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ceruleancattail · 3 months

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Thinking about Card-dealer Trey in the Nightfall Au….

Mafia operative Trey, who’s always a familiar face in the Heartsabyul Casino. Always dressed in his best, a vest stretched over his torso, showing a well-muscled chest. A dark green clover pin resting right above his heart, trembling with every breath.

Trey Clover,whose sleeves are always rolled up. Just stopping right after the elbow, revealing toned forearm, lined with some faint scars. Remains of stitching, old wounds from his days as a more active member of the Heartsabyul group.

Now? He takes care of the headquarters, and of the Rose-Red Tyrant himself. You could consider him a… guard dog, of sorts. Oh, don’t get him wrong. Trey isn’t left here to quietly whittle away his time… before you could even blink, the ice-cold muzzle of a gun is jutted into your side.

Glancing up, you could see Trey’s eyes narrow ever so slightly behind his glasses, lips slipping into a crooked smirk. A spark of sadistic amusement flaring to life in those emerald eyes of his.

He isn’t just some old retiree left behind to rot, darling.

So do take care not to underestimate him, hm?

The gun is soon tucked away as quick as it was drawn, the ghost of the smirk still flickering across his lips. Gently slipping his hand through your arm, Trey tugs you forward. Since you’ve come all this way, why not have a game or two with the regulars?

The Heartsabyul headquarters also doubles as a grand Casino. Draped in scarlet and gold, the empire of cards, backed with elaborate designs. Yet everything in the place was centred around one subject.

Roses, dripping with the dark crimson of freshly spilled blood.

His thumb rubs soft, gentle circles into your arm. A gesture meant to reassure, perhaps. Yet all you could feel were the callouses on that finger, scrapping against your skin. You could only feel the weight of his arm, and how easily he could crush you, if Trey chose so.

He’s a gentle, familiar smiling face at the poker tables of the Casino. However, you shudder to think about what goes on, behind that placid smile.

Trey guides you through the room, his very footsteps muffled by a fine red carpet. Everywhere you looked, you see people hunched over slot machines, throwing cards down on velveted tables. Poor souls, throwing everything they owed just for another chance at the game. A weight presses itself into your shoulders. Trey’s arm, as he gently escorts you through the crowds.

Intimidated? Don’t worry too much. Desperation is a powerful force, but Trey would never allow you to go too far. As much as despair would be interesting to see on your face, Trey’s much too fond of you to ever see you lose.

You can trust him, at least on the poker table.

Trey is very much a skilled card dealer, after all.

You’ll never have a losing hand, if he’s the one dealing the cards.

#twisted wonderland #twst #disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #Trey clover #Trey x reader #Trey clover x reader #Trey #protection charm♦️#nightfall #nightfall au #Mafia au #ace is his student… of sorts #slight of hand #misdirection #all little tips and tricks #Trey’s passed them down to Trappola #but Ace seems more fond of doing magic tricks as compared to tricks on the poker table

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iamnot-crazy · 6 days

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Slight of Hands Chapter 3

Trafalgar Law x named reader

Summary: A woman snuck her way onto the polar tang by tricking Shachi and Penguin but Law is quick to realize her antics.

Law tries to forget about the woman but her image keeps plaguing his thought.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

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Law stared at the heart sitting on his desk with anger. He now has more questions for this mysterious woman who disappeared from his ship a week ago. She escaped the same way she boarded the ship by manipulating his closest crew members the two he considered his brothers which just fueled his anger.

As much as Law tried he could not get this woman out of his mind. She was clever and beautiful enough to manipulate her way through information that should be nearly impossible to achieve. She also seemingly had a team who was able to rescue her at the right time. But what racked Law's brain the most was why she was so interested in him.

There was one thing she was right about and that was that he didn't have it in him to actually crush the heart sitting in front of him. He had every reason to crush it and get rid of the woman who knew too much about him and may know even more.

He groans pushing himself away from his desk in frustration, his thoughts weren't getting him anywhere. He grabbed a cloak and his Kikoku before pushing his way onto the deck of the Polar Tang. On the deck, Shachi and Penguin were stuck on their cleaning duty as a punishment both stood in attention upon seeing their captain only to receive an eye-roll as Law jumped off the ship.

Law walked down the street of the small town they were visiting to collect supplies. He took a breath clearing my head with the fresh air as he looked down the street he noticed a woman staring at him from across the way. Odd looks were familiar to Law being a famous pirate but this was different she wasn't looking at him with fear or speculation but with confidence and determination. Law watched closely as the woman turned down an alley almost beckoning him to follow.

Law followed the woman carefully keeping all his senses aware in case of a potential attack. When he went down the alley the only thing he found was an envelope and the woman he spotted was gone. He bent down to grab the envelope that just had his name written on the back not just his name but his full name 'Traphaler D Water Law'. Law glared the only person who recently said his full name was Raven the woman who knows too much. He ripped the envelope open and a small piece of paper fell to the ground now free from its containment began moving slightly toward the sea. Law picked it up before it could go far. He turned it in his hand to find scratchy handwriting that said, "Just in case."

Law scoffed shoving the paper into his pocket and returning to his sub.

***

Weeks have now passed and the plaguing thoughts of Raven have begun to limit in Law's mind. Her heart and viver card now collecting dust sitting in the top drawer of his desk along with her heart. He thought about using the card to track her down and recapture her as his prisoner but he had a feeling she gave him the card for a reason.

As Law works at his desk the soft rhythm of the heartbeat keeps him focused. Up until this day, the beat has been steady rarely changing pace to the point Law has become blind to the sound. But the loud thump that shook his desk pulled him out of his work. He yanked the drawer open to see the heart's usual steady beat now beating like a drum. Underneath the heart sat the viver card that now had a slight burn on the edge of its page.

"Shit" he mumbled pulling the heart and card out of the drawer. The card pulled towards the island he was on and the heart. His thoughts began to swim with an internal debate. He shouldn't care if the woman who knows too much is close to death someone is doing the job he should have done. But for some reason, she trusted him with both her heart and viver card and this was probably why.

Law groaned as he grabbed his cloak and headed out of his office. Once on the deck, he began to question himself. The viver card just points in the direction the person is the woman can be islands over and him running around on this island could be a waste of time. If she was on this exact island what kind of twisted game was Faith playing on him.

"Shit." He mumbled again before jumping off his sub and onto the island. As he followed the direction of the card in his palm it became tighter to the direction signifying that she was close.

As he drew closer to the woman a laugh began to echo off the buildings, "Uhahahaha" Law froze at the familiar laugh. It was a very distinct and unique laugh from his past. One that belongs to Diamante.

Diamante is one of the top three officers of the Donquixote Pirates, the current occupant of the Diamond seat of the Donquixote Family, and the leader of the crew's Diamante Army subdivision. But in Law's past, he was the one who taught him how to sword fight.

"Did you honestly believe that Doffy wouldn't see through your plan?" Diamante jeered. "Your crew of Dressrosa traitors are finished!"

Law swiftly strode to the edge of the building and peered around to see Raven crawling on her hands and knees, desperately trying to escape from the towering figure of Diamante. Without hesitation, Diamante stomped on her back pinned her to the ground, and raised his sword high, poised to strike down on her back.

But as his sword flew down it was only met with the ground. Her figure seemingly disappeared. Law now running away from the scene with Raven safely in his arms. Raven looked up at him with a smile, "I knew you would come" before she passed out.

As soon as Law and Raven reached the submarine, Law used his powers to transport her to the operating room before urgently requesting a submerge. The Heart Pirates sprang into action, frantically preparing the submarine for an emergency escape. Shachi and Penguin, who had been following Law, were hot on his heels, eager to bombard him with questions about urgent submerge, but Law was too focused to pay attention to them. He ordered the sub to make as much distance from the island as quickly as possible, anxiously watching the horizon for any signs of pursuit. The sound of the submarine's engines filled the air.

After reaching a safe distance, Law headed toward the operating room. Shachi and Penguin were shocked when they saw what was inside. Raven was lying unconscious on the table, covered in blood and bruises. Diamante had the ability to take her out quickly and painlessly, but for some reason, he chose to play with her before doing so.

"What happened?"

"Why is she here?"

Law ignored their questions as he got to work patching the woman up. Luckily for her, there weren't any major injuries just a few stitches here and there that Law needed to tend to. When she wakes she will need some ice for her bruises but she will recover fine.

Law turned to his crew mates who were waiting for answers. He sighed wiping his hands, "Apparently she is from Dressrosa. Doflamingo wanted her dead and sent Diamante after her."

"Why did you save her?" Shachi asked pleading for answers.

Law's jaw snapped shut unable to answer that question that he had been asking himself. Why did he do it and why was she so certain that he would. By the way his body tenses, Shachi received his answer and pulled Penguin out of the room leaving Law to himself.

Law turned around and stared at the peaceful woman lying on the operating table no longer bleeding out but peacefully sleeping.

The next morning Law entered the operating room to redress the woman's bandage before turning to his duties for the day. As he tended to her wounds she began to stir with a groan reaching her arm up to cover her eyes from the overhead light.

"You're awake." His voice rumbles as he continues his work.

Raven's eyes dart around the room landing on the captain's silhouette above her, "well this is some deja vu." She groaned turning away from him.

"Glad to see your humor is intact." He tighten the bandage on her arm causing her to wince. He finishes wrapping up the bandage before moving to the sink wiping the blood off his hands.

Raven sat up investigating her wounds and whereabouts, "Thank you." She spoke softly. Law scoffed as he continued to clean up.

"Since you are now awake you can start answering my questions." He leaned on the counter while he dried his hands.

"I guess that's fair. Where would you like to start?" She threw her legs over the edge of the table.

"Why was Diamante trying to kill you?"

"Because I am trying to dethrone Doflamingo and free Dressrosa." She spoke causally.

"From what I've heard the people of Dressrosa love Doflamingo's rule why would you dethrone him?"

"The people of Dressrosa don't know the full story of how he took the throne."

"Which is?"

"He manipulated his way through of course, crafted a stage where he would be the hero and take out anyone who doubts him."

Law gave a knowing smirk.

"You know the scene you have seen it play out before. The people of Dressrosa are suffering and they don't even know it. When they learn about what he has done what he did they will want to overthrow him too!" Raven jumped up in passion but quickly regretted it as her knees buckled. Law instinctively flew over and caught her pulling her back to her feet.

She grabbed onto Law's chest, "Please you need to help me. Help me destroy him. You know him better than anyone you know how he thinks you can free Dressrosa from him."

Law helped her back to the table pulling away from her and shaking his head, "I am not much of a liberating type. What would freeing a country do to benefit me."

"Because Law you're a good person."

"And who told you that lie. If you can't tell I am a pirate! Hell, they call me the surgeon of death! That doesn't really sound like a good person now does it."

"Cora-san did."

The silence filled the room as Law starred daggers into the woman. His heart beat loudly as his thoughts began to swim begging for an answer. His teeth grinding as his body ran cold. "What?"

"He told me that you have a good heart." She pleaded with her eyes.

Law's nose began to twitch, "Cora-san is dead." He mumbled as if he didn't want to hear the words himself.

Raven grabbed Law's arm forcing him to look her in her eyes. As he stared into her eyes a story began to unfold and tears formed. "He is alive."

-------

A/N: teheh my short story has now turned into my own AU. Anyway thank you for reading if you want to read more of my work check out my masterlist and if you want to read the next chapter let me know.

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swindlefingrs · 3 months

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Sterling's hands are so slight that she'll give you a high five and end up stealing your watch and your girl

#bg3 #rogue #slight of hand #sterling #hands so slight she can steal your breath away

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deacons-wig · 1 year

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Some Mojave boys for the talented @sleights-of-hand, from his tremendous Fallout New Vegas comic. Remember to take a break and take in the scenery like Nick and Lucky before venturing into the new year. Here's to all the amazing Fallout Fandom creations in 2023!! 🙌📣✨

#fallout new vegas #fallout fun #slight of hand #fallout comic #fanart #been sitting on this for a bit life got busy with the holidays #enjoy the boys!!! i absolutely loved drawing them #love these boys agg #bun draws

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lizards-can-be-bookmarks · 1 year

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Sometimes I wonder if Matthias and Kaz would have bonded over magic tricks. Matty always seemed so fascinated with the slight of hand kaz could do so i like to think kaz would have showed him a trick or two, of course not all of them, if they'd had more time

#crooked kingdom #kaz brekker #six of crows #matthias helvar #dear matthias i miss you #slight of hand #kaz and matthias #i cant believe thats not a tag

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geekcavepodcast · 2 months

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youtube

Slight of Hand Trailer

RiffRaff Games announced Slight of Hand during Xbox Partner Preview 2024. The 3rd-person stealth-action deckbuilder game has your character infiltrating her old witch coven.

#slight of hand #riffraff games #xbox #xbox partner preview 2024 #TGCLiz #Youtube

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theindieinformer · 2 months

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Every Indie From The March 2024 Xbox Partner Preview

We've got you covered if you missed today's Xbox Partner Preview. Here's every stunning indie from the show, complete with each trailer you need to see.

Xbox held its second-ever Partner Preview showcase today, featuring developers and publishers, big and small, from around the gaming industry. Not only did the event reveal the release date for the Xbox port of Final Fantasy XIV (March 21 for all of the Eorzea sickos out there like myself) and the roadmap for Persona 3 Reload’s DLC Season Pass, but the indie developers showed up big for Team…

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#11 bit studio #Chibig #Creatures of Ava #Frogwares #Frostpunk 2 #Inverge Studios #News #Partner Preview #riffraff games #Slight of Hand #Surgent Studios #Tales of Kenzera: Zau #The Alters #The Sinking City 2 #Xbox

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lunarwednesday · 3 months

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Happy birthday Kim Dokja! Thank you for your story.

the text is the poem "If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking" by Emily Dickinson

#orv #omniscient reader's viewpoint #orv spoilers #kim dokja #han sooyoung #yoo joonghyuk #kdj #yjh #hsy #1863 hsy #the oldest dream #secretive plotter #i can't believe honkai star rail is what led me to this poem #but life is a comedy #and also i have some slight disagreements with what the poem implies but it was orv-coded to me so my hands just moved on their own

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xaviergalatis · 9 months

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#photos #2023 #meme #weapons #law #legal #selfdefense #concealment #slightofhand #slight of hand #diary #August #aug

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charcoaldustonmyfingers · 3 months

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Leo would be an absolute nightmare in card games. Boy loves magic, messing with people, and winning games no matter how many enemies he makes in the process. God forbid he ever touch a monopoly board, the Hamatos would tear each other apart lol

My older brother loves card and board games a lot, and I thought with Leo’s bits of canon characterization he would like them too! My brother and I play Spirit Island and Gloomhaven whenever we can, and it’s super fun to raise the difficulty to insane levels and still manage to beat the odds with insanely lucky card plays right when it’s down to the wire. I bet Splinter played games with them as a good way for the turtles to learn teamwork and strategy!

Rip my Halloween candy though. I was never the best at games…

#rottmnt #rise mikey #rise leo #rottmnt leo #rottmnt mikey #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt comic #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt raph #t*cest DNI #Leo loves magic!#spreading magic trick and slight of hand loving Leo propaganda

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crashdlanding · 1 year

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Sunday Spotlight: Chris Ramsay

I attempted to start this weekly thing a few years ago and didn’t have the following to get it off the ground. I still don’t but here we go. But it’s not up and coming creators and artists it’s already established ones. Since the practically meteoric rise of the social media platform that sounds like a refreshing breath mint, I’ve noticed many of my favorite YouTube Creators have lost the views…

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#card tricks #Chris Ramsay #crash landing #crashdlanding #creator #magic #magician #non-fiction #puzzles #slight of hand #Sunday Spotlight #YouTube

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crashdlanding2015 · 1 year

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Sunday Spotlight: Chris Ramsay

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#card tricks #Chris Ramsay #crash landing #crashdlanding #creator #magic #magician #non-fiction #puzzles #slight of hand #Sunday Spotlight #YouTube

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sheikfangirl · 1 month

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Gloom nightmares...

Link is totally sleep-deprived on his Tears of the Kingdom quest.

He NEVER rests. But despite all his efforts, it is inevitable: Link collapses and sleep wins over him... and when that happens, Link has the most vile and repulsive nightmares!! Puppet Zelda and her cruelty is always there, ready to mock and torture him.

PS. Nintendo could've gone waaaaaaaay worse with Puppet Zelda if you ask me

PS 2 If you are wondering, yeah, this is a shameless homage to that iconic Evil Dead 2 scene. Groovy! 😊

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ew-selfish-art · 8 months

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Dp x Dc AU: Bruce has a 'if you can't beat them, join them' mentality about the tabloids claiming he adopts too many kids- Developing foster homes that are paid for through the Wayne inheritance, personally vetted by the Bats, they're the leaders in the space for child health outcomes and family placement. Insert Danny.

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Bruce has too much wealth, too many rumors and not enough reach into the abhorrent foster homes around Gotham to improve them. Tim ends up being the one to suggest it- He's the one who buys up their real estate for their safe houses after all- and Bruce is more than ready to pull the metaphorical trigger to get new clean welcoming spaces, Bat-background checked fosters and a new era of adoption in Gotham underway.

He's lobbied the state and the federal government for reforms of course, but this is a project he can micromanage. He spends time with every kid that comes through, talks with all the families that want to adopt and makes sure that these miniature homes are provided only the very best. Alfred personally hires all the staff, and with Barbara more than happy to help relocate the unhoused children she spots while they patrol, the project is a glowing success.

Occasionally, spots in their houses fill up, and those are the weeks were Cass takes on the Cowl of Batman- Bruce Wayne will personally invite a child in need to his home. He always has one of his kids present (they rotate on a pre-determined schedule) and he does his best to try and get them to understand that they deserve the world, have all the potential that anyone else has and can achieve a bright future. That he will personally aid them in their ambitions.

PR goes crazy for it of course, but Bruce and all of his children know its genuine. Almost too genuine, because a betting pool 'WILL THEY BE ADOPTED' regularly circulates between the siblings and the entire JL when someone spends time at the manor. And not just the black-haired, Blue-eyed kids get picked as favored outcomes- but obviously the running joke gets passed around.

It's a Thursday night when Bruce gets the call that the houses have once again filled up, and that there is a child in need of a home. The social worker (he knows her as Marsha and he has flowers planned to be sent on her birthday next week, like he does for all of his employees) (Say micromanaged one more time) explains that the kid is a bit cagey but has opened up with some humor. She explains that he has a few strange... mannerisms. She's not sure what to make of him, a non-gothamite for sure but something is, well, distinctly 'not from around here' about his energy.

Danny arrives at the house, meets Duke and Alfred, and by the time Bruce meets him at the dinner table it seems as though Marsha had it all wrong. This kid was laughing, he was teasing, he was totally playing along like he'd gone through nothing. Bruce is glad he's in high spirits but its just so... so different from all the other children he's taken in.

Bruce re-focuses on the conversation when Duke mentions something flashing, and its the first time that Danny goes quiet. Entirely still.

"...you noticed that?" Danny quietly asks, a bit of disbelief in his tone.

"You don't have a flashlight on or something do you? It was super bright whatever it is that you had in your hand a second ago?" Duke tries to sound chill but he's looking very much not chill. Bruce saw nothing, and that puts him further on edge.

"Look... I uh, I've been though... I've been through a lot lately. And the last lab I was in kind of, messed with me. I'm normally much better at dealing with it all, I promise." Danny sounds nervous, and the room seems to chill.

"Ah shoot, sorry." Danny notices something and frantically apologizes.

"Sorry for what Danny? You've done nothing wrong but I am worried about you- You said you were in a lab?" Bruce is desperately trying to calm him down while not slipping into Batman interrogation mode.

"Uh, yeah, like a lot of labs. It should get warmer in a second, its just cause I startled, I promise."

"You're a meta." Duke speaks softly and with hope in his voice- Danny is looking between them with wide eyes filled with fear.

"I mean I don't technically have the gene-"

"Danny, have you told any of your case workers where you were? Do any authorities know what you've been through?" Bruce needs to know, desperately, that who ever gave this young boy super powers is brought to justice. Danny goes quiet.

"I'm really sorry." He says softly, but he doesn't leave them.

Duke and Bruce try to ask a few more questions but the silence that meets them declares the conversation over, even with Duke admitting he himself is a meta. Danny didn't even look up from his plate. They watch a movie after dinner, and Danny seems to get back to the smile-y happy guy he had been before dinner.

Each of the bat-fam have their own interactions with Danny- And even if they're getting along amazingly, Danny won't open up. He doesn't open up to his provided therapist. Doesn't talk to Alfred. No one knows what's up.

So when Marsha calls Bruce back explaining they now have a spot for Danny and he can move out of the Manor... Bruce replies that he'd like to get started on Adoption paperwork, so long as Danny is fine with it.

---

Turns out, Danny is fine with it. he's both the newest Wayne and their newest case. (And godamnit, his new family is going to avenge him. If only he'd let them try.)

Danny figures out that Duke= Signal early on because of that dinner, and if he's going to keep his parents out of jail, he needs to be as close to the investigation as possible. He knows that he shouldn't protect the Fentons, but he feels the upset in his core at the thought of letting them befall any harm. He has to protect them. Has to protect Jazz and her hiding spot as a mole within their lab. Has to.

Even if it meant lying to his new family who loves him, and who he loves in equal return. Even if it means lying to The Bats.

---

Tabloids go crazy about the black-haired blue-eyed thing of course, but no poll was ever taken by the batfam or the JL who know the whole story.

#Danny has his powers destabilized by the various lab experiments but he's slowly getting control back #Duke notices Danny phasing his hands through the table/silverware by accident- it just looks like slight of hand tho #Danny figures out the bats and the best he can do is get adopted #friends close and enemies (lol not really) closer #dp x dc #dcxdp #dpxdc #dc x dp #danny phantom #dc crossover #dp crossover #long post #dc x dp fic #please i beg of you- write the other siblings interactions #someone tell me why I left Jazz to sabotage their parents and what to do with her next #jazz looking at danny who now has every possible resource to save them and not using it like- my guy #danny's core working against him like stockholm syndrome basically #like his protected them for this long so now he feels compulsion #danny gets adopted au #bruce adopts danny au

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amphibianaday · 2 months

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#amphibian #frog #frogsona #amphibidextrous #muscle memory really kicked in by the time i wrote “out” can you tell #there is a slight but noticeable difference #what REALLY gets me about drawing wrong handed is it FEELS difficult but then the end result is visually not that different?#mainly it's hard to use lighter pressure

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petit-etoile · 7 months

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Congrats on the 200 Followers man! Here's my drabble for ya, go nuts on what you wanna write from this; “Kiss me and/or shut up.”

your heart understood mine

pairing: astarion/tav wordcount: 919 content warnings: ne.il new.bon said something about little astarions once & now i have Thoughts other tags: canon compliant, introspection, character study, idiots in love, established relationship, gender neutral tav, human!tav archiveofourown: here.

tag list: @azrielshadows1nger, @pandimoostuff, @faevi, @microskies, @foreverthemaraudersera, @queenofthespacesquids, @claryvoyantfray, @6doodlaang14, @anne-isnotokay, @itshimbotime, @yeeteth-the-raven, @sessils, be added to the taglist here

summary: 'When am I happiest?' / 'When I'm looking at you.'

‘So,’ Astarion says casually, staring at his nails. ‘What do you think the answers truly are?’

‘The answers to what?’ you ask.

‘Don’t play coy,’ he says. ‘The little…love test. I was rather pleased you didn’t expose me in front of a stranger, but now I’m curious.’

You remember Zethino now. You take a moment to glance at him, though your hands are still busy sewing away at a tear in your armor. Astarion is watching you while wearing a guarded half-smile, neither interested in his nails nor in your messy stitches. Your cheeks heat up and you look back down at your uneven handiwork. Your throat tightens a little.

When you had asked him if he had wanted to participate with you, you thought Astarion would reject it. It seemed silly, so out of element for the both of you that the thought of him genuinely agreeing never crossed your mind. Yet now he questions you about it, questions you about your answers, and you feel more nervous now than you had when Zethino called you stira. Astarion takes your armor from you and begins patching it himself, fed up with your clumsy stitches.

‘The heart is fraught, so let us begin with the joyous,’ Astarion recites sarcastically. ‘When is he happiest, my love?’

‘I don’t think you’ve ever been happy,’ you say quietly.

He hums. ‘Well, that’s mostly the correct answer,’ he says. ‘But you’re missing something. I know you can guess it if you really put your mind to it.’

‘You’re happiest with me,’ you say bravely.

You look him deep in his eyes, holding your breath. He laughs and nods, chuckling to himself while he tries to salvage a piece of leather. You think he might be blushing, but it’s hard to tell with how pale he is.

‘Many things delight the heart,’ Astarion continues, mimicking her monotonous timbre. ‘Only one makes it sing! Tell me, my sweet, what does he desire more than anything.’

Revenge. You had told the dryad he wanted revenge, but didn’t go into detail, not in front of someone unfamiliar. You watch as he untangles the thread, his hair soft and elegant, his hands assured and practiced. There lives a colony of butterflies in your chest. Your heart is beating so loud you’re certain he can hear it.

‘A life with me,’ you say.

‘You,’ he agrees.

‘A gaggle of little Astarions trailing around,’ you add.

Astarion looks up sharply, his mouth hanging open slightly. You press your lips together immediately and try to think of an apology but there’s something beneath his careful façade. You were right. You realize it now. You press a hand to your chest as if to stop your heart from pounding. Astarion wants a family, and he wants you, and even beneath that desire for revenge and for strength, once he succeeds then all he wants is you. He looks back down at your clothes in his lap and laughs shyly. You think you might faint.

‘The last, um, question,’ you stutter. You realize your palms are sweaty and blush.

‘Fear sits in the soul of all,’ Astarion says finally, voice soft. ‘To tame it, we must name it. What is his deepest fear?’

This time, you feel as though the answer isn’t so easy. Beneath the fear of Cazador and the fear of the mindflayers, there is something else brewing. You’re afraid to even mention it, but he’s curious and genuine. You slide closer to him and pull part of your armor into your lap so that you share the burden. He presses his nose to your temple and you distract yourself by touching the part of your armor he’s managed to save from your haphazard repairing.

‘You’re afraid of never breaking the cycle,’ you say carefully. You bite your bottom lip. ‘You’re worried that after all this rage, there’s no relief.’

‘Shut up,’ Astarion says.

There is little to no heat in it. You shake your head.

‘You’re afraid the you before Cazador is no longer there,’ you say. ‘And you’re afraid that because I am human, that there’s a ghost of you that comes after me.’

‘Shut up,’ Astarion insists.

‘Kiss me,’ you whisper. You turn to meet his lips.

Astarion presses a sweet kiss to your lips. You cherish it no matter how fleeting the kiss is. The silence, the quiet sorrow. It’s almost worth it for how he gently presses kisses against your temple and into your hair. He will never confess that what you said is true, and you’re almost thankful.

‘My turn,’ you say, clearing your throat. ‘When am I happiest?’

‘When I’m looking at you,’ Astarion says without hesitation.

‘O — Oh.’

‘You desire a lifetime with me,’ he says with a practiced blasé shrug. ‘And little Astarions of course.’

You flush. ‘Shut up.’

‘And,’ he adds, ‘you’re deathly afraid of spiders.’

He laughs and kisses you again, and you wish you could bottle up the sound in a music box to play it back when you’re feeling lonely. You know what Zethino meant now when she said your bond beat with pleasure. You blossom beneath his careful musings.

‘See? We’re close as can be,’ Astarion murmurs. He rests his chin on your shoulder and brushes his thumb against your thigh. ‘But darling, if we’re going to have a lifetime together, we really must work on your stitching.’

‘Only if you’ll teach me,’ you say.

‘Oh, I’ll be the best teacher you’ve ever had,’ Astarion agrees.

#astarion #astarion ancunin #astarion bg3 #astarion x tav #astarion x reader #astarion x you #astarion x oc #from ，carcosa .#my fic #pandimoostuff #* a thousand lives，and one #*bites my hands*#SEE I CAN WRITE HAPPY STUFF #ignore the slight angst in the middle

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