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a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all · 2 years

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One Bad Day.... (Part Three)

Fandom: Batman, Batfam, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Batmom

Word Count: 5709

TW: Some Language, Mentions of Death/Murder, Mentions of Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss, Infertility, Betrayal, Mention of Suicidal Thoughts, Angst

Series Masterlist

As you limp over to the chair in your makeshift office on the upper level of one of the multiple warehouses you and Jason had commandeered, you tear off both parts of your mask and let them clatter to the floor. Dropping heavily into the chair, you slap an icepack on your aching knee. In the five months since Jason had broken you out of prison, you have gotten to the point you can walk and even fight on it, but you can tell it never healed exactly how it should have. And especially after being as active as you have been lately, it is not really a surprise it is causing you issues.

After taking the first few days out of prison to rest and recuperate, you and Jason had started your systematic take over of large sections of Gotham’s underworld. Jason had already established a dominating control over many of the street gangs in some of Gotham’s rougher neighborhoods, but under your guidance, the two of you were soon running the entirety of the Narrows. And, if everything continued on schedule, the last few remaining sections of Black Mask’s territories would soon fall to you as well.

While you were technically now mob bosses ruling over your territory, you and Jason took a much different approach to crime than other leaders in the past. Following the guidelines Jason had originally established, drugs were still legal to buy and sell but anyone caught selling to kids were immediately dealt with. Violence towards average, law-abiding citizens was harshly punished. And all weapons sales not directly approved by one of you were banned. You told Jason the fact Bruce never seemed to understand was that crime could not be stopped. But if it could be contained, controlled, then you had a chance of making a real difference.

Jason had been reluctant to allow you to help him in the field at first. But after a lengthy conversation reminding him that before you met Bruce you were a very successful up-and-coming criminal in your own right, he finally relented with the stipulation that you stayed behind until your knee healed enough that you could protect yourself. Which seemed fair to you, especially considering you were in a lot of pain. But also because it gave you time to prepare.

What you didn’t tell Jason was one day while he was away, you went to visit an old friend from back when you were still living on the streets. Bernie had been making outfits for street-level criminals for as long as anyone could remember. He understood that sometimes the only way to survive in this city was to bend the rules a little bit. So, while he refused to work for more deadly villains like Riddler or the Penguin, he provided cheap, quality products for those looking to make ends meet. He had designed your first suit, the one you wore when you met Bruce. And you had hoped he was still willing to work his magic for you now.

And did he ever! The new outfit was similar to the old design: Black combat boots that came up to your knees, dark well-fitting cargo pants, black fingerless gloves, and a thick belt to hold a multitude of weapons. But you had also had Bernie make a few cosmetic changes: your tight tank top, biker jacket, half-mask that covered your mouth, and domino mask that covered your eyes were all black, but they were accented by the exact shade of red as Jason’s helmet. Standing together you looked like a cohesive team. Part of you was a little worried he would be embarrassed to be in matching uniforms with his mom, but Jason’s eyes lit up when he saw you for the first time in it. He had been alone, isolated for so long, that he was glad to belong with someone else once again. After much discussion, you opted to keep your old name because it still held some weight around certain parts of the city. And thus, the team of Red Hood and Night Watch was born.

So far, everything had been running smoothly. Almost too smoothly. As proud of you were of your son and the good you were doing for the city, you knew it wouldn’t last. Sooner or later, he would track you down to deal with you. And it seemed as if that day had finally come.

As you remove the ice from your knee and try to stretch it, you hear a loud commotion from downstairs. Limping quickly out of the office, you peer down to the level below to see Jason in his full Red Hood attire grappling with a familiar black-suited figure in a cowl and your breath catches in your throat. You had been trying to prepare yourself for this day, but the sight of him still stops your heart for just a second.

And in your split-second moment of hesitation, Jason manages to pin the older man to the ground as he drives his knee into his chest and wraps both hands around his throat. You stare at the tension in Jason’s shoulders and arms, and you can tell that he is willing to not let up until it is over once and for all. But you can’t let that happen.

“Hood! Stop! Now!” You bark at your son as you calmly descend the stairs.

His helmet whips to face you without removing his hands and you can feel the rage and fury rolling off him even from this distance. You watch him switch his modulator to comms and his voice suddenly roars through the device in your ear. “You know what he did…. To both of us. What he will do to us if given the chance. Let me finish this once and for all.”

Stopping at the foot of the stairs as you mutter under your breath so only the comms picks up your voice, you say, “No, Jay. That’s not who we are. Yes, I am furious about what he did, but he does not deserve to die. And even if it comes to that one day, I will not let you carry that burden, okay? So, for now, you need to let him go.”

His helmet’s fixed gaze bores into you for another few seconds before he releases his grip on the man he had once called family. Without breaking the stare with you, he stalks over to stand by your side. You lay one hand on his heaving chest and the other against the side of the helmet. Whispering through the comms, you ask, “Are you okay, baby? Are you sure you want to stay for this?”

He nods, but you can still feel his heart racing beneath your hand. You give him a small smile of encouragement before your face turns stone cold and you turn to face your ex-husband. Holding your head high, you spit out, “Bruce.”

“Y/N.” He glares at the two of you as he gets to his feet. While rubbing his throat, he scoffs, “So, the Red Hood? This is who you’re with now? Some rebound.”

Jason snorts as he tries to contain his laughter, but at least the momentary shock of that insane idea seems to have calmed his rage some. Bruce’s comment also alleviates any fears you have about him knowing who is under the red hood, so you didn’t dare correct his assumption in case he got suspicious. Instead, you neither confirm nor deny the allegation as you dodge the question.

“Oh, no. You don’t get to say a single word to me about rebounds. How’s that bitch Selina doing these days?”

Bruce blanches slightly. “How did-how do you know about that?”

“She fucking told me, Bruce! Came to see me over a year ago to brag to me all about your little lovefest. Including the fact she knows your secret….. How could you do that? How… Her of all people! You knew what she was to me!”

“It’s not like that. I-I didn’t mean for it to happen, it just…”

“What? You couldn’t have me anymore, so you found the second-rate version of me? Because I might have taught Selina everything she knows, but that doesn’t mean I taught her everything I know. But I’m sure you figured that out by now,” you say with a smirk.

Bruce shakes his head. “She shouldn’t have said something to you. It only happened a few times and it didn’t mean anything.”

“Well, you both sure fooled everyone. I saw the papers. Guess those rich assholes accepted her on your arm at their galas and parties a lot quicker than they ever accepted me. And it would seem since you shared your secret, she got both sides of you. The Bat and the Cat…..I got to admit, it does have a nice ring to it.” He opens his mouth to try and come up with some excuse, but you stop him. “I don’t want to hear it. You can’t take back what you did, no matter the reason behind it. So, just drop it, Bruce.”

Looking around the room, you ask, “Now, where is he? I know you’ve probably ordered him to stay back, keep an eye out from above somewhere in case things take a turn. There’s no way you came here without him.” Out of the corner of your eye, you see a small movement high above you. You smile as you lower your voice so only Bruce and Jason can hear you as you smugly say, “But do you really think he would turn on me? Even if it came down to a fight, are you really so certain he would choose your side over mine?”

Bruce glares at you for a moment before he looks up to the rafters and jerks his head. A figure instantly drops to the ground and before you can even get a good look at him, he has crossed the distance between you and wraps you tightly in a warm hug.

Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, you return his embrace. Struggling to hold back the tears threatening to fall, you whisper, “Hey, Dickie. Oh god, I’ve missed you!”

“I missed you too,” your eldest son whispers into your hair. Then he pulls back and looks into your face. “Mom, why are you doing this? Just come home, we can work something out.”

You give him a sad smile as you cup his face. “We both know that can’t happen, Dick. And we know why. But, oh, I wish I could.”

Dick opens his mouth to say something else, but Bruce interrupts, “Nightwing!” He motions for him to rejoin him on the other side of the room.

You roll your eyes but whisper, “Go, it’s okay. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

As you watch Dick move to stand behind Bruce, it hits you that for the first time in over five years your entire family is in the same room together, even if two of them didn’t realize it. Tears spring to your eyes, but you somehow manage to hold them back.

Clearing your throat, you ask, “Now, are you really going to leave that fucking mask on the whole time? Or are you not man enough to face me as yourself?”

Bruce nods at Jason. “Is your guy going to take his off?”

“No.” you say bluntly. Then you sigh exasperatedly. “I’ve called you Bruce like six times already. You don’t think he figured it out even if he didn’t know already?”

He hesitates for a moment, then pulls the cowl off. You inhale sharply. He looks just like he did in your dreams. The same handsome, charming man who hadn’t seemed to age a day in your five-year separation. And it all came flooding back to you. Every moment of your relationship, both the good and the bad. The night you met, the last time you saw him in the courtroom, your first kiss, your last kiss before you left to kill the Joker, the Christmas Eve he first told you he loved you, the Christmas Eve he didn’t show up, bringing Dick home, Dick leaving, bringing Jason home, Bruce holding you as you sobbed over Jason’s body, and on and on and on.

As he lets the cowl fall to the floor, Bruce looks at you and asks, “So?”

“So what?”

He sighs, “What are you doing? This isn’t you. Mob boss ruling over half of Gotham? Running drugs and guns throughout the city? You fought to keep these kinds of things out of here, what happened?”

“You know what happened. You did, Bruce. This has always been me. You knew that when you first asked me out, when you married me, when you tossed me aside. This is me.” You hold out your hands as you gesture to the warehouse around you with all of its contents. “And yeah, I might not be doing things the way you like, but for the first time in a very long time, I’m doing what I think is right.”

“Just like you did that night, huh?”

“Just because you have lines you won’t cross, doesn’t mean everyone else has to agree with you. And, you know, I’ve got to ask…. why was it so different with me? Huh? Clark, Diana, Hal, Barry, they’ve all killed people over the years, yet you have no problem working with the Justice League. But when it’s your own wife, over your own son, there’s no leeway, no understanding. It’s just time to throw the book at her!”

“When they have taken lives, it was in the heat of battle, when there was no other option. What you did was just plain murder!”

“You’re damn right it was!” All the rage, all the fury that had been bubbling under the surface finally breaks loose as you roar, “He murdered our son first! Beat him, tortured him, blew him up. And that’s just what he did to Jason. What about the other thousands of people he hurt or killed over the years? The damage he has caused to our friends and family! That monster deserved everything that he got and more! And if I had to, I would kill him a thousand more times to keep my family safe. You might have been fine with it, but I couldn’t live in a world where our son was dead, and that monster still lived. But honestly, I never thought you would actually turn your back on me like you did.”

“What was I supposed to do? Please, tell me!” For the first time, Bruce’s voice cracks just a bit and you take a step back, stunned. “You walked out, still dripping with his blood, and announced to half the Gotham Police Department who you were and what you did. Your confession was captured on every body cam on every cop there as well as the security cameras across the street. Plus, he was beaten to a bloody pulp and his neck was broken! Your only injury was some bruised knuckles. There was no way to claim self-defense. I tried, I pulled every string I could, I spoke to Gordon, the DA, everyone! I offered to single-handedly fund the city for the next three years, but they told me there was nothing…. It was a miracle I was able to keep you at Arkham instead of having you sent to Blackgate.”

“Oh yeah, Bruce. Because being locked up with the psychotic villains is so much better than the sane ones.”

“You were supposed to be safe there. No one was supposed to touch you.”

“Well, how did that work out?”

“I didn’t know.”

“Yes, because you refused to see me! Served me with divorce papers on one of the worst days of my life and turned your back while they threw me into that hellhole!”

“I did all of that to try and keep the target off your back! I thought that maybe if you were no longer connected to me, they would take the hint and leave you alone.”

“But Alfred and Dick still came to see me. That connection was still there. So, if that was your reasoning then why- Oh my God!” Your eyes grow wide as you realize what he had tried to do. “You tried to keep Dick from coming to see me. You wanted him to cut off all contact just like you did. You son of a bitch! You were trying to keep my only living kid from seeing me!”

“It would have made things better in the long run. If he would have made it clear you didn’t have the support of the Wayne f-”

“Fuck you, Bruce! Do you have any idea what it was really like in there? How much I struggled every single day to just keep going? And the thought of seeing Dick or Alfred was the only thing that kept me going. If I would have lost them too… if I had truly been alone in there…. I wouldn’t have waited for them to come for me. I would have slit my wrists myself.”

All three men surrounding you visibly flinch at your confession. Jason takes a step closer to you, gently laying his hand on the small of your back. But you never take your eyes off of Bruce’s face.

He looks down at the ground, ashamed. “I’m sorry. I thought it was what was best for you. I thought a clean break…”

“Because you didn’t think to ask me what I would have wanted. But no, your word is law, and no one else’s opinion matters. And I did everything for you, Bruce! I changed everything about me, my whole life, to fit into your world. I did everything you ever asked of me, and after Jay…. the one time that I needed something, the one time I asked you for help, you turned your back on me! Once again, you refused to listen to what I wanted or what I thought.”

Bruce looks at you like you just started speaking a different language. “What are you talking about? When Jay died, I asked you over and over, I begged you to talk to me, but you wouldn’t. How was I supposed to know what you wanted or how you felt? You shut down again. Just like…. just like last time…”

When you speak, your words aren’t angry or hate-filled but instead full of pain and grief. “Don’t you dare try to compare this to that! It wasn’t the same at all!”

Bruce takes a few small steps towards you, face filled with sadness. Softly, he says, “Yes, it was. I tried to talk to you, to get you to say how you were feeling and you just pushed me away. You fell back into the same self-destructive patterns as before except this time, you lashed out instead of shutting down. I should have seen it, and I should have done something. There was no one to get revenge on the first time, no one to blame so with Jason, you made sure you got retribution. That you got blood for the life that was taken from you.”

“Stop it! Don’t do this.” You glance nervously over your shoulder at Jason as you growl, voice quivering, “Bruce, I swear, don’t you dare say another word.”

“You know it’s true,” he whispers. “You knew what I would say about your plan, so you didn’t even try to talk to me. I was hurting just as much as you were, and because of that, I didn’t see the warning signs. I’m sorry. I should have protected you better, just like I should have protected him better, protected them better.”

You screw up your face as you stare at the floor, willing yourself not to cry. Finally, you choke out, softer than before, “Bruce… Jason made a choice to go after his real mother. You told him not to, that it was too dangerous, and he chose not to listen. I never blamed you for what happened with Jay. Not once. And I know he wouldn’t blame you for that either. But what you did afterward? How you refused to do something about the Joker? How you handed me divorce papers as I was being led off to prison and then never once tried to see me afterward? That I blame you for. That is what I’ll never forgive you for.” You take a deep breath and then straighten your back, putting on your most stubborn face. “Now, I think you should go.”

Bruce stares at you for a long moment before nodding his head. He picks up his cowl and turns to leave, but he pauses with his back still to you as he says, “I did come to see you. Once. On your first Christmas Eve away from me. Even after everything that had happened, I couldn’t bear to be apart from you. Not on our night.”

Your blood runs cold as you stammer out in complete disbelief, “No…. Because I waited for you, and you never showed up…. I counted down every second of that night, begging you to come, but you didn’t.”

Bruce nods his head. “They had moved your cell earlier that day and I didn’t know. So, by the time I tracked down your new location, I was two minutes too late.” He finally turns to face you, and you can swear you can see a mistiness in his eyes. “I found you curled up on your cot, sobbing and clutching an old photograph. I knew you were hurting because of me, and I couldn’t bring myself to face you. I’m sorry.”

You feel like you were just punched in the stomach, but you manage to spit out, “You’re right…. you shattered what was left of my heart that night. And those were the last tears I will ever shed for you, Bruce Wayne. Now, get the hell out of my warehouse.”

Bruce turns once more and walks to the door. Dick starts to follow, but you stop him.

“Dick…,” Your son turns to face you. “Please, come see me anytime you want. But Nightwing is not welcome here. Okay?”

Dick nods. “Yeah, I get it.” He hesitates a second before running back over and scooping you into his arms. You return his embrace wholeheartedly as he whispers, “I love you, Mom.”

You whisper back, “I love you too, baby.”

And you would have remained there forever if Dick didn’t finally pull away. But before leaving, he shoots Jason a look and says, “I don’t know what you two are planning, but you keep her safe. Okay?”

Jason seems taken aback, but he nods and says through the modulator, “I’ll protect her with my life.”

Dick eyes him cautiously for a moment then nods. And with a final smile at you, he leaves. Bruce watches him go then shoots you one last glance and says, “I will stay out of your way as long as you don’t kill anyone. But the first body that shows up connected to either one of you, I will take you down.” And with a flourish of his cape, both men disappear into the night.

The second that he fades from view, you collapse to your knees. You land roughly on your injured knee and a burst of pain shoots up your leg. But you don’t mind it because at least the physical pain is helping to ground you as waves of emotional pain threaten to overwhelm you. Jason takes off his helmet, kneels down beside you, and wraps his arms around your neck. “I’m sorry, Ma. I know that had to be rough.”

“I know that couldn’t have been easy on you either. I’m so proud of how you handled it. I know you can’t always control your anger, but you did good.” You chuckle humorlessly, “Honestly, I thought I would be more controlled and level headed when we finally met again. But the second I laid eyes on him, my emotions got the better of me. I let him make an idiot of myself. But at least now, it’s over and he should leave us to do our business our way.”

Jason squeezes you tightly once more, then helps you to your feet. You start limping over to the stairs but notices Jason is still standing in the same spot. “Are you coming?”

“There’s one thing I don’t understand…. What was he talking about when he said my death was like last time? W-what last time?”

You turn away from him, unable to look him in the eye, “Jay, please…. don’t, just…. don’t. It doesn’t matter.”

“Ma, whatever it is, I’m here for you. It clearly bothered you when he mentioned it. So, what happened?” But you just shake your head. Jason walks around to face you and he gently rests his hands on your shoulders. “Hey… I won’t push it again if you really can’t talk about it. But I’m here for you and I just want to understand. Please.”

You hesitate for a second, then nod slowly. After all of these years, Jason deserves to know what happened. “From the moment I fell in love with Bruce, all I ever wanted was to have a family with him. To hold a little baby in my arms and see Bruce’s eyes staring back at me coupled with my nose, or my smile. That unique blend of the two of us. We had talked about it, and while we knew it was dangerous with what we did, we both wanted it so badly that we agreed to start trying. However, that’s right around the time Dick came into our lives, and it was decided that we hold off, at least until he got settled. But then he became Robin, and the villains began to get more dangerous, and the job got more demanding, and on and on.

“And I was okay with it because I had my son. But Dick was already twelve when we took him in and he was so independent and strong, he didn’t really need me to be a ‘mother’ in the way I had pictured. Which was fine, we still formed such an amazing bond. However, I still wanted to have all those baby moments I never got with Dick. First steps, first words, watching them grow. So, as Dick got older, Bruce and I started talking about trying again.

“But then there was the big fallout between Bruce and Dick, and Dick left. Bruce wasn’t the same after that. Batman needs a Robin to help keep him grounded, remind him who he is and what he is fighting for. And without someone there…. It was not a good time for either of us.” You take a huge, shaky breath. “But then a few weeks after Dick left, I found out I was two months pregnant.”

Jason’s face is shocked as he takes in the news, but a moment later you watch as the realization of your words hits him. How there had to be a reason he had never heard about this before. You nod slightly. “Yeah, it’s not exactly a happy ending. But at the time, it was the happiest we had ever been. The news seemed to have healed something within Bruce. He was more like his old self, and I was finally getting what I had always wanted most. Everything was perfect! Bruce wanted to know the gender, but I told him I wanted to be surprised. That it didn’t matter because it was part him and part me, and that was all I needed to know. But we decided on naming it after his parents either way, so Thomas for a boy or Martha for a girl.” You stare off into the distance, remembering the look of pure bliss on Bruce’s face when you had proposed the idea.

Jason softly clears his throat, snapping you back to the present. “So, then what happened?”

“It was an accident. As hard as I tried to find someone to blame, it was just an accident. Bruce brought me to another one of those stupid galas that I hated so much. I was five months pregnant and already looked like a whale, so I begged him to let us stay home. But it was Wayne Industries’ annual charity fundraiser, so deep down I knew we had to go.

“However, no one realized that part of the gas lines near the hotel had been damaged in a major storm the night before. Just an act of God that no one could have known about. And I remember climbing out of the car and reaching for Bruce’s hand. Then there was an explosion and a piece of shrapnel pinned me to the car.” You lift up the hem of your shirt while also pulling down the waistline of your pants to reveal the large scar to the right of your left hip. Jason’s face instantly pales as you continue. “The last thing I remember was pain and Bruce’s face hovering over me in horror, then….”

“I woke up in the hospital a few hours later feeling a deep emptiness like I had never experienced before. And I knew.” The tears you have been holding back finally begin slowly rolling down your cheeks.

Jason shakes his head. “Ma, I’m so sorry…. But how did I never hear about any of this?”

“Bruce buried the story. Not the explosion of course, but anything about me or the baby. He paid off every media outlet in the city to never mention it again. He didn’t want them constantly hounding me about it, bringing it up every time I left the manor. So, after a while, people seemed to forget I was ever pregnant. But I didn’t. I haven’t forgotten for a single day.

“And Bruce was right in what he said today. I did shut down. I wouldn’t get out of bed for weeks. I wouldn’t eat, I would barely talk to him or Alfred. Dick even came back for a while, but it killed him to see me like that. So, when it became clear that his being there wasn’t helping, he left again. I had given up completely. Until Bruce called me one night from patrol and told me he was bringing home another kid who needed our help.” You reach out your hand to take Jason’s, but he pulls away.

His face tightens as he avoids your gaze. “Oh, so I get it. I was just a replacement not only for Dick, but also the kid you had just lost.”

You flinch slightly at his words but then walk over and take his face in your hands. Turning it so he has to meet your gaze, you say, “Jason Peter Todd. You were never a replacement. For anybody. You were my savior. I felt like I had nothing left to live for, but the moment I saw you climb out of the batmobile with that defiant little glare, you won my heart instantly. Not because I saw you as another kid to take the place of the ones I had lost, but because I could tell right away what an amazing kid you were. You were so intelligent, and so brave, and you had such spirit! But I could also see the hurt and the struggle you had experienced, and I knew what that felt like. Being that young, growing up on the streets alone, and already knowing what it was like to have the weight of the world on your shoulders. So, when I saw you, I saw me. And I saw a chance to give you the life I never got. Reading you The Princess Bride, showing you around the manor, I did more that first night than I had the entire previous month combined. You gave me a reason to fight again. You saved me from myself. Just like you saved me from that prison cell. You, Jason, are more than my son. You are my hero.

“And when I lost you too….. Bruce was right. I was so angry that my family had been ripped from me yet again, that I lashed out. I might not have been able to do anything when I lost my baby, but I knew I was able to avenge my son. So, I went after the Joker not to protect others, but for revenge. And there were ways I could have done it…. Ways I think Bruce could have forgiven. But not what I did. I was stupid and reckless. But it felt so good.”

“Ma, I am so sorry….. Did you ever think of trying again? After…”

You shake your head sadly. “Where the shrapnel hit….. I can’t have kids anymore. And now, even if I could, Bruce….” Your face crumples as all the emotions you have been holding back all day finally break through the wall you had built up inside. You wrap your arms around yourself as you begin sobbing uncontrollably.

Almost immediately, Jason is by your side. He wraps you tightly against his chest and you bury your face into his shoulder.

After a minute, he whispers, “You still love him, don’t you?”

Another sob tears from your lips. “I don’t want to. I want to hate him with every fiber of my being, but I can’t. I thought I was over him but as soon as I saw him today…. Even as he was telling me he slept with someone else, all I could think of was how much I was aching to be in his arms again. He abandoned me when I needed him most and I still want him back so badly. I hate that I still love him.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jason says quietly as his own tears begin slipping down his face. “Believe me, I know.”

And the two of you just stay there, wrapped in each other’s arms as you cry for the lives you had lost and the people that you still loved.

@haleviyah made me this amazing art to show what Batmom’s Night Watch suit looks like! The character is still 100% a reader insert and the physical characteristics were just how I picture her. However, I try to keep my descriptions in the fics as ambiguous as possible to be as inclusive as I can. Thank you!

(please do not reuse or repost without permission)

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leehama · 2 years

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I know Gourmet Hound ended a while ago but I've been rereading it and realized that all of the characters clothes were so cool! How did you come up with/get ideas for each character's individual style and outfits?

Hey there!

Tbh, I don't think I actually do a very good job wrt fashion--there are plenty of comics where the fashion of each character feels much more inspired and in-tune with real trends (off the top of my head, like Edith, Brimstone and Roses, Blades of Furry, etc.), so I would definitely check out those comics and their artists!

In general, I reference outfits I see on social media, in manga/anime and games, on YouTube/TV/movies, etc! I especially like looking at cards from gacha games or idol franchises (like Love Live SIFAS or BanG Dream GBP), since there are usually a ton of characters all with different clothing styles!

I have a messy Google Slides document of screenshotted things I think my characters would wear (IT’S EMBARRASSINGLY DISORGANIZED, SO I’M ONLY GOING TO SHARE ONE BLURRY SLIDE HA HA)

(I’ve heard Pinterest is good for this too, but Pinterest intimidates me lol)

On the character-creation end, I try to think up a few "guidelines" for each character, which gives the impression of a cohesive personal style and provides helpful search terms: for example, Lucy was "pants-based + often overalls + yellow", so I could easily look up “women’s overalls” or “yellow blouse” when I got stuck. Another cheat is to have characters re-use specific articles of clothing, especially outerwear, shoes, and accessories (though I avoided that with Brie to give the impression that she has a large wardrobe)!

#WOW THIS IS A LONG ANSWER CONSIDERING I DON'T HAVE MUCH ADVICE...#ask

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lokiondisneyplus · 3 years

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LOKI 4 PRESIDENT! For a narcissist trickster sorcerer with the personality of a praying mantis, there are few occupations in the world that would suit Loki better than president of the United States. A few years ago, in the summer of 2016, comic book writer Christopher Hastings imagined just that in a satirical limited series for Marvel titled Vote Loki.

Five years later, Vote Loki has found its way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the fifth episode of the Disney+ series, “Journey Into Mystery,” a variant Loki (still played by Tom Hiddleston) appears in the desolate “Void” surrounded by a Mad Max-esque posse. On Loki’s tattered blazer is a red, white, and blue “Loki” button, indicating this Loki was, uh, elected to lead. Turn on the subtitles on Disney+ and you’ll find this Loki is credited as “President Loki.”

In an email to Inverse, Christopher Hastings says he had no idea this was going to happen.

“I found out [they were doing Vote Loki] when a trailer for the show featured the campaign outfit from Vote Loki,” Hastings tells Inverse.

When Inverse exchanged emails with Hastings, it was prior to the episode’s premiere, to which Hastings said he was “very curious to see exactly what from the comic gets into the show.”

“I love time travel and multiverse material,” the writer says in praise of Loki. “I am a big fan of the TVA as a setting. I'm eager to see how it goes, and what it might mean for the next phase of MCU movies, especially since multiverse wackiness seems to be a major part of those upcoming movies.”

In 2004, while a student at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Hastings wrote and illustrated The Adventures of Dr. McNinja, a serial webcomic about a doctor who is also a ninja. The series was a cult hit, at one point attracting 110,000 unique visitors a day. By 2011, Hastings was doing work for Marvel, writing single issues of A+X and Howard the Duck. With Chris Bachalo, he co-created Gwenpool — a bizarre blend of Spider-Man ex-girlfriend Gwen Stacy and Deadpool — and penned the 2016-2018 solo series The Unbelievable Gwenpool, teaming up with Japanese studio Gurihiru to create the character’s deeply unique comedic tone.

But during Gwenpool, Hastings spent the summer of 2016 playing with a different Marvel trickster: Loki. In the four-issue miniseries Vote Loki, Hastings spoofed the chaos that was the 2016 race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. In Vote Loki, an ambitious Loki seeks the seat of the president with a very unique campaign strategy: being honest about lying.

With “President Loki” having a minor cameo in the MCU, Inverse caught up with Hastings to look back on his explicitly political riff that took place inside the Marvel Universe.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Take me back to the origins of Vote Loki. When did the seed for the story plant in your mind? What was going on in the world of culture/politics at that time?

Gosh, it's tough to come up with one thing specifically, because we were making the comic by the seat of our pants, and so many things got scrapped and rewritten along the way, often at the last second. But one of the core topics I wanted to cover had to do with narratives versus reality. It's kind of a given that in the world of politics, truth is this malleable thing, and now more than ever all you have to do to make people believe a lie is to repeat it enough times.

I liked the idea of Loki playing with narrative in a way that wasn't necessarily outright lying, more bending. (Except the bit about being born in Maryland. One outright lie there.) The other driving point I wanted to explore was how Americans can have a tendency to incorporate their national-level politics into part of their identity, and what that does to a person, particularly when a character like Loki is the one on the ticket.

What sort of conversations did you have with Marvel about a political satire starring Loki? What was the elevator pitch that got approval?

Like I said, things changed so many times, I'm not even entirely sure how many versions were kind of approved and then scrapped on the way to get to what was actually published. I think it was more that I assured editor Wil Moss that I could jump on the book (which Marvel was determined to make; they just hadn't decided who was writing it when I was pitching) after talking about the stuff about narrative and identity, and the basic idea that the viewpoint character shouldn't actually be Loki but a journalist covering Loki's campaign.

Vote Loki introduced the character of Nisa Contreras. What was the primary inspiration for her?

That would be my real-life friend, Nisa Contreras. She's not a journalist, but she’s someone I'm sure could take down Loki if he were a) real and b) got on her bad side. I wanted the story to be more about witnessing the tension and the comedy of Loki running for president, about not knowing what was up his sleeve. And so I came up with [a] journalist.

Vote Loki was published over the summer of 2016 when the election was ramping up in awkward ways. (“Pokémon Go to the polls!”) Did the real election influence the comic in any way, including any specific moments?

The comic was a direct response to things that were happening during the 2016 campaign, specifically that a “joke” candidate that was obviously terrible could get pretty far with enough media oxygen and a comfortable political system that ignored the disgust a lot of people had with it.

Vote Loki ran for four issues. Was there ever a possibility for more?

If it was a smash hit, I believe there would have been a President Loki to directly follow Vote Loki.

What do you think of Vote Loki's inclusion in the TV series?

Top five surreal moments of my life.

Do you think Vote Loki could be the focus of its own adapted series/movie?

Oh for sure. You wouldn't even have to take the material from our comic; there's so much more brand-new political madness that a new Vote Loki series or movie could tap into.

A lot has happened in the five years since Vote Loki was published. What are your feelings looking back now in 2021? Did your opinions on the book ever change?

There was a lot happening in American politics in 2016 I missed and wish I had been able to see to include. For example, how broken political polling has become. I had no idea, along with the rest of the country.

It was tricky to do a cohesive narrative amongst a shifting Marvel continuity we had to stay inside; a lot of feedback and demands from various sources within the company and an election that was changing every single day. It was truthfully (heh) a quite stressful book to write, but looking back on it I'm proud to see what we absolutely nailed about American culture. In particular, what we had to say about politics as entertainment and identity, and how a slippery enough politician can not only shake scandal [off] by speeding up an already fast news cycle but embrace and twist it to their advantage.

LOKI WILL AIR ITS FINAL EPISODE JULY 14 ON DISNEY+. VOTE LOKI IS AVAILABLE NOW.

#President Loki #Vote Loki

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saphirered · 3 years

Note

Was wondering if I could request a Dorian x Rogue Reader where the reader’s never really taken part in any sort of pageant event before and needs some guidance from the party’s resident performer? Love your writing by the way! Have a great day!

Thank you and I hope you like this one too. Have a nice day! 😘

Everyone’s picking out outfits, talking about the pageant and having fun doing so. Orym and Fy’ra have gotten out of participating in the pageant but you weren’t as lucky. Wether it’s because Opal is very convincing, you’re easily tempted, the prospects of a shiny crown or Dorian’s persuasion, you don’t know. Might just be all of the above but you’re apparently in now and will be participating and find yourself playing the part of dress up doll for Opal who’s put you in a grand total of twenty-seven outfits varying from big voluminous dresses to nice suits, some of which including some impractical but pretty armour.

Awkwardly you leave the dressing room. This dress she’s put you in is so poofy you can’t even lower your arms to your sides as the sheer volume of tule keeps them at an angle. You’re pretty sure you look about as comfortable as you feel. The only good part about this humongous ballgown is there’s loads of places to hide weapons and stuff you could possibly lift from people’s pockets among the yards upon yards of fabric. Opal is fawning over you, pulling at the fabric flouncing it up to adjust the layers. Dorian notices your feelings about this twenty-eighth outfit and steps in to save you from the pageant expert.

“Maybe not this one? It doesn’t really do much for their figure, wouldn’t you agree?” Opal taps her lips at Dorian’s suggestion. The genasi has a point. The majority of your features get lost in the garment and no amount of accessorising can fix that. She scrunches her brow and nods. You let out a breath of relief hoping to be done with this. Not like you mind shopping but dressing up in this many outfits is exhausting and you can’t wait to be done. Why can’t you just pick a random one off the rack and call it a day? Lesson of the day; never go pageant shopping with a pageant girl. You’ll be at this for hours.

“Yeah. Too much volume. Maybe we should go back to something more formfitting. I think I saw a couple of outfits that would work much better.” Opal’s words make your breath hitch and you keep in a groan at the mention of more things to try on as the girl scurries off to find the things she saw and you’re left with Dorian. Turning to him as you finish staring after Opal and praying to the gods these new outfits she’s looking for would just spontaneously combust before they made their way back to you, you grab the genasi by the cloak, both hands clutching on tightly.

“Save me, Dorian. Please have mercy and save me from this hell.” You beg. Dorian presses his lips together tightly as to not let the laughter escape. He’ll have to admit it’s very funny to see you so completely and utterly out of your element but he also feels for you.

“I reckon we have about ten minutes before Opal returns. Only way to stop her is finds something you like and suits you well. Blow her away with whatever you find. As long as you look as uncomfortable as you feel, She’ll keep coming with the outfits.” Dorian’s right nothing will satisfy Opal as much as you feeling as comfortable and pretty as they know you are, regardless of you admitting it or not. The problem is, you don’t even know where to start looking. This shop, it’s all just a needle in a haystack for you.

“You have to help me find something and quickly! I don’t think I can take another hoop skirt or waistcoat. I might just faint.” Dorian clasps your hands over his and releases your grasp on his cloak. He offers you a confident smile that somewhat eases your fears of the intimidating woman on fashion spree. Dorian pulls you along to the racks, using one hand to browse while holding yours tightly clasped in the other giving it a soft squeeze whenever you look over your shoulder and around to find Opal and her growing heap of clothes.

“So we’ve eliminated any big skirts and traditional suits. How do you feel about something fitted and flowy?” Dorian brushes his fingers over the shoulder of a smocked shirt. You stare down at the poofy mess you’re still stuck in like a butterfly in a net.

“Uhhh, as far away from any ballgowns as we can get please. I don’t mind a bit of a cinch.” You say as Dorian picks up something akin to a corset with set in with decorative chainmail pieces. He holds it up to your body, purses his lips and puts it back not the rack. Not really your style. You need something fierce and practical, something that shows off your features just right but won’t be wearing you and will still make you feel comfortable in your own skin.

Then he spots it. This will look perfect on you. A dark navy blue fitted top with a deep v-neck nearly down to the bellybutton, and fitted sleeves. The matching leather pants also are fitted and somewhat resemble what you normally wear, though these are much less weathered. Over this all goes a very long trained chiffon robe rhinestoned like the night’s sky held together by an ornate silver clasp at the waist. When Dorian pulls it from the rack and holds it up to you you don’t know wether to fear or feel relieved at the look he gives you. Before you know it you’re being rushed back to the dressing room. Dorian helps you out of the monstrosity of the gown you’re in and leaves you to change into the new outfit as he distracts Opal long enough before she can return with the pile she’s gathered.

You never doubted Dorian to have style but this takes it to a whole new level. This is perfect. It fits in all the right places and whatever he said about it showing when you feel uncomfortable in a garment, it’s true as when you see yourself in the mirror that fully disappears and instead you feel confident. It may not have any protective properties like your usual armour does but it sure feels like you could take on the world right now. You’re badass, beautiful and confident.

When you step out of the dressing room you can already see Dorian mid argument with Opal who wanted to barge in, arms filled with clothes of all kind and the shop assistant being with whatever she couldn’t carry, huffing and puffing under the weight of it all. Their attention turns to you. Dorian’s attention turns to you and he doesn’t know how but you take his breath away. You look absolutely stunning. You look like a deity from the stars themselves, the energy you radiate does you justice and if he ever even had an ounce of doubt (he never did) it only shows your natural beauty more than ever.

“Oh. My. Gods.” Opal exclaims as she drops all the fabric in her arms rushing over to you, inspecting your new outfit, gushing about how it fits and how you should style your hair, maybe do some makeup to match the ‘star-effect’ of the robe for cohesion. You can’t even keep up anymore but let her ramble on. She tells the assistant you’d found your outfit and the assistant exasperatedly begins picking up the pile she dropped to put back on the racks. No more fittings for you. Opal’s satisfied and you’re safe. You offer Dorian a look of gratitude and he winks back, not daring to interrupt the fashion tyrant dressed in pink.

——————

Backstage before your turns in the pageant you get a moment alone with Dorian as the two of you watch the other candidates. You’re panicking as Dorian pulls up your hair, adding a comb to keep it in place and add some flare. You have no idea where he got it nor dare you ask right now, just thankful he’s been doing what he can to ease your nerves. This is not your thing. Prancing around like some trick pony is not your thing. You stick to the shadows, at most mingle with society using honeyed words to get what you need or want but this is a whole new world and you feel as if your skills are useless in this environment.

“You’re going to be okay. All you have to do is answer the question. It doesn’t take much more than a charming answer to persuade the judges. No different than persuading a shopkeeper to give you a better deal.” Dorian adjusts the comb before removing his hands and taking a step back to inspect his work. He taps your shoulder and has you turn around. It doesn't take a genius to see you’re nervous and the jitters are clear through your bouncing leg as you sit staring up at him, panic in your eyes and breathing hitching high in your chest visible through your partially exposed collarbones.

“Yeah but getting a better price on potions doesn’t have a crowd a few hundred large to witness it. What if I say something wrong? What if they don’t like me?” Dorian kneels in front of you, stroking your cheek and hand on your shoulder.

“Deep breath.” You do as you feel his thumb run across your cheek, the gesture alone calms your nerves a little bit and pulls you back to this world. You nod to signal you’re good.

“This is no different that the real world. If you say something wrong, own it. Make them think it’s intentional. There’s very few things you could say that you couldn’t own or turn into something funny.” Dorian assures you. You place a hand over his on your cheek and press a kiss to his wrist as a thank you as he continues.

“As for them not liking you, I don’t see how the couldn’t instantly be mesmerised. You are gorgeous, intelligent, resourceful. If they don’t eat you up and admire you for who you are they don’t deserve you.” The next candidate is called to the stage and both of you know you’ll be up soon. You’re glad Dorian’s pep talk is working and you can feel the affection from him. If only he knew how much it means to you to have him here. Then again, you’ve told him plenty of times how amazing he is.

“Why are they walking all weirdly getting on stage?” You raise an eyebrow as the next candidate places one foot directly in front of the other, walking on their tiptoes more than their full feet.

“Watch the hips.” You do as Dorian says and you can see their hips swaying as they walk adding just a little bit more flare to that strut. You have to say, it kinda looks good. Maybe you should give it a try?

“Could you, I don’t know teach me? I know how to sway hips but this, this goes beyond me.” You gesture to the candidate stopping at Ruby to answer the question. Dorian looks a little taken aback but rises to his feet pulling you with him. He never thought he’d ever be teaching anyone how to walk the walk and is pretty sure he’ll get some weird looks from the others but he doesn’t really care if it makes you happy and more confident about this whole pageant. He puts his hands on your hips as you stand facing each other but keeps a bit of a distance between he two of you so you can still take the steps as you would on your own.

“Okay, so first things first. You want to keep your steps on the same line. See it like walking on a narrow ledge or a tightrope. You want to stick to balancing on your toes and keep a bounce in your knees. Don’t lock them too much. Light on your feet.” Dorian guides you forward as he steps backwards with you guiding you along, tapping whatever hip is swaying next. Your movement is a bit rigid at first but before you know it you’re doing it and Dorian steps away to let you strut without his help. You’re a natural. He gives pointers as you turn but you have the walk down in no time.

Then your name is called. The panic returns for a second but is overshadowed by your newfound confidence. You look the part, you got the act down so act the part too. Confidently you strut down to Dorian, give him a seductive look as you stroke his cheek following his jawline. He’s gotta say, he likes this look on you but can see the glee break through your seduction.

“What would I have done without my handsome hero in blue?” You smile and give him a kiss.

“Still be stuck in that dressing room with Opal probably? You look stunning. Go show them exactly what you’re made of.” Dorian encourages you, a hue of purple spreading lightly across his cheeks as he watches for any witnesses to your moment. Holding on to his cheek as long as you can stepping backwards you offer him one last wink and blowing him a kiss before you turn and strut onto the stage ready to play. Who knew pageants could be fun after all.

#critical role x reader #critrole x reader #exu x reader #exandria unlimited x reader #dorian x reader #dorian storm x reader #critical role #critrole #exu #exandria unlimited

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volfoss · 3 years

Note

how about ranking bucciarati's team?

regret to inform you that ur gonna get a very long answer bc i have passionate feelings about them all! also trish is in this bc she is part of the team and no one will tell me otherwise and will also include some rambling bc it is me and i have so many feelings towards these characters and none of them r cohesive

under the cut just in case (post writing yes it was long)

Giorno Giovanna:

way way more complex than ppl normally give him credit for (i will not go into feelings on how a majority of the fandom treats him unless ppl want me to then i will in fact make a very long ranty post and will not be stopped)

mildly op (esp at the beginning with how hes kind of able to just use his stand really well w no problems altho i think thats true of most of the jojos that we have seen animated?)

i am emotionally attached to him and want to give him a big hug

hes just a kinda goofy kid and is maybe a bit not good with figuring out hey this is a semi dangerous situation maybe i shouldnt be taunting him (leaky eye luca for example)

has the actual best theme

i love how he works off the rest of the team so well (even w members who do not like him)

is in my top 3 jojos i love this kid sm i would adopt him if he was real

7/10

Bruno Bucciarati:

the fucking way his character develops from licky man to best dad material is my favorite thing

his outfit is so so so good i would die to wear it

in general this man is one of my fave jojos characters and i get a lot of comfort from him

hes just really neat and has a good taste in music

he did his fucking best and i will always love him for that

imo the way that his death was drawn out was genuinely one of the most heartbreaking deaths in the entire series and fucks me up each time i think of it

i feel like he really is the one to hold the team together in a way that everyone feels cared for and saved

def has a savior complex tho for sure

dilf but im ace

also manga superiority bc he either makes the stupidest faces or looks very nice (anime has a lot of weird animation in regards to his face) and also because its lingerie there instead of a tattoo that changes thickness and placement every second

10/10

Leone Abbacchio:

guilty pleasure liking man

i am obsessed with his vibes and wish to become him

i cannot physically express just how much i love him but hes one of my faves of all time (not obvious by my theme at all wdym)

i miss his manga palette but also the colored manga isnt my beloved but also black lipstick abba

hot take maybe but anime abba looks better than manga minus the lipstick debacle

hes so so tall and i will steal his height in a nice way

his past man his past it fucks me up

his death fucks me up normally but when i was rewatching recently, i saw he gave this tiny lil smile after helping the kids get their ball and i could not take it anymore

him and brunos relationship (canonically and out of canon too) is one of my favorites in the series

also fandom hot take as i guess i am doing those for everyone- but ppl either have him as cosntantly trying to murder giorno or being like good son and v out of character, and it is really weird? not sayign that ill do better when i write them but also like im convinced some ppl havent seen the show or smth

i will steal both him and bruno and marry them both <3

this man is beloved i love him to death

10/10

Pannacotta Fugo:

i cannot spell his first name to save my life

also fandom take- ppl make him constantly only angry boy all the time and it really irks me. ik araki did not give him 2 much to work w in terms of canon personality but its frustrating

the light novel purple haze feedback is so so so good and adds sm to his character and i really like it for that!

fugo is one of those that imo deserves a lot and didnt get that

genuinely the vibes between how he treats narancia is v interesting to me, like its clear he cares about nara but nara not doing great w math really frustrates him

i love their interactions and how he is genuinely a kind person at times

the manga colors r superior here, my strawberry boy <3

i just really love and appreciate him a lot and wish that ppl gave him more love

i keep getting assigned him on kin quizzes

very smart good boy

ALSO ok fugo did not do any wrong by leaving

unsure if thats a hot take but i genuinely dont blame the character one bit for leaving and again purple haze feedback really delves into that and why he did it

if ur a fugo fan go read it

his past is really upsetting esp in the anime i will cry over it

his stand is adorable and i wanna hug it

his vibes r fun and i wanna gift him strawberry dangly earrings

8/10

Narancia Ghirga:

this boy i am also adopting (i am adopting most of them sorry)

i really hate how ppl act as if hes stupid bc bad math skills do not equal stupid like did ppl not see the fight w formaggio??

the way he just fucking dove into the water after the boat and how brunos face went all soft and happy it will never not make me cry

he is constnatnly making me wanna cry if i think too much about him for 2 seconds i love him sm

how can anyone not adore him when he set an entire street on fire yk

hes just happy despite his past and it makes me sad i love nara sm

torture dance is one of my favorite memes from the show

ALSO ok the way he died so suddenly absolutely broke me bc the remaining team members r really just seeing everyone die in front of them so quickly

his goofy and laid back moments r my fave

i love just how loyal and caring he is to his friends

his stand is really cool and again the fight w formaggio was so fun to watch

8/10

Guido Mista:

probably my least favorite member of the team for a semi good reason:

the jokes towards trish are really really uncomfy and how fugo doesnt wanna be involved but he is pushing him to do something that makes him uncomfortable did not make me like him a lot

hes goofy but not goofy enough for me to be ok with the repeated jokes about that esp in the body swap episode (ik it was supposed to be funny but it just felt off)

his vibes r good but i wish we got to see his hair

the fandom interpretation is normally pretty good of him overall?

despite not loving him a lot, i really enjoying writing for him (one day might open up headcanon requests or smth but unsure)

hes someone id wanna watch movies w but his taste in movies and mine r very different

love how he and his stand get along

honestly has very very good comedic potential

i really like how he and giorno interact as the series goes on (in a platonic way i need to clarify that i love their friendship)

again him in purple haze feedback was really interesting

probably a 5/10?

Trish Una:

beloved and deserved better

her first outfit in the manga > outfit in the anime

actually in general i believe in manga trish superiority like her hair in the manga looks so cool

her stand her stand her stand i love sm

if u dont include trish in the group i am murdering u <3

HER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!!! IS SO GOOD!!!!!!

fandom gripe is how people either pretend she does not exist or has the trish first introduction thing where shes using her defense mechanisms and acting a bit spoiled

OK but her in purple haze feedback!!! mild spoilers but how bruno was taking care of her post the ending of vento aureo makes me so happy each time i think of it

very mad that she canonically didnt really get an ending and yet again PHF my beloved actually gave her that

how spice girl starts out as a stand thats helping her thru a very stressful situation is so cool and i love it

DAD BRUNO DAD BRUNO DAD BRUNO *frothes at the mouth*

but more seriously how she leans on bruno and begins 2 trust him and nearly point blank is referring to him as a father figure always fucks me up

esp because of the resulting fight afterwards

and the very ending of the arc that ends w bruno being like bye gonna go in the clouds and look ethereal now, oh man it makes me so sad

bc giorno is the only one that knew what happened and people that were closer to bruno due to knowing him longer didnt

i wanna see how trish coped w that personally

despite being introduced not at the beginning i think her arc and character in general were as well paced as it could be!

9/10

finally done! sorry that took so long but oh man i have so many feelings towards these guys its not even funny

#asks #wholesome mutuals #vento aureo spoilers #to add that bruno is one of my faves of all time is probably obvious by me putting him at 10/10 #fiance bullies me lovingly for liking leone so that is explanation 4 first bullet #he has not even met him but just calls him piss man #the fandoms treatment of most of these characters makes me really mad tbh

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astouract · 3 years

Text

The Smell of Soil — Chapter 2 (Y/N)

Synopsis: (Y/N) almost burns her house down, and of course Loki shows up to help

Words: 1901

Warnings: None yet 😈

—

You practically slammed the door behind you, leaving the god-turned-gardener on your front step. Something wasn't right. You weren’t supposed to be stationed at the house right next to his, why would they put you there?

Watch him from afar, they had told you, don't get too close. He's still dangerous. Unpredictable.

Your heart felt as if it would beat right out of your chest, you noticed, as you placed a hand on your chest and let the door support you. After taking a moment, you pushed yourself off of the door and wandered into the cottage. It definitely wasn't anything like the Asgardian architecture you were used to, floral patterns and natural wood instead of stark white marble and expensive accents. There was no television, which was almost a relief as you had absolutely no idea how to use one. There was, however, a little pink radio on a shabby looking green end table.

A floral sofa was the centerpiece of the room, placed in front of a small fireplace. Small tables held little knickknacks and tiny vases that could only hold one or two flowers. And, actually, it seemed like plants were taking over the house. They were everywhere, you realized with a groan. You’d have to water them every day, and they’d still end up dead.

You moved on and into the kitchen, where there was not nearly as much counter space as you were used to. The room was a cacophony of different patterns and colors, but somehow it all came together to form one cohesive style. A little round table sat in the corner, with two mismatched chairs and, of course, a potted plant. Everything looked like someone else had used it for twenty years and then dumped it on the side of the road somewhere. Even the gas stove could've used a cleaning. Cooking--yet another thing you would have to learn how to do. Fresh herbs hung from the wall above the large window, making the room smell faintly of rosemary and basil.

To the left of the kitchen was a small flight of stairs that led to the second floor, which you soon discovered was more of an attic with a bed and some windows. You let your hand trail along the puffy duvet, feeling its softness under your fingers. It wasn't an Asgard duvet, that's for sure, but you had a sneaking suspicion that you may like it more. It was plush and inviting, and you resisted the urge to sink into the mattress.

A little dresser held flowing skirts and dresses, and a few pairs of jeans. You looked down at your current outfit, your last work of magic before hopping through the portal, and the first assignment of your mission: a loose T-shirt, paired with blue jeans that had to be the tightest pants you had ever worn. Not your usual clothing choices, but you were to play the part and do it well. So, flowing dresses and flower crowns it was.

Your feet carried you to the window, where you brushed the curtains aside. You had a clear view down the street, and your eyes landed on Loki's house, where he was on his hands and knees in his garden.

It was so odd, seeing him like this. Loki, God of Mischief, Prince of Asgard, was on his hands and knees digging through dirt to care for fruits and vegetables. Loki, who a week ago would have killed anyone who even looked at him wrong, came over just to help you with a yard sign. His hair had been thrown haphazardly into a top knot, and he'd had dirt smeared on his cheeks. He wasn't in Asgardian robes, trading his armor out for cotton button-ups and flannel pants. What had become of the prince you’d known your whole life?

Shaking your head, you stepped away from the window and retreated back to the first floor. The rest of the downstairs consisted of a small bathroom and an equally small study, where picture frames hung on the wall presented pressed flowers of all kinds and random journal entries. A wooden desk sat against a big window, and a small bookshelf was tucked into the corner.

You made your way back into the kitchen and through the back door, where nature had reclaimed the property. It was immensely overgrown, with so many clusters of weeds and flowers that your eyes couldn't find a place to settle. There was a rotting shed, and a greenhouse hidden behind greenery. Various gardening tools were scattered around the area, and you couldn't even imagine what else might be hiding in the bushes.

"It's. . . Charming." Loki's words echoed in your mind, and you rolled your eyes.

You liked a good project.

"Shit shit shit shit!"

You clamped your hands down over your ears, rushing into the kitchen and throwing the oven door open. You reached through the billowing smoke and grabbed the pan, crying out and dropping it immediately as burning pain overwhelmed your senses.

"Fuck!" You switched the oven off and held your hands helplessly in front of you, coughing.

You didn't know what to do. Your hands were an angry shade of red, an alarm was blaring from somewhere in the kitchen, and the smoke wouldn't stop billowing out of the oven. Somehow, above all of the noise you were able to hear a series of knocks at your front door. You crossed the distance from the kitchen into the living room, and carefully pulled the door open, hissing sharply at the pain rolling over your hands.

Shit.

There, standing on your doorstep for the second time that day, was Loki. Of course it was, because what else could happen when you were supposed to be watching him from afar?

He looked into the house behind you, and back at you with wide eyes. "Is everything okay? I heard the alarms and some loud crashes, and. . . Your house is full of smoke." His gaze asked what he wouldn't say out loud--asked if you needed help. Norns, he was practically begging you to let him help.

Who even was he?

You sighed, and then did the unthinkable: you stepped aside to let him in. He followed you into the kitchen, and you realized just how much of a mess you’d made. The oven door was hanging open, with smoke still billowing out relentlessly, and there were charred cookies all over the floor. The baking pan was upside down in the middle of the room, but Loki didn't seem to notice as he rushed around the room trying to reconcile the smoke issue.

"What happened?" He asked breathlessly, propping the back door open and sliding every window open that he could.

"I made cookies. I think."

Loki reached up above the door frame, and pressed a button on a white box that stopped the screeching alarm. He started opening every drawer in the kitchen, until he found what he was looking for. He offered you a tea towel, but you just stared at it.

"I can't," you murmured, looking down at your hands. Loki's gaze followed.

"Oh my God." He sucked in a breath, "You need to take care of that."

I would, if I could use my magic, your subconscious snapped.

He turned on the sink, and gently guided your hands into the cool water. "I think maybe you should go to Urgent Care."

"Urgent Care?"

Loki didn't seem to hear you, lost in thought as he looked around the room. He pulled over the chairs from the kitchen table, offering one to you at the sink before leaning against the counter while you soaked your palms.

"Did all of this furniture come with the house?"

You nodded. "It was mostly furnished when I got here, I just had to add a few small things. I only brought one suitcase with me."

"I see. Where did you move from?"

Shit. Why was he interrogating you? Did he know something?

You removed a hand from the water to gesture vaguely. "Just some run down old town about a day's trip north of here." The lie came effortlessly, and Loki accepted it with a nod.

"Where's your bathroom? Though I really think you should see a doctor for your hands."

"To the left of the entry, and there’s no need for medical treatment. I’m a fast healer." You grimaced, not daring to move your fingers.

Loki disappeared into the next room, and returned a moment later with gauze bandage. "It's going to hurt, but you have to wash your hands with soap before I can wrap them."

"What?" You asked stupidly.

Loki took the old soap from beside your sink and squirted a bit into your open hands. "Just wash them real quick. The internet said so."

Gods, being mortal sucked.

You did as told, and Loki turned off the tap before grabbing the gauze. "I'm going to wrap them now, okay?"

You offered him a hand, and he began to unwind the bandage with extreme delicacy onto your skin. It was mesmerizing, watching someone who you knew to be an actual war criminal act so selflessly. Gone was the dark, brooding prince, and standing in his place was a mortal, kind and simple. And concentrating.

Loki released one hand and moved onto the next, and suddenly, those green eyes were staring right back at you. Your breath caught, and for one, fleeting moment, you were swept up. The atmosphere felt different, like a static kind of electricity clung to the air.

War criminal. He shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be here, with your hands gently in his.

The things those hands had done, the lives they’ve ended. The cities destroyed, each one’s story carved into the lines on his palm. Those hands were unpredictable. Dangerous.

War criminal.

"That should do it," Loki said softly, "and look, the smoke has cleared!"

You grimaced as he collected the charred cookies from the floor. "You don’t have to do that. ."

Loki only grinned, putting the now dented pan in the sink. "I'm more than happy to help."

You walked together back through the house, and ended up back on the front steps for the third time that day. The sun was setting behind the trees, the sky a breathtaking canvas of oranges, yellows, and pinks. The world outside was quiet, peaceful.

"Seriously," Loki emphasized, turning to face you. "If you need anything. You know where to find me." He offered a sympathetic smile.

And, unfortunately, he knew where to find you.

Loki pointed to your hands. "You should take the bandages off in the morning and see what the burns look like; your hands will likely get worse over the next twenty-four hours or so. Whatever you do, don't apply ice. And, don't apply any ointment until the burns have cooled. Make sure you keep them clean and wrapped."

You cocked your head slightly to the side, regarding him curiously. Suspiciously. “How do you know all of this?"

Loki smiled all the way to his eyes. "Internet."

"Oh. Right.”

Loki rubbed his hands together--something that you wouldn't be doing for a couple days, by the sound of it. "Well, you seem to have had a rather. . . eventful. . . day so I'll leave you to it. Have a good evening, (Y/N)."

"Loki," you called out, stopping him on his way down the steps, "Thank you."

He smiled.

#loki laufeyson #loki fanfiction #loki x reader #cottagecore #original post #avengers #loki #marvel

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frogtanii · 3 years

Note

It’s wind anon! Who...did not finish reactions yesterday hahhhh

Orz

The need to deal with school work...and also the fact wind anon has the need to take a nap any time of the day. Sleep... zzzzzz. Have a test and such tomorrow and another test on Thursday so I be busy...gonna do my best...get good grades...

But, might as well do a short reaction, at least on the outfits! Specifically Meiko’s! Okay, so I don’t want to comment on the blandness of her caption for the image. And uh, I don’t know what she is referring to by the styled by stuff but I got the gist by looking at the answers to the asks and stuff. Okay, so looking purely at her dress. I get what they were going for, but the shape is not flattering. Wind anon has to give credit where credit is, Meiko is fairly tall (in wind anon’s opinion) and she does diet and stuff and have a thin figure, so her proportions are decent. But the dress...all the mixed vibes. The black portions of it make her look real old, and that belt thing is not cutting it for me. It’s like...not cinching in her waist properly (which is what belts should do—>adjust fit and accentuate).

Besides that, the rest of the cloth. I think the navy is actually a good choice, but the sheen that comes with the square pattern...no no no. Eye catching in the worst of ways. The fact that it comes in that sort of pattern makes the dress look a bit more cheap, and it’s just...a lot.

Besides that, looking at Osamu’s outfit, Meiko’s is far too...gaudy. (Not meant to insult the person in the image wearing the dress or the people who made it—just trying to give my honest opinion on the suitability of the outfit and such). Osamu’s is nice—Black, clean lines, subtle, catches a bit of interest with the pendant/necklace. Thus, Meiko would have worked with an elegant and tasteful outfit.

Let’s keep the navy color as the base okay? So, we already have a general idea of what YN is wearing, and her dress has a slit in it, like the one Meiko has right now. Rather than having them both with that, I think Meiko’s should be regular, mid-thigh end with no slit. (Honestly, I think like...2 inches above knee would work quite well but we know Meiko is the type to flash more skin so, mid-thigh). I’m thinking skirt with a bit more volume, goes out a bit rather than skin tight like some of Meiko’s other stuff. Like it flares out before you get to the hips? But the top of the dress is still sculpting out the waist and bust a bit. Off the shoulder straps. Shoulders and arms be uncovered that way. And instead of being plain, it’s navy with navy lace. Maybe add some subtle silver thread embroidery at parts. But I think it would work fine without that. But to add interest, both the off shoulder straps and bottom of the skirt aren’t just straight, maybe like, scalloped edge idea with the lace. And of course, have Meiko with a necklace that pairs with Osamu’s.

For hair, pin it up. You can be more glamorous with it because the dress is low key and elegant. Say, some blue flower and pearl hair accessories. Y’know? Like hair carefully braided in bun near the top of her head, a couple strands around the face to frame it, the flowers inserted between the bun and the rest of her hair, then the pearls in select places to give attention (maybe the pearls in individual pins...). But it honestly would be okay if you just had a lace ribbon that matched the dress well enough—cohesion is important with outfit planning. Earrings could either be diamond/sapphire studs or pearl. Though something like an ear cuff and some thin falling earrings would also look nice.

I’m thinking like, lace wrist cuffs/bands would be cute. But not necessary. Would be nice to see some dark blue, shiny nail polish on those fingers though.

...ugh, she just...could’ve looked so good next to Osamu like this. Wind anon giving the eyebrow of judgement. They would also contrast with YN and Sakusa in the best of ways.

And before I forget, footwear. No stilettos. Nothing too tall. 3 inches at most. Dark heels, with a reasonably sized heel and a strap either at ankle or in front, doesn’t matter, just shoes that are plain in a sense, but elegant and chic and comfy for walking and stuff.

Wind anon is wrangling outfit with one hand at this rate. Like, there’s tons of lights at these types of events. The dress rn will make you look like very pixelated glowing TV screen when it’s in the dark. With the suggestion I’m making like—the pleasant sheen from the pearls, the tasteful glimmer from the earrings and necklace, the delicate lace that doesn’t distract from dewy skin—please, wind anon cannot stand what she’s trying to pull off rn when wind anon has this idea right here.

But okay, wind anon is done. Wind anon is gonna sleep, wake up, get through the day like she always does.

Done with the fashion ramble. Anyway, ending thoughts. Unicorn anon saying we can all marry each other... first time Wind anon ever got that sort of proposal. Flattering, flustering, and yet I sorta won’t mind the platonic affection. Hm, decisions~

Anyway, do take care of yourself fr0ggy! Drink plenty or water and other fluids, eat fruits and veggies, and sleep lots! I wish you very very well <3

hi wind nonnie!!! pls get some sleep >:( i hope ur test goes well <3333 &&& i rlly love how detailed u were in redesigning meiko’s outfit???? v much swag v much cool KSJSK also i wouldn’t mind giving u some (platonic) affection!!!! u deserve it kith kith <333

#j’s asks #anons babey #℗ poker face #wind anon

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spiralhigh · 3 years

Text

ranking the sdr2 cast by how much their formal wear hits

this is just my opinion, but my opinions are great and i know what i’m talking about! this will be long so it’s under a cut

S TIER:

s tier is reserved for only the best of them all, the cream of the crop, the fit that i would gladly lay down my life for. s tier is the crown jewel. s tier is what everyone else should strive to be... but only one can take the prize.

#1: AKANE OWARI

the undisputed champion. this look is everything to me. EVERYTHING. the red-trim cape with the fur. the contrast of the airy, gathered blouse with those skin-tight shiny (leather? vinyl??) pants. the pumps. the belt that screams disco style. the necklace accentuating the tasteful titty window. the red white and gold color scheme are you FUCKING WITH ME miss owari this look could bring ARMIES to their KNEES in an INSTANT. whoever drew this deserves full creative control of the danganronpa franchise and i’m not kidding

A TIER:

a tier is for the fits that frankly own bones. they’re not as jaw-dropping and legendary as owari, but they’re still razor as hell and deserve to be met with riotous applause.

#2: KAZUICHI SOUDA

kazuichi, i didn’t know you had it in you, but this FUCKS. the character of the pins on the lapels, the sneakers, and the mispinned tie. the absolute CLASS of the suspenders, watch, and tiny round glasses. the handsome slick in the hair now that the greasy beanie is gone. the tasteful highwater. he looks like the host of the larry king show if the larry king show was exclusively about ska bands and he has never looked better

#3: HIYOKO SAIONJI

tell me this isn’t the cutest shit. the colors here are EXQUISITE. the bright notes from the blue on top, the way the soft pink is a perfect middle ground of the pink + white flowers on her sleeves, the subtle way the green in her bow matches the green in her collar, the white petals breaking up the sky blue that might otherwise look out of place? remarkable. stunning.

#4: PEKO PEKOYAMA

the ELEGANCE is EVERYTHING here. the monochrome is offset by just a splash of red that ties everything together with her eyes and the flower in her hair, the checkerboard pattern is visually interesting but not distracting, and her hair in that loose ponytail with the little white ribbon? ugh. ADORABLE! but most of all, look at those BOOTS. those CUTE LITTLE HEELS on those SICK LACE-UP BOOTS..... QUEEN shit!!!

#5: CHIAKI NANAMI

rounding out our a tier is chiaki in this adorable little dress just LOOK at her!!! she looks like a little rose, a perfect flouncy skirt with a glittery mesh overlay, a fun and fresh over-the-shoulder collar, a fucking big old bow tied in the back?? i can literally feel the way this dress would feel in my hands. it’s simple and perfect and frankly a GORGEOUS color on her this is flawless

B TIER:

b tier is a perfectly respectable place to be. these fits lack the lustre and flavor of the a tier entries, but they’re still dressed to impress and they still look fine as hell.

#6: TERUTERU HANAMURA

say what you will about teruteru (and i do) but this suit is ADORABLE and it fits in with his theme + talent better than any other mfer on this list. the tasteful white/brown/red palette gives it a flashy chocolate cookie look, which is amplified in the fun pattern on the jacket. the chef’s hat switching out for a little top hat and the way the cumberbund looks a lil bit like a chocolate bar is also VERY cute

#7: THE IMPOSTOR

now on its own, the suit is just alright. a vibrant pinstripe blue three-piece with the classic red tie wouldn’t land the impostor in b tier on its own... but that FUR COAT, LUXURIOUSLY DRAPED OVER THE SHOULDERS does WONDERS to pull this look together. not only is it worn with “yeah, it’s real mink, no, you can’t touch it” confidence, but it also ties the otherwise arbitrary white loafers into the structure of the look. it’s subtle and class as hell.

C TIER

c tier is full of looks that are... fine, but ultimately either are boring, lack cohesion, or have a confusing design choice or two that make it hard to get all that amped about. c tier is a passing grade, but nothing more.

#8: NAGITO KOMAEDA

there’s a lot that’s good about this outfit, but there’s also a lot that doesn’t really work. let’s start with the good: the slutty loose bowtie and collar, the tight-fitting vest that ends before the hipbones so you can see the belt, the cute little ponytail? (chefs kiss) exquisite, all of it. but the suit itself is boring as sing, and who the hell decided to put the t-shirt symbol on the sleeves??? was it to add visual flavor to an otherwise bland suit? this does NOT have the black/white/red elegance that peko had.

#9: FUYUHIKO KUZURYUU

the silver and gold mob-boss look, complete with matching shoes vest and fedora, are a nice nod to fuyuhiko’s talent! the plaid is teetering on the edge between fun and garish to me, but the fact that it’s consistent and the only pattern means it isn’t too offensive. quick question though: why are his pant legs rolled up like that?? this isn’t a cute “cuffed at the ankle” look, dude looks like he had to wade across a pond to get to the venue. what gives

#10: GUNDAM TANAKA

out of everyone here, gundam’s suit might be the most boring of all. the scarf is just his normal scarf. the red tie and trim don’t do anything to tie the look together. the only mild point of interest is the asymmetrical vest, and i can’t even tell if that’s intentional. simply put, this “““fancy”““ outfit isn’t even in the same ZIP CODE as the level of ostentatious chuuni that gundam serves us every single day in his casual wear. maybe even worse than being ugly... it’s disappointing.

#11: IBUKI MIODA

now, look. is this dress buckwild and ugly as hell? yes. but you know what else it is? it is IBUKI MIODA’S DRESS. there might not be a single cohesive thing about this dress aside from its color scheme. the huge poofy ruffles of the skirt and arm things with the spiked bow and corset are baffling. the artist somehow managed to draw the awkward, clumping shape of the skirt to make it look exactly like an emergency cosplay sewn four hours before a convention. frankly, i can’t justify ranking it as a c! but i’m doing it anyway, because the sheer level of craftsmanship demands it, and in this house we respect diy queens that are totally off the shits.

D TIER:

d tier is for outfits that aren’t offensive, exactly... but like, they sure don’t look good! d tier is not a respectable place to be. those in d tier won’t be laughed out of the ceremony in shame, but they should really run their outfit by someone else first next time.

#12: NEKOMARU NIDAI

now don’t get me wrong: i have nothing but respect for the titties-out look. keeping the shirt unbuttoned all the way down to where the lapels of the jacket end? that’s sexy as hell. however, this flawless idea has a confusing execution. why emerald green and orange? what’s with the... long-sleeved printed (hawaiian?) shirt? why the red pocket square? and the jacket itself, while fitted perfectly along the chest and midsection, has a weird, unflattering scallop shape flaring out at the bottom. i want to like this fit, but there are just too many bad choices.

#13: HAJIME HINATA

oh, hajime... literally nothing about this ensemble is it. the creamy manila suit might have had potential if there were literally any color variation in the vest (or potentially shoes) to give it a little more shape, or even if you just went with a white shirt underneath it! i could get behind a light, off-monochrome look! but that leprechaun-green shirt is downright perplexing to me. it looks like a mistake! did you get dressed in the dark? did you spill something on your other shirt? this is a mess.

F TIER:

f tier is inexcusable. f tier should never have happened. how does it get this bad. who did this? who’s responsible for this?

#14: SONIA NEVERMIND

y’know, the colors are pretty! i dig the white and teal! but... girl... what the fuck is this construction. the ruffles are all over the place. the bodice looks like it has less fabric than space it needs to cover. the bottom half of the skirt looks like it was sewn on as an afterthought because the top half was too short for dress code. what’s with the weird choker collar detached from everything else. why is the hairband a slightly different shade of green. so many decisions were made here and none of them are flattering

#15: MAHIRU KOIZUMI

yknow, i like the idea behind this. i can see what you were going for! the dress on its own might have worked, even! but everything else about it is just... so ugly. what the fuck is happening with those shoes??? the sheer black tights aren’t the sexy OL look you think they are. the collar of the dress looks like it’s... braided for some reason??? those earrings are so huge for no payoff, statement jewelry with nothing to say, and worst of all... that headband. GIRL. that headband and that belt...... there’s nothing here. also i love orange but it’s not her color.

and finally... the worst.

#16: MIKAN TSUMIKI

what the fuck. what the fuck is this. this is straight up cheap rubber fetish gear. why is the HAT rubber? that skirt ruffle makes this look like fucking polly pocket clothes. why the fuck is she wearing that. the clothes are so bad that it makes her hair look like rubber too. was she dared to wear this? is this some cruel punishment? i don’t even know what to say. this is the worst possible outfit. there is not even one redeeming quality about it.

#danganronpa #sdr2 #new tab

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dodgefred · 3 years

Note

spring awakening for the direction thing please

this is another long one please hit read more

i sort of have two answers for this one because for a while i’ve been thinking about how i’d direct the spring awakening play so i have a bunch of ideas for that but you probably meant the spring awakening musical so i’m gonna do my thoughts for the play in bullet points and then i’ll go more in depth for the musical.

the play:

the time i wanted to seriously do this irl was mid-pandemic and i was losing my mind so a lot of my blocking ideas were fully socially distanced and every character would wear face masks matching their costumes.

on the note of costumes i really wanted to have the actors able to choose their own costumes. the style would be the nonspecific time period most productions go with w the girls in dresses and the boys in like suspenders or whatever. i think it would give the actors more of a sense of connection to the characters, especially considering how strange the text can be to modern americans.

it would be performed either outdoors in a field or in a blackbox theater. the set would be fairly minimalistic. i would love to find a set motif like the falsettos revival’s foam cube but i haven’t put too much thought into what exactly that motif would be.

i’m not sure how legal this is but i think it would be a fun reference to get soft instrumentals of the musical songs to play behind their corresponding scenes.

any scene where actors would need to be closer than six feet (touching, kissing, etc) would be prefilmed in a silhouette style and projected onto a white sheet. this way actors would only have to be physically close once and not every night. during the show, actors would go behind the sheet for the scene. metaphorically this would also be an indication of the concept that while the children generally aren’t afraid of sex or kissing, they still have the knowledge that it’s an intimate act and still have some sort of inherent shame attached to it.

unrelated to my ideas specifically for this because i just thought of this but on that note i also think it would be really interesting for a production where the actors act behind a white sheet and all the audience sees is silhouettes. i think it would be a really cool way to play with shapes like that, and a bit of an extra challenge for the actors to try and be emotive and expressive when no one can see their expressions. it would also add to the idea of the children in the show not being understood despite their best efforts.

now in terms of the musical, i’m jumping around a lot for this one because with spring awakening i’ve seen it so many times and everyone’s done it a million different ways and so i don’t have exact ideas for the show scene-by-scene like i did with alice by heart. i do have an overall concept i’d like to follow, as well as a few specific scenes that i’d like to address. this is also going to focus more on my mindset while directing rather than the blocking and concepts itself, because spring awakening is much more clear with its stage directions than alice by heart is.

i know this is cheesy af but hear me out: a les mis dallas-style modernized production would hit so different. i’ve seen a lot of spring awakening productions and a lot of them try modernizing it but the directors don’t understand that putting a modern outfit on a period piece isn’t going to change much in the grand scheme of things. however i do think a lot of the problems in spring awakening can and should be addressed under a modern lens- these are real issues that still plague today’s youth, albeit maybe less dramatic than death by botched abortion.

this is also why for the song of purple summer, i’d make this connection between past and present much more clear by making the final costumes historically accurate (or at least historically accurate to the extent that most productions go for) in a similar color palette to their everyday wear. this is kind of an inversion of what spring awakening tried to do when it was off-broadway / in previews on broadway, but hopefully less……bad?

i think in order to be effective, some spring awakening scenes need to be done a certain way and most productions don’t do them correctly.

the first of which is the beating scene. in most productions, wendla and melchior enjoy it too much. i think this needs to be the exact opposite. wendla is a young girl with no concept of bodily harm and this leads her into some much less than ideal situations throughout the show. in this scene, we need to see wendla’s regret as soon as the beating starts, and yet her stubbornness and naïveté prevails. for melchior, we have a young boy who doesn’t know what he’s doing, either. in the play, we find out one of melchior’s worst nightmares was a dream where he started punching his dog and couldn’t stop. while the musical doesn’t include this but it context, i still need to see that bit of backstory in a melchior. contrary to wendla, melchior’s regret begins to kick in more at the end. in this scene, their emotions directly foil each other. we need to actually be able to see that.

also while i adore otto and georg and their woyb reprise, i really don’t understand why it belongs to them and i think just the instrumentals itself should be a taunting reprise, or wendla can quietly sing it to herself as the scene fades to black.

the next vital scene is the hayloft scene. quick trigger warning here for discussions of rape here so feel free to skip to the next chunk of text if you don’t want to read that sort of thing! i also want to apologize if i misstep in my description of this scene in any way, and if i actually directed this, i’d like to talk to some survivors to see what would actually be an appropriate way to perform this scene in a nonromantic way. these are just my immediate thoughts with the scene presented.

in the text of the musical, the hayloft scene is heavily romanticized, but i still think with the right direction, it can be played as how it is in the play. in the play, it’s more clearly rape, and even though in the musical wendla says yes, i would like to emphasize the fact that wendla doesn’t know what she’s saying yes to. a very important point of emphasis of this should be the climax of i believe. as the rest of the ensemble comes to their final harmony, we should cut to a blackout and hear wendla scream in pain overtop of the music.

the vineyard scene needs to be performed much more tenderly and sensitively than written. i would ideally like to work with queer actors for this scene and ideally have hanschen and ernst’s connection be much more genuine.

i think it would also be neat if there was a big set piece that looked like a tree branch and this scene can take place sitting on top of it.

overall my ideas for spring awakening are a lot less cohesive than for alice by heart because i’ve been thinking about this for a longer time and therefore everything is all over the place and i have concepts in my head for literally three different productions of it i guess, but i think it would be so much fun to work on no matter which way i do it!

#spring awakening #answered #anon #sorry this is a lot less cohesive than the other one #and sorry this took a long time to respond to it took a lot of time to get my thoughts out #i just think it would b neat to direct spring awakening

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dorizardthewizard · 3 years

Text

The Revival of Akillian: Chapter 11

Prologue / Chapter 10 / Chapter 12

11. SNOW KIDS VERSUS WAMBAS

Located on the edge of the marsh, the Jungle Stadium seems quite primitive from a distance: all in wood, poles and bamboo, covered with large hanging plants, crossed by a walkway formed from vines and flexible rods, accessible only by bridges of vines. Its technical tower, which supports the press and trainer pods, also made of wood, is adorned with a waterfall around which several plants flourish; curious decoration... but make no mistake: like all stadiums in the Galaxy, it is equipped by Technoid: synthetic memory turf filled with sensors, electromagnetic barriers, communication pods, referee terminals at high speeds, impact memory nets, exclusion pods, flying stretchers, giant holographic screens and so on…

In the dressing rooms, rustic but air-conditioned (a very attentive consideration from the Wambas for their guests, who have come from the cold), where a spherical screen suspended from a long bamboo pole shimmers, Aarch’s disconcerted team observe Thran, who is writhing in pain on the bench, hands on his stomach.

- Poor Thran, you really didn’t look at what was on your plate! - notes Micro-Ice.

- Please, don’t remind me… - Thran moans, pale and sweating.

- You have to be really stupid to eat that dirt! - criticizes Sinedd contemptuously.

- They invite us to eat, so we eat, it’s normal! - D’jok retorts. - It’s called politeness. Another thing you know nothing about!

- Tasting it was polite... oh... (Thran grimaces, doubled over) On the other hand, taking more was not a great idea!

- No way! How many times did you eat it?

He painfully raises three fingers.

- Well done, Thran! – scolds Rocket from the middle of the locker room. - You all heard Aarch: we absolutely have to win this match. And for that, we will need everyone!

- You think you can tell me what to do, new guy? - Sinedd barks. - Who do you think you are?

- Let it go, Sinedd! - warns D’jok.

- Thank you but it’s okay, I can defend myself. - assures Rocket.

He glares at Sinedd as if to say, “One more word and I’ll clobber you”, when Ahito wakes up with a start.

- I’ve got it! The Snow Kids!

They all stare at him, confused.

- What, weren’t you looking for a name for the team?

- Yeah, about two days ago! - Micro-Ice smirks. - You’re pretty quick on the uptake, Ahito!

- Yeah, the Snow Kids… I think it sounds good. You take Akillian… the snow, the sports… you put it together… you get the Snow Kids!

- Yeah… - muses D’jok. - It’s not bad at all. So who’s for?

All arms go up - even Thran, who manages to let go of his stomach. Only Sinedd does not participate in the vote.

- Me too, - says Aarch, who had just entered the locker room with Clamp.

- That’s fine with me, - approves the latter.

- You really like it? - Ahito is surprised, happy to have had a good idea.

- Yes, but a name alone is not enough. You also need...

-… beautiful brand-new football kits! - Clamp completes, his arms loaded with said jerseys.

- Oooh! Wow! Awesome!

He puts them on the table, and everyone rushes in to unfold their jerseys. They are blue and white, with two purple stripes on the arms, and the back is decorated with a large white number in a red circle. The same number is printed on the chest, but smaller, at the level of the heart.

- Awesome! – exclaims Ahito excitedly. - These are the same outfits that our players wore in Akillian’s heyday, can you imagine?

- It really does something to you… - sighs Micro-Ice, moved.

D’jok is quick to take off his T-shirt and put on the jersey.

- With this, we’re a real team now: the Snow Kids!

- That, we’ll judge on the pitch. - tempers Aarch.

While the Snow Kids rave about their outfits, Clamp, with a multi-function remote control, activates the spherical screen that displays a 3D football field.

- Alright! These will be your positions. - says Aarch. - Ahito in goal, Thran and Mei in defense, Tia and Rocket in midfield. Finally, the two strikers will be D’jok and Sinedd.

As he indicates each position, miniature figures of the mentioned players appear on the field.

- But what about me, sir? - asks Micro-Ice.

- You will be a substitute.

Sinedd laughs. Aarch turns to him.

- Something wrong, Sinedd?

- Ah! Uh, rhm… no no, nothing at all. Just something stuck in my throat… rh-rhm!

- But sir, I’m feeling on fire today, I swear! - Micro-Ice pleads. - Let me in and I’ll score three goals for you, minimum!

- Listen, Micro-Ice, being part of a team also means respecting the manager’s decisions. So, don’t argue!

- Yes, sir… - sighs Micro-Ice, lowering his head.

His disappointment is painful to see: for a moment, Mei could almost take pity on him.

***

On the pitch and under the burning sun, the waterfall which tumbles down from the top of the technical tower reveals all its usefulness: misted by a judicious ventilation system, it disperses a refreshing spray over the stadium, which prevents players - especially foreigners - from being overcome by the heat before the end of the first half. Another delicate consideration from the Wambas… with its large masts and canvas canopies, the entire stadium evokes a huge sailboat stranded in the middle of the jungle. A puzzling image, reinforced by the standard Technoid equipment: very incongruous in this natural setting, fixed among the wooden constructions using vines and ropes.

- Are you okay? - D’jok asks Thran, as the Snow Kids move to their respective positions.

- Yes, I feel better… hey! They are even more impressive in their outfits!

Team Wamba has just arrived on the pitch. With their large eyes, pointed ears, hands and feet with three clawed fingers, and slender body with fine and powerful musculature, they evoke the elves of ancient legends. Expressing fair play, they greet their young opponents with a small wave of the hand before taking their positions.

- Focus, kick off in a minute! – announces Aarch, leaning over his control screen in the pod reserved for him, where Clamp and Micro-Ice have also taken their places. The latter sulks, sitting on the floor in a corner. He doesn’t even want to see the game: he no longer cares. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0, ticks the countdown on the monitors.

The ball bursts up from the centre, applauded by the crowd, composed mainly of Wambas. D’jok leaps up, but he is no match for Wouwambou, who starts out using the Roar. Haloed with golden sparks, he retrieves the ball in the air - his clawed foot grips it like a hand -, falls back smoothly on the field and whizzes past Tia and Rocket with a series of hyper-fast twirls.

Commenting on this game is Callie Mystic - she seems to have decided to follow the Snow Kids until the end of their journey:

- Let’s go! This is the first friendly game for Akillian’s new team, the Snow Kids. Immediate recovery of the ball by the Wambas, who lead their first offensive. Wouwambou directly evades Tia and Rocket thanks to his flux! He passes to Lun-Zaera who shoots - a shot blocked by a save from Ahito, the young Snow Kids goalkeeper, who immediately throws the ball to his brother Thran. Thran manages to dribble past two Wamba players and passes to Sinedd, Sinedd passes forward to Rocket, but it’s intercepted by the Wambas, who are on the attack!

Rocket, looking for Tia, does not see Lun-Zaera appear in front of him, shrouded in golden flames. He hesitates for a tenth of a second - enough for the fastest player in the Galaxy to steal the ball from him and storm the goal defended by Ahito, who this time has little time to sleep. Lun-Zaera comes across Mei on her way, who practically sticks to her and, with a skillful tackle, manages to deflect her shot: the ball ricochets against the upper bar of the goal. So much the better, because Ahito didn’t see it coming! His brother catches the ball on the fly, kicking it forward. The ball is picked up by a Wamba player perched on the technical bridge: an unconventional but authorized position, as long as his flux has allowed him to leap that far.

- What a game! - marvels Callie, who sees everything from multiple angles in the media pod. – This is far from a simple friendly match. The Wambas are not holding back, they’re imposing their rhythm in this game!

In a superb triple somersault, the Wamba sends the ball to the feet of a teammate marked by Rocket, who passes back to Lun-Zaera, who once again finds Mei in her way, managing to steal the ball from her this time. She passes to Sinedd, who takes advantage of a gap to attempt a forward breakaway, followed by an unmarked D’jok. Very quickly, Sinedd is stopped by two Wamba defenders, but instead of passing to D’jok, tries to dribble past them. He succeeds, only to be immediately tackled by a third who falls from the sky, taking the ball from him with a pirouette.

- What an idiot! – shouts D’jok, raising his arms to the sky.

- Oh dear, what’s going on? Sinedd seems to be refusing to collaborate with D’jok! – comments Callie. - Aarch will have to work on good cohesion in his team! Sinedd loses the ball, the Wambas quickly move up the field towards the opposing goal...

By a succession of highly acrobatic passes, the ball once again reaches the feet of Lun-Zaera, who whirls and shoots - once again, Ahito doesn’t see it coming: the ball is already in the net while he is still leaping.

- Goal!!! - Callie Mystic yells. - Taking advantage of a clumsy initiative from Sinedd, the Wambas have just scored the first goal!

Thunderous ovation from the crowd in the stands, who applaud as much this beautiful attack of their team as the heroic resistance of the young Akillians. In the pod, on the other hand, Aarch is not celebrating at all:

- What the hell are you waiting for? - he yells into his microphone. – Get the ball to Tia!

Each player, with an earpiece, receives the message loud and clear. Right off the throw, Rocket manages to snatch the ball away from an opponent and pass it to Tia on the other end of the field, in a beautiful, arced shot that draws a hum of admiration from the receiving player. Beset by Wouwambou, Tia has no other way out than to pass to Sinedd, who once again attempts a solo breakthrough. A Wamba tackles him, he dodges him with a jump and continues his charge, concentrated, ignoring his teammates - D’jok especially - who nevertheless signal to him. Good players, or wanting to give their goalkeeper a little work, the Wambas let him run...

- Sinedd is in possession of the ball again! - Callie comments. - He manages alone in front of the opposing goal, he shoots… what a masterful save by Bounzoff, the Wamba goalkeeper!

Despite his stoutness, he performs an acrobatic rear wheel kick in front of the net, magnified by a golden fire. The ball goes back to the middle of the field, miraculously intercepted by D’jok who immediately shoots - another save by Bounzoff, in an elegant somersault. Sinedd snatches the ball and shoots again - this time Bounzoff stops it with a hand. Spinning the ball on the tip of his big finger, he shakes a finger at the two breathless and crestfallen Snow Kids attackers.

- Bounzoff is certainly obstinate, - remarks Callie. - He has decided that today the ball will not go into his goal!

- What kind of play is that? - yells Aarch in front of his screen. – Are you playing football, or pinball?

The Wambas decide that this little interlude is over: from a very tight pass from Bounzoff to Wouwambou, they set out again. D’jok and Sinedd quickly retreat to the rescue of their defenders - overwhelmed by the dazzling attack of Wouwambou and Lun-Zaera, who exchange the ball at a remarkable speed, wiping out Tia and Rocket on the spot and confusing poor Thran, who does not know where to step. Sinedd then resorts to his treacherous blow which has done well on Micro-Ice: he dives forward and strikes the calf of Lun-Zaera, who flies into the air and falls on the lawn. Curiously, the terminal referees did not see the fault - perhaps they are rusty from the constant humidity... Wouwambou, who has already recovered the ball, performs a perilous leap over the Snow Kids defenders - the ball goes crashing into the net. Ahito didn’t have time to make the slightest movement to stop him.

- Gooooooal!!! - yells Callie Mystic. - Despite that foul from Sinedd that I thought I saw, but which the Wambas ignored!

- Sinedd, playing like this won’t get you anywhere! - Aarch shouts, pounding his fist on the table. - This goes for the rest of you too. Push forward, damn it!

- We could make a substitution, - suggests Clamp.

- Oh yeah, great idea! - Micro-Ice stands up.

- No, - Aarch refuses. - I want them to find their feet with this setup.

- Still, it was a good idea… - grumbles Micro-Ice, who sits down in his corner.

The match resumes. Rocket takes advantage of having recovered the ball (he does not quite know how) to pass to Tia while shouting at her:

- Go ahead, Tia! Try your luck!

She takes to the ball at her feet... the more she runs, the more she feels this fabulous energy invade her, electrify her, overflow in blue waves. Suddenly, the Wambas seem slower to her: she avoids one, jumps over a second who has attempted a slow tackle, then passes back to Rocket who, immediately after receiving the ball, shoots it back in a beautiful, twisted angle.

- What’s happening? - cries Callie in awe. - Tia seems to be using the Breath of Akillian, it’s incredible! As you can see, dear holo-spectators, it is indeed the Breath that was believed to have disappeared!

Two Wambas try to retrieve the ball in mid-flight, but Tia takes off in a column of blue lightning, followed by Wouwambou all in golden flames, who gazes at her in admiration - the Breath! She has the Breath! - then falls back, letting her shoot... again, Tia, who is nothing but crackling energy, feels her foot swinging off like a powerful pendulum, hitting the ball which shoots towards the Wambas’ goal. This time it is Bounzoff who isn’t fast enough: despite his lightning reflexes, the ball sinks into the net in a splendid shot.

- It’s a gooooal!!! – exclaims Callie Mystic. - The first goal of the young Snow Kids against the skillful Wambas, thanks to a fantastic shot from Tia boosted by the Breath of Akillian! What a feeling, dear holo-spectators!

Delirium in the stands: the audience cheers this goal as if it were their favorite team that had scored it. So are the Wambas...

The Snow Kids jump around, clapping each other on the shoulder and hugging each other. Rocket would love to kiss Tia but he doesn’t dare, and just hugs her briefly - she pulls away immediately. Only Mei and Sinedd do not share the general enthusiasm: both are jealous - for different reasons.

- Woah!! - Micro-Ice also jumps to his feet, after seeing the nice slow-motion action on Clamp’s monitor.

- There! This is exactly how you should be playing! – Aarch finally rejoices.

- The Snow Kids are back in the match, revived at 2-1 after a spectacular goal from Tia, their young prodigy! - declares Callie Mystic.

To resume play, Rocket decides on his own to place Tia as the third attacker. Receiving no comment from Aarch in his earpiece, he assumes that decision is correct. Tia therefore finds herself facing Wouwambou, who looks at her strangely. He is in the grip of a painful internal conflict: on the one hand, a new respect for this player who masters her flux so well, on the other this “contract” with Artegor Nexus, which he must honor... he closes his eyes and clenches his fists. He would like to be a thousand miles from here, still sick on Akillian... and to never have met Artegor Nexus.

The ball shoots up from the center and the match resumes. Very fast, very physical, very acrobatic: this time the Wambas are no longer laughing, they know that they have at least one challenging opponent ahead of them.

- Tia has already recovered the ball and is moving up the field at high speed, she dodges all her Wamba opponents, it’s incredible! - Callie exclaims in wonder.

In fact, this battle comes down rather to a duel between Tia and Rocket on the one hand, Wouwambou and Lun-Zaera on the other, the rest of the players being reduced to the role of extras. Using the Breath sparingly but with unmatched precision, Tia intercepts balls from her adversaries and controls those sent to her by Rocket, who, even if he does not have the Breath, has precision in his shots down to the millimeter. Callie Mystic notices:

- Tia seems unstoppable! Thanks to a one-two with Rocket who returns the ball to her with pinpoint accuracy, she reaches the Wamba penalty area. She is caught by Wouwambou who rushes towards her, also boosted by the Roar…

As Tia takes off for her famous cannon shot, Wouwambou also tears himself off the ground… he hits Tia on the fly, at full power, at full speed. The shock of the two bodies “doped” by their respective fluxes is equivalent, on scale, to an airplane crash in the air. Both crash to the ground, devastated.

- Foul!!! - shouts Callie Mystic. – An unfathomable foul from Wouwambou, captain of the Wambas, renowned for his fair play! What happened to him?

Wouwambou, more solid and muscular than Tia, is just stunned and gets up quickly. Tia, she remains unconscious...

The two teams come running, alarmed. Rocket exchanges a look with Lun-Zaera, from which he reads a reflection of his own dismay. Angrily, D’jok approaches Wouwambou, but is blocked off by Bounzoff who snaps at his confused captain:

- What’s going on?! What’s the matter with you?

- I… I think I had trouble controlling my strength. I am sorry…

The Wambas do not know how to lie, and there is some truth to Wouwambou’s words: this is not how he intended to eliminate Tia; he just wanted to stop her relentless attack, so the Wambas wouldn’t be ridiculed by this newbie kid. He hadn’t thought Tia’s Breath was so powerful, hadn’t calculated that within him the Roar was at its peak, swollen with anguish over his dilemma. Indeed, he didn’t consider any of this... it was unquestionably a foul. A serious foul.

Resigned, he lets himself be taken by the exclusion pod, which will suspend him for five minutes ten meters above the ground. Through its glowing walls, he watches the flying stretcher carry Tia into the locker room... in any case, he feels he has accomplished his mission, to be even with Artegor Nexus. He wishes with all his heart that Tia, this little prodigy, will recover quickly from her injury...

The gong (a real gong, struck by a lavender-dressed servant) strikes half-time, which is timely. The entire Snow Kids team is in the locker room around Tia, still unconscious. Rocket leans over her and strokes her hair...

- Stand back! – orders Clamp. – Give her some space!

D’jok paces up and down, his anger still with him since Bounzoff had prevented him from telling Wouwambou exactly what he thought of him.

- Seriously, I can’t believe it! Such a serious foul in a friendly match, I find that disgraceful, right, sir?!

- Right now, D’jok, our main challenge is to find a way to heal Tia. Without her, the Snow Kids are no more, you understand?

- Don’t worry, I’ll get her back on her feet. - intervenes Dame Simbai, who appears at the locker room door. She walks over to Tia, carrying a bag of herbs and potions over her shoulder. - Dealing with a shock between fluxes is kind of my specialty, isn’t it, Aarch?

- Simbai, you are a blessing. - he smiles, reassured.

#galactik football #the revival of akillian #lets just keep pretending the white haired guy is wouwambou #hmm mei taking pity on micro-ice? i wonder if the author will do anything more with this sinedd-mei-mice thing

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