#Get Jinx some damn therapy
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So, two (?) years later, I've finally watched Arcane.
Nobody gets traumatized at all! /s
I may or may not be a Jinx kinnie...
Also! On the first one, I was trying that silly little 'monochrome with a couple areas of color' technique and I really like the results!
#my art#traditional art#arcane#arcane netflix#arcane fanart#arcane jinx#arcane caitlyn#caitlyn kiramman#caitlyn kiramman fanart#jinx fanart#jinx#Get Jinx some damn therapy
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is it wrong for me to think that jinx's character is just sexier with her staying mentally unstable sjdkldkdldldl like everyone out here wanting her to get therapy and get better while here i am wanting her to remain insane😭 i love her daddy issues. i love the stupid insane shit she does bcs of her sister's rejection of accepting her. i want her hatred for caitlyn to never improve and keep going feral whenever she sees cait so much as within 5 feet radius with vi. i love that she's a walking ticking timebomb. i hope she never stops being a disaster magnet to those around her and keeps having complex feelings about being seen as a jinx. i hope her guilt of ruining both her adoptive families never recovers. i want her to keep stewing in her own agony and see the shit it does to her and those around her and see how it makes things even worse for her. i want her to have a hand in it all so her guilt and insecurity of being bad luck keeps eating at her and see her take all the internal turmoil to the outside into more horrifying violence.
ofc i want her to have character growth too but i want all of the above to also stay inside her in some shape or form throughout any development she might get. like they're all what makes her so damn interesting?? like ig there are stuff u can still do with her character even if she does improve mentally but ngl hot take i suspect there are those who want her healing arc not mainly out of care but bcs her character comes off too strong for them so they want the show to make her easier to digest/more palatable/just dont like seeing how ugly female characters' psychology can get
it's probably wrong in the sense that some chronically online thembo with a picrew pfp would tell me on twitter that I'm fetishizing her mental illness or sth but personally. I am fetishizing OUR mental illness, get it right. I don't want to see therapy, i don't want to see open conversations or healing or redemption, have you ever tried to heal from something irl?? that shit is so boring, endless spiral into madness is so much more fun. I think it's both washing her out to a more palatable character and some people just project on jinx and project the healing they want on her but like I'm sorry why would I want a boring regular person version of a character when I could have the absolute worst insane version of them instead
when she killed silco I was dripping down my thighs, I want her to ruin vis life, to ruin zaun as a whole, become destroyer of the worlds or whatever, fully lose touch with reality. if silco was still alive I would want her to be like 35 still sitting in his lap except the older she gets the more uncomfortable this situation is to everyone around them. I hope she kills God himself idc
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SaL anon here friend since LS premieres tonight, which I know we don't usually have a lot of fanfare for but I'm holding out hope for this season. Let's face it bestie, we could use a win this (TV) year, and the final ever season of RNM was so deeply disappointing (only not reaching the level of being the most disappointing thing ever by the existence of RNM S2), and 6a of OG has waffled between boring and aggrevating (with one or two bright spots), and nothing about 6b we know so far is giving
me much hope (namely that KR is still in charge). So yeah, since Tim's spent all his time on it I would really appreciate LS giving us some serotonin so we can FINALLY get back to our roots and talk songs. Between the 21 episodes of RNM and 6a we've done 3 or 4 songs maybe?? It's depressing. I'd like to finally get good, coherent storylines *double glares at OG and RNM* to flail about. At least I feel confident Tim won't actually have "Tarlos" appear at the Tarlos wedding 🙄🙄🙄.
Hi my friends, and happy Yee-haw Weewoo day! Fingers crossed we will finally get fed some good good food because damn could we use the win. A couple of my RNM s4 posts about m*ria showed up in my notifications recently and I got salty all over again after I’d been doing so well using Vlambase retail therapy to try and drown my frustrations. And I think the fact the 911 fandom is sooo dead right now speaks to the quality of 6a. I’m excited to see if we FINALLY get a good opening knowing that Brad is back and it looked like some cool stuff was being filmed before Christmas, but he also did the s5 premier and even the escaped zoo animals couldn’t compensate for the writing being focused on literally anything but the firefam and saving people during a blackout so I’m trying to manage expectations. The rest though? Lots of recycled ideas, the same writers, and untrained directors doesn’t exactly spark joy or excitement knowing what that has meant during KR’s tenure. Love that the show seems content with continuing to do the same thing over and over and hoping they will get a different result 🙄🙄🙄
But as much as I am a far more casual viewer for LS (I’m usually pretty content with what we get and aside from the Owen-centricity issue I don’t usually have any major complaints) I would be THRILLED if we could finally be given enough to work with to do some songs again! I’m also looking forward to getting a wedding that’s actually about BOTH characters getting married AND where we might get to hear some vows which both RNM AND 911 robbed us of.
And okay, you KNOW that we are going to go into the wedding episode and see a “Tarlos” banner Nancy made now, right? I can *feel* the jinx happening as we speak...🤣
Anyway, cheers and fingers crossed and all that good stuff! 🥂 I am READY for some easy enjoyment tv and crunching popcorn while people’s lives are in peril. Let’s goooooo!
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Jinx and Other People’s Responsibility
Full disclosure: I’ve had two glasses of wine so please forgive any narrative misgivings on this journey here
I know we all want Jinx to like, be happy, have therapy, feel loved, and all that good stuff--but what I *really* need from season 2 is for Jinx and the people around Jinx *cough* Vi *cough* to stop holding Jinx’s ability to change as someone else’s responsibility.
Jinx is a victim of personal circumstances and oppressive systems. Yes.
Jinx is almost as much a product of her circumstances as a product of who she is; an even split of nature vs nurture where no one is sure which side of the vs. lit the first match. Yes.
Jinx was repeatedly harmed by those who loved her and left without support. Yes.
But--and this is a lesson I think I need to rant on because it’s so true to real life--individuals *cannot* save other individuals. Especially from themselves. It is no one’s job to “fix” Jinx. It’s not even in another person’s capability to “fix” Jinx. Only Jinx can fix Jinx.
Actually, it reminds me of that Steven Universe song:
I don’t need you to accept me, I accept me.
I don’t need you love me, I love me.
But I want you to know you can know me. If you change your mind. If you change your mind. Change your mind.
I have no doubt we’re about to watch Vi fumble around through more grief and guilt, but the truth is that, even in season 1, Vi, as an outside person, is completely incapable of getting Jinx to change--only Jinx can change Jinx. “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.” The only actual way to help someone like Jinx, the utmost an individual who is not Jinx can do to get Jinx to fix Jinx, is to hold space and offer support as Jinx asks for it (y’know, the therapy and healthy relationship-building stuff I don’t think we’d ever see in an action show).
I think I need to wine-rant on this because of that damn line. “But silco didn’t make Jinx, you did.” Because it’s not gd true, Powder’s memory of Vi might have been her tool in shaping Jinx, but no one individual made Jinx but Jinx (again, not lifting blame from her circumstances and environment, but to lay the full blame at another character’s feet is just irresponsible to that character).
And I think the tragedy in the trauma of her inability to be responsible for her actions is a huge part of her core struggle with her mental health--when we see her freak out over the hextech gem2.0 she runs away whimpering about how “it was a mistake.”
It’s what makes her story so heartwrenching (for me), is that the one thing she needs, a sense of agency, is the one thing she cannot allow herself. Which is a big part of why she pins her validation on others.
(needing Vi to tell her she’s ready, needing Silco to see her strong/valuable, etc)
Idk what point I need to drive home to feel fulfilled with this rant, except maybe that I want the fandom to not apply Jinx’s logic to their own lives? We all have agency (not over everything, but we all have it) and our willingness to hold ourselves responsible and accountable to that agency can be the difference between chronically victimizing ourselves versus being the strong-protagonist of our own story.
Idk. Hug your pets. Have some wine, like me. Don’t try be someone else’s savior--the only person we’re actually able to save in any traditional hero-context is ourselves.
#yeah i'm a lightweight#what of it#jinx#arcane#jinx arcane#arcane jinx#arcane meta#jinx meta#arcane analysis#vi#arcane therapy
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Downed a pot of coffee ☕ this morning and transcended into peak hiatus crackheadery headspace, so now I'm obsessing over the possible motif of coffee in this gotdamn show, and also this might just turn into me losing my shit over Future Tense again, so fair warning ⚠️:
(If this has been discussed before I do Not apologize bc I am too far gone for these fools to be sensitive about repeat discourse.)
Now, Future Tense. This damn episode, it will haunt this fandom and my dreams until the end of time won't it? I just thought that, in an episode establishing the main pressure points for the characters/couples this season, it was fcking WEIRD that Buck and Eddie were not only featured together but their plotline was The Coffee Maker Saga. I mean, Madney was clearly set up for the birth and the fallout of the birth to be their pressure point (see: Maddie's PPD); Henren was clearly set up for med school and juggling a family to be their pressure point (see: Nia, Hen's mom returning, juggling med school with all this); Bathena was clearly set up for their miscommunication to be their pressure point (see: Athena quitting therapy and Bobby sponsoring the DUI lady without telling each other); and Buck and Eddie get.......game night and coffee maker pranks? How suspicious. Got me actin up over it, actually.
Please indulge my caffeinated crackheadery for a few minutes here. The first instance we witness coffee discourse is during the first emergency, bw Buck and Eddie. (Now, it may also be worth pointing out that one of the focal points during the emergency is the coffee maker going haywire, but I'll just leave that here for someone else to get into :3) This scene is about Eddie being scared of and reluctant to embrace the future vis a vis "that new fancy coffee maker" he was thinking about getting but now is decidedly against. It's interesting he is the one portrayed as being sus about the future and Buck is the one who says, "Welcome to the future." I'll get into why later, but it's established. This moment, yes, is a jumping off point for the comical scenes to follow, but this is 9-1-1 right?! By their self-admission these moments always mean something more.
Now, the NEXT scene is bw Bobby and Athena (Bathena x Buddie parallels have been discussed ad nauseam but you've lost your mind if you think I'm just not gonna do it here) and also involves coffee + discussion of some sort of fancy "futuristic" technology, i.e. the Roomba. Athena is the one shown here to be dinking coffee. Not Bobby. Just Athena. I thinks it's also important to mention that while both Bobby and Athena appear skeptical about the Roomba (aka the future) it is Athena who explicitly says, "I am not ready for the future," and Bobby asking if she's finally onboard with May's new job, implying he at least is comfortable with and accepting of the unpredictability of what is to come. Bobby foiling Athena vs. Buck foiling Eddie. Also note that, as Athena expresses her distaste of the future, she pick up the coffee again that she had previously set down. Hm.
Also, with the scene of Maddie, Chimney and Buck baby-proofing the house, there are a couple shots of Maddie in the kitchen where she's off center and their old-school coffee maker is the eye-catcher of the frame. Idk what this means, if even it means anything at all, but still felt like I should put it in here.
Could they be using coffee, of all things, something symbolic of new beginnings and connecting with others and realizing true inner feelings, as a metaphor for the future? I would tuck this away in my tinhattery category except for the fact that coffee was so deliberately highlighted in this ep (bw buddie specifically) and the ep itself is titled Future Tense.
(Side bar: not to forget, of course, three episodes later in Jinx where Eddie and Ana meet again bc she burned her hand on coffee, and then during their date they both turn down coffee at the same time and say "jinx!" Very interesting, Tim, very interesting indeed 👀")
Anyway, to circle back to whatever previous point I was making before, just humor me on my coffee/future metaphor. Buck being the one to say "Welcome to the future," and buying Eddie that fancy new coffee maker = Buck is done with old feelings and old behaviors and ready to move onto what's next; something better, even if it's weird and scary. HOWEVER, Eddie saying "why does that sound terrifying to me" and droning on about how his old coffee maker is just fine and him turning into a technophobe before our very eyes = Eddie is comfortable with what he's used to and content with the familiar; he is not yet ready to branch into the scary, unpredictable unknown of the future, even if it could be good for him and better than what he's known before.
And the fact that it's Buck AND Christopher pranking Eddie with the fancy Hildy coffee maker? I think you get my point that this "scary" new future is a life with Buck and Christopher, the future that is uncertain and unpredictable with a perception he cannot exert absolute control over.
(Side bar again! → I'm just saying, so INTERESTING they continue to reinforce the Buck/Ana parallels which have been blatant since S3 with two plot-centered moments between them and Eddie in S4 involving coffee)
Anyway, this post absolutely got away from me, but it's just so INTERESTING, y'know? Analyzing this show is so FUN, I need S5 like yesterday.
#buddie#buddie meta#there's other stuff but it's mostly buddie#coffee parallels#inch resting wouldnt you say👀#hiatus crackheadery#buck is ready for the future#eddie is scared to deviate from what is familiar#coffee theory#meta by me#K spirals
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Oooh last one! I'm ready to be emotionally destroyed!
Again, fuck jayce.
Vi is right and FUCK YOU JAYCE.
Oh damn a drug lord put her fuckin kid to work????
I like the name renni
Viktor nooooo
Oops ur gf turned into dust
Oh wait?
Ur gf turned into a goo sphere?
This old woman is getting on my nerves.
That man guarding her dumb ass has seem some SHIT.
She ruined 2 cities because her kid made her soft?
Ok fuck jayce AND this old woman.
This technology bis causing a lot of depression.
"everything made sense then" lad you fucked up.
Jinx little ashtray is cute.
This cyberpunk2077 dude is bout to die.
And renni is cool but weird looking.
Ok quit burning the desk you fuck.
Silco needs a drink..
Well.
Maybe one sevika didn't slice in half.
He looks like he's genuinely shitting himself
Sevika gives no fucks.
I love her.
Oh I don't like this meeting.
Ok so I know how this ends.
And controversial opinion here.
I think he should have taken the deal.
I'm sorry
I love jinx
I do
But .
Sorry
OHHH
HE UNDERSTANDS VANDER NOW
I see u jinx u ain't slick.
Silcos not gonna like this.
Oh what a mess you two are makin.
I'm glad someone out a stop to that jute box.
Ok that was jump scare.
Ok but.
How did she get silco?
Oh she did let Cait dress
That was nice of her
There's 11 mins to go and I am IN PAIN
So she shot a chair but they won't let us see who???
Cruelty
:c
JESUS FUCK JINX NO
Despite everything everyone was getting what they wanted! It was just jinx in the way!
Ok I'm done and I'm just sad now. I understand jinx can't help the way she is but none of this would happen if someone just gave this poor girl some help! I understand that she's a victim of a broken world and such an cruel place can't create a monster then whine when it breaks things but you wouldn't fucking have monsters if
Maybe she'll get some therapy in season 2 but I'll not hold my breath.
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Okay so thoughts after watching Act 2, episodes 4 and 5:
Caitlyn, your ✨feelings✨ are showing 💅🏾
Vi calling Cait “cupcake”…….I am in tears 😭😭😭
Vi fighting!!!!! And beating ass!!!! And looking good while doing it!!!!!
JAYCE AND MEL JAYCE AND MEL JAYCE AND MEL JAYCE AND MEL
But also Viktor….he looks like he’s dead but he is dying so…..when I saw him for the first time in episode 4, that broke me ngl
Jayce why would you agree to be on the council???? You dumb fuck?????????
Jinx my baby girl…….get some therapy please
Silco…….please stop getting so close to Jinx, it’s freaking me tf out like I WISH you wouldn’t. I do not approve of this
Caitlyn learning and competing with the enforcer who died in act one when she was young…..that stung as well ngl
Also Jayce…..just tell the world about what you and Vik have in store! The gauntlets???? The hand laser????? It’s good shit, show it off!
Also the violin music in episode five is the same music that’s being played in the arts district on the RiotX Arcane site….that’s cool asf
Jayce looked so good in his Progress Day fit like 😩👏🏾
And he’s ripped too!!!! We love to see it!!!!!
Jinx having dolls and replicas of Mylo and Clagger in her room……THAT SHIT STINGS DAMN IT
I LOVE THIS SHOW DAMNIT!!!!!
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Okay i cant find the post but i’ll take it as a yes so here:
1: sleep tight don’t let the milf’s bite
2: I sometimes think you’re not neurotypical
3:i can just smell the trauma
4:my queerness could never
5:i can just feel the gay
6:You know how i said “I definitely jinxed it”…yea i did
7:sounds like a crisis…mood
8:In one sentence i somehow made my whole bloodline ashamed of me
9:Dont know if this is supped to be gay or therapy
10:my yawns sound like a quiet chainsaw
11:my dreams are either trauma or gay…what does that mean
12:my dream was amazing filled with zombies but amazing
13:be the gays you need to be
14:i think i ate some soap
15:My brain was somewhat okay and you completely ruined it
16:Okay who do i have to kill this time
17:Yes im using a musical to teach politics
18: think i made a random poem and somehow it got deep
19:What do you not understand about me reading gay shit on webtoon and seeing cute dresses?
20:I will be the monster under your bed i will either comfort you till you sleep or be Jeff the killer
21:Ah yes blackmail the best way to negotiate
22:feel’s like i’ve zoned out while reading this
23:Wheres the TL;DR because i just stopped at Hi!
24:Yea you lost me im in Stratosphere
25:* eats vomit cutely *
26:I still question both of our sanity
27:When they call me baby girl
28: thats stupid bitches tok
29:I mean wouldnt it be cool that your ex is the moon
30:do you even sleep
31:The only people i hate are real people
32:I use the happy emojis all the time they all look dead inside
33:Social anxiety isn’t pog
34:WHOS GONNE GRAB THE BIG ASS COIN OFF HIS FORHEAD
35:MEOWTH SALAD
36:i thought Jessie and James were gay
37:Its called insomnia
38: Hermione is holding me at gun point
39:Is kicking someone a team sport?
40:what part of asl with out sign do you not get
41:kiddo but an insult
42:i was gonne say i watched Luca but damn do you need therapy
43: knew all that trauma would pay off one day
44:imagine not having fangs 🤡
45: being stupid is my job you cant take it from me
46:the whole world hates England
47:okay but arson would be so much fun
48:Do i rly sond like a dog when i say things out loud
49:THEY MADE ME LIVE AND THATS A HATE CRIME ON ME
50:I mean zeus is a whore
51:So we got bad bitch and better bitch making up the baby girl squad
52:Sometimes I challenge how much i can disappoint my ancestors
53:Ghost be judgin while i hit that rennagade
54:Fuck ✨ grammar ✨
55:KNEW YOU WERE A BEAVER
56:Probs an alligator too
57:this blog could always be *cursive rainbow* gayer
58:ah,pintrest my love,my pride,my joy THE FUCKING BANE OF MY EXISTENCE FUCK YOU I FUCKING LOVE YOU AND WANT YOU TO DIE A PAINFUL DEATH
59:✨ alcohol ✨
60:Kiddo go to drugs dont do school
61::i still have trauma from the zebra cardigan
62:yes YES BE THE GAYS YOU NEED TO BE
63:aww thats so gay 🥺
64:hol’ on a god damn fucking second…this shit gay
65:am i turning straight?
66:you broke your fucking plant this better be worth it
67:i have two moods “i wanna die” and ✨gay✨
68:they look like shit but they can look like shit together
69:nice 😏(i never said this or wrote this before just sayin’ its nice)
70:fuck you (affectionate) [is it weird that i said that at least 20 times]
71: fuck you……TAKE MY LIKES
72:we can capitalize off of your dog
73:oh shit i thought that was elsa jumping off of that bridge she made
74:wait are you implying they’re the last non binary orange
75:i might die for the third time now
76:are you god? I mean sans undertale profile pic but still are you god?
77:heh gæ
78:when i sleep i sleep
79:i will not tolerate dead memes in my class room unless its doge
80:he looks so cute but damn do i want to kill him
81:people are just too damn kinky these days
82:so this is what it feels like to have attachment issues
83:But Etida u e-mol-Dionizijo Aguado my beloved
84:I like it just my brains too small to comprehend it
85:shes a sexist feminist in the making
86:i want a mineta x death fic
87:they’ll plan my funeral…add saxobeat
88:a-am i a-a child?!?
89:hey girl you a flashbomb cus you bright
90:hey girl is your gender water cus its fluid
91:Ok im actually proud of that one i better not hear a cricket
92:okay now he looks like an emo boy
93:Yea my will to live is as low as my self esteem
94:can someone plan my funeral yea i know its wedding galore same thing
95:remembering that time i called saiki a tsundere bitch
96:* call me by your name starts playing* NOT AGAIN
97:i may have “i kicked a child” as one of my names but you’re a monster
98:DEATH IS A RACE AND I WANNA WIN
99:Bye :] , wtf?
100:GO CATBOY GO(00:03 am)
101:you know i have a pain tolerance of
102:I kin that emoji
103:That blood stain looks like a pp
104: am i too middle school
105:I feel like my sass level has risen
106:OH! PROCRASTINATION
107:nah i kinda wanna continue to write my raid shadow legends x reader fic
108:plus my confidence is as low as my will to live
109: who wants to have the honour of killing me
110:great mind think alike but also wt
I-
Wow-
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Arcane, Season 1, Episode 5, "Everybody Wants to Be My Enemy," First Impressions!
Here things snap into place, sides are taken, and things rush toward their inevitable confrontation.
Okay, before I begin, did anyone else feel the direction on this episode was a little...weird? I don't mean within the scenes themselves; those were immaculate as always, with special attention to Jinx's shadowboxing Vi, the concert, and Jayce and Mel's lovemaking juxtaposed with Viktor's collapse. Those were just, you know...
No, I mean more of the transitions between the various POV's felt a little off, especially during the music video with Imagine Dragons' gratuitous cameo. I don't know, maybe that part could have stood to have a little more care done.
Anyway.
Vi and Caitlyn have now officially met and partnered up! We get the usual odd couple feeling each other up stuff, as Vi reacquaints to Zuan after being locked up for several years. And, uh, they really don't waste time with the subtext, do they? From the wall pin to Caitlyn getting really into chatting up that one girl in the brothel to, well, the hot cupcake line.
We better get a kiss next season.
So hey, each demonstrate their respective skills, gain respect for one another, you know the drill. Of more interest is Vi coming to grips with everything she's missed while she was gone, to Silco taking over The Last Drop to learning of Powder's fate. Or rather, beating it out of Sevika in a really awesome fight. It's clear that her turning on Powder has eaten her up all this time, and she is going to be desperate to reconnect with her sister. Only thing is, will Jinx want to reconnect with her.
Especially since Silco has decided that his girl needs some therapy, which he opts to give her himself, via symbolic baptism and all that. Plus, the whole shadowboxing bit. Yeah, Jinx is not going to be all that eager to go back to being sisters.
Speaking of! I really like that we saw the funeral for the enforcers that Jinx killed. Not only does it demonstrate that yes, they were people and not just disposable cannon fodder, but showing it through Marcus's eyes serves a story purpose too. It's clear that his deal with Silco has been good for him, but with Jinx going completely off the cuff and now hurting his own people, people he did care about, he is deeply regretting it, up to seriously contemplating killing both himself and Silco in one go. Yes, that scene actually got me for a second. Will it be enough for him to pull a face turn? Maybe, but I don't see him surviving.
Speaking of which, anyone feel like his daughter is going to turn out to be one of the child champions? Just me? Okay.
Upside, Jayce continues to impress as he adapts well to his new position as councilor. Naturally, he's horrified at all the corruption that's just swept under the rug, and wastes no time pissing everyone off trying to clean it up, especially given how many powerful people are involved.
Still, he's nothing but a quick thinker, and his solution is quite brilliant: use his own reputation as an innovator for lucrative technology and sway all the powerful people with dirty dealings to trade in said dirty dealings and invest in his stuff instead, thereby cutting off criminal contacts, keeping the powerful happy, and increasing his own influence while doing it. Dude's considered the golden boy for a reason.
And obviously, Mel approves. Like, really approves.
Okay, we all saw it coming, and all I can say is...Damn, good for you, guys. Go get you some!
Though I do see this leading to his own downfall in a way, as playing the game does run the risk of compromising his integrity. The whole Mel vs. Heimerdinger as opposing influences thing is fairly evident.
Unfortunately, things aren't looking so hot for Viktor, as his condition continues to worsen. I wonder how much corruption his tainted blood is going to cause the whole hexgate thing. No doubt it will kick off his own fall to darkness, the poor guy.
#arcane#league of legends#lol#vi#caitlyn#jinx#silco#jayce#mel#viktor#Everybody wants to be my enemy#reaction
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Finally watching Arcane. I'm only 12 seconds in and I already know I'm going to sob my eyes out.
I'm sorry that this is mostly a comparison to my dnd characters but I'm so hyperfixated on them that I can't ignore the similarities. Like--
(and her DM-assigned color is red, which doesn't help)
---------------‐----------------
*SPOILERS*
Watch notes by episode
Episode 1
Make that 3 minutes and I'm already on the brink--
FUCKING OH MY GOD VI ALSO HAS A THING ON HER NECK. I knew my idea for Leo wasn't all that original but AHSHZJF
OH MY GOD THIS SHOW IS BEAUTIFUL
OKAY, BUT THE "Just get born lucky." DID NOT HAVE TO HIT SO ON THE NOSE XHFBSVCBA
Powder reminds me of the way I wanted to write Maggie :(
Oh god Vi reminds me of teen Leo and she's just as protective of her sister(s)
Episode 2
YOOOO I love how they introduce characters! THAT'S COOL
Oh this is some enemies to lovers shit isn't it
Ayyy fuck the enforcers
WAIT I MADE A CHARACTER THAT LOOKED SO SIMILAR TO COUNSELOR MEDARDA FOR AN ORIGINAL STORY.
God that one woman that confronted Vander gives me Maria energy. Fuck em up sweetie.
God I love Ekko
I-- is this series anti-cap??? :)
god i love the way those tentacles are drawn
Love how Deckard just *chug chug chug*
VI. VI YOU DIDN'T. I MEAN OF COURSE YOU DID BUT YOU DIDN'T.
Episode 3
Oh thank god, Vander.
WAIT. I KNEW THINGS WERE GOING TO GO DOWN FAST BUT NOT THAT FAST
Oh Ekko :(( poor sweet boy
O H F U C K.
God I love Vander and Silco's dynamic
OH GOD NO.
I kinda figured she would, tbh
"I'll find you. I promise." OKAY. IT'S OFFICIAL. I'M CRYING.
Oh, Powder, baby.
KNEES WEAK PALMS SWEATY
I just realized Deckard looks like Lance lmao
[I literally just held my hands to my mouth for the rest of the episode]
This is the kind of shit I would write and it's come back to haunt me. There's so many similarities between Leo and Violet and Powder and Maggie. I can't unsee it.... aanndd my DM probably sees them too. Fuck.
I still L O V E this series on it's own though. It's STUNNING.
Episode 4
Oh the politics. I'm here for this shit
Episode 5
God I'm so gay for that opening
OOOOH the animation of the spiralinggg
Oh my god this is some enemies to lovers shit huh
HAH. I love the Caitlyn/old person parallel
OKAY I CAN'T FORGIVE THE CROW WHAT THE FUCK
God I love the shady politics to high-class music
OH GOD I'M SOOOO GAY
Woah. I love the show of choice vs action
ooooooohhhh spicy, Mel
Bro I feel for you :(( A dying man's life work. Oh baby :((
OH MY GOD THE PARALLEEELLSSSSS!! I LOVE IIITT
OW. That baptism hit right in the religious trauma
Goddamnit Vi, I mean me too but godamnit
Episode 6
I LOVE RIO SHE'S SO CUTE
ooooh, that was an egg straight out of food wars
🥺
:((( Viktor honey....
VIKTOR. HONEY. 0__0
Jinx, I love you but wow you need so much therapy
o fuc, O FUCK
Idk if my heart can take this
God, this series and kids--
Damn, the professor based
:(((( damn, prof
GOD THAT FLARE. I'M SOBBING.
God, Leo is the same, Vi. She just wanted to get her sisters out of the cult and live the life they took from their family. She never wanted anything to do with artifacts or some higher purpose :((
Episode 7
oooohhh the gloooww
Daammnnn who were the live models for this show? The animation is all so smooth
THE DRUG REFERENCE
oh god, even the border parallels
ooohh choosing between the wifey and the best friend, classic
Oh thank god, for a second I thought Ekko died
JINX, HONEY--
istg the only reason I haven't shed a physical tear is the trauma I'M FUCKING CRYING ON THE INSIDE THOUGH
Episode 8
WAS THAT A REAL WOMAN ACTING???
OH FUCK SHE STRAIGHT UP DECAPITATED HER
OH GOD NO. OH FUCK.
Oh god I don't know if I can watch this...
I kinda like the father/daughter relationship between Silco and Jinx
WHO IS THIS HOWL-LOOKING-ASS
: ( I just want them to be happy
GOD. MRS. MEDARDA. NO.
I swear to god my heart has not stopped aching this entire time
*aches in lesbian*
VIKTOR!!! RUN BABY RUN!!
OH FUCK!!! SHE DEAD!!!
DAAMMNNN FUCK EM UUUUUUP
OH GOD WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE KIDS
Oh no... Jinx...
GOD, WE'RE SO CLOSE, PLEASE DON'T KILL THE LESBIAN
Episode 9
God. Yes. Please. The parallels!
Look at these two broken men at the edge of the world.
Holy shit. The literal cuts on that woman :0
"Damn, these conflicts personal! I like it :)" She later regretted that
I literally sobbed, tears and all at the end. That shit broke me. I'm gonna need a hot minute....
I can't not see Leo in Vi. They're so similar in fighting and heart. I might not even be able to watch the next season because O W.
#arcane spoilers#dnd ocs#watch notes#i love it so much#it's stunning to look at and even though i feel like I know what will happen next it has me on the edge of my seat#sobbing of course#long post
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So, when I read ACOSF, I made kind of play by play notes as a listened to it( I read the audiobook) so.........here’s the chaos
HEAVY SPOILERS FOR ACOSF!!
CASSIAN SAID FUCK
WHOA there’s a LOT of swearing in this
“It’s SEVEN in the morning gods damn it” -nesta archeron
OVERSIZED SHIRTS FOR THE WIN
Feyre and Rhys have 5 houses? Not surprised...
full, inviting breasts......BIG BOOBS OMG CASSIAN YOU HORNY SON OF A BITCH
7 siphons to keep his magic under control? Dayum
So, she rode this unnamed male like a fucking roller coaster?
Depression sex? Depression sex
“Her father was ashes in the wind” DAMN THATS EDGY
“A moment of release among the darkness inside her” NESTA BBY THIS ISNT HEATHY
“She avoided both of them” not surprised
OOOOH RHYS HATES HER TEA IS BEING SPILT
So, depression sex and depression alcohol? Yup
*checks chapter count* 80 CHAPTERS??!?! Oh shit this is gonna be a triiiip
OOOOOOOOO RHYS AND NESTA BEEF
Feyre trying to apologize to nesta........she’s trying
“You’re done, Nesta” The fuuuuuck.....
So, nesta’s moving and training with cassian...........Feyre, this isn’t a good idea omg
Feyre holy shit what the fuck are you doing, you TOTAL HELICOPTER SISTER?
“I never want to speak to you again!” damn
ELAIN TRAUMA!!! Yay???
MOR FOCUSED CHAPTER!!!?
she has brown eyes? Ok
FUCK SHES WEARING A BLUE DRESS FUCK
nesta knows about mor NESTA KNOWS ABOUT MOR!!!
“I am worthless and I am nothing. I hate what I am.” DAYUM I’ve been in that exact mindset numerous times. I can relate, Nesta
Briallen? Who the fuck is that?
Scars being trapped in magic? Good fuck that’s dark
“Ooh a dark skin character? Lit
OH SHIT SHE CANT FLY HER WINGS ARE CLIPPED
Is her name Emery?
“I am the monster your fear” BBY OMG GET THERAPY
Gwyn? Seems a bit aloof
“Two gentle conversations” GOOD JOB
Fairy lights omg lol
Nesta reading smutty books.....I’m imagining this omg
THE HOUSE IS ALIVE? Sweet
OMG ELAIN SHIT!!!! BBY
“All she wanted to do was touch him” OOOOOHHHHH NESSIAN
“All I need is a hot meal and a good book.” Mood
Nesta’s worried about Mor??? REEEEEEE
“Nesta needed Feyre more than she realized.“ OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOO FAE BARGANS
They’re bound by magic on the body?? Ooh
IT’S TRAINING TIME BITCHES
“I don’t hate you too,Cassian” OMGGGGGG REEEEE
Nesta SMILED
THEY MENTIONED VALKYRIES!!!!!
“You might be my only friend.” HMMMMMMM
*hears how cassian was born * OMG HOLY SHIT CASSIAN
*hears cassians backstory* DAMN THESE CHARACTERS NEED THERAPY
OOP SLIGHT DEPRESSION SEX
OOP CLOTHING REMOVAL
“I’ve loved you since the first moment I held you in my arms.” HMMMMMMMM
I’m loving this Nessian sparring training.
ELAIN! SHES IN THE STORY KIND OF
Elain has small boobs........same
“I thought I would drop by to see how you were doing.” AWWWWWWWWW
Yayy.....awkward sister talks........
“She was the monster.” Nesta.............I can relate.
Nesta’s angry at Elain.............
Elain’s trying to reach out and Nesta’s denying it.
MY HEART
AGAIN...THE👏RA👏PY👏
“No more seeing her sisters without her permisson.” That’s smart.
Soooooooooo......Rhys is now a German Shepard.........?
OMG CASSIAN KILLED EVERYONE THAT HELPED KILL HIS MOM........good for him
“Use that training and make me.” OOOOOOOMGGGGGG
Rhys is overprotective of Feyre and shields her......daaaaaaaaaaaaamn
“What exactly happened in the cauldron?” FEYRE BAD IDEA BAD IDEA BAD IDEA
Again, Nesta, ✨THERAPY✨
Put a stop to what, D-does the IC know of the ✨depression smut?✨
“There was touching, but with her permission” WE 👏STAN 👏A KING👏
THAT ASKS👏FOR👏CON👏SENT👏
“Who do you think I am?” “A drunk fool who’s wasting my time?” OOOOOOOHHHHH SHOOTS FIRED!!!
Emery and Nesta to Emery’s cousin: GO HOME YOUR DRUNK ASSHOLE
*hears Nesta’s grand✨mama✨* me: grandmama, it’s me....ANASTASIA
Bruh...NESTA BIT CASS’S EAR
ugh the tool
“Baby making” hehe lol
“Nesta like gwyn”...............could she also be biiiiiiiii??????????!!!!!! YAY FIRST FRIEND IM PROUD OF YOUUUUU
NESTA SMILES AGAIN YAY!!
Alright, Meryl is BITCH
GWYN’S A QUARTER NYMPH?? Cool
“She’s failed everything.” BBY
HER POWERS? HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT SILVER FLAMES
ICY FIRE??? FUUUUUUUUUCK
Nesta must’ve been petrified being surrounded by fire
It’s a dream? THE FUCK
WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT SHE WAS DREAMING????
Cassian saw HER TRAUMA?????? FUUUUUUCK
HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HER POWER IS DEAAAAATHH FUUUUUUCK
THE BABY HAS WIIIIINGS!!!!!!
Why is Rhys angry about the wing thing?
Ohhhhhhhhhh shiiiiiiiiiit the tool
*hearing the possibilities of half Illyrian baby* OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH FUUUUUCK OMG
“I loved it when you fucked my mouth cassian?” GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH NEEESTAAAAA THIS ISNT HEALTHY
“What could go wrong?” DONT JINX IT
fairy monsters? OHOHOHOOOO
NONONONOOOOOO NOT AN ASH ARROW
BLACK EYES???? Fuck fuck are they in the cauldron?
OMG THE KELPIE IS DOING SHIT TO NESTA!!! Are they on the cauldron?
the MAAAAAAASK
ohOOOOOOOMGOMGOMGOMG SHE SUMMONED THE FUCKING DEAD REEEEEEEEEEE
Omg NESTAS POWERS ARE SO FUCKING COOL
She LITERALLY HAS AN UNDEAD ARMYYYYY
death HERself........badass
“Because you and cassian has been giving each other sultry looks all morning” SHE KNOWS
“For the first time in her life, she finally felt good in her own skin.” GROWTH
Omg Nesta created a swooooord!!!!! Cool
ITS INFUSED WITH MAGIC??? HELL YEAH
“I can’t lie to her!” SIIIIIIIMP
“I’d be careful when fucking her.” Oh amren
FUUUUUUCK FUCK BOOOOOOOOO TAMLIN
“You will not touch us.” YES TELL HIM
“I can’t believe Feyre ever loved tamlin.” ME TOO
“Elain saw everything Nesta did.” Daaaaaaaaamn
OOOOOOOO NESTAS PIIIIIIIISSED
OOOOOOOOOOO SECRETS FEYRE’S PIIIIIIISED
Nesta messed up and I think she realizes that
Rhys is pissed now and wants to kill Nesta....SHIIIIIIIT
Nesta: heads for a tavern me: NONONONONO GODS DAMN IT YOU’VE COME SO FAR
“I will fight for him. For us. Until I can’t anymore.” FEYRE IS GONNA BE A GREAT MOM
“Wishing to disappear into nothing.” I’ve been there.
“Cassian knew Nesta hated herself, but didn’t know how sometimes she wanted to unexist.” I RELATE TO THAT SHIT
“She had been born wrong.” AWWWWW BBY SHIIIIIT
“Was she worth being counted?” I CAN RELATE
*hearing Nesta blaming herself for her fathers death and for the horrible things she’s done, saying she can’t fix it* SHIT IM CRYING (I’m not joking)
“ I deserve nothing.” I CAN RELATE BITCH IM ACTUALLY CRYING
*hears Cassian calmly reassuring and comforting her* AWWWWW I NEED THIS QUOTE
CASSIAN CARES SO MUCH FOR HER I LOVE THIS
(I really needed that cassian talk. I literally wrote most of the quote down just in case. Thank you SJM)
EMERY CAN SENSE THE SEX HOLY SHIT
“After he’d fucked her with her fingers...” O NONONONOOO
*skips to chapter 52*
Lanthis??? Who the fuck is that?
“Gwyn and Emery are my friends” SHES GROWN SO MUCH!!!
26 dimensions? OH THIS IS SOME DOCTOR STRANGE SHIT
IT CANT BE KILLED
cassian and Nesta really went *yeet* .......... I’m sorry
THE SWORDS NAME IS ADORAXIA!!!!!!!!!!!sounds like a dnd character IDEAS
OHOHOHOOOOO BLACK THRONE AND A CROWN DEATH QUEEN NESTA WITH HER HAIR DOOOOOOWN
Rhys vs Cassian standoff *western duel music starts*
NESTA APOLOGIZED FOR EARLIER IM SO PROUD
Did Elain have a vision? DID SHE???
“I want you to seduce him.” NESTA THE HIDDEN BARD ROLL FOR PERSUASION
Mor teaching Nesta the waltz? NESTA AND MOR CAN NOT HATE EACH OTHER
Are they back at their childhood home? Because oooooooooooof ✨ childhood trauma✨
MOR AND NESTA HAVING A CONVERSATION YAY!!!!! (This’ll make rping them so maybe easier)
“We’re in a book!” Holy shit they know. HIDE THE FANFICTION
The relationship between Nesta, Emery, and Gwyn is so wholesome
“Oh FUCK you” .... NESTA
“I was just checking on dessert” MOOD
MOR AND NESTA ARE HAVING A FRIENDLY CONVERSATION
I sense tension between amren and Nesta
ERIS WANTS NESTA????
“I’m not with you.” Lier
A SNOWBALL FIGHT WITH THE BATBOIS??? Holy shit they do have one(1) brain cell
A sleepover with Emery, Nesta, and Gwyn? SIGN ME UP
“Do it for the miniature Pegasus!” INSIDE JOKES
OOOOHHH i see the gwynriel ship
Wait....HER POWERS MADE THE HOUSE BE ALIVE??? Sweet
Alright 2 months til FEYSAND baby
The mating bond between cassian and Nesta?????.............
“Say it, SAY IT” GODS DAMN IT NESTA SAY THE FUCKING THING
So, Nesta’s afraid she’s gonna loose her humanity?
EMERIE NESTA AND GWYN ARE IN THE BLOODRITE? Fuuuuuuuuuck
OH NO EMERIE!!!!!!
“High Fae bitch” PUT THAT ON A SHIRT
OMG OMG OMG HELL YES VALKRIES
oh Cassian you restless bastard you
*hears Emerie’s backstory and their heart to heart* AWWWWWW I LOVE THEM
“The morrigan.” The fuck Eris?
“She’d hit the archway of stone” OOOOOOOOOOF
“For being my friends when I didn’t deserve it.” AWWWWWWWWWW
What about Feyre’s pregnancy???? Hewwo?
“Lord of bastards” heh true that’s cassian alright
Wait, OTHER set of wings
CASSIAN!!!!!!!!!!
“Now, I’m going to slit your little throat.” FUUUUUUUUCK NONONONOOOOO THIS ISNT CASS FUUUUCK
What’s the trove?
NONONONONOOOO WHYD HE GET STABBED SHIT HE GOT STABBED
Nesta’s pissed.....MAGIC TIME
wait wait wait wait wait HES NOT STABBED HELL YEAH!!!!
“You are my mate, Cassian.” ITS ABOUT FUCKING TIME
Nessian: kissing when the world is in ruin
“She started bleeding hours ago. “ BABY TIME???
*hears the blood and feyre’s appearance*!FUUUUUUUUUCK
So, no C section? OOOOOOH SHIT THEYRE DOING IT
IM SCARED IM SCARED IM SCARED
“Silent babe?” Shiiiiiiiiiiiiit
Nesta Nesta Nesta What the fuck are you doing???????? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK
SHE HAS ALL 3! ONONONOOOOOFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOOOOOSHE PLUCKED IT FUCK
SHE STOPPED TIME?????????
WHOS the female voice?
“ I love you, Feyre” SHE DID IT IM SO PROUD!!!!!
What is she doing what is she doing what is she doiiiiingggg?
GIVE WHAT BACK?????
WHAAAAAT? A BARGAIN WITH THE FUCKING CAULDRON???
feyres alive? FEYRE’S ALIVE!!!!!!!
NESTA THE MVP!!!!
*the sister hug* AWWWWWWWWWWW
AWWWWWW I LOVE THE NAME NYX!!!!
How much did the Cauldron take from Nesta, tho?
FEYSAND IS BEST PARENTS
Alright, I want to see LOADS OF WHOLESOME FANFICS AND FANART ABOUT DOMESTIC IC AND ELAIN AND NESTA GOT IT?
#acotar#acowar#acofas#acomaf#acosf#acosf spoilers#feyre archeron#elain archeron#nesta archeron#rhysand acotar#cassian acotar#azriel acotar#morrigan acotar#mor acotar#amren acotar#gwyneth berdara#emerie acotar
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Let Them Eat Cake Part i (Wolfstar Bake off AU)
Welcome back to the newest season of The Great British Bake Off.
Remus walked into the iconic tent, holding his breath. He had quite literally grown up watching this show - it was a staple in the Lupin household and now here he was, about to be on it.
He wasn’t even sure if it had properly hit him yet.
He made eye contact with one or two of the other bakers, some of whom he had begun to get a little acquainted with, all of them smiling nervously back at him and he swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. This was really happening. He wandered over to the bench he had been assigned, running a hand over the wooden worktop reverently. It was pristine now - all the surfaces were, but Remus knew for a fact that the particular sparkle they boasted would be gone quick enough.
“Welcome bakers!”
Remus looked up as the two presenters; Sirius Black and James Potter waltzed into the room, followed closely behind by the two judges; Minerva McGonagall and Dumbledore. Remus’ breath hitched in his chest in a cacophony of feelings and somehow all he could think of was ‘does Dumbledore have a first name?' Remus had certainly never heard of one.
“It’s lovely to have you all here for this season’s Great British Bake Off.” James said, picking up from where Sirius had left off. “I’m sure you all must be very nervous to meet your judges, but let me assure you,” He paused to look around the room seriously. “The only person you need to impress here is me.”
The room let out a nervous laugh - a quick release of tension and James grinned. “In all seriousness, it is great to have you here. Now, allow me the pleasure of introducing you to our judges.”
McGonagall and Dumbledore both stepped forward, smiling slightly. “Welcome, everybody.” Dumbledore said, looking around the room. “It is with pleasure that I announce that this week is our cake week.”
Remus nodded. They, of course, already knew this, having practiced their showstopper challenge about a million times each (or precisely sixteen and a half in Remus’ case) but this was for the benefit of the viewers. He had to admit, it was really strange looking around the tent he had familiarised himself with long ago and seeing a bunch of cameras and microphones. He had expected them to be there of course, but it was still slightly off putting having someone with a big metal stick follow you around.
“For our first challenge, Dumbledore and I want you to bake twelve individual muffins, with six of one flavour and six of another.”
“Each cake must be identical,” Dumbledore continued, “We’re looking for a lovely even bake with a nice firm inside and of course,” He said looking around teasingly, “No soggy bottoms.”
Remus chuckled along with everyone else in the tent and the two presenters stepped forward once more.
“The time has come Jamie, are you ready?”
“I most certainly am Sirius, but the question is… are our bakers ready?”
Sirius looked right at Remus and grinned. “I suppose we’re about to find out.”
“On your marks,”
“Get set,”
“Bake!”
Remus set off, measuring his ingredients and pulling out bowls and whisks as the tent broke out into a flurry of movement. He was careful not to let his nerves get the best of him - he would stay calm and take his time, rushing wouldn't help anything. He was vaguely aware of the camera crew moving around the room but he was in his own little bubble for the moment.
“Hey, Remus yeah?”
Remus looked up at the familiar voice and fuck, Sirius Black was talking to him.
“Um yeah, that’s me.” He laughed, trying to pull himself together because there was a camera trained on them and he would be damned if the entire nation saw him make a fool out of himself.
“So, what’re you making today?” Sirius asked, leaning his hip against Remus’ worktop and essentially looking like one of Remus’ many daydreams about the man in that very same leather jacket.
“Enchiladas.” Remus deadpanned and was delighted when Sirius laughed. “I’m making lemon and blueberry and also bacon and maple syrup muffins.”
“Bacon and maple syrup?”
Remus nodded, his face flushing a little. “Yeah, I've been making these ones for years actually. When I was a kid I used to put maple syrup on literally everything so it’s really not surprising that it made an appearance in my baking.”
Sirius grinned at him and began to move away. “I’m excited to try them so.”
Remus smiled, biting his lip before shaking his head and getting back to work. He wasn’t here to chat to Sirius Black. He was here to bake.
Baking had always been one of Remus’ pastimes. It was like his own little form of therapy. Whenever he was stressed - he would bake. Whenever he was really stressed, he would mix everything by hand. All that beating was really cathartic (Also it gave him really strong arms but that's besides the point). He whipped up the batch of lemon and blueberry first - they were a staple in his house and he could make them with his eyes closed. He used his time chopping walnuts to relieve any remaining nerves that lingered after talking to Sirius Black for a mere minute.
“Hey Re.”
Remus whipped around to face Lily, the contestant right behind him. They had met last night - in the ‘Bake Off Bubble’ after everyone had moved in and Remus had known straight away that they would be friends.
“Hey Lily,” Remus glanced at her counter. Well, what he could see of it, the entire surface was covered in a layer of cinnamon and sugar, left behind after she had dusted one set of cakes. “How’s it going?”
Lily leaned forward a bit giggling. “I’m afraid to say this, because I’ll totally jinx myself, but it’s actually going really well so far.”
Remus grinned. “I’ll say it for you instead.”
Lily nodded solemnly. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” She paused, grinning, to stop her mixer, running her spatula along the edges of the bowl a few times in quick, practised movements to ensure all the batter was being thoroughly mixed before turning back to Remus. “Have the judges been over to you yet?”
Remus shook his head. “Not yet, just Sirius.”
Lily wiggled her eyebrows. “Ooh, having chats with Sirius, are you?”
Remus rolled his eyes. Pre-competition bonding, alcohol and a curious redhead did not go well together. Remus hadn’t even been here a full twenty four hours and he had already exposed the fact that he used to have a bit of a crush on one of their presenters.
“Oh hush you, they’re coming around to all of us.”
“Indeed we are, Mr Lupin.”
Remus whipped around, his face burning to see the two judges standing in front of his bench. “Oh, hello.”
“Good morning.” Dumbledore said, smiling warmly. Remus pretended he couldn’t hear Lily sniggering in the background. “What will you be presenting today?”
The pair listened, nodding along as Remus told them of his plans, only stumbling over his words once and managing to restrain from toying with the cuffs of his sleeves. He knew the cameras were on him.
“I must say, I’m surprised at the lemon and blueberry choice, some people would say that it’s a little predictable.” McGonagall said, peering at him over the rim of her glasses.
Remus didn’t blush, he had known this comment would come. “That’s true I suppose, but they’re my favourite. I’m a coeliac and this was the very first recipe I got right with gluten free flour so they’ve always had a special place in my heart.”
Dumbledore smiled, meeting his gaze and Remus was startled at how incredibly blue his eyes were. “I look forward to trying them.”
Remus glanced back at Lily once, as they left in a ‘please tell me they didn’t overhear our conversation’ but Lily was no help, she just laughed at his pain. Remus just sighed and set back to work. He lined his muffin trays with strips of bacon, making sure they were all nicely covered before pouring in the batter. He popped the trays in the oven, taking a moment to appreciate how well everything here worked - all the doors slid seamlessly, every knife was deathly sharp and every tool was gleaming. Back at home, there was nearly always something broken or in a state of disrepair that would make Remus have to improvise a little bit. He put the lemon and blueberry muffins on a cooling rack and having already made the maple filling he set about making a cup of tea.
“Oh can we have a cup too?”
Remus looked up to see both James and Sirius at his bench, grinning wickedly at him.
“Yeah, of course.” Remus pulled out two more mugs and dropped a tea bag into each. Strong or weak? He asked as he left his to brew.
“Weak please.” James said while Sirius went for strong. Remus slid James’ mug and milk across the counter while he removed the tea bags from the other two mugs before adding a fair amount of sugar to his own, causing Sirius to raise an eyebrow.
“What?” He defended himself. “I’m on Bake Off, it can’t be a surprise that I like sweet things.”
Sirius’ laugh was like a lovely little reward for saying something even remotely funny and the little fanboy inside Remus perked up at the sound. “Besides, who drinks black tea these days? I thought only dramatic movie characters did that.”
James nodded along as he swung himself up to sit on the bench. Remus raised an eyebrow but said nothing. “That’s what I say! I think he’s too pretentious for his own good really. It’s the same with his coffee - ‘Black for Black’.”
“Wow.” Remus said, smiling into his cup even as Sirius hot James’ shoulder playfully. “That’s dedication if nothing else.”
Before Sirius could reply, Remus’ timer went off.
“Ooh muffin time!” James sang, hopping down from the counter and out of the way as Remus opened the oven and pulled out the muffins. Not to brag or anything, but he thought they were perfect.
“We’ll leave you to it.” They said, taking their mugs with them and moving out of the way. Remus was a little disappointed, but also glad because he needed to focus and he wasn’t sure he’d have been able to do that if Sirius Black had stayed to watch.
He placed the hot muffins on their own cooling rack and filled a syringe with the maple syrup concoction before injecting a fair amount into each one. It was ridiculously satisfying to watch them swell a little as he filled them, but he had to remember to pull back lest he add too much and throw off the delicate balance.
“Bakers, you have two minutes left.” James called and despite being nearly finished, Remus felt that little spike of panic flow through him. Where had the time gone?
He quickly transferred both sets of muffins onto his plate for presenting them, lining them up in four rows of three, quickly dusting just a faint hint of icing sugar over the top and moving away.
“Bakers, your time is up, please place your cakes at the end of your bench and step away.”
Remus sat down on the stool he pulled out from under the bench and took a deep breath. He made it in time. His cakes looked okay. He could totally do this.
The judges entered the room and started making their way around the tent. Remus smiled at Lily nervously before tucking his hands under his thighs to hide the fact that they were trembling softly. He tried to pay attention to what the judges were saying to the others but really he could only hear his heart pounding in his ears. They moved away from the first contestant and then a few minutes later, from the second and then they were standing right in front of him. This was it - his first chance to prove himself.
“Hello again Mr Lupin.” McGonagall smiled as James and Sirius flanked the judges. There was a tense silence for a few minutes as each judge picked up a cake.
“They’re all identical, which is really nice to see.” Dumbledore said, right before halving a muffin. “Lovely even bake through this.”
McGonagall cut open a bacon and maple syrup and the sweet filling oozing out of the cake. “Look at this,” She said, “Really lovely work there. And I really like how the cake is wrapped in the rasher.”
Remus held a breath as they each took a bite, barely able to breathe.
Dumbledore smiled and relief flooded through Remus’ system. “Some excellent work here today Mr Lupin, well done.”
“Thank you,” Remus stammered, hardly able to talk though the beaming smile that had taken over his face. The judges moved away but James and Sirius lingered a moment longer.
“Can we try?” Sirius asked, pointing to the cakes. Remus nodded and while James went straight for the bacon and maple, Sirius paused.
“You said the lemon ones were your favourite, right?”
How did Sirius even know that? He wasn’t even there when Remus had mentioned it to the judges… he must have overheard. Nevertheless, Remus nodded and tried to hide a confused little smile as Sirius plucked a lemon and blueberry.
“Oh my god this is unreal.” James moaned as he started to walk away, clapping Remus’ shoulder. “Well done mate.”
Sirius closed his eyes, smiling as he chewed his. “They’re my favourite too.”
Remus was glad he was sitting down. Having anything in common with his celebrity crush was in itself nearly too much for him to handle, but said celebrity crush liking his baking? Well, not to be repetitive but; Remus was glad he was sitting down.
“That was crazy.”
“I know.”
“Like… So crazy.”
“I know.”
Remus and Lily were sitting outside on the lawn, eating their lunch before they had to take on their next challenge and they had both been saying the same thing for a solid two minutes.
“It’s just so crazy!” Lily exclaimed. “We just did our first challenge! And it went well!”
“I know!” Remus was still in shock himself. He had given all his cakes to the crew - all the bakers did, bar one for themselves. Remus had eaten his gluten free lemon and blueberry muffin, savouring the fact that the judges liked it and certainly not thinking about how Sirius Black had liked it too.
Nope, definitely not.
“The whole thing has made me a bit calmer about the next challenge, how about you?”
Remus nodded along in agreement as he stabbed another bunch of lettuce with his fork. “Yeah, I mean I’m still a bit nervous, but less so having actually done one.”
“And let’s not forget the fact that you had a bit of face time with Mr Black himself.”
Remus refused to let himself blush. “Oh shove off, I never should have told you that.” He said laughing a little defeatedly, wiping at his flushed face with his hand.
“No, you were definitely right to have told me. Now I can say that he looks at you way more than the others.” She teased, drawing out the ‘way’.
Remus rolled his eyes. “He’s Sirius Black. I’m just a book-loving, cardigan wearing, baking nerd from Wales. Until today, he never even knew I existed and whenever this show is over, he’ll soon forget about me.”
“Okay.” Lily said, her tone indicating she in no way believed him but she would let it slide for now. Remus breathed a sigh of relief. He could totally do this.
Remus Lupin could not do this.
His cakes weren’t rising, his cream was melting in the heat and those fucking instructions were useless.
“Ah I recognise the face of someone dealing with their first technical challenge.” Sirius said, appearing at his side.
Remus scrubbed his face tiredly. “Make a Victoria sponge.” He said lifelessly. “Those were their instructions. Nothing more. Like, what?”
Sirius bit his lip. Remus had to avert his eyes, he already had one crisis to deal with right now. “Yeah those two apparently aren’t very big on words.”
Remus just groaned at the attempt at humour. “This isn’t going to work.”
“And you called me dramatic?” Remus peeked out between his fingers to see Sirius leaning on his worktop grinning up at him. “You’ve got this Lupin.”
Remus began to nod slowly. “You think so?”
Sirius scoffed. “Of course!” He stood up straight and began to walk away. “Besides, if everything goes to shit, the worst thing that could happen is you embarrass yourself on national television and get sent home.”
At that, Remus burst out laughing. “That’s certainly an… interesting pep talk.”
Sirius grinned. “That’s me.”
Remus was still smiling a little while later as he assembled his cakes. Yes, the sponges didn’t rise as much as he would have like, but otherwise they were fine. He had managed to salvage the cream by putting it in the fridge for a while and the jam that he made had turned out really nicely. If nothing else, he had that going for him. The two presenters called time and the contestants all placed their cakes on the table at the front of the tent, behind the pictures of their faces. This challenge was a blind judge - McGonagall and Dumbledore didn’t know who had made what until after they released the results.
Remus sat down on a stool, with Lily on one side of him and a bloke named Peter on the other.
“Good luck.” Peter whispered to him and with that, the judges re-entered the tent.
“Good afternoon bakers!”
“Afternoon!” Everyone chorused back and Remus had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing at the sudden sensation that he was back in school and the teacher had just come into class.
“Okay, let’s just dive right in shall we?”
They all waited with baited breath as the judges tried each and every one of their cakes.
“Now this one is excellent.” Dumbledore said, taking a bite of the cake behind the picture of the pretty girl with bubble-gum pink hair. Remus glanced down the line and saw she was trying to hide a relieved grin. Lily was bouncing her leg incessantly and Remus had to cover her knee with his hand to get her to stop. He knew the cameras had caught the movement and to top it all off, Sirius raised an eyebrow at him. Remus bit his lip but didn’t move his hand - Lily had smiled at him gratefully and they both needed a little human contact right now.
“Now this one is a bit flat - the sponges didn’t rise enough in the oven it would seem.”
Remus flinched and looked up. Yep, they had reached his. The seconds seemed to crawl by as they cut themselves a slice and finally they tried it.
“However it tastes very good, I particularly like the jam - blueberry, that's quite unusual.”
Remus finally let out the breath he was holding. He was going to be just fine.
“Okay Mr Lupin, stand right there, if you would.”
Remus adjusted himself to stand where the camera woman had pointed to and looked at her. “This okay?”
“That’s perfect Mr Lupin-”
“Just Remus, please.”
“Alright then Remus, I’m Marlene.” She reached over and shook his hand, her green eyes kind and an array of wild blonde curls piled on top of her head.
“So Remus, how are you feeling after today?”
“Um, I feel pretty good?” Remus said, laughing a little at himself when he phrased it like a question. “It’s really hard to tell - especially since this was the first time I’ve done this. It was good though, no matter what it was a great experience and meeting so many like minded people is pretty cool.”
“And what about your placement in the technical challenge? Third place? Not too shabby.”
Remus laughed properly at that. “Yeah, that was really great.”
“And how are you feeling overall?”
Remus tilted his head side to side in a ‘so-so’ gesture. “Alright. I’m excited but also nervous. I think today was the most exhilarating yet stress inducing day of my life.”
Marlene giggled. “Yeah I’m getting that impression. That was great Remus, you’re free to go.”
Remus’ shoulders slumped and he was surprised at himself, he hadn’t realised he had been that tense.
“Please tell me that I didn’t look like a deer in headlights.” He groaned, making Marlene laugh. “Nah, you’re good I promise, no deer here,” She paused, leaning in conspiratorially, “Except the deer that’s James’ screensaver, but shh, you didn’t hear that from me.”
Remus chuckled to himself all the way back to the hotel.
“Round two, here we go.” Lily said, rubbing her hands together eagerly as she and Remus walked into the tent together.
“Okay but, how weird is it that we have to wear the exact same outfit again today?” Remus asked.
“So weird.” Tonks replied, magically appearing at their side. “Usually at home I take off my clothes and fling them somewhere in my room but last night I had to consciously put them away together so I wouldn’t lose anything.”
Lily giggled and Tonks grinned at her. Remus was settling nicely into the sense of camaraderie that was forming in the tent. Being in a ‘Bake Off Bubble’ changed the dynamic to other years (not that Remus really knew what other years were like) but essentially living with the others was allowing for a nice bond to form between them all.
They chatted a little as everyone filed in and James and Sirius wandered over to them.
“Hey guys!” Tonks chirped and the two lads grinned.
“Ready for another day?” James asked, the question posed to the group, but his eyes were on Lily. Her cheeks flushed a little and Remus made a mental note to tease her about that later.
“As ready as we can be I suppose.” She said, fiddling with equipment that did not need organising. Remus met Sirius’ eyes and they both grinned and for a moment, just for a split second it felt like they knew each other, like they were friends and had jokes and shared secret knowing looks.
“Okay guys, let’s get going.” A producer called and it snapped Remus out of his thoughts. He and Tonks went to their own benches and Sirius and James walked to the front of the tent to stand next to the judges.
“Today, my lovely little bakers,” Sirius began dramatically, “We want you to bake a cake.”
“I think that’s a given, considering it’s cake week.” James chimed in and Sirius shushed him.
“Hush, let me finish. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” He said, glancing pointedly at James to the amusement of the rest of the tent, “Today we want you to bake a cake. But not just any cake,” He said grandly. “We want a cake with several tiers and three different flavours. Your cake can be decorated any way you like, however it has to represent something important to you.”
Remus wasn’t surprised. None of the bakers were - they were told about this challenge in advance so that they had time to prepare and practise. The challenge was being announced simply for the benefit of the audience.
“Ready?”
“Set.”
“Bake!”
Remus cracked his knuckles and set to work.
“Does three different types of chocolate count as three separate flavours?” Sirius asked him, standing on his tip-toes to peer over Remus’ shoulders.
“I sure as fucking well hope so, cause it’s too bloody late for me otherwise.” Remus mumbled, concentrating too hard to even register what Sirius was saying properly.
“Language Re, now we can’t use this footage.” He laughed, scuffing Remus’ shoe with his foot.
“Oh no, the nation won’t get to see a few more seconds of me stressed off my head, what a fucking pity.”
Remus didn't look up but he could practically hear Sirius’ eyebrows raising.
“Mr Lupin, what would the queen think of such appalling language?” He asked, pressing a hand over his heart. Remus did glance up this time, to shoot the presenter a dry smile.
“I’ll be sure to ask her, if I ever meet her.”
Sirius’s eyes lit up at the banter, and one part of Remus wanted to say ‘fuck this competition, just spend all your time here chatting to Sirius bloody Black’, but that part of him was very small and the urge to win was very very large, so instead, he let Sirius wander along to the other contestants and he set back to work.
His white chocolate and milk chocolate sponges were still in the oven, but Remus had taken out his dark chocolate layer. He set to work, cooling it and carefully cutting it in half, repeating the process with his other two cakes. Next, he carefully stacked all of the pieces on top of one another, spreading a thin layer of salted caramel icing in between each layer, leaving him with six tiers total. He took a moment to step back and roll out his shoulders quickly before continuing to give his muscles a quick break.
“All good Remus?” James asked and Remus smiled weakly. “Yeah, all good.”
He had his cakes stacked on the stand he would be presenting them on, and set to work carefully cutting off sections of the cake until he was left with a lovely sphere shape. Satisfied, he grabbed the bowl of icing he hand made, the salted caramel a pale yellow and Remus added just the tiniest hint of food dye so it had the faintest grey tint before spreading it liberally all over the cake.
“So Remus, might I ask what you’re making today?” Marlene asked, appearing by his side, camera braced on his shoulder.
“Um it’s supposed to be the moon actually.”
“Oh hey, I can kind of see that.”
“What? Only kind of? I’ve completely finished!”
A panicked look overtook Marlene’s features and Remus burst out laughing. “I’m only messing with you. I’m not done yet. I’m going to get to work doing all the craters and stuff now.”
Marlene looked at him, her face completely blank. “I feel like I should inform you that if it wouldn’t get me fired I’d totally kill you for giving me that heart attack.”
Remus stuck out his tongue playfully. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now leave me alone, I need to get back to work.”
“Yeah, you tell her Re!” Sirius enthused as he walked past, not even pausing in his path over to James and only having heard the tail end of the conversation. Marlene just rolled her eyes and followed him.
For the first challenge, the judges had come around to their benches. All of the cakes had been presented at once during the second. The third, Remus decided, was most certainly the worst, because you had to carry your cake all the way up to the judges and present it to them.
Remus really fucking hoped he didn’t trip.
“I must say, the detailing on this is quite nice.” McGonagall said, picking up a rather large knife and Remus smiled weakly. “Thank you.”
She cut right down the centre and Remus almost winced because he had worked so hard on that but these are the troubles when your artwork is edible.
Dumbledore looked at him curiously. “Are these just different flavours of chocolate.”
Remus pursed his lips. He had no idea if they hated it or not. “Yeah it is… I really like chocolate.” He added lamely and flushed a little at the chuckles that elicited from around the tent.
“Well Mr Lupin, I must say I’m rather impressed.” McGonagall said after trying it and Remus honestly thought he was going to cry with relief. One thing was for sure - the endorphin levels that being on this show elicited were on a whole other level.
He walked back to his bench, half in a daze, smiling at Lily who passed him on his way, her arms full with a cake decorated with the most realistic iced lilies he had ever seen.
“Remus? Are you ready for your interview?”
Remus looked up from the cup of tea he was nursing. “Yeah. Outside again?”
Marlene nodded and he followed her out, taking a deep breath of the clean country air.
Marlene signalled to indicate the camera was rolling. “So, you survived?” She said, her tone teasing.
Remus smiled. “I survived.” He confirmed. “I’m so, so delighted for Lily, she really deserved to get star baker.”
“So you weren’t disappointed?”
Remus laughed at the almost ludicrous question. “I’m still surprised that I made it here in the first place! I wasn't expecting star baker, I wasn't even aiming for it today, I just wanted to make it through the week.”
“And you did.”
“That I did.” Remus repeated, smiling warmly. Some guy, Caradoc, was going home. Remus had only spoken to him once so he couldn’t say he was all that torn up about it.
“This question is for a bit of voice over for the episode, alright?”
Remus nodded.
“Your cake was a moon, can you explain the significance of that?”
Remus sheepishly rubbed his hand over his face. “It seems kind of dumb now that I say it but, I used to be obsessed with the moon. Still am really, if I’m being perfectly honest. It got to the point where I now have the nickname of ‘Moony’.” He paused smiling as Marlene laughed. “But it just always made me calm. My mom and I used to drive to the beach in the evening just to watch the sun go down and the moon come up. It was great.”
Marlene smiled. “Perfect, that’s enough, thanks Remus.” She hit a button to stop the recording and Remus began to move away.
“So you’ve reason to stay another week anyways?” Marlene asked.
“Yeah.” Remus said, surprised to find his voice soft. He turned slightly and his eyes landed on Sirius walking out of the tent, pulling his hair out of the top-knot it had been styled in for the last two days. “Yeah, I think I do.”
#wolfstar#Remus Lupin#Sirius Black#Remus Lupin/Sirius Black#remus lupin x sirius black#bake off#bake off au#great british bake off#the great british bake off#tgbbo#James Potter#Lily Evans
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Idk, I never posted one of my fics here but guess I'll try ~
Also, English is not my first language so feel free to correct me QwQ
Fandom: Psycho-Pass -season 1- (is this still a thing?)
Characters: Kogami Shinya, Sasayama Mitsuru, OC
Prompt (it was in Italian, so I'll translate): write a story using three among these words: cloud, dusk, thunderstorm, storm, hull, bay, shelter, sail, night
Title: Log date: 2110/02/28 (Friday) 22:04
---
The lights of the bay flicker dynamically before your eyes.
They dance hypnotically, of the same cyan colour of your office’s walls, but with a whole different beat. They drink the red and white trails from the traffic, they shatter and multiply in the tears of an inclement rain. I know how much you hate it, you just can’t stand going on recon with an umbrella. On the other hand, I love it.
Rain brings us close together under the waterproof cloth and I manage to observe details that neon lights often hide from me: the precise way you part your hair, the last few drops of the jasmine perfume on your jacket, your long lashes. Shion thinks they’re fake. We always fight over it, can you believe me?
After all, you’ve never been the kind of woman to wear such frills.
A notification arrives, the acid light of your impalpable PC breaks through the sacred dark from where you pretend you don’t see me. It digs your silhouette and paints you like a ghost on the huge windows of the Public Safety Bureau.
Your jet-black hair lay on your back like varnish pouring over the white silk of your blouse.
“Pulling an all-nighter, Inspector Matou?” I ask casually, exposed. With you, after all, I always am: you’re the only one that can shush my shitty jokes.
But this time you laugh slightly: nothing more than a spike, a trembling breath that shakes your ribs and lips.
“The forecasts say that the storm won’t stop until tomorrow morning,” you tell me, sitting at your desk, “also, I’ve been delaying this paperwork through all week, it's about time I get it done. Might as well do some overtime and get rid of it, don’t you think?”
“You’re such a workaholic.” I label you, realizing how lucky I am being allowed to do it: Ginoza, that prude, would have never let it slide “You should leave some for the rest of the precinct: make 'em earn their wages.”
A tired smile crosses your face as you tap your fingers on the keyboard. It’s so clear you’re trying to avoid my glance.
You used to look for it.
You looked for my eyes at briefings, in that discrete way that eventually shocked everyone. You looked for them among alleys, as soon as you heard a gunshot or the chocked sound of a fight.
And when you found me, it felt like a 7 miles free fall.
“How are the legs going?” I dare to ask. I see the hollow structure of your new shins below the hem of your pencil skirt. They swing a bit underneath the glass of your desk. You didn’t lose your damn tic, your right heel shakes like the needle of a sewing machine even when you seem calm.
You shrug and drink the bottom of an already empty glass of water.
I shouldn’t have asked. It breaks my heart, to see you like this.
You don’t give me an answer and massage the back of your knee with a sigh. Lately, I feel like you’re avoiding me.
You’re turning back into the one you were before: uncompromising, cold and distant. I wonder if the bunch of ingrates downstairs have been calling you Dobermann again. I wonder if you’re still as relentless.
You worry me: your stress level is getting darker and darker. You don’t want old Kasei to take issues with you, not again.
I can imagine how you must have felt, the night when this mess happened.
You most likely got pissed, if I do know you.
I mean, did they really think I got away on my own? I bet you never doubted me: no one knows an Enforcer better than its Inspector.
“Runaway?! Have you lost your minds?” Sasayama?!”
Those were the first words you said when they rescued you. You spoke them way before cleansing your lungs from the rotten water of the river, way before asking Masaoka if you’d have ever got back to feeling your lower legs. They hurt like hell and you had to pull them around like sandbags.
“They got him” you panted, holding tight on your mentor’s coat “They took him away, I tell you!” The one that kidnapped him wasn’t a latent criminal. The Dominator didn’t activate, not even when they shot me. Please, believe me. Check on the log files, please.”
Crime coefficient: 0.
I know that bug still haunts you.
Cause, after all, it’s can’t be anything else: who on earth is that Makishima to fly under the Sibyl Sistem’s radar? Who can fool a network that knows your crimes before you do? And how is it possible that the silhouette that kneecapped you and threw you into a river could possibly be innocent?
You haven’t lost your mind, Inspector: the Dominator betrayed me, too.
Don’t think I don’t know how pitiful must have been, the next three days.
Makishima isn’t real. Forget it, it was just a delirium. You were in shock.
It was the trauma, dear. It was a breakdown. It was burnout syndrome.
You’d use some holiday, darling. Take a week. Take two. Go somewhere far, no, better: just stay at home. Go to therapy. Keep yourself busy, don’t think about it. Work. Also, don’t work: it wears you out!
They put you back on your feet in less than six hours, but nobody allowed you to join search parties. Heaven forbid your stress level getting any darker. Heaven forbid that yet another good Inspector gets demoted among those damn Enforcers. But, still, in the whole IT section, there wasn’t a single nerd that could get that night's logs. That's one funny thing, ain't it?
Woman, sometimes I wish your damn head wasn't that hard. I wish you didn't follow the Forensics to get a lift, so soon after the deed.
At least, you could have listened to Kogami. Shit, didn't you see how pale he was? You didn't even need the Dominator to read him, his stress level was mindblowing!
You should have believed him when he told you you didn't want to enter that alley. First off, it was already full of other detectives and analysts. I have no idea what kind of business you had to do in there. Second thing second, Kogami has an eye for certain matters. Do you think he didn't notice I’ve always been all over you? Not gonna lie, maybe I told him about you, once or twice.
But no, of course, you had to get in.
The software that taught you how to walk on those carbon stilts made you stand your ground and bark a "For fuck's sake, Shinya, move!" worthy of the Dobermann’s reputation. Even those who hadn't been called out made way.
But your new legs didn't hold you, when you saw what they had made of my corpse.
I'm sorry, Katsumi, I never wanted to upset you like that.
You know how much I would have rather have a more heroic death. I don't know, like, in the middle of a shooting, saving the day. It would have been much classier, less tacky, less trash. I think I deserved it, that's all.
You stop typing and rub your temples. You shelter what’s left of your lipstick behind your hand. I wish I could kiss it off, instead of watching you consume it in a ruby red halo in the notch between your thumb and your index.
You lift your eyes only for Kogami, who’s passing by your office like a nurse in its night shift.
“So?” he asks in a whisper, putting more care in that question than I could have ever done. More than anybody could have ever done, because he’s the only one that gets you, right now. You two seem like the only ones who lost something.
You shake your head slowly, staring at the monitor and the dangerously high Crime Coefficient on the display.
“It's not working” you wail softly, misty-eyed. I can’t believe it, is it still you?
“They’re gonna kick me out anyway, if it doesn’t lower quickly” you continue, with that realism of yours. I used to call you a jinx for that but, at the end of the day, you always got our backs. “It’s for the best if I just resign. I’m gonna keep what's left of my dignity, at least.”
The dark profile of my best friend looks through me, as he sits on the armchair next to mine. He would like to say something, a word of encouragement maybe, we all know it in this damn room, but numbers shut our mouths.
“You could become an Enforcer” he proposes.
Goddammit, Shinya, did we work with the same person? Katsumi as an Enforcer?
And there you go, shaking your head. You hold your face in your hands and let your raven hair hide your visage.
“Can you imagine me, following orders? I do know how to work, I can do it better than three-quarters of our colleagues and I’ve never had problems remarking it. They’d eat me alive if they had the chance. Dogs celebrate on the corpses of lions.”
“But lions remain lions and dogs stay dogs.” Kogami finishes, stealing my lines.
I notice the slight trembling of your finger, as you tap your touchpad to send that last confirm.
In a few moments, the system will have your resignation registered. Your profile won’t unlock your Dominator anymore and in a few days time, just enough for you to collect your belongings, you won’t even manage to enter the office.
Who’s gonna explain to old Kasei that there's more of your stuff here than in your apartment?
I’d ask you what do you plan on doing with your life, but tonight’s decision seems definitely brave enough to call it a day.
I look at the tabs you open in your browser, they mirror in the windows behind you.
Air travel.
Argentina, Cuba, States, New Zealand, Germany, Kenya. You go around the world in 80 seconds flat, you multiply your chances and spread them all through the air in front of you, in a complex diagram that doesn’t lead anywhere.
I never wanted to take you away from your home, you don’t deserve this.
You cover your eyes with a hand and use the other one to pick a random selection from your atlas.
Greece.
“Well, at least it’s on the sea.” you wrap up, condensing in a handful of words the only satisfaction you can find in starting a brand new life.
You two stare at the transparent screenshot of your flight, the countdown on the web page seems way too joyful.
“It’s so exciting, Katsumi Matou! Check-in your luggage. Your journey will begin in: 06 days: 17 hours: 34 minutes: 21 seconds”
20.
19.
18.
Seconds pass by, in complete silence.
“Do you think it would be a burden to him?” you ask Shinya, “Do you think he’d understand?”
Who would have guessed that a cynic one like yourself could believe in the afterlife? I wish I were here to ask you. I wish we could have spoken about life, death, sex, about things long gone and things yet to be.
His hand squeezes yours gently, as he looks at you in the eye, hoping to stop the train to Paranoidland from setting off.
“It’s not your fault” he reassures you as he can: the both of you wouldn’t make the average person’s empathy.
But he’s right, though, it really isn’t: I know you’ve done anything you could. It’s always been like that.
“Maybe I owe him” you draft “Even if they don’t believe in Makishima, maybe one day I could have proved he exists.”
The teal of your Psycho-Pass would suit you wonderfully, if it wasn’t a description of your mental health.
What could you possibly do in these conditions? You’d have ended up in a cubicle, filing loss and theft reports. You would have never made it to the dossiers, surely not to those of such a controversial case. Making you end up in a study room would have been my final bullshit. I’m happy with your choice, really. I would have loved visiting Europe someday.
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Kogami rebukes you, externalizing what I’ve been thinking all along: “I’m going to look out for your man: your team has already given way too much. I’m gonna find him, Matou, cold case or not.”
You nod, but it’s clear you don’t believe him. I can read through you, you’re a terrible liar.
I don’t think you don’t trust him, most likely you’ve done the math and figured that working on an independent case is far too difficult for an Inspector, let alone for an Enforcer.
And there it is, my fall. After an exhausting chase, you finally look into my eyes, even though -according to Shinya- you’re most likely staring at the void.
Despite being used to such races, believe me, I’ve missed you.
“I’m just so sorry.” you finally whisper, giving me a bitter smile.
Try and stop me, Ginoza, tell me once again how inappropriate it is: I don’t mind anymore. I get up and I don’t hesitate while holding you and leaving a kiss on your hair, shamelessly.
“I’m going to grab some coffee” I announce, walking backwards to the door like a shrimp, just to look at my dearest friends a bit longer. “I’d get you one, but I’m short on coins. Maybe next time.”
“See you, Inspector.”, Kogami greets you, leaving alongside me.
“Be good.” you wave back, as we were all to meet again tomorrow.
Walking through the dark alley, I can hear an excerpt from our last conversation through the opaque glass of your office.
“You’re jerk, Sasayama!”
I can hear you laughing out loud, through the crackly recording. You laughed at my gall, with that warm, strong, sweet voice of yours, mocking me. Admit it: mine, after all, were the only compliments that could make you blush.
It’s incredible how we managed to joke even inside a car that was taking us on a crime scene. To an external eye, we might have looked disrespectful. Truth is I’ve always feared death so much I just had to laugh at the reaper.
“Oh, come on, what would it take? Come with me to the Precinct’s New Year’s dinner, the 17th is around the corner!” I kept annoying you, as you were too busy driving to mind my dumb flirt attempts. I still can’t get how we never had an accident. “Be good, Katsumi, give me a joy to live for!”
“You could always ask Shion, you know? You always give her more attention, after all.”
I hear the subtle sound of the wheels stopping, the parking brake cracking and it’s like Ogishima’s outskirts appear before my eyes, in that same January night. That place gave me goosebumps, but I would have hated if you understood it.
“Here we are” you announced, with still a bit of resentment in your voice. You unlocked the passenger’s door and I remember I left your Dominator in the car’s trunk: I didn’t want you to follow me. Not that time.
“You scare me when you pay so much attention” you commented, noticing how serious I got “will you tell me why are you insisting so much to keep on searching? Kogami got the guy. Tomorrow we go, we arrest him and it's thank you, next.”
My answer has been recorded as a distant and muffled noise, but I still can trace it: “He’s not the one, I tell you. I have another suspect, but I need a more solid base. And you’re staying, Inspector.”
“Staying?! You’ve gone crazy!” you laughed, locking the corporate sedan behind you “If something were to happen to you, or worse if you didn’t come back, Kasei would…”
“I said you’re staying: it’s dangerous.”
“Sasayama, our work is dangerous,” you replied, contemptuous, understanding that clearly among the gear I brought I didn’t count yours and going back to the car to get it “One more risk won’t make a difference: if I have to drop dead, it can either be here, at home or god knows where.”
“Will you join me for the precinct’s dinner, though?”
And here is a sequence that the voice recorder surely can’t have grasped, but that I could remember even in a thousand years. You cast an outraged glance over me from above the trunk’s door, panting through a half-smile. You shook your head, tucking your hair behind your ear. And finally, after refusing my invitations since 17th November, during lunch break, you smiled shrugging.
“Deal, come on, just make way” you sighed, as your heels echoed on the wet concrete “Still, you’re a jerk.”
“I recorded it: you have no excu-”
The audio file interrupts.
End of recording.
#anime#manga#fan art#fan work#fan fic#fan fic writing#fanfiction#fanfic#psycho pass#psychopass#OC#original character#oc fanfiction#one shot#oneshot#oneshot fanfic#sasayama#kogami shinya#sibyl system#makishima shogo#first fanfic#translation#anime fanfiction#wattpad#efp fanfiction#fan writing#fanwriter#writer#writing
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A Few Good Men (Part 3 of The Good Girl Series) Ch 1: A Favor
“Do you really think you going out is a good idea?” My brother hums. He is leaning in my doorway, missing a shirt as always. I ignore him as I pull my curls into a bun, focused on making myself somewhat presentable for the first time in months. Leggings and a t-shirt seem like my best option at the moment, even after a week of being cleared, everything hurts. Wonho sighs as he comes over and pushes me to sit down on my bed. He grumbles under his breath as he grabs a pair of my leggings, without hesitation he helps me put them on before setting out in search for at t-shirt. “I’m driving you there.”
I roll my eyes at him, but lift my arms when he yanks my shirt over my head, “Feeling protective today Oppa?”
He glares at me, “You know damn well we all are. You are lucky it’s me who came up and not Jooheon, he’s down stairs ready to call Haneul to tell her to fuck off.”
“I’ve been stuck inside for seven months. I need to get out and stretch, I need to go work.”
“You were in a coma for six of those months and we took you on walks so you wouldn’t get so pale. Wheeling you around like a dead body was not as easy as you would think.”
I can’t help but crack a smile, “I appreciate that and the videos Shownu took were great.”
“Yea, yea,” He sits next to me for a moment, “Thanks for not dying by the way. I don’t think any of us could have handled you not coming home.”
“If this is your attempt at convincing me to stay home you need to do better.”
“I could call Dad.”
“I dare you,” An evil grin spreads across my face, “Call him and tell him Haneul asked for me to stop in for a little bit and you don’t want me to go. It’s not like she is our top customer or anything.”
He sighs again, “I’m driving.”
“Great cause I still can’t. Appreciate the shirt by the way, nice touch,” I laugh as I stare down at our generic t-shirt for the company. It’s royal blue with large white letters that spell Don’t shoot the messenger. Wonho just chuckles as he makes quick work of my socks and runners.
“You good to go down the stairs?”
“I’ll work on that while you get yourself dressed.”
“You sure?”
I nod, shooing him away, “I’ll get one of the others to help.” He listens after a few empty threats, leaving me to my own devices. Standing on too thin legs I make my way across my room and into the hall after him. I am breathless by the time I reach the stairs. Without much thought I plop down on the metal stairs and scoot down with a solid grip on the railing. IM is waiting at the bottom patiently, a small, proud smile on his face.
“All the way down, look at you,” He offers me a hand to get back on my feet. “You heading out?”
“Yep, I’ll only be gone for a little bit. Haneul just wants to check in after everything.”
“She has been extra nice since your shooting,” He points out as he escorts me towards the garage door.
“She feels responsible for me, she’s been like that since we met. I’m sure she’s just going to give me a check up and send me home with a blessing.”
“Let’s hope it’s just that,” Wonho chimes in as he joins us. “Are you feeling like a car or a motorcycle?”
“Motorcycle!”
IM scoffs, “Why do even bother asking?”
We all head into the garage, IM hands me my red leather jacket while Wonho pulls his own black one on. He climbs on the bike and offers me a hand to climb on behind.
“Be safe, okay?” IM warns as he hands us our helmets.
I tsk, “You guys worrying is going to jinx me.”
“I’ll be there the whole time, nothing will happen to her on my watch,” The other man does little to offer our brother comfort. I just roll my eyes at them as I pull my helmet on, hiding my small smile, thankful for their concern. “Ready?” Wonho’s voice echoes through the Bluetooth in my helmet.
I tighten my hold around his waist, putting little effort to hold myself on the gas tank, “Yep!”
IM opens the small garage door, allowing us to zoom out and into the small parking lot outside of the shop. We are buzzed through the tall bar wire fence before we are able to make it to the street. It’s an amazing feeling to have the world rush pass me, the night lights just neon blurs in my peripheral. The ride isn’t that long, Wonho pulls in front of the luxurious looking club and parks his bike there. A valet comes up to us but my brother shoots him away.
“We are just going to be here for a minute,” He tells the other man, “Haneul is just checking in.”
The man nods and quickly escorts us to the door. Hyolyn is there picking at her nails, her eyes shift up to find us standing in the door way and widen almost comically. “The great Natasha lives!” With that she charges at me, nearly taking me to the ground, “I’ve missed that sweet face of yours!”
I smile as I accept her hug, “I’ve missed you too.”
“Hey, hey, hey, get your grubby hands off her,” Wonho easily peels the girl off of me, ignoring her whines and kicks. “We are here to see the boss lady and that’s it.”
“Since when have you been such a mama bear? What happened to your companies ‘you are on your own’ motto?’
I raise my brows at her, “You are a year and a half behind, don’t be stupid.”
Her pout falters as a guilty look settles over her features, “Sorry. Come on, I’ll bring you to her.”
“You good to walk all the way back there?” Wonho questions as we begin the long track into the club.
I nod, “We are going into the lions den, gotta keep a brave face.”
Things are in full throttle with girls all over the place, men young and old alike chasing after them. My brother is hot on my heels the moment he catches sight of a man eyeing me up even in my condition. I let him puff his chest and glare the man down. We reach the door to the back and my whole body is asking me to stop. I’m so tired but I’m this far, I can make it down the hall without collapsing, at least I think I can. Many of the girls wandering through the halls greet me with beautiful smiles, a few offer hugs, some attempt to chat but my brother makes them move along as politely as he can, which isn’t polite at all but I let it slide. My legs are going to give out any moment and I would prefer not to cause a scene.
When we arrive at Haneul’s office Hyolyn knocks once before letting herself in. The moment we step inside Wonho scoops me up to dump me in one of the comfortable chairs in front of Haneul’s desk.
“Can you get her some water?” He all but demands from Hyolyn.
“Please don’t raise your voice at my girls,” A voice warns from behind a room divider near the back corner of the room. Wonho tenses as he crouches down close to me, now using me as a shield to hide from the fierce woman. The tanned goddess comes out with a tray in her hands and a smile on her beautiful face. She clicks over to me in her heels, her black wavy locks bounce with every step against her back. In leather pants and a fire engine red silk blouse, she looks like the boss she is. Her warm brown eyes find my own, her smile becomes more genuine as she sets the tray on her desk and comes to greet me, “How is my favorite little bird doing?”
I chuckle at the old nickname, “I’ve been better but I’ve also been worse.”
“Have your brothers been taking good care of you since your dad has been out? I talked to him earlier today on the phone, he’s upset he couldn’t join us today.”
“Yea, when he got your call last week about that meeting in the states he didn’t think he would be gone this long but those guys there are spoiling him rotten with information. He said he should have your moneys worth when he get home later this week.”
She beams at me, “I can’t wait. Now enough about him, how is your physical therapy going? Do you need anything that I can get you?”
“She’s fine,” Wonho mumbles next to me, earning himself a deadly glare.
“I’m fine, really,” I answer before he can earn her true wrath. “The boy have been great, the doctor visits have been great, therapy has been great. Thank you again for paying for the bills, you did not have to do that. We have more than enough to cover them.”
“So do I. Spending money on my friend is worth every penny. I am just happy you are still kicking, I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to my little bird.” She strokes my head fondly, “I’m still so sorry about this whole thing but I really need a favor.”
I raise my brows at that, “A favor? I know I said I’m fine but I can’t even walk a city block without having to take a break, I can’t go on a job just yet.”
“Wonho, could you step out with Hyolyn for a moment while we chat?”
“No thanks,” He quickly responds.
“I’ll be fine,” I pat his arm reassuringly, “Plus I’m pretty sure I saw Seungcheol oppa out there working. Go harass him for a while.”
It takes a few tugs from Hyolyn to get my brother out of the room, “I’ll be right out here if you need me!” He shouts as she gets him out the door, closing it behind him.
“So what’s this favor?”
She smiles softly, “How about some tea first?” The Latin woman pulls away to return to her desk, she pours me a cup of tea and adds a little sugar and honey before handing it off to me. Leaning against the desk she stares down at me, “I have these friends who lost the person they care about almost a year ago. I am partly the reason she left, so my dear friend is extremely upset with me.”
“And what do you want me to do about it?”
“Well, I was wondering if you would do me the biggest favor and spend a little time with him and one of his brothers.”
“Why me?” I question.
“Drink some of your tea before it gets cold,” she tells me first. She waits until I take a few sips, “You look a lot like the girl. It might help them get some rest if they spend some time with you.”
I hold the cup out to her, “No thank you. Can you please get Wonho oppa? I’m ready to go.”
“Drink, please, I’m not done talking.” She gently shoved it back at me.
I begrudgingly take a big drink in hopes of finishing it and leaving, “I won’t do it. I love you Unni and I appreciate everything you do for me but I can’t do that. Ask me for anything else and you’ve got it.”
“This is the only thing I need. I swear it won’t be anything sexual. Just let them hug you and maybe sleep next to you for a bit. I know you don’t want to, I know the bad memories are all coming back but it won’t be like that. You have my word. They just need a moment of peace, can you please do that for me?”
I want to leave. I want my brother to come and take me home so I don’t have to leave ever again. My hands are shaking, Hanuel silently urges me to drink the last of my tea before taking the clattering cup and saucer away. She set that aside, crouches down in front of me and rubs my knees in a attempt to calm the shakes that erupt through my body. Part of me feels as if I have to say yes, Hanuel got me to where I am now, I should be able to do this favor for her.
“I can’t.”
“It’s okay little bird,” she moves to hug me, resting my head in the crook of her neck. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to make you upset. Just breath okay? You should feel okay in a minute.”
My toes are tingling. Then my fingers are, panic attempts to set in but is pushed away by a sudden sense of calm. The shaking stops.
I choke out a cry as realization creeps in.
“You didn’t.” I hope and pray she didn’t do this to me but the familiar feeling of a sedative cocktail begins to buzz through my whole body. I choke out a cry as the world begins to go fuzzy. “No, no, no! I don’t want to go to sleep!”
She just shushes me, my body slowly going numb, “It okay, it’s okay, you’ll just take a good rest and then everything should be fine. You’ll do so good.”
“Please don’t make me,” my words begin slurring together.
Haneul ignores my pleas, kissing the top of my head and rocking me gently back and forth. She mumbles under her breath to me as everything fades away, “Everything will be okay little bird.”
#exo#yall ready for this#it’s Gonna be a little sad#monsta x#they gonna be in this now#new girl#still a slight daddy kink later on#baekhyun#yixing#they are the main focus#but everyone else will be there too#xiumin#luhan#kris#suho#jongdae#chen#kyungsoo#tao#kai#sehun#exo mafia au
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no safety or surprise [1/?]
AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18035168/chapters/42616919
( See First Chapter for full Disclaimers & Warnings)
Summary: A haunting broadcast reveals the Joker’s final act and sets off a chain of events that will destroy the world. Terry finds himself collaborating once more with the estranged members of Bruce’s former team. As the end nears, however, he and the other Bats are faced with hard choices about survival—and forgiveness.
Rating: T (may change depending on the amount of graphic/details I decide on)
________________________________________________________________
chapter one: the calm before the storm
Neo-Gotham, Friday, June 13, 2042
9:04 AM
MCGINNIS
Siblings, Terry thinks as he scowls down at the little gremlin on the couch, are highly overrated.
At some point, while he was getting ready for school, Matt snuck into his room and stole his comforter. The twip is now wrapped up like a giant burrito, watching television and pretending he doesn’t see Terry’s irritated expression.
“Don’t you have your own?” he grumbles. “You’re going to get your sick germs all over it.”
“You can just wash it later.”
“That’s not the point.”
“I think it’s cute,” Mom interrupts, stopping the fight in its tracks the way she always does. She doesn’t look up from her phone, thumb flying through a text. “And you used to do the same thing, by the way.”
Terry blinks. “I did not.”
“You did. With mine and your father’s bedspread. That, and homemade soup? Always made you feel better when you were sick.”
Which, okay, Terry can sort of remember that.
There was something safe about being wrapped in blankets that smelled like Dad’s aftershave and having Mom spoil him with food made just for him. A pang of sadness hits him, leeching away from his irritation; Matt was never able to do that. Their parents divorced rather soon after he was born, and Dad wasn’t around Matt much afterward, let alone when he was sick.
Since Warren McGinnis’ death, Terry is the only adult male presence his brother has in his life.
And I’ve done a pretty crap job of that so far.
He’s always so busy, working for Mr. Wayne on and off the books. The criminal element in Gotham makes it practically impossible to maintain connections outside the life.
It’s ironic that Batman is better at being a role-model for Matt than Terry is.
The fight drains out of him, and he gives a put-upon sigh. “Fine. He can have it. But if I get sick, I’m going to hang him over the balcony by his feet." He turns away, but knows Matt is sticking his tongue out at the back of his head; it’s what he’d do at that age. “So, what’s the verdict? Staying? Going?”
Whatever Matt has, their mother seems to be coming down with as well. She’s been debating all morning about whether she intends to go into work or not. Terry’s stuck around, in case she does decide to go, and he has to watch Matt; he can Livestream his classes, she can’t exactly do the same for her job.
“I don’t know,” Mom says, frowning at the screen. “Jarvis and Riley are out today too apparently.”
Terry whistles; he’s happy he hasn’t caught whatever’s going around. It’s still the cold part of June, around the time when the temperatures fluctuate between mild and freeze-your-nuts off. Mom always tells him how when she was a young girl, the weather already started warming up in May, but because of global warming summer doesn’t really arrive until July.
So now, June is the summer flu season.
Point being, I could still catch it. And won’t that be fun.
Because Batman doesn’t get sick days, and Terry knows from experience that having a cold while wearing the cowl is probably the most disgusting feeling ever. And that includes wading through sewage and cleaning rotten food out of the refrigerator.
While Mom continues to debate with herself, he fires off texts to Dana and Max, asking them to cover anything he misses for the first period, in case he’s late. There are about ten seconds before he gets a response from Max.
‘No problem. Is it work? Or work?’
Before he can respond, Dana’s text comes in. ’everything OK w/ mr wayne?’
And he can’t help a smile at that, because he doesn’t have to make up any kind of lie or excuse, because they both know. He’s still getting used to the fact that Dana knows, and that she understands. And wants to help.
It’s more than he ever thought he’d get when he started this whole thing.
‘Wayne OK far as I know,’ Terry texts them both back, mentally crossing his fingers that he isn’t jinxing anything. ‘Mom & Matt not feeling great. Keeping an eye on them a bit.’
‘aw, sux. tell them feel better from me. dnt worry, got u covered! <3’
There’s a minute or so before Max responds.
‘Too bad. Nasty flu this year, huh? Not feeling great either, but test period 2, so…’
Terry’s eyes widen. ‘Wait. What test?’
‘LOL.’
‘Srsly, what test?!?!’
There’s no answer, and Terry frowns down at his phone, trying to decide if Max is messing with him or not. He’s about to double-check with Dana when his mother speaks.
“I think I will stay home,” she decides, rubbing her cheekbones. “My face hurts. I really hope it’s not another sinus infection. That’s all I need on top of everything.”
“Hey, take it easy,” Terry tells her with a comforting smile. “It’s been a while since you had the day off. Besides, the world’s not going to shut down because one astronomer doesn’t come into work.”
“You say that now,” Mom says dryly. “If an asteroid is hurtling toward the earth and it’s my job to spot it, you’re going to feel pretty foolish.”
“Nah, never happen.” He grabs his bag and starts for the door, stopping to press a kiss to the top of his mother’s head. “With Superman out there? And the Justice League? Pretty good job security, I’d say.”
“Lame,” Matt grumbles from his blanket cocoon. “Batman can take them all. He probably has a special rocket to shoot stuff down.”
And, okay, maybe Terry might rethink his stance on siblings, because damn if those words don’t make him grin.
Matt notices and frowns at him. “Why are you smiling at me like a creeper?”
And, there goes that good feeling.
“Trying to decide whether to take a pic and send to your friends and show them how pathetic you are right now. You’re like a human-larva hybrid. It’s gross.”
“Yeah, well—well, you’re adopted!”
That’s his latest insult to everyone when he can’t think of anything else to say.
“Matt!”
“At least I was planned,” Terry retorts.
It takes a moment before the penny drops, and his brother’s overly pale face goes red. “Moooooom!”
“Terry, leave your brother alone, he’s sick,” she sighs, rubbing her eyes.
“What’s his excuse for the rest of the time?”
“Go to school, hon.”
Matt smirks at him, and returns his attention to the television, flipping through cartoons. Terry rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything about favoritism, because it always comes back to how he’s an adult now and should know better than to stoop to the level of a ten-year-old.
I can win a fight against the deadliest member of the Society of Assassins, but not this. Go figure.
“Will Mr. Wayne need you today?” Mom asks as he puts on his jacket. He knows she’s wondering if he’ll be able to come home and relieve her from Matt-duty at some point, which he totally understands.
“We’ll see. I’ll probably drive out to check on him tonight, but I think I can get home after school if you need a break.”
“That would be appreciated.”
“Do you want me to bring you guys anything while I’m out—?”
There is a sudden, sharp drop in pitch throughout the entire house. Terry’s ears pop a little, the same way they do whenever Shriek mutes the sound in the surrounding area, but somehow his hearing simply becomes sharper now.
Before Terry can wonder if it’s a sign the sound-terrorist is back out on the street, the living room is filled with music. A jaunty, haunting carnival tune that instantly has the hair on the back of Terry’s neck raising.
His gaze whips to the television screen, which is flickering between static and a blank screen with the words HA HA HA flashes across it in red.
His mouth goes dry.
________________________________________________________________
WAYNE
Bruce is starting to wonder if a Lazarus Pit might not have been a better idea than the liver transplant. Of the methods for artificially prolonging life, at least with the Pit, he would eventually start to feel like he was recovering.
After the madness subsided, at least.
On days like today—when it’s damp and chilly, and there’s nothing going on in Gotham to keep him glued to the computer screen in the Cave—it’s hard to remember the arguments he’s always made against using the restorative powers of a Lazarus Pit. His body protests with every movement as he eases it through several slowed kata variations. Part of his physical therapy, as suggested by his doctors.
Since his procedure, he feels the exhaustion much more keenly. It’s bone-deep fatigue that seeps into every muscle, emphasizing the way his bones creak and grind against each other, cartilage worn away from age and decades of abuse. It’s the way his energy levels drain so much faster now, to the extent that even his usual ability to will himself into action seems to wane every day.
Not that he really had a choice in the matter. He was in end-stage liver failure, and the nearest Pit is in New Cuba. He’d just been lucky that there was a suitable donor in the hospital at the right time.
‘Luck’ is one word for it. ‘Cruel irony’ might be a better phrase.
Douglas Tan is one of the names he’s going to carry on his conscience for the rest of his life; or, at least on his liver.
Terry still makes jokes about Batman having a piece of a Joker inside him, but then Terry tends to use humor to cover up when he’s worried. Dick always did that, too; and Jason.
Bruce scowls, bothered by the direction of his thoughts, as well as the raggedness to his breath. He isn’t even moving very fast, but it’s taking him every bit of strength to keep at it.
Ace is curled up in his usual spot in the cave, watching Bruce with what seems to be narrowed eyes. As if to say, don’t overdo it or I will knock you over.
The dog is smarter than most people.
Ace is one of the reasons the doctors were willing to leave him to pursue recovery on his own and not under some beady-eyed nurse in the hospital. Money isn’t as much an incentive as it once was, with so many legal and health standards in the way; the older he gets, the less likely people are to trust his ability to make decisions, lawyers or not.
He tolerated a private nurse for about a day while having Terry make other arrangements and manufacturing a piece of paper saying Ace was a certified service dog. He’s not, but Bruce has no doubt the dog would activate the medical alert button at the computer if something were to happen. And Terry has an alarm set up, keyed into the surveillance and motion sensors in the Cave. If anything were to happen, he can be here faster than any ambulance.
Old age has fed into long-buried fears, and it gives him an embarrassing sense of relief knowing there’s someone to look in on him. It has always bothered him, being dependent—being weak.
Some days he’s more accepting of it; some days he wishes he had Kryptonian DNA.
Which is usually the point at which he forces himself to occupy his mind with other things because envying Kal-El can only lead down a dark, frustrating path of self-pity. One he’s determinedly avoided ever since meeting the other man.
After another fifteen minutes of forcing himself to think about nothing but the movement of his limbs, Bruce finally finishes his exercises. Sweat coats his back and his muscles ache with the same burn as if he just spent several hours grappling through the Gotham skyline. Even if it took fewer challenging movements to reach this point, that burn is comforting.
Familiar.
And that’s a word that’s been cropping up more in his thoughts lately. History tends to repeat, after all, but it’s still strange to experience. Terry’s been an excellent example of that.
Like Bruce, the McGinnis boy started out with nothing but a suit and an old man’s voice in his ear. Now, he’s got a network. Friends who he trusts and who will keep his secret. A steadily growing list of allies in the field.
The Police Commissioner. The Justice League.
And a Catwoman too, for Christ sakes.
He wonders what Selina would think about that.
Bruce just hopes the kid won’t make his mistakes. Forty years is a long time to rack up regrets.
At least Dick’s back in contact now.
Sort of.
He showed up the second night that Bruce was recovering from his procedure at the hospital; he’d managed to convince Terry to go out on patrol instead of wasting his time watching an old man sleep.
“Batman doesn’t get a day off.”
Bruce had dozed for a bit, but not deeply; it wasn’t difficult to discern that he wasn’t alone.
One minute the room was empty and in the next, Bruce could feel that familiar presence—the one of a man who had carried the mantles of Robin, Nightwing, and Batman—and somehow lived to tell the tale. Then his estranged son was stepping out of the shadows, glaring down at him, muscles in his jaw working and fists clenching and unclenching.
“I know what you’re going to say,” Bruce had croaked, wishing he had thought to ask for ice chips before the nurse left. “I’m too stubborn to die.”
The silence hanging afterward was filled with everything he couldn’t say yet. For once, Dick didn’t call him on it.
“You’re more stubborn than God,” his boy countered.
(He’ll always be a boy to Bruce, grey hair and eye-patch be damned.)
And yet, Dick sat, arms crossed and spine stiff for the rest of the night. Still angry, but present nonetheless. He stayed until morning rounds without saying anything and then left.
They haven’t seen each other since, but sometimes Bruce can hear feedback on the comms when he’s directing Terry’s patrols. The tinny whisper of signals crossing from the bug he pretends he doesn’t know Dick planted on the underside of his medical ID tag.
It’s not much, but it’s something. The opening of the possibility that at some point, he’ll come around.
Barbara did, after all.
Mostly because of Terry, but afterward Bruce started making the effort. They can have conversations alone now that don’t end with her yelling at him (or punching him, on one or two memorable occasions). Bruce forgot how much he enjoyed her sense of humor and intelligence—how much he enjoyed their friendship—from before they slept together.
(That might be one of his life’s biggest shames. Oh, he has regrets associated with all of the family for one thing or another, but this is the one that still wakes him up at night feeling dirty.)
In a way, it’s easier with Tim, and that’s a bridge Bruce thought had been obliterated long ago.
Granted, he’s leaving Gotham again—the last incident with the Joker army rattled him enough that he put in for a transfer to the Beijing division of Wayne Enterprises—but he stuck around long enough to collaborate with Bruce on a subdermal antitoxin deployment implant against Joker venom.
(None of them want to be caught unawares again.)
It’s in the prototype phase, with only five of the devices in existence; he, Tim and Terry are testing them personally. It’s not exactly something the FDA is going to approve for human testing anytime soon, not with all the new legislation, but with the state of Gotham, it’s unwise to wait on it.
(He sent one to Barbara and one to Dick but doesn’t know if they’ve bothered to activate them. At least they haven’t sent them back.)
If the implant works, Bruce is seriously considering modifying the tech for the Wayne Enterprises medical division. There are a lot of illnesses and viruses out there which require regular dosages of medicine to keep them under control. The difficulty is finding funding and ensuring the board of the directors doesn’t jump on the chance to charge exorbitant amounts of money for the technology. The whole point of the tech is to help anyone who needs it, not just the filthy rich.
Maybe that’s the next project, after CAIN, he muses, grabbing his towel from where he draped it over one of the computer processors.
His global Clean Air Initiative Network is something he’d been working on before stepping back from the company. It was shelved almost immediately by Derek Powers when he took over, but since Bruce has been back, he’s been revisiting a lot of old projects.
Lucius’ boy did most of the technical work on it, and Foxtecha will have joint ownership of the patent when it’s ready for public consumption. Bruce would have asked Tim, but he knows how determined his estranged son is to get out of Gotham. He can read it in the tone of his emails, which have thankfully lost the stilted, formal business tone they’ve had since he returned to the company.
(Bruce mentioned paying a visit in the future, and Tim didn’t say no, so he counts that as a win.)
It’s a little disconcerting how the family is coming together again; disconcerting but welcome.
He’s received a vid call last week from Cassandra expressing concern over his surgery, and then a short, gruff email from Duke all-but ordering him to get better. There’s even a letter from Stephanie—or Eurus, as she goes by these days—smelling of dust and desert sun and incense found only in Nanda Parbat. Her messy, looping scrawl, echoed Dick’s sentiment about Bruce’s stubbornness and alluded to its genetic inheritability.
(That said more than if she had mentioned Damian outright; his youngest son has remained stubbornly silent.)
Bruce lost track of her not long after Damian’s short and brutal stint under the cowl; it had surprised him to find out she ended up in Tibet.
It also relieved him. Because no matter how dark a path his son wandered, at least there would be someone to challenge him. To not obey without question. To give him a link to the life he once had, to being human and alive.
(Bruce very carefully doesn’t think about Jason—doesn’t wonder if things had been different if he wouldn’t have reached out as well. Even after so many years, that wound is still raw.)
The whole thing is a stark difference from the last few times he ended up in the hospital, including when he was dosed on Joker venom several months ago. He didn’t hear anything from them at that point, which makes him think someone really thought he was dying this time and reached out.
Barbara, maybe. Or Dick. However much tension there is between himself and Bruce, he does keep in touch with the others. Hell, it might even have been Terry. The kid doesn’t know the rest of them personally, but he’s gotten adept at navigating the computer in the cave.
And he’s always been curious about his predecessors.
Bruce’s first family.
Or maybe just the first phase of the family.
Bruce shies away from that secret bit of knowledge he has about Terry, and his brother Matt. What he discovered the first time the kid returned to the Cave with bloody gashes that needed stitching up. The files and medical information buried beneath every firewall he could fashion, so the latest Batman can never stumble upon it accidentally.
The most Bruce has allowed himself to acknowledge it is an amendment in his will setting aside trust funds for both boys.
As if triggered by his thoughts, the screen of the Bat-Computer flickers to life. He rolls his shoulders, expecting an alert on some heist or robbery going on in the city; another case to add to the docket for Terry to investigate after school (depending on the severity).
Bruce doesn’t expect the Cave to suddenly fill with a jaunty, haunting carnival tune that makes his entire body seize in recognition. And yet, he already knows what’s coming even before the words HA HA HA coalesce upon the screen.
“Hell-O World! It’s your favorite rascal…”
________________________________________________________________
GORDON
There are times when Barbara misses being a vigilante, if only because there was a lot less paperwork involved. Questionable legality aside, there was always a simplicity to the whole endeavor: track down the bad guy, entrap-and-or-beat said bad guy into submission, and then drop them off at the GCPD.
Now that she’s the one behind the desk, though, she has a lot more appreciation for the work her father did. She wonders how he never developed an aneurysm or stress-related heart condition due to the grief Batman (and the rest of them) caused the department.
She has barely sat down in her office, but there’s an influx of emails flooding her inbox. She scans through the first few—requests from someone in IA sniffing around some of her open cases on the barest hint that she’s allowing Batman to help, reminders about upcoming social functions she would rather skip, two officers that have to be brought up on disciplinary charges—and sighs. It’s just the first two dozen.
Today is going to be a triple espresso kind of day, I can tell, she decides, rolling her shoulders and tilting her neck from side to side.
Another message chimes as it comes in.
Crime Alley and Tricorner are requesting more plainclothes officers in the area, ostensibly to deal with an upswing in crime over the past twenty-four hours.
Barbara frowns at this—it must be significant if those particular precincts are reaching out, they usually hate working with Central. Then again, everyone’s been jumpy about security since the Jokerz almost destroyed Gotham.
They’re still finding bodies from that one. She’s got three of her officers’ families grieving without any closure.
Barbara goes back over incident reports from the last few hours, noting a rise in attacks on the homeless, property damage and extreme road-rage (twenty-six separate incidents of that, which is a new daily extreme for her). From the initial investigations into each of the unrelated events—all in different areas of the city—there doesn’t seem to be any motivating factor or link.
What the hell is going on?
A crime spike isn’t ordinary for June; they usually start around now and then play out over the course of weeks.
Not hours. Have any of our usual players been released from custody lately? There’ve been no outbreaks or escapes that I know of.
If there is someone out there stirring things up, she hopes to God it’s just someone like Walter Shrieve. Arrogant and brilliant offenders she can deal with; they’re always so eager to prove themselves the best, and it always leads to their downfall. It’s the criminally insane ones that keep her up for days on end trying to restore some semblance of sanity to a city that’s never going to get any better. Even worse is a combination of the two.
Uneasy, she fires off a message to her counterparts in New York and Toronto, to see if they’re seeing similar phenomena in their jurisdictions. She hopes this is nothing, but she’s getting a hunch. And her hunches never lead her to anything that could be remotely called good.
“Get me Commissioner Sawyer over at MPD,” she tells the computer. She and Maggie go way back, and the other woman doesn’t pull that intercity rivalry crap when it comes to sharing important information.
“Yeah, the dregs are coming out of the woodwork here, too,” Maggie tells her after they exchange the requisite pleasantries. Her voice is carefully measured in a way that tells Barbara she’s not having a good day, either. “We had a damn flash mob that caused an A-trak derailment this morning. I have no idea how there weren’t more casualties, but…”
“Where’s Superman when you need him, right? I’d heard he was back in play.”
According to Bruce and Terry, anyhow.
“If he is, he must be off-world or something, because I doubt he’d be sitting on his ass at a time like this. What about on your end?”
“Well, we’re not exactly beyond the powers of the GCPD right now,” Barbara replies, a little smugly. “No need to take the Bat-signal out of storage.”
Yet, the unwelcome voice in her head echoes.
“Oh-ho, aren’t we getting confident in our old age?” Maggie sneers, but there’s no real malice to it. “For all our sakes, I hope it stays that way. But I’ve got a hunch...”
“Yeah,” Barbara sighs, her stomach dropping. “Me too.”
It’s not a good sign when both she and her opposite number in Metropolis are on the same wavelength.
As Maggie hangs up, three more incident reports pop up on the side of her screen. Skirmishing at Gotham General—that’s all they need now. If things are just warming up, it’s looking like another long day.
Sam’s not going to like it…
Barbara dials in the number herself this time on her personal line. There’s a trill and the viewscreen pops up to show her husband in his office at the DA, scowling down at a tablet. His expression clears when he sees her.
“Didn’t I just see you this morning?” he jokes. “Or were you that keen to see me again?”
“Always,” Barbara tells him, softer than she speaks to anyone else. “But I’m actually calling to apologize. It’s going to be a day, and I don’t know if I’ll get home for supper.”
“It must be bad since you just got there.”
“Things have been hairy all night,” she admits. “I’ve got incident reports multiplying as we speak. You’d think with the bug going around people would be staying home to recuperate, but it looks like they think it’s an excuse to break the law.”
“Well, it’s Gotham. After all this time, it’s not a surprise.”
“It’s really, really not.”
“I know I’d rather be home in bed,” Sam says, and normally a comment like that would have innuendo behind it. This time it’s all too earnest. He rubs his face tiredly. “I think I’m coming down with it too, to be honest.”
“If you give it to me, you’re sleeping on the couch for the next week,” Barbara informs him automatically. “I can’t afford to miss any work for the next…forever.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, hon. The minute they see you blink in this business, you’re dead in the water.” Sam grimaces and rolls his shoulders, and Barbara experiences a tinge of concern because he does look pale.
“Maybe you should go home,” she suggests. “You can work on your cases at home, can’t you?”
“Unfortunately, no. I’m due in court at ten o’clock.”
“If you’re dead from the flu, do you know how many criminals are going to walk free?” she demands, only a little bit joking.
He chuckles. “Come on, Babs, you know no one’s died of the flu in twenty years.”
Barbara has a witty retort on her tongue, but it stalls when Sam’s image freezes in front of her. It seems at first to be a lag, but then the screen morphs from his office to what looks like a brick wall.
She feels an icy cold slice through her, the same one she always gets when anything is associated with him. It’s the echo of a bullet, tearing through her internal organs and spine, and the hair-raising chill.
Barbara doesn’t really read the words, too focused on the high, cold cackle in the that somehow blocks out every other sound.
________________________________________________________________
DRAKE
For the first time in a long time, Tim is happy.
His house is a gutted mess of boxes and detritus, but unlike in his younger years, it’s not because some supervillain has come crashing in to threaten him. He smiles, a little whimsical, at the date on the holographic calendar, and the word that hovers there: Moving.
In a week, he and Arlene will be in Beijing, and forever free of Gotham City.
They made the decision together in the weeks following the Jokerz attack, after Tim escaped the Cave the last time. He made it clear to Bruce and his new apprentice that it was the last time.
He doesn’t mind continuing to work for Wayne Enterprises—hell, he helped build that company, he takes a certain amount of pride and responsibility for it—but he won’t be doing that from Gotham. There’s too much history here, too much…everything. Apparently living on the outskirts or even in the same state (even on the same continent) isn’t enough for Tim to completely escape the lingering, nightmarish legacy of Batman.
Of Robin.
He wants normal. And after everything he’s been through, he more than deserves it.
“Oh, I’ll be sure to tell your dad, he’ll be happy to hear that,” Arlene says, chatting with their daughter Janet on the vidphone across the kitchen. In the den, the low sounds of the television provide background noise.
“—the level of unrest breaking out in the world’s major cities, has politicians asking, ‘is this another Yellow Vest Movement?’—"
“Honey, Janet says she and Maeve will be coming to help with the move after all.”
“You mean coming to eat pizza and beer,” Tim replies with a smile; they’ve already hired movers.
“Semantics,” he hears his youngest daughter laugh. “Either way we’ll be there.”
“Always happy to see you, kiddo.”
“Now, I’ve got to let you go,” Arlene says. “I have a nine-thirty conference call with Peking U., but I’ll speak to you later on.”
She has a follow-up interview for a position in the Linguistics Department there. It’s a step down from her current professorship at Gotham University, where she was on the tenure track, but when Tim pointed this out, she insisted his mental health was more important than her job prospects.
He tells himself he gave in so easily because after so many years of marriage it’s futile to argue with her. He tries not to acknowledge the total relief that he didn’t have to argue with her about it.
“Yeah, no problem Mom. Talk to you soon.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too!”
The video feed of their daughter winks out.
“Do you need me to get out of your hair?” Tim asks.
“No, I’ll take the call up in the office,” his wife replies and presses a kiss to his temple as she passes. Then she pauses, turns around and grabs the coffee pot to bring with her. “And I’m cutting you off. Any more of this and you’re not sleeping tonight.”
Tim sighs. “It’s like you know me or something.”
“And don’t forget it, mister!”
He listens carefully to the sound of his wife retreating up the stairs and over the landing, and then reaches for the microwave, where he surreptitiously stashed an extra cup earlier that morning.
And swears when he finds it missing; a quick glance to the sink sees it already washed out.
Damn it, she does know me.
But the thought is more fond than irritated.
Arlene is the only sure thing in his life, especially after his trauma. They met through Kate Kane—or rather, because of Kate Kane. The two women attended West Point at the same time, and Arlene acted as a character witness for Kate prior to the dishonorable discharge. Though Arlene graduated from the Academy, she did not spend much time on active duty before she was injured by a roadside bomb and lost her leg. Afterward, while dealing with her own PTSD, she pursued an academic career. She and Kate lost touch, and it wasn’t until the media released news of Kate’s murder that she heard of her again.
Arlene attended the funeral, which is where Tim met her for the first time. Two weeks later, they met in a support group for trauma survivors and started getting coffee together. It took Tim a year to figure out she was flirting with him (which Jason never stopped teasing him about, even when he was on his deathbed). After everything with Stephanie, and then with Jason, Arlene offered a safety none of his other partners ever had.
There’s a high-pitched trill from his cellphone, and he glances down to read the text from Cass.
‘ayt? need yr flight info. to pick u up from airport next wk. :) :) :)’
His sister still prefers to text over talking by phone, even all these years later, which he’s pleased about. So much these days is done with face-to-face screens or even holographic technology; he wasn’t really a people person before, but it’s getting rarer and rarer to have any kind of privacy. Texting—especially across the encrypted server he’s set up—is a relief.
Tim relays the details to her, along with the implied greetings from his wife, and expects that to be it. But then he gets another text.
‘question? 4 work.’
Tim tenses.
Cassandra Cain works as a retired ballerina who opened her own school of dance; it’s highly unlikely the work-related question has anything to do with that. It’s probably for Black Bat.
But he cautiously texts back, ‘As long as it’s just a question.’
He’s had to re-learn to establish boundaries.
‘fair. u worked cybersecurity. ever hear of Morningstar. hacker/agency???’
Tim frowns, thinks back, and shakes his head even though she can’t see it. ‘No. Never dealt with anything like that.’
Ok! 3Q. worth a shot. will c u & arlene on thurs. 520GG!’
‘88MM’
He waits a few minutes, but there are no more messages forthcoming, and then sends out the last message—‘88MM’, before putting his phone away.
Unlike everyone else from his vigilante days, Cass knows how to not push.
And yet…
She rarely asks him about anything that might involve her after-hours work, both out of familial courtesy and because her operation is, at least unofficially, supported by the Chinese government. Legally, there’s not a lot she can involve him in; when she does, it’s only where she has absolutely no other recourse and it involves paperwork and non-disclosure agreements.
Only twice has she asked him something in an off-hand way, which he knew instinctively had to do with Black Bat but pretended not to realise. The last time, his information helped her locate and dismantle a eugenicist breeding program using homeless girls.
Perhaps that’s why he finds himself reaching for his laptop and looking into anything to do with Cass’s mysterious ‘Morningstar’.
The word generates a broad spectrum of results, even when he searches through the Dark Web. Nothing to do with drugs, nothing related to human trafficking or weapons—nothing that wouldn’t immediately stand out to Cass in her own searches. He narrows search parameters, skating through encryptions and IP trails and layers and layers of disturbing data—
Within ten minutes he comes across the exact word in connection with a burgeoning hacktivist group known as DevilNight, but no indications as to what it refers to. It’s odd, considering the group has only existed for a short while and has hardly done anything worthy of attention. It makes no sense that something like this would be on Cass’s radar, especially considering based on his tracking, the group is based in Idaho.
He has just started to peel back the layers of the group’s security when his computer screen freezes. A beat later, words begin to type on his screen, and the blood drains from his cheeks.
H E L L O J U N I O R
Even as the words register, Tim is already shoving himself backward, away from the screen. His hand slaps against the spot in his neck where Joker’s microchip was implanted—the spot where he injected Bruce’s anti-venom deployment system. It’s a reassurance, a reminder, he will be safe—
Horror suffuses him as another message typed out in front of him:
D O N ’T B E A N A U G H T Y B O Y
Bile rises in his throat and Tim feels the world spin. Instantly, he is back in that horrible room, hysterical laughter in his ears and a falsely cheerful melody playing in the background.
He has to fight himself back under control, checking his surroundings, going over simple facts about himself in his head—
Not Junior not Junior not Junior—
My name is Timothy Jackson Drake. Drake-Wayne.
He is still that, even if he never uses the name anymore. He never got around to changing it, never had the courage to.
My parents were Jack and Janet Drake. Mom died when I was a boy, Dad remarried. Dana. But they died—
Kidnapped, poisoned, murdered, went insane—
No, he’s getting off track. Facts, he needs facts about himself, to ground him, to remind him of who he is and not what he has lived through.
I work as a communications director and do contract work for Wayne Enterprises. I have two daughters—Kate and Janet. Kate is a veterinarian; Janet is a stockbroker. She married Maeve last year. Kate is pregnant with our first grandchild. Arlene and I go to Florida every winter…
At long last, he gets himself under control again, can separate himself from the specter of Junior.
He expects the laughter and the inner echoes of carnival music to fade away.
Instead, it becomes louder and more distinct.
Tim stares at his screen in horror as the message vanishes, the words replaced with something even more sinister.
HA HA HA.
No.
Not again.
He can’t do this again.
________________________________________________________________
GRAYSON
Dick only ever feels his age in the mornings.
There’s just something about his body waking up after a long sleep, before his training kicks in to ignore the aches and pains, that can’t fight off the heaviness as fast anymore. Every day it’s more painful putting himself through the usual routine of exercises to keep himself in shape.
Thankfully, he’s still outwardly put-together enough to hide it.
He smiles ruefully at his reflection in the bathroom mirror—more of a grimace, really—and studies the patchwork of old scars and not-so-old bruises across his chest.
He knows he doesn’t look his age. It’s not even due to cosmetic surgery or organ replacements or even the personal holograph projections that have gotten popular in the last decade. Longevity just happens to run in his family; John Grayson’s father was still pulling triple somersaults at eighty and Mary Lloyd’s grandmother lived to be a hundred and thirteen.
The only thing artificial in his body are metal plates and pins that replaced bones fractured beyond natural healing, and the biotech keeping the bullet in his spine from moving. (And the antitoxin implant Bruce sent him; because no feud is worth getting dosed with Joker venom, whether the bastard is dead or not.)
Not bad for fifty-nine, he decides and heads for the kitchen.
There’s a moan from his bedroom, and he pauses briefly as he passes to consider the woman lying in his bed in nothing but his bedsheets. In her sleep, she curls to one side, causing the sheet to slip a little and reveal bruises in the shape of his fingers across her hip. He can feel the matching set on his own back.
Definitely not bad for fifty-nine.
For a moment he debates the merits of returning to bed and continuing where they left off last night, but that would be against one of the unspoken rules they established when they started sleeping together.
The other is that they don’t use real names.
He doesn’t know or want to know hers—after a lifetime of failed relationships and broken hearts he knows better than to get attached. And though he’s aware she knows his—the world knows his name since that fiasco with the wannabe Hush—she never uses it. If she must, she calls him Wing, and it’s a clear reminder that she has no intention of crossing any boundaries to let things become personal.
He has no problem with that; he calls her Black.
He’ll never call her Cat because that’s what Bruce called Selina Kyle. Associating this Catwoman with the original just feels a little too oedipal to Dick.
(Selina never really gave off motherly vibes, but she was the most constant presence of all Bruce’s paramours, so she sort of ended up in that role by association).
The original Catwoman was the only one Bruce could never completely push away—though that might say more about Selina’s stubbornness than the old man trying to keep hold of the people in his life. She decided when they were in a relationship, or out of one, whatever Bruce wanted.
In the end, even that wasn’t enough though. Her heart was never as strong after the incident with the real Hush.
Dick remembers attending the funeral. Bruce didn’t show up at the service or the burial. It was a few years into his self-imposed exile, right after Damian’s departure, and soon after Steph and Cass. He obviously hadn’t wanted to face any of them (maybe couldn’t face them).
But there was a crack in the headstone the next time Dick brought flowers (an imprint of a fist he would know anywhere) and he knows Bruce blamed himself for that too.
Dick heads to the kitchen, grabbing a coffee for himself. He debates for a moment, leaving one out for Black, but if the usual pattern holds, she’ll be jumping out his bedroom window soon without even coming into the kitchen. She’s not exactly one for goodbyes. Instead, he leans on the counter and pulls out his mobile, scrolling through the day's news stories.
Call him old fashioned, but he prefers to read the news than watch the featureless blue talking heads on the television. He spends about a minute skimming a beat piece on the successful launch of Wayne Enterprises' latest environmental initiative. Tim was telling him something about that the other day; it was the most animated and relaxed Dick had seen him since that night with the Jokerz.
“It’s basically like a planetary rebreather,” his estranged brother enthused. “You know how trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen? It’s sort of like that, but on a larger scale. Once it's all set up, any toxins pumped into the atmosphere will get filtered out and converted to oxygen.”
Tim had then gone on a lengthy explanation about the technical details that Dick had no chance of following, but given how enthused he’d seemed, it hadn’t mattered.
He’s going to miss him, now that he’s headed off to Beijing, but Cass is ecstatic. As far as Dick knows, they haven’t seen each other in ten years. It almost makes him want to head over and join the reunion.
Except that would be counterproductive to his current plans.
Dick is in Gotham on the pretense of opening a second athletics course, but really, it’s to keep an eye on things.
He doesn’t trust Bruce not to screw up whatever he’s doing with this new kid, and the boy’s too green to notice the signs of losing himself to Bruce’s mission. When the old man cuts him off—and it’s when, not if, because Bruce will inevitably screw this up—the McGinnis kid is going to need someone to keep his head above water.
Dick’s only been around him a handful of times, but there’s a cockiness and attitude there that reminds him of Jason. That’s concerning enough on its own, but what really makes the hair on the back of Dick’s neck stand up is the sense he has of this kid’s potential to do damage. He’s seen that, before, too, along with the results.
Christ, the kid even looks like Damian. If I didn’t know Bruce so well, I’d think…
He shakes off the thought because it’s too disturbing to contemplate.
The point is, Terry McGinnis needs someone looking out for him, even if he doesn’t realize it. Bruce isn’t going to do it and Barbara has clearly forgotten a hell of a lot of history since she’s allowing the boy to fly around her city risking his life.
So it’s up to Dick.
Again.
I’m way too old to be getting another brother, he thinks darkly, in what once might have been genuine humor but now feels just exhausting. Especially considering his track record with the others.
He doesn’t even know where Duke ended up.
Something flickers on the edge of his eyesight, and he turns to look out the window of his apartment. Across the street, the giant vid-screen advertising the latest energy drink blinks and goes briefly blank. Along with every other screen as far as the eye can see.
Dick narrows his eyes, taking a step forward to study the phenomena, and then freezes as his quiet apartment is invaded by obscenely cheerful music and a laugh he wishes he could forget.
Every screen for miles spells it out, and he knows immediately that things are about to get worse.
________________________________________________________________
⁂
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#batman#batman beyond#bat family#batfic#batfam#terry mcginnis#bruce wayne#barbara gordon#tim drake#dick grayson#fanfiction#dc universe#dcau#action#adventure#angst#drama#introspection#calm before the storm
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Ep 6. I'm loving this so far but don't think I don't have my fix the canon hammer ready at nys side for when my favs start to suffer.
I always worried about soft openings BC they're either really cool and important or really fuckin sad.
I do love this metal water oil effect.
Wait why are children in the dirty water????
Ohh is this sky that was flirting with Viktor earlier?
BABY BABY BABY
Baby no it's dangerous!
So like.
This is the dude that invented shimmer for silco yeah?
Why do some characters have accents if they all speak one language?
Viktor is dying???? Noooooooo
Ohh Mel is an artist?
Jayce really is punching above his weight.
This man really out here handing Mel the reins to his emotional well-being like she's his bloody mum or somethin.
Mel girl you can do better.
Ok back to Viktor.
Babe what you doin?
THIS JUTEBOX MAN I SWEAR.
...
Is that powders sippy cup.
GIRL DONT DRINK MAGIC ITS NOT SAFE.
Jinx baby no chemical weapons in the damn house.
Ok sevika brought that one on herself.
OH DEAR.
Oh
Well he is good with kids.
Still that little girl is dumb for not askin some fuckin questions.
Is that joker looking doude from JoJo? Is he....ok?
Omg I love silco so much
Is he stooping BC the ceiling is short?
Omg ahahahha
"oops accidents happen" XD
Viktor noooo
Ok so. Vi with a blue haired girl hmm where have I seen that before.
Everyone hallucinating in this bitch
Ok someone explain fluffy fuckerstien's background. Now.
Shimmer is a mutagen? Why does silco take it? Won't it kill him?
Jayce is a dumb fuck.
Himbobimblenfluffyton looks sad but I don't care about him sorry
Still fuck the council tho
So why is there an empty seatat the table? Interesting
Oh wow this ep is not letting up with the feelies. Straight slap to the face pic of vi and powders mother damn.
Ok that's creepy as fuck silco. I mean well done with the Dracula aesthetic and all but still creepy
He do be talkin a lot doesn't he?
damnit silco run the fuck away what is it with you and freezing up???
Ok again damn this show is pretty
Hehhe I like Angy silco too
Lmfao vi is so fighty it's hilarious
Oh
Oh no what's happening to Reo?????
What even is Reo????
Actually I don't care just PROTECT IT
damn. Papa silco needs a fuckin drink.
He looks like like " oh Jesus fuck."
Sevika is not getting paid enough for this shit.
Waaaaaaaa
Reunion time
POW POW WAAAAAAAA
jinx needs HELP.
99% of this show would not happen if therapy was a thing in this place.
I love this fight scene but the lights are GIVING ME A HEADACHE
Well.
That went to hell quickly
Really not sure how to feel about that one. Good over all but prob not my fav ep?
I think I'll prob finish them tonight BC there's fuck all else to do rn.
Edit yeah I finished them and now I have a headache from the effects
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