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#but dent needs a vacation
monstroum · 1 year
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‘   𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸𝚃 𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚆𝚂, 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚆𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙸𝚃’𝚂 𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚆𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙸𝚃 𝚆𝙸𝙻𝙻 𝙻𝙸𝙺𝙴𝙻𝚈 𝙺𝙸𝙻𝙻 𝚈𝙾𝚄...   ‘ / 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝚅𝙴𝚈
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dent’s eyebrow’s shot up. the woman sitting across from him had just witnessed to a heated phone call ( embarrassing to say the least , to lose his temper in front of someone who was less than an acquittance to him ) between him and an arkham spokesperson. her observation, however, had caught harvey off guard. something about it felt ominous and the district attorney couldn’t help but wonder if ms. albright was trying to threaten him. a cog in his brain, rusty and faulty, clicked the wrong way; perhaps he ought to bare his teeth at her, bark something back, SHOW HER THAT HE WAS NOT TO BE MESSED WITH. but harvey sat back and slid one of his hands into one of his blazer’s pockets.
there she was ; a silver dollar .
          the moment he brushed his thumb over the coin, that ugly thought was tamed. lately it had become hard to ignore that part of him   ──   a violent fury dent had, no doubt, inherited from his father’s side. but he dealt with it the only way he knew how; by putting on his best vote-winning smile and deescalating.   “  ──  perhaps you ought to look into changing your major, ms. albright. you certainly seem to have a future in the psychiatric field . ”   he joked. harvey dent looked comfortable in his office chair, but in the depths of his pocket, his fingers continued to nervously turn and squeeze that coin. HIS COIN.    “ i’m sorry you had to hear that. i’m, uh, ”   his smile faltered for a second. “ i’ve got it under control . ” but, just like that, it came back, wide and confident and warm, dent looked like a guy you could trust your life with. a moment of silence arose between them as dent looked into becky’s hazel eyes. 
        “ you want anything? water? coffee? ”
@fearthanked​
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deadsetobsessions · 4 months
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Danny’s Wayne adoption bait. The guy that owns the bodega knows it. Everyone and their mothers knows it. Danny, on the other hand, had no clue. To be fair, he had just crash landed in this dimension a week ago and his back was still sore from the weird design the car had.
(It’s only three weeks of homelessness later does Danny realize that he crash landed on the Batmobile. Whoops. Oh well. He’ll blame it on Clockwork if the vigilante asks after repair costs.)
(Bruce, on the other hand, is scouring the streets for this kid the car cams caught- oddly static filled footage- because his mind jumped to the worst case scenarios: a suicidal meta or a meta being threatened or a meta in a trafficking scheme or even worse all three at once and Bruce just can’t because there is a child in danger, he doesn’t have time to sleep.)
Danny rubbed at his back, eyes going watery at the memory. Sure, his wounds have healed over by now but the- heh- phantom pain is no joke. He shuddered, huddling closer to his threadbare hoodie. His only saving grace from getting jumped while walking the streets of Gotham at night is his invisibility and intangibility. Also, he’s floating, so “walking” doesn’t apply to him.
He’s gotta check on the kid he saved yesterday from a mugging, so Danny hurried along to the depilated apartment complex the kid was squatting in. Turning visible and tangible as he turns the corner, Danny glanced around for Amy.
“Danny!”
“Hey, kiddo. Doing alright?”
“Yeah! Come meet my gang!”
Danny felt his eyebrows rise to form Jazz’s exasperated look. Ouch. Waving the pain of losing Jazz away, Danny smiled at the excited girl.
“A gang? I wasn’t aware I was being brought to your almighty group.”
“Yeah! Uh, you actually helped a bunch of us so…”
Danny thought back to all those times he punted crooks away from robbing kids and shrugged. Yeah, what Amy said was likely.
“Kay, kiddo.”
She scowled, and Danny didn’t have the heart to tell her it looked more like a pout.
“You’re just a teenager.”
“Well, you’re a just a kid.”
Danny cackled as she chased him down the street, trying to kick his shins.
Life is good, even if he’s homeless and hungry.
——
“Jason.”
“Old man.” Jason mocks back, pausing his tasks. He waits as Bruce struggles to put his thoughts and feelings into words.
“There’s… a meta.”
“In Gotham?” Jason tilts back, hands halfway to his guns as a silent offer. Bruce shakes his head.
“A child. In Crime Alley.”
“In my turf?” Jason’s disquieting demeanor quickly swapped to a protective one.
“Trafficking, I think. Male, black hair…”
“Shit. Get Dickwing back here, he’s good with traumatized kids. I’ll go look for him.” Jason’s already moving, mind filtering through the kids he knows might have information to offer.
Bruce nods, shoulders relaxing. Jason smacks down the lump in his throat at the subtle sing of trust. “I’ll get Oracle and Red Robin on it.”
Jason morphs from Jay to Red Hood in one smooth step, helmet firmly placed on his head. He grunts in agreement, slinging his legs over his motorcycle. He roars off, mind half filled with tearing apart whatever traffickers dared to shit near his territory and the other half filled with worry for this possible kid.
——
Danny, as the Bats become aware of his existence, hands Amy and her kiddie gang a bag of fancy beef jerky.
“Try these with peanut butter, it’s kind of good.”
Amy stares at him, the judgement of an eight year old more piercing than anything he’s ever experienced.
���You’re fucking weird-”
“Language!” He squawks.
“-but sure, whatever you say, boss.”
“Boss?!”
The kids ignores his alarmed face.
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azulhood · 4 months
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DP X DC Prompt
The justice league ignore Amit Park in a time of crisis.
Years later, Harvey Dent is hired by the town to sue them.
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propertyofkylar · 5 months
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ok what otome should i play next
7'scarlet (played before but only hino's route)
taisho x alice
clannad
bustafellows
nameless ~the one thing you must recall
my next life as a villainess
a date with death
lover pretend (started playing but haven't gotten very far)
birushana
even if tempest
hatoful boyfriend (why not)
ok posting all of these and physically seeing how many games i have purchased and not played makes me feel. bad. jesus christ
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thegnomelord · 4 months
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A Little Bit Of Heaven
CW: NSFW, FTM subbot Gaz, domtop Male Reader, oral, scar kissing, soft fluffy sex, body worship, lingerie, fem language, reader is whipped for Gaz
PS: This is inspired by @ramvur 's art piece of Gaz, @el-chonkus you wanted to be tagged so here you go :D
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The last few months have been Hell on both of you; mission after mission, drill after drill, chasing away exhaustion and sleep deprivation with copious amounts of caffeine in an attempt to put a dent in the stacks of paperwork you've been given. Despite spending most of your time together, be it training recruits or as battle buddies on missions, it feels like you and Kyle never have time for each other, the only time you two have to be intimate being when Kyle sleeps on your shoulder during the long plane rides.
So when Price tells you you two are cleared for a week of military leave, you jump at the chance to have a proper vacation. Once you get the tickets you put it in an envelope, going out to find Gaz.
You find him in your shared bunk room, peacefully snoring with a book splayed over his chest. Even in his sleep he's on edge, fingers twitching occasionally as if pulling the trigger of a gun. You're quiet as a mouse as you walk to his bed, kneeling to press a chaste kiss to his lips.
Kyle's eyelids flutter open, your familiar outline in his blurry vision calms him before military grade instincts can kick in, having to blink a few times to focus on you. "Mhm, what'ime isit?" He slurs as he sits up, the few minutes of sleep doing nothing to lessen the bags under his pretty brown eyes.
"Still early." You say, keeping your voice low. "I'm sorry for waking you,"
"Is fine," He waves away your apology, reaching out to wrap a loose arm around your neck, pulling you closer. "Did you need something?" Kyle's still groggy as he nuzzles your cheeks together, aiming for your lips but winding up kissing your nose.
"Yeah," You take a moment to relish the intimacy, not that Kyle minds, breathing in your scent with a happy sigh; God knows how long you'd spent in an intimacy deficit. "Guess what I did." You say with a humorous tone.
That sobers him up enough to lean back and give you a critical eye. "If you hid Price's cigars again I'm not hiding you." He warns, but there's obvious amusement in his voice.
"No, no," You snort, holding out the envelope for him. "It's something better."
"Do I even want to know?" Kyle raises an eyebrow but takes the envelope, opening it. Inside he finds two plane tickets to Greece, along with an invoice for a rented villa. "Are these. . .?" His voice dies down as he looks at you with wide eyes.
"You did say you wanted to go somewhere warm." You shrug a shoulder, trying not to show how much you hope he'll be pleased by this seeing as you two hadn't planned anything for your leave.
"Oh, mate," You can't describe the wide smile that graces his features, bright like the sun, one you'd happily let blind you. "Come here you-" He pulls you so close your foreheads bonk together, you can feel his grin as he kisses you. "-beautiful bastard." He sighs as your lips part but you don't, breathing in the same air.
"You're the beautiful one." Your comment has him giggling like a child; Kyle's laugh feels like silk on your ears, so infectious you find yourself giggling too. "Do you like them?"
"Do you even need to ask?" He teases, pulling you into another kiss.
. . .
Gaz is very smug on the day you're supposed to leave, cheeky as he gushes to Soap of all the things you two have got planned for your vacation, which of course has the Scot whining to Ghost about 'stepping up'. But it's all in good fun and you're sent off with a few demands to bring souvenirs.
Despite how tired you two are, the entire plane ride to Greece is spent learning about the local town near the villa you'd rented and all the tourist attractions there, learning a few sayings as well as how not to get scammed.
He's like a kid on Christmas when you finally get to the villa, exploring every room and the grounds around it; It's as pretty as it is old, spiderwebs of ivy and roses wrapping around the columns and sides of it, built on a cliff overlooking the ocean, but far bigger than what you two are used to, Kyle's animated assessment of every little detail in the frescos, evaporating the eeriness of the empty rooms.
And of course, the first thing you do when you get there is sleep a solid 24 hours, your exhaustion catching up to you two. You wake up the next day to Kyle still snoring next to you, much more relaxed and clutching you like a koala. He doesn't even stir when you get out of bed to make him and you a very late breakfast, receiving loving kisses on the cheek when Kyle finally stumbles out of dream land.
You spend your vacation doing all the typical couple things, thousands of photos filling Gaz's phone — you two dinning out or attempting to make some local dishes, several of you two donkey riding across the mountains (and one that he'd favored of a donkey trying to eat your clothes), silly photos of you two interacting with the statues in a nearby garde (you especially love the one of him imitating one), pictures of sunsets and sunrises and a dozen more of him coming out of the water, some selfies of Gaz with you haggling with a merchant in the background as well as your triumphant smirk as you hold a pearl necklace to Kyle's neck from behind.
Kyle likes to look at the photos when he wakes up before you, your body warm and pressed against his from behind while you sleep with your arms around him, his chest light as a feather from how intimate you two had been able to be, how lovely you'd been to him, a true gentleman and every bit the man he fell in love with.
And Kyle decides he wants to do something for you. And for him. A nice gift for the both of you.
He has to shove his pillow into your arms otherwise you wouldn't let go of him, a small giggle leaving his lips at how you nuzzle and hug the pillow like a koala. He tries to stay quiet as he goes to the dresser to pick up the small special suitcase he'd brought just for this vacation, picking out the clothes he'd wanted to wear just for you and him, but never got the time.
He watches himself in the mirror as he puts on the stockings, the material soft against his skin, the kitten heels fitting him perfectly. Kyle struggles with the bralette for a few minutes, but it's worth it when it frames his pecs in such a pleasing way, perking them up and hiding the top scars that run beneath them. Finally comes the long feathered robe, dragging behind him when he twirls in front of the mirror.
Kyle can feel giddy bubbling in his chest, heart beating just a bit faster. Back on base he would have felt ashamed at wearing something so frivolous and impractical, he was a soldier god damn it, but here, with you, he's just Kyle.
Gaz glances to your still sleeping form as he sits by the vanity to do his makeup, lipstick and mascara and a light blush, taking care of the small amount of facial he's managed to grow. He can't wait to see how you'll react when you see him like this. . .
A little mischievous smirk crosses his features and Gaz silently comes to your side of the bed, leaning down to kiss your face, leaving red lipstick marks all across your skin before leaving you to wake up to his surprise.
. . .
You wake from sunlight filtering through the curtains, the soft sound of Kyle humming rousing you from your dreams. You attempt to cuddle closer but soon enough figure out it's a pillow you're hugging. You grumble and sit up, your brain stuttering when you see yourself in the mirror. Bright lipstick marks dot a side of your face, from your forehead down all the way down to your jaw.
Kyle's work, no doubt, but you can't bring yourself to wipe his marks on you — a type of stigmata you'd happily wear. You don't bother with clothes, yawning as you follow the soft sound of his humming to the balcony.
You nearly swallow your tongue when you see him; wreathed in the soft morning light, his skin glowing like the golden bracelets on his arms, the pink roses blending in with his robe making him look like he's sitting on a cloud, soft feathers accentuating the robe like pearly sea foam he'd formed from. Your eyes roam from his red heels up the toned thighs, the sunlight softening the harsh scars decorating his stomach, the sheer material of the bralette both leaving nothing to the imagination and making you want to pull it off, his red lips like the red skin of an apple Eve had been tempted with.
If you were a Trojan prince, you wouldn't have looked at any goddess had Kyle been there, someone the sculptors of old times would have clamored to have as a muse.
If he told you he was a god, you'd take it as gospel, gift Kyle all your devotion just like the pearl necklace he's appraising.
"Holy hell." You mumble, scared to distract him, unwilling to pull him out of his own little world where his face isn't tense with unease and exhaustion, where his shoulders are relaxed and his instincts are blissfully sleeping, where he can just be.
But Kyle hears you, his warm brown eyes shifting to you, a bit of surprise flashing in his face before smiling. "I was wondering when you'd wake up." Kyle chuckled, a flush of heat spreading across his face at the way you look at him — eyes smoldering like coals with desire, a lovesick puppy just for him.
"You could have just woken me up if you were lonely." You hummed as you slowly approached him, brushing your fingers against his cheek. "You know I'd never say no to you."
"I know, I know." He huffs, pretty dark lashes fluttering as he pats your hand before pulling you into a kiss. You can taste wine on his lips, soft and plush against your own. He pulls back, holding up the pearls pearls. "Help me with these yeah?"
"Sure," You say, watching him shift so his back is facing you. You clip the pearl necklace around his neck easily, kissing the back of his neck just to feel him shiver. "There you go, handsome man."
"Trying to seduce me are you?" Gaz grins and quickly turns to you, pecking your forehead but pulling back when you attempt to kiss him.
"Can you blame me?" You nuzzle his neck, laying gentle kisses across his neck, your heart fluttering when he tilts his head back to give you more room. "You're absolutely gorgeous."
"Oh you," You can just about catch the way a blush darkens his face to a rich mahogany, his skin warming under your lips as you nibble on his collarbones. "charming bastard." He chuckles, holding the back of your neck as you go further down to trace the outline of his sternum with your lips.
"Just for you," Your hands rise up to cup his pecs over the bralette, lightly groping without attempting to take it off just yet. "Do you want to. . .?" You ask, rubbing your thumb over his pebbled nipple and god, if the soft silk pressing against his sensitive skin doesn't turn him on, nothing will.
"Fuck yes." Gaz whines so sweetly, holding your head close to his chest as you pull one nipple into your mouth, wetting the silk and making him shiver. You pull off to do the same to the other nipple, your hands roaming over his torse, tracing the harsh scars before going back up to push the bralette enough for you to be able to trace the top scars with your tongue. "Oh shit." He grunts as you kiss along the sensitive skin from one side of his chest to the other. "Love." He whines, embarrassed by his own eagerness, but if you don't touch him more he swears he's going to die.
You pull back and settle on your knees; Gods may be worshiped in blood and wine, but your devotion is all he needs. And you'll give it to him.
Your revenant fingers grope the muscle and fat of his thigh, slowly pulling down the pink stocking and following after it with your lips. Tracing the imprint the stocking had left at his mid thigh, pecking the bony part of his knee, kissing the small scars dotting his shin down to his ankle as you finally pull his heel and stocking off him.
Gaz swears he can feel his heart beating in his throat as he watches you repeat the process on his other leg, warmth lingering long after your lips have moved on. "Christ alive," He mumbles, the moment you peel off his remaining stocking he's spreading his legs for you, cheeks growing warm as your eyes settle on his cunt. A damp spot has grown on the feathered robe where his slick had trickled down, curly dark hair slick with his arousal, his dick starting to peek beneath it's hood. "Don't tease me now love." He whines out the last word, buzzing nerves threatening to force his thighs to close, but his need for you outweighs the embarrassment of exposing himself like this.
You're between his legs in a second, hiking his thighs on your shoulders and feeling the hard earned muscles tense around your ears. "Alright, alright." Is the last words you say before starting to really worship him, his hand brushing your hair as you press your face against his cunt.
Your tongue circling his hole and lapping up the slick dripping from it births a relieved and pleased sigh from Kyle's chest. The slow movement of your tongue exploring his pussy lips has his muscles relaxing, forcing him to recline on the bench, the railing of the balcony providing needed support as you slowly circle his hardening dick. You flatten your tongue to give his dick something to rub against, moving your tongue up and down as Kyle's hips twitch to meet your movements, lazily following after the pleasure.
You have no need to rush, listening to his pleased sighs and small little whimpers as you let him set the pace. Kyle can barely see you from how blurry his eyes are, soft sounds leaving his lips as you search out all his pleasure spots like you don't know where they are, like you're doing this for the first and last time; He has to bite his lip to give his thoughts something to latch on to lest his mind drown in the pleasure, embarrassment curling in the spaces of is belly not overtaken with heat at the thought of cumming so fast.
But you can feel how he comes closer and closer to an orgasm by the way his chest heaves, the way more slick continues to trickle from his cunt, staining your chin despite your best efforts to swallow his ichor down. His hand on the back of your hand keys you in to go faster, and without further ado you focus solely on his dick, swirling your tongue around it like it's a lollypop, dipping to lap beneath the hood.
His thighs tense like vices around your ears, threatening to crack your skull— what a wonderful death —is all your mind can think as oxygen slowly depletes, your sole objective to pleasure him. Distantly you can hear him chant your name, thighs shaking and hips twitching to grind his dick against your tongue.
Suddenly you wrap your lips around his length and suck.
His orgasm crashes over Kyle like a wave, pulling him down to drown in the depths of mind-numbing pleasure, sea foam popping in his belly as heat burns in his bones. You mouth opens to swallow all the slick gushing from his cunt and down your jaw, wet hair tickling your face as his shaking thighs clench around your head.
You don't pull away when Kyle's orgasm winds down and his thighs relax. "Sh-ah- shite!" Kyle moans when your tongue returns, feather light flicks against his pulsating walls collecting his slick like you've been in a desert for months. Your name falls from his lips, both a prayer and a curse, his thighs shaking as static dances across his nerves, his hand on his mouth trying to uselessly silence his moans as you lap up his arousal.
He finally manages to gather enough strength to pull your head back, both of you struck dumb by the other. You— by how ruined he looks, lines of mascara down his cheeks from where tears had laid a path, chest heaving and skin turned rich mahogany from ears to collarbones; Kyle — by how debauched you look, the lipstick marks he'd left earlier smudged all across your face, jaw and throat shining with his slick.
Fuck, he's aroused again.
He whimpers your name, tugging your head. "Need you." He whispers, eyes hooded.
In one smooth move you rise to your feet and pick him up, his legs and arms wrapping around you as he pulls you into a kiss, uncaring of his own taste on your tongue. You have just enough sense in your head to make your way to a laying couch close by, putting him down, your heart fluttering at how the feathered robe spreads out around him like a cloud.
"Hurry up," Kyle grumbles, a blush burning his cheeks even more as he splays his legs open for you, cunt clenching around nothing and dick hard as a rock, his arms still firmly wrapped around your neck to keep your mouths close.
You chuckle, the tip of your achingly hard cock kissing his cunt just as you do to his lips, "Breathe in and relax." You grip your dick in one hand to position yourself.
"'m not a bloody virgin." Kyle complains, his entire body so relaxed and pussy so slick that his cunt doesn't offer even a smidgeon of resistance as you push in, both of you groaning as your cock spreads his warm walls open.
"Let me treat you like one." You snort and distract any discomfort he might feel with a kiss, slowly sinking deeper and deeper until your balls rest against his ass, cock throbbing inside his clenching cunt. You stop, resting your forehead against his as you wait him to adjust.
Kyle breathes out a small grumble, "Only if you move." His leg wraps around your waist, heel digging into your back to force your hips to shift.
You grin and kiss him again, swallowing his moans when you pull back a bit and push your cock back in, his cunt greedily swallowing you back in and clenching around you like it doesn't want to let you go. But Kyle shifts his hips to meet your thrusts half way, his nails clawing scratches into your back when you start moving quicker.
"Oh, fuck- yes!- like that, just-" Kyle pants into your mouth, eyes hooded and unfocused, pleasure gnawing on his nerves as every deep thrust nails a pleasure spot inside him, the veins of your cock scrapping his sensitive walls, his slick wetting both of your pubes. He jumps the second you reach down to stroke his dick between two of your fingers, timing it to stroke down every time you bottom out inside him, the air around you filled with the scent of sex and Kyle's sweet moans and chants of your name.
"Fuck, I'm close." You warn as you increase your pace, your entire body buzzing with pleasure. "Do you want it inside?" You ask, biting your lips and trying to stave off your orgasm.
"Shite- yes, yes, yes-" Kyle throws his back as his orgasm sneaks up on him for the second time, slick warm walls clamping down on your flesh like vices as he cums. You follow suit soon after, bottoming out as you cum inside him.
You're both breathless and sweaty as you shift him around so you're not crushing him when you lay down, your head resting on his chest. Your eyes close as you listen to his breathing, and you swear you could fall asleep if his hands didn't brush your hair, scratching the back of your neck until you force your eyes open.
His smiling face greets you, soft and warm like the sun, "Thank you love." He grins, tugging you into a quick and soft kiss.
"Thank you." You hum, making him laugh a little. You lay there just enjoying the sound of the sea and the chirping birds for a bit. Then you feel him shift, grinding his hips back onto your soft cock still inside him. "Kyle?" You ask, your cock hardening slowly despite the pain of overstimulation.
"Think you can go again?" There's an impish smirk on his handsome face as he grinds his hips again, every bit a demanding god as he pulls you back into a hungry kiss, all tongue and teeth.
And you wouldn't dare refuse him. . .
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1d1195 · 1 month
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Ding
In this corner: a twenty-seven-year-old woman, sprinkles in her hair, someone who wouldn’t know an upper cut from a left hook, and is desperately in need of a good book and a vacation.
And in this corner: a twenty-five-year-old man, a dented car, teaching self-defense classes, and finds a good luck charm in the form of a baker with sprinkles in her hair.
Ding.
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Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4 - coming soon!
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xxgoblin-dumplingxx · 7 months
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More on doting husband Bruce? they're my serotonin 🥺
"You hate shopping," Bruce mused. More amused than angry at the bags you set down. What you bought today would hardly make a dent in your "allowance" that he kept putting in your account- given that you'd stopped taking a salary, stating that you didn't need it but the legal aid office did.
You shrug, "I do like supporting local businesses- and we've got staff birthdays coming so I was gonna have Dick help me make gift baskets."
"A capital idea," Alfred said, nodding his approval.
"It's very cute," Bruce agreed, "So what all did you buy?"
"Some fun soaps. And travel cups. Candles, some boxes of candy... Odds and ends mostly. I wasn't really sure what people would want so I tried to cover all the bases. The Baskets are still in my car."
"I think it's charming," Alfred assured you. "The ladies will be thrilled and the gentlemen will be if not thrilled, appreciative."
"How is soap fun?" Bruce asked, poking through bags.
"It's fun scents. And they make it there. It's goatmilk and oatmeal. They make the tumbler cups too."
"Note to self," Bruce said out loud, locating a soap and smelling it. "Next time we go on vacation avoid the mainstreet and-"
"Just to bougie part. I do love a good boutique. Especially if they make something on site."
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chronicbeans · 1 year
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Wally and a Puppeteer Reader (part 8)
Yippee! More time off! At a price, though.
TW: Obsessive Behaviors, Scopophobia/Eye Imagery, Idol Worship, Mentions of Stalking, Spoken Descriptions of Injury/Gore, Mentions of Threats
🎥 The night is a bit difficult for you. Not only is your mind swirling with worries about this stalker of yours, you keep hearing the oddest of noises. It is a bit like plastic tapping on the hardwood floors, before a very soft "thump", followed by a plastic scraping noise, then more tapping. It is like a cycle that keeps going. As much as you want to check it out, you are too scared to do so. Not only that, but if you want any hopes of getting sleep, you need to stay in bed. You are exhausted, but getting up will only wake you up more and completely ruin your chances of rest. The odd noises can wait. Maybe they are Henry playing with Wally? Wally's shoes are plastic and Henry's floor is hardwood. The only carpet there is a blue circle one that covers about half of the exposed wood.
🎥 You, somehow, manage to get a little sleep. Unfortunately, you are woken up to the sound of your downstairs phone ringing. So, you get up to go grab it. You are surprised when Angela makes it to the phone before you, picking it up. You almost forgot that she would be home when you were around. It isn't often you get to spend time with her at home, except for holidays.
🎥"Yes, what is it? You want (Y/N)? Who is this? How do I know you aren't their stalker?" She says, her tone harsh and sharp. She has always had a bit of a... rude tone when talking on the phone. If you had to make a guess, it is due to her long work hours. This situation, however, seems extra hostile on her end. Though, considering what you hear from her side of the conversation, it is a bit understandable.
🎥"Oh, you're their boss? Why are you calling during their break, then?" It grows silent. You feel awkward standing there, waiting for her to finally give up the phone. You watch as her cold eyes grow wide and concerned. "What? Oh... oh dear... Um... I'll hand the phone over to them right now."
🎥 You are finally handed the phone. Putting it against your ear, you ask "Hello? What is it, Boss?" There is a sound of rustling papers, before your boss says "Well... Good news and bad news. Mostly bad news. However, the good news is that you have a few extra days, if not weeks, of vacation! Bad news is that it is because of severe injuries to the... Uhh... "Overnight Team". Is that what they called themselves...?" They trail off, before there is some more rustling of papers.
🎥"Wait... what happened last night?" You ask, remembering how Eddie's puppeteer was walking with a slight limp. Your boss sighs, looking through some more papers, before saying "I can only really tell you what happened to Wally's voice actor and Eddie's puppeteer. The voice actor, I can only tell you because they worked alongside you and I put it into your contract that you both will know of the other's condition during emergencies. I thought it would help you both coordinate your rehearsals. The puppeteer consented to letting others know of what happened before being wheeled out in a wheelchair."
🎥 You grow silent, not knowing what to say. Your boss, seemingly waiting for a cue to continue, decided to take your silence as one. "The voice actor got hit in the head with a falling, two gallon can of paint. We believe it hit his head at an angle, with the rim causing a dent in it. He was found bleeding, but still conscious, somehow. He was given first aid from one of the two camera operators who found him, before the two rushed him to the hospital in their car. He is currently in stable condition, but passed out on his way there, and hasn't woken up."
🎥 You stammer in shock, trying to find something to say. Eventually, you settle upon the words "Do you know what caused the accident?" "No. As I said, the cameras seem to be turning off whenever we are not filming. Well, technically, if I remember correctly, I said that they turned off around the time we stopped recording... we have just learned through this incident that they turn off whenever we are not recording. None of these incidents were caught on camera. The camera operators seem to believe that whoever is behind the messages did all of this."
🎥 He then moves onto Eddie's puppeteer, explaining "They were able to tell us some of what happened, but not who did it. They were found to be limping, which caused Poppy's puppeteer to ask what happened. When they lifted their pant leg, it was revealed that someone had put staples in their leg, before puting five pieces of construction paper over it and taping them on with a tick layer of scotch tape. They were given first aid, before being wheeled out to the present director's car. When asked what happened on the way there, they claimed that they were jumped, promptly stapled and papered, before being forced to call you and deliver some packages with the threat of having staples put into his throat if he didn't. He refused to tell who did it, but mentions that they saw him. So, we know that whoever stalking you is a guy... At least, I think. They were so shaken up they could barely speak, so it might've been a mistake when they said "he" when referring to who hurt them."
🎥 You feel sick... as well as a bit guilty. You had seen them yesterday, but didn't mention anything about their limping. You faintly hear Henry calling for you, so you try to tell your boss goodbye, but they ask a question. "I need to know what was in the package they brought to you. Can you quickly tell me what it is before you go?" Without thinking, you say "It was just Wally. You know, the puppet? He had some red on his shoes and was pretty scuffed up. Now, I gotta go. My nephew is calling." Then, you hang up before they can finish their sentence.
🎥 Turning around, you sigh in disdain. This day is already exhausting and all that has happened was a phone call. Henry scurries up to you, a large grin on his cheeks as he chirps "I was going to tell you this last night, but you were trying to sleep. Wally said he likes you!" You giggle, a tired, exasperated noise that you didn't mean to let out. Right now, you don't really want to hear about Wally... wait a second...
🎥"That's sweet, Henry. Where is Wally, though? I thought you had him, since you two were having a sleepover." He looks around the room, before saying "Well, I went to bed cuddling him. He said he would let me cuddle him to sleep after I told him I had nightmares if I didn't cuddle a plushie. He told me puppets were soft and plush, like plushies. When I woke up, though, he was gone, so I grabbed my Barnaby plushie, instead. I thought you might've taken him because you work with him."
🎥 You open your mouth to speak, only to close it again as you realize what he said. You think of your words carefully, before asking "Did Angela tell you that I am Wally's puppeteer?" He shakes his head, a big, goofy grin on his face as he joyfully says "Nope! Wally did! He said he loves you very much! Something about him not being able to move on set without your help! By the way, can you tell me what a "set" is? Wally wouldn't tell me, saying that we would've been up all night if I kept asking questions."
🎥 You look around the room, before asking "Do you have any idea where Wally might be-?" "(Y/N)! Did you put the freaky puppet in my room?! You know how much these things terrify me!" You look upstairs, seeing Angela gripping the railing with one hand and dangling Wally by his leg with the other. "No, Angela! I was just asking Henry where he was!" "Well, tell Henry not to do it again! He must've looked in my diary, too, because this THING was sitting on top of it, the pages opened for anyone to see!" With that, she drops Wally from the second floor, a loud "thud" resounding once he hits the floor.
🎥 You pick him up, dusting him off, before looking back down at Henry. "Be honest with me, did you put Wally in your mama's room? Did you look in her diary?" Henry shakes his head, tears pricking his eyes as he says "No! I told Wally not to go in there! He promised he wouldn't! Wally, why didn't you listen? Now mama's upset with me!" He storms up to his room, slamming the door shut.
🎥 You look down at the little puppet in your hands, confusion and concern eating at you. If, by the smallest of chances, what Henry said is true... then your stalker could be... A puppet? The words he said sounded similar to the types of things the notes said. Then there's the Wally voice you heard in the studio... The red paint on his shoes could've been...
🎥 You're face grows pale, before you look down at Wally's shoes and mutter "Oh God... Oh, God no..."
🎥 You look up to Angela's room, walking upstairs. You might be acting too rash. Coming to the conclusion that puppets are coming alive is a silly thing to do. Angela could've told Henry about your job. Hell, he could've also told him about the letters you have been getting. Maybe he just put the two together, thinking that it was all some silly little game or joke. Kids are like that. They are blissfully ignorant to how important some things are, right? Kids are smarter than most think, but they still have their little hiccups here and there. Angela must have told him...
🎥 You hope, at least... the other option is a bit sickening to think of.
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msneedful-ispleaseful · 4 months
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Can you do a NFSW Giyuu x fem black reader? Tysm love ur content!🩷🫶🏽
Omg ofc! i love getting ask.
The wind blew softly across your back but did nothing to stop the warm sun from freckling your brown skin. Summer in Japan wasn't like anything you had experienced before. Maybe it was the dry climate, but Giyuu, your husband, rubbed oil deep into your skin, easing your muscles and working your feet, you couldn't care less excited of the knowledge knowing nothing was under your robe, knowing that he was inches from your cunt.
"Mmmm, after touring around all..day this is just what I needed" you moaned softly as his hand's squeezed curves and dents, his soft plush lips kissing into the hot backs of your thighs and spreading your fat ass cheeks apart so he could see your fat lower lips, slick and sweltering.
As air can be heard from your straw he kisses your clit so casually and ask plainly "Another mimosa love?" you smile slightly and hum "no I'm fine" still he pours you a cup of wine which you sip slowly, and as you taste dashes of berries and milk Giyuu taste you, sweet natural funk. the smell of delicious pussy fills his nostrils and you tilt your head back, eyes watery, and look up at the bright blue sky, the boat rocks slowly and its all just so alluring "ahh,mmmm hunny i-i-i- I'm gooona,oh! mmmm please" drool drips as you sputter, stiletto nails digging into the cushioned lounge chair
You buck back into his face and his hands grip your ass cheeks harder and one of his hands wrap around your box braids controlling your head movement, making the craining of your neck painful as you moan and drip into his mouth "shush now dear" he slurps and sucks your puffy red clit, licking at your enlarged folds "I'm making us of you puppet" he murmurs into your cunt.
He growls low as your legs shake, squirt soaks his jaw and he doesn't let up for a second. "Oh my goooood!!! I'm cummin ah a-againnn oooh baby yes yes yes please" You rock back violently chasing that edge stark pleasure overcomes you as your body tenses then softens and relaxes, melting down, Giyuu licks you clean, pours your cup of wine, and massages your feet as if he had never stopped.
Maybe you should go on vacation more
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devirnis · 7 months
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if you’re still taking prompts, can i ask for a combined 13 and 22? 👀
@bvckandeddie of course you can ask for combos! I hope this is to your liking 💜
(full disclosure, I wrote this in my notes app while hopped up on painkillers and cold medication and also on vacation ✌️)
Chim calls dibs on the couch the second Buck’s front door closes behind the three of them.
Buck glances at Eddie on his other side, wondering if he’ll put up a fight for the couch (and trying to convince himself that he doesn’t care if he does), but Eddie just nods tiredly and trudges in the direction of the stairs up to Buck’s bedroom. Buck can’t really blame him; today was the shift from hell, on top of a long week of shifts, and culminating in the call to limit potential exposure to their families by staying with each other. Given that he lived alone, Buck’s loft was the logical choice for Chim and Eddie to use, while Hen had elected to stay in the guest room at Bobby and Athena’s while the kids moved to Michael’s place.
None of them are very jazzed about the whole situation. One, because it’s a global pandemic and work has been crazy and everything is just a little scary right now, and two, Buck knows Eddie would much rather be with Christopher, and Chim with Maddie.
Buck lingers on the main level just long enough to help Chim dig out some blankets for the couch — he really needs to get an air mattress if this goes on longer than the two weeks that everyone is promising — before hurrying up the stairs after Eddie. He finds his best friend at the top of the stairs, staring a little blankly at Buck’s bed.
Oh. Right.
While Buck is totally cool with sharing the bed — it’s a king, after all — he has no idea how Eddie’s feeling about the prospect. The last person Eddie shared a bed with was probably Shannon, and Buck needs to not think too hard about that if he wants to keep his head on straight (pun definitely intended.)
“I can take the floor?” Eddie asks, glancing over at Buck.
Buck rolls his eyes. “I don’t have an air mattress. Besides, it’s fine, it’s plenty big enough for both of us.”
A strange sort of expression flickers over Eddie’s face, but it’s gone before Buck can identify it. When he turns back to the bed, Buck swears the back of Eddie’s neck is a little flushed.
“If you’re sure,” Eddie says haltingly.
“I don’t have a problem with sharing with you,” Buck says, and then frowns, his stomach dropping a little. “Unless — I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable —“
“No, no!” Eddie scrambles. “No, I didn’t mean — I’m not —“ He sighs. “Which side of the bed do you sleep on?”
“Oh, uh.” Buck’s stomach twists for some stupid reason. It’s been a while since he shared with anyone — Ali was out of town a lot during their brief relationship, and he and Abby hadn’t been physical long enough to pick sides. “The middle. Pick whichever you want.”
Eddie wanders over to dump his duffel bag on the right side of the bed, closest to the stairs. “If you have a dent in your mattress that I keep rolling into…”
“I haven’t had it that long!” Buck protests.
Eddie smirks at him, but there’s something else there besides the playfulness that Buck is familiar with.
Before he can decipher it, Chim’s calling from downstairs about Buck’s terrible throw pillows and the moment is broken.
Eddie shoots Buck a sympathetic look as Buck sighs gustily. “Maddie wouldn’t appreciate it if I killed the father of her unborn child on the first day, right?”
———
Buck thought that he’d have trouble falling asleep given the general existential dread hanging over him and the fact that he’s sharing his home with two other people, but he actually doesn’t remember much after he crawled under the covers beside Eddie.
He’s so comfortable. He loves his mattress and sheets and pillows, but somehow he’s never had a sleep as good as this before. He’s warm and cozy, with a comforting weight along his left side, grounding him, making him feel held.
Actually —
He is being held.
There’s an arm slung across his waist, a head on his shoulder, soft hairs tickling the underside of his jaw. He breathes in, the cobwebs of sleep slowly dissolving in his brain, and he smells —
Eddie.
Eddie is on top of him, clinging to him like a koala bear, snoring softly into Buck’s collarbone.
Buck’s traitorous heart soars in his chest.
He shouldn’t be happy about this. The only reason Eddie is here is because of a pandemic — not because he wants to be. He probably doesn’t even realize it’s Buck that he’s holding; muscle memory from Shannon is the only reason that Eddie is plastered to him like this.
Buck shifts slightly, hoping he can disentangle himself without waking Eddie, but then Eddie’s arm around him tightens at the same time as he groans.
“Time’s it?” Eddie mumbles.
The hot breath against Buck’s skin makes him shiver. He twists his neck to read the clock on his bedside table. “Early. Not even five.”
Eddie hums into Buck’s neck, going boneless for a few blissful seconds before he suddenly stiffens. Seemingly aware that he’s stuck to his best friend like a barnacle, Eddie slowly lifts his head off Buck’s chest and meets his gaze. There’s a blush high on Eddie’s cheeks that Buck finds equal parts adorable and disheartening.
“Um…” Eddie says, slowly unlatching himself from Buck. “Sorry about that.”
Buck feels depressingly cold now that Eddie’s scooted a respectable few inches back. “Don’t worry about it. It was… kind of nice, actually.” And then Buck cringes because seriously? He had to say that last part out loud?
Eddie’s face gets even redder, but then he says, “Weirdly, that’s the best sleep I’ve had in a while.”
“Well…” Buck hedges, “I make a pretty good pillow. And — I don’t, y’know, mind. If you don’t.”
Oh god, can a hole just open up in his bed and swallow him now and put him out of his misery?
But, miracle of miracles, Eddie begins to slowly inch closer again. He keeps his eyes fixed on Buck the entire time, like he’s expecting Buck to take back his offer. Buck practically holds his breath, terrified to do anything lest he scare Eddie off again. But then Eddie slowly resumes his earlier position, laying an arm gently across Buck’s stomach as he places his head back on Buck’s shoulder.
“Your mattress totally has a dent in the middle,” Eddie whispers.
Smiling, Buck wraps his arm around Eddie’s shoulders, holding him close. “Guess we’ll just have to get comfortable in the dent, then.”
He can’t be sure, but he swears he feels Eddie’s lips curve into a smile against his skin.
(also on ao3)
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dykefaggotry · 3 months
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global strikes really cannot feasibly be done without support and safety nets for the working class in place. the working class drives the economy and if you are asking people to take off an entire week off work with 4 days notice, you are asking the working class to get fired from their jobs. they are not going to do that. and they are the majority of the people that need to strike to have any kind of economic impact. middle class people who can afford to strike for a week and lose future vacation time aren't going to dent it, esp bc they're still making money bc they're salaried.
like yall it's just..... it's not feasible. you have to plan months, sometimes years in advance to make sure you can successfully carry the working class during a strike.
saw someone refer to a week long strike w 4 days notice as "the bare minimum" you can do and I'm sorry but it's not. you are asking people to give up a quarter of their monthly income and lose their jobs. you need to be cognizant of that.
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theluckywizard · 3 months
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In the Shattering of Things, Ch. 68: No One But Me
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Summary: Rose confronts Cullen when she hears a devastating rumor and then is confronted with a bitter truth. With their Winter Palace operation closing in, Rose needs to get solid ground under her feet.
Fic Summary: Lady Rose Trevelyan's idle, aristocratic life blinks out in a haze of irrelevance when the breach destroys the Conclave. She may be soft and coddled when she joins the Inquisition, but there's a fierceness inside her she's yet to fully recognize. Armed with only a few relevant skills and the mark that makes her a legend, she is thrust onto a path delivering hope where it’s long been scorched away and finds comfort in the grumpy, handsome stick in the mud charged with her protection and training. As she stumbles her way across southern Thedas, she begins to realize she's tangled at the center of machinations she barely understands, and she's not alone in that. Enter Hawke.
Excerpt below the cut 👇
I recognize his gait before I recognize any other detail— the set and dip of his shoulders as he strides across the yard with determined steps. He disappears into the armory. I follow.
I’ve been feeling ill since Dorian confessed it to me. He said they’d been playing chess, carefully avoiding the subject of me, and it had just sort of slipped from Cullen’s lips. An offhand remark about stepping down. I’d pressed him for more but Dorian said the comment had emerged seemingly out of nowhere. He’d said that he looked exhausted and generally withdrawn, but that I could see with my own eyes.
Fires from the twin forges throw heat clear across the space, searing my skin with sudden radiance as I enter behind Cullen. A pair of blacksmiths repair dented shields and sharpen blades, the grinding and clanking reverberating off the timber and stone walls. The work doesn’t abate for my benefit which I appreciate as it provides enough cover for this prickly conversation.
“Commander,” I say, when it’s clear Cullen is on his way up to Cassandra’s small suite in the attic.
“Inquisitor,” he says, obviously flustered by my sudden presence. He hesitates in his boots but then saunters back toward me, stopping several paces away.
“Dorian mentioned something to me that I thought merited follow up,” I start with a heavy, inescapable sigh. “He was worried and didn’t know what to do. So he told me.”
Cullen shakes his head, grimacing, no doubt abusing himself for saying anything or trusting anyone at all. He motions to the smiths at work to vacate the space.
“He would never betray your confidence unless he thought it was serious,” I add, swallowing back the anxious knot in my throat. “He said you mentioned leaving.” Just saying it hits with the same savagery as it did the first time I heard it an hour ago.
Cullen blinks at me, chagrined. “That is not what I said. Whether he interpreted it that way is another story. And I will not be held accountable for his wild extrapolations.”
“I can see that you’re not doing well,” I press.
“It’s not your concern,” he answers. Too quickly.
“It is my concern. You’re my friend.” I wonder if that’s even true anymore.
Cullen snorts, pacing around in a restive figure eight, eyes searching blankly as he mulls over my words and prepares to parry. He’s building a wall between us faster than I can climb over it. 
“And the commander of my army.” At least that should mean something to him.
He fixes an aggravated, hollow stare upon me. “Has my performance been substandard?”
I’m startled by the question. “No, not at all— I—”
“Then with respect, I assume the discussion is over.”
“Maker, Cullen. Don’t think I don’t notice.” I feel like I’m pleading with him. “I see it.”
“I believe I told you that Lady Cassandra would monitor my performance. And if I recall correctly, you consented. If you would like to redraw the parameters of the arrangement—”
“Stop,” I beg him. “Can’t we just talk the way we did before?”
He grudgingly turns to face me fully and nods, forcing himself to look at me.
“If you’re struggling without lyrium—”
“Are you asking me to take it?”
Read the rest here
Start the fic here
DAFF Crew Tag List
@warpedlegacy | @rakshadow | @rosella-writes | @effelants | @bluewren | @breninarthur | @ar-lath-ma-cully | @dreadfutures | @ir0n-angel | @inquisimer | @crackinglamb | @nirikeehan | @oxygenforthewicked | @about2dance | @exalted-dawn-drabbles | @melisusthewee | @blarrghe | @agentkatie | @delicatefade
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outcasting101 · 10 months
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Yandere Spider-verse x Tracer Reader "Within In and Out" Prompt
I just finished watching "Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse" I got this scenario after scrolling down Tumblr Spider verse Yandere *wink wink*
Now here me out imagine the possibility of having the ability of tracer and somehow involve meaningfully with every Spiderman that fits in their plot that only end up with tragedy to your end.
You coming from another Dimensional, a world that run down with a normal overwatch plot until a portal open up Earth-1610.
You simply just click with the kid, Miles was his name, his ingenuity truly one of a kind having helped you fix the dent from your chronal accelerator, or else the ship would sail away. It was basically a priceless act as this is the only thing anchoring in the present. You were indebted to the family, helping whatever it take chores big and small; they really try to avoid any task given as you are their "guest". It is rude but it didn't stop you.
You connect with the family given a "vacation off" from heroic act as there is already a sheriff in town. Sure there is an occasional save but not big enough to bring attention to yourself.
Miles father, great father, the ideal type who is really trying. You just really like it if he didn't try to stop you applying to the police officer. I mean yeah the thing strap in you chest might stand out, but it can potentially help people is you just legally sign a document, isn't that a cops job to do that.
Miles mother is sweet woman and a great cook too, you just love the Puerto Rican food. Family oriented but it didn't weigh her down from becoming a banshee when thing seem out of place. Miles. You weren't naming
Miles's uncle, you can definitely see his heart of gold especially always staying close to Miles understandingly. You just hope whatever he doing at the back, he can handle it. Miles really needs him as much as his uncle needs him. Anyways you love the graffiti they did, you got a few experiences yourself (the skin *wink wink* smoker)
"You tattletale"
You save people, that what you do, that what you always do protect people. Not the other way around.
Ever since the incident of you chronal accelerator, the group have been wary from any danger. Preventing any potential danger ever being faced upon you. The difference from your, in and out phenomenon, it is breakable to the point it will spiral out of control unlike the subdue glitch experienced by the spiders.
it is just a scratch, if it means being seen the weakest form you force it to show from a barely functional chronal accelerator. There was a crash, the villain was fast which saying something since speed is your thing, it just a slip-up. Really do they, do they really have to go far as beating the villain into a pulp, you were helpless that only momentarily before it all got fixed. But no one can really get over seeing your love on hurt, helpless of them or yourself not being able to prevent them.
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Venture predation
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Tomorrow (May 20), I’ll be at the GAITHERSBURG Book Festival with my novel Red Team Blues; then on Monday (May 22), I’m keynoting Public Knowledge’s Emerging Tech conference in DC.
On Tuesday (May 23), I’ll be in TORONTO for a book launch that’s part of WEPFest, a benefit for the West End Phoenix, onstage with Dave Bidini (The Rheostatics), Ron Diebert (Citizen Lab) and the whistleblower Dr Nancy Olivieri.
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They said it couldn’t happen. After decades of antitrust enforcement against Predatory Pricing — selling goods below cost to kill existing competitors and prevent new ones from arising — the Chicago School of neoliberal economists “proved” that predatory pricing didn’t exist and that the courts could stand down and stop busting companies for it.
Predatory pricing — the economists explained — may be illegal, but it was also imaginary. A mirage. No one would do predatory pricing, because it was “irrational.” And even if there was someone irrational enough to try it, they would fail. Stand down, judges of America — predatory pricing is solved.
Chicago School economists — whose job (to quote David Roth) is to find new ways to say “actually, your boss is right” — held enormous sway of the federal judiciary. The billionaire-backed Manne Seminars offered free “continuing education” junkets to judges — all-expense-paid luxury vacations salted with lengthy your-boss-is-right econ seminars. 40% of the US federal judiciary got their heads filled up at a Manne Seminar.
For monopolists and other predators, the Manne Seminar was an excellent return on investment. After attending a Manne Seminar, the average judge’s legal decisions tipped decidedly in favor of monopoly, operating on the Chicago bedrock assumption that monopolies are “efficient,” and, where we see them in nature, we should celebrate them as the visible manifestation of the entrepreneurial genius of some Ayn Rand hero in a corporate boardroom:
https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/13/post-bork-era/#manne-down
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Even as post-Chicago economists showed that predatory pricing was both possible and rampant, a “rational” and effective strategy for cornering markets, suppressing competition, crushing innovation and gouging on price, judges continued to craft tortuous, unpassable tests that any predatory pricing case would have to satisfy to proceed. Economics moved on, but predatory pricing cases continued to fail the trial-by-ordeal constructed by Chicago-pilled judges.
Which is a shame, because there are at least three ways that predatory pricing can be effective:
Cost Signaling Predation: A predator tricks competitors into thinking they’ve found a new way to cut their costs, which allows them to drop prices. Competitors, fooled by the ruse, exit the market, not realizing that the predator is merely subsidizing their products’ costs to trick them.
Financial Market Predation: A predator tricks the competitors’ creditors into thinking the predator has a new way to cut costs. The creditors refuse to loan the prey companies the money needed to survive the price war, and the prey drops out of the war.
Reputation Effect Predation: A predator subsidizes prices in one region or one line of goods in order to trick prey into thinking that they’ll do the same elsewhere: “Don’t try to compete with us in Cleveland, or we’ll drop prices like we did in Tampa.”
These models of successful predation are decades old, and have broad acceptance within economics — outside of Chicago-style ideologues — but they’ve yet to make much of a dent in minds of the judges who hear Predatory Pricing cases.
While judges continue to hit the snooze-bar on any awakening to this phenomenon, a new kind of predator has emerged, using a new kind of predation: the Venture Predator, a predatory company backed by venture capital funds, who make lots of high-risk bets they must cash out in ten years or less, ideally for a 100x+ return.
Writing in the Journal of Corporation Law Matthew Wansley and Samuel Weinstein — both of the Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University — lay out a theory of Venture Predation in clear, irrefutable language, using it to explain the recent bubble we sometimes call the Millennial Lifestyle Subsidy:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4437360
What’s a Venture Predator? It’s “a startup that uses venture finance to price below its costs, chase its rivals out of the market, and grab market share.” The predator sets millions or billions of dollars on fire chasing “rapid, exponential growth” all in order to “create the impression that recoupment is possible” among future investors, such as blue-chip companies that might buy them out, or sucker retail investors who buy in at the IPO, anticipating years of monopoly pricing.
In other words, the Venture Predator constructs a pile of shit so large and impressive that investors are convinced that there must be a pony under there somewhere.
There’s another name for this kind of arrangement: a bezzle, which Galbraith described as “the magic interval when a confidence trickster knows he has the money he has appropriated but the victim does not yet understand that he has lost it.”
Millennial Lifestyle Subsidy companies are bezzles. Uber, annihilated tens of billions of dollars on its bezzle, destroying the taxi industry and laying waste to public transit investment, demolishing labor protections and convincing people that impossible self-driving robo-taxis were around the coner:
https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/16/ring-ring-lapd-calling/#uber-unter
But while Uber the company lost billions of dollars, Uber’s early investors and executives made out like bandits (or predators, I suppose). The founders were able to flog their shares on the secondary market long before the IPO. Same for the early investors, like Benchmark capital.
Since the company’s IPO, its finances have steadily worsened, and the company has resorted to increasingly sweaty balance-sheet manipulation tactics and PR offensives to make it seem like a viable business:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/05/a-lousy-taxi/#a-giant-asterisk
But Uber can’t ever recoup the billions it spent convincing the market that there was a pony beneath its pile of shit. The app Uber uses to connect riders with the employees it misclassifies as contractors isn’t hard to clone, and it’s not hard for drivers or riders to switch from one app to another:
https://locusmag.com/2019/01/cory-doctorow-disruption-for-thee-but-not-for-me/
Nor can Uber prevent its rivals from taking advantage of the hundreds of millions of dollars it spent on “regulatory entrepreneurship” — changing the laws to make it easier to misclassify workers and operate unlicensed taxi services.
It’s not clear whether Uber ever believed in robo-taxis, or whether they were just part of the bezzle. In any event, Uber’s no longer in the robotaxi races: after blowing $2.5B on self-driving cars, Uber produced a vehicle whose mean-distance-between-fatal-crashes was 0.5 miles. Uber had to pay another company $400M to take its self-driving unit off its hands:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/herbies-revenge/#100-billion-here-100-billion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money
Uber’s prices rose 92% between 2018–21, while its driver compensation has plunged. The company is finding it increasingly difficult to passengers into cars, and drivers onto the road. They have invented algorithmic wage disrimination, an exciting new field of labor-law violations, in order to trick drivers into thinking there’s a pony under all that shit:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men
To Uber’s credit, they have been a wildly innovative company, inventing many new ways to make the pile of shit bigger and the pony more plausible. Back when Uber and Lyft were locked in head-to-head competition, Uber employees created huge pools of fake Lyft rider accounts, using them to set up and tear down rides in order to discover what Lyft was charging for rides in order to underprice them. Uber also covertly operated the microphones in its drivers’ phones to listen for the chimes the Lyft app made: drivers who had both Lyft and Uber installed on their devices were targeted for (strictly temporary) bonuses.
Uber won’t ever recoup, but that’s OK. The investors and execs made vast fortunes. Now, normally, you’d expect company founders and other managers with large piles of stocks in a VC-backed company to be committed to the business’s success, at least in the medium term, because their shares can’t be liquidated until well after the company goes public.
But the burgeoning “secondary market” for managers’ shares has turned investors and managers into co-conspirators in the Venture Predation bezzle: “half of Series A and B deals now have some secondary component for founders.” That means that founders can cash out before the bezzle ends.
The trick with any bezzle is to skip town while the mark is still energetically digging through the shit, before the pony is revealed for an illusion. That’s where crypto comes in: during the cryptocurrency bubble, VCs cashed out of their investments early through Initial Coin Offerings and other forms of securities fraud. The massive returns this generated were well worth the millions they sprinkled on Superbowl ads and bribes for Matt Damon.
But woe betide the VC who mistimes their exit. As Wework showed, it’s entirely possible for VCs to be left holding the bag if they get the timing wrong. Wework blew $12b on predatory pricing — promising tenants at rivals’ businesses moving bonuses or even a year’s free rent, all to make the pile of shit look larger and thus more apt to contain a pony. The company opened its co-working spaces as close as possible to existing shops, oversaturating hot markets and showing “growth” by poaching customers through deep subsidies, then pretending that those customers would stay when the subsidies evaporated. But Wework’s “product” was temporary hot-desks, occupied by people who could (and did) move at the drop of a hat.
To its competitors, its competitors’ creditors, and credulous investors, it appeared that Wework had developed some kind of “efficiency advantage” — a secret sauce that let it sell a product at a price that was far below its rivals’ costs. But once Wework filed for its IPO, its S-1 — the form that discloses the company’s finances — revealed the truth. Wework’s only “advantage” was the bafflegab of its cult-like leader and the torrent of cash supplied by its VCs.
Wework’s IPO was a disaster. After canceling a real IPO, the company eventually went public through a scammy SPAC, saw its shares immediately tank, and continue to fall, as its balance-sheet is still blood-red with losses.
Another Venture Predator is Bird, the company that flooded American cities with cheap, flimsy Chinese scooters, choking curbs and sidewalks. 25% of the gross revenues from each scooter ride had to be written off as depreciation on the scooter. As a Bird spokesperson told the LA Times: “There are very few unique companies for which you can build global scale really quickly and build a dominant market position before other people do, and for those rarefied companies scaling quickly matters more than short-term profits.”
Bird was another company that could never recoup, whose executives and investors could only cash out if they could maintain the faint hope of the pony underneath its pile of shitty scooters. It drove the company to some genuinely surreal lengths. For example, in 2018, I reported on the existence of a kit that let you buy an impounded Bird scooter for pennies and retrofit it to run without an app, so you could take it anywhere:
https://boingboing.net/2018/12/08/flipping-a-bird.html
Shortly thereafter, I got a legal threat from Linda Kwak, Bird’s Senior Corporate Counsel, claiming that publishing a link to a website that sells you a product you install by unscrewing one board and inserting another was a violation of Section 1201 of the DMCA, which was an astonishingly stupid claim:
https://www.eff.org/document/bird-rides-takedown-boing-boing-dec-20-2018
It was also an astonishingly stupid claim to make to me, a career activist with 20 years experience fighting DMCA1201, a decades-old professional affiliation with EFF, and a giant megaphone:
https://boingboing.net/2019/01/11/flipping-the-bird.html
But Bird was palpably desperate to keep its bezzle going, and Kwak — an employment lawyer with undeniable deficits in her understanding of copyright and cyber-law — was their champion
Fascinatingly, one thing Bird didn’t worry about was competition from Uber and Lyft, who piled into the e-scooter market. Bird circulated a (leaked) pitch-deck reassuring investors that Uber/Lyft weren’t gunning for them, because they ““won’t subsidize prices” as they prepared for their IPOs, which involved disclosing their finances to their investors.
Bird’s investors either lost money or made small-dollar returns, but they were outfoxed by Bird founder Travis VanderZanden, a superpredator who cashed out $44m in shares just as the VCs were piling in.
Venture Predation is another stinging rebuttal to the Chicago School’s blithe dismissal of Predatory Pricing as an illusion. Private firms — of the sort that VCs back — whose boards are made up of founders and VCs who stand to benefit from the pile-of-shit gambit are perfectly capable of spending huge fortunes to make Predatory Pricing work. VCs make a practice of repeatedly co-investing in businesses together, which fosters the kind of trust that allows for these gambits to be played again and again.
For later stage, pony-thirsty investors who get stuck holding the bag, the lure of monopoly profits is both powerful and plausible — after 40 years of antitrust neglect, monopolies are the kinds of things one can both attain and defend (think of Peter Thiel’s maxim, “competition is for losers,” or Warren Buffett’s terrifying priapisms induced by the mere thought of businesses with “wide, sustainable moats”).
In a world of Facebook and Google, dreaming of monopolies isn’t irrational — it’s aspirational.
VCs are ideally poised to play the Venture Predation gambit. They are risk-tolerant and need to cash out over short timescales. What’s more, VCs’ longstanding boasts of their ability to identify companies who have invented new, super-efficient ways to do boring things like “rent out office space” or “provide taxis” gives the pile-of-shit pony-pitch a plausible ring.
The Venture Predator gambit isn’t just a form of plute-on-plute violence in which billionaires fleece millionaires. Like any anticompetitive scam, Venture Predators are able to pick winners in the marketplace — rather than getting the taxi or the office rental service or the scooter that serves you best, you get the scammiest version.
Workers who are roped in by the scam also suffer — the authors raise the example of a cab driver who leases a car to drive for Uber, based on the early subsidies the company offered, only to find themselves unable to make payments once the bezzle ends and Uber starts clawing back the driver’s wages.
Then there’s the cost to society: during the decade-plus in which Uber was pissing away the Saudi royal family’s billions subsidizing rides, cities dismantled their public transit, even as residents made decisions about where to live and work based on the presumption that Uber was charging a fair, sustainable price for rides.
The authors propose a bunch of legislative fixes for this, but warn that none of them are likely to get through Congress or the Manne-pilled judiciary. But they do hold out hope for a proposed SEC rule “requiring large, private companies to make basic financial disclosures.” These disclosures would make it impossible for companies to pretend that they had built a better mousetrap when all they had was a bigger pile of shit.
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Catch me on tour with Red Team Blues in Toronto, DC, Gaithersburg, Oxford, Hay, Manchester, Nottingham, London, and Berlin!
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If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/19/fake-it-till-you-make-it/#millennial-lifestyle-subsidy
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[Image ID: A giant pile of manure with a pony sticking out of it.]
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Image: Eli Duke (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/elisfanclub/6834356283
CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
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bbgthoma · 2 years
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— PLAYLIST FOR THEIR S/O genshin impact x gn!reader
ft. thoma, scaramouche, tomo, diluc ragnvindr, childe, kaeya alberich
a/n. this bc i was talking to my friend about what songs thoma would listen to and then i had the idea of writing this🤭
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❥ thoma - he would land on some tiktok about how making playlists for your s/o is some sort of love language and immediately start making one for you - he’d make it a private playlist - the second he’s done with it, he’s sending it to you and you’re the only person who can access it the songs in the playlist: line without a hook by ricky montgomery in my mind by lyn lapid something about you by eyedress, dent may mr loverman by ricky montgomery all i need by lloyd chicago by michael jackson as the world caves in by matt maltese 0 (zero) by lmyk i wanna be yours by arctic monkeys 505 by arctic monkeys looking out for you by joy again dark red by steve lacy me and my husband by mitski juliet by cavetown die for you by the weeknd
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❥ scaramouche - he’d just randomly get the idea of making this playlist - he’d obviously make it a private playlist - he’d also never tell you about it - childe would once find it while going trough his phone and immediately show it to you the songs in the playlist: hot demon b!tches near u!!! by corpse husband, night lovell partners in crime by ash costello, set it off hayloft ii by mother mother all i want is you by rebzyyx, hoshie star killshot by magdalena bay hearbeat by childish gambino starboy by the weeknd into you by ariana grande in my room by insane clown posse into it by chase atlantic something about you by eyedress, dent may out of my league by fitz and the tantrums stalker’s tango by autoheart i love you so by the walters e-girls are ruining my life! by corpse, savage ga$p
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❥ tomo - the day he started catching feelings for you, he made this asap - he would keep it a private playlist but when he starts dating you, he’ll make it a public one - he has like 16384772 playlists, but this is the one he listens to the most - he didn’t tell you about it, you found it yourself on his account the songs in the playlist: dark red by steve lacy you get me so high by the neighbourhood reflections by the neighbourhood les by childish gambino me and your mama by childish gambino moment by vierre cloud babydoll (speed) by ari abdul so anxious by ginuwine stargirl interlude by the weeknd, lana del rey on my own by darci ohmami by chase atlantic killshot by magdalena bay two birds by regina spektor slow down by chase atlantic uhh by framed
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❥ diluc - i am sorry but his playlist would look so dry😭 - kaeya was the one to tell him to make you one - kaeya also helped him choose the songs bc this man had no idea wtf to put - he would never tell you about it but bitch kinda forgot to threaten kaeya to not tell you🙆 the songs in the playlist: line without a hook by ricky montgomery everything i wanted by billie eilish swim by chase atlantic fetish by selena gomez, gucci mane mind games by sickick promiscous by nelly furtado, timbaland pretty boy by the neighbourhood stargazing by the neighbourhood you get me so high by the neighbourhood woo by rihanna 死ぬのがいいわ by fujii kaze you right by doja cat, the weeknd moonlight by chase atlantic right here by chase atlantic softcore by the neighbourhood
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❥ tartaglia - he’d make just like that and immediately show it to you - public playlist ofc - he’d force you to make a playlist for him too the songs in the playlist: stargirl interlude by the weeknd, lana del rey les by childish gambino i was never there by the weeknd me and your mama by childish gambino consume by chase atlantic, goon des garcon vacation bible school by ayesha erotica beggin’ by måneskin adore you by harry styles this side of paradise by coyote theory woo by rihanna bad habit by steve lacy on that time by playboi carti belong to the city by partynextdoor new magic wand by tyler, the creator
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❥ kaeya - he’d make it the day he starts dating you - he’d show it to you and remind you that he loves you more than anything - it’d be a public playlist, he wants everyone to know that he loves you the songs in the playlist: i bet on losing dogs by mitski closer by nine inch nails supermassive black hole by muse law by yoon mirae, bibi on my own by darci killshot by magdalena bay in my mouth by black dresses numb to the feeling by chase atlantic santanny by bktherula cooler than me by mike posner, big sean all i need by lloyd first love / late spring by mitski i want you by mitski sofia by clairo beautiful is boring by bones uk
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witchofthesouls · 1 month
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The last option for the Decepticons/Autobots to discover a Gadget is hilariously on point. No one but the whackiest inspector around would stumble upon actual aliens on their break but also ruin the enemy faction's cover. Spike just staring when the bots mention the encounter before he shows them the Inspector Gadget movie.
Prowl being friends with a Gadget just gives me Good Cop/Bad Cop vibes as the latter definitely isn't that threatening in an interrogation. Plus Go Go Gadget Toothpaste Slick is a funnier possible way to deter the science bots cause its sticky and feels weird. Also something a Cybertronian shouldn't try to rub off their optics haphazardly cause it smears.
A Gadget could happen in Aligned, Animated, and Earthspark. The latter being in the same (sorta) universe as G1 so it's a bigger possibility. For Aligned, it's because of Rescue Bots side since the whackiest shit tends to happen there, like Optimus going T-Rex, so a Gadget being made plus ending up entangled in Prime's shenanigans can happen.(Prime deserves an extra dose of weirdness.)
Finally Animated is another possibility cause the human villains being insanely diverse from serious to absurd leads to the possibility of a Gadget hero. Plus Captain Fanzone as their police chief makes it funnier. The poor man knows what shenanigans their rookie gets into and them accidentally kicking Sentinel in the bearings because of a glitch is expected for him.
Exactly! Just imagine the resident Autobot-aligned humans going, "Are you sure? Did Megatron throw too hard? Ratchet needs to look at the dent in your helm."
Meanwhile, the Decepticons are furiously searching for such a terrible and terrific monstrosity! Megatron is howling that "abomination" under his command!
Prowl and Inspector friendship because both of them understand how to be an outsider from their own kind from specialized equipment and situations outside their hands/choices. Prowl helps the poor Inspector from being shanghaied by the science 'bots. They become known as Prowl's "squishy new bird" since the Inspector is generally found perched on the mech's shoulder or using the propellor to buzz around him.
The Inspector is very much aware of how much their supplies are written off by taxpayers' dollars. If they're not on the job or in danger, they don't want to utilize the armed gadgets. At least the propellor can use gasoline. It's awkward to fuel as a station, so they have an empty fuel container they lug around on vacation or their downtime in the car trunk.
Ngl, I thought of TFA as well, but there's a whole lot of dark implications in that universe and I wanted to keep it light-hearted fun. Plus, you would think with all that sci-fi, futuristic stuff going on, there would be humans with cybernetic prosthetics and a lot of other supplemental or augmentation gear. Something from I, Robot, Cyberpunk Edgerunners, My Hero Academia, or Overwatch. Having an Inspector Gadget wouldn't be so far-fetched or as fun and hilarious.
Same reasons why TFP/Aligned and Earthspark were out as well.
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