass out."

And after another minute of increasingly short-winded problem-causing, Makoto indeed collapses next to the hotel pool, basically just laying there in direct sunlight and feeling terrible.

The first few people on their way to breakfast ask him what he's up to, and he just says that he doesn't feel like getting up yet. Eventually, someone carries him into the hotel because he is drenched in sweat and so breathless he can barely talk.

When Monokuma explains the despair disease to everyone, those outside the simulation are all furious.

"Despair disease?" Kyoko protests. "Even for her, that-"

"That's not fair!" Komaru exclaims.

Inside the simulation, everyone is figuring out who has the disease.

"...and, Makoto," Hajime says. "You must have it, too."

Makoto, with his face resting on the breakfast table, says, "Have what?"

"D-Do you f-feel sick?" Mikan asks, tilting her head (and lowkey excited at the prospect that her friend needs her).

"I don't know, do I?" Makoto says.

"He's definitely not acting like himself," Hajime says.

"To be fair, that could just be a symptom of laying out in the sun for so long," Nagito points out.

"That's a good point," Makoto says. "You should all listen to Nagito more."

"Oh, he is sick," Nagito says, with a slightly disturbed look.

Outside the simulation:

"Can it be undone?" Byakuya demands.

"Once the variable is set to true, it can't be reverted until a murder happens," Alter Ego says helplessly.

"Can you keep it from being set to true for anyone else, in the future?" Kyoko asks.

"I can stop her from manually setting them to true, but the disease is coded to be contagious. I can't change that without giving up the bandwidth I'm using to maintain the rule system."

"Meaning, until another murder happens, despair disease is going to keep existing and spreading." Kyoko rubs her forehead in frustration, watching the onscreen Makoto flail around to make it harder for the others to carry him to the hospital.

[nessataleweaver]

FIC: By right of blood (Game of Thrones)

RATING: PG

FANDOM/PAIRING: Game of Thrones; Jon/Sansa (implied)

SUMMARY:  Robb Stark’s return to Winterfell has been a long time coming.  But to his dismay, his homecoming is not the welcome he expects.

NOTE: show!verse, but the Red Wedding went slightly differently. It also diverts Sansa’s canon storyline at the same point it’s still currently stuck at in the books, with her in the Vale posing as Alayne Stone. I actually expanded this from a WIP I never got around to finishing back in 2020, so the jonsa is only implied here; let me assure you it’s quite real though.

PROMPT: for jonsa-halloween for their 2024 event, using the October 29th prompt  ‘Came back wrong!’ In this story, that can be taken several ways...

This story can also be read on AO3

Robb Stark, King in the North, couldn’t hold back a sigh as the imposing view of Winterfell broke over the horizon.

He’d been away too long.

“Is that Winterfell?” Talisa asked quietly, from her seat in the carriage that rolled beside Robb’s horse.

“Yes,” Robb nodded happily.  “I have to warn you, I don’t know what shape it’ll be in.  I haven’t been back since before the Ironborn attacked.  Roose Bolton recommended his bastard as castellan, but given that we now know he was behind what happened at Uncle Edmure’s wedding...”

Robb bit his lip to hold back un-Kingly tears.  The only reason Robb, Talisa, and the child that swelled her belly like a full moon were alive was because of his mother’s suspicions - and her sacrifice.  Along with many of Robb’s bannermen, she’d died during what was already being called ‘the Red Wedding’.  Robb had managed to bring home most of the bannermen’s bodies, but he’d left his mother’s remains in a burning boat in the Trident, like her Tully ancestors before her.  Robb and Talisa had already agreed that their first daughter would be named in tribute.

Robb’s first hint that perhaps he wasn’t as well-informed on the state of affairs as he should have been came when he saw Winterfell up close. 

It was... perfect.  There was no sign that the seat of the Starks had ever been attacked, except for a few fading scorch marks here and there on the walls.  It was better than perfect – the Broken Tower had even been repaired.

The second hint was when Beth Cassel came to meet him, wearing a Yi Ti-styled tabard bearing the Stark crest. She swept a graceful, exquisitely correct curtsey.

“As the steward of Winterfell, I greet you, King in the North.” With a respectful nod to Talisa, she added, “and his Queen Consort.”

His third hint came when she offered them bread and salt.

* - * - * - *

Robb was furious, and only barely hiding it.  This was only tempered by an ever-increasing sadness, accompanied by an also-ever-increasing feeling of trepidation.

Talisa had been ensconced in a set of beautifully furnished rooms that Beth had told them had been designated for them whenever they cared to visit, and would be called the Royal Suite in their honour.

It was in the guest quarters.  Not the family wing. Alongside those offered to the few bannermen who’d accompanied him to Winterfell, the rest who’d survived the war peeling off from his entourage to return to their own homes, eager to put matters into place for the approaching of winter.

Robb didn’t recognise a single person in the halls besides Beth.  Every enquiry he made about a member of staff he remembered from before he left received one of two responses:

“He/she died fighting the Iron-Born.”

Or the even more popular “He/she was killed by the Bolton bastard.”

The only exception was Mikken; when Robb had glimpsed a tall, strong youth who oddly reminded him of Robert Baratheon in the smithy, Beth had remarked to Robb’s joy that Gendry had made his way to Winterfell on Arya’s recommendation.

“We don’t know where she is currently, but we’re sure she’s alive.”

This had been followed by a dismal variation on a depressingly familiar refrain.

“Mikken was crippled by the Bolton bastard, so he’s instructing Gendry further while he supervises the smithy, now that the rebuilding is done.  We still have a lot of preparation to do for winter, including expanding the glass houses both here and at Weeping Water castle.”

“Wait - Weeping Water Castle?” Robb knew the Weeping Water river, of course, but wasn’t that right next to-

“The former Dreadfort, your grace.  With Roose dead at your hand for his betrayal, and his Frey wife and last remaining legitimate child slaughtered by his bastard, everyone thought that it was only fitting that the bastard’s wife be awarded the Bolton holdings as recompense for her suffering, and to keep anyone who might have supported the Bolton’s out of the seat.  Even Lady Dustin agreed.” 

“But who is she?”

“The former Jeyne Poole.  The Bolton bastard married her, claiming she was Lady Arya, in order to strengthen his claim on Winterfell.  We’ll need you to confirm her in the position before you leave, as well as confirm that she can hold it under her maiden name.  Given that she’s highly likely to die childless, Lady Jeyne will probably ask you to designate one of your children as the heir.”

With that surprising comment, Beth opened the side door to the Great Hall.  “Please excuse me not announcing you with due heraldry, your grace, but Lady Sansa is in the middle of the Day of Judgment and Appeals.  We prefer not to interrupt the hearings.  I’ll announce you as soon as the current hearing is done.”

Robb stood and watched as Sansa, in an elaborately carved rosewood chair placed on the bare dais where the family tables sat during feasts, presided over the people of Winterfell as if she were a queen. A very good one.  Beth had cleverly avoided answering any questions about what Sansa was doing in Winterfell instead of King’s Landing, and Robb found his curiosity burning almost as hotly as his anger.

Less than ten minutes later, Robb Stark, heir to Winterfell and King in the North found himself standing before his younger sister feeling like a supplicant, trying not to puke at the detailed list of what Roose Bolton’s bastard had done to his people.  Trying to digest the news that his silly little sister, who spoke of nothing but songs, sewing, and suitors, had stolen his rightful place from under him while he’d been avenging their father’s murder.

"I am Lord of Winterfell, and King in the North!" Robb thundered, his voice echoing off the stone walls of their ancestors.

"Yes, you are King in the North, by right of acclamation," Sansa agreed.  "You were chosen as such by your bannermen." Then her expression turned to mirror-blank ice, and her voice became harsh as the depths of winter.  "But you are no longer Lord of Winterfell.  You lost Winterfell to the Ironborn.  You lost it because you trusted Theon, and he betrayed us all. He murdered our brothers, leaving me as the rightful heir.  Then you gave permission for the Boltons to take it.  You approved of that monster coming to Winterfell. You allowed that monster to torture and slaughter it's people.

"So I did what you were too busy elsewhere to do.  I took back our home.  I made an alliance with our cousin Robin Arryn; I brought warriors from the Vale and I freed the people here from death and terror.  Winterfell is mine, by right of conquest.  It's people support my right of blood.  I am the Stark in Winterfell now, and so I shall remain.  After all, I'm the only other candidate. And I have the support of our only remaining family."

Robb looked at her incredulously.  "Wait - Jon?  You went to the Night's Watch?"

A shadow moved from behind Sansa's chair, and Robb nearly jumped out of his skin.  It took several heartbeats for him to recognise the black curls and pallid face.

"Jon? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at the Wall?"

Jon reached for the neck of his black leather jerkin, and slowly unfastened it.  He wore no shirt underneath, and Robb stared in utter shock - not at his scandalously bare chest, but the several livid, still blood-red scars.

How could any man have taken a blade to the heart and live?

"My Watch has ended," Jon told him solemnly, as he re-fastened his clothing.  "I serve the Lady of Winterfell, now."

He laid his hand on Sansa’s shoulder... and something dark in the back of Robb’s mind recognised it as a touch of possession rather than simple support. The Sansa that Robb knew would have shrugged off any physical contact from Jon with a scandalised look.  This Sansa leaned into it.  Jon had always been pale, but now the skin of his hand looked downright ghostly in contrast to the deep blue of Sansa’s gown, the sparkling wolf emblazoned across her chest seemed to dance as she reached up to place her hand on top of his.

"Unfortunately, Winterfell is still being repaired from being sacked twice in as many years, so the King in the North will have to make his royal seat elsewhere, I'm afraid.  Might I suggest Moat Cailin?  It's location is highly strategic, and it's one of the few holdfasts where you won't have to rob a noble family of their home in order to take it for yourself.”

Robb looked around the assorted people in the Great Hall, and realised that he was surrounded not simply by Winterfell’s people, but Sansa’s congregation.  Judging by some of the glares, if he raised a single word of objection or insult to Sansa, he might not make it back to the Royal suite alive.

He would be able to do nothing to regain Winterfell until he left it.

Sansa continued, her voice cool and soft as snow, “I negotiated with the Iron Bank for the funds to rebuild and make the needed improvements, but if you wish to do the same, you’ll have to send your own representative.  I’m happy to provide a letter of introduction to ease their way.  I’m sure you can ask our Tully relatives to help, or leverage your wife’s dowry as security.  After all, you had all the same teachings about marrying to the benefit of House Stark that I did; I’m sure you knew better than to spend one of your most important political assets on a bride who could bring nothing of benefit to our House.”

“And what of your own husband?” Robb snarled.  “I hardly think the sons and daughters of the North will enjoy being ruled by the Lannister Dwarf.”

Sansa’s eyes glittered like icicles.  “You refer to the marriage made under the Seven in a Sept, not by a weirwood by blessing of the Old Gods?  A marriage I was forced into by threat of a sword through the back, before my courses were regular enough for me to be deemed fertile?  That marriage was without my permission, or the permission of my parents or guardian, and unconsummated.  I have already applied for it to be set aside by the Church of the Seven.  Given that my husband is currently under sentence of death for kin-slaying and regicide, I don't think there will be much objection, even if I do not become a virgin widow by the time my application is judged.  Though since half the northern nobility have died in a war you lost by not keeping your breeches fastened, the available candidates for my husband are limited.”

Sansa gave a long look at Jon, standing devotedly by her side.  “Who knows?  The Lady of House Mormont states all her daughters were fathered by a bear, and they are acknowledged by all as her heirs.  Perhaps mine will be fathered by a wolf?

“I suggest you act quickly, my King.  Winter is coming... and very soon.”

AFTERWORD: Robb quickly realised that most of his own support literally died off in the War of the Five Kings.  He never got around to doing anything about Moat Cailin; Robb lost heart after Talisa died in the aftermath of childbirth, followed very swiftly by needing to present a united front for Daenerys Targaryen, deciding that the War for Dawn was more important. He did at least manage joyful reunions with Arya, Bran and Rickon. While Jon got to kill the Night King (otherwise what was that stupid prophecy even for?) Robb still managed to die as a legendary hero, becoming the only Stark to die by dragonfire after shoving a sword through Daenerys to save Jon from kin-slaying. There was just enough left to bury in the crypts at Winterfell, complete with crown. 

Sansa was formally crowned as his successor, the first Queen in the North, with the support of all her siblings. She orchestrated a new golden age for the Kingdom of the North, becoming known as ‘Sansa the Glorious’. Jon finally gained the Stark name as her Prince Consort, choosing to forego the title ‘King’ so no one would get any ideas about Sansa not being the one in charge.

Robb’s daughter Catelyn grew up in Winterfell surrounded by loving family, including lots of cousins always ready to fight anyone who insulted her foreign heritage. As a young teen, Catelyn volunteered to give up any right to the throne in what she saw as atonement for Robb’s mistakes that gave the Boltons the opportunity to cause so much harm. Jeyne Poole instantly demanded to adopt Catelyn as her heiress.  Catelyn became so highly regarded in the North that she ended up holding a tournament to decide her husband out of a dozen worthy suitors from the North, the Vale, the Riverlands and even one of the Tarly’s, becoming ruling matriarch of the Starks of Weeping Water. She later started what was to become the first school in the North devoted solely to the healing arts, open to anyone regardless of birth or gender.  Now called The Talisa Stark School of Medicine, it still operates today.

[silviakundera]

Kinnporsche Fanfic Recs

In celebration of the 2 year anniversary, here is an avalanche of Kinn/Porsche fics that I've enjoyed. Painfully incomplete & posted in no particular order. My shipping interests are 100% focused on the K/P couple and that will be reflected in my list, sorry 😘.

Deep Like a Coastal Shelf by Lilla_Torg

(79,000 words) Green Arrow inspired AU. "After five years abroad, Kinn Theerapanyakul returns to find his city under siege by a vigilante known as the Phoenix."

Stain of Sun by Lilla_Torg

(78,000 words) Omega brothers Porsche (hacker) and Chay (grifter) team up to take down the Theerapanyakul crime family. Things do not go as planned. // This marries A/B/O with mutant powers. As long as you're not wholly opposed to Omegaverse, give it a chance. Every one of this author's long KPtS fics is a banger.

Pouring Down Crimson Fire by Lilla_Torg

(119,000 words) Sort of a mutant AU but honestly that underplays how fucking cool this fic is. “I think you know something about keeping secrets,” said Kinn. He flashed Porsche a pocket-ace smirk. “You’re mine. Say it.”

The boy he’d been fourteen years ago would have told him where to shove it. But Porsche had been around long enough to know that the mafia always won. Still, he looked around, searching for a way out, before giving up and turning back to Kinn, those black eyes awaiting his surrender.

“I’m yours,” he said.

a perpetual unscattering by concernedlily

(31,000 words) Canon-divergence AU. “Pissing in bottles behind a cocktail bar,” Kinn said. “But Pa gave him to me, so I’m stuck with him.” To a visibly furious Porsche he said, “You don’t know the minor family? Never come across any of them before?”

“How would I know the fucking minor family?” Porsche snapped.

what a tangled web we weave by fortunehasgivenup

(80,000 words) 1000 Nights inspired alternate universe, fantasy-historical Thailand. // After the betrayal of his first husband, King Anakinn Theerapanyakul vows to never love again. Once a week, he takes a new husband, a young man who will not live to see another dawn.

When a nobleman comes to find a young man to adopt and marry off to the king in place of his own son, Thee chooses Chay.

Faced with an outcome that he refuses to contemplate, Porsche steps in and takes Chay's place. He only has one request for the king - to be allowed to tell his brother one last bedtime story.

Burn Your Name Into My Skin by Everyforkedroad

(72,000 words) In which Kinn visits a high-end sex club and he & Porsche meet under the guise of anonymity for what should be a 1 night encounter. Except not only are they intensely drawn together... things are not what they seem.

Salt by ronandhermy

(49,000 words) Sweat stings because the salt is purifying. Porsche may be in high school but he is still a National Champion in Taekwondo and he catches the eye of the national team's newest sponsor: The Theerapanyakun Family. Alternate first meeting. Leans into the darkness of canon, read the tags and proceed w caution.

how do you like it, daddy by Baby_Droll

(28,000 words) "and ain't shit 'bout me cheap and ain't shit 'bout me free" - our lord and savior, florence millicent. kinn & porsche, and all the other pieces on their fucked up chess board. a sugar baby/daddy au with an omegaverse twist. // This is a dark reimagining alternate universe. Iconic toxic K/P fic.

two shots by Martynax

(81,000 words) AU, different first meeting. Porsche joined the armed forces & became a hired gun. // “So I’m supposed to end a mafia dispute?”

“Something like that,” he mutters, wondering if he’s making a mistake, revealing it to Porsche so soon. Nothing is set in stone, after all. But he has a gut feeling that the man appreciates honesty and simplicity much more than intrigue and schemes.

be the best you ever tasted by Martynax

(90,000 words) an AU where Porsche's life is shit so he shakes his perky little bum for strangers at a strip club and Kinn books him for a private show. Porsche doesn't fuck customers and shouldn't get associated with whatever grey business his boss is trying to run out of the club. But... you know how this is gonna go.

between the sheets by DasWarSchonKaputt

(70,000 words) “And who’s that?”

“Oh. That’s Porsche. He’s Khun Kinn’s live-in boytoy. He’s harmless, mostly. Just a pretty face.”

A boyfriend can go so many places a bodyguard can’t. As the threat of a potential leak in their security forces looms large, Khun Korn hatches a plot to place an added layer of protection around his heir presumptive. Enter Porsche, former bartender, current bodyguard, and reluctant fake boyfriend of Kinn Theerapanyakul.

Stumbling to the Edge by FireRisingOverTheHills

(51,000 words) Of the genre of KP fics where Kinn and Porsche meet-cute in a random bar encounter, instead of a meet-ugly, this one is my fav. I just really enjoy the Kinn PoV with his what?! is?! happening??? vibes as he finds himself irresistibly drawn to someone who doesn't fit neatly into defined roles.

"He makes this all seem like it’s perfectly normal and Kinn is helpless to do anything but go along with it."

Whatever Else that Touches You by technicallyverycowboy

(9,330 words) Tender established relationship and bisexual self discovery, post canon. // "No, it's fine." Porsche shifts to be a little less plastered against Kinn's side, straightens his shoulders and smooths out his jacket with great dignity. "The answer to your question is yes, I have really never been with any other men."  Porsche answers questions, asks some of his own, tries new things, and fills in the knowledge gaps of his own sexuality.

An Elegant Mechanism by Laughsalot3412

(87,000 words) A/B/O AU, Kim centric with some background K/P and dysfunctional brothers & cousin bonding. The only fic on this list that isn't K/P primary. //  "Kim was only an omega when he was luring people closer to his gun. No one had to give Kim a weapon. He was one.  (Kim's mission is to get close to Porchay Kittisawat. Chay is not a typical alpha. Kim is not a typical omega. Kim isn't having feelings and Chay is going to be so normal about all of this.)"

Love and Violence by thewayside

(9,500 words) Beautifully written, post ep 14. // "Love and violence have always been bedfellows for Kinn. Down to how his first proper relationship ended in a pool of blood. Porsche’s beauty might have drawn him in, but he knows in his gut that he met someone in kind that first night, blood coursing through their veins as the fight ended and Porsche led him onto a bike to a road he barely knew."

Burnished night, blood-soaked stars by The_Old_Astronomer

(13,000 words) Missing scene set between the end of episode 6 and the side story (pre-ep 7). Porsche fights to keep Kinn alive after the attack, and gradually realises how much the other man means to him.

Night Call by vesna (mrsronweasley)

(34,500 words) "On Kinn's birthday, Kinn is dragged by Tae and Time to a strip club, where he gets a private dance from a man who calls himself Jom. Kinn is smitten. Things spin out from there." Canon AU, where Porsche became a stripper because bartending wasn't paying enough.

NFWMB by vesna (mrsronweasley)

(18,700 words) There's a rushing in Kinn's ears, a noise he can't shake. It almost makes him miss the next thing Arm tells him. "He was supposed to check in, as per protocol, but—"  "But what," Kinn snaps. A headache is building behind one of his eyes.  Arm's eyes are wide right before he lowers them and says, "He hasn't been heard from in two and a half hours."  Or, post-canon Porsche is kidnapped. Kinn goes through it.

Caught Off Guard by Altered_Ego

(23,000 words) The one where Porsche is one of his escort's bodyguard. Alternate first meeting; Porsche took another path to support his brother.

the less i know the better by mslunita

(45,000 words) Bored Kinn joins Tinder in hopes of getting his rocks off with a different kind of guy, instead of the standard escorts. Porsche challenges him in just the right way. // Alternate first meeting. Basically their canon selves, but this is after Porsche has already had his bi awakening.

XXX curious STRAIGHT boy BEGS for COCK for the FIRST TIME XXX by mirrorofprinces

(35,000 words ) Porn industry AU. “Porsche is extremely close to signing. In fact, he has a final meeting with the execs on Monday morning. The only condition is that he wants to request his first partner, and it’s you.”  Kinn takes a long drink of his whiskey, sets the glass down, and runs his tongue over his teeth. “So you had to meet with me, urgently, to tell me that a beautiful boy wants me to fuck him, thinking I’d say no.” He drums his fingers on the bartop. “Which means there’s a catch.”

paint my kiss across your chest (your touch is like a happy pill) by darkknight

(16,000 words) Episode 8 era. "Porsche discovers different new ways of how good sex can feel, ways that would never even have crossed his mind before meeting Kinn."

quis custodiet ipsos custode by concernedlily

(8,600 words) Porsche being on dangerous missions and Kinn discovering he has Feelings About That. Missing scenes and Post Ep 14.

Wing of a Butterfly by Kalere

(320,000 words) Some years before the canon storyline, two young men have a random encounter at a bar. Their friendship changes everything. // The epic Porsche & Vegas friendship fic.

[drewsephrry]

💋-Blurb - Based on the song “Heaven” by Julia Michaels pretty pls

JJ Maybank x fem

Btw I love your blog🥰

thank you so much and thank you for requesting!!! 🤍

2k celebration!!!

warnings: none (i think)

words: 850

The dock stretched out before you, a familiar sanctuary you should have known better than to share with him. But like everything else in your life lately, JJ had wormed his way in, leaving his fingerprints on the places you used to keep for yourself. The moon reflected off the water, casting a silvery glow that seemed almost too perfect for what was happening.

He was already there, leaning against the railing like he had nowhere else to be. He looked over his shoulder as you approached, that lazy, cocky grin curving his lips. It was the same grin he’d flashed the first time he walked into your world, effortlessly undoing all the walls you thought you’d built.

“You’re late.” JJ said, his voice easy, like he didn’t know he’d been the one to break your heart last time.

“Didn’t know we were keeping track.” You shot back, keeping your distance. JJ let out a low laugh, turning fully to face you.

“With you? Always.” He replied. You hated how casual he could be, like the fire he’d set in your chest wasn’t still burning. He had always been that way. Reckless, wild and free. JJ Maybank wasn’t the kind of boy you planned a future with. He was the kind of boy who pulled you into the storm, making you believe chaos could feel like heaven.

“Why did you ask me to come here?” You asked, crossing your arms. JJ’s grin faltered, his expression softening in a way that made your pulse quicken.

“Because I wanted to see you.” He said simply.

“Right.” You said bitterly. “Until you decide you don’t again.”

“That’s not fair.”His jaw tightened and he took a step toward you. You laughed, a sharp, humorless sound.

“Isn’t it? Because I’m pretty sure that’s how it always goes with you. You show up, make me feel like I’m the only thing that matters, and then you disappear the second it gets real.”

“You really think I don’t care?” JJ sighed, running a hand through his hair. You shook your head, anger and something more painful burning behind your eyes.

“I think you care as long as it’s easy. But the second it’s not, you’re gone.” You confessed before he flinched, the words hitting their mark.

“That’s not how it is.” He began.

“Then how is it, JJ?” You demanded, stepping closer. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you only want me when it’s convenient for you.” JJ stared at you for a long moment, his blue eyes shadowed by something she couldn’t quite place.

“You remember the first time we met?” he asked suddenly, his voice quieter now. You frowned at the change in tone, caught off guard.

“Of course I do.” You whispered.

“I remember too.” He said, his gaze dropping to the ground. “You were standing on the beach, yelling at Topper because he knocked over your bag. I thought, ‘This girl’s got fire.’ And I wanted to know what it felt like to get burned.” Your breath caught, memories of that day flooding back. You’d been furious with Topper, but then JJ had appeared, grinning like he didn’t have a care in the world. He’d stood up for you, smooth-talking you out of your anger like it was the easiest thing in the world. And that was the problem, he always made it look easy.

“And you did.” You said, your voice softer now. “You got burned and you walked away.” JJ stepped closer, closing the space between them.

“I didn’t walk away because I wanted to.” He said, his voice rough.

“I walked away because I didn’t know how to stay. You make me feel… too much. Like I can’t breathe. Like I’ll lose myself if I get too close.” He admitted. Your chest tightened at his words, at the raw honesty in his tone.

“So what?” You whispered. “You come back when it’s convenient? When you feel like playing with fire again?” JJ reached for your hand, his grip firm but careful.

“I come back because I can’t stay away. Because no matter how many times I try to convince myself you’re better off without me, I can’t stop thinking about you.” JJ said firmly. You hated how much you wanted to believe him. JJ wasn’t the type to lie, not outright, anyway. But he was the type to promise heaven and leave chaos in its place.

“This isn’t fair.” You revealed, your voice trembling. “You can’t keep doing this to me.” JJ cupped your face in his hands, his eyes locked on yours.

“I know I don’t deserve you. I know I’m not good enough for you. But you’re the only thing that’s ever felt real to me. And I’m scared as hell of what that means.” He confessed. Your heart ached, the weight of his words sinking into you. You wanted to run, to save yourself before he could ruin you again. But when his lips met yours, soft and desperate, you couldn’t bring yourself to pull away

A/N: hope you enjoyed this!!

[silverbackwolf14]

Please elaborate on the lesbian riddlebird you have imagined for the new Caped Crusader if you are still inclined to

Oh my gosh, hi hello thank you for asking I’m so excited!!!!

(also side note, I love your writing, you are amazing!)

Sapphic Riddlebird below!

So, because we don’t know much about the Universe of the Caped Crusader yet I have made my own assumptions, the first of which being that this takes place somewhere in the 30s-50s. This is important because Sexism™.

We know a bit about Oswalda Cobblepot in that she is our beloved Penguin who seems to run a crime syndicate in Gotham City, but she is also said to be a singer (I swear I read that somewhere in an article) so I imagine she has a very large public image. In my version of this she owns the lounge and performs there. Due to societal opinions, she’s seen as a bit of a disgrace. No one would ever say it to her face, but the facts remain that she is an unwed woman who performs and is getting up there in years and does not bend to societal norms. She’s never been beautiful by modern beauty standards, and she wasted her youth performing (and gaining power in the underworld) instead of finding a husband. Such a shame.

Oswalda doesn’t care about any of this obviously. She’s doing very well for herself, and despite keeping up the image that she is a high society lady, she breaks just about every gender norm in the book and is very proud of this. She's known for taking women under her wing and hiring them at the lounge. There's also rumors of her employees' worthless husbands disappearing, but that's neither here nor there.

--

Edith Nashton is a secretary at Wayne Industries. She has a brilliant mind and a penchant for science. Especially engineering. Engineering was just solving a puzzle. Easy as a riddle, and Edith loved a good riddle. She originally applied to be an engineer at Wayne Industries, but she was laughed out of the office and handed a secretary job. In dire need of money, she took the job. As she worked there, she helped with projects in secret. Fixing notes here, redesigning blueprints there. Never receiving credit of course, she couldn’t let them know a lowly woman was their reason for success. After being berated for giving a suggestion on counterbalance valves for a new machine, she decided she was sick of it all.

She went to the Iceberg lounge to drown her sorrows in booze and a show after having been ‘invited out’ by coworkers. (A group of them were going and she happened to be nearby. She knows it was a pity invite.) It is there that she meets Oswalda, having just finished a set onstage. Oswalda asks about her troubles, as no one should look so unhappy at her lounge.

Edith breaks down and reveals her troubles to Oswalda, who is certainly no stranger to such troubles, but is wise in experience on how to get around such societal problems.

Oswalda takes Edith under her wing, where the two grow closer together, becoming each other’s biggest confidants.

Edith takes on the form of Edward Nygma, after learning that a hat, a suit, and a touch of makeup can be all that’s needed to pass as a man, especially if they’ll never suspect a woman of being able to be as much of an engineering genius as Edith is.

Under the guise of Edward, Edith becomes Wayne Enterprises’ top scientist. However, after the business experiences a record loss, cutbacks are made, and Edith loses all funding.

Furious, Edward marches into the board of directors where they give everyone within earshot a piece of their mind. Edward is fired and promptly loses it. How dare they fire the smartest person in Gotham!

Edith returns to Oswalda, who lends a shoulder to cry on. The two have gotten very close. Perhaps closer than they realize. As Oswalda comforts a very distressed Edith, our lonely and touch starved scientist kisses an eagerly accepting crime boss. Edith, shocked at what she has just done, profusely apologizes, swearing she was just tired, and please don’t tell anyone I promise I’ll leave-

Oswalda shushes her. She has had her fair share of both men and women partners in her time, and Edith’s kiss was hardly unwelcome.

Edith is incredibly nervous; she’s never been in love with a woman before. She’s only ever had two boyfriends, neither of which were worth a damn, but when she’s with Oswalda. . .she finally feels like she belongs and can be herself without fear.

After a period of healing and self-growth, and A LOT of planning, Edith vows revenge against all of Gotham. How DARE they not see her for the genius she is? So, she once again adopts a new name. This time that of the Riddler. A fearsome green jackal who terrorizes the city, executing those who cannot answer their questions. The Riddler is neither man nor woman, but an Enygma. Simply a genius hell bent on the destruction of Wayne Enterprises, and all that stands in their way.

When the Riddler’s tirade is over for the night, Edith Nashton returns to Oswalda, who glows with pride at her partner’s success.

--

There’s bat stuff too but this is the basics. Not sure if I’ll write it as I’m in between two fics right now and a batman creature AU.

[ollypopwrites]

WIP Tag Game!

@lavenderprose shared some amazing excerpts for a WIP tag game and said if we wanted to go for it. I thought it sounded fun!

Rules:

You will be given a word. Then you share one sentence/excerpt from your WIP(s) that start with each letter of your word.

I have 3 WIPS I'm actively working on, all of them are still in that crazy unfinished first draft phase so please forgive me if they're a mess.

💜 May Our Demons Dance — Lucanis slow burn with a Shadow Dragon Rook, we are on Chapter 10/10

💚 A Beast of a Burden (title could be an probably will be changed) — Emmrich and Rook get vulnerable with each other, negotiate kink, and then have their fun.

💙Only on Holidays (VERY uncertain on the title) — A smutty Neve x Rook x Lucanis fic that is a glimpse into how their relationship continues after game events.

Key word is: FLAME

F from A Beast of a Burden

Flowers, good wine, food and her. These things would likely be lost to him. He could learn countless things, meet thousands of new friends, experience the world over and over and over. Yet it seemed a terrible loss, to never enjoy these flesh bound pleasures. Would the final memory of them be enough to sustain him?

He considered the responsibility of immortality; how Ghilan’nain and Elgar’nan failed to see their gift was a way to be of service. 

He could understand, momentarily, their temptation when she looked at him like that. A powerful creature, unstoppable and inconceivably full of soul, at his whim. Eyes and brows pulled up into an expression of rapture, devotional body opened for him, mind emptied as the heart became full of faith. 

A fleeting taste of Godhood.

L from A Beast of a Burden

Later that evening, he had her in his lap at his desk, the taste of wine still on her tongue as he had asked in between open mouthed kisses, “and what would you like this evening, darling?”

It was there. The momentary unschooled expression of irritation. A breath where she looked at him, like she wanted to scream and then the truth of her reaction flew away. She worked the clasp of his collar pin open, set it gently aside on the desk, and started on buttons. 

“I think you should have your way with me here on this desk, before someone else comes through that door and asks me for something.”

A from May Our Demons Dance

Assan could be found curling around the feet of anyone who was staring straight into the distance, or crying in a communal space. He demanded pets and hugs and food, nipping at hands if someone was too caught up in their grief to properly give him what he wanted.

M from Only on Holidays

More than once they had kissed, almost fucked right there next to boiling pots of water for pasta. But it felt wrong to do it without her. So they never did.

Rook leans in for a kiss first, and Neve lets her. It is a holiday, after all.

E from May Our Demons Dance

Everyone in the room looked at Lucanis. 

‘Find her, find her,’ Spite demanded through his lips. ‘Stop. Sitting. Move!’

There was a beat where everyone expected him to step in. Even Spite waited, then became furious with Lucanis’ lack of reaction. He felt his nose crack, the blood dripped hot into his moustache and then his lips. Spite took over, and they switched places. He was the spectral figure watching his body being puppeteered. 

“That’s enough!” Emmrich was on his feet, hands glowing with his necromantic magic.

Tagging: Whoever wants to! mostly because i tagged people like twice today for these fun games and do not want to annoy anyone lmao

Keyword is DEMON

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

zutarians and their cope kinda remind me of bbrae fans

You're right and you should say it. It's crazy how simmilar they are.

The writers of Teen Titans repeatedly said "We toyed with a few ideas, but Robin and Starfire was the one ship we were set on being endgame" yet these fuckers insist they meant "Robin and Starfire AS WELL AS BEAST BOY AND RAVEN."

The writers of Avatar repeatedly said "Kataang was always the heart of the show", yet zutarians keep saying shit like "Zuko was originally Katara's love interest!"

BBrae fans constantly talk about Raven disliking Terra, Beast Boys actual love interest, "due to both of them liking the same guy", but Raven didn't dislike Terra at all, she just didn't immediately trust her - and for good reason, because Terra was working with the villain, and she even explicitly pointed out that Raven was so furious at her after that revelation because she DID think of Terra as a friend.

Zutara fans insist all the drama with Zuko was because "he posed a threat to Kataang" when anyone who isn't delusional can see that it was about his former role as a villain, and the character that was originally gonna be Aang's rival for Katara's affection was TOPH, who was going to be a boy.

Raven was constantly annoyed at Beast Boy and he repeatedly said he found her creepy? Opposites attract! Even when they don't! CLEARLY the writers are just using this innitial clash in personalities to set up a romance - the fact that they NEVER move past that "innitial" clash is a detail!

Katara was mad at Zuko for wanting to help his dad commit genocide and he hated her on the basis of her resisting said genocide? No, silly, can't you see it's just sexual tension? Why else would a boy and a girl "not get along"? They want to kiss!

BBrae fans continued acting like the ship would have totally been endgame in the original show instead of just in comics or the shitty remake that was Teen Titans Go!, "if only the planned sixth season had not been canceled."

But there was no planned sixth season. The show was supposed to end in season four, but it got a bonus fifth season that was originally planned to be a bit longer, but then end up with the same number of episodes as the others - and the only plot that was "cut" was the return of the main villain, Slade. The movie "Trouble In Tokyo" was made specifically to resolve the romantic plotline of Starfire and Robin, since they couldn't do it on the actual show... yet the writers didn't make Raven and Beast Boy get together despite knowing they'd likely never have another chance at it. Almost like they never WANTED to do that in the first place!

Zutarians constantly about how "There was totally a deleted scene in the finale with Iroh saying Katara was perfect for Zuko" and how Aaron Ehasz supposedly confirmed Kataang being endgame was a last minute change, and that Zutara was supposed to happen in the "planned, but scrapped fourth season."

But there was no "planned" fourth season. Bryke were offered a bonus season, but rejected it almost right away. The interview with Ehasz was fake and so were the rumors about the "deleted" scene with Iroh. It just never existed.

Hell, even a ship I like had some of the fans try to pull that shit. A ton of Robin X Raven fans swear there was a deleted kiss scene in the season four finale (which again, was originally going to be the series finale) - like Robin and Starfire didn't almost get together in the previous episode (and probably were made an item in original version, before the show got a bonus season), and weren't made endgame on the actual conclusion of the show.

Some shippers do that in the hopes that sequels/reboots end up pandering to them - and in the case of Beast Boy and Raven it "worked", but it was shit, because it was in a bad show so clearly it wasn't worth it. Zutarians meanwhile got nothing. Nada. Zilch. No zutara in the comics, in Korra, and apparently not even in the Netflix version.

And at least there ARE moments between BB and Raven that even I call blatant ship tease, and there's five seasons worth of content of them being "the friends that don't get along but care about each other" aka having an actual dynamic that people were meant to get attached to. Zuko and Katara's "dynamic" for two and a half seasons consisted on nothing but taunts in battle, Zuko being an asshole/a legit threat to the heroes' safety and thus being hated by all of them for it. Only in the second half of the third season did they have any meaningful interactions AND half of these were still negative.

I can talk a lot of shit about BBrae fans, but I can never say that Beast Boy and Raven ever lashed out when the other saved them because there was just that much resentment there. Or that the times Raven got a bit too aggressive towards him werent pure slapstick and that she did genuinely want to hurt him, nor that he ever got so mad at her for it that he tried to leave her behind to die. Or that Raven ever hired a hitman on him. Or that Beast Boy full on said he pictured her face when he tried to imagine "the face of the enemy." Or that he ever looked Raven straight in the face and threatened to murder her if she ever did anything against his actual love interest.

That's a level of "Take the L already, Jesus" that BBrae never reached, or even got close to, and I'm surprised Zutarians managed to make people not talk about the fact that they very much did.

"Zutara sexual tension" is literally just two people legit wanting to murder each other, saying as much, actively working towards it, and the shippers sill being like "They don't mean it though."

They do, girl. They very much do. Grab a body bag.