#which also means the title will have to be different.....

[novelistwriter]

An Al Ghul first

DP x DC Prompt

Damian had an older half-brother that he loved. Danyal was his name, and he was the best fighter in the entire League, even better than Ra's and Talia combined. Danyal was even a brother who encouraged Damian to follow the things he wanted to do behind the backs of Talia and Ra's.

The last Damian ever saw Danyal was right before he left on a mission that may lead to a new Lazarus Pit when Damian was 8 and Danyal was 10. And right before Danyal left, he had embraced Damian and left a parting forehead kiss, saying that he'll be back soon.

Danyal had found the Lazarus Pit but had fallen in it after the ground beneath him gave away, and he didn't have enough time to react, as he was busy drawing for Damian about Goliath and other animals Damian would like.

Danyal was sent to the Infinite Realms and then put in another dimension near a place called Amity Park. He's got no time for friends or school. He needs to get back to his younger brother. Danyal uses his brain to hack into the school database and remove his name from it, effectively stopping him from ever meeting Sam and Tucker and stopping Dan from happening.

Danyal spends the next couple of years trying to find a way back to his home. And since the Fenton parents are always busy, that leaves just the "older sister" he has to deal with on distracting. He likes that she tries to get to know his culture better than the adult Fentons, as she calls him Danyal and not Danny or Danno like the adult Fentons. She even tries to learn how to make food from this world's version of where he's from.

Danyal still became a Halfa because he tried to activate the portal early, which had caused the portal to work but brought dangers he had to find off until he found the right place to go to. His Ghost Half outfit is his Assassins gear, as he was wearing it because he thought he would be going home when he activated the portal.

After Danyal bested Pariah and became the next Ghost King, he has the means to go back to the dimension he comes from. He's not going alone, as the Nasty Burger explosion happens, and only the adult Fentons and others were there, leaving Jazz without a family. Dani, known as Ellie, is also coming, it was easy to convince her because of her curiosity of how different his world might be. Vlad is gonna have to serve his time, as Danyal used his new title to put the man in Walkers prison. The man made Ellie by using his DNA to make her and for freeing Pariah, so the man will either fade away because Maddie is gone or get a new obsession to keep him going.

Danyal is now 18 and is finally back home. He just hopes that Damian is okay and not too upset that he didn't keep his promise to return.

[consistantly-changing]

[Image descriptions in order: a Reddit post on r/whatsthatbook by u/clownthrowawayhelp, titled "help solve a fight with my girlfriend - book with monster clown that can turn into fears but NOT king's IT???" The post is tagged "solved", and says:

i say it's not king's IT she says it is. we've been disagreeing about this on and off for a year because she keeps bringing up scenes and going on about how good they were in the book but i've read IT and those scenes aren't in it. she says i read IT too long ago to remember. fair. it was a while. but she read it over five years ago too!

scenes she remembers that i don't remember in the og book: it was set at a school camp during the kid bits and there were adult scenes too 20-something years later but she doesn't remember them because they "weren't as good". the kids are different ages ranging from 5 to 20. there's a demon clown thing hunting them and it keeps turning into the things they're scared of to try eat them.

she remembers a scene where there was a rabid bear and one of the teenagers set it on fire using hairspray. at the end the clown is a female and there's eggs, and every kid in the camp ends up ganging up to try beat the clown to death with rocks. there's also a bit with some weird rapey werewolves but she's less certain about that.

she remembers some scenes that are definitely from IT too like the fridge and bill's bike and the bullies lost in the sewers so im pretty sure she's mixing up IT and some other book. i need to find the other book or we're both going to die mad about this. we need closure

sorry if this isn't the right place i don't use reddit but i'm desperate to solve this i need to be validated

she asked me to add this edit of things she also remembers even though she said she wants nothing to do with my search since she knows shes right - these are all quotes:

"the little guys died first and it was dreadful"

"there were so many horrible scenes in the camp bathroom king (she says)/the author as of yet unknown (i say) must have something against public bathrooms and by the time i was done reading i did too"

"someone died so enthusiastically they painted the wall with their insides"

"at least one person maybe more was described as 'unzipped' by the time the clown was done"

"there were at least two horny scenes" <-- look how can she say this and still think its king the man is like 80% horny scenes 70% scary scenes and theyre usually overlapping]

[Screenshots of the comments of the post.

There is a comment thread which says

u/Deejaymil: Hey OP, does your gf read fanfiction by any chance?

u/clownthrowawayhelp: she says no but she didn't say no fast if you get what i mean, very suspicious stuff. and now she's giving me guilty looks. if she's been telling me how good some random fanfiction is for the last 12 months while thinking it was the og i'm taking my pajamas and going home

u/Deejaymil: Haha hey this is awkward

Hate to break it to you both but I think she's mixing up IT with a couple of fanfics. I can't link them because they're locked behind a privacy wall but one is an IT/Criminal Minds crossover (most of what you've described, though the details aren't quite right), and the werewolf thing is a different Criminal Minds fic from the same author. Ask her if the camp they were at was called Camp Moribund, if you need evidence for your validation.

u/clownthrowawayhelp: i cant believe gabby has done this to me

she left the room when i told her it's a fanfiction and then she came back to ask how you could possibly know that and now she's left again. i think you got it. she wouldn't be so mad otherwise

u/Deejaymil: I know because I wrote them Imao]

[u/clownthrowawayhelp: you are the best thing to ever happen to my relationship god bless your socks i will die telling this story to my children's children. i'm so happy i could cry

sorry if my post sounded like it was dragging your horny scenes i'm sure they're tasteful horny

thank you for devastating my girl's emotional wellbeing she needed this]

[u/Deejaymil: I feel like I've walked into a crowded room and everyone has stopped talking and turned to stare at me, this is the worst whatsthatbook solve I've managed yet haha. Usually I just saunter into the obscure animal book threads because I was cat-obsessed as a child...]

[u/Deejaymil: I'm never going to emotionally recover from this.]

[u/Deejaymil: Haha well, in honour of OP's poor girlfriend here's the IT one. I turned off the privacy setting so it should be accessible without a log-in. She faced her demons today so I can face mine.

u/clownthrowawayhelp: she says "thanks this is exactly it. if i can't have my dignity, at least i have something to read"

cheers. guess ill have to read it too now just to find out why she loves the bear versus hairspray scene so much

u/justmyrealname: "If I can't have my dignity, at least I have something to read" is such a good line]

help

[felassan]

Some follow up posts following the recent Bloomberg [article]. Rest of post under cut due to length.

Jason Schreier: "One element of the Dragon Age story that I want to emphasize: If the team had known in 2021 (after the single-player pivot) that they'd ship in Oct 2024, it'd be a much different game. Instead they were always under the impression they had to finish in 6-12 months, which led to all sorts of problems. This happened with Suicide Squad, too, and countless other games that seemed to be in development for years but in reality were just delayed half a dozen times, offering the team little opportunity to plan or make smart long-term decisions" [source, two]

Jason Schreier re: this Reddit post which is titled 'To the DA devs after that Bloomberg article': "I suspected that hearing the whole story behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard's tumultuous development would lead to a lot of fans expressing empathy for the people in the trenches [link]" [source]

Blair Thorburn: "the worst part is that those issues were called out almost immediately, and the choice was made to push on. this strategy backed the team into an impossible situation from the start, and it was a miracle we shipped at all, nevermind shipping at the quality we did. our narrative team were heroes." [source]

Jo Berry: "Having seen the circumstances under which they were trying to create... I mean, I only came in right at the end and it was still -- holy shit." [source]

Brian J. Audette, rt'ing the article: "Reposting without comment except: I refute that we made a bad or compromised game. We made the best version of what we released, warts and all. I'm damn proud of it and the team. We couldn't have made a _better_ Dragon Age, only a _different_ one." [source] "Still the best reviewed game I ever worked on in a 25+ year career." [source]

John Epler: "my career up to this point has been largely motivated by spite and the good news is it seems I am in no danger of running out" [source]

John Epler: "still the truest thing I've ever posted" [source] John Epler [prior post]: "sorry one last DA thing, i just want to say, once again, that the team did some incredibly herculean shit to get this game done. they deserve all the kudos and credit in the world. i've never seen people work so hard or care so much. grateful to know them all." [source]

Also:

User: "I guess my big question is why did the game get an 83 on metacritic with all these problems." Jason Schreier: "Sometimes reviewers just don't align with general reception. Fallout New Vegas got an 84 while Fallout 4 got an 87" [source]

User: "Christ. Second major BioWare game in a row to inspire an investigative "what the hell went wrong?" piece from Schreier." Jason Schreier: "third" [source]

A user queried the part of the article that stated the Mass Effect team overhauling DA:TV's ending, mentioning that this seems unfair to say.

Jason Schreier: "Well, the ME team steered it and, most importantly, got the resources to make it happen. But I see your point and obviously in game dev, credit is always a funky thing." [source]

Following the Suicide Squad post above:

User: "the difference being that suicide squad's live service push was determined by studio leadership, whereas the dragon age decisions came from outside bioware right?" Jason Schreier: "I don't think it's quite that simple. If you run a studio owned by a company whose execs are coming in with powerpoint presentations about how live-service is the future, it might be "your choice" what kind of game to pitch but what's really going to secure you a budget?" [source]

[lumosinlove]

Vaincre

july part i

(Bit of a shorter chapter to make the others start and end where I want them to, but still fun and beachy!)

Nate: What’s up everyone, this is Nate here with my co-host, Jade, welcome back to the Lion Pride Podcast. Okay, this episode is titled ‘Maybe Now I Can Come Home’ and for good fucking reason. Like congratulations to the Rangers, whatever, this is a Gryffindor Lions podcast but—but I am a Logan Tremblay lover and—oh my God, I can’t.

Jade: No, seriously, because guys think about this. We have to talk about this. I haven’t seen anyone actually break this down which surprises me endlessly because it is an insane fucking story. Logan Tremblay is not known for being particularly out there, or candid with the media. I mean, on a scale of Sirius Black to Thomas Walker, he is far, far closer to the Black side of things.

Nate: For sure. At least in public.

Jade: Right. I mean, you’d know.

Nate: Ha.

Jade: Don’t give me that smug little ‘ha.’ I KNOW you see them all the time having pizza.

Nate: I would never TALK about that on here. But yes, I do.

Jade: Okay, we’re talking about Tremzy.

Nate: Yes, yes, we are.

Jade: I mean—we did do a Harvard Years podcast when Logan was first public about them on that mic’d up segment during the Lions-Rangers series.

Nate: [Tearful] Hey, seventeen.

Jade: Hey, Ten. [Squeals]

Nate: My heart.

Jade: But this is just—okay. I mean, I’m skipping ahead but, I’m sorry maybe I’m the only one who saw the way Logan got kissed by Leo Knut and Finn O’Hara. Was everyone else doing something during that moment? That wasn’t a kiss that was a KISS. That was a mother fucking die-hard love confession and no one actually said anything. I didn’t quite understand the Tremblay trade when it happened—trade away MVP?

Nate: And also I don’t think anyone missed that it was hard on him. If you put photographs of him during those last months of being in Gryffindor beside photos of those first months in New York…

Jade: Two different people.

Nate: Two. Different. People. And O’Hara and Knut, too. There’s a photograph—like game day walk in photograph—of O’Hara that just breaks my heart every time I see it.

Jade: Near the concussion?

Nate: No, right after the trade. I have never seen someone look so exhausted.

Jade: I know. When they traded Tremz, I thought there must have been something wrong in the room that they were keeping hush-hush. That we didn’t, like, pick up on.

Nate: Maybe someone thought their relationship was wrong in the room.

Jade: Well, fuck ‘em then, there was nothing wrong with those three, except that one of them has been forced to another city.

Nate: For real. Like, let’s unpack. Logan has just won his second Stanley Cup in two years. That’s insane. Like, on two different teams? He is looking like THE difference maker. He’s finished a one year contract, could demand, like, any amount of money he wants. Should be the happiest guy around. And yet he falls into his sister’s arms—that was Noelle, one of his three sisters—and what does he say?

Jade: Maybe I can come home now.

Nate: Just knock me out, Logan. Knock me flat on my face.

Jade: Maybe I can come home now. I mean, hot mic for real, oh my God. No, it’s everywhere. I’m sure this is not what Logan wanted, more drama surrounding him. Plus, that’s not exactly what an organization wants to hear after your player has just won a Cup, but I gotta say, if the way fans are reacting says anything, it’s that it was a raw moment and maybe one everyone saw coming. There’s no more confusion. He’s separated from his family. Okay, they’re not married, they don’t have kids, that’s been some people’s favorite thing to point out, but they live together, they are together. That would be hard.

Nate: ‘Oh, but that’s part of the lifestyle, blah, blah’ — Yeah. We know. That doesn’t make it less hard.

Nate: Right. Rangers fans are obviously a little upset but—they don’t really know him. Ha, sorry, I sound like a creepy fan, I’m not saying we know him, but we know him as a player. As our player. This guy has been a Lion for his entire NHL career—a team he met two partners on. Well, not Finn.

Jade: Oh, Finn. Oh boy.

Nate: Finn is a whole new can of worms.

Jade: For a different episode. But anyway—Can you imagine if this actually changed things?

Nate: Do you think it could? He has lots of star power. I’m not sure that matters though. Not if no one is willing to talk about a move. The Lions are up to their ears in big salaries already, I mean, maybe not quite yet with Lupin, but Potter, O’Hara, Black, like, this is no joke. And Knut is about to make big bucks and they’ll need a long-term goalie back up solution—more money. A few years ago, I was wondering about a rebuild, now I feel like we have an All-Star team which is unsustainable.

Jade: Like ow. I’ll protest. I’ll literally drive to New York with a hand-painted side, let Logan Tremblay go home to be kissed in the way Finn mother-fucking O’Hara and Leo Knut kissed him on that open ice—Actually, though.

Nate: New headline: Hot mic costs New York Rangers their top forward due to protests from romantics everywhere.

~

One moment, his headphones were being pulled out of his ear, the next, Sirius was being kissed. It was an off-center thing, Remus having leaned over the couch behind him and only half landing it on his mouth.

“I show you the podcast app one time and I’ve created a monster.”

“This one had Logan’s name on it,” Sirius said. “It’s Nate. From Sid’s.”

“I know who Nate is,” Remus laughed. He came around the sofa and sat snugly against Sirius’ side. “Is this about what Logan said on the ice? About going home?”

“You already heard it?”

“Well, it’s all over the internet. Everyone’s talking about it.”

“It’s…” Sirius shook his head. “It’s kind of amazing. The…” He pressed his lips together. He didn’t even know how to say it.

“I know,” Remus said softly.

Sirius smiled. “Of course you do.” He dropped his phone and headphones to the side and wrapped an arm around Remus’ waist, scooping him closer. “Ça va?”

“Well. My mom has left to go grocery shopping with James—God help her. Lily just texted me that her and my dad just arrived in town for grill stuff and extra ice and more beach chairs—they’re also going to take Harry to story time at the library, which is in an hour and a half…”

Sirius blinked in surprise when Remus’ threw a thigh over his lap and settled there, all muscle and warm weight for Sirius to get his hands on.

“Regulus just took Julian to the skate park,” Remus continued. “And no one is supposed to arrive here until this afternoon.”

Sirius hands tightened on Remus’ waist. Suddenly, he could see it. He didn’t know how he had missed it before. Remus’ cheeks were flushed with anticipation—anticipation for Sirius. He wanted him. It was in the curve of his shoulders and the way he arched slightly into Sirius’ hands.

“Are you…” Sirius blinked around the house. Quiet. So quiet. “You mean—we’re alone?”

The breath Remus let out had a soft, needy sound in it. “We are so, so alone.”

“Oh…” Sirius managed, and then Remus pressed a hard, open kiss to his mouth.

Sirius’ world went a little blurred at the edges. Remus spread his knees around Sirius’ thighs and pressed his hips down. He was already half-hard, maybe just at the thought of coming over to Sirius, and Sirius spread his palms over Remus’ ass to press him down harder.

“God,” Remus whispered into his next kiss.

They had been careful. Good, quiet, and careful. Remus’ hair was sun-warmed as it slipped through Sirius’ fingers.

“We—” Sirius pushed his hands up and under Remus’ shirt.

“Upstairs,” Remus said.

Sirius thought of that creaky, creaky bed and had never wanted to be anywhere more. He couldn’t help laughing as they stood. He felt jittery. A sugar-high but it was all Remus. In the bend of the tight staircase, Sirius found himself pressed up against the wall. A picture frame holding a print of the oil-painted lake rattled as his shoulder knocked it. By the time he looked away from it, making sure it wasn’t in danger of falling, Remus had sunk to his knees.

“Re,” Sirius breathed. The laugh that followed was more a breath than anything. Just a tumble of pent up energy that was beginning to realize the gates were open and the sun and sky were being let in.

Remus just looked up at him. His hazel eyes were glassy, pupils dark. He reached for the elastic band of the shorts Sirius wore, but only tucked his fingers into them as he pressed an open-mouthed kiss to Sirius to the material. Sirius felt his ab muscles jump at even the glimpse of heat. He pushed his fingers into Remus’ hair and tightened his grip, enjoying the way Remus’ eyes slipped closed, the soft smile that crossed his face.

“Don’t make me wait,” Sirius said. He moved his free hand to push the material of his shorts down until he could grip himself freely. The word alone had nearly been enough for him, like every inch of him knew how long it had been.

Sirius’ body, his whole world, curved towards the heat of Remus’ mouth. His nails dug into the backs of Sirius’ thighs, little pin-pricks of sharpness to accompany the all-consuming blush of pleasure that made him sigh. Sirius’ head thumped back against the wall, his mouth open and his breath shallow. Remus wasn’t making him wait. His pace was fast, his tongue pressing the underside almost too firmly. Sirius was going to come too quick. He could already feel it rushing towards him, drawing him taut.

“Wait, okay, wait, wait,” Sirius panted, tightening his fingers again to ease Remus to a slower drag. “Re, I’m so close. I’m so fucking close.”

Remus made a soft noise and pulled off. He stood, steadying himself with a hand on Sirius’ chest. Sirius cupped a hand over where Remus tented his shorts and pressed the heel of his palm down hard.

“Me too,” Remus said through a shaky laugh. He pushed into Sirius’ hand and Sirius watched the way his jaw tightened. “Oh…”

Sirius knew that, if one of them didn’t move, they were going to end up grinding against each other in this stairwell. He wanted more than that. He wanted Remus completely bare and spread out beneath him.

“Come here,” Sirius said. He turned Remus so he faced the stairs.

“Can you…” Remus stopped just halfway up, his head falling back against Sirius’ shoulder. He covered Sirius’ hand with his. Sirius let Remus guide his hand up his clothed shaft for only a few moments, kissing along his neck, before he eased them forward again again.

Sirius had dampened the snug front of his boxers by the time they were falling onto their bed. The mattress gave a whine, drawing a brief laugh from both of them, but there was no one to hear. Alone, giving a voice to the pressure in his chest, it only turned him on. It shifted when Sirius did, pulling Remus’ shirt and shorts away, and creaked again as Sirius bent over his body.

No one was crafted like Remus Lupin. No one. Sirius set his mouth against the strong cut of his hips. They pushed up against his mouth and Sirius tugged his own shorts away. His t-shirt followed, left to share a heap on the floor. Sirius kissed the pale line of skin where his swim trunks hid him from the sun, then the fainter ones along his biceps and neck. They got lost to grinding against each other again, all skin now, their own desperation turning it into a smooth glide.

“Where’s—” Sirius began to question, but Remus shook his head almost wildly.

“I don’t know,” he panted. “I don’t know, I don’t know, don’t get up, just—” He looked almost frantic. “Oh, fuck…”

Sirius had pressed them together again, aligned so perfectly that they could feel all of each other. He reached down for Remus’ thigh and coaxed it around his hip.

No, he couldn’t get up. He couldn’t leave this warmth right now, not for anything. He tucked his nose into Remus’ neck as he ground his hips forward. He smelled like heat. Like the soft forest that surrounded them. Remus’ heel pressed into Sirius’ back and his hands went into his dark hair.

The bed groaned in time with Remus’ soft sounds. Sirius’ only warning that Remus was coming was when those sounds choked off and missed a beat. The warm flood between them had Sirius setting his panting mouth against Remus’ shoulder. A knocking momentarily startled a gasp from Sirius, but it was only the bed against the wall as he fucked forward, watching Remus’ golden, hooded eyes.

“Oh, God,” Remus’ voice went tight, his neck arching up, head pushing down into the pillows. “Keep…Sirius—”

It sounded so good, the rest of his life. Remus saying his name like that. It sent him right over the edge. Remus lifted his head for a sloppy kiss that had a sated, finally sort of smile in it. His foot slipped from Sirius’ back to the mattress.

Maybe not the most romantic of their moments, but Sirius glanced towards the bedside table. They had over an hour. That had been over too quickly for Sirius’ liking, but the second Remus had crawled into his lap he’d known he was a goner.

“Next time,” Remus whispered. “We’ll be married.”

“Mm, not next time,” Sirius said. He pushed himself up on his elbows. He brushed their noses together. “Next time is going to be in just a few minutes.”

Remus stretched out against him, laughing. “Oh, good.”

Sirius could only hope they looked normal when they heard Hope’s car pull back into the driveway. They’d lay there three rounds in, sort of kissing, sort of fading in and out of an afternoon nap, but naked with the sheets pushed down and the warm breeze coming in front the open window, tangled up in each other in a way they usually couldn’t—not when Julian really, really didn’t know how to knock on doors first. Remus had groaned after a few hours, saying they were pushing their luck and that a car could be back any moment. No sooner had Sirius finished getting dressed again than had they heard the crunch of gravel.

“Hey, Hope,” Sirius said. He adjusted his shirt and held out his arms to help carry the groceries inside. He still felt hot. He still felt Remus.

“Hello, honey,” Hope said, handing him two bags. She leaned in, lowering her voice. “Remind me to never take James Potter to a grocery store again.”

Sirius laughed. “Okay?”

“I asked for green onions and he brought me asparagus.”

“Wow,” Sirius said. “I’d make fun of him, but I can’t say I wouldn’t have made the same mistake.”

He brought the bags into the kitchen where James was unloading things into the fridge and cupboards.

He held up two limes and raised his eyebrows, a look Sirius returned with silent questions.

“How’s it going?” James asked.

“Good? You?”

“No, no,” James waved a lime. “How’s it going. You look a little…” A smile fought at his mouth. “Sunburned.”

Sirius scoffed. “I’m not.”

“Little flush.”

Oh. James’ eyes flicked to Remus, who they could just see through the windows taking more stuff out of the car.

“James,” Sirius grumbled.

“Did you get some…sun?”

With a roll of his eyes, Sirius nodded.

“Atta boy.” James’ laugh was knowing, and he patted a hand to Sirius’ chest. “You’re welcome.”

“I’m welcome?”

James leaned in conspiratorially. “Here are some things you should know about me.” He held up a fist and opened up a finger as he spoke. “One? I am a terrible grocery shopper. Ask Lily,” James said. “I make the thing take three times as long.” He took out his phone. “Two? My son takes after me and loves a good story time. A little help from Google.”

Sirius just shook his head. “I can’t believe…And Regulus and Jules?”

“Well. I was ready to slip Jules a twenty, but…” James shrugged. “I think they just wanted to hang out.”

As if on cue, a second car pulled into the driveway. Sirius and Remus’. Regulus put the car into park and opened his door, then, from the back, out tumbled Julian, talking a mile-a-minute. Both of them were sweaty, the sweat showing in Julian’s mussed hair and at the neck of Regulus’ t-shirt, and bother were—laughing. Real laughter. Hard laughter. It was a sight, to say the least, to see Regulus holding a pair of skates—even if they had wheels instead of blades—and smiling like that. As Sirius watched Regulus tossed an arm around Julian’s shoulder and messed up his hair even further.

Sirius took a bag from James and began to unpack it as he watched—he ended up just holding a pack of hamburger buns and staring. They ditched their skates and went over to help Hope and Remus. Julian was given the bag of ice to carry. He didn’t even seem to mind the cold as he walked happily between Sirius’ brother and his own.

“Nice to see him like that,” James’ voice came.

Sirius, when he went to speak, found his throat tight. When James’ hand appeared on his shoulder, he didn’t flinch, but leaned into it. “You have no idea.”

~

The cars started arriving around three. First, Thomas and Noelle.

“Okay, Lupins,” Thomas called as he shut the driver’s side door. He lifted his sunglasses to perch them on his head. “I see how it is, secret spot, personal paradise.”

Sirius followed behind as Remus jogged down the driveway and threw his arms around Thomas’ neck. They stumbled a little, rocking, and Thomas’ slapped him playfully on the back.

“We are so ready to party this shit up,” he said—then looked at Hope and put his hands to his mouth. “My apologies, Mrs. Lupin.”

“We are ready to help with dinner,” Noelle cut in. She came around and opened her arms to Sirius. “And literally anything else that needs help.”

Sirius smiled. “You’re our guests. Thanks for making the drive. Where’s your brother?”

“Probably being wrangled—with Finn—by Leo into actually remembering to pack their suits.” Noelle said, then nudged her shoulder against Sirius’. “You should call him. Nothing will get his ass into action than a call from you.”

Sirius laughed. “I count on that.”

“I have such a surprise for you,” Thomas said.

“Don’t panic,” Noelle added. “He means that in a good way.”

“A good way?” Sirius asked skeptically.

Noelle laughed. “It’s a good surprise. Now, go call my brother otherwise they’ll get here at eight. Also—” She held up a bag. “I brought some wine that should go somewhere cold.”

Sirius laughed and nodded towards the house. “I’ll show you.”

It was an interesting feeling, walking with Noelle. She had a similar presence as Logan, soft but steady.

“Have you, ah…” Sirius had wanted a moment to ask her, but now that it had come, he wasn’t sure how.

“I didn’t know the mics would catch it,” Noelle said, her face going a little drawn. “I…I mean, he basically said it in my ear, I didn’t think…” She sighed as Sirius opened the screen door into the house for him. “At least he said exactly what he wanted to say. That’s all I mind.”

Sirius took the wine from her, two crisp looking bottles of white. “Did he tell you about me?”

“You?” She blinked, confused.

Sirius turned and opened the fridge—already pretty full, but managed to slot the bottles somewhere between two bags of lettuce. He swallowed, letting the fridge’s coolness wash over his face. He switched to French. Somehow, it was easier in French. “We’re not the same team without him.”

He turned to face her again. “And I don’t just mean on the ice.”

Noelle had Logan’s features. The full mouth and the thick eyelashes that shaded green eyes. They went interested and sad in just the same way as her brother’s.

“It was hard on all of us when he got forced out,” Sirius said. “Especially—well, Leo was…sort of okay, I guess. Sometimes okay. Trying to be okay. But Finn…”

“Finn and Lo…” Noelle sighed. “Yeah, they don’t really do distance very well.”

Sirius nodded. He fiddled with a magnet on the fridge that held up a photograph of a young Remus, maybe just seven years old or so.

Sirius didn’t know what else to do other than just…say it.

“I’d like to have a few of us to take a pay cut so we have the space to bring him back,” Sirius said in a rush. He swallowed when Noelle’s mouth dropped open. “Home. And—and, of course, I would be one of them, I’d never ask that without being—”

But Noelle had already thrown her arms around him.

“I don’t know if it’s going to work,” Sirius said. Slowly, he settled his hands on her back. “But I wanted—when I heard what he said to you, I wanted you to know what we’re trying.”

“Sirius,” Noelle began softly. “You…You changed his life.”

She pulled back to look at him, her hands holding his shoulders. With her soft eyes, Logan’s eyes, Sirius didn’t mind so much.

“I hope you realize how much you helped him. You…He’d kill me for blubbering over it to you of all people, and I know, I know none of it was easy, but I am so, so grateful to you. And Remus. And I know we don’t know each other that well, but I’m really happy to be here. With Thomas, yeah, but also just…because I appreciate you two. More than I can say. You…” She had to stop, green eyes filled up. “Sirius, you saved by baby brother’s life in so many ways.”

“That’s him for me, too,” Sirius managed. “And…Really, I’m going to do what I can.”

“I know,” Noelle said. “Fuck, I know you are.”

They stood by the fridge until Sirius heard Remus and Thomas laughing as they came into the house.

“On that note,” she laughed wetly, patting his shoulder. “Go call him and see where he is.”

Sirius wandered out towards the lake. He shook out a beach chair until the joints clicked into place and sat down while the phone rang.

“Sirius Black,” Finn’s voice came. “You gave us just enough time for the hangovers to disappear, and I thank you for that.”

Sirius snorted. Well, Finn sounded all right, at least. “Hey. How were the Cup parties?”

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Finn laughed.

Sirius thought of the podcast he’d listened to that morning—though, after Remus, it felt like years ago. “As long as you guys are good.”

“We’re—” Finn sighed. “The phone is being snatched from me. See you soon, groom.”

“Cap,” Logan’s voice came. “Is my sister there?”

“Yeah. Where are you?” Sirius asked. “I want to see you.”

“We’re about to get in the car.”

A rustle, then Leo’s voice, like he’d pulled the phone towards him. “I’ve been trying, Cap, believe me.”

Sirius laughed. “Thanks for coming all the way out here. I know all you probably really want to do is relax.”

“Oh, ouais.” Logan again. “It’s so hard to come to a beautiful lake to watch my best friends get married.”

Sirius smiled, eyes on the water. “It is pretty gorgeous.” He reached down and trailed sand through his fingers. “You’re all over the internet.”

Logan didn’t reply for a moment. Only the sound of suitcase wheels and something being shut—a drawer maybe—filled the silence.

“I am all over the internet,” Logan finally repeated. “I am ‘a player of a generation.’ And I am in love with two boys, which no one can ignore now.”

“Two boys?” Sirius heard Finn’s voice. “Where is this other boy—oh, there he is, howdy…”

Logan let out a sound that sounded all smile and hopelessly smitten. “Mm…Ah, what were we talking about?”

Sirius couldn’t help his smile. It actually hurt a little. “I thought I was a player of a generation.”

“You are the player of a lot of generations.”

“Shut up.”

“You are!” Leo shouted from the other end of the line.

“We’ll be there soon,” Logan said. “We’ll come straight to you.”

“And…” Sirius hoped his hesitation was enough to let Logan know he was asking about their cabin.

“Uh-huh, all good there.”

“Does Sirius Black know your secret?” Finn asked. “The one you’ve been keeping from us.”

Logan’s laugh was bright. “He does.”

Sirius opened his mouth to reply, then jumped a little when someone fell down into the sand beside him. Regulus just raised his eyebrows in greeting before looking out onto the water.

“I do,” Sirius said. “Drive safe, okay?”

He heard the click of Logan hanging up. It left him to the waves, the sun, some music now coming from the house, and the quiet ways of his brother. Regulus was frowning at the waves and picking at one of his nails like he was nervous.

Sirius reached out, hesitating for only a moment, and settled his palm lightly on the back of Regulus’ neck, scratching gentle fingers through the buzzed hair there. To his surprise and relief, Regulus leaned into his touch.

“Salut,” Sirius said. “You okay?”

Regulus nodded. “Tomorrow,” he began, then cleared his throat. “There’s someone coming tomorrow night.”

“D’accord,” Sirius said. Phone calls taken on the porch.

When Regulus looked at him, the angle of the sun made his already pale eyes look almost clear. “And she’s important.”

~

Remus never wanted to see the cabin any other way again. Thomas, Noelle, Kasey, Natalie, Alex, Cole, Layla, Moody, Arthur, Pascal, Celeste, and all the Dumais children. Katie Dumais, facing away from Remus, had clearly just said or done something that had Julian looking after her darting away figure, slack-jawed.

He was happy to stand at the grill with his dad and let a steady rotation of his friends keep him company. He liked watching Sirius across the beach, standing with James and Kasey in only his swim trunks with the sun making water gleam across his chest. He felt like someone had stretched out every single knot in his muscles after that afternoon. Getting his mouth on Sirius, getting his warm skin slick against his own. Remus flipped a burger with his eyes still mostly on Sirius and nearly sent the whole thing to the floor.

Only the sound of car wheels on the gravel drive made him look away.

“Fucking finally,” Remus shouted as Finn popped the driver’s side door. “You were going to miss dinner.”

“It’s not my fault someone can’t use Google maps,” Finn called.

“I can,” Logan said, pushing out of the back seat. Leo, coming around from the passenger’s side, gave Remus and smile and an eye-roll.

“Sorry, Loops,” Leo called. He went to the trunk, popping it before emerging with two coolers.

“Oh my God,” Remus said. “What did you do?”

“My mama’s famous crab cakes,” Leo said. “The best french onion dip you’ve ever had, and some fresh sourdough bread, baked this morning.”

Remus handed the tongs off to his dad and went to the the coolers. “You’re the best, you really just needed to bring yourselves.”

Up close, Remus finally got a proper look at Logan, tucked under Finn’s arm. He had a taped-up cut along his cheek, a fresh looking black eye, and scraped up knuckles.

“Oh God,” Remus snorted. “Your face.”

“He’s going to ruin the wedding photos,” Finn said. “So sorry.”

“You said I looked hot last night,” Logan replied.

“You do. But in wedding photos? I don’t know.”

Logan hit his chest weakly and slipped out from his grasp to go find Sirius.

“Ice that knee of yours!” Remus shouted after him, and Finn cackled.

Remus watched Sirius’ eyes find Logan walking towards him. He watched Logan hug him tightly, despite the fact that he was wet. Logan pointed to the dock, and held up his hand. By Sirius’ smile and nod, Remus guessed he had asked if that was where the ceremony was going to take place. Sirius kept talking, fast for him, fast like he was telling Logan a play while they were on the ice, as they walked over to the drinks table. Finn was already there, pouring coke into a cup for Logan and a gin and tonic for Leo and himself.

The sweeter sight was the expression on Sirius and Logan’s face when Pascal came up behind them and put an arm around them both. 

“Leave this, yeah?” His father appeared at his side, squeezing his shoulder. “Go hang out with your friends, bud.”

“Oh, thanks, dad.” Remus handed off the tongs.

“And try to keep your brother from bouncing off the walls at Alex O’Hara’s presence.”

Remus laughed. “He’d just lose it over someone else.”

Remus made it about six steps before Thomas Walker cornered him.

“All right, Lupin, it’s time.” Thomas leaned back against the side of the house and crossed his arms. “Let’s talk party.”

“Ah, yes,” Remus said. “It’s you against my beautifully sleepy town.”

“It really is,” Thomas nodded sagely. “And guess what? I’m going to win.”

Remus rolled his eyes. “My God. Come here.”

Remus got himself a beer and steered Thomas towards where Sirius, Regulus, and Leo were sitting around the easy-burning campfire Hope had gotten started. Remus took the spot beside Sirius, Thomas beside Leo.

“Tell him to chill,” Remus said to Sirius. “In your Captain voice.”

Sirius blinked at him, cleared his throat a few times, then shook his head. “I think it only happens when it has to.”

Leo laughed. “What, you can’t summon it on command?”

“He would if he could,” Regulus said, then stood up. “Come on, Le. I have a feeling more wedding talk is about to happen, and I’ve had enough of that to last me a while. Let’s get some food.”

“Bring me more chips,” Sirius tilted his head back as Regulus walked behind him.

“No,” Regulus said.

Sirius cleared his throat again and said in a deeper voice, “Bring me more chips.”

Regulus laughed. “No.”

Sirius popped the last of the ones on his plate into his mouth. “No captain voice, sorry.”

Thomas clapped his hands, then rubbed his palms together and leaned forward. “I have sat you both down here today to discuss—le parties.”

“It’s not French by adding le,” Sirius said.

“La parties,” Thomas grinned.

“I was trying to explain how sleepy—” Remus began.

“La parties,” Thomas tried again.

Sirius reached for Remus’ plate and threw an olive at him.

“—this town is,” Remus grabbed the second olive out of Sirius’ fingers and ate it. “And I mean that in the most loving way possible, quiet. So. I recommend we go to some of the bars and not have anyone lose their minds.”

“How do we make sure you don’t end up at the same bars?” Thomas asked.

“I’m going to be at the house Logan rented mostly,” Sirius said.

“And I want to go to that pub on main street,” Remus said. “The owner and I go way back, he’ll give us the roof.”

“Also,” Sirius said. “Would it really be so bad if we ended up at the same—”

“Not at all, baby,” Remus said at the same time as Thomas’ enthusiastic, “Yeah.”

“T,” Remus laughed. “We—this isn’t exactly the world’s most traditional wedding. We’re already getting married on a dock. You really think we can’t be together for—what?” Remus raised his eyebrows. “Our ‘last night of freedom?’”

“All right, all right.” Thomas held up his hands in surrender. “Think of it this way, then.” He pointed to Remus’ beer. “Can I have a sip, I have a speech and no drink.”

Remus handed it over, sharing a smile with Sirius.

Thomas’ sip turned into draining half the bottle and handing it back to Remus with a grin.

“Think of it this way,” Thomas said. “It’s not just for you. It’s also for me.” He raised his hands, looking over both shoulders at the yard, the fire, the tables where people sat eating. “It’s for us.” He looked towards the beach and smiled, pointing. “It’s for them.”

Remus followed his gaze and smiled, too. Finn and Logan were in the water, Logan in Finn’s arms, their heads bent close together.

“You’re together,” Thomas said, and when Remus looked back at him. “And it sort of feels like you always have been together. You have a long time to be together in your togetherness.” Thomas tilted his head, thinking, then spread his hands again. “This togetherness is for us, too, to appreciate and celebrate both of you in the ways you deserve. Not just as a couple. But as yourselves.”

“You enjoying yourself there, T?” Remus asked, trying not to smile.

“Well, only if you let me throw you some parties.”

Sirius laughed. “D’accord. Throw us parties.”

“For the record, I was never not ready for a party,” Remus stood and sat beside Thomas, settling his arm around his shoulders when Thomas did the same. “But I liked the speech, T.”

Thomas grinned. “Just wait for your wedding day, Re.”

~

Logan walked through the entire Lupin cabin, moving between having to squint against the setting sun, which angled perfectly into the lake-front sitting room, and blink so his eyes adjusted to the darker rooms. He’d even gone upstairs, where he’d heard Hope direct people towards to change out of wet bathing suits. It was a bit of a maze. Not because it was large. The house was on the smaller side—though Leo would make him reevaluate what he considered small—but had been divided up into more rooms than usual. Bedrooms, cozy but tiny. He poked his head into what must have been Sirius and Remus’.

No Finn. He used the top window to better search the yard, then went back downstairs and onto the porch to search the beach. Finally, he found him. In the water, floating alone near the end of the dock. His toes surfaced every once in a while as he floated on his back and Logan wanted—he didn’t know what he wanted. He wanted him, wanted to be in that water where the sunset had turned the lake into rippling orange and pink glass.

When Logan reached the dock, Finn must have heard the shake of the boards because he turned.

“Oh, hi there, baby,” Finn grinned.

“Hi.” Logan set his drink down as he lowered himself to sit at the very end, putting his feet in the water.

Finn’s chest was pale beneath the water as he stroked towards him. He stayed low as he stopped in the water just below Logan. His shoulders took on the pink of the sky and Logan leaned forward as best he could and brushed his fingers over the freckles there. Finn caught one wrist and kissed the inside of it. Logan let him, admiring the way the light caught on his face and how the water had pushed his hair back.

“Where’s Le?” Finn asked.

“Catching up with Reg.” Logan nudged his toes against Finn’s chest. “Been looking for you.”

Finn wrapped his hands around Logan’s ankles and gave a small tug. “Come in with me.”

Logan bit his lip, smiling. “Okay.”

Finn watched as Logan stripped off his shirt and drained the last of his drink.

“Cold?”

“Not at all,” Finn said.

He had barely submerged in the water before he was in Finn’s arms. Finn dunked them anyway, and the sounds of the party momentarily silenced in the clear water. Logan felt Finn’s mouth press to his, and then they were in the evening air again, and Logan blinked the water out of his eyes. Finn’s skin was warm as he coaxed Logan’s legs around his waist.

“You need a haircut,” Finn said.

“I know,” Logan said, wiping his hair back. “What about the beard? Sirius was making fun of it.”

“I’d call it scruff.” He smiled at Logan’s scoff. “And I think you should keep it a few more days.” Finn leaned forward and bit gently at the stubble on Logan’s jaw and lowered his voice. “Will you suck me off later? Scratchy.”

Logan groaned and pressed their foreheads together. “I’m in a wet swimsuit, you can’t say that right now.”

“But you have to before you shave,” Finn pressed his smile against Logan’s cheek. “Promise?”

“Ouais, ouais, promise, now shh.” Logan looked down. “Are you standing?”

“No, I’m the most still water-treader in the world.”

Logan splashed his hand down and Finn spluttered through a laugh when he got a face full of water.

“Yes, I’m standing,” Finn said. “And I could hold you like this for hours.”

“Do it.” Logan sighed and let himself relax into Finn’s hold. “I love everyone, but I’m tired of talking to anyone but you and Le.”

“Well, I’m right here.” Finn tilted his chin up and kissed Logan quick. “What do you feel feel like saying?”

Logan blinked. It could have been the feeling of water running down his back and shoulders. Or the sun setting. Or the warm air. Or just that he was alone with Finn in a large body of water and with his muscles still aching from the play-offs, he could imagine that it was his heart aching instead. He’d had just one drink, he needed to drive them to their cabin later, but it was recent enough that everything went soft like those colors in the sky, and, for a moment, Logan wanted to fall apart.

“Hm?” Finn asked softly, but Logan could tell he knew. “What’s that look for? I was just messing.” His brown eyes—but no, the light slanted across them, it turned them lighter, so light that Logan thought he could see deeper into them and might find the right words there. The words that Finn always seemed to have. Finn blinked, and a drop of water fell down his cheek.

“Don’t,” Logan said in a rush, putting a panicked hand on Finn’s cheek. “Don’t cry, je t’aime, I love you—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Finn said, eyebrows raised in surprise. “I’m not crying?”

He blinked again, and Logan watched two more droplets fall. Water, he realized. Lake water caught in his eyelashes and brows.

“Oh,” Logan said softly. He let his hand slide to Finn’s neck. He closed his eyes, shaking his head at himself. “Oh. Good.”

He couldn’t see Finn’s kiss coming, but it wasn’t a surprise.

“We’re all right,” Finn said. “I love you, too.”

Logan nodded. He kept his eyes closed, tightened his hold on Finn. He wouldn’t bring it up. That midnight in the water, years ago. All the words that had pent up in his chest. He didn’t need to be comforted through it.

“And I’d ask you to race me to the raft,” Finn whispered. “But I’d definitely win.”

Logan smiled, his laugh falling between them. “I’ll win tomorrow.”

“Mm,” Finn said. “This mystery of yours.”

Logan smiled and pushed his hands through Finn’s hair until he could cup his jaw and pull him into a kiss. Finn brought him closer, hands on Logan’s ass in a way that wasn’t any better than him biting at Logan’s jaw. Logan hummed at the brush of Finn’s tongue against his and locked his ankles tighter around Finn’s waist.

“Do you think anyone—” Logan gasped out the words as Finn got his teeth on his throat. “—would notice…”

Finn’s kisses dissolved into a laugh and he pulled back to look at Logan. “The house is right there, Lo.”

Logan looked over his shoulder towards the shore, frowning. “Hm. Ouais.”

Finn’s laughed harder, head tilting back. Water lapped against them as he hoisted Logan closer. “Your face.”

Logan snorted. “Well, I…” He looked pointedly down at Finn’s bare chest.

“Are we not going to have our very own private beach soon enough?”

Logan opened his mouth. “Quoi—that’s not—” He leaned down and stopped Finn’s laugh with a kiss, keeping their lips close as he growled, “You don’t know anything.”

“I know you,” Finn replied.

“You said I was a mystery.”

Finn laughed hard. “I said it was a mystery, but you are also a baby mystery of your own.” He slipped his hand beneath the waistband of Logan’s swimsuit to feel his bare, smooth skin. “I love solving you…”

Logan took Finn’s lower lip gently between his teeth and pulled playfully before letting it go.

“Finn, Finn, Finn…” Logan whispered, and Finn’s gaze went melted. Logan pressed a kiss to one corner of his mouth. “Je t’aime.” He pressed a kiss to the other. “Je t’aime, je t’aime.” He brushed their noses together, back and forth three times.

“I know where you went,” Finn said softly.

Finn, Logan thought. Ocean. Nice. Say something, anything—

  Finn spanned his hands up Logan’s back, thumbs swiping back and forth over the high of his ribs. “Just now. Just for a second.”

Logan nodded quickly. “Just for a second.”

Finn’s smile started small. “And where are you now?” He squeezed Logan tighter, a small pulse of his arms, like a reminder.

As if Logan needed one. Logan grinned, amazed, absolutely giddy with relief that they were both grinning at each other through this. He pressed a thumb over Finn’s lower lip, feeling his smile. “Ici. I’m here.”

~

Sirius was coming up the stairs to change out of his wet swimsuit when his bedroom door opened and Finn and Logan stepped out.

Immediately Finn had his hands up. “Just dry clothes were put on. Cross my heart.”

Sirius laughed, eyeing Logan’s face. “Oh yeah?”

Logan was blushing, but Sirius figured he’d probably be doing that either way.

“Ouais,” Logan said, fingers curling around Finn’s to push his hands down. “He’s telling the truth.”

Their hands swung lightly, tangled between them.

“Pretty jumpy for the truth,” Sirius said. “Hey, actually—” He nodded to Logan. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Logan’s eyebrows went up, but he nodded. He looked up at Finn. “Meet you…wherever Leo is.”

“Deal,” Finn said. He patted Sirius’ shoulder on his way down the stairs.

Logan followed Sirius back into his bedroom and sat on the end of the bed. Sirius did a double-take, but someone—Remus—had made it up from earlier that day. He cleared his throat and turned towards the dresser.

“What just happened?” Logan asked in French, amused.

“Nothing,” Sirius said. “So, parties. Tomorrow night.”

“My house, yeah.”

“But also—” Sirius took a fresh shirt from the dresser and turned towards Logan as he pulled it on. “I talked to your sister. I hope that’s okay.”

Logan’s green eyes went soft. Maybe worried.

“Shit,” Sirius said, hands on the ties of his swimsuit. “Sorry.”

“No, no,” Logan said. He wet his bottom lip. “I just…”

Sirius reached for his underwear and shorts while Logan settled on words. When he turned back towards the bed, Logan gave him a helpless sort of shrug.

“I don’t mind. I just don’t want everyone to get their hopes up too much.”

“Yeah,” Sirius said. “But the entire fanbase—both of them—are calling for you to go back where you want to be.”

“Well, not all of them.”

Sirius nodded. He’d seen the hateful stuff, too. He knew however they ignored it, it still dug deep. “How are you with all that?”

Logan flashed him a half smile. “Captain.”

Sirius laughed and sat beside him on the bed. “Yeah.”

“I’m fine,” Logan said. “Which is…” He gave his head a sharp shake, like he was clearing it. “I…I was talking about this with Noelle, actually.”

“Hm,” Sirius said.

“I think about how long I dreaded it,” Logan said. “I mean, at school, just staring at Finn, completely gone over him, and dreading it. But now it’s here. And I have them. And I’m…so perfect.”

Sirius feigned a cough around his words. “Back to back Cups.”

Logan shoved him.

“Really, though,” Sirius said. “I know it’s partly that they want your talent in their own city, but people also want you and Finn and Leo…” Sirius shook his head. “I am sorry you didn’t see the microphone when you talked about going home, I know you probably didn’t want all this sort of attention, but…It’s incredible, Logan. It’s not just that they want you to be where you think home is. It’s that they want you to be with who you think home is. A couple years ago, if I had told someone I thought Remus was home…” Sirius shook his head.

Logan didn’t say anything. He twisted his silver pendant between his fingers.

Sirius frowned. “Tremz?”

Logan cleared his throat. “Ouais. It’s even more than I had hoped for.”

Sirius hesitated. He tried to think of what he’d said that was wrong, peering closer at Logan’s face. When he did, he saw that the silence wasn’t distress. Logan was biting back a small smile.

“Oh…” Sirius laughed lightly, disbelieving. “You saw it.”

Logan gave a funny little shrug.

“Oh my God, Tremz. You knew the mic would catch it. You wanted them to hear you.”

“I am trying to get home.” Logan sighed. “I thought it might get some more people on my side.”

“Fuck. Do the boys know?”

“Still trying not to get their hopes up,” Logan said. “But…Leo really likes that I said it. Leo also really, really missing me being home. I mean, Finn, yes, of course, but Leo and I…” Logan swallowed. “We’re quiet together in a way that’s just for us. I miss him so much.”

Sirius nodded. Remus was that for him. But he was also someone he could be louder with, more free. It must be interesting, to be in Logan’s shoes. Different needs met by two different people.

“I also couldn’t have done it without you,” Logan said. “And Remus. And I know nothing happened the way you wanted it to, but…I couldn’t have done anything without both of you.”

Sirius put an arm around Logan’s shoulder and Logan clasped his hand. “And a lot of people will say the same thing about you.”

“Well…” Logan was pink-cheeked again. “Ouais, I hope.”

They sat there in silence for a long moment, smiling among the sounds of their friends and family outside.

“Okay, truth, before we go,” Sirius said and gestured towards the bed. “Did you and Finn…”

Logan scoffed and hit him in the chest. “No.” He paused. “Almost. In the ocean.”

“Tremz, that’s not a fucking ocean.”

Logan paused, then laughed, closing his eyes. “I meant lake.”

“Jesus Christ.” Sirius rose and stretched, then went to the mirror to try and wrangle the wet tangles of his hair.

“Don’t tell me you and Remus haven’t—”

“Are you joking? If Julian so much as sees us on the beach, he comes with us.”

Logan snorted. “Oh shit. Maybe you two should take our cabin for the night.”

“I accept.”

“Non.” Logan stood up. “Not a chance, that was a joke.” He moved to the doorway. “But hey.”

Sirius was still laughing as they walked down the stairs together. “What?”

“Tomorrow night’s going to be fun.”

Sirius nodded, then put a hand out to stop Logan from turning out of their quiet hallway just yet. “Hey.”

Logan raised an eyebrow.

“Even if it doesn’t happen next season,” Sirius said. “We keep trying.”

A small flash of fear—because of course Logan was scared of that—but he nodded. “We keep trying.”

~

“I’m not kidding,” Finn said, squinting through the windshield from his place in the back seat as Logan drove slowly down a dirt road. “It looks like you’re taking us somewhere to kill us.”

The headlines illuminated the complete darkness save for a few solar lamps that illuminated house numbers. Each one was different—a 38 on a cluster of carved pines, a 46 on a bear raised on its back legs, a 50 on the silhouette of a lighthouse.

“We’re almost there,” Logan said.

“It looks like forest,” Finn protested.

“Harz,” Leo said from the passenger seat. “It is forest.”

“And I’m not taking you here to kill you,” Logan said. “You’ll see what I’ll do to you soon enough.”

“Hell yeah,” Leo reached over and squeezed the back of his neck.

Finn was quiet, but when Logan darted a glance in his rearview mirror, he was biting his lip against a grin.

“All right, then,” Finn said.

Leo threw his hand out. “Deer, Lo, deer, stop, stop, stop.”

Logan eased the car to a stop just as Finn let out a low whistle.

“Wow,” he whispered.

Three does, eyes reflecting at them in the headlights, stood at the side of the road, half hidden in the trees.

Leo rolled down his window, letting in the cool night air. “Hi, babies, hi.”

Their ears twitched at Leo’s voice, listening.

“Stay away from the road, sweethearts.”

Finn reached up and hit Logan’s arm, and they smiled at each other before looking back at Leo.

The deer looked on for another moment, tails twitching, before they darted into the trees, disappearing in a handful of silent seconds.

Logan found the right drive and turned in, letting the headlights wash over the house.

“Oh, Lo…” Leo leaned forward in his seat, peering up through the windshield.

Logan cut the engine. “My mystery.”

Leo grinned at him before opening his door.

While they got the bags, Logan checked his email again and then turned up the flashlight on his phone to find the small rock that the owner had hidden the key beneath. It smelled like pine inside and Logan felt right at home. He flicked on lights as he went, revealing a spacious living room with windows facing the lake and a kitchen large enough to host in. He smiled as he listened to Finn and Leo’s voices mixed with suitcase wheels hitting the floor and their footsteps following his.

They settled in easily, tired from the drive. They crowded each other in the bathroom, and when Leo snuck into the shower while Logan was washing the lake off of him, when and both of them emerged sated and flushed, Finn just grinned and turned the page of his book.

“That was fun to listen to.”

“Was it?” Leo straddled his knees and hooked two fingers into the band above the tight front of Finn’s pajama pants. He bent to kiss over the shape of Finn, then looked at Logan and tilted his head.

Finn cursed under his breath and closed his book. “I love us and vacations.” Logan watched as Finn tilted his head back and knit his brows when Leo bent to take him in his mouth. 

Later, with a still fast beating heart, Logan lifted his arm and Leo knelt on the soft mattress until he could curl against his side. He pushed his nose into Logan’s neck and breathed in.

“Mhmm…” Leo hummed contently. He kissed Logan’s skin. “I think I’m going to sleep so damn good tonight.”

Logan smiled. It was Leo’s favorite sleeping weather. Logan had spent probably too long seeking out the very scene in front of them—porch doors of their master bedroom, currently thrown open with screens in place, letting cool night air in with the sound of lapping waves.

“I know you are,” Logan said. From the other side of the bed, Finn held out a fist, which Logan tapped with his own.

Logan could all but feel Leo relaxing, heavy against his side, his breathing already leveling out.

In the early dawn, and he wasn’t sure what had woken him, Logan found that Finn was staring up at the ceiling. Logan watched the hand on his stomach rise and fall with his even breathing, his fingers fiddling with the tie of his pajama pants. The string had gone wonky in the wash, one side far longer than the other. He looked to Leo. He was already looking back, his blue eyes gray in the dark room. He had his head on his own pillow, not Finn’s shoulder like Logan, but his hand was curled protectively around Finn’s bicep.

It felt good to all be awake. Just being together, laying quiet with all the time in the world tomorrow morning. This was home. It didn’t matter if he’d never slept in this bed before, if the sheets smelled like a forest he didn’t know.

Logan held out his hand, fingertips towards the ceiling, palm towards them. Without a word, Finn picked up his hand and high-fived him. The slap was loud in the room. Logan just clicked his tongue scoldingly and kept his hand there. Leo’s laugh was a short release of air, and he held up his hand, too, palm towards Logan’s, questioningly. Finn pressed his palm right against the back of Logan’s, softly this time. An owl picked up a song somewhere outside. Low notes cooed through their window as Logan slipped his palm away.

Logan picked up the longer tie of Finn’s pajamas, the flat woven strand cottony to the touch. He heard the sound of Finn opening his mouth, probably to ask what he was doing, but he stopped himself as Logan nudged Finn’s and Leo’s hands together. Leo settled his fingers briefly into the spaces between Finn’s, squeezing once before straightening them again.

Logan took the string and threaded it carefully around Finn’s ring finger, then crossed over diagonally and wrapped it around Leo’s, just behind it. He wrapped that path twice more, three small figure-eights binding them together, then dropped his hand to Finn’s chest.

Finn’s heart was beating hard and fast, so fast that Logan felt his cheeks get warm.

Neither Finn or Leo moved. When Logan glanced them over, they were both staring at the string, at their linked hands, bound by Logan’s makeshift rings. Finn’s chest had stopped moving beneath Logan’s head, but it started up again in a deep, easy exhale. Logan cupped their palms and lowered them to rest over the pounding of Finn’s heart. Leo threaded his and Finn’s fingers together and kissed Finn’s shoulder through a smile. Logan settled his hand over theirs and closed his eyes, wishing there was something to bind them together like this every where they went.

[boopiemadz]

TRAVIS HEADCANONS TRAVIS HEADCANONS TRAVIS HEADCANONS!!!! literally anything….perhaps trav x popular! reader or trav w a reader on the team? literally whatever your heart desires my wife i love you 💋

eek! Ty for the idea wifey 🤭 I can never find inspo for anything so I thrive off of requests. Enjoy!!!

(series masterlist)

Travis Martinez - Loner boy

Reader - Popular girl

Debate, model UN, varsity soccer, leadership… the list goes on. Your extracurriculars kept you busy, a distraction from the nagging and the pressure that comes with being the daughter of the principal.

In middle school you were normal, just another example of an awkward pre-pubescent preteen. You’re not sure what shifted once you got to high school, but all of a sudden things changed.

People looked up to you, flocking to be your friend or sit with you at lunch. Maybe it was your kindness, you hoped, or maybe just the blatant fact that you were Mr. Gibbons Daughter. 

Eventually you found your space, both pleasing your father and his endless expectations, and your own hopes for high school. This meant your schedule was packed full of activities, some you enjoyed, some you didn’t, landing you the title of the schools popular girl.

Soccer was your favourite activity, time to run and feel the cold air bite your skin. The people were great too. It was less of a pack of hyenas and more of a front yard full of raccoons. In the best way possible.

Though some of your more popular friends were also on the team which made it easy to blend in, they seemed different on the field, less daunting, with no status but what position you play it’s easier to mesh in with the crowd.

You found yourself getting closer to people you never thought to approach, finding humour in Van and Maris antics in the locker room, smoking your first joint with Nat after practice. The yellowjackets felt like home, like family, maybe even more so than your own. 

You quickly grouped yourself into the team, though it was nice to not be separated by cliques, once practice ended or a game was over things always went back to normal. Jackie and lets be real, Shauna, stayed near you, swallowed into the crowd of prom kimgs and queens. While the others flocked to their own groups or lack there of back to the normal routine of things.

You were always told you were bright, that you would make it in life, go to duke, become a lawyer, have many friends. But what if there was more? What if you got all that and happiness too? Would that be so impossible?

Conversations were your specialty, always knowing when and what to say, except for with one person. You always stumbled over your worlds when he was around.

Travis. Your head coaches son.

He was just ordinary, as normal as they get. A loner boy that never spoke unless spoken too, he sat on the bleachers while his dad coached your team, always scribbling something in his notebook, you want to ask him about that.

You'd always wondered about him, I mean it seems as though you two were cut from the same cloth, being the children of authority figures and such. How was he so nonchalant? You would give anything to just live carlessly like him, not have to keep up a facade everythwere you go. You wondered, does he think the same thing about me? Does he wish he was more like me? Or does he not think of me at all.

The truth was that he did think of you. All the time. He couldnt help it, you were the prettiest most popular girl at school. His dad always compared you two, how he couldve been more, done more, been more like you. Instead he was a deadbeat jackoff son who had less balls then the girls his dad coaches.

He'd been in your History class once, last year, but he never had to guts to even go near you, you were so busy anyways. Whenever his dad dragged him to practices he would listen to music on his walkman and do some sketching, it was the only time his dad was distracted enough to not pester him about how its a 'useless hobby'.

It was a really busy day, you had just ran out of your French class after meeting with your teacher about peer tutoring while carrying all your stuff with you including your violin case. You were about to be late to practice shit.

Luckily the rain had let up so you were able to make it without any sprained ankles. Practice went smooth, you had run some drills with Akilah, one of the new JV alternates who was scheduled to come to nationals with the team after Allie broke her leg after states.

Before you left you needed to check in with Coach Scott to get your permissioon slip youd forgotten to get last week. But as you turned on the bleachers to head to your car you spotted a familier notebook sitting on one of the dewy benches. So you picked it up to see that it was indeed what you thought, Travis's sketchbook. You put it in your dufflebag after scanning the field to double check that he had gone home planning on giving it back to him next time you saw him; nationals.

TBC!!

Tune in for Part 2 In which Reader and Travis embark on a trip to nationals... in which a sketchbook leads to something bordering on risky.

When things go south well north how will they find a way to become each others vice despite their differences and their circumstances?

[log-ladys-log]

Writing Assassins

One of my favourite tropes is the assassin and especially assassins of the Manchurian Candidate variety. I love everything that comes with the human weapon character—the discussions of autonomy and guilt. I love when the characters are broken and remoulded against their will. Good stuff.

Increasingly, I have noticed characters who are assassins only in title. There are multiple reasons this has been happening, but I think one of the problems going on is that the assassin has been pushed through a game of telephone. People know the archetype so they recreate it in their own work without properly researching. I’m not an expert on assassins or assassinations, but I have thoughts and wants as a person who really enjoys the trope.

As with all discussions around writing, not all of these points will apply to every story. An assassin living in the Cold War is going to operate differently than one in the Shogunate era. Different genres also have different expectations and variations on the archetype. A rogue assassin in a medieval fantasy story has less expectations of realism than the femme fatale assassin in a political thriller. However, I find it incredibly sexy when a writer takes a grounded approach with their fantasy—a little nonfiction in my fiction. This is a personal taste. I’ve tried my best to frame my thoughts in a way that can be applied most broadly across genres and settings.

At the most basic level, assassins are people who killed someone of importance.  The vast majority of assassins in history weren’t guns-for-hire. They were fed up people. Professional assassins are largely fiction, which is fine because chances are you’re writing fiction. I do think it would be fun to see more one-off assassin types.

What are you character’s motives? Your character being an orphan is not reason enough for them to be an assassin. It is a huge decision for a character to be willing to throw away the rest of their life in order to kill another person, to trade their life to take another. No one casually decides to become a murderer, especially not a professional one. Murder is deeply intimate. You’ve got to build a relationship/conversation between the assassin, the victim, and in guns-for-hire situations, the client. Now when I say relationship/conversation, I don’t necessarily mean a tangible one more so their should be aspects about their character and being that compare and contrast with each other. In How to Write a Damn Good Mystery, author James N. Frey talks about how your detective and your culprit should be foils to each other. I believe the same should be said for your assassin, victim, client trifecta.

Keep the kill counts within reason. This is what inspired me to make this post. All too often, I will see assassin characters with their kill count in the 100s plus. Instead of showing me that your character is a badass, it shows me that you haven’t thought your character through. Yes, most of the lauded, “most deadly” snipers in history have kill counts in the 100s, but they were also soldiers fighting a war. They didn’t have to worry about legal repercussions for their actions. An assassination takes months if not years of planning. If your character is an undead or immortal assassin, I wouldn’t bother mentioning an exact figure for a kill count. It still has that sort of lazy short-cut to badass feel. In Captain American: the Winter Soldier, Natasha tells Steve that the Winter Soldier is credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years. To state the obvious, two dozen is twenty-four. That number is just credited assassinations, and likely doesn’t include the people caught in the crossfire along the way. The number feels reasonable given the time span.

“Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young.” This is an old adage that I quoted in my post about writing violence. Across conflicts, it has been shown that the longer you are on the frontline the less likely you are to die. Survival of the fittest and all that. If you want to show your audience that your professional assassin is good at what they do, make them older.

Head shots are mostly fictional. They rose in popularity after the assassination of JFK, and they’re often used to show that the gunman is really good at their job. However, outside of close range situations, your assassin isn’t going to targeting the head. Yes, a hit to the head is more than likely fatal, but it’s also a small target on the move. Snipers are trained to aim for the t-zone, which is around the clavicle. It’s a larger area that remains fairly steady no matter how the person is moving and if you hit anywhere in the area, it will be a kill shot. (Now, I’m not a professional marksman, so any snipers feel free to correct me on this point.)

Perfect marksmen kill tension. Your character is going to miss a shot now and again. That doesn’t make them weak; it makes them human. It also helps build tension. Your audience should not be able to answer the question “will they make the shot?” right away. Have their jobs go wrong, and if they still manage to complete it, that’s what will make them badass.

Know your weapons. If your assassin uses a gun, you better know the difference between a clip and magazine. I’d recommend picking a very specific gun for your character, and then researching the hell out of it. What’s its history? What were its innovations from the previous model? What type of ammunition does it take? If you can, ask someone you know with guns if they would teach you how to use them. If your character uses poison, learn as much as you can about it. Does a person ingest it, or can it be absorbed through the skin? If it can be absorbed, how long does it last on a surface? How are you guaranteeing the mark gets it? Choice of weapon can show us a lot about a character, but it can also just as easily show us that the writer has no clue what they are talking about. Don’t be the person who thinks a “silencer” makes a gun silent.

Know your world. Anytime you are dealing with criminal or intelligence type elements, you need to research and understand intimately how the world they are living in works. When I say world, I mean both the physical world and the world as your character understands it. Learn the lingo. Learn how real life people operated. What are the political structures? What’s the geography and architecture like? How do the small things like locks work? Remember you’re not just world-building you’re also casing the joint.

A feared or infamous assassin is an oxymoron. This could also be called the James Bond problem. If your character is known as the greatest spy the world, then they’re probably not actually that good of a spy. The same goes for assassins. Now, this can also be worked with, depending on your world-building. Maybe they’re known in certain circles or people know of their work but not their identity. This also ties back into kill counts. At some point, a too high of a kill count will draw eyes, and it will end your assassin’s career.

If you have drugs in the car, drive the speed limit. A character who works outside the law has to be cautious with what laws they break. This is where you can get some interesting internal character tension. Assassin and sniper-types may be thrill-seekers or adrenaline junkies. It would not be out of character for them to enjoy speeding down a highway, but they can’t because of their career choice. Remember, they got Al Capone on tax evasion.

That all leather outfit and greased-back hair totally isn’t suspicious. This is similar to the point above, but the assassin’s job is to go unseen. They’re going to be dressed comfortably and in layers.

There are no hard and fast rules in writing. That’s one of the great things about it. If there’s anything you want me to expand on, let me know. If you have any topics you want to see covered, also let me know. I don’t bite often.

[chirpsythismorning]

Yeah a teaser dropping on ST day would be cool. But can we agree that a DNA board reveal would be infinitely better?

[sneepity-snoop-snorpity-sneep]

i mean that probably is close to how/why it was given that name :/ as far as i know, none of the names/titles of various mental conditions or illnesses were come up with by someone who actually HAD them

i suspect that having that name which focuses on the attention and hyperactivity part of it may also be why inattentive adhd and adhd in women/girls overall largely went undiagnosed for years after doctors started studying and treating the condition. It's important to understand I think, that treating the symptoms of condition like adhd as the Main Problem isn't great. it's not like adhd is just a baseline brain with a button added on in there that says 'be hyperactive now!!' and acting like there IS a baseline brain underneath the symptoms just does harm to the adhd-haver (also applies to autism).

like Ass Don't Have Dopamine for SURE, but there's also structural differences in the brain - if I recall what I've read correctly, there's like a handful of parts/areas of the brain that are smaller than in a baseline brain, and one that's larger (one of these is def the frontal lobe but i don't remember which), so the way the adhd brain just functions is gonna be different AND it's just perpetually low on dopamine

honestly maybe we should just starting lobbying medical associations for a name change

I mean

[random-autie-fangirl]

I drew another Chara- living with the Dreemurrs edition

"The King and Queen treated the human child as their own. The underground was filled with hope."

I don't like this as much as the last one but oh well... I ended up rambling a huge amount in the tag, so if you want details and headcanons about the actual drawing again, you'll have to look pretty far down this time, sorry (Also, I ran out of tags after a while. Tumblr is tired of me, lol. I might reblog this more tags later if I remember what I was going to say.)

[mantisgodsdomain]

More notes for Roach conlanging. Roach has grammatical gender, in which only Male, Female, and Object are grammatical genders, whereas Worker uses feminine grammar, Queen and King use a slight variant on feminine grammar, and Drone, and Queen-Alate use masculine grammar. This is because King is derived from Queen, due to their similar positions in a colony, and Queen-Alate is derived from Drone, as both are forms of alate.

Queen is an alteration of feminine grammar that functionally just adds a handful of extra syllables to it, and King is an offsprout of Queen that uses the same grammar with different pronouns. Queen-Alate, despite the name, is derived from Drone, as they are both for referring to different types of alate ant.

Most Roach dialects are intelligible to speakers of Snakemouth Den Cordyceps Roach, but Snakemouth Den Cordyceps Roach is not entirely intelligable to speakers of Roach dialects due to a mix of the excessively specialized vocabulary caused by the specific needs of its speakers, the fact that its speakers do not necessarily have Roach mouthparts and thus may not pronounce syllables in a similar way, and due to the fact that Inanimate Object is a full grammatical gender that does not exist in any other dialect of roach and replaces a decent chunk of terminology for things that previously had Other Words For Them.

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2025: February Wrap-Up.

As it turns out: Rereading your own novel manuscript twice (once for the original NaNo and once for the most-current-frankendraft) dramatically slows down the Reading Published Books train, which is fine! I had fun on all fronts! And I did a bunch of knitting, too, and everything I read this month was Good, Actually :D

Photos and/or reviews linked below:

THE LANGUAGE OF THE NIGHT - ★★★★★ Essays on writing, science fiction, and fantasy! Wound up loving this, per my Le Guin Usual, had to bust out the flaggies to mark passages. My favorite chapters were "Introduction to City of Illusions" (which I must track down a copy of immediately), "Talking about Writing," "The Stalin in the Soul," and "The Stone Ax and the Muskoxen."

METAL FROM HEAVEN - ★★★★★ Y'all this was SO FUCKING GOOD. It's pitched as for fans of Gideon the Ninth and The Princess Bride, because it's about messy lesbians and one in particular's quest for revenge against the industrialist who had her entire striking family killed. Personally, I'd also throw an Arcane comp in there for the class warfare and aesthetics and weird magical substance. Significant review linked, PLEASE go check this out, it was very excellent.

ODD THOMAS - ★★★★ Reread, to go with my own manuscript-rereading (this book was an Inspiration for my project, as was WtNV). I still love Odd so much. Fucked up, weird, funny, tragic book--if you've ever been curious about Koontz, try this one.

WHEN WOMEN WERE BIRDS - ★★★½ Received this in my nature writing subscription box, started it without meaning to on a random Tuesday, accidentally read the first three chapters because it sucked me in. Parts of this REALLY hit right for me and parts of it were just Meh--definitely depended on the particular Variation on Voice. The opening chapter is the author receiving her mother's journals, collected over a lifetime, and they're all blank. If you like memoirs, and feminism, and environmentalism, and birds, and writing, and Mormonism, or any combination thereof, check this out! Short little book, does neat stuff with white space.

Under the Cut: A Note About ~*★Stars★*~

Historically, I have been Very Bad™ about assigning things Star Ratings, because it's so Vibes Heavy for me and therefore Contingent Upon my Whims. (Example: I don't like that stars are Odd, because that makes three the midpoint and things are rarely so truly mid for me)(I have hacked my way around this with a ½, which is really only applicable for me at ★★★ and up). Here is, generally, how I conceptualize stars:

★ - This was Bad. I would actively recommend that you do NOT read this one, no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not worth the slog. Save Yourself, It's Too Late For Me. Book goes in the garbage (donate bin).

★★ - This was Not Good. I would not recommend it, but it wasn't a total waste or wash--something in here held my interest/kept my attention/sparked some joy. I will not be rereading this ever. Save Yourself (Or Join Me In Suffering, That Seems Like A Cool Bonding Activity).

★★★ - This was Good/Fine/Okay/Meh. I don't care about this enough to recommend it one way or another. Perfectly serviceable book, held my interest, I probably enjoyed myself (or at least didn't actively loathe the reading). I don't have especially strong feelings. You probably don't need to save yourself from this one--if it sounds like your jam, give it a shot! Just didn't resonate with me particularly powerfully. I probably won't reread this unless I'm after something in particular.

★★★½ - I liked this! I'll probably recommend it if I know it matches someone's vibes or specific requests, but I didn't commit to a star rating on Goodreads. More likely to reread, but not guaranteed.

★★★★ - I really enjoyed this!! I would recommend it (sometimes with caveats about content warnings or such--I tend to like weird fucked up funny shit, and I don't have many hard readerly NO's). Not a perfect book for me by any means, but Very Good. This is something I would reread! Join me!!

★★★★★ - I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THIS, IT REWIRED MY BRAIN, WILL RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION (content warning caveats still apply--see 4-star disclaimer). Excellent book, I'll reread it regularly, I'll buy copies for all my friends, I'll try to convince all of Booklr to read it, PLEASE join me!!

[shreddits-less-popular-opinions]

Real pretentious for rusties to call themselves burgundy…you don’t see any other caste arguing about what they’re called :////

}:0|

[toxicrevolver]

2024 K-Pop Wrapped Tag Game

Tagged by @onlyoneofsideblogtrashheep thanks for the tag 💚💚

Regardless of Spotify stats, share your personal k-pop favorites of the year. Of the k-pop content that was released in 2024, post:

Favorite Group Album: DREAM()SCAPE - NCT DREAM

Favorite Solo Album: Depth - Yuta (of course. The way I will never be over this sweeping my October receiptify. NCT solo albums are the best thing ever to me.)

Favorite Title Track: Work - Ateez (this bitch was number 2 for my Spotify wrapped top 5 songs if that tells you anything.)

Favorite B-Side: BOX - NCT DREAM (from the album DREAM()SCAPE) honorable mention to Flamin’ Hot Lemon - Jaehyun

Favorite Music Video: Liar - BUS

Favorite Collab Track: Hush-Hush - BE:FIRST featuring Ateez

Tagging (no pressure): @we-survive-endlessly @smushedmuffin @skinzchoerim and anyone else who wants to participate can blame me

My ramblings bcs me tags started being excessive:

The way I had to fully think and google what fucking albums came out this year is insane. 2023 and 2024 have just blurred together for me. What do you mean Fact Check came out in 2023 but Ten’s solo album was 2024. Whot. I deadass could NOT think what group albums came out this year that I actually listened to. I’m so behind on releases it’s ridiculous. I’m still not over most of 2023s music. How am I gonna cope in 2025. I ended up picking dream()scape purely bcs I clearly remember looping it several times at work or while playing video games and not skipping any songs.

The way Jaehyun’s solo music has had me in a CHOKEHOLD. UNCONDITIONAL WAS MY NUMBER 4 TOP SONG ON MY SPOTIFY WRAPPED. IT CAME OUT OCTOBER 24th. SPOTIFY STOPS TRACKING ON LIKE NOVEMBER 21st. I HAVE A PROBLEM. HIS ALBUM THREW ME FOR A LOOP BCS IM NOT TYPICALLY AN R&B FAN BUT GOOD GOD THIS SHIT SLAPPED. THERE IS NO WAY THAT MAN IS BITCHLESS.

Also. 3 NCT related things making the list. On brand. If NCT was just one giant lumped together Spotify group I swear they woulda been in my top 5 artists. But no. They’re separated bcs subunits and I gotta somehow divide my time or only pick certain subunits to make my chart. A hate crime.

[orchidhearted]

honestly i think the hunt between different titles is what makes it all so fun? tim’s whole run was defined by crossovers and him appearing in several titles—he was The Fave Guy, The Golden Robin in the 90s/early 2000s!! he appeared everywhere, i have a spreadsheet of his appearances and it’s…extensive. very extensive. and it’s pretty easy to pin down tim’s characterization in the 90s—harder in n52 because they changed his core character so heavily—but his 90s characterization should be used when in discussion with rr09 because they’re the same timeline And Directly Correlate. that’s my biggest complaint/dislike of fanon—they Don’t take into consideration That timeline. it’s all one timeline to most. or it’s just blatantly made up lies (tim taking care of bruce like a parent in their early days???? where did that come from??)

i haven’t read much of rebirth/post-rebirth tim because i’m working through his original run/appearances (and reading several other characters lol)

i think he should get a writer who cares about him but Also cares about his civilian cast—aka probably the Biggest part of tim’s character. his difficulty distinguishing and dividing his time between vigilante and civilian is So interesting. i think they should start with a limited series AFTER a short arc in batman/detective titles (much like his origin+robin i, ii, and iii!) just to get a taste of his newer characterization. and see how fans react. but i’d also be overjoyed if they revamp him with a modernized version of his original characterization/backstory. and either retire him from vigilantism (let him Grow) or give him a new title (Not red robin. let him be free of that fuckass title).

and i mean. i really don’t think it’s Just the fact that he’s fallen off is the reason why people don’t read his recent appearances. it’s comfortability in the false narrative constructed by fanon/fanfiction/(…wfa…) and reading comics requires actual thought and analysis which, in this world, conflicts w instant gratification and the need for easy-to-swallow literature. and confronting ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i Do hate the fanon perspective of tim. that’s not my guy. i Do hate n52 tim. That’s Not My Guy. i don’t blame fans for only seeing n52 tim but man. he’s so much more interesting in his original state AND there are more comics for him in that era so Why Wouldn’t anyone want to consume More Canon of This Guy? see above.

‘tim drake is a genius that is always one day from turning into a villain’ ‘he’s basically a bat-lex luthor’ ‘he blew up the league’s bases’ enough. put red robin down. read something else. i beg you. please i beg you please. not even when his life went to shit he became a villain. ‘but he cloned kon 99 times in tt ‘03’ you mean he tried to clone the clone? how insane! he must be deranged!

[hausofanya]

i have to ask because ive seen the name spelled with and without the accent- is it cléo or cleo?

it’s cléo! and omg okay i actually had a written thing for this back when i was first setting my girl up but it’s lost in the void now…….. so her maternal grandmother grew up in france and was named anya right. huge huge pianist during her time. and it’s bc of her grandmother that cléo’s mom kemi grew up to be a child of the industry herself (MORE ON THAT LATER!) but kemi wanted to honor anya with her own daughter + just really liked the name cleo (which means to ‘make famous’ btw…) so: cléo anya! the accent is just there for decoration tbh i think it just makes it look prettier LMFAOOO

[moe-broey]

GIRL......................... suspension of disbelief I know but.

Obviously you can pick out a BUNCH of the dragons as that Is an ongoing trope (dragons aging differently than humans, so they can look younger than they "actually are") (also while I did try to avoid including them to make them more comparable to Nino, I think Flayn can fit in either category for the purposes of The Context -- esp cause her dragon blood is meant to be secret)

Not only do we have Heroes skewing younger (a lot fitting into another trope of What If There Was A Baby Sister) we also have Baby Banner. Where the whole point is they are baby.

LIKE....... maybe I'm speaking way too soon and maybe the whole point IS this will backfire LMFAO, but it IS absurd to be presented with her art (which, def still looks youthful!) and having her say yeah I can pass as a kidnapped child. Which COULD be true! But also what do you mean no one is going to know you're a part of the Heroes. Why is no one fighting her on this. Not even including the dragons there are like a handful of Heroes who fit into her exact vibe. Some even MORE baby than her.