#but apparently it's super hard to be a librarian

[solarisposting]

guess who's back in their compassion fatigue for library patrons era!!!

#HELLO IT'S ME SIGMUND FRAUD! #i've had one other Episode like this since being in libraries and it's so exhausting #and it makes me hate myself! i suddenly can't DEAL when interacting w/people who have mental illnesses that manifest in this that or the #or the other way. i stop caring about patrons' sob stories or hard days or legitimate crises or whatever else #i'm just angry all the goddamn time about being a brick wall for others' rage and sadness and issues when i'm a fucking book person who also #who also helps with technology. i cant handle my own fucking mental illnesses on any given day sometimes and absorbing others' hardships #when i'm not trained not equipped not PAID ENOUGH and having my own spirals and episodes...it is SO MUVH #i feel evil and heartless when i suddenly stop caring and am actively angry at patrons #this isn't even a carer type of work that i do! #and yet compassion fatigue in librarians is apparently super common. we're like retail workers minus patrons spending money at our #at our establishments. people are extra mean because of the tax dollars shit and the whole 'fulfilling gaps in social services' shit #losing my compassion for others a second time os fucking terrible. i don't want to he so angry and hateful. i don't wamt to be so checked #so checked out of others' suffering if the others are in front of me. it feels gross #and as ashamed as i am to say it? it weighs on me and makes me feel WORSE and so SELFISH #ann with an ie #and i am still tuned into global issues and care and am horrified #but things and people in front of me just...cease to register

[evilminji]

Thinking About Ghost Writer's Library ( o.o)

Yeah, that's right folks! It's ya girl! Back on her bullshit, with PONDERING TIME. But like? GW? Is AT BEST? Somewhere around Victorian or Edwardian, given his aesthetic, right? And? Granted! It COULD be, he just vibes SUPER HARD with this Hot New Look(tm).

But like?

He is Baby.

They basically ALL are Baby. It's the... no, A(!) Baby area of the Zone. A place where sentient life is JUST sort of beginning to happen. On the COSMIC, INTERDIMENSIONAL, scale of things. What, after all, is a MERE few millenia? When the average is counting things by Eons? And even WORSE? When your ENTIRE COUNTRY and HISTORY is? What... CENTURIES?

Zygote. You are not but an infant. Back to daycare with you.

Which of course, leads the baby sitters. Even the occasional Adult. SOMEONES got to watch them. But it's not like THEY want to volunteer their eternity. They have Obsessions to follow. And there are A LOT of Baby Zone's to watch! More forming every day! The great dance of Life And Death etc etc, Yada yada!

Who's being punished? Make them do it! *Clockworks in long term plan*

But! Not the point here! Though fascinating to consider! The POINT? GW->Baby. His Library? Larger then then any Earth libraries, yes. But! Still SMALL. A BABY'S collection of books! Still growing. And for all his bragging and posturing? FAR from the Zone's BEST Library.

It likely doesn't even get to make the LONG FORM list.

Which Danny? Who is STILL banned? Quickly figures out. Because? Amity Library is... DECENT. It's working with the funding It's gotten dispite the damage ghost fights have done. Danny loves that library. He does. But... he also? Kinda has run out of things to READ.

And like HELL is he gonna BEG to enter GHOST WRITER'S Lair. Mister "Love Christmas or I'll torture you with it" can SUCK [REDACTED] and shove it up his [REDACTED BUT WITH VIOLENCE THIS TIME]. So? He asks, vaguely of course, Mr. Ho the librarian what he should do.

The man practically froths at the mouth at the thought that there is some BASTARD denying children books over PETTY PERSONAL BULLSHIT. Wants to meet this guy out back. "Talk books". Mr. Ho is like a bazillion years old and a tiny grandpa, he's amazing and Danny STILL kinda wants to be him when he grows up.

But since Danny won't let him deck Ghost Writer. He shows him how too look up other libraries in the area. Which... sparks An Idea(tm). He thanks his favorite librarian and races home. Makes a Bee Line for the Far Frozen.

Can he LOOK at the Infinity Map, Frostbite? He knows taking it is only for Important Events, but... why, you ask? Well...*explains*

Which is how he ends up, with a pen and paper, watching Trained Yeti Map Makers(tm) quickly sprawling out Map after Map, as Frostbite (who is apparently the only one AUTHORIZED to do this, who knew?) formally asks the Map in? Weirdly specific and oddly phrased ways, for the best libraries? Huh?

Ooooh! Frostbite is authorized because he's the only one TRAINED in the exact workings of the Map. Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. When Danny was using it, it dragged him at like Mach bajillion all over the place and he had to keep rephrasing things.

So? He can go now, right? Since he has the directions?

What do you mean "not quite"?

Danny finds out he needs an "Adult Escort". Because he is Baby. And much like children can not fly to Peru alone from halfway across the globe, so too, they can not LEAVE the baby zones to travel through Adult Territories where they could get Ended by accident, WITHOUT Adult supervision. Safety first!

D:< He just wants BOOKS!

Fine! Clockwork is old as BALLS! Older probably! He's LITERALLY TIME! How's THAT for OLD, huh?! Can he GO NOW!? He just wants to check out their ghostly sci-fi section! He's curious AF! He bets they have ALIEN Sci-fi! Come oooooooon!

Clockwork, of course, let's himself be dragged along. Because this is hilarious. AND going to terrify so, SO many assholes. Which is Funny :)

Danny gets his library card to *Unpronouncable without several neck bones humans do not have*, which is the size of Jupiter's BIGGER BROTHER. It isn't even the "Best" library. Just the closest. Danny has a manic... everything, the Fenton blood is strong with this one. So Many Booooooooks~!

And yeah, school books or whatever, probably a great learning resource.

BUT THE SCI-FI AND COMICS SECTION! It goes on for MILES! LITERAL MILES! *incoherent noises of joy*

Needless to say, the Librarians think he's ADORABLE. Such an eager reader! And so SMALL! A BABY! Look at his lil hands~! Be careful with the books, okay sweetie? Oh heck yeah! He WILL be!

And obviously? He gaurds those books with his LIFE. That's his Premium VIP Celebrity Gucci Bespoke Comics of The Multiverse Access! You'll have to pry it from his multi-dead, still smoking, Ended 5Ever hands!

The problem with THIS is?

Even with careful book covers? Those are CLEARLY glowing books. Like... day glow. Unnaturally glowing. The OTHER problem, is UNLIKE that baby GW? Adults can make their books multilingual. OMNILINGUAL. Is this book in French? Or Ainu? Yes. If it's YOUR language, then that's what you're reading in. Is it a bit clunky at times? With things that don't translate well, having to be explained in side notes? Yes. But better then not being able to read them at all!

And of course, comfort and repetition breed mistakes. You get too used to doing something. Forget you're supposed to be HIDING it. Maybe you go to college. Maybe the world moves on. You bring down a government agency with your friends. Become an infant king, much to the unspeakable alarm of the adults who SHOULD have been watching and protecting you. Maybe you have WORDS with them. Who's to say.

You're tired. It's been a long month.

You just want your coffee and a snacky lil treat. Something yummy for the you. Surely you've earned it, right? You've been good. So you take your sweet new alien sci-fi epic, your scrunkly feral Racoon lookin self, and you crawl like the half dying man you are. Towards the sweet relief of sugar and caffeine. Pride? You don't know her. Gib the coffee or you bite.

Unfortunately! There is some shitty "the Youth Today blah blah blah, let try and catch them of gaurd with loaded questions to prove my point and make a whole generation look dumb" reporter on campus. You see them out of the corner of your eye. They clearly think you are the weak link.

They are making their way towards you, mic raised.

Ah. Tragic, they have chosen death.

Before they can reach you, you raise your voice and not so much throw them under a bus, as drive the bus over THEM. Because THIS Coffee shop is the Punk hangout spot. And you've made casual friendly acquaintances with the six foot something, Sam clone from Scotland, whose life goal seems to be "Fight God".

And THESE fine folk DEFINITELY want an interview :) Have Fun, Thorn!

Needless to say, the clips go viral. With Danny sitting in the background, coffee and muffin achieved. Minding his business. Reading his glowing book. Which everyone ignores, on campus. Because EVERYONE knows Danny can make things glow! It's his weird minor power. Some lab accident in his teen years. NBD

But like... no body ELSE "knows" that. So it attracts attention.

Which would be FINE.... if he was reading an EARTH book.

But he's NOT.

And someone recognizes it.

Maybe it's Martian. Kryptonian. Could be Asgardian. Depends on the crossover you want! Because it could be ANY crossover! Lost books. Not just the Great Classics(tm) that people like to save. But the silly ones. The small ones. The equivalent of dime store novels and cheap drug store comics. Children's books. Banned books. The things Powerful People tried to erase from history itself. The things TIME tried to erase, with the fall of nations and the coming of war.

The destruction of worlds.

All of it there.

Imagine it. Standing on a planet, far from the world that was once your home, KNOWING in your heart that everything is gone. Everyone. That NOTHING but what you carry with you remains. And looking up one day to see, in the background of some average and silly video? Not "War and Peace" or "Great Expectations" or some other likely exported peice... but? Some youth reading that overly dramatic trashy sci-fi book that your cousins wouldn't stop raving about. The ones all the adults were SICK of hearing about.

It would NEVER have passed the bar for export.

It was silly and embarrassing but culturally significant.

It's... it's right there.

How?

Wouldn't the desperation that fills you be suffocating? Are there others? Is that an original? How is it here? How can he READ it? Who taught him? Who IS he? Is he one of us? Where? How? HOW?! Please. PLEASE!

And Danny? Would have no idea! :)c it's great~

@hdgnj @hypewinter @the-witchhunter @ailithnight @mutable-manifestation @nerdpoe

#dpxdc #dpxmarvel #dpxanybody #dp prompt #go nuts folks #minji ponderings

[artbyblastweave]

Gideon The Ninth Liveread, Chapter 15

In which we have the obligatory party/ball scene. Obligatory to what? Off the top of my head, Murder Mysteries and Fake Dating AUs

A few hours later. A lot goes unsaid with this; it’s a time skip, but it’s a telling one. It means that nothing happened in the few hours between Harrow collapsing and waking back up; Gideon didn’t leave, didn’t look around, didn’t see or examine anything new of import. She kept vigil, and the narration breezes right past it.

“Necromantic Theorem.” So the magic system is formalized and not just pure will. Gideon’s being glib but this IS essentially how I thought this worked, so it’s nice to have this clarified.

Ha. Gideon remembers the name of the fourth Cavalier but not the fourth necromancer. Priorities.

“Fan Mail.” Possibly a concept Gideon picked up from the backs of the comic books. and from this fan mail we derive that Abigail and Magnus have a dynamic. Stern cop Jovial Cop.

Harrow jumps right to a (I assume) completely appropriate assessment of the genre they’re in and starts hypothesizing assignation plots. Gideon, meanwhile, demonstrates greater Machiavellian acuity than I’ve previously ascribed to her, purely because her first-ever dessert is on the line. She’s like Roger Rabbit with the Handcuffs. Extremely conditional trains of thought.

Harrow is nervous about the function. Gideon assumes that this is because she wants to get back to the trials, since she used to run Ninth House functions without a sweat. This brings us back to Gideon only really being able to model Harrow in a combative context; it’s cripplingly obvious why Harrow is afraid of this function. She ran a transparent con against addled, devoted, elderly clergy, many of whom were literally blind. This is a gathering of High Society, which Gideon herself just painted as a potential hotbed of information gathering and Machiavellian politicking- a thought that apparently literally stayed in Gideon’s head for the exact amount of time it took her to win the argument, and no longer. 

Glad Rags! Magnus is great.

Abigail Pent, Intense Librarian. Very curious how things are between her and Magnus, just generally. Political marriage? According to Teacher (they (helpful exposition dispenser) She’s a spirit-talker. A necromancer in the traditional use of the term. That’d be Fifth House’s bag?

Interesting exposition on the Fourth and The Fifth here; The Fourth has been implied to be subordinated to the Fifth a few times. Magnus I think is actually the dreadful teens Uncle, and Isaac is apprenticed to someone outside his own house. Did the Fifth swallow the Fourth the way Harrow is afraid the 9th will be swallowed? Is there precedent that she’s afraid of?

The Third and the Sixth are facing off before Teacher (conveniently!) defuses things by announcing the main event.

Gonna read stuff into the seating arrangements. Gideon is with Palamedes, her lady-love Dulcinea, and the fifth Cav. Harrow is with the Mayo dyad, Ianthe, Seventh Cav super mutant, and Naberius. Putting eighth and ninth together feels like some kind of power play.

“The same middle name.” Good God. Coronabeth is either laughing too hard on purpose as an ingratiation play, or she is, in fact, compatible with Gideon on two levels.

Okay, there are on-site greenhouses. That explains where the food is coming from. I was wondering.

Alright, Magnus and Abigail can’t conceive. Slightly adjusting my assessment; they have the affordance of being nice because they’re weird, and on the outs within the political system they’re ostensibly on top of. Abigail is interested in pure scholarship and Magnus is interested in Abigail. I refer back to my previous assessment of Magnus as embodying the fun aesthetic parts of courtly empire w/o the inherently monstrous decision-making power.

 And Dulcinea is, in fact, good at picking up on what her conversational partners care about and feeding it. It’s not a Gideon-specific thing; she’s honing in on Abigail’s interests as well.

“Post Resurrection, Pre-sovereignty, pre-cohort.” Aaaaand Gideon turns away from the exposition because that’s just what she does.

Okay, from the Young-Uncle-Ianthe-Babs interaction we get the following; young-uncle has something against… intervention in births? A religious taboo? Ianthe was premature, extracted by C-section; The Eigth (Silas, I checked the cast page) calls this a “wasted opportunity,” which feels like a deliberate inversion of real-life Catholic Abortion Dickishness ™. Babs jumps in to defend Coronabeth, as he did before; Ianthe tramples him verbally. From this we derive that Babs is into Coronabeth specifically, although it doesn’t end well for him no matter which of them he’s talking to. And he has opinions on Bucklers, which Gideon wants to hear. It’s always interesting to encounter someone who has your exact interests but is so massively dickish on every other axis that you can’t capitalize on it.

This is Gideon’s first interaction with Jeannemary, and it’s this. I like that even when Gideon is interacting with the fourthling directly, there’s a shift in the dialogue from when Jeannemary is speaking normally and when she’s doing the nasally whine thing. She’s great. (But is Isaac great? I can’t tell if they’re trading off on doing the bit, or if it’s all her, all the time.)

And Gideon gets to eat! That’s good.

Okay, so Harrow, given a chance to dig into things with Teacher, can make him look thoughtful. A theological discussion? Applied Theory? Most of the others haven’t gotten far enough in the trials, so far as we know, to be able to talk specifics in the way that Harrow now can.

Is Dulcinea’s bit about the Biceps a Gravity Falls reference?

Oh, Jeannemary was, like, jealous. And possibly Crushing. Okay, this is back to cute. I like how the vocal affect reflects their tone but also their physical distance from Gideon and Dulcinea; also, question answered. It’s all Jeannemary. Isaac is the voice of reason, ish.

Okay, so Dulcinea pops the question- the big question- why are the houses like this. The dysfunction is obvious if not yet explosive; The houses are militarily and financially secure from the constant influx of spoils; The Emperor’s favor is both nebulous in its actual benefit and completely unrelated to the task at hand, which is pretty explicit (learn how to be Lyctors!) You’re inclined to say that everyone in Canaan House, categorically, has virtually no higher place to which they can climb within their hierarchies; that’s the point of pursuing Lyctorhood. Of course, the situation with the Ninth tells us that the assumed notion of security isn’t true in the slightest, the situation with the Sixth demonstrates that the Houses can have orthogonal interests like pure scholasticism, The eighth clearly aren’t in it for money…the more I think about it, the more Dulcinea’s remarks feel like that thing pretentious poets sometimes do where they wax cynical about an arrangement without putting much thought into the petty incentives underlying stuff. This might be deliberate; Dulcinea is clearly pretty clever.

Alright, something’s going on between Palamedes and Dulcinea. Gideon thinks that his weirdo obsession with. uh. Medicine that works…? gives him the hots for her.

“Magnus was nice.” I forgot to mention in chapter 12 that Gideon’s word choice in relation to Magnus is tied like an anchor to her current mood. When she’s in the pits, Magnus “tries pathetically hard;” when she’s well fed and high on Dulcinea, he’s “nice,” and she’s hurt on his behalf when Harrow ignores him.

And we end the chapter on this; Harrow thinks Pent is now in the running. Harrow is really, really committed to the idea that she has to WIN; this is, with added context, probably at least a little true, because the Eighth is probably an existential adversary and the Third strikes me as an opportunistic adversary if they get an opening. But it’s very telling that Harrow hears the Eighth- the most zealous of all the houses- just hand this information over to the Fifth without any cajoling and jumps to the conclusion it’s a race. What she overheard was an act of cooperation. And she was asleep for a major act of inter-house cooperation. She’s sticking to her initial paradigm, in the exact way that she stuck to her initial paradigm with the 163 skeletons. And Gideon, with her ability to actually make nice with people from other houses, might be the only effective counter to this tendency.

#gideon the ninth #gideon the ninth liveread #gideon the ninth spoilers #gtn #the locked tomb #tlt #tlt liveread #the locked tomb liveread #gtn analysis #thoughts #blastweave livereads #meta #analysis #gideon nav #harrowhawk nonagesimus #magnus quinn #abigail pent #jeannemary the fourth #dulcinea septimus #palamedes sextus #silas octakiseron #naberius tern #coronabeth tridentarius #ianthe tridentarius

[electricrogue]

A, F, K, U, and V for the ask :)

Thank you for the ask! :)

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

I have one OTP the o stands for one and it's Teslen basically xD. Other than that? Eda/Raine from The Owl House and Crowley/Aziraphale from Good Omens (though they're... you know... not talking at the moment xD) as far as romantic ones go. Friendship wise I just watched The Marvels and I got hit hard with Kamala, Carol and Monica (yes the fanfic part helped but I was there ok I feel her so much with this).

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

14 years and a half with Sanctuary apparently xD (God I'm old :)))

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

I'll go with favorite development arc and the first one that comes to mind is Cordelia from American Horror Story (Coven and Apocalypse and yes Apocalypse was a shit show plot wise but I still loved her in that one so yeah xD). Still, the way she went from basically a wallflower to the Supreme who tricked the Antichrist just to get her girlfriend back from hell? Yeah. I stan.

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

I hate the different thing because I can't do both sides of Teslen for the record xD. But fine. Girls it is.

Helen Magnus from Sanctuary. And it's a very long list as to why but basically Amanda needed something in which she was in charge ok? And I don't mean SGA in charge because that was more like a desk job if anything else. Helen is that, and way more. She's badass, no-nonsense, has a very big heart (too big in some cases but I don't want to talk about that), super smart, can hold her own in combat and does it in heels... I think that pretty much covers it xD.

Eda from The Owl House. Because I lowkey want her to adopt me if that's a valid answer (I mean I would also want Helen to adopt me but I'd maybe also want Helen to do other things to me or at least let me watch while she does them to Nikola and adoption would make that weird so yeah). No but serious answer? I fell for Eda the second she said that thing with Us weirdos have to stick together and yeah. She may be basically a wine aunt but she's also a mother hen (owl? literally actually xD) and she can talk as much as she wants about eating kids and all but she's too kind to actually do it. And she went from burning a school down to actually running the place (of course I don't have details on that fuck Disney but yeah).

Cassandra Cillian from The Librarians. I always said that from all the characters I've known she's the most like me (minus the brain tumor thank God and minus the magic unfortunately). But she has this quote about how she was basically a super smart kid but she didn't want that to be the only thing she was, and yeah. I felt that.

V - Which character do you relate to most?

I actually answered that above with Cassandra but yeah xD. I still stand by that :P

#ask game

[aeoki]

New Start GO! - Work: Chapter 1

Location: Yumenosaki Library Characters: Hajime & Jin

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ< The next day. >

Hajime: ♪~♪~

(The library is peaceful as always~ I’ve finished with my student librarian work, so I suppose I’ll also read a book.)

(“New Start Go!”... I’d like to learn about how office employees work as well.)

(I’ll read a book on the business world that we also use as reference for our career plans.)

(It’s a menswear company so maybe I should read a book on clothing instead? Or maybe a book about the textiles industry or international trading…?)

(In the meantime, I should start with whichever book I come across first. Let’s start from this shelf…)

……………

Jin: Ohh, what a coincidence. You’re doing some research for your career plans, Shino?

Hajime: Hm? It’s rare to see you here in the library, Sagami-sensei.

Jin: Haha. I may not look like it but I’m an avid reader. Would you be surprised to hear that?

Hajime: Huh? Really?

Jin: Nah, I’m just kidding. You can tell at a glance that I’m not that hard-working, right?

Actually, Kunugi-sensei asked me to help the students out with their career plans.

“You’re a teacher too so you should also help the students plan their future careers.” is what he said. So I’m helping the students who are about to graduate.

But I know nothing about other careers other than being an idol… So I figured I might as well do some research.

Hajime: Oh, I see. Which means you’re searching for a book about sport physicians or medical care?

Jin: Nope. I’m looking for books on general companies.

The student has some backbone to him and quite the rebellious spirit~ Apparently, if you nitpick him too much, he’ll stop listening to you too.

Seems it’ll be easier to get someone laid-back like me to talk to him instead of someone serious and rigid like Kunugi-sensei.

Hajime: Ahaha. Maybe Kunugi-sensei simply wanted you to help with the student’s career plans. You achieved great things during your time as an idol and many students trust you.

Jin: I wonder about that. I’m pretty dense in that regard so I have no idea.

Well, I’ve left that kinda work to the other teachers, so I guess it’s my turn now.

I was blessed by the fortune of that age and as a result, I chose to become an idol.

I just took the easy route, so I don’t think anyone would be angry if they saw someone like that helping the students plan out their future careers~

My own idol image and what the industry wanted just happened to fit together.

Hajime: Your own idol image…?

Jin: Nah, there isn’t any deeper meaning to that.

In this era, people want to see an idol’s individual characteristics, right?

The student I’m helping out has the talent, but not the right characteristics for this era. I think it’s unfortunate too.

He wasn’t strong enough to believe that his time would come, so he’s trying to consider other options… It’s a pretty tough task.

Maybe it’s my fate as a former “super idol”.

It feels like I’ve got no choice but to learn about the workings of other industries and companies that I’ve never encountered before – I’ve gotta start from the basics.

…Oh, you’re a good listener, Shino, so I couldn’t help but ramble. Sorry for taking up your time.

Could I get a book out on different jobs?

Hajime: Alright. Then an encyclopaedia on different occupations would be best.

Would you like to take this one out? If so, then I’ll fill out the paperwork.

Jin: Yup. Thanks.

Hajime: …Oh, right. Since you’re here, could I ask for some advice?

Jin: Advice? I don’t mind but are you sure you wanna ask me?

Hajime: Yes. “Ra*bits” received a work offer and I’d like to talk to you about it since you’re a senior to us idols.

We’ll be appearing in a spring TV programme called “New Start Go!” and we’ll be getting work experience at a company.

Jin: Work experience?

Hajime: Yes. We’ll be promoting menswear and we’ll also be appearing in suits.

We’ll be treated like new employees, so we’ll be working with the others in the company for a week…

Jin: I see. So you’re worried ‘cause it seems like you’ll have a lot of responsibility, huh.

Hajime: Yes. I’m grateful for the work offer itself, but I don’t think companies are places one should step foot in irresponsibly.

I’m worried if people like us, who work in the entertainment industry, can work there properly without inconveniencing them.

For people who are job-hunting, it could be a decision that affects their entire life – just like the student you’re helping.

They’ll get angry if I tell them that I’m just here to have a casual work experience, right?

Jin: Ahaha. I think you’ve got an extreme image of job-hunting, Shino.

In this age, it’s rare for people to work at one company their entire lives. Some people choose to have a career change after being idols too, right?

Besides, you’ve done a lot of “school jobs”, Shino. I think those count as work experience.

Did you say the work offer is called “New Start Go!”? You’re not gonna take part with the mindset of causing them trouble, so think of it as a good opportunity to get some work experience and be positive about it.

I don’t think the company would be expecting an idol with no experience to work perfectly, either.

Just think of it as expanding upon your skills.

Otherwise, you might turn into an old man like me and run into some trouble.

Hajime: Hehe. You’re right, Sagami-sensei.

Being afraid to make mistakes and saying no before trying would be getting my priorities backwards, huh. I’ll do my best to convince the others, then.

Jin: Yeah, I’m sure you’ll do just fine.

You guys have grown as idols and are already working in the entertainment industry.

But there are also students who graduate from high school or are job-hunting – like the student I’m helping.

It’s a valuable opportunity. Enjoy it to the fullest, Shino.

Hajime: I will. Thank you, Sagami-sensei.

Jin: Alrighty, I’m gonna head back to the infirmary then. Help me out the next time I’m here too, okay~? ♪

Hajime: Hehe. Of course, feel free to let me know if you need need my assistance finding books to help students with their career plans.

(...Still, everyone is thinking hard about their future careers, huh.)

(Up until now, I was having a hard time just catching up to everyone, so I didn’t have the time to think too much about it.)

(But just like how Nii-chan became a university student, I would also have to think about my own future under normal circumstances.)

(What sort of future can I imagine for myself? What sort of future do I want…?)

(I still don’t even know what sort of idol I want to be.)

(Well, dwelling on this isn’t going to do me any good. I hope “New Start Go!” will be a good chance to help me think about those things.)

(I’ll do my best to have fun and show the others in “Ra*bits” that I’m the work experience. Thank you for giving me your advice, Sagami-sensei.)

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂  Next Chapter →

#new start go

[weatherman667]

40K is too good to use, Astartes Edition

I made a rant about how 40k introduces a bunch of really cool things, and then never lets you use them.  It also purposes avoids creating rules for more practical alternatives, so you are left with overpriced cool, or nothing.

https://weatherman667.tumblr.com/post/703617157092851712/40k-is-too-good-to-use

But this doesn’t just apply to weapons and vehicles, this applies to the Astartes themselves.

You have three basic types of Astares:

Tactical:  Officially the masters-of-none Ultrasmurfs that everyone wants to be.  They carry the iconic 0.998″ Bolter.

Devastator:  In most militaries, the heavy weapons specialists are typically the most experienced of the non-NCOs.  No, Devastators are baby Space Marines, taking their first steps.

Assault Marines:  The constantly maligned close-quarters specialists.  They typically carry the iconic Chainsaw Sword.  And maybe a jetpack that is apparently free, but they wonder why you would take it?  Captain Titus implies it’s because Jump Packs have extremely limited fuel, which makes sense, as if you ignore the Space Magic, 40k is a surprisingly hard Sci-Fi verse.  Most OTT battles only involve a handful of rounds.

Bikers:  Technically, Bikers are just Assault Marines that traded their jump packs in for bikes.  If you are the White Scars, and specialize in Biker raids, you are not allowed to have any more Assault Marines, because Codex.  Bikers have twin-boltguns, (boltguns, but 2), but no chainsword.  They have to trade their bolt pistol out for their chainsword, despite the fact that Astartes are allowed to stow their primary weapons in order to use their bolt pistols.

Aside from the 3 (4) basic Marines, there are a number of SUPPORT Marines.  Did I say Support?  I meant uber-powerful mary sue marines that are designed to completely dominate the enemy’s forces.  The average Marine costs 18 points and is WS:3+, BS:3+, S:4, T:4, W:2, A:1, LD:7, Sv:3+.  Veterans cost one or two points more, get another attack, and maybe a super special boltgun.  Melee veterans don’t have an equivalent upgrades.  Because everyone wants to be a Tactical Marines, so sayeth the Codex.

Apothecary: The healers and medics for the Astartes.  How much do they cost?  75 points, 90 if you want a Sanguinary Priest, who, no, doesn’t get the Spiritual Leader Aura, despite the fluff..  Why do your medics cost so much?  WS:3+/2+, BS:3+, S:4, T:4, W:4, A:3.  They are twice as tough, and have two more attacks.

Techmarine:  The engineers of the Astartes chapters.  They maintain their vehicles and setup their defences.  70 points, WS:32+, BS:2+, S:4, T:4, W:4, A:3, Sv:2+ (the best in the game), along with a LOT of weapons.

Chaplain:  The spritual leaders of most Codex-compliant chapters.  Blood Angels are the only “codex-compliant” chapter willing to tell them to fuck off.  80 points.  Same stats, this with with a 4+ invulnerability save.  Sanguinary Priests don’t get an invulnerability save.  To be fair, in the fluff Chaplains are chosen for their badassitude, and not say spiritual leadership.

Librarian:  Psychic Sensitive marines that run the Librarium, (records / interstellar communication).  90 points, including weapons that literally break the rules of reality.  In theory, there are plenty of non-mary sue Librarians, but there are only rules for the HQ version.  It should be noted that most chapters will NOT let Librarians have command positions.

In the fluff, most of them have less versions, but there are no rules for them.

Their annoying Dispatch rules have battlefield role slots, and explicitly state that support roles don’t take up battlefield role slots.  So, in theory, there is potentially an unlimited amount of them.

There is also potentially an unlimited supply of combat role marines, but they are suppose to chapterize them when they get too many built up.

While we’re at it, the 1,000 strength is probably completely inaccurate, as that’s not how any military works.

The Codex fanout has 4 fighting companies, which would represent a modern infantry platoon.

But wait, there’s more!

Aside from the Veteran Company, which, sure, if we can to give Astartes their own Special Forces, (which, of course they should have), there are a full 4 companies of reserves, along with a scouting  company.  We also have to point at that ALL veterans are given the Crux Terminatus, so should all have 4+ invul saves.

This means that half of a chapter’s forces are not combat ready.  Yes, it’s good to have a reserve, but having half of your forces sitting around, doing nothing is not a good idea.  It’s also incredibly idiotic to assume that Astartes cannot easily move between roles.  Okay, yes, Americans only train their soldiers for one job, but when you are dealing with magic space knights that have incredibly gruelling trials just to get to novice, aren’t cross trained.  When they are explicitly cross-trained, like most modern militaries do.

They finally realize that his is maybe not a good idea with 9th, and then only let Primaris Marines be in charge of the dispatches.

The companies are companies of knights, and so should be able to operate on their own for extended periods.  Each company should have it’s own reserves, it’s own motor pool, and it’s own support units.  This way, if a company deploys, they don’t have to worry about being too specialized to do anything.

I mean, seriously, if you need to dispatch another company, are you going to completely reorg your reserves?  Every single time?

*head desk*

They seem to be aiming for an imitation of modern military fanouts, only to fail miserably.  Most combat squads have 5-10, so let’s say 10 so we can deal with consistent sizes.

Squad(ron) (10):  5-10 Astartes.  This is the equivalent of modern military fighting sections, which seems to be the ideal size for modern warfare.

Platoon (40):  3-4 squads.  They are space knights, so we could go with Troop, (which is the Cavalry equivalent of a Platoon).  It should be noted that the fourth is likely a weapons detachment.

Company (160):  3-4 Platoons, plus Head Quarters.  Rather than meaning super-badass mary-sue, it typically means those that are strategy minded, along with the motorpool, armoury, mess.

Chapter (960):  6 Companies.

This would have (almost) 1,000 Astartes, makes sense with all of the companies being combat capable, and DOESN’T INCLUDE SUPPORT MARINES.  Each Troop would also be able to be relatively independent.  Each Company would have it’s own Librarians, (which don’t have to be super-mary-sue Librarians, but Marines capable to communicating).

Wait, what about Scouts?  SCOUTS DON’T COUNT TO YOUR UNIT TOTAL.  We’re only including fighting sections/squads/squadrons.

#40k #adeptus astartes #guillibleman and his codex heretical

[leohtttbriar]

You read 2 books on karate? Were they any good?

Yah, i read parts of Empty Hand: The Essence of Budō Karate, by Kenei Mabuni and Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat, translated and with commentary by Patrick McCarthy.

Empty Hand was a more practical book, written more as a handbook for a teacher to a student, but with a lot of culturally and historically rooted lessons, about a specific school of karate (budō); and Bubishi was a little more distant and academic, with a lot of commentary and supplemental materials indexed, and with a more general approach to the art. I preferred Empty Hand, which allowed for more focus on the spirituality of karate, but what I read of both them was really interesting. Though I definitely don't have the solid referential foundation that would have made comprehending/remembering the material a little easier. I would say the things that stuck out to me the most were:

the relative "mystery" about the origins of karate--it's folksy, so its hard to pin down, apparently

the relative newness of karate as an art-form compared to kung fu (though, to be fair, everything seems relatively new when compared against anything emerging from classical china) especially given how few claims of singular authorship there are over it

the white crane school of kung fu

the ban on stockpiling weapons in Okinawa, under the Chinese Ryukyu Kingdom in the 16th century, and then the Japanese occupation beginning in the 17th century-- these are a couple things, in combination, that people credit for the development of a unique and unarmed self-defense martial art

the development of martial arts within specific class structures and how they can turn into and influence folk traditions

how cool it all is

If you want book recs about karate, though, I would talk to a librarian about it, lol. I did some cursory research but I never delved all that far into it. Probably best to consult someone who organizes research materials for a living. Also, partly due to The Karate Kid being such a good movie, karate teaching books written by western white dudes are... prevalent. And they're always the first option when you just google "karate books." Unless you want to learn some basic forms of karate, those are unlikely to be super informative.

The first action of a kata is always blocking. [...] It is necessary for studying an opponent.

I think about this bit from Empty Hand, a lot. For a lot of reasons.

#literature #lit

[pbandjesse]

I did not have as much free time to do as I was hoping. But I accomplished very important things and that is very good. Even if I bruised my knee very badly.

I fell asleep a lot easier last night. Like super quickly. Which was nice. But waking up this morning was really miserable. I was so tired. Outside looked weird. Almost purply. Which would soon turn into crazy fog and rain. I did not want to be up.

But I had to get James to work and then to the rheumatologist. So I got dressed. But while I was getting dressed I asked them to get my COVID card. But it didn't get put away when we came back from the Dr on Thursday. And then it wasn't anywhere and I was trying very hard to not be angry that it didn't get put away. But eventually James found it in the car. So at least we have them but it was not the stress I needed.

Getting to the museum was fine. James was tired and hurting but I gave them a kiss and left them at work.

I went over to McDonald's and got breakfast. But it was only 8. And my appointment wasn't until 930. I should be there 15 minutes early but I had a lot of time to waste. So I parked and are my breakfast and listened to a podcast. And eventually I drove out to the doctors office.

I was nervous. The building was weird and there weren't any signs except for pieces of paper. But the actual office was so nice! And the woman at the desk, Blanche, was the nicest. She helped me with my confusion with some of the paperwork. Answered all my questions. And the wait wasn't bad, even if they had a pretty terrible movie about a dog on the TV.

The actual appointment was long as hell. 930 to 1045. Jeez. The medical assistant, Jessica, was very funny. And the doctor was super caring. She listened to all my concerns. It was a little hard to explain my pains because it's not constant. It's not like my joints are particularly swollen. But she said she thinks it's my tendons and the connectors and not my direct joints. But she said with the pain and the psoriasis still being an issue she wants to put me back on a medication like enbrel. But we discussed it further and are going to attempt to get the insurance to cover an "in office" medication that if, and it's a huge if, I get pregnant I wouldn't have to stop. One of the medications you have to be using two forms of birth control because it's so toxic to fetuses. And enbrel and humira can cross the placental barrier. So this other one is what we're going to try for safety.

I got 8 more vials of blood taken. And then I was off into the world to get an x-ray! Blanche asked where I normally go for X-rays. And I'm just like. What kind of life do you think I live that I would have an x-ray guy?? But she had a list of places and one was 3 minutes away.

So over there I went. And I apparently came at the perfect time because there was only one woman in front of me and so I only had to wait 15 minutes.

I had to take my belly button ring out. But I did not have to change into a gown. So that was nice. I wish she showed me the x-ray. I want to see my bones. I hope it's in my patient portal.

I was tired though and hungry. I thought I would stop for fries. But I had eaten out for breakfast so I went home and had leftover pasta.

I had two hours until I needed to go to the library. So once I was home I did some picking up of the apartment. And then laid on the couch for an hour. There was other stuff I needed to do, but I was just. So tired.

The grey and rainy weather was taking it out of me. But I got myself back together and went to the library. I made a strawberry drink. And I would get there a little early.

This is the last shift of my grant position. It was fun, even if it wasn't super well attended. Jasmynn is great. And we decorated paintbrushes and talked about books and movies. I had the librarians show me some Native American books that might be helpful for puhtok. And I got a new library card so I can use the ebook library on my tablet! Amazing. I'm thrilled.

We did have one child come and build with us. And we had some great conversations. And I love my little brush garden. It was a fun couple of hours.

But I was ready to go home. So when Jasmynn said she was going to stay a little longer and that I could head out, she did not need to tell me twice. I was ready to be home.

I got back here and James was going through out kitchen to get rid of stuff. I really appreciate them starting that. We have to many doubles from when we lived apart. And we want to work harder on paring down on our possessions. It's going to be tough but I'm glad we are going to try to make an effort to do it.

James made me corn soup for dinner but it was so spicy I couldn't eat it. It madey mouth tingle. So they gave me a quesadilla instead. I felt bad that they worked on dinner and it didn't work out. But they said it was okay.

We would mostly just lay around tonight though. I worked on my knitting but not much else.

Eventually we were in bed and I told James about my favorite theme restaurant form when I was a kid, bugaboo screen steak house, a Canadian themed chain. And they were trying so hard not to laugh as hard as they wanted to because they were afraid they were going to pop their staples. But I was having a great time just telling them about this ridiculous place that I loved going.

I would get a shower after that and now I am just ready to get some sleep because tomorrow is going to be long as hell. But it will be a good day. Even if it's a triple cannery. At least there is no overlaps. And then I continue to work through the evening for the radio event. I'm excited though.

I hope you all sleep great tonight. Take care of yourself! Goodnight!!

[yelyahnaloj]

Day 9:

Overview: I felt weird this morning, probably more allergies and migraine. I had the bright idea after seeing an email for a blood drive that maybe I needed a blood letting. Especially because for some reason I was already drinking a lot of water, about enough to give me a slight sick feeling. I initially thought about skipping breakfast, but then I decided to heat up a baked potato.

I apparently didn’t learn from the bad experience of giving blood when I was 17 nor the last time I tried giving plasma and I passed out when I was 22. Guess what. I passed out. 

I was 1 hour late for work, but apparently the other librarian at my desk also used to pass out while giving blood, until he was told not to go back anymore. 

I worked more on the Environmental Humanities LibGuide, specifically the section titled Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I had this idea to add Afrofuture ecofiction after learning about Octavia E. Butler. Although I listed one of her books from the catalogue, I noticed that I couldn’t find books from other similar authors on the library website, so I typed up a list to send to the other librarians to order. However in my search for ecofiction/sci fi stuff, I added more books I want to read on Goodreads:

- Earth by David Brin (Not what I was looking for, but I tried reading this hard sci fi in High School and never got through it, and told myself I would finish it some day. Never did.)

- A Natural History of Transition by Callum Angus (Written by a trans guy, trans short stories that seem like fables)

- Parable of Talents (Earthseed #2) by Octavia E. Butler (The main character has an uncle Marc, and I have an uncle Marc.)

- The Green Gold of Borneo by Emin Madi ( The author is from Sabah, Malaysia. Which I found interesting because the main “classics” set in Borneo that I can find are written by white dudes)

- Dawn (Xenogenesis #1) by Octavia E. Butler (It has a non-binary gender in it)

Also, I helped this one guy who is helping put on a presentation to kids in the juvenile detention center. He wanted me to look over his PowerPoint.

Close up:

So I should have known not to give blood. Like first off, I have AB+ blood anyway, which is both a rare blood type and a universal receiver (meaning the person can get a transfusion from the other blood types), but you can only give the blood to other AB+ people. (I guess the plasma is sought after, though).

Second, my veins are squirmy. They roll around, they can be deep, and they can be small. I’ve been referred to a specialist before because they either can’t find my veins or my blood is too sluggish to want to come out. I have to be super hydrated just to get a vial to do blood testing. 

Anyway, apparently the easiest vein they could find was barely bigger than the needle they needed to put in. For most of the process, it went relatively well. I was supposed to clench a fake potato. It was really in the last two minutes that things turned.

I remember telling the lady that I felt tingly. She asked where. I said “all over”. She told me that she was going to end the session early and walked over to me. My forehead felt cool. I was so distracted by the sensations that I didn’t even notice when the needle was pulled out. Although the tingling subsided, my arms, hands and fingers felt like water balloons. I could barely move my fingers even thought they weren’t visibly swollen. One arm laid flat and the other grasped a water bottle...

Or that’s what I thought happened.

Apparently, the phlebotomist recounted that I casually mentioned that I was feeling tingly, but I never answered her when she asked where I was feeling the tingling. She saw the look on my face and she knew it was serious enough to take the needle out. I “powered down” and was unconscious for 15 seconds and my muscles started jerking. My arm clenched, so she had to hold it down to get the needle out. Regaining consciousness, I was alert immediately.

She gave me a water bottle with berry flavored electrolyte mix, and a small bag of Lays chips. My blood pressure was low. But it got better. I had to sit in the reclined chair, she would check my blood pressure and heart rate a few times, then she made the chair slightly more upright. She would ask me how I felt and check my blood pressure a couple more times. Then she asked me to put my legs off the side of the chair and swing my legs. Then she would check my blood pressure. Then repeat with me standing. Then repeat after pacing back and forth a few times. Until it seemed fine to dismiss me. After I felt better, I had an almost elated feeling, I would even laugh at the situation as I ate my chips and drank my drink. Once I regained movement in my fingers, I would grasp at the coolness of the ice pack, squishing the cool liquid.

But time moves on:

I have another day in the field tomorrow, and I haven’t even caught up on my nature journals. And I still need to figure out what to do to store my stuff. And email housing to say that I am checking out of my apartment early. My professor that I am doing the LibGuide for wants me to do another Zoom meeting at the end of this week and I need to write a self-evaluation. I also have a busy Wednesday because after class I have a Student Wellness appointment, then after that group Ecotherapy, then a Zoom meeting from my study abroad thing wanting to discuss a health form I turned in, then possibly that night a rehearsal for an improv show my club is putting on. Which the show would be Thursday night after my library shift. Then I feel like I agreed to something Friday, but I have no clue if that’s even true or even an inkling of what that would be. Saturday is the last day before I leave for my field trip, and I need to be packed up and ready to leave my apartment by then. AHHHH

Meals:

Breakfast: Potato with vegan butter, nutritional yeast, salt, and fermented hot sauce. The rest of this mint flavored chocolate bar that was made with honey. 

Snack: Two small bags of Lays chips, two water bottles full of electrolyte water. V-8 and a bag of Doritos. 

Lunch: Nachos with beans and stuff. Salad, also with beans and stuff. The lemon water.

Dinner: Some kombucha, the chia pouch thing that is blueberry and acai, a reheated frozen baked potato with nutritional yeast, vegan butter, salt, fermented hot sauce, guacamole, and salsa. 

#tw blood #tw fainting #tw needles

[incandescent-sideblog]

{more redacted asmr HCs for your consideration- high school shaw pack + listeners edition}

I literally started this in ap bio earlier and I’m supposed to be doing a lab report for class right now but I’m too excited about David’s video so have these. I’m realizing that a lot of these are oddly specific??? not even specific in a way where I’m projecting (except for baabe, oops), just super weirdly specific in general. 

in high school, david, asher, milo and amanda (I HC these four as the same age and therefore in the same grade in school) were that group of friends that everyone knows but knows nothing about

not in a super mysterious twilight/cullen family way, just in an “oh they all seem super close and like a fun group” kind of way, yk?

like, they had their own friends kind of separate from their little group but everyone knew that they were THAT group

sometimes they tried to get darlin’ to join them but it was hard cause they had a different lunch period than the group and they were in a different grade than them

and whenever they did manage to convince darlin’ to go out with them, it was painfully awkward because most of the conversations revolved around inside jokes or old memories and no one really realized how out of place they felt (except maybe asher, but he didn’t really know how to help it back then, not like he would now at least, and david. but he didn’t know how to touch the subject with them so he didn’t.)

moving on, I think that milo was really good at english and any of the sciences in high school and was part of some sort of literature/writing club. he’s really good at poetry

asher was seriously good in philosophy, art and gym (idk why I get those vibes from him). he was definitely an all around good student, he just had his favourites. I feel like he played a sport of some type but I’m not sure which one just yet. maybe volleyball? or track, I feel like he’s fast.

david never missed one of his games/meets, milo and amanda tried to go to as many as they could

david was good at math, calculus, and physics. he helped asher, milo and amanda with the concepts they didn’t really understand (and probably did it better than the teacher). 

wasn’t on a sports team but he DID get asked to join the robotics club because of his math and physics marks. he declined and opted for gardening club instead (this one is absolutely based on that one audio where he planted flowers and trees in the backyard)

darlin’ was really good with languages in high school and they really excelled in french

 they weren’t really into clubs but sometimes after school they would stop by the library on the second floor and help the librarian with sorting out books

now onto the mates :)

because I apparently love projecting onto them specifically, baabe thrived on academic validation their entire academic career, but by their final year of high school, they were so tired and burnt out that their grades started slipping and their whole perception of themselves changed. they totally had/still struggle with imposter syndrome in a few different areas of their life

on a lighter note, they loved languages (french, spanish, german, any other languages schools in the states offer that I didn’t name bc mine only offers french and italian- you choose! I just think they could pick up on whichever one they chose super easily. however as a canadian, I’m biased towards them being best at french)

they were in ap english and biology

played clarinet in band class and was really good at it (concert band, not marching)

definitely tried their hand at a lot of clubs but really only stuck with extracurriculars outside of school

angel!! they played a couple sports, mostly track and cross country- I feel like they can run really fast (them and asher totally have races now and it scares david and baabe when they randomly start sprinting)

they were really good in chemistry, they got recommended for the ap level class. they were also good in their law/justice class

didn’t really have a solid friend group in high school, they kind of just had a few good friends in different groups of their own. their best friend moved away the summer before high school, so their friday nights were spent video chatting and calling (but I imagine their friend moved back/nearby for university so they never lost touch or anything :))

sweetheart loved music class in high school. absolutely loved it. they played flute but they picked up some tips from their band teacher by listening to her instruct other sections, so now they can adequately play trumpet and saxophone as well (they are an extremely fast learner)

didn’t do sports, but they did gym all four years of high school (I had to look up whether or not gym was mandatory all four years in the U.S. and apparently in California it’s mandatory for two years??)

they had a small circle of friends who they’re still friends with now and have been friends with since kindergarten

went through the empowered school system all throughout their school years, so they definitely took the empowered equivalent of a law/justice class to prepare for department training

baabe and angel actually went to the same high school but since there were so many people in their grade and they had different classes, their paths never crossed. they only figure out they went to the same high school when they’re hanging out with david, asher, milo and sweetheart

angel is telling a story about some geography teacher and baabe gasps and asks for his name. they freak out over the fact they both had him in grade 9 even though angel was in his period 2 class and baabe was in his period 1

this got wayyy longer than expected but I hope you enjoyed!!

#redacted asmr #redacted angel #redacted davey #redacted darlin #redacted sweetheart #redacted milo #redacted babe #redacted asher #redacted asmr headcanons #redacted shaw pack

[redhead-batgal]

Type: Two-Shot {A really really long part-one}

Part Two: Here

Pairing: Fem! and Librarian! Reader x Dick Grayson/Nightwing

Content: Cursing, flirtations, violence, reader with serious anxiety and some minor implications. Fluff, so much fluff.

P.S: An OC of mine is making an appearance in this so yeah just a heads up, it’s not the reader but she will be in it. Anyways, enjoy!

Word Count (So y’all know what you’re getting yourself into): 12,709 words

Y/N: Your Name, L/N: Last Name

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You hadn't meant for anyone to see, you thought that after hours of no patrons it would be fine, however you were wrong. It was more embarrassing than anything, embarrassing all because it wasn't just anyone who had caught you. No it just had to be the first man you found yourself crushing on since the nasty break up with your Ex, Daniel. It just had to be Dick Grayson who caught you dancing through the aisle as you reshelved books, of course it did. It was just your luck.

A pop song had played on the radio as you drove in to work and it had gotten stuck in your head, when everything went quiet at the library, you felt the need to sing. And singing, usually led to dancing, reshelving the books was just for something productive to do really.

You had just slid a book back onto the shelf when the song in your head had a melody that seemed perfectly twirl worthy. So, you started twirling. And then you kept twirling, hoping to spin your entire way back to your desk to grab more books. However, before you made it to your desk you slammed straight into someone.

Instead of going tumbling to the ground like you expected, you felt hands on your waist steadying you. Blinking, you looked and found Dick Grayson smiling at you.

Shit.

Heat flushed your cheeks and you're fairly sure you let out a squeak or a squawk in surprise, due to the fact that Jason suddenly began coughing and hitting his chest. That unfortunately made you realize exactly what had just happened.

Twirling and slamming straight into Dick.

Fucking shit.

You felt like an idiot and shame burned bright on your cheeks. You were seconds from going into an all out panic at not only being caught doing your guilty pleasure, but you had seriously embarrassed yourself in front of your crush. A habit that you wished had died in high school.

Almost as if he sensed your panic, Dick instantly let go of you and took a step back. You nodded in thanks, feeling the terror climb up your throat as the thoughts slammed into you.

He's going to think you're too weird, he'll never talk to you again

You tried to push the thoughts back or counter them. It wasn't true, Dick was nice and something as small as catching you twirling wouldn't drive him away right? ....... Oh no, this wasn't good. He was probably never going to forget this, forever remembering you as the bumbling fool who twirled right into him.

As if he'd think of you, The thoughts seethed.

You forced a smile and it was then you realized he had said something to you. He was looking at you expectantly... he had asked you a question. A friendly smile was on his face and you tried to remember what he asked you.

Taking small glances at his face you realized that you had squeaked out a sorry instinctively after slamming into him. But other than that you couldn't recall what he said and even more panic raced over you.

He's going to think your an ass for not listening when he was speaking, it's rude and you are one

Resisting shoving your face into your hands you let out a small sigh and squeezed your eyes shut. If you wanted to answer his question, you were going to have to ask him to repeat it.

You ran through possible excuses and two popped into your head instantly.

Sorry long day, could you repeat that?

What was the question again?

The first one seemed perfect so you opened your mouth to speak and then you met his gaze.

"Sorrylongquestionrepeatthatday?"

He blinked and you saw the confusion on his face and you nearly wince. You knew that you could get it if you tried again.

Unfortunately you were wrong.

"Sorrypleaserepeatthaquestlong."

"What?"

Wincing you put a hand to your face and dragged it across it. Avoiding his gaze with your hands balled into fists you raised your voice slightly.

"Uh. sorry. can. you. please. repeat. the. question?" You remark slowly, pausing to make sure none of the words blur together again.

"Oh, yeah sure. I asked what you were doing that caused you to run into me? It looked like you were having fun, so I got a little curious. "

FUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK

"Oh uhm, well- uh it's super embarrassing, so I- uh- like- yeah." You stumbled over a reply before holding two thumbs up.

He looked at you confused for a moment before you decide not facing him was the best way to get through this. Moving quickly towards your desk, which was only a few feet away, you internally began planning your own funeral.

Moving behind the desk you sank down into your chair and spun around. Finding the top of a dark head you blinked until you saw the head raise and realized it was just Damian. He looked at your for a few seconds before narrowing his eyes and placing a book on the counter.

"Last time you recommended this book."

Picking up the book you looked at the title and cover. It was a standalone book by an author you rather liked, when the young boy had asked for a recommendation you nearly jumped for joy. Recommending books was one of your favorite things to do as a librarian.

"Yes, did you like it- sorry. Did you enjoy it?" You asked as you flipped through the pages, a habit to make sure nothing was stuck in the book and to keep you calm.

Something you realized with the youngest Wayne, was he preferred to be treated as an adult- or how he thought adults should be treated. So you pretend he was a scholar and talked to him as such. Damian appeared to be happy with the way you treated him and didn't completely hate you so you were content... at least for now.

"It was... adequate. Do you have any other recommendations?"

A smile played on your lips as you set the book down and a calming wave raced over you. Books were the one thing you could talk about and never falter, they were the one thing you knew so much about that you were sure you couldn't mess up talking about it.

"Well this author has multiple books that they've written... what was it about the book that made it... satisfactory? Was it the plot, the characters, or the writing style? Maybe even the genre?"

Damian's brow furrowed and you realized he didn't exactly know what he liked about the book. However, before you could offer to pick out another book for him, the boy nodded and stepped back from your desk.

"I will look into the other novels. Thank you."

He turned and began heading towards the aisles, the smile exploded on your face and you called after him.

"Happy to help."

Less than a minute later, Dick followed Damian shooting you a small smile. You instinctively looked down as your shame from earlier slammed into you yet again. After a minute or two you looked up and noticed how both he and Damian were out of sight. A sigh of relief escaped you and Jason came up to your desk, an eyebrow raised.

"You really fucked that up, you know." He remarked, setting a few books down.

Due to him constantly coming around and talking to you about books, you had become somewhat comfortable around Jason.

Rolling your eyes you waved a hand at him, "Oh buzz off asshole."

With a small smile on his face he raised his hands and shrugged. He apparently found your humiliation amusing, which did not surprise you. 

"I'm just saying." Jason said with a mischievous smile on his face. 

You gave him an irritated look and replied, "And I'm just saying I never asked."

He blinked almost in surprise and he raised an eyebrow at you and you dropped his gaze. Despite knowing him fairly well you still had a hard time looking him, or anyone else really, in the eyes for long periods of time. There was only really one person you didn’t mind looking in the eyes... and that of course was because it wasn’t his eyes you were looking into, but a mask. Before your thoughts could drift towards your vigilante friend a comment yanked you back into reality. 

"Well someone's touchy today."

You gave Jason a look, he was seriously testing your patience today. It was bad enough that he just stood there and laughed as you made a complete fool of yourself in front of your crush. You had expected him to at least help you out a little bit but he didn’t even though he knew how you felt about his brother... Maybe it was because of that.

He smiled at you and that only intensified your anger, you glared at him and he took a step back looking slightly defensive. If there was one thing about yourself you were proud of, it was your glare. You had been told that it scared even the bravest of Gotham’s vigilantes... though now that you think about it that was probably a sarcastic comment. 

"Hey,” Jason began leaning onto your desk, “as your friend I felt I should tell you."

Rolling your eyes you shook your head and began checking the book Damian had returned back in, "Of course you did."

Out of the corner of your eye you saw him narrow his eyes and move in closer to the desk. He was giving you a look almost as if he was daring you to say that again. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks his voice pitching.

Sometimes, he’s rather sensitive. Shooting him looks out of the corner of your eyes you tried to fight off the smile that was working its way onto your face.

"Take a guess."

He lets out a slight huff and curses under his breath as if he realized you were messing with him. Peeking at him you find Jason shaking his head, a amused-yet-irritated smile on his face. You reached over and grabbed a couple of books in need of reshelving and placed the one you just checked in on top. You stared at the cover of the book at the top of your stack and you realized to reshelf this book you would probably have to see Dick... something that you really didn’t want to do. 

Suddenly you replayed what happened in your head and embarrassment washed over you yet again. Fiddling with the pile you bit your lip then you shot Jason a look, hesitating slightly before you finally asked.

"Was I obvious and awkward or just an awkward mess?"

He shrugged as he gave you a look of contemplation. Rubbing his face he remarked, "Well I can't really say because I know you have the hots for him."

Your jaw dropped and you swatted at him, your face turning pink. He ducked away from your hand laughing and you glared at him. You cleared your throat and looked around. Standing no more than three feet away was an old lady you knew by the name of Whitney. She was sweet, but she loved to gossip. And you hardly needed your personal drama- well not drama, love life- it wasn’t really even your love life... you hardly needed personal things out and about, being talked about during Thursday’s bridge club. 

The only way you could continue your conversation in any privacy was to walk around and reshelf books. Picking the pile up, you paused to slide the book on top to the bottom, before you began walking towards the aisle. Motioning with your head for Jason to follow you.

“Come on,” 

You walked to where the new book on top needed to be reshelved, it just so happened to be on the other side of the library to your relief. You slid the book back where it belonged then set your pile on an empty space on the shelf in front of you. Leaning against the shelf behind you, you grabbed at a loose strand of hair that you missed when pulling it up into a messy bun that morning. Twirling the stay strand around your finger you let out a sigh and looked at Jason. You felt as if you had to explain. 

It wasn’t just a minor crush you had, not really. After the whole mess with Daniel you were honestly surprised you could like any man that way again. Yet somehow you found yourself feeling that way about Dick, he was nice and funny, and sweet and- you could go on and on. Letting out a sigh you bit your lip again.

"I do not have the hots for him, I- I-." You stumbled to explain exactly what you were feeling. 

"You fancy him?" Jason inquired, a smile quirked on his lips as he leaned in. 

You laughed slightly, shaking your head, "Have you been reading Jane Austen again?"

"No,” He replied, his smile slowly fading, “what is it about him that you like?"

“Well,” You began hearing your voice crack slightly. 

You didn’t really know how to explain it, and trying would only make you feel like a bitch if you didn’t explain it right. 

“I don’t really know how to explain it,” You sighed before you unraveled the strand from your finger and put your hands behind your back, “He’s super nice and sweet and funny. He- he’s nice to me but he doesn’t pity me despite knowing about... despite knowing about what happened with Daniel. I know that I find his presence comforting-”

Jason snorted, then remarked, “So comforting that you can’t speak?”

You let out a scoff and shook your head.

“He’s just so....”

“Ridickulos?” Jason laughed as he shook his head, “I’m sorry I had to do that one. If he found out I didn’t he’d never forgive me.” 

You rolled your eyes and shoved Jason before studying the bookshelf in front of you.

“Amazing, he’s fun and cool and- I have a hard time talking around him because- because I think I can’t really compare to him. I mean I’m a mess most of the time, barely able to make a coherent sentence without having to repeat it a bajillion times and yet he doesn’t treat me differently. I get so scared that if and I were to become friends he’d find out how weird I actually am and suddenly not want to be friends with me anymore. Worse when I talk I fear that I’ll say something stupid and the same thing with happen. That he’ll never want to talk to me again and my crush will literally end up crushing me. Even though I know that’s not true. He’s- he’s like everything I need.”

You faintly remember a phrase you had said the moment you realized you liked him. It played in your head as you waited for Jason to respond. 

All The Man That I Need

It was fairly true, as far as you could tell he was all the man that you needed. But you didn’t exactly fully know him so you couldn’t definitively say if the statement was correct. It’s a good thing however that you hated definites.  

“Well, what about the other guy?”

Other guy? You blinked as you realized what exactly Jason was referring to. You had told him that you were spending time with a vigilante, as friends of course. It was strange to think you had befriended Nightwing without really trying at all. Maybe making friends wasn’t as hard for you as you thought... well it didn’t exactly help that you did see him as a friend however he was, for the longest time, your celebrity crush. 

Befriending him was a reality check of sorts, he was a hero, but he was also just a guy. A guy who you surprisingly got along well with. However the reality check also made you realize no matter how awesome he was in person there could never be a relationship with him. He was a vigilante and you could never know his identity. That idea got promptly thrown out when you began to find yourself taking solstice in his visits back when you and Daniel were together. 

“I thought I told you,” You began with a sigh, “that it would never work out.” 

Jason shrugs and pulls a book off of the shelf examining it. He opens the book and looks at you. 

“You did, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to keep your options open.” 

Rolling your eyes you leaned over to see that in the book he opened characters were reading from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Jason hums slightly before he closes the book and taps your head with it.

“Reading a lot of Shakespeare recently?” You question instead of protesting, protesting was what he wanted and you were beginning to feel the effects of socializing.

“More or less,” He replied, reshelving the book. 

He turned fully to you and a light appeared in his eyes. Jason got a devilish look on his face and you suddenly began to fear what was going to happen next.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

You narrowed your own eyes and shook your head. To many possibilities for what could go wrong, better not, "I’d rather you didn't."

Jason leaned in, his eyes glittering as if he had a plan formulating in his head and in your experience Jason’s plans never went well. However before you could reaffirm your decision he commented, “Might make him jealous."

You blinked a few times, the idea seemed interesting. It was tempting as hell until the little voices, the negative Nancy’s as your mother used to call them, began to speak up.

As if he’d ever be jealous over you

He has to like you in the first place, he probably thinks you’re a freaky weirdo.

You swallowed trying to not let the harsh thoughts hurt as much as they actually did. Shaking your head you shot Jason a grateful smile.

"No, it's okay,” You paused as an idea popped into your head, “But I could compare you to a summer's day."

Surprise was frozen on his face for half a second before he snorted and rolled his eyes. He gave you a look before replying, "Eh, well I don't think it is accurate."

".... You could compare him to a summer's day." You said before you could think it through.

Without even missing a beat Jason replied, "Or you could,"

No, you couldn’t. If you tried, even though he wasn’t actually there, you’d probably combust due to embarrassment and it would be just your luck if he just so happened to be walking up as you did it. Anyways you weren’t very good with sonnets. Poetry and rhymes were a bit easier but regardless it just wasn’t your thing. 

"I’ve never really been one for sonnets, Besides it'd be more accurate if you did it." You informed him with a shrug.

"Of course it would."

His words were a bit sharp, as if something was bothering him. You decided to ignore it considering that it wasn’t really your business. However what he said was a challenge in itself. He was basically saying you were chickening out. He wasn’t wrong but he had no right to call you on it. 

"Are you implying what I think you are?" You asked, trying to keep your tone light. 

“Probably.” He shrugged, smiling that devilish, his voice softer than before.

Narrowing your eyes you crossed your arms and remarked, “For the sake of this friendship, I’m going to disregard that comment.” 

His eyes lit up once again and you realized you gave him what he wanted, while you didn’t know what it was for you did know what it was. An opening. 

“And for the sake of this friendship I am going to compare you to a summer’s day.” 

This was probably going to be the funniest or dirtiest thing you heard this week, and you honestly didn’t mind. You were getting exhausted and needed a good laugh. As they always say, laughter is the best medicine.

“Oh no,” You replied, pretending to tremble while weakly laughing. 

Ignoring your comment, he held his arms out towards you before he dramatically declared, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Without hesitation you deadpanned, “No,”

He shot you a glare, taking a step forwards before getting the dramatic look on his face again, gazing past you he took in a breath.

“Thou art more hot and more smelly.”

You laughed slightly before he shot you a chastising look and continued,

“Rough farts do shake the tiny arm hairs of me,”

Giggles began to build up your throat, but you pushed them back as Jason waved his hands around the air almost as if he was trying to swat a fly. 

He took in a breath and looked directly at you, “And summer’s air hath all to gross a smell,”

Pressing a hand to your face you shove back your laughter and you nod at him a few times. His face is frozen, his hands hanging limply at his sides and you realize he’s stuck. Shaking your head you wait a moment when an idea for the next line pops into your head. 

“Sometime too wet the back of my neck shines?”

His face lights up and he smiles at you before remarking, “Oooo good one.”

Slipping back into the dramatic, Shakespearean crack actor he holds his hands out again. Forming his face into what you can only assume is a regal expression he continues, 

“Sometime too wet the back of my neck shines.... and often is it’s slick complexion....”

He paused for another moment and began snapping his fingers as if the word was on the tip of his tongue. 

“Dried.” You piped up nearly biting back laughter.

Pointing a finger at you he exclaims, “Yes!”

Jumping back once again into the persona he shoots you a wink out of the corner of his eye. You roll your eyes as giggles escape you. 

“And often is it’s slick complexion dried. And every fly from fly sometime declines.”

You give him a look, laughter fighting to be released before shaking your head and shaking your hands.

“That doesn’t make sense.” 

Jason swats at you not breaking his gaze, he had locked in on something behind you and you hoped it wasn’t a person, “Hush, I’m not done.” 

You snorted and then let out a cough to try and subdue the oncoming barrels of laughter that were threatening to explode from you. 

“By swat or by swatter’s shrieking ass stumbling.”

That was the last straw, giggles, cackles and chortles escaped from you and you pressed your hand to the shelf behind you to stay standing. 

“Oh my fucking gosh- stop- please.” You wheezed in-between your laughter.

Jason gave you a look and you tried to stop yourself from cackling.

 He waited until you had quieted down a bit to ask, “Should I do the next line?”

“NO! NO, I can’t take- I couldn’t make it through another.” You exclaimed shaking your head. 

Letting out a sigh Jason shot you a look that looked a little bit to much like pout for you to take seriously. 

“Can I at least say the best lines?”

“You’ve thought that far ahead?”

“Yes,”

Giggling slightly you sighed then nodded, “Fine.”

Slipping back into the Shakespearean actor persona he held his hand out almost exactly mimicking the classic Hamlet pose. The mere action of him going back into the act had you giggling again. He opened his mouth, covering your own with your hand to stop yourself from interrupting him anymore; you let out a slight snort. He stepped forwards and you pressed yourself against the shelves to get a better view of him. 

“When in eternal thighs to highs thou grow’st.”

A mixture between a wheeze and squeak escapes you and you have to squeeze your hand over your mouth and nose to stop yourself from cackling again. From where you stood, you could see Jason’s eyes glowing almost as if he found this amusing as you found the new sonnet funny. 

“So long as men can’t breathe,” He remarked, “or bi’s can’t pee.”

Another hybrid of a sound escaped you and you could see his shoulders shaking. He straightened himself out and began to finish,

“So long lives the bitch that gives fuck’s not to thee-” 

You couldn’t help yourself, it wasn’t like the other lines where it practically mirrored the syllables of the original line, the new last line was a mess. 

“That’s not rig-” You protested as you fought off a grin. 

Suddenly his hand was covering your mouth and you gave him a shocked look that momentarily stopped your laughter. After the shock left the laughter returned in ten-fold. Giggles escape you and you tried your hardest not to meet his gaze however you couldn’t help yourself, looking Jason in the eyes you saw how serious he was and you giggled even more. He removed his hand and you bit your lip to stop yourself from snorting again, it was the laugh of yours you hated the most, made you feel a little too much like a pig. 

Jason looked beside you and you were thankful, though he could be an ass sometimes he was nice enough to try and help prevent your anxiety or at least make it less intense. Your body began to shake as you fought off any and all laughter. You needed him to get through all of it so he wouldn’t repeat it. Covering your mouth with both hands you pressed against the shelves and squeezed your eyes shut

“As I was saying,” He remarked, “So long lives the bitch that gives fuck’s not to thee... and scene.”

Peeking an eye open you find Jason bowing and you lose it, your hands barely make it away from your face before you explode into a fit of snorts that don’t seem to stop. Your body begins to bend and you begin caving in on yourself, letting your head hang down you continue to laugh and snort. Rising back up you press a hand to your chest in a hope to make the laughter stop but it is in vain. You felt your cheeks flushing and your blood rushing to your face as you tried to quiet down.

Jason smiled and you took a breath before giggling relentlessly. Shaking your head you realized despite how funny it was you did have some critiques. 

“Can you say that stuff about bi’s?” You asked your breath nearly hiccupping as you snickered.

He shrugged before pressing a hand to the bookshelf right by your head and winking, “I am bi so I can say whatever the hell I want.”

“All-righty then, kiddo.” You nodded snorting as you moved your hand from your chest. 

Suddenly someone walks up however they speak before you can turn, “Hey guys, what you talking about?”

Something about the tone was off to you, you didn’t know exactly what but you knew that whoever the person was, they weren’t happy. 

Simultaneously both you and Jason say, “Nothing.” 

Giggling again you smile at Jason and look over to find Damian and Dick. Usually panic would flood you and slowly it was, however you still had laughter floating around your chest and it was slowly escaping you like a leaky faucet. 

Damian narrowed his eyes, “You were talking about me weren’t you?”

For a moment you were confused until you blinked, realizing that he thought the two of you were laughing at him. Thinking for half a moment about what you were doing made more laughter push through. However it’s not only normal laughter but scared laughter. It was something you noticed in the middle of your junior year, when in moments of high fear or panic where you didn’t know what to do, you laughed.

“N-no.,” You tried to start, but upon seeing Damian’s upset face terrified giggles stopped you, “we- we weren’t talk-talking about you.” 

Jason cleared his throat and you had flashbacks to when he was beginning the sonnet, a snort bubbled from you. It was loud and very pig-like causing your entire face to turn a brighter red than it already was. 

"We might be,” Jason said, “whatch-ya gonna do about it pipsqueak?"

The tone he had made the laughter begin to die in your chest, you knew that Jason and Damian didn’t get along well most of the time. You just didn’t know why, some days they seemed fairly close other days it seemed like they would rip each other’s throats out.

"I'll make you stop Todd." Damian seethed and your laughter vanished with one last hybrid squeaking snort. 

Moving away from you, Jason took a few steps towards Damian, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I'd like to see you try gremlin." 

"Stop calling me names Todd."

Jason laughed and looked back at you, you shot him a warning look but he ignored you, "Or what short-stack? You gonna bite my ankles?"

"Jason-" Dick began when Damian interrupted him with a snarl.

"Go on, keep calling me names, see what happens."

The two boys were closer now, a mere three feet away from each other. Without even thinking it through you stepped in between them and raised your hands as if to push both of them away from each other. Shooting them both a reprimanding glare you watched as the fight died from both of them pretty quickly.

Sighing in relief you lowered your hands and nodded before noting the stack of books that needed to be reshelved on the shelf almost gathering dust. 

“Alright boys, behave now. I’m going to go and reshelf the rest of these books. When I return I expect the two of you to be getting along, or else.” You remarked moving towards the books.

Jason stepped out of your way and seemed to understand the entirety of your threat, Damian on the other hand didn't.

“Or else what?” He asked his eyes narrowed

Picking up the books you turned back to him and raised an eyebrow, “Do you really want to know?” 

His shoulders sank down and Damian fully backed down. He looked away form you and you nodded satisfied. Turning you left to go reshelf the books. You got down to the last one when a young girl stopped you. 

She looked up at you with big eyes and asked, “Do you have any books I could read?”

You stared at her sweet face for a moment before pulling a book off of the shelf and handing it to her. She took the book with a bright smile on her face and she turned and left. Staring at the last book in your hand you slid it back where it belonged and spun around. 

Instead of finding a bunch of shelves you found Dick standing behind you, internally you screamed and you felt your eyes widen instinctively. He smiled and leaned in towards you. 

"Have any recommendations for me?" He asked

Panic washed over you and it was suddenly hard to breathe, you loved to recommend books but him asking was like someone asking to see your diary. 

Fumbling for words you replied, "Uh-I- uh well- what. do. you. like?

It was then that you realized Dick was here with you, which meant that the boys were left alone. Alone and unattended, while of course that could be a good thing. It also meant that they could trash the library, Jason could tell Damian about your crush, the small boy had a habit of blurting out things he found not secret keeping worthy! 

Giving Dick a worried look you stepped forwards and rushed to ask him, if he did in fact leave them alone,

"watdidyaeveemown?"

“I’m sorry what?” He gave you a very confused look.

“Did you leave them alone?!” You nearly shrieked as panic overtook your body.

“Uh yeah.” 

“SHIT.”

Turning you ran down two aisles back to where Damian and Jason were. Surprisingly instead of finding them in an all out battle you found them cackling.

"You- you are amazing. And so fucking dense." Jason breathed out in between his laughter. 

"What?" You asked completely and totally surprised as the panic began to slip away from you.

"Nothing, nothing at all Y/N." He sighed wiping imaginary tears. 

You were astonished and confused, how could they do that? Go from being at each others throats ready for blood to buddies in less then ten minutes? Shaking your head you let out a sigh and went to turn around when you spotted Dick in the corner of your eye. You then remembered he asked for a recommendation and were thankful you had an excuse to run away.

It wasn’t that you didn’t want to recommend a book but more as it was hard to think straight around him. Your brain turned to mush and it was hard for you to bring any good books to mind. Looking at the shelf across form you, you spotted an old favorite of yours. Throughout all of high school it was your comfort book and it might just be the perfect book for him. 

Yanking it off the shelf you turned and held it out to him. He took it from you smiling slightly as though he was extremely confused but wanted to be polite. 

“What’s this for?” He asked

“Gookbood.” You mumbled out after you accidentally met his gaze.

You were stuck, of course you had the option to look away, however if you did you’d only feel even more embarrassed, if you kept looking however.. let’s just say you think it’d be bad for your health.

“What?” Dick asked leaning forwards clearly trying to hear you better.

“Bokgood-” You began before you realized you messed up only to try again, “Ookkbod.”

Slamming your eyes shut you clenched your fists and nearly yelled, “GOOD BOOK.”

With that you kept your eyes closed and turned walking away as Damian and Jason cackle at you. Probably at your inability to even form coherent sentences. Instead of heading back towards your desk you moved past it into the backroom, gathering your things as fast as you could you headed towards the front desk. Upon seeing you, Marian, the head library gave you a worried look. 

“Everything alright Y/N?”

“Uh, yeah I’m just gonna end my shift early.”

“You’re shift has been over for an hour dear... though you usually stay till closing...” Her tone told you that she was worried. 

Closing your eyes again you winced but then you heard Marian sigh and you peeked an eye open seeing her typing something in her computer.

“If any one asks...” You began before wincing again as the thoughts hit you.

As if they would

“If anyone asks, I’m not feeling well. Alright?” 

Marian nodded a small smile on her face as she looked at something in one of the aisles, "Go on Y/N, have a good weekend. I’ll see you again on Monday.” 

She waved you along and you hurried out the door. Before you could even make it to the parking lot you spotted one of the libraries regulars. Mira, was a few years younger then you and very excited about books. Unknown to her and probably himself, Jason had taken a shining to her. 

Upon seeing you her eyes lit up and she hurried over to you. Smiling brightly Mira enthusiastically greeted you.

“Hi, Y/N. I know you’re probably about to head home but I just wanted to tell you I loved the book you recommended and say hi.” 

Her face was it’s natural pink and she seemed to realized how much you were freaking out. Her smile slid from her face and she reached out a hand as if to try and comfort you before she put it back down. 

“Are you okay?” 

You didn’t exactly know what to say. While Mira was a constant and almost as close a friend to you as Jason was, you couldn’t exactly tell her what was going on. 

With a weary sigh you turned back towards the doors to see Dick, Jason and Damian walking out them. Even more panic raced over you as they spotted you and Mira. 

Mira hummed slightly before patting your arm and turning towards the boys, they began to approach. They were only a couple of a feet away when Mira stopped them.

“Hi,” She said grinning brightly, “I’m Mirabilis Cadman, but everyone calls me Mira. It’s nice to meet you.” 

You watched for a moment as Dick hesitated, Damian gave Mira a scrutinizing look and Jason, well Jason seemed to be completely unaffected however you knew better. Mira held her hand out to Dick and he shook it.

“Hey, I’m Dick Grayson. This is my little brother Damian. Pleasure to meet you.” He replied smiling

For a moment a strange look crossed Mira’s face her smile faltering then she blinked and looked to Damian for a moment. Then she noted the book he was carrying. Smiling again she also held her hand out to him. 

Shooting him a wink she remarked, “Good choice, glad to see one of you has taste.” 

It was then that you remembered how one night after Mira had volunteered to help you clean up the library after a long day of elementary school classes coming in you had told her of your crush on Dick Grayson and how it seemed that, at the time he was ignoring you. 

Fuck

Meanwhile Jason was trying to hide cackles behind coughs. Hitting his chest twice he gives Mira a amused look before he held his hand out to her. Once she took it he said,

“Sup, Jason, Jason Todd.” 

Mira blinked twice, confusion was clear on her face for a moment before she shrugged and let go of his hand. Looking away from the two of them you noticed how Dick was staring at you.

Shit.

Mira eventually caught his line of sight and you watched as her eyes widened slightly. She kept the smile on her face though. Dick gestured to you and began to speak, “We need Y/N, she is just-”

“She isn’t feeling well,” Mira explained and you noted the hand behind her back waving for some reason, “But, I’d be happy to help you out in anyway I can. I know this library like the back of my hand. I spend a lot of time here... maybe too much time.” 

You watched as she continued to wave and realized she was signaling you to leave. She was helping with your get away. As you hurried towards the parking lot and your car you know one thing for sure. You owed her big-time.

It didn’t take you long to get to your car, as you fumbled with your keys you came to a realization. 

You recommended him, Dick Grayson, a book. He frequently came to the library and sometimes tried to talk to you. He would want to talk to you about the book. Which meant the possibility of embarrassing yourself in front of him again, and no Mira to save you. 

Fucking shit

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Insomnia was a bitch, but it wasn’t just anyone’s bitch it was anxiety’s bitch... then again so were you. 

It was probably close to three a.m. when you decided you were hungry and climbed out of your very warm bed to wander into the kitchen. Unfortunately flies had beat you there, while there was only two or three, but they annoyed the hell out of you. Picking up the fly swatter you spotted a fly a few feet away from you and you lunged forwards swinging your arms and legs. You slapped at the fly and successfully hit it. Pretending to bow to a cheering crowd you mouthed ‘thank you, thank you.’

Standing up straight you held your fly swatter like a blade and a thought popped into your head.

Ninja, fly ninja, you are the fly ninja.

Jumping around as you let out soft hi-yah’s and other ninja noises you tried and failed to hit the two flies. Creeping up on one of the flies you swung the flyswatter out and smacked it into the wall. Jumping and doing a side kick you remarked,

“Hoi-yah! Take that fly! No one can best me. Because I’m The fly ninja.”

It was then you heard the chuckling. Blinking you turned and found standing in your kitchen in his blue and black glory, your friend, Nightwing. The thoughts slammed into you as you found yourself stumbling back towards your couch. 

He just saw you looking like a fucking idiot, you are never going to live this one down

However instead of freaking out, when you saw the incredibly amused look on his face you found yourself irritated. You froze for just a moment before you grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. He dodged it with a laugh.

“Wouldn't ninja fly be better.... wait no that's a fly who is a ninja,” he mused while laughing and dodging yet another pillow you threw. 

He thinks your weird, he’s probably laughing at yo-

“You,” Nightwing said, yanking you out of the thoughts, “have the worst taste in cereal.”

Blinking you found him standing in front of one of your cupboards, crossing your arms you gave him a look and he closed the cupboard. Turning towards you he leaned against the counter with one hand, effectively blocking your way into the kitchen.  

“Just to let you know.”

Rolling your eyes you snorted, then pushed past him to get into your kitchen. Yanking a cup from your cupboard you walk over to the electric kettle and fill it with water before turning it on and placing the mug next to it.

"You,” You began as you walked back out of the kitchen, ”break into people's apartments in the middle of the night, what right do you have to judge my cereal?"

He snorted and rested his elbows on your counter. Behind him Red Robin slipped into your kitchen and began raiding your cabinets for coffee, which as of late, was normal.

“True, but do I really deserve such scorn from the fly ninja?” 

Behind Nightwing you see Red Robin pause and turn towards you. He mouths ‘fly ninja?’ tilting his head in confusion. Biting your lip to hold back laughter you smiled and then shrugged. He nodded and turned back to raiding your cabinets. 

Looking at Nightwing you raised an eyebrow and then rested your elbows on your counter before placing your face in your hands.

“You broke into my apartment, startled me. Insulted my ninja abilities and then you insulted my cereal choices. So yes, I do believe you deserve my scorn.”

Nightwing held up a hand in disagreement as he shook his head. Behind him the electric kettle steamed then clicked off, “I did not insult your ninja skills. I- I was admiring them.”

Narrowing your eyes you fought off a grin as you replied, “So you say.”

Usually you would be worried saying stuff like this to even the closest of your friends, however, despite your sometimes snarky remarks and extreme weirdness Nightwing continued to come and visit you. Which told you that it didn’t matter how weird or much yourself you were he wouldn’t leave... or at least you hopped so. 

Taking on a playful tone he remarked, "Well someone's grumpy." 

Holding up a hand you waved it at him as Red Robin grabbed a mug and began pouring the water into it, the instant coffee right next to him.

"Listen- listen I haven't had my tea yet." 

Nightwing blinked once and then he pushed off of the counter and he laughed slightly. It took you a minute to realize he was confused and a little nervous.

“You don't drink coffee?"

"Caffeine and I don't get along." You said with a shrug.

This only seemed to confuse him more, he shook his head and looked at you slightly astonished before he asked, “Then why do you have so much of it?”

Smiling, you met his gaze and pointed behind him, “Turn around.”

Turning he looked and saw Red Robin stirring a cup of coffee. He paused and watched with you as Red Robin pulled a small energy drink from his belt and he poured it into the cup. Nightwing walks over to him and picks up the mug from his body language; it looked as if he was giving Red Robin a scolding look.

"You know this is probably gonna kill you right?"

Red Robin shrugs and replies, "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

A giggle escaped you and both Nightwing and Red Robin turned towards you. You cleared your throat as Nightwing smiled and Red Robin looked at the two of you. A strange expression passed his face before he shook his head and headed for the fire escape.

“You owe me a new mug.” You remarked pointing a finger at him.

Nightwing looked startled then he gestured to the fire escape exclaiming, “No, he does.”

You shrugged as you headed into the kitchen “He’s your underling.”

“Red Robin is not my underling.” 

Though you couldn’t see him you could hear his tone. He sounded offended and a little upset. From this you could tell that he respected or at least had a lot of respect for Red Robin. 

A memory tickles the back of your mind, someone calling Red Robin little bird. You didn’t exactly remember who but your bet was on Nightwing. 

“Fine, he’s your little bird. Isn’t that what you call him?” You remarked with a shrug. 

“no.” 

You blinked a few times and sighed, “Oh, well anyways he’s still a kid and if he drinks that much coffee I doubt he could actually get me a new mug. I mean he literally has to steal coffee from here... maybe I should get disposable cups.”

A surprised look crossed his face, “Wait, he does this often?”

“Yeah, but usually he drinks all of the coffee and leaves the mug.”

Nightwing hums and he nods as if was contemplating something. Maybe it was why Red Robin did what he did or maybe it was something else. 

“Huh, he must like you if he keeps coming back.”

Letting out a snort you nodded before sarcastically remarking, “Or he likes the coffee.”

Not understanding you were using sarcasm, Nightwing shook his head, a fairly serious look on his face, “It’s instant coffee I doubt it can be that good... It’s a high honor to be liked by Red Robin.” 

“Sure it is...” You rolled your eyes not fully believing him, before you could stop yourself you said, “no one likes me, or at least they shouldn’t”

"Well I like you."

You blinked and looked over to him, he was giving you an innocent look and you blinked again. You couldn’t have heard what you just did right? People wouldn’t tell someone- they wouldn’t tell you they liked you to your face... right?

"Wait, did you just say what I think you said?" 

A smile appeared on his face and he nodded slowly, “Yes, I did in fact say that I like you."

He likes you, he just said so, and repeated what he said. So, he must really mean it, truly mean it. Before you were going about in unknowing and now the reality of everything hit you. 

Of course you were aware people who were your friends liked you, but no one had really ever said it to your face. You were shocked and a little embarrassed. 

"Oh."

A sly grin appeared on Nightwing’s face and he leaned in towards you continuing, “You are the fly ninja after all.”

"Oh my gosh.” You replied as you shoved your face into your hands trying your hardest not to laugh. 

“By the way I’ve been meaning to ask you the fly ninja to all flies or just certain ones?”

You closed your eyes, shaking your head as laughter bubbled up in your lungs. Nightwing ignored your attempts at withholding giggles and continued. 

“Like is it only fruit flies and the ones that hover around bananas or?”

Biting your lip you pulled away from your hands your face red, forcing the laughter back you looked him dead in the eyes and replied, “All flies obviously, I’m not discriminatory.”

He smiled and laughed. Silence cleaved the air and you felt nervous tension arise in you. 

Quickly clambering for a topic to talk about you asked, “What were we talking about again?”

“About how I find you very a-peeling.” 

You hesitated for a moment before giving him a disbelieving look. You shook your head, “... did you just- no. I’m not gonna, no.” 

Pretending it never happened, you look away from him and move towards your couch leaning against it you let out a sigh. 

“Read any good books lately.” Nightwing asks from your kitchen, a clatter of sorts following him, most likely he was raiding your cabinets as well. 

“Of course,” You sighed, working as a librarian meant that you always had a good book, “What about you?”

Almost chuckling he replies, “Well I’m reading a book about anti-gravity... It’s impossible to put down.”

“That’s terrible.” You smiled, shaking your head trying not to laugh as well. 

“Oh I know.” He laughed.

With a sigh you looked over your shoulder momentarily to see him looking into one of your cabinets. Not wanting things to go silent you decided to ask a safe question that will continue the conversation at least for a little while.

“How was your day?”

“It wasn’t too bad,” He began and something in his tone made you narrow your eyes, “Somebody stole all of my lamps. I couldn’t be more de-lighted. And this morning I wanted to take pictures of the fog but I mist my chance. I guess I could dew it tomorrow.” 

Biting back laughter you turned away from him, placing your face into your hands, “Stop. These puns are too cheesy.”

“But I thought they were gouda.”

You froze rolling your eyes as a slight snort escaped you, “Dude.”

“It’s cheddar if you don’t get mad.” He continued.

Shaking your head again you closed your eyes trying your hardest to tune him out before you burst into a fit of laughter once again. 

“I swiss you had the same humor as me. I won’t provolone this anymore. After all, I havarti taken this too far.” Nightwing snorted laughing as he made pun after pun. 

“Oh ma gosh.”

Looking towards the ceiling you fought off a grin and the laughter, the tired laughter that was building up in your chest. 

“I colby a better parmesan and stop all these cheesy pins but I ricotta continue.”

Before you could stop yourself laughter escaped you as you turned towards him again to see him looking at you with a mischievous smile on his face. You laugh a little harder and his smile widens, “Brie the way, how was your day today? I saga know.” 

Letting out a snort, you smiled at him and decided to try a pun yourself, “That wasn’t very puny.”

For a moment a look of surprise crossed his face before a grin broke out across it and you felt your heart do a strange little fluttering jump.

Shaking his head he laughed, remarking, “Oh! That’s terrible, I love it.” 

Your heart did an even bigger fluttering jump and you looked away from him. You didn’t exactly like what was happening. But you knew. Trying to change the subject before your heart fluttered again you moved around the arm of the couch and sat down. 

“How was your day actually though?”

“Eh.” 

You froze for a moment, it was a rare occasion in which Nightwing only said one worded replies. Usually it meant there was something he didn’t want to talk about or something he really wanted to vent about or ask advice about. 

Not even turning towards him you stuck your hands under your legs and swung them slightly.

“Eh? Why eh?”

There was a pause, almost as if he was hesitant to reply, but then after a breath and silence filling the room making it slightly awkward he replied, “Girl troubles.”

This didn't really surprise you. Girl troubles were common amongst your guy friends, and since you were one of the very few girls who they didn’t ever plan on dating you were used to giving advice. However a strange sort of ache began in your chest and you felt hurt. 

Just a friend, The thoughts whisper almost menacingly, he just sees you as a friend.

Ignoring the ache and the vile thoughts nipping at the back of your mind you raised an eyebrow and turned over your shoulder smiling playfully at him. 

“Oooo do you like someone, as a civilian?... Wait, no, you like a civilian.” You corrected yourself, blinking a few times as you finally began to feel tired. 

Instead of a reply, at first you hear the door to one of your cabinets open with a loud squeak. A rustling for a moment then the cabinet creaking closed. He was stealing your food. A soft smile and feeling appeared and you brought your legs up to your chest. Placing your chin on the dip in between your knees you sighed. 

Honestly you didn’t mind but, it frustrated you a little though, that you were always going to be the best friend never the girl boys fell for. You were for friendship, not dating. Something you were beginning to wish you realized just a little bit earlier, maybe this would then all be easier. 

“Yes,” Nightwing finally replied, “and it was just so frustrating because it seems like she hates me and likes my brother.”

You blinked and for a moment you thought about looking towards him, but you knew if he did he’d realize what he said. You had to approach this carefully, wrapping your arms around your legs you hum slightly before asking somewhat casually,

“Oh wait, you have a brother?”

“Ye-,” You practically see him nodding before he stopped himself. 

Curiosity got the best of you and you decided to push your luck just a bit . 

“It's one of the vigilantes isn’t it.”

Silence followed your question and you looked over to see him giving you a look. A look that said to stop talking, not to press further because you were hitting the nail on the head. 

A smile of disbelief appeared on your face and you pulled away from your legs, eyes wide. 

“Oh my gosh they are all your siblings aren’t they? But obviously they’re adopted. I know Signal’s black, I’m ninety-nine percent sure there was a blonde batgirl and a red-head, Blue Bird literally doesn’t look like any of you, and no one is able to see Black Bat’s face. Oh and don’t get me started on the Robin brigade.”

As you began rambling your hands flew around your face in a flurry of motion. The vigilantes were one of your favorite non-book things to talk about. Mainly because of the one in your kitchen but you really weren’t going to ever get into that... hopefully. 

“You’re not wrong, “He sighed before pausing, “...Robin brigade?”

“I’m not getting into it.” You shook your head turning back away from him. 

You weren’t about to tell him how ever since the first Robin came into play you like the vigilantes. Not about your opinions and theories, especially not when a lot  of them were about him. Waving away the question you decided to change the subject. 

“Anyways back to your girl problems. Why do you think she hates you?”

You could hear him munching on something as he probably contemplated how to explain the problem to you, “Well she never talks to me willingly, and when she does she always mutters or ends up sounding really angry.”

Twirling a strand of hair around your finger, you thought for a moment about what he said. It sounded a lot like what happens to you. Maybe this girl that he likes, also has anxiety and likes him, or it might just be because he makes her nervous. 

“She might just like you dumbass,” You snorted, rolling your eyes, “I know that’s how it is for me. I mean with the guy I like-, I can’t even say one word without messing it up. So I have to slow it down. ”

You heard more munching and the crinkling of a bag before he mused, “Hmm, you think so?”

“Yeah, or you just make her really nervous.” 

It was more than likely, for you it was both which only made matters more complicated and frustrating. Sometimes you wished you were normal, then this wouldn’t be a problem at all. 

“Makes sense... by the way do you think if you practiced you could talk to him?”

Practice? You had tried practicing in the past, but whenever you tried to talk to him your anxiety took hold of your mouth and you spat out a word jumble instead of what you really wanted to say. 

“Probably not, my anxiety always freaks me out telling me that I’m gonna say the wrong thing and scare him away because I’m too weird or something.”

He walked passed you into the living room before flopping down on your couch. You notice the bad and his hands and for the moment you decided to ignore it. 

“Well just think about it this way, you’re super cool and awesome. And if he can’t see that he doesn’t deserve you.”

You paused for a moment. and looked over at him in slight disbelief, “You think I’m cool?”

“The coolest.” He replied smiling at you. 

It was then that you noticed the bag he had was your Cheetos. While you didn’t mind, at the moment you felt... awkward. Standing up you walked over towards him and flopped down next to him. You needed someway to feel less awkward without sounding like a bitch... then you got an idea

“Aww, that's sweet...” You began turning towards him with a smile, “but if you take my fucking Cheetos again we’re through.”

For a moment you think you’ve made things worse until Nightwing bursts into laughter. Shaking his head he sighed and passed the bag over to you, with the bag now in your hands you looked over to him and took a moment to think over what he said. 

You’re super cool and awesome. And if he can’t see that he doesn’t deserve you

Sighing you sat down next to him and rested your head on his shoulder, pulling a small handful you ate some Cheetos then offered them to him. He began taking some.

Was he telling the truth? Or just trying to make you feel better by saying that. Not knowing which was correct you felt you had to ask him.  

“Do you really think that he wouldn’t deserve me if I make a fool of myself?” You asked as you felt him wrap an arm around your shoulder.

You heard him hesitate before you looked up to see him giving you a contemplating look. 

“If you make a fool of yourself he should be saying something like... like. I think- I think I might just love you a little bit.”

Snorting you rolled your eyes, looked away and remarked without thinking, “Sure he should because unintelligible gibberish is the way to a man’s heart.”

“If he’s worth shit he’ll think it’s cute. I know I do.”

You knew he was flirting with you, you knew because it was something he did regularly. Something that was common with his personality. He constantly, he was never serious of course, that much you knew. So when you looked up at him slightly snorting to see him staring at you a soft and serious look on his face your heart did the fluttery jump and your stomach flipped.

Fucking shit 

Looking away from him you felt your cheeks beginning to flush red. He was nice, he helped you feel a little less like an asshole, less like a bitch, more like a person. A good person. He made you feel cared for... and- and loved. He was amazing and a lot like All the man you’ll ever need-

Wait, no. No. It couldn’t be like that- no. He was hero- a vigilante. You would never be able to know his real identity. You wouldn’t ever actually able to be with him. No matter what your heart felt, no matter how spilt it was you couldn’t even entertain the thought.

His voice yanked you from your spiraling train of thought and you blinked. Giving you a soft smile he asked the question again. 

“How was your day?”

Happy to not have to think about your feelings again you raised your head off of his shoulder and turned to him. Fully prepared to rant and bare your soul. 

“Rough, honestly I made a complete and utter fucking fool of myself. I mean I panicked so much and I laughed, I full on laughed out loud. Cackled even, at the library. I never do that, and to make matters worse my crush, he asked for a book recommendation and I realized that he left his brothers, the two most chaotic people I know alone with each other and I panicked.” 

You were talking quickly, shaking your head as the words stumbled from you, embarrassment following it. For a moment Nightwing was nodding as if he understood when suddenly he sat up straight, looking at you slightly confused. 

“Wait, wait. What happened?” He asked an eyebrow raised.

“Well he asked me for a book recommendation and I realized that he left his brothers alone and I panicked and cursed at him before running back to make sure they weren’t trashing the library.” You explained again waving your hands about yawning afterwards. 

He blinked twice then gave you a shocked look for a moment, “Your crush? Wait, he asked for a book recommendation?”

“Yeah! And then I realized that his brothers-”

Before you could finish he interrupted you a strange look on his face, “Did he say anything else?”

Blinking in confusion you raised an eyebrow thinking over what he said, then you shook your head, “What? Oh uh no I don’t think so.”

“Hmm,” He hummed slightly a smile on his face before he relaxed back onto the couch, “okay.” 

Feeling confused and a little worried, you wanted to talk about how he was acting weird but didn’t know how. So you decided to continue talking about your day. 

“Well after seriously embarrassing myself by going that I fumbled over my words while trying to give him a book. Then I decided to flee so I wouldn’t embarrass myself anymore. I was like five minute away from leaving when a regular- Mira- I’ve talked about her before. Well she came and started talking to me, I swear that give has like a sixth sense because she instantly knew I was freaking out and was able to help me avoid my crush and his brothers... speaking of brothers. I’m like ninety-nine percent sure one of them likes her, or at least is interested.” 

Nightwing was smiling and he had an amused look on his face as if something was very interesting. Chuckling he looked to you seeing the confusion on your face he sighed before nodding. 

“Interesting...sorry but somethings on my mind. When you start to have an anxiety attack or think about something can you accidentally tune stuff out?”  He asked eyebrows raised

You blinked a few times before nodding and leaning against the couch once again. 

“Oh, uh yeah. Sometimes I’m spiraling into an anxiety attack or anxious thoughts I accidentally tune people out... well what happens is that the thoughts overpower my ears.” You nodded with another yawn. 

He nodded and gave you a strange sort of look, you were having a hard time focusing, blinking you kept your eyes open. Rubbing at your eyes you sighed. 

“Tell me about your brother’s fuck ups on patrol, I need a good laugh.” You muttered as you held back a yawn. 

“Okay then,” He replied laughing slightly. 

Leaning against his shoulder again you grunted slightly. After your long day you were finally feeling tired, tired and safe. Nightwing was saying something to you, but you were having a hard time paying attention. Your eyes kept fluttering shut and before you knew it you were asleep. 

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

A few days later, you were in the library at your desk going about your daily routine when you spotted Jason in an aisle of book inspecting the pages of a heavy chapter book. Before you could spot any of the other Wayne boys Mira appeared in your peripheral vision a book in her hand and a smile on her face. 

“Okay, before you stop me I just want to say this book is amazing and when you have the time I want to talk to you about it because I need to talk to someone. All the people in my apartment complex are like fifty and above, married or five and under.” She paused for a moment a look of realization crossing her face, “Of course married people aren’t hard to talk to it’s just they don’t want to talk to me and I’m rambling sorry.”

You almost laughed, Mira seemed flustered, something you hadn’t seen ever. The ends of her hair were peeking out of her black hat in an array of different shades of purple. With flushed cheeks and her hazel eyes wide, Mira looked like something was bugging her. 

Leaning on the counter you let out a sigh, but noticed Jason approach towards your desk. A sly smile of sorts appeared on your face. If Jason was in fact interested in Mira a little push wouldn’t hurt, right?

“Unfortunately,” You began with a heavy sigh, “I don’t think I’ll be able to talk for a while... however, I’m sure Jason wouldn’t mind talking to you about it. He was actually the one who got me on the book.”

You gestured to Jason now stood behind Mira. For a moment, Mira froze before turning around, a tight smile on her face. She shot you a slight look of panic before she let out a breath and nodded. 

“Uh, if your willing.” 

Jason smiled at her and nodded. She nodded as well before giving you a quick wave goodbye. Watching them go you noticed how Mira stopped in an aisle still in your eye-line and sat down on the ground. Without even questioning it, Jason sat across from her. 

The library was quiet enough that you didn’t really need to strain yourself to hear what the two of them were saying. You watched as Mira opened the book, hearing Jason say,

“So about the other night-”

Before he could even finish Mira interrupted him her cheeks and ears flushing a dark shade of red, “I’d prefer not to talk about it please.” 

Nodding Jason let out a slight sigh before replying, “Alright.”

You were curious on what exactly had happened between the two of them, but before you could give another thought to it Damian walked up a stack of books in his arms. Raising an eyebrow you gave him a look,

“Starting a project of sorts?” You questioned as you began to check the books out to him.

Damian let out a slight huff before he nodded, “Father said I couldn’t get another pet until I know how to properly take care of it.” 

You paused for a moment to look at the books, they were non-fiction books about a variety of different animals. Spanning from monkeys all the way to squirrels. Shaking your head you bit back a laugh as you imagined Bruce Wayne’s face when Damian brought in all the animals.

“Hmm, I think there might be some more books about animal care in aisle five.” You remarked off handedly noting the gleam in Damian’s eye. 

“Really now?”

You nodded as you began to set the books to the side, pointing you showed him which aisle you were talking about.

“I can hold your books to the side while you go and grab some more, I mean you’ve got to cover all the bases right?”

While usually language like this would cause Damian to give you a look of distain, he bee-lined straight for the aisle. You laughed and turned to watch him when you spotted a guy standing right next to Mira and Jason.

“Are you here for me or him?” Mira asked not even looking up from her book. 

The guy blinked and a extremely confused look crossed his face. He gave Mira a baffled look as he said, “Why would I be here for him?”

A mischievous smile appeared on her face for just a second before she looked up at him, shock all over her face.

“Why the hell wouldn’t you be here for him?” She exclaimed gesturing towards Jason, “Have you seen him? He’s fucking gorgeous!”

You had to shove your fist against your mouth to stop from bursting into laughter. You watched Jason do something similar as his face turned red as his entire body shook. 

The guy went quiet and didn’t say anything else. Mira sighed and shook her head looking back to her book. 

“Well if your here for me fuck off, if your here for him…” She trailed off as if to let Jason finish her sentence.

He did, “Fuck off as well.”

A look of slight surprise was on Mira’s face as she looked to Jason, a smile playing on her lips. “Oh really?”

He nodded and her smile widened before she looked back to her book, looking surprisingly happy. 

“Awesome,” She remarked as she flipped the page, “anyways you heard us, fuck off dude.” 

The guy glared at the two of them and turned away cursing. You laughed letting out a sigh as you saw Jason and Mira share a look before they began talking about the book. 

Looking away from them you noticed Dick leaning on your desk a smile on his face. You flinched feeling your entire body beginning to panic. 

“Hi.”

“Oh, uh,” You remarked before giving him a smile in return, taking in a breath you continued, “Hi.”

“So I read the book,” He says as he pushed up from the desk. 

“Oh,” Is the only thing you can say, your mind felt blank as terror began crawling into every part of you. 

Breathe, you told yourself, remember what Nightwing told you. If he can’t see the real you he doesn’t deserve you

You nodded and tried for a genuine smile on your face. Something flickered on Dick’s face and he smiled brighter. 

“I was hoping we could talk about it over lunch or dinner.” 

You blinked, once, twice then three times as what he said was slowly sinking in. It took you a second to realize he just asked you out. Internally you began to scream, externally your pretty sure the smile was frozen on your face as a look of confusion began at the corners of your eyes. 

Taking in a breath you laughed slightly, nodding you let it out and tried your hardest to speak slowly. If you fucked this up you would never live it down, not only to anyone who heard the story but to yourself. 

“Oh, that. sounds. fun! Sure.” You replied smiling.

“Awesome.” 

It occurred to you, that you would be talking about the book amongst other things. And no matter his opinion you could give him other book recommendations. As excitement for the upcoming date raced in your veins a thought popped into your head, one of the whispers.

What if this is a prank? What if it’s all a practical joke being played

You hesitated for a moment before pushing the thought away. it wouldn’t-couldn’t be a joke. Dick was nice, nice and sweet. As your nerves began to climb up your throat you took another breath in. 

Breathe

Trust

You had to trust, you could do that. Shoving away your worries you focused on the fact that you could recommend more books... something you realized he didn’t know.

“Icabevrecbak-” You began before you heard yourself. 

Heat flushed your cheeks and you squeezed your eyes shut wincing. Peeking one open you didn’t dare try looking at him. 

You can do this, you just had to breathe

“Sorry,” You began not looking at him as you breathed and tried to take it slow, “I meant I could recommend more books if you liked that one.”

“It’s fine.” Dick said waving a hand as if to brush off the apology, “Honestly I think it’s cute.”

You froze, it felt as if your brain just short-circuited. Blinking you felt yourself give him a look of disbelief.

Honestly I think it’s cute, echoed in your ears and then you heard what Nightwing said the night before,

If he’s worth shit he’ll think it’s cute. I know I do

Blinking you realized that he continued to speak. Instead of pretending what was going on you gave him a confused look and he smiled. 

“I’d love if you recommended more book. How does tomorrow sound?”

You didn’t exactly know what was happening but you heard yourself replying, “Uh, great.”

You felt as if you were in a muddle, you could see what was happening and hear it but you could really feel anything. Faintly you heard a ringing and for a moment you were scared you were gonna pass out. A nervous laugh escaped you as you tried to breathe. An even wider grin appeared on his face and he leaned in towards you. 

“You get off at four right?”

Nodding you continued to reply almost robotically, “Uh yeah.”

“Well I’ll pick you up from here then.”

You blinked, the muddle was slowly fading and you were finding yourself again. Clearing your throat you nodded again. You could feel your heart in your chest doing it’s fluttery jump as your stomach did non-stop flips. 

“Okay.” You breathed out blinking again.

Dick nodded then shot you, what you can only imagine his classic playboy smile which sent your mind into a tizzy.

“I’ll see you then.”

“Uh okay, bye.”  You mumbled out as you watched him walk away not exactly sure about what just happened but fully aware that you had a date with him the next day. 

Holy fuck, you had a date with Dick Grayson. You couldn’t believe it, and as you felt your excitement race over you you remembered what Nightwing had, essentially, told you.

-You’re super cool and awesome. And if he can’t see that he doesn’t deserve you. 

 If you make a fool of yourself he should be saying something like... like. I think- I think I might just love you a little bit.  

If he’s worth shit he’ll think it’s cute-

Pressing your face into your hands you tried your hardest not to blush. Not only did you have Nightwing’s words playing in your ears but the feelings you had for both him and Dick. 

Fuck

You were completely and totally torn in half. After a moments thought you sighed. Maybe the phrase All The Man I Need wasn’t entirely true. After all one guy hadn’t exactly met all you needs, however if the both of them did have qualities that you needed- 

No, no you weren’t going to think about that. After all right now you needed to focus on one guy, he was after all the one you were more likely going to end up in a actual relationship with.  You had to focus on Dick Grayson... for now at least. 

For now. 

#dick grayson #nightwing #reader x dick grayson #y/n x dick grayson #dick grayson x reader #dick grayson x y/n #Jason Todd #Damian Wayne #Red Robin #batboys #batfam #reader #y/n #oc #reader x nightwing #y/n x nightwing #Nightwing x reader #nightwing x y/n #fluff #two-shot #part one

[kkusuka]

We all know how looks can be deceiving right? I’d love to request head cannons of Kuroo, Bokuto, Iwaizumi, Konoha, Terushima, and Atsumu with a gf that’s gifted with that super-soaker, wet-wet pussy, a pro at riding that dick, and has the gwak gwak thotty throat slobber 9000 but she is so shy, cute, and innocent at first glance. She looks like the soft-spoken librarian but when they get down and dirty, she puts her body to work and these bois just don’t know how to act from how amazing she is. Let’s say they teased her too much, so she revoked their sex privileges for a few days (not knowing how addicted these guys are on her body). Desperate bois are best bois 😈

:o

i’m shell shocked anon, you’ve blown my mind

Cw: hair pulling, super WAP, kinda fem dom but not really, severe pussy-whipped men  

Kuroo

firstly, he thought you were the innocent type up until you sucked him off for the first time

Honestly, he thought you were a total virgin prude

It wasn't really his fault, you two had met as lab partners for an AP chemistry class

You know, a class full of nerds and people he just assumed would get a job and married when they were thirty

Looking back he should have caught on after seeing you unconsciously jerking of a test tube

But, contrary to popular belief, kuroo is not the social cue master

After a few months of dating, you guys were just a horny time-bomb

Ahh~ the first blow-job, one for the books

He should have known it was going to be good just from the way you were unzipping his jeans, was it normal to almost cum just for your girlfriend palming you?

When you did get his dick out and had it all the way down your throat within the minute, he really did think you were a godsend

He didn't even know what you were doing with his balls, but whatever it was it was working

You didn’t gag or cough, even when he grabbed that back of your head and practically face-fucking you

(the real kicker was when you licked your lips after he came  and gave him that small fucking smirk, mans was done for and he knew it)

Even with all that, nothing, and I mean nothing compares to the first time you guys went at it

when I say that you guy made out for five minutes when he went under your panties and felt the pacific ocean in your panties

He was about to propose right there (and about to cum in his pants for the thousandth time)

He didn't need to but he still rubbed a few circles around your clit, but apparently, you were ready enough

Considering you grabbed his dick and fully sunk onto him in one motion

Poor baby didn't know what hit him

You had to have done this before, and if he hadn't met you in class he would have been sure you slept around and learned everything in the book

You would clench every time your sims met and- AND THAT THINGS WITH HIS BALLS AGAIN

His mind was bungled, especially after you had both come and you fell onto his chest going back to the shy and sweet version he knew you as.

What the hell was that????

Was he fucking you or were you fucking him?? Because at this point he didn't even care

After that experience, you fucked like bunnies, all the time, even in school more than a few times.  

And we all know kuroo can't shut his mouth

And he always teases you about how cute and mouse like you are outside the bedroom and how it's like he’s dating two different girls

....that hit a nerve...

Two different girls??? Well he’ll just have to endure one girl until he realizes what a blessing you are

5 days, 120 hours, 7,200 minutes, and 432,000 seconds, that's how long he lasted

He was going insane, and so he explained that he didn't mean it in a bad way and that he loved how you acted

Forgiving him you rewarded the poor cat boy, 5 rounds for five days

(he didn't want to admit it but he’s pretty sure his dick would have fallen off if you didn't relent when you did)

(he just didn't want to admit that he was pussy-whipped)

Bokuto

You actually had met at a library

One of his teachers wanted him to get a bit of extra tutoring and volunteered you for the job.

You had hit it off great! Personality-wise

(you’ll never tell him but it was frustrating that he clearly didn't understand anything you were telling him)

And you were so sweet and cute, and such a good teacher

He would know that if he wasn't too busy just staring at you and thinking about you and thinking about what you like and what you wear outside of school

(or how good your lips look, or how your thighs look so soft, or that when you get up he can see under your skirt.)

Your guy’s first time was an experience

(bokuto is the cunny easting master, don't call me out)

More cunny juice = more food for owl man

He was excited, somewhere in his mind he knew that it was gonna get better from then on

He wasn't wrong either, although he didn't let your mouth near his dick just yet, he knew that would be good considering the ‘art’ you've created on his neck

The true fuckary started with him on top, but the second he was in you he...froze

Poor baby was shell shocked, you felt better than he had thought, and he just slumped over, you thought he came but he wasn’t ready for it to end so soon

He just sat there for a few minutes, fucked out, before you just decided to flip you both over

That was more his speed at the moment

So he grabbed onto your hips for dear life and you got working

Within two minutes the two of you had created a pool of juices on his bed (bokuto had a lot of precum ok), not that he really cared

You were not competing with anyone but he already had you 2 to 0

(point 1 for the meal and point 2 for being an Olympic dick-rider)

I am also a firm believer that bokuto thrusts up, he just can't help it

You are too addictive, or the way you ground onto him in between every bounce was addictive

I also don't believe that you could even truly deny bokuto sex, he was good at guilt-tripping and he was soooooo adorable

(not to mention the puppy dog eyes  he does that could convince good to do his will)

So I’m sure the only way he wouldn't get sex would be no nut November.

(aka the devil's month of torture, actually not month, week give or take)

This year it just happens that he set a new record, 8 days

He went a whole 8 days without trying for sex

Truly he went about 10 days before he stopped begging and just took matters into his own hands

(under enough pressure Bokuto become a hard dom and no one can say otherwise)

The entire time he was telling you how pretty you were and how well your pussy takes him and that you had no ‘right’ to tell him he couldn’t have sex

He even gained a new phrase “this pussy belongs to me”

You were going to have to set some things straight once he was done ;)

Iwaizumi

You were on the student council, it felt sacrilegious to think anything but pure thoughts about anyone on the council

(that didn't really stop him)

honestly, from the moment his crush festered he wanted to ruin your little innocent vibe  

You always smiled so sweetly at everyone, and just seemed like a true goody two shoes.

And that point seemed to have been correct when you began to date

Until! The fateful day where his perceived innocent girlfriend pulled a full 180 on him!

Firstly, you had offered, out of the blue, to suck him off in the middle of the movie you were watching.

Second, he asked if you knew how, and you giggled at him with that smile he loved so much

Thirdly, when you did get his dick out, you swirled some of the pre-cum on his tip with your thumb, he started getting a bit suspicious

Lastly, you completely swallowed him down, face pressing on his hip, cheeks hollowed.

That’s when he realized that you did know what you were doing

(that also arouse the thought that you had been with someone else, which was counteracted with the fact that you knew how to suck dick by practicing on hair brushed and popsicles)

((it also helped that you barely had a gag reflex))

Truly trying to put that to the test, dom iwa came right out, grabbing your hair and telling you  to suck harder

And you impressed the man, to say the least

After that he had to fuck you, he really just had too

For the first time, he went with a solid missionary, just to test that waters

He didn’t think anyone's pussy should feel like that, but since you were his it was ok

All was well he was lost in the feeling of your pussy and the deciding moment was when you pulled him against you and started to grind your body onto his

You were putting a whole lot of body into it too, and you were so soft, and unless he wanted to cum early something was going to have to change

So he flipped and changed to doggy style, which made thighs worse???

From there you got tighter and he could see all of the wetness drips from your fold onto the sheets

Yup, you were the one for him

(solidified when he pulled your hair and you moaned like a street whore)

As for the no sex thing, that was a ride

It started when Makki asked you if you were always dripping for iwa

And after a week of no sex, he confessed to letting them on his phone and  watching a recording of one of your nightly escapades and he was sorry

(and he just wanted to show them what they were missing, y’know brag a bit)

That was, and he says the only time, he let you try to dom him

You truly were the most amazing woman in the world

Konoha

( i made him kind of an ass lol sorry)

You wee the girl who sat next to him in class

(not to be mean, but he thought you were a nerd)

You always had your uniform covering everything and you were always playing with your short sleeves

You raised your hand a lot in class, always had a pencil to borrow

He just assumed that you had cobwebs in your pussy

Proven wrong at one of the volleyball teams parties, you had apparently been dragged there by a friend (surprising)

And you both were dragged onto some weird spin the bottle game

The bottle would spring and someone would draw an action from this jar and the two people would have to do it in a bedroom in the house

Seeing as that’’s how fate goes you and him were chosen

A blow-job card was chosen

And he laughed with a friend about how you wouldn’t know what to do

Mistake, that struck a real nerve, was this guy for real?

Oh hell no

Being the baddie you were, you walked to him, grabbed him by the arm, and locked lips, breaking away after a moment you asked if he was ready to go.

Poor boy didn't even respond, he just nodded and stood up

Two minutes in, he knew what he had done

You were blowing him like it would be your last time, it should be illegal to be able to suck someone off that well

And damn you pulled away right before he was going to cum.

And then just left him! Walked out of the closet like nothing had ever happened

That couldn’t be it, he wouldn't let that be it

After two weeks of non-stop begging from the guy you agreed to a date, which led to many dates

Which led to him finally being able to fuck you

God damn, he didn't think it would get better, and it did, it really did.  

You were laying on top of him and grinding your entire body onto him

Dripping all over him and squeezing him like crazy

He was never going to let you go

Now, that same friend from that party seemed very intrigued with your relationship

And he just can't help but tell him about how amazing you were, it just sucks that he did it right in front of you in the middle of lunch

Pussy pass revoked

He didn't think he did anything wrong so he went two whole weeks without any touch and he went crazy

He fell apart and apologized

After he begged enough you gave him the pussy pass back

And now he doesn't do anything to jeopardize it

Terushima

this is gonna sound weird

But

I feel like terushima knows when someone is a good lay

It's like a secret talent of his, he just knows and his radar went off when he saw you

But he thought it was wrong at first considering you were wearing leggings and a huge sweater

Not good fuck material  

But he had to make sure, so he just walked up to you and asked if you were a good fuck

Surprisingly you didn’t punch him in the nuts, instead, you laughed at him and said that he would just have to find out

And that he should at least take you out to dinner first

Adm he took you up it, made it the best damn dinner date he’d ever be on

And you reward him

With what?

The best damn blow-job he’d ever get as long as he lived.

And it fit that to the T

It started with the little licks and swirls, then, you gotta catch the man off guard, and just take his entire dick in your throat

And with that, he was sure he had superpowers

When He came, fairly quick for his taste, you swallowed all of his cum and he was ready to marry you

If he needed to take you on a date for that, he would take you on a date every day for the rest of his life

(not every day) but that's what he did

But eventually, just a blowjob wasn't enough, oh no he knew you had a tight hole

And he knew you were gushing most of the time (ushy gushy my pussy-)

If making him suck the fingers you used to fuck yourself after he came was anything

And you tasted good, really good

He was so ready for it that he let you ride him the whole night

He thought his dick was a]going to fall off, you were just that damn good

It was insane, you were almost using him as a dildo, grinding your clit on the base of his cock

And you looked glorious, he was going to have to talk to you about recording it so he could watch it over and over

Maybe show a few people-

And that's what he did, poor unfortunate soul got the silent treatment for two days before he fell apart

He literally got on his knees and asked for forgiveness

(biggest simp on the planet, but only for you (and your dripping cunt))

He’s sure to never do it again, he’s also sure that if you asked him to step on him he would let you

(and I think he’s the most pussy-whipped)

Ok maybe you didn't fully forgive him until he showed you what his tongue piercing could do, but it was worth every moment.

Atsumu

Honestly, he was dared to sleep with the next girl who walked through the cafeteria door

And that just happens to bring you, miss. I remind the teacher there was homework

(Well he actually wasn’t really sure about that but that's what you looked like and he was already regretting his decision.)

In defense of him, your hair was in a messy bun and you had this teacher's pet aura around you

But he would be damned if he lost this bet to his brother and Suna, oh no

The moment he wa[lked up to your table you knew what was happening, and shut it down immediately

After that, you officially had his attention!

Lucky you!

Unlucky you for the fact that all he wanted to do was get in your pants.

But lucky you again because you could hold this over his head!

But one day you just woke up and chose dick (respectable)

So when atsumu did his daily “c'mon baby, you know you want some” you just stood up, scaring him

(he finally thought you were gonna kill him)

Instead, you grabbed him by the dick, literally grabbed his dick through his pants, and tugged him all the way to the roof

“Hey-hey baby, no need to be that rough”

“Shut up, Miya. pants down, now”

That was not where he thought that was going but he isn't going to complain.

“You want your dick wet so bad? Here you go!”

Honestly, he could die happy.

Not so sound gross, but you were slobbering around his cock like a pro. Now that left the thought, you had to have done this before.

You had hands on the back of his thighs pushing him further down your throat, hollowed cheeks, damn he should’ve done this was sooner

He was gonna cum-

And your mouth was gone, your hand was jerking him but that wasn't nearly as nice

“Lay back.”

Yes, yes he will do that. If what’s about to happen is what he thinks is about to happen  

And now your pussy was above his face. Ok a little detour but he’ll take it

You were literally dripping onto his face while he got to work, and you went back to sucking him off

Yup, heaven.

After you both came he made sure to tell you that that had to happen again.

And it did, you rode him to hell in the hole to heaven, and he couldn't help himself from telling the entire volleyball team about how good you were

Now he really didn't think about what would happen if the news got back to you

But he definitely didn't think that meant a whole week of nothing

Well nothing for him, you made sure to send him more than a few videos of rigid dildos and fingering yourself

A week of torture, but when it was finally over he had an entirely new folder of spanking material

he was sure about who he told about your escapades, as in he told himself and Osamu if he just wanted to vent

poor guy was paranoid now

#kurro x reader #kuroo smut #kuroo x reader smut #kuroo tetsurou x reader #kuroo tetsurou x reader smut #bokuto x reader #bokuto smut #bokuto x reader smut #bokuto koutarou x reader smut #bokuto koutarou x reader #iwaizumi x reader #iwazumi x reader #iwaizumi smut #iwaizumi x reader smut #iwaizumi haijime x reader #iwaizumi haijime x reader smut #konoha x reader #konoha smut #konoha x reader smut #atsumu x reader #atsumu smut #atsumu miya x reader #atsumu miya x reader smut #haikyuu smut #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x reader smut #terushima x reader #terushima x reader smut #terushima smut #terushima yuji x reader

[kurowrites]

entigral or just super fluff gym meet cute - uh butcher nmj? Librarian lxc? Children’s librarian lxc?

BEHOLD, I WROTE A NIELAN.

---

The new guy had been coming in regularly for around two weeks now, and seemed determined to become another permanent feature at this gym. Which was… good.

Nie Mingjue wasn’t proud to admit it, but he too had been very sceptical in the beginning, assuming that this new guy would come two or three times, realise that this just wasn’t the thing for him, and then stop coming for good. But then, he hadn’t looked at him with disdain like some other members of the gym (never that), and so had actually been relieved to see himself proven wrong. It had been two weeks, and the new guy still came in every other day, ready for another workout, with a friendly smile to spare for everyone that crossed paths with him. 

Today too, the new guy was here again against all previous expectation, and Nie Mingjue redoubled his efforts lifting weights as he carefully resisted the temptation to turn his head after the new guy had walked past him with a polite nod of his head. 

It was rude to stare, even at a gym like this, where the biggest dudes occasionally engaged in friendly competitions to determine who truly was the biggest and strongest of them. 

(Nie Mingjue wasn’t always the biggest, but he definitely was the strongest. It wasn’t bragging if it was the truth.)

The new guy wasn’t like that at all. Though his workout gear revealed toned shoulders and strong arms, he lacked the bulk that made guys like Nie Mingjue look so imposing. This new guy was built along slimmer lines. Still fit, but clearly not aiming for a bodybuilder look.

Some of the other guys had taken this to mean that he wasn’t very strong, and had scoffed behind his back. But they had quickly been taught better when Mr. Newbie had started lifting weights. 

The man could certainly lift. Like, really lift. 

Even Nie Mingjue had been impressed.

Nie Mingjue didn’t really dare to approach the man, though he couldn’t help but be curious about him. He was friendly, with mild, polite mannerisms that seemed to be so at odds with the way he trained; an intensity and focus that spoke of determination and a clear goal that he must have in mind. 

Whenever the man passed him by, he would nod at Nie Mingjue, and Nie Mingjue would nod back in acknowledgement. That had been the total of their interactions at the gym so far. He didn’t even know the man’s name. 

But even though Nie Mingjue didn’t know the man or his name, he couldn’t help but keep looking at him out of the corner of his eyes. Nie Mingjue kept watching him, fascinated by the seemingly effortless elegance that he brought to exercises that looked very different when the bros at the gym did them. Nie Mingjue tried not to notice how nice the man’s hair looked in a braided ponytail, or how nicely his shirt stretched over his chest while he lifted weights. He wasn’t supposed to be watching at all, after all. 

It was ridiculous, really. He was here to work on his own fitness, not ogle other men while they were training. 

With a disappointed huff, he chastised himself for letting himself be distracted like this in the middle of a training session, and returned to his exercises with even more effort. 

---

After finishing an intense training session that left no more room for idle thoughts of pretty men, Nie Mingjue headed back towards the changing room, his mind now occupied with the thought of showering. He quickly slipped out of his training gear and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water pour over him with a sense of relief and completion. 

He had just started to wash his hair when another person entered the shower. Looking towards the entrance, Nie Mingjue hastily averted his eyes, because the man entering the shower was no one other than the newbie, entering the communal shower completely naked (of course, it was a shower). He didn’t allow his eyes to linger, but one moment had been enough to ascertain that the man’s excellent physique extended to all parts of him. 

Now feeling distinctly less relaxed, Nie Mingjue hurried up with his shower and left hurriedly to get dressed. He was usually fine with being naked, and had no issue being around other naked guys, but being in the shower with a man like that… nothing to make you more self-conscious than a really attractive man. He was usually confident about his own appearance. Not right now, though. 

But Nie Mingjue didn’t have much more time than slip into his underwear and shorts. Just when he had sat down to slip into his socks, the new guy also returned to the changing room, now (thankfully) a towel slung around his hips. 

And Nie Mingjue, unable to check his impulse, looked up. And inadvertently locked eyes with the new guy, who was already smiling at him. 

“I think we haven’t been introduced yet,” the man said, and his voice was calm and smooth. Like one of these ASMR things that Huaisang had shown him once. “My name is Lan Huan.”

“Nie Mingjue,” Nie Mingjue replied, and couldn’t think of anything else to say. He fidgeted with his sock and added, “Nice to meet you.”

Lan Huan smiled again, as if there had been something amusing in his reply.

“You seem to be here rather often,” he observed.

“I like to let off steam after work,” Nie Mingjue answered. 

“Oh? What do you do?” Lan Huan asked. And then, as if sensing Nie Mingjue’s apprehension, he added, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Nie Mingjue sighed. He didn’t really like talking about this topic, because there were lots of… unprocessed emotions still there. 

“I had to take over my father’s business at a young age,” he eventually replied, his tone more curt than he’d really like it to be. “The business is doing well, but it’s a lot of hard work.”

“Ah,” Lan Huan answered, and smiled a sympathetic smile. “That is quite a big responsibility.”

He nodded once to himself, as if he understood what he was talking about. 

There was something so earnest about it that Nie Mingjue found himself asking a question of his own, without really thinking about it. 

“And what do you do?” 

Lan Huan smiled again, and this time, it was a joyful smile. 

“I am a librarian,” he announced. “I specialise in children’s books.”

Nie Mingjue raised an eyebrow almost against his will. Sure, that kind of job fit perfectly with his mild character, but was totally incongruent with the training that he did. 

“My family has a holistic approach to personal improvement,” Lan Huan explained, apparently interpreting Nie Mingjue’s look correctly. As if that actually explained anything. 

Lan Huan noticed his evident scepticism and chuckled. 

“My brother and I were encouraged to excel both in our academic studies and in martial arts when we were younger,” he added, pronouncing the ‘encouraged’ in a way that suggested that there had been little choice in the matter. “It’s different now, but the training has become a habit. I don’t use it to hunt down people that have late fees. Generally.”

That had Nie Mingjue laugh almost against his will. Damn the man, he was not only handsome, but also smart and funny. 

Completely out of Nie Mingjue’s league. 

“My father had never much left for academics,” he offered. “But he took me to the gym as soon as I was able to lift a dumbbell. And here we are.”

“Here we are, indeed,” Lan Huan replied with the sweet smile that Nie Mingjue was becoming accustomed to far too quickly. 

They were silent for a moment, and Nie Mingjue looked up at Lan Huan, trying not to notice the low-hanging towel or the very nice, toned chest above it. 

This man was everything that Nie Mingjue was not. Technically, he should have resented him for it. 

If only things were so easy. 

“So,” he said awkwardly, clearing his throat. “Are you in a hurry after this? I could go for some coffee.”

Lan Huan smiled again, and this time, there was something in his eyes that glittered with what might be private amusement. 

“I am more of a tea person,” he said. “But as things are, I am free after this.”

And with that, he turned around and walked to his own locker, on the other side of the room. 

Nie Mingjue tried not to stare too much at that very nice back. 

But these shoulders were definitely worth a look. 

He should, he mused as he distractedly pulled on his second sock, probably go to libraries more often. Maybe Lan Huan would have a few suggestions for him. Over tea. Or something.

#kuro writes #the untamed #mdzs #nie mingjue #lan xichen #nielan #idk man #I had fun with this but idk it it's any good #entigral

[manonblaqkbeak]

Among the Stacks

Back for Day 4-Librarians/Libraries, which I was super thrilled to see on the list, since I’m a certified library assistant and librarian technician and a big advocate for libraries in general and how important they are to society for a number of reasons!!!

This is just some wholesome fluff, most of these fics are (bc thats all i write lol) but i am preparing for a lil angst on the 10th ;)

Hope you all enjoy! :)

cw: none

1.5k words

There were many reasons why Aelin loved being a librarian technician and working at Orynth Public Library (of course there were reasons she very much disliked it, but the positives outweighed the negatives). The ever present scent of books was one, and the fact that she saved a ridiculous amount of money from borrowing books instead of buying them, as purchasing them became close to an addiction. The regular patrons that visited. Helping people with creating resumes and look for jobs because they couldn't afford laptops or computers at home, and looking for jobs on phones was annoying.

The overflowing suggestion box filled with ideas for books and ways to make the library more homely. Her comfortable office chair and her favourite cafe owned by a high school friend right around the corner, and the fact that Nesryn gave her discounts because she had set her up with her now-fiance Sartaq.

The laughter of babies and young children when it was story-time and the drawings that they created. The people that came to the library just to be somewhere else without feeling the pressure of having to spend money. The people that came sorely for the free WiFi and power-boards to charge their phones.

Working with her childhood friend and pseudo-sister Elide. And one very handsome and kind construction worker, Rowan Whitethorn.

Elide said that Aelin was in love with Rowan, with how she gushed over how pretty and intelligent he was, but Aelin denied that. It would be absurd to be in love with him. She just really liked him.

The only problem was she hadn't had the chance to ask him out on a date. She only saw him when he came in the library, and it was inappropriate to ask someone out while at work. There was also the fact that while he came here weekly, she wasn't sure if he was single, because surely someone that handsome had to be with someone.

But he hadn't mentioned any partners and Aelin didn't spot a ring, either on his finger or on a chain around his neck, but it still made Aelin hesitate.

Elide had told Aelin many times that when Rowan was here, he made 'heart eyes' when Aelin's back was turned. Aelin scoffed at the notion, but her heart flipped at that—Elide was freakishly observant and knew how to read people to a minuscule level.

Aelin was in the middle of covering the latest hardbacks, her mind completely focused on the task, when Elide said, typing away, “It's eleven A.M.”

Aelin looked at the large clock behind her and nodded. “That it is.”

A small smile was on Elide's lips, her dark eyes bright. “Just thought I'd let you know. Since a certain someone usually comes in around eleven-fifteen on Saturdays if he hasn't been here during the week.”

Elide could sometimes be as subtle as a brick to the head. Aelin finished the last book and cleaned her hands off with the hand sanitiser. She could feel her friends dark stare at the back of her head.

“I'm aware, thank you,” was all Aelin said.

If Aelin didn't ask Rowan out soon, Elide was going to do it for her—no matter how often Aelin repeated about the inappropriate aspect of it all.

Elide thought that was bullshit.

Telling her friend that she was going to put these books on the 'New Releases' shelf, Aelin once again focused on her task, straightening up other books as she went.

She had just finished up when a deep voice said behind her, “Good morning, Aelin.”

Smiling, she turned. “Good morning, Rowan.” She spotted his current read in his large hands. “How's the book going?”

He returned her smile. “Great. I was wondering if you had the sequel?”

“We should do, just follow me.” They had their usual conversations about their week, with Rowan telling her how a fellow worker had injured himself and how it had turned the whole production upside down. Apparently, his site manager was sweating buckets the entire time, fretting about paperwork more than anything else.

Aelin didn't envy his work at all. While there were chances for Aelin or others to hurt themselves in the library, the worst that had happened to Aelin in all her years here was a bruised foot after dropping a dictionary and the rare scolding she had received from her boss, Glennis, for not wearing the proper footwear. Her bruised foot was nothing compared to the torture of having to watch an hour long video about work health and safety the following morning.

As Aelin found the sequel, they stayed hidden among the stacks, talking about everything and nothing, with Aelin temporarily forgetting that she was at work and had other duties to attend to.

Because it was hard to remember what those duties were when she got lost in his dark green eyes. Especially when they trailed down the tattoo that started at his temple and down his neck, to his fingertips.

Aelin had never really been a fan about facial tattoos, but she really liked his. It suited him.

However, she was abruptly reminded of her job when she heard a young voice call out her name. It was one of her regular patrons, Evangeline, who was always here after school and on Saturdays tackling her homework and assignments. Her foster parents were negligent and didn't think that she needed a laptop to do her school work, since they didn't back in the “old days”, completely unaware that it was the digital age and laptops and computers were vital to get the work done.

Aelin excused herself, finding Evangeline flustered at her favourite spot, the desktop frozen and unaware of what to do. It was hard not to crush the girl into a hug when Aelin saw tears in her eyes, scared that she was going to get into trouble.

“Don't worry,” Aelin told the girl kindly, “it'll be okay. Sometimes computers get grumpy and have temper tantrums but I just know the right way to fix it.”

Unaware that Rowan left the stacks, she missed his soft smile as he watched her work her magic, instructing Evangeline step by step what to do if it happened again.

He made his way to the front desk, where Elide was still furiously typing away, muttering underneath her breath about cataloging.

Deciding that it would best to leave her to it and use the self-serve machine, Elide cleared her throat, catching his attention, and said, “Aelin's single.”

Elide was sick of watching them dance around each other. She understood Aelin's hesitancy, she did, but if she had to watch them flutter their eyes at each other one more time, she was going to lose it.

And Elide was aware that Rowan was aware of why Aelin hadn't asked him out, and that he didn't want to appear inappropriate and ask Aelin out while she was at work. Elide respected for it, truthfully.

So Elide had decided to do it herself, inappropriateness be damned.

Rowan blinked, and blinked again, clearly unsure what to say or do. He came back over to her desk, tattooed hand striking against the plain book cover.

But he recollected himself, and asked, “Does she suffer from hay-fever?”

“No. And once she's done helping Evangeline over there, she'll be going to her favourite cafe for her late morning caffeine fix.”

Rowan nodded, his mind already on what flowers he would buy for her. She had a small Kingsflame tattoo on her wrist and told him it was her favourite flower when he asked her about it weeks ago. “Thank you, Elide.”

Elide simply smiled and reached for his book as Aelin came around, talking to the both of them, when Rowan asked if they knew of any good cafes.

It was good that he was finally taking that step, but Elide had to stop herself from laughing at how completely unsubtle the question was. Elide was already prepared for when Aelin would ask her later what happened between them.

But Aelin smiled and told him of her favourite place and they left together.

X X X X X X

Aelin ordered her usual, a caramel macchiato with two shots, and Rowan ordered a flat white with soy milk (he suffered from lactose intolerance, which Aelin would hate if that was her, because she had once tried lactose free chocolate and it was dreadful).

Rowan pulled out her chair when they sat out front, taking a seat across from her. Her heart flipped at the sweet gesture.

“I was wondering,” he started off with, his eyes staring unflinchingly into hers, “if you'd like to go out on a date sometime?”

Aelin didn't even think twice before accepting and they planned it out right there, exchanging numbers at the end of it. He walked her back to the library, a small smile on both their lips.

From the smile that Elide gave her when she returned, Aelin knew she was involved—and not at all surprised—and at that moment, Aelin was very happy to have a friend like Elide.

And for her date that very night with Rowan.

#rowaelin #rowaelinmonth #my work

[avatarvyakara]

Strands of Webbing

A Spiderverse Fanfic

Prompts 109-120

“Earth-65”

First | Previous | Next

109. Ballad

Everything in Gwen’s world is a little bit muted, a little bit soft. Pinks and purples abound, and music drifts just beyond hearing—sounds doppler quickly into a kind of background texture. Normally the only time anything becomes clear—and it’s the same for everyone she knows—is when there’s time spent in a song or story. Gwen discovers that at an early age, how things come into perfect clarity when she’s hitting the drums or going through a ballet routine. She never wants it to stop.

And becoming Spider-Woman? That just means things are in focus more often than not now, even when she’s not drumming or dancing. She sees the world clearly.

Gwen’s got a song of her own, now.

110. Trigger

“You just hit them hard enough in the right spot, they turn back!” explains Peni, jumping high and sinking a punch right into the oversized bulge hanging beneath the giant green flying kaiju. It lets out a screech that turns into a squawk, and falls down, and she lands with the surprising grace of a forest ape. “Somewhere with a lot of pressure nerves, it tickles them and they stop being angry. The trick is to lure them away from major population centres—”

“What made them turn into this?” Gwen asks her counterpart.

Peni shrugs. SP//dr does too. “That’s still unclear. Mostly gamma bombs, but there was some chemical sludge produced in the Twelfth Certified Republican Democracy of the Congo that had a slightly different effect. You have to physically hurt them to change them back.” SP//dr looks sad. “I hate fighting those. It’s not their fault.”

The notes are impressive, and extensive. The chemical formula doesn’t rewrite DNA so much as it overrides it. Initiates a reaction, outward in, and creates a kind of regenerative shell around the person. Any injuries or illnesses obtained prior to the shell state are repaired—anything from acne to cancer to missing limbs—but any sustained during the state need another dose of formula to fix. Briefly turning someone into a giant lizard is apparently an unavoidable but mitigable side-effect.

This is research that could have put Peter into the history books and not just on the list of obituaries. But—

There’s a page on mental effects. After blabbering for a while about regeneration capacity and “lizard-brain” enlargement “to the possible detriment of higher-brain functions”, it ends in a scrawled note: Either I become a super-genius or Spider-Woman has to tow me around by the tail. And then, in an angrier scribble that bites into the paper and looks like it was made later: REWARD WORTH THE RISK.

Gwen photographs them with Peter’s old camera and hides the memory card with the pictures on it, just in case. Then she takes a match and burns the lot.

“I’d hate fighting them too.”

She spends just a little less time in Peni’s world after that.

111. Librarian

"Okay. So you're…an orang-utan."

A nod.

"And you're also a college professor."

Another nod.

"And you're not quite sure how you got here, or why you're an orang-utan."

A shrug.

"Or why you've been holding up a bank for the past five hours?"

A shaken head.

"I mean, there's a grocery store, like, two blocks down."

Bared teeth.

"Just a bad joke. You wanna change back into a human?"

A despondent shrug.

"…you're not Doctor Angus, are you? The guy who does tours of the biology lab for high school kids?"

A helpless look.

"Sorry, it's just…Doctorangutan would be a terrible name."

Head buried in hands.

"Hey, it's okay…sir. I might have some people I can introduce you to to help. Well. One guy. He's a pig. Does that bother you?"

Another shrug.

"Sit tight, sir, I got this. Ham? Sorry to call like this, but I'm sitting at the junction of Steinway and Broadway with a depressed orang-utan in a monkey suit and I could use a hand and god that sounds weird."

"You mean ape-suit. It's a class thing."

"Just get over here."

112. Detached

The Spider-Sense has this odd habit of kicking in in two ways. Gwen’s come to think of it as the “Here-and-Now” sense and the “Where and When” sense. The first sounds like a whir and is short-term, easy to work with, lets her know which way to move within the next few seconds. The second sounds like a drumroll and is long-term, good for planning and investigation but completely useless for working out what to do when she gets there.

It also means she doesn’t really think about her actions, bar the adrenaline rush, until later.

The Here-and-Now sense told her to jump here and to kick now and she won and she killed Peter.

And then, fifteen months later, the Where-and-When sense told her Visions-Academy and Three-Days’-Time and she found Miles and she let another Peter die.

The Spider-Sense protects her. Not her heart.

113. Cephalopoda

“So!” says Spider-Woman, pinned under a metal arm and a plastic one. “Doc Ock, meet...Doc Ock.”

Rosie frowns at her counterpart.

“...you’re actually from another universe?” she asks.

“I’m gonna go with ‘yes’ on that one,” says...well, Doc Ock. “Wanna see me glitch? Hey, are you an Olivia too?”

Rosie shakes her head. “Rosie Octavius.”

Olivia snaps her fingers. “Rosie, right! I knew a Rosalie Murphy back in university, I thought you looked familiar.”

“That’s where I met Otto.”

Now Olivia frowns. “I was a man here? Boy, that’s a weird feeling.”

“Kind of a bit strange for me, too. You look...similar. Really similar. You could have been brother and sister.” Rosie’s started to reach out, and realizes what she’s doing with a blush.

Olivia grins. “Hey, you wanna show me around town?”

Rosie shrugs. “Not likely. Still kind of a wanted felon at the moment.”

“Ooh, how many people did you kill?”

(Why would Ot—Olivia be excited by that?)

“...one.”

Olivia stops short. “...ah.”

“Long story.”

“Lemme just kill this Spider real quick and we can get right to it.”

“Hey, no, no, my universe, my Spider. I get to kill her first.”

Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip-WHAM.

“Sorry, ladies,” says Spider-Woman, while Rosie slips into unconsciousness and Olivia growls. “But hey, prison cafeteria’s nearly as good as a coffee date, right?”

114. Loonie

"Do you take ones?" she asks, bringing out her wallet.

Mr. Lee grins at her. "Normally, yes. But not those kinds of ones."

"…ah. Gimme a minute."

* * *

"Whaddya mean you use bills for a single dollar?"

"You don't?" asks Peter. Miles looks just as dumbfounded.

"It was a resource-saving measure back in the eighties! Everyone uses eyeballs these days."

"…but not…actual eyeballs, right?"

"No! It's just because of the pyramid with the floating eye on one side of the coin, right? So everyone calls them eyeballs." She shudders. "Which led to one really crazy sicko who called himself Loose Change…"

"I gotta say—your world is weird."

"Miles, in your world the cent has been out of circulation for the past forty years and the price of a burger is basically a down payment on a Staten Island doghouse. You do not get to comment."

115. Observant

Of course George Stacy knows. Of course he disapproves. And of course he's going to stop her. Gwen is his daughter, and she's all he has left of her mother, and everything he has of Gwen. And she could do so much…

But she is doing so much.

He'll stop her tomorrow. Today, he'll make sure she keeps herself well-fed, and does her schoolwork properly, and makes it very clear when he leaves the house what route he's going to be taking so Spider-Woman can keep well out of his way. And lets her know, every day, just how proud he is of her, and how that’s never going to change.

He'll stop her tomorrow. Today, he can keep her safe, just like she keeps him safe. Today, he lies to spare her grief, like she lies to spare him culpability.

(Justice runs in the family. And so does mercy.)

116. Gelato

If most of the Peter Parkers go to Peter B, and most of the future Spiders go to Peni, then most of the Spider-Women of various sorts visit Gwen’s world. There’s got an ice-cream parlour called the Snow Queen on the north end of 147th Street that’s usually good for chats, and Mr. Lee gives her a discount. (Sweet old guy no matter what reality he’s in, that one.)

Gwen is slightly perturbed, not by the fact that everyone comes to see her, but by the fact that basically nobody has ever had quandong sorbet, which is her favourite. (Then again, Miles’ world apparently never had boysenberries, so that’s something.)

117. Contradiction

DID SPIDER-WOMAN TAKE THE FALL FOR PETER PARKER?

NEW SECRETS REVEALED: “SCIENCE GENIUS” ABUSIVE BOYFRIEND, TOOK CREDIT FOR FEMALE CLASSMATE’S RESEARCH

“You’re actually reading those lies?” she snarls.

Her classmate looks surprised, then sympathetic. “I know it’s a shock, but facts are facts. He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it just because he got himself killed in a drunken brawl. You couldn’t possibly have known what he was like, anyway.”

She counts to ten. Then, very carefully and with great presence of mind and complete absence of sympathy, she lets loose.

Gwen is all for bringing scum to light and not letting men abuse women through a decrepit old power structure. And she’d like, very much, to not be on her dad’s watchlist, or anyone else’s, for doing her job.

But there are better ways to make that happen than spitting on a corpse.

118. Concert

“They’re not bad,” says Retro, through a hot dog and thus somewhat indistinctly.

Noir is standing in one place stubbornly pressing a pair of earmuffs over his ears, but he’s watching nonetheless. Peni’s happily bopping along to the music—this must be like old folk tunes for her, Peter reflects.

Miles, Peter notes, hasn’t taken his eyes off the band for a second, and hasn’t stopped grinning either.

(Peter, in case you’re wondering, is the guy sitting on Noir’s shoulder holding the video camera.)

The Mary Janes finish with a thunderously complicated drum solo, which blends into the crowd’s applause.

119. Acknowledgement

"You don't have to do this," says Miles, quietly. "It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't his."

"I know. But…I want to. I've wanted to for a long time. And now there's a way to do it."

* * *

"And why would I agree to this?" says John, carefully. It's late, but he's working late. The Bugle doesn't sleep, and since his son left home he's been here more and more. And there’s a spider in his office.

Spider-Woman tosses the most recent copy of the New York Postman next to the contract she’s put down on his desk. The headline starting DID SPIDER-WOMAN screams out in blood-red ink. John suppresses the urge to bat it away.

"Because, J. Jonah Jameson, I looked you up. No Pulitzer, but you did get the George Polk for covering the Second Korean War. You don't always get it right—actually you've gotten several things completely wrong—but you try. You've been targeting me because you think I'm a murderer and outside the law, but you slam the villains I have to fight just as bad. And now someone's trying to use my name to smear a dead boy's life, and they'll get away with it because that's the sort of story the public wants to hear. The media thinks I'm a criminal, the public thinks I'm a hero, and now the media's trying to get around their mistakes by taking it out on someone else. That’s not happening. Not today."

John grits his teeth in sympathy. (Used to be a good paper, the Postman, before Dexter Bennett turned it into a scandal sheet.)

"Still," he points out, "the media's trying to get you around to their side now, right? So why not leave it at that? You're gonna sabotage your own popularity? Your own chance at being cleared by the public?"

Spider-Woman sighs. It's an old sigh. She seems old. But she sounds young, and she looks young. …just how young?

"I just want to do my job safely," she says. "But I'm not going to let them drag my friend's name through the mud for that to happen. So here's your offer, Mister Jameson. One exclusive interview with the Spider-Woman, no holds barred…and no mask." It sounds like she's had to argue with herself about that. "You print it, and you get to do whatever the hell you want with it. But the truth should be out there."

"The truth should be out there," John growls, clenching his fists. "And I'll make it happen, Mister Katrobousis. Even if I have to go to The Alternative to get it printed."

"You're putting your career in my hands, young lady," he warns her, solemnly. "And likely your life."

"My life was going to go downhill the minute the truth came out anyway," she replies. "But…it helps to think that there are worlds where this could have gone differently."

John sighs. "Gimme a minute."

He signs the contract. He gets two glasses of water from the cooler outside the office door. He sits back down.

Spider-Woman has signed.

She pulls back her hood, and takes off her mask.

120. Editorial

The trouble with the truth, the story in the morning paper begins, is not that it's easy to put out. It's not, but that's just a matter of time and effort. But once the truth is out, it's the hardest thing in the world to stop lies from crowding around it and making it their own. You can take any situation and, with the right words and the right insinuations, turn a demon into an angel, or God into the Devil. You try to find one simple piece of the truth—but if you care about the truth then you can't stop at just one. Not if you want the whole story.

The Daily Bugle has written a great deal about the death of Peter Parker, and the criminal actions of the vigilante Spider-Woman. Those are truths. Peter Parker is dead, and Spider-Woman killed him. Peter Parker was not abusive, nor a thief. But Spider-Woman is not a murderer. Peter Parker was a bullied, broken boy. The Lizard was a monster who'd already injured several dozen people by the time Spider-Woman caught up with him. And Spider-Woman was a young heroine, fighting an assailant and not knowing her own strength. Between the Spider and the Lizard, a boy got caught in the crossfire. Photographic evidence of this was presented to the Bugle this Sunday evening. Evidence which the Bugle has sent to the police to be verified, and hopefully can be used to clear the names of two people in one go. Some truths—and some stories—attract too many lies.

What do we know about Spider-Woman? She acts outside of the law to exact justice on others. Many have remarked on her grace and agility, just as they have on her strength and courage. But what people tend not to acknowledge is the fact that she wears a mask. It could be anyone behind those white eyes. Any person in this city could be the one leading stray kids home, or blocking up traffic with an unconscious Rhino. Anyone could have that potential, to leap between buildings and sneak into hidden spaces and spy on the world. Anyone could attract any number of criminals to their door, hoping to bag New York's unwanted saviour for the sake of their pride.

Anyone could have that potential. One woman does.

The mask isn't for her—it's for us.

And The Daily Bugle, in searching for the truth, has no wish to further implicate itself in a lie.

Spider-Woman is a menace behind a mask. She is a menace because of what she could always become, if she wanted to, with nobody knowing who she is. But after three years, she has also proven herself to be one of the bravest people in New York. That doesn't mean we need a new villain to take her place. It means we just have to accept the heroine we always had. Let the neighbourhood Spider-Woman get on with her job, and get on with our lives.

We remember the dead. We honour the living. And guess what? You can do both, without even breaking a sweat.

This is J. Jonah Jameson, promising to tell the truth and nothing but the truth—and to remember that you can never really know the whole truth, and should never, ever presume to.

Gwen's dad hugs her tight enough to burst.

#spiderman into the spiderverse #spiderman across the spiderverse #spiderman #gwen stacy #peni parker #kaiju #peter parker #discworld #librarian #peter porker #spider ham #doc ock #rosie octavius #olivia octavius #peter b parker #miles morales #peter benjamin parker #spider man noir #j jonah jameson #daily bugle #fanfic #one shot collection

[ddixons-angel]

A Great Team

Requested by Anonymous and @coralscanvas​

I hope you don’t mind that I combined these requests since there was an overlap in the prompts and I found a way to incorporate the scenes you wanted together so I hope you like it! Also, I’m sorry this took super duper long!! Please let me know what you thought on it! ^^

Prompts:  12. “Please stop poking me.” & 14. “We work great together! I’m like Batman and you’re my Robin!” & 15. “You’re being ridiculous, how hard can this be?” & 17. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that you spoke Walker!” & 19. “Nope, sorry, I don’t speak bullshit.” & 22. “I never knew I mattered this much to you.”

Pre-Season 4; Prison Era

Sarcastic and funny Reader goes on a run with Daryl; she likes to bug him and make him laugh but while on the run, she ends up hurt. 

Going on supply runs was not a new thing at the end of the world, it was a need to survive. It just proved to be more difficult as more time went by since places would be already raided. Outside your community was always dangerous, whether it be the walkers that roamed aimlessly or people who just wanted what you had. You knew this when you resided in Woodbury, and it all still proved to be true when you got to the prison after the Governor had abandoned the place. 

You had made yourself a very important part of the prison, always trying to help out either with being on watch or going on runs. You knew you didn’t have to, but you wanted to help these people. You knew they weren’t bad people just because you were on the opposite side of the battlefield, they were just protecting their home, their people; and those people also became your people. You believed that just because someone didn’t seem like a good person, didn’t always mean they weren’t a good person. That proved to be true since you had become good friends with Merle Dixon. 

As you were the librarian back in Woodbury, you had just surrounded yourself with books, mainly comics, and surprisingly, Merle would join you every once in a while since he liked your personality. Or rather, he liked how you didn’t take shit from people and never let anyone get their way with you. He’d amuse himself with conversations with you, bickering about everything and anything, but that was just harmless banter. He enjoyed your humorous remarks and sarcastic retorts to whatever he had to say.

“Oh, my brother woulda loved you,” you would always hear Merle say, and when you first met him, you told yourself that Merle was just bullshitting you. 

Daryl Dixon didn’t seem like the type of person who trusted or “loved” anyone, at least not when you first met him. He was always quiet and to himself, never looking anyone straight in the eye unless they were from his original group. You didn’t plan to try to get to know the man or even have any kind of conversation with him until you learned from Michonne what happened to Merle. He was killed by the Governor. He was your friend and he died; that hurt you more than you thought it ever would. However, you knew that whatever pain you were going through, it would never compare to how Daryl would be feeling and so you take it upon yourself to talk to him and make sure he was okay. 

At first it was hard to get Daryl to talk to you, he brushed you off, told you to leave him alone, and of course, he snapped at you when you mentioned his brother. That didn’t scare you away though, if Merle wasn’t able to scare you away, there was no chance Daryl could. You kept trying to get him to open up, using the same kinds of jokes Merle used to laugh at. You thought that since they were brothers, they would have the same humor. As it turns out, you were right. It didn’t show immediately at first, but Daryl was slowly opening up to you as you kept trying to make him laugh with silly jokes. The man barely ever smiled around you, and so the first time he did, the beautiful smile changed everything for you. 

That smile was why you were out in the woods now, walking alongside Daryl after hiding his bike away in a shroud of bushes. He wanted to go on a run alone, bring back food for the many mouths at the prison, but you weren’t having it. After spending close to everyday with Daryl, you found that you’d already fallen for him. You didn’t want him out in the woods alone no matter how well you knew that he could handle his own. 

“What the hell ‘re ya doin’...?” Daryl says as he glances at you.

“Well, if you’re not going to talk to me, I might as well make a new friend,” you say, holding up the rock you’d picked up from the ground, “meet Rocky.”

Daryl scoffs and rolls his eyes as he walks quicker. You eye him when he doesn’t respond to your joke, jogging to catch up with him again. The two of you had been walking for over twenty minutes but Daryl had barely said a word to you, not even his infamous grunts. 

“Please stop pokin’ me,” Daryl says after a few minutes; you’d been poking his arm for a a while.

“Oh, he speaks!” you say sarcastically, earning you another scoff.

“How d’ya expect us to catch anythin’ if ya keep talkin’? Scarin’ away any game.” Daryl mutters. 

“Do you really expect me to believe that that’s why you’re not talking to me?” you call him out, “we’ve caught a deer and then some and I’ve been so much louder, you too.”

“Yeah, we coulda caught more too if ya jus’ shut up,” Daryl retorts.

“What’s wrong, Daryl? Seriously,” you say, stopping in your tracks while Daryl only stops to look at you when he realizes you aren’t walking with him anymore, “Don’t think I can’t tell when something’s bothering you, now tell me.”

“Ain’ nothin’ botherin’ me, now le’s jus’ go.” Daryl says, turning around to walk again.

You sigh at this, “yeah... nope, sorry I don’t speak bullshit.”

You jog up to catch up to him again and you’re about to speak when he puts his hand up to stop you, and you don’t have to ask why. The next thing you two heard was snarling from all around you. Without a second thought, the two of you make a run for it. From the sounds of it, there were too many walkers to fight. You run for a while until Daryl deems it clear.

“Ya know...” Daryl starts, panting from all the running, “they only knew where we were... ‘cause ya kept blabbin’.”

You eye him, still panting, “oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you spoke Walker!”

“I don’t, jus’ pointin’ out the obvious,” Daryl grumbles, he then looks up at the sky, “it’s gettin’ late, should find a place to make camp.”

You sigh and nod, deciding not to fight him on the issue or who’s fault it was that you two nearly got caught in a herd of walkers. Daryl had collected wood for a fire while you tied up a string with cans as your alert system around your temporary camp. After Daryl had returned with enough wood for a small campfire, he was now trying to get it to light. However, he seemed to be having some trouble since the pile of wood did not seem to be lighting. 

“Dammit!” Daryl says in frustration, throwing the sticks he had in his hand back into the pile of wood. 

You have to stop yourself from chuckling at his reaction since you knew he was frustrated, “here, let me try.”

“Nah, ya won’t get it,” Daryl says, picking up another two sticks to try again, “ain’ as easy as it looks.”

You roll your eyes at him and take the sticks from him, “you’re being ridiculous, how hard can this be?”

Daryl huffs but lets you try to light the fire. You furrow your brows together when it doesn’t seem to be working. You pick up a bigger piece of wood and ask Daryl to help you hold it while you rub another stick on it. You break into a grin when you finally see a bit of smoke rising from the wood and then a small flame. 

“See? Wasn’t hard at all,” you say proudly, leaning back and smiling at him.

“Yeah, ya jus’ needed my help,” Daryl says, the smallest of smirks on his lips but you’re happy to see it. 

“Hmm... I guess, yeah, we do make a pretty great team.” you say, a cheeky grin on your face, “We work great together! I’m like Batman... and you’re my Robin!”

Daryl gawks at you after registering your words, and something changes in him, “you’re wrong on that...”

You notice this change in his tone, it worries you, it even scares you slightly, but you try to brush it off and joke with him like you always do, “wrong about... you being Robin?”

“Nah... ‘bout us bein’ a great team... we ain’t.” Daryl says, looking away from you.

“What?” you frown, that was not what you expected to hear at all.

“You’re too damn loud... always talkin’... makin’ everythin’ a joke, like everythin’s jus’ a big game... ya don’ take anythin’ seriously...” Daryl says, and every word is like an arrow to your heart.

“So I was what’s bothering you, is that it?” you scoff, trying to keep the tears that welled up in your eyes from falling, “well, why the hell didn’t you just say so?”

“Told ya I didn’ want ya out here...” Daryl mutters, his eyes avoiding yours. 

You let out a shaky sigh as you stare at him in disbelief. You wanted to get up and go, run away from him if he had a problem with you, but you knew you couldn’t. It was getting late, you’d already set up a camp and if you left now, Daryl would chase you down. Regardless of what he said, he’d never let you go out in the middle of the woods in the dark, that just wasn’t him. So, you just stay put. Without saying anything else, you lie down and turn so that you’re back is to him. You were upset at what he said, pissed off, but mostly hurt. He completely brushed off the fact that you two fought side by side like the perfect duo, you two were a great team, you always had each other’s backs. You’d both saved each other’s lives countless times, but apparently that didn’t matter to Daryl since all you did was joke around. 

The hurt and anger you felt for Daryl lingered until the morning and you were sure he knew it as well since neither of you said anything to each other as you packed up your things. You two walk along a road you’d found in silence, keeping an eye out for any animals or places you could search. You weren’t walking alongside Daryl though, you were a few steps ahead of him while he stayed back. He definitely sensed that you were pissed at him so he seemed to play it safe and give you some distance. 

“Hey,” Daryl calls out, making you turn around to face him.

Your face told him that you were still going to ignore him but he seems to brush it off as he gestures over to the side. You look in that direction and furrow your brows. There was a building, it looked to be a store of some sort. The two of you look at each other then go towards the building without another word. You slow your steps once you’re closer to the building, you have your gun raised and ready to fire as Daryl taps on the window to call out any walkers that were inside. 

“Seems clear,” Daryl says after a few minutes of silence. 

You nod; you were still persistent on not saying a single word to him. Daryl realizes this as well as he sighs then goes over to pull open the door to the store. This wasn’t your first run together so you knew the protocol. It was no surprise that the shelves of the store were empty and had all been ransacked by whoever had come before you. 

“Place has been wiped clean,” Daryl says as he makes his way back to you. 

You nod but then your eyes land on a door with a sign that read ‘Storage’. You walk towards it; if the store was empty, there was still a chance that the storage room might still have supplies. It was a long shot but the people who ran through here might not have thought to go through the storage room. 

“Hey, wait a second!” Daryl calls out but you had already listened to your instinct and opened the door. 

That was the wrong move. 

“Shit!” you cry out, backing up as walkers flooded out of the storage room.

You feel Daryl’s hand on your arm, pulling you away from the bloodthirsty herd as you shoot at them with your handgun. Daryl grunts as he yanks you away, making sure that you were behind him.

“C’mon! Let’s go!” Daryl shouts at you while he shoots at the herd with his crossbow, “get outta here, I’ll hold’em off!”

 “No!” you shout back, “I’m not leaving you here, we go together!”

No matter how mad or upset you were at him, you were never going to leave Daryl behind. You analyze your current situation: walkers were flooding out of the storage room and were blocking your way from the closest exit. You needed to block off the walkers so that you could make it out of the store without them following behind you. You knew where Daryl’s bike was but you needed to make your way back to it without leading the herd back. 

“The hell are ya waitin’ for?! I said go!” Daryl yells, frantic.

He’d already strapped his crossbow back on his shoulder and pulled out his knives to kill the walkers. You look at the shelves of the store and realise that they weren’t connected to the ground. You could push them. That’s how you would block the herd and get the both of you out of there. Without another word, you dash away towards one of the nearest shelves. You push the shelf towards the herd, thankfully it was light enough since it was empty. Daryl shouts at you disapprovingly when he sees that you haven’t left but once he realizes what you were doing, he rushes to the next shelf to do the same. Soon enough, you two had made a barricade of shelves between you and the walkers. 

“Pretty good idea,” Daryl says, a small smirk on his face; you assumed he was trying to win your forgiveness with compliments. 

“Of course it was, it was my idea.” you say without looking at him. 

“C’mon, let’s get outta here,” he says as he leads the way out. 

You nod with a sigh then when you’re about to turn to follow him, an arrow on the ground near the shelves catches your eye. You decide to go and pick it up since you needed all of your resources even if Daryl could make his own anytime he wanted to. Once your hand touches the arrow, you notice the shelf in front of you moving, about to tip over. You gasp in surprise and try to dash out of the falling shelf but cry out in pain when you feel a crushing pain on your ankle. You’d almost made it, but your ankle had got caught under the shelf. 

“Y/N!” you hear Daryl shout as he runs towards you. 

There was another layer of shelves between you and the walkers so that gave Daryl enough clearance to lift the shelf up so you could get free. Without speaking, he picks you up bridal style and runs out of the store with you and if you weren’t in pain from your probably broken ankle, you’d be blushing since you were in Daryl’s arms. 

The store wasn’t too far from where you and Daryl had left his bike so he was able to carry you there within the hour. You had tried to get Daryl to put you down but after his piercing glare at you, you decided to let him do what he wanted. He was angry at you, although you didn’t know why; you were the one who was hurt, afterall. 

“You want to tell me why you’re mad at me?” you ask him once he seats you on his bike. 

Daryl was crouched down, looking at your ankle to determine the damage. He doesn’t look up at you though, he doesn’t respond to your question either. You frown at him as he just completely ignores you, as if you hadn’t even spoken. 

“Hello? Earth to Daryl?” you call out, then you huff in frustration, “I’m the one who’s hurt, okay?! If anyone should be mad, it’s me! At least tell me what the hell I did-”

“I told ya to go!” Daryl snaps at you, “I told ya to leave, to get outta that damn place! But ya never listen! Ya stayed wit’ me... came up with tha’ damn plan an’ tha’s how ya got hurt!”

“If I didn’t stay... I didn’t do what I did, you would have become part of that herd!” you shout back at him. 

“Then ya let me!” he yells, his body shaking as if he’s about to break down, “ya don’t come back for me... ya don’t go outta yer way to save me... not you... I can’t lose you too...”

Your heart breaks at his words. You finally realize why he got so worked up, why he never wanted you to go on runs with him, why he seemed so cold after you hurt your ankle. He didn’t want to lose anyone else, more specifically, he didn’t want to lose you. The thought of losing you destroyed him and this was written all over his face. 

“I’m sorry...” you say, reaching out to pull him towards you, “I’m sorry... I should have been more careful.”

You let Daryl cry in your embrace. You don’t remember ever seeing him cry, not even when you tried to talk to him about Merle. You figured this was a good time to let him let out all of his emotions that had been pent up. Daryl pulls away from you after a few minutes, you thought he would be embarrassed that he had cried to you but to your surprise, he was looking into your eyes. 

“Can ya promise me somethin’?” Daryl starts, his voice soft, “can ya stop goin’ on runs?”

“Why?” you ask, although you were sure you knew the answer.

“‘Cause you’re a part o’ me I don’ wanna lose.” Daryl says.

This man just keeps on surprising you, from his actions to his words. Your heart flutters and you smile at him.

“I never knew I mattered this much to you,” you say.

You aren’t able to control yourself when you lean in to kiss his lips gently. You feel Daryl freeze momentarily at your actions and you pull away, afraid that you may have upset him with your boldness. 

“Sorry...” you whisper, “sorry I...”

“‘Ts okay,” he says with a faint smile, “‘m gonna take that as ya sayin’ yes though, to my promise.”

You chuckle then bat your eyelashes at him, “then... can I say it one more time?”

Daryl scoffs playfully, “later, we should head back, let Hershel take a look at yer ankle.”

“Okay,” you say with a smile. 

You scoot back on the bike and Daryl gets on in front of you. Although the run didn’t go as smoothly or as planned, things were even better than you imagined. You knew that Daryl would have to go on more runs in the very near future, but knowing how much you affected him now, you were sure you could convince him not go alone anymore. Either that or you could just threaten him that you’d follow him out if he ever went out alone. 

---

I hope you all enjoyed this! Please let me know what you think, especially of the super long intro, that seems to be my thing now xD 

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