#when it would be convenient i think about it. like how convenient it would be to find a canadia partner so i csm move there

[crossdressingdeath]

Ah, I think what we're getting into here is the difference between Andrastianism and the Chantry. There were a lot of different Andrastian sects(? Cults? Not entirely sure what the right word is, but I'm gonna go with sects) when the Chantry was first founded; most of them aren't around anymore (at least some of them gone because of the Chantry and its habit of wiping out every other religious group it can, see the codex entry on the Daughters of Song for an example; that one's especially nasty since they were pacifists and the Chantry steamrolled over them anyway), but even in the games' time period there's still a couple, most notably Chantry Andrastianism and Tevinter Andrastianism. Orlais chose a very warlike sect to follow right from the start, which might just have been because that's how Orlesians are but it's still a thing to keep in mind: the sect the Chantry came out of was already one that glorified war above most other things. How convenient for an expansionist empire! The Chantry itself was absolutely created from that initial sect with propping Orlais up in mind, and it has stuck to that mandate pretty consistently throughout Thedas's history (even up to the occupation of Ferelden, the Orlesian king put in charge had a Chantry advisor; as far as I'm aware there was no significant Chantry presence among the rebels, at least not in any official capacity). It's also important to me to keep in mind that in the games there is a vague acknowledgement of how Andrastians don't necessarily follow the Chantry and many don't agree with it; Anders is a devout Andrastian, and he understandably despises the organization. Varric is Andrastian, and Cassandra comments he wouldn't be caught dead in a Chantry. Basically the Chantry as an institution and Andrastianism as a religion are not the same thing, the Chantry was created with a specific goal that Andrastianism did not share, and after a point they have to be discussed as separate entities.

I sort of agree with the "institutions are at their heart the people" thing? But also that only goes so far when we're talking about an institution that is fundamentally not in it to do good, or at least not for anyone who isn't already wealthy and in a position of power. I think the best example is Mother Giselle; she was working in Jader during a famine, and she demanded the Chantry step up and offer aid to the people who were starving. She's the epitome of someone determined to do good within the Chantry and fulfill their supposed mandate of charity. And... the Chantry refused to help. Just straight up refused to send aid no matter how many times she entreated them to help these desperate people. Eventually Mother Giselle fell back on a hunger strike, and that worked (although the Chantry insisted she feed herself and her fellow sisters first, which they merrily refused to do; I have issues with Mother Giselle but this is very good, gotta respect the determination). But the Chantry was so furious with her for "shaming" them and forcing their hand that by breaking that famine she ensured she would never be able to move any higher in the institution than she was already. Mother Giselle was fighting the Chantry the whole way and was punished for succeeding. That's kind of the running theme in the Chantry; there are a lot of genuinely good people who are genuinely determined to help! But outside of the individual level they consistently find themselves stymied and slapped down by the organization they serve, because the Chantry does not actually exist to help and does not actually want to. There comes a point where you can't take the intentions of people who join up as the true purpose of the institution, because the institution absolutely does not agree with those intentions and will do everything in its power to shut them down. (Also I mean there comes a point where it's like... hey if you people are in this to help people why aren't you quitting when it becomes clear the organization is going to demand you hurt people at every turn, Keran DA2 you will always be famous to me.)

FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT. Thank you Dorian for being the best once again and pointing out that hey maybe if the Chantry didn't treat their mages like shit and traumatize all of them they'd get possessed less often.

[reaper2187]

Caitlyn kiramman x female reader

The Shadows We Share

The Escape Plan

The path back through the corridors of Stillwater was tense. Vi kept sneaking glances at Y/N, as if to confirm she was real and not some phantom conjured by guilt. Caitlyn, on the other hand, was focused, her analytical mind already calculating how they would manage to get Y/N out alongside Vi.

“Caitlyn,” Vi muttered, keeping her voice low as they followed the warden. “We’re not leaving without her.”

“That complicates things,” Caitlyn replied, her tone clipped but understanding. “The more people we bring, the more attention we’ll attract.”

“I’m not leaving her here,” Vi snapped, her fists clenching. “We’ll figure it out.”

Behind them, Y/N followed silently, her stoic demeanor unshaken. She noticed the exchange but didn’t comment. Her mind was already at work, mapping the prison layout she had memorized over years of captivity. If this was her chance, she wasn’t going to squander it.

When they reached a secluded corner near the cell blocks, Caitlyn turned to Y/N. “Do you have any useful information about the guards or the layout?”

Y/N leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. “Useful? Yes. But I’m not handing it over without knowing what you’re really after.”

“We’re here to get Vi out,” Caitlyn said firmly. “You’re a...bonus.”

Y/N smirked faintly. “How flattering.”

Vi rolled her eyes. “Y/N, cut the cryptic crap. If you’ve got something, now’s the time.”

Y/N’s expression shifted, a flicker of something warmer—reminiscent of the sisterly bond they once shared. She relented with a small sigh. “Fine. The guards rotate every four hours, and the weakest point is the west gate. It’s minimally staffed because they assume no one gets that far.”

“That’s...convenient,” Caitlyn said, skepticism creeping into her voice.

“Convenience has nothing to do with it,” Y/N replied. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this. You just happened to bring it to me."

The trio moved quickly, keeping to the shadows as they made their way toward the west gate. The air was thick with unspoken tension, especially between Caitlyn and Y/N.

“You’re awfully calm for someone who’s supposed to be an inmate,” Caitlyn remarked quietly as they walked.

Y/N glanced at her, her lips twitching into a small smile. “And you’re awfully chatty for an enforcer.”

“I’m just trying to figure you out,” Caitlyn replied, her voice steady. “You don’t strike me as someone who belongs in a place like this.”

“That’s because you don’t know me,” Y/N said simply. “But I know your type—Piltover’s best and brightest, always thinking you’re a step ahead. You’re predictable.”

Caitlyn bristled, but before she could respond, Vi intervened. “Enough. Both of you.”

Y/N chuckled softly. “Relax, Vi. I’m just getting to know your...friend.”

“Yeah, well, save it for after we get out,” Vi said, shooting them both a warning look.

When they reached the west gate, Y/N’s intel proved accurate. The area was lightly guarded, and the trio quickly dispatched the two sentries patrolling the corridor. Caitlyn’s sharpshooting combined with Vi’s brute strength made for an efficient team, though Y/N watched them with an air of quiet judgment.

“You two work well together,” she observed as they approached the gate.

“Thanks,” Caitlyn said, her tone curt. “Now, how do we get this open?”

Y/N stepped forward, examining the control panel beside the gate. “Leave it to me.”

“You know how to hack this?” Vi asked, surprised.

“I’ve picked up a few skills,” Y/N replied, her fingers moving deftly over the keypad. “Being locked up doesn’t mean you stop learning.”

Within moments, the gate creaked open, revealing the cold, misty expanse of the sea beyond. Caitlyn glanced at Y/N, impressed despite herself. “Not bad.”

“I aim to please,” Y/N said with a small shrug.

“Let’s move,” Vi urged, stepping through the gate. “We’re not out yet.”

As they made their way toward the rendezvous point Caitlyn had arranged, the silence was heavy with unspoken questions. Finally, Caitlyn couldn’t hold back any longer.

“You’re different from what I expected,” she said to Y/N, her voice carefully measured.

Y/N raised a brow. “And what did you expect?”

“Someone...less composed,” Caitlyn admitted. “Most people in Stillwater lose themselves. You seem like you’ve been waiting for this moment.”

Y/N’s gaze turned distant. “Let’s just say I’ve had time to reflect.”

Vi, sensing where this was going, decided to ask the question she had been avoiding. “Y/N, what happened after they took you? Why didn’t you try to contact me?”

Y/N’s jaw tightened, and for the first time, a flicker of vulnerability broke through her stoic mask. “Because I didn’t want you to see what I’d become.”

“What are you talking about?” Vi demanded, her voice rising. “You’re still you.”

“Am I?” Y/N’s voice was low, almost a whisper. “Do you know how many lives I’ve taken? How many people I’ve hurt to survive?”

Vi fell silent, the weight of Y/N’s words sinking in.

Caitlyn, however, pressed on. “And your brother? Where does he fit into all this?”

Y/N froze, her expression hardening. “That’s none of your business.”

Vi looked between them, confused. “Your brother? I didn’t even know you had one.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know, Vi,” Y/N said quietly. “And it’s better that way.”

As they reached the extraction point, Caitlyn’s contacts were waiting with a small boat. The group boarded quickly, the roar of the waves muffling any further conversation. Y/N sat at the back, her eyes fixed on the horizon.

Caitlyn watched her from a distance, her curiosity growing. There was more to Y/N than she let on—something dark and deeply personal. Caitlyn wasn’t sure whether to trust her, but she couldn’t deny the strange pull she felt toward the stoic woman.

Vi sat beside Y/N, her usual bravado replaced with quiet determination. “You’re coming back with us,” she said firmly.

Y/N glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “If you say so.”

As the boat sped toward freedom, Caitlyn couldn’t shake the feeling that their troubles were far from over. Y/N’s connection to Jhin, her past as a hitman, and the unspoken bond she shared with Vi were all threads waiting to unravel.

part 3 anyone? leave any requests you guys and also do comment because they are funny and i love interacting with you all

[venuslarkspur]

Teen Hero Shenanigans

(The Prologue)

Fall Of Girl Wonder

Summary: Your Damian’s Twin Sister who arrived 3 years after your brother, because of your late arrival you’re never excepted to become Robin, until your brother runs away and you volunteer to take his place in his absence, things are going well until Damian returns and you are thrown under the bus completely by being told you can’t be Robin anymore, after bottling up your anger you decide to go solo by running away and stealing a Batgirl costume. But you’re not alone, your sort of boyfriend joins you; which would be okay if it wasn’t your brother’s best friend of all people.

Pairings: Batfam x Batsis (platonic), Jon Kent x reader (romantic). Very bittersweet tbh, you love your bf but you’re also proving your worth to your family.

Notes: Reader and Damian are very on and off but do love each other ofc. (they only really had one another growing up in the league) To clear things up Bruce has a genuine reason for discharging reader of the Robin mantle but that’s an epilogue thing I fear, Reader is 16 so is Jon. I’d give this series maybe a 15+ rating as there will be be some heavy topics involved and some “problematic” language icl. Reader also is closest with Cass and Jason specifically, all of this isn’t at all comic book accurate but does include elements from the comics. (Also very fanony when it’s comes to the Batfam and Superfam) (I don’t own any of the characters this is fan-fiction 💙)

Warnings: Mentions of panic attacks, Damian runs away from home for a bit. Unless count Bruce being a semi shitty father then not a lot of warnings tbh. This is just the epilogue we haven’t even got to the real drama yet. 👏

Words: 1.4k

6 months, 2 weeks and 3 days. That’s how long you’ve held the Robin mantle, you trained none stop before even having volunteered for it. You wondered what your plan even was, as long as Damian had it you couldn’t. Then he ran away and it was all too convenient, you got the mask, the gloves and the cute boy. Were you worried about Damian? Obviously, you had panic attacks about it mid patrol, which meant whatever member of your family that was unlucky enough to be awake at that time, had to take your shift. You knew Barbara and Tim would track him eventually and were doing everything in their power, but that didn’t ease your worry, you even considered alerting your mother but you knew if she got wind of this she would force you to come back with her for your own safety, and you didn’t feel like going to back the small, sad, isolated girl you were before.

You had also gotten closer to Jon Kent, a best friend of your brother. In truth, you were lovesick, so is he. But it came as a bit of bittersweet shock to you both that over your course of searching for Damian you had given up along the way and became invested in one another. Eventually it become so much more than just a mutual love for Damian, soon the Damian questions become You questions. Things progressed quickly, it went from “Do you think my brother’s close by?” to “My dad and siblings aren’t home, do you wanna come over?” He makes it over every time, Alfred knows and you know that he knows. You begged him not to tell your father or anyone for that matter, he respected your decision to wait for the right time but would occasionally come in asking if you wanted anything. (You know it’s a ploy to check on you two) Clark and Lois 100% know and they approve but have been sworn to secrecy by you, you weren’t ashamed; of course not. It’s just that if you told even just one of your siblings, knowing them they would spill and accidentally tell another one of your siblings until the cycle continues and eventually reaches Damian. Though you were sure Cass already knew and you suspected Jason was catching on, but you weren’t even surprised that he was beginning to find out. He knew you well, after a good three years spending time and training with him and his group of people it became hard to keep secrets, although your weird duo did start off as a result of you being upset and jealous of Damian’s close relationship with Dick, your sure you’d still pick being Jason’s dysfunctional- unofficial sidekick.

As for Cass you knew there was a mutual appreciation for the fact you were both less outnumbered in terms of Bruce’s female children, sure Barbara was like an old sister to you and she always supported you over the com line on missions. But it wasn’t the same as having an actual sister, but it was unusual to call any of them your siblings, not just Cass. It took a while but the first time you remember calling one of them your brother or sister was when Dick had to come all the way and pick you up from school because of a “skiing accident” with your father, you knew immediately something must of happened because Alfred was always on time to get you, So when Dick came along you told your teacher your brother was here to pick you up instead, she waved you goodbye and as your entered the car you noticed the slight grin of his face, looking like he wanted to tease you, but knowing you weren’t like Damian and wouldn’t even deny accepting him as a brother. You adapted much quicker than Damian, even if you have to get used to having 5 more siblings from now. (Yes I included Duke. <3)

It was the start of Christmas month and you were just doing your rounds with Stephanie and Barbara around the mall, Steph had gotten distracted a couple of times whilst window shopping but you and Barb managed to tug her along. You were nervous as your 16th birthday was also approaching, Jon had already turned 16 and you got to see him on his birthday; by masking it as going on patrol. It was fun but the question was popped at the party on when you were planning on telling your family about your relationship, you tensed up but luckily Lois took your side and encouraged you to tell Bruce and the rest when you were ready. This is why you like her. But right now you couldn’t think of that, you had to look for a present for Jon without being suspected.

Luckily Barbara had gone in the nearby cafe to get you guys some drinks, but that still left you with Steph. Maybe if you played it calm she wouldn’t even notice, so you started searching around looking at stuff and you thought you were safe. “Whatchu got there?” She bubbled, you took about a 5 foot jump backwards before blushing intensely. “Nothing?” You said calmly whilst shoving the item back on the shelf, she put her hand on her chin as if she was inspecting you. “Sooo who’s the lucky guy then? Or girl.” She smirked, “There’s no use lying is there?” You asked, “Absolutely not, so spill.” She leaned in and studied your face, “I can’t tell you who, but I’ve been seeing someone and before you ask I’m not in any trouble.” You confess, she shrugs as if wanting to ask more but Barbara called out to you both drinks in hand, you swiftly looked back at Steph just for her to do a zipping motion with her lips, which satisfied you enough. “What have I missed?” Barb asked, you let out a sigh you didn’t know you were holding in and spoke up. “Well I was just wondering-“ You were cut of by a notification sound on Barbara’s phone, “We need to get back to the manor, now.” She said without a hint of warmth in her voice. What has happened now? You had quickly all changed into costume excepting the worst.

——————————

You hastily made you way through the manor, Steph and Barbara in tow. Tim was waiting at the entrance to the kitchen and he tried to stop you, “Hey-don’t go in yet-“ you shrugged him off and continued on and Barbara eyed him suspiciously. You wished that you had waited, you weren’t prepared to see your newly found twin brother sitting on one of the stools with an ice pack above his brow, deep cuts layered across his arms and bruises across his neck. He must of put up a good fight against whichever one of your siblings found him, you assumed it was Dick as he was in costume and had slashes of his own. Alfred sat next to him tending to his wounds whilst your father was stood next to him checking out the marks Alfred wasn’t attending to, the room had now fell silent as everyone had now realised how awkward it was for Damian to see his twin sister in a Robin get up, this is the worst. You simply only stared into each others matching green eyes until you made the first move and ran over collapsed into him giving him a bone crushing hug, he sat all tensed up before slowly returning the hug. “I’m sorry brother-I-I just.” Tears welled down your face before you threw off your mask and let it land on the other side of the room, you had never felt so relieved and guilty at the same time.

——————————

That night you stayed with your brother as long as possible, you had so many questions but right now you just wanted to embrace his return. Since it was an uncomfortable situation for everyone, most of the family decided to stay the night. You had crossed paths with Jason mid kitchen trip and he checked in on you first, but you couldn’t pin why it felt like he was holding something in. “You know you could forget all about this Girl Wonder thing and just join me like old times.” He proposed, you looked at him puzzled. “By old times you mean a couple months ago? Also why are you asking me this? did something happen?” You questioned but watched as he couldn’t meet your gaze, “Bruce wants to see you downstairs, but you don’t have to go-“ “Okay fair enough, I’ll go see him now.” You interrupted and walked past him and ignored his muffled rejections as you were now approaching the main office.

You should have listened to Jason, you should have gone with him. You’d regret not listening to him.

————————————

“Good news, you can put away the Robin costume for good now.”

————————————

Taglist: @waterwyne @venusmorning

(Part 1 is out!)

[solarhysm]

DUST OF US #DRABBLE - HOW YOU MET HIM

> synopsis: 7 years ago Y/N broke Jungkook’s heart when she decided to end their relationship without an explanation. When they meet again at a friend's wedding, after almost a decade, Jungkook needs answers to move on.

> pairing: Jungkook x reader

> genre: romance, ex to lovers au

> warnings: explicit languages, violence, smut, cheating, nsfw, angst, +18 minors dni !!

> word count: 1046

MAIN STORY HERE.

*french writer, i apologize in advance for my awful english!

AGE: 16 years old.

“Do you know that girl?” Jungkook asks Jimin as he sits beside him in class, and throws his backpack at his feet. Jimin arches a brow.

“Which one?” Jimin replies, scanning the classroom with his eyes. Jimin is popular in their high school. Not only is he handsome, but also really nice and charming, and for good reason.

Jungkook gained popularity shortly after Jimin, mostly because he’s Jimin’s best friend and also for his shy, cute bunny smile. Jungkook continues, pointing to the girl sitting next to the window in the last row.

“Y/N? The girl who got in a fight earlier?” Jimin frowns, his eyes fixed on you as you stuff a tissue into your bloody nose. Jungkook nods, his doe-like eyes falling on you too. He was there when you threw your tray at a girl who had tried to bully you.

He followed the scene from a distance. That girl came straight to you, screaming, mostly to get everyone’s attention. Apparently, the fight was about the girl's boyfriend cheating on her with you, but Jungkook didn't really understand the situation.

It was crazy for Jungkook. He had only kissed a girl once. He found it unimaginable that two sixteen-year-old girls would fight over one sleeping with the other's boyfriend. Well, he knew that most of the girls now were bolder than in his parents’ years.

However, that still wasn’t a good reason for the girl to grab your face and shove it into your food. Although he opposed violence, he couldn’t help but feel a small sense of satisfaction when you hit her with your tray, jumped over the table, and started throwing punches at her face.

He couldn't deny being impressed by your ferocity. Like every other student, he watched you two fought on the floor until two professors intervened to separate you.

Despite being restrained by the professor, who was blocking both your arms, you still had a fistful of her hair and tried to kick her with your foot, while she coughed on the floor.

“Y/N” Jungkook repeats your name as Jimin raises an eyebrow.

“Why?” Jimin questions, turning his attention back to his friend. “Honestly, it’s the first time I have heard something like that about her. Y/N is usually calm and drama-free,” Jimin continues, as Jungkook nods, his eyes still on you, and you feel it, turning your gaze to him before frowning.

His eyes widen, and he quickly looks down at his table. When he shyly glances up again, you’re already gone from your seat, and his brows furrow in a frown as he searches for you with his brown eyes, only to find you stepping out of the class, leaving your stuff at your table. At least you’ll come back, he thinks.

“Kookie!” Jimin calls out loud to Jungkook, who turns to him, “Aren’t you coming with us? We’re going to grab some snacks and head to Hongdae.”

Jungkook scrunches up his nose, shaking his head. He likes arcades, like every boy his age. However, he doesn't know half of the people in the group with Jimin. He's aware that the girl with short light hair, hopelessly looking at him for a positive answer, is trying to flirt with him.

He hates feeling uncomfortable when he's supposed to be enjoying himself with his friends. Jungkook is also too nice to simply tell her he’s not interested. He has homework to finish anyway.

After waving at his friend, he starts to make his way home. He’ll probably be alone. His parents are working, and his brother left for college a while ago. After grabbing a snack at the convenient store, he ends up sitting on a bench at the park, a spot he sometimes stops at with Jimin. Then, he sees you, and his eyes widen as he watches you with a little boy. Is he yours? He chuckles at himself.

The boy seems four or five years old. It was dumb of him to even think that. With a slight smile on his lips, he doesn't even notice that you’ve seen him too. You ruffle the boy's hair before letting him run off to play with the other kids, then make your way to him. Only now does he notice the bruise under your left eye.

“What are you looking at, chestnut?” You call him out, and he freezes, mumbling something as he nearly drops his chocolate bar.

“I- Wh- Me?” Jungkook babbles in a small voice as you stop right in front of him, hands in your pockets.

“Do you see anyone else around here with such a ridiculous haircut?” You raise a brow, and his cheeks flush as he tries to fix his hair, but it only makes it worse—and he knows it. “It’s the second time I catch you staring at me. What do you want?” You ask, folding your arms across your chest. His eyes fall on his shoes.

“Nothing.” He mumbles, avoiding your gaze. You sense his discomfort. He’s clearly not part of the group of friends of the girl you beat up earlier. That’s enough to make your features relax slightly.

“I’m Y/N”, you say, more gently this time, offering your hand.

“Jungkook.” He smiles softly, meeting your eyes and shaking your hand.

“I know. Everyone knows you, Jungkook.” you chuckle. He sighs, rolling his eyes.

“Unfortunately.”

“You don’t like being the prince of our school?” You tease him as he rolls his eyes, taking a bite of his chocolate bar.

“It's Jimin's title, not mine.” He corrects you. You always get their names mixed up, even though you know them, since you haven’t paid much attention to who’s who. His eyes fall back on your black eye. “That’s a colorful one,” he says, attempting to make conversation, though the words sound stupid as soon as they leave his mouth.

It was probably too bold of him, and you probably hate him now. But to his surprise, you smirk and brush the bruise under your eye.

You raise your shoulders, sit next to him, “She got worse.”

“Yeah, I saw the hair and blood on the floor.” he grins, shaking his head. When you laugh, he feels something new stir inside his chest—something he’s never felt before.

DUST OF US MASTERLIST.

WATTPAD.

buy me a coffee<3

[grinnames]

SMG4 Godbox AU Chapter 1: Awakening, Overtakening

The inside of the spaceship was quiet, and the only thing that could be felt was overwhelming dread, and silent prayers that SMG4 and SMG3 were still alive.

It had been about an hour since SMG1 and SMG2 had blown up the Godbox and everything and everyone within it. It had been 20 minutes since the two of them regained consciousness and frantically got back into their damaged and dented ship, searching for any survivors. It had been 30 minutes since they had gotten a call from the Mushroom Kingdom, signaling that everyone was alright and accounted for, and that Mario had miraculously survived the blast, though the red plumber was still missing. It had been 10 minutes since they had found Melonie’s burned and unconscious body floating next to SMG0’s corpse. They had hastily pulled her into the ship and hooked her up to a convenient life-support machine, where she lay in a fitful rest, her divine magic whirring and buzzing to keep her alive.

SMG1’s eyes were laser-focused on the monitors, scanning for any signs of life. His hopes were thin, and he highly doubted that the two SMGs had survived the blast. But they were inside the Godbox when the meme-bomb hit, and the lid suddenly slamming shut could have at least shielded them from the worst of the blast. Immense guilt weighed on his heart, but he swallowed his feelings and pushed forward. He had to be strong. If they were dead, he would take full responsibility, and do whatever he could to make sure they were remembered.

SMG2 was the one piloting the ship, ever so often glancing back at his partner in concern. Guilt also weighed on his heart. He really saw SMG3 and SMG4 as his students. Being their teacher brought him so much joy. He loved that he could play a role in training the next generation of meme guardians that would protect the universe. He never wanted them to sacrifice their lives. He felt like he had failed them. If they were still alive, he hoped that they would forgive him, and that they could continue training and becoming stronger… together.

After several, long, anxiety-wracked minutes, the monitor suddenly let out a faint beep. SMG2 immediately perked up.

“They’re- THEY’RE ALIVE!” he exclaimed, his voice cracking with a happy sob.

SMG1 was stunned, and slightly smiled in disbelief. “I… I don’t believe it! But they’ve got to be hurt! We have to hurry!” 

Without a second to spare, SMG2 slammed on the gas, and the ship zoomed in the direction of the life signal. 

...

SMG3 groggily opened his eyes. Every cell in his body felt… strange, almost unfamiliar. He knew that this was still his body, but it was as if someone had barged inside and rearranged all the furniture, and maybe also vandalized the walls with obscenities. He felt so, so cold, but he didn’t feel the need to curl in on himself. No, he didn’t need any warmth at all. 

He could hear the roar of an engine approaching. He turned his head to the side, and winced as bright lights blinded his vision. It was SMG1 and SMG2’s ship. 

...

SMG2 stared in shock and confusion at the sight before him. SMG1 also looked on in shock, but his eyebrows also furrowed in suspicion. 

Just outside their ship, illuminated by the ship’s headlights, were the sources of SMG3’s and SMG4’s life signals, fast asleep and adrift in the cosmos. 

“...Neither of them have any visible wounds…”  began SMG1, unsure of where to even start analyzing. 

“...Ahah, well at least they’re in one piece…?” SMG1 quipped, trying to stay optimistic. “Aside from the, um, random redesign? I think they’re gonna make it!” 

“Why are they… Asian? Actually no, that’s besides the point! How did this happen?!” SMG1 rubbed his head, growing more and more puzzled by the second. 

There was no evidence that they had just been hit with a nuke. Heck, even their clothes were unharmed, and not a single hair was out of place. They had the signature overalls, gloves, caps, and rotund frame of their avatar, but that was where the similarities ended. 

First of all… they were indeed Asian now. SMG4’s new face was smooth and lacked any facial hair. His face almost looked like a doll’s. SMG3 shared the same face, but a short black beard replaced his old mustache. 

SMG3’s color scheme had changed. He kept his black overalls, but his shirt and cap were a dark purple now. 

Their shoes now had pointed heels and toes. Their gloves were longer, and extended past their forearms and nearly reached their shoulders. And finally, each of them sported red, glowing rings that cuffed their wrists, ankles, and neck. 

SMG2 nudged the ship closer, reaching for the airlock. “Let’s hurry up and bring them home, we have to make sure that they’re really ok!” he chirped.

SMG1 grabbed SMG2’s shoulder. “Wait, 2, something doesn’t feel right. I don’t know what it is, it’s just a gut feeling, but look at those rings-”

Before SMG1 could finish his sentence, SMG3 blinked awake and stared right at them. His eyes squinted in the bright light, and widened with recognition. 

SMG2 shook himself, and smiled reassuringly. He switched on the ship’s intercom. “SMG3! Hey… you’re ok! We’re not sure why, but we’re going to get you two home, and we’ll figure it out together!”

SMG3 said nothing. He only continued to stare, his expression hardening.

...

He remembered now. His name is SMG3. He was currently floating in the Great Beyond. He had just been dead. And now he was the vessel for an eldritch god. 

…Why had this happened to him? This was so… unfair. It was all because he had died. It was all because he had been killed. SMG1. SMG2. They had-

“...tried to kill us.” A dark and inhuman whisper rang out in his mind. White hot rage seized his heart. And then, he saw nothing but red.

...

“SMG3…?” SMG2 asked worriedly. “Please say something, you’re starting to freak me out-”

“2… something is horribly wrong.” SMG1 said, his throat tightening as he reached for the steering wheel.

SMG3’s eyes suddenly blazed red. The sclera lit up with the crimson, and the irises flashed white in the shape of a “0.” His lips pulled back and his mouth let out guttural roar, revealing rows of sharp red teeth. In the blink of an eye, he had rushed from his spot to the ship’s windshield, the force of his movement cracking the glass and shaking the ship. His fingers were curled into hooked black talons, digging into the window. 

“Murrrrrrgh… MURDERERRRRRRRRRR!” he roared.

SMG2 screamed, and SMG1's breath caught in his throat. As he and SMG3 locked eyes, SMG1 saw Eldritch 0. The Toytoy Kingdom. Spudnick screaming in agony as a slimy blue appendage squeezed out his essence. His own body burning with indescribable agony and losing its texture. Everything, everywhere falling to pieces and becoming corrupted-

Without thinking, SMG1 immediately put the ship in reverse and blasted backwards, throwing off SMG3… no, whatever that thing was. Fueled by adrenaline, SMG1 deftly put the ship back in forwards mode, spun around and hightailed it.

The vessel tumbled backwards through space before righting itself in vacuum. It glared at the retreating spaceship, unamused. “Meme guardians… always so annoying. They always think that they can put off the inevitable.”

Through SMG3’s eyes, it inspected his new hands. “Though… I didn’t expect this one’s rage to suddenly… spur us to such an irrational and premature move.” It would have been more advantageous to remain passive, and wait for the right moment to strike. It appeared that the purple-clad man's emotional impulses had worked a little too well.

No matter. It had been doing this for a very, very long time. It would adapt. Every movement its new vessels would make would be completely calculated, whether they were in control, or not. 

With no spaceship of its own, the vessel decided to use an old trick. This new body had some interesting code. The former-meme guardian had inherited it from the universe he was sent to. It was just tucked away, waiting to be used to its full potential. Red glitches flickered around its form. A familiar jingle of three uplifting 8-bit notes emitted from within itself, and a yellow cape materialized out of nowhere, wrapped neatly over the shoulders. 

Nearby, the other vessel stirred to life, also gazing in the direction of the spaceship. Its eyes also blazed red with white irises. Its cold and uncompromising frown on SMG4’s face contrasted with the twisted snarl on SMG3’s, but each of them shared the same intent. It joined its partner, reached within SMG4's code, and with some more flickers of red glitches, a pair of raccoon ears sprung forth from its head, and a long, striped tail from its rear. 

Their voices spoke in unison. “I won’t have complete control over these two for long. Our first order of business will be destroying those two meme guardians, like Niles should have done ALL those years ago.” 

“But this time, we will do it ourselves.”

In perfect sync, without even looking at each other, the two vessels reached for and clasped each other’s hands. They shot forward in hot pursuit, heading straight for a certain computer…

To be Continued...

Previous

Next

Just to clarify:

SMG3 is a he/his

SMG4 is a he/his

The Entity is an it/its

Can you tell who is in control?

[soni-dragon]

Eye of the Pheonix is actually one of the best merlin episodes because:

merlin and Gwen besties shenanigans; “what’s he actually thinking about” “you”

cold open to the most tender merthur scene

Merlin sleeping outside all knight for arthur

Hiccuping scene and arthur getting so annoyed

“But the perilous lands are… perilous”

“The task is meant to be completed alone and unaided” the start of the best continuing joke of all time

Putting the rest under a cut cause it’s long

Little morgwen moment in the market i love (one of the last we get….)

Cute arthur and gwen scene! Hehe

This is just the shipping episode of all time everyone wins

“You’ll need help” and the first thing merlin does is go find gwaine

smiles “hello, gwaine” “ah, merlin :)”

Immediately puts an arm around merlin

Throws merlin off a roof. this is what merwaine is all about :)

Gwaine is still Gwaine and not whatever the writers did to him after becoming a knight

Bridge guy (Grettir) is great and Arthur’s “no I’m prince arthur of camelot” i love you you’re so dense sometimes

“You need strength and magic” and then gwaine and merlin come along and NO ONE seems to think two seconds more about the implications

“ive been to almost every tavern” “so have i” you’re telling me merlin spent all that time looking for specifically gwaine to help him when he knows arthur is in danger

ANOTHER MORGWEN SCENE (ik morgana just wants her to leave) but we weren’t completely robbed

Arthur not realizing that he feels like shit and thinking hmm that’s weird, this is THE dense, damsel in distress arthur episode

Gwaine is two feet away are you really telling me he didn’t hear bridge guy call merlin Magic

“Strength has arrived the trio is complete” immeidate sword draw

But also the establishment of them as a trio i really love and they never did anything else with it

Gwaine with the flowers :))

THE ENTIREY OF THE FIRE SCENE

*THE* MERWAINE SCENE EVER

“a pheasant” gwaine please

“Why do you want to do this?” cause he’s in love with you merlin

“Same reason as you” (hesitates) (eye contact) “help a friend”

“arthurs lucky to have us”

…

“not arthur” SCREAMING

we’re back to the fond looks

gwaines tiny nod of assurance when merlin looks at him like ??! after he says not arthur

“youre the only friend i have” and i couldnt bear to lose you

Gwen finding out morgana has magic

“she’s changed” break my heart why don’t you (i dont want you to change) BRING HER BACKKK this is making me miss the arc morgana could have had so badly

They caught up to arthur SO FAST goes to show how arthurs going through it

Not wyvern they have four legs actually (tho their designs are cool)

This would have been such a good episode for gwaine to learn merlin is a dragonlord & has magic

Arthur conveniently is knocked out (as always) when merlin does cool magic stuff to save him

When merlin orders them to go and they bow their heads and walk away they look like kicked puppies

The famous arthur waking up to merlins silly little smile and being 100% not appreciative

whatthehellareYOUdoinghere? why can’t you ever just say thanks? augh THANKS!whatforcompLeTlYrUiNiNgThEqUeSt?!

i am supposed to be doing this ALONEEEE

“Are gwen and morgana here too? we going to have a surprise party?” i love you sassy arthur and yes you absolutely should have a surprise party

Do you want us to help you or do you want to do this ~aloneeee~

MERLIN!

The little smile and nod like yeah they got him

“this is a quest merlin not a treasure hunt” well it is sort of- “MERLIN.”

How is that one stone completely sound proof

The cockroaches are icky but y’all have gloves its not that bad you couldn’t even feel them

Set up with the water of avalon and something that actually follows into later episodes

“Merlin.” + arthur doesn’t want to show he actually cares about him vs. gwaine pulling him into a hug

“look what i found” merlin and gwaine shared looks of no you didn’t

The trios conversation at the end i love their dynamics + merlins pause and genuine thanks

Eoin macken looking pretty <33 (he always does)

Merlins little overview of the quest hes so excited awww

Immediate shift to sassy merlin the Duality

I wish Gwen knowing about morgana’s magic would have been explored more i want to see her join gaius and merlin in plotting and going on little quests

Anyways yeah to conclude i miss Gwaine sm :(

[grilde1chesse]

⇢ RESiDENT EViL HEAD CANONS

- jack krauser, leon kennedy, luis serra, ada wong, chris redfield, albert wesker, jill valentine, claire redfield, ethan winters

✧ jack krauser

transman & mlm he doesn’t listen to music often, but when he does it's metal grew up on the countryside with traditional home values (stay at home mom, "man of the house", etc. etc.) as the youngest sibling to 3 brothers. his parent's marriage wasn't one out of love, but rather convenience & societal expectations/pressure. because of this were constantly fighting & physically abusive towards Jack and his siblings. acted and presented masculine from a young age in order to prove he can be a "real" man. ran away from home to join the military at 18. he's spent most of his life away from civilian life, and because of this, he doesn't know how to function in society outside combat. ( "During his days off, Krauser often participated in mercenary work, as he felt that he could not function within society and believed that his service and the thrill of combat were what gave his life meaning." ) extremely insecure about being transgender & uses his power/rank to "make up" for it. resents his homosexuality as he sees it as the remaining "female side" of him he's unable to get rid of. because of this internalized homo/transphobia, he's extremely violent towards anyone he falls for and takes that involuntary attraction as a direct insult to his masculinity. this also ties into his childhood & how he grew up without an example of what healthy affection looks like. his hyper masculinity and borderline (if not outright) misogyny stems from his own dysphoria and insecurities. wears a packer religiously. fighting tooth and nail to not turn this into a ship brainrot ramble BUT this is why i think Krauser's so overly harsh on Leon while also favoriting him to a degree. ("Either way, this is definitely not a 'training room,' this is something Krauser, presumably, put together specifically to train Leon away from the others. There's too much clutter and nothing that would indicate that it's any sort of training area.") ALSO LOOK AT THIS EDIT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

✧ leon s. kennedy

transman & bisexual (realistically it wouldn't be likely/possible that he'd been on testosterone long enough for his voice to change to the degree it has in re2r, as it was the 80s... BUT theres no fun in that :-) plus it explains the voice change from re2r to re4r) honorary dad & country rock lover. (canon confirmed?) listens to Nickelback, Saving Abel, Nine Inch Nails, Hinder, Breaking Benjamin, Failure, Nirvana, Avenged Sevenfold, Seether, some MCR (denies it), Shinedown & similar bands :-)!! autistic, has sensitive skin & eczema. a chronic gum chewer. it’s a comforting, absent minded movement that keeps him grounded on the job. spearmint hurts his mouth so he prefers bubble gum or less cold mint flavors. (i'm not projecting u r.) named after his father and introduces himself as Leon S. Kennedy to separate himself from him. went by Scott/Scottie in his teenage years. total mama's boy. Leon Senior was a heavy alcoholic and is where he got his drinking problems from, something Leon's incredibly insecure about as he's afraid of turning into his dad. grew up resenting his father and blames him for his mom's death. had a bit of chub before becoming an agent & grew into a dad bod/beer belly as he got older :-)!!! was extremely insecure as a teenager & child, having facial and body dysphoria both of which remained untreated & linger in his adult life somewhat. was a very light blonde when he was younger, but his hair gradually got darker as he grew up until he was a light brown/dirty blonde (cue identity crisis "am i blonde or a brunette???"). eventually, he started bleaching it. lost motivation and stopped dying it as he got older. movie buff (canon) ( "He makes a lot of references to films such as the "go medieval on your ass" line from RE4R, which is a quote from Pulp Fiction or comparing the China mission to Black Hawk Down. He also quotes a whole scene from Casablanca from memory in Vendetta (the "I never make plans that far ahead" part), so he seems to watch quite a variety of films." ) in the nicest most affectionate way possible... he is so annoying about movies actually, will not shut up with his trivia the whole time it plays. hates horror movies but will never admit it. played hockey as a kid. grew up somewhere cold & is adapted to cold temperatures (he can't stand the heat though). had a dog as a kid and used to absolutely love them (specifically bloodhounds) but he developed a phobia of them after Raccoon City (can you blame him?). no matter how badly he wants a normal domestic life (to settle down, start a family, and give his kids the childhood he never had) he’s secretly terrified of the idea. he doesn’t know how to function outside of work, even when on vacation he can’t seem to relax. (he'd probably name his kids some stupid shit like "Hunter" though, so maybe that's for the best...)

✧ luis serra

cisgender & bisexual or mlm the closest we have to a canon music taste 4 him is Barbie Girl by Aqua (hehe), BUT i'd imagine he'd be a fan of musicians like Queen, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Madonna, ABBA, Billy Joel, Dolly Parton and other artists known to be popular in queer communities!! Grew up Catholic & still holds onto some core ideologies, though in a more superstitious way than religious. while he doesn't consider himself Catholic, he still carries around a cross necklace from his childhood & prays occasionally. Valdelobos was (in canon) devoutly Catholic prior to Saddler's reign, so it makes sense for him to hold on to some of that guilt. (him signing the gross in game.) his jacket is custom-tailored. going on a biiiit of a ramble/history lesson here... but if you look up Western saddles you'll find some with floral patterns similar to Luis' jacket. it's a kind of leather carving that was APPARENTLY inspired by medieval Spanish saddles. not really relevant but a fun fact nonetheless! :-) he picked up smoking from his grandfather. extremely picky when it comes to what cigarettes he smokes. he prefers Marlboro Reds (i don't smoke (except for when i'm missing you) so idrk what i'm talking about) very sentimental & holds on to little trinkets & gifts & pictures, etc. (this is somewhat canon confirmed, seen with him holding onto the Umbrella Dream Team photo, along with the lighter.)

✧ ada wong

transwoman & arospec lesbian likes 80s pop music & typical girly ego boost stuff. stuff like Kate Bush, Lady Gaga & ABBA (she loves Babooshka by Kate Bush & Cheri Cheri Lady by Modern Talking). not sure if she'd actually listen to any of her stuff, but K. Flay's music reminds me of her, specifically The President Has A Sex Tape. mommy issues queen. was in and out of foster care her entire childhood, only to end up back with her mom every time. she's extremely self-sufficient and refuses to rely or depend on anyone due to her childhood history of neglect. essentially raised herself. picked up smoking from her mother and absolutely hates it. she only falls back on nicotine when doing horribly. she carries cigarettes around with her on missions, just in case. has cherry blossom lip gloss and re-applies it religiously. has drop foot (i genuinely can’t think of any other sensible reason she’d always been wearing heels </3). used to like true crime when she was younger. she has issues identifying her feelings and honestly doesn’t care enough to work through them. she isn’t sure if she even likes some people at all. she can’t apart affection and finding someone useful. either way, she wants certain people around/safe and she isn’t sure why.

✧ chris redfield

cisgender & mlm canonically listens to Queen and is generally just a big music fan!! (him and Claire's "Made in Heaven" jackets + the Gibson Les Paul at his desk in the S.T.A.R.S. office :-)) listens to Queen, The Mashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac, the Foo Fighters, (some) Nirvana, AC/DC, KISS, Van Halen, Iron Maden, Black Sabeth, The Fray, Failure, Kings of Leon & similar bands ^_^!! likely disabled after that TBI in Edonia (i'd imagine there'd be some long-term consequences from hitting ur head so hard u get amnesia for 6 months). total adrenaline junkie with a savior complex. has an extremely high pain tolerance. he cannot fucking hear oh my god... please get him a hearing aid its so bad. was the stereotypical overprotective brother when he and Claire were younger, always scaring the shit out of anyone she brought home. used to take her to junk yards for shooting practice (she shot herself in the leg once... oopsies!) probably smells like a dog & uses 4 in 1 shampoo. stinky vermin. can’t cook for the life of him; lives off microwaveable meals. surprisingly organized, considering how messy he used to be in his younger years. plays the guitar (canon) & has a Gibson. Shy about his singing voice, so it's rare to hear, but i'd imagine it sounds similar to Isaac Slade's (lead singer of The Fray), just a bit deeper/gruffier. extremely good with dogs - actually considered being a dog trainer when he was younger. has a German Shepherd & a Bernese Mountain Dog, both are extremely well trained. canonically hates the rich, and is anti-capitalist lol. it's likely he was discharged from the Air Force for talking back to his superiors. would be an amazing dad but is terrified of the idea of settling down. no matter how badly he wants to have a domestic life he doesn’t know how to adapt to it. has a matching tattoo with Claire!! ^_^

✧ albert wesker

aro/ase spec & pan has autism, ASPD, NPD & a god complex (he has no idea what most of those labels mean & sees any attempts at people diagnosing him as useless and a waste of time). sensory issues & sensitive eyes because of Uroboros (leads to overstimulation sometimes, which makes him even more of a grumpy bitch). has an insane skincare routine. listens to classical music & 80s crap. while he originally got with ms. Muller with the goal of having a child, Wesker was unaware of Jake's birth. he deemed her as suitable as she had desirable traits that he wanted to carry on but never knew she actually got pregnant. suppresses/ignores any sexual thoughts/urges he has, as he views sexual impulses as a weakness and looks down on it. he sees himself as better than the average person because of his ability to control this. walked on his toes as a kid. most lights are too bright for him (hence the sunglasses wearing indoors). gets extremely frustrated if his plants or routine get interrupted or even slightly changed. sits in a dark room to de stimulate when needed, sometimes he reads, other times he just zones out. weird about how he treats Neurotypical ppl lol (treats them as they would Neurodivergents; like his experiences are the social norm & any other way of living is alien and outlandish). doesn’t smoke often but when he does he prefers Camels or Marlboro Blues (again, i don’t smoke so idrk). speaks some German & Latin (Latin from virus names and yada yada sciencey stuff)

✧ jill valentine

cisgender & lesbian listens to riot grrrl music (bikini kill), Deftones, System of a Down, Paramore, Drowning Pool, Slipknot, Depeche Mode, TOOL, Soundgarden, Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin & similar bands while the S.D. Perry novels aren't canon i rlly like how they depicted her childhood (along with it being the only "official" backstory for her we have). the idea of her dad being a crime boss explains her knowledge of lock picking & ability to keep a level head. she definitely had a few run-ins with the law as a kid. she has a little sister. has a Russian Blue cat & her favorite fruit are pears. can speak some french, though not too well due to lack of use. she has fairly thick hair and an undercut that she refuses to have shaved professionally. she likes cutting her hair herself, and refuses to pay to have it done. normally she has a friend or whoever's available cut it for her in exchange for a couple bucks. still has blonde hair from re5, but dyes it (Wesker absolutely killed the melanin in her skin and hair). she has blonde streaks & roots due to lack of free time to re-dye. has heightened abilities from lingering effects of the P30 drug (strength, perception time, speed, etc.). has a permanent scar on her chest from the P30 device.

✧ claire redfield

cisgender & bisexual/lesbian listens to Queen (canon), Stevie Nicks, Heart, Led Zeppelin, the Runaways, KISS, Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Nirvana, Bon Jovi, No Doubt, Petal, The Killers, Jack Off Jill, The Smiths, Smashing Pumpkins & similar bands. Chris used to take her out to junkyards to practice shooting together (accidentally shot herself in the leg once after shooting at metal... oopsies :-)!!) dyes her hair auburn & hates wearing it down. has a crazy high pain tolerance (runs in the family) and used to get hurt a lot on accident as a kid (doing stupid shit like messing around with fire or blades). Autumn is her favorite season. messy, brash & assertive, & i’m sick of pretending she’s not </3. she was raised by Chris, no way is her room organized. has probably punched at least one person for saying some stupid bigoted shit. would be a great mom tbh. loves cherry-flavored stuff. has a matching tattoo with Chris!! ^_^

✧ ethan winters

transgender & bisexual autistic. has small nervous tics that come and go seemingly at random. not big on music. he just likes it as background noise. prefers instrumental music, like classical and jazz (somewhat canon), maybe a bit of dad rock. i think he'd like Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) by The Penguins & Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? by She & Him! used to collect trading cards as a kid. he didn't exactly know how to play, he just likes how they look and feel. "standard" childhood, married middle-class parents with stable jobs yada yada yada. grew up in Texas (where he eventually met Mia) and spent a good portion of his life completely oblivious to the concept of being trans. once finding out he was trans he and Mia moved to California and he started T. talks to himself. could probably grow his limbs back starfish-style if he gave them enough time/didn't cover his fingers up with bandages (like Lucas did when Jack cut his arm off). has a favorite dinosaur. hates horror movies. so many movie & pop culture references... the dad jokes never end. 100% a reddit user. absolute sucker for compliments.

[writing-rat]

Gifts

Pairings: Wednesday Addams x Enid Sinclair

Warnings: Mentions of a taxidermy squirrel

Content: Gift giving, fluff

Summary: Wednesday and Enid arrive back after Winter break with gifts for each other, some more personal than others.

WC: 1593

Winter break had just finished and Enid was excited to go back. She could be away from her family, and see Weems again (who survived the poisoning but had a permanent limp). She also wanted to see Wednesday again as she had a gift for her. They had been texting during the winter break and she was happy about that. Wednesday still wanted to interact with her after all and that was her dream. She didn’t know why though and her mom refused to say. Esther actually tried to get Enid to date a worthy boy (who was an alpha each time conveniently). She rejected each one at least. She cited that Ajax was her boyfriend after all. Really, Ajax and Enid were not together. They broke up after a week but it was mutual, with no harsh feelings. Enid was relieved about that as she didn’t want to break his heart. That was when he admitted that he was starting to think he had a crush on Kent, and she was happy about that. She supported him after all. 

Eventually, the car stopped, and she grabbed her bags, leaving her family immediately. She saw the Addams’ hearse outside of the school and she was happy to know that Wednesday was already back. She rushed towards her room, ignoring the yell of her mother as she was soon skipping into her room, where Wednesday’s parents were. “Oh, hi Mrs and Mr Addams,” she spoke politely, Wednesday sorting out her clothes as her parents set everything else up. 

“Hello dear, how was Winter break? And please, call us Morticia and Gomez,” Morticia spoke with a smile.

“Yes ma- I mean Morticia. And winter break went as well as it could. If you don’t mind me asking… what are you doing helping Wednesday? I thought she hated it,” she asked. “Well… since that night, Wednesday hasn’t been the best. She is doing well, but she feels phantom pain. We want to thank you for saving our daughter though, how you wolfed out for her and we appreciate it,” Gomez answered, clapping his hand on Enid’s shoulder, who was smiling brightly. “It is no problem, she’s one of my best friends. I would do anything for her,” she spoke with a smile. 

“You are a good wolf. Do you plan on courting her?” Morticia asked curiously. 

“Huh?” Enid asked confused. “No. I don’t like her like that… I think. Why are you asking?” she added, wanting to know answers admittedly. 

“Well, when a wolf wolfs out for someone it usually means they’re soulmates. We have a couple of wolves in our family, so that is why we know if you are wondering,” Gomez spoke with a soft smile. Enid blinked and smiled then.

“Maybe, I don’t know if that is fully true though,” she spoke. The Addams accepted that, but Morticia knew how she felt. She had seen visions of Wednesday and Enid being together after all. The three made small talk, and Wednesday soon walked out as her room was mostly done. 

“Thank you, Mother and Father,” she spoke, looking at them. She looked genuine and appreciative. Enid smiled at that. 

She left the family be, finishing her own room as she hung her clothes up. She hid something in her closet, not wanting Wednesday’s family to see it. She saw them soon leaving, saying bye to her as she said bye to them as well. “Your parents are nice Willa,” she spoke with a smile when it was just the 2 of them. “Willa?” she responded. “Thank you, they… are,” she reluctantly admitted, answering about her parent. “They are still vomit-inducing with their physical affection,” she added, but she had a soft smile on her face. She was looking at Enid too, which made her see the happiness in her eyes. There was also some softness, which was rare.

“I thought I would give you a nickname. Do you like it? And better than mine at least. How was your winter break?” she asked, sitting on Wednesday’s freshly-made bed, Wednesday joining her as well. “I.. only say it in private, ok?” she asked. Enid nodded to agree. “And you can come over to mine for the holidays you know?” she asked. Enid also nodded at that, blushing that she had the pleasure of doing that. “Winter break was ok though, I suffered from phantom pains however so if I seem weird sometimes… I apologise,” she spoke. “But how was yours?” she added, realising she didn’t 

“It’s ok. If it helps, I have nightmares over the night. But my winter break was good. My mother tried to get me with some alphas,” she admitted. Wednesday physically growled at that, which shocked the wolf because it was so close to a wolf’s growl. “How’d you learn to growl like that?” Enid couldn't help but ask. Wednesday smirked.

“I would like to kill your mother if I have consent. But I learnt to growl from my werewolf cousin, I made sure it was perfected before he left,” she responded. Enid nodded and smiled.

“Wait here, by the way, I have something for you,” she spoke and skipped over to her cupboard, grabbing the wrapped-up presents. Grabbing it, she skipped back and handed it over to the goth. Wednesday blinked but opened it. There were 2 presents. One was a box, and the other was clearly clothing of some sort. Intrigued by the box, she opened it and that was when she saw what it was. She couldn’t help her shock. It was a taxidermied squirrel. “I went and hunted in my wolf form over Winter and I found this squirrel. I thought of you as I killed it. I made sure it was in one piece then I took it to a local taxidermist. I hope it looks ok,” she spoke with a soft smile. Wednesday nodded.

“It’s extraordinary, it is neatly done and well-preserved. Thank you, Enid,” she spoke with a smile, her lips curved upwards. “Open your other present dummy,” Enid teased with a smile. Wednesday glared but she was still smiling as she grabbed the other one and opened it. Inside was a knitted sweater, black and white. There was one little colour patch of pink. “I hope the pink is ok, I just wanted a little piece to remind you of me,” she admitted.  Wednesday smiled.

“I love it, thank you, Enid. You are the best, I will wear it with great pride,” she spoke, putting it on already. Enid was pleased.

That was when Wednesday crouched under her own bed and got out 4 parcels and handed them over. “I got a few things for you too. Admittedly I didn’t expect anything from you,” she admitted.

“Of course, I would get you something. You’re my best friends,” she spoke with a smile. Wednesday nodded then watched Enid open the first one. It was in a box and she didn’t know what it was. That was when she opened it and saw it was 6 books and they were all of Holly Jackson’s. She had talked about getting the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series but she never had enough money. There was that set, but there was also The Reapparance Of Rachel Price, Five Survive and Killjoy. All of the Holly Jackson books were there. “OMG, thank you, Willa! I love this,” she spoke and hugged her. Wednesday hugged back and smiled before Enid opened the other parcels. Inside one was a pink leather jacket. It was from Gucci which surprised Enid.

“I hope it is the right size. If not, I can get it,” she spoke. “You didn’t have to get me a branded item,” Enid spoke. 

“I know. I wanted to,” Wednesday answered. Enid smiled, setting it to the side carefully. That was when she opened the next one, a bat plushie. The next parcel was handmade by Wednesday clearly though. It was another plushie, but it was knitted. She loved it and it was also Enid’s wolf colour too. Wednesday was looking down, hoping Enid loved it. That was when she was tackled into a hug.

She was shocked, holding Enid back as tight as the wolf was. “Thank you, I love it,” she spoke, nuzzling into Wednesday slightly. “I am glad. I had my grandmama and mother’s help, it helped with my phantom pain too,” she admitted. Enid smiled.

“You are the best,” Enid admitted. Wednesday smiled, facing Wednesday who was just inches away from her then. She leaned forward slightly, their foreheads together. Enid was shocked, feeling butterflies in her stomach. She thought Wednesday would have the same too, but she would say spiders. That was when she realised Morticia may have been correct. Enid leaned in more, Wednesday soon kissing her. The both of them kissed gently, Enid smiling as she was blushing, soon holding her. 

“I think I love you,” Enid spoke. Wednesday raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“I think you do too. I mean, you did kiss me,” Wednesday teased. Enid smiled, kissing her gently again. “So… are we official?” she asked. 

“Of course we are, can you keep it secret for now though?” Wednesday asked, looking down. Enid nodded and smiled. 

“Of course. So… wanna go on a date tonight?” she asked with a smile. Wednesday nodded.

“There is a movie we could watch then dinner?” Wednesday offered.

“Perfect,” Enid spoke. She was happy. Maybe she would collect all her stuff from home and move in with the Addams if she could…

[warblogs17282]

Do you have any answers to these Helluva Boss plot holes?

For the first one, the real and boring answer is probably simply plot convenience, as the episode would be over within like 5 minutes otherwise.

But if you want my best guess, you could make a case that it was because of stress, considering stress can reduce your rational thinking skills and such, and well, Stolas loves Octavia a lot, so there was definitely at minimum some stress inside Stolas' body for the whole episode until he found Octavia safe.

Plus, just look at how much Stolas is freaking out inside when they get shoved inside that van.

My other theory is the Sinstagram accounts (not the non-canon instagram accounts), as in Truth Seekers, we do see Blitz take a picture with this head, so it's very possible that Blitz also quickly uploaded that picture to Sinstagram at the same time (maybe the phones have a dedicated upload to Sinstagram button?), with that probably being how Stolas found where Blitz and the gang was in Truth Seekers.

Seeing Stars also shows us that Blitz and the gang can get cell service just fine in the human world, as shown by the fact he messages Millie here.

And in s2 e6, we see that Stolas comments on Blitz's photos, proving that they both have a Sinstagram account.

I already know what you're thinking, 'But Loona found Octavia via her Sinstagram pictures.', and my answer to that is simply that no one thought to check Octavia's sinstagram due to a combo of stress and everyone getting caught up in their respective happenings during the episode.

Like, Loona only got the lead of Octavia's sinstagram because Loona saw a cool poster and decided to upload it to her sinstagram account, proceeding to scroll a little after making that post, where she accidentally stumbled across one of Octavia's recent posts, and at this point Stolas and Blitz are entirely busy, so Loona messaging them about this lead wouldn't have done any good.

Plus, Octavia is constantly on the move in very public areas, while Blitz was stuck in the DHORKS building, so even if they thought to check her Sinstagram from the start, it'd still happen basically exactly the same as it did to Loona, since they can't exactly risk portalling to public areas to catch up to Octavia, as that runs the massive risk of humans seeing the portal, which is obviously something they cannot afford to have happen.

so tldr, my main theory on how Stolas found Blitz in s1 e6 is because of the Sinstagram pictures, and in s2 e2, no one thought to check Octavia's sinstagram account for potential leads, due to a combo of getting caught up in various happenings and stress.

As for the second one, Blitz only says that human fire can't kill them, he makes no comments in regards to electricity or electrocution, and that's how Ronaldo died, Blitz kicked the ghost-sucker device into the water, causing Ronaldo to die via electrocution, which is extremely different to burning to death.

What I'm getting at here is electric burns and such are different to fire burns, basically.

[amalythea]

aly!! !!! congratulations on being older than you were a year ago 💚 it has been a pleasure to be your mutual...

i would enjoy (cry over) prompt 47: "given your history, i should have known better." with alhaitham.... angst (；∀；)

「 alone 」

⤷ info: alhaitham x gn!reader || angst, hurt/no comfort || wc: 626

⤷ warnings: messy break-up, mentions of injury

⤷ extra: june!! hello hi thank you so much :> it's been great knowing you, as well! I hope you like this hehe

The room was too quiet. Alhaitham stood by the window, his back to you, staring out into the dark expanse of the Sumeru night. The moonlight cast long, sharp shadows across the room, accentuating the tension that hung in the air.

You sat at the table, your hands clenched into fists on the surface, trembling with an emotion you couldn’t name—was it anger, or something closer to despair? Your voice broke the silence, brittle and strained.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

He didn’t turn around. His reflection in the window barely moved, save for the faint rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed. "It wasn’t necessary for you to know."

Your chair scraped against the floor as you stood abruptly. "Not necessary? You were ambushed. Injured. You could’ve died! And you think I didn’t need to know?"

"You couldn’t have done anything about it," he replied, his tone as flat as ever. "What would telling you have accomplished? Other than adding unnecessary worry to your life?"

Your breath hitched, your hands shaking as you gripped the back of the chair. "Unnecessary worry? Alhaitham, I care about you. Knowing you were out there, hurt and alone—do you even understand what that feels like?"

"You were overreacting," he said, finally turning to face you. His expression was calm, his teal eyes cool and detached. "I handled the situation. I always do. This isn’t something to dwell on."

You stared at him, your chest tightening with every measured word that left his mouth. "How could you say that? How could you stand there and act like this didn’t matter?"

"Because it didn’t," he said bluntly. "Not in the grand scheme of things. If I burdened you with every minor setback, we’d never move forward."

"Minor setback?" Your voice rose, cracking with the weight of unspoken pain. "This isn’t just about you, Alhaitham! I thought we were partners, but you keep me out of everything! Am I just—just someone you tolerate? Someone convenient to have around?"

He hesitated for a moment. Just a fraction of a second, but it was enough. Enough to break something fragile between you.

"You’re important to me," he said finally, but the words felt hollow, like a practiced response to an unimportant question. "But I make decisions based on logic, not sentiment. That’s who I am."

You laughed bitterly, tears stinging your eyes. "Logic? You think this was about logic? Gods, I should have known better. Given your history—how you push everyone away—I should have known you’d do the same to me."

"That’s not fair," he said, his voice still maddeningly even. "I didn’t ask you to—"

"To what? Care about you? Worry about you?" You stepped back, your voice trembling as you fought to keep it steady. "No, you didn’t. And that’s the problem. You don’t need anyone, do you? Not me, not anyone else. You’re perfectly fine on your own."

Silence stretched between you, heavy and suffocating. Alhaitham didn’t argue. He didn’t try to stop you when you turned toward the door, your heart breaking with every step.

"You’re right," you said quietly, your hand on the doorknob. "You don’t need me. And I—I can’t keep pretending that doesn’t hurt."

The door clicked shut behind you, leaving Alhaitham alone in the quiet room. He stared at the space you had occupied moments ago, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he turned back to the window, the moonlight cold and distant on his face.

And he stayed there, alone, as the night stretched on—alone still when the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, and alone even as the world around him awakened to a new day he would face in solitude.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

@amalythea 2024. | do not re-upload, copy, translate, etc. my works on any form of media.

[mullermilkshake]

Kento makes his own way home

The clan meeting

Yakuza!Nanami x Hostess!reader

MINORS DNI - Tags: Yakuza AU, pretty much stalking.

After leaving Ino to his own devices, despite learning the news of the latest Yakuza group going head on with the Ryomen clan, Kento had more confidence than he knew what to do with.

And that confidence drove him to make his way to your club, just to see a glimpse of you and maybe even to introduce himself.

"Welcome, Sir," The club host bowed and allowed Kento inside. "Do you have any requests for who you might like to accompany you?"

You. He wanted you and that confidence he had almost let him blurt out your name.

Almost.

"I'll sit at the bar for now, I'll decide later,” that confidence went flying out the window faster than smoke, and he couldn’t chase it.

Maybe next time.

There was a benefit to being cooped up watching the computer screens on the network, Kento took at every convenience. There was no fuss or worry and therefore no attention.

Even if it was a Ryomen clan owned club. One of the smaller ones in Shinjuku.

God forbid there was too much commotion and you turn to see him for the first time being doted on. That would have been the worst first impression ever.

Kento left the host and planted himself on the edge of the bar, ordering top shelf whiskey and reading the room.

His stomach flipped when he saw you, in the flesh and smiling with some old man throwing hand signals up to the waiters for more drinks and ice.

It should have been Kento at that table, but he still couldn't face the music to how you'd react in his presence. He knew you far more than you realised.

You however, didn't know he existed and it was far too much of a knock to Kento's existing confidence if you were impassive or indifferent to him.

Just looking at you in person, watching you smile and casually touch the old man's arm every now and then made him envious at best. How would you react to him? Just like that, working your job as you were supposed to in order to collect that tip at the end?

Or would it all be genuine?

He couldn't think, because right now, you stood up and offered your hand to the man with the most warming smile and allowed his lips to touch the back of your hand.

How could you let him touch you like that? Kento was aware it was part of the job and he was certain that the trip would be a big one because of the bottles of champagne he was ordering.

Yet the man was so old and grey, not that Kento was a young spring chicken himself either, the age gap from him wasn't anything to brag about and it was concerning that you would see straight through it.

But he had a chance though, right?

Kento must have zoned out, you were walking right towards him. Straight and no beeline, soft smile in tow and aiming for the bar.

Had you noticed him?

"Hey! Can you put this behind the bar?" you looked straight past Kento and handed over a load of yen bills to the bartender.

"Sure," he said with a warm smile and moved to pour you a drink. "Good night tonight?"

You nodded and Kento listened, keeping his head down to avoid eye contact. "Yeah, though I have just one more client until my break."

"Nice," he slid the glass of what looked like whiskey towards you. "How was old Tanaka tonight? Just as creepy as usual?"

"Shh! Don't be so loud... It's rude," Kento could have sworn you looked over at him in his periphery and if he moved an inch, his flight response may have kicked in. "He's very... ardent."

"That's one way of putting it, take care," the bartender winked and moved on to another customer.

"Thanks."

For a moment, your smile faded. If Kento had blinked he would have missed it. You were far too intelligent for the likes of these old men, just by your vocabulary he had heard at times. Not to mention how beautiful you were.

You weren't happy, that much was clear.

At some point, Kento would find the courage to interact with you. Though for now, he'd continue to watch from afar until he knew more about you and that his chance to be with you was as high as possible.

He'd ensure you would never have to work in a place like this again.

Because you were far too good for a place like this.

[sahisan]

damn you for your chuuya being a literal heated blanket hcs because all I can think about now is how lovely of a cuddle partner he's gonna be and just the idea of melting into that comfort every time you go to bed aghh. Of completely suffocating him as you wrap yourself flush up against his body at every opportunity you get just because you can and no, he is not getting away, sorry babe

ma'am i am not okay, thanks for this

a heated blanket/heater chuuya ceo here !! hehe we all here loooove heated-blanket-slash-walking-heater chuuya because why not make a fiery redhead a literal walking fire as a cheery on top?

about the every opportunity you get— oh i bet he's already expecting what he's gonna have to endure once you start teasing him about his warmness and cling to him every possible moment—he's absolutely fine with the latter though.

he very quickly learns you like the mix of the heat and the cuddles when you start walking into his office at home when he's still working late at night and drowning himself in some reports he has to get reviewed rather urgently and just wrap yourself over him like a literal koala (he absolutely starts calling you his little koala every chance he gets to tease you back), making yourself careful on his lap with your face buried thoroughly in the crook of his neck with your arms around it in a circle from which he has no way out—and from the entire hug as well. not that he ever wanted an out, of course. he just makes sure to move your hair out of his face to be able to read the documents clearly and promises himself—and a sleepy you in his lap—to finish quicker so that you two could continue the cuddling already in bed. and this one particular position of a koala around him gives him the best opportunity to sense when you've loosened your hold around him and all in all relaxed, signalling that you've dozed off to sleep—it's like a mental clock to him to wrap the work up and carry you to bed so you two could continue cuddling there.

it's better when it's winter. you don't need extra layers anymore when you start living with chuuya—and it's absolutely not because of his floor heating. you can just absorb his heat by literally walking beside him—it's like an aura that radiates off of him. you're there, curled into him when you two watch the tv, cuddled on the couch—you don't even need blankets anymore, because right beside you is the best heater that ever existed.

it's worse when it's summer. summer in yokohama is humid and unbelievably hot, with sweat already rolling down your face and body and infecting your lightest clothes in the view of wet patches on your back and armpits, and during that time you actually try to somehow stop the cuddling for a while, as unfortunate as it may seem, because if during that heat you were going to hug an equally hot redhead living with you, it would actually be the end; like betelgeuse exploding and going supernova.

the withholding doesn't last long though. you're back at hugging chuuya by the time the temperature is down by a few degrees—it's not an exactly sensitive change in weather, but you can bear with it as long as you have some iced water by your side.

you genuinely don't understand how chuuya doesn't sweat in all these clothes he always wears. for as long as you remember him, he's always had layers and layers of clothes—an undershirt, a shirt, a harness, a vest, a cropped jacket, a coat and gloves on top of all that. in all honesty, you do not understand the man. you're pretty sure he could be walking outside in only briefs when it's -20C° and not be bothered a single damn moment.

well, at least it's convenient, not only for him but for you too.

[srslylini]

ok I'm gonna try deconstructing this Vander/Jinx/Vi scene now because it's driving me nuts.

Jinx fights Warwick in the prison. Warwick recognizes her and the episode ends. Alright. Nothing really to criticize here. Yet.

Then the next episode starts with Vi throughout the months between episode 3 and 4 and then also throughout episode 4. Jinx suddenly appears and tells her Vander is back.

1. How did she know where to find her sister?

We could assume well the pit fight advertised it, right? But then there is the problem: With how the writers said it, Jinx was hiding away. Even if there were advertisements she wouldn't have seen it soon enough. This option is pretty much out and not working except if you take the weirdest leaps and make up stuff the writers never gave us.

The next one is she simply knew the entire time and that one is just vile and I refuse to believe it.

The other option I can give is that it actually took Jinx a while to find her and she didn't just immediately get to her.

2. Well Why did Warwick just run into the mines?

That also comes with huge problems that contradict the points I talked about with how Jinx could have found her sister, all but one by the way.

We could assume Warwick just immediately ran into the Mines and okay that is insanely lazy and convenient. Like okay plot mover. That rises the issue that if Jinx didn't immediately know where to find Vi, he either just sat there and waited for the plot to move OR he ran from place to place and, conveniently exactly when Jinx found Vi, he stopped at the Mines.

That just leaves the option that Jinx knew of Vi's whereabouts the entire time.

3 Why when Vi and Jinx found him in the Mines and he regained consciousness did he just stay that way?

this is now the problem I have with "after the prison escape".

so here: Warwick recognizes Jinx as Powder. Cut. Now what happened? Did he immediately turn back from Vander to Warwick and ran? All the enforcers were either knocked out or dead. There was nothing to trigger anything in him.

You could say well maybe he is just too much Warwick and I wish that would work but then why was the Gang just able to walk him to Viktor without him just running off? I fear the Undercity would very much be triggering for him, with what they showed us how he works. Especially if we are to assume he just turned back after finding Jinx in the prison and then ran.

even IF we said; well maybe Jinx just brought him to the Mines, okay still convenient. They weren't ever at the Mines before so why would this be her first place to go? How I know they never were at the Mines? The letter. So even if we just let it slide that she walked him there it still comes with so many problems. That would also imply he just waited there for the Plot to come if Jinx had to search for Vi. Or even if she just knew (which again do NOT like this option).

The more I think about this-

[aihoshiino]

I know I'm swinging a bat into a hornet's nest, but ever since the end of OnK I've been thinking about why Akane is so popular yet so disappointing as a character.

Akane was really interesting and I enjoyed her being her own character, but after the stage play arc she just becomes an Aqua simp. All her motivations become centered around him to the point of wanting to ruin her life for a boy. She becomes a "submissive Japanese wife" that so many people are obsessed about, completely ignoring that her and Aqua's dynamic would be horrible for both of them. They enable each other's self-destructive tendencies, trying to go to hell instead of climbing out of it.

I hate what they did with Akane at the end. She becomes nothing more than a plot device, and to have her narrate the ending which overshadows every other character (especially Ruby, she deserved so much more) is such a bad move. Justice for Akane, she's a much better character than an exposition mouthpiece for the reader's sake. We don't even get to see her actually analyze any information (aside from researching Ai at the start), she just suddenly has all the answers even in moments where it has almost nothing to do with her. I'm so annoyed at how Akane-centric the ending is, truly putting her characterization into the ground alongside Aqua.

I think the issue re: Akane is that Akasaka kind of accidentally wrote himself into a corner by making her SO smart and capable that if she was allowed to actually contribute to the story then she would end up solving most conflicts before they actually played out on the page lol

Like, to be totally fair, there was always going to be an element of Akane orbiting Aqua because she's very specifically a character not involved in Ruby's half of the plot and with zero interest in B-Komachi. So it makes sense for her to take a bit of a backseat when we switch focus to it but Tokyo Blade going into the Private arc is really good example of how she can still be a present and engaging character even without directly contributing just by letting her... you know, engage and be present with the rest of the cast! But starting with Mainstay, Akane has basically zero meaningful interactions with anyone who isn't Aqua and most of what she does on-page also revolves around him and their relationship. I'm not even really sure why this is because there are certainly places she could've at least been inserted to flesh out her relationships with the wider cast but my best guess is that this would have interrupted or complicated what Akasaka wanted to do so he didn't include her. And Don't Even Get Me Started On The Movie Arc.

There's more issues with how Akasaka uses her as a character but u/uvauva2 on the OnK subreddit did a really good and concise breakdown of them and I'd basically just be recapping their points if I carried on, so I recommend reading it.

It sucks because I've really come around on Akane and I think she's super compelling up through to the end of the Private arc. But past that, it feels like Akasaka had no idea what to do with her as a character so he turned to using her as a blunt force tool of convenience to paper over sections of the plot. She ends up kind of reduced to a mouthpiece for Akasaka to do exposition with and... Yeah, it sucks! Akane was a character with a lot of really interesting potential but it just feels like Akasaka lost interest in fitting her into the story at some point.

[declawedwildcat]

“Acquaintances are merely friends you haven't shared a drink with yet." 🍻

[batbabydamian]

so, Batman #147… rambling about the difference in how Zdarsky portrays the two current Robins

this is a fantastic run for Tim, and very much written like a return to form of what plenty consider the best dynamic duo, but even more so "the best Robin". once Damian's introduced in this run, Zdarsky really makes sure you still know that lol

1. "We don't need anyone else" VS "I need my family"

#147 clearly exemplifies the contrast, so i'll go through it first. Damian, having fallen for Zurr's lie and accepted him as the real Bruce, goes so far as to say in the very first page "We don't need anyone else." it's cold colors, machinery, and hollow declarations of "father and son" for these two.

towards the ending, Tim has deduced where the real Bruce is hiding and brings him food expecting Bruce's knack for self-neglect. it's all warmth, sunshine, and mutual understanding - also a cute back and forth of "Batman and Robin" between them. on top of this, where Damian isolates Batman & Robin from family, Tim is the one to remind Bruce about "helping each other." Bruce heartily agrees with "I need my family" for a weighty end.

along with this parallel, from #138 Tim makes it clear that even in opposition, he's only ever trying to help Bruce. Damian was still on the wrong side with Zurr-induced-Bruce here at the time too 😭

2. Tim's independence as both a hero and partner

Tim is written as the ideal Robin to Bruce's Batman, and has made Robin its own independent hero on equal footing rather than a sidekick - it's made in statements by both Tim and Bruce, and through the entire narrative. he takes initiative and tries to foresee what would ultimately help Bruce. beyond being great partners, there's many bits showing their emotional connection ("i'm scared of being lost, but i'm more scared of losing you, Bruce" hit me like a bag of bricks). tbh this almost could be a Batman and Robin run lol

added the first panel from #126 of Tim declaring he's his own hero outside of Bruce, proven plenty especially in his backups in #131-134!! the other panels are a few highlights from #128, #130, and #135 of the partnership between Tim and Bruce

granted it's Zurr, but Damian is mostly seen following orders and given pensive looking panels when there's something concerning. While Tim continued to represent Batman's ideals during his own solo quest to find Bruce, Damian doesn't question or take action against "Bruce's" sudden shift in ethics

Batman #134 Backup - Tim showing support toward Toyman VS Batman #146 - Zurr and Damian confront Harley as she pleads about her change of heart

another kiinda parallel in #147 is Bruce acknowledging Tim's hard work to become Robin compared to Damian who's out here going Batman and Robin/Father and Son. i don't think it's an intended parallel but just the state of continuing to show Tim in a better light - Tim put in the effort "to become the second-best Robin" while Damian is Robin because..."son." supposedly less effort on his part too, because LOA.

second pic is from Batman/Catwoman The Gotham War: Scorched Earth, felt fitting to add since Tim mentions needing to "know everything" in both. and the humble brag. which ofc Tim believes Dick is the best!! but also. jic we didn't know Tim is the best current Robin sdfgh

3. Damian's blind loyalty as "Bruce's son"

there's a weight to the Robin title when regarding Tim, whereas Damian's "Robin" role is excess and counterintuitive. he's delegated to desperate sidekick to Bruce, as well as becoming an obstacle to the family. being Robin only seems significant to Damian in how it ties himself to his father, and his single Robin quality is a loyalty that's been written to an extreme fault. the only positive angle i could see this in is Zdarsky aiming to put Damian in a sympathetic light in how far Damian was willing to fall to stay by his father's side, hence, fooled by that nightmare story/confession. the problem with this is that we have not seen a single emotional connection between the two in this run, so why should we care about that relationship.

also, Damian constantly bringing up his position as Bruce's son just makes him look entitled? since Bruce rightfully expressed his claim of having the others as his sons too (with the unfortunate exclusion of his daughter)! so it's like a "lol you're not that special" vibe when looking at it from the outside?? ykw concerning #138, Damian saying "You're the one trying to destroy my father" also could have been in contrast to Tim saying "We'll help our dad" at the end.

Zdarsky seems to believe the only meaningful part of Damian being Robin is he's the son of Bruce, and not a single nod to any noble aspect Damian's achieved beyond that. we're constantly reminded of Tim's greatest hits as Robin, from taking on the mantle to pull Bruce out of darkness (#135, #138), mastermind a whole takedown (Gotham War: Scorched Earth), and always being on the same wavelength with Bruce etc. the entire run sings Tim's praise, and it's deserved!! my problem is how it's in stark contrast to Damian's portrayal of being the other Robin who's only special because he believes he's the greatest son and wants to be at Bruce's side.

so all this to say, if your fav is Tim YOU'RE EATING WELL!! personally as a chronic enjoyer of things, this has been an entertaining run! as a chronic enjoyer of Damian, it's definitely not for many of his fans at this point in time.

i did like this part!! his grin!!