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#the funniest thing is if you go on my archive
bittwitchy · 2 months
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sometimes i forget that i have to physically look at my tag
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reminder: byler is officially going to be bones next season! ❤️
you and all your fellow bylers are currently having all your delusion mass screenshotted and put in my twitter mutual's archive... once s5 comes out and byler is bones, she'll make a video mocking almost a decade worth of your delusion. the video will become viral and every single person in the world will be laughing at you. ❤️
enjoy your delusion while you still can, you fool. ❤️
Ngl, this is simultaneously one of the funniest and saddest hate anons I’ve received. You should be embarrassed, but because you possess not a shred of self-awareness or shame, you won’t be.
The truth is, you’re clearly insecure and scared that we’re right because no one who is actually secure and happy with their ship acts this way. No one. If I were a Mlvn, I would simply enjoy Mlvn through fan art, edits, analysis, S5 predictions, memes, etc.- you know, all the things we’re doing here, like a normal fandom, in peace?
I wouldn’t spend my time harassing a group of shippers I believe to be “delusional,” who support a ship that I see as “bones.” We aren’t bothering anyone or harming anyone.
That isn’t even middle school behavior. That’s elementary school behavior. Your juice boxes are by the animal crackers and the Go-Gurt, btw.
So what if we're “delusional” (we aren’t, but so what if we are?) How do our so-called “delusions” have any effect on your fandom experience whatsoever? You’re making yourselves miserable by being bullies instead of enjoying Mlvn.
Additionally, Byler is beautiful and life-affirming and lovely and wonderful all around. There is nothing bad about rooting for queer joy and for Will (and Mike) to get happy endings together.
And there is nothing delusional about shipping a ship that is semi-canon where one half of it literally made a romantic painting for their bestie and the other half of the ship spent the entire penultimate season having heart-to-hearts with them. Nothing, nada, zilch.
You being bereft of subtext, fueled by flagrant homophobia, and blinded by heteronormativity isn’t our problem. It’s yours. And if against all odds, we’re wrong, that’s on the writers of the show. It still wouldn’t make us delusional or foolish, and there would be nothing to mock.
That’s because there is nothing foolish or wrong about rooting for queer joy. The only thing that’s foolish is rooting against it, which you’re doing now. We have nothing to be ashamed of, and you have everything to be ashamed of.
So compile what you wish. Continue down the astonishing path of total self-unawareness. Laugh, mock, and cackle. Guzzle down your homophobia. Place your head on your pillow at night in the smug satisfaction that you’re oh so enlightened because you aren’t delusional and see that Mike and El are explicitly dating on screen, so they must be endgame.
And we will see you on the other side. And maybe, just maybe, when you’re entirely wrong in 2025 and Byler is not, in fact, bones, you’ll rethink your life and work on being a better, happier, kinder person. I pray that day comes sooner.
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THE ALIENIST, S02xE06 (2020) Daniel Brühl as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler
"Sara, if you have no prior engagements, a spare pair of hands would be very much appreciated." A scene from The Alienist that lives rent-free in my mind: John casually (for the time period) asking Sara if she can help him go through the New York Times archives after they finally hooked up and Laszlo, picking up on the weird vibe, surreptitiously but carefully watching it all play out.
Always cracks me up, how he looks up again, like he can't help himself. Like, you know, all of us. It's a small moment but it endeared me to the good doctor even more.
It's in throwaway scenes like these that Daniel's talent as an actor is evident: he's reacting rather comically but still with enough subtlety to be true to his character. This is also why I want him to do more comedies. A character being funny with no idea he's being funny is the funniest thing ever.
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britcision · 1 year
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Guys I dunno how to tell you this this is my favourite fucking chapter so far and before this one the last one was
I know it looks like we’re getting distracted and side tracked off on tangents but I’m having the time of my fucking life and more than half of my favourite bits weren’t in the plan
(We’re still on track and makin’ our way but oh boy the funniest things are all accidents)
AO3 link is as ever still on the first couple of chapters!
First:
Previous:
———————
That’s Not A Twink That’s An Anime Girl
They did eventually have to let Dick out of his snow drifts.
As a former circus acrobat, Dick had the best excuse of all of them to use his vigilante training in public; he’d wormed out of Jason’s grasp, flipped over Duke and made a run for it.
Unfortunately for him, gravity was actually literally optional for Danny, and Danny didn’t even have a superhero identity to protect in Gotham.
He could turn a lot more easily on the slick ice and snow to give chase, a little flight added when friction failed him. On his own, Danny would have probably had to actually fly to take Dick down.
Of course, odds of eight-to-one would weigh on any man. Not a single member of the group wasn’t thoroughly soaked by the hour’s end, sweat under clothes and snow clinging over them.
The journey up to Wayne Manor ended up being done in chunks as the sun began to sink and the cold set in for their more human friends.
Jason, Danny, Duke, and Tim had to go back to the mall to retrieve motorbikes.
(Technically Danny didn’t actually need to, but what he did need was an excuse to get Jason alone for a minute, and he’d put up with snickering from Sam and Tuck to do it.)
Steph, Cass, Damian, Sam, and Tucker called for a cab rather than pack themselves into Dick’s now snow filled car, and their numbers were excuse enough for Danny to slip away.
Which is when Tucker realised he could have probably hitched a ride on Tim’s bike, and spent the whole journey hugging Tim Drake-Wayne.
Buuuuut it’d also mean riding a motorcycle through slushy snow. The dilemma on his face made Danny grin all the way back to the mall, despite the damp now clinging to his clothes.
Sure, the car might reach the manor first and they’d get warm and dry, but that just meant Tucker’d miss out on more Tim Time.
The snowball fight had clearly done Tim good too, he was much more energised as they walked back to the mall, complaining to Danny and the others about Amity Park’s underhanded tactics.
Danny sure as fuck wasn’t going to apologise, but he did have a much more important question: how the fuck did Jason do that landshark-disappearing-into-snow bullshit?
Which… well, was also a chance to fuck with Tim and Duke.
“Seriously Jay, I can go intangible but that snow trick was bullshit,” Danny complained with a wicked glee in his heart, reflected in Jason’s grin.
Tim nearly tripped over his own feet. Duke caught him, his own eyes wide.
“You can what?!” Tim asked in a slightly strangled voice, and Danny gave him his most innocent smile.
“Oh, has Dick not told you? Yeah, it’s one of my things, from the generic end of the list,” he explained casually, turning his arm intangible and phasing it through Jason.
Who made a face.
“Okay but why does it feel like that left a residue?” The larger man complained, scrubbing at his shirt.
Which. Danny paused, frowning down at his hand. Stuck it through his own chest experimentally.
“Y’know, I didn’t know it did that… not like I go through myself often, but I can definitely feel it,” he agreed, sticking his tongue out as he wiggled his hand around, then drew it back.
Duke and Tim looked fascinated and nauseated respectively. Danny gave them both a cheerful shrug and kept walking.
“It’s probably my pit water,” he theorised, and Jason groaned loudly.
“Danny, did you just fucking mix our forbidden smoothies?” He complained loudly, and Duke damn near choked himself on a strangled laugh.
Danny fully had to stop and turn to stare at Jason, delighted awe on his face.
“Oh, I’m calling it that forever. That’s my new favourite thing. Skulker is going to shit his entire liver when he hears “forbidden smoothie”,” he decided gleefully.
Jason smirked and bumped shoulders as he passed, forcing the others to keep moving to keep up. Duke almost jogged to lean around Jason and give Danny a curious look.
“Who’s Skulker?” He asked innocently and Danny grinned at him.
“Oh, one of my rogues. He likes to talk a big game but he’s pretty easy to deal with. All bark, no bite,” Danny explained cheerfully.
Honestly he was a little surprised Skulker hadn’t shown up in Gotham to bother him yet. He must have been having a hard time finding a portal, because it’s not like he’d stop.
Tim and Duke did seem a little reassured by his casual dismissal, but still concerned. Jason cut them off before they could ask anything that might be useful.
Yeah, Jason was kinda Danny’s favourite.
“So how the fuck do I get your smoothie out of my jug?” He asked with an overly disgusted face. Danny fought not to laugh.
“You are so asking the wrong person dude, I didn’t know it happened until just now,” he pointed out and Jason rolled his eyes.
“I’m taking at least six showers when we get to the manor,” Jason grumbled melodramatically, and Danny laughed aloud.
Then paused.
“Wait, how many bathrooms are there? Can we all shower?” He asked Tim and Duke.
Neither of whom looked ready to admit they didn’t know what was going on. Fuck Jason knew his family well.
Duke shrugged, the mall finally coming into sight, and diverted towards the underground parking.
“Well, there’s enough for one each. And Alfred could do laundry for you so you can change right after if you take a long one,” he offered, glancing down at his own now damp clothes.
Best part of a snowball fight: changing back into something warm and dry.
Danny snickered, plucking at Jason’s oversized sweater.
“The way you assume I’m wearing a single thing that I actually own is adorable,” he told the younger man sincerely, grinning as his cheeks heated.
Sure, it was more subtle on dark skin than Danny’s light tan, but he’d been friends with Tucker since he could walk. He knew exactly what to look for.
Was not quite ready for it to be combined with a sly grin right back.
“What, nothing of yours?” He asked suggestively and Tim laughed, quickly catching on.
“Did Jason give you everything?” He asked teasingly, both younger Wayne wards now grinning at their older brother.
Jason’s little pink blush was definitely still Danny’s favourite. He grinned right back, refusing to follow them to a place that didn’t exist.
“Some of it’s probably yours,” he told Tim blithely, tugging at his sweatpants. Which, as predicted, immediately changed Tim’s expression to annoyance.
“Why is everyone wearing my pants today?” Tim grumbled, and Danny’s grin widened.
“They looked a little tight on Tucker if you wanted to help him take them off,” Danny teased and Tim levelled a dry stare at him.
“I do have a boyfriend,” he pointed out coolly, like that was gonna stop turnabout from being fair play.
“Ask him to come help then,” Jason cut in, ruffling Tim’s hair, “you know Connor’s always welcome for dinner.”
For a long moment Tim’s expression froze, clearly actually considering the suggestion. Then he shook his head, sighing and calling the elevator.
“Probably not today. What floor do you guys need?” He asked as the doors slid open, stepping inside.
Quiet day at the mall. Probably the fucking cold, combined with hangovers from the new year.
And as much as Danny was thirsting to ask about that, he also very much needed Jason alone before they got on the road. Hopefully they weren’t on the same level.
“Two,” Jason said, and Tim nodded, hit two and then four. Looked to Duke. Who grinned.
“Three. Sorry Tim, you’re taking the scenic route.”
And for once the universe worked in Danny’s favour. Something fucked would probably happen soon to compensate.
He and Jason left the elevator together, waited til the doors slid back shut, and then headed off towards the bike. Danny didn’t make him ask.
“She’s definitely liminal. Not like, bad? Honestly she wouldn’t even register back in Amity Park. Damian’s is a bit worse, but he’s younger, it happens. Ecto energy likes kids,” he explained when Jason made an inquisitive noise.
He definitely wasn’t bitter or anything. He’d been just young enough to take it in like a magnet.
His parents probably wouldn’t have survived the same accident.
“It’s kinda the only thing horror movies get right. Ectoplasm can form from emotional energy, and little kids, they feel everything that much more. Tapers off when you get older, so Damian’s still a magnet. Cass is stable.”
He kinda wished he had better news, but honestly? After a dunk in the kind of rancid ectoplasm Jason described, Danny was taking it as a win that neither of the others were haunted.
Jason nodded gruffly, pausing beside his bike to pull his helmet back on. Not that it’d stop Danny from reading his mood; his aura pulsed stress-stress-stress-worry like a beacon.
Danny stepped closer, resting a hand on Jason’s shoulder, stilling the movement.
“They’ll both almost definitely become ghosts if they die again,” he explained softly, voice low enough to pass unheard in the echoing space, “but they’ll be fine. Think of it like insurance; you’re never going to lose them.”
Jason snorted, the sound distorting strangely through the helmet, but didn’t pull away.
“Is that what you tell yourself about Sam and Tucker?” He asked, trying to sound derisive but there was a tinge of hope there now.
Danny gave him a gentle wave of sorry-sorry-comfort back.
“Yeah.”
**
Back in the elevator, Tim looked at Duke expectantly. Who sighed.
“I am not a fuckin’ pokedex, Tim,” he reminded the older boy with a roll of his eyes. Which his brother totally ignored, still waiting.
Tim could fucking stare like nobody’s business.
The elevator chimed again and Duke stepped out, not the least surprised when Tim followed.
“I dunno. I thought I almost caught something in the park, but it was just a blur. Tucker and Sam both have more of an aura than Danny, but Danny’s clearly something. I just dunno if it’s a meta gene,” he explained reluctantly, and Tim nodded, already adding the information to his wrist computer.
Which he wasn’t supposed to wear out of costume.
Duke wasn’t gonna tell; he’d be a damn hypocrite if he did, he wore his Signal boots with the bike half the time. They were just much more responsive than normal boots.
“What makes you say that?” Tim asked, still typing away. It’d save Duke from having to add it all to his report, so it kinda counted as a favour.
Duke shrugged, still trying to narrow down the feeling.
“Honestly? Most people with the same meta gene fuck up a little the first time they show off around me. It’s the x-metals; I boost them, whatever they’re doing goes too hard.” Tim’d been the one to help him work that out, but it would all go in the report.
Tim nodded, gesturing for him to continue and Duke sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Danny… didn’t. Unless that’s the residue they were both talking about, and if the fucking Lazarus Pits can cause intangibility we have got to warn Bruce. But that’s not the only thing,” he added quickly, before Tim could speak.
The older boy quieted obediently, but Duke could see he had his thinking face on. Putting pieces together, all those wheels turning as one.
That was practically a fuckin’ meta ability, and it wasn’t like Tim got a boost from him either. Maybe Duke needed to do some more experimenting.
“Most metas, even the nonhuman ones, have at least some aura. Some of them can hide it, but I can get a feel for their powers from it. Danny… I dunno. I can almost feel something, but I can’t see it.”
That was the thing that unsettled Duke the most, honestly. Almost all of his powers were purely light based; seeing what other people couldn’t. Even his shadow manipulation still worked around light.
It was fucking weird for there to be anything he couldn’t see, and he could go way beyond the visible spectrum. Whatever Danny emitted, it went beyond even that.
For a guy who could even see a little into the future, it was weird.
And since Danny had showed off flight, super strength, and intangibility already? And called them the generic end of the list?
Duke was definitely leaning on the “extreme control of his aura” side of the equation.
Tim looked concerned too, which was kind of validating. It kinda sucked being the expert on things no one else could understand, because Duke always worried he was overreacting, but if Tim tagged it too? Well that was validation.
“The only bit of good news is that we can probably rule out the pits as the source of his abilities,” Tim muttered as he scanned back through his notes so far.
“They coulda been trauma activated by his death in the same way as a meta gene,” Duke pointed out thoughtfully, leaning back against the wall.
It wasn’t like they were racing home, and until someone else came down the elevator? No rush. Tim had another floor to descend anyway.
Tim himself shrugged, adding another couple of notes to his file.
“It’s definitely possible, but even if it was a million-to-one chance, I can’t imagine Ra’s keeping quiet about something this useful, or letting someone like Danny run around if he had any idea he existed,” Tim explained, making a face.
And… yeah, no point trying to argue with Tim about Ra’s al Ghul. Duke pulled a face too and sighed.
“Well, he still seems pretty sure we’ll know all about it if we can get into Amity Park. Or when Jason decides to fucking tell us,” he added with a roll of his eyes.
Tim glanced up at him, smirking.
“You noticed too?” He asked innocently, and Duke snorted. Reading Jason’s micro-expressions might not be a survival skill exactly, but it was still a bat family hobby.
“He definitely fucking knows!” He complained, the switch from Professional Hero to Baby Brother getting easier and easier as time passed.
He still had his own parents, he didn’t need Bruce to adopt him, but he’d been an only child for most of his life. Having a new army of big brothers and sisters? Kinda ruled.
And he knew most of the others felt the same. They’d all be alone in their own ways, and the stubborn independent streaks were still there, but…
It was good to know someone had your back. That no matter what happened, how the adults in your life fucked you over, you could always go to Dick’s in Bludhaven.
Could always call Jason to bitch about whatever you needed off your chest, and yeah, there was always the worry that he really meant it when he said he’d “take care” of your problem? But he also listened when they said no.
Hell, it’d been Jason’s couch that Duke had crashed out on about a year ago, back when Jason was still damn near on the Big Bat’s no fly list.
He’d been on his way to school for the start of his winter semester when an absolutely blinding migraine took him to his knees. For whatever reason, Jason had been close.
Duke hadn’t even been able to glance at his phone to call for help; even opening his eyes a crack felt like he was being blinded. He’d barely recognised Jason’s voice asking if he was alright.
Hell, back then he hadn’t known if Jason recognised him out of costume. They’d always had a more friendly relationship than Jay did with the other bats, but this had been just after Jason finally texted Dick back.
Back when Red Hood would take a casual shot at any mask crossing into his turf. Not to hit, but a definite reminder of the border.
And Jason had lifted him bodily and carried him into Crime Alley. Put him on his couch to sleep it off in pitch darkness, and made him some of the best home made soup Duke had ever had.
Duke got why the older teens were still a little wary. He’d seen the Pit Rage live and in person, and it was fucking terrifying. It just wasn’t all Jason was.
And yeah, the family also had a whole army of fellow teens who’d know exactly what you were talking about, between Steph, Tim, Cass, and Duke himself. Even Damian, as much as he pretended not to care.
Kate and Babs were always willing to spread their wings out and give them all a place to shelter. And hell, if adult supervision was needed, they even had Harley, Ivy, or Selina.
Duke may not want to be a Wayne, but he’d take everything the bat family offered with both hands.
Tim sure as hell had not adjusted from being the baby to being third oldest though. He gave a huge heaving groan to match Duke’s own, flopping back against the wall.
“I know, right! And he knows we don’t know shit. He’s just enjoying watching us scramble cuz he knows we can’t just tell Danny we don’t know,” he grumbled, scrubbing both hands through his hair.
Duke hesitated.
“We… probably could just tell Danny,” he said slowly, brows furrowing. “It’s not like he doesn’t want us to know.”
Tim gave him a sidelong look.
“Yeah, after we admit we didn’t even manage to google him. Y’know, the kid who clocked Dick’s identity from his ass,” he added dryly.
Duke hesitated again, brows furrowing.
He knew that shouldn’t matter. Knew the smart move really was to ask for help sometimes. Knew damn well that it was Tim’s stubborn streak that kept him in the cave all night, while Tuck, Steph, and Cass watched movies upstairs.
Finally he let his head drop, sighing.
“The longer we wait the dumber we look if we have to ask later,” he warned Tim but his heart wasn’t in it.
It didn’t matter that Jason was probably the only member of the family with all the pieces; whoever caved and asked for help first? Yeah, social suicide.
Tim shook his head, pushing off the wall and scowling out into the rest of the garage.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll talk to Tucker about the Amity Park problem tonight and we’ll know by morning.”
Which… Duke hid a smile.
Asking Danny? Definitely cheating, worthy of scorn and derision.
Asking Tucker? Apparently completely different. Although technically he wouldn’t be asking Tucker for the same information.
Just admitting the exact same fault.
Pulling his keys from his pocket, Duke turned and wiggled them at Tim as he headed for his bike.
“Hey, if you hurry you could try to beat Danny and Jason to the manor. Get to Tucker first,” he added, grinning as Tim hit the call for the elevator.
The shorter boy rolled his eyes, waving a hand in Duke’s general direction.
“I’ll get to him once everyone’s warmed up. He wanted a look at my set up last night anyway,” he said almost off handedly.
Duke’s grin spread.
“Oh hey, that’s perfect! Just take him to your bedroom after you’ve both just been wet and naked and show each other your most private parts!” He called loudly, wondering if any of the supers were listening.
They’d find out soon.
Tim choked, blushing cherry red and spun to yell something after Duke just as the elevator doors opened. Duke waved cheerily back, turning away to head for his motorcycle.
“See you at the manor Timmy!”
**
Reconvening at Wayne Manor was… well, chaotic. Even more so than the gala the night before, though that might have been because this time, none of them had a firm plan.
Jason and Danny arrived first, greeting Alfred on the way in. The butler was not hugely impressed by the “foresight” which had led to a snowball fight when Danny was wearing an oversized sweater, sweatpants, and little else.
Any protestations that Danny was fine and was normally this cold anyway quavered under an archly raised brow and Danny privately swore never to let Clockwork meet Alfred.
They would get along far too well.
And that’s how Danny ended up actually using one of the spare bathrooms while Jason, who had worn a proper coat and thus escaped Alfred’s wrath, grabbed him a change of clothes.
The fact that this once again included one of Jason’s shirts, when Tim, Dick, Duke, and Steph all existed and also had spare clothes here, felt a little targeted.
It hung from Danny’s shoulders like a kid in his dad’s clothes, but Jason was probably also the only one with a shirt that said “Soup Powered Fuck Machine”, and the bit was fucking worth it.
Danny tied off most of the excess fabric into something just a bit longer than a crop top and settled in to drink hot chocolate with Jason and Duke and wait for the others to come back down.
(Which, by the way? Best hot chocolate he’d ever tasted. He was stealing the recipe 1000%, it was so rich and creamy and thick and had grated curls of chocolate on top of the whipped cream.)
Any lingering questions Duke might have been hiding about the shirt? Answered themselves when Tucker walked into the room, saw Danny, and laughed so hard he wound up in the fetal position.
Yeah, Jason was never getting this shirt back.
This was Danny’s shirt now. He was gonna wear it for his next fight with his rogues.
Sam actually did have her own clothes, so she’d accepted the offer of laundry while she showered (though she was a little annoyed the laundry room was so far from any of the bathrooms that she couldn’t do it herself), so she’d rejoined them in a mix of Steph and Cass’s clothes while she waited.
She had also been unable to keep a straight face upon seeing Danny’s new country girl fashion statement, rolling her eyes and punching his shoulder as she dropped to sit next to him.
“We call the thermos Soup Time,” she explained when Cass cocked her head curiously… which probably actually confused the rest of the bats a little more.
“The thermos you threw at Killer Croc?” Dick asked, still towelling his hair dry.
Sam raised a very slow eyebrow at him, her smile toning down to a smug smirk.
“Yeah, sure, I definitely threw it at Croc,” she agreed dryly and Dick cackled, throwing his towel down on Tucker’s still curled body.
Without even seeming to open the door Alfred appeared with another tray of hot chocolates, handing them out to those who hadn’t yet gotten one and taking back empty mugs.
He even had a second hot chocolate for Danny, who was going to marry the man. Even if he was old enough to be his grandpa.
Maybe Tucker did have a point about trying to get into the Wayne family for the perks… which Danny was never going to stop teasing him about, now that he and Tim were getting on so well. Boy could make his own ins, he didn’t need Danny.
Even Tucker roused himself for a mug though, crawling out from under Dick’s towel, glancing at Danny, and bursting out laughing again. Still, this time he could keep himself steady enough to stand, take the mug, and join Tim on another couch.
Alfred gave a quick glance around the room, probably counting heads, and cleared his throat.
The assorted vigilantes quieted immediately, and Danny’s respect for the old man grew just a little. It was already pretty fucking high. Not much more room to rise.
And somehow that perfectly serene, composed face managed to convey a deep sense of satisfaction.
“I am afraid we are presently waiting only on Master Bruce to begin dinner. If you would all proceed to the dining room?” It was phrased as a polite request.
The Wayne brood leapt to like it was an order. Danny pressed his lips shut on a laugh as he followed, catching Sam’s eye to see her grinning.
Up in front, Dick hurried to walk alongside Alfred.
“Oh, is Brucie not home? Or do you want me to go dig him up?” He asked brightly, and Alfred gave him a tight smile, pushing open the door to the fucking plainest most normal dining room Danny’d ever seen in a mansion.
Sure, the table was huge, but rather than being ornate, heavy, or flashy, it looked to be hard wearing oak. Clean, well polished, and not even that polish could hide the dents.
The chairs too were comfortable, nice, and a lot more tasteful than the Manson’s or Vlad’s. Well padded, well used, but not… fancy. Even the walls were simple, the elaborately framed portraits and art pieces on the wall replaced with…
What looked like kid’s drawings. Framed, cherished, and it clicked.
No chance in hell that this was the manor’s formal dining room.
The table was huge, but not that big with the number of people in the room. More than half of it was filled with just the kids, and sure there was space for the Amity Parkers, but not a larger group.
This was the family dining room. And that was fucking adorable.
Steph’d definitely walk him through every picture on the walls to help him find Jason’s. Today was going to be great.
He almost completely missed Alfred’s reply to Dick.
“I’m afraid not, master Dick. He was expected back nearly two hours ago, and yet…”
Even deep within the manor no one could have missed the sound of the front door slamming open, and anyone who did would have been alerted by the bellowing yell that followed.
“OOOOOOOH BRUCIE! I TOLD YA WHAT’D HAPPEN IF WE HAD TO HAVE THE BOUNDARY TALK AGAIN!” An extremely loud, very chipper given… well, everything voice filled the room.
The Gothamites’ heads all snapped around with expressions ranging from delight to exasperation.
“How the fuck did she get here so fast,” Duke hissed, leaning in towards Tim, but not far enough that Danny couldn’t hear, “weren’t she and Ivy in Brazil?”
Tim, definitely the exasperated one, gave a helpless shrug. Whatever he replied with was lost under Dick, bellowing back with clear glee in his voice.
“FAMILY DINING ROOM, HARLS! FIRST HALL ON YOUR LEFT!”
So, they were all going to meet Harley Quinn today. That’d be fun. Danny had always wondered what she was like in person, and apparently she was a close enough friend of the Waynes to be welcomed in.
Sam and Tucker’s faces would be fun.
Alfred’s was a perfect mask of patience that even Clockwork would envy, and he had already pulled a new place setting from a chest of drawers.
It didn’t take Harley long to find them, striding down the hall wearing some fucking unseasonal shorts, a baggy long sleeved sweater, and her trademarked blonde pigtails with the pink and blue tips.
And a bedazzled baseball bat slung casually over her shoulder, just in case anyone missed the mark.
She greeted Dick with a kiss on the cheek, then chased down as many of the others that hadn’t immediately fled to the other side of the table. Barring Damian, none of them seemed to mind.
Jason had made an attempt to flee, but no. No, that wasn’t happening, and Danny “accidentally” got in his way. Boxed him in between chair and table, grinning all the while until Harley made her way to them.
“And there he is! My poor suffering boy!” Harley cooed, cupping both of Jason’s cheeks in her hands and yanking his head down with a lot more force than a woman her size should have been capable of, pressing a large smooch on each cheek.
For all the glares he shot Danny, he managed an almost sheepish smile for the woman herself.
“I’m fine, Harley. Really. You didn’t need to come,” he protested with absolutely none of his heart in it, a pink flush rising to complement the sparkly pink lipgloss smooch marks.
“Nonsense, baby boy, if Brucie needs his head pulled from his ass I’m always here,” Harley told him firmly, patting his cheeks and rounding on Danny.
It was kinda less funny now that she was bearing down on him, all of her airhead dramatics belied by the piercing, analytical stare she pinned him with.
“Huh, did Brucie pick up a new one while we were gone? It’s been like a week, we’ll talk about his adoption issues too,” Harley declared firmly, snagging Danny by his collar and yanking him in for a cheek smooch too.
And yeah, holy shit, she really was a lot stronger than she looked. Like, almost ghostly levels of super strength.
Batman’s “no metas in Gotham” rule was looking flimsier and flimsier, cuz while she’d been a rogue in the past, this? This was not a rogue’s welcome, and Danny actually did like most of his rogues.
Just not “kisses on the cheek”, although the grabbing and pulling was familiar.
Still, better not let Vlad know. Wouldn’t do for him to feel too welcome in Gotham.
Harley released him a moment later to give him a dazzling smile.
“Hi, you’re a little older than most of Brucie’s new kids but that’s fine, I’m your Aunt Harley now and if you ever need any help with anything, especially getting Brucie’s ass in line, you just call me, okay doll?” She told him firmly.
Jason was fucking grinning at him over her head, and it just plain wasn’t fair that he was a whole head taller than them. Danny flipped him off behind her back, and gave the woman herself a sheepish smile.
“Actually, I’m not one of Bruce’s, I’m just-“
“Jason’s-boyfriend,” Steph stage coughed behind him.
Harley’s eyes widened, Danny had a go at kicking blindly behind him and hurried to correct her.
“Just Jason’s friend,” he stressed the word and suddenly those almost frighteningly piercing eyes were roaming across his face again.
It was like if Jazz had been dunked in a vat of glitter but could still see right through him. Then Harley grinned again and patted his cheek.
“Sure thing, sugar. Still, if you stick around long enough Brucie’ll make a go of it, so be careful,” she warned him cheerfully, then lunged for Steph, got her in a headlock, and smooched pink lipgloss into freshly washed hair.
Danny couldn’t help chuckling softly as Harley scanned the room, clocked a bemused Tucker and wide eyed Sam, and her eyes narrowed for a moment.
Then she nodded, apparently deciding they probably also weren’t new niece and nephew, and skipped back over to Alfred.
“So! Not that this ain’t great, but ya clearly got some company over so if ya could just point me towards the B-man I’ll borrow him right quick?” She offered with a broad grin, not actually grabbing Alfred.
Up went the respect-o-meter again. Restraining Harley Quinn was hard for seasoned heroes, her restraining herself? None of the birds could claim that apparently.
Alfred gave her the same polite smile, setting her a place at the table.
“I’m afraid Master Bruce has not yet returned from his lunch appointment, Miss Quinzel. He should be returning shortly if you would care to join us for dinner?” It almost didn’t seem like a question, given what he was doing.
Harley waved a hand easily, making a face that was almost apologetic.
“Oh, nah, I’ll just go get ‘im for ya and send ‘im back over. Maybe with some new bruises,” she added almost as an after thought, then shrugged and grinned. “So! Where’d ya last see ‘im?”
It seemed like their missing Brucie problem was about to be solved, and the rest of the Gothamites were now taking their seats around the table.
Tucker, who’d cautiously followed Tim’s retreat around the table after Harley’s chaotic entrance, was now sat between Tim and Damian, and probably regretting his life choices.
Sam, whose parents hadn’t actually specifically forbidden her from speaking to Harley, seemed to be trying to make up her mind about something. Probably going to talk to Harley directly.
Steph and Jason had considerately left two spots in between them as they sat, and Danny let himself drop into the chair next to Jason as Alfred answered.
Well. Nearly into the chair.
“Master Bruce’s lunch appointment was approximately four hours ago in a private room at Chez Vous with one of our gala’s guests, a Vlad Masters.”
Yeah. Danny missed the chair, thunking all the way to the floor with a startled squawk.
“He fucking WHAT?!” He exclaimed, yanking himself back up, staring around the table at the equally startled Waynes.
Like they hadn’t spent the first part of the gala telling these people specifically that Vlad was a fucking mind controlling sociopath who was targeting their dad. What the hell.
Alfred raised an eyebrow very slowly at him, concern now creeping into his expression.
“He went to met Mr Masters in a private room for a late lunch, Mister Fenton. I am not aware of any other plans, but-”
And Danny was probably committing a cardinal fucking sin by interrupting him but he couldn’t hold in the groan, sinking down into the actual chair this time and thunking his head off the table.
Across the table, Tucker snickered at him.
“Let me guess. You forgot Vlad was still in town?” He asked, and Danny let out another utterly heartfelt groan.
“I forgot Vlad was still in town,” he whined as Jason stifled an entirely inappropriate bout of laughter.
There was one more important piece of business though, and Steph jumped straight to it.
“Wasn’t someone supposed to warn Bruce about Masters last night, so this couldn’t happen?” She asked in a low voice, leaning into the middle of the table.
Tim made a face, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I said I would, but… I got distracted…”
By beating his brains out against Amity Park’s ghostly firewalls apparently, and Danny did feel kinda bad for completely forgetting to mention that. In his defence, he hadn’t technically known that the Batcomputer was not ghost virus proof.
Should have guessed. Hadn’t known.
Tucker, who still had no idea about the vigilante thing, was quick to reassure Tim.
“You had a medical emergency, of course you were distracted,” he said quickly, patting the younger man carefully on the shoulder and glaring at the other assembled Wayne brood, “and any of them coulda mentioned it too!”
Dick raised a hand with a half smile that was mostly apology.
“Actually… Bruce went straight to Tim’s side after the gala. Think he stayed all night, but I never actually saw him. We coulda texted though,” he added sheepishly as the rest of the family made general noises of agreement.
Except Duke, who shrugged.
“I only learned about Masters when I met you guys this morning,” he pointed out, and Danny kinda doubted that but Duke had missed the original Masters debrief so he had the best excuse.
Alfred stepped closer to the table, and for the first time his presence actually registered as something other than the polite, nigh-unnoticeable model of efficiency.
Which probably meant he’d picked up on Danny’s super subtle hints that the situation was not fucking good. Good for him.
“And precisely what information was supposed to be shared with Master Bruce?” He asked, still politely, still calmly, but there’s a hint of warning that had most of the table stiffening up.
Tucker answered, giving Alfred an apologetic smile.
“Vlad Masters is a super creep and probably using his mind control powers to try and make Mr Wayne sign over everything he owns,” he explained easily, like it was nothing.
Harley’s eyes had widened, but she didn’t seem overly worried, just shouldered her bat again.
“So it’s also gonna be a rescue mission, huh? Vladdie a local boy or are they still gonna be in the same place?” She asked, the rest of the table tensing as one.
Because yeah. Next step was extract Bruce, and kick Vlad’s ass, and probably maybe try and get any contracts Bruce had signed in four hours? Which could now be anywhere.
Sighing heavily, Danny hauled himself to his feet. Feeling like a fucking idiot aside, he probably should have already left. He was pretty sure he knew where Chez Vous was?
“No, you guys stay put, I’ll go get him,” he said as cheerily as he could, cracking his neck.
Harley’s brows drew down in a frown and she prodded him with the bat.
“No offence kid, but ya look like a stiff breeze will flip ya over. You’re not going alone,” she told him firmly, and yeah, Danny could also feel Jason damn near vibrating from beside him.
Concern-worry-protect-coming too.
Putting a hand on the big guy’s shoulder before he could rise, Danny pushed just enough to keep him in his seat. Felt the moment of shock course through the much bigger man, and his grin became just a little more genuine.
“Sorry but if any of you come along, you’ll only make it harder for me to get Bruce back safely. Vlad’ll just take you guys over and make you fight me. I really wouldn’t worry too much though, he’s never actually beaten me,” he added with a reassuring smile.
Sam snorted a laugh, dropping into the empty seat beside Steph and crossing one leg over the other. Reassuring the Gothamites with her own complete lack of moving.
“Yeah, Danny’s been cleaning his clock since he was fourteen and it’s something like 700-5. You’d think he’d give up eventually,” she added, rolling her eyes.
Cuz yeah, Vlad might have gotten the upper hand through sneaky traps a bunch of times, but in a straight fight? Danny usually won, even before he had the power of the Infinite Realms at his back.
It wasn’t that all eyes turned to Harley. It was more that suddenly a bunch of them weren’t looking at her so pointedly they might as well have.
She regarded Danny and Sam a moment longer, then shrugged and dropped into the chair at the head of the table.
“Guess I’m stayin’ for dinner, or at least til Brucie’s back. And hey, it can be hard for folks ta come to terms with things like that. ‘Specially if they’re adults takin’ offence ta gettin’ their butt kicked by kids,” she added, a bright gleam in her eye.
Sam snickered, leaning back in her chair.
“Voice of experience?” She asked innocently and Harley tipped her a wink.
“Hell nah, you ever seen a Robin fight? ‘Sides, most of the folks who’ll shit a brick at bein’ beat by a kid get just as huffy at gettin’ beat by me,” Harley explained with a broad grin, flexing her own muscles.
It was just a little hilarious to see the differing reactions from the young vigilantes around the table.
Damian was still noticeably grumpy, though he almost felt more worried to Danny’s expert empathic eye. But then, his dad was in the lion’s den.
Dick and Tim looked like they were sharing an inside joke, and Danny had to figure they were the other Robins that went against Harley the most.
Steph, Cass, and Duke all looked decidedly self satisfied. Jason…
Jason was ignoring the rest of the table, still frowning up at Danny but not fighting his grip anymore.
“I should still come with you,” he argued like the rest of the conversation hadn’t happened, his voice low and urgent. And… yeah. Protection Obsession, 1000%.
And his Fright Knight now, fuck you very much Clockwork, but he was also not even fully formed. No way Danny was taking him to fight Vlad as his first ghost.
He gave Jason’s shoulder a quick squeeze, lowering his voice under the rest of the conversation.
“You’ll know if I need you, Jay, but Vlad used to be able to control me too. He’s not a great first run,” he explained softly.
Jason very clearly didn’t like it, brows drawing in even further, and Danny made his grin a little brighter by contrast. Brushed confidence-easy fight-be back soon across his aura.
“Besides, he’s more a sneaky fuck than an actual fighter. Not worth both of us heading out,” he tried, rolling his shoulders.
Jason raised an eyebrow, entirely unimpressed.
“By that logic it should be me going instead of you,” he pointed out, and Danny pouted. Fuck him for technical accuracy.
“Look, next time, okay?” He whispered, leaning in til his mouth was next to Jason’s ear. Tim was now watching them rather than Sam and Harley’s banter.
Perceptive little shit. But he wouldn’t catch shit if Danny covered his mouth to talk. For now, he had to persuade a cranky protective halfa not to go kick Vlad’s ass.
How the turntables and so on.
“Once you’ve got your powers in you can take him every time, alright?” He whispered, then leaned back and grinned at Jason. At least he wasn’t glaring anymore.
“I’ve got this. I’ll be fine,” he said as reassuringly as he could. And then. Pausing. “Uh… but I’ll probably… y’know. Do the thing to find him.”
Vlad couldn’t hide from Danny’s expanded aura, not without leaving this dimension. But that’d mean Jason also got another dose.
The understanding dawned across the big guy’s face, fell into a complicated expression. Finally he nodded stiffly.
“Fine. But leave it up so I know how it’s going?” He grumbled back, lips barely moving. Probably as a countermeasure for Nosy Little Brother.
Danny grinned and ruffled Jason’s hair, stepping away.
“Sure thing bud. I’ll be back with Bruce as soon as I can,” he said more loudly, more to the whole room, and let his aura flare out into the city until it touched Vlad’s.
Yeah, that beat trying to navigate the city from above for the second time ever.
A sudden absolutely awful impulse hit him, and his grin stretched just a little beyond what was humanly possible.
Why the fuck not? The reveal was gonna drop soon enough, Tuck and Sam already knew how much he wanted to show.
And most of the table were watching him.
Danny rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck, and had a brief moment of nostalgia. Because if he was being theatrical…
“I’m going ghost,” he called as loud as he could, letting the glowing rings of his transformation wash over him, changing him to Phantom in front of a table of gawking bats.
Then he jumped into the air and flew out of the manor through the wall, Sam and Tucker’s laughter ringing in his ears.
Now he just had to hope he could reach Bruce before Vlad did anything he couldn’t easily fix.
**
Tim was the first to speak. Other than the raucous laughter of the Amity Parkers the dining room had been dead silent since Danny’s… well, it was a transformation.
Reaching out blindly with his other hand, Tim caught Duke’s arm.
“You saw that, right?” He asked, his voice a little hoarse.
Duke nodded slowly, still staring at the wall Danny had just disappeared through.
“Not that I know what the fuck it was… but yeah…”
Because… yeah. They’d known Danny was some kind of meta at this point. Guy really wasn’t trying to hide it. But that was…
“What, you ain’t seen that before?” Harley asked from the head of the table, her voice filled with a sudden glee.
Across the table Jason snickered, and Tim’s attention zeroed back in on him.
He’d known. He’d stiffened up before Danny had transformed, still hadn’t fully relaxed and Tim could guess why. Whatever he’d told Danny to “leave up”.
It didn’t look like he was in pain, more like he’d braced himself for something that hadn’t fully happened yet. But since apparently all secrets were just on the table now…
Tim turned to Tucker.
“What the fuck was that?” He asked, and Tucker sighed happily, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
“An overdramatic little fuck?” Sam offered from the other side of the table, also still grinning. Tucker wheezed loudly, slumping back in his chair.
Tim shifted his attention to Sam instead, giving up on Tucker for now. To be fair, he was kinda surprised Jason wasn’t also laughing at them.
It must have made a comical scene.
“Obviously. But that… going ghost? What did he mean?” He pressed, leaning in across the table but not lowering his voice.
Sam and Tucker exchanged thoughtful looks, Tucker’s laughter fading to giggles as they clearly weighed their answers. Then Sam leaned in too, folding her arms on the table and leaning over them.
“How much were you actually able to look up about Amity Park?” She asked, and the rest of the table leaned in to listen.
Even Harley, thoroughly devoid of context, kept quiet for a change. She could smell a good story when she heard one.
And as much as it pained him to admit…
“Nothing at all,” Tim confessed with a brief shake of his head, eyes narrowed. “I couldn’t even find the weather account you showed us.”
Beside him Tucker took another deep, fortifying breath and steadied himself in his seat.
“Yeah… warned you about that. Any tech not actually from Amity needs a baseline level of ecto before it can get through the firewalls,” he explained, and as glad as Tim was to have him back in the conversation…
“But that isn’t how firewalls work,” he protested, knowing full well the other boy knew, “Facebook doesn’t have a separate server or separate firewalls for some small town in Illinois versus the larger world, and even if it has something to do with the IP…”
Tucker raised both hands quickly and Tim subsided, a little relieved to have been cut off. The frustration from last night was building again, and he really didn’t want to deal with that right now.
“Okay, you’re definitely right almost all of the time, but Amity Park’s is… different,” Tucker explained quickly, glancing around the table and almost immediately focusing his full attention back on Tim.
Dismissing the others as below the level needed to understand the conversation, or assuming they’d keep up on their own? They all could, none of the bats were slouches on cyber security, and the distinction didn’t matter to Tim.
Yet.
They were also probably all a little below Tucker’s own technical proficiency, from everything Tim had seen (and Steph and Cass’s admitted failure to break his server encryption).
(Oracle still hadn’t broken the same server.)
Tim nodded anyway, not willing to talk and slow the explanation any further.
They could have been doing this more than twelve damn hours ago.
“Firewall isn’t exactly the right term for it either, but about five years ago… well, we decided the rest of the world couldn’t know about a lot of things that happen in Amity Park. It wouldn’t be safe,” Tucker added, watching Tim’s face carefully.
He looked almost guilty. Like he could guess how much frustration this had caused Tim. Hell, if Danny knew their identities then Tucker, his guy in the chair almost certainly did too.
And since they weren’t pretending to all be civilians anymore…
“The GIW were already censoring the hell out of us,” Tucker continued, rolling his eyes, “it was actually really annoying. They actually did the IP thing, but you could VPN around that. But we didn’t want the rest of the world, other governments to come to the same bullshit conclusions about ghosts and keep causing trouble.”
“Ghosts like Danny,” Duke cut in, not a trace of doubt in his voice.
Tucker glanced past Tim for a moment and nodded.
“Pretty much, but Danny’s a special case. Most ghosts can’t actually do the magical girl transformation,” he added with a snicker, and Sam rolled her eyes, tapping the table for attention.
“What Tucker’s dancing around telling you is that what we call the Amity Park firewall is basically alive. It has nothing to do with IP addresses or any regular tech shit because it runs on ectoplasm.”
“It’s not actually alive,” Tucker cut back in with an exasperated huff, “it’s just something I came up with with some help from Technus. He’s the spirit of technology so he can possess computers, not people, and together we made a safety net.”
“All of Amity Park is saturated in natural ectoplasm,” Sam explained, ignoring Tucker’s pointed glare, “so now whenever someone’s trying to connect online to anything based in an Amity Park server, our ecto looks for your ecto in whatever device you have. No ecto, no data.”
“It’s not that simple,” Tucker whined, like this wasn’t already a level of complexity that made Tim’s head spin.
But it was the spinning that triggered an almost ignored memory.
“Ecto… that’s what Danny nearly said last night, when he was talking about the Lazarus Pits,” he said with a sudden sharp frown, attention jumping between the Amity Parkers and onto Jason.
Who shrugged. Like this wasn’t news. How the fuck had he even met Danny in the first place?
“Show of hands, who here’s surprised that the pit waters actually come from the land of the dead?” Jason asked dryly, gaze sweeping along the table.
Tim’s attention flashed directly to Damian and then Cass, the two of them sat on a full diagonal from each other. They were the closest thing the family had to experts.
Neither looked surprised, although Damian’s eyes were narrowed. New information then, and likely something he’d be looking more into. Cass just looked thoughtful.
Harley’s hand was up though, and the table gradually turned to its gravity. She shrugged.
“Had a bet with Ives that it was super tainted kool-aid. Not that we know much about it,” she added with a shrug, and Jason snickered.
“You’re half right anyway,” he told her and the raised hand was replaced by a pair of fists pumping into the air, but silently for once.
Even Harley wasn’t gonna interrupt a lore dump.
Jason returned his attention to Tim.
“Apparently the pits are made of contaminated ectoplasm. Super tainted,” he nodded to Harley, “because the regular stuff? Doesn’t bubble, doesn’t burn, and doesn’t kill people who touch it.”
Tim’s eyes narrowed for a moment, looking Jason over, hunting any trace of a lie. He’d made himself an expert on Jason’s features, on what every micro-expression might possibly mean.
Jason was a damn good liar, but Tim knew every tell that meant he spoke the truth.
Still, he glanced from Jason to Cass, sat on Jason’s other side. The Asian girl raised an eyebrow at him, then nodded.
Human lie detector confirmed. Good to know. Even if she was rolling her eyes at him for checking.
Duke leaned in further, half his body now hovering above the table as he grinned at Jason.
“So does that mean you’ve got ectoplasm in you, if you still have the pit rage?” He asked, which didn’t really seem like something to smile about.
Although not exactly worse than the idea of Jason just still having the pit in his veins. At least Jason didn’t seem to be really bothered by it.
He just shrugged.
“I guess so?” He offered suspiciously, his face still carefully neutral as he watched Duke. Whose grin broadened.
“So does that mean if you look up stuff on Amity Park you’ll get through?” He asked innocently. Jason rolled his eyes.
“I’m not a phone, Duke,” he said dryly, and Tucker snickered.
“It’s actually kinda funny you say that, cuz Danny’s been sucked into video games before,” Tucker said innocently, giving Jason a sidelong look.
Which… raised a couple of questions, since Jason didn’t seem embarrassed by it. Tim’s eyes narrowed for a moment.
“Is that something that could happen to Jason?” He asked cautiously, and for some reason Tucker actually laughed.
“Oh, it’s something that could happen to anyone,” he said sounding very smug, and Tim tore his attention off Jason to stare at Tucker, wondering what the hell he was thinking.
Tucker just grinned back and Tim’s best guess… well, it couldn’t have been a bad experience. It had definitely afforded him the full attention of everyone at the table.
Harley stuck a hand in the air again.
“Okay, I know I ain’t one o’ the kids, but I’m gonna need to know a whole lot more about that,” she declared, and Tucker laughed, shaking his head.
“Another time? I gotta get back to get ready for school early tomorrow at the latest but if you wanted to hang out again…” he trailed off hopefully, his attention slipping from Harley back to Tim.
Tim was not going to blush. This was a chance to gather more intel in future. And just hang out with a friend! There was nothing more to it than that.
He chuckled softly and nodded, settling back into his seat.
“Yeah, I think it’s safe to say we’ll see each other again,” he agreed, and definitely didn’t enjoy the way Tucker beamed at him.
Given their reactions, he probably did some kind of tech support while Danny… Danny was probably the ghost who’d protected Amity Park.
Had they always known who Jason and his family were? Tim knew he should reserve judgement until he could find an unbiased source and work out what had actually happened in Amity Park, but…
Well, it wasn’t like the Amity Parkers were hostile. There was always the chance it could be a long con, but Tim didn’t think so. They’d given too much away.
For now, it seemed safest to assume that they were fellow vigilantes, and were at least as aware of their identities as Danny. Tucker might even have been the one to work it out.
And if Tucker could solve their technical problems and give them open access to Amity Park, Tim could take that and confirm his theories.
If they had something to hide, Tim should be able to work out at least where to look based on what Tucker gave him.
“We’ve gotta wait for Danny to get back for him to infuse your tech, buuuut I can get you started on the data download if you can hook me into your set up,” Tucker said with an almost seductive smile.
Or maybe Tim thought it was seductive because it came with an offer of increased tech. And sure, he wasn’t hooking a stranger straight up to the Batcomputer, but…
Well, that’s what the fully isolated laptops were for. And Tim could bring one of those up from the cave, but… well, the Amity Parkers showed trust first. And they really had less reason to.
They’d been abandoned by the Justice League, and apparently personally picking up that slack. The least Tim wanted to do was promise them that it hadn’t been malicious; they really hadn’t known.
And to promise that he personally was going to find out how this had happened, and make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Last night wasn’t going to be in vain.
He’d ask the others about it, but as things stood right now, Tim would really like to see Tucker get a proper look at the Bat Cave.
**
Vlad was a little surprised to find he’d been having an absolutely charming afternoon with one Brucie Wayne.
He hadn’t expected to actually like the man, but one on one he had a kind of self effacing charm that Vlad rather appreciated. Far more tolerable than most of the arrogant rich bastards he had to deal with.
He had been so very interested in the running of Amity Park too, in the challenges of being a mayor and a business owner, and so few people really appreciated the struggle.
Of course, Vlad wasn’t going to out any of Daniel’s little secrets. It wouldn’t do to upset the boy more while he was trying to mend fences.
Even if he had left Vlad to the mercy of some hapless buffoons and the criminals they were chasing the night before.
So he kept it light, to issues like road maintenance, funding local fixtures like the library and the schools, things he thought Brucie had a chance of understanding.
Brucie had also noticed that their boys were becoming… close.
Well, it would be almost impossible for him not to have. And it was only natural that Brucie wanted to know more about the boy getting close to his son.
It was almost a little strange how easy it was to speak well of Daniel. For so long Vlad had been fixated on his inadequacies, on all the things he could fix if Daniel would just accept his help.
On wanting to mould Daniel into someone like himself. He hadn’t really considered that Daniel… might not want to be like him.
Vlad was rich, successful, on top of the world by every modern marker, but he was also alone. He had no one and nothing that he would call his own, that he could leave his fortune to.
Of course, as a half ghost it wasn’t like he was actually going to die, but not having a successor was part of what tugged at his core.
And Daniel… Daniel was much better at bringing people close than Vlad. He had dear friends, and easily found himself with new ones. Daniel was likeable, and Vlad had to admit that he himself… wasn’t.
People cozied up and tried to bribe Vlad, but perhaps it was the very things he’d seen as weaknesses in Daniel that made them actually like the boy.
So he focused on those instead, the qualities that had always baffled and confused him. The loyalty, the trust, everything he’d once tried to use to tear Daniel down.
And utterly failed at every turn. After so many years, yes, Vlad had detected the pattern. It was just so hard to keep from falling into it.
So when he felt Daniel’s aura wash out and across him, wary but amused on top of the aggression, he startled just a little. Made sure to obviously check his phone, and gasped when he saw the time.
It was obvious what must have happened.
“Oh my, Brucie, did you have another appointment today?” He asked in only mildly faked surprise, concealing his amusement expertly. “Dear Daniel has just contacted me, it seems you’ve been missed.”
Daniel likely thought Vlad was up to the kind of nefarious schemes that he… well, had come to Gotham to commit, in all honesty. But obviously those plans had changed with his little badger’s personal interest.
Perhaps he should have told Daniel that? Ah well, the boy would learn soon enough. He settled back in his seat, letting his aura broadcast his intent.
Calm-welcome-nothing to hide.
Felt Daniel’s disbelief, but that was fine. It was the truth.
Brucie visibly startled as well, taking his own phone out to check the time. Probably wondering why his own brood weren’t contacting him if he’d been missed so much.
“Oh… yes, I’m terribly sorry, I think Danny must have been invited to our family dinner, which I’m late to,” Brucie added with that lovely self effacing smile, shrugging. “I must have put my phone on vibrate. I’ll just tell them to start without me.”
Or his children didn’t expect him to check it, apparently with reason.
Vlad clapped his hands together and rubbed them a few times.
“Well, no matter. I do believe Danny is on his way to retrieve you, so we’d best wait where we are. I will pick up the bill, of course.”
They’d had the private room in the restaurant for around four hours now, which wouldn’t come cheap, but Vlad could be generous. Especially if Daniel expected him not to be.
Brucie made the usual noises of gratitude and appreciation, and mild confusion. Well, that would be answered by whether or not Daniel bothered to transform back before bursting in.
Either way, it wouldn’t be Vlad’s choice to reveal his little secret.
“I have my car with me, but if Danny’s on his way here…” Brucie trailed off, glancing to the window with a perplexed frown on that handsome face.
Whoever dealt with the man’s wrinkles for the cameras would be very upset, but Vlad got the feeling Brucie could afford the best. He had such an expressive face, and yet nothing was ever out of place.
Almost as good as ectoplasm for keeping one young.
He was probably wondering why Daniel was coming instead of one of his own children, and while Vlad could come up with an excuse about needing to see the boy anyway… well, he was bursting in on a very pleasant afternoon.
Vlad wanted to mend fences, not solve all the boy’s self inflicted problems.
Still, he gave Brucie a smile, touching the pad that would summon them a server again.
“Oh, you and Daniel can take the car I’m sure. He’ll just be here to make sure I’m behaving myself,” he added with a wry chuckle, settling back in his seat.
Something very much like alertness flicked across Brucie’s face, and Vlad could feel a flicker of suspicion for the first time from the other man.
Well, Vlad had baited him.
He certainly wasn’t as empathetic as Daniel, but he liked to keep an eye on his company, and this was the first trace of something more that he’d gotten from the man.
He waved a hand cheerfully, chuckling. The man likely had links to his city’s precious Bat and all his opinions on those more than just human. Best allay those concerns even if he was leaving.
“I have been known to talk peoples’ ears off if I get onto a subject like football, and four hours is surely long enough for him to suspect I’ve roped you into watching a game. Though if you did want to attend…” he let himself trail off, watched the man’s shoulders settle as he laughed.
“Oh, I’m not much of a sports fan myself, but I try to keep up with the Gotham teams when I can.”
The female teams at least, according to the tabloids, but Vlad wouldn’t judge. Much.
Brucie gave him that charming smile again, settling as well as the server came in and once again refilled their drinks.
“I didn’t realise Amity Park had their own teams in a league, though,” Brucie added with that softly furrowed brow. Like thought was such a strain for the man.
Vlad gave the server a quick smile and inclined his head.
“I will take the bill now, I believe we’re ready to go. And we don’t have our own teams in any of the major leagues,” he explained indulgently to Brucie, lips quirking up at the very thought.
Imagine trying to play a home game in Amity Park. It was hard enough getting the school teams out to their rivals.
And it gave him a chance to talk about his secondary Obsession.
“No, I have ownership of the Green Bay Packers, back home in Wisconsin. I really must warn you to stop there if you don’t want their full stats for the last four seasons or worse,” Vlad teased with a soft chuckle, taking a sip of his water.
Both of Brucie’s eyebrows rose and the man smiled back, settling into his seat.
“Well, Danny will be here soon to cut you off anyway,” he commented, that charming smile looking far too comfortable on him.
And he did have a point. Giving him a nod of acknowledgement, Vlad relaxed and let the gentle sea of Obsession take him, enthusiasm ramping up with every word he spoke.
It was nice to have permission for a change.
**
Despite his cheerful words, Danny couldn’t help but tense as he flew across the city. He’d make it within minutes, way faster than anyone trying to actually use Gotham’s streets, but…
Vlad had had Bruce for hours already. Danny was gonna hope that whatever he was doing, it was just more of his shady businessman bullshit.
He really, really, really didn’t want to fight overshadowed Batman.
Of course, remembering the looks on the flying furry brigade’s faces gave him a definite boost in mood. He didn’t actually wanna show up at Vlad’s giggling, buuut that was a problem for future Danny.
Present Danny was busy specifically not worrying so that he didn’t worry Jason into coming after him. Maybe telling the guy about Vlad’s lightning juice hadn’t been a great idea?
Of course, the good thing about the expanded aura was that he could still feel Jason’s like they were right next to each other.
And who’d have thought Jason was also a fucking mother hen? Poor guy was still tense, although at least Danny could still feel just a little amusement.
Yeah, Jason was getting to enjoy the full fruits of Danny’s theatrics. It wasn’t fair, but it made the whole thing better. Gave him something to keep his mind off Danny.
As if on cue, a strong spike of incredulous-funny-what the fuck came from his favourite non-clone halfa.
Danny was nearly at the restaurant now, and paused just above to send a questioning pulse back. Felt Jason startle, and could almost see him roll his eyes.
Later-come back-done?
The fuck were they talking about? Maybe the bats were right to always have their own little comms in. Danny sent a reassuring wave back.
Soon-anticipation-just arrived-curious.
And yes, Danny did expect the caution-stay safe-coming after you that he got back, but he wasn’t sure Jason would get the full effect of him actually rolling his eyes.
One last check for Vlad’s aura and Danny turned invisible, phasing through the roof and walls to have a look around.
Vlad was alone in a private room, with nothing but some glasses of water and a mostly empty bottle of wine. Alright, food was probably over a while ago, but the water might be a good sign.
Vlad wasn’t known to take care of the people he overshadowed.
Danny did a quick search of the rest of the building, stopping just shy of accidentally sticking his head through a bathroom wall when he felt a familiar presence.
Yup, Bruce was in the bathroom. Probably not overshadowed, which might just mean that Vlad was finished with him.
Not taking the risk, Danny made his way stealthily back to the private room, popping into visibility behind Vlad’s seat.
At least his aura being everywhere made it hard for Vlad to get a fix.
“What, did I not pay you enough attention last night, Vladdie?” He complained, draping an arm across the back of the man’s chair and noting the way he stiffened.
Also, these chairs? Much more pretentious. All carved and ornamental and bleh. Nowhere near as good as the ones at Wayne Manor.
Vlad didn’t actually turn to face him, reaching out and picking up his water glass instead. Filling his hands, so it’d be harder for him to take a shot at Danny?
Or just Vlad being Vlad and dismissing him.
Vlad took a long, slow sip before replying.
“While I would have preferred more of a chance to speak with you, Daniel, my presence here is solely to your benefit I assure you,” he said cool as a cucumber.
Danny narrowed his eyes, giving another poke of his aura. It didn’t feel like a lie.
“How so? Gonna rob Brucie blind and give it to the poor? I guess green also works for Robin Hood,” Danny mused, fingers drumming on the back of the chair.
Vlad actually looked at him then, a sharp sidelong glance before the man relaxed again, chuckling softly.
“Nothing of the sort. But if you and young Jason are going to be closely… connected, I will be seeing much more of Brucie, and I thought perhaps I could help lighten the… impression you left.”
Wait.
Was Vlad blushing?
Danny peered forward for a better look, utterly at a loss for what connection Vlad might be talking about. Cuz yeah, he and Jason were friends, but…
Oh.
Oh!
Vlad bought the closet scene.
Somehow that outcome had never even occurred to Danny and he felt himself flush, cheeks going green. Fuck, the goal had been to cause a scene, but Vlad actually thought…
Wait.
“So you’ve been here trying to convince Bruce I’m not an evil harlot corrupting his boy?” Danny asked, barely concealed glee rising with every word.
Because if this was funny, if this was fucking hilarious, he didn’t have to be embarrassed by it. Vlad didn’t need to know shit about his actual sex life, but if he’d actually called Bruce to try and polish up Danny’s new slutty reputation…
Vlad cleared his throat pointedly, still not looking directly at him.
“And luckily for you, he is somewhat willing to believe you have some good traits,” he said archly, and that fucking floored Danny.
“YOU think I have good traits?” He asked incredulously, cutting off whatever Vlad was about to say.
The man even took it pretty well, just one of those loud sighs like Danny was a particularly tiresome child, not a full grown adult man.
“I understand where you might have got the impression I don’t, Daniel, but if I thought you had none would I have pursued you so harshly?” He asked, finally turning in his chair to face Danny frankly.
Which meant he got both barrels of the sceptical face Danny was making.
“Dude, you say that like Obsessions are fucking logical,” Danny said dryly, and Vlad actually chuckled.
Not even condescendingly.
Like Danny made a point.
“Quite. Unfortunately for myself, the effects of my Obsession went into how I planned to achieve it, not in the goal itself. You have always been a remarkable young man, Daniel.”
And that was at least familiar ground.
Danny rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, and I’d be even more if I let you lure me off to your creepy castle in Wisconsin to become mini-Vlad. Brucie can’t ship me to Wisconsin,” he pointed out, just about resisting the urge to poke Vlad in the chest.
The old guy was being weirdly noncombative, but it had been a while since they saw each other. Actual years, which Danny couldn’t imagine would have been good for the other halfa.
Much as it sucked being someone else’s Obsession and he’d loved being free of the Fruitloop… he wouldn’t wish the ache of an unfulfilled Obsession on anyone.
Fuck did that mean Vlad had actually moved on? Was that something he could do? Please let it be something he could do.
The older halfa chuckled again and took another sip of his water.
“No, I’m well aware that he can’t. But our time apart gave me little to do but consider what I know of you. You have grown to a fine young man, Daniel, perhaps with all that I have ever lacked.”
He looked up again, their eyes meeting, and Danny very nearly recoiled. Almost stepped back and away from the other halfa’s aura so that he couldn’t feel Vlad’s pride seeping into his skin like grease.
“Okay, this is getting fucking weird. Do I have to kick your ass to get whatever contracts you made Bruce sign back?” He asked sharply, trying to get the conversation back to somewhere he understood it.
Vlad hesitated a moment, then settled back again, clearly reading Danny’s discomfort in his aura if not on his face because the pride settled away.
Back in Wayne Manor, Danny felt Jason keying up, the slow growing happiness cutting straight back to danger-warning-protect-need help?.
Danny forced himself to calm too, closing his eyes for a moment to focus on the feel of Jason, not Vlad.
He just.
He didn’t know what to do with Vlad being proud of him. That had only ever meant he’d fucked up somewhere horrible before.
Calm-safe-I’m safe-not hurt.
“Still in contact with young Jason?” Vlad asked, letting the subject change even if he didn’t answer Danny’s question.
Danny cracked an eye open to peer at him.
“Yeah, he wasn’t a fan of me coming to see you on my own. Not to pick up his dad,” he added before Vlad could get the wrong idea.
Actually. It was still kinda funnier if Vlad kept the wrong idea.
From what Danny could read of him, no worries about that. Vlad was amused, but not comfortable.
Yeah, well, he could join the club. Danny gave his shoulder a gentle poke.
“Anyway. What did you really want Bruce for?”
Vlad glanced at his watch, then at the door.
“Well he’ll be back any second to tell you himself, Daniel. I wasn’t sure if you’d shared this little secret yet so I didn’t mention any of our shared nature, but he was the one to invite me out.”
Which also felt like the truth. Both parts. Danny hesitated for a moment, not quite sure if he was ready for this particular secret to be out to the Batman.
It’d be out the second the man got home if no one had texted him yet, but that was a long car ride away unless Danny flew back, and he didn’t want to leave Bruce unsupervised again.
Just because Vlad was being weird didn’t mean he wasn’t being Vlad.
Still, he’d know if Bruce was overshadowed right away, and if he wasn’t he could ask the man himself what Vlad had been up to.
And Vlad was in human form. Not like he could transform any faster than Danny if shit was about to go down.
The decision pretty much took itself out of his hands when the door began to open and Danny jumped back out of grabbing reach (just in case) and changed back.
Which was when he remembered what he was wearing.
**
Lunch with Vlad Masters had been… informative, and Bruce was a little surprised just how much time had passed.
Masters might be an unscrupulous businessman but he was clearly devoted to the things he cared for; Daniel Fenton, Amity Park, and the Green Bay Packers.
He just couldn’t quite reconcile how those three pieces fit into the picture at hand. To hear Vlad tell it, nothing untoward had happened in Amity Park in his whole time as mayor. And yet… the calls were real.
Even if Masters hadn’t hit the button personally, someone in his office must have.
Was there a chance that Danny had some sort of mind control abilities? That he’d removed the memories of those in Amity Park who’d opposed him?
It would explain why Masters would so fervently champion a boy he’d had almost nothing to do with. Oh, Danny Fenton had been born to two of Masters’ college friends, but they hadn’t seen each other for years before Danny’s birth.
As far as Bruce could tell the two had never even met before Danny was at least fourteen; Vlad had lived in an actual castle in Wisconsin and been a regular on the gala circuit for his area.
Friend of the family or not, it was suspicious that the only adults he’d spoken to so far had such diametrically opposed views on Danny.
Vlad was obviously hiding something. About Amity Park, Bruce was completely certain. The man’s accounts simply did not add up with the evidence. About Danny…
Bruce had his suspicions, but there was very little clear evidence about the man himself. Danny was technically an unknown quantity. And the center of far too many mysteries for Bruce’s peace of mind.
Bruce slipped away to the bathroom to let his thoughts settle not too long into Vlad’s lecture on the history of the Packers.
If Danny was coming from the manor they had a while yet before he’d be there, so he could let Vlad ramble on for a while once he returned.
His cheeks hurt from keeping up Brucie’s smile, but that was nothing new. The gala last night was still weighing on him, but it made it easier to put the act back on.
If Danny was coming here, and would accompany Bruce back to the manor, they would have a while to talk in the traffic. Finally a chance to speak to the man himself and let Bruce get an unbiased read.
Something had happened before Vlad claimed to have received a message from Danny. Something that made him start, and while it could have been the man’s phone, Bruce doubted it.
Even silent vibrations actually made some sound, and Vlad had barely glanced at the device. Not long enough to read any kind of complicated message; he hadn’t even unlocked it.
Vlad must have thought he was hiding it, but he’d been amused by whatever happened. Amused, and known immediately it was Danny. That Danny was coming.
Whatever else he might be, Vlad was certainly not a particularly skilled liar. Not to Batman.
Washing his hands, Bruce wondered if he might not be able to get Vlad back onto the subject of how Danny would be coming.
On his own, or at least Vlad hadn’t mentioned anyone else. And using Bruce’s car to get back? There were hardly bus routes between the manor and the city.
Unless Danny had some kind of meta abilities. Damian’s report had included his suspicions, and Duke and Dick had both seen him fly away.
That would put him here sooner than expected, but Bruce was certain he’d have noticed a flying meta in his city. Unless Danny only flew for certain situations.
Bruce paused at the door to their private room for half a second, letting his Brucie mask settle comfortably into place. Letting the smile spread. And pushed the door open.
Something bright flashed inside and Bruce tensed, anticipating a trap. One he would have no choice but to fall into, as he was now. But as the door cleared, he saw…
Vlad at the table, just as Bruce had left him. And Danny Fenton settling like he’d just moved sharply, wide blue eyes and messy hair above a shirt that was far too large for him tied off at his waist, and.
And.
Impractical for the weather. The trousers were closer to the right size, but arms and feet were bare, along with a slice of midriff.
Completely dry. It was still snowing, and the streets were covered in snow and slush. There was a slim chance he’d left a coat somewhere, but even his hair was dry.
Windswept and dishevelled hair, suggesting flight. His boys were right, and Bruce made a note to check in with Oracle later. See if he had been detected in the air.
Startled by his presence. Likely not because he didn’t expect Bruce to be there, not if he’d come expressly to pick him up. More that he’d been distracted by whatever had him moving so sharply.
Staring at him.
And then there was nothing else to observe, except…
Wearing one of Jason’s shirts. One that Dick had given him as a joke. It hung off him, exacerbating their size difference.
Danny was small. Closer to Cass’s size, and this close up Bruce could see the lean muscle, but there wasn’t much of it.
In pure hand to hand Bruce could probably take him, but whatever abilities let him tank a fight with Killer Croc left the actual outcome an unknown.
Blinking hard to distract himself from just how and why Danny had managed to show up in Jason’s clothes, he pulled on his big happy Brucie smile for the room.
And suddenly Vlad was incensed.
Bruce would swear the man had been smiling when he opened the door, but at some point while Bruce gave Danny a quick once over his mood had turned to rage.
He smothered it down quickly, but his jaw was still tight when he spoke through gritted teeth.
“Daniel, I believe this is the first time you have met Brucie,” Vlad said, his tone so frosty Bruce nearly shivered.
Not controlled by Danny then. At least, not controlled in a way that made him deferential. Not unless this was a slip in Danny’s control.
The boy looked startled still, looking down at himself like he’d forgotten what he was wearing and giving Bruce a sheepish smile.
Honestly he could have been wearing the world’s finest suit and not allayed any of Bruce’s suspicions, but it wasn’t Brucie’s job to let that show.
Instead he cranked the smile up a couple more notches, stepping forward and holding out a hand to shake.
“Yes, Danny, my kids simply won’t stop talking about you! I was sorry I couldn’t say hello last night,” he added, wanting to see how Danny would react to a little dig.
Nothing he couldn’t deny as being purely sincere.
Danny made a face and then pulled a smile on over it, stepping forward quickly to shake Bruce’s hand.
Some people only needed touch to take control of another. Bruce felt nothing of the sort, but Danny’s hand was oddly cool. Not unaffected by his clothing then.
“Yeah… sorry about that. About… well, all of it,” Danny said with a sheepish smile and one shoulder shrug that nearly had the shirt’s overlarge neckline fall off his other shoulder.
He scrabbled to right it, and Bruce firmly stifled the impulse to relax.
It was familiar, something any of his kids might have done. It could easily be an act to lure him into a false calm.
Brucie laughed and clapped him on the other shoulder, keeping half an eye on Vlad, who was still stewing at the table.
“Oh, I certainly got up to much worse in my day. You’re only young once, right?” He offered jovially, tipping Danny a playboy wink.
The boy blushed to the roots of his hair.
Interesting.
As much as Bruce wanted to pull at Vlad a little more, try and work out his sudden change of mood, he would much rather begin his observations of Danny Fenton directly.
“Still, we should get going or we’ll miss all of dinner,” he said with a cheerful smile, nodding to Vlad. “Thanks for a lovely afternoon, Vlad! Maybe we’ll catch a football game before the season ends.”
The man’s disposition brightened like he’d flicked a switch, though he still shot Danny an almost smug dirty look.
“Oh, that would be charming, Brucie. I’ll get you tickets for the Packers’ next game, we’ll have a splendid time.”
Danny snickered beside him, shoving his hands in his pockets and grinning back. Not afraid of Vlad either, for all that the other man was older, richer, and more influential.
“Yeah, Vladdie here knows aaaall about packers,” he said with a sly smirk, looking down on Vlad from his standing position.
Vlad responded with a look that Bruce had previously only seen on Clark’s face, around when Dick started teaching Kon sex jokes. And in the mirror.
Steph called it the “your puberty was my death sentence” look and insisted every one of the mentors used it. Bruce personally wasn’t convinced Oliver Queen knew what shame meant.
He’d abandoned his son. Bruce would never forgive that until Roy asked him to.
Perhaps he did have more in common with Vlad than he’d thought though. Watching the children get old enough for innuendo sucked.
Luckily Brucie could pretend not to get it.
“I know, he was telling me all about their recent games before you arrived,” he said cheerfully, oblivious as anything. And watched how both responded to innocence.
Vlad still looked pained, possibly by the pair of them now. Danny… Danny was smirking, clearly not convinced.
That was concerning. The boy knew who Nightwing and Signal were, there was a chance he knew Bruce’s identity too and this at least pointed in the same direction.
Still, no need to confirm anything for him. With another cheery wave to Vlad he held the door open for Danny.
“So, shall we? Would you like to take my car or do you have your own way back?” He asked, subtly prodding to see what Danny might say. And perhaps a hint how he’d gotten there.
Danny hesitated for a moment, glancing at Vlad. Like there was something between them, something to do with him.
Yes, Bruce would have to meet with Vlad Masters again in future. After he’d gotten to speak to Danny.
“I’ll come back with you,” Danny said with a shrug, nodding towards the door and then moving through it at Bruce’s wave.
He kept half an eye on the boy as they headed down to the restaurant’s garage and the sleek black car Bruce had driven over.
It’d be at least twenty minutes to drive back to the manor at this hour, maybe longer. Time enough for a short interrogation.
“I already messaged the others and told them to get started without us, I hope you don’t mind,” he said in his best charming Brucie voice, beeping the car to unlock it.
Danny shrugged, moving around to the passenger door, apparently entirely unbothered by bare feet on freezing concrete. Bruce almost wished he had some spare shoes for him.
“Yeah, it’s cool. I figured. So, any idea how long it’ll be to get back?” He asked, slipping into the car and sitting cross legged on the front seat.
Bruce followed suit, turning on the car and then the heat right away. Doing what he could.
“Probably not more than twenty minutes. Your seat is heated too by the way, here. You made it down very quickly, were you in the area?” Bruce asked, watching Danny from the corner of his eye as he strapped in.
Would Danny just tell him?
He’d not been hiding from the boys. If he really didn’t think this had to be a secret, he could just tell Bruce.
Danny shrugged again, opened his mouth, and Bruce’s phone rang, cutting him off.
His phone should be on silent. Bruce gave Danny an apologetic smile, pulling it out and planning to push the caller to voice mail. Wondering if he might have turned the ringer back on without meaning to. Or if Oracle had pushed through.
There was no one else he needed to talk to more than Danny right now.
Of course the universe would mock him for that thought.
The caller ID blinked accusingly up at him from the lock screen.
John fucking Constantine.
Bruce hesitated for a moment. Torn. The mystery or the responsibility?
Any other member of the Justice League would be ranked as a more reliable source of information than a possible suspect, but after the night Bruce had had? After what he’d learned?
The problems in Amity Park may have begun or ended with Danny Fenton, but the problems in the Justice League traced neatly back to John Constantine.
When it came down to it, Bruce knew he had a responsibility.
He gave Danny another, more apologetic smile.
“So sorry… do you mind if I take this quickly?” He asked, holding the phone carefully so Danny couldn’t see the screen.
The boy’s face cracked into a grin and he shrugged a third time, getting comfy in the expensive leather seat.
“Hey, if you keep one eye on the road you’ll be the safest driver I’ve ever ridden with. You don’t wanna be too late though, you’ve got another extra guest for dinner and she seemed real impatient,” he said with a slight smile, turning on his heated seat.
About to get out of the car, Bruce paused again.
“Oh? Who was that?” He asked half rhetorically, already listing the women in his life who could possibly make this situation worse.
Top of the list…
“Harley Quinn.”
Of course.
What did she want now?
Bruce forced himself not to think about it, swinging up and out of the car and holding the phone to his ear.
One disaster at a time. No matter how many the universe was piling in his lap after nearly a month of nothing. He’d known it was too good to be true.
At least the garage was empty, and the car soundproofed. Danny wouldn’t hear a thing.
“Constantine. How did you get this number?”
**
In a secluded corner of the House of Mystery everyone’s favourite magical scapegoat stubbed out a cigarette and reclined back in his seat.
“Oh, is this not fun when people do it to you? And here’s me thinkin’ barging into other peoples’ business was how you lot showed affection,” he said dryly, fingers tapping off the glowing purple ward scrawled on the phone case.
Phone numbers were for plebs.
He could fuckin’ hear Bats grinding his teeth through the phone. And yeah, maybe winding him up further wasn’t the best idea, but fuck it.
If John had good ideas, he’d never have given the fucking Justice League his contact info. Case in point.
Winding up the big Bat was the price they all had to pay for royally pissing him off all fuckin’ night and all fuckin’ day.
Kept an impressive handle on the growl though. Must have been somewhere semi-private.
“Constantine. You’ve been out of touch for more than eighteen hours and there is a serious-”
John cut him off, waving his cigarette around as if he could shush the man from here.
“Oh no no, big boy, you’re not fuckin’ blaming that on me. You’re the one fucking up all my communicators, and you’re going to fuckin’ stop. Now.”
And yeah, maybe he did enjoy the very tiniest inhale of surprise he could hear. Or was that Batsy counting to ten?
“What do you mean.” The trademarked growl was definitely creeping in, private place or not. Well, good. John being too annoying to kill was what kept him alive.
Better spell it out for the fucker though.
“I’m a fuckin’ magician, Batlad. On a couple of Hell’s most fuckin’ wanted lists. I can’t be fuckin’ found by people fuckin’ wishing me fuckin’ harm, and let me tell you how goddamn delighted I am to learn that that now includes you!”
All he’d wanted to do today was drop off some results for the junior spandex brigade about some of the glyphs and wards they’d found at a dig.
Just trying to stop them from blowing their fucking hands off. A humanitarian mission. John fuckin’ hated kids. Handless kids only slightly worse.
And he couldn’t contact a single member of the fuckin’ Justice League because some asshole was trying to use them to hunt him down.
Zatanna had needed to come to the House personally to circumvent the wards she’d helped him build.
(Good to know how well they worked though. Assuming they were working and he’d done something to piss off the big Bat enough that he was out for blood.
There was technically a chance they’d been calibrated wrong and Batsy wanted to bring him ham. Less likely than harm, in John’s humble opinion.)
Still, the only way to unfuck his communications was to find and defuse whatever had pissed the skulky bitch off, and while Zatanna had agreed to drop off his work for the kids, he needed to know what else they’d found.
He so was not going to fucking Alaska in January.
And with that as his alternative, John forced his most chipper smile onto his lips. Apparently people could sense that through phones. Who fuckin’ knew.
“So. You’ve fuckin’ got me. What the hell do you want?”
—————
Tag list: @welcometosasakiworld @kyrianclawraith @someonebored0100 @stealingyourbones @starkcravingmad @frostedthroughghost @akikkobara @rainbowbunny0159 @littlefeather345 @violet-catsarelife @serasvictoria02 @wolfjackle @blacksea21090 @secretdestinywerewolf @anime-hipster-the-amazing @undead-essence @skitscratched @blackroserelina @snoodly-boop @trickerdi @mayoota-blog @xysidhe @idkmrpianoman @little-apricot-the-writer @chaoticmistake @the-legal-shipper @bun-fish @aroranorth-west @demon-cat-goes-woof @eonic @onyxlightdragon @larks-and-katydids @peachesandcreamfemboy @jesus-camp-the-sequel @may-rbi @mothman-the-mothman87 @viyatrix @stargirl1331 @idfk-man10 @thedepressedrobin @skulld3mort-1fan @rootsmudge @ravenshadow17 @cankoking @phantom-dc @mentalcarebear
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“falling into place”
mike schmidt x reader
summary: “You meet Mike Schmidt under rather unfortunate circumstances. Luckily, he's a decent guy, and tries to make it up to you. Besides, who could say no to those big brown puppy-dog eyes?”
tags: Slow-burn, domestic, hurt/comfort, gradual friends-to-lovers, whatever the opposite of a meet-cute is, because mike is a disaster, sub!mike, dom!reader, eventual smut
Part 2
also available on my Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51690952/chapters/130675165
A sigh escaped your lips as you watched raindrops race down the window. It was a Friday afternoon, and you were an hour away from being done with your shift at your town’s local, run-down grocery store. You were working the cash register - a mindless, repetitive task that sucked the soul out of you, but it paid the bills. You didn’t mind talking to customers, when they were polite. It was usually hit or miss with the older customers. They never seemed to understand that you couldn’t accept expired coupons. Or that eggs really were $1.05, yes even for the non-organic ones.
This particular afternoon was going especially poorly. You had two people refuse to pay their bills and just walk out with their groceries, you had a screaming child in line with her mother who kept begging you to just “give the kid a piece of candy for free”, and at least three older men had told you “you’d do your job a lot better if you smiled.”
By the last hour of your shift, you were on the verge of a breakdown. Tears pricked your eyes - your feet hurt, your back ached, and your heart was still tender from being chewed out by your manager for letting those two people walk out without paying. As if you, a minimum wage employee, had the authority or skills necessary to stop two shoplifters. And besides, you didn’t really think stealing essential things like food warranted arrest or reprimand, anyway.
So that’s why when a particularly mean old bat who smelled like mothballs and cat piss yelled at you for not scanning her groceries quickly enough, you finally snapped. You slowly put down the fifth carton of prune juice you had scanned, untied your apron that had your name tag pinned on it, and let it drop to the ground.
You looked the old woman in the eyes, flipped her off, and walked out. As you passed your manager on your way to the front door, you flipped him off, too. The way his face went beet red with rage would remain in your brain as one of the funniest things you’d ever seen. You were pretty sure there was a vein in his temple about to burst.
So now you had no job. Great. You sighed, putting your head in your hands as you stood under the covered walkway that led into the store. You stood like that for a long time, just letting the reality wash over you. You knew you wouldn’t be able to cry in public, but as soon as you got home you would put on your softest hoodie and sweatpants, and have a good cry about how shit your life had been these past few months. You steeled yourself, raising your head and starting to walk towards your car.
You were about half way out into the rainy parking lot, holding your jacket above your head, which blocked your peripheral view, when you were suddenly on the hard, wet ground and your vision pulsed with white stars. It felt like you had been sucker-punched by the Hulk. You looked around dazedly, trying to figure out why you were suddenly on the ground.
Headlights beamed directly at face level as you sat up, rubbing your head. You brought your hand away - no blood, at least. But your wrist hurt like a fucking bitch. The throbbing pain got worse by the second - each beat of your heart caused the flesh around your wrist to swell up like a balloon. Or at least that’s what it felt like.
“Holy shit, I’m so sorry, are you okay? I looked away for a second and you came out of nowhere I’m so fucking sorry-”
You looked up to see two very distressed, very pretty hazel-brown eyes staring down at you. A man with a mellow voice was apologizing profusely, attempting to help you stand up. You could only nod dumbly, holding out a hand placatingly.
“I’m fine, I think… my wrist really hurts,” you pouted, trying not to sound like a child but your day had been so dogshit that your usual barriers were crumbling easier than normal.
“Let me take you to the Urgent Care, it’s the least I can do…” he trailed off, grabbing you by both elbows to help you up off the wet ground. You shivered, from the cold rain dripping down your neck and from the adrenaline of the moment starting to wear off. The man helped you into the passenger seat of his car and got in the drivers side.
You looked down at your wrist - it was already swollen. Your lip started to tremble, and big, fat tears started to leak from your eyes. You sniffled, which caught the guys attention.
“Oh, hey, don’t cry. I’m sure it’s just sprained. And I’ll even try to help pay for your cast or whatever… not that I have any extra money but that’s the right thing to do…” he murmured under his breath. You glanced at him and gave him a half smile, wiping the tears off your face.
“Don’t worry about that. I just appreciate the ride. I’ve had a pretty shit day - getting hit by a car was just the cherry on top.
“Yeah, I know about shit days,” he said simply, then winced, looking in the rearview mirror. “Sorry, Abs. A pretty crap day, is what I meant.”
You turned around, confused. In the back seat was a girl of about 11 or 12, looking sullenly out the window. She shrugged noncommittally.
“Hi,” you said softly. The girl glanced at you, frowned, and turned more toward the direction of the window. You looked at the guy, who just sighed.
“That’s my sister, Abby. She’s having a crap day, too.”
“Dang. The three of us should start a club,” you said, which made the guy let out a snort of laughter. You looked at him, surprised by the display of mirth.
“So… what’s your name?” he asked, stopping at a red light. You told him your name, which he repeated before saying, “Nice to meet you. I’m Mike.”
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handwrittenhello · 1 year
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PLLM Day 1 Roundup
The day is almost over, and I thought I'd address a few things before the next round begins!
1. Most importantly, PLEASE make sure you're not voting just based on who your blorbo is. There are a billion ways we could find out tumblr's favorite character; this poll is trying to find out who the POOREST LITTLE MEOW MEOW is. Keep factors like sliminess, amount of war crimes committed, and piteousness in mind when voting!
2. It's all fun and games lamenting your personal meow meow of choice not being included, but please don't take inclusion or exclusion of any characters seriously. If you want to make your own bracket, go ahead! We could all meet new meow meows :)
3. BE CIVIL. Keep your threats lighthearted ("I'll tie your shoelaces to the train tracks unless you vote for Harrow", etc.) and your anger in check. This is a silly fun poll. Corollary to that, I've already had to post one warning to an anon who came into my inbox. If you think it's funny to clown and be rude in there when we don't know each other, you're getting blocked. This is your heads up.
4. Time for fun stuff :) Below are some stats and highlights I caught when scrolling through your tags. Under a cut to not flood your dash, and please message me if you want yours removed for any reason.
#1 Underdog: Jiang Cheng (The Untamed)
Fiercest Competition: Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad) vs. Harrowhark Nonagesimus (The Locked Tomb)
Closest Match: Jonathan Sims (The Magnus Archives) vs. Catra (She-Ra)
Biggest Sweep: Howl Jenkins (Howl's Moving Castle) vs. Daemon Targaryen (House of the Dragon)
Funniest Comments*: Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars) vs. Lestat de Lioncourt (Interview with the Vampire)
*to ME
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walks-the-ages · 29 days
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anyways, if you support the Internet Archive and the Lending Library has been an important part of your life, discovering new books and authors you otherwise never would have had access to due to a lack of a local public library, especially if you then went on to purchase your own copies after borrowing from the library, go up-vote the post in r/murderbot , people are trying to claim the Internet Archive is selling scans of books (?????) and "stealing from authors" by..... loaning out used books one at a time.
anyways literally all the of the Murderbot books on the Lending Library are currently being borrowed now, which means at least five different people are now reading the series and are about to get hooked! And do you know what people do when the love a book series? they buy books
Funniest thing about the anti-Internet Archive crowd is they literally acknowledge that people who read books at the library first are more likely to go out and spend money on buying personal copies, but somehow, magically (sarcasm), the IA is magically exempt from this effect.
The Internet Archive is totalllllly not how I discovered that some of my favorite childhood authors have a dragon-riding series, (Wyrmeweald, by Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart, creators of the Edge Chronicles!) , or the Beauty and the Beast novelization, or the Quantum Leap books, or the Babylon 5 novels, or even just any random book I come across while browsing the Open Library.
edit: oh and here's to make it even easier, here's the links if you want to read them yourself!
note, it's probably going to take awhile for them to be available again, with how popular they are!
1st Murderbot book: All Systems Red
the 2nd: Artificial Condition
the 3rd: Rogue Protocol
the 4th: Exit Strategy
the 5th chronologically: Fugitive Telemetry
the 6th chronologically: Network Effect
(The 7th book, System Collapse, which came out a few months ago, hasn’t been donated yet.)
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hauntedhotel · 2 years
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Finally got to the end of TMA season 1 and oh my god, I have thoughts.
A lot of shows I've watched before have had objectively more powerful/dangerous villains the longer they've gone on and still never managed to capture the terror of the earliest seasons and I'm kinda afraid this will be one of them because OMG Jane Prentiss and her worms are TERRIFYING.
What the fuck happened to Sasha?? *remembers the scary table from MAG 3* *remembers the thing that was definitely not Graham from the same episode* *thinks about the fact that Sasha very definitely had a different voice after the table encounter* *looks at the episode list and sees that the two recordings that are missing are the two where Sasha actually speaks* What the FUCK happened to Sasha?!?
Like, I get that TMA is The Incredible Exploits of Jonathan Sims (Head Archivist of The Magnus Institute, London) but Martin is so interesting to me. Like he seems like kind of a softie and I think he IS genuinely a really good guy but like...I feel like there are layers. He managed to talk his way into several old ladies houses when he was searching for Angela the jigsaw woman (despite wanting to discuss something super shady) so obviously he knows how to use his "affable sweetheart" persona to get what he needs. And even though Jon is obviously mega critical of him and Martin sort of wants to impress him, he's not afraid to stand up to him either if the amount of lectures Jon has had about the importance of spiders to the ecosystem is anything to go by. Martin Blackwood, I am holding you in my hands and pondering.
Jon thinking Martin died in the archives and was actually a ghost is the funniest thing that has happened the entire season. So much for your "smart, serious academic" image, you just outed yourself as a closet idiot.
Seriously, what the fuck happened to Sasha???
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opinated-user · 5 months
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LO did NOT just receive a message from a blank tumblr claiming to be a mother to a 16 year old kid apologizing to her for her child's "obessive hatred over LO".... *facepalm* This is literally the "I received a message from a father who says his kids are in a incestous relationship and asked my opinion on what to do about it." That's just WAY too elebrate a narrative. A mom makes a tumblr just to send a message to LO, or any tumblr personality for that matter, because their kid is being mean to them???? Nah, smells like fish to me.
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oh no, anon, you don't understand. this is absolutely one of the funniest thing that LO could do. if it wasn't because LO gave such a long and obviously crafted response, i'd even believe this is a random troll just messing around because it's that good. LO has never been funnier in her life. this, anon, this is quality nonsense. you have to appreciate it how utterly out of this world someone needs to be in order to do this and think no one will think weird about it. that's a great joke on itself. read how this "concered mother" is so very obviously southern and utterly polite. read how the mother tries to assure that her son "is a really sweet boy". read about how she's "concered" that her sweet baby boy is going to find a "problematic" person to hate online and this is bad, awful, horrible, because he might start blaming everything wrong on his life on this person. he hasn't done it. but he might someday, so the best course of action is to go to tumblr itself and make sure if that person is truly problematic. by asking that person directly. and obviously, everyone would admit point black to being a predator who has molested their siblings for years, catfished a friend, sexually abuse people, groomed a minor, etc, etc, right? right? that's a very smart thing to assume, right? so obviously, as a very reasonable, very maam, this woman is going to directly ask to the people accused of these acts if they're true instead of looking at any of the evidence. just read again how apologetic this woman is to someone she has no idea why people keep calling a predator. no, anon. this is gold. this up there with the kind of absolute nonsense that the whole "i was stalked by a online harasser and i drop kick him in front of my house in the street, i receive a concussion too but no medical assistance required, thank you" saga was. the cancer history can't compare. it's even funnier than the "concerned" father because that was just one random anon that maybe, if you really wanted to, could believe came from someone else. in this ocassion, LO made that account. she actually went through the trouble of making it. the answer of LO too is so funny. first of all, i need to ask: what does "minor therapy" even means? do they come in categories now? there's a "high therapy" that you only get once you have grind enough, i wonder. "reinforcing that he needs to do something else with his time" is so extremely vague that you might as well said "the solution to your problem is to solve it", but somehow making it this big declaration that is supposed to be the biggest help you can get on that situation.
she's treating this reply as it were this big moment of her declaring the truth of the matter... while addressing actually nothing at all. if you were a real mother who thinks your son is following someone that people are calling a predator... well, the first question is obviously why would you write that "predator" at all. but then the other question would be, is that actually a good reply? there's no screenshots, there's no archives, there's no proof of anything of what LO's saying. this is literally just "source: trust me" and it's meant to be taken seriously. LO has found LO innocent of all charges, as LO has declared. she thinks this is going to assure people that she's innocent. that's amazing. that's a great joke. the funniest joke that LO has never made in her entire career. i literally can't stop laughing just imagining LO doing all of this and thinking to herself "take that, Brittanies! now you won't ever doubt the harm you cause! even though i actually completely failed into portraying any real harm done, but nevermind that! take that!"
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even in the case that this was a real person who saw her son's entire internet history and somehow felt necesary to make a tumblr blog just so she could message a youtuber out of the blue, LO's answer would mean nothing. if i was a parent, this reply alone would set a new field of red flags everywhere. and that's why it's so funny that LO still has this account pretending to be grateful for receiving what is essentially a big sandwich of nothing.
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CFWC Writer of the Month: Jamespotterthefirst
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Each month CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers, and this month’s writer of the month is @jamespotterthefirst! We hope you will enjoy learning more about her and her work below! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.
Quick Links:
Tumblr Blog: Jamespotterthefirst Blog Masterlist
1- When did you start playing Choices? What's the first book you played? 
I started playing back in 2018. I kept seeing this thing called “playchoices” trending as number 1 on Tumblr (lol remember those days?). This would happen, without fail, almost every week! When I clicked on it, the posts were all about the finale of a royal story (The Royal Romance!). People made the most hilarious posts, complete with memes. I had no idea what it was, but I gathered it was an app. I downloaded it, and the rest is history. 
The first book I played was Desire and Decorum. It was absolute torture because it wasn’t completed yet. So I binged the available chapters. Yes, I spent real money on keys and diamonds, telling myself at least I wasn't spending that money on drugs. It was so much fun waiting for a new chapter every week, even if I’m an impatient mess. 
2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?
I joined the fandom almost immediately after downloading the app. 
As I sat in my living room, tapping my foot and waiting for the new D&D chapter to drop, I went back into the playchoices tag for content. It felt good to find other people who loved the story as much as I did. There were other users out there who were also waiting impatiently for the new chapter, writing fics and discussing theories in the meantime. There were also some of the funniest memes I have ever seen in my life. At first, I would quietly read and reblog. Then, I slowly started posting my own thoughts and theories (which were not very good lol but hey, this is tumblr after all).
3- How did you pick your url name? 
My life is one hyperfixation after another… The one before Choices was Harry Potter. More specifically, the Marauders era. I used to write for the pairing called “Jily”, composed of Harry Potter’s (dead) parents. Kelsey (@takeharryandgo) is a witness of just how much I love James Potter, Harry’s (dead) dad. In fact, our shared love for the pairing and character is one of the things that brought us together. 
In short, this URL is a reference to James Potter the first, Harry’s (dead) dad. Not James Sirius Potter the second, Harry Potter’s (living?) son. 
I saved it as a sideblog, meant only for writing resources for me to use at a later time. One day, I decided I didn’t want the followers on my main page to see all the Choices spam I was posting, so I resurrected the JP blog. 
4- Go back to your archive and tell us about the first post on your Choices blog. 
My first Choices post was a shitty theory about Desire & Decorum: 
5- How long have you been writing fanfiction?
I’ve been writing fanfiction since I was a literal child. I used to write in a notebook and my friends would read during recess. It was awful but they were into it. One day, I used up the whole notebook and my friend was desperate for the next part of the story. I told her I needed to wait until my mom took me to the store (literal child) to get a new one. My friend got me a new one by the end of the day lol.
TL;DR that puts me at about 20+ years of writing. 
6- What is your favorite Choices book to write about?
Without a doubt, Open Heart! 
7- Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it or would you change anything about it?
Oh god, the first fanfic I wrote was Lily Evans and James Potter from the Harry Potter universe. I forgot the exact title, but it was named after an Avril Lavigne lyric. Again, I was a child, don’t judge me lol. It’s handwritten in a notebook I still have somewhere, but I will never open it again lest I die of cringe. 
My first Choices fic, on the other hand, was a Desire and Decorum fic called “A Wedding Gift” that only like 5 people read at the time. 
8- What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?
Oof. This answer changes depending on the day you ask me. I always overthink it and end up saying picking a favorite fic is like picking a favorite child. To avoid being here all day, however, I’m going to say: Fake Husband, She Walks in Beauty, and Lovely.
9- Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but could use a little more love?
Definitely, the fic I didn’t expect to do well at all if my first Open Heart fic: Lovely. 
I was so naive back then, knowing nothing about the Open Heart writing fandom. I had no idea what format or tags to use when posting. I was afraid there would be no readers out there who wanted to read a silly little story about my MC posting a thirst trap. All I knew was that the latest chapter of Open Heart Year 2 inspired an idea that wouldn’t leave me alone until I wrote it. 
I posted it and I was so incredibly lucky to receive so much support. Words cannot explain how special that was. To this day, I cannot verbalize how grateful I am for that. 
There isn’t really a fic I can think of that could use more love. It always amazes me that anyone gives my fics their time. So any feedback my fics get will always be valued and treasured by me. 
10- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 
Oh no. 
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If forced to choose, I’d say fluff. 
11- Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?
Absolutely! While I try to make every MC different, I often pull from experience when I write. My Open Heart MC and I have a lot of things in common (heritage, hometown, astrological sign, etc.) But I also wanted her to be her own character with life choices that are different from mine. Since I'm very boring, it definitely makes for better fiction that way. 
12- What element of writing do you struggle with most?
It depends on the day. Some days I struggle the most with dialogue. Others, my biggest struggle is descriptions. It's rare when I feel confident in both when I write. 
13- Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?
*laughs nervously in unfinished series*
There are a few series I have yet to finish. Once again, I apologize for leaving them untouched for so long! I plan to get my shit together soon! 
14- If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first? 
No! 
I don't think I could look anyone in the eye if they read some of the stuff I've written, especially for Choices. 
15 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?
I strongly believe that one of the best ways to learn as a writer is reading. As such, I believe I've learned from most pieces I've read, particularly published rom com novels. In the fanfiction world, I admire my lovely friend @takeharryandgo. I've had the absolute joy of following her writing for over a decade. And with every work, I am still amazed by her masterful way with words! And her characterization is always spot-on. I simply love to read her spellbinding work and learn from the master! 
Other writers/creators I admire are:
@heauxplesslydevoted- one of the first OH writers I've ever read! Her smut is top-tier!
@jerzwriter - her stories, dialogue, and characterization are a delight to read. Her angst is painful. Her smut is sizzling hot! 
@liaromancewriter - a true master at romance! Her writing style is magical and synonymous with the best of rom-coms! 
@genevievemd - I bow down because the amount of love and care she puts into every piece truly makes her work special! 
 @lucy-268 - I have always respected the amount of research she puts into every piece. She pours so much care into it so that the narrative flows seamlessly! 
@a-crepusculo - her writing is so vivid and immersive. Reading her work is like listening to the most beautiful of symphonies!
@writer-ish - she is such a master at the craft! Her characterization is so vivid that the reader will fall in love no matter the format. Her text edits are legendary! 
@bex-la-get - such a talented and dedicated writer! She also pours hours of research into her work, ensuring every detail makes sense! 
@potionsprefect - she's such a creative and talented writer. She develops writing ideas like no one else I've ever seen! 
@headoverheelsforramsey- I love her storytelling and characterization! She's created a beautiful, inspiring, and intelligent MC for all of us to adore!
@gryffindordaughterofathena - her writing style is one of the most original I've ever seen. Reading her work feels like reading the loveliest of poetry! 
@coffeeheartaddict2- the dedication she puts into her work blows me away! She's daring when exploring themes in her writing, and she's not afraid to pull from personal experience. 
@lsvdw-blog - the person I'm sending my therapy bill to. Just kidding! Her writing is beautiful, even when it's the most painful angst. 
@trappedinfanfiction - she is such a lovely writer. The amount of detail she's given both of her MC's back stories has my absolute respect! 
@quixoticdreamer16 - I adore her MC and the wholesome, beautiful background she's given her! 
@mysticalgalaxysstuff - Another MC that has stolen my heart. I am so happy she started writing this past year because she's a real talent! 
@peonierose - love her beautiful MC and the beautiful love story she built for her with Bryce! 
@cariantha - a brilliant writer with talent for days! 
16- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 
I would love to see She Walks in Beauty along with its series (1800s AU) in live action. Imagine Ana de Armas and David Gandy in period costumes? That alone would be worth it! 
17- Do you write original stories? 
I've crafted and outlined original stories before but I've never actually written them. One of my biggest goals for the new year is to finally start. Wish me luck! 
18 -  What other hobbies do you have?
I love reading, hiking, and dancing! 
Yes, I picked the most “impressive” of my hobbies to seem cool. On most days, you'll catch me cuddling with my dog or bf watching YouTube/TikTok/Hell's Kitchen reruns lol. 
19 - What’s your favorite emoji? 
I used the orange 🧡 and purple 💜 hearts a lot because they're my favorite colors!
20: BONUS - tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).
For the record, I am also contractually obligated to read anything Kelsey writes 😘 
Thank you so much to every single reader who has given my work a chance these past three years!
Thank you to the wonderful mods of CFWC for all you do to support writers in the Fandom! 
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lastweeksshirttonight · 6 months
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All right, gonna attempt to put the writing cap back on for this blog. And what better way to do so than to do a recap of everyone's favorite (episode) five car pileup of a game show?
It's Strike Force Wives time y'all
:thunderclap:
We are going to speak EXTENSIVELY about what a trainwreck Fallon is in this episode, but let's also take time to acknowledge that Stephen opens this episode by mispronouncing 'podcast' in two separate ways (podcant and codpast). While saying they're getting the podcasting thing down. This episode was cursed from jump street.
Giving Fallon credit where it's due, introducing John as "a frequent guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is objectively hilarious. Reminds me of the time Stephen introduced him on the Late Show as "you know him from The Love Guru", which is still the funniest introduction I have ever heard for anyone.
The introduction goes off the rails at 1:30. AND WE'RE OFF
Kimmel: "My first radio job in Seattle was called the Him and Me Show". [...] Fallon: "Which one were you?" Kimmel: "I don't know. To this day I don't know." I could listen to Kimmel talk about his radio show days for hours, honestly, just for wild bits of ephemera like this.
As we all know, the theme of this episode is Strike Force Wives. Now Fallon is clearly trying to do something akin to The Newlywed Game, where you ask a couple one question and you see if their answers match. Here is a scene from Parks and Rec showcasing the general idea (except as Tom's ludicrously named Know Ya Boo):
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Fallon somehow manages to completely fuck up this very simple concept. I'll be honest, I STILL don't know how he screwed this up so badly. He just needed to ask both people the same questions and give them clearly defined subjects!
Moments right before disaster: "[Kate, John's wife] wanted more details than I had available to her, and I said 'Jimmy's gonna text you and it will all become clear.' ...He started texting her and early on, it was in no way clear."
Related, I love that Stephen and Kimmel's wives were totally up for it, Seth's did not want to do this, and John's wanted more details. Lines up pretty well with my sense of them (from the guys' descriptions and talk about them + Evie being a literal gem during the COVID shows).
Seth's kid shrieking in reaction to Seth going to try and quiet them was absolutely perfectly timed.
This will sound very silly, but I genuinely love hearing about how people met their partners. (Maybe because my story is a bit boring? Mr. Lee and I met on a dating app and managed to go the distance despite only having 3 dates before COVID shutdowns.) You can tell so much about a relationship from those kinds of stories. In that vein, Kimmel joking about how he met his wife Molly at work and spinning it, as a joke, into a sexual harrassment lawsuit waiting to happen before being a little more honest and vulnerable was very cute.
Seth and Alexi's meet cute at Chris Kattan's wedding sounds like a sitcom plot waiting to happen.
John and Kate met at "the opposite of a meet cute", the 2008 Republican National Convention. Regular followers of my blog/Buglers may remember this as the point in time where John lost his goddamn mind and did an episode of the Bugle fully naked and kept inexplicably bringing that up in-between bemoaning how catastrophically depressing his surroundings were. (Episode 44, if you're curious. Have you gone through The Bugle Archive? Maybe you should. Be sure to download and not stream!)
Kimmel: "[Your wife] could have been Sarah Palin." John, clearly holding back 15+ years of accumulated hatred and in the most purposefully even tone ever: "It could have been."
Stephen's story about meeting his wife involved him literally fleeing an old girlfriend by going to South Carolina, seeing a Phillip Glass performance that he wouldn't recommend, and seeing Evie across the room at that performance and immediately knowing she was the one he was going to marry. Which, as Seth and John point out, was probably really reassuring to that old girlfriend.
I'm pretty sure this is the first time we get loud clapping when Fallon mentions "Fever Pitch". I actually kinda like "Fever Pitch", but my grading scale for baseball movies is extremely biased and flawed. Let's be real, baseball fans, is "Major League" actually overall good? Because it's like half a funny movie and half a movie about a random baseball player stalking his ex-girlfriend.
Addendum: Queen Latifah should have been in "Fever Pitch".
Addendum to the addendum: This has been playing on a loop in my head for like a week so also Rob McElhenney should have been in Fever Pitch.
Update to Chris Kattan's wedding: Seth and Alexi were pretty convinced that Chris' marriage was not going to last very long, making their meeting even more sitcom-like. Seth thinks that Chris and his ex-wife themselves didn't really believe that wedding was going to take either.
Kimmel wants to see all the fights that come out of this game. He says this before the real chaos even begins in the episode.
Lessons about England - dimples were part of the class system in the 1970s. Totally true. Definitely a well-documented phenomenon.
As someone with chronic stomach illness, I deeply relate to Kate realizing John was the one when she was stuck on the toilet trying to determine if there was blood in her stool. That precipice where you are, as John so eloquently put it, "shitting yourself to death" in the same general area as your partner is when you find out if love is real, trust me.
With that, I also don't disagree with Seth that Kate bringing that up was probably because Fallon didn't explain this game correctly at all.
The first time I heard the little horn noise transitions in the podcast, I was so fucking happy and got really in my feelings about John and the Bugle. That apparently has not worn off at all in the gap between the last episode of the show and me re-listening to this one.
Kimmel is the one to finally break the game, as he asks the very difficult question "is it when she fell in love with me or when I fell in love with her?" Fallon's response is to acknowledge that's where it gets confusing, and then everything implodes with everyone. (John yelling "There's no 'I think', it's your fucking question!", incidentally, made me fall in love with John all over again. But was that the question? Maybe every question is, in a way, the question. The questions are truly the friends we made along the way.)
"Climb inside his head. It's a happier place."
Evie going to visit Stephen in Chicago and calling her sister about his monogrammed towels is the most Jane Austen thing anyone relates in this podcast series. She saw the magnificent grounds towels of Pemberly, Illinois!
Fallon's story about a driver dropping him off on the set of Fever Pitch (CLAPCLAPCLAP) and noticing his wife's smile and pop leads directly into John saying that Fallon described his wife like a horse. Why are you constantly thinking about horses John
Kimmel's "a horse with a Jansport" joke gets lost in the chaos, which is sad because it's the funniest part of Fallon's whole story of falling in love with his wife.
"My second question was 'what do you think bothers your wife the most about you?'" You can almost hear Kimmel's eyes bug out a bit before he follows up with "While we're pondering that..."
Kimmel has been thinking about Kate's story for a bit clearly, and is befuddled by the idea that a veteran combat medic would ask John to check her stool. I mean, he has a point.
Seth and Alexi seem like a parody of a chaotic couple sometimes. I cannot imagine caring about filling a humidifier. It seems to greatly occupy Seth's mind.
Molly and Alexi somehow ended up with different questions for the same round. Molly and Kimmel are on the same page about Kimmel's messiness at least?
Stephen pulling out his Colbert Report hat to tell Fallon "that's not what you said, but I'll accept it" made me cry laughing the first time I heard it.
Stephen: "I wanna say that she said that I'm selectively anal." Consummate frat bro Kimmel: 🤯
The moment where everyone starts going 'oh' after Stephen explains his fastidiousness is a nice, rare moment of everyone clowning on someone who isn't Fallon this episode.
Fallon thinks his wife is most irritated by his overthinking tendencies. Literally everyone else on this podcast is pretty sure that she's annoyed by his "inability to ask a coherent question". And a collection of badly worded questions asking basic concepts from all the guys.
Nancy then responded with what DOESN'T bother her, which...
I need to put a block break here because I've written too much about this podcast, lol. Happy Spooky Season!
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ONWARDS!
I forgot this episode also had the adventures of Fallon eating the weirdest food possible in bed, like pizza and ramen. (Seth squeaks "soup?!" in a high-pitched quiet voice in the background.) Stephen, when asked if he eats food in bed, says he'll occasionally have a lozenge, which I am pretty sure does not qualify as food.
John: "What irritates me most about [Kate] - I hope she doesn't mind me saying this, she shits blood sometimes." Y'all I love two men and this is one of them
The Ryan Reynolds commercials are hit or miss, but the phrase "ivory underground bunker" is one I've gotten a lot of mileage out of to describe certain members of the US Congress.
Fallon forgot that there was a third option to his question about pet names. You could not script better escalation of absurdity.
The half-hit lightning strike is such a good noise. It sounds like a rustling sheet (something Seth notes pretty accurately).
Stephen's utterly convoluted explanation of how he thinks his imaginary version of his wife's pet name for him is Steve is, as Seth points out, a pretty solid way to answer a Jimmy Fallon question.
Seth and John both seem bewildered at the idea of calling someone "love duck", which, fair.
Esteban Colberto definitely is a deep cut. It's such a deep cut that it seems like Colbert completely fucking forgot about it.
Everything about Anastasio Somosa on this podcast kills me. Kimmel devoted almost 5 hours to making an AI message of Somosa telling Stephen he's proud of him as his son, which also kills me. If Kimmel and John ever joined their trolling forces, I think they could probably do some absolutely insane damage.
Molly's pet name answer: "Trump called him a low-rated loser, does that count?"
Alexi getting the pet name question so wrong that she just named her actual pet makes Stephen laugh harder than I have EVER heard him laugh. Ever.
Ranking everyone's family traditions from most to least weird: Meyers family's secret language > Kimmel's birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas (honestly a great idea) > Colbert men singing songs from the movie Zulu > Fallon banging pots and pans outside on NYE > Colbert family sharing the same story over and over again like they've never heard it > Kimmel making 20+ fishes > Alexi's father's karaoke nights > Oliver Uno championship (also a Lee family tradition, weirdly enough) > John and Kate having Italian food on Thanksgiving (this feels super LA, I know a lot of people who do this or get sushi)
Weird to hear Stephen briefly transform into my dad while discussing Zulu.
To round us off, a collection of quotes John has about Fallon's incredible inability to run this game: "Your staff all need their wages doubled." "Just because you inflect up at the end of a sentence doesn't make it a question." "They've had to insert an internal logic to what you're asking, and you're complaining that THEY'RE confused!" (upon the question being changed in the same round) "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" "When you ask her how's her day, what do you say? 'How do you think... days went? For your sister's sister?'" "You're being fed through Google Translate, that's how you sound." "Jimmy. How do you think this went?"
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hermitfic-ao3 · 4 months
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OMG YOU LOOK FOR FICS?!
You may be my saving grace.
I'm looking for a dark/cryptid hermit craft story placed in hermitchigan where I can't remember the mcs name but they had moved there to work for Scar as a park ranger. It turned out the place was filled with hybrid or just plain not human workers/residents! Including Jimmy, mumbo, doc(?), keralis, bdubs, Scar, renbob, Ren and xb(?) From what I remember.
If you found this I'd be so happy but understand if you aren't able to.
OMG WAIT I FOUND IT
okay first of all, hermichigan is actually the funniest thing i’ve ever heard and i’ve been laughing at it for like 20 minutes now,
second of all here’s the fic hehe -mod nox 🌙
coming home (to a place i’d never been before) by greeniix
Rating: T
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary:
It may have been impulsive to take an unresearched job opportunity and move several states over to live in the woods for the foreseeable future. Some may even call it cowardly. Grian preferred to call it opportunistic and responsible - if the opportunity was escaping and if the responsibility was being a coward.
Between whatever his new boss Ranger Scar Goodtimes had going on and the frankly strange events occurring in the forests of Hermichigan, he certainly had his work cut out for him. If it didn't cut him out first.
Or, Grian impulsively takes a job offer to be a park aide at Monopoly Mountain National Park in Aqua, Hermichigan. He wasn't prepared for the Everything Else.
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remyfire · 4 months
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Chapter: 1/3
Ship: Hawkeye Pierce/Trapper John McIntyre
Note: Fun fact, this was originally supposed to be a kinktober piece for the theme Glory Hole before it started spiraling out of control. Chapter 2 will be coming in just a few days :)
Admittedly, the day that Rosie installed the glory hole was one of the funniest moments of Hawkeye's life. "You nasty men," she'd snarled as she slapped down an empty glass in front of him, then began to pour it full of beer. "I've been in business for four months, and you make a mess of my storeroom. Every day I go in there, and what do I find? Condoms. Sticky walls. Used panties. Enough. Do what you want on your own time. If you're doing it here, you're paying up."
Unsurprisingly, Hawkeye is one of the most frequent users of the glory hole at Rosie's. It's a beautiful way to turn his mind off and forget all the stresses of the day. But when the one man he wants more than anybody but can't risk making a pass at shows up on the other side, things get way more complicated. How many times can Hawk hide his identity while having a taste of his fantasies before Trapper gets wise to it?
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gentlebeard · 1 year
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Hi what are your favourite tumblr blogs? I need more people to follow! <3
hello dear anon, buckle up because i've got things to say and love to spread. 💕 these are my favorite (ofmd) blogs:
@blakbonnet - queen of ofmdtumblr. she’s so powerful, tumblr tried to ban her. hilarious, talented, bitchy and one of the best blogs to start your ofmd journey.
@sherlockig - best screen cap archive and biggest sweetheart. if you’re looking for an ofmd screenshot/edit, alexz’ blog is where you need to go (but pls remember to give credit, if you use one☝️). she’s also one of the sweetest humans on the entire planet.
@bizarrelittlemew - amazing fics, pretty gifs, rhys-thirsting. you can find all that and more on ida’s blog which has become one of my favorites lately!
@snake-snack-stede - the og. incredibly funny, creative, lovely. the first ofmd blog i followed when my pirate obsession started over a year ago.
@not-nervous-jester - hot & hilarious. wonderful fics, funniest tags, occasional insanely beautiful art.
@stedebonnets - looking for incredibly beautiful gifs and just an insane amount of sweetness? look no further, you'll find it here.
@dickfuckk - hilarious vids, takes and shenanigans. you'll have a good time on this blog, i promise you.
@saltpepperbeard - angst, fluff, tears, laughs AND pretty gifs. jodi will hurt you with insane angst and soothe your pain with super sweet fluff. proceed at your own risk.
honorable mentions: @youshouldseemeinadeerstalker @skysofrey @rainbowbonnet @forpiratereasons @viagc @let-me-dream-with-the-stars @xoxoemynn @darkinerry @wearfinethingsalltoowell @ourflagmeansbts @cheersmequeers @aha-my-villainous-thoughts @blackbeardskneebrace
also plugging @stiddies-fanclub for two very good reasons lmao
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Text
So figured I'd answer several question and make a statement a good amount of you might hate me for (Which I will understand
01 Glynda being one of Jaune's adopted daughters.
So first off let's cover the funniest one, I think I might be willing to make Jaune adopt Glynda (But that might not be a for while) What I need help with would be her background for Jaune to adopt her.
I don't want to simply make her another orphan, as that origin story is pretty worn out and also kinda wanna keep her away from Jaune just coming in a saving her.
02. Why aren't any more older series being posted like Sassmaster?
So this one has two reason, first I wanna post the series I wasn't able to her before I post any I already have saved. That way it'll be easier to archive, save and upload them on (On AO3)
So yeah wanna recover my lost post before I start uploaded ones I already have saved and archived on other places first. But right now my internets pretty terrible as I just switched jobs so don't have Wifi. (Using my phone my for tethering)
But once I get back regular internet for my computer I can start recovering more old post again.
03. About your old Gift Commissions, are you still doing them?
Yes, I am, unfortunately though I did bite off more then I could chew back then though and gave out too many. And then when my account was terminated I sorta just lost interest in writing all together for a minute there. (But hey if I never went though that I wouldn't have gotten as into Koikatsu so hey, silver lining.)
But to answer the question yes, I will still be doing them with @noneatnonedotcom's one being at the top of the list to do. and I will be giving out more this Christmas too, but only three to my follows and a few to some of my more regular commissioners.
Much more manageable that way...
But for now I need to focus on Christmas a making so extra dough so will have to finish two several commissions before I start on my next Gift Commission.
04. Are you doing Cinder or Winter next
So this is where I feel bad, the answer is neither, and with that I also wanna say that next won't be Loli, Teenage or Beacon Glynda either.
I think I'm gonna just move right on to the next character as my main focus and do Glynda's other models on the side. For right now my next model is Saphron, then Nora (And Goth Nora by extension), then Oscar, Whitley and then Winter, Cinder, Emerald followed by Terra and either, Velvet, Scarlet or Penny. For now that's the plan.
And now my apology...
Finally, I have a announcement and apology to make, sorry to say I'll be going back on my word about posting my Koikatsu Models for others... I know and your are right to be angry, annoyed or outright pissed.
I hate going back on my word, but to be honest, I've gotten several request for NTRing Jaune pictures and even several anons and other people who don't follow me requesting me to hurry up and upload my Jaune and the girls he doesn't deserve (And other statement)... And also to make Cardin, Sage and Adam models...
Yeah I don't need to spell out what they wanna do with my models do I...
So yeah, my thing is you like NTR fine, you like cucking Jaune, I hate that but it's your kink/ fetish I ain't gonna say your wrong. And won't say anything unless you shove it in my face or try to give me crap, after all at the end of the day these characters are fictional and everyone has the right to write them however they see fit whether I like it or not.
BUT YOU ARE NOT USING MY MODELS TO DO IT!!!
FUCK THAT! I don't care if you wanna cuck Jaune, I just won't follow you, or view you shit. But I'm also not supplying anyone the means to do it either.
And I don't wanna post my models only to see them Blacked or Grimm'd either (To each their own, but not my cup of tea). But I also know everyone has the write to do what they want. But in that case so do I. And I choose to not do something that I'll end up hating.
But I do understand that that also means that they people who just wanted to use the models for their own fun also won't be able to either... And for that I do feel bad and will sincerely apalogize.
I hope you understand why I won't post them but if not I won't hold it against you if you hate, flame or unfollow me.
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