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insane-brit · 11 months

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Royalty (Ch. 3)

Muzan Kibutsuji x Soulamte!Fem!Reader

Chapter Links: Prologue, Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter three

Next scheduled Royalty update (Ch 4.): July 30th, 2023.

Tags/Warnings: Enemies to lovers, semi slow burn, dark story/themes, GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE (neck snapping, spinal shock), prostitution, attempted coercion, hatred, mentions of IRL Japanese history, slight misogyny, panic attack, blood.

A/N: It's finally here!!! Yay! Thank you all for being patient with me as these last few weeks have been hectic. I just got back from a convention and classes are a lot. I'm also going back through and adding (F/N) to the first two chapters with reader in it since I didn't do that before (I like to use it sparingly). So, be on the lookout for those edits.

I do want to say that I have a schedule planned for this series. Due to my classes and the upcoming semester I will update Royalty every other week to give me time to write properly. Other works such as requests will be filled/posted as they are completed.

Therefore, the next update (Ch. 4) will be on July 30th, 2023!

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Word Count: 2.6K

The stench of rot permeated through the orifices of every human that he encountered. Death walked hand in hand with them as they decayed with each passing minute. Demons were much the same but dulled. Their aging halted and cells regenerated in a never-ending cycle until their head was severed or body burned. Flaws in his creations and himself.

Muzan’s carefully crafted work, hand-picked from the hundreds and thousands of demons over the ages, the Upper and Lower moons had defects in their own ways. Dismantling the Lower ranks proved to ease the spreading desperation in his subconscious. They were worthless beings. Unfit for their stations and yet the Upper ranks manifested to be just as disappointing as the rest. Failing for centuries at annihilating the family bound to him by blood and unearthing the blossom that would grant him the ability to conquer the sun. The amaryllis.

The only reason they proved to be of use was they kept the Kisatsutai on their toes. Terminating the lives of their most powerful and stripping them of their morality. Despite him wanting to rip the ranks to shreds and gnash his teeth on their bones, they were his strongest. He would let them carry on with their lives if they served and attested themselves to be worthy of the position so graciously bestowed upon them.

Walking the various winding concrete of Yoshiwara was not Muzan’s ideal pastime. Though it was vital to remind his Jūnikizuki where they stood and to oversee the progress, they had made both for themselves and his sake. Situating himself near a wall, his eyes observed the lowly human creatures. Their affairs exhibited in the confines of the residence they were assigned to and sought out. Women and men alike with their sultry gazes swept across the bodies that passed them. Muzan was no exception. The impure burn of their eyes had him clenching his jaw. It was revolting and he would rather them be looking upon him in other ways. They were ignorant, but one day they would understand. If they were capable of such a feat. A soft gasp from behind him had him tense.

“Aren’t you pretty?” A woman brushed the side of his arm before stopping in front of him. A smirk curled on her face as she tilted her head. Eye’s tracing over his features before going lower.

“I know just the woman who may interest you,” her nail tapped her lower lip. “And she may be interested in return.”

Muzan glared at her, expression stoic and lips in a tight line. “No, thank you.”

She pouted, sticking her bottom lip out in a display that left him with a foul taste in his mouth. “Oh, come on. I promise we’re not that bad, and besides,” she drawled, smoothing out the front of her layered kimono. “I can show you a good time if the others don’t meet your expecta-.”

Her skull cracked against the building. Stone dug into her scalp as little pieces opened the skin, blood streamed from the wound. A choked sound bubbled up from her throat as Muzan tightened his grip.

His face was mere inches from hers. “Courtesans just don’t know when to quit.” Her throat bobbed as she clawed at his wrist. Pupils blown and eyes swelled, she sounded pitiable. “Know your place.”

His expression was callous. Complete disregard for the woman’s life. In one swift motion, her vertebrae splintered underneath the skin. The crack reverberated under his fingers as she paled. Sweat beaded near her hairline and her pulse dropped. The thrum lagged in intensity compared to moments ago. Practically tossing her against the wall, he stared down at the nearly unconscious body. The rise and fall of her chest ceased at the loss of function and urine trailed from under the slightly hoisted garments.

Muzan stepped away from the body. A look of repugnance danced in his eyes as his shoes clicked against the alley. The sheer commotion of the streets and people engrossed in their activities served to cover the deed. No eyes to behold the barbaric and heinous force that now lay with the crumpled cadaver. Not that it made any difference to him if someone bore witness or not. The action wouldn’t beget any kind of repercussion. He had killed thousands and the sole individual who could strike him down for his immorality was long gone.

Rounding the corner of the brothel yielded another side road. Livelier than the alleyway, but not as bustling as the main street. Muzan’s gaze swept over the scene. The mix of Chouchin and modern cast bronze lanterns emitted a golden tint. Shadowing the timber structures inlaid with ornate decor and carefully crafted sliding doors. In the time since his birth in the Heian Era, Muzan had seen the rise and fall of many and their attempts at jurisdiction. From the brutal Onin War between the Daimyō and Ashikaga shogunate to the collapse of the Tokugawa shôgun. Modernizing and progressing the country into the complex order it is today.

He wouldn't normally immerse himself in the trivial matters of the government, especially with them being substandard compared to himself, however, it was vital to his continuity. Being knowledgeable in the ever-changing systems, inventions, and styles granted him more expertise in the art of blending in. Offsetting the swordsmen intent on his demise for over a thousand years.

Observing the bleary silhouettes of people through the translucent paper on the shoji windows, he tipped the edge of his white fedora to the side. Eyeing the Kyogoku House, where Upper moon six, Gyutaro, resided. Daki may be the outward appearance and has some finesse in fighting, but that is all she’ll ever amount to. A mere child whose sole purpose is to keep her brother under control. A pitiful feat that she thinks her lord cares for and believes in her. On her knees and practically drooling over his approval. It's pathetic.

Narrowing his eyes, Muzan strode down the street. He had more pivotal things to execute rather than linger in these vulgar places. A puddle splashed as his shoe struck it. The ripples reflected molten gold from the lanterns. He looked down at the undulating liquid before his eyes sharpened. The tightness in his wrist and the scintillating flicker of the cursed filament did not go unnoticed. Muzan felt the cavity of choler dig itself further as eyes burrowed into his stature. Halting his movements, he could feel the emotions coming off the person like waves. Kismet had its way of interfering with his aspirations as of late, and it appears no matter how hard he disregarded the incident many nights ago, resilience persevered. Nails sharpening, he turned and eyed the human ogling at him.

Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes wide. Skin pale as if she had seen a ghost. His gaze dragged over her body, and he glowered in realization. The all-too-familiar black uniform with white accents stood out like a sore thumb. The haori that encapsulated the kanji on the back of the uniform was a mix of snow and sable. Swirls of what looked to be smoke and other intricate designs littered the bottom, but Muzan didn’t put much care into what the woman was wearing. His sole focus was on what she was. A Sureiyā. A Hashira.

If there were any gods or Buddha in his thousand years of existence, they were surely trying his patience.

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(F/N) felt like her blood had been turned to ice. The glassy veins froze her in place as she owlishly stared into the eyes of her supposed soulmate. Hearing shot, ringing reverberated in her ears and the thronging behind her sounded muffled. As if she had been pulled into the unforgiving deep as her lungs screamed and begged for an end.

He did not move, and from where she stood, she could not discern an emotion on his face. It was phlegmatic. Unwavering, constant. It unnerved (F/N) as her feelings swirled and compacted into what felt like a ticking bomb. Fury, horror, uncertainty…. contentment? It was all too much and didn't do anything to ease her palpitating heart. Eyes darted down to the thread, soaking up every single fiber and shine it emitted as she stalked its trail. It ended at his alabaster skin. Gouging itself into the flesh, and if his eyes weren't enough evidence, that's when she noticed his nails. They tapered into an acute point where deep indigo melted into pale blue.

Breathing ragged, she took a few shaky steps back. Gaze never leaving him. (F/N) was jolted out of her stupor as a body rammed into her hard. The force sent them both tumbling to the ground. Her head and elbow cracked against the pavement. Grit dug into her flesh and tore it open as her vision doubled. Groaning softly, (F/N) brought her other hand up to cradle her head. A weight was pressed onto her torso, and it felt suffocating as it moved around. Muffled voices resonated around her, and as her vision cleared, she observed the multitude of bodies surveying the scene. Beady eyes pierced her soul, and some looked on with pity. Others glared and whispered in hushed voices like secrets carried by the wind, and she felt her face flush in embarrassment.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” A voice hissed and handfuls of her uniform were jerked forward. A man hovered over her dazed form and shook her harshly. “How dare you wench! Where is your procurer? You should be punished for your insolence.”

(F/N) clenched her teeth and slammed her fist into his chest, effectively shoving him off her. Blood oozed from her elbow and stained his hakama as he fell into the surrounding crowd. Women shrieked and men howled with laughter at the display. She staggered to her feet, clutching the laceration, and glared at the man seething on the ground.

“Nothing is wrong with me.” she spat at him. Her nerves were firing. The adrenaline from the collision, that she laid eyes on the progenitor, and that he was her soulmate no less had her on the verge of a breakdown. Something that she had not felt in years. The feeling of all these emotions flowing had her choking back the ball that had formed in her throat. “Watch where you're going next time.” She hissed. (F/N) knew it was her fault but at that moment she could care less. Her eyes darted back towards the side street. People’s bodies presented to be an obstacle as she tilted her head frantically to inspect the spot where he once stood.

There was nothing. No trace that he was there and that only served to make her panic more. The only verification that his presence remained was the line connecting the two of them. It was slack, but barely compared to the tautness of it mere moments ago. Pivoting around she shoved people out of her way as she bolted down the road. The man on the ground cursed her form which was swallowed by the sea of people.

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(F/N)’s back pressed against the cool bark of a maple. She clutched the front of her uniform as choked sounds escaped her cracked lips. Her vision warped from the tears she held back; her hands shook with force and her feet tingled.

She didn’t know how far she had run from the district, but she had to get out. She ran until she couldn’t anymore and collapsed in the emerald grass and darkened trees. The thought of those eyes drilling into hers and the shifting cataclysmic ambiance that surrounded his physique had her struggling to breathe. The air came in short bursts as her chest tightened.

It was hard.

Breathing was hard.

The only relief she felt was the sight of the thread loose and gathered in ringlets on the swaying grass. He hadn’t followed her. She was out of sight of anything besides the surrounding fauna which she no doubt scared away with the distressed sounds pouring from her mouth.

Thoughts raced from Kibutsuji to her mission.

Her failed mission.

Grabbing the nearest rock, (F/N) screamed in rage and brought it down onto the blood-red tie. Beating it repeatedly into the ground. Each hit sent a shock wave of what felt like needles through her arm as a warning. Yet, it stayed constant. No fraying, no cut, no snapping. It remained in perfect condition, and she swore it glowed brighter, mocking her. Grinding her teeth together she continued to strike it until the palms of her hands bled from the grip she had on the stone.

Panting from the energy exerted, she chucked the rock at the nearest tree and watched it break into pieces and dust. Her nails dug into her slick palm as she sat there hunched over on her knees.

The thought of the pillars and her Master’s crestfallen, disgusted faces haunted her mind. If they were to see her in this state, abandoning a mission, and fleeing from their sworn enemy when she had every opportunity to launch an assault on him, well, she could only imagine the contempt that would stem from their hearts. (F/N) imagined Master Kagaya exiling her for breaking the oath she swore her life to the moment she passed Final Selection.

“I swear to battle valiantly, not show hesitation, doubt, or cowardice in the face of danger, and place the needs of the Kisatsutai before my own.”

She placed a quivering palm over her mouth as nausea threatened to overtake her. Everything she worked towards, dedicated her life to, everything, destroyed in minutes. Obliterated by her selfishness and pusillanimity. She was no valiant swordsman. The prowess she claimed to have died the moment realization sunk in. Snuffed like a flame.

A soft flutter and pitter-patter of feet landed near her as she held back the urge to purge the contents of her stomach. The crunching of leaves and soft cooing drew closer until she had no choice but to look up. Seiichi, her Kasugai crow cocked his head and ruffled his feathers at her. A small talisman was wrapped around his neck with string, engraved with designs and different Kanji. An item her grandfather gave to her before he passed that she then gave to her crow.

“Tengen, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke are almost to Yoshiwara. You must meet them!” he cawed and made her flinch from the sudden loud noise.

“No. No Seiichi,” she took in a shaky breath before reaching out and picking him up. “I can’t. Not now.”

Setting the crow on her lap, she scratched the top of his head. Effectively making him quiet down and simultaneously began to clear the haze of panic that had been clouding her mind for hours.

“Please, don’t go to the Master. Not yet. Just stay with me for a while.” she whispered and hung her head low, hair falling in front of her face.

Seiichi didn’t make a sound. Nor did he move from his position on her lap. Indicating that he heard her plea and complied with her wish, going against his orders.

The sky steadily grew a lighter shade. A blue hue cast over the scenery before her and a few birds chirped. Beads of dew rolled off blades of grass and she shivered from the chill breeze that blew through the canopy of trees. Her body felt heavy and the wound on her elbow had dried. Pulling the skin when she would bend her arm. (F/N) observed her appearance, her haori was dirty and had a few rips in it from her fall, but for the most part, she appeared to be fine.

The sound of something being sat down had her and Seiichi whipping their heads up to look for the source. The hair on her nape prickled and she sucked in a breath. Hand reaching for her blade. The sun had not come up yet. Any demon still had the chance to strike if they so desired.

“Oh, are you alright dear?”

Taglist: @shellseys @athalahild @stxrrielle @lulu-83 @nianre @sincerely-aaronette @kathleen7i @woozzz

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morganski-19 · 3 days

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I Don't Know Which Way's Home

Chapter 19: Nightmares

ao3 link, Part 1, Part 18

tw: minor descriptions of physical assault, PTSD panic attack, car crashes, and emetophobia (very minor description)

Present Day, June 1986

It’s been three weeks since the court ruled in Steve’s favor, and he still doesn’t quite believe it. Doesn’t believe it when his lawyer calls to tell him that the payment will be coming to him soon. Doesn’t believe it when that money gets transferred to him. When he pays his lawyer and it’s all over.

Steve doesn’t have to fight with them anymore. Have to think about them anymore. They have absolutely no power over him whatsoever.

He doesn’t know what to do with that really.

All his life, he’s been playing the part designed for him. Done what other people wanted, doing things for himself later. In secret. Now that most of it was out, the pressure gone, he doesn’t know what to do anymore.

Steve gets up to go to a job that he didn’t want in the first place. Really only got because his dad wanted him to get a part time job as punishment for not getting into college. Following Robin after the mall blew up. It was all just stops on a train that he was given the ticket to.

Now he switched trains on his own accord. Went in a different direction. One that he chose because he wanted it. Sounded like a life he wanted to live. Sounded like there were other passengers on the train that might get off at the same destination. Want to spend time with him as they traveled. Get to know him. Maybe even love him.

And that’s what happened. He still doesn’t know how, or why. What to do with it. But he’s learning to.

If anyone were to ask him what he was going to do with this life he has now, with the winnings, he wouldn’t know. He doesn’t know what he wants to do tomorrow let alone in the next five years. The picture he has in his head looks the same as it is now. Happy with everyone he loves around him, looking exactly the same.

But that’s not what’s going to happen.

The kids are going to grow up, change, go off to school. Julie will too, leaving his house empty again. Robin will eventually go to a school that can give her more than a community college can. People in the town will continue to outgrow it.

While Steve continues to stay in the same spot forever. Rooted in the same place that hurt him so much. The same place that helped him grow into someone he’s actually proud of. Showed him the life he could have if he was just brave enough to go and catch it.

Now that he has it, it’s all he’s ever wanted. He’s not ready to let it go quite yet.

“Do you think you could teach me how to drive?” Julie asks Steve over dinner.

Steve freezes in shock, head shooting up to look at her. “Yeah, sure, I guess.”

He’s known her less than a year but the question still makes him feel so old. Feeling like he watched her grow up as she went through so many changes. So many emotions. Slowly formed into the person she is now right in front of him.

“Cool.” Julie says, going back to her dinner.

Steve wonders how long she’s been wanting to learn how to drive. She’s been able to for over a year now, just never got around to it. With the nature of her mother’s accident, he wasn’t sure when she would want to ever learn. If she would want to.

“Is there a reason you wanted to learn?” He asks, trying to sound nonchalant.

Julie shrugs. “Just haven’t yet. And I’ve been thinking about maybe getting a part time job, saving to try and get a car of my own before I go to college. I know it’s still a year away, but cars are expensive and minimum wage is shit.”

College. Something he knew was coming but was hoping it could be a little farther away. He wonders if this is how every parent feels. Wishing their kid would just stay in one place for a little while longer and stop growing. Stop changing. So they don’t have to change with them.

He’s not a parent. Not yet, and not for a long while. But he can’t help but feel some sort of protective instinct over these kids that changed his life. Want to look out for them in every situation, make sure that nothing ever hurts them. He knows that’s not how life is supposed to go. Kids are supposed to make mistakes and learn from them. That’s the way it went for him, so it’s the way it will go for them.

He just didn’t want it to.

“I don’t know why you’re so worked up about this,” Robin comments while unboxing the newest releases. “We all knew this day would come someday.”

Steve sighs, leaning on the door of the stock room. “I just wanted that someday to take longer to actually get here. It’s like the last few years went by so fast and got so muddled in my mind that I forgot time kept moving.”

“I get that. But,” she places the last tape on the cart and turns to him, “just because the kids are getting older, doesn’t mean that they’re leaving.”

They are in a way, though. Even though he knows that won’t be permanent. That they won’t forget about him the way other people have, it still makes the anxiety trapped in his chest start to rise. The instinct to hold on tight and never let go so much stronger.

“This town is too small for them. We both know that. They are going to go do amazing things, while I’m still here doing the same mediocre things I always do.” He holds the door open for her as she rolls the cart through.

“Have you ever thought about doing other things?”

Steve pauses in front of the cart, making Robin run into him. “What?”

“You’re acting like you can’t do other things. If you hate what you’re doing right now, try something different. No one’s forcing you to do the same thing you were doing yesterday.”

She pivots the cart to move around him, leaving him with thoughts he’s honestly been scared to think about.

Steve’s made a routine for himself. Go to work, pick up the kids, drive them around, go home. Live a life that he enjoys and work a job that he kind of hates. Follow his best friend wherever she goes because he’ll love whatever it is.

Was it what he thought he’d be doing with his life, no. Is it something he wanted to do the rest of his life? He doesn’t want to answer that question. The rest of his life was uncertain for the longest time. Each year testing the strength of his body and his mind. Making it feel like tomorrow was some bright future he may never get to see.

It was easy to get so stuck in the present when the future seemed like it would never come. Now that it is, Steve is scared to figure out what it is. What it means for him.

“Look,” Robin continues, knowing exactly how he’s feeling. “I’m not saying you have to pick what you want to do right now. Or tomorrow, or the day after that. I’m just saying that if you really hate doing this,” she waves towards the shelves, “then you can start thinking about what you would want to do instead. There is still so much time for you to figure it all out.”

Time is something Steve’s learning how to deal with. But Robin’s right. Maybe it’s finally the right moment to think about what he can do with it.

. . .

“That is so exciting,” El exclaims when Julie tells her that Steve is going to teach her how to drive. “You will be the first one of us to learn how to drive.”

“Well, that’s actually Max,” Lucas corrects. “She learned how to drive a while ago.”

“Yeah poorly,” Mike adds. “And only in a parking lot.”

Max rolls her eyes. “I drove in the street that one time.”

“And almost got us killed.”

“Scared Steve shitless.” Dustin laughs.

“Scared all of us shitless.”

“Not me,” Lucas defends. I wasn’t scared.”

Dustin snorts. “So that wasn’t your high-pitched scream then?”

Lucas kicks him under the table.

El turns to Max. “When did you drive?”

Max motions for El to get closer and whispers it into her ear. Just another reminder that Julie has no idea what they are talking about. Another inside joke that she’ll never understand. El takes a second to be shocked before bursting out into giggles.

When the bell rings, Max stops Julie before she can walk away. “Hey, could you help me bring my stuff to my next class. El has a test today so she can’t do it.”

Julie shrugs. “Yeah, sure.”

She picks up Max’s backpack and carries it in front of her. Following after Max as she yells at the groups of seniors who like to stand in the hallway and block everyone’s path.

“So, you and El have gotten pretty close, yeah?” Max asks way too casually than she should for such a loaded question. And in the middle of the hallway.

“I mean we’re friends, right,” Julie tries to play it cool. Especially since to El, this is all they are.

Max stops, turning her chair to Julie and giving her a look that tell her to cut the shit. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I don’t really want to talk about this here.”

She barely wants to talk about it at all. The hatred for herself slowly turning into guilt that churns her stomach each time she looks at El. Knowing that she’s feeling something that she shouldn’t. Almost asking El for something that she can’t give. Wishing that this feeling could go away and they could just go back to being normal friends. Without all this complicated shit.

“That’s fair.” Max resumes rolling down the hallway, stopping in front of her classroom and reaching out to take the bag from Julie. “Your house after school then?”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” Julie wishes she would.

“El’s my best friend. Of course I’m not.”

The school day ends, and they go over to her house. She sits next to Max in her room like it’s some interrogation. Waiting for her to be the first to speak. Not wanting to share too much too fast.

“You know, El’s probably going to be pissed when she figures out that we hung out without her,” Max finally breaks the silence.

Julie huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, probably.”

The thing about actually having a crush, Julie realizes, is that it’s so special to have one. Like a little secret that she and only a few other people know. This special little feeling that, at the end of the day, brings her so much joy to have. Even though it’s terrifying. It’s a good terrifying.

“I was really happy when El became friends with you so fast,” Max continues. “I love the guys, but she needed someone else who knew how to take it down a notch. Someone calmer. Someone like you.”

Her lips can’t help but turn into a soft smile. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Max nods. “I think we all needed that too. Life has been crazy the last few years and it’s been nice to have someone to remind us that life doesn’t always have to be tied to that. Especially for El.”

“What do you mean?”

Max takes a deep breath, shifting the pillow behind her. “There’s a lot that I can’t tell you, and there’s stuff that I don’t even really know. None of us do. She wouldn’t tell us all of it. But you know how El is adopted right?”

Julie nods.

“I, uh, don’t know how much of this she wanted me to tell you. Just that she didn’t want to do it herself so bear with me here. Before she was adopted, El was in a really bad home. If that’s what you could even call it. And a lot of really terrible things happened there that none of us like to talk about. She escaped from there one night and eventually got adopted by Hopper.”

Julie remembers that night she stayed at the Byers after they got kicked out of the house. How she told El about the fourth of July when the mall burnt down, and she saw all those people walking to their death. The face El made after she said it. Looking determined as all hell and older than she needed to be. Like a switch in her mind flipped and she was a totally different person than Julie knew her to be.

How horrible her life must have been to take the joy out of her face so fast. To turn defense mode on in a way that made her look like a soldier.

“That’s terrible,” are the only words Julie can think to say.

Max nods, looking down at her hands. “Yeah, it is. This is the same place, same people, that are responsible for a lot of the bad things that happened in this town. They worked at the Hawkins lab.”

“Shit,” Julie sighs, leaning back against her wall.

“Yeah, shit.”

The room fills with silence.

“Why are you telling me all of this now?”

“Because I’ve never seen El open up to a person as fast as she has with you. It took a long time for her to open up to me, and sure there were other things in the way that stopped that, but I’m talking right as we became friends. We were close, but not you guys close.”

Julie can’t imagine Max and El being different from the way they are now. The soft interactions full of a trust that looked so natural. Like they had been friends for a lifetime, fully comfortable around one another.

“And I’m starting to notice, and please tell me if this is out of line, that you might be thinking about El differently than I think about El.”

Julie wonders if this is the time where it isn’t taken well. That someone tells her that this is the worst thing that she could do. Having a crush on a friend could break relationships. She didn’t want to break this one.

“I do,” she finally says to Max. Ready for the berating to start.

Instead, Max nods with resignation. “I think El does too.”

The room starts to buzz as Julie’s heart starts to pick up. “What?”

“She hasn’t, like, told me anything. And she’s probably going to hate me for telling you this at all. But I want to protect her and protect you too and this weird waiting period is really awkward for me, and I’d rather just get to the point where I’m third wheeling.”

“I’m sorry,” Julie interrupts her, still trying to wrap her head around the idea that there’s a possibility that El might like her back. “You think El likes me?”

Max raises her eyebrow. “Have you seen the way she’s been acting around you? Complimenting you every day, clipping your hair back, giggling at literally every joke you say. No offense but that’s a little excessive, your jokes aren’t always that funny.”

Moments start to replay in Julie’s mind. Having been so focused on the way she’s been acting, that she didn’t even notice the way El’s behavior around her changed. How she interacted with Julie just different enough from the rest of the group for it to be significant. For it to be special.

She remembers shrinking in on herself when she knew El was looking at her for longer than she should. Thinking that it was because Julie was making her feel uncomfortable. Never because she could have been doing the same thing Julie has been doing this whole time. Admiring in secret.

“I didn’t notice.”

Max groans. “Of course you didn’t. Neither of you did. It’s like Will and Mike not realizing that they’re into each other. Do you know how frustrating it is to know that your friends like each other but they’re too stupid to do anything about it.”

“Oh my god, you noticed the Will and Mike thing too, I thought that was just me.”

“Don’t try and change the subject. You like El, and I think El likes you. What are you going to do about it?”

Julie winces. “Is nothing an option?”

Max grabs Julie’s arm. “You are driving me crazy. Ask her out or some shit.”

“What if it doesn’t work out?” Julie says, full of fear. “What if I mess up and then I lose all of you guys. I already feel like an outsider sometimes when you guys start talking about the things I don’t know about. I’m the friend that everyone would be ok to lose if this doesn’t work out.”

A few beats pass before Max starts to speak. “Ok, one, you are not the friend that everyone would be ok to lose. You have integrated yourself into the group more than you think you have. Second, you are so focused on a relationship that you haven’t even started yet. Life’s too short to have regret for the steps you didn’t take. Believe me, I know.”

Max wraps her arms around her leg, shifting it to a better position. Inadvertently reminding Julie of the things that have happened the past few years. The events she was just a bystander to, never fully experiencing what happened. When they did, somehow. She still wished she kind of knew.

But maybe Max was right. Maybe Julie could take the risk. Ask El on a date. Hope that it would work out, and that she wouldn’t regret it later. What would she regret more? Asking, or forever wondering how it would have turned out had she not.

. . .

July 1987

The room is blurry as Steve comes into consciousness. The bright lights giving him a headache, and the taste of copper resting on is tongue. His one eye can’t open that well, almost swollen shut. His wrists burn against rope as he twists them. Trying to get them apart.

His good eye blinks, focusing on a pair of black boots in front of him. Raising his head, he meets the scowling face of the Russian officer. Hearing words spoken in a language he doesn’t understand to the other man in the room.

“Ah, he’s awake,” The Russian slurs in English. Stepping forward and looking down at Steve. Menacing.

“Let me go,” Steve begs. “I don’t know anything.”

The officer grabs his hair, pulling his head back to look at him. Steve’s tempted to spit in his face.

“I am only going to ask you this again. Who do you work for?”

Steve can’t help but let out a sad laugh. Knowing he won’t be awake for much longer. “I already told you. I work at Scoops.”

The ringing in his ears starts when his cheek burns. Vision blurring again. He straightens his head, panting to try and get the air back into his lungs. Only for it to leave as the officer hits him again. Always the right side of his head. It hurts so much it’s almost numb.

“No, no, no,” Steve pleads as the officer winds up again. Blood pooling in his mouth with the next collision. He spits on the group. “I work at Scoops,” he screams with as much breath he can muster.

The world goes dark again.

Steve wakes with a scream. The surroundings not matching that of his cell. A weight around his torso preventing him from getting up. He rips the blankets off of him, pulling the weight off and throwing it away. Cursing as his feet can’t kick off the sheets. Can’t get free.

Tears are streaming down his face as he struggles. His hands free. The rope burn stinging his skin. His torso itches like crazy. Like small little bites stabbing into his skin. He needs to find Robin. Needs to see if she’s ok.

“Steve,” a voice says to him. How do they know his same? Did he tell it to them? What are they going to do to him now.

He still struggles with the blanket, finally pulling his feet free. Attempting to get off the bed and search for anything as a weapon. This place isn’t the cell he was in before. They must have moved him when he was knocked out.

“Steve,” the voice says again. Sitting up on the bed and starting to move towards him.

Steve flinches from the touch, raising his fists. Ready to strike them first this time. His heart is beating in his ears, the constant ringing in his right only amplified. Adrenaline pumping through his veins.

He needs to get out of here.

A light clicks on. Illuminating the room he’s in. It doesn’t look like a cell. It looks like a bedroom. Have they constructed this just to give him a false sense of security?”

“It was just a dream, Steve.” The man gets out of the bed, taking a cautious step towards Steve. Hands outstretched to block any punches Steve might throw.

Steve wasn’t the threat here. He was just trying to protect himself.

“Can you tell me three things you notice about this room?” The man cautiously spins them around, clicking on another lamp in the room.

The bare walls reflect the light, the soft yellow so different from the blaring white. The walls a tan instead of white or grey. It looks so familiar, but Steve’s mind is so confused. The tears continue to stream down his face as he tries to figure out where he is.

“I work at Scoops,” Steve stutters.

“I know you do.” The man replies quickly. “I believe you.”

More tears. Steve’s hands lower. They know now. Does that mean he’s free to go?

“Tell me three things you see,” he repeats. So soft it makes Steve want to crumble.

“A bed,” he whispers. “A nightstand. A lamp.”

The man takes another step forward. Coming into more clarity. Brown curls fall onto his shoulders. He looks nothing like the Russians.

“Good. Anything else?”

“There’s a picture on the nightstand. The bed has blue sheets. There’s a poster on the wall.”

Eddie places a gentle hand on Steve’s shoulder, he flinches before leaning into it. Closing his eyes and trying to focus on the touch. Letting it ground him.

There’s a knock on the door. Steve’s eyes fly open again as he whips his head to look. Heartbeat increasing again.

“Take a seat, sweetheart, I’ll get it.”

Steve freezes, unable to move. He’s directed toward the bed, somehow, he sits down. Knuckles clenched into white.

“Are you guys ok,” he hears a soft voice say. “I heard screaming.”

Eddie doesn’t open the door more than a small crack. “Yeah, we’re fine. I got this, you can go back to bed.”

The door shuts with a small click. Eddie returning to Steve. Sits next to him as the adrenaline fades. Leaving his body exhausted and his mind still searching for explanations.

“Can you tell me what year it is, Steve?”

He shakes his head.

“It’s July second, 1987. You survived them, Steve. Everyone did.”

A sob escapes his throat. His body collapsing into himself. Curling up as the energy releases. He’s wrapped into a hug and pulled further into the bed. Being protected while he falls apart.

Steve wakes up again a few hours later. Gets out of bed and into a routine. Takes a shower, gets dressed, makes himself breakfast. Goes through the motions of a normal morning.

The front door closes quietly. Eddie and Robin coming into the house. Sitting with Steve at the table.

“I took Julie to school, that’s why I wasn’t here,” Eddie explains. “I told Robin what happened.”

Robin looks down at the table, biting at her lip. “Tomorrow marks two year since-.”

Steve looks at his coffee. “Yeah, I know.”

“I can’t believe it’s been that long. It feels so close yet a lifetime away.”

“It was like I was back there. Even when I woke up.” Steve takes a deep breath. “I thought it was going to be better this year.”

Robin’s hand finds his, her fingers shaking. “Me too.”

They find themselves curled up on the couch for the rest of the day. Eddie there just to make sure they’re both ok. The house quiet except for the low volume on the tv. Lights off so they don’t flicker. Robin’s fingers pressed into Steve’s wrist to feel his pulse. His arm holding her close, proving that she’s there.

They made it out of there. They’re both alive. He wishes that their minds would stop trying to tell them otherwise.

. . .

Julie walks into a dark house. Steve and Robin asleep on the couch with Eddie awkwardly sitting next to them. Looking out of place. She wants to ask about what she heard last night. How she heard the screams from across the hall.

Eddie gets up when he notices her. Motions for her to meet him in Steve’s bedroom. Shuts the door gently behind them before turning on the light.

“You probably have a few questions about last night.”

Julie nods. “Is he ok?”

Eddie runs a hand down his face. “Physically, yeah, he’s fine. But other than that, he will be. This week is an anniversary of something for him. He was reminded of that last night.”

“The mall fire,” Julie fills in. “I know that they were there that night.”

“Do you know why?”

Julie shakes her head. No one would tell her more when she asked.

Eddie nods, crossing his arms and swaying on the balls of his feet. “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to tell you what happened. I don’t even know the full of it.”

She thought Steve told him everything. “It was bad, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s the reason Steve can’t hear well in his right ear anymore. And the reason he gets really bad PTSD attacks. Like the one he had last night.”

“And that’s why,” she tilts her head to the door. Knowing that Steve and Robin tangled together in the living room.

“She was there too.” Eddie looks at the door. Pain painting his face. “A part of me wishes I knew what really happened to them so I could help. But they already relive this pain more than they should, they don’t need to do it again just to fill me in.”

Julie pauses before asking the question that’s been on her mind since the first time she heard screams through the walls. Wonders if there’s a part of her that really wants to know. Or if this is just morbid curiosity. But there were memories of her own that haunt her. Placing her back into moments of her life with things left unexplained.

She cares about these people. It hurts to know that they are in pain. And if she could help, know how to help them through the panic or PTSD attacks, she thinks it’s important enough to know.

“Do you think you could tell me what you know,” she asks softly. “Or at least what you do to help calm him down. I think it would be good for me to be prepared in case it happens and you or Robin aren’t here.”

Eddie presses his lips together. “I’ll do the second one, not the first. As much as he doesn’t want to talk about it, it’s not my story to tell.”

“That’s fair.”

Eddie tells her what he does to calm Steve down when it gets really bad. How with the panic attacks, it’s good to count with him while he breaths. And if he’s willing, grab his hands to help ground him. Tell him about what’s in the room. How it’s different than the pictures in his mind. More things kind of all based on that.

Julie takes it all in, making a mental list in her mind, hoping she doesn’t forget it. Hoping that if it ever happens, she won’t mess it up. Saddened by the fact that this is Steve’s reality.

. . .

A few days pass since Steve’s reality morphed with his nightmares. The date crossed out on his calendar far enough away that it’s finally starting to sink in. Steve made it out of there two years ago. Yet it still affects him like it was yesterday.

Just like back then, life moves on. He goes to work and comes home. Gets weird thinking of the future, and what that means for him. How each milestone will pass, the anniversary of dates coming and going. Affecting him in more ways than he realizes. Until he’s waking in a cold sweat and his body is transported back into his past selves. Some fucked up time travel.

His mind stays fixated on that night. How long it took for his brain to recognize Eddie’s face. To differentiate the safety of his home with the danger of his interrogation cell. How dangerous it could have been.

Eddie told him that Julie has asked about it. How he didn’t say anything, but did tell her ways to help him through an attack. It’s something he never thought of before. Out of all the possibilities that run through his mind, the thought of her being present for one of the attacks never crossed. He never thought she would be there for one of them.

But she almost was. If Eddie hadn’t been there, it would have been Steve opening the door. He didn’t want her to see him like that. He didn’t want the monsters in his head to meld her into something she wasn’t.

She wasn’t a part of this life, he wanted to keep it that way. But Steve has never really gotten what he wished for. It was time to tell her the parts he could.

No one wants to hear about the truth. They don’t want to know the dangers that rest beneath their feet. Blissfully ignorant and wanting to stay that way. Ignorance, however, can hurt sometimes. He didn’t want it to hurt her.

When Julie gets home from school, Steve asks her to sit in the kitchen. Takes the seat across from her and starts to lay out everything. How this conversation can’t leave the room, and she’s never to let anyone know that he told her this.

“This is about Starcourt, isn’t it?” She asks somewhere in the middle of his warnings. “Why all those people walked straight to their death.”

“How did you know about that?” Steve knew that people must have seen it, but it was kept out of the news.

Julie tells him about the night she went looking for her mom. How she got caught in the crowd of people walking toward the mall. Saw the names of people she knew flicker on the tv screen the next morning.

Steve tells her more than he should. About how Will going missing five years ago was a catalyst to so much more. How he got roped into everything. Skipping the bit in the middle for the most part, focusing on how Max came into it all. Then gets to the Russians.

Tells her the story of an innocent mystery turned terrifying nightmare. The interrogation that thankfully didn’t end in his death. Fireworks that crashed into the monster the size of a building and crashing a car into a possessed maniac. All of it ending in burning red, leaving the survivors to cope with their loss.

She’s taking it better than he thought she would. And he hasn’t even said everything yet. Just barely gets to spring break before Julie is pulling him into a hug. Until he realizes the wetness of his cheeks.

“I’m so sorry,” she chokes. “I am so sorry you had to live through that.”

He doesn’t finish telling her everything. It’s probably a good thing. The NDA’s aren’t as loose as the ones from a few years ago. And it’s better for her to process this and maybe learn the rest later. If she wants to. If he wants to explain it all again.

. . .

“Alright, now turn on the blinker and slowly hit the gas again,” Steve instructs as Julie sits at a stop sign. No one else around.

It’s been a few weeks since she’s started learning how to drive. Slowly easing into it in random parking lots while no one is there. Learning where all the signals were, and basic traffic laws. Most of it was review, but she didn’t mind the practice.

She pushes on the gas, jerking the car into motion. Pulling away from the parking lot and onto the street. For the first time. Julie is driving on the road.

“Ok, good. Just try not to hit the gas so hard next time.”

Steve’s been an ok teacher. Patient for the most part but gets frustrated when he can’t explain something properly. But he hasn’t gotten angry at her yet. Carefully corrects her but makes sure she knows that she’s doing ok. That she’s starting to get this right.

Julie pulses the gas. Learning how to keep the speed of the road. Overcorrecting when she gets too close to the yellow lines. The overcorrecting again when she gets close to tree line.

It’s scary driving something so large. So powerful. Hearing how the engine revs each time she pushes her foot down too hard. Feeling the pull of the seatbelt against her chest as she hits the breaks too fast.

But she’s getting it. Adjusting herself as she gets used to the feel of the petals beneath her feet. Loosens her body as she gets more comfortable gripping the steering wheel. As she gets used to the size of the car and the way it moves.

“Great. You’re doing really great, Julie. How about we turn here and-.”

A deer jumps in front of the car.

Julie slams on the breaks as she swerves close to the trees. The car coming mere inches from the trunk. Her arms shaking as they grip the wheel.

It all can happen so fast.

Steve unbuckles his seatbelt, turning towards her. “Julie, take a breath ok.”

One wrong move and the hood of the car would be curved around the tree. The airbag would be in her face.

“Just take a breath, we’re ok.”

What if her foot had slipped as she pushed down on the breaks? What if her hands fumbled the turn? Would the deer have contacted the car? Would she have killed it?

“You followed your instincts. We’re ok. That’s all that matters. We’re ok.”

Was this what it was like right before her mom’s crash? Did a deer just jump in front of the car? Her foot missing the break as she slammed into a tree. As it crashes just right to take her life. Was this mistake so easy to make that Julie almost made it too?

“Julie,” Steve touches her shoulder, comforting her. “It’s ok. Take all the time you need.”

Julie unbuckles her seatbelt and bolts out of the car. Runs to the wood as bile stings her tongue. Let’s the adrenaline out onto the dirt as she crashes. As the air escapes from her lungs.

Steve’s beside her rubbing her back. Saying something but it doesn’t register. Too stuck in her head to think of anything else.

“I’m sorry,” slips out of her mouth. Not sure of what else to say.

“Don’t be. It was just an accident, it happens all the time.”

Tears start to make their way out of her eyes. “But I didn’t see it. I could’ve. I could’ve crashed the car. Or worse and.” Sharp, shaky breaths interrupt her sentences.

Steve turns her to look at him. “Julie, hey. Look at me.” She does. “Take a deep breath, ok.”

He counts as she forces herself to breath in. She holds it, feeling the beat of her heart in her lungs. Releases it. Does it again.

“I didn’t see the deer either,” Steve admits once she calms down a little. “Something must have scared it, and it ran into the road. And you did a good job avoiding it.”

She doesn’t feel like it was a good job. “It all happened so fast.”

The tears continue to stream down her face. The feeling of the break pressed into the bottom of her foot. Throbbing. Her shoulder stinging from the pull of the seatbelt. The feeling of it all finally registering.

Her forehead hurts. Something is dripping down in between her eyes. She reaches up and swipes away blood. The buzz coming back to her veins.

“Fuck,” she mutters, eyes glued to her hand.

Steve gets up and comes back with a small first aid kit. Wiping away the blood with some napkins and pressing them against her forehead. Waiting for the bleeding to stop.

She doesn’t even remember her head hitting the steering wheel.

They sit in silence while Steve cleans the cut. Julie wincing when the alcohol wipe hits her broken skin. Steve finds a small piece of gauze and tapes it to her forehead. Packing up the first aid kit and returning to just sitting next to her.

“We’ll sit here as long as you want to, then I’ll drive us home,” he says.

Drive. Julie doesn’t know how she can sit in the car again. Knowing how easy it is for it all to fail.

“It all happened so fast,” she says again. Fixated on it.

“Yeah, yeah it did.” Steve’s trying to stay strong but she can see the shock in his actions too.

“Was it that fast when,” a lump forms in her throat. “When she? When my mom?”

Steve realizes what she’s talking about, starting to open and close his mouth. Trying to find something to say.

“I,” he starts. “I don’t know.”

“That’s all I could think about.” She looks at him. “All I can think about is how I could almost have died just like her. One wrong move and I-. And we-.”

Steve grabs her arms, looking her dead in the eyes. “Hey,” he says softly. “It’s ok. Whatever could have happened, it doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that we’re here, and we’re safe. You got shocked and followed your instincts. And because of that, we’re both ok.”

Ok normally doesn’t feel like this. But she tries, really tries to listen to his words.

“I know none of this is going to stop the what ifs in your mind. Believe me, I know. But those what ifs are not going to change what happened. It’s important to remember that.”

She knows he’s right. But it’s so hard to keep her mind on track. Letting it off rail to the ends of possibilities. Wondering if there was ever one where there was never an almost crash to begin with.

“Let’s go home. Get an icepack on that head and make sure it’s ok before you go to sleep. Ok?”

Slowly, Julie nods. “Ok.”

She gets in the car. Buckling the seat belt and tugging it to make sure it locked. Steve gets in the driver’s seat and readjusts it and the mirrors before slowly pulling away. The almost accident fading as she stares in the sideview mirror.

It was just an accident. It can happen to anyone. It just had to happen to her.

Tag list(let me know if you want to be added or removed): @homoerotictangerine, @mugloversonly, @thesuninyaface, @imyelenasexual, @anaibis,

@ilovecupcakesandtea, @brainsteddielyrotted, @jackiemonroe5512, @eddie-munsons-missing-nipple, @goodolefashionedloverboi,

@cinnamon-mushroomabomination, @lolawonsstuff, @writingandmushroomdragons, @stevesbipanic, @sierra-violet,

@steddie-as-they-go, @dauntlessdiva, @mousedetective, @the-daydreamer-in-the-corner, @zombiethingy,

@connected-dots-st-reblogger, @that-agender-from-pluto, @allyricas, @cheddartreets, @devondespresso,

@crypticcorvidinacottage, @queenie-ofthe-void @chronicpainstevetruther, @melonmochi

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thebigdeepcheatsy · 2 months

Text

Just remembered another theory I had in July 2022 (CH 1113 SPOILERS ENDED UP REMINDING ME OF IT)

Imu previously flooded the world using their Umibozu powers to purge "the undesirables" from the world, but Joy Boy saved them with the Noah... but this attempt also used so much power, it would have killed them had Imu not been given the immortality surgery. The reason Imu barely moves is because they are still recovering from having used their powers to their fullest extent.

In order to repeat the flood, Imu will not only use their powers, but by capturing Vivi, will also gain access to Dance Powder and use that to boost their powers to either repeat the flood with "no mistakes" OR to kill everyone except for themself. Also paralleling Enel and Doflamingo.

Bonus speculation: During a fight with Imu underwater (Not dying due to immortality and having Umibozu powers), either Sabo or Akainu will use their heat powers to boil the water surrounding Imu, causing a LOT of scalding, but while it doesn't kill Imu, it does make them VERY pissed off to the point where they break down and go apeshit.

#Speculation #Predictions #Chapter 1113 Spoilers #Chapter 1113 #One Piece #One Piece Spoilers #Imu #'Destroy anything that's not me!'#Theory

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virgo-dream · 2 years

Text

✨ dreamling / fluff / acts of service / mature ✨

SUMMARY: It's been 10 days since Dream of The Endless was rescued from Fawney Rig by one Hob Gadling, who takes it upon himself to see to Dream's recovery. While with Hob, Dream is provided with something he'd been missing even before his imprisonment: to be cared for.

read ch 01: "may I" here or on AO3 (2021 words)

Dream’s eyes blinked open.

He’d been laying in what seemed like a very comfortable bed. It was certainly more comfortable than glass and iron, so much so that it made him nearly uncomfortable to feel his body resting over the welcoming springs of the mattress underneath his frail body. He could feel the weight of soft, warm blankets over him. Softer than stale air, warmer than a room deprived of sunlight. Still, weighing on him, heavy. Too heavy.

He didn’t know exactly how long he’d been there for. He remembered very little; the sound of breaking glass and gunshots, the sting of cold air and freshly spilled iron blood invading his nostrils, slicing him from the inside out. Nausea, pain. Fatigue, so much of it. Then, the feeling of the binding circle breaking, like a rope that had been tied around his chest had finally been cut, like he was allowed to move again. He didn’t have it in him, physically or mentally, to do anything about it.

Next thing he knew, he was in this bed.

He remembered waking up other times, during different moments of the day, or maybe different days altogether. He felt the burning warmth of the sun on his cheek, then followed by the sound of curtains being shut. He’d seen the blue glow of moonlight, and the gentle tones of dusk. While he’d been all-knowing for most of his existence, 100 years in complete isolation were enough to throw him completely out of the cosmic loop, and in his current state, even if he did want it, he would not be able to throw himself back. Telling the time was not in his current roster of abilities.

Still, the bed. The blankets.

Dream didn’t dare to move. He was hesitant, confused. Scared, really. Everything felt good, and good could only mean bad, because bad was the nature of men, and good was the currency in which they traded. A soft bed with warm blankets was a transaction, just as immortality, riches and power had been the price for his freedom. He had no interest in trading.

Still. The bed.

The heavy blankets.

Too heavy, too soft, too warm. Soft to the point of contradicting itself into a horrifying itchiness, the worn threading cutting through Dream’s paper thin skin. The pillow threatened to swallow his head, but not without chewing thoroughly first, while the blankets felt heavier and heavier, ready to crush him, ready to break him more than he’d already been broken, ready to—

“Hey, hey— it’s okay. It’s okay, it’s over now.”

Dream hears the voice first, or maybe last, he isn’t sure. It’s detached from time and the actions surrounding it, from the feeling of the mattress bending next to him as someone sat on it, a pair of hands taking one of his own, caging it like he’d once been caged. Dream fought back against the touch, but all the strength he’d envisioned was only translated in a meek shaking of his bones, twitching fingers and what he now realised were sounds coming out of his own mouth. Still, it seems to get a reaction out of his new captor. His hand was released, in an act of fake mercy.

“…today is July 12th 2022. It is now 6:45pm. I’m Hob Gadling. You’ve been here in my apartment for 10 days now.”

Ah. There it was.

Dream’s eyes blinked open once more. So much came flooding back to him at once, it was difficult to not feel nauseous. His tear filled eyes were hard to trust, and when he brought his hands closer to wipe the stripes of salt and fear away from his cheeks, it wasn’t as difficult as it had been to move just a moment before. When he spoke, his voice was rough with sleep and the newfound tightness of his throat.

“…h.. hob ?”

How could Dream forget the kindness of that smile? The gentleness of that touch, the softness of his voice… the way those arms had carried him out of his imprisonment, hands that had bathed him, dressed him and fed him, tended to his needs and held him through the terrors that haunted him. How could he forget Hob Gadling?

“Hey there, my friend.” Hob smiled, reaching to brush the strands of hair glued to Dream’s forehead with cold sweat away from his eyes, tucking them behind his ear. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner. I was preparing your soup.”

Hob had been taking care of him for a while now. His extraordinarily human friend, his saviour, his constant, the only light to ever touch that wretched basement. He’d bravely rescued Dream from an imprisonment that had nearly caused his current form to expire, and now aided his recovery, as patient and devoted as he’d always, in a way, had been. This bed he rested in was Hob's own, gracefully offered, tearfully accepted. The pillow his head rested on also belonged to his friend, as well as everything else surrounding him.

Dream wasn't sure how long he'd taken to just. Stare at Hob. Long enough, surely, to warrant a worried frown from him, followed by a voice so gentle it almost felt like it asked permission before entering Dream's ears. "Let's breathe together, okay?" A simple enough request, now that Hob had already helped him ground himself somewhat in what humankind called reality , this awful state of existence he'd been forced into for so long. Now, he required breathing, as a child did, and reassurance that he could do it much in the same way. Still, he nods in agreement.

"May I take your hand?"

Dream ponders for a moment. They've done this almost every time he wakes with his mind scrambled, deep into terrors he can't escape. Still, Hob asks for permission to touch him, with respect and reverence he'd long forgotten. He tries his vocal chords once more, the biggest effort he can make in answer to the lengths his beloved friend had been going to accommodate his bleeding wounds. "...you may."

Hob smiles again, in his sweet, understanding way, completely devoid of pity, but maybe injected with a little pride. Proud of Dream, perhaps, as he'd told him the morning prior. Dream remembers now, he thinks.

You're doing great, my friend. Two full meals today. I'm proud of you.

He took pride in even the smallest of progress, it seemed. Dream remembered feeling the same way when his son sang out his first words. Danced away his first steps. Remembering hurts.

"Come back to me, Dream." Hob squeezed his hand, as gently as a child would, and Dream was hit with the realisation that his mind had wandered off into treacherous woods. Hob rescued him once again, and seemed to be willing to do it over and over. Blue eyes rimmed with red and liquid fear darted back to meet brown ones filled with kindness and patience. Dream nods once again.

Hob places Dream's open hand to his own chest, over his heart. He breathes in slowly, the movement of his chest calm and smooth. "...breathe in through your nose." He instructs, and Dream tries, how he tries. The air slips in staccato, and Hob needs to remind him to "..hold it in, for a bit. Now, breathe out through your mouth." It's difficult to adapt to calming oneself down through breathing when oxygen had never been a necessity, and understanding the calming properties of full lungs only came with the long, torturous 100 years he spent refilling them with carbon filled gas repurposed by his own tired breathing apparatus.

They repeat this ritual about 5 times, and when Dream catches his own rhythm, Hob releases his hand again. Dream wishes he hadn't.

"Good. You did great, Dream."

" Dream ."

Hob seems confused for a moment, before smiling at him again. So many different smiles, that one had. So many different meanings, all in the design of his features. "You've told me your name a couple of days ago. I can call you friend, if you prefer. Or anything else, really."

Giving his name to Hob was something he had the agency to do, after being barred from it for so long. He chose to do it, and regretted not doing it sooner. He'd rather Hob have it than anyone else, really. "Use it. I've given it to you. It is yours to use."

"Alright, Dream." It sounded so sweet in his voice. So gentle, caring. Full of devotion. More than ever, Dream needed it. Desperately. "Would you like to eat now? I might have to reheat the soup–"

Desperation does not suit a king.

"You dare–" Dream had no idea what possessed him at that moment, to speak that way. Memories folded atop each other, feelings seemed misplaced and hard to differentiate. Hob certainly did not deserve to be ordered around, but for once, he felt strong enough to take , take his own dignity back in his starved hands. Shame washed over him like a cold wave on a winter storm on the shores of the Dreaming itself, and Dream retreated back to his withering disposition. Not without asking for forgiveness, though. In his own deflective way. "...I would like to. To eat. I–"

"It's alright, Dream." Hob reached to take his hand again, without asking this time. He assumed his welcome was extended, and Dream was relieved to not have to grant it again. "If anyone is calling the shots here, it's you, okay? You want to eat, we eat. I'd love to assist you in it too, if you'll have me."

Hob seemed to have the workings of his fragile mind figured out, at least now. Maybe he'd seen this particular brand of rudeness stemming from desperation, maybe Dream had behaved like this every time he opened his eyes since being rescued. Dream would have punished rudeness like that if it had ever been directed at him, but Hob seemed to see beyond the offence and straight into the heart of the issue. "...you are too lenient."

His gentle friend chuckles, and Dream feels a tingling on his stomach. "Not leniency. Compassion." He begins to move to get up, but stops himself, turning once more to look at Dream's wondrous expression. "Would you like to eat here or in the kitchen? Might do you good to get off the ol' bed. A nice chance to change the sheets for you too."

Dream ponders. Hob would change the sheets for him. Would bathe him, brush his hair. Find clothing in a choice of colour that appeased him. He'd done so much already. So much . "...in the kitchen."

Hob's face seemed to light up at that. He always seemed excited when Dream was willing to try something new, and this was no exception. Now, memory fully restored, Dream could truly appreciate the sentiment. "How do you feel about walking?"

"I feel...unwilling." He'd give anything to walk, run, fly even, if he had the strength for it. But he'd give everything for a chance to be held. Of the many things Dream had been cruelly deprived of, touch was the one he was the most ashamed to admit he'd missed. Such a base need, an animal want, a desire , pesky thing. He did not need touch, he did not. Did not . He craved it . Craved affection how his physical form craved air, so desperately it almost sent him into a panic again. His unwillingness to walk might get him what he so desperately wants.

"That's fine, my– Dream ." My. Dream. "May I pick you up?" My Dream . "Haven't been able to get you a wheelchair yet." My Dream. Harder to get a hold of one in the area than I remembered." His Dream.

There's a breathlessness to Dream's voice when he remembers he must speak to be heard in the Waking, unless he uses his powers, of which he currently is unable to do without considerable strain. Voicing things physically is more difficult than he'd remembered. It takes a sort of willpower he never quite understood and always underestimated. "...you may."

#may dream #dreamling #hob x morpheus #hob x dream #dreamling fic #the sandman fanfic #ao3 fanfic #ao3 author #hurt/comfort #domestic fluff #self indulgent writing as always #this was supposed to be a one shot too but I want to write more #this fic is my outlet for whenever something bothers me lol #to turn negative emotions into soft fluffy thoughts!#virgo dream writes

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ghostoffuturespast · 1 month

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3 May 2024 - Friday Field Notes

Of course, much of what fills our mouths is taken forcibly from the earth. That form of taking does no honor to the farmer, to the plants, or to the disappearing soil. It’s hard to recognize food that is mummified in plastic, bought and sold, as a gift anymore. Everybody knows you can’t buy love. In a garden, food arises from partnership. If I don’t pick rocks and pull weeds, I’m not fulfilling my end of the bargain. I can do these things with my handy opposable thumb and capacity to use tools, to shovel manure. But I can no more create a tomato or embroider a trellis in beans than I can turn lead into gold. That is the plants’ responsibility and their gift: animating the inanimate. Now there is a gift. People often ask me what one thing I would recommend to restore relationship between land and people. My answer is almost always, “Plant a garden.” It’s good for the health of the earth and it’s good for the health of people. A garden is a nursery for nurturing connection, the soil for cultivation of practical reverence. And its power goes far beyond the garden gate–once you develop a relationship with a little patch of earth, it becomes a seed itself. Something essential happens in a vegetable garden. It’s a place where if you can’t say “I love you” out loud, you can say it in seeds. And the land will reciprocate, in beans.

Epiphany In The Beans - Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants - Robin Wall Kimmerer

Gardening adventures begin! We'll see how they do. Completely operating on trial and error here.

In the late afternoon of July the prairie reaches a crescendo. Under a hot sun, dry wind eases through the tallgrass while monarch and painted lady butterflies quench their thirst at a blazingstar. Bumble bee workers circle the heads of coneflowers gathering pollen. Dickcissel birds rise from the shade of bluestem and indiangrass with their eponymous dick-CISSEL-CISSEL calls. As the sun works its way farther west into the evening, a coolness settles in the valleys as plants transpire, their exhalations creating a dampness that thickens the air. The quiet of this space creates a distance that can be unnerving. It is just you and the horizon, just you and the sky fading into the grass, all made part of something much larger and older than yourself. The colors change in these golden hours as afternoon fades into evening. Bright greens are washed in faint blues, the yellow tops of coreopsis and sunflower mute to burnt orange and copper, and the purple prairie clover blooms shift to a magenta as moths take their turn to feast. Walk into a prairie at any time of day and it’s like entering a Jacuzzi bath; you are delightfully vulnerable, soothed of everything you’ve dragged around all day, trusting in the place to hold you close, to give you back your one wild and precious life. Sit down among the plants and watch a banded orb weaver create a web larger than a cookie sheet, strung between a few blades of arching switchgrass. Prairie becomes a word synonymous with empathy and gratitude; it is not a simple place but one full of meaning that stretches out through time.

Ch. 1 - Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design - Benjamin Vogt

Perhaps there are more efficient ways of weeding out the old stands of tumbleweeds, but there's something incredibly intimate about crawling around the prairie on all fours. You get to greet new friends and say goodbye to old ones.

Pronghorn crossing, excuse me.

#the sky out here just hits different #friday field notes #little ghost on the prairie #short grass prairie #photography #plants prairie and pronghorn

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otakween · 3 months

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Digimon Tamers - Volume 2

It turns out this series is super out of print and rare. My library only has the first 2 volumes, so I'll be reading the rest after this one online (if you want to buy it it's like $80-$100 per volume!) It's a little bit of a relief honestly, because the volume that I got from the library is pretty crusty and battered. I think I saw some dried shredded cheese on some of the pages 🤢 Really shows who the audience is.

Ch. 8

This manhua has really bad continuity and no sense of space. Characters will just pop out of nowhere. Culumon is the worst offender, but in this chapter there were a bunch of dramatic scenes between Rika and Renamon and then it just randomly turned out that Takato and Jian were watching the whole time but not saying anything? Riiiight.

I was really confused at the end and thought that Yamaki was saying he created a digimon but it was actually a really clumsy flashback to the original digimon programmers. Confusing panels...

Ch 9

Wow, the Devas arc already, it obviously felt like it took a lot longer to get here in the anime. I wonder if they'll do all the Devas or condense them/do some off screen?

At least one thing that's nice about this manga is that I can take in the Devas designs without them jumping around too much.

Ch. 10

Some of these jokes are flying over my head. Takato tries to name his group of friends "team rock" and he mentions "a skinny guy on TV who talks about the power of positive thinking." I wish they would cut out the unfunny, outdated material and just tell the damn story >:/

Worst boys Hirokazu and Kenta show up to reestablish themselves as part of the party...yaaay

Didn't realize that MegaloGrowmon was called WarGrowlmon in the dub. I guess it is kind of nice to keep the naming conventions more consistent. "Megalo" is sort of a weird prefix (megalomania?)

Ch. 11

I'm still obsessed with Jian's computer that can read trading cards as if they were CD-ROMs. I wish that technology existed!

Two perfect evolutions in one chapter? Pretty rushed but okay...they still looked cool. (Taomon and Rapidmon). I think the Wonderswan card game rot my brain a little cuz when I saw Rapidmon I was thinking about all the option cards I could use with him.

Ch. 12

Other than my fave Antylamon, I think Indramon is the most memorable of all the devas. His design is really unique, he's massive, and he kicks the shit outta Impmon. I like his emo hair too lol

When they realize that Hirokazu's homemade blue card works I'm surprised they didn't move onto a counterfeit card making scheme after that. I just it only works if it was made with pure intentions or something.

Ch. 13

Why is Juri's dub name "Jeri" when "Julie" was right there?

Damn, they really killed any suspense with Makuramon's intro there. In the anime he's presented as a kid at first but here they showed him as a kid but then slapped the name tag "Makuramon" right next to him...

They skipped a bunch because Juri just magically knows that Guilmon exists. They showed Hirokazu and Kenta meeting him, but not her. Oh well, I guess.

Ch. 14

Calling Juri, Hirokazu and Kenta "groupies" is pretty funny, not gonna lie. So accurate.

I like that they're clearly ID-ing each deva as its corresponding zodiac animal. I think there was a little bit of that in the anime, but not as spelled out as it is here. Usually I don't like to be spoon fed, but there's something satisfying about them saying "that's the boar, that's the monkey, etc."

#digimon #digimon tamers #manga

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sunnydaleherald · 9 days

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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, June 3rd - Monday, June 4th

Joyce: (trying to make sense of it) It's because you didn't have a strong father figure, isn't it? Buffy: It's just fate, Mom. I'm the Slayer. Accept it.

~~Becoming~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Love's Cost by Jackdaw816 (Buffy/Spike, past Spike/Drusilla, T)

Lessons In Self Love by zombiesam (Buffy/Giles, Explicit)

The Powers that Were Not by eevol76vamp (AtS ensemble, Desdemona, Whistler, Betta George, not rated, violence warning)

Five Things that Never Happened to Betta George by eevol76vamp (Torchwood crossover, Betta George, not rated, warnings for violence and death)

Snow Day by Nicholas_Oliver (Andrew/Jonathan, G)

empty rooms in an empty house by belledamn (Giles/Jenny, Giles & Buffy, not rated)

Fix Me Right by MadeInGold_AfterDark (Buffy/Maggie Walsh, Explicit, non-con warning)

Un trou noir dans le coeur by Nelja (Willow/Tara, T, in French)

Ascent by ClowniestLivEver, Maxine Eden (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Hearts In The Fog by Spikelover4ever (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

That One Time by Maxine Eden (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Like the Sands of Time by VeroNyxK84 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Memorial Day by myrabeth (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Aglow by Dusty (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Release (Pt. 1 of The Experiment series) by madeingold (Angel/Maggie Walsh, NC-17)

Followup Tests (Pt. 2 of The Experiment series) by madeingold (Angel/Maggie Walsh, NC-17)

Masters & Minions 4: Dies Irae - Chapter 1-8 (COMPLETE!) by MedeaBtVS (Angelus/Willow/Spike, Explicit with multiple warnings)

Party At Mosaic - Chapter 1-2 (COMPLETE!) by eevol76vamp (Spike, Beck, Betta George, Jeremy, not rated, graphic violence warning)

Apocalypse, Again? Chapter 1-34 (COMPLETE!) by RevelloDrive1630 (Buffy/Spike, Angel, Wesley, T)

Green Eyed Monster, Ch. 10 (COMPLETE!) by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

A Ripple In Time, Ch. 43-44 (COMPLETE!) by CheekyKitten (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Love Bites But So Do I, Ch. 8 (COMPLETE!) by CheekyKitten (Buffy/Spike, )

[Images, Audio & Video]

Sketches: observational studies by artsying-ifer (Gunn, Drusilla, Cordelia, Wesley, Harmony, Lilah, Lindsey, Anya, Fred, Buffy, Faith, worksafe)

More of the shoulder angel/demon thing by aa-arttss (Faith, Kendra, worksafe)

Fanvid: I Want U by ladyofthelakes (Willow/Tara)

A sketch of Giles and Willow by mistyintherivers (worksafe)

Screenshots captioned with text posts by ofteaandsparrows (Buffy Summers, worksafe)

Screenshots captioned with text posts by ofteaandsparrows (Anya, Spike, worksafe)

Screenshots captioned with text posts by ofteaandsparrows (Spike, Buffy/Spike, mild nudity)

spike + textposts: 🌈 edition by spikespeaches (probably worksafe)

Drawing: A surfer's dream by JSBirsa (Spike, G, some nudity)

Manip: Pillow Talk by all choseny (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Happy Pride month to those who celebrate by sophie_4187 (Lorne, worksafe)

A BtVS wallpaper by Sammaelus (worksafe)

Podfic: ChokolatteJedi's story Remember the Name read by pieces0fstars (Dawn & Buffy, G, character death warning)

[Reviews & Recaps]

Examples of oddly-structured exposition? by Tuxedo_Mark

Finale Anya vs. Wesley by Elphaba_92

Podcast: Investigating Angel’s episode of “Forgiving” (3.17 of AtS)

[Recs & In Search Of]

mermaiidbitch seeks fanvid recs: any fan edits of Buffy and Angel ending up together?

[Community Announcements]

Seasonal Spuffy Spring 2024 Index Post

Reduced Summer of Giles 2024 will run from 17th July 2024 until 1st August at summer_of_giles

[Fandom Discussions]

How does Sunnydale do Pride parades? by aphony-cree, lunacornfan2k24

[Reasons why Angel only appears for one scene in Season 2’s Ted] by coraniaid

Rewatching “Something Blue” and remembered how fucking much I love this exchange by ravelqueen

I so so wish the Ben/Glory connection had been explored more... by reality-schmality

Once again… poor Dawn. In Conversations with Dead People... by reality-schmality

I wish the slayer before Buffy haunted the narrative the same way that... [comparisons to other shows] by hersterical

Riley lights up Season 4 (cont'd) by xxstaindrosesxx and others

Dawn, Faith and Tara looked more like sisters than Buffy and Dawn do by jdpm1991

If you had the chance to change one major plot point from Buffy, what would you choose? by Asherware

If Buffy lasted more than 7 seasons? by matt-89

Party like it's 1999. What character are you grabbing and what are you guys doing? by sushibananawater

How would you change season 3 if it was the final season? hosted by Waarm

What scene or storyline did you find sad or moving, even though it probably wasn't intended to be that upsetting? by foreseethefuture

Philosophy of Buffy help (a question about forgiveness) by threefeetoffun and others

Oz calling Angel too Pale is ironic. by MDJokerQueen

S7 Alteration(s) by johnnyorac

Adam’s Minion in Superstar by Enough-Pen644

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

I attended San Francisco's Sunnydale Prom event! by hotpinkroadbike

James Marsters to Attend Comic Con Holland 12-13 October 2024 - via jamie_marsters

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

#btvs #buffy the vampire slayer #angel the series

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usafphantom2 · 8 months

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IMAGES: B-52 Stratofortress lands in South Korea for the first time

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/17/2023 - 08:35am Military

The U.S. Air Force is celebrating the 70º anniversary of the U.S.-South Korea alliance with a huge demonstration of air power at the 2023 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) this week, and a B-52H Stratofortress made a full landing on the Korean Peninsula for the first time today, according to all known reports.

Also during the exhibition, scheduled from October 17 to 22 at Seoul Air Base, USAF will exhibit eight other types of aircraft through static displays and aerial demonstrations, according to the Pacific Air Forces, including: F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II, C-17 Globemaster III, C-5 Galaxy, KC-135 Stratotanker, U-2 Dragon Lady and E-3 Sentry. Other U.S. military aircraft include CH-47F Chinook, AH-64 Apache, F-35B Lightning II and E/A-18 Growler.

The famous nuclear-capable B-52 bomber carried out two overflights at the event before landing at Cheongju Airport, 140 km south of Seoul.

“These overflights, air demonstrations and static displays, including the landing of the B-52 on the peninsula, are part of our ongoing commitment to promote peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean peninsula,” Major Rachel Buitrago, director of Public Affairs of the 7ª Air Force, said in a statement.

The B-52 Stratofortress, known as BUFF, is the main cruise missile carrier of the U.S. Air Force. The H model is now the last variant of the Stratofortress, which has been in service since the 1950s.

Although the B-52 has never landed in Korea, it has carried out several recent exercises near or over the Korean Peninsula. On June 30, several B-52s from Barksdale Air Base, along with South Korean F-16, F-15E and F-35As and KF-16, conducted a joint overflight of the country.

Then, on July 13, the long-range bomber was accompanied by F-16 and three F-15K aircraft of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) for a combined air training session over the peninsula. This exercise followed North Korea's allegations that it launched a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile on July 12, capable of reaching the continental territory of the United States.

North Korea continued to carry out numerous missile launches this year, including the most recent test in September, when it fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off the eastern coast.

“We still face ongoing challenges from North Korea, including its dangerous and destabilizing missile testing program, and others that would undermine the rules-based international order,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in April when he welcomed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol who was visiting the Pentagon.

Austin and President Joe Biden pledged to intensify joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea, including those with nuclear-capable resources, such as strategic bombers or submarines with ballistic missiles. Last week, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan made a stopover in Busan, South Korea.

“2023 marks 70 years of alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea - an alliance that has proved to be solid in the face of challenges over many decades. It is among the most interoperable, capable and dynamic bilateral alliances in the world," Lieutenant General Scott Pleus, commander of the Seventh Air Force and deputy commander of the U.S. Forces in Korea, said in a statement.

“We are honored to demonstrate our commitment to this partnership through our U.S. participation in Seoul's ADEX 23 as part of our ongoing commitment to promoting peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean peninsula,” Pleus added.

This biennial exhibition, the largest of its kind in Northeast Asia, presents aircraft, ground equipment, air demonstrations and attracts aviation and aerospace experts and defense personnel from all over the world.

Tags: Military AviationBoeing B-52H StratofortressKADEXROKAF - Republic of Korea Air Force/South Korea Air ForceUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

Sharing

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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coredrill · 1 year

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congratulations to julie power for being the first marvel character to say asexual on-panel!!! 😄

#julie is the PERFECT choice imo 💗#i hope the caption doesn’t sound facetious i promise i’m not trying to be i’m EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!#gwenpool love unlimited giving me EVERYTHING!!!!!!!#gwenpool #f: marvel #marvel: comics #c: love unlimited infinity comic vol. 1 (2022)#ch: gwendolyn poole #ch: julie power #t.txt #wednesday spoilers #xspoilers #i mean. ‘spoilers’ in the sense that the panel is new; this ‘reveal’ has been built up to SO WELL that gwen BEING ace is not a spoiler imo #if you’ve been reading the rest of the comic

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am-i-obsessed---maybe · 10 months

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Schooled (Shadow Of A Bluejay Ch.4)

Let's go rewrite!

anyway this chapter includes one of the important changes from the shadows of a bluebird series, reader's relationship with Artemis.

Wordcount: 2.9k

warnings: none

Series Masterlist

Since July you'd been spending more and more time in the cave with the team. You hadn't even noticed the change but as you slung a bag over your shoulder and prepared to zeta to the cave in the morning Dinah commented.

"Off to the cave again?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah. The team and I were gonna hang out, maybe play some games" You said and Dinah smiled.

"That's good. have fun" She said and you nodded, walking through the zeta tube.

Mount Justice August 3, 13:06 EDT

A few hours of games ended with Wally beating Kaldur at a game of hologram air hockey.

Midway through the game Superboy came back from his trip to metropolis and you didn't have to be a mind reader to tell he was angry.

He left shortly before you arrived, you didn't know why and while when he left it didn't matter, it was after all none of your business now seeing him in such a bad mood, you wondered what happened.

"Ready for training everyone?" Dinah asked. She and Martian Manhunter came in from another entrance.

M'gann ran to give her uncle a hug and you went over to greet Dinah.

"Is it training time already? I could've sworn it was only noon" You said and she smiled.

"Time flies when you're having fun" She told you before turning her attention to the group.

"Ready for training everyone?" She asked. While most of the team nodded and crowded around her, Superboy turned to leave.

"Stick around" She told him. "Class is in session"

Dinah walked to the center of the holographic computer and lit up the floor, switching its purpose to that of a training room.

"I consider it an honor to be your teacher. I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I've learned from my own mentors and my own bruises" She said, taking off her jacket and revealing a patched up shoulder. You were used to seeing Dinah with some kind of injury. You had higher endurance and strength as part of your powers but she was mostly human.

She began explaining the basic tenets of combat, a lesson you were very well versed in.

Looking around the room you were probably one of the best martial artists there. Aqualad, Superboy, Miss M and KF all relied on their powers to fight. One could say Robin was a match for you but you'd been training much longer than him. Your whole life really, so what Dinah was saying wasn't new but when she asked for a sparring partner and Wally volunteered your interest was peaked. You were just about to raise your hand but the young speedster beat you to it. You crossed your arms and smirked as Wally approached Dinah and made a sly remark.

"After this, I'll show you my moves" He said and you rolled your eyes.

Within two seconds he was flat on his ass and Robin burst out laughing.

"Did anyone see what he did wrong?" Dinah asked and Robin eagerly put his hand up.

"Oh, oh, he hit on teacher and got served?" He asked, embarrassing his friend.

You snickered.

"He allowed me to dictate the terms of the fight" Dinah explained and from the corner of the room behind her Superboy groaned.

"Oh please, with my powers the battle's always on my terms. I'm a living weapon and this is a waste of my time" He said and you simply smirked. This would be a good show.

"Prove it" Dinah said. Now things were getting interesting. If you thought Wally needed to be humbled you knew Superboy needed to be brought down a peg.

He approached your mentor and just like Wally Dinah won within seconds, flipping him over and onto his butt.

Robin was bursting with laughter beside you but you had the decency to just quietly snicker and keep your thoughts to yourself as Superboy charged at Dinah again only to once again end up on the ground.

"You're angry, good. But don't react, channel that anger into—" Dinah didn't get to finish her sentence as Superboy charged her again only to, once again, be beaten.

"That's it, I'm done" Superboy said, annoyance evident in his voice.

"Training is mandatory" Reminded Dinah and just as you thought Superboy would get into another altercation with your mentor a transmission came in.

"Batman to the cave. 5 hours ago a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary." He said and you turned to Dinah, whispering, "Why didn't you call me?". She simply put a finger to her lips and motioned back to the monitor.

"The attacker was capable of studying and then duplicating the powers and abilities of it's opponents" Batman explained and you turned to your mentor.

"Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous as our new foe gained more powers with each new combatant." Batman explained.

"In the end it took eight leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android" He continued.

"An android? Who made it? T.O Morrow?" Robin asked.

"Good guess but Red Tornado doesn't think so. The technology bears the signature of professor Ivo" Batman explained with the help of Martian Manhunter.

"But Ivo's dead" You said. There was no way a dead man made an android that just now popped up. At least you hoped so.

Batman then went on to explain that the now disassembled parts of this android were being sent separately to two different STAR labs locations and that four decoy trucks will be going as well to make it harder for anyone to guess what trucks the parts are in. He assigned the team with the job of discreetly following the trucks with the parts and keeping them safe if the worst happens.

Once Batman sent out the coordinates from which you'd be escorting the trucks you all went to change. Superhero suits won't work for the mission so you had to go out in civvies, specifically in biker gear.

Litchfield County August 8, 20:08 EDT

You adjusted your sunglasses to fit comfortably under the motorcycle helmet you'll be wearing. Flying was out of the question so you had to blend in and while the lens of your helmet was dark it wasn't enough to completely hide your face.

The groups you had split into included you, Robin and Superboy, all of whom will be following the Manhattan truck while Aqualad, Kid Flash and Miss Martian follow the Boston truck.

As each group left in their own direction you made sure to keep a discreet distance between you and the trucks and Robin and Superboy followed your lead.

"If Dislike is the opposite of like is disaster the opposite of aster?" Robin asked after you'd been driving in silence for a while.

"See, instead of things going wrong they go right" He explained but Superboy, who was keeping an equal speed and riding beside him didn't respond.

"Uh, clearly you're not feeling the aster. What's wrong?" Robin asked.

"Canary. I mean what business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?" Superboy asked and scoffed.

"Taking down bigger guys is part of the gig. canary learned that the hard way, right Blue?" Robin said, bringing you in.

"Yeah I guess. Like you saw earlier she beat you easily. You just can't take it personally. She can be a pretty tough teacher" You told Superboy.

He just humphed and revved up his bike, taking over the front and leaving you behind with Robin.

"Well he's a treat today" You mumbled.

Within seconds green robotic monkeys flew out of the fields beside the road and began attacking the truck.

You grumbled as you put your motorcycle to battle mode, detaching one of the wheels into a drone and allowing your bike to drive on auto pilot.

"Robot monkeys, totally Ivo's tweek style" Robin joked as he too put his bike in battle mode and began using the drone to shoot down monkeys.

Superboy on the other hand had a different idea and simply jumped from his bike to the roof of the truck, allowing it to crash into Robin's bike. The boy wonder only barely managed to grapple onto the truck without injury.

"Careful!" You said as you swerved your bike out of the way and flew off to join the two on the truck, though your bike— still being in battle mode— stayed the course and continued to follow the truck on it's own.

The three of you did your best to take out the monkeys but there were too many of them to hold back and in the end all you could do was help the truck driver out before they crashed the truck.

You flew beside the truck and forced the door open holding out your hand to the driver.

"Get out, now!" You told him and he did as he was told, holding onto you for dear life as you flew him away from the crashing truck, quickly followed by Robin.

The three of you landed in the nearby field as the truck rolled onto it's side and the monkeys blew through the door with the android parts.

Once the truck stopped moving you went to help Superboy. You knew he would be okay, that boy could take a beating without getting a scratch with his kryptonian DNA but he still might need help.

He didn't though. He panted as he lifted the truck off of him but he was fine.

"Superboy are you alright?" You asked as you approached but it was as if he didn't hear you, simply jumping after the monkeys.

"Superboy!" You and Robin yelled after him but it didn't help and unlike him you weren't about to leave your teammate in the middle of nowhere on his own.

There was some static over your comm and then Kaldur's voice. "Aqualad to Robin, we lost our cargo. Did you—" Robin cut him to the chase though.

"It's gone" He said.

"And so is Superboy" You added through your own comm.

"Aqualad to Superboy, radio your position we'll help you" Kaldur said and you could hear Superboy's voice through the comms saying he didn't need help before his side of the comms went staticy.

Aqualad's team talked amongst themselves, you could hear it clearly through the comms but there was no need to reply so you simply motioned Robin over to one of the broken monkeys littering the road.

"You think you can get something from this?" You asked him and he nodded.

"I can try" He said, connecting his wrist computer to the robot.

"—Robin?" Kaldur's voice asked through the comms.

"He's with me, we're trying to hack into the remains of one of the monkeys" You explained. The boy wonder was so focused on his work that he didn't hear his name being called.

"Ha! Got it! The parts have GPS. That's the signal that the monkeys were tracking and now that I have a monkey of my own I can track it back to their location. It looks like both sets of parts are converging on Gotham City!" Robin said.

That wasn't good news.

"That far south?" Kaldur asked, though it wasn't really a question.

"M'gann and I won't get there anytime soon. I'm sending Kid out ahead to meet you. Aqualad out" He said and cut the connection.

Robin took the monkey he was using to track the parts. Threw it over his shoulder and began walking back to where your bikes were.

"Definitely a disaster. Heavy on the dis" He said and you nodded.

"Running very low on the aster" You agreed.

Gotham City Limit August 8, 21:47 EDT

Both you and Robin changed into your Superhero suits. Your cover was blown so it was about time you had all your tools at your disposal.

Just outside of Gotham Kid Flash finally joined you, also in his suit. He ran beside the both of you, easily keeping up with the motorcycles, having long since ditched his own. He was faster on his feet anyway.

"What's up Rob-man? You still tracking the parts?" Wally asked.

"Yeah, they were going through Gotham but they veered— wait dude they're at my school!" Robin exclaimed. You revved your bike's engine. "Then what are we waiting for? Lead the way bird boy" You told him and he did, speeding up his own bike to take the lead.

Gotham Academy August 8, 22:14 EDT

you all ran through the halls of the school, KF leagues ahead of both you and Robin. The parts GPS said they were in the gym and KF ran in just in time to rescue Superboy from being crushed by the android.

He was worse for wear and while Robin distracted the android you made sure Superboy was okay.

"Hey" You told him, checking his pupillary response.

"I'm fine" He grumbled, moving his head away from you.

"Yeah, I'm sure, cause taking on a robot with the powers of the Justice League all by yourself is a completely rational thing to do" You replied. Part of you was hoping he had a concussion, at least then this could've been blamed on brain damage.

It wasn't long though before you were all swept back into the fight.

Professor Ivo sat idly by as he watched his android attack you. First with the powers of Red Tornado, then Captain Atom, Black canary, Superman, Martian manhunter, the entire league, and he overwhelmed your friends.

"You wanna fight? Alright, let's fight!" You yelled as you charged the android. You'd take everything you'd ever learned about the league and how they fought and you would use it against him. Flying out of the way of heat vision and dodging Canary Cries. You'd gotten a few hits in but not enough as the android grabbed your wrist and flung you into a wall.

"Ugh, Yawn. Normally Amazo would study and mimic your abilities during battle but I guess even Canary's little chick isn't special enough to fight back. You're all just such poor copies of the originals" Ivo complained and you steadied yourself to try again.

"So everyone keeps saying. It makes me angry!" Superboy screamed as he jumped towards the inventor.

"Wanna see me channel that anger?!" He yelled, leaving the poor man to run for his life.

"Amazo, protect your master, priority Alpha!" Ivo called out and you looked at Robin and Kid Flash.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" You asked.

"Yeah, who's up for a game of keep away" Robin said and ran at Ivo

KF smiled. "Oh me! Me!" He said and ran at the inventor Robin just shoved to the floor.

The three of you shoved the professor around enough to confuse the android and while he was density shifting Superboy punched his head, blowing it up the second he went to access a different power.

And like that it was over. With a big explosion Amazo fell down to the ground.

"Help me disassemble him now!" Robin called and you flew over, taking a tool out of your utility belt and breaking apart pieces.

"Dude, come on, the guy has no head" Wally said.

"Don't take any chances" Kaldur said as he and M'gann finally ran in. She went straight to check on Superboy.

"Hey, where's Ivo?" Wally asked and upon looking around the destroyed gym none of you could find him.

"Looks like the coward ran away in the chaos" You said, throwing Amazo's right arm a couple feet away from it's body.

Mount Justice August 4, 1:06 EDT

The team assembled one more time in the cave to give your report.

"The Amazo android is in pieces again safely being analyzed at the two separate Star Labs, but Ivo escaped and since he originated the tech he's arguably more dangerous than the android." Kaldur said.

"Capturing the professor will be a league priority" Dinah told him.

"But we understand your mission had encountered... other complications" Martian Manhunter said and you all turned to look at Superboy, who looked down.

"Complications come with the job, your ability to handle them has impressed the League" Batman said and Superboy looked hopeful for the first time today.

"The whole League?" He asked.

"Given time, yes. Kryptonians as you know have very hard heads" He told Superboy.

"Of course there's no shame in asking for help, that's why the League exists—"

"Please, even if we needed help we'd never get the chance to ask. You were following us!" Robin said, pulling out an arrow. It didn't look like any arrow you'd seen Ollie use. It was much smoother and slightly smaller.

"Robin" You tried to say but he didn't listen.

"Look familiar?" He asked, holding the arrow in Ollie's face.

In return he took out an arrow from his quiver.

"We didn't follow you" Batman said and Robin's face shifted as he saw GA's arrow. It had ridges in the sides and was larger.

"That means—"

"Speedy!" Wally interjected and Kaldur smiled.

You looked between Ollie and Dinah. You knew that wasn't Roy's arrow but you didn't know who's it was.

Ollie looked at Batman and then at you. Your brows furrowed and your eyes were practically screaming. "What is going on Ollie?".

He took you aside, away from everyone else.

"Listen kid—"

"Did you replace Roy? Did you do it without even telling me?" You asked and Ollie's face looked almost anguished.

"No, no, of course not. I'd never replace Roy" He said.

"Then who's arrow saved us out there?" You asked and he sighed.

"It's a long story" He said.

#reader insert #dc x reader #gn reader #gender neutral reader #yj x gender neutral reader #yj x reader #young justice x reader #metahuman reader #young justice #dick grayson #wh wally #black canary #oliver queen

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solarisgod · 5 months

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▌┊ CH. STUDY ／／ : PUBLIC ⅋ PRIVATE KNOWLEDGES

▌┊ PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. * READILY AVAILABLE TO ANYONE OR WIDELY KNOWN.

Micah has a Wikipedia page detailing self basic personal information along with xyr career history and known works, as well as accolades in drama and literature. If the verse doesn't have Wikipedia, then public libraries and archives would hold common details about xem.

Xyr gender and orientation identity are widely known, including the fact that xe identifies xemself as transmasculine, when Micah is highly opening about them across every settings and situations despite any potential consequences. Likewise with xyr health conditions except xyr Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Xe is the first and oldest seventh adopted child of the Everlove family who are famous for its grand benevolence and creativity and passions. The public is well aware that xe is most happy and comfortable being part of the Everlove family.

Most of xyr known poem and literature works can be found online on writing related websites or as PDFs that some individuals have uploaded in a fashion of pirating. There are screenshots of certain lines from xyr works that can be found on social platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, and Tumblr.

▌┊ SEMI-PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. * SELECTIVELY SHARED OR KNOWN TO CERTAIN PEOPLE ⅋ ORGANIZATIONS.

Micah's birth of date and place are actually unknown. August 11 was the date when the Everlove adopted xem in Los Angeles while it was estimated that xe was only one year old by the hospital team when xe was discovered in 1989.

The public found xem as a toddler at a burnt forest somewhere in the United States while xe didn't have any official records. No one was sure how could xe survive the fire or was even in perfect state despite the extreme fire and smokes, but Micah soon learnt it was xem who was responsible of the fire with xyr power.

Few of xyr close associates, including Adoniram and Warlock, along with xyr terrestrial and celestial families are aware xe have Dissociative Identity Disorder. Many of those familiar with Micah and xyr performances and interactions have speculated that xe have this condition, though, unless considered to be close enough to talk about it, xe will dismiss any comments on xem having it from these individuals.

Those from Micah's childhood neighbourhood would know of the facts that when xe was five to eleven years old, xe often broke their bones by jumping off of high altitudes, as well as xe had the tendency to break general objects and personal belongings to family and peers when experiencing negative emotions, earning an impudent childhood name from xyr peers, "the Ruiner".

▌┊ PRIVATE KNOWLEDGE. * INTENTIONALLY HIDDEN WHILE KNOWN TO ONLY A FEW INDIVIDUALS.

Micah killed xyr latest abusive foster family at the age of five by burning the house with them trapped in it. It was initially thought Phobos did it, but before Micah discovered xe did it, Phobos claimed the memory as its own so Micah wouldn't have to experience the guilt for doing what's best for them in the end.

After Micah graduated in university, xe was a private detective with Adoniram for five years because xe wanted to do more with helping those around xem in ways that authorities couldn't provide. Micah went by Detective Sirius and wore masks to hide xyr identity, as shaped of a lion at day and a wolf at night. Xe dropped this role after Adoniram vanished during the car accident in early April 2023.

Adoniram was declared dead in mid April 2023, but he mysteriously resurrected while evolving into an Antigod when xe reunited with him few months later in early July. Micah and Adoniram chose to hide the latter's living status to avoid handling the complications with the public and Micah's terrestrial family.

Micah age dreams and regresses. This is an important private aspect of Micah when xe engages in this behaviour often for fun or as a coping mechanism when alone or with those who xe is extremely close to, this being only Adoniram and Warlock outside the system while all of xyr starmates are aware, yet is extremely cautious about it due to the fear of being judged or infantilized.

Micah is an Antigod, going through Exiting ( process of developing meta awareness of being a character in a fictional reality ) after a near death experience during the April 2023 car accident. In original version, xe is classified as Order 4, meaning xe has complete in-depth knowledge of the storyline and Audience's presence while being able to interact with them. In roleplay version to avoid godmod and metagame, xe is Semi-order 3, having partial basic knowledge of the storyline, yet can still see and interact with the Audience.

Micah is the only star child of Ílios and Fengári, the incarnations of the Sun and Moon, King and Queen of the Solaris Kingdom / Solar System; as well as xe is connected to the Earth incarnation, Gi, as xyr surrogate parent.

The Starwake System had their first death experienced by the infamous Antigod assassin, as paid by the Infernal Infinity, Antiafter, on January 21, 2024. Due to their Antigod status, having pseudo immorality as they can't die in order to tell their original story of Antineon Hieraeon, they were able to return to life with a warning from Death that the more they die, the more they would harm the Natural Order, placing the whole Universe in danger.

On March 7, 2024, the Starwake System developed the Eyes of God, giving xem the ability to cause someone's body to combust when making eye contact, making xem be potentially one of the most dangerous beings to exist in both Antigodeus society and the Universe. Xe has been wearing sunglasses or contact lenses to protect those viewing xem.

#𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ ARCHIVE . ›#𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ STUDY . ›#𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ CANONS . ›#𓁹 ༑ ࿐ྂ ⩇⩇ : ⩇⩇ ⚠︎ [ 𝙴𝚇𝙸(𝚂)𝚃 : 𝙶𝙾𝙳 ] * ‹ MICAH . ›

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deludedfantasy · 11 months

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Trimax Vol 5 Ch 4-6

Ok, it's incredibly late and I have a flight to catch tomorrow but I desperately need to get these thoughts out before I leave. AKA I continue being emotionally devastated by Trigun.

Ch 4

I didn’t catch on my first read through that Meryl is also witnessing Vash’s memories! But she seems to be getting more than just July. She’s also seeing little Vash. I wonder how much of his past she ends up seeing. Does it include his time on the ship before the Big Fall? How much does she learn about him here?

Also lil baby Vash!!

Did Hoppred rig the whole building to blow so he could take Vash down with him as a last resort?

Wolfwood needs to stop pointing his gun at Milly right now. He’s trying so hard to protect her and keep her alive, but I hate that his first thought is to go for physical threats. The thing is, I think Milly knows he would never actually pull the trigger on her. She’s still so brave for how she faces up to him though and never breaks eye contact with him, even with a gun in her face.

Me, trying to make myself feel better by telling myself that at least Vash used his angel powers to save his friends rather than accidentally kill them this time.

I hate how Midvalley talks about Vash, calling him “it” and “a thing.” He’s spent so much time around Knives that he can’t comprehend Independent Plants as anything other than destructive monsters. There’s a certain significance to the fact that he’s saying this to Wolfwood, who up until recently might have held a similar view. But he doesn’t agree with Midvalley anymore and it serves as an interesting mirror moment for Wolfwood’s character.

A wild Legato appears! On the world’s weirdest motorcycle with his assistant. Once again I ask, who are they??

Actually, why is he even here? Is he mad that he’s been kept away from the action?

I gotta give Nightow a lot of credit here. It fucking hurts that Legato manipulates Hoppred into shooting Midvalley. I have a lot of sympathy for both these characters and they shared an interesting camaraderie. Midvalley might be the closest thing Hoppred’s had to a friend in a long time and Legato just made him kill him! They might be villains and they may be after our main character but I don’t hate them or want them to die or suffer like this.

Ch 5

Eldritch Vash! Eldritch Vash! I know it’s horrifying for him, but man, do I love me some uncanny, eldritch character transformations. Give me more of that cosmic horror, baby!

Legato crying because he’s horrified that anyone would betray Knives…he’s just sooooo. He truly is a character of all time. The toxic loyalty and devotion is truly something to witness.

Again, I ask, where does Wolfwood keep pulling handguns from??? His tits???

Oh Vash, is losing it. His eyes are completely white and devoid of anything but rage.

This is just like that scene from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Oh!! Is this the panel that inspired creature Vash? Love that it’s from such an intense scene. He’s just so shaped.

Damn, Meryl!! Breaking the Mexican standoff.

What I can’t tell is if Vash pushed her up, encouraging her to do it because he knew it would be a surprise or if she popped up herself. There’s something in the way this panel is drawn that suggests she’s shocked at being pushed out of feathers.

Oh shit, did Legato just get half his face blasted off???

Manipulating Midvalley’s dead body is…a lot, Legato. That’s a lot.

Oh no, not the Angel Arm again!

Interrupted by random giant nail? Looks like someone’s coming to join the party…

Ch 6

I’M STRESSED OUT. Meryl is stuck and Vash is stuck in a meltdown he can’t control. Things ain’t looking good here.

Oh Vash, oh no. He’s in so, so much pain almost constantly from what he’s done. This is what he’s been hiding behind all those sad smiles and goofy jokes. It’s a wonder he manages to keep himself going.

Vash’s imaginary (I think) conversation with Knives as he gains control of himself is gonna make me cry. All that pain and all that guilt, he could easily disappear into it and never find his way out. But he pulls himself back because he’s not done yet, he still has things to do and people he cares about and things he believes in above all else.

And he’s so unsure of his mission! He’s been proven wrong so many times and he’s fucked up beyond measure. But he knows people are kind, and just for that little kindness that was shown to him, he wants to give people a second chance, he wants to give humanity a chance to be saved. Oh God, it’s too late at night for me to be reading this.

Soooo, Legato was not supposed to be there and Elendira has just killed his handy-dandy transport assistant. I always find it interesting when the heroes of a story don’t technically win. In this case, one of their own opponents gets rid of a threat for them, mostly because Knives doesn’t want Vash dead just yet. Or ever, probably. He just wants that man to suffer.

I will give Elendira, she is very cool and I might be a little in love with her.

Vash has so much compassion, that even as Hoppred wishes uncountable suffering on him, he still holds his hand, so he doesn’t die alone. He caused Hoppred’s pain. He understands it. He can’t fix it, but he does what he can.

Ah, Milly is ok!!! I was wondering where she went.

Again, so much compassion. He buries the people who were trying to kill them and gives them grave markers, a final resting place. Wolfwood would’ve just left them where they fell. But he is contemplating his existence, as usual when he’s confronted by Vash’s immensely caring heart. We love to see it.

#trigun #trigunbookclub

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deadchannelradio · 1 year

Text

in the family of things

T | dick/wally, family and complex relationship focused, humor heavy | ch 1/4

Wally gets a babysitting gig from an old friend. - Dick crouches to be at Damian’s eye level, and his voice suddenly takes on a brisk tone, one Wally associates so strongly with being assigned patrol routes that he twitches. “Wally, this is Damian, Damian, this is Wally. Wally is one of my very best friends. He is very important to me. You aren't going to stab him. This isn’t a debate,” Dick says, when Damian raises an eyebrow, “Or a rule. You can’t physically do it. He is much faster than you.” “I know what his powers are,” Damian says, sounding annoyed, and also like he considers them to be a fun challenge. "I would like it to be a rule," Wally volunteers. - "Who’s the last person who saw him?" Jason asks Tim. "Did you talk to D- the kid? Nightwing never does anything without talking to him, what’d he say?” There’s a sudden, nervous silence. “Hey,” Jason says, dangerously, “Where is the kid?” “Hm,” Tim says. “He’s- in school -,” “On a Saturday? In July?” Tim makes a sound like a chipmunk in a trash compactor. “Tim, did you fuckin’ forget about the baby? Do not hang up on me-” “Don’t real name me at work!” Tim squawks, panicked, and hangs up.

Dick’s been largely awake for the last 72 hours, and he’s feeling all of them right now, banging on his skull like a hammer on a gong. Damian’s asleep, finally, fitfully, curled around his tablet like a shrimp with a particularly tasty algae ball. He’s positioned in such a way that when he kicks in his sleep, he nails Dick square in the ribcage. He won’t let Dick move, or allow himself to be repositioned so that he won’t put Dick in the hospital. May whoever decided to train a nine year old to kick through concrete live miserably, Dick thinks, trying to eke out some space between the two of them. Damian, of course, is also directly on top of Dick’s arm, which lost all feeling about thirty minutes ago, effectively trapping him.

Continue reading on AO3!

#birdflash #dickwally #dick grayson #wally west #dc comics

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dean-winchester-is-a-warrior · 1 year

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I Will Find You in the Dark Ch. 5

Series Summary: Dean and Julie's story continues through turbulent times in the Winchester's life. Can Dean and Julie survive through it all? Can their love survive?

Chapter Summary: Julie and Sam have been looking for Dean for two months. What will happen when Julie finds him?

Pairings: Dean x OFC (Julie) Established Relationship

Series Explicit 18 +/Warnings: Show level violence throughout. Smut throughout. More detailed chapter warnings.

Chapter Warnings: Show level violence, Demon!Dean (with all that his black eyes bring with them), mentions of smut, Demon!Dean being cruel for the fun of it, threatening behavior, mentions of pregnancy.

Word Count: 2,291

Series Masterlist

A/N: The fifth chapter in the sequel to my fic, Green is My Favorite Color. I strongly suggest that you read that one first, since there will be references made to it throughout this sequel. Also, I suggest you read the Dean and Julie Mini-Series I wrote as a bridge between that fic and this one. (The Mini-series’ title is a bit of a spoiler for the original series, so I won’t post it here, but it can all be found here.) I had a lot of fun writing that original series, and the mini-series, and certainly hope those who read and enjoyed those, enjoy this sequel. 💓

The beautiful dividers below and at the end were created by @talesmaniac89. 💗 Title card was created by me.

Masterlist || Tag Lists

Despite the sun recently rising over the eastern horizon, the room was dark, the newborn sun unable to pierce through the drawn shades and smoke-glazed wooden walls of the ugly dive bar where Julie stood. The scent of old body odor mingled with the stench of stale beer and rotted wood to make her stomach churn.

She put one hand over her nose and the other over her almost non-existent baby bump as she attempted to keep the bile down. She pulled the neckline of her t-shirt up and ducked her nose inside, taking deep breaths through the cotton filter until her stomach calmed down. When she could breathe normally again she dropped her hands to her sides and started towards the cash register again.

When Crowley had given up Dean’s whereabouts, and told them to get the former hunter as far away from him as possible, he’d directed them to this bar, telling them that Dean was frequently a regular there.

So, they’d staked out the place the night before, sitting for hours in the Impala watching the comings and goings of the patrons.

Julie had been nervous the entire time, anxious and jumpy. This was the closest they'd come to finding Dean - the closest by a long shot- and the prospect of seeing him again had made her feel like she might jump out of her skin.

But Dean never showed. So, they’d gone back to the motel to get a few hours of sleep before starting the hunt again. However, after doing nothing but tossing and turning for hours, Julie had decided to go check out the bar when no one else was around. She was hoping that maybe, behind the counter, she could find a credit card receipt from one of his aliases, which might give them a possible phone number or address, if they could track his card.

She’d left Sam a note saying he could join her at the bar if he woke up, or else she’d be back in less than an hour.

So now, as she tried to jimmy open the cash register, she heard the front door creak open and looked up, expecting to see Sam coming after her.

Instead, a cry of surprise fell from her lips as Dean strolled through the door to stand tall and powerful-looking, across the room.

Her desperate eyes took in every inch of him, especially his beautiful face; the face she’d seen smiling and laughing in her dreams every night over the last two months. She constantly dreamt of him coming home, of him being Dean again, the mark vanished - his soul his own once again.

But now, as he stood in front of her, she knew none of that was true. This was Dean, and yet not.

He wore a red work shirt over a black t-shirt and blue jeans. His hair was a bit longer and parted to the side. He wore a soft smile that just turned up the corners of his mouth, and that smile made her melt a little. Whatever darkness lingered under his skin, he was still so beautiful, and in spite of everything, Julie ached to see him again.

“Hey, Jules.” He said, his voice silky.

She let out the breath she’d been holding. “Dean.” She whispered.

“Whatcha doin’ here, kiddo?” He asked.

She bit into her lower lip before answering. “The same thing I’ve been doing for two months straight. Looking for you, of course.”

He shook his head. “Told you and Sammy to let me go, didn’t I?”

Julie swallowed down all the tears and the bitter anger she’d felt since the moment they’d found that note. “You know we can’t do that. You had to know we were going to look for you everywhere.”

Dean nodded and gave a low chuckle. “Well, you found me, sweetheart.” His warm smile chilled a fraction. “But you should have known better than to come alone.”

Julie felt icy fingers slide down her back and she swallowed hard and tried to bluff. “I’m not alone. Sam is keeping a lookout in the back.”

Dean’s smile disappeared and his gaze became laser focused on her. “No he isn’t.”

As she scrambled to come up with a lie or a way out, Dean took a few steps towards the bar that she was standing behind. She stepped away from the cash register, shifting towards the swinging doors to her right, that led to the back rooms and a possible exit.

Dean shifted with her.

“So,” He began, but then he stopped talking and took a few steps closer to her. He cocked his head slightly and let his gaze sweep up and down her body. A look of surprise spread across his face for a moment before he shook his head.

“Well, son of a bitch.” He smiled a cold smile at her. “You’re knocked up.”

Julie’s heart beat triple time as he moved even closer. Only the bar separated them now, as they stood on either side of it. She had no idea how to respond.

Dean nodded his chin towards her belly. “Don’t bother trying to lie about it, I can hear the second heartbeat.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Is it mine? Or, uh,” He pushed his lips out and shrugged. “Maybe Sammy’s? What have you kids been up to while I’ve been away?”

Julie felt anger build and Dean laughed when he saw it, raising his hands in a mockery of surrender. “Hey, I’m just curious. I mean, for all I know, it might belong to some other demon spawn.”

His face became calculating. “You know, I’ve wondered about that for a while now - just how many guys you spread it for while Abaddon was riding you. But,” He shrugged again, “I didn’t want to ask you before. I was worried it would hurt you to tell me.”

He let out a rough chuckle as though the idea of his concern for her was absurd to him now. He walked slowly around the end of the bar, and suddenly he was barely a dozen feet away from her, with nothing separating them.

Julie took a step back, and he took two long strides forward, stalking her.

“So?” He asked, nodding towards her stomach.

Julie gritted her teeth and hung on to her anger to avoid the excruciating sadness of the moment. This was how Dean was learning he was going to be a father. This was the moment she’d wanted to be so perfect, now turned into a dismal nightmare.

“It’s yours.” She croaked out through a tight throat. But as she said it, she realized it wasn’t true. The life she was growing and nurturing inside her body had absolutely nothing to do with the creature in front of her, who looked so much like Dean, and yet, wasn’t.

Dean grinned and nodded. “Huh…you didn’t answer the other part of my question though. How many guys did you and Abaddon fuck while you were away from me?”

Julie balled her hands into fists. “Go to hell.”

She glanced quickly behind her to gauge the distance to the swinging doors. She continued the conversation, hoping it might keep him busy and distracted.

“I’ve never slept with anyone else, and Abaddon was a bit too busy trying to become queen to spend a whole lot of time scrolling dating apps.” She said sarcastically, making Dean smile again.

“Huh, so I’m really the only person you’ve ever slept with? Really? Even the times when I took off and left you behind, you never slept with anyone else?”

Julie didn’t answer, just inched ever closer to the doors behind her.

Dean licked his lips. “Well, I guess after you’ve had the best, why try the rest, right?” He nodded and then stopped advancing towards her to lean his hip against the bar and cross his arms over his chest.

“I get it. I really do. I mean, it’s the same with me.” He paused for a beat and then dragged in a breath, shaking his head wistfully. “No matter how many women I’ve fucked in the last two months, I just can’t seem to get your hot, ripe, little body out of my mind.”

Julie gasped as though a bucket of ice had been thrown over her. She felt like a vice was squeezing her heart and lungs together so she couldn’t breathe; her chest felt constricted, crushed. Once again, she felt like she was going to be sick.

She watched the look of victory enter Dean’s gaze and realized that he was taking great pleasure in knowing his words had had their intended effect, causing a ripping pain to rush through her. She closed her eyes as tears filled them, and she couldn’t stop them from spilling down her cheeks, no matter how desperately she wanted to.

When she opened her eyes she gasped again because Dean was suddenly mere inches in front of her, somehow moving utterly silently in the span of a few breaths. He raised his fingers to grasp her chin, rubbing his thumb over her lower lip. The gesture was familiar enough to raise butterflies in her stomach, but the butterflies were so unwanted that she felt sick again.

He put his hands to her waist and pushed her backwards until she bumped into the wall behind her. The swinging doors were less than two feet to her right, and she tried to focus on them, and on how to extricate herself from Dean’s unyielding grip. Power rolled off of him in waves, a kind of menacing, dangerous energy that surrounded him and made Julie want to scream in fear.

But she held onto her wits even as he leaned into her, inhaling deeply and then setting his lips against her ear. “God, I have missed you, Jules.”

His voice was a low rasp, and combined with his hard body pressed against her, Julie’s mind was overflowing with conflicting feelings. She’d missed him so much, that to feel him close again was making her knees slightly weak. But there was a bitter taste in her mouth that reminded her that this man was not Dean, that his soft, plush lips may be familiar, but they dripped poison.

“You know what I was thinking about the other day?” He asked her as he let his forefinger trace along the neckline of her t-shirt. “Purgatory.” He looked deep into her eyes and Julie was mortified to find that the heat and desire she saw in his gaze still caused her stomach muscles to clench.

“Mmm, yeah.” He purred. “Do you remember how you were there? What you let me do to you? Mm? Do you remember?” His teeth tugged on her earlobe briefly and Julie gasped.

With a dark chuckle he continued. “Yeah, I remember too. I remember the way you let me take you, like an animal.” He suddenly grabbed both her wrists and slammed them against the wall beside her head. “You were just a bitch in heat, and fuck, I filled you so good.”

Julie’s fear finally won out, and she began struggling against the vice-like grip he had on her, but Dean just laughed.

“Aw, you seem afraid, Jules. But you told me once that there was nothing I could do to make you afraid of me.”

Julie stopped struggling, her breathing ragged as she looked up into Dean’s beautiful emerald eyes. They were filled with heat and malice and the sight made her shake her head.

“No, you’re right.” She said, panting slightly. “I could never, ever be afraid of Dean.” She jutted her chin forward in defiance and spoke quietly. “But you are not Dean.”

An ominous gleam came into Dean’s gaze before a quick blink replaced every spec of green with the oily black slick of his demon eyes. He flashed his bright white smile as a horrible contrast to his sinister stare. “You’re right there, sweetheart, I’m a whole new man.”

As he leaned forward, seemingly intent on reaching her mouth, Julie brought her knee up as hard as she could between his legs. With a scream of pain, he staggered back, dropping his hold on her.

Julie didn’t waste a second, immediately sprinting to the right and running through the doors into the back of the bar. She saw an exit sign through a pile of boxes that blocked her way. She began tossing them aside, but before she could get through them all, Dean grabbed hold of her arms from behind and hauled her up against his chest.

“That was a dirty trick, Jules.” He breathed roughly into her ear. “But if you want dirty, well, I’ve got lots of tricks to play too, sweetheart.”

She lifted her booted foot, intending to stomp on his instep, when suddenly she heard him scream again and felt water splash against her cheek. He dropped his hands from her and she spun around in time to see him fall to his knees as one side of the demon handcuffs closed around his right wrist.

Sam was struggling to bring Dean’s left hand close enough to get the cuffs on properly. Julie stooped quickly to pick up the flask of holy water where Sam had dropped it, and threw another generous splash into Dean’s face.

The demon roared in monstrous anger, but Sam managed to get the other band around his brother’s wrist. “It’s over, Dean.” He yelled at him. “This is over.”

Julie was shaking and more grateful than ever to see her brother-in-law. But she had to wonder, as Dean growled up at him again, harsh and menacing, pure rage sufficing his face, whether in fact, things had just begun.

1 - Jensen RPF + Any/All characters Jensen plays. @lyarr24 @deans-spinster-witch @impalaslytherin @maggiegirl17 @akshi8278 @candy-coated-misery0731 @nt-multi-fandom @deanswaywardgirl @slytherinlyn314 @globetrotter28 @jensensgirl @perpetualabsurdity @tristanrosspada-ackles @djs8891 @muhahaha303 @kayyay1219 @emily-winchester @recoveringpastaaddict @maximumkillshot @mimaria420 @sacriceria @envyaurora95 @lacilou

2 - Dean Winchester Fics Only. @saikosheadcanons @lgranger67 @carryonwaywardgirl

3 - Any/All Fics (regardless of fandom/character.) @sunshineandwings86 @kazsrm67 @sexyvixen7 @alexxavicry @nancymcl @spalady26

4 - Everything (includes fan vid/DOOL edits as well) @unabashed-lover-of-fictional-men @awkward-and-indecisive @maliburenee @supernatural4life2022 @spn730015 @b3autyfuldisast3r @kickingitwithkirk @waywardbaby @foxyjwls007 @deanwanddamons @deandreamernp @deanwithscissors @myloversgone @snowlovespie @leigh70 @all-alone-he-turns-to-stone @charred-angelwings @hopefuldreamers-world @mysherlock221b @jensensgotyoudean @stixnstripesworld @thoughts-and-funnies @magssteenkamp @norman1967 @princessmisery666 @eevvvaa @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @deepsketchsupernaturalcowboy @b-i-t-c-h-i-e @twirpbunwarrior @mysweetlittledesire @waynes-multiverse @mrsjenniferwinchester @bernasaurus @jensenslady79 @courtn92 @avanatural @ellie-andthemachine @this-is-me19 @roseblue373 @katbratsupernaturalwhore @fanfic-n-tabulous

#dean winchester fan fic #dean winchester #demon!dean #dean x ofc #dean x julie

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